Early High-Titer Plasma Therapy to Prevent Severe Covid-19 in Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Therapies to interrupt the progression of early coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) remain elusive. Among them, convalescent plasma administered to hospitalized patients has been unsuccessful, perhaps because antibodies should be administered earlier in the course of illness. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of convalescent plasma with high IgG titers against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in older adult patients within 72 hours after the onset of mild Covid-19 symptoms. The primary end point was severe respiratory disease, defined as a respiratory rate of 30 breaths per minute or more, an oxygen saturation of less than 93% while the patient was breathing ambient air, or both. The trial was stopped early at 76% of its projected sample size because cases of Covid-19 in the trial region decreased considerably and steady enrollment of trial patients became virtually impossible. RESULTS: A total of 160 patients underwent randomization. In the intention-to-treat population, severe respiratory disease developed in 13 of 80 patients (16%) who received convalescent plasma and 25 of 80 patients (31%) who received placebo (relative risk, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29 to 0.94; P = 0.03), with a relative risk reduction of 48%. A modified intention-to-treat analysis that excluded 6 patients who had a primary end-point event before infusion of convalescent plasma or placebo showed a larger effect size (relative risk, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.20 to 0.81). No solicited adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Early administration of high-titer convalescent plasma against SARS-CoV-2 to mildly ill infected older adults reduced the progression of Covid-19. (Funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Fundación INFANT Pandemic Fund; Dirección de Sangre y Medicina Transfusional del Ministerio de Salud number, PAEPCC19, Plataforma de Registro Informatizado de Investigaciones en Salud number, 1421, and ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04479163.).

Influencia de un campo magnético oscilante en columnas poliméricas con nanopartículas magnéticas / Influence of an oscillating magnetic field on polymeric columns with magnetic nanoparticles / Influência de um campo magnético oscilante em colunas poliméricas com nanopartículas magnéticas

Resumen Las nanopartículas magnéticas de magnetita (MNP) presentan comportamiento superparamagnético, lo que les confiere propiedades importantes como bajo campo coercitivo, fácil modificación superficial y niveles de magnetización aceptables. Esto las hace útiles en técnicas de separación. Sin embargo, pocos estudios han experimentado con las interacciones de las MNP con campos magnéticos. Por tanto, el objetivo de esta investigación fue estudiar la influencia de un campo magnético oscilante (CMO) en columnas monolíticas poliméricas con nanopartículas magnéticas vinilizadas (VMNP) para cromatografía líquida capilar (cLC). Para ello, se sintetizaron MNP mediante coprecipitación de sales de hierro. La preparación de las columnas monolíticas poliméricas se realizó por copolimerización y la agregación de VMNP. Aprovechando las propiedades magnéticas de las MNP, se estudió la influencia de los parámetros como frecuencia de resonancia, intensidad y tiempo de exposición de un CMO, aplicado a las columnas sintetizadas. Como resultado se obtuvo una mejor separación de la muestra según los parámetros medidos, de modo que se logró una resolución de la columna (Rs) de 1,35. Las propiedades morfológicas de las columnas fueron evaluadas mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido (SEM). Los resultados de las propiedades cromatográficas revelaron que la mejor separación de la muestra de alquilbencenos se da en condiciones de 5,5 kHz y 10 min de exposición en el CMO. Este estudio constituye una primera aplicación en técnicas de separación cromatográficas para futuras investigaciones en nanotecnología.

Abstract Magnetite magnetic nanoparticles (MNP) exhibit superparamagnetic behavior, which gives them important properties such as low coercive field, easy surface modification and acceptable levels of magnetization, making them useful in separation techniques. However, few studies have experimented the interactions they have with magnetic fields. For this reason, in this research, the influence of an oscillating magnetic field (CMO) on polymeric monolithic columns containing vinylized magnetite magnetic nanoparticles (VMNP) for capillary liquid chromatography was studied. For this, MNP were synthesized, by co-precipitation of iron salts. The preparation of the polymeric monolithic columns was carried out by the copolymerization method and the subsequent aggregation of VMNP. Taking advantage of the magnetic properties of the MNPs, the influence of various parameters (resonance frequency, intensity, and exposure time) of an CMO applied to the synthesized columns was studied. As a result, a better separation of the sample according to the measured parameters was obtained. Thus, achieving a column resolution (Rs) of 1.35. The morphological properties of monolithic columns were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results of the chromatographic properties showed that the best separation of the sample of alkylbenzenes (ABS) in cLC occurs under conditions of 5.5 kHz and 10 min of exposure in the CMO. This study constitutes the first application in chromatographic separation techniques for future nanotechnology research.

Resumo As nanopartículas de magnetita magnética (MNPs) têm comportamento superparamagnético, o que lhes confere propriedades importantes como baixo campo coercitivo, fácil modificação da superfície e níveis aceitáveis de magnetização, tornando os úteis nas técnicas de separação. No entanto, poucos estudos foram realizados experimentando as interações exercidas pelos campos magnéticos. Portanto, o objetivo da presente investigação foi estudar a influência de um campo magnético oscilante (CMO) em colunas monolíticas poliméricas contendo nanopartículas magnéticas vinilizadas (VMNPs) para cromatografia líquida capilar (cLC). Para isso, MNPs foram sintetizados por co-precipitação de sais de ferro. A preparação das colunas monolíticas poliméricas foi realizada por copolimerização e subsequente agregação de VMNPs. Em seguida, aproveitando as propriedades magnéticas do MNPs, estudou-se a influência de vários parâmetros (frequência de ressonância, intensidade e tempo de exposição) de uma CMO aplicada nas colunas sintetizadas, obtendo vantagens como uma melhor separação da amostra e uma resolução (Rs) de coluna de 1,35. As propriedades morfológicas das colunas monolíticas foram avaliadas por microscopia eletrônica de varredura (SEM). Os resultados das propriedades cromatográficas mostraram que a melhor separação da amostra de alquilbenzenos (ABS) em cLC ocorre em condições de 5,5 kHz e 10 min de exposição na CMO. Este estudo constitui uma primeira aplicação em técnicas de separação cromatográfica para futuras investigações em nanotecnologia.