Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital (Heidelberg, Germany) determined that it takes just 6 minutes after consumption of two glasses of wine for changes to take place in the drinker's brain cells.
Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, researchers at Heidelberg University Hospital (Heidelberg, Germany) determined that it takes just 6 minutes after consumption of an amount of alcohol equivalent to two glasses of wine or three glasses of beer for changes to take place in the drinker's brain cells.
In addition, the harmful effects of alcohol set in quickly. During the experiment, the researchers found that as the concentration of alcohol increases, substances that protect cells, such as choline and creatine, decrease.
The study was conducted with eight male and seven female participants, lying in an MRI scanner, who each drank a quantity of alcohol that caused their blood alcohol level to be 0.05 to 0.06%. In the MRI scanner, the nuclei of atoms in brain tissue were stimulated by a high-frequency impulse, and the signal transmitted during the return to the initial condition was received. The spectral properties of this signal allowed the researchers to determine the contents of the products of metabolism in the tissue examined.
Follow-up studies the next day showed that the shifts in brain metabolites that were seen after moderate consumption of alcohol by healthy participants were completely reversible. Interestingly, the brains of the female and the male subjects reacted to alcohol consumption in the same way.
New Spectroscopic Techniques Offer Breakthrough in Analyzing Ancient Chinese Wall Paintings
October 29th 2024This new study examines how spectroscopic techniques, such as attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FT-IR), ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy, were used to analyze the pigments in ancient Chinese wall paintings.
Breaking Spectral Boundaries: New Ultrafast Spectrometer Expands Detection Range for NIR Studies
October 29th 2024A team from Auburn University has developed an innovative ultrabroadband near-infrared (NIR) transient absorption (TA) spectrometer capable of detecting across a wide spectral range of 900–2350 nm in a single experiment. This advancement improves the study of ultrafast processes in low-bandgap materials and opens doors to new insights in photochemistry and charge dynamics.
FT-NIR and Raman Spectroscopic Methods Enhance Food Quality Control
October 28th 2024A recent study showcases the potential of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy and spatially offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) in detecting raw material defects in hazelnuts caused by improper storage conditions. FT-NIR spectroscopy proved especially effective, while SORS offered complementary insights in certain scenarios. These spectroscopic methods could modernize the speed and accuracy of hazelnut inspections in the food industry.