A Method for Reclaiming Dried Zoological Specimens

Cleave, H. J. Van; Ross, Jean A.

doi:10.1126/science.105.2725.318

Cited by 62 publications

(25 citation statements)

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“…Each specimen (1-4 g) was rehydrated in 0.5% trisodium phosphate solution while shaking continuously (van Cleave and Ross, 1947;Pike, 1968;Han et al, 2003;Reinhard and Urban, 2003). They were then filtered through multiple-layered gauze and precipitated for a day.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of parasite infection prevalence of Joseon people by paleoparasitological data updates from the ancient feces of pre-modern Korean mummies

Seo

Hong

et al. 2017

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In paleoparasitology, which is the study of ancient parasite species, parasite egg remnants in archaeological samples are examined by microscopic or molecular analysis. The parasitological information thus obtained can inform speculation about the parasite-infection patterns that prevailed in ancient societies. The current analysis of ancient feces removed from Joseon period mummies adds six new paleoparasitological outcomes to the existing pool of mummy parasitism data already maintained in South Korea. The current microscopic examination revealed the ancient parasite eggs of Trichuris, Clonorchis, Paragonimus, Ascaris, and Taenia in the Joseon mummy feces. When the updated Joseon data were compared with the 20th-century National Survey statistics of South Korea, clear differences could be observed between ancient and modern parasite infection rates. These results will yield invaluable insights-unobtainable by conventional historical investigation-that contribute to the knowledge base on the parasitism of pre-industrial East Asian societies.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimation of parasite infection prevalence of Joseon people by paleoparasitological data updates from the ancient feces of pre-modern Korean mummies

Seo

Hong

et al. 2017

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“…The II-g fraction from the colon contents was placed in a rehydration solution of 0.5% trisodium phosphate (NA3 P04), the standard one used with coprolites (Callen and Cameron 1965;van Cleave and Ross 1947). To fa cilitate rehydration and breakdown of the remains, they were agitated every six hours with a magnetic stirrer; after 30 hours of rehydration, the remains were ready for pro cessing.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Mimbres Burial with Associated Colon Remains from the NAN Ranch Ruin, New Mexico

Shafer¹,

Marek²,

Reinhard³

1989

Journal of Field Archaeology

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“…Some authors suggested immersion of specimens into cold, warm, or hot ethanol solutions (Levi 1966;Ellis 1981). Others apply vacuum (Cunningham 1969;Jeppesen 1988;Carter 1998), heat from microwave (Prats-Muñoz et al 2015), or heat from another source (Van Cleave & Ross 1947a, 1947bCunningham 1969;Banks & Williams 1972;Pritchard & Kruse 1984;Carter 1998). Concentrations of agents and length of time of application vary considerably, depending on which taxonomic group is treated, on the size of a specimen, and on the kind of tissue (Tab.…”

Section: Problems With Liquid Mounting Media-re-hydration Of Specimensmentioning

confidence: 99%

Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

Neuhaus

Schmid

Riedel

2017

Zootaxa

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A wide range of aspects concerning microscope slides, their preparation, long-time storage, curatorial measures in collections, deterioration, restoration, and study is summarized based on our own data and by analyzing more than 600 references from the 19th century until 2016, 15 patents, and about 100 Materials Safety Data Sheets. Information from systematic zoology, conservation sciences, chemistry, forensic sciences, pathology, paleopathology, applied sciences like food industry, and most recent advances in digital imaging are put together in order to obtain a better understanding of which and possibly why mounting media and coverslip seals deteriorate, how slides can be salvaged, which studies may be necessary to identify a range of ideal mounting media, and how microscope studies can benefit from improvements in developmental biology and related fields. We also elaborate on confusing usage of concepts like that of maceration and of clearing. The chemical ingredients of a range of mounting media and coverslip seals are identified as much as possible from published data, but this information suffers in so far as the composition of a medium is often proprietary of the manufacturer and may vary over time. Advantages, disadvantages, and signs of deterioration are documented extensively for these media both from references and from our own observations. It turns out that many media degrade within a few years, or decades at the latest, except Canada balsam with a documented life-time of 150 years, Euparal with a documented life-time of 50 years, and glycerol-paraffin mounts sealed with Glyceel, which represents almost the only non-deteriorating and easily reversible mount. Deterioration reveals itself as a yellowing in natural resins and as cracking, crystallization, shrinkage on drying or possibly on loss of a plasticizer, detachment of the coverslip, segregation of the ingredients in synthetic polymers, as well as continued maceration of a specimen to a degree that the specimen virtually disappears. Confusingly, decay does not always appear equally within a collection of slides mounted at the same time in the same medium. The reasons for the deteriorative processes have been discussed but are controversial especially for gum-chloral media. Comparing data from conservation sciences, chemical handbooks, and documented ingredients, we discuss here how far chemical and physical deterioration probably are inherent to many media and are caused by the chemical and physical properties of their components and by chemicals dragged along from previous preparation steps like fixation, chemical maceration, and physical clearing. Some recipes even contain a macerating agent, which proceeds with its destructive work. We provide permeability data for oxygen and water vapor of several polymers contained in mounting media and coverslip seals. Calculation of the penetration rate of moisture in one example reveals that water molecules reach a specimen within a few days up to about a month; this lays to rest extensive discussions about the permanent protection of a mounted specimen by a mounting medium and a coverslip seal. Based on the ever growing evidence of the unsuitable composition and application of many, and possibly almost all, mounting media, we strongly encourage changing the perspective on microscope slides from immediate usability and convenience of preparation towards durability and reversibility, concepts taken from conservation sciences. Such a change has already been suggested by Upton (1993) more than 20 years ago for gum-chloral media, but these media are still encouraged nowadays by scientists. Without a new perspective, taxonomic biology will certainly lose a large amount of its specimen basis for its research within the next few decades. Modern non-invasive techniques like Raman spectroscopy may help to identify mounting media and coverslip seals on a given slide as well as to understand ageing of the media. An outlook is given on potential future studies. In order to improve the situation of existing collections of microscope slides, we transfer concepts as per the Smithsonian Collections Standards and Profiling System, developed for insect collections more than 25 years ago, to collections of slides. We describe historical and current properties and usage of glass slides, coverslips, labels, and adhesives under conservational aspects. In addition, we summarize and argue from published and our own experimental information about restorative procedures, including re-hydration of dried-up specimens previously mounted in a fluid medium. Alternatives to microscope slides are considered. We also extract practical suggestions from the literature concerning microscope equipment, cleaning of optical surfaces, health risks of immersion oil, and recent improvements of temporary observation media especially in connection with new developments in digital software.

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A Method for Reclaiming Dried Zoological Specimens

Cited by 62 publications

References 0 publications

Estimation of parasite infection prevalence of Joseon people by paleoparasitological data updates from the ancient feces of pre-modern Korean mummies

Estimation of parasite infection prevalence of Joseon people by paleoparasitological data updates from the ancient feces of pre-modern Korean mummies

A Mimbres Burial with Associated Colon Remains from the NAN Ranch Ruin, New Mexico

Collection management and study of microscope slides: Storage, profiling, deterioration, restoration procedures, and general recommendations

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