bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multiple time scale modeling investigation of leaf water isotope enrichment in a temperate grassland ecosystem
Authors: Wang Pei , Yamanaka Tsutomu , Li Xiao‐Yan , Wu Xiuchen , Chen Bo , Liu Yaping , Wei Zhongwang , Ma Wenchao
Published: March 2018

Understanding the controls on temporal variation in plant leaf δ2H and δ18O values is important for understanding carbon–water dynamics of the biosphere and interpreting a wide range of proxies for past environments. Explaining the enrichment mechanisms under field conditions is challenging. To clarify the leaf water isotopic enrichment process at the ecosystem scale, four models with a range of complexities that were previously conducted at the leaf scale have been tested to simulate canopy foliage water in a multispecies grassland ecosystem. Although the exact importance of considering non‐steady‐state or/and isotopic diffusion in bulk leaf isotopic simulations has been reported in previous studies, our findings suggested that the steady‐state assumption (SSA) is practically acceptable as a first‐order approximation. The SSA two‐pool model was the best option for reproducing seasonality of the bulk‐leaf‐water isotopic ratio for a grassland ecosystem. Relative humidity at canopy layer as the most controlling factor for canopy foliage water stable isotope composition because of its high sensitivity and variation. The results highlighted that canopy foliage water was a well‐behaved property that was predictable for a multispecies grassland ecosystem at hourly or daily time‐scales.
Factors Associated With Elevated Blood Lead Levels in Children
Authors: Chaudhary Sakshi , Firdaus Uzma , Ali Syed Manazir , Mahdi Abbas Ali
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To determine the prevalence and correlates of elevated blood lead level in children (6-144 months) of Aligarh.

Methods

A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted. Venous blood was obtained for lead estimation and a structured questionnaire was filled.

Results

A total of 260 children were enrolled. The prevalence of elevated blood lead level was 44.2%, seen mostly in children below 5 years of age. Old and deteriorating wall paints at home was found to be significantly associated with elevated levels.

Conclusions

Lead-based house paints are potential source of lead exposure. Meticulous renovation and painting of the walls with safe paints is desirable.
Long-term Protection Against the Hepatitis B Virus Detected Through an Early Response to a Booster Dose Injection
Authors: Saffar Hiva , Khalilian Ali-Reza , Saffar Mohammed-Jafar , Ajami Abolghasem
Published: March 2018

Objective

To determine the duration of protection conferred by the hepatitis B (HB) vaccination and the necessity of a booster dose.

Methods

Immediately after the initial blood sampling, 252 youths (aged 18.8-20.5 years, 52% females) with a history of neonatal HB vaccination with one dose of the HB vaccine received a booster. Serum concentrations of antibodies against the HB surface antigen were assessed in samples collected before and 10-14 days after the booster. Seroconversion from concentrations <10 to ≥10 IU/L were defined as a positive immune response.

Results

Of the 252 participants, 131 were serosusceptible and 114 responded.

Conclusions

Nearly 90% of young people preserved their long-term protection; the results of this study do not support the use of an HB booster vaccination.
Women, Demography, and Politics: How Lower Fertility Rates Lead to Democracy
Authors: Sommer Udi
Published: March 2018

Where connections between demography and politics are examined in the literature, it is largely in the context of the effects of male aspects of demography on phenomena such as political violence. This project aims to place the study of demographic variables’ influence on politics, particularly on democracy, squarely within the scope of political and social sciences, and to focus on the effects of woman-related demographics—namely, fertility rate. I test the hypothesis that demographic variables—female-related predictors, in particular—have an independent effect on political structure. Comparing countries over time, this study finds a growth in democracy when fertility rates decline. In the theoretical framework developed, it is family structure as well as the economic and political status of women that account for this change at the macro and micro levels. Findings based on data for more than 140 countries over three decades are robust when controlling not only for alternative effects but also for reverse causality and data limitations.
Subsidized Housing and the Transition to Adulthood
Authors: Kucheva Yana
Published: March 2018

Despite abundant evidence about the effect of children’s socioeconomic circumstances on their transition to adulthood, we know much less about the effect of social policy programs aimed at poor families with children in facilitating how and when children become adults. This issue is particularly important for the U.S. federal subsidized housing program given its long history of placing subsidized units in some of the poorest and most racially segregated neighborhoods. Using counterfactual causal methods that adjust for the length of receipt of subsidized housing, I estimate the effect of subsidized housing on teenage parenthood, household formation, and educational attainment. I find that the subsidized housing program has either null or positive effects on the transition to adulthood and that these effects vary by both race and gender. These results underscore the importance of considering whether social programs have differential effects on the life chances of individuals based on both race and gender.
The psychological, social, and behavioural impact of a parent's cancer on adolescent and young adult offspring aged 10–24 at time of diagnosis: A systematic review
Authors: Morris Julia , Turnbull Deborah , Preen David , Zajac Ian , Martini Angelita
Published: March 2018

This study reviewed the literature regarding the psychological, social, and behavioural impact of parental cancer on offspring aged 10–24 years, at the time of the parent's first diagnosis. A systematic literature review was conducted following 2015 PRISMA guidelines. Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Offspring were impacted by their parent's cancer and experienced psychological and behavioural problems. Daughters and offspring who experienced more problems at their parent's diagnosis appeared to be most impacted. Offspring refrained from communicating their disease‐related concerns, but expected their parents to communicate openly. Turning to oneself and peer‐support were coping strategies used by offspring. The majority of offspring were significantly impacted by their parent's cancer. The paucity of literature focusing on offspring aged 10–24 years at the time of their parent's incident cancer diagnosis indicates that research has overlooked offspring age at their parent's cancer onset as a factor that may influence their future outcomes.
Utilitarianism as tort theory: countering the caricature
Authors: Purshouse Craig
Published: March 2018

Utilitarianism, the view that ‘actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness’, is no longer taken seriously either as a moral principle or as a theory of tort law. Rights-based theories appear to have won the day. The purpose of this paper is to counter this trend and demonstrate that utilitarianism is not the implausible straw man that its opponents have constructed. Relying upon a version of utilitarianism advanced by the philosopher RM Hare, I will demonstrate that distinguishing between two levels of utilitarian thinking can provide a credible explanatory and normative theory of tort law that is immune to many of the critiques usually levelled at this theory. My final conclusion is that ifarights-based theory of tort law is convincing, it may be one with utilitarian foundations.
Overgeneral autobiographical memory bias in clinical and non-clinical voice hearers
Authors: Jacobsen Pamela , Peters Emmanuelle , Ward Thomas , Garety Philippa A. , Jackson Mike , Chadwick Paul
Published: March 2018

Background

Hearing voices can be a distressing and disabling experience for some, whilst it is a valued experience for others, so-called ‘healthy voice-hearers’. Cognitive models of psychosis highlight the role of memory, appraisal and cognitive biases in determining emotional and behavioural responses to voices. A memory bias potentially associated with distressing voices is the overgeneral memory bias (OGM), namely the tendency to recall a summary of events rather than specific occasions. It may limit access to autobiographical information that could be helpful in re-appraising distressing experiences, including voices.

Methods

We investigated the possible links between OGM and distressing voices in psychosis by comparing three groups: (1) clinical voice-hearers (N = 39), (2) non-clinical voice-hearers (N = 35) and (3) controls without voices (N = 77) on a standard version of the autobiographical memory test (AMT). Clinical and non-clinical voice-hearers also completed a newly adapted version of the task, designed to assess voices-related memories (vAMT).

Results

As hypothesised, the clinical group displayed an OGM bias by retrieving fewer specific autobiographical memories on the AMT compared with both the non-clinical and control groups, who did not differ from each other. The clinical group also showed an OGM bias in recall of voice-related memories on the vAMT, compared with the non-clinical group.

Conclusions

Clinical voice-hearers display an OGM bias when compared with non-clinical voice-hearers on both general and voices-specific recall tasks. These findings have implications for the refinement and targeting of psychological interventions for psychosis.
Calibration Of Intermediate-Band Photometric Parameters and V Sin i Effects
Authors: Crawford David L.
Published: March 2018

Calibration of four-color and Hβ photometry, in terms of intrinsic color and absolute magnitude, for the B-, A- and F-type stars is about finished, though still subject to small changes. The data for the bright stars in the northern and southern hemispheres and for a number of the brighter open clusters were used in obtaining these calibrations. Some of the data have been published; much more of it will be going to press shortly. The calibration is interesting not only for itself and its applications, but because deviations from it may be due in part to rotational velocity effects.
On the Rotation of A-Type Stars
Authors: Jaschek Carlos
Published: March 2018

Based upon the statistics ofVsiniamong A-type stars it is shown that (1) no relationship exists between rotational velocity and UBV colours, (2) there might be an influence of rotation upon spectral classification, and (3) spectroscopic binaries are associated with low rotational velocity.
On the UV Cet-Type Star Rotation
Authors: Gershberg R. E.
Published: March 2018

The upper limits of flare star rotational velocities are evaluated from the photometric features of the stars and on the basis of the widths of the Ha emission line in the quiet chromospheres. The rotational velocity of UV Cet does not exceed 22 km/sec, YZ CMi: 37 km/sec, the valuevsiniof AD Leo does not exceed 52 km/sec, and that of EV Lac: 25 km/sec.
Solar Oblateness and Differentially Rotating Polytropes
Authors: Fahlman G. G. , Naylor M. D. T. , Anand S. P. S.
Published: March 2018

Dicke and Goldenberg (1967a) measured the solar oblateness to be σ= (5±0.7) × 10-5 and subsequently interpreted this measurement as evidence that the solar interior rotates with a period of 1.d8. With this interpretation, they then showed that the observed oblateness causes an 8% discrepancy in the Einstein prediction of the perihelion advance of Mercury. The stability analysis of Goldreich and Schubert (1967) seems to preclude such a fast rotation of the solar interior although magnetic field effects could alter their conclusions (Dicke, 1967). More recently Goldreich and Schubert (1968) and Fricke (1969) have calculated upper bounds to the solar oblateness essentially by finding the steepest distribution of angular velocity that is consistent with secular stability at each point in the equatorial plane of the sun. Fricke’s result of σmax=1.4 × 10-5 is based on a stronger stability criterion than that of Goldreich and Schubert who found σmax=1.4 × 10-4; Fricke, however, suggests that this may be in error and should actually be σmax=3.4 × 10-5. In their calculations of σmax the above authors assumed that the outer convective layers of the sun are rotating uniformly and that the angular velocity in the interior is a function of the radial distance from the center of the sun only. We note that while these assumptions are reasonable, neither of them is supported by the observed solar rotation.
Outcomes of UTI and bacteriuria caused by ESBL vs. non-ESBL Enterobacteriaceae isolates in pregnancy: a matched case–control study
Authors: Yagel Y. , Nativ H. , Riesenberg K. , Nesher L. , Saidel-Odes L. , Smolyakov R.
Published: March 2018

Infections caused by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-E) have become increasingly prevalent, posing a serious public threat worldwide. It is commonly believed that untreated urinary tract infections (UTI) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) during pregnancy are associated with poor obstetric outcomes. Currently, there is a paucity of data regarding the outcomes or risk factors of such ESBL-E infections in pregnant women. We conducted a retrospective 1:2 matched case–control study of hospitalised pregnant women with ESBL-E- vs. non-ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae-positive urine cultures obtained between 2004 and 2015, and compared risk factors for the development of resistant bacteria, clinical course and outcomes. In total, 87 pregnant women with ESBL-E-positive urine cultures were matched to 174 controls by decade of age, ethnicity and pregnancy trimester. Significant risk factors for acquisition of ESBL-E included prior UTI/ABU episodes (50.6% vs. 26.3%, P < 0.001), previous isolation of ESBL-E in urine cultures (12.6% vs. 0.6%, P < 0.001) and prior antibiotic exposure (71.3% vs. 54%, P = 0.002). Previous hospitalisation, however, was not found to be a risk factor. No significant difference was found in adverse obstetric outcomes. We conclude that prior urinary infections and antibiotic exposure were significant risk factors for the isolation of ESBL-E pathogens from the urine of pregnant women; however, this was not associated with worse obstetric outcomes compared with non-ESBL-E pathogens.
Imaging New Paths for Malarial Parasites
Authors: Stephen W. Carmichael  , Rosenblatt Jon E
Published: March 2018

In general terms, parasites that cause malaria are injected into the skin by mosquitoes. They then travel into the bloodstream and then to the liver where they invade liver cells and mature into forms called schizonts. Within each schizont, cell division produces thousands of tiny new forms called merozoites, each of which, when released into the bloodstream, is capable of infecting a red blood cell. This “traditional” pathway for malarial parasites may not be the only way these parasites travel through the body. Using some increasingly more powerful immuno-imaging tools, Rogerio Amino, Sabine Thiberge, Béatrice Martin, Susanna Celli, Spencer Shorte, Friedrich Frischknecht, and Robert Ménard have demonstrated an additional route that could have profound implications for developing effective vaccines for this major worldwide disease.
Examination of the Gospel of Judas Using An Integrated Approach to Ink Characterization
Authors: Barabe Joseph G , Martin Kathleen A , Schumacher Elaine F , Swider Joseph R , Teetsov Anna S
Published: March 2018

In the field of document examination, several approaches can be taken to probe the authenticity of a piece of ancient writing. Scholars have the task of analyzing, and possibly translating, the language and content of a document, and assessing the character and quality of the script. Materials characterization plays another role. Both the document substrate and the ink can be examined to determine whether the materials and methods of creation are consistent with those known to be used during the historical period to which the document is attributed.
Atom Probe Tomography Defines Mainstream Microscopy at the Atomic Scale
Authors: Kelly Thomas F , Thompson Keith , Marquis Emmanuelle A , Larson David J
Published: March 2018

When making a sculpture, it is the eyes that guide the hands and tools and perceive the outcome. In simple words, “in order to make, you must be able to see.” So too, when making a nanoelectronic device, it is the microscope (eyes) that guides the process equipment (hands and tools) and perceives the outcome. As we emerge into the century of nanotechnology, it is imperative that the eyes on the nanoworld provide an adequate ability to “see.” We have microscopies that resolve 0.02 nm on a surface (scanning tunneling microscope (STM)) or single atoms in a specimen (atom probe tomographs (APT) and transmission electron microscopes (TEM)).
Keeping Life in Focus New Systems Prevent Z-axis Drift in Time Lapse Studies
Authors: Lachica Edward
Published: March 2018

Just two decades ago, life scientists studied biological structure, developmental anatomy and intracellular processes by describing individual snapshots of kinetic events. Today, with so much bioscience research focusing on dynamic processes that occur on the molecular, cellular and whole organ level, it is important to record events as they happen, over seconds, minutes or hours, in living cells. Photographs and camera lucida drawings of fixed, stained cells have given way to live cell imaging using fluorescent probes, warming trays to promote cell viability and cinemicrography as a method of recording events.
Comments on Quantifying the Results of Electron-Probe Analysis of a Gold-Tin Solder
Authors: Twilley John
Published: March 2018

First, it is important to know whether the objective of the analysis is to measure the total amount of the two metals in the assembly as a whole, or to measure their proportions in each of the different areas; the tin solder, the intermetallic layers and so on. The purpose to which the results are to be put is also important. To some extent the answer depends on knowing this, as a biased but highly repeatable measure of something is often useful for internal purposes.

For Au/Sn intermetallic compounds which have quite specific compositions, the absorption/enhancement effects will be different than for a low-concentration solid solution of either of the metals in the other.
Modern Microscopy On The light Side
Authors: Palenik Skip
Published: March 2018

The attachment of devices to the eyepiece of a microscope is a long accepted practice among microscopisis; almost as soon as a new technical advance appears, someone is adapting it to the study of microscopic specimens. Photomicrography was in use from almost the earliest days of photography, while the microspectroscope was developed and described by Sorby as early as the 1860's. As advances in technology provided improved means for recording data and collecting radiation invisible to the human eye, these were rapidly adapted to the microscope as add-on accessories constructed as one-of-a-kind instruments or in a few cases as commercial products.
The Biological Images Project
Authors: Penn Michael
Published: March 2018

The Biological Images Project is the culmination of the four summers I have spent at Apple Computer. In short is is a software package which allows students to manipulate and explore biological images (i.e. micrographs, CTs, MRIs, etc.), Consisting of four sections - interface, biological images, image processing, and communication software - this package can serve as a powerful educational medium. The interface supports the more traditional forms of teaching - textual notes and brief lectures. The collection of biological images allows students to visualize biological structures in ways they never have before and exposes them to a variety of scientific techniques and tools. Image processing lets the student interact with the images, to manipulate, explore, discover and in some ways gain ownership of the image. Finally the communication package will provide the students a medium to share their discoveries in an interactive manner and submit them to peer review.
EMSA Undergraduate Scholarship Program
Authors: Burke Mary Grace
Published: March 2018

The EMSA Undergraduate Scholarship Program was developed in 1988 to encourage students to consider microscopy-related careers. Over the years, the program has expanded to include seniors as well as junior undergraduate students. The scholarship application includes a research proposal (including budget) written by the student, and letters of recommendation from a faculty member and project advisor. The response to the 1992 EMSA Undergraduate Scholarship Program was excellent, both in terms of student responses and quality of applications.
Unfolding and Folding Proteins
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W
Published: March 2018

The atomic force microscope (AFM) is being utilized in even more clever ways to reveal details of molecular structure and function. As an example, Julio Fernandez and Hongbin Li have used the AFM in the force-clamp mode to monitor the folding trajectory of a single protein. They have demonstrated in a unique way in which a single protein behaves when put under tension, and then what happens when the tension is relieved.

Fernandez and Li linked several molecules of ubiquitin, a small protein, together to form a polyubiquitin chain. With one end of the chain attached to a substrate, the tip of a soft cantilever of the AFM attached to a single protein, and from one to nine ubiquitin molecules were picked up.
Having Your Cake and Eating It Too: A Procedure for Obtaining Plan View and Cross Section TEM Images from the Same Site
Authors: Irwin RB , Anciso A , Jones PJ , Patton C
Published: March 2018

Sample preparation for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) is usually performed such that the final sample orientation is either a cross section or a plan view of the bulk material, as shown schematically in Figure 1. The object of any sample preparation technique, for either of these two orientations, is to thin a selected volume of the sample from its initial bulk state to electron transparency, ~ 100nm thick. In doing so, the final sample must be mechanically stable, vacuum compatible, and, most of all, unchanged from the initial bulk material. Many techniques have been used to achieve this goal: cleaving, sawing, mechanical polishing, chemical etching, ion milling, focused ion beam (FIB) milling, and many others.
Dehydration and Rehydration Issues in Biological Tissue Processing for Electron Microscopy
Authors: Stadtländer Christian T K-H
Published: March 2018

Electron microscopy (EM) is an indispensable tool for the study of ultrastructures of biological specimens. Every electron microscopist would like to process biological specimens for either scanning electron microscopy (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) in a way that the specimens viewed under the electron microscope resemble those seen in vivo or in vitro under the light microscope. This is, however, often easier said than done because biological tissue processing for EM requires careful attention of the investigator with regard to the numerous processing steps involved in specimen preparation, such as fixation, dehydration, infiltration, embedding, and sectioning.
Microscopy Today 2004 Salary Survey Results
Authors: Anderson Ron , Foster Barbara
Published: March 2018

Salary Surveys always create considerable interest. Although a less formal study was conducted several years ago via the Microscopy Society listserver, the authors are not aware of a complete study since the one conducted by the MSA nearly 20 years ago. The current study followed a format frequently used by Microscopy/Microscopy Education (MME), typically delivered at microscopy-related scientific meetings to gather trends on new and existing instrumentation. It was mailed the middle of 2004 to nearly 15,000 US readers of Microscopy Today. Returns were collected and processed by an independent contractor.
Microscopic Analysis of Metal Recovered from the Wreck of RMS Titanic
Authors: McCarty JJ Hooper , Foecke T
Published: March 2018

On April 14, 1912, the RMS Titanic collided with an iceberg and sank in the North Atlantic, approximately 400 miles southeast of Newfoundland. Despite her double-bottom construction and series of water-tight compartments, the luxurious passenger liner, deemed ‘unsinkable’ by the popular press, sank in only two hours and 40 minutes, taking 1523 lives with her. As the largest man-made moving object of her time, the construction of the RMS Titanic was a technological feat, yet her sinking comprised one of the most famous disasters of the twentieth century. A colossal tragedy, the sinking has been shrouded in mystery ever since, and has led to unending speculation concerning the details of that fateful evening.
Feature Characterization of Microfluidic Channels Created Using Direct Laser Ablation
Authors: Little John , Borah Dan
Published: March 2018

Microfluidic devices, with their ability to manipulate and analyze nanoliter volumes of chemicals and other fluids, have attracted great interest across a broad range of research and industrial applications. Corporate and academic laboratories around the world are deeply engaged in developing manufacturing technologies for these devices, hoping to create the same kind of benefits and value that accrued from the miniaturization and large scale integration of electronic devices. The flexibility and programmability of direct laser ablation make it attractive as a fabrication technology, but many other aspects of its performance remain to be understood and characterized. Advanced confocal microscopy, which provides fast, high-resolution, threedimensional visualization and measurement of micrometer scale structure, is ideally suited to this characterization task.
Microwave Myths and Tissue Processing
Authors: McArdle Phillip
Published: March 2018

Microwave-assisted preparation of histological samples has been performed for decades; what began with a few pioneering researchers has now become a routine and accepted practice in many clinical and research laboratories. Reliable, reproducible microwave protocols have been developed for a variety of operations: LM and EM processing, decalcification, fixation, special stains, antigen retrieval and more. Laboratories employing microwave procedures often do so for several compelling reasons: in addition to the expected time savings (often on the scale of orders of magnitude), improved morphology, retained immunoreactivity, and the elimination of hazardous reagents are benefits typically realized as well.

Despite the increasing availability of laboratory microwaves, consumer-grade (“kitchen”) microwaves continue to be used, almost invariably due to cost considerations. (EBS has maintained since 1992 that a kitchen microwave has no place in the lab.) At any time in the US there are hundreds of microwave models to choose from: a dizzying array of sizes, wattages, options, and configurations await the shopper.
A Combined In-situ and Electron Tomography Holder for (S)TEM
Authors: Mitterbauer C , Browning ND , Deshmukh Pushkarraj V
Published: March 2018

Recent advances in in-situ and tomographic methods using (scanning) transmission electron microscopy ((S)TEM) provide the unique possibility of obtaining 3-dimensional (3D) information and in-situ studies of gas-solid chemical reactions on the nanometer scale. In combination with the well-known analytical techniques, electron energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) we can obtain 3D, dynamic, analytical, and structural information down to the atomic level.

The JEOL JEM-2500SE STEM/TEM at UC Davis (CHMS) is equipped with a Schottky field-emission source operated at 200 kV, a post column Gatan imaging filter (863 GIF Tridiem) for EELS and a Thermo System Six for EDXS.
Infrared Laser Confocal Microscopy: Fast, Flexible, Cost-Effective Inspection and Metrology Tool for Microelectronic Manufacturing
Authors: Rideout David
Published: March 2018

Microelectronics and semiconductor wafer manufacturing are among the fastest evolving technology industries today. Wafer sizes typically are 200 mm to 300 mm while critical dimensions are shrinking to 0.09 μm and smaller. As the size of discrete devices continues to be reduced while device density increases, the need for fast, accurate, flexible metrology and inspection tools in the microelectronics industry grows.

Back in the early 1980's, semiconductor inspection was performed primarily by brightfield optical microscopes and with automated detection tools. The adaptation of automated detection tools led to the systematic control of increasingly smaller defects. The smallest detectable defect using these automated tools fell to below the 0.30-micron mark during the 1990's.
A Note on Storing and Testing Gold Conjugates
Authors: Leunissen Jan
Published: March 2018

Colloid and adsorption physics are a very complicated business and often have a lot of surprises. In 1991 Kramarcy and Sealock published a paper in JHC Vol. 39, No. 1,pp. 37-39, 1991: “Commercial Preparations of Colloidal Gold-Antibody Complexes Frequently Contain Free Active Antibody”. Their data indicate that proteins adsorbed onto colloidal particles of 5nm and larger can dissociate from the particle surface with time and that, at times even shortly after manufacturing, colloidal gold reagents may contain free binding molecules. This is not necessarily the result of bad manufacturing practice, as adsorption and desorption are in equilibrium at all times. Some proteins (there are even variations between antibodies from different animal species) are more liable to become dissociated than others, and the conditions of coupling play a role as well.
A Few Thoughts About Image File Storage
Authors: Bode Michael
Published: March 2018

A recent thread on the MSA list server about problems with image formats (in this case TIF or TIFF) showed, that there is a bit of confusion in the microscopy community about the best file format for digital images. I will try to shed a bit of light onto this problem.

Digital images are at the core a large array of numbers. One number per pixel for b/w images, 3 numbers per pixel for color images. The simplest file format consists of 2 numbers that define the width and height of the image, and then just a listing of numbers for each pixel. By using the right conventions, the image can be recreated from a data file like mis. In essence, this is the format of a bitmap image (BMP), and other formats derived from it.
The Moving Finger Writes: Carbon Nanotubes as AFM Probe Tips
Authors: Moloni Katerina
Published: March 2018

After carbon nanotubes (CNT) were discovered in 1991, many applications have been proposed that utilize their extraordinary electrical and mechanical properties. One application is as tips for scanning probe microscopy where CNTs offer several advantages including high resolution and the capability to image deep, narrow structures. A recent study of CNT scanning probes for atomic force microscopy (AFM) in semiconductor surface science concluded that an AFM with CNT tips has immense potential as a surface characterization tool in integrated circuit manufacture. Previously researchers had to construct their own CNT probes, but recently CNT AFM probes have become commercially available.

Carbon nanotubes (sometimes called buckytubes) are closed seamless shells ot graphitic carbon typically one to tens of nanometers in diameter and several micrometers long. The structure of a closed-dome single-walled nanotube is illustrated in Figure 1. Carbon nanotube probe tips offer several advantages.
Enhanced Sample Preparation of Cu Low-k Semiconductors via Mechanical Polishing and Ion Beam Etching
Authors: Roberts Shane , Flatoff Daniel
Published: March 2018

Modern microelectronics have rapidly decreased in geometry to enhance the speed and processing power of computers. Advanced devices are approaching design rules of sub 0.13 micron in size, and the trend continues at the rate dictated by Moore's Law, Coupled with this reduction in device size, is a change in materials used for producing these devices. Traditional aluminum interconnect metallurgy and oxide dielectric materials are being replaced with copper and low-k materials in an effort to continue the trend of shrinking device sizes and higher processing capacities.

These changes in materials and device sizes have provided the impetus for alternative methods for producing cross sections. Although focused ion beam instrumentation has been successfully used for preparing cross sections, a combinatorial approach using polishing and argon ion milling has been found to dramatically enhance the ability to produce high quality cross sectional samples in a reasonably short amount of time.
Propylene Oxide: To Use or Not to Use in Biological Tissue Processing
Authors: Mascorro Jose A
Published: March 2018

Propylene oxide (1,2-epoxy propane) has long been utilized as a transitional solvent in the preparation of biological tissues. This compound compound is completely miscible with the various epoxy resins utilized for infiltrating tissues. Ethanol, perhaps the most widely used dehydration agent, does not possess this characteristic and must be removed before the process of infiltration commences. It is common practice amongst biological microscopists to pass tissues for a few minutes through pure propylene oxide (PO) immediately prior to infiltration. The tissues then are pre-infiltrated with various proportions of PO and the embedding medium of choice. For example, one traditional recipe takes the tissues progressively from pure PO to 2:1 PO/resin, 1:1 PO/resin, and 1:2 PO/resin mixtures, with stays of a few minutes at eacil stage. A lengthy procedure such as tills probably is not necessary and has never been favored by this worker.
Photoshop and 12-bit Digital Microscope Camera Images
Authors: Neal Brent
Published: March 2018

One problem facing owners of high-end digital microscope cameras and scanners is dealing with 12-bit TIFF format images. Because of a vagueness in the TIFF specification [1], some prograins do not load 12-bit TIFF images at all, or do not handle them gracefully. Unfortunately, Adobe Photoshop is one such program.

A common problem with 12-bit images that do load in Photoshop is that the image appears to be totally black once loaded. This occurs when the camera stores the most significant bits of the image in the lower 12-bits of a 16-bit data space. Photoshop, when converting to its internal 16-bit representation, does not scale these properly, resulting in a low contrast image. This can present problems with viewing the images, or performing any processing or measurement steps that you might desire.
The Role of Microscopy in Indoor Air Quality Investigations
Authors: Simmons RB
Published: March 2018

Numerous studies have demonstrated that fungi are capable of colonizing a range of indoor construction and finishing materials as well as a number of air handling system components. Many of the species found are known to produce mycotoxins and demonstration of the presence of ‘toxic mould’ in both the workplace and in dwellings has become a major issue. Mould issues now are the focus of litigation or are currently in contention in a number of states and hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake.

The indoor environment harbors a variety of microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi. Under normal indoor conditions most of these organisms are present as dormant forms. The fungi persist either as conidia (asexual spores), sexual spores, or hyphal fragments. The presence of water in an environment may lead to the growth and proliferation of fungal species, sometimes resulting in deterioration of the colonized substrates with possible negative effects on IAQ.
Lens Cleaning - Best Practices Review
Authors: Duke CV
Published: March 2018

There is no substitute for good microscope care. A unit that is stored and covered, with its lens protected in a constant temperature/ humidity environment, which is dust free (in the laboratory away from acid wash areas) speaks for itself. During cleaning, oculars in particular, microscope rubes should be covered to prevent entry of dust. A lens should be inspected with a view to cleaning if there is a lack of contrast, cloudiness or poor definition in the images it produces.

While extolling the virtue of cleaning microscope components, it should be emphasized that cleaning can cause considerable damage if it is done incorrectly.
Use of Fishing Weight Putty for Quickly Mounting SEM Specimens
Authors: Stephenson Hans , Gabel Mark
Published: March 2018

Projects that require viewing dozens or hundreds of specimens often include countless hours for specimen preparation. Specimens are often affixed to metal or carbon stubs with conductive tape, paint or paste (Rampley, 1976; Witcomb, 1981). The use of conductive paint or paste requires substantial mounting and drying times prior to coating with conductive metal or carbon and observation in a scanning electron microscope (SEM). We here describe a simpler protocol for mounting specimens to expedite specimen preparation.

During a recent study, where cryofractured salmon egg membranes were mounted on edge to view transverse sections, we needed an expedient method of specimen mounting to quickly view hundreds of samples. We experimented with mounting specimens in metal putty, a product used by fishermen for weighting fishing line. The methodology described here solved some of the problems of messy specimen mounting and eliminated the need to wait for curing before coating and observation.
A Homemade Vacuum Forceps For Mounting Small SEM Samples
Authors: Sepsenwol Sol
Published: March 2018

Very small samples (under 1 mm) prepared for SEM viewing can be sprinkled randomly on an adhesive-coated stub, or manipulated into position with various tools (fine forceps, pointed stick, cotton applicator, hair brush) under a magnifier or stereo microscope. None of these methods allows reliable, damage-free control over the orientation of the sample. Here follow plans for a simple, portable “Vacuum forceps” to create a mild vacuum th rough a micro-fme tip to hold and orient SEM samples as they are applied to the adhesive. It is also useful for sorting samples. Commercial vacuum forceps with on-board vacuum range in price from $500 to $900. This unit was built from new parts for under $100.

The vacuum pump is from a portable motorized pipetter, such as the Drurnmond Scientific Portable Pipet Aid, or Mano stat Mopet (Figure 1). We have used the Drummond 9V motor and pump assembly.
Project Visual: Facilitating the Connection Between Art and Science
Authors: Strzegowski LM , Russell TP
Published: March 2018

Nearly five years ago, Representative Vernon Ehlers, in his report to Congress on a House of Representatives study entitled “Unlocking Our Future: Toward a New National Science Policy,” noted that the American public does not understand science and its practice. A major recommendation that emerged trom this study was the need to “make scientists socially responsible.“ This sentiment was echoed in a National Research Council's report, “Materials in a New Era,”, where Neal Lane, former Director of the National Science Foundation, was quoted as saying, “It is necessary to involve material scientists in a new role, undoubtedly an awkward one for many, that might be called the ‘civic scientist’.” Why the concern? The answer is clear. “Our prosperity, security, and health depend directly on the educational achievement of all students, not only those who will become scientists and engineers, but all workers, voters, parents, and consumers.”
Out with the Old, In with the New
Authors: Carmichael Stephen W
Published: March 2018

Temporal resolution has long been a challenge to microscopists. Certainly, spatial resolution has occupied center stage, but we're all concerned about what happens over time in a biologic system, for example, a cell. Tags such as green fluorescent protein (GFP) have been used with confocal microscopy and other light microscopic techniques to achieve outstanding temporal resolution, but good spatial and temporal resolution have proven to be difficult to achieve simultaneously. This has been accomplished in a remarkable study by Guido Gaietta, Thomas Deerinck, Stephen Adams, James Bouwer, Oded Tour, Dale Laird, Gina Sosinsky, Roger Tsien, and Mark Ellisman, who demonstrated a pulse-chase technique that correlates with both fluorescence and electron microscopy.
Pros and Cons of Low Voltage SEM EDX Elemental Analysis
Authors: Boyes Ed
Published: March 2018

It was Castaing who many years ago lamented “First 1 realized that in massive samples which concerned the metallurgists i would have to give up the splendid resolving power that I had cheerfully envisaged, as 1 became aware of the terrific path that my electrons would perform haphazardly in the sample before agreeing to stop. I had to limit my ambitions to analyzing volumes of a few cubic micrometers. This was a big disappointment. ..”. In the early days most instruments for imaging and microanalysis of bulk samples were restricted to operating only at relatively high beam energies (∼30kV) and for many (and perhaps too many) years this became the accepted operating procedure. However, we now know there are substantial advantages (pros) in using lower, and in some cases much lower, voltages; but also some significant limitations (cons). So what is possible?
Segmentation Before Quantization By Using Photoshop: Darkfield Images
Authors: Sedgewick Jerry
Published: March 2018

Adobe Photoshop may not come to mind as a program that is useful for segmenting (separating regions of interest from other visual information), but, in many ways, its functions can help scientists gain several end results. These include the ability to fully or partially automate the segmentation of entire directories of image files, the ability to better separate regions of interest from background, and the ability to narrow histograms (making the selection of a grayscale value less subjective when setting a threshold value).
Scan Speed, Mag and Accuracy. That is the Question!
Authors: Harmsen Luc
Published: March 2018

In the past few weeks we have been very involved jn setting up new QemSCANs, MLA's and analytical scanning systems and it Is amazing how many times we had to explain the relationship between accuracy, magnification, scan speed, resolution and the resulting time taken to scan over a number of samples.

Let me explain. All the above systems are used to scan over a number of geological samples using a scanning electron microscope and EDX analytical systems. In most cases the users are simply looking for a phase/type of mineral within each sample. They then need to analyse it. The main criteria being that they scan through a large number of such samples in as short a time as possible.
Beyond the Hype - Is 2-Photon Microscopy Right for You?
Authors: Jason Kirk
Published: March 2018

Confocal microscopes have come a long way in the past decade. Not only are they more stable and easier to use than ever before, but their cost has dropped enough that multi-user facilities are finding competition from individual labs using the new breed of "personal" confocals. In fact it has, in some cases, become the de facto standard for fluorescence imaging regardless of whether the user actually has requirements for it or not.

But, researchers always have an ear out for something better. Enter 2-photon microscopy (2PLSM). The “bigger & badder” cousin of the confocal microscope has become a new weapon in the arsenal of a microscopy industry that caters to researchers who can't wait to fill their labs with the latest and greatest imaging systems. Advertised by the industry and researchers alike as a technique that seems to solve most of the problems that plague confocal, “2-photon” has become the new buzzword in the vocabulary of researchers eager to enhance their fluorescence applications.
Optimizing the Sampling Design of Morphometric Experiments
Authors: Basgen John M
Published: March 2018

In a previous article [1], stereological methods for measuring volume, surface, length, and number were described. The present article will briefly discuss sampling methods, as well as techniques for optimizing the number of animals per group and the number of measurements per animal when planning a morphometric study.
50 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Optical Microscopy
Authors: Davidson Michael W
Published: March 2018

A significant percentage of technical experts who employ optical microscopes have had little or no formal training in optical microscope basics. Some, typically, were required to use microscopes during their technical education but, in general, microscope terminology and technology was a sideline to their major training. As a result, many useful basic microscope technical details were not learned because they were not necessary to accomplish what was needed in order to survive their major class work. At Florida State University, we try to make the [earning of microscope technology an inherent part of the students training. An important part of this training is this compendium of 50 of the most frequently asked questions about Optical Microscopy.
A Simple Modification of the Stage Insert for Nikon Inverted Microscopes
Authors: MacDonald Glen
Published: March 2018

This article describes a simple, economical modification of the standard stage insert used on the Nikon TMD, Diaphot and E800 models of inverted microscopes to support slide securely without lateral motion or sample compression. The central portion of the stage on these popular microscopes consists of a removable insert that provides sample support and demarks of the imaging area. The insert may be replaced with holders for a variety of culture chambers and other specialized sample supports. This unique design contributes to the adaptability of these microscopes for a wide range of imaging applications such as confocal microscopy, calcium imaging and electrophysiology.

The standard insert is actually constructed of two pieces, an outer ring and a central plate (Figure 1A). The central plate is removed from the modified ring, which is then used in the inverted position (Figures 1B, 3, 4).
A Silicon Multi-Cathode Detector For Microanalysis Applications
Authors: Barkan Shaul , Feng Liangyuan , Iwanczyk Jan S , Patt Bradley E , Tull Carolyn R , Newbury Dale E , Small John A
Published: March 2018

A new class of silicon multi-cathode detector (SMCD) has been developed for microanaiysis spectrometry applications. The detector has excellent energy resolution (< 150 eV FWHM) and high count rate capability (>1 Mcps). An energy resolution of 143 eV FWHM at 5.9 keV was measured with the SMCD at 6 μs peaking time.
Microscopical Studies of World Trade Center Disaster Dust Particles
Authors: Millette JR , Boltin R , Few P , Turner W
Published: March 2018

The terrorist attack and collapse of two towers of the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City on September 11, 2001 generated tremendous clouds of dust that settled over a wide area. Concern over the potential health effects of breathing this dust made it imperative that the WTC dust be characterized as completely as possible. As part of this characterization, a microscopical examination using several types of microscopes provided key data on the components of the dust. The WTC dust sample that is the primary focus of this report was collected by F.C. Ewing from an outdoor window ledge at 33 Maiden Lane, New York City, NY on October 7, 2001.