DuRe-Transp Center Data Management Plan

69A3552348339The Center for Durable and Resilient Transportation Infrastructure (DuRe-Transp) is a Tier 1 University Transportation Center funded by the United States Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL). The DuRe-Transp Center identifies research projects in 7 research themes focusing on the statutory research priority area \u201cImproving the durability and extending the life of transportation infrastructure.\u201

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for autoimmune diseases in the time of COVID-19: EBMT guidelines and recommendations

Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), represents one of the biggest challenges of 21st century, threatening public health around the globe. Increasing age and presence of co-morbidities are reported risk factors for severe disease and mortality, along with autoimmune diseases (ADs) and immunosuppressive treatments such as haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), which are also associated with adverse outcomes. We review the impact of the pandemic on specific groups of patients with neurological, rheumatological, and gastroenterological indications, along with the challenges delivering HSCT in adult and pediatric populations. Moving forward, we developed consensus-based guidelines and recommendations for best practice and quality of patient care in order to support clinicians, scientists, and their multidisciplinary teams, as well as patients and their carers. These guidelines aim to support national and international organizations related to autoimmune diseases and local clinical teams delivering HSCT. Areas of unmet need and future research questions are also highlighted. The waves of the COVID-19 pandemic are predicted to be followed by an "endemic" phase and therefore an ongoing risk within a "new normality". These recommendations reflect currently available evidence, coupled with expert opinion, and will be revised according to necessary modifications in practice.Pathophysiology and treatment of rheumatic disease

Primary plasma cell leukemia and autologous stem cell transplantation

Background Primary plasma cell leukemia is a rare disorder accounting for less than 5% of malignant plasma cell diseases. It has a poor prognosis compared to multiple myeloma, with a median survival of 8-12 months. The results of conventional therapy are disappointing though autologous stem cell transplantation may improve survival. Design and Methods A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation experience of 272 patients with plasma cell leukemia and 20844 with multiple myeloma undergoing first autologous transplantation between 1980 and 2006. All patients were reported to the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation registry using MED-A (limited data) or MED-B (extensive data) forms. All patients were included regardless of availability of complete data. Results There was no difference in type of graft or use of total body irradiation between patients with plasma cell leukemia and multiple myeloma, but the group with plasma cell leukemia was transplanted earlier after diagnosis (6.0 versus 7.7 months, P=0.000). Patients with plasma cell leukemia were more likely to enter complete remission after transplantation but their overall survival (25.7 months, 95% confidence interval 19.5-31.9 months) was inferior to that of patients with multiple myeloma (62.3 months, 95% confidence interval 60.4-64.3 months) (P=0.000), due to the short duration of their post-transplant response and increased non-relapse-related mortality. Conclusions This largest study ever reported on plasma cell leukemia suggests that autologous transplantation can improve outcome, although results are markedly inferior to those achieved in patients with multiple myeloma, highlighting the need for novel approaches to this aggressive disorder.Development and application of statistical models for medical scientific researc