[Mentally ill and dangerous: civil commitment or internment? The Belgian judicial framework]. / Geestesziek en gevaarlijk: gedwongen opname of internering? Het Belgische wettelijke kader.

There are two important Belgian laws referring to psychiatric disturbances that may prove dangerous. The Civil Code includes the law relating to the protection of the mentally ill person, dated 26th June 1990, better known as the law of civil commitment of the mentally ill. Since April, 2007, the Penal Code has contained a new law on the internment of people with a psychiatric disorder; this new law replaces the old law of the 1st July, 1964, meant to protect the society. Although the two laws apply to different fields, in clinical practice there are sometimes 'grey areas' where it is not immediately evident which legal framework is applicable. Starting from a case study in which the civil judge ordered the civil commitment of a detainee, we explore these 'grey areas' and compare the two legal frameworks. We base our study on the new law on internment, clarify it and sketch the legal history of internment in Belgium.

Effect of vitamin E on antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation products and glomerulosclerosis in the rat remnant kidney.

In rats with five-sixth nephrectomy (remnant kidney), glomerulosclerosis was significantly reduced by dietary administration of vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) during 11 and 16 weeks after reduction of nephron number. The activity of catalase and the production of H2O2 in remnant kidney cortex homogenate were not influenced by the vitamin E diet; however, the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase were significantly increased (up to 140 and 180%, respectively, after 16 weeks). Lipid peroxidation, evaluated by malonaldehyde and 4-hydroxynonenal concentrations, was decreased in cortex homogenates and in urine. Though the extent of the effect of vitamin E on antioxidant enzyme levels and lipid peroxidation is small, the important reduction of glomerulosclerosis is in favor of dietary supplementation with vitamin E.