On the relationship between farmland biodiversity and land-use intensity in Europe.

Worldwide agriculture is one of the main drivers of biodiversity decline. Effective conservation strategies depend on the type of relationship between biodiversity and land-use intensity, but to date the shape of this relationship is unknown. We linked plant species richness with nitrogen (N) input as an indicator of land-use intensity on 130 grasslands and 141 arable fields in six European countries. Using Poisson regression, we found that plant species richness was significantly negatively related to N input on both field types after the effects of confounding environmental factors had been accounted for. Subsequent analyses showed that exponentially declining relationships provided a better fit than linear or unimodal relationships and that this was largely the result of the response of rare species (relative cover less than 1%). Our results indicate that conservation benefits are disproportionally more costly on high-intensity than on low-intensity farmland. For example, reducing N inputs from 75 to 0 and 400 to 60kgha-1yr-1 resulted in about the same estimated species gain for arable plants. Conservation initiatives are most (cost-)effective if they are preferentially implemented in extensively farmed areas that still support high levels of biodiversity.

[Supra and infra hyoid midline cervical cysts or hyoglossal abnormalies: a propos of 45 cases]. / Kystes médio-cervicaux sus et sous-hyoïdiens ou anomalies hyo-glosses: a propos de 45 observations.

OBJECTIVES: To specify the embryologic origin of the sus and sub hyoidal midline cervical cysts after studying a series of 45 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 45 files were analyzed retrospectively between 1983 and 2004. RESULTS: The population concerns 21 women and 24 men with ages going from 3 to 71 years (8 children of less than 10 years). The location of the lesions is supra-hyoidal (12), sub-hyoidal (27), pre-hyoidal (2), basi-lingual (4), a cyst was a fortuitous discovery at the time of a laryngeal surgery. All these patients were operated by external way with resection of the hyoid bone in 40 cases. The histological examination made it possible to differenciate 18 cysts associated with thyroid vesicules, 24 granulomatous cysts, 1 mucoid cyst, 1 epidermidal cyst and 1 ectopic thyroid. Four observations are more precisely detailed. CONCLUSION: In spite of the strong proportion of cysts of the thyroglossal tract there is different types of cysts evoking a median dysraphy. Rather than speaking about thyroglossal anomalies, the authors propose to call them hyo-glossal anomalies because these lesions are always involving the hyoid bone. The situation of thyroid gland must always be located before surgery, clinically, by echography or scintigraphy. The surgical technique must remove the hyoid bone in monobloc while going up until the contact of the base of the tongue.

Mixed biodiversity benefits of agri-environment schemes in five European countries.

Agri-environment schemes are an increasingly important tool for the maintenance and restoration of farmland biodiversity in Europe but their ecological effects are poorly known. Scheme design is partly based on non-ecological considerations and poses important restrictions on evaluation studies. We describe a robust approach to evaluate agri-environment schemes and use it to evaluate the biodiversity effects of agri-environment schemes in five European countries. We compared species density of vascular plants, birds, bees, grasshoppers and crickets, and spiders on 202 paired fields, one with an agri-environment scheme, the other conventionally managed. In all countries, agri-environment schemes had marginal to moderately positive effects on biodiversity. However, uncommon species benefited in only two of five countries and species listed in Red Data Books rarely benefited from agri-environment schemes. Scheme objectives may need to differentiate between biodiversity of common species that can be enhanced with relatively simple modifications in farming practices and diversity or abundance of endangered species which require more elaborate conservation measures.

Distinguishing between chronic and nonchronic fatigue, the role of gender and age.

In this study the authors try to clarify the ambiguities in previous studies on demographic and social factors and fatigue. We have divided people with fatigue complaints and associated symptoms into those who have chronic and non-chronic complaints, and into men and women. The research is based on diaries kept by Dutch citizens over a 21-day period, and uses univariate and discriminant analyses. The results show the utility of stratification for chronicity, gender and age. Compared to non-chronically fatigued subjects (NCFd) the chronically fatigued subjects (CFd) reveal multiple sources of vulnerability: physical, psychological, psycho-social and socio-economic. They report more days of fatigue, they tend to be older, and their physical health is characterized by significantly more acute complaints and chronic disease. Their sum scores on psychological and psycho-social problems are above average. Their health histories are worse, they express greater feelings of frustration and irritation due to their ailments and report more health-related initiatives. The socio-economic profile of the CFd is disadvantaged: their educational level, occupational classification and income are lower than that of the NCFd, and they are more frequently unemployed. CFd women are more frequently divorced or widowed than NCFd women. The factors predicting chronic vs non-chronic fatigue vary with the age and gender of the population. It is easier to predict non-chronic than chronic fatigue. Additional stratification within the group of CFd is recommended.

Dealing with fatigue: the importance of health-related action patterns.

Fatigue complaints are frequent and important problems affecting people's quality of life and creating puzzles for the General Practitioners they consult. Little is known about what actions people undertake to deal with fatigue, and even less about their success. As revealed by multivariate analyses health-related action patterns can classify people as being particularly successful or unsuccessful in dealing with their complaints of chronic fatigue. This study suggests that a few actions applied in combination and in a concentrated manner constitute the basis for a successful action pattern. The number, type and predictive power of the relevant actions vary depending on the persons in question: having chronic diseases or not and being under 44 or over 44 years old.

Medical and narrative approaches in psychiatry.

Using a case example, the authors contrast two different approaches to psychiatric assessment: the medical approach, in which the physician examines signs and symptoms and compares them with diagnostic criteria for various disorders, and the narrative approach, in which the clinician tries to understand symptoms as a part of a meaningful story and as understandable responses to external conditions. Both approaches make essential contributions to psychiatry. The current conflict between biological psychiatry and psychotherapeutic psychiatry can be seen as a result of reductionist polarization involving these opposite approaches. The reconciliation of these opposites may be vital for the survival of general psychiatry as a medical specialty.

Seasonal birth distribution of west European soccer players: a possible explanation.

Twice as many top soccer players from The Netherlands, Belgium and France are born in August, as compared to July. A creeping selection mechanism, inadvertently caused by organisational aspects of the youth soccer competition in the countries mentioned, could be the explanation.

Louis Bolk revisited: I. Is the human lung a retarded organ?

The human lung shows permanent retention of certain features (such as the absence of an infracardiac lobe, or the subdivision of the lobes in lobules) found in most mammal fetuses or youngsters. This phenomenon seems to be in line with the fetalization theory of Louis Bolk, who considered man as a retarded and unspecialized mammal. Moreover, the retention of certain fetal or unspecialized traits in the human lung favors a body configuration suited to an upright stance. This suggests that the generalized mammalian body plan is that of a bipedal being.

Moon phase at the dates of birth and decease of anthroposophic pioneers.

Early adherents of Rudolf Steiner, the founder of the anthroposophical movement, tend to be born and to die during the dark half of the lunar month. There is significant correlation (P = 0.03) between the distributions of the lunar elongation at birth and at decease. However, this correlation does not operate at the level of individuals, suggesting that the effects of birth date and death date are statistically independent.

Louis Bolk revisited. II--Retardation, hypermorphosis and body proportions of humans.

A number of morphological particularities of humans, generally thought to be specializations produced by natural selection, arguably are instances of hypermorphosis: alterations in proportion brought about by simple prolongation of general embryonic allometries. The descended larynx, the flattened human chest, and several limb proportions are given as examples. The case of the human foot, often quoted as an example of advanced specialization in humans, is examined in some more detail. Besides, it is argued that the human growth pattern displays a unique 7-year periodicity unlikely to be the result of the erratics of Darwinian evolution. Developmental acceleration is the unavoidable correlate of animal specialization; it brings about the breakdown of the periodicity present in the generalized humanlike development and causes the embryonic allometries to be cut off prematurely in the non-human mammal.

Postintubation interarytenoid adhesion.

Interarytenoid fibrous adhesion is a poorly recognized complication of intubation and is frequently confused with bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential for optimal management. Otolaryngologists should constantly remain alert for interarytenoid fibrous scar to establish the diagnosis as early as possible, optimizing the probability of restoring normal breathing and quality of life and avoiding an unnecessary tracheotomy. Surgical laser reduction is appropriate in all cases when other miscellaneous laryngeal injury lesions are eliminated. Direct laryngoscopy with careful examination of the posterior commissure and laryngeal electromyography are the 2 main clinical diagnostic aids contributing to establish the diagnosis.

Being a mother and living with asthma: an exploratory analysis of discourse.

Although contemporary scholarship on the psychology of women has recognized the significance of motherhood for women, this positioning has received little attention from researchers interested in women and chronic illness. In this article we begin to fill this gap by exploring the complexity of being a mother when women are chronically ill. We focus on mothers with asthma and, adopting a discursive approach, analyze three interviews with asthmatic mothers using discourse analysis to explore how they negotiate their identities. The women were white, Dutch autochthones, who ranged in age from 31 to 60 years. Two were diagnosed with asthma in early childhood and one was diagnosed at age 40. We argue that being a mother is relevant to how women live with asthma.

Coffin-Lowry syndrome: clinical aspects at different ages and symptoms in female carriers.

We present three patients with the Coffin-Lowry syndrome, two males aged 21 years and 14 months respectively, and an unrelated girl aged 11 years. In the male patients the features at different ages are reviewed. Besides, we describe the pertinent features of their affected female relatives. The contribution of the family history to making the diagnosis is stressed. The isolated female proband is much more severely affected than the female relatives of the male probands, demonstrating that the clinical picture in female carriers of Coffin-Lowry syndrome can vary considerably. The differential diagnosis of Coffin-Lowry syndrome will be discussed shortly.

Resistance during psychotherapy and behavior therapy.

The purpose of the present study into the phenomenon of resistance was twofold. First, the meaning of the concept as conceived by therapists of psychoanalytic and behavioral orientation was investigated. Second, an attempt was made to gain insight into the dynamics of the clinical phenomenon of resistance. The results of the study indicated that both groups of therapists attached virtually the same meaning to the concept of resistance. Both groups viewed the same classes of behaviors as indicative of resistance. Furthermore, it was found, as expected, that analytically oriented therapists reported the occurrence of resistance more frequently. The two groups agreed that "avoiding" and "fighting" behaviors were the most prominent resistances of clients. Therapist behaviors that were most likely to elicit resistance in the client are the "informative" behaviors, such as asking questions about the nature and origin of the complaint. Clinical implications of the research findings are discussed.

Perspective of power in therapeutic relationships.

Therapists can have several reasons to reflect on the helping process from a perspective of power. In effect, they all use a theory of power, be it implicit or explicit. If this theory is meant to support therapeutic thoughts and actions, it has to meet several requirements. First, it must recognize the human qualities of therapists, clients, and other people involved. Second, it must account for the complexity and dynamics of therapeutic situations; it must, for example, high-light possible shifts in power differences. Third, it must be applicable to a variety of therapeutic circumstances and systems. This means that the familiar paradigm of control, predictability, simple causality, full rationality and linearity of action must be replaced by an evolutionary paradigm that assumes continuous flows of changes between actors and factors. Some of the emerging patterns get fixed, spontaneously or artificially and become visible as shorter--or longer-lasting--stable patterns on micro- and macro-levels. Power is focussed on by an anarchistic decision-making approach. The (combinations of) people involved are depicted as living, i.e., evolving and learning systems: all actors are supposed to have their own intentions, resources, strategies, interpretations, opportunities, and development. One has to look for power inequalities between the actors on operational, organizational, structural, and cultural decision-making levels. The result is a multi-actor, multidimensional decision-making model for the therapeutic relationship that opens up new possibilities for intervention.

Reinventing the mother-daughter relationship.

Theories on mother-daughter relationships have long been one-sided and biologically biased. The resulting images put the mental and physical health of mothers and daughters at risk. This article examines the mothers' perspective, and highlights the mutuality and dynamics in the mother-daughter relationship. New perspectives for therapeutic activities are opened up.

Psychotherapy vs. pharmacotherapy: are psychiatrists polarized?--A survey of academic and clinical faculty.

Recent debate about the Osheroff vs. Chestnut Lodge case has highlighted the potential for polarization in psychiatric treatment. The degree to which community clinical psychiatric practice is polarized between psychological and biological treatments is not known. There are limitations in the combined treatment studies performed to date that influence their applicability to treatment planning in the community setting. A nearly exclusive focus on mood disorders and a neglect of the role of concurrent personality disorders and treatment interactions are among these. The data base available to guide a truly integrated practice of differential therapeutics is therefore quite limited. Against this background, we surveyed academic and clinical psychiatric faculty to determine treatment practices and rationales in three case with both Axis I and Axis II diagnoses. In each case, greater than 75% would utilize psychotherapy and consider its omission inappropriate. Medication use varied significantly from case to case. Our findings suggest that practicing psychiatrists combine psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy and that the perceived polarization between "biological" and "psychosocial" psychiatry may be more a matter of "philosophy" than practice.

Circaseptennian (about 7-year) periodicity in the distribution of birth years of Nobel laureates for physics.

The distribution of birth years for Nobel physicists shows a circaseptennian (about 7-year) periodicity. This observation extends an earlier observation of a circaseptennian pattern in the distribution of birth years for early quantum physicists. In both categories, birth rate tends to maximize in years belonging to the (7n + 4) phase.

[Technical indications and results of reconstructive laryngectomies]. / Indications techniques et résultats des laryngectomies reconstructives.

The results of a series of 164 patients operated on using reconstructive laryngectomy, gives satisfaction for this type of operation if the indications are respected after a very specific endoscopic, radiological and per-operative loco-regional and local check-up. The functional results are clearly improved by a pluridisciplinary treatment associating a nursing team, orthophonists and physical therapists.

[Parapharyngeal tumors: apropos of 14 cases]. / Les tumeurs para-pharyngées, à propos de 14 cas.

The author reports on fourteen parapharyngeal tumours, of which 7 are of parotidean salivary origin. The other etiologies, in particular 1 chemodectoma and 1 aneurysm of the internal carotid artery, justify a systematic arteriography with a CT scan. In surgery, 9 operations were performed via the purely cervical approach, and 5 via a combined cervical and transvelar approach. The endobuccal vault is limited and dangerous.