Rethinking harm reduction in the digital age

Introduction : La démultiplication des substances psychoactives, la transformation des pratiques de consommation, l’inadéquation des services pour les jeunes et le virage technologique pris par les consommateurs, tant pour acheter que s’informer sur les substances, incitent à repenser l’intervention en réduction des méfaits. Objectifs : L’étude vise à explorer l’intérêt et la faisabilité d’utiliser les technologies de l’information et des communications (TIC) pour prévenir des consommations plus intensives et réduire les dommages chez les jeunes adultes consommateurs en situation de grande vulnérabilité sociale. Méthodes : Elle utilise une approche de recherche communautaire basée sur des groupes de discussion menés auprès de jeunes consommateurs de 18 à 29 ans et d’intervenants œuvrant auprès des jeunes en difficultés dans la région de Québec. Résultats : Les TIC constituent un outil privilégié d’approvisionnement et d’échange d’informations sur les substances parmi les jeunes. Elles s’insèrent dans un contexte de lacunes dans les ressources existantes. En réponse, les participants suggèrent le développement d’une plateforme interactive spécialisée et actualisée d’échange d’informations sur les substances en circulation et la façon de gérer leurs consommations et les situations d’urgence. Pour les intervenants, les TIC sont peu exploitées pour des échanges en lien avec les substances illicites et jugées délicates à manipuler sur ces questions sensibles. Elles sont néanmoins perçues comme pouvant pallier un déficit de connaissances et de compétences pour aborder ces sujets complexes avec les jeunes. Des enjeux émergents liés aux inégalités d’accès au numérique, de littératie avec les TIC, éthiques et juridiques. Conclusion : Les TIC sont bien implantées dans le travail des intervenants et la vie des jeunes consommateurs. Elles sont des outils complémentaires, probablement incontournables à l’ère du numérique et de la complexification des marchés et des modes de consommation.Introduction : Ever-changing psychoactive substances, changes in consumption habits, services inadequacy and technological advances stresses the need to innovate in regards of harm reduction interventions. Objectives: This study aims to explore the interest and feasibility of using information and communication technologies (ICT) to prevent intensive drug use and reduce harm in socially vulnerable young adults’ drug users. Methods: Using a community research approach based on focus groups with young drug users aged 18 to 29 years old and community workers working with at-risk youths. Results: Young adults widely use ICT to obtain and exchange information regarding drugs. With regard to further technological development in harm reduction, participants perceive ICT as a mean of filling current gaps in services. Participants suggest developing a specialized interactive information exchange platform about current drugs and substance abuse management, especially emergencies and crisis. Community workers did not think young drug users used ICT regarding drugs for other means than acquiring products and found their adequate use regarding harm reduction rather delicate. Nevertheless, they saw a potential in ICT to spread information and facilitate discussion about complicated issues with youths. Conclusion: ICT are well entranched in the lives of young drug users and in community workers’ practices. ICT are complementary and inevitable in the digital age and in an era of complexification of drug market and habits.Introducción : La desmultiplicación de sustancias psicoactivas, la transformación de las prácticas de consumo, la inadecuación de los servicios para los jóvenes y el viraje tecnológico efectuado por los consumidores ya sea para comprar o para informarse sobre las sustancias, incitan a repensar la intervención en materia de reducción de delitos. Objetivos: El estudio apunta a explorar el interés para utilizar las tecnologías de información y de comunicaciones (TIC) y la factibilidad de su uso para prevenir consumos más intensivos y reducir los daños entre los jóvenes adultos consumidores en situación de gran vulnerabilidad social. Métodos: El estudio utiliza un enfoque de investigación comunitaria basada en grupos de discusión organizados entre jóvenes consumidores de entre 18 y 29 años y con la participación de agentes que actúan entre los jóvenes con dificultades en la región de Quebec. Resultados: Las TIC constituyen una herramienta privilegiada de suministro y de intercambio de informaciones sobre las sustancias entre los jóvenes y se integran en un contexto de lagunas en los recursos existentes, En respuesta, los participantes sugieren el desarrollo de una plataforma interactiva especializada y actualizada de intercambio de información sobre las sustancias en circulación y la manera como los jóvenes pueden manejar su consumo y las situaciones de urgencia. Para los agentes participantes, las TIC son poco exploradas en los intercambios relacionados con las sustancias ilícitas y se las juzga delicadas a manipular en materia de estas cuestiones sensibles. Se percibe sin embargo que podrían paliar un déficit de conocimientos y de competencias para abordar estos temas complejos con los jóvenes. Hay cuestiones emergentes relacionadas con las desigualdades de acceso a las tecnologías digitales, de conocimiento para manejar las TIC y de conocimiento de cuestiones éticas y jurídicas. Conclusión: Las TIC están bien implantadas en el trabajo de los agentes participantes y en la vida de los jóvenes consumidores. Son herramientas complementarias, probablemente inevitables en la era digital y de complejización de los mercados y los modos de consumo

Pest risk analysis for Bactrocera invadens : Guidelines on Pest Risk Analysis

Stripping related moisture damage has been recognized as one of the major pavement distresses since the early 1990s. The main objective of this study is to establish an effective test protocol to quantify moisture susceptibility of asphalt pavements. To this end, selective test methods (Texas Boiling test, Tensile Strength Ratio, Retained Stability, and Hamburg Wheel Test), and procedures based on surface chemistries and molecular-level mechanistic properties have been investigated in this study. Firstly, a comprehensive list of literature related to moisture damage in asphalts was reviewed. Based on the literature review, a detailed project plan and test matrix were developed. Binder samples originated from two different crude sources were collected. The moisture resistance related tests such as static contact angle measurements and Texas Boiling tests were conducted. Besides, asphalt binders’ nanomechanical properties using an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and surface chemistries using a static contact were evaluated in the laboratory. Based on limited test data and analysis, it is concluded that there does not exist any single test method that all agencies are comfortable and equipped to follow in their daily work as each technique has some merits and demerits. However, the Texas Boiling test is found to be the simplest method that requires minimal time and resources. On the other hand, surface chemistry and atomic force microscope-based techniques are becoming popular among researchers and pavement professionals. Findings of this study are expected to help ARDOT in selecting an appropriate moisture resistance test method that is simple, reliable, and easy to implement in their routine work

Insights into spatial configuration of a galactosylated epitope required to trigger arthritogenic T-cell receptors specific for the sugar moiety

The immunodominant epitope of bovine type II collagen (CII256–270) in Aq mice carries a hydroxylysine-264 linked galactose (Gal-Hyl264), the recognition of which is central to the development of collagen-induced arthritis. This study explores the molecular interactions involved in the engagement of T-cell receptors (TCRs) with such epitopes. Responses of three anti-CII T-cell hybridomas and clone A9.2 (all sharing close TCR sequences) to a panel of CII256–270 analogues incorporating Gal-Hyl264 with a modified side chain were determined. Recognition of naturally occurring CII256–270 peptides by either group of T cells depended strictly upon the presence of the carbohydrate and, more precisely, its intact HO-4 group. Modifications of primary amino group on the hydroxylysine side chain eliminated T-cell reactivity, notwithstanding the presence of the galactosyl moiety. Moderate stereochemical changes, such as altered sugar orientation and methylation at the galactose anchor position, were still permissive. Conversely, robust transformations affecting the relative positions of the key elements were detrimental to TCR recognition. To conclude, these data provide strong new experimental evidence that integrity of both galactose HO-4 and hydroxylysine side chain primary amino groups are mandatory for activation of anti-Gal-Hyl264 TCRs. They also indicate that there is a certain degree of TCR plasticity in peptide-TCR interactions

Stable tumor vessel normalization with pO_{2} increase and endothelial PTEN activation by inositol trispyrophosphate brings novel tumor treatment

Tumor hypoxia is a characteristic of cancer cell growth and invasion, promoting angiogenesis, which facilitates metastasis. Oxygen delivery remains impaired because tumor vessels are anarchic and leaky, contributing to tumor cell dissemination. Counteracting hypoxia by normalizing tumor vessels in order to improve drug and radio therapy efficacy and avoid cancer stem-like cell selection is a highly challenging issue. We show here that inositol trispyrophosphate (ITPP) treatment stably increases oxygen tension and blood flow in melanoma and breast cancer syngeneic models. It suppresses hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) and proangiogenic/glycolysis genes and proteins cascade. It selectively activates the tumor suppressor phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) in vitro and in vivo at the endothelial cell (EC) level thus inhibiting PI3K and reducing tumor AKT phosphorylation. These mechanisms normalize tumor vessels by EC reorganization, maturation, pericytes attraction, and lowering progenitor cells recruitment in the tumor. It strongly reduces vascular leakage, tumor growth, drug resistance, and metastasis. ITPP treatment avoids cancer stem-like cell selection, multidrug resistance (MDR) activation and efficiently enhances chemotherapeutic drugs activity. These data show that counteracting tumor hypoxia by stably restoring healthy vasculature is achieved by ITPP treatment, which opens new therapeutic options overcoming hypoxia-related limitations of antiangiogenesis-restricted therapies. By achieving long-term vessels normalization, ITPP should provide the adjuvant treatment required in order to overcome the subtle definition of therapeutic windows for in vivo treatments aimed by the current strategies against angiogenesis-dependent tumors

Evolution of Surface Hydrology in the Sahelo-Sudanian Strip: An Updated Review

In the West African Sahel, two paradoxical hydrological behaviors have occurred during the last five decades. The first paradox was observed during the 1968–1990s ‘Great Drought’ period, during which runoff significantly increased. The second paradox appeared during the subsequent period of rainfall recovery (i.e., since the 1990s), during which the runoff coefficient continued to increase despite the general re-greening of the Sahel. This paper reviews and synthesizes the literature on the drivers of these paradoxical behaviors, focusing on recent works in the West African Sahelo/Sudanian strip, and upscaling the hydrological processes through an analysis of recent data from two representative areas of this region. This paper helps better determine the respective roles played by Land Use/Land Cover Changes (LULCC), the evolution of rainfall intensity and the occurrence of extreme rainfall events in these hydrological paradoxes. Both the literature review and recent data converge in indicating that the first Sahelian hydrological paradox was mostly driven by LULCC, while the second paradox has been caused by both LULCC and climate evolution, mainly the recent increase in rainfall intensity

Où sont les bibliothèques spoliées par les nazis ?

Ce colloque s’est tenu les jeudi et vendredi 23 et 24 mars 2017, à la Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et civilisations et à la Bibliothèque nationale de France, Il a été organisé par le Centre Gabriel Naudé de l\u27Ecole nationale supérieure des sciences de l\u27information et des bibliothèques (ENSSIB), l\u27Institut d\u27histoire du temps présent (IHTP, UMR CNRS Paris 8) et l\u27Université Paris Diderot (EA Identités, cultures, territoires), avec le soutien de la Bibliothèque nationale de France, de la Bibliothèque universitaire des langues et civilisations (BULAC), de la Fondation pour la Mémoire de la Shoah, de la Claims Foundation, de la Fondation Maison des Sciences de l\u27Homme et du Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst. Au cours de ce colloque, une douzaine de livres, datant du XVIIe siècle et retrouvés dans ses collections par la Bibliothèque centrale et régionale de Berlin (Zentral -und Landesbibliothek) ont été restitués à trois ministères français (ministère des Affaires étrangères, ministère de l\u27Intérieur, ministère de la Justice) auxquels ils avaient été spoliées en juin 1940. Un registre manuscrit d\u27état civil des années 1751-1771, spolié à la commune de Verpel (Ardennes) lui sera également restitué. Les vidéos du colloque sont disponibles à l\u27adresse suivante : https://www.enssib.fr/bibliotheque-numerique/notices/67542-ou-sont-les-bibliotheques-spoliees-par-les-nazis-tentatives-d-identification-et-de-restitution-un-chantier-en-cours Associée à ce colloque, la publication "Le Mystère de la boîte verte" est accessible à l\u27adresse suivante : https://www.enssib.fr/bibliotheque-numerique/notices/68714-le-mystere-de-la-boite-vert