Fast-growing willow development on acidic mining wastes for rapid greening purposes

Metal mining generates large volumes of wastes, which can contain sulphide minerals that generate acid when exposed to atmospheric conditions, providing unfavourable conditions for plant establishment. In particular, mining waste rocks are piled on tens of meters, and remain devoid of vegetation, creating a desolated anthropogenic landscape. The use of adapted plants able to grow quickly on waste rocks can help increasing their aesthetical aspect. An experiment was conducted at the Westwood mine in Quebec to evaluate the establishment ability of a fast-growing willow (Salix miyabeana Sx64) on acid- generating waste rocks. The main objective was to identify substrate thickness and composition that maximized willow productivity while limiting water stress exposure and trace metal accumulation. A randomized complete block design was established in June 2014 with five treatments: (1) direct planting in waste rocks, (2) and (3) 20 cm or 40 cm moraine amended with 20% of organic matter (OM) (in volume), (4) 20 cm moraine at 40% of OM, and (5) 20 cm moraine at 20% of OM over 20 cm lime sludge from water treatment. Trees directly planted in waste rocks survived well (75%) but had the lowest aerial productivity, with the lowest height and diameter growth, aerial biomass, and total leaf area, while the treatment richer in OM showed the greatest aerial biomass and total leaf area, and the thicker treatment the greatest height and diameter growth. Willow root development was restricted to cover soils the first year after planting, and foliar δ13C values decreased in thicker soil (40 cm) compared to thin soil (20 cm). Willow accumulation factors in leaves were below one for all investigated trace metals except Zn

Le sentier en spirale du développement du savoir infirmier : l’apport de la proposition de Reed

Cet article dévoile, pour la première fois en français, la perspective de Reed sur le développement du savoir infirmier. La proposition de Reed est intégrée dans la perspective de l’intermodernisme. Elle se dépeint sous la forme d’un sentier en spirale, composé par les dimensions philosophique, pratique et théorique du savoir infirmier. Après la présentation de la perspective de Reed, une illustration est proposée avec le développement théorique de Lawler sur la somologie. Le récit du développement de Lawler permettra d’intégrer les composantes du sentier en spirale de Reed de façon concrète. La discussion permet de montrer comment la proposition de Reed peut mener à mieux décrire et comprendre une démarche de développement de savoir infirmier

The Human Adenovirus Type 5 E4orf6/E1B55K E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Complex Enhances E1A Functional Activity

Human adenovirus (Ad) E1A proteins have long been known as the central regulators of virus infection as well as the major source of adenovirus oncogenic potential. Not only do they activate expression of other early viral genes, they make viral replication possible in terminally differentiated cells, at least in part, by binding to the retinoblastoma (Rb) tumor suppressor family of proteins to activate E2F transcription factors and thus viral and cellular DNA synthesis. We demonstrate in an accompanying article (F. Dallaire et al., mSphere 1:00014-15, 2016) that the human adenovirus E3 ubiquitin ligase complex formed by the E4orf6 and E1B55K proteins is able to mimic E1A activation of E2F transactivation factors. Acting alone in the absence of E1A, the Ad5 E4orf6 protein in complex with E1B55K was shown to bind E2F, disrupt E2F/Rb complexes, and induce hyperphosphorylation of Rb, leading to induction of viral and cellular DNA synthesis, as well as stimulation of early and late viral gene expression and production of viral progeny. While these activities were significantly lower than those exhibited by E1A, we report here that this ligase complex appeared to enhance E1A activity in two ways. First, the E4orf6/E1B55K complex was shown to stabilize E1A proteins, leading to higher levels in infected cells. Second, the complex was demonstrated to enhance the activation of E2F by E1A products. These findings indicated a new role of the E4orf6/E1B55K ligase complex in promoting adenovirus replication

Plasma anandamide concentrations are lower in children with autism spectrum disorder

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmentaldisorder characterized by restricted, stereotyped behaviors and impairments in social communication. Although the underlying biological mechanisms of ASD remain poorly understood, recent preclinical research has implicated the endogenous cannabinoid (or endocannabinoid), anandamide, as a significant neuromodulator in rodent models of ASD. Despite this promising preclinical evidence, no clinical studies to date have tested whether endocannabinoids are dysregulated in individuals with ASD. Here, we addressed this critical gap in knowledge by optimizing liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry methodology to quantitatively analyze anandamide concentrations in banked blood samples collected from a cohort of children withand without ASD (N= 112). Findings: Anandamide concentrations significantly differentiated ASD cases (N= 59) from controls (N= 53), such that children with lower anandamide concentrations were more likely to have ASD (p= 0.041). In keeping with this notion, anandamide concentrations were also significantly lower in ASD compared to control children (p= 0.034). Conclusions: These findings are the first empirical human data to translate preclinical rodent findings to confirm a link between plasma anandamide concentrations in children with ASD. Although preliminary, these data suggest that impaired anandamide signaling may be involved in the pathophysiology of ASD

Caring for people with Alzheimer's disease who show defensive behaviours. Part 2: Situation-specific fundamentals of care practice process

This article amis to present a clinical practice process which is essential for nurses and nursing students caring for people living with Alzheimer's disease (AD) who show defensive behaviours. This discursive paper introduces the Defensive Behaviours Practice Process based on relevant nursing knowledge previously presented. The Defensive Behaviours Practice Process is presented with an algorithm and a clinical form. A clinical scenario presents Mrs. Barbara Henderson, 80, who shows defensive behaviours. We can follow the nurse Florence in her first stages of clinical process with Mrs. Henderson, her family and the formal caregivers. Several tools are integrated in an innovative way, for example a Retrogenesis genogram and ecomap. The Defensive Behaviours Practice Process integrates the main stages nurses should realize for a person living with AD who show defensive behaviours. The process helps the nurse to identify compromised needs and to plan relevant interventions with the person, family and nursing team

Acute Infections and Environmental Exposure to Organochlorines in Inuit Infants from Nunavik

The Inuit population of Nunavik (Canada) is exposed to immunotoxic organochlorines (OCs) mainly through the consumption of fish and marine mammal fat. We investigated the effect of perinatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) on the incidence of acute infections in Inuit infants. We reviewed the medical charts of a cohort of 199 Inuit infants during the first 12 months of life and evaluated the incidence rates of upper and lower respiratory tract infections (URTI and LRTIs, respectively), otitis media, and gastrointestinal (GI) infections. Maternal plasma during delivery and infant plasma at 7 months of age were sampled and assayed for PCBs and DDE. Compared to rates for infants in the first quartile of exposure to PCBs (least exposed), adjusted rate ratios for infants in higher quartiles ranged between 1.09 and 1.32 for URTIs, 0.99 and 1.39 for otitis, 1.52 and 1.89 for GI infections, and 1.16 and 1.68 for LRTIs during the first 6 months of follow-up. For all infections combined, the rate ratios ranged from 1.17 to 1.27. The effect size was similar for DDE exposure but was lower for the full 12-month follow-up. Globally, most rate ratios were > 1.0, but few were statistically significant (p < 0.05). No association was found when postnatal exposure was considered. These results show a possible association between prenatal exposure to OCs and acute infections early in life in this Inuit population

A cardinal role for cathepsin D in co-ordinating the host-mediated apoptosis of macrophages and killing of pneumococci

The bactericidal function of macrophages against pneumococci is enhanced by their apoptotic demise, which is controlled by the anti-apoptotic protein Mcl-1. Here, we show that lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) and cytosolic translocation of activated cathepsin D occur prior to activation of a mitochondrial pathway of macrophage apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition or knockout of cathepsin D during pneumococcal infection blocked macrophage apoptosis. As a result of cathepsin D activation, Mcl-1 interacted with its ubiquitin ligase Mule and expression declined. Inhibition of cathepsin D had no effect on early bacterial killing but inhibited the late phase of apoptosis-associated killing of pneumococci in vitro. Mice bearing a cathepsin D-/- hematopoietic system demonstrated reduced macrophage apoptosis in vivo, with decreased clearance of pneumococci and enhanced recruitment of neutrophils to control pulmonary infection. These findings establish an unexpected role for a cathepsin D-mediated lysosomal pathway of apoptosis in pulmonary host defense and underscore the importance of apoptosis-associated microbial killing to macrophage function

Fondamentaux des soins : un cadre et un processus pratique pour répondre aux besoins physiques, psychosociaux et relationnels des personnes soignées

Depuis 2008, un regroupement international soutient la promotion d’une meilleure réponse aux besoins fondamentaux des personnes soignées. Ce regroupement propose un cadre sur les fondamentaux des soins. Ce cadre est centré sur la relation entre l’infirmier, la personne soignée et ses proches ainsi que sur la réponse aux besoins physiques, psychosociaux et relationnels. Un processus pratique soutient l’application concrète de ce cadre. Le but de cet article discursif est de présenter la traduction française du cadre des fondamentaux des soins et de son processus pratique. Pour commencer, le processus de traduction sera brièvement expliqué. Ensuite, le cadre sur les fondamentaux des soins et les étapes de son processus pratique seront présentés. Afin de permettre une meilleure appropriation du contenu par le lecteur, une illustration clinique présente la situation de M. Perron, atteint d’une maladie d’Alzheimer, et de sa conjointe, qui est sa proche aidante. Enfin, la discussion aborde l’utilité du cadre des fondamentaux des soins et de son processus pratique au niveau des quatre grands axes de la discipline infirmière, soit la pratique, la gestion, la formation et la recherche. Cet article ouvre la voie au développement de connaissances sur les fondamentaux des soins au niveau de la francophonie