Autologous Transplantation, Consolidation, and Maintenance Therapy in Multiple Myeloma: Results of the BMT CTN 0702 Trial.

Purpose: Single-cycle melphalan 200 mg/m and autologous hematopoietic cell transplantation (AHCT) followed by lenalidomide (len) maintenance have improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) for transplantation-eligible patients with multiple myeloma (MM). We designed a prospective, randomized, phase III study to test additional interventions to improve PFS by comparing AHCT, tandem AHCT (AHCT/AHCT), and AHCT and four subsequent cycles of len, bortezomib, and dexamethasone (RVD; AHCT + RVD), all followed by len until disease progression.

Patients And Methods: Patients with symptomatic MM within 12 months from starting therapy and without progression who were age 70 years or younger were randomly assigned to AHCT/AHCT + len (n = 247), AHCT + RVD + len (n = 254), or AHCT + len (n = 257).

Mental health indicators in APEC.

Background: The World Economic Forum (2011) concluded that the economic impact of mental illness is the single most important contributor among all non-communicable diseases to loss of productivity. The 21 economies represented by Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) responded to that information with efforts to address mental health as an integral component of economic development.

Aim: In order to help assess the progress of APEC region compared to other regions of the world, the World Health Organization (WHO) granted us access to a subset of the 2014 Mental Health Atlas database containing health indicators from all 21 APEC economies.

Potential Cytochrome P450 Drug-Drug Interactions among Pediatric Patients Undergoing Tonsillectomy.

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of potential cytochrome P450 (CYP) drug-drug interactions affecting opioid metabolism among children undergoing adenotonsillectomy.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Setting: Tertiary care children's hospital.

Perspectives of Fear as a Barrier to Self-Management in Non-Hispanic Black Men With Type 2 Diabetes.

Background: Self-managing type 2 diabetes (T2D) is critical but often challenging for non-Hispanic Black (NHB) men. Fears may contribute to poor self-management; however, the evidence is sparse. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between fear and diabetes self-management in NHB men from the southern United States.

Lipomas of the Brachial Plexus: A Case Series and Review of the Literature.

Background: Lipomas are common benign tumors. When they develop in proximity to peripheral nerves, they can cause neurologic symptoms secondary to mass effect. Previous reports have shown symptom resolution after removal of lipomas compressing various upper extremity peripheral nerves.

Assessing Health Promotion Interventions: Limitations of Traditional Research Methods in Community-Based Studies.

Most low-income Americans fail to meet physical activity recommendations. Inactivity and poor diet contribute to obesity, a risk factor for multiple chronic diseases. Health promotion activities have the potential to improve health outcomes for low-income populations.

Impact of DPP-4 inhibition on acute and chronic endothelial function in humans with type 2 diabetes on background metformin therapy.

Unlabelled: Cell culture and animal work indicate that dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibition may exert cardiovascular benefits through favorable effects on the vascular endothelium. Prior human studies evaluating DPP-4 inhibition have shown conflicting results that may in part be related to heterogeneity of background anti-diabetes therapies. No study has evaluated the acute response of the vasculature to DPP-4 inhibition in humans.

Characterizing and Simulating Needle Insertion Forces for Percutaneous Renal Access.

Background: Percutaneous needle access is a critical step of performing percutaneous nephrolithotomy. Development of a synthetic model that accurately represents the forces encountered while gaining percutaneous renal access, allows for high ease of use and prevention of negative skill transfer. The objectives of this study were to define the needle insertion forces used during percutaneous renal access and to develop a multilayer synthetic physical simulator model based on human tissue data that is compatible with the SimPORTAL fluoro-less C-arm trainer (CAT) camera system.

Do Neighborhood Demographics Modify Walking Group Intervention Effectiveness in Urban Neighborhoods?

Objectives: We assessed the effects of neighborhood composition on effectiveness of the Walk Your Heart to Health (WYHH) intervention in promoting physical activity and reducing cardiovascular risk (CVR) in low-to-moderate-income, predominantly non-Latino Black (NLB) and Latino communities.

Method: Multilevel models assessed modifying effects of neighborhood composition on (1) WYHH adherence/participation at 8 weeks and 32 weeks, (2) associations between participation and steps, and (3) associations between steps and CVR.

Results: Approximately 90% of participants were women.

Preoperative Hospitalization Is Independently Associated With Increased Risk for Venous Thromboembolism in Patients Undergoing Colorectal Surgery: A National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Database Study.

Background: An important factor in the pathophysiology of venous thromboembolism is blood stasis, thus, preoperative hospitalization length of stay may be contributory to risk.

Objective: We assessed preoperative hospital length of stay as a risk factor for venous thromboembolism.

Design: We performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent colorectal operations using univariate and multivariable propensity score analyses.

Maternal pregnancy weight gain and cord blood iron status are associated with eosinophilia in infancy.

Objective: Allergic disease is multifactorial in origin. Because iron nutrition affects immune responses and maternal pregnancy weight gain impairs fetal iron delivery while increasing fetal demands for growth, the study examined maternal pregnancy weight gain, newborn iron status and an index of atopic disease, infant eosinophilia.

Study Design: Within a larger prospective study of healthy newborns at risk for developing iron deficiency anemia, umbilical cord iron indicators were compared to infant eosinophil counts.

Sensory-motor transformations for speech occur bilaterally.

Historically, the study of speech processing has emphasized a strong link between auditory perceptual input and motor production output. A kind of 'parity' is essential, as both perception- and production-based representations must form a unified interface to facilitate access to higher-order language processes such as syntax and semantics, believed to be computed in the dominant, typically left hemisphere. Although various theories have been proposed to unite perception and production, the underlying neural mechanisms are unclear.