Nanotechnology and the Treatment of HIV Infection

Suboptimal adherence, toxicity, drug resistance and viral reservoirs make the lifelong treatment of HIV infection challenging. The emerging field of nanotechnology may play an important role in addressing these challenges by creating drugs that possess pharmacological advantages arising out of unique phenomena that occur at the “nano” scale. At these dimensions, particles have physicochemical properties that are distinct from those of bulk materials or single molecules or atoms. In this review, basic concepts and terms in nanotechnology are defined, and examples are provided of how nanopharmaceuticals such as nanocrystals, nanocapsules, nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanocarriers, micelles, liposomes and dendrimers have been investigated as potential anti-HIV therapies. Such drugs may, for example, be used to optimize the pharmacological characteristics of known antiretrovirals, deliver anti-HIV nucleic acids into infected cells or achieve targeted delivery of antivirals to the immune system, brain or latent reservoirs. Also, nanopharmaceuticals themselves may possess anti-HIV activity. However several hurdles remain, including toxicity, unwanted biological interactions and the difficulty and cost of large-scale synthesis of nanopharmaceuticals

A trajetória de Henrique da Rocha Lima e as relações teuto-brasileiras (1901-1956) The career of Henrique da Rocha Lima and German-Brazilian relations (1901-1956)

A trajetória de Henrique da Rocha Lima vincula-se estreitamente às relações científicas e culturais entre Brasil e Alemanha. Seus trabalhos científicos foram produzidos em instituições de pesquisa biomédica dos dois países, mas foi na Alemanha que ele conquistou projeção internacional, graças a suas pesquisas nos campos da microbiologia, patologia e medicina tropical. Lastreado pelo prestígio e boa inserção nas comunidades científicas brasileira e alemã, contribuiu para o estreitamento do intercâmbio intelectual entre os dois países, mobilizando diversos personagens e instituições como pontos de apoio. Apresentam-se percalços e desafios impostos pelo estudo desse personagem complexo, cuja trajetória lança luz, a um só tempo, sobre os meandros das relações científicas internacionais e sobre processos sócio-históricos marcantes na institucionalização das ciências no Brasil.<br>The career of Henrique da Rocha Lima is closely linked to cultural and scientific relations between Brazil and Germany. He pursued his scientific work at biomedical research institutions in both countries, but it was in Germany that he attained international standing, thanks to his research in the fields of microbiology, pathology and tropical medicine. His prestige and active participation in both Brazil's and Germany's scientific communities meant he was able to further academic interchange between both nations, mobilizing many people and institutions to contribute to this process. I present the obstacles and challenges faced in studying this complex character, whose career sheds light on the machinations of international scientific relations and some socio-historical processes that marked the institutionalization of science in Brazil