Intervention cognitive-existentielle en phase avancée de cancer : facteurs d'influence de la consommation de médicaments

Contexte : Les différents symptômes physiques, la détresse émotionnelle et les complications neuropsychiatriques prédisposent les individus atteints de cancer avancé à consommer beaucoup de médicaments. Objectifs : Les objectifs de ce projet sont de décrire le profil psychopharmacologique des participants à une étude visant l’amélioration de la qualité de vie en phase avancée de cancer et d’explorer l’impact potentiel d’une intervention psychologique sur les doses consommées. Méthodes : Une analyse des profils pharmacologiques ainsi qu’une validation téléphonique de la consommation réelle de médicaments ont été réalisées à cinq reprises sur six mois auprès des 137 participants répartis aléatoirement en deux groupes : intervention (n=71) et témoin (n=66). Des doses moyennes quotidiennes consommées ont été calculées pour tous les participants et des analyses descriptives ont été réalisées pour décrire les ordonnances et l’usage des différents médicaments. Dans un deuxième temps, pour vérifier l’effet de l’intervention sur les doses consommées à travers les cinq périodes de suivi, des analyses de régression linéaire de type GEE (generalized estimating equation) ont été réalisées. Résultats : Près des trois quarts des participants avaient minimalement un psychotrope à leur profil pharmacologique et plus du tiers d’entre eux consommaient trois classes ou plus de médicaments simultanément. Les classes les plus fréquemment utilisées étaient les coanalgésiques (41,2 %), les analgésiques non opioïdes (40,5 %) et les benzodiazépines (39,9 %). L’influence potentielle de l’intervention psychologique sur l’usage des médicaments n’a pas pu être démontrée statistiquement, mais des corrélations d’intensité « faibles » et « moyennes » ont pu être confirmées entre les scores aux échelles de mesure de la détresse et de la qualité de vie et les doses de médicaments. Conclusion : Ce projet a permis de confirmer que la gestion de la douleur et des symptômes émotionnels occupe une place importante dans le profil pharmacologique des patients atteints de cancer avancé. Il ouvre la porte à d’autres études descriptives sur l’usage des médicaments et sur l’influence potentielle d’interventions non pharmacologiques sur les doses consommées par les patients atteints de cancer avancé

A New Methodology for Quantification of Alternatively Spliced Exons Reveals a Highly Tissue-Specific Expression Pattern of WNK1 Isoforms

Mutations in the WNK1 gene, encoding a serine-threonine kinase of the WNK (With No lysine (K)) family, have been implicated in two rare human diseases, Familial Hyperkalemic Hypertension (FHHt) and Hereditary Sensory and Autonomic Neuropathy type 2 (HSAN2). Alternative promoters give rise to a ubiquitous isoform, L-WNK1, and a kidney-specific isoform, KS-WNK1. Several other isoforms are generated through alternative splicing of exons 9, 11 and 12 but their precise tissue distribution is not known. Two additional exons, 8b and HSN2, involved in HSAN2, are thought to be specifically expressed in the nervous system. The purpose of this study was to establish an exhaustive description of all WNK1 isoforms and to quantify their relative level of expression in a panel of human and mouse tissues and in mouse nephron segments. For the latter purpose, we developed a new methodology allowing the determination of the proportions of the different isoforms generated by alternative splicing. Our results evidenced a striking tissue-specific distribution of the different isoforms and the unexpected presence of exon HSN2 in many tissues other than the nervous system. We also found exon 26 to be alternatively spliced in human and identified two new exons, 26a and 26b, within intron 26, specifically expressed in nervous tissues both in humans and mice. WNK1 should therefore no longer be designated as a 28- but as a 32-exon gene, with 8 of them - 8b, HSN2, 9, 11, 12, 26, 26a and 26b - alternatively spliced in a tissue-specific manner. These tissue-specific isoforms must be considered when studying the different roles of this ubiquitous kinase

Chronic disease patients’ experience with telehealth interventions and self-care strategies during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose. During COVID-19 pandemic, Québec (Canada) Public Health Agency asked Family Medicine Group (FMG) to change their practice such as recommending the use of telehealth interventions. However, it is unknown if telehealth meets patients' needs in terms of self-care, especially those suffered from physical and mental chronic condition (PCDs). This study aimed to explore, from a PCD's perspective, the response of FMG about their self-care needs during COVID-19 pandemic. Methods. We conducted an exploratory qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews to reach 40 PCDs from three regions of Québec. We explored FMGs' responses, PCDs needs, coping strategies regarding the COVID-19 and the changes in primary care services. We used the transactional theory of stress and coping to inform the data collection and analysis and the COREQ appraisal grid to report this study. Results. PCDs appreciated telehealth and perceived that the accessibility was increased. Moreover, family physicians from FMG conducted the majority of the follow-ups although interdisciplinary teams were available. The coping strategies raised by the PCDs were primarily aimed at maintaining their health status, while some of them aimed to reduce stress levels. Conclusions. PCDs seem to appreciate telehealth but believe it requires improvements, and it is not adequate for all types of follow-ups. PCDs adopt coping strategies to face the pandemic that were not always optimal for their health. We call for a better understanding of PCDs' needs in times of a pandemic in order to offer them the appropriate services an interdisciplinary team can provide.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167663/1/Article patients-covid copingVF_PP.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167663/3/Article patients-covid coping VF_V2.pdfDescription of Article patients-covid copingVF_PP.pdf : Main ArticleSEL

Towards greener nanoimprint processes

The purpose of this work is to develop nano-imprint processes using “greener” polymers. PLA, a bio-sourced, bio-degradable and bio-compatible polymer, will be directly nano-structured via a thermal nano-imprint process (T-NIL). PVA, a synthetic bio-compatible and bio-degradable polymer, will be used as water-soluble sacrificial layers for lift-off process

Towards greener nanoimprint processes

The purpose of this work is to develop nano-imprint processes using “greener” polymers. PLA, a bio-sourced, bio-degradable and bio-compatible polymer, will be directly nano-structured via a thermal nano-imprint process (T-NIL). PVA, a synthetic bio-compatible and bio-degradable polymer, will be used as water-soluble sacrificial layers for lift-off process

Fabrication of versatile calibration samples for 3D super-resolution optical imaging with <5nm Z resolution using greyscale e-beam lithography and Nano-Imprint replication

National audienceWe present a 3D mold fabrication process to produce high precision calibration samples with few nanometers steps in the vertical direction. After imprinting into a resist layer of adequate refractive index using nano-imprint lithography, these molds can produce calibration samples valuable for super-resolution Direct Optical Nanoscopy with Axially Localized Detection (DONALD). This novel method is dedicated to the 3D mapping of labeled biomolecules into biological samples by fluorescence and requires calibration samples with well-characterized steps ranging from 5 nm to 125 nm in height

Palladium-Catalysed Direct Desulfitative Arylation of Pyrroles using Benzenesulfonyl Chlorides as Alternative Coupling Partners

International audienc

Advances in polymer-based optical MEMS fabrication for VCSEL beam shaping

International audienceIn this paper, we discuss the design, fabrication, and characterization of electro-thermally-actuated polymer-based micro-optical electro-mechanical microsystems (MOEMS) for active microoptics in VCSEL devices. We describe in particular the principle of a SU8-based MOEMS designed for single-mode VCSEL beam active focusing. The ultimate objective is the realization of parallel compact optical scanners for sensing applications using collective and low-cost technologies. After discussing the advantages of the epoxy resist SU-8 for fabricating an integrated movable lens on active optical devices, we present our latest advances in technology for ensuring precise MOEMS fabrication on small III-V samples and for achieving accurate alignment of lenses on suspended circular membranes. Finally, we present our first results on the beam focusing of multimode VCSELs, which demonstrate the feasibility of our approach and could provide new insights in the MEMS-VCSEL field

Renal Transcriptomes: Segmental Analysis of Differential Expression

International audienceBackground/aims: Progress accomplished by complete genomes and cDNA-sequencing projects calls for methods that fully use these resources to study gene expression patterns in characterized cell populations. However, since the number of functional genes cannot be readily inferred from the genomic sequence, it is highly desirable to make use of methods enabling to study both known and unknown genes.Methods: The method of serial analysis of gene expression provides short diagnostic cDNA tags without bias towards known genes. In addition, the frequency of each tag in the library conveys quantitative information on gene expression. A microassay was set-up to perform serial analysis of gene expression in minute samples such as those obtained by microdissecting nephron segments.Results: Studies carried out in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and the collecting duct of the mouse kidney provided expression data for several thousand genes. Known markers were found appropriately enriched, and several of the thick ascending limb or collecting duct specific transcripts had no database match.Conclusions: The microassay for serial analysis of gene expression makes possible large-scale quantitative measurements of mRNA levels in nephron segments. The comprehensive picture generated by analyzing both known and unknown transcripts in defined cell populations should help to discover genes with dedicated functions