Accessing an assisted death from the UK: Navigating the legal 'grey' area.

Assisted dying is available in many countries globally but remains illegal in the UK, where there are ongoing debates about its legal status. Britons seeking an assisted death must travel to Switzerland. This article explores the experiences of UK-based individuals considering an assisted death and family members of those who have completed an assisted death.

[Systemic side effects of locally administered corticosteroids].

Corticosteroids are often administered locally to prevent systemic exposure and side effects. It is not well known that all forms of locally administered corticosteroids can have systemic side effects. Because doctors are less aware of systemic side effects when using locally administered corticosteroids, these side effects are not always recognized and treated as such.

Communication Between Registered Nurses and Family Members of Intensive Care Unit Patients.

Background: Effective communication between intensive care unit patients and their families and nurses promotes relationship-centered care and improves nurses' ability to meet patient and family needs. However, communication with these patients is challenging because of their critical illness. Families often become surrogate decision makers for adult intensive care unit patients.

High-speed fluorescence image-enabled cell sorting.

Fast and selective isolation of single cells with unique spatial and morphological traits remains a technical challenge. Here, we address this by establishing high-speed image-enabled cell sorting (ICS), which records multicolor fluorescence images and sorts cells based on measurements from image data at speeds up to 15,000 events per second. We show that ICS quantifies cell morphology and localization of labeled proteins and increases the resolution of cell cycle analyses by separating mitotic stages.

Use of antithrombotics at the end of life: an in-depth chart review study.

Background: Antithrombotics are frequently prescribed for patients with a limited life expectancy. In the last phase of life, when treatment is primarily focused on optimizing patients' quality of life, the use of antithrombotics should be reconsidered.

Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of a retrospective review of 180 medical records of patients who had died of a malignant or non-malignant disease, at home, in a hospice or in a hospital, in the Netherlands.

Physicians' Opinions on Anticoagulant Therapy in Patients with a Limited Life Expectancy.

Patients with a limited life expectancy have an increased risk of thromboembolic and bleeding complications. Anticoagulants are often continued until death, independent of their original indication. We aimed to identify the opinions of physicians about the use of anticoagulants at the end of life.

How We Can Improve the Quality of Care for Patients Requesting Medical Assistance in Dying: A Qualitative Study of Health Care Providers.

Context: Since Canada decriminalized medical assistance in dying (MAID) in 2015, clinicians and organizations have developed policies and protocols to implement assisted dying in clinical practice. Five years on, there is little consensus as to what constitutes high-quality care in MAID.

Objectives: To describe MAID clinicians' perspectives on quality of care in MAID, including challenges, successes, and clinical practice suggestions.

Provision of medical assistance in dying: a scoping review.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to map the characteristics of the existing medical literature describing the medications, settings, participants and outcomes of medical assistance in dying (MAID) in order to identify knowledge gaps and areas for future research.

Design: Scoping review.

Search Strategy: We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, CINAHL and CENTRAL), clinical trial registries, conference abstracts and professional guidelines from jurisdictions where MAID is legal, up to February 2020.

Role of nurses in medication management at the end of life: a qualitative interview study.

Background: Patients in the last phase of their lives often use many medications. Physicians tend to lack awareness that reviewing the usefulness of medication at the end of patients' lives is important. The aim of this study is to gain insight into the perspectives of patients, informal caregivers, nurses and physicians on the role of nurses in medication management at the end of life.

Better drug use in advanced disease: an international Delphi study.

Patients with a limited life expectancy use many medications, some of which may be questionable. OBJECTIVES : To identify possible solutions for difficulties concerning medication management and formulate recommendations to improve medication management at the end of life. METHODS : A two-round Delphi study with experts in the field of medication management and end-of-life care (based on ranking in the citation index in Web of Science and relevant publications).

[Sexuality and intercultural communication; stories from a general practice].

Differences in ethnic background, culture, religion and language can impede communication between physicians and patients about sexuality. At the same time, most people, regardless of age, gender and cultural background, find sexuality an essential part of their lives. Sexual problems have a negative effect on perceived health.

What Patients with Mild-to-Moderate Kidney Disease Know, Think, and Feel about Their Disease: An In-Depth Interview Study.

Introduction: It is unknown what patients in primary care with mild-to-moderate chronic kidney disease (CKD) know, think, and feel about their diagnoses and how they value the information provided. The aim of the study was to explore their knowledge, thoughts, and experiences concerning their CKD and the information given to them.

Method: Qualitative interview study with patients with mild-to-moderate CKD who know their diagnoses and are treated mainly by family physicians.

General practitioners' perspectives on management of early-stage chronic kidney disease: a focus group study.

Background: Guideline adherence in chronic kidney disease management is low, despite guideline implementation initiatives. Knowing general practitioners' (GPs') perspectives of management of early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the applicability of the national interdisciplinary guideline could support strategies to improve quality of care.

Method: Qualitative focus group study with 27 GPs in the Netherlands.

Medication Discontinuation at the End of Life: A Questionnaire Study on Physicians' Experiences and Opinions.

Background: Many patients who are in the last phase of life use multiple medications that are continued until shortly before they ultimately die. Little is known about physicians' opinions and experiences regarding medication discontinuation at the end of patients' lives.

Objective: To explore physicians' opinions and experiences regarding medication discontinuation during the last phase of life, and to identify factors influencing the continuation of potentially inappropriate medications.

Pectobacterium polaris sp. nov., isolated from potato (Solanum tuberosum).

The genus Pectobacterium, which belongs to the bacterial family Enterobacteriaceae, contains numerous species that cause soft rot diseases in a wide range of plants. The species Pectobacterium carotovorum is highly heterogeneous, indicating a need for re-evaluation and a better classification of the species. PacBio was used for sequencing of two soft-rot-causing bacterial strains (NIBIO1006 and NIBIO1392), initially identified as P.

Medication Use in the Last Days of Life in Hospital, Hospice, and Home Settings in the Netherlands.

Background: The purpose of medication management in the last days of life is to optimize patient's comfort. Little is known about the medication use in the days before death and how this relates to the care setting.

Objective: To describe medication use in the last week of life for patients dying in hospital, hospice, and home settings in the Netherlands.

Perspectives of patients, close relatives, nurses, and physicians on end-of-life medication management.

Unlabelled: ABSTRACTObjective:Our aim was to gain insight into the perspectives of patients, close relatives, nurses, and physicians on medication management for patients with a life expectancy of less than 3 months.

Method: We conducted an empirical multicenter study with a qualitative approach, including in-depth interviews with patients, relatives, nurses, specialists, and general practitioners (GPs). We used the constant comparative method and ATLAS.

A Three-Way Transcriptomic Interaction Study of a Biocontrol Agent (Clonostachys rosea), a Fungal Pathogen (Helminthosporium solani), and a Potato Host (Solanum tuberosum).

Helminthosporium solani causes silver scurf, which affects the quality of potato. The biocontrol agent Clonostachys rosea greatly limited the severity of silver scurf symptoms and amount of H. solani genomic DNA in laboratory experiments.

Problems identified by dual sensory impaired older adults in long-term care when using a self-management program: A qualitative study.

Objective: To gain insights into the problems of dual sensory impaired older adults in long-term care. Insights into these problems are essential for developing adequate policies which address the needs of the increasing population of dual sensory impaired older adults in long-term care.

Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in parallel with a cluster randomized controlled trial.

[Discontinuation of potentially inappropriate medications at the end of life: perspectives from patients, their relatives, and physicians].

Objective: To obtain insight into the perspectives of patients, relatives and physicians towards potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) at the end of life.

Design: Qualitative interview study.

Method: An analysis of in-depth interviews with 17 patients who were diagnosed as having a life expectancy of less than three months, 12 patient relatives, and 20 medical specialists and 12 general practitioners who cared for them.

Comprehensive and Integrated Palliative Care for People With Advanced Chronic Conditions: An Update From Several European Initiatives and Recommendations for Policy.

The number of people in their last years of life with advanced chronic conditions, palliative care needs, and limited life prognosis due to different causes including multi-morbidity, organ failure, frailty, dementia, and cancer is rising. Such people represent more than 1% of the population. They are present in all care settings, cause around 75% of mortality, and may account for up to one-third of total national health system spend.

GPs' opinions of health assessment instruments for people with intellectual disabilities: a qualitative study.

Background: GPs provide health care to people with intellectual disabilities (ID). People with ID find it difficult to express themselves concerning health-related matters. Applying health assessments is an effective method to reveal health needs, and can play a role in prevention and health promotion.