Note 9 - Common Stock (Detail) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					104 Months Ended		12 Months Ended									48 Months Ended	104 Months Ended			12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended		104 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	May 04, 2004	Dec. 31, 2012 Vest Period 1 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Vest Period 2 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 France Stock Option Sub-Plan [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Director Stock Option Plan [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Director Stock Option Plan [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Director Stock Option Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Shares [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Performance Shares [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Performance Shares [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Performance Shares [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Stock [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Restricted Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Restricted Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Restricted Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Shareholder Rights Plan [Member]	Aug. 09, 2011 Shareholder Rights Plan [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member]
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Number of Shares Authorized (in Shares)					5,250,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Award Vesting Period						3 years	4 years		3 years	1 year								6 years	3 years							4 years	4 years		1 year	1 year
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Terms of Award								ten			ten																	ten
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Shares Issued in Period (in Shares)	194,500	219,500												900,500	150,500	171,000					9,000	72,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Expiration Date	Dec. 31, 2008	Dec. 31, 2008															Dec. 31, 2008
Share-based Compensation Arrangements by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Grants in Period, Weighted Average Exercise Price (in Dollars per share)	$ 3.94	$ 2.98	$ 1.71									$ 4.56	$ 2.05	$ 3.80	$ 4.32	$ 1.66
Share-based Compensation (in Dollars)	$ 392,000	$ 162,000	$ 39,000											$ 147,000	$ 9,000						$ 135,000	$ 188,000	$ 285,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Outstanding, Number (in Shares)	2,053,000	1,332,000	1,470,000	1,450,000										1,091,000			1,091,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award, Options, Vested and Expected to Vest, Outstanding, Number (in Shares)														48,000			48,000
Share Price (in Dollars per share)																				$ 4.41		$ 5.72
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized (in Dollars)																					$ 261,000	$ 479,000
Employee Service Share-based Compensation, Nonvested Awards, Total Compensation Cost Not yet Recognized, Period for Recognition																					2 years 36 days	3 years
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights (in Dollars per Item)																									39
Common Stock Redemption Discount																								50.00%
Class of Warrant or Right, Redemption Price (in Dollars per share)																								$ 0.001
Common Stock, Capital Shares Reserved for Future Issuance (in Shares)																								90,315,210