Airborne Endotoxin Is Associated with Respiratory Illness in the First 2 Years of Life

To determine the influence of endotoxin on the incidence of acute respiratory illness during the first 2 years of life, we carried out a longitudinal follow-up study, beginning at birth, of 332 children born in Prince Edward Island, Canada. We measured 5-day averaged air endotoxin in the homes of children, whose parents provided information by daily symptom diaries and twice-monthly telephone contact for up to 2 years. Endotoxin concentration was 0.49 ± 3.49 EU/m(3) (geometric mean ± geometric SD), and number of annualized illness episodes was 6.83 ± 2.80 (mean ± SD). A doubling of the air endotoxin concentration was associated with an increase of 0.32 illness episodes per year (p = 0.0003), adjusted for age, year of study, breast-feeding, environmental tobacco smoke, child care attendance, indoor temperature, and income. Indoor mold surface area and fungal ergosterol were not significantly associated with endotoxin. Airborne endotoxin appears to be a risk factor for clinically symptomatic respiratory illnesses during the first 2 years of life independent of indoor fungus

Predictors of Indoor Air Concentrations in Smoking and Non-Smoking Residences

Indoor concentrations of air pollutants (benzene, toluene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, acrolein, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, elemental carbon and ozone) were measured in residences in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. Data were collected in 106 homes in winter and 111 homes in summer of 2007, with 71 homes participating in both seasons. In addition, data for relative humidity, temperature, air exchange rates, housing characteristics and occupants’ activities during sampling were collected. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to construct season-specific models for the air pollutants. Where smoking was a major contributor to indoor concentrations, separate models were constructed for all homes and for those homes with no cigarette smoke exposure. The housing characteristics and occupants’ activities investigated in this study explained between 11% and 53% of the variability in indoor air pollutant concentrations, with ventilation, age of home and attached garage being important predictors for many pollutants

Exposure to wind turbine noise: Perceptual responses and reported health effects

Health Canada, in collaboration with Statistics Canada, and other external experts, conducted the Community Noise and Health Study to better understand the impacts of wind turbine noise (WTN) on health and well-being. A cross-sectional epidemiological study was carried out between May and September 2013 in southwestern Ontario and Prince Edward Island on 1238 randomly selected participants (606 males, 632 females) aged 18-79 years, living between 0.25 and 11.22 km from operational wind turbines. Calculated outdoor WTN levels at the dwelling reached 46 dBA. Response rate was 78.9% and did not significantly differ across sample strata. Self-reported health effects (e.g., migraines, tinnitus, dizziness, etc.), sleep disturbance, sleep disorders, quality of life, and perceived stress were not related to WTN levels. Visual and auditory perception of wind turbines as reported by respondents increased significantly with increasing WTN levels as did high annoyance toward several wind turbine features, including the following: noise, blinking lights, shadow flicker, visual impacts, and vibrations. Concern for physical safety and closing bedroom windows to reduce WTN during sleep also increased with increasing WTN levels. Other sample characteristics are discussed in relation to WTN levels. Beyond annoyance, results do not support an association between exposure to WTN up to 46 dBA and the evaluated health-related endpoints

Promoting optimal parenting and children’s mental health : a preliminary evaluation of the How-to Parenting Program

Parenting quality is widely accepted as a primary predictor of children’s mental health. The present study examined the effectiveness of a parenting program in fostering optimal parenting and child mental health. The selected program was How to talk so kids will listen & listen so kids will talk (How-to Parenting Program). This program was selected because its content corresponds closely to what the parenting style literature suggests is optimal parenting (i.e., includes structure, affiliation and autonomy support). Eleven groups of six to twelve parents were conducted in 7 local grade schools. The program, offered by two trained leaders, consisted of eight weekly sessions and taught a total of 30 skills. A total of 82 parents completed questionnaires both prior to and after the program. Participants’ children between eight and 12 years old (N = 44) completed questionnaires at school, at both assessment points. Repeated measures ANOVAs using parent reports indicated that structure, affiliation and autonomy support were increased after the program, compared to baseline. The level of child internalizing and externalizing problems also decreased significantly. Importantly, children reports confirmed that parental autonomy support increased from pre to post-test and child-reported well-being improved as well. The preliminary evidence from this pre-test versus post-test repeated measures design suggests that the How-to Parenting Program is effective in improving parenting style and in promoting children’s mental health and that future evaluation research examining the potential of this program is warranted

Synthèse totale et stéréosélective du (+)-occidentalol, approche synthétique du patchoulol et synthèse du (+-)-hinésol

Ce travail se divise en deux parties. Dans la première, nous décrivons la synthèse totale et stéréosélective du (+)-occidentalol, ainsi que les travaux qui, dans la même série, auraient pu nous conduire au patchoulol Notre synthèse du (+)-occidentalol fut l'une des premières à donner un composé optiquement actif, identique au produit naturel. Dans la deuxième partie, nous présentons les recherches qui ont permis de synthétiser le (±)-hinésol. Plusieurs des réactions effectuées dans cette série ont mis en évidence la réactivité particulière des systèmes tricycliques comportant un cyclopropane. Nous avons montré également que l'on peut exercer un certain contrôle sur l'épimérisation et la conjugaison d'esters S-y éthyléniques, en milieu basique. Dans les parties expérimentales, nous décrivons la préparation des produits nouveaux obtenus. Les reproductions de spectres infrarouges et de résonance magnétique nucléaire apporteront au lecteur une confirmation des structures attribuées à ces produits

Synthèse totale et stéréosélective du (+)-occidentalol, approche synthétique du patchoulol et synthèse du (+-)-hinésol

Ce travail se divise en deux parties. Dans la première, nous décrivons la synthèse totale et stéréosélective du (+)-occidentalol, ainsi que les travaux qui, dans la même série, auraient pu nous conduire au patchoulol Notre synthèse du (+)-occidentalol fut l'une des premières à donner un composé optiquement actif, identique au produit naturel. Dans la deuxième partie, nous présentons les recherches qui ont permis de synthétiser le (±)-hinésol. Plusieurs des réactions effectuées dans cette série ont mis en évidence la réactivité particulière des systèmes tricycliques comportant un cyclopropane. Nous avons montré également que l'on peut exercer un certain contrôle sur l'épimérisation et la conjugaison d'esters S-y éthyléniques, en milieu basique. Dans les parties expérimentales, nous décrivons la préparation des produits nouveaux obtenus. Les reproductions de spectres infrarouges et de résonance magnétique nucléaire apporteront au lecteur une confirmation des structures attribuées à ces produits

Chimie du milieu aqueux : chimie pour les techniques biologiques /

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Démarche et outils d’accompagnement à l’intention des personnes conseillères pédagogiques pour soutenir l’élaboration collaborative d’un programme d’insertion professionnelle au sein d’une équipe-école

Comment accompagner le développement d’un programme d’insertion professionnelle au sein d’une équipe-école ? Cet article s’adresse aux personnes conseillères pédagogiques qui se posent cette question. Nous présentons une démarche et des outils d’accompagnement, appuyés théoriquement, pour soutenir l’élaboration et la mise en oeuvre collaboratives d’un programme d’insertion professionnelle avec et pour les membres d’une équipe-école. Les personnes conseillères pédagogiques pourront ainsi planifier un soutien collaboratif, différencié et rigoureux du personnel novice accueilli dans les établissements scolaires du Québec