As of April 7, 2005

for international journal X-Ray Spectrometry (John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

X-ray reveals mystery of Antarctic oil painting (March 28, 2005)

Micro X-ray fluorescence imaging can �gsee�h invisible fingerprints (March 21, 2005)

Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists, C. Worley, S. S. Wiltshire, T. C. Miller, G. J. Havrilla and V. Majidi, have developed a novel method for detecting fingerprints on surfaces that typically render such prints invisible.  The technique uses micro-X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) and can therefore determine the elements in a fingerprint and obtain a pattern at the same time.  Salts such as sodium chloride and potassium chloride that are excreted in sweat are sometimes present in detectable quantities in human fingerprints.  As the new method might also be able to tell if the person that left the fingerprints also handled something like bomb-making materials, it could potentially be used as a tool in forensic investigation.  For more information, contact Todd Hanson, Phone +1-505-65-2085, tahanson@lanl.gov, http://www.lanl.gov/.
�@

X-ray fluorescence analysis clarifies the link between zinc deficiency and the increased risk of cancer (February 16, 2005)

Researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health, have found that zinc deficiency in humans is associated with an increased risk of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, an often-fatal form of esophageal cancer numbering about 7,000 cases a year.  The research basically measures the zinc concentration contained in the tissue by means of X-ray fluorescence analysis using synchrotron radiation at Advanced Photon Source, Argonne, USA.  For more details, see the paper, "Zinc concentration in esophageal biopsy specimens measured by X-ray fluorescence and esophageal cancer risk", C.C. Abnet, B. Lai, Y.-L. Qiao, S. Vogt, X.-M. Luo, P.R. Taylor, Z.-W. Dong, S.D. Mark, S.M. Dawsey, J. Nat. Cancer I. 97, 301 (2005).  Information about cancer is available at http://www.cancer.gov or NCI's Cancer Information Service at +1-800-422-6237.
�@

Laser produces coherent 1.3 keV X-ray pulses (February 10, 2005)

An Austrian research group recently succeeded in obtaining highly collimated, spatially coherent X-rays, at a wavelength of about 1 nm and at photon energies extending to 1.3 keV, from high-order harmonic generation in an atomic gas ionized by a 720-nm, 5-fs, 0.2-TW laser pulse.  The beam divergence was evaluated as 0.2 mrad for the spectral range above 200 eV from a knife-edge scan, indicating perfect coherence of the atomic dipoles within a macroscopic volume of diameters of 13ƒÊm and 4ƒÊm at photon energies of 0.3 keV and 1 keV, respectively.  The beam seems to be diffraction-limited to within a factor of five.  The spectrum of the generated radiation was observed by an energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer with some filters.  The results are really exciting, because they could detect the copper L-edges (~950 eV)!  One would notice that the energy of photons produced by laser technologies has been increasing every year – the main idea behind this progress is the creation of time-gradient in the driving pulse, which allows some 25% of the helium atoms to be ionized within half a cycle before the pulse peak.  The electrons detached within this time are pushed in the most intense half-cycle back to the atomic core.  For more information, see the paper, �gSource of coherent kiloelectronvolt X-rays�h, J. Seres et al., Nature, 433, 596 (2005).  C. Streli and P. Wobrauschek (Atominstitut der Osterreichischen Universtitaten, Technische Universitat Wien) were the co-authors of this paper.
�@

New web site on synchrotron sources launched (February 17, 2005)

lightsources.org is a new web site, created through the collaboration of communicators at worldwide synchrotron radiation facilities.  The site presents current light-source news from the world's press and photos and graphics from individual facilities, as well as a roundup of important facility-related news for users.  Visit http://www.lightsources.org/
�@

7th Ewald Prize – P. Coppens (February 9, 2005)

The international union of crystallography (IUCr) announced that Professor P. Coppens (Department of Chemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, USA) has been awarded the seventh Ewald Prize for his contributions to developing the fields of electron density determination and the crystallography of molecular excited states, and for his contributions to the education and inspiration of young crystallographers as an enthusiastic teacher by participating in and organizing many courses and workshops.  The Prize consists of a medal, a certificate, and an award of USD 30,000.  The former recipients are Michael M. Woolfson (UK, 2002), G.N. Ramachandran (1999), M. G. Rossmann (USA, 1996), N. Kato (Japan, 1993), B.K. Vainshtein (Russia, 1990), J.M. Cowley (USA) and A.F. Moodie (Australia) in 1987.
�@

Nine European countries participate in XFEL (January 24, 2005)

Nine countries, namely France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in which they have agreed to jointly prepare the foundation of the European X-ray free electron laser (XFEL) facility.  XFEL opens up new possibilities in the vast field of structural research, by generating extremely brilliant, ultra-short X-ray pulses with laser-like properties.  More information on this European project is available at http://xfel.desy.de/content/e169/index_eng.html
�@

Kodak develops faster X-ray film (March 8, 2005)

INNOV-X launches compact XRF handheld analyzers (March 1, 2005)

Innov-X Systems, Inc. has announced the introduction of its new �gAlpha Series�h of handheld analyzers, which provide on-the-spot, elemental analysis from phosphorus to uranium.  The new analyzers are designed to be �gpoint and shoot�h for producing results at production lines, field sites, power plants, scrap yards etc.  For more information, contact Steven M. Pomerantz, VP-Sales and Marketing, Innov-X Systems, Inc.10 Gill Street, Ste. Q Woburn, MA 01801, Phone +1-781-938-5005, spomerantz@innov-xsys.com, http://www.innov-xsys.com.
�@

Austin AI releases world's first push probe for the in-situ determination of heavy and hazardous elements in soil (February 27, 2005)

Austin AI's newly released cone penetrometer for elemental analysis of soil (CP-1000) has been accepted by the Japanese civil engineering firm Nikken Sekkei following rigorous lab and field testing.  The CP-1000 is based on energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) technology and is capable of determining hazardous metals such as As, Cd, Pb, Hg, Se, and Ag down to concentrations of 100 ppm and lower.  The system is designed to operate in continuous push or stop and measure mode.  For details, contact Dianne Hillhouse, MarCom Manager, Phone:+1-512-837-9400, dhillhouse@austinai.com, http://www.austinai.com/
�@

NORAN System SIX extends X-ray microanalysis tools (February 22, 2005)

Two new software tools, Xphase and Spectral Match, have been announced for the NORAN System SIX X-ray Microanalysis system.  Xphase provides a method of identifying and visualizing the phase distribution within a sample, while Spectral Match offers unique matching capabilities for spectral analysis.  For more information, call +1-800-532-4752.
�@

Thermo Electron purchases NITON LLC (March 29, 2005)

Thermo Electron has announced that it has purchased NITON LLC, a leading provider of portable X-ray analyzers for non-destructive testing of a range of metals for the petrochemical, environmental and other industries.  NITON is headquartered in Billerica, Massachusetts, and will become part of the Scientific Instruments product line of Thermo's Life and Laboratory Sciences segment.  For more information, contact Lori Gorski, Phone: 781-622-1242, lori.gorski@thermo.com, http://www.thermo.com/
�@

Rigaku/MSC, Inc. purchases RoboDesign International (March 3, 2005)

Rigaku/MSC, Inc. has announced the purchase of all outstanding shares of RoboDesign International Incorporated, which is well known for its automation instruments, as well as robotics for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.  The main strategy behind the acquisition appears to be the integration of Rigaku/MSC�fs X-ray diffraction technologies and RoboDesign�fs fully automated solutions for high throughput protein crystal growth and screening for life science markets.  For further information, contact: Keith Crane, President & COO RoboDesign International 5920 Pasteur Court, Carlsbad, CA 92008, Phone: +1-760 438-5282, info@robodesign.com, http://www.robodesign.com/
�@

For additional news about X-ray analysis and other spectroscopy sciences, browse the Wiley website.

http://www.SpectroscopyNow.com

Kenji Sakurai
Director, X-Ray Physics Group, National Institute for
Materials Science (NIMS)
and Professor, Doctoral Program in Materials Science and
Engineering, Graduate School of Pure and Applied Sciences,
 University of Tsukuba
1-2-1, Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0047 Japan
Phone : +81-29-859-2821, Fax : +81-29-859-2801
sakurai@yuhgiri.nims.go.jp
http://www.nims.go.jp/xray/lab/