As of November 29, 2006
for international journal X-Ray Spectrometry (John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)
Application of X-ray fluorescence micro tomography: how and where iron is stored in plant seeds (November 24, 2006)
A group of biologists led by Professor Guerinot (Dartmouth College, USA)
has recently clarified that iron is stored in the developing vascular
system of the seed of a plant called Arabidopsis. The group also
found that this localization depends on a protein called VIT1, shown to
transport iron to the vacuole. The experiments combined traditional
mutant analysis (turning on and off the VIT1 protein) with an X-ray
fluorescence micro tomography technique to obtain a map of where iron is
stored in the seed. The results could help in the development of
nutrient-rich seed, benefiting both human health and agricultural
productivity, because iron deficiency is an area of concern in the issue
of human nutrition. The experiments were done at Beamline X26A,
National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), Brookhaven, USA. For more
information, see the paper, "Localization of Iron in Arabidopsis Seed
Requires the Vacuolar Membrane Transporter VIT1 ", S. A. Kim et al.,
Science, 314, 1295-1298 (2006).
X-rays reveal how Neanderthal teeth grew (November 22, 2006)
Neanderthals were a species of the Homo genus who inhabited Europe and
parts of western Asia approximately 24,000 ~ 350,000 years ago. It has
even been suggested that Neanderthals achieved adulthood faster than
modern humans do today. At the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF),
Grenoble, France, the enamel dentine junction of both a deciduous and a
permanent Neanderthal molar tooth (about 130,000 years old) was studied
recently by using high-resolution tomography. It was found that the
dental development of Neanderthals was very similar to modern humans.
The permanent molar tooth studied had completed its root growth at
about 8.7 years of age, which is typical of many modern human children
today. For more information on the experimental results, see the paper,
"How Neanderthal molar teeth grew", R. Macchiarelli et al.,
Nature, published online 22 November 2006. For other recent
interesting data on Neanderthals, see the paper, "Palaeoanthropology:
Return of the last Neanderthal", E. Delson1et al., Nature,
443, 762-763 (2006).
X-ray reflectivity provides evidence of hydrophobic gap at buried water-polymer interface (November 20, 2006)
A group at the Max Planck Institute led by Professor H. Dosch recently
performed detailed studies on the gap between water and a
water-repelling surface. Silicon wafers, functionalized by a
self-assembled monolayer of octadecyl-trichlorosilane (OTS), provide
strongly hydrophobic substrates. The main interest here is what happens
when water comes onto the OTS layer. The experiment was not easy,
because the liquid water-solid interface is deeply buried in this case.
In this research, X-ray reflectivity measurements using an unusually
high-energy beam (72.5 keV) were carried out. The results indicate the
existence of a hydrophobic gap on a molecular scale at the solid-water
interface. For more information, see the paper, “High-resolution in
situ X-ray study of the hydrophobic gap at the water-octadecyl-trichlorosilane
interface", M. Mezger et al.,
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, published online before print
November 20, 2006
Single-shot coherent diffraction imaging using VUV-FEL (November 12, 2006)
At the FLASH free-electron laser facility at DESY in Hamburg, an
international team of scientists recently published the first data on
diffraction imaging of a non-crystalline sample. Theoretically, a
single X-ray pulse, if it is extremely bright and perfectly coherent,
can produce a diffraction pattern from a large macromolecule, a virus or
a cell (for example, see, "Potential for biomolecular imaging with
femtosecond X-ray pulses", R. Neutze et al., Nature,
406, 752-757 (2000)). In the present experiment, the team
tested a laser pulse with 25 fs, 41013 W/cm2/pulse,
containing 1012 photons at 32 nm wavelength, and obtained a coherent
diffraction pattern from a nanostructured non-periodic object before
this exploded into a plasma at ca. 60,000 K. They employed a novel
X-ray camera assured of single-photon detection sensitivity by filtering
out parasitic scattering and plasma radiation. For more information,
see the paper, "Femtosecond diffractive imaging with a soft-X-ray
free-electron laser", H. N. Chapman et al., Nature Physics,
published online 12 November 2006.
Combining X-ray reflectometry and microscopy (November 10, 2006)
Argonne National Laboratory researchers in collaboration with Xradia,
Inc. have developed a novel X-ray surface topography technique by
combining X-ray reflection, which is sensitive to height or depth on a
sub nanometer scale, and full-field X-ray microscopy with condenser and
objective Fresnel zone plates. Recent rapid progress in X-ray
microscopy now allows scientists to obtain X-ray images with ca. 10 nm
spatial resolution. However, so far, almost all full-filed imaging has
employed transmission geometry. The present research has extended the
technique to reflection geometry. It has become possible to image the
distribution of molecular-scale interfacial features directly and
non-invasively with full-field imaging. Interfacial phase contrast from
elementary defect structures allows direct observation of 0.6-nm-high
monomolecular steps at a solid surface. For more information, see the
paper, "Observation of subnanometre-high surface topography with
X-ray reflection phase-contrast microscopy", P. Fenter et al.,
Nature Physics, 2, 700-704 (2006).
X-ray spectroscopy solves mystery of red Pompeii paintings (November 1, 2006)
Artists in ancient Pompeii painted the town red 2,000 years ago with a
brilliant crimson pigment made of cinnabar (HgS) that dominated many of
the doomed city's wall paintings. The eruption of the volcano Vesuvius
showered the neighbouring towns in pumice and ash, and the Villa Sora,
in Torre del Greco, remained buried until just 20 years ago, which is
when excavation work started. In the remains of the house, the
distinctive red colour of the wall frescoes has turned black in many
places. The origins of this darkening degradation have not been clearly
identified yet and remain a major issue for curators. At ESRF, by aid
of micro X-ray fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy, scientists
analyzed red cinnabar paintings coated on a sparry calcite (CaCO3)
mortar exhibiting different levels of degradation. The results indicate
two possible degradation mechanisms; formation of HgCl2 and
CaSO4
through reaction with NaCl and SO2
from the environment, respectively. For more information, see the
paper, "Blackening of Pompeian Cinnabar Paintings: X-ray
Microspectroscopy Analysis", M. Cotte et al., Anal. Chem.,
78, 7484-7492, (2006).
The 1st Ei-ichi Asada Award (October 20, 2006)
In Japan, a new award has been established in memory of the late
Professor Ei-ichi Asada (1924-2005) in order to encourage promising
young scientists in X-ray analysis fields. The joint recipients of the
1st award are: Dr. Kazuhiko Nakano (Osaka Electro Communication Univ.,
"Development
of confocal 3D micro XRF spectrometer-using polycapillary X-ray lenses")
and Dr. Yohko Yano (Ritsumeikan Univ., "Application of X-ray multilayer
optics for a surface-horizontal X-ray reflectometer").
The ceremony was held during the 42nd Annual Conference on X-Ray
Chemical Analysis, Japan at Meiji University, Kawasaki city.
National center for X-ray tomography opens at Berkeley (October 13, 2006)
The National Center for X-ray Tomography (NCXT) has officially been
dedicated at the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National
Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). The main objects are biological/biomedical
imaging and cell biology. Currently, soft X-ray tomography is being
developed as a new tool for visualizing the internal architecture of
whole, hydrated cells. This emerging technique has several distinct
advantages over existing imaging methods, and is contributing new
insights into our understanding of cells, and their behavior. A new
soft X-ray microscope will be constructed at the Advanced Light Source,
and will be open for use by the biomedical community in spring 2007.
For more information, visit the website at
http://ncxt.lbl.gov/
Denver X-Ray Conference Awards (August 9, 2006)
The following awards were presented during the plenary session of the
55th Annual Denver X-Ray Conference:
The 2006 Birks Award: Peter Wobrauschek, Atominstitut, Vienna University
of Technology, Vienna, Austria.
The 2006 Jerome B. Cohen Student Award (two recipients): Hanfei Yan,
Columbia University, New York, NY, and Argonne National Laboratory,
Argonne, IL won the award for his work "Dynamical Artifacts in X-ray
Diffraction from Single Crystals"; Wanchuck Woo, The University of
Tennessee, Knoxville, TN and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge,
TN won the award for his work "In-Situ Time-Resolved Neutron Diffraction
Measurement of Transient Material States during a Thermo-Mechanical
Process Based on Quasi-Steady State Principle".
The 2006 Hanawalt Award: Peter Wallace, Dos Arroyos Enterprises, Oro
Valley, AZ.
SPECTRO's information package for environmental analysis with XRF and ICP (November 17, 2006)
SPECTRO Analytical Instruments is offering a free, online information
package regarding current requirements and new developments for
environmental analysis at http://www.spectro.com. The online content
includes technical data sheets and application reports as to which
analytical instruments and methods are best suited for the testing of
drinking water, waste water, emissions or soil. For further
information, contact Tom Milner, Phone: +49-2821-8922102, Fax:
+49-2821-8 922200, info@spectro.com
Spellman's new high voltage power supply designed for precision e-beam applications (October 5, 2006)
Spellman High Voltage Electronics Corporation (Hauppauge, NY) has
announced the introduction of the VS100 high voltage power supply,
specifically designed for precision electron beam applications like
semiconductor nano-lithography etc. Ultra low ripple (less than
75mVp-p, for 100kV @ 100uA) and high stability make it possible to use
the VS100 as an electron beam accelerator source. For further
information, call +1-631 630-3000, or visit
http://www.spellmanhv.com.
Bruker AXS introduces RoHS-QUANT (October 3, 2006)
Bruker AXS has introduced RoHS-QUANT, a new X-ray fluorescence (XRF)
solution designed specifically for quantitative screening of chromium
(Cr), lead (Pb), bromine (Br), mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) elements in
polymers and plastics of electrical and electronic equipment, in
accordance with the new European Union “Restriction of Hazardous
Substances” (RoHS) regulations. For further information, contact
Michael Willett, Investor Relations Officer, Phone: +1-978-663-3660,
ext. 1411, ir@bruker-biosciences.com,
http://www.bruker-axs.de/
Princeton's new CCD camera (July 17, 2006)
Princeton Instruments/Acton (PI/Acton) has announced the addition of the
PIXIS: 2048 series of front and back illuminated cameras to its
acclaimed PIXIS line of CCD cameras. The cameras are based on e2v
technologies CCD 42-40 -2048x2048 format sensors with a large 26.7 mm x
26.7 mm imaging area. For the first time ever, PIXIS: 2048 offers deep
cooling better than -70oC cooling (via thermo-electric
peltier) with vacuum guaranteed for the entire life of the camera. The
new cameras inherit previous PIXIS features including dual 100kHz/2MHz
digitizers, ultra low read noise of 3e- rms read noise (@100kHz),
all-metal hermitic seals, easy-to-use USB2.0 interface, and single
optical window design for the best optical throughput. For further
information, contact Princeton Instruments Inc., Phone:+1-609-587-9797,
Fax: +1-609-587-1970, moreinfo@piacton.com,
http://www.piacton.com/
PANalytical opens direct sales and support organization in Mexico (November 1, 2006)
From November 1 2006, PANalytical will conduct its business in Mexico
directly as a PANalytical entity under the aegis of Spectris Mexico,
instead of through its agent - PONA. PONA and PANalytical have worked
together over the past 13 years. In the new organization, all PONA
employees will join the newly established PANalytical Mexico. For
further information, contact
Folke Meijer, Brand and Communications Manager, Phone: +31-546-534383,
folke.meijer@panalytical.com,
http://www.panalytical.com.
HORIBA completes second Chinese plant in Shanghai (September 29, 2006)
HORIBA has announced the completion of its second Chinese plant in the Jiading District of Shanghai. For further information, visit http://www.jp.horiba.com/
SpectroscopyNow.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/
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