NCube/papyrus huggingface dataset:
Les personnes atteintes de schizophrénie et vivant en communauté: Construction d'un outil évaluant le risque de rechute psychotique

Psychotic relapse is a common phenomenon in the evolution of schizophrenia. A relapse leads to a large number of negatives outcomes, both on an individual and social level. Decompensation involves, among other things, an increase in positive psychotic symptoms. The literature shows that the risk of violence is increased when psychotic symptoms are important. It is essential to carefully examine the issues involved in preventing and managing the risk of psychotic relapse. To date, no tool has been elaborated to assess the risk of psychotic relapse. We wanted to address this situation by building an instrument in keeping with a structured professional judgment model, the Grille d’évaluation du risque de rechute psychotique (literally: the Psychotic Relapse Risk Assessment Grid). Our instrument is conceptualized according to the principles of the START instrument. A literature review was conducted to determine which risk factors and protective factors are associated with psychotic relapse. For each of these factors, criteria were defined. Then, the Grille d’évaluation du risque de rechute psychotique was applied to three clinical cases. The patients evaluated in this paper are monitored by the Centre de psychiatrie légale de Montréal. Our tool was not subjected to a validation process, and therefore has several methodological limitations. Nevertheless, we believe the first steps of building a tool to be a crucial exercise.

Keyphrases: Rechute psychotique, Évaluation, Schizophrenia, Psychotic relapse, Decompensation, Assessment, Structured professional judgment
La Réserve fédérale, le régime monétaire international et la justice économique

There are parallel debates going on right now in political philosophy and monetary economics concerning global economic justice. Both involve the same fundamental issue: whether the institutions and peoples of dominant country should be responsible for the consequences of their policies on periphery countries. In political philosophy the debate is between the “statists,” who see justice as a political standard, and the “cosmopolitans,” who argue that justice has universal applicability. The debate in monetary economics involves whether the monetary policies of the dominant central bank(s) should take more seriously the harmful consequences of their policies on periphery countries. The position of the U.S. Federal Reserve, the dominant central bank and the focus of criticism, is that harms caused are not their responsibility—basically the statist view. The developing countries argue that central banks should design their monetary policies to avoid harm they may be causing around the globe—basically the cosmopolitan view. I present the criticisms of U.S. monetary policy and the defenses of the Federal Reserve. I argue that the Federal Reserve has a special obligation as the dominant reserve currency bank to evaluate policy consequences by justice standards and a failure to do so, threatens its legitimacy.

Keyphrases: philosophy, ethics, economics, Thomas Pogge, Thomas Nagel
Non-Consequentialist Utilitarianism

Ethics 101 students read that utilitarianism is a version of consequentialism. It is not, for the following reason. Utilitarianism says that an act is morally right insofar as it maximizes total utility. Consequentialism says that an act is morally right insofar as it maximizes good consequences. Utilitarians may insist that you maximize total utility, you not thereby maximize good consequences. Such utilitarians would be non-consequentialists. I address replies to this simple argument. The replies center on the definitions of utilitarianism and consequentialism, respectively. Then I provide indications that non-consequentialist utilitarianism is not only a coherent and intriguing notion, it is also an important one. In particular, building on Kenneth Arrow, John Harsanyi and others, we may re-describe John Rawls’s social theory as committed both to non-consequentialism and, provocatively but in my view inescapably, to utilitarianism. On this heretical reading, Rawls’s central theory may be non-consequentialist utilitarian.

Keyphrases: philosophy, ethics, economics, utilitarianism, consequentialism, Harsanyi, Rawls, Bentham
Utilisation de médicaments pour le traitement de l’asthme durant la grossesse et impact sur les issues périnatales

Asthma is one of the most common chronic medical conditions encountered during pregnancy, affecting approximately 8% of pregnant women. Current asthma treatment guidelines emphasize the importance and safety of the use of asthma medications during pregnancy compared to the risk of poorly controlled asthma for the fetus. In the evaluation of the safety of asthma medications during pregnancy, the literature review shows that questions persist, amongst others, on the safety of high inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) doses and that there is a paucity of data on the safety of long-acting beta2-agonists (LABAs). A two components research program was developed to answers some of these questions. In the first component, a cohort of asthmatic women giving birth from 1998 to 2008 was constructed from the Régie de l’assurance maladie du Québec (RAMQ) et de MED-ÉCHO databases to assess the impact of the use of long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) and the dose of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) during pregnancy on the prevalence of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PB), and small for gestational age (SGA). The cohort included 7,376 pregnancies: 8.8% exposed to LABAs and 56.9% exposed to ICSs. LABA use was not found to be associated with increased prevalence of LBW (OR=0.81; 95%CI: 0.58–1.12), PB (OR=0.84; 95%CI: 0.61–1.15), or SGA (OR=0.92; 95%CI: 0.70–1.20). In the LABAs comparison (salmeterol compared to formoterol as reference), the most important difference was observed for PAG (OR=1.16, 95%CI: 0.67–2.02). For the ICSs, increasing doses were associated with a trend of increased LBW, PB, and SGA. The maximal observed OR was for a dose > 500 ug/day (fluticasone-equivalent) for LBW: (OR=1.57, 95%CI: 0.86–2.87). The comparison of the most frequently used ICSs (fluticasone compared to budesonide as reference) revealed non-statistically significant differences with a maximal difference observed for SGA (OR=1.10, 95%CI: 0.85–1.44). In the second component, a sub-cohort of asthmatic women with medical visits for asthma exacerbations was constructed to compare the treatment of exacerbations during and outside of pregnancy. The results show a reduced and delayed use of systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of asthma exacerbations in women when pregnant than when non-pregnant. The preventive treatment of asthma (ICSs and/or BALAs) could also be optimized. The results presented in this thesis support the safety of the use during pregnancy of LABAs and low to moderate doses of ICSs for the outcomes of LBW, PB and SGA and point to the need for additional data on the safety of high ICS doses. A comparable safety between studied ICSs (budesonide and fluticasone) and BALAs (formoterol and salmeterol) was also demonstrated. We also observed a reduced and delayed use of systemic corticosteroids for the treatment of asthma exacerbations in women when pregnant than when non-pregnant.

Keyphrases: exacerbation, asthma, pregnancy, corticosteroids, long-acting beta2-agonists, low birth weight, prematurity, small for gestational age, exacerbation
Prevention of Cardiometabolic Disease in Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH) is the most common lipoprotein disorder associated with premature cardiovascular disease. Mutations in the LDLR, APOB and PCSK9 genes cause the FH phenotype, but in 20% of FH patients, no mutations in these genes are identified, suggesting that mutations in other genes cause FH. Treatment with statins has been the cornerstone of therapy. While statins are generally well tolerated, statin intolerance is found in approximately 12% of patients. Furthermore, statin use may not allow reaching LDL-C goals and combination therapy is often required. Nevertheless, survival of FH patients over the past 3 decades has improved significantly. As FH patients live longer, severe vascular calcifications have been described as a late complication in these patients. Given the increased survival rate and late complications, novel approaches and therapies are needed.   In the present thesis we examined a kindred with a severe FH phenotype, where sequencing of candidate genes failed to identify a causal mutation. Through biochemical analysis and next-generation exome sequencing we report a mutation (Leu167del) within the APOE gene that identifies the 4th locus causing FH (FH4). Next, we performed two cohort-based studies. Firstly, in the JUPITER trial we report that 20mg rosuvastatin treatment increases PCSK9 levels by 30%, thereby possibly limiting the efficacy of statin therapy. Then we show the effect of a loss-of-function (LOF) mutation of PCSK9, p.R46L, on the response to rosuvastatin. Secondly, we report that two PCSK9 gene variants, p.R46L and insLEU, were more frequent in French Canadian individuals. We also report that the APOE genotype determine the metabolic risk profile in these mutations. Finally, we studied vascular calcifications in FH individuals. These calcifications appear to progress independently of cholesterol levels and are not associated with disturbances in calcium homeostasis. Using mouse models, we show that Ldlr-/- and Tg(Pcsk9) mice develop aortic calcifications similar to that observed in humans. Furthermore, the involvement of the LRP5/Wnt pathway in the pathogenesis of calcification is illustrated. In a proof-of-concept experiment, inhibiting the upstream pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β attenuates calcification in mice.   In conclusion, we have contributed to the identification of a novel locus responsible for FH, reported the increase in PCSK9 levels with a statins treatment and the associated altered cardiometabolic profile in PCSK9 LOF. Finally, we demonstrated that vascular calcifications represent a severe complication of FH that can be prevented by inhibiting IL-1β in a mouse model. The latter novel approach may have an important translational application in human.

Keyphrases: FH, ADH, LDLR, PCSK9, APOE, IL-1β, Calcification, Prevention, Prévention
The Educational Experience of Students of Chinese Origin in a French-Speaking Context : the role of school, family, and community

This study seeks to document the educational experience of students of Chinese origin in Quebec French high schools and to examine the dynamics influencing their academic achievement. More specifically, it explores the impact of school context, Chinese immigrant families, and the ethnic community on the socioeducational integration of these youth in a French-speaking context. Data were collected mainly through semi-structured in-depth interviews with students of Chinese origin as well as different actors holding educational roles (immigrant parents as well as school and community practitioners). Other instruments, such as document review and media content analysis, were also adopted to provide background information and to enrich the interview data. Data were analysed according to an open and inclusive framework evaluating the academic achievement of immigrant students with a main focus on the influence of the proficiency in the language of instruction, cultural and social capital of the immigrant family and community, and systemic factors at the school level. The research findings show that students of Chinese origin in the three target schools generally have positive school experience, especially in terms of their performance in mathematics and sciences. However, some of them, new arrivals in particular, seem to encounter some difficulties in learning French and social integration. Indeed, the process of socioeducational integration of Chinese youth is influenced by diverse milieus that they occupy. Regarding the influence of school dynamics, the results of this study indicate that positive teacher-student relationships play an important role in the educational success of Chinese origin students. Nonetheless, the insufficient learning support services diminish the linguistic and social integration of newly arrived Chinese immigrant students. The research data highlight in particular the role of immigrant family and the ethnic community in shaping the school experience of Chinese youth. On the one hand, with the impact of family dynamics, including migration project, Chinese culture, as well as pre-and post-migration experiences, Chinese parents are involved actively in their children’s schooling, in spite of their language and cultural barriers. On the other hand, to overcome the negative effects of loose connections with mainstream French schools, Chinese parents rely largely on ethnic community-based resources, such as Chinese language media, ethnospecific immigrant service organizations, Chinese supplementary schools, and ethnic religious institutions. These ethnic social institutions contribute to support cultural values, exchange information, establish role-modes for the youth, and provide culturally as well as linguistically appropriate services.

Keyphrases: Educational success, Socioeducational integration, Chinese community, Immigrant students, French high school
Systems biology of the human MHC class I immunopeptidome

The self/nonself discrimination system of vertebrates allows detection and rejection of pathogens and allogeneic cells. It requires the surveillance of short peptides presented by major histocompatibility class I (MHC I) molecules on the cell surface. MHC I molecules are heterodimers that consist of a heavy chain produced by MHC genes and a light chain encoded by the β2-microglobulin gene. The peptides presented by MHC I molecules are collectively referred to as the MHC I immunopeptidome. We employed systems biology approaches to define the composition and cellular origin of the self MHC I immunopeptidome presented by B lymphoblastoid cells derived from two pairs of MHC-identical siblings. We found that the MHC I immunopeptidome is subject- and cell-specific, derives preferentially from abundant transcripts, is enriched in transcripts bearing microRNA response elements and shows no bias toward invariant vs. polymorphic genomic sequences. We also developed a novel personalized approach combining mass-spectrometry, next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics for high-throughput identification of MHC I peptides including those caused by nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (ns-SNPs), termed minor histocompatibility antigens (MiHAs), which are the targets of allo-immune responses. Comparison of the genomic landscape of the immunopeptidome of MHC-identical siblings revealed that 0.5% of ns-SNPs were represented in the immunopeptidome and that 0.3% of the MHC I-peptide repertoire would be immunogenic for one of the siblings. We discovered new factors that shape the self MHC I immunopeptidome and present a novel strategy for the identification of MHC I-associated peptides that could greatly accelerate the development of MiHA-targeted immunotherapy.

Keyphrases: Immunopeptidome, Major histocompatibility complex, Human leukocyte antigen, Immunopeptidome, Minor histocompatibility antigens, Mass-spectrometry, B lymphoblastoid cell lines, Next-generation sequencing
The effect of lesion size on cortical reorganization in the ipsi and contralesional hemispheres

While our understanding of ipsilesional plasticity and its role in recovery of hand function following ischemic stroke has increased dramatically, the reorganization of the contralesional motor cortex and its effect on recovery remain unclear. Currently published studies offer contradictory views on the role of contralesional motor cortex in recovery. Lesion extent has been suggested as the factor determining the type of reorganization of the contralesional motor cortex. The primary goal of this study was thus to evaluate the effect of unilateral strokes of different sizes in caudal forelimb area (CFA) of the rat on both physiological reorganization and behavioral recovery. At the end of a period of spontaneous recovery during which we monitored motor performance of both limbs, we obtained bilateral maps of the CFA and the putative premotor area of the rat – rostral forelimb area (RFA). We found that lesion volume in the CFA correlates with both the extent of behavioral recovery of the paretic hand and the extent of both ipsi and contralesional cortical reorganization. We found that rats with bigger lesions had larger hand representations in the ipsilesional hemisphere and more persistent deficits of the paretic hand. In the contralesional hemisphere we found that rats with larger hand representation in the RFA had bigger lesions and incomplete recovery of the paretic hand. Our results confirm the effect of lesion volume on the reorganization of the contralesional motor cortex and highlight contralesional RFA as the motor cortical area most influenced by lesion volume for future investigations.

Keyphrases: Microstimulation intracorticale, Cortical stroke, Contralesional reorganization, Intracortical microstimulation, Functional recovery, Lesion size
Étude de l’impact de la grossesse sur l’hépatite auto-immune dans un modèle expérimental murin

Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a disease of unknown aetiology, characterized by a progressive destruction of the hepatic parenchyma by the immune system. Women are predominantly affected by AIH, with a prevalence of 75% in type 1 AIH and 90% in type 2. Improvement of treatments to control liver inflammation has contributed to increase the number of pregnant patients. During pregnancy, a spontaneous, but temporary, remission of the disease has been observed in women with AIH, often followed by post-partum relapse. Currently, this phenomenon is not fully understood. Thus, we aim to study the mechanisms responsible for the pregnancy-related remission and post-partum relapses in a murine model of AIH developed in our laboratory. Xenoimmunization of C57BL/6 mice with the antigens recognized by autoreactive cells of type 2 AIH patients results in a loss of tolerance, with clinical and biochemical features of AIH similar to those observed in patients. For this study, xenoimmunized mice were mated and sacrificed at the beginning of the 3rd week of gestation or 2-3 weeks post-partum, and liver disease was evaluated at that time as well as the immune response. As it occurs in women with AIH, pregnancy induces a remission of the disease in our murin model. Pregnant mice show a decrease of liver inflammation, ALT levels and circulating autoantibodies. The mice did not show any sign of relapse during the post-partum period. Our analysis of cellular populations with regulatory properties (regulatory T cells and IL-10 secreting B cells) revealed an increase of hepatic Tregs during pregnancy, which suggests an implication of those cells in the remission. Those Tregs infiltrating the liver are mainly originated from the thymus and do not seem to be recruited to the liver in response to inflammation. Although a switch towards a TH2 response is known to occur during pregnancy, this phenomenon does not seem to be implicated in the remission of AIH in our murine model. A better understanding of the natural immunosuppression occurring during pregnancy could bring important knowledge to design new and improved therapy for AIH.

Keyphrases: Gestation, Post-partum, Hormones, Autoimmunity, Immune tolerance, Autoimmune hepatitis, Liver, Pregnancy, Fetus, Regulatory T cells
Les stratégies visant à améliorer l’acceptabilité des voies de contournement dans les petites municipalités du Québec : le cas de quatre municipalités le long de la route 117 dans la région des Laurentides

This research explores the different strategies currently put into place to minimize the negative effects of the implementation of bypass routes on the small cities of the province of Québec. An assessment of the different strategies used was done by reviewing literature and municipal documentation, as well as reviewing case studies by analysing field reports and maintenance reports of four (4) municipalities. The planning strategies elaborated are essentially aimed at the configuration of city entrance lanes, the utilisation of road signs and the programs of revitalisation of urban areas. The main element that can be observed is that in order to have a good social acceptation of bypass routes, there has to be a good dialogue between the different parties involved, and that for the entire duration of the road works. Also, in order for the strategies to concord with the economic and cultural realities of the municipalities, the amount of time elapsed between the beginning of the project and the actual implementation of the relief route has to be reasonable.  This research overlooks the strategies planned for municipalities that are located in the Laurentides region alongside national road 117 and that are accessible via a bypass route. More specifically, this case study focuses on the cities of Mont-Tremblant (Saint-Jovite aera) , La Conception, Labelle and Rivière-Rouge.

Keyphrases: Bypasses route, Planning strategies, Relief route, Social acceptation, Urban areas, Road signs
Reconnaissance des actions humaines à partir d'une séquence vidéo

The work done in this master's thesis, presents a new system for the  recognition of human actions from a video sequence.  The system uses,  as input, a video sequence taken by a static camera.  A binary  segmentation method of the the video sequence is first achieved, by a  learning algorithm, in order to detect and extract the different people  from the background.  To recognize an action, the system then exploits  a set of prototypes generated from an MDS-based dimensionality  reduction technique, from two different points of view in the video  sequence.  This dimensionality reduction technique, according to two  different viewpoints, allows us to model each human action of the  training base with a set of prototypes (supposed to be similar for  each class) represented in a low dimensional non-linear space.  The  prototypes, extracted according to the two viewpoints, are fed to a  $K$-NN classifier which allows us to identify the human action that  takes place in the video sequence.  The experiments of our model  conducted on the Weizmann dataset of human actions provide interesting  results compared to the other state-of-the art (and often more  complicated) methods.  These experiments show first the  sensitivity of our model for each viewpoint and its effectiveness to  recognize the different actions, with a variable but satisfactory  recognition rate and also the results obtained by the fusion of these  two points of view, which allows us to achieve a high performance   recognition rate.

Keyphrases: Video processing, Human gait analysis, Gesture recognition, Reduction of dimensionality, Shape recognition