Noninvasive imaging systems for gametes and embryo selection in IVF programs: a review
Summary
Optimizing the efficiency of the in vitro fertilization procedure by improving pregnancy rates and reducing the risks of multiple pregnancies simultaneously are the primary goals of the current assisted reproductive technology program. With the move to single embryo transfers, the need for more cost‐effective and noninvasive methods for embryo selection prior to transfer is paramount. These aims require advancement in a more acquire gametes/embryo testing and selection procedures using high‐tech devices. Therefore, the aim of the present review is to evaluate the efficacy of noninvasive imaging systems in the c...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: MARJAN OMIDI, AZITA FARAMARZI, AZAM AGHARAHIMI, MOHAMMAD ALI KHALILI Tags: Review Article Source Type: research
Correlative light and electron microscopy reveals discrepancy between gold and fluorescence labelling
Summary
Electron microscopy (EM) is traditionally employed as a follow‐up to fluorescence microscopy (FM) to resolve the cellular ultrastructures wherein fluorescently labelled biomolecules reside. In order to translate the information derived from FM studies to EM analysis, biomolecules of interest must be identified in a manner compatible with EM. Although fluorescent signals can serve this purpose when FM is combined with EM in correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM), the traditional immunogold labelling remains commonly used in this context. In order to investigate how much these two strategies relate, we ha...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: D.M. VAN ELSLAND, E. BOS, J.B. PAWLAK, H.S. OVERKLEEFT, A.J. KOSTER, S.I. VAN KASTEREN Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Area ‐preserving colour coding of inverse pole figure domain
Summary
The inverse pole figure (IPF) map is a routinely displayed output in microtexture studies, interpreted using the attached colour legend/diagram. An area‐preserving relation between the IPF domain and RGB colour domain has been developed here, and the resultant IPF colour diagrams of different crystal point group symmetries are presented.
Lay description
Spatial resolved characterisation of crystal orientation by Electron backscatter diffraction and Transmission electron microscopy techniques provide valuable insight into the microstructure of polycrystalline materials. The inverse pole figure (IPF) map is a rout...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: T. KARTHIKEYAN Tags: Hot Topic ‐ fast‐tracked short communication Source Type: research
Observation of asphalt binder microstructure with ESEM
Summary
The observation of asphalt binder with the environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) has shown the potential to observe asphalt binder microstructure and its evolution with binder aging. A procedure for the induction and identification of the microstructure in asphalt binder was established in this study and included sample preparation and observation parameters. A suitable heat‐sampling asphalt binder sample preparation method was determined for the test and several stainless steel and Teflon sample moulds developed, finding that stainless steel was the preferable material. The magnification and ESEM set...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: P. Mikhailenko, H. Kadhim, H. Baaj, S. Tighe Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Membrane protein stoichiometry studied in intact mammalian cells using liquid ‐phase electron microscopy
We describe a new electron microscopy method capable of examining protein complexes in whole cells at the single molecule and single cell level. This technique is liquid‐phase scanning transmission electron microscopy, in short, liquid STEM. The method was used to image epidermal growth factor receptors in whole mammalian cells. Its application to study the functional state of so‐called HER2 protein in breast cancer cells revealed the presence of rare cancer cells in which HER2 was in a different functional state than in the bulk cells, and these rare cells are possibly important as pharmaceutical targets. (Source: Journal of Microscopy)
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: N. DE JONGE Tags: Themed Issue Paper Source Type: research
Driving reversible redox reactions at solid –liquid interfaces with the electron beam of a transmission electron microscope
This study demonstrates that the flux of electrons in the beam used to acquire TEM images allows switching the oxidising or reducing nature of the solution. High electron fluxes favour reduction reactions leading to the deposition of metallic copper, whereas low electron fluxes favour oxidising redactions inducing metal dissolution. The chemical and electronic processes possibly involved in these tunable redox reactions are qualitatively discussed together with their possible impacts on other LCTEM experiments. (Source: Journal of Microscopy)
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 4, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: NABEEL AHMAD, GUILLAUME WANG, JAYSEN NELAYAH, CHRISTIAN RICOLLEAU, DAMIEN ALLOYEAU Tags: Themed Issue Paper Source Type: research
Laser ‐preparation of geometrically optimised samples for X‐ray nano‐CT
Summary
A robust and versatile sample preparation technique for the fabrication of cylindrical pillars for imaging by X‐ray nano‐computed tomography (nano‐CT) is presented. The procedure employs simple, cost‐effective laser micro‐machining coupled with focused‐ion beam (FIB) milling, when required, to yield mechanically robust samples at the micrometre length‐scale to match the field‐of‐view (FOV) for nano‐CT imaging. A variety of energy and geological materials are exhibited as case studies, demonstrating the procedure can be applied to a variety of materials to provide geometrically optimised samples ...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 1, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: J.J. BAILEY, T.M.M. HEENAN, D.P. FINEGAN, X. LU, S.R. DAEMI, F. IACOVIELLO, N.R. BACKEBERG, O.O. TAIWO, D.J.L. BRETT, A. ATKINSON, P.R. SHEARING Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Diffraction effects and inelastic electron transport in angle ‐resolved microscopic imaging applications
Summary
We analyse the signal formation process for scanning electron microscopic imaging applications on crystalline specimens. In accordance with previous investigations, we find nontrivial effects of incident beam diffraction on the backscattered electron distribution in energy and momentum. Specifically, incident beam diffraction causes angular changes of the backscattered electron distribution which we identify as the dominant mechanism underlying pseudocolour orientation imaging using multiple, angle‐resolving detectors. Consequently, diffraction effects of the incident beam and their impact on the subsequent coher...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 1, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: A. WINKELMANN, G. NOLZE, S. VESPUCCI, G. NARESH ‐KUMAR, C. TRAGER‐COWAN, A. VILALTA‐CLEMENTE, A.J. WILKINSON, M. VOS Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Using transmission Kikuchi diffraction to characterise α variants in an α+β titanium alloy
Summary
Two phase titanium alloys are important for high‐performance engineering components, such as aeroengine discs. The microstructures of these alloys are tailored during thermomechanical processing to precisely control phase fractions, morphology and crystallographic orientations. In bimodal two phase (α + β) Ti‐6Al‐2Sn‐4Zr‐2Mo (Ti‐6242) alloys there are often three microstructural lengthscales to consider: large (∼10 μm) equiaxed primary α; >200 nm thick plate α with a basketweave morphology; and very fine scaled (<50 nm plate thickness) secondary α that grows between the larger α plates ...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - May 1, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: V. TONG, S. JOSEPH, A. K. ACKERMAN, D. DYE, T. B. BRITTON Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
The qualitative f ‐ratio method applied to electron channelling‐induced x‐ray imaging with an annular silicon drift detector in a scanning electron microscope in the transmission mode
Summary
Electron channelling is known to affect the x‐ray production when an accelerated electron beam is applied to a crystalline material and is highly dependent on the local crystal orientation. This effect, unless very long counting time are used, is barely noticeable on x‐ray energy spectra recorded with conventional silicon drift detectors (SDD) located at a small elevation angle. However, the very high count rates provided by the new commercially available annular SDDs permit now to observe this effect routinely and may, in some circumstances, hide the true elemental x‐ray variations due to the local true spec...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 19, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: NICOLAS BRODUSCH, RAYNALD GAUVIN Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
TOC ‐ Issue Information
(Source: Journal of Microscopy)
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 18, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Tags: Issue Information Source Type: research
Time ‐lapse lab‐based x‐ray nano‐CT study of corrosion damage
Summary
An experimental protocol (workflow) has been developed for time‐lapse x‐ray nanotomography (nano‐CT) imaging of environmentally driven morphological changes to materials. Two case studies are presented. First, the leaching of nanoparticle corrosion inhibitor pigment from a polymer coating was followed over 14 days, while in the second case the corrosion damage to an AA2099 aluminium alloy was imaged over 12 hours. The protocol includes several novel aspects relevant to nano‐CT with the use of a combination of x‐ray absorption and phase contrast data to provide enhanced morphological and composition inform...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 17, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: R.S. BRADLEY, Y. LIU, T.L. BURNETT, X. ZHOU, S.B. LYON, P.J. WITHERS, A. GHOLINIA, T. HASHIMOTO, D. GRAHAM, S.R. GIBBON, B. HORNBERGER Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Development of an improved Kelvin probe force microscope for accurate local potential measurements on biased electronic devices
Summary
An improved setup for accurate near‐field surface potential measurements and characterisation of biased electronic devices using the Kelvin Probe method has been developed. Using an external voltage source synchronised with the raster‐scan of the KPFM‐AM, this setup allows to avoid potential measurement errors of the conventional Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy in the case of in situ measurements on biased electronic devices. This improved KPFM‐AM setup has been tested on silicon‐based devices and organic semiconductor‐based devices such as organic field effect transistors (OFETs), showing differences up ...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 10, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: N.B. BERCU, L. GIRAUDET, O. SIMONETTI, M. MOLINARI Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
3D map distribution of metallic nanoparticles in whole cells using MeV ion microscopy
Summary
In this work, a new tool was developed, the MORIA program that readily translates Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) output data into visual information, creating a display of the distribution of elements in a true three‐dimensional (3D) environment.
The program methodology is illustrated with the analysis of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, exposed to copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO‐NP) and HeLa cells in the presence of gold nanoparticles (Au‐NP), using different beam species, energies and nuclear microscopy systems. Results demonstrate that for both cell types, the NP internalization can be c...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 10, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: M.S. VASCO, L.C. ALVES, V. CORREGIDOR, A. BETTIOL, F. WATT, T. PINHEIRO Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
Automatic diagnosis of vulvovaginal candidiasis from Pap smear images
This study presents a computer‐aided diagnostic (CAD) method to improve human diagnosis of VVC. The proposed CAD method reduces the diagnostic time and also can be worked as a second objective opinion for pathologists. Our main objective is detection and extraction of mycelium and conidium of Candida fungus from microscopic images of Pap smear samples. In this regard, the proposed method is composed of three main phases, namely preprocessing, segmentation, feature extraction and classification. At the first phase, bottom‐hat filtering is used for elimination of the cervical cells and separating the background. Then dec...
Source: Journal of Microscopy - April 1, 2017 Category: Laboratory Medicine Authors: M. MOMENZADEH, M. SEHHATI, A. MEHRI DEHNAVI, A. TALEBI, H. RABBANI Tags: Original Article Source Type: research
