We performed a new technique for foetal brain fixation and extraction that offers a remarkable reduction in sampling time facilitates specimen handling while conserving high quality. With the new fixation method, it is possible to obtain samples adequate for macroscopic and microscopic observations and immunohistochemical analysis. The technique involves the creation of an ex vacuo phenomenon in the subarachnoideal space prior to injecting the fixative solution. In this manner, the solution is homogenously distributed. Ease, reproducibility and the possibility of standardizing the procedure are the principal advantages. Low costs, reduced wording time and less need for human resources are other advantages. Histologically, we obtained, quickly, high quality slides with routine and immunohistochemical stains. Disadvantages of the technique derive from the use of formaldehyde and glacial acetic acid, rather than water to wash the samples; thus one must work in a well ventilated area, with gloves, protective glasses and an adequate lab coat to avoid skin and respiratory tract damage.

A sensitive and rapid method for the analysis of trazodone (TZD) and its metabolite, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)piperazine (m-CPP), in the serum and urine of rabbits treated with the drug was developed. The assay requires extraction from the biological fluids with adequately buffered organic solvents followed by HPLC. The assay allows good reproducibility, fair recovery, and excellent linearity in the range of 0.6 to 10 micrograms/mL for TZD and 1.2 to 20 micrograms/mL for m-CPP.

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Evaporation is crucial in many applications. One of the critical parameters affecting evaporation is surface wettability, which is often tailored using coatings and micro- or nanoscale features on the surface. While this approach has advanced many technologies, the ability to control wettability dynamically can add new functionalities and capabilities that were not possible before. This study demonstrates how a self-cleaning superhydrophobic surface with an equilibrium contact angle of 155° can dynamically change to a superhydrophilic surface with a contact angle near 0°, resulting in drastically different evaporation characteristics. Specifically, we find that the evaporation rate and surface temperature reduction due to the resulting cooling are 3 times higher due to the change in surface wettability. This change in wetting behavior is due to the use of an amino-silane [N-(2-aminoethyl)-11-aminoundecyltrimethoxysilane]-functionalized surface, which is altered in the presence of dilute acetic acid. Upon complete evaporation, the surface reverts to superhydrophobic behavior. This reversible behavior is not seen in traditional nonwetting coatings like perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane and lauric acid. This strategy for dynamic control of wettability and evaporation can lead to advancements in many applications ranging from self-assembly-based fabrication processes to oil–water separation and advanced thermal management technologies.

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