Potential use of biochar, compost and iron grit associated with Trifolium repens to stabilize Pb and As on a multi-contaminated technosol.

Vegetation cover can be used in the phytomanagement of polluted areas by adding value to abandoned sites and reducing the dispersion of pollutants by erosion. Appropriate amendments, that allow both efficient plant growth and the immobilization of contaminants in the soil must be chosen in order to optimize the efficiency of this process. We used a mining technosol mainly contaminated by arsenic (1068 mg kg-1) and lead (23387 mg kg-1) to study the effect of three amendments (biochar, compost and iron grit) on (i) physico-chemical properties of the soil and soil pore water, (ii) metal(loid) mobility, bioavailability and bioaccessibility (CaCl2 and Simple Bioaccessibility Extraction Test (SBET)), and (iii) the capability of Trifolium repens to germinate and grow. All the amendments used increased the pH and electrical conductivity of the SPW, resulting in a 90% decrease in the concentration of lead in the soil pore water (SPW). We also demonstrated a decrease in Pb phytoavailability. The amendments allowed the establishment of a plant cover, although the addition of iron grit alone did not allow any clover germination. For the Pontgibaud technosol, the combination of the three amendments resulted in a significant decrease in As and Pb concentrations in clover tissues, mainly in the aerial organs. The amendments also made it possible for some of them to halve the phytoavailable fraction of arsenic. However, for compost, both the As concentrations in the SPW, and the bioavailable fraction of As increased. All the amendments used had contrasting effects on the bioaccessible fractions of metal(loid)s. The most efficient amendment combination was the addition of 5% biochar and 5% compost.

Capability of amendments (biochar, compost and garden soil) added to a mining technosol contaminated by Pb and As to allow poplar seed (Populus nigra L.) germination.

The germination capacity of poplar seeds has never been studied in the context of metal(loid)-contaminated soils, even though poplars are present over a vast geographical area. In this study, black poplar seeds from the Loire Valley (France) were grown for 28 days in mesocosm on a heavily polluted soil that was subjected to different amendments. This phytomanagement process aimed to allow the revegetation of an As and Pb-contaminated mining soil by adding appropriate amendments, resulting in metal(loid) soil stabilisation and efficient plant growth. The objectives were to evaluate the effect of three amendments (garden soil, compost and biochar) when added alone or combined to a technosol on (i) the soil physicochemical properties, (ii) the mobility of As and Pb in the soil pore water (SPW), (iii) the capacity of poplar seeds to germinate and to grow and (iv) the metal(loid) distribution within the plant organs. The addition of amendments alone or combined allowed a 90% decrease in SPW Pb concentrations, while the arsenic concentrations were between 18 and 416 times higher. However, we were only able to obtain seed germination and plant growth on amended soils. These promising results will allow us to explore the use of such amendments in rehabilitating areas that are sources of significant metal(loid) dissemination, as well as allowing a natural plant recolonisation of these sites by seeds from the surrounding environment.

[Malignant melanoma in a 7-year-old child. A report of a dramatic case]. / Mélanome malin chez une enfant de 7 ans. A propos d'un cas dramatique.

Malignant melanoma developed on the scalp at the site of a congenital nevus in a 7-year-old girl. At birth, simple observation was proposed, despite the recognized desirable but non-urgent indication for excision, in order to avoid subjecting the infant to general anesthesia. At the first sign of a change in the macroscopic appearance of the nevus, surgical resection was performed, but the short-term outcome was fatal.... This case focuses our attention on malignant progression of even small congenital nevi and emphasizes the need for early preventive and systematic resection even when the patient's age of the patient requires general anesthesia.

[Free latissimus dorsi flap revascularized by double venous graft on the femoral trifurcation in the treatment of lumbar radionecrosis. Apropos of 2 cases]. / Le lambeau libre de grand dorsal revascularisé par un double pontage veineux sur le trépied fémoral pour le traitement d'une radiodermite lombaire. A propos de deux cas.

Two patients were operated in 1989 and 1992 for lumbar chronic osteoradionecrosis (toxi-infection collapsus in one of the two cases). Conventional coverage procedures (skin graft, local flaps) or distally based latissimus dorsi musculo-cutaneous flap (second case) were attempted but failed. So we realised in a one stage procedure a free musculo-cutaneous flap in the case no. 1 and a free muscular flap, later skin grafted, in the case no. 2. Venous and arterial bypass were provided by 40 cm long saphenous veins harvested from the thighs, and allowed to reach the lumbar site with proximal anastomosis performed on the femoral artery. The results were considered to be excellent. That short experience shows that long venous bypass with microsurgical free transfer can be safely performed. This results in an extremely high flow shunt.

[Pectoralis major muscular flap in thoracic substance loss following mediastinitis. Apropos of 7 cases]. / Le lambeau musculaire de grand pectoral dans les pertes de substance thoracique après médiastinite. A propos de sept cas.

Mediastinitis is a rare complication but can occur after any form of cardiac surgery via midline sternotomy. Despite early diagnosis, management in intensive care and appropriate treatment, the prognosis remains severe. Progression towards a chest wall defect, exposing a sternal flap is not uncommon and requires reconstructive surgery because of the potential life-threatening risk. Among the techniques currently used, the authors emphasize the value of pectoralis major myoplasty centered on perforating vessels derived from the internal mammary artery according to the technique described by Nahai in 1982. They have performed this procedure in 7 patients with a high-risk context, always using a single muscle, and also assessed its technical simplicity, low morbidity, absence of obvious functional handicap associated with the aesthetic aspects by means of regular review with a mean follow-up of 18 months.

[Treatment of incisional hernia of the abdominal wall by the skin lacing technique. Apropos of 30 cases]. / Traitement des éventrations de la paroi abdominale par la technique du laçage à la peau. A propos de trente observations.

The treatment of large incisional hernias is often difficult, as reflected by the many surgical techniques proposed and the high recurrence rate. Since 1983, the authors have used a skin lacing procedure in these large hernias which frequently tend to recur. This report was based on the study of 30 consecutively patients operated by this method between 1983 and 1989. The objective results evaluated clinically in terms of the quality of the abdominal wall after more than two years of follow-up appear to argue in favour of this little known technique which combines simplicity, rapidity and reliability. Based on their experience, the authors believe that this method has a place in the therapeutic arsenal for abdominal wall repair as, in some cases, it can resolve the difficult problem of treatment of large, recurrent incisional hernias regardless of the patient's age.

[Axillary hyperhidrosis. Etiopathogenesis and surgical treatment]. / Hyperhidrose axillaire. Etiopathogénie et traitement chirurgical.

Axillary hyperhidrosis consists of excessive sweating, producing severe embarrassment and a personal and social handicap. Anatomy and physiology of sweating are reviewed. A localized surgical attack on the excessively active sweat glands is preferred to topical anti-perspirants and systemic medications which are inadequate. Flaps are elevated and the resection includes the glands down to the dermal level. No skin excision seems to be necessary. Long term results are analysed, and the satisfaction of the patients demonstrates the efficacy of this treatment.