Irish journal of medical science
-
Many people on both sides of the debate to legalise physician-hastened death are motivated by compassion and a desire to provide better end of life care for others. Assisted dying may include euthanasia and/or assisted suicide (EAS). It is legal in some jurisdictions and under debate in others including Ireland. ⋯ Progressive expansion of eligibility for EAS has occurred over time in the Netherlands, Belgium and Canada. Given the complexity of assessing coercion, the risks to persons in vulnerable groups (including older persons, persons with mental health conditions and persons with disabilities), the progressive expansion of eligibility for EAS, the lack of safety and the undermining of suicide prevention strategies, the current law is most protective of persons in vulnerable groups in the interest of social justice. Person-centred and compassionate care needs be prioritised with greater access and equitable access to primary and specialist palliative care and mental health care for persons with incurable and terminal illnesses and support for caregivers allowing patients to die naturally with optimised symptom control.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Cardiorespiratory responses: Pilates compared to different walking speeds in healthy adults.
The impact of a single-session Pilates exercise on cardiorespiratory fitness and metabolic parameters is still uncertain. ⋯ The cardiopulmonary responses to a single Pilates session are similar to walking at a speed of 3.2 kph but lower than walking at 4.8 kph. These results indicate that while Pilates may not generate sufficient cardiopulmonary changes to enhance cardiorespiratory fitness as a moderate-intensity exercise in healthy young adults, it may still offer other benefits such as improvements in flexibility, core strength, and posture.
-
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder which is caused due to T-cell mediated destruction of β cells of pancreas leading to insulin deficiency and hyperglycemia. The prevalence has been increasing in many countries especially Europe and America. ⋯ The US. FDA approved the first cell therapy drug, Donislecel for brittle T1D which may be a crucial achievement in treatment of the autoimmune disorder.
-
Apple unveiled its highly anticipated mixed-reality headset, called the Apple Vision Pro on June 5, 2023. The primary user interface relies on eye tracking, hand, gestures, cameras, and sensors, eliminating the need for physical controllers such as keyboards or touch screens. ⋯ All things considered, virtual reality is a highly promising area for the future of medicine, from improving medical education and vision screening to physical and psychological rehabilitation. We look forward to further innovations in this exciting area for years to come.
-
The formal announcement of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic by the WHO came on the 5th of May 2023; however, unlike the pandemic onset, the pandemic end date was not met with any significant media coverage or news reporting in Ireland. Additionally, there were no series of contemplations either in newspapers or other media about the impact of the decision to formally end the pandemic despite having financial and legislative impacts on a wide number of people. Given the potential impact of the removal of government subsidies on health and occupations, government and media coverage of the decisions and potential implications would have been helpful. The opportunity for a significant debriefing of the pandemic outlining what we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic response may have been missed.