Using X rays to produce magnified images of objects has been a goal for 150 years. Ever since Ernst Abbe declared in 1873 that light microscope resolution was limited by the wavelength of light, the search was on for a microscopy medium with a wavelength shorter than visible light (<500 nm). When Roentgen discovered X rays in 1895, it was thought that the new medium may have been found. Soon it was clear, however, that it was not easy to construct a physical lens for X rays because the rays penetrated all lens construction materials. X-ray “radiography images” of a few times magnification were possible but only as projection images, formed as X rays from millimeter-sized sources traveled in straight lines through the specimen to be captured on film. Unfortunately, even in the best cases, useful magnification was limited by the relatively large “point source” of X rays and the large grain size of X-ray film (both about 0.1–1.0 mm).

Actin filament assembly occurs in all eukaryotic cells and involves a delicate balance between factors that promote assembly and factors that inhibit assembly. Filament assembly begins with a process of nucleation and then proceeds via elongation. Filament assembly in vivo requires nucleation and elongation factors to overcome barriers that could either bind actin monomers to inhibit nucleation or “cap” the ends of elongating filaments. The formation of most cellular actin structures depends on two or more such factors, which may interact directly. The interaction between two factors that initiate nucleation and promote assembly has recently been demonstrated by Dennis Breitsprecher, Richa Jaiswal, Jeffrey Bombardier, Christopher Gould, Jeff Gelles, and Bruce Goode. Interestingly, the model of these factors in action (Figure 1) resembles a rocket launcher!

X rays are universally valued for their ability to penetrate opaque objects. It is only within the past few decades that their short wavelengths have also been exploited to provide 3D imaging of the objects' interiors with resolution well beyond that of light microscopy (LM) in a wide variety of applications. This article explores X-ray imaging as a quantitative sub-micron nanoscale microscopy technique, and specifically its emergent role within the context of the central microscopy laboratory.

Computed tomography (CT) has been commonly used in medicine for assessing the anatomy of humans in conventional computer axial tomography (CAT) scans. It is also a very common tool for assessing the architecture of trabecular bones for diagnosis of conditions such as osteoporosis. More recently, high-resolution CT (micro-CT) has found increasing use in materials science for the evaluation of the internal structure of a variety of advanced materials for industrial applications. Knowledge of the micro-architecture of these materials is extremely important to better understand their performance. Micro-CT is a non-destructive 3D characterization tool that uses X rays to determine the internal structure of objects through imaging of different densities within the scanned object. High-resolution laboratory-based micro-CT or nano-CT provides image resolution on the order of 300 nm. Such high resolution allows one to visualize the internal 3D structure of fine-scale features. The data from micro-CT results in a virtual rendering of the object under investigation, which allows one to travel through the volume in any direction and angle, revealing complex hidden structures within the object. Thus, micro-CT can be an important complementary technique for a microscopy laboratory.

X-ray microfocus computer tomography (μ-CT) is a non-destructive experimental technique that reveals the 3D internal microstructure of the sample under study. The experimental set-up consists of an X-ray source, an X-ray detector, and set in between is a sample that is placed on a rotation stage. With this set-up multiple X-ray projection images can be obtained from the sample at different angles. In between the acquisition of two successive images, the sample is rotated over a small angle, typically between 0.2° and 1°. This set of projection images is then used as input for the reconstruction algorithm, which calculates a reconstruction of the internal microstructure of the sample with (sub-) micrometer sensitivity.

A major challenge in the development of novel devices in nano and molecular electronics is their interconnection with larger-scale electrical circuits required to control and characterize their functional properties. Local electrical probing by multiple probes with ultimate scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) precision can significantly improve efficiency in analyzing individual nano-electronic devices without the need for full electrical integration.

Recent advances in imaging techniques capable of light microscopy resolutions below the Abbe diffraction limit have challenged microscopy equipment designers to pursue conflicting goals for components such as sample positioning and scanning stages and focusing mechanisms. For the super-resolution light microscopy, the positions of these components must be controlled in more degrees of freedom with higher dynamic and static accuracy, yet emerging applications demand higher speeds, finer resolutions, tighter synchronization, nanoscale stabilities, and longer travels to meet scientific and optical requirements. Meanwhile the practicality of today's tight budgetary situations cannot be overlooked, both in terms of purchase price and process throughput. Furthermore, of course, compactness is prized to facilitate close working distances and dense optical configurations.

Central to the operation of the transmission electron microscope (TEM) (when used with crystalline samples) is the ability to go back and forth between an image and a diffraction pattern. Although it is quite simple to go from the image to a convergent-beam diffraction pattern or from an image to a selected-area diffraction pattern (and back), I have found it useful to be able to go between image and diffraction pattern even more quickly. In the method described, once the microscope is set up, it is possible to go from image to diffraction pattern and back by turning just one knob. This makes many operations on the microscope much more convenient. It should be made clear that, in this method, neither the image nor the diffraction pattern is “ideal” (details below), but both are good enough for many necessary procedures.

NanoGrande is the culmination of an art-science effort that brought undergraduate students and faculty from science, engineering, and the visual arts together with professional microscopists of the Capital District Microscopy and Microanalysis Society for electron microscopy education and outreach. Students from two independent undergraduate courses, an advanced photography course and a microscopy laboratory course, collaborated on the project. The participants represented a wide range of majors, including chemistry, biology, electrical engineering, computer engineering, mechanical engineering, bioengineering, psychology, neuroscience, sociology/social sciences, history, and the visual arts. Emphasis was placed on both the scientific and the artistic aspects of the imaging process. The creation of electron microscopy images that were at the same time scientifically meaningful and visually compelling depended critically on communication of insights and ideas between paired students. The collaboration generated an art-science exhibition, NanoGrande, that has been presented to over four-thousand K through 12 students.

Étienne-Jules Marey was born in Beaune, France, on March 5, 1830, to a wine merchant and a teacher. To satisfy his father's wishes, he decided to study medicine, attending the Faculty of Medicine in Paris. Marey's fascination with both animals and mechanics inspired him to concentrate on physiology, and it was during his investigations of this field that he became involved in optics.

I am here to talk about the Office of Naval Research (ONR) and our funding opportunities. I will start with introductory slides because I'm not sure how familiar this audience is with our organization. ONR supports science and technology for the Navy, and you might think “How do I fit into this?” We have a two-billion-dollar portfolio for research. Some of this is sort of off-the-shelf, early stuff, the quick reaction. Then we have acquisition enablers. These two categories are short-term technologies. I'm going to talk about discovery and invention, which is the long-term basic research we support. It's about 40% of our portfolio or $900 million. The timeframe is basic research, and it covers our national naval responsibilities, and education and outreach, which is about 40% of our research, $900,000. In discovery and invention, we do research in naval-relevant areas. So our mission is very different from NSF and NIH, which are more broadly scientific-based.

Selected postings from the Microscopy Listserver from November 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Complete listings and subscription information can be obtained at http://www.microscopy.com. Postings may have been edited to conserve space or for clarity.

Following is a list of microscopy related meetings and courses. The editors would greatly appreciate input to this list via the electronic submission form under “events/other microscopy events” at the MSA webpage: www.microscopy.org. We will gladly add hypertext links to the notice on the web and insert a listing of the meeting in the next issue.

We keep trying to make formvar-coated grids but have trouble getting the film to release from the glass slides. Any suggestions other than using nose grease?