In this review, we discuss the use of time–of–flight secondary–ion mass spectrometry (TOF–SIMS) technology for analyzing the viscous glue (is called aggregate glue droplets) of spider orb webs and examine the results obtained. Element distribution images of the aggregate glue droplets were observed by TOF–SIMS. A uniform element distribution is seen for suspended pristine aggregate glue droplets, and a differential spreading of aggregate glue components is seen for attached aggregate glue droplets. We also observed TOF–SIMS images of water in aggregate glue droplets, where water was observed to be consistent with the distribution of oozing salt. We also found that the alkali metal in the aggregate glue droplets showed similar characteristics by feeding cesium carbonate to spiders.

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‘Materials Curation^® support system’, which has a network-type knowledge database of relations among material properties and enables a search of the relations, are modified for education and training. The characteristic feature is that there are intentional blanks in the database so that learners can fulfill the blanks. An addition of a database of material property measurement methods, having links with material properties in the database of relations among material properties is also mentioned.

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We have been studying vacuum electrospray droplet ion (V-EDI) beams for ionization and etching in surface analysis instruments. The V-EDI beams can ionize biomolecules with extremely high efficiency. If the V-EDI beams are applied to time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) as primary ion beams, its analysis performance will be improved significantly. However, the V-EDI beams could not be practically utilized in common TOF-SIMS instruments, because shortly pulsed V-EDI beams cannot be produced. In this article, the current status of the V-EDI beam and towards TOF-SIMS applications will be described.

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The “Word” in Microsoft 365 can now use Unicode and LaTeX for “mathematical formula” insertion. It makes mathematical input much more advanced. However, I have to say that the beauty of mathematical expressions is much less than LaTeX. In this article, I will show you how to use the mathematical formulae function of “Word” to write mathematical expressions with a beauty as good as or better than that of LaTeX.

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