Volume 16, Issue 1 (January 2002)

Three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction is an important technique for understanding the structure of sectioned material, such as that obtained by transmission electron microscopy. Free software tools for the personal computer (PC) are available from http://synapses.bu.edu/ for the alignment, reconstruction and analysis of serial sections...

Recent developments in energy dispersive X-ray spectrometers (EDS) are directed to increase the speed for elemental mapping and the information content of these maps. A new spectrometer of such type was tested in our laboratory...

Cytological investigations of cassava storage roots have been impeded by the difficulties of embedding, in resin, tissues that contain high amounts of starch and secondary metabolites. However, histological studies of this highly important crop are necessary in order to understand its biology and diseases...

An abrupt change from anaerobic intestinal to aerobic peritoneal environment for Bacteroides fragilis may result in peritonitis. Its interaction with Hela cell monolayers examined this proposition. Beforehand, growth of B. fragilis was poised at different levels of oxidation-reduction potential...

A newly developed software tool (ProcessDiffraction) transforms the electron diffraction ring-patterns into XRD-like distributions. Intensity is averaged over circles (or ellipses) and presented as a function of scattering angle. Position of the centre and correction for elliptical distortion are determined by visual assistance...

Experienced microscopists are familiar with the process of slightly defocusing the microscope to visualize (edge) structure within transparent samples. This is a method of phase contrast imaging. We present a method of quantitative optical phase microscopy that quantifies this phase contrast effect...