critical relative indentation depth in carbon based thin films

Abstract The thin film hardness estimation by nanoindentation is influenced by substrate beyond a critical relative indentation depth (CRID). In this study we developed a methodology to identify the CRID in amorphous carbon film. Three types of amorphous carbon film deposited on silicon have been studied. The nanoindentation tests were carried out applying a 0.1–10 mN load range on a Berkovich diamond tip, leading to penetration depth-to-film thickness ratios of 8–100%. The work regained during unloading ( W e ) and the work performed during loading ( W t ) was estimated for each indentation. The trend of unload-to-load ratio ( W e / W t ) data as a function of depth has been studied. W e / W t depth profiles showed a sigmoid trend and the data were fitted by means of a Hill sigmoid equation. Using Hill sigmoid fit and a simple analytical method it is possible to estimate CRID of carbon based films

High-dose sequential chemotherapy and peripheral blood progenitor cell autografting in patients with refractory and/or recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma : a multicenter study of the intergruppo Italiano Linfomi showing prolonged disease free survival in patients treated at first recurrence

BACKGROUND. The objective of the current study was to evaluate in a multicenter setting the feasibility and efficacy of a high-dose sequential (HDS) chemotherapy regimen that combined intensive debulking and high-dose therapy (HDT) with peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) autografting in patients with refractory or recurrent Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). METHODS. Data were collected from 102 patients with HL who were treated with the HDS regimen at 14 centers associated with the Intergruppo Italiano Linfomi. Twenty-four patients had primary refractory HL, 59 patients had their first recurrence of HL (within 1 year in 32 patients and > 1 year in 27 patients), and 19 patients had multiple disease recurrences. The HDS regimen included the sequential delivery of high-dose (hd) cyclophosphamide with PBPC harvesting, methotrexate, etoposide, then HDT (usually hd mitoxantrone plus L-phenylalanine mustard) with PBPC autografting. In addition, radiotherapy was delivered to 36 patients at sites of bulky or persistent disease. RESULTS. Ninety-two patients (90%) completed the HDS program. There were five toxic deaths (treatment- related mortality rate, 4.9%) and six secondary malignancies (five patients developed myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myelogenous leukemia, and one patient developed colorectal carcinoma). At a median follow-up of 5 years, the 5-year overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) projections were 64% (95% (95070 confidence interval [95% CI], 54-74%) and 53% (95% CI, 43-63%), respectively. Patients with their first recurrence had the most favorable outcome, with 5-year OS and EFS projections of 77% (95% CI, 66-88%) and 63% (95% CI, 50-76%), respectively. There were no significant differences between patients with early first recurrence and late first recurrence. The poorest outcome was observed in patients with refractory HL, with 5-year OS and EFS projections of 36% (95% CI, 16-55%) and 33% (95% CI, 14-52%), respectively. Patients who received HDS chemotherapy after multiple recurrences had an intermediate outcome. Multivariate analysis showed that refractory disease and systemic symptoms at the time of initial presentation were associated significantly associated with poor OS and EFS. CONCLUSIONS. The use of HDS chemotherapy for patients with refractory and/or recurrent HL is feasible at the multicenter level. The combination of intensive debulking and HDT with PBPC autografting offers a good chance of prolonged disease free survival for patients with their first recurrence of HL

Marrow versus peripheral blood for geno-identical allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute myelocytic leukemia: Influence of dose and stem cell source shows better outcome with rich marrow

PubMed ID: 12829583Several studies have compared bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) as stem cell sources in patients receiving allografts, but the cell doses infused have not been considered, especially for BM. Using the ALWP/EBMT registry, we retrospectively studied 881 adult patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), who received a non-T-depleted allogeneic BM (n = 515) or mobilized PB (n = 366) standard transplant, in first remission (CR1), from an HLA-identical sibling, over a 5-year period from January 1994. The BM cell dose ranged from 0.17 to 29 × 10 8 /kg with a median of 2.7 × 10 8 /kg. The PB cell dose ranged from 0.02 to 77 × 10 8 /kg with a median of 9.3 × 10 8 /kg. The median dose for patients receiving BM (2.7 × 10 8 /kg) gave the greatest discrimination. In multivariate analyses, high-dose BM compared to PB was associated with lower transplant-related mortality (RR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.98; P = .04), better leukemia-free survival (RR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46-0.91; P = .013), and better overall survival (RR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44-0. 92; P = .016). The present study in patients with AML receiving allografts in first remission indicates a better outcome with BM as compared to PB, when the dose of BM infused is rich. © 2003 by The American Society of Hematology

Marrow versus peripheral blood for geno-identical allogeneic stem cell transplantation in acute myelocytic leukemia: Influence of dose and stem cell source shows better outcome with rich marrow

Several studies have compared bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) as stem cell sources in patients receiving allografts, but the cell doses infused have not been considered, especially for BM. Using the ALWP/EBMT registry, we retrospectively studied 881 adult patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (AML), who received a non-T-depleted allogeneic BM (n = 515) or mobilized PB (n = 366) standard transplant, in first remission (CR1), from an HLA-identical sibling, over a 5-year period from January 1994. The BM cell dose ranged from 0.17 to 29 × 108/kg with a median of 2.7 × 108/kg. The PB cell dose ranged from 0.02 to 77 × 10 8/kg with a median of 9.3 × 108/kg. The median dose for patients receiving BM (2.7 × 108/kg) gave the greatest discrimination. In multivariate analyses, high-dose BM compared to PB was associated with lower transplant-related mortality (RR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39-0.98; P = .04), better leukemia-free survival (RR = 0.65; 95% CI, 0.46-0.91; P = .013), and better overall survival (RR = 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44-0. 92; P = .016). The present study in patients with AML receiving allografts in first remission indicates a better outcome with BM as compared to PB, when the dose of BM infused is rich. © 2003 by The American Society of Hematology