Population studies on Phytophthora infestans on potatoes and tomatoes in southern Germany

Fifty-seven isolates of Phytophthora infestans from blighted potato foliage were collected in 1995 in southern Germany and analysed for mating type and sensitivity to metalaxyl. Fifty-six of them were characterised as A1 and one as A2 mating types. Resistance to metalaxyl was observed frequently: 53 isolates were resistant, three were partially sensitive, and one was sensitive. In a subsequent field study in 1999, 84 isolates collected from blighted potato and tomato foliage were analysed for mating type. Seventy-two were characterised as A1 and twelve as A2 mating types. The response of 76 isolates to metalaxyl and to propamocarb was tested. The majority (42) of the 76 isolates was classified as resistant to metalaxyl; 31 were partially sensitive and only three isolates were sensitive. The results with propamocarb were less discrete; 10 isolates were classified as resistant and three were clearly sensitive. AFLP fingerprinting was used to examine the genetic structure of the southern German P. infestans population collected in 1999 and indicated that the tested population can be sub-divided into a tomato group, a potato group and a mixed group containing isolates collected from both crops. The presence of Ia and IIa mitochondrial DNA haplotypes indicates that the German P. infestans isolates belong to the new pathogen population that has also been reported in neighbouring regions of Europe. The present study indicates that at the beginning of the season only a few genotypes were present, and the population became genetically more variable at the end of the growing season

Fachlich moderiertes Internetforum für Menschen mit Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörung : An Internet based discussion board for persons with borderline personality disorders moderated health care professionals

Anliegen: Aus psychiatrischer Sicht birgt das Internet als Kommunikationsplattform einige Risiken aber auch konstruktive Möglichkeiten. Die Arbeit berichtet über ein fachlich moderiertes Internetforum für Menschen mit Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörungen. Methode: Die Nutzer wurden u. a. hinsichtlich des Nutzens der Kommunikation im Forum und der Moderatorenbeiträge sowie zur Entwicklung der Symptomatik der Persönlichkeitsstörung mithilfe der Symptom Checkliste (SCL-10) und der Borderline Symptom Liste (BSL-15) befragt. Ergebnisse: Mit mehr als 16 000 Log-ins während des letzten Monats fand das Forum eine breite Akzeptanz. Die Mehrheit der Nutzer sah das Internet als Kommunikationsmedium, mit dessen Hilfe Betroffene niederschwellig erreicht werden können. Die kontinuierliche Unterstützung durch fachlich geschulte Moderatoren wurde als hilfreich erlebt. Bezüglich der Verlaufsparameter von Borderline Persönlichkeitsstörungen ergaben sich positive Veränderungen hinsichtlich der Schwere und Häufigkeit von Borderline-Symptomen. Schlussfolgerungen: Das Internet kann eine hilfreiche Rolle bei der Behandlung von Borderline-Patienten spielen. OBJECTIVE From a psychiatric viewpoint the internet as a communication medium bears some risks but also has some exceptional potential. The paper reports about an internet based discussion board that specifically addressed people with borderline personality disorder and that was continuously moderated by mental health professionals. METHODS Discussion board participants were monitored over the course of the study with regard to the perceived helpfulness of the board discussion and psychological symptoms assessed with brief versions of the Symptom Checklist (SCL-10) and the Borderline Symptom List (BSL-15). RESULTS With more than 16 000 log-ins during the last month the web board found wide acceptance. The majority of the users stated, that the internet can easily reach people with mental health problems and reported that the continuous support by mental health professionals was helpful. Over the course of the project the web board users reported reductions with regard to the severity and frequency of borderline symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the internet might be helpful in the treatment of borderline patients, especially with regard to the coordination of therapeutical interventions or as an amendment of traditional face-to-face therapies

LH-RH agonists modulate amygdala response to visual sexual stimulation: A single case fMRI study in pedophilia

Pedophilia is characterized by a persistent sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Treatment with anti-androgen agents, such as luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists, reduces testosterone levels and thereby sexual drive and arousal. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare visual erotic stimulation pre- and on-treatment with the LH-RH agonist leuprolide acetate in the case of homosexual pedophilia. The pre-treatment contrasts of the erotic pictures against the respective neutral pictures showed an activation of the right amygdala and adjacent parahippocampal gyrus that decreased significantly under treatment with leuprolide acetate. Our single case fMRI study supports the notion that anti-androgens may modify amygdala response to visual erotic stimulation, a hypothesis that should be further examined in larger studies