Dasatinib first-line: Multicentric Italian experience outside clinical trials.

Dasatinib was approved for the treatment of chronic phase (CP) chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in first line therapy based on the demonstration of efficacy and safety reported in patients enrolled in clinical trials. We describe a multicentric Italian "real-life" experience of dasatinib used as frontline treatment outside clinical trials. One hundred and nine patients (median age 54 years) were treated from January 2012 to December 2013. Increased incidence of high risk patients were detected according to stratification (26% according to Sokal score, 19% according to Euro score and 16% according to EUTOS) when compared to company sponsored studies. Median time from diagnosis to start of dasatinib was 18 days. Ten patients received unscheduled starting dose (6 patients 50mg and 4 patients 80 mg QD), whereas 99 patients started with 100mg QD. At 3 months, 92% of patients achieved a BCR-ABL ratio less than 10%. At 6 months, the rate of CCyR was 91% and the rate of MR3 was 40%, with 8% of the patients reaching MR4.5. Ninety-three patients were evaluable at 12 months: the rate of MR3 was 62%, with MR4.5 being achieved by 19% of the patients. At a median follow-up of 12 months, 27 patients (24.7%) were receiving the drug at reduced dose. Two patients (1.8%) experienced a lymphoid blast crisis and the overall incidence of resistance was 8%. As regards safety, the major side effects recorded were thrombocytopenia, neutropenia and pleural effusions, which occurred in 22%, 10% and 8% of patients, respectively. Present results, achieved in a large cohort of patients treated outside clinical trials, further confirm the efficacy and safety of dasatinib as firstline treatment in CML.

Deglycosylation Step to Improve the Identification of Egg Proteins in Art Samples.

A deglycosylation step using Peptide-N-Glycosidase F (PNGaseF) has been introduced in a standard proteomic protocol to more confidently identify egg based binders. The ingenuity of introducing a PNGaseF digestion was aimed at removing the molecular hindrance, made up by the heavily glycosylated egg proteins, before the protease(s) hydrolysis. This novelty in the protocol resulted in obtaining a significant increase of proteolytic egg peptides thus improving the quality and reliability of egg identification in artwork samples. The protocol has been set up on paint replicas and successfully tested on two historical samples of different origin.

Non-UV-induced radical reactions at the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles that may trigger toxic responses.

Kept in the dark: The non-photocatalytic generation of free radicals from fine and ultrafine TiO(2) particles has been studied by means of a spin-trapping/ESR spectroscopy technique (see figure). The amount and kind of free radicals generated depends on the crystalline structure, but not on the particle dimensions.Titania is generally considered to be an inert and safe material. Several studies, however, have reported that nanosized TiO(2) may elicit toxic effects. In some cases the observed adverse effects have been related to free radicals. Although new studies mainly concern irradiated titania, the role and the mechanisms of the generation of free radicals by TiO(2) in the absence of UV irradiation are not well known. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the free-radical-generation mechanisms by nano- and micronsized anatase or rutile powders under normal laboratory illumination or in the dark by means of a spin-trapping/ESR spectroscopy technique. This technique is used to identify the nature and the amount of free radicals released in solution, and in the solid-state to characterise the paramagnetic centres at the surface of particles that may participate in the reactions. The following radical-generating mechanisms have been considered: 1) the generation of oxygenated free radicals (HO(2) (.), O(2) (.-), HO(.)) following the reaction of TiO(2) with oxygen, water or H(2)O(2) and 2) the generation of carbon-centred radicals following the cleavage of the C--H bond in a model molecule. Although no free radicals were detected in a simply buffered solution, anatase and rutile generated O(2) (.-) and HO(.), respectively, in the presence of H(2)O(2). Both polymorphs were also active in the cleavage of the C--H bond. Although the formation of O(2) (.-) appears to be related to exposure to sunlight, the generation of HO(.) and carbon-centred free radicals also occurs in the dark. When samples of equal surface area were tested, micron- and nanosized anatase was found to react in the same way indicating that a reduction in diameter does not generate new kinds of reactive sites. The data presented herein may have implications in the assessment of the health risk associated with the exposure to TiO(2) nanoparticles and in the ecotoxicological impact following their possible leakage into the environment.

Role of particle coating in controlling skin damage photoinduced by titania nanoparticles.

TiO(2) nanoparticles hazard is associated to their photocatalytic activity causing release of DNA damaging ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species), lipid peroxidation and skin damage. Various coatings have been proposed to minimize photocatalysis, while keeping the potential to block UV radiations. Uncoated and variously coated commercial nano-titania have been classified on the basis of UVB-induced lipoperoxidation of linoleic acid. A selection of the most and the least protective specimens was then examined by ESR (Electron Spin Resonance) to evidence the presence of surface paramagnetic centres and the release of ROS in aqueous suspensions (spin trapping). Paramagnetic centres and ROS were correlated with the extent of lipid peroxidation. When tested on porcine skin (mimicking the human one), titania acted as on linoleic acid. The combined use of lipid peroxidation of simple fatty acids with ESR analysis is here proposed as a possible screening tool for the evaluation of the potential toxicity of nano-titania in sunscreen preparations.

Structural defects play a major role in the acute lung toxicity of multiwall carbon nanotubes: physicochemical aspects.

Carbon nanotubes (CNT) have been reported to elicit toxic responses in vitro and in vivo, ascribed so far to metal contamination, CNT length, degree of oxidation, or extent of hydrophilicity. To examine how structural properties may modulate the toxicity of CNT, one preparation of multiwall CNT has been modified (i) by grinding (introducing structural defects) and subsequently heating either in a vacuum at 600 degrees C (causing reduction of oxygenated carbon functionalities and reduction of metallic oxides) or in an inert atmosphere at 2400 degrees C (causing elimination of metals and annealing of defects) and (ii) by heating at 2400 degrees C in an inert atmosphere and subsequently grinding the thermally treated CNT (introducing defects in a metal-deprived carbon framework). The presence of framework and surface defects, metals, and oxygenated functionalities was monitored by means of a set of techniques, including micro-Raman spectroscopy, adsorption calorimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, and atomic emission spectroscopy. Contrary to traditional toxicants, such as asbestos, CNT may quench rather than generate oxygenated free radicals. The potential of the modified CNT to scavenge hydroxyl radicals was thus evaluated by means of electron spin resonance spectroscopy (spin trapping). The original ground material exhibited a scavenging activity toward hydroxyl radicals, which was eliminated by heating at 2400 degrees C but restored upon grinding. This scavenging activity, related to the presence of defects, appears to go paired with the genotoxic and inflammatory potential of CNT reported in the companion paper. Thus, defects may be one of the major factors governing the toxic potential of CNT.