Treatment with antibiotics within the periodontal pocket against bacterial infections represents a useful and adjunctive tool to conventional therapy for healing and teeth preservation. With this function in view, an implantable, tetracycline delivery device for the treatment of periodontal disease was developed. The aim of this study was to develop biodegradable, tetracycline-loaded microparticles made of two polymers: PLGA and zein which were compressed into monolithic devices. In this polymer delivery system, the encapsulation efficiency, release characteristics, drug–polymer interaction, and antibacterial activity of loaded drug were investigated. The interaction of tetracycline with the corn protein zein was studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Fourier transform infrared, and X-ray diffraction. The hydrophobic interaction of tetracycline with zein in the formulations was deduced from the NMR studies, whereas X-ray diffraction studies showed a new crystalline state of the drug in the presence of the protein. Zein was not denatured by preparation of inserts. Sustained release of tetracycline was obtained, and the proportion of zein in the inserts had a great impact on the drug release. Finally, an effective tetracycline release from inserts against Staphylococcus aureus was achieved over 30 days. In conclusion, the PLGA:zein delivery system described in this study was found to be effective in controlled delivery of tetracycline, and hence may be suitable for intra-pocket delivery of antimicrobial agents in the treatment of periodontitis.

Different systemic and local responses to mycobacterial antigens suggest an active compartmentalization of responsive lymphocytes to tubercular antigens. This fact, observed in pleuritic processes, raises doubts about the accuracy of information obtained in the study of cells taken solely from peripheral blood. For this reason we decided to study the concept of compartmentalization in 140 patients suffering from pleural effusions. Patients were classified into six groups according to the aetiology of the effusion: group I, tuberculous, n = 23; group II, paraneoplastic, n = 41; group III, metapneumonic empyematous, n = 5; group IV, transudate, n = 38; group V, miscellaneous exudate, n = 19; group VI, unknown aetiology, n = 14. In each group we studied the lymphocyte population by using flow cytometry with doubly fluorescent monoclonal antibodies: B [expressing human lymphocyte antigen (HLA)-DR on the surface], T (CD3 +), CD4 + and CD8 +, and the subpopulation of activated T lymphocytes (together expressing CD3 and HLA-DR on the surface) (CD3 + DR +). The study of these subpopulations in peripheral blood did not yield valuable results, but the CD3 + DR + population in pleural fluid demonstrated a diagnostic efficiency of 84% [positive predictive value (PPV) 51%, negative predictive value (NPV) 96%] at a cut-off value of 80.4 cells/mm ³ . The CD3 + DR + pleural fluid/peripheral blood ratio demonstrated an efficiency of 83% (PPV 50%, NPV 96%), and showed a statistically significant difference ( P < 0·02) with regard to all the diagnostic groups, with the exception of the paraneoplastic effusions. The lymphocytic subpopulations study confirms the concept of compartmentalization in tuberculous pleuritis, as shown by the greater number of activated T lymphocytes present in pleural fluid in comparison with peripheral blood in tuberculous pleuritis, a 98% efficiency of adenosine deaminase (ADA) determination in pleural fluid versus a 50% value in peripheral blood, predominance of helper cells (CD4 +) in pleural fluid and suppressor cells (CD8 +) in peripheral blood, a greater CD4 + /CD8 + ratio in pleural fluid than in peripheral blood, and a significant correlation of ADA-CD3 + DR + in pleural fluid, which does not occur in peripheral blood.

We have investigated the reactions of silver nitrate and 3-(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids [H₂xspa, x: p = 3-phenyl-, f = 3-(2-furyl)-, t = 3-(2-thienyl)-, py = 3-(2-pyridyl)-] and 2-cyclopentylidene-2-sulfanylacetic acid (H₂L) in 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 molar ratios. The 1 : 1 molar ratio gave compounds of type [Ag(HL)]; reaction of these compounds with diisopropylamine and NaOH gave [HQ][Ag(L)] (HQ = diisopropylammonium) and Na[Ag(L)]·H₂O, respectively. These compounds, as well as those of type [Ag₂(L)] obtained with the 1 : 2 molar ratio, were isolated and characterized by IR and NMR (¹H and ¹³C) spectroscopy. ¹⁰⁹Ag NMR spectroscopy and ESI-MS spectrometry were also used in some cases. The crystal structures of [HQ][Ag(pspa)] (11), in which the presence of structural isomers was detected, and [HQ][Ag(cpa)] (15) were determined by X-ray diffractometry. The antimicrobial activity of the complexes against E. coli, S. aureus, B. subtilis, P. aeruginosa/Resistant P. aeruginosa, and C. albicans was tested.

The efficacy of intraperitoneal injection of an oil-based bivalent autogenous vaccine and the commercial vaccine AlphaJect 3000 (Pharmaq AS) to prevent atypical furunculosis and vibriosis in turbot was analyzed. The effect of both vaccines on health parameters and survival of fish after challenge with V. anguillarum and A. salmonicida subsp. achromogenes was tested. The autogenous vaccine conferred high levels of protection and long-lasting immunity against both pathogens with a single dose. However, severe side effects were observed in turbot injected with this autovaccine and minor negative effects with the AlphaJect 3000 vaccine and the adjuvant Montanide or Eolane. All vaccinated fish showed remarkable antibody agglutination titers, higher than those of control fish, which were maintained 160 d after vaccination. In conclusion, the autogenous bivalent vaccine induces long-lasting protection against atypical furunculosis and vibriosis in turbot, after administration of a single dose, at the cost of high side effects in fish. Therefore, the development of new vaccines should focus on autovaccines and the use of liquid paraffin adjuvants that increase protection with reduced or no side effects.