Pilots projects

Vicky Drapeau

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Universtié Laval

Louis Pérusse

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Angelo Tremblay

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Marie-Claude Vohl

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Simon Coulombe

Département de relations industrielles, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval

Jacynthe Roberge

École d'Art et design, Faculté d'aménagement, Université Laval

Sophie Desroches

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier

Faculté de pharmacie, Universtié Laval

Résumé

Ce projet explore une nouvelle intervention en nutrition de précision conçue pour les familles à risque génétique d'obésité et ciblant les médiateurs de la susceptibilité génétique à l'obésité, soit la consommation de fruits et légumes, et de produits laitiers, la désinhibition et la susceptibilité à la faim. L'intervention utilisera une plateforme numérique adaptée et des stratégies de pleine conscience. Ce projet a le potentiel de transformer la manière dont les familles à risque d'obésité abordent la nutrition et la gestion du poids.

Lana Vanderlee

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Riadh Ladhari

Département de marketing, Faculté des sciences de l'administration, Universtié Laval

Adrian Cameron

Global Centre for Preventive Heatl and Nutrition (GLOBE), Deakin University

Résumé

Ce projet explorera diverses méthodes pour examiner les impacts sur la santé des repas commandés en ligne par le biais d’applications de livraison de repas à domicile. Des données relatives aux achats et aux perceptions des consommateurs (18-35 ans) et aux techniques de marketing utilisée sur ces applications seront collectées. Un questionnaire en ligne, l’extraction d’information provenant de reçus d’achats et d’enregistrements d’écran d’appareils mobiles lors de commandes de repas en ligne permettront de collecter ces données et, ultimement, de développer un modèle conceptuel pour étudier les commandes de repas sur ces applications chez les jeunes.

Vincent Fradet

Département de chirurgie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Ariane Bélanger-Gravel

Département d'information et de communication, Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines, Université Laval

Résumé

Afin d’étudier le rôle du microbiote intestinal dans les cancers urologiques, les participants doivent faire un auto-prélèvement de selles à la maison et assurer leur congélation jusqu’au retour des échantillons en clinique. La plupart des refus proviennent des femmes, par dégoût et par peur de contamination. Notre objectif est d’optimiser les procédures de recrutement et de collecte d’échantillons fécaux pour établir une trousse de référence pouvant servir à la poursuite des études sur le microbiote à grande échelle, tout en favorisant la participation de tous les patients atteints de cancer. 

Frédéric Raymond

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Ariane Bélanger-Gravel

Département d'information et de communication, Faculté des lettres et des sciences humaines, Université Laval

Sophie Desroches

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Résumé

Ce projet explore comment les nutritionnistes pourraient mieux comprendre et utiliser les informations sur le microbiote intestinal pour répondre aux attentes croissantes du public. Une recherche qualitative avec des entretiens en ligne sera menée auprès de nutritionnistes afin d’identifier les besoins cliniques et les questions des patients, d’évaluer les connaissances et compétences actuelles des nutritionnistes, et d’examiner leurs perceptions et attitudes afin d’identifier les besoins de recherche sur le microbiote et les stratégies de transfert des connaissances à privilégier.  

Julie Robitaille 

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Emmanuel Bujold

Département d'obstétrique et de gynécologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Élise Carbonneau

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Alain Doyen

Département des sciences des aliments, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Gina Muckle

École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval

Cristoforo Silvestri

Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Alain Veilleux 

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval 

Résumé

L’allaitement peut influencer grandement la santé des enfants à long terme. Les mécanismes expliquant les bienfaits et la composition du lait humain sont encore incompris. Les habitudes de vie de la mère sont parmi les principaux facteurs influençant la composition du lait humain. L’objectif est donc d’étudier l'effet de l’alimentation et la prise de cannabis sur la composition du lait humain et la croissance de l’enfant et de vérifier comment le statut socioéconomique peut influencer la composition du lait. 

Sophie Desroches

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Vicky Drapeau

Département d'éducation physique, Faculté des sciences de l'éducation, Université Laval

Marie-Pierre Gagnon

Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université Laval

Abstract

The project aims to explore the potential of interactive conversational agents (Chatbots) as tools for preventing chronic diseases by promoting a healthy lifestyle. The objectives would be to: 1) Conduct a mixed systematic review to identify interactive conversational agents currently used in lifestyle change (diet, physical activity, stress and sleep) to prevent chronic diseases; 2) List the basic features, functions and conversational capabilities of these tools; 3) Evaluate the effectiveness of these tools in changing behaviors.

Louis Pérusse

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Vicky Drapeau

Département d'éducation physique, Faculté des sciences de l'éducation, Université Laval

Angelo Tremblay

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Marie-Claude Vohl

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Marie-Ève Labonté

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Benoît Arsenault

Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

Precision nutrition makes it possible to optimize the metabolic response of individuals (or sub-groups of individuals) through personalized nutritional approaches, in order to promote health and prevent and treat various health problems such as obesity. To achieve this, however, it is necessary to identify the nutritional variables through which genetic susceptibility to obesity is expressed. The aim of this application is to use the latest nutritional data from the UK Biobank to identify the nutritional mediators of genetic susceptibility to obesity.

Catherine Bégin

École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Simone Lemieux

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Anne Gangloff

Département de biologie moléculaire, biochimie médicale et pathologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Sylvain Iceta

Département de psychiatrie et de neurosciences, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

The aim of this project is to reformulate an existing database, integrating an interdisciplinary perspective to promote a broad, integrated understanding of clients with concerns about weight, body image and diet. In addition, the feasibility and acceptability of this large-scale data collection will be documented. Ultimately, this project will enable us to better characterize this clientele, so as to better intervene with them, and also to obtain the preliminary data needed to support our future fund-raising efforts.

Vincent Fradet

Département de chirurgie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Sylvain Moineau

Département de biochimie, de microbiologie et de bio-informatique, Faculté des sciences et génieUniversité Laval

Elsa Rousseau

Département d'informatique et de génie logiciel, Faculté des sciences et génie, Université Laval

Abstract

Recently, various research groups have discovered that gut bacteria and phages stimulate the response to immunotherapy. Our fecal microbiota transplantation experiments demonstrated that the fecal content of prostate cancer patients was sufficient to stimulate the immune response in a mouse model of prostate cancer. In this pilot project, we propose a collaborative approach to evaluate phage populations in fecal samples from prostate cancer patients.

Élise Carbonneau

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Anne-Sophie Morisset

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Benoît Lamarche

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Suzanne Lepage

Dispensaire diététique de Montréal

Abstract

This project aims to (1) develop and (2) validate a brief, rapid, easy-to-use and easy-to-interpret screening tool to measure the quality of nutrition of pregnant women living in vulnerable situations, including migrant women and women with low socioeconomic status. The process will include consultation with an expert committee (n=6), a pre-test with nutritionists (n=12), and a validation study with pregnant women living in vulnerable situations (n=50).

Laurence Guillaumie

Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université Laval

Laurence Godin

Département d'économie agroalimentaire et des sciences de la consommation,

Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Nori Cadorette Sirois

Ruche d'art Kokomino, Wemotaci

Émilie Parent

Centre d’innovation sociale en agriculture (CISA), Cégep deVictoriaville;

Cristelle Fournier

Consultante spécialisée en développement des activités maraichères,permaculture et mobilisation communautaire.

Abstract

One third of the Atikamekw community of Wemotaci in Mauricie is affected by food insecurity. During local consultations conducted in 2021-2022 by N. Cadorette Sirois, coordinator of community-based agriculture projects in Wemotaci, and É. Parent, researcher at the Centre for Social Innovation in Agriculture, the implementation of an Agri-Hub in Wemotaci was identified as a priority. This project aims to conduct a literature review on Aboriginal agri-food hubs in Canada and to write a large-scale grant application to identify opportunities and barriers to this initiative.

Laurence Godin

Département d'économie agroalimentaire et des sciences de la consommation,

Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Laurence Guillaumie

Faculté des sciences infirmières, Université Laval

Eli Sawadogo

Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Abstract

Children and youth are significantly affected by food insecurity, but in Quebec, this particular aspect of the phenomenon is poorly documented. Within the framework of this project, we will engage in a participatory research process that will mobilize organizations and citizens to draw up a first portrait of the youth face of food insecurity in Quebec City, of the existing response and of potential solutions. Ultimately, the goal is to lay the groundwork for a systemic monitoring structure, which will be implemented in conjunction with the Chantier d'avenir en sécurité alimentaire of Université Laval.

Patrick Couture

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

André Lamarre

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Stéphanie Ferland

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Jacques Corbeil

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

André Marette

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

This pilot project consists in the development of a single-cell gene expression method in liver tissues collected by fine needle aspiration under ultrasound guidance from subjects with clinical suspicion of non-alcoholic liver stenosis. This method will allow to measure the expression of several genes involved in the metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins, glucose and inflammation for each of the collected cells.

Julie Robitaille

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Élise Carbonneau

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Vincenzo Di Marzo

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Alain Doyen

Département des sciences des aliments, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Alain Veilleux

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Abstract

Children exposed to gestational diabetes are at risk for obesity and the development of type 2 diabetes. To date, few strategies to prevent complications in these children have been established. The mother's healthy diet and breastfeeding are strategies that can greatly influence the health of the children in the longer term. The objective of this project is to study the mechanisms and factors involved in the effect of breastfeeding on the health of children exposed to gestational diabetes.

Olivier Barbier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Christopher Bowlus

Département de Médecine Interne, University of California

Alexandra Caron

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Jacques Corbeil

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

André Marette

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Andréanne Michaud

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Marie-Claude Vohl

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Vincent Fradet

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Abstract

Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in Canadian men, affecting 23,300 men in 2020, and causing 4,200 deaths. There is increasing evidence linking the risk of CaP to lifestyle habits, and diet is believed to play an important role in this relationship. In this regard, both in Canada and around the world, nutritional recommendations emphasize dietary patterns that are rich in plant foods and low in animal foods, considering their demonstrated benefits on cardiometabolic health. In addition to the quantity of plants consumed, the quality of these plants is also important. Indeed, the higher the consumption of processed plant foods (e.g., refined cereal products, sweetened beverages), the higher the risk of cardiometabolic disease, regardless of the amount of animal foods consumed. This dichotomy has been highlighted by the recent development of three nutritional quality indices reflecting both the quantity and quality of plant-based foods consumed: the Plant-based Diet Index (PDI), reflecting a diet rich in plants; the Healthful PDI (hPDI), valuing the consumption of minimally processed plant foods; and the Unhealthful PDI (uPDI), reflecting the consumption of processed plant foods. In the prevention of CaP, several nutritional components such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids of animal origin and lycopene have been associated with the risk of developing this cancer. However, no study has evaluated the relationship between plant-rich dietary patterns, the quality of the foods in those patterns, and the incidence of CaP. This relationship is of particular interest because it allows for the integration of the cumulative and potentially synergistic effect of several nutritional components on prostate health.

The overall objective is to assess the relationship between a plant-rich diet, the quality of such a diet and the risk of CaP. Specifically, we will evaluate the relationship between PDI, hPDI and uPDI and CaP risk. 

This project will be implemented through a prospective ancillary analysis in the multicenter pan-Quebec BioCaPPE cohort comprising 2160 men at risk of CaP. At study entry, participants completed validated lifestyle questionnaires, including the INAF computerized food frequency questionnaire (webFFQ). PDI scores will be calculated from the latter data. The relationship between PDI scores and the risk of CaP will be evaluated by statistical models adjusted for various potential confounding variables including, but not limited to, blood level of prostate specific antigen, body mass index and physical activity level. All the data and tools required to conduct the study are available from the outset, thus ensuring the feasibility and rapid and efficient start-up of this analysis.

Pierre-Olivier Méthot

Faculté de philosophie, Université Laval

Benoit Lamarche

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Simone Lemieux

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Alan Cohen

Département de médecine de famille, Université de Sherbrooke

Thomas BL Kirkwood

Newcastle University

Maël Lemoine

Université de Bordeaux

Abstract

Once considered as the inevitable decline of all life, the idea that aging is merely a phenomenon of wear and tear is now obsolete. Physiologically complex, aging is controlled by specific processes operating at multiple levels of biological organization. However, research has not yet resolved the following paradox: why do we age? One of the first answers to this enigma was put forward by the biologist A. Weismann (1891). For Weismann, aging is essential for the survival of the species even if it is harmful for the individual. This finalist vision (based on group selection) was challenged by the immunologist P. Medawar (1952) who proposed the theory of mutational burden: the older the organism, the more mutations it accumulates and the less the force of selection exerts its action. Medawar was joined by the evolutionist G.C. Williams, who developed the theory of antagonistic pleiotropy (1957), according to which the same gene can have opposite effects in the organism. Mathematically expressed by W.D. Hamilton (1966), these hypotheses were integrated by T. Kirkwood (1977; Kirkwood and Holliday 1979) in the framework of the disposable soma theory (SJ) according to which it is more advantageous for the organism to invest its energy resources in reproductive functions than in tissue repair (somatic cells), beyond a certain age. Aging would thus be the result of this evolutionary compromise (trade-off) between different functions. SJ is now the dominant paradigm of aging in the biomedical sciences (Cohen 2017).

The purpose of this pilot project is to investigate the compatibility between SJ and the caloric restriction (CR) hypothesis in nutritional sciences. Since McCay (1935), research has shown that CR slows aging in many animal species. However, SJ seems to predict an opposite result: senescence (the aging process) would result from the massive and early investment of the organism's resources in reproductive functions to the detriment of the repair/maintenance of the biological system. According to SJ, aging is the result of an evolutionary strategy that leads the individual, in the long run, to leave more offspring but whose cost is a reduced life span. RC, on the other hand, argues that by reducing caloric intake (and, as a corollary, investment in the body's repair functions) it is possible to increase longevity.

The project is based on the pooling of the complementary expertise of researchers in nutrition and evolutionary biology, and researchers in the humanities and social sciences. The project will propose a literature review to examine the responses to the idea that RC is a biological adaptation. This research will be based on the analysis of the texts and the scientific methodology used, semi-structured interviews and knowledge transfer activities.

Laure Saulais

Département d'économie agroalimentaire et des sciences de la consommation, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Laurence Godin

Département d'économie agroalimentaire et des sciences de la consommation, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Véronique Provencher

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Émilie Dionne

CIUSS de la Capitale-Nationale, Université Laval

Abstract

The economic and health repercussions of the COVID-19 crisis have increased food insecurity worldwide. In Quebec, at the beginning of the crisis, up to 26% of adults were affected. Certain segments of the population that had previously been spared proved to be particularly vulnerable and community organizations saw new profiles of food aid applicants emerge. The desire to better understand the affected populations today highlights two long-standing challenges in research on this social and health issue. The first challenge is related to the characterization and measurement of food insecurity as a multidimensional phenomenon. In Canada, the level of food security of the population has been measured regularly since 2004 through the Household Food Security Survey (HFS). One of its limitations is its focus on quantitative access to food, to the detriment, for example, of psychological and social aspects. The numerous methodological changes made by different generations of researchers since the 1990s illustrate the difficulty of adequately capturing this phenomenon. The COVID-19 crisis could add to this challenge by bringing out new dimensions of insecurity, linked in particular to social and cultural isolation, loss of mobility, mental health issues or the digital divide. The second challenge is related to the difficulty of reaching the study population. According to the INSPQ, data on food insecurity probably underestimate its scope because of this difficulty, which makes it particularly difficult to represent the phenomenon. Certain identified reasons for non-participation in population-based studies (material constraints, literacy level, health problems, distrust of interviewers), are believed to be over-represented in the most vulnerable populations. Again, the COVID-19 crisis introduces a new context and thus new identification challenges.

This project has two main objectives:

1) To gather the vision of local actors regarding food insecurity in Quebec City, in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, so as to better measure and characterize the phenomenon.

2) To identify and illustrate the constraints, levers and critical points related to the study of hard-to-reach populations, in order to support research and action in this field.

This pilot project is part of a comprehensive and decidedly interdisciplinary perspective that combines:

1) A qualitative field survey taking the form of individual interviews or virtual focus groups or, if the context allows, in person. Conducted with a diversity of actors around food insecurity in Quebec City (community organizations, school teams, local businesses, etc.), this survey will allow us to confront the vision of the actors with the dominant scientific and operational approaches to food insecurity.

2) The construction, based on expert testimonies, of aggregated and anonymized narratives that make the situation experienced by the most vulnerable groups tangible. This original corpus of qualitative data will be made available to the scientific community and field actors for decision-making and research.

3) An in-depth and interdisciplinary literature review addressing (i) qualitative study devices and indicators for quantitative measurement of food insecurity and (ii) methodological issues, constraints and levers for studying hard-to-reach populations (on the theme of food insecurity and beyond).

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Olivier Barbier

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Arsène Zongo

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Abstract

The adoption of a healthy diet in combination with the use of statins to reduce LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) levels is an integral part of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention recommendations in high-risk populations. The effect of statins on LDL-C depends on the type of statin and the dose used: a higher dose or a more potent statin induces progressively greater reductions in LDL-C. On the other hand, a high quality diet also has beneficial effects on LDL-C levels by inducing decreases of more than 30%. Curiously, the relationship and synergistic potential between diet and statin use in LDL-C control remains unknown. This relationship is important to assess first because statin initiation has been associated with adverse changes in diet. It has been reported that statin users' perception of the superior CVD prevention efficacy of these drugs compared with diet may demotivate them to adopt healthy dietary habits. At the same time, significant inter-individual variability in statin response is observed, with reductions in LDL-C levels ranging from 5% to 70%. Thus, nearly one individual out of two does not reach the LDL-C reduction targets set by the initiation of this medication. This is not without consequence, since the risk of SCAD in individuals taking statins who do not reach the LDL-C reduction targets is more than 15% higher than in those who do reach the targets. Currently, the only solution to this problem is to increase the intensity of the medication. However, this approach increases the short- and long-term risks of statin-related adverse events, including rhabdomyolysis (muscle symptoms) and liver toxicity. Characterizing the relationship between diet quality and statin use in LDL-C control will document the variability attributable to diet in response to these drugs. This will primarily provide a non-drug alternative for individuals whose response to these drugs is suboptimal. Overall, it will primarily reinforce the importance attributed to diet in the prevention of SCAD and optimize the efficacy and use of statins.

The overall objective is to characterize the relationship between diet quality and statin use in LDL-C control. The specific objectives are to assess 1) the association between diet quality and statin use; and 2) the association between diet quality, statin intensity and LDL-C.

 The project will be implemented as a cross-sectional study within the Quebec population-based cohort CARTaGENE. The study sample will be composed of all participants who completed the validated Canadian Dietary History Questionnaire II and whose lipid profile was measured, i.e. approximately 10,000 subjects. This sample contains approximately 2000 participants on statins. The nutritional quality of the participants will be assessed using the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). Statin intensity will be categorized by type and dose based on the American Heart Association classification. For objective 1, we will compare the AHEI score between participants without statins and those with statins, according to its intensity, using linear regressions. For objective 2, we will use linear regressions where LDL-C concentration will be modeled as a continuous variable. An interaction term between AHEI score and statin intensity will be included to assess their joint effect. We will use logistic regressions in which achievement of guideline-recommended LDL-C threshold levels (2.0 mmol/L) will be assessed in four exposure groups defined by diet quality (suboptimal/adequate) and statin intensity (low vs moderate/high).

Sehl Mellouli

Département de systèmes d’information organisationnels, Faculté des sciences de l’administration, Université Laval

Sophie Desroches

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Abstract

People are increasingly logging onto social media to seek out health information. However, it is not true that all nutrition information on social media is based on the best scientific evidence on nutrition, and it is not true that all sources of information on social media are reliable. Thus, an individual, in our case, may find themselves adopting eating habits that do not reflect nutritional recommendations as a result of misinformation gathered from social media.

This research project will address two research questions:

1) How do we ensure that information conveyed on social media related to nutrition is based on scientific evidence and does not contradict current nutrition recommendations?

2) How can we ensure that the source of nutrition information on social media is reliable?

To answer both research questions, we choose to work on the Twitter platform. The choice of the platform is dictated by the fact that several well-known personalities in the field of nutrition or associations interested in nutrition frequently post on Twitter. We will first collect a set of Tweets based on keywords and hashtags related to nutrition and current nutrition trends. For question 1: We will first analyze the content of each tweet and see if the tweet contains actionable information or if the tweet points to a web page. At the same time we will build a database of nutrition topics to follow and nutrition topics to avoid. Then, by analyzing the information contained in the tweets or on the websites, we will make sure that the information conveyed does or does not reflect the current nutritional recommendations. For question 2, we will use two complementary approaches. First, we will measure the degree to which an information source provides information that reflects the nutritional recommendations (based on the results of question 1). We will also, based on the literature, develop a trust index on a data source by combining the degrees of emission of information reflecting the current nutrition recommendations with other data such as "like" or "dislike", shares, and sentiment analysis on the responses provided to a tweet.

Andréanne Michaud

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Catherine Bégin

École de psychologie, Faculté des sciences sociales, Université Laval

Alain Veilleux

École de nutrition, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval

Laurent Biertho

Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

Abdominal obesity is associated with impaired cognitive function and anincreased risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases. MRI studies show that obese individuals are characterized by gray matter atrophy in brain regions involved in self-control. White matter atrophy has also been observed in the context of obesity. Obese individuals are also characterized by a greater number of white matter hypersignals, a marker of ischemic disease of the central nervous system. In addition, a few studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), an MRI method for assessing the integrity of white matter bundles, have shown that a loss of white matter integrity is associated with impaired executive function in obese participants. However, the mechanisms explaining these changes are not fully elucidated. Metabolic disorders, such as chronic low-grade inflammation and insulin resistance, as well as changes in the gut microbiota associated with obesity could lead to these alterations in brain tissue. Furthermore, it is not clear whether these brain changes are permanent or whether they can be reversed following weight loss. Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment that can result in significant weight loss and resolution of comorbidities in individuals with severe obesity. It therefore represents an ideal model to assess whether such changes reverse the neurobehavioral alterations observed with obesity. Interestingly, some studies show an improvement in cognitive performance (attention, memory and executive function) 4 months after surgery. However, few authors have looked at the effects of surgery on brain structure and plasticity. Our most recent work shows a rapid recovery of white matter and gray matter density after surgery, suggesting a plasticity of brain structures after weight loss and an improvement of metabolic alterations. Furthermore, we observed a significant association between postoperative reduction in serum levels of lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), a marker of inflammation, and increased white matter density. These findings lead us to postulate the general hypothesis that the metabolic and inflammatory changes observed after bariatric surgery may improve white matter integrity, functional connectivity and cognitive performance. However, the structural changes we observe in white matter (measured from anatomical scans) do not allow us to quantify changes in the organization and integrity of white matter bundles and to examine how they transmit information from one brain region to another (functional connectivity).

The specific objectives are: (i) to characterize changes in white matter microstructure, integrity, hypersignals and connectivity of the brain 4 months after parietal gastrectomy; and (ii) to examine how these changes are associated with metabolic and inflammatory changes, gut microbiota and cognitive performance.

Initially, patients will be followed up in the short term since improvements in cognitive performance were observed as early as 4 months after surgery. Fifty severely obese individuals (aged 18-65 years) awaiting parietal gastrectomy at the IUCPQ will be recruited. The study will include 2 visits: i) 1 month pre-surgery and ii) 4 months post-surgery. Cognitive tasks will be performed in all participants and MRI measurements will be performed in a subgroup of 30 participants. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment questionnaire will be administered to provide a global assessment of cognitive functioning. Cognitive functions will be measured using a battery of validated neurocognitive tasks: i) the Stroop which measures executive function; ii) the Trail Making Test which measures cognitive flexibility; iii) the Digit Span which measures short-term working memory; and iv) the Delay Discounting which measures impulsivity. On the morning of each MRI session, fasting blood samples will be collected to measure inflammatory cytokine levels (LBP, interleukin-6, C-reactive protein), lipid profile and glucose homeostasis. Stool samples will be collected from participants prior to surgery and the days before the MRI sessions to measure microbiota composition by sequencing the V3-V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. The brain MRI protocol will include: i) anatomical brain images to measure white and gray matter density; ii) resting state functional MRI to measure connectivity between different brain regions; iii) T2 and FLAIR images to measure white matter hypersignals; and iv) DTI sequences to measure the integrity of white matter bundles.

Jean-Philippe Drouin-Chartie

Faculté de pharmacie, Université Laval

Angelo Tremblay

Département de kinésiologie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Jacques Corbeil

Département de médecine moléculaire, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Patrick Couture

Département de médecine, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a disease caused by genetic mutations that decrease the body's ability to remove (C)-LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream. HF is manifested by very high levels of LDL-C and the early development of atherosclerosis. Heterozygous HF affects approximately one in 100 people in the French-Canadian population, making it the most common monogenic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Quebec.

Treatment of HF is aimed at normalizing LDL-C levels. However, our understanding of the cardioprotective potential of healthy lifestyle habits (i.e., eating healthy, being physically active, consuming alcohol in moderation, not smoking, getting enough sleep) in HF remains very limited. For example, there is no good data on the role of diet in the management of this disease. Emerging data suggest that risk factors with a strong behavioral component (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, HDL-C) influence the risk of CVD in individuals with HF, thus highlighting the relevance of evaluating the cardioprotective potential of a healthy lifestyle in this very high-risk population. Moreover, considering that HF has profound effects on lipid metabolism, the identification of lifestyle-influenced biological mechanisms involved in LDL-C control through metabolomics is also essential to our understanding of the cardioprotective potential of a healthy lifestyle in HF. In the era of precision medicine, characterizing the influence of lifestyle habits in individuals with HF will allow individualizing the treatment of this disease by guiding its nature and intensity.

The general objective is to evaluate how a healthy lifestyle, defined by 5 favorable lifestyle habits (eating healthy, being physically active, consuming alcohol in moderation, not smoking, getting enough sleep) influences the cardiovascular health of individuals with HF. The specific objectives are:

1. To assess the associations between adherence to a healthy lifestyle and LDL-C concentrations;

2. To identify plasma metabolites associated with a healthy lifestyle;

3. To assess the associations between plasma metabolites influenced by lifestyle and LDL-C concentrations.

This pilot project is a cross-sectional study nested within the CARTaGENE cohort. Between 2009 and 2014, 43,000 adults aged between 40 and 69 years living in Quebec were recruited and completed validated questionnaires on their health and lifestyle habits (diet, physical activity, sleep, smoking, alcohol). CARTaGENE participants with heterozygous HF will be identified and selected based on the Canadian definition of HF. A preliminary overview of the cohort identified >1,500 participants likely to have HF. For each of the selected individuals, a healthy lifestyle score (hLS) ranging from 0 to 5 will be created based on adherence to each of the following 5 favorable behaviors: 1) nutritional quality (Alternative Healthy Eating Index) >60%, 2) >30 minutes of moderate physical activity/day, 3) sleep 7-8h/day, 4) never smoked, 5) moderate alcohol consumption (women: 5-15 g/day; men: 5-30 g/day).

We will evaluate the relationship between sMVS and LDL-C levels with multiple linear regressions (obj. 1). We will assay plasma metabolites by LC-MS in 250 individuals with low sMVS (≤1/5) and in 250 individuals with high sMVS (≥4/5). This discrimination will allow us to identify metabolites influenced by lifestyle with machine learning techniques (targeted analysis: elastic net regression; non-targeted analysis: set covering machine). Finally, we will evaluate the relationship between metabolites identified in 2 and LDL-C with multiple linear regressions (obj. 3).

Sophie Veilleux

Département de management, Faculté des sciences de l’administration, Université Laval

Vincent Fradet

Département de chirurgie, Faculté de médecine, Université Laval

Abstract

For university faculty, collaborative research with industry has both benefits and challenges, particularly when the initiative for the research idea comes from the faculty member. In an academic setting, the resources are not the same for conducting large-scale clinical trials such as those conducted by the nutraceutical industry, especially for disease prevention. The conflicting responsibilities of professors and their overloaded teams make the management of these clinical studies difficult. The advancement of academic themes is consequently slower than that based on a portfolio management of scientific assets of the industry, supported with important resources. In such a context of asymmetric resources, how can we add value to research results in partnership with the nutraceutical industry in a mutually beneficial way?

Identify issues in the process of leveraging intellectual property in the context of a nutraceutical clinical trial in partnership with industry in terms of: 1) funding for clinical research infrastructure; 2) resources available to achieve objectives; and 3) reciprocity of expected benefits between partners.

To answer our research question and achieve our objective, we will conduct a longitudinal case study of a research project. We take the opportunity of a mature clinical study, funded primarily by a grant to a researcher at the NUTRISS Center, with some additional funding from an industrial partner. This is a clinical trial testing the effects on prostate cancer of an innovative nutraceutical product (EPA monoglyceride). The case study will be conducted over a year with a triangulation approach to data sources. Semi-structured interviews of 90 minutes each will be conducted with the clinical trial research team and the industrial partner, as well as the research center lawyers who oversaw the contractual relationship. Secondary data sources will also be analyzed such as the application for funds and inter-institutional legal agreements. Finally, systematic observations based on a multi-criteria grid will be made during project monitoring meetings.