Abstract Polymersomes are nanometric vesicles that can encapsulate large and hydrophilic biomolecules, such as proteins, in the aqueous core. Data in literature show large variation in encapsulation efficiency (%EE) values depending on the method used for calculation. We investigated different approaches (direct and indirect) to quantify the %EE of different proteins (catalase, bovine serum albumin-BSA, L-asparaginase and lysozyme) in Pluronic L-121 polymersomes. Direct methods allow quantification of the actual payload of the polymersomes and indirect methods are based on the quantification of the remaining non-encapsulated protein. The protein-loaded polymersomes produced presented approximately 152 nm of diameter (PDI ~ 0.4). Higher %EE values were obtained with the indirect method (up to 25%), attributed to partial entanglement of free protein in the polymersomes poly(Ethylene Glycol) corona. For the direct methods, vesicles were disrupted with chloroform or proteins precipitated with solvents. Reasonable agreement was found between the two protocols, with values up to 8%, 6%, 17.6% and 0.9% for catalase, BSA, L-asparaginase and lysozyme, respectively. We believe direct determination is the best alternative to quantify the %EE and the combination of both protocols would make results more reliable. Finally, no clear correlation was observed between protein size and encapsulation efficiency.

Biopharmaceuticals are gaining a growing share of the pharmaceuticals market. In recent years, the Brazilian Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has approved the registration of biological drugs with domestic production. Although Brazil is in the early stages of biopharmaceutical production, governmental incentives and the investment in private companies in the technological domain in this country have created expectations of an increase in the capacity of biopharmaceutical production. Private initiatives, once rare, have now started to blossom in this field, such as collagenase from Cristalia and filgrastim from Eurofarm. The expiry of the patents for certain biopharmaceuticals (e.g. infliximab, filgrastim and rituximab) has generated the possibility of savings to the Brazilian National Health System (SUS) in terms of biosimilars and incentives for national production. National production could also avoid dependence on external imports and a lack of essential supplies. In the next few years, Brazil is expected to bring nationally produced biopharmaceuticals to the market. Although there is some way to go before Brazil will be able to sustain the national demand for biopharmaceuticals and supply international markets with new products, the country is starting to take its first steps towards these objectives.

Resumo Objetivo: Analisar se as informações veiculadas em sites populares estão de acordo com os passos recomendados no Guia Alimentar para Crianças Menores de Dois Anos do Ministério da Saúde (2010). Métodos: Estudo descritivo/comparativo, executado entre agosto e outubro de 2014, no qual foi feita uma busca por sites populares (para leigos) na língua portuguesa que continham informações sobre a alimentação de crianças menores de dois anos. A ferramenta de busca usada foi o Google. As informações encontradas foram comparadas com o Guia Alimentar para Crianças Menores de Dois Anos do Ministério da Saúde (2010). Foi verificado nos sites se a informação apresentada estava de acordo com o Guia. Resultados: Foram analisados 50 sites, entre os quais blogs, sites de empresas alimentícias e sites especializados em nutrição infantil. Apenas 10% dessas páginas apresentaram corretamente todos os passos do Guia Alimentar. As recomendações foram: aleitamento materno exclusivo até o sexto mês (80%); alimentação complementar a partir dos 6 meses de vida (36%); consistência da papa salgada de acordo com o Guia (48%); incentivo ao consumo de frutas, verduras e legumes diariamente (60%). Sobre a segurança e a higiene da alimentação complementar, 26% continham informações corretas. Somente 36% alertavam corretamente sobre quais alimentos devem ser evitados nos primeiros anos de vida. Conclusões: As informações contidas nos sites apresentam, em grande parte, discordância com o que é preconizado pelo Ministério da Saúde, o que pode acarretar equívocos no cuidado nutricional com os menores de dois anos.

Abstract Objective: To analyze whether the information found on popular Internet sites are in accordance with the steps recommended by the Food Guide for Children Younger than Two Years of the Ministry of Health (2010). Methods: Descriptive/comparative study, carried out between August and October 2014, which carried out a search for popular sites (for lay people) in Portuguese, containing information on nutrition of children younger than two years. The Google search engine was used. These findings were compared with the Food Guide for Children Younger than Two Years of the Ministry of Health (2010). It was verified whether the information shown on the websites was in accordance with the Guide. Results: A total of 50 sites were analyzed, including blogs, food company websites and websites specialized in child nutrition. Only 10% of those pages correctly showed every step of the Food Guide. The recommendations were: exclusive breastfeeding up to six months of life (80%); complementary feeding from six months of life (36%); baby food consistency according to the guide (48%); encouraging the consumption of fruits and vegetables daily (60%). Regarding the complementary feeding safety and hygiene, 26% contained correct information. Only 36% correctly warned about which foods should be avoided in the first years of life. Conclusions: The information found on the sites is largely in disagreement with the Ministry of Health recommendations, which can lead to misconceptions in the nutritional care of the children younger than two years.

A carboplatina é um derivado da cisplatina, possuindo mecanismo de ação similar, diferindo em estrutura e toxicidade. Este fármaco foi aprovado pelo FDA em meados de 1980 e, desde então, tem sido amplamente usado no tratamento de diversos tipos de tumores. Este agente é caracterizado por sua habilidade em gerar lesões no DNA através da formação de adutos com a platina, inibindo a replicação e a transcrição, levando à morte celular. Entretanto, seu uso pode levar a graves inconvenientes, advindos do desenvolvimento de resistência que alguns pacientes adquirem durante o tratamento, limitando o alcance de seu potencial. Até então, os mecanismos bioquímicos relacionados ao problema da resistência não são precisamente conhecidos. Dessa forma, o conhecimento das vias associadas à resistência causada pela exposição à carboplatina pode prover valiosas informações para o planejamento racional de fármacos com base em platina mais eficiente e para o desenvolvimento de novas estratégias terapêuticas. Nesta revisão narrativa, serão discutidos alguns mecanismos de resistência a fármacos com base em platina, especialmente ao antitumoral carboplatina.

Carboplatin is a derivative of cisplatin; it has a similar mechanism of action, but differs in terms of structure and toxicity. It was approved by the FDA in the 1980s and since then it has been widely used in the treatment of several tumor types. This agent is characterized by its ability to generate lesions in DNA through the formation of adducts with platinum, thereby inhibiting replication and transcription and leading to cell death. However, its use can lead to serious inconvenience arising from the development of resistance that some patients acquire during treatment, limiting the scope of its full potential. Currently, the biochemical mechanisms related to resistance are not precisely known. Therefore, knowledge of pathways associated with resistance caused by carboplatin exposure may provide valuable clues for more efficient rational drug design in platinum-based therapy and the development of new therapeutic strategies. In this narrative review, we discuss some of the known mechanisms of resistance to platinum-based drugs, especially carboplatin.

Este trabalho teve como objetivo a avaliação da toxidade aguda e subaguda do óleo essencial de Piper aduncum pela determinação da DL50 em camundongos e a análise dos parâmetros bioquímicos e hematológicos em ratos. A planta é utilizada na medicina popular da região amazônica em diversas doenças e no seu óleo essencial o constituinte majoritário é o fenilpropanóide dilapiol, com propriedades inseticida, fungicida, bactericida, larvicida e moluscicida. A DL50 foi de 2,400 ± 191,7 mg/kg. O óleo essencial não alterou de maneira significativa os parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos em relação ao controle no tratamento subagudo, exceto a redução da creatinina. O valor da DL50 e os resultados observados nos parâmetros hematológicos e bioquímicos sugerem que o óleo essencial apresenta toxidade baixa.

The aim of this work was the acute and subacute toxicological evaluation of the essential oil of Piper aduncum with the determination of the LD50 in mice and the analysis of their hematological and biochemical parameters in rats. The plant is used in the Amazon folk medicine for several diseases and the phenylpropanoid dilapiolle is the main constituent of its essential oil, possessing insecticidal, fungicidal, bactericidal, larvicidal and molluscicidal properties. The LD50 was 2.400 ± 191.7 mg/kg. The essential oil did not change the hematological and biochemical parameters in a significant manner when compared with the control in the subacute treatment, excepting the reduction of creatinine. The LD50 and the hematological and biochemical results have suggested that the essential oil presents low toxicity.