Toxicidade de boro em videiras ‘itália’(Vitis vinifera l.)Toxicity from boron in ‘Italia’ (Vitis vinifera l.) Grapevines

No Noroeste do estado de São Paulo, em muitos vinhedos da cultivar Itália, foi verificada uma anomalia nas folhas das plantas caracterizada por sintomas de clorose, crestamento e enrolamento dos bordos. Com o objetivo de comprovar a hipótese de que a anomalia estaria associada a excesso nutricional devido à aplicação em quantidade elevada do fertilizante boratado, denominado ulexita, foram coletadas, em um vinhedo, amostras de folhas de ‘Itália’ com e sem sintomas visuais para análise química. Os resultados da análise química das folhas revelaram que havia teor mais elevado de boro nas folhas com sintomas visuais (424mg.kg-1), do que naquelas sem sintomas (56mg.kg-1), de plantas não fertilizadas com ulexita. Amostras de solo, a 0-25cm e 25-50cm de profundidade, de ambas as áreas, também foram coletadas. Nos vinhedos onde foi aplicada ulexita, os teores de boro no solo foram mais elevados (2,52-5,61mg.kg-1) que nos vinhedos onde não foi aplicada (0,25-0,34mg. kg-1). No ano seguinte, em abril, 60 dias após a poda, não foram mais verificados sintomas de toxicidade de boro nas folhas, devendo-se isso à lixiviação desse elemento para maiores profundidades do solo, visto tratar-se de terra arenosa e a cultura ser irrigada. Pode-se afirmar que a anomalia ocorrida nas folhas de videiras cultivar Itália, caracterizada por sintomas de clorose, crestamento e enrolamento do bordos, esteve associada à toxicidade de boro.Abstract In the Northwestern of São Paulo State, Brazil, in many vineyards of cv. Italia, an anomaly in leaves was verifi ed characterized by limb yellowing followed by the appearance of many dark or brown patches and, upward rolling of old leaves that showed irregular and asymmetric margins. At the beginning of the studies these anomalies could be confounded with toxicity caused by pesticides. On the other hand, the symptoms were very similar to those associated to nutritional unbalance in vines, reported in many countries. With the objective of proving the hypothesis that those anomalies were related to nutritional unbalance due to application of high amounts of sodium and calcium borates fertilizer (“ulexita”), containing 8.6% of boron, leaves of ‘Italia’ vines, with and without symptoms, were sampled for chemical analysis. The results showed that leaves with symptoms had higher boron content (424mg.kg-1) than normal leaves (56mg.kg-1) from vines that were not fertilized with “ulexita”. Soil samples at 0-25cm and 25-50cm depths, from both areas, were also collected. At vineyards where “ulexita” was applied, the boron contents were higher (2.52-5.61mg.kg-1) than those with no fertilization (0.25- 0.34mg.kg-1). In the following year, in April, 60 days after pruning, the vines did not show symptoms of boron toxicity due to lixiviation of this element, once these areas were irrigated and had sandy soils. It is possible to assume that the anomalies observed in vines cv. Italia, characterized by limb yellowing, necrosis and upward rolling of leaves were associated to boron toxicity

Denosumab in patients with aneurysmal bone systs: A case series with preliminary results

Abstract PURPOSE:: Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is a rare skeletal tumor usually treated with surgery/embolization. We hypothesized that owing to similarities with giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB), denosumab was active also in ABC. METHODS:: In this observational study, a retrospective analysis of ABC patients treated with denosumab was performed. Patients underwent radiologic disease assessment every 3 months. Symptoms and adverse events were noted. RESULTS:: Nine patients were identified (6 male, 3 female), with a median age of 17 years (range 14-42 years). Primary sites were 6 spine-pelvis, 1 ulna, 1 tibia, and 1 humerus. Patients were followed for a median time of 23 months (range 3-55 months). Patients received a median of 8 denosumab administrations (range 3-61). All symptomatic patients had pain relief and 1 had paresthesia improvement. Signs of denosumab activity were observed after 3 to 6 months of administration: bone formation by computed tomography scan was demonstrated in all patients and magnetic resonance imaging gadolinium contrast media decrease was observed in 7/9 patients. Adverse events were negligible. At last follow-up, all patients were progression-free: 5 still on denosumab treatment, 2 off denosumab were disease-free 11 and 17 months after surgery, and the last 2 patients reported no progression 12 and 24 months after denosumab interruption and no surgery. CONCLUSIONS:: Denosumab has substantial activity in ABCs, with favorable toxicity profile. We strongly support the use of surgery and/or embolization for the treatment of ABC, but denosumab could have a role as a therapeutic option in patients with uncontrollable, locally destructive, or recurrent disease

Whole Lung Irradiation after High-Dose Busulfan/Melphalan in Ewing Sarcoma with Lung Metastases: An Italian Sarcoma Group and Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica Joint Study

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The lung is the most frequent site of metastasis in Ewing sarcoma, the second most common bone cancer affecting children, adolescents and young adults. The five-year overall survival of patients with isolated lung metastasis is approximately 50% after multimodal treatments including chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. This retrospective study aimed to investigate the feasibility and the predictors of survival in 68 Ewing sarcoma patients with lung metastases who received high-dose chemotherapy with busulfan and melphalan, followed by reduced dose whole-lung irradiation, as part of two prospective and consecutive treatment protocols. This combined treatment strategy is feasible and might contribute to the disease control in lung metastatic Ewing sarcoma with responsive disease. Furthermore, the results of this study provide support to explore the treatment stratification for lung metastatic Ewing sarcoma based on the histological response of the primary tumor. ABSTRACT: Purpose: To analyze toxicity and outcome predictors in Ewing sarcoma patients with lung metastases treated with busulfan and melphalan (BU-MEL) followed by whole-lung irradiation (WLI). Methods: This retrospective study included 68 lung metastatic Ewing Sarcoma patients who underwent WLI after BU-MEL with autologous stem cell transplantation, as part of two prospective and consecutive treatment protocols. WLI 12 Gy for <14 years old and 15 Gy for ≥14 years old patients were applied at least eight weeks after BU-MEL. Toxicity, overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and pulmonary relapse-free survival (PRFS) were estimated and analyzed. Results: After WLI, grade 1–2 and grade 3 clinical toxicity was reported in 16.2% and 5.9% patients, respectively. The five-year OS, EFS and PRFS with 95% confidence interval (CI) were 69.8% (57.1–79.3), 61.2% (48.4–71.7) and 70.5% (56.3–80.8), respectively. Patients with good histological necrosis of the primary tumor after neoadjuvant chemotherapy showed a significant decreased risk of pulmonary relapse or death compared to patients with poor histological necrosis. Conclusions: WLI at recommended doses and time interval after BU-MEL is feasible and might contribute to the disease control in Ewing sarcoma with lung metastases and responsive disease. Further studies are needed to explore the treatment stratification based on the histological response of the primary tumor

Carboplatin and etoposide (CE) chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or progressive oligodendroglial tumors

Background: Oligodendroglial tumors are rare and chemosensitive diseases; but the overall results with current chemotherapy regimens cannot be considered satisfactory and other active treatments are necessary. We decided to determine the efficacy and toxicity profile of the carboplatin and etoposide (CE) regimen in this setting. Methods: In this phase II trial we evaluated the response rate of first or second line CE regimen (Carboplatin AUC 5 on day 1 and Etoposide 120 mg/m 2 on days 1-3 every 28 days) in patients with recurrent/progressive oligodendroglial tumors. Results: Thirty-two patients were enrolled. Median age was 42 years (range 22-66); median ECOG PS was 0 (range 0-2); 9 patients had oligodendroglioma, 3 patients had oligoastrocytoma, 11 patients had anaplastic oligodendroglioma, 9 patients had anaplastic oligoastrocytoma. CE regimen showed a response rate of 46.9% with 5 complete responses (15.6%) and 10 partial responses (31.3%). Eleven patients (34.4%) had stable disease. Median time to progression was 8 months, progression-free survivals at 6 and 12 months were 80% and 46.9%, respectively. Toxicity was mainly hematological, with grade 3-4 neutropenia in 5 (15.6%) patients. Conclusions: In this trial CE regimen has shown relevant activity with a favourable safety profile. \ua9 Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2006

Sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease after high-dose intravenous busulfan/melphalan conditioning therapy in high-risk Ewing Sarcoma

This mono-institutional observational study was conducted to determine incidence, severity, risk factors, and outcome of sinusoidal obstruction syndrome/veno-occlusive disease (SOS/VOD) in high-risk Ewing sarcoma (ES) patients treated with intravenous busulfan and melphalan (BU-MEL) followed by autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). During the past 10 years, 75 consecutive ES patients resulted evaluable for the analysis. After diagnosis of SOS/VOD, defibrotide therapy was started as soon as the medication was available. The variables analyzed as potential risk factors were: gender, patient's age at diagnosis, primary tumor site, disease stage, and prior radiation therapy (RT) given, focusing on RT liver exposure. The median age at diagnosis was 18.8 years. Five patients developed moderate to severe SOS/VOD (cumulative incidence, 6.67%). None of 32 pediatric patients (â\u89¤17 years) developed SOS/VOD (p = 0.0674). In univariate analysis, prior RT liver exposure resulted statistically significant (p = 0.0496). There was one death due to severe SOS/VOD. This study reports the largest series of high-risk ES patients treated with intravenous BU-MEL before ASCT. The incidence of SOS/VOD was lower when compared with other studies that used oral busulfan. Any prior RT liver exposure should be avoided. Earlier defibrotide treatment confirms to be effective