Ambrosia pollen in Switzerland--produced locally or transported?

The ambrosia (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) has been announced in Switzerland for more than 100 years. During the last decade, signs of an increased presence of the ambrosia and its pollen appear in the south-west of Switzerland, in particular in Geneva. Aerobiologic measurements make it possible to highlight the importance of the transport of pollen by the winds since the area of Lyon, where the ambrosia is abundant. It also bring elements making it possible to detect a local production of pollen in the Geneva area, where several invaded fields were discovered with the autumn 2001. A multidisciplinary group was created in Geneva and it attempts to prevent as far as possible probable invasion of the ambrosia.     

Parahippocampal gray matter density in panic disorder: a voxel-based morphometric study

OBJECTIVE: The authors examined possible cerebral gray matter abnormalities in patients with panic disorder. METHOD: Gray matter concentration in 18 panic disorder outpatients and 18 healthy subjects was compared by using a voxel-based morphometry approach. RESULTS: Gray matter density of the left parahippocampal gyrus was significantly lower in patients with panic disorder compared with healthy subjects. CONCLUSIONS: This result provides further support for the involvement of the parahippocampal area in the pathophysiology of panic disorder.     

The dimensional symptom structure of schizophrenia and its association with temperament and character

Recent studies suggest that personality may influence symptom expression and social functioning in schizophrenia. This study investigated the relationships between personality and symptom dimensions in schizophrenia patients. Fifty-two schizophrenia patients and 25 five healthy subjects were assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). The patients were also assessed for positive and negative symptoms using SAPS and SANS and scored according to Andreasen's (1995: Andreasen, N.C., Arndt, S., Alliger, R., Miller, D., Flaum, M. 1995. Symptoms of schizophrenia. Methods, meanings, and mechanisms. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry, 52, 341-351) classical three dimensional model and by the five dimensional model of Toomey et al. (1997: Toomey, R., Kremen, W.S., Simpson J.C., Samson, J.A., Seidman, L.J., Lyons, M.J., Faraone, S.V., Tsuang, M.T. 1997. Revisiting the factor structure for positive and negative symptoms: evidence from a large heterogeneous group of psychiatric patients. Am. J. Psychiatry, 154, 371-377). Comparisons between patients and controls revealed significant differences on various TCI scores consistent with a global disorganization of personality in schizophrenia involving both basic neurophysiological and potentially genetically determined traits (i.e. temperament) and developmental aspects of personality (i.e. character). Correlation analysis showed distinct associations between symptoms and personality dimensions. The results suggest that the negative and disorganized dimensions of schizophrenia are related temperamental factors, whereas the psychotic symptoms are more related to characterological abnormalities. The observed patterns of associations also underline the heterogeneity of the classical negative and positive dimensions of schizophrenia.     

Relationship between attempted suicide,serum cholesterol level and novelty seeking in psychiatric in-patients

This study sought to compare the serum cholesterol levels of psychiatric in-patients, with and without recent suicidal behavior. The hypothesis was that the temperament dimension novelty seeking (NS) would be an intermediary variable, correlated with both serum cholesterol level and suicidal behavior. The study included 155 psychiatric in-patients, 21.9% (n=34) of whom had recently attempted suicide. Their cholesterol level was compared to that of patients with no suicide attempt. The NS dimension was explored with the aid of Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory. Significantly lower average cholesterol levels were found in women who had attempted suicide before hospitalization than for the others (4.71 mmol/l+/-0.83 vs. 5.52 mmol/l+/-1.36). Similar results were not found for men. However, the average NS scores did not differ according to suicide attempts in women or in men, and the scores of NS were not correlated with cholesterol level. This study confirms an association between low cholesterol and suicidal behavior in women only, but this association seems independent from the NS personality dimension. The absence of a correlation between serum cholesterol levels and suicidal behavior in men could be linked to the small number of men included in the study.     

Retrorectal tumors: an assessment of the abdominal approach

Retrorectal tumors are frequently resected by a posterior trans- or parasacral approach, while the anterior abdominal approach is generally reserved for small tumors situated above the sacral promontory. STUDY AIM: The aim of this retrospective study was to assess the use of the abdominal approach for the treatment of large tumor masses situated in the presacral space, and to evaluate the results in terms of resectability, morbidity, and risk of recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1986 and 1998, six female patients (age range: 25 to 79 years) with a retrorectal tumor (mean diameter: 7.5 cm) were operated on by abdominal approach. Clinical findings, morphological and histological data, the surgical resection procedure, and post-operative morbidity were studied. RESULTS: Pathological findings showed that all the tumors were benign: neurofibroma (n = 2), dermoid cyst (n = 1), rectal duplication (n = 1), myelolipoma (n = 1), and epithelioid hemangioma (n = 1). Complete tumor resection was obtained macroscopically and microscopically in all cases. The postoperative course was uneventful, with no tumor recurrence detected at a mean follow-up of 31 months. CONCLUSION: The anterior abdominal approach allows the complete resection of a retrorectal large tumor mass, and provides an interesting alternative to the posterior approach, with low morbidity and an absence of functional impairment.     

High-dose-rate intraoperative brachytherapy for recurrent colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: Management of locally recurrent colorectal adenocarcinoma represents a significant challenge. Many of these tumors adhere to or invade into vital pelvic structures rendering surgery or external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) as palliative treatment. Therefore, a treatment approach was developed to evaluate the role of high-dose-rate intraoperative brachytherapy (HDR-IORT) and surgery as a component of therapy in the management of locally recurrent colorectal cancer. This is an update of our preliminary report with longer follow-up and larger patient numbers. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Between January 1992 and September 1998, 74 patients with locally recurrent rectal cancer were treated with surgery and HDR-IORT. Additional EBRT was given to 29 patients, and 33 patients received 5-fluorouracil based chemotherapy. All patients underwent complete gross resection, and 21 of 74 had positive microscopic margin. The dose of HDR-IORT ranged from 10 to 18 Gy. RESULTS: With a median follow-up of 22 months, the 5-year local control, distant metastasis disease-free, disease-free, and overall survival rates were 39%, 39%, 23%, and 23%, respectively. The only predictor of improved local control was a negative margin of resection with a 5-year local control rate of 43%, compared to 26% in those with positive margin (p = 0.02). For overall survival, a negative microscopic margin (p = 0.04) and the use of IORT + EBRT (p = 0.04) were significant predictors of improved survival. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy was 16%. CONCLUSION: The results with HDR-IORT in this group of patients are encouraging. Further improvements in local and distant control are still needed.