Addressing evidence needs during health crises in the province of Quebec (Canada): a proposed action plan for rapid evidence synthesis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid availability of evidence to respond in a timely manner to the needs of practice settings and decision-makers in health and social services. Now that the pandemic is over, it is time to put in place actions to improve the capacity of systems to meet knowledge needs in a situation of crisis. The main objective of this project was thus to develop an action plan for the rapid syntheses of evidence in times of health crisis in Quebec (Canada).

The Good, the Bad, and the Fungus: Insights into the Relationship Between Plants, Fungi, and Oomycetes in Hydroponics.

Hydroponic systems are examples of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and present a promising alternative to traditional farming methods by increasing productivity, profitability, and sustainability. In hydroponic systems, crops are grown in the absence of soil and thus lack the native soil microbial community. This review focuses on fungi and oomycetes, both beneficial and pathogenic, that can colonize crops and persist in hydroponic systems.

A digital iCBT intervention for social anxiety disorder in Quebec and Ontario: protocol for a multi-phase effectiveness-implementation study.

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders in Canada. Viable therapy options for the treatment of SAD include CBT being delivered virtually. In Australia, an innovative internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) program for social anxiety has been developed, implemented, and demonstrated as effective.

Depressive symptoms and goal pursuit: Between-person and reciprocal within-person effects in a multi-wave longitudinal study.

Introduction: Depressive symptoms, goal progress, and goal characteristics are interrelated, but the directionality of these relationships is unclear.

Methods: In a 6-wave longitudinal study (N = 431; 2002 total surveys), we examine the bidirectionality of the relationships between depressive symptoms, goal characteristics (commitment, self-efficacy, and perception of other's support), and goal progress for academic and interpersonal goals at 2-week intervals. Separate random-intercept cross-lagged panel models were tested for each goal characteristic across both goals.

BTN2A1 targeting reprograms M2-like macrophages and TAMs via SYK and MAPK signaling.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), often adopting an immunosuppressive M2-like phenotype, correlate with unfavorable cancer outcomes. Our investigation unveiled elevated expression of the butyrophilin (BTN)2A1 in M2-like TAMs across diverse cancer types. We developed anti-BTN2A1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and notably, one clone demonstrated a robust inhibitory effect on M2-like macrophage differentiation, inducing a shift toward an M1-like phenotype both in vitro and ex vivo in TAMs from patients with cancer.

[An innovative process for sustaining and scaling up a school-based mental health promotion and anxiety prevention programs: The example of the HORS-PISTE program].

Context Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychopathologies for children and adolescents in Quebec. The prevalence of anxiety disorders is very high and has been affecting a growing number of young people for the past 10 years. It is possible to observe an increased number of anxiety prevention programs for young people around the world.

Finding a needle in a haystack: The identification of clinical practice guidelines for psychosocial oncology through an environmental scan of the academic and gray literature.

Objective: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are evidence-based tools well-suited to translate the latest research evidence into recommendations for routine clinical care. Given the rapid expansion of psychosocial oncology research, they represent a key opportunity for informing the treatment decisions of overburdened clinicians, standardizing service delivery, and improving patient-reported outcomes. Yet, there is little consensus on how clinicians can most effectively access these tools and little to no information on the current availability and scope of CPGs for the range of psychosocial symptoms and concerns experienced by patients with cancer.

Culture matters: Chinese mental health professionals' fear of losing face in routine outcome monitoring.

Objective: The culturally salient fear of losing face might influence Chinese therapists' attitudes toward and use of routine outcome monitoring (ROM). We tested a model wherein self-face concern is associated with ROM use by way of attitudes toward ROM, and whether this process is weakened when therapists report high counseling self-efficacy and perspective-taking.

Method: A national sample of Chinese mental health professionals ( = 371) completed questionnaires on their fear of losing face, attitudes toward ROM, ROM use, counseling self-efficacy, and perspective-taking.

Paleoenvironments represented by the sediments of the Early Pliocene Mursi Formation, Omo Valley, Ethiopia.

While our understanding of human origins has been enriched by extensive efforts to reconstruct the ancient environmental context of early hominins using information from hominin-bearing localities, comparatively little effort has been focused on contemporaneous fossil localities with abundant vertebrate fossils, but lacking hominins. We report here on new paleoenvironmental reconstructions of the Mursi Formation, Ethiopia, from which strata dated to >4 Ma preserve an abundant vertebrate fossil record lacking any known hominins, despite being part of a contiguous sedimentary basin known for its rich hominin fossil record. We combine new stratigraphic and sedimentological observations with data from paleosols preserved in the sedimentary sequence, along with isotopic data from pedogenic carbonate, paleosol organic matter, and sulfur minerals preserved in the sediments (gypsum, native sulfur).

Virtual reality interventions for the treatment of anxiety disorders: A scoping review.

Background: & Objectives: Virtual Reality (VR) refers to an artificial, immersive three-dimensional environment with interactive sensory stimuli. VR is typically incorporated into the psychotherapeutic process as a means of providing exposure therapy. The objectives of this scoping review were to synthesize the most up-to-date evidence on the outcomes, acceptability, and side effects of VR interventions for treating anxiety disorders in adults.

The archaeological potential of the northern Luangwa Valley, Zambia: The Luwumbu basin.

The Luangwa Basin, Zambia, which forms part of the Zambezi drainage, is strategically located between the Central African plateau and the East African Rift system. The Luangwa River and major tributaries, such as the Luwumbu River, are perennial water sources supporting essential resources that sustain human communities and a rich and diverse fauna and flora. The archaeological record of Luangwa is relatively unknown, despite early archaeological exploration hinting at its potential.

The quality of four psychology practice guidelines using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II.

Rationale, Aims And Objectives: Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) have been shown to improve healthcare services and clinical outcomes. However, they are useful resources only to the degree that they are developed according to the most rigorous standards. Multiple studies have demonstrated significant variability between CPGs with regard to specific indicators of quality.

A pragmatic randomized controlled trial of a group self-management support program versus treatment-as-usual for anxiety disorders: study protocol.

Background: The integration of a personal recovery-oriented practice in mental health services is an emerging principle in policy planning. Self-management support (SMS) is an intervention promoting recovery that aims at educating patients on the nature of their mental disorder, improving their strategies to manage their day-to-day symptoms, fostering self-efficacy and empowerment, preventing relapse, and promoting well-being. While SMS is well established for chronic physical conditions, there is a lack of evidence to support the implementation of structured SMS programs for common mental disorders, and particularly for anxiety disorders.

Discovery and Mechanism of Action of Small Molecule Inhibitors of Ceramidases.

Sphingolipid metabolism is tightly controlled by enzymes to regulate essential processes in human physiology. The central metabolite is ceramide, a pro-apoptotic lipid catabolized by ceramidase enzymes to produce pro-proliferative sphingosine-1-phosphate. Alkaline ceramidases are transmembrane enzymes that recently attracted attention for drug development in fatty liver diseases.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Anxiety of Adolescents in Québec.

Background: Several studies conducted since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic have shown its harmful effects on young people's mental health. In Québec and Canada, few studies have focussed on adolescents, and even fewer of these studies have examined this subject using a methodology that involved comparisons of data obtained before and during the pandemic, which is the purpose of this study.

Objective: The objective of this study is to determine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the anxiety of secondary 1 and 2 students in Québec, using data obtained before and during the pandemic.

The Quality of Six Clinical Practice Guidelines in Health and Social Sciences: Are We on the Right Track?

Interest in the development and promotion of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) continues to grow in many professions. However, the potential benefits associated with CPGs are dependent upon their quality. A number of studies have shown that the quality of CPGs varies greatly.

Can We Develop Evidence-Based Guidelines Without Research Expertise?

The development and implementation of clinical practice guidelines has flourished over the past two decades. Unfortunately, many studies have found that the quality of such guidelines is highly variable (Alonso-Coello et al. in Qual Safe Health Care 19:e58, 2010; MacQueen et al.

4C3 Human Monoclonal Antibody: A Proof of Concept for Non-pathogenic Proteinase 3 Anti-neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibodies in Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a severe autoimmune vasculitis associated with the presence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) mainly targeting proteinase 3 (PR3), a neutrophilic serine proteinase. PR3-ANCA binding to membrane-bound PR3 on neutrophils induce their auto-immune activation responsible for vascular lesions. However, the correlation between PR3-ANCA level and disease activity remains inconsistent, suggesting the existence of non-pathogenic PR3-ANCA.

Assessing the quality of seven clinical practice guidelines from four professional regulatory bodies in Quebec: What's the verdict?

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have become a common feature in the health and social care fields, as they promote evidence-based practice and aim to improve quality of care and patient outcome. However, the benefits of the recommendations reported in CPGs are only as good as the quality of the CPGs themselves. Indeed, rigorous development and strategies for reporting are significant precursors to successful implementation of the recommendations that are proposed.

Short and long-term barriers and facilitators of skin self-examination among individuals diagnosed with melanoma.

Background: Melanoma can be lethal if not detected early and treated. Early detection can be facilitated via skin self-examination (SSE) and as such, SSE is part of melanoma follow-up care for individuals with a prior history, who face a life-long risk of reoccurrence. The objective of the current study was to identify short- and long-term predictors of SSE among melanoma survivors to inform future prevention interventions in high-risk groups.

European clinical practice guidelines for depression in adults: Are they good enough?

Background: Despite the increasing attention given to evidence-based practice, little research has focused on the quality of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) involving psychotherapy. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the quality of national CPGs for psychological treatments for depression in European countries.

Methods: A search of the Guidelines International Network's library was conducted.

Relation between cross-sectional bone geometry and double zonal osteon frequency and morphology.

Objectives: While double-zonal osteons (DZ) are characterized by a hyper-mineralized ring inside their lamellae, recent findings suggest that this ring is also defined by a change in the collagen fibers' orientation. Collagen and minerals are essential components to the maintenance of adequate bone strength and their alteration can modify the mechanical properties of the bone tissue. Consequently, the aim of this study is to explore the effect of past loads, as estimated from cross-sectional geometric properties, on the formation of DZ osteons compared to type I (common) osteons.

Transition-Metal-Free α-Vinylation of Enolizable Ketones with β-Bromostyrenes.

An α-vinylation of enolizable ketones has been developed by using β-bromostyrenes and a KO tBu/NMP system. β,γ-Unsaturated ketones of E configuration were obtained in excellent yield and selectivity. Further synthetic possibilities are highlighted by one-pot functionalization via trapping of intermediate dienolates with alkyl, allyl, benzyl, and propargyl halides to generate quaternary centers.

Changes in depressed patients' self-statements.

Individuals' use of self-statements reflecting self-criticism, a sense of inadequacy, and low self-worth has been linked to the incidence, severity, and recurrence of major depressive disorder [de Graaf, L. E., Huibers, M.

Assessing the methodological quality of the Canadian Psychiatric Association's anxiety and depression clinical practice guidelines.

Rationale, Aims, And Objectives: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) endeavour to incorporate the best available research evidence together with the clinically informed opinions of leading experts in order to guide clinical practice when dealing with a given condition. There has been increased interest in CPGs that are evidence based and that promote best practice, a central component of which is incorporating the best available research predicated on strong study designs. Despite this soaring interest, there remains heterogeneity in the methodological quality of many CPGs, which may have an effect on the quality of services that clinicians offer.