Lateral displacement induced disorder in L1(0)-FePt nanostructures by ion-implantation.

Ion implantation is a promising technique for fabricating high density bit patterned media (BPM) as it may eliminate the requirement of disk planarization. However, there has not been any notable study on the impact of implantation on BPM fabrication of FePt, particularly at nano-scale, where the lateral straggle of implanted ions may become comparable to the feature size. In this work, implantation of antimony ions in patterned and unpatterned L1(0)-FePt thin films has been investigated. Unpatterned films implanted with high fluence of antimony exhibited reduced out-of-plane coercivity and change of magnetic anisotropy from perpendicular direction to film-plane. Interestingly, for samples implanted through patterned masks, the perpendicular anisotropy in the unimplanted region was also lost. This noteworthy observation can be attributed to the displacement of Fe and Pt atoms from the implantation sites to the unimplanted areas, thereby causing a phase disorder transformation from L1(0) to A1 FePt.

Intramuscular interferon beta-1a in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP) shares immunologic features with multiple sclerosis (MS). Because IM interferon beta-1a (IM IFNbeta-1a) is an effective and safe treatment for MS, we conducted a dose-ranging efficacy study of IFNbeta-1a in patients with CIDP. METHODS: Adults with IV immunoglobulin (IVIg)-dependent CIDP (n = 67) were enrolled in this 32-week double-blind trial and randomized to IM IFNbeta-1a. Patients received 30 microg once weekly plus placebo (n = 12), IM IFNbeta-1a 60 microg once weekly plus placebo (n = 11), IM IFNbeta-1a 30 microg twice weekly (n = 11), IM IFNbeta-1a 60 microg twice weekly (n = 11), or placebo twice weekly (n = 22). Participants were maintained on IVIg through week 16, when IVIg was discontinued. Patients who worsened were restarted on IVIg. The primary outcome was total IVIg dose (g/kg) administered from week 16 to 32. RESULTS: There was no difference in total IVIg dose administered after week 16 for patients treated with IFNbeta-1a (1.20 g/kg) compared with placebo (1.34 g/kg; p = 0.75). However, exploratory analyses suggested IFNbeta-1a significantly reduced total dose of IVIg compared with placebo for participants who required either high-dose IVIg (>0.95 g/kg per month) or had greater weakness at baseline (Medical Research Council sum score <51). Adverse events included flu-like symptoms, headache, and fatigue in the IFNbeta-1a groups. CONCLUSIONS: Interferon beta-1a (IFNbeta-1a) therapy did not provide significant benefit over IV immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy alone for patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy. However, IFNbeta-1a might be beneficial for patients with more severe disability or those needing high doses of IVIg. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: This study was designed to provide Class I evidence for the safety and efficacy of IM IFNbeta-1a in the treatment of CIDP but has been subsequently classified as Class II due to a >20% patient dropout rate. Thus, this randomized, controlled clinical trial provides Class II evidence of no effect on primary and secondary endpoints of 4 dosage regimens of IM IFNbeta-1a added to IVIg in persons with CIDP.

Effect of statins on clinical and molecular responses to intramuscular interferon beta-1a.

BACKGROUND: Findings from a small clinical study suggested that statins may counteract the therapeutic effects of interferon beta (IFNbeta) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). METHODS: We conducted a post hoc analysis of data from the Safety and Efficacy of Natalizumab in Combination With IFNbeta-1a in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (SENTINEL) study to determine the effects of statins on efficacy of IFNbeta. SENTINEL was a prospective trial of patients with RRMS treated with natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen Idec, Inc., Cambridge, MA) plus IM IFNbeta-1a (Avonex, Biogen Idec, Inc.) 30 microg compared with placebo plus IM IFNbeta-1a 30 microg. Clinical and MRI outcomes in patients treated with IM IFNbeta-1a only (no-statins group, n = 542) were compared with those of patients taking IM IFNbeta-1a and statins at doses used to treat hyperlipidemia (statins group, n = 40). RESULTS: No significant differences were observed between treatment groups in adjusted annualized relapse rate (p = 0.937), disability progression (p = 0.438), number of gadolinium-enhancing lesions (p = 0.604), or number of new or enlarging T2-hyperintense lesions (p = 0.802) at 2 years. More patients in the statins group reported fatigue, extremity pain, muscle aches, and increases in hepatic transaminases compared with patients in the no-statins group. Statin treatment had no ex vivo or in vitro effect on induction of IFN-stimulated genes. CONCLUSIONS: Statin therapy does not appear to affect clinical effects of IM interferon beta-1a in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis or the primary molecular response to interferon beta treatment.

Efficacy of combined technetium-99m sulfur colloid/indium-111 leukocyte scans to detect infected total hip and knee arthroplasties.

The reliability of combined indium-111 leukocyte/technetium-99m sulfur colloid scans, with and without the addition of blood pooling and blood flow studies, in the diagnosis of infected total joint arthroplasty was investigated. Both scans were performed on 58 patients before reoperation of total hip or knee arthroplasty in the period 1996-1999. Results for imaging alone included 100% specificity, 46% sensitivity, 100% positive predictive value, 84% negative predictive value, and 88% accuracy. Inclusion of blood pooling and flow phase data improved results to 66% sensitivity, 89% negative predictive value, and 90% accuracy, with reductions in specificity (98%) and positive predictive value (91%). Routine use of these radionuclide scans is not supported by these data.