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Bacteria of the genus Staphylococcus are a prominent cause of acute and chronic infections. The ability of the staphylococci to establish biofilms has been linked to the persistence of chronic infections, which has drawn considerable interest from researchers over the past decade. Biofilms can be defined as sessile communities of surface-attached cells encased in an extracellular matrix, and treatment of bacteria in this mode of growth is challenging due to the resistance of biofilm structures to both antimicrobials and host defenses. In this review of the literature, we introduce Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis biofilms and summarize current antibiotic treatment approaches for staphylococcal biofilm infections. We also review recent studies on alternative strategies for preventing biofilm formation and dispersing established biofilms, including matrix-degrading enzymes, small-molecule approaches, and manipulation of natural staphylococcal disassembly mechanisms. While research on staphylococcal biofilm development is still in its early stages, new discoveries in the field hold promise for improved therapies that target staphylococcal biofilm infections., (© 2011 New York Academy of Sciences.)

The early identification of a neurological involvement in Gaucher's Disease (GD) is essential for a correct dosage of the enzymatic therapy. The saccadic eye movement characteristics of 15 patients affected by the non-neurological GD form show normal peak velocity values and some slight alterations of the velocity profiles present in more than 70% of the recorded eye movements in four cases; two of them later developed epilepsy. This fact supports the hypothesis that the presence of alterations in the velocity profile of the most part of saccadic movements is an index of initial neurological involvement. Further evaluations are necessary in order to understand if an increase of therapy dose should be used in all the subjects presenting such saccadic alterations.

The basic principles of artificial cells, encapsulation and immobilization form the basis for a number of bioartificial organs. Hemoperfusion based on encapsulated adsorbent has been in routine clinical uses for many years to remove toxins or drugs from the circulating blood. Blood substitutes based on crosslinked hemoglobin or encapsulated hemoglobin are being developed and tested in phase II and Phase III clinical trials. Enzyme therapy using microencapsulated enzymes have been studied in animal studies and in a preliminary human study. Encapsulation or other ways of immobilization of cells are being developed extensively by many groups. This includes the encapsulation or immobilization of islets, hepatocytes and genetically engineered cells.