Abstract: This device is for holding samples during their preparation prior to imaging in the electron microscope. The design means it can be transferred between the light and electron microscopes as well as trimming devices used to prepare the final sample. It can also be used at both ambient and cryo temperatures down to ?110° C. The device consists of a base plate that can be held on the stage of a light microscope. It has an aperture through which transmitted light can pass. In this aperture is a clamp which holds a small transparent plastic sphere; the sample sphere. The sample for preparation is bonded to this sphere. The shape of this clamp and sphere means that the sample can be held at any angle to allow for optimal imaging in any light microscope and in the trimming devices, including the ultramicrotome. Once trimmed, the entire universal sample holder can then be transferred into the scanning electron microscope, or held in the ultramicrotome for thin sectioning.

Abstract: We presented an approach for speeding-up image acquisition when tasked with localizing specific structures in FIB-SEM imagery. It exploits the fact that low-quality images can be acquired faster than higher-quality ones and yet be sufficient for inference purposes. We have demonstrated greater than five-fold speed-ups at very little loss in accuracy in the context of mitochondria and synapse detection. Furthermore, the algorithm we propose is generic and applicable to many imaging modalities that allow trading quality for speed.