The paradoxes of telehealth platforms: what did we learn from the use of telehealth platforms?

This article is an overview and reflection of the findings of an evaluative study conducted on a program called “Techno-Covid Partnership” (TCP) implemented in April 2020 at the Centre Hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM) in Montreal, Canada. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, the CHUM decided in April 2020 to implement telehealth, virtual care, and telemonitoring platforms and technologies to maintain access to care and reduce the risks of contamination and spread of COVID-19 as well as to protect users of health services and health professionals. Three technological platforms for telehealth and remote care and monitoring have been developed, implemented, and evaluated in real-time within the framework of the TCP program. A cross-sectional study was carried out in which a questionnaire was used and administered to users of telehealth platforms including patients and healthcare professionals. The methods and results of the study have been published previously published. In the completion of the two articles published in this context, in this paper, we briefly recall the context of the study and the method performed. The main focus of the paper is on presenting a critical overview and reflection on the major findings of our evaluation of the use of telehealth platforms from the point of view of patients and health professionals and discuss certain paradoxes i.e., the advantages, challenges, recommendations, and other perspectives that emerged in this study

Towards a better understanding of the generation of fructan structure diversity in plants: molecular and functional characterization of a sucrose:fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (6-SFT) cDNA from perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne)

The main storage compounds in Lolium perenne are fructans with prevailing β(2-6) linkages. A cDNA library of L. perenne was screened using Poa secunda sucrose:fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (6-SFT) as a probe. A full-length Lp6-SFT clone was isolated as shown by heterologous expression in Pichia pastoris. High levels of Lp6-SFT transcription were found in the growth zone of elongating leaves and in mature leaf sheaths where fructans are synthesized. Upon fructan synthesis induction, Lp6-SFT transcription was high in mature leaf blades but with no concomitant accumulation of fructans. In vitro studies with the recombinant Lp6-SFT protein showed that both 1-kestotriose and 6G-kestotriose acted as fructosyl acceptors, producing 1- and 6-kestotetraose (bifurcose) and 6G,6-kestotetraose, respectively. Interestingly, bifurcose formation ceased and 6G,6-kestotetraose was formed instead, when recombinant fructan:fructan 6G-fructosyltransferase (6G-FFT) of L. perenne was introduced in the enzyme assay with sucrose and 1-kestotriose as substrates. The remarkable absence of bifurcose in L. perenne tissues might be explained by a higher affinity of 6G-FFT, as compared with 6-SFT, for 1-kestotriose, which is the first fructan formed. Surprisingly, recombinant 6-SFT from Hordeum vulgare, a plant devoid of fructans with internal glucosyl residues, also produced 6G,6-kestotetraose from sucrose and 6G-kestotriose. In the presence of recombinant L. perenne 6G-FFT, it produced 6G,6-kestotetraose from 1-kestotriose and sucrose, like L. perenne 6-SFT. Thus, we demonstrate that the two 6-SFTs have close catalytic properties and that the distinct fructans formed in L. perenne and H. vulgare can be explained by the presence of 6G-FFT activity in L. perenne and its absence in H. vulgar

La spatialisation de la biodiversité : pour la gestion durable des territoires

Depuis le sommet de Rio de Janeiro en 1992, la diversité du vivant n’est plus l’apanage des biologistes : le concept de biodiversité envisage les relations du monde biologique avec les sociétés. La diversité se trouve en effet à présent au cœur des préoccupations de développement durable et de conservation. L’Amazonie, considérée comme une région de très grande diversité, attire depuis longtemps toutes les convoitises mais suscite désormais des inquiétudes : la nature inépuisable nous apparaît dès lors comme une biodiversité en péril. Mais, comment évaluer l’état et les transformations de la biodiversité de cette immense région ? Quels sont les effets des nombreuses politiques publiques de développement et de conservation qui s’y sont multipliées ces dernières décennies ? Cet ouvrage présente d’abord la complexité de quelques situations locales amazoniennes – des systèmes agricoles indigènes aux fronts pionniers associés à l’élevage extensif. L’imagerie satellitale permet ensuite de cartographier les dynamiques de la biodiversité végétale dans l’espace et le temps à partir d’une analyse des paysages et de l’estimation de leur complexité grâce à une démarche pluridisciplinaire (de la botanique à l’anthropologie). Les transformations des paysages et les variations concomitantes de la biodiversité sont par ailleurs mises en relation avec les politiques publiques et les actions privées. L’approche méthodologique, volontairement simple, a été élaborée avec l’ambition d’être applicable à d’autres espaces forestiers tropicaux

Diosgenin, a plant steroid, induces apoptosis in human rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes with cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression

In the present study, we have shown for the first time that a plant steroid, diosgenin, causes an inhibition of the growth of fibroblast-like synoviocytes from human rheumatoid arthritis, with apoptosis induction associated with cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) up-regulation. Celecoxib, a selective COX-2 inhibitor, provoked a large decrease in diosgenin-induced apoptosis even in the presence of exogenous prostaglandin E(2), whereas interleukin-1β, a COX-2 inducer, strongly increased diosgenin-induced apoptosis of these synoviocytes. These findings suggest that the proapoptotic effect of diosgenin is associated with overexpression of COX-2 correlated with overproduction of endogenous prostaglandin E(2). We also observed a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, caspase-3 activation, and DNA fragmentation after diosgenin treatment

THz Magneto-electric atomic rotations in the chiral compound Ba3_3NbFe3_3Si2_2O14_{14}

We have determined the terahertz spectrum of the chiral langasite Ba$_3$NbFe$_3$Si$_2$O$_{14}$ by means of synchrotron-radiation measurements. Two excitations are revealed that are shown to have a different nature. The first one, purely magnetic, is observed at low temperature in the magnetically ordered phase and is assigned to a magnon. The second one persits far into the paramagnetic phase and exhibits both an electric and a magnetic activity at slightly different energies. This magnetoelectric excitation is interpreted in terms of atomic rotations and requires a helical electric polarization

Comparison between fresh and fixed human biopsies using spectral and lifetime measurements: Fluorescence analysis using one and two photon excitations

International audienceThe purpose of this study is to make a comparison between the fluorescence emissions of fresh extracted human biopsies and fixed human biopsies, in order to evaluate the impact of fixation on autofluoresence signal. Our group is developing an endo-microscope to image brain tissues in-vivo, however to date, in order to validate our technology the easiest type of samples we can access are fixed samples. However, the fixation is still challenging. For that, we aim through this study to determine whether we should pursue to work on fixed samples or we should shift to work on fresh biopsies. Data were collected on spectroscopic, lifetime measurement and fluorescence imaging setups with visible and two-photon excitations wavelengths. Five fresh and five fixed samples are involved in the experiment. Endogenous fluorescence of fixed biopsies were calculated. Experimental results reveal that at 405 nm and 810 nm, the fresh samples have an intensity of fluorescence two times higher than that of fixed samples. However, for each fluorophore and each excitation wavelength, the lifetime for fresh samples is shorter than that for fixed samples. Still, further studies and investigations involving the comparison between different samples are required to strengthen our findings

The innovative component of the system of economic security of Ukrainian transportation industry enterprises

Рассматривается необходимость активизации инновационной деятельности в транспортной отрасли. Исследуются возможности кластерной концепции в формировании системы экономической безопасности предприятий транспортного комплекса за счет активизации инновационного развития

Exogenous classic phytohormones have limited regulatory effects on fructan and primary carbohydrate metabolism in perennial ryegrass (<i>Lolium perenne</i> L.)

Fructans are polymers of fructose and one of the main constituents of water-soluble carbohydrates in forage grasses and cereal crops of temperate climates. Fructans are involved in cold and drought resistance, regrowth following defoliation and early spring growth, seed filling, have beneficial effects on human health and are used for industrial processes. Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) serves as model species to study fructan metabolism. Fructan metabolism is under the control of both synthesis by fructosyltransferases (FTs) and breakdown through fructan exohydrolases (FEHs). The accumulation of fructans can be triggered by high sucrose levels and abiotic stress conditions such as drought and cold stress. However, detailed studies on the mechanisms involved in the regulation of fructan metabolism are scarce. Since different phytohormones, especially abscisic acid (ABA), are known to play an important role in abiotic stress responses, the possible short term regulation of the enzymes involved in fructan metabolism by the five classical phytohormones was investigated. Therefore, the activities of enzymes involved in fructan synthesis and breakdown, the expression levels for the corresponding genes and levels for water-soluble carbohydrates were determined following pulse treatments with ABA, auxin (AUX), ethylene (ET), gibberellic acid (GA), or kinetin (KIN). The most pronounced fast effects were a transient increase of I- I activities by AUX, KIN, ABA, and ET, while minor effects were evident for 1-FEH activity with an increased activity in response to KIN and a decrease by GA. Fructan and sucrose levels were not affected. This observed discrepancy demonstrates the importance of determining enzyme activities to obtain insight into the physiological traits and ultimately the plant phenotype. The comparative analyses of activities for seven key enzymes of primary carbohydrate metabolism revealed no co-regulation between enzymes of the fructan and sucrose pool

Imaging of non tumorous and tumorous human brain tissue with full-field optical coherence tomography

A prospective study was performed on neurosurgical samples from 18 patients to evaluate the use of Full-Field Optical Coherence Tomography (FF-OCT) in brain tumor diagnosis. FF-OCT captures en face slices of tissue samples at 1\mum resolution in 3D with a typical 200\mum imaging depth. A 1cm2 specimen is scanned at a single depth and processed in about 5 minutes. This rapid imaging process is non-invasive and 30 requires neither contrast agent injection nor tissue preparation, which makes it particularly well suited to medical imaging applications. Temporal chronic epileptic parenchyma and brain tumors such as meningiomas, low- grade and high-grade gliomas, and choroid plexus papilloma were imaged. A subpopulation of neurons, myelin fibers and CNS vasculature were clearly identified. Cortex could be discriminated from white matter, but individual glial cells as astrocytes (normal or reactive) or oligodendrocytes were not observable. This study reports for the first time on the feasibility of using FF-OCT in a real-time manner as a label-free non-invasive imaging technique in an intra-operative neurosurgical clinical setting to assess tumorous glial and epileptic margins