Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent types of malignant tumors in the world, resulting in a high incidence of death. The development of new molecules and technologies aiming to apply more effective and safer therapy strategies has been intensively explored to overcome this situation. The association of nanoparticles with known antitumor compounds (including plant-derived molecules such as curcumin) has been considered an effective approach to enhance tumor growth suppression and reduce adverse effects. Therefore, the objective of this systematic review was to summarize published data regarding evaluations about efficacy and toxicity of curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-NPs) in in vivo models of breast cancer. The search was carried out in the databases: CINAHL, Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, FSTA, MEDLINE, ProQuest, BSV regional portal, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. Studies that evaluated tumor growth in in vivo models of breast cancer and showed outcomes related to Cur-NP treatment (without association with other antitumor molecules) were included. Of the 528 initially gathered studies, 26 met the inclusion criteria. These studies showed that a wide variety of NP platforms have been used to deliver curcumin (e.g., micelles, polymeric, lipid-based, metallic). Attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) chains (PEG) and active targeting moieties were also evaluated. Cur-NPs significantly reduced tumor volume/weight, inhibited cancer cell proliferation, and increased tumor apoptosis and necrosis. Decreases in cancer stem cell population and angiogenesis were also reported. All the studies that evaluated toxicity considered Cur-NP treatment to be safe regarding hematological/biochemical markers, damage to major organs, and/or weight loss. These effects were observed in different in vivo models of breast cancer (e.g., estrogen receptor-positive, triple-negative, chemically induced) showing better outcomes when compared to treatments with free curcumin or negative controls. This systematic review supports the proposal that Cur-NP is an effective and safe therapeutic approach in in vivo models of breast cancer, reinforcing the currently available evidence that it should be further analyzed in clinical trials for breast cancer treatments.

Curcumin is a polyphenolic compound, derived from Curcuma longa, and it has several pharmacological effects such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antitumor. Although it is a pleiotropic molecule, curcumin’s free form, which is lipophilic, has low bioavailability and is rapidly metabolized, limiting its clinical use. With the advances in techniques for loading curcumin into nanostructures, it is possible to improve its bioavailability and extend its applications. In this review, we gather evidence about the comparison of the pharmacokinetics (biodistribution and bioavailability) between free curcumin (Cur) and nanostructured curcumin (Cur-NPs) and their respective relationships with antitumor efficacy. The search was performed in the following databases: Cochrane, LILACS, Embase, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Clinical Trials, BSV regional portal, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and Web of Science. The selected studies were based on studies that used High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) as the pharmacokinetics evaluation method. Of the 345 studies initially pooled, 11 met the inclusion criteria and all included studies classified as high quality. In this search, a variety of nanoparticles used to deliver curcumin (polymeric, copolymeric, nanocrystals, nanovesicles, and nanosuspension) were found. Most Cur-NPs presented negative Zeta potential ranging from −25 mV to 12.7 mV, polydispersion index (PDI) ranging from 0.06 to 0.283, and hydrodynamic diameter ranging from 30.47 to 550.1 nm. Selected studies adopted mainly oral and intravenous administrations. In the pharmacokinetics analysis, samples of plasma, liver, tumor, lung, brain, kidney, and spleen were evaluated. The administration of curcumin, in nanoparticle systems, resulted in a higher level of curcumin in tumors compared to free curcumin, leading to an improved antitumor effect. Thus, the use of nanoparticles can be a promising alternative for curcumin delivery since this improves its bioavailability.

One of the advantages of using biodiesel and its blends with diesel oil is the lower levels of emissions of particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, among others, making it less harmful to the environment and to humans. However, this biofuel is susceptible to microbial contamination and biodeterioration. In this sense, studies on the use of effective low toxicity biocides are being carried out, and this work aims to present the latest information (2008–2018) available in the scientific databases, on the use of biocides in biodiesel, mainly concerning their toxicity to the environment and public health. The results showed that in relation to the control of microbial contamination, the current scenario is limited, with seven publications, in which the most studied additives were isothiazolinones, oxazolidines, thiocyanates, morpholines, oxaborinanes, thiocarbamates and phenolic antioxidants. Studies regarding direct experiments with humans have not been found, showing the need for more studies in this area, since the potential growth of biodiesel production and consumption in the world is evident. Thus, there are need for more studies on antimicrobial products for use in biodiesel, with good broad-spectrum activity (bactericidal and fungicidal), and further toxicological tests to ensure no or little impact on the environment.

Background: Infusion Pumps (IP) are medical devices that were developed in the 1960s and generate fluid flow at pressures higher than that of normal blood pressure. Various hospital sectors make use of them, and they have become indispensable in therapies requiring continuity and precision in the administration of medication and/or food. As they are classified Class III (high risk) equipment, their maintenance is crucial for proper performance of the device, as well as patient and operator safety. The principal consideration of the pump is the volume infused, and the device demands great attention to detail when being calibrated. A lack of necessary care with this equipment can lead to uncertainty in volume and precision during the administration of substances. Because of this, it is essential to evaluate its reliability, to prevent possible failures at time of execution. This control aims at the quality of the intended infusion result, becoming an indication of quality. Methods: This systematic review summarizes studies done over the last 10 years (2011 to December 2021) that address the reliability and accuracy of hospital infusion pumps, in order to identify planning of maintenance and/or other techniques used in management of the equipment. The Prisma method was applied and the databases utilized were Embase, MEDLINE/Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and Science Direct. In addition, similar reviews were studied in Prospero and the Cochrane Library. For data analysis, softwares such as Mendeley, Excel, RStudio, and VOSviewer were used, and Robvis helped in plotting risk of bias results for studies performed with Cochrane tools. Results: The six databases selected produced 824 studies. After applying eligibility criteria (inclusion and exclusion), removing duplicates, and applying filters 1 and 2, 15 studies were included in the present review. It was found that the most relevant sources came from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and that the most relevant keywords revolved around the terms (“device failure”, “infusion pumps”, “adverse effects”, “complications”, etc.). These results made clear that there remains substantial room for improvement as it relates to the study of accuracy and reliability of infusion. Conclusions: We verified that the reliability and precision analysis of hospital infusion pumps need to be performed in a more detailed and consistent way. New developments, considering the model and IP specification, are intended, clearly explaining the adopted methodology.