This study investigates the developmental pattern of adhesive discs (ADs) to highlight the ontogeny and structural changes that occur during the growth of Boston ivy. Initiation to postmortem features of ADs were examined through light and scanning electron microscopy. The study also reveals a new finding of the dislocation of peripheral tissues of adaxial origin. Four phases of attachment are suggested with regards to its climbing behavior: 1) pre-attachment, 2) upon attachment, 3) after attachment, and 4) final attachment. During initiation, several ADs originate from tendril primordia without epidermal differentiation. However, different growth rates in the epidermis results in completely different ADs. ADs were discerned by size, shape, and color during expansion, but cells in the adaxial surface remained alive longer than the other side. Upon contact, the ADs demonstrate simultaneous growth and deterioration, but once attachment is established the latter process subdues to final stages. Epidermal transformation, adhesive secretion, cellular disruption, and mechanical stress were essential for the self-clinging nature of Boston ivy. The post-attachment sequence is also believed to be critical in achieving maximum mechanical strength to provide extensive support. The developmental process of ADs is prompted by tactile stimulation but in a highly organized and systematic manner.

We previously have reported that periglomerular calponin expression of the glomerulosclerotic glomeruli in the chronic nephropathy. To investigate the role of calponin during glomerulosclerosis, we examined the detailed localization pattern of calponin in chronic nephropathy rat model using serial morphometric analysis. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used, and chronic nephropathy models were established at 8 and 12 weeks after single intraperitoneal injection of adriamycin (10 mg/kg body weight; n=5). In nephropathy models, 16.3% (8 weeks) and 23.4% (12 weeks) glomeruli showed calponin-positivity at glomerular area. In all these glomeruli, showing various sclerotic changes, calponin-immunoreactivities were present only both the glomerular parietal epithelial cells (PECs) and periglomerular myofibroblasts (PMFs). However, in the glomeruli with weak calponin-positive, immunoreactivity was mostly detected in PECs, suggesting that calponin may be expressed in PECs earlier than in PMFs in the glomerulosclerotic change. Some calponin-positive PECs invaded glomerular tuft with loop-shaped projection, and around this projection, nestin expression of glomerular tuft were much reduced. These results suggested that calponin-positive PECs may play a key role in the development of glomerulosclerosis, and direct contact with PECs and glomerular tuft may be more important to degenerative changes of glomeruli.

Silicene is one of the most interesting two-dimensional materials, because of not only the extraordinary properties similar to graphene, but also easy compatibility with existing silicon-based devices. However, non-existing graphitic-like structure on silicon and unstable free-standing silicene structure leads to difficulty in commercialization of this material. Therefore, substrates are essential for silicene, which affects various properties of silicene and supporting unstable structure. For maintaining outstanding properties of silicene, van der Waals bonding between silicene and substrate is essential because strong interaction, such as silicene with metal, breaks the band structure of silicene. Therefore, we review the stability of silicene on other two-dimensional materials for van der Waals bonding. In addition, the properties of silicene are reviewed for silicene-based heterostructure.

We suggest a facile transmission electron microscopy (TEM) specimen preparation method for the direct (polymer-free) transfer of layer-area graphene from Cu substrates to a TEM grid. The standard (polymer-based) method and direct transfer method were by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The folds and crystalline particles were formed in a graphene specimen by the standard method, while the graphene specimen by the direct method with a new etchant solution exhibited clean and full coverage of the graphene surface, which reduced several wet chemical steps and accompanying mechanical stresses and avoided formation of the oxide metal.

Transmission electron microscope (TEM) is an excellent tool for studying the structure and properties of nanostructured materials. As the development of $C_s$-corrected TEM, the direct analysis of atomic structures of nanostructured materials can be performed in the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Especially, fast Fourier transform (FFT) technique in image processing is very useful way to determine the crystal structure of HRTEM images in reciprocal space. To apply FFT technique in HRTEM analysis in more reasonable and friendly manner, we made a new circular region of interest (C-ROI) FFT script and tested it for several HRTEM analysis. Consequentially, it was proved that the new FFT application shows more quantitative and clearer results than conventional FFT script by removing the streaky artifacts in FFT pattern images. Finally, it is expected that the new FFT script gives great advantages for quantitative interpretation of HRTEM images of many nanostructured materials.

A strategy for phase identification of precipitates in high Al-containing austenitic and ferritic steels using electron diffraction (ED) is studied. Comparative studies of the various Al-containing precipitates (k-carbide, $Ni_3Al$, $Fe_3Al$, FeAl) show the similarities of crystal structure and lattice parameter. However, the slight differences of lattice parameter and structure display characteristic ED patterns (EDPs) which can be identified. $L1_2$ k-carbide and $Ni_3Al$ can be differentiated by the length of ${\rightarrow}_g$ (the reciprocal lattice vector), even though they show perfectly identical shapes of EDPs. $DO_3$ $Fe_3Al$ and $B_2$ FeAl show the characteristic EDs in [110] and [112] beam directions due to the differences of Fe site occupancies in unit cells. k-carbide, $Ni_3Al$, and FeAl show also the similar EDs in [112], [112], and [110] beam directions, respectively. All the possible similarities of EDs among each phases and the strategy for phase identification are discussed on the bases of kinematical ED simulation.