Trying to optimise our GIF 200 System, we have encountered a number of problems, therefore we would appreciate any input on the topic.
Our Gif was purchased in 1995,and is fitted to a Philips TEM CM 200 FEG and is controlled by two Macintosh (nu-bus slots, 601 processors ) computers. The operating system on the Macs is MaCos 7.5.1 and the memory installed on the primary Mac ( Digital Micrograph, EL/P) is 49MB. The current version of Digital Micrograph software installed on our Macs is 2.5.4.
During operation, it is not unusual to observe several software glitches with the current configuration. Therefore, in order to facilitate user usage, the question of upgrading arises.
We would like to hear from anyone that has gone that route already and gain from his exprerience/problems that has encountered.
In particular, I have the following questions;
a)The Current functional version of Digital Micrograph is 3.0 (as far as I know version 3.3.1 was just released and is yet untried ). Will it be advisable to upgrade to Digital Micrograph 3.0 or not and why. Any idea about the costs?
b)Will it be a worthy exerscise to upgrade at the same time the Macintoshes as well?. It is my understanding that current Macs are PCI based, while ours have the DMA interface module fitted on a non PCI slot. Has anyone in the past attempted to follow this path?
c) The gatan operating manuals are judjed by many users , especially the Digital Micrograph manual, as not particularly helpful. Has anyone, drafted, a user manual, that relies on its experience and application on the particulat system? Will you be willing to share your operation manual with us?
Many thanks for your input on this topic.
Best Regards
George -- Dr Georgios FOURLARIS e-mail: fourlaris-at-postmaster.co.uk
Trying to optimise our GIF 200 System, we have encountered a number of problems, therefore we would appreciate any input on the topic.
Our Gif was purchased in 1995,and is fitted to a Philips TEM CM 200 FEG and is controlled by two Macintosh (nu-bus slots, 601 processors ) computers. The operating system on the Macs is MaCos 7.5.1 and the memory installed on the primary Mac ( Digital Micrograph, EL/P) is 49MB. The current version of Digital Micrograph software installed on our Macs is 2.5.4.
During operation, it is not unusual to observe several software glitches with the current configuration. Therefore, in order to facilitate user usage, the question of upgrading arises.
We would like to hear from anyone that has gone that route already and gain from his exprerience/problems that has encountered.
In particular, I have the following questions;
a)The Current functional version of Digital Micrograph is 3.0 (as far as I know version 3.3.1 was just released and is yet untried ). Will it be advisable to upgrade to Digital Micrograph 3.0 or not and why. Any idea about the costs?
b)Will it be a worthy exerscise to upgrade at the same time the Macintoshes as well?. It is my understanding that current Macs are PCI based, while ours have the DMA interface module fitted on a non PCI slot. Has anyone in the past attempted to follow this path?
c) The gatan operating manuals are judjed by many users , especially the Digital Micrograph manual, as not particularly helpful. Has anyone, drafted, a user manual, that relies on its experience and application on the particulat system? Will you be willing to share your operation manual with us?
Many thanks for your input on this topic.
Best Regards
George
-- Dr Georgios FOURLARIS e-mail: fourlaris-at-postmaster.co.uk
Hello from Microscopy & Microanalysis ' 99 in Portland Oregon.
For those of you who cannot make the meeting this year we will once again be broadcasting Live Streaming Video from the Exhibit Floor during meeting as well as posting the daily Meeting NewsLetter.
I have acquired and just begun using a Philips PSEM 500 (ca. 1975 vintage). The microscope came without a camera, and I would like to know what kind of camera was original equipment. I have a Polaroid DS 34 direct screen camera, but none of the available hoods are of the correct size.
Also, I would like to know of any other users of Philips 500s for comparing notes/mutual support. Thank you in advance. :o)
Paul Grover Chief Microscopist and Bottle Washer Microvista Laboratory 1220 Cincinnati St. Lafayette, IN 47906
I need to establish the installation arrangement of one bank of pneumatic valves in the back of the main console of a 200CX TEM. I have had these out several times, looking for an air leak and may have made a boo-boo in reinstalling them!
It is the bank furthest from the rear of the microscope, the order I have is: SV1 (nearest sidewall of console), SV4, SV7, SV8 and SV22 (nearest center of microscope).
This is a logical sequence but the other bank (which I have never touched) is not in numerical order. I don't know if the order matters because the valves seem to be identical. However, sometimes, one grasps at straws.....!
The symptom is a constant leak of air from the exhaust aperture of the oblong box (manifold?) that the valves are mounted on. All seals and gaskets have been replaced in all five valves with manufacturer's spares kits.
Hoping the someone out there can help (the half-hourly compressor drives us nuts!)
Keith Ryan Marine Biological Association of the UK Citadel Hill Plymouth PL1 2PB England
Many thanks to all of you that have kindly provided useful views/opinions regarding my previous enquiry on the GIF200.
I have recently noticed that when our Philips 200 FEG is set on PEELS mode, although the initial accerelating voltage is reduced to 195KeV (as expected ) at the startup of the session, at an unknown later point during operation it frequently reverts back to 200KeV.
This reversal is demonstrated on the TEM display only and I have not confirmed if it is actually true (not measured).
Also this strange occurence is not always present on all sessions.
Any views, or advise on the significance of this observation for correctly operating the PEELs and obtaining correct analyses?
Our GIF 200 is connected to two PDS PopwerMacs (8100 and 6100), running under operating system 7.5.1, and using Digital Micrograph version 2.5.4.
Many thanks for your views.
Regards
George
-- Dr Georgios FOURLARIS e-mail: fourlaris-at-postmaster.co.uk
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Palatsides, Manuela wrote: } Hi } } I have had an investigator wanting to know the differences in the actions of } saponin, Tween-20 and Triton X-100 } } Manuela Palatsides } Trescowthick Research Centre } Peter MacCallum Cancer Institute } Locked Bag #1 A'Beckett Street } Melbourne 8006 Victoria } Australia } } Phone +61-3-9656-1244 } Fax +61-3-9656-1411 } Email m.palatsides-at-pmci.unimelb.edu.au }
If this is with regard to the effects of detergents on the results of = immunolabeling experiments then the paper by Hannah,et al, 1998 (Methods {= a companion to Methods in Enzymology} 16,170-181) is what you are looking = for.
They evaluate the effect of different detergents on antigen localization, = extraction and relocation. You may find the results surprizing.
Paul Webster.
Paul Webster, Ph.D House Ear Institute 2100 West Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90057 phone:213 273 8026 fax: 213 413 6739 e-mail: pwebster-at-hei.org http://www.hei.org/htm/aemi.htm
by mail-gw3.pacbell.net (8.9.3/8.9.3) with SMTP id NAA20416 for {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com} ; Mon, 2 Aug 1999 13:55:42 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: {37A6086B.4094-at-pacbell.net}
Dear all,
Does anyone have redundant pre-amplifier for the Backscatter Electron Detector made by K.E. Developments Ltd. for Cambridge SEM's. Our has a nasty noise problem and we were told we need to replace the unit. We're also looking for used light pipe (for PMT) for Cambridge scope.
Thank you very much in advance for your reply.
Best regards
Chris Terlecki
Applied Analytical Sciences 3303 Harbor Blvd., Ste. H-4 Costa Mesa, CA 92626
I am compiling a catalogue of portable microscopes. These include such instruments as field, handheld, pocket, folding etc. I am nearing the end of this task and would like to get hold of photographs or drawings of several instruments that I have not been able to acquire. Can anyone help either with scanned images of photos or drawings or references to the instruments. I will of course give full credit with every illustration used.
The microscopes are;
Portable field microscope as shown in Billings Collection 1987, #458 Bausch & Lomb compound monocular Ibid #223 Voigtlander compound monocular Ibid #229 Zentmayer compound monocular Ibid #155 Dancer New Pocket in Bracegirdle & McCormick,The Microscopic Photographs of J.B. Dancer, p.53. Hensoldt PROTAMI Kyowa KP and KLP Swift FM-41 Incident light microscope Tolles Clinical microscope
Please reply off-line to michaeld-at-amsg.austmus.gov.au
URGENT NOTE FOR EXHIBITORS AT EUREM 2000 ********************************************************************** 12th European Congress on Electron Microscopy Brno, Czech Republic, July 9-14, 2000 http://www.eurem2000.isibrno.cz/ **********************************************************************
The first run of the exhibition area allocation will be made on August 20, 1999 and will include those whose deposit payment will reach us by that date.
Please, fill in your "Order for the exhibition area and services" at the http://www.eurem2000.isibrno.cz/frmex.html, and fax a sketch of your idea about the layout of your exhibition booth (see our Web Site at the http://www.eurem2000.isibrno.cz/stand.html)! Don't forget to fax a copy of the payment deposit as soon as possible!
With best regards,
Petr Schauer +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Dr. Petr Schauer, Vicechairman of the Or- | tel.: (+420 5) 41514313 | | ganization Committee of the 12th EUROPEAN | fax : (+420 5) 41514404 | | CONGRESS ON ELECTRON MICROSCOPY | (+420 5) 41514337 | | (Brno, Czech Republic, July 9 - 14, 2000) | e-mail: petr-at-isibrno.cz | | Kralovopolska 147, CZ-612 64 Brno | eurem2000-at-isibrno.cz | | Czech Republic |www.eurem2000.isibrno.cz | +---------------------------------------------------------------------+
If anyone happens to know of a supplier of 3mm Pt mesh (not slotted) grids, could they please contact me offline? I am also interested in hearing from people who may have used Pt grids in the past about any precautions I should take during handling (besides dont let go).
Thanks! Brian
Brian Gorman bgorman-at-umr.edu Graduate Research Assistant Dept. of Ceramic Engineering Electronic Materials Applied Research Center University of Missouri - Rolla Rolla, MO 65401
I have a question about polymer sample prep for the AFM and was hoping the collective knowledge of the list would be able to help me out. I would like to image the cross-section of a thin polymer film, similar in thickness to Saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag. The first idea that comes to mind is microtomy (cryo if necessary). The problem I'm having is how to imbed the film so it can be supported for the microtomy and subsequent imaging. I've tried LR White but it didn't stick to the film as well as I would have liked. Also, just getting the film aligned in the correct orientation and holding it there in the capsule while the LR White sets up is a problem. Does anybody out there have any suggestions to get me going in the right direction?
TIA.
Rob
Robert J. Plano Staff Analyst, SPM Services Charles Evans & Associates/Surface Science Labs (650)962-8767, ext. 742 http://www.cea.com http://www.surface-science.com
FALL 1999 COURSE ANNOUNCEMENT - Transmission Electron Microscopy (BIO. 221-E2)
NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE (Long Island, NY)
A fifteen week, fall 1999 semester, course in Biological Transmission Electron Microscopy is being offered by the Biology Department of Nassau Community College. This is a 4 credit course offered ONE EVENING PER WEEK, Thursdays, starting at 5:30pm. Classes will begin on Sept. 2 and end on Dec. 9, 1999.
This is a "hands-on" course emphasizing biological specimen preparation, ultra-thin sectioning involving block trimming, glass knifemaking and operation of the ultramicrotomes (Sorvall MT-2B and LKB Ultrotome III), thick and ultra-thin section mounting and contrast staining (UA and Pb citrate), grid support films (formvar, carbon), student operation of the TEM (Hitachi HS-8, Philips EM 300) and production of electron micrographs through the process of black & white photography, and electron micrograph analysis. Students will work on a chosen sample(s) with the goal of producing a portfolio of high quality TEM photomicrographs of that sample(s).
The course is widely transferrable and the cost per credit is reasonable at $86 per credit.
More information about the Bio-Imaging Center at NCC, course descriptions and syllabi, and the beginnings of a student gallery of EM photomicrographs is available at our web site. The URL is {http://www.sunynassau.edu/webpages/biology/becks.htm} .
For those without www access, the catalog description is specified below. If you have further questions, you should e-mail me directly at the address below.
Interested individuals should register early (by Aug. 10) since the course is limited to a total enrollment of ten (10) students.
Questions regarding the actual registration process can be directed to our registrar at (516) 572-7355. ________________________________________________________________________________
CATALOG DESCRIPTION BIO 221: Transmission Electron Microscopy -- 4 credits Prerequisites: BIO 109-110 (Intro. Bio.) or equivalent, CHE 151-152 (Inorganic Chem.) An introduction to the basic principles of transmission electron microscopy including tissue preparation, microscope (TEM) operation, black & white photography, and micrograph interpretation. The entire laboratory is devoted to the development of skills and preparative techniques involved with the operation of an actual transmission electron microscope. (3 lecture, 3 laboratory hours). Laboratory fee applies. ________________________________________________________________________________
Stephen J. Beck Associate Professor Bio-Imaging Center/Electron Microscopy Department of Biology Nassau Community College Garden City, NY 11530 Voice Mail: (516) 572-7829 Email: {becks-at-sunynassau.edu} URL: {http://www.sunynassau.edu/webpages/biology/becks.htm}
From memory, both Tween and Triton destroy cell membranes, but saponin only makes them "holey" and the reaction is reversible. So, saponin is the only one of the 3 used for EM immunocytochem.
Diana
Diana van Driel Department of Clinical Ophthalmology Sydney University GPO Box 4337 Sydney NSW AUSTRALIA 2001
Brian Gorman wrote: ============================================ If anyone happens to know of a supplier of 3mm Pt mesh (not slotted) grids, could they please contact me offline? I am also interested in hearing from people who may have used Pt grids in the past about any precautions I should take during handling (besides dont let go). ============================================= The main supplier (perhaps the only supplier) of Pt mesh grids stopped making them some several years ago (to the best of my knowledge at least). If such grids are available from some other maker, we would ourselves also like to know about it.
For some, there are several potential substitutes for Pt mesh grids: a) W grids or b) silicon nitride membrane window grids. Both can be used at very high temperatures and are (relatively) quite inert chemically.
Disclaimer: SPI Supplies and other suppliers to the microscopy market have available the above mentioned alternatives to Pt grids.
Chuck
============================================
Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-610-436-5400 President 1-800-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-610-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail:cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust.Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
Look for us! ######################## WWW: http://www.spi.cc ######################## ============================================
I need some help for a student of ours. He needs to track down a supplier = for the KONTRON quantitative image analysis system. This system apparently= does particle sizing, and quantitative EDXS from the sized particles. We = believe that the software is capable of controlling the SEM stage and and = beam. =20
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. =20
Thanks=20 George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
To Robert Plano and all "polymerics" among the listservers:
The way we normally deal with cross-sections of plastic films is to embed them between to sheets of an S-E-S copolymer (styrene-ethyleneplus-styrene triblock copolymer). An example of this would be one of the Kraton G series from Shell (Kraton G1650 is a good example). Shell are friendly, and should let you have a sample, but I don't know their current address as I got mine at second-hand.
You can mould this into sheets say 1.5 mm thick and apply them to the film specimens by moistening one surface of the Kraton with toluene and turning this surface of the "bread" into "butter". You then have to be pretty nifty about slapping the film between the two "buttered" sheets, partly before the toluene all dries up, but also because one sniff of toluene and polyolefin films then start to curl, others such as Saran I don't have that much experience with. You will have to gently weight the "sandwiches" for a while, and then leave the toluene to diffuse out as vapour overnight.
If toluene is a problem, antoher possibility is Pliolite, a styrene/butadiene copolymer with 10 - 15% butadiene, from Goodyear, which is more soluble in ketone/ester solvents.
If solvents are out altogether, then you can take the Kraton, apply to the butter surface a solution of polyisobutylene in toluene, and leave that to dry. You can then mould the sandwich together over the weekend in a vacuum oven, with a small weight on top. The PIB will creep and mould well to the film surface. The grade of PIB should be a chunk rather than a liquid one. You can get these from various companies, but I have found that they tend to go "off", apparently cross-linking on storage, which may indicate that they are really unvulcanized butyl rubber rather than real PIB. But they do work, as in:
On Surface-Morphology and Drawing of Polypropylene Films Olley,R.H., Bassett,D.C. Journal of Macromolecular Science-Physics, 1994, vol.B33, no.2,pp.209-227
We follow this procedure with etching and SEM or replication for TEM, (see web address at bottom) so I can't pilot this boat any further into the oceans of AFM.
On Tue, 3 Aug 1999, Robert Plano wrote:
} I have a question about polymer sample prep for the AFM and was hoping the } collective knowledge of the list would be able to help me out. I would like } to image the cross-section of a thin polymer film, similar in thickness to } Saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag. The first idea that comes to mind is } microtomy (cryo if necessary). The problem I'm having is how to imbed the } film so it can be supported for the microtomy and subsequent imaging. I've } tried LR White but it didn't stick to the film as well as I would have } liked. Also, just getting the film aligned in the correct orientation and } holding it there in the capsule while the LR White sets up is a problem. } Does anybody out there have any suggestions to get me going in the right } direction?
} Robert J. Plano, Staff Analyst, SPM Services } Charles Evans & Associates/Surface Science Labs } (650)962-8767, ext.742; http://www.cea.com: http://www.surface-science.com
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Robert H.Olley Phone: | | J.J.Thomson Physical Laboratory {direct line +44 (0) 118 9318572 | | University of Reading {University internal extension 7867 | | Whiteknights Fax +44 (0) 118 9750203 | | Reading RG6 6AF Email: R.H.Olley-at-reading.ac.uk | | England URL: http://www.reading.ac.uk/~spsolley | +------------------------------------------------------------------------+
Many thanks to all of my colleagues who provided useful comments, regarding the several issues I have raised on my previous e-mail regarding the GIF 200.
Your input is greatfully ackwnoledged.
Regards
Dr G. Fourlaris -- Dr Georgios FOURLARIS e-mail: fourlaris-at-postmaster.co.uk
While I'm not using AFM, I would be inclined to try freeze fracturing the polymer to see the cross section.
regards,
Dave Audette OSRAM Sylvania Beverly, MA david.audette-at-sylvania.com
} -----Original Message----- } From: Robert Plano [SMTP:RPLANO-at-cea.com] } Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 2:30 PM } To: 'Microscopy List'; 'spm-at-di.com' } Subject: Polymer film prep for AFM } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Fellow Listers: } } I have a question about polymer sample prep for the AFM and was hoping the } collective knowledge of the list would be able to help me out. I would } like } to image the cross-section of a thin polymer film, similar in thickness to } Saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag. The first idea that comes to mind is } microtomy (cryo if necessary). The problem I'm having is how to imbed the } film so it can be supported for the microtomy and subsequent imaging. I've } tried LR White but it didn't stick to the film as well as I would have } liked. Also, just getting the film aligned in the correct orientation and } holding it there in the capsule while the LR White sets up is a problem. } Does anybody out there have any suggestions to get me going in the right } direction? } } TIA. } } Rob } } } Robert J. Plano } Staff Analyst, SPM Services } Charles Evans & Associates/Surface Science Labs } (650)962-8767, ext. 742 } http://www.cea.com } http://www.surface-science.com } }
Regarding the poor adhesion of your film to the embedding you might want to try another embedding media. Check with the various suppliers.
As far as keeping the film properly oriented in the capsule what we sometimes do is place a dash of 5 min. epoxy at the tip of the sample before inserting it into the capsule (we usually cut the film in the shape of a triangle and with a size that will allow the tip of the film to rest at the very bottom of the capsule). Then we place the sample in the capsule and allow the epoxy to dry. The object is to prevent the tip of the film from curling up while the embedding media cures. I hope this helps.
Hello I need some help about ..... I'm need to do a sample for the observation in fluorescence microscopy of=
latex spheres.... any help is welcome.... thanks =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D Fernando D. Balducci Laboratorio de Microscopia Electr=F3nica Facultad de Ingenier=EDa - Bioingenieria Universidad Nacional de Entre Rios Argentina e-mail: microsc-at-fi.uner.edu.ar tel: 54 43 975100 fax: 54 43 975077
Robert J. Plano asked about sample prep for a very thin polymer sample for AFM imaging and how to overcome problems with sample orientation. One method I have used to solve this problem is to use a flat embedding mold and fit a small piece of cardboard, or appropriate material, snuggly across the bottom of the mold. Then, using an adhesive that won't interact with your specimen, bond your specimen to the cardboard so it will stay in the desired orientation. After drying, fill the mold with some embedding media such as Epofix. When this is cured you can trim the block to only microtome the sample surface with perhaps a very small amount of epoxy on either side for support. As long as the epoxy is only a few 10s of microns you can still microtome successfully even under cryo conditions. I usually then image the sample embedded in the block but this depends on the type of AFM. If you are restricted because of sample height you may have to image the microtomed sections. I have found microtomed smooth surfaces will react quickly so you need to run them within a day or so after microtoming and keep in a dry box. Many samples can be imaging without any further preparation using phase imaging. Some may require etching. Hope this helps. Steve McCartney
------------------------------ Stephen McCartney Research Associate Virginia Tech Materials Institute 2108 Hahn Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061-0344 USA
I just changed the bulb in my Durst S-45 EM enlarger. The old bulb gave even illumination. The new bulb, when aligned the same way as the old one gives uneven illumination. I was taught, years ago, that when aligning a point source bulb, that the filament should look like a point ( like this " (superscript: . )" for point source illumination, and not this "-", as it will not give a point source and cause some loss of resolution) when viewed from the front of the enlarger. The new bulb I just put in had to be positioned approximately at a 45 (superscript: o) angle between the two positions in order to achieve even illumination. All other alignment steps for the bulb are correct.
I would appreciate any information anyone can give me as to the correct alignment of the bulb.
Thanks
Mannie Steglich U T M D Anderson Cancer Center Houston, TX
Another way to embed polymer films for cross-sectioning is to suspend a narrow strip of the film between two slits cut in a flat silicone mold. I use Epofix resin (from Electron Microscopy Sciences, Inc.), which can be cured at room temperature. However, curing overnight at 38 - 40 degrees C seems to give the best resin hardness for ultrathin sectioning.
Gene Young Dow Chemical -- Texas Operations B-1470 Building 2301 Brazosport Blvd. Freeport, Texas 77541 (409)238-1579 (409)238-0095 Fax E-mail: gpyoung-at-dow.com
-----Original Message----- } From: Robert Plano
Fellow Listers:
I have a question about polymer sample prep for the AFM and was hoping the collective knowledge of the list would be able to help me out. I would like to image the cross-section of a thin polymer film, similar in thickness to Saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag. The first idea that comes to mind is microtomy (cryo if necessary). The problem I'm having is how to imbed the film so it can be supported for the microtomy and subsequent imaging. I've tried LR White but it didn't stick to the film as well as I would have liked. Also, just getting the film aligned in the correct orientation and holding it there in the capsule while the LR White sets up is a problem. Does anybody out there have any suggestions to get me going in the right direction?
TIA.
Rob
Robert J. Plano Staff Analyst, SPM Services Charles Evans & Associates/Surface Science Labs (650)962-8767, ext. 742 http://www.cea.com http://www.surface-science.com
Are there any UMAX Magicscan users that can help me? I have been testing a UMAX PowerLook III scanner with Magicscan v4.2 software for about a month and have a question about the gamma control relationship to adjusting the black and white set points. After previewing an EM negative in transmissive mode, adjusting the black and white set points on the histogram and scanning the final image (standard procedure) I am unable to get the PowerLook to scan between my adjusted set points when the gamma is set to 1.00 (linear). Only if I change the gamma to anything except 1.00 (even 1.01 or .99) will the software respond to my adjusted black and white set points. The same procedure works fine with any gamma setting on my Agfa Arcus II scanner. Is this normal for the UMAX or a bug? The same is true in reflective but not negative mode, however, negative mode pre crops the white and black levels so I do not use it.
The software techs at UMAX have no idea what I am talking about. They just tell me that this product should not be used for science even though their ads claim it to be for professionals.
James S. Romanow The University of Connecticut Physiology and Neurobiology Department Electron Microscopy Facility U-131 Storrs, CT 06269-2131 bsgphy3-at-uconnvm.uconn.edu 860 486-2914 voice 860 486-1936 fax
} From what I understand, Carl Zeiss has bought Kontron. You should probably contact with your local Zeiss representative if you wish to get Kontron software.
Usual disclaimers.
Matthew J. Schibler Ph.D. UCLA Brain Research Institute 1524A Gonda (Goldschmied) Center for Neuroscience and Genetics Los Angeles, CA 90095-1761
-----Original Message----- } From: George Theodossiou [mailto:george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au] Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 10:44 PM To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com
G'day all,
I need some help for a student of ours. He needs to track down a supplier for the KONTRON quantitative image analysis system. This system apparently does particle sizing, and quantitative EDXS from the sized particles. We believe that the software is capable of controlling the SEM stage and and beam.
Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
Does anyone have a source for the drive belts for a Sorvall MT2B? I need two of them,
TIA
Bob
Dr. Robert R. Wise Department of Biology University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 42403404 wise-at-uwosh.edu http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/wise/wise.html
I am interested in applying the technique of Cryo FESEM to various formulation issues I have encountered. Unfortunately conventional (LaB6/W electron source) Cryo SEM does not meet our resolution requirements.
Our Cambridge S-360 is equipped with an Oxford CT 1500 Cryo system. The Lab6 source does not have the resolution that is required to study the material we are interested in.
I have been unable to locate any contract labs that can accommodate our needs. If anyone is aware of a contract lab or academic institution (or otherwise) that can support our needs could you please contact me.
Thanks,
Rod Heu (Colgate-Palmolive, Technology Center, Microscopy Lab.) e-mail: rod_heu-at-colpal.com phone: 732 878-7992.
Dear Colleagues, I am interested in buying a used ultramicrotome suitable for taking 80nm sections of epon-embedded neuronal monolayer cultures. Precise alignment of a small block face is crucial to obtain the first few sections which contain dendrites. The model I prefer is a Reichardt Ultracut E. I have found very little information on the web regarding ultramicrotomy in general. Has Reichardt been purchased by Leica?
hi folks. i recall someone trying to get rid of an instrument. if it is being salvaged, i am interested in obtaining the compressor. please email the specs to me if it is still around, or anyone wants to get rid of one themselves. thanks, paul
-------------------------
Paul E. Anderson Catalytic and Nanostructured Materials Laboratory Department of Chemistry 102 Hurtig Hall Northeastern University Boston, MA 0215 USA (617) 373 5909 FAX (617) 373 8795 paanders-at-lynx.neu.edu
Hi Listers, Due to a lack of floor space it is necessary to surplus a perfectly good hood. It is a Yamato CleanBench model NS-1704, manufactured by HiTEC. It is large, with a stainless steel interior and is 51"WX41"DeepX80" high, with four large blowers and high efficiency filters and spares with laminar flow chambers. Any one who wants it is welcome to pick it up in Berkeley, California for $500. Or I will arrange shipping and packageing at my cost. Digital phots are available to interested parties. For inquires call: Steve D'Angelo 650-400-8063 If I don't dispose of it this month it will be scrapped. Please help. It is in great condition. Thanks, Steve
LEO once a year usually organizes a workshop that looks like to be made exactly for your needs. The date of this workshop is around the end of the year. For further information, please get in touch with jaksch-at-leo.de. He is already aware of your message.
DISCLAIMER: LEO is a company (that everyone in this list should know) that produces electron microscopes!
Marco Arienti LEO Elektronenmikroskopie GmbH Abteilung LEO COE-TEM Carl Zeiss Str. 56 E-Mail : arienti-at-leo.de D-73446 Oberkochen
} I am interested in applying the technique of Cryo FESEM to various formulation } issues I have encountered. Unfortunately conventional (LaB6/W electron source) } Cryo SEM does not meet our resolution requirements. } } Our Cambridge S-360 is equipped with an Oxford CT 1500 Cryo system. The Lab6 } source does not have the resolution that is required to study the material we } are interested in. } } I have been unable to locate any contract labs that can accommodate our needs. } If anyone is aware of a contract lab or academic institution (or otherwise) } that can support our needs could you please contact me. } } Thanks, } } Rod Heu (Colgate-Palmolive, Technology Center, Microscopy Lab.) } e-mail: rod_heu-at-colpal.com } phone: 732 878-7992.
(I expect my last changes in my e-mail program allow this message to arrive without problems with the filter.)
I have been asked if optical microscopy can be performed through a thick (several mm) crystal (sapphire or diamond) window. The intent is to develop a high pressure chamber for microscopy and the windows are needed to be so thick. The working distance of a normal x40 objective is much less, but I wonder if there would be a way, may be by a purpose-built objective compensating for that given window or even a set of lenses inside the pressure chamber.
Can some of you think of a way to solve this?
Thanks in advance for all answers,
Antonio Molina
Inst del Frio, CSIC Ciudad Universitaria 28009 Madrid SPAIN
you could try contacting the UK Royal Microscopical Society through their web page http://www.rms.org.uk/ Their symbol is a snowflake and they have produced articles and pictures over the years eg: Wergin, William P. & Erbe, Eric F. (E.M. lab, USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA) Can you image a snowflake with SEM? Certainly! Proceedings RMS Vol 29, part 3, pp 138 - 141, June 1994
I am also sending this to the MSA list in case it's of general interest.
good luck
Malcolm Haswell Electron Microscopy School of Sciences Fleming Building University of Sunderland SUNDERLAND SR1 3SD Tyne and Wear UK
Tel (0191) 515 2872 e-mail: malcolm.haswell-at-sunderland.ac.uk ---------- } From: Dee Breger To: Microscopy
Chris-at-imaginaryforces.com is looking for images of snowflakes. Please respond to him directly if you can help him out.
Dee Breger Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Route 9W Palisades NY 10964 01-914/365-8640 micro-at-ldeo.columbia.edu
Bernie, I tried plating Cu on top of V44 using CuSO4 solution, the voltage and current data should be in one of the notebooks (#5? or thereabout at the beginning of the book, look for few low mag macro photos of deposited globs) I left behind with Ken Natesan. The Cu layer was not uniform and not always worked well. The electronegativity of V is too high to allow easy plating as water decomposes into H2 and O2. A sputtered gold layer worked well as the seed layer for the Cu film. The second trick which worked well, was to embed the specimen in a conductive epoxy (containing Ag powder) Larry should have some of the stuff I left behind. Then, to cross-section using wafering saw and dimple till its thin. Using electropolishing afterwards with the usual H2SO4 and Methanol solution gave variable success in producing thin foils. You could also try to use ion milling if the damage from Ar beam will not obscure the ion implant damage. Let me know if this worked and if there are any better ways out there. I am still curious about V alloys.
Take care.
Jerzy
***************************************************************** Jerzy Gazda, Ph.D. Advanced Micro Devices Senior Materials Scientist 5204 E. Ben White Blvd. - MS 613 PCAL - Analytical TEM Section Austin, TX 78741 TEL: 1-800-538-8450, Ext. 51453 FAX: (512) 602-7470 *****************************************************************
} -----Original Message----- } From: Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov] } Sent: Wednesday, August 04, 1999 10:27 AM } To: Microscopy Listserver } Subject: Cross Sectioning of A Vanadium Specimen } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } Does anyone know of a metal and method for plating it onto a vanadium } TEM disc for cross sectioning? } } Bernard Kestel } Materials Science Division } Argonne National Laboratory } 9700 South Cass Avenue } Argonne, Il., 60439 E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov.} }
The objectives for inverted microscopes usually have a longer working distance between lens and object, you may try it. As my knowledge, it is not possible to extend working distance of the x40 objective using some "attachments". You probably should find on the market the special objective with long working distance. I know, there are some special objectives with extremely long working distance exist but I am not friendly with that. Good luck to find suitable objective.
} Date: Thu, 05 Aug 1999 13:00:19 +0200 } From: Jos=E9 Navarro {ifrn115-at-if.csic.es} } Subject: LM: observation through thick crystal } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } X-Mailer: Microsoft Internet Mail 4.70.1161 } X-MSMail-Priority: Normal } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America=20
Dr. Sergey Ryazantsev UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry Box 951737 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1737
Just wanted to say "Thanks" to all of you out there who have responded to my request for help on preparing thin polymer film cross sections. I'll be trying out several techniques in the near future.
Feel free to keep the suggestions coming, though!
Rob
(Thanks also to the administrators of these lists. You perform a valuable service to the community by making these resources available.)
Robert J. Plano Staff Analyst, SPM Services Surface Science Labs (650)962-8767, ext. 742 http://www.cea.com http://www.surface-science.com
Thank you to all who have responded to my question about alignment of the point source enlarger, but perhaps my question was not stated clearly. The alignment of the bulb in reationship to the condensers and lens apeture is the question. What I need to know is the proper alignment of the filament in side the bulb in realtionship to the mirror or the
L R MELSEN {lmelsen-at-emory.edu} on 08/04/99 03:34:17 PM
Please respond to lmelsen-at-emory.edu
To: Mannie Steglich/MDACC-at-MDACC cc:
Robert, Our lab's method for embedding/cross sectioning polymer thin films (especially polyolefins) is to plasma treat the films and embed them in standard epoxies (we use Struer's Epo-fix)for cross sectioning. We use the 150mm ring "plasmaglo" AC plasma device on the Edwards 306 vacuum station - with N2 as the gas. I believe the ring is at 3000VAC, the chamber pressure is 100mTorr, and our treatment times are typically 10 minutes. TEM and fluorescence microscopy of the film cross sections do show a thin ( {200nm) damage layer on the film surface and adherence to the epoxy may not be perfect, but typically we get a preparation that is easily cross sectioned, cryo conditions or ambient temperature.
David B. Calvert Eastman Chemical Company Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory Eastman Chemical Co. voice (423) 229-4943 Fax (423) 229-4558
} -----Original Message----- } From: Robert Plano [SMTP:RPLANO-at-cea.com] } Sent: Tuesday, August 03, 1999 2:30 PM } To: 'Microscopy List'; 'spm-at-di.com' } Subject: Polymer film prep for AFM } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Fellow Listers: } } I have a question about polymer sample prep for the AFM and was hoping the } collective knowledge of the list would be able to help me out. I would } like } to image the cross-section of a thin polymer film, similar in thickness to } Saran wrap or a plastic shopping bag. The first idea that comes to mind is } microtomy (cryo if necessary). The problem I'm having is how to imbed the } film so it can be supported for the microtomy and subsequent imaging. I've } tried LR White but it didn't stick to the film as well as I would have } liked. Also, just getting the film aligned in the correct orientation and } holding it there in the capsule while the LR White sets up is a problem. } Does anybody out there have any suggestions to get me going in the right } direction? } } TIA. } } Rob } } } Robert J. Plano } Staff Analyst, SPM Services } Charles Evans & Associates/Surface Science Labs } (650)962-8767, ext. 742 } http://www.cea.com } http://www.surface-science.com }
Is x-ray mapping quantitative or semi-quantitative? In other words, would a pixel with 2x iron appear twice as bright as one that had 1x iron? Perhaps another way of asking the question is how many "grey levels" are there in a single pixel of an x-ray map? I am running a Noran Voyager system.
TIA
Bob
Dr. Robert R. Wise Department of Biology University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Oshkosh, WI 54901 (920) 42403404 wise-at-uwosh.edu http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/wise/wise.html
I had a chance to observe microscopy of this type done throught the windows of a diamond cell at the then-National Bureau of Standards more than 20 years ago. They were using gem quality diamonds of 0.5carats or more, cut in the standard round form typically seen in engagement rings, with the pointed tip truncated. I am not at liberty to say where they got these gems but they made exquisite windows in a diamond anvil cell.
As I remember, the refractive index of diamond is especially high, something on the order of 2.42. I don't remember the team using any immersion oil or special lenses, just some standard very long working distance lenses.
You might try to contact NIST to see if there is a way to get any of the experimental design records from the mid '70s. This work was done in the crystallographic group in Gaithersburg but I can't remember any of the specific reseachers' names.
Hope this was helpful. Barbara Foster Microscopy/Microscopy Education 125 Paridon Street Suite 102 Springfield, MA 01118 PH: (413)746-6931 FX: (413)746-9311 email: mme-at-map.com
At 01:00 PM 8/5/99 +0200, Jos=E9 Navarro wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America=20
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I would suggest that it is only just semiquant - and then only for major components. So 70% iron would be a lot brighter than 35% iron but I wouln't trust 4% iron to be brighter than 2% iron!
Any time you're doing x-ray mapping - in my opinion - at least one window should be set on a background spectral region. You then need to use the resulting background map to normalise the elemental maps. Ideally, this should be done with a background window adjacent to each element you map. Following this procedure, you might just get an elemental map that means something:-)
Regards,
-- Larry Stoter JEOL (UK) Ltd Silver Court, Watchmead, Welwyn Garden City, AL7 1LT, United Kingdom tel: +44-(0)1707-377117, fax: +44-(0)1707-373254, e-mail: larrys-at-jeoleuro.com
In general (i.e. on many samples), X-ray mapping can be considered semi-quantitative, in the sense that a brighter pixel generally indicates a larger weight-percentage of the element involved. But a pixel that is twice as bright, does not need to have twice the weight-percentage. Matrix effects, such as absorption of the X-rays in the sample, will cause deviations.
In case of strongly absorbing characteristic radiation, an X-ray map is not even semi-quantitative. Imagine a mineral sample with 3 different phases, but all three phases accidentally have the same oxygen content. Nevertheless, the X-ray map of O-Ka will have clear intensity variations going from one phase to another due to the variations in absorption of the O-Ka radiation in the various phases.
If you really want a quantitative map, then you need to do what we call QuantMapping, where at each pixel the spectrum is quantified, and a map is constructed in which the weight-percentages are displayed. QuantMapping takes a lot more time than ordinary X-ray mapping, since more counts are needed in each spectrum to do a proper quantification.
The amount of grey levels in the X-ray map of an EDS system depends on the manufacturer, but basically 8 bits (256 levels) should be enough. EDAX applies a system where all X-ray maps are (as a default) scaled to give the maximum intensity for the highest number of counts in each map. So if the brightest pixel in map has 25 counts, then 25 counts is displayed as 100% intensity, and all other pixels in the same map are scaled accordingly. With this method more than 256 greylevels are not needed for the display. This is visually a very informative system, and it prevents inexperienced users to draw wrong conclusions. It is always very tempting to compare different maps, and draw quantitative conclusions regarding the sample composition based on that. But since only gross-intensities are displayed, large errors can be made if these intensities are converted to a sample composition without applying any matrix correction.
With best regards,
Hans Dijkstra
Disclaimer: this is my personal statement, don't blame your local EDAX representative for it. And yes, we sell EDS equipment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- EDAX Europe Tel.: +31 - 13 - 5364000 P.O.Box 4144 Fax.: +31 - 13 - 5356279 5004 JC Tilburg E-mail: hans.dijkstra-at-edax.nl the Netherlands Web: www.edax.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
---------- } Van: Bob Wise {wise-at-vaxa.cis.uwosh.edu} } Aan: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Onderwerp: X-ray mapping question } Datum: Friday, August 06, 1999 12:06 AM } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } To all, } } Is x-ray mapping quantitative or semi-quantitative? In other } words, would a pixel with 2x iron appear twice as bright as one that had 1x } iron? Perhaps another way of asking the question is how many "grey levels" } are there in a single pixel of an x-ray map? I am running a Noran Voyager } system. } } TIA } } Bob } } Dr. Robert R. Wise } Department of Biology } University of Wisconsin Oshkosh } Oshkosh, WI 54901 } (920) 42403404 } wise-at-uwosh.edu } http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/wise/wise.html }
Bob Wise wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } To all, } } Is x-ray mapping quantitative or semi-quantitative? In other } words, would a pixel with 2x iron appear twice as bright as one that had 1x } iron? Perhaps another way of asking the question is how many "grey levels" } are there in a single pixel of an x-ray map? I am running a Noran Voyager } system. } } TIA } } Bob } } Dr. Robert R. Wise } Department of Biology } University of Wisconsin Oshkosh } Oshkosh, WI 54901 } (920) 42403404 } wise-at-uwosh.edu } http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/wise/wise.html Bob, Unless the new systems have changed radically, x-ray dot maps are one binary dot per x-ray count within the window (or ROI) selected. This includes background counts and also reflects any topography if you're not using a polished cross-section (which automatically eliminates anything resembling quantitative results).
I would be inclined to only use it for spatial distribution and pick selected areas for quant analysis.
Ken Converse owner Quality Images third party SEM service Delta, PA
Sorry for the last incomplete message. I was interupted and accidently sent the incomplete message. The following is the completed version.
Thank you to all who have responded to my question about alignment of the point source enlarger, but perhaps my question was not stated clearly. The alignment of the bulb in reationship to the condensers and lens apeture is not the question. What I need to know is the proper alignment of the filament inside the bulb in realtionship to the mirror or the easel. Should the filament be perpendicular ( (superscript: .)) or parallel (-) in realatioship to the mirror or easel. I seem to recall a paper,(I believe that was published by Durst) which said the filament should be perpendicular in order to achieve a point source with the best resolution. If someone could verify or could tell me the correct position, I would greatly appreciate it.
Thanks
Mannie Steglich
L R MELSEN {lmelsen-at-emory.edu} on 08/04/99 03:34:17 PM
Please respond to lmelsen-at-emory.edu
To: Mannie Steglich/MDACC-at-MDACC cc:
Bob,
We have a newer EDAX system and can do both quantitative and non-quantitative mapping. We've done some great work using quantitative maps that allow us to montitor not only the spatial distribution of elements but to be able to see small changes in chemistry. Quantitative mapping generally takes a significantly longer time to run but contains quite a bit of information. I believe with our system you can go to each pixel and get a percentage of each element.
Mark
---------------------------------------- Mark C. Biesinger, Research Scientist Surface Science Western The University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, Canada Tel: (519) 661-2173, Fax: (519) 661-3709 http://www.uwo.ca/ssw/
I am glad you are good at the impossible and miracles. This should be an easy task then.
Any system that performs automated imaging, particle location and sizing, quantitative x-ray analysis, and stage control (not to mention after-the-fact data reduction) is no mean thing. I spent my years as a doctoral student dealing with many of the issues related to such a system. That was using a LeMont Scientific image analysiis system on a JEOL microscope with a Kevex EDS system. However, I did not perform quantitative x-ray analyses for all particles.
You should have many options besides the Kontron. Granted, the Kontron might do what you want. I have seen such a system in the past, but I do not know about its current cost, capabilities, or availability. I think many of the EDS systems offer particle detection and spectrum collection followed by quant. It takes a little more to integrate stage control with that. We have systems from both IXRF Systems and Oxford Instruments. I believe both can do the particle measurement, x-ray, and quant, but we only have stage control integrated with our Oxford. I have not tried it yet on either system.
One of the more difficult points is the detection of particles. If your particles stand out well from the background, then there is a good chance of success. If not, then you may have to get into some image processing before detection, and that can get pretty exotic. That would probably separate the men from the boys as such systems go.
At 03:44 PM 8/4/1999 +1000, you wrote: } G'day all, } } I need some help for a student of ours. He needs to track down a supplier } for the KONTRON quantitative image analysis system. This system apparently } does particle sizing, and quantitative EDXS from the sized particles. We } believe that the software is capable of controlling the SEM stage and and } beam. } } Any help on this would be greatly appreciated. } } Thanks } George } } Impossible I Can Do Today, } Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice } ---------------------------------------------------- Warren E. Straszheim 23 Town Engineering Iowa State University Ames IA, 50011-3232
I would agree with the others that mapping is normally more qualitative than quantitative. Brighter generally means that the more intensity, the more the concentration. However, the others have pointed out several good points: 1) that background is not normally subtracted and that a background ROI is a big step in the right direction, 2) matrix effects are not generally corrected for so that absorptions can introduce contrast, 3) topography can easily override composition contrast so that samples should be polished.
Regarding the number of gray levels, that mostly depends on how you collect your map. If you have only 25 counts in any given pixel, then you only have that many gray levels, at most. The standard deviation on a 25-count measurement is 5, so you would have more like 25/5=5 gray levels that mean very much. You could not afford to split very small hairs. That might be improved upon by reducing the number of pixels in your map and collecting more x-rays at each pixel for the same total time. It depends on what you want to know.
You could also take that a step further by doing a line scan instead of an x-ray map. Since you would be focusing your data gathering along the line of interest and probably get 2 orders of magnitude better sensitivity to variations for the same collection time.
And this all presumes that you have information on the number of counts in any given channel or map. It is very helpful in inter-comparing multi-element maps to know that full scale in one map represent 150 counts while in another it may represent less than 15. Some x-ray systems don't offer up these numbers, and if you are doing "old-fashioned" maps on film, you would not have this information.
Lastly, remember that there are times that brighter does not mean more concentration. Years ago, John Russ (or maybe Chuck Fiori) showed a Cu map of a Cu TEM grid that was most unusual in that it showed Cu not in the grid bars but in the holes between bars. They explained how such an effect can occur quite easily, in fact I nearly did it to myself last week. Normal procedure is to turn up the beam current and to boost the count rate before starting the x-ray map. This is often done on a scanning image of the whole field of view and dead time may be set to 30 or 40% since it is just a qualitative technique anyway. But when the beam was switched to slow scan and paused on a bar that made up only 10%(?) of the field, the x-ray count rate jumped up 10-fold, flooded the detector and shut down the electronics. When the beam paused in the hole, there was enough stray and background radiation to yield some counts and a signal. Thus, the result was just the opposite of what was expected.
Now if a background ROI had been imaged, it would have looked the same as the Cu map and showed right away that the effects were not due to changes in Cu concentration. And of course, if the x-ray count rate had been properly setup by using a spot on the most intense (x-ray wise) phase, then effect would not have arisen in the first place. And if there was deadtime correction of the dwell time during mapping, then this would not have been an issue. So I guess the moral of the story comes down to "be careful", and don't push your x-ray maps too far.
At 05:06 PM 8/5/1999 -0500, you wrote: } } To all, } } Is x-ray mapping quantitative or semi-quantitative? In other } words, would a pixel with 2x iron appear twice as bright as one that had 1x } iron? Perhaps another way of asking the question is how many "grey levels" } are there in a single pixel of an x-ray map? I am running a Noran Voyager } system. } } TIA } } Bob } } Dr. Robert R. Wise } Department of Biology } University of Wisconsin Oshkosh } Oshkosh, WI 54901 } (920) 42403404 } wise-at-uwosh.edu } http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/wise/wise.html
To All: I am in need of a dissecting, fluorescent microscope with a color, digital camera, and computer for observing and recording GFP mutagenesis in fruit flies. The flies will be live, exhibit a relatively low green fluorescent signal and exhibit a relatively high nonspecific background.Based upon personal knowledge, which system will most closely fit these requirements? Thanks in advance for the information.
Bob Barber Senior Research Associate Neuroscience Division Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope 1450 E. Duarte Rd. Duarte, Ca. 91010 Tel 626-359-8111 ext 2872 bbarber-at-coh.org
RJ Lee Group's Bay Area Facility, a materials characterization and consulting laboratory, is currently seeking a motivated individual to actively manage projects related to the evaluation of materials and processes used in the electronics industry. Job applicants should have a PhD or MS in physics, materials science or related discipline, at least two years of relevant work experience, and be amenable to working in a hands-on and fast-paced team environment. A working knowledge of the application and theory associated with sample preparation methods and corresponding analytical techniques such as optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Auger spectroscopy and other surface analysis methods is critical. Strong oral and written communication skills is a must. Job duties would involve but not be limited to: materials consulting, developing / evaluating analytical approaches to constructively investigate problems, and presenting laboratory results to a variety of technical as well as non-technical personnel. This challenging position may often demand 40+ hours of dedicated effort per week and would require occasional travel. Salary is commensurate with experience. Interested candidates should forward qualifications along with salary history to: RJ Lee Group, Inc., Attn. Human Resources, 350 Hochberg Road, Monroeville, PA 15146.
RJ Lee Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer
Keith Rickabaugh Manager, Materials and Particle Characterization {krickabaugh-at-rjlg.com}
RJ Lee Group, Inc. 350 Hochberg Road Pittsburgh, PA 15146 724-325-1776 {www.rjlg.com}
Dear listserver My friend, he's looking for the information about this component but I have no idea. Therefore I would ask for your help. Thanks in advance
sincerely yours masubon thongngam
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Hi; A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades cyro ( cooled in liquid nitrogen ) treated, its supposed to make the blades tougher and last longer.. They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical difference between treated and untreated samples. So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks similar to me. Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes tougher? How would one tell the difference between treated and untreated? Thanks Terry Ellis
I am seeking a Nikon 35mm film holder for the AFX-II photomicrography controller and shutter type. I can provide in trade the corresponding Polaroid 4x5 back or will purchase it outright. Please respond off-list.
Antonio Molina wrote: ============================================ I have been asked if optical microscopy can be performed through a thick (several mm) crystal (sapphire or diamond) window. The intent is to develop a high pressure chamber for microscopy and the windows are needed to be so thick. The working distance of a normal x40 objective is much less, but I wonder if there would be a way, may be by a purpose-built objective compensating for that given window or even a set of lenses inside the pressure chamber.
Can some of you think of a way to solve this? ============================================ I believe this was done, at least to some degree, by Prof Harry G. Drickamer , Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois in the very early 1960's. I had a chance to see his diamond anvil/microscope set up in 1962. I don't have access to the various publication references, but presumably they should be able to be found. He gained some amount of notoriety for this work at that time. I believe he was the first to do this kind of work.
Chuck
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Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-610-436-5400 President 1-800-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-610-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail:cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust.Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
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} From Microscopy-request-at-sparc5.microscopy.com Fri Aug 6 23:57:03 1999 } } From: John Twilley {jtwilley-at-sprynet.com} } } To: microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } Subject: Nikon 35mm Camera Back } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I am seeking a Nikon 35mm film holder for the AFX-II photomicrography } controller and shutter type. I can provide in trade the corresponding } Polaroid 4x5 back or will purchase it outright. Please respond } off-list. } } John Twilley } } John, If you haven't already tried them, Ken'sCamera Brokers may be able to help. They deal in used equipment and have many pages of Nikon with several devoted to AF items. We have bought several camera backs from them for light microscope mounted cathodoluminescence equipment and they have always been in good condition.
Good luck,
Don
Donald J. Marshall Relion Industries P.O. Box 12 Bedford, MA 01730 Ph: 781-275-4695 FAX: 781-271-0252 email dmrelion-at-world.std.com
Cathodoluminescence, mass spectroscopy, electron beam technology "A weed is a flower out of place."
(Please note: Do not send email with attachments to this address. Instead, send it to donbarlen-at-aol.com. Thank you.)
Dear Masubon, Glutaraldehyde is a fixative widely used for electron microscopy.=20 It is a small (MW: 100), uncharged dialdehyde which is highly soluble in water and organic solvents. Highly reactive with nucleophilic substrates, it causes cross-links in biological samples (e.g. amines of proteines). The crosslinking happens very quickly and leads to a 3-D-network in the sample. It preserves ultrastructural details and is often combined with other aldehydes like Formaldehyde in the used fixations.
It is very toxic and cancerogen, so handle with care using the fumehood.
You can purchase it in aqueous stock solutions of different prurity. Concentrations used for fixation in concentrations range between 0.01% and 4 %.
This for our basic information. For more detailed questions don=B4t hesitate to contact me or post it on the listserver.
Have a nice weekend, Bye, Michael Reiner
Masubon Thongngam schrieb: } =20 } -----------------------------------------------------------------------= - } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Co= m } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.htm= l } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } =20 } Dear listserver } My friend, he's looking for the information about this componen= t } but I have no idea. Therefore I would ask for your help. Thanks in adva= nce } =20 } sincerely yours } masubon thongngam } =20 } ---------- Forwarded message ---------- } Date: Fri, 06 Aug 1999 10:40:31 -0500 } } From: Jim Lavoie {jlavoie-at-opta-food.com} } To: Masubon Thongngam {masubont-at-foodsci.umass.edu} } Subject: glutaraldehyde analysis } =20 } Hello, } I'm looking for any official (preferred) or even unofficial met= hod } for glutaraldehyde quantitation in a sample. I would like to assess } precise concentrations of this material in some of the samples I've bee= n } preparing. } Thanks, } Jim } =20 } -------------------------------------------------------------------- } James P. Lavoie, Ph.D. Direct Dial: (781) 276-5122 } Research Scientist FAX (781) 276-5101 } Opta Food Ingredients, Inc. E-mail: jlavoie-at-opta-food.com } 25 Wiggins Ave. web site: http://www.opta-food.com } Bedford, MA 01730
Hi Terry Using liquid nitrogen to shrink-fit components is a common practice in engineering. However it doesn't make any difference to the mechanical properties or grain structure etc. The only way they'll do that is by heat treatment ie *applying* heat. Cute idea though and as long as they believe it...
--- Terry E Ellis {tellis2-at-hallmark.com} wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy } Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to } ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } Hi; } A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades } cyro ( cooled in liquid } nitrogen ) treated, its supposed to make the blades } tougher and last longer.. } They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical } difference between treated } and untreated samples. } So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks } similar to me. } Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes } tougher? } How would one tell the difference between treated } and untreated? } Thanks } Terry Ellis } } } }
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} Hi; } A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades cyro ( cooled in liquid } nitrogen ) treated, its supposed to make the blades tougher and last longer.. } They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical difference between treated } and untreated samples. } So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks similar to me. } Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes tougher? } How would one tell the difference between treated and untreated? } Thanks } Terry Ellis }
How about a standard Brinnel hardness tester? The Brinnel number is an ASTM measure of hardness.
} Antonio Molina wrote: } ============================================ } I have been asked if optical microscopy can be performed through a thick } (several mm) crystal (sapphire or diamond) window. The intent is to develo } a high pressure chamber for microscopy and the windows are needed to be s } thick. The working distance of a normal x40 objective is much less, but I } wonder if there would be a way, may be by a purpose-built objective } compensating for that given window or even a set of lenses inside the } pressure chamber. } } Can some of you think of a way to solve this? } ============================================
A similar problem arises in connection with light microscope-mounted cathodoluminescence attachments where a free working distance (FWD) of 8 to 10 mm is required. Several of the microscope manufacturers offered 20X and 40X objectives with FWD of 10 mm and some of these can still be obtained. If you want to contact me off line, I can send you some part numbers. Some of these were designed for use with a thin cover slip, however, so you may have some correction problems with a thick window.
Also the older microscopes with universal stages required objectives with long working distance and I have a 10X and 25 X in my demo lab that have 15 to 20 mm working distance. I rarely see these available in the used equipment catalogs.
Don Marshall
Donald J. Marshall Relion Industries P.O. Box 12 Bedford, MA 01730 Ph: 781-275-4695 FAX: 781-271-0252 email dmrelion-at-world.std.com
Cathodoluminescence, mass spectroscopy, electron beam technology "A weed is a flower out of place."
(Please note: Do not send email with attachments to this address. Instead, send it to donbarlen-at-aol.com. Thank you.)
Just for entertainment... Liquid Nitrogen cooling MAY be the slowest liquid cooling rate. I should get a rise out of a lot of you guys from saying this! -Always does. Liquid Nitrogen boils, creates an insulating shroud(or this is the theory that makes me feel warm and cozy at nite.). But Carefully!! don't depend on it lasting long!! I have been burned(frozen-2nd and 3rd degree) of couple of times. In many freezing rate and cooling rate studies I've observed(as a few others have) that warm water, oil, and cold water, ice cool faster, but the final temperature in Liquid N2,once you get to it, is colder. (and guess which is faster, warm or cold water?) OK...anyone care to present their theory, "cozy story", or dogma(and opposing observation) or comment on the mechanism(or lack of).
(prepared to be embarrassed..as usual) Jeff Day/JD In Hot Texas Email: wa5ekh-at-juno.com
Maybe through x-ray diffraction? The only thing I can think of that this treatment would do is to MAYBE cause retained austenite to go to martensite. Reference the retained austenite experiment in Elements of X-ray Diffraction by B.D. Cullity.
You probably wouldnt notice any difference in optical or SEM. I can't think of a reason why EDS spectra/maps would change either.
By the way, is there a real difference in the performance of the blades? Is the treatment anything more than just immersing the blades in LN2?
Milo Kral
} Hi; } A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades cyro ( cooled in liquid } nitrogen ) treated, its supposed to make the blades tougher and last longer.. } They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical difference between treated } and untreated samples. } So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks similar to me. } Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes tougher? } How would one tell the difference between treated and untreated? } Thanks } Terry Ellis
} To all, } } Is x-ray mapping quantitative or semi-quantitative? In other } words, would a pixel with 2x iron appear twice as bright as one that had 1x } iron? Perhaps another way of asking the question is how many "grey levels" } are there in a single pixel of an x-ray map? I am running a Noran Voyager } system. } } TIA } } Bob } } Dr. Robert R. Wise
The following does not explicitly answer the above question which has previously been answered by others, but is added to dispel some of the myths of the capabilities of true quantitative maps.
Quantitative mapping as opposed to ROI or dot mapping is mapping that collects and corrects the x-ray information at each pixel as if it were for a normal quantitative analysis. This may be done by either saving the entire spectrum(and processing later) or processing the full spectrum for a known number of elements at each pixel. The simplistic(and unrealistic) approach is to say that if the analysis time for each pixel was equivalent to the time that you would normally use to process an analysis, then the results would be the same. This is true for areas on the inage that are changing in composition rapidly. But if there are areas on the image with the same composition, then these areas may be grouped together to produce an analysis of equivalence to 'the usual' analysis. They are even more significant than a 'usual analysis' as the spatial information regarding variations in localised composition is incorporated into the result(by informed selection). Since quantitative maps can be obtained durng unattended operation it is actually possible to get better quantitative results than is normally thought possible with conventional analysis(A 10x100 pixel area at .5 sec/pixel=500 sec at 2.5kcps[or 10x10 pixel area at .5 sec at 25kcps] + spatial information). The statistical variation of these grouped pixels is rather poor when taken as a 'normal distribution' but since x-rays obey poisson statistics the 'variance' equals the total count making this result as good as any done with a static (or rastered) beam. For spatial information it then becomes important to collect as many pixels as sampling allows, and thus maps are best done at 512x512 of even 1024x1024 pixels. (A 512x512 pixel map takes around 40hrs at .5 sec/pixel at 2,500cps but only 4 hrs at 25kcps -at- .05sec/pixel. A 33x 33 area or 100sqr, a small area in this type of map is then equivalent to a 5 sec analysis at 25kcps or a 50 sec analysis at 2.5kcps. A reasonable analysis time for quantitation. A 1000 pixel area is then equivalent to 500sec at 2.5kcps. A 10,000 pixel area is equivalent to 5,000 sec analysis so you see that you can get some very good statistics.) Certainly there are many qualifying points to be considered just as there are in stationary (or rastered) beam analysis.
It is our experience that the detection limits for EDS analysis now approaches that of conventional WDS and that for mapping WDS is 10 times better than conventional WDS. Variations in composition for EDS of 0.1% at 10% levels and detection levels below .05% are easily achievable. We have even mapped at levels of 10 to 40ppm Nitrogen in steel with a WDS an a standard SEM.(Nitrogen is one of the most difficult of all the elements to analyse at trace levels). These results would not be meaningful with spot analysis as the spatial distributions can not be determined. This point is only obvious once you have mapped at these levels. Also full standards analysis is preferable to standardless.
Once you have realised the advantages of quantitative mapping it is very hard to go back to point analysis.
DOT mapping and ROI mapping can be very misleading as elemental distributions. Consider the case of 1% Al in a matrix of Mg next to 1% Al in an adjacent Si matrix. The ROI and Dot map will show a variation of Al of around 50% which does not exist! These maps are also misleading at low levels of composition(quite high for EDS) due to the continuum.
My two cents worth. I have a vested interest in true quantitative mapping and have been quant mapping for over 20 years. We run an annual 3 day quant mapping course to teach these and other advantages of this analysis technique.
Regards, Ken Moran.
Moran Scientific Pty Ltd P.O. Box 651 Goulburn NSW 2580 Australia Tel 02 4844 4234 (International, 61 2 48444234) Fax 02 4844 4291 (International, 61 2 48444291) Email {kmoran-at-goulburn.net.au} Web Page http://www.goulburn.net.au/~kmoran "Patience accomplishes its object, while hurry speeds to its ruin. Gulistan 1258"
Graduate and Technician Positions in Cell Biology and Computer Modeling of Neuronal Networks
Starting immediately
We use confocal and video imaging microscopy and 3-D software to study the development of the architecture of neuronal networks and the structure of synaptic connections. The candidates will visualize in real time molecular and cellular events leading to synapse formation and to non-random wiring in neuronal networks. For students with background in computers the work can be expanded to mathematical modeling of the biological findings. Our group provides excellent multidisciplinary training in a dynamic environment at the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at McGill University in Montreal.
Please contact Dr. Danny Baranes: Tel: (514) 398-2580 Fax: (514) 398-5047 e-mail: czdb-at-musica.mcgill.ca
Danny Baranes, Ph.D.
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology McGill university Montreal, Canada Tel: (514) 398-2580 Fax: (514) 398-5047 e-mail: czdb-at-musica.mcgill.ca
I collected some EELS data of boron nitride (BN) from a Gatan 666 parallel-detection system attached in a FEG-TEM. I now met some problems in=C5-at-interpreting the data. I would be very grateful if any one could help to provide some explanations for my questions.
1. How to correct the raw spectra for the smearing of resolution caused by=C5-at-the scintillator that is used in the parallel detection scheme?
2. In the low-loss spectra of h-BN, there is usually an energy-loss peak at=C5-at-around 6 eV which is attributed to the interband pi to pi* transition, but this peak disappears in amorphous BN (a-BN, sp2 hybridyzed), why? Theoretically it may appear since the orbitals are not changed.
3. The diffrence in the spectra (fine structure) between sp3-hybridyzed a-BN and crystalline cubic BN (c-BN) seems never so distinct as that between sp3-hybridyzed carbon and diamond, why?
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I used to have a piece of equipment that did just that. It had a pressurized cell with a sapphire window. It was used to observe electronic chips under certain conditions. In the electronics industry, we have microscopes mounted on "probe stations" that have long working distance objectives which allow us to put very small probes on the circuitry for electrical tests. That is what was used for looking through the thick sapphire window, across a gap to the surface of the IC chip.
The vendor I have been most satisfied with is Mitutoyo. They have a new model that has a large zoom range, reducing the number of objective lens changes.
Usual Disclaimer: My opinions ONLY; Simply satisfied user.
I'm told that bacteria cannot be imaged with a SEM. One must use a TEM. If this is true, why? Is it a direct corollary to metallurgical reflected light microscopy vs. transmitted biological?
Well, I'm a LM guy, but have done a bit of SEM. Bacteria are pretty easy because they are nearly impossible to deform. Graded EtOH or acetone, critical point, sputter-coat and view. The only problem might be interpretation - is that little round (oblong, rod-shaped) thing really a bacterium? Now, I must confess that I don't look at cultured bacteria, but at bacteria on substrata (biofilms) - maybe with bugs from liquid culture things are trickier. Rob Palmer Director - Biofilm Imaging Facility CEB/UT
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I mostly agree with Robert about the ease at which bacteria are examined with the SEM. I've done a fair amount of it using critical point and HMDS methods and one still has to be careful about shrinkage. We have just installed a new ESEM with cryostage and I hope to use that with the next batch. I'm not sure why someone thinks that you can only see bacteria with a TEM unless they were referring to the internal organization.
Damian } } I'm told that bacteria cannot be imaged with a SEM. One must use } a TEM. If this is true, why? Is it a direct corollary to metallurgical } reflected light microscopy vs. transmitted biological? } } tnx, } gary g.
I guess you will have hundreds of replies saying "many of us are often seeing bacteria in the SEM". I do not have any references but you can su= re see them!
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
I have been involved with a company in the USA who "cold treat" component= s which they claim (and produce papers) will increase the life of the components. Wear rate is said to be reduced and they do show micrographs=
but unfortunately I dumped the lot over a year ago. This is what the question is about I believe?
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
I am interested to try to see the stress field and subsurface cracks in a GaAs device, by using near-IR microscopy (1-2 microns wavelength), where both illuminating and detected light pass through a polariser. I understand that this type of equipment is manufactured commercially, but I am still trying to find someone who actually has it !
If anyone has access to this kit, preferably in Europe, can you please contact me directly as soon as possible?
I don't know who told you that, but they can be imaged quite well. The resolution will not be as good as in TEM of course, I find that the flagella don't look as good (they charge up between the cell and substrate - looking whiter, then look less visible on the substrate because they don't charge) but they are visible, although I've not seen pili. You can get more information by shadowing, negative staining and or sectioning but SEM has advantages when you want to see more of a thicker 3-D surface such as Staphylococci, distribution of bacteriophage over the surface of an infected bacterium, or bacteria growing on a substrate. Now viruses are much more difficult - you can see shapes but little substructure in most SEMs.
If you have a choice between TEM and SEM then TEM would be better in most cases but it is worth trying both, some time. They usually need a simple fixation in glutaraldehyde, dehydrate in alcohol or acetone then Critical Point Dry or a chemical such as HMDS
Malcolm
Malcolm Haswell Electron Microscopy School of Sciences Fleming Building University of Sunderland SUNDERLAND SR1 3SD Tyne and Wear UK
Tel (0191) 515 2872 e-mail: malcolm.haswell-at-sunderland.ac.uk
---------- } From: Dr. Gary Gaugler To: MSA listserver
I'm told that bacteria cannot be imaged with a SEM. One must use a TEM. If this is true, why? Is it a direct corollary to metallurgical reflected light microscopy vs. transmitted biological?
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Terry,
There are many examples of cryo-treatments used to increase the wear properties of metals. I am still skeptical since I can find very little scientific information on how the process works, especially for non-ferrous metals and polymers.. However, I cannot dispute actual accounts that it does work (i.e. a friend that had his BMW rotors treated that now wear better and don't warp). The common theme seems to be a stress relief. ASM International has published several articles on this process, as well as a video article on the Discovery Channel. I also know of one Japanese study performed on ferrous based materials.
Joseph
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy } } Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to } } ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help } } } http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } } } } } Hi; } } A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades } } cyro ( cooled in liquid } } nitrogen ) treated, its supposed to make the blades } } tougher and last longer.. } } They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical } } difference between treated } } and untreated samples. } } So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks } } similar to me. } } Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes } } tougher? } } How would one tell the difference between treated } } and untreated? } } Thanks } } Terry Ellis } } } } } } } } } } _____________________________________________________________ } Do You Yahoo!? } Bid and sell for free at http://auctions.yahoo.com }
Hi Gary, If the bacteria are attached to a substrate, it's easy to sample the substrate + bacteria. In the case of a colony on the surface of nutrient agar, use a disposable pipette to take a plug of the agar with the colony attached and place it into fixative for 2 hours, dehydrate, critical point dry and sputter-coat. If the bacteria are attached to a planchette of a mineral or a raw food product, process the substrate with the bacteria attached. If the bacteria are suspended, filter the suspension through a 0.22 um polycarbonate filter and process it the same way. Specimen processing holders (EMS) are the most useful holders for both of these sample types. If the bacteria are in a food product such as milk or ice cream, it will be necessary to pretreat the product with a surfactant and/or enzyme before it can be filtered. Best of luck! Rosemary
It's been revealed that some vendors cryogenically treat (what I would hope to be) high carbon steel blades.
Here's an explanation as to how it works ... and why you should not try it at home.
High carbon (tool) steels tend to have large amounts of retained austenite (the soft precursor to hard martensite) more so when too much carbon is in the alloy and the part was quenched from rather too high a temperature. High speed steel falls in this category naturally, even when properly heat treated.
The retained austenite is much softer than properly tempered martensite, so getting rid of it will improve the hardness of the tool a little. The principal reason for developing cryogenic treatment was not so much to improve wear resistance as to improve dimensional stability of hardened steel gauges and fixtures, which turned out to be essential during WWII to allow the manufacture of close-tolerance interchangable parts. With the better dimensional stability (retained austenite tending to transform under time and stress, thereby distorting the gauge) the manufacturers could start to use higher carbon steel, thereby gaining wear resistance. Hence the touting of cryogenic treatment for wear resistance.
High speed steel tools are usually double tempered, but that's done more often than cryogenic treatment. The reason is the same, though - get rid of as much retained austenite as possible.
Low temperature treatment will encourage the retained austenite to transform to martensite; too-rapid cooling may cause the tool to break by creating too large a gradient in the progression of the transformation. So it's best not to dump the tool directly into the liquid nitrogen.
The martensite created by this low-temperature transformation must subsequently be tempered, because as-transformed martensite is brittle. Any retained austenite left over after the low temperature treatment is likely to transform to martensite after the tempering operation, so the part really ought to be tempered twice after the cryogenic treatment ... sigh.
It's best not to try this at home, because if you have a residual stress pattern consisting of compression at the surface and tension in the center, if there was hydrogen in the steel and any significant internal defect, it is possible for the tool to spontaeously fracture with dramatic results.
I saw the (noninjurious, thankfully) aftermath of such an event when a large mill roll broke. The pieces broke through the heavy (2X6 lumber) crate in which the roll was being shipped.
Why did it break ? Because it cooled down too much, sitting on the (unheated) loading dock.
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. amenex-at-amenex.com http://www.amenex.com/
I used to have a Reichert "Infrapol" with a Hamamatsu camera mounted on it. The Infrapol is an IR version of the Polyvar with no oculars, and all of the optical elements/attachments are for IR illumination. Among the attachments, I had a polarizer and an analyzer. I used the system for many things, one of which was to inspect GaAs laser diode chips internally for cracks and other anomalies. I do not know if this model is still avail- able. You may need to locate a used one. I was very happy with it's performance.
Usual Disclaimer: MY opinions; Just a satisfied customer.
You are correct about the limited cooling rate. You now have me dredging for my memories of my Chemical Engineering heat transfer class. Heat transfer nomrally goes up with temperature difference, but that rule gets superceded when you interpose a vapor layer between the solid and liquid. The vapor does not transfer heat near as well, so heat transfer slows down until the layer is dissipated, often by the temperature difference diminishing.
The example cited for us was water droplets placed on a hot griddle. Up to a some temperature, the droplets flung onto the griddle will spread out and evapotate almost instantly, evaporating faster the hotter the griddle gets. But at some higher temperature, the droplets start to dance around on the griddle for several seconds before they eventually spread out and evaporate. An even hotter griddle just prolongs the dancing. So it is with LN2. It will still be a mighty coolant, but it could be worse.
At 12:18 PM 8/7/1999 -0500, you wrote: } } Just for entertainment... } Liquid Nitrogen cooling MAY be the slowest liquid cooling rate. I } should get a rise out of a lot of you guys from saying this! -Always } does. Liquid Nitrogen boils, creates an insulating shroud(or this is the } theory that makes me feel warm and cozy at nite.). But Carefully!! don't } depend on it lasting long!! I have been burned(frozen-2nd and 3rd degree) } of couple of times. } In many freezing rate and cooling rate studies I've observed(as a } few others have) that warm water, oil, and cold water, ice cool faster, } but the final temperature in Liquid N2,once you get to it, is colder. } (and guess which is faster, warm or cold water?) OK...anyone care to } present their theory, "cozy story", or dogma(and opposing observation) } or comment on the mechanism(or lack of). } } (prepared to be embarrassed..as usual) } Jeff Day/JD } In Hot Texas } Email: wa5ekh-at-juno.com
As a Forensic Scientist doing Firearm and Toolmark analysis I've bumped int= o the Cryogenic Heat Treatment process claims a number of times=2E Includin= g favorable comments by instructors at gunsmithing classes=2E I do not kn= ow if they work but have heard some things that suggest that the stress rel= ief in rifle barrels is real and can help or hurt a finished barrel as the = stresses could be keeping it where it needs to be =28barrels are straighten= ed by bending=29=2E Some of the best barrel makers in the country are usin= g the process before the drilling and rifling process and report superior p= roducts to their own products before using the process=2E I have additiona= lly heard similar comments about the ware characteristic of machine tools s= o treated=2E My understanding is that this is a heat=2Fcool process that g= oes on over a period of time but that the heating portion of the cycle is n= ot up in the traditional stress relief temperature ranges=2E I am not a me= tallurgist and therefore do not know if it works or if these anecdotal stor= ies are based on mere coincidence=2E =
The following web sight does give their claims for what is happening=2E I = for one would be interested in knowing more about the process and what it d= oes=2E I've considered having some of my rifle barrels and machine tools t= reated=2E I have no connection with the co=2E AMTREAT CRYOGENICS=2E = I don't know if the claims are correct or not but their web sight is=3A =
http=3A=2F=2Fwww=2Evalint=2Enet=2Fchp=2Famtreat You can check it out an= d see if it makes sense yourself=2C this is just one sight that explains th= is process=2E The web sight makes the following claims for the process=2E
=22WHAT CRYOGENIC TREATING WILL DO=3A =
Transform Retained Austenite to Martensite =
Improve Abrasive Wear Resistance =
Eliminate Thermal Shock =
Decrease Brittleness =
Increase Tensile Strength=2C Toughness=2C and Stability Blend Coated Surface Material to Base Material =
Effect the Entire Component NOT Just the Surface=22 =
Hope this helps=2E It is just one sight that explains what is being put fo= rward in the firearms industry for the process I believe you are asking abo= ut=2E
Jim Roberts
Hi=3B A couple of our engineers are having cutting blades cyro =28 cooled in liqu= id nitrogen =29 treated=2C its supposed to make the blades tougher and last lo= nger=2E=2E They are asking me if I can tell the metallurgical difference between trea= ted and untreated samples=2E So far the grain structure and elemental maps looks similar to me=2E Has anyone determined if cyro treated metal becomes tougher=3F How would one tell the difference between treated and untreated=3F Thanks Terry Ellis = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
I hate to throw in my two cents worth on this one, because its worth less than that. But the new cryo treatments apparently do more than just transform the retained austenite. Just what is happening seems to be a little controversial. My limited understanding based on limited and incomplete data is that it changes the morphology of ultra fine carbides. The process is not just dipping into liquid nitrogen and thawing, but it involves time/temperature programing to achieve the desired effects.
Regards,
Alan Stone ASTON
At 10:28 AM 8/9/99 -0700, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I am just starting a position at a small private school. In my previous positions, I have been using an MT2 to section mouse brains at 1 micron for light microscopy, using a specially machined chuck to hold my tissue. I have the chuck, but now I have no MT2. I have very little budget, and as you all know, in order to get grant money, you need to be producing data. Does anyone have an MT2 they might be able to donate or loan, or know someone who might? It would be used by my students and me. I have a contact who might be able to repair one for me if someone has a non-functioning one. Thanks, Gayle Brosnan-Watters Gayle Brosnan-Watters, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Psychology Department Vanguard University of Southern California 55 Fair Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Phone 714-556-3610 Ext. 454 Fax 714-966-6316 GBrosnanWatters-at-vanguard.edu
Hi Rosemary, Gary, I'm not a biologist but would SEM analysis of bacterium be improved if the substrate contributed less to the total signal. If the bacterium were say, dispersed on a carbon film as on a TEM grid this may improve the signal to noise. Russ, Xerox
-----Original Message----- } From: Rosemary Walsh [mailto:rw9-at-psu.edu] Sent: Monday, August 09, 1999 9:22 AM To: MSA listserver
Hi Gary, If the bacteria are attached to a substrate, it's easy to sample the substrate + bacteria. In the case of a colony on the surface of nutrient agar, use a disposable pipette to take a plug of the agar with the colony attached and place it into fixative for 2 hours, dehydrate, critical point dry and sputter-coat. If the bacteria are attached to a planchette of a mineral or a raw food product, process the substrate with the bacteria attached. If the bacteria are suspended, filter the suspension through a 0.22 um polycarbonate filter and process it the same way. Specimen processing holders (EMS) are the most useful holders for both of these sample types. If the bacteria are in a food product such as milk or ice cream, it will be necessary to pretreat the product with a surfactant and/or enzyme before it can be filtered. Best of luck! Rosemary
I believe within the last two weeks, there was a short discussion here that either an XRF forum, like this, exist or somebody was asking if one exists. Does one exist? Let me know,
You do indeed turn the filament to get the smallest, most uniform source. This ends up being about a 45 degree angle from horizontal. Be careful if you use bulbs that are not Durst supplied. As a former Durst dealer I can tell you of many cases where bulbs were used that had the filament very close to the end of the glass envelope. The curved surface in the end of the bulb can give a reflection that is imaged through the system. If you see a small bright spot slightly off center in every print you have this problem.
Neither Ventana Medical Systems or I have any financial interest in Durst at this time.
Visit our web site for specimen preparation for microscopy; www.ventanamed.com Steve Miller Sales Manager, North America Ventana Medical Systems, Inc. Microscopy Products Group Tucson, AZ Phone: 520-690-2753 Fax: 520-690-3580
} If the bacteria are suspended, filter the suspension } through a 0.22 um polycarbonate filter and process it the same } way. Specimen processing holders (EMS) are the most useful } holders for both of these sample types.
Also it can be attached on a poly-L-lysine coated coverslip after fixation and followed by routine SEM sample preparation procedures.
*********************************************** * Ming H. Chen, PhD * * Medicine/Dentistry Electron Microscopy Unit * * #1074B Dentistry Pharmacy Building * * University Of Alberta. * * Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2N8 * * * * Visit My Page At: * * http://www.ualberta.ca/~mingchen * ***********************************************
Dear Gary, Of course you can image bacteria in the SEM. For preparation, check any biological specimen preparation techniques handbook. Good luck, Jo Dee
"Dr. Gary Gaugler" wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } I'm told that bacteria cannot be imaged with a SEM. One must use } a TEM. If this is true, why? Is it a direct corollary to metallurgical } reflected light microscopy vs. transmitted biological? } } tnx, } gary g.
I am going to add my two cents as well. As a former tooling engineer for a major can company subzero cooling was used on critical tooling. The major purpose was to reduce the amount of retained austenite.
If you retain to much austenite your part can crack from internal stresses when the austenite converts to martensite during use. Austenite and martensite have different volumes so you want as much of the retained austenite converted as possible before the part is put into use. Other liquids you can use to subzero quench are oxygen, helium and hydrogen.
The composition of the metal being used for the tool, the heat treatment specified the initial quench media used, time before subzero quench is started will all have an effect on how successful the subzero quench is.
Tool Steels, Fourth Edition has 83 references on heat treating of tools steels.
Keith Collins DOE Albany Research Center 1450 Queen Ave. SW Albany, Oregon 97321
Hi all, Cryogenic treatment for properties enhancement is an ICE topic for a hot day There is a commercial website on the subject. www.onecryo.com They quote researchers at NIST on the process. Pay close attention to the location of the quotation marks, or you will loose track of the actual statements of the NIST researchers and attribute the whole commercial text to them. I read about this myself a while back but can't remember where. Jim Ballinger, R&D Tech & metallographer jballinger-at-nwaluminum.com Northwest Aluminum Co. The Dalles, Ore 97058
I am doing some work examining the environmental degradation of magnesium powder. I have done a lot of SEM work and one of the small side bits of work I did was to look at some of my samples in the SEM with different accelerating beam voltages. The assumption was that as the voltage increased, the depth of penetration increased and I would begin to see more sub surface information (I was interested in the sub surface info for my work and hence was using secondary electrons for this work). The SEM's did change as the voltage increased and the surface detail began to disappear. I got hold of a Monte Carlo simulation (Joy) which gave me the penetration depth and trajectories of the incident electrons into the sample (I assumed the sample was either magnesium, magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide) but it does not answer my questions. Although these incident electrons will penetrate to significant depths, I assume that the information I am seeing in the image is coming from secondary electrons that are nowhere nearly as deep in the sample. That is, the simulation indicates that say the maximum penetration depth for a 30kV accelerating voltage into Mg is 12.1 microns. However, a secondary electron at this depth will have little or no hope of escaping to the detector. What I need to know is how to determine at what depth the detected secondary electrons come from as the accelerating voltage is increased. I believe that there are computer programs around that allow this to be calculated but cannot track any down. Are you able to assist me with this? I look forward to your reply. Regards,
We are currently using a regular scanner with a transparency attachment to scan our negatives. It works fine for some negatives, but sometimes if the negative contrast is so high, we have to return to the darkroom to make the positives. I was wondering if someone else has experimented to use a negative scanner (Minolta or Nikon produces negative scanner for large format) to scan TEM negatives (6x9 cm).
Kazuo
o-------------------------------------------------------o | Carlos Kazuo Inoki | | Department of Physics - University at Albany | | 1400 Washington Ave.- Albany - NY - 12222 | o-------------------------------------------------------o
Thanks to all (20+) who have responded to my original post. There are some really great ideas and tips out there.
I must admit that all of the specimen prep jargon is lost on me. I'm an engineer....sorry about that. I had the "nack" at an early age and never shook it off. (nack.wav is available for those who are interested). Anyway, I take photos with LMs and SEM.
Jo Dee Fish gave me a good reference book for biological specimen prep and I am trying to find this out of print book (Electron Microscopy- Principles and Techniques for Biologists" by John J. Bozzola and Lonnie D. Russell). I am looking for similar titles and information.
I have a SEM (Amray 1830) and am not interested in getting a TEM. If I can get prepared specimen stubs for my Amray, I would be tickled. I shoot bugs and integrated circuits routinely. But the LM does not muster for good images of bacteria. I've got some code written to pseudo color the b/w transparencies from the SEM running on my Mac G3. But specimen prep is really a nightmare.
If you believe or know that bacteria can be imaged on a SEM, please tell me in simple terms how to do it. I would appreciate it. Likewise, if you want to know about computers, scanners, imaging and the digital world, I am pleased to reciprocate.
} I am doing some work examining the environmental degradation of magnesium } powder. ... } ... The assumption was that as the voltage } increased, the depth of penetration increased and I would begin to see more } sub surface information (I was interested in the sub surface info for my } work and hence was using secondary electrons for this work). } .... What I need to know is how to determine at what } depth the detected secondary electrons come from as the accelerating voltage } is increased. ...
I believe you are worng about increased HV showing you more sub-surface detail. Secondary electrons will never come from anywhere but the surface ... simply not enough energy to escape from depth. However, increased HV will increase the backscatter electron contribution and obliterate surface detail ... that is, sub-surface BSE emission will become more of a contribution to what the SE detector is seeing. The type of coating also will affect BSE contribution.
The SE information depth because of their low energy is related to the escape depth of the SE (metals ~ 5nm , insulators ~75nm) (Seiler H, 1983)
SE are produced within the whole electron interaction volume but do not escape from deeper.
The SE signal will carry information from greater depths because of the SE's produced by the escaping Backscattered Electrons (Peters KR, 1982)
There are plenty of other references but those two are a reasonable starting point acquired when doing my MSC. Seiler H 1983, is also good reference to the SE production with lots of other refs.
Seiler H.(1983) "Secondary Electron Emission in the scanning electron microscopy", J.App.Phys., 1983, V54 (11), Nov, pgs R1-R18
Peters KR (1982), "Conditions required for high quality high magnification images in secondary electron-I scanning electron microscopy" Scanning Electron Microscopy, 1982, vol 4, pgs 1359-1372
Stuart G McClure
At 10:02 10/08/99 +1000, Deyong, Leo wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America "There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow; If it be now, it is not to come; If it be not to come, it will be now; If it be not now, yet it will come: The readiness is all." Hamlet ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Increasing the high voltage increases the electron/specimen reaction volu= me and increases the depth from which backscattered electrons are emitted.
Whilst backscattered electrons (BSE) produce SE type 2 the dominating feature at higher kV, and at low magnifications, even in a so called secondary electron detector will be the backscatter themselves. However = if you really wish to know what is going on under the surface of the specim= en use a dedicated backscattered electron detector. With a reasonable detector and some operating knowledge you should be able to image from ~4= kV upwards. This will cover from almost the same signal depth that you are getting for SE through to several microns, depending upon the material an= d the kV range available. As a crude estimation double the kV and you penetrate three times as far!
There is so much information in the BSE signal that we use it for a good deal of the time on our courses. Sectioning the specimen through the use = of BSE is one of the most informative SEM techniques I know, it is very popular with material science clients.
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
Warren + Jeff: All very true, but consider a couple of additional points. Very important to cooling rate is also thermal conductivity (which includes specific heat) of the cooling substance. Stainless steel is a lousy heat conductor at low temperatures and diamond is the best. Conductivity/ heat transfer of a liquid is dramatically increased by rapid movement. 1. The coolant is warmed by the specimen and lesser temperature difference slows cooling. 2. A gas forming a shroud (Leidenfrost) provides an insulating barrier. So, small samples "shoot" into licit N2 or Propane, will cool much faster. Since Jeff wanted a (friendly) argument, I would like to note that the liquid nitrogen cooling rate is very good. Its the cooling rate of cold nitrogen GAS that is poor. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 10, 1999 12:44 AM, Warren E Straszheim [SMTP:wesaia-at-iastate.edu] wrote: } } } You are correct about the limited cooling rate. You now have me dredging } for my memories of my Chemical Engineering heat transfer class. Heat } transfer nomrally goes up with temperature difference, but that rule gets } superceded when you interpose a vapor layer between the solid and liquid. } The vapor does not transfer heat near as well, so heat transfer slows down } until the layer is dissipated, often by the temperature difference } diminishing. } } The example cited for us was water droplets placed on a hot griddle. Up to } a some temperature, the droplets flung onto the griddle will spread out and } evapotate almost instantly, evaporating faster the hotter the griddle gets. } But at some higher temperature, the droplets start to dance around on the } griddle for several seconds before they eventually spread out and } evaporate. An even hotter griddle just prolongs the dancing. So it is with } LN2. It will still be a mighty coolant, but it could be worse. } } At 12:18 PM 8/7/1999 -0500, you wrote: } } } } Just for entertainment... } } Liquid Nitrogen cooling MAY be the slowest liquid cooling rate. I } } should get a rise out of a lot of you guys from saying this! -Always } } does. Liquid Nitrogen boils, creates an insulating shroud(or this is the } } theory that makes me feel warm and cozy at nite.). But Carefully!! don't } } depend on it lasting long!! I have been burned(frozen-2nd and 3rd degree) } } of couple of times. } } In many freezing rate and cooling rate studies I've observed(as a } } few others have) that warm water, oil, and cold water, ice cool faster, } } but the final temperature in Liquid N2,once you get to it, is colder. } } (and guess which is faster, warm or cold water?) OK...anyone care to } } present their theory, "cozy story", or dogma(and opposing observation) } } or comment on the mechanism(or lack of). } } } } (prepared to be embarrassed..as usual) } } Jeff Day/JD } } In Hot Texas } } Email: wa5ekh-at-juno.com }
I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system (E306A) so I can implement the brass color to keep a constant carbon thickness for my probe analysis. I have the impression the guy I am replacing never cleaned the bell and I hardly see the colors through. I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough.
I agree that cryo treatments do indeed help complete the austenite conversion into martensite. The issue here is that the more recent programmed cryo treatments achieve that plus something extra. It is the "extra" that is a subject of debate.
} } I am going to add my two cents as well. As a former tooling engineer } for a major can company subzero cooling was used on critical } tooling. The major purpose was to reduce the amount of retained } austenite. } } If you retain to much austenite your part can crack from internal } stresses when the austenite converts to martensite during use. } Austenite and martensite have different volumes so you want as } much of the retained austenite converted as possible before the part } is put into use. Other liquids you can use to subzero quench are } oxygen, helium and hydrogen. } } The composition of the metal being used for the tool, the heat } treatment specified the initial quench media used, time before } subzero quench is started will all have an effect on how successful } the subzero quench is. } } Tool Steels, Fourth Edition has 83 references on heat treating of } tools steels. } } Keith Collins } DOE Albany Research Center } 1450 Queen Ave. SW } Albany, Oregon 97321 } Alan Stone ASTON Metallurgical Services
You can critical point dry bacteria and image with an SEM, HOWEVER, in general you will not preserve the delicate exopolymer that surrounds many bacteria, and so will lose that information from pure culture cells and especially those growing in a biofilm. If it is the shape of the cell you are after, this isn't a bad method, though I have had cells collapse in the critical point dryer and deform. I suggest you make sure your cells are clean, ie. no gooey medium components, because these will stick to the cells during drying. Possibly the reason you have heard you should use TEM is because there are methods (freeze substitution) whereby you will preserve the polymer and, if this applies, metals, etc. associated with it.
Barbara Eaglesham Research Support Specialist Dept. of Microbiology Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 255-1218 bse3-at-cornell.edu
I had similar problems using a Leaf scanner. The scanner was run from PhotoShop. In the simplest mode of operation, a "prescan" was run prior to the actual scan. From this, the user selects a "black pixel" and a "white pixel" (using a mouse). The software then proceeded to discard all information darker than the "black pixel" and lighter than the "white pixel", and subsequently to scale all intervening information from 0....255 to make an 8 bit image. The result was a non-reproducible scanning process (depending on what one happened to select with the mouse), and was often unsatisfactory for high-contrast negatives.
We found an option in the software which allowed us to collect the raw signal from the scanner as a 16 bit greyscale image file. In most cases, the scanner hardware is capable of distinguishing different contrast levels from the darkest areas and the lightest areas of the negatives. The problem may be finding a way to get the software to actually give you all the information. Once you have it, it is in principle going to be possible to preserve this information in the final output (given some patience and perfectionism at image processing).
I'd suggest you contact your vendor to see if you can run your scanner in a mode similar to that which we've adopted in our work (i.e. you should try to get the raw scanner signal, with resolution } 8 bits).
Wharton ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Wharton Sinkler Argonne National Laboratory West P. O. Box 2528 Idaho Falls, ID 83403 Tel: (208) 533-7724 FAX: (208) 533-7863
mailto:wharton.sinkler-at-anlw.anl.gov
} Hi, } } We are currently using a regular scanner with a transparency } attachment to scan our negatives. It works fine for some negatives, but } sometimes if the negative contrast is so high, we have to return to the } darkroom to make the positives. I was wondering if someone else has } experimented to use a negative scanner (Minolta or Nikon produces negative } scanner for large format) to scan TEM negatives (6x9 cm). } } Kazuo } } o-------------------------------------------------------o } | Carlos Kazuo Inoki | } | Department of Physics - University at Albany | } | 1400 Washington Ave.- Albany - NY - 12222 | } o-------------------------------------------------------o }
I am looking for a multiple specimen holder for Hitachi-600 TEM, which can at least hold two samples at a time. Please let me know if any of you or your friends have such a holder and want to give away or trade it. I can pay a reasonable amount. Thanks
Gang Ning EM Facility Medical College of Wisconsin
There is an XRF listserver where you would probably find this information. I
think you can subscribe by sending a "SUBSCRIBE" command to LISTSERV-at-LISTSERV.SYR.EDU. If that doesn't work, contact the list administrator (Michael Cheatham {mmcheath-at-MAILBOX.SYR.EDU} ).
Jim McGee
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ James J. McGee (email: jmcgee-at-sc.edu) Department of Geological Sciences University of South Carolina Columbia, SC 29208
Tel: 803-777-6300 Fax: 803-777-6610
"Darus, Mark" wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } I believe within the last two weeks, there was a short discussion } here that either an XRF forum, like this, exist or somebody was asking if } one exists. } Does one exist? Let me know, } } Thanks. } } Mark Darus, BFGoodrich Aerospace
} -----Original Message----- } } We are currently using a regular scanner with a transparency } attachment to scan our negatives. It works fine for some } negatives, but } sometimes if the negative contrast is so high, we have to } return to the } darkroom to make the positives. ...
I'm wondering if the deficiency you claim is "as displayed on the monitor" or is "as printed to digital hardcopy"??? I can well imagine a deficient printer (that is, there isn't a printer on the market which can provide the dynamic range of quality photographic paper), but I'd think a typical display could provide the dynamic range required (grayscale anyway). If it is the monitor, you could try a monitor profiler (Colorific, Adobe gamma) which usually use the monitor's maximum contrast. The other aspect of scanner acquisition is its response curve, or "gamma". It could be your scanner is providing something different than using your negative/enlarger/paper combination. This should be correctable ... and this is where you may need a better scanner, and possibly one designed for transparencies. The current scanners on the market can deliver 12-16bit depth to your editting software, therefore all the information you'd need for modifying the gamma with precision. I don't know that I'd depend on suggestions from the list regarding performance ... you should test the scanners with your most difficult nagatives. I would trust suggestions found here regarding various manufacturers technical support and the quality of the software. I can only attest to Nikon's 35mm scanner and an older HP flatbed (w/ transparency option). Nikon's support is "good" but the forums and focus appear weighted to their 35mm scanners. ... hope this helps :o)
cheerios, shAf
{} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ cogito, ergo zZOooOM /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {} Michael Shaffer, R.A. - ICQ 210524 Geological Science's Electron Probe Facility - University of Oregon mshaf-at-darkwing.uoregon.edu - http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mshaf/
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
There is an ISI 100 scanning electron microscope on campus that is being sent to salvage. The question arose as to special handling. All manuals are gone so I was hoping someone familiar with this instrument can tell us if it has a mercury diffusion pump and if there is a high voltage tank which may have oil contaminated with PCB's. Are there any other potentially dangerous components in this system that would be of concern to our hazardous waste people?
We appreciate the information as we try to dispose of this "dinasaur" of an SEM.
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Microscopy Center in Agriculture FAX: 765-494-5896 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology E-mail: sherman-at-btny.purdue.edu Purdue University 1057 Whistler Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1057
Please help. This person is not on the list server so respond to
Robert G. Best {best-at-richmed.medpark.sc.edu}
Thanks
Susanne P Brandom MicroWorld Directory of Microscopy Products and Services www.mwrn.com
-----Original Message----- } From: Robert G. Best {best-at-richmed.medpark.sc.edu} To: spb-at-mwrn.com {spb-at-mwrn.com}
Deyong, Leo wrote:
} I am doing some work examining the environmental degradation of magnesium } powder. I have done a lot of SEM work and one of the small side bits of } work I did was to look at some of my samples in the SEM with different } accelerating beam voltages. The assumption was that as the voltage } increased, the depth of penetration increased and I would begin to see more } sub surface information (I was interested in the sub surface info for my } work and hence was using secondary electrons for this work). The SEM's did } change as the voltage increased and the surface detail began to disappear. } I got hold of a Monte Carlo simulation (Joy) which gave me the penetration } depth and trajectories of the incident electrons into the sample (I assumed } the sample was either magnesium, magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide) but } it does not answer my questions. Although these incident electrons will } penetrate to significant depths, I assume that the information I am seeing } in the image is coming from secondary electrons that are nowhere nearly as } deep in the sample. That is, the simulation indicates that say the maximum } penetration depth for a 30kV accelerating voltage into Mg is 12.1 microns. } However, a secondary electron at this depth will have little or no hope of } escaping to the detector. What I need to know is how to determine at what } depth the detected secondary electrons come from as the accelerating voltage } is increased. I believe that there are computer programs around that allow } this to be calculated but cannot track any down. Are you able to assist me } with this?
Dear Leo, Secondary electrons have energies below 50 eV, so the only ones which will enter the detector are from the first few atomic layers regardless of the energy of the incident beam. Since you need info from sub-surface layers, you will need to generate electrons with somewhat larger energies or other- wise obtain signal from the appropriate part of the sample. Perhaps back- scattered electrons from an incident beam of the appropriate energy will probe the region you want, or possibly Auger electrons could be useful. Another possibility is reflection electron diffraction, either low-angle with relatively large energy or low-energy ED (backscattered ED). Good luck. Yours, Bill Tivol
Belts and many other parts are listed on our web site: www.ventanamed.com, look for the Ventana/RMC link, then look for the Parts Catalog. Call us for prices after locating the part number. Phone: 520-903-9366
For outside the U.S. see the distributor guide under Ventana/RMC and call the distributor listed for your country for pricing.
Ventana Medical Systems manufactures specimen preparation equipment for microsopy including rotary and ultramicrotomes.
Steve Miller North American Sales Manager, Microscopy Products Group 3865 N. Business Center Dr. Tucson, AZ 85705
} I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system } (E306A) ... I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough.
One would never guess carbon being so difficult to remove {smile} . I use a foaming window cleaner and scrub pad ... followed by rinsing well with water, followed by relatively dry alcohol. Others may suggest a final soapy film rinse to keep the carbon buildup to a minimum, but I rather clean often.
cheerios, shAf
{} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ cogito, ergo zZOooOM /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {\/} /\ {} Michael Shaffer, R.A. - ICQ 210524 Geological Science's Electron Probe Facility - University of Oregon mshaf-at-darkwing.uoregon.edu - http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~mshaf/
If it is really tough, a trick that I picked up from a temporary undergraduate student while I was in graduate school was to use a wad of Aluminum foil. It took the coating off and didn't scratch the glass. You have to use several wads of aluminum foil. -Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
Walck-at-PPG.com
(412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8161 (fax)
"The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies."
---------- } From: "pbedard-at-saglac.qc.ca"-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Hello,
I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system (E306A) so I can implement the brass color to keep a constant carbon thickness for my probe analysis. I have the impression the guy I am replacing never cleaned the bell and I hardly see the colors through. I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough.
I had the same problem with our Edwards, it was nearly black! At first I tried acetone, but that only cleaned the lightly coated areas. After much scrubbing, I resorted to using Pol polishing compound and light gauze sponges. It doesn't scratch the glass and works quite well. Good luck! Jo Dee Fish
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Hello, } } I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system } (E306A) so I can implement the brass color to keep a constant } carbon thickness for my probe analysis. I have the impression the } guy I am replacing never cleaned the bell and I hardly see the } colors through. I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough.
We find that 95% ethanol and a little elbow grease applied toa slightly abrasive material such as Kimwipes will readily remove the carbon. I've heard of materials that can be sprayed on to the bell jar surface after cleaning which will make the next cleaning much easier but I have not used them. I should invest some money in Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer of Kimwipes. They are indispensable in the lab!
I've successfully used Bon Ami cleanser, and Al wool for this. I have no idea from where our supply of Al wool came, but I'd bet those bronze pads seen at the food store would work as well. I'd avoid any of the harder abrasive cleaners (e.g. the ubiquitous green scouring pads that people use to scratch glassware with). A scored bell jar and high vacuum sounds like a bad mix.
John Heckman MSU Center for Electron Optics
} Hello, } } I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system } (E306A) so I can implement the brass color to keep a constant } carbon thickness for my probe analysis. I have the impression the } guy I am replacing never cleaned the bell and I hardly see the } colors through. I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough.
} Hi, } } We are currently using a regular scanner with a transparency } attachment to scan our negatives. It works fine for some negatives, but } sometimes if the negative contrast is so high, we have to return to the } darkroom to make the positives. I was wondering if someone else has } experimented to use a negative scanner (Minolta or Nikon produces negative } scanner for large format) to scan TEM negatives (6x9 cm). } } Kazuo
Scanning negatives is preferred to scanning transparencies since the dynamic range of the scanner is better for negs. Scanners have a D range specification and the higher the better. A D of 3.4 is good for a high end flat bed. If you have good D range, then I would suspect that your highlights are blown out on your neg (over exposed). Either readjust your brightness and contrast controls to even out the range. Another option is to adjust the scope's gamma control to compress the image's dynamic range. Lastly, if you have a video processor, a single or double level log compression will reduce the dynamic range and produce a nice image. Then put this on film.
Also, some films are more contrasty than others. For example, I have found that the Kodak T-MAX films are very high in contrast while the Ilford FP4+ and HP-5+ are very smooth in tonal range. The Ilford Delta series are also smooth but more critical in exposure (lacking somewhat on lattitude).
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At 05:02 PM 8/9/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Have you seen the Electron Flight Simulator from SPI? It can be found at:
Again, thanks to all who responded to my post about whether bacteria could be viewed on a SEM. The overwhelming answer is YES! I used that to beat up the guy who told me that it could not be done without a TEM.
The key issues are fixing, drying and how the bacteria are cultured. Then, the stub material is a factor and finally, whether the flagella can be seen. I'm more interested in the overall shape than flagella detail.
So my last question (or so I presume) in this vein is to ask if there are any suppliers or outfits out there who can implement any of the specimen preparation protocols that support SEM examination and who have one or more of these bacterial subjects. I am looking for perhaps up to 50 different types of bacteria. I can supply the stubs and specimen stub boxes. I need buggers that have been prepared for SEM analysis. Are there places that can do this at reasonable prices?
I use Pella aluminum and graphite Amray 3.1mm stubs.
If you have any leads, please contact me via e-mail or telecon at 916.791.8191 or fax at 916.791.8186.
I received this inquiry and I don't have the answer. If any of you can help, please respond to the individual directly, as she is not on the listserver.
Best regards, Steven Slap ******************************************* Energy Beam Sciences, Inc. The Laboratory Microwave Company Adding Brilliance to Your Vision http://www.ebsciences.com {http://www.ebsciences.com} *******************************************
-----Original Message----- =46rom: Susanne S=F8rensen [SMTP:sus.sus-at-danbbs.dk] {mailto:[SMTP:sus.sus-at-danbbs.dk]} Sent: Monday, July 26, 1999 2:03 PM To: ebs-at-ebsciences.com {mailto:ebs-at-ebsciences.com}
We are using the same method for our Bal-tec sputter coater, and yes, it works. We are using lint-free paper, and I suppose it is similar to Kimwipes. This lint-free paper we are using comes in big sheets and we just cut it to approximately 5" by 7", so it is easy to keep them clean and dry in empty photographic paper boxes.
We requested that all users do a minor cleaning of the chamber with lint-free paper each time they finish coating, so that the carbon layer won't accumulate. Of course, the technical staff in-charge has to do the overall cleaning once a month at least if the usage is high.
Guess pbedard will have a hard time cleaning for this round, but trust me, it will be great to see the clean glass again.
Catherine Tang 7th APEM Organising Committee c/o Electron Microscopy Unit Faculty of Medicine National University of Singapore Tel: 65 874 3216 Fax: 65 776 4971
-----Original Message----- } From: "GANTZ-at-med-biophd.bu.edu"-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com [mailto:"GANTZ-at-med-biophd.bu.edu"-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com] Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 1999 4:57 AM To: MICROSCOPY-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com
We find that 95% ethanol and a little elbow grease applied toa slightly abrasive material such as Kimwipes will readily remove the carbon. I've heard of materials that can be sprayed on to the bell jar surface after cleaning which will make the next cleaning much easier but I have not used them. I should invest some money in Kimberly-Clark, the manufacturer of Kimwipes. They are indispensable in the lab!
I had the same problem with some molybdenum thrown in aswell. =20 We've got a tin of Alconox Detergent=20 For Cleaning Laboratory, Hospital, Clinical and Industrial Ware to a = Sparkling Brilliance. Its made by Alconox Inc in New York I turned the bell jar upside down filled it with hot water and added a = liberal amount of Alconox powder. The company recommend 30gm per gallon. = (Imperial and Metric units in one sentence, I was confused) After soaking for a couple of hours the carbon just floated off. It was = like a thin film on the surface and the stubborn spots required a bit of = scrubbing with paper towel. =20
Good luck! Thats my two cents.
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
Hi all This is one of these strange situations where you know what you're looking for but you cant find it.
We have a ISI SX 40 SEM with a focus drift problem. We know its the objective lens current that is fluctuating and suspect the reference or grounding resistor for the objective lens. Now this is one of these classic ISI mods which is very difficult to find. On the diag. it shows a mod which has this resistor plugged in via JN19 and is a 1.5 ohm 600watt resistor. That should be big enough to find. We can find all the other lens reference resistors, but for all the looking, we don't seem to be able to find this resistor anywhere. Does any one have some info on this and where we could possibly find this resistor ? On the cct diag N107N01 2/2 this resistor is on board N107N05 via JN 19. Top left corner of the diags.) Can any one help ?
Luc Harmsen Anaspec, South Africa Technical support on microscopy. Tel + 27 (0) 11 476 3455 Fax + 27 (0) 11 476 7290 anaspec-at-icon.co.za
Besides my SEM work I am in charge of an XRD lab. Not really being a matter of microscopy, I am looking for a reference material with more than 15% retained austenite in ferrite (I already have an NBS SRM485a, 5% austenite in ferrite).
I've used Bell Bright (I forget who sells it) to help eliminate the struggle of cleaning the walls of my sputter coater. After cleaning (or better yet, prior to running the sputter coater) I give the chamber wall a light spray- ing and the coating comes off with soap and a light brushing. I don't know if it would work with a carbon coater or not but it's worth a try.
Regards,
Stephen P. Cavender Metallographer Advanced Modular Power Systems, Inc. 4370 Varsity Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2241 734-677-4260 x 209 voice 734-677-0704 fax scavender-at-ampsys.com www.ampsys.com
I use a household cleaner called Quick Job. One part Quick Job to 5 parts water and spray the solution into the bell jar. The carbon just wipes off with a paper towel, no steel wool, no Al-foil, no elbow grease. Its as easy as wiping water up off a floor. I follow with ethanol and end up with a sparkling clean bell jar in about 3 min. I bought a gallon some 5 years ago for $46....the following may be out of date:
JP Enterprises/Chemical Division 1835 Whittier Ave, B-9 Costa Mesa, Ca 92627 714-646-4167
************************************************ Dr. Scott Kuehner kuehner-at-u.washington.edu Dept. of Geological Sciences ph.206-543-8393 Box 351310 Fax 206-616-6873 The University of Washington Seattle, Washington 98195-1310 ************************************************
On Tue, 10 Aug 1999 GANTZ-at-med-biophd.bu.edu-at-sparc5.microscopy.com wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } We find that 95% ethanol and a little elbow grease applied toa } slightly abrasive material such as Kimwipes will readily remove the } carbon. I've heard of materials that can be sprayed on to the bell jar } surface after cleaning which will make the next cleaning much easier but } I have not used them. I should invest some money in Kimberly-Clark, } the manufacturer of Kimwipes. They are indispensable in the lab! } } Don Gantz } Boston Univ School of Medicine } }
Hello pbedard: I note that you had plenty of advice on cleaning. Here is a note to make future cleaning dead simple. Lightly coat the inside of the belljar with about 1:10 diluted household detergent. Leave to dry or speed drying with a hairdryer. For the next cleaning job use a sponge with a bit of warm water and the coating just floats off.
A detergent coated bell jar darkens faster because less carbon bounce occurs within. In theory that should result in sharper shadows and less carbon deposit on the uncoated part of the chamber. Vacuum is not affected if the belljar is properly dried. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 10, 1999 11:24 PM, "pbedard-at-saglac.qc.ca"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com [SMTP:"pbedard-at-saglac.qc.ca"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com] wrote: } } Hello, } } I want to clean the vacuum bell on an Edwards Coating system } (E306A) so I can implement the brass color to keep a constant } carbon thickness for my probe analysis. I have the impression the } guy I am replacing never cleaned the bell and I hardly see the } colors through. I tried a simple wipe but that is not enough. } } }
Leo and Bill: I don't understand Bill's intentions - what sub-surface structures? If you want atomic number imaging, than the secondary detector is the wrong detector to use. The secondary image renders topography based on edge contrast excellently. In other words, brightness largely increases with beam/ specimen angle of incidence. A grazing entry yields most secondaries and therefore is very bright. By definition there is no such thing as sub-surface topography. As the accelerating voltage is increased, secondaries which carry topographic information are swamped by secondaries which are generated by X-rays moving backwards, towards the surface. Since secondaries do not greatly differentiate atomic number contrast, there is little to be gained from using higher kV to produce secondary images. What you need for sub-surface imaging, besides reasonable high voltages is a good backscattered detector (I think the Robinson type is very good). Also, atomic number contrast works much better if all surface information is eliminated through the use of polished specimens. Another, probably better means of showing the various elements may be through a good quality (background subtracted, slowly accumulated) X-ray map of a polished specimen.
Bill's comments are right, but he has not fully explained why the secondaries will not work, with increased kV. It's true, secondaries are of such low energy and can only come from the very surface. With higher kV more secondaries will be released through interactions from below the surface. With higher kV, its not just the primary beam which penetrates further. X-rays generated by primary (and other) electrons travel further and will undergo on average several interaction (Monte Carlo model). This process will eventually release many more secondaries from the surface. These additional electrons are added to the less numerous secondaries which were generated by primary electrons entering the specimen. These "additional" secondaries do not carry much image information and cause the whitening out of fine surface structures. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Wednesday, August 11, 1999 2:26 AM, William Tivol [SMTP:tivol-at-wadsworth.org] wrote: } } Deyong, Leo wrote: } } } I am doing some work examining the environmental degradation of magnesium } } powder. I have done a lot of SEM work and one of the small side bits of } } work I did was to look at some of my samples in the SEM with different } } accelerating beam voltages. The assumption was that as the voltage } } increased, the depth of penetration increased and I would begin to see more } } sub surface information (I was interested in the sub surface info for my } } work and hence was using secondary electrons for this work). The SEM's did } } change as the voltage increased and the surface detail began to disappear. } } I got hold of a Monte Carlo simulation (Joy) which gave me the penetration } } depth and trajectories of the incident electrons into the sample (I assumed } } the sample was either magnesium, magnesium hydroxide or magnesium oxide) } } but } } it does not answer my questions. Although these incident electrons will } } penetrate to significant depths, I assume that the information I am seeing } } in the image is coming from secondary electrons that are nowhere nearly as } } deep in the sample. That is, the simulation indicates that say the maximum } } penetration depth for a 30kV accelerating voltage into Mg is 12.1 microns. } } However, a secondary electron at this depth will have little or no hope of } } escaping to the detector. What I need to know is how to determine at what } } depth the detected secondary electrons come from as the accelerating } } voltage } } is increased. I believe that there are computer programs around that allow } } this to be calculated but cannot track any down. Are you able to assist me } } with this? } } } Dear Leo, } Secondary electrons have energies below 50 eV, so the only ones } which } will enter the detector are from the first few atomic layers regardless of } the } energy of the incident beam. Since you need info from sub-surface layers, } you will need to generate electrons with somewhat larger energies or other- } wise obtain signal from the appropriate part of the sample. Perhaps back- } scattered electrons from an incident beam of the appropriate energy will } probe the region you want, or possibly Auger electrons could be useful. } Another possibility is reflection electron diffraction, either low-angle with } relatively large energy or low-energy ED (backscattered ED). Good luck. } Yours, } Bill Tivol }
At 11:04 PM 8/10/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
600 Watts???? That would qualify it as a room heater!! 600 Watts is not a RETMA standard value, neither is 60 Watts or 6 Watts. They are 5, 10, 25, etc. If you can fax me a section of the schematic, I'd be glad to look at it.
gary g. 916.791.8186 fax USA Cheers, Gary Gaugler, Ph.D.
} I don't understand Bill's intentions - what sub-surface structures?
Dear Jim,
Check out the article by Leslie, et al. in Microscopy Research and Technique, Vol. 46, pp 160-177. On p 162 there is a description of LEED which implies that it can be used to get info about atomic positions from the first six atomic layers or so, if the electrons are backscattered out of the sample. I was the guest editor for this issue, so, although I do not get paid more if more people read it, I have, nonetheless, an interest in publicizing it. Yours, Bill
} I've used Bell Bright (I forget who sells it) to help eliminate the struggle } of cleaning the walls of my sputter coater. After cleaning (or better yet, } prior to running the sputter coater) I give the chamber wall a light spray- } ing and the coating comes off with soap and a light brushing. I don't } know if it would work with a carbon coater or not but it's worth a try. } } Regards, } } Stephen P. Cavender
I once used one of these products (I don't recall which one, possibly/possibly not Bell Bright/Brite), and had a difficult time generating carbon films that would hold together for preparation of carbon film grids. A rigorous cleaning of the bell jar with FL-70 detergent corrected the problem. (FL-70 is a biodegradable detergent our Biochem store stocks.) Thus, I don't like to use these products. I'm sure one of them probably works, but I have other things to do with my time than to try to trouble shoot them. I have heard that a light layer of dish soap will also take the elbow work out of bell jar cleaning, but again, I'd rather not run the risk of having it in my carbon films. As far as cleaning a bell jar, we soak the bell jar in hot water with FL-70 detergent, and as someone else reported, the carbon floats off. For those stubborn areas, a Kim-wipe with a little "Metalblau"(sp) metal polish seems to remove it without scratching. Then, wash as previously mentioned to remove residual metal polish. An ethanol rinse after washing can be used, but might be overkill. Randy -- Randy Nessler rnessler-at-emiris.iaf.uiowa.edu Views expressed are my own.
S=F8rensen Henning Sund wrote: } =20 } Besides my SEM work I am in charge of an XRD lab. } Not really being a matter of microscopy, I am looking for a reference } material with more than 15% retained } austenite in ferrite (I already have an NBS SRM485a, 5% austenite in } ferrite). } =20 } Does anyone know about a likely supplier? } =20 } Regards, } =20 } Henning Sorensen
Henning,
I cannot suggest a supplier for austenite in ferrite reference materials, but I have some additional information that might be valuable to you. In addition to SRM485a (5% austenite), NIST at one time produced and sold two other austenite in ferrite SRMs designed for calibrating XRD measurements of retained austenite in ferrous materials:
SRM487 30% Austenite in Ferrite SRM488 2.5% Austenite in Ferrite
It sounds like SRM487 is what you are looking for. NIST SRM487 does not appear on the NIST SRM webite, and a quick phone call to the SRM program at NIST confirmed that they no longer sell SRM487, but you may be able to get a disk and certificate from a colleague. I don't know the exact dates of production, but the certificate date is listed as May 1982, and 487 appears as late as 1995-1996, according to my (backdated) SRM catalogs.
Can you explain me in detail, how to do this type of positive making? I would like to try this. I have a SEM Topcon SM-510 and I work only with digital images and print them in a videoprinter. This SEM has also a Polaroid 545i camera but only works with instant photographs and they are very expensivse and don=B4t give a negative.... But I=B4ve visited other laboratories and I=B4ve worked in their dark room, so I have some negatives and I would like to try what you do with them and scanner. M.C. Ma. Guadalupe Nieto Lopez Laboratorio de Microscopia Electronica ECOSUR Tapachula Carr. Ant. Aeropuerto Km. 2.5 30700 Tapachula, Chis. Tel. (962) 81077 y 81103 Fax. (962) 81015
A student here would like to paste together images to make a mosaic. He may need 50 to 100 images to cover his total field of view. We have used U of Texas Image Tool's stack facility sucsessfully, but it is a bit tedious to open the image files one by one, especially when there may be sets for several elements plus BSE. We can easily export the images from our Cameca/Oxford-exl system to a PC, but need advice on suitable software to make the mosaic.
Thanks in advance, Maggy *****************************************************************
Maggy Piranian Electron Microprobe & X-Ray Diffraction Labs Dept. of Earth Sciences Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's, Newfoundland Canada A1B 3X5
Does anybody know about EDX composition of clay minerals such as chlorite, smectite, Ilite..etc Thanks a lot ! Ailton Luis S. Souza=09 T=E9cnico de Explora=E7=E3o de Petr=F3leo PETROBRAS/CENPES/DIGER/SEGRES TEL 865 6568 FAX 865 6828
We have a problem on the focus board on a Phillips TEM and have traced the fault to some SN74111N IC's. These are Dual J-K Master/Slave IC's with Presets and Clears. These IC's seem to have been discontinued and are not available anywhere in South Africa. Phillips themselves cannot get them for us.
If anybody has some of these as spares it would be appreciated if you could let us know.
Much thanks
Luc Harmsen Anaspec, South Africa Technical support on microscopy. Tel + 27 (0) 11 476 3455 Fax + 27 (0) 11 476 7290 anaspec-at-icon.co.za
We adapted a Nikon SMZ-U for GFP studies with components purchased through Kramer Scientific, Elmsford, NY (914) 345-6060. They included a Leica lamp housing, a Ludl (LEP) power supply and an Endow filter set (from Chroma). These add on parts cost about $8000. Nikon now has an epi-fluorescent accessory. The Leica system also looks usable. Our experience in looking at GFP expression in drosophila embryos and larvae indicates that this level of microscope is okay for determining that a GFP pattern exists, yes or no, but not for determining the fine structure. For example, we can determine that there is GFP in axons but not if the axons are all present or have misroutings. If your signal is weak you may not be able to see it since the N.A. of the optics is comparatively low. Larry D. Ackerman Lily & Yuh Nung Jan Laboratories Howard Hughes Medical Institute UCSF, Box 0725, Rm U226 533 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143
The above address is a direct link to a discussion from a year ago I archive at "Tips & Tricks" which can be found at:
http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/
Good luck
At 12:57 PM 8/11/1999 -0230, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Thanks to all who responded to my query about the ISI 100 SEM. Arrangements are being made to have the instrument picked up for parts. Thanks to the listserve, another instrument will still serve a valuable purpose rather than be relegated to the scrap heap.
id NAA17519; Wed, 11 Aug 1999 13:55:27 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: {3.0.6.32.19990811150002.0096ba10-at-biotech.ufl.edu} X-Sender: sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.6 (32)
Any suggestions for this person. Pass along to him rather than me. Thanks
} Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 10:37:32 -0500 } From: Rena Krol {Rena.Krol-at-usm.edu} } Subject: Jellyfish for SEM } To: "Histonet-at-Pathology.swmed.edu" {Histonet-at-pathology.swmed.edu} } } Hello Histonetters, } I just received some small jellyfish (3/4 inch diameter) with attached } Vibrio. Does anyone have any experience with processing such a } gelatinous critter } for scanning electron microscopy? Your help is appreciated! } Rena Krol } } } }
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
We just use 409 cleaner sprayed on a paper towel, or better yet some Kim wipes, to clean carbon from the jar and stage. It's fast, efficient, and doesn't leave an outgassing residue. We also clean it after each use since it takes so little time.
Bill
-- ============================================================= Bill Chissoe III Electron Microscopist University of Oklahoma 770 Van Vleet Oval Norman, Ok. 73019 E-mail: wchiss-at-ou.edu Ph. (405)325-4391 =============================================================
Well Listers. While many of you were off wandering around Portland some of us were actually working. After more than a year and a half of neglect, the Tips & Tricks archive of this listserver is now up to date. There are more than 525 links spanning the last 4 years worth of biologic discussions in a searchable fromat. Just point your browser to:
www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/
and follow the tips link.
As always if there is a biologic discussion you recall posted but can't find, let me know. It is probably sitting in my inbox and I will forward it to you.
Good luck
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
At 03:14 AM 8/11/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America=20
If you have a traditional polaroid holder, it is a Graflok mechanism. It= would be a clamshell affair between which the Polaroid 545 holder is mounted. By removing the holder, you can insert a standard 4x5" cut film holder loaded with black and white negative sheet film. The holders have two sides and so hold two sheets of film. Make your exposure and have the film developed. You will have a nice negative. Press the invert button on your scope, make the exposure, and you will have a transparency (a positive film image). Both of these will be very high quality and cost about 25 cents per sheet, plus processing.
Polaroid makes a positive/negative sheet film product for the 545 holder. It makes a b/w print and a b/w negative at the same time. It is not cheap though.
At 08:27 AM 8/11/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Try PanaVue's Visual Stitcher. I just got it and it works quite well. Much better than others I have used that were more expensive. This software costs $65 on CD, less for just download. You can find them at
A request to the chips mailing list will usually find anything that exist or a substitute for it. http://www.xs4all.nl/~ganswijk/chipdir/. The maintainer of the list Japp Ganswijk can be very helpful.
You should be able to find a substitute.
Good luck Gordon
Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com 624 Cheyenne Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger } } We have a problem on the focus board on a Phillips TEM and have traced the } fault to some SN74111N IC's. These are Dual J-K Master/Slave IC's with } Presets and Clears. These IC's seem to have been discontinued and are not } available anywhere in South Africa. Phillips themselves cannot get them for } us. } } If anybody has some of these as spares it would be appreciated if you could } let us know. }
I have problem with mail from Gang Ning. I am using windows 98 SE and Outlook, every time when I try to open mail from and only Gang Ning my whole computer frozen and has to be manually reboot by reset switch, even Alt+crt+del do not work. Anyone has similar problem or it is only ma computer machine???
Keep care and be of good cheer.
Regards
(name) Vratislav Richard Eugene Maria John Baptist (surname) of Bejsak (Bayshark)-Collorado-Mansfeld
http://www.coleoptera.org Coleoptera - Australia, Tenebrionidae of World (incl. Lagriinae, Alleculinae)
University of Sydney The Wentworth Bldg., Box 62 NSW 2006 AUSTRALIA phone : +61 414 540 465 e-mail: vratislav-at-bigfoot.com ricardo-at-ans.com.au (before Ricardo-at-compuserve.com and ricardo-at-login.cz )
Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find that money can not be eaten.' CREE INDIAN PROPHECY.
Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.37 / Virus Database: 30 - Release Date: 6.4.1999
Without any data on your antigen or your antibody, it is a little = difficult to diagnose youre problem. However, my first thought would be = that you are looking at a serum protein that is present in the BSA you are = using as the blocking agent. As before, there is no background on formvar = film (unless you really mess up its preparation).
I hope this helps. If I am far off the mark, send me more data and give = me another go at it.
Regards,
Paul Webster, Ph.D House Ear Institute 2100 West Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90057 phone:213 273 8026 fax: 213 413 6739 e-mail: pwebster-at-hei.org
Hello Ebs! I hope that you can help me. I have a problem with background staining on my formvar film. I am doing ultracryosections on isolated neutrophils and do not use gelatine. I have space between the neutrophils and have a lot of gold on the formvar film. I block with 0,05% Glycin 1% BSA 10 min. Dilute the antibody in 0,1% BSA and wash in 1% BSA. I'm using a PBS pH 7,4. The control is negative, (I omit the primary antibody), so it is not the gold, and I can't see any reason to use normal serum. Do you think you can help me? With regards Sus S=F8rensen
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Paul Webster, Ph.D House Ear Institute 2100 West Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90057 phone:213 273 8026 fax: 213 413 6739 e-mail: pwebster-at-hei.org
Hello Pbedard: How about Olivine (Mg.Fe)2SiO4. Its part of our 53 Mineral Standard mount on page www.proscitech.com.au/48.htm There are several other Fe standards on that mount. Lose standards can be purchased, but they are not an efficient means of producing a standard mount for EDS/WDS I declare an obvious interest in these mounts. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Wednesday, August 11, 1999 10:59 PM, Paul Bedard [SMTP:pbedard-at-saglac.qc.ca] wrote: } } Hello, } } I am looking for an Fe-rich olivine or pyroxene as a geochemical } reference sample for probing. } } Would you know where to get/buy one? } } Thanks for your help,
Hi all, Can anyone help with this query? Thanks, Rich.
We have had a person come in to our Microscopy Unit with a bit of a challenge which hopefully someone may be able to help us with.
This person has his fathers diary with the entries made in pencil. Some of the words (names and places it would seem) have been 'blacked out' with felt pen.
A local restoration expert has been able to remove the felt pen from one entry with bleach however beneath the felt pen we have found that the entry has been heavily 'blacked out' with pencil.
The story goes that the diary belongs to a soldier on Crete during WW11 who was one of the unlucky ones left behind after the Allied evacuation. He kept a diary of events however at some point blacked out in pencil places and names, presumably of people who had helped him and not wanting them to be revealed in case of capture.
Why the same entries where later blacked out with felt pen is unknown.
The person with the diary (the son) would like to find out if there is a way, using microscopy, that we can read the 'blacked out' entries.
Does anyone have any suggestions ?
Allan
------------------------------------------------------------ Allan Mitchell Technical Manager South Campus Electron Microscope Unit C/-Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology School of Medical Sciences P.O. Box 913 Dunedin New Zealand
Fax (03) 479 7254 Phone (03) 479 5642 or 479 7301
'The Southernmost EM Unit in the World'
,,, (o o) ------------------oOO-(_)-OOo----------------------------------
A colleague of mine, who is not a member of this list, is attempting to study, using a TEM, carbonate crystal of the (Ca, Mg)CO3 type. The crystals were grown under specific conditions and as such there is very little control on their size.
Typical sizes of the grown crystals range between 0.1mm to 1mm.
Due to their controlled growth it is anticipated that compositional as well as possible microstructural variation do exist within each crystal.
Ideally, we would like to prepare cross sections of these crystals for stydying them using conventional TEM microscopy coupled with EDS Microanalysis on the TEM.
The specific questions are:
a) Is anyone aware of a particular preparation technique for preparing electron transparent regions on these rather coarse crystals? Grinding the crystals to a powder form is not considered acceptable for identifying cross sectional crystal and compositional variations.
b) If we need to mount the crystals on a resin, and attempt to thin this composite, resin-crystal material, could you recommend a particular resin type that minimises incovience during examination under an electron beam?
C) Any good papers on TEM studies undertaken on similar Carbonate Crystals, especially ones that are referring to specific preparation routes?.
Many thanks in anticipation of your valuable comments.
George -- Dr Georgios FOURLARIS e-mail: fourlaris-at-postmaster.co.uk
It was reported to me that some remarks I made in haste at the end of my talk to the EBSD session at Portland were misinterpreted in the subsequen= t discussion (after I had to leave, to chair the session in the next room). Since I could not be there to clarify things at the time, I would like to do so now. =20
The question is what kind of SEM best serves the needs of EBSD. (If you have a choice.) My assumption is that the problem is to acquire the EB= SD pattern from the smallest possible region of the sample. If you have ve= ry large grains and no concern to get EBSD patterns from small regions, different criteria will apply. EBSD patterns are limited by signal to noise, so the limit comes from the current in the beam. To get patterns from small areas, the requirement is to get as much current as possible into the smallest beam. =20
I worked out an expression for how much current can be got into a beam as= a function of beam size. The expression is in the published abstract. The equation given is rather different from the standard equation in book= s, because I use the fact that EBSD requires the sample to be at a long working distance - not at the optimum distance for imaging. =20
The conclusions are:
1 The brighter the source the better. So field emission will always be b= est. 2 For a given source, the bigger the bore of the objective lens the bette= r. This means, typically, that a microscope designed for high resolution (= or to be operable at a very short working distance) will be worse than a mor= e =93conventional=94 microscope.
Those conditions are fixed by the microscope. As far as the operating conditions under your control are concerned:
1 Use the smallest, practical, working distance. 2 Use an aperture of the optimum size.
Alwyn Eades Department of Materials Science and Engineering Lehigh University 5 East Packer Avenue Bethlehem Pennsylvannia 18015-3195 Phone 610 758 4231 Fax 610 758 4244 jae5-at-lehigh.edu
If the diary is intact there is a method of developing 'indented writing'. This is the physical imprint left on pages beneath the pages written on. There is a good chance that the imprint is distinguishable even though it has been overwritten.
The only two labs I know of that have a lot of experts are the FBI and the IRS (think about this for a while). They can sometimes differentiate between pencil leads by chemistry. You can hope two different pencils were used.
Last chance is get Kenneth Star convinced it has something to do with Clinton.
We once tried to embed and section organic crystals and could not get reasonable sections. We then changed our strategy and isolated the sma= llest particles in a powder by briefly sonicating the powder in an inert solv= ent (hexane for our crystals) and then letting the largest particles settl= e out. A drop of the suspension was then placed on a carbon filmed TEM g= rid and allowed to air dry leaving stable thin particles. If you sample ha= s some smaller particles this method might work.
Joe Neilly Abbott Laboratories D-45M, AP31 200 Abbott Park Rd. Abbott Park, IL 60064-6202 voice: (847)-938-5024 fax: (847)-938-5027 e-mail: joe.neilly-at-abbott.com =
Greetings Fellow Microscopists: I am having a problem cryosectioning tumor colonies that are suspended and grown in soft agar. These soft agar cylindrical chunks are approx. 4mm3 in dimension and are first fixed in 3.7 % formalin in PBS, rinsed in PBS, placed in OCT for 30 min. (in cryo-molds) and frozen in isobutane and dry ice. They are kept at -80C until ready to section. This procedure is taken from the instruction sheet from Trevigen for in situ detection of apoptosis. They are not specific as to any sectioning problems that may arise. Apparently, after the blocks and chuck are all temp. stabilized and faced off, one can see where the soft agar chunk should be in the OCT, there is a gaping hole....and this occurs immediately after the section is cut! This sounds like an infiltration problem to me. Any advise?.....Help...
Thanks to All,
Maria
Maria Fazio-Zanakis Bioimaging and Molecular Histology Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. 1-908-231-3357 Fax: 1-908-231-3962 Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com
Correction: I erred, Nikon does not make an epi-fluorescence light source for their stereo microscopes but our local supplier, Technical Instruments, can supply one which I heard is made by MVI. I appologize for the confusion.
Larry D. Ackerman Lily & Yuh Nung Jan Laboratories Howard Hughes Medical Institute UCSF, Box 0725, Rm U226 533 Parnassus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94143
Hello - I want to use transmission electron microscopy to analyze carbonaceous phases using electron energy loss techniques (as well as EDX) and thus it would be desirable to have low-Z, carbon free, thin-films (100 Angstroms or so) on TEM grids. I wondered if anyone knows where I might obtain suitable thin-films on TEM grids for this purpose. I have purchased SiO thin-films on conventional TEM grids but would prefer a lower Z material for a number of reasons such as lower mean-free path and a need to do quantitative analysis on both Si and O.
Two possibiliites come to mind. The first would be a beryllium substrate on say a 200 mesh TEM grid but due to it's well-known toxicity I am unaware of any manufacturers that make these. A second possibility would be a boron substrate but again I am unaware of any producer of this substrate. Boron may not be an easy material to work with due to its relatively high melting point, ease of oxidation and perhaps other undesirable properties. It also has a somewhat high resistivity and thus charging could potentially be a problem.
My questions are: Does anyone know of a manufacturer who can produce Be or B or other low Z, non-carbon, thin-films on TEM grids? Has anyone had experience or experimented with producing these or other suitable thin-films? I have an evaporator in-house and could make my own thin-films if necessary.
Any insights would greatly be appreciated and help further the cause of probing interplanetary dust particles which are composed of multitudes of silicates, oxides, metals and carbon-bearing phases.
Dave Joswiak Dept. of Astronomy University of Washington Seattle, WA 98195 (206)543-7702 joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu
This is a note of thanks to thos of you who responded to my plaintive cry for help back in the middle of July (WTB; Chlorine-free, electron-stable encapsulating material for SEM applications).
Here's my list (this isn't an endorsement, as we have not yet had time to try either):
1. Electronic potting epoxy (from Brian Knight {tech-support-at-westsystem.com} )
2. Gougeon Brothers' "West System" resin system (http://www.westsystem.com/ ... from Orin Keplinger {orink-at-ix.netcom.com} - but Brian Knight (1) says it's not utterly free of chlorine)
which turns out to be a pretty short list ! Oh, well.
Thanks & best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
Have you considered using carbon coated lacey formvar films. If you can get the area of interest to hang out over a hole, you have no substrate at all! I use lacey films for looking at catalysts and other small particles. There are usually enough agglomerates that I can find some sticking out over the edge of a hole.
Let me know if you want the recipe for making holey formvar. It isn't difficult. You can also find my recipe along with others at http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ in the Tips and Tricks section under "holey grid recipie" (sic).
Cheers, Henk
At 09:54 AM 8/12/99 -0700, David Joswiak wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} Dave Joswiak } Dept. of Astronomy } University of Washington } Seattle, WA 98195 } (206)543-7702 } joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu }
Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University (614) 292-0674 http://web.ceof.ohio-state.edu An optimist believes that we live in the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist fears that this is true.
A month after asking what to do about Amenex's ever declining oxygen counts & anemic (wrong term - for the fewer little white dots we're getting) oxygen maps), I've gotten a wealth of information and advice as well as an entertaining airing of the former ETEC's internal politics ...
Omigosh, did I ever get advice & suggestions - for which I am truly grateful, if not sufficiently pecunious to act on them ...
Here's the list:
1. "Quantitative Electron Probe Microanalysis of Oxygen," by Dr. Ir. G.F. Bastin & Ir. H.J.M. Heijligers of the Laboratory of Solid State Chemistry & Material Science of the University of Technology Eindhoven, The Netherlands. ISBN 90-6819-012-1, dated December 1st 1989. A summary of work performed over a two-year period, generously delivered by mail. Very great detail; many references & much data. (from Hans Heijligers {H.J.M.Heijligers-at-tue.nl} . Reports on other elements are available from the same source at a nominal cost.
2. Crystals made by Jim Nicolino {jnicolino-at-ix.netcom.com} (from Hank Beebe {hbeebe-at-rjlg.com} , Gary M. Easton {gary.easton-at-scannerscorp.com} , Malcolm Roberts {malc-at-rock.ru.ac.za} , and Kenneth Converse {qualityimages-at-netrax.net} )
3. Commercial TAP crystal sources JEOL (from Malcolm Roberts) SPI Supplies {spi2spi-at-2spi.com} (from Charles Garber {cgarber-at-2spi.com} )
4. Source for used TAP crystals - Ken Moran of Moran Scientific {kmoran-at-goulburn.net.au} (from Arthur Day {ard-at-ansto.gov.au} )
5. Alternative crystals to TAP a. Synthetic multilayer by Ovonic Synthetic Mterials Co. Inc. (313) 362-1290 in Troy, MI (from James C. Mabon {mabon-at-uimrl17.mrl.uiuc.edu} , from Jim McGee {mcgee-at-geol.sc.edu} [if "Osmic" is the same as "Ovonic"], and from Sheila Rosenfield {SARosenf-at-rmc.com} ). b. WSi (also from Jim McGee) c. STE (also from Malcolm Roberts)
6. Realign the spectrometer ... an ETEC sore point ... (from Allen R. Sampson {ars-at-sem.com} )
7. New biaxial polyproylene window (from Ed {Edsworth-at-aol.com) made by Goodfellow Corporation, Chemplex, or MOXTEK's APl film (from Dr. Mark W. Lund {lundm-at-physics3.byu.edu)
I hope I haven't included anyone who wished to remain anonymous or omitted anyone because I overlooked his/her E-mail among the many received.
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
Henk - Thanks for the suggestion. I have considered using holey carbon films but due to the small grain sizes (often less than 100 - 200 angstroms) of the constituent phases in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and that these phases are only weakly held together, I feel that the material over the holes would not be very likely to stay intact on a 30 - 50 nanometer thick microtomed slice. Also, these materials are typically quite heterogeneous and thus I would need luck to find a suitable region dangling over a hole.
It takes significant effort to collect and mount each IDP thus every single microtomed slice is precious to us. Ideally, I would like to place the microtomed sections directly on a low Z, non-carbonaceous support film to have the opportunity to do quantitative analyses on the entire particle.
I will look up your recipe on producing holey-carbon films and store it away for possible future use.
Dave
Dave Joswiak Dept. of Astronomy University of Washington Seattle, WA USA (206)543-7702 joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu
On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Hendrik O. Colijn wrote:
} David, } } Have you considered using carbon coated lacey formvar films. If you can } get the area of interest to hang out over a hole, you have no substrate at } all! I use lacey films for looking at catalysts and other small } particles. There are usually enough agglomerates that I can find some } sticking out over the edge of a hole. } } Let me know if you want the recipe for making holey formvar. It isn't } difficult. You can also find my recipe along with others at } http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ in the Tips and Tricks section under } "holey grid recipie" (sic). } } Cheers, } Henk } } } At 09:54 AM 8/12/99 -0700, David Joswiak wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } Hello - I want to use transmission electron microscopy to analyze } } carbonaceous phases using electron energy loss techniques (as well as EDX) } } and thus it would be desirable to have low-Z, carbon free, thin-films (100 } } Angstroms or so) on TEM grids. I wondered if anyone knows where I might } } obtain suitable thin-films on TEM grids for this purpose. I have } } purchased SiO thin-films on conventional TEM grids but would prefer a } } lower Z material for a number of reasons such as lower mean-free path and } } a need to do quantitative analysis on both Si and O. } } } } {snip} } } } Dave Joswiak } } Dept. of Astronomy } } University of Washington } } Seattle, WA 98195 } } (206)543-7702 } } joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu } } } } Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu } Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University } (614) 292-0674 http://web.ceof.ohio-state.edu } An optimist believes that we live in the best of all possible worlds. } A pessimist fears that this is true. } }
Hello, To control budgets of the microscopes' usage while minimizing adm. time, I would like to consider automatic billing hardware/software solutions. Ideally, the system would require name / fund / password to activate the microscope. It would keep track of work hours. It would also have capabilities to forward the charges for the beam hours directly to the investigators' accounts. Any suggestions? Marek.
Marek Malecki, M.D., Ph.D. Director and Principal Investigator Electron Microscopy Facilities University of California in San Diego
} I believe within the last two weeks, there was a short discussion } here that either an XRF forum, like this, exist or somebody was asking if } one exists. } Does one exist? Let me know, } } Thanks. } } Mark Darus, BFGoodrich Aerospace
Mark, About two years ago I belonged to a news group for XRF.
To subscribe send email to: mailto:LISTSERV-at-LISTSERV.SYR.EDU} in the subject include
"SUBSCRIBE XRF-L and your name"
I hope that works for you.
Sincerely, Ed Hirsch
************************************************* Edward A. Hirsch Product Application Specialist Allied High Tech Products 2376 East Pacifica Place Rancho Dominguez, CA 90220 ph: (919) 846-9628 vm:(800)675-1118 x245 fx: (310)762-6808 http://www.alliedhightech.com *************************************************
} Two possibiliites come to mind. The first would be a beryllium substrate } on say a 200 mesh TEM grid but due to it's well-known toxicity I am } unaware of any manufacturers that make these.
I think that you are correct that Be is the best choice. Also you are correct about the toxicity. When I was considering setting up a dedicated evaporator for preparing Be films, I talked with the safety officer here. He had some major concerns, but thought that such a piece of equipment could be accomodated.
} I have an evaporator in-house and could make my own } thin-films if necessary. } This would not be too difficult. To get a sufficiently thin film might be tricky, but evaporating Be onto solid formvar, then dissolving the formvar away should work. You may have to experiment with solvents, so that the Be film would not be torn by, e.g., surface tension forces. Avoiding the creation of Be dust--the most toxic form--is a key. If you just let the Be fall on the glass shield of the evaporation unit-- the cylindrical piece with a C-shaped cross-section--you should be able to put the shield into HCl to dissolve the Be, and let the hazardous-waste folks get rid of the liquid. The Be which falls on the area surrounding the grids will be more problematical. I'd make formvar-coated grids as usual, then lift them off the substrate, put them on Al foil, evap the Be, take off the grids and discard the Al foil (into the hazardous waste), then put the grids on a piece of filter paper in a petri dish to dissolve the form- var. Do this by carefully removing the Al foil from the evaporator to a hood--don't let the evaporated Be flake off the foil! Gloves, a mask, and a lab coat are the minimal protection I'd use. You could also surround every part of the evaporator on which the Be could land with Al foil, which could be discarded relatively easily. Good luck. Yours, Bill Tivol
Hi, Does anyone know where to order the target for Polaron Sputter Coater E5100? At one time they were handled through BIO-RAD. But when I call BIO-RAD today, their salesperson has no clue about sputter coater. Has Polaron been bought by another company? Thanks inadvance!
Lucy Lucy Yin Microscopist Central Microscopy Facility Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA01003 TEL. 413-545-1817 FAX 413-545-1578
Hasn't someone in the past on this Listserver talked about supplying or using BN films? That is a possibility. You might have to talk to a group that is working with it. You could deposit BN on NaCl and float them off.
I think that SPI provides a low Z analysis standard that uses BN. Call Chuck Garber.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
Walck-at-PPG.com
(412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8161 (fax)
"The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies."
---------- } From: David Joswiak To: Hendrik O. Colijn Cc: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Henk - Thanks for the suggestion. I have considered using holey carbon films but due to the small grain sizes (often less than 100 - 200 angstroms) of the constituent phases in interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) and that these phases are only weakly held together, I feel that the material over the holes would not be very likely to stay intact on a 30 - 50 nanometer thick microtomed slice. Also, these materials are typically quite heterogeneous and thus I would need luck to find a suitable region dangling over a hole.
It takes significant effort to collect and mount each IDP thus every single microtomed slice is precious to us. Ideally, I would like to place the microtomed sections directly on a low Z, non-carbonaceous support film to have the opportunity to do quantitative analyses on the entire particle.
I will look up your recipe on producing holey-carbon films and store it away for possible future use.
Dave
Dave Joswiak Dept. of Astronomy University of Washington Seattle, WA USA (206)543-7702 joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu
On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Hendrik O. Colijn wrote:
} David, } } Have you considered using carbon coated lacey formvar films. If you can } get the area of interest to hang out over a hole, you have no substrate at } all! I use lacey films for looking at catalysts and other small } particles. There are usually enough agglomerates that I can find some } sticking out over the edge of a hole. } } Let me know if you want the recipe for making holey formvar. It isn't } difficult. You can also find my recipe along with others at } http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ in the Tips and Tricks section under } "holey grid recipie" (sic). } } Cheers, } Henk } } } At 09:54 AM 8/12/99 -0700, David Joswiak wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } Hello - I want to use transmission electron microscopy to analyze } } carbonaceous phases using electron energy loss techniques (as well as EDX) } } and thus it would be desirable to have low-Z, carbon free, thin-films (100 } } Angstroms or so) on TEM grids. I wondered if anyone knows where I might } } obtain suitable thin-films on TEM grids for this purpose. I have } } purchased SiO thin-films on conventional TEM grids but would prefer a } } lower Z material for a number of reasons such as lower mean-free path and } } a need to do quantitative analysis on both Si and O. } } } } {snip} } } } Dave Joswiak } } Dept. of Astronomy } } University of Washington } } Seattle, WA 98195 } } (206)543-7702 } } joswiak-at-astro.washington.edu } } } } Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu } Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University } (614) 292-0674 http://web.ceof.ohio-state.edu } An optimist believes that we live in the best of all possible worlds. } A pessimist fears that this is true. } }
Steve Miller's slam of a public figure was not necessary to his purpose.
Political references should be withheld from any communication to the Listserver. Such comments can elicit a variety of responses inappropriate to the purpose of the List.
Hello, I was wondering what solutions were available for replacing a film 35mm camera on a nikon petrographic microscope with a digital camera that can have it's output sent into a computer. We are looking for a simple system with high resolution. Thank you for the help.
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Gordon Ante Vrdoljak 1 Cyclotron Road ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja MS90-1116 GAVrdoljak-at-lbl.gov Ernest Orlando phone (510) 495-2829 Lawrence Berkeley fax (510) 486-7797 National Laboratory cell (510) 290-6793 Berkeley CA 94720
I'm no expert on this by any means, but I have read and heard of a few = tidbits that you can try. =20
First of I've used filt tipped pens, and white board markers to mark = samples for SEM. The ink can be seen using the secondary electrons. I = think this is because the ink has a lower electron yield. What I'm = thinking is that Lead with an atomic No. of 82 may well be significantly = will appear brighter and the ink darker in a SE image. However this is = not going to work if the writer has blacked out everything with pencil = also. =20
Second, I've also heard of UV light being used to look at writing that has = been painted over. Perhaps this might work. =20
You might also try these techniques, looking at the back side of the paper = and reading the words backwards. =20
As for getting an imprint of the words, try photographing the front and = back of the paper and using some image analysis. If it doesn't work it'll = at least be fun. =20
If all this doesn't work, then go to your local police force, and spend a = day in forensics. I guarantee that will be fun. =20
Good luck=20 George=20
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
At 01:20 PM 8/12/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Energy Beam Sciences handles these. http://www.2spi.com or call them at 1.800.992.9037
Lucy: When looking for sputter targets its more productive to look for the required disk diameter or washer dimensions. Thickness does not matter to fit a target, but affects durability and price. Targets are available from us and many other suppliers. By seeking for "originals" (certainly not made by the coater's manufacturer) you are least likely to make the "best buy". Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Friday, August 13, 1999 6:20 AM, Lucy Yin [SMTP:lyin-at-bio.umass.edu] wrote: } } } Hi, } Does anyone know where to order the target for Polaron Sputter Coater E5100? } At one time they were handled through BIO-RAD. But when I call BIO-RAD } today, their salesperson has no clue about sputter coater. Has Polaron been } bought by another company? } Thanks inadvance! } } Lucy } Lucy Yin } Microscopist } Central Microscopy Facility } Univ. of Massachusetts, } Amherst, MA01003 } TEL. 413-545-1817 } FAX 413-545-1578 }
i have a denton vacuum evaporator and have used POL metal polish at the recommendation of a tech person at Denton. it easily removes evaporated metal buildup but i have not tried it on carbon.
chris marotta northeastern university cmarotta-at-lynx.neu.edu
We are thinking of buying a Jet Polisher. I've got info from a few = companies (I won't mention them, I don't think its relevant). What I'm = doing is covering all the options. If anyone has a unit that they would = like to reccomend, please let me know. We want to get a unit which best = meets our needs, within our budget. =20
Thank you for your help
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
If you can find some difference in opacity in any band of light you can spread the histogram and possibly find something. You might also try very low angle lighting and try to pickup shadows.
Another thing to try is if the pencil leads are different you might be able to react one with something or the x ray fluorescent might be different. I have never seen paper bombarded with gamma rays and the fluoresced x-rays measured. But some pretty small differences can be detected in some materials. Finding a .5 or .25 mm gamma beam might be a trick. Drilling a long hole in tungsten, lead or copper is an interesting exercise. The energy, angle and strength of the x-rays all help in determining the source.
A card swipe system might be the easiest. I have seen them running on Linux boxes used to access computer labs. They would need to swipe in an log out. It is a pretty low tech thing that lets one server (an old 386) monitor all the devices. Card swipes are about 1 to 2 hundred US new an d 15 bucks surplus.
I can't find you a supported commercial system but I can probably find you the source code and a little advice on how to get it running.
The nice think about cards is you can pull an inspection in the lab and see who is using who's card.
Gordon
Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com 624 Cheyenne Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger -----Original Message----- } From: Marek Malecki {mmm-at-biomail.ucsd.edu} To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com {Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com}
Hi all Herewith the answer to my search for the "super" resistor on the ISI SEM's. As there were quite a few people interested in this matter, I have taken the liberty of putting this info on the listserver. Thanks to all who took the time to answer my first call. Cheers Luc Harmsen Anaspec, South Africa Technical support on microscopy. Tel + 27 (0) 11 476 3455 Fax + 27 (0) 11 476 7290 anaspec-at-icon.co.za
-----Original Message----- } From: Fred Littlefield [mailto:voyager-at-wvi.com] Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 7:59 PM To: anaspec-at-icon.co.za Cc: Powell, Bill
Dear Allan,
If the pencil that was used to 'black out' the original writing has a slightly different chemical composition than the pencil used in the original writing then EDS X-ray mapping might help distinguish between the two. In a conventional SEM this would require coating the sample with carbon, which might be undesirable. A better alternative would be to use a Low Vacuum microscope or even an ESEM, which allow you to analyze uncoated paper.
As an alternative you could also think about X-Ray fluorescence. Modern energy-dispersive XRF systems can 'focus' the primary X-ray beam to less than 100 micron diameter, which is sufficiently small for this application. The advantage of ED-XRF is that you do not need to coat the sample, and the detection limit for trace elements is at least a factor of 10 better than in EDS analysis. Modern ED-XRF systems can produce X-ray maps, not by scanning the beam over the sample, but by moving the sample-stage in small steps under the fixed primary X-ray beam. ED-XRF is used in many forensic laboratories handling evidence like crossed-out writings.
Best regards,
Hans Dijkstra
Disclaimer: Don't blame your local EDAX rep for any of my statements. And yes, EDAX sells both EDS and the Eagle u-probe ED-XRF system, and so we have a vested interest in seeing as many people as possible use this kind of equipment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- EDAX Europe Tel.: +31 - 13 - 5364000 P.O.Box 4144 Fax.: +31 - 13 - 5356279 5004 JC Tilburg E-mail: hans.dijkstra-at-edax.nl the Netherlands Web: www.edax.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---
} } We have had a person come in to our Microscopy Unit with a bit of a } challenge which hopefully someone may be able to help us with. } } This person has his fathers diary with the entries made in pencil. Some of } the words (names and places it would seem) have been 'blacked out' with } felt pen. } } A local restoration expert has been able to remove the felt pen from one } entry with bleach however beneath the felt pen we have found that the entry } has been heavily 'blacked out' with pencil. } } The story goes that the diary belongs to a soldier on Crete during WW11 who } was one of the unlucky ones left behind after the Allied evacuation. He } kept a diary of events however at some point blacked out in pencil places } and names, presumably of people who had helped him and not wanting them to } be revealed in case of capture. } } Why the same entries where later blacked out with felt pen is unknown. } } The person with the diary (the son) would like to find out if there is a } way, using microscopy, that we can read the 'blacked out' entries. } } Does anyone have any suggestions ? } } Allan } } ------------------------------------------------------------ } Allan Mitchell } Technical Manager } South Campus Electron Microscope Unit } C/-Department of Anatomy and Structural Biology } School of Medical Sciences } P.O. Box 913 } Dunedin } New Zealand } } Fax (03) 479 7254 } Phone (03) 479 5642 or 479 7301 } } 'The Southernmost EM Unit in the World' } } ,,, } (o o) } ------------------oOO-(_)-OOo----------------------------------
"11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000)"
I think that many on this list will find this meeting of interest to them. Please take a minute to have a look at our web-site at http://www.med.ic.ac.uk/external/ichc_2000
Best wishes
Gary Coulton Dr. Gary Coulton Molecular Pathology Division of Biomedical Sciences Imperial College School of Medicine The Sir Alexander Fleming Building South Kensington London SW7 2AZ
tel 0044 (0)171 594 3190 fax 0044 (0)171 594 3022
e-mail g.coulton-at-ic.ac.uk
------------------------------------- Announcing the 11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000)
"Understanding Biocomplexity: The Post-Genome Challenge"
September 3-8, 2000, York, United Kingdom
ICHC 2000 will comprise 27 symposia addressing the latest developments and applications of histochemistry and cytochemistry in the life sciences including medicine.
SPEAKERS CONFIRMED (so far) Lance Liotta (Bethesda) Roger Tsien (La Jolla) Dennis Noble (Oxford) Paul Nakane (Mountain View) Fre Bosman (Lausanne) Margaret Buckingham (Paris) John Couchman (Alabama) Jim Coull (Boston) Roel van Driel (Amsterdam) David Eppel (Pacific Grove) Reinhart Gossrau (Berlin) Martin Green (Bebington) Tom Just (Copenhagen) Jeff Lichtman (St. Louis) Joseph Mazurkiewicz (Albany) Peter Nielsen (Copenhagen) John O'Leary (Dublin) Dennis Baskin (Washington) Ralf Paus (Berlin) Francesco Ramirez (New York) Jim Smith (London) John Stegeman (Woods Hole) Hans Tanke (Leiden) Anthony Thody (Bradford) David Vaux (Oxford) Lars-Inge Larsson (Frederiksberg) Keith Miller (London) Mike Grant (Manchester) Martin Humphries (Manchester) Paul Martin (London) Peter Mathiessen (Burnham on Crouch) David Hinton (Davis)
For further details of the meeting and how to pre-register please visit our web-site at http://www.med.ic.ac.uk/external/ichc_2000
I've been unsuccessfully trying to source uranyl formate for TEM neg staining . Does anyone know a supplier ? It appears in old catalogues but not on the websites for one or 2 vendors. Please reply directly unless you think there's a wider interest.
Laurence
Dr Laurence Tetley Division of Infection & Immunity, IBLS, Integrated Microscopy Facility Joseph Black Building University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ
I & I Divisional web pages: http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/IBLS/II/ Integrated Microscopy Facility web pages: http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/IBLS/II/em/mcb-em.htm Cryo Microscopy Group: http://www.gla.ac.uk/Acad/IBLS/II/cmg/index.htm
Hello Lucy, To obtain a sputter target for your Polaron coater, you must contact Energy Beam Sciences. They are the new distributor for all Polaron past and present productsand their located right near you in Mass. They also have an entire range of other parts in the event that you need to replace any. The only part that they don't have is the rubber gasket on the bell jar. Their number is 413-786-9322.
Blessings, Maria Maria Fazio-Zanakis Bioimaging and Molecular Histology Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. 1-908-231-3357 Fax: 1-908-231-3962 Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com
Lucy Yin wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------} The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------.} } Hi, } Does anyone know where to order the target for Polaron Sputter Coater E5100? } At one time they were handled through BIO-RAD. But when I call BIO-RAD } today, their salesperson has no clue about sputter coater. Has Polaron been } bought by another company? } Thanks inadvance! } } Lucy } Lucy Yin } Microscopist } Central Microscopy Facility } Univ. of Massachusetts, } Amherst, MA01003 } TEL. 413-545-1817 } FAX 413-545-1578
Lucy,
Ladd Research, along with most of the other supply houses, can supply you with the targets you need. If you contact me off-line, addresses below, and let me know which metal target you want I can get you a quote.
Thanks,
JD Arnott
Disclaimer: Ladd Research manufactures and sells targets for various sputter coaters. -- LADD RESEARCH 13 Dorset Lane Williston, VT 05495 TEL 1-800-451-3406 (US) or 1-802-878-6711 (anywhere) FAX 1-802-878-8074 e-mail ladres-at-worldnet.att.net web site http://www.ladd.cc
I just happen to have a discussion archived. Basically you will have to make it yourself unless these guys have turned up any sources in the last year. Discussion is archived at"
At 12:39 PM 8/13/1999 +0100, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
"11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000)"
11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000)
As many of you have noticed we are having local difficulties with our Web server. Please wait a couple of days before trying again, I promise it will be worth the wait.
Don't these things happen always at the most embarrassing time?
A lot depends on the resolution you want/need. The Kodak digital SLR cameras and comparable professional digital cameras (also useful as standard hand-held SLR cameras) probably provide the best readily available resolution (I think it was 2280x2700). However, we found focussing inconvenient and ended up deciding that we didn't need the extra resolution of those cameras. Their price tags as of a year ago were about $8k and $12k for the DCS 420 and DCS 520, respectively. Kodak also sells cheaper cameras with lower resolution.
After a series of demonstrations, the three cameras which appealed to us are: (1) Olympus DM-10, which I think is currently being upgraded (2) Polaroid DMC (3) Diagnostics Instruments SPOT camera I think prices run in the ballpark of $3k, $4k, and $9k, respectively for these cameras (more for the higher end DMC or SPOT-II). Besides the cost, personal tastes will vary widely on the operation of the cameras. While I preferred the operation of the SPOT system, many others saw it as too complex and cumbersome. The simplicity of the DMC appealed to many of the other users here, and a colleague in New Zealand preferred the DM-10. For our purposes, we ruled out some of the other cameras based on too low resolution or ultra-slow image acquisition.
A couple points to keep in mind when comparing digital cameras. How long does it take to acquire an image? A 5-minute exposure will severely extend any session where you take a number of images. The focussing technique is also important. It was very difficult to take an in-focus picture on some cameras due to the small focussing window. In addition, focussing can range from easy to very inconvenient depending on the microscope configuration and camera type. For our metallograph, we had to kneel on the floor to focus the image through the viewfinder during some camera demos.
One of the most important criteria for the camera is the resolution. However, there are many ways to report "resolution". The quoted "resolution" is often the size of the CCD. The images of many of the lower cost cameras are acquired with adjacent pixels filtered to receive the R, G, or B signal. Adjacent pixels are then averaged to yield the final color image. Some cameras (I believe the DMC is one) acheive their ultimate resolution by an additional extrapolation. The SPOT is the only one we saw demoed that acquired 3 consecutive images, one each for R, G, and B, which were then combined for a full resolution (non-extrapolated) color image. Although this triples the exposure time, the sensitivity of the SPOT allows very short exposures. Anyway, the stability of petrographic samples should make that a non-issue.
Considering the many differences between digital cameras, I would suggest determining what resolution you require/want, and then getting demos of at least a couple cameras in that resolution range (or above). In addition to providing good images, you want to make sure that your personnel will be comfortable with the operation of the camera system you buy. Good luck!
Richard Fonda
P.S. I'll send along separately a similar discussion on the listserver from a few years ago. It helped us with our comparisons and interpretations of the sales literature.
_____________________________________________________________ Richard W. Fonda Naval Research Laboratory (202) 767-2622 Code 6324 (202) 767-2623 fax Washington DC 20375 _____________________________________________________________
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We are trying to settle on usage fees for a newly installed Hitachi S4700 FESEM and would be very interested in knowing what other institutions are charging. We are a university, multi-user facility, primarily biological.
Any information would be very much appreciated.
All the best, Randy
Randy Tindall EM Specialist Electron Microscopy Core Facility W122 Veterinary Medicine Bldg. University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211
Energy Beam Sciences, Leica Microsystems, British Biocell, Delaware Diamond Knives and Harvard Medical School will be presenting a workshop on "Cryo-Ultramicrotomy and Immunolabeling" on October 5, 6 and 7, at the Harvard Medical School. The instructor is Dr. Paul Webster. For further information, please contact Sonja White (swhite-at-ebsciences.com) {mailto:swhite-at-ebsciences.com)} .
Best regards, Steven E. Slap, Vice-President ******************************************* Energy Beam Sciences, Inc. The Laboratory Microwave Company Adding Brilliance to Your Vision http://www.ebsciences.com {http://www.ebsciences.com} *******************************************
At 04:22 PM 8/12/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Do you care if the final image dimensions are smaller than the 35mm frame? What is high resolution for your requirements?
Energy Beam Sciences in Agawam, Mass. is he official VG Microtech (old Polaron line) distributor in U.S.A.
Jean-Pierre
----- Original Message ----- } From: Lucy Yin {lyin-at-bio.umass.edu} To: {Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com} Sent: Thursday, August 12, 1999 4:20 PM
Gordon Couger wrote:
} I have never } seen } paper bombarded with gamma rays and the fluoresced x-rays measured. But some } pretty small differences can be detected in some materials. Finding a .5 or } .25 mm } gamma beam might be a trick. Drilling a long hole in tungsten, lead or } copper is } an interesting exercise. The energy, angle and strength of the x-rays all } help in } determining the source. } } It sounds like an interesting exercise.
Dear Gordon, Another possibility is to irradiate with a proton beam. Tom Cahill has done this kind of thing at the UC Davis cyclotron. he has examined a Gutenberg Bible, so there is certainly no problem with looking at unique and valuable specimens.
PIXE is more sensitive than EDS, but the spatial resolution is not as good. It is not too difficult, however, to get a smaller proton than gamma beam. Yours, Bill Tivol
Here are my two cents as a conservator and conservation scientist. If I recall correctly the original query, the historic article is a piece of paper with various pencil inscriptions, over-written in pencil and again in felt-tip type marker.
We would approach this problem using some combination of non-invasive techniques that would include visible light examination (normal, raking, and transmitted), ultraviolet visible fluorescence examination, infrared examination, and radiography. These techniques are generally available and relatively low cost. Instrumental techniques for elemental analysis, such as SEM-EDS or air XRF, would be useful in determining the composition of the various inscription media, but would not provide areal images of the inscriptions.
Ultraviolet visible fluorescence examination is made using a long-wave ultraviolet lamp in a darkened room. One observes visible fluorescence induced by selective absorption of the UV wavelengths. As UV energy can be damaging to organic materials (e.g., paper), exposure time should be minimized. Paper fibers will fluoresce strongly; pencil and felt tip inks will probably show little or no fluorescence, depending on total composition. Slight disparities in fluorescence might elucidate detail.
Infrared examination is made using an infrared vidicon system (video camera) or infrared photography. The method relies on selective absorption and reflectance (or transmittance) of infrared radiation (ca. 700-2000 nm). A principal application of this method in art conservation is inspection of drawing or inscriptions concealed beneath paint. Charcoal, carbon black inks, and graphite pencil are usually are made more legible.
If the original pencil inscription was made using a lead pencil, x-radigraphy -- specifically beta-radiography -- might prove most useful. Beta-radiography is used to study the structure and watermarks in historic papers. Lead, being more radio-opaque or dense than graphite (or cellulose) should stand out in the resulting beta-radiography. One will have to experiment with exposure times, but the technique is non-destructive.
Yet another approach we might take is to scan the document in reflectance and transmittance using a 600x1200 dpi scanner. The resulting TIFF files would then be manipulated in PhotoShop or similar graphics program to enhance contract and color differences.
James Martin Director of Analytical Services & Research Williamstown Art Conservation Center http://members.tripod.com/~James_Martin/dasrhome.htm
Research Scientist in Chemistry Williams College http://members.tripod.com/~James_Martin
*** Please don't send e-mail attachments. Cut-and-paste text into the body of an e-mail message. ***
On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Gordon Couger wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } If you can find some difference in opacity in any band of light you can } spread the } histogram and possibly find something. You might also try very low angle } lighting } and try to pickup shadows. } } Another thing to try is if the pencil leads are different you might be able } to react } one with something or the x ray fluorescent might be different. I have never } seen } paper bombarded with gamma rays and the fluoresced x-rays measured. But some } pretty small differences can be detected in some materials. Finding a .5 or } .25 mm } gamma beam might be a trick. Drilling a long hole in tungsten, lead or } copper is } an interesting exercise. The energy, angle and strength of the x-rays all } help in } determining the source. } } It sounds like an interesting exercise. } } Good luck } Gordon } } } } }
To all who may help, We are setting up a standard fixation on C. elegans and word is they are hard to fix (outer coating). Any expertise would be appreciated, this is for TEM, and I am inclined to go with 4% paraform. 2% glutarald. and 1% DMSO (possibly microwave in fix also). Thank you.
It is with great saddness that I must report the passing of Dr. Gary W. Grimes on the evening of Wednesday, August 11, 1999. Dr. Grimes ran the Electron Microscopy Laboratory at Hofstra University (located in Hempstead, Long Island, NY) since 1973. He earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Indiana and developed the graduate Electron Microscopy Program at Hofstra. His main research interest was in cytoplasmic inheritance relative to the ciliary patterning of various protozoans. Aside from his authorship of numerous research articles, monographs and successful grant proposals, Gary was an extraordinary teacher and mentor. Many of us working in the EM field in the NY metro area, and elsewhere, owe our careers to the dedication of Dr. Grimes in the classroom. He will be greatly missed, however, his spirit will live on in his many students, who like myself, teach the very discipline he so loved!
A memorial service is being held tomorrow, Saturday August 14 at Hofstra University in room 210 of the Business Development Center of the Axinn Library. A scholarship fund has been established at Hofstra (http://www.hofstra.edu) in his name.
BTW, the next time you look through a general biology, microbiology or protozology text and see that classic image of a Didinium swallowing a Paramecium whole don't be surprised if the photo credit belongs to Dr. Grimes!
Stephen J. Beck Associate Professor Bio-Imaging Center/Electron Microscopy Department of Biology Nassau Community College Garden City, NY 11530 Voice Mail: (516) 572-7829 Email: {becks-at-sunynassau.edu} URL: {http://www.sunynassau.edu/webpages/biology/becks.htm}
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George, Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best jet polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no financial interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent results-many recipes & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin metals such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified to polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. By using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the "first side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me directly for more info.
Bernard Kestel Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} Argonne National Laboratory 9700 South Cass Avenue Argonne, Illinois, 60439
id {3PFWAY30} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 09:44:45 -0700 Message-ID: {E1F2A0806146D111B9BA0060B06CED5B1A1B30-at-hpsrv1.nwaluminum.com} ils of the time were graphitized Carbon as today, but without the uniform ity of particle size and polymer binders used today
George, Allan, I'm not sure, but I think that the "lead" in pencils of the time was graphitized Carbon as today, but without the uniformity of particle size and polymers used as binders today. I was thinking about what you said George about image analysis and the paper surfaces, and the impressions and there might be an artifact of the initial writing in the way the paper fibers on the front face of the paper are damaged/broken differrently than the "blacked out" but unrwitten paper AND if they used the usual parallel horizontal strokes used in "blacking out" words and especially sentences. Light microscopy and a good image analysis routine might be able to process this quicker and cheaper too. I guess you probably would only be able to detect the original writing in the disturbed fiber pattern in the portions of each letter that are not parallel with the later "blacking out" pencil strokes of the second pencil but at least you can see the orientation of this pencil stroke and therefore the "background" pattern. The second pencil, if differrent could have had a differrent graphite particle texture, or chemical contaminants, If you are lucky the initial writing was done to be legible and he used a SHARPER pencil and that would cause more fiber damage than the later "blacking out" parallel, horizontal pencil strokes. The felt pen is another issue, more scrubbing and redistributing graphite from both pencil layers! a real puzzler! I think the paper fiber damage pattern would be the least affected by the second (probably duller, who sharpens a pencil for that) pencil blackout and the felt pen blackout.
Good luck!
Jim Ballinger jballinger-at-nwaluminum.com Metallographer Northwest Aluminum Co.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT III #39419 Pediatrics-Allergy/Pulmonary $20,290-commensurate. Initial advertising period ends 8/18/99. Requires Master's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience in the natural sciences, and experience in histological and molecular biology techniques. Desire supervisory experience; a track record of productive participation in research; and experience with molecular biology techniques and in situ hybridization. To assist in the operation of the Morphology Core of the UI Gene Therapy Center. Responsibilities include performing and developing new methodologies for the identification of gene and protein expression in tissues and cells. Send resume to: Janine McBride-Rahn,Personnel Coordinator The University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics Pediatrics 200 Hawkins Drive 2633 JCP Iowa City, IA 52242-1083 phone 319/356-8154.
-- Randy Nessler rnessler-at-emiris.iaf.uiowa.edu Views expressed are my own.
We need to polish a polymer mounted in the standard metallurgical (1.25") diameter mount. We need to polish it at the temp. below the glass transition (LN temp would do). The nature of the sample does not allow utilizing the cryotome. The actual analysis could be conducted at room temp, but the sample prep cannot.
Does anyone know who would offer such service,..or how to approach the problem. Thank you in advance for your input or suggestions.
-. } } } Hi Listers, } } We are trying to settle on usage fees for a newly installed Hitachi S4700 } FESEM and would be very interested in knowing what other institutions are } charging. We are a university, multi-user facility, primarily biological. } } Any information would be very much appreciated. } } All the best, } Randy } }
I'd like to know too....we have a LEO982 and i'm currently charging $80/hr and $140/hr for internal and external work, respectively (1/2 off if i don't do the analysis).
Brian McIntyre mailto:mcintyre-at-optics.rochester.edu Sr. Engineer lab: 716-275-3058/4875 River Campus EMLab fax: 716-244-4936 University of Rochester Rochester, NY 14620
"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - Unknown
At 05:26 AM 8/13/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
They have the gaskets for the 5200. If the jars are the same, the gaskets ought to be the same.
BTW, I gave the wrong URL for EBS. It is http://www.ebsciences.com
Greetings, I am attempting to objectively assess the number of individual subunits in a radially symmetrical protein molecule. I have produced quality TEM micrographs of the protein which allow relatively convincing subjective assesment of the quarternary conformation of this molecule through visual inspection, however I would like to produce a rotational power spectrum of the molecule to add more weight to this data. Crowther and Amos (J. Mol. Biol. 60 (1971) 123) introduced rotational power spectrum analysis of individual particles. This technique has since been productively used in many studies. In this method,based on the Fourier Transform, a line graph is produced which plots the rotational frequency against the log of power. The rotational frequency value which corresponds to the highest power is taken to be the correct number of subunits composing radially symmetrical particle. I have a rather limited background in mathematics, signal processing and programming although I am trying to familiarize myself with the more general concepts of these areas as they apply to this problem. To date I am able to generate the frequency transform of an isolated image in NIH Image using the FFT macro, and I'm pretty much stuck not knowing where to go from this point. Comments from others more knowledgeable than I in the area of image analysis would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, Karl Garsha-Lowly Graduate Student University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Biological Sciences
Greetings, I am attempting to objectively assess the number of individual subunits in a radially symmetrical protein molecule. I have produced quality TEM micrographs of the protein which allow relatively convincing subjective assesment of the quarternary conformation of this molecule through visual inspection, however I would like to produce a rotational power spectrum of the molecule to add more weight to this data. Crowther and Amos (J. Mol. Biol. 60 (1971) 123) introduced rotational power spectrum analysis of individual particles. This technique has since been productively used in many studies. In this method,based on the Fourier Transform, a line graph is produced which plots the rotational frequency against the log of power. The rotational frequency value which corresponds to the highest power is taken to be the correct number of subunits composing radially symmetrical particle. I have a rather limited background in mathematics, signal processing and programming although I am trying to familiarize myself with the more general concepts of these areas as they apply to this problem. To date I am able to generate the frequency transform of an isolated image in NIH Image using the FFT macro, and I'm pretty much stuck not knowing where to go from this point. Comments from others more knowledgeable than I in the area of image analysis would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Sincerely, Karl Garsha-Lowly Graduate Student University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Department of Biological Sciences
A post-doctoral research position is open immediately in the Division of Experimental Pathology to study interactions of tumor suppressors with cell cycle regulatory proteins and the mitotic spindle apparatus. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in cell biology or related field. Experience with confocal microscopy is required; protein chemistry and molecular biology desired. A highly competitive salary and benefits package is available to the motivated candidate. Send a full C.V. with names and addresses of three references to: Wilma L. Lingle, Ph.D., Division of Experimental Pathology, Guggenheim 10, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, or email to lingle-at-mayo.edu. The Mayo Clinic is an equal opportunity employer.
Wilma L. Lingle, Ph.D. Experimental Pathology 1001B Guggenheim Building Mayo Clinic Foundation Rochester, MN 55905 507-538-1287 (phone) 507-284-8105 (FAX) lingle-at-mayo.edu
I have been following this discussion since you posted the first message and it has been quite an education in the types of microscopic techniques available which could help you. I am currently a researcher at the UC San Diego School of Medicine, but am pursuing my masters in order to teach high school students. Your query is a most interesting one, and one that I feel would be an excellent scenario to present to students as an interesting use of scientific technology. With your permission, I would like to use your scenario as a project question for my students. Would you mind emailing me a quick note that explains the issue once again, as I have accidentally deleted the original message. For the rest of the list serve group, forgive this personal email... I did not know to whom to address my note specifically. Thanks!
Sincerely, Laurie Wallin UCSD Department of Anesthesiology 9500 Gilman Drive, 0629, La Jolla, CA 92093
I have seen a few sites that have telpresence, control, or viewing capabilities of various SEM's. Does anyone know of any commercial or free software to do this or was it created in-house. I would love to make the live screen shots of our Hitachi 4500's and 5000 FESEM's available to interested parties. Our network is Windows NT based. Thank you in advance.
Brian
Brian Wajdyk Senior Electron Microscopist Motorola - Digital DNA Laboratories Product and Materials Chracterization Laboratory Tel: 480-655-4337 email: r3488c-at-sps.mot.com
Polaron Sputter Coaters are now made by VG Microtech in East Grinstead UK. Their agents in the USA are Energy Beam Sciences based in MA. Phone number 413 786 9322.
Regards
Alan
At 16:20 1999-08-12 -0400, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Hello Brian, How did you calculate these charges? Is this for instrument access only or for staff assistance also? I am recalculating the hourly fees based upon total facilities budgets. How about you? Marek.
} Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 16:01:30 -0400 } From: Brian McIntyre {mcintyre-at-optics.rochester.edu} } Subject: Re: Charges for FESEM Usage } To: "Tindall, Randy D." {TindallR-at-missouri.edu} } CC: microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } Mime-Version: 1.0 } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Marek Malecki, M.D., Ph.D. Director and Principal Investigator Electron Microscopy Facilities University of California at San Diego
The going rate for most analytical services dealing with instruments is usually split into "instrument time" and "operator time" and sometimes even "consulting time". The going rate(s) here in the Chicago area is approx.... SEM/$110 hr. (photo only) SEM wEDS/$175 hr. These rates DO NOT include operators time of $200 hr. There is also a minimum of $500 per project or sample. But this usually includes a small written report and a couple micrographs. When visitors or potential customers hear these figures they always roll their eyes like I'm trying to take advantage of them. But when an SEM with associated hardware can cost a cool half million or more it takes along time to recover that initial investment, not including the operator/consultant's expertise.
Stephen P. Cavender wrote: ============================================= I've used Bell Bright (I forget who sells it) to help eliminate the struggle of cleaning the walls of my sputter coater. After cleaning (or better yet, prior to running the sputter coater) I give the chamber wall a light spray- ing and the coating comes off with soap and a light brushing. I don't know if it would work with a carbon coater or not but it's worth a try. =============================================== As one of the two co-inventors, some years ago, of the SPI Bell Bright™ spray product, I believe I am qualified to make here a few comments. The product has been available continuously from SPI Supplies since 1979.
The goal of the product was to deposit onto a clean bell jar surface a water soluble polymer with certain narrowly defined characteristics so that when it came time for cleaning, water alone plus a lint free cotton wiper would be all that would be needed for bell jar clean up. The product was (and is) as effective for carbon as for the metal deposits typically found in EM applications. On the SPI website, more information can be found about the product on URL http://www.2spi.com/catalog/supp/supp3.html
One word of caution: The product is designed for use on glass surfaces, not plastic, which will stress crack if Bell Bright is applied.
Disclaimer: SPI Supplies manufactures the SPI Bell Bright Spray product and we clearly have a vested interest in seeing more laboratories using it as part of their bell jar maintenance program.
Chuck
============================================
Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-610-436-5400 President 1-800-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-610-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail:cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust.Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
Look for us! ######################## WWW: http://www.spi.cc ######################## ============================================
Brian: this is an interest of mine, too. I've got some Hitachi S-4700's and I'm also NT-based. I know our very own SysOp, Nestor, is the main man in telepresence, so perhaps he could point us in the right direction.
There is a wealth of information on his Web page at Argonne National Labs. The URL is http://www.amc.anl.gov/docs/anl/TPM/TPMHomePage.html
I'll admit I haven't done more than skim the contents (due to my own workload) but what I've seen is pretty darn spiffy.
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Fellow microscopists, } } I have seen a few sites that have telpresence, control, } or viewing capabilities of various SEM's. Does anyone } know of any commercial or free software to do this or } was it created in-house. I would love to make the live } screen shots of our Hitachi 4500's and 5000 FESEM's } available to interested parties. Our network is Windows } NT based. Thank you in advance. } } Brian } } } Brian Wajdyk } Senior Electron Microscopist } Motorola - Digital DNA Laboratories } Product and Materials Chracterization Laboratory } Tel: 480-655-4337 } email: r3488c-at-sps.mot.com }
In a message dated 8/11/99 4:16:47 PM Pacific Daylight Time, wchiss-at-ou.edu writes:
} } } We just use 409 cleaner sprayed on a paper towel, or better yet some Kim } wipes, to clean carbon from the jar and stage. It's fast, efficient, and } doesn't leave an outgassing residue. We also clean it after each use } since it takes so little time. } } Bill }
..which, considering the active ingredient in 409 is a cationic detergent sometimes used as a spreading agent for DNA makes beautiful sense....
Gordon - many CCD cameras render petrographic images in B+W only. Single polarising is no problem, but double polarised images come out minus the "diagnostic" colours. Make sure the camera you buy can handle double polarised images. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Friday, August 13, 1999 9:22 AM, Gordon Vrololjak [SMTP:gvrdolja-at-nature.Berkeley.EDU] wrote: } } } Hello, } I was wondering what solutions were available for replacing a } film 35mm camera on a nikon petrographic microscope with a digital } camera that can have it's output sent into a computer. We are looking } for a simple system with high resolution. } Thank you for the help. } } } \/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ } Gordon Ante Vrdoljak 1 Cyclotron Road } ICQ 23243541 http://nature.berkeley.edu/~gvrdolja MS90-1116 } GAVrdoljak-at-lbl.gov Ernest Orlando } phone (510) 495-2829 Lawrence Berkeley } fax (510) 486-7797 National Laboratory } cell (510) 290-6793 Berkeley CA 94720 }
G'Day All, especially Steven Celotto who asked for the information,
I've got a large amount of information on jet polishers, too much to = discuss in an email. What I'll do is give you a list of companies and = internet sites and you can browse at your liesure. =20 I have responses from four companies, they are: Struers South Bay Technology ProSciTech Alltech
Check out the following internet sites =20 http://www.struers.com/=20 http://www.proscitech.com.au=20 http://www.southbaytech.com=20
Alltech Associates Australia Pty Ltd, I think are the Australian agents = for Agar, mainly because they sent me the Aar catalog. =20 Agar Scientific Limited 66A Cambridge Rd Stansted, Essex CM24 8DA, England Tel: (01279) 813519 Fax: (01279) 815106
As for the other companies find out who your local agent is or go direct = to the parent company if you want more information. If you want some more = info or to talk just email me. =20 If anyone can give me an internet address for Fischione or some other = contact, I'd be most grateful. =20
Thanks everyone and I hope this proves useful to others looking for Jet = Polishers. =20
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
Dear all, Is there a optimum thickness (or range) for carbon extraction replicas?
I wish to extract from a iron matrix the carbides and other particles that range in size from 10nm to about a micron.
Thanks in advance for your advice.
-- Steven Celotto Netherlands Institute of Metals Research (NIMR) Department of Applied Physics, University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands Ph: +31 50 363 4344 Fax: +31 50 363 4881 email: s.celotto-at-phys.rug.nl http://www.phys.rug.nl/mk/people/celotto/celotto.html http://www.nimr.nl/
} Greetings, } I am attempting to objectively assess the number of individual subunits in a } radially symmetrical protein molecule. I have produced quality TEM } micrographs of the protein which allow relatively convincing subjective } assesment of the quarternary conformation of this molecule through visual } inspection, however I would like to produce a rotational power spectrum of } the molecule to add more weight to this data. Crowther and Amos (J. Mol. } Biol. 60 (1971) 123) introduced rotational power spectrum analysis of } individual particles. This technique has since been productively used in } many studies. In this method,based on the Fourier Transform, a line graph } is produced which plots the rotational frequency against the log of power. } The rotational frequency value which corresponds to the highest power is } taken to be the correct number of subunits composing radially symmetrical } particle. } I have a rather limited background in mathematics, signal processing and } programming although I am trying to familiarize myself with the more general } concepts of these areas as they apply to this problem. To date I am able to } generate the frequency transform of an isolated image in NIH Image using the } FFT macro, and I'm pretty much stuck not knowing where to go from this } point.
Hi Karl,
you have to center the particles first, then transform to polar coordinates and then Fourier transform just along the angular dimension for each radius. Then you can average the magnitudes of the FTs over a chosen range of radii.
I don't think you can do any of those steps in NIH-image without writing your own software, but there are a lot of Unix based programs for free which you could use. Check http://rcr-www.med.nyu.edu/3dem/HomePage.html. A good source of information is the special issue of the Journal of Structural Biology Vol. 116, Number 1, 1996.
Philip
-- Philip Koeck Karolinska Institutet Dept. of Bioscience Novum S-14157 Huddinge Sweden Tel.: +46-8-608 91 86 Fax.: +46-8-608 92 90 Email: Philip.Koeck-at-csb.ki.se http://www_scem.csb.ki.se/pages/philip.html
I prepared a number of carbon extraction replicas of Cr/Mo/V boiler tube steels during a research program at Lehigh University. I must admit, however, that I never went to the trouble of determining the exact thickness of the carbon.
My method was to prepare the steel in a standard, phenolic metallographic=
mount first. Then I etched the sample heavily (Truthfully, I don't remember th= e etchant used, but it was designed to heavily etch the matrix material and expose the carbides). =
Carbon coating was performed with the sample sitting on a white filter paper, and with the old Denton system we had, it required at least two sputterin= g session to get a heavy tan color on the filter paper. =
Replica removal was performed using a 4%Bromine/Methanol solution. =
(Extreme care should be taken with this etchant!!!)
The sample was carefully dipped into a beaker of the etchant, which just covered the top of the mounted specimen. (It's a good idea to use a razor blade to scribe the =
carbon into appropriately sized grid sections prior to etching). When th= e carbon =
completely separated from the specimen, it was fished onto a TEM grid usi= ng tweezers. This part took some skill, since many times the carbon would fold upon itself making a double thickness. Two ethanol baths were then used to rinse the replic= as (Carefully) =
prior to air drying.
This method resulted in fantastic replicas. =
Hope this helps.
Best regards, Scott D. Holt BUEHLER LTD. PO Box 1 41 Waukegan Rd. Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (847)295-6500 http://www.buehlerltd.com
********************************* NEW YORK SOCIETY OF EXPERIMENTAL MICROSCOPISTS 1999 PRESIDENTIAL SYMPOSIUM
"THE LIVING BRAIN"
HUNTER COLLEGE OF CUNY SEPTEMBER 17th 1999 09:00 A.M. * 05:00 P.M. ROOM 714, HUNTER WEST BUILDING 68th STREET AT LEXINGTON AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY
SPEAKERS:
MARY E. HATTEN, THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY Mechanism of Glial Guided Migration in Developing CNS
MARK H. ELLISMAN, National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO Advanced 3-D Microscopes and Multiscale Views of Nervous System
ANDREA BRAND, WELLCOME/CRC INSTITUTE, UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE Asymmetric Segregation of Cell Fate Determinants in the Embryonic Nervous System
NICHOLAS C. SPITZER, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO Regulation of Neuronal Differentiation by the Frequency of Spontaneous Calcium Transients
DAVID R. COLMAN, THE MOUNT SINAI SCHOOL OF MEDICINE The Molecular Architecture of Nerve and Synapse
RONALD D. McKAY, NINDS, NIH Constructing the Brain with Stem Cells
Microscopy equipment vendors will be on hand to display the latest microscopes and imaging accessories.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Dr. Philip L. Leopold, Secretary of NYSEM by: E-Mail: pleopold-at-mail.med.cornell.edu Fax: 212-746-8808
Leona Cohen-Gould, M.S. Sr. Staff Associate Director, Electron Microscopy Core Facility Manager, Confocal Microscopy Core Facility Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University voice (212)746-6146 fax (212)746-8175
} } Hello Brian, } How did you calculate these charges? } Is this for instrument access only or for staff assistance also? } I am recalculating the hourly fees based upon total facilities budgets. How } about you? } Marek. } } } } } } } } } } Hi Listers, } } } } } } We are trying to settle on usage fees for a newly installed Hitachi S4700 } } } FESEM and would be very interested in knowing what other institutions are } } } charging. We are a university, multi-user facility, primarily biological. } } } } } } Any information would be very much appreciated. } } } } } } All the best, } } } Randy } } } } } } } } } } I'd like to know too....we have a LEO982 and i'm currently charging $80/hr } } and $140/hr for internal and external work, respectively (1/2 off if i } } don't do the analysis). } } } } b- *********************************
i used a simple formula:
2000 hrs/work-year
~1000 actual beam-time hours (the rest is spent doing prep and other "stuff"...in my case teaching and class labs as well as computer/network support)
i need about $80,000 to keep the doors open....
80,000/1000= 80$/hr
i'll probably be making some changes as my service contract rates go up, but i'm already feeling some resistance to these rates. can't keep everybody happy...
Brian McIntyre mailto:mcintyre-at-optics.rochester.edu Sr. Engineer lab: 716-275-3058/4875 River Campus EMLab fax: 716-244-4936 University of Rochester Rochester, NY 14620
"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - Unknown
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America =
George, Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best = jet polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no = financial interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent results-= many recipes & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin = metals such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified to polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. By using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the "= first side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me = directly for more info.
Bernard Kestel Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} Argonne National Laboratory 9700 South Cass Avenue Argonne, Illinois, 60439
=
RFC822 header -----------------------------------
Received: from oberon.ctd.anl.gov (dns2.anl.gov [146.139.254.3]) by horus.= et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA13532; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:46:= 45 -0500 Received: from Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (sparc5.microscopy.com [206.69.208.= 10]) by oberon.ctd.anl.gov (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with SMTP id KAA03430; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:46:45 -0500 (CDT) Received: (from daemon-at-localhost) by Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11)= id KAA02968 for dist-Microscopy; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:39 -0500 Received: from no_more_spam.com (Sparc5 [206.69.208.10]) by Sparc5.= Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA02958 for "= MicroscopyFilteredEmail-at-msa.microscopy.com"; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:07 -= 0500 Received: from horus.et.anl.gov (horus.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.27]) by = Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA02949 for {= Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:15:49 -0500 Received: from 146.139.240.184 (et212mac184.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.184]) = by horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA13329 for {Microscopy-at-= MSA.Microscopy.Com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:23:46 -0500 Message-Id: {199908131523.KAA13329-at-horus.et.anl.gov} Date: 13 Aug 99 10:23:47 -0500 From: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} Subject: Re: Jet Polishers, user's experiences To: Microscopy Listserver {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 1.5.4 (Mac) X-Priority: 3 Reply-To: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Errors-to: Microscopy-request-at-sparc5.microscopy.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=3D"US-Ascii" Content-Length: 2331 Status: = =
id Q6BSWS6H; Mon, 16 Aug 1999 16:01:06 -0500 Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Sender: PhillipsT-at-pop.email.missouri.edu Message-Id: {v04210100b3de2bffa75b-at-[128.206.162.35]}
The University of Missouri's search for an Assistant or Associate Director of their Molecular Cytology Core Facility remains open. Individuals who feel they may be qualified for the position are encouraged to either apply or contact Tom Phillips for further details.
The ideal candidate will be an individual with experience in some or all of the following areas:
* confocal scanning laser microscopy * bright field microscopy * wide field fluorescence microscopy * low light video microscopy * image processing/analysis * deconvolution * all types of microtomy * immunocytochemistry * in situ hybridization * Adobe Photoshop
The Assistant/Associate Director will be responsible for training users, maintaining instruments and developing protocols for a campus-wide multi-user facility. PhD desirable but not required for individuals with extensive experience. Although an ideal candidate would have experience in all of the areas listed above, candidates with extensive experience in selected areas and who have the desire and capacity to learn the additional areas will be considered. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential. Experience in a multi-user core facility would be viewed positively. Electron microscopy is not a component of this core facility. Women and minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until an appropriate candidate is hired.
Address applications (CV and 3 letters of reference) or inquires to:
Thomas E. Phillips, Ph.D. Division of Biological Sciences 3 Tucker Hall, University of Missouri Columbia, MO 65211-7400. 573-882-4712 PhillipsT-at-missouri.edu.
I agree with Charles Butterick. I feel that a political reference is unwarranted since the List seems to be set up for helping microscopists with various problems in microscopy. Nelson Conti
On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Charles Butterick wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Steve Miller's slam of a public figure was not necessary to his } purpose. } } Political references should be withheld from any communication to the } Listserver. Such comments can elicit a variety of responses } inappropriate to the purpose of the List. } } } } } } } }
Seeking advice on low-budget photomicroscopy video recording (LM) under ordinary visible lighting conditions (transmission, phase contrast, no requirement for extremely low light levels) for making educational videos about protozoal biology, blood cells etc. I am working on a proposal for a non-profit foundation with a limited budget. I have access to a Zeiss Photomicroscope 3 but need to obtain a camera. One suggestion I received was to use one of the usual 3-chip CCD cameras and hook it to a mini-DV deck which would cost a total (camera plus deck) of around $6,000. It would save about $2000 if it were possible to use a miniDV camera directly (e.g., the Canon XL1 which has removable lenses and could conceivably be adapted to the photo tube on the Zeiss) and the camera could later be used for other functions, e.g. interviews, conferences etc.
Canon's customer service states they have no experience with using the XL1 for photomicroscopy.
Does anyone have any experience with using miniDV cameras for video LM? Any other suggestions for obtaining high quality videos in the under $7000 range would be appreciated.
Robert Harman 170 Line Road, Office 13 Bellemead, NJ 08502 email: harmanmd-at-alumni.caltech.edu
The recent thread on hourly rates for microscopy reeks of commercialism on two counts:
1. It used to be an anti-trust violation even to discuss competitive rates for business services. I know; my grandfather lost some key patents & his business failed because he was caught telling someone how much the firm charged for performing a service (about 1948).
2. University and research labs get their equipment largely with public funds and are usually not-fot-profit organizations to boot, so it is plainly unfair to set rates for outside services absent the profit motive and in competition with labs that have to survive in the real world by charging realistic rates.
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
p.s. Ironically, the listserver rejected this at first because I had the word, "profit" in the phrase, "not-for-profit" in the subject line.
Accurel Systems International Corp., a leading provider of analytical services, has the following job openings for their Sunnyvale-CA laboratories:
1. TEM Engineer: Applicant is expected to handle all aspects of TEM work, including sample preparation, TEM operation, darkroom work and contact with customers. The ideal candidate should have a B.S. and/or M.S. in Engineering or the Physical Sciences with academic training in the field of transmission electron microscopy. Excellent oral and written communication skills are also required. Prior experience with semiconductor materials, dimpling, ion-milling, tripod polishing and FIB is desirable.
2. FIB Engineer: Applicant will work with state-of-the-art FIB systems to perform device modification work. The position requires a B.S. and/or M.S. in Engineering or the Physical Sciences. Knowledge of semiconductor devices and processes is highly desirable.
3. Dual Beam FIB Engineer: Candidate will work on an FEI 820 Dual Beam FIB system primarily preparing SEM and TEM cross-sections. . The candidate should have a B.S. and/or M.S. in Engineering or the Physical Sciences. Prior experience with SEM or FIB and knowledge of semiconductor processing is highly desirable.
Please send resume to:
David Su Accurel Systems International Corp 785 Lucerne Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94086 Email: davids-at-accurel.com
My dear Bernard, Below message was posted on the 14 August and again on 17 August, the latter with a copy to David Henriks, the proprietor of South Bay Techn., the manufacturer of this wonderful equipment. I do not doubt that you are very happy with the equipment and that it performs well. Certainly you are entitled to post such a message and some subscribers would be interested in your endorsement. Since you have previously also endorsed this equipment so enthusiastically on this forum, I am interested to learn about your "arrangement" with David Henriks. I think that the addition of a disclaimer to your message was required and appropriate. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 2:52 AM, Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov] wrote: } } George, } Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel } obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope } facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best jet } polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no financial } interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay } Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent results-many } recipes } & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies } used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing } "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED } light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin metals } such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been } electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from } the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as } well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, } membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity } baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified to } polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. By } using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be } removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of } measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use } Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the } "first } side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" } materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for } radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me directly } for } more info. } } Bernard Kestel } Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} } Argonne National Laboratory } 9700 South Cass Avenue } Argonne, Illinois, 60439 } } } } } } } } RFC822 header } ----------------------------------- } } Received: from oberon.ctd.anl.gov (dns2.anl.gov [146.139.254.3]) by } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA13532; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 } 10:46:45 -0500 } Received: from Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (sparc5.microscopy.com [206.69.208.10]) } by oberon.ctd.anl.gov (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with SMTP id KAA03430; } Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:46:45 -0500 (CDT) } Received: (from daemon-at-localhost) by Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) id } KAA02968 for dist-Microscopy; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:39 -0500 } Received: from no_more_spam.com (Sparc5 [206.69.208.10]) by } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA02958 for } "MicroscopyFilteredEmail-at-msa.microscopy.com"; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:07 -0500 } } Received: from horus.et.anl.gov (horus.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.27]) by } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA02949 for } {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:15:49 -0500 } Received: from 146.139.240.184 (et212mac184.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.184]) by } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA13329 for } {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:23:46 -0500 } Message-Id: {199908131523.KAA13329-at-horus.et.anl.gov} } Date: 13 Aug 99 10:23:47 -0500 } From: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } Subject: Re: Jet Polishers, user's experiences } To: Microscopy Listserver {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} } X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 1.5.4 (Mac) } X-Priority: 3 } Reply-To: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } MIME-Version: 1.0 } Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit } Errors-to: Microscopy-request-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii" } Content-Length: 2331 } Status: }
I don't understand the point of your message. He has two statements in his posting that basically states that he has no financial connection with SBT. The first is his direct statement and the second is his affiliation with Argonne National Lab. He can't have an arrangement with SBT -it would be illegal. With the insights that have come out of Bernie's lab, I for one, pay particular attention to when he posts a message. Do we really want to post anything in anyway to cause someone like him to feel like maybe he shouldn't post? I've read quite a few of his papers on jet polishing and they are very good. Some of them do deal with the unique aspects of the SBT jet polisher, but most of the techniques can be adapted to other polishers.
Keep up the good work Bernie.
Just my two cents.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
Walck-at-PPG.com
(412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8161 (fax)
"The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies."
---------- } From: jim To: 'Bernard Kestel'; Microscopy Listserver -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
My dear Bernard, Below message was posted on the 14 August and again on 17 August, the latter with a copy to David Henriks, the proprietor of South Bay Techn., the manufacturer of this wonderful equipment. I do not doubt that you are very happy with the equipment and that it performs well. Certainly you are entitled to post such a message and some subscribers would be interested in your endorsement. Since you have previously also endorsed this equipment so enthusiastically on this forum, I am interested to learn about your "arrangement" with David Henriks. I think that the addition of a disclaimer to your message was required and appropriate. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 2:52 AM, Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov] wrote: } } George, } Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel } obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope } facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best jet } polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no financial } interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay } Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent results-many } recipes } & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies } used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing } "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED } light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin metals } such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been } electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from } the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as } well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, } membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity } baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified to } polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. By } using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be } removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of } measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use } Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the } "first } side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" } materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for } radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me directly } for } more info. } } Bernard Kestel } Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} } Argonne National Laboratory } 9700 South Cass Avenue } Argonne, Illinois, 60439 } } } } } } } } RFC822 header } ----------------------------------- } } Received: from oberon.ctd.anl.gov (dns2.anl.gov [146.139.254.3]) by } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA13532; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 } 10:46:45 -0500 } Received: from Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (sparc5.microscopy.com [206.69.208.10]) } by oberon.ctd.anl.gov (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with SMTP id KAA03430; } Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:46:45 -0500 (CDT) } Received: (from daemon-at-localhost) by Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) id } KAA02968 for dist-Microscopy; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:39 -0500 } Received: from no_more_spam.com (Sparc5 [206.69.208.10]) by } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA02958 for } "MicroscopyFilteredEmail-at-msa.microscopy.com"; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:07 -0500 } } Received: from horus.et.anl.gov (horus.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.27]) by } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA02949 for } {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:15:49 -0500 } Received: from 146.139.240.184 (et212mac184.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.184]) by } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA13329 for } {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:23:46 -0500 } Message-Id: {199908131523.KAA13329-at-horus.et.anl.gov} } Date: 13 Aug 99 10:23:47 -0500 } From: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } Subject: Re: Jet Polishers, user's experiences } To: Microscopy Listserver {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} } X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 1.5.4 (Mac) } X-Priority: 3 } Reply-To: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } MIME-Version: 1.0 } Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit } Errors-to: Microscopy-request-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii" } Content-Length: 2331 } Status: }
Gordon, I have used a Snappy image capture device with pretty good results. It is a small module that plugs into the parallel port of a PC. See additional information at http://www.play.com/products/snappy/index.html
I have no financial interest in Snappy, just personal observations.
Dennis B. Barr (dennbarr-at-eastman.com) Physical Chemistry Research Laboratory Physical & Analytical Chemistry Research Division Eastman Chemical Company Kingsport, TN 37662-5150
B-150B, R-132E, (423) 229-2188
} -----Original Message----- } From: Gordon Couger [SMTP:gcouger-at-RFdata.net] } Sent: Monday, August 16, 1999 10:19 PM } To: Microscopy Listserver } Subject: vidio capture } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I am looking for a video capture device to use with a laptop. } } It needs to interface with standard video cameras. I am setting } up a portable (well at least moveable) setup with a triocular Leitz. } } Does anyone have any experience with anything out there. } } Thanks } Gordon } } Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com } 624 Cheyenne } Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 } 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger } }
I for one agree, but that unfortunately is life, whether we like it or not. I understand the need to make a profit in business, but business men should keep their damn hands off science.
As a microscopist who got his start in asbestos analyses, I have became appalled and cynical of the business aspect. Good analytical methods were developed by by excellent scientists for a good cause. Business men turned it into a joke by applying a "fast food " and assembly line approach to it. It gave microscopy a bad name due to greedy competition, shoddy work, and less than ethical intent, placing invisible quotos on microscopists. Today, you can get a PLM asbestos analysis done cheaper than a meal at McDondalds. That same mentality has made its way into other microscopy/materials analysis venues.
Over the past few years, I have spoken to environmental labs that claimed they were interested in developing real microscopy, materials analysis labs. I heard many grandiose promises but saw the truth. They wanted to apply the same asbestos analysis mentality to other microscopy methods and techniques.......Cheap and fast without much, if any instrumentation investment. Three times I said "no thanks" to lucrative offers. I will not have my name associated with that type of "science", and can do quite fine without the BMW and boat trips to the Caribbean.
As far as academia is concerned, its activities should be restricted from using university equipment, grad students and staff for paid laboratory services provided to industry and the general public. They are there for teaching and research. If they provide paid services, it should be kept separate for fair competition to legitimate business.
Enough soap box rhetoric for one day, and I didnt use the "P" word once!
Respectfully; Lou Solebello
At 10:08 PM 8/16/99 -0400, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Hello, Can anyone suggest a (preferably east coast) field service / repair person for a S-570 with what I think is a badly misaligned column. I know Hitachi can do this, I am hoping to find someone closer with better rates. We are in southwest Virginia. Thanks! David Sherrer dsherrer-at-ACTMicroDevices.com 540-639-1986x15
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There have been some requests for the report mentioned recently in my comments about jet polishers. Here is the source-it costs about $27 but I don't receive it!
Polishing Methods for Metallic and Ceramic Transmission Electron Microscopy Specimens
By: Bernard J. Kestel
ANL No. 80-120, Rev.1, March, 1986
Ask for: Article No. DE82003251
Order From: National Technical Information Service U.S. Department of Commerce 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, Virginia, 22161 Their Phone: (703) 487-4650
This note should save me from responding to individual requests for this info. Disclaimer: I do not have any financial interest in South Bay Technology or Microshield Co's. (The former has kindly made some improvements on their equipment due to my suggestions as a user-which we can all use to lessen the tedium of specimen preparation).
Bernard Kestel E-mail: {kestel-at-anl.gov.} Materials Science Division Argonne National Laboratory Ph: (630) 252-4945 9700 South Cass Avenue Argonne,Illinois, 60439
id {RCGPLZV9} ; Tue, 17 Aug 1999 09:48:07 -0500 Message-ID: {52246021B94FD311B4B900609451548D01407732-at-umc-mail02.missouri.edu} {microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com}
Hi,
I assume the attached message is a response to my query about FESEM rates being charged by various labs.
To repeat, we are a university facility almost exclusively serving researchers within the university. To ask about the rates being charged by comparable facilities around the country is simply a way to judge how others handle the conflicting problems of non-profit service vs. reasonable cost recovery. We do not earn a profit(trust me on this one), and we certainly don't constitute a monopoly of any kind.
There have been other strings on this listserver in the past concerning cost-recovery vs. service to the academic community. These discussions have been very valuable and are not meant to be some sort of commercial "price fixing" scheme. To tell the truth, I think most EM people working in academic labs would much prefer to offer their services internally at no charge, freeing us up to do slow, careful research without the need to constantly consider financial pressures. But the world doesn't work like that.
I hope this helps to clarify the context of my question.
Best wishes, Randy
-----Original Message----- } From: George Langford, Sc.D. [mailto:amenex-at-amenex.com] Sent: Monday, August 16, 1999 9:09 PM To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com Cc: Garber, Charles A.
Hallo Microscopists !
Has anyone read the FAQ recently ?
The recent thread on hourly rates for microscopy reeks of commercialism on two counts:
1. It used to be an anti-trust violation even to discuss competitive rates for business services. I know; my grandfather lost some key patents & his business failed because he was caught telling someone how much the firm charged for performing a service (about 1948).
2. University and research labs get their equipment largely with public funds and are usually not-fot-profit organizations to boot, so it is plainly unfair to set rates for outside services absent the profit motive and in competition with labs that have to survive in the real world by charging realistic rates.
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
p.s. Ironically, the listserver rejected this at first because I had the word, "profit" in the phrase, "not-for-profit" in the subject line.
Dear all, With reference to Scott Walck's comments, I would just like to add that I have very successfully used one of Bernie Kestel's recipes for an electropolishing electrolyte with another brand named jet polisher. Whether this other well known brand has the same controllability as the SBT equipment, I do not know, since we only had the one brand. It was necessary to adapt parameters of voltage and flow to the different equipment for best results.
So my points are:
1) Many of the techniques that he has learned can be adapted to other polishers.
and
2) If there are particular advantages to one piece of equipment, then it is good to know about them from users, not just from sales literature. Hopefully, this will also have the side effect of encouraging competing manufacturers to find ways of improving their equipment.
So, I for one appreciate tips about good experiences with equipment, or how to get the best out of equipment.
Perhaps when it comes to bad experiences with equipment, and slating manufacturers, we should (of course) be much more careful about what we say on a forum like this.
Best wishes to all
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Ian MacLaren Department of Experimental Physics Chalmers University of Technology S-412 96 G=F6teborg Sweden Tel: +46 31 772 36 33 FAX: +46 31 772 32 24 email: maclaren-at-fy.chalmers.se or: ian.maclaren-at-physics.org Research Group Homepage: http://fy.chalmers.se/microscopy/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hey boys, calm down. Steve's point was that it may take a major forensics effort to solve the problem, and he did it in a humorous way. I (a yellow dog republican) saw no slam, and I am sure that it was not intended. I think that it is far worse to slam a fellow list member for an innocent comment than to make a point at an attorney's expense.
best regards mark
Nelson wrote:
I agree with Charles Butterick. I feel that a political reference is unwarranted since the List seems to be set up for helping microscopists with various problems in microscopy. Nelson Conti
On Thu, 12 Aug 1999, Charles Butterick wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Steve Miller's slam of a public figure was not necessary to his } purpose. } } Political references should be withheld from any communication to the } Listserver. Such comments can elicit a variety of responses } inappropriate to the purpose of the List. } } } } } } } }
If Pat Barber (sp?) at Cold Spring Harbor Labs is reading this, or if someone knows her email address or phone number, I would very much appreciate receiving them. Her message on my phone was incomplete, and the phone numbers that long distance information gave me don't work.
Thanks!
Phil
****be famous! send in a tech tip or question*** Philip Oshel Technical Editor, Microscopy Today PO Box 620068 Middleton, WI 53562 Address for courier deliveries: 6319 Pheasant Lane #A-12 Voice: (608) 833-2885 Fax: (608) 836-1969 (please make sure my name is on any fax) oshel-at-terracom.net
We're no experts, but we finally got some fixed (after initial glut fixing for several hours) by slicing them with a razor blade (under a dissecting scope) to get the fix in. We also had some other smaller little critters (??) that we pelleted, surrounded with agar, and then "chopped" with a razor blade. Fix was OK on ones that got cut, not on ones that weren't under the blade. Some folks fix yeasts by removing the cell wall with enzymes. I have no idea what will take of the cuticle of these worms.
Other ideas welcome.
S. Miller
On Fri, 13 Aug 1999, MICHAEL DELANNOY wrote:
} Date: Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:25:55 -0400 (EDT) } From: MICHAEL DELANNOY {delannoy-at-welch.jhu.edu} } To: microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Subject: C. elegans std fix? } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } To all who may help, } We are setting up a standard fixation on C. elegans and word is } they are hard to fix (outer coating). Any expertise would be appreciated, } this is for TEM, and I am inclined to go with 4% paraform. 2% glutarald. and } 1% DMSO (possibly microwave in fix also). Thank you. } } Mike D. } } }
Sara E. Miller, Ph. D. P. O. Box 3020 Duke University Medical Center Durham, NC 27710 Ph: 919 684-3452 FAX: 919 684-8735
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National Technical Information Service
Current phone number: (703) 605-6000 Customer service no.: 1-888-584-8332
Current publication price is: $31.50 plus shipping & handling for a total of $36.50. Thanks to Sarah Hebert of Los Alamos National Laboratory for the correction. (We in the bench labs tend to forget the changing world out there).
Research Engineer Position: Electron Microscopy and Analysis
ORNL's Solid State Division has one of the world's premier facilities for scanning transmission electron microscopy of materials. Its two VG microscopes, the 100 kV HB501 and 300 kV HB603 produce probe sizes of 2.2 and 1.3 angstroms respectively, sufficiently small to allow direct imaging and spectroscopy of individual atomic columns in materials. Information transfer has been demonstrated to 1.3 and 0.7 angstrom. As part of a new program to improve the performance to a predicted 1.0 and 0.5 angstroms, respectively, an engineer position is available to oversee the instrumental aspects of this development. The program involves the addition of a spherical aberration corrector on each microscope. Nion Co. will undertake design and construction of the correctors, and initial installation on the microscopes. The research engineer will be responsible for all other instrumental aspects of the project. Specifically, it is certain that much of the existing electronics and detection systems will need to be updated and/or computerized, including electron detectors used for recording images and diffraction patterns (both serial and parallel data collection), the electron energy loss spectrometer, the electron beam scanning and alignment systems, and the high voltage stability may need to be improved or corrected dynamically. In addition the vacuum system will be upgraded to an oil-free system. Initial performance may well be limited by magnetic fields in the vicinity and/or by mechanical vibrations, which may require electromagnetic screening and anti-vibration treatments. Depending on background, the research engineer will be able to assist group members in research, and/or carry out their own materials research investigation. If you are interested in becoming part of this pioneering development into direct imaging and spectroscopy of atoms with sub-angstrom probes, contact:
Dr. Stephen J. Pennycook ORNL Corporate Fellow Electron Microscopy Group Leader Oak Ridge National Laboratory Solid State Division PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge TN 37831-6030 {pennycooksj-at-ornl.gov} *************************************************************** Stephen J. Pennycook ORNL Corporate Fellow Electron Microscopy Group Leader Oak Ridge National Laboratory Solid State Division PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge TN 37831-6030
I have worked with some setups using CCD color cams to beam light microscopy into the computer. Hopefully, I am not repeating too much of common list-members knowledge with this:
After doing exhaustive product information before the purchase of a camera for my personal use, I found out, that
- a 1-chip camera is completely enough (as opposed to a multi-chip thing that costs more) for still image purposes
- video signal input into the computer is usually 768 x 512 pixels (PAL format)
- a 1/2-inch-chip is the camera-chip to use to transmit standard PAL-images, as the resolution of the chip does not have to be bigger than the video-PAL-TV-card interface
- included in the price, but check that with the dealer to be sure, most industry standard cameras seem to have a "C-mount" adapter
- microscope manufacturers offer an add-on C-mount adapter for the microscope, which often costs as much as the camera, if necessary with an eye-piece as well
There are several single chip (1/2-inch) cameras available. I bought a Sony SSC-DC50P for roughly about 1'700 Swiss Franks. Digitizing through the ix-Turbo-TV-card (another about 150 sFr.) is instantaneous, although some multi-pass-scan-software may improves image quality somewhat. Quicktime movies still may be recorded, although it is not a high-speed-movie-recording setup.
My demo (check http://www.dplanet.ch/users/swisswuff/water_animal.qt) shows a quicktime movie with a little "thing" (yes, we named it using one of these catalogue books ..). The moving gray images in the background are partly caused by the flow of water on the slide containing some debris, probably caused by warming up water locally under the microscope, and caused by searching for the little stuff by moving the slide. The regular still image does not flicker. By the way, that thing is part of the Swiss fresh water fauna. I found it where it shouldn't have been, i.e., inside a person who died from drowning. We usually check the peripheral lung tissue for additional signs of drowning, and although the courtroom value of these things is not yet undisputed (just in case you wondered), these findings look nice and certainly increase the likelihood of our diagnosis to be correct if not to 100%, by still some % higher than zero (sometimes we use Bayesian methods to think). The images are not enhanced, just a one-click-quicktime recording. And the size of the scanned field of view is only half the maximum, so the full resolution would be visible at double the height AND double the length of that window. So I am happy with the performance of the thing.
Anyway good luck with the setups, cheers from Bern
I am looking for the protocol that I can use for cultured cells EM cryosectioning. Are there anybody can help me for the method starting with fixation and then sectioning.I will do immunolabeling.
thank you
qing zhao Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology McGill University qzhao-at-med.mcgill.ca
Dear Gordon, Another possibility you might consider for this purpose is the Pixera Professional camera. It is a reasonably low-cost ($1100US), reasonably high resolution color CCD camera that works well on a microscope. We just put one on the Nikon metallograph and are very pleased with the results. Their latest software allows focussing on a full screen image. Look them up at: www.pixera.com., then follow "Biomedical and Scientific" and "Professional" links. At 04:22 PM 8/12/99 -0700, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Regards, Mary
Mary Mager Electron Microscopist Metals and Materials Engineering University of British Columbia 6350 Stores Road Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 CANADA tel: 604-822-5648 e-mail: mager-at-interchg.ubc.ca
I haven't done worms, but for Drosophila embryos a nifty trick is to puncture the beasties with a very fine (= freshly homemade) tungsten needle. Still invasive, but less damaging than cutting with a razor! The PI who taught me this also preferred to use acrolein along with glutaraldehyde and formaldehyde in the primary fix. Nasty stuff, but it penetrates very rapidly.
Should work for C. elegans - the actual puncturing part was more a function of caffeine intake (by the puncturer, not the puncturee) than any great technique. You hold the needle close to the sample and hope that your hands aren't too steady that day! You don't want to puncture enough to destroy, just enough that you have a little hole. I've also done large anthers this way - worked pretty well.
If you want more info, let me know and I'll see what I can dredge up.
The 4-th International Conference Simulation, Designing and Control of Foundry Processes POLAND & BULGARIA & GERMANY
KRAK=D3W POLAND25-26 November 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ FOCOMP'99 is organized by: oFoundry Research Institute Krak=F3w-Poland=20
in cooperation with: oAcademy of Mining and Metallurgy Krak=F3w-Poland oDepartment of Automatics oDepartment of Computer Science=20
oInstitute for Metal Science of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Sofia-Bulgaria=20
oFoundry Institute of the RWTH Aachen Aachen-Germany=20 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Scopes of FOCOMP'99
The FOCOMP'99 Conference will include the presentation of papers on the=20 application of the modern mathematical and numerical methods, control=20 theory in the investigation of foundry processes, designing and control=20 of these processes in real time.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The foreseen topics:
oMathematical and numerical modelling: otechnological processes omicrostructure of casting alloys=20 oComputer methods for process control oTools for designing of the casting= =20 processes oNumerical simulation oOptimisation and control of the casting=20 process oThe internet knowledge bases for foundries oQuality computer=20 systems in foundries=20
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Important dates and details
During conference a plenary session is assumed.=20 The prospective authors are requested to submit the tittle of the paper=20 to conference secretariat. E-mail contact is preferred. The complete text of paper (6 pages with tables, figures and references)=20 should be submitted before 30.09.99. The papers will be revised by Conference Scientific Committee and=20 published in conference proceedings the cost of which will be included in= =20 the registration fee. Instruction for the preparation of the paper will be sent to authors=20 after receiving the paper title.
Conference language Conference language is English
Registration=20 Please, return the completed registration form to: Conference Secretariat before the 30.09.1999=20
Registration fee The conference fee will include conference proceedings, meals and a=20 conference dinner Registration fee for participants from abroad is 190 US$ Registration fee for Polish participants is 95 US$
Payment Registration fee should paid by bank transfer no later than 30.10.1999
Deadlines: Full registration form: 30.09.1999=20 Payment of the registration fee: 30.10.1999 Full text of paper: 30.09.1999 Instruction for the preparation of the paper will be sent to authors=20 before 01.09.1999.
------------------------------------------------------------------------ Information and Contact:
FOCOMP'99 - Secretariat Foundry Research Institute ul.Zakopia=F1ska 73 30-418 Krak=F3w, POLAND
Phone: Dr H.Po=B3cik (+4812)2618333 Dr M.Warmuzek (+4812)2618317
-----Original Message----- } From: Stephen J. Pennycook [mailto:pyk-at-ornl.gov] Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 22:37 To: microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com; vgusers-at-aaem.amc.anl.gov; ruehle-at-hrem.mpi-stuttgart.mpg.de; merkle-at-anl.gov; j-gibson-at-uiuc.edu; jsilcox-at-msc.cornell.edu; UDahmen-at-lbl.gov; spence-at-asu.edu; david.smith-at-asu.edu; rez-at-csss2.la.asu.edu; cel1-at-lehigh.edu; del-at-sol1.lrsm.upenn.edu; BABCOCK-at-coeadm.engr.wisc.edu; carpenter-at-csss2.la.asu.edu; cbcarter-at-amethyst.tc.umn.edu
Research Engineer Position: Electron Microscopy and Analysis
ORNL's Solid State Division has one of the world's premier facilities for scanning transmission electron microscopy of materials. Its two VG microscopes, the 100 kV HB501 and 300 kV HB603 produce probe sizes of 2.2 and 1.3 angstroms respectively, sufficiently small to allow direct imaging and spectroscopy of individual atomic columns in materials. Information transfer has been demonstrated to 1.3 and 0.7 angstrom. As part of a new program to improve the performance to a predicted 1.0 and 0.5 angstroms, respectively, an engineer position is available to oversee the instrumental aspects of this development. The program involves the addition of a spherical aberration corrector on each microscope. Nion Co. will undertake design and construction of the correctors, and initial installation on the microscopes. The research engineer will be responsible for all other instrumental aspects of the project. Specifically, it is certain that much of the existing electronics and detection systems will need to be updated and/or computerized, including electron detectors used for recording images and diffraction patterns (both serial and parallel data collection), the electron energy loss spectrometer, the electron beam scanning and alignment systems, and the high voltage stability may need to be improved or corrected dynamically. In addition the vacuum system will be upgraded to an oil-free system. Initial performance may well be limited by magnetic fields in the vicinity and/or by mechanical vibrations, which may require electromagnetic screening and anti-vibration treatments. Depending on background, the research engineer will be able to assist group members in research, and/or carry out their own materials research investigation. If you are interested in becoming part of this pioneering development into direct imaging and spectroscopy of atoms with sub-angstrom probes, contact:
Dr. Stephen J. Pennycook ORNL Corporate Fellow Electron Microscopy Group Leader Oak Ridge National Laboratory Solid State Division PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge TN 37831-6030 {pennycooksj-at-ornl.gov} *************************************************************** Stephen J. Pennycook ORNL Corporate Fellow Electron Microscopy Group Leader Oak Ridge National Laboratory Solid State Division PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge TN 37831-6030
Thanks to all that responded. The overwhelming recomedation was a Snappy. I just ordered a delux 3.0 Snappy. Since I have a wide choice of vidio cameras I think it is just what I need and the price is right.
I was impressed by the number of responses. I have been subscribing to mail list for several years and this is one of the best. It unquestionably the most responsive to newbies.
Thanks
Gordon
Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com 624 Cheyenne Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger
} Hi Gordon, } I wanted a system that I could take to different optical u-scopes. My } quick, cheap ( {$150US) solution was to buy a Snappy video interface & } machine a few tube adapters for my relay optics & camera. The module is } ~6x2x1" & plugs into your parallel port. Runs on a 9V batt. I suggest using } a short parallel cable with it if your not going to leave it set up. Makes } the connect/disconnect a lot less annoying. } } I have no financial interest in the sale of this product. } } Bruce Brinson } Rice U. } } } Gordon Couger wrote: } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } I am looking for a video capture device to use with a laptop. } } } } It needs to interface with standard video cameras. I am setting } } up a portable (well at least moveable) setup with a triocular Leitz. } } } } Does anyone have any experience with anything out there. } } } } Thanks } } Gordon } } } } Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com } } 624 Cheyenne } } Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 } } 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger }
Marco Arienti LEO Elektronenmikroskopie GmbH Tel.: +49-(0)7364-94-4080 Abteilung LEO COE-TEM Fax.: +49-(0)7364-94-4079 Carl Zeiss Str. 56 E-Mail : arienti-at-leo.de D-73446 Oberkochen
We have a sample of biological cells inside of a polyurethane containment. We want to embed the hole sample into paraffin. Therefore we start with a fixation and then with a series of ethanol-water mixtures ending with pure ethanol. The next step (using xylol before the embedding) is not possible due to the polyurethane containment, because the polyurethane is solved. Are there other solutions which will not solve the polymer.
Kind regards
Rainer
------------------------------------------------------------- Dipl.-Phys. Rainer Ziel Acordis Research GmbH Obernburg ARO/RMG-EM 63784 Obernburg Germany
He wants a 100 watt lamp version of an Olympus BH2 light microscope. This is the "S" version. These went unavailable a few years ago. He only really needs the body as he has all the attachements, but if necessary ............?
The application is dual-headed polarised light investigation where two people need to view and confirm findings simultaneously. The standard 20 watt version isn't bright enough. The company have been unable to help.
Any offers, suggestions etc. would be appreciatively received.
Keith Ryan Marine Biological Association of the UK Plymouth, England
When I was a student, we did some class experiments on fixation of C.elegans, and we got good results using a Karnovsky fixative with microwaves, for a few minutes. Also, my former supervisor co-authored a paper on microwave fixation for nematodes, which you may find useful:
Jones JT & Gwynn IA 1991, A METHOD FOR RAPID FIXATION AND DEHYDRATION OF NEMATODE TISSUE FOR TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY-OXFORD vol 164 (1) pp. 43-51.
Regards, Michelle Grundy Dunstaffnage Marine Lab PO Box 3 OBAN PA34 4AD UK
CCD cameras are going to predominantly have small CCD chips. This means that if you are used to taking 35mm frames, your CCD image will be a small fraction of that size. If that is OK, then you have many options. Cost, speed and interface are the tradeoffs...along with effective white balance and resolution. The cheaper cameras use larger pixel sizes (usually } 10 microns) whereas the better (more expensive models) use pixels of about 6 micron size. Don't expect a CCD camera to replace film as a 1:1 device. If you want to image a small area, really small, a CCD can do this. The makeup action is to stitch separate frames together to yield an equivalent 35mm frame or even larger. If you want high quality images, get the highest quality CCD and stitch multiple images.
The other factor to consider is whether the camera does a single shot or makes multiple passes. Typically, a single shot camera will produce a file in about 2 seconds while a multiple pass camera takes up to 10 seconds.
Check the specs very carefully.
gg
At 02:23 PM 8/16/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
When I was a student, we did some class experiments on fixation of C.elegans, and we got good results using a Karnovsky fixative with microwaves, for a few minutes. Also, my former supervisor co-authored a paper on microwave fixation for nematodes, which you may find useful:
Jones JT & Gwynn IA 1991, A METHOD FOR RAPID FIXATION AND DEHYDRATION OF NEMATODE TISSUE FOR TRANSMISSION ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY JOURNAL OF MICROSCOPY-OXFORD vol 164 (1) pp. 43-51.
Regards, Michelle Grundy Dunstaffnage Marine Lab PO Box 3 OBAN PA34 4AD UK
An associate of mine would like an Olympus POS microscope stand, with or without oculars and objectives. This is their monocular, vertical tube, microscope with a rotating stage and a polarizer and rotating push in-pullout top analyzer.
They were a very sturdy microscope but Olympus discontinued them a few years ago.
Thanks.
Don Marshall
Donald J. Marshall Relion Industries P.O. Box 12 Bedford, MA 01730 Ph: 781-275-4695 FAX: 781-271-0252 email dmrelion-at-world.std.com
Cathodoluminescence, mass spectroscopy, electron beam technology
"A weed is a flower out of place."
(Please note: Do not send email with attachments to this address. Instead, send it to donbarlen-at-aol.com. Thank you.)
Has anyone tried chitinase? The main component of nematode cuticle, and the cell wall of many fungi -- don't know about yeast -- is chitin, as in arthropods.
Phil
} We're no experts, but we finally got some fixed (after initial glut } fixing for several hours) by slicing them with a razor blade (under } a dissecting scope) to get the fix in. We also had some other smaller } little critters (??) that we pelleted, surrounded with agar, and then } "chopped" with a razor blade. Fix was OK on ones that got cut, not on } ones that weren't under the blade. Some folks fix yeasts by removing } the cell wall with enzymes. I have no idea what will take of the cuticle of } these worms. } } Other ideas welcome. } } S. Miller } } } To all who may help, } } We are setting up a standard fixation on C. elegans and word is } } they are hard to fix (outer coating). Any expertise would be appreciated, } } this is for TEM, and I am inclined to go with 4% paraform. 2% glutarald. and } } 1% DMSO (possibly microwave in fix also). Thank you. } } } } Mike D.
****be famous! send in a tech tip or question*** Philip Oshel Technical Editor, Microscopy Today PO Box 620068 Middleton, WI 53562 Address for courier deliveries: 6319 Pheasant Lane #A-12 Voice: (608) 833-2885 Fax: (608) 836-1969 (please make sure my name is on any fax) oshel-at-terracom.net
We are Ms-students and research assistants in Middle East Technical University. Our thesis is related with fe based Bulk amorphous metallic glasses. We are concentrated on Fe3Zr system. We know that this system has D8a structure. But we can not find the lattice parameter of this system. Can you help about this subject. Best Regards Burcu ALTINOLUK (burcua-at-metu.edu.tr) Beril DILSIZOGLU
Not really my area of expertise and you didn't specify if this was for light microscopy or for electron microscopy.
There are a # of cryoprotectants designed to reduce ice damage (sucrose for example) and different freezing media to use as heat sinks (liquid nitrogen, isopentane, propane ...). sample size also plays an important role. I will leave the bulk of explaination to others more qualified. I have forwarded this message to the microscopy list and they should have some good suggestions. Good luck
At 06:21 AM 8/18/1999 -0700, you wrote: } Hi, I am a senior at Aleghany High School in Western North } Carolina. I am involved in a special projects science class. I have } selected the a question, "Can I minimize the negative effects on } tissue during preservation by freezing?" } I have found a lot of information, but I am still looking for some } different substances or solutions in which to freeze the tissue in } order to reduce damage during preservation. } I am going to be using a lot of diiferent samples of tissue. For } example, cow tongue, liver brains, muscle tissue, and a few more } possibilities. } Any hints or information anyone could give me would be very much } appreciated. } Thanks for your time and consideration. } } } Juliette Nicole } Harris } } _________________________________________________________ } Do You Yahoo!? } Get your free -at-yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com } } }
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
Scott and List readers: I have not doubted that Bernie is a great researcher, well published and well regarded. His experience and contributions I am certain are welcome in this forum. However I have reasons to be a skeptic in one regard only: Why extol to such an extend one make of equipment? Why post the same ringing endorsement twice, but four days apart, with the second posting copied to the proprietor of the endorsed product? Why were similar ringing endorsements given by the same laboratory for the same product at earlier occasions? Why did he bother to send emails to a prospective purchaser, George T.?
Ian MacLaren noted that he was able to adapt Bernie's techniques to another instrument. It appears to me that Jet Polishers are not at the very cutting edge of technology, rather it is the techniques that are demanding and numerous. I did not mean to suggest that Bernie may have had some personnel benefit for promoting a product. That is crass and I expect is very uncommon in science. The disclaimer denied only such personnel benefit. The more common "arrangement" in science are benefits for the lab. Unless my above questions can be properly answered I have reasons to be skeptical and believe that somebody ought to ask such questions in this forum.
Others my ask about my motive. Please forget about the sour grapes - I don't suffer those and don't really care about selling a Jet Polisher. Neither is stirring the Microscopy Server an effective sales vehicle for an Australian business. I suggest that in our society the famed "eternal vigilance" should be used to control wayward business practices, they are nowadays the greatest threat to liberty.
It is possible that my skepticism was misplaced, in which case I would be sorry to have caused some annoyance, but I hope that subscribers will learn to be cautious when reading repeated ringing endorsements from an "independent" labs for all manner of things, be it Jet Polishers, Plasma Ashing Cleaners or Cr Sputter Coaters. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech
On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 11:21 PM, Walck. Scott D. [SMTP:walck-at-ppg.com] wrote: } } I don't understand the point of your message. He has two statements in his } posting that basically states that he has no financial connection with SBT. } The first is his direct statement and the second is his affiliation with } Argonne National Lab. He can't have an arrangement with SBT -it would be } illegal. With the insights that have come out of Bernie's lab, I for one, } pay particular attention to when he posts a message. Do we really want to } post anything in anyway to cause someone like him to feel like maybe he } shouldn't post? I've read quite a few of his papers on jet polishing and } they are very good. Some of them do deal with the unique aspects of the SBT } jet polisher, but most of the techniques can be adapted to other polishers. } } Keep up the good work Bernie. } } Just my two cents. } } } -Scott } } Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. } PPG Industries, Inc. } Glass Technology Center } Guys Run Rd. (packages) } P. O. Box 11472 (letters) } Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472 } } Walck-at-PPG.com } } (412) 820-8651 (office) } (412) 820-8161 (fax) } } } "The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG } Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies." } } } ---------- } } From: jim } To: 'Bernard Kestel'; Microscopy Listserver } Subject: RE: Jet Polishers, user's experiences } Date: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 1:34AM } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } My dear Bernard, } Below message was posted on the 14 August and again on 17 August, the latter } with a copy to David Henriks, the proprietor of South Bay Techn., the } manufacturer of this wonderful equipment. I do not doubt that you are very } happy with the equipment and that it performs well. Certainly you are } entitled } to post such a message and some subscribers would be interested in your } endorsement. } Since you have previously also endorsed this equipment so enthusiastically } on } this forum, I am interested to learn about your "arrangement" with David } Henriks. I think that the addition of a disclaimer to your message was } required } and appropriate. } Cheers } Jim Darley } ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS } PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia } Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au } Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes } www.proscitech.com.au } } On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 2:52 AM, Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov] } wrote: } } } } George, } } Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel } } obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope } } facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best } jet } } polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no } financial } } interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay } } Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent } results-many } } recipes } } & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies } } used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing } } "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED } } light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin } metals } } such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been } } electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from } } the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as } } well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, } } membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity } } baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified to } } polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. By } } using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be } } removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of } } measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use } } Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the } } "first } } side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" } } materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for } } radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me } directly } } for } } more info. } } } } Bernard Kestel } } Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} } } Argonne National Laboratory } } 9700 South Cass Avenue } } Argonne, Illinois, 60439 } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } } RFC822 header } } ----------------------------------- } } } } Received: from oberon.ctd.anl.gov (dns2.anl.gov [146.139.254.3]) by } } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA13532; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 } } 10:46:45 -0500 } } Received: from Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (sparc5.microscopy.com } [206.69.208.10]) } } by oberon.ctd.anl.gov (8.9.1a/8.9.1) with SMTP id KAA03430; } } Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:46:45 -0500 (CDT) } } Received: (from daemon-at-localhost) by Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } (8.6.11/8.6.11) } id } } KAA02968 for dist-Microscopy; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:39 -0500 } } Received: from no_more_spam.com (Sparc5 [206.69.208.10]) by } } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA02958 for } } "MicroscopyFilteredEmail-at-msa.microscopy.com"; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:16:07 } -0500 } } } } Received: from horus.et.anl.gov (horus.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.27]) by } } Sparc5.Microscopy.Com (8.6.11/8.6.11) with ESMTP id KAA02949 for } } {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:15:49 -0500 } } Received: from 146.139.240.184 (et212mac184.et.anl.gov [146.139.240.184]) } by } } horus.et.anl.gov (8.6.11/8.6.11) with SMTP id KAA13329 for } } {Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com} ; Fri, 13 Aug 1999 10:23:46 -0500 } } Message-Id: {199908131523.KAA13329-at-horus.et.anl.gov} } } Date: 13 Aug 99 10:23:47 -0500 } } From: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } } Subject: Re: Jet Polishers, user's experiences } } To: Microscopy Listserver {Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} } } X-Mailer: QuickMail Pro 1.5.4 (Mac) } } X-Priority: 3 } } Reply-To: Bernard Kestel {kestel-at-anl.gov} } } MIME-Version: 1.0 } } Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit } } Errors-to: Microscopy-request-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } } Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-Ascii" } } Content-Length: 2331 } } Status: } } }
At the MSA symposium on cryo methods, I seem to recall that someone (Kent McDonald?) suggested freeze substitution fixation as the best method. One would have to have access to a high pressure freezer. Gregory W. Erdos, Ph.D. Ph. 352-392-1295 Assistant Director, Biotechnology Program PO Box 110580 Fax: 352-846-0251 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611
Folks: for those of you out there doing immunogold labelling with a FEG SEM. What is the best type of detector to use for the backscattered signal? As people generally seem to use low accelerating voltages, does a microchannel plate offer advantages over the conventional detector? I guess I would like to know peoples kV vs detector combos which are most successful for this application
Tx Simon
------------------------------------------------------------- Simon C. Watkins Ph.D. MRCPath Associate Professor Director: Center for Biologic Imaging University of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh PA 15261 tel:412-648-3051 fax:412-648-8330 URL: http://sbic6.sbic.pitt.edu
I recently picked up a used Leitz microscope, sans eyepieces. While I have a collection of spares, I don't have the right magnification. Does anyone out there have a pair of Leitz Periplan GW 10X eyepieces to sell? Standard is fine, high points (for eyeglasses) would be preferred. Please respond to my email address directly to avoid unwanted traffic for the list.
Thanks.
Alan Stone ASTON Metallurgical Services 773/528-9830 Alan Stone ASTON Metallurgical Services
Gary, Mary, Gary, you have a good point. The optics of most microscopes means a camera will sample a significantly smaller area and in turn give a significant increase in magnification. To compensate for this we use optical couplers with a 0.6X mag factor on all our scopes. We use couplers made by Diagnostic Instruments. They are quite expensive but provide a dimentionally accurate representation. Russ Gillmeister, Xerox I have no finantial interest in Diagnostic Instruments.
-----Original Message----- } From: Dr. Gary Gaugler [mailto:gary-at-gaugler.com] Sent: Wednesday, August 18, 1999 6:19 AM To: Mary Mager Cc: MSA listserver
CCD cameras are going to predominantly have small CCD chips. This means that if you are used to taking 35mm frames, your CCD image will be a small fraction of that size. If that is OK, then you have many options. Cost, speed and interface are the tradeoffs...along with effective white balance and resolution. The cheaper cameras use larger pixel sizes (usually } 10 microns) whereas the better (more expensive models) use pixels of about 6 micron size. Don't expect a CCD camera to replace film as a 1:1 device. If you want to image a small area, really small, a CCD can do this. The makeup action is to stitch separate frames together to yield an equivalent 35mm frame or even larger. If you want high quality images, get the highest quality CCD and stitch multiple images.
The other factor to consider is whether the camera does a single shot or makes multiple passes. Typically, a single shot camera will produce a file in about 2 seconds while a multiple pass camera takes up to 10 seconds.
Check the specs very carefully.
gg
At 02:23 PM 8/16/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Hello Rainer, you should try if chloroforme does not solute your containments. It works as well as xylol and is compatible with many plastics. Don=B4t hestitate to contact me for further information.
Good luck, Michael
Michael Reiner Institute for Anatomy I University of Cologne Germany
Ziel, R. (Rainer) schrieb: } =20 } -----------------------------------------------------------------------= - } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Co= m } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.htm= l } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } =20 } We have a sample of biological cells inside of a polyurethane containme= nt. } We want to embed the hole sample into paraffin. Therefore we start with= a } fixation and then with a series of ethanol-water mixtures ending with p= ure } ethanol. The next step (using xylol before the embedding) is not possib= le } due to the polyurethane containment, because the polyurethane is solved= . Are } there other solutions which will not solve the polymer. } =20 } Kind regards } =20 } Rainer } =20 } ------------------------------------------------------------- } Dipl.-Phys. Rainer Ziel } Acordis Research GmbH Obernburg } ARO/RMG-EM } 63784 Obernburg } Germany } =20 } Tel: +49 (0)6022 81-2645 } Fax: +49 (0)6022 81-2896 } E-mail: Rainer.Ziel-at-AkzoNobel.com
We are trying to locate in the Houston area an individual or firm capable of performing routine preventive maintenance on our two ultramicrotomes: Sorvall MT-2B and RMC 7000. In previous years our contract [with RMC] was a reasonable cost; recently they propose to increase that cost by a factor of six.
Any help in locating such a contractor will be appreciated. -- Chris Kuether, Instrument Designer Technical Services Manager CollegeOfOptometry, UniversityOfHouston 4901 Calhoun Blvd. Houston TX 77204-6052 vox:(713)743-2049 fax:--2053; ckuether-at-uh.edu --- remember folks, reality is ANALOG --- --- Intolerance will NOT be tolerated ---
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
qing zhao wrote:
} I am looking for the protocol that I can use for cultured cells EM } cryosectioning. Are there anybody can help me for the method starting } with fixation and then sectioning.I will do immunolabeling. } } thank you } } qing zhao } Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology } McGill University } qzhao-at-med.mcgill.ca
REPLY
Methods in Molecular Biology vol 117 ch 4, pages 49 - 76 "Methods in = Molecular Biology: Electron Microscopy Methods and Protocols" Ed N. = Hajibagheri (1999) should be what you are looking for. =
An annotated version of this protocol can be accessed on the web {http://= www.hei.org/htm/cryo.htm} .
I can send you a reprint if you supply me with your full address.
For hands-on experience contact Leica {http://www.leica.com/} or RMC {= phone: (520) 903-9366} for details of their practical courses.
Regards,
Paul Webster, Ph.D House Ear Institute 2100 West Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90057 phone:213 273 8026 fax: 213 413 6739 e-mail: pwebster-at-hei.org http://www.hei.org/htm/aemi.htm
id {R133760M} ; Wed, 18 Aug 1999 13:16:13 -0400 Message-ID: {5063A0AB7328D211BCAA0008C7A446770475CD-at-RIDMSG05} To: TindallR-at-missouri.edu, amenex-at-amenex.com Cc: microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com
I generally don't get into this kind of discussion, but the "over-the-top" responses display an attitude toward "business" and "accounting" that any multi-user facility must deal with. As someone who has managed facilities in both "academic" and "business" settings, I can say that it is imperative that the manager know what the costs are to operate the facility. If one can factor out the costs of the equipment (e.g. within an academic setting with equipment purchased through grants), it is still necessary to account for utilities, service contracts, support personnel, supplies, etc. It is a fact of life that even within academia the use of such facilities and the charge backs are essential to maintaining a viable service. Microscopy services are perhaps not in as much demand as they could be due to the cost of instrumentation and the attendant basic infrastructure. Multi-user facilities help to meet the need that is there. If this occurs within an academic (or not-for -profit) setting, costs are usually set to differentiate between not-for-profit and for-profit (i.e. business) users. In the for-profit arena, one cannot avoid accounting for equipment and infrastructure costs, and the idea that the owners of a business are not due some income is nonsensical. It is the tension between the facts of life, be it in academic, business or other institutional settings, that determine whether or not microscopy facilities are established, and whether or not they survive. The original request for how to determine those costs by the initiator was well within the parameters of a listserver such as this. Individuals with experience in setting up multi-user facilities should also feel free to respond without being flamed.
Roger Moretz Dept of Toxicology
"The opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer."
} -----Original Message----- } From: Tindall, Randy D. [SMTP:TindallR-at-missouri.edu] } Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 1999 10:48 AM } To: 'amenex-at-amenex.com' } Cc: 'microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com' } Subject: RE: Antitrust & unfair competition in microscopy } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Hi, } } I assume the attached message is a response to my query about FESEM rates } being charged by various labs. } } To repeat, we are a university facility almost exclusively serving } researchers within the university. To ask about the rates being charged } by } comparable facilities around the country is simply a way to judge how } others } handle the conflicting problems of non-profit service vs. reasonable cost } recovery. We do not earn a profit(trust me on this one), and we certainly } don't constitute a monopoly of any kind. } } There have been other strings on this listserver in the past concerning } cost-recovery vs. service to the academic community. These discussions } have } been very valuable and are not meant to be some sort of commercial "price } fixing" scheme. To tell the truth, I think most EM people working in } academic labs would much prefer to offer their services internally at no } charge, freeing us up to do slow, careful research without the need to } constantly consider financial pressures. But the world doesn't work like } that. } } I hope this helps to clarify the context of my question. } } Best wishes, } Randy } } } } -----Original Message----- } } From: George Langford, Sc.D. [mailto:amenex-at-amenex.com] } Sent: Monday, August 16, 1999 9:09 PM } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } Cc: Garber, Charles A. } Subject: Antitrust & unfair competition in microscopy } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Hallo Microscopists ! } } Has anyone read the FAQ recently ? } } The recent thread on hourly rates for microscopy reeks of } commercialism on two counts: } } 1. It used to be an anti-trust violation even to discuss } competitive rates for business services. I know; my } grandfather lost some key patents & his business failed } because he was caught telling someone how much the firm } charged for performing a service (about 1948). } } 2. University and research labs get their equipment largely with } public funds and are usually not-fot-profit organizations to } boot, so it is plainly unfair to set rates for outside services } absent the profit motive and in competition with labs that have } to survive in the real world by charging realistic rates. } } Best regards, } George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} } http://www.amenex.com/ } } p.s. Ironically, the listserver rejected this at first because } I had the word, "profit" in the phrase, "not-for-profit" in } the subject line.
As a former employee of South Bay Technology, I had occasion to =
visit the laboratory of Bernie Kestel at Argonne National Laboratory on a sales call. I can tell you from the perspective of a past employee, that Bernie was not associated with, and did not have any =
'arrangements' with SBT at the time, and I doubt very seriously if he =
does now. Bernie used some SBT products and consumables, but his laboratory had a variety of other vendor's products which he =
also used. It just happened that the jet polisher he had was SBT's.
The reason, I suspect, that Bernie has listed his posting twice, and that he has extolled the virtues of the SBT Jet Thinner is because he works in a laboratory which is supported by government funding. =
As a result, money is always tight, and one must often make do =
with equipment at hand. Since the early '70s when Argonne first purchased the SBT jet thinner, Bernie has worked with what was given him to produce exceptional specimens and preparation methods. Of course he is proud of his accomplishments, and has every =
right to be. With such vast quantities of time (life) devoted to working with a particular piece of equipment, it is normal to mention this piece of equipment when referring to the results of one's work. =
At the time in which I worked at SBT, we often referred to Bernies vast wealth of jet thinning methods since it was of advantage to us. This I think is normal. Bernie, I hope, was happy to have his work discussed and disseminated to others in the same field. That was as close as the relationship ever was.
I salute Bernie and all of those who contribute to this list. I also am happy to hear of their positive and negative experiences with a particular product. I am intellegent enough to weigh these opinions for myself along with 'sales literature', and determine whether a =
product is right for my needs or not. All I ask is that those giving =
their opinions also state their relationship (or lack of relationship) =
to the vendor. Bernie has done so, and that is enough.
Just my opinion (Not that of BUEHLER, LTD. or anyone else).
Scott D. Holt BUEHLER LTD. PO Box 1 41 Waukegan Rd. Lake Bluff, IL 60044 (847)295-6500 =
Who's flaming ? My original posting was directed to those who were openly discussing rates outside the context of proper cost accounting and was addressed to no one in particular. Those discussions violate anti-trust laws; if you think that not-for-profit organizations are exempt from adhering to such niceties, just review the recent legal history of those admissions policies that involved combinations between universities to restrict offers to new students.
Discussions that concern the arbitrary setting of rates in competition with other universities or for-profit vendors are not allowed. Those of us who read The Microscopy List are at risk of being accused of profiting from such discussions, just by reading them, and to have such information stored on one's computer may be reason enough to have trouble. [Thanks, Chuck, for putting those words at my fingertips.] My arguments would be more clearly understood if The Microscopy List were to distribute pornographic images of children as attachments [Thanks, Nestor, for not permitting attachments] and I were to point out that it is illegal and immoral not only to post the attachments but also to download, view, or save them. Less incendiary subjects may take more time before a reaction is felt; mine was such a reaction, after the number of discussions on the subject of costs went on and on.
On the other hand, discussions about how to get the "Administration" to take heed of the necessity of proper cost accounting seem perfectly fine, just as are the discussions of how properly to roll steel into rails; just don't talk about the costs involved in rolling those rails. If we discuss how properly to roll rail steel, then the customer gets better rails; if we discuss the costs to make those rails, the same customer gets dearer rails. That's the gist of it.
The debate therefore centers around the allocation of costs; getting rate information based on others' costs circumvents the processes of getting cost data just like peering at the adjacent student's exam paper externalizes the cost of preparation. Arbitrarily setting hourly rates to be competitive with a local private lab (rather than covering one's internal costs, including the cost of replacing the equipment) externalizes costs by using public money to take business away from an entity whose costs are mostly internalized. I say, "mostly," because Amenex gets certain tax breaks for "increasing research expenditures." How ? I dunno; ask your accountant. See what I mean ?
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
The University of California Electron Microscope Laboratory (EML) has an opening for a mid-to-senior level Staff Research Associate. The job description and duties are as follows:
Operate and maintain scanning and transmission electron microscopes, freeze-fracture machine, and EM support equipment, including PC-based digital imaging and analysis system. Train students, staff and other users in equipment use and EM techniques, including specimen preparation. Direct some work of one SRAII and work-study secretary. Work with equipment service representatives to troubleshoot problems.
Should have a minimum of five years working experience with electron microscopes and support equipment, and demonstrated experience in troubleshooting and maintaining such equipment. Good communications skills are essential. Demonstrated experience with computers, digital image processing, and EM specimen preparation methods including cryotechniques. The successful candidate must be able to work independently, make original contributions to research projects and be willing to learn new techniques as they develop or become available. Prefer someone with image-processing program experience such as NIH Image, and experience with Philips transmission microscopes and Hitachi and/or ISI scanning microscopes. Would also prefer someone who has experience with EM immunlabeling methods.
To apply, you should go to the UC Berkeley Home page at: {www.berkeley.edu} and select the following options: 1- Employment Opportunities, 2 - Staff Employment Opportunities, 3 - New Listings (if you are in the week of 8/16 - 8/20), or Previous Listings if you are in the week of 8/23 or later, 4 - Scientific/Laboratory, and 5 - scroll down until you see the heading: "Staff Research Associate III (A&PS 2), Electron Microscope Laboratory". If you are interested, then click on "How to Apply" at the top of the page.
It is important for those in industry to realize that there is a move in most Universities to get facilities providing research services to collect a much larger proportion of their expenses in the form of fees than was previously required. Since many of us would prefer not spend our time trying to collect fees, especially from starving graduate students and underfunded faculty, we generally fight these initiatives. The response is nearly always: "What are other Universities doing?"
I think that the question being asked is not so much, "What are they charging?" but "What proportion of their costs is being provided by the University to support research and education, and what proportion is being recovered from grants and contracts in the form of fees?" This is a policy question, the answer to which involves many implications about the interactive nature of higher education and research.
Perhaps one way to provide useful information on the listserver without violating antitrust laws is to discuss only the ratio of institutional support to fee support, rather than the actual dollar amounts (since costs of personnel and service contracts are relatively uniform).
Dr. Marie E. Cantino Dept. of Physiology and Neurobiology University of Connecticut Storrs, CT 06269-2131 Phone: 860-486-3588 Fax: 860-4861936
I do not know about other states but in Florida any and all information about state agencies or institutions is in the public domain. Anyone has the right to request and receive such information. This would include the cost accounting and charging for services by a microscopy lab. Hardly seems to fit within the definition of an anti-trust violations. Gregory W. Erdos, Ph.D. Ph. 352-392-1295 Assistant Director, Biotechnology Program PO Box 110580 Fax: 352-846-0251 University of Florida Gainesville, FL 32611
} Hi Roger & Microscopists ! } } Who's flaming ? My original posting was directed to those } who were openly discussing rates outside the context of proper } cost accounting and was addressed to no one in particular. } Those discussions violate anti-trust laws; if you think that } not-for-profit organizations are exempt from adhering to such } niceties,
So if I ask a colleague how much his lab charges for XY service and I also offer that service I am breaking the law. I my (non-legal) opining I doubt that anyone could prove in a court of law that such conversation equates with price fixing.
} just review the recent legal history of those admissions } policies that involved combinations between universities to restrict } offers to new students.
. What do admissions policies have to do with EM services? Let's compare apples to apples.
} Discussions that concern the arbitrary setting of rates in } competition with other universities or for-profit vendors are } not allowed.
Is that really happening here?
} Those of us who read The Microscopy List are at } risk of being accused of profiting from such discussions, just } by reading them, and to have such information stored on one's } computer may be reason enough to have trouble.
Get real.
} My arguments would } be more clearly understood if The Microscopy List were to } distribute pornographic images of children as attachments
Now there is a great analogy! I am reminded why I deleted all previous posts on this subject.
Geoff -- ********************************************** Geoff McAuliffe, Ph.D. Neuroscience and Cell Biology Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 675 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08854 voice: (732)-235-4583; fax: -4029 mcauliff-at-umdnj.edu **********************************************
------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
At 06:21 AM 8/18/1999 -0700, you wrote: } Hi, I am a senior at Aleghany High School in Western North } Carolina. I am involved in a special projects science class. I have } selected the a question, "Can I minimize the negative effects on } tissue during preservation by freezing?" } I have found a lot of information, but I am still looking for some } different substances or solutions in which to freeze the tissue in } order to reduce damage during preservation. } I am going to be using a lot of diiferent samples of tissue. For } example, cow tongue, liver brains, muscle tissue, and a few more } possibilities. } Any hints or information anyone could give me would be very much } appreciated. } Thanks for your time and consideration. } } } Juliette Nicole } Harris
Your message is a little vague about why you are looking at freezing = damage. Do you want to freeze living organisms, freeze so that you can = examine the materila for microscopy or do you want to investigate the use = of freezing for preserving foodstuffs? I can't help you with food but I = can give you some pointers for the first two subjects.
Commonly used compounds for freezing living tissue are glycerol and = dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). They pass through the membranes of cells and = act as a cryoprotectant, facilitating cooling to the solid state such that = the organisms survive after thawing. See the folloing references for more = details: Mazur P. 1970 Cryobiology: the freezing of biological systems. Science vol = 168, pages 939-949. Mazur P. 1984 Freezing of living cells: mechanisms and implications = American Journal of Physiology vol 247(16), pages C125-C142.
Another interesting paper on the subject of freezing living tissue without = damage is by Rall and Fahy (Ice-free preservation of mouse embryos at -196 = degrees Celcius by vitrification. 1985 Nature vol 313, pages 573-575). = They soaked live, whole mouse embryos in a complex mixture of solvents = prior to freezing by immersion in liquid nitrogen. After re-thawing, they = found a mortality rate of 15% which control experiments showed to be a = result of the solvent mixture alone. Maybe there is hope for us when we = have our heads frozen!
For electron microscopists, the goal is to freeze so rapidly that ice = crystals do not have time to form. This gives us biological material that = has not been exposed to chemicals (either for cryopreservation or fixation)= which can produce artifactual information in the material understudy. To = get these rapid freezing conditions requires much skill and in many = instances, expensive equipment. However, the preservation of morphology = can be excellent. =
Currently, high pressure freezing seems to offer the best results. Even = so, this can only be performed on very small samples. There is a chapter = in "Methods in Molecular Biology: Electron Microscopy Methods and = Protocols" vol 117 Editor N. Hajibagheri (1999) by Kent MacDonald which = covers this protocol in great detail. =
For more detailed papers on the theory of freezing look at the article by = Mazur (cited above) and F. Franks (Biological freezing and cryofixation. = Journal of Microscopy 1977 vol 111 pages 3-16). There is also a review by = Dubochet et al (Cryoelectron microscopy of vitrified specimens) but it = might not be easy to find (Quarterly Review of Biophysics 1988 vol 21, = pages 129-228). =
There are many sceintists putting these theories into practice. See the = web site from Martin Muller's lab {http://www.em.biol.ethz.ch/} and {http:/= /www.em.biol.ethz.ch/em-lab/hpflit/hpflit.html} for some examples. =
If you are freezing material so that is can be used for food after thawing,= then I suggest you put your question to someone in the food industry. = Neither glycerol or DMSO would work well for this application.
I hope this helps with your search for information.
Regards,
Paul Webster, Ph.D House Ear Institute 2100 West Third Street Los Angeles, CA 90057 phone:213 273 8026 fax: 213 413 6739 e-mail: pwebster-at-hei.org http://www.hei.org/htm/aemi.htm
by spamraaa.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-REL-1.0) id TAA28192 for microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com; Wed, 18 Aug 1999 19:45:21 -0400 (EDT) Sender: geos-at-goldrush.com Received: from sibbald (sfr-tgn-sfz-vty26.as.wcom.net [216.192.43.26]) by spamraaa.compuserve.com (8.9.3/8.9.3/SUN-REL-1.0) with SMTP id TAA28150; Wed, 18 Aug 1999 19:45:12 -0400 (EDT) Message-ID: {03ae01bee9d3$98560ca0$74c0dad1-at-sibbald} Reply-To: "george sibbald" {geos-at-goldrush.com} "Phil Wolf" {testsolutions-at-worldnet.att.net} , "Ed Sandke" {ed-at-molec.com}
A workshop at the ACS conference on "AFM for Physical Property Measurements". The workshop will be held on Wednesday, August 25, starting at 1:30pm in room 236 at the Morial Convention Center. Please stop by at Molecular Imaging booth #963 and check out MI's web-site www.molec.com
We have recently started to receive specimens of skins to process for TEM. Up to now, the majority of our specimens have been renal and tumour. The problem that has arisen is splitting of sections at the stratum lucidium. We have tried some modifications to our existing processing schedule which uses epon 812 (increased infiltration times etc) and recently tried using spurrs but the problem has not yet been completely solved.
We are hoping that someone out there may have the definitive processing schedule for dermatological samples which they are willing to share and in so doing save us some time and agro. Thanks in advance.
Mark Donovan M.Donovan-at-Alfred.org.au Anatomical Pathology Alfred Hospital Victoria, Australia
I have been on vacation for the past 10 days and wouldn't normally spend = my "family" time responding to such messages. However, you have posted a message that is so insulting that I made an exception. If you had nasty things to say about South Bay Technology or me personally, I wouldn't giv= e it a second thought. After all, you've done that several times in the past. However, you have used this forum to publicly question the ethics = of Bernie Kestel who happens to be a very fine human being and a good friend=
of mine. Bernie is a man who is as honest and straightforward as anyone you will ever meet and has always openly shared his experience and "secrets" with great pride, but absent of ego. It is his dedication to h= is work and his willingness to share his knowledge with others that earned h= im the MSA Outstanding Technologist Award several years ago.
I am here to tell you that there is absolutely no financial "arrangement"=
between South Bay Technology and Bernie Kestel or Argonne National Laboratory. I have known Bernie since I joined South Bay Technology in 1985 and Bernie has been a satisfied customer since the early 70's. As most people can attest, sample preparation is very much an art and it tak= es people who are dedicated to a particular technique to really get the mos= t out of it. Bernie has spent more time with jet polishing than anyone on earth and is without a doubt, the most successful jet polisher around. H= e has taken our single jet polisher and used it in ways that have enabled = us to do things that we never dreamed possible. Since the early 70's we hav= e worked with Bernie to refine the instrument and the techniques and we are=
both very proud of our accomplishments. =
At South Bay Technology, we do not do product development in a vacuum. = We find customers who are interested in a particular technique or in solving= a particular problem and we work with them to develop the equipment. In mo= st cases, those customers end up being very satisfied with the results. Wit= h Bernie, we are fortunate enough to have a satisfied customer who is willi= ng to share his experience with others through publishing papers and posting=
responses to this list. You are right, he has done it before. So have several of our other customers. We do not, as you suggest, have financia= l relationships with them either. These are people we call SATISFIED CUSTOMERS. =
Perhaps at ProSciTech you just assume that one needs to pay for endorsements. Over the past 35 years in this business, we at South Bay Technology have earned them.
} } } } } Please visit us at http://www.southbaytech.com { { { { {
Celebrating 35 years manufacturing precision sample preparation equipment=
and supplies for metallography, crystallography and electron microscopy.
Message text written by "jim-at-proscitech.com.au" } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America =
My dear Bernard, Below message was posted on the 14 August and again on 17 August, the latter =
with a copy to David Henriks, the proprietor of South Bay Techn., the =
manufacturer of this wonderful equipment. I do not doubt that you are ver= y =
happy with the equipment and that it performs well. Certainly you are entitled =
to post such a message and some subscribers would be interested in your =
endorsement. Since you have previously also endorsed this equipment so enthusiasticall= y on =
this forum, I am interested to learn about your "arrangement" with David =
Henriks. I think that the addition of a disclaimer to your message was required =
and appropriate. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 2:52 AM, Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov]= =
wrote: } } George, } Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel } obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope } facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best=
jet } polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no financial } interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay } Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent results-many } recipes } & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies } used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing=
} "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. LED } light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin metals } such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have be= en } electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts fro= m } the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid = as } well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, } membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosi= ty } baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified=
to } polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc.=
By } using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be } removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means o= f } measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We u= se } Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering t= he } "first } side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" } materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for } radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me directly } for } more info. } } Bernard Kestel } Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} } Argonne National Laboratory } 9700 South Cass Avenue } Argonne, Illinois, 60439 }
Hi Ya'll: I'm looking for suggestions on the best method/format to send large scanned image files via e-mail. Recently, I have been sending compressed jpg files that are inserted into a powerpoint presentation (thus sending the image within the powerpoint file). This seems to be an effective method to make sure that the image I see on my computer looks the same as the image that the recipient sees on their computer.
The reason why I do this, is that I have had experiences when I have sent a Photoshop manipulated image, that it doesn't always look as good on the recipients' computer as it did when I was done with it in Photoshop on my computer (eg. the recipient sees a grainy image that looked great on my computer--this especially seems to happen after I sharpen the image in Photoshop and the recipient views it in Microsoft imager, but also can occur with other imaging programs).
My method has two drawbacks:
1) The file size is still too large (up to 1mb) 2) The printed image isn't as good as it looks on the computer screen.
I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Coviello Lab Manager UT Arlington Arlington, TX
Let's us end this thread now. Enough has been said and it can easily escalate into a bashing event, which I is not permited. If you have any other comments please send them off-line.
You should be using FTP for this process not Email. Email is not designed to handle, large files such as this . Another alternative is to upload your image to a private WWW site and then let your colleague view the images via their browser. From the browser window you can do a local save to disk.
The graininess may be due to the bit depth of the monitor/program your colleague is using. Make sure you are both using the same "number of colors" . Alternatively, when you save the file, save it as Indexed Color -at- 8 bits( 256 colors), use an Adaptive pallette and a Diffusion Dither/Interpolation in Photoshop. You won't have true colors etc.. but you probably don't have calibrated monitors. The photo should look okay then.
You can test this out yourself by simply chaning the bit depth of your monitor. Go from 16 bit to 8 bit mode and see what happens to the image on your screen. On mine it goes from a good to grainy.
Nestor Your Friendly Neighborhood SysOp
======================================
} Hi Ya'll: } I'm looking for suggestions on the best method/format to send large } scanned image files via e-mail. -----------------balance of message deleted -----------------
You can zip the image files and they will compress without loss.
I have been using Adobe Acrobat to send images out. They are compromised, but they are very much suited for printing at the receiving end, especially if you output the pdf file at 600 dpi. I've checked the output to a printer from both the original application (Photoshop in my case) and PDF and there is little difference in quality. I've taken 10Mb Word files with several images to where they are below our 1Mb file transfer limit. I have no trouble with my customers getting Adobe Acrobat Reader and viewing and printing the documents that I send to them.
The beauty of Adobe Acrobat is that you can create a pdf file from any program and read it on any platform without any other software package.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
Walck-at-PPG.com
(412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8161 (fax)
"The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies."
---------- } From: Michael Coviello To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Hi Ya'll: I'm looking for suggestions on the best method/format to send large scanned image files via e-mail. Recently, I have been sending compressed jpg files that are inserted into a powerpoint presentation (thus sending the image within the powerpoint file). This seems to be an effective method to make sure that the image I see on my computer looks the same as the image that the recipient sees on their computer.
The reason why I do this, is that I have had experiences when I have sent a Photoshop manipulated image, that it doesn't always look as good on the recipients' computer as it did when I was done with it in Photoshop on my computer (eg. the recipient sees a grainy image that looked great on my computer--this especially seems to happen after I sharpen the image in Photoshop and the recipient views it in Microsoft imager, but also can occur with other imaging programs).
My method has two drawbacks:
1) The file size is still too large (up to 1mb) 2) The printed image isn't as good as it looks on the computer screen.
I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated.
Mike Coviello Lab Manager UT Arlington Arlington, TX
Dear David: Why do you raise the issue that Bernie is a great man? Several of his peers have said so and I have not expressed any doubt about that. Why do you claim that I have said "nasty" things about you on several occasions? I do not recall anything that fits that definition. If you find my comments unpleasant, I cannot help that. If you think they were spiteful, abusive or ill-natured you require an interpreter. My comments are to defend an important principle: subscribers should be able to trust that posted information is not subject to obvious bias (interests).
David, it would have been better had you tried to clear up the reasons for my skepticism. I reiterate, from my last posting: "} I have not doubted that Bernie is a great researcher, well published and well } regarded. His experience and contributions I am certain are welcome in this forum. } However I have reasons to be a skeptic in one regard only: } Why extol to such an extend one make of equipment? } Why post the same ringing endorsement twice, but four days apart, with the } second posting copied to the proprietor of the endorsed product? } Why were similar ringing endorsements given by the same laboratory for the same } product at earlier occasions? } Why did he bother to send emails to a prospective purchaser, George T.?"
You and others have instead just said: Bernie is great. Great, but what about my questions. Unwittingly you did give the answers: "} Since the early 70's we have worked with Bernie to refine the instrument and the techniques } and we are both very proud of our accomplishments." Hmmm, Bernie has worked with your company on product developments over the course of over 25 years. Nothing wrong there, in fact I applaud that. However, this should have been stated in his product recommendation on the listserver. Did he have an interest or an "arrangement" with South Bay Technology? I cannot know, but again I am the skeptic: if neither Bernie nor the laboratory received some recompense for the effort, I suggest that the company was particularly miserable and the lab should have curtailed Bernie's involvement with that company. I think that these are the obvious and logical conclusions. It would have been preferable if subscribers to the listserver had not been deceived. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:43 PM, David Henriks [SMTP:Henriks-at-compuserve.com] wrote: } Dear Jim: } } I have been on vacation for the past 10 days and wouldn't normally spend my } "family" time responding to such messages. However, you have posted a } message that is so insulting that I made an exception. If you had nasty } things to say about South Bay Technology or me personally, I wouldn't give } it a second thought. After all, you've done that several times in the } past. However, you have used this forum to publicly question the ethics of } Bernie Kestel who happens to be a very fine human being and a good friend } of mine. Bernie is a man who is as honest and straightforward as anyone } you will ever meet and has always openly shared his experience and } "secrets" with great pride, but absent of ego. It is his dedication to his } work and his willingness to share his knowledge with others that earned him } the MSA Outstanding Technologist Award several years ago. } } I am here to tell you that there is absolutely no financial "arrangement" } between South Bay Technology and Bernie Kestel or Argonne National } Laboratory. I have known Bernie since I joined South Bay Technology in } 1985 and Bernie has been a satisfied customer since the early 70's. As } most people can attest, sample preparation is very much an art and it takes } people who are dedicated to a particular technique to really get the most } out of it. Bernie has spent more time with jet polishing than anyone on } earth and is without a doubt, the most successful jet polisher around. He } has taken our single jet polisher and used it in ways that have enabled us } to do things that we never dreamed possible. Since the early 70's we have } worked with Bernie to refine the instrument and the techniques and we are } both very proud of our accomplishments. } } At South Bay Technology, we do not do product development in a vacuum. We } find customers who are interested in a particular technique or in solving a } particular problem and we work with them to develop the equipment. In most } cases, those customers end up being very satisfied with the results. With } Bernie, we are fortunate enough to have a satisfied customer who is willing } to share his experience with others through publishing papers and posting } responses to this list. You are right, he has done it before. So have } several of our other customers. We do not, as you suggest, have financial } relationships with them either. These are people we call SATISFIED } CUSTOMERS. } } Perhaps at ProSciTech you just assume that one needs to pay for } endorsements. Over the past 35 years in this business, we at South Bay } Technology have earned them. } } Best regards- } } David } Writing at 4:03:11 PM on 8/18/99 } } *************************************************************************** } ************************ } } David Henriks TEL: } 800-728-2233 (toll free in the USA) } South Bay Technology, Inc. +1-949-492-2600 } 1120 Via Callejon FAX: +1-949-492-1499 } San Clemente, CA 92673 USA e-mail: henriks-at-southbaytech.com } } *************************************************************************** } ************************ } } } } } } } Please visit us at http://www.southbaytech.com { { { { { } } Celebrating 35 years manufacturing precision sample preparation equipment } and supplies for metallography, crystallography and electron microscopy. } } Message text written by "jim-at-proscitech.com.au" } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } My dear Bernard, } Below message was posted on the 14 August and again on 17 August, the } latter } with a copy to David Henriks, the proprietor of South Bay Techn., the } manufacturer of this wonderful equipment. I do not doubt that you are very } happy with the equipment and that it performs well. Certainly you are } entitled } to post such a message and some subscribers would be interested in your } endorsement. } Since you have previously also endorsed this equipment so enthusiastically } on } this forum, I am interested to learn about your "arrangement" with David } Henriks. I think that the addition of a disclaimer to your message was } required } and appropriate. } Cheers } Jim Darley } ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS } PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia } Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au } Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes } www.proscitech.com.au } } On Tuesday, August 17, 1999 2:52 AM, Bernard Kestel [SMTP:kestel-at-anl.gov] } wrote: } } } } George, } } Having used jet polishers on a daily basis since 1970, I feel } } obligated to share my observations of them with you. Since microscope } } facilities have millions of dollars invested in 'scopes, etc., the best } jet } } polisher can be a bargain, even if it costs a bit more. I have no } financial } } interest in the products mentioned below. Our lab has used South Bay } } Technology's 550 series jet polishers since 1972 with excellent } results-many } } recipes } } & techniques were published in a 66 page report with some 1,000 copies } } used worldwide. They feature a magnified, in-situ view of the polishing } } "cell", line of sight optical shut-off path for adj.,high sensitivity. } LED } } light sources of infrared, red, green, & yellow have been used to thin } metals } } such as W,Ta,Nb, and a host of other metals and alloys. Si & Ge have been } } electropolished, the former also was chemically thinned using parts from } } the manufacturer's kit for that purpose-allowing use of Hf/nitric acid as } } well as perchloric acid baths at -50 degrees C. The thin, perforated, } } membrane retaining the specimen has little resistance to higher viscosity } } baths, a KEY to smoother specimens! The unit has been slightly modified } to } } polish the entire surface of a 3 m.m.disc before ion implantation, etc. } By } } using a timer & external D.C.power, as little as 50 nanometers can be } } removed from a metal surface before back thinning it-provided a means of } } measuring the step heigth left by strippable lacquer is available. We use } } Microshield, designed for electroplating for this as well as covering the } } "first } } side" dimple. Lastly, the time saved developing a good polish on "new" } } materials with in-situ viewing is substantial. We use 6 550's-two for } } radioactive materials-and feel they are fine instruments. Contact me } directly } } for } } more info. } } } } Bernard Kestel } } Materials Science Division E-mail {kestel-at-anl.gov} } } Argonne National Laboratory } } 9700 South Cass Avenue } } Argonne, Illinois, 60439 } }
} } We have recently started to receive specimens of skins to process for TEM. } Up to now, the majority of our specimens have been renal and tumour. The } problem that has arisen is splitting of sections at the stratum lucidium. We } have tried some modifications to our existing processing schedule which uses } epon 812 (increased infiltration times etc) and recently tried using spurrs } but the problem has not yet been completely solved. } } We are hoping that someone out there may have the definitive processing } schedule for dermatological samples which they are willing to share and in } so doing save us some time and agro. } Thanks in advance. } } Mark Donovan } M.Donovan-at-Alfred.org.au } Anatomical Pathology } Alfred Hospital } Victoria, Australia
Mark -
Have you tried LR White? My enthusiasm for that acrylic started with its excellent performance with skin samples. Use a conventional dehydrartion, rather than a compressed series that skips 100% ethanol.
Caroline
Caroline Schooley Project MICRO Coordinator Microscopy Society of America Box 117, 45301 Caspar Point Road Caspar, CA 95420 Phone/FAX (707)964-9460 Project MICRO: http://www.msa.microscopy.com/ProjectMicro/PMHomePage.html Intertidal invertebrates: http://www.fortbragg.k12.ca.us/AG/PCI/pci.html
I have been amazed as I'm sure many of you have been by what I see as an unwarranted attack on Bernie Kestel's integrity. I have been a member of this ListServer for over three years and I have never seen this type of personal attack before and I hope that this is the last time our membership is subjected to this kind of nonsense.
Bernie Kestel certainly does not need me to defend his honor in fact other than by "the list", I don't even know him but in my opinion he is a valuable asset. I too, do materials sample preparation for TEM and from time to time I have requested help from this list. Bernie has always been among those who have taken the time to answer my questions and offer helpful suggestions.
I would hate to see one individual's personal jealousy or grudge cause damage to the ListServer, surely if there are questions of this sort they are better addressed off line.
How large is "large"? If the image pixel array is larger than the physical display size of the viewing screen, some of the pixels are discarded to fit it on the screen. How well this works can be a function of the viewing software.
Another question... Does the recepient have enough video ram to display the same color depth as you? 8 bit images on newer computers are usually no problem. OTOH, Large color (i.e. 24 bit) images may be displayed at reduced color depth on systems with little video ram. This will result in a grainy appearance.
I use uncompressed TIFF images whenever I can. The data for TIFF is not modified when saved. Jpg compression (there are a number of degrees of compression) can be quite useful to reduce file size, but it should be used carefully for scientific imaging since it does modify the data. Note that every time an image is saved using jpg, the data is compressed again. To preserve image integrety when working with images, stay with TIFF until the "last save", then use jpg - if necessary. TIFF images can be loss-less compressed slightly using "LZW".
Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications)
I love this mailing list as a great source of information.
Garry
Garry Burgess Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy Department of Pathology Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg
You have not explained your experiment enough that I can be sure about what you wish to measure.
One of the issues you will encounter is the frequency of the x-ray events and the counting statistics as you move to shorter collection times per measurement. I really doubt that any lag in the detector or the electronics would be significant. I assume that you want to measure change in x-ray intensities over short periods of time. You would need to measure many x-ray events to determine a count rate and that will be limited by your x-ray throughput. There are detectors that can process hundreds of thousands of counts per second. But let me assume that you would want a standard deviation of 10% on any measurement, that means you would need to count 1 ms periods for an input count rate of 100 kcps to get about 100 counts in each measurement.
I suppose you would also have to deal with the software/hardware treatment of the counts as they arrive. I don't know if the current stock EDS systems are setup so that you could track the change in intensity over time. But I do remember our old TN-2000 having a mode where the channels could be setup in terms of time instead of energy and the counts in an energy ROI could be tallied over time. We never used it in that mode, but it could be along the lines of what you want.
I suppose if there was some way to tag each arriving x-ray for time as well as energy, you could determine the time between events and use that to determine rates. However, I expect that to be far outside the current capabilities of most (if not all) x-ray systems. That sounds more like some of the instrumentation used in nuclear physics and likely requires specialized design. If you are interested in that kind of measurement, I could give you the names of some on campus here who have designed and built such equipment for experiments in Europe.
Hope it helps some. Warren S.
At 12:32 PM 8/18/1999 +0100, you wrote: } Dear microprobe listers, } I am considering some time resolved experiments using EDX and/or WDX. } Does anyone know with what accuracy the time of arrival of a pulse from an } X-ray detector can be determined?. Is it limited by the detector, or the } counting electronics? I hope to look at some very fast events.... } } Regards } Chris Walker
---------------------------------------------------- Warren E. Straszheim 23 Town Engineering Iowa State University Ames IA, 50011-3232
SO-163 is not a new film. It has a thicker emulsion and hence takes longer to pump down than the 4489. But... you have 3 choices for developing conditions. Medium grain is twice the speed of 4489. Small grain is the same speed. See the EK web pages for more info
} Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested } in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old } 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications) } } I love this mailing list as a great source of information. } } Garry } } } Garry Burgess } Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy } Department of Pathology } Health Sciences Centre } Winnipeg
Hendrik O. Colijn colijn.1-at-osu.edu Campus Electron Optics Facility Ohio State University (614) 292-0674 http://web.ceof.ohio-state.edu An optimist believes that we live in the best of all possible worlds. A pessimist fears that this is true.
I have been meaning to post this question for awhile and haven't done so.
The SO-163 is faster. I think that with the speed the contrast is less flat than 4489.
I am finally just about out of all of the 4489 film that we had when I got here and will be switching over to SO-163. Does anyone know what the relative sensitivity setting on a JEOL 1200EX should be? The current setting for the 4489 film is 9. I'm guessing that the setting should be 12 or 13. If you know the settings for both of these films for a JEOL 1200EX, please let me know what they are.
-Scott ---------- } From: Garry Burgess To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List' -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications)
I love this mailing list as a great source of information.
Garry
Garry Burgess Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy Department of Pathology Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg
Hello. I'm very new to SEM work and I would like to prepare a slide that contains bacteria, and hopefully magnetite particles that are {1 micron. The problem is that I don't know: 1. if I will be able to see the magnetite with the cell wall of the bacteria around it 2. what the proceedure is to prepare a slide from a sample that is fixed in about 30 ml of glutaraldehyde.
Thank you for taking the time to help out. I'm struggling with my inexperience.
The reason that I thought that this film was new, was because in the = full page Kodak add, at the top in LARGE PRINT, they have the words: = AVAILABLE NOW!!!.... as though it was something new. (ad in Microscopy and = Analysis July 1997 issue)
Then, they claim: -higher resolution -improved contrast -finer grain -superior overall image quality -variable speed - greater flexibility -superior packaging and finally, no change in protocols required.
Strangely, the price was significantly higher for 250 sheets when = bought as 250 sheets, vs the 100 sheet boxes.
Garry
} ---------- } From: John F. Mansfield[SMTP:jfmjfm-at-engin.umich.edu] } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:07 PM } To: Garry Burgess } Subject: Re: Kodak SO-163 Electron Image Film } =20 } } I didnt realise it was new, we have been using it for 12 years now.=20 } } It is grainier and faster than the 4489 stuff. But we use it for=20 } } all our high resolution work. } =20 } =20 } =20 } =20 } = } -----------------------------------------------------------------------= - } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of = America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to = ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help = http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } = } -----------------------------------------------------------------------=
Garry, is there a new SO-163 as opposed to say the SO-163 I have used since ~1993? Can't give you a comparison but I don't have complaints. I am interested in the feed back your query produces.
Hi Sorry about the job ad placed earlier.we made some correction.Please make a note of it. The University of California Electron Microscope Laboratory (EML) has an opening for a mid-to-senior level Staff Research Associate. The job description and duties are as follows:
Operate and maintain scanning and transmission electron microscopes, freeze-fracture machine, and EM support equipment, including PC-based digital imaging and analysis system. Train students, staff and other users in equipment use and EM techniques, including specimen preparation. Direct some work of one SRAII and work-study secretary. Work with equipment service representatives to troubleshoot problems.
Should have a minimum of five years working experience with electron microscopes and support equipment, and demonstrated experience in troubleshooting and maintaining such equipment. Good communications skills are essential. Demonstrated experience with computers, digital image processing, and EM specimen preparation methods including cryotechniques. The successful candidate must be able to work independently, make original contributions to research projects and be willing to learn new techniques as they develop or become available. Prefer someone with image-processing program experience such as NIH Image, and experience with Philips transmission microscopes and Hitachi and/or ISI scanning microscopes. Would also prefer someone who has experience with EM immunlabeling methods.
To apply, you should go to the UC Berkeley Home page at: {www.berkeley.edu} and select the following options: 1- Employment Opportunities, 2 - Staff Employment Opportunities, 3 - Previous and Still Open Listings (August 18-25), 4 - Scientific/Laboratory, and 5 - scroll down until you see the heading: "Staff Research Associate III (A&PS 2), Electron Microscope Laboratory". It is second from the bottom of the S/L listings. If you are interested, then click on "How to Apply" at the top of the page.
Hello everybody Only one format I know, which preserves most settings including printing-settings, is "TIFF". This format does not modify data when it saved on disk. The disadvantage of the "TIFF" format is file-size: the files are huge. You may compress files by 30-50% using, for instance LZV in Photoshop. "GIF" may be suitable for B&W images 256 levels gray-scale as a compromise between quality and file-size. "JPEG" - provides smallest files but transform the original image. I always store my data in non-compressed "TIFF" and use "JPEG" when the quality is not so important. I find useful to save most of my data in two formats: "TIFF" - as a source of original data and "JPEG" - for fast viewing, making slide-show, demonstration, correspondence and so on.
} Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 09:22:00 -0400 } From: "Walck. Scott D." {walck-at-ppg.com} } Subject: RE: EM-Need help sending large image files } To: Michael Coviello {coviello-at-mae.uta.edu} , } Micro {microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com} } X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2650.10) } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Dr. Sergey Ryazantsev UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry Box 951737 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1737
I have an exciting and fun opportunity for all of you. I am currently acting as a technical contributor of an exhibit for the Arizona Science Center (http://www.azscience.org/) and want the input from the rest of the microscopy community.
Let me first discuss the Arizona Science Center for those of you that are not from the Phoenix valley area. ASC is a non-profit organization designed to increase scientific awareness through various hands on and interactive exhibits. A little of every science is represented. The audience are families and no particular age group is represented. It's goal is that it will spark interest in the sciences and encourage life-long learning.
The microscopy exhibit itself is a silicon graphics workstation enclosed in a kiosk type format. Images from all aspects of light, electron, acoustic, and the scanning probe microcopies are to be included. Navigation will be in a internet web browser format. People will click on links to learn about the various aspects of out field. There will also be other little programs such as 3D reconstruction from microscopy that will be manipulated by the user.
Our greatest opportunity will be the activities portion that will go with the exhibit. I would like to have hands on learning to be conducted by a staff member with a small group of ASC visitors. I currently have some of the more typical activities planned such as pond critter and cheek cell study. The problem is I would like very much to represent more than optical microscopy. I need ideas how to represent the workings of electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes to a novice level. The opportunity is wide open for any ideas keeping in mind the available, but limited budget of a non-profit organization.
Now I must mention that I am currently a professional microscopist myself Motorola, but I am volunteering my time and resources. No ideas will be used for commercial purposes in any way. If you would like to submit ideas for the hands-on learning, micrographs, software, or equipment (tax deductible) please contact myself at eletrons-at-att.worldnet.net. Thank you for your time and minds.
Brian Wajdyk Senior Electron Microscopist Motorola - Product and Materials Characterization Laboratory Mail Drop:360 2200 W. Broadway Rd. Mesa, AZ 85202 Ph: 480-655-4337 Fax: 480-655-4316
I apoligise. My email is electrons-at-worldnet.att.net. Thank you.
Brian
} -----Original Message----- } From: Brian Wajdyk [mailto:bwajdyk-at-worldnet.att.net] } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 4:27 PM } To: Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } Cc: electrons-at-worldnet.att.net } Subject: Educational Ideas to increase awareness of microscopy } } } Fellow microscopists, } } I have an exciting and fun opportunity for all of you. I am } currently acting as a technical contributor of an exhibit for the } Arizona Science Center (http://www.azscience.org/) and want the } input from the rest of the microscopy community. } } Let me first discuss the Arizona Science Center for those of you } that are not from the Phoenix valley area. ASC is a non-profit } organization designed to increase scientific awareness through } various hands on and interactive exhibits. A little of every } science is represented. The audience are families and no } particular age group is represented. It's goal is that it will } spark interest in the sciences and encourage life-long learning. } } The microscopy exhibit itself is a silicon graphics workstation } enclosed in a kiosk type format. Images from all aspects of } light, electron, acoustic, and the scanning probe microcopies are } to be included. Navigation will be in a internet web browser } format. People will click on links to learn about the various } aspects of out field. There will also be other little programs } such as 3D reconstruction from microscopy that will be } manipulated by the user. } } Our greatest opportunity will be the activities portion that will } go with the exhibit. I would like to have hands on learning to } be conducted by a staff member with a small group of ASC } visitors. I currently have some of the more typical activities } planned such as pond critter and cheek cell study. The problem } is I would like very much to represent more than optical } microscopy. I need ideas how to represent the workings of } electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes to a novice } level. The opportunity is wide open for any ideas keeping in } mind the available, but limited budget of a non-profit organization. } } Now I must mention that I am currently a professional } microscopist myself Motorola, but I am volunteering my time and } resources. No ideas will be used for commercial purposes in any } way. If you would like to submit ideas for the hands-on } learning, micrographs, software, or equipment (tax deductible) } please contact myself at eletrons-at-att.worldnet.net. Thank you } for your time and minds. } } Brian Wajdyk } Senior Electron Microscopist } Motorola - Product and Materials Characterization Laboratory } Mail Drop:360 } 2200 W. Broadway Rd. } Mesa, AZ 85202 } Ph: 480-655-4337 } Fax: 480-655-4316
It has been brought to my attntion that i have sent the wrong email address. Please respond my previous email about microscopy educational ideas to the address at the header of this email or to: electrons-at-worldnet.att.net . Thank you, I look forward to your responses.
} -----Original Message----- } From: Brian Wajdyk [mailto:bwajdyk-at-worldnet.att.net] } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 4:27 PM } To: Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } Cc: electrons-at-worldnet.att.net } Subject: Educational Ideas to increase awareness of microscopy } } } Fellow microscopists, } } I have an exciting and fun opportunity for all of you. I am } currently acting as a technical contributor of an exhibit for the } Arizona Science Center (http://www.azscience.org/) and want the } input from the rest of the microscopy community. } } Let me first discuss the Arizona Science Center for those of you } that are not from the Phoenix valley area. ASC is a non-profit } organization designed to increase scientific awareness through } various hands on and interactive exhibits. A little of every } science is represented. The audience are families and no } particular age group is represented. It's goal is that it will } spark interest in the sciences and encourage life-long learning. } } The microscopy exhibit itself is a silicon graphics workstation } enclosed in a kiosk type format. Images from all aspects of } light, electron, acoustic, and the scanning probe microcopies are } to be included. Navigation will be in a internet web browser } format. People will click on links to learn about the various } aspects of out field. There will also be other little programs } such as 3D reconstruction from microscopy that will be } manipulated by the user. } } Our greatest opportunity will be the activities portion that will } go with the exhibit. I would like to have hands on learning to } be conducted by a staff member with a small group of ASC } visitors. I currently have some of the more typical activities } planned such as pond critter and cheek cell study. The problem } is I would like very much to represent more than optical } microscopy. I need ideas how to represent the workings of } electron microscopes and scanning probe microscopes to a novice } level. The opportunity is wide open for any ideas keeping in } mind the available, but limited budget of a non-profit organization. } } Now I must mention that I am currently a professional } microscopist myself Motorola, but I am volunteering my time and } resources. No ideas will be used for commercial purposes in any } way. If you would like to submit ideas for the hands-on } learning, micrographs, software, or equipment (tax deductible) } please contact myself at eletrons-at-att.worldnet.net. Thank you } for your time and minds. } } Brian Wajdyk } Senior Electron Microscopist } Motorola - Product and Materials Characterization Laboratory } Mail Drop:360 } 2200 W. Broadway Rd. } Mesa, AZ 85202 } Ph: 480-655-4337 } Fax: 480-655-4316
Way back in 1966 when I first started my industrial career at U.S. Steel's Edgar C. Bain Laboratory for Fundamental Research (which is what it was called before it became a grease spot in Corporate America) Gene Fischione and Dick Glenn were engaged in a "moon race" of sorts to bring out some of the earliest electrolytic jet polishers. Remy Schoone helped Gene build his model; and Bob Sober helped Dick make the competition. Dick's was the model of simplicity; Gene's had all the bells & whistles. I was partial to Dick's because he taught me how to polish my teensie little cross sections of iron wires, even letting me use the prototype. I was under penalty of death & disfigurement if I failed to clean it thoroughly after each session; I'm still pretty, so you know I held up my end of the bargain. Gene was always friendly and encouraging and even made some of my experimental apparatus, so the rivalries remained friendly.
So now I'm wondering: Gene's company still survives as:
http://www.fischione.com/products.html
(I'm giving a subsidiary page URL because the "index.html" file may be somewhat awry)
And his electrolytic jet polisher is apparently still being made.
But what ever happened to Dick Glenn's design ? I heard (from Dick himself) that the rights were sold to a laboratory supply house, but I rarely see any of Dick's units around.
I haven't used either one of these fine instruments in nearly thirty years, so the only connection is historical and the good feelings I have about the four nice guys who made them.
Best regards, George Langford, Sc.D. {amenex-at-amenex.com} http://www.amenex.com/
Whole-hearted congratulations on this response! Maybe you industry types should just sign off to avoid being prosecuted by the SEC or whomever you think might really care about this. And, if you think this cyber-chat is a real problem, then maybe you ought to call a quick phone conference with those who posted to this thread. That way everybody can have their say without a record existing. Except of course for your personal notes... Notes? What notes? Do you seriously think this is the same magnitude as the scams those greedy %$#*&^ at Microsoft are pulling? Do you really think somebody with the power to come after you might do it over this? Maybe if you run for public office..... As below: GET REAL (or get out). Rob Palmer
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Actually, the target is probably a 0.33x mag factor. Many of the new CCds are 1/3rd inch while the older adapters figured a 1-inch TV camera or 35 mm camera. Getting that low in mag takes a little bit of optics and gets expensive. I remember seeing a 0.31x adapter somewhere, maybe from D.I.
We opted for a simply relay lens from Edmund Scientific at a cost of about $230. It has about a 0.5x factor and doesn't have all the fancy parfocality adjustments of some of the other solutions, but it was a good basic solution for the price.
At 10:34 AM 8/18/99 -0400, you wrote: } } Gary, Mary, } Gary, you have a good point. The optics of most microscopes means a camera } will sample a significantly smaller area and in turn give a significant } increase in magnification. To compensate for this we use optical couplers } with a 0.6X mag factor on all our scopes. We use couplers made by Diagnostic } Instruments. They are quite expensive but provide a dimentionally accurate } representation. Russ Gillmeister, Xerox } I have no finantial interest in Diagnostic Instruments.
I am interested in electrojet polishing and window thinning for HRTEM and ATEM sample preparation: 1) Can you suggest me some way to save the carbides from falling apart from a ferritic steel thin foil sample. 2) Will Ni electroplating be a good idea for edge protection while preparing ferritic thin foils near the failed region. 4) Which is better technique for sample preparation in dissimilar metal welds, jet polishing or window thinning.
with kind regards,
V Chaswal, Materials Technology Division, IGCAR, India
11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000), 3-8th Sept. 2000, York, UK.
Our web-site problem is now solved so please take a moment to visit the site at http://www.med.ic.ac.uk/external/ichc_2000
Best wishes
Gary Dr. Gary Coulton Molecular Pathology Division of Biomedical Sciences Imperial College School of Medicine The Sir Alexander Fleming Building South Kensington London SW7 2AZ
tel 0044 (0)171 594 3190 fax 0044 (0)171 594 3022
e-mail g.coulton-at-ic.ac.uk
------------------------------------- Announcing the 11th International Congress of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry (ICHC 2000)
"Understanding Biocomplexity: The Post-Genome Challenge"
September 3-8, 2000, York, United Kingdom
ICHC 2000 will comprise 27 symposia addressing the latest developments and applications of histochemistry and cytochemistry in the life sciences including medicine.
SPEAKERS CONFIRMED (so far) Lance Liotta (Bethesda) Roger Tsien (La Jolla) Dennis Noble (Oxford) Jonathon Slack (Bath) Angus Lamond (Dundee) Johannes hegemann (Dusseldorf) Paul Nakane (Mountain View) Fre Bosman (Lausanne) Margaret Buckingham (Paris) John Couchman (Alabama) Jim Coull (Boston) Roel van Driel (Amsterdam) David Eppel (Pacific Grove) Reinhart Gossrau (Berlin) Martin Green (Bebington) Tom Just (Copenhagen) Jeff Lichtman (St. Louis) Joseph Mazurkiewicz (Albany) Peter Nielsen (Copenhagen) John O'Leary (Dublin) Dennis Baskin (Washington) Ralf Paus (Berlin) Francesco Ramirez (New York) Jim Smith (London) John Stegeman (Woods Hole) Hans Tanke (Leiden) Anthony Thody (Bradford) David Vaux (Oxford) Lars-Inge Larsson (Frederiksberg) Keith Miller (London) Mike Grant (Manchester) Martin Humphries (Manchester) Paul Martin (London) Peter Mathiessen (Burnham on Crouch) David Hinton (Davis)
For further details of the meeting and how to pre-register please visit our web-site at http://www.med.ic.ac.uk/external/ichc_2000
} .........I have had experiences when I } have sent a Photoshop manipulated image, that it doesn't always look as } good on the recipients' computer as it did when I was done with it in } Photoshop on my computer (eg. the recipient sees a grainy image that } looked great on my computer--this especially seems to happen after I } sharpen the image in Photoshop and the recipient views it in Microsoft } imager, but also can occur with other imaging programs). }
One way this can happen in PhotoShop is that if the image is displayed on the monitor at less than "100% size" and too agressive a sharpening operation is performed, then it can look fine at the smaller display size. However the real "damage" in terms of too grainy an appearance and so on will become visible when all of the pixels are displayed on the monitor, such as when the image is viewed at 100% either in PhotoShop or in another application on the recipient's machine.
(Not that us microscopists would ever make a regular practice of sharpening things up before sending them off to our clients of course ;-))
} I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- } especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable } file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. }
If the images are 8 bit then you could try GIF. That should give you some degree of lossless compression, although I think the amount of compression decreases with the more fine detail that is present in the image.
Arthur Day, Electron Microscope Unit Phone: 61-2-9717-3457 Ansto Materials Division Fax: 61-2-9543-7179 PMB 1, Menai (Sydney), NSW, 2234 Email: ard-at-ansto.gov.au Australia www: http://www.ansto.gov.au/
Because it's PROFITABLE! A certain percentage of people buy from them. They do it because it works each and everytime they send.
"Sales, it's a numbers game"
This is a great method BUT the cost can add up. When you mail 1000 or more, you have to consider postage, brochures, envelopes, and etc...
Did you know that there is a method of that cost less, WITHOUT postage, envelopes and brochures but have the same effect?
You can now compete with the big boys, with exposure in MASSIVE NUMBERS, without expensive investments such as those associated with television commercials, radio advertising or direct postal mail.
THE SOLUTION - Direct E-mail Marketing
We maintain a database of E-MAIL LEADS in MILLIONS covering the internet. We gather the leads from "hits" at certain targeted web sites, the internet and numerous reliable sources. Do you want to reach 9+ million E-mail leads? Now you can for pennies compared to other expensive mediums !
TARGETED LEADS: If your product or service is targeted to a specific market such as country, state, gender, hobby occupation, or industry, we also have targeted leads.
Mark, With skin you should have better luck with Spurr's resin than Epon since it's less viscous. I use the same protocol as in other tissues except that the pieces must be VERY small and I leave the samples in a vacuum overnight for the infiltration step. Good luck. Mary Gail Engle Electron Microscopy & Imaging Facility University of Kentucky
At 10:05 AM 8/19/99 +1000, Donovan, Mark wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
We had changed to SO-163 from 4489 many years ago on our Philips 400T because it allowed us to obtain better dark field images (g/3g and 5g) with its increased sensitivity, hence shorter exposure times.
The issues we had when changing over was the increased out gassing and the care required in the darkroom because it is difficult to see the emmulsion side of the film, unlike 4489 which is easy to distinguish. All we did to remind users was to put a cardboard sign showing the orientation of the film's notch position when the emulsion side was up.
One other issue we have had is delivery from Kodak. There has been at least one time when we ordered a large quantity (2 cases) and had to wait several months for delivery. I believe this was because they don't produce it on a regular basis. This may also be the reason for their ad stating that it is Now Available!
At 2:10 PM -0400 8/19/99, Garry Burgess wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
David R. Hull NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field Advanced Metallics Branch Mail Stop 49-1 21000 Brookpark Road Cleveland, OH 44135
Having just purchased a new JEOL 1010 microscope, I was reading through the manual (action of last resort I suppose) to learn as much as possible about the instrument, and I noticed in the section of WEHNELT CAP CLEANING, that they just suggest to "wipe of the contaminant on the cap using cotton or guaze moistened with solvent (non-inflammable, nontoxic organic solvent).
There is no mention of POL or any metal polish of any kind. Previously I had always cleaned these small parts with metal polish moistened in acetone, followed by pure acetone, and finally alcohol in a sonicator. (freon before it became politically incorrect to use it because of it's ozone layer killing effects)
I was just wondering what other people do to clean their wehnelt caps, to see if perhaps I still might be better served to use POL or the equivalent to polish this metal.
Garry
PS: thanks to those who gave me comments on Kodak SO-163 film.
This is really an easy problem. The greatest difficulty you'll have is trying to preserve flagellae or pili. Probably you won't be able to.
To answer your questions: 1) Yes. The idea will be to low at the bugs with low kV, say 1 kV or less, and then again *after* you've gotten your images of the bugs with low kV, look at them again with 10 kV or more. The lower kV will image the cell surface, and the higher kV will penetrate the cells and show where the magnetite crystals are (since they are more electron dense).
2) Processing: there are several references in basic EM texts, but briefly you can pretend the bugs are small tissue samples or that you're going to look at them with negative staining in a TEM. Buffer wash 3 times Post-fix in Osmium (may not be necessary, but I'd do this the first time at least) dehydrate through a standard EtOH series, but you can most likely start at 50% or even 70%, and not 30%. Maybe. Use 5 minute changes in the various solutions. Stop at the final 100% EtOH, and then go to the drying technique. To dry: I'd suggest using HMDS (hexamethyldisilizane) *in a fume hood!*. 2:1 =} 1:1 =} 1:2 EtOH : HMDS (you might be able to just use 1:1) 100% HMDS X 3 Air dry in a fume hood for (most likely) 2 hours. Have some cover over the specimens to keep air from blowing directly over them and crud falling on them, but with lots of venting to allow the evaporating HMDS to escape.
The question is, are these guys on agar or in fluid culture? If on agar, punch out a bit of bacteria colony + agar and treat as a tissue specimen (agar punch should be no more than 1mm in any dimension)
If in fluid, suspend the culture, place in a microfuge tube, spin down gently (there go the flagellae & pili), draw off the fix from the pellet, add buffer wash, suspend, let sit 5 minutes, spin gently ... etc. Repeat these steps for each fluid change until the final HMDS. When in final HMDS, suspend critters, take a drop, and place on a prepared stub. Note: careful! you don't want to overload the bacteria on the stub, but want them spread out so that individual bacteria can be seen.
Prepared stub: take a bit of porous membrane filter, Poretics, Nucleopore, something like that that uses radiation to punch holes in the membrane, *not* a tortorous-path filter like most Millipore filters. Can't tell the bug from the filter then. You want nice round holes for the filter. Use filters the same size or slightly smaller than the SEM stubs. Note: a solid sheet will work for this also. Sputter coat of bunch of these filters on *both* sides to make conductive surfaces. Note: this can be fun, as the membranes like to fly around inside the sputter coater when the gas in let in. Stick the coated filters to stubs with silver paint. The alternative to this is to by silver membrane filters. These are expensive, but do not require any preparation, which saves time. But is less entertaining for your labmates.
When the drop is dried, the next choice is to coat or not. If the bugs were Osmium post-fixed, coating may not be necessary. This will mean the magnetite inside the critters shows up better at the higher kV, but also increases the likelihood of charging. For the first try at least, I'd give them a light sputter-coat.
Note: if the bacteria in life come equipped with an extra-cellualar coat of some kind (this is likely), then this method will likely lose the coat, most probably during dehydration. This could be avoided if an environmental or low-vacuum SEM is available. Then forget all the processing, just mount some cells on a stub, and stick them in the SEM alive and screaming. There is a chance that they may even survive the examination in the scope, which means that if you use good sterile procedure, they could be returned to culture for future study. Time-course experiments and the like.
Finally, if the SEM has an EDX on it, this could be used to pick up the Fe lines from the magnetite.
Enjoy!
Phil P.S. This would work for the bacteria that Gary Gaugler wanted to prepare. Sorry I didn't get a more complete method posted.
} Hello. I'm very new to SEM work and I would like to prepare a slide that } contains bacteria, and hopefully magnetite particles that are {1 micron. } The problem is that I don't know: } 1. if I will be able to see the magnetite with the cell wall of the } bacteria around it } 2. what the proceedure is to prepare a slide from a sample that is fixed } in about 30 ml of glutaraldehyde. } } Thank you for taking the time to help out. I'm struggling with my } inexperience. } } Marlene Heller
****be famous! send in a tech tip or question*** Philip Oshel Technical Editor, Microscopy Today PO Box 620068 Middleton, WI 53562 Address for courier deliveries: 6319 Pheasant Lane #A-12 Voice: (608) 833-2885 Fax: (608) 836-1969 (please make sure my name is on any fax) oshel-at-terracom.net
a) email is not the right medium for large files. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. It all depends how the files are routed. Use something like FTP or a website for large files.
b) If email is required, the files should be as small as possible. Compression can reduce the file size (especially JPEG), but can introduce artifacts. Lossless Compression (LZW, runtime encoding, etc.) does not introduce artifacts, but usually gives you a compression factor of less than 2 (half the original file size, depending on content). It can even INCREASE file size under certain circumstances.
c) I am not sure about GIF. Some time ago there were some lawsuits about royalties for using this format (not that that could be enforced), but I think TIFF is a better format and probably more widely used. Have the lawsuits been resolved? It had to do with GIF being widely used on the Internet and the "owner" of GIF suddenly started to collect royalties.
d) One option that has not been mentioned here is to use something like "ZIP" to compress the files, then split the compressed file up into smaller files. Those files can then be send via email. It does require some "assembly", though, on the receiving end.
Michael
Michael Bode, Ph.D. Soft Imaging System Corp. 1675 Carr St., #105N Lakewood, CO 80215 =================================== phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 email: mailto:info-at-soft-imaging.com web: http://www.soft-imaging.com ===================================
} ---------- } From: ard-at-ansto.gov.au[SMTP:ARD-at-ANSTO.GOV.AU] } Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 2:56:53 AM } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Subject: Re: EM-Need help sending large image files } Auto forwarded by a Rule } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} .........I have had experiences when I } have sent a Photoshop manipulated image, that it doesn't always look as } good on the recipients' computer as it did when I was done with it in } Photoshop on my computer (eg. the recipient sees a grainy image that } looked great on my computer--this especially seems to happen after I } sharpen the image in Photoshop and the recipient views it in Microsoft } imager, but also can occur with other imaging programs). }
One way this can happen in PhotoShop is that if the image is displayed on the monitor at less than "100% size" and too agressive a sharpening operation is performed, then it can look fine at the smaller display size. However the real "damage" in terms of too grainy an appearance and so on will become visible when all of the pixels are displayed on the monitor, such as when the image is viewed at 100% either in PhotoShop or in another application on the recipient's machine.
(Not that us microscopists would ever make a regular practice of sharpening things up before sending them off to our clients of course ;-))
} I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- } especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable } file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. }
If the images are 8 bit then you could try GIF. That should give you some degree of lossless compression, although I think the amount of compression decreases with the more fine detail that is present in the image.
Arthur Day, Electron Microscope Unit Phone: 61-2-9717-3457 Ansto Materials Division Fax: 61-2-9543-7179 PMB 1, Menai (Sydney), NSW, 2234 Email: ard-at-ansto.gov.au Australia www: http://www.ansto.gov.au/
We have a diatome diamond knife which was bought in 1984. It has been used a lot and has never been resharpened. It is now at a stage where I am doing better using glass knives. We have the following options now:
1) trade it in for a new diatome knife 2) trade it in for a Microstar or Edgecraft knife 3) have it resharpened (not by diatome, but by some other company)
Option 1) is about 1.5 times the price of options 2 or 3. On the other hand, we can be fairly sure to get a good knife. From what I heard there are big differences in the quality of knives. They all look good in the beginning but some of them deteriorate pretty quickly. With only 30 days to test them, you won't be able to tell. Does anybody have experience with Microstar or Edgecraft knives?
As far as the resharpening is concerned: is there a difference in the quality of the job between the different companies? And if so, can anybody recommend one?
Thanks a lot for your help,
Anja
Anja Schulze Tel: +(250)721-8858 Biology Department Fax: +(250)721-7120 University of Victoria P.O. Box 3020 Victoria, B.C. V8W 3N5 Canada
We recently published on the listserver a technique that does not need an= y polishing, simply place the cathode assembly in an ammonia solution: 1 pa= rt water to two parts ammonia. Ultrasonic for 15 minutes, flush with runnin= g water and dry after a wash in alcohol. No effort at all, total time abou= t 20 minutes.
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
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Having just purchased a new JEOL 1010 microscope, I was reading through the manual (action of last resort I suppose) to learn as much as possible about the instrument, and I noticed in the section of WEHNELT CAP CLEANING, that they just suggest to "wipe of the contaminant on the cap using cotton or guaze moistened with solvent (non-inflammable, nontoxic organic solvent).
There is no mention of POL or any metal polish of any kind. Previously I had always cleaned these small parts with metal polish moistened in acetone, followed by pure acetone, and finally alcohol in a sonicator. (freon before it became politically incorrect to use it because of it's ozone layer killing effects)
I was just wondering what other people do to clean their wehnelt caps, to see if perhaps I still might be better served to use POL or the equivalent to polish this metal.
Garry
PS: thanks to those who gave me comments on Kodak SO-163 film.
A colleague, Janie Smith, is researching the Automatic Ultrostainers for possible purchase...
She has asked me about the Leica Ultrostainer and the EMS Stainer-Taroh.
I have no experience with the EMS Stainer-Taroh and would appreciate hearing from other users.
We've used the LKB 2168 Ultrostainers for years and have been very happy with them. (mainly because we had a great service engineer to take care of it)
Recently we looked into the new Leica Ultrostainer and tried it on a trial basis. I wasn't too happy with the water pressure.. it seems stronger and more liable to cause wrinkles and holes in my sections. However, the sections were very clean and well stained. We tried changing the length of the wash cycles, etc (sections had more stain dirt with shorter wash cycles) ... This stainer also allows you to separate the Uranyl Acetate and Lead Citrate waste for waste disposal, which our Chemical and Radiactive Waste departments would greatly appreciate!
We also use the Ultrostain I and II and have been happy with the results (as long as the tissue has been en bloc mordanted).
The New 2x Concentrated Uranyl Acetate also seems to work well. However, it seems to cause the automatic stainer to accumulate dirt much quicker. Do you have any suggestions on how to take care of this other than more frequent cleaning with 10x Nitric Acid solution.
What has been your experience with these two Automatic Stainers and any other stainers that may be on the market.?
Thanks in advance,
Virginia Tanner Crocker NIH, NINDS EM Facility
and
Janie Smith, PhD. Dept. Biological Sciences Ohio University
Scott: We use our 1200EX (w/ SO-163 film) for materials scence type applications (eg, semiconductors) and we actually try for low contrast negatives and then print them with high contrast Kodak paper (Kodabrome F4). This method helps to retain the information that is lost during printing if the negatives are too contrasty. I have also gotten excellent scans from an Agfa Duoscan with a gamma setting of about 1.0 on these same negatives.
If you are doing materials science type applications and would like to try this, we have our sensitivity setting on 19 on our 1200EX.
Regards, Mike Coviello LAb Manager UT Arlington. Arlington, TX
o"Walck. Scott D." wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } I have been meaning to post this question for awhile and haven't done so. } } The SO-163 is faster. I think that with the speed the contrast is less flat } than 4489. } } I am finally just about out of all of the 4489 film that we had when I got } here and will be switching over to SO-163. Does anyone know what the } relative sensitivity setting on a JEOL 1200EX should be? The current } setting for the 4489 film is 9. I'm guessing that the setting should be 12 } or 13. If you know the settings for both of these films for a JEOL 1200EX, } please let me know what they are. } } -Scott } ---------- } } From: Garry Burgess } To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List' } Subject: Kodak SO-163 Electron Image Film } Date: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:10PM } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested } in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old } 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications) } } I love this mailing list as a great source of information. } } Garry } } Garry Burgess } Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy } Department of Pathology } Health Sciences Centre } Winnipeg
I would just like to say thankyou to for the numerous helpful responses to my query about Wehnelt cap cleaning. I'm going to try this new technique, since I usually have a lot of trouble removing POL metal polish after cleaning with that technique.
The mailing list truly is an incredible resource, and I just wanted to let you folks know that I appreciate very much your help with these technical matters.
Anja, First, I'm impressed that you have a knife for 15 years without a resharp!
Most of the knife manufacturers now offer a trade-in: you send an old knife (any brand) and for the resharpening price they send you a new one. You can ask whichever company you decide on if they do it.
I only have personal experience with Diatome (and Dupont, but let's not go there!), and have always been very satisfied. A very good friend of mine, who is VERY picky about such things has been very happy with DDK, and another friend who does clinical work at a major LA hospital(high volume) likes Drukker.
So much for my 2 cents. Good luck.
Lee
Leona Cohen-Gould, M.S. Sr. Staff Associate Director, Electron Microscopy Core Facility Manager, Confocal Microscopy Core Facility Joan & Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University voice (212)746-6146 fax (212)746-8175
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Hello everybody, } } We have a diatome diamond knife which was bought in 1984. It has been used } a lot and has never been resharpened. It is now at a stage where I am doing } better using glass knives. We have the following options now: } } 1) trade it in for a new diatome knife } 2) trade it in for a Microstar or Edgecraft knife } 3) have it resharpened (not by diatome, but by some other company) } } Option 1) is about 1.5 times the price of options 2 or 3. On the other } hand, we can be fairly sure to get a good knife. From what I heard there } are big differences in the quality of knives. They all look good in the } beginning but some of them deteriorate pretty quickly. With only 30 days to } test them, you won't be able to tell. Does anybody have experience with } Microstar or Edgecraft knives? } } As far as the resharpening is concerned: is there a difference in the } quality of the job between the different companies? And if so, can anybody } recommend one? } } Thanks a lot for your help, } } Anja } } Anja Schulze Tel: +(250)721-8858 } Biology Department Fax: +(250)721-7120 } University of Victoria } P.O. Box 3020 } Victoria, B.C. V8W 3N5 } Canada } } Dear Anja,
I have used Diatome knives for 15 years. We have a large laboratory and we now have 22,000 dollars worth of Diatome knives which are in my care. We have a lot of students, post-docs, etc. In the last 8 years I have had numerous knives resharpened by Diatome. I have quit testing them when they come into the laboratory about 6 years ago, because I found it to be a total waste of time. I have never received a less than perfect knife from Diatome in the 15 years of using them. Meanwhile I have had plenty of opportunity in 28 years of doing electron microscopy using different knives. Some companies send out knives that test perfectly, but they deterioate quickly. This actually happened to me some years ago. I will not name the company. (I also have no commercial or personal financial interest in Diatome). Last year when I was under pressure to buy a knife from a different company, I said I would buy it, but I would not test it, use it, or use it to teach a student. The person could have it, but it was totally their responsibility. To resharpen a Diatome knife by any other company is a huge mistake. The reason your original Diatome knife lasted so long is because of its quality and its particular arrangement of diamond crystals. When you get it resharpend by Diatome it will be in its original condition and it will last a very long time. If you have some other company resharpen it, you have no idea how long it will last.
Hildegard H. Crowley Sr. Electron Microscopy Specialist Department of Biological Sciences University of Denver Denver, CO 80208
Hi Garry, Did you say new? SO-163 has been around a long time. I started using it at least 10 years ago. The reason I switched is that it is about twice the speed of 4489, at least at 60 or 80 KV. It works fine although I havn't used film is a long time. I wonder if any of the T-grain films work in electron exposure? Anyone tried? Russ Gillmeister, Xerox
-----Original Message----- } From: Garry Burgess [mailto:GBurgess-at-exchange.hsc.mb.ca] Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:10 PM To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List'
Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications)
I love this mailing list as a great source of information.
Garry
Garry Burgess Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy Department of Pathology Health Sciences Centre Winnipeg
There are not that many realistic options for for lossless compression, though some are probably on the way. JPEG is lossy, but it probably conveys all the details that you need to for a quick review.
If the receiver needs to examine the fine detail in an image, I suggest that overall you are probably space and time ahead to send multiple compressed JPG files highlighting the areas of interest at appropriate magnifications and moderate resolutions rather than trying to send a single, large, TIFF image and affording the recipient the ability to digitally zoom.
Compression in TIFF micrographs has been not worth mentioning in my experience. The extra time to (de)compress the image offsets the minimal space savings. GIF compression is also often negligible or even negative. As noted below, compression decreases with increasing detail in the image. Even for grayscale images I have often seen the GIF file LARGER than the original TIFF file. This is because GIF normally uses "run-length encoding" to indicate the number of successive pixels at the same gray level in order to save space. If you have 10 pixels in a row at the same gray value, then GIF stores 2 values (the number of pixels and their value) instead of the 10 that would be present in a TIFF file. However, you have to have 3 pixels in a row before you get any space savings, and most of my images just don't have that many. Now if you are trying to convey a spectrum bitmap or other graphic, then there are lots of areas at a fixed color and there is lots of savings to be found. Thats why it is often used on the web for icon or other graphics.
Now a question - I am used to the Office 95 series of products storing graphics at full resolution and even at the color depth the monitor was set to. However, I notice PowerPoint 97 appears to employ some kind of compression. I helped a fellow with a presentation that stored much smaller than the sum of its component images. Does anyone know about the compression in use there?
Warren S.
At 06:56 PM 8/20/1999 +1000, you wrote: } } } I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- } } especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable } } file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. } } } } If the images are 8 bit then you could try GIF. That should give you some } degree of lossless compression, although I think the amount of compression } decreases with the more fine detail that is present in the image.
Hello: Concerning diamond knives, I have been using Microstar knives for eleven years to cut plant tissue- always those tough cell walls- and have been very happy with them.
Maureen Petersen
************************************************************************ Maureen Petersen Department of Plant Pathology 1453 Fifield Hall University of Florida
Never, ever consider trading in a Diatome for another companies knife. A Diatome can be resharpened 5 times, guaranteed. If you traded in a Diatome for another type, you would probably give away a real pearl and get a plastic pearl in its place! Meanwhile, please contact EMS and ask for Stacy Kirsch. Sometimes Diatome has special prices, etc.
Has anyone used it at higher KV's (200 or better), and for high resolution imaging of zeolites? My understanding is that when it is processed for a high speed your signal to noise ratio also increases, although I don't know by how much. Greg
-- ================================================================== Greg Strout Electron Microscopist, University of Oklahoma WWW Virtual Library for Microscopy: http://www.ou.edu/research/electron/www-vl/ e-mail: gstrout-at-ou.edu Opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of the University of Oklahoma ================================================================== "Gillmeister, Russ" wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Hi Garry, Did you say new? SO-163 has been around a long time. I started } using it at least 10 years ago. The reason I switched is that it is about } twice the speed of 4489, at least at 60 or 80 KV. It works fine although I } havn't used film is a long time. I wonder if any of the T-grain films work } in electron exposure? Anyone tried? Russ Gillmeister, Xerox } } -----Original Message----- } } From: Garry Burgess [mailto:GBurgess-at-exchange.hsc.mb.ca] } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:10 PM } To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List' } Subject: Kodak SO-163 Electron Image Film } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested } in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old } 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications) } } I love this mailing list as a great source of information. } } Garry } } Garry Burgess } Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy } Department of Pathology } Health Sciences Centre } Winnipeg
-- ================================================================== Greg Strout Electron Microscopist, University of Oklahoma WWW Virtual Library for Microscopy: http://www.ou.edu/research/electron/www-vl/ e-mail: gstrout-at-ou.edu Opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of the University of Oklahoma ==================================================================
Garry, we are using Kodak SO-163 films more than 5 years. They are really good if you use Kodak developer D-19 and Kodak fixer. We use to use the product of
Eastman Kodak Company Rochester, New York 14650.
They supply both of them as a powder in a packages, each for 1 U.S. Gallon - 3.8L.
Sincerely, Tigran Dolukhanyan Post-Doctoral Associate Center for Advanced Materials University of Massachusetts Lowell
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Colleagues, We have recently been putting TEM images on individual researchers' web sites but are not happy with the resulting images. They appear grainy and do not show the fine detail well. I would appreciate any suggestions as to how to put images on the web so as to retain the best possible quality without extremely long loading times.
Thanks, Debby
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Microscopy Center in Agriculture FAX: 765-494-5896 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology E-mail: sherman-at-btny.purdue.edu Purdue University 1057 Whistler Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1057
I use Pol on a 'Q-Tip' then run the solvent/solvent&ultrasonic. Pretty much the same thing (if it ain't broke, don't fix it).
Stephen P. Cavender Metallographer Advanced Modular Power Systems, Inc. 4370 Varsity Drive Ann Arbor, MI 48108-2241 734-677-4260 x 209 voice 734-677-0704 fax scavender-at-ampsys.com www.ampsys.com
Hello, I have long history using DIATOME with very good results on different samples (even 10 nm oriented sections of the ribosomal crystal) in the past. My one-year experience with nearly new DDK knife was dramatic. I find DDK's knife unacceptable for my application (nothing special - plastic embedded tissue) soon after receiving it (new one). It starts scratch sections very soon. After a year of my headache with that I find extra 2000$ and bought DIATOME. Now I don't have any problem with even sophisticated samples. In my point of view, the quality and technique for diamond sharpening is very important in diamond knife manufacturing. It's better to buy smaller size knife from company with good reputation on the market than cheap big one. I don't remember details, but it seems to me that after educational discount DIATOME offered to me, their knife has pretty the same price than chipper brands.
I don't have any interest in DIATOME, just customer.
} Date: Fri, 20 Aug 1999 08:22:56 -0700 } From: Anja Schulze {aschulze-at-uvic.ca} } Subject: different brands of diamond knives } X-Sender: aschulze-at-pop.uvic.ca } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Dr. Sergey Ryazantsev UCLA School of Medicine Department of Biological Chemistry Box 951737 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1737
This precisely why this list should exist. I've been using SO-163 since the mid 1980's and figured the rest of the world had switched, as well. Please don't everyone shift at once as that will certainly mess with the supply.
We use it at voltages between 100 and 300 daily. The best sensitivity is that which works best for your samples under the conditions you prefer. Try a bracketing experiment up front. One small point: when imaging with low contrast such as for weak-beam dark fields and some HREM images, you can up the contrast by using D-19 developer at full strength, rather than diluted 2:1 as per usual.
Rob Dickerson
} -----Original Message----- } } From: Garry Burgess [mailto:GBurgess-at-exchange.hsc.mb.ca] } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:10 PM } To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List' } Subject: Kodak SO-163 Electron Image Film } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested } in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old } 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications) } } I love this mailing list as a great source of information. } } Garry } } Garry Burgess } Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy } Department of Pathology } Health Sciences Centre } Winnipeg ********************************************************* Robert M. Dickerson Mailto:dickerson-at-lanl.gov MST-CMS Mailstop K765 Tel: ph:505-667-6337 Los Alamos National Laboratory Fax: 505-665-2992 Los Alamos, NM 87545 TA-03 Bldg.1698 Rm.C-136 *********************************************************
Our lab (Microscopy Group at Steven Institute of Technology) has always used Kodak SO-163 for our CM30 (300kv) and CM20-FEG (200kv) since I've been here for 4 years and it seems to give us good high resolution images, etc.
But I don't know anything about the signal to noise ratio. I've never heard my seniors talk about it, that is.
Daraporn Arayasantiparb Graduate student Stevens Institute of Technology
On Fri, 20 Aug 1999, Greg Strout wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Has anyone used it at higher KV's (200 or better), and for high resolution } imaging of zeolites? My understanding is that when it is processed for a high } speed your signal to noise ratio also increases, although I don't know by how } much. } Greg } } -- } ================================================================== } Greg Strout } Electron Microscopist, University of Oklahoma } WWW Virtual Library for Microscopy: } http://www.ou.edu/research/electron/www-vl/ } e-mail: gstrout-at-ou.edu } Opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of } the University of Oklahoma } ==================================================================
} Date: Thu, 19 Aug 1999 17:04:53 -0700 } To: PostMaster {coviello-at-mae.uta.edu} } From: "Dr. Gary Gaugler" {gary-at-gaugler.com} } Subject: Re: EM-Need help sending large image files } } At 04:46 AM 8/19/99 , you wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
At 07:16 AM 8/20/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
[snip]
But where can I buy prepared specimen stubs? I got lots of protocols but no one seems to offer the service for a fee. I'd really rather not grow any bacteria here.
} ===== Original Message From "Dr. Gary Gaugler" {gary-at-gaugler.com} =====
} } There is no reason not attach a file to e-mail. It will simply pass along with } } the msg. One can upload files via ftp but it still takes the same clock time } } to send a binary file. When attached to an e-mail, it is clear what the } } attached file is for.
One reason attaching to e-mail is not a good idea is that you never know when an e-mail server will put a limit on the attachment's size. My server for example, has a limitation of 1Mb, but in use it is more like 0.8Mb. For large files which simply can't be compressed below 0.5Mb (which should get by anyone's server), one needs to turn to JPEG if it has to be via e-mail. Another option which does allow point-to-point transfers are the newer "messengers" ... for example, ICQ, MSN Messenger and AOL. My recommendation here is to try and find ICQ's older verson (v.98) which doesn't include a lot of the invasive garbage these messegers are beginning to allow. In any case, point-to-point file transfers is one of the strong points of these softwares.
I am waiting with bated breath for someone to accuse Hildegard Crowley about being another 'Bernie Kestel', but, so far so good, and we are sticking to the business of hearing a number of useful personal opinions on diamond knives.
At my lab in Ottawa, we have been doing 'materials science' ultramicrotomy for ~15 years on metals, alloys, powders, fibres, wires, minerals, etc. We have about a dozen knives on hand; DDK, Drukker, Microstar, but mostly Diatome (over half). In the opinion of our operator (I don't section, I just blather on about materials microtomy a lot), he has always preferred the Diatomes, especially the 35 degree knife for demanding 'hard' materials. Interestingly, a histo knife, meant for semithin sectioning, is our prime backup for thin sectioning of first-time demanding materials when we are unsure of the risk to the 35's .
However, all of the others perform quite well. Listening to students at the several workshops with which I have been involved, horror stories concerning knives are relatively rare. We have had two 'stinkers' in the last 15 years, both of which were promptly replaced with decent knives by the two suppliers. Sergey, did you contact Joe Tabeling? I would be surprised if he didn't give a positive response.
So, Anja, two points: - 15 years of frequent sectioning on the same edge tells me that you do not have very demanding materials, making the exact brand perhaps somewhat less important. - 'easy' materials notwithstanding, you are wise in sticking with diamond. In all other forms of EM specimen prep, I have never encoutered a crucial component which is so delicately engineered, yet performs so well so consistently. - absolutely always send a knife back to its origin for resharpening. Ditto for asking about details of cleaning and other forms of maintenance.
Best of luck.
Tom Malis Group Leader - Characterization Materials Technology Laboratory Natural Resources Canada, Govt. of Canada 568 Booth St., Ottawa, Canada K1A 0G1 613-992-2310 malis-at-nrcan.gc.ca
} ---------- } From: Anja Schulze } Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 11:22 AM } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } Subject: different brands of diamond knives } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Hello everybody, } } We have a diatome diamond knife which was bought in 1984. It has } been used } a lot and has never been resharpened. It is now at a stage where I am } doing } better using glass knives. We have the following options now: } } 1) trade it in for a new diatome knife } 2) trade it in for a Microstar or Edgecraft knife } 3) have it resharpened (not by diatome, but by some other company) } } Option 1) is about 1.5 times the price of options 2 or 3. On the other } hand, we can be fairly sure to get a good knife. From what I heard there } are big differences in the quality of knives. They all look good in the } beginning but some of them deteriorate pretty quickly. With only 30 days } to } test them, you won't be able to tell. Does anybody have experience with } Microstar or Edgecraft knives? } } As far as the resharpening is concerned: is there a difference in the } quality of the job between the different companies? And if so, can anybody } recommend one? } } Thanks a lot for your help, } } Anja } } Anja Schulze Tel: +(250)721-8858 } Biology Department Fax: +(250)721-7120 } University of Victoria } P.O. Box 3020 } Victoria, B.C. V8W 3N5 } Canada } }
A colleague needs to study rate of crystal growth as they form out of two solutions.
So far, I have set up an inverted microscope that has HMC optics and digital camera to feed images into an image analysis program. I made slides with a well chamber by cutting test tubes with a diamond saw into sections about 2 cm high and bonding the wells to the slide with a standard epoxy. We need the inverted scope as the crystals settle to the bottom and we need a larger volume than what would be under the coverglass of a simple slide prep. We have checked the temperature to assure ourselves that there is no rise in temperature. This works fine as far as it goes.
The problem: mixing the solutions in a glass beaker, test tube, etc. and pouring it into the well slide takes too much time. Mixing must be rather vigorous, i.e. we use a vortex mixer as the two solutions, initially, do not mix well.
The question: does anyone know of a way to do the mixing IN the well slide? Are there any off-the-shelf-systems available?
I've had a few ideas such as: make a very small glass propeller on a shaft and hook it up to a small motor. This would require a sealed feed through and a cover to prevent dispersing the solution onto the lab walls.
We would appreciate any ideas including and especially anything that I haven't thought about regarding such a setup.
Thanks so much in advance for your help.
Damian
Damian Neuberger, PhD Baxter Healthcare, Inc. WG3-2S Route 120 & Wilson Rd Round Lake, IL 60073 Tel: 847.270.5888 Fax: 847.270.5897
I think, this is similar to the other thread running on the listserver at the moment (EM-Need help sending large image files).
Image files can be large (several MB). If you want to compress them, you have the choice of lossy or loss-less compression. Lossy compression can reduce the size of the image tremendously, but you lose information. The compression you can reach with loss-less compression depends on the image content and is typically a factor of 2 (half size), but can be better or worse or even negative (compressed files are larger).
If you want to put the images on the web, you have to make a decision: If the images are there just for "looking" at them, you may get away with some loss (try JPEG compression and experiment with the quality factors, 100% usually means loss-less compression). If the images are meant to be further processed, you should use loss-less compression to keep all information and not introduce artifacts. In this case JPEG with a 100% quality factor or LZW ("ZIP") compression would work. You can also use LZW within the TIF specs, but not every software supports that.
On the web, you could give your customers a choice: Put up a thumbnail for quick view, then provide the full image at different compression levels. The customers can then decide themselves.
Michael
Michael Bode, Ph.D. Soft Imaging System Corp. 1675 Carr St., #105N Lakewood, CO 80215 =================================== phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 email: mailto:info-at-soft-imaging.com web: http://www.soft-imaging.com ===================================
} ---------- } From: Debby Sherman[SMTP:SHERMAN-at-BTNY.PURDUE.EDU] } Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 4:00:53 PM } To: message to: MSA list } Subject: TEM's on the Web } Auto forwarded by a Rule } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Colleagues, We have recently been putting TEM images on individual researchers' web sites but are not happy with the resulting images. They appear grainy and do not show the fine detail well. I would appreciate any suggestions as to how to put images on the web so as to retain the best possible quality without extremely long loading times.
Thanks, Debby
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Microscopy Center in Agriculture FAX: 765-494-5896 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology E-mail: sherman-at-btny.purdue.edu Purdue University 1057 Whistler Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1057
The original poster's question was how to send intrinsically large files without suffering degradation associated with compression. The answer to this question is to use lossless conversion. Hence, JPEG, GIF (worst), MPEG, etc. are not the answer. Use fractals. This is purely a mathematical representation of the image and allows a simple resizing of the original image to a small size file which contains the information necessary to create any size duplicates at the receiving end. Or even convert for your own archive to save local disk space. Compression methods will always be based on compromises between quality and file size.
The second part of the issue is that of transmission and reception of "large" files. This is artificially set by an ISP. It can be limited to outgoing, incoming or both. Additionally, e-mail programs can also be set to limit the size of incoming messages and attachments. Warren Straszhein and Sergey Ryazantsev for example use Eudora, as do I. There is an option to restrict the size of files or simply let any size in or out. Microsoft Outlook supports this feature as well.
If an ISP limits the size of mail and/or attachments, get another ISP. There is no reason for such limits to be placed on users other than to reduce the hardware investment costs of the ISP. We users are not driven by this... we want and need service. You will generally find that local ISPs are very user friendly and will provide plenty of service. If you travel often, you will likely want to check your e-mail on the road. In this case, get a separate account with an ISP that has national and/or global POPs. With this asset, you make your TCP/IP connection to the net via the national POP and then log into your home ISP account. The national ISP effectively becomes a great big long modem cable. AOL, Compuserve, MSN, etc. are not known for great user features. But they have national POPs.
Users at universities may also see limits set on file sizes. Again, this is locally set. typically this is to limit students from downloading binary images from alt.* newsgroups. As faculty, one should be able to have their own account unrestricted on a selective basis. If there is a firewall, that too can be selectively modified.
I routinely send 15-25 800K-22MB files to my agencies around the World each week. I rarely have any problem. My local ISP passes them through. Sometimes the receiver has a size problem but once disclosed, and followed by thrashing of their ISP, the problem goes away. These are always send as MIME attachments to one or more e-mails. Some agencies do prefer to download directly, in which case I encode and password protect the files and place them on one of my web sites. The agency can download the file(s) using their browser. The key is e-mailed separately. Helix Stronghold is used to provide this encoding and password protection method. Of course, if included as in-line data, PGP can be used to encode the file.
If you want industrial strength performance and functions, you will need industrial strength tools. Fractals is one part of the equation. A good ISP is the major part. Then, the e-mail reader is the final key. High quality e-mail programs like Qualcomm Eudor Pro are essential in my line of work. And it makes my life ever so much easier.
Sending and receiving BIG files should not be a BIG deal--if you are set up correctly. Regardless of the programs and the ISPs, you actual connection to the backbone will be the throttle or limiting factor on speed of transfer, not whether you can send or receive. Just the amount of time that it takes to accomplish the send or receive action. since I do this often, I use a 2-BRI ISDN router and an ADSL router on my local office LAN. The ISDN link does symmetrical 128K bits/second uncompressed and up to 384K bps compressed. The ADSL is 384K bps upstream and 1.1M bps download. the ideal would be a T-1 line but at $2000 per month, it is not for my budget!
In summary, the three factors are: method of file encoding, ability of an ISP to allow unrestricted file sizes, and third, the utility of the mail reader program. With the right pieces, life is easy....well, at least in this regard.
} FTP is faster than attachments. } STMP is not efficient for large messages. } Additionally, attachments are "twice!!" the } size of the original image. } } JQ
Why is FTP faster than attachments? If so, how much faster? If the data to be externally accessed is loaded on a secondary host, you incur the upload time and the receiver incurs the download time. I submit that the difference in times is minimal since if you email and they receive, there are still two transactions times involved--one for msg sending and a second for msg reception.
I think that you might mean "SNMP" rather than STMP. SNMP is a network management protocol--not a message transfer system. SNMP is like Unix mail system and is similar to X.400 but is less functional than that protocol.
SMTP (simple mail transfer protocol) is a basic mail transfer protocol. It adds mailing lists, return receipts and forwarding. SMTP does not specify the manner in which messages are to be created. However, some local mail facility (mail reader) is required to format the message. SMTP uses TCP to the message to an SMTP module at the receiving end. This received package is stored at the receiving end in the recipient's mailbox. Why are SMTP messages twice their original size?? There is some formatting required but I have never seen why it would add twice the size.
FTP supports binary and text data. A TCP connection is established and a user ID and password are checked. After this initial TCP connection is established, a second TCP connection is established to effect the data transfer. This transfer occurs without the overhead of any headers or control information at the application level. When the transfer is complete, the data transfer operation ends and the control connection can be used to initiate another FTP data transfer.
According to RFC821, SMTP can handle 7-bit US-ASCII lines no longer than 1K characters, including cr-lf. RFC1652 added unencoded 8-bit data. Per ISO-8859-1, base64 US-ASCII encoding was added and constitutes the current standard MIME transmission and reception protocol and features. Binary encoding uses Privacy Enhanced Mail, RFC1421, and incurs less than 30% overhead for encoding. However, the material transmitted is totally arbitrary in content and is completely transparent between PC and Mac platforms. Consequently, MIME attachments are the ideal way to send binary data as part of an e-mail.
MIME was intended to handle arbitrary types of data and to replace SMTP and UUCP and "other types of Procrustean mail transport protocols. [http://www.cs.uu.nl/wais/html/na-dir/mail/mime-faq/part1.html]
For additional info on MIME, check out this URL: http://www.oac.uci.edu/indiv/ehood/MIME/MIME.html
I suspect that if we continue on this topic, we will outlive our welcome and Nestor will cut us off. If anyone wants to discuss this further, I welcome direct e-mail correspondence. And yes, you can include MIME attachments.
Hello All: We are in the process of installing our 430 and have found we only have only one wehnelt cap. Is there anyone out there who has a spare in good condition that they are not using and would like to sell or donate to us? Thanks, Mike Coviello Lab Manager UT Arlington
Review article on SPM in Biology! First draft, posted for comments/feedback only, final version will be published by John Wiley in the book "Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and related techniques" ed. D. Bonnell. http://green.la.asu.edu/index.html
Msg to Phil keeps bouncing back. So here it is to all viewers:
} } Marlene, } } This is really an easy problem. The greatest difficulty you'll have is } trying to preserve flagellae or pili. Probably you won't be able to. } } [snip] } Phil } P.S. This would work for the bacteria that Gary Gaugler wanted to prepare. } Sorry I didn't get a more complete method posted.
[snip]
But where can I buy prepared specimen stubs? I got lots of protocols but no one seems to offer the service for a fee. I'd really rather not grow any bacteria here.
Has anyone used it at higher KV's (200 or better), and for high resolution
} imaging of zeolites? My understanding is that when it is processed for a high } speed your signal to noise ratio also increases, although I don't know by how } much. } Greg }
Dear Greg, We have used SO-163 at the HVEM up to 1200 kV, but not for zeolites. The signal-to-noise ratio is degraded like that for push-processing any film. There is, in my experience, not too large an increase in background, and that can be tested by developing two films, one with normal processing--4 min in D19 diluted 2:1--and one pushed--12 min in undiluted D19. The other effect of pushing is larger grain size, and you have to decide which gives better resolution: less sensitivity, which means greater dose to the specimen, or more sensitivity, which gives poorer signal-to-noise. This is clearly a specimen-dependent problem. Good luck. Yours, Bill Tivol
} From: postmaster-at-notes.zeiss.de } Conversion: Allowed } Original-Encoded-Information-Types: IA5-Text } Priority: normal } Disclose-Recipients: Prohibited } Alternate-Recipient: Allowed } Date: 22 Aug 1999 03:58:18 +0200 } To: gary-at-gaugler.com } Subject: Undeliverable Mail } } ------------------------- Could not deliver Message to ------------------------- } CN=Stefan Mueller-Pfeiffer/OU=Jena/O=Zeiss/C=DE } } No route found to server CZJNOTES01/Jena/Zeiss/DE from server CZONOTES04/EDV/OBERKOCHEN/ZEISS/DE. Check Server and Connection documents in Name & Address Book. } } ----------------------------- Your Original Message ---------------------------- } } Date: 08/22/99 03:56 AM } From: gary-at-gaugler.com-at-EMAIL } Subject: Bio SEM preparations } NRRQ } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Dear Tom, Actually, it was a strange story about DDK knife. Generally, I did not do so much with sections in my current project. From time to time users ask me about something. Post Doc from our Department asking to help with yeast sectioning. For that purpose, his PI was willing to buy diamond knife. They did it without consultation with me and it was DDK. Post Doc used that knife a lot with my minimal supervision. After he finished his project, the knife was not used for wild. Later people asked me to make ultrathin sections and it was, actually, first time I was using DDK seriously. I find that knife makes scratches on the sections. The plastic was relatively soft and I spent a lot of time trying to adjust speed and angle to produce reasonable quality 30 nm sections. All sections were hardly scratched. It was so hard to find some good place for publication, but I got it. I told to owner of the knife that knife is in the bad conditions and need to be resharpened. They resharp it at DDK. New knife was sitting on my desk for half of year before I open it. Even with absolutely new resharpened knife, I find some knife-marks on the sections. I did not cal DDK because it was too late in my point of view (1/2 year since receiving the knife) and because I was not involved in the correspondence with DDK directly. So, I decide, it is easy to me to make sections with glass knife from time to time, than figured out what's wrong with DDK's knife owned by another person. Some student currently uses it for routine job, I believe. As for me, as soon as I find extra money, I quickly ordered DIATOME and had no problem at all since that time. When I was working in Russia, I had two Diatome knifes. It was 10 years ago and Diatome knifes come in the boxes sealed by old-fashioned red wax-seal. One of them was used hardly for 5 years. The wax-seal on the second one - newer had been broken! Simply because I did not have a problems with the first one.
You see, my experience with DDK was so limited. May be this is why I was such unhappy with this knife. In addition to scratches, it leaves vibration marks on the sections (curiously, that vibration immediately disappeared when I switched to DIATOME). I believe, it was my bad luck and most DDK's knifes are better than knife I had.
} Date: Sat, 21 Aug 1999 10:57:02 -0400 } From: "Malis, Tom" {malis-at-nrcan.gc.ca} } Subject: RE: different brands of diamond knives } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com, 'Anja Schulze' {aschulze-at-uvic.ca} } X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2448.0) } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Dr. Sergey Ryazantsev Department of Biological Chemistry UCLA School of Medicine Box 951737 Los Angeles, CA 90095-1737 Phone: (310)825-1144 (Lab) FAX (departmental): (310) 206-5272 mailto: sryazant-at-ucla.edu mailto:sryazant-at-ucla.edu http://www.bol.ucla.edu/~sryazant E. mail: sryazant-at-ucla.edu http://www.ben2.ucla.edu/~sryazant
There is a lot of interesting stuff going on in the Biotech arena. Nanogen and Caliper seem to the be leaders in channel and mixing technology on the micro scale. Suggest that you contact: Dr. Anne Kopf-Sill at Caliper (650)842-0700, ex 0709. Dr. Mike Heller at Nanogen (619)546-7700.
Please let me know how you make out.
Best regards, Barbara Foster Consortium President Microscopy/Microscopy Education ...Educating microscopists for greater productivity.
125 Paridon Street Suite 102 Springfield, MA 01118 PH: (413)746-6931 FX: (413)746-9311 email: mme-at-map.com Visit our web site {http://www.MME-Microscopy.com/education} ****************************************************** MME is America's first national consortium providing customized on-site workshops in all areas of microscopy, sample preparation, and image analysis.
At 10:42 AM 8/21/99 -0500, D, Neuberger wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
We've got a JEOL 2010 STEM and a JEOL 100-CX. =20 In both of these istruments we use KODAK SO-163 film, for the JEOL 2010 = the sensitivity is set at 11 and for the JEOL 100-CX at 9. The 2010 is = mainly used for CBD, whereas the 100-CX is used for imaging and diffraction= . It is also used by biologists. So far we have had no complaints about = image quality. Hope this proves useful to someone. =20
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
Have an immdediate need of a suitable CM12/CM20 TEM. Ideally said instrument would be of 7-8 years old, in good performing order, attached with STEM unit and SED. CCD, EDS, PEELS welcome. Will consider basic TEM as well.
If you have or know of a like instrument, please contact me soon.
Bob Roberts EM Lab Services, Inc. 2409 S Rural Rd Tempe, Arizona 85282 480.967.3946
A third year student is doing a project on cathodoluminesence and she's = asked me more some help. She needs some references. She's searched our = library and I've done a search of our 'lab library' but to no avail. What = she needs is something a little basic, that describes the technique, how = it works in an SEM, and some practical applications. Nothing overly = theoretical. =20
Thanx people
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
We need to obtain a new sputter target for our Edwards S150A sputter coater. Can anyone suggest a current supplier for targets and accessories? Thanks in advance.
Once upon a time, I scrubbed the things too. I was then shown the easy way.
I should not have left out the final step when describing the cleaning. That is the rinse. To avoid NaOH deposits, I flush well with warm water. If the water is pure, that is all that is needed. Since I usually flush with tap water, I follow with a rinse of pure isopropanol (before the water dries). This will wash away most water borne impurities. I then blow the cap dry with compressed nitrogen.
Though cotton swabs won't last too long, they are used to wipe off the deposits after soaking (before rinse). Also, the swabs have a wooden handle which I bend-to-break forming a fine taper which is used as a "bore brush" to (spin it) clean the orifice.
BTW, I do sometimes use a metallurgical polishing wheel to touch up the cap face polish if it has suffered some serious arcing.
I use a tungsten hairpin filament and clean the Wehnelt on an "as needed basis". By that, I mean that I don't have a calendar schedule, but watch for performance degredations to indicate the need for cleaning (poor brightness, poor resolution, etc) of the column. ...Firm believer in the saying: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". The scope is used daily, the beam is actually on about 4-6 hours/day. I don't have my records before me now, but cleaning is done about 2-3 times per year, so my frequency is not too far off from yours - maybe 250 hours??
I'm curious, I just read your response to Gary Burgess and was wondering how often you have to clean the cap. I would tend to think that sodium hydroxide would build a charged residue on the cap after a few hours of use. I'm also curious on what kind of filament you use. I personally use the standard Pol Polish with a toluene ultrasonic bath and an acetone rinse. I can get about 200 hours of use before I reclean it. I use two scopes both tungsten filaments. If you can tell me how often I would appreciate it.
Dear Robin, We (Soft Imaging System SIS)have a few options that you may want to look at for acquiring digital images from your SEM. This is where you can find a listing of our products on the web: http://www.soft-imaging.de/products/p_one.htm
The first solution is our ADDA II, slow-scan interface for active or passive digital image acquisition from SEM/STEM. Technical data: Resolution: 4096 x 4096 pixel, 4096 gray values. 8 analog (ADC) inputs. 16 logical input and output channels. http://www.soft-imaging.de/products/hardware/h_add.htm
The second solution is our framegrabber (the grabBit) and our software (analySIS) for acquisition of standard video images generated on your microscope. The image quality, S/N ratio, is much worse for video images than it is for the slow-scan interface.
Our software is a state-of-the-art image acquisition, processing, analysis, and archiving package. We have application specific modules, like STEREO, for generating and viewing height mapped images from a stereo pair.
Please contact me if you have any further questions about either of these solution. I would be glad to send out brochures describing our products, or discuss your specific application. By telephone, (888) FIND SIS, or e-mail ac-at-soft-imaging.com
-Sincerely,
Andrew Cahill Soft Imaging System Corp. 1675 Carr St., #105N Lakewood, CO 80215 phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 web: www.soft-imaging.com, www.soft-imaging.de email: ac-at-soft-imaging.com
At 03:44 PM 3/16/99 -0600, you wrote: } ----------------------------------------------------------------------- - } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America=20
Don and all the other folks, I think that it would be great to have them online... I have a bit of drive space on one of the servers that I use and am going to scan in what I have here once I get the page scanner hooked up... I have obtained some Xeroxes of some also from some of the folds here (thanks folks)! and will add those also but orig. manuals are best to work with. I am willing to help in any capacity I can. Ed Sharpe
} Subj: manuals } Date: 4/7/99 1:43:23 PM US Mountain Standard Time } From: dmrelion-at-world.std.com (donald j marshall) } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I would just like to support and reinforce some of the many comments } recently made about getting copies of older instruction manuals. It would be } } a real service to our community if a master compilation of these manuals, } with a suitable index and regular updates, could be put together. I wish } that I had the time and the resources to volunteer for this task but I } don't at the moment. Hope somebody else does. } } Don Marshall }
My two cents: When I was sectioning for a living, we needed to replace a diamond knife. Diatome was more expensive, so we went with Microstar. After the fifth Microstar was returned, (all the knives were horribly hydrophilic) I was considering a move to molecular biology following ~8 mo. of inability to produce sections. We came through with the extra money and bought a Diatome. I could section again. I cannot praise highly enough the customer service I got from Microstar: they are a wonderful company to deal with. If you want a reliable knife, however, I would recommend Diatome. The extra cost will be recouped in time and section quality. Regards,
Andrew Ochalski, Microscopy Technician, Dept. of Biology, University of Ottawa Room 108, Gendron Bldg. 130 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1N 6N5 613-562-5800 x6343 FAX: 613-562 5486
Rob, I love your enthusiasm. That film is the right one for you and most material scientists. I suggest that for most biologist and some material scientist 4489 is better.
Yes, the SO type has greater speed, but this has costs and benefits. Some readers will find a few basic facts useful. Both of these TEM emulsions are essentially document films: low in red sensitivity and speed under 10 ISO. Though speed is not stated for such emulsions. Apparent film speed varies with exposure and development, but these films have very little exposure latitude and this makes an ISO number near meaningless. In general, slower films have greater resolution, greater contrast, but less exposure latitude.
Generally biologists require greater contrast and so prefer the slower 4489. Material specimens tend to produce greater electron scattering (greater atomic number and thickness ranges) and so the SO type is in more common use. The following consideration may change the film preference for some.
In light photography, denser negatives are grainier, whereas greater electron exposure (denser negatives) give less grainy and more enlargeable negatives. Slightly over-exposed negatives are more contrasty in electron imaging (not so in light photography). Therefore, for the biologist denser negatives taken with the slower 4489 are usually preferable.
Additionally, slower emulsions (the 4489) require more electrons to form a properly exposed image. In visible light, photo grain is due to the emulsion, in TEM "enlargeability" is usually limited by to "too few electrons". Slower film requires more electrons to expose properly and this results in less "noisy" images. This is especially important for high-resolution work, since it is much easier to prepare these, when using high (10 -20x) photographic magnification.
For the material scientist who can live with the higher contrast, or who can reduce contrast to some extent through development (reasonably full development time is required for a full tonal range), there is not just a price advantage in favour of the 4489. More electrons do result in a better image - beam damage is of course another argument. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Saturday, August 21, 1999 8:51 AM, Rob Dickerson [SMTP:dickerson-at-lanl.gov] wrote: } } Gary and all, } } This precisely why this list should exist. I've been using SO-163 } since the mid 1980's and figured the rest of the world had switched, } as well. Please don't everyone shift at once as that will certainly } mess with the supply. } } We use it at voltages between 100 and 300 daily. The best sensitivity } is that which works best for your samples under the conditions you } prefer. Try a bracketing experiment up front. One small point: when } imaging with low contrast such as for weak-beam dark fields and some } HREM images, you can up the contrast by using D-19 developer at full } strength, rather than diluted 2:1 as per usual. } } Rob Dickerson } } } -----Original Message----- } } } From: Garry Burgess [mailto:GBurgess-at-exchange.hsc.mb.ca] } } Sent: Thursday, August 19, 1999 2:10 PM } } To: 'Microscopy Society of America - Mailing List' } } Subject: Kodak SO-163 Electron Image Film } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } Has anyone tried the new Kodak Electron Image Film SO-163? I'm interested } } in your opinions, particularly if you notice the improvements over the old } } 4489 film. (as applied to TEM applications) } } } } I love this mailing list as a great source of information. } } } } Garry } } } } Garry Burgess } } Charge Technologist - Electron Microscopy } } Department of Pathology } } Health Sciences Centre } } Winnipeg } ********************************************************* } Robert M. Dickerson Mailto:dickerson-at-lanl.gov } MST-CMS } Mailstop K765 Tel: ph:505-667-6337 } Los Alamos National Laboratory Fax: 505-665-2992 } Los Alamos, NM 87545 TA-03 Bldg.1698 Rm.C-136 } *********************************************************
We used to use Pol and acetone or later isopropyl alcohol but a tip from a Phillips engineer recomended an aquas base cleaner like Softscrub. It does not seem to be too abrassive and you wash it off with running water then sonicate it (in a container ) in a series of distilled water. I then drizzle a little isopropyl over the parts pour this off, next, if I realy want them clean and dry in a hurry I drizzle freon 113 (which is used over for other needs -- trying to keep the environment clean). We have been using this method for six years and my filament hours increased significantly.
Our laboratory had been using LaB6 filaments (SEM and TEM) for about seven years and has recently (mid-June) switched to CeB6 filaments with mixed results.
I'm interested in hearing from anyone who has any experience with cerium hexaboride filaments and any references to published papers on the subject.
I have picked up some excellent information about a number of different subjects from postings on the list server and commend all who use it as an open forum for discussion.
Our University's Path EM lab and my Research facility has been using DDK knives for over 10 years with no problems to speak of (the older knives started out as Dupont). When one knife did not perform well we sent it back and they took care of it right away. Both labs have a Diatome now also, and they have performed well, but too new to say anything about longivity. The boat style and colors will probably be more of a thing to get used to or accept. Not to say some products are better than others, we all get comfortable with the equipment we work with and think any thing new is awkward, and inevitably, not as good.
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We have two Philips EM-300 TEM's which are available immediately. One is not working and was being held for parts. The other is working at the moment. However, due to the age of these instruments and the resultant brittle wires and cables, it is doubtful that it can be moved and still put back into service. Thus we feel that both instruments would be useful for parts but not as working instruments.
If you are interested in obtaining these instruments for the cost of moving them, contact Matt Mcdonough at: mmcdono-at-bilbo.bio.purdue.edu or call Matt at 765-494-4971
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Microscopy Center in Agriculture FAX: 765-494-5896 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology E-mail: sherman-at-btny.purdue.edu Purdue University 1057 Whistler Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1057
Electron holography studies of piezoelectric fields in GaN/InGaN/AlGaN stru= ctures
Applications are invited for the above post tenable for 3 years from 1 Octo= ber 1999, or as=20 soon as possible thereafter, for an EPSRC-funded project to study electric = fields generated in=20 GaN-based structures at strained layers and at defects. The project will i= nvolve electron=20 holography carried out using an electron biprism in a FEG TEM equipped with= an imaging=20 filter, in conjunction with image processing and image simulations to accou= nt for diffraction=20 contrast effects. Studies will concentrate on high quality InGaN/GaN and A= lGaN/GaN layers=20 grown by collaborating groups both in the UK and overseas. Preference will= be given to=20 candidates with a background in electron microscopy. Experience in working= with=20 semiconductors would be helpful but is not essential.
Applications including a c.v., list of publications and the names and addre= sses of 2 referees=20 should be sent to Dr. D. Cherns, H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University= of Bristol,=20 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TL, UK. For further details, contact Dr.=20 Cherns on telephone=20 0117 928 8702 or e-mail d.cherns-at-bristol.ac.uk. The closing date for appli= cations will be 13=20 September 1999 and starting salary will be in the range =A316,286 - =A31891= 5.
Further Particulars
The new PDRA will work under the direction of Dr. D. Cherns in the Microstr= uctures Group=20 in the H. H. Wills Physics Laboratory. The Microstructures Group, which pr= esently=20 comprises ~25 staff, post-doctoral researchers, research students along wit= h technical staff=20 and a secretary, has a strong tradition in the development and application = of electron=20 microscopy techniques. The Group is perhaps best known for the development= of convergent=20 beam electron diffraction (CBED) methods of analysing the structure and sym= metry of=20 crystals and more recently the development of large angle CBED methods of s= tudying defects=20 and interfaces. In addition to CBED, current interests in TEM include the = development fo=20 electron holography, electron energy loss spectroscopy and cathodoluminesce= nce. The=20 materials studied include diamond, a range of III-V and II-VI semiconductor= s including GaN,=20 metal multilayers (grown in-house) and metal alloys. The Group has 4 TEMs = including a=20 Hitachi HF2000 field emission microscope equipped with an electron biprism = for electron=20 holography, a Gatan imaging filter and EDX, and a Philips EM430 microscope = with EDX=20 and EELS, 3 SEMs and various scanning probe instruments (STM, AFM). There = is a wide=20 range of ancilliary equipment for specimen preparation and a suite of netwo= rked PCs and=20 workstations on which image processing and image simulation are carried out= using both=20 standard software packages and programs developed in-house.
The Microstructures Group has worked extensively on GaN and InGaN/GaN structures over=20 the past 4 years with PL/Raman studies by Professor J. W. Steeds and Dr. M.= Kuball, and=20 electron microscopy studies under Dr. D. Cherns. Dr. Cherns' group, which = currently=20 comprises 1 PDRA and 3 research students, has identified a range of new def= ects in GaN and=20 is correlating defect structure with optical properties studied by SEM cath= odoluminescence. =20 In very recent work (see D. Cherns, J. Barnard and F. A. Ponce, Solid State= Communications=20 111 (1999) 281), the Group has shown that electron holography can be used t= o detect and=20 measure, for the first time, large piezoelectric fields (~4MVcm-1) develope= d across a thin=20 InGaN layer ("quantum well") in GaN. Such fields are believed to play a ke= y role in=20 determining the optical and electronic properties of InGaN/GaN devices and = are a "hot topic"=20 attracting worldwide interest.
The new PDRA position will be funded on a 3 year EPSRC grant for electron h= olography=20 studies of electric fields in GaN/InGaN/AlGaN structures. This project wil= l involve studies=20 of a range of high quality InGaN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN layers grown by groups w= ith which=20 we have collaborative links in the UK and overseas (particularly Germany an= d the US). The=20 aim here is first to clarify the nature of the electric fields involved whi= ch may depend on=20 strain, i.e. a piezoelectric field, or may have a polarisation component, a= nd then to examine=20 spatial variations present at defects and layer irregularities. A key aim = of the project will be=20 to carry out image simulations to examine diffraction contrast effects whic= h are a major=20 uncertainty at present. The method will also be used to profile electric f= ields at defects which=20 are expected to be important not only in GaN but a range of other semicondu= ctors.
The project will enable the successful applicant to work on an important ma= terials system=20 where exciting scientific and technological advances are taking place, and = to develop both=20 experimental skills and experience in image processing and simulation metho= ds.
The Department of Physics at Bristol is one of the largest in the UK, and w= as rated 5=20 (international excellence in some sub-areas of activity and national excell= ence in virtually all=20 others) in the last HEFCE Research Assessment exercise
I am looking for a LOW-COST 8-bit ccd camera that can image fluorescently-labelled cells for routine student use. Currently, I am considering a Sony XC-series camera. A company called Electrim offers a low-cost system, complete with frame-grabber and rudimentary software. Frame averaging/integration capability would be useful. Signal strength is more important than resolution and SNR is not the prime consideration, since the staining pattern has been well-characterised and digital images will be compared with those obtained by conventional photography. Does anyone have experience with Electrim's systems or suitable alternatives? Thanks in advance. Regards,
Andrew Ochalski, Microscopy Technician, Dept. of Biology, University of Ottawa Room 108, Gendron Bldg. 130 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, Ontario CANADA K1N 6N5 613-562-5800 x6343 FAX: 613-562 5486
Dear George, I have done some cathodoluminesence and, like any other SEM discipline, you just plug it in and take a look at what you see. The hardest part is learning to spell it. What is your student trying to look at? What problems is she having? I found that the voltage of the beam has to be high and beam current usually had to be raised considerably, depending on the material you examine and the amount of light it gives off. Like BSE, there are different detector types with different characteristics. Like BSE, you have to fiddle with beam voltage, beam current, working distance and gain and brightness settings on the signal amp to find the condition that shows you what you want. The first time I did cathodoluminesence I simply removed the P47 button from the secondary electron detector and let the light in from the sample directly. Worked fine. If you have the journals from Scanning Electron Microscopy, there is a good coverage of cathodo. in 1980, Vol 1. At 04:42 PM 8/23/99 +1000, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Mary Mager Electron Microscopist Metals and Materials Engineering University of British Columbia 6350 Stores Road Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 CANADA tel: 604-822-5648 e-mail: mager-at-interchg.ubc.ca
To all: Thank you all for your great suggestions. I will look into the options you all suggested. Long term, I believe I will use FTP and have the users download the files themselves, that seems like the best long term option. Again thanks for being such a great resource.
Mike Coviello Lab Manager Materials Science UT Arlington
Michael Coviello wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Hi Ya'll: } I'm looking for suggestions on the best method/format to send large } scanned } image files via e-mail. Recently, I have been sending compressed jpg } files that are inserted into a powerpoint presentation (thus sending } the } image within the powerpoint file). This seems to be an effective } method } to make sure that the image I see on my computer looks the same as the } image that the recipient sees on their computer. } } The reason why I do this, is that I have had experiences when I } have sent a Photoshop manipulated image, that it doesn't always look as } good on the recipients' computer as it did when I was done with it in } Photoshop on my computer (eg. the recipient sees a grainy image that } looked great on my computer--this especially seems to happen after I } sharpen the image in Photoshop and the recipient views it in Microsoft } imager, but also can occur with other imaging programs). } } My method has two drawbacks: } } 1) The file size is still too large (up to 1mb) } 2) The printed image isn't as good as it looks on the computer screen. } } I'm looking for a format that retains the information in the image- } especially for printing, but does not distort it and uses a manageable } file size. Any experiences would be greatly appreciated. } } Mike Coviello } Lab Manager } UT Arlington } Arlington, TX
We are looking to sell our JEOL 1200EX microscope. It is equipped with STEM, BF/DF/SE/BSE, free lens control, and a Noran TN5500 microanalyzer system with a BE window detector in the high takeoff position. There is a dual cup JEOL double-tilt holder that has been modified with Gatan Be cups, hexrings, and anti-twist washers. Also included are a dual position single tilt holder and a bulk holder. The microscope is currently under a full JEOL service contract and is in excellent working condition.
I'm looking for a letter of intent to purchase the microscope for $30,000.
-Scott
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
} I have a customer that needs to find potential suppliers for LN transfer } dewars. Could you help me out? Are they available from the LN suppliers? }
Dear Joe, Practically all the scientific supply houses whose catalogs I perused had LN dewars. Cole-Parmer seemed to have the largest variety. Yours, Bill Tivol
At 04:19 AM 8/23/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
It seems to me that for fluorescence imaging, the main challenge is low light intensity. This would necessitate a very sensitive CCD camera with low SNR. Since the signal is low, a high SNR cannot be readily achieved.
Cooled CCD cameras would do what you want, but they are not CHEAP.
Check the units you have found so far for suitability to your application.
Take a material with a bandgap (no metal) and irradiate it with energetic electrons. This will create electron-hole pairs (e-h pairs) in the material. These e-h pairs can now relax by different methods:
1) they get separated in an electric field and create a current through an external wire (EBIC) 2) they recombine directly 3) they relax to a defect level in the bandgap and recombine from there
Option 3 can have two parts
a) radiative recombination b) non-radiative recombination
Numbers 2) and 3a) will give rise to light being emitted. Numbers 1) and 3b) will not produce light.
Note, that even though 1 and 3b do not CREATE light, they can reduce the light compared to an area with no such events. In this case they will show up as areas with reduced CL efficiency.
You can collect the light either panchromatic, which does not give you spectral information, but it is fairly easy to make a detector (a few photodiodes might do), or you collect the light spectrally resolved, in which case you need much higher detection efficiency. In this case you might need special mirrors, light pipes, spectrometers and detectors.
As to references: part of my Ph.D. had to do with CL. I will check the references in there and send them to you. Would a simply copy of the reference pages faxed to you work?
Michael
Michael Bode, Ph.D. Soft Imaging System Corp. 1675 Carr St., #105N Lakewood, CO 80215 =================================== phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 email: mailto:info-at-soft-imaging.com web: http://www.soft-imaging.com ===================================
} ---------- } From: George Theodossiou[SMTP:GEORGE.THEODOSSIOU-at-RMIT.EDU.AU] } Sent: Monday, August 23, 1999 12:42:47 AM } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Subject: Cathodoluminesence } Auto forwarded by a Rule } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
G'day all,
A third year student is doing a project on cathodoluminesence and she's asked me more some help. She needs some references. She's searched our library and I've done a search of our 'lab library' but to no avail. What she needs is something a little basic, that describes the technique, how it works in an SEM, and some practical applications. Nothing overly theoretical.
Thanx people
George
George Theodossiou Dept Applied Physics RMIT GPO Box 2476V Melbourne 3001 Victoria Australia Ph: +61 3 9925 1793 +61 3 9925 2205 Fax: +61 3 9925 5290 Email: george.theodossiou-at-rmit.edu.au
Home Ph: +61 3 9808 9085
Impossible I Can Do Today, Miracles, Require 24 Hours Notice
Mark, To avoid the frustration of your resin embedded skin sample sections separating at the outer stratum corneum layer from the rest of the epidermis and to improve the quality of fixation and resin penetration you might consider using the following method as mostly described by Van den Bergh, et.al.,(l997): Remove the subcutaneous fat, cut extremely thin (ideally use a dermatome for ~250 um or less) samples. Use 0.1% soybean trypsin solution to isolate the more impermeable outer stratum corneum from the rest of the epithelium and proceed by processing the two separately with the same method. Fix: 2% glutaraldehyde in 0.1%M cacodylate buffer at pH 7.2 at 4oC overnight in the dark. Rinse: 3 X in buffer Postfix: 1% OsO4 in same buffer.for 1 hr. 2nd postfix:* 0.2% RuO4 + 0.25wt% K3Fe(CN)6 in same buffer for 1 hr. with a fresh change after 30 min. at 4oC in the dark. Rinse: 3 X Dehydrate: 30, 50, 70, 90, 100% acetone or ethanol at room temp. Embed: in a series of Spurr's resin in acetone (1:2, 1:1, 2:1, v/v) before embedding in 100% Spurr's. Note: LR White would be another alternative resin to use. *RuO4 is indispensable in the characterization of lipid bilayer ultrastructure of the stratum corneum (Eichelberger,1999). The addition of K3Fe(CN)6 is recommended for the overall improvement of membrane fixation and retention of lipids(De Bruijn, W.C. & Den Breejen,P., 1975). If you are seeking to stain glycogen, glycoproteins, elastin, and other structures, K4Fe(CN)6 is advocated by Goldfischer, et. al., (1981). To increase the accessibility of RuO4, use a vibratome for 50um thick sections (Van der Meulen, 1996), or frozen sections can be made (Hou, et. al , 1991). References: De Bruijn, W.C. & Den Breejen, P. 1975. Histochem. J. 7:205. Eichelberger, H. H., 1999. Microscopy Today,99:24 Goldfischer,S., et.al., 1981. J. Histochem. Cytochem. 29:ll05. Hou, S. Y. E., et. al., 1991. J. Invest. Dermatol. 96:215. Van den Bergh, et.al., 1997. J. Microsc., 187:125. Van der Meulen, et. al.,(1996). J. Microsc.,184:67. ********************************************** Mark Donovan (8/18/1999) wrote: "We have recently started to receive specimens of skins to process for TEM. Up to now, the majority of our specimens have been renal and tumour. The problem that has arisen is splitting of sections at the stratum lucidium. We have tried some modifications to our existing processing schedule which uses epon 812 (increased infiltration times etc) and recently tried using spurrs but the problem has not yet been completely solved.
We are hoping that someone out there may have the definitive processing schedule for dermatological samples which they are willing to share and in so doing save us some time and agro. Thanks in advance."
Mark Donovan M.Donovan-at-Alfred.org.au Anatomical Pathology Alfred Hospital Victoria, Australia
I wish this topic had been discussed 4 months ago when I was tasked with the ordering of a new diamond knife in my lab. I took over a lab here at the University of Nebraska Medical center last December and inherited a plethora of diamond knives...well, about 4 anyway. The thing is I had 3 DDK (the knife of choice for my predicessor) and one microstar. I Had limited experience prior to coming here, and after working with the "best" knife on hand realized that I would be better off using the plastic wear from the cafeteria to section with. Now I only do clinical specimens here, mostly renal tissue and some skin, nerve, muscle and tumor tissue. None of these I would consider to be problematic tissues except for the occasional nerve. So when I decided (after consulting my resident guru downstairs in the research lab) to purchase the Diatom and send in one of my old DDK knives and pay the resharp price I thought I had found a bargain. I even had Stacie put a 4mm knife in a large histo boat because I just like that feeling of having a municple swimming pool to pile up sections in. That turned out to not be needed. I mount the Diatom knife and after all the preliminaries are completed can turn on my Leica and chop 6 sections in the 50nm range in about 8 wacks! The best part is they are all perfect and completely free of defect. This has cut my sectioning time down to about 1/10th the time I used to spend. So as it turns out, I am happy I bought the Diatom. For what it is worth, don't waste good hard lobbied for money on second rate knives even if your not cutting difficult tissue. Buy the Diatom and know you are getting a good quality product which will outlast the competition by far.
Doug Rennie coordinator electron microscopy lab Department of Pathology University of Nebraska Medical Center
Joe: We buy all of our transfer dewars from Southland Cryogenics. I like their 4-liter all-steel ones. No chance of breakage if you are fumble-fingered like me. Below is the mailing address and the web site of their page on the parent company's web site.
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Hello Listserver, } } I have a customer that needs to find potential suppliers for LN transfer } dewars. Could you help me out? Are they available from the LN suppliers? } } Thank you, } } Joe Ullmer } NORAN Instruments Inc } Joexray123-at-aol.com
this is really strange folks..... this just shoed up from the listserv in my mailbox but it is something I replied to a long time ago...... I am confused.... Look at the date on dons message I replied right after that ... now look at the date on this message I got ... like sent to me today though the listserv.
Ed Sharpe
} Subj: Re: manuals } Date: 8/23/99 10:50:48 AM US Mountain Standard Time } From: COURYHOUSE-at-aol.com-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Don and all the other folks, } I think that it would be great to have them online... I have a bit of drive } space on one of the servers that I use and am going to scan in what I have } here once I get the page scanner hooked up... I have obtained some Xeroxes } of } some also from some of the folds here } (thanks folks)! and will add those also but orig. manuals are best to work } with. I am willing to help in any capacity I can. } Ed Sharpe } } } Subj: manuals } } Date: 4/7/99 1:43:23 PM US Mountain Standard Time } } From: dmrelion-at-world.std.com (donald j marshall) } } To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } I would just like to support and reinforce some of the many comments } } recently made about getting copies of older instruction manuals. It would } be } } } } a real service to our community if a master compilation of these manuals, } } with a suitable index and regular updates, could be put together. I wish } } that I had the time and the resources to volunteer for this task but I } } don't at the moment. Hope somebody else does. } } } } Don Marshall } } }
I have been watching the discussion on Cathode cleaning. I know "if it aint broke don't fix it" but it does seem to me that we all treat our =
cathode cleaning procedures like our own bit of alchemy, our own bit of magic, the more complicated the better and not to be changed as we will break the spell?
As I travel round the world I see and hear of all sorts of methods, using=
the polish provided by the manufacturer, that used by the engineer, or se= en in another laboratory, or simply the only cleaning media we could find. =
How many product names do I see that go one step better than the last, which complex chemical can we use to try and dissolve it away? It seems = to get more and more complex? Then we have the drill specialists who grind away at the cathode aperture and years later wonder why they cannot corre= ct the astigmatism? Sure I too have passed on "my method" with my "bought in=
France" bamboo sticks, saying this is the way you do it in hundreds of laboratories, but I reckon I was wrong! As probably the person who teach= es more people to clean electron microscopes than anyone else in the world I=
perpetuated the magic; I was wrong!
Why not keep it simple. On one of our mid year courses we found a method=
which is simple and efficient. We used one part water to three parts =
Ammonia solution (stock) in an ultrasonic cleaner for 15 minutes. Wash with running water, rinse in alcohol and dry. Here you are using a solve= nt for tungsten, no abrasion needed, no scum, no bits of cotton or paste to leave behind, no magic, very simple and no nasty chemicals, natural media=
that is all environmentally friendly, and it clears the head into the bargain!
I believe you should clean the cathode every time you replace a filament (we are talking the basic tungsten hairpin here) Clean the anode every other filament change and give the chamber a wipe round (assuming it has been thouroghly cleaned to start with) with a dry clean chamois leather o= r similar, each time you go into the gun. The column should be cleaned by your own magic methd (not the ammonia clean mentioned above) ONLY when yo= u can prove that dirt is the problem in the system. If you need to know mo= re reference my book "Maintaining & Monitoring the Transmission Electron Microscope" for a detailed explanation on how to judge your column problems.
Be aware that in my days as a service engineer running my own business, I=
had as many problems caused by the way the cuatomer cleaned the microscop= e, as I had caused by the miscroscope itself. The engineers today would be able to put me straight on current trends, and I guess they will, just ho= w many will I upset this time?
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
Dear Friends, I have been using a philips CM 200 for some time and it recently beam has been flickering a lot. Generally, at higher HT the flickering is seen to increase and at higher magnifications its resolutions deteriorates very much. Also, I have monitored the lens currents and found that with objective lens current is also fluctuating a lot. This flickering is foud to occur onlyy when the objective is switched on. Luckily, the day my service engineer has come, the flickering didnt surface at all for the full day! and he had nothing to daignose, but I have often faced the problem. Can you kindly help me find out the possible reasons/remedy for this erratic behaviour.
with regards, Vibhor
V Chaswal Materials Technology Division IGCAR India 603102
I also get messages turning up months after they were sent. I presume that they got lost in the ether and then found their way! Maybe they get stuck in a server that goes down for a while? A little like trying to contact a website that gives "DNS unknown", try again immediately and you reach it?
Keith Ryan Marine Biological Association Plymouth UK
When you have situations like this, you should include the message headers along with the message. Depending on your mail program, the headers are accessed via different means. Eudora has a "Blah,Blah,Blah" button which brings up all of the header fields.
Without these, its tough to troubleshoot.
gary g.
At 07:43 PM 8/23/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} Hi } } I have been watching the discussion on Cathode cleaning. I know "if it } aint broke don't fix it" but it does seem to me that we all treat our } cathode cleaning procedures like our own bit of alchemy, our own bit of } magic, the more complicated the better and not to be changed as we will } break the spell?
[snip]
It seems that the discussion of cleaning revolves around those Wenhelts used for tungsten filaments. If this is correct, is there any difference in cleaning the caps for LaB6 or CeB6 guns?
Ed, I pressed the "Blah, Blah, Blah" key on my Eudora to expand the header details and see what stops and when this message might have made on the way. Sorry, but it looked like it left your station yesterday. I have seen cases where messages have been held up for days somewhere along the chain, but this doesn't appear to be one of them.
I know that I can get started on a message, set it aside for something else, and by the time I get back to it, I am ashamed how long it has been, I have some little notes in my OutBox that I started back in April. I thought you might have done the same thing. Good luck solving the mystery.
WS
At 10:43 PM 8/23/1999 -0400, you wrote: } this is really strange folks..... this just shoed up from the listserv in my } mailbox but it is something I replied to a long time ago...... I am } confused.... Look at the date on dons message I replied right after that ... } now look at the date on this message I got ... like sent to me today though } the listserv. } } } Ed Sharpe } } } Subj: Re: manuals } } Date: 8/23/99 10:50:48 AM US Mountain Standard Time } } From: COURYHOUSE-at-aol.com-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } } {SNIP}
Hi, Thanks for many replies on where to order target for my Polaron sputter coater. Those information saved me a lot of serching time. Energy Beam Sciences of Agawarm, MA is the the distributor for Polaron's product. Their phone number is :800-992-9037. Email at:75767,640-at-compuserve.com
Best regards,
Lucy Lucy Yin Microscopist Central Microscopy Facility Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA01003 TEL. 413-545-1817 FAX 413-545-1578
Yes there are differences and you may find past discussions archived at Tips & Tricks dealing with both.
http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/tips.html
At 07:25 AM 8/24/1999 -0700, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} {} { GO GATORS Scott D. Whittaker 218 Carr Hall EM Technician Gainesville, FL 32610 University Of Florida ph 352-392-1184 ICBR EM Core Lab fax 352-846-0251 sdw-at-biotech.ufl.edu http://www.biotech.ufl.edu/~emcl/ The home of " Tips & Tricks "
Joe, Cole-Parmer sells several type and sizes of LN dewars. Their number is (800) 323-4340.
Mary Gail Engle Electron Microscopy & Imaging Facility University of Kentucky
At 11:08 AM 8/23/99 EDT, Joexray123-at-aol.com"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I've been follow this discussion about alternate procedures used in the cleaning of Wehnelt caps. The ammonia method is the most appealing alternative to polishing. I need to know if the ammonia mentioned in the procedure is the concentrated ammonium hydroxide or the diluted supermarket variety.
} ===== Original Message From "Dr. Gary Gaugler" {gary-at-gaugler.com} =====
} [snip] } } It seems that the discussion of cleaning revolves around those Wenhelts } used for tungsten filaments. If this is correct, is there any difference } in cleaning the caps for LaB6 or CeB6 guns? } Personally, I've found the hydroxide cleaning procedure to work for LaB6 deposits, but the Cebix to be more difficult to remove.
Hi Ya'll: I wanted to ask one more time if anyone out there has a spare Philips 430 wehnelt assembly. I thought my message may have been lost in the weekend e-mail. Thanks, Mike Coviello Lab Manager UT Arlington Arlington, Tx
I've found that LaB6 will clean off the wehnelt quite nicely with dilute nitric acid - and more quickly than with abrasive paste.
Eric
---------------------- Dr Eric E. Lachowski University of Aberdeen Department of Chemistry Meston Walk Old Aberdeen AB24 3UE Scotland +44 1224 272934 e.lachowski-at-abdn.ac.uk
I think I saw this thread previously on the listserver, but of course I trashed the messages.
A colleague of mine is looking for a CCD camera to mount on a Zeiss EM109 TEM. The objective is to send the images to an IBM PC compatible computer for analysis and archiving.
If anyone has the history of this thread, or if you can send me a synopsis / recommendation on who to contact, I would very much appreciate it. Vendor replies are welcome.
Please contact me directly off-list if you have any info to pass on.
The ammonia used to clean a W filament cathode is the stock solution as purchased from the chemical supplier.
For those using LaB6 clean the deposits from cathodes by soaking them f= or about a minute in a solution consisting of 1 part by volume of concentrat= ed hydrochloric acid and 4 parts water, then rinsing sequentially with water= , dilute ammonia, water, and isopropyl alcohol, and then drying with a bla= st of clean warm air or with a gas blaster.
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
I have polymer samples to study on the TEM. It is a Jeol 2000FX with LaB6 gun equiped with EDS and PEELS. Usually, I work on metallurgical samples, so I am not very skillfull for this type of study. Can you tell me more about the preparation techniques and the precautions during the experiment? Maybe you can give me some references in the litterature.
Thank you \\_// -(-at- -at-)- ----------------------oOO--(_)--Ooo-------------------------
Eric LEROY Dr. Laboratoire de Chimie Metallurgique des Terres Rares UPR 209 - CNRS Groupe des Laboratoires de Thiais 2-8, rue Henri Dunant 94320 THIAIS cedex
I have been asked to write an article about transferring digital image files across the Internet. I'd be glad to present some facts and opinions on the subject but I need some of your help.
There are EM folks out there as well as LM users. We all probably generate, manipulate and use digital files. I would appreciate as much feedback as possible, or practical, in knowing what the different reasons are for transferring these digital files from one place to another. Quantifying the size, type, source, format (b/w, RGB, TIF, PNG, etc.) will help. And of course, what is the ultimate use of the transferred image file?
Direct e-mail to me is I'm sure going to make Nestor much happier than general listserver posts!! Cheers, Gary Gaugler, Ph.D.
The provisional schedule for EuroFE '99 (15th - 19th November in Toledo, Spain) is now online at http://www.cmp-cientifica.com/EuroFE/schedule.htm
This conference covers all aspects of Field Emission Technologies, with t= he emphasis on applications. Topics include displays, microscopy, ion source= s, space application, and methods of characterisation of materials used for Field Emission sources.
Also a reminder that the last date for registrations at the reduced rate= is the 15th September 1999.
Regards
Tim
*********************************************************** EuroFE Field Emission Network A Network of the European Science Foundation http://www.esf.org Tim E. Harper EuroFE Network Co Chairman CMP Cient=EDfica s.l Tel +34 91 640 71 85 Fax: +34 91 640 71 86 http://www.cmp-cientifica.com/Eurofe
At 05:22 AM 8/25/99 -0700, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I am very much interested in your topic. I run a diagnostic EM lab in the Pathology Dept. of a big medical school. I generate a fair number of images that pathologists at several nearby hospitals need to view to make diagnoses. So I generate large numbers of "working" images (10 to 15 per case, 2 to 5 cases per day). These are primarily gray scale although it would be nice to bundle a few light level color images from H & E preps or thick plastic sections as well. I have thought of zipping them with WinZip to make sure images remain with their specific cases. The idea is to transfer them to the computers on pathologists' desks where they can view them on their monitors without having to print them out. They must be of high enough quality to see what needs to be seen, yet small enough in file size to be easily handled. Right now I am scanning TEM negatives with a flatbed scanner, and adjusting gamma in PhotoShop. The process needs to be streamlined. I look forward to seeing what you have to say as well as coments from others who may be doing the same thing.
Joiner Cartwright, Jr., Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Pathology and Director, Electron Microscopy Laboratory
Department of Pathology, Rm.286-A Baylor College of Medicine One Baylor Plaza Houston, Texas 77030 U.S.A.
I've been asked by a colleague sending supplies to Antarctica about "freeze-resistant formalin", a commercially available product. I never needed it when I worked down there, but I wasn't ordering gallons that were stored in unheated storage buildings either. The "freezing-resistance" seems to be from increased levels of methanol.
So, for the folks who've used this stuff, at either pole, or shipping specimens in the winter in Montana or Alaska: Does the "freezing protection" affect fixation and preservation of morphology or antigen sites? At the light microscopy level as well as the EM level. Does the protection actually work, and to how low a temperature? Is this protection really needed? I assume the need is for stored 37-40% formalin.
Thanks!
Phil
****be famous! send in a tech tip or question*** Philip Oshel Technical Editor, Microscopy Today PO Box 620068 Middleton, WI 53562 Address for courier deliveries: 6319 Pheasant Lane #A-12 Voice: (608) 833-2885 Fax: (608) 836-1969 (please make sure my name is on any fax) oshel-at-terracom.net
if you are looking for literature, a very good book to start with is:
Sawyer, L.C. and Grubb, D.T.: Polymer Microscopy (2nd edition), Chapman & Hall (1996)
It is difficult to give more specific advice unless you define a little more precise what kind of polymer you want look at.
Petra
At 10:20 25.08.99 +0200, you wrote: } Hi everybody, } } I have polymer samples to study on the TEM. It is a Jeol 2000FX with LaB6 } gun equiped with EDS and PEELS. Usually, I work on metallurgical samples, } so I am not very skillfull for this type of study. Can you tell me more } about the preparation techniques and the precautions during the experiment? } Maybe you can give me some references in the litterature. } } Thank you
-------------------------------------------------------------- Dr. Petra Wahlbring Centre de Recherche Public - Gabriel Lippmann Laboratoire d'Analyse des Materiaux (LAM) 162a, av. de la Faiencerie L-1511 Luxembourg tel. +352-466644-402 fax +352-466644-400 e-mail: petra.wahlbring-at-crpgl.lu Visit our WWW site! http://www.crpgl.lu/~wahlbrin
} Date: Wed, 25 Aug 1999 10:47:07 -0500 } To: histonet-at-pathology.swmed.edu } From: Sue Danielson {sdaniels-at-post.its.mcw.edu} } Subject: hiring a tech w/ no experience } } Hello histonetters, } } An issue has arisen in our laboratory which can benefit from replies from ANYONE who currently works in histology and electron microscopy as a lab manager. } } A position opening exists in our Neuromuscular Diagnostics laboratory for a lab technologist. Duties involve primarily TEM prep and, to a lesser extent, frozen sectioning and histochemical staining of skeletal muscle and peripheral nerve biopsies. } } Our laboratory is fairly small/specialized; we process tissues from approximately 30 area hospitals throughout Wisconsin & Illinois. When this open position is filled, there are two of us working full time and one part time technician who works weekend hours. } } Our superiors ( 2 M.D.'s who are neurologists) are pushing to hire a particular applicant who has ZERO electron microscopy and histology experience (she is a bacteriologist by trade). This individual is very bright and willing to learn; however from my standpoint as lab coordinator and the sole person responsible for training this individal I am against this. Especially since I am in class 3 afternoons per week as a part-time medical student! } } Time is currently of the essence. I would prefer to wait for an applicant who is better qualified; however, have been told that if I am not able to produce any more qualified applicants by the end of next week that I will be overruled. } } Please reply! My superiors do not understand the intricacies of TEM and histology techniques. I consider myself an excellent and patient teacher but I fear that I cannot train this person in a timely enough manner to keep the lab running smoothly. } } I also suspect that by hiring this person that we would be violating some CLIA regulation. PLEASE COMMENT, anyone who is willing, so I may turn in these responses to my superiors before it is too late. } } Sincerely, } } } Susan K. Danielson, MS } Neuromuscular Laboratory Coordinator } Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin } ph: 414.259.3836 } fax: 414.454.7905 } email: sdaniels-at-mcw.edu } }
Suggest that you visit the Illumea site at www.Illumea.com. The HTML side of their site loads faster but the Flash side has more info. For the latter, you need Flash 3.0 (the program checks automatically for you). Don't be scared off by the download time on the status bar. These guys use streaming technology and their site began to download in under 40 seconds, even on my slow connection.
I interviewed them in depth for a recent article in Advanced Imaging, "Telemicroscopy & Telepathology: Remote Imaging Revolution" (July, 1999, Pp 40). (If you'd like a copy, email me your address). They use a proprietary algorithm which combines layered codec and streaming technology which uses the Internet and Ethernets as they were meant to be used. Currently, they are able to control a light microscope as well (X, Y, Z, and nosepiece and illumination, if automated). Since they don't use the standard NTSC signal, their images are really remarkable. They exhibited at M&M and seemed to be well received by both biologists and material scientists, so this system has interesting cross-disciplinary implications.
Bill Miller is their VP of Sales and can be reached at 860-672-0068. If he can't answer your questions, he can direct you to the right source.
Hope this is helpful, Barbara Foster Consortium President Microscopy/Microscopy Education ...Educating microscopists for greater productivity.
125 Paridon Street Suite 102 Springfield, MA 01118 PH: (413)746-6931 FX: (413)746-9311 email: mme-at-map.com Visit our web site {http://www.MME-Microscopy.com/education} ****************************************************** MME is America's first national consortium providing customized on-site workshops in all areas of microscopy, sample preparation, and image analysis.
At 05:22 AM 8/25/99 -0700, Dr. Gary Gaugler wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I need to polish polycarbonate disks of 0.5mm thick. I am considering to adhere the disks to the mount with TED PELLA adhesive tabs. The problem is what kind of chemical I should use to remove the glue without attacking the disk surface. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
According to Goldstein (1977) and Reed (1982), a single scattering mode can be regarded as a good approximation in estimating the electron beam broadening through out the thickness of TEM thin foils. The broadening b is propotional to Z and A-1/2, where Z and A are atomic number and atomic weight, respectively. I have found many published experimental examples in which the single scattering model was used. However, all these experiments were for materails with single elements. For the multiple-element compounds, for example SiC, how should we determine the values for Z and A, add up, oraverage, or others? Your opinion is appreciated.
The methanol in many formalin solutions definitely affects ultastructure and antigens. We routinely use methanol free 10% formaldehyde from Polysciences for just this reason. If storage is the issue why not get paraformaldehyde powder and just mix up a batch as needed?
At 09:48 AM 8/25/99 -0500, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Thanks very much for the information I am receiving from you all. Please keep it coming. The diversity is very surprising and fascinating.
I erred in not saying that this article is for Microscopy Today. Several folks have asked where they could find my final work. It will be in MT. I'm still working on another article about color correction and light microphotography. Therefore, this is a good interlude period to gather as much info about the digital realm as I can.
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I am waiting with bated breath for someone to accuse Hildegard Crowley about } being another 'Bernie Kestel', but, so far so good, and we are sticking to } the business of hearing a number of useful personal opinions on diamond } knives. } } At my lab in Ottawa, we have been doing 'materials science' ultramicrotomy } for ~15 years on metals, alloys, powders, fibres, wires, minerals, etc. We } have about a dozen knives on hand; DDK, Drukker, Microstar, but mostly } Diatome (over half). In the opinion of our operator (I don't section, I } just blather on about materials microtomy a lot), he has always preferred } the Diatomes, especially the 35 degree knife for demanding 'hard' materials. } Interestingly, a histo knife, meant for semithin sectioning, is our prime } backup for thin sectioning of first-time demanding materials when we are } unsure of the risk to the 35's . } } However, all of the others perform quite well. Listening to students at the } several workshops with which I have been involved, horror stories concerning } knives are relatively rare. We have had two 'stinkers' in the last 15 } years, both of which were promptly replaced with decent knives by the two } suppliers. Sergey, did you contact Joe Tabeling? I would be surprised if } he didn't give a positive response. } } So, Anja, two points: } - 15 years of frequent sectioning on the same edge tells me that you do not } have very demanding materials, making the exact brand perhaps somewhat less } important. } - 'easy' materials notwithstanding, you are wise in sticking with diamond. } In all other forms of EM specimen prep, I have never encoutered a crucial } component which is so delicately engineered, yet performs so well so } consistently. } - absolutely always send a knife back to its origin for resharpening. Ditto } for asking about details of cleaning and other forms of maintenance. } } Best of luck. } } Tom Malis } Group Leader - Characterization } Materials Technology Laboratory } Natural Resources Canada, Govt. of Canada } 568 Booth St., Ottawa, Canada K1A 0G1 } 613-992-2310 } malis-at-nrcan.gc.ca } } } ---------- } } From: Anja Schulze } } Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 11:22 AM } } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } } Subject: different brands of diamond knives } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } Hello everybody, } } } } We have a diatome diamond knife which was bought in 1984. It has } } been used } } a lot and has never been resharpened. It is now at a stage where I am } } doing } } better using glass knives. We have the following options now: } } } } 1) trade it in for a new diatome knife } } 2) trade it in for a Microstar or Edgecraft knife } } 3) have it resharpened (not by diatome, but by some other company) } } } } Option 1) is about 1.5 times the price of options 2 or 3. On the other } } hand, we can be fairly sure to get a good knife. From what I heard there } } are big differences in the quality of knives. They all look good in the } } beginning but some of them deteriorate pretty quickly. With only 30 days } } to } } test them, you won't be able to tell. Does anybody have experience with } } Microstar or Edgecraft knives? } } } } As far as the resharpening is concerned: is there a difference in the } } quality of the job between the different companies? And if so, can anybody } } recommend one? } } } } Thanks a lot for your help, } } } } Anja } } } } Anja Schulze Tel: +(250)721-8858 } } Biology Department Fax: +(250)721-7120 } } University of Victoria } } P.O. Box 3020 } } Victoria, B.C. V8W 3N5 } } Canada } } } } } } Hi Folks,
Who is Bernie Kestel? Anyway, an interesting happening which baffled me no end until I engaged the person sharpening my knife into a long conversation, and found out the reason for my problem with my knife (Not a Diatome). I used to get knives from a certain source. They were wonderful when tested out, super sharp, a dream. But within a few months they were dull (used only on tissue embedded in medium hard epoxy). As it turned out the knives were so great when I got them because the company who supplied them would sharpen them, and at the very end make the edge super sharp by making the entire edge slightly concave. The thinned edge at the top wore out in weeks, and then the thicker part of the knife appeared. It was a total nightmare. (I don't even put a concave edge on my carbon steel kitchen knives!) So, you never know. Bye, Hildy Crowley My other name is not Bernie Kestel, but sometimes I do use the name of Maynard Heinrich Schlundt.
I have been following this discussion with interest. I'm amazed that nobody has mentioned Quadralene. About 35 years ago microscopists were cleaning gun assemblies with a mixture of 5% ammonia and polishing alumina. They then had to clean up the mess it made. Then Quadralene became available. This is a concentrated mixture of detergent and ammonia. To use, it is diluted with 9 parts distilled water to one part of Quadralene. Dirty gun parts are immersed in the solution and sonicated in the usual way for 5 - 10 minutes. The results are very impressive, and the additional advantage is that Quadralene is safe to use for cleaning delicate brass and copper components, and is very effective.
I have been using Quadralene for the past 30 years, and is it routinely stocked in practically every EM lab in the UK that I have worked in. I have no financial interest in the product, I'm just a satisfied user.
Quadralene is made by:- Quadralene Chemical Products Ltd., Liversage Works, Bateman Street, Derby, DE3 8JL UK The full title of the product is: Quadralene Instrument Cleaner (Grade QIC/2)
Regards to all Bob Phillips ********************* MicroServiS Electron Microscopy Services, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, UK **************************************************
My thesis deals with electron diffraction of Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP) and biological materials. I use a Philips CM20 TEM with a FEG. The patterns are collected with a slow scan CCD camera. Although using electrons to study polymers may once have been controversial, there is no reason to exclude electron techniques today with the advent of some technologies such as those listed above. Some people believe that there is mass loss associated with radiation damage to the specimen, which may eventually contaminate the microscope. However our thought is that this is negligible.
A really nice and easy book to understand is:
Polymer Microscopy, 2nd Ed., by Sawyer and Grubb (a lot of pictures)
There are a ton of other sources, but most are specific to certain techniques (such as diffraction).
} According to Goldstein (1977) and Reed (1982), a single scattering mode } can be regarded as a good approximation in estimating the electron beam } broadening through out the thickness of TEM thin foils. The broadening } b is propotional to Z and A-1/2, where Z and A are atomic number and } atomic weight, respectively. I have found many published experimental } examples in which the single scattering model was used. However, all } these experiments were for materails with single elements. For the } multiple-element compounds, for example SiC, how should we determine the } values for Z and A, add up, oraverage, or others? Your opinion is ap- } preciated. } Dear Xiao-Feng, If there is only a single scattering it must be off of only one component of a compound or mixture. In that case, the broadening is the same as for foils of each of the components of thicknesses proportional to their fractions in the compound/mixture stacked one behind the other. This is a first approximation which does not account for multiple scat- tering (assumed negligible) or scattering off intramolecular bonding electrons, etc. Yours, Bill Tivol
Dr. Eric LEROY wrote: ================================================ I have polymer samples to study on the TEM. It is a Jeol 2000FX with LaB6 gun equiped with EDS and PEELS. Usually, I work on metallurgical samples, so I am not very skillfull for this type of study. Can you tell me more about the preparation techniques and the precautions during the experiment? Maybe you can give me some references in the literature. ================================================= This is the polymer analog to the question "How do I prepare a metallurgical sample"!
The nature of the polymer you are studying and what it is that you want to learn about it are the two main considerations that determine not only the experimental approach but also the proper selection of control samples, without which an unambiguous interpretation is impossible. The physical form of the sample is also important.
So please tell us what is the polymer (e.g. polyethylene, PTFE, ABS, HIPS, etc.) and what it is that you are trying to determine (e.g. domain structure and morphology of a multiphase system or copolymer, pigment or additive distribution, orientation effects, etc.) and also something about the physical form (is it a coating, a molded plastic, blown film, powder, etc.).
Many polymer problems are more samples for SEM or LM than TEM. On the other hand, many important problems need a multi-microscope kind of approach where more than one microscope technique is needed.
Once you specify more about your characterization objectives and samples, it should be straightforward for someone with experience to propose an appropriate approach. If you are skilled for metallurgical samples, a quickie overview of polymer solid state structure would put you on the path to being a good polymer microscopist as well!
Hope this is helpful.
Chuck
Disclaimer: Since 1970, our firm has been providing polymer microscopy and failure analysis services as an independent laboratory service to clients worldwide.
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Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-610-436-5400 President 1-800-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-610-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail:cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust.Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
Look for us! ######################## WWW: http://www.spi.cc ######################## ============================================
Thank you all for your responses to my concerns about hiring a technician. I am calmer now and am of the belief that this situation will indeed happy ending.
Sincerely,
Susan Danielson MS Neuromuscular Lab Coordinator Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin
A short while ago, someone asked about locating this IC. I replied asking how many were needed. Not getting a reply, I presume the need no longer exists. I have an ample supply of these ICs and I don't use them.
While I have never run a histo lab I have run a lot of projects.
In my experiance some one the is truly bright, willing to work and a hard worker that will stay with you a while is worth the effort to train.
A bacteriologist should understand how to dig their own information of the literature and follow proceedures.
It has been my considerble experiance that intellegnece and willingness to work are the most valuble assest an employee can have.
Gordon
Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com 624 Cheyenne Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger
} } } } An issue has arisen in our laboratory which can benefit from replies from } ANYONE who currently works in histology and electron microscopy as a lab } manager. } } } } A position opening exists in our Neuromuscular Diagnostics laboratory for a } lab technologist. Duties involve primarily TEM prep and, to a lesser } extent, frozen sectioning and histochemical staining of skeletal muscle and } peripheral nerve biopsies. } } } } Our laboratory is fairly small/specialized; we process tissues from } approximately 30 area hospitals throughout Wisconsin & Illinois. When this } open position is filled, there are two of us working full time and one part } time technician who works weekend hours. } } } } Our superiors ( 2 M.D.'s who are neurologists) are pushing to hire a } particular applicant who has ZERO electron microscopy and histology } experience (she is a bacteriologist by trade). This individual is very } bright and willing to learn; however from my standpoint as lab coordinator } and the sole person responsible for training this individal I am against } this. Especially since I am in class 3 afternoons per week as a part-time } medical student! } } } } Time is currently of the essence. I would prefer to wait for an applicant } who is better qualified; however, have been told that if I am not able to } produce any more qualified applicants by the end of next week that I will be } overruled. } } } } Please reply! My superiors do not understand the intricacies of TEM and } histology techniques. I consider myself an excellent and patient teacher } but I fear that I cannot train this person in a timely enough manner to keep } the lab running smoothly. } } } } I also suspect that by hiring this person that we would be violating some } CLIA regulation. PLEASE COMMENT, anyone who is willing, so I may turn in } these responses to my superiors before it is too late. } } } } Sincerely, } } } } } } Susan K. Danielson, MS } } Neuromuscular Laboratory Coordinator } } Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin } } ph: 414.259.3836 } } fax: 414.454.7905 } } email: sdaniels-at-mcw.edu } } } } } }
I am desperately searching for a high tension cable for a Zeiss 10CR Transmission Electron Microscope and was wondering if anyone may have one somewhere in their pile of spare parts. Needless to say, I would be most grateful if anyone can help out.
Thanks,
Emma Thiel
Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute Villa 2, Prince of Wales Hospital High Street, Randwick, N.S.W., 2031 Australia.
At 01:41 PM 8/25/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
[snip]
I think that we/I need to make a distinction about what type of Wenhelt aperture design we are talking about. For my Amray 1830, the W Wenhelt aperture is a 500 micron platinum aperture disc. For the LaB6 Wenhelt, it is about 5 times larger in overall diameter but still with a 500 micron hole and is an integral part of the gun rather than an insertable sub-component.
If the issue is cleaning a $25 platinum aperture disc, I'd just discard it and put in a new one. The big one on my LaB6 gun is $275 each and I would certainly try to clean it as often as possible before replacing it. This is supposed to be possible for at least 5 years.
So....what Wenhelts are we talking about? What sources?
If you do not find a genuine HT cable for the microscope consider contacting a "high voltage" company? There are many other applications where high voltages in excess of our use are being applied. In many majo= r cities you will find a capacitor or generator manufacturer who are very capable of providing a suitable cable or making a cable complete with you= r connections. =
This has happened to me in a couple of countries, where a little researc= h turned an impossible HT situation into happy microscope!
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
Just a small query to ask all your advise as to what brand of sputter coaters and vacuum evaporators you recommend. We need one that is extremely reliable and provides the required vacuum in a short period of time. We are looking into the Edwards and Denton brands since I've worked with them previously; and are considering purchasing a dedicated sputter coater and a dedicated evaporator or carbon evaporator for both carbon and metal shadowing. So, what do you all think? Is it worth purchasing them separately or obtaining one which does everything?
Much Appreciation,
Maria Maria Fazio-Zanakis Bioimaging and Molecular Histology Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. 1-908-231-3357 Fax: 1-908-231-3962 Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com
I'm in Materials Science but a few years ago I had a similar experience. We were in need of hiring a new person to learn/perform TEM in polymers. The duties were to include RT and cryo sectioning, embedding, TEM and darkroom work. I was pushing to get some one with at least some experience in TEM while my managers wanted to save money and get someone fresh out of college with or without TEM experience. I explained to them that (at least at that time) it was difficult to get someone fresh out of college with TEM experience. Eventually we settled with a person internal to the company. She had no experience in TEM. She was very capable and learned fast, but she did not like TEM work. Eventually she left and the vacancy was filled with a second person who had never done polymer work. She detested it and she also left. So, my point is, unless the person has some experience you could be wasting valuable effort training a person that will leave in a short time because he/she did not like the type of work. If possible, I would press to get a person with some experience so they know what they are getting themselves into.
Good luck !
Jordi Marti
} } An issue has arisen in our laboratory which can benefit from replies from } ANYONE who currently works in histology and electron microscopy as a lab } manager. } } } } A position opening exists in our Neuromuscular Diagnostics laboratory for a } lab technologist. Duties involve primarily TEM prep and, to a lesser } extent, frozen sectioning and histochemical staining of skeletal muscle and } peripheral nerve biopsies. } } } } Our laboratory is fairly small/specialized; we process tissues from } approximately 30 area hospitals throughout Wisconsin & Illinois. When this } open position is filled, there are two of us working full time and one part } time technician who works weekend hours. } } } } Our superiors ( 2 M.D.'s who are neurologists) are pushing to hire a } particular applicant who has ZERO electron microscopy and histology } experience (she is a bacteriologist by trade). This individual is very } bright and willing to learn; however from my standpoint as lab coordinator } and the sole person responsible for training this individal I am against } this. Especially since I am in class 3 afternoons per week as a part-time } medical student! } } } } Time is currently of the essence. I would prefer to wait for an applicant } who is better qualified; however, have been told that if I am not able to } produce any more qualified applicants by the end of next week that I will be } overruled. } } } } Please reply! My superiors do not understand the intricacies of TEM and } histology techniques. I consider myself an excellent and patient teacher } but I fear that I cannot train this person in a timely enough manner to keep } the lab running smoothly. } } } } I also suspect that by hiring this person that we would be violating some } CLIA regulation. PLEASE COMMENT, anyone who is willing, so I may turn in } these responses to my superiors before it is too late. } } } } Sincerely, } } } } } } Susan K. Danielson, MS } } Neuromuscular Laboratory Coordinator } } Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin } } ph: 414.259.3836 } } fax: 414.454.7905 } } email: sdaniels-at-mcw.edu } } } } } }
Our laboratory examines a wide variety of biological tissues and have used MicroStar diamond knives for a number of years. We have always been very happy with the quality of knives and have four knives. We have also been very pleased with the service that MicroStar has provided both in regards to new knives as well as resharpening knives. MicroStar, as well as many other manufacturers, has a policy of not requiring payment until we are 100% satisfied with the knife edge. The members of the laboratory section a great deal of material over the course of the year and are very demanding in their standards for knives. In 1984 there were very few diamond knife manufacturers to choose from as compared to today. MicroStar should certainly be on your list for consideration.
Mitchell D. McCartney, Ph.D. EM Unit Alcon Laboratories
-----Original Message----- } From: HILDEGARD CROWLEY [mailto:hcrowley-at-du.edu] Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 3:41 PM To: Malis, Tom Cc: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com; 'Anja Schulze'
On Sat, 21 Aug 1999, Malis, Tom wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I am waiting with bated breath for someone to accuse Hildegard Crowley about } being another 'Bernie Kestel', but, so far so good, and we are sticking to } the business of hearing a number of useful personal opinions on diamond } knives. } } At my lab in Ottawa, we have been doing 'materials science' ultramicrotomy } for ~15 years on metals, alloys, powders, fibres, wires, minerals, etc. We } have about a dozen knives on hand; DDK, Drukker, Microstar, but mostly } Diatome (over half). In the opinion of our operator (I don't section, I } just blather on about materials microtomy a lot), he has always preferred } the Diatomes, especially the 35 degree knife for demanding 'hard' materials. } Interestingly, a histo knife, meant for semithin sectioning, is our prime } backup for thin sectioning of first-time demanding materials when we are } unsure of the risk to the 35's . } } However, all of the others perform quite well. Listening to students at the } several workshops with which I have been involved, horror stories concerning } knives are relatively rare. We have had two 'stinkers' in the last 15 } years, both of which were promptly replaced with decent knives by the two } suppliers. Sergey, did you contact Joe Tabeling? I would be surprised if } he didn't give a positive response. } } So, Anja, two points: } - 15 years of frequent sectioning on the same edge tells me that you do not } have very demanding materials, making the exact brand perhaps somewhat less } important. } - 'easy' materials notwithstanding, you are wise in sticking with diamond. } In all other forms of EM specimen prep, I have never encoutered a crucial } component which is so delicately engineered, yet performs so well so } consistently. } - absolutely always send a knife back to its origin for resharpening. Ditto } for asking about details of cleaning and other forms of maintenance. } } Best of luck. } } Tom Malis } Group Leader - Characterization } Materials Technology Laboratory } Natural Resources Canada, Govt. of Canada } 568 Booth St., Ottawa, Canada K1A 0G1 } 613-992-2310 } malis-at-nrcan.gc.ca } } } ---------- } } From: Anja Schulze } } Sent: Friday, August 20, 1999 11:22 AM } } To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com } } Subject: different brands of diamond knives } } } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } } } } Hello everybody, } } } } We have a diatome diamond knife which was bought in 1984. It has } } been used } } a lot and has never been resharpened. It is now at a stage where I am } } doing } } better using glass knives. We have the following options now: } } } } 1) trade it in for a new diatome knife } } 2) trade it in for a Microstar or Edgecraft knife } } 3) have it resharpened (not by diatome, but by some other company) } } } } Option 1) is about 1.5 times the price of options 2 or 3. On the other } } hand, we can be fairly sure to get a good knife. From what I heard there } } are big differences in the quality of knives. They all look good in the } } beginning but some of them deteriorate pretty quickly. With only 30 days } } to } } test them, you won't be able to tell. Does anybody have experience with } } Microstar or Edgecraft knives? } } } } As far as the resharpening is concerned: is there a difference in the } } quality of the job between the different companies? And if so, can anybody } } recommend one? } } } } Thanks a lot for your help, } } } } Anja } } } } Anja Schulze Tel: +(250)721-8858 } } Biology Department Fax: +(250)721-7120 } } University of Victoria } } P.O. Box 3020 } } Victoria, B.C. V8W 3N5 } } Canada } } } } } } Hi Folks,
Who is Bernie Kestel? Anyway, an interesting happening which baffled me no end until I engaged the person sharpening my knife into a long conversation, and found out the reason for my problem with my knife (Not a Diatome). I used to get knives from a certain source. They were wonderful when tested out, super sharp, a dream. But within a few months they were dull (used only on tissue embedded in medium hard epoxy). As it turned out the knives were so great when I got them because the company who supplied them would sharpen them, and at the very end make the edge super sharp by making the entire edge slightly concave. The thinned edge at the top wore out in weeks, and then the thicker part of the knife appeared. It was a total nightmare. (I don't even put a concave edge on my carbon steel kitchen knives!) So, you never know. Bye, Hildy Crowley My other name is not Bernie Kestel, but sometimes I do use the name of Maynard Heinrich Schlundt.
Our research group has got a Philips CM200 Transmission Electron Microscope. Lately we have been having problems to switch on the microscope, and have traced the problem to a pair of 15 volt power supplies (Philips PE 1130/15 Switched Mode Power Supplies).
We have tested the power supplies outside the microscope and have found that they take a long time to start up (about a minute or even more). When the microscopoe is switched on, it checks within a few seconds whether the power supplies are working properly. Since these take longer to start up, the microscope detects a fault and automatically switches off.
When tested outside the microscope, once the power supplies start up they work fine. Furthermore, after running properly for a few minutes, if they are switched off and again switched on only a few seconds later, they start up immediately. The operating manual of the power supplies does not have enough information to trace the fault. We have not been able to obtain a service manual with additional information.
The local Philips dealer has kindly offered to sell us a couple of new power supplies, but this will take at least 3 to 4 months. If anyone has come across this problem in the past, or has any suggestion as to what can be done we would appreciate any help you can give us.We would also appreciate an e-mail or fax number of Philips Service Power Supplies Department in order to ask for further information.
} ===== Original Message From "Dr. Gary Gaugler" {gary-at-gaugler.com} =====
} [snip] } } I think that we/I need to make a distinction about what type of Wenhelt } aperture design we are talking about. For my Amray 1830, the W Wenhelt } aperture is a 500 micron platinum aperture disc.
} So....what Wenhelts are we talking about? What sources?
I believe we're talking about stainless steel wehnelts ... of which most assemblies are made, including the cathode aperture (... altho my Cameca SX-50 ass't has a replaceable moly ap ... (or is it tungsten?) ...)
We currently run a Link (now Oxford Instruments) AN10000 EDX system and= would like to convert all of our archived spectra into a format which can be read by a PC. It is possible to convert individual spectra to an ASCII list containin= g counts per channel, but this is laborious and with thousands of spectra to convert, not practical. Has anyone come across, or written a routine to perform this as a batch=
function?
Paul Rennie
Kidde International Research Mathisen Way Colnbrook Slough Berks SL3 0HB England
Is your material crystalline or is it amorphous? In any case you might be able to get at least an impression of the condition in your sample by looking at crystalline samples and then calculating the pendelloesung oscillations for the diffracted beams. These are the intensities of the various diffracted beams as a function of sample thickness. If you look at the transmitted beam, you can assume kinematic (single scattering) conditions to be in place as long as your sample thickness is smaller than the thickness indicated by the first minimum for that beam. Above that you are in the multiple scattering regime.
The samples have to be very thin to be in the kinematic regime. I used to do these calculations all the time, but haven't done them for a few years. I think, the thicknesses are below a couple of hundred Angstroms for materials like Si or GaAs. I will check that and let you know. This thickness changes with angle, as the projected potential changes. For amorphous materials it is more difficult, but the thicknesses should be similar for similar materials.
Michael
Michael Bode, Ph.D. Soft Imaging System Corp. 1675 Carr St., #105N Lakewood, CO 80215 =================================== phone: (888) FIND SIS (303) 234-9270 fax: (303) 234-9271 email: mailto:info-at-soft-imaging.com web: http://www.soft-imaging.com ===================================
} ---------- } From: William Tivol[SMTP:TIVOL-at-WADSWORTH.ORG] } Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 3:48:23 PM } To: XFZhang-at-lbl.gov } Cc: microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } Subject: Re: Single scatering model } Auto forwarded by a Rule } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
} According to Goldstein (1977) and Reed (1982), a single scattering mode } can be regarded as a good approximation in estimating the electron beam } broadening through out the thickness of TEM thin foils. The broadening } b is propotional to Z and A-1/2, where Z and A are atomic number and } atomic weight, respectively. I have found many published experimental } examples in which the single scattering model was used. However, all } these experiments were for materails with single elements. For the } multiple-element compounds, for example SiC, how should we determine the } values for Z and A, add up, oraverage, or others? Your opinion is ap- } preciated. } Dear Xiao-Feng, If there is only a single scattering it must be off of only one component of a compound or mixture. In that case, the broadening is the same as for foils of each of the components of thicknesses proportional to their fractions in the compound/mixture stacked one behind the other. This is a first approximation which does not account for multiple scat- tering (assumed negligible) or scattering off intramolecular bonding electrons, etc. Yours, Bill Tivol
As a former lab manager, I agree with Gordon 100%. Intelligence, common sense, the desire to learn and a willingness to work were always the qualities I looked for in employees. I have had several bad experiences with people who were very well qualified on paper, (not hired by me, I might add), but who had no real interest in their work. In one case, the situation was so bad the person's manager felt it necessary to call the university to confirm that the person did in fact have the degree stated. Genuine enthusiasm for the job is worth a lot.
Jan
-----Original Message----- } From: Gordon Couger [mailto:gcouger-at-rfdata.net] Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 1999 5:07 PM To: microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com; Sue Danielson
Susan,
While I have never run a histo lab I have run a lot of projects.
In my experiance some one the is truly bright, willing to work and a hard worker that will stay with you a while is worth the effort to train.
A bacteriologist should understand how to dig their own information of the literature and follow proceedures.
It has been my considerble experiance that intellegnece and willingness to work are the most valuble assest an employee can have.
Gordon
Gordon Couger gcouger-at-couger.com 624 Cheyenne Stillwater, OK 74075-1411 405 624-2855 GMT -6:00 www.couger.com/gcouger
} } } } An issue has arisen in our laboratory which can benefit from replies from } ANYONE who currently works in histology and electron microscopy as a lab } manager. } } } } A position opening exists in our Neuromuscular Diagnostics laboratory for a } lab technologist. Duties involve primarily TEM prep and, to a lesser } extent, frozen sectioning and histochemical staining of skeletal muscle and } peripheral nerve biopsies. } } } } Our laboratory is fairly small/specialized; we process tissues from } approximately 30 area hospitals throughout Wisconsin & Illinois. When this } open position is filled, there are two of us working full time and one part } time technician who works weekend hours. } } } } Our superiors ( 2 M.D.'s who are neurologists) are pushing to hire a } particular applicant who has ZERO electron microscopy and histology } experience (she is a bacteriologist by trade). This individual is very } bright and willing to learn; however from my standpoint as lab coordinator } and the sole person responsible for training this individal I am against } this. Especially since I am in class 3 afternoons per week as a part-time } medical student! } } } } Time is currently of the essence. I would prefer to wait for an applicant } who is better qualified; however, have been told that if I am not able to } produce any more qualified applicants by the end of next week that I will be } overruled. } } } } Please reply! My superiors do not understand the intricacies of TEM and } histology techniques. I consider myself an excellent and patient teacher } but I fear that I cannot train this person in a timely enough manner to keep } the lab running smoothly. } } } } I also suspect that by hiring this person that we would be violating some } CLIA regulation. PLEASE COMMENT, anyone who is willing, so I may turn in } these responses to my superiors before it is too late. } } } } Sincerely, } } } } } } Susan K. Danielson, MS } } Neuromuscular Laboratory Coordinator } } Froedtert Hospital, Medical College of Wisconsin } } ph: 414.259.3836 } } fax: 414.454.7905 } } email: sdaniels-at-mcw.edu } } } } } }
I've been sectioning biological samples for over 25 years. I've used DuPont, Diatome, Edge Craft and Micro Star diamond knives. Over the past 15 years I've have exclusively used Micro Star diamond knives for a variety of reasons. The price, quality and service. If I ever received a knife that had knife lines in it (only happened once) they immediately sent a new knife in it's place. The price is very reasonable especially if your trading in for a new or resharpening of same.
I've been very happy with Micro Star and can't see using a more expensive knife with equal quality.
Jan F. Endlich Owner, JFE Enterprises 18657 Shady View Lane Brookeville , MD 20833 jfe1-at-erols. com
We are trying to do TEM on a two phase alloy consisting of Ba and a barium titanate. The sample does contain a fair amount of porosity. I would appreciate some suggestions on how to prepare the foil. Originally we started by trying microtomy but the sample distorts way too much . We need to prevent/minimize heating and/or distortion during sample prep. Any suggestions ?
At MSA, I tried the Gatan and the AMT systems. I like the AMT with the Hamamatsu orca camera.
Patty Jansma Tel:520-621-6671 plj-at-manduca.neurobio.arizona.edu Arizona Research Labs Division of Neurobiology University of Arizona
On Tue, 24 Aug 1999 RCHIOVETTI-at-aol.com-at-sparc5.microscopy.com wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Fellow Listians, } } I think I saw this thread previously on the listserver, but of course I } trashed the messages. } } A colleague of mine is looking for a CCD camera to mount on a Zeiss EM109 } TEM. The objective is to send the images to an IBM PC compatible computer } for analysis and archiving. } } If anyone has the history of this thread, or if you can send me a synopsis / } recommendation on who to contact, I would very much appreciate it. Vendor } replies are welcome. } } Please contact me directly off-list if you have any info to pass on. } } Thank you! } } Bob Chiovetti } }
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At 05:43 AM 8/26/99 , you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
I've been looking at gold coaters. I have narrowed down to the SPI Option #2 unit. Manual. Most agree that automatic is not useful. Also, the units made in England usually don't come with schematics (Polaron is an exception, Cressington is an example). I won't buy anything without having a schematic. Also watch out for parts availability.
As for one universal unit? I'm not sure. I would guess that it would suboptimize both processes at the tradeoff of cost. Best approach is to check them out during a 30 day trial period. Also watch out for cross contamination problems.
I must apologize for the wrong information. In writing my posting I mixed information from two different projects. The materials involved should have read Bi and BiTe, nothing to do with Ba and BatiO. Obviously the properties and problems are very different. I noticed my mistake as soon as I had finished sending the e-mail. So, here it goes again:
We are having problems obtaining TEM samples from a material consisting of two phases, Bi and BiTe. We tried embedding and sectioning hoping we could avoid high temperatures and deformations induced by polishing. In all cases the sections were highly deformed and smeared. I would appreciate suggestions or ideas. With Bi having such a low melting temperature we prefer not to try ion milling although maybe we should give it a try. Any thoughts on this ?.
Thanks .
Jordi Marti
PS. Thanks to those who responded to my previous, incorrect, message.
Fazio-Zanakis, Maria, HMR/US wrote: } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------} The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------.} } Dear Fellow Microscopists: } } Just a small query to ask all your advise as to what brand of sputter } coaters and vacuum evaporators you recommend. We need one that is extremely } reliable and provides the required vacuum in a short period of time. We are } looking into the Edwards and Denton brands since I've worked with them } previously; and are considering purchasing a dedicated sputter coater and a } dedicated evaporator or carbon evaporator for both carbon and metal } shadowing. So, what do you all think? Is it worth purchasing them } separately or obtaining one which does everything? } } } Much Appreciation, } } Maria } Maria Fazio-Zanakis } Bioimaging and Molecular Histology } Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. } 1-908-231-3357 } Fax: 1-908-231-3962 } Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com
Dear Maria,
Ladd, like all other suppliers, will suggest that our sputter coating and evaporator systems are the most reliable and effective. As for what type of system you need, I would like to discuss more in depth your uses and weather you really need everything, or can get away with one of the smaller options. I will fax over some data on our system and if you would like to discuss it further please contact me by any of the ways listed below.
Thanks,
John Arnott Chairman
Disclaimer: Ladd Research has made and sold Evaporaors and Sputtering systems since the 1960's. -- LADD RESEARCH 13 Dorset Lane Williston, VT 05495 TEL 1-800-451-3406 (US) or 1-802-878-6711 (anywhere) FAX 1-802-878-8074 e-mail ladres-at-worldnet.att.net web site http://www.ladd.cc
We have successfully ion beam thinned cross sections of Ge/Bi thin films using a cold stage (liquid N2) without any problems. We subsequently observed the specimen during annealing at 150C when it was quite active. I would have expected to see any effects if the specimen had been heated significanlty above room temperature in the ion mill.
Good luck, Ron
On Thu, 26 Aug 1999 14:15:00 -0700 "Marti, Jordi" {Jordi.Marti-at-alliedsignal.com} wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } I must apologize for the wrong information. In writing my posting I mixed } information from two different projects. The materials involved should have } read Bi and BiTe, nothing to do with Ba and BatiO. Obviously the } properties and problems are very different. I noticed my mistake as soon as } I had finished sending the e-mail. So, here it goes again: } } We are having problems obtaining TEM samples from a material consisting } of two phases, Bi and BiTe. We tried embedding and sectioning hoping we } could avoid high temperatures and deformations induced by polishing. In } all cases the sections were highly deformed and smeared. I would } appreciate suggestions or ideas. With Bi having such a low melting } temperature we prefer not to try ion milling although maybe we should give } it a try. Any thoughts on this ?. } } Thanks . } } Jordi Marti } } PS. Thanks to those who responded to my previous, incorrect, message. } } }
---------------------- Mr. R.C. Doole Department of Materials, University of Oxford. Parks Road, Oxford. OX1 3PH. UK. Phone +44 (0) 1865 273701 Fax +44 (0) 1865 283333 ron.doole-at-materials.ox.ac.uk
I have recently attempted to study catalyst particles in STEM mode. The idea was to focus the electron beam on a crystallite and obtain an EDS spectrum. Unfortunately a large contamination layer had built up on and around the crystallite within about a minute. When looking at the area in TEM mode one sees a large oval shape that covers the whole area.
I have not seen this effect on our samples in TEM mode before and was wondering if there is any way to prevent it. Apparently, there is a plasma cleaner on the market that cleans the sample and the sample holder, thereby reducing the contamination rate. Is it effective on porous catalyst samples as well ?
Alfredo, I read your note with particular interest as our Philips CM20 has experienced the same problem. Our CM20 was installed in late 1990 and in March of 1995 the +15V power supply failed, followed by the -15V power supply in October of the same year. Discussions with the service representative from Philips led us to believe that the failures were caused by a mains spike in the building following a power outage. We installed the recommended peak suppression device, a TYCOR TY Filter yet had another +15V power supply failure in August of 1997. We have had no further occurrences of such failures but the cause of the problem remains unclear to me. I am very interested in the outcome of discussions on this subject.
Regards, Paul
Paul J. Gerroir Microscopy Materials Characterization Xerox Research Centre of Canada 2660 Speakman Drive Mississauga, Ontario L5K 2L1
} -----Original Message----- } From: Alfredo Tolley [SMTP:tolley-at-cab.cnea.gov.ar] } Sent: Thursday, August 26, 1999 9:45 AM } To: Microscopy ListServer } Subject: TEM-Problems with 15V Power supply in Philips CM200 } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Our research group has got a Philips CM200 Transmission Electron } Microscope. Lately we have been having problems to switch on the } microscope, and have traced the problem to a pair of 15 volt power } supplies (Philips PE 1130/15 Switched Mode Power Supplies). } } We have tested the power supplies outside the microscope and have found } that they take a long time to start up (about a minute or even more). } When the microscopoe is switched on, it checks within a few seconds } whether the power supplies are working properly. Since these take longer } to start up, the microscope detects a fault and automatically switches } off. } } When tested outside the microscope, once the power supplies start up } they work fine. Furthermore, after running properly for a few minutes, } if they are switched off and again switched on only a few seconds later, } they start up immediately. The operating manual of the power supplies } does not have enough information to trace the fault. We have not been } able to obtain a service manual with additional information. } } The local Philips dealer has kindly offered to sell us a couple of new } power supplies, but this will take at least 3 to 4 months. If anyone has } come across this problem in the past, or has any suggestion as to what } can be done we would appreciate any help you can give us.We would also } appreciate an e-mail or fax number of Philips Service Power Supplies } Department in order to ask for further information. } } Many thanks, } } Alfredo Tolley } Metals Physics Group } Tel: (54) 2944 445268 } Fax: (54) 2944 445299 } tolley-at-cab.cnea.gov.ar }
How are your catalyst sample supported? If you disperse the powder over "clean" holey carbon grids (which contain no residual plastic film from the production process), by simply dipping the grid into the catalyst powder and shaking off the excess, you should find that contamination is not a problem. Typically, powder specimens dangling over holes in carbon films do not offer enough surface over which to diffuse molecules that cause contamination buildup under the beam. Of course, the other source of contamination could be the microscope itself, but that's another story...
We have found that a plasma cleaner for the TEM specimen/specimen holder works very well in the instances that we have contamination problems with fine probe analysis using our Hitachi HF-2000. Our cleaner happens to be a Fischione, and a couple of minutes treatment generally suffices to cure the problem. If you suspect that the grids are the source of the contamination, you might want to clean a grid in the plasma cleaner prior to deposition of the catalyst specimen. I would be surprised if these efforts did not produce satisfactory results for you.
Good luck...
Larry
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Dr. Lawrence F. Allard Senior Research Staff Member High Temperature Materials Laboratory Oak Ridge National Laboratory 1 Bethel Valley Road Bldg. 4515, MS 6064 PO Box 2008 Oak Ridge, TN 37831-6064
Maria - Don't disregard any brand just because you have no experience with it. Its akin to only hiring people that you know; you would be unlikely to employ the worst, but never the best. Evaporators and sputter coaters are easy to operate - any make. Look for and compare: What you require; performance; versatility, price and warranty.
Some things to consider: Fast pumping speed is important but this much depends on the size of the pumps employed and the size of the chamber. Larger pumps are expensive but if you require a larger chamber than you are looking at an expensive system. If you also want a clean, oil-free system, large turbo pumps are the best, but not the cheapest option. Sputter coaters with a carbon fibre attachment are an economic solution and fine for many applications, but not for high resolution TEM and of course you cannot evaporate metals. If you require versatility then you need a real evaporator.
I suggest that you have a good look at our online information ("K" section, enter from Contents page) featured are Emitech instruments (which I cannot sell to America, don't even ask), but they would give a good grounding on the large range of instruments available. This you could use as a basis for further comparisons. Disclaimer: ProSciTech is Emitech's agent in Australasia (S of Singapore) Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Thursday, August 26, 1999 10:44 PM, Fazio-Zanakis, Maria, HMR/US [SMTP:Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com] wrote: } } Dear Fellow Microscopists: } } Just a small query to ask all your advise as to what brand of sputter } coaters and vacuum evaporators you recommend. We need one that is extremely } reliable and provides the required vacuum in a short period of time. We are } looking into the Edwards and Denton brands since I've worked with them } previously; and are considering purchasing a dedicated sputter coater and a } dedicated evaporator or carbon evaporator for both carbon and metal } shadowing. So, what do you all think? Is it worth purchasing them } separately or obtaining one which does everything? } } } Much Appreciation, } } Maria } Maria Fazio-Zanakis } Bioimaging and Molecular Histology } Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. } 1-908-231-3357 } Fax: 1-908-231-3962 } Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com }
I have tried posting this question several times to the listserver and have never seen or gotten any response:
We're looking for third party repair/maintenance services in the Midwest that handle the following: microtomes, ultramicrotomes, cryostats, knifemakers, TEM's, SEM's and the like. Can anyone recommend any such services in this area?
Thank you,
Jaclynn M. Lett, Research Assistant
Fay and Carl Simon Center for the Biology of Hearing and Deafness Central Institute for the Deaf 818 S. Euclid Ave. St. Louis, MO 63110
We have been using a Tracor-Northern 2210 EDS on our Cambridge S-250 SEM for many years. About 8-10 years ago, I noticed "small" gold/palladium peaks on our EDS spectra from carbon-coated samples. Our primary sputter coater was (and is) a Hummer ll. Although we cleaned the bell jar and the stub holder stage, it was evident all metal deposits could not be eliminated nor would it be logical to much spend time cleaning the system often.
Fortunately, we had salvaged an almost new Polaron coating system from government surplus. We dedicated this unit for carbon fiber evaporation to solve the contamination problem. I suspect evaporators should be checked for sample contamination if EDS is studied in TEM/STEM modes.
Good luck!
Bruce F. Ingber Biologist- Electron Microscopy USDA-ARS, SRRC 1100 Robert E. Lee Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124-4305
} ---------- } From: Fazio-Zanakis, Maria, } HMR/US[SMTP:Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com] } Sent: Thursday, August 26, 1999 7:43 AM } To: 'Microscopy-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com' } Cc: Ying, Xiaoyou, HMR/US; Cavallo, Jean, HMR/US } Subject: sputter coaters and carbon evaporators } } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Dear Fellow Microscopists: } } Just a small query to ask all your advise as to what brand of sputter } coaters and vacuum evaporators you recommend. We need one that is } extremely } reliable and provides the required vacuum in a short period of time. We } are } looking into the Edwards and Denton brands since I've worked with them } previously; and are considering purchasing a dedicated sputter coater and } a } dedicated evaporator or carbon evaporator for both carbon and metal } shadowing. So, what do you all think? Is it worth purchasing them } separately or obtaining one which does everything? } } } Much Appreciation, } } Maria } Maria Fazio-Zanakis } Bioimaging and Molecular Histology } Hoechst Marion Roussel, Inc. } 1-908-231-3357 } Fax: 1-908-231-3962 } Email: Maria.Fazio-Zanakis-at-hmrag.com } }
Not sure if this counts as IRM, but I want to look at the emitted black-body infra-red from exposed integrated circuits.
I would like to be able to identify the relative temperatures of different areas.
Ideally, the system would be able to identify the temperatures of areas ranging from 25C to 150C, able to resolve differences of 10C or so.
I would like as high a resolving power as possible ( in the territory of microns if possible )
The application is to look at the temperature distribution across integrated circuits during operation.
Does anyone make such equipment? Has anyone tried this sort of thing? What is possible?
I have used an infra-red camera system in the past to look at sizeable pieces of equipment, but the resolution of the system was too coarse to be of use in this application.
Hello All: I am interested in looking at alternatives to renewing our service contract with the manufacturer for a Philips 420T STEM. I am in Virginia. Can anybody recommend independents who can do the job. Thanks
------------------------------ Stephen McCartney Research Associate Virginia Tech Materials Institute 2108 Hahn Hall Blacksburg, VA 24061-0344 USA
Dear Jordi, I routinely jet polish and then ion-mill aluminum alloys to remove the oxide layer. In order to prevent any heating of the aluminum, which will change with even slight heating, we use a liquid nitrogen-cooled stage on the ion-mill. Is jet polishing a disc of your material possible? I know there are special concerns about electro-polishing Bi materials, so check the safety resources. I would probably try dimple polishing and ion milling on a sample like that, if it is strong enough to hold together. You might ask the manufacturers of the Dimplers and ion-mills for help. At 02:15 PM 8/26/99 -0700, you wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
Regards, Mary
Mary Mager Electron Microscopist Metals and Materials Engineering University of British Columbia 6350 Stores Road Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 CANADA tel: 604-822-5648 e-mail: mager-at-interchg.ubc.ca
A colleague of mine has a problem with autofluorescence in cryosections of mouse cardiac tissue. They are embedded with OCT prior to freezing and and are unfixed. They appear brightest with a fluorescein filterset, but autofluorescence can also be seen with a TRITC filterset.
Has anyone had a problem like this and know how to stop it and does anyone know what might cause this autofluorescence? Also, does anybody have a good technique for preparing such cryosections which does not generate autofluorescence?
Thanks,
Matthew J. Schibler Ph.D. UCLA Brain Research Institute 1524A Gonda (Goldschmied) Center for Neuroscience and Genetics Los Angeles, CA 90095-1761
If I understand your question, it sounds as if you are interested in doin= g backside photoemission microscopy. If that is the case, there are a few companies that make such systems that you may want to contact. I would suggest calling one of the following:
Quantum Focus Instruments, Inc. TEL: 203-926-4119 FAX: 203-926-1778
Hypervision TEL: 510-651-7768 FAX: 510-651-1415
DISCLAIMER: I have no financial interest in any of these companies. =
However, South Bay Technology does manufacture the BEAPS=AE system, as we= ll as other tools, for the preparation of samples for backside photoemissiom=
} } } } } Please visit us at http://www.southbaytech.com { { { { {
Manufacturers of precision sample preparation equipment and supplies for metallography, crystallography and electron microscopy.
Message text written by David Grant } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America =
Not sure if this counts as IRM, but I want to look at the emitted black-body infra-red from exposed integrated circuits.
I would like to be able to identify the relative temperatures of differen= t areas.
Ideally, the system would be able to identify the temperatures of areas ranging from 25C to 150C, able to resolve differences of 10C or so.
I would like as high a resolving power as possible ( in the territory of microns if possible )
The application is to look at the temperature distribution across integrated circuits during operation.
Does anyone make such equipment? Has anyone tried this sort of thing? Wha= t is possible?
I have used an infra-red camera system in the past to look at sizeable pieces of equipment, but the resolution of the system was too coarse to b= e of use in this application.
this thread may be dead but i purchased a gold target from "refining systems inc." of las vegas, NV....a little cheaper than other suppliers and good delivery. i think the guy's name is "abe" and his phone# is 702-368-0579.
sorry if this is too late to be of any service.
b-
**************************************************************** Brian McIntyre Electron Microscopy Lab Institute of Optics University of Rochester Rochester, NY 14627
716-275-3058 716-244-4936(fax)
"You may get to the top of the ladder of success only to find its been leaning against the wrong wall" A. Raime
I am looking for a formula and procedure to check plant material for the presence of lipids using Sudan Black B. The formula I am using now stains everything black. I am specifically checking palm flowers and fruits. Thank you in advance. Please reply to my email:
Jaclynn M. Lett wrote: ============================================================ I have tried posting this question several times to the listserver and have never seen or gotten any response:
We're looking for third party repair/maintenance services in the Midwest that handle the following: microtomes, ultramicrotomes, cryostats, knifemakers, TEM's, SEM's and the like. Can anyone recommend any such services in this area? ============================================================== Take a look at our "Hot Services" page at URL http://www.2spi.com/hot-service.html
These listings of third party service providers could cover some of your requirements.
Chuck
============================================
Charles A. Garber, Ph. D. Ph: 1-610-436-5400 President 1-800-2424-SPI SPI SUPPLIES FAX: 1-610-436-5755 PO BOX 656 e-mail:cgarber-at-2spi.com West Chester, PA 19381-0656 USA Cust.Service: spi2spi-at-2spi.com
Look for us! ######################## WWW: http://www.spi.cc ######################## ============================================
Ron Veil sent me a good list of independent service folks around the country. It is in Excel format. I won't post it without his permission. If you want it directly from him, please contact him at
veilcs-at-juno.com
or
veilcs-at-earthlink.net
I'm not certain which is the most current address.
The University of Houston College of Optometry is seeking an experienced candidate to fill the position of Supervisor: Histology and Microscopy Laboratory. This is a full-time, permanent appointment.
Job Description:
This position is in direct support of research and teaching faculty where the subject of interest is typically ocular and neural tissue. The duties range from tissue preparation, embedment, sectioning and mounting, to operation of light and transmission electron microscopes, and development and printing of photographic results. Knowledge and competency in operation of ultramicrotomes and the transmission electron microscope as well as current techniques in morphology, histology, and immunocytochemistry is required. Experience with cryo-microscopy, in situ hybridization, and computer image analysis is desirable. The successful candidate also may participate as co-author of research papers describing research performed in the laboratory.
The supervisor is responsible for maintenance of stocks of laboratory supplies and care of the equipment, and keeping the lab clean and usable, including proper disposal procedures for hazardous wastes. Other duties include instructing graduate students in common and specialized anatomical techniques required for their various projects, and supervision and consultation on their work as required. Some effort also is applied to teaching of undergraduate optometry students including preparation of teaching slides and technical instruction in anatomical methods.
Interested persons should forward a short resume, either by e-mail, s-mail or fax to Mr. Kuether at the address shown. Relevant publications and ocular related research are of particular interest.
Ron Veil compiled this list and has indicated that it is public domain according to him. You may find someone close to you that can help service your particular system.
You can download it from my web site at http://gaugler.com/EMservice.xls Please not the different case in the filename.
} Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1999 13:19:42 -0700 } To: MSA listserver } From: "Dr. Gary Gaugler" {gary-at-gaugler.com} } Subject: 3rd party service providers } } Ron Veil compiled this list and has indicated that it is public domain } according to him. You may find someone close to you that can help } service your particular system. } } You can download it from my web site at http://gaugler.com/EMservice.xls } Please not the different case in the filename. } } Any problems, pls let me know. } } gary g.
Please note that there is also an http://gaugler.com/EMservice.htm page to allow clicking from it. If you cannot get the file successfully, I will be glad to email it to you as an attachment.
I recently (today) got my 1830 up and running. It is a non-standard 1830 since it has a 6" wafer load lock. Other than this, it is a standard 1830 T6. I am adding a GW Systems Infrared Chamberscope camera. That is about all.
The system power fails to zero vacuum by de-energizing V2 at J27. This is dumb in my opinion since if power fails, all vacuum is lost. And since I use 80CF tanks of N, they would just empty for as long as power is lost. I reversed this logic via a few board jumpers and a different V2. Total cost is about $50. If power fails now, the system locks tight and waits for power to come back on. This make much more sense. And it saves me expensive UHP N2 tanks.
I'd like to converse with other users of this scope and exchange notes. I am running an FEI LaB6 emitter and rarely vent the main chamber. This is a challenge since I look at rather large specimens and use the stub holder carrier that is substantially recessed. I also find that the column high pressure line leaks. High pressure is only needed for gate valve operation and load lock transfer. However, it also runs the MicroG anti-vibration table. I think that I will use filtered air for the platform and N2 for the valves. Sort of a bummer but I can't find the column leak.
I will be adding computer control--active and passive--in the near future. I am rather certain of using the Soft Imaging ADDA-II system. I like the idea of active and passive and the PCI interface card avenue.
Are there folks out there who would like to exchange experiences with this 1830 system? I intend to keep this one for several years. So far, I really like it.
I strongly recommend that you use the fluorescent lipid dye Nile red instead of Sudan Black. Nile red partitions into lipids rendering them intensely fluorescent. You may use either FITC or RITC filter sets, as you prefer. What makes Nile red preferable to the Sudan dyes is that there is virtually no fluorescence from the dye unless it is in a lipid environment. Therefore the specimen may be mounted in an aqueous solution containing a low concentration of the dye, and de-staining the non-lipid parts of the specimen is completely unnecessary. Furthermore, because the specimen is immersed in a stock of fluorochrome, there is minimal photobleaching.
Chris Jeffree
Date sent: Fri, 27 Aug 1999 09:44:47 -1000 To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com } From: "Melany H. Chapin" {mchapin-at-ntbg.org}
I have the pleasure to announce you that my book on morphological image analysis has just been released:
-at-Book{soille99, author = "P.~Soille", author-url = "http://web.ukonline.co.uk/soille", title = "Morphological Image Analysis", subtitle = "Principles and Applications", publisher = "Springer-Verlag", year = 1999, isbn = "3-540-65671-5", address = "\htmladdnormallink{Berlin, Heidelberg}{http://www.springer.de/cgi-bin/search_book.pl?isbn=3-540-65671-5}, \htmladdnormallink{New York}{http://www.springer-ny.com/catalog/np/apr99np/3-540-65671-5.html}", url = "http://web.ukonline.co.uk/soille/book1st" }
} From the backcover: ==================
Mathematical morphology (MM) or simply morphology can be defined as a theory for the analysis of spatial structures. It is called morphology because it aims at analysing the shape and form of objects. MM is not only a theory, but also a powerful image analysis technique.
The purpose of this book is to provide the reader with a detailed presentation of the principles and applications of morphological image analysis. This is achieved through a step by step process starting from the basic morphological operators and pursued until the most recent advances which have proven their practical usefulness. All concepts are illustrated with real applications to help the reader acquiring the expert knowledge necessary for building the chain of operators to resolve his/her own image analysis problem. The emphasis is therefore put on the technique rather than the theory underlying MM.
This volume will be valuable to all engineers, scientists, students, and practitioners dealing with the analysis and processing of digital images.
For further information and updates, please check:
-- Dr. Ir. habil. Pierre Soille |Ph.: int+44-1525 860 000 BBSRC Silsoe Research Institute |Fax: int+44-1525 861 735 Wrest Park, Silsoe |Email: Pierre.Soille at bbsrc.ac.uk Beds, MK45 4HS, U.K.
I am not positive, but I believe that shutting off the N2 vent will lead to sucking the oil out of the roughing pump. I believe that the 1830 does not have an isolation valve to seal off the chamber from the foreline. You would need to add another valve for that, without affecting your transconductance.
I tried to send this off line, but was unable to. Could you please send me information on how I may purchase this book? I am always looking for new references for image analysis, and this seems like a good one to add to my library. I would like to know who I can order from and the cost in US dollars.
Thanks for your time,
David Bell Scientist Electron Microscopy Lab Millipore Corporation 80 Ashby Road Bedford, MA 01730 USA (800) 221-1975 x2108
With all the discussion concerning diamond knives, I learned that many of the diamond knife mfgs. have a policy in which they accept any diamond knife plus the standard resharpening fee in exchange for a new knife. I have a knife by a major mfg. with a botched edge (the knife not the mfg.) - I got it as part of a trade and don't feet it is appropriate trying to get the mfg. to make good on it. I do think it might be useful as trade-in material - I would to that end be willing to sell it at about 10 percent of it's initial value (which was around $2K), or trade for something interesting - I do only LM, and am always in need of components for my Leitz system, or for stereo scopes, or ??. Just a thought.
Hi all, A co-worker asked me for info on table-top SEMs. He says that he has seen (years ago) a small SEM (big laser printer sized) that sat on a bench top. He wants one (new preferred). Any info would be appreciated. Brad Storey Los Alamos National Lab
We have done a lot of Imunnohist on unfixed cryosections. Not heart tissue, however. Occassionally we have seen higher autofluorescence. Some things to check:
1. Make sure that all glassware and plasticware has never come into contact with histochemical stains like eosin or evans blue. Even a whiff of residue can cause great fluorescence.
2. Make sure that your mounting media is not causing it- try a different kind.
3. Make sure that no glutaraldehyde residue is in any labware. This will also cause tissue to light up.
Sometimes we have seen autofluorescence that is tissue specific and we have never figured out what it was. We just threw the blocks away out of frustration.
Hope this helps..I know it's not much and you have probably already thought of these.
Bob University of Washington
On Fri, 27 Aug 1999, Schibler, Matthew wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Dear List, } } A colleague of mine has a problem with autofluorescence in cryosections of } mouse cardiac tissue. They are embedded with OCT prior to freezing and and } are unfixed. They appear brightest with a fluorescein filterset, but } autofluorescence can also be seen with a TRITC filterset. } } Has anyone had a problem like this and know how to stop it and does anyone } know what might cause this autofluorescence? Also, does anybody have a good } technique for preparing such cryosections which does not generate } autofluorescence? } } Thanks, } } Matthew J. Schibler Ph.D. } UCLA Brain Research Institute } 1524A Gonda (Goldschmied) Center } for Neuroscience and Genetics } Los Angeles, CA 90095-1761 } } (310) 825-9783 } FAX (310) 206-5855 } E-mail: mschibler-at-mednet.ucla.edu } } }
The matter of how to clean Wehnelt cylinders is a topic that has been discussed on this listserver several times previously. With apologies for repeating myself, I would like to inform all listserver members that methods for cleaning these devices, and other parts of the vacuum systems of electron microscopes and other vacuum apparatus used in electron microscope laboratories, are discussed at some length on pp. 69 - 74 of my book 'Vacuum Methods in Electron Microscopy' (for a description of this book, a table of contents, and a summary of reviewers' comments see http://www.2spi.com/catalog/books/book48.html).
In this discussion I particularly point out that it is not a good practice to use grease-based polishing compounds (such as Wenol, Pol, Pical, etc.) for this purpose. The rather obvious reason for this is that one of the objectives when cleaning parts of modern electron microscopes is to keep the level of hydrocarbon (grease and oil) vapors in their vacuum systems to as low a level as possible so as to minimize specimen contamination due to the interaction of the electron beam with these materials. Using a grease- or oil-based polishing compound as the primary cleaning agent means that you are spreading large amounts of grease and/or oil over every part, and this then greatly increases the amount of work necessary to remove such materials from the parts before they are reinserted into the instrument. This is the equivalent of taking a bath in the barnyard, which doesn't make much sense at all. Instead, I have described alternative water-based procedures that are fast, efficient, and preferable to the traditional grease-based ones.
Also, I do not particularly agree with the longstanding recommendation of using a soft chamois leather to wipe the interior parts of modern electron microscopes. The reason for this is that it is my experience that these nice soft chamois skins have been treated with an oil or a grease to make them soft and pliable after the tanning process is completed, and I fear that this lubricant will be transferred from the chamois to the internal parts of the instrument during the wiping process, thereby increasing the potential for specimen contamination. If you don't believe chamois contain such a lubricant, try washing a chamois skin thoroughly in warm water and detergent to remove such grease and/or oil, and see how stiff and hard it is after drying. Professional bike rider commonly use chamois leather to line their biking shorts, and bike supply shops frequently stock 'chamois fat' for use in softening this chamois lining after the shorts have been washed. Because of their widespread use in the electronics industry, lint-free and grease-free cloths and tissues are widely available these days. In my mind, these are a much better choice than chamois leather for wiping the parts of vacuum systems.
Disclaimer: I obviously have an interest in selling as many copies of the above-mentioned book as possible - if everyone using this listserver were to buy a copy I would make about $1 for every hour I spent gathering, organizing, and composing the extensive information it contains relating to vacuum practice that is useful to electron microscopists.
Best regards to all, W.C.B.
Wilbur C. Bigelow, Prof. Emeritus Materials Sci. & Engr., University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2136 e-mail: bigelow-at-umich.edu; Fx:734-763-4788; Ph:734-764-3321
Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates the need to open the tank main valve each time needed.
B. Roberts EM Lab Services, Inc. Tempe, Arizona 85282
Bob: Demand valves are used by divers on SCUBA. The diver sucks and air is delivered. Likewise when the EM is vented, it no longer "sucks" and the nitrogen flow stops. Obviously pressure must be reduced a lot before the demand valve. Since the pressure is low, its not difficult to make the join airtight with some silicone sealant. Some years ago I adapted a simple divers demand valve from a local Dive Shop (not difficult to find next to the Barrier Reef). If there is no Dive Shop in your town you may need to phone a centre where these activities are common. Cheers Jim Darley ProSciTech Microscopy PLUS PO Box 111, Thuringowa QLD 4817 Australia Ph +61 7 4774 0370 Fax:+61 7 4789 2313 service-at-proscitech.com.au Great microscopy catalogue, 500 Links, MSDS, User Notes www.proscitech.com.au
On Tuesday, August 31, 1999 10:27 AM, "bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com [SMTP:"bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com] wrote: } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a } "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense } N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is } present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates } the need to open the tank main valve each time needed. } } B. Roberts } EM Lab Services, Inc. } Tempe, Arizona 85282 } }
I was very interested in your comments about cleaning microscopes and pleased to see we are one on the refusal to recommend the greasy polishin= g media favoured by so many.
I also picked up your words relating to the use of leather skins when cleaning gun chambers. I was introduced to what became known as a "dry chamois" technique in the 60s by a senior Japanese engineer whilst workin= g with Hitachi. Should we have a gun chamber that only smelt of discharge (oily ozone type smell but no visible contamination) he would suggest cleaning with some effort using a "washed" chamois. We went to great pai= ns to obtain bland leather soap to ensure the leather was clean and in my ca= se I always had two leathers, one in the wash one to use. =
I have used the technique for many years, I guess the roughish texture drags off the "hidden dirt", without any apparent problems when the moder= n papers or cloths (I have not tried selvyt) do not seem to move the smell = so easily.
Now, I am a great believer in that far far too many people use the wrong technique with the idea that if they have used it for many years it canno= t be wrong; I see that everyday in SEM and EDX training! Please put me straight as I refuse to fall into the trap?
Thanks
Steve Chapman
Senior Consultant E.M. Protrain, 16 Hedgerley, Chinnor, Oxford OX9 4TN, England. Tel & Fax 44 (0)1844 353161 E-mail - protrain-at-emcourses.com Web Site - http://emcourses.com For Consultancy and Courses in Electron Microscopy World Wide
I will shortly start working on the structural characterization of thin SnO2 films on allumina substrates, by transmission electron micrscopy . These materials are commonly used as gas sensors. SnO2 films are deposited by sol-gel.
I need to obtain prepare plan views and cross sections, and i am a little concerned about the preparation, as Allumina is very hard.
I should very much appreciate if anyone could give me some information and/or suggestions about the best way to obtain tem samples from these materials.
Thanks a lot
Massimo
Dr. Massimo Catalano member of the Boards of Directors of Italian Society for Electron Microscopy CNR-IME Campus Universitario Via Arnesano 73100 Lecce - ITALY tel: + 39 0832 322362 * fax: + 39 0832 325299 * email: massimo.catalano-at-ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it/sime/sime.htm
* Please note that, effective June 1998, a zero has to be dialed right after the country code (39) before the city code (832).
I will shortly start working on the structural characterization of thin SnO2 films on allumina substrates, by transmission electron micrscopy . These materials are commonly used as gas sensors. SnO2 films are deposited by sol-gel.
I need to obtain prepare plan views and cross sections, and i am a little concerned about the preparation, as Allumina is very hard.
I should very much appreciate if anyone could give me some information and/or suggestions about the best way to obtain tem samples from these materials.
Thanks a lot
Massimo
Dr. Massimo Catalano member of the Boards of Directors of Italian Society for Electron Microscopy CNR-IME Campus Universitario Via Arnesano 73100 Lecce - ITALY tel: + 39 0832 322362 * fax: + 39 0832 325299 * email: massimo.catalano-at-ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it/sime/sime.htm
* Please note that, effective June 1998, a zero has to be dialed right after the country code (39) before the city code (832).
I will shortly start working on the structural characterization of thin SnO2 films on allumina substrates, by transmission electron micrscopy . These materials are commonly used as gas sensors. SnO2 films are deposited by sol-gel.
I need to obtain prepare plan views and cross sections, and i am a little concerned about the preparation, as Allumina is very hard.
I should very much appreciate if anyone could give me some information and/or suggestions about the best way to obtain tem samples from these materials.
Thanks a lot
Massimo
Dr. Massimo Catalano member of the Boards of Directors of Italian Society for Electron Microscopy CNR-IME Campus Universitario Via Arnesano 73100 Lecce - ITALY tel: + 39 0832 322362 * fax: + 39 0832 325299 * email: massimo.catalano-at-ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it/sime/sime.htm
* Please note that, effective June 1998, a zero has to be dialed right after the country code (39) before the city code (832).
You might try using the low pressure stage of a modern SCUBA regulator (single hose). This added after a standard inert gas regulator should give you back-filling without over-pressure. Now, can one find a dive shop in the Tempe area?
A cheaper, but less attractive, approach is to put a solenoid valve on a conventional inert gas regulator. I've used this method for years with no ill effect and it might be easier to explain to your bean counters than SCUBA gear in the desert. I worry about students adjusting the regulator but so far nobody has blown out any detectors or windows.
good luck
John Heckman
MSU Center for Electron Optics } ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America
We had bought one several years ago for use with JEOL 2000 EX II. I = don't have the details now. The unit has a label 'Oxford' on the front = and the 4 page manual says model DN-02. Not happy with it since the gas = used to leak out. We use the main gas cylinder valve manually.
-----Original Message----- } From: "bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com = [SMTP:"bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com] Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 1999 5:46 PM To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com
Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates the need to open the tank main valve each time needed.
B. Roberts EM Lab Services, Inc. Tempe, Arizona 85282
Bob, Ten years ago we bought a demand valve from CD Labs in Sarver(?), PA. It works great although I thought it was quite expensive for a simple demand valve. I'm not sure if they are still in business. Their address was 344 Parker Rd. Sarver, PA 16055 (412) 282-4116 Russ Gillmeister, Xerox
-----Original Message----- } From: "bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com [mailto:"bobrob-at-uswest.net"-at-sparc5.microscopy.com] Sent: Monday, August 30, 1999 8:27 PM To: Microscopy-at-sparc5.microscopy.com
Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates the need to open the tank main valve each time needed.
B. Roberts EM Lab Services, Inc. Tempe, Arizona 85282
At the beginning of August Antonio Molina posted an inquiry about long working distance microscope for a high pressure chamber. I recently visited Nick Beeler at the USGS and he is using a Questar QM100 microscope. These are long distance microscopes (15 to 35 cm working range) with capability to resolve 1.1 micron separation at this range.
For what it's worth........
Don Marshall
Donald J. Marshall Relion Industries P.O. Box 12 Bedford, MA 01730 Ph: 781-275-4695 FAX: 781-271-0252 email dmrelion-at-world.std.com
Cathodoluminescence, mass spectroscopy, electron beam technology
"A weed is a flower out of place."
(Please note: Do not send email with attachments to this address. Instead, send it to donbarlen-at-aol.com. Thank you.)
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Try a valve of the type used by scuba divers to regulate air flow. They work great. We have them on dry nitrogen lines leading to each of our microscopes and pre-pump film desiccators. The ones we used are labeled Aqua Lung-Octopus and have been in use for 15 years without any problems.
Debby Sherman, Manager Phone: 765-494-6666 Microscopy Center in Agriculture FAX: 765-494-5896 Dept. of Botany & Plant Pathology E-mail: sherman-at-btny.purdue.edu Purdue University 1057 Whistler Building West Lafayette, IN 47907-1057
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Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates the need to open the tank main valve each time needed.
B. Roberts EM Lab Services, Inc. Tempe, Arizona 85282
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(peer crosschecked as: 1Cust215.tnt3.danvers.ma.da.uu.net [63.21.116.215]) id QQheqt10685 for {Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com} ; Tue, 31 Aug 1999 14:48:09 GMT Reply-To: {rshuman-at-micrion.com}
Dear Brad,
In 1976 Hitachi Ltd. produced a table-top SEM with the model name S-310 FE SEM. As the name implies, the gun was a field emission type (cold cathode). Accelerating voltage range was 4-8kV. Resolution was 10nm at 8 kV and the magnification range was 50X-45,000X. The entire system could fit on a small table top and was in two parts - the controls/CRT and column/stage assembly. A roughing pump could either be located under the table or in an adjacent service chase. Samples were typically mounted on Cambridge pin-type stubs and could then be loaded directly onto a small goniometer stage that completely pulled out from the microscope body. As I recall, sample size was ~25mm square. X and Y micrometers had plus or minus 25mm travel and tilt was plus or minus 45 degrees in either direction from zero. The pumping system was oil free; Hitachi was one of the first manufacturers to use non-evaporative getter pumps in the gun area. These getters could be regenerated by periodic bake-outs of the column. I believe the cost of this system was ~50K. Although Hitachi no longer manufactures this microscope, you can still occasionally find them on the used market.
Regards,
/Rich Shuman Micrion division/FEI Corp.
-----Original Message----- } From: Brad Storey [mailto:storey-at-lanl.gov] Sent: Monday, August 30, 1999 12:55 PM To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com
Hi all, A co-worker asked me for info on table-top SEMs. He says that he has seen (years ago) a small SEM (big laser printer sized) that sat on a bench top. He wants one (new preferred). Any info would be appreciated. Brad Storey Los Alamos National Lab
I've worked with some researchers at Univ. of Illinois on GaN on sapphire using the small angle cleavage technique, AKA microcleaving. We made beautiful cross sections with the technique. John McCaffrey has made plan view samples using SACT, but I don't know how well it will work with sapphire. I suspect that it will. Contact South Bay Technology who sells a Microcleaving kit. -Scott Walck
Scott D. Walck, Ph.D. PPG Industries, Inc. Glass Technology Center Guys Run Rd. (packages) P. O. Box 11472 (letters) Pittsburgh, PA 15238-0472
Walck-at-PPG.com
(412) 820-8651 (office) (412) 820-8161 (fax)
"The opinions expressed are those of Scott D. Walck and not of PPG Industries, Inc. nor of any PPG-associated companies."
---------- } From: Massimo Catalano To: Microscopy-at-Sparc5.Microscopy.Com -----------------------------------------------------------------------.
Hi colleagues,
I will shortly start working on the structural characterization of thin SnO2 films on allumina substrates, by transmission electron micrscopy . These materials are commonly used as gas sensors. SnO2 films are deposited by sol-gel.
I need to obtain prepare plan views and cross sections, and i am a little concerned about the preparation, as Allumina is very hard.
I should very much appreciate if anyone could give me some information and/or suggestions about the best way to obtain tem samples from these materials.
Thanks a lot
Massimo
Dr. Massimo Catalano member of the Boards of Directors of Italian Society for Electron Microscopy CNR-IME Campus Universitario Via Arnesano 73100 Lecce - ITALY tel: + 39 0832 322362 * fax: + 39 0832 325299 * email: massimo.catalano-at-ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it http://www.ime.le.cnr.it/sime/sime.htm
* Please note that, effective June 1998, a zero has to be dialed right after the country code (39) before the city code (832).
Dear Brad, The ISI people made a small, table-top SEM many years (} 10) ago. ISI is now the Topcom company. I worked on one of these SEM's a few years ago, but, in my opinion, it was less useful than a light microscope and had about the same magnification capabilities. The chamber was very tiny, stage movement was crude and the only view screen was a small CRT. I'm not even sure it had slow scan available. I don't think Topcon makes one any more. At 10:54 AM 8/30/99 -0600, you wrote:
} } Hi all, } A co-worker asked me for info on table-top SEMs. He says that he has seen } (years ago) a small SEM (big laser printer sized) that sat on a bench } top. He wants one (new preferred). Any info would be appreciated. } Brad Storey } Los Alamos National Lab } Regards, Mary
Mary Mager Electron Microscopist Metals and Materials Engineering University of British Columbia 6350 Stores Road Vancouver, B.C. V6T 1Z4 CANADA tel: 604-822-5648 e-mail: mager-at-interchg.ubc.ca
Ms./Mr. Roberts: Try VBS at 408-371-3320. Ask for Alex Zeigler and tell him that we sent you.
Hope this helps.
Elinor Solit, The Microscope Book 800-440-0311
On Mon, 30 Aug 1999 bobrob-at-uswest.net-at-sparc5.microscopy.com wrote:
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } } Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a } "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense } N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is } present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates } the need to open the tank main valve each time needed. } } B. Roberts } EM Lab Services, Inc. } Tempe, Arizona 85282 } } }
We purchased the demand valve that is used on our Jeol 2000FX from our local compressed gas vendor -- no problem.
-- ================================================================== Greg Strout Electron Microscopist, University of Oklahoma WWW Virtual Library for Microscopy: http://www.ou.edu/research/electron/www-vl/ e-mail: gstrout-at-ou.edu Opinions expressed herein are mine and not necessarily those of the University of Oklahoma ==================================================================
} ------------------------------------------------------------------------ } The Microscopy ListServer -- Sponsor: The Microscopy Society of America } To Subscribe/Unsubscribe -- Send Email to ListServer-at-MSA.Microscopy.Com } On-Line Help http://www.msa.microscopy.com/MicroscopyListserver/FAQ.html } -----------------------------------------------------------------------. } } Would like information on where to locate, to purchase, a } "demand" dry nitrogen regulator. This regulator will dispense } N2 for backfill (i.e. camera chamber vent) when a vacuum is } present on the diaphram of the regulated side. This elimanates } the need to open the tank main valve each time needed. } } B. Roberts } EM Lab Services, Inc. } Tempe, Arizona 85282
I want to thank everyone who replied regarding the autofluorescence problem with the mouse cardiac tissue. My colleague says he was amazed and gratified by the responses. If anyone has any more suggestions, he would be pleased and grateful to hear them.
Thanks again.
Matthew J. Schibler Ph.D. UCLA Brain Research Institute 1524A Gonda (Goldschmied) Center for Neuroscience and Genetics Los Angeles, CA 90095-1761
Dear Colleagues: I have received partial funding for a 2Kx2K CCD digital = camera. The company I requested the camera from is AMT, due not only to = price but also to the fact that the sales representative from Gatan was = slow or never responded to my requests. At this point the camera will = have to go out on bid. I would be interested in finding out if any of you = have dealt with or own a camera from AMT or Gatan and what your experiences= have been in terms of the camera itself (reliability, ease of use, etc) = and in terms of service (ie answering questions, response time, etc). =20
Thank you all in advance. Please respond directly to me at: meshulc-at-ohsu.= edu
We have three Lintech Electron Beam Testers (around 1989 vintage) that we need to get rid of. The electron optics of the systems are recoverable and the electronics would need work. We are willing to donate these systems to a good home (shipping cost not included) if anyone is interested.
Stephen Wood Meridian Scientific Services Inc. Ottawa Canada Tel: 613 836 6749 Fax: 613 836 5880 e-mail: stephenwood-at-meridiansci.com
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