Search

Global warming is currently enabling the expansion of winter oilseed rape cultivation to previously unsuitable regions. Nevertheless, extreme frost events may lead in some years to severe winter damage. On the other hand, early flowering winter oilseed rape cultivars are wanted because of increasingly warm temperatures in spring. An assumed correlation between winter hardiness and vernalization requirement therefore needs to be investigated. Analysing the genetic variation for vernalization requirement in a large set of genetically diverse winter oilseed rape genotypes revealed large and significant variation for this trait.

Wir präsentieren den Fall einer jungen Patientin, bei welcher die Diagnose eines Churg-Strauss-Syndroms gestellt wird. Die klassischen wie auch die atypischen klinischen Befunde werden im Kontext möglicher relevanter Differentialdiagnosen diskutiert. Die zur Diagnose notwendigen Kriterien werden vorgestellt und die wichtigsten Aspekte zu Pathogenese, Verlauf und Therapie dieser Erkrankung aufgezeigt. Zusätzlich werden die Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede gegenüber den idiopathischen eosinophilen interstitiellen Lungenerkrankungen beschrieben.

Fragestellung. Die Langzeitbehandlung auf Intensivstationen (ICU) bedeutet eine erhebliche somatische, psychische und soziale Belastung fur die Patienten. Um die Ergebnisse im Langzeitverlauf beurteilen zu konnen, wurden nach der Entlassung Lebensqualitat und Gesundheitszustand von Uberlebenden untersucht. Methodik. Alle Patienten, die wahrend eines 4 Jahres Zeitraumes auf einer operativen ICU mindestens 30 Tage in Behandlung gewesen waren, wurden in die Untersuchung eingeschlossen. Die Uberlebenden wurden 35±14 Monate nach der Entlassung korperlich untersucht und ausfuhrlich befragt. Zur Anwendung kamen auserdem Selbst- und Fremdbeurteilungsskalen (Munchner Inventar fur Lebensqualitat und Gesundheit, POMS, Spitzer Quality-of-life-Index). Ergebnisse. 101 Patienten wurden mindestens 30 Tage behandelt. Die Mortalitat bis zur Nachuntersuchung betrug 55%. Von den 46 verbleibenden Patienten konnten 41 (89%) untersucht werden (m/w=31/10; Alter 41,6±17,2 Jahre; Liegedauer 51±19 Tage; Diagnosen: Trauma n=32, andere n=9). Je ein Drittel der Patienten zeigten keine, mittlere oder schwere korperliche Beeintrachtigungen. Lebensqualitat und Gesundheit wurden von ca. der Halfte, unabhangig vom Testverfahren, als zufriedenstellend beurteilt. Traumapatienten waren in allen Bereichen starker belastet. Es zeigte sich keine Abhangigkeit von Alter, Geschlecht und Zeitraum bis zur Nachuntersuchung. Schlussfolgerungen. Patienten nach Langzeitintensivbehandlung weisen etwa zur Halfte deutliche Einschrankungen ihrer Lebensqualitat auch als Folge der Erkrankung oder Behandlung auf. Besonders Traumapatienten geben trotz somatisch zufriedenstellender Behandlungsergebnisse erhebliche Probleme im psychosozialen Bereich an, die rehabilitativen Masnahmen zuganglich sind.

A 71-year-old man sustains multiple fractures in an accident; after a lucid interval he deteriorates neurologically and becomes comatose. Intracranial hemorrhage, status epilepticus, adverse drug reactions, toxic-metabolic, ischemic or infectious causes are subsequently ruled out. Development of petechiae and thrombopenia raises the possibility of fat embolism syndrome, which is confirmed in a MRI of the head 72 hours after the accident. We discuss current aetiologic concepts as well as diagnosis and clinical course of the cerebral fat embolism syndrome.

A patient with a red, painful eye and gradual visual impairment is examined ophthalmologically. Culture of the vitreal aspirate yields Candida tropicalis. Subsequent medical evaluation reveals that during an acute hospitalization eight weeks prior positive blood cultures for Candida had been reported but not acted on, despite a high risk constellation of operative therapy, intensive care unit treatment, central catheters, parenteral nutrition and broad spectrum antibiotics. Diagnosis and treatment of candidemia with a focus on candida endophthalmitis is discussed.

We present the case of a young woman that was diagnosed with Churg-Strauss syndrome. The classical as well as the atypical symptoms, signs and findings are discussed in the context of clinically relevant differential diagnoses. The diagnostic criteria and the relevant aspects of pathogenesis, clinical course and treatment are reviewed. In addition, the similarities and differences with respect to the other idiopathic interstitial eosinophilic pneumopathies are described.

Long-term treatment in surgical intensive care units (SICU) subjects the patient to a high degree of somatic, psychological, and social stress. The aim of this study was to determine their outcome in terms of quality of life and health status.All patients from a 4-year period in a SICU with a length of stay (LOS) of 30 days or more were included. All survivors were interviewed and examined after 35 +/- 14 months; they also completed several questionnaires (Munich Inventory for Quality of Life and Health Status, POMS, and Spitzer Quality of Life Index).One hundred one patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria, and 46 survived until follow-up. Forty-one (89%) could be traced and examined. Male:female ratio was 31:10, age 42 +/- 17 years, and LOS 51 +/- 19 days, Diagnoses on admittance were multiple trauma (n = 32) and other (n = 9). When classifying patients according to physical impairment, one third each showed no, mediocre, or severe limitations. Subjective appraisal of quality of life and well-being was sufficient for about half the patients in every test. Trauma victims experienced more severe impairment of quality of life. There were no differences between sex, age, or time until follow-up.After prolonged SICU treatment, about half of the patients report limitations in their quality of life as a result of their illness and the subsequent treatment. Some patients, in particular after trauma, exhibit striking psychosocial problems despite satisfactory somatic treatment results. These problems can be positively addressed in rehabilitative efforts.

The time course of pancreatic effects of somatostatin was studied over a period of 2 h in unanesthetized unrestrained rats after administration of the peptide by intravenous infusion and by single and multiple subcutaneous injections. During infusion of 10 and 30 μg/kg per min, somatostatin continuously suppressed plasma insulin and plasma glucagon. Plasma glucose was significantly increased at the lower dose, but not affected at the higher dose. Single subcutaneous injections of 0.3 and 3 mg/kg decreased plasma insulin and glucagon dose-dependently for 20–60 min without affecting plasma glucose. Multiple subcutaneous injections of somatostatin (one to four doses of 3 mg/kg, administered at intervals of 30 min) caused an initial decrease of plasma insulin (at 30 min), a rebound-increase at 60 and 90 min, and a final return to control values by 120 min. Plasma glucagon remained continuously suppressed. Plasma glucose increased significantly at 60 and 90 min and tended to return towards control values thereafter. In conclusion, pancreatic B cells — but not A cells — of the rat develop tachyphylaxis to somatostatin within 2 h after multiple subcutaneous injections of the peptide. By this mode of administration, ‘selective’ suppression of plasma glucagon can be achieved with somatostatin in the rat.