Characterization and comparison of human and mouse milk cells

by Rose Doerfler, Saigopalakrishna Yerneni, Alexandra Newby, Namit Chaudhary, Ashley Shu, Katherine Fein, Juliana Hofstatter Azambuja, Kathryn A. Whitehead

Recent data has characterized human milk cells with unprecedented detail and provided insight into cell populations. While such analysis of freshly expressed human milk has been possible, studies of cell functionality within the infant have been limited to animal models. One commonly used animal model for milk research is the mouse; however, limited data are available describing the composition of mouse milk. In particular, the maternal cells of mouse milk have not been previously characterized in detail, in part due to the difficulty in collecting sufficient volumes of mouse milk. In this study, we have established a method to collect high volumes of mouse milk, isolate cells, and compare the cell counts and types to human milk. Surprisingly, we found that mouse milk cell density is three orders of magnitude higher than human milk. The cell types present in the milk of mice and humans are similar, broadly consisting of mammary epithelial cells and immune cells. These results provide a basis of comparison for mouse and human milk cells and will inform the most appropriate uses of mouse models for the study of human phenomena.

Experiences of newly registered nurses transitioning from nursing student to registered nurse: a qualitative systematic review

Background and purpose

This is a summary of See et al.1

Newly registered nurses experience high levels of emotional exhaustion, stress and burnout, with high attrition rates in the first-year post-qualification.

The purpose of this review was to consolidate the available evidence on the experiences of newly registered nurses transitioning from the role of student nurse to that of registered nurse.

Methods

Results and areas for future research

Thirty-one studies were included in the review, comprising thirty qualitative and one mixed-method study.

A total of 452 newly registered nurses were enrolled across the studies from Australia, Canada, Singapore, England, Nepal, Netherlands, Pakistan and Taiwan.

Four themes were identified: knowledge deficit, overwhelming clinical practice, importance of workplace support and the meaning of ‘being a nurse’.

Twenty-four studies discussed how newly graduated registered nurses experienced anxiety,...