NCube/papyrus huggingface dataset:
La méthadone permet-elle de sortir du monde de la drogue? : points de vue de personnes inscrites aux programmes de substitution

Two paradigms are frequent when treating addiction in Quebec. First, there is the paradigm of abstinence with an intervention model often based on Alcoholics Anonymous. With this model, alcoholism (or addiction) is defined as a disease. The second paradigm, harm reduction, is aimed to reduce the harmful effects of drug use rather than eliminating their use (Brisson, 1997). We are particularly interested in an intervention found in this paradigm named methadone maintenance treatment. This research was aimed to identify the perceptions of people enrolled in this treatment, understand their recovery process while participation in this treatment and understanding the perceptions of users of methadone in regards to the consequences of addiction. A theoretical framework found in the symbolic interactionist perspective was selected. More specifically, the process of normative transformations of Maria Caiata Zufferey, the labelling theory of Howard Becker and the stigma theory of Erving Goffman were selected. A qualitative methodology was retained. Ten semi-structured interviews with men and women enrolled in a methadone maintenance treatment were conducted. The chapter that focussed on the results highlighted various reports on how methadone maintenance treatment was experienced by the participants. To do this, three figures constructed using typology analysis were developed. For some people, methadone was described as a necessary substitute, for others, it corresponded to a help that they wanted to eliminate and for a minority, it aroused ambivalence. One thing is certain, although the substitution remains the treatment of choice for opioid dependence, it is difficult to speak of the output of the drug world with the help of methadone because this treatment appears to be almost as stigmatized as the dependence on heroine (Lauzon, 2011). At first glance, the use of methadone can help distance a person from the world of drugs (easy money, theft, prostitution) and can help rebuild their lives on a basis of landmark stability, but to carefully consider, it confines the respondents in a state of ambivalence as it relates to the identity of an addict. Keywords : harm reduction, methadone maintenance treatment, perception, participant, stigma, dependency.

Keyphrases: Perception, Participant, Harm reduction, Methadone maintenance treatment, Perception, Participant, Stigma, Dependency
Assessing the Social Acceptability of New Technologies: Gaps and Tensions Between Science and Regulation

Ethical considerations regarding the development of technologies are now a standard part of the field of bioethics, focused in large part on the interactions between science and government in establishing the social good. Since the advent of different forms of biotechnology, scientific risk analysis has been subject to various lines of questioning relative to the role that quantitative science plays in government oversight. This is even more significant in the present debate on the acceptability of nanotechnology. In this article, we first specify the strengths and limitations of the scientific analysis of the social acceptability of risks in nanotechnology. Next, we demonstrate the limitations of taking an empirical approach in the social sciences and the humanities to predicting the social acceptability of a technology. We argue that recognizing the assumptions underlying these two quantitative approaches should open up a road to more reflective approaches by the social sciences and the humanities.

Keyphrases: Bioethics, Ethics of technological development, Biotechnology, Scientific risk analysis, Social acceptability of risks, Biotechnology and social good
Le drame social du travail d'escorte indépendante à Montréal

This master’s thesis aims to recount the careers of Montreal independent escorts and the tensions they encountered to expose the complexity of the "social drama" of this occupation. Our results show how the profession of escort presents numerous similarities with other professions while having a particular position on a stigmatizing social matrix and being characterised by an intimate relation of service that confers it its peculiarity. The question: "how do we begin and pursue the escorting occupation despite its propensity for stigmatization?" as a starting point, we carried out a field survey with independent escorts. Seven in-depth interviews were conducted and their computerized professional environment was observed. We decided to stay away from the current scientific and militant debate on sex work. Our theoretical frame is a fine balance between the sociologies of the professions, deviance and stigma, in an interactionist perspective. We report our results in four acts to pursue the theatrical metaphor brought by Hughes. The acts retrace the stages of the escorting career and emphasize on their intrinsic complexity. The escorts are caught in an ambivalence between an effort of professionalization of their occupation and an attempt to stay in the norm by distance themselves from this practice. This ambivalence is caused by the stigmatization that characterizes the social matrix where the escorts evolve and by the intimacy of their professional relationship. It contributes to a certain extent to the continued stigmatization of their own occupation.

Keyphrases: Prostitution, Sex work, Sociology of work and professions, Escort, Deviance, Stigma, Career, Interactionism
Le jeu vidéo : élément oublié du patrimoine numérique au Québec

Long viewed with suspicion, video games are increasingly considered to be a form of art all their own. Unfortunately, archivists have shown little interest in these heritage objects, the history of which is already disappearing. In Quebec, a world leader in video game production, there is as yet no interest in video games from an archival perspective. This paper assesses the cultural and economic importance of video games in Quebec and their current place in its heritage institutions. Video games are complex digital objects around which many other documents are created, whether by game studios or by players, raising difficult questions around acquisition and preservation. Different perspectives on what should be preserved and how are explored though a survey of archiving projects in the United States, France and Great Britain. Gamer-initiated efforts are also considered. Finally, this paper articulates the reasons that archives in Quebec should start archiving video games and their associated documentation and suggests several strategies and priorities for acquisition.

Keyphrases: Archival appraisal, Digital heritage, Digital preservation, Quebec, Video game archives
Étude de l’expression de la molécule d’adhérence CD146 dans les lymphocytes T

Solid tumors are infiltrated by immune cells (TIIC), which vary in function and proportion from patient to patient. These inflammatory cells may contribute positively or negatively to tumor invasion, by controlling the growth and the metastatic potential of tumors. It has therefore been proposed to use infiltration as a diagnostic and prognosic tool. Certain cells play an important role in the control of tumor progression, as is the case of cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes, whereas others present an ill-defined role. Since the progression of tumors depends on the balance between these cell types, it is important to identify their specific functions within the tumor. Many studies have therefore focused on identifying markers, which are suggestive of phenotype and function of immune cells in the tumor. This project is divided into two parts: 1 – The identification of a tumor tissue disaggregation method which induced minimal effects on TIIC biology. 2 – The characterization of the expression of the adhesion molecule CD146 in TIIC and understand its regulation. Marker identification for phenotypic and functional characterization of TIIC is carried out by detection of cell proteins. In the first part of this project, we showed that methods used to disaggregate tumor tissue in order to isolate TIIC induce changes in cell biology, which may alter results. We thus compared the effects of three disaggregation methods: mechanical disruption using MedimachineTM and two enzymatic digestions using a type I collagenase alone or combined with type IV collagenase and type II DNase I, on parameters such as cell viability, cell surface marker detection and cell proliferation. We showed that these methods affect cell viability in a comparable manner, whereas the detection of certain surface proteins and proliferative capacity of cells was reduced by enzymatic treatments. We concluded that a mechanical method using MedimachineTM is more suitable for the characterization of TIIC. In the second part of our project, we adapted this method to the characterization of TIIC. We focused on CD146, an adhesion molecule that was shown to be involved in immune cell migration in autoimmune disease. We demonstrated an increase of CD146+ immune cells in tumors compared to the blood of the same patients. This expression was shown to be induced by tumor cells and increased by necrosis. We showed that these cells are predominantly CD4+ T lymphocytes with an immunosuppressive profile. In conclusion, our results suggest that CD146 is involved in the establishment of the tumor immune environment and may increase the migratory capacity of CD4+ T cells toward tumors. Tumor cell induction of this adhesion molecule by suppressor cells could contribute to the immunoregulatory mechanisms established by tumors. CD146 may be a useful marker for the identification of immunosuppressive cells and development of new therapies.

Keyphrases: CD146, Cellules immunorégulatrices, Tumor infiltrating immune cells, tumor desaggregation, immunoregulatory cells, Human, kidney tumors, breast tumors, lung tumors
The psychophysics of decision making in a two-direction random dot motion target selection task

Random dot kinematograms are used in visual psychophysics with the two-alternative forced-choice paradigm to study the process of simple perceptual decisions. Mathematical models of this process assume that stochastic motion evidence for the two alternative choices is encoded in the brain, and that the difference in evidence is accumulated towards a decision bound. However, no study to date has tested this assumption using stimuli with different levels of mutually opposing evidence in both directions. This thesis presents the results of two experiments using two novel stimuli with opposing coherent motion evidence. Over a variety of competing evidence combinations, subject performance was based on the net difference in the opposing signals. Furthermore, task performance was similar with both types of stimuli. These results support a decision model based on the accumulation of net evidence, and suggest that the decision process is capable of integrating motion evidence from a wide range of directions to obtain a global percept of motion.

Keyphrases: Decision making, Psychophysics, Sensorimotor integration, Random dot motion, Two alternative forced choice
Modèle d’accompagnement des patients et des membres de leur famille lors de la transition vers des soins de fin de vie à l’unité des soins intensifs

Despite all efforts on intensive care units (ICU) to keep alive patients admitted, several statistics report a significant number of deaths each year on these units. In some cases, it happens that the death is not sudden and treatments for life support must become end-of- life care. Practices and expertise of stakeholders are not the same on a palliative care unit than on an intensive care unit, as the needs of patients and family members are different. Thus, when it comes time to consider and provide end-of-life care on ICU, it is necessary to make some adjustments in care practices and consider certain elements in order to properly accompany the patient and family members to this new reality. Therefore, the objective of this work is to provide a guidance model of patient and family members during the transition towards end-of-life on ICU. A literature review realized using Whittmore and Knafl (2005) integrative method allowed identifying different theories, approaches and models proposed by researchers and authors. The framework chosen for this work is the theory of transition Meleis.  After reviews of the literature, 67 articles were selected, which revealed the main factors that influence the transition quality between the support treatments and end-of-life care. The author have mentioned the needs of the patient and his family in these transitional situations, problems of the health care team, the ethical issues that may arise and decisions when it comes to end of life care. Throughout the presentation of these different aspects, possible solutions are proposed to overcome the difficulties exposed. The importance of communication emerged as the main element to consider in this process.  In addition, several articles have proposed the shared decision making model and family gatherings as tools to ensure proper communication of information between everyone involved in the situation. The accompany model proposed for the transition comes from a reflection on all of the information found in the literature and focuses particularly on the important aspect of communication.  The ultimate goal is to provide a useful reference tool by proposing nursing interventions to better support patients and their families confronted to a transition from support treatment to end-of-life care.

Keyphrases: communication, End of life care, ethics, intensive care unit, nurse, shared decision-making model, transition
Risque d’acquisition du virus de l’immunodéficience humaine (VIH) chez les femmes utilisant des hormones contraceptives orales et injectables

Objective: To investigate the association between the use of hormonal contraceptive and the risk of acquiring HIV-1 infection in women from Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Design: Secondary analyses of 2887 women aged 17-55 years who participated in the HPTN 035 trial, a Phase II/IIb trial on the efficacy of two microbicide gels to prevent HIV transmission in women at risk in Africa. Methods: The association between the use of hormonal contraceptive and the risk of acquiring HIV-1 was evaluated using Cox proportionnal models. Relative risks of exposed women were estimated using as a reference group the women who do not use hormonal contraceptives. In addition, a multivariate Cox model was used to control for potentially confounding factors. Results: Injectable contraceptives were used by 52.1 % of women, while oral contraceptives were used by 20.7% of them. During the study, there were 192 seroconversions. The observed HIV-1 incidence was 2.28, 4.19 and 4.69 per 100 woman-years for oral, injectable and non-hormonal contraceptive users, respectively. In multivariate analysis, we found no significant association between the use of hormonal contraceptives and HIV-1 acquisition. The adjusted relative risk (aRR) for oral contraceptives was 0.573 (95% CI: [0.31 to 1.06]) and 0.981 (95% CI: [0.69, 1.39]) for injectable contraceptives. Conclusions: Although this study did not demonstrate an association between hormonal contraceptive use and the risk of HIV-1 infection, we conclude, however, that these methods of contraception do not protect against HIV-1, and it is thus recommended that women using contraceptive hormones always use condoms to prevent HIV-1.

Keyphrases: Depo-Provera, Hormonal contraception, Hormonal contraceptives, Medroxyprogesterone acetate, Oral contraceptives, Injectable contraceptives, Immunodeficiency virus, HIV-1, HIV-1 acquisition, HIV-1 transmission
Étude de l’orientation par déformation de mélanges de polymères à base de polystyrène

Planar array infrared spectroscopy (PAIRS) was used to study the fast deformation and relaxation of polymers at s draw rate of 46 cm/s, giving millisecond time resolution. Complementary measurements by polarization modulation infrared structural absorbance spectroscopy (PM-IRSAS) were conducted to probe slower deformations (0.16 to 1.6 cm/s) with a time resolution of a few hundreds of milliseconds. Our study allowed the observation, after fast deformation, of a new relaxation time (τ0), on the order of tens of milliseconds, which was not predicted in the literature.   The aim of this work is to quantify this new relaxation time and to determine how it is affected by molecular weight, temperature, and blending. Measurements performed on polystyrene (PS) with two different molecular weights (210 and 900 kg/mol) at various temperatures revealed that the new relaxation time is independent of the molecular weight, but that it varies with temperature. Measurements performed on film blends of PS900 with deuterated PS of low molecular weight (21 kg/mol) indicated that this time is unaffected by blending and that the PS chain length has no impact on it. Measurements on films of PS blended with poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) revealed that it is identical for pure PS and for PS in the blends, but that it is shorter, on the order of few milliseconds, for PVME.

Keyphrases: Orientation, Relaxation, Orientation, Deformation, Relaxation, Infrared spectroscopy, Polymer blends, Planar array infrared spectroscopy
Étude sur la reconnaissance de l'ubiquitine par les domaines de transactivation acides des activateurs de transcription

Acidic transactivating domains have been shown to be potential targets for a number of different therapies but their dynamic nature and their ability to bind many interacting partners has made it difficult to fully understand their functioning mechanisms. What we do know about these domains is that they readily control transcription through a myriad of interactions capable of either activating specific aspects of their function or simply, signal for their own demise. Within the acidic TADs lies an unusual degradation/activation domain (DAD) capable of activating transcription at the cost of its degradation. In other words, DAD transcriptional activation is dependent on the degradation of the protein. Such a phenomenon could be explained by a wide variety of hypotheses like the play of post-translational modifications, co-factors, or maybe just a really sophisticated time scaled network of interactions. However, no concrete explanation of how this dual dependent functioning domain works has yet to surface.  The DAD has been observed within acidic TADs of several transcription factors including the tumor suppressor p53 and the red blood cell differentiation factor EKLF. Interestingly though, the amino acid sequence composition of DADs share a strong similarity with several types of sequences from domains that bind ubiquitin (UBDs). These domains have been shown in the past to, in addition to their role in degradation, play a key role in regulating transcription through non-covalent interaction with ubiquitin. Hence, in this project, we investigated weather acidic TADs had the ability to function as UBDs and form non-covalent interactions with ubiquitin and also to determine the functional significance of this interaction in regards to the dual function of acidic TADs.

Keyphrases: p53, Acidic transactivating domains, Degradation activation domain (DAD), Ubiquitin binding domain (UBD), Protein-protein interaction (PPI), Ubiquitin (UBI), Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF)
Associations entre port du casque, comportements sécuritaires à vélo et habitudes de vie

Background: Cyclists are vulnerable road users. Helmet use may reduce injury severity. Yet, its promotion requires a good knowledge of the determinants related to helmet use. Objectives: The objectives are to estimate the association between sociodemographic characteristics and helmet use among cyclists’ from Montreal and to examine associations between helmet use and safe cycling behaviours as well as lifestyles behaviour. Methods: We used a cross sectional design with repeated measures through three telephone surveys completed in 2009 and 2010. The sample includes 3309 Montrealers aged 18 years and over, who had cycled in the previous 12 months. Information on sociodemographic characteristics, safe cycling behaviours, lifestyles and road environments were collected. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: Results show associations between wearing a helmet and income, higher level of education, being born in Canada, other safe cycling behaviours, some lifestyles (non-smoking and drinking one or two alcoholic beverages daily vs not drinking, or drinking three alcoholic beverages or more daily) and the absence of public bicycle share docking stations near one’s dwelling. Conclusions: Helmet use is one of the behaviours allowing cyclists to protect themselves. Social inequalities should be considered when developing interventions to promote helmet use among cyclists.

Keyphrases: Helmet use, Bicycle, Safe behaviours, Lifestyles, Social inequalities
Dynamique végétale récente du complexe tourbeux des Tourbières-de-Lanoraie (Québec)

Worldwide, wetlands are among the most threatened ecosystems by human exploitation, drainage and climate changes. In a conservation perspective, understanding the processes throughout a temporal perspective is an important issue. In this master, I aimed (1) to describe the dynamics of vegetation communities in two bogs of the Tourbières-de-Lanoraie wetland complex during the last three millennia and (2) to determine the impacts of human disturbances on that dynamics on the last 500 years. To achieve this objective, I used a multiproxy paleoecological approach. Vegetation dynamics was similar in the two studied sites. After an ombrotrophication of the wetland, the open bog with Sphagnum and Ericaceae became gradually a forested bog. The transition from minerotrophic to ombrotrophic conditions happened before the Little Ice Age (1570-1850 AD) when climatic conditions were relatively cooler and drier. The forested stage developed much later, at the beginning of the XXth century. Human activities seem to have triggered the shift. Indeed many disturbances like drainage increased during the last century. This study shows that human disturbances are the main drivers of recent vegetation dynamics over the two studied bogs.

Keyphrases: Tourbières, Paleoecology, Vegetation dynamics, Anthropogenic disturbances, Peatlands, Quebec