Resonance Excitations in

The anomaly in lithium abundance is a well-known unresolved problem in nuclear astrophysics. A recent revisit to the problem tried the avenue of resonance enhancement to account for the primordial ^{7}Li abundance in standard big-bang nucleosynthesis. Prior measurements of the ^{7}Be(d,p)^{8}Be^{*} reaction could not account for the individual contributions of the different excited states involved, particularly at higher energies close to the Q value of the reaction. We carried out an experiment at HIE-ISOLDE, CERN to study this reaction at E_{c.m.}=7.8 MeV, populating excitations up to 22 MeV in ^{8}Be for the first time. The angular distributions of the several excited states have been measured and the contributions of the higher excited states in the total cross section at the relevant big-bang energies were obtained by extrapolation to the Gamow window using the talys code. The results show that by including the contribution of the 16.63 MeV state, the maximum value of the total S factor inside the Gamow window comes out to be 167 MeV b as compared to earlier estimate of 100 MeV b. However, this still does not account for the lithium discrepancy.

[Surgical treatment of bronchopleural complications after lung resection and pleurectomy in patients with tuberculosis]. / Khirurgicheskoe lechenie bronkhoplevral'nykh oslozhnenii posle rezektsii legkogo i plevrektomii u bol'nykh tuberkulezom.

OBJECTIVE: To increase an efficiency of surgical treatment of bronchopleural complications after lung resections and pleurectomies through the development of modern indications, treatment strategies, techniques and postoperative management. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed data in 252 patients with bronchopleural complications after lung resections and pleurectomies. The study included patients who underwent treatment at the Central Research Institute of Tuberculosis for the period 2004-2010, Clinical Hospital of Phthisiopulmonology of the Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University for the period 2011-2017 and Thoracic Center of the Republic of Ingushetia for the period 2015-2019. The study included patients with postoperative pleural empyema divided into two groups: group I - 138 patients with empyema and bronchial fistula; group II - 114 patients with empyema and no bronchial fistula. In the 1st group, 1 patient had bronchial and esophageal fistulas. RESULTS: At discharge, empyema and bronchial fistula were eliminated in 245 (97.2%) patients of both groups. Overall in-hospital mortality was 1.6% (4 cases). Two (1.4%) patients died within 30 days in group I and 1 (0.9%) patient died in group II. Within 90 days after surgery, another patient died from acute cerebrovascular accident in group I. In long-term period, overall effectiveness of treatment of bronchopleural complications was 97.2% (208 out of 214 cases). CONCLUSION: The original surgical approach for bronchopleural complications considers timing of postoperative empyema, its spread and duration. This method together with minimally invasive interventions reduces mortality and ensures stable recovery after bronchopleural complications in 97.2% of patients.

First Exploration of Neutron Shell Structure below Lead and beyond N=126.

The nuclei below lead but with more than 126 neutrons are crucial to an understanding of the astrophysical r process in producing nuclei heavier than A∼190. Despite their importance, the structure and properties of these nuclei remain experimentally untested as they are difficult to produce in nuclear reactions with stable beams. In a first exploration of the shell structure of this region, neutron excitations in ^{207}Hg have been probed using the neutron-adding (d,p) reaction in inverse kinematics. The radioactive beam of ^{206}Hg was delivered to the new ISOLDE Solenoidal Spectrometer at an energy above the Coulomb barrier. The spectroscopy of ^{207}Hg marks a first step in improving our understanding of the relevant structural properties of nuclei involved in a key part of the path of the r process.

Fragmentation of Single-Particle Strength around the Doubly Magic Nucleus

Spectroscopic factors of neutron-hole and proton-hole states in ^{131}Sn and ^{131}In, respectively, were measured using one-nucleon removal reactions from doubly magic ^{132}Sn at relativistic energies. For ^{131}In, a 2910(50)-keV γ ray was observed for the first time and tentatively assigned to a decay from a 5/2^{-} state at 3275(50) keV to the known 1/2^{-} level at 365 keV. The spectroscopic factors determined for this new excited state and three other single-hole states provide first evidence for a strong fragmentation of single-hole strength in ^{131}Sn and ^{131}In. The experimental results are compared to theoretical calculations based on the relativistic particle-vibration coupling model and to experimental information for single-hole states in the stable doubly magic nucleus ^{208}Pb.

Towards the Limits of Existence of Nuclear Structure: Observation and First Spectroscopy of the Isotope

The most remote isotope from the proton dripline (by 4 atomic mass units) has been observed: ^{31}K. It is unbound with respect to three-proton (3p) emission, and its decays have been detected in flight by measuring the trajectories of all decay products using microstrip detectors. The 3p emission processes have been studied by the means of angular correlations of ^{28}S+3p and the respective decay vertices. The energies of the previously unknown ground and excited states of ^{31}K have been determined. This provides its 3p separation energy value S_{3p} of -4.6(2) MeV. Upper half-life limits of 10 ps of the observed ^{31}K states have been derived from distributions of the measured decay vertices.

[Surgical treatment of tuberculous empyema in children]. / Khirurgicheskoe lechenie tuberkuleznoi émpiemy plevry u detei.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze surgical treatment of tuberculous pleural empyema in children depending on the stage of the process. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 82 patients aged 4-17 years with tuberculous pleural empyema. Clinical and X-ray features of different stages of disease are described. Certain types of surgical interventions at each stage of the process are analyzed. RESULTS: In 72 children with empyema stage III 76 surgeries were performed. Postoperative complications occurred in 2 (2.6%) cases (delayed lung inflation) that required thoracocentesis with pleural drainage. There was no postoperative mortality. CONCLUSION: Complex treatment of tuberculous pleural empyema in children and adolescents with the use of modern surgical methods is followed by satisfactory outcomes in all patients. However, surgical technique, postoperative morbidity and hospital-stay depend on the stage of the process. Unfortunately, almost 90% of patients had empyema stage III. Therefore, minimally invasive surgery was not advisable and extensive, traumatic surgeries were required.

Scattering of the Halo Nucleus

Angular distributions of the elastic, inelastic, and breakup cross sections of the halo nucleus ^{11}Be on ^{197}Au were measured at energies below (E_{lab}=31.9 MeV) and around (39.6 MeV) the Coulomb barrier. These three channels were unambiguously separated for the first time for reactions of ^{11}Be on a high-Z target at low energies. The experiment was performed at TRIUMF (Vancouver, Canada). The differential cross sections were compared with three different calculations: semiclassical, inert-core continuum-coupled-channels and continuum-coupled-channels ones with including core deformation. These results show conclusively that the elastic and inelastic differential cross sections can only be accounted for if core-excited admixtures are taken into account. The cross sections for these channels strongly depend on the B(E1) distribution in ^{11}Be, and the reaction mechanism is sensitive to the entanglement of core and halo degrees of freedom in ^{11}Be.

Observation and Spectroscopy of New Proton-Unbound Isotopes ³°Ar and ²9Cl: An Interplay of Prompt Two-Proton and Sequential Decay.

Previously unknown isotopes (30)Ar and (29)Cl have been identified by measurement of the trajectories of their in-flight decay products (28)S+p+p and (28)S+p, respectively. The analysis of angular correlations of the fragments provided information on decay energies and the structure of the parent states. The ground states of (30)Ar and (29)Cl were found at 2.25(-0.10)(+0.15) and 1.8±0.1 MeV above the two- and one-proton thresholds, respectively. The lowest states in (30)Ar and (29)Cl point to a violation of isobaric symmetry in the structure of these unbound nuclei. The two-proton decay has been identified in a transition region between simultaneous two-proton and sequential proton emissions from the (30)Ar ground state, which is characterized by an interplay of three-body and two-body decay mechanisms. The first hint of a fine structure of the two-proton decay of (30)Ar*(2(+)) has been obtained by detecting two decay branches into the ground and first-excited states of the (28)S fragment.

[Repeated lung resection in patients with postoperative recurrent tuberculosis in the operated lung].

The literature data of 18 authors about surgical treatment of 1723 patients with recurrent tuberculosis are presented in the article. Also authors reported their own experience in repeated lung resection in 50 patients. Intraoperative complications were observed in 7 patients including empyema cavity dissection in 2 cases, scalping lung injury in 2 cases, peristump abscess dissection in 1 case, v. azygas injury in 1 patient and rupture of membranous part of trachea due to swollen cuff of intubation tube in 1 case. In postoperative period complications developed in 5 patients including early intrapleural bleeding in 1 case, later intrapleural bleeding in 1 case, empyema with bronchial fistula in 1 patient, residual pleural cavity in 1 patient and wound complication in 1 case. All postoperative complications were eliminated and there was no postoperative mortality. The authors concluded that although severe patients' condition, technical complexity and higher surgical risk of repeated resections compared with organ-preserving and collapsosurgical interventions satisfactory remote results and high proportion of labour rehabilitation earnestly prove advantages of repeated lung resections for recurrent tuberculosis of operated lung.

[An experience of single lung resection and pneumonectomy after contralateral lung resection in treatment of tuberculosis].

AIM: To improve the efficiency of treatment of single lung destructive tuberculosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 15-year experience of operations for destructive tuberculosis performed by the same surgeon including 18 resections of the single lung and 19 pneumonectomies after previous partial lung resection is presented in the article. RESULTS: Surgical management of patients with destructive tuberculosis of single lung provides positive results in more than 90% of cases. However the frequency of its application is still low according to literature data. In case of destructive tuberculosis of single lung partial resection is more frequently indicated if fibrous-cavernous tuberculosis of the upper lung (up to 4 damaged segments), persistent bacterial excretion on the background of adequate chemotherapy and pathogen's drug resistance are present.

11Li Breakup on 208 at energies around the Coulomb barrier.

The inclusive breakup for the (11)Li + (208)Pb reaction at energies around the Coulomb barrier has been measured for the first time. A sizable yield of (9)Li following the (11)Li dissociation has been observed, even at energies well below the Coulomb barrier. Using the first-order semiclassical perturbation theory of Coulomb excitation it is shown that the breakup probability data measured at small angles can be used to extract effective breakup energy as well as the slope of B(E1) distribution close to the threshold. Four-body continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations, including both nuclear and Coulomb couplings between the target and projectile to all orders, reproduce the measured inclusive breakup cross sections and support the presence of a dipole resonance in the (11)Li continuum at low excitation energy.

Do halo nuclei follow Rutherford elastic scattering at energies below the barrier? The case of 11Li.

The first measurement of the elastic scattering of the halo nucleus 11Li and its core 9Li on 208Pb at energies near the Coulomb barrier is presented. The 11Li+208Pb elastic scattering shows a strong reduction with respect to the Rutherford cross section, even at energies well below the barrier and down to very small scattering angles. This drastic change of the elastic differential cross section observed in 11Li+208Pb is the consequence of the halo structure of 11Li, as it is not observed in the elastic scattering of its core 9Li at the same energies. Four-body continuum-discretized coupled-channels calculations, based on a three-body model of the 11Li projectile, are found to explain the measured angular distributions and confirm that the observed reduction is mainly due to the strong Coulomb coupling to the dipole states in the low-lying continuum of 11Li. These calculations suggest the presence of a low-lying dipole resonance in 11Li close to the breakup threshold.

Elastic scattering and reaction mechanisms of the halo nucleus 11Be around the Coulomb barrier.

Collisions induced by (9,10,11)Be on a 64Zn target at the same c.m. energy were studied. For the first time, strong effects of the 11Be halo structure on elastic-scattering and reaction mechanisms at energies near the Coulomb barrier are evidenced experimentally. The elastic-scattering cross section of the 11Be halo nucleus shows unusual behavior in the Coulomb-nuclear interference peak angular region. The extracted total-reaction cross section for the 11Be collision is more than double the ones measured in the collisions induced by (9,10)Be. It is shown that such a strong enhancement of the total-reaction cross section with 11Be is due to transfer and breakup processes.

[The first experience with video-assisted thoracoscopy used during operations in children and adolescents for pulmonary tuberculosis].

The paper first describes the experience in performing operations in 34 children and adolescents with different forms of tuberculosis of the lung and intrathoracic lymph nodes via mini-invasive access (a 4-6-cm skin cut), by applying video-assisted thoracoscopy. Practice has provided evidence that lung resections of any scope can be made in children and adolescents with pulmonary tuberculosis and nonspecific lung diseases during video-assisted thoracoscopic operations. The latter have a lot of advantages over the traditional thoracic operations; these included decreases in the duration of operations, in intraoperative and early postoperative blood and plasma losses and the duration of inpatient treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis in children and adolescents, and earlier activation.

[Outcomes of video-assisted thoracic lung resections and pneumonectomies in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis].

The paper pools some experience with 6 videothoracoscopic and 505 video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) resections of the lung and 105 VATS pneumonectomies. The bulk of the operations [451 (73.2%)] was made for pulmonary tuberculosis in patients aged 7 to 77 years. 81% operations by separately treating root elements, including all pneumonectomies and major lung resections, were performed. A new SOMI-80 suturing apparatus designed for mini-invasive surgery was employed to suture lung tissue in most cases. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 5 and 8 cases, respectively. The efficiency of operations for tuberculosis was 98.6%.

Salvage brachytherapy of posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area.

PURPOSE: Brachytherapy performed in patients with posterior pharyngeal wall carcinoma in a previously irradiated area is evaluated in terms of local control, survival, and complications. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between January 1982 and July 1993, 14 patients were treated with interstitial low dose rate brachytherapy alone for posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area (local recurrences in five cases and second tumors in nine cases). Tumor size ranged from 1 to 4 cm. No patient had a macroscopic nodal involvement or metastase at the time of diagnosis. Median dose delivered was 55 Gy (39 to 60 Gy). RESULTS: Thirteen patients were assessed for local control. Twelve of them achieved complete macroscopic response within 2 months after brachytherapy. Local relapse occurred in five patients, from 5 to 29 months after brachytherapy. One patient developed distant metastatis without loco-regional relapse. Disease free survival was 69, 59, and 37% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively; overall survival was 78, 50, and 21% at 1, 2, and 5 years, respectively. Three patients were still alive without recurrence (8, 8, and 10 years after treatment). We did not observe any severe acute or delayed toxicity. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, interstitial brachytherapy should be considered as a potentially curative treatment for selected patients with posterior pharyngeal wall squamous cell carcinoma in a previously irradiated area. There are no reports in the literature on this subject.

[Pure embryonal carcinoma of the ovary. A review of the literature apropos of a case]. / Carcinome embryonnaire pur de l'ovaire. Revue de la littérature à propos d'un cas.

A 25-year-old woman with a stage IA pure embryonal carcinoma of the left ovary, without elevated serum markers namely AFP and HCG (nor-positive immuno-histologic marking at the later pathological analysis) underwent surgery alone (unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy). She relapsed seven weeks later with peritoneal carcinomatosis. She still did not have elevated tumor markers. She then received five courses of a cis platinum-based chemotherapy (bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatinum, BEP) and achieved pathological complete response (as attested by a coelioscopic third look). This response is still lasting, fourteen months after the end of the procedure. Malignant ovarian germ cells tumors account for 2 to 5% of all ovarian cancers and embryonal carcinoma is rare. It may be associated with high serum levels of AFP and/or HCG, but not when the embryonal carcinoma is really pure. These markers are very helpful for patient follow-up but not in our patient's history. These tumors offer a very good chemosensitivity especially when treated with cisplatinum. This treatment dramatically improved their prognosis and extensive debulking surgery is yet unnecessary. Some questions still remains is there any specificity for embryonal carcinoma within malignant germ cell tumors of the ovary group? What is the best treatment for stage IA disease? When is a surgical second look (or a third look as for our patient) justified?

[Standards, options and recommendations (SOR) for clinical care of rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and other soft tissue sarcoma in children. Federation of the French Cancer Centers. French Society of Pediatric Oncology]. / Standards, options et recommandations pour la prise en charge des patients atteints de rhabdomyosarcome et autres tumeurs mésenchymateuses malignes de l'enfant.

CONTEXT: The "Standards, Options and Recommendations" (SOR) project, started in 1993, is a collaboration between the Federation of the French Cancer Centres (FNCLCC), the 20 French Cancer Centres and specialists from French Public Universities, General Hospitals and Private Clinics. For pediatric issues, this project is a collaboration between the FNCLCC and the French Society of Pediatric Oncology (SFOP). The main objective is the development of clinical practice guidelines to improve the quality of health care and outcomes for cancer patients. The methodology is based on literature review and critical appraisal by a multidisciplinary group of experts, with feedback from specialists in cancer care delivery. OBJECTIVES: To develop a clinical practice guideline according to the definitions of Standards, Options and Recommendations for the clinical care of rhabdomyosarcoma and other soft tissue sarcoma in children and adolescents. METHODS: Data have been identified by literature search using Medline (1985-may 1997) and experts group personal references lists. The main criteria considered were incidence, risk factors, prognostic factors and efficacy of cancer treatment. Once the guideline was defined, the document was submitted for review to 14 national and international independent reviewers, and to the medical committees of the 20 French Cancer Centres and, in particular the 4 which have expertise in pediatric cancer management, for agreement. RESULTS: The main recommendations for rhabdomyosarcoma management are: 1/ diagnosis is based on appropriate clinical and radiological findings; 2/ pathological and immunohistochemical studies are essential to confirm the diagnosis; 3/ surgery must be performed by an experienced surgeon. Surgery and radiotherapy must be as conservative as possible; 4/ therapeutic strategies for rhabdomyosarcoma depend on location and extends and are based on chemotherapy, surgery and radiotherapy. Inclusion of patients in SFOP, SIOP and IRS clinical trials is recommended; 5/ treatment of metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma is based on intensive chemotherapy, and surgery with or without radiotherapy; 6/ the management of non-rhabdomyosarcoma is based on the likelihood of sensitivity to chemotherapy; 7/ at the present time, there are no clear data on which to base guidelines for timing and duration of follow-up studies in these conditions.

[Cardiac arrest and vinorelbine? Apropos of a case and review of the literature]. / Arrêt cardiaque et vinorelbine? A propos d'un cas et revue de la littérature.

Cardiotoxicity is not a well-known complication of the administration of vinorelbine (Navelbine). We report a case of cardiogenic shock with pulmonary edema after administration of vinorelbine within an association of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.