Palliative Care For Children With Life-Limiting Conditions In Ireland- A National Policy

Palliative Care For Children With Life-Limiting Conditions In Ireland- A National Policy Click here to download PDF 1.30MB

Description of Simulium damascenoi (Diptera: Simuliidae) male and the black-fly species from the State of Amapá, Brazil

Five species are included in the Simulium siolii group, which is placed in the subgenus Psaroniocompsa (Diptera: Simuliidae). Of these five species, only two (Simulium siolii Py-Daniel and Simulium tergospinosum Hamada) have been described in all their life stages, except eggs. Knowledge of the taxonomic characters of all life stages of a species is important in order to clarify interspecific and higher-level taxonomic relationships. The objectives of the present study are to describe the male of Simulium damascenoi Py-Daniel, to provide a list of black-fly species their bionomics and distributions in the state of Amapá, Brazil, and to provide an identification key for larvae and pupae for these species.

Reduced quality of life associated adverse events in intermediate hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with PRECISION TACE with drug eluting beads: Results from the PRECISION V randomized trial

Purpose: To evaluate the extent of quality of life (QoL) associated adverse events (AEs) following PRECISION TACE with DC Bead compared with conventional transarterial chemoembolisation (cTACE). Methods and Materials: 201 intermediate HCC patients were treated with DC Bead (PRECISION TACE) or conventional TACE (cTACE) with doxorubicin in the PRECISION V clinical study. 93 patients were treated with DC Bead and 108 Patients with cTACE every 2 months and followed up for 6 months. AEs were classified according to the South West Oncology Group criteria. QoL associated AEs were defined as alopecia, constipation, nausea, vomiting, pyrexia, chills, asthenia, fatigue, and headache. Results: The biggest difference in QoL associated AEs was for alopecia: 2 patients (2.2%) for DC-Bead versus 21 patients (19.4%) for cTACE. For other clinical symptoms, constipation (n=10; 10.8% vs. n=13; 12%), vomiting (n=10; 10.8% vs. n=14; 13.0%), pyrexia (n=16; 17.2% vs. n=26; 24.1%), chills (n=1; 1.1% vs. n=5; 4.6%), and headache (n=2; 2.2% vs. n=8; 7.4%) showed lower incidence in the DC Bead group versus cTACE. Nausea, n= 15; 13.9% (n=15; 16.1%) and fatigue, n=6; 5.6% (n=13; 14.0%) were lower for cTACE. Total dose of doxorubicin was on average 35% higher in the DC Bead group. Conclusion: Although patients in the DC Bead group received a higher doxorubicin dose, less QoL associated AEs were reported for this group. Alopecia, the most obvious outward sign of toxicity, was only reported in a tenth of DC Bead patients. Thus, PRECISION TACE with DC Bead improves quality of life associated adverse events.

Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill

An Act to protect human life during pregnancy; to make provision for reviews at the instigation of a pregnant woman of certain medical opinions given in respect of pregnancy; to provide for an offence of intentional destruction of unborn human life; to amend the Health Act 2007; to repeal sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; and to provide for matters connected therewith. Click here to download PDF 296KB

Preliminary draft of regulations to be made under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, 2013

Preliminary draft of regulations to be made under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, 2013 Preliminary draft of Regulations to be made under the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill, 2013. It is the intention to bring these Regulations into effect when the Bill is enacted. The Regulations are as follows: Click here to download The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 (Certification Regulations) PDF 466KB Click here to download The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 (Application for Review of Medical Opinion) PDF 219KB Click here to download The Protection of Life During Pregnancy Act 2013 (Notifications) PDF 180KB

Does unemployment hurt less if there is more of it around? A panel analysis of life satisfaction in Germany and Switzerland

This article examines the existence of a habituation effect to unemployment: Does the subjective well-being of unemployed people decline less if unemployment is more widespread? The underlying idea is that unemployment hysteresis may operate through a sociological channel: if many people in the community lose their job and remain unemployed over an extended period, the psychological cost of being unemployed diminishes and the pressure to accept a new job declines. We analyze this question with individual-level data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (1984-2010) and the Swiss Household Panel (2000-2010). Our fixed-effects estimates show no evidence for a mitigating effect of high surrounding unemployment on the subjective well-being of the unemployed. Becoming unemployed hurts as much when regional unemployment is high as when it is low. Likewise, the strongly harmful impact of being unemployed on well-being does not wear off over time, nor do repeated episodes of unemployment make it any better. It thus appears doubtful that an unemployment shock becomes persistent because the unemployed become used to, and hence reasonably content with, being without a job.

Bats of Borneo: diversity, distributions and representation in protected areas

Protected areas are valuable in conserving tropical biodiversity, but an insufficient understanding of species diversity and distributions makes it difficult to evaluate their effectiveness. This is especially true on Borneo, a species rich island shared by three countries, and is particularly concerning for bats, a poorly known component of mammal diversity that may be highly susceptible to landscape changes. We reviewed the diversity, distributions and conservation status of 54 bat species to determine the representation of these taxa in Borneo's protected areas, and whether these reserves complement each other in terms of bat diversity. Lower and upper bound estimates of bat species composition were characterised in 23 protected areas and the proposed boundaries of the Heart of Borneo conservation area. We used lower and upper bound estimates of species composition. By using actual inventories, species representation was highly irregular, and even if some reserves were included in the Heart of Borneo, the protected area network would still exhibit low complementarity. By inferring species presence from distributions, composition between most reserves was similar, and complementarity was much higher. Predicting species richness using abundance information suggested that bat species representation in reserves may lie between these two extremes. We recommend that researchers better sample biodiversity over the island and address the conservation threats faced in Borneo both within and outside protected areas. While the Heart of Borneo Initiative is commendable, it should not divert attention from other conservation areas.

End of life trajectories across conditions

The findings of Pinnock and colleagues’ study on the longitudinal perspectives of people with severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have implications for other non-malignant conditions.To read the 'BMJ' news article in full.

Fermanagh - Your Life in Your Hands

This project intends to build on the success in equipping individuals with mental health problems, who are obese, with the skills necessary to make healthier lifestyle choices.Particpants will work as a group and support each other. A range of sessions were held on health issues of importance to clients (stress, exercise, mental health) through information workshops, training, pharmacy clinics, cooking etc. For the participants involved in the project their confidence has grown and they are able to share their learning with others at the centre. The clients are aware of other services and how to access them. The pharmacist role played a visit to the doctors to help clients get the best out of their appointment. The mental health of those involved has also imporved and has spurred them on to make changes in their overall lifestyle.

Active Life Club

The project aims to target older peoples local needs and create awareness of health issues and healthier lifestyles in later years. Five information sessions (medicine, stress management, role of the pharmacist etc) were held with older people. The pharmacist offered 1-1 support and group work was also built into the sessions. The pharmacist is now more aware of older people's needs and the future services they can provide. Older people are now better informed about their health and wellbeing. The project has empowered them to be more independent and have a greater rapport with their pharmacist. 65 older people benefited from the project. The pharmacist is now signposting older people to the Active

Get a life, get active

This leaflet explains the benefits of regular physical activity. It aims to dispel the myths surrounding exercise and the excuses people make for not exercising, as well as providing tips and advice on how to be more active.

Get a life, get active...go cycling

This leaflet explains the benefits of regular physical activity, particularly cycling.

Get a life, get active...go walking

This leaflet explains the benefits of regular physical activity, particularly walking.