Plant functional trait response to environmental drivers across European temperate forest understorey communities.

Functional traits respond to environmental drivers, hence evaluating trait-environment relationships across spatial environmental gradients can help to understand how multiple drivers influence plant communities. Global-change drivers such as changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition occur worldwide, but affect community trait distributions at the local scale, where resources (e.g. light availability) and conditions (e.g. soil pH) also influence plant communities. We investigate how multiple environmental drivers affect community trait responses related to resource acquisition (plant height, specific leaf area (SLA), woodiness, and mycorrhizal status) and regeneration (seed mass, lateral spread) of European temperate deciduous forest understoreys. We sampled understorey communities and derived trait responses across spatial gradients of global-change drivers (temperature, precipitation, nitrogen deposition, and past land use), while integrating in-situ plot measurements on resources and conditions (soil type, Olsen phosphorus (P), Ellenberg soil moisture, light, litter mass, and litter quality). Among the global-change drivers, mean annual temperature strongly influenced traits related to resource acquisition. Higher temperatures were associated with taller understoreys producing leaves with lower SLA, and a higher proportional cover of woody and obligate mycorrhizal (OM) species. Communities in plots with higher Ellenberg soil moisture content had smaller seeds and lower proportional cover of woody and OM species. Finally, plots with thicker litter layers hosted taller understoreys with larger seeds and a higher proportional cover of OM species. Our findings suggest potential community shifts in temperate forest understoreys with global warming, and highlight the importance of local resources and conditions as well as global-change drivers for community trait variation.

Plant-soil feedbacks of forest understorey plants transplanted in nonlocal soils along a latitudinal gradient.

Climate change is driving movements of many plants beyond, as well as within, their current distributional ranges. Even migrant plants moving within their current range may experience different plant-soil feedbacks (PSF) because of divergent nonlocal biotic soil conditions. Yet, our understanding to what extent soil biotic conditions can affect the performance of within-range migrant plants is still very limited. We assessed the emergence and growth of migrant forest herbs (Milium effusum and Stachys sylvatica) using soils and seeds collected along a 1,700 km latitudinal gradient across Europe. Soil biota were manipulated through four soil treatments, i.e. unsterilized control soil (PSFUS ), sterilized soil (PSFS ), sterilized soil inoculated with unsterilized home soil (PSFS+HI ) and sterilized soil inoculated with unsterilized foreign soil (PSFS+FI , expected to occur when both plants and soil biota track climate change). Compared to PSFS , PSFUS had negative effects on the growth but not emergence of both species, while PSFS+FI only affected S. sylvatica across all seed provenances. When considering seed origin, seedling emergence and growth responses to nonlocal soils depended on soil biotic conditions. Specifically, the home-away distance effect on seedling emergence differed between the four treatments, and significant responses to chemistry either disappeared (M. effusum) or changed (S. sylvatica) from PSFUS to PSFS . Soil biota emerge as an important driver of the estimated plant migration success. Our results of the effects of soil microorganisms on plant establishment provide relevant information for predictions of the distribution and dynamics of plant species in a changing climate.

Atmospheric nitrogen deposition on petals enhances seed quality of the forest herb Anemone nemorosa.

Elevated atmospheric input of nitrogen (N) is currently affecting plant biodiversity and ecosystem functioning. The growth and survival of numerous plant species is known to respond strongly to N fertilisation. Yet, few studies have assessed the effects of N deposition on seed quality and reproductive performance, which is an important life-history stage of plants. Here we address this knowledge gap by assessing the effects of atmospheric N deposition on seed quality of the ancient forest herb Anemone nemorosa using two complementary approaches. By taking advantage of the wide spatiotemporal variation in N deposition rates in pan-European temperate and boreal forests over 2 years, we detected positive effects of N deposition on the N concentration (percentage N per unit seed mass, increased from 2.8% to 4.1%) and N content (total N mass per seed more than doubled) of A. nemorosa seeds. In a complementary experiment, we applied ammonium nitrate to aboveground plant tissues and the soil surface to determine whether dissolved N sources in precipitation could be incorporated into seeds. Although the addition of N to leaves and the soil surface had no effect, a concentrated N solution applied to petals during anthesis resulted in increased seed mass, seed N concentration and N content. Our results demonstrate that N deposition on the petals enhances bioaccumulation of N in the seeds of A. nemorosa. Enhanced atmospheric inputs of N can thus not only affect growth and population dynamics via root or canopy uptake, but can also influence seed quality and reproduction via intake through the inflorescences.

Interacting effects of warming and drought on regeneration and early growth of Acer pseudoplatanus and A. platanoides.

Climate change is acting on several aspects of plant life cycles, including the sexual reproductive stage, which is considered amongst the most sensitive life-cycle phases. In temperate forests, it is expected that climate change will lead to a compositional change in community structure due to changes in the dominance of currently more abundant forest tree species. Increasing our understanding of the effects of climate change on currently secondary tree species recruitment is therefore important to better understand and forecast population and community dynamics in forests. Here, we analyse the interactive effects of rising temperatures and soil moisture reduction on germination, seedling survival and early growth of two important secondary European tree species, Acer pseudoplatanus and A. platanoides. Additionally, we analyse the effect of the temperature experienced by the mother tree during seed production by collecting seeds of both species along a 2200-km long latitudinal gradient. For most of the responses, A. platanoides showed higher sensitivity to the treatments applied, and especially to its joint manipulation, which for some variables resulted in additive effects while for others only partial compensation. In both species, germination and survival decreased with rising temperatures and/or soil moisture reduction while early growth decreased with declining soil moisture content. We conclude that although A. platanoides germination and survival were more affected after the applied treatments, its initial higher germination and larger seedlings might allow this species to be relatively more successful than A. pseudoplatanus in the face of climate change.

A latitudinal gradient in seed nutrients of the forest herb Anemone nemorosa.

The nutrient concentration in seeds determines many aspects of potential success of the sexual reproductive phase of plants, including the seed predation probability, efficiency of seed dispersal and seedling performance. Despite considerable research interest in latitudinal gradients of foliar nutrients, a similar gradient for seeds remains unexplored. We investigated a potential latitudinal gradient in seed nutrient concentrations within the widespread European understorey forest herb Anemone nemorosa L. We sampled seeds of A. nemorosa in 15 populations along a 1900-km long latitudinal gradient at three to seven seed collection dates post-anthesis and investigated the relative effects of growing degree-hours >5 °C, soil characteristics and latitude on seed nutrient concentrations. Seed nitrogen, nitrogen:phosphorus ratio and calcium concentration decreased towards northern latitudes, while carbon:nitrogen ratios increased. When taking differences in growing degree-hours and measured soil characteristics into account and only considering the most mature seeds, the latitudinal decline remained particularly significant for seed nitrogen concentration. We argue that the decline in seed nitrogen concentration can be attributed to northward decreasing seed provisioning due to lower soil nitrogen availability or greater investment in clonal reproduction. This pattern may have large implications for the reproductive performance of this forest herb as the degree of seed provisioning ultimately co-determines seedling survival and reproductive success.

Influence of hairdressing on the psychological mood of women.

A questionnaire, specially designed to measure the mood change was filled in by 359 women at their arrival in different hair-salons and after having received various hair care services. The results show that hair treatments increase all the positive dimensions of mood and decrease all the negative ones. Only the improvement in sociability appears to be linked to age.

[Acute pancreatitis induced by drugs derived from 5-aminosalicylic acid: case report and review of the literature]. / Pancréatites aiguës induites par les médicaments dérivés de l'acide 5-aminosalicylique: un cas et revue de la littérature.

The pancreatic toxicity of oral 5-aminosalicylic acid (5ASA) derivatives used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases remains controversial. A new case of mesalazine-induced acute pancreatitis (AP), with positive rechallenge, and an analysis of the previous published cases are presented. Twenty-nine patients (17 women, 12 men), aged 26.4 +/- 9.9 (12-43) years, were involved, receiving sulfasalazine (n = 11), mesalazine (n = 16), olsalazine (n = 1) or 5ASA without further informations (n = 1), for ulcerative colitis (n = 15), Crohn's disease (n = 13) or another indication (n = 1). The AP occurred in the first month of treatment in 71.4 per cent of the cases (n = 28). The clinical course was essentially benign in most of the cases. Recurrence of AP after rechallenge was observed in 17 of the 19 cases, even if the molecule, the dose or the form were modified. These results show that all 5ASA derivatives are potentially pancreatotoxic. An AP must be considered when an occurrence or increase of abdominal pain occurs during such therapy and warrants serum amylase assay and discontinuation of the drug.

Acute renal failure associated with intravenous immunoglobulins.

Intravenous immunoglobulins (i.v.IG) are increasingly used in various clinical situations for which they have been considered to be safe and effective. However, since 1987, some cases of renal toxicity have been reported. Forty-nine cases of acute renal failure have been notified to the French Regional Pharmacovigilance Centers between 1992 and mid 1998. In this series, marked serum creatinine increases (mean 387%+/-181%) appeared within 8 h to 8 days after initiation of i.v.IG therapy. Oliguria was observed in 80% of the cases. Haemodialysis was required for 34% of the patients. The renal failure persisted for a mean duration of 10 days after discontinuation of the i.v.IG treatment. Although risk factors have not been definitely established, preexisting renal impairment and old age seem to predispose to i.v.IG-associated acute renal failure as well as diabetes mellitus or the use of diuretics. The mechanism of renal injury remains speculative but a hyperoncotic overloading may be contributory. Finally, close monitoring of renal function is required in patients with preexisting renal failure, with older age and with diabetes mellitus.

French pharmacovigilance survey evaluating the hepatic toxicity of coumarin.

Synthetic coumarin (benzopyrone) was launched in France in 1988 for the adjuvant therapy of lymphoedema of the upper limb following radiosurgical treatment of breast cancer. Further to the reporting of hepatic reactions, a national survey has been carried out. The survey dealt with 22 cases reported to the pharmacovigilance regional centres and 20 to Knoll France company (five duplicate cases) up to June 1996. Thirty-four cases corresponding to an elevation of ALT over 2N and/or alkaline phosphatase over 1.5N (criteria chosen for selection in this survey) had been taken into account. Among these cases, a causal relationship was considered likely or probable for 15 of them. Two positive rechallenges were reported. The hepatic reactions observed between 2 to 6 months of treatment in two-thirds of the cases (average dose: 90 mg/day; i.e. recommended dose) was essentially cytolytic in 85% of the cases, with jaundice in 14 cases and hyperbilirubinaemia reported in five other cases. In 23 cases (68%), the increase of ALT exceeded 10N. Of the patients 41% were hospitalized. Severe liver failure with encephalopathy justified liver transplantation once and likely led to encephalopathy and fatal evolution in two other cases. The evolution was favourable in the other cases. The drug was prescribed for other uses than the registered indication in more than 50% of these cases. No risk factors could be identified in the survey. This survey provides a strong signal for potential hepatotoxicity of coumarin (likely due to the production of a reactive metabolite in some patients exhibiting a coumarin 7-hydroxylation deficiency).

Serum bupivacaine concentrations and transplacental transfer following repeated epidural administrations in term parturients during labour.

Bupivacaine is the most widely used local anaesthetic in obstetrics for epidural analgesia. Nineteen women (mean age 26.9 +/- 5.3 years) who underwent epidural analgesia during labour were included in this study. All parturients received a first injection of 21.8 +/- 2.5 mg 0.25% plain bupivacaine. The following administrations were given on request: 0.25% concentration was used when cervix uteri was supple, and a 0.375% concentration when it was tonic. Blood samples were collected 5 min after the first injection and then every 30 min until delivery. At delivery blood samples were collected from the infant umbilical cord vein and from the arm vein of the mother. Bupivacaine was assayed by high pressure liquid chromatography. Serum data were analyzed for each patient using a non-compartmental model. Bupivacaine was rapidly detected in serum, and maximal concentration was reached between 5 and 35 min. Pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated in 17 women after the first injection: 87 +/- 35 min for elimination half-life, 60 +/- 19 L for apparent volume of distribution and 0.5 +/- 0.3 L/min for plasmatic clearance. For a mean total duration of labour and total dose administered of respectively 222 +/- 115 min and 57.1 +/- 28.7 mg the mean value of the foeto-maternal ratio was 0.29 +/- 0.10. The infant maximal serum concentration was 0.26 microgram/mL. No side effects were spontaneously reported by the parturients and all infants had an Apgar score of 10 at 5 min after the delivery. We confirm the fast systemic absorption and rapid elimination of bupivacaine which may be used without risk of acute toxicity both in mother and child, even when it is used in a 0.375% concentration.

[Acute kidney failure secondary to intravenous immunoglobulin administration. 4 cases and review of the literature]. / Insuffisance rénale aiguë secondaire à l'administration d'immunoglobulines intraveineuses. Quatre observations et revue de la littérature.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is currently used for an increasing number of indications where an immune-medicated disorder is suspected. It is considered as a safe and efficacious treatment but several cases of severe acute renal failure (ARF) have been described since 1987. We report four cases of IVIG-induced ARF and the literature on the subject is reviewed. The chronological and semiological characteristics of this rare adverse effect are analysed. A sudden and marked increase of serum creatinine within the 2 to 4 days following institution of IVIG therapy, especially when the patient becomes oligo-anuric, is very suggestive of IVIG renal toxicity. The recovery of renal function is often obtained in 10 to 15 days after discontinuation of the drug. Histological changes are characterized by osmotic nephrosis injuries. Patients generally presented numerous risk factors such as over 65 years, particularly in men, pre-existing renal disease, long-standing diabetes mellitus or hypertension, volume depletion, quick infusion rate, body-weight adjustment of IVIG doses in fat subjects. The mechanism of renal injury remains speculative but an oncotic overloading of kidney probably occurs. These results indicate the need for research and investigation of risk factors before starting IVIG therapy. Close monitoring of serum creatinine and diuresis should be carried out during and after treatment.

[Adverse effects related to the use of antitubercular drugs in psychiatric centers: retrospective study at the Philippe Pinel CH in Amiens 1994]. / Evénements indésirables liés à l'utilisation des antituberculeux en milieu psychiatrique: étude rétrospective au CH Philippe Pinel d'Amiens en 1994.

Management of tuberculosis in a hospital environment is well systematized and may include chemoprophylaxis, which may be hazardous when used in psychiatric impairments. We examined retrospectively adverse events occurring during a 6-month period of antituberculosis treatment. Besides patients initially treated for active pulmonary tuberculosis, 16 other patients have benefited from chemoprophylaxis with isoniazid (INH) and/or rifampicin (RFP). All these patients (mean age 53 years) had been institutionalized for several years. Fifteen of them still received a mean of 5.4 +/- 2.2 drugs including 3.3 +/- 1.4 psychotropic agents. During antituberculous treatment, 5 patients (29 per cent) presented side effects: hyperuricaemia with pyrazinamide, neutropenia, dysphagia and anorexia, dizziness and falls, diabetes and fatal fulminant hepatitis associated with INH. Drug interactions were systemically searched for. Three probably led to clinical manifestations: they implicated INH with carbamazepine, RFP with theophylline and RFP with haloperidol. Our results suggest a greater sensitivity for adverse effects and drug interactions in psychiatric institutionalized patients. They pose the problem of the appropriateness of antituberculous chemoprophylaxis in such patients, particularly because of communication difficulties and polytherapy. The INH-RFP regimen should be avoided and the clinical and biological follow-up reinforced.

[Antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis: retrospective study of 48 cases diagnosed by colonoscopy]. / Les colites pseudomembraneuses associées à une antibiothérapie: étude rétrospective de 48 cas diagnostiqués par coloscopie.

Pseudomembranous colitis (PMC) is a rare but potentially severe complication of antibiotic treatment, which is characterized by the proliferation of the bacterium Clostridium difficile in the colon. In this retrospective study, 48 cases of endoscopically confirmed PMC were included. The following variables were analysed: characteristics of the patients, antibiotics, clinical, biological and endoscopic features of PMC and its treatment. The antibiotic treatment was often ambulatory (83 per cent) for a broncho-pulmonary infection (42 per cent). In 90 per cent of the cases, the treatment included a -lactam, frequently amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, and in 25 per cent of the cases, a fluoroquinolone. The PMC generally occurred after more than 4 days of treatment and was associated with diarrhoea, abdominal pain, fever and rarely vomiting (23 per cent). The complications were hypokalaemia (37 per cent), renal failure (27 per cent) and/or hypoproteinaemia (50 per cent). Pseumembranes were found between the rectum and the left angle of the colon. All patients recovered after one week of oral treatment with metronidazole and/or vancomycin, often in association with Saccharomyces boulardii.