This practical handbook describes the basic principles and applications of confocal laser scanning microscopy. Information is given on the purpose of, and practical requirements for, the different imaging modes. Guidance is also provided on sample preparation and imaging protocols. The limitations and sensitivity of each method are discussed, imaging applications are illustrated and recent developments in the field are described.

This book covers the fundamental principles of fluorescence and their application to fluorescence microscopy, and presents applications to immunofluorescence, in situ hybridization, and photomicrography. It provides troubleshooting guidance to guide the user through commonly encountered problems.

This book deals exclusively and comprehensively with the role of proficiency testing in the quality assurance of analytical data. It covers in detail proficiency testing schemes from the perspectives of scheme organisers, participant laboratories and the ultimate end-users of analytical data. A wide variety of topics are addressed including the organisation, effectiveness, applicability, and the costs and benefits of proficiency testing. Procedures for the evaluation and interpretation of laboratory proficiency, and the relation of proficiency testing to other quality assurance measures are also discussed. Proficiency Testing in Analytical Chemistry is an important addition to the literature on proficiency testing and is essential reading for practising analytical chemists and all organisations and individuals with an interest in the quality of analytical data.

The Sunday Times Top Ten Bestseller Have you ever wondered if a severed head retains consciousness long enough to see what happened to it? Or whether your dog would run to fetch help, if you fell down a disused mineshaft? And what would happen if you were to give an elephant the largest ever single dose of LSD? The chances are that someone, somewhere has conducted a scientific experiment to find out... 'Excellent accounts of some of the most important and interesting experiments in biology and psychology' Simon Singh If left to their own devices, would babies instinctively choose a well-balanced diet? Discover the secret of how to sleep on planes Which really tastes better in a blind tasting - Coke or Pepsi?

Electron Microscopy and Analysis 1997 celebrates the centenary anniversary of the discovery of the electron by J.J. Thomson in Cambridge and the fiftieth anniversary of this distinguished Institute group. The book includes papers on the early history of electron microscopy (from P. Hawkes), the development of the scanning electron microscope at Cambridge (from K. Smith), electron energy loss spectroscopy (from L.M. Brown), imaging methods (from J. Spence), and the future of electron microscopy (from C. Humphreys). Covering a wide range of applications of advanced techniques, it discusses electron imaging, electron energy-loss and x-ray analysis, and scanning probe and electron beam microscopies. This volume is a handy reference for professionals using microscopes in all areas of physics, materials science, metallurgy, and surface science to gain an overview of developments in our understanding of materials microstructure and of advances in microscope interrogation techniques.

Immunoassay development is a multidisciplinary activity involving a wide range of skills possessed by few laboratories. This presentation of tried and tested methods should enable scientists and researchers in the pharmaceutical and related industries to more rapidly and effectively develop immunoassays upon which their work is becoming heavily dependent.; Important methods are included for preparing Lapten-protein conjugates and raising the necessary antibodies, concentrating on polyclonal sera, as well as methods for the synthesis of radio and enzyme labelled tracers. Particular attention is paid to the requirements of the regulatory authorities such as the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) with respect to assay validation. Further chapters deal with assay development and optimization, curve fitting and quality control procedures.

This text describes the interactions of light and the specimen in the microscope in relation to the manner in which they are used to generate contrast in the image of a specimen. Chapters cover bright-field and dark-ground techniques for both transmitted and reflected light, as well as the effects of the refractive index of the mounting medium surrounding the specimen. Subsequent chapters deal with the use of polarized light, phase and modulation contrast, interference and fluorescence and contrast technique outside the microscope.

This work provides detailed practical methods for specimen preparation for negative staining and cryoelectron microscopy of thinly spread samples of biological particulates. The different possibilities are emphasized and the benefits to be gained by the various techniques clearly explained. A wide range of biological applications are presented.

Through its clear presentation of the basic concepts, this book quickly enables the reader to understand front-line research papers. It describes the principles of the electrophoresis of nucleic acids through agarose and polyacrylamide gels without resort to complicated protocols and recipes.

Spectroscopy and spectrofluorometry are core techniques used throughout biology and medicine. These techniques evolve continuously and this book provides information on the latest advances in spectroscopic methods. Light Spectroscopy begins by describing the basic principles and then provides practical guidance on the wide range of current techniques, their application, and analysis of the results obtained.

Trace Analysis is a highly practical book which deals with the science rather than the paperwork of quality assurance systems. Produced as part of the UK Valid Analytical Measurement (VAM) initiative, it provides the analyst with a systematic approach across the broad spectrum of trace analysis, offering practical advice and guidance on methodology and techniques. The book is structured to take the analyst step-by-step through the stages of any trace analysis. The approach is general, being broken down only into types of analyte. Additional chapters explain the application of groups of techniques to each analyte type. Each section contains references to published material which will allow the analyst to obtain further information on specific topics. Throughout the book, the analyst is reminded of pitfalls which lead to unreliable results. This new book therefore offers invaluable advice to analysts in all areas and at all levels, providing practical 'expert' advice on methodology. It will prove indispensable as a single, comprehensive bench guide for analysts in university, college and industrial laboratories.

Praise for the First Edition "essential reading for any physical scientist who is interested in performing biological research." Contemporary Physics "an ambitious text.... Each chapter contains protocols and the conceptual reasoning behind them, which is often useful to physicists performing biological experiments for the first time." -Physics Today This fully updated and expanded text is the best starting point for any student or researcher in the physical sciences to gain firm grounding in the techniques employed in molecular biophysics and quantitative biology. It includes brand new chapters on gene expression techniques, advanced techniques in biological light microscopy (super-resolution, two-photon, and fluorescence lifetime imaging), holography, and gold nanoparticles used in medicine. The author shares invaluable practical tips and insider's knowledge to simplify potentially confusing techniques. The reader is guided through easy-to-follow examples carried out from start to finish with practical tips and insider's knowledge. The emphasis is on building comfort with getting hands "wet" with basic methods and finally understanding when and how to apply or adapt them to address different questions. Jay L. Nadeau is a scientific researcher and head of the Biomedical Engineering in Advanced Applications of Quantum, Oscillatory, and Nanotechnological Systems (BEAAQONS) lab at Caltech and was previously associate professor of biomedical engineering and physics at McGill University.

Recent advances in microscopy, together with developments in fibre technology and changing commercial priorities, point to the need for an up-to-date manual which details the techniques available. This book is a practical guide to the properties and characteristics of textile fibres, with advice on sampling, specimen preparation and examination procedures.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of antibody technology. It discusses in detail the new generation of engineered antibodies and the latest developments in immunoassay techniques and applications, as well as describing conventional methods of antibody production and use. Antibody Technology will bring the reader up-to-date with current methods, helping the reader to make informed decisions on the best approach to a given task with regard to cost, time and final application.

This introductory text covers all the major groups of microbes with most emphasis being placed on the bacteria and the fungi. The principles and practice of culture techniques are described, including isolation from the natural environment, methods for the safe handling of microbes in the laboratory and dealing with culture obtained from collections.

Molecular Methods in Plant Pathology covers methods in phytopathology at the molecular level, including PCR techniques, electron microscopy, tissue culturing, and the cloning of disease-resistant genes. Phytopathologists, botanists, horticulturists, and anyone working in agriculture will find this a useful reference on biophysical, biochemical, biomolecular, and biotechnological methods.

Written by an author with more than 40 years of teaching experience in the field, Experiments in Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Second Edition responds to a critical classroom need for material on directed laboratory investigations in biological and pharmaceutical chemistry. This new edition supplies 75 experiments, expanding the range of topics to 22 major areas of pharmaceutical chemistry. These include biochemical groups, botanical classes important to pharmacy, and major drug classifications: Carbohydrates Lipids Proteins Enzymes Inorganics Vitamins Steroids Plant Acids Flavonoids Alkaloids Tannins Resins Glycosides Gums Balsams Volatile Oils Analgesics Anesthetics Sulfa Drugs (Sulfonamides) Psychotropic Drugs Antibiotics Nucleic Acids Sections contain introductions to basic concepts underlying the fields addressed and a specific bibliography relating to each field. Each experiment provides detailed instructions in a user-friendly format, and can be carried out, in most cases, without the need for expensive instrumentation. This comprehensive laboratory manual offers much-needed instructional material for teaching laboratory classes in pharmaceutical chemistry. The breadth of subject matter covered provides a variety of choices for structuring a laboratory course.

A Practical Guide to Instrumental Analysis covers basic methods of instrumental analysis, including electroanalytical techniques, optical techniques, atomic spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermoanalytical techniques, separation techniques, and flow analytical techniques. Each chapter provides a brief theoretical introduction followed by basic and special application experiments. This book is ideal for readers who need a knowledge of special techniques in order to use instrumental methods to conduct their own analytical tasks.

Paul Feyeraband famously asked, what's so great about science? One answer is that it has been surprisingly successful in getting things right about the natural world, more successful than non-scientific or pre-scientific systems, religion or philosophy. Science has been able to formulate theories that have successfully predicted novel observations. It has produced theories about parts of reality that were not observable or accessible at the time those theories were first advanced, but the claims about those inaccessible areas have since turned out to be true. And science has, on occasion, advanced on more or less a priori grounds theories that subsequently turned out to be highly empirically successful. In this book the philosopher of science, John Wright delves deep into science's methodology to offer an explanation for this remarkable success story.

This book presents a summary of the application and instrumentation of cell electrophoresis. The method of making cell purification and characterization possible according to the cellular negative surface charge density is discussed, and ideas for future developments are explained. The negative electrostatic forces at cell surfaces provide information about cell-cell interaction, blood vessel sealing, cytokine actions, cell transformation, ion transport phenomena, and other biological phenomena. Recalculations of the physical principles of cell electrophoresis reveal possibilities for removing disruptive factors caused by electrical current, heat, and sedimentation. The introduction of computer technology, the performance of simultaneous two-parameter measurements, and the application of cell-friendly but current-inert buffer systems render the method more reliable and efficient.

Although many significant advances have been made in biological specimen preparation during the past 20 years no new practical guide to the techniques has been published in this time. As a result of the recent resurgence of interest in light microscopy, particularly confocal techniques, this up-to-date book should benefit both the professional and amateur alike.

There is currently a high level of interest in Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS), which, when successfully implemented, can revitalize the operations of a laboratory and contribute significantly to the effectiveness and efficiency of the overall enterprise. LIMS describes the strategy, planning, resources, and activities needed to integrate LIMS and its supporting technologies into an organization. It covers all aspects of implementation and management and has the benefit of not being product specific. This book will not date as it is not restricted to a particular software product, hardware platform, or technical automation approach. Instead it deals with the issues, expertise, organization, and resources that contribute to the successful implementation of LIMS. The author has wide experience of automated laboratory systems in the chemical, pharmaceutical, environmental, and biotechnology industries, and for the past 15 years has been intimately involved in every aspect of LIMS implementations including justification, system selection, installation, project management, developing, training, validation, performance optimization, and maintenance. LIMS contains numerous illustrations and tables to highlight concisely the major points and concepts discussed in each chapter. The book is essential reading for laboratory, information systems and project managers responsible for the implementation of LIMS and, as it does not require any previous knowledge of computers or laboratory information management systems, is easily accessible to all.

Laboratory Design Handbook describes the process, motivation, constraints, challenges, opportunities, and specific design data related to the creation of a modern research laboratory. The information presented is based on a large pool of experience in the development of new and renovated laboratory buildings for universities, teaching hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, start-up biotechnology companies, and other types of industrial technology.

The Stannic Oxide Gas Sensor presents a comprehensive overview of the background science and technology of the subject, including practical information on its applications and the electronic circuits with which it is associated. The book explains the chemistry of the device and covers typical methods of fabrication. Sensitivity and selectivity are addressed, and the problems of drift with ambient temperature, relative humidity, and time are fully discussed.
The book also presents examples of industrial, commercial, and domestic applications. It explains the design of appropriate electronic circuits and describes methods for testing and characterizing sensors. Advantages and disadvantages of sensors are assessed as well.