Healthcare and Welfare Reforms in the United States and Canada in the 1990s : Description and Evaluation

Canada and the United States both saw changes in the federal government financing of health and welfare spending by respectively their provinces and states in the nineties. This note describes these changes and examines their impacts. It shows that while the Canadian government moved towards less conditional grants, this was not the case of the United States, particularly in the area of welfare. Changes in the United States had the predicted effect : more funds for healthcare increased public health spending and more restrictions on access to welfare reduced welfare participation rates. Changes in Canada increased health spending.Le Canada et les États-Unis ont tous les deux connu des modifications dans le financement par le gouvernement fédéral des dépenses en matière de santé et de bien-être social par les provinces et États. Cette note décrit ces changements et en examine les impacts. Elle indique qu'alors que le gouvernement canadien a introduit des transferts avec moins de conditions, ceci n'est pas le cas aux États-Unis, particulièrement dans le domaine du bien-être social. Les changements aux États-Unis ont les effets prévus ; un accroissement des fonds en santé augmente les dépenses publiques de santé et plus de contraintes sur l'accès au bien-être social en réduit l'utilisation. Les changements au Canada accroissent les dépenses de santé

Follicular growth and ovulation in the queen

The queen is a seasonally polyoestrus, induced ovulator. Due to the limited follicular size, clinical follow-up of terminal follicular growth is difficult in this species. In this study, ovarian ultrasonography has been performed during 9 anovulatory cycles and 12 ovulatory cycles. Follicles appeared as well-defined anechoic circular zones. Mean estrus duration was 7.4 days. On the first day of behavioural estral modifications, 4.8 ± 0.2 follicles (2-7 per female) of 2.3 ± 0.01 mm mean diameter were present on the ovaries. Follicular growth continues at a rate of 0.2 ± 0.04 mm per day. At least one follicle of the cohort reaches a diameter greater than 3.0 mm. Maximal follicular growth was reached 3.8 ± 0.3 days after the onset of estrus and the diameter of the largest follicle was 3.5 ± 0.04 mm. In the absence of ovulation, follicular diameter decreased from 0.1 ± 0.01 mm per day until the end of estrus. The first day after the end of behavioural estrus, the diameter of the largest follicle of each cohort was 2.7 ± 0.05 mm. When ovulation was mechanically induced, it began 23 to 28 hours after vaginal stimulations and lasted 10 hours. It was visualized by anechoic images disparition. No correlation has been observed between follicular development and either vaginal smear characteristics, or time spent from the onset of estrus. Ultrasonography revealed to be the more reliable technique to examine the follicular development and its main interest is the determination of the optimal time for ovulation induction before artificial insemination.La chatte est une femelle à polyoestrus saisonnier et à ovulation provoquée. Compte tenu de la faible taille des follicules, le suivi clinique de la croissance folliculaire terminale est difficile dans cette espèce. Les ovaires ont été observés au cours de 9 cycles anovulatoires et 12 cycles ovulatoires grâce à un échographe de très haute résolution. Les follicules apparaissent sous forme de zones circulaires anéchogènes bien délimitées. Les chaleurs durent en moyenne 7,4 jours. Le premier jour d'apparition des manifestations comportementales de l'œstrus, 4,8 ± 0,2 follicules (entre 2 et 7 par chatte) sont présents avec un diamètre moyen de 2,3 ± 0,01 mm. La croissance des follicules se poursuit ensuite à raison de 0,2 ± 0,04 mm par jour. Au moins un follicule de la cohorte atteint un diamètre supérieur à 3 mm. La croissance folliculaire maximale est atteinte 3,8 ± 0,3 jours en moyenne après le début des chaleurs; le diamètre du plus gros follicule est de 3,5 ± 0,04 mm. En l'absence d'ovulation, le diamètre folliculaire diminue d'en moyenne 0,1 ± 0,01 mm par jour jusqu'à la fin des chaleurs. Le premier jour d'arrêt des manifestations comportementales, le diamètre du plus gros follicule de chaque cohorte est de 2,7 ± 0,05 mm. Lorsqu'elle est induite par stimulation vaginale, l'ovulation débute 23 à 28 heures après la première stimulation et s'étale sur environ 10 heures. Elle se traduit par la disparition des images anéchogènes. Cette étude montre que le stade de croissance folliculaire ne peut être relié ni aux caractéristiques du frottis vaginal ni à la durée écoulée depuis le début des manifestations comportementales. L'échographie semble être la technique la plus fiable pour déterminer le stade de croissance folliculaire et donc décider du moment optimal d'induction de l'ovulation en vue de l'insémination

Proposal of a quantitative PCR-based protocol for an optimal Pseudomonas aeruginosa detection in patients with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND: The lung of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is particularly sensitive to Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This bacterium plays an important role in the poor outcome of CF patients. During the disease progress, first acquisition of P. aeruginosa is the key-step in the management of CF patients. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) offers an opportunity to detect earlier the first acquisition of P. aeruginosa by CF patients. Given the lack of a validated protocol, our goal was to find an optimal molecular protocol for detection of P. aeruginosa in CF patients. METHODS: We compared two formerly described qPCR formats in early detection of P. aeruginosa in CF sputum samples: a qPCR targeting oprL gene, and a multiplex PCR targeting gyrB and ecfX genes. RESULTS: Tested in vitro on a large panel of P. aeruginosa isolates and others gram-negative bacilli, oprL qPCR exhibited a better sensitivity (threshold of 10 CFU/mL versus 730 CFU/mL), whereas the gyrB/ecfX qPCR exhibited a better specificity (90% versus 73%). These results were validated ex vivo on 46 CF sputum samples positive for P. aeruginosa in culture. Ex vivo assays revealed that qPCR detected 100 times more bacterial cells than culture-based method did. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we proposed a reference molecular protocol combining the two qPCRs, which offers a sensitivity of 100% with a threshold of 10 CFU/mL and a specificity of 100%. This combined qPCR-based protocol can be adapted and used for other future prospective studies

Welfare Reform in Canada and the United States: a Comparison of the Effects of Unconditional and Conditional Block Grants

Numéro de référence interne originel : a1.1 g 92

Parallélisation de calculs d' orbites

L'exploitation de satellites en orbite implique une évaluation précise et fréquente de leur position. Pour calculer la trajectoire du satellite, il faut résoudre un système d'équations différentielles du second ordre. Ce rapport étudie une méthode de résolution parallèle afin de réduire le temps de calcul. Le parallélisme repose sur une partition de l'intervalle de temps et des calculs simultanés dans chaque sous-intervalle. Des essais numériques montrent les limites et les potentialités de la méthode

Nanocarriers for the targeted treatment of ovarian cancers

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Effects of plant protection products on ecosystem functions provided by terrestrial invertebrates

International audiencePlant protection products (PPP) are extensively used to protect plants against harmful organisms, but they also have unintended effects on non-target organisms, especially terrestrial invertebrates. The impact of PPP on ecosystem functions provided by these non-target invertebrates remains, however, unclear. The objectives of this article were to review PPP impacts on the ecosystem functions provided by pollinators, predators and parasitoids, and soil organisms, and to identify the factors that aggravate or mitigate PPP effects. The literature highlights that PPP alter several ecosystem functions: provision and maintenance of biodiversity, pollination, biotic interactions and habitat completeness in terrestrial ecosystems, and organic matter and soil structure dynamics. However, there are still a few studies dealing with ecosystem functions, with sometimes contradictory results, and consequences on agricultural provisioning services remain unclear. The model organisms used to assess PPP ecotoxicological effects are still limited, and should be expanded to better cover the wide functional diversity of terrestrial invertebrates. Data are lacking on PPP sublethal, transgenerational, and “cocktail” effects, and on their multitrophic consequences. In empirical assessments, studies on PPP unintended effects should consider agricultural-pedoclimatic contexts because they influence the responses of non-target organisms and associated ecosystem functions to PPP. Modeling might be a promising way to account for the complex interactions among PPP mixtures, biodiversity, and ecosystem functioning

Impact of the CFTR-Potentiator Ivacaftor on Airway Microbiota in Cystic Fibrosis Patients Carrying A G551D Mutation

<div><p>Background</p><p>Airway microbiota composition has been clearly correlated with many pulmonary diseases, and notably with cystic fibrosis (CF), an autosomal genetic disorder caused by mutation in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR). Recently, a new molecule, ivacaftor, has been shown to re-establish the functionality of the G551D-mutated CFTR, allowing significant improvement in lung function.</p><p>Objective and Methods</p><p>The purpose of this study was to follow the evolution of the airway microbiota in CF patients treated with ivacaftor, using quantitative PCR and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA amplicons, in order to identify quantitative and qualitative changes in bacterial communities. Three G551D children were followed up longitudinally over a mean period of more than one year covering several months before and after initiation of ivacaftor treatment.</p><p>Results</p><p>129 operational taxonomy units (OTUs), representing 64 genera, were identified. There was no significant difference in total bacterial load before and after treatment. Comparison of global community composition found no significant changes in microbiota. Two OTUs, however, showed contrasting dynamics: after initiation of ivacaftor, the relative abundance of the anaerobe <i>Porphyromonas</i> 1 increased (p<0.01) and that of <i>Streptococcus</i> 1 (<i>S</i>. <i>mitis</i> group) decreased (p<0.05), possibly in relation to the anti-Gram-positive properties of ivacaftor. The anaerobe <i>Prevotella</i> 2 correlated positively with the pulmonary function test FEV-1 (r=0.73, p<0.05). The study confirmed the presumed positive role of anaerobes in lung function.</p><p>Conclusion</p><p>Several airway microbiota components, notably anaerobes (obligate or facultative anaerobes), could be valuable biomarkers of lung function improvement under ivacaftor, and could shed light on the pathophysiology of lung disease in CF patients.</p></div

Insights into the respiratory tract microbiota of patients with cystic fibrosis during early Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization.

International audiencePseudomonas aeruginosa plays a major role in cystic fibrosis (CF) progression. Therefore, it is important to understand the initial steps of P. aeruginosa infection. The structure and dynamics of CF respiratory tract microbial communities during the early stages of P. aeruginosa colonization were characterized by pyrosequencing and cloning-sequencing. The respiratory microbiota showed high diversity, related to the young age of the CF cohort (mean age 10 years). Wide inter- and intra-individual variations were revealed. A common core microbiota of 5 phyla and 13 predominant genera was found, the majority of which were obligate anaerobes. A few genera were significantly more prevalent in patients never infected by P. aeruginosa. Persistence of an anaerobic core microbiota regardless of P. aeruginosa status suggests a major role of certain anaerobes in the pathophysiology of lung infections in CF. Some genera may be potential biomarkers of pulmonary infection state