Advances in new technologies for complete slide digitization in pathology have allowed the appearance of a wide spectrum of technologic solutions for whole-slide scanning, which have been classified into motorized microscopes and scanners. This article describes technical aspects of 31 different digital microscopy systems. The most relevant characteristics of the scanning devices are described, including the cameras used, the speed of digitization, and the image quality. Other aspects, such as the file format, the compression techniques, and the solutions for visualization of digital slides, (including diagnosis-aided tools) are also considered. Most of the systems evaluated allow a high-resolution digitization of the whole slide within about 1 hour using a x40 objective. The image quality of the current virtual microscopy systems is suitable for clinical, educational, and research purposes. The efficient use of digital microscopy by means of image analysis systems can offer important benefits to pathology departments.

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Heat capacity, glass-transition, crystallization, and melting temperatures of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate ([Emim][EtSO 4 ]) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium methylsulfate ([Bmim][MeSO 4 ]) ionic liquids (ILs) have been determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Their thermal stabilities have been analyzed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Given the effect of the heating rate over the decomposition temperatures, isothermal TGA experiments are proposed as a more appropriate method to evaluate the thermal stability of the ILs. Inside the working range (-150 °C to 30 °C), [Emim][EtSO 4 ] and [Bmim][MeSO 4 ] present a glass-transition temperature of -78.4 °C and -91.9 °C, respectively. [Bmim][MeSO 4 ] has a melting temperature of -4.1 °C. The C p was determined in a working range (10 °C to 100 °C) where its value increases lineally with temperature.

The performance of the 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([emim][DCA]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide ([bmim][DCA]), and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tricyanomethanide ([emim][TCM]) ionic liquids (ILs) as alternative solvents in the liquid–liquid extraction of toluene from heptane was evaluated at 313.2 K. These ILs were selected due to their low viscosity and their highly aromatic character. Densities and viscosities of the ILs have also been determined over the temperature range from 293.15 to 353.15 K. To analyze the potential of the ILs to be applied in an industrial aromatic extraction process, toluene and heptane distribution ratios, separation factors, and physical properties of the ILs have been compared to the sulfolane values. In addition, the nonrandom two-liquid model successfully correlated the liquid–liquid equilibrium data for the three ternary systems studied.

The good stability and suitable polarity of the 1-alkyl-3-methyl bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids have prompted their use as solvents for the extraction of mixtures of aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. In this paper, aiming to extend the study of these ionic liquids, the liquid-liquid equilibrium for the systems tolueneThe experiments with [mmim][Tf 2 N] and [emim]Tf 2 N have shown good results in the separation of toluene from heptane compared with the distribution ratio and separation factor of sulfolane in the whole range of composition. The degree of consistency of the experimental LLE data was ascertained by applying the Othmer-Tobias correlation. The phase diagrams for the ternary systems were plotted, and the tie lines correlated with the NRTL model compare satisfactorily with the experimental data.