Clinical and investigative medicine. Médecine clinique et experimentale
-
End-of-life decisions regarding the administration, withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining therapy in the critical care setting can be challenging. Disagreements between health care providers and family members occur, especially when families believe strongly in preserving life, and physicians are resistant to providing medically "futile" care. Such disagreements can cause tension and moral distress among families and clinicians. ⋯ Knowledge of underlying ethical principles, understanding of professional duties, and adoption of a process for mediation and conflict resolution are essential to ensuring that physicians and institutions act responsibly in maintaining a patients' best interests in the context of family-centred care.
-
Effect of Haishengsu on transplanted K562 and drug-resistant K562/ADM tumors: an experimental study.
To evaluate the effect of Haishengsu (HSS) on transplanted K562 and drug-resistant K562/ADM tumors. ⋯ Haishengsu inhibits the growth of transplanted K562 tumours in mice. It is also effective in suppressing the growth of drug-resistant K562/ADM tumors in this animal model.
-
Atherosclerosis is the primary independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease, and Liver X Receptors (LXRalpha and LXRbeta) activation may play an anti-atherosclerosis effect. In this article, we summarize the current state of knowledge of roles of LXRs in physiology and homeostasis as well as the links between LXR action and atherosclerosis, and discuss the potential therapeutic effects of LXR agonists. ⋯ LXR beta-selective agonists and LXR modulators, which act as agonists in macrophages and induce cholesterol efflux while as antagonists of lipogenesis in the liver, are two critical and attractive approaches to treat atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases.
-
To study the association between blood pressure (BP) SBP, DBP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pulse pressure (PP) and clinical outcome in acute hemorrhagic stroke patients in the Chinese population. ⋯ Increased SBP, DBP, MAP and PP at admission were all associated with in-hospital mortality, and increased SBP, DBP and MAP were associated with dependency at discharge among hemorrhagic stroke patients.
-
To compare paraoxonase activity and changes in oxidative status in asthmatic children and healthy children by determining serum paraoxonase activity and total oxidative status, total antioxidant capacity and lipid hydroperoxidation. ⋯ In asthmatic children, when total oxidant status, total antioxidant capacity and lipid hydroperoxidation levels increase, paraoxonase activity decreased.