Detection of minimal residual disease (MRD) has proven to provide independent prognostic information for treatment stratification in several types of leukemias such as childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute promyelocytc leukemia. This report focuses on the accurate quantitative measurement of fusion gene (FG) transcripts as can be applied in 35-45% of ALL and acute myeloid leukemia, and in more than 90% of CML. A total of 26 European university laboratories from 10 countries have collaborated to establish a standardized protocol for TaqManbased real-time quantitative PCR (RQ-PCR) analysis of the main leukemia-associated FGs within the Europe Against Cancer (EAC) program. Four phases were scheduled: (1) training, (2) optimization, (3) sensitivity testing and (4) patient sample testing. During our program, three quality control rounds on a large series of coded RNA samples were performed including a balanced randomized assay, which enabled final validation of the EAC primer and probe sets. The expression level of the nine major FG transcripts in a large series of stored diagnostic leukemia samples (n ¼ 278) was evaluated. After normalization, no statistically significant difference in expression level was observed between bone marrow and peripheral blood on paired samples at diagnosis. However, RQ-PCR revealed marked differences in FG expression between transcripts in leukemic Correspondence: Professor J

Use of NMBA during a 48-hr period in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome is associated with a sustained improvement in oxygenation.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT) is the most common hereditary peripheral neuropathy, affecting 1 in 2,500 people. The only treatment currently available is rehabilitation or corrective surgery. The most frequent form of the disease, CMT-1A, involves abnormal myelination of the peripheral nerves. Here we used a mouse model of CMT-1A to test the ability of ascorbic acid, a known promoter of myelination, to correct the CMT-1A phenotype. Ascorbic acid treatment resulted in substantial amelioration of the CMT-1A phenotype, and reduced the expression of PMP22 to a level below what is necessary to induce the disease phenotype. As ascorbic acid has already been approved by the FDA for other clinical indications, it offers an immediate therapeutic possibility for patients with the disease.

The present study shows that open-lung biopsy provided a contributive result in 78% of ARDS patients with a negative bronchoalveolar lavage. Survival of ARDS patients improved when open-lung biopsy was contributive.