Relation between biophysical properties of nanostructures and their toxicity on zebrafish.

In recent years, the use of commercial nanoparticles in different industry and health fields has increased exponentially. However, the uncontrolled application of nanoparticles might present a potential risk to the environment and health. Toxicity of these nanoparticles is usually evaluated by a fast screening assay in zebrafish (Danio rerio). The use of this vertebrate animal model has grown due to its small size, great adaptability, high fertilization rate and fast external development of transparent embryos. In this review, we describe the toxicity of different micro- and nanoparticles (carbon nanotubes, dendrimers, emulsions, liposomes, metal nanoparticles, and solid lipid nanoparticles) associated to their biophysical properties using this model. The main biophysical properties studied are size, charge and surface potential due to their impact on the environment and health effects. The review also discusses the correlation of the effects of the different nanoparticles on zebrafish. Special focus is made on morphological abnormalities, altered development and abnormal behavior. The last part of the review debates changes that should be made in future directions in order to improve the use of the zebrafish model to assess nanotoxicity.

Avoiding failed reconstitution of ultradeformable liposomes upon dehydration.

Although freeze-drying is an ordinarily used technique to dehydrate conventional liposomes, we have found that ultradeformable liposomes (UDLs) suffered irreversible aggregation when rehydrated upon freeze-drying (99.4% water elimination), even in high sugar content (4/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratio). When dehydrated by speed vac and vacuum drying, two alternative techniques that rendered less pronounced dehydration (94.27 and 96.2% water elimination, respectively) and avoid ice formation, however, UDL could only be successfully rehydrated when vacuum dried in 4/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratios. Conventional liposomes, on the other hand, were successfully reconstituted upon dehydrated by the three methods in lower sugar content (2/1 sucrose/lipid mass ratio). These results indicated that the 27% mole sodium cholate within the UDL lipid matrix was responsible for a greater and differential mechanical sensitivity of the bilayers to the different dehydration stress, as compared to conventional liposomes.

Photodynamic ultradeformable liposomes: Design and characterization.

Hydrophobic ([tetrakis(2,4-dimetil-3-pentyloxi)-phthalocyaninate]zinc(II)) (ZnPc) and hydrophilic ([tetrakis(N,N,N-trimethylammoniumetoxi)-phthalocyaninate]zinc(II) tetraiodide) (ZnPcMet) phthalocyanines were synthesized and loaded in ultradeformable liposomes (UDL) of soybean phosphatidylcholine and sodium cholate (6:1, w/w, ratio), resulting 100 nm mean size vesicles of negative Zeta potential, with encapsulation efficiencies of 85 and 53%, enthalpy of phase transition of 5.33 and 158 J/mmol for ZnPc and ZnPcMet, respectively, indicating their deep and moderate partition into UD matrices. Matrix elasticity of UDL-phthalocyanines resulted 28-fold greater than that of non-UDL, leaking only 25% of its inner aqueous content after passage through a nanoporous barrier versus 100% leakage for non-UDL. UDL-ZnPc made ZnPc soluble in aqueous buffer while kept the monomeric state, rendering singlet oxygen quantum yield (Phi(Delta)) similar to that obtained in ethanol (0.61), whereas UDL-ZnPcMet had a four-fold higher Phi(Delta) than that of free ZnPcMet (0.21). Free phthalocyanines were non-toxic at 1 and 10 microM, both in dark or upon irradiation at 15 J/cm2 on Vero and J-774 cells (MTT assay). Only liposomal ZnPc at 10 microM was toxic for J-774 cells under both conditions. Additionally, endo-lysosomal confinement of the HPTS dye was kept after irradiation at 15 J/cm2 in the presence of UDL-phtalocyanines. This could lead to improve effects of singlet oxygen against intra-vesicular pathogen targets inside the endo-lysosomal system.

Intravenous liposomal benznidazole as trypanocidal agent: increasing drug delivery to liver is not enough.

With the aim of investigating if delivery of benznidazole (BNZ) to liver could be increased by incorporating the drug in multilamellar liposomes, single bolus of free BNZ or liposomal BNZ formulations (MLV-BNZ) composed of HSPC:DSPG:Chol 2:1:2 (mol/mol/mol) at 0.7% (w/w) drug/total lipid ratio, were injected by intramuscular (i.m.), subcutaneous (s.c.) and intravenous (i.v.) routes, at 0.2 mg BNZ/kg, in rats. The resulting blood concentrations were followed along 9 h post-injection (p.i.) and drug accumulation in liver was determined after 4 and 9 h p.i. Only upon i.v. injection of MLV-BNZ, a threefold higher BNZ accumulation in liver was obtained, together with blood BNZ concentrations of 1.1 microg/ml (30% lower than the blood BNZ concentration achieved upon i.v. administration of free drug) occurred 4 h p.i. However, such increased liver uptake of BNZ, raised twice a week had no effect on parasitaemia levels of mice infected with the RA strain of Trypanosoma cruzi. Our results indicate that the relationship between increased selectivity for an infected tissue and therapeutic effect is not always straightforward, at least for the MLV-BNZ regimen used in the present study.

Antinociceptive activity of niga-ichigoside F1 from Rubus imperialis.

This work describes the antinociceptive effect of a triterpene glycoside, niga-ichigoside F1 (1), obtained from an EtOAc extract of the aerial parts of Rubus imperialis. When evaluated against an HOAc-induced writhing model, it exhibited an ID(50) value of 3.1 mg/kg (ip). Moreover, in a formalin-induced pain model, both phases of pain were inhibited by compound 1, with ID(50) values of 2.6 (first phase) and 2.7 (second phase) mg/kg, (ip), respectively.

Motivating staff to meet organizational goals.

Traditional systems for nursing compensation do little to acknowledge the value of nursing to the institution or to reward innovation. Increasingly, institutions are using salaried compensation programs to tie the goals of nurses to those of the institution. These systems, which distribute a portion of savings to participating nurses, require careful planning and implementation. Nurse managers play a critical role in preparing staff nurses for the program and in overseeing its operation. Properly designed and operated, an incentive program produces benefits far beyond the simple augmentation of salaries. It is likely that such programs will become more popular and will continue to evolve.

The effect of two concentrations of heparin on arterial catheter patency.

The use of invasive lines with heparinized fluid for hemodynamic monitoring is a routine procedure in critical care areas. The main objective of this study was to compare the duration of patency of indwelling arterial catheter lines and patient coagulation values when the recommended dilution of 1.0 U heparin/mL was used versus the use of only 0.25 U heparin/mL. One hundred four intensive care unit (ICU) patients were studied. There were no significant differences between the two groups in patency or coagulation values. The results of the study demonstrated that 0.25 U heparin/mL was sufficient to maintain arterial line patency for patients with lines in place for up to 3 days.