Évolution des représentations des problématiques socio-environnementales chez les étudiants et diplômés en éco-conseil : résultats d’une recherche exploratoire

Le Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées (DESS) en éco-conseil offert à l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) forme des professionnels généralistes possédant une base de compréhension des savoirs issus d’une multitude de disciplines. L’enseignement au DESS en éco-conseil valorise la transdisciplinarité : les enseignants ont des formations multidisciplinaires et les problématiques socio-environnementales en lien avec le développement durable (DD) sont présentées par plusieurs intervenants qui en abordent les dimensions écologiques, sociales, politiques, économiques, techniques et éthiques. Les savoirs que possèdent les étudiants sont aussi partagés entre eux dans le cadre de travaux et d’exercices. Les professionnels de recherche de la Chaire en éco-conseil interviennent activement dans la formation au DESS. Après 12 années de fonctionnement du programme, nous avons voulu entreprendre un processus de recherche praxéologique, dont la méthodologie est présentée à la section 1.6 de cet article, pour apprécier l’évolution des connaissances et des perceptions des étudiants à propos de problématiques environnementales, pour vérifier si l’enseignement permet d’atteindre les objectifs de la formation. Cet article a pour objectif de présenter les résultats d’une recherche exploratoire, réalisée avec un nombre restreint de participants, pour rendre compte de l’évolution des rapports aux différents savoirs chez des diplômés en éco-conseil dans l’exercice de leur métier. Cet article présente dans un premier temps l’approche éco-conseil et ses principales caractéristiques. Par la suite, nous expliquons comment cette approche a fait émerger l’idée de cette recherche. Les objectifs et la méthodologie de la recherche exploratoire sont par la suite présentés. Enfin, l’article présente les résultats et les perspectives qui sont offertes dans le cadre d’un programme de recherche plus complet sur les impacts de la formation au DÉSS en éco-conseil

A 3D CFD model of the interstitial fluid pressure and drug distribution in heterogeneous tumor nodules during intraperitoneal chemotherapy

Although intraperitoneal chemotherapy (IPC) has evolved into an established treatment modality for patients with peritoneal metastasis (PM), drug penetration into tumor nodules remains limited. Drug transport during IPC is a complex process that depends on a large number of different parameters (e.g. drug, dose, tumor size, tumor pressure, tumor vascularization). Mathematical modeling allows for a better understanding of the processes that underlie drug transport and the relative importance of the parameters influencing it. In this work, we expanded our previously developed 3D Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model of the drug mass transport in idealized tumor nodules during IP chemotherapy to include realistic tumor geometries and spatially varying vascular properties. DCE-MRI imaging made it possible to distinguish between tumorous tissues, healthy surrounding tissues and necrotic zones based on differences in the vascular properties. We found that the resulting interstitial pressure profiles within tumors were highly dependent on the irregular geometries and different zones. The tumor-specific cisplatin penetration depths ranged from 0.32 mm to 0.50 mm. In this work, we found that the positive relationship between tumor size and IFP does not longer hold in the presence of zones with different vascular properties, while we did observe a positive relationship between the percentage of viable tumor tissue and the maximal IFP. Our findings highlight the importance of incorporating both the irregular tumor geometries and different vascular zones in CFD models of IPC

Évolution des représentations des problématiques socio-environnementales chez les étudiants et diplômés en éco-conseil : résultats d’une recherche exploratoire

Le Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées (DESS) en éco-conseil offert à l’Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (UQAC) forme des professionnels généralistes possédant une base de compréhension des savoirs issus d’une multitude de disciplines. L’enseignement au DESS en éco-conseil valorise la transdisciplinarité : les enseignants ont des formations multidisciplinaires et les problématiques socio-environnementales en lien avec le développement durable (DD) sont présentées par plusieurs interven..

Screening Outside the Catalytic Site: Inhibition of Macromolecular Inter-actions Through Structure-Based Virtual Ligand Screening Experiments

During these last 15 years, drug discovery strategies have essentially focused on identifying small molecules able to inhibit catalytic sites. However, other mechanisms could be targeted. Protein-protein interactions play crucial roles in a number of biological processes, and, as such, their disruption or stabilization is becoming an area of intense activity. Along the same line, inhibition of protein-membrane could be of major importance in several disease indications. Despite the many challenges associated with the development of such classes of interaction modulators, there has been considerable success in the recent years. Importantly, through the existence of protein hot-spots and the presence of druggable pockets at the macromolecular interfaces or in their vicinities, it has been possible to find small molecule effectors using a variety of screening techniques, including combined virtual ligand-in vitro screening strategy. Indeed such in silico-in vitro protocols emerge as the method of choice to facilitate our quest of novel drug-like compounds or of mechanistic probes aiming at facilitating the understanding of molecular reactions involved in the Health and Disease process. In this review, we comment recent successes of combined in silico-in vitro screening methods applied to modulating macromolecular interactions with a special emphasis on protein-membrane interactions

New Species in the Old World: Europe as a Frontier in Biodiversity Exploration, a Test Bed for 21st Century Taxonomy

The number of described species on the planet is about 1.9 million, with ca. 17,000 new species described annually, mostly from the tropics. However, taxonomy is usually described as a science in crisis, lacking manpower and funding, a politically acknowledged problem known as the Taxonomic Impediment. Using data from the Fauna Europaea database and the Zoological Record, we show that contrary to general belief, developed and heavily-studied parts of the world are important reservoirs of unknown species. In Europe, new species of multicellular terrestrial and freshwater animals are being discovered and named at an unprecedented rate: since the 1950s, more than 770 new species are on average described each year from Europe, which add to the 125,000 terrestrial and freshwater multicellular species already known in this region. There is no sign of having reached a plateau that would allow for the assessment of the magnitude of European biodiversity. More remarkably, over 60% of these new species are described by non-professional taxonomists. Amateurs are recognized as an essential part of the workforce in ecology and astronomy, but the magnitude of non-professional taxonomist contributions to alpha-taxonomy has not been fully realized until now. Our results stress the importance of developing a system that better supports and guides this formidable workforce, as we seek to overcome the Taxonomic Impediment and speed up the process of describing the planetary biodiversity before it is too late

Pengaruh Brand Trust dan Brand Equity terhadap Loyalitas Konsumen pada Produk Kosmetik Wardah (Survey Konsumen pada PT. Paragon Technology And Innovation Cabang Pekanbaru)

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of brand trust ( X1 ) and brand equity ( X2 ) customer loyalty ( Y ) in cosmetic products Wardah ( consumer survey on PT . Paragon technology and innovation branches pekanbaru ) . The method in this research is quantitatively using SPSS 21 program , where samples were used that consumers using cosmetic products Wardah by respondents as many as 100 people sampling technique is accidental sampling using the formula slovin . The results showed that the test results simultaneously obtained from the F count was 34.888 while the value of F table 3.090 . This means that F count> F table and significant value 0,000 < alpha of 0.05 . This means that brand trust and brand equity simultaneously significant effect on consumer loyalty to cosmetic products Wardah

Brain age as a biomarker for pathological versus healthy ageing – a REMEMBER study

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the potential clinical value of a new brain age prediction model as a single interpretable variable representing the condition of our brain. Among many clinical use cases, brain age could be a novel outcome measure to assess the preventive effect of life-style interventions. Methods: The REMEMBER study population (N = 742) consisted of cognitively healthy (HC,N = 91), subjective cognitive decline (SCD,N = 65), mild cognitive impairment (MCI,N = 319) and AD dementia (ADD,N = 267) subjects. Automated brain volumetry of global, cortical, and subcortical brain structures computed by the CE-labeled and FDA-cleared software icobrain dm (dementia) was retrospectively extracted from T1-weighted MRI sequences that were acquired during clinical routine at participating memory clinics from the Belgian Dementia Council. The volumetric features, along with sex, were combined into a weighted sum using a linear model, and were used to predict ‘brain age’ and ‘brain predicted age difference’ (BPAD = brain age–chronological age) for every subject. Results: MCI and ADD patients showed an increased brain age compared to their chronological age. Overall, brain age outperformed BPAD and chronological age in terms of classification accuracy across the AD spectrum. There was a weak-to-moderate correlation between total MMSE score and both brain age (r = -0.38,p < .001) and BPAD (r = -0.26,p < .001). Noticeable trends, but no significant correlations, were found between BPAD and incidence of conversion from MCI to ADD, nor between BPAD and conversion time from MCI to ADD. BPAD was increased in heavy alcohol drinkers compared to non-/sporadic (p = .014) and moderate (p = .040) drinkers. Conclusions: Brain age and associated BPAD have the potential to serve as indicators for, and to evaluate the impact of lifestyle modifications or interventions on, brain health

Digenic Inheritance of Mutations in Homologous Recombination Genes in Cancer Patients

peer reviewedBackground/Objectives: BRCA1, BRCA2, ATM, and CHEK2 are known cancer predisposition genes (CPGs), but tumor risk in patients with simultaneous pathogenic variants (PVs) in CPGs remains largely unknown. In this study, we describe six patients from five families with multiple cancers who coinherited a combination of PVs in these genes. Methods: PVs were identified using NGS DNA sequencing and were confirmed by Sanger. Results: Families 1, 2, and 3 presented PVs in BRCA2 and ATM, family 4 in BRCA2 and BRCA1, and family 5 in BRCA2 and CHEK2. PVs were identified using NGS DNA sequencing and were confirmed by Sanger. The first family included patients with kidney, prostate, and breast cancer, in addition to pancreatic adenocarcinomas. In the second family, a female had breast cancer, while a male from the third family had prostate, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. The fourth family included a male with pancreatic cancer, and the fifth family a female with breast cancer. Conclusions: The early age of diagnosis and the development of multiple cancers in the reported patients indicate a very high risk of cancer in double-heterozygous patients associated with PVs in HR-related CPGs. Therefore, in families with patients who differ from other family members in terms of phenotype, age of diagnosis, or type of cancer, the cascade testing needs to include the study of other CPGs.WALGEMED (WALlonia GEnomic MEDicine

Role of regional wetland emissions in atmospheric methane variability

Atmospheric methane (CH4) accounts for ~20% of the total direct anthropogenic radiative forcing by long-lived greenhouse gases. Surface observations show a pause (1999-2006) followed by a resumption in CH4 growth, which remain largely unexplained. Using a land surface model, we estimate wetland CH4 emissions from 1993 to 2014 and study the regional contributions to changes in atmospheric CH4. Atmospheric model simulations using these emissions, together with other sources, compare well with surface and satellite CH4 data. Modelled global wetland emissions vary by ±3%/yr (σ=4.8 Tg), mainly due to precipitation-induced changes in wetland area, but the integrated effect makes only a small contribution to the pause in CH4 growth from 1999 to 2006. Increasing temperature, which increases wetland area, drives a long-term trend in wetland CH4 emissions of +0.2%/yr (1999 to 2014). The increased growth post-2006 was partly caused by increased wetland emissions (+3%), mainly from Tropical Asia, Sourthern Africa and Australia

Prenatal stress and subsequent exposure to chronic mild stress influence dendritic spine density and morphology in the rat medial prefrontal cortex

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Both prenatal stress (PS) and postnatal chronic mild stress (CMS) are associated with behavioral and mood disturbances in humans and rodents. The aim of this study was to reveal putative PS- and/or CMS-related changes in basal spine morphology and density of pyramidal neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We show that rats exposed to PS and/or CMS display changes in the morphology and number of basal spines on pyramidal neurons in the mPFC. CMS had a negative effect on spine densities, particularly on spines of the mushroom type, which are considered to form stronger and more stable synapses than other spine types. PS alone did not affect spine densities, but had a negative effect on the ratio of mushroom spines. In addition, PS seemed to make rats less responsive to some of the negative effects of CMS, which supports the notion that PS represents a predictive adaptive response.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The observed changes may represent a morphological basis of PS- and CMS-related disturbances, and future studies in the field should not only consider total spine densities, but also separate between different spine types.</p