A Divalent PAMAM-Based Matrix Metalloproteinase/Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitor for the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome.

Synthetic sulfonamide derivatives are a class of potent matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPI) that have potential for the treatment of diseases related to uncontrolled expression of these enzymes. The lack of selectivity of the large majority of such inhibitors, leading to the inhibition of MMPs in tissues other than the targeted one, has dramatically reduced the therapeutic interest in MMPIs. The recent development of efficient drug delivery systems that allow the transportation of a selected drug to its site of action has opened the way to new perspectives in the use of MMPIs. Here, a PAMAM-based divalent dendron with two sulfonamidic residues was synthesized. This nanomolar inhibitor binds to the catalytic domain of two MMPs as well as to the transmembrane human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs) XII, which is present in the eye and considered an antiglaucoma target. In the animal model of an experimental dry eye, no occurrence of dotted staining in eyes treated with our inhibitor was observed, indicating no symptoms of corneal desiccation.

Immunotherapy of metastatic kidney cancer.

From April 1986 to September 2000, 122 MRCC patients were treated by monthly intralymphatic injections (containing a mean of 573 IL-2 U and 26 x 10(6) LAK cells) and i.m. administration of IFN and TF; 71 patients also received a 3-day cycle of monthly IL-2 inhalations with a mean of 998 daily U. MRCC cases not treated by immunotherapy (n = 89) represent our historical controls. Adverse clinical side effects related to treatment were negligible. CR (n = 11) and PR (n = 13) were noticed in 24/122 patients. Of 24 responding patients, 17 resumed progression, whereas 7 remain in remission 11-69 months later. The overall median survival of treated patients (28 months) was 3.5-fold higher than the median survival of historical controls (7.5 months), and a Kaplan-Meier curve showed 25% survival 11 years after the beginning of immunotherapy. Apparently, the addition of IL-2 by inhalation improved survival. The present immunotherapy protocol appears to be efficacious, safe, devoid of adverse side effects, far less costly than others and able to offer a good quality of life to MRCC patients; if confirmed in a multicenter trial, it could set the basis for developing low-dose immunomodulatory treatments.

A preliminary report on the use of transfer factor for treating stage D3 hormone-unresponsive metastatic prostate cancer.

As conventional treatments are unsuccessful, the survival rate of stage D3 prostate cancer patients is poor. Reports have suggested the existence of humoral and cell-mediated immunity (CMI) against prostate cancer tumour-associated antigens (TAA). These observations prompted us to treat stage D3 prostate cancer patients with an in vitro produced transfer factor (TF) able to transfer, in vitro and in vivo, CMI against bladder and prostate TAA. Fifty patients entered this study and received one intramuscular injection of 2-5 units of specific TF monthly. Follow-up, ranging from 1 to 9 years, showed that complete remission was achieved in 2 patients, partial remission in 6, and no progression of metastatic disease in 14. The median survival was 126 weeks, higher than the survival rates reported in the literature for patients of the same stage.

Use of transfer factor for the treatment of recurrent non-bacterial female cystitis (NBRC): a preliminary report.

Results of conventional treatment of female non-bacterial recurrent cystitis (NBRC) are discouraging. Most patients show an unexpected high incidence of vaginal candidiasis, while their cell mediated immunity to Herpes simplex viruses (HSV) and Candida antigens seems impaired, and it is known that the persistence of mucocutaneous chronic candidiasis is mainly due to a selective defect of CMI to Candida antigens. Twenty nine women suffering of NBRC, and in whom previous treatment with antibiotics and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs was unsuccessful, underwent oral transfer factor (TF) therapy. TF specific to Candida and/or to HSV was administered bi-weekly for the first 2 weeks, and then once a week for the following 6 months. No side effects were observed during treatment. The total observation period of our cohort was 24379 days with 353 episodes of cystitis recorded and a cumulative relapse index (RI) of 43. The observation period during and after treatment was 13920 days with 108 relapses and a cumulative RI of 23 (P < 0.0001). It, thus, seems that specific TF may be capable of controlling NBRC and alleviate the symptoms.

Structural evaluation of ceramic femoral heads: effect of taper friction, support conditions and trunnion compliance.

The outcome of a nonlinear finite element stress analysis of ceramic heads for artificial hip joints is presented. The analysis mainly covers the influence of taper friction, support conditions and trunnion modulus of elasticity on the hoop stress distribution at the surface of the head bore. The paper quantifies how much the maximum tensile stress decreases with increasing frictional coefficient, with stiffening of the support and with stiffening of the trunnion material. An appreciable rise of the maximum tensile upon unloading of the head is also shown for the case of cup support. The computational results are found in close correspondence with photoelastic measurements of taper pressures and encourage the use, for preliminary design purposes, of an approximate theoretical model retrieved from the literature.

Axisymmetric mechanical analysis of ceramic heads for total hip replacement.

An axisymmetric, mechanical analysis of conical press-fit ceramic heads is performed. The head strength and its fracture modes are assessed experimentally. The stress field is examined by finite element, strain gauge and photoelastic methods. An alternative head design, characterized by a cylindrical engagement with the stem, is analysed with the same techniques and its merits are explored.