An above-barrier narrow resonance in F-15

Intense and purified radioactive beam of post-accelerated O-14 was used to study the low-lying states in the unbound F-15 nucleus. Exploiting resonant elastic scattering in inverse kinematics with a thick target, the second excited state, a resonance at E-R = 4.757(6)(10) MeV with a width of Gamma = 36(5)(14) keV was measured for the first time with high precision. The structure of this narrow above-barrier state in a nucleus located two neutrons beyond the proton drip line was investigated using the Gamow Shell Model in the coupled channel representation with a C-12 core and three valence protons. It is found that it is an almost pure wave function of two quasi-bound protons in the 2s(1/2) shell. (C) 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V

IgA kappa light and heavy chain deposition disease in multiple myeloma

International audienc

Direct comparison of ITS-90 and PLTS-2000 from 0.65 K to 1 K at LNE-CNAM

International audienceIn the temperature range between 0.65 K and 1 K, the international temperature scale of 1990 (ITS-90) is based on 3 He vapour-pressure thermometers and overlaps with the provisional low temperature scale of 2000 (PLTS-2000) defined by the melting pressure of 3 He. An indirect comparison at PTB revealed differences between the two scales of up to 1.5 mK at 0.65 K (Engert et al 2007 Metrologia 44 40-52). Stimulated by the PTB results, we have performed a direct comparison T 90-T 2000 from 0.65 K to 1 K at LNE-CNAM. To test repeatability, the experiment was conducted twice: in 2019 and 2020. We find differences T 90-T 2000 of 0.28 mK at 1 K, increasing to 1.58 mK at 0.65 K. The direct comparison, eliminates the uncertainty component due to the transfer resistance thermometer and its calibration. Except for a point near 1 K, the new results are in accordance with those obtained at PTB (differences of less than 0.22 mK), which makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the equation specified in ITS-90. Keywords: international temperature scale of 1990 (ITS-90), provisional low temperature scale of 2000 (PLTS-2000), vapour pressure of 3 He, melting curve of 3 He, low temperature thermometr

Proliferative lupus nephritis in the absence of overt systemic lupus erythematosus

International audienceSevere lupus nephritis in the absence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a rare condition with an unclear clinical presentation and outcome. We conducted a historical observational study of 12 adult (age >18 years) patients with biopsy-proven severe lupus nephritis or lupus-like nephritis without SLE immunological markers at diagnosis or during follow-up. Excluded were patients with chronic infections with HIV or hepatitis B or C; patients with a bacterial infectious disease; and patients with pure membranous nephropathy. Electron microscopy was retrospectively performed when the material was available. End points were the proportion of patients with a complete response (urine protein to creatinine ratio <0.5 g/day and a normal or near-normal eGFR), partial response (≥50% reduction in proteinuria to subnephrotic levels and a normal or near-normal eGFR), or nonresponse at 12 months or later after the initiation of the treatment. The study included 12 patients (66% female) with a median age of 36.5 years. At diagnosis, median creatinine and proteinuria levels were 1.21 mg/dL (range 0.5–11.6) and 7.5 g/day (1.4–26.7), respectively. Six patients had nephrotic syndrome and acute kidney injury. Renal biopsy examinations revealed class III or class IV A/C lupus nephritis in all cases. Electron microscopy was performed on samples from 5 patients. The results showed mesangial and subendothelial dense deposits consistent with LN in 4 cases, and a retrospective diagnosis of pseudo-amyloid fibrillary glomerulonephritis was made in 1 patient. Patients received immunosuppressive therapy consisting of induction therapy followed by maintenance therapy, similar to treatment for severe lupus nephritis. Remission was recorded in 10 patients at 12 months after the initiation of treatment. One patient reached end-stage renal disease. After a median follow-up of 24 months, 2 patients relapsed. Lupus nephritis in the absence of overt SLE is a nosological entity requiring careful etiological investigation, including systematic electron microscopy examination of renal biopsies to rule out fibrillary glomerulonephritis. In this series, most patients presented with severe glomerulonephritis, which was highly similar to lupus nephritis at presentation and in terms of response to immunosuppressive therapy. Abbreviations: CKD = chronic kidney disease, CR = complete response, eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate, FHN = Full House nephropathy, LN = lupus nephritis, MMF = mycophenolate mofetil, PR = partial response, SLE = systemic lupus erythematosus

Efficacy and safety of methylprednisolone pulse followed by oral prednisone vs. oral prednisone alone in sarcoidosis tubulointerstitial nephritis: a randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial

International audienceABSTRACT Background We determine the benefit of pulsed methylprednisolone for improving kidney function in patients with sarcoidosis tubulointerstitial nephritis. Methods We conducted a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, controlled trial in patients with biopsy-proven acute tubulointerstitial nephritis caused by sarcoidosis at 21 sites in France. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a methylprednisolone pulse 15 mg/kg/day for 3 days, then oral prednisone (MP group) or oral prednisone 1 mg/kg/day alone (PRD group). The primary end point was a positive response at 3 months, defined as a doubling of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) compared with the eGFR before randomization. Results We randomized 40 participants. Baseline eGFR before PRD was 22 mL/min/1.73m2 {interquartile range [IQR], 16–44} and before MP was 25 mL/min/1.73m2 (IQR, 22–36) (P = .3). The two groups did not differ in underlying pathological lesions, including mean percentage of interstitial fibrosis and intensity of interstitial infiltrate. In the intent-to-treat population, the median eGFR at 3 months did not significantly differ between the PRD and MP groups: 45 (IQR, 34–74) and 46 (IQR, 39–65) mL/min/1.73m2. The primary end point at 3 months was achieved in 16 of 20 (80%) PRD patients and 10 of 20 (50%) MP patients (P = .0467). The eGFR was similar between the two groups after 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of treatment. For both groups, eGFR at 1 month was strongly correlated with eGFR at 12 months (P &lt; .0001). The two groups did not differ in severe adverse events. Conclusion Compared with a standard oral steroid regimen, intravenous MP may have no supplemental benefit for renal function in patients with tubulointerstitial nephritis caused by sarcoidosis. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01652417; EudraCT: 2012–000149-1