Book Review of Site du Palais de l\u27lntendant Chantier-Ecol de l\u27an 2000 by Marie-Michelle Dionne, Desiree-Emmanuelle Duchaine and Richard Lapointe

A book review of this volume which deals with the research conducted in historical archaeology at the Universite Laval in Quebec City, Canada

From the Warehouses to the Canal By Rail ca. 1830: The Lachine Canal, Montreal, Quebec

During archaeological monitoring of the lower entrance of the Lachine Canal by the Corporation of the Old Port of Montreal, archaeologists obtained data spanning approximately 170 years of development in the area. Indeed, the original canal, built between 1821-1825, has seen many transformations in its dimensions and in the spatial organization of the adjacent installations. This article focuses on a particular finding related to the first period of the history of the canal: the remains of privately owned short wooden track lines used for transporting goods from the warehouses along Common Street to the canal during the years 1825 to 1848

L'organisation spatiale du corridor du Canal de Lachine au 19e siècle

Thèse numérisée par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Polyphenol-rich extract from grape and blueberry attenuates cognitive decline and improves neuronal function in aged mice

Ageing is characterised by memory deficits, associated with brain plasticity impairment. Polyphenols from berries, such as flavan-3-ols, anthocyanins, and resveratrol, have been suggested to modulate synaptic plasticity and cognitive processes. In the present study we assessed the preventive effect of a polyphenol-rich extract from grape and blueberry (PEGB), with high concentrations of flavonoids, on age-related cognitive decline in mice. Adult and aged (6 weeks and 16 months) mice were fed a PEGB-enriched diet for 14 weeks. Learning and memory were assessed using the novel object recognition and Morris water maze tasks. Brain polyphenol content was evaluated with ultra-high-performance LC-MS/MS. Hippocampal neurotrophin expression was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Finally, the effect of PEGB on adult hippocampal neurogenesis was assessed by immunochemistry, counting the number of cells expressing doublecortin and the proportion of cells with dendritic prolongations. The combination of grape and blueberry polyphenols prevented age-induced learning and memory deficits. Moreover, it increased hippocampal nerve growth factor (Ngf) mRNA expression. Aged supplemented mice displayed a greater proportion of newly generated neurons with prolongations than control age-matched mice. Some of the polyphenols included in the extract were detected in the brain in the native form or as metabolites. Aged supplemented mice also displayed a better survival rate. These data suggest that PEGB may prevent age-induced cognitive decline. Possible mechanisms of action include a modulation of brain plasticity. Post-treatment detection of phenolic compounds in the brain suggests that polyphenols may act directly at the central level, while they can make an impact on mouse survival through a potential systemic effect

La morphologie du cheval d'endurance explique une faible part de la performance en course

National audienceSelection of young horses is based on the pedigree, conformation and gait analysis. The objective of this study was to measure the conformation of horses from Arabian origin involved in 90 km or more endurance races in order to determine correlations between body measurements and performance. As part of the GenEndurance project, 367 horses were evaluated for several body measurements including withers height (WH), length of the body (BL), thickness of the skin fold (SF) and weight. Skeletal conformation measurements were also made by photographic analysis using the Equimétrix® software. Correlations between measurements and performance were determined using the “performance index”. This study allowed developing a database on the morphology of high level endurance horses. A highest distance index was associated with a higher BL, a thinner SF and a smaller stifle angle. A highest speed index was associated with a more horizontal femur. This study is a first step in the determination of performance associated criteria in endurance horses.Les critères utilisés pour la sélection des jeunes chevaux sont le pedigree, la conformation et la qualité des allures. La présente étude porte sur la mesure de la conformation de chevaux d'origine arabe participant à des courses d'endurance de 90 km ou plus et la détermination des corrélations entre les mesures corporelles et la performance. Dans le cadre du programme GenEndurance, 367 chevaux ont fait l'objet des mesures suivantes : hauteur au garrot (HG), longueur corporelle (LC), épaisseur du pli de peau (PC) et poids. La longueur des segments corporels et les angles articulaires ont été mesurés sur des photos numériques à l'aide du logiciel Equimétrix(P). Les corrélations entre conformation et performance ont été déterminées en utilisant les indices de performances endurance. Cette étude a permis de caractériser la morphologie du cheval d'endurance de haut niveau. Un indice distance plus élevé est associé à une LC plus grande, un PC moins épais et un angle du grasset plus fermé. Un indice vitesse élevé est associé à un fémur plus horizontal. Cette étude constitue une première étape dans la détermination des critères associés à la performance chez le cheval d'endurance