Due to the importance of imaging mass spectrometry in the life sciences, the Joint Committee of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) has decided, as part of the “Imaging Mass Spectrometry in the Life Sciences” initiative, to equip nine universities with major instrumentation systems.

After an introduction to MALDI, DESI and SIMS, the authors describe their main applications in forensics, as well as the advantages provided in terms of sample preparation over approaches routinely used in toxicological laboratories.

Ninety-five delegates attended the 8th Confocal Raman Imaging Symposium in Ulm, Germany, from 5 to 6 October organised by WITec. Featuring a global line-up of Raman Imaging experts, the symposium gave scientist the opportunity to see the newest applications and relevant instrument configurations.

Thermo Fisher Scientific has introduced a new imaging ATR accessory offering enhanced spatial resolution and high-speed data acquisition capabilities for FT-IR chemical imaging applications. This accessory has been designed to seamlessly and effortlessly integrate with the company's range of FT-IR microscopes to enable improved chemical imaging of challenging samples. It is of particular benefit to manufacturers of composite structures, paper products, pharmaceutical dosage forms, biological tissues, polymer films and coatings. It simplifies the task of obtaining high-quality IR spectra in cases of samples that are difficult to prepare for transmission analysis. Observable features in specimens, such as defects, particles, fibres or inks, may be analysed with improved spatial resolution. It can quickly snap into the sample hold feature of the Nicolet iN10, Nicolet iN10 MX and the Nicolet Continuµm microscopes without the need for tools. All standard optics remain available, avoiding any concerns of alignment or down time when switching between sampling modes.

Princeton has introduced the PyLoN series, a new line of controller-less, cryogenically-cooled CCD cameras, designed for quantitative spectroscopy applications that demand high sensitivity. The first commercially available models in this series are the 100 and 400 dual-amplifier modules that utilise 1340 × 100 and 1340 × 400 sensors, respectively. In creating the new platform, the company redesigned their Spec-10 family of cameras to remove the external controller, increasing experimental flexibility while improving the ultra-low-noise electronics. Liquid nitrogen cooling in the new cameras virtually eliminates dark current, indium metal seals enhance vacuum longevity and binning noise has been reduced from the levels of the Spec-10 platform. Other features include ADC conversion up to 4 MHz, kinetics mode which allows microsecond-resolved kinetic spectral acquisition and custom sensor mode for increased control over the camera readout. The cameras operate on 32-bit and 64-bit Microsoft Windows operating systems and are fully supported by LightField 64-bit data acquisition software featuring IntelliCal wavelength and intensity calibration packages. The GigE interface allows remote operation via a single cable without the need for custom frame grabbers. The cameras area available with or without a 40 mm shutter.

A new solution for the analysis of trace evidence is now available from Elliot Scientific. The new Elixir microscope from Craic Technologies offers multiple analytical techniques in a single instrument for the forensic scientist. Users can conduct microspectroscopy, high-resolution imaging, Raman microspectroscopy and glass refractometry with one easy-to-use tool. The system integrates an advanced spectrophotometer with an optical microscope and easy-to-use software, which enables scientists to quickly analyse all manner of microscopic samples of trace evidence using high-sensitivity multiple analytical techniques.

Researchers have used mass spectrometry imaging to uncover exactly how a human egg captures an incoming sperm to begin the fertilisation process, in a new study published this week in Science. The research identifies the sugar molecule that makes the outer coat of the egg “sticky”, which is vital for enabling the sperm and egg to bind together. Researchers across the world have been trying to understand what performs this task for over 30 years.

Malvern Instruments has produced an application note entitled NIR chemical imaging for tablet deconstruction: a case study for solid dosage forms to demonstrate how data derived from reverse engineering of pharmaceutical tablets can aid the fight against counterfeit drugs. Using the SyNIRgi near infrared chemical imaging system, they have been able to collect data detailed enough to characterise the formulation and processes used to create individual dosages. Results can be compared to both the original manufacturer specifications and a database of known counterfeits.

Princeton Instruments have introduced several new cameras based on their eXelon back-illuminated CCD and EMCCD detector technology. The new sensors provide good photon detection capabilities across a wide spectrum from 200 nm to 1100 nm and are particularly beneficial for applications requiring enhanced sensitivity in the blue and near infrared regions. The new technology will be featured in the company's PIXIS and ProEM deep-cooled cameras and is available in several pixel-array formats: 1340 × 100 and 1340 × 400 CCD cameras for spectroscopy and 512 × 512 to 2048 × 2048 CCD cameras for spectral imaging. The new cameras will target a wide variety of applications in both the life sciences and physical sciences.

Nati Salvadó, Salvador Butí and Trinitat Pradell have used a number of techniques to investigate changes in pictorial techniques in Catalan paintings in the 15th century. The combination of different techniques is of particular value. The use of synchtrotron radiation as a light source is also an advantage.

One of the main techniques for measuring and monitoring mental activity, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), can often be impaired because a person’s hair gets in the way. A team of researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas and the University of Texas at Arlington have developed a “brush optrode”, which provides increased sensitivity with fibre tips designed to thread through hair to enhance scalp contact.

A paper by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) may breathe new life into the use of a powerful—but tricky—diagnostic technique for cell biology. The paper in the Biophysical Journal, demonstrates that with improved hardware and better signal processing, an enhancement to Raman spectroscopy, broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (B-CARS), can quickly deliver detailed molecular maps of the contents of cells without damaging them. Earlier studies have suggested that to be useful, the technique would need power levels too high for cells.

Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have revealed new details about how cannibalistic bacteria identify peers suitable for consumption. The work, which employed imaging mass spectrometry, is a first step toward a broader effort to map all signalling molecules between organisms.

Spectroscopy is the measurement of the interaction of radiation with matter before or after spectral dispersion. This has been studied variously by physicists and chemists, has wide applications outside these traditional disciplines and cannot be owned by any particular community. The subject embraces both science (including mathematics) and technology (including computing) and contains many examples of differences, not always understood, between these cultures. It illustrates the unchanging and universal character of the relevant science, which is increasingly revealed by advances in the relevant technology.

Bruker Corporation has signed an agreement to acquire the Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) and Optical Industrial Metrology (OIM) instruments business from Veeco Instruments, Inc. for $229 million in cash. The transaction has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies and is expected to close during the fourth quarter of 2010, pending regulatory review and subject to customary closing conditions.

There is considerable interest in chemical imaging of pharmaceutical tablets since knowledge of the spatial distribution of constituents is critical to ensuring uniformity and consistency of product. Pharmaceutical tablets in general are complex multicomponent blends comprising active ingredients(s) and a variety of inactive substances—the excipients—that are used to aid manufacture and facilitate tablet administration. Thus, in addition to measurement of the spatial distribution of the active drug, there is a need to monitor excipients such as binders, fillers, coatings, lubricants, disintegrants and preservatives. Imaging of organic and inorganic constituents of tablets represents a considerable challenge and no single spectroscopic approach can provide definitive characterisation of all components and/or satisfy key measurement criteria such as sensitivity, specificity, resolution and speed of analysis. With respect to molecular imaging, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman and fluorescence microscopies are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. Indeed efforts have been made to exploit the complementary nature of IR and Raman by merging respective data sets in order “to enable a more complete visualisation of pharmaceutical formulations”. More generally the approach of Clarke et al. termed “Chemical Imaging Fusion” can be extended to elemental imaging given that inorganic compounds and heteroatoms are critical components of formulations.

I recently “discovered” a very interesting radio programme on BBC Radio 4. It is “devoted to the powerful, sometimes beautiful, often abused but ever ubiquitous world of numbers”. A few weeks ago we were asked to say what we were doing while listening to the programme. The next week we were told that nearly 2000 e-mails had been received and this data had been given to information designer David McCandless to turn into a graphic. When this was trailed I got the impression that something new and exciting was going to be displayed and I thought that the graphic would include sound. The graphic is good but rather “ordinary” and I was disappointed. This got me thinking about how we display information. Have we made any advance in the last 25 years? Could sound be used!

Recent hyperspectral imaging of Thomas Jefferson’s rough draft of the USA’s Declaration of Independence has clearly confirmed past speculation that Jefferson made an interesting word correction during his writing of the document, according to scientists in the Library of Congress’ Preservation Research and Testing Division (PRTD).

A new technique to analyse fingermarks from crime scenes has the potential to give crucial additional details about a suspect such as their medications, diet, the time at which they accidentally left the fingermark and can even be used to detect any substances they might have touched, such as traces of cocaine. These extra details can be important background information in a criminal investigation, especially if the suspect's fingerprint is not on the police database. It is hoped the technique will compliment current fingermark detection techniques and assist in criminal investigations.

DynaMyc, the latest confocal fluorescence mapping system from Horiba Scientific, now generates lifetime images faster than before.