Observation du gradient osmotique associé à l'activation du cotransporteur Na⁺SPF / glucose dans les ovocytes de Xenopus laevis

Mémoire numérisé par la Direction des bibliothèques de l'Université de Montréal

Vacuum infused anionic polyamide-6 composites a quest for uniformity

In recent years, the use of thermoplastic composites (TPC) increased significantly because of their low cost, fast processing cycles and recyclability. In an effort to provide a manufacturing technique well suited for large TPC parts, Delft University of Technology has developed an infusion process based on a reactive anionic polyamide-6 (APA-6) resin system. Following recent work where significant differences in mechanical and physical laminates property with respect to flow direction were identified, the work presented in this thesis aims at improving laminate uniformity by testing different heating set-ups and infusion strategies. First, the fibre coupling agent, contained in the proprietary 8225 finish, was tested to asses its compatibility with APA-6. Results show that this fibre coupling agent is compatible with the APA-6 matrix system, but is not better or worse that the previous 8207 finish used in previous work done at TU Delft. Through a second study, key laminate properties were evaluated (ILSS, crystallinity and degree of conversion) using two different heating set-ups (platen press and infrared panels) over three different curing temperatures (160-180℃). The results of this study identified that the infrared method yielded better laminates than the platen press set-up. However, most laminate produced still had non-uniform properties with respect to flow direction, but laminates cured at 180℃ showed better average properties. Based on these results, to improve property uniformity, a third study was conducted using the double infusion strategy: a low infusion temperatures (110-150℃) followed by a curing step performed at 180℃. The results showed that the best laminate uniformity could be achieved with this double infusion strategy at infusion temperatures between 110℃ and 130℃. The Tm and ILSS of these laminates exhibited lower standard deviation when compared to the one infused at 150℃ and the one polymerised with a non-isothermal strategy. This uniformity enhancement was also validated with comparative laminate C-scans and optical microscopy results

A influe?ncia das startups no mercado da construc?a?o civil brasileiro / The influence of startups in the Brazilian construction market

As startups são um modelo inovador de negócios que trabalham a partir das deficiências existentes em um mercado ou sistema de produção de uma empresa. Determinado modelo possui como objetivo desenvolver soluções sejam tecnológicas ou de processos. Sendo assim, toma-se o cenário onde a construção civil não possui o mesmo crescimento dos demais setores da economia para fazer o trabalho com enfoque nas construtechs, denominação dada às startups atuantes no setor referido, objetivando-se analisar o efeito existente no setor da construção civil nacional pela atuação das construtechs brasileiras. Para alcançar esse objetivo foram coletados dados tanto por meio de fontes bibliográficas e levantamentos divulgados já existentes quanto por meio da aplicação de um questionário enviado por e-mail para uma amostra de construtechs nacionais e aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas com construtechs locadas em Fortaleza. A partir dos dados levantados pôde-se fazer uma perspectiva a nível nacional para o setor, confirmando grandes impactos financeiros com a atuação deste modelo de negócios. Além do impacto no setor, foram levantados conteúdos pertinentes como o perfil do empreendedor a frente das construtechs, suas motivações, suas dificuldades e até mesmo tipos de impactos que o consumidor final pode vir a ter com os serviços das construtechs

IL-1 and IL-23 Mediate Early IL-17A Production in Pulmonary Inflammation Leading to Late Fibrosis

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a devastating as yet untreatable disease. We demonstrated recently the predominant role of the NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-1β expression in the establishment of pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis in mice. METHODS: The contribution of IL-23 or IL-17 in pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis was assessed using the bleomycin model in deficient mice. RESULTS: We show that bleomycin or IL-1β-induced lung injury leads to increased expression of early IL-23p19, and IL-17A or IL-17F expression. Early IL-23p19 and IL-17A, but not IL-17F, and IL-17RA signaling are required for inflammatory response to BLM as shown with gene deficient mice or mice treated with neutralizing antibodies. Using FACS analysis, we show a very early IL-17A and IL-17F expression by RORγt(+) γδ T cells and to a lesser extent by CD4αβ(+) T cells, but not by iNKT cells, 24 hrs after BLM administration. Moreover, IL-23p19 and IL-17A expressions or IL-17RA signaling are necessary to pulmonary TGF-β1 production, collagen deposition and evolution to fibrosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrate the existence of an early IL-1β-IL-23-IL-17A axis leading to pulmonary inflammation and fibrosis and identify innate IL-23 and IL-17A as interesting drug targets for IL-1β driven lung pathology

Risk maps for range expansion of the Lyme disease vector, Ixodes scapularis, in Canada now and with climate change

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lyme disease is the commonest vector-borne zoonosis in the temperate world, and an emerging infectious disease in Canada due to expansion of the geographic range of the tick vector <it>Ixodes scapularis</it>. Studies suggest that climate change will accelerate Lyme disease emergence by enhancing climatic suitability for <it>I. scapularis</it>. Risk maps will help to meet the public health challenge of Lyme disease by allowing targeting of surveillance and intervention activities.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A risk map for possible Lyme endemicity was created using a simple risk algorithm for occurrence of <it>I. scapularis </it>populations. The algorithm was calculated for each census sub-division in central and eastern Canada from interpolated output of a temperature-driven simulation model of <it>I. scapularis </it>populations and an index of tick immigration. The latter was calculated from estimates of tick dispersion distances by migratory birds and recent knowledge of the current geographic range of endemic <it>I. scapularis </it>populations. The index of tick immigration closely predicted passive surveillance data on <it>I. scapularis </it>occurrence, and the risk algorithm was a significant predictor of the occurrence of <it>I. scapularis </it>populations in a prospective field study. Risk maps for <it>I. scapularis </it>occurrence in Canada under future projected climate (in the 2020s, 2050s and 2080s) were produced using temperature output from the Canadian Coupled Global Climate Model 2 with greenhouse gas emission scenario enforcing '<it>A2</it>' of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have prepared risk maps for the occurrence of <it>I. scapularis </it>in eastern and central Canada under current and future projected climate. Validation of the risk maps provides some confidence that they provide a useful first step in predicting the occurrence of <it>I. scapularis </it>populations, and directing public health objectives in minimizing risk from Lyme disease. Further field studies are needed, however, to continue validation and refinement of the risk maps.</p

Cross-validation of ELISA and a portable surface plasmon resonance instrument for IgG antibody serology with SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals.

We report on the development of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) sensors and matching ELISAs for the detection of nucleocapsid and spike antibodies specific to the novel coronavirus 2019 (SARS-CoV-2) in human serum, plasma and dried blood spots (DBS)

Emery-Dreifuss Muscular Dystrophy 1 is associated with high risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias and end-stage heart failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD) is caused by variants in EMD (EDMD1) and LMNA (EDMD2). Cardiac conduction defects and atrial arrhythmia are common to both, but LMNA variants also cause end-stage heart failure (ESHF) and malignant ventricular arrhythmia (MVA). This study aimed to better characterise the cardiac complications of EMD variants. METHODS Consecutively referred EMD variant-carriers were retrospectively recruited from 12 international cardiomyopathy units. MVA and ESHF incidence in male and female variant-carriers was determined. Male EMD variant-carriers with a cardiac phenotype at baseline (EMDCARDIAC) were compared to consecutively recruited male LMNA variant-carriers with a cardiac phenotype at baseline (LMNACARDIAC). RESULTS Longitudinal follow-up data were available for 38 male and 21 female EMD variant-carriers (mean [SD] ages 33.4 [13.3] and 43.3 [16.8] years, respectively). Nine (23.6%) males developed MVA and five (13.2%) developed ESHF during a median [IQR] follow-up of 65.0 [24.3, 109.5] months. No female EMD variant-carrier had MVA or ESHF, but nine (42.8%) developed a cardiac phenotype at a median [IQR] age of 58.6 [53.2, 60.4] years. Incidence rates for MVA were similar for EMDCARDIAC and LMNACARDIAC (4.8 and 6.6 per 100 person-years, respectively; log-rank p = 0.49). Incidence rates for ESHF were 2.4 and 5.9 per 100 person-years for EMDCARDIAC and LMNACARDIAC, respectively (log-rank p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS Male EMD variant-carriers have a risk of progressive heart failure and ventricular arrhythmias similar to that of male LMNA variant-carriers. Early implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation and heart failure drug therapy should be considered in male EMD variant-carriers with cardiac disease.The work reported in this publication was funded by: a British Heart Foundation Clinical Research Training Fellowship to D.E.C. (FS/CRTF/ 20/24022); a British Heart Foundation Clinical Research Training fellowship to A.P. (FS/18/82/34024); The Ministry of Health, Italy, project RC-2022-2773270 to E.B.; the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (R01HL69071, R01HL116906, R01HL147064, NIH/NCATS UL1 TR002535, and UL1 TR001082) to L.M.; and support from the Rose Foundation for K.M.S

Sustainable livelihoods to adaptive capabilities: a global learning journey in a small state, Zanzibar

This thesis takes global learning out of the formal setting of a Northern classroom to a rural community setting in the Global South as a social learning process. It begins with a critical reflection of a large EU project to develop a global learning programme as a Global North South initiative. The focus narrows to Zanzibar, a small island state, to critically reflect on the delivery of the programme. And then further to focus on the global social learning and change that occurred in a rural community setting in the north of the island. Through participatory action research, I investigate the relevance of global learning as a social learning process, how norms and rules are shaped within a community setting and how these enable social change towards sustainable livelihoods. The thesis splices the intersection between critical and social theories of learning and engagement, to include critical social theories of Habermas (1984) and Wals (2007); critical race theories of Giroux (1997) and Said (1994) and distributive justice and entitlements theories of Sen (1997) and Moser (1998). It demonstrates the importance of dissonance and a safe space for deliberative dialogue, to be able to consider the global pressures and forces on local realities as the precursor to social change towards sustainability. I conclude by relating the learning from this small island state to the wider world and the current discourse on quality of education in a community development context

Integrative epigenomic mapping defines four main chromatin states in Arabidopsis

This first comprehensive view of the Arabidopsis epigenome reveals that it is organized into four main chromatin types based on the integrative mapping of a broad set of 11 histone marks and DNA methylation in seedlings