scholarly journals Comparison between the Tannin-osmium Conductive Staining Method and the Freeze Replica Method in the Examination of Epiphyseal Cartilage Matrix by Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy

1977 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 147-150
Author(s):  
Minoru TAKAGI ◽  
Noboru KOJIMA ◽  
Yoichi KASAHARA ◽  
Shigeo MAEHARA ◽  
Hiroshi TAKAGI ◽  
...  
Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 3318
Author(s):  
Hui Qian

Size distributions of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), extracted from softwood pulp via strong sulfuric acid hydrolysis, exhibit large variability when analyzed from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. In this article, the causes of this variability are studied and discussed. In order to obtain results comparable with those reported, a reference material of CNCs (CNCD-1) was used to evaluate size distribution. CNC TEM specimens were prepared as-stained and dried with a rapid-flushing staining method or hydrated and embedded in vitreous ice with the plunge-freezing method. Several sets of bright-field TEM (BF-TEM), annular dark-field scanning TEM (ADF-STEM) and cryogenic-TEM (cryo-TEM) images were acquired for size distribution analysis to study the contributing factors. The rapid-flushing staining method was found to be the most effective for contrast enhancement of CNCs, not only revealing the helical structure of single CNCs but also resolving the laterally jointed CNCs. During TEM specimen preparation, CNCs were fractionated on TEM grids driven by the coffee-ring effect, as observed from contrast variation of CNCs with a stain-depth gradient. From the edge to the center of the TEM grids, the width of CNCs increases, while the aspect ratio (length to width) decreases. This fractionated dispersion of CNCs suggests that images taken near the center of a droplet would give a larger mean width. In addition to particle fractionation driven by the coffee-ring effect, the arrangement and orientation of CNC particles on the substrate significantly affect the size measurement when CNC aggregation cannot be resolved in images. The coexistence of asymmetric cross-section CNC particles introduces a large variation in size measurement, as TEM images of CNCs are mixed projections of the width and height of particles. As a demonstration of how this contributes to inflated size measurement, twisted CNC particles, rectangular cross-section particles and end-to-end jointed CNCs were revealed in reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) micrographs by electron tomography (ET).


Author(s):  
G. G. Shaw

The morphology and composition of the fiber-matrix interface can best be studied by transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. For some composites satisfactory samples can be prepared by electropolishing. For others such as aluminum alloy-boron composites ion erosion is necessary.When one wishes to examine a specimen with the electron beam perpendicular to the fiber, preparation is as follows: A 1/8 in. disk is cut from the sample with a cylindrical tool by spark machining. Thin slices, 5 mils thick, containing one row of fibers, are then, spark-machined from the disk. After spark machining, the slice is carefully polished with diamond paste until the row of fibers is exposed on each side, as shown in Figure 1.In the case where examination is desired with the electron beam parallel to the fiber, preparation is as follows: Experimental composites are usually 50 mils or less in thickness so an auxiliary holder is necessary during ion milling and for easy transfer to the electron microscope. This holder is pure aluminum sheet, 3 mils thick.


Author(s):  
R. W. Anderson ◽  
D. L. Senecal

A problem was presented to observe the packing densities of deposits of sub-micron corrosion product particles. The deposits were 5-100 mils thick and had formed on the inside surfaces of 3/8 inch diameter Zircaloy-2 heat exchanger tubes. The particles were iron oxides deposited from flowing water and consequently were only weakly bonded. Particular care was required during handling to preserve the original formations of the deposits. The specimen preparation method described below allowed direct observation of cross sections of the deposit layers by transmission electron microscopy.The specimens were short sections of the tubes (about 3 inches long) that were carefully cut from the systems. The insides of the tube sections were first coated with a thin layer of a fluid epoxy resin by dipping. This coating served to impregnate the deposit layer as well as to protect the layer if subsequent handling were required.


Author(s):  
S. Fujishiro

The mechanical properties of three titanium alloys (Ti-7Mo-3Al, Ti-7Mo- 3Cu and Ti-7Mo-3Ta) were evaluated as function of: 1) Solutionizing in the beta field and aging, 2) Thermal Mechanical Processing in the beta field and aging, 3) Solutionizing in the alpha + beta field and aging. The samples were isothermally aged in the temperature range 300° to 700*C for 4 to 24 hours, followed by a water quench. Transmission electron microscopy and X-ray method were used to identify the phase formed. All three alloys solutionized at 1050°C (beta field) transformed to martensitic alpha (alpha prime) upon being water quenched. Despite this heavily strained alpha prime, which is characterized by microtwins the tensile strength of the as-quenched alloys is relatively low and the elongation is as high as 30%.


Author(s):  
Nakazo Watari ◽  
Yasuaki Hotta ◽  
Yoshio Mabuchi

It is very useful if we can observe the identical cell elements within the same sections by light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and/or scanning electron microscopy (SEM) sequentially, because, the cell fine structure can not be indicated by LM, while the color is; on the other hand, the cell fine structure can be very easily observed by EM, although its color properties may not. However, there is one problem in that LM requires thick sections of over 1 μm, while EM needs very thin sections of under 100 nm. Recently, we have developed a new method to observe the same cell elements within the same plastic sections using both light and transmission (conventional or high-voltage) electron microscopes.In this paper, we have developed two new observation methods for the identical cell elements within the same sections, both plastic-embedded and paraffin-embedded, using light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and/or scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 1).


Author(s):  
R.R. Russell

Transmission electron microscopy of metallic/intermetallic composite materials is most challenging since the microscopist typically has great difficulty preparing specimens with uniform electron thin areas in adjacent phases. The application of ion milling for thinning foils from such materials has been quite effective. Although composite specimens prepared by ion milling have yielded much microstructural information, this technique has some inherent drawbacks such as the possible generation of ion damage near sample surfaces.


Author(s):  
Tai-Te Chao ◽  
John Sullivan ◽  
Awtar Krishan

Maytansine, a novel ansa macrolide (1), has potent anti-tumor and antimitotic activity (2, 3). It blocks cell cycle traverse in mitosis with resultant accumulation of metaphase cells (4). Inhibition of brain tubulin polymerization in vitro by maytansine has also been reported (3). The C-mitotic effect of this drug is similar to that of the well known Vinca- alkaloids, vinblastine and vincristine. This study was carried out to examine the effects of maytansine on the cell cycle traverse and the fine struc- I ture of human lymphoblasts.Log-phase cultures of CCRF-CEM human lymphoblasts were exposed to maytansine concentrations from 10-6 M to 10-10 M for 18 hrs. Aliquots of cells were removed for cell cycle analysis by flow microfluorometry (FMF) (5) and also processed for transmission electron microscopy (TEM). FMF analysis of cells treated with 10-8 M maytansine showed a reduction in the number of G1 cells and a corresponding build-up of cells with G2/M DNA content.


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