Al-Nesf M.A.Y, Abdesselem HB, Bensmail I, Ibrahim S, Saeed WAH, Mohammed SSI, Razok A, Alhussain H, Aly RMA Al Maslamani M, Ouararhni K, Khatib M.Y, Ait Hssain A, Omrani A.S, Al-Kaabi S, Al Khal A, Al-Thani A.A, Samsam W, Farooq A, Al-Suwaidi J, Al-Maadheedh M, Al-Siddiqi H.H, Butler A.E, Decock J.V, Mohamed-Ali V and Al-Ejeh F. Prognostic tools and candidate drugs based on plasma proteomics of patients with severe COVID-19 complications. Nature Commun. 2022 Feb 17;13(1):946.doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-28639-4.

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a microscopy technique in which a beam of electrons is transmitted through a specimen to form an image. The specimen is most often an ultrathin section less than 100 nm thick or a suspension on a grid. An image is formed from the interaction of the electrons with the sample as the beam is transmitted through the specimen. The image is then magnified and focused onto an imaging device, such as a fluorescent screen or a sensor, such as a scintillator attached to a charge-coupled device (CCD camera).

Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) is a versatile and widely used technique for characterizing the mechanical properties of materials, particularly polymers, composites, and biomaterials. DMA measures the response of a material to controlled deformation under controlled temperature and humidity conditions. The technique involves applying a sinusoidal deformation to a sample of known geometry and measuring the mechanical response in real-time using a force sensor and a displacement sensor.

Thermal mechanical analysis (TMA) is a highly precise and accurate technique used to characterize the physical changes of materials as a function of temperature and time under a controlled force. The technique involves the measurement of the initial length of the sample (l0), followed by the application of a controlled change in temperature and/or force. The resulting change in sample length (dl) is measured using an electrical transformer called a linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT).

X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a widely used nondestructive method in materials science, geology, environmental science, and biology for determining the atomic and molecular arrangements in crystalline materials. The technique involves irradiating a crystal with incident X-rays and measuring the intensities and angles of the scattered X-rays. The intensity of the scattered Xrays is then plotted as a function of the scattering angle, and the structure of the material is determined from the analysis of the location, in angle, and the intensities of scattered intensity peaks.

Optical microscopy is often the starting point for successful materials related failure and root cause analysis. It helps clients fully understand microstructure and other materials properties. The goal of optical microscopy is to produce clear and high quality images with high magnification (up to 1000X). Upright microscopes are the most common type, where the objective lens is above the stage and lighting system can be from top (reflected, bright field), bottom (transmitted) or sides (reflected, dark field).

Hmila I; Hill J; Shalaby K; Ouararhni K; Abedsselem H; Modaresi SMS; Bihaqi SW; Marques E; Sondhi A; Slitt AL. Perinatal exposure to PFOS and sustained high-fat diet promote neurodevelopmental disorders via genomic reprogramming of pathways associated with neuromotor development. Elsevier. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. Feb 2024.

A Physical Properties Measurement System (PPMS) is a stateof-the-art laboratory instrument used to investigate the physical behavior of materials under different external conditions. PPMS is based on the principles of experimental physics and thermodynamics, which govern the behavior of matter under various physical conditions. The system typically consists of a cryogenic cooling system, a magnetometer, a temperature controller, a sample holder, and various sensors and instruments for measuring different physical properties.

Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) provides high-resolution and long-depth-of-field images of the sample surface and nearsurface using an energetic beam of electrons. As an e-beam rasters specimen surface, various signals that contain information about the surface topography and composition are produced as a result of the beam–material interaction. Sketch provides different signals produced as a result of this interaction.

The Gatan Precision Etching and Coating System II utilizes two (2) penning ion guns to etch and to coat an SEM sample in one evacuation. Ion etching the surface of a sample is done in cases when traditional grinding and polishing may not be sufficient or may adversely cause undesired reactions due to a specific sample’s chemistry. For metallography, ion etching is a viable and inert alternative to wet chemical etching, which is done to reveal grain microstructure.