Le maraîchage périurbain à Yaoundé est-il un système de production localisé innovant ?

International audienceThe growth of the urban market in Africa leads to a multi-functional outer-urban agriculture and to a specialization on the fresh and perishable products. From the analysis chart which proposes the localized production systems, we try to understand how the structural characteristics and the functioning of the slums agriculture create opportunities and activate strategic resources. The results show how the geographical proximity bound to the city can facilitate the organizational and technical innovation.La croissance des marchés urbains en Afrique conduit à une multifonctionnalité de l'agriculture périurbaine et à une spécialisation sur les produits frais et périssables. En mobilisant le concept de système de production localisé, nous analysons en quoi les caractéristiques structurelles et le fonctionnement de l'agriculture de bas-fonds créent des opportunités et activent des ressources stratégiques. Les résultats montrent comment la proximité géographique liée à la ville peut favoriser l'innovation organisationnelle et technique

Le maraîchage périurbain à Yaoundé est-il un système de production localisé innovant ?

La croissance des marchés urbains en Afrique conduit à une multifonctionnalité de l'agriculture périurbaine et à une spécialisation sur les produits frais et périssables. En mobilisant le concept de système de production localisé, nous analysons en quoi les caractéristiques structurelles et le fonctionnement de l'agriculture de bas-fonds créent des opportunités et activent des ressources stratégiques. Les résultats montrent comment la proximité géographique liée à la ville peut favoriser l'innovation organisationnelle et technique.Horticulture, Agriculture-périurbain, Cameroun, Système de Production Localisé, Innovation

Facilitators and barriers experienced by federal cross-sector partners during the implementation of a healthy eating campaign

To identify facilitators and barriers that Health Canada’s (HC) cross-sector partners experienced while implementing the Eat Well Campaign: Food Skills (EWC; 2013–2014) and describe how these experiences might differ according to distinct partner types. A qualitative study using hour-long semi-structured telephone interviews conducted with HC partners that were transcribed verbatim. Facilitators and barriers were identified inductively and analysed according partner types. Implementation of a national mass-media health education campaign. Twenty-one of HC’s cross-sector partners (food retailers, media and health organizations) engaged in the EWC. Facilitators and barriers were grouped into seven major themes: operational elements, intervention factors, resources, collaborator traits, developer traits, partnership factors and target population factors. Four of these themes had dual roles as both facilitators and barriers (intervention factors, resources, collaborator traits and developer traits). Sub-themes identified as both facilitators and barriers illustrate the extent to which a facilitator can easily become a barrier. Partnership factors were unique facilitators, while operational and target population factors were unique barriers. Time was a barrier that was common to almost all partners regardless of partnership type. There appeared to be a greater degree of uniformity among facilitators, whereas barriers were more diverse and unique to the realities of specific types of partner. Collaborative planning will help public health organizations anticipate barriers unique to the realities of specific types of organizations. It will also prevent facilitators from becoming barriers. Advanced planning will help organizations manage time constraints and integrate activities, facilitating implementation

Full-time employment, diet quality and food skills of Canadian parents

Purpose : To explore the associations between full-time employment status, food skills, and diet quality of Canadian parents. Methods : A sample of Canadian parents (n = 767) were invited to complete a web-based survey that included sociodemographic variables, questions about food skills, and a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results were analyzed with linear and logistic regression models, controlling for sociodemographic variables and multiple testing. Results : After controlling for covariates and multiple testing, there were no statistically significant differences in foods skills between parents’ employment status. Time was the most reported barrier for meal preparation, regardless of work status, but was significantly greater for full-time compared with other employment status (P < 0.0001). Additionally, parents who worked full-time had lower odds of reporting food preferences or dietary restrictions (P = 0.0001) and health issues or allergies (P = 0.0003) as barriers to food preparation, compared with parents with other employment status. These results remained statistically significant even after controlling for covariates and multiple testing. Conclusions : Overall, food skills did not differ significantly between parents’ employment status. Time, however, was an important barrier for most parents, especially those working full time. To promote home-based food preparation among parents, strategies to manage time scarcity are needed.Objectif : Explorer les associations entre une situation d’emploi à temps plein, les compétences alimentaires et la qualité de l’alimentation des parents canadiens. Méthodes : Un échantillon de parents canadiens (n = 767) a été invité à répondre à un sondage Web comprenant des variables sociodémographiques, des questions sur les compétences alimentaires et un questionnaire de fréquence alimentaire validé. Les résultats ont été analysés au moyen de modèles de régression linéaire et logistique en tenant compte des variables sociodémographiques et des tests multiples. Résultats : Après avoir tenu compte des covariables et des tests multiples, aucune différence statistiquement significative n’a été observée quant aux compétences alimentaires des parents en fonction de leur situation d’emploi. Le temps était l’obstacle à la préparation des repas le plus souvent mentionné, quelle que soit la situation d’emploi, mais il était considérablement plus important chez les personnes travaillant à temps plein comparativement aux personnes ayant une autre situation d’emploi (P < 0,0001). De plus, les parents qui travaillaient à temps plein avaient moins de chances d’indiquer que leurs préférences ou restrictions alimentaires (P = 0,0001) et leurs problèmes de santé ou leurs allergies (P = 0,0003) étaient des obstacles à la préparation des aliments, comparativement aux parents se trouvant dans une autre situation d’emploi. Ces résultats sont demeurés statistiquement significatifs même après avoir tenu compte des covariables et des tests multiples. Conclusions : Dans l’ensemble, les compétences alimentaires des parents ne différaient pas de façon significative en fonction de leur situation d’emploi. Le temps était cependant un obstacle important pour la plupart des parents, surtout pour ceux qui travaillent à temps plein. Afin de favoriser la préparation des aliments à la maison par les parents, des stratégies pour les aider à gérer le manque de temps sont nécessaires

In Vitro Analysis of Tobramycin-Treated Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms on Cystic Fibrosis-Derived Airway Epithelial Cells

P. aeruginosa forms biofilms in the lungs of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF); however, there have been no effective model systems for studying biofilm formation in the CF lung. We have developed a tissue culture system for growth of P. aeruginosa biofilms on CF-derived human airway cells that promotes the formation of highly antibiotic-resistant microcolonies, which produce an extracellular polysaccharide matrix and require the known abiotic biofilm formation genes flgK and pilB. Treatment of P. aeruginosa biofilms with tobramycin reduced the virulence of the biofilms both by reducing bacterial numbers and by altering virulence gene expression. We performed microarray analysis of these biofilms on epithelial cells after treatment with tobramycin, and we compared these results with gene expression of (i) tobramycin-treated planktonic P. aeruginosa and (ii) tobramycin-treated P. aeruginosa biofilms on an abiotic surface. Despite the conservation in functions required to form a biofilm, our results show that the responses to tobramycin treatment of biofilms grown on biotic versus abiotic surfaces are different, as exemplified by downregulation of genes involved in Pseudomonas quinolone signal biosynthesis specifically in epithelial cell-grown biofilms versus plastic-grown biofilms. We also identified the gene PA0913, which is upregulated by tobramycin specifically in biofilms grown on CF airway cells and codes for a probable magnesium transporter, MgtE. Mutation of the PA0913 gene increased the bacterial virulence of biofilms on the epithelial cells, consistent with a role for the gene in the suppression of bacterial virulence. Taken together, our data show that analysis of biofilms on airway cells provides new insights into the interaction of these microbial communities with the host

Addressing the targeting range of the ABILHAND-56 in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: A mixed methods psychometric study.

Background: ABILHAND, a manual ability patient-reported outcome instrument originally developed for stroke patients, has been used in multiple sclerosis clinical trials; however, psychometric analyses indicated the measure\u27s limited measurement range and precision in higher-functioning multiple sclerosis patients. Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify candidate items to expand the measurement range of the ABILHAND-56, thus improving its ability to detect differences in manual ability in higher-functioning multiple sclerosis patients. Methods: A step-wise mixed methods design strategy was used, comprising two waves of patient interviews, a combination of qualitative (concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing) and quantitative (Rasch measurement theory) analytic techniques, and consultation interviews with three clinical neurologists specializing in multiple sclerosis. Results: Original ABILHAND was well understood in this context of use. Eighty-two new manual ability concepts were identified. Draft supplementary items were generated and refined with patient and neurologist input. Rasch measurement theory psychometric analysis indicated supplementary items improved targeting to higher-functioning multiple sclerosis patients and measurement precision. The final pool of Early Multiple Sclerosis Manual Ability items comprises 20 items. Conclusion: The synthesis of qualitative and quantitative methods used in this study improves the ABILHAND content validity to more effectively identify manual ability changes in early multiple sclerosis and potentially help determine treatment effect in higher-functioning patients in clinical trials

Le Cantal, t(r)op rural ?

La DRAC et l\u27ACAL ont rencontré des bibliothécaires du Cantal. Sept professionnelles nous parlent de leur expérience en zone rurale

Development of a gait module to complement the 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale: a mixed methods study.

Background and objective: The 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale (MSWS-12) is a patient-reported outcome instrument that quantifies the progressive loss of walking ability from the patient perspective. However, previous psychometric analyses indicated floor and ceiling effects across the multiple sclerosis severity spectrum. This study aimed to address floor effects by creating a gait module that can be used in conjunction with the MSWS-12 for better measurement of treatment benefit in the higher functioning multiple sclerosis population. Methods: We used a step-wise mixed methods study design, with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis patients (wave 1, Results: Thirty-seven walking ability concepts were identified, and a five-domain conceptual framework was created. Draft items were generated and refined with patient and neurologist input. Draft items covered gait-related concepts such as dragging, shuffling, limping, tripping and falling. Rasch measurement theory psychometric analysis indicated administering MSWS-12 plus gait items improved measurement precision in targeted populations with better walking ability. Conclusion: Study findings indicate that new gait items could improve sensitivity to detect clinical change in walking ability for higher functioning multiple sclerosis patients

Myosin Vb Is Required for Trafficking of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator in Rab11a-specific Apical Recycling Endosomes in Polarized Human Airway Epithelial Cells

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-mediated Cl(-) secretion across fluid-transporting epithelia is regulated, in part, by modulating the number of CFTR Cl(-) channels in the plasma membrane by adjusting CFTR endocytosis and recycling. However, the mechanisms that regulate CFTR recycling in airway epithelial cells remain unknown, at least in part, because the recycling itineraries of CFTR in these cells are incompletely understood. In a previous study, we demonstrated that CFTR undergoes trafficking in Rab11a-specific apical recycling endosomes in human airway epithelial cells. Myosin Vb is a plus-end-directed, actin-based mechanoenzyme that facilitates protein trafficking in Rab11a-specific recycling vesicles in several cell model systems. There are no published studies examining the role of myosin Vb in airway epithelial cells. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether myosin Vb facilitates CFTR recycling in polarized human airway epithelial cells. Endogenous CFTR formed a complex with endogenous myosin Vb and Rab11a. Silencing myosin Vb by RNA-mediated interference decreased the expression of wild-type CFTR and DeltaF508-CFTR in the apical membrane and decreased CFTR-mediated Cl(-) secretion across polarized human airway epithelial cells. A recombinant tail domain fragment of myosin Vb attenuated the plasma membrane expression of CFTR by arresting CFTR recycling. The dominant-negative effect was dependent on the ability of the myosin Vb tail fragment to interact with Rab11a. Taken together, these data indicate that myosin Vb is required for CFTR recycling in Rab11a-specific apical recycling endosomes in polarized human airway epithelial cells