Glutathione is an essential metabolite for plant life best known for its role in the control of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Glutathione is also involved in the detoxification of methylglyoxal (MG) ...which, much like ROS, is produced at low levels by aerobic metabolism under normal conditions. While several physiological processes depend on ROS and MG, a variety of stresses can dramatically increase their concentration leading to potentially deleterious effects. In this review, we examine the structure and the stress regulation of the pathways involved in glutathione synthesis and degradation. We provide a synthesis of the current knowledge on the glutathione-dependent glyoxalase pathway responsible for MG detoxification. We present recent developments on the organization of the glyoxalase pathway in which alternative splicing generate a number of isoforms targeted to various subcellular compartments. Stress regulation of enzymes involved in MG detoxification occurs at multiple levels. A growing number of studies show that oxidative stress promotes the covalent modification of proteins by glutathione. This post-translational modification is called S-glutathionylation. It affects the function of several target proteins and is relevant to stress adaptation. We address this regulatory function in an analysis of the enzymes and pathways targeted by S-glutathionylation.
Objectives: To compare post-concussion symptoms (PCS) and return to normal activities between mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) patients with or without concomitant injuries at 7-and 90 days ...post-mTBI.Methods: Design: Sub-analysis of a multicentre prospective cohort study. Participants and setting: patients with mTBI from 7 Canadian Emergency Departments. Procedure: Research assistants conducted telephone follow-ups using the Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) at 7-, 30- and 90 days post-mTBI. Main outcome: Presence of PCS (RPQ: ≥3 symptoms) at 90 days. Secondary outcomes: RPQ score ≥21, prevalence of individual RPQ symptoms and patients' return to normal activities, at 7- and 90-days. Adjusted risk ratios (RR) were calculated.Results: 1725 mTBI patients were included and 1055 (61.1%) had concomitant injuries. Patients with concomitant injuries were at higher risk of having ≥3 symptoms on the RPQ (RR:1.26 95% CI 1.01-1.58) at 90 days. They were also at higher risk of experiencing specific symptoms (dizziness, fatigue, headaches and taking longer to think) and of non-return to their normal activities (RR:2.11 95% CI 1.30-3.45).Conclusion: Patients with concomitant injuries have slightly more PCS and seemed to be at higher risk of non-return to their normal activities 90 days, compared to patients without concomitant injuries.
EXO-200 is an experiment designed to search for double beta decay of super(136)Xe with a single-phase, liquid xenon detector. It uses an active mass of 110 kg of xenon enriched to 80.6% in the ...isotope 136 in an ultra-low background time projection chamber capable of simultaneous detection of ionization and scintillation. This paper describes the EXO-200 detector with particular attention to the most innovative aspects of the design that revolve around the reduction of backgrounds, the efficient use of the expensive isotopically enriched xenon, and the optimization of the energy resolution in a relatively large volume.
In the current context of climatic variability, it is important to quantify the impact on the environment. This study deals with an analysis of climatic data and land-use changes in terms of the ...impacts on flood recurrence based on multisource data. The study area covers the mouth of the Saint-François River (southern Québec, Canada), where spring floods and ice jams are a recurring problem. The flood frequency analysis shows an increase in flooding over recent decades, attributable to an increase in winter temperatures that has the effect of causing ice jams earlier in the year. Regarding land-use changes, a small decrease in agricultural surface areas is observed, from 53% to 39%, along with increases in forest and urban surface areas from 27% to 38% (forest) and 3% to 5% (urban) between 1928 and 2005. In a context of continuing climate warming, more pronounced inter-annual variations are to be expected along with a higher incidence of flooding.
Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz
Citation Ouellet, C., Saint-Laurent, D. and Normand, F., 2012. Flood events and flood risk assessment in relation to climate and land-use changes: Saint-François River, southern Québec, Canada. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (2), 313-325.
IntroductionIn individuals with first episode psychosis (FEP) and cannabis use disorder (CUD), reducing cannabis use is associated with improved clinical outcomes. Access to evidence-based ...psychological interventions to decrease cannabis use in FEP clinics is highly variable; E-mental health interventions may help to address this gap. Development of E-interventions for CUD in individuals with FEP is in its incipient phases.ObjectivesTo assess preferences for online psychological interventions aiming at decreasing or stopping cannabis use in young adults with psychosis and CUD.MethodsIndividuals aged 18 to 35 years old with psychosis and CUD were recruited from seven FEP intervention programs in Canada and responded to an electronic survey between January 2020-July 2022. We used the Case 2 Best Worst Scaling methodology that is grounded in the trade-off utility concept to collect and analyse data. Participants selected the best or worst option for each of the nine questions corresponding to three distinct domains. For each domain we used conditional logistic regression and marginal models (i.e., three models in total) to estimate preferences for attributes (e.g., duration, frequency of online intervention sessions) and attribute levels (e.g., 15 minutes, every day).ResultsParticipants (N=104) showed higher preferences for the following attributes: duration of online sessions; mode of receiving the intervention; method of feedback delivery and the frequency of feedback from clinicians (Table 1). Attribute-level analyses showed higher preferences for participating once a week in short (15 minutes) online interventions (Figure 1). Participants valued the autonomy offered by online interventions which aligns with their preference for completing the intervention outside the clinic and only require assistance once a week (Figure 2). Participants’ preferences were higher for receiving feedback related to cannabis consumption both from the application and clinicians at a frequency of once a week from clinicians (Figure 3).Table 1.Preferences for Attributes. Results of conditional logistic regressionAttributesDomainsOR95% CI for ORDuration sessionA1.621.45; 1.82Frequency sessions0.980.87; 1.09Duration interventionrefPreferred mode of receiving the interventionB1.631.46; 1.83Preferred location for participating1.070.96; 1.20Frequency of assistance from the clinicianrefPreference for the feedback delivery methodC1.211.08; 1.36Frequency of feedback from the treating clinician1.141.02; 1.28Frequency of feedback from the applicationrefNote: In boldface significant odds ratios (OR) and confidence intervals (CI)Image:Image 2:Image 3:ConclusionsUsing advanced methodologies to assess preferences, our results can inform the development of highly acceptable E-Mental health interventions for decreasing cannabis use in individuals with CUD and FEP.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared
Many studies have concluded that cannabis use disorder (CUD) negatively influences outcomes in first-episode psychosis (FEP). However, few have taken into account the impact of concurrent misuse of ...other substances.
This 2-year, prospective, longitudinal study of FEP patients, aged between 18 and 30 years, admitted to early intervention programs in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, examined the specific influence of different substance use disorders (SUD) (alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, amphetamines) on service utilization, symptomatic and functional outcomes in FEP.
Drugs and alcohol were associated with lower functioning, but drugs had a greater negative impact on most measures at 2-year follow-up. Half of CUD patients and more than 65% of cocaine or amphetamine abusers presented polysubstance use disorder (poly-SUD). The only group that deteriorated from years 1 to 2 (symptoms and functioning) were patients with persistent CUD alone. Outcome was worse in CUD than in the no-SUD group at 2 years. Cocaine, amphetamines and poly-SUD were associated with worse symptomatic and functional outcomes from the 1st year of treatment, persisting over time with higher service utilization (hospitalization).
The negative impact attributed to CUD in previous studies could be partly attributed to methodological flaws, like including polysubstance abusers among cannabis misusers. However, our investigation confirmed the negative effect of CUD on outcome. Attention should be paid to persistent cannabis misusers, since their condition seems to worsen over time, and to cocaine and amphetamine misusers, in view of their poorer outcome early during follow-up and high service utilization.
Nuclear Data Sheets A=32 Ouellet C.; Ouellet,C.; Singh,B.
Nuclear data sheets,
09/2011, Letnik:
112, Številka:
9
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Nuclear spectroscopic information for experimentally investigated nuclides of mass 32 (Ne, Na, Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Cl, Ar) has been evaluated. The principal sources of the Adopted Levels presented for ...nuclides close to the stability line are Endt's evaluations (1990En08, 1978En02). The data sets for reactions and decays, including all available gamma-ray data, are based mostly on the original literature. Except for the half-life of {sup 32}Ne decay, no other details about its decay characteristics are available. Structure data for {sup 32}Ne and {sup 32}Na are limited to only one excited state in each. The {sup 32}Mg nuclide is of central and prime relevance in the 'island of inversion' at or near N = 20 semi-closed shell. The lifetime of only one excited state in {sup 32}Mg is known. The spin-parity assignments of several levels in this nucleus are not quite firm. The structure of {sup 32}Ar is limited to only one known state at low energy and two resonances in the giant-dipole excitation region. The {sup 32}P, {sup 32}S and {sup 32}Cl remain the most extensively studied nuclei through various reaction channels.
OBJECTIVE:A number of health care initiatives seek to improve health outcomes by increasing access to outpatient services while reducing preventable acute events. We evaluated disparities between ...American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) and non-Hispanic white (white) Medicare enrollees in access to outpatient preventive, primary, and specialty services by comparing their potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPHs).
RESEARCH DESIGN:The study population included 121,311 adult AI/AN Medicare enrollees registered to use services funded by the Indian Health Service and 5,915,011 adult white enrollees living in the same counties. Medicare 2010 data and a nationally recognized algorithm were used to identify PPHs.
RESULTS:Among AI/AN Medicare enrollees, 58.6% had either diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or both conditions; the AI/AN age-adjusted prevalence of either or both conditions was 1.2 times that of the white enrollees (P<0.001). The age-adjusted PPH rate for all AI/ANs was 74 admissions per 1000 adults, 1.5 times that of white enrollees (P<0.001). Nearly 90% of AI/AN PPHs were among AI/ANs with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or both conditions; their PPH rate was 114 admissions per 1000 adults, 1.2 times that of white enrollees (P<0.001) with those conditions.
CONCLUSIONS:Differences in disease burden and access to outpatient services may partly explain the higher PPH rates for AI/AN Medicare enrollees. The health care quality measure used in this study (PPH) was developed for the US general population. It is important to consider AI/AN socioeconomic and other characteristics when interpreting findings for such measures and enhancing programs and policies to improve AI/AN health outcomes.
We report on the excitonic photoluminescence from a nitrogen dyad of C
2v symmetry located in a plane parallel to the emitted light wavevector (out-of-plane). We determine that the spectral signature ...of out-of-plane dyads is composed of five transitions linearly polarized along 1
0
0 or 0
1
0. A sixth transition is in principle allowed but could not be observed due to its relatively low oscillator strength. However, a perturbation in the close vicinity of a dyad can significantly influence the fine structure and the polarization sequence of the emission and can bring out this sixth transition.
► First analysis of the emission fine structure of out-of-plane nitrogen molecules embedded in GaAs. ► Precise determination of the exchange and crystal-field parameters. ► Determination of the relative oscillator strength of all excitonic transitions. ► These results illustrate the importance of external perturbations on electronic properties.
DEAP-3600 is a single-phase liquid argon (LAr) direct-detection dark matter experiment, operating 2 km underground at SNOLAB (Sudbury, Canada). The detector consists of 3279 kg of LAr contained in a ...spherical acrylic vessel. This paper reports on the analysis of a 758 tonne·day exposure taken over a period of 231 live-days during the first year of operation. No candidate signal events are observed in the WIMP-search region of interest, which results in the leading limit on the WIMP-nucleon spin-independent cross section on a LAr target of 3.9×10−45 cm2 (1.5×10−44 cm2) for a 100 GeV/c2 (1 TeV/c2) WIMP mass at 90% C.L. In addition to a detailed background model, this analysis demonstrates the best pulse-shape discrimination in LAr at threshold, employs a Bayesian photoelectron-counting technique to improve the energy resolution and discrimination efficiency, and utilizes two position reconstruction algorithms based on the charge and photon detection time distributions observed in each photomultiplier tube.
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