SCRIPTORIUM (Université de Moncton)
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Age‐related flexibility of energetic metabolism in the honey bee Apis mellifera
No full textThe mechanisms that underpin aging are still elusive. In this study, we suggest that the ability of mitochondria to oxidize different substrates, which is known as metabolic flexibility, is involved in this process. To verify our hypothesis, we used honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica) at different ages, to assess mitochondrial oxygen consumption and enzymatic activities of key enzymes of the energetic metabolism as well as ATP5A1 content (subunit of ATP synthase) and adenylic energy charge (AEC). We also measured mRNA abundance of genes involved in mitochondrial functions and the antioxidant system. Our results demonstrated that mitochondrial respiration increased with age and favored respiration through complexes I and II of the electron transport system (ETS) while glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) oxidation was relatively decreased. In addition, glycolytic, tricarboxylic acid cycle and ETS enzymatic activities increased, which was associated with higher ATP5A1 content and AEC. Furthermore, we detected an early decrease in the mRNA abundance of subunits of NADH ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit B2 (NDUFB2, complex I), mitochondrial cytochrome b (CYTB, complex III) of the ETS as well as superoxide dismutase 1 and a later decrease for vitellogenin, catalase and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COX1, complex IV). Thus, our study suggests that the energetic metabolism is optimized with aging in honey bees, mainly through quantitative and qualitative mitochondrial changes, rather than showing signs of senescence. Moreover, aging modulated metabolic flexibility, which might reflect an underpinning mechanism that explains lifespan disparities between the different castes of worker bees.udemauteur: Etienne Hebert-Chatelain; Simon Lamarre; Nicolas Pichau
Preparation of lentil and quinoa protein complexes through protein–protein interactions and water kefir–assisted fermentation to improve protein quality and functionality
No full textIntroduction: Industrial applications of lentil (LP) and quinoa (QP) proteins are limited due to their relatively poor water solubility. In this study, a combination of protein-protein interaction (PPI) and fermentation was used to improve the functionality and nutritional value of LP by conjugating them with QP. The reaction conditions between LP and QP for producing these conjugates were established. Methods: The ratio of LP to QP was equal (50:50), and complexation was carried out at 25°C for 60 min. Fermentation of the solubilized LP-QP complexes (1%, w/v) for 5 days at 25°C with water kefir (5%, v/v) was carried out to enhance the protein quality and functionality of the LP-QP complexes. Results: The combined technique significantly enhanced protein digestibility, decreased the proportion of α-helices in the protein structure in favor of random coil components, and improved the phenolic content of the LP-QP complexes. Digestibility increased to 87%, up from 76% for unfermented LP-QP. Moreover, the LP-QP complexes produced using the combined technique generated a highly nutritional protein with a reduced saponin content. Conclusion: This research revealed that a combination of PPI and water kefir fermentation significantly enhances the nutritional and functional quality of LP, creating new opportunities for leveraging the growing popularity of plant-based proteins into high-value industrial applications.udemauteur: Carole Tranchan
Growth of Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) using two oyster - bag float configurations
No full textTwo bag float configurations (on-side; on-top) for the culture of four length classes of Eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) were tested at two sites in Tracadie Bay, Canada. An interaction between the site and the float configurations was observed at the northern site for the 21–30, 31–45 and 46–65 mm oyster classes for their length, and in the 46–65 mm for width as well. The observed differences give a potential increase of 32.5% in growth on a 4-year cycle when on-top configuration is used. About 12.7% more market size oysters were produced in this configuration representing an increase of $9.24 (CAN) per bag. This study shows the potential benefit of the on-top configuration, but also the interaction between the site and the float configurations. Since the on-top configuration needs more maintenance time, it is suggested that the float configurations be chosen based on biofouling, growth variation, effect on oyster shape, and cost/advantage.udemauteur: Sébastien Plant
Estimation de tension de câbles post-tendus externes de pont par analyse de vibration
Get PDFL’étude de la surveillance de l’état des structures a avancé considérablement au cours des trente dernières années. Une des techniques qui fait l’objet de plusieurs recherches est l’étude des vibrations des structures et des composantes structurales pour déceler des dommages et déterminer des efforts. Les tendons de post-tension externes (EPTT) sont couramment utilisés dans les ponts à poutres-caissons en béton construits à l’aide des méthodes en porte-à-faux équilibrés. Les gestionnaires et les opérateurs de ponts s’intéressent de plus en plus aux nouveaux moyens de déterminer la santé de ces composants structurels importants, car les inspections visuelles traditionnelles ne fournissent que peu ou pas d’informations sur leur état. En raison d’un coulis de qualité inférieure, la corrosion des torons de précontrainte dans certains ponts existants a nécessité le remplacement des EPTT. La surveillance des réponses vibratoires structurelles des EPTT offre un moyen de déterminer la tension restante ce qui peut fournir des informations cruciales sur leur état. Les équations de base pour déterminer la contrainte à partir des réponses vibratoires sont basées sur la théorie des cordes vibrantes. De nombreux paramètres importants des équations classiques sont difficiles à déterminer avec précision sur le terrain (rigidité, longueur, conditions d’appui, etc.) en raison de la variabilité de la construction. Les équations de base ont servi au développement d’équations plus complexes qui tentent de tenir compte de ces variabilités. Ces équations théoriques ont rarement été testées dans des conditions non contrôlées, comme pour l’évaluation de EPTT existants en état de service. Cette thèse présente l’application pratique de trois équations théoriques retrouvées dans la littérature qui ont été développées pour déterminer la tension dans les EPTT de longueurs variables dans un pont à poutres-caissons en béton existant (le pont de la Confédération dans l’est du Canada). Le but de cette étude est de développer une méthodologie d’essai basée sur la surveillance des vibrations qui fournit des résultats fiables et qui est plus efficace que la technique de déviation statistique actuellement utilisée par les gestionnaires de ponts. Les résultats montrent que la surveillance des réponses vibratoires structurelles est un moyen efficace et fiable de déterminer la tension dans les câbles de post-tension externes. La méthode d’estimation par vibration et celle de déviation statistique ont produit des résultats très similaires par rapport à l’ordre de grandeur de la tension estimé, soit environ 3 500 kN pour la majorité des câbles. Les coefficients de variation de la méthode de vibration étaient entre 0.01% et 0.33% pour cinq à dix essais par câble en comparaison aux coefficients de variation entre 0.04% et 0.82% pour la méthode de déviation statique utilisée en 2019 avec quatre ou cinq essais. L’avantage majeur de la méthode d’analyse par vibration est le fait d’être en mesure de visualiser les modes de vibration, permettant d’identifier des différences dans le comportement de câbles et non seulement comparer la valeur estimée de tension. Le temps requis pour mener les deux différents types d’essais est similaire si l’on compare la prise de donnée de 2019 et l’étude par analyse de vibration, soit d’environ une heure et demie à deux heures par portée de 12 tendons. Avec des évaluateurs expérimentés et des montages adaptés pour l’application, la méthode par analyse de vibration promet d’être plus rapide
Training and capacity development in patient-oriented research: Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit (OSSU) initiatives
No full textBackground: In Canada, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research launched the Strategy for Patient-Oriented Research (SPOR) in 2011. The strategy defines ‘patient-oriented research’ as a continuum of research that engages patients as partners, focuses on patient priorities, and leads to improved patient outcomes. The overarching term ‘patient’ is inclusive of individuals with personal experience of a health issue as well as informal caregivers including family and friends. The vision for the strategy is improved patient experiences and outcomes through the integration of patient-oriented research findings into practice, policy, and health system improvement. Building capacity in patient-oriented research among all relevant stakeholders, namely patients, practitioners, organizational leaders, policymakers, researchers, and research funders is a core element of the strategy. Main body: The objective of this paper is to describe capacity building initiatives in patient-oriented research led by the Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit in Ontario, Canada over the period 2014–2020. Conclusion: The Ontario SPOR SUPPORT Unit Working Group in Training and Capacity Development has led numerous capacity building initiatives: developed a Capacity Building Compendium (accessed greater than 45,000 times); hosted Masterclasses that have trained hundreds of stakeholders (patients, practitioners, organizational leaders, policymakers, researchers, and trainees) in the conduct and use of patient-oriented research; funded the development of online curricula on patient-oriented research that have reached thousands of stakeholders; developed a patient engagement resource center that has been accessed by tens of thousands of stakeholders; identified core competencies for research teams and research environments to ensure authentic and meaningful patient partnerships in health research; and shared these resources and learnings with stakeholders across Canada, North America, and internationally.udemauteur: Denis Prud'homm
Prioritising Community Cohesion to Promote Immigrant Retention: The Politics of Belonging in Canadian Francophone Minority Communities
No full textThe Canadian federal government is aiming to increase Francophone immigration in order to support Francophone minority communities (FMCs), but retention remains a key challenge. Given their minority context, FMCs must not only be open to the growing demographic diversity resulting from increased immigration but must also support community cohesion by addressing potential barriers related to inclusion and participation of immigrants to engage them as full members of the community. Informed by the broader literature on social cohesion, our study focused on the politics of belonging at the local scale. We adopted a qualitative case study methodology to examine the experiences of community members in three mid-sized Canadian cities located in distinct provinces: Winnipeg (Manitoba), Ottawa (Ontario) and Moncton (New Brunswick). We conducted focus groups in each city with members of the local FMC, including those born in Canada and abroad, to understand their daily experiences of living in smaller communities experiencing demographic diversification. We share findings in relation to two central themes. First, we outline the facilitators of social participation in the FMC that participants described as enabling their community engagement. Second, we unpack the perceived role of Francophone spaces for supporting community cohesion. Our findings can inform efforts to support community cohesion and promote retention among FMCs, as well as additional linguistic minority communities in other countries.udemauteur: Leyla Sal
Education and Training for Infection prevention and control provided by long-term care homes to family caregivers: A scoping review protocol
No full textObjective: The objective of this review is to map the infection prevention and control education and training that long-term care homes use with families during a pandemic or infectious outbreak. Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, restrictions were imposed on visits to long-term care homes to decrease the risk of virus transmission. These restrictions had negative consequences for both residents and families. A scoping review of infection prevention and control education and training used with families will inform family visitation practices and policies during future infectious outbreaks. Inclusion criteria: This review will examine literature describing infection prevention and control education and training provided to families in long-term care homes. Research and narrative papers, including experimental; quasi-experimental; descriptive observational quantitative and qualitative studies; and reviews, text, policy, and opinion papers, will be considered for inclusion. Methods: A 3-step approach will be followed, in line with the JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Published literature will be searched for in databases, including CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, MEDLINE, and AgeLine. Published and unpublished papers will be considered from 1990 to the present, in English or French. The World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control, and the Public Health Agency of Canada websites will be searched for unpublished and gray literature. Two authors will independently review and assess studies for inclusion and extract the data. The findings will be charted in a narrative summary and tables.udemauteur: Caroline Gibbon
Circular RNA Expression Signatures Provide Promising Diagnostic and Therapeutic Biomarkers for chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
No full textChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a known hematologic malignancy associated with a growing incidence and post-treatment relapse. Hence, finding a reliable diagnostic biomarker for CLL is crucial. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) represent a new class of RNA involved in many biological processes and diseases. This study aimed to define a circRNA-based panel for the early diagnosis of CLL. To this point, the list of the most deregulated circRNAs in CLL cell models was retrieved using bioinformatic algorithms and applied to the verified CLL patients’ online datasets as the training cohort (n = 100). The diagnostic performance of potential biomarkers represented in individual and discriminating panels, was then analyzed between CLL Binet stages and validated in individual sample sets I (n = 220) and II (n = 251). We also estimated the 5-year overall survival (OS), introduced the cancer-related signaling pathways regulated by the announced circRNAs, and provided a list of possible therapeutic compounds to control the CLL. These findings show that the detected circRNA biomarkers exhibit better predictive performance compared to current validated clinical risk scales, and are applicable for the early detection and treatment of CLL.udemauteur: Ehsan Gharib; Parinaz Nasri Nasrabadi; Gilles Robichau
A novel breast cancer detection architecture based on a CNN-CBR system for mammogram classification
No full textThis paper presents a novel framework for breast cancer detection using mammogram images. The proposed solution aims to output an explainable classification from a mammogram image. The classification approach uses a Case-Based Reasoning system (CBR). CBR accuracy strongly depends on the quality of the extracted features. To achieve relevant classification, we propose a pipeline that includes image enhancement and data augmentation to improve the quality of extracted features and provide a final diagnosis. An efficient segmentation method based on a U-Net architecture is used to extract Regions of interest (RoI) from mammograms. The purpose is to combine deep learning (DL) with CBR to improve classification accuracy. DL provides accurate mammogram segmentation, while CBR gives an explainable and accurate classification. The proposed approach was tested on the CBIS-DDSM dataset and achieved high performance with an accuracy (Acc) of 86.71 % and a recall of 91.34 %, outperforming some well-known machine learning (ML) and DL approaches.udemauteur: Moulay Akhlouf
Reproductive ecology of the soft-shell clam (Mya arenaria) in Eastern New Brunswick, Canada: Assessing size-at-maturity and spawning time to inform fisheries management
No full textSoft-shell clams, Mya arenaria, are fished commercially and recreationally across much of their distribution. Several management measures have been implemented in Atlantic Canada to regulate the clam fishery, including a minimum legal size limit of 50 mm. This legal size limit, however, is not based on contemporary data. A regional understanding of soft-shell clam reproductive biology in eastern New Brunswick is lacking, yet the management of this fishery would greatly benefit from this localized knowledge. As such, we collected soft-shell clams in Kouchibouguac National Park, New Brunswick, Canada, during the Spring, Summer and Fall of 2021, to assess size-at-maturity and time of spawning. Histology was used to determine the sex and maturity stage of individual soft-shell clams and maturity ogives were generated for female and male clams. Temporal changes in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) were also used to identify likely spawning times for female and male clams. Sex ratios were significantly unbalanced for most of the sites sampled, favouring females, with an overall sex ratio of 2.3:1 (F: M). Size-at-maturity was estimated at 39.7 mm and 40.7 mm for female and male soft-shell clams, respectively. Overall, GSI was higher in males, peaking in late May, declining sharply in June, and showing a more gradual decline from July until September. Female GSI also peaked in late May, but exhibited a continuous, gradual decline from mid-June through to September, suggesting that peak spawning likely occurred from late May to mid-June in 2021 but that some degree of spawning likely continued thereafter. Overall, these results provide insights into the reproductive biology of sub-legal sized soft-shell clams in eastern New Brunswick, providing managers with contemporary scientific information.udemauteur: Gilles Miro