Transferrin-functionalized lipid nanoparticles for curcumin brain delivery.

Curcumin is an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound with potent neuroprotective activity. Due to its poor water solubility, low bioavailability, rapid elimination and the challenges for crossing and transposing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) and nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) loaded with curcumin were successfully produced and functionalized with transferrin, in order to mediate the transport of these particles through the BBB endothelium to the brain. The nanosystems revealed Z-averages under 200 nm, polydispersity index below 0.2 and zeta potential around -30 mV. Curcumin encapsulation around 65 % for SLNs and 80 % for NLCs was accomplished, while the functionalized nanoparticles presented a value around 70-75 %. A stability study revealed these characteristics remained unchanged for at least 3 months. hCMEC/D3 cells viability was firstly analysed by MTT and LDH assays, respectively, and a concentration of 10 µM of curcumin-loaded nanoparticles were then selected for the subsequent permeability assay. The permeability study was conducted using transwell devices with hCMEC/D3 cells monolayers and a 1.5-fold higher permeation of curcumin through the BBB was verified. Both SLNs and NLCs are promising for curcumin brain delivery, protecting the incorporated curcumin and targeting to the brain by the addition of transferrin to the nanoparticles surface.

Efficiency of bioaugmentation in the removal of organic matter in aquaculture systems.

Several techniques are currently used to treat effluents. Bioaugmentation is a new bioremediation strategy and has been employed to improve effluent quality by treating the water during the production process. This technology consists basically of the addition of microorganisms able to degrade or remove polluting compounds, especially organic matter and nutrients. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of bioaugmentation on some parameters of organic matter and on the performance of juvenile tilapias in an intensive aquaculture production system. The combination of two bacterial consortiums in a complete randomized design was employed in a factorial analysis with two factors. Statistical differences between treatments were analyzed by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey test at the 5% level. One of the treatments, heterotrophic bacterial supplementation, was able to reduce biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) by 23%, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 83.7% and phytoplanktonic biomass by 43%. On the other hand, no damage was done to either the physical-chemical indicators of water quality or to the growth performance of juvenile tilapias assessed in this study.