Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Physics, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 205-223).

This work is based upon a series of quantitative morphological studies of the parathyroid glands of Mongolian gerbils and rats. Standard stereological methods were used on light and electron microscopical levels. Subclassification of the chief cells based on the staining affinity and electron density of the cytoplasm was not correlated with contents (volume and surface densities) of organelles. Compared to fixation by immersion, fixation by perfusion caused a remarkable reduction in the number of light chief cells and atrophic cells, indicating that the occurrence of those kind of cells is dependent on factors of artifactual nature. The early response of the parathyroid gland to altered concentrations of extracellular calcium was studied in vitro. At six hours of "incubation, enlargement of the Golgi zone (Golgi complex and presecretory granules), but unaltered endoplasmic reticulum, was seen in glands incubated in low (0,5 mM) compared to those incubated in high (3,0 mM) calcium concentrations. Prolonged hypocalcemia induced in vivo by intraperitoneal injections of ethylenediaminetetraacetate and calcium deficient diet for eight days, did not give rise to any major quantitative morphological changes in the individual parathyroid cell, and furthermore, the quantitative morphology of the parathyroid cell was unchanged in experimentally induced hyperparathyroidism (calcium deficient diet for 16 weeks). The morphological data do not support the opinion of a functional cycle in the parathyroid chief cell, but suggest that the early response of this cell to altered extracellular calcium may be funtional activities associated with the Golgi zone. / <p>S. 1-48: sammanfattning, s. 49-170: 5 uppsatser</p> / digitalisering@umu

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Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a powerful and versatile tool for investigating nanomaterials. In this thesis, various transmission electron microscopy techniques are used to study the chemical and structural features of different types of inorganic nanoparticles of well-defined morphologies as well as their assemblies. The synthesis of spherical and anisotropic nanoparticles (iron oxide nanocubes and other morphologies, gadolinium orthophosphate nanorods, tungsten oxide nanowires and nanorods, palladium nanospheres, and facetted iron-manganese oxides hybrid nanoparticles) using thermal decomposition of metal complex precursors in high-boiling point organic solvents and hydrothermal process are described in details. Electron diffraction tomography (3D EDT) is a recently developed technique that is used to investigate the 3D structure of crystalline materials. Reciprocal space volume reconstruction of 3D EDT data of thin WO3 nanowires assembled into nanorods revealed single crystal domains of hexagonal symmetry. Moreover, the use of 3D EDT enabled to identify and solve the structures of individual GdPO4 nanorods in a mixed phase powder. The use of 3D EDT was extended using small-angle diffraction mode to investigate the packing arrangements and defects in nanoparticle assemblies. A high concentration of planar defects found in different nanoparticle assemblies highlights the competition between the fcc and hcp arrangements during the assembly process. Iron-manganese oxides hybrid nanoparticles with different three-dimensional configurations, i.e. core|shell and asymmetric facetted dimers, were investigated using a combination of several electron microscopy techniques (HRTEM, SAED, STEM-HAADF, EFTEM, EELS). The growth of the facetted cubic MnO phase onto preformed Fe3O4 seed particles occurs preferentially along the Fe3O4 nanocube edges forming a well-oriented crystalline interface despite the lattice mismatch and defects. Atomic resolution monitoring of the structural changes in Mn3O4|Fe3O4 and Fe3O4|Mn3O4 core|shell nanoparticles induced by the electron beam revealed a strain relief mechanism at the interface involving inhomogeneous diffusion of cations and defects creation. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Oregon Graduate Center, 1980.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Lehigh University, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 200-206).

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