Humanizing the intensive care unit experience in a comprehensive cancer center: A patient- and family-centered improvement study.

Objectives: Improving family-centered outcomes is a priority in oncologic critical care. As part of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Collaborative, we implemented patient- and family-centered initiatives in a comprehensive cancer center.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team was created to implement the initiatives.

Effects of resistance exercise on plasma, erythrocyte, and urine Zn.

Twelve healthy male volunteers performed two resistance exercise sessions: a moderate resistance (MR) exercise session and a heavy resistance (HR) exercise session. Blood was collected before exercise and 5 min, 30 min, and 24 h after exercise. Urine was collected for 24 h before and 24 h after exercise.

Effects of blast exposure on exercise performance in sheep.

Background: The effects of blast on maximal exercise performance were investigated in sheep that were trained to perform maximal exercise.

Methods And Results: Sheep were fully instrumented for determination of pulmonary and systemic hemodynamics. Blast exposure was administered by using a compressed air driven shock tube that was positioned to primarily produce cardiopulmonary injury.

Cardiopulmonary effects of high-impulse noise exposure.

In high-energy impulse noise environments, the biomechanical coupling process between the external forces and the pathophysiology of cardiopulmonary injury is not well understood. A 12-in-diameter compressed air-driven shock tube with reflector plate was used to induce three levels of pulmonary contusion injury in a large animal model. Twenty-one anesthetized sheep were exposed to the various levels of impulse noise generated by the shock tube, with six additional sheep serving as a control group.