Publications by authors named "Lavoie J"

Background: When exposed to ambient light, parenteral nutrition (PN) contamination with peroxides almost doubles, which increases oxidative stress in preterm infants, contributing to the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) recommends complete PN photoprotection to reduce peroxide contamination and optimize its integrity but acknowledges the challenges of its implementation. In this study, a novel photoprotection procedure was tested for its effectiveness in reducing peroxide load and limiting ascorbic acid degradation, and for its feasibility and effectiveness in reducing urinary peroxide levels in preterm infants.

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Photonics offers a promising platform for quantum computing, owing to the availability of chip integration for mass-manufacturable modules, fibre optics for networking and room-temperature operation of most components. However, experimental demonstrations are needed of complete integrated systems comprising all basic functionalities for universal and fault-tolerant operation. Here we construct a (sub-performant) scale model of a quantum computer using 35 photonic chips to demonstrate its functionality and feasibility.

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Objective: In severe equine asthma, structural remodeling of the airways ultimately leads to bronchial wall thickening and airflow obstruction. Increased bronchial vascularization has been described in horses affected by the severe form of the disease, but whether it contributes to bronchial remodeling in milder forms of asthma remains to be determined. In a blinded, retrospective case-control study, we evaluated the presence of bronchial angiogenesis in horses with mild and moderate equine asthma (MEA) and its correlation to airway smooth muscle remodeling.

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The control of equine respiratory infections is a biosecurity challenge. Respiratory viruses are often rapidly detected using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) on nasal swabs. In the past, some laboratories developed handmade techniques to increase the amount of nasal secretions collected, without comparing them with nasal swabs when qPCR replaced the use of viral culture.

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Vitamin D deficiency is associated with asthma development and severity of symptoms in humans, but whether the same occurs in horses is unknown. We aimed to determine whether the serum vitamin D levels differ in horses with asthma compared to control animals and, secondarily, to explore clinical, respiratory, and environmental parameters associated with its concentration in equids in a retrospective cross-sectional study. The total serum vitamin D (25(OH)D) was measured by radioimmunoassay in 45 serum samples from the Equine Respiratory Tissue Biobank (15 control animals, 14 horses with mild or moderate asthma (MEA), and 16 horses with severe asthma (SEA)).

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Syngas, mostly hydrogen and carbon monoxide, has traditionally been produced from coal and natural gas, with biomass gasification later emerging as a renewable process. It is widely used in fuel synthesis through the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, where the H/CO ratio is crucial in determining product efficiency and quality. In this sense, this study aimed to reform an emulated syngas resulting from the supercritical water gasification of biomass, tailoring it to meet the H/CO ratio required for FT synthesis.

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Despite decades of Inuit accessing services in Manitoba, Inuit-centric services remain scant and have only begun to emerge. This article reports on Inuit utilisation of mental health services in Manitoba. In this study, we focused on two interrelated cohorts: Inuit living in Manitoba and Inuit from the Kivalliq region who come to Winnipeg to access specialised services.

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In recent years, Virtual Reality (VR) has emerged as a promising tool for enhancing training responses in high-stress professions, notably among police officers. This study investigates the psychophysiological responses and subjective user experience of active police officers undergoing Mental Health Crisis Response (MHCR) training using an immersive full-body VR system. A total of 10 active police officers with Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) training participated in our controlled study.

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Article Synopsis
  • Pandemics are regular occurrences, and communities must adopt sound principles for better preparedness against future infectious disease threats.
  • The National Science Foundation hosted a conference in 2023 with circumpolar researchers and Indigenous partners to explore lessons from COVID-19.
  • The article suggests future pandemic research areas in Alaska focused on Indigenous knowledge, risk perception, food and housing security, and emphasizes the importance of social sciences in enhancing pandemic preparedness.
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Natural killer cell-derived extracellular vesicles (NK-EVs) are being investigated as cancer biotherapeutics. They possess unique properties as cytotoxic nanovesicles targeting cancer cells and as immunomodulatory communicators. A scalable biomanufacturing workflow enables the production of large quantities of high-purity NK-EVs to meet the pre-clinical and clinical demands.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare lung function in healthy horses and those with mild-moderate equine asthma (MEA) using a method called oscillometry.
  • Thirty-seven horses were divided into two groups: healthy and MEA-affected, with diagnoses confirmed through various medical tests.
  • Results revealed that while no significant differences were found in overall resistance and reactance between the groups, specific frequency dependence measures did differ, indicating a potential new diagnostic parameter for detecting MEA.
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Exosomes are gaining prominence as vectors for drug delivery, vaccination, and regenerative medicine. Owing to their surface biochemistry, which reflects the parent cell membrane, these nanoscale biologics feature low immunogenicity, tunable tissue tropism, and the ability to carry a variety of payloads across biological barriers. The heterogeneity of exosomes' size and composition, however, makes their purification challenging.

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Natural killer cell-derived extracellular vesicles (NK-EVs) are candidate biotherapeutics against various cancers. However, standardised potency assays are necessary for a reliable assessment of NK-EVs' cytotoxicity. This study aims to thoroughly evaluate a highly sensitive resazurin phenoxazine-based cell viability potency assay (measurement of the cellular redox metabolism) for quantifying the cytotoxicity of NK-EVs against leukaemia K562 cells (suspension model) and breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells (adherent model) in vitro.

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Background: Historically, Indigenous voices have been silent in health research, reflective of colonial academic institutions that privilege Western ways of knowing. However, Indigenous methodologies and methods with an emphasis on the active involvement of Indigenous peoples and centering Indigenous voices are gaining traction in health education and research. In this paper, we map each phase of our scoping review process and weave Indigenous research methodologies into Arksey and O'Malley's (2005) framework for conducting scoping reviews.

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Inuit youth face challenges in maintaining their wellbeing, stemming from continued impacts of colonisation. Recent work documented that urban centres, such as Winnipeg Canada, have large Inuit populations comprised of a high proportion of youth. However, youth lack culturally appropriate health and wellbeing services.

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The Gerbode defect is a rare ventricular septal defect (VSD) between the left ventricle (LV) and right atrium (RA). We describe a challenging case of a rare acquired Gerbode defect from infective endocarditis. A 73-year-old male presented for left lower extremity edema and shortness of breath with exertion.

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Emergent advancements on the role of the intestinal microbiome for human health and disease necessitate well-defined intestinal cellular models to study and rapidly assess host, microbiome, and drug interactions. Differentiated Caco-2 cell line is commonly utilized as an epithelial model for drug permeability studies and has more recently been utilized for investigating host-microbiome interactions. However, its suitability to study such interactions remains to be characterized.

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Félix Guattari, a French philosopher and psychotherapist often recognized for his collaboration with Gilles Deleuze, also published important work of his own. The way he conceptualizes subjectivity and schizoanalysis (later developed into institutional analysis) can incite us to interpret our social contexts differently and to help frame an emancipatory path in nursing. At La Borde, a psychiatric clinic, subjectivity was seen as the real power that lies within the institutions; invisible and flowing through all levels of the hierarchal structure-like waves-each of them unique but still part of the same ocean.

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Although horses with asthma share similar clinical signs, the heterogeneity of the disease in terms of severity, triggering factors, inflammatory profile, and pathological features has hindered our ability to define biologically distinct subgroups. The recognition of phenotypes and endotypes could enable the development of precision medicine, including personalized, targeted therapy, to benefit affected horses. While in its infancy in horses, this review outlines the phenotypes of equine asthma and discusses how knowledge gained from targeted therapy in human medicine can be applied to evaluate the potential opportunities for personalized medicine in equine asthma and to suggest avenues for research to advance this emerging field.

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Article Synopsis
  • Salbutamol and hyoscine butylbromide (HBB) are both used as bronchodilators for horses experiencing severe asthma, but this study aims to compare their effectiveness and side effects.* -
  • In a controlled experiment with six horses, salbutamol demonstrated a longer-lasting improvement in lung function compared to HBB, which returned lung function to baseline after 30 minutes.* -
  • HBB was associated with an increase in heart rate and a decrease in gastrointestinal sounds shortly after administration, indicating potential adverse effects not seen with salbutamol.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Chemotherapy is the primary treatment for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and there's growing interest in targeting CD73 to enhance immunotherapy effectiveness, as it suppresses anti-cancer immunity.
  • CD73 carries a dual role in promoting tumor survival by both inhibiting immune response and enabling the growth of cancer stem cells (CSCs), which may lead to tumor relapse after treatment.
  • Researchers conducted in silico screening of compounds and found that quercetin and luteolin, when combined with the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, effectively downregulated pathways associated with CD73 and CSCs, indicating a potential strategy for improved TNBC treatment outcomes.*
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This paper outlines the methodological approaches to a multi-site Circumpolar case study exploring the impacts of COVID-19 on Indigenous and remote communities in 7 of 8 Arctic countries. Researchers involved with the project implemented a three-phase multi-site case study to assess the positive and negative societal outcomes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in Arctic communities from 2020 to 2023. The goal of the multi-site case study was to identify community-driven models and evidence-based promising practices and recommendations that can help inform cohesive and coordinated public health responses and protocols related to future public health emergencies in the Arctic.

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The parenteral nutrition (PN) received by premature newborns is contaminated with peroxides that induce global DNA hypermethylation via oxidative stress. Exposure to peroxides could be an important factor in the induction of chronic diseases such as those observed in adults who were born preterm. As endogenous HO is a major regulator of glucose-lipid metabolism, our hypothesis was that early exposure to PN induces permanent epigenetic changes in HO metabolism.

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Background: Red blood cell transfusion is an effective treatment for patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Alloimmunization can occur after a single transfusion, limiting further usage of blood transfusion. It is recommended to match for the ABO, D, C, E, and K antigens to reduce risks of alloimmunization.

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