The breastfeeding experience of women with major difficulties who use the services of a breastfeeding clinic: a descriptive study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Many women experience breastfeeding difficulties. Sometimes these difficulties lead to breastfeeding cessation. Breastfeeding clinics provide support for women facing such problems. This study aims to describe the breastfeeding experience of women, particularly those who use the services of the breastfeeding clinic located in the Greater Quebec City area.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a descriptive study based on information gathered through telephone questionnaires that were administered in 2006 to a sample of 86 women and semi-structured interviews conducted with 12 of these women.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Painful nipples/breasts, low milk supply and latching difficulties were the three most frequent major breastfeeding problems identified by women. Their personal characteristics as well as the moral and physical support provided by family and friends and by health professional and clinicians at the breastfeeding clinic were the factors identified most often as having a positive influence on the breastfeeding experience.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results suggest that breastfeeding clinics have a critical role to play in improving the breastfeeding experience of women with major difficulties.</p

Contagious Period for Pandemic (H1N1) 2009

Most infected persons shed live virus after fever abated

The 20S proteasome core, active within apoptotic exosome-like vesicles, induces autoantibody production and accelerates rejection

Autoantibodies to components of apoptotic cells, such as anti-perlecan antibodies, contribute to rejection in organ transplant recipients. However, mechanisms of immunization to apoptotic components remain largely uncharacterized. We used large-scale proteomics, with validation by electron microscopy and biochemical methods, to compare the protein profiles of apoptotic bodies and apoptotic exosome-like vesicles, smaller extracellular vesicles released by endothelial cells downstream of caspase-3 activation. We identified apoptotic exosome-like vesicles as a central trigger for production of anti-perlecan antibodies and acceleration of rejection. Unlike apoptotic bodies, apoptotic exosome-like vesicles triggered the production of anti-perlecan antibodies in naïve mice and enhanced anti-perlecan antibody production and allograft inflammation in mice transplanted with an MHC (major histocompatibility complex)–incompatible aortic graft. The 20S proteasome core was active within apoptotic exosome-like vesicles and controlled their immunogenic activity. Finally, we showed that proteasome activity in circulating exosome-like vesicles increased after vascular injury in mice. These findings open new avenues for predicting and controlling maladaptive humoral responses to apoptotic cell components that enhance the risk of rejection after transplantation

La sécurité alimentaire à l’agenda politique québécois1

Au printemps 2001, la lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale figure au titre des défis majeurs du Québec dans la poursuite de son développement social et économique. Le Discours sur le budget en fait foi : 815 millions de dollars sont alors consentis sur trois ans à cette lutte, dont 100 millions en vue d’investissements structurants devant favoriser l’émergence de nouvelles initiatives de solidarité sociale. Dans cette foulée, une somme de 10 millions était octroyée pour la mise en oeuvre de projets de sécurité alimentaire visant à améliorer l’autonomie des familles. Les auteures voient dans cette mesure, même modeste, une ouverture significative à l’égard de la sécurité alimentaire. Qui plus est, ce thème s’inscrit en 2002 dans la loi visant à lutter contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale. Les auteures proposent comme explication à cette ouverture un « effet de contagion » qui a pu se réaliser pleinement par l’action convergente de trois courants – celui des problèmes, celui des solutions et celui de la politique – et des acteurs qui y ont pris part.In the spring 2001, the fight against poverty and social exclusion appears one of the major priorities of the Government of Québec in the pursuit of its social and economic development. 815 M$over a three-year period were thus allocated for this fight, including a 100 M$ social solidarity reserve to fund formative investments geared toward new initiatives of social solidarity. Among these investments, 10 M$ were allocated for the implementation of food security projects aimed at enhancing family food autonomy. Despite the modesty of this investment, the authors see in this announcement a significant opening toward food security. Moreover, in 2002, food security becomes entrenched in an act to combat poverty and social exclusion. As an explanation to this opening, this article proposes a "spillover" effect that had been fully realised by the coupling of three streams, that of problems, solutions, and politics, and the influence of policy entrepreneurs

Population health intervention research training: the value of public health internships and mentorship

Abstract Background Better alignment between academia and public health practice and policies are critical to improve public health actions. Training of future researchers to address complex issues and to conduct transdisciplinary and collaborative research will help improve this alignment. In this paper, we describe the role of internship placements and mentorship for trainees’ skills development in population health intervention research and the benefits of embedding research trainees within public health organizations. Methods This qualitative descriptive study assessed the perceptions of the role and benefits of internships and mentorship for population health intervention research training among former doctoral and postdoctoral students, public health mentors, and senior public health managers who participated in the 4P Program, a research training program which bridges academic training and the public health system in Quebec, Canada. Two types of interviews were conducted: telephone semi-structured interviews by an external evaluator and face-to-face trainee “exit” interviews by the Program co-director. Semi-annual evaluation reports from each trainee were also reviewed. Qualitative data were subjected to a thematic analysis. Results Internships provided trainees with a working knowledge of the public health system and the context in which decisions and public health interventions are implemented. It was an opportunity for trainees to interact with knowledge-user partners and assess the gap between research and practice. Effective mentorship was key to help trainees interpret the public health reality and develop population health intervention research skills. Trainees learned to ask the “how” questions that are critical for in-depth understanding of complex interventions and the conditions under which they can be best implemented. Conditions of success of internships and mentorship for population health intervention research included the alignment of the interests between the trainee, the mentor and the public health organization, quality mentoring, and the acquisition of specific population health intervention skills, especially collaborative research skills. Conclusions The findings suggest that public health internships and mentorship facilitate trainee engagement in applied public health research

La sécurité alimentaire à l’agenda politique québécois

Au printemps 2001, la lutte contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale figure au titre des défis majeurs du Québec dans la poursuite de son développement social et économique. Le Discours sur le budget en fait foi : 815 millions de dollars sont alors consentis sur trois ans à cette lutte, dont 100 millions en vue d’investissements structurants devant favoriser l’émergence de nouvelles initiatives de solidarité sociale. Dans cette foulée, une somme de 10 millions était octroyée pour la mise en oeuvre de projets de sécurité alimentaire visant à améliorer l’autonomie des familles. Les auteures voient dans cette mesure, même modeste, une ouverture significative à l’égard de la sécurité alimentaire. Qui plus est, ce thème s’inscrit en 2002 dans la loi visant à lutter contre la pauvreté et l’exclusion sociale. Les auteures proposent comme explication à cette ouverture un « effet de contagion » qui a pu se réaliser pleinement par l’action convergente de trois courants – celui des problèmes, celui des solutions et celui de la politique – et des acteurs qui y ont pris part.In the spring 2001, the fight against poverty and social exclusion appears one of the major priorities of the Government of Québec in the pursuit of its social and economic development. 815 M$over a three-year period were thus allocated for this fight, including a 100 M$ social solidarity reserve to fund formative investments geared toward new initiatives of social solidarity. Among these investments, 10 M$ were allocated for the implementation of food security projects aimed at enhancing family food autonomy. Despite the modesty of this investment, the authors see in this announcement a significant opening toward food security. Moreover, in 2002, food security becomes entrenched in an act to combat poverty and social exclusion. As an explanation to this opening, this article proposes a "spillover" effect that had been fully realised by the coupling of three streams, that of problems, solutions, and politics, and the influence of policy entrepreneurs