Search

At the beginning of the twentieth century biography became a popular genre that reached literary standing, thanks to the many authors who wrote and discussed the genre’s newfound status. Irène Némirovsky participated in this dialogue with her biography La Vie de Tchekhov, posthumously published in 1946. Supported by extensive archival research, this article analyses Némirovsky’s romanced biography within the history of the genre and its codification in 1920s France. At first, the article will explore Némirovsky’s research preparation and, in a comparison with other works, will appraise her ability to infuse life to scholarly facts. Subsequently, it will consider the importance of Némirovsky’s creative choices; while her identification with her subject allows the emergence of a higher degree of empathy, her place as an assimilated Russian émigré and French author gives her the necessary detachment for the narrative of the past to become a space for the apprehension of the present.

The adequate use of antibiotic drugs depends not only on prescribers but also on patient compliance. We had an aim of assessing the perception of antibiotic treatment by patients (or their parents, for children) in some European countries.Method. – Three thousand representative (quota method) European patients (France, Germany, Italy, Spain) were included in the study. They had all been given antibiotherapy for NARI and answered a questionnaire presented by an enquirer, in a one on one interview.Results. – Four types of patients were identified according to their relationship with the physician: implicated (30%), deferent (23%), indifferent (13%), critical (17%). “Implicated” patients were mostly French and German, “deferent” patients were mostly French and Spanish, “indifferent” patients were mostly Italian. “Implicated” and “deferent” patients were the most satisfied of information given by the physician, 43% and 39% compared to 17% and 16% for “indifferent” and “critical” (P < 0.01). They were more aware of the adequate use of antibiotic drugs 80% and 80% vs. 38% and 62% (P < 0.01). They better understood the frequency of administration and the duration of treatment (77% and 77% vs. 36% and 60%). They were more observant (91% vs. 86%, P < 0.001).Comments. – The physician/patient relationship is correlated to the subjective perception of treatment, but also to prescription observance. The quality of this relationship is essential for an adequate use of antibiotic drugs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Soon after its introduction in 1992, laparoscopic adrenalectomy became the gold standard in the surgical management of most adrenal tumors. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of laparoscopy on surgical indications., Patients and Methods: Between 1994 and 2003, 220 adrenalectomies were performed, 179 among them by a laparoscopic approach. There were 137 females and 83 males. The mean age was 53 years (range 15-83 years)., Results: The indications of adrenalectomy were: Cushing syndrome 18%, pheochromocytoma 31%, Conn syndrome 16%, incidentaloma 21%, and malignant tumours 13%. Laparoscopic approach was performed in 81% of the cases and the conversion rate was 11%. There were 3 postoperative deaths (2 after laparoscopy). The mean hospital stay was 7.6 days in the laparoscopic group, and 13.6 days in the open surgery group., Conclusions: This study is consistent with the findings of the literature supporting that there are no indications for the open procedure in case of small benign lesions. The video-asisted adrenalectomy had not changed the management of the adrenal incidentaloma. Today, the laparoscopic approach seems to be adapted also for malignant disease.