Request for transmission electron microscope for the University of Pittsburgh

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请是为购买JEOL 1400透射电子显微镜提供资金。该仪器将存放在匹兹堡大学医学院的生物成像中心（CBI）内。该核心设施的任务是为匹兹堡大学医学院的所有研究小组提供全方位的光和电子光学，图像分析和形态测量方法。 电子显微镜是该中心提供的基本服务，目前该设施内的核心使用电子显微镜是JEOL 1011和1210。第1011章满负荷运转1210已经使用了18年，达到了使用寿命的终点。在过去的一年里，我们有多个重大故障，这些涉及到相机的问题，各种计算机故障，一般真空故障和其他机械（透镜）故障。在每一种情况下，这些故障往往是灾难性的，而不是微不足道的，因为很简单，工程师不知道如何解决问题，所需的零件要么非常罕见，要么找不到。这些故障很难处理，因为中心内EM的使用不断增长，我们不再能够满足用户的需求，没有两个功能齐全的显微镜。因此，该申请的原因是：1：提供急需的仪器时间; 2更换不再作为岩心显微镜使用的1210仪器。 自20多年前CBI开始运作以来，它已成为医学研究界的一个组成部分，目前参与医疗领域内250多个PHS资助团体的研究项目，以及PHS支持的项目与全国各地机构的研究人员。随着PHS资助的用户群继续扩大，缺乏高质量的EM时间已成为该中心实用性的主要限制因素，这导致用户相当大的挫折感。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This request is for funds to purchase a JEOL 1400 transmission electron microscope. This instrument will be housed within the Center for Biologic Imaging (CBI) at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. The mandate of this core facility is to provide access to a full range of light and electron optical, image analysis, and morphometric methods to all research groups within the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine. Electron microscopy is an essential service provided by the center, the current core use electron microscopes within the facility are a JEOL 1011 and 1210. The 1011 is operating at capacity. The 1210 is 18 years old and reaching the end of its useable life. In the last year we have had multiple significant failures, these related to camera problems, a variety of computer failures, general vacuum failures and other mechanical (lens) failures. In each case these failures tend toward catastrophic rather than trivial because quite simply the engineers do not know how to fix the problems and the parts needed are either very rare or cannot be found. These failures are difficult to deal with as the use of EM within the center has continued to grow such that we are no longer able to satisfy user needs without two fully functional microscopes. Therefore, the reasons for this application are to: 1: Provide critically needed instrument time; 2 Replace the 1210 instrument which is no longer serviceable as a core microscope. Since the CBI commenced operations over 20 years ago, it has become an integral part of the medical research community currently participating in research projects with more than 250 PHS funded groups within the medical area, as well as in PHS supported projects with investigators at institutions around the country. As the PHS funded user base continues to expand, a lack of quality EM time has become a major limiting factor in the utility of the center, this leads to considerable frustration amongst users.