Methods for obtaining linear energy distribution in a small volume from nuclear fragmentation events caused by space radiation

Dark field electron microscopy has been used for the study of the structure of individual macromolecules with a resolution to at least the 5Å level. The use of this technique has been extended to the investigation of structure of interacting molecules, particularly the interaction between DNA and fish protamine, a class of basic nuclear proteins of molecular weight 4,000 daltons.Protamine, which is synthesized during spermatogenesis, binds to chromatin, displaces the somatic histones and wraps up the DNA to fit into the small volume of the sperm head. It has been proposed that protamine, existing as an extended polypeptide, winds around the minor groove of the DNA double helix, with protamine's positively-charged arginines lining up with the negatively-charged phosphates of DNA. However, viewing protamine as an extended protein is inconsistent with the results obtained in our laboratory.

Download Full-text

The Theoretical Contrast in Scanning and Conventional High Resolution Microscopes

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100062762 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 27 ◽

pp. 170-171

Author(s):

E. Zeitler ◽

M. G. R. Thomson

Keyword(s):

Small Volume ◽

Volume Element ◽

Optical Processing ◽

Image Construction ◽

Object Interaction ◽

Transmission Electron ◽

Scanning Transmission ◽

Optical Treatment ◽

Electron Microscopes ◽

Intensity Contrast

In the formation of an image each small volume element of the object is correlated to an areal element in the image. The structure or detail of the object is represented by changes in intensity from element to element, and this variation of intensity (contrast) is determined by the interaction of the electrons with the specimen, and by the optical processing of the information-carrying electrons. Both conventional and scanning transmission electron microscopes form images which may be considered in this way, but the mechanism of image construction is very different in the two cases. Although the electron-object interaction is the same, the optical treatment differs.

Download Full-text

Energy Distribution in Electron Beams

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100096096 ◽

1972 ◽

Vol 30 ◽

pp. 568-569

Author(s):

Tamotsu Ohno

Keyword(s):

Electron Beam ◽

Energy Distribution ◽

Cross Section ◽

Integral Curve ◽

Electron Beams ◽

Electron Gun ◽

Angular Divergence ◽

Apparent Increase ◽

Integral Width ◽

The Cross

The energy distribution in an electron; beam from an electron gun provided with a biased Wehnelt cylinder was measured by a retarding potential analyser. All the measurements were carried out with a beam of small angular divergence (<3xl0-4 rad) to eliminate the apparent increase of energy width as pointed out by Ichinokawa.The cross section of the beam from a gun with a tungsten hairpin cathode varies as shown in Fig.1a with the bias voltage Vg. The central part of the beam was analysed. An example of the integral curve as well as the energy spectrum is shown in Fig.2. The integral width of the spectrum ΔEi varies with Vg as shown in Fig.1b The width ΔEi is smaller than the Maxwellian width near the cut-off. As |Vg| is decreased, ΔEi increases beyond the Maxwellian width, reaches a maximum and then decreases. Note that the cross section of the beam enlarges with decreasing |Vg|.

Download Full-text