Université de Montréal

About: Université de Montréal is a education organization based out in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 45641 authors who have published 100476 publications receiving 4004007 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Montreal & UdeM.

Increased Expression of IL-33 in Severe Asthma: Evidence of Expression by Airway Smooth Muscle Cells

Abstract: IL-33, a new member of the IL-1 cytokine family, promotes Th2 inflammation, but evidence on the implications of this cytokine in asthma is lacking IL-33 would be mainly expressed by structural cells, but whether proinflammatory cytokines modulate its expression in airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) is unknown Endobronchial biopsies were obtained from adults with mild (n = 8), moderate (n = 8), severe (n = 9), asthma and from control subjects (n = 5) Immunocytochemistry, laser-capture microdissection, reverse transcriptase, and real-time quantitative PCR were used for determining IL-33 expression in the lung tissues ASMC isolated from resected lung specimens were cultured with proinflammatory cytokines and with dexamethasone IL-33 expression by ASMC was determined by PCR, ELISA, and Western blotting Higher levels of IL-33 transcripts are detected in biopsies from asthmatic compared with control subjects, and especially in subjects with severe asthma ASMC show IL-33 expression at both protein and mRNA levels IL-33 and TNF-alpha transcript levels correlate in the lung tissues, and TNF-alpha up-regulates IL-33 expression by cultured ASMC in a time- and dose-dependent manner IFN-gamma also increases IL-33 expression and shows synergistic effect with TNF-alpha Dexamethasone fails to abolish TNF-alpha-induced IL-33 up-regulation IL-33 expression increases in bronchial biopsies from subjects with asthma compared with controls, as well as subjects with asthma severity ASMC are a source of the IL-33 cytokine Our data propose IL-33 as a novel inflammatory marker of severe and refractory asthma

Healing traditions: culture, community and mental health promotion with Canadian Aboriginal peoples

Abstract: Objective: To identify issues and concepts to guide the development of culturally appropriate mental health promotion strategies with Aboriginal populations and communities in Canada.Methods: We review recent literature examining the links between the history of colonialism and government interventions (including the residential school system, out-adoption, and centralised bureaucratic control) and the mental health of Canadian Aboriginal peoples.Results: There are high rates of social problems, demoralisation, depression, substance abuse, suicide and other mental health problems in many, though not all, Aboriginal communities. Although direct causal links are difficult to demonstrate with quantitative methods, there is clear and compelling evidence that the long history of cultural oppression and marginalisation has contributed to the high levels of mental health problems found in many communities. There is evidence that strengthening ethnocultural identity, community integration and political empowermen...

Alcohol promotes dopamine release in the human nucleus accumbens.

Abstract: Microdialysis experiments in rodents indicate that ethanol promotes dopamine release predominantly in the nucleus accumbens, a phenomenon that is implicated in the reinforcing effects of drugs of abuse The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis in humans that an oral dose of ethanol would lead to dopamine release in the ventral striatum, including the nucleus accumbens Six healthy subjects underwent two ( 11 C)raclopride PET scans following either alcohol (1 ml/kg) in orange juice or orange juice alone Subjective mood changes, heart rate, and blood-alcohol levels were monitored throughout the procedure Personality traits were evaluated using the tridimensional personality questionnaire PET images were co-registered with MRI and transformed into stereotaxic space Statistical parametric maps of ( 11 C)raclopride bind- ing potential change were generated There was a significant reduction in ( 11 C)raclo- pride binding potential bilaterally in the ventral striatum/nucleus accumbens in the alcohol condition compared to the orange juice condition, indicative of increased extra- cellular dopamine Moreover, the magnitude of the change in ( 11 C)raclopride binding correlated with the alcohol-induced increase in heart rate, which is thought to be a marker of the psychostimulant effects of the drug, and with the personality dimension of impulsiveness The present study is the first report that, in humans, alcohol promotes dopamine release in the brain, with a preferential effect in the ventral striatum These findings support the hypothesis that mesolimbic dopamine activation is a common property of abused substances, possibly mediating their reinforcing effects Synapse 49: 226 -231, 2003 © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Diagnostic Testing for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus 2: A Narrative Review.

Abstract: Diagnostic testing to identify persons infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is central to control the global pandemic of COVID-19 that began in late 2019. In a few countries, the use of diagnostic testing on a massive scale has been a cornerstone of successful containment strategies. In contrast, the United States, hampered by limited testing capacity, has prioritized testing for specific groups of persons. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction-based assays performed in a laboratory on respiratory specimens are the reference standard for COVID-19 diagnostics. However, point-of-care technologies and serologic immunoassays are rapidly emerging. Although excellent tools exist for the diagnosis of symptomatic patients in well-equipped laboratories, important gaps remain in screening asymptomatic persons in the incubation phase, as well as in the accurate determination of live viral shedding during convalescence to inform decisions to end isolation. Many affluent countries have encountered challenges in test delivery and specimen collection that have inhibited rapid increases in testing capacity. These challenges may be even greater in low-resource settings. Urgent clinical and public health needs currently drive an unprecedented global effort to increase testing capacity for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, the authors review the current array of tests for SARS-CoV-2, highlight gaps in current diagnostic capacity, and propose potential solutions.