C60@lysozyme: a new photosensitizing agent for photodynamic therapy.

C60@lysozyme showed significant visible light-induced singlet oxygen generation in water, indicating the potential of this hybrid as an agent for photodynamic therapy. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration generated by C60@lysozyme during irradiation depends on the light source, the irradiation time and the concentration of the hybrid. C60@lysozyme significantly reduced the HeLa cell viability in response to visible light irradiation. The generation of H2O2, due to the photoactivity of C60@lysozyme, causes cell death via easy permeation of hydrogen peroxide through the cell membrane and activation of endogenous ROS production.

Highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence detection of a prostate cancer biomarker.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA), a glycoprotein expressed in the prostatic epithelium endowed with enzymatic activity, is a very promising diagnostic marker for the early detection of prostate cancer. In this study, we report a novel electrochemiluminescence ELISA-like immunosensor based on carbon nanotubes and a highly specific sandwich immunoassay for the PSMA detection. To fabricate the device, an optically transparent electrode was modified with doubly functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes carrying amine groups and a monoclonal anti-PSMA antibody. Subsequently, to complete the sandwich immunosensing device, a second specific monoclonal anti-PSMA antibody was labelled with a electrochemiluminescent probe. Under optimized experimental conditions, the proposed sensing device exhibits a performance exceeding that of the state of-the-art in terms of the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) as good as 0.88 ng mL-1 and 2.60 ng mL-1, respectively, in real complex samples such as cell lysates. In addition, the unique role of carbon nanotubes is also discussed by comparison with an analogue sensor assembled without the nanocarbon-based material.

Development and specificities of anti-interferon neutralizing antibodies in patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon-α.

Only limited data are available on the development of neutralizing antibodies (NAB) in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) treated with pegylated interferon-α (PEG-IFN-α). The aim of this study was to evaluate the immunogenicity of PEG-IFN-α when administered to CHC patients who had or had not previously received standard IFN-α therapy. In addition, the specificities of NAB, together with the ability of leucocyte (LE) -IFN-α to re-establish therapeutic responsiveness in NAB-positive patients, were evaluated. NAB were assessed using a quantitative, standardized, virus-induced cytopathic effect assay. The seroconversion rate to PEG-IFN-α was higher in patients who had received previous standard IFN-α treatment than in those treated exclusively with PEG-IFN-α. Also, NAB produced during PEG-IFN-α therapy were unable to neutralize LE-IFN-α entirely, even though they can neutralize several IFN-α subtypes. In addition, the results indicate that a change to LE-IFN-α therapy can be associated with restoration of clinical responses in NAB-positive patients who had become resistant after showing an initial response to PEG-IFN-α treatment. This study emphasizes the importance of evaluating NAB development in CHC patients who become resistant to PEG-IFN-α treatment, and suggests management alternatives for patients who develop NAB.

Assessment of regional myocardial performance with end-systolic pressure length and thickness relationships.

Although end-systolic pressure length and thickness relationships (ESPLR, ESPTR) are now widely used as substitutes for the end-systolic pressure volume relationships, there are some reservations about their use as an index of left ventricular (LV) performance. This study addressed three issues, namely: (1) which loading technique (decreasing preload by inferior vena cava (IVC) balloon occlusion or increasing systolic pressure by aortic constriction) is the most likely to yield usable data; (2) reproducibility of these relationships over a 30 min period; and (3) whether by using end-ejection (zero aortic flow) as a definition of end-systole, ESPLR and ESPTR can be used to characterize myocardial performance independent of load. Thirteen anesthetized beagles, weighing 16-25 kg, were used for this study, and were instrumented with sonomicrometers. We found that when ESPLR and ESPTR were constructed from data derived during aortic constriction, the slopes of these relationships were steeper and more curvilinear than when they were constructed from data recorded during IVC occlusion. In addition, the mean between ESPLR, ESPTR obtained 30 min apart was small, although there was a fair degree of variability between the first and second measurements. Using end-ejection to define end-systole, both ESPLR and ESPTR were relatively insensitive to loading conditions (LV end-diastolic pressure of 8-12 mmHg and 14-18 mmHg, aortic systolic pressure of 7-10 mmHg and 20-25 mmHg above baseline (in terms of the slope and shift (leftward or rightward) in these relationships, but were sensitive to inotropic interventions (dobutamine 2.5 micrograms/kg per min and 5 micrograms/kg per min). We conclude that, ESPLR and ESPTR, defined from measurements at end-ejection, can be used as adequate descriptors of regional myocardial performance if they were constructed from data over a similar pressure range during IVC balloon occlusion.

[Non-specific vaginitis and topical treatment. Comparison of flunoxaprofen and benzydamine]. / Vaginiti aspecifiche e trattamento topico. Confronto tra flunoxaprofene e benzidamina.

The efficacy and tolerability of a new NSAID-flunoxaprofen-have been evaluated in patients suffering from non specific vaginitis, by topical application for 20 days (vaginal washings with water solution of the preparation). The activity of flunoxaprofen has been compared with that of benzidamine with regard to normalization of bacterial vaginal flora, taking into consideration the increase of Döderlein bacillus. A remarkable significant improvement of all the symptoms has been observed in the group of patients treated with flunoxaprofen with respect to that receiving benzidamine; moreover 57.9% of the subjects treated with flunoxaprofen showed a significant increase of Döderlein bacillus while in the benzidamine group the percentage reached a value of 11.8%. Flunoxaprofen may be considered a useful and active tool for the topical treatment of non specific vaginal diseases.

[Cervical conization in the diagnosis and treatment of cervical epithelial neoplasms]. / La conizzazione cervicale nella diagnosi e nel trattamento della CIN.

Thirty-seven patients who underwent cone biopsy for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) of varying gravity have been considered. The follow-up points to the therapeutic as well as diagnostic value of this intervention (92% success). Analysis of the responses provided by colpocytology in comparison with those provided by biopsy, evidences the poor diagnostic reliability of the pap-test with respect to intraepithelial lesions of the uterine cervix (under-estimated in 51% of cases compared to biopsy). Operation did not substantially modify patients' reproductive capability (5 pregnancies of which 3 developing, during the control period) an extremely important factor in view of the young age of patients (average 31 years).

Bone marrow transplantation for severe aplastic anemia. A report of 9 cases.

9 patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA) were treated with bone marrow transplantation (BMT). 5 were conditioned with cyclophosphamide and received and HLA-identical graft (4 patients) or a mismatched graft (1 patient): 1 rejected the graft on day 30 and died on day 34 during conditioning for a second transplant; 1 died on day 15 with acute and severe graft versus host disease (GvHD) in the absence of haemopoietic engraftment; 3 are alive and complete chimeras at 1,069, 490 and 332 days after transplantation. GvHD developed in 4 patients and was treated successfully in 3 with high dose methylprednisolone and/or antilymphocytic globulin (ALG). 4 patients were conditioned with ALG and received bone marrow from a haploidentical sibling or parent: 1 patient was refractory; 3 patients showed evidence of hematologic reconstitution, but 2 of these required a second course of ALG. 3 patients in this group are alive between 60 and 490 days; 1 patient died on day 121 of HBSAg-negative acute hepatitis.

[Effect of sera from patients with Graves' disease on the E-rosette function of normal lymphocytes]. / Effetto dei sieri di pazienti affetti da morbo di Graves sulla funzione delle rosette E dei linfociti normali.

Sera from 9 of 12 patients with untreated Graves' disease were able to inhibit E-rosette function of T lymphocytes collected from peripheral blood of normal donors. In the same sera thyroid antibodies were detected.