Fibrosis is the most common pathophysiological manifestation of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). It is defined as excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Embedded within the ECM are a family of proteins called Matricellular Proteins (MCPs), which are typically expressed during chronic pathologies for ECM processing. As such, identifying potential MCPs in the pathological secretome of a damaged kidney could serve as diagnostic/therapeutic targets of fibrosis. Using published RNA-Seq data from two kidney injury mouse models of different etiologies, Folic Acid (FA) and Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction (UUO), we compared and contrasted the expression profile of various members from well-known MCP families during the Acute and Fibrotic injury phases. As a result, we identified common and distinct MCP expression signatures between both injury models. Bioinformatic analysis of their differentially expressed MCP genes revealed similar top annotation clusters from Molecular Function and Biological Process networks, which are those commonly involved in fibrosis. Using kidney lysates from FA- and UUO-injured mice, we selected MCP genes from our candidate list to confirm mRNA expression by Western Blot, which correlated with injury progression. Understanding the expressions of MCPs will provide important insight into the processes of kidney repair, and may validate MCPs as biomarkers and/or therapeutic targets of CKD.

The COVID-19 pandemic had devastating effects around the world, yet it was not experienced equally by all. The emergence of the virus has been linked with the intensification of discrimination and inequities, as well as other systemic issues already present in society prior to the pandemic. The CoVivre Program was created with the mission to facilitate and accelerate initiatives aimed at reducing socioeconomic and health disparities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in the Greater Montreal Area. CoVivre aims to inform, protect, and support communities, with an emphasis on communities experiencing marginalization, such as ethnic and religious minorities, refugees, asylum seekers, and precarious workers. This mission is guided by the latest research and CoVivre’s values of community empowerment, partnership, democratic communications, and cultural competency, among others. This article describes the process of planning and implementing the program and its components: Communications, Outreach and Awareness Raising, and Psychosocial Support and Mental Health, with a description of one project per component. It also aims to identify obstacles and facilitators of the program, to reflect on their relation with local and global ecosystems and their relationship to community action, and to examine community mobilization as expressing both resilience and resistance to top-down impositions.

Among the patients with chronic pyelonephritis the scheme used in group 2A turned out to be the least effective; it was statistically significantly (p <0.05) inferior in duration of remission to groups 2B and 2C (figure 3). Conclusions:The use of anti-relapse therapy in children with acute PN reduces the likelihood of relapse in the first 2 years from the onset of the disease. Among patients with CP, the optimal results for an increase in the remission period were obtained with a combination therapy furazidine + a combination of standardized extracts BNO 1040 or longterm herbal therapy with a combination of standardized extracts BNO 1040.

Unplanned school closures such as the ones brought on during the COVID-19 pandemic are a catalyst for many developmental consequences on the youth and their families. Although guidelines exist to mitigate viral transmission, school-based interventions that can help alleviate the other consequences of the current crisis have yet to be documented. For students, these include the exacerbation of mental health difficulties, widening educational and socioeconomic disparities, and intercommunity tensions. Literature on unplanned school closures can inform best practices for school re-entry. Acknowledging educational, societal, and mental health disparities is an essential part of supporting the transition. Psychological first aid interventions, capacity-building and a response-to-intervention approach can help mitigate the effects of the pandemic and are implementable even in low-resource classrooms.

Objectives: Vaccine hesitancy is a multifaceted decision process that encompasses various factors for which an individual may choose to get vaccinated or not. We aimed to identify the relationship between COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, current COVID-19 vaccine factors and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. Methods: The present research is a multi-province cross-sectional study design. Survey data was collected in May and June 2021 (n=4905) in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec. Multivariate ordinal regression models were used to assess the association between vaccine hesitant profiles and COVID-19 conspiracy theories, general attitudes towards vaccines, and specific factors pertaining to COVID-19 vaccines. Results: Participants were aged 18 to 40 years and 59% were women. Individuals with low income, low educational attainment, and/or who are unemployed were more likely to be vaccine hesitant. COVID-19 conspiracy theory beliefs and general attitudes towards vaccines are significantly associated with greater hesitancy for the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccine factors including pro-vaccine actions and opinions of friends and family and trust in scientists and government are associated with less vaccine hesitancy. Conclusion: Conspiracy theories are distinct from criticism and concerns regarding the vaccine. Nevertheless, poverty, low level of education and distrust are associated with higher odds of being vaccine hesitant . Results suggest it is imperative to deliver transparent and nuanced health communications to address legitimate distrust towards political and scientific actors and address the societal gap regarding general attitudes towards vaccines as opposed to focusing solely on COVID-19.