Zooming NMR images

Researchers at Oxford University have developed a waveguide technology that permits the detailed examination of features at its tip. This allows the collection of very localised features and their isolation from signals from surrounding objects. Waveguides with tips as narrow as 100 µm have been proposed, which offer a potential magnification of several hundred times.

MR spectra of tumours

A system that facilitates the interpretation of magnetic resonance spectra of brain tumours and improves their diagnosis has been developed as part of the EU-funded Project INTERPRET, co-ordinated by Carles Arús of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona.

There are 50 different types and grades of malignant tumours. The malignancy of each type of tumour is what determines if and what type of therapy is the best to carry out. MR images have an average reliability for diagnosing a type of tumour of between 75 and 80%. Radiologists can have difficulty in interpreting spectra, which can be obtained alongside the images but can provide clear identification of the tumour type. The program developed by the team is based on a database that includes information on 300 brain tumours. Once a spectrum has been acquired, the system locates it within the database and provides a visual display indicating the probability that the unknown tumour is of one type or another.

Remote sensing of mining pollution

Remote sensing methods that could be used in future to monitor pollution from mining at less cost and to common standards across the EU have been tested in six diverse sites across Europe by IST project MINEO. A spectral library of more than 1500 representative spectra of contaminated or impacted areas from the six test sites has been developed. This is part of an application that allows the management, comparison and search and retrieval of spectra, according to spectral characteristics, type of surface feature or target investigated, location, climatic conditions etc. These can be directly displayed in the image-processing software environment for immediate use in hyperspectral image processing for environmental impact monitoring. istresults.cordis.lu.

Mass spec terms

The Analytical Chemistry Division of IUPAC is sponsoring a project to update the standard terms and definitions for mass spectrometry. It is necessary to get comments, suggestions and other input from mass spectrometrists to complete the project successfully. To be involved in this project, visit www.msterms.com.

Arnold Beckman

Arnold Orville Beckman, PhD, the founder and chairman emeritus of Beckman Instruments (now Beckman Coulter) died in his sleep on 19 May 2004 at the age of 104.