Background: Chronic cardiac dysfunction may develop after administration of aggressive chemotherapy, sometimes leading to development of congestive heart failure (CHF). Recently, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was implicated as a marker of CHF. In this study we evaluated the predictive role of NTproBNP in patients treated with high-dose chemotherapy (HDC). Methods: NT-proBNP was measured after 62 chemotherapy treatments in 52 patients affected by aggressive malignancies. Blood samples were drawn before the start of HDC, at the end of HDC administration, and 12, 24, 36, and 72 h thereafter. In these patients, echocardiograms were performed regularly during a 1-year followup. Results: Seventeen patients (33%) had persistently increased NT-proBNP, 19 patients (36%) had only transient increases (concentrations went back to baseline at 72 h), and 16 (31%) had no increases [mean (SD) values

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The film of iridium and tin dioxides doped with antimony (IrO 2-SnO 2-Sb 2 O 5) deposited on a Ti substrate (mesh) obtained by Pechini method was used for the formation of  OH radicals by water discharge. Detection of  OH radicals was followed by the use of the N,N-dimethyl-p-nitrosoaniline (RNO) as a spin trap. The electrode surface morphology and composition was characterized by SEM-EDS. The ternary oxide coating was used for the electrochemical combustion of indigo textile dye as a model organic compound in chloride medium. Bulk electrolyses were then carried out at different volumetric flow rates under galvanostatic conditions using a filterpress flow cell. The galvanostatic tests using RNO confirmed that Ti/IrO 2-SnO 2-Sb 2 O 5 favor the hydroxyl radical formation at current densities between 5 and 7 mA cm 2 , while at current density of 10 mA cm 2 the oxygen evolution reaction occurs. The indigo was totally decolorized and mineralized via reactive oxygen species, such as ( OH, H 2 O 2 , O 3 and active chlorine) formed in-situ at the Ti/IrO 2-SnO 2-Sb 2 O 5 surface at volumetric flow rates between 0.10.4 L min-1 and at fixed current density of 7 mA cm-2. The mineralization of indigo carried out at 0.2 L min-1 achieved values of 100 %, with current efficiencies of 80 % and energy consumption of 1.78 KWh m-3 .

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Seventeen patients with refractory follicular lymphoma heavily treated with chemotherapy (>2 regimens), radiotherapy, and biological modifiers were enrolled in a pilot study to receive six weekly doses, instead of the more frequent four doses, of monoclonal anti CD20, at a standard dose of 375 mg/m(2). In an intent-to-treat analysis, overall response was 76%, of which 47% (8 patients) were a complete response. With a median follow-up of 33.6 months, 7 complete responders remained alive and free of disease, and 2 partial-response patients remained stable without additional treatment. Actuarial curves showed that at 3 years, 53% of patients should be alive and free of disease. The 4 patients who were failures died secondary to tumor progression. Overall survival at 3 years was 76%. Toxicity was mild; all patients completed the schedule on time and doses. The addition of two doses of anti-CD 20 clearly improved the outcome in a group of patients with refractory follicular lymphoma heavily treated and poor prognostic factors. However, the number is too small to drawn definitive conclusions, and more clinical trials are necessary to determine if four of six doses of anti-CD20 therapy are better in this setting of patients.

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