Recent developments in scanning electron microscopy (SEM) have resulted in a wealth of new applications for cell and molecular biology, as well as related biological disciplines. It is now possible to analyze macromolecular complexes within their three-dimensional cellular microenvironment in near native states at high resolution, and to identify specific molecules and their structural and molecular interactions. New approaches include cryo-SEM applications and environmental SEM (ESEM), staining techniques and processing applications combining embedding and resin-extraction for imaging with high resolution SEM, and advances in immuno-labeling. New developments include helium ion microscopy, automated block-face imaging combined with serial sectioning inside an SEM chamber, and Focused Ion Beam Milling (FIB) combined with block-face SEM. With chapters written by experts, this guide gives an overview of SEM and sample processing for SEM, and highlights several advances in cell and molecular biology that greatly benefited from using conventional, cryo, immuno, and high-resolution SEM.

This work is based on experiences acquired by the authors regarding often asked questions and problems during manifold education of beginners in analytical transmission electron microscopy. These experiences are summarised illustratively in this textbook. Explanations based on simple models and hints for the practical work are the focal points. This practically- oriented textbook represents a clear and comprehensible introduction for all persons who want to use a transmission electron microscope in practice but who are not specially qualified electron microscopists up to now.

Comprises four parts, the first of which provides an overview of the topics that are developed from fundamental principles to more advanced levels in the other parts. Presents in the second part an in-depth introduction to the relevant background in molecular and cellular biology and in physical chemistry, which should be particularly useful for students without a formal background in these subjects. Provides in the third part a detailed treatment of microscopy techniques and optics, again starting from basic principles. Introduces in the fourth part modern statistical approaches to the determination of parameters of interest from microscopy data, in particular data generated by single molecule microscopy experiments. Uses two topics related to protein trafficking (transferrin trafficking and FcRn-mediated antibody trafficking) throughout the text to motivate and illustrate microscopy techniques

The modern electron microscope, as a result of recent revolutionary developments and many evolutionary ones, now yields a wealth of quantitative knowledge pertaining to structure, dynamics, and function barely matched by any other single scientific instrument. It is also poised to contribute much new spatially-resolved and time-resolved insights of central importance in the exploration of most aspects of condensed matter, ranging from the physical to the biological sciences.Whereas in all conventional EM methods, imaging, diffraction, and chemical analyses have been conducted in a static - time-integrated - manner, now it has become possible to unite the time domain with the spatial one, thereby creating four-dimensional (4D) electron microscopy. This advance is based on the fundamental concept of timed, coherent single-electron packets, or electron pulses, which are liberated with femtosecond durations. Structural phase transitions, mechanical deformations, and the embryonic stages of melting and crystallization are examples of phenomena that can now be imaged in unprecedented structural detail with high spatial resolution, and ten orders of magnitude as fast as hitherto.No monograph in existence attempts to cover the revolutionary dimensions that EM in its various modes of operation nowadays makes possible. The authors of this book chart these developments, and also compare the merits of coherent electron waves with those of synchrotron radiation. They judge it prudent to recall some important basic procedural and theoretical aspects of imaging and diffraction so that the reader may better comprehend the significance of the new vistas and applications now afoot.This book is not a vade mecum - numerous other texts are available for the practitioner for that purpose. It is instead an in-depth expose of the paradigm concepts and the developed techniques that can now be executed to gain new knowledge in the entire domain of biological and physical science, and in the four dimensions of space and time.

Solid state NMR is rapidly emerging as a universally applicable method for the characterization of ordered structures that cannot be studied with solution methods or diffraction techniques. This proceedings -; from a recent international workshop - captures an image of the latest developments and future directions for solid state NMR in biological research, particularly on membrane proteins. Detailed information on how hormones or drugs bind to their membrane receptor targets is needed, e.g. for rational drug design. Higher fields are bringing clear improvements, and the power of solid state NMR techniques for studying amorphous and membrane associated peptides, proteins and complexes is shown by examples of applications at ultra-high fields. Progress in protein expression, experimental design and data analysis are also presented by leaders in these research areas.

This comprehensive reference work details the latest developments in fluorescence imaging and related biological quantification. It explores the most recent techniques in this imaging technology through the utilization and incorporation of quantification analysis which makes this book unique. It also covers super resolution microscopy with the introduction of 3D imaging and high resolution fluorescence. Many of the chapter authors are world class experts in this medical imaging technology.

As the selection of material for particular engineering properties becomes increasingly important in keeping costs down, methods for evaluating material properties also become more relevant. One such method examines the geometry of grain boundaries, which reveals much about the properties of the material. Studying material properties from their geometrical measurements, The Measurement of Grain Boundary Geometry provides a framework for a specialized application of electron microscopy for metals and alloys and, by extension, for ceramics, minerals, and semiconductors. The book presents an overview of the developments in the theory of grain boundary geometry and its practical applications in material engineering. It also covers the tunneling electron microscope (TEM), experimental aspects of data collection, data processing, and examples from actual investigations. Each step of the analysis process is clearly described, from data collection through processing, analysis, representation, and display to applications. The book also includes a glossary of terms. Exploring both the experimental and analytical aspects of the subject, this practical reference guide is essential for researchers and students involved in material properties, whether in physics, materials science, metallurgy, or physical chemistry.

Scanning and stationary-beam electron microscopes have become an indispensable tool for both research and routine evaluation in materials science, the semi- conductor industry, nanotechnology and the biological, forensic, and medical sciences. This book provides an introduction to the theory and current practice of electron microscopy, aimed primarily at undergraduates who need to learn how the basic principles of physics are applied in an important area of science and technology that has contributed greatly to our knowledge of life processes and inner space. However, it will be equally valuable for technologists who make use of electron microscopes and for graduate students, university teachers and researchers who need a concise text that deals with the basic principles of microscopy. Less technical but broader in scope than other microscopy textbooks, Physical Principles of Electron Microscopy is appropriate for undergraduates and technologists with limited math...

Image Analysis of Food Microstructure offers a condensed guide to the most common procedures and techniques by which quantitative microstructural information about food can be obtained from images. The images are selected from a broad range of food items, including macroscopic images of meat and finished products such as pizza, and the microstructures of cheeses, dough and baked goods, ice cream, fruits and vegetables, emulsions, foams, and gels. The book informs food scientists about the image processing and measurement tools used to characterize a variety of microstructures in foods, using high-quality image techniques to illustrate chemical composition, thermo-mechanical processing, and genetic and structural properties. These different types of images used to measure various aspects of structure include: macroscopic light photography, confocal light microscopy, electron microscopy, atomic force microscope images, magnetic resonance, and computed tomography. Then the text explains how to interpret images to produce data, plot the results in different graphs, and identify trends. Examples using these image analysis techniques show typical results that researchers can expect and recreate. Image Analysis of Food Microstructure summarizes the basic procedures that can be useful in various aspects of food research, from nutraceuticals to cooking and food processing. It presents the processing of images and mathematical principles needed for image analyses in a step-by-step approach to extract key information from the images obtained.

Electron microscopy is now a mainstay characterization tool for solid state physicists and chemists as well as materials scientists. Containing the proceedings from the Electron Microscopy and Analysis Group (EMAG) conference in September 2003, this volume covers current developments in the field, primarily in the UK. These conferences are biennial events organized by the EMAG of the Institute of Physics to provide a forum for discussion of the latest developments in instrumentation, techniques, and applications of electron and scanning probe microscopies.

Efficiency and life time of solar cells, energy and power density of the batteries, and costs of the fuel cells alike cannot be improved unless the complex electronic, optoelectronic, and ionic mechanisms underpinning operation of these materials and devices are understood on the nanometer level of individual defects. Only by probing these phenomena locally can we hope to link materials structure and functionality, thus opening pathway for predictive modeling and synthesis. While structures of these materials are now accessible on length scales from macroscopic to atomic, their functionality has remained Terra Incognitae. In this volume, we provide a summary of recent advances in scanning probe microscopy studies of local functionality of energy materials and devices ranging from photovoltaics to batteries, fuel cells, and energy harvesting systems. Recently emergent SPM modes and combined SPM-electron microscopy approaches are also discussed. Contributions by internationally renowned leaders in the field describe the frontiers in this important field.

Scanning Probe Microscopy (SPM) is the enabling tool for nano(bio)technology, which has opened new vistas in many interdisciplinary research areas. Concomitant with the developments in SPM instrumentation and techniques are new and previously unthought-of opportunities in materials nanofabrication and characterisation. In particular, the developments in addressing and manipulating matter at the level of single atoms or molecules, and studies of biological materials (e.g. live cells, or cell membranes) result in new and exciting discoveries.The rising importance of SPM demands a concise treatment in the form of a book which is accessible to interdisciplinary practitioners. This book highlights recent advances in the field of SPM with sufficient depth and breadth to provide an intellectually stimulating overview of the current state of the art. The book is based on a set of carefully selected original works from renowned contributors on topics that range from atom technology, scanning tunneling spectroscopy of self-assembled nanostructures, SPM probe fabrication, scanning force microscopy applications in biology and materials science down to the single molecule level, novel scanning probe techniques, and nanolithography.The variety of topics underlines the strong interdisciplinary character of SPM related research and the combined expertise of the contributors gives us a unique opportunity to discuss possible future trends in SPM related research. This makes the book not merely a collection of already published material but an enlightening insight into cutting edge research and global SPM research trends.

Molecular recognition, also known as biorecognition, is the heart of all biological interactions. Originating from protein stretching experiments, dynamic force spectroscopy (DFS) allows for the extraction of detailed information on the unbinding process of biomolecular complexes. It is becoming progressively more important in biochemical studies and is finding wider applications in areas such as biophysics and polymer science. In six chapters, Dynamic Force Spectroscopy and Biomolecular Recognition covers the most recent ideas and advances in the field of DFS applied to biorecognition: Chapter 1: Reviews the basic and novel aspects of biorecognition and discusses the emerging capabilities of single-molecule techniques to disclose kinetic properties and molecular mechanisms usually hidden in bulk measurements Chapter 2: Describes the basic principle of atomic force microsocopy (AFM) and DFS, with particular attention to instrumental and theoretical aspects more strictly related to the study of biomolecules Chapter 3: Overviews the theoretical background in which experimental data taken in nonequilibrum measurements of biomolecular unbinding forces are extrapolated to equilibrium conditions Chapter 4: Reviews the most common and efficient strategies adopted in DFS experiments to immobilize the interacting biomolecules to the AFM tip and to the substrate Chapter 5: Presents and discusses the most representative aspects related to the analysis of DFS data and the challenges of integrating well-defined criteria to calibrate data in automatic routinary procedures Chapter 6: Overviews the most relevant DFS applications to study biorecognition processes, including the biotin/avidin pair, and selected results on various biological complexes, including antigen/antibody, proteins/DNA, and complexes involved in adhesion processes Chapter 7: Summarizes the main results obtained by DFS applied to study biorecognition processes with forthcoming theoretical and experimental advances Although DFS is a widespread, worldwide technique, no books focused on this subject have been available until now. Dynamic Force Spectroscopy and Biomolecular Recognition provides the state of the art of experimental data analysis and theoretical procedures, making it a useful tool for researchers applying DFS to study biorecognition processes.

This book highlights emerging diffraction studies of strain and dislocation gradients with mesoscale resolution, which is currently a focus of research at laboratories around the world. While ensemble-average diffraction techniques are mature, grain and subgrain level measurements needed to understand real materials are just emerging. In order to understand the diffraction signature of different defects, it is necessary to understand the distortions created by the defects and the corresponding changes in the reciprocal space of the non-ideal crystals.Starting with a review of defect classifications based on their displacement fields, this book then provides connections between different dislocation arrangements, including geometrically necessary and statistically stored dislocations, and other common defects and the corresponding changes in the reciprocal space and diffraction patterns. Subsequent chapters provide an overview of microdiffraction techniques developed during the last decade to extract information about strain and dislocation gradients. X-ray microdiffraction is a particularly exciting application compared with alternative probes of local crystalline structure, orientation and defect density, because it is inherently non-destructive and penetrating.

This interdisciplinary book, Advanced Microscopy: A Strong Analytical Tool in Materials Science, covers the methodology and applications of different advanced microscopic techniques in various research fields, including chemistry, nanotechnology, polymers, chemical engineering, and biomedical engineering, providing an informative overview that helps to determine the best applications for advanced materials. Materials usually behave very differently at nanoscale in all aspects, and this volume shows how microscopy can help provide a detailed understanding of materials such as semiconductors, metals, polymers, biopolymers, etc. The volume illustrates advanced microscopic techniques that include scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), confocal microscopy, and others. The microscopy techniques presented in the volume show applications in many areas of science, including botany and plant science, medicine, nanotechnology, chemistry, food science, waste management, and others. This book presents the diverse advanced microscopic techniques for researchers, giving a better understanding as well as implementation of novel techniques in materials science.

This book is an introduction to electron holography, a newly developed technique for observing and measuring microscopic structures of matter and fields using the wave nature of electrons. It describes principles, experimental details, and observation examples for vortices in superconductors, the magnetic domain structure in ferromagnets, and for fundamental phenomena of quantum mechanics such as the single-electron build up of an interference pattern and the Aharonov-Bohm effect. The most recent information in this rapidly evolving field is included in this new edition, for example, the dynamical observation of vortices in superconductors.

Research in carbon nanotubes has reached a horizon that is impacting a variety of fields, such as nanoelectronics, flat panel display, composite materials, sensors, nanodevices, and novel instrumentation. The unique structures of the nanotubes result in numerous superior physical and chemical properties, such as the strongest mechan ical strength, the highest thermal conductivity, room-temperature ballistic quantum conductance, electromechanical coupling, and super surface functionality. Several books are available that introduce the synthesis, physical and chemical properties, and applications of carbon nanotubes. Among the various analytical techniques, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) has played a key role in the discovery and characterization of carbon nanotubes. It may be claimed that carbon nanotubes might not have been discovered without using HRTEM. There is a great need for a book that addresses the theory, techniques, and applications of electron microscopy and associated techniques for nanotube research. The objective of this book is to fill this gap. The potential of HRTEM is now well accepted in wide-ranging communities such as materials science, physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering. TEM is a powerful technique that is indispensable for characterizing nanomaterials and is a tool that each major research institute must have in order to advance its research in nanotechnology."

Introduces both optical microscopy and medical imaging with an emphasis on recurring themes such as resolution and contrast to reinforce understanding. Includes many illustrations and boxed material that give more detailed explanations. Features hands-on activities and experiments. Provides end-of-chapter problems for self-study. Offers supplementary online materials including a solutions manual.

Because of its simplicity of use and quantitative results, Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy (SECM) has become an indispensable tool for the study of surface reactivity. The fast expansion of the SECM field over several years has been fueled by the introduction of new probes, commercially available instrumentation, and new practical applications. Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy, Third Edition offers essential background and in-depth overviews of specific applications in self-contained chapters. The vitality and growing popularity of SECM over the past 30+ years have largely been determined by its versatility and capability to remain useful in the changing scientific and technological environments. New applications reported during the last decade reflect significant current activity in biomedical and energy-related research. This thoroughly updated edition provides up-to-date comprehensive reviews of different aspects of SECM. New chapters by renowned professionals in the field cover recent advances in different areas of SECM including nanoSECM, surface reactions and films, batteries, and fuel cells. Expanded coverage of electrocatalysis and surface interrogation as well as photoelectrochemistry and photoelectrocatalysis are also provided. Useful for a broad range of interdisciplinary research-from biological systems to nanopatterning-this book is invaluable to all interested in learning and applying SECM.

Providing specific knowledge in the theory of image analysis, optics, fluorescence, and imaging devices in biomedical laboratories, this timely and indispensable volume focuses on the theory and applications of detection, morphometry, and motility measurement techniques applied to bacteria, fungi, yeasts and protozoa.

The book presents a clear and comprehensive review of the current status of the holographic microscopy with discussion of the positive and negative features of classical and holographic methods for solving the problem of three-dimesional (3D) imaging of phase microscopic objects. Classical and holographic methods of phase, interference and polarization contrast are discussed. Combination of the developed holographic methods with the methods of digital image processing allowed creating the digital holographic interference microscope (DHIM). The first 3D images of native phase microscopic objects such as blood cells were obtained using the DHIM. The results of DHIM application for study of blood erythrocytes, thin films, micro-crystals are presented.

Focusing on the two seventeenth-century pioneers of microscopic discovery, the Dutchmen Jan Swammerdam and Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, the author demonstrates that their uneasiness with their social circumstances spurred their discoveries. Ruestow argues that while aspects of Dutch culture impeded serious research with the microscope, the contemporary culture shaped how Swammerdam and Leeuwenhoek responded to what they saw through the lens. For those interested in the history of science, this book considers the impact of institutionalization on microscopic research, and dissects the cultural, social and emotional circumstances that shaped early microscopic discovery.

Biomedical photonics is currently one of the fastest growing fields, connecting research in physics, optics, and electrical engineering coupled with medical and biological applications. It allows for the structural and functional analysis of tissues and cells with resolution and contrast unattainable by any other methods. However, the major challenges of many biophotonics techniques are associated with the need to enhance imaging resolution even further to the sub-cellular level as well as translate them for in vivo studies. The tissue optical clearing method uses immersion of tissues into optical clearing agents (OCAs) that reduces the scattering of tissue and makes tissue more transparent and this method has been successfully used ever since. This book is a self-contained introduction to tissue optical clearing, including the basic principles and in vitro biological applications, from in vitro to in vivo tissue optical clearing methods, and combination of tissue optical clearing and various optical imaging for diagnosis. The chapters cover a wide range of issues related to the field of tissue optical clearing: mechanisms of tissue optical clearing in vitro and in vivo; traditional and innovative optical clearing agents; recent achievements in optical clearing of different tissues (including pathological tissues) and blood for optical imaging diagnosis and therapy. This book provides a comprehensive account of the latest research and possibilities of utilising optical clearing as an instrument for improving the diagnostic effectiveness of modern optical diagnostic methods. The book is addressed to biophysicist researchers, graduate students and postdocs of biomedical specialties, as well as biomedical engineers and physicians interested in the development and application of optical methods in medicine. Key features: The first collective reference to collate all known knowledge on this topic Edited by experts in the field with chapter contributions from subject area specialists Brings together the two main approaches in immersion optical clearing into one cohesive book

The purpose of this book is to provide the most comprehensive, easy-to-use, and informative guide on light microscopy. "Light and Video Microscopy" will prepare the reader for the accurate interpretation of an image and understanding of the living cell. With the presentation of geometrical optics, it will assist the reader in understanding image formation and light movement within the microscope. It also provides an explanation of the basic modes of light microscopy and the components of modern electronic imaging systems and guides the reader in determining the physicochemical information of living and developing cells, which influence interpretation.
* Brings together mathematics, physics, and biology to provide a broad and deep understanding of the light microscope
* Clearly develops all ideas from historical and logical foundations
* Laboratory exercises included to assist the reader with practical applications
* Microscope discussions include: bright field microscope, dark field microscope, oblique illumination, phase-contrast microscope, photomicrography, fluorescence microscope, polarization microscope, interference microscope, differential interference microscope, and modulation contrast microscope

This dissertation examines the cultural and educational history of central Missouri between 1820 and 1860, and in particular, the issue of master-slave relationships and how they affected education (broadly defined as the transmission of Southern culture). Although Missouri had one of the lowest slave populations during the Antebellum period, Central Missouri - or what became known as Little Dixie - had slave percentages that rivaled many regions and counties of the Deep South. However, slaves and slave owners interacted on a regular basis, which affected cultural transmission in the areas of religion, work, and community. Generally, slave owners in Little Dixie showed a pattern of paternalism in all these areas, but the slaves did not always accept their masters' paternalism, and attempted to forge a life of their own.