NCube/papyrus huggingface dataset:
Les considérations de « race » ou couleur dans le processus de jumelage en adoption Banque mixte : analyse d’un cas de discrimination raciale systémique à l’aube de la théorie critique raciale, de l’intersectionnalité et de l’internormativité

As part of the current pairing process for a foster (potentially adoptive) family and a vulnerable child from the “Banque mixte”, whose security and development are on the line – this foster family may set certain restrictions, notably in relation to factors influencing the intensity of care (physical or mental limitations, behavioural disorders, etc.). However, the adoptive parent(s) can also restrict the offering of their service to « Whites only », limiting their potential care to children who fit their racial requirements, a criterion without any functional impact. Children of colour are therefore considered « more difficult to place ». Our master thesis questions this practice in which the State – by endorsing the racial restrictions issued by the Banque mixte foster family through placement and remuneration – creates in the resource allocation of health and social services a detrimental disparity on the mere basis of “race”.

Keyphrases: Discrimination raciale, Racial discrimination, Critical race theory, Youth protection, Children’s right, Intersectionality, Internormativity
L’encadrement juridique de l’exploitation des mégadonnées dans le secteur privé au Québec

Big data is one of those topics we keep hearing about without knowing exactly what it means. Often associated with the field of artificial intelligence, these large datasets are the backbone of a growing number of business models that focus on leveraging the digital data we generate on a daily basis. This Master’s thesis seeks to demonstrate that this exploitation of big data by businesses is not happening in a legal vacuum.  Big data cannot be considered as an object of rights in the absence of a formal definition. A review of the multidisciplinary literature on the subject invites us to conceive them as an information asset with five main characteristics: volume, velocity, variety, value and veracity. The study of these characteristics allows the jurist to reach a sufficient understanding of the phenomenon in order to approach it through the lens of positive law. Following a legal qualification exercise, big data emerges both as intangible movable property and as a set of technological documents carrying various types of information, some of which can be qualified as personal information.    The legal framework governing the exploitation of big data is therefore built around the legislative protection of informational privacy, which is embodied in privacy laws. This framework is complemented by certain rules relating to document management and the right to equality. An effective way to present this legal framework is according to the life cycle of personal information within big data. Thus, it appears that the principles stemming from the personalist and minimalist approach of Quebec's data protection law apply, albeit not without struggle, to the collection of digital data as well as their processing by businesses.

Keyphrases: big data, artificial intelligence, privacy, data protection, personal information, profiling, informational security, business analytics
Un bilan rétrospectif des accords de libre-échange entre le Canada et les États-Unis : une approche juridique, historique et économique pour mieux envisager les relations commerciales futures

When free trade agreements are studied, they are usually considered independently of each other or, when they are examined jointly, the details of the provisions are not presented. The aim here is to provide an overview of the various free trade agreements between Canada and the United States, going as far back as is feasible. We do cover: the reciprocity treaty of 1854; the rejected agreement of 1911; the two agreements based on Hull's views of 1935 and 1938; the aborted agreement of 1947; the auto pact of 1965; and the three most recent agreements, FTA, NAFTA and the USMCA. The proposed survey is predominantly juridical in nature. It is first and foremost a comparison of the provisions of the various agreements. In particular, we focus on trade in goods, as this is the only thread that allows for parallels going back to the 19th century. Next, this analysis is framed in historical contexts, as these help us better understand the issues raised by the various provisions. Finally, economic comments are added to this core of the research. We thus propose a multidisciplinary perspective: the finer points of the followed methodology are set out in detail. Now, more specifically, the main question raised is spelled out as follows: after considering all of the trade agreements between Canada and the United States, what is the format, the approach, that is most likely to be the most effective in facilitating trade between the two countries in the future? The conclusion is quite simple: broad-spectrum free trade agreements—that is, agreements that cover several goods-producing sectors—have generally been more fallible than sectoral agreements, which focus on smaller, but more specific issues. Indeed, the last three free trade deals between Canada and the United States are, behind the appearances of all-encompassing agreements, essentially amalgamations of sectoral agreements arranged in a framework of global aspirations. This is the main conclusion of our research. We also make several other synthetical points, which illustrate some of the unwavering issues that have characterized the Canada-U.S. trade relationship over the years.

Keyphrases: Legal History, Trade in Goods, Free Trade, Reciprocity, Free Trade Agreements, Canadian Economy, Economy of the United States, Trade Relations, Canada-United States Relations
Characterization of feedstuff-drug interactions in swine

Food-drug interactions adversely affecting the release process and the stability of their active ingredients must be characterized because of their adverse consequences on oral bioavailability, therapeutic efficacy and, in the case of antibiotics, selection resistant organisms. Our study evaluated the relationship between the efficiency of the in vitro release of chlortetracycline (CTC) and lincomycin (LIN) in simulated pig gastric fluid (SPGF) and the water-holding capacity (WHC) of feedstuffs commonly used in pig feed (soybean meal (SBM), dry distillers' grain with solubles (DDGS) and meat and bone meal (MBM), corn (gC), wheat (gW), and rye (gR), which it was fortified with 880 ppm CTC or 440 ppm LIN. The WHC of ingredients differed significantly (p <0.0001) among feedstuffs with the highest value for SBM both in water and SPGF and lowest value for MBM. The MBM had a significantly lower WHC in SPGF than in water (p <.0001). The effects of soaking time on WHC were negligible for all feedstuffs (p> 0.50). The WHC decreased with increasing particle size for all feedstuffs, but their relationships differed significantly (p <0.0001). All the tested feedstuffs decreased the rate and extent of dissolution of the CTC and LIN premixes. WHC was the main factor that hindered the dissolution of both drugs (p <0.0001), while the time and ash content of the ingredients significantly favored their dissolution (p ≤ 0.008). Compared to the dissolved premixes alone, DDGS and gR released 80% of these antibiotics, while SBM, gW and gC released between 40% and 50%. Neutralization of SPGF at swine intestinal pH decreased the dissolved proportions of antibiotics, but not significantly (p> 0.69). The WHC of the used feedstuffs in the manufacture of medicated feed would therefore be a promising indicator of the feed-drug interactions of LIN and CTC. To increase their release and therapeutic potential, the formulation of medicated feeds could be improved by using alternative ingredients, with less WHC.

Keyphrases: Test de dissolution in vitro, Medicated feed, Water holding capacity, In vitro dissolution test, Chlortetracycline, Lincomycin, rate and extent of drug release
La responsabilité criminelle a-t-elle un avenir? : enquête sur les fondements philosophiques, juridiques et psychologiques de l’imputabilité pénale à l’ère des neurosciences

This doctoral dissertation is both descriptive and prospective. Descriptive, on the one hand, by seeking to identify the current legal foundations of criminal responsibility and by trying to determinate the extent of their relationship with the philosophical notion of free will. Prospective, on the other hand, by seeking to evaluate the chances of survival of these foundations in the light of the new vision of man that emanates from advances in neuroscience. To this end, two great prophecies concerning the future of criminal responsibility will have to be weighed: one, which we will call ‘‘scientist’’, claims that the current legal concept of criminal responsibility is incompatible with what neuroscience teaches us and is, therefore, destined to fall into disuse. The other, which we will call ‘‘legitimist’’, claims that it is rather by altering the popular intuitions about responsibility that neuroscience will threat the penal edifice. In both cases, we will discover that a misdiagnosis concerning the legal and psychological functioning of the judgments of responsibility leads to an error of prognosis.

Keyphrases: Blâme, Intuitions morales, Criminal and moral responsibility, Free will, Determinism, Blame, Neuroscience, Neurolaw, Experimental philosophy, Folk psychology, Moral intuitions, Legal defenses
Regulation of the RNA/DNA helicase Sen1 by proteasome-mediated degradation

Sen1 is an RNA/DNA helicase involved in protecting the yeast genome by resolving RNA/DNA hybrids and in the transcription termination of short non-coding RNAs. Despite the widespread cellular demand for Sen1 action, its cellular abundance is very low, suggesting that mechanisms regulate Sen1 protein levels in the cell. We have confirmed that Sen1 is degraded via a proteasome-dependent pathway. This mechanism depends on the catalytic activity of Glc7, a protein phosphatase that was previously shown to dephosphorylate Sen1 in vitro, and to interact with Sen1 through an ‘RVxF’ motif. Our working hypothesis is that Glc7 controls Sen1 protein levels via dephosphorylation of a phospho-degron. Interestingly, a potential site in the N-terminal region of Sen1 (serine 863) that may work as a phospho-degron has been identified in a proteome-wide analysis of phosphorylation and ubiquitylation cross-talk. In order to identify Sen1 phosphorylation sites enriched in the absence of Glc7, we conducted immunoprecipitation of Sen1 followed by mass spectrometry. This analysis identified one phosphorylation site within Sen1 at serine 1505 that could act as a potential degron site. Note that this site has also been reported in previous phosphoproteomic studies on yeast. Furthermore, the interaction between Sen1 and Glc7 and the importance of the RVxF motif (by mutation of residue F2003) for this interaction was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Surprisingly, prevention of this interaction does not affect the stability of Sen1 or cell growth. Overall, we have identified a small group of Sen1 phosphorylation sites with potential biological relevance. Our findings also confirm that mutating the RVxF motif of Sen1 impairs the interaction with Glc7 in vivo. These data further our understanding of Sen1 protein regulation by Glc7 in yeast cells that may provide clues to the role of senataxin, human orthologue, in neurodegenerative disorders.

Keyphrases: Sen1, Glc7, Ubiquitin-proteasome system, Phosphodegron
Links between abnormal lipid metabolism and inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) research has mainly focused on studying its main histological hallmarks, β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques, and neurofibrillary tangles. However, therapies directly targeting these hallmarks do not prevent AD progression. In addition to these hallmarks, genetics have highlighted the implication of lipid metabolism and immunity in AD. Disturbances in lipid metabolism are the single strongest genetic predictor of developing AD, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Recent work in our laboratory showed that triglycerides accumulate in the brains of both AD patients and 3xTg mice, a mouse model of AD. In 3xTg mice, these triglycerides are enriched with monounsaturated fatty acid oleic acid (OA), and the inhibition of the OAsynthesizing enzyme stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) reduced their accumulation and counteracts the early loss of hippocampal neurogenesis and memory deficits. Here, we tested whether SCD inhibition can reverse changes in the transcriptome and rescue hippocampal function in symptomatic 3xTg mice. Compared to their strain controls, the hippocampus of middle-aged, preplaque 3xTg mice showed transcriptomic alterations involved in processes recognized to be disrupted in AD. Their hippocampus also displayed significant reduction in dendritic spines. Remarkably, RNA sequencing data show that treatment of middle-aged 3xTg mice for one month with an SCD inhibitor rescued genes related to immunity and synapses. Tissue analyses revealed that this treatment led to improvements in dendritic spine density. We also established a model of microglia in culture and our preliminary data suggest that Aβ oligomers may be responsible for disruptions in microglial lipid metabolism. Together, these studies shed light on the potential of a novel drug target SCD for the treatment of AD.

Keyphrases: Alzheimer’s disease, Microglia, Inflammation, Synapse, Stearoyl-CoA desaturase, Lipid, Metabolism
Deciphering the role of Ankle2 during mitotic exit

Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation is one of the mechanisms that regulates mitotic progression. Cyclin dependent kinase 1 bound to cyclin B (Cdk1 – cyclin B) and other kinases  phosphorylate a myriad of proteins  to promote early mitotic events. These phosphorylations are reversed by phosphatases during mitotic exit. The Protein Phosphatase 2A with its regulatory subunit B55 (PP2A-B55)  is the major phosphatase counteracting Cdk1 phosphorylations.   In this project, we have found that Ankle2 participates in mitotic exit. Using D. melanogaster as a model, we have found that Ankle2 is important for the Nuclear Envelope (NE)-associated proteins BAF and Lamin  recruitment at telophase, ensuring the formation of a single nucleus. In vivo, we have found that Ankle2 is crucial for Drosophila embryo development, as RNAi Ankle2 embryos are arrested in the first mitosis. To study the molecular mechanisms by which Ankle2 promotes mitotic exit, we identified its interacting partners. We found that Ankle2 is associated with an active form of PP2A, suggesting Ankle2 as a potential regulatory subunit of PP2A. Moreover, Ankle2 engages in a complex with cyclin B and mitotic Cdks, and our genetic results suggest that Ankle2 and mitotic cyclin – Cdk complex may have opposite roles.  We have also found that Ankle2 interacts with the Endoplasmic-Reticulum (ER) protein Vap33 through its FFAT motif. In this project, we have found that Ankle2 is an ER-associated protein in Drosophila that is crucial for completion of mitosis, probably regulating the activity of mitotic kinases and phosphatases. This study will serve as a basis to decipher the precise molecular mechanisms by which Ankle2 promotes mitotic exit.

Keyphrases: Ankle2, cycline B – Cdk1, PP2A, Mitosis, Cell cycle, Drosophila, Cyclin B – Cdk1
Palaeoepidemiological analysis of a historical urban population from Montréal : exploring the interactions between vitamin D deficiency and various palaeopathological skeletal manifestations

Vitamin D has many functions in the regulation of various systems affecting the whole body. A deficiency of this hormone thus affects many essential systems (e.g. skeletal, dental, immune) and can leave visible lesions on the skeleton and teeth. During the Industrial Revolution, various environmental factors probably contributed to an increase in vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, most studies on vitamin D deficiency have been conducted on European skeletal samples dated to the 19th century. However, the frequency of this type of metabolic disease has not been explored extensively in Canada for the same period. Furthermore, in palaeopathology, the possible interactions between vitamin D deficiency and other diseases have only been poorly explored. To fill this gap, the present study focuses on an historic Euro-Quebecois population (St. Antoine cemetery, Montréal (1799-1854), exploring the frequency and prevalence of pathological lesions and conditions as well as their possible influence on the age and sex categories. More precisely, are investigated the possible link between the occurrence of vitamin D deficiency cases during infancy and health deterioration later in life, as well as the temporal evolution of the cases within the St. Antoine cemetery in relation to the industrialization process. In total, 52 individuals (8 nonadults, 44 adults) from the St. Antoine urban cemetery were used for the study. The data collected during the research is of an empiric nature and was acquired following three steps: i) the basic skeletal inventory (sex, age-at-death); ii) the macroscopic and radiographic observations of the pathological lesions on the skeletons; iii) and the histological examination of selected dental tissues to assess the presence of interglobular dentin (IGD). The results indicate a high prevalence of IGD during infancy indicative of vitamin D deficiency, i.e. 44% (23/52) to 75% (39/52), excluding and including the degree 1 of IGD, respectively. The majority of these episodes occurred at or from birth to up to three years-old (63%, n=33/52) and 12% of the individuals (n=6/52) presented prenatal IGD episodes, raising questions about maternal deficiencies and cultural influences. The presence of IGD during infancy was not correlated with demographic parameters, nor with health status deterioration later in life. A possible link was recorded between the presence of more severe degrees of IGD and LEH. The number of IGD cases during infancy seems to decrease with time, contrary to what might be expected of an industrializing population. However, this result must be taken with caution because of the small portion of the sample coming from the more recent parts of the cemetery.

Keyphrases: XIXe siècle, Carences, 19th century, Palaeoepidemiology, Histology, Vitamin D, Deficiencies, Health, Cultural practices, Industrialization
L’ethnographie au service du design de jeux : observation et analyse du programme d’études supérieures en design de jeux

The field of video game design is constantly evolving seeing rapid change both in game design theory and technology as the video game industry matures as a whole. This rapid progress requires game design professionals to constantly evolve and adapt to remain pertinent on the market. Thus, it is important to consider the impact of such rapid growth on the academic platform that seeks to support it by providing the industry with qualified graduates ready to meet the ever-growing expectations of employers. Using the ethnographic and phenomenological research models, the objective of the present study is to bring new understanding of the teaching practices of game design by following students through their final project. Consisting in designing and developing a functioning video game prototype, the final project offers the author of this study a unique perspective into the design processes and strategies adopted by the students over the course of the production. Based on the qualitative approach of the phenomenological research model, this study compiled the experiences of seven design students and two teachers through non-participatory observation, logbooks, semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Through the observations gathered on the field, this study aims to faithfully portray the academic experiences of the students of class 2019-2020. The analysis of the data collected highlights the strengths of the educational experience as well as underlines its inadequacies and shortcomings which, in turn, lead to reflexive recommendations concerning the sociocultural context, motivation, teamwork, training and pedagogy within a project-based context.

Keyphrases: Processus de design, Game design, Design process, Design project, Project-based learning, Reflective practice, Educational experience
Video game design for empathy : a better understanding of game mechanics and player interactions

Research regarding video games has long focused on the effects they have on the aggression levels of the players, with an emphasis on the content of games. These effects have generally been regarded as negative by early researchers and the general public, even though more recent findings have shown that they have a cathartic effect rather than pure arousal on the player’s emotions. The main motivation behind this work is the potential positive effects video games may have on empathy and other prosocial behaviours. Recent studies on video games have shown that the interactions between players and other social components present while playing have a greater influence on the players future behaviour than the content of the game. These interactions are often a by-product of the intended play patterns such as cooperative gameplay and are very few times elicited intentionally by the designers. It is proposed that by applying design principles that are currently present in other ludic artefacts, such as therapeutic board games, to the design of video game mechanics, a positive and lasting effect on the players prosocial behaviours can be achieved. Game mechanics that compel players to interact in positive ways in coordination with narrative and visual components have the potential to transform the ludo-narrative experience of video games into powerful psycho-educational tools to improve the development of empathy and other prosocial behaviours in children. An analysis of a commercially available video game through the lens of the theoretical framework developed here provides insight into what is currently done in the industry and what can be done to improve video game design further.

Keyphrases: Videogame design, Empathic design, Empathy, Child development, Game mechanics