Design and Validation of a Droplet-based Microfluidic System To Study Non-Photochemical Laser-Induced Nucleation of Potassium Chloride Solutions

Non-photochemical laser-induced nucleation (NPLIN) has emerged as a promising primary nucleation control technique offering spatiotemporal control over crystallization with potential for polymorph control. So far, NPLIN was mostly investigated in milliliter vials, through laborious manual counting of the crystallized vials by visual inspection. Microfluidics represents an alternative to acquiring automated and statistically reliable data. Thus we designed a droplet-based microfluidic platform capable of identifying the droplets with crystals emerging upon Nd:YAG laser irradiation using the deep learning method. In our experiments, we used supersaturated solutions of KCl in water, and the effect of laser intensity, wavelength (1064, 532, and 355 nm), solution supersaturation (S), solution filtration, and intentional doping with nanoparticles on the nucleation probability is quantified and compared to control cooling crystallization experiments. Ability of dielectric polarization and the nanoparticle heating mechanisms proposed for NPLIN to explain the acquired results is tested. Solutions with lower supersaturation (S = 1.05) exhibit significantly higher NPLIN probabilities than those in the control experiments for all laser wavelengths above a threshold intensity (50 MW/cm2). At higher supersaturation studied (S = 1.10), irradiation was already effective at lower laser intensities (10 MW/cm2). No significant wavelength effect was observed besides irradiation with 355 nm light at higher laser intensities (≥50 MW/cm2). Solution filtration and intentional doping experiments showed that nanoimpurities might play a significant role in explaining NPLIN phenomena

Fisioterapia após substituição artroscópica do ligamento cruzado cranial em cães: I - avaliação clínica, radiográfica e ultrassonográfica Physiotherapy after arthroscopic repair of the cranial cruciate ligament in dogs: I - clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic evaluation

Foram avaliadas a aplicabilidade da cirurgia artroscópica na substituição do ligamento cruzado cranial (LCC) e o efeito da fisioterapia pós-operatória, por meio de exames clínicos, radiográficos e ultrassonográficos, em 16 cães sem raça definida, machos, com pesos entre 19,2 e 26,3kg, submetidos à ruptura experimental do LCC e subsequente substituição deste ligamento pelo enxerto autógeno da fascia lata. Os animais foram distribuídos em dois grupos de oito cada: no grupo I os cães foram submetidos ao programa de fisioterapia pós-operatória e no grupo II à imobilização temporária do membro. Por meio dos exames citados, não foram verificadas diferenças significativas entre os dois grupos, e ambos demonstraram sinais de processo articular degenerativo. A função do membro foi avaliada com auxílio da plataforma de força, e os animais do grupo I apresentaram melhor apoio do membro operado durante o período de reabilitação. Conclui-se que a cirurgia artroscópica é uma técnica eficaz para substituição do LCC em cães, apesar de não impedir o desenvolvimento da doença articular degenerativa, e que a fisioterapia permite recuperação mais rápida no apoio do membro durante o período de reabilitação.<br>The reconstruction of experimentally ruptured cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) under arthroscopic guidance and the effects of an early postoperative rehabilitation program by clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic exams were evaluated. Sixteen male mongrel dogs weighing from 19.2 to 26.3kg had the CCL experimentally ruptured and the stifle joint was stabilized by the use of an intracapsular arthroscopical technique with fascia lata as an autogenous graft. Eight dogs were included in a postoperative physiotherapy group and the other eight in a temporary immobilization group. From serial clinical, radiographic, and ultrasonographic examinations, no differences between groups were observed, although all dogs had showed signs of degenerative joint disease. Limb function was determined after surgery using force platform analysis, and the animals from physiotherapy group had significantly better results during rehabilitation period. It can be concluded that arthroscopic surgery for reconstruction of the cranial cruciate ligament is an efficient method to be used in dogs, in spite of not preventing the degenerative joint disease, and the physiotherapy has beneficial effects on early limb function during the rehabilitation period