Trending Articles
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Journal of medical ethics · Jun 2008
The "future like ours" argument and human embryonic stem cell research.
The most closely argued and widely discussed case against abortion in the philosophical literature today is Don Marquis's "future like ours" argument. The argument moves from an analysis of why there is a serious presumption against killing someone "like us" to the conclusion that most abortions are seriously wrong for the same reason: they deprive "an individual" of a future of valuable experiences and activities, a "future like ours". Julian Savulescu has objected that "preventing" such a future could not be as seriously presumptively wrong as Marquis contends for if it were, even contraception and failure to engage in reproductive cloning would be seriously presumptively wrong. ⋯ Marquis defends his strong anti-abortion stance against Savulescu's "contraception" and "failure to clone" objections but surprisingly says nothing about the implications of the "future like ours" argument for the controversy surrounding human embryonic stem cell research. I argue that key features of Marquis's response actually support the view that embryos used in stem cell research are not included within the protective scope of the "future like ours" argument. It is significant that the most philosophically rigorous anti-abortion case thus far presented does not entail that human embryonic stem cell research is even presumptively wrong.
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Frontiers in physiology · Jan 2014
ReviewNeural reflex regulation of systemic inflammation: potential new targets for sepsis therapy.
Sepsis progresses to multiple organ dysfunction due to the uncontrolled release of inflammatory mediators, and a growing body of evidence shows that neural signals play a significant role in modulating the immune response. Thus, similar toall other physiological systems, the immune system is both connected to and regulated by the central nervous system. The efferent arc consists of the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic activation, the cholinergic anti-inflammatory reflex, and the local release of physiological neuromodulators. ⋯ Despite cytokine receptor expression in vagal afferent fibers, pro-inflammatory cytokines have no significant effect on vagus nerve activity. Thus, the CB may be the source of immunosensory inputs and incoming neural signals and, in fact, sense inflammatory mediators, playing a protective role during sepsis. Considering that CB stimulation increases sympathetic activity and adrenal glucocorticoids release, the electrical stimulation of arterial chemoreceptors may be suitable therapeutic approach for regulating systemic inflammation.
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Journal of wound care · Apr 2015
Clinical evaluation of a silver impregnated foam dressing in paediatric partial-thickness burns.
MepilexAg, a silver-impregnated foam dressing, was introduced to our institution in 2007 and our outcomes in the treatment of paediatric burns were observed to improve significantly. In order to confirm these observations, we wanted to evaluate the results of using the silver-impregnated foam dressing in partial-thickness paediatric burns.Method: In this retrospective, study, the St. Christopher's Hospital burn registry was used to identify subjects, who were otherwise in excellent health at baseline, over an 18-month period,. Outcomes included length of stay, intravenous narcotic use, and time to healing. No direct comparative studies were performed. This was followed by a non-comparative prospective study involving 22 paediatric patients, aged 1-4 years, with partial-thickness burns. This was a sub-study of a larger randomized controlled trial involving adults with partial-thickness burns, comparing the silver-impregnated foam dressing with Silvadene. ⋯ The silver-impregnated foam dressing is effective and safe for use in partial-thickness paediatric burns, eliminating the need for daily dressings.
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Comparative Study
Job satisfaction, psychological morbidity and job stress among New Zealand general practitioners.
To assess levels of psychological distress and job satisfaction among New Zealand general practitioners. ⋯ Overall, GPs were satisfied with their jobs. Levels of psychological symptoms were of concern, particularly in the 10% showing very high levels of psychological distress, and in rural and solo practitioners.
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Pediatric transplantation · Mar 2008
High-risk adenovirus-infected pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic progenitor cell transplant recipients and preemptive cidofovir therapy.
ADV has emerged as an important pathogen in children undergoing allogeneic HPCT. A prospective study of the epidemiology of ADV infection and preemptive therapy of high risk ADV infections in children undergoing HPCT was undertaken. Cultures of throat, urine, and stool for viral pathogens and plasma for ADV PCR were obtained prior to transplantation, weekly for the first 100 days, and then monthly for one yr. ⋯ CMV viremia occurred in two of seven patients during or shortly after therapy with cidofovir. A case-control study did not identify any risk factors that achieved statistical significance. Treatment with a modified dosing regimen of cidofovir was well-tolerated and high-risk ADV infections resolved in all patients.