Quanta 600 feg sem

To determine the structural changes in the cuticle, synchronized L1 larvae [wild-type and npr-8(ok1439) animals] were grown on E. coli OP50 at 20°C until they reached the young adult stage. The animals were then transferred to plates seeded with E. coli OP50 or P. aeruginosa PA14 and cultured at 25°C for 24 hours. Animals were collected and washed with M9 buffer and incubated in the fixation buffer (2.5% glutaraldehyde, 1.0% paraformaldehyde, and 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer). For SEM analysis (50 (link)), sample suspensions were placed on 0.4-μm Nuclepore filters and dehydrated in graded series of ethanol (10 to 100%) with 10 to 15 min at each grade. The filters were then placed on SEM stubs, sputter-coated with gold:palladium (40:60), and imaged with FEI Quanta 600 FEG SEM. For TEM analysis (50 (link)), samples were rinsed with 0.1 M sodium cacodylate buffer and fixed with 1.5% potassium ferrocyanide and 2% osmium tetroxide. The samples were then subjected to T-O-T-O staining followed by dehydration in a graded series of acetone (10 to 100%) with 10 to 15 min at each grade. Samples were infiltrated with Araldite resin, ultrathin-sectioned, and placed on naked gold grids. Images were taken with a FEI Helios NanoLab 650 SEM in STEM mode. For each observation, 20 to 25 cross sections from the midbody region were evaluated, and representative images were presented.

The VPP polymer films were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy using a Thermo Fisher Scientific (Waltham, MA, USA) iS50 spectrometer. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were recorded using a FEI Quanta 600 FEG SEM. The response of the sensor was measured using a biologic Sp-150 potentiostat.