Manipulation of optically fabricated particle arrays using broadband radiation

Consideration is given to methods of manipulating optically fabricated particle arrays using broadband radiation and a superposition of optical fields. Specifically, the changes that the optical binding energy experiences, when part of the spectrum of this light is filtered, are analyzed. It is then shown that these optically induced arrays can be reordered by the introduction of additional fields with transverse Poynting vectors. Subsequently, it is shown how pairs of particles can be reordered on a surface by modifying the form of the optical binding interaction. Finally, the effect of particle size on these methods is briefly discussed

Optically induced potential energy landscapes

Multi-dimensional potential energy surfaces are associated with optical binding. A detailed exploration of the available degrees of geometric freedom reveals unexpected turning points, producing intricate patterns of local force and torque. Although optical pair interactions outweigh Casimir-Polder coupling even over short distances, the forces are not always attractive. Numerous local potential minimum and maximum can be located, and mapped on contour diagrams. Islands of stability appear, and structures conducive to the formation of rings. The results, based on quantum electrodynamics, apply to optically trapped molecules, nanoparticles, microparticles and colloids

Alternative resonance energy transfer mechanisms in polymer light harvesting

Dendrimeric polymers are a subject of considerable interest, particularly for their applications in energy harvesting devices, but also in organic light-emitting diodes, photosensitizers, quantum logic devices and low-threshold lasers. The distinctive light harvesting characteristics of these materials owe their origin to the speed, efficiency and highly directed nature of the multi-step processes that deliver captured light energy to the core. Recently it has been shown how iterative calculations, based on a matrix representation of the connectivity and propensity for energy transfer between different chromophores, effectively model the time-dependent flux of energy within dendrimer materials. This paper reports the formulation and results of an extended approach, accommodating additional mechanisms by means of which excitations of energy higher than the incoming photons can be generated and propagated towards a trap. It is also shown how the structure of the dendrimer and the operation of a spectroscopic gradient affect this energy flow. These mechanisms explain experimental observations in which energy coupling of four photons or more is observed in large aryl ether azodendrimers, at relatively low levels of irradiance

Lo Psicosocial, una aproximación conceptual desde la Psicología Conductual

Lo psicosocial se ha descrito con variadas definiciones, dando lugar a un cierto grado de ambigüedad sobre su significado y su soporte teórico. Aproximaciones sistemáticas como las realizadas desde la psicología social y la sociología, han aportado un amplio abanico de definiciones y usos del concepto, constituyendo un marco general en el cual debería poder ubicarse el concepto psicosocial, como objeto de conocimiento o el nivel de análisis. Sin embargo, no se ha conseguido delimitar el significado de dicho termino, pues este suele ser usado para referirse a una diversidad de conceptos que no siempre resultan precisos o claros Vázquez Campos (2014). Este trabajo pretende realizar algunas aproximaciones conceptuales que aporten al esclarecimiento de lo psicosocial, desde la psicología conductual, siendo la interacción individuo-contexto una relación de gran interés teórica para los modelos conductuales, lo que hace necesario dar cuenta de lo psicosocial desde estos modelos teóricos. Para ello se revisarán algunos presupuestos generales de la psicología conductual implicados en la comprensión de la interrelación entre lo psicológico y lo social, partiendo de la propuesta de multidisciplina de Ribes et al (2016), a la vez que se desarrollará un aporte conceptual a la delimitación de lo psicosocial desde esta perspectiva.The psychosocial concept has been described with varied definitions, giving rise to a certain degree of ambiguity about its meaning and theoretical delimitation. Systematic approaches such as those carried out from social psychology and sociology have provided a wide range of definitions and uses of the concept, constituting a general framework in which the psychosocial concept should be placed, as an object of knowledge or level of analysis. However, it has not been possible to delimit the meaning of the term, as it is often used to refer to a variety of concepts that are not always precise or clear Vázquez Campos (2014). This paper aims to make some conceptual approaches that contribute to the clarification of the psychosocial, from behavioral psychology, being the individual-context interaction a relationship of great theoretical interest for behavioral models, which makes it necessary to account for the psychosocial from these theoretical models. For this purpose, some general assumptions of behavioral psychology involved in the understanding of the interrelationship between the psychological and the social will be reviewed, starting from the multidisciplinary proposal of Ribes et al (2016), while a conceptual contribution to the delimitation of the psychosocial from this perspective will be developed

Produção de lipossomas pelo metodo de injeção de etanol encapsulando agentes tuberculostaticos e avaliação do potencial de escalonamento do processo

Orientador : Angela Maria MoraesTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia QuimicaResumo: Este trabalho teve por objetivo o escalonamento da produção de lipossomas projetados para a liberação controlada por inalação de fármacos utilizados no tratamento da tuberculose, visando a melhoria de sua eficácia terapêutica e a redução de sua toxicidade. O método de injeção de etanol foi selecionado para a produção das vesículas, por ser simples e de baixo custo. Os fármacos isoniazida, pirazinamida e rifampicina, comumente usados na terapia primária da tuberculose e o agente terapêutico kanamicina, empregado em casos de tuberculose resistente a múltiplos compostos terapêuticos, assim como o fármaco modelo doxorrubicina, foram incorporados nas vesículas unilamelares contendo basicamente lecitina natural purificada e colesterol, dentre outras formulações. Foram avaliados os efeitos de variáveis operacionais como temperatura, taxa de agitação, velocidade de injeção e concentração inicial de lipídios nas características finais dos lipossomas obtidos. As formulações preparadas foram caracterizadas quanto às concentrações finais de lipídios e de fármacos, ao tamanho dos lipossomas, a sua lamelaridade, à estabilidade de estocagem na forma de suspensão aquosa e de pó liofilizado reconstituído. Os principais resultados indicaram que as vesículas preparadas pelo método de injeção de etanol em escala de bancada permitiram encapsular ativamente os fármacos em estudo, embora o gradiente de pH estabelecido nestes lipossomas tenha se mostrado estável por menos de cinco dias. As características finais das vesículas preparadas por injeção de etanol em maior escala foram influenciadas pelo tipo e intensidade da agitação da fase aquosa, pela temperatura desta fase e pelo diâmetro da agulha de injeção. Foram obtidas altas eficiências de encapsulação ativa dos fármacos nestes lipossomas, atingindose até 100%, sendo tais eficiências influenciadas principalmente pela concentração inicial e pela composição lipídica das vesículas. As vesículas constituídas de fosfatidilcolina sintética mostraram-se mais apropriadas para a encapsulação dos fármacos, entretanto, seu custo é substancialmente maior. As populações mais freqüentes nos lipossomas apresentaram diâmetros médios variando de 132 a 156 nm. O processo de liofilização das vesículas provocou aumento em seu diâmetro médio e diminuição nas eficiências de encapsulação obtidas, e a adição dos criprotetores manitol e sacarose não preveniu a agregação e fusão dos lipossomas. A análise preliminar da viabilidade econômica da produção de lipossomas preparados por injeção de etanol em larga escala e a subseqüente incorporação do fármaco kanamicina indicou que o processo é economicamente viávelAbstract: The aim of this work was to the scale-up of the production of liposomes designed for the administration through inhalation of drugs used in tuberculosis therapy, seeking to improve drug therapeutic efficacy as well to reduce drug toxicity. The method based on ethanol injection was selected for vesicle production due to its simplicity and low cost. The drugs isoniazid, pyrazinamide and rifampin, indicated for tuberculosis primary treatment, as well as kanamycin, a drug used for multiresistant tuberculosis therapy and doxorubicin, a model drug, were incorporated in unilamellar vesicles basically prepared from purified natural lecithin and cholesterol, among other formulations. The effects of operational variables such as temperature, mixing rate, injection rate and initial lipid concentration on the characteristics of the vesicles were analyzed. The preparations were characterized concerning to lipid and drug concentration, vesicle diameter and lamelarity and also to liposomal storage stability both in aqueous solution and in the lyophilized form after rehydration. The most relevant results indicate that the vesicles prepared by ethanol injection in bench scale were able to actively encapsulate the studied drugs, however, the pH gradient stablished in liposomal membrane was stable for less than five days. The final characteristics of vesicles prepared by ethanol injection in larger scale were affected by aqueous phase mixing type and intensity, temperature as well as by the injection needle inner diameter. High active encapsulation efficiencies of the evaluated drugs in liposomes were achieved, reaching 100%, and those efficiency values were influenced by lipid concentration and composition. The vesicles containing synthetic phosphatidylcholine were more adequate for drug encapsulation, however, their cost is substantially higher. The most frequent populations in liposomes presented average diameters varying in the range from 132 to 156 nm. The lyophilization caused increases in vesicle mean diameters, reduced drug incorporation efficiency and the addition of the cryoprotectors mannitol and sucrose did not prevent vesicle aggregation and fusion. A preliminary analysis showed that the large scale production of liposomes through ethanol injection followed by kanamycin active loading is economically feasibleDoutoradoDesenvolvimento de Processos BiotecnologicosDoutor em Engenharia Químic

Platelet-derived transforming growth factor-β1 promotes keratinocyte proliferation in cutaneous wound healing.

Platelets are a recognised potent source of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1), a cytokine known to promote wound healing and regeneration by stimulating dermal fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition. Platelet lysate has been advocated as a novel personalised therapeutic to treat persistent wounds, although the precise platelet-derived growth factors responsible for these beneficial effects have not been fully elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the specific role of platelet-derived TGFβ1 in cutaneous wound healing. Using a transgenic mouse with a targeted deletion of TGFβ1 in megakaryocytes and platelets (TGFβ1fl/fl .PF4-Cre), we show for the first time that platelet-derived TGFβ1 contributes to epidermal and dermal thickening and cellular turnover after excisional skin wounding. In vitro studies demonstrate that human dermal fibroblasts stimulated with platelet lysate containing high levels of platelet-derived TGFβ1 did not exhibit enhanced collagen deposition or proliferation, suggesting that platelet-derived TGFβ1 is not a key promoter of these wound healing processes. Interestingly, human keratinocytes displayed enhanced TGFβ1-driven proliferation in response to platelet lysate, reminiscent of our in vivo findings. In summary, our novel findings define and emphasise an important role of platelet-derived TGFβ1 in epidermal remodelling and regeneration processes during cutaneous wound healing

A Novel Application of Indocyanine Green Immunofluorescence in Emergent Colorectal Surgery

Here, we report on the feasibility of ICG fluorescence imaging to localize lesions in emergent minimally invasive surgery. A 49-year old female presented to the emergency department with a previously unknown malignant bowel obstruction. She was taken emergently to the operating room for a laparoscopic extended right hemicolectomy, based on tumor location from imaging. With intraoperative difficulty localizing the lesion, an on-table colonoscopy was performed. When the tumor was encountered, peritumoral ICG injections were performed, and the fluorescence lymphoscintigraphy was performed intraoperatively in an attempt to visualize the primary tumor laparoscopically. Intraoperative ICG Immunofluorescence allowed precise, real-time localization of the mass in the descending colon. This information changed the course of the operation, as a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy was then performed instead of the planned extended right hemicolectomy. The patient underwent an end-to-end anastomosis without the need for a defunctioning ileostomy. From this case, we demonstrate the use of ICG fluorescence imaging for tumor localization in the emergent setting is safe, feasible, and effective. This information gained from this technology enables real-time decision making, and can even change the operative plan in the emergent setting for the best patient outcomes. What does this paper add to the existing literature? This paper offers a novel application of an emerging technology- ICG fluorescence- that in this capacity allowed precise, real-time localization of a previously unknown mass in the emergent setting, and changed the course of the operation

Collapse of optical binding under secondary irradiation

When an optically trapped and bound micrometer-sized chain of particles is subjected to a suitably oriented secondary laser beam above a threshold level of intensity, the structure will collapse. The effect arises from modifications to the interparticle energy landscapes owing to the superposition of optically induced potentials. From the theory it also emerges that, for particles separated by near-field distances, optically induced assemblies may be continuously transformed between linear, spherical, and lamellar forms. The results show scope for the optical fabrication of moldable nanoscale structures