Giving Voice to Women: Social Representations and Experiences of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is a central issue in research from a gender perspective. We consider breastfeeding as a biopsychosocial, diverse and plural process, which generates ambivalent experiences in mothers. Our research was aimed to increase the understanding of thoughts and experiences of mothers. Ten women, primiparous and non-primiparous mother, were interviewed at two moments in time. The results showed that the breastfeeding period was shorter than the time recommended by health organizations, the reasons to breastfeed were related to the well-being of their children and women´s social support came from their partners.Breastfeeding is a central issue in research from a gender perspective. We consider breastfeeding as a biopsychosocial, diverse and plural process, which generates ambivalent experiences in mothers. Our research was aimed to increase the understanding of thoughts and experiences of mothers. Ten women, primiparous and non-primiparous mother, were interviewed at two moments in time. The results showed that the breastfeeding period was shorter than the time recommended by health organizations, the reasons to breastfeed were related to the well-being of their children and women´s social support came from their partners

Dominant logics at the policy making and services organization that affect the access to comprehensive rehabilitation

Introduction: The health sector reform in Colombia, generated inequities in access to services, including rehabilitation; poor identification of population needs and low sectorial response to their problems. Metodology: An exploratory, descriptive-interpretative qualitative study was carried out. Individual semi-structured interviews and focus group were conducted to policy makers, providers, rehabilitation professionals, professors, social organizations, persons with disabilities and caregivers. Results: The absence of a rights approach, targeting and the model of health insurance, as dominant logics policy stands. There is a reductionist view of rehabilitation and services organization models with low response to the needs of people with disabilities. Conclusion: The need to reconceptualize access to services arises; rehabilitation is claimed as a right that demands redesign of services and organization models

Microwave-assisted solution synthesis, microwave sintering and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite

[EN] A simple, soft, and fast microwave-assisted hydrothermal method was used for the preparation of nanocrystalline cobalt ferrite powders from commercially-available Fe(NO3)(3)center dot 9H(2)O, Co(NO3)(2)center dot 6H(2)O, ammonium hydroxide, and tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAH). The synthesis was conducted in a sealed-vessel microwave reactor specifically designed for synthetic applications, and the resulting products were characterized by XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, and HR-TEM. After a systematic study of the influence of the microwave variables (temperature, reaction time and nature of the bases), highly crystalline CoFe2O4 nanoparticles with a high uniformity in morphology and size, were directly obtained by heating at 130 degrees C for 20 min using the base TPAH. Dense ceramics of cobalt ferrite were prepared by non-conventional, microwave sintering of synthesized nanopowders at temperatures of 850-900 degrees C. The magnetic properties of both the nanopowders and the sintered specimens were determined in order to establish their feasibility as a permanent magnet.This work has been carried out with financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness (MINECO) and CSIC through the Projects MAT2015-67586-C3-R and NANOMIND, respectively. A. Borrell acknowledges MINECO for a Juan de la Cierva contract (IJCI-2014-19839).Fariñas, JC.; Moreno, R.; Pérez, A.; García, MA.; García-Hernández, M.; Salvador Moya, MD.; Borrell Tomás, MA. (2018). Microwave-assisted solution synthesis, microwave sintering and magnetic properties of cobalt ferrite. Journal of the European Ceramic Society. 38(5):2360-2368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2017.12.052S2360236838

Force spectroscopy-based simultaneous topographical and mechanical characterization to study polymer-to-polymer interactions in coated alginate microspheres

Cell-laden hydrogel microspheres have shown encouraging outcomes in the fields of drug delivery, tissue engineering or regenerative medicine. Beyond the classical single coating with polycations, many other different coating designs have been reported with the aim of improving mechanical properties and in vivo performance of the microspheres. Among the most common strategies are the inclusion of additional polycation coatings and the covalent bonding of the semi-permeable membranes with biocompatible crosslinkers such as genipin. However, it remains challenging to characterize the effects of the interactions between the polycations and the hydrogel microspheres over time in vitro. Here we use a force spectroscopy-based simultaneous topographical and mechanical characterization to study polymer-to-polymer interactions in alginate microspheres with different coating designs, maintaining the hydrogels in liquid. In addition to classical topography parameters, we explored, for the first time, the evolution of peak/valley features along the z axis via thresholding analysis and the cross-correlation between topography and stiffness profiles with resolution down to tens of nanometers. Thus, we demonstrated the importance of genipin crosslinking to avoid membrane detachment in alginate microspheres with double polycation coatings. Overall, this methodology could improve hydrogel design rationale and expedite in vitro characterization, therefore facilitating clinical translation of hydrogel-based technologies

Análisis cualitativo del concepto y praxis de rehabilitación integral percibido por distintos actores involucrados

Introducción. La rehabilitación integral es un concepto de difícil consenso, dado que es resultado de una evolución histórica. Objetivo. Presentar los hallazgos del estudio “Acceso a los servicios de rehabilitación integral en Colombia: una aproximación desde los conceptos y las prácticas de distintos actores sociales” y describir las comprensiones de la rehabilitación integral de parte de diversos actores desde una perspectiva comprensiva de la discapacidad. Materiales y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo-exploratorio, cualitativo y de múltiples fuentes de evidencia para identificar las percepciones de actores responsables de formular e implementar políticas públicas (FP), académicos (A), profesionales (P), representantes de organizaciones sociales (OS), gestores de servicios (GS), gestores y profesionales de servicios de educación inclusiva (EI), personas con discapacidad (PCD) y cuidadores (C), involucrados en la rehabilitación integral en una ciudad colombiana. Se realizaron entrevistas a 18 actores y se desarrollaron seis grupos focales. Para el análisis de datos, se usó el Atlas ti®, el acuerdo entre jueces y el análisis de las narrativas. Resultados. La rehabilitación integral es percibida de distintas maneras por los actores, entre las que priman tres concepciones de ella: como resultado de un proceso de rehabilitación funcional, como derecho y como garante de inclusión social. Conclusiones. Mientras exista diversidad y dispersión acerca de la rehabilitación integral, será difícil concebir, implementar, evaluar y participar activamente en dicho proceso. En consecuencia, las barreras de acceso a ella se incrementarán y estará lejos de entenderse como un derecho que se ejerce desde una visión integral de ser humano. Dicho esto, se enuncian implicaciones para la academia, los prestadores de servicios y las políticas públicas.Introduction: Comprehensive rehabilitation is a difficult concept since it is the result of historical evolution.Objective: To present the findings of the study “Access to comprehensive rehabilitation services in Colombia: an approach from the concepts and practices of different social actors”, and to describe the perception of comprehensive rehabilitation based on the opinions of different actors from a comprehensive perspective of disability.Material and methods: A descriptive and exploratory, qualitative study was conducted, taking into account multiple sources of evidence to identify the perceptions of actors responsible for formulating and implementing public policies (PP), academicians (A), professionals (P), representatives of social organizations (SO), service managers (SM), service managers and professionals in inclusive education (IE), persons with disabilities (PWD) and caregivers (C), involved in comprehensive rehabilitation in a Colombian city. 18 interviews with actors were conducted; six focus groups were developed. For data analysis, the Atlas ti® software, the agreement between judges and the analysis of narratives were considered.Results: Comprehensive rehabilitation is perceived differently by the actors, and three conceptions are relevant: it is a result of a functional rehabilitation process; it is a right, and it is also a guarantor of social inclusion.Conclusions: While there is diversity and dispersion in opinions on comprehensive rehabilitation, it will be difficult to conceive, implement, evaluate and actively participate in this process. Consequently, access barriers will increase and it will be far from understood as a right exercised from an integral vision of the human being. With this in mind, implications for academia, service providers and public policies are set

III Action Plan for People with Disabilities in Madrid Autonomous Community (2012-2015). Analysis and evaluation of the Educational Area within this plan

This paper presents the analysis and assessment of the Education Area of the Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (2012-2015), carried out after using a Delphi Method with a group of six experts. This work was aimed to make a formative evaluation of the Plan implemented, so that the analysis generated could be used by both managers of the next plan in project, as for educational stakeholders involved in the education field, but obviously, by people with disabilities as well, in order to support them to exercise effectively their rights. The synthesis document shows synthetically the main strengths of the plan but, mostly, the weaknesses or points to improve. Among these should be noted the need of a more efficient structure of programs and actions with clear indicators of achievement. Also there is a need of rethinking current models and areas of intervention, in order to those were much more consistent and coherent with the right to an education inclusive that has been established in the Convention of Rights of People with Disability, and with the models of understanding and intervention to improve their quality of life.Este trabajo presenta los análisis y valoraciones del Área de Educación del Plan de Acción de las Personas con Discapacidad de la Comunidad de Madrid (2012-2015), realizados tras utilizar la técnica Delphi con un grupo de seis expertos y expertas en educación. El propósito que ha guiado el trabajo ha sido realizar una evaluación formativa del plan implementado, de forma que los análisis generados sean de utilidad tanto para los gestores del próximo plan en proyecto, como para los agentes educativos implicados y, obviamente, para las personas del plan, en tanto que apoyo al ejercicio efectivo de sus derechos. El documento de síntesis elaborado muestra sintéticamente las principales fortalezas de dicho plan, pero, sobre todo, las debilidades o puntos a mejorar. Entre estos cabe señalar la necesidad de una estructuración más eficiente de programas y actuaciones con indicadores precisos de logro, así como la necesidad de replantear modelos y ámbitos de intervención que sean más coherentes con el derecho a una educación inclusiva que ha quedado establecido en la Convención de Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad y con los modelos de comprensión e intervención para la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas con discapacidad, entre otros

III Action Plan for People with Disabilities in Madrid Autonomous Community (2012-2015): analysis and evaluation of the Educational Area within this plan

Este trabajo presenta los análisis y valoraciones del Área de Educación del Plan de Acción de las Personas con Discapacidad de la Comunidad de Madrid (2012- 2015), realizados tras utilizar la técnica Delphi con un grupo de seis expertos y expertas en educación. El propósito que ha guiado el trabajo ha sido realizar una evaluación formativa del plan implementado, de forma que los análisis generados sean de utilidad tanto para los gestores del próximo plan en proyecto, como para los agentes educativos implicados y, obviamente, para las personas del plan, en tanto que apoyo al ejercicio efectivo de sus derechos. El documento de síntesis elaborado muestra sintéticamente las principales fortalezas de dicho plan, pero, sobre todo, las debilidades o puntos a mejorar. Entre estos cabe señalar la necesidad de una estructuración más eficiente de programas y actuaciones con indicadores precisos de logro, así como la necesidad de replantear modelos y ámbitos de intervención que sean más coherentes con el derecho a una educación inclusiva que ha quedado establecido en la Convención de Derechos de las Personas con Discapacidad y con los modelos de comprensión e intervención para la mejora de la calidad de vida de las personas con discapacidad, entre otrosThis paper presents the analysis and assessment of the Education Area of the Plan of Action for Persons with Disabilities in the Autonomous Community of Madrid (2012-2015), carried out after using a Delphi Method with a group of six experts. This work was aimed to make a formative evaluation of the Plan implemented, so that the analysis generated could be used by both managers of the next plan in project, as for educational stakeholders involved in the education field, but obviously, by people with disabilities as well, in order to support them to exercise effectively their rights.The synthesis document shows synthetically the main strengths of the plan but, mostly, the weaknesses or points to improve. Among these should be noted the need of a more efficient structure of programs and actions with clear indicators of achievement. Also there is a need of rethinking current models and areas of intervention, in order to those were much more consistent and coherent with the right to an education inclusive that has been established in the Convention of Rights of People with Disability, and with the models of understanding and intervention to improve their quality of lif