Estimation of breeding value in pigs report of a working group

International audienc

Étude pilote de l’entretien motivationnel chez des personnes condamnées pour conduite avec facultés affaiblies

Dans cette étude pilote contrôlée et randomisée (N = 51), nous avons examiné l’impact d’une intervention brève, l’entretien motivationnel (EM, Motivational Interviewing), comparée à une simple séance d’information comme condition contrôle, chez des personnes condamnées pour conduite avec facultés affaiblies. Les participants devaient avoir un diagnostic actif d’abus ou de dépendance à l’alcool et devaient être recrutés en dehors des programmes officiels de traitement pour conducteurs avec facultés affaiblies de façon à tester l’EM chez des individus qui n’étaient pas nécessairement prêts à changer. Nous avons évalué le pourcentage de jours de forte consommation d’alcool (≥ 6 consommations standards d’alcool par jour), les résultats à l’AUDIT et l’utilisation de services après trois et six mois de suivi. Les résultats indiquent que l’exposition à l’EM a entraîné une réduction significativement plus grande du nombre de jours à forte consommation d’alcool et du nombre de visites à des professionnels de la santé après six mois de suivi. L’ampleur des effets observés est comparable à celle que l’on peut retrouver dans d’autres études employant l’EM avec différentes populations ayant un problème d’alcool. Quoique préliminaires, ces résultats suggèrent que l’emploi de l’EM pourrait être avantageux, même chez des individus qui ne sont pas engagés dans un processus de réhabilitation. Une étude plus approfondie du potentiel de l’EM conduisant directement à une amélioration de la conduite en état d’ébriété est clairement justifiée.A pilot randomized controlled trial (N = 51) investigated the impact of a brief intervention approach : Motivational Interviewing (MI), compared to a simple information session as a control condition, in offenders convicted of driving under the influence (DUI). Participants had a current diagnosis of alcohol abuse or dependence, and were recruited outside of mandated DUI remedial programs, in order to test MI in individuals who were not necessarily prepared to change. We evaluated the percentage of days of significant alcohol consumption (≥ 6 standard drinks a day), AUDIT scores and service utilization at three and six months follow-up. Results indicated that exposure to MI resulted in a significantly greater reduction in the number of days of significant alcohol consumption and fewer visits to health professionals at six months follow-up. Observed effect sizes were comparable to other studies of MI in different populations with alcohol problems. While preliminary, these results suggest that MI for DUI could have benefits, even in individuals who are not involved in a remedial process. A comprehensive study of MI’s potential in more directly improving drinking and driving outcomes is clearly warranted.En este estudio piloto controlado y aleatorio (N = 51), hemos examinado el impacto que produjo una breve intervención, la entrevista de motivación (EM, Motivational Interviewing), en personas condenadas por conducir con facultades debilitadas, comparándola a una simple sesión de información como condición de control. Los participantes debían tener un diagnóstico activo de abuso o de dependencia de alcohol y haber sido reclutados fuera de los programas oficiales de tratamiento para conductores con facultades debilitadas, con el objetivo de probar la entrevista de motivación en individuos que no estaban necesariamente preparados para cambiar. Hemos evaluado el porcentaje de días de fuerte consumo de alcohol (≥ 6 consumos regulares de alcohol por día), los resultados en la verificación y la utilización de los servicios luego de tres y seis meses de seguimiento. Los resultados indican que la exposición a la entrevista de motivación generó una reducción significativamente más importante de días de fuerte consumo de alcohol y de la cantidad de visitas a profesionales de la salud luego de seis meses de seguimiento. La amplitud de los efectos observados es comparable a la que se puede encontrar en otros estudios que emplean la entrevista de motivación con diferentes poblaciones que tienen un problema de alcohol. Si bien preliminares, estos resultados sugieren que el uso de las entrevistas de motivación podría ser ventajoso, incluso con individuos que no están comprometidos en un proceso de rehabilitación. Se justifica ampliamente un estudio más profundo de las posibilidades de la entrevista de motivación como medio para lograr directamente una mejoría en cuando a la conducción de vehículos en estado de ebriedad

Recent AEM Case Study Examples of a Full Waveform Time-Domain System for Near-Surface and Groundwater Applications

Early time or high frequency airborne electromagnetic data (AEM) are desirable for shallow sounding or mapping of resistive areas but this poses difficulties due to a variety of issues, such as system bandwidth, system calibration and parasitic loop capacitance. In an effort to address this issue, a continued system design strategy, aimed at improving its early-channel VTEM data, has achieved fully calibrated, quantitative measurements closer to the transmitter current turn-off, while maintaining reasonably optimal deep penetration characteristics. The new design implementation, known as “Full Waveform” VTEM was previously described by Legault et al. (2012). This paper presents some case-study examples of a Full Waveform helicopter time-domain EM system for near-surface application

Why might a video game developer join a union?

This paper contributes to the union renewal literature by examining the union voting propensity of workers in the high-tech tertiary sector of videogame development toward different forms of unionization. We used exclusive data from a survey of videogame developers (VGD) working primarily in Anglo-Saxon countries. When looking at the factors related to voting propensity, our data indicated that the type of unionism matters and that industry/sectoral unionism is an increasingly salient model for project-based knowledge workers. This is an important policy dimension given that the legal structures and norms in Anglo-Saxon countries still tend to support decentralized enterprise-based unionism. It is also important for unions insofar as their organizing tactics remain geared toward a shop-by-shop approach or, at least, a localized geographical approach. Although additional work is required, our analyses lends support to the argument that high-commitment and high-involvement workplaces can engender a desire for collective representation and voice such as is offered through unionization. Whether this is because such workplaces step over a breaking-point line where the requirement for full alignment with employer goals becomes untenable and a source of discontent, whether this represents the existence of dual commitment where a representative agent like a union is seen as necessary to protect the work that people love, or whether there is a combination of these forces is not yet clear, but it is a critical area of future study for project-based knowledge workers

Kinetics Aspects of the Reversible Assembly of Copper in Heterometallic Mo3CuS4 Clusters with 4,4′-Di-tert-butyl-2,2′- bipyridine

Treatment of the triangular [Mo3S4Cl3(dbbpy)3]Cl cluster ([1]Cl) with CuCl produces a novel tetrametallic cuboidal cluster [Mo3(CuCl)S4Cl3(dbbpy)3][CuCl2] ([2][CuCl2]), whose crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (dbbpy = 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridine). This species, which contains two distinct types of Cu(I), is the first example of a diimine-functionalized heterometallic M3M′S4 cluster. Kinetics studies on both the formation of the cubane from the parent trinuclear cluster and its dissociation after treatment with halides, supported by NMR, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, and density functional theory calculations, are provided. On the one hand, the results indicate that addition of Cu(I) to [1]+ is so fast that its kinetics can be monitored only by cryo-stopped flow at −85 °C. On the other hand, the release of the CuCl unit in [2]+ is also a fast process, which is unexpectedly assisted by the CuCl2 − counteranion in a process triggered by halide (X−) anions. The whole set of results provide a detailed picture of the assembly−disassembly processes in this kind of cluster. Interconversion between trinuclear M3S4 clusters and their heterometallic M3M′S4 derivatives can be a fast process occurring readily under the conditions employed during reactivity and catalytic studies, so their occurrence is a possibility that must be taken into account in future studies

L’Échelle du climat de prévention de la violence : traduction, adaptation et évaluation psychométrique de la version canadienne-française

Introduction: Violence in psychiatric settings has negative consequences on patients, staff, and the institution alike. Efforts to prevent violence cannot currently be assessed due to a lack of suitable indicators. The Violence Prevention Climate Scale (VPC-14) is a validated tool that can be filled out by both staff and patients to assess the violence prevention climate in mental health care units. Objective: This study aimed to conduct the translation and adaptation of the VPC-14 to a French Canadian context, and to assess its psychometric properties in general and forensic psychiatric settings. Methods: This study followed a transcultural approach for validating measuring instruments. Psychometric properties were assessed in 308 patients and staff from 4 mental health and forensic hospitals in Quebec (Canada). Content validity was assessed using a bilingual participant approach. Internal validity was examined through exploratory factor analysis and internal consistency for each care setting using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient analysis. Results: The Échelle modifiée du climat de prévention de la violence [Modified Violence Prevention Climate Scale] (VPC-M-FR) consists of 23 items with a 3-factor structure: 1) staff action, 2) patient action, and 3) the therapeutic environment. Cronbach’s alphas ranging from 0.69 to 0.89 were obtained for the internal consistency of the scale. Discussion and conclusion: The VPC-M-FR has satisfactory psychometric properties for measuring the violence prevention climate in mental health and forensic settings. By measuring the violence prevention climate from the standpoint of patients and staff, targeted preventive measures can be implemented to improve safety for all.Introduction : La violence en milieu psychiatrique entraîne des conséquences néfastes pour les patients, les intervenants et les organisations. Pourtant, les efforts pour la prévenir ne peuvent être évalués faute d’indicateurs adéquats. Le Violence Prevention Climate Scale (VPC-14), complété par les intervenants et les patients, est un outil validé qui évalue le climat de prévention de violence. Objectif : Cette étude vise à traduire et adapter le VPC-14 au contexte québécois et à en vérifier la fiabilité et la validité en psychiatrie générale et légale. Méthodes : En se basant sur la méthode de validation transculturelle d’instruments de mesure, les propriétés psychométriques ont été évaluées auprès de 308 patients et intervenants de 4 hôpitaux et instituts de santé mentale et médico-légale québécois. La validité de construit a été examinée par une analyse factorielle exploratoire et la cohérence interne par l’analyse du coefficient alpha de Cronbach. Résultats : L’Échelle modifiée du climat de prévention de la violence (VPC-M-FR) comprend 23 énoncés avec une structure à 3 facteurs : 1) les actions des intervenants, 2) les actions des patients et 3) l’environnement thérapeutique. Des coefficients alpha de Cronbach variant de 0,69 à 0,89 ont été obtenus pour la consistance interne de l’échelle. Discussion et conclusion : Le VPC-M-FR possède des propriétés psychométriques satisfaisantes pour mesurer le climat de prévention de la violence en milieu de santé mentale et médico-légal. En tenant compte de la perspective des intervenants et des patients, des interventions ciblées de prévention pourront être mises en œuvre afin d’améliorer la sécurité de tous

Cocaine Serves as a Peripheral Interoceptive Conditioned Stimulus for Central Glutamate and Dopamine Release

Intravenous injections of cocaine HCl are habit-forming because, among their many actions, they elevate extracellular dopamine levels in the terminal fields of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system. This action, thought to be very important for cocaine's strong addiction liability, is believed to have very short latency and is assumed to reflect rapid brain entry and pharmacokinetics of the drug. However, while intravenous cocaine HCl has almost immediate effects on behavior and extracellular dopamine levels, recent evidence suggests that its central pharmacological effects are not evident until 10 or more seconds after IV injection. Thus the immediate effects of a given intravenous cocaine injection on extracellular dopamine concentration and behavior appear to occur before there is sufficient time for cocaine to act centrally as a dopamine uptake inhibitor. To explore the contribution of peripheral effects of cocaine to the early activation of the dopamine system, we used brain microdialysis to measure the effects of cocaine methiodide (MI)—a cocaine analogue that does not cross the blood brain barrier—on glutamate (excitatory) input to the dopamine cells. IP injections of cocaine MI were ineffective in cocaine-naïve animals but stimulated ventral tegmental glutamate release in rats previously trained to lever-press for cocaine HCl. This peripherally triggered glutamate input was sufficient to reinstate cocaine-seeking in previously trained animals that had undergone extinction of the habit. These findings offer an explanation for short-latency behavioral responses and immediate dopamine elevations seen following cocaine injections in cocaine-experienced but not cocaine-naïve animals

Quick and Simple Detection Technique to Assess the Binding of Antimicrotubule Agents to the Colchicine-Binding Site

Development of antimitotic binding to the colchicine-binding site for the treatment of cancer is rapidly expanding. Numerous antimicrotubule agents are prepared every year, and the determination of their binding affinity to tubulin requires the use of purified tubulins and radiolabeled ligands. Such a procedure is costly and time-consuming and therefore is limited to the most promising candidates. Here, we report a quick and inexpensive method that requires only usual laboratory resources to assess the binding of antimicrotubules to colchicine-binding site. The method is based on the ability of N,N'-ethylene-bis(iodoacetamide) (EBI) to crosslink in living cells the cysteine residues at position 239 and 354 of β-tubulin, residues which are involved in the colchicine-binding site. The β-tubulin adduct formed by EBI is easily detectable by Western blot as a second immunoreacting band of β-tubulin that migrates faster than β-tubulin. The occupancy of colchicine-binding site by pertinent antimitotics inhibits the formation of the EBI: β-tubulin adduct, resulting in an assay that allows the screening of new molecules targeting this binding site