scholarly journals Froghoppers jump from smooth plant surfaces by piercing them with sharp spines

2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (8) ◽  
pp. 3012-3017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanns Hagen Goetzke ◽  
Jonathan G. Pattrick ◽  
Walter Federle

Attachment mechanisms used by climbing animals facilitate their interactions with complex 3D environments and have inspired novel types of synthetic adhesives. Here we investigate one of the most dynamic forms of attachment, used by jumping insects living on plants. Froghopper insects can perform explosive jumps with some of the highest accelerations known among animals. As many plant surfaces are smooth, we studied whether Philaenus spumarius froghoppers are able to take off from such substrates. When attempting to jump from smooth glass, the insects’ hind legs slipped, resulting in weak, uncontrolled jumps with a rapid forward spin. By contrast, on smooth ivy leaves and smooth epoxy surfaces, Philaenus froghoppers performed strong jumps without any slipping. We discovered that the insects produced traction during the acceleration phase by piercing these substrates with sharp spines of their tibia and tarsus. High-speed microscopy recordings of hind legs during the acceleration phase of jumps revealed that the spine tips indented and plastically deformed the substrate. On ivy leaves, the spines of jumping froghoppers perforated the cuticle and epidermal cell walls, and wounds could be visualized after the jumps by methylene blue staining and scanning electron microscopy. Improving attachment performance by indenting or piercing plant surfaces with sharp spines may represent a widespread but previously unrecognized strategy utilized by plant-living insects. This attachment mechanism may also provide inspiration for the design of robotic grippers.

Author(s):  
M. T. Postek ◽  
A. E. Vladar

One of the major advancements applied to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) during the past 10 years has been the development and application of digital imaging technology. Advancements in technology, notably the availability of less expensive, high-density memory chips and the development of high speed analog-to-digital converters, mass storage and high performance central processing units have fostered this revolution. Today, most modern SEM instruments have digital electronics as a standard feature. These instruments, generally have 8 bit or 256 gray levels with, at least, 512 × 512 pixel density operating at TV rate. In addition, current slow-scan commercial frame-grabber cards, directly applicable to the SEM, can have upwards of 12-14 bit lateral resolution permitting image acquisition at 4096 × 4096 resolution or greater. The two major categories of SEM systems to which digital technology have been applied are:In the analog SEM system the scan generator is normally operated in an analog manner and the image is displayed in an analog or "slow scan" mode.


Author(s):  
Kazuyuki Koike ◽  
Hideo Matsuyama

Spin-polarized scanning electron microscopy (spin SEM), where the secondary electron spin polarization is used as the image signal, is a novel technique for magnetic domain observation. Since its first development by Koike and Hayakawa in 1984, several laboratories have extensively studied this technique and have greatly improved its capability for data extraction and its range of applications. This paper reviews the progress over the last few years.Almost all the high expectations initially held for spin SEM have been realized. A spatial resolution of several hundreds angstroms has been attained, which is nearly one order of magnitude higher than that of conventional methods for thick samples. Quantitative analysis of magnetization direction has been performed more easily than with conventional methods. Domain observation of the surface of three-dimensional samples has been confirmed to be possible. One of the drawbacks, a long image acquisition time, has been eased by combining highspeed image-signal processing with high speed scanning, although at the cost of image quality. By using spin SEM, the magnetic structure of a 180 degrees surface Neel wall, magnetic thin films, multilayered films, magnetic discs, etc., have been investigated.


1981 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Blanchette ◽  
John B. Sutherland ◽  
Don L. Crawford

The greenish-brown margin of discolored wood in three living silver maple trees, Acer saccharinum L., was examined by scanning electron microscopy and microbiological culture techniques. Micrographs of xylem vessels revealed filamentous structures; some of them appeared to be actinomycetous hyphae. Actinomycetes identified as Streptomyces parvullus Waksman & Gregory, S. sparsogenes Owen, Dietz & Camiener, and a third Streptomyces strain were isolated repeatedly from discolored wood of each tree. These isolates grew in liquid media in the presence of 0.1% (w/v) concentrations of several phenols. Although other phenols included in the test were not substantially degraded, p-hydroxybenzoic acid was utilized as a carbon source by S. parvullus. All three actinomycetes inhibited growth of selected wood-inhabiting fungi when paired on malt agar. When inoculated on sterilized sapwood and discolored wood from silver maple, the actinomycetes colonized vessel walls and occlusions, but were not observed to decay cell walls.


IAWA Journal ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 161-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisashi Abe ◽  
Ryo Funada

We examined the orientation of cellulose microfibrils (Mfs) in the cell walls of tracheids in some conifer species by field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and developed a model on the basis of our observations. Mfs depositing on the primary walls in differentiating tracheids were not well-ordered. The predominant orientation of the Mfs changed from longitudinal to transverse, as the differentiation of tracheids proceeded. The first Mfs to be deposited in the outer layer of the secondary wall (S1 layer) were arranged as an S-helix. Then the orientation of Mfs changed gradually, with rotation in the clockwise direction as viewed from the lumen side of tracheids, from the outermost to the innermost S1 layer. Mfs in the middle layer of the secondary wall (S2 layer) were oriented in a steep Z-helix with a deviation of less than 15° within the layer. The orientation of Mfs in the inner layer of the secondary wall (S3 layer) changed, with rotation in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from the lumen side, from the outermost to the innermost S3 layer. The angle of orientation of Mfs that were deposited on the innermost S3 layer varied among tracheids from 40° in a Z-helix to 20° in an S-helix.


2017 ◽  
pp. 66
Author(s):  
Aída Carrillo-Ocampo ◽  
E.M. Engleman

With methods of light microscopy, histochemical staining and scanning electron microscopy, it was found that the ovule in the seed of Tigridia pavonia (Iridaceae) is anatropous, bitegmic, and crassinucellate. During development, the exotegmen is crushed and the endotegmen persists with tannins in the lumens and in the walls, which also react positively for lignin. The exotesta contains tannins and its outer walls are convex, thickened, and cuticularized. The mesotesta has multiple layers, accumulates abundant lipids, and forms a bulge in the chalaza. The cell walls of the endotesta collapse and accumulate tannins. In the chalaza, a hypostasal cushion contains tannins in the lumens and in the walls, which also react positively for lignin. At the micropylar end of the seed there is an operculum which consists of: a) a slightly crushed exotegmen, b) an endotegmen with cuticular thickenings that are concentric with respect to the micropyle, c) hemispherical deposists of cutin on the anticlinal walls of the endotegmen, and c) a thin layer of endosperm that covers the radicle. During its cellular stage of development, the endosperm has conspicuous transfer walls at the chalazal end next to the nucella. The embryo is small and has a conical cotyledon.


2014 ◽  
Vol 971-973 ◽  
pp. 802-805
Author(s):  
Wei Feng Zhang ◽  
Li Yan ◽  
Fu Xia Zhang

For the problem of high-speed rotating centrifuge spindle fracture failures, relevant analyses are conducted from the perspective of microstructure, chemical composition and fracture mechanics by using scanning electron microscopy and related instruments. Experimental results and analyses indicate that the spindle fracture is fatigue failure, mainly caused by cold cracks generated on the journal surfacing. Based on the analysis results, improvements and measures are suggested to better solve the spindle weld fracture failure problems.


Biologia ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mayuva Areekijseree ◽  
Thanaporn Chuen-Im ◽  
Busaba Panyarachun

AbstractSamples of abnormal mud crabs, Scylla serrata (Forskål, 1755) (Decapoda: Portunidae), were collected from crab farms in Samutsongkhram Province, Thailand. These crabs had hard carapaces, red chelipeds and joints, pale hepatopancreas, gills, and soft muscles. They were almost immobile and finally died. The haemolymph revealed three stages of the syndrome, namely orange, orange-white, and milky-white in colors. The haemolymph, integument, hepatopancreas, gills, abdominal and claw muscle, stomach, and heart were dissected and histologically examined using transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Closer examinations found infection with rod-, curve rod-, or coccus-shape bacteria with thin and thick cell walls in all investigated organs and haemolymph. Isolation of the microorganisms from the infected tissues of red sternum syndrome crabs resulted in five types of bacteria. No microorganism growth was observed in normal crabs. Interestingly, the types of isolated bacteria can be classified according to the severity of the disease. Additionally, the degree of bacterial infection found was consistent with the stages of the disease. It was postulated that the bacteria entered the crabs via the gills, and then migrated through circulating haemocytes, before reaching the internal organs.


Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 682
Author(s):  
Lin Lin ◽  
Jiaming Cao ◽  
Jian Zhang ◽  
Qiliang Cui ◽  
Yi Liu

Ag/TiO2 wood-based nanocomposites were prepared by the methods of ultrasound impregnation and vacuum impregnation. The as-prepared samples were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and water contact angles (WCAs). The anti-mold properties of the Ag/TiO2 wood-based nanocomposites were improved by 14 times compared to those of the original wood. The nano-Ag/TiO2, which was impregnated in the tracheid and attached to the cell walls, was able to form a two-stage rough structure and reduce the number of hydroxyl functional groups on the wood surfaces. The resulting decline of wood hydrophobic and equilibrium moisture content (EMC) destroyed the moisture environment necessary for mold survival. Ag/TiO2 was deposited in the wood pores, which reduced the number and volume of pores and blocked the path of mold infection. Thus, the anti-mold properties of the Ag/TiO2 wood-based nanocomposite were improved by cutting off the water source and blocking the mold infection path. This study reveals the anti-mold mechanism of Ag/TiO2 wood-based nanocomposites and provides a feasible pathway for wood-based nanocomposites with anti-mold functions.


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