scholarly journals Secretory protein decondensation as a distinct, Ca2+-mediated event during the final steps of exocytosis in Paramecium cells.

1981 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Bilinski ◽  
H Plattner ◽  
H Matt

The contents of secretory vesicles ("trichocysts") were isolated in the condensed state from Paramecium cells. It is well known that the majority portion of trichocysts perform a rapid decondensation process during exocytosis, which is visible in the light microscope. We have analyzed this condensed leads to decondensed transition in vitro and determined some relevant parameters. In the condensed state, free phosphate (and possibly magnesium) ions screen local surplus charges. This is supported by x-ray spectra recorded from individual trichocysts (prepared by physical methods) in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Calcium, as well as other ions that eliminate phosphate by precipitation, produces decondensation in vitro. Under in vivo conditions, Ca2+ enters the vesicle lumen from the outside medium, once an exocytic opening has been formed. Consequently, within the intact cell, membrane fusion and protein decondensation take place with optimal timing. Ca2+ might then trigger decondensation in the same way by precipitating phosphate ions (as it does in vitro) and, indeed, such precipitates (again yielding Ca and P signals in x-ray spectra) can be recognized in situ under trigger conditions. As decondensation is a unidirectional, rapid process in Paramecium cells, it would contribute to drive the discharge of the secretory contents to the outside. Further implications on the energetics of exocytosis are discussed.

Nanomaterials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1769 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sundus Riaz ◽  
Nosheen Fatima Rana ◽  
Irshad Hussain ◽  
Tahreem Tanweer ◽  
Afrah Nawaz ◽  
...  

Multidrug resistance (MDR) has been a potentiator for the exploration of antibiotics. Nano drug delivery systems have opened new avenues to overcome this challenge. Although antibacterial nanocarriers are extensively realized, their effect on the bacteria residing inside the tissues and their toxicity is rarely explored. This study investigated the effects of flavonoid coated gold nanoparticles (FAuNPs) on the colonization of Enterococcus faecalis in the mouse liver and kidneys. Flavonoids were extracted from the leaves of Berberis lycium Royle and used to stabilize gold following a green synthesis approach. FAuNPs were characterized by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). FAuNPs showed significantly higher reduction in bacterial counts in in-vitro and in-vivo in mice organs as compared to the free flavonoids owing to their biocompatibility and effectiveness.


Author(s):  
J. R. Michael ◽  
K. A. Taylor

Although copper is considered an incidental or trace element in many commercial steels, some grades contain up to 1-2 wt.% Cu for precipitation strengthening. Previous electron microscopy and atom-probe/field-ion microscopy (AP/FIM) studies indicate that the precipitation of copper from ferrite proceeds with the formation of Cu-rich bcc zones and the subsequent transformation of these zones to fcc copper particles. However, the similarity between the atomic scattering amplitudes for iron and copper and the small misfit between between Cu-rich particles and the ferrite matrix preclude the detection of small (<5 nm) Cu-rich particles by conventional transmission electron microscopy; such particles have been imaged directly only by FIM. Here results are presented whereby the Cu Kα x-ray signal was used in a dedicated scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) to image small Cu-rich particles in a steel. The capability to detect these small particles is expected to be helpful in understanding the behavior of copper in steels during thermomechanical processing and heat treatment.


Author(s):  
M. Tamizifar ◽  
G. Cliff ◽  
R.W. Devenish ◽  
G.W. Lorimer

Small additions of copper, <1 wt%, have a pronounced effect on the ageing response of Al-Mg-Si alloys. The object of the present investigation was to study the effect of additions of copper up to 0.5 wt% on the ageing response of a series of Al-Mg-Si alloys and to use high resolution analytical electron microscopy to determine the composition of the age hardening precipitates.The composition of the alloys investigated is given in Table 1. The alloys were heat treated in an argon atmosphere for 30m, water quenched and immediately aged either at 180°C for 15 h or given a duplex treatment of 180°C for 15 h followed by 350°C for 2 h2. The double-ageing treatment was similar to that carried out by Dumolt et al. Analyses of the precipitation were carried out with a HB 501 Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope. X-ray peak integrals were converted into weight fractions using the ratio technique of Cliff and Lorimer.


Author(s):  
John B. Vander Sande ◽  
Thomas F. Kelly ◽  
Douglas Imeson

In the scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) a fine probe of electrons is scanned across the thin specimen, or the probe is stationarily placed on a volume of interest, and various products of the electron-specimen interaction are then collected and used for image formation or microanalysis. The microanalysis modes usually employed in STEM include, but are not restricted to, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and microdiffraction.


2012 ◽  
Vol 706-709 ◽  
pp. 741-744 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akio Kira ◽  
Ryuichi Tomoshige ◽  
Kazuyuki Hokamoto ◽  
Masahiro Fujita

The various techniques of phase transformation of the material have been proposed by many researchers. We have developed several devices to generate the ultrahigh pressure by using high explosive. One of them uses metal jets. It is expected that the ultrahigh pressure occurs by the head-on collision between metal jets, because the velocity of the metal jet is very high. By mixing a powdered material with metal jets, the pressure of the material becomes high. The purpose of this study is to transform the phase of the powdered material by using this high pressure. The powders of the graphite and hBN were applied. The synthesis to the diamond and cBN was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). In this paper, the mechanism of the generation of the ultrahigh pressure is explained and the results of the observation of the powder by using scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) are reported.


1989 ◽  
Vol 169 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. H. Shin ◽  
J. Silcox ◽  
S. E. Russek ◽  
D. K. Lathrop ◽  
R. A. Buhrman

AbstractGrain boundaries in thin films of high Tc YBa2Cu3O7-x superconductors have been investigated with high resolution scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM) imaging and nanoprobe energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. Atomic resolution images indicate that the grain boundaries are mostly clean, i.e., free of a boundary layer of different phase or of segregation, and are often coherent. EDX microanalysis with a 10 Å spatial resolution also indicates no composition deviation at the grain boundaries.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aldo Armigliato ◽  
Rodolfo Rosa

AbstractA previously developed Monte Carlo code has been extended to the X-ray microanalysis in a (scanning) transmission electron microscope of plan sections, consisting of bilayers and triple layers. To test the validity of this method for quantification purposes, a commercially available NiOx (x ∼ 1) thin film, deposited on a carbon layer, has been chosen. The composition and thickness of the NiO film and the thickness of the C support layer are obtained by fitting to the three X-ray intensity ratios I(NiK)/I(OK), I(NiK)/I(CK), and I(OK)/I(CK). Moreover, it has been investigated to what extent the resulting film composition is affected by the presence of a contaminating carbon film at the sample surface. To this end, the sample has been analyzed both in the (recommended) “grid downward” geometry and in the upside/down (“grid upward”) situation. It is found that a carbon contaminating film of few tens of nanometers must be assumed in both cases, in addition to the C support film. Consequently, assuming the proper C/NiOx/C stack in the simulations, the Monte Carlo method yields the correct oxygen concentration and thickness of the NiOx film.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. 1482-1494
Author(s):  
Li Sun ◽  
Chang Jiang ◽  
Wenhai Li ◽  
Zelai He ◽  
Gengming Wang ◽  
...  

The combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy is a common and useful treatment mode for tumours. But traditional methods inevitably lead to a variety of side effects. A drug delivery system (DDS), which has good biocompatibility and strong anti-tumour ability, is expected to solve this problem. Studies have shown that Ce-based nanoparticles (NPs) have good radiosensitization effect through the photoelectric effect. Hence, cisplatin-loaded LiLuF4 :Ce3+scintillation NPs (NP + Cis) were first constructed in this study, which was synthesized by the crystal precipitation method and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Subsequently, its toxicity was verified, and the radiosensitization effect and basic radiosensitization mechanism on tumour cells and tumour-bearing mice were researched. Results showed that NP + Cis triggered massive DNA damage and effectively inhibited cell viability in vitro under the exposure of X-ray irradiation (IR). Moreover, the experiments in vivo showed that the NP + Cis had higher biosafety, which could absorb enough irradiation and produce a synergistic inhibitory effect on tumours through the releasing of Cis. NP + Cis can improve the performance of DDS in chemoradiotherapy.


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