Méthodologie de l’intervention sociale et interculturalité

Cet écrit fait état des réflexions et des travaux d'un groupe de praticiens qui, à partir d'études de cas, ont pu dégager un ensemble de principes, de valeurs, d'attitudes et de comportements professionnels qui devraient plus particulièrement être pris en considération dans l'intervention interculturelle. Ces réflexions ont été placées dans le cadre théorique de la méthodologie du travail social. C'est dans cette densité de réalités multiples que le travailleur social, sollicité par le client ou mandaté par l'organisation sociale, devra en toute maîtrise de sa méthodologie offrir un soutien qui permettra à la personne immigrante (groupe ou communauté) de rehausser sa compétence sociale dans le nouveau tissu social qu'elle doit se constituer du fait de la situation de transition que l'immigration lui impose

Long-term performance of flexible pavement structures in a changing climate

Abstract: Climate changes may cause an increase of precipitation in the Province of Quebec over the next decades. As the performance of flexible pavement structures is closely related to moisture content of soils and aggregates, these structures can be considered vulnerable to climate changes. In order to quantify the effect of future precipitations increase on the pavement service life, this research project was based on a three steps approach: 1) Establishment of a relationship between precipitations and water content in the subgrade layers; 2) Establishment of the relationship between soils water content and soils mechanical properties, quantified with the resilient modulus and the permanent deformation behaviour; 3) Quantification of the effect of increased precipitations on pavement life, based on modification of their mechanical behaviour due to water content increase. For the example considered in this paper, it was found that the service life of pavement structures submitted to future climate may present a service life reaching 0.72 times the service of actual pavement structures. These results vary depending on the soil and damage types considered. Long-term performance of flexible pavement structures in a changing climat

Analysis of Blood Stem Cell Activity and Cystatin Gene Expression in a Mouse Model Presenting a Chromosomal Deletion Encompassing Csta and Stfa2l1

The cystatin protein superfamily is characterized by the presence of conserved sequences that display cysteine protease inhibitory activity (e.g., towards cathepsins). Type 1 and 2 cystatins are encoded by 25 genes of which 23 are grouped in 2 clusters localized on mouse chromosomes 16 and 2. The expression and essential roles of most of these genes in mouse development and hematopoiesis remain poorly characterized. In this study, we describe a set of quantitative real-time PCR assays and a global expression profile of cystatin genes in normal mouse tissues. Benefiting from our collection of DelES embryonic stem cell clones harboring large chromosomal deletions (to be reported elsewhere), we selected a clone in which a 95-kb region of chromosome 16 is missing (Del16qB3Δ/+). In this particular clone, 2 cystatin genes, namely Csta and Stfa2l1 are absent along with 2 other genes (Fam162a, Ccdc58) and associated intergenic regions. From this line, we established a new homozygous mutant mouse model (Del16qB3Δ/16qB3Δ) to assess the in vivo biological functions of the 2 deleted cystatins. Stfa2l1 gene expression is high in wild-type fetal liver, bone marrow, and spleen, while Csta is ubiquitously expressed. Homozygous Del16qB3Δ/16qB3Δ animals are phenotypically normal, fertile, and not overtly susceptible to spontaneous or irradiation-induced tumor formation. The hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell activity in these mutant mice are also normal. Interestingly, quantitative real-time PCR expression profiling reveals a marked increase in the expression levels of Stfa2l1/Csta phylogenetically-related genes (Stfa1, Stfa2, and Stfa3) in Del16qB3Δ/16qB3Δ hematopoietic tissues, suggesting that these candidate genes might be contributing to compensatory mechanisms. Overall, this study presents an optimized approach to globally monitor cystatin gene expression as well as a new mouse model deficient in Stfa2l1/Csta genes, expanding the available tools to dissect cystatin roles under normal and pathological conditions

Genome-Wide Interrogation of Mammalian Stem Cell Fate Determinants by Nested Chromosome Deletions

Understanding the function of important DNA elements in mammalian stem cell genomes would be enhanced by the availability of deletion collections in which segmental haploidies are precisely characterized. Using a modified Cre-loxP–based system, we now report the creation and characterization of a collection of ∼1,300 independent embryonic stem cell (ESC) clones enriched for nested chromosomal deletions. Mapping experiments indicate that this collection spans over 25% of the mouse genome with good representative coverage of protein-coding genes, regulatory RNAs, and other non-coding sequences. This collection of clones was screened for in vitro defects in differentiation of ESC into embryoid bodies (EB). Several putative novel haploinsufficient regions, critical for EB development, were identified. Functional characterization of one of these regions, through BAC complementation, identified the ribosomal gene Rps14 as a novel haploinsufficient determinant of embryoid body formation. This new library of chromosomal deletions in ESC (DelES: http://bioinfo.iric.ca/deles) will serve as a unique resource for elucidation of novel protein-coding and non-coding regulators of ESC activity

Supporting work practices through telehealth: impact on nurses in peripheral regions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Canada, workforce shortages in the health care sector constrain the ability of the health care system to meet the needs of its population and of its health care professionals. This issue is of particular importance in peripheral regions of Quebec, where significant inequalities in workforce distribution between regions has lead to acute nursing shortages and increased workloads. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are innovative solutions that can be used to develop strategies to optimise the use of available resources and to design new nursing work practices. However, current knowledge is still limited about the real impact of ICTs on nursing recruitment and retention. Our aim is to better understand how work practice reorganization, supported by ICTs, and particularly by telehealth, may influence professional, educational, and organizational factors relating to Quebec nurses, notably those working in peripheral regions.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>First, we will conduct a descriptive study on the issue of nursing recruitment. Stratified sampling will be used to select approximately twenty innovative projects relating to the reorganization of work practices based upon ICTs. Semi-structured interviews with key informants will determine professional, educational, and organizational recruitment factors. The results will be used to create a questionnaire which, using a convenience sampling method, will be mailed to 600 third year students and recent graduates of two Quebec university nursing faculties. Descriptive, correlation, and hierarchical regression analyses will be performed to identify factors influencing nursing graduates' intentions to practice in peripheral regions. Secondly, we will conduct five case studies pertaining to the issue of nursing retention. Five ICT projects in semi-urban, rural, and isolated regions have been identified. Qualitative data will be collected through field observation and approximately fifty semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Data from both parts of this research project will be jointly analysed using triangulation of researchers, theoretical approaches, methods, and results. Continuous exchanges with decision makers and periodic knowledge transfer activities are planned to facilitate the dissemination and utilization of research results in policies regarding the nursing recruitment and retention.</p

Flexible pavement damage during spring thaw: a field study using the falling weight deflectometer

Spring thaw creates critical performance conditions for pavement networks. The increase of water content in the pavement environment is significant during spring thaw. Combined with poor drainage conditions, materials condition variations are triggering factors that accentuate the effect of heavy vehicle loading on pavement response and damage. Two experimental pavement sections were monitored in 2014 and 2015 for temperature and deflections. the section with the lowest structural capacity was found to be more sensitive to thaw weakening. Fatigue damage calculated for this section was found to be 31 % higher than the section with the highest structural capacity. Moreover, it was shown that a load reduction in the range of 20 % can decrease the total yearly damage by about 7 to 10 % for the considered test sections. In general, fatigue damage was found to increase from spring onset to the warmest conditions of the yearly cycle, in July.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Assessment of the relationship between the international roughness index and dynamic loading of heavy vehicles

Due to imperfect surface profiles, heavy vehicles moving at high speed on flexible pavement structures oscillate in the vertical axis. This phenomenon induces dynamic loads, which oscillate at lower and higher values than the average load associated with static load considered with most pavement analysis and design applications. Higher loads applied to flexible pavements are likely to significantly reduce pavement service life. A new multibody dynamic truck model was used to study heavy vehicle wheel load for various pavement profiles of varying international roughness index (IRI). The modelled heavy vehicle wheel load response were used to calculate the dynamic load coefficient, and a relationship with IRI was proposed. On the basis of this relationship, the evolving pavement surface profile, and thus evolving IRI, was used to determine the evolution of dynamic loading with pavement life. A comparison of pavement service life for the classical static loading and for dynamic loading was made for three highway flexible pavement structures. When dynamic loads are considered, it was found that the pavement service life reduction may be reduced of about 29 and 20% for bottom-up fatigue cracking and structural rutting failure criteria