Bilan préthérapeutique des cancers de la jonction oesogastrique

Pretreatment assessment in patients with cancer of the gastroesophageal junction involves the evaluation of physiological status and tumor stage. Nutritional status is a prognostic and predictor factor of response to treatment; assessment involves the calculation of weight loss and the determination of serum albumin. Renal, cardiac, and pulmonary functions are evaluated (urea, creatinine, calculation of clearance, liver function tests, electrocardiogram, pulmonary function). The performance status (Karnofsky or WHO) is an important prognostic factor. The assessment of tumor stage involves the digestive endoscopy and endoscopic ultrasonography, CT thoraco-abdomino-pelvic injection, and PET-FDG. Laparoscopy is performed only when peritoneal involvement is suspected.     

Le politiquement incorrect en psychiatrie : l’expérience d’une vie professionnelle

The author criticizes theorists show, phenomenon of “administrative ecstasy”, and dominance of political correctness against truth and scientifically established facts. He tells three professional experiences where he refuses the official position, preferring the politically incorrect: mental report, AIDS in prisons, care reform in his own prison psychiatric department.     

Clostridium and Bacillus Binary Enterotoxins: Bad for the Bowels,and Eukaryotic Being

Some pathogenic spore-forming bacilli employ a binary protein mechanism for intoxicating the intestinal tracts of insects, animals, and humans. These Gram-positive bacteria and their toxins include Clostridium botulinum (C2 toxin), Clostridium difficile (C. difficile toxin or CDT), Clostridium perfringens (ι-toxin and binary enterotoxin, or BEC), Clostridium spiroforme (C. spiroforme toxin or CST), as well as Bacillus cereus (vegetative insecticidal protein or VIP). These gut-acting proteins form an AB complex composed of ADP-ribosyl transferase (A) and cell-binding (B) components that intoxicate cells via receptor-mediated endocytosis and endosomal trafficking. Once inside the cytosol, the A components inhibit normal cell functions by mono-ADP-ribosylation of globular actin, which induces cytoskeletal disarray and death. Important aspects of each bacterium and binary enterotoxin will be highlighted in this review, with particular focus upon the disease process involving the biochemistry and modes of action for each toxin.