An in situ atomic force microscope for normal-incidence nanofocus X-ray experiments.

A compact high-speed X-ray atomic force microscope has been developed for in situ use in normal-incidence X-ray experiments on synchrotron beamlines, allowing for simultaneous characterization of samples in direct space with nanometric lateral resolution while employing nanofocused X-ray beams. In the present work the instrument is used to observe radiation damage effects produced by an intense X-ray nanobeam on a semiconducting organic thin film. The formation of micrometric holes induced by the beam occurring on a timescale of seconds is characterized.

Custom AFM for X-ray beamlines: in situ biological investigations under physiological conditions.

A fast atomic force microscope (AFM) has been developed that can be installed as a sample holder for grazing-incidence X-ray experiments at solid/gas or solid/liquid interfaces. It allows a wide range of possible investigations, including soft and biological samples under physiological conditions (hydrated specimens). The structural information obtained using the X-rays is combined with the data gathered with the AFM (morphology and mechanical properties), providing a unique characterization of the specimen and its dynamics in situ during an experiment. In this work, lipid monolayers and bilayers in air or liquid environment have been investigated by means of AFM, both with imaging and force spectroscopy, and X-ray reflectivity. In addition, this combination allows the radiation damage induced by the beam on the sample to be studied, as has been observed on DOPC and DPPC supported lipid bilayers under physiological conditions.

Three decades of allogeneic bone marrow transplants at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

A total of 1,122 patients with various hemopoietic disorders were transplanted at the Princess Margaret Hospital since 1970. The majority suffered from acute or chronic myeloid leukemia. Improvements in support strategies permitted a gradual escalation of the upper age limit for transplant candidates and resulted in better survival. The overall survival at 10 years of all patients transplanted consecutively either before or after 1986 increased from 30 to 50%. This change was observed independent of other transplant related risk factors and is predominantly attributable to the use of cyclosporine and ganciclovir. An improvement of similar magnitude was seen for transplant recipients presenting with good risk features. The 10-year survival of patients with acute and chronic myeloid leukemia transplanted from a fully matched sibling donor in first complete remission or first chronic phase increased from 40 to approximately 70%. The quality of life of surviving patients may not return to normal but appears to improve with time after the transplant.