Effects of cytochalasin B on the morphogenesis of explanted early chick embryos.

Effects of cytochalasin B (CB) on chick embryos explanted at stages 4-5 and cultured for 24 hours were studied. CB (2-4 mug/ml) inhibited blastodermal expansion and neural tube closure in over 90% of the embryos. Somite formation was inhibited only where neural tissue was very degenerate. The development of other structures was usually unaffected. Cellular degeneration occurred in severely affected neuroepithelium, but cells at various phases of mitosis were found throughout its thickness, suggesting that interkinetic nuclear migration had been inhibited. Electron microscopic studies of the flattened neural tube showed that CB disrupted microfilaments and reduced the number of cytoplasmic extensions, but had no apparent effect on microtubules and other organelles. These effects were reversible. Futhermore, dimethyl sulfoxide, at 0.2-0.4% (concentrations present in 2-4 mug/ml CB medium), had no adverse effect, indicating that the observed abnormalities were direct consequences of CB treatment.     

Probable common origin of a hereditary fundus dystrophy (Sorsby''s familial pseudoinflammatory macular dystrophy) in an English and Australian family.

A genealogical link was established six generations back between a family living in England and Australia, and one of the families reported originally by Sorsby et al (1949) as suffering from autosomal dominant inflammatory macular dystrophy (fundus dystrophy). The onset--in the fifth decade of life--and the progress of the condition, which usually ends in blindness, has been observed in a number of patients and the prodromal development of a colour vision deficiency in some of them confirmed. This defect is fundamentally different from the X-linked colour vision defects and merits further investigation.     

Wertigkeit von 5?Kernaspekten der Pr?medikationsvisite

Background

Due to a variety of reasons (e.g. increase in outpatient surgery and legal restrictions related to working hours) it has become increasingly more difficult to have the pre-anesthesia visit and the anesthesia carried out by the same anesthetist. In the light of these organizational changes as well as increasing economical pressure it has become common practice to implement pre-anesthesia assessment clinics. It is unclear, however, if these changes in anesthetic patient care respect patient needs.

Methods

By means of a survey using the willingness to pay method, the relative significance of five quality aspects (location of pre-anesthesia visit, waiting time, patient-physician relationship, use of multimedia and ambience) were studied. Participation during a 12-month study period was on a voluntary basis.

Results

Of the 1,058 questionnaires, 1,014 were eligible for analysis. A pre-anesthesia visit performed by the anesthetist who would deliver anesthesia was the most important aspect for almost two thirds (624 out of 1,014) of the patients with on average more than one third of the money available spent on this item. Waiting time was the second most important factor with about one third of the patients rating this item as the most relevant factor and on average approximately one quarter of the total money available spent on it. Location of the pre-anesthesia visit, use of multimedia and ambience were considered least important. The order of these preferences was regardless of age and gender of subjects. However, there was a trend to age and gender-specific differences concerning the amount of money spent on these five items. For instance, with increasing age, patient-physician relationship and location of the pre-anesthesia visit become more important.

Conclusions

These results suggest that the integration of a pre-anesthesia assessment clinic in anesthetic patient care is not favorable from the patients?? point of view because getting to know the anesthetist who will deliver anesthesia is of paramount importance to most patients. In cases where a pre-anesthetic assessment clinic is indispensable, other measures to build up confidence compensating for the lack of personal patient-physician relationship should be developed. In this respect, the promotion of a corporate identity of the whole anesthesia department may be beneficial. Furthermore, keeping the waiting time as short as possible should be a high priority as this item was rated the second most important factor.     

Versicherungsrechtliche Medizin

Ohne Zusammenfassung