Sequential Intensified Conditioning Regimen Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Adult Patients with Intermediate- or High-Risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia in Complete Remission: A Study from the Acute Leukemia Working Party of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation.

Post-transplant relapse is the leading cause of treatment failure in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients after reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). To improve their outcome, we evaluated the outcome of a sequential intermediate-intensity conditioning regimen combining fludarabine, cytosine arabinoside, amsacrine, cyclophosphamide, and either total body irradiation or busulfan (FLAMSA) in patients with intermediate or high-risk AML in first or second complete remission (CR). A total of 265 patients (median age, 55 years; range, 19 to 76) with AML who underwent allo-HSCT using a FLAMSA regimen were included.

Diffuse Sclerosing Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Is Associated With Aggressive Histopathological Features and a Poor Outcome: Results of a Large Multicentric Study.

Context: Diffuse sclerosing variant (DSV) is a rare and aggressive subtype of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

Objective: The objective of the study was to investigate the clinicopathological features and prognosis of DSV patients and compare these findings with all other PTCs and high-risk PTCs.

Design And Setting: The data of patients who underwent surgery for DSV and PTC between 2003 and 2014 in seven surgical departments specialized in endocrine surgery were reviewed.

Is Extended Lymphadenectomy Needed for Elderly Patients With Gastric Adenocarcinoma?

Background: Extensive surgery is associated with greater mortality for elderly patients. For gastric adenocarcinoma (GA), it is unclear whether the benefit of an extended lymphadenectomy in this population outweighs the associated risks. This study aimed to determine the impact of lymphadenectomy on postoperative outcomes and survival for the elderly.

Expression patterns of ERVWE1/Syncytin-1 and other placentally expressed human endogenous retroviruses along the malignant transformation process of hydatidiform moles.

Introduction: Up to 20% of hydatidiform moles are followed by malignant transformation in gestational trophoblastic neoplasia and require chemotherapy. Syncytin-1 is involved in human placental morphogenesis and is also expressed in various cancers. We assessed the predictive value of the expression of Syncytin-1 and its interactants in the malignant transformation process of hydatidiform moles.

Impact of Pregnancy on Weight Loss and Quality of Life Following Gastric Banding.

Background-objectives: Despite pregnancy being a common event following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB), there is little comprehensive data regarding its effect on postoperative outcome. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of pregnancy on the postoperative changes in quality of life (QOL) and total weight loss 3 years after LAGB.

Setting: Multi-institutional, France.

Mortality rate of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia with a FIGO score of ≥13.

Background: Gestational trophoblastic diseases include premalignant (partial and complete hydatidiform moles) and malignant entities referred to as gestational trophoblastic neoplasia. Use of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics prognostic score is encouraged in cases of gestational trophoblastic neoplasia to predict the potential for the development of resistance to single-agent chemotherapy. An International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics score of ≥7 defines a high-risk patient and requires combination chemotherapy.

Formalised consensus of the European Organisation for Treatment of Trophoblastic Diseases on management of gestational trophoblastic diseases.

Gestational trophoblastic disease (GTD) is a spectrum of cellular proliferations arising from trophoblast. Their invasive and metastatic potential sometimes requires chemotherapy and/or surgery. Current management is generally associated with favourable prognosis.

Palliative Care Medical Education in European Universities: A Descriptive Study and Numerical Scoring System Proposal for Assessing Educational Development.

Context: The lack of palliative medicine (PM) education has been identified as a barrier to the development of the discipline. A number of international institutions have called for its implementation within undergraduate medical curricula.

Objectives: The objectives are to describe the situation of undergraduate PM education in Europe and to propose a scoring system to evaluate its status.

Efficacy and safety of adalimumab 80 mg weekly in luminal Crohn's disease.

Background: In case of a loss of response to adalimumab, some patients with Crohn's disease may derive benefit from increasing the dosing frequency to 40 mg weekly. Efficacy and safety of adalimumab 80 mg weekly remain unknown.

Methods: From February 2011 to September 2012, all adults who had active Crohn's disease, defined at least by Crohn's disease activity index >150 and 1 objective sign of inflammation, and required an adalimumab dose escalation to 80 mg weekly were enrolled in a prospective multicenter cohort study.

Oncogenetics and minimal residual disease are independent outcome predictors in adult patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

With intensified pediatric-like therapy and genetic disease dissection, the field of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has evolved recently. In this new context, we aimed to reassess the value of conventional risk factors with regard to new genetic alterations and early response to therapy, as assessed by immunoglobulin/T-cell receptor minimal residual disease (MRD) levels. The study was performed in 423 younger adults with Philadelphia chromosome-negative ALL in first remission (265 B-cell precursor [BCP] and 158 T-cell ALL), with cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) as the primary end point.

Experience of European intensive care physicians with infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, 2009.

A survey was performed among European intensive care physicians to obtain information about their perception and experience with selected antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Seventy-eight out of 95 (82%) participants considered having to deal with infections due to antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the intensive care unit where they work was a major or significant problem. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and third-generation cephalosporin-resistant Enterobacteriaceae were the most frequently reported antibiotic-resistant bacteria with 69 (73%) and 67 (71%) participants reporting having treated at least one patient with such an infection during the preceding six months, respectively.

Safety, efficacy and predictive factors of efficacy of a single intra-articular injection of non-animal-stabilized-hyaluronic-acid in the hip joint: results of a standardized follow-up of patients treated for hip osteoarthritis in daily practice.

Aim: To evaluate, in daily clinical practice, the efficacy and tolerability of a single intra-articular injection of non-animal-stabilized hyaluronic acid (NASHA) in patients treated for symptomatic hip OA (HOA).

Methods: Standardized follow-up (FU).

Patients: forty patients suffering from HOA treated by a single intra-articular injection of NASHA in the painful hip under fluoroscopy.

Serum concentrations of type II collagen biomarkers (C2C, C1, 2C and CPII) suggest different pathophysiologies in patients with hip osteoarthritis.

Background: Cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis (OA) involves excessive degradation and increased synthesis of cartilage matrix macromolecules including type II collagen and proteoglycans. Cartilage biomarkers exist for the measurement of cartilage matrix turnover and may reveal differences in patients with OA.

Objective: To determine whether there are detectable differences in and relationships between biomarkers of type II collagen (CII) degradation (C2C, C1, 2C) and synthesis (CP II) in patients with only hip OA (OHOA) and those suffering from multiple sites OA (MSOA).

Differences in biomarkers of type II collagen in atrophic and hypertrophic osteoarthritis of the hip: implications for the differing pathobiologies.

Background: Cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis (OA) involves the excessive degradation and increased synthesis of cartilage matrix macromolecules including type II collagen (CII) and proteoglycans. The lack of osteophytes (atrophic form of OA) has been shown to be a disease severity factor in hip OA. Since osteophyte formation involves endochondral ossification and a cartilage intermediate, atrophic OA may also exhibit differences in cartilage turnover compared to hypertrophic OA.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation for pain control. Double-blind study of different frequencies against placebo, and correlation with motor cortex stimulation efficacy.

Objective: To assess, using a double-blind procedure, the pain-relieving effects of rTMS against placebo, and their predictive value regarding the efficacy of implanted motor cortex stimulation (MCS).

Methods: Three randomised, double-blinded, 25 min sessions of focal rTMS (1 Hz, 20 Hz and sham) were performed in 12 patients, at 2 weeks intervals. Effects on pain were estimated from daily scores across 5 days before, and 6 days after each session.