103 research outputs found

    Phenotypic correlations among growth and selected wood properties in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss)

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    We examined phenotypic relationships among radial growth-related, physical (i.e., related to wood density), and anatomical (i.e., related to tracheid dimensions) wood properties in white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss), in order to determine the strength and significance of their correlations. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) was used to establish if all of the properties must be measured and to determine the key properties that can be used as proxies for the other variables. Radial growth-related and physical properties were measured with an X-ray densitometer, while anatomical properties were measured with a Fiber Quality Analyzer. Fifteen wood properties (tracheid length (TL) and diameter (TD), earlywood tracheid length (ETL) and diameter (ETD), latewood tracheid length (LTL) and diameter (LTD), ring width (RW), ring area (RA), earlywood width (EWW), latewood width (LWW), latewood proportion (LWP), ring density (RD), intra-ring density variation, earlywood density (EWD), and latewood density (LWD)) were assessed. Relationships were evaluated at intra-ring and inter-ring levels in the juvenile wood (JW) and mature wood (MW) zones. Except for a few cases when mature tracheid diameter (TD) was involved, all intra-ring anatomical properties were highly and significantly correlated. Radial growth properties were correlated, with stronger relationships in MW compared to JW. Physical properties were often positively and significantly correlated in both JW and MW. A higher earlywood density coupled with a lower latewood density favored wood uniformity, i.e., the homogeneity of ring density within a growth ring. Managing plantations to suppress trees growth during JW formation, and enhancing radial growth when MW formation starts will favor overall wood quality. In order, RW-EWW-RA, TL-ETL-LTL, and RD-EWD-LWP are the three clusters that appeared in the three wood zones, the whole pith-to-bark radial section, the juvenile wood zone, and the mature wood zon

    Risk factors associated with driving after cannabis use among Canadian young adults

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    This study identifid the most prominent risk factors associated with driving after cannabis use (DACU). 1,126 Canadian drivers (17–35 years old) who have used cannabis in the past 12 months completed an online questionnaire about sociodemographic information, substance use habits, cannabis effect expectancies, driving behaviours and peers’ behaviours and attitudes concerning DACU. A hierarchical logistic regression allowed identifying variables that were associated with DACU. Income (CA30,000–CA30,000–CA69,000), weekly-to-daily cannabis use, higher level of cannabis-related problems, expectation that cannabis facilitates social interactions, drunk driving, belief that DACU is safe, general risky driving behaviours, having a few friends who had DACU and injunctive norms predicted past 12-month DACU. Older age, holding negative expectations concerning cannabis, driving aggressively and perceived accessibility of public transportation decreased the probability of DACU. With restricted resources, programmes will be more efficient by targeting Canadian young adults most inclined to DACU by focussing on these risk factors

    La création d’une nouvelle génération d’études épidémiologiques en santé mentale

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    Grâce à une subvention des Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada (IRSC), il se développe actuellement une nouvelle génération d’études en épidémiologie sociale et psychiatrique dans une zone circonscrite se situant dans le sud-ouest de Montréal où vivent 258 000 personnes. Ce programme de recherche repose sur une étude prospective longitudinale visant à identifier les déterminants de la santé mentale de la population, et sur quatre études spécifiques qui abordent des paramètres importants pour la santé mentale : l’écologie sociale et physique des quartiers, le soutien social, le stigma social et les services en santé mentale. Ce programme est complété par l’utilisation de la dernière génération des outils technologiques et informatiques soit un système d’information géographique (SIG) qui permet d’apprécier les effets du contexte sur la santé mentale. Les bases théoriques sur lesquels repose ce modèle sont présentées de même qu’une description sommaire des méthodes utilisées.The authors were granted funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR) to develop a new generation of epidemiological studies in the field of social and psychiatric epidemiology in a catchment area in Montréal, with a population of around 258 000. This research program will begin with a longitudinal study that will identify mental health determinants and will be followed by four specific studies on important aspects of mental health : service organization, social stigma, and neighbourhood ecology and social support actualization. A Geographic information System based on postal codes will also be used as a mean to evaluate the effects of social and physical environment on mental health and its interactions with individual determinants of mental health. This article describes the research program, its theoretical bases and more briefly, its methodology.Gracias a una subvención de los Institutos de Investigación en Salud de Canadá (IRSC), actualmente se está desarrollando una nueva generación de estudios en epidemiología social y psiquiátrica en una zona circunscrita localizada en el sudoeste de Montreal, donde viven 258,000 personas. Este programa de investigación se apoya en un estudio prospectivo longitudinal, que busca identificar las determinantes de la salud mental de la población, y en cuatro estudios específicos que abordan los parámetros importantes para la salud mental: la ecología social y física de los barrios, el apoyo social, el estigma social y los servicios de salud mental. Este programa se completa con la utilización de la última generación de herramientas tecnológicas e informáticas, es decir, un sistema de información geográfico (SIG) que permite apreciar los efectos del contexto en la salud mental. Se presentan las bases teóricas en las que se apoya este modelo así como una descripción somera de los métodos utilizados.Graças a uma subvenção dos Institutos de Pesquisa em Saúde do Canadá (IRSC), é desenvolvida atualmente uma nova geração de estudos em epidemiologia social e psiquiátrica em uma zona circunscrita situando-se no sudoeste de Montreal, onde vivem 258 mil pessoas. Este programa de pesquisa baseia-se em um estudo prospectivo longitudinal visando identificar os determinantes da saúde mental da população, e sobre quatro estudos específicos que abordam parâmetros importantes para a saúde mental: a ecologia social e física dos bairros, o apoio social, o estigma social e os serviços em saúde mental. Este programa é realizado com a utilização da última geração de ferramentas tecnológicas e informáticas, ou seja, um sistema de informação geográfica (SIG) que permite apreciar os efeitos do contexto na saúde mental. As bases teóricas sobre as quais repousa este modelo são apresentadas, além de uma descrição sumária dos métodos utilizados

    The Ionomics of Lettuce Infected by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians

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    Bacterial leaf spot (BLS) caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vitians (Xcv) places a major constraint on lettuce production worldwide. The most sustainable strategy known to date for controlling BLS is the use of resistant cultivars. The nutrient elemental signature (ionome) of ten lettuce cultivars with three levels of resistance was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) to determine which nutrient balances are linked to resistance to BLS, and to assess the effect of Xcv infection on the ionome. The elemental concentrations were preprocessed with isometric log-ratios to define nutrient balances. Using this approach, 4 out of 11 univariate nutrient balances were found to significantly influence the resistance of lettuce cultivars to BLS (P < 0.05). These significant balances were the overall nutritional status balancing all measured nutrients with their complementary in the dry mass, as well as balances [Mn | Zn,Cu], [Zn | Cu], and [S,N | P]. Moreover, the infection of lettuce cultivars mostly affected the lettuce ionome on the [N,S | P] balance, where infection tended to lean the balance toward the N,S part relatively to P. This study shows that nutrient uptake in lettuce can be affected by BLS infection and that nutrient status influences resistance to BLS infection

    Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) collaborative update of CANMAT guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder: Update 2013

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    The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments published guidelines for the management of bipolar disorder in 2005, with updates in 2007 and 2009. This third update, in conjunction with the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, reviews new evidence and is designed to be used in conjunction with the previous publications.The recommendations for the management of acute mania remain largely unchanged. Lithium, valproate, and several atypical antipsychotic agents continue to be first-line treatments for acute mania. Monotherapy with asenapine, paliperidone extended release (ER), and divalproex ER, as well as adjunctive asenapine, have been added as first-line options.For the management of bipolar depression, lithium, lamotrigine, and quetiapine monotherapy, as well as olanzapine plus selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and lithium or divalproex plus SSRI/bupropion remain first-line options. Lurasidone monotherapy and the combination of lurasidone or lamotrigine plus lithium or divalproex have been added as a second-line options. Ziprasidone alone or as adjunctive therapy, and adjunctive levetiracetam have been added as not-recommended options for the treatment of bipolar depression. Lithium, lamotrigine, valproate, olanzapine, quetiapine, aripiprazole, risperidone long-acting injection, and adjunctive ziprasidone continue to be first-line options for maintenance treatment of bipolar disorder. Asenapine alone or as adjunctive therapy have been added as third-line options. © 2012 John Wiley and Sons A/S

    Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) 2018 guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder

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    The Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) previously published treatment guidelines for bipolar disorder in 2005, along with international commentaries and subsequent updates in 2007, 2009, and 2013. The last two updates were published in collaboration with the International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD). These 2018 CANMAT and ISBD Bipolar Treatment Guidelines represent the significant advances in the field since the last full edition was published in 2005, including updates to diagnosis and management as well as new research into pharmacological and psychological treatments. These advances have been translated into clear and easy to use recommendations for first, second, and third- line treatments, with consideration given to levels of evidence for efficacy, clinical support based on experience, and consensus ratings of safety, tolerability, and treatment-emergent switch risk. New to these guidelines, hierarchical rankings were created for first and second- line treatments recommended for acute mania, acute depression, and maintenance treatment in bipolar I disorder. Created by considering the impact of each treatment across all phases of illness, this hierarchy will further assist clinicians in making evidence-based treatment decisions. Lithium, quetiapine, divalproex, asenapine, aripiprazole, paliperidone, risperidone, and cariprazine alone or in combination are recommended as first-line treatments for acute mania. First-line options for bipolar I depression include quetiapine, lurasidone plus lithium or divalproex, lithium, lamotrigine, lurasidone, or adjunctive lamotrigine. While medications that have been shown to be effective for the acute phase should generally be continued for the maintenance phase in bipolar I disorder, there are some exceptions (such as with antidepressants); and available data suggest that lithium, quetiapine, divalproex, lamotrigine, asenapine, and aripiprazole monotherapy or combination treatments should be considered first-line for those initiating or switching treatment during the maintenance phase. In addition to addressing issues in bipolar I disorder, these guidelines also provide an overview of, and recommendations for, clinical management of bipolar II disorder, as well as advice on specific populations, such as women at various stages of the reproductive cycle, children and adolescents, and older adults. There are also discussions on the impact of specific psychiatric and medical comorbidities such as substance use, anxiety, and metabolic disorders. Finally, an overview of issues related to safety and monitoring is provided. The CANMAT and ISBD groups hope that these guidelines become a valuable tool for practitioners across the globe

    Non-invasive in vivo hyperspectral imaging of the retina for potential biomarker use in Alzheimer's disease

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    Studies of rodent models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and of human tissues suggest that the retinal changes that occur in AD, including the accumulation of amyloid beta (Abeta), may serve as surrogate markers of brain Abeta levels. As Abeta has a wavelength-dependent effect on light scatter, we investigate the potential for in vivo retinal hyperspectral imaging to serve as a biomarker of brain Abeta. Significant differences in the retinal reflectance spectra are found between individuals with high Abeta burden on brain PET imaging and mild cognitive impairment (n = 15), and age-matched PET-negative controls (n = 20). Retinal imaging scores are correlated with brain Abeta loads. The findings are validated in an independent cohort, using a second hyperspectral camera. A similar spectral difference is found between control and 5xFAD transgenic mice that accumulate Abeta in the brain and retina. These findings indicate that retinal hyperspectral imaging may predict brain Abeta load
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