Engaging patients and families to transform heart failure care.

For patients with advanced heart failure involvement as a member of the healthcare team is critical to safe, high-quality and goal-directed care. While recognized as an important aspect of care, patient engagement is not yet a standard practice. This presents an opportunity for professional education and development in team-based care.

Coherent continuous-wave dual-frequency high-Q external-cavity semiconductor laser for GHz-THz applications.

We report a continuous-wave highly-coherent and tunable dual-frequency laser emitting at two frequencies separated by 30 GHz to 3 THz, based on compact III-V diode-pumped quantum-well surface-emitting semiconductor laser technology. The concept is based on the stable simultaneous operation of two Laguerre-Gauss transverse modes in a single-axis short cavity, using an integrated sub-wavelength-thick metallic mask. Simultaneous operation is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally by recording intensity noises and beat frequency, and time-resolved optical spectra.

[Cutaneous adverse reactions to chemotherapy and their management].

Chemotherapy is an essential component in the multidisciplinary management of many cancers. Skin reactions to chemotherapeutics are rather frequent, and their morbidity may be significant. It is wise to identify them with precision in order to chose the most adequate preventive and therapeutic measures.

[Mental health policy: regional activities. Considerations by someone involved].

Based on experiences at the local, regional and central level, the author provides a number of personal observations concerning regional initiatives brought on by Québec's mental health policy.