http://confocal-microscopy-list.275.s1.nabble.com/Re-Confocal-calibration-performance-assesment-vendor-response-tp7587243p7587251.html
vendors. $20. Thinner versions may be coming......
> *****
> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
> *****
>
> Dear listserv,
>
> Fluor-Ref slides ... pick up a box or case from Chroma at a conference.
>
> As for Thermo: how about giving away THIN fluorescent plastic specimens ..
> can include your logo (and no, it would not fall under the category of pens
> or coffee cups that you can no longer give out to U.S. academic medical
> center staff).
>
> Back to Chroma slides ... if not going to 'Neuo' or 'Cell Bio', and cannot
> wait for M&M 8/2018 in Baltimore, as an alternative you can use a brightly
> colored clipboard(s). Come ot think of it, Thermo could give out branded
> clipboards as big reference slides.
>
> enjoy,
>
> George
>
>
> On 9/1/2017 1:26 PM, Kilgore, Jason A. wrote:
>
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy>> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
>> *****
>>
>>
>> ** Vendor response **
>>
>> Hi, Javier,
>>
>> For a uniform fluorescence standard, I recommend the Fluor-Ref slides.
>> These are sold or re-sold by various places and are fairly inexpensive.
>> These are plastic slides that are autofluorescent in four different
>> wavelengths and are incredibly uniform and photostable. The drawbacks are
>> that they are extremely bright, so much so that you often either have to
>> throw in neutral density filters or image an off-wavelength slide. Also,
>> they are thicker than a standard slide. Here's the webpage from Ted
>> Pella:
http://www.tedpella.com/histo_html/fluor.htm.aspx or resold as a
>> set of four from Fisher Scientific:
https://www.fishersci.com/shop>> /products/NC0158348/nc0158348#?keyword=FLUOR-REF+SET+OF+4+SLIDES
>>
>> There are other published methods for uniformity slides (such as a simple
>> solution of fluorescein under a coverslip, or putting dye in agar) or
>> labeling coated slides, but nothing comes close to the Fluor-Ref slides for
>> photostability, storage stability, and uniformity of intensity.
>>
>> There is a good and fairly inexpensive option for some of the other needs
>> you mention: FocalCheck microspheres slides. There are different slides,
>> but probably Slide #1 is best for your needs, catalog F36909. The top row
>> has options where you align rings of different colors to check alignment,
>> or rings and cores of the microspheres. There are also TetraSpeck beads of
>> three different sizes (4, 1, and 0.5 um) that are broadly fluorescent,
>> which you can use for PSF as well as alignment. The bottom row has 6um
>> beads of five different relative intensities, for doing intensity
>> calibrations.
>> Webpage from Thermo Fisher Scientific:
https://www.thermofisher.com/o>> rder/catalog/product/F36909
>> Manual:
https://assets.thermofisher.com/TFS-Assets/LSG/manuals/mp369>> 09.pdf
>>
>> We sell fluorescent beads of smaller sizes, too, if you need them (such
>> as 20 nm) of different wavelengths, for PSF measures.
>>
>> I hope this helps, but please feel free to contact me offline if you wish
>> more info (such as a PowerPoint I have showing images from that last slide).
>>
>> Jason
>>
>>
>> Jason A. Kilgore
>> Technical Application Scientist
>> Molecular Probes / EVOS Tech Support
>> Thermo Fisher Scientific
>> 1-800-955-6288 then option 4, then option 3, then option 2.
>> Or dial direct at +1 541 335 0353
>>
[hidden email]
>> This communication is intended solely for the individual/entity to whom
>> it is addressed. It may contain confidential or legally privileged
>> information. Any unauthorized disclosure or copying is prohibited and may
>> be unlawful. If you have received this communication in error, please
>> notify the sender immediately and delete it from your system.
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Confocal Microscopy List [mailto:
[hidden email]]
>> On Behalf Of Fco. Javier Díez Guerra
>> Sent: Wednesday, August 30, 2017 5:10 AM
>> To:
[hidden email]
>> Subject: Confocal calibration & performance assesment
>>
>> *****
>> To join, leave or search the confocal microscopy listserv, go to:
>>
http://lists.umn.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A0=confocalmicroscopy>> Post images on
http://www.imgur.com and include the link in your posting.
>> *****
>>
>> Dear confocalists,
>>
>> I would like to know about the preferred methods used by facility
>> managers to regularly asses the performance of their confocal (and
>> wide-field) microscopes. In other words, which are the most used and
>> reliable methods to check different features of confocal and wide-field
>> microscope peformance?.
>>
>> Particularly, we'd like to check:
>>
>> - illumination uniformity across FOV, now we use a slide coated with
>> fluorescent secondary antibody.
>>
>> - XYZ Chromatic aberration (exciting 405, 488, 561 and 640 nm), now we
>> use 1um beads that can be excited with all laser lines.
>>
>> - XYZ Resolution, we use smaller beads (0,17um) to build and analyze PSFs
>> (for each wavelength)
>>
>> - Laser power and stability: for power, we use a power meter from Newport
>> placed at the objective exit, for stability, we capture long time-series in
>> reflexion mode with an empty preparation.
>>
>> - We do not know how to check detector (PMT, GAsP, Hybrid, etc)
>> sensitivity and SNR.
>>
>> Thanks for your input.
>>
>>
>> --
>> Fco. Javier Diez-Guerra, PhD
>>
>> Profesor Titular UAM
>> Servicio de Microscopía Confocal
>> Centro de Biologia Molecular Severo Ochoa C/ Nicolás Cabrera, 1 Campus de
>> Cantoblanco
>> 28049 Madrid
>> SPAIN
>>
>> Tel +34 91 196 4612
>> e-mail:
[hidden email]
>>
>
> --
>
>
> George McNamara, PhD
> Baltimore, MD 21231
>
[hidden email]
>
https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgemcnamara>
https://works.bepress.com/gmcnamara/75 (may need to use Microsoft Edge
> or Firefox, rather than Google Chrome)
>
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/myncbi/browse/collection/44962650>
http://confocal.jhu.edu>
> July 2017 Current Protocols article, open access:
> UNIT 4.4 Microscopy and Image Analysis
>
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cphg.42/abstract> supporting materials direct link is
>
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cphg.42/full#hg0404-sec-0023> figures at
>
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cphg.42/figures>