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The COVID-19 pandemic required great adaptations, which led ECEC managers to exhaustion, decreased work quality, and decreased patience and empathy. These affect their job well-being (Cumming & Wong, 2019). It is concerning because it is an essential component of ECEC quality services (Corr et al., 2017; Douglass, 2019). Responding to an ECEC manager’s demand, a collective reflexive coaching device was implemented: Catching your Breath. This study presents the analysis of interviews regarding the device’s themes (stress management, self-compassion and self-care) as well as its perceived strengths and limitations. The pandemic is likely to have long-term negative effects on their mental health. Catching your breath is a device that has the potential to help managers prevent further deterioration of their well-being.

COVID-19 pandemic has brought many challenges to ECEC managers, adapting to Quebec's public health’s sanitary measures and increased workload. Based on Bakker and Demerouti's (2014) work demands and resources model, this, descriptive, longitudinal and correlational study aim to outline the well-being at work of Quebec’s ECEC managers between 2021 and 2022. An online questionnaire, completed by 151 participants revealed a decrease of well-being at work, self-compassion, and commitment to work, and an increase in perceived stress, depressive symptoms, and burn out. Pandemic-related work overload has affected all components of managers' tasks, showing their need for support and resources to reduce the pandemic long-term negative influences on their well-being at work (Authors et al., in press).

Background. Work well-being of early childhood education and care (ECEC) managers is essential to provide educational quality services to children (Corr et al., 2017). If some factors are known to influence work well-being, such as job stress, burnout, depressive symptoms, self-compassion, and work engagement (Cumming & Wong, 2019; Rothmann, 2008; Zessin, 2015), COVID-19 pandemic appears to be deleterious (Bigras et al., 2021), particularly because of the frequent adjustments induced by public health measures and staffing shortages. In a previous study, ECEC managers expressed a need for support to face the challenges encountered during the pandemic (Bigras et al., 2021). To meet their need and support their work well-being, a professional coaching process, through a collective reflexive group, had been implemented (Bigras et al., 2021). Coaching modalities involving reflective practice were included to ensure its effectiveness, considering its value for dealing with complex problems, as ECEC managers did since the pandemic (Susman-Stillman et al., 2020). Objective. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a collective reflective coaching device intended for ECEC managers on the factors linked with work well-being (self-compassion, work-related stress, burnout, depressive symptoms, and work engagement) during the pandemic. Methods. This research uses a quasi-experimental design (pre-post) with a control group. Experimental group involves 39 ECEC managers from some regional areas in Quebec (Canada) and was recruited with the help of the regional grouping of ECEC of Monteregie. The experimental group, divided in four subgroups, met for three hours every four weeks between February and June 2021. The meetings focused on topics based on managers' needs to support their work well- being (e.g., stress, self-compassion, self-care). Control group involves 43 ECEC managers from the same regional areas recruited by email. Quantitative data were collected with an online ques

On July 6, 2013, a train with 72 crude oil tank cars derailed in the heart of Lac-Mégantic, a small municipality of 6,000 inhabitants located in Québec (Canada). This tragedy killed 47 people. Technological disasters are rarely studied in bereavement research, and train derailments even less. The goal of this article is to increase our understanding of the bereavement consequences of technological disasters. Specifically, we aim to identify the factors that lead to the experience complicated grief and distinguish from the protective factors. A representative population-based survey was conducted among 268 bereaved people, three and a half years after the train accident. Of these, 71 people (26.5%) experienced complicated grief. People with complicated grief (CG) differ significantly from those without CG in terms of psychological health, perception of physical health, alcohol use and medication, as well as social and professional relationships. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis identified four predictive factors for CG: level of exposure to the disaster, having a negative perception of the event, as well as having a paid job and low-income increase the risk of CG. The importance of having health and social practitioners pay attention to these factors of CG are discussed along with future directions for research.

But de l’étude: En 2013, un déraillement de train à Lac-Mégantic (Québec, Canada) a occasionné d’importantes pertes humaines et matérielles. Cette étude documente les conséquences de l’exposition à cette catastrophe sur le fonctionnement psychosocial d’adolescents. Méthode. – Trois ans et demi après la tragédie, 689 élèves, âgés de 12 à 18 ans, ont complété, tous en même temps, un questionnaire autoadministré au sein de leur école. Résultats: L’étude souligne que les jeunes adolescents exposés au désastre étaient significativement plus nombreux à constater une diminution de la qualité de vie dans leur communauté (12,9 %), à présenter une estime de soi et un niveau de résilience plus faibles, ainsi qu’à éprouver des problèmes psychologiques, dont des manifestations de stress post-traumatique (15,6 %) et des pensées suicidaires (38,9 %), au cours de l’année précédant l’enquête. Les adolescents exposés étaient aussi significativement plus nombreux à déclarer des difficultés, tant personnelles, familiales que scolaires, en raison de leur consommation d’alcool. Conclusion: L’étude souligne que, plus de trois ans après un déraillement de train, les adolescents qui avaient été exposés à cette catastrophe, comparativement à leurs pairs non exposés, étaient davantage affectés dans plusieurs aspects leur vie personnelle, familiale, scolaire et communautaire. Les résultats mettent de l’avant l’importance d’agir auprès des adolescents victimes d’une catastrophe. Background: In 2013, a train derailment in Lac-Megantic (Quebec, Canada) caused significant human and material losses. This study documents the consequences of exposure to this disaster on the psychosocial functioning of adolescents. Methods: Three and a half years after the tragedy, 689 students aged 12 to 18 completed a self-administered questionnaire at their school, for a response rate of 85.3%. The questionnaire included multiple choice questions designed to describe the sociodemographic, family, educational and so

In July 2013, a train derailment causing explosions and a fire in downtown Lac-Mégantic (Municipalité Régionale de Comté du Granit, Quebec, Canada) resulted in the death of 47 people and the destruction of many homes and other buildings. This article compares the physical and psychological health of 624 adults from the Granit area exposed to this disaster three years after the tragedy, comparing based on the presence or absence of posttraumatic growth. Women, people with high levels of social support, lower levels of education, and with lower incomes were more likely to show posttraumatic growth. For psychological health, the presence of post-traumatic stress symptoms and the use of antidepressants were positively related to posttraumatic growth. Our study demonstrates that, over time, many people managed to initiate a recovery process and to see benefits from this disaster.

L’auto-stigmatisation, ou le processus d’intériorisation des préjugés, est l’une des formes peu abordées de la stigmatisation en santé mentale. Pourtant, ce processus entraîne une renégociation de l’identité et par le fait même, tend à affecter négativement l’estime personnelle ainsi que le sentiment d’auto-efficacité, tout en augmentant l’isolement social des personnes concernées. La stigmatisation et l’auto-stigmatisation affectent inévitablement les trajectoires de rétablissement des personnes ayant des troubles mentaux. Contrairement à ce que l’on pense toutefois, et c’est ce que confirme le modèle « Why Try Effect », toutes les personnes n’intérioriseront pas les préjugés. C’est dans l’optique de mieux comprendre les variables qui permettent de prédire l’auto-stigmatisation que cette étude quantitative a été entreprise. Au total, 149 personnes se sont portées volontaires pour participer à cette enquête, menée partiellement sur le terrain et en ligne. Chacune de ces personnes a complété un ensemble de questionnaires, dont l’échelle Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness. Des analyses de régression, de même qu’un modèle d’équation structurale ont été réalisés à l’aide des logiciels SPSS et R. Les résultats de cette étude indiquent d’abord que parmi les 149 répondants, 17,5 % ont intériorisé modérément ou sévèrement des préjugés en lien avec la santé mentale. De plus, les personnes ayant un trouble anxieux sont significativement moins nombreuses à avoir intériorisé des préjugés que les personnes ayant d’autres types de diagnostics. Un revenu précaire, une faible estime de soi, la présence d’une hospitalisation psychiatrique ainsi qu’un faible niveau de rétablissement sont démontrés comme étant des variables corrélées à la présence de préjugés intériorisés. Les résultats de cette étude suggèrent que l’estime de soi ainsi que le sentiment d’auto-efficacité agissent comme étant des médiateurs partiels dans la relation entre l’auto-stigmatisation et du rétablissement.

In July 2013, the derailment of a train caused the death of 47 people and the destruction of Lac-Mégantic’s downtown area (Canada). Three years after this event, a population survey was conducted among a representative sample of 800 adults, including 282 men. Several significant differences were observed among respondents of a survey based on their level of exposure to this tragedy, including their physical (changes in physical health) and psychological health (post-traumatic stress disorder, mood and anxiety disorders, psychological distress, signs of depression, consultation of social workers and psychologists) as well as their use of prescribed (anxiolytics and antidepressants) and nonprescribed drugs. Such results can be explained by the nature, magnitude, and cause of the event.

En 2013, à Lac-Mégantic (Québec, Canada), un déraillement de train a entrainé d’importantes pertes humaines et matérielles. Cet article dresse le portrait psychosocial de jeunes âgés de 10 à 13 ans et documente les impacts de cette catastrophe sur divers aspects de leur vie. Cette étude a été réalisée auprès de 144 élèves du troisième cycle du primaire (5e et 6e années) par l’intermédiaire d’un questionnaire autoadministré en classe dans deux écoles situées à Lac-Mégantic et dans deux autres situées dans des municipalités à proximité. Cette étude a été réalisée à la suite d’une demande formulée par les organismes du milieu constatant le peu d’informations disponibles sur l’état de santé des jeunes de la communauté de Lac-Mégantic exposés au déraillement du train. Elle démontre que, 3 ans et demi après la tragédie, l’exposition à cette catastrophe technologique a des conséquences sur l’état de santé psychologique des enfants, notamment la présence de manifestations de stress post-traumatique et un faible niveau d’estime de soi. Des proportions plus élevées de jeunes exposés que de non exposés considèrent aussi que des problèmes de stress, d’anxiété ou de comportements ont perturbé leur vie familiale et scolaire. Cet article démontre l’importance d’apporter une attention particulière aux enfants pendant et après leur exposition à une catastrophe technologique afin de limiter les effets néfastes d’un tel évènement sur leur santé à court et à plus long terme. Il s’agit d’une contribution originale étant donné que la majorité des études portant sur les conséquences des catastrophes technologiques abordent le vécu des adultes demeurant aux États-Unis ou en Europe. De plus, les études permettant de documenter les conséquences des désastres sur la santé des jeunes ont surtout été réalisées à la suite de catastrophes naturelles dans d’autres pays que le Canada.

In July 2013, a train derailment caused the death of 47 people and destroyed the downtown area in the city of Lac-Mégantic (Quebec, Canada). This tragedy had several impacts on this small community. Method: Three years after this disaster, we used a representative population-based survey conducted among 800 adults (including 265 seniors aged 65 or above) to assess the physical and mental health of seniors. Results: Several differences were observed in seniors’ physical and mental health based on their level of exposure to the tragedy.Nearly half of seniors highly exposed to the train derailment (41.7%) believe that their health has deteriorated in the past 3 years. The majority of seniors highly exposed to the train derailment (68.7%) also show symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorders. Seniors highly or moderately exposed to the tragedy were also more likely to have found positive changes in their personal and social life as compared with nonexposed seniors. Discussion: A technological disaster such as a train derailment still had negative impacts on seniors’ physical and mental health 3 years later. Conclusion: Public health authorities must tailor prevention and promotion programs to restore health and well-being in this population.

How do effector CD4 T cells escape cell death during the contraction of the immune response (IR) remain largely unknown. CD47, through interactions with thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and SIRP-α, is implicated in cell death and phagocytosis of malignant cells. Here, we reported a reduction in SIRP-α-Fc binding to effector memory T cells (TEM) and in vitro TCR-activated human CD4 T cells that was linked to TSP-1/CD47-induced cell death. The reduced SIRP-α-Fc binding (CD47low status) was not detected when CD4 T cells were stained with two anti-CD47 mAbs, which recognize distinct epitopes. In contrast, increased SIRP-α-Fc binding (CD47high status) marked central memory T cells (TCM) as well as activated CD4 T cells exposed to IL-2, and correlated with resistance to TSP-1/CD47-mediated killing. Auto-aggressive CD4 effectors, which accumulated in lymph nodes and at mucosal sites of patients with Crohn's disease, displayed a CD47high status despite a high level of TSP-1 release in colonic tissues. In mice, CD47 (CD47low status) was required on antigen (Ag)-specific CD4 effectors for the contraction of the IR in vivo, as significantly lower numbers of Ag-specific CD47+/+CD4 T cells were recovered when compared to Ag-specific CD47-/- CD4 T cells. In conclusion, we demonstrate that a transient change in the status of CD47, i.e. from CD47high to CD47low, on CD4 effectors regulates the decision-making process that leads to CD47-mediated cell death and contraction of the IR while maintenance of a CD47high status on tissue-destructive CD4 effectors prevents the resolution of the inflammatory response. © 2012 Van et al., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Allele variants in the L-carnitine (LCAR) transporters OCTN1 (SLC22A4, 1672 C --> T) and OCTN2 (SLC22A5, -207 G --> C) have been implicated in susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD). LCAR is consumed in the diet and transported actively from the intestinal lumen via the organic cation transporter OCTN2. While recognized mainly for its role in fatty acid metabolism, several lines of evidence suggest that LCAR may also display immunosuppressive properties. This study sought to investigate the immunomodulatory capacity of LCAR on antigen-presenting cell (APC) and CD4+ T cell function by examining cytokine production and the expression of activation markers in LCAR-supplemented and deficient cell culture systems. The therapeutic efficacy of its systemic administration was then evaluated during the establishment of colonic inflammation in vivo. LCAR treatment significantly inhibited both APC and CD4+ T cell function, as assessed by the expression of classical activation markers, proliferation and cytokine production. Carnitine deficiency resulted in the hyperactivation of CD4+ T cells and enhanced cytokine production. In vivo, protection from trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid colitis was observed in LCAR-treated mice and was attributed to the abrogation of both innate [interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-6 production] and adaptive (T cell proliferation in draining lymph nodes) immune responses. LCAR therapy may therefore represent a novel alternative therapeutic strategy and highlights the role of diet in CD., Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, FLWIN, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Mesenteric lymph node (mLN) CD103 (alphaE integrin)(+) dendritic cells (DCs) induce regulatory T cells and gut tolerance. However, the function of intestinal CD103(-) DCs remains to be clarified. CD47 is the ligand of signal regulatory protein alpha (SIRPalpha) and promotes SIRPalpha(+) myeloid cell migration. We first show that mucosal CD103(-) DCs selectively express SIRPalpha and that their frequency was augmented in the lamina propria and mLNs of mice that developed Th17-biased colitis in response to trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. In contrast, the percentage of SIRPalpha(+)CD103(-) DCs and Th17 responses were decreased in CD47-deficient (CD47 knockout [KO]) mice, which remained protected from colitis. We next demonstrate that transferring wild-type (WT), but not CD47 KO, SIRPalpha(+)CD103(-) DCs in CD47 KO mice elicited severe Th17-associated wasting disease. CD47 expression was required on the SIRPalpha(+)CD103(-) DCs for efficient trafficking to mLNs in vivo, whereas it was dispensable on both DCs and T cells for Th17 polarization in vitro. Finally, administration of a CD47-Fc molecule resulted in reduced SIRPalpha(+)CD103(-) DC-mediated Th17 responses and the protection of WT mice from colitis. We thus propose SIRPalpha(+)CD103(-) DCs as a pathogenic DC subset that drives Th17-biased responses and colitis, and the CD47-SIRPalpha axis as a potential therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel disease., Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) gene (MEFV) encodes pyrin, a major regulator of the inflammasome platform controlling caspase-1 activation and IL-1beta processing. Pyrin has been shown to interact with the gene product of NLRP3, NALP3/cryopyrin, also an important active member of the inflammasome. The NLRP3 region was recently reported to be associated with Crohn's disease (CD) susceptibility. We therefore sought to evaluate MEFV as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) susceptibility gene. METHODOLOGY AND RESULTS: MEFV colonic mucosal gene expression was significantly increased in experimental colitis mice models (TNBS p<0.0003; DSS p<0.006), in biopsies from CD (p<0.02) and severe ulcerative colitis (UC) patients (p<0.008). Comprehensive genetic screening of the MEFV region in the Belgian exploratory sample set (440 CD trios, 137 UC trios, 239 CD cases, 96 UC cases, and 107 healthy controls) identified SNPs located in the MEFV 5' haplotype block that were significantly associated with UC (rs224217; p = 0.003; A allele frequency: 56% cases, 45% controls), while no CD associations were observed. Sequencing and subsequent genotyping of variants located in this associated haplotype block identified three synonymous variants (D102D/rs224225, G138G/rs224224, A165A/rs224223) and one non-synonymous variant (R202Q/rs224222) located in MEFV exon 2 that were significantly associated with UC (rs224222: p = 0.0005; A allele frequency: 32% in cases, 23% in controls). No consistent associations were observed in additional Canadian (256 CD trios, 91 UC trios) and Scottish (495 UC, 370 controls) sample sets. We note that rs224222 showed marginal association (p = 0.012; G allele frequency: 82% in cases, 70% in controls) in the Canadian sample, but with a different risk allele. None of the NLRP3 common variants were associated with UC in the Belgian-Canadian UC samples and no significant interactions were observed between NLRP3 and MEFV that could explain t, Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H. Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

We used a candidate gene approach to identify a set of SNPs, located in a predicted regulatory region on chromosome 1q44 downstream of NLRP3 (previously known as CIAS1 and NALP3) that are associated with Crohn's disease. The associations were consistently replicated in four sample sets from individuals of European descent. In the combined analysis of all samples (710 father-mother-child trios, 239 cases and 107 controls), these SNPs were strongly associated with risk of Crohn's disease (P(combined) = 3.49 x 10(-9), odds ratio = 1.78, confidence interval = 1.47-2.16 for rs10733113), reaching a level consistent with the stringent significance thresholds imposed by whole-genome association studies. In addition, we observed significant associations between SNPs in the associated regions and NLRP3 expression and IL-1beta production. Mutations in NLRP3 are known to be responsible for three rare autoinflammatory disorders. These results suggest that the NLRP3 region is also implicated in the susceptibility of more common inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease., Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H. Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published