Potential Use of DMSA-Containing Iron Oxide Nanoparticles as Magnetic Vehicles against the COVID-19 Disease.

Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have been employed as potential vehicles for a large number of biomedical applications, such as drug delivery. This article describes the synthesis, characterization and in vitro cytotoxic in COVID-19 cells evaluation of DMSA superparamagnetic iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles. Magnetite (Fe3O4) nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation of iron salts and coated with meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) molecule. Structural and morphological characterizations were performed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR), magnetic measurements (SQUID), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Our results demonstrate that the nanoparticles have a mean diameter of 12 nm in the solid-state and are superparamagnetic at room temperature. There is no toxicity of SPIONS-DMSA under the cells of patients with COVID-19. Taken together the results show that DMSA- Fe3O4 are good candidates as nanocarriers in the alternative treatment of studied cells.

Study of the relationship between applied transmembrane pressure and antimicrobial activity of lysozyme.

During the processing of biomolecules by ultrafiltration, the lysozyme enzyme undergoes conformational changes, which can affect its antibacterial activity. Operational conditions are considered to be one of the main parameters responsible for such changes, especially when using the same membrane and molecule. The present study demonstrates that, the same cut-off membrane (commercial data) can result in different properties of the protein after filtration, due to their different pore network. The filtration of lysozyme, regardless of the membrane, produces a decrease in the membrane hydraulic permeability (between 10 and 30%) and an increase in its selectivity in terms of observed rejection rate (30%). For the filtrated lysozyme, it appears that the HPLC retention time increases depending on the membrane used. The antibacterial activity of the filtrated samples is lower than the native protein and decreases with the increase of the applied pressure reaching 55-60% loss for 12 bar which has not been reported in the literature before. The observed results by SEC-HPLC and bacteriological tests, suggest that the conformation of the filtrated molecules are indeed modified. These results highlight the relationship between protein conformation or activity and the imposed shear stress.

Crenças sobre gestação, parto e maternidade em mulheres gestantes com histórico de abortamento habitual / Befiefs on maternity, childbirth, and maternity in pregnant women with a background of habitual abortion

Este estudo tem como objetivo identificar as crenças existentes no período gestacional acerca da gestação e maternidade, bem como investigar as expectativas em relação ao parto. Foram entrevistadas 32 gestantes, em acompanhamento pré-natal no Ambulatório de Abortamento Habitual. Foram realizadas entrevistas semidirigidas, com um questionário previamente elaborado. A análise dos dados foi desenvolvida através de uma análise quantitativa e, qualitativa, por meio da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo. Os resultados obtidos versam sobre a influência da cultura e dos valores sociais enquanto fatores importantes às questões referentes à gestação e a maternidade. Conclui-se que, para essas mulheres, gerar um filho é uma tentativa de dar novo sentido à vida, sendo uma realização mais do que pessoal, social, instituída culturalmente à mulher. A reprodução é vista como uma norma social, em que se espera das mulheres desejem e gerem filhos, colocando-as em uma posição extremamente vulnerável ante a impossibilidade de gerá-los.(AU)

This study has as its purpose the identification of existing beliefs during the period of pregnancy on pregnancy itself and maternity. In addition, the study proposes to investigate expectations in relation to birth in pregnant women. A sample of 32 pregnant women was used. Semi structured interviews were employed, with a previously prepared questionnaire. The data analysis was both quantitative and qualitative, and carried out through the Content Analysis Technique. The results obtained related to the influence of culture and social values as important factors in the issues of pregnancy and maternity. The study concluded that, for these women, giving birth to a child is an attempt to give new meaning to life, this being a social duty that is actually expected of women more than being something personal, in which reproduction and the desire to bring forth children is seen as a social norm. This puts them in an extremely vulnerable position when they find it impossible to do so.(AU)