The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified several antineoplastic drugs in Group 1 (human carcinogens), among which chlorambucil, cyclophosphamide (CP) and tamoxifen, Group 2A (probable human carcinogens), among which cisplatin, etoposide, N-ethyl- and N-methyl-N-nitrosourea, and Group 2B (possible human carcinogens), among which bleomycins, merphalan and mitomycin C. The widespread use of these mutagenic/carcinogenic drugs in the treatment of cancer has led to anxiety about possible genotoxic hazards to medical personnel handling these drugs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate work environment contamination by antineoplastic drugs in a hospital in Central Italy and to assess the genotoxic risks associated with antineoplastic drug handling. The study group comprised 52 exposed subjects and 52 controls. Environmental contamination was assessed by taking wipe samples from different surfaces in preparation and administration rooms and nonwoven swabs were used as pads for the surrogate evaluation of dermal exposure, 5-fluorouracil and cytarabine were chosen as markers of exposure to antineoplastic drugs in the working environment. The actual exposure to antineoplastic drugs was evaluated by determining the urinary excretion of CP. The extent of primary, oxidative and excision repaired DNA damage was measured in peripheral blood leukocytes with the alkaline comet assay. To evaluate the role, if any, of genetic variants in the extent of genotoxic effects related to antineoplastic drug occupational exposure, the study subjects were genotyped for GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1 and TP53 polymorphisms. Primary DNA damage significantly increased in leukocytes of exposed nurses compared to controls. The use of personal protective equipment (i.e. gloves and/mask) was associated with a decrease in the extent of primary DNA damage.

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OBJECTIVETo compare pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of insulin glargine in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after evening versus morning administration. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSTen T2DM insulin-treated persons were studied during 24-h euglycemic glucose clamp, after glargine injection (0.4 units/kg s.c.), either in the evening (2200 h) or the morning (1000 h). RESULTSThe 24-h glucose infusion rate area under the curve (AUC 0-24h ) was similar in the evening and morning studies (1,058 6 571 and 995 6 691 mg/kg 3 24 h, P = 0.503), but the first 12 h (AUC 0-12h ) was lower with evening versus morning glargine (357 6 244 vs. 593 6 374 mg/kg 3 12 h, P = 0.004), whereas the opposite occurred for the second 12 h (AUC 12-24h 700 6 396 vs. 403 6 343 mg/kg 3 24 h, P = 0.002). The glucose infusion rate differences were totally accounted for by different rates of endogenous glucose production, not utilization. Plasma insulin and C-peptide levels did not differ in evening versus morning studies. Plasma glucagon levels (AUC 0-24h 1,533 6 656 vs. 1,120 6 344 ng/L/h, P = 0.027) and lipolysis (free fatty acid AUC 0-24h 7.5 6 1.6 vs. 8.9 6 1.9 mmol/L/h, P = 0.005; b-OH-butyrate AUC 0-24h 6.8 6 4.7 vs. 17.0 6 11.9 mmol/L/h, P = 0.005; glycerol, P < 0.020) were overall more suppressed after evening versus morning glargine administration. CONCLUSIONSThe PD of insulin glargine differs depending on time of administration. With morning administration insulin activity is greater in the first 0-12 h, while with evening administration the activity is greater in the 12-24 h period following dosing. However, glargine PK and plasma C-peptide levels were similar, as well as glargine PD when analyzed by 24-h clock time independent of the time of administration. Thus, the results reflect the impact of circadian changes in insulin sensitivity in T2DM (lower in the night-early morning vs. afternoon hours) rather than glargine per se.

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Hexavalent chromium compounds are well-documented human carcinogens. In vitro experiments show Cr (VI) induces cell death by apoptosis by activating p53 protein. The aim of this study was to evaluate Cr (VI)-induced apoptosis in a human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) and in a lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (MOLT-4). Cr (VI) caused a dose- and time-dependent increase in the apoptosis rate in both cell lines. Western blotting showed increased p53 protein expression in MOLT-4 cells, but not in BEAS-2B cells, after exposure to 0.5 and 3 muM hexavalent chromium for 12 hours and 4 hours, respectively. Apoptotic cell death induced by Cr (VI) was not decreased by pretreatment with caspase-3, -8, and -9 inhibitors. These preliminary results provide evidence of Cr (VI)-induced apoptosis, which deserves further investigation in occupationally exposed workers.