Health workers' perceptions of access to care for children and pregnant women with precarious immigration status: Health as a right or a privilege?

The Canadian government's recent cuts to healthcare coverage for refugee claimants has rekindled the debate in Canada about what medical services should be provided to individuals with precarious immigration status, and who should pay for these services. This article further explores this debate, focussing on the perceptions of healthcare workers in Montreal, a large multiethnic Canadian city. In April–June 2010, an online survey was conducted to assess how clinicians, administrators, and support staff in Montreal contend with the ethical and professional dilemmas raised by the issue of access to healthcare services for pregnant women and children who are partially or completely uninsured. Drawing on qualitative analysis of answers (n = 237) to three open-ended survey questions, we identify the discursive frameworks that our respondents mobilized when arguing for, or against, universal access to healthcare for uninsured patients. In doing so, we highlight how their positions relate to their self-evaluations of Canada's socioeconomic situation, as well as their ideological representations of, and sense of social connection to, precarious status immigrants. Interestingly, while abstract values lead some healthcare workers to perceive uninsured immigrants as “deserving” of universal access to healthcare, negative perceptions of these migrants, coupled with pragmatic considerations, pushed most workers to view the uninsured as “underserving” of free care. For a majority of our respondents, the right to healthcare of precarious status immigrants has become a “privilege”, that as taxpayers, they are increasingly less willing to contribute to. We conclude by arguing for a reconsideration of access to healthcare as a right, and offer recommendations to move in this direction

A tale of two Spartinas: Climatic, photobiological and isotopic insights on the fitness of non-indigenous versus native species

International audienceSalt marshes are facing a new threat: the invasion by non-indigenous species (NIS), Although its introduction time is not established yet, in 1999 Spartina versicolor was already identified as a NIS in the Mediterranean marshes, significantly spreading its area of colonization. Using the Mediterranean native Spartina maritima as a reference, the present research studied the ecophysiological fitness of this NIS in its new environment, as a tool to understand its potential invasiveness. It was found that Spartina versicolor had a stable photobiological pattern, with only minor fluctuations during an annual cycle, and lower efficiencies comparated to S. maritima. The NIS seems to be rather insensitive to the observed abiotic factors fluctuations (salinity and pH of the sediment), and thus contrasts with the native S. maritima, known to be salinity dependent with higher productivity values in higher salinity environments. Most of the differences observed between the photobiology of these species could be explained by their nitrogen nutrition (here evaluated by the δ15N stable isotope) and directly related with the Mediterranean climate. Enhanced by a higher N availability during winter, the primary production of S. maritima which lead to dilution of the foliar δ15N concentration in the newly formed biomass, similarly to what is observed along a rainfall gradient. On the other hand, S. versicolor showed an increased δ15N in its tissues along the annual rainfall gradient, probably due to a δ15N concentration effect during low biomass production periods (winter and autumn). Together with the photobiological traits, these isotopic data point out to a climatic misfit of S. versicolor to the Mediterranean climate compared to the native S. maritima. This appears to be the major constrain shaping the ecophysiological fitness of this NIS, its primary production and consequently, its spreading rate along the Mediterranean marshes

Agenesia de terceros molares y su relación con otras anomalías dentales en pacientes de 16 a 24 años de edad registrados en clínicas privadas, Abancay 2022

La agenesia hereditaria del tercer molar se ha relacionado con un mayor riesgo de desarrollar anomalías dentales adicionales. El objetivo principal del estudio fue cuantificar la prevalencia de defectos dentales adicionales, como la falta de terceros molares, entre pacientes de 16 a 24 años la metodología de tipo observacional retrospectiva, descriptiva, de corte transversal. Se incluyeron 120 pacientes de 16 a 24 años, todos ellos con buenas características de radiografía panorámica digital para ser incluidos en la muestra. Cada radiografía se etiquetó con el código único del paciente, el sexo y la edad para su posterior análisis y por motivos estadísticos. Se encontró que, de las radiografías de la muestra, el 59,2% eran del sexo femenino, el 40,8% del sexo masculino, el 44,2% tenían entre 16 y 19 años y el 55,8% tenían entre 20 y 24. El 100% de los pacientes presentaban agenesia, en cuanto a la prevalencia de número de piezas dentarias el 49.2% presento una pieza dental con agenesia siendo esta la más prevalente, en cuanto a la posición del cuadrante la ubicación más prevalente fue el superior derecho con un 18.3%, sobre la prevalencia de estadios de Nola se pudo apreciar que fue más prevalente en el ápice radicular completo en la pieza 1.8,2.8,3.8 y 4.8. Según sus hallazgos, los investigadores de este estudio llegan a la conclusión de que la agenesia del tercer molar está relacionada con otras anomalías dentales

Cross-checking to reduce adverse events resulting from medical errors in the emergency department: study protocol of the CHARMED cluster randomized study

International audienceBackgroundMedical errors and preventable adverse events are a major cause of concern, especially in the emergency department (ED) where its prevalence has been reported to be roughly of 5–10 % of visits. Due to a short length of stay, emergency patients are often managed by a sole physician – in contrast with other specialties where they can benefit from multiples handover, ward rounds and staff meetings. As some studies report that the rate and severity of errors may decrease when there is more than one physician involved in the management in different settings, we sought to assess the impact of regular systematic cross-checkings between physicians in the ED.DesignThe CHARMED (Cross-checking to reduce adverse events resulting from medical errors in the emergency department) study is a multicenter cluster randomized study that aim to evaluate the reduction of the rate of severe medical errors with implementation of systematic cross checkings between emergency physician, compared to a control period with usual care. This study will evaluate the effect of this intervention on the rate of severe medical errors (i.e. preventable adverse events or near miss) using a previously described two-level chart abstraction. We made the hypothesis that implementing frequent and systematic cross checking will reduce the rate of severe medical errors from 10 to 6 % - 1584 patients will be included, 140 for each period in each center.DiscussionThe CHARMED study will be the largest study that analyse unselected ED charts for medical errors. This could provide evidence that frequent systematic cross-checking will reduce the incidence of severe medical errors

The neural correlates of referential communication : taking advantage of sparse-sampling fMRI to study verbal communication with a real interaction partner

This paper introduces an innovative functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) protocol to study real verbal interactions while limiting the impact of speech-related movement artefacts. This protocol is based on a sparse sampling acquisition technique and allowed participants to complete a referential communication task with a real interaction partner. During verbal interactions, speakers adjust their verbal productions depending on their interlocutors' knowledge of the referents being mentioned. These adjustments have been linked to theory of mind (ToM), the ability to infer other's mental states. We thus sought to determine if the brain regions supporting ToM would also be activated during a referential communication task in which participants have to present movie characters that vary in their likelihood of being known by their interlocutor. This pilot study establishes that the sparse sampling strategy is a viable option to study the neural correlates of referential communication while minimizing movement artefacts. In addition, the brain regions supporting ToM were recruited during the task, though specifically for the conditions where participants could adjust their verbal productions to the interlocutor's likely knowledge of the referent. This study therefore demonstrates the feasibility and relevance of a sparse-sampling approach to study verbal interactions with fMRI, including referential communication

Impacto de la degradación de bosques ribereños en la riqueza y abundancia en Isoptera y Formicidae en la Amazonia Oriental

Formicidae e Isoptera han sido comúnmente usados en estudios de caracterización forestal. En el presente estudio se determinó el efecto de cuatro niveles de degradación de los bosques Pepital y Grande (Alcântara-Maranhão-Brasil) en la riqueza de hormigas y termitas, muestreados en los períodos seco y lluvioso con el método TSBF modificado. Para Formicidae fueron identificadas 85 especies, cuya riqueza fue mayor en el período seco, con diferencia significativa entre los bosques de sucesión secundaria comparadas con áreas de uso antrópico. Isoptera con 38 especies, mostró una riqueza mayor en los bosques secundarios en el periodo seco y en el río Grande en ambos periodos. Concluimos que la degradación tiene un fuerte efecto en la riqueza de termitas y de hormigas, con valores mínimos en el sistema de uso antrópico. Se destaca la potencialidad de los dos grupos como bioindicadores de degradación de los bosques ribereños.Formicidae and Isoptera have been commonly used in forest characterization studies. The objective in this study was determined the effect of four levels of degradation of Pepital and Grande forests (Alcantara-Maranhao-Brazil) on the Formicidae and Isoptera richness. Sampling was realized during dry and wet seasons, using the TSBF modified method. For Formicidae, 85 species were identified, its richness was higher in the dry season, also showed significant difference for secondary forests compared to anthropic use areas. For Isoptera, 38 species were identified, significant differences were observed in richness of secondary forests during the dry season and Grande forest for both season. We concluded that the degradation has a strong effect on the richness of ants and termites, with minimum values in the anthropic areas. We highlight the potential of the two groups as bioindicators of riparian forests degradation.Eje A4: Ambiente, Naturaleza y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Impacto de la degradación de bosques ribereños en la riqueza y abundancia en Isoptera y Formicidae en la Amazonia Oriental

Formicidae e Isoptera han sido comúnmente usados en estudios de caracterización forestal. En el presente estudio se determinó el efecto de cuatro niveles de degradación de los bosques Pepital y Grande (Alcântara-Maranhão-Brasil) en la riqueza de hormigas y termitas, muestreados en los períodos seco y lluvioso con el método TSBF modificado. Para Formicidae fueron identificadas 85 especies, cuya riqueza fue mayor en el período seco, con diferencia significativa entre los bosques de sucesión secundaria comparadas con áreas de uso antrópico. Isoptera con 38 especies, mostró una riqueza mayor en los bosques secundarios en el periodo seco y en el río Grande en ambos periodos. Concluimos que la degradación tiene un fuerte efecto en la riqueza de termitas y de hormigas, con valores mínimos en el sistema de uso antrópico. Se destaca la potencialidad de los dos grupos como bioindicadores de degradación de los bosques ribereños.Formicidae and Isoptera have been commonly used in forest characterization studies. The objective in this study was determined the effect of four levels of degradation of Pepital and Grande forests (Alcantara-Maranhao-Brazil) on the Formicidae and Isoptera richness. Sampling was realized during dry and wet seasons, using the TSBF modified method. For Formicidae, 85 species were identified, its richness was higher in the dry season, also showed significant difference for secondary forests compared to anthropic use areas. For Isoptera, 38 species were identified, significant differences were observed in richness of secondary forests during the dry season and Grande forest for both season. We concluded that the degradation has a strong effect on the richness of ants and termites, with minimum values in the anthropic areas. We highlight the potential of the two groups as bioindicators of riparian forests degradation.Eje A4: Ambiente, Naturaleza y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Impacto de la degradación de bosques ribereños en la riqueza y abundancia en Isoptera y Formicidae en la Amazonia Oriental

Formicidae e Isoptera han sido comúnmente usados en estudios de caracterización forestal. En el presente estudio se determinó el efecto de cuatro niveles de degradación de los bosques Pepital y Grande (Alcântara-Maranhão-Brasil) en la riqueza de hormigas y termitas, muestreados en los períodos seco y lluvioso con el método TSBF modificado. Para Formicidae fueron identificadas 85 especies, cuya riqueza fue mayor en el período seco, con diferencia significativa entre los bosques de sucesión secundaria comparadas con áreas de uso antrópico. Isoptera con 38 especies, mostró una riqueza mayor en los bosques secundarios en el periodo seco y en el río Grande en ambos periodos. Concluimos que la degradación tiene un fuerte efecto en la riqueza de termitas y de hormigas, con valores mínimos en el sistema de uso antrópico. Se destaca la potencialidad de los dos grupos como bioindicadores de degradación de los bosques ribereños.Formicidae and Isoptera have been commonly used in forest characterization studies. The objective in this study was determined the effect of four levels of degradation of Pepital and Grande forests (Alcantara-Maranhao-Brazil) on the Formicidae and Isoptera richness. Sampling was realized during dry and wet seasons, using the TSBF modified method. For Formicidae, 85 species were identified, its richness was higher in the dry season, also showed significant difference for secondary forests compared to anthropic use areas. For Isoptera, 38 species were identified, significant differences were observed in richness of secondary forests during the dry season and Grande forest for both season. We concluded that the degradation has a strong effect on the richness of ants and termites, with minimum values in the anthropic areas. We highlight the potential of the two groups as bioindicators of riparian forests degradation.Eje A4: Ambiente, Naturaleza y AgroecologíaFacultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestale

Direct binding of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor to CD44v6

Volz Y, Koschut D, Matzke-Ogi A, et al. Direct binding of hepatocyte growth factor and vascular endothelial growth factor to CD44v6. Bioscience Reports. 2015;35(4): e00236.CD44v6, a member of the CD44 family of transmembrane glycoproteins is a co-receptor for two receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), Met and VEGFR-2 (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2). CD44v6 is not only required for the activation of these RTKs but also for signalling. In order to understand the role of CD44v6in Met and VEGFR-2 activation and signalling we tested whether CD44v6 binds to their ligands, HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), respectively. FACS analysis and cellular ELISA showed binding of HGF and VEGF only to cells expressing CD44v6. Direct binding of CD44v6 to HGF and VEGF was demonstrated in pull-down assays and the binding affinities were determined using MicroScale Thermophoresis, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy and fluorescence anisotropy. The binding affinity of CD44v6 to HGF is in the micromolar range in contrast with the high-affinity binding measured in the case of VEGF and CD44v6, which is in the nanomolar range. These data reveal a heparan sulfate-independent direct binding of CD44v6 to the ligands of Met and VEGFR-2 and suggest different roles of CD44v6 for these RTKs