Request for transmission electron microscope for the University of Pittsburgh

描述(申请人提供)：此申请是为购买JEOL 1400透射式电子显微镜而申请资金。该仪器将被安置在匹兹堡大学医学院的生物成像中心(CBI)内。这一核心设施的任务是向匹兹堡大学医学院内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一项基本服务，目前核心使用的电子显微镜设施内有JEOL 1011和1210。1011正在满负荷运行。1210已有18年的历史，即将结束其使用寿命。在过去的一年里，我们发生了多起重大故障，这些故障与相机问题、各种计算机故障、一般真空故障和其他机械(镜头)故障有关。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，因为工程师非常简单地不知道如何修复问题，而且所需的部件要么非常罕见，要么找不到。这些故障很难处理，因为中心内EM的使用持续增长，以至于如果没有两台功能齐全的显微镜，我们就不能再满足用户的需求。因此，这一应用的原因是：1：提供急需的仪器时间；2取代不再作为岩心显微镜使用的1210仪器。自20多年前开始运作以来，CBI已经成为医学研究界不可或缺的一部分，目前它参与了医疗领域内250多个PHS资助团体的研究项目，以及全国各地机构的PHS资助项目。随着小灵通资助的用户群不断扩大，缺乏优质的EM时间已成为该中心效用的主要限制因素，这导致用户相当沮丧。

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.