"Generation 9/11": Canadian Muslim Youth Negotiating Nationalist and Sexual Subjectivities

While much attention has been given to the impact on adult Muslims religious identities in the post-9/11 era, little research has been conducted on young Muslims who have grown up in this period. Moreover, the limited research on Muslim youths identity tends to focus almost exclusively on male aggression and female piety. In this dissertation, I argue that the repetition of these themes in both scholarly research and mainstream media serves to narrow an understanding of young Muslims identities, and functions to perpetuate stereotyped notions of young Muslims. I also argue that sexuality is hegemonically employed in North American national ideologies to construct Muslim sexuality as inferior to non-Muslim sexuality; however, until now, researchers have yet to examine its impact on young Muslims sexual subjectivities. I situate my study in the context of national ideology and particularly the shifts taking place in the post-9/11 context that underpin notions of belonging and citizenship. The idea of the nation includes regulations and restrictions for sexual crossingsthat is, good citizens should not have sex with the enemy Other (Nagel, 2003: 141-42). National belonging thus entails controlling the sexual practices of national members and defining acceptable sexual coupling. Accordingly, because terrorist-enemy constructions are frequently linked to Muslim identity, my study examines how this sexually racialized structuring affects young Canadian Muslims perceptions of national belonging and citizenship. I argue that these interrelated constructions of Muslim identity and national belonging have an impact on young Canadian Muslims sexual subjectivities and their perceptions of appropriate sexual coupling within a national context. Hence, this study simultaneously illuminates the links between Muslim sexual identity and perspectives of national belonging as well as stresses young Muslim identities as an under-researched area of Canadian identity politics

Impact d'une alimentation riche en phytoestrogènes sur l'expression génique cardiaque

Mémoire numérisé par la Division de la gestion de documents et des archives de l'Université de Montréal

Caractérisation d'un modèle animal de douleur articulaire associée à l'arthrose du genou chez le rat Sprague-Dawley

La douleur articulaire associée à l’arthrose est un problème clinique majeur, spécialement chez les personnes âgées. L’intensité de la douleur est souvent amplifiée lors de mouvement de l’articulation et principalement lors du soutien de la charge corporelle sur le membre lésé. Malheureusement, les traitements pharmacologiques proposés sont trop souvent associés à des effets secondaires néfastes et à une inefficacité pour le soulagement de la douleur à long terme. Divers modèles murins sont utilisés en laboratoire de recherche pour des études précliniques de molécules aux propriétés analgésiques. Une évaluation comparative de la réponse comportementale douloureuse des animaux d’un modèle d’instabilité articulaire induit par le sectionnement du ligament croisé antérieur accompagné d’une méniscectomie partielle (le modèle ACLT+pMMx) et d’un modèle de dégénérescence articulaire induite par le monoiodoacetate (le modèle MIA) a permis de sélectionner un modèle approprié pour la continuité du projet. Les deux modèles ont démontré des lésions tissulaires, mais le modèle MIA a démontré une réponse douloureuse plus prononcée que le modèle ACLT+pMMx. Par l’analyse de la démarche, le modèle MIA a démontré une boiterie claire dans le patron de la démarche des animaux qui est associée à une lésion unilatérale. Le modèle MIA a donc été choisi pour la suite du projet. La problématique principale dans la recherche sur la douleur associée à l’arthrose est une compréhension incomplète des mécanismes de douleur responsables de l’induction et du maintien de l’état de douleur. Il devient donc nécessaire d’améliorer nos connaissances de ces mécanismes en effectuant une caractérisation plus approfondie des modèles animaux employés pour l’évaluation de stratégies pharmacologiques analgésiantes. Afin de bien comprendre le modèle MIA, une caractérisation des événements moléculaires centraux lors de la progression du processus dégénératif des structures articulaires de ce modèle s’est effectuée aux jours 3, 7, 14, 21 et 28 post injection. Des mécanismes hétérogènes qui modulent l’information nociceptive en fonction de la progression temporelle de la pathologie ont été observés. Les changements du contenu i spinal des neuropeptides sélectionnés (substance P, CGRP, dynorphine A et Big dynorphine) ont débuté sept jours suivant l’injection de MIA. L’observation histologique a démontré que les dommages structuraux les plus importants surviennent entre les jours 14 et 21. C’est entre les jours 7 et 21 que les lésions démontrent le plus de similarités à la pathologie humaine. Cela suggère que lors d’une évaluation préclinique d’un traitement pharmacologique pour pallier la douleur articulaire utilisant le modèle MIA, l’étude doit tenir compte de ces événements afin de maximiser l’évaluation de son efficacité. Puisque les traitements pharmacologiques conventionnels proposés pour le soulagement de la douleur ne font pas l’unanimité en terme d’efficacité, d’effets non désirés et de coûts monétaires parfois onéreux, les molécules de dérivés de plante deviennent une alternative intéressante. L’eugénol, le principal constituant de l’huile de clou de girofle, a été administré oralement pour une période de 28 jours chez des rats ayant reçu l’injection intra-articulaire de MIA afin d’évaluer son efficacité pour le traitement de la douleur articulaire. L’eugénol à une dose de 40 mg/kg s’est révélé efficace pour l’amélioration du patron de la démarche des animaux ainsi que pour la diminution de l’allodynie mécanique secondaire. De plus, les concentrations spinales de neuropeptides pronocicepteurs ont diminué chez les animaux traités. Par une évaluation histopathologique, l’eugénol n’a démontré aucune évidence d’effets toxiques suite à une administration per os quotidienne pour une période prolongée. Ces résultats suggèrent le potentiel thérapeutique complémentaire de la molécule d’eugénol pour le traitement de la douleur articulaire.Pain is the most predominant clinical symptom associated with osteoarthritis (OA), mostly among older people. Joint movement and weight bearing often increase the pain intensity. Unfortunately, the proposed pharmacological treatments are frequently associated with side effects and ineffective for pain alleviation for long time periods. Many murine models are used in laboratories for preclinical studies evaluating analgesic compounds. A comparative evaluation of the behavioral pain responses of animals with a joint instability model induced by the transection of the anterior cruciate ligament followed by a partial menisectomy (the ACLT+pMMx model) and of an articular degenerative model induced by an intra-articular injection of monoiodoacetate (the MIA model) was conducted to select an appropriate model for the continuation of the project. Both models demonstrated articular lésions, however the MIA model demonstrated a clearer behavioral pain response over the ACLT+pMMx model. The gait pattern of the MIA model revealed a clear limping gait similar to that observed with unilateral OA in humans. The MIA model was chosen for the subsequent studies. An unresolved issue in pain OA research is the lack of understanding of the pain mechanisms responsible for the induction and maintenance of the pain. Therefore, there is an urgent clinical need to improve the characterization of animal models to effectively discover novel pain relief pharmacological treatment stratégies for OA patients. A characterization of the spinal pain molecular events during the progression of the joint degenerative process in the MIA model was performed on days 3, 7, 14, 21 and 28 post injection. Heterogeneous nociceptive central molecular events were observed in respect to the time course of the pathology’s progression. Changes in selected spinal neuropeptide content (substance P, CGRP, dynorphin A, Big dynorphin) began 7 days following the MIA injection. Most severe joint structural damage on histology occured between days 14 and 21 post injection. These results suggest that preclinical drug evaluation employing this model should be conducted between 7 and 21 days post injection when the lesions resemble most those of human OA. iii As current pharmacological therapy for the alleviation of joint pain does not achieve the unanimity in respect to efficacy, side effects and cost, plant derivate compounds are now interesting alternatives to improve the situation. Eugenol, the main constituent of clove oil, was evaluated for its efficacy for alleviation of joint pain in rats who previously received an intra-articular injection of mono-iodoacetate to induce the MIA model. Eugenol, administered orally for 28 consecutive days at a dose of 40 mg/kg, improved gait pattern and reduced secondary mechanical allodynia. Furthermore, spinal concentrations of pronociceptive neuropeptides were also decreased in the treated animals. No toxic effects of the compoud were identified on histopathological assessment of the various tissues. These results suggest that eugenol could be a potential therapeutic option for alleviating OA joint pain

Prévention des difficultés d’apprentissage en lecture chez les enseignants de maternelle

Cet article décrit une démarche collaborative de développement professionnel relatif à la prévention des difficultés d’apprentissage en lecture dans des maternelles de milieux socioéconomiques faibles, ainsi que des retombées chez les enseignants et les élèves. Cette démarche consiste en l’implantation d’un programme de prévention des difficultés en lecture, intégrant le meilleur des approches globale et phonique. L’analyse des résultats montre que la démarche de développement professionnel a donné des retombées significatives chez les enseignants ; ceux-ci parlent de pratiques qui témoignent d’une plus grande importance accordée à la connaissance des lettres et aux habiletés métaphonologiques. De plus, cette démarche des enseignants a eu un effet positif sur la connaissance des lettres et la motivation des élèves du groupe expérimental.This article describes a collaborative approach to professional development related to the prevention of reading difficulties in low socio-economic Kindergartens, as well as the impact on both teachers and students. This approach includes the implementation of a program to prevent reading difficulties that integrates both global and phonetic teaching approaches. An analysis of the results shows that this process of professional development had a significant impact on teachers: their descriptions of teaching practices show the importance placed on letter knowledge and meta-phonological abilities. As well, this approach had a positive impact on letter knowledge and motivation for children in the experimental group.Este artículo describe un proceso cooperativo de desarrollo profesional relativo a la prevención de las dificultades de aprendizaje en lectura en clases de preescolares de medio socioeconómico bajo, así como las repercusiones en los docentes y los alumnos. Este proceso consiste en la implantación de un programa de prevención de las dificultades en lectura, integrando lo mejor de los enfoques global y fónico. El análisis de los resultados demuestra que el proceso de desarrollo profesional tuvo repercusiones significativas en los docentes; los cuales hablan de prácticas que demuestran que se otorga una importancia más grande al conocimiento de las letras y a las habilidades metafonológicas. Además, se ha observado que este proceso, por parte de los docentes, tuvo un efecto positivo en el conocimiento de las letras y la motivación de los alumnos del grupo experimental

What Are Consumers Looking For In Dark Chocolate?

In this paper, we conduct a conjoint analysis to measure the relative importance of attributes of dark chocolate brand, country of origin, certification, cacao content in the formation of consumers preferences. Results show that the cacao content is the most important attribute

Canadian goldenrod residues and extracts inhibit the growth of Streptomyces scabiei, the causal agent of potato common scab

Common scab is one of the most important diseases affecting potato crops worldwide. Using fresh residues and/or bio-products of Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis) may offer an alternative to harmful conventional fumigants. In this study, we aimed to: (i) conduct a preliminary investigation of the utilization of S. canadensis to reduce common scab severity (Experiment 1), and (ii) determine the allopathic potentials of S. canadensis extracts on Streptomyces scabiei (also known as S. scabies), the most important soil pathogen responsible for causing common scab in North America (Experiment 2). Compared with control plants, preliminary results showed that adding 1.2 kg of fresh S. canadensis residue per m2 reduced scab severity by about 45% (Experiment 1). Furthermore, hexane and dichloromethane extracts of S. canadensis, at a concentration of 200 µg·mL−1, inhibited the growth of S. scabiei by about 97% (Experiment 2). These results were comparable with those using tetracycline (2.5 µg·mL−1), a known inhibitor of S. scabiei. Both experiments suggested that S. canadensis may represent a new approach for controlling potato common scab. More studies are required to better understand the mechanisms involved in S. canadensis induced reduction of common scab in order to standardize the approaches. La gale commune est une maladie tellurique importante chez la pomme de terre et l’utilisation de résidus et/ou extraits de verge d’or du Canada (Solidago canadensis) pourrait représenter une alternative prometteuse aux pesticides (fumigants) utilisés pour combattre la maladie. Les objectifs de cette recherche étaient i) effectuer une expérience préliminaire afin de mesurer les effets de l’incorporation de résidus frais de S. canadensis sur la sévérité de la gale commune (expérience 1) et ii) déterminer les potentiels allélopathiques des extraits de S. canadensis sur Streptomyces scabiei, un important agent pathogène causant la maladie de la gale commune (expérience 2). Nos résultats préliminaires issus de l’expérience 1 montrent qu’ajouter 1.2 kg m−2 de S. canadensis (résidus frais) permet de réduire significativement de 45% la sévérité de la gale commune. Les extraits de S. canadensis effectués avec l’hexane et le dichlorométhane et à des concentrations de 200 µg mL−1 permettent d’inhiber à 97% la croissance de S. scabiei, résultats comparables à la tétracycline (2.5 µg mL−1), un antibiotique connu pour inhiber la croissance de S. scabiei. Les résultats de cette étude montrent clairement et pour une première fois le potentiel d’utilisation de S. canadensis comme moyen de lutte contre la maladie de la gale commune chez la pomme de terre. D’autres recherche seront toutefois nécessaires pour bien comprendre et cibler les mécanismes impliqués afin de standardiser et d’optimiser cette nouvelle et prometteuse approche

Humoral responses to the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are impaired in Leigh Syndrome French Canadian patients

Leigh Syndrome French Canadian (LSFC) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder characterized by severe lactic acidosis crises and early mortality. LSFC patients carry mutations in the Leucine Rich Pentatricopeptide Repeat Containing (LRPPRC) gene, which lead to defects in the respiratory chain complexes and mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial respiration modulates cellular metabolic activity, which impacts many cell types including the differentiation and function of immune cells. Hence, we postulated that, in addition to neurological and metabolic disorders, LSFC patients may show impaired immune activity. To gain insight into the quality of the immune response in LSFC patients, we examined the response to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine by measuring antibody titers to MMR in the plasma. In a cohort of eight LSFC patients, the response to the MMR vaccine was variable, with some individuals showing antibodies to all three viruses, while others had antibodies to two or fewer viruses. These results suggest that the mutations in the LRPPRC gene present in LSFC patients may affect the immune response to vaccines. Monitoring vaccine response in this fragile population should be considered to ensure full protection against pathogens

Identification of QTL with effects on intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition in a Duroc × Large White cross

Research articl

Management of Cerebral Venous Thrombosis Due to Adenoviral COVID-19 Vaccination

Objective Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) caused by vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare adverse effect of adenovirus-based severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines. In March 2021, after autoimmune pathogenesis of VITT was discovered, treatment recommendations were developed. These comprised immunomodulation, non-heparin anticoagulants, and avoidance of platelet transfusion. The aim of this study was to evaluate adherence to these recommendations and its association with mortality. Methods We used data from an international prospective registry of patients with CVT after the adenovirus-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We analyzed possible, probable, or definite VITT-CVT cases included until January 18, 2022. Immunomodulation entailed administration of intravenous immunoglobulins and/or plasmapheresis. Results Ninety-nine patients with VITT-CVT from 71 hospitals in 17 countries were analyzed. Five of 38 (13%), 11 of 24 (46%), and 28 of 37 (76%) of the patients diagnosed in March, April, and from May onward, respectively, were treated in-line with VITT recommendations (p < 0.001). Overall, treatment according to recommendations had no statistically significant influence on mortality (14/44 [32%] vs 29/55 [52%], adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.16-1.19). However, patients who received immunomodulation had lower mortality (19/65 [29%] vs 24/34 [70%], adjusted OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.06-0.58). Treatment with non-heparin anticoagulants instead of heparins was not associated with lower mortality (17/51 [33%] vs 13/35 [37%], adjusted OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.24-2.04). Mortality was also not significantly influenced by platelet transfusion (17/27 [63%] vs 26/72 [36%], adjusted OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 0.74-6.54). Conclusions In patients with VITT-CVT, adherence to VITT treatment recommendations improved over time. Immunomodulation seems crucial for reducing mortality of VITT-CVT. ANN NEUROL 2022Peer reviewe

Sex differences in cerebral venous sinus thrombosis after adenoviral vaccination against COVID-19

Introduction: Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis associated with vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (CVST-VITT) is a severe disease with high mortality. There are few data on sex differences in CVST-VITT. The aim of our study was to investigate the differences in presentation, treatment, clinical course, complications, and outcome of CVST-VITT between women and men. Patients and methods: We used data from an ongoing international registry on CVST-VITT. VITT was diagnosed according to the Pavord criteria. We compared the characteristics of CVST-VITT in women and men. Results: Of 133 patients with possible, probable, or definite CVST-VITT, 102 (77%) were women. Women were slightly younger [median age 42 (IQR 28–54) vs 45 (28–56)], presented more often with coma (26% vs 10%) and had a lower platelet count at presentation [median (IQR) 50x109/L (28–79) vs 68 (30–125)] than men. The nadir platelet count was lower in women [median (IQR) 34 (19–62) vs 53 (20–92)]. More women received endovascular treatment than men (15% vs 6%). Rates of treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins were similar (63% vs 66%), as were new venous thromboembolic events (14% vs 14%) and major bleeding complications (30% vs 20%). Rates of good functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale 0-2, 42% vs 45%) and in-hospital death (39% vs 41%) did not differ. Discussion and conclusions: Three quarters of CVST-VITT patients in this study were women. Women were more severely affected at presentation, but clinical course and outcome did not differ between women and men. VITT-specific treatments were overall similar, but more women received endovascular treatment.</p