First Direct Detection Constraints on Planck-Scale Mass Dark Matter with Multiple-Scatter Signatures Using the DEAP-3600 Detector.

Dark matter with Planck-scale mass (≃10^{19} GeV/c^{2}) arises in well-motivated theories and could be produced by several cosmological mechanisms. A search for multiscatter signals from supermassive dark matter was performed with a blind analysis of data collected over a 813 d live time with DEAP-3600, a 3.3 t single-phase liquid argon-based detector at SNOLAB. No candidate signals were observed, leading to the first direct detection constraints on Planck-scale mass dark matter. Leading limits constrain dark matter masses between 8.3×10^{6} and 1.2×10^{19} GeV/c^{2}, and ^{40}Ar-scattering cross sections between 1.0×10^{-23} and 2.4×10^{-18} cm^{2}. These results are interpreted as constraints on composite dark matter models with two different nucleon-to-nuclear cross section scalings.

[A non-fatal Nerium oleander self-poisoning: case report and discussion]. / Intoxication volontaire au laurier rose ; cas clinique et revue de la littérature.

Nerium oleander is potentially lethal plants after ingestion. We report a case of poisoning by these plants. Our patient complained of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea. He had bradycardia during first twelve hours. He was discharge after 3 days. All parts of these plants are toxic and contain a variety of cardiac glycosides including oleandrin. In most cases, clinical management of poisoning by N. oleander involves administration of activated charcoal and supportive care. Digoxin specific Fab fragments are an effective treatment.

[Disproportionate pulmonary arterial hypertension and lung respiratory diseases: distinctive clinical, hemodynamic and prognosis of patients versus primary pulmonary arterial hypertension]. / Hypertension artérielle pulmonaire disproportionnée : caractéristiques et pronostic d'une cohorte de patients niçois référés au laboratoire d'échocardiographie.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize and compare patients with disproportionate PH versus patients with primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS: All patients referred to our cardiology unit for echocardiography from November 2006 to May 2008 and who have been followed by our pneumologist were screened for severe PH (i.e mean arterial pulmonary pressure>35-40 mmHg at rest). Patients were excluded if a factor that could influence pulmonary hemodynamics was present. We investigated these patients by pulmonary function tests, echocardiography and right heart catheterisation. RESULTS: We reported 16 cases of severe PH in stable patients (n=8, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-emphysema) and 13 patients with PAH. Our findings suggest that the patients with disproportionate PH had right heart dysfunction similar to that observed in PAH. But their outcomes were more severe. It seemed that specific vasodilatator therapy was not efficient.

[Usefulness of tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) to identify right ventricular dysfunction in normotensive patients with acute pulmonary embolism]. / Intérêt du tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) dans l'évaluation de la dysfonction ventriculaire droite au cours de l'embolie pulmonaire.

BACKGROUND: Echocardiographic criteria of right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) differ among published studies. Assessment of RV systolic function remains difficult because of the RV's complex shape. We aimed to evaluate RV systolic function with TAD in patients (pts) with acute PE. TAD (QLAB, Philips Medical Imaging) was based on a tissue-tracking algorithm that is ultrasound beam angle independent for automated detection of tricuspid annular displacement. DESIGN: Prospective and observational study. METHODS: All adults' pts who were diagnosed with PE from December 2008 to December 2009 at Princess Grace Hospital, Monaco were eligible for this study after exclusion of history of heart failure. We evaluated 36 consecutive pts with PE (18 male, mean age 62.7 years), which underwent echocardiography, plasma BNP titration during the first day after admission, and a second echocardiography obtained within 48 hours before discharge. RESULTS: TAD value were significantly lower in pts with abnormal RV function by echocardiogram (15.9 ± 0.3 vs. 12.7 ± 0.2 ; P = 0.026). Pts with a normal BNP (<80 pg/ml) had an elevated TAD (16.4 ± 0.2 vs. 11.2 ± 0.3 mm ; P < 0.0001). At discharge, echocardiographic data were obtained from 33 pts (mean: 8.3 ± 3.5 days). RV end diastolic diameter, RV to LV diameter, pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, mean pulmonic valve acceleration time, RV FAC, Sa and TAD were significantly improved. There was no difference between TAD among pts with echocardiographic RVD at baseline vs. pts without RVD (14.9 ± 3.7 vs. 16.1 ± 2.9 mm ; P = 0.3). Four pts who deteriorated during short-term observation had substantially lower TAD values than those with uncomplicated courses (7.7 ± 0.4mm vs. 14.6 ± 0.2 mm ; P = 0.001). In conclusion, impaired TAD was associated with decreased RV systolic function in pts with acute PE. To identify the clinical meaning of decreased TAD, larger trials with longer follow-up periods are needed.

[Interest of tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) in evaluation of right ventricular ejection fraction]. / Evaluation de la fraction d'éjection ventriculaire droite par la mesure du déplacement de l'anneau tricuspide via l'utilisation du tricuspid annular displacement (TAD).

INTRODUCTION: The ultrasound assessment of RV structure and function is often sub-optimal. The range of excursions of the mitral or tricuspid annulus measured in millimetre by 2D or TM-mode in centimetre per second by DTI-mode echocardiography has been shown to reflect the systolic function of both ventricles. METHODS: We studied a new technique based on a tissue tracking algorithm that is ultrasound beam angle independent for automated detection of tricuspid annular displacement (TAD) (QLAB, Philips Medical Imaging). Twenty-six patients (pts) referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 44 control subjects underwent a complete transthoracic echocardiography. MRI of the right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) was correlated by linear regression with TAD. Sixteen pts (61.5%) exhibited right ventricular systolic dysfunction (MRI RVEF<40%). RESULTS: The MRI RVEF was positively correlated with TAD (R(2)=0,65; p<0,0001). A value of TAD <14mm predicted right ventricular dysfunction with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 90%. Most of (90%) healthy subjects exhibited TAD values exceeding this cut-off point (mean: 16.9+/-1.64mm; range: 13.3 to 24.8mm). Negative correlation was found between TAD and age (R(2)=0,36; p<0,0001). CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to correlate TAD with MRI RVEF. TAD is a simple, rapid, and non-invasive tool for right ventricular systolic function assessment.

[Pulmonary artery compression by a mediastinal tumor]. / Compression extrinsèque de l'artère pulmonaire secondaire à une tumeur germinale non séminomateuse médiastinale.

Acquired arterial pulmonary stenosis is rarely found in adults. Reviews and case reports suggest that tumours of the mediastinum (teratomatas and Hodgkin's disease) are the most frequent culprits leading to compression of the main pulmonary artery. We present the case of a young patient with chest pain. Compression of the main and left pulmonary artery by an anterior mediastinal nonseminomatous germ cell tumors (GCTs) was diagnosed by transthoracic echocardiography and CT scan.

Immunogenicity of Ty21a attenuated "Salmonella typhi" given with sodium bicarbonate or in enteric-coated capsules.

Ty21a, a stable attenuated mutant of Salmonella typhi, is a safe, protective oral vaccine when 3 doses of 10(9) cells in saline are taken after neutralization of gastric acidity by 1 g NaHCO3. To identify a more convenient method to administer vaccine and to determine the feasibility of immunizing with a single dose, we studied the immune response of children and adults to different formulations of Ty21a with a newly developed, sensitive, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this ELISA, a rise in S. typhi O antibody was defined as a change in net optical density of greater than or equal to 0.15 (more than 3 SD from the mean difference in optical density in a negative control population). Three hundred and thirty-five Chilean children were given 3 doses of 10(9) Ty21a in 150 ml of milk with 0.8 g NaHCO3 or in enteric-coated capsules. In each group, 5% seroconverted by Widal O but 41% by IgG ELISA O antibody titers; mean antibody levels by group were identical. Studies were also carried out in healthy college students in a non-endemic area (U.S.A.) who had no history of prior typhoid immunization. In total, 141 U.S. adults received vaccine formulated in either one of two ways: 1) in gelatin capsules administered with two additional gelatin capsules containing a total of 0.8 gm NaHCO3 or 2) in enteric-coated capsules. Thirty-six persons received one dose, 30 got two doses and 16 ingested three doses of enteric-coated vaccines, while 44 persons receiving one dose and 15 got two doses of vaccine in the gelatin capsule formulation. Rates of seroconversion of ELISA O antibody were similar in all the groups. Ty21a vaccine was not recovered from multiple stool, jejunal fluid or blood cultures of the U.S. vaccine recipients. Based on these observations a large-scale field trial of efficacy has been initiated in 90.000 schoolchildren 6-20 years of age in Santiago, Chile, of whom one-third received one dose of enteric-coated vaccine, one-third got two doses and the remainder received placebo.