PREFACE [Hot topic: Mass Spectrometry (Guest Editor: Athula B. Attygalle)]

Mass spectrometry has made outstanding progress in recent decades. By awarding the Nobel Prize for 2002 for chemistry to Drs. John B. Fenn and Koichi Tanaka, the scientific community has recognized the revolution mass spectrometry has made in identifying and analyzing large biological molecules. Therefore a dedicated issue on current topics in mass spectrometry is very appropriate. While writing this preface, I realized how global mass spectrometry has become. Seven articles included in this issue are written by seven research groups from seven different countries. The first article written by Kristina Hakansson, Helen J. Cooper, Robert R. Hudgins and Carol L. Nilsson presents an overall view of FTMS techniques. The second review by Thomas Brenna's group from Cornell University provides an excellent appraisal of high precision isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The third article takes mass spectrometry beyond earth. In this paper, John H. Bowie and his coworkers address the use of neutralization-reionization mass spectrometry in the study of gas phase anions. The next article on a related topic by Hans-Friedrich Grützmacher looks at radical cations. Rita Grandori' article addresses the utilization of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in protein conformational studies. The sixth paper by Ohashi and Itoh discusses some unique ionization phenomena observed under FAB and MALDI conditions. The last article by Corinne Bure and Catherine Lange provides a comparison of CAD processes occurring in ESI sources and in traditional collision cells. I thank all authors for their combined effort. Articles gathered here are of interest to practicing mass spectrometrists as well to novices who would like to gain experience with mass spectrometry. I welcome any ideas and suggestions that will help me to improve the quality of future issues on this subject.