Projets novateurs réalisés

Targeting the glycerophospholipidome to promote stroke and AD recovery

Alzheimer Disease complicated by covert stroke is the most common neurodegenerative disorder with 24.3 million patients worldwide. One new patient is diagnosed every seven minutes. The emotional toll is incalculable. Prognosis is bleak. Insidious cognitive decline eliminates a patient’s identity and renders victims dependent upon custodial care within 5-8 yrs. There is a pressing need for strategies that target the brain cell changes observed early in Alzheimer Disease and exacerbated by covert stroke. In this proposal, we argue that changes in the lipid composition of brain cells precedes memory loss and renders brain cells vulnerable to Alzheimer Disease and vascular dementia. It is known that families of lipids are altered over the course of Alzheimer Disease but they have, for the most part, been ignored given the technical challenges associated with identifying lipid subtypes……..to be continued on proposal application

Construction and Post-Construction Deformations of an MSE Wall using Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Terrestrial Laser scanning is a surveying tool that can create 3D point clouds by shooting a web/mesh of laser points in a 360° range of its surroundings, determining the coordinates at each data point. This research will determine its applicability to measure deformations of a Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) retaining wall by comparing measurements to the already accepted total station surveying tool. As well, a finite element model developed using computer software will recreate site conditions to determine theoretical movements and will be compared to the surveyed movement. The results will allow industry members the ability to collect more data for monitoring the performance of in-service structures, which will provide safety to the public and assurance to the designer.

Trust between Autonomous Technical Systems

The ultimate goal for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics is to enable technical systems to adapt themselves, learn from their environment, and take decisions in concordance with specific situations, without human involvement. Specifically, cooperation between these intelligent technical systems is considered as a key factor towards such a challenge. This project aims to enhance an autonomous system to take decisions, which are influenced by a trust component between individual agents. The goal of the project is three-fold. Firstly, investigate and formalize the integration of a computational trust model in sophisticated decision making systems. Secondly, tune the parameters of the trust model by adopting the concept of system customization. For this purpose, we propose to employ reinforcement learning. Finally, explore the parameter space for the design, analysis, and deployment of interactive learning models, which is crucial to allowing for efficient learning.

Simulation et modélisation du bruit de profil

Ce projet vise à développer une méthode de prédiction et d’atténuation précise et abordable du bruit induit par l’écoulement. L’approche innovante, basée sur les développements récents en simulation et en modélisation fondée sur les données, promesse de réduire la pollution sonore, d’améliorer la santé publique et atténuer l’impact de l’urbanisation. À ce jour, les limites méthodologiques ont entravé notre capacité pour prédire le bruit de manière fiable et finalement le contrôler. Ce projet, exploitant la simulation haute fidélité et techniques éprouvées d’apprentissage automatique, vise à surmonter ces limitations et à produire les connaissances scientifiques connaissances requises pour une atténuation pratique du bruit. Parmi les avantages, mentionnons les secteurs aérospatial, marin et technologies des énergies renouvelables, créant des communautés plus agréables. TO BE CONT’D

Cultural political economy of startup societies

My doctoral research explores the development of the seasteading movement, which is working to establish permanent settlements on structures located in areas of sea outside the jurisdiction of any country. I will work under the supervision of Professor David Pinder at Roskilde University between August 2019 and January 2020. Given his extensive experience examining utopianism, power, and politics in twentieth-century urbanism, Professor Pinder’s expertise and mentorship would be invaluable to the research, crafting, and presentation of my doctoral thesis. Under his supervision, I will be exposed to new literature, cutting-edge approaches, and unique perspectives on utopia, urbanism, and mobilities in the twentieth century. TO BE CONT’D

Développement de réacteur électro-membranaire pour la production d’hydroxyde de lithium

La batterie lithium-ion pourrait occuper une place importante dans la transition énergétique à venir. Elle permettrait notamment d’équiper un nombre important de véhicule électrique. Cependant, son coût élevé et l’empreinte carbone importante liée à sa production diminue sa compétitivité. Afin d’améliorer ces deux aspects, la compagnie Nemaska Lithium propose une technologie novatrice pour produire de l’hydroxyde de lithium – composant de base d’une batterie – à partir de sa mine de spodumène située au Québec. Ce procédé électro-membranaire issu de l’industrie du chlore-soude permet d’économiser drastiquement la consommation de produit chimique en utilisant de l’hydro-électricité. Adapté à la production d’hydroxyde de lithium, le potentiel d’optimisation reste important. Le remplacement de l’anode actuelle par une anode dépolarisée à l’hydrogène permettrait d’augmenter la productivité jusqu’à 70% tout en diminuant d’environ 30% les coûts énergétiques. TO BE CONT”D

Determining the mechanisms implicated in the development of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-associated disease where women develop high blood pressure and protein in their urine. It is the leading cause of mother and foetus mortality and morbidity. However, we have yet to identify its specific cause as well as methods for early detection and prevention. Women who have high-blood pressure are more at risk of developing preeclampsia. We have characterized a mouse model which has the same symptoms as women who suffer from high blood pressure and go on to develop preeclampsia when they become pregnant. In addition, our recent data suggests a new molecule that could be implicated in this disease. As such, we wish to further investigate these mechanisms and determine if it may be used as a therapeutic target using our animal model. This would have important clinical impact as there is no effective treatment for this disease a part from early delivery.

Evaluating Skill Transfer Between Canadian and Global South Midwifery Associations

The Canadian Association of Midwives (CAM) implements global programs in Africa and the Caribbean, building midwives’ technical skills and strengthening the capacity of midwifery professional associations in our partner countries. CAM seeks two researchers first to assess current best practices in skills and knowledge transfer activities (particularly the transfer of healthcare skills) and civil society strengthening, and second, to develop tools to monitor and evaluate the efficacy of CAM’s current project implementation activities in the domains of midwifery skills and knowledge transfer and in association-strengthening.

The Safety, Efficacy, and Tolerability of Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutic-2 in People with Major Depression and/or Generalized Anxiety Disorder

The gut-brain axis is being heavily explored in current neuropsychiatric research. Evidence has shown considerable individual variability in bacterial content of the gut microbiota, which is hypothesized to influence brain function. Preclinical and clinical research examining this relationship suggests that fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) may aid in improving depression and anxiety symptoms by recolonizing the gastrointestinal tract with healthy bacteria. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of a microbial therapeutic composed of various strains of gut bacteria from a healthy donor as an alternative to FMT on mood and anxiety symptoms. Treatment-naïve adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder or generalized anxiety disorder will orally consume once daily an encapsulated microbial therapeutic, containing various strains of bacteria purified and lab-grown from a single healthy donor stool, for 8 weeks. TO BE CONT’D

Adapting Kinematic Profiles to Apraxia Patients

We want to better understand the problems that arise from apraxia, a movement

disorder that may result after stroke. These individuals experience difficulty in producing

skilled or learned movements, and have difficulties doing activities of daily living. As a

result we want to record their movements using portable sensors to have more objective

measures of what is apraxia by asking them to participate in a battery of tests. This will

help us develop better ways of assessing apraxia and give us more data on what

troubles arise in their everyday life. This data can then be shared with numerous health

care providers, as well as the patients, which may aid in their recovery.

Analyzing neuroprotective properties of Lactobacillus rhamnosus HA114 in models of age-dependent neurodegeneration

Our aging population is burdened by decreased health and an increased risk of disease, including for many age-dependent neurodegenerative disorders like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). There are no cures for these conditions, and according to the United Nations the number of people affected may double by 2040. Using simple genetic models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis we have discovered a probiotic bacteria that delays disease onset, and this may be a new therapeutic approach for patients. We wish to test this probiotic bacteria in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease which, if protective, will set the stage for clinical studies.

Vers la production de protéines animales durables : optimisation de l’utilisation de l’azote alimentaire chez le porc et le poulet

L’objectif général de ce projet est de réduire les apports en protéine brute (PB) en optimisant son utilisation par les animaux, en ajustant, aussi précisément que possible, les apports aux besoins des animaux afin d’éviter une réduction des performances lors de la baisse de PB. Cela permettra de réduire les rejets d’azote, mais pourrait également améliorer la santé des animaux et favoriser la réduction de l’utilisation d’antibiotiques et donc la durabilité de ces productions. Deux objectifs seront développés: 1) étudier l’effet de la baisse de protéines chez les poulets en croissance en termes de performances et de santé et 2) étudier la réponse des porcelets et des porcs en croissance à la valine en fonction des autres acides aminés à chaîne ramifiée par méta-analyse et essai in vivo. La réalisation de ces objectifs se fera par la formation de deux étudiants postdoctoraux et d’un étudiant à la maîtrise.