The Rules for Use of SBI microscope

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General

Please contact us in advance for the first time using the equipment of SBI.
If you use the equipment of SBI improperly or doesn’t follow the following rule1~8, we will prohibit your use of them.

1. Reservation
(1) Online reservation

(2) Reservation limits

We have the following reservation limits. If you want to reserve more than them, please contact us.

• The same equipment for up to 3 times in a week
• The same equipment for up to 8 hours in a day
• 20 days ahead

 
(3) Long-term time-lapse

Please schedule a long-term time-lapse experiment between 17:00 to 9:00 the next morning or on the weekend as far as possible, especially for crowded microscopes.
 

2. Usage
(1) Available time

You can use the equipment of SBI at any time, but we can support you only during the daytime on weekdays.
 

(2) Logbook

Please fill in the logbook after you use any equipment of SBI.
 

(3) Trouble

If there is something wrong with the equipment, please contact us and record it in the logbook.
 

3. Laser and Mercury Lamp
(1) Laser safety

The laser for microscope are high powered, especially the laser for two-photon microscope and IR-LEGO are classified the class 4 which is the most dangerous category in the laser safety guide. In order to use them safely, you should receive a safety training from SBI staff before using them.
 

(2) Gas laser and mercury lamp

Gas laser and mercury lamp should be turned off for 1 hour before turning it on again. Once you turn the mercury lamp on, it must remain on for at least 30 minutes before turning off.
 

(3) Request to contact the next user

If the next user is scheduled within 1 hour after you, please leave the gas laser and mercury lamp on and call to ascertain that the person will actually use the microscope. This is especially important on Friday evenings.
 

4. Objective Lens
(1) Cleaning

After using an immersion lens, especially an oil immersion one, please clean it with special lens paper and lens cleaner.

How to clean objectives:
Use a fresh piece of lens paper, fold it several times and gently wipe off oil from a lens with a spiral movement. Repeat again with new piece of lens tissue until oil has been removed completely. Soak new piece of lens paper with lens cleaner, and wipe it again gently.

 

(2) Amount of Immersion oil

Please don’t use too much immersion oil. In the case of an inverted microscope, too much oil can drip down and allow oil to enter the revolver and contaminate the inside of the microscope.
 

(3) Precaution when changing objective

When changing to a lower magnification lens after using an oil immersion one, please wipe off the oil before turning the revolver.
 

(4) Selection of objective

Using the proper objective for your purpose is very important. If you are not sure which one is suitable, please feel free to contact us.
 

5. Data copy and storage
 (1) Virus check

When you connect a device such as USB to the computer which controls the microscope, please check it by anti-virus software on your own computer before connecting it to the microscope computer.
 

(2) Temporary data storage

If you save your data temporarily on the local hard disk of the SBI computer, please make a folder with your name in your laboratory folder and store it in the “user” folder on the desktop.
 

(3) Caution about data deletion

In case of local memory shortage or some other trouble, SBI staff may delete any data stored on the SBI computer that is more than two weeks old.
 

6. Usage of genetically modified organisms

If you want to use genetically modified organisms in SBI microscope room, please check our website in advance to confirm that the species has been approved as a recombinant organism that can be handled in the room.
Available Genetic Modified Organisms in SBI

7. Usage of animals*

If you want to use an animal in the SBI microscope room, please check our website in advance to confirm that the species has been approved as an animal that can be handled in the room.
*The term “animal “ here means all vertebrates.
Available Animals in SBI
 

8. Request for Acknowledgements

 
Please acknowledge our facility in your publications.  It helps us secure the funding to maintain and upgrade equipment in our facility. The following statement can be used to acknowledge our facility
 
・Confocal imaging was performed at Spectrography and Bioimaging facility, NIBB Core Research Facilities.
 
・This work was supported by Spectrography and Bioimaging facility, NIBB Core Research Facilities.
 
・We thank Spectrography and Bioimaging facility, NIBB Core Research Facilities for technical support.