CADMIUM GEOCHEMISTRY OF SOILS AND WILLOW IN A METAMORPHIC BEDROCK TERRAIN AND ITS POSSIBLE RELATION TO MOOSE HEALTH, SEWARD PENINSULA, ALASKA

The regional geochemistry of soil and willow over Paleozoic metamorphic rocks in the Seward Peninsula, Alaska is potentially high in cadmium (Cd), and willow, a preferred browse of moose, bioaccumulates Cd. Local moose show clinical signs of tooth wear and breakage and have been declining in population for unknown reasons. Willow leaves (all variants of Salix pulchra) and A-, B-, and C-horizon soils were sampled near 2 mining prospects suspected to be high in Cd. Although Al, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were examined, our focus in this exploratory study was on the level of Cd in the 3 soil horizons and willow between and within the 2 prospects and their vicinity. We used an unbalanced, one-way, hierarchical analysis of variance (ANOVA) to investigate the geochemistry of soils and willow at various distance scales across the 2 prospect areas that were separated by ~80 km; sites within a location were approximately 0.5 km apart and replicate samples were separated by ~0.05 km. Cd concentration was significantly different in willow between and within sites, and within sites for all soil horizons. Specifically, this exploratory study identified highly elevated levels of Cd in willow growing over Paleozoic bedrock in the Seward Peninsula at both prospects and over the Paleozoic geologic unit in general. Potential negative effects for moose are discussed

Screening for Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 2A with DNA-Polymorphism Analysis

Nine chromosome 10 DNA markers (FNRB, D10S34, D10Z1, MEN203, D10S94, RBP3, D10S15, MBP [48.11], D10S22) were typed in two large Canadian pedigrees with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2A (MEN 2A). These markers and the gene for MEN 2A (MEN2A) are believed to be in one linkage group spanning approximately 15 cM (male). MEN203 and D10S94 were informative and tightly linked to MEN2A with no recombinants observed in 26 meiotic events. D10S15 (MCK2), widely used in DNA genotyping predictions, demonstrated two recombinants in these two families. The use of multiple flanking markers increases both the likelihood of informativeness and the accuracy of risk assessments for predictive testing. We were able to assign a risk estimate for all 10 at-risk individuals

Ecofog - Gagner en compétitivité et réduire les impacts environnementaux de la filière foie gras

On a worldwide scale, France is the leading producer of foie gras. To maintain this leadership, the sector must remain competitive and control its production costs while meeting specific societal and environmental expectations such as preservation of product quality, respect for animal welfare or limited use of natural resources. The aim of the project was to develop innovative production systems that would limit the impacts of feed and its surrounding practices on the competitiveness of the sector and the environment. An experimental approach was associated with a multi-criteria sustainability assessment (farm level), complemented by an analysis of production cost (farm level) and environmental impacts (product level). Two domains were studied: one related to feed, and the other related to ambient conditions during breeding and force-feeding. Several issues have been identified to progress. Reducing the amount of food distributed (-10%) appears as a possible solution to reduce feeding costs during rearing. The use of sorghum is also of interest but its use should be limited to the rearing phase. Lastly, semi-open air system, compared to open-air system, helps to improve IC (Consumption Index) and reduces animal heterogeneity and mortality. This project also provided original results related to the understanding of mechanisms involved in body temperature regulation of ducks on the one hand and on the other hand to LCA results of different innovations. Lastly, it contributed to the creation of two tools: one to drill ventilation ducts and another to calculate production costs. The results were disseminated to the professionals throughout the project in order to make all data available.À l’échelle mondiale, la France est le premier producteur de foie gras. Afin de conserver ce leadership, la filière doit rester compétitive et maîtriser ses coûts de production tout en répondant à des attentes sociétales et environnementales spécifiques telles que la préservation de la qualité des produits, le respect du bien-être animal ou la gestion économe des ressources. Le projet ECOFOG avait pour objectif de développer des systèmes de production innovants, permettant de limiter l’impact de l’alimentation des canards et des pratiques qui l’entourent pour gagner en compétitivité de la filière et diminuer l’impact environnemental de la filière. La démarche expérimentale a été associée à une démarche d’évaluation multicritère de la durabilité à l’échelle de l’atelier, complétée par une analyse des coûts de production à l’échelle de l’atelier et des impacts environnementaux à l’échelle du produit. Deux axes d’étude ont en particulier été développés : l’un autour de l’aliment, et l’autre autour des conditions d’ambiance en élevage et en gavage.Plusieurs pistes ont été identifiées pour progresser. La réduction de la quantité d’aliment distribué (-10%) est une solution possible pour réduire les coûts d'alimentation. L’utilisation de sorgho présente par ailleurs un intérêt environnemental mais son utilisation devrait être limitée à la phase d’élevage. En termes de bâtiments enfin, le système semi plein-air, comparé au système plein-air, contribue à améliorer l’IC (Indice de Consommation) et réduit les écarts de poids entre les animaux et la mortalité. Ce projet a permis d’obtenir des résultats originaux sur les mécanismes impliqués dans la régulation de la température corporelle des canards. Il a aussi permis d’évaluer les impacts environnementaux de la production de foie gras, et d’analyser les conséquences des différents systèmes de production innovants sur les performances, les coûts et la durabilité de la production. Il a enfin contribué à la création de deux outils utiles pour la filière : un outil d’aide au perçage des gaines de ventilation en atelier de gavage et un outil de calcul du coût de production. Ces résultats ont été largement diffusés vers les professionnels afin de rendre l’ensemble de ces données disponibles

TRAF6 Autoubiquitination-Independent Activation of the NFκB and MAPK Pathways in Response to IL-1 and RANKL

The adapter protein TRAF6 is critical for mediating signal transduction from members of the IL-1R/TLR and TNFR superfamilies. The TRAF6 RING finger domain functions as an ubiquitin E3 ligase capable of generating non-degradative K63-linked ubiquitin chains. It is believed that these chains serve as docking sites for formation of signaling complexes, and that K63-linked autoubiquitination of TRAF6 is essential for formation and activation of a complex involving the kinase TAK1 and its adapters, TAB1 and TAB2. In order to assess independently the E3 ligase and ubiquitin substrate functions of TRAF6, we generated, respectively, RING domain and complete lysine-deficient TRAF6 mutants. We found that while the TRAF6 RING domain is required for activation of TAK1, it is dispensable for interaction between TRAF6 and the TAK1-TAB1-TAB2 complex. Likewise, lysine-deficient TRAF6 was found to interact with the TAK1-TAB1-TAB2 complex, but surprisingly was also found to be fully competent to activate TAK1, as well as NFκB and AP-1 reporters. Furthermore, lysine-deficient TRAF6 rescued IL-1-mediated NFκB and MAPK activation, as well as IL-6 elaboration in retrovirally-rescued TRAF6-deficient fibroblasts. Lysine-deficient TRAF6 also rescued RANKL-mediated NFκB and MAPK activation, and osteoclastogenesis in retrovirally-rescued TRAF6-deficient bone marrow macrophages. While incapable of being ubiquitinated itself, we demonstrate that lysine-deficient TRAF6 remains competent to induce ubiquitination of IKKγ/NEMO. Further, this NEMO modification contributes to TRAF6-mediated activation of NFκB. Collectively, our results suggest that while TRAF6 autoubiquitination may serve as a marker of activation, it is unlikely to underpin RING finger-dependent TRAF6 function

Implementing telehealth to support medical practice in rural/remote regions: what are the conditions for success?

BACKGROUND: Telehealth, as other information and communication technologies (ICTs) introduced to support the delivery of health care services, is considered as a means to answer many of the imperatives currently challenging health care systems. In Canada, many telehealth projects are taking place, mostly targeting rural, remote or isolated populations. So far, various telehealth applications have been implemented and have shown promising outcomes. However, telehealth utilisation remains limited in many settings, despite increased availability of technology and telecommunication infrastructure. METHODS: A qualitative field study was conducted in four remote regions of Quebec (Canada) to explore perceptions of physicians and managers regarding the impact of telehealth on clinical practice and the organisation of health care services, as well as the conditions for improving telehealth implementation. A total of 54 respondents were interviewed either individually or in small groups. Content analysis of interviews was performed and identified several effects of telehealth on remote medical practice as well as key conditions to ensure the success of telehealth implementation. RESULTS: According to physicians and managers, telehealth benefits include better access to specialised services in remote regions, improved continuity of care, and increased availability of information. Telehealth also improves physicians' practice by facilitating continuing medical education, contacts with peers, and access to a second opinion. At the hospital and health region levels, telehealth has the potential to support the development of regional reference centres, favour retention of local expertise, and save costs. Conditions for successful implementation of telehealth networks include the participation of clinicians in decision-making, the availability of dedicated human and material resources, and a planned diffusion strategy. Interviews with physicians and managers also highlighted the importance of considering telehealth within the broader organisation of health care services in remote and rural regions. CONCLUSION: This study identified core elements that should be considered when implementing telehealth applications with the purpose of supporting medical practice in rural and remote regions. Decision-makers need to be aware of the specific conditions that could influence telehealth integration into clinical practices and health care organisations. Thus, strategies addressing the identified conditions for telehealth success would facilitate the optimal implementation of this technology

Chromosomal replication dynamics and interaction with the β sliding clamp determine orientation of bacterial transposable elements

Insertion sequences (ISs) are small transposable elements widespread in bacterial genomes, where they play an essential role in chromosome evolution by stimulating recombination and genetic flow. Despite their ubiquity, it is unclear how ISs interact with the host. Here, we report a survey of the orientation patterns of ISs in bacterial chromosomes with the objective of gaining insight into the interplay between ISs and host chromosomal functions. We find that a significant fraction of IS families present a consistent and family-specific orientation bias with respect to chromosomal DNA replication, especially in Firmicutes. Additionally, we find that the transposases of up to nine different IS families with different transposition pathways interact with the β sliding clamp, an essential replication factor, suggesting that this is a widespread mechanism of interaction with the host. Although we find evidence that the interaction with the β sliding clamp is common to all bacterial phyla, it also could explain the observed strong orientation bias found in Firmicutes, because in this group β is asymmetrically distributed during synthesis of the leading or lagging strands. Besides the interaction with the β sliding clamp, other asymmetries also play a role in the biased orientation of some IS families. The utilization of the highly conserved replication sliding clamps suggests a mechanism for host regulation of IS proliferation and also a universal platform for IS dispersal and transmission within bacterial populations and among phylogenetically distant species

What's in a Name? Shifting Identities of Traditional Organized Crime in Canada in the Transnational Fight against the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta

The Italian antimafia authorities have warned Canadian law enforcement about the risks and the growing concerns for the infiltration of clans of the Calabrian mafia, known as ‘ndrangheta, in Eastern Canada. The alarm linked to the rise of the ‘ndrangheta challenges the paradigms of traditional organized crime in Canada, because the ‘ndrangheta is presented as traditional but also innovative and more pervasive than other mafia-type groups. Through access to confidential investigations and interviews to key specialist law enforcement teams in Toronto and Montreal, this article investigates today's institutional perception of mafia – the ‘ndrangheta in particular – in Canada when compared to Italian conceptualizations. I will argue that the changes in narratives in Canada can be read in relation to changes in the Italian identity in the country, moving towards regionalization and specialist knowledge of ethnic differences