THE IMPACT OF SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION ON MERCURY CYCLING AND THE BIOACCUMULATION OF METHYLMERCURY INTO BENTHIC AND PELAGIC ORGANISMS

Sediment resuspension provides a potential mechanism for transferring Hg and MeHg from the sediment to filter feeding organisms and the pelagic food chain, and has been found to enhance Hg methylation. The study objective was to determine the effect of resuspension and clam density on Hg cycling and MeHg bioaccumulation into clams and zooplankton. Two, month-long mesocosm experiments were conducted. The Clam/No Clam Experiment compared resupension with clams (HDC1) versus without clams (NC). The Clam Density Experiment compared resuspension with a high-density population of clams (HDC2) compared with a low-density population of clams (LDC). In addition, a Hg stable isotope was added as a tracer to examine the complex trophic dynamics in the mesocosms. Results from the experiments suggest that clam density did not affect MeHg bioaccumulation into biota over the duration of the experiments. However, high clam density increased net production of MeHg in the water column

Non-Aqueous and Crude Oil Foams.

International audienceFoams produced from non-aqueous media are less common than water-based foams but they play an important role in many industries and engineering processes. The low surface tension of hydrocarbon fluids limits the adsorption of common surface activity substances and different compounds and methods must be considered to generate and stabilize oil-based foam. Likewise, the destruction of unwanted non-aqueous based foam requires specific considerations not found with aqueous systems. Of particular interest are petroleum-based foams, which are highly complex due to the wide variety of compounds and gases that can be found. We provide an overview of the major mechanisms known to be important for non-aqueous foam stability with a spotlight on crude-oil foams

Idéations suicidaires du personnel de la santé pendant la pandémie de COVID-19 : une évaluation écologique momentanée

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the psychological health of healthcare workers (HCWs). Cross-sectional studies report suicidal ideation in this population during this period, but no longitudinal study has examined the evolution of these ideas over time. Objectives: To assess the evolution of suicidal ideation of HCWs during the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic among Quebec (Canada) HCWs and to identify the risk factors involved. Methods: A longitudinal study among Quebec (Canada) HCWs using ecological momentary assessment was conducted between May 8, 2020, and March 31, 2021 (corresponding to the second half of the first wave to the end of the second). Participants (n=865) answered weekly questions related to anxiety (GAD-7), depression (PHQ-9), suicidal ideation (PHQ-9 Q.9), exposure to COVID-19, exposure to COVID-19-related deaths, their infection status and that of their co-workers and loved ones, as well as the amount of time they spent consuming news related to COVID-19. Results: Proportion of suicidal ideation increased from May to June 2020 (second half of the first wave) peaking at 18% before declining up to March 2021. Anxiety and depression symptoms severity increased those ideations as well as having a colleague confirmed positive to COVID-19. Social support does not appear to be a protective factor for suicidal ideation. Suicidal thoughts are associated with media consumption and appear to be mediated by the presence of clinical distress expressed as depressive or anxiety states. Discussion and conclusion: Media consumption in a pandemic context is associated with anxiety and depression, the more severe states of which may express suicidal ideation. Without inferring causality relationship, it seems advisable for HCWs to limit their media exposure during a disaster such as a pandemic.Introduction : La pandémie de COVID-19 a eu un impact sur la santé psychologique des travailleurs de la santé (TS). Des études transversales rapportent la présence d’idées suicidaires chez cette population pendant cette période, mais aucune étude longitudinale n’a examiné l’évolution de ces idées dans le temps. Objectifs : Évaluer l’évolution des idées suicidaires des TS au cours des deux premières vagues de la pandémie de COVID-19 au Québec (Canada) et identifier les facteurs de risque impliqués. Méthodes : Une étude longitudinale, utilisant l’évaluation écologique momentanée, a été menée entre le 8 mai 2020 et le 31 mars 2021 (correspondant à la période entre la moitié de la 1re vague à la fin de la seconde) auprès des TS québécois. Les participants (n=865) ont répondu de façon hebdomadaire à des questions relatives à l’anxiété (GAD-7), à la dépression (PHQ-9), aux idées suicidaires (PHQ-9 Q.9), à l’exposition à la COVID-19, à l’exposition aux décès liés à la COVID-19, à leur statut infectieux et à celui de leurs collègues et de leurs proches, ainsi qu’au temps passé à consommer des nouvelles liées à la COVID-19. Résultats : La proportion d’idées suicidaires a augmenté de mai à juin 2020 (deuxième moitié de la première vague) atteignant un pic à 18% avant de diminuer par la suite jusqu’en mars 2021. La gravité des symptômes d’anxiété et de dépression était corrélée positivement avec les idéations suicidaires, tout comme le fait d’avoir un collègue infecté à la COVID-19. Le soutien social ne semble pas être un facteur protecteur des idées suicidaires. Les idées suicidaires sont corrélées à la consommation de médias et un effet médiateur est observé par la présence d’une détresse clinique exprimée par des états dépressifs ou anxieux. Discussion et conclusion : La consommation de médias dans un contexte de pandémie est associée à de l’anxiété et à de la dépression, dont les états les plus graves peuvent exprimer des idées suicidaires. Sans inférer un lien de causalité, il semble recommandé aux travailleurs de la santé de limiter leur exposition aux médias lors d’une catastrophe telle qu’une pandémie

What gynaecologists need to master : Consensus on medical expertise outcome of pan-European postgraduate training in obstetrics and gynecology

Non peer reviewe

Analyse des retombées intermédiaires d’un dispositif de développement professionnel sur le soutien du développement langagier en centre de la petite enfance

This study documents the implementation of a professional development initiative to support language development for children in early childhood centres. The initiative, which includes a co-intervention modality with a speech-language pathologist, was offered to four educators. Using a mixed design and the Coldwell and Simkins (2011) logic model, the intermediate outcomes of the system are analyzed, namely the educators’ reactions, the new knowledge they acquired and the skills they developed, as well as the changes in their practices to support language development. A triangulation between data on the frequency of use of fifteen language development support practices and the analysis of interviews with educators underlines the importance of anchoring this new knowledge and skills in educators’ daily lives and provides a better understanding of certain challenges inherent to changes in practices. Keywords: early childhood education and care, professional development, language development supporting practices, logic model, interprofessional collaborationLa présente étude décrit la mise à l’essai d’un dispositif de développement professionnel quant au soutien du développement langagier offert aux enfants en centre de la petite enfance. Le dispositif, qui inclut une modalité de cointervention avec une orthophoniste, a été proposé à quatre éducatrices. À l’aide d’un devis mixte et à partir du modèle logique de Coldwell et Simkins (2011), les retombées intermédiaires du dispositif ont été analysées, à savoir les réactions des éducatrices, les nouvelles connaissances qu’elles ont acquises et les habiletés développées, ainsi que les changements dans leurs pratiques de soutien du développement langagier. Une triangulation entre les données sur la fréquence d’utilisation de quinze pratiques de soutien du développement langagier et l’analyse d’entretiens avec les éducatrices souligne l’importance d’ancrer ces nouvelles connaissances et habiletés dans le quotidien des éducatrices, et permet de mieux comprendre certains défis inhérents aux transformations de pratiques. Mots-clés : développement professionnel, éducation à la petite enfance, pratiques de soutien du développement langagier, modèle logique, collaboration interprofessionnell

2017 update of the European Federation for Colposcopy (EFC) performance standards for the practice of colposcopy

A refinement of quality indicators (Qls) is described whereby the quality of care can be measured across colposcopy services in different countries and healthcare settings. A five-round Delphi process was conducted at successive satellite meetings from 2011 to 2015 of leading European colposcopists to refine the most high-scoring Qls relevant to colposcopic practice. A review and refinement of the wording of the standards and their criteria was undertaken by national society representatives. Six quality indicators were identified and refined. "Documentation of whether the squamocolumnar junction (SCJ) has been visible or not" was changed into "for cervical colposcopy transformation zone (TZ) type (1, 2 or 3) should be documented". The standard "percentage of cases having a colposcopic examination prior to treatment for abnormal cytology" was changed to "percentage of cases having a colposcopic examination prior to treatment for abnormal cervical screening test". The standard "percentage of all excisional treatments/conizations containing CIN2+ (cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia grade two or worse)" was changed into "percentage of excisional treatments/conizations having a definitive histology of CIN2+. Definitive histology is highest grade from any diagnostic or therapeutic biopsies". The standard "percentage of excised lesions/conizations with clear margins" was unchanged. The remaining two Qls define the minimum caseloads required for colposcopists. However, "cytology" was replaced by "screening results"to acknowledge the introduction of human papillomavirus testing to European screening programmes. Six Qls were identified to define good practice in colposcopy. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Tackling cervical cancer in Europe amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

According to estimates for 2018, approximately 33 000 cases of cervical cancer occurred and 15 000 people died from the disease in Europe (see map in appendix). Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine coverage is relatively low in countries with the highest incidence and screening performance is heterogeneous among European countries. Cytological screening followed by treatment of screen-detected cervical lesions has resulted in substantial decreases in the burden of cervical cancer in western and northern Europe; but in eastern Europe, cervical cancer incidence and mortality remain comparatively&nbsp;high. Today, new powerful tools are available for primary and secondary prevention of cervical cancer, among which prophylactic HPV vaccines, and screening using validated HPV tests for women—including some tests that can be applied on self-collected samples, a strategy that might be used to reach underscreened&nbsp;populations. In May, 2018, the WHO Director General launched a call to eliminate cervical cancer by vaccinating at least 90% of girls by age 15 years, by offering screening at least twice in a lifetime to 70% or more of the target age populations and treat more than 90% of women with screen-detected&nbsp;lesions. Recently, a large group of experts from diverse professional societies and cancer organisations supporting WHO’s call to eliminate cervical cancer, proposed a series of concerted actions to implement organised integrated HPV vaccination and HPV-based screening, and requested European health authorities to endorse the principles of the WHO elimination initiative, mobilise resources to update evidence-based guidelines, and translate them into quantified and monitored preventive&nbsp;activities. However, in the first half of 2020, due to the dramatic COVID-19 pandemic, cervical cancer prevention activities have been disrupted in many European countries. We are concerned and urge the public health community to maintain sufficient resources to sustain HPV vaccination and cancer screening in the&nbsp;future. Importantly, the COVID-19 pandemic might also generate opportunities for more efficient prevention, by promoting more cost-effective, evidence-based protocols, by focusing on women who are at high-risk, extending HPV testing on self-collected samples, and discouraging inefficient policies, such as screening with two tests. We welcome the unprecedented collaborations between the cancer and infectious disease communities, who have been working jointly to tackle the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by applying the experience of HPV test evaluation to protocols for comparing and validating SARS-CoV-2 assays and by bringing modellers together in the COVID-19 and Cancer Taskforce Global Modelling&nbsp;Consortium.</p

Influence of Physical Activity Participation on the Associations between Eating Behaviour Traits and Body Mass Index in Healthy Postmenopausal Women

Available data reveals inconsistent relationships between eating behaviour traits and markers of adiposity level. It is thus relevant to investigate whether other factors also need to be considered when interpreting the relationship between eating behaviour traits and adiposity. The objective of this cross-sectional study was thus to examine whether the associations between variables of the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ) and adiposity are influenced by the level of physical activity participation. Information from the TFEQ and physical activity was obtained from 113 postmenopausal women (56.7 ± 4.2 years; 28.5 ± 5.9 kg/m2). BMI was compared between four groups formed on the basis of the physical activity participation and eating behaviour traits medians. In groups of women with higher physical activity participation, BMI was significantly lower in women who presented higher dietary restraint when compared to women who had lower dietary restraint (25.5 ± 0.5 versus 30.3 ± 1.7 kg/m2, P < .05). In addition, among women with lower physical activity participation, BMI was significantly lower in women presenting a lower external hunger than in those with a higher external hunger (27.5 ± 0.8 versus 32.4 ± 1.1 kg/m2, P < .001). Our results suggest that physical activity participation should also be taken into account when interpreting the relationship between adiposity and eating behaviour traits

Evaluation of intensive versus standard blood pressure reduction and association with cognitive decline and dementia : a systematic review and metaAnalysis

Importance: Optimal blood pressure (BP) targets for the prevention of cognitive impairment remain uncertain. Objective: To explore the association of intensive (i.e. lower than usual) BP reduction compared to guidelines on the incidence of cognitive decline and dementia in adults with hypertension. Data Sources and Study Selection: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the association of intensive systolic BP lowering on cognitive outcomes by searching MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov for data up to October 27, 2020. Data Extraction and Synthesis: Data screening and extraction were performed independently by two reviewers based on PRISMA guidelines. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias 2 tool. We used random-effects models using the inverse variance method for our pooled analyses. We evaluated the presence of potential heterogeneity with the I2 index. Main Outcomes and Measures: Our primary outcome was cognitive decline. Secondary outcomes included the incidence of dementia, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), cerebrovascular events, serious adverse events, and all-cause mortality. Results: From 7,755 citations, we identified sixteen publications from five trials (17,396 participants, mean age 65.7 years, 60.5% males) and two additional ongoing trials. All five trials included in quantitative analyses were considered at unclear to high risk of bias. The mean followup duration was 3.3 years (range 2.0 to 4.7 years). Intensive BP reduction was not significantly associated with global cognitive performance (SMD 0.01, 95% CI -0.04 to 0.06, I2 = 0%, four trials, 5,246 patients), incidence of dementia (RR 1.09, 95% CI 0.32 to 3.67, I2 = 27%, two trials, 9,444 patients) or incidence of MCI (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.73 to 1.14, I2 = 74%, two trials, 10,774 patients) when compared to standard treatment. However, we found a reduction of cerebrovascular events in the intensive arm (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93, I2 = 0%, five trials, 17,396 patients) without an increased risk of serious adverse events or mortality. Conclusions and Relevance: We did not detect a significant association between BP reduction and lower risk of cognitive decline, dementia or MCI. The certainty of this evidence is low due to the limited sample size, the risk of bias of included trials and the observed statistical heterogeneity. Hence, current available evidence does not justify the use of lower BP targets for the prevention of cognitive decline and dementi