Biology Commons^™

Scanning And Transmission Electron Microscopy Of Bacterial Attachment To Mucosal Surfaces With Particular Reference To The Human Fallopian Tube, Morris D. Cooper, Christine Jeffery

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis are the common bacteria isolated from bacterial cervicitis and are the leading etiological agents for pelvic inflammatory disease. Neisseria gonorrhoeae cause infection of the mucosa of fallopian tubes in organ culture by (a) attaching to microvilli of nonciliated cells, (b) phagocytosis by these cells, (c) transport across and exocytosis from the epithelial cells. In contrast the Chlamydia attach to the epithelial surface without apparent ligand binding and are taken into the cytoplasm of the epithelial cell. Exocytosis of Chlamydia is into the tubal lumen and not into the subepithelial spaces. The ciliated epithelial cells of …

Morphological Observations Of Mineralizing Pericardium Cardiac Grafts, P. Frasca, J. W. Buchanan, R. Z. Soriano, J. M. Dunn, L. Marmon, J. Melbin, S. J. Buchanan, E. E. Golub, I. M. Shapiro

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Pericardial patch grafts were implanted in the hearts of young sheep for periods ranging from two to 120 days. Explants seven to 21 days old revealed the formation of a "pseudoneointima" (PNI) on the blood contacting surface of the pericardium. The PNI was more heavily mineralized than the pericardium. Mineralization was most intense on the blood contacting surface of the PNI and on the chamber surface of the pericardium. After three weeks of implantation, the PNI was much thinner and was organized into a thin fibrous capsule without any signs of mineralization. In the pericardium, mineral deposits were seen in …

Scanning Electron Microscopy Studies Of Staphylococcal Adherence To Heart Valve Endothelial Cells In Organ Culture: An In Vitro Model Of Acute Endocarditis, Morris D. Cooper, Christine Jeffery, Debra L. Gall, Andrew S. Anderson

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Organ cultures of human heart valves were used as a model to study the initial pathobiology of acute infective bacterial endocarditis. We used Staphylococcus aureus isolated from a case of infective endocarditis to infect the in vitro culture of the heart valves. Using scanning electron microscopy, we assessed the initial damage, attachment to and invasion of the endothelial cell layer by staphylococci. Our results indicate there is initial damage to the endothelium prior to observation of staphylococci attaching to the endothelial cell. By 12 h post infection, there is significant attachment and damage. At 24 h after infection, destruction of …

Quantitation Of Scanning Electron Microscopic Urinary Cytology, M. Cano, R. B. Wilson, S. M. Cohen

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differences in cell surface morphology are identifiable between normal urothelium and malignant urothelia including the presence of pleomorphic microvilli (PMV). PMV have been reported in carcinomas of the urinary bladder, and they appear early in the pathogenesis of these tumors in animal models. Preliminary studies in our laboratory and others' demonstrated similar changes in tissue and cytologic specimens from patients with bladder cancer. We observed and evaluated normal and neoplastic cells of the human bladder by SEM in a preliminary assessment of surface topography with regard to tumor growth, grade, and stage. However, while these …

Simulation With Pharmacological Agents Of Radiation Damage To Small Intestinal Villi, M. Indran, F. C. Boyle, K. E. Carr

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Irradiation induces damage to intestinal villi, resulting in a progressive decline in villous height and changes in topography. Gamma and neutron radiation are reported to cause changes in the structure of smooth muscle and nerve twigs of the intestinal wall. It is possible, therefore, that villous collapse may be due partly to changes in the underlying stromal elements as a result of damage to nerve or muscle.

To test this hypothesis, mice were treated with the drug reserpine which is known to affect the neural control of intestinal smooth muscle function and the small intestine was examined for topographical and …

Stroboscopic Technique For Dynamic Observation Of Ferromagnetic Domains At Low Frequencies In Scanning Electron Microscopy, T. Ikuta

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A new stroboscopic technique for the observation of periodic phenomena at low frequencies (10 -100 Hz) in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is developed in the present study. This new technique is based on the line-sampling stroboscopy instead of the point-sampling stroboscopy which has been commonly used for the dynamic observation at high frequencies (> 1 kHz). In this stroboscopy, a multi-frame display with the individual stroboscopic image at different phase can be easily introduced with no reduction of the detection efficiency.

The main application of the present stroboscopy at low frequencies is the dynamic observation of magnetic domains. In this …

A Dynamic Single E-Beam Short/Open Testing Technique, M. Brunner, B. Lischke

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Several electron beam techniques for electrical testing of interconnection modules have been presented by different authors in recent years. Most techniques use two or more electron beam energies to establish a charging and a non-loading reading mode. The present paper discusses the feasibility of employing the same beam energy for charging contact pads and reading pad potentials. This avoids the necessity of high voltage switching as used for altering the beam energy. A switching time of 100 us between 2 kV and 4 kV beam voltage which is restricted to this range has been reported earlier. Without switching, higher beam …

Interactions Between Spermatozoa And The Crypts, Cilia, And Mucus Of The Cervix In The Ewe, William P. Wergin

Scanning Electron Microscopy

In ruminants, minor cervical folds, commonly called crypts, temporarily store spermatozoa for a short interval of time between insemination and fertilization. However, the mechanism by which spermatozoa are transported to these crypts and subsequently to the uterus is not known. To study this problem, cervical tissue, which was removed from ewes that were naturally inseminated by rams at estrus, was examined with the scanning electron microscope to determine the physical associations that occur between the spermatozoa and the structural features of the cervix. The study indicates that the spermatozoa generally are not oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis of the …

The Effect Of High Energy (Hze) Particle Radiation (40ar) On Aging Parameters Of Mouse Hippocampus And Retina, D. E. Philpott, W. Sapp, J. Miquel, K. Kato, R. Corbett, J. Stevenson, S. Black, K. A. Lindseth, E. V. Benton

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Eight month old C57BL6 mice were exposed (head only) to 0.5 rad or 50 rads of Argon particles at the Lawrence Berkeley Radiation Facility, CA. Neuromotor performance was assessed monthly for six months beginning twelve weeks post-irradiation using a ''string test". The decline in motor performance was dose-related and none of the animals was able to complete the task after four months of testing. Morphological changes were monitored six and twelve months post-irradiation by light and electron microscopy. The synaptic density in the CA-1 area of the hippocampus decreased six and twelve months after irradiation. The decrease after twelve months …

Two Quantum Photoemission In Semiconductors, J. M. Moison, M. Bensoussan

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Two-quantum photoemission is a process in which two times the photon energy is transferred to the photoelectron. In this process, the photoelectron observed in the vacuum keeps a "memory" of the intermediate empty state by which it transited after its first excitation, and before its second excitation and its final escape. We discuss here the experimental problems involved and the information obtained in the case of the semiconductors Si and InP. We show that ballistic or non-ballistic electrons can be selected by an adequate choice of experimental conditions, yielding information on both the static and dynamic properties of the empty …

The Electron Microscope Detection And X-Ray Quantitation Of Cations In Bacterial Cells, D. C. Sigee, M. H. El-Masry, R. H. Al-Rabaee

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Electron microscope autoradiography and X-ray microanalysis have been used for the detection and quantitation of cations in the bacterium Pseudomonas tabaci. These techniques differ in the information they provide (relating to either cation uptake or in situ levels), their applicability to different cations, their sensitivity and their spatial resolution. With uptake of ⁶³Ni²⁺, high resolution autoradiography (involving gold latensification and physical development) demonstrated a high degree of cation localisation to the central nucleoid area (glutaraldehyde-fixed cells) and within this to the constituent chromatin (acetic-alcohol preparations).

X-ray microanalysis of whole bacterial cells revealed the presence of substantial levels …

The Influence Of Epidermal Growth Factor On Surface Morphology Of Fetal Rat Hepatocytes In Primary Culture, Ira H. Ames, Robert A. Richman, Gerald B. Gordon, Barbara A. Toly, Mark R. Benedict, Maureen A. Barcza

Scanning Electron Microscopy

In an attempt to understand the hormonal regulation of somatomedin secretion in the fetus, we have confirmed that epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulates fetal rat hepatocytes in primary culture to secrete somatomedin in a time and a dose-dependent fashion. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed that the cultured cells had ultrastructural features consistent with those of fetal hepatocytes. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that cells grown in either Medium 199 or EGF supplemented Medium 199 formed cellular aggregates within 6 h. The surface features of cells in control and experimental cultures were indistinguishable up until 24 h after exposure to EGF. …

Scanning Acoustic Microscopy In Materials Characterization, H. R. Vetters, P. Mayr, S. Boseck, Th. Luebben, R. Matthaei, A. Schulz

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The scanning acoustic microscopy is a powerful tool for subsurface imaging and therefore fault detection in coated parts. In this paper several methods are established to reveal the imaging of hidden structures. First efforts were made to find out the information depth due to the various distances between lens and surface of the object. By means of a specially developed test specimen it was possible to estimate the penetration depth for monitoring structural details. The indepth analysis of layered composites is considered by the determination of the V(z)-characteristics. Furthermore the gain of image processing by means of Fourier transformed patterns …

Use Of Polymer Casts Or Metal Particle Infusion Of Ducts To Study Antigen Uptake In The Guinea Pig Mammary Gland, D. I. Schenkman, D. T. Berman, R. M. Albrecht

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Microcorrosion casts were made of the duct system of guinea pig mammary glands by intramammary infusion of Mercox® polyester resin following involution of the glands after the first lactation. The acinar configuration of the involuted gland was apparent on examination of the casts by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface features, which were readily identified as those of imprints of duct al epithelium, were visible at higher magnifications. The morphology of these casts corresponded to the patterns observed by SEM of ethanol cryofractured specimens of mammary tissue.

Cryofractured specimens of guinea pig mammary glands were also examined by SEM following intramammary …

Optical And Scanning Electron Microscopy In The Single Osteoclast Resorption Assay, Alan Boyde, Nadire N. Ali, Sheila J. Jones

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The present studies relate to the single or isolated osteoclastic resorption function assay which we introduced in 1983 to overcome objections to assays based upon measurements of calcium release from bones, in which it was never strictly controlled whether the mechanism involved the destruction of bone with the formation of classical Howship's lacunae. The method may prove to be quite popular in the near future and has already been adopted by other research groups. In previous work, we had utilised stereo-photogrammetry of scanning electron micrographs to measure the depth, volume and other parameters of the individual lacunae. However, increasing experience …

A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study Of Chromosomes And Nuclei, Kazuhiko R. Utsumi

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The fine structure of metaphase chromosomes and nuclei were studied by scanning electron microscopy. A coiled-coil structure of chromosomes was suggested by hypotonically unravelled chromosomes observed under light microscope. But chromosome preparations made for the light microscopic studies were not adequate for detailed examination with scanning electron microscope. Surface-spread chromosomes revealed that they were composed of nodular, twisted looping fibers of about 300 Å in diameter. Surface-spread nuclei were also composed of fibers identical to the chromosome fibers.

Transmission Electron Microscopy Of Semiconductor Materials And Devices, R. B. Marcus

Scanning Electron Microscopy

This paper surveys the application of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to semiconductor materials and device technology. A broad spectrum of TEM studies requires the preparation of either plan-view or vertical sections; these sections are made using mechanical abrasion, chemical etching or ion milling or a combination of these procedures. A survey is then given of applications of TEM to four classes of studies of semiconductor materials and devices: the configuration of device features, crystallographic defects, lattice and atomic resolution imaging, and the analysis of phase and chemical composition.

Segregation To Surfaces And Interfaces, Siegfried Hofmann

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The thermodynamics of segregation to surfaces and interfaces establish a framework of solute enrichment behaviour at equilibrium, depending on temperature and bulk concentration. It is represented by the Langmuir-McLean adsorption theory and its modifications. Solute-solute interactions in binary and multi-component systems allow a description of the occurrence of two-dimensional phases, of site competition of segregants and of cosegregation. The kinetics of segregation are mainly governed by the bulk diffusivity of the solute. Calculations of the segregation free energy based on surface energy differences of the components and on strain relief energy serve as a guideline for predictions of enrichment in …

Correlation Between Fracture Mechanics Parameters And Fracture Characteristics In Austenites, A. Seibold, R. Löhberg

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Fracture surfaces of austenitic samples tested at room temperature show a correlation between fracture characteristics, Δ K-value and R-ratio: 1) at low Δ K-values up to 400 N/mm³/² and stress ratios of R = 0.1 and R = 0.7, no fatigue striations but fan-like features and flat facets can be seen; 2) fatigue striations, but no facets exist at Δ K-values greater than 900 N/mm³/² and R = 0.1; 3) at a higher stress ratio of R = 0.7 the facets disappear already at lower Δ K-values of about 650 N/mm³/^{2 …}

Sputter Crater Contour Mapping With Multilayered Films, L. L. Levenson, T. P. Massopust, J. Dick, M. C. Jaehnig, D. Griffith

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Multilayered films composed of alternating 200 Å Al and 267 Å Al203 layers are made by physical vapor deposition. Twenty-two pairs of these films are deposited on a polished Si wafer. Ion beam sputtering is used to form craters in the multilayered film. When a crater is viewed or photographed in situ by scanning electron microscopy, the Al₂O₃ layers appear bright and the Al layers appear dark. In the scanning electron microscope (SEM) the Al₂O₃ layers have a high secondary electron yield compared to Al. In secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), using Cs^{+ …}

The Endothelium Of Initial Lymphatics During Postnatal Development Of The Rat Tongue, A. Castenholz

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The luminal surface of the subepithelial lymphatic plexus in the tongue of rats was investigated with SEM at different stages of postnatal development. In newborn and infant animals prominent and branched endothelial cells exhibit a conspicuous phenomenon producing a very irregular inner profile of the vascular wall. Among these cells the spindle-shaped type proves to be an essential component of the valve structures already found in few-day-old animals. There are also prominent cells with a polygonal appearance resembling histioblasts which form with their manifold processes, that partly extend into the lumen, an interlacing cellular pattern. The special morphological characteristics of …

Divergent-Beam X-Ray Diffraction In The Scanning Electron Microscopy And Its Use For The Study Of The Semiconductor Epitaxial Layers, J. Hejna

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Among the X-ray techniques belonging to the family of Kassel methods the divergent-beam diffraction method gives the best contrast for semiconductor specimens.

The technique has been accomplished in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) in a back reflection configuration. Epitaxial layers of GaAsSb and GaAsSbP on GaAs [100] oriented substrates were investigated. The diffraction lines from lattice planes giving only high Bragg angles were used. For the purpose of the layer strain analysis, the diffraction experiments were carried out for specimens placed horizontally (the lines {711} type recorded) and for tilted 45° (the lines {551) type recorded). A Cu foil was …

Secondary Electron Imaging In The Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope, R. M. Allen

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The detailed correlation of surface morphology and subsurface microstructure has been made possible by the scanning transmission electron microscope. This instrument provides the capability for simultaneous and independent secondary electron and transmitted electron imaging from the same sample area. This includes the ability to generate mixed secondary/transmitted electron images, which form a concise visual presentation of the information in the two component images.

Correlative surface and through-volume specimen examination of this type has most frequently been applied to backthinned samples, which are specifically prepared in a way which produces electron-transparent material in the immediate vicinity of a surface of interest …

Applications Of Laser Microprobe Mass Analysis For Characterization Of Asbestos, J. K. De Waele, F. C. Adams

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Laser microprobe mass analysis with the commercial LAMMA-500 (transmission type) instrument when utilized in laser desorption conditions provides information which allows the identification of particular asbestos varieties, in various types of samples, including lung tissue. Also it has detection capability of adsorbed organic material and it is a valuable tool for the study of the surface of chemically modified asbestos fibers manufactured by silanation or through phosgene treatment (chrysophosphate). Recent progress within our laboratory is discussed, and shortcomings of the methodology are indicated.

Implantation Failure Of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters: A Scanning Electron Microscopical Study, D. W. Gregory, G. G. Youngson, D. Marshall

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Patients with end stage renal failure may be treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. The transcutaneous portion of the catheters used in this treatment is covered with porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to provide a surface suitable for tissue infiltration. Following some instances where catheters failed to become fixed in the abdominal wall, a scanning electron microscopical study was carried out to compare the infiltration of catheters having successful or unsuccessful implantation.

The porous layer of a well-fixed catheter, removed after successful renal transplantation, was infiltrated with collagen fibrils and overlain by layered connective tissue composed of fibroblasts and collagen fibre …

X-Ray Microanalysis Of Urinary Stones, A Comparison With Other Methods, K. M. Kim, H. B. Alpaugh, F. B. Johnson

Scanning Electron Microscopy

A previous study of urinary stones by a combined electron microscopy demonstrated the potential of scanning electron microscopy and X- ray analysis as an analytic tool for urinary stones. Electron diffraction was chosen for the final confirmation of crystals in the study. Although electron diffraction is highly accurate for this purpose, it is desirable to establish the sensitivity of X-ray analysis for the identification of stone components relative to the more commonly used methods. Eighty six consecutive urinary stones were analyzed by X-ray analysis and the findings were compared with those of X-ray diffraction, infrared spectrometry and chemical analysis. The …

Delineation Of Emitter-Collector Shorts In Bipolar Test Structures By Voltage Contrast Scanning Electron Microscopy, A. H. Carim, R. Sinclair, W. T. Stacy

Scanning Electron Microscopy

In examining emitter-collector shorts and their relationship to structural defects, we desire a nondestructive method for locating the short-circuited devices in large test arrays. Voltage contrast scanning electron microscopy (VC-SEM) and an established electrochemical anodization technique have been used to identify electrically faulty bipolar transistors. Direct comparison of these approaches was achieved by examining the same emitters with each method. The results indicate that VC-SEM may serve as a useful technique for delineating E-C shorts because of its nondestructive and purely electrical nature. In our qualitative investigation, the sensitivity and voltage resolution available by VC-SEM were not sufficient to differentiate …

Ion Discrimination Effects In The Laser Microprobe Mass Analyzer, Eric Michiels, Marc De Wolf, Renaat Gijbels

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Different discrimination effects have been observed for atomic and polyatomic cluster ions when varying the ion lens potential of the laser microprobe mass analyzer. This is attributed to the chromatic aberration of the einzel lens, leading to different effects on ions with different energy distributions. Ion kinetic energy distributions were measured using the cut-off property of an ion reflector. The energies of elemental ions are higher and the energy distributions broader than those of polyatomic ions. Chemically different ion species have different energy distributions. An attempt is made to correlate the instrumental effects with results from ray tracing computer programs.

Collagen Deposition During Wound Repair, Charles J. Doillon, Michael G. Dunn, Richard A. Berg, Frederick H. Silver

Scanning Electron Microscopy

Collagen fiber diameters, amount of birefringent collagen (brightness) and birefringence retardation were measured in implanted collagen-based sponges containing hyaluronic acid (HA) and fibronectin (FN). In the presence of HA and FN, increased number of fibroblasts and brightness were observed 6 days after wounding. Increased brightness in the presence of HA and FN reflected increased deposition of oriented collagen fibers. From days 9 to 12, increased fiber diameters were similar in implanted collagen-based sponges with or without HA and FN. Increased birefringence retardation in sponges containing HA and FN was consistent with increased packing density of collagen fibers observed by scanning …

Amphibian Lampbrush Chromosome Loops: Correlative Light Microscopy, Transmission Electron Microscopy, And Scanning Electron Microscopy Observations, M. L. Bonnanfant-Jais, E. N'Da, M. Penrad-Mobayed, N. Angelier

Scanning Electron Microscopy

The RNP matrix of landmark loops in Pleurodeles waltlii lampbrush chromosomes have been examined by light microscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. This study shows that in normal loops as well as granular, globular and dense loops, the RNP matrices are composed of one basic structure: an RNP particle with a diameter of 30 nm. The scanning electron microscope study also clarified the spatial arrangement of the various types of RNP matrices. The specific morphology of the RNP matrices is due to i) the progressive packaging of transcription products and ii) a concomitant and gradual coiling of the loop axis.