Biological Applications of Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy

1997 ◽  
Vol 3 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1205-1206
Author(s):  
Gilpin C. J.
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning ◽  
Biological Applications ◽  
Elastic Bands ◽  
User Facility ◽  
Common Clinical Practice ◽  
Scanning Electron

Over recent years there has been relatively little experimental data produced by environmental scanning electron microscopy on biological applications. The author’s laboratory is situated in a multi-user facility based in a School of Biological Sciences and has examined a wide variety of samples over a 5 year period. The purpose of this paper is to present a number of biological applications, one in detail, in an attempt to illustrate the potential and pitfalls of the instrumentation.A study has been made of the elastic bands used in dental orthodontics as a method of moving teeth. It is common clinical practice to replace the elastic bands at 24 hour intervals as it is known that the bands lose their elasticity and thus effectiveness during this period. The present study has examined the structure of such bands at time intervals after stretching to clinically used extension on a former and immersing the bands in water.

Environmental SEM in a Multi-User Biological Sciences E.M. Unit

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (S2) ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Gilpin ◽  
Mohamed S. Baguneid
Keyword(s):  
Biological Sciences ◽  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
High Vacuum ◽  
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning ◽  
Environmental Sem ◽  
Imaging Mechanisms ◽  
Scanning Electron ◽  
The Ideal

Environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) has matured into a mainstream technique in many areas of microscopy. Instrumentation has evolved and our understanding of some of the imaging mechanisms has progressed. However the majority of laboratories where ESEMs are located are based around the materials sciences. Despite the fact that ESEM is the only SEM instrument that permits liquid water to be present whilst imaging, the housing of such a microscope in biological EM units has been relatively rare. This authors laboratory is a multi-user EM unit based in a School of Biological Sciences. There exists the opportunity for basic biological scientists, clinical and pre-clinical medical and dental researchers to make use of such a resource. Indeed as the ESEM is housed alongside a conventional high vacuum instrument and a cryo high vacuum instrument there exists the ideal opportunity to carry out comparative studies.This study will examine a range of biological samples using ESEM, cryo SEM and dry high vacuum SEM.

Environmental scanning electron microscopy of fresh human gallstones reveals new morphologies of precipitated calcium salts

1992 ◽  
Vol 50 (2) ◽  
pp. 1322-1323
Author(s):  
Howard S. Kaufman ◽  
Keith D. Lillemoe ◽  
John T. Mastovich ◽  
Henry A. Pitt
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Calcium Salts ◽  
Cholesterol Gallstones ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Ca Carbonate ◽  
Scanning Electron

Gallstones contain precipitated cholesterol, calcium salts, and proteins. Calcium (Ca) bilirubinate, palmitate, phosphate, and carbonate occurring in gallstones have variable morphologies but characteristic windowless energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) spectra. Previous studies of gallstone microstructure and composition using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX have been limited to dehydrated samples. In this state, Ca bilirubinates appear as either glassy masses, which predominate in black pigment stones, or as clusters, which are found mostly in cholesterol gallstones. The three polymorphs of Ca carbonate, calcite, vaterite, and aragonite, have been identified in gallstones by x-ray diffraction, however; the morphologies of these crystals vary in the literature. The purpose of this experiment was to study fresh gallstones by environmental SEM (ESEM) to determine if dehydration affects gallstone Ca salt morphology.Gallstones and bile were obtained fresh at cholecystectomy from 6 patients. To prevent dehydration, stones were stored in bile at 37°C. All samples were studied within 4 days of procurement.

Characterization of Thin Polymer Blend Films using ESEM – No Charging, No Staining.

2001 ◽  
Vol 707 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian C. Bache ◽  
Catherine M. Ramsdale ◽  
D. Steve Thomas ◽  
Ana-Claudia Arias ◽  
J. Devin MacKenzie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Environmental Scanning ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Blend Films ◽  
Thin Polymer ◽  
Device Applications ◽  
Scanning Electron

ABSTRACTCharacterising the morphology of thin films for use in device applications requires the ability to study both the structure within the plane of the film, and also through its thickness. Environmental scanning electron microscopy has proved to be a fruitful technique for the study of such films both because contrast can be seen within the film without the need for staining (as is conventionally done for electron microscopy), and because cross-sectional images can be obtained without charging artefacts. The application of ESEM to a particular blend of relevance to photovoltaics is described.

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