Multifarenes: new modular cavitands.

Multifarenes, a new class of macrocycles, which are constructed of alternating building blocks, are conveniently accessible by three complementary syntheses that provide modularity and scalability. In addition to metal-ion coordination, these cavitands show increased flexibility with increasing ring size, offering opportunities for induced fit to guest molecules.

Salivary monitoring related to major surgery.

BACKGROUND: Prolonged surgical procedures involving stress, extended general anaesthesia and a long pre-surgical fasting period may have systemic effects such as alterations in saliva flow rate and composition. These may compromise the patient's electrolytes and fluid balance and cause dehydration, systemic stress and oxidative changes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Saliva was collected prior and following surgery from 20 patients and 20 control subjects. The saliva samples were analysed for flow rates and levels of the following: calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), total protein, albumin and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), total antioxidant status (TAS), uric acid (UA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), carbonyls, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) -2, -3 and -9 and heat shock proteins (HSPs) 70 and 90. RESULTS: Salivary levels of Ca, Mg, protein, albumin and LDH were higher in post-surgical patients by 70% (P = 0·002), 88% (P = 0·0001), 120% (P = 0·13), 111% (P = 0·039) and 492% (P = 0·006) respectively than that in healthy controls. Salivary antioxidants in the surgical patients were higher while salivary carbonyls remained unchanged. Salivary TAS levels in pre- and post-surgical patients were higher by 63% (P = 0·001) and 85% (P = 0·0001) respectively, UA concentrations by 92% (P = 0·014) and 81% (P = 0·036) respectively and SOD values by 47% (P = 0·61) and 112% (P = 0·049) respectively. Salivary concentrations of MMP3 were higher in pre- and post-surgical patients by 23% (P = 0·067) and 30% (P = 0·044) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Local salivary, oral and systemic-induced alterations should be prevented. Moreover, salivary collection and analysis may be a new, efficient tool in the monitoring of patients undergoing major surgery. Further related research is necessary.

Salivary antioxidants and metalloproteinases in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common autoimmune inflammatory disease in children; joint inflammation is the hallmark of the disease. Thirty-five children with JIA were studied, of whom 26 had active disease and 14 were receiving anti-TNF therapy (5 with Infliximab, 9 with Etanercept). Sixteen healthy controls also were studied. Saliva samples were obtained for analysis of anti-oxidant status, metalloproteinases (MMPs) and sialochemistry. The total antioxidant status was significantly higher in the saliva of all JIA patients, whether treated (P = 0.014) or not treated (P = 0.038) with anti-TNF agents. The increase in antioxidant status (TAS) in the saliva of the active patients was nearly two times higher than that of non-active patients (P = 0.01). MMP levels were significantly lower in JIA patients than in controls. MMP-9, MMP-3 and MMP-2 were lower in JIA patients without anti-TNF treatment by 36.7% (P = 0.01), 30.0% (P = 0.0001) and 10.7% (P = 0.0001), respectively. A greater reduction in MMP levels was observed in the group of patients treated with anti-TNF drugs: MMP-9, MMP-3 and MMP-2 were lower than in controls by 51.1% (P = 0.0001), 61.5% (P = 0.0001) and 55.4% (P = 0.0001), respectively. Children with JIA exhibited a significantly higher salivary antioxidant activity and significantly lower MMP levels. Anti-TNF treatment was associated with a further decrease in MMP levels in the saliva of JIA patients while an active state of JIA was associated with a further increase in the salivary antioxidant activity. Anti-TNF treatment may modulate the degradation process during the course of arthritis by inhibition of the activity of MMP.