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La commission Charbonneau passera à l'histoire en raison d'une primeur en matière de justice: avoir puni ceux qui se sont fait extorquer, les ingénieurs-conseils et les entrepreneurs, plutôt que ceux [...]

J'ai été très impressionné par la qualité du texte << Sauvetage du Québec : la vraie histoire >> (lactualite. com/sauvetage-fortin), de Pierre Fortin, et l'extrême compétence avec laquelle celui-ci a [...]

On peut difficilement interdire une race de chien (<< Faut-il avoir peur des pitbulls ? >>, lactualite.com). Toutefois, on peut exiger des propriétaires d'animaux dangereux qu'ils contractent une assurance. Les [...]

To date, Quebec's hydroelectric production has mostly been associated with large scale projects like the James Bay and Manicouagan dams. At the other extreme, the Quebec government has left the [...]

BACKGROUND: Dietary fibres have been proposed as protective agents against colon cancer but results of both epidemiological and experimental studies are inconclusive. AIMS: Hypothesising that protection against colon cancer may be restricted to butyrate producing fibres, we investigated the factors needed for long term stable butyrate production and its relation to susceptibility to colon cancer. METHODS: A two part randomised blinded study in rats, mimicking a prospective study in humans, was performed using a low fibre control diet (CD) and three high fibre diets: starch free wheat bran (WB), type III resistant starch (RS), and short chain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). Using a randomised block design, 96 inbred rats were fed for two, 16, 30, or 44 days to determine the period of adaptation to the diets, fermentation profiles, and effects on the colon, including mucosal proliferation on day 44. Subsequently, 36 rats fed the same diets for 44 days were injected with azoxymethane and checked for aberrant crypt foci 30 days later. RESULTS: After fermentation had stabilised (44 days), only RS and FOS produced large amounts of butyrate, with a trophic effect in the large intestine. No difference in mucosal proliferation between the diets was noted at this time. In the subsequent experiment one month later, fewer aberrant crypt foci were present in rats fed high butyrate producing diets (RS, p=0.022; FOS, p=0.043). CONCLUSION: A stable butyrate producing colonic ecosystem related to selected fibres appears to be less conducive to colon carcinogenesis.

By subtraction strategy and polymerase chain reaction amplification, two novel cDNAs, designated IA-2 and IA-2β, were cloned, sequenced and expressed. Both are transmembrane proteins belonging to the protein tyrosine phosphatase family and are expressed in pancreatic islets. Serological studies revealed that a high percentage of patients with IDDM have autoantibodies to IA-2/IA-2β and that the presence of these autoantibodies in otherwise normal individuals is highly predictive in identifying those at risk of ultimately developing clinical diabetes. Moreover, many patients who are ICA positive, but who do not have Abs to GAD65, have Abs to IA-2/IA-2β. Enzymatic cleavage of IA-2/IA-2β and serological analysis showed that IA-2 is the precursor of the 40 kDa tryptic fragment and IA-2β is the precursor of the 37 kDa tryptic fragment, both previously shown to be autoantigens. It is concluded that IA-2/IA-2β are major autoantigens in IDDM and together with GAD65are responsible for much of the reactivity of ICA with pancreatic islets. Tests for the detection of autoantibodies to recombinant IA-2/IA-2β and recombinant GAD65are likely to replace the ICA immunofluorescence test for population screening.

Several letters to the editor are presented in response to articles in previous issues including "L'or noir du Québec" in the April, 1 2013 issue concerning the exploitation of petroleum, the editorial "Pas si fou, le vote à 16 ans" by Carole Beaulieu in the March 15, 2013 issue focusing on 16 year olds and voting, and "Pas de médecin? Essayer les superinfirmières!" in the March 1, 2013 issue which discusses the recruitment of specialized nurse practitioners.

Skin from mice transgenic (Tg) for part of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) genome was transplanted onto normal mice of the same strain. All Tg grafts were rejected within 29 days. In contrast, skin from normal mice that was transplanted to HIV-1-Tg recipients remained viable for >67 days. Histologic examination of Tg grafts on normal mice showed evidence of monocytic infiltrates. Monocytic infiltrates were not observed, however, when either normal or Tg skin was transplanted onto Tg mice. Immunohistologic staining verified the presence of gp120 protein expression in the Tg-transplanted skin but not in adjacent normal skin. It is concluded that the Tg mice are immunologically tolerant to the HIV-1 gene products they express.