Flupenthixol in relapse prevention in schizophrenics with comorbid alcoholism: Results from an open clinical study

Substance use, especially alcoholism, has been recognized as a significant problem in schizophrenic patients, though only a few studies on the effects of pharmacotherapy in these patients have been conducted so far. The thioxanthene neuroleptic flupenthixol, which can be given intramuscularly (i.m.) for improving compliance, has been studied as a possible anti-craving drug both in animal models of alcoholism and some clinical studies. Pilot studies suggest that comorbid schizophrenics with substance use may benefit from treatment with flupenthixol. Efficacy of flupenthixol (10-60 mg i.m.) in reducing alcohol consumption of dual diagnosis patients was studied in an open 6-month clinical trial in 27 schizophrenics with comorbid alcoholism. Twenty-one patients entered the intention-to-treat analysis. Fourteen subjects were completers, 13 dropped out. Six patients completely abstained from alcohol during treatment. Alcohol consumption was significantly reduced compared to baseline (4 weeks before treatment as measured by timeline follow-back interview). In general, while patients showed a marked improvement concerning alcohol consumption, only a slight improvement in psychopathology was recorded. Overall tolerability was good. These data indicate a probable beneficial effect of flupenthixol in schizophrenic patients with comorbid alcoholism. Although the efficacy of flupenthixol as an anti-craving drug in dual diagnosis patients has to be explored in further studies, the drug may be considered a promising medication for these patients. Copyright (C) 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Potassium self-diffusion in a K-rich single-crystal alkali feldspar

The paper reports potassium diffusion measurements performed on gem-quality single-crystal alkali feldspar in the temperature range from $1169$ to 1021 \, \mbox{K}. Natural sanidine from Volkesfeld, Germany was implanted with \mbox{}^{43}\mbox{K} at the ISOLDE/CERN radioactive ion-beam facility normal to the (001) crystallographic plane. Diffusion coefficients are well described by the Arrhenius equation with an activation energy of 2.4 \, \mbox{eV} and a pre-exponential factor of 5\times10^{-6} \, \mbox{m}^{2}/\mbox{s}, which is more than three orders of magnitude lower than the \mbox{}^{22}\mbox{Na} diffusivity in the same feldspar and the same crystallographic direction. State-of-the-art considerations including ionic conductivity data on the same crystal and Monte Carlo simulations of diffusion in random binary alloy structures point to a correlated motion of K and Na through the interstitialcy mechanism

Mortality selection during the 2003 European heat wave in three-spined sticklebacks: effects of parasites and MHC genotype

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ecological interaction strength may increase under environmental stress including temperature. How such stress enhances and interacts with parasite selection is almost unknown. We studied the importance of resistance genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II in 14 families of three-spined sticklebacks <it>Gasterosteus aculeatus </it>exposed to their natural macroparasites in field enclosures in the extreme summer of 2003.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After a mass die-off during the 2003-European heat wave killing 78% of 277 experimental fish, we found strong differences in survival among and within families. In families with higher average parasite load fewer individuals survived. Multivariate analysis revealed that the composition of the infecting parasite fauna was family specific. Within families, individuals with an intermediate number of MHC class IIB sequence variants survived best and had the lowest parasite load among survivors, suggesting a direct functional link between MHC diversity and fitness. The within family MHC effects were, however, small compared to between family effects, suggesting that other genetic components or non-genetic effects were also important.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The correlation between parasite load and mortality that we found at both individual and family level might have appeared only in the extraordinary heatwave of 2003. Due to global warming the frequency of extreme climatic events is predicted to increase, which might intensify costs of parasitism and enhance selection on immune genes.</p

Wie sieht die Zukunft Europas aus?

Nach der Ablehnung des Europäischen Verfassungsvertrages bei den Referenden in Frankreich und den Niederlanden und den gescheiterten Finanzverhandlungen befindet sich die Europäische Union in einer Krise. Eberhard Sinner, bayerischer Staatsminister für Europaangelegenheiten und regionale Beziehungen, sieht einen Ausweg aus der Krise in einer Neuorientierung der EU, die u.a. auf dem Subsidiaritätsprinzip beruhen sollte. Dr. Manfred Wegner, München, und Dr. Wolfgang Quaisser, Osteuropa-Institut München, diskutieren in ihren Beiträgen den Erweiterungs- versus den Vertiefungsprozess der Europäischen Union. Nach Meinung von Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Werner Weidenfeld, Universität München, »bietet (es) sich … an, die Weiterentwicklung des politischen Systems der EU zu entdramatisieren. Aus dem provozierenden Großtitel der Verfassung sollte wieder die bescheidene Variante eines Vertrages werden.« Und Prof. Dr. Helge Berger und Dr. Volker Nitsch, Freie Universität Berlin, gehen der Frage nach, welche Effekte die Einführung des Euro auf den Handel hat

Lifetime reproductive success is maximized with optimal major histocompatibility complex diversity

Individual diversity at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is predicted to be optimal at intermediate rather than at maximal levels. We showed previously in sticklebacks that an intermediate MHC diversity is predominant in natural populations and provides maximal resistance in experimental multiple parasite infections in the laboratory. However, what counts ultimately is the lifetime reproductive success (LRS). Here, we measured LRS of six laboratory-bred sib-groups—to minimize the influence of non-MHC genes—three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) during their entire breeding period, each in a seminatural enclosure in the lake of their parents, where they were exposed to the natural spectrum of parasites. We collected developing clutches at regular intervals and determined parenthood for a representative number of eggs (2279 in total) per clutch with 18 microsatellites. Both males and females with an intermediate MHC class IIB variant number had the highest LRS. The mechanistic link of MHC diversity and LRS differed between the sexes: in females, we found evidence for a trade-off between number of eggs and immunocompentence, whereas in males this correlation was concealed by different timing strategies of reproduction