J Ultrasound Med

Chest CT is the reference test for assessing pulmonary injury in suspected or diagnosed COVID-19 with signs of clinical severity. This study aimed to evaluate the association of a lung ultrasonography score and unfavorable clinical evolution at 28 days. The eChoVid is a multicentric study based on routinely collected data that was conducted in 8 emergency units in France; patients were included between March 19, 2020 and April 28, 2020 and underwent lung ultrasonography, a short clinical assessment by 2 emergency physicians blinded to each other's assessment, and chest CT. Lung ultrasonography consisted of scoring lesions from 0 to 3 in 8 chest zones, thus defining a global score (GS) of severity from 0 to 24. The primary outcome was the association of lung damage severity as assessed by the GS at day 0 and patient status at 28 days. Secondary outcomes were comparing the performance between GS and CT scan and the performance between a new trainee physician and an ultrasonography expert in scores. For the 328 patients analyzed, the GS showed good performance in predicting clinical worsening at 28 days (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] 0.83, sensitivity 84.2%, specificity 76.4%). The GS showed good performance in predicting the CT severity assessment (AUC 0.84, sensitivity 77.2%, specificity 83.7%). A lung ultrasonography GS is a simple tool that can be used in the emergency department to predict unfavorable assessment at 28 days in patients with COVID-19

Rare predicted loss-of-function variants of type I IFN immunity genes are associated with life-threatening COVID-19

Background: We previously reported that impaired type I IFN activity, due to inborn errors of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I interferon (IFN) immunity or to autoantibodies against type I IFN, account for 15–20% of cases of life-threatening COVID-19 in unvaccinated patients. Therefore, the determinants of life-threatening COVID-19 remain to be identified in ~ 80% of cases. Methods: We report here a genome-wide rare variant burden association analysis in 3269 unvaccinated patients with life-threatening COVID-19, and 1373 unvaccinated SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals without pneumonia. Among the 928 patients tested for autoantibodies against type I IFN, a quarter (234) were positive and were excluded. Results: No gene reached genome-wide significance. Under a recessive model, the most significant gene with at-risk variants was TLR7, with an OR of 27.68 (95%CI 1.5–528.7, P = 1.1 × 10−4) for biochemically loss-of-function (bLOF) variants. We replicated the enrichment in rare predicted LOF (pLOF) variants at 13 influenza susceptibility loci involved in TLR3-dependent type I IFN immunity (OR = 3.70[95%CI 1.3–8.2], P = 2.1 × 10−4). This enrichment was further strengthened by (1) adding the recently reported TYK2 and TLR7 COVID-19 loci, particularly under a recessive model (OR = 19.65[95%CI 2.1–2635.4], P = 3.4 × 10−3), and (2) considering as pLOF branchpoint variants with potentially strong impacts on splicing among the 15 loci (OR = 4.40[9%CI 2.3–8.4], P = 7.7 × 10−8). Finally, the patients with pLOF/bLOF variants at these 15 loci were significantly younger (mean age [SD] = 43.3 [20.3] years) than the other patients (56.0 [17.3] years; P = 1.68 × 10−5). Conclusions: Rare variants of TLR3- and TLR7-dependent type I IFN immunity genes can underlie life-threatening COVID-19, particularly with recessive inheritance, in patients under 60 years old

An investigation of the formation of hollow bead defects in pipeline field welds / G.M. Delphine Cantin.

Bibliography: leaves 361-370.xvii, 451 leaves : ill. (some col.) ; 30 cm.Determines the effects of welding and metallurgical variables on the formation of hollow bead and provides a detailed study of the characteristics of hollow bead in order to understand their formation.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 199

La céramique de poêle du site Berg Armo (XVI s., Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France) : matériaux et techniques de fabrication

Le site de la maison 1 du district de Berg Armo à Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (Haut-Rhin, France) a permis la mise au jour d’un lot important de céramique de poêle daté du xvie siècle. Des analyses physico-chimiques ont été effectuées sur cet ensemble clos afin d’évaluer l’homogénéité des carreaux et de vérifier l’hypothèse d’une production à proximité du site. Pour cette étude, 23 fragments appartenant aux 4 motifs les plus représentés ont été analysés à la loupe binoculaire, par microscopie polarisante et microscopie électronique à balayage, couplée à un spectromètre de rayons X en dispersion d’énergie. Ces analyses ont permis de révéler que les pâtes contiennent des fragments de roches caractéristiques de la région vosgienne. Pour l’ensemble des échantillons analysés, on note une variabilité dans les matières premières argileuses et les recettes des glaçures. Ces dernières se différencient par leur teneur en cuivre et en aluminium. On constate ainsi que des motifs proches stylistiquement ne sont pas le fruit d’une même production. Ces carreaux ont donc été produits localement mais dans des ateliers différents ou, étant donné qu’il s’agit d’un ensemble provenant d’un seul poêle, pourraient correspondre à des réparations successives de celui-ci.The site of House 1 in the district of Berg Armo in Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (Haut-Rhin, France) yielded an important number of furnace ceramics dating back to the 16th century. We performed physical and chemical analyses on this closed set to confirm our assumption that a workshop existed close to the site, but also to evaluate the homogeneity of the stove ceramics. 23 fragments representing the 4 most represented pattern types were studied. Our methods include examination with stereomicroscope, petrography and scanning electron microscopy coupled with an X-ray energy dispersive spectrometer. These analysis show that the ceramic paste contains fragments of rocks characteristic of the Vosges region. For all the analysed samples, there is variability in the clay raw materials and glaze recipes. Glazes are differentiated by their content of copper and aluminium. It can thus be seen that stylistically related motifs are not the fruit of the same production. Thus, either these tiles were produced locally but in different workshops, or – given that the set of tiles comes from a unique furnace – they might correspond to successive maintenance and repair phases

Céramique de poêle du site Berg Armo (Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines, France) : matériaux et techniques de fabrication

International audienceLa céramique de poêle alsacienne (XIV e-XVII e siècle) a fait l'objet de peu de travaux. C'est dans le cadre d'une thèse sur ce sujet que des analyses physico-chimiques ont été entreprises sur un ensemble clos, celui de la maison 1 du site Berg Armo à Sainte-Marie-aux-Mines (68). On s'interroge sur la composition chimique des différents composants (terre cuite, engobe et glaçure) afin d'identifier la nature des matières premières et des techniques de fabrication employées

Production and consumption of pottery in Coptos between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD

International audienceThe site of Coptos, the current city of Qouft, is located a few kilometers south of Qena city, Egypt, a place where the Nile forms a loop towards the East, approaching as close as possible to the shores of the Red Sea.Since 2005, the collaboration between the French Institute of Oriental Archeology in Cairo (IFAO), HiSoMA laboratory (CNRS, UMR 5189), and University of Lumière-Lyon 2 has resumed the excavations at Coptos, under the direction of Laure Pantalacci.The excavation carried out in 2009 revealed reddened and ash layers including elements of kiln-like structures, which can clearly be attributed to a ceramic production area. These stratifications also yielded consumption ceramic products, such as amphorae, cooking ware, and fineware.According to the ceramological study, conducted by Delphine Dixneuf, the functioning of this potential production area is significantly questioned. Was this workshop able to produce such a diversity of ceramic products?Chemical analyses using a portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometer and petrographic approach, of macro and microscopic studies, were carried out on 130 ceramic fragments of different typologies, at the Center of Alexandrian Studies (CEAlex) and the French Institute of Oriental Archeology (IFAO). In general, the conducted studies made it possible to identify the clay raw materials selected for the fabrication of these types of ceramics, in addition to shedding the light on the characteristics of the prepared clay paste used in their manufacturing.The elucidated results, from both the chemical and petrographic studies, discuss the possibility of having a ceramic production at the excavated area, and checking the ceramological hypotheses related to the fabricated typologies. The studies resulted in the classification of 4 petrographic and 3 chemical compositional groups, covering all the different forms. In fact, the variance between the two results, represented by the additional petrographic group, seems to delineate a specific functionality related to the typology (notably water storage). Nevertheless, two compositional groups that represent the majority of the sherds, confirm the presence of local production according to their compatibility with the surrounding geological environment. On the other hand, some fabrics appeared to have been imported to the site, although they were supposed to be from the same workshop.In conclusion, the cross-correlation between the archaeometric and ceramological studies refines and clarifies the establishment of coherent fabrics and typological assemblages. Although this multidisciplinary study aided in confirming the hypothesis about the existence of local production in the vicinity of the excavated site, it also marked the usage of another clay raw material than the widely used Nile deposits, despite their proximity to the supposed workshop

Blood cocaine and metabolite pharmacokinetics after cardiac arrest in a body-packer case

International audienceIntroduction: Cocaine body packing, the internal concealment of cocaine for transportation between countries, may expose to life-threatening intoxications. No data is currently available on the pharmacokinetics of cocaine and its metabolites when a packet rupture occurs in a body packer. Case report: We report the first pharmacokinetic data associated with a severe cocaine intoxication in a body packer, resulting in cardiac arrest. Massive concentrations of cocaine (observed maximal concentration: 1.66 mg/L, 1 hour after the cardiac arrest) were measured in plasma up to about 15 hours, suggesting a prolonged absorption due to a slow-release in the gastrointestinal tract despite surgical extraction of the packets. Apparent cocaine elimination half-life was 7.6 hours. Conclusion: A prolonged apparent cocaine elimination half-life has been observed. Further pharmacokinetic studies are needed to understand better the pathophysiology of acute cocaine intoxication in body packers