L’espace de la santé mentale : un paysage discursif et clinique en remaniement

Objectives

This paper introduces some epistemology about mental health developments and how it leads to reconsider the landscape of clinical practices.

Carbamazepine, diuretics, and hyponatremia: a possible interaction

Although carbamazepine is known to cause hyponatremia, no previous reports have indicated an interaction between carbamazepine and a diuretic. Two patients are described who were treated with this combination and developed symptomatic hyponatremia, which cleared when both drugs were discontinued in one patient and when the diuretic was discontinued in the second patient. The possible mechanisms of action of carbamazepine-induced hyponatremia are discussed.     

XPS analysis of poly[(3-hydroxybutyric acid)-co-(3-hydroxyvaleric acid)] film surfaces exposed to an allylamine low-pressure plasma

Homogeneous and stable layers were deposited through allylamine plasma polymerization (75 W, 100 Pa, 15 min) onto poly[(3-hydroxybutyric acid)-co-(3-hydroxyvaleric acid)] (91 : 9 wt.-%) (P(HB-co-9%HV)) film surfaces, XPS analysis using take-off angles of 20° and 70° and performed 10 days and 20 days after plasma treatment gives information on the composition (in atom%) of the modified surface: C, 62.74; N, 19.60; O, 17.65. The unexpected oxygen percentage is weaker if argon plasma pretreatment (25 W, 40 Pa, 5 min) is applied. Then, a succinct mechanism is proposed. The study of changes in element ratios and binding energy values shows that the majority of incorporated functional groups seem to be amide and imine groups.     

A preliminary study of serotonergic antidepressants in treatment of dysthymia

Rosenthal, Jesse et al. A Preliminary Study of Serotonergic Antidepressants in the Treatment of Dysthymia. Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. & Biol. Psychiat. 1992, 16(6): 933–941.

1. 1. There is increasing evidence that antidepressants may alleviate symptoms of dysthymia, but few prior studies on selective serotonergic agents.

2. 2. Twenty patients meeting criteria for dysthymia, but not meeting criteria for major depression, received open label trials of a serotonergic antidepressant, either fluoxetine or trazodone.

3. 3. Seventeen (85%) completed three-month medication trials, and of these, twelve (70.6% of completers) responded to treatment. Seven (41.2% of completers) were still in remission on followup at five months.

4. 4. Both fluoxetine and trazodone were well tolerated in dysthymics, and showed similar short-term effectiveness in treating dysthymic symptoms.

Tardive dyskinesia in the course of antidepressant therapy: a prevalence study and review of the literature

The authors present a prevalence study of tardive dyskinesia (TD) in the course of antidepressant therapy. Of the 50 patients evaluated, three developed TD. TD developed rapidly and in a short period of time. Withdrawal of antidepressant improved TD in two patients. The literature on TD developing in the course of antidepressant therapy is reviewed, and the different etiological theories are examined.     

Use of polyglactin 910 mesh (Vicryl) in pelvic oncologic surgery

Various synthetic materials have been shown to be useful surgical adjuncts in shielding the small intestine from pelvic radiation or in creating a new pelvic floor after major radical resections. Promising preliminary results with a polyglactin 910 (Vicryl) mesh in preventing radiation enteropathy prompted the authors to evaluate its clinical usefulness in reconstruction of the pelvic floor. Use of this mesh in pelvic exenterations (five total, one posterior) for advanced or recurrent gynecologic malignancies was associated with one enteroperineal fistula but no pelvic infection. In comparison with other pelvic reconstruction devices, this absorbable mesh significantly reduced intestinal morbidities in pelvic exenterations. This procedure appears to be feasible, reproducible, and safe, especially in patients who have undergone previous irradiation or those with an unsuitable omentum.     

Biological effects of cyclosporin A: A new antilymphocytic agent

The fungus metabolite cyclosporin A is a small peptide acting as a novel antilymphocytic agent. It strongly depressed appearance of both direct and indirect plaque-forming cells and produced a clear dose-dependent inhibition of haemagglutinin formation in mice upon oral administration. Skin graft rejection in mice and graft-versus-host disease in mice and rats were considerably delayed by cyclosporin A which also prevented the occurrence of paralysis in rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. This compound was not only highly effective in preventing development of Freund's adjuvant arthritis, but in addition improved the symptoms in rats with established arthritis, although it is inactive in acute inflammation. This new agent contrasts with other immunosuppressives and cytostatic drugs in its weak myelotoxicity. Experimental evidence suggests that cyclosporin A, rather than being cytostatic or lympholytic, affects an early stage of mitogenic triggering of the immunocompetent lymphoid cell.     

Early embryonic expression patterns of the mouse Flamingo and Prickle orthologues.

The Drosophila melanogaster proteins Flamingo and Prickle act in the planar cell polarity (PCP) pathway, which is required for acquisition of epithelial polarity in the wing, eye, and epidermis. In mammals, PCP signaling has been shown to regulate cell movements and polarity in a variety of tissues. Here, we show that the murine Flamingo orthologues Celsr1-3 and the Prickle orthologues Prickle1, Prickle2, and Testin have dynamic patterns of expression during pregastrulation and gastrulation stages. Celsr1 is expressed in the anterior visceral endoderm and nascent mesoderm, Celsr2 and Celsr3 mark the prospective neuroectoderm, Prickle1 is expressed in the primitive streak and mesoderm, Prickle2 in the node, and Testin in the anterior visceral endoderm, the extraembryonic ectoderm, primitive streak, and mesoderm. Analysis of a gene-trap mutation in Testin indicates that this gene is not required for embryogenesis; therefore, other Prickle homologues may compensate for its function during development.