Sample records for canadian organic residuals

  1. Material Utilization of Organic Residues.

    PubMed

    Peinemann, Jan Christoph; Pleissner, Daniel

    2018-02-01

    Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food waste is generated globally. This waste traces back to industrial and agricultural producers, bakeries, restaurants, and households. Furthermore, lignocellulosic materials, including grass clippings, leaves, bushes, shrubs, and woods, appear in large amounts. Depending on the region, organic waste is either composted, burned directly, or converted into biogas. All of the options set aside the fact that organic residues are valuable resources containing carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and phosphorus. Firstly, it is clear that avoidance of organic residues is imperative. However, the residues that accumulate nonetheless should be utilized by material means before energy production is targeted. This review presents different processes for the microbial utilization of organic residues towards compounds that are of great importance for the bioeconomy. The focus thereby is on the challenges coming along with downstream processing when the utilization of organic residues is carried out decentralized. Furthermore, a future process for producing lactic acid from organic residues is sketched.

  2. Organ donation and transplantation in Canada: insights from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register.

    PubMed

    Kim, Sang Joseph; Fenton, Stanley Sa; Kappel, Joanne; Moist, Louise M; Klarenbach, Scott W; Samuel, Susan M; Singer, Lianne G; Kim, Daniel H; Young, Kimberly; Webster, Greg; Wu, Juliana; Ivis, Frank; de Sa, Eric; Gill, John S

    2014-01-01

    To provide an overview of the transplant component of the Canadian Organ Replacement Register (CORR). CORR is the national registry of organ failure in Canada. It has existed in some form since 1972 and currently houses data on patients with end-stage renal disease and solid organ transplants (kidney and/or non-kidney). The transplant component of CORR receives data on a voluntary basis from individual transplant centres and organ procurement organizations across the country. Coverage for transplant procedures is comprehensive and complete. Long-term outcomes are tracked based on follow-up reports from participating transplant centres. The longitudinal nature of CORR provides an opportunity to observe the trajectory of a patient's journey with organ failure over their life span. Research studies conducted using CORR data inform both practitioners and health policy makers alike. The importance of registry data in monitoring and improving care for Canadian transplant candidates/recipients cannot be over-stated. This paper provides an overview of the transplant data in CORR including its history, data considerations, recent findings, new initiatives, and future directions.

  3. Utilization of organic residues using heterotrophic microalgae and insects.

    PubMed

    Pleissner, Daniel; Rumpold, Birgit A

    2018-02-01

    Various organic residues occur globally in the form of straw, wood, green biomass, food waste, feces, manure etc. Other utilization strategies apart from anaerobic digestion, composting and incineration are needed to make use of the whole potential of organic residues as sources of various value added compounds. This review compares the cultivation of heterotrophic microalgae and insects using organic residues as nutrient sources and illuminates their potential with regard to biomass production, productivity and yield, and utilization strategies of produced biomasses. Furthermore, cultivation processes as well as advantages and disadvantages of utilization processes are identified and discussed. It was shown that both heterotrophic algae and insects are able to reduce a sufficient amount of organic residues by converting it into biomass. The biomass composition of both organisms is similar which allows similar utilization strategies in food and feed, chemicals and materials productions. Even though insect is the more complex organism, biomass production can be carried out using simple equipment without sterilization and hydrolysis of organic residues. Contrarily, heterotrophic microalgae require a pretreatment of organic residues in form of sterilization and in most cases hydrolysis. Interestingly, the volumetric productivity of insect biomass exceeds the productivity of algal biomass. Despite legal restrictions, it is expected that microalgae and insects will find application as alternative food and feed sources in the future. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Ethics Guide Recommendations for Organ-Donation-Focused Physicians: Endorsed by the Canadian Medical Association.

    PubMed

    Shemie, Sam D; Simpson, Christy; Blackmer, Jeff; MacDonald, Shavaun; Dhanani, Sonny; Torrance, Sylvia; Byrne, Paul

    2017-05-01

    Donation physicians are specialists with expertise in organ and tissue donation and have been recognized internationally as a key contributor to improving organ and tissue donation services. Subsequent to a 2011 Canadian Critical Care Society-Canadian Blood Services consultation, the donation physician role has been gradually implemented in Canada. These professionals are generally intensive care unit physicians with an enhanced focus and expertise in organ/tissue donation. They must manage the dual obligation of caring for dying patients and their families while providing and/or improving organ donation services. In anticipation of actual, potential or perceived ethical challenges with the role, Canadian Blood Services in partnership with the Canadian Medical Association organized the development of an evidence-informed consensus process of donation experts and bioethicists to produce an ethics guide. This guide includes overarching principles and benefits of the DP role, and recommendations in regard to communication with families, role disclosure, consent discussions, interprofessional conflicts, conscientious objection, death determination, donation specific clinical practices in neurological determination of death and donation after circulatory death, end-of-life care, performance metrics, resources and remuneration. Although this report is intended to inform donation physician practices, it is recognized that the recommendations may have applicability to other professionals (eg, physicians in intensive care, emergency medicine, neurology, neurosurgery, pulmonology) who may also participate in the end-of-life care of potential donors in various clinical settings. It is hoped that this guidance will assist practitioners and their sponsoring organizations in preserving their duty of care, protecting the interests of dying patients, and fulfilling best practices for organ and tissue donation.

  5. Individual pay-for-performance in Canadian healthcare organizations.

    PubMed

    Greengarten, Moshe; Hundert, Mark

    2006-01-01

    Pink et al. discuss some of the issues related to pay-for-performance for individual and organizational healthcare providers. This commentary addresses key success factors for the implementation of individual pay-for-performance in publicly financed Canadian healthcare organizations. Publicly financed healthcare organizations in Canada have been relatively slow to adopt performance-pay programs as compared with private sector organizations; and those that have been developed have been, for the most part, rather crude. In many cases, they have become an additional mechanism for delivering base pay, rather than a true variable-pay program that motivates and differentiates performance. In light of the many issues that need to be addressed, we feel that pay-for-performance should be introduced gradually, beginning at the most senior levels of the organization. Above all, it is critical for publicly financed healthcare organizations to recognize that introducing pay-for-performance involves not only a set of structures and processes, but also likely a profound change in organizational values and behaviours.

  6. Pesticide residues in imported, organic, and "suspect" fruits and vegetables.

    PubMed

    Winter, Carl K

    2012-05-09

    Consumers are frequently urged to avoid imported foods as well as specific fruits and vegetables due to health concerns from pesticide residues and are often encouraged to choose organic fruits and vegetables rather than conventional forms. Studies have demonstrated that while organic fruits and vegetables have lower levels of pesticide residues than do conventional fruits and vegetables, pesticide residues are still frequently detected on organic fruits and vegetables; typical dietary consumer exposure to pesticide residues from conventional fruits and vegetables does not appear to be of health significance. Similarly, research does not demonstrate that imported fruits and vegetables pose greater risks from pesticide residues than do domestic fruits and vegetables or that specific fruits and vegetables singled out as being the most highly contaminated by pesticides should be avoided in their conventional forms.

  7. Organizational capacity for chronic disease prevention: a survey of Canadian public health organizations.

    PubMed

    Hanusaik, Nancy; O'Loughlin, Jennifer L; Kishchuk, Natalie; Paradis, Gilles; Cameron, Roy

    2010-04-01

    There are no national data on levels of organizational capacity within the Canadian public health system to reduce the burden of chronic disease. Cross-sectional data were collected in a national survey (October 2004 to April 2005) of all 216 national, provincial and regional-level organizations engaged in chronic disease prevention through primary prevention or healthy lifestyle promotion. Levels of organizational capacity (defined as skills and resources to implement chronic disease prevention programmes), potential determinants of organizational capacity and involvement in chronic disease prevention programming were compared in western, central and eastern Canada and across three types of organizations (formal public health organizations, non-governmental organizations and grouped organizations). Forty percent of organizations were located in Central Canada. Approximately 50% were formal public health organizations. Levels of skill and involvement were highest for activities that addressed tobacco control and healthy eating; lowest for stress management, social determinants of health and programme evaluation. The few notable differences in skill levels by provincial grouping favoured Central Canada. Resource adequacy was rated low across the country; but was lowest in eastern Canada and among formal public health organizations. Determinants of organizational capacity (organizational supports and partnerships) were highest in central Canada and among grouped organizations. These data provide an evidence base to identify strengths and gaps in organizational capacity and involvement in chronic disease prevention programming in the organizations that comprise the Canadian public health system.

  8. Building organizational capacity for evidence use: the experience of two Canadian healthcare organizations.

    PubMed

    Humphries, Serena; Hampe, Tanis; Larsen, Derrick; Bowen, Sarah

    2013-01-01

    The use of evidence to inform decisions at the program level within healthcare organizations is a priority. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of an innovative collaboration between two Canadian healthcare organizations to build organizational capacity for evidence use in program planning, implementation, and evaluation. The lessons learned from the initiative suggest that other healthcare organizations would find the capacity-building strategies identified and developed through the initiative useful.

  9. Crop residues quantification to obtain self-consumption compost in an organic garden

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lopez de Fuentes, Pilar; Lopez Merino, María; Remedios Alvir, María; Briz de Felipe, Teresa

    2013-04-01

    This research focuses on quantifying the crop residue left after the campaign fall/winter (2011) for the organic garden crops of Agricultural ETSI, located in practice fields, to get compost for self-generated residues arising from within their own fields. This compost is produced by mixing this material with an organic residues source animal. In this way the plant organic residues provided the nitrogen required for an appropriate C/N and the animal organic residues can provide the carbon amount required to achieve an optimal scenario. The garden has a surface area of 180 m2 which was cultured with different seasonal vegetables, different families and attending practices and species associations' rotations, proper of farming techniques. The organic material of animal origin referred to, is rest from sheep renew bed, sustained management support the precepts of organic farming and cottage belongs to practice fields too. At the end of crop cycle, we proceeded to the harvest and sorting of usable crop residues, which was considered as net crop residues. In each case, these residues were subjected to a cutting treatment by the action of a mincing machine and then weighed to estimate the amounts given by each crop. For the sheep bed residue 1m2 was collected after three months having renewed. It had been made by providing 84 kg of straw bales in July and introducing about 12 Kg each. The herd consisted of three females and one playe. Each one of them was feed 300g and 600 g of straw per day. Two alternating different pens were used to simulate a regime of semi-intensive housing. A balance on how much organic residue material was obtained at the end and how much was obtained in the compost process is discussed in terms of volume and nutrients content is discussed.

  10. Influence of organic waste and residue mud additions on chemical, physical and microbial properties of bauxite residue sand.

    PubMed

    Jones, Benjamin E H; Haynes, Richard J; Phillips, Ian R

    2011-02-01

    In an alumina refinery, bauxite ore is treated with sodium hydroxide at high temperatures and pressures and for every tone of alumina produced, about 2 tones of alkaline, saline bauxite processing waste is also produced. At Alcoa, a dry stacking system of disposal is used, and it is the sand fraction of the processing waste that is rehabilitated. There is little information available regarding the most appropriate amendments to add to the processing sand to aid in revegetation. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the addition of organic wastes (biosolids and poultry manure), in the presence or absence of added residue mud, would affect the properties of the residue sand and its suitability for revegetation. Samples of freshly deposited residue sand were collected from Alcoa's Kwinana refinery. Samples were treated with phosphogypsum (2% v/v), incubated, and leached. A laboratory experiment was then set up in which the two organic wastes were applied at 0 or the equivalent to 60 tones ha(-1) in combination with residue mud added at rates of 0%, 10% and 20% v/v. Samples were incubated for 8 weeks, after which, key chemical, physical and microbial properties of the residue sand were measured along with seed germination. Additions of residue mud increased exchangeable Na(+), ESP and the pH, and HCO (3) (-) and Na(+) concentrations in saturation paste extracts. Additions of biosolids and poultry manure increased concentrations of extractable P, NH (4) (+) , K, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn and Fe. Addition of residue mud, in combination with organic wastes, caused a marked decrease in macroporosity and a concomitant increase in mesoporosity, available water holding capacity and the quantity of water held at field capacity. With increasing residue mud additions, the percentage of sample present as sand particles (<1 mm diameter) decreased, and the percentage present in aggregated form (>2 mm diameter) increased; greatest aggregation occurred where a combination of residue

  11. Lead sorption-desorption from organic residues.

    PubMed

    Duarte Zaragoza, Victor M; Carrillo, Rogelio; Gutierrez Castorena, Carmen M

    2011-01-01

    Sorption and desorption are mechanisms involved in the reduction of metal mobility and bioavailability in organic materials. Metal release from substrates is controlled by desorption. The capacity of coffee husk and pulp residues, vermicompost and cow manure to adsorb Pb2+ was evaluated. The mechanisms involved in the sorption process were also studied. Organic materials retained high concentrations of lead (up to 36,000 mg L(-1)); however, the mechanisms of sorption varied according to the characteristics of each material: degree of decomposition, pH, cation exchange capacity and percentage of organic matter. Vermicompost and manure removed 98% of the Pb from solution. Lead precipitated in manure and vermicompost, forming lead oxide (PbO) and lead ferrite (PbFe4O7). Adsorption isotherms did not fit to the typical Freundlich and Langmuir equations. Not only specific and non-specific adsorption was observed, but also precipitation and coprecipitation. Lead desorption from vermicompost and cow manure was less than 2%. For remediation of Pb-polluted sites, the application of vermicompost and manure is recommended in places with alkaline soils because Pb precipitation can be induced, whereas coffee pulp residue is recommended for acidic soils where Pb is adsorbed.

  12. Hair combing to collect organic gunshot residues (OGSR).

    PubMed

    MacCrehan, William A; Layman, Malinda J; Secl, Janelle D

    2003-08-12

    A protocol is presented for the collection and analysis of gunshot residues (GSR) from hair. A fine-toothed comb is used for collection of the residues. A small zip-closure bag serves as a container for both sample storage and extraction of the characteristic organic powder additives. The success of this residue recovery approach was tested on simulated shooters and victims using mannequin-supported human wig hair as well as on human shooters. Residues were collected from four weapons: a revolver and semi-automatic pistol, rifle and shotgun. One characteristic additive, nitroglycerin, was detected by capillary electrophoresis (CE) in the majority of the collection experiments.

  13. Research-based-decision-making in Canadian health organizations: a behavioural approach.

    PubMed

    Jbilou, Jalila; Amara, Nabil; Landry, Réjean

    2007-06-01

    Decision making in Health sector is affected by a several elements such as economic constraints, political agendas, epidemiologic events, managers' values and environment... These competing elements create a complex environment for decision making. Research-Based-Decision-Making (RBDM) offers an opportunity to reduce the generated uncertainty and to ensure efficacy and efficiency in health administrations. We assume that RBDM is dependant on decision makers' behaviour and the identification of the determinants of this behaviour can help to enhance research results utilization in health sector decision making. This paper explores the determinants of RBDM as a personal behaviour among managers and professionals in health administrations in Canada. From the behavioural theories and the existing literature, we build a model measuring "RBDM" as an index based on five items. These items refer to the steps accomplished by a decision maker while developing a decision which is based on evidence. The determinants of RBDM behaviour are identified using data collected from 942 health care decision makers in Canadian health organizations. Linear regression is used to model the behaviour RBDM. Determinants of this behaviour are derived from Triandis Theory and Bandura's construct "self-efficacy." The results suggest that to improve research use among managers in Canadian governmental health organizations, strategies should focus on enhancing exposition to evidence through facilitating communication networks, partnerships and links between researchers and decision makers, with the key long-term objective of developing a culture that supports and values the contribution that research can make to decision making in governmental health organizations. Nevertheless, depending on the organizational level, determinants of RBDM are different. This difference has to be taken into account if RBDM adoption is desired. Decision makers in Canadian health organizations (CHO) can help to build

  14. Pesticide Residues in Food: Attitudes, Beliefs, and Misconceptions among Conventional and Organic Consumers.

    PubMed

    Koch, Severine; Epp, Astrid; Lohmann, Mark; Böl, Gaby-Fleur

    2017-12-01

    Pesticide use and pesticide residues in foods have been the subject of controversial public discussions and media coverage in Germany. Against this background, a better understanding of public risk perceptions is needed to promote efficient public health communication. To this end, this study captures the German public's perception of pesticide residues in foods. A representative sample of the population aged 14 years and older (n = 1,004) was surveyed via computer-assisted telephone interviewing on their attitudes and knowledge with regard to pesticide residues. Based on questions regarding their typical consumer behavior, respondents were classified into conventional and organic consumers to identify differences as well as similarities between these two consumer types. As assessed with an open-ended question, both organic and conventional consumers viewed pesticides, chemicals, and toxins as the greatest threats to food quality and safety. Evaluating the risks and benefits of pesticide use, more than two-thirds of organic consumers (70%) rated the risks as greater than the benefits, compared with just over one-half of conventional consumers (53%). Concern about the detection of pesticide residues in the food chain and bodily fluids was significantly higher among organic compared with conventional consumers. Only a minority of respondents was aware that legal limits for pesticide residues (referred to as maximum residue levels) exist, with 69% of organic and 61% of conventional consumers believing that the presence of pesticide residues in foods is generally not permitted. A lack of awareness of maximum residue levels was associated with heightened levels of concern about pesticide residues. Finally, general exposure to media reporting on pesticide residues was associated with more frequent knowledge of legal limits for pesticide residues, whereas actively seeking information on pesticide residues was not. The possible mechanisms underlying these findings are

  15. Leading Lean: a Canadian healthcare leader's guide.

    PubMed

    Fine, Benjamin A; Golden, Brian; Hannam, Rosemary; Morra, Dante

    2009-01-01

    Canadian healthcare organizations are increasingly asked to do more with less, and too often this has resulted in demands on staff to simply work harder and longer. Lean methodologies, originating from Japanese industrial organizations and most notably Toyota, offer an alternative - tried and tested approaches to working smarter. Lean, with its systematic approaches to reducing waste, has found its way to Canadian healthcare organizations with promising results. This article reports on a study of five Canadian healthcare providers that have recently implemented Lean. We offer stories of success but also identify potential obstacles and ways by which they may be surmounted to provide better value for our healthcare investments.

  16. RESIDUAL MUTAGENICITY OF THE ALASKAN OIL SPILL ORGANICS

    EPA Science Inventory

    RESIDUAL MUTAGENICITY OF THE ALASKAN OIL SPILL ORGANICS. L.D.

    The Exxon Valdez, on March 24, 1989, spilled approximately eleven million gallons of Prudhoe Bay crude oil into the waters of Prince William Sound. Approximately 300 miles of
    contaminated beach are potential...

  17. Effects of iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon on aggregate stability of bauxite residues.

    PubMed

    Zhu, Feng; Li, Yubing; Xue, Shengguo; Hartley, William; Wu, Hao

    2016-05-01

    In order to successfully establish vegetation on bauxite residue, properties such as aggregate structure and stability require improvement. Spontaneous plant colonization on the deposits in Central China over the last 20 years has revealed that natural processes may improve the physical condition of bauxite residues. Samples from three different stacking ages were selected to determine aggregate formation and stability and its relationship with iron-aluminium oxides and organic carbon. The residue aggregate particles became coarser in both dry and wet sieving processes. The mean weight diameter (MWD) and geometry mean diameter (GMD) increased significantly, and the proportion of aggregate destruction (PAD) decreased. Natural stacking processes could increase aggregate stability and erosion resistant of bauxite residues. Free iron oxides and amorphous aluminium oxides were the major forms in bauxite residues, but there was no significant correlation between the iron-aluminium oxides and aggregate stability. Aromatic-C, alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C were the major functional groups present in the residues. With increasing stacking age, total organic carbon content and aggregate-associated organic carbon both increased. Alkanes-C, aliphatic-C and alkenes-C increased and were mainly distributed in macro-aggregates, whereas aromatic-C was mainly distributed in <0.05-mm aggregates. Organic carbon stability in micro-aggregates was higher than that in macro-aggregates and became more stable. Organic carbon contents in total residues, and within different aggregate sizes, were all negatively correlated with PAD. It indicated that organic materials had a more significant effect on macro-aggregate stability and the effects of iron-aluminium oxides maybe more important for stability of micro-aggregates.

  18. Emission of Carbon Dioxide Influenced by Different Water Levels from Soil Incubated Organic Residues

    PubMed Central

    Hossain, M. B.; Puteh, A. B.

    2013-01-01

    We studied the influence of different organic residues and water levels on decomposition rate and carbon sequestration in soil. Organic residues (rice straw, rice root, cow dung, and poultry litter) including control were tested under moistened and flooding systems. An experiment was laid out as a complete randomized design at 25°C for 120 days. Higher CO2-C (265.45 mg) emission was observed in moistened condition than in flooding condition from 7 to 120 days. Among the organic residues, poultry litter produced the highest CO2-C emission. Poultry litter with soil mixture increased 121% cumulative CO2-C compared to control. On average, about 38% of added poultry litter C was mineralized to CO2-C. Maximum CO2-C was found in 7 days after incubation and thereafter CO2-C emission was decreased with the increase of time. Control produced the lowest CO2-C (158.23 mg). Poultry litter produced maximum cumulative CO2-C (349.91 mg). Maximum organic carbon was obtained in cow dung which followed by other organic residues. Organic residues along with flooding condition decreased cumulative CO2-C, k value and increased organic C in soil. Maximum k value was found in poultry litter and control. Incorpored rice straw increased organic carbon and decreased k value (0.003 g d−1) in soil. In conclusion, rice straw and poultry litter were suitable for improving soil carbon. PMID:24163626

  19. Organized extracurricular activities of Canadian children and youth.

    PubMed

    Guèvremont, Anne; Findlay, Leanne; Kohen, Dafna

    2008-09-01

    This article presents rates of participation in organized extracurricular activity by Canadian children and youth aged 6 to 17 years, and examines how these rates vary by sociodemographic and socio-economic characteristics. The data are from Cycle 4 of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (2000/2001). The majority of children and youth (86%) participated in at least one extracurricular activity. Girls were more likely than boys to be involved in non-sport activities and in clubs or community groups. Young children who lived in urban areas and those who lived with two parents had relatively high rates of participation in extracurricular activities. Participation rose with family income for children aged 6 to 13, but not for 14- to 17-year-olds. Children of all ages in the Western provinces had high participation rates in each type of activity; rates tended to be low in Quebec.

  20. The earthworm gastrointestinal effect on the release of organic bound residues in soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Du, J. H.

    2018-03-01

    Earthworm activities promote the release of bound residues and the digestive activities of earthworms contribute to the process. Earthworm digestive effects on bound residues can be divided into physical and chemical effects. Physical effects include gastrointestinal abrasion and mixing. The abrasion of soil and litter residues in earthworm gizzards and intestine can grind the food into fine particles, which increase the contact surface with microbial and promote the desorption of bound residues. Chemical effects are attributed to the secreted surfactant substances and digestive enzymes. The surfactants, especially at levels that lead to micellization, can enhance the desorption process of the organic contaminants that sored in the soil. The enzymes in earthworm digestive tracts can decompose the humus in soil, which may promote the release of organic residues that bind with humus.

  1. Residual Wage Differences by Gender: Bounding the Estimates.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sakellariou, Chris N.; Patrinos, Harry A.

    1996-01-01

    Uses data from the 1986 Canadian labor market activity survey file to derive estimates of residual gender wage gap differences. Investigates these estimates' dependence on experimental design and on assumptions about discrimination-free wage structures. Residual differences persist, even after restricting the sample to a group of highly motivated,…

  2. [Effects of residue management and fertilizer application mode on soil organic carbon pools in an oasis cotton region.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Peng Peng; Liu, Yan Jie; Pu, Xiao Zhen; Zhang, Guo Juan; Wang, Jin; Zhang, Wang Feng

    2016-11-18

    To reveal the regulation mechanisms of agricultural management practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) pools and provide scientific basis for improving soil productivity and formulating agricultural fixed carbon and reducing discharge measures, we monitored the changes of SOC pools and organic carbon fractions in an oasis cotton field under different residue management and fertilizer application modes. A split-plot experimental design was used with differing residue management including residue incorporation (S) and residue removing (NS) in the main plots and differing fertilizer application modes including no fertilizer (CK), NPK fertilizer (NPK), organic manure (OM) and NPK fertilizer plus organic manure (NPK+OM) in the subplot. The results showed that fertilization and residue incorporation significantly increased SOC pool, soil organic carbon (C T ), labile carbon (C L ), microbial biomass carbon (C MB ), water-soluble organic carbon (C WS ), hot-water-soluble organic carbon (C HWS ), accumulative amount of soil organic carbon mineralization (C TM ) and carbon management index (CMI). The SOC pool was increased by 20.6% by residue incorporation compared to residue removing. SOC pools were increased by 7.8%, 29.5% and 37.7% in NPK, OM and NPK+OM treatments compared to CK, respectively. The contents of C T , C L , C MB , C WS and C HWS under different fertilization treatments were shown as NPK+OM>OM>NPK>CK. C TM was increased by 5.9% by residue incorporation compared to residue removing and C TM was increased by 32.7%, 59.5% and 97.3% in NPK, OM and NPK+OM treatments compared to CK, respectively. There was a significant correlation between CMI and C T , C MB , C L , C WS , C HWS , C TM , C pool and C sequestration. Therefore, we concluded that CMI is an important index for evaluating the effect of agricultural management practices on soil quality. In order to construct high-standard oasis farmland in arid region and develop cotton production, we should consider

  3. A Review of the Tissue Residue Approach for Organic and Organometallic Compounds in Aquatic Organisms

    EPA Science Inventory

    This paper reviews the tissue residue approach (TRA) for toxicity assessment as it applies to organic chemicals and some organometallic compounds (tin, mercury, and lead). Specific emphasis was placed on evaluating key factors that influence interpretation of critical body resid...

  4. Persistent organic pollutants and diabetes among Inuit in the Canadian Arctic.

    PubMed

    Singh, Kavita; Chan, Hing Man

    2017-04-01

    Type 2 diabetes is a chronic metabolic disease that is of increasing concern in Inuit communities. Behavioural factors such as physical inactivity and poor diet are well-known risk factors. Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has emerged as an additional factor in the pathogenesis of diabetes. In this study, association between polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) with diabetes in Canadian Inuit was examined. Data from the Adult Inuit Health Survey (2007-2008) of Inuit participants from the Canadian Arctic were analyzed. Self-reported diabetes (excluding gestational diabetes) and clinical measurement of fasting glucose were examined as outcomes. Association with individual PCB congeners, sum of dioxin-like PCBs (∑DL-PCB), non-dioxin-like PCBs (∑NDL-PCB), total PCBs (∑PCB), and p,p'-DDE were investigated using multiple regression models adjusted for confounding factors. Using different methods to incorporate serum lipids, highest vs. lowest quartile exposures to PCB-105, PCB-118, PCB-153, PCB-156, PCB-170, PCB-180, PCB-183, ∑PCB, and p,p'-DDE were associated with increased risk of diabetes. For these PCBs, odds ratios (ORs) ranged from 1.9-3.5 (lower 95% CI: 0.8-1.4, upper 95% CI: 4.4-9.0) and for p,p'-DDE the OR was 2.5 (lower 95% CI: 1.1-1.2, upper 95% CI: 5.9-6.0). The highest vs. lowest quartile exposure to most PCBs and p,p'-DDE were associated with an increase of fasting glucose by 3-7%. PCBs and p,p'-DDE were associated with increased risk of diabetes and higher fasting glucose level in a cross-sectional survey of Canadian Inuit. Cause-effect relationships of PCBs and p,p'-DDE with diabetes and diabetes-related outcomes need to be further investigated in a cohort study. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Luminescence from VUV Irradiated Cosmic Ice Analogs and Organic Residues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Gudipati, Murthy S.; Dworkin, Jason P.; Chillier, Xavier; Allamandola, Louis J.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    The optical luminescent properties for a variety of vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) irradiated cosmic ice analogs and the complex organic residues produced from irradiation might be applicable to Solar System and interstellar observations and processes for various astronomical objects with an ice heritage. Some examples include grain temperature determination and vaporization rates, nebula radiation balance, albedo values, color analysis, and biomarker identification. Detailed results are presented for the mixed molecular ice: H2O:CH3OH:NH3:CO (100:50:1:1), a realistic representation for an interstellar/precometary ice. The irradiated ices and the room-temperature residues resulting from this energetic processing have remarkable photoluminescent properties in the visible (520-570 nm). The luminescence dependence on temperature, thermal cycling, and VUV exposure of the residue is described.

  6. XANES Analysis of Organic Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nuevo, M.; Milam, S N.; Sandford, S A.; De Gregorio, B T.; Cody, G D.; Kilcoyne, A L.

    2011-01-01

    Organic residues formed in the laboratory from the ultraviolet (UV) photo-irradiation or ion bombardment of astrophysical ice analogs have been extensively studied for the last 15 years with a broad suite of techniques, including infrared (IR) and UV spectroscopies, as well as mass spectrometry. Analyses of these materials show that they consist of complex mixtures of organic compounds stable at room temperature, mostly soluble, that have not been fully characterized. However, the hydrolysis products of these residues have been partly identified using chromatography techniques, which indicate that they contain molecular precursors of prebiotic interest such as amino acids, nitrile-bearing compounds, and amphiphilic compounds. In this study, we present the first X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy measurements of three organic residues made from the UV irradiation of ices having different starting compositions. XANES spectra confirm the presence of different chemical functions in these residues, and indicate that they are rich in nitrogenand oxygen-bearing species. These data can be compared with XANES measurements of extraterrestrial materials. Finally, this study also shows how soft X rays can alter the chemical composition of samples.

  7. Evolution of Morphological and Physical Properties of Laboratory Interstellar Organic Residues with Ultraviolet Irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Piani, L.; Tachibana, S.; Hama, T.; Tanaka, H.; Endo, Y.; Sugawara, I.; Dessimoulie, L.; Kimura, Y.; Miyake, A.; Matsuno, J.; Tsuchiyama, A.; Fujita, K.; Nakatsubo, S.; Fukushi, H.; Mori, S.; Chigai, T.; Yurimoto, H.; Kouchi, A.

    2017-03-01

    Refractory organic compounds formed in molecular clouds are among the building blocks of the solar system objects and could be the precursors of organic matter found in primitive meteorites and cometary materials. However, little is known about the evolutionary pathways of molecular cloud organics from dense molecular clouds to planetary systems. In this study, we focus on the evolution of the morphological and viscoelastic properties of molecular cloud refractory organic matter. We found that the organic residue, experimentally synthesized at ˜10 K from UV-irradiated H2O-CH3OH-NH3 ice, changed significantly in terms of its nanometer- to micrometer-scale morphology and viscoelastic properties after UV irradiation at room temperature. The dose of this irradiation was equivalent to that experienced after short residence in diffuse clouds (≤104 years) or irradiation in outer protoplanetary disks. The irradiated organic residues became highly porous and more rigid and formed amorphous nanospherules. These nanospherules are morphologically similar to organic nanoglobules observed in the least-altered chondrites, chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles, and cometary samples, suggesting that irradiation of refractory organics could be a possible formation pathway for such nanoglobules. The storage modulus (elasticity) of photo-irradiated organic residues is ˜100 MPa irrespective of vibrational frequency, a value that is lower than the storage moduli of minerals and ice. Dust grains coated with such irradiated organics would therefore stick together efficiently, but growth to larger grains might be suppressed due to an increase in aggregate brittleness caused by the strong connections between grains.

  8. Adrift in Our National Consciousness: Meditations on Canadian Ecological Identity

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lowan, Greg

    2011-01-01

    Misao Dean (2006) discusses the canoe as a celebrated icon of Canadian culture in her critique of the Centennial celebrations of 1967; as part of the Centennial, the Canadian government organized the longest canoe race ever held. This author believes that the canoe has become a universal symbol of Canada and that all Canadians have the right to…

  9. Generic immunosuppression in solid organ transplantation: a Canadian perspective.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Jennifer J; Schiff, Jeffrey R; Coursol, Christian J; Daley, Christopher J A; Dipchand, Anne I; Heywood, Norine M; Keough-Ryan, Tammy M; Keown, Paul A; Levy, Gary A; Lien, Dale C; Wichart, Jenny R; Cantarovich, Marcelo

    2012-04-15

    The introduction of generic immunosuppressant medications may present an opportunity for cost savings in solid organ transplantation if equivalent clinical outcomes to the branded counterparts can be achieved. An interprofessional working group of the Canadian Society of Transplantation was established to develop recommendations on the use of generic immunosuppression in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) based on a review of the available data. Under current Health Canada licensing requirements, a demonstration of bioequivalence with the branded formulation in healthy volunteers allows for bridging of clinical data. Cyclosporine, tacrolimus, and sirolimus are designated as "critical dose drugs" and are held to stricter criteria. However, whether this provides sufficient guarantee of therapeutic equivalence in SOTR remains controversial, and failure to maintain an appropriate balance of immunosuppression may have serious consequences, including rejection, graft loss, and death. Published evidence supporting therapeutic equivalence of generic formulations in SOTR is lacking. Moreover, in the setting of multiple generic formulations the potential for uncontrolled product switching is a major concern, since generic preparations are not required to demonstrate bioequivalence with each other. Although close monitoring is recommended with any change in formulation, drug product switches are likely to occur without prescriber knowledge and may pose a significant patient safety risk. The advent of generic immunosuppression will require new practices including more frequent therapeutic drug and clinical monitoring, and increased patient education. The additional workload placed on transplant centers without additional funding will create challenges and could ultimately jeopardize patient outcomes. Until more robust clinical data are available and adequate regulatory safeguards are instituted, caution in the use of generic immunosuppressive drugs in solid organ

  10. The Canadian effort to prevent and control hypertension: can other countries adopt Canadian strategies?

    PubMed

    Campbell, Norm R C; Sheldon, Tobe

    2010-07-01

    To indicate the key elements of current Canadian programs to treat and control hypertension. In the early 1990s Canada had a hypertension treatment and control rate of 13%. A Canadian strategy to prevent and control hypertension was developed and a coalition of national organizations and volunteers formed to develop increasingly extensive programs. The Canadian effort was largely based on annually updated hypertension management recommendations, an integrated and extensive hypertension knowledge translation program and an increasingly comprehensive outcomes assessment program. After the start of the annual process in 1999, there were very large increases in diagnosis and hypertension treatment coupled with dropping rates of cardiovascular disease. More recent initiatives include an extensive education program for the public and people with hypertension, a program to reduce dietary salt and a funded leadership position. The treatment and control rate increased to 66% when last assessed (2007-2009). The study describes important aspects of the Canadian hypertension management programs to aid those wishing to develop similar programs. Many of the programs could be fully or partially implemented by other countries.

  11. Crop residue management and fertilization effects on soil organic matter and associated biological properties.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Bingzi; Zhang, Jiabao; Yu, Yueyue; Karlen, Douglas L; Hao, Xiying

    2016-09-01

    Returning crop residue may result in nutrient reduction in soil in the first few years. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess whether this negative effect is alleviated by improved crop residue management (CRM). Nine treatments (3 CRM and 3 N fertilizer rates) were used. The CRM treatments were (1) R0: 100 % of the N using mineral fertilizer with no crop residues return; (2) R: crop residue plus mineral fertilizer as for the R0; and (3) Rc: crop residue plus 83 % of the N using mineral and 17 % manure fertilizer. Each CRM received N fertilizer rates at 270, 360, and 450 kg N ha(-1) year(-1). At the end of the experiment, soil NO3-N was reduced by 33 % from the R relative to the R0 treatment, while the Rc treatment resulted in a 21 to 44 % increase in occluded particulate organic C and N, and 80 °C extracted dissolved organic N, 19 to 32 % increase in microbial biomass C and protease activity, and higher monounsaturated phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA):saturated PLFA ratio from stimulating growth of indigenous bacteria when compared with the R treatment. Principal component analysis showed that the Biolog and PLFA profiles in the three CRM treatments were different from each other. Overall, these properties were not influenced by the used N fertilizer rates. Our results indicated that application of 17 % of the total N using manure in a field with crop residues return was effective for improving potential plant N availability and labile soil organic matter, primarily due to a shift in the dominant microorganisms.

  12. Evolution of Morphological and Physical Properties of Laboratory Interstellar Organic Residues with Ultraviolet Irradiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Piani, L.; Tachibana, S.; Endo, Y.

    Refractory organic compounds formed in molecular clouds are among the building blocks of the solar system objects and could be the precursors of organic matter found in primitive meteorites and cometary materials. However, little is known about the evolutionary pathways of molecular cloud organics from dense molecular clouds to planetary systems. In this study, we focus on the evolution of the morphological and viscoelastic properties of molecular cloud refractory organic matter. We found that the organic residue, experimentally synthesized at ∼10 K from UV-irradiated H{sub 2}O-CH{sub 3}OH-NH{sub 3} ice, changed significantly in terms of its nanometer- to micrometer-scale morphology andmore » viscoelastic properties after UV irradiation at room temperature. The dose of this irradiation was equivalent to that experienced after short residence in diffuse clouds (≤10{sup 4} years) or irradiation in outer protoplanetary disks. The irradiated organic residues became highly porous and more rigid and formed amorphous nanospherules. These nanospherules are morphologically similar to organic nanoglobules observed in the least-altered chondrites, chondritic porous interplanetary dust particles, and cometary samples, suggesting that irradiation of refractory organics could be a possible formation pathway for such nanoglobules. The storage modulus (elasticity) of photo-irradiated organic residues is ∼100 MPa irrespective of vibrational frequency, a value that is lower than the storage moduli of minerals and ice. Dust grains coated with such irradiated organics would therefore stick together efficiently, but growth to larger grains might be suppressed due to an increase in aggregate brittleness caused by the strong connections between grains.« less

  13. Leaching of nitrogen and base cations from calcareous soil amended with organic residues.

    PubMed

    Zarabi, Mahboubeh; Jalali, Mohsen

    2012-01-01

    The potential for groundwater and surface water pollution by nutrients in organic residues, primarily nitrogen (N) and base cations (K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+), is a consideration when applying such residues to land. In this study, we used a laboratory column leaching procedure to examine the leaching of N, K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ in soils treated with two types of raw organic residues (poultry manure and potato residues) and one municipal waste compost, which are currently recycled on agricultural land in Iran. Each organic residue was thoroughly mixed with two different soils (sandy loam and clay) at the rate of 3%. Soil columns were leached at 4-d intervals for 92 d with distilled water, and effluents were analysed for pH, EC, nitrate (NO3(-)-N), ammonium (NH4(+)-N) K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+. The results indicated that the amounts of NO3(-)-N and NH4(+)-N leached from the poultry manure and potato residues could represent very important economic losses of N and pose an environmental threat under field conditions. The sandy loam soil amended with poultry manure lost the highest amount of NO3(-)-N (206.4 kg ha(-1)), and clay soil amended with poultry manure lost the highest amounts of NH4(+)-N (454.3 kg ha(-1)). The results showed that a treatment incorporating 3% of municipal waste compost could be used without negative effects to groundwater N concentration in clay soil. Significant amounts of K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ were leached owing to the application of poultry manure, potato and municipal waste compost to soils. There was a positive relationship between K+, Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ with NO3(-)-N and NH4(+)-N leached in soils. Analysis of variance detected significant effects of amendment, soil type and time on the leaching NO3(-)-N, NH4(+)-N, K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+.

  14. Committing Canadian sociology: developing a Canadian sociology and a sociology of Canada.

    PubMed

    Matthews, Ralph

    2014-05-01

    This paper is a slightly revised version of the author's "Outstanding Career Award Lecture" presented at the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Sociological Association in Victoria, British Columbia on June 6, 2013. The paper distinguishes between Canadian Sociology and the Sociology of Canada. The former involves the explanatory stance that one takes to understanding Canada. The latter addresses the significant social dimensions that underlie Canadian social organization, culture, and behavior. I make a case for a Canadian Sociology that focuses on the unique features of Canadian society rather than adopting a comparative perspective. I also argue that there is a continuing need within the Sociology of Canada to address the issues of staples development. However, I argue that "new" staples analysis must have a directional change from that of the past, in that social processes now largely determine the pattern of staples development. Moreover, new staples analysis must include issues that were never part of earlier staples analysis, such as issues of environmental impacts and of staples depletion under conditions, such as climate change. The paper concludes by analyzing four factors that provide the dominant social contexts for analyzing modern staples development: (1) the rise of neoliberal government, (2) the implementation of globalization and its social consequences, (3) the assumption of aboriginal rights and entitlement, and (4) the rise of environmentalism. These factors were generally not considered in earlier staples approaches. They are critical to understanding the role of staples development and its impact on Canada in the present time.

  15. Cataloguing Standards; The Report of the Canadian Task Group on Cataloguing Standards.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Library of Canada, Ottawa (Ontario).

    Following the recommendations of the National Conference on Cataloguing Standards held at the National Library of Canada in May 1970, a Canadian Task Group on Cataloguing Standards was set up to study and identify present deficiencies in the organizing and processing of Canadian material, and the cataloging problems of Canadian libraries, and to…

  16. [Residue of organic fluorine pollutants in hair and nails collected from Tianjin].

    PubMed

    Yao, Dan; Zhang, Hong; Chai, Zhi-Fang; Shen, Jin-Can; Yang, Bo; Wang, Yan-Ping; Liu, Guo-Qing

    2013-02-01

    In order to explore the residue and distributions of organic fluorine pollutants in hair and nails, the residue levels of total fluorine (TF), extractable organic fluorine (EOF) and perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in hair and nails collected from Tianjin adults were measured by the cyclic neutron activation analysis (CNAA) combined with the high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). The results showed that inorganic fluorine (mean: 2.0 mg.kg-1, 4.5 mg.kg-1) was the primary fluorine in TF while EOF(mean: 0.7 mg.kg-1, 1.8 mg.kg-1) was minor. The average amount of identified fluorine (IF) was 0.038 mg.kg-1 in hair and 0.047 mg.kg-1 in nails, accounting or 7.1% (2.6%-16%) and 3.5% (1.1%-11%) of EOF, respectively, which indicated that more than 84% of EOF was unknown. The major residue in hair and nails were medium-and short-chain PFCs,in which perfluorooctane sulfonate, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorononanoic acid were the main species. TF, EOF and IF levels in dyed and permed hair were significantly higher than untreated hair (P <0.05), and the concentrations of Sigma PFCs in hair and nails showed no difference between genders. With significantly higher levels of sigma PFCs and PFOS residues than hair (P <0.01), nails could potentially become a more sensitive bioindicator for the exposure level of PFCs in human.

  17. Organochlorine pesticide residues in bovine milk from organic farms in Chiapas, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Gutiérrez, Rey; Ruíz, Jorge Luis; Ortiz, Rutilio; Vega, Salvador; Schettino, Beatriz; Yamazaki, Alberto; de Lourdes Ramírez, María

    2012-10-01

    Thirty six samples of bovine milk were collected from Chiapas State, Mexico between January 2011 and December 2011 with the intention of identifying and quantifying organochlorine pesticide residues in organic farms. The analyses were done using gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (Ni(63)). In general the values found in raw milk were lower than the permissible limit proposed by FAO/WHO/Codex Alimentarius 2006. Average concentrations for alpha + beta HCH were 3.62 ng/g, gamma HCH 0.34 ng/g, heptachlor + epoxide 0.67 ng/g, DDT and isomers 1.53 ng/g, aldrin + dieldrin 0.77 ng/g, and endrin 0.66 ng/g (only present in samples from farm 2). The organic milk from Chiapas has shown low concentrations of pesticide residues in recent years and satisfies international and national regulations for commercialization.

  18. Risk assessment and risk management at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA): a perspective on the monitoring of foods for chemical residues.

    PubMed

    Bietlot, Henri P; Kolakowski, Beata

    2012-08-01

    The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) uses 'Ranked Risk Assessment' (RRA) to prioritize chemical hazards for inclusion in monitoring programmes or method development projects based on their relative risk. The relative risk is calculated for a chemical by scoring toxicity and exposure in the 'risk model scoring system' of the Risk Priority Compound List (RPCL). The relative ranking and the risk management options are maintained and updated in the RPCL. The ranking may be refined by the data generated by the sampling and testing programs. The two principal sampling and testing programmes are the National Chemical Residue Monitoring Program (NCRMP) and the Food Safety Action Plan (FSAP). The NCRMP sampling plans focus on the analysis of federally registered products (dairy, eggs, honey, meat and poultry, fresh and processed fruit and vegetable commodities, and maple syrup) for residues of veterinary drugs, pesticides, environmental contaminants, mycotoxins, and metals. The NCRMP is complemented by the Food Safety Action Plan (FSAP) targeted surveys. These surveys focus on emerging chemical hazards associated with specific foods or geographical regions for which applicable maximum residue limits (MRLs) are not set. The data from the NCRMP and FSAP also influence the risk management (follow-up) options. Follow-up actions vary according to the magnitude of the health risk, all with the objective of preventing any repeat occurrence to minimize consumer exposure to a product representing a potential risk to human health. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2012. Drug Testing and Analysis © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  19. Decision maker perceptions of resource allocation processes in Canadian health care organizations: a national survey.

    PubMed

    Smith, Neale; Mitton, Craig; Bryan, Stirling; Davidson, Alan; Urquhart, Bonnie; Gibson, Jennifer L; Peacock, Stuart; Donaldson, Cam

    2013-07-02

    Resource allocation is a key challenge for healthcare decision makers. While several case studies of organizational practice exist, there have been few large-scale cross-organization comparisons. Between January and April 2011, we conducted an on-line survey of senior decision makers within regional health authorities (and closely equivalent organizations) across all Canadian provinces and territories. We received returns from 92 individual managers, from 60 out of 89 organizations in total. The survey inquired about structures, process features, and behaviours related to organization-wide resource allocation decisions. We focus here on three main aspects: type of process, perceived fairness, and overall rating. About one-half of respondents indicated that their organization used a formal process for resource allocation, while the others reported that political or historical factors were predominant. Seventy percent (70%) of respondents self-reported that their resource allocation process was fair and just over one-half assessed their process as 'good' or 'very good'. This paper explores these findings in greater detail and assesses them in context of the larger literature. Data from this large-scale cross-jurisdictional survey helps to illustrate common challenges and areas of positive performance among Canada's health system leadership teams.

  20. The Canadian Corps in the Great War: A Learning Organization in Action

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-04-04

    resembled Garvin’s learning cycle, but it did so unevenly throughout the Corps. For instance, the 1st Division’s attacks benefited from improved artillery...Passchendaele, convinced that the cost of winning the battle outweighed the potential benefit . Currie’s unique position as a semi-independent Corps... Wine in New Bottles: A Comparison of British and Canadian Preparations for the Battle of Arras." In Vimy Ridge: A Canadian Reassessment, edited by

  1. Sustainable reuse of rice residues as feedstocks in vermicomposting for organic fertilizer production.

    PubMed

    Shak, Katrina Pui Yee; Wu, Ta Yeong; Lim, Su Lin; Lee, Chieh Ai

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, rice (Oryza sativa or Oryza glaberrima) cultivation has increased in many rice-growing countries due to the increasing export demand and population growth and led to a copious amount of rice residues, consisting mainly of rice straw (RS) and rice husk (RH), being generated during and after harvesting. In this study, Eudrilus eugeniae was used to decompose rice residues alone and rice residues amended with cow dung (CD) for bio-transformation of wastes into organic fertilizer. Generally, the final vermicomposts showed increases in macronutrients, namely, calcium (11.4-34.2%), magnesium (1.3-40.8%), phosphorus (1.2-57.3%), and potassium (1.1-345.6%) and a decrease in C/N ratio (26.8-80.0%) as well as increases in heavy metal content for iron (17-108%), copper (14-120%), and manganese (6-60%) after 60 days of vermicomposting. RS as a feedstock was observed to support healthier growth and reproduction of earthworms as compared to RH, with maximum adult worm biomass of 0.66 g/worm (RS) at 60 days, 31 cocoons (1RS:2CD), and 23 hatchlings (1RS:1CD). Vermicomposting of RS yielded better results than RH among all of the treatments investigated. RS that was mixed with two parts of CD (1RS:2CD) showed the best combination of nutrient results as well as the growth of E. eugeniae. In conclusion, vermicomposting could be used as a green technology to bio-convert rice residues into nutrient-rich organic fertilizers if the residues are mixed with CD in the appropriate ratio.

  2. Contribution of microorganisms to non-extractable residue formation from biodegradable organic contaminants in soil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nowak, K. M.; Girardi, C.; Miltner, A.; Schäffer, A.; Kästner, M.

    2012-04-01

    Biodegradation of organic contaminants in soil is actually understood as their transformation into various primary metabolites, microbial biomass, mineralisation products and non-extractable residues (NER). NER are generally considered to be composed of parent compounds or primary metabolites with hazardous potential. Up to date, however, their chemical composition remains still unclear. Studies on NER formation are limited to quantitative analyses in soils or to simple humic acids-contaminant systems. However, in the case of biodegradable organic compounds, NER may also contain microbial biomass components, e.g. fatty acids (FA) and amino acids (AA). After cell death, these biomolecules are incorporated into soil organic matter (SOM) and stabilised, ultimately forming biogenic residues which are not any more extractable. We investigated the incorporation of the 13C-label into FA and AA and their fate during biodegradation experiments in soil with isotope-labelled 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (13C6-2,4-D) and ibuprofen (13C6-ibu) as model organic contaminants. Our study proved for the first time that nearly all NER formed from 13C6-2,4-D and 13C6-ibu in soil derived from harmless microbial biomass components stabilised in SOM. 13C-FA and 13C-AA contents in the living microbial biomass fraction decreased over time and these components were continuously incorporated into the non-living SOM pool in biotic experiments with 13C6-2,4-D and 13C6-ibu. The 13C-AA in the non-living SOM were surprisingly stable from day 32 (13C6-2,4-D) and 58 (13C6-ibu) until the end of incubation. We also studied the transformation of 13C6-2,4-D and 13C6-ibu into NER in the abiotic soil experiments. In these experiments, the total NER contents were much lower than in the corresponding biotic experiments. The absence of labelled biomolecules in the NER fraction in abiotic soils demonstrated that they consist of the potentially hazardous parent compounds and / or their metabolites. Biogenic

  3. In their own words: describing Canadian physician leadership.

    PubMed

    Snell, Anita J; Dickson, Graham; Wirtzfeld, Debrah; Van Aerde, John

    2016-07-04

    Purpose This is the first study to compile statistical data to describe the functions and responsibilities of physicians in formal and informal leadership roles in the Canadian health system. This mixed-methods research study offers baseline data relative to this purpose, and also describes physician leaders' views on fundamental aspects of their leadership responsibility. Design/methodology/approach A survey with both quantitative and qualitative fields yielded 689 valid responses from physician leaders. Data from the survey were utilized in the development of a semi-structured interview guide; 15 physician leaders were interviewed. Findings A profile of Canadian physician leadership has been compiled, including demographics; an outline of roles, responsibilities, time commitments and related compensation; and personal factors that support, engage and deter physicians when considering taking on leadership roles. The role of health-care organizations in encouraging and supporting physician leadership is explicated. Practical implications The baseline data on Canadian physician leaders create the opportunity to determine potential steps for improving the state of physician leadership in Canada; and health-care organizations are provided with a wealth of information on how to encourage and support physician leaders. Using the data as a benchmark, comparisons can also be made with physician leadership as practiced in other nations. Originality/value There are no other research studies available that provide the depth and breadth of detail on Canadian physician leadership, and the embedded recommendations to health-care organizations are informed by this in-depth knowledge.

  4. Micropollutants and chemical residues in organic and conventional meat.

    PubMed

    Dervilly-Pinel, Gaud; Guérin, Thierry; Minvielle, Brice; Travel, Angélique; Normand, Jérôme; Bourin, Marie; Royer, Eric; Dubreil, Estelle; Mompelat, Sophie; Hommet, Frédéric; Nicolas, Marina; Hort, Vincent; Inthavong, Chanthadary; Saint-Hilaire, Mailie; Chafey, Claude; Parinet, Julien; Cariou, Ronan; Marchand, Philippe; Le Bizec, Bruno; Verdon, Eric; Engel, Erwan

    2017-10-01

    The chemical contamination levels of both conventional and organic meats were assessed. The objective was to provide occurrence data in a context of chronic exposure. Environmental contaminants (17 polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/dibenzofurans, 18 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 3 hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) isomers, 6 mycotoxins, 6 inorganic compounds) together with chemical residues arising from production inputs (75 antimicrobials, 10 coccidiostats and 121 pesticides) have been selected as relevant compounds. A dedicated sampling strategy, representative of the French production allowed quantification of a large sample set (n=266) including both conventional (n=139) and organic (n=127) raw meat from three animal species (bovine, porcine, poultry). While contamination levels below regulatory limits were measured in all the samples, significant differences were observed between both species and types of farming. Several environmental contaminants (Dioxins, PCBs, HBCD, Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb, As) were measured at significantly higher levels in organic samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Detection of pesticides residues in water samples from organic and conventional paddy fields of Ledang, Johor, Malaysia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Abdullah, Md Pauzi; Othman, Mohamed Rozali; Ishak, Anizan; Nabhan, Khitam Jaber

    2016-11-01

    Pesticides have been used extensively by the farmers in Malaysia during the last few decades. Sixteen water samples, collected from paddy fields both organic and conventional, from Ledang, Johor, were analyzed to determine the occurrence and distribution of organochlorine (OCPs) and organophosphorus (OPPs) pesticide residues. GC-ECD instrument was used to identify and determine the concentrations of these pesticide residues. Pesticide residues were detected in conventional fields in the range about 0.036-0.508 µg/L higher than detected in organic fields about 0.015-0.428 µg/L. However the level of concentration of pesticide residues in water sample from both paddy fields are in the exceed limit for human consumption, according to European Economic Commission (EEC) (Directive 98/83/EC) at 0.1 µg/L for any pesticide or 0.5 µg/L for total pesticides. The results that the organic plot is still contaminated with pesticides although pesticides were not use at all in plot possibly from historical used as well as from airborne contamination.

  6. Ethical Leadership in Canadian School Organizations: Tensions and Possibilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langlois, Lyse; Lapointe, Claire

    2007-01-01

    This study, which was sponsored by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, was conducted in French-language minority schools in seven Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Using an open-ended interview guide, 47 principals were asked about the…

  7. High throughput secondary electron imaging of organic residues on a graphene surface

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhou, Yangbo; O'Connell, Robert; Maguire, Pierce; Zhang, Hongzhou

    2014-11-01

    Surface organic residues inhibit the extraordinary electronic properties of graphene, hindering the development of graphene electronics. However, fundamental understanding of the residue morphology is still absent due to a lack of high-throughput and high-resolution surface characterization methods. Here, we demonstrate that secondary electron (SE) imaging in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and helium ion microscope (HIM) can provide sub-nanometer information of a graphene surface and reveal the morphology of surface contaminants. Nanoscale polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) residues are visible in the SE imaging, but their contrast, i.e. the apparent lateral dimension, varies with the imaging conditions. We have demonstrated a quantitative approach to readily obtain the physical size of the surface features regardless of the contrast variation. The fidelity of SE imaging is ultimately determined by the probe size of the primary beam. HIM is thus evaluated to be a superior SE imaging technique in terms of surface sensitivity and image fidelity. A highly efficient method to reveal the residues on a graphene surface has therefore been established.

  8. Physical access for residue-mineral interactions controls organic carbon retention in an Oxisol soil.

    PubMed

    Ye, Chenglong; Bai, Tongshuo; Yang, Yi; Zhang, Hao; Guo, Hui; Li, Zhen; Li, Huixin; Hu, Shuijin

    2017-07-24

    Oxisol soils are widely distributed in the humid tropical and subtropical regions and are generally characterized with high contents of metal oxides. High metal oxides are believed to facilitate organic carbon (C) accumulation via mineral-organic C interactions but Oxisols often have low organic C. Yet, the causes that constrain organic C accumulation in Oxisol soil are not exactly clear. Here we report results from a microcosm experiment that evaluated how the quantity and size of crop residue fragments affect soil C retention in a typical Oxisol soil in southeast China. We found that there were significantly higher levels of dissolved organic C (DOC), microbial biomass C (MBC) and C accumulation in the heavy soil fraction in soil amended with fine-sized (<0.2 mm) compared with coarse-sized (5.0 mm) fragments. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis further showed that fine-sized residues promoted stabilization of aliphatic C-H and carboxylic C=O compounds associated with mineral phases. In addition, correlation analysis revealed that the increased content of organic C in the heavy soil fraction was positively correlated with increased DOC and MBC. Together, these results suggest that enhancement of contact between organic materials and soil minerals may promote C stabilization in Oxisols.

  9. Analysis of hazardous organic residues from sodium hydrosulfite industry and utilization as raw materials in a novel solid lubricant production.

    PubMed

    Shang, Jiwu; Zhang, Yihe; Zhou, Fengshan; Lv, Fengzhu; Han, Feng; Lu, Jinbo; Meng, Xianghai; Chu, Paul K; Ye, Zhengfang; Xing, Jing

    2011-12-30

    The hazardous organic residual wastes produced by the sodium hydrosulfite industry are demonstrated to be convertible into a novel solid lubricant. Identification and isolation of the organic residues are achieved by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). FTIR and GC-MS provide important information about the residues and the two main components obtained by column chromatography are further analyzed by NMR. The main organic residues are found to be thiodiglycol and 2,2'-dithiodiethanol which have potential applications in petroleum drilling because of their S-S and/or C-S functional groups. The lubricity of the organic residues is subsequently studied and the influence of different adsorbents on the lubricity is investigated and discussed. This homemade lubricant is observed to have good lubricity and by increasing the concentration of the commercial solid lubricant M, the lubricity diminishes. The process is expected to not only have commercial impact but also help to reduce environmental pollution. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Characterization of a large biogenic secondary organic aerosol event from eastern Canadian forests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Slowik, J. G.; Stroud, C.; Bottenheim, J. W.; Brickell, P. C.; Chang, R. Y.-W.; Liggio, J.; Makar, P. A.; Martin, R. V.; Moran, M. D.; Shantz, N. C.; Sjostedt, S. J.; van Donkelaar, A.; Vlasenko, A.; Wiebe, H. A.; Xia, A. G.; Zhang, J.; Leaitch, W. R.; Abbatt, J. P. D.

    2010-03-01

    Measurements of aerosol composition, volatile organic compounds, and CO are used to determine biogenic secondary organic aerosol (SOA) concentrations at a rural site 70 km north of Toronto. These biogenic SOA levels are many times higher than past observations and occur during a period of increasing temperatures and outflow from Northern Ontario and Quebec forests in early summer. A regional chemical transport model approximately predicts the event timing and accurately predicts the aerosol loading, identifying the precursors as monoterpene emissions from the coniferous forest. The agreement between the measured and modeled biogenic aerosol concentrations contrasts with model underpredictions for polluted regions. Correlations of the oxygenated organic aerosol mass with tracers such as CO support a secondary aerosol source and distinguish biogenic, pollution, and biomass burning periods during the field campaign. Using the Master Chemical Mechanism, it is shown that the levels of CO observed during the biogenic event are consistent with a photochemical source arising from monoterpene oxidation. The biogenic aerosol mass correlates with satellite measurements of regional aerosol optical depth, indicating that the event extends across the eastern Canadian forest. This regional event correlates with increased temperatures, indicating that temperature-dependent forest emissions can significantly affect climate through enhanced direct optical scattering and higher cloud condensation nuclei numbers.

  11. Current Canadian initiatives to reimburse live organ donors for their non-medical expenses.

    PubMed

    Vlaicu, Sorina; Klarenbach, Scott; Yang, Robert C; Dempster, Todd; Garg, Amit X

    2007-01-01

    Living organ donors frequently incur non-medical expenses for travel, accommodation, prescription drugs, loss of income, and child care in conjunction with organ donation. Despite international precedent and widespread public support, Canada currently lacks a unified strategy to reimburse donors for these expenses. In 2005, we communicated with 78 individuals within the field of Canadian transplantation to identify which initiatives for reimbursement of living donors existed in each province. Saskatchewan was the only province in which public employees were granted paid leave for organ donation. Six provincial governments partially reimbursed travel and accommodation. At the federal level, other expenses could be partially reimbursed through an income tax credit, while the Employment Insurance program and the Canada Pension Plan provided funding for donors who become unemployed or develop long-term disability as a result of donation. Charities helped a limited number of patients in financial need through grants and no-interest loans, but funding was generally limited by contributions received. While reimbursing living donors for their non-medical expenses is considered just, existing programs only partially reimburse expenses and are not available in all provinces. Developing future reimbursement policies will remove a disincentive faced by some potential donors, and may increase rates of transplantation in Canada.

  12. Molecular and mass spectroscopic analysis of isotopically labeled organic residues

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mendoza-Gomez, Celia X.; Greenberg, J. Mayo; Mccain, P.; Ferris, J. P.; Briggs, R.; Degroot, M. S.; Schutte, Willem A.

    1989-01-01

    Experimental studies aimed at understanding the evolution of complex organic molecules on interstellar grains were performed. The photolysis of frozen gas mixtures of various compositions containing H2O, CO, NH3, and CH4 was studied. These species were chosen because of their astrophysical importance as deducted from observational as well as theoretical studies of ice mantles on interstellar grains. These ultraviolet photolyzed ices were warmed up in order to produce refractory organic molecules like the ones formed in molecular clouds when the icy mantles are being irradiated and warmed up either by a nearby stellar source or impulsive heating. The laboratory studies give estimates of the efficiency of production of such organic material under interstellar conditions. It is shown that the gradual carbonization of organic mantles in the diffuse cloud phase leads to higher and higher visual absorptivity - yellow residues become brown in the laboratory. The obtained results can be applied to explaining the organic components of comets and their relevance to the origin of life.

  13. Residual organic matter and microbial respiration in bottom ash: Effects on metal leaching and eco-toxicity.

    PubMed

    Ilyas, A; Persson, K M; Persson, M

    2015-09-01

    A common assumption regarding the residual organic matter, in bottom ash, is that it does not represent a significant pool of organic carbon and, beyond metal-ion complexation process, it is of little consequence to evolution of ash/leachate chemistry. This article evaluates the effect of residual organic matter and associated microbial respiratory processes on leaching of toxic metals (i.e. arsenic, copper, chromium, molybdenum, nickel, lead, antimony and zinc), eco-toxicity of ash leachates. Microbial respiration was quantified with help of a respirometric test equipment OXITOP control system. The effect of microbial respiration on metal/residual organic matter leaching and eco-toxicity was quantified with the help of batch leaching tests and an eco-toxicity assay - Daphnia magna. In general, the microbial respiration process decreased the leachate pH and eco-toxicity, indicating modification of bioavailability of metal species. Furthermore, the leaching of critical metals, such as copper and chromium, decreased after the respiration in both ash types (fresh and weathered). It was concluded that microbial respiration, if harnessed properly, could enhance the stability of fresh bottom ash and may promote its reuse. © The Author(s) 2015.

  14. Current Issues in Canadian Education.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bergen, John J.

    Based on interviews with 150 persons in departments of education and in national, provincial, and territorial education organizations in Canada's major capital cities, this paper discusses seven vital issues in Canadian education and briefly states seven others. The seven major issues needing resolution concern: (1) the appropriate balance between…

  15. Decision maker perceptions of resource allocation processes in Canadian health care organizations: a national survey

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background Resource allocation is a key challenge for healthcare decision makers. While several case studies of organizational practice exist, there have been few large-scale cross-organization comparisons. Methods Between January and April 2011, we conducted an on-line survey of senior decision makers within regional health authorities (and closely equivalent organizations) across all Canadian provinces and territories. We received returns from 92 individual managers, from 60 out of 89 organizations in total. The survey inquired about structures, process features, and behaviours related to organization-wide resource allocation decisions. We focus here on three main aspects: type of process, perceived fairness, and overall rating. Results About one-half of respondents indicated that their organization used a formal process for resource allocation, while the others reported that political or historical factors were predominant. Seventy percent (70%) of respondents self-reported that their resource allocation process was fair and just over one-half assessed their process as ‘good’ or ‘very good’. This paper explores these findings in greater detail and assesses them in context of the larger literature. Conclusion Data from this large-scale cross-jurisdictional survey helps to illustrate common challenges and areas of positive performance among Canada’s health system leadership teams. PMID:23819598

  16. Characterization of organic residues of size-resolved fog droplets and their atmospheric implications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chakraborty, Abhishek; Ervens, Barbara; Gupta, Tarun; Tripathi, Sachchida N.

    2016-04-01

    Size-resolved fog water samples were collected in two consecutive winters at Kanpur, a heavily polluted urban area of India. Samples were analyzed by an aerosol mass spectrometer after drying and directly in other instruments. Residues of fine fog droplets (diameter: 4-16 µm) are found to be more enriched with oxidized (oxygen to carbon ratio, O/C = 0.88) and low volatility organics than residues of coarse (diameter > 22 µm) and medium size (diameter: 16-22 µm) droplets with O/C of 0.68 and 0.74, respectively. These O/C ratios are much higher than those observed for background ambient organic aerosols, indicating efficient oxidation in fog water. Accompanying box model simulations reveal that longer residence times, together with high aqueous OH concentrations in fine droplets, can explain these trends. High aqueous OH concentrations in smaller droplets are caused by their highest surface-volume ratio and high Fe and Cu concentrations, allowing more uptake of gas phase OH and enhanced Fenton reaction rates, respectively. Although some volatile organic species may have escaped during droplet evaporation, these findings indicate that aqueous processing of dissolved organics varies with droplet size. Therefore, large (regional, global)-scale models need to consider the variable reaction rates, together with metal-catalyzed radical formation throughout droplet populations for accurately predicting aqueous secondary organic aerosol formation.

  17. Partitioning Residue-derived and Residue-induced Emissions of N2O Using 15N-labelled Crop Residues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Farrell, R. E.; Carverhill, J.; Lemke, R.; Knight, J. D.

    2014-12-01

    Estimates of N2O emissions in Canada indicate that 17% of all agriculture-based emissions are associated with the decomposition of crop residues. However, research specific to the western Canadian prairies (including Saskatchewan) has shown that the N2O emission factor for N sources in this region typically ranges between 0.2 and 0.6%, which is well below the current IPCC default emission factor of 1.0%. Thus, it stands to reason that emissions from crop residues should also be lower than those calculated using the current IPCC emission factor. Current data indicates that residue decomposition, N mineralization and N2O production are affected by a number of factors such as C:N ratio and chemical composition of the residue, soil type, and soil water content; thus, a bench-scale incubation study was conducted to examine the effects of soil type and water content on N2O emissions associated with the decomposition of different crop residues. The study was carried out using soils from the Black, Dark Brown, Brown, and Gray soil zones and was conducted at both 50% and 70% water-filled pore space (WFPS); the soils were amended with 15N-labeled residues of wheat, pea, canola, and flax, or with an equivalent amount of 15N-labeled urea; 15N2O production was monitored using a Picarro G5101-i isotopic N2O analyzer. Crop residue additions to the soils resulted in both direct and indirect emissions of N2O, with residue derived emissions (RDE; measured as 15N2O) generally exceeding residue-induced emissions (RIE) at 50% WFPS—with RDEs ranging from 42% to 88% (mean = 58%) of the total N2O. Conversely, at 70% WFPS, RDEs were generally lower than RIEs—ranging from 21% to 83% (mean = 48%). Whereas both water content and soil type had an impact on N2O production, there was a clear and consistent trend in the emission factors for the residues; i.e., emissions were always greatest for the canola residue and lowest for the wheat residue and urea fertilizer; and intermediate for pea

  18. Effects of residual organics in municipal wastewater on hydrogenotrophic denitrifying microbial communities.

    PubMed

    Xing, Wei; Li, Jinlong; Li, Peng; Wang, Chong; Cao, Yanan; Li, Desheng; Yang, Yunfeng; Zhou, Jizhong; Zuo, Jiane

    2018-03-01

    Hydrogenotrophic denitrification is promising for tertiary nitrogen removal from municipal wastewater. To reveal the influence of residual organics in municipal wastewater on hydrogenotrophic denitrifiers, we adopted high-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing to examine microbial communities in hydrogenotrophic denitrification enrichments. Using effluent from a municipal wastewater treatment plant as water source, COD, nitrate and pH were controlled the same except for a gradient of biodegradable carbon (i.e., primary effluent (PE), secondary effluent (SE), or combined primary and secondary effluent (CE)). Inorganic synthetic water (IW) was used as a control. Hydrogenophaga, a major facultative autotroph, accounted for 17.1%, 5.3%, 32.7% and 12.9% of the sequences in PE, CE, SE and IW, respectively, implicating that Hydrogenophaga grew well with or without organics. Thauera, which contains likely obligate autotrophic denitrifiers, appeared to be the most dominant genera (23.6%) in IW and accounted for 2.5%, 4.6% and 8.9% in PE, CE and SE, respectively. Thermomonas, which is related to heterotrophic denitrification, accounted for 4.2% and 7.9% in PE and CE fed with a higher content of labile organics, respectively. In contrast, Thermomonas was not detected in IW and accounted for only 0.6% in SE. Our results suggest that Thermomonas are more competitive than Thauera in hydrogenotrophic denitrification with biodegradable organics. Moreover, facultative autotrophic denitrifiers, Hydrogenophaga, are accommodating to residual organic in effluent wastewater, thus we propose that hydrogenotrophic denitrification is amenable for tertiary nitrogen removal. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Effects of polymethylmethacrylate-transfer residues on the growth of organic semiconductor molecules on chemical vapor deposited graphene

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kratzer, Markus, E-mail: markus.kratzer@unileoben.ac.at; Teichert, Christian; Bayer, Bernhard C.

    Scalably grown and transferred graphene is a highly promising material for organic electronic applications, but controlled interfacing of graphene thereby remains a key challenge. Here, we study the growth characteristics of the important organic semiconductor molecule para-hexaphenyl (6P) on chemical vapor deposited graphene that has been transferred with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) onto oxidized Si wafer supports. A particular focus is on the influence of PMMA residual contamination, which we systematically reduce by H{sub 2} annealing prior to 6P deposition. We find that 6P grows in a flat-lying needle-type morphology, surprisingly independent of the level of PMMA residue and of graphene defects.more » Wrinkles in the graphene typically act as preferential nucleation centers. Residual PMMA does however limit the length of the resulting 6P needles by restricting molecular diffusion/attachment. We discuss the implications for organic device fabrication, with particular regard to contamination and defect tolerance.« less

  20. Addition of an organic amendment and/or residue mud to bauxite residue sand in order to improve its properties as a growth medium.

    PubMed

    Jones, B E H; Haynes, R J; Phillips, I R

    2012-03-01

    The effects of addition of carbonated residue mud (RMC) or seawater neutralized residue mud (RMS), at two rates, in the presence or absence of added green waste compost, on the chemical, physical and microbial properties of gypsum-treated bauxite residue sand were studied in a laboratory incubation study. The growth of two species commonly used in revegetation of residue sand (Lolium rigidum and Acacia saligna) in the treatments was then studied in a 18-week greenhouse study. Addition of green waste-based compost increased ammonium acetate-extractable (exchangeable) Mg, K and Na. Addition of residue mud at 5 and 10% w/w reduced exchangeable Ca but increased that of Mg and Na (and K for RMS). Concentrations of K, Na, Mg and level of EC in saturation paste extracts were increased by residue mud additions. Concentrations of cations in water extracts were considerably higher than those in saturation paste extracts but trends with treatment were broadly similar. Addition of both compost and residue mud caused a significant decrease in macroporosity with a concomitant increase in mesoporosity and microporosity, available water holding capacity and the quantity of water held at field capacity. Increasing rates of added residue mud reduced the percentage of sample present as discrete sand particles and increased that in aggregated form (particularly in the 1-2 and >10mm diameter ranges). Organic C content, C/N ratio, soluble organic C, microbial biomass C and basal respiration were increased by compost additions. Where compost was added, residue mud additions caused a substantial increase in microbial biomass and basal respiration. L. rigidum grew satisfactorily in all treatments although yields tended to be reduced by additions of mud (especially RMC) particularly in the absence of added compost. Growth of A. saligna was poor in sand alone and mud-amended sand and was greatly promoted by additions of compost. However, in the presence of compost, addition of carbonated

  1. Comparison of the Organic Composition of Cometary Samples with Residues Formed from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Milam, S. N.; Nuevo, M.; Sandford, S. A.; Cody, G. D.; Kilcoyne, A. L. D.; Stroud, R. M.; DeGregorio, B. T.

    2010-01-01

    The NASA Stardust mission successfully collected material from Comet 81P/Wild 2 [1], including authentic cometary grains [2]. X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy analysis of these samples indicates the presence of oxygen-rich and nitrogen-rich organic materials, which contain a broad variety of functional groups (carbonyls, C=C bonds, aliphatic chains, amines, arnides, etc.) [3]. One component of these organics appears to contain very little aromatic carbon and bears some similarity to the organic residues produced by the irradiation of ices of interstellar/cometary composition, Stardust samples were also recently shown to contain glycine, the smallest biological amino acid [4]. Organic residues produced froth the UV irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs are already known to contain a large suite of organic molecules including amino acids [5-7], amphiphilic compounds (fatty acids) [8], and other complex species. This work presents a comparison between XANES spectra measured from organic residues formed in the laboratory with similar data of cometary samples collected by the Stardust mission

  2. The "Canadian" in Canadian Children's Literature.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bainbridge, Joyce; Wolodko, Brenda

    2001-01-01

    Notes that a rich body of Canadian children's literature exists that reflects the country's literary and socio-cultural values, beliefs, themes and images, including those of geography, history, language and identity. Discusses how Canadians tend to identify themselves first by region or province and then by nation. (SG)

  3. Disability and Mental Disorders in the Canadian Armed Forces

    PubMed Central

    Weeks, Murray; Zamorski, Mark A.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives: The initial goal was to validate the use of a self-report measure of disability in the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF). The main goal was to document the extent of disability in personnel with and without mental disorders. Methods: Data were obtained from the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey; the sample included 6700 Regular Forces personnel. Disability was measured with the 12-item version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS-2); established cut points were used to demarcate severe, moderate, minimal, and no disability. The following recent (past-year) and remote (lifetime but not past-year) disorders were assessed with diagnostic interviews: posttraumatic stress disorder, major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and alcohol use disorder. Results: The WHODAS-2 showed good internal consistency (α = 0.89) and a 1-factor structure. Most personnel had no disability (59.2%) or minimal disability (30.8%). However, an important minority had moderate or severe disability (8.4% and 1.6%, respectively). Individuals with recent disorders reported greater disability than those without lifetime disorders, although many had minimal or no disability (41.2% and 24.7%, respectively). Disability increased with the number of recent disorders. Relative to those without lifetime disorders, individuals with remote disorders showed slightly greater disability, but most had no disabilty (57.1%) or minimal disability (35.0%). Conclusions: The 12-item WHODAS-2 is a valid measure of disability in the CAF. Mental disorders may be important drivers of disability in this population, although limited residual disability is seen in individuals with remote disorders. PMID:27270743

  4. Canadian University, Inc., and the Role of Canadian Criticism

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milz, Sabine

    2005-01-01

    In this article, the author seeks to address the present function of Canadian criticism by undertaking a meditation on the contemporary Canadian university and stating his own position as a critic of Canadian literature in this institutional framework. The author asks: What are the connections between neoliberalism and cultural nationalism in…

  5. First Nations: Race, Class, and Gender Relations. Canadian Plains Reprint Series 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wotherspoon, Terry; Satzewich, Vic

    Canadian social life and public policy are increasingly influenced by Aboriginal people, their roles in Canadian society, and the issues that concern them. Drawing on a political economy perspective, this book provides a systematic analysis of how changing social dynamics, organized particularly around race, class, and gender relations, have…

  6. Development of a Canadian deceased donation education program for health professionals: a needs assessment survey.

    PubMed

    Hancock, Jennifer; Shemie, Sam D; Lotherington, Ken; Appleby, Amber; Hall, Richard

    2017-10-01

    The purpose of this survey was to determine how Canadian healthcare professionals perceive their deficiencies and educational requirements related to organ and tissue donation. We surveyed 641 intensive care unit (ICU) physicians, 1,349 ICU nurses, 1,561 emergency room (ER) physicians, and 1,873 ER nurses. The survey was distributed by the national organization for each profession (the Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, the Canadian Association of Critical Care Nurses, and the National Emergency Nurses Association). Canadian Blood Services developed the critical care physician list in collaboration with the Canadian Critical Care Society. Survey development included questions related to comfort with, and knowledge of, key competencies in organ and tissue donation. Eight hundred thirty-one (15.3%) of a possible 5,424 respondents participated in the survey. Over 50% of respondents rated the following topics as highly important: knowledge of general organ and tissue donation, neurological determination of death, donation after cardiac death, and medical-legal donation issues. High competency comfort levels ranged from 14.7-50.9% for ICU nurses and 8.0-34.6% for ER nurses. Competency comfort levels were higher for ICU physicians (67.5-85.6%) than for ER physicians who rated all competencies lower. Respondents identified a need for a curriculum on national organ donation and preferred e-learning as the method of education. Both ICU nurses and ER practitioners expressed low comfort levels with their competencies regarding organ donation. Intensive care unit physicians had a much higher level of comfort; however, the majority of these respondents were specialty trained and working in academic centres with active donation and transplant programs. A national organ donation curriculum is needed.

  7. Comparison of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls residues in vegetables, grain and soil from organic and conventional farming in Poland.

    PubMed

    Witczak, Agata; Abdel-Gawad, Hassan

    2012-01-01

    Organic and conventional crops were studied by identifying the relationship between persistent organic pollutants in cereals, vegetables and soil. The residues of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were determined in grains (rye and wheat), vegetables (carrots and beets) and soil collected from the fields. PCB residues recorded in the beets from organic farming were as high as 3.71 ppb dry weight (dry wt.), while in the soil from conventional farming of beets 0.53 ppb dry wt. Among vegetables, higher concentrations of pesticides were detected in organically grown beets (190.63 ppb dry wt.). Soil samples from the organic farming contained lower levels of organochlorine pesticide residues compared to the conventional farming. Taking into account toxicity equivalent (TEQ), the conventionally grown carrots accumulated the most toxic PCBs. Non-ortho and mono-ortho PCBs were also noted in the grain of conventionally grown rye and amounted to 3.05 pg-TEQ/g wet wt.

  8. Detection of organic residues on poultry processing equipment surfaces by LED-induced fluorescence imaging

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Organic residues on equipment surfaces in poultry processing plants can generate cross- contamination and increase the risk of unsafe food for consumers. This research was aimed to investigate the potential of LED-induced fluorescence imaging technique for rapid inspection of stainless steel proces...

  9. Microplastics in aquatic environments: Implications for Canadian ecosystems.

    PubMed

    Anderson, Julie C; Park, Bradley J; Palace, Vince P

    2016-11-01

    Microplastics have been increasingly detected and quantified in marine and freshwater environments, and there are growing concerns about potential effects in biota. A literature review was conducted to summarize the current state of knowledge of microplastics in Canadian aquatic environments; specifically, the sources, environmental fate, behaviour, abundance, and toxicological effects in aquatic organisms. While we found that research and publications on these topics have increased dramatically since 2010, relatively few studies have assessed the presence, fate, and effects of microplastics in Canadian water bodies. We suggest that efforts to determine aquatic receptors at greatest risk of detrimental effects due to microplastic exposure, and their associated contaminants, are particularly warranted. There is also a need to address the gaps identified, with a particular focus on the species and conditions found in Canadian aquatic systems. These gaps include characterization of the presence of microplastics in Canadian freshwater ecosystems, identifying key sources of microplastics to these systems, and evaluating the presence of microplastics in Arctic waters and biota. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. Soil Organic Matter Quality of an Oxisol Affected by Plant Residues and Crop Sequence under No-Tillage

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cora, Jose; Marcelo, Adolfo

    2013-04-01

    Plant residues are considered the primarily resource for soil organic matter (SOM) formation and the amounts and properties of plant litter are important controlling factors for the SOM quality. We determined the amounts, quality and decomposition rate of plant residues and the effects of summer and winter crop sequences on soil organic C (TOC) content, both particulate organic C (POC) and mineral-associated organic C (MOC) pools and humic substances in a Brazilian Rhodic Eutrudox soil under a no-tillage system. The organic C analysis in specifics pools used in this study was effective and should be adopted in tropical climates to evaluate the soil quality and the sustainability of various cropping systems. Continuous growth of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) on summer provided higher contents of soil POC and continuous growth of maize (Zea mays L.) provided higher soil humic acid and MOC contents. Summer soybean-maize rotation provided the higher plant diversity, which likely improved the soil microbial activity and the soil organic C consumption. The winter sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp), oilseed radish (Raphanus sativus L.) and pearl millet (Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke) enhanced the soil MOC, a finding that is attributable to the higher N content of the crop residue. Sunn hemp and pigeon pea provided the higher soil POC content. Sunn hemp showed better performance and positive effects on the SOM quality, making it a suitable winter crop choice for tropical conditions with a warm and dry winter.

  11. Association between organizational capacity and involvement in chronic disease prevention programming among Canadian public health organizations

    PubMed Central

    Hanusaik, Nancy; Sabiston, Catherine M.; Kishchuk, Natalie; Maximova, Katerina; O’Loughlin, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    In the context of the emerging field of public health services and systems research, this study (i) tested a model of the relationships between public health organizational capacity (OC) for chronic disease prevention, its determinants (organizational supports for evaluation, partnership effectiveness) and one possible outcome of OC (involvement in core chronic disease prevention practices) and (ii) examined differences in the nature of these relationships among organizations operating in more and less facilitating external environments. OC was conceptualized as skills and resources/supports for chronic disease prevention programming. Data were from a census of 210 Canadian public health organizations with mandates for chronic disease prevention. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Overall, the results supported the model. Organizational supports for evaluation accounted for 33% of the variance in skills. Skills and resources/supports were directly and strongly related to involvement. Organizations operating within facilitating external contexts for chronic disease prevention had more effective partnerships, more resources/supports, stronger skills and greater involvement in core chronic disease prevention practices. Results also suggested that organizations functioning in less facilitating environments may not benefit as expected from partnerships. Empirical testing of this conceptual model helps develop a better understanding of public health OC. PMID:25361958

  12. Microbial dynamics in anaerobic digestion reactors for treating organic urban residues during the start-up process.

    PubMed

    Alcántara-Hernández, R J; Taş, N; Carlos-Pinedo, S; Durán-Moreno, A; Falcón, L I

    2017-06-01

    Anaerobic digestion of organic residues offers economic benefits via biogas production, still methane (CH 4 ) yield relies on the development of a robust microbial consortia for adequate substrate degradation, among other factors. In this study, we monitor biogas production and changes in the microbial community composition in two semi-continuous stirred tank reactors during the setting process under mesophilic conditions (35°C) using a 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing method. Reactors were initially inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge from a brewery wastewater treatment plant, and gradually fed organic urban residues (4·0 kg VS m -3  day -1 ) . The inocula and biomass samples showed changes related to adaptations of the community to urban organic wastes including a higher relative proportion of Clostridiales, with Ruminococcus spp. and Syntrophomonas spp. as recurrent species. Candidatus Cloacamonas spp. (Spirochaetes) also increased from ~2·2% in the inoculum to >10% in the reactor biomass. The new community consolidated the cellulose degradation and the propionate and amino acids fermentation processes. Acetoclastic methanogens were more abundant in the reactor, where Methanosaeta spp. was found as a key player. This study demonstrates a successful use of brewery treatment plant granular sludge to obtain a robust consortium for methane production from urban organic solid waste in Mexico. This study describes the selection of relevant bacteria and archaea in anaerobic digesters inoculated with anaerobic granular sludge from a brewery wastewater treatment plant. Generally, these sludge granules are used to inoculate reactors digesting organic urban wastes. Though, it is still not clearly understood how micro-organisms respond to substrate variations during the reactor start-up process. After feeding two reactors with organic urban residues, it was found that a broader potential for cellulose degradation was developed including Bacteroidetes

  13. Helicobacter pylori infection in Canadian and related Arctic Aboriginal populations

    PubMed Central

    Goodman, Karen J; Jacobson, Kevan; van Zanten, Sander Veldhuyzen

    2008-01-01

    In 2006, the Canadian Helicobacter Study Group identified Aboriginal communities among Canadian population groups most at risk of Helicobacter pylori-associated disease. The objective of this systematic review was to summarize what is known about the H pylori-associated disease burden in Canadian and related Arctic Aboriginal populations to identify gaps in knowledge. Six health literature databases were systematically searched to identify reports on H pylori prevalence in Canadian population groups, or any topic related to H pylori in Canadian Aboriginals, Alaska Natives or Aboriginals of other Arctic regions. Identified reports were organized by subtopic and summarized in narrative form. Key data from studies of H pylori prevalence in defined populations were summarized in tabular form. A few Arctic Aboriginal communities were represented in the literature: two Canadian Inuit; one Canadian First Nation; two Greenland Inuit; one Russian Chutkotka Native; and several Alaska Native studies. These studies uniformly showed elevated H pylori prevalence; a few studies also showed elevated occurrence of H pylori-related diseases and high rates of treatment failure. Based on the evidence, it would be warranted for clinicians to relax the criteria for investigating H pylori and related diseases in patients from Arctic Aboriginal communities, and to pursue post-therapy confirmation of eradication. Additional community-based research is needed to develop public health policies for reducing H pylori-associated health risks in such communities. PMID:18354758

  14. Carbon and nitrogen mineralization and persistence of organic residues under conservation and conventional tillage

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    A combination of high biomass cover crops with organic mulches may be an option for no-till vegetable production, but mineralization rates from these residues is lacking. The objective of this study was to assess nutrient release rates and persistence from mimosa, lespedeza, oat straw, and soybean r...

  15. Canadian global village reality: anthropometric surrogate cutoffs and metabolic abnormalities among Canadians of East Asian, South Asian, and European descent.

    PubMed

    He, Meizi; Li, E T S; Harris, Stewart; Huff, Murray W; Yau, Chun Y; Anderson, G Harvey

    2010-05-01

    To test the appropriateness of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) cutoff points derived in largely white populations (ie, those of European descent) for detecting obesity-related metabolic abnormalities among East Asian and South Asian Canadians. Cross-sectional survey. Primary care and community settings in Ontario. Canadians of East Asian (n = 130), South Asian (n = 113), and European (n = 111) descent. Variables for metabolic syndromes, including BMI, WC, body fat percentage, blood pressure, lipid profile, and fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, were measured. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was used to generate BMI and WC cutoff points based on various criteria for metabolic syndromes. Adjusting for sex and age, East Asian Canadians had a significantly lower mean BMI (23.2 kg/m(2)) and mean WC (79.6 cm) than did those of South Asian (26.1 kg/m(2) and 90.3 cm) and European (26.5 kg/m(2) and 89.3 cm) descent (P < .05). The BMI cutoffs for an increased risk of metabolic abnormalities ranged from 23.1 to 24.4 kg/m(2) in East Asian Canadians; 26.6 to 26.8 kg/m(2) in South Asian Canadians; and 26.3 to 28.2 kg/m(2) in European Canadians. Waist circumference cutoffs for increased risk of metabolic abnormalities were relatively low in East Asian men (83.3 to 85.2 cm) and women (74.1 to 76.7 cm), compared with South Asian men (98.8 cm) and women (90.1 to 93.5 cm), as well as European men (91.6 to 95.2 cm) and women (82.8 to 88.3 cm). The BMI and WC cutoffs used for defining risk of metabolic abnormalities should be lowered for East Asian Canadians but not for South Asian Canadians. The World Health Organization ethnic-specific BMI and WC cutoffs should be used with caution, particularly with Asian migrants who have resided in Canada for a long period of time.

  16. Partitioning of residual D-limonene cleaner vapor among organic materials in weapons

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    LeMay, J.D.

    1993-03-01

    D-limonene is a replacement solvent selected by Sandia and Allied-Signal to clean solder flux from electronics assemblies in firesets and programmers. D-limonene is much slower drying than the solvents it has replaced and this has raised concerns that residual quantities of the cleaner could be trapped in the electronics assemblies and eventually carried into warhead assemblies. This paper describes a study designed to evaluate how vapors from residual d-limonene cleaner would be partitioned among typical organic materials in a Livermore device. The goal was to identify possible compatibility problems arising from the use of d-limonene and, in particular, any interactionsmore » it may have with energetic materials. To predict the partitioning behavior of d-limonene, a simple model was developed and its predictions are compared to the experimental findings.« less

  17. Canadian advanced life support capacities and future directions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bamsey, M.; Graham, T.; Stasiak, M.; Berinstain, A.; Scott, A.; Vuk, T. Rondeau; Dixon, M.

    2009-07-01

    Canada began research on space-relevant biological life support systems in the early 1990s. Since that time Canadian capabilities have grown tremendously, placing Canada among the emerging leaders in biological life support systems. The rapid growth of Canadian expertise has been the result of several factors including a large and technically sophisticated greenhouse sector which successfully operates under challenging climatic conditions, well planned technology transfer strategies between the academic and industrial sectors, and a strong emphasis on international research collaborations. Recent activities such as Canada's contribution of the Higher Plant Compartment of the European Space Agency's MELiSSA Pilot Plant and the remote operation of the Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse in the Canadian High Arctic continue to demonstrate Canadian capabilities with direct applicability to advanced life support systems. There is also a significant latent potential within Canadian institutions and organizations with respect to directly applicable advanced life support technologies. These directly applicable research interests include such areas as horticultural management strategies (for candidate crops), growth media, food processing, water management, atmosphere management, energy management, waste management, imaging, environment sensors, thermal control, lighting systems, robotics, command and data handling, communications systems, structures, in-situ resource utilization, space analogues and mission operations. With this background and in collaboration with the Canadian aerospace industry sector, a roadmap for future life support contributions is presented here. This roadmap targets an objective of at least 50% food closure by 2050 (providing greater closure in oxygen, water recycling and carbon dioxide uptake). The Canadian advanced life support community has chosen to focus on lunar surface infrastructure and not low Earth orbit or transit systems (i.e. microgravity

  18. Determining pathogen and indicator levels in Class B municipal organic residuals used for land application

    EPA Science Inventory

    Biosolids are nutrient rich organic residuals that are currently in use to amend soils for food production. Treatment requirements to inactivate pathogens for production of Class A biosolids are energy intensive. One less energy intensive alternative is to treat biosolids to Cl...

  19. Proceedings of the Canadian Frailty Network Summit: Medication Optimization for Frail Older Canadians, Toronto, Monday April 24, 2017

    PubMed Central

    Muscedere, John; Kim, Perry; Aitken, Peter; Gaucher, Michael; Osborn, Robin; Farrell, Barbara; Holroyd-Leduc, Jayna; Mallery, Laurie; Siu, Henry; Downar, James; Lee, Todd C.; McDonald, Emily; Burry, Lisa

    2017-01-01

    Appropriate and optimal use of medication and polypharmacy are especially relevant to the care of older Canadians living with frailty, often impacting their health outcomes and quality of life. A majority (two thirds) of older adults (65 or older) are prescribed five or more drug classes and over one-quarter are prescribed 10 or more drugs. The risk of adverse drug-induced events is even greater for those aged 85 or older where 40% are estimated to take drugs from 10 or more drug classes. The Canadian Frailty Network (CFN), a pan-Canadian non-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Canada through the Networks of Centres of Excellence Program (NCE), is dedicated to improving the care of older Canadian living with frailty and, as part of its mandate, convened a meeting of stakeholders from across Canada to seek their perspectives on appropriate medication prescription. The CFN Medication Optimization Summit identified priorities to help inform the design of future research and knowledge mobilization efforts to facilitate optimal medication prescribing in older adults living with frailty. The priorities were developed and selected through a modified Delphi process commencing before and concluding during the summit. Herein we describe the overall approach/process to the summit, a summary of all the presentations and discussions, and the top ten priorities selected by the participants. PMID:29296132

  20. 17 CFR 270.7d-1 - Specification of conditions and arrangements for Canadian management investment companies...

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... and arrangements for Canadian management investment companies requesting order permitting registration... arrangements for Canadian management investment companies requesting order permitting registration. (a) A management investment company organized under the laws of Canada or any province thereof may obtain an order...

  1. Association between organizational capacity and involvement in chronic disease prevention programming among Canadian public health organizations.

    PubMed

    Hanusaik, Nancy; Sabiston, Catherine M; Kishchuk, Natalie; Maximova, Katerina; O'Loughlin, Jennifer

    2015-04-01

    In the context of the emerging field of public health services and systems research, this study (i) tested a model of the relationships between public health organizational capacity (OC) for chronic disease prevention, its determinants (organizational supports for evaluation, partnership effectiveness) and one possible outcome of OC (involvement in core chronic disease prevention practices) and (ii) examined differences in the nature of these relationships among organizations operating in more and less facilitating external environments. OC was conceptualized as skills and resources/supports for chronic disease prevention programming. Data were from a census of 210 Canadian public health organizations with mandates for chronic disease prevention. The hypothesized relationships were tested using structural equation modeling. Overall, the results supported the model. Organizational supports for evaluation accounted for 33% of the variance in skills. Skills and resources/supports were directly and strongly related to involvement. Organizations operating within facilitating external contexts for chronic disease prevention had more effective partnerships, more resources/supports, stronger skills and greater involvement in core chronic disease prevention practices. Results also suggested that organizations functioning in less facilitating environments may not benefit as expected from partnerships. Empirical testing of this conceptual model helps develop a better understanding of public health OC. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Activating knowledge for patient safety practices: a Canadian academic-policy partnership.

    PubMed

    Harrison, Margaret B; Nicklin, Wendy; Owen, Marie; Godfrey, Christina; McVeety, Janice; Angus, Val

    2012-02-01

    Over the past decade, the need for healthcare delivery systems to identify and address patient safety issues has been propelled to the forefront. A Canadian survey, for example, demonstrated patient safety to be a major concern of frontline nurses (Nicklin & McVeety 2002). Three crucial patient safety elements, current knowledge, resources, and context of care have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO 2009). To develop strategies to respond to the scope and mandate of the WHO report within the Canadian context, a pan-Canadian academic-policy partnership has been established. This newly formed Pan-Canadian Partnership, the Queen's Joanna Briggs Collaboration for Patient Safety (referred throughout as "QJBC" or "the Partnership"), includes the Queen's University School of Nursing, Accreditation Canada, the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, and is supported by an active and committed advisory council representing over 10 national organizations representing all sectors of the health continuum, including patients/families advocacy groups, professional associations, and other bodies. This unique partnership is designed to provide timely, focused support from academia to the front line of patient safety. QJBC has adopted an "integrated knowledge translation" approach to identify and respond to patient safety priorities and to ensure active engagement with stakeholders in producing and using available knowledge. Synthesis of evidence and guideline adaptation methodologies are employed to access quantitative and qualitative evidence relevant to pertinent patient safety questions and subsequently, to respond to issues of feasibility, meaningfulness, appropriateness/acceptability, and effectiveness. This paper describes the conceptual grounding of the Partnership, its proposed methods, and its plan for action. It is hoped that our journey may provide some guidance to others as they develop patient safety

  3. Laboratory measurements of emissions of nonmethane volatile organic compounds from biomass burning in Chinese crop residues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inomata, S.; Tanimoto, H.; PAN, X.; Taketani, F.; Komazaki, Y.; Miyakawa, T.; Kanaya, Y.; Wang, Z.

    2014-12-01

    The emission factors (EFs) of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from the burning of Chinese crop residue were investigated as a function of modified combustion efficiency by the laboratory experiments. The VOCs including acetonitrile, aldehydes/ketones, furan, and aromatic hydrocarbons were monitored by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry. Two samples, wheat straw and rape plant, were burned in dry conditions and for some experiments wheat straw was burned under wet conditions. We compared the present data to the field data reported by Kudo et al. [2014]. The agreement between the field and laboratory data was obtained for aromatics for relatively more smoldering data of dry samples but the field data were slightly underestimated compared with the laboratory data for oxygenated VOCs (OVOCs) and acetonitrile. When the EFs from the burning of wet samples were investigated, the underestimations for OVOCs and acetonitrile were improved compared with the data of dry samples. It may be a property of the burning of crop residue in the region of high temperature and high humidity that some inside parts of piled crop residue and/or the crop residue facing on the ground are still wet. But the ratios for acetic acid/glycolaldehyde was still lower than 1. This may suggest that strong loss processes of acetic acid/glycolaldehyde are present in the fresh plume.Kudo S., H. Tanimoto, S. Inomata, S. Saito, X. L. Pan, Y. Kanaya, F. Taketani, Z. F. Wang, H. Chen, H. Dong, M. Zhang, and K. Yamaji (2014), Emissions of nonmethane volatile organic compounds from open crop residue burning in Yangtze River Delta region, China, J. Geophys. Res. Atmos., 119, 7684-7698, doi: 10.1002/2013JD021044.

  4. Effect of water content and organic carbon on remote sensing of crop residue cover

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Serbin, G.; Hunt, E. R., Jr.; Daughtry, C. S. T.; McCarty, G. W.; Brown, D. J.; Doraiswamy, P. C.

    2009-04-01

    Crop residue cover is an important indicator of tillage method. Remote sensing of crop residue cover is an attractive and efficient method when compared with traditional ground-based methods, e.g., the line-point transect or windshield survey. A number of spectral indices have been devised for residue cover estimation. Of these, the most effective are those in the shortwave infrared portion of the spectrum, situated between 1950 and 2500 nm. These indices include the hyperspectral Cellulose Absorption Index (CAI), and advanced multispectral indices, i.e., the Lignin-Cellulose Absorption (LCA) index and the Shortwave Infrared Normalized Difference Residue Index (SINDRI), which were devised for the NASA Terra Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) sensor. Spectra of numerous soils from U.S. Corn Belt (Indiana and Iowa) were acquired under wetness conditions varying from saturation to oven-dry conditions. The behavior of soil reflectance with water content was also dependent on the soil organic carbon content (SOC) of the soils, and the location of the spectral bands relative to significant water absorptions. High-SOC soils showed the least change in spectral index values with increase in soil water content. Low-SOC soils, on the other hand, showed measurable difference. For CAI, low-SOC soils show an initial decrease in index value followed by an increase, due to the way that water content affects CAI spectral bands. Crop residue CAI values decrease with water content. For LCA, water content increases decrease crop residue index values and increase them for soils, resulting in decreased contrast. SINDRI is also affected by SOC and water content. As such, spatial information on the distribution of surface soil water content and SOC, when used in a geographic information system (GIS), will improve the accuracy of remotely-sensed crop residue cover estimates.

  5. Pesticide residues in Portuguese strawberries grown in 2009-2010 using integrated pest management and organic farming.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Virgínia C; Domingues, Valentina F; Mateus, Nuno; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

    2012-11-01

    Pesticides are among the most widely used chemicals in the world. Because of the widespread use of agricultural chemicals in food production, people are exposed to low levels of pesticide residues through their diets. Scientists do not yet have a total understanding of the health effects of these pesticide residues. This work aims to determine differences in terms of pesticide residue content in Portuguese strawberries grown using different agriculture practices. The Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged, and Safe sample preparation method was conducted and shown to have good performance for multiclass pesticides extraction in strawberries. The screening of 25 pesticides residue was performed by gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In quantitative validation, acceptable performances were achieved with recoveries of 70-120 and <12 % residual standard deviation for 25 pesticides. Good linearity was obtained for all the target compounds, with highly satisfactory repeatability. The limits of detection were in the range of 0.1-28 μg/kg. The method was applied to analyze strawberry samples from organic and integrated pest management (IPM) practices harvested in 2009-2010. The results showed the presence of fludioxonil, bifenthrin, mepanipyrim, tolylfluanid, cyprodinil, tetraconazole, and malathion when using IPM below the maximum residue levels.

  6. Humification process in different kinds of organic residue by composting and vermicomposting: have microbioreactors really accelerated the process?

    PubMed

    Dores-Silva, Paulo R; Landgraf, Maria D; Rezende, Maria O O

    2018-04-15

    The organic matter existing in nature presents as a complex system of various substances. The humic fraction refers to the humic substances (HS) and consists of humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and humins, according to solubility in aqueous solution. The physical and chemical characteristics of HA, FA, and humins depend on many factors, among which is the type of original organic material. Two processes for the stabilization of organic materials are known worldwide: composting and vermicomposting. Cattle manure, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, and vegetable wastes from leaves were the organic residues chosen for the composting and vermicomposting processes. In this study, the differences between the HS extracted from such composted and vermicomposted residues were evaluated. The so-extracted HS were evaluated by spectroscopy in the regions of infrared and ultraviolet-visible, and pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection is applied. Thus, we expect that the results obtained here indicate which of the two processes is more efficient in the biotransformation of organic residues in a short period with respect to the HS content. It was also observed that the basic units of the humic fractions generated (although they presented different degrees of maturation) are the same. Altogether, the data reported here bring to light that the structures of the HS are very similar, differing in quantities. These results can still be extrapolated to several other raw materials, since the most variable organic matrices were used here to allow this data extrapolation. In addition, the process seems to lead to the formation of more aliphatic substances, counterpoising what is found in the literature.

  7. XANES Analysis of Organic Residues Produced from the UV Irradiation of Astrophysical Ice Analogs

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-01-01

    indicate that they contain molecular precursors of prebiotic interest such as amino acids, nitrile-bearing compounds, and amphiphilic compounds. In...living organisms on Earth remains a mystery. Among the most studied scenarios are those encompassing an extraterres- trial origin of prebiotic ...products of these residues have been partly identified using chromatography techniques, which indicate that they contain molecular precursors of prebiotic

  8. Insight into the molecular composition of laboratory organic residues produced from interstellar/pre-cometary ice analogues using very high resolution mass spectrometry

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Danger, G.; Fresneau, A.; Abou Mrad, N.; de Marcellus, P.; Orthous-Daunay, F.-R.; Duvernay, F.; Vuitton, V.; Le Sergeant d'Hendecourt, L.; Thissen, R.; Chiavassa, T.

    2016-09-01

    Experimental simulations in the laboratory may provide important information about the chemical evolution occurring in various astrophysical objects such as extraterrestrial ices. Interstellar or (pre)cometary ice analogues made of H2O, CH3OH, and NH3 at 77 K, when subjected to an energetic process (VUV photons, electrons or ions) and then warmed-up to room temperature, lead, in the laboratory, to the formation of an organic residue. In this paper we expand our previous analysis of the residues in order to obtain a better insight into their molecular content. Data analyses show that three different chemical groups are present in the residue in the negative electrospray ionization (ESI) mode: CHN, CHO and CHNOsbnd whereas only two groups are detected in the positive ESI mode: CHN and CHNO. In both cases, the CHNO group is the most abundant. The application of specific data treatment shows that residue mainly contains aliphatic linear molecules or cyclic structures connected to unsaturated chemical functions such as esters, carboxylic acids, amides or aldehydes. In lower abundances, some molecules do present aromatic structures. The comparison of our residue with organic compounds detected in the Murchison meteorite gives an interesting match, which suggests that laboratory simulation of interstellar ice chemistry is relevant to understand astrophysical organic matter evolution.

  9. Generation of organic acids and monosaccharides by hydrolytic and oxidative transformation of food processing residues.

    PubMed

    Fischer, Klaus; Bipp, Hans-Peter

    2005-05-01

    Carbohydrate-rich biomass residues, i.e. sugar beet molasses, whey powder, wine yeast, potato peel sludge, spent hops, malt dust and apple marc, were tested as starting materials for the generation of marketable chemicals, e.g. aliphatic acids, sugar acids and mono-/disaccharides. Residues were oxidized or hydrolyzed under acidic or alkaline conditions applying conventional laboratory digestion methods and microwave assisted techniques. Yields and compositions of the oxidation products differed according to the oxidizing agent used. Main products of oxidation by 30% HNO(3) were acetic, glucaric, oxalic and glycolic acids. Applying H(2)O(2)/CuO in alkaline solution, the organic acid yields were remarkably lower with formic, acetic and threonic acids as main products. Gluconic acid was formed instead of glucaric acid throughout. Reaction of a 10% H(2)O(2) solution with sugar beet molasses generated formic and lactic acids mainly. Na(2)S(2)O(8) solutions were very inefficient at oxidizing the residues. Glucose, arabinose and galactose were formed during acidic hydrolysis of malt dust and apple marc. The glucose content reached 0.35 g per gram of residue. Important advantages of the microwave application were lower reaction times and reduced reagent demands.

  10. Refining estimates of public health spending as measured in national health expenditure accounts: the Canadian experience.

    PubMed

    Ballinger, Geoff

    2007-01-01

    The recent focus on public health stemming from, among other things, severe acute respiratory syndrome and avian flu has created an imperative to refine health-spending estimates in the Canadian Health Accounts. This article presents the Canadian experience in attempting to address the challenges associated with developing the needed taxonomies for systematically capturing, measuring, and analyzing the national investment in the Canadian public health system. The first phase of this process was completed in 2005, which was a 2-year project to estimate public health spending based on a more classic definition by removing the administration component of the previously combined public health and administration category. Comparing the refined public health estimate with recent data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development still positions Canada with the highest share of total health expenditure devoted to public health than any other country reporting. The article also provides an analysis of the comparability of public health estimates across jurisdictions within Canada as well as a discussion of the recommendations for ongoing improvement of public health spending estimates. The Canadian Institute for Health Information is an independent, not-for-profit organization that provides Canadians with essential statistics and analysis on the performance of the Canadian health system, the delivery of healthcare, and the health status of Canadians. The Canadian Institute for Health Information administers more than 20 databases and registries, including Canada's Health Accounts, which tracks historically 40 categories of health spending by 5 sources of finance for 13 provincial and territorial jurisdictions. Until 2005, expenditure on public health services in the Canadian Health Accounts included measures to prevent the spread of communicable disease, food and drug safety, health inspections, health promotion, community mental health programs, public

  11. Hydrogeology and water quality of the North Canadian River alluvium, Concho Reserve, Canadian County, Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Becker, C.J.

    1998-01-01

    A growing user population within the Concho Reserve in Canadian County, Oklahoma, has increased the need for drinking water. The North Canadian River alluvium is a reliable source of ground water for agriculture, industry, and cities in Canadian County and is the only ground-water source capable of meeting large demands. This study was undertaken to collect and analyze data to describe the hydrogeology and ground-water quality of the North Canadian River alluvium within the Concho Reserve. The alluvium forms a band about 2 miles long and 0.5 mile wide along the southern edge of the Concho Reserve. Thickness of the alluvium ranges from 19 to 75 feet thick and averages about 45 feet in the study area. Well cuttings and natural gamma-ray logs indicate the alluvium consists of interfingering lenses of clay, silt, and sand. The increase of coarse-grained sand and the decrease of clay and silt with depth suggests that the water-bearing properties of the aquifer within the study area improve with depth. A clay layer in the upper part of the aquifer may be partially responsible for surface water ponding in low areas after above normal precipitation and may delay the infiltration of potentially contaminated water from land surface. Specific conductance measurements indicate the ground-water quality improves in a northern direction towards the terrace. Water-quality properties, bacteria counts, major ion and nutrient concentrations, trace-element and radionuclide concentrations, and organic compound concentrations were measured in one ground-water sample at the southern edge of the Concho Reserve and comply with the primary drinking-water standards. Measured concentrations of iron, manganese, sulfate, and total dissolved solids exceed the secondary maximum contaminant levels set for drinking water. The ground water is a calcium sulfate bicarbonate type and is considered very hard, with a hardness of 570 milligrams per liter as calcium carbonate.

  12. Prevalence and estimated incidence of blood-borne viral pathogen infection in organ and tissue donors from northern Alberta.

    PubMed

    Zahariadis, G; Plitt, S S; O'Brien, S; Yi, Q-L; Fan, W; Preiksaitis, J K

    2007-01-01

    To determine the potential safety benefit of introducing nucleic acid testing (NAT) in tissue and organ donors, the risk of virus transmission was examined in a Canadian population. Anonymous data on Northern Alberta tissue and organ donors from 1998 to 2004 were used to determine the seroprevalence and estimate the seroincidence and residual risk of HIV, HBV, HCV and HTLV infection. Of the 3372 donors identified, 71.1% were surgical bone, 13.2% were living organ and 15.6% were deceased organ/tissue donors. Seroprevalence was: HIV 0.00%, HBV 0.09%, HCV 0.48% and HTLV 0.03%. Incidence (/100,000 p-yrs) and residual risks (/100,000 donors) could only be estimated for HBV (24.2 and 3.9) and HCV (11.2 and 2.2). Risk estimates were higher for deceased donors than surgical bone donors. HCV had the highest prevalence and HBV had the highest estimated incidence. HIV and HTLV risks were extremely low precluding accurate quantification. In this region of low overall viral prevalence, HCV NAT would be most effective in deceased organ donors. In surgical bone donors the cost of implementing NAT is high without significant added safety benefit.

  13. Trends in subspecialty training by Canadian ophthalmology graduates.

    PubMed

    Sivachandran, Nirojini; Noble, Jason; Dollin, Michael; O'Connor, Michael D; Gupta, R Rishi

    2016-06-01

    To evaluate the trends in subspecialty fellowship training by Canadian ophthalmology graduates over the last 25 years. Cross-sectional study. Canadian-funded, Royal College-certified graduates from 1990 to 2014 who completed a full residency in an English-language Canadian ophthalmology postgraduate training program. Data were obtained by contacting all 11 English-language ophthalmology residency programs across Canada for demographic and fellowship information regarding their graduates. Society web sites were then used to corroborate and complement the data set, including those of the Canadian Ophthalmology Society, American Academy of Ophthalmology, and Provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons. Data were organized by demographic variables, and analysis was performed using SPSS v22.0. Of the 528 graduates from 1990 to 2014, 63.5% pursued fellowship training. Males and females were equally likely to undertake fellowship training. The proportion of graduates obtaining fellowship training did not change significantly during this 25-year period. The most popular subspecialty choices were vitreoretinal surgery (24.5%), glaucoma (16.7%), and anterior segment (16.7%). Significantly more males than females pursued vitreoretinal surgery and oculoplastics fellowships (p = 0.001, χ(2) test), whereas females were more likely to train in a paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus fellowship (p = 0.001, χ(2) test). The majority of ophthalmology graduates from English-language residency programs pursue subspecialty fellowship training. An understanding of trends in fellowship training may be helpful for both workforce planning and career decision making. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Ophthalmological Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice.

    PubMed

    Lett, Ronald

    2003-10-01

    This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890-1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries.

  15. International surgery: definition, principles and Canadian practice

    PubMed Central

    Lett, Ronald

    2003-01-01

    This article is dedicated to the Canadian international surgeon, Norman Bethune (1890–1939). International surgery is defined as a humanitarian branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of bodily injuries or disorders by incision or manipulations, emphasizing cooperation and understanding among nations and involving education, research, development and advocacy. In this article I review the colonial past, the dark ages following the Declaration of Alma-Ata, the progress made and the present challenges in international surgery. I present a definition of international surgery that recognizes the current era of surgical humanitarianism, validates a global understanding of surgical issues and promotes cooperation among nations. Included are the principles of international surgery: education, research, infrastructure development and advocacy. International surgical projects are classified according to type (clinical, relief, developmental) and integration strategy (vertical or horizontal). Also reviewed are the Canadian practice of international surgery by nongovernmental, professional and academic organizations and the requirements of international and Canadian funding agencies, the development concepts basic to all projects, including results-based management and the cross-cutting themes of gender equity, environmental protection and human safety. I recommend formalizing international surgery into a discipline as a means of promoting surgical care in low-income countries. If international surgery is to be sustained in Canada, infrastructure and support from Canadian surgeons is particularly important. An understanding of the history, definition and classification of international surgery should promote surgical care in low-income countries. PMID:14577711

  16. Quality of working life indicators in Canadian health care organizations: a tool for healthy, health care workplaces?

    PubMed

    Cole, Donald C; Robson, Lynda S; Lemieux-Charles, Louise; McGuire, Wendy; Sicotte, Claude; Champagne, Francois

    2005-01-01

    Quality-of-work-life (QWL) includes broad aspects of the work environment that affect employee learning and health. Canadian health care organizations (HCOs) are being encouraged to monitor QWL, expanding existing occupational health surveillance capacities. To investigate the understanding, collection, diffusion and use of QWL indicators in Canadian HCOs. We obtained cooperation from six diverse public HCOs managing 41 sites. We reviewed documentation relevant to QWL and conducted 58 focus groups/team interviews with strategic, support and programme teams. Group interviews were taped, reviewed and analysed for themes using qualitative data techniques. Indicators were classified by purpose and HCO level. QWL indicators, as such, were relatively new to most HCOs yet the data managed by human resource and occupational health and safety support teams were highly relevant to monitoring of employee well-being (119 of 209 mentioned indicators), e.g. sickness absence. Monitoring of working conditions (62/209) was also important, e.g. indicators of employee workload. Uncommon were indicators of biomechanical and psychosocial hazards at work, despite their being important causes of morbidity among HCO employees. Although imprecision in the definition of QWL indicators, limited links with other HCO performance measures and inadequate HCO resources for implementation were common, most HCOs cited ways in which QWL indicators had influenced planning and evaluation of prevention efforts. Increase in targeted HCO resources, inclusion of other QWL indicators and greater integration with HCO management systems could all improve HCO decision-makers' access to information relevant to employee health.

  17. Contributions of wheat and maize residues to soil organic carbon under long-term rotation in north China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Jinzhou; Wang, Xiujun; Xu, Minggang; Feng, Gu; Zhang, Wenju; Yang, Xueyun; Huang, Shaomin

    2015-06-23

    Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in agro-ecosystem is largely influenced by cropping. However, quantifying the contributions of various crops has been lacking. Here we employed a stable isotopic approach to evaluate the contributions of wheat and maize residues to SOC at three long-term experimental sites in north China. Soil samples were collected from 0-20, 20-40, 40-60, 60-80 and 80-100 cm after 13 and 20 years of wheat-maize rotation, and SOC and its stable (13)C composition were determined. Our data showed that the δ(13)C value of SOC varied, on average, from -22.1‰ in the 0-20 cm to -21.5‰ in the 80-100 cm. Carbon input through maize residues ranged from 35% to 68% whereas the contribution of maize residues to SOC (0-40 cm) ranged from 28% to 40%. Our analyses suggested that the retention coefficient was in the range of 8.0-13.6% for maize residues and 16.5-28.5% for wheat residues. The two-fold higher retention coefficient of wheat versus maize residues was due to the differences in the quality of residues and probably also in the temperature during the growing season. Our study highlighted the importance of crop management on carbon sequestration in agricultural lands.

  18. University Supports for Open Access: A Canadian National Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greyson, Devon; Vezina, Kumiko; Morrison, Heather; Taylor, Donald; Black, Charlyn

    2009-01-01

    The advent of policies at research-funding organizations requiring grantees to make their funded research openly accessible alters the life cycle of scholarly research. This survey-based study explores the approaches that libraries and research administration offices at the major Canadian universities are employing to support the…

  19. Emissions of volatile organic compounds from maize residue open burning in the northern region of Thailand

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sirithian, Duanpen; Thepanondh, Sarawut; Sattler, Melanie L.; Laowagul, Wanna

    2018-03-01

    Emission factors for speciated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from maize residue burning were determined in this study based on chamber experiments. Thirty-six VOC species were identified by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS). They were classified into six groups, including alkanes, alkenes, oxygenated VOCs, halogenated VOCs, aromatics and other. The emission factor for total VOCs was estimated as about 148 mg kg-1 dry mass burned. About 68.4% of the compounds were aromatics. Field samplings of maize residues were conducted to acquire the information of fuel characteristics including fuel loading, fraction of maize residues that were actually burned as well as proximate and elemental analysis of maize residues. The emission factors were then applied to estimate speciated VOC emissions from maize residue open burning at the provincial level in the upper-northern region of Thailand for the year 2014. Total burned area of maize covered an area of about 500,000 ha which was about 4.7% of the total area of upper-northern region of the country. It was found that total VOC emissions released during the burning season (January-April) was about 79.4 tons. Ethylbenzene, m,p-xylene, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, acetaldehyde and o-xylene were the major contributors, accounting for more than 65% of total speciated VOC emissions.

  20. Cognitive aspects of sexual functioning: differences between East Asian-Canadian and Euro-Canadian women.

    PubMed

    Morton, Heather; Gorzalka, Boris B

    2013-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate the sexual beliefs of female undergraduates, as well as the thoughts they experience during sexual experiences. The study aimed to determine potential differences in these variables between East Asian-Canadians and Euro-Canadians, as well as the influence of acculturation on these variables. In addition, the relationships between sexual beliefs, automatic thoughts, and specific aspects of sexual functioning were examined. Euro-Canadian (n = 77) and East Asian-Canadian (n = 123) undergraduate women completed the Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire, the Sexual Modes Questionnaire, the Female Sexual Function Index, and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation. East Asian women endorsed almost all sexual beliefs assessed in this study more than did Euro-Canadian women, and endorsement of these beliefs was associated with acculturation. In addition, East Asian-Canadian and Euro-Canadian women differed in the frequency of experiencing negative automatic thoughts. Results also revealed associations between difficulties in sexual functioning, and both sexual beliefs and automatic thoughts. Together, these results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that differences in cognitive aspects of sexuality may underlie the differences in sexual functioning previously observed between these two groups.

  1. Resistance of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms to disinfectants in the presence of organic matter and their residual effect on stainless steel and polypropylene.

    PubMed

    Iñiguez-Moreno, Maricarmen

    2018-04-23

    The effectiveness of disinfectants can vary according to the microorganism, type of residues and surface. Hence, the aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of four disinfectants in the presence of organic matter and their residual effect on stainless steel grade 304 (SS) and polypropylene B (PP-B). The disinfectant effectiveness in the presence of meat extract, yolk egg and whole milk was determined according to AOAC and UNE-EN 1040:2015; the residual effect was realized according to UNE-EN 13697:2015, using approved strains. The disinfectant effectiveness was affect at different grades depending on the organic matter present; disinfectant A (400μgmL -1 , fifth generation quaternary ammonium compound, QAC) was most effective in the presence of 10% meat extract, while the disinfectant C (200μgmL -1 , peracetic acid) had better activity in the presence of 10% egg yolk and whole milk. In the evaluation of residual effect onto SS and PP-B, the QAC had the better effect, reducing 6 Log 10 CFU mL -1 of Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19111 24h after their application. Conversely, the disinfectants had no residual effect against Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442. The antimicrobial activity of disinfectants tested against pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms was affected according to the type of organic matter. Disinfectant A had a more residual effect than the other disinfectants evaluated. Moreover, the residual effect of a disinfectant is greater on SS than on PP-B and dependent on the microorganism tested. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  2. Skin-Color Preferences and Body Satisfaction among South Asian-Canadian and European-Canadian Female University Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sahay, Sarita; Piran, Niva

    1997-01-01

    Examines skin-color preferences and body satisfaction among South Asian-Canadian and European-Canadian female university students. Hypothesizes that South Asian-Canadians would display a greater wish to be lighter in skin color than would European-Canadians and that the discrepancy would be greater the darker their skin color. Reports that the…

  3. Reproductive health practices among Indian, Indo-Canadian, Canadian East Asian, and Euro-Canadian women: the role of acculturation.

    PubMed

    Brotto, Lori A; Chou, Annie Y; Singh, Tara; Woo, Jane S T

    2008-03-01

    Lower rates of cervical cancer screening in Indian women have been consistently reported, and this has been attributed to cultural barriers. In Canada, the fastest-growing and largest immigrant groups are South Asian and East Asian. Since traditional values are largely retained in Indo-Canadian immigrants and their children, identifying reproductive health behaviours among these ethnic minority groups is important. Our goal was to compare reproductive health knowledge and behaviours of Indian women living in India and in Canada, East Asian women in Canada, and Euro-Canadian women. We also explored the level of acculturation in the two immigrant groups in order to understand the extent to which affiliation with Western culture may improve reproductive health knowledge. We recruited 663 women of reproductive age from India and from a Canadian university for assessment. These women completed the Health Beliefs Questionnaire, which measures reproductive health behaviours and knowledge, and the Vancouver Index of Acculturation, which measures the level of mainstream and heritage acculturation. Euro-Canadian women were most likely to have ever had a Papanicolaou (Pap) test and to perform breast self-examination (BSE). There was no difference between the two Indian groups in the proportion who had ever had a Pap test, but Indo-Canadian women were more likely to have performed BSE. All women showed knowledge of reproductive health, but the three Canadian groups consistently had more accurate knowledge than the Indian group. Among the two immigrant groups, the level of acculturation was associated with reproductive health knowledge. Canadian women show reproductive health behaviours and knowledge that is superior to Indian women. Moving to a western culture did not influence Indian women's Pap testing behaviour; however, the fact that the reproductive health knowledge of Indian women who moved to Canada was better than that of women in India suggests that there may be a

  4. The Canadian kidney paired donation program: a national program to increase living donor transplantation.

    PubMed

    Cole, Edward H; Nickerson, Peter; Campbell, Patricia; Yetzer, Kathy; Lahaie, Nick; Zaltzman, Jeffery; Gill, John S

    2015-05-01

    Establishment of a national kidney paired donation (KPD) program represents a unique achievement in Canada's provincially organized health care system. Key factors enabling program implementation included consultation with international experts, formation of a unique organization with a mandate to facilitate interprovincial collaboration, and the volunteer efforts of members of the Canadian transplant community to overcome a variety of logistical barriers. As of December 2013, the program had facilitated 240 transplantations including 10% with Calculated panel reactive antibody (cPRA) ≥97%. Unique features of the Canadian KPD program include participation of n = 55 nondirected donors, performance of only donor specific antibody negative transplants, the requirement for donor travel, and nonuse of bridge donors. The national KPD program has helped maintain the volume of living kidney donor transplants in Canada over the past 5 years and serves as a model of inter-provincial collaboration to improve the delivery of health care to Canadians.

  5. A 20-Year Comparison of Football-Related Injuries in American and Canadian Youth Aged 6 to 17 Years: A Replication Study.

    PubMed

    Keays, Glenn; Friedman, Debbie; Gagnon, Isabelle

    2016-06-01

    Introduction Little is known about Canadian youth football injuries. The objectives of this study were (a) to contrast the injuries in Canadian and American football players aged 6 to 17 years and (b) compare the injuries sustained during organized football with those in nonorganized football. Methods Using a retrospective cohort design based on data from the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System a comparison of injuries was made. Results Trends in injuries were comparable. Proportions and odds of injuries were similar, except for a few exceptions. In Canada, more girls were injured and fractures were more prevalent. Compared with nonorganized football, organized football players were older, involved more males, and suffered more traumatic brain injuries and injuries to their lower extremities. Conclusion Canadian and American youth football injuries were similar. The type of football, be it organized or nonorganized, has an impact on injuries. © The Author(s) 2015.

  6. Contributions of wheat and maize residues to soil organic carbon under long-term rotation in north China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Jinzhou; Wang, Xiujun; Xu, Minggang; Feng, Gu; Zhang, Wenju; Yang, Xueyun; Huang, Shaomin

    2015-01-01

    Soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in agro-ecosystem is largely influenced by cropping. However, quantifying the contributions of various crops has been lacking. Here we employed a stable isotopic approach to evaluate the contributions of wheat and maize residues to SOC at three long-term experimental sites in north China. Soil samples were collected from 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80 and 80–100 cm after 13 and 20 years of wheat-maize rotation, and SOC and its stable 13C composition were determined. Our data showed that the δ13C value of SOC varied, on average, from −22.1‰ in the 0–20 cm to −21.5‰ in the 80–100 cm. Carbon input through maize residues ranged from 35% to 68% whereas the contribution of maize residues to SOC (0–40 cm) ranged from 28% to 40%. Our analyses suggested that the retention coefficient was in the range of 8.0–13.6% for maize residues and 16.5–28.5% for wheat residues. The two-fold higher retention coefficient of wheat versus maize residues was due to the differences in the quality of residues and probably also in the temperature during the growing season. Our study highlighted the importance of crop management on carbon sequestration in agricultural lands. PMID:26100739

  7. Cross-situational consistency of trait expressions and injunctive norms among Asian Canadian and European Canadian undergraduates.

    PubMed

    Locke, Kenneth D; Sadler, Pamela; McDonald, Kelly

    2018-06-14

    In the current paper, we sought to clarify when and why Asian Americans/Canadians and European Americans/Canadians differ in self-consistency (the consistency of personality traits across situations). European Canadian (n = 220) and second-generation Asian Canadian (n = 166) undergraduates (Mage = 19 years) described the traits they expressed and the traits others wanted them to express (i.e., injunctive norms, or injunctions) in four different social situations (i.e., with parents, with friends, with siblings, and with professors). Self-consistency was greater among European Canadians than Asian Canadians, but only when comparing behavior with parents versus with peers (i.e., friends and siblings). The same pattern was found for injunctive consistency (cross-situational consistency of trait injunctions). Injunctions strongly predicted the behavior of both Asian and European Canadians, but because the injunctions from parents versus peers diverged more for Asian Canadians, so did their behaviors. Controlling for the effect of inconsistent injunctions across situations eliminated the ethnic difference in self-consistency. Finally, Asian Canadians who perceived their immigrant parents as embracing a Canadian identity were as cross-situationally consistent as European Canadians because they tended to behave-and believe their parents approved of their behaving-with parents similarly to how they behaved with peers (e.g., more carefree and outspoken). Contrary to previous theorizing, cultural influences on broad cognitive or motivational dispositions (e.g., dialecticism, collectivism) alone cannot explain the observed pattern of ethnic differences in consistency. To understand when bicultural individuals are less consistent across situations also requires an understanding of the specific situations across which they tend to encounter divergent social norms. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  8. Science Traverses in the Canadian High Arctic

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Williamson, Marie-Claude

    2012-01-01

    The presentation is divided into three parts. Part I is an overview of early expeditions to the High Arctic, and their political consequences at the time. The focus then shifts to the Geological Survey of Canada s mapping program in the North (Operation Franklin), and to the Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), a unique organization that resides within the Government of Canada s Department of Natural Resources, and supports mapping projects and science investigations. PCSP is highlighted throughout the presentation so a description of mandate, budgets, and support infrastructure is warranted. In Part II, the presenter describes the planning required in advance of scientific deployments carried out in the Canadian High Arctic from the perspective of government and university investigators. Field operations and challenges encountered while leading arctic field teams in fly camps are also described in this part of the presentation, with particular emphasis on the 2008 field season. Part III is a summary of preliminary results obtained from a Polar Survey questionnaire sent out to members of the Arctic research community in anticipation of the workshop. The last part of the talk is an update on the analog program at the Canadian Space Agency, specifically, the Canadian Analog Research Network (CARN) and current activities related to Analog missions, 2009-2010.

  9. Multiculturalism: Being Canadian.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of the Secretary of State, Ottawa (Ontario). Multiculturalism Directorate.

    This booklet introduces Canada's Multiculturalism Act which provides for a new government-wide commitment to the principles and policy objectives of multiculturalism. As an essential component of the Canadian identity, multiculturalism has been fundamental to nation building and has allowed Canadians to enjoy the benefits of life in a culturally…

  10. Core Competencies in Natural Health Products for Canadian Pharmacy Students

    PubMed Central

    Byrne, Ani; Austin, Zubin; Jurgens, Tannis; Raman-Wilms, Lalitha

    2010-01-01

    Objective To reach consensus on core competency statements for natural health products (NHPs) for Canadian pharmacy students. Methods Four rounds of a modified Delphi method were used to achieve consensus on core competency statements for NHPs. Pharmacy educators from Canada and the United States, and representatives from Canadian pharmacy organizations ranked their agreement using a 5-point Likert scale. Results Consensus was achieved on 3 NHP-related core competency statements: (1) to incorporate NHP knowledge when providing pharmaceutical care; (2) to access and critically appraise NHP-related information sources; and (3) to provide appropriate education to patients and other health care providers on the effectiveness, potential adverse effects, and drug interactions of NHPs. Conclusions Consensus was reached among leaders in NHP education on 3 NHP-related core competency statements. Implementation of these competencies would ensure that graduating Canadian pharmacists would be able to fulfill their professional responsibilities related to NHPs. PMID:20498738

  11. Canadian Adult Basic Education and Literacy Activities: A Digest.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Audrey M.

    A 1-year project undertaken for World Literacy of Canada to survey the Canadian Literacy scene attempted to identify and describe the adult population in need of literacy activities in Canada, to identify and describe the literacy activities being undertaken by existing organizations, communities and individuals in Canada, and to share the…

  12. Substituting energy crops with organic wastes and agro-industrial residues for biogas production.

    PubMed

    Schievano, Andrea; D'Imporzano, Giuliana; Adani, Fabrizio

    2009-06-01

    In this study, industrial and agro-industrial by-products and residues (BRs), animal manures (AMs), and various types of organic wastes (OWs) were analyzed to evaluate their suitability as substitutes for energy crops (ECs) in biogas production. A comparison between the costs of the volume of biogas that can be produced from each substrate was presented with respect to the prices of the substrates in the Italian market. Furthermore, four different feeding mixtures were compared with a mixture of EC and swine manure (Mixture A) used in a full-scale plant in Italy. Swine manure is always included as a basic substrate in the feeding mixtures, because many of the Italian biogas plants are connected to farms. When EC were partially substituted with BR (Mixture B), the cost (0.28 euro Nm(-3)) of the volume of biogas of Mixture A dropped to 0.18 euro Nm(-3). Furthermore, when the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) and olive oil sludge (OS) were used as possible solutions (Mixtures C and D), the costs of the volume of biogas were -0.20 and 0.11euroNm(-3), respectively. The negative price signifies that operators earn money for treating the waste. For the fifth mix (Mixture E) of the OFMSW with a high solid substrate, such as glycerin from biodiesel production, the resulting cost of the volume of biogas produced was -0.09 euro Nm(-3). By comparing these figures, it is evident that the biogas plants at farm level are good candidates for treating organic residues of both municipalities and the agro-industrial sector in a cost-effective way, and in providing territorially diffused electric and thermal power. This may represent a potential development for agrarian economy.

  13. Professional Legitimation for Education in Canadian Universities: "The Canadian Journal of Education", 1976-1997

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Donald

    2017-01-01

    In this commentary, Donald Fisher reports on the history of the "The Canadian Journal of Education" as part of this 40th anniversary issue. Fisher states that the history of the Canadian Society for the Study of Education (CSSE) has been profoundly influenced by changes in the role of the Canadian State. The 1960s and 1970s were a time…

  14. Canadian content at GU-ASCO 2014: Highlights of research involving Canadian researchers.

    PubMed

    Kapoor, Anil

    2014-03-01

    The 2014 Genitourinary Cancers Symposium (GU-ASCO 2014) provided an opportunity for researchers from around the world to present their research in a variety of fields, including prostate, renal cell, penile, urethral and testicular cancers. Over the symposium's 3 days, Canadian researchers were well-represented, with a number of oral abstract podium presentations and many more research posters. The following section provides brief summaries of some of the most interesting work involving Canadians presented at GU-ASCO 2014 and a listing of all the studies that included contributions from Canadian researchers.

  15. Microbial association with the dynamics of particulate organic carbon in response to the amendment of elevated CO2-derived wheat residue into a Mollisol.

    PubMed

    Wang, Yanhong; Yu, Zhenhua; Li, Yansheng; Wang, Guanghua; Liu, Junjie; Liu, Judong; Liu, Xiaobing; Jin, Jian

    2017-12-31

    As the chemical quality of crop residue is likely to be affected by elevated CO 2 (eCO 2 ), residue amendments may influence soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, in Mollisols, the dynamics of the SOC fractions in response to amendment with wheat residue produced under eCO 2 and the corresponding microbial community composition remain unknown. Such investigation is essential to residue management, which affects the soil quality and productivity of future farming systems. To narrow this knowledge gap, 13 C-labeled shoot and root residue derived from ambient CO 2 (aCO 2 ) or eCO 2 were amended into Mollisols and incubated for 200days. The soil was sampled during the incubation period to determine the residue-C retained in the three SOC fractions, i.e., coarse intra-aggregate particulate organic C (coarse iPOC), fine iPOC and mineral-associated organic C (MOC). The soil bacterial community was assessed using a MiSeq sequencing instrument. The results showed that the increase in SOC concentrations attributable to the application of the wheat residue primarily occurred in the coarse iPOC fraction. Compared with the aCO 2 -derived shoot residue, the amendment of eCO 2 -derived shoot residue resulted in greater SOC concentrations, whereas no significant differences (P>0.05) were observed between the aCO 2 - and eCO 2 -derived roots. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) showed that the residue amendment significantly (P≤0.05) altered the bacterial community composition compared with the non-residue amendment. Additionally, the bacterial community in the aCO 2 -derived shoot treatment differed from those in the other residue treatments until day 200 of the incubation period. The eCO 2 -derived shoot treatment significantly increased (P≤0.05) the relative abundances of the genera Acidobacteriaceae_(Subgroup_1)_uncultured, Bryobacter, Candidatus_Solibacter, Gemmatimonas and Nitrosomonadaceae_uncultured, whereas the opposite trend was observed in Nonomuraea

  16. Molecular Characterization of Cryoconite Organic Matter from the Athabasca Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, Y.; Simpson, M. J.; Eyles, N.; Simpson, A.; Baer, A. J.

    2009-05-01

    Cryoconite is a dark-colored, dust-like material found on the surfaces of glaciers. Cryoconite holes, which are produced by accelerated ice melt due to more solar radiation absorption by cryoconite than bare ice, act as habitats for microbial life and biologically mediated chemical reactions on otherwise relatively inert glacier surfaces. Cryoconite holes may behave as bacterial shelters during "Snowball Earth" events postulated for the Neoproterozoic Earth. In this study organic matter (OM) biomarkers and a host of one- and two-dimensional NMR techniques were used to characterize cryoconite organic matter (COM) collected from the Athabasca Glacier in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. Solvent extracts contain large quantities of fatty acids, n-alkanols, n- alkanes, wax esters and sterols. A large contribution of C23 and C25 relative to C29 and C31 n-alkanes ([C23/(C23+C29)] = 0.51) suggests that allochthonous COM is derived mainly from lower order plants such as mosses and lichens. This is confirmed by the absence of lignin-derived phenols, a biomarker of terrestrial vascular plants, after copper (II) oxidation in extracts and NMR analyses of COM. Solution-state 1H NMR reveals prominent peptide/protein structures which are characteristic of microbial inputs, while solid-state 13C CP/MAS NMR analysis shows a very high alkyl/O-alkyl ratio (2.16), suggesting that COM is unique compared to organic matter found in nearby soils which have alkyl/O-alkyl ratio of ~0.39. Our NMR results suggest that COM is dominated by microbial-derived compounds, which is also confirmed by phospholipid fatty acid results (6,950µg/gOC) which show significant microbial contributions to COM primarily from bacteria and minor microeukaryotes. Both biomarker and NMR data suggest that COM likely supports active microbial communities on the Athabasca Glacier. Given that such material is incorporated within the glacier in the accumulation zone or flushed by meltwaters into subglacial environments

  17. Persistent organic pollutants and mercury in marine biota of the Canadian Arctic: an overview of spatial and temporal trends.

    PubMed

    Braune, B M; Outridge, P M; Fisk, A T; Muir, D C G; Helm, P A; Hobbs, K; Hoekstra, P F; Kuzyk, Z A; Kwan, M; Letcher, R J; Lockhart, W L; Norstrom, R J; Stern, G A; Stirling, I

    2005-12-01

    This review summarizes and synthesizes the significant amount of data which was generated on mercury (Hg) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Canadian Arctic marine biota since the first Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report (CACAR) was published in 1997. This recent body of work has led to a better understanding of the current levels and spatial and temporal trends of contaminants in biota, including the marine food species that northern peoples traditionally consume. Compared to other circumpolar countries, concentrations of many organochlorines (OCs) in Canadian Arctic marine biota are generally lower than in the European Arctic and eastern Greenland but are higher than in Alaska, whereas Hg concentrations are substantially higher in Canada than elsewhere. Spatial coverage of OCs in ringed seals, beluga and seabirds remains a strength of the Arctic contaminant data set for Canada. Concentrations of OCs in marine mammals and seabirds remain fairly consistent across the Canadian Arctic although subtle differences from west to east and south to north are found in the proportions of various chemicals. The most significant development since 1997 is improvement in the temporal trend data sets, thanks to the use of archived tissue samples from the 1970s and 1980s, long-term studies using archeological material, as well as the continuation of sampling. These data cover a range of species and chemicals and also include retrospective studies on new chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers. There is solid evidence in a few species (beluga, polar bear, blue mussels) that Hg at some locations has significantly increased from pre-industrial times to the present; however, the temporal trends of Hg over the past 20-30 years are inconsistent. Some animal populations exhibited significant increases in Hg whereas others did not. Therefore, it is currently not possible to determine if anthropogenic Hg is generally increasing in Canadian Arctic biota. It is

  18. Television viewing, computer use and total screen time in Canadian youth.

    PubMed

    Mark, Amy E; Boyce, William F; Janssen, Ian

    2006-11-01

    Research has linked excessive television viewing and computer use in children and adolescents to a variety of health and social problems. Current recommendations are that screen time in children and adolescents should be limited to no more than 2 h per day. To determine the percentage of Canadian youth meeting the screen time guideline recommendations. The representative study sample consisted of 6942 Canadian youth in grades 6 to 10 who participated in the 2001/2002 World Health Organization Health Behaviour in School-Aged Children survey. Only 41% of girls and 34% of boys in grades 6 to 10 watched 2 h or less of television per day. Once the time of leisure computer use was included and total daily screen time was examined, only 18% of girls and 14% of boys met the guidelines. The prevalence of those meeting the screen time guidelines was higher in girls than boys. Fewer than 20% of Canadian youth in grades 6 to 10 met the total screen time guidelines, suggesting that increased public health interventions are needed to reduce the number of leisure time hours that Canadian youth spend watching television and using the computer.

  19. Laboratory measurements of emission factors of nonmethane volatile organic compounds from burning of Chinese crop residues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inomata, Satoshi; Tanimoto, Hiroshi; Pan, Xiaole; Taketani, Fumikazu; Komazaki, Yuichi; Miyakawa, Takuma; Kanaya, Yugo; Wang, Zifa

    2015-05-01

    The emission factors (EFs) of nonmethane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) emitted during the burning of Chinese crop residue were investigated as a function of modified combustion efficiency in laboratory experiments. NMVOCs, including acetonitrile, aldehydes/ketones, furan, and aromatic hydrocarbons, were monitored by proton-transfer-reaction mass spectrometry. Rape plant was burned in dry conditions and wheat straw was burned in both wet and dry conditions to simulate the possible burning of damp crop residue in regions of high temperature and humidity. We compared the present data to field data reported by Kudo et al. (2014). Good agreement between field and laboratory data was obtained for aromatics under relatively more smoldering combustion of dry samples, but laboratory data were slightly overestimated compared to field data for oxygenated VOC (OVOC). When EFs from the burning of wet samples were investigated, the consistency between the field and laboratory data for OVOCs was stronger than for dry samples. This may be caused by residual moisture in crop residue that has been stockpiled in humid regions. Comparison of the wet laboratory data with field data suggests that Kudo et al. (2014) observed the biomass burning plumes under relatively more smoldering conditions in which approximately a few tens of percentages of burned fuel materials were wet.

  20. Urea, Glycolic Acid, and Glycerol in an Organic Residue Produced by Ultraviolet Irradiation of Interstellar/Pre-Cometary Ice Analogs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nuevo, Michel; Bredehöft, Jan Hendrik; Meierhenrich, Uwe J.; d'Hendecourt, Louis; Thiemann, Wolfram H.-P.

    2010-03-01

    More than 50 stable organic molecules have been detected in the interstellar medium (ISM), from ground-based and onboard-satellite astronomical observations, in the gas and solid phases. Some of these organics may be prebiotic compounds that were delivered to early Earth by comets and meteorites and may have triggered the first chemical reactions involved in the origin of life. Ultraviolet irradiation of ices simulating photoprocesses of cold solid matter in astrophysical environments have shown that photochemistry can lead to the formation of amino acids and related compounds. In this work, we experimentally searched for other organic molecules of prebiotic interest, namely, oxidized acid labile compounds. In a setup that simulates conditions relevant to the ISM and Solar System icy bodies such as comets, a condensed CH3OH:NH3â = 1:1 ice mixture was UV irradiated at ˜80 K. The molecular constituents of the nonvolatile organic residue that remained at room temperature were separated by capillary gas chromatography and identified by mass spectrometry. Urea, glycolic acid, and glycerol were detected in this residue, as well as hydroxyacetamide, glycerolic acid, and glycerol amide. These organics are interesting target molecules to be searched for in space. Finally, tentative mechanisms of formation for these compounds under interstellar/pre-cometary conditions are proposed.

  1. Distribution of POPs, pesticides and antibiotic residues in organic honeys from different production areas.

    PubMed

    Chiesa, Luca Maria; Panseri, Sara; Nobile, Maria; Ceriani, Federica; Arioli, Francesco

    2018-06-22

    Demand for honey is increasing, especially if it is organic and if its nutritional properties are linked to untreated environments in order to guarantee quality for health. Sources of contamination of honey can be divided into environmental and apicultural. Therefore, the distribution of persistent organic pollutants, pesticides and antibiotic residues from geographical areas with different contamination sources (high anthropic impact, intensive farming, husbandry and low anthropic impact) was investigated in order to confirm the potential transfer of xenobiotics into the supply chain and to give beekeepers tools for the selection of areas dedicated to organic production. The presence of polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ether and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons was confirmed, not only in proximity to highly urbanised centres, where the concentrations were higher, but in all environment contexts, confirming their ubiquity. No antibiotics or neonicotinoids were detected in 95 organic honeys, demonstrating the absence of apicultural treatments and consequently the good quality of honey of different areas. These results are important due to the undefined regulatory European situation on honey antibiotic limits.[Figure: see text].

  2. Knowledge and attitudes of Canadian First Nations people toward organ donation and transplantation: a quantitative and qualitative analysis.

    PubMed

    Davison, Sara N; Jhangri, Gian S

    2014-11-01

    Organ donation and transplantation rates are low for aboriginal people in Canada, despite a high demand. An explanatory mixed-methods design was used to describe knowledge of and preferences for organ donation and transplantation among First Nations people and identify factors that may influence these preferences. We recruited on- and off-reservation First Nations adults. A 45-item survey was administered to 198 participants, of whom 21 were assessed further with a qualitative interview using a multiple case study approach. In an iterative process, themes were identified from qualitative data using critical realism as the theoretical framework. Critical realism is an approach that describes the interface between natural and social worlds to explain human behavior. Although 83% of participants were in favor of transplantation, only 38% were willing to donate their organs after death, 44% had not thought about organ donation, and 14% did not believe it was important. Only 18.7% of participants reported that their cultural beliefs influenced their views on organ donation and transplantation. In the multivariable analysis, the only factors associated with willingness to donate organs were higher education and considering organ donation important. Four themes emerged from qualitative data: importance of traditional beliefs, recognition of need due to the epidemic of diabetes among Canadian aboriginal people, reconciliation between traditional beliefs and need, and general apathy in the community. Cultural, socioeconomic, and political diversity exist between and within aboriginal groups. Findings may not be generalizable to other aboriginal communities. Willingness to donate organs was lower in these First Nations participants compared to the general population. Education to address knowledge deficits, emphasize the negative impact of organ failure on the community, and contextualize organ donation within the older traditional native beliefs to help First Nations people

  3. pH and Organic Carbon Dose Rates Control Microbially Driven Bioremediation Efficacy in Alkaline Bauxite Residue.

    PubMed

    Santini, Talitha C; Malcolm, Laura I; Tyson, Gene W; Warren, Lesley A

    2016-10-18

    Bioremediation of alkaline tailings, based on fermentative microbial metabolisms, is a novel strategy for achieving rapid pH neutralization and thus improving environmental outcomes associated with mining and refining activities. Laboratory-scale bioreactors containing bauxite residue (an alkaline, saline tailings material generated as a byproduct of alumina refining), to which a diverse microbial inoculum was added, were used in this study to identify key factors (pH, salinity, organic carbon supply) controlling the rates and extent of microbially driven pH neutralization (bioremediation) in alkaline tailings. Initial tailings pH and organic carbon dose rates both significantly affected bioremediation extent and efficiency with lower minimum pHs and higher extents of pH neutralization occurring under low initial pH or high organic carbon conditions. Rates of pH neutralization (up to 0.13 mM H + produced per day with pH decreasing from 9.5 to ≤6.5 in three days) were significantly higher in low initial pH treatments. Representatives of the Bacillaceae and Enterobacteriaceae, which contain many known facultative anaerobes and fermenters, were identified as key contributors to 2,3-butanediol and/or mixed acid fermentation as the major mechanism(s) of pH neutralization. Initial pH and salinity significantly influenced microbial community successional trajectories, and microbial community structure was significantly related to markers of fermentation activity. This study provides the first experimental demonstration of bioremediation in bauxite residue, identifying pH and organic carbon dose rates as key controls on bioremediation efficacy, and will enable future development of bioreactor technologies at full field scale.

  4. Francophones in Canada: A Community of Interests. New Canadian Perspectives = Les liens dans la francophonie canadienne. Nouvelles Perspectives Canadiennes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guindon, Rene; Poulin, Pierre

    This text examines the ties that bind Francophones across Canada to illustrate the diversity and depth of the Canadian Francophone community. Observations are organized into seven chapters. The first looks at the kinship ties of Canadian Francophones, including common ancestral origins, settlement of the Francophone regions, and existence of two…

  5. The CNDR: collaborating to translate new therapies for Canadians.

    PubMed

    Korngut, Lawrence; Campbell, Craig; Johnston, Megan; Benstead, Timothy; Genge, Angela; Mackenzie, Alex; McCormick, Anna; Biggar, Douglas; Bourque, Pierre; Briemberg, Hannah; O'Connell, Colleen; Dojeiji, Suzan; Dooley, Joseph; Grant, Ian; Hogan, Gillian; Johnston, Wendy; Kalra, Sanjay; Katzberg, Hans D; Mah, Jean K; McAdam, Laura; McMillan, Hugh J; Melanson, Michel; Selby, Kathryn; Shoesmith, Christen; Smith, Garth; Venance, Shannon L; Wee, Joy

    2013-09-01

    Patient registries represent an important method of organizing "real world" patient information for clinical and research purposes. Registries can facilitate clinical trial planning and recruitment and are particularly useful in this regard for uncommon and rare diseases. Neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) are individually rare but in aggregate have a significant prevalence. In Canada, information on NMDs is lacking. Barriers to performing Canadian multicentre NMD research exist which can be overcome by a comprehensive and collaborative NMD registry. We describe the objectives, design, feasibility and initial recruitment results for the Canadian Neuromuscular Disease Registry (CNDR). The CNDR is a clinic-based registry which launched nationally in June 2011, incorporates paediatric and adult neuromuscular clinics in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and, as of December 2012, has recruited 1161 patients from 12 provinces and territories. Complete medical datasets have been captured on 460 "index disease" patients. Another 618 "non-index" patients have been recruited with capture of physician-confirmed diagnosis and contact information. We have demonstrated the feasibility of blended clinic and central office-based recruitment. "Index disease" patients recruited at the time of writing include 253 with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy, 161 with myotonic dystrophy, and 71 with ALS. The CNDR is a new nationwide registry of patients with NMDs that represents an important advance in Canadian neuromuscular disease research capacity. It provides an innovative platform for organizing patient information to facilitate clinical research and to expedite translation of recent laboratory findings into human studies.

  6. Beyond SARS: ethnic community organization's role in public health -- a Toronto experience.

    PubMed

    Weizhen Dong

    2008-12-01

    The SARS outbreak in Toronto was a public health crisis. It was particularly frightening to the Chinese-Canadians, because of the origin of the deadly disease. The Chinese-Canadian community organizations launched various activities to help the Chinese-Canadians as well as other Asian-Canadian communities to fight against SARS and its social side-effects. From launching the SARS Supporting Line, distributing health promotional material, disseminating SARS related information, paying tribute to frontline health workers, and promoting local business, to fundraising for SARS related research; they played an active role in easing the public's anxiety, especially for the Chinese-Canadians in the great Toronto area. The culturally diverse population brought problems as well as solutions. Ethnic groups have expertise in almost all areas, including people with leadership skills. The Toronto Chinese community's experience in combating SARS is a good example. The Chinese-Canadian community organizations' activities during the SARS outbreak demonstrate that ethnic minority organizations can play an important role in public health, especially in a public health crisis, and beyond.

  7. Boost the electron mobility of solution-grown organic single crystals via reducing the amount of polar solvent residues

    DOE PAGES

    Xue, Guobiao; Xin, Huolin L.; Wu, Jiake; ...

    2015-10-29

    Enhancing electron transport to match with the development in hole transport is critical for organic electronics in the future. As electron motion is susceptible to extrinsic factors, seeking these factors and avoiding their negative effects have become the central challenge. Here, the existence of polar solvent residues in solution-grown single-crystals of 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl)-5,7,12,14-tetraazapentacene is identified as a factor detrimental to electron motion. Field-effect transistors of the crystals exhibit electron mobility boosted by about 60% after the residues are removed. The average electron mobility reaches up to 8.0 ± 2.2 cm 2 V –1 s –1 with a highest value of 13.3more » cm 2 V –1 s –1; these results are significantly higher than those obtained previously for the same molecule (1.0–5.0 cm 2 V –1 s –1). Furthermore, the achieved mobility is also higher than the maximum reported electron mobility for organic materials (11 cm 2 V –1 s –1). As a result, this work should greatly accelerate the advancement of organic electron-transporting materials.« less

  8. Understanding Canadian Agriculture. "Understanding Economics" Series No. 5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Loyns, R. M. A.

    This document for secondary school Canadian students analyzes the role of agriculture in the national economy and in Canadian trade, describes characteristics of Canadian farms, and discusses governmental inlfuences on Canadian agriculture. The document stresses that agriculture is a large source of national wealth; about 30% of Canadian farm…

  9. Organochlorine pesticide residues in strawberries from integrated pest management and organic farming.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Virginia C; Domingues, Valentina F; Mateus, Nuno; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

    2011-07-27

    A rapid, specific, and sensitive method based on the Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe (QuEChERS) method and a cleanup using dispersive solid-phase extraction with MgSO(4), PSA, and C18 sorbents has been developed for the routine analysis of 14 pesticides in strawberries. The analyses were performed by three different analytical methodologies: gas chromatography (GC) with electron capture detection (ECD), mass spectrometry (MS), and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). The recoveries for all the pesticides studied were from 46 to 128%, with relative standard deviation of <15% in the concentration range of 0.005-0.250 mg/kg. The limit of detection (LOD) for all compounds met maximum residue limits (MRL) accepted in Portugal for organochlorine pesticides (OCP). A survey study of strawberries produced in Portugal in the years 2009-2010 obtained from organic farming (OF) and integrated pest management (IPM) was developed. Lindane and β-endosulfan were detected above the MRL in OF and IPM. Other OCP (aldrin, o,p'-DDT and their metabolites, and methoxychlor) were found below the MRL. The OCP residues detected decreased from 2009 to 2010. The QuEChERS method was successfully applied to the analysis of strawberry samples.

  10. Prebiotic significance of extraterrestrial ice photochemistry: detection of hydantoin in organic residues.

    PubMed

    de Marcellus, Pierre; Bertrand, Marylène; Nuevo, Michel; Westall, Frances; Le Sergeant d'Hendecourt, Louis

    2011-11-01

    The delivery of extraterrestrial organic materials to primitive Earth from meteorites or micrometeorites has long been postulated to be one of the origins of the prebiotic molecules involved in the subsequent apparition of life. Here, we report on experiments in which vacuum UV photo-irradiation of interstellar/circumstellar ice analogues containing H(2)O, CH(3)OH, and NH(3) led to the production of several molecules of prebiotic interest. These were recovered at room temperature in the semi-refractory, water-soluble residues after evaporation of the ice. In particular, we detected small quantities of hydantoin (2,4-imidazolidinedione), a species suspected to play an important role in the formation of poly- and oligopeptides. In addition, hydantoin is known to form under extraterrestrial, abiotic conditions, since it has been detected, along with various other derivatives, in the soluble part of organic matter of primitive carbonaceous meteorites. This result, together with other related experiments reported recently, points to the potential importance of the photochemistry of interstellar "dirty" ices in the formation of organics in Solar System materials. Such molecules could then have been delivered to the surface of primitive Earth, as well as other telluric (exo-) planets, to help trigger first prebiotic reactions with the capacity to lead to some form of primitive biomolecular activity.

  11. Reuse of spent bleaching earth by polymerisation of residual organics.

    PubMed

    Beshara, Abdelhamid; Cheeseman, Christopher R

    2014-10-01

    Spent bleaching earth (SBE) is a waste generated by the edible oil industry that currently has limited options for beneficial reuse. In excess of ∼2 million tonnes per year of SBE is generated world-wide with major quantities available in the middle-east where significant volumes of edible oils are produced. Low pressure compaction followed by heat treatment at 150°C causes polymerisation of the residual organic components in SBE and this produces monolithic samples with high unconfined compressive strengths (54MPa). SBE can therefore be used to manufacture novel clay blocks for use in construction that are bonded by polymerised vegetable oil. This represents a new, innovative and resource efficient application for SBE. In this research, commercial SBE has been characterised and the effects of key processing variables (temperature and compaction pressure) on the compressive strength, porosity and density of the SBE clay blocks are reported and the mechanisms responsible for strength development are discussed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Hydrogeology and simulation of groundwater flow and analysis of projected water use for the Canadian River alluvial aquifer, western and central Oklahoma

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Ellis, John H.; Mashburn, Shana L.; Graves, Grant M.; Peterson, Steven M.; Smith, S. Jerrod; Fuhrig, Leland T.; Wagner, Derrick L.; Sanford, Jon E.

    2017-02-13

    evapotranspiration and groundwater use, which were relatively minor discharge components.Objectives for the numerical groundwater-flow models included simulating groundwater flow in the Canadian River alluvial aquifer from 1981 to 2013 to address groundwater use and drought scenarios, including calculation of the EPS pumping rates. The EPS for the alluvial and terrace aquifers is defined by the Oklahoma Water Resources Board as the amount of fresh water that each landowner is allowed per year per acre of owned land to maintain a saturated thickness of at least 5 ft in at least 50 percent of the overlying land of the groundwater basin for a minimum of 20 years.The groundwater-flow models were calibrated to water-table altitude observations, streamgage base flows, and base-flow gain to the Canadian River. The Reach I water-table altitude observation root-mean-square error was 6.1 ft, and 75 percent of residuals were within ±6.7 ft of observed measurements. The average simulated stream base-flow residual at the Bridgeport streamgage (07228500) was 8.8 cubic feet per second (ft3/s), and 75 percent of residuals were within ±30 ft3/s of observed measurements. Simulated base-flow gain in Reach I was 8.8 ft3/s lower than estimated base-flow gain. The Reach II water-table altitude observation root-mean-square error was 4 ft, and 75 percent of residuals were within ±4.3 ft of the observations. The average simulated stream base-flow residual in Reach II was between 35 and 132 ft3/s. The average simulated base-flow gain residual in Reach II was between 11.3 and 61.1 ft3/s.Several future predictive scenarios were run, including estimating the EPS pumping rate for 20-, 40-, and 50-year life of basin scenarios, determining the effects of current groundwater use over a 50-year period into the future, and evaluating the effects of a sustained drought on water availability for both reaches. The EPS pumping rate was determined to be 1.35 acre-feet per acre per year ([acre-ft/acre]/yr) in Reach I

  13. Effect of decomposition and organic residues on resistivity of copper films fabricated via low-temperature sintering of complex particle mixed dispersions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yong, Yingqiong; Nguyen, Mai Thanh; Tsukamoto, Hiroki; Matsubara, Masaki; Liao, Ying-Chih; Yonezawa, Tetsu

    2017-03-01

    Mixtures of a copper complex and copper fine particles as copper-based metal-organic decomposition (MOD) dispersions have been demonstrated to be effective for low-temperature sintering of conductive copper film. However, the copper particle size effect on decomposition process of the dispersion during heating and the effect of organic residues on the resistivity have not been studied. In this study, the decomposition process of dispersions containing mixtures of a copper complex and copper particles with various sizes was studied. The effect of organic residues on the resistivity was also studied using thermogravimetric analysis. In addition, the choice of copper salts in the copper complex was also discussed. In this work, a low-resistivity sintered copper film (7 × 10-6 Ω·m) at a temperature as low as 100 °C was achieved without using any reductive gas.

  14. Towards a Broader Conceptualization of Need, Stigma, and Barriers to Mental Health Care in Military Organizations: Recent Research Findings from the Canadian Forces

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-04-01

    disorder for which help is availablethese individuals acknowledge symptoms but dont recognize unmet need. And among those who do identify unmet need...Canadian general population. 2006. Poster presented at the Canadian Psychiatric Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON. [10] Fikretoglu D, Guay...occupational risk factors. Poster presented at the American Psychiatric Association Meeting, Toronto, ON, 24 May 2006 . 5-24-2006. [41] Canadian

  15. Government, Coercive Power and the Perceived Legitimacy of Canadian Post-Secondary Institutions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McQuarrie, Fiona A. E.; Kondra, Alex Z.; Lamertz, Kai

    2013-01-01

    Governments regulate and control organizations, yet their role in determining organizational legitimacy is largely unexamined. In the changing Canadian post-secondary landscape, legitimacy is an increasingly important issue for post-secondary institutions as they compete amongst themselves for access to ever-shrinking resources. Using an…

  16. Enhanced Patient-Centred Care: Physiotherapists' Perspectives on the Impact of International Clinical Internships on Canadian Practice.

    PubMed

    Mesaroli, Giulia; Bourgeois, Anne-Marie; McCurry, Ellen; Condren, Allison; Petropanagos, Peter; Fraser, Michelle; Nixon, Stephanie A

    2015-01-01

    To explore the perspectives of physiotherapists who participated in an international clinical internship (ICI) in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs) during their physiotherapy (PT) training in a Canadian PT programme regarding the ICI's impact on their PT practice in Canada. This qualitative descriptive study used in-depth semi-structured interviews. Data were organized using NVivo; inductive and deductive coding were used to analyze data and develop broader themes. The 13 practising Canadian physiotherapists interviewed described three enhanced capacities: (1) critical reflection on culture, values and practice; (2) communication skills; and (3) creativity and resourcefulness. These capacities were perceived to transfer to Canadian practice by enhancing participants' ability to deliver patient-centred care, specifically through an enhanced understanding of patients' values and social determinants of health, regardless of the Canadian setting or patient population. For PT students considering an ICI, the study findings provide insight into the perceived impact of ICIs on Canadian practice. For PT academic programmes, the findings can guide decisions on the extent of investment in ICIs as learning opportunities that will enhance practice in Canada.

  17. Clinical residual symptomatology and associated factors in multiple organ failure survivors: A long-term mortgage.

    PubMed

    Rodríguez-Villar, S; Rodríguez-García, J L; Arévalo-Serrano, J; Sánchez-Casado, M; Fletcher, H

    2017-12-01

    To evaluate which residual clinical symptoms multi-organ failure (MOF) patients may exhibit post discharge from Intensive Care Units (ICU) and to identify the associated factors that cause such symptoms. A total of 545 adult patients admitted to a medical & surgical ICU in Spain diagnosed with MOF on admission were included in the study. Follow up in the form of a telephone survey regarding the patients clinical symptoms were conducted at 6 and 12 months after discharge from ICU. A total of 266 patients were followed up at both 6 and 12 months post ICU discharge; 62.2% were male; age 60±18 years; 67.8% medical patients. The most common symptoms to appear following hospital discharge included: asthenia (173; 76%), sleep disturbances (112; 50%) and depression (109; 48%). The study revealed frequent residual clinical symptoms persisting for almost a year post ICU discharge, most notably arthromyalgia and asthenia. Depression symptoms during the first 6 months post-hospital discharge were also common among multiple organ failure survivors. The presence of symptomatology over time was found to be related to a poor functional situation at 6 and12 months post ICU discharge, length of hospital stay and severity of illness score on ICU admission. Copyright © 2017 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. All rights reserved.

  18. Canadian ENGOs in governance of water resources: information needs and monitoring practices.

    PubMed

    Kebo, Sasha; Bunch, Martin J

    2013-11-01

    Water quality monitoring involves a complex set of steps and a variety of approaches. Its goals include understanding of aquatic habitats, informing management and facilitating decision making, and educating citizens. Environmental nongovernmental organizations (ENGOs) are increasingly engaged in water quality monitoring and act as environmental watchdogs and stewards of water resources. These organizations exhibit different monitoring mandates. As government involvement in water quality monitoring continues to decline, it becomes essential that we understand their modi operandi. By doing so, we can enhance efficacy and encourage data sharing and communication. This research examined Canadian ENGOs that collect their own data on water quality with respect to water quality monitoring activities and information needs. This work had a twofold purpose: (1) to enhance knowledge about the Canadian ENGOs operating in the realm of water quality monitoring and (2) to guide and inform development of web-based geographic information systems (GIS) to support water quality monitoring, particularly using benthic macroinvertebrate protocols. A structured telephone survey was administered across 10 Canadian provinces to 21 ENGOs that undertake water quality monitoring. This generated information about barriers and challenges of data sharing, commonly collected metrics, human resources, and perceptions of volunteer-collected data. Results are presented on an aggregate level and among different groups of respondents. Use of geomatics technology was not consistent among respondents, and we found no noteworthy differences between organizations that did and did not use GIS tools. About one third of respondents did not employ computerized systems (including databases and spreadsheets) to support data management, analysis, and sharing. Despite their advantage as a holistic water quality indicator, benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) were not widely employed in stream monitoring. Although

  19. Examining Child Welfare Decisions and Services for Asian-Canadian Versus White-Canadian Children and Families in the Child Welfare System.

    PubMed

    Lee, Barbara; Fuller-Thomson, Esme; Fallon, Barbara; Black, Tara; Trocmé, Nico

    2017-05-01

    Using administrative child welfare data from the Ontario Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (OCANDS), this study compared the profiles of Asian-Canadian and White-Canadian children and families that experienced a case closure after an investigation instead of being transferred to ongoing child protection services (CPS). Child protection investigations involving Asian-Canadian and White-Canadian children and families that were transferred to ongoing CPS presented a different profile of case characteristics and caregiver and child clinical needs. Asian-Canadian children and families received ongoing CPS for over a month longer than White-Canadian children and families and were less likely (odds ratio [ OR] = 0.39) to be reinvestigated for any form of maltreatment-related concerns within 1 year after case closure. It appears that child protection investigations involving Asian-Canadian children and families are less likely to be closed prematurely than White-Canadian children and families, and the child protection system may be meeting the needs of Asian-Canadian communities. Alternatively, it is possible there is unaccounted biases that may be reflective of systemic problem of discriminative practices in the child protection system. Further research is needed to explore this phenomenon.

  20. The Canadian American Ticlopidine Study (CATS) in thromboembolic stroke. Design, organization, and baseline results.

    PubMed

    Gent, M; Blakely, J A; Easton, J D; Ellis, D J; Hachinski, V C; Harbison, J W; Panak, E; Roberts, R S; Sicurella, J; Turpie, A G

    1988-10-01

    The Canadian American Ticlopidine Study is a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, multicenter study to assess the efficacy and safety of ticlopidine hydrochloride in patients who have suffered a thromboembolic stroke no less than 1 week and no more than 4 months before entry into the study. The primary assessment of efficacy will be based on the cluster of outcome events recurrent stroke, myocardial infarction, or vascular death. Twenty-five clinical centers, 12 in Canada and 13 in the United States, entered a total of 1,072 patients during a 3-year recruitment period; these patients were randomly allocated to receive either 250 mg ticlopidine or identical-appearing placebo tablets twice daily for up to 3 years. Patient recruitment was completed in December 1986. Patients were followed for a maximum of 3 years or until the close of the study in December 1987; at that time an average follow-up of 25 months had been achieved. We summarize the protocol and organization of the study and document the methods of execution and analysis, with corresponding criteria, before disclosure of the treatment code to any of the study investigators. We also provide a clinical description of the patients at entry into the study.

  1. Child Care Options for Canadian Families.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vanier Inst. of the Family, Ottawa (Ontario).

    Contemporary Canadian families need a system of child care that is more appropriate to modern conditions than the present system is. Because many Canadian parents do not have extended families to turn to, they are increasingly paying for child care. More than half prefer a form of care other than the one they use. Canadian policy and programs…

  2. The Canadian National Retirement Risk Index: employing statistics Canada's LifePaths to measure the financial security of future Canadian seniors.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, Bonnie-Jeanne; Moore, Kevin D; Chen, He; Brown, Robert L

    2011-01-01

    This article measures a Canadian National Retirement Risk Index (NRRI). Originally developed by the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, the NRRI is a forward-looking measure that evaluates the proportion of working-aged individuals who are at risk of not maintaining their standard of living in retirement. The Canadian retirement income system has been very effective in reducing elderly poverty, but our results suggest that it has been much less successful in maintaining the living standards of Canadians after retirement. Since the earlier years of the new millennium, we find that approximately one-third of retiring Canadians have been unable to maintain their working-age consumption after retirement—a trend that is projected to worsen significantly for future Canadian retirees. The release of the Canadian NRRI is timely given the widespread concern that the current Canadian retirement income system is inadequate. Many proposals have recently emerged to extend and/or enhance Canadian public pensions, and the NRRI is a tool to test their merit. The methodology underlying the Canadian NRRI is uniquely sophisticated and comprehensive on account of our employment of Statistics Canada’s LifePaths, a state-of-the-art stochastic microsimulation model of the Canadian population. For instance, the Canadian NRRI is novel in that it models all of the relevant sources of consumption before and after retirement, while accounting for important features that are typically neglected in retirement adequacy studies such as family size, the variation of consumption over a person’s lifetime, and the heterogeneity among the life courses of individuals.

  3. Pesticide residues determination in Polish organic crops in 2007-2010 applying gas chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Walorczyk, Stanisław; Drożdżyński, Dariusz; Kowalska, Jolanta; Remlein-Starosta, Dorota; Ziółkowski, Andrzej; Przewoźniak, Monika; Gnusowski, Bogusław

    2013-08-15

    A sensitive, accurate and reliable multiresidue method based on the application of gas chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (GC-QqQ-MS/MS) has been established for screening, identification and quantification of a large number of pesticide residues in produce. The method was accredited in compliance with PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard and it was operated under flexible scope as PB-11 method. The flexible scope of accreditation allowed for minor modifications and extension of the analytical scope while using the same analytical technique. During the years 2007-2010, the method was used for the purpose of verification of organic crop production by multiresidue analysis for the presence of pesticides. A total of 528 samples of differing matrices such as fruits, vegetables, cereals, plant leaves and other green parts were analysed, of which 4.4% samples contained pesticide residues above the threshold value of 0.01 mg/kg. A total of 20 different pesticide residues were determined in the samples. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Political Status of Native Indian Women: Contradictory Implications of Canadian State Policy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fiske, Jo-Anne

    1995-01-01

    Explores the ambiguous nature of Canadian Native women's political status in relation to men within the internal political processes of Indian reserve communities. Examines linkages among economic factors, domestic organization, and political process, and the disruption of Indian women's lives by state intervention (particularly federal laws…

  5. Do the Rights Thing?: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the MA in Cultural Studies at the University of Winnipeg

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ready, Kathryn; Keshavjee, Serena

    2015-01-01

    Education is the self-declared "heart" of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR), already generating partnership projects and programs with such organizations as the Canadian Teachers' Federation, the Assembly of First Nations, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. The CMHR has…

  6. Health practices of Canadian physicians.

    PubMed

    Frank, Erica; Segura, Carolina

    2009-08-01

    To study the health and health practices of Canadian physicians, which can often influence patient health. Mailed survey. Canada. A random sample of 8100 Canadian physicians; 7934 were found to be eligible and 3213 responded (40.5% response rate). Factors that influence health, such as consumption of fruits and vegetables, amount of exercise and alcohol consumption, smoking status, body mass idex, and participation in preventive health screening measures, as well as work-life balance and emotional stability. Canadian physicians are healthy. More than 90% reported being in good to excellent health, and only 5% reported that poor physical or mental health made it difficult to handle their workload more than half the time in the previous month (although a quarter had reduced work activity because of long-term health conditions). Eight percent were obese, 3% currently smoked cigarettes, and 1% typically consumed 5 drinks or more on days when they drank alcohol. Physicians averaged 4.7 hours of exercise per week and ate fruits and vegetables 4.8 times a day. Their personal screening practices were largely compliant with Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care recommendations. They averaged 38 hours per week on patient care and 11 hours on other professional activities. Fifty-seven percent agreed that they had a good work-life balance, and 11% disagreed with the statement "If I can, I work when I am ill." Compared with self-reports from the general Canadian population, Canadian physicians, like American physicians, seem to be healthy and to have generally healthy behaviour. There is, however, room for improvement in physicians' personal and professional well-being, and improving their personal health practices could be an efficient and beneficent way to improve the health of all Canadians.

  7. Persistence of organic carbon in heated aerosol residuals measured during Tropical Composition Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thornberry, T.; Froyd, K. D.; Murphy, D. M.; Thomson, D. S.; Anderson, B. E.; Thornhill, K. L.; Winstead, E. L.

    2010-05-01

    The Particle Analysis by Laser Mass Spectrometry (PALMS) single particle mass spectrometer was used to analyze the composition of the nonvolatile fraction of atmospheric aerosol in a number of different environments. The mass spectra of individual particles sampled through an inlet section heated to 300°C were compared to unheated particles during flights of the NASA DC-8 aircraft during the Tropical Composition Cloud and Climate Coupling (TC4) mission. Comparisons are presented of measurements made in the marine boundary layer, the free troposphere, and the continental boundary layer over the Colombian jungle. The heated section completely removed sulfate from the aerosols except for sodium sulfate and related compounds in sea salt particles. Organic material in sea salt particles was observed to be less volatile than chlorine. Biomass burning particles were more likely to survive heating than other mixed sulfate-organic particles. For all particle types, there was a significant contribution to the residues from carbonaceous material other than elemental carbon. These results demonstrate the remaining compositional complexity of aerosol residuals that survive heating in a thermal denuder.

  8. 77 FR 66196 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-11-02

    ... Accounting Principles (``GAAP''). Canadian clearing members that use Form 1 report the same, and in some... Organizations; Options Clearing Corporation; Order Approving Proposed Rule Change Relating to Financial... financial reporting by Canadian clearing members to reflect the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization...

  9. Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere: A Canadian Science Contribution to International Polar Year

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Walker, A. E.; Derksen, C.

    2008-12-01

    The cryosphere (snow, permafrost and seasonally frozen ground, ice caps and glaciers, sea-, river-, and lake ice) represents a significant feature of the Canadian landscape that impacts climate, hydrology, the economy and the daily lives of all Canadians, especially those living in northern communities. Over the past few decades significant changes have been observed in cryospheric elements (e.g. decreases in snow cover, glacier extent, sea ice cover) that have been attributed to a warming climate. This poster presentation will highlight initial scientific results from the approved Canadian International Polar Year project "Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere" that is being led by Environment Canada and involves 33 co- investigators from government, academia and the private sector and links with international collaborators. This project builds on Canadian strengths in remote sensing, climate analysis and modeling with the overall objective to observe and understand the current state of the cryosphere in Canada and determine how fast it is changing and why. Research activities are focused on: (1) developing new satellite-based capabilities to provide information on the current state of the Canadian cryosphere during the IPY period; (2) placing current cryospheric conditions in the context of the historical record to document the magnitude of changes over the 50 years since the last International Polar Year (IGY 1957-1958); (3) characterizing and explaining the observed variability and changes in the context of the coupled climate cryosphere system; and (4) improving the representation of the cryosphere in Canadian land surface and climate models to provide current and future climate simulations of the cryosphere for climate impact studies. The project also includes several outreach activities to engage northern communities in cryospheric monitoring and incorporate traditional knowledge with remotely-sensed information to generate new maps on local

  10. Survey of antibiotic residues in Canadian slaughter animals.

    PubMed Central

    Tittiger, F; Kingscote, B; Meldrum, B; Prior, M

    1975-01-01

    Kidneys and urine of cattle, swine, sheep and chickens were tested for bacterial growth inhibitors using Bacillus subtilis and Sarcina lutea as test organisms. Results were as follows: 211 beef kidneys four positive, 611 swine kidneys five positive, 27 sheep and 120 chicken kidneys all negative, 2108 beef urine 76 positive, 2409 swine urine 186 positive, 176 sheep urine 17 positive. Strongest reactions were obtained with B. subtilis on phosphate buffered pH 6.0 plates. Larger zones were produced by urine from injected animals than by tissue samples. PMID:236082

  11. Gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric investigations of organic residues from Roman glass unguentaria.

    PubMed

    Ribechini, Erika; Modugno, Francesca; Colombini, Maria Perla; Evershed, Richard P

    2008-03-07

    A combination of gas chromatographic (GC) and mass spectrometric (MS) techniques, including direct exposure-MS (DE-MS), high-temperature GC-MS (HTGC-MS) and GC-MS of neutral and acid fractions, was employed to study the composition and recognise origin of the organic materials used to manufacture balm residues surviving in a series of glass unguentaria recovered from excavations of a Roman villa (Villa B) in the ancient town of Oplontis (Naples, Italy). DE-MS provided comprehensive 'fingerprint' information on the solvent soluble components of the contents of the unguentaria, while GC-MS analyses provided detailed molecular compositions, highlighting the presence of a wide range of compound classes including mid- and long-chain fatty acids, long-chain hydroxy-acids, n-alkanols, alkandiols, n-alkanes, long-chain monoesters, phytosterols and diterpenoid acids. Characteristic biomarkers and their distributions indicate the presence of beeswax, Pinaceae resin and another wax, as the main organic constituents of all of the preparations examined. In particular, the occurrence of phytosterols and long-chain monoesters, in which the acyl moiety was not exclusively palmitic acid, suggested the presence of a second waxy-lipid constituent of plant origin. The results are consistent with beeswax being used in the preparation of the cosmetics preserved in the unguentaria, while the other lipids are most likely the residue of some as yet unidentified plant extract(s), possibly deriving from the cuticular waxes of flowers and/or leaves. The composition of the extracts are consistent with the ancient practices of maceration and/or "enfleurage", in which lipid-based materials, such as beeswax, animal fat or vegetables oils, were used to extract aromatic and fragrant substances from resin, flowers, spices and scented wood, in order to produce unguents and balms.

  12. Life cycle assessment of integrated solid state anaerobic digestion and composting for on-farm organic residues treatment.

    PubMed

    Li, Yangyang; Manandhar, Ashish; Li, Guoxue; Shah, Ajay

    2018-03-20

    Driven by the gradual changes in the structure of energy consumption and improvements of living standards in China, the volume of on-farm organic solid waste is increasing. If untreated, these unutilized on-farm organic solid wastes can cause environmental problems. This paper presents the results of a life cycle assessment to compare the environmental impacts of different on-farm organic waste (which includes dairy manure, corn stover and tomato residue) treatment strategies, including anaerobic digestion (AD), composting, and AD followed by composting. The input life cycle inventory data are specific to China. The potential environmental impacts of different waste management strategies were assessed based on their acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), global warming potential (GWP), ecotoxicity potential (ETP), and resource depletion (RD). The results show that the preferred treatment strategy for dairy manure is the one that integrated corn stover and tomato residue utilization and solid state AD technologies into the system. The GWP of integrated solid state AD and composting was the least, which is -2900 kg CO 2 eq/ t of dairy manure and approximately 14.8 times less than that of current status (i.e., liquid AD of dairy manure). Solid state AD of dairy manure, corn stover and tomato residues is the most favorable option in terms of AP, EP and ETP, which are more than 40% lower than that of the current status (i.e., AP: 3.11 kg SO 2 , EP: -0.94 kg N, and ETP: -881 CTUe (Comparative Toxic Units ecotoxicity)). The results also show that there is a significant potential for AP, EP, ETP, and GWP reduction, if AD is used prior to composting. The scenario analysis for transportation distance showed that locating the AD plant and composting facility on the farm was advantageous in terms of all the life cycle impact categories. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program.

    PubMed

    Donaldson, Shawn G; Curren, Meredith S; Adlard, Bryan; Provost, Jonathan; Leech, Tara; Tikhonov, Constantine; Feeley, Mark; Tomlinson, Scott; Shearer, Russel

    2013-01-01

    Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic.

  14. Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program

    PubMed Central

    Donaldson, Shawn G.; Curren, Meredith S.; Adlard, Bryan; Provost, Jonathan; Leech, Tara; Tikhonov, Constantine; Feeley, Mark; Tomlinson, Scott; Shearer, Russel

    2013-01-01

    Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic. PMID:24282784

  15. Effects of different rates of olive pruning residues on soil moisture and organic carbon in superintensive olive orchards: a study case in Southern Spain

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marín-Moreno, Víctor; Castillo Amaro, M.; Barranco, Diego; Cerdá, Artemi; Cobacho, J. Antonio; García-Ferrer, Alfonso; Mateos, Luciano; Mesas, F. Javier; Díez, Concepción M.; Pérez, Rafael; Quero, José L.; Serio, M. Angela; Taguas, Encarnación V.

    2017-04-01

    Pruning residues of olive orchards improve soil fertility and protect soil against water erosion (Repullo et al., 2012; Prosdocimi et al., 2016). Because of the high transport cost of the pruning waste and despite the risk of the transmission of some diseases (such as verticillium wilt), leaving the chopped residues on the ground is becoming a common practice in the Andalusian olive groves, particularly in super-intensive orchards (>1500 trees/ha) (Calatrava and Franco, 2011). However, there is little quantitative information describing the effects of this practice on soil moisture and organic matter. The objectives of this study are, firstly, the determination of the amount of residues that effectively improve soil moisture, bulk density and organic carbon, and, secondly, the assessment of the residue decomposition rates for our experimental Mediterranean conditions. The experiment consists of 4 treatments (with 5 replicates of 6 x 2 m plots) where fresh pruning residues were applied at rates equivalent to 0.0 t/ha (control), 7.5 t/ha, 15.0 t/ha and 30.0 t/ha. Gravimetric soil moisture at the first 10-cm-horizon was measured approximately every 45 days. Organic carbon and bulk density were determined at the end of the campaign for the first 10-cm-horizon. The characteristics of pruning residues (composition in term of leaves, fine twigs, branches and moisture) and their decomposition rate were determined through of the analysis of moisture loss. A thermographic camera was used to measure the temperature of the plot surface and its variability (bare soil and over/under residue layer) among and within the plots. Preliminary results corresponding to the first campaign 2016-2017 are presented. REFERENCES: J. Calatrava, J.A. Franco. 2011. Using pruning residues as mulch: Analysis of its adoption and process of diffusion in Southern Spain olive orchards. Journal of Environmental Management 92, 620-629. M. Prosdocimi, P. Tarolli, A. Cerdà. 2016. Mulching practices for

  16. Discourse Types in Canadian Basal Reading Programs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Murphy, Sharon

    This study examined the authorship and discourse types of Canadian basal anthologies to determine whether the lingering centrality of the basal anthology in Canadian programs controls students and teachers by controlling language and reading. Each selection within five Canadian basal series (Gage Expressways II, Ginn Journeys, Holt Impressions,…

  17. The Ideological Orientations of Canadian University Professors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nakhaie, M. Reza; Brym, Robert J.

    2011-01-01

    This paper analyzes the ideological orientations of Canadian university professors based on a unique 2000 study of a representative sample of Canadian academics (n=3,318). After summarizing methodological problems with extant research on this subject, and tentatively comparing the political views of Canadian and American academics, the paper…

  18. Bioconversion of Gibberellin Fermentation Residue into Feed Supplement and Organic Fertilizer Employing Housefly (Musca domestica L.) Assisted by Corynebacterium variabile.

    PubMed

    Yang, Sen; Xie, Jiufeng; Hu, Nan; Liu, Yixiong; Zhang, Jiner; Ye, Xiaobin; Liu, Ziduo

    2015-01-01

    The accumulation of a considerable quantity of gibberellin fermentation residue (GFR) during gibberellic acid A3 (GA3) production not only results in the waste of many resources, but also poses a potential hazard to the environment, indicating that the safe treatment of GFR has become an urgent issue for GA3 industry. The key to recycle GFR is converting it into an available resource and removing the GA3 residue. To this end, we established a co-bioconversion process in this study using house fly larvae (HFL) and microbes (Corynebacterium variabile) to convert GFR into insect biomass and organic fertilizer. About 85.5% GA3 in the GFR was removed under the following optimized solid-state fermentation conditions: 60% GFR, 40% rice straw powder, pH 8.5 and 6 days at 26 °C. A total of 371 g housefly larvae meal and 2,064 g digested residue were bio-converted from 3,500 g raw GFR mixture contaning1, 400 g rice straw in the unit of (calculated) dry matter. HFL meal derived from GFR contained 56.4% protein, 21.6% fat, and several essential amino acids, suggesting that it is a potential alternative animal feed protein source. Additionally, the digested GFR could be utilized as an organic fertilizer with a content of 3.2% total nitrogen, 2.0% inorganic phosphorus, 1.3% potassium and 91.5% organic matter. This novel GFR bio-conversion method can mitigate potential environmental pollution and recycle the waste resources.

  19. Bioconversion of Gibberellin Fermentation Residue into Feed Supplement and Organic Fertilizer Employing Housefly (Musca domestica L.) Assisted by Corynebacterium variabile

    PubMed Central

    Yang, Sen; Xie, Jiufeng; Hu, Nan; Liu, Yixiong; Zhang, Jiner; Ye, Xiaobin; Liu, Ziduo

    2015-01-01

    The accumulation of a considerable quantity of gibberellin fermentation residue (GFR) during gibberellic acid A3 (GA3) production not only results in the waste of many resources, but also poses a potential hazard to the environment, indicating that the safe treatment of GFR has become an urgent issue for GA3 industry. The key to recycle GFR is converting it into an available resource and removing the GA3 residue. To this end, we established a co-bioconversion process in this study using house fly larvae (HFL) and microbes (Corynebacterium variabile) to convert GFR into insect biomass and organic fertilizer. About 85.5% GA3 in the GFR was removed under the following optimized solid-state fermentation conditions: 60% GFR, 40% rice straw powder, pH 8.5 and 6 days at 26°C. A total of 371g housefly larvae meal and 2,064g digested residue were bio-converted from 3,500g raw GFR mixture contaning1, 400g rice straw in the unit of (calculated) dry matter. HFL meal derived from GFR contained 56.4% protein, 21.6% fat, and several essential amino acids, suggesting that it is a potential alternative animal feed protein source. Additionally, the digested GFR could be utilized as an organic fertilizer with a content of 3.2% total nitrogen, 2.0% inorganic phosphorus, 1.3% potassium and 91.5% organic matter. This novel GFR bio-conversion method can mitigate potential environmental pollution and recycle the waste resources. PMID:25992605

  20. How Can 29 Colleges/Institutes/School Boards Collaborate Nationally? Lessons Learned from CAMPE-CARS Collaboration in the Automotive Sector. An Association of Canadian Community Colleges Sponsored Sectoral Case Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    2001

    This paper reports on the status of collaboration and cooperation in the Canadian automotive industry, specifically between the Canadian Association of Motive Power Educators (CAMPE) and the Canadian Automotive Repair and Service (CARS) Council. Together, these two organizations aim to address many of the core labor market issues that have plagued…

  1. Representations of Language Education in Canadian Newspapers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vessey, Rachelle

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the salience and content of representations of language education in a corpus of English- and French-Canadian newspapers. Findings suggest that English-Canadian newspapers foreground official-language education issues, in which public schools are represented as the primary means by which Canadians can gain equal access to…

  2. Trends in Canadian School Finance.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Atherton, Peter J.

    The great similarity between the Canadian and American structures of school finance conceals some fundamental, constitutional, and structural differences that shape the trends in Canadian school finance. First, provincial governments exercise a high degree of centralized control over education and its finance. Second, provincial governments have…

  3. Analysis of core-periphery organization in protein contact networks reveals groups of structurally and functionally critical residues.

    PubMed

    Isaac, Arnold Emerson; Sinha, Sitabhra

    2015-10-01

    The representation of proteins as networks of interacting amino acids, referred to as protein contact networks (PCN), and their subsequent analyses using graph theoretic tools, can provide novel insights into the key functional roles of specific groups of residues. We have characterized the networks corresponding to the native states of 66 proteins (belonging to different families) in terms of their core-periphery organization. The resulting hierarchical classification of the amino acid constituents of a protein arranges the residues into successive layers - having higher core order - with increasing connection density, ranging from a sparsely linked periphery to a densely intra-connected core (distinct from the earlier concept of protein core defined in terms of the three-dimensional geometry of the native state, which has least solvent accessibility). Our results show that residues in the inner cores are more conserved than those at the periphery. Underlining the functional importance of the network core, we see that the receptor sites for known ligand molecules of most proteins occur in the innermost core. Furthermore, the association of residues with structural pockets and cavities in binding or active sites increases with the core order. From mutation sensitivity analysis, we show that the probability of deleterious or intolerant mutations also increases with the core order. We also show that stabilization centre residues are in the innermost cores, suggesting that the network core is critically important in maintaining the structural stability of the protein. A publicly available Web resource for performing core-periphery analysis of any protein whose native state is known has been made available by us at http://www.imsc.res.in/ ~sitabhra/proteinKcore/index.html.

  4. Canadian physicians' attitudes about and preferences regarding clinical practice guidelines

    PubMed Central

    Hayward, R S; Guyatt, G H; Moore, K A; McKibbon, K A; Carter, A O

    1997-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assess Canadian physicians' confidence in, attitudes about and preferences regarding clinical practice guidelines. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, self-administered mailed survey. PARTICIPANTS: Stratified random sample of 3000 Canadian physicians; 1878 (62.6%) responded. SETTING: Canada. OUTCOME MEASURES: Physicians' use of various information sources; familiarity with and confidence in guidelines; attitudes about guidelines and their effect on medical care; rating of importance of guidelines and other sources of information in clinical decision-making; rating of importance of various considerations in deciding whether to adopt a set of guidelines; and rating of usefulness of different formats for presenting guidelines. MAIN RESULTS: In all, 52% of the respondents reported using guidelines at least monthly, substantially less frequently than traditional information sources. Most of the respondents expressed confidence in guidelines issued by various physician organizations, but 51% to 77% were not confident in guidelines issued by federal or provincial health ministries or by health insurance plans. The respondents were generally positive about guidelines (e.g., over 50% strongly agreed that they are a convenient source of advice and good educational tools); however, 22% to 26% had concerns about loss of autonomy, the rigidity of guidelines and decreased satisfaction with medical practice. Endorsement by respected colleagues or major organizations was identified as very important by 78% and 62% of the respondents respectively in deciding whether to adopt a set of guidelines in their practice. User friendliness of the guidelines format was thought to be very important by 62%; short pamphlets, manuals summarizing a number of guidelines, journal articles and pocket cards summarizing guidelines were the preferred formats (identified as most useful by 50% to 62% of the respondents). CONCLUSIONS: Canadian physicians, although generally positive about guidelines

  5. Canadian physicians' attitudes about and preferences regarding clinical practice guidelines.

    PubMed

    Hayward, R S; Guyatt, G H; Moore, K A; McKibbon, K A; Carter, A O

    1997-06-15

    To assess Canadian physicians' confidence in, attitudes about and preferences regarding clinical practice guidelines. Cross-sectional, self-administered mailed survey. Stratified random sample of 3000 Canadian physicians; 1878 (62.6%) responded. Canada. Physicians' use of various information sources; familiarity with and confidence in guidelines; attitudes about guidelines and their effect on medical care; rating of importance of guidelines and other sources of information in clinical decision-making; rating of importance of various considerations in deciding whether to adopt a set of guidelines; and rating of usefulness of different formats for presenting guidelines. In all, 52% of the respondents reported using guidelines at least monthly, substantially less frequently than traditional information sources. Most of the respondents expressed confidence in guidelines issued by various physician organizations, but 51% to 77% were not confident in guidelines issued by federal or provincial health ministries or by health insurance plans. The respondents were generally positive about guidelines (e.g., over 50% strongly agreed that they are a convenient source of advice and good educational tools); however, 22% to 26% had concerns about loss of autonomy, the rigidity of guidelines and decreased satisfaction with medical practice. Endorsement by respected colleagues or major organizations was identified as very important by 78% and 62% of the respondents respectively in deciding whether to adopt a set of guidelines in their practice. User friendliness of the guidelines format was thought to be very important by 62%; short pamphlets, manuals summarizing a number of guidelines, journal articles and pocket cards summarizing guidelines were the preferred formats (identified as most useful by 50% to 62% of the respondents). Canadian physicians, although generally positive about guidelines and confident in those developed by clinicians, have not yet integrated the use of

  6. Effect of hydrogen peroxide on antibacterial activities of Canadian honeys.

    PubMed

    Brudzynski, Katrina

    2006-12-01

    Honey is recognized as an efficacious topical antimicrobial agent in the treatment of burns and wounds. The antimicrobial activity in some honeys depends on the endogenous hydrogen peroxide content. This study was aimed to determine whether honey's hydrogen peroxide level could serve as a honey-specific, activity-associated biomarker that would allow predicting and assessing the therapeutic effects of honey. Using a broth microdilution assay, I analyzed antibacterial activities of 42 Canadian honeys against two bacterial strains: Escherichia coli (ATCC 14948) and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633). The MIC90 and MIC50 were established from the dose-response relationship between antibacterial activities and honey concentrations. The impact of H2O2 on antibacterial activity was determined (i) by measuring the levels of H2O2 before and after its removal by catalase and (ii) by correlating the results with levels of antibacterial activities. Canadian honeys demonstrated moderate to high antibacterial activity against both bacterial species. Both MIC90 and MIC50 revealed that the honeys exhibited a selective growth inhibitory activity against E. coli, and this activity was strongly influenced by endogenous H2O2 concentrations. Bacillus subtilis activity was marginally significantly correlated with H2O2 content. The removal of H2O2 by catalase reduced the honeys' antibacterial activity, but the enzyme was unable to completely decompose endogenous H2O2. The 25%-30% H2O2 "leftover" was significantly correlated with the honeys' residual antibacterial activity against E. coli. These data indicate that all Canadian honeys exhibited antibacterial activity, with higher selectivity against E. coli than B. subtilis, and that these antibacterial activities were correlated with hydrogen peroxide production in honeys. Hydrogen peroxide levels in honey, therefore, is a strong predictor of the honey's antibacterial activity.

  7. Deep Residual Network Predicts Cortical Representation and Organization of Visual Features for Rapid Categorization.

    PubMed

    Wen, Haiguang; Shi, Junxing; Chen, Wei; Liu, Zhongming

    2018-02-28

    The brain represents visual objects with topographic cortical patterns. To address how distributed visual representations enable object categorization, we established predictive encoding models based on a deep residual network, and trained them to predict cortical responses to natural movies. Using this predictive model, we mapped human cortical representations to 64,000 visual objects from 80 categories with high throughput and accuracy. Such representations covered both the ventral and dorsal pathways, reflected multiple levels of object features, and preserved semantic relationships between categories. In the entire visual cortex, object representations were organized into three clusters of categories: biological objects, non-biological objects, and background scenes. In a finer scale specific to each cluster, object representations revealed sub-clusters for further categorization. Such hierarchical clustering of category representations was mostly contributed by cortical representations of object features from middle to high levels. In summary, this study demonstrates a useful computational strategy to characterize the cortical organization and representations of visual features for rapid categorization.

  8. It Happens, Just Not to Me: Hazing on a Canadian University Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Massey, Kyle D.; Massey, Jennifer

    2017-01-01

    Research on hazing in higher education has primarily focused on Greek-letter organizations and athletes, with little research beyond these two subsets of college students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the attitudes of students from the general student population at a Canadian university with regard to hazing and identify…

  9. Lead levels in Canadian children: Do we have to review the standard?

    PubMed Central

    Tsekrekos, Stephen N; Buka, Irena

    2005-01-01

    Research indicates that the blood lead levels that were once considered safe can adversely affect the neurodevelopment of children. The purpose of the present article is to review issues surrounding lead exposure in Canadian children, including sources, chronic low levels of exposure, and recommendations for prevention. Information was obtained through searches of MEDLINE and Web of Science using a combination of: “Canada” or “Canadian” plus “child” or “paediatrics” plus “lead” or “lead poisoning” or “blood lead”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data and American peer-reviewed literature were also used. On-line Health Canada advisories (available since 1995), as well as relevant reports from nongovernmental organization and the media, were reviewed. The present review found that there has been limited surveillance of blood lead levels of Canadian children and, mainly, among high-risk groups. Harmful health effects may occur below the current standards and the threat of lead in consumer products remains. The current regulation seems to be inadequate to protect Canadian children. PMID:19668617

  10. Effect of O horizon and Forest Harvest Residue Manipulations on Soil Organic Matter Content and Composition of a Loblolly Pine Plantation in the Southeastern United States

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hatten, J.; Mack, J.; Dewey, J.; Sucre, E.; Leggett, Z.

    2012-04-01

    Forest harvest residues and forest floor materials are significant sources of mineral soil organic matter and nutrients for regenerating and establishing forests. Harvest residues in particular are occasionally removed, piled, or burned following harvesting. While the forest floor is never purposely removed during operational harvesting and site preparation, they could become in high demand as bioenergy markets develop. Weyerhaeuser Company established an experimental study to evaluate the effect of forest-floor manipulation on site productivity and soil carbon. This study was installed in a loblolly pine plantation near Millport, Alabama, USA on the Upper Gulf Coastal Plain to test both extremes from complete removal of harvest residues and forest floor to doubling of these materials. This study has been continuously monitored since its establishment in 1994. We have examined the effects of varying forest floor levels on the biomass, soil carbon content, and soil carbon composition in the context of these management activities. Above- and below-ground productivity, soil moisture, soil temperature, and nutrient dynamics have been related to soil organic carbon in mineral soil size/density fractionation and lignin and cutin biomarkers from the cupric oxide (CuO) oxidation technique. We have found that while removing litter and harvest residues has little effect on biomass production and soil carbon, importing litter and harvest residues increases forest productivity and soil carbon content. Interestingly, increased carbon was observed in all depths assessed (O horizon, 0-20, 20-40, and 40-60cm) suggesting that this practice may sequester organic carbon in deep soil horizons. Our biomarker analysis indicated that importing litter and harvest residues increased relative contributions from above ground sources at the 20-40cm depth and increased relative contributions from belowground sources at the 40-60cm depth. These results suggest that organic matter manipulations

  11. Political Socialization Research and Canadian Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tomkins, George S.

    1977-01-01

    Presents a review of the burgeoning field of Canadian political socialization research as it applies to children and youth, and considers some implications of recent findings for the Canadian studies curriculum. (Editor)

  12. Differences in Causal Estimates from Longitudinal Analyses of Residualized versus Simple Gain Scores: Contrasting Controls for Selection and Regression Artifacts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larzelere, Robert E.; Ferrer, Emilio; Kuhn, Brett R.; Danelia, Ketevan

    2010-01-01

    This study estimates the causal effects of six corrective actions for children's problem behaviors, comparing four types of longitudinal analyses that correct for pre-existing differences in a cohort of 1,464 4- and 5-year-olds from Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY) data. Analyses of residualized gain scores found…

  13. Directory of Canadian Universities, 1977.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Statistics Canada, Ottawa (Ontario). Education, Science, and Culture Div.

    Information about the colleges and universities of Canada is presented in this twentieth edition of the Directory of Canadian Universities for 1977. The history and development of the Canadian system of higher education is discussed in an introductory article that focuses on changes in the structure, governance, students, curriculum, and…

  14. Influence of biochar and plant growth on organic matter dynamics in a reclaimed mine residue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno-Barriga, Fabián; Díaz, Vicente; Alberto, Jose; Faz, Ángel; Zornoza, Raúl

    2016-04-01

    This study aims at assessing the impact of biochar and marble waste amendment and the development of vegetation in acidic mine wastes on organic matter dynamics. For this purpose, a mine residue was collected in a tailing pond from the Sierra Minera of Cartagena-La Unión (SE Spain), and a greenhouse experiment was established for 120 days. Marble waste (MW) was added in a rate of 200 g kg-1 as a source of calcium carbonate to increase the pH from 3 to 7.5-8 (average pH in the native soils of the area). We added biochar as a source of organic carbon and nutrients, in two different rates, 50 g kg-1 (BC1) and 100 g kg-1 (BC2). To assess the influence of vegetation growth on the creation of a technosoil from mine residues and its impact on organic matter dynamics, the plant species Piptatherum miliaceum (PM) was planted in half the pots with the different amendments. Thus, five treatments were established: unamended and unplanted control (CT), BC1, BC2, BC1+PM and BC2+PM. Results showed that the different treatments had no significant effect on aggregates stability, microbial biomass carbon and the emission of N2O and CH4. So, it seems that longer periods are needed to increase the stability of aggregates and microbial populations, since even the combined use of biochar, marble waste and vegetation was not enough to increase these properties in 120 days. Nonetheless, it was positive that the addition of biochar and the release of root exudates did not trigger the emission of greenhouse gases. Organic carbon significantly increased with the addition of biochar, with values similar to the dose applied, indicating high stability and low mineralization of the amendment. The addition of amendments significantly increased arylesterase activity, while the growth of the plant was needed to significantly increase β-glucosidase activity. The soluble carbon significantly decreased in BC1 and BC2 with regards to CT, while no significant differences were observed among CT and

  15. Australian and Canadian mental health Acts compared.

    PubMed

    Gray, John Ellery; McSherry, Bernadette Maree; O'Reilly, Richard L; Weller, Penelope June

    2010-12-01

    The main objective of this paper is to compare the mental health Acts of the eight Australian jurisdictions and the 13 Canadian jurisdictions on three major issues: involuntary admission criteria, treatment authorization/consent and compulsory treatment in the community, in the light of international trends towards patients' rights. The legislation was examined against the background of rights instruments such as the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It was found that some Canadian involuntary admission criteria require the likelihood of bodily harm whereas all Australian Acts have broad harm and deterioration criteria. Unlike all Australian jurisdictions, some Canadian jurisdictions allow for the refusal of treatment that may be required for discharge. In addition, Canadian community treatment orders are much more restrictive than in Australia because they require a person to have considerable previous hospitalization despite meeting the committal criteria. Australian jurisdictions can use community treatment orders as a least restrictive alternative to inpatient status without prior hospitalization. The paper concludes that there are significant philosophical differences regarding the purpose of involuntary admission between Australian and some Canadian jurisdictions where treatment refusal is possible. Australian mental health Acts have a relatively stronger 'treatment' focus than some Canadian Acts. The apparently stronger 'rights' focus of some Canadian laws (such as the permission of treatment refusal) can paradoxically result in a denial of liberty rights. The way in which the relevant legislation is shaped in both countries will increasingly be affected by international trends towards the rights of individuals with disabilities.

  16. Involved Node, Site, Field and Residual Volume Radiotherapy for Lymphoma: A Comparison of Organ at Risk Dosimetry and Second Malignancy Risks.

    PubMed

    Murray, L; Sethugavalar, B; Robertshaw, H; Bayman, E; Thomas, E; Gilson, D; Prestwich, R J D

    2015-07-01

    Recent radiotherapy guidelines for lymphoma have included involved site radiotherapy (ISRT), involved node radiotherapy (INRT) and irradiation of residual volume after full-course chemotherapy. In the absence of late toxicity data, we aim to compare organ at risk (OAR) dose-metrics and calculated second malignancy risks. Fifteen consecutive patients who had received mediastinal radiotherapy were included. Four radiotherapy plans were generated for each patient using a parallel pair photon technique: (i) involved field radiotherapy (IFRT), (ii) ISRT, (iii) INRT, (iv) residual post-chemotherapy volume. The radiotherapy dose was 30 Gy in 15 fractions. The OARs evaluated were: breasts, lungs, thyroid, heart, oesophagus. Relative and absolute second malignancy rates were estimated using the concept of organ equivalent dose. Significance was defined as P < 0.005. Compared with ISRT, IFRT significantly increased doses to lung, thyroid, heart and oesophagus, whereas INRT and residual volume techniques significantly reduced doses to all OARs. The relative risks of second cancers were significantly higher with IFRT compared with ISRT for lung, breast and thyroid; INRT and residual volume resulted in significantly lower relative risks compared with ISRT for lung, breast and thyroid. The median excess absolute risks of second cancers were consistently lowest for the residual technique and highest for IFRT in terms of thyroid, lung and breast cancers. The risk of oesophageal cancer was similar for all four techniques. Overall, the absolute risk of second cancers was very similar for ISRT and INRT. Decreasing treatment volumes from IFRT to ISRT, INRT or residual volume reduces radiation exposure to OARs. Second malignancy modelling suggests that this reduction in treatment volumes will lead to a reduction in absolute excess second malignancy. Little difference was observed in second malignancy risks between ISRT and INRT, supporting the use of ISRT in the absence of a pre

  17. Review of Canadian Light Source facilities for biological applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grochulski, Pawel; Fodje, Michel; Labiuk, Shaun; Wysokinski, Tomasz W.; Belev, George; Korbas, Malgorzata; Rosendahl, Scott M.

    2017-11-01

    The newly-created Biological and Life Sciences Department at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) encompasses four sets of beamlines devoted to biological studies ranging in scope from the atomic scale to cells, tissues and whole organisms. The Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF) consists of two beamlines devoted primarily to crystallographic studies of proteins and other macromolecules. The Mid-Infrared Spectromicroscopy (Mid-IR) beamline focusses on using infrared energy to obtain biochemical, structural and dynamical information about biological systems. The Bio-Medical Imaging and Therapy (BMIT) facility consists of two beamlines devoted to advanced imaging and X-ray therapy techniques. The Biological X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (BioXAS) facility is being commissioned and houses three beamlines devoted to X-ray absorption spectroscopy and multi-mode X-ray fluorescence imaging. Together, these beamlines provide CLS Users with a powerful array of techniques to study today's most pressing biological questions. We describe these beamlines along with their current powerful features and envisioned future capabilities.

  18. Scenario modeling potential eco-efficiency gains from a transition to organic agriculture: life cycle perspectives on Canadian canola, corn, soy, and wheat production.

    PubMed

    Pelletier, N; Arsenault, N; Tyedmers, P

    2008-12-01

    We used Life Cycle Assessment to scenario model the potential reductions in cumulative energy demand (both fossil and renewable) and global warming, acidifying, and ozone-depleting emissions associated with a hypothetical national transition from conventional to organic production of four major field crops [canola (Brassica rapa), corn (Zea mays), soy (Glycine max), and wheat (Triticum aestivum)] in Canada. Models of these systems were constructed using a combination of census data, published values, and the requirements for organic production described in the Canadian National Organic Standards in order to be broadly representative of the similarities and differences that characterize these disparate production technologies. Our results indicate that organic crop production would consume, on average, 39% as much energy and generate 77% of the global warming emissions, 17% of the ozone-depleting emissions, and 96% of the acidifying emissions associated with current national production of these crops. These differences were almost exclusively due to the differences in fertilizers used in conventional and organic farming and were most strongly influenced by the higher cumulative energy demand and emissions associated with producing conventional nitrogen fertilizers compared to the green manure production used for biological nitrogen fixation in organic agriculture. Overall, we estimate that a total transition to organic production of these crops in Canada would reduce national energy consumption by 0.8%, global warming emissions by 0.6%, and acidifying emissions by 1.0% but have a negligible influence on reducing ozone-depleting emissions.

  19. "Canadianizing" an American Communication Textbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maclennan, Jennifer M.

    2000-01-01

    Presents a study on the process involved in the "Canadianization" of U.S. textbooks for the domestic market. Explores whether disciplinary values have been shaped by the United States in the field of communication. Focuses on the experience of developing the Canadian edition of the book "Public Speaking: Strategies for Success"…

  20. The Canadian Dermatology Workforce Survey: implications for the future of Canadian dermatology--who will be your skin expert?

    PubMed

    Maguiness, Sheilagh; Searles, Gordon E; From, Lynn; Swiggum, Susan

    2004-01-01

    To survey Canadian dermatologists for specialty-specific physician resource information including demographics, workload and future career plans. In 2001, the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) surveyed 555 dermatologists in Canada to gain specialty-specific physician resource information. Three hundred and seventy-one dermatologists (69%) provided information about themselves, their workloads and their future career goals. The average Canadian dermatologist is 52 years old and 35% of practicing dermatologists are over the age of 55. Eighty-nine percent of dermatologists practice in an urban setting, 19% include practice in a rural setting while less than 0.5% practice in remote areas. Canadian dermatologists spend 61% of their clinical time providing services in Medical Dermatology. Within 5 years, 50% of dermatologists reported that they plan to reduce their practices or retire. The Canadian Dermatology Workforce Survey provides a snapshot of the current practice of dermatology in Canada. It also serves to highlight the critical shortage of dermatologists, which will continue to worsen without immediate, innovative planning for the future.

  1. Canadian Domestic and International Satellite Communications Conference, 1st, Ottawa, Canada, June 14-17, 1983, Proceedings

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Feher, K.

    Topics discussed include highlights of Canadian and US communication-satellite developments, video teleconferencing, modulation/system studies, organization/interface tradeoffs, Canadian satellite programs, performance monitoring techniques, spread spectrum satcom systems, social and educational satellite services, atmospheric/navigational satcom systems, TDMA systems, and Teleglobe/Intelsat and Inmarsat programs. Consideration is also given to SCPC developments, TV and program reception, earth station components, European satcom systems, TCTS/CNCP satellite communications services, satellite designs, coding techniques, Japanese satellite systems, network developments, the ANIK user workshop, industrial/business systems, and satellite antenna technology.

  2. The 2 × 2 model of perfectionism: a comparison across Asian Canadians and European Canadians.

    PubMed

    Franche, Véronique; Gaudreau, Patrick; Miranda, Dave

    2012-10-01

    The 2 × 2 model of perfectionism posits that the 4 within-person combinations of self-oriented and socially prescribed perfectionism (i.e., pure SOP, mixed perfectionism, pure SPP, and nonperfectionism) can be distinctively associated with psychological adjustment. This study examined whether the relationship between the 4 subtypes of perfectionism proposed in the 2 × 2 model (Gaudreau & Thompson, 2010) and academic outcomes (i.e., academic satisfaction and grade-point average [GPA]) differed across 2 sociocultural groups: Asian Canadians and European Canadians. A sample of 697 undergraduate students (23% Asian Canadians) completed self-report measures of dispositional perfectionism, academic satisfaction, and GPA. Results replicated most of the 2 × 2 model's hypotheses on ratings of GPA, thus supporting that nonperfectionism was associated with lower GPA than pure SOP (Hypothesis 1a) but with higher GPA than pure SPP (Hypothesis 2). Results also showed that mixed perfectionism was related to higher GPA than pure SPP (Hypothesis 3) but to similar levels as pure SOP, thus disproving Hypothesis 4. Furthermore, results provided evidence for cross-cultural differences in academic satisfaction. While all 4 hypotheses were supported among European Canadians, only Hypotheses 1a and 3 were supported among Asian Canadians. Future lines of research are discussed in light of the importance of acknowledging the role of culture when studying the influence of dispositional perfectionism on academic outcomes. (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved.

  3. Canadian Families (Les Familles Canadiennes).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vanier Inst. of the Family, Ottawa (Ontario).

    Structural changes that have taken place in Canadian families in recent decades are described in this booklet. Topical sections are as follows: (1) What Counts in Canadian Families (importance of (importance of family); (2) The Family--Variations on a Theme origins, family structure, seniors aged 60 and over, how lives are spent, religion); (3)…

  4. Western University (No. 10 Canadian Stationary Hospital and No. 14 Canadian General Hospital): a study of medical volunteerism in the First World War.

    PubMed

    Istl, Alexandra C; McAlister, Vivian C

    2016-12-01

    The Canadian government depended on chaotic civilian volunteerism to staff a huge medical commitment during the First World War. Offers from Canadian universities to raise, staff and equip hospitals for deployment, initially rejected, were incrementally accepted as casualties mounted. When its offer was accepted in 1916, Western University Hospital quickly adopted military decorum and equipped itself using Canadian Red Cross Commission guidelines. Staff of the No. 10 Canadian Stationary Hospital and the No. 14 Canadian General Hospital retained excellent morale throughout the war despite heavy medical demand, poor conditions, aerial bombardment and external medical politics. The overwhelming majority of volunteers were Canadian-born and educated. The story of the hospital's commanding officer, Edwin Seaborn, is examined to understand the background upon which the urge to volunteer in the First World War was based. Although many Western volunteers came from British stock, they promoted Canadian independence. A classical education and a broad range of interests outside of medicine, including biology, history and native Canadian culture, were features that Seaborn shared with other leaders in Canadian medicine, such as William Osler, who also volunteered quickly in the First World War.

  5. Canadian guidelines for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis

    PubMed Central

    Kaplan, Alan

    2014-01-01

    Objective To provide a clinical summary of the Canadian clinical practice guidelines for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis (ABRS) that includes relevant considerations for family physicians. Quality of evidence Guideline authors performed a systematic literature search and drafted recommendations. Recommendations received both strength of evidence and strength of recommendation ratings. Input from external content experts was sought, as was endorsement from Canadian medical societies (Association of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease Canada, Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Canadian Society of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery, Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians, and the Family Physicians Airways Group of Canada). Main message Diagnosis of ABRS is based on the presence of specific symptoms and their duration; imaging or culture are not needed in uncomplicated cases. Treatment is dependent on symptom severity, with intranasal corticosteroids (INCSs) recommended as monotherapy for mild and moderate cases, although the benefit might be modest. Use of INCSs plus antibiotics is reserved for patients who fail to respond to INCSs after 72 hours, and for initial treatment of patients with severe symptoms. Antibiotic selection must account for the suspected pathogen, the risk of resistance, comorbid conditions, and local antimicrobial resistance trends. Adjunct therapies such as nasal saline irrigation are recommended. Failure to respond to treatment, recurrent episodes, and signs of complications should prompt referral to an otolaryngologist. The guidelines address situations unique to the Canadian health care environment, including actions to take during prolonged wait periods for specialist referral or imaging. Conclusion The Canadian guidelines provide up-to-date recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of ABRS that reflect an evolving understanding of the disease. In addition, the guidelines offer useful tools to help

  6. Biochemical stability of organic matter in soils amended with organic slow N-release fertilizer derived from charred plant residues and ammonoxidized lignin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Knicker, Heike; de la Rosa, José Maria; López Martín, María; Clemente Barragan, Reyes; Liebner, Falk

    2013-04-01

    As an important plant nutrient, N that has been removed from the soil by plant growth is replaced mainly by the use of synthetic fertilizers. Although this practice has dramatically increased food production, the unintended costs to the environment and human health due to surplus and inefficient application have also been substantial. Major losses of N to the environment can be minimized if "sustainable" agricultural practices are combined with reasonable fertilization. The latter can be achieved by applying slow N-release fertilizers. Here, the N is incorporated into an organic matrix, which after its amendment to soils, slowly decompose, allowing the liberation of the nutrient. Deriving from organic waste, such an amendment helps to efficiently recycle resources and increases the C sequestration potential of soils. However, in order to turn this approach into a successful strategy, the material has to be bioavailable but still sufficiently recalcitrant to ensure slow and controlled N-release. In the present study, we tested potential slow N-release fertilizers recycled from organic waste for their biochemical stability in soils. They comprised N-rich charred grass residues and N-lignin derived from waste of the pulp and paper industry and enriched in N by ammonoxidation. The substrates were mixed with soil of an Histic Humaquept and subsequently subjected to microbial degradation at 28°C in a Respicond IV Apparatus for 10 weeks. Additionally, soil material without organic amendment and soils mixed with lignin or charcoal both with and without KNO3 were included into the experiment. During the degradation experiment the CO2 production was determined on an hourly base. The degradation rate constants and the mean residence times were calculated using a double exponential decay model (pools with fast and slow turnover). Alterations of the chemical composition of the organic matter during degradation were studied by solid-state 13C NMR spectroscopy. First results

  7. The mental health of Canadian transgender youth compared with the Canadian population

    PubMed Central

    Veale, Jaimie F.; Watson, Ryan J.; Peter, Tracey; Saewyc, Elizabeth M.

    2017-01-01

    Objectives This study documents the prevalence of mental health concerns among Canadian transgender youth and makes comparisons with cisgender or mostly-cisgender population-based studies. This study also compares gender identity subgroups (transgender girls/women, boys/men, and non-binary) and age subgroups (14–18 year olds and 19–25 year olds) on mental health outcomes. Methods A nonprobability sample of 923 transgender youth from across Canada completed a bilingual online survey. Participants were recruited through community organizations, healthcare settings, social media, and the researchers’ networks. Mental health measures were drawn from the British Columbia Adolescent Health Survey and the Canadian Community Health Survey. Results Transgender youth had a higher risk of reporting psychological distress, self-harm, major depressive episode, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. Risk ratios ranged from 3.8 to 16.1. Transgender boys/men and non-binary youth were most likely to report self-harm and non-binary youth also reported lower overall mental health. Rates of self-harm and suicide were lower in the 19–25 age group than the 14–18 age group, but reported overall mental health was the same across these age groups. Conclusions Although a notable minority of transgender youth reported good mental health, this study shows the mental health disparities faced by transgender youth in Canada are considerable. Policy Implications These findings underscore the need for policies and laws protecting transgender people from discrimination, training for transgender competency for mental healthcare providers, providers, and further development of transgender-specific interventions to promote positive mental health and reduce mental health problems among transgender youth. PMID:28007056

  8. Effect of different kinds of crop residues on aggregate-protected soil organic matter fractions.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Huisz, A.

    2009-04-01

    Organic matter content of soils determines many important soil properties, such as soil structure, fertility and water-management. To improve its fertility and quality, returning different kinds of organic matter to soil has a long historical tradition. Ameliorating of soil and enhancing its fertility by enhancing its carbon stock with organic matter incorporation (like farmyard manure, crop residues or green manure) are general practices, but the extent of the amelioration depends much on several factors such as quantity, quality of the used organic matters. Quality of soil organic matters is affected by their chemical build-up, which differs by their origin (i.e. plant species); and their decomposability is affected by particle-size, protection by soil aggregates and the extent of their association to mineral surfaces. In our paper we investigated the effect of three different kinds of organic matter incorporation on aggregate-protected organic matter fractions: (1) Maize stem (M), (2) Wheat straw (W), and (3) Maize stem & Wheat straw (MW). Our samples were originated from Keszthely, Western Hungary, where the texture of the investigated soil is Sandy loam, the type of soil is Eutric Cambisol (soil type FAO), or Alfisol (soil type USDA). SOM fractions might be isolated and measured by physical fractionation of soil (Cambardella and Elliott (1992), Jensen et al. (1992)). Firstly, microaggregates were separated according to their particle-size with physical fractionation (i.e. wet sieving) (Six et al. (2000a)). Each sample was pre-treated by capillary wetting and was sieved for 2 min in an analytic sieve shaker machine with the following aperture sizes: 2 mm, 250 μm, 53 μm. Therefore 4 fractions were resulted: (1) the >2000 μm large macro-, (2) the 250-2000 μm small macro-, (3) the 53-250 μm microaggregates, and (4) the

  9. Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons/Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery Joint Position Statement on Open and Endovascular Surgery for Thoracic Aortic Disease.

    PubMed

    Appoo, Jehangir J; Bozinovski, John; Chu, Michael W A; El-Hamamsy, Ismail; Forbes, Thomas L; Moon, Michael; Ouzounian, Maral; Peterson, Mark D; Tittley, Jacques; Boodhwani, Munir

    2016-06-01

    In 2014, the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) published a position statement on the management of thoracic aortic disease addressing size thresholds for surgery, imaging modalities, medical therapy, and genetics. It did not address issues related to surgical intervention. This joint Position Statement on behalf of the CCS, Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons, and the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery provides recommendations about thoracic aortic disease interventions, including: aortic valve repair, perfusion strategies for arch repair, extended arch hybrid reconstruction for acute type A dissection, endovascular management of arch and descending aortic aneurysms, and type B dissection. The position statement is constructed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology, and has been approved by the primary panel, an international secondary panel, and the CCS Guidelines Committee. Advent of endovascular technology has improved aortic surgery safety and extended the indications of minimally invasive thoracic aortic surgery. The combination of safer open surgery with endovascular treatment has improved patient outcomes in this rapidly evolving subspecialty field of cardiovascular surgery. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Dioxins/furans and PCBs in Canadian human milk: 2008-2011.

    PubMed

    Rawn, Dorothea F K; Sadler, Amy R; Casey, Valerie A; Breton, François; Sun, Wing-Fung; Arbuckle, Tye E; Fraser, William D

    2017-10-01

    Human milk was collected between 2008 and 2011 as part of the Maternal - Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study that was initiated to establish Canadian national estimates of maternal and infant exposure to a broad suite of environmental contaminants (e.g., persistent organic pollutants [POPs], trace elements, phthalates, etc.). Among the 1017 human milk samples collected, 298 were analysed for polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). World Health Organization (WHO) toxic equivalency concentrations (WHO TEQ 2005 ) for PCDD/F+dioxin-like (DL) PCB ranged from 2.2pg TEQ 2005 g -1 lipid to 27pg TEQ 2005 g -1 lipid. The relative contribution of PCDDs to the overall WHO TEQ 2005 (PCDD/F+DL PCB) has decreased from earlier investigations into POP levels in Canadian human milk. Significantly higher PCB concentrations were observed in milk from women born in Europe relative to those born in Canada (p<0.001), in contrast to results for the PCDD/Fs (p=0.496). Age was found to significantly impact milk ∑PCB concentrations (p=0.018), with elevated concentrations observed in milk from women >30years relative to those <30years of age. While this trend was also observed for the PCDD/Fs, this relationship was impacted by parity. WHO TEQ 2005 concentrations were significantly higher in milk from primiparous women (p=0.019) and those >30years relative to those <30years of age (p<0.001). No significant differences were associated with education level or pre-pregnancy body mass index. PCB and PCDD/F concentrations have continued to decline in Canadian human milk since the last sampling of human milk was performed. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Organ donation after medical assistance in dying or cessation of life-sustaining treatment requested by conscious patients: the Canadian context.

    PubMed

    Allard, Julie; Fortin, Marie-Chantal

    2017-09-01

    In June 2016, following the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada to decriminalise assistance in dying, the Canadian government enacted Bill C-14, legalising medical assistance in dying (MAID). In 2014, the province of Quebec had passed end-of-life care legislation making MAID available as of December 2015. The availability of MAID has many implications, including the possibility of combining this practice with organ donation through the controlled donation after cardiac death (cDCD) protocol. cDCD most often occurs in cases where the patient has a severe neurological injury but does not meet all the criteria for brain death. The donation is subsequent to the decision to withdraw life-sustaining treatment (LST). Cases where patients are conscious prior to the withdrawal of LST are unusual, and have raised doubts as to the acceptability of removing organs from individuals who are not neurologically impaired and who have voluntarily chosen to die. These cases can be compared with likely scenarios in which patients will request both MAID and organ donation. In both instances, patients will be conscious and competent. Organ donation in such contexts raises ethical issues regarding respect for autonomy, societal pressure, conscientious objections and the dead-donor rule. In this article, we look at relevant policies in other countries and examine the ethical issues associated with cDCD in conscious patients who choose to die. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  12. Assessing determinants of maternal blood concentrations for persistent organic pollutants and metals in the eastern and western Canadian Arctic.

    PubMed

    Curren, Meredith S; Liang, Chun Lei; Davis, Karelyn; Kandola, Kami; Brewster, Janet; Potyrala, Mary; Chan, Hing Man

    2015-09-15

    Aboriginal peoples in the Canadian Arctic are exposed to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals mainly through their consumption of a traditional diet of wildlife items. Recent studies indicate that many human chemical levels have decreased in the north, likely due to a combination of reduced global chemical emissions, dietary shifts, and risk mitigation efforts by local health authorities. Body burdens for chemicals in mothers can be further offset by breastfeeding, parity, and other maternal characteristics. We have assessed the impact of several dietary and maternal covariates following a decade of awareness of the contaminant issue in northern Canada, by performing multiple stepwise linear regression analyses from blood concentrations and demographic variables for 176 mothers recruited from Nunavut and the Northwest Territories during the period 2005-2007. A significant aboriginal group effect was observed for the modeled chemicals, except for lead and cadmium, after adjusting for covariates. Further, blood concentrations for POPs and metals were significantly associated with at least one covariate of older age, fewer months spent breastfeeding, more frequent eating of traditional foods, or smoking during pregnancy. Cadmium had the highest explained variance (72.5%) from just two significant covariates (current smoking status and parity). Although Inuit participants from the Northwest Territories consumed more traditional foods in general, Inuit participants from coastal communities in Nunavut continued to demonstrate higher adjusted blood concentrations for POPs and metals examined here. While this is due in part to a higher prevalence of marine mammals in the eastern Arctic diet, it is possible that other aboriginal group effects unrelated to diet may also contribute to elevated chemical body burdens in Canadian Arctic populations. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Colluding with the Enemy?: Nationalism and Depictions of "Aboriginality" in Canadian Olympic Moments

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adese, Jennifer

    2012-01-01

    The 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic closing ceremony, the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic opening ceremony, and the 2010 Winter Olympic opening ceremony in Vancouver each placed Indigenous peoples at the heart of its expressions of regional, provincial, and Canadian national identity in one form or another. Why is it that organizing committees view…

  14. Canadian physicians’ responses to cross border health care

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    -sanctioned and patient-initiated), and how they affect the Canadian health system, can contribute to a more informed debate about the role of cross-border health care in the future, and how it might be organized and regulated. PMID:24708810

  15. Canadian physicians' responses to cross border health care.

    PubMed

    Runnels, Vivien; Labonté, Ronald; Packer, Corinne; Chaudhry, Sabrina; Adams, Owen; Blackmer, Jeff

    2014-04-03

    the Canadian health system, can contribute to a more informed debate about the role of cross-border health care in the future, and how it might be organized and regulated.

  16. Tanning equipment use: 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey.

    PubMed

    Qutob, Sami Q; O'Brien, Michelle; Feder, Katya; McNamee, James; Guay, Mireille; Than, John

    2017-01-18

    Tanning equipment use is related to the early onset of cancer, with the risk increasing as the duration and repetition of exposure increase. In 2009, the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified tanning equipment use as carcinogenic to humans, and according to the World Health Organization, the risk of skin melanoma increases significantly when use begins before age 35. The rapid response component of the 2014 Canadian Community Health Survey collected data on the use of tanning equipment in the previous 12 months, including reasons for use, frequency/duration of use, precautions taken, and adverse reactions or injuries. This analysis examines the prevalence of self-reported indoor tanning in a nationally representative sample of Canadians aged 12 or older in the 10 provinces. In 2014, 4.5% of Canadians (an estimated 1.35 million) reported that they had used tanning equipment in the past year; 70.3% of them were female, and just over half of female users were aged 18 to 34. The prevalence of indoor tanning was highest among people with some postsecondary education and among those in higher income households (trend p-value ⟨ 0.0001). Most users reported fewer than 10 sessions in the past year. The most common reason (62.0%) was to develop a "protective" base tan. Females made up the majority of tanning equipment users, particularly at ages 18 to 34. Efforts to increase awareness of the risks may be beneficial, given the high percentage of users who believed that indoor tanning offers some level of skin protection from future sun exposure.

  17. Recent trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Canadian children.

    PubMed

    Rodd, Celia; Sharma, Atul K

    2016-09-20

    Previous studies have shown an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Canadian children from 23.3% to 34.7% during 1978-2004. We examined the most recent trends by applying current definitions of overweight and obesity based on World Health Organization (WHO) body mass index (BMI) thresholds and recently validated norms for waist circumference and waist:height ratio. We examined directly measured height and weight data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2004-2005) and the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2009-2013). We calculated z scores for BMI, height and weight based on the 2014 WHO growth charts for Canada, including the new extension of weight-for-age beyond 10 years. To calculate z scores for waist circumference and waist:height ratios, we used new charts from the reference population in the US NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994). Data were available for 14 014 children aged 3-19 years for the period 2004-2013. We observed a decline in the prevalence of overweight or obesity, from 30.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 29.7% to 31.6%) to 27.0% (95% CI 25.3% to 28.7%) (p < 0.001) and stabilization in the prevalence of obesity at about 13%. These trends persisted after we adjusted for age, sex and race/ethnicity. Although they declined, the median z scores for BMI, weight and height were positive and higher than those in the WHO reference population. The z scores for waist circumference and waist:height ratio were negative, which indicated that the Canadian children had less central adiposity than American children in historic or contemporary NHANES cohorts. After a period of dramatic growth, BMI z scores and the prevalence of overweight or obesity among Canadian children decreased from 2004 to 2013, which attests to progress against this important public health challenge. © 2016 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

  18. Transnational Education -- An Opportunity and a Canadian Role

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dennis, Roger

    2013-01-01

    Transnational education is a huge growth industry and a potential source of considerable income for Canadian educational institutions. Canadian educational establishments seem to be missing out on this, and this seems short sighted. Canada has a very good reputation globally; this could be utilized when selling Canadian educational institutions in…

  19. The interactions of Canadian ethics consultants with health care managers and governing boards during times of crisis.

    PubMed

    Kaposy, Chris; Maddalena, Victor; Brunger, Fern; Pullman, Daryl; Singleton, Richard

    2017-01-01

    Health care organizations can be very complex, and are often the setting for crisis situations. In recent years, Canadian health care organizations have faced large-scale systemic medical errors, a nation-wide generic injectable drug shortage, iatrogenic infectious disease outbreaks, and myriad other crises. These situations often have an ethical component that ethics consultants may be able to address. Organizational leaders such as health care managers and governing boards have responsibilities to oversee and direct the response to crisis situations. This study investigates the nature and degree of involvement of Canadian ethics consultants in such situations. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with Canadian ethics consultants to investigate the nature of their interactions with upper-level managers and governing board members in health care organizations, particularly in times of organizational crisis. We used a purposive sampling technique to identify and recruit ethics consultants throughout Canada. We found variability in the interactions between ethics consultants and upper-level managers and governing boards. Some ethics consultants we interviewed did not participate in managing organizational crisis situations. Most ethics consultants reported that they had assisted in the management of some crises and that their participation was usually initiated by managers. Some ethics consultants reported the ability to bring issues to the attention of upper-level managers and indirectly to their governing boards. The interactions between managers and ethics consultants were characterized by varying degrees of collegiality. Ethics consultants reported participating in or chairing working groups, participating in incident management teams, and developing decision-making frameworks. Canadian ethics consultants tend to believe that they have valuable skills to offer in the management of organizational crisis situations. Most of the ethics consultants

  20. 47 CFR 90.121 - Canadian registration.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Canadian registration. 90.121 Section 90.121 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) SAFETY AND SPECIAL RADIO SERVICES PRIVATE LAND MOBILE RADIO SERVICES Applications and Authorizations § 90.121 Canadian registration. Form 410 shall be...

  1. Glass shell manufacturing in space. [residual gases in spherical shells made from metal-organic gels

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nolen, R. J.; Ebner, M. A.; Downs, R. L.

    1980-01-01

    Residual gases always found in glass shells are CO2, O2 and N2. In those cases where high water vapor pressure is maintained in the furnace, water is also found in the shells. Other evidence for the existence of water in shells is the presence of water-induced surface weathering of the interior shell surface. Water and CO2 are the predominant volatiles generated by the pyrolysis of both inorganic and hydrolyzed metal-organic gels. The pyrolysates of unhydrolyzed metal-organic gels also contain, in addition to water and CO2, significant levels of organic volatiles, such as ethanol and some hydrocarbons; on complete oxidation, these produce CO2 and water as well. Water is most likely the initial blowing agent, it is produced copiously during the initial stages of heating. In the later stages, CO2 becomes the dominant gas as H2O is lost at increasing rates. Water in the shell arises mainly from gel dehydration, CO2 by sodium bicarbonate/carbonate decomposition and carbon oxidation, and O2 and N2 by permeation of the ambient furnace air through the molten shell wall.

  2. Introduction to the Canadian Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Team's (CCORT) Canadian Cardiovascular Atlas project.

    PubMed

    Tu, Jack V; Brien, Susan E; Kennedy, Courtney C; Pilote, Louise; Ghali, William A

    2003-03-15

    The Canadian Cardiovascular Outcomes Research Team's (CCORT) Canadian Cardiovascular Atlas project was developed to provide Canadians with a national report on the state of cardiovascular health and health services in Canada. Written by a group of Canada's leading experts in cardiovascular outcomes research, the CCORT cardiac Atlas will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from cardiac risk factors and cardiac mortality rates to the treatment of patients with acute myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure and the outcomes of invasive cardiac procedures across Canada. Data in the Atlas will be presented at a national, provincial and health region level. The Atlas will be published as a series of 20 articles and chapters in future issues of The Canadian Journal of Cardiology and on CCORT's web site (www.ccort.ca). The journal version of the Atlas chapters will be written for a clinical audience and will include editorials written by invited experts, whereas the web-based version of each chapter will be written for a more general audience and will include additional supplemental information (for example, interactive colour maps and tables) that cannot be included in the journal version. Material from the Journal and the web will eventually be compiled into a book that will be distributed across Canada. This article serves as an introduction to the Atlas project and describes the rationale for and objectives of the CCORT national cardiac Atlas project.

  3. Prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in Canadian market-age pigs.

    PubMed

    Gajadhar, A A; Aramini, J J; Tiffin, G; Bisaillon, J R

    1998-08-01

    During 1991 and 1992, 2,800 market-age pigs were sampled at federally inspected abattoirs from across Canada. Anti-Toxoplasma gondii IgG at titers of > or =1:32 were found in 240 pigs examined by a commercial, latex agglutination test. Seroprevalences ranged from 3.5 to 13.2% in the different regions of the country. Tissue hybridization studies using a previously developed probe demonstrated T. gondii ribosomal RNA in 9 of 36 animals, whereas mouse bioassay testing of heart muscle and diaphragm from all 2,800 pigs failed to demonstrate the presence of infective stages of T. gondii in tissues. Although serology results from this study indicated that Canadian market-age pigs are infected with T. gondii at rates similar to those reported from other parts of North America, mouse bioassay results suggested that Canadian pork products contain low levels of infective organisms. This apparent discrepancy suggests that serological evidence of T. gondii infection in pigs alone does not accurately assess the public health risks associated with consuming improperly cooked pork products.

  4. NASA and Canadian Snowbirds Aircrafts

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-05-09

    Several types of aircraft are on the tarmac at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) at NASA's Kennedy Space in Florida. From left, are two Canadian Forces Snowbird CF-18 jets, a NASA Huey helicopter, and two NASA T-38 trainer aircraft. The Canadian Forces Snowbirds performed aerial maneuvers over Kennedy and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station during a practice flight on May 9, 2018, between their scheduled air shows.

  5. Computer and Internet usage by Canadian dentists.

    PubMed

    Flores-Mir, Carlos; Palmer, Neal G; Northcott, Herbert C; Huston, Carolyn; Major, Paul W

    2006-03-01

    To determine the frequency of computers in Canadian dental offices and to assess their use; to evaluate Internet access and use in Canadian dental offices; and to compare use of computers and the Internet by Canadian dentists, by the general public and by other dental groups. An anonymous, self-administered survey of Canadian dentists was conducted by mail. A potential mailing list of 14,052 active Canadian dentists was compiled from the 2003 records of provincial regulatory bodies. For each province, 7.8% of the general dentists were randomly selected with the help of computer software. The surveys were mailed to this stratified random sample of 1,096 dentists. The response rate was 28%. Of the 312 respondents, 4 (1%) were in full-time academic positions, 15 (5%) were not practising, and 9 (3%) provided incomplete data. Therefore, 284 survey responses were available for descriptive analysis. Two hundred and fifty-seven (90%) of the respondents had a computer in their primary practice. Computers were used mainly for administrative tasks (accounting, bookkeeping and scheduling) rather than clinical tasks. Internet access was common (185/250 or 74%), and high-speed Internet access (93/250 or 37%) was increasingly common, judging from the results of previous studies on computer use. The main reasons given for not having in-office Internet access were security or privacy concerns and no reported need for or interest in the service. Computer use was high in this sample of Canadian dentists, but a small proportion of dental offices remained without computers. Canadian dentists" use of the Internet was greater than that of American dentists, private enterprise and the North American public in general.

  6. Bacterial amelioration of bauxite residue waste of industrial alumina plants.

    PubMed

    Hamdy, M K; Williams, F S

    2001-10-01

    The high alkali content of bauxite residue deposits from alumina production plants in industrial nations poses a challenge to reestablish flora and fauna at the deposit sites. The present study demonstrated that low levels of injured bacterial cells in the bauxite residue actively grew using various added nutrients and/or hay. The organisms grew from less than 10 to more than 10(9) cells g(-1) bauxite residue and formed organic acids that lowered the pH from 13 to about 7.0. A total of 150 cultures was isolated from treated bauxite residue and included species of Bacillus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Micrococcus, Staphylococcus, Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium and Enterobacter. Scanning electron micrographs demonstrated that untreated particles (control) of the bauxite residue were clumped together, and in treated bauxite residue these particles were highly dispersed with microcolonial structures. Furthermore, the treated bauxite residue supported growth of several plants and earthworms that survived for over 300 days. In a test plot bioremediation on a residue deposit at Alcoa Point Comfort, TX, the Bermuda grass hay used was effective mulch material and encouraged water filtration, leading to establishment and growth of salt-tolerant vegetative species.

  7. Recent Books on Canadian Business History.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Armstrong, Christopher

    1979-01-01

    Reviews Canadian business history books published since 1972 as well as reprints of useful older works. Topics dealt with are the fish, timber, and wheat industry, transportation, entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship, Canadian economy during World War I, the development of natural resources, and the lives of the rich and the powerful. (KC)

  8. Hazardous properties of paint residues from the furniture industry.

    PubMed

    Vaajasaari, Kati; Kulovaara, Maaret; Joutti, Anneli; Schultz, Eija; Soljamo, Kari

    2004-01-30

    The objective of this study was to screen nine excess paint residues for environmental hazard and to evaluate their disposability in a non-hazardous or hazardous-waste landfill. These residues were produced in the process of spray-painting furniture. Residues were classified according to their leaching and ecotoxicological properties. Leaching properties were determined with the European standard SFS-EN 12457-2 leaching-test. The toxicity of the leaching-test eluates was measured with plant-, bacteria- and enzyme-inhibition bioassays. Total organic carbon, formaldehyde and solvent concentrations in the solid wastes and in the leaching-test eluates were analysed. It seemed likely that leached formaldehyde caused very high acute toxicity in leaching-test eluates of the dry-booth residues. This hypothesis was based on the fact that the formaldehyde concentrations in the leaching-test eluates of the dry-booth residues were 62-75 times higher than the EC50 value reported in the literature for formaldehyde. The results of the water-curtain booth residues showed that the samples with the highest TOC and aromatic solvent concentrations were also the most toxic. The studied excess paint residues were complex organic mixtures and contained large amounts of compounds not identifiable from chemical data. Therefore, the evaluation of the hazard based solely on available chemical data is unlikely to be sufficient, as evidenced by our study. Our results show that harmful compounds remain in the solid waste and the toxicity results of their leaching-test eluates show that toxicity may leach from residues in contact with water at landfill sites. They also confirm the benefit of combining chemical and ecotoxicological assays in assessing the potential environmental hazard of complex organic mixtures found in wastes. Copyright 2003 Elsevier B.V.

  9. Social Workers' Role in the Canadian Mental Health Care System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Towns, Ashley M.; Schwartz, Karen

    2012-01-01

    Objective: Using Canadian survey data this research provides social workers in Canada with a better understanding of their role in the Canadian mental health care system. Methods: By analyzing data from the Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 1.2 Mental Health and Well-being, the role of social workers in the Canadian mental health system was…

  10. The Canadian elder standard - pricing the cost of basic needs for the Canadian elderly.

    PubMed

    MacDonald, Bonnie-Jeanne; Andrews, Doug; Brown, Robert L

    2010-03-01

    We determined the after-tax income required to finance basic needs for Canadian elders living with different circumstances in terms of age, gender, city of residence, household size, homeowner or renter status, means of transportation, and health status. Using 2001 as our base year, we priced the typical expenses for food, shelter, medical, transportation, miscellaneous basic living items and home-based long-term care for elders living in five Canadian cities. This is the first Canadian study of basic living expenses tailored to elders instead of adults in general, prepared on an absolute rather than a relative basis. We also accounted for an individual's unique life circumstances and established the varying effect that they have on the cost of basic expenses, particularly for home care. We found that the maximum Guaranteed Income Supplement and Old Age Security benefit did not meet the cost of basic needs for an elder living in poor circumstances.

  11. Canadian asthma consensus report, 1999

    PubMed Central

    Boulet, L P; Becker, A; Bérubé, D; Beveridge, R; Ernst, P

    1999-01-01

    OBJECTIVES: To provide physicians with current guidelines for the diagnosis and optimal management of asthma in children and adults, including pregnant women and the elderly, in office, emergency department, hospital and clinic settings. OPTIONS: The consensus group considered the roles of education, avoidance of provocative environmental and other factors, diverse pharmacotherapies, delivery devices and emergency and in-hospital management of asthma. OUTCOMES: Provision of the best control of asthma by confirmation of the diagnosis using objective measures, rapid achievement and maintenance of control and regular follow-up. EVIDENCE: The key diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations are based on the 1995 Canadian guidelines and a critical review of the literature by small groups before a full meeting of the consensus group. Recommendations are graded according to 5 levels of evidence. Differences of opinion were resolved by consensus following discussion. VALUES: Respirologists, immunoallergists, pediatricians and emergency and family physicians gave prime consideration to the achievement and maintenance of optimal control of asthma through avoidance of environmental inciters, education of patients and the lowest effective regime of pharmacotherapy to reduce morbidity and mortality. BENEFITS, HARMS AND COSTS: Adherence to the guidelines should be accompanied by significant reduction in patients' symptoms, reduced morbidity and mortality, fewer emergency and hospital admissions, fewer adverse side-effects from medications, better quality of life for patients and reduced costs. RECOMMENDATIONS: Recommendations are included in each section of the report. In summary, after a diagnosis of asthma is made based on clinical evaluation, including demonstration of variable airflow obstruction, and contributing factors are identified, a treatment plan is established to obtain and maintain optimal asthma control. The main components of treatment are patient education

  12. Impact of diverse soil microbial communities on crop residues decomposition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mrad, Fida; Bennegadi-Laurent, Nadia; Ailhas, Jérôme; Leblanc, Nathalie; Trinsoutrot-Gattin, Isabelle; Laval, Karine; Gattin, Richard

    2017-04-01

    Soils provide many basic ecosystem services for our society and most of these services are carried out by the soil communities, thus influencing soils quality. Soil organic matter (SOM) can be considered as one of the most important soil quality indices for it plays a determinant role in many physical, chemical and biological processes, such as soil structure and erosion resistance, cation exchange capacity, nutrient cycling and biological activity (Andrews et al., 2004). Since a long time, exogenous organic inputs are largely used for improving agricultural soils, affecting highly soil fertility and productivity. The use of organic amendments such as crop residues influences the soil microbial populations' diversity and abundance. In the meantime, soil microbial communities play a major role in the organic matter degradation, and the effect of different microbial communities on the decomposition of crop residues is not well documented. In this context, studying the impact of crop residues on soil microbial ecology and the processes controlling the fate of plant residues in different management practices is essential for understanding the long-term environmental and agronomic effects on soil and organic matters. Our purpose in the present work was to investigate the decomposition by two contrasting microbial communities of three crop residues, and compare the effect of different residues amendments on the abundance and function of each soil microbial communities. Among the main crops which produce large amounts of residues, we focused on three different plants: wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), rape (Brassica napus) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus). The residues degradation in two soils of different management practices and the microbial activity were evaluated by: microbial abundance (microbial carbon, culturable bacteria, total DNA, qPCR), in combination with functional indicators (enzymatic assays and Biolog substrate utilization), kinetics of C and N

  13. Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care Leading the Evolution of Green.

    PubMed

    Waddington, Kent; Varangu, Linda

    2016-01-01

    Since 2000, a growing contingent of healthcare organizations, individuals and companies have embraced principles and practices of environmental stewardship with a focus on making health service delivery more environmentally sustainable. This article provides an overview of the sector's many successes, drawing upon both Coalition-sponsored initiatives and those initiated by its most engaged and forward-thinking stakeholders, many of whom are original signatories to Canada's Joint Position Statement: Toward an Environmentally Responsible Canadian Health Sector .

  14. Social Support and Exclusive Breast feeding among Canadian Women.

    PubMed

    Laugen, Chris M; Islam, Nazrul; Janssen, Patricia A

    2016-09-01

    The World Health Organization recommendation for exclusive breast feeding for 6 months has been endorsed by Health Canada, the Canadian Pediatric Society, Dietitians of Canada, and the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada as of 2012. This study examines whether social support is associated with exclusive breast feeding up to 6 months among Canadian mothers. We utilised data from the Canadian Community Health Survey and limited our sample to mothers who gave birth in the 5 years prior to the 2009-2010 survey (n = 2133). Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between exclusive breast feeding and four dimensions of social support: (i) tangible, (ii) affectionate, (iii) positive social interaction, and (iv) emotional and informational, based on the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale. Absolute and relative differences in the probability of breast feeding exclusively and their 95% confidence intervals were calculated. In adjusted models, differences in the probability of exclusive breast feeding for 6 months were not different among women with high vs. low social support. The association between social support and breastfeeding exclusively was modified by education level, with significantly higher probability of breast feeding exclusively among women with lower education and high vs. low levels of tangible and affectionate support. Among women with education below a high school level, high tangible and affectionate support significantly increased probability of exclusive breast feeding for 6 months in this study. Efforts to encourage exclusive breast feeding need to address social support for mothers, especially those with lower education. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  15. Physical activity of Canadian children and youth: accelerometer results from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey.

    PubMed

    Colley, Rachel C; Garriguet, Didier; Janssen, Ian; Craig, Cora L; Clarke, Janine; Tremblay, Mark S

    2011-03-01

    Physical activity is an important determinant of health and fitness. This study provides contemporary estimates of the physical activity levels of Canadians aged 6 to 19 years. Data are from the 2007 to 2009 Canadian Health Measures Survey. The physical activity of a nationally representative sample was measured using accelerometers. Data are presented as time spent in sedentary, light, moderate and vigorous intensity movement, and in steps accumulated per day. An estimated 9% of boys and 4% of girls accumulate 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity on at least 6 days a week. Regardless of age group, boys are more active than girls. Canadian children and youth spend 8.6 hours per day-62% of their waking hours-in sedentary pursuits. Daily step counts average 12,100 for boys and 10,300 for girls. Based on objective and robust measures, physical activity levels of Canadian children and youth are low.

  16. 2009 Canadian Radiation Oncology Resident Survey

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Debenham, Brock, E-mail: debenham@ualberta.net; Banerjee, Robyn; Fairchild, Alysa

    2012-03-15

    Purpose: Statistics from the Canadian post-MD education registry show that numbers of Canadian radiation oncology (RO) trainees have risen from 62 in 1999 to approximately 150 per year between 2003 and 2009, contributing to the current perceived downturn in employment opportunities for radiation oncologists in Canada. When last surveyed in 2003, Canadian RO residents identified job availability as their main concern. Our objective was to survey current Canadian RO residents on their training and career plans. Methods and Materials: Trainees from the 13 Canadian residency programs using the national matching service were sought. Potential respondents were identified through individual programmore » directors or chief resident and were e-mailed a secure link to an online survey. Descriptive statistics were used to report responses. Results: The eligible response rate was 53% (83/156). Similar to the 2003 survey, respondents generally expressed high satisfaction with their programs and specialty. The most frequently expressed perceived weakness in their training differed from 2003, with 46.5% of current respondents feeling unprepared to enter the job market. 72% plan on pursuing a postresidency fellowship. Most respondents intend to practice in Canada. Fewer than 20% of respondents believe that there is a strong demand for radiation oncologists in Canada. Conclusions: Respondents to the current survey expressed significant satisfaction with their career choice and training program. However, differences exist compared with the 2003 survey, including the current perceived lack of demand for radiation oncologists in Canada.« less

  17. Proportion of preschool-aged children meeting the Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines and associations with adiposity: results from the Canadian Health Measures Survey.

    PubMed

    Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Colley, Rachel C; Aubert, Salomé; Carson, Valerie; Janssen, Ian; Roberts, Karen C; Tremblay, Mark S

    2017-11-20

    New Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years have been released in 2017. According to the guidelines, within a 24-h period, preschoolers should accumulate at least 180 min of physical activity (of which at least 60 min is moderate-to-vigorous physical activity), engage in no more than 1 h of screen time, and obtain between 10 and 13 h of sleep. This study examined the proportions of preschool-aged (3 to 4 years) Canadian children who met these new guidelines and different recommendations within the guidelines, and the associations with adiposity indicators. Participants were 803 children (mean age: 3.5 years) from cycles 2-4 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), a nationally representative cross-sectional sample of Canadians. Physical activity was accelerometer-derived, and screen time and sleep duration were parent-reported. Participants were classified as meeting the overall 24-Hour Movement Guidelines if they met all three specific time recommendations for physical activity, screen time, and sleep. The adiposity indicators in this study were body mass index (BMI) z-scores and BMI status (World Health Organization Growth Standards). A total of 12.7% of preschool-aged children met the overall 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, and 3.3% met none of the three recommendations. A high proportion of children met the sleep duration (83.9%) and physical activity (61.8%) recommendations, while 24.4% met the screen time recommendation. No associations were found between meeting individual or combined recommendations and adiposity. Very few preschool-aged children in Canada (~13%) met all three recommendations contained within the 24-Hour Movement Guidelines. None of the combinations of recommendations were associated with adiposity in this sample. Future work should focus on identifying innovative ways to reduce screen time in this population, and should examine the associations of guideline adherence with health indicators other than adiposity.

  18. Policies and procedures in the workplace: how health care organizations compare.

    PubMed

    Loo, R

    1993-01-01

    Many organizations are implementing programs and services to manage the human and economic costs of stress. A mail survey was conducted of 500 randomly selected Canadian organizations having at least 500 employees. The survey tapped four major areas: organizational policies and procedures for managing stress; programs and services offered; perceived benefits and constraints for the organization; and projected future directions in this area. Analyses of returns from 210 organizations-43 health and 167 non-health-revealed various findings. For example, over half of health care organizations have policies and procedures as opposed to less than half of non-health care organizations. Also, health care organizations place greater emphasis on smoking cessation, weight control programs and on stress management training. Although some Canadian organizations are addressing stress, much more could and should be done, especially by organizations that do not yet recognize the impact of stress on employees and their work performance.

  19. AAPL Practice Guideline for the Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation of Competence to Stand Trial: a Canadian legal perspective.

    PubMed

    O'Shaughnessy, Roy J

    2007-01-01

    Canadian legal tests of fitness to stand trial, while similar to tests in the United States, place less emphasis on rational understanding of the complexities of the trial process and greater emphasis on communicating with legal counsel. The limited cognitive capacity test has gained wide acceptance in Canadian jurisprudence as a balance between ensuring that an accused person can provide the necessary information to allow his legal counsel to defend him adequately while also minimizing the potential delay in a speedy trial. The tests have been criticized by organized psychiatry and legal scholars but have been supported by advocacy groups for the mentally ill. Canadian research on accused persons committed to hospitals for fitness evaluations suggests that this process may be used or, arguably, misused by psychiatrists to provide treatment to persons who would otherwise be inaccessible to psychiatric intervention. This raises complex ethics-related questions not yet fully addressed.

  20. Universal values of Canadian astronauts

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Brcic, Jelena; Della-Rossa, Irina

    2012-11-01

    Values are desirable, trans-situational goals, varying in importance, that guide behavior. Research has demonstrated that universal values may alter in importance as a result of major life events. The present study examines the effect of spaceflight and the demands of astronauts' job position as life circumstances that affect value priorities. We employed thematic content analysis for references to Schwartz's well-established value markers in narratives (media interviews, journals, and pre-flight interviews) of seven Canadian astronauts and compared the results to the values of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and Russian Space Agency (RKA) astronauts. Space flight did alter the level of importance of Canadian astronauts' values. We found a U-shaped pattern for the values of Achievement and Tradition before, during, and after flight, and a linear decrease in the value of Stimulation. The most frequently mentioned values were Achievement, Universalism, Security, and Self-Direction. Achievement and Self Direction are also within the top 4 values of all other astronauts; however, Universalism was significantly higher among the Canadian astronauts. Within the value hierarchy of Canadian astronauts, Security was the third most frequently mentioned value, while it is in seventh place for all other astronauts. Interestingly, the most often mentioned value marker (sub-category) in this category was Patriotism. The findings have important implications in understanding multi-national crew relations during training, flight, and reintegration into society.

  1. Tearing the Fabric of Canada: The Broadcast Media and Canadian Identity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weiss, Elaine F.

    This paper explores the perceived threat of American cultural "imperialism" in Canada, the effect of constant exposure to American broadcasting on the Canadian national identity, the role broadcasting plays in shaping Canadian identity, and the efforts by the Canadian government to "Canadianize" its broadcasting. A brief…

  2. Guide to Canadian Aerospace Related Industries,

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-01-01

    Research and Development (US). Digital Radar - Contract with Fundacao Educacional Data Processing de Bauru, Brazil. Satellite/Radar - Contract with Canadian... especially suitable for cartography and thematic mapping. The principal applications to date have been to Vehicle Mobility mapping for the Canadian Forces...This latter capability is especially applied to the repair and rebuilding of sawmill and pulpmill machinery, and mining equipment. Ebco is

  3. Organic geochemical signatures controlling methane outgassing at active mud volcanoes in the Canadian Beaufort Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    DongHun, Lee; YoungKeun, Jin; JungHyun, Kim; Heldge, Niemann; JongKu, Gal; BoHyung, Choi

    2016-04-01

    Based on the water column acoustic anomalies related to active methane (CH4) venting, numerous active Mud Volcanoes (MVs) were recently identified at ~282, ~420, and ~740 m water depths on the continental slope of the Canadian Beaufort Sea (Paull et al., 2015). While geophysical aspects such as the multibeam bathymetric mapping are thoroughly investigated, biogeochemical processes controlling outgassing CH4 at the active MVs are not well constrained. Here, we investigated three sediment cores from the active MVs and one sediment core from a non-methane influenced reference site recovered during the ARA-05C expedition with the R/V ARAON in 2014. We analyzed lipid biomarkers and their stable carbon isotopic values (δ13C) in order to determine key biogeochemical processes involved in CH4 cycling in the MV sediments. Downcore CH4 and sulphate (SO42-) concentration measurements revealed a distinct sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) at the shallow sections of the cores (15 - 45 cm below seafloor (cm bsf) at 282 m MV, 420 m MV, and 740 m MV). The most abundant diagnostic lipid biomarkers in the SMTZ were sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol (-94‰) and archaeol (-66‰) with the sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol: archaeol ratio of 1.1 to 5, indicating the presence of ANME-2 or -3. However, we also found substantial amounts of monocyclic biphytane-1 (BP-1, -118‰), which is rather indicative for ANME-1. Nevertheless, the concentration of sn-2-hydroxyarchaeol was 2-fold higher than any other archaeal lipids, suggesting a predominant ANME-2 or -3 rather than ANME-1 as a driving force for the anaerobic methane oxidation (AOM) in these systems. We will further investigate the microbial community at the active MVs using nucleic acid (RNA and DNA) sequence analyses in near future. Our study provides first biogeochemical data set of the active MVs in the Canadian Beaufort Sea, which helps to better understand CH4 cycling mediated in these systems. Reference Paull, C.K., et al. (2015), Active mud

  4. An integrated analytical approach for characterizing an organic residue from an archaeological glass bottle recovered in Pompeii (Naples, Italy).

    PubMed

    Ribechini, Erika; Modugno, Francesca; Baraldi, Cecilia; Baraldi, Pietro; Colombini, Maria Perla

    2008-01-15

    Within the framework of an Italian research project aimed at studying organic residues found in archaeological objects from the Roman period, the chemical composition of the contents of several glass vessels recovered from archaeological sites from the Vesuvian area (Naples, Italy) was investigated. In particular, this paper deals with the study of an organic material found in a glass bottle from the archaeological site of Pompeii using a multi-analytical approach, including FT-IR, direct exposure mass spectrometry (DE-MS) and GC-MS techniques. The overall results suggest the occurrence of a lipid material of vegetable origin. The hypothesis that the native lipid material had been subjected to a chemical transformation procedure before being used is presented and discussed.

  5. Persistent organic pollutant and mercury concentrations in eggs of ground-nesting marine birds in the Canadian high Arctic.

    PubMed

    Peck, Liam E; Gilchrist, H Grant; Mallory, Conor D; Braune, Birgit M; Mallory, Mark L

    2016-06-15

    We collected eggs of eight marine bird species from several colony sites in the Canadian high Arctic located at approximately 76°N and analyzed them for concentrations of legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury. We provide the first report on concentrations of POPs in eggs of three Arctic species (Thayer's gull Larus thayeri, Sabine's gull Xema sabini, Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea), and we found significant differences in each of the POP profiles among the five species with sufficient data for statistical comparisons (Thayer's gull, black guillemot Cepphus grylle, Sabine's gull, Arctic tern Sterna paradisaea and common eider Somateria mollissima borealis). The Ross's Gull had unexpectedly high POP concentrations relative to the other species examined, although this was based on a single egg, while glaucous gull Larus hyperboreus eggs from our sampling location had very low POPs. Sabine's gulls had the lowest Hg of the eggs studied, consistent with their low trophic position, but concentrations of their legacy POPs were higher than expected. We also noted that total hexachlorocyclohexanes were higher than reported elsewhere in the circumpolar Arctic in three species. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Physical characteristics, chemical composition and water contamination potential from Canadian wildfire ash

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Santin, Cristina; Doerr, Stefan; Arcenegui, Vicky; Otero, Xose Luis

    2017-04-01

    Wildland fires leave a powdery residue on the ground: wildfire ash, which consists of mineral materials and charred organic components. Its quantities and characteristics depend mainly on the total amount and type of fuel burnt and the fire characteristics. Up to several tens of tons of ash per hectare have been quantified in different post-fire environments. As a new material present after a wildland fire, ash can have profound effects on ecosystems. It affects biogeochemical cycles, including the carbon cycle, stimulates microbial activity and helps the recovery of vegetation. Ash incorporated into the soil increases soil pH and nutrient pools temporarily and changes soil physical properties such as albedo, soil texture and hydraulic properties. Ash also modifies soil and landscape-scale hydrological behaviour. Its high porosity makes it very effective at absorbing rainfall, but it can also contribute to catastrophic debris flows when ash is mobilised by large storm events. Its 'fragile' nature makes ash very susceptible to wind and water erosion, facilitating its transfer to the hydrological system. Runoff containing ash from burnt areas carries soluble nutrients and pollutants, which can have detrimental impacts on aquatic ecosystems and the supply of potable water. In this presentation we will report for the first time on the physical characteristics, chemical composition and associated water pollution risk from ash produced in four typical Canadian boreal forest fires: two high-intensity fires in jack pine stands, and one high-intensity and one smouldering fire in black spruce stands.

  7. Production of 15N-Labelled Liquid Organic Fertilisers Based on Manure and Crop Residue for Use in Fertigation Studies.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus; Fernández, Carlos; Legaz, Francisco; Quiñones, Ana

    2016-01-01

    Large quantities of crop residue and animal manure from agricultural and livestock activities are annually produced worldwide. With proper management, these residues are potentially valuable sources of plant nutrients, mainly N. Recycling such subproducts in sustainably-based agricultural systems can minimise the use of mineral fertilisers, and hence reduce the potential risk of surface and groundwater pollution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain (small scale) two liquid labelled-organic fertilisers, an animal- and a vegetal-based organic (AO and VO, respectively) fertiliser, to be used as organic N sources in subsequent fertigation studies. Forage maize (Zea mays L.) grown under 15N-labelled fertiliser supply was used as raw material for VO fertiliser production, and also as 15N-labelled sheep feed to obtain 15N-labelled manure. The labelled faeces fraction was used as raw material for the AO fertiliser. The VO fertiliser was obtained after an acidic and an enzyme-driven hydrolysis. The AO fertiliser was obtained after acidic hydrolysis. The VO liquid fertiliser presented an N concentration of 330 mg·L-1, 85% of total N was organic, while ammonium and nitrate N accounted for 55% and 45% of the mineral nitrogen fraction, respectively. This fertiliser also exhibited high K, Ca and S concentrations and notable values for the remaining macro- and micronutrients. The AO liquid fertiliser had a similar total N concentration (496 mg·L-1, 82% of total N in an organic form) to that of VO, but its mineral N fraction significantly differed, which came in a predominantly (95%) ammonia form. It also had a high content of N, P, K and other macronutrients, and sufficient Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and B levels, which suggests its suitability as a potential fertiliser. The percentage of 15N enrichment in both VO and AO liquid fertilisers exceeded 2% 15N atom excess, which enabled their use in subsequent assays run to assess nitrogen uptake efficiency.

  8. Production of 15N-Labelled Liquid Organic Fertilisers Based on Manure and Crop Residue for Use in Fertigation Studies

    PubMed Central

    Martínez-Alcántara, Belén; Martínez-Cuenca, Mary-Rus; Fernández, Carlos; Legaz, Francisco; Quiñones, Ana

    2016-01-01

    Large quantities of crop residue and animal manure from agricultural and livestock activities are annually produced worldwide. With proper management, these residues are potentially valuable sources of plant nutrients, mainly N. Recycling such subproducts in sustainably-based agricultural systems can minimise the use of mineral fertilisers, and hence reduce the potential risk of surface and groundwater pollution. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to obtain (small scale) two liquid labelled-organic fertilisers, an animal- and a vegetal-based organic (AO and VO, respectively) fertiliser, to be used as organic N sources in subsequent fertigation studies. Forage maize (Zea mays L.) grown under 15N-labelled fertiliser supply was used as raw material for VO fertiliser production, and also as 15N-labelled sheep feed to obtain 15N-labelled manure. The labelled faeces fraction was used as raw material for the AO fertiliser. The VO fertiliser was obtained after an acidic and an enzyme-driven hydrolysis. The AO fertiliser was obtained after acidic hydrolysis. The VO liquid fertiliser presented an N concentration of 330 mg·L-1, 85% of total N was organic, while ammonium and nitrate N accounted for 55% and 45% of the mineral nitrogen fraction, respectively. This fertiliser also exhibited high K, Ca and S concentrations and notable values for the remaining macro- and micronutrients. The AO liquid fertiliser had a similar total N concentration (496 mg·L-1, 82% of total N in an organic form) to that of VO, but its mineral N fraction significantly differed, which came in a predominantly (95%) ammonia form. It also had a high content of N, P, K and other macronutrients, and sufficient Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and B levels, which suggests its suitability as a potential fertiliser. The percentage of 15N enrichment in both VO and AO liquid fertilisers exceeded 2% 15N atom excess, which enabled their use in subsequent assays run to assess nitrogen uptake efficiency. PMID:26982183

  9. Comparison of maternity experiences of Canadian-born and recent and non-recent immigrant women: findings from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey.

    PubMed

    Kingston, Dawn; Heaman, Maureen; Chalmers, Beverley; Kaczorowski, Janusz; O'Brien, Beverley; Lee, Lily; Dzakpasu, Susie; O'Campo, Patricia

    2011-11-01

    To compare the maternity experiences of immigrant women (recent, ≤ 5 years in Canada; non-recent > 5 years) with those of Canadian-born women. This study was based on data from the Canadian Maternity Experiences Survey of the Public Health Agency of Canada. A stratified random sample of 6421 women was drawn from a sampling frame based on the 2006 Canadian Census of Population. Weighted proportions were calculated using survey sample weights. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios comparing recent immigrant women with Canadian-born women and non-recent immigrant women with Canadian-born women, adjusting for education, income, parity, and maternal age. The sample comprised 7.5% recent immigrants, 16.3% non-recent immigrants, and 76.2% Canadian-born women. Immigrant women reported experiencing less physical abuse and stress, and they were less likely to smoke or consume alcohol during pregnancy, than Canadian women; however, they were more likely to report high levels of postpartum depression symptoms and were less likely to have access to social support, to take folic acid before and during pregnancy, to rate their own and their infant's health as optimal, and to place their infants on their backs for sleeping. Recent and non-recent immigrant women also had different experiences, suggesting that duration of residence in Canada plays a role in immigrant women's maternity experiences. These findings can assist clinicians and policy-makers to understand the disparities that exist between immigrant and non-immigrant women in order to address the needs of immigrant women more effectively.

  10. Revisiting the Canadian English vowel space

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hagiwara, Robert

    2005-04-01

    In order to fill a need for experimental-acoustic baseline measurements of Canadian English vowels, a database is currently being constructed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The database derives from multiple repetitions of fifteen English vowels (eleven standard monophthongs, syllabic /r/ and three standard diphthongs) in /hVd/ and /hVt/ contexts, as spoken by multiple speakers. Frequencies of the first four formants are taken from three timepoints in every vowel token (25, 50, and 75% of vowel duration). Preliminary results (from five men and five women) confirm some features characteristic of Canadian English, but call others into question. For instance the merger of low back vowels appears to be complete for these speakers, but the result is a lower-mid and probably rounded vowel rather than the low back unround vowel often described. With these data Canadian Raising can be quantified as an average 200 Hz or 1.5 Bark downward shift in the frequency of F1 before voiceless /t/. Analysis of the database will lead to a more accurate picture of the Canadian English vowel system, as well as provide a practical and up-to-date point of reference for further phonetic and sociophonetic comparisons.

  11. Something to Chew On: Canadian Fiction for Young Adults.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pederson, Beverley

    An annotated bibliography of fiction about Canada or written by Canadian authors is presented. The list is intended as a guide for Canadian young adult readers in search of a literature they can identify as their own. It can also be used by librarians and teachers who need assistance in selecting novels and short stories for young Canadians. Over…

  12. The Half-circled "C": Canadian Copyright Legislation.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hansen, Linda

    1992-01-01

    Reviews the legislative history of Canadian copyright law, especially with respect to government documents. Briefly describes the British origins of Canadian copyright, the British North America Act (1867), and the Copyright Act of 1921, all of which serve as background to the current law. (111 references) (LAE)

  13. The Canadian war on drugs: structural violence and unequal treatment of Black Canadians.

    PubMed

    Khenti, Akwatu

    2014-03-01

    This paper examines the impact of Canada's war on drugs on segments of the Black community, specifically with respect to the impact of structural violence, over-policing, and high incarceration rates. It offers evidence of the systemic nature of these dynamics by examining the early context of the war, growing stigma against Blacks, globalizing influences, and the punitive focus of funding and policy. The paper also explores how Black men have been identified as the main enemy and how drug control efforts have served to diminish the health, well-being, and self-image of Black men via discriminatory and inequitable treatment before the law. The current high rates of imprisonment of Black men are an indicator of systematic deprivation of significant social capital, which will perpetuate socioeconomic harm and cycles of violence. This commentary calls for an immediate dissolution of policies regulating the war on drugs as the first step in remedying the injustices experienced by Black Canadians. Due to the lack of Canadian data in this important area, the paper also emphasizes the critical need for more research to shed more light on the Canadian-specific complexities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  14. Canadian media representations of mad cow disease.

    PubMed

    Boyd, Amanda D; Jardine, Cynthia G; Driedger, S Michelle

    2009-01-01

    A Canadian case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or "mad cow disease" was confirmed in May, 2003. An in-depth content analysis of newspaper articles was conducted to understand the portrayal of BSE and variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in the Canadian media. Articles in the "first 10 days" following the initial discovery of a cow with BSE in Canada on May 20, 2003, were examined based on the premise that these initial stories provide the major frames that dominate news media reporting of the same issue over time and multiple occurrences. Subsequent confirmed Canadian cases were similarly analyzed to determine if coverage changed in these later media articles. The results include a prominence of economic articles, de-emphasis of health aspects, and anchoring the Canadian outbreak to that of Britain's crisis. The variation in media representations between those in Canada and those documented in Britain are explored in this study.

  15. Recycling crop residues for use in recirculating hydroponic crop production

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mackowiak, C. L.; Garland, J. L.; Sager, J. C.

    1996-01-01

    As part of bioregenerative life support feasibility testing by NASA, crop residues are being used to resupply elemental nutrients to recirculating hydroponic crop production systems. Methods for recovering nutrients from crop residues have evolved from water soaking (leaching) to rapid aerobic bioreactor processing. Leaching residues recovered the majority of elements but it also recovered significant amounts of soluble organics. The high organic content of leachates was detrimental to plant growth. Aerobic bioreactor processing reduced the organic content ten-fold, which reduced or eliminated phytotoxic effects. Wheat and potato production studies were successful using effluents from reactors having with 8- to 1-day retention times. Aerobic bioreactor effluents supplied at least half of the crops elemental mass needs in these studies. Descriptions of leachate and effluent mineral content, biomass productivity, microbial activity, and nutrient budgets for potato and wheat are presented.

  16. Omega-3 Index of Canadian adults.

    PubMed

    Langlois, Kellie; Ratnayake, Walisundera M N

    2015-11-01

    Cardioprotective properties have been associated with two fatty acids-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). The Omega-3 Index indicates the percentage of EPA+DHA in red blood cell fatty acids. Omega-3 Index levels of the Canadian population have not been directly measured. Data for respondents aged 20 to 79 from cycle 3 (2012/2013) of the Canadian Health Measures Survey were used to calculate means and the prevalence of Omega-3 Index coronary heart disease (CHD) risk cut-offs-high (4% or less), moderate (more than 4% to less than 8%), and low (8% or more)-by sociodemographic and lifestyle characteristics, including fish consumption and use of omega-3 supplements. Associations between the Omega-3 Index and CHD-related factors including biomarkers, risk factors, and previous CHD events, were examined in multivariate regression models. The mean Omega-3 Index level of Canadians aged 20 to 79 was 4.5%. Levels were higher for women, older adults, Asians and other non-white Canadians, omega-3 supplement users, and fish consumers; levels were lower for smokers and people who were obese. Fewer than 3% of adults had levels associated with low CHD risk; 43% had levels associated with high risk. No CHD-related factor was associated with the Omega-3 Index when control variables were taken into account. Omega-3 Index levels among Canadian adults were strongly related to age, race, supplement use, fish consumption, smoking status and obesity. Fewer than 3% of adults had Omega-3 Index levels associated with low risk for CHD.

  17. Modular Organization of Residue-Level Contacts Shapes the Selection Pressure on Individual Amino Acid Sites of Ribosomal Proteins.

    PubMed

    Mallik, Saurav; Kundu, Sudip

    2017-04-01

    Understanding the molecular evolution of macromolecular complexes in the light of their structure, assembly, and stability is of central importance. Here, we address how the modular organization of native molecular contacts shapes the selection pressure on individual residue sites of ribosomal complexes. The bacterial ribosomal complex is represented as a residue contact network where nodes represent amino acid/nucleotide residues and edges represent their van der Waals interactions. We find statistically overrepresented native amino acid-nucleotide contacts (OaantC, one amino acid contacts one or multiple nucleotides, internucleotide contacts are disregarded). Contact number is defined as the number of nucleotides contacted. Involvement of individual amino acids in OaantCs with smaller contact numbers is more random, whereas only a few amino acids significantly contribute to OaantCs with higher contact numbers. An investigation of structure, stability, and assembly of bacterial ribosome depicts the involvement of these OaantCs in diverse biophysical interactions stabilizing the complex, including high-affinity protein-RNA contacts, interprotein cooperativity, intersubunit bridge, packing of multiple ribosomal RNA domains, etc. Amino acid-nucleotide constituents of OaantCs with higher contact numbers are generally associated with significantly slower substitution rates compared with that of OaantCs with smaller contact numbers. This evolutionary rate heterogeneity emerges from the strong purifying selection pressure that conserves the respective amino acid physicochemical properties relevant to the stabilizing interaction with OaantC nucleotides. An analysis of relative molecular orientations of OaantC residues and their interaction energetics provides the biophysical ground of purifying selection conserving OaantC amino acid physicochemical properties. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and

  18. 48 CFR 249.7000 - Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-10-01

    ... Canadian Commercial Corporation. 249.7000 Section 249.7000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE... Termination Requirements 249.7000 Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation. (a) Terminate contracts with the Canadian Commercial Corporation in accordance with— (1) The Letter of Agreement (LOA...

  19. 48 CFR 249.7000 - Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-10-01

    ... Canadian Commercial Corporation. 249.7000 Section 249.7000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE... Termination Requirements 249.7000 Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation. (a) Terminate contracts with the Canadian Commercial Corporation in accordance with— (1) The Letter of Agreement (LOA...

  20. 48 CFR 249.7000 - Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-10-01

    ... Canadian Commercial Corporation. 249.7000 Section 249.7000 Federal Acquisition Regulations System DEFENSE... Termination Requirements 249.7000 Terminated contracts with Canadian Commercial Corporation. (a) Terminate contracts with the Canadian Commercial Corporation in accordance with— (1) The Letter of Agreement (LOA...

  1. Recent trends in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Canadian children

    PubMed Central

    Rodd, Celia; Sharma, Atul K.

    2016-01-01

    Background: Previous studies have shown an increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Canadian children from 23.3% to 34.7% during 1978–2004. We examined the most recent trends by applying current definitions of overweight and obesity based on World Health Organization (WHO) body mass index (BMI) thresholds and recently validated norms for waist circumference and waist:height ratio. Methods: We examined directly measured height and weight data from the Canadian Community Health Survey (2004–2005) and the Canadian Health Measures Survey (2009–2013). We calculated z scores for BMI, height and weight based on the 2014 WHO growth charts for Canada, including the new extension of weight-for-age beyond 10 years. To calculate z scores for waist circumference and waist:height ratios, we used new charts from the reference population in the US NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988–1994). Results: Data were available for 14 014 children aged 3–19 years for the period 2004–2013. We observed a decline in the prevalence of overweight or obesity, from 30.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 29.7% to 31.6%) to 27.0% (95% CI 25.3% to 28.7%) (p < 0.001) and stabilization in the prevalence of obesity at about 13%. These trends persisted after we adjusted for age, sex and race/ethnicity. Although they declined, the median z scores for BMI, weight and height were positive and higher than those in the WHO reference population. The z scores for waist circumference and waist:height ratio were negative, which indicated that the Canadian children had less central adiposity than American children in historic or contemporary NHANES cohorts. Interpretation: After a period of dramatic growth, BMI z scores and the prevalence of overweight or obesity among Canadian children decreased from 2004 to 2013, which attests to progress against this important public health challenge. PMID:27160875

  2. One Decade Later: KF Canadian Adaptation Scheme.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rashid, H.

    1984-01-01

    Provides background and rationale for formulation and use of the KF Canadian Adaptation Scheme in Canadian law libraries and describes methodological approaches and applications of the scheme to diverse and specific situations. Recent developments in its maintenance and updating and suggestions for its potential use are highlighted. (EJS)

  3. The Canadian Forces trauma care system

    PubMed Central

    Tien, Homer

    2011-01-01

    According to the Trauma Association of Canada, a trauma system is a preplanned, organized and coordinated injury-control effort in a defined geographic area. An effective trauma system engages in comprehensive injury surveillance and prevention programs; delivers trauma care from the time of injury to recovery; engages in research, training and performance improvement; and establishes linkages with an all-hazards emergency preparedness program. To support Canada’s combat mission in Afghanistan, the Canadian Forces (CF) developed a comprehensive trauma system based around its trauma hospital — the Role 3 Multinational Medical Unit (R3MMU) at Kandahar Airfield. This article reviews the essential components of a modern trauma system, outlines the evidence that trauma systems improve care to injury victims and describes how the current CF trauma system was developed. PMID:22099323

  4. Promises and Pitfalls: Experience in Collaboration between the Canadian Federal Government and the Voluntary Sector

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Good, David A.

    2003-01-01

    In 1997, the Canadian federal government faced a difficult policy problem. It wanted to make greater use of voluntary sector organizations to deliver government programs and to shape social policy. A first question for government was whom in the voluntary sector to engage. Unlike the United Kingdom, Canada does not have a tradition of national…

  5. Coronary Artery Disease in French Canadians-Investigation of a Suggested Vulnerable Population.

    PubMed

    Ayoub, Chadi; Bernick, Jordan; Arasaratnam, Punitha; Chow, Jonathan D H; Hossain, Alomgir; Ruddy, Terrence; Hillis, Graham S; Kritharides, Leonard; Chow, Benjamin J W

    2016-10-01

    There is a perception among Canadian physicians that coronary artery disease (CAD) and adverse cardiac events are more common in those of French Canadian heritage. We sought to compare the prevalence of CAD using coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) in French Canadians and non-French white Canadians. Consecutive patients were prospectively enrolled in our institutional CCTA registry. Of 10,868 CCTA examinations, we analyzed white patients who identified themselves as French Canadian or non-French Canadian. These 2 groups were compared for baseline characteristics, cardiovascular risk factors, and routine markers for CAD on CTCA. Propensity score adjustments were also made to account for differences in demographics. We identified 1683 French Canadians (mean age, 58.5 ± 10.7 years; 54.2% men) and 5077 non-French white Canadians (mean age, 59.4 ± 11.4 years; 57.3% men). French Canadians were more likely to have a smoking history (64.1% vs 56.1%), diabetes (15.6% vs 13.6%), and a family history of premature CAD (53.3% vs 44.6%) (P < 0.05 for all). There was no significant difference in measures of CAD between French Canadians and non-French white Canadians in obstructive CAD (32.5% vs 32.2%; P = 0.997), total plaque score (4.6 ± 4.3 vs 4.5 ± 4.4; P = 0.616) and Agatston score (168.1 ± 319.8 vs 183.6 ± 433.7; P = 0.371). After propensity score adjustment, there was still no significant difference between the groups. Our study suggests that French Canadians in the Champlain region have a greater prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors compared with non-French Canadians; however, they do not appear to have a greater prevalence or severity of coronary atherosclerosis as assessed by CCTA. Copyright © 2016 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. The use of Ethics Decision-Making Frameworks by Canadian Ethics Consultants: A Qualitative Study.

    PubMed

    Kaposy, Chris; Brunger, Fern; Maddalena, Victor; Singleton, Richard

    2016-10-01

    In this study, Canadian healthcare ethics consultants describe their use of ethics decision-making frameworks. Our research finds that ethics consultants in Canada use multi-purpose ethics decision-making frameworks, as well as targeted frameworks that focus on reaching an ethical resolution to a particular healthcare issue, such as adverse event reporting, or difficult triage scenarios. Several interviewees mention the influence that the accreditation process in Canadian healthcare organizations has on the adoption and use of such frameworks. Some of the ethics consultants we interviewed also report on their reluctance to use these tools. Limited empirical work has been done previously on the use of ethics decision-making frameworks. This study begins to fill this gap in our understanding of the work of healthcare ethics consultants. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. Summer Session Organizational Models at Canadian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kops, Bill

    2010-01-01

    The issue of summer session organizational models continues to be of interest to summer session deans/directors and university administrators. The University of Victoria surveyed Canadian universities on this issue in 1994. Based on a similar survey done in 2009, this paper updates the status of Canadian university summer session organizational…

  8. Rural Canadian Youth Exposed to Physical Violence

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Laye, Adele M.; Mykota, David B.

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to physical violence is an unfortunate reality for many Canadian youth as it is associated with numerous negative psychosocial effects. The study aims to assist in understanding resilience in rural Canadian youth exposed to physical violence. This is accomplished by identifying the importance of protective factors, as measured by the…

  9. Slavic and Italian Canadian Attitudes towards Authority.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ryan, Michael G.

    Predicting that Italian Canadians would hold attitudes of greater hostility and anxiety toward authority than Slavic Canadians, this study, using 58 part-time summer students (29 Italians and 29 Slavs) at three universities in Canada, analyzed the subjects' responses to the five-response option Likert type scale. Results confirmed the early…

  10. Business Aid to Canadian Universities--1957-1965.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Axelrod, Paul

    1980-01-01

    This article examines the dimensions and the significance of "corporate giving" to Canadian universities between 1957 and 1965, the role played by the private sector in contributing to the development of postsecondary education, which sectors of Canadian business contributed the most, and which areas of academic life were emphasized. (JN)

  11. Post-Secondary (Grammar) Vocational Schools in Poland and Canadian Community Colleges: A Summary of the Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Butler, Norman L.; Davidson, Barry S.; Pachocinski, Ryszard

    2006-01-01

    This article compares Polish post-secondary vocational (grammar) schools with Canadian community colleges. Accessibility, governance and programs are discussed. The theoretical framework for this comparison was supplied by the notion of the school as an organization and social institution. We found that it is necessary for educators in both Canada…

  12. Lessons from the Canadian national health information technology plan for the United States: opinions of key Canadian experts.

    PubMed

    Zimlichman, Eyal; Rozenblum, Ronen; Salzberg, Claudia A; Jang, Yeona; Tamblyn, Melissa; Tamblyn, Robyn; Bates, David W

    2012-01-01

    To summarize the Canadian health information technology (HIT) policy experience and impart lessons learned to the US as it determines its policy in this area. Qualitative analysis of interviews with identified key stakeholders followed by an electronic survey. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 29 key Canadian HIT policy and opinion leaders and used a grounded theory approach to analyze the results. The informant sample was chosen to provide views from different stakeholder groups including national representatives and regional representatives from three Canadian provinces. Canadian informants believed that much of the current US direction is positive, especially regarding incentives and meaningful use, but that there are key opportunities for the US to emphasize direct engagement with providers, define a clear business case for them, sponsor large scale evaluations to assess HIT impact in a broad array of settings, determine standards but also enable access to resources needed for mid-course corrections of standards when issues are identified, and, finally, leverage implementation of digital imaging systems. Not all stakeholder groups were included, such as providers or patients. In addition, as in all qualitative research, a selection bias could be present due to the relatively small sample size. Based on Canadian experience with HIT policy, stakeholders identified as lessons for the US the need to increase direct engagement with providers and the importance of defining the business case for HIT, which can be achieved through large scale evaluations, and of recognizing and leveraging successes as they emerge.

  13. Sources: A Compilation of Useful Information for Teachers & Teacher-Librarians. Canadian Edition.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Libraries in Canada, 2002

    2002-01-01

    Includes a variety of sources for quality information for Canadian school libraries. Highlights include professional associations; award-winning books; Canadian children's and young adult authors and illustrators; educational films; Web sites; Canadian information sources on the Web; Canadian poetry; and professional resources. (LRW)

  14. Comparing Personal Health Practices: Individuals with mental illness and the general Canadian population.

    PubMed

    Schofield, Ruth; Forchui, Cheryl; Montgomery, Phyllis; Rudnic, Abraham; Edwards, Betty; Meier, Amanda; Speechley, Mark

    2016-06-01

    Individuals with mental illness often live in chronic poverty, which is associated with personal health practices such as tobacco use and poor nutrition that disrupt physical health. The purpose of our study was to examine whether differences exist in personal health and health practices - related to nutrition, physical activity, smoking, alcohol consumption and sleep - between a cohort of individuals with mental illness in southwestern Ontario and the general Canadian population. The study sample consisted of 250 individuals who had had a psychiatric diagnosis for at least one year. We conducted a structured quantitative interview with each person to gather information about their personal health and health practices, using question wording from the National Population Health Survey and the Canadian Community Health Survey. We calculated 95% confidence intervals for our results and used them to compare our data with Canadian norms. Individuals with mental illness are significantly more likely than the general population to have a poor diet, experience poor sleep and consume alcohol in excess. It is important for nurses, health-care organizations and policy-makers to be aware that a number of factors may be influencing the personal health and health practices of individuals with mental illness and that this population may require different health promotion strategies to support a healthy lifestyle.

  15. Organic amendments for risk mitigation of organochlorine pesticide residues in old orchard soils

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Performance of compost and biochar amendments for in situ risk mitigation of aged DDT, DDE and dieldrin residues in an old orchard soil was examined. The change in bioavailability of pesticide residues relative to an unamended control soil was assessed using Lumbricus terrestris in 4-L soil microcos...

  16. Oh, Canada: Bridges and Barriers to Inclusion in Canadian Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sokal, Laura; Katz, Jennifer

    2015-01-01

    Inclusion in Canadian schools, both academic and social, is explored through the historic legislative structures that have resulted in a diversity of approaches to meeting the educational needs of Canadians. Innovative programmes that have been developed which showcase Canadian commitment to inclusive academic and social practices are described.…

  17. Calcium, Vitamin D, Iron, and Folate Messages in Three Canadian Magazines.

    PubMed

    Cooper, Marcia; Zalot, Lindsay; Wadsworth, Laurie A

    2014-12-01

    Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey showed that calcium, vitamin D, iron, and folate are nutrients of concern for females 19-50 years of age. The study objectives were to assess the quantity, format, and accuracy of messages related to these nutrients in selected Canadian magazines and to examine their congruency with Canadian nutrition policies. Using content analysis methodology, messages were coded using a stratified sample of a constructed year for Canadian Living, Chatelaine, and Homemakers magazines (n = 33) from 2003-2008. Pilot research was conducted to assess inter-coder agreement and to develop the study coding sheet and codebook. The messages identified (n = 595) averaged 18 messages per magazine issue. The most messages were found for calcium, followed by folate, iron, and vitamin D, and the messages were found primarily in articles (46%) and advertisements (37%). Overall, most messages were coded as accurate (82%) and congruent with Canadian nutrition policies (90%). This research demonstrated that the majority of messages in 3 Canadian magazines between 2003 and 2008 were accurate and reflected Canadian nutrition policies. Because Canadian women continue to receive much nutrition information via print media, this research provides important insights for dietitians into media messaging.

  18. Prevalence Comparison of Past-year Mental Disorders and Suicidal Behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian General Population

    PubMed Central

    Zamorski, Mark A.; Boulos, David; Garber, Bryan G.

    2016-01-01

    Objective: Military personnel in Canada and elsewhere have been found to have higher rates of certain mental disorders relative to their corresponding general populations. However, published Canadian data have only adjusted for age and sex differences between the populations. Additional differences in the sociodemographic composition, labour force characteristics, and childhood trauma exposure in the populations could be driving these prevalence differences. Our objective is to compare the prevalence of past-year mental disorders and suicidal behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces Regular Force with the rates in a representative, matched sample of Canadians in the general population (CGP). Methods: Data sources were the 2013 Canadian Forces Mental Health Survey and the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health. CGP sample was restricted to match the age range, employment status, and history of chronic conditions of Regular Force personnel. An iterative proportional fitting method was used to approximate the marginal distribution of sociodemographic and childhood trauma variables in both samples. Results: Relative to the matched CGP, Regular Force personnel had significantly higher rates of past-year major depressive episode, generalized anxiety disorder, and suicide ideation. However, lower rates of alcohol use disorder were seen in Regular Force personnel relative to the matched CGP sample. Conclusions: Factors other than differences in sociodemographic composition and history of childhood trauma account for the excess burden of mental disorders and suicidal behaviours in the Canadian Armed Forces. Explanations to explore in future research include occupational trauma, selection effects, and differences in the context of administration of the 2 surveys. PMID:27270741

  19. Strategies for the Canadian Smallsat Program

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Symonds, M. D.

    1993-11-01

    Canadian industry working together with government representatives have evolved a strategic approach to defining a proposed Canadian Smallsat Program. The strategy is outlined and a framework is established for subsequent papers on industrial infrastructure and specific missions. The strategic objective is to establish a national capability, providing international leadership, and being a low-cost fast-response supplier in providing total system solutions. A major element of the strategy is a vertically integrated, low cost, team approach combining the expertise of various centers of excellence to provide an end-to-end systems capability. This expertise will address Canadian needs but will be export focused. It is proposed that Canada support a series of missions to establish the industrial infrastructure and demonstrate these capabilities. In selecting the missions, consideration is given to the commercial market factors, but scientific interest in smallsats is also recognized.

  20. Training oncoplastic breast surgeons: the Canadian fellowship experience

    PubMed Central

    Maxwell, J.; Arnaout, A.; Hanrahan, R.; Brackstone, M.

    2017-01-01

    Background Oncoplastic breast surgery combines traditional oncologic breast conservation with plastic surgery techniques to achieve improved aesthetic and quality-of-life outcomes without sacrificing oncologic safety. Clinical uptake and training remain limited in the Canadian surgical system. In the present article, we detail the current state of oncoplastic surgery (ops) training in Canada, the United States, and worldwide, as well as the experience of a Canadian clinical fellow in ops. Methods The clinical fellow undertook a 9-month audit of breast surgical cases. All cases performed during the fellow’s ops fellowship were included. The fellowship ran from October 2015 to June 2016. Results During the 9 months of the fellowship, 67 mastectomies were completed (30 simple, 17 modified radical, 12 skin-sparing, and 8 nipple-sparing). The fellow participated in 13 breast reconstructions. Of 126 lumpectomies completed, 79 incorporated oncoplastic techniques. Conclusions The experience of the most recent ops clinical fellow suggests that Canadian ops training is feasible and achievable. Commentary on the current state of Canadian ops training suggests areas for improvement. Oncoplastic surgery is an important skill for breast surgical oncologists, and access to training should be improved for Canadian surgeons. PMID:29089810

  1. Promoting Health Equity Research: Insights from a Canadian Initiative.

    PubMed

    Stewart, Miriam J; Kushner, Kaysi Eastlick

    2014-03-01

    In 2002 the Canadian Institutes of Health Research launched a national initiative to promote health equity research reflecting the World Health Organization imperative of investment in health equity research. Funded researchers and teams have investigated health disparities faced by vulnerable populations, analyzed interactions of health determinants, and tested innovative interventions. Strategies for building research capacity have supported students, postdoctoral fellows, new investigators, and interdisciplinary research teams. Partnerships have been created with 10 national and 7 international organizations. Strategies used to secure and sustain this research initiative could be adapted to other contexts. Nurse scholars led the launch and have sustained the legacy of this national research initiative. Moreover, nurse researchers and research trainees, supported by the initiative, have contributed to the expansion and translation of the health equity knowledge base. Copyright© by Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University.

  2. Active transportation environments surrounding Canadian schools.

    PubMed

    O'Loghlen, Sean; Pickett, J William; Janssen, Ian

    2011-01-01

    Walking or cycling to school represents an opportunity for children to engage in physical activity. The study objectives were to: 1) describe active transportation policies, programs, and built environments of Canadian schools and their surrounding neighbourhoods, and 2) document variations based on urban-rural location and school type (primary vs. secondary vs. mixed primary/secondary schools). 397 schools from across Canada were studied. A school administrator completed a questionnaire and responses were used to assess schools' policies and programs related to active transportation and the safety and aesthetics of their respective neighbourhoods. Built environment features in a 1 km-radius circular buffer around each school were measured using geographic information systems. Greater than 70% of schools had passive policies (e.g., skateboards permitted on school grounds) and facilities (e.g., bicycle racks in secure area to avoid theft) to encourage bicycle and small-wheeled vehicle use. Less than 40% of schools had active programs designed to encourage active transportation, such as organized 'walk to school' days. Garbage in the streets, crime and substance abuse were barriers in most school neighbourhoods. Approximately 42% of schools were located on high-speed roads not amenable to active transportation and 14% did not have a sidewalk leading to the school. Secondary schools had less favourable active transportation policies/programs and neighbourhood safety/aesthetics compared to primary schools. Rural schools had less favourable built environments than urban schools. Canadian children, particularly those from rural areas, face a number of impediments to active transportation as a method of travelling to school.

  3. Changes in soil nitrogen cycling under Norway spruce logging residues on a clear-cut

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smolander, Aino; Lindroos, Antti-Jussi; Kitunen, Veikko

    2016-04-01

    In Europe, forest biomass is increasingly being used as a source of energy to replace fossil fuels. In practice, this means that logging residues, consisting of green branches and stem tops, are more commonly harvested. In 2012 logging residues were harvested from about one third of clear-cuts in Finland. Our aim was to study how logging residues affect soil organic matter quality, in particular soil N cycling processes and composition of certain groups of plant secondary compounds, tannins and terpenes. Compounds in these groups were of interest because they are abundant in logging residues, and they have been shown to control soil N cycling. In connection with clear-cutting a Norway spruce stand in southern Finland, we established a controlled field experiment by building logging residue piles (40 kg/m2) on study plots. The piles consisted of fresh spruce branches and tops with green foliage. Control plots with no residues were included (0 kg/m2). Changes in soil organic matter properties have now been monitored for three growing seasons. Logging residues affected organic layer properties strongly. For example, they increased net nitrification and nitrate concentrations. There were also increases in the concentrations of certain terpenes and condensed tannins due to the residues. The significance of logging residues on soil processes and properties will be shown.

  4. Comparative study of Canadian-United States resources programs

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    DeYoung,, John H.

    1975-01-01

    Chapter A: Report of the resource endowment, infrastructure development, tax incentives and exploration financing. Chapter B: Recent changes in Canadian tax laws affecting the mineral industries. Chapter C: The impact of recent changes in Canadian tax laws on the mineral industries.

  5. Some Preliminary Notes Concerning an Inquiry into the Heritage of Canadian Adult Education. Occasional Paper No. 19.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kidd, J. Roby

    As an introductory sketch to further understanding of the present in terms of the past, a conceptual framework is helpful for studying Canadian adult education. The suggested approach utilizes factors--time periods, influences, and activities, methods, programs, and organizations--to try to establish interrelationships. There were three major time…

  6. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

    2012-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  7. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  8. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

    2013-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  9. 22 CFR 41.33 - Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC).

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

    2014-04-01

    ... 22 Foreign Relations 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing... Nonresident alien Canadian border crossing identification card (BCC). (a) Validity of Canadian BCC. A Canadian....122, or if the consular or immigration officer determines that the alien to whom any such document was...

  10. The representations of work-life balance in Canadian newspapers.

    PubMed

    Reece, Katherine T; Davis, Jane A; Polatajko, Helene J

    2009-01-01

    Work-life balance has become a topic of increasing interest in the media as well as a concern among working Canadians. Since print media discourse can both reflect and shape societal values, cultural norms and ideals of workers in this country, it is important to understand this representation and its potential influence on the occupational engagement and life transitions of Canadian workers. Articles from four major Canadian newspapers published between 2003 and 2005 were used as data sources to examine the media construction of "work-life balance". Thematic analysis of 100 articles was performed using a modified affinity diagramming process. Representations within the Canadian print media conveyed both themes pertaining to the perceived experiences of imbalance and balance, as well as, a process of life balance. Obtaining balance was portrayed as an ongoing process during which an individual negotiates and sacrifices in an attempt to achieve his or her ideal level of balance. Environmental expectations and individual practices and perceptions were conveyed as reasons for the success or derailment of balance. The representations of work-life balance found in the Canadian print media were predominantly of professionals, focused on the demands of work and family, and did not appear to be a broad representation of the multiple realities that all Canadians face.

  11. Polar and non-polar organic aerosols from large-scale agricultural-waste burning emissions in Northern India: Implications to organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio.

    PubMed

    Rajput, Prashant; Sarin, M M

    2014-05-01

    This study focuses on characteristics of organic aerosols (polar and non-polar) and total organic mass-to-organic carbon ratio (OM/OC) from post-harvest agricultural-waste (paddy- and wheat-residue) burning emissions in Northern India. Aerosol samples from an upwind location (Patiala: 30.2°N, 76.3°E) in the Indo-Gangetic Plain were analyzed for non-polar and polar fractions of organic carbon (OC1 and OC2) and their respective mass (OM1 and OM2). On average, polar organic aerosols (OM2) contribute nearly 85% of the total organic mass (OM) from the paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. The water-soluble-OC (WSOC) to OC2 ratio, within the analytical uncertainty, is close to 1 from both paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. However, temporal variability and relatively low WSOC/OC2 ratio (Av: 0.67±0.06) is attributed to high moisture content and poor combustion efficiency during paddy-residue burning, indicating significant contribution (∼30%) of aromatic carbon to OC2. The OM/OC ratio for non-polar (OM1/OC1∼1.2) and polar organic aerosols (OM2/OC2∼2.2), hitherto unknown for open agricultural-waste burning emissions, is documented in this study. The total OM/OC ratio is nearly identical, 1.9±0.2 and 1.8±0.2, from paddy- and wheat-residue burning emissions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Professionalization as an Advocacy Strategy: A Content Analysis of Canadian Child Care Social Movement Organizations' 2008 Discursive Resources

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Langford, Rachel; Prentice, Susan; Albanese, Patrizia; Summers, Bernadette; Messina-Goertzen, Brianne; Richardson, Brooke

    2013-01-01

    Do early childhood education and care (ECEC) professionals make good advocates? Canadian advocates have fought for better child care policies since the mid-1940s. What has happened to this advocacy with the recent increased professionalization of the ECEC sector? How does increased professionalization limit, innovate or expand advocacy strategies?…

  13. Biodegradation of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals and Residual Organic Pollutants of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent by Biostimulation.

    PubMed

    Chandra, Ram; Sharma, Pooja; Yadav, Sangeeta; Tripathi, Sonam

    2018-01-01

    Effluent discharged from the pulp and paper industry contains various refractory and androgenic compounds, even after secondary treatment by activated processes. Detailed knowledge is not yet available regarding the properties of organic pollutants and methods for their bioremediation. This study focused on detecting residual organic pollutants of pulp and paper mill effluent after biological treatment and assessing their degradability by biostimulation. The major compounds identified in the effluent were 2,3,6-trimethylphenol, 2-methoxyphenol (guaiacol), 2,6-dimethoxyphenol (syringol), methoxycinnamic acid, pentadecane, octadecanoic acid, trimethylsilyl ester, cyclotetracosane, 5,8-dimethoxy-6-methyl-2,4-bis(phenylmethyl)napthalen-1-ol, and 1,2-benzendicarboxylic acid diisononyl ester. Most of these compounds are classified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals and environmental toxicants. Some compounds are lignin monomers that are metabolic products from secondary treatment of the discharged effluent. This indicated that the existing industrial process could not further degrade the effluent. Supplementation by carbon (glucose 1.0%) and nitrogen (peptone 0.5%) bio-stimulated the degradation process. The degraded sample after biostimulation showed either disappearance or generation of metabolic products under optimized conditions, i.e., a stirring rate of 150 rpm and temperature of 37 ± 1°C after 3 and 6 days of bacterial incubation. Isolated potential autochthonous bacteria were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae IITRCP04 (KU715839), Enterobacter cloacae strain IITRCP11 (KU715840), Enterobacter cloacae IITRCP14 (KU715841), and Acinetobacter pittii strain IITRCP19 (KU715842). Lactic acid, benzoic acid, and vanillin, resulting from residual chlorolignin compounds, were generated as potential value-added products during the detoxification of effluent in the biostimulation process, supporting the commercial importance of this process.

  14. Spatial variability of intake fractions for Canadian emission scenarios: a comparison between three resolution scales.

    PubMed

    Manneh, Rima; Margni, Manuele; Deschênes, Louise

    2010-06-01

    Spatially differentiated intake fractions (iFs) linked to Canadian emissions of toxic organic chemicals were developed using the multimedia and multipathways fate and exposure model IMPACT 2002. The fate and exposure of chemicals released to the Canadian environment were modeled with a single regional mass-balance model and three models that provided multiple mass-balance regions within Canada. These three models were based on the Canadian subwatersheds (172 zones), ecozones (15 zones), and provinces (13 zones). Releases of 32 organic chemicals into water and air were considered. This was done in order to (i) assess and compare the spatial variability of iFs within and across the three levels of regionalization and (ii) compare the spatial iFs to nonspatial ones. Results showed that iFs calculated using the subwatershed resolution presented a higher spatial variability (up to 10 orders of magnitude for emissions into water) than the ones based on the ecozones and provinces, implying that higher spatial resolution could potentially reduce uncertainty in iFs and, therefore, increase the discriminating power when assessing and comparing toxic releases for known emission locations. Results also indicated that, for an unknown emission location, a model with high spatial resolution such as the subwatershed model could significantly improve the accuracy of a generic iF. Population weighted iFs span up to 3 orders of magnitude compared to nonspatial iFs calculated by the one-box model. Less significant differences were observed when comparing spatial versus nonspatial iFs from the ecozones and provinces, respectively.

  15. The Development and Single-Laboratory Validation of a Method for the Determination of Steroid Residues in Fish and Fish Products.

    PubMed

    Watson, Lynn; Potter, Ross; Murphy, Cory; Gibbs, Ryan

    2015-01-01

    Due to potential use in aquacultured fish products, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has identified residue testing for steroids as a priority. These compounds are used in aquaculture primarily to direct sexual differentiation with both androgens and estrogens applied depending on the desired outcome. Published research is lacking with respect to steroid residue testing in fish; however, recent studies in other matrixes provided transferable cleanup techniques. A simple, rapid, and sensitive method was developed and validated for use in monitoring aquacultured fish products for the presence of methyltestosterone, nandrolone, epi-nandrolone, boldenone, and epi-boldenone residues. The developed method consists of solvent extraction followed by cleanup using hexane and dual cartridge SPE with analysis by ultra-HPLC-MS/MS. The method is capable of detecting and confirming steroid residue levels ranging from 0.05 to 25 ng/g in salmon and tilapia, depending on the analyte. Recoveries ranged from 88 to 130% for the analytes. Instrument repeatability was less than 13% for all compounds, while intermediate precision ranged from 5 to 25% RSD. HorRat values were within acceptable ranges.

  16. Characterization of organic gunshot residues in lead-free ammunition using a new sample collection device for liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

    PubMed

    Benito, Sandra; Abrego, Zuriñe; Sánchez, Alicia; Unceta, Nora; Goicolea, M Aranzazu; Barrio, Ramón J

    2015-01-01

    The identification of characteristic organic gunshot residues (OGSR) provides conclusive evidence in the elucidation of elemental profiles when lead-free ammunition is fired. OGSR also prevents false negatives. Toward this aim, a quick and efficient method based on liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF) was developed to detect and identify 18 gunpowder additives in gunshot residues (GSR). The unequivocal identification of target analytes was assured by using MS/MS mode. Swabs were compared with home-modified tape lift supports covered with a PTFE layer to determine the better sampling technique. The modified tape lift provided better extraction recoveries and enabled the analysis of inorganic and organic GSR simultaneously. The developed method was applied to the analysis of GSR from four different lead-free ammunitions. Diphenylamine and its nitrated degradation products and centralites were identified in all samples, providing strong evidence of GSR. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Persistent organic pesticide residues in sediments of Vasai Creek near Mumbai: Assessment of sources and potential ecological risk.

    PubMed

    Singare, Pravin U

    2015-11-15

    Thirteen persistent organic pesticides were investigated in the sediments of Vasai Creek near Mumbai to evaluate their pollution levels and potential risks. It was observed that ΣOCPs level was in the range of 597-1538ng/g dw, with an average value of 1115.25ng/g dw. The level of ΣOPPs was in the range of 492-1034ng/g dw, with an average value of 798.15ng/g dw. The values o,p'-DDT/p,p'-DDT ratio gives an indication of use of technical DDT as the prime source of DDT, while the α/γ-BHC ratio indicate that BHCs in study area might have been received from fresh lindane. The results of an ecological risk assessment showed that sediment bound organic pesticides are of more ecotoxicological concern as they might create adverse ecological risk to the marine breeding habitats. These pesticides residues may get remobilize and released to overlying waters creating adverse effects on terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. The ethics and economics of consuming Canadian drugs.

    PubMed

    Seaman, Rachel M H

    2005-01-01

    Many U.S. citizens are unable to afford prescription medication in their own country, so they purchase them from Canadian pharmacies. This paper examines the ethics of importing drugs from Canada, including economic implications and how physicians should respond to this dilemma. The four basic principles of ethics are balanced by examining financial incentives, current Canadian and U.S. law, safety issues, the burden of research and development, the impact on Canadian physicians, and issues of liability. The paper concludes that the principle of autonomy permits individuals to cross the border and purchase drugs for personal use; however, nonmaleficence prohibits the purchase of these drugs through third parties. In addition, the U.S. government has special obligations to justice and beneficence and may not ethically sponsor the importation of Canadian drugs. Finally, the paper shows that U.S. doctors must not recommend importation on the basis of beneficence and autonomy.

  19. Characteristics of first-year students in Canadian medical schools

    PubMed Central

    Dhalla, Irfan A.; Kwong, Jeff C.; Streiner, David L.; Baddour, Ralph E.; Waddell, Andrea E.; Johnson, Ian L.

    2002-01-01

    Background The demographic and socioeconomic profile of medical school classes has implications for where people choose to practise and whether they choose to treat certain disadvantaged groups. We aimed to describe the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of first-year Canadian medical students and compare them with those of the Canadian population to determine whether there are groups that are over- or underrepresented. Furthermore, we wished to test the hypothesis that medical students often come from privileged socioeconomic backgrounds. Methods As part of a larger Internet survey of all students at Canadian medical schools outside Quebec, conducted in January and February 2001, first-year students were asked to give their age, sex, self-described ethnic background using Statistics Canada census descriptions and educational background. Postal code at the time of high school graduation served as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Respondents were also asked for estimates of parental income and education. Responses were compared when possible with Canadian age-group-matched data from the 1996 census. Results Responses were obtained from 981 (80.2%) of 1223 first-year medical students. There were similar numbers of male and female students (51.1% female), with 65% aged 20 to 24 years. Although there were more people from visible minorities in medical school than in the Canadian population (32.4% v. 20.0%) (p < 0.001), certain minority groups (black and Aboriginal) were underrepresented, and others (Chinese, South Asian) were overrepresented. Medical students were less likely than the Canadian population to come from rural areas (10.8% v. 22.4%) (p < 0.001) and were more likely to have higher socioeconomic status, as measured by parents' education (39.0% of fathers and 19.4% of mothers had a master's or doctoral degree, as compared with 6.6% and 3.0% respectively of the Canadian population aged 45 to 64), parents' occupation (69.3% of fathers and 48.7% of

  20. The Canadian experience: why Canada decided against an upper limit for cholesterol.

    PubMed

    McDonald, Bruce E

    2004-12-01

    Canada, like the United States, held a "consensus conference on cholesterol" in 1988. Although the final report of the consensus panel recommended that total dietary fat not exceed 30 percent and saturated fat not exceed 10 percent of total energy intake, it did not specify an upper limit for dietary cholesterol. Similarly, the 1990, Health Canada publication "Nutrition Recommendations: The Report of the Scientific Review Committee" specified upper limits for total and saturated fat in the diet but did not specify an upper limit for cholesterol. Canada's Guidelines for Healthy Eating, a companion publication from Health Canada, suggested that Canadians "choose low-fat dairy products, lean meats, and foods prepared with little or no fat" while enjoying "a variety of foods." Many factors contributed to this position but a primary element was the belief that total dietary fat and saturated fat were primary dietary determinants of serum total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, not dietary cholesterol. Hence, Canadian health authorities focused on reducing saturated fat and trans fats in the Canadian diet to help lower blood cholesterol levels rather than focusing on limiting dietary cholesterol. In an effort to allay consumer concern with the premise that blood cholesterol level is linked to dietary cholesterol, organizations such as the Canadian Egg Marketing Agency (CEMA) reminded health professionals, including registered dietitians, family physicians and nutrition educators, of the extensive data showing that there is little relationship between dietary cholesterol intake and cardiovascular mortality. In addition, it was pointed out that for most healthy individuals, endogenous synthesis of cholesterol by the liver adjusts to the level of dietary cholesterol intake. Educating health professionals about the relatively weak association between dietary cholesterol and the relatively strong association between serum cholesterol and saturated fat and

  1. Flexing the PECs: Predicting environmental concentrations of veterinary drugs in Canadian agricultural soils.

    PubMed

    Kullik, Sigrun A; Belknap, Andrew M

    2017-03-01

    Veterinary drugs administered to food animals primarily enter ecosystems through the application of livestock waste to agricultural land. Although veterinary drugs are essential for protecting animal health, their entry into the environment may pose a risk for nontarget organisms. A means to predict environmental concentrations of new veterinary drug ingredients in soil is required to assess their environmental fate, distribution, and potential effects. The Canadian predicted environmental concentrations in soil (PECsoil) for new veterinary drug ingredients for use in intensively reared animals is based on the approach currently used by the European Medicines Agency for VICH Phase I environmental assessments. The calculation for the European Medicines Agency PECsoil can be adapted to account for regional animal husbandry and land use practices. Canadian agricultural practices for intensively reared cattle, pigs, and poultry differ substantially from those in the European Union. The development of PECsoil default values and livestock categories representative of typical Canadian animal production methods and nutrient management practices culminates several years of research and an extensive survey and analysis of the scientific literature, Canadian agricultural statistics, national and provincial management recommendations, veterinary product databases, and producers. A PECsoil can be used to rapidly identify new veterinary drugs intended for intensive livestock production that should undergo targeted ecotoxicity and fate testing. The Canadian PECsoil model is readily available, transparent, and requires minimal inputs to generate a screening level environmental assessment for veterinary drugs that can be refined if additional data are available. PECsoil values for a hypothetical veterinary drug dosage regimen are presented and discussed in an international context. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2017;13:331-341. © 2016 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada

  2. 77 FR 58194 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-09-19

    ....S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. Canadian clearing members that use Form 1 report the... Organizations; The Options Clearing Corporation; Notice of Filing of Proposed Rule Change Relating to Financial... technical ``housekeeping'' changes to OCC's By-Laws and Rules relating to financial reporting by Canadian...

  3. Dry fermentation of agricultural residues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jewell, W. J.; Chandler, J. A.; Dellorto, S.; Fanfoni, K. J.; Fast, S.; Jackson, D.; Kabrick, R. M.

    1981-09-01

    A dry fermentation process is discussed which converts agricultural residues to methane, using the residues in their as produced state. The process appears to simplify and enhance the possibilities for using crop residues as an energy source. The major process variables investigated include temperature, the amount and type of inoculum, buffer requirements, compaction, and pretreatment to control the initial available organic components that create pH problems. A pilot-scale reactor operation on corn stover at a temperature of 550 C, with 25 percent initial total solids, a seed-to-feed ratio of 2.5 percent, and a buffer-to-feed ratio of 8 percent achieved 33 percent total volatile solids destruction in 60 days. Volumetric biogas yields from this unit were greater than 1 vol/vol day for 12 days, and greater than 0.5 vol/vol day for 32 days, at a substrate density of 169 kg/m (3).

  4. Influence of humic fractions on retention of isoproturon residues in two Moroccan soils.

    PubMed

    Elkhattabi, Kaouakeb; Bouhaouss, Ahmed; Scrano, Laura; Lelario, Filomena; Bufo, Sabino A

    2007-01-01

    The influence of different fractions of soil organic matter on the retention of the herbicide isoproturon (IPU) has been evaluated. Water and methanol extractable residues of (14)C labeled isoproturon have been determined in two Moroccan soils by beta -counting-liquid chromatography. The quantification of bound residues in soil and in different fractions of soil humic substances has been performed using pyrolysis/scintillation-detected gas-chromatography. Microbial mineralization of the herbicide and soil organic matter has been also monitored. Retention of isoproturon residues after 30-days incubation ranged from 22% to 32% (non-extractable fraction). The radioactivity extracted in an aqueous environment was from 20% to 33% of the amount used for the treatment; meanwhile, methanol was able to extract another 48%. Both soils showed quantities of bound residues into the humin fraction higher than humic and fulvic acids. The total amount of residues retained into the organic matter of the soils was about 65 % of non-extractable fraction, and this percentage did not change with incubation time; on the contrary, the sorption rate of the retention reaction is mostly influenced by the clay fraction and organic content of the soil. Only a little part of the herbicide was mineralized during the experimental time.

  5. 14 CFR 294.87 - Compliance with Canadian licenses.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Compliance with Canadian licenses. 294.87 Section 294.87 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS CANADIAN CHARTER AIR TAXI OPERATORS Terms, Conditions, and Limitations of...

  6. 14 CFR 294.87 - Compliance with Canadian licenses.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... 14 Aeronautics and Space 4 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Compliance with Canadian licenses. 294.87 Section 294.87 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS CANADIAN CHARTER AIR TAXI OPERATORS Terms, Conditions, and Limitations of...

  7. Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jayachandran, P. T.; Langley, R. B.; MacDougall, J. W.; Mushini, S. C.; Pokhotelov, D.; Hamza, A. M.; Mann, I. R.; Milling, D. K.; Kale, Z. C.; Chadwick, R.; Kelly, T.; Danskin, D. W.; Carrano, C. S.

    2009-02-01

    Polar cap ionospheric measurements are important for the complete understanding of the various processes in the solar wind-magnetosphere-ionosphere system as well as for space weather applications. Currently, the polar cap region is lacking high temporal and spatial resolution ionospheric measurements because of the orbit limitations of space-based measurements and the sparse network providing ground-based measurements. Canada has a unique advantage in remedying this shortcoming because it has the most accessible landmass in the high Arctic regions, and the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) is designed to take advantage of Canadian geographic vantage points for a better understanding of the Sun-Earth system. CHAIN is a distributed array of ground-based radio instruments in the Canadian high Arctic. The instrument components of CHAIN are 10 high data rate Global Positioning System ionospheric scintillation and total electron content monitors and six Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosondes. Most of these instruments have been sited within the polar cap region except for two GPS reference stations at lower latitudes. This paper briefly overviews the scientific capabilities, instrument components, and deployment status of CHAIN. This paper also reports a GPS signal scintillation episode associated with a magnetospheric impulse event. More details of the CHAIN project and data can be found at http://chain.physics.unb.ca/chain.

  8. Sleep medication use in Canadian seniors.

    PubMed

    Neutel, C Ineke; Patten, Scott B

    2009-01-01

    Difficulty sleeping is a common complaint by older people which leads to medication use to help attain sleep. This study provides a population-based description of medication, specifically taken to help with sleep, by Canadians over the age of 60. The proportion of this sleep medication that is prescribed, and the determinants of prescribed versus over the-counter (OTC) sleep medication use will also be presented. The Canadian Community Health Survey, 2002, provided the study population of 9,393 respondents over the age of 60. Almost 16% of Canadians over 60 reported taking sleep medication over the past year, of which 85% was prescribed by physicians. Sleep medication is higher for women, increases with age, poor health, chronic illness and poor quality sleep,and was especially high for people with a recent major depressive episode. Prescribed sleep medication increased with age, low income, low education, poor health, chronic illness and residence in the province of Quebec. Adjusting for health status or insurance covering medication costs made little difference. This study provides important new information on the use of sleep medication by older Canadians. Overall sleep medication use and proportion of sleep medication prescribed are separate parameters with potentially different distributions, e.g., Quebec showed the same amount of sleep medication use as elsewhere, but a much higher proportion of it was prescribed.

  9. Incubation of air-pollution-control residues from secondary Pb smelter in deciduous and coniferous organic soil horizons: leachability of lead, cadmium and zinc.

    PubMed

    Chrastný, Vladislav; Vaněk, Aleš; Komárek, Michael; Farkaš, Juraj; Drábek, Ondřej; Vokurková, Petra; Němcová, Jana

    2012-03-30

    The leachability of air-pollution-control (APC) residues from a secondary lead smelter in organic soil horizons (F and H) from a deciduous and a coniferous forest during incubation periods of 0, 3 and 6 months were compared in this work. While the concentration of Pb, Zn and Cd associated with the exchangeable/acid extractable fraction in the horizon F from the coniferous forest was higher compared to the deciduous, significantly lower concentrations in the humified horizon H was found. It is suggested that lower pH and a higher share of fulvic acids fraction (FAs) of solid phase soil organic matter (SOM) in the humified soil horizon H from the coniferous compared to the deciduous forest is responsible for a higher metal association with solid phase SOM and therefore a lower metal leaching in a soil system. From this point of view, the humified soil horizon H from the deciduous forest represents a soil system more vulnerable to Pb, Zn and Cd leaching from APC residues. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Diet and Blood Pressure Control in Chinese Canadians: Cultural Considerations.

    PubMed

    Zou, Ping

    2017-04-01

    Hypertension is highly prevalent in Chinese Canadians and diet has been identified as an important modifiable risk factor for hypertension. The current anti-hypertensive dietary recommendations in hypertension care guidelines lack examination of cultural factors, are not culturally sensitive to ethnic populations, and cannot be translated to Chinese Canadian populations without cultural considerations. Guided by Leininger's Sunrise Model of culture care theory, this paper investigates how cultural factors impact Chinese Canadians' dietary practice. It is proposed that English language proficiency, health literacy, traditional Chinese diet, migration and acculturation, and Traditional Chinese Medicine influence Chinese Canadians' dietary practices. A culturally congruent nursing intervention should be established and tailored according to related cultural factors to facilitate Chinese Canadians' blood pressure control. In addition, further study is needed to test the model adapted from Sunrise Model and understand its mechanism.

  11. Use of crop residues for the control of Meloidogyne incognita under laboratory conditions.

    PubMed

    Piedrabuena, Ana; García-Alvarez, Avelino; Díez-Rojo, Miguel A; Bello, Antonio

    2006-10-01

    This laboratory study evaluates the biofumigant effect of different organic materials with the aim of developing non-chemical alternatives for the management of Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood populations. Sources of organic material from the production system were selected with the aim of reducing agricultural residue accumulation problems as well as decreasing the costs due to the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The selected materials were residues from pepper, strawberry, tomato and cucumber crops, orange juice industry residues, commercial manure and sheep manure, applied at different dosages. Two biofumigation assays were performed under laboratory conditions, using alkaline soils from the Torreblanca area (Murcia, Spain) and acidic soils from the Villa del Prado area (Madrid, Spain). The assays evaluated the effect of the treatments on M. incognita juveniles and other soil organisms, the nematode galling index on tomato roots (susceptible cv. Marmande) grown in the biofumigated soil and soil fertility parameters. The results showed that all biofumigant materials significantly decreased M. incognita populations and galling indices in tomato cv. Marmande. A greater effect was observed on galling indices when applying crop residues together with manure than with the residues alone. Biofumigation had a general beneficial effect on soil fertility, generally increasing nitrogen, organic carbon, pH and potassium levels, and also calcium levels when crop residues of pepper and strawberry were applied. There were no important variations in the number of saprophagous nematodes, dorylaimids and enchytraeids.

  12. Analyzing international clinical education practices for Canadian rehabilitation students.

    PubMed

    Ahluwalia, Puja; Cameron, Debra; Cockburn, Lynn; Ellwood, Lynn; Mori, Brenda; Nixon, Stephanie A

    2014-09-09

    Clinical training in low-income countries has become increasingly popular among pre-licensure trainees from high-income countries. The Working Group on Ethics Guidelines for Global Health Training ("WEIGHT Guidelines") were designed to identify and inform the complex and contentious field of international clinical education. The purpose of this study was to use the WEIGHT Guidelines to evaluate an international clinical internship programme for Master's-level rehabilitation students at a Canadian university. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight Canadian rehabilitation researchers, educations and/or clinicians responsible for administering international internships across three clinical training programmes. Interview questions were informed by the WEIGHT Guidelines. Directed content analysis was used to identify priorities for policy, practice and research. Five themes relating to strengthening international clinical education were identified: (1) from one-time internships to long-term partnerships, (2) starting a discussion about "costs", (3) a more informed approach to student selection, (4) expanding and harmonizing pre-departure training across disciplines, and (5) investing in post-internship debriefing. International clinical education is fraught with ethical, pedagogical and logistical issues that require recognition and ongoing management. This is the first study to use the WEIGHT Guidelines as a qualitative research tool for assessing an existing global health education programme. Results highlight new priorities for action at the Canadian "sending institution", including more explicit attention to the costs (broadly defined) borne by all parties. A crucial next step is deepened engagement with educational partners at the "receiving organizations" based in low-income countries to nurture dialogue regarding reciprocity, trust and sustainability of the partnership. Education research is also needed that evaluates models of pre

  13. Self-Evaluations of Native and Euro-Canadian Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bienvenue, Rita M.

    1978-01-01

    Compared to their Euro-Canadian counterparts, Canada Native students express less favorable self-evaluations in terms of four success and achievement characteristics, but similar self-evaluations in terms of five traits emerging from interpersonal relationships. Available from Canadian Ethnic Studies, The University of Calgary, 2940-24 Avenue…

  14. Learning for the Workplace: Nordic and Canadian Perspectives.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Gail, Ed.

    This book contains 21 papers from the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference, which was held in Hanasaari, Espoo, Finland in June 1995. The following papers are included: "Introduction to the Nordic-Canadian Learning for the Workplace Conference" (Olli-Pekka Heinonen); "Conference Design and Process" (Diane…

  15. Denials of Racism in Canadian English Language Textbooks

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gulliver, Trevor; Thurrell, Kristy

    2016-01-01

    This critical discourse analysis examines denials of racism in descriptions of Canada and Canadians from English language textbooks. Denials of racism often accompany racist and nationalist discourse, preempting observations of racism. The study finds that in representations of Canada or Canadians, English language texts minimize and downplay…

  16. ParticipACTION after 5 years of relaunch: a quantitative survey of Canadian organizational awareness and capacity regarding physical activity initiatives.

    PubMed

    Faulkner, Guy; Ramanathan, Subha; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Berry, Tanya; Deshpande, Sameer; Latimer-Cheung, Amy E; Rhodes, Ryan E; Tremblay, Mark S; Spence, John C

    2018-04-01

    ParticipACTION is a Canadian physical activity communications and social marketing organization relaunched in 2007. This study assesses the capacity of Canadian organizations to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity initiatives. The four objectives were to compare findings from baseline (2008) and follow-up (2013) with respect to: (1) awareness of ParticipACTION; (2) organizational capacity to adopt, implement and promote physical activity initiatives; (3) potential differences in capacity based on organizational size, sector, and mandate; and (4) assess perceptions of ParticipACTION five years after relaunch. In this cross-sectional study, representatives from local, provincial/territorial, and national organizations completed an online survey assessing capacity to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity. Descriptive statistics and one-way analyses of variance were conducted to examine the objectives. Response rate for opening an email survey invitation and consenting to participate was 40.6% (685/1688) and 540 surveys were completed. Awareness of ParticipACTION increased from 54.6% at baseline to 93.9% at follow-up (Objective 1). Findings at both baseline and follow-up reflected good organizational capacity to adopt, implement and promote physical activity (Objective 2) although some varied by organizational sector and mandate (Objective 3). Most respondents reported that ParticipACTION provided positive leadership (65.3%), but there was less agreement regarding ParticipACTION's facilitation of infrastructure (44.0%) or organizational will/motivation (47.1%)(Objective 4). Canadian organizations continue to report having good capacity to adopt, implement, and promote physical activity. There was no discernible change in capacity indicators five years after ParticipACTION's relaunch although its broader contribution to the physical activity sector was endorsed.

  17. Antioxidant health messages in Canadian women's magazines.

    PubMed

    Steinberg, Alissa; Paisley, Judy; Bandayrel, Kristofer

    2011-01-01

    Recently, antioxidants have taken centre stage in media and advertising messages. While 80% of Canadians think they are well-informed about nutrition, many are confused about the health effects of specific nutrients. Forty-six percent of Canadians seek information from newspapers and books, and 67% of women rely on magazines. We examined the content and accuracy of antioxidant health messages in Canadian women's magazines. The top three Canadian magazines targeted at women readers were selected. A screening tool was developed, pilot tested, and used to identify eligible articles. A coding scheme was created to define variables, which were coded and analyzed. Seventy-seven percent of 36 magazine issues contained articles that mentioned antioxidants (n=56). Seventy-one percent (n=40) of articles reported positive health effects related to antioxidant consumption, and 36% and 40% of those articles framed those effects as definite and potential, respectively (p<0.01). The articles sampled conveyed messages about positive antioxidant health effects that are not supported by current evidence. Improved standards of health reporting are needed. Nutrition professionals may need to address this inaccuracy when they develop communications on antioxidants and health risk.

  18. The Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jayachandran, P. T.; Langley, R. B.; MacDougall, J. W.; Mushini, S. C.; Pokhotelov, D.; Chadwick, R.; Kelly, T.

    2009-05-01

    Polar cap ionospheric measurements are important for the complete understanding of the various processes in the solar wind - magnetosphere - ionosphere (SW-M-I) system as well as for space weather applications. Currently the polar cap region is lacking high temporal and spatial resolution ionospheric measurements because of the orbit limitations of space-based measurements and the sparse network providing ground- based measurements. Canada has a unique advantage in remedying this shortcoming because it has the most accessible landmass in the high Arctic regions and the Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Network (CHAIN) is designed to take advantage of Canadian geographic vantage points for a better understanding of the Sun-Earth system. CHAIN is a distributed array of ground-based radio instruments in the Canadian high Arctic. The instruments components of CHAIN are ten high data-rate Global Positioning System ionospheric scintillation and total electron content monitors and six Canadian Advanced Digital Ionosondes. Most of these instruments have been sited within the polar cap region except for two GPS reference stations at lower latitudes. This paper briefly overviews the scientific capabilities, instrument components, and deployment status of CHAIN.

  19. Self-Perceived Eating Habits and Food Skills of Canadians.

    PubMed

    Slater, Joyce J; Mudryj, Adriana N

    2016-01-01

    This study identified and described Canadians' self-perceived eating habits and food skills through the use of population-based data. Data from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2013 Rapid Response on Food Skills was used to examine the eating quality and patterns of Canadians. Data were collected from all provinces in January and February 2013. Respondent variables (sex, age, Aboriginal/immigrant status) were examined to assess differentiations between socio-demographic groupings (family structure, marital status, education, and income). Logistic regression was used to determine whether demographic variables increased the likelihood of certain responses. Forty-six percent of Canadians believe they have excellent/very good eating habits, with 51% categorizing their habits as good or fair. Similarly, the majority report having good food skills. Sex and age were significantly associated with food skills, with women rating their cooking skill proficiency higher than men (72% vs 55%), and older Canadians reporting higher food skill knowledge than their younger counterparts. Results indicate that while portions of the Canadian population have adequate food skills, others are lacking, which may negatively impact their diet. Findings from this study have implications for education and health promotion programs focusing on foods skills, particularly among vulnerable target groups. Copyright © 2016 Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Concentrations of mercury in tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from several communities in the Canadian Arctic from 1981 to 2002.

    PubMed

    Lockhart, W L; Stern, G A; Wagemann, R; Hunt, R V; Metner, D A; DeLaronde, J; Dunn, B; Stewart, R E A; Hyatt, C K; Harwood, L; Mount, K

    2005-12-01

    Beluga whales have been hunted for food by Native People in the Canadian Arctic since prehistoric time. Here we report the results of analyses of total mercury in samples of liver, kidney, muscle and muktuk from collections over the period 1981-2002. We compare these results with human consumption guidelines and examine temporal and geographic variation. Liver has been analyzed more frequently than other organs and it has been used as the indicator organ. Mercury accumulates in the liver of the whales over time so that the whale ages are usually linked statistically to their levels of mercury in liver. Virtually all the samples of 566 animals analyzed contained mercury in liver at concentrations higher than the Canadian consumption guideline of 0.5 microg g-1 (wet weight) for fish. (There is no regulatory guideline for concentrations in marine mammals in Canada.) Samples from locations in the Mackenzie Delta in the western Canadian Arctic and from Pangnirtung in the eastern Canadian Arctic were obtained more often than from other location and these offered the best chances to determine whether levels have changed over time. Statistical outlier points were removed and the regressions of (ln) mercury in liver on age were used to calculate the level of mercury in whales of age 13.1 years in order to compare age-adjusted levels at different locations. These age-adjusted levels and also the slopes of regressions suggested that levels have increased in the Mackenzie Delta over the sampling period although not in a simple linear fashion. Other locations had fewer collections, generally spread over fewer years. Some of them indicated differences between sampling times but we could not establish whether these differences were simply temporal variation or whether they were segments of a consistent trend. For example, the levels in whales from Arviat were considerably higher in 1999 than in 1984 but we have only two samples. Similarly, samples from Iqaluit in 1994 exceeded

  1. Prevalence and Comparing of Some Microbiological Properties, Somatic Cell Count and Antibiotic Residue of Organic and Conventional Raw Milk Produced in Turkey

    PubMed Central

    Şengül, Mustafa; Erkaya, Tuba; Aksakal, Vecihi

    2017-01-01

    The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of production systems and milk collection periods on the somatic cell count (SCC), some microbiological properties, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB), coliform, Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), yeast and mould) and antibiotic residue of milk; in Turkey. Milk samples were collected from 9 conventional farms and 9 organic farms during one year time, at six different months (December 2013 to October 2014), and all farms were selected from the same geographical locations. All organically managed farms had organic production certificates given by the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock. The count of TAMB, coliform, and coagulase positive S. aureus were affected by production systems at the level of p<0.01; yeast and mold, and somatic cell count (SCC) were affected at the level of p<0.05. But, differences according to months were statistically significant only on TAMB (p<0.01) and coliform (p<0.05) counts. The general means of TAMB, coliform and yeast and mould counts of the organic milk (OM) were significantly lower (p<0.05), while the general means of SCC and coagulase positive S. aureus count of the OM was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to conventional milk (CM). Antibiotic residue was determined in one of the CM sample and in two of the OM samples. Our study is the first research that compared conventional and organic milk in Turkey. This study indicated that the microbiological quality of OM was the higher in terms of TAMB, coliform and yeast and mould, whereas was the lower in relation to SCC and coagulase positive S. aureus counts. But, the quality of both milk types should be improved. PMID:28515650

  2. Mapping Collaborative Relations among Canada's Chronic Disease Prevention Organizations

    PubMed Central

    Hanusaik, Nancy; Maximova, Katerina; Paradis, Gilles; O'Loughlin, Jennifer L.

    2016-01-01

    In the field of chronic disease prevention (CDP), collaborations between organizations provide a vital framework for intersectoral engagement and exchanges of knowledge, expertise and resources. However, little is known about how the structures of preventive health systems actually articulate with CDP capacity and outcomes. Drawing upon data from the Public Health Organizational Capacity Study – a repeat census of all public health organizations in Canada – we used social network analysis to map and examine interorganizational collaborative relationships in the Canadian preventive health system. The network of relationships obtained through our study shows that provincial boundaries remain a major factor influencing collaborative patterns. Not only are collaborations scarce on the interprovincial level but they are also mostly limited to links with federal and multi-provincial organizations. Given this finding, federal or multi-provincial organizations that occupy central bridging positions in the Canadian CDP collaborative structure should serve as key players for shaping CDP practices in the country. PMID:27585030

  3. Mapping Collaborative Relations among Canada's Chronic Disease Prevention Organizations.

    PubMed

    Contandriopoulos, Damien; Hanusaik, Nancy; Maximova, Katerina; Paradis, Gilles; O'Loughlin, Jennifer L

    2016-08-01

    In the field of chronic disease prevention (CDP), collaborations between organizations provide a vital framework for intersectoral engagement and exchanges of knowledge, expertise and resources. However, little is known about how the structures of preventive health systems actually articulate with CDP capacity and outcomes. Drawing upon data from the Public Health Organizational Capacity Study - a repeat census of all public health organizations in Canada - we used social network analysis to map and examine interorganizational collaborative relationships in the Canadian preventive health system. The network of relationships obtained through our study shows that provincial boundaries remain a major factor influencing collaborative patterns. Not only are collaborations scarce on the interprovincial level but they are also mostly limited to links with federal and multi-provincial organizations. Given this finding, federal or multi-provincial organizations that occupy central bridging positions in the Canadian CDP collaborative structure should serve as key players for shaping CDP practices in the country. Copyright © 2016 Longwoods Publishing.

  4. TOF-SIMS Analysis of Crater Residues from Wild 2 Cometary on Stardust Aluminum Foil

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Leutner, Jan; Stephan, Thomas; Kearsley, T.; Horz, Friedrich; Flynn, George J.; Sandford, Scott A.

    2006-01-01

    Impact residues of cometary particles on aluminum foils from the Stardust mission were investigated with TOF-SIMS for their elemental and organic composition. The residual matter from comet 81P/Wild 2 shows a wide compositional range, from nearly monomineralic grains to polymict aggregates. Despite the comparably small analyzed sample volume, the average element composition of the investigated residues is similar to bulk CI chondritic values. Analysis of organic components in impact residues is complicated, due to fragmentation and alteration of the compounds during the impact process and by the presence of contaminants on the aluminum foils. Nevertheless, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that are unambiguously associated with the impact residues were observed, and thus are most likely of cometary origin.

  5. Operative Landscape at Canadian Neurosurgery Residency Programs.

    PubMed

    Tso, Michael K; Dakson, Ayoub; Ahmed, Syed Uzair; Bigder, Mark; Elliott, Cameron; Guha, Daipayan; Iorio-Morin, Christian; Kameda-Smith, Michelle; Lavergne, Pascal; Makarenko, Serge; Taccone, Michael S; Wang, Bill; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Sankar, Tejas; Christie, Sean D

    2017-07-01

    Background Currently, the literature lacks reliable data regarding operative case volumes at Canadian neurosurgery residency programs. Our objective was to provide a snapshot of the operative landscape in Canadian neurosurgical training using the trainee-led Canadian Neurosurgery Research Collaborative. Anonymized administrative operative data were gathered from each neurosurgery residency program from January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2014. Procedures were broadly classified into cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and miscellaneous procedures. A number of prespecified subspecialty procedures were recorded. We defined the resident case index as the ratio of the total number of operations to the total number of neurosurgery residents in that program. Resident number included both Canadian medical and international medical graduates, and included residents on the neurosurgery service, off-service, or on leave for research or other personal reasons. Overall, there was an average of 1845 operative cases per neurosurgery residency program. The mean numbers of cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and miscellaneous procedures were 725, 466, 48, and 193, respectively. The nationwide mean resident case indices for cranial, spine, peripheral nerve, and total procedures were 90, 58, 5, and 196, respectively. There was some variation in the resident case indices for specific subspecialty procedures, with some training programs not performing carotid endarterectomy or endoscopic transsphenoidal procedures. This study presents the breadth of neurosurgical training within Canadian neurosurgery residency programs. These results may help inform the implementation of neurosurgery training as the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons residency training transitions to a competence-by-design curriculum.

  6. VLF propagation measurements in the Canadian Arctic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lauber, Wilfred R.; Bertrand, Jean M.

    1993-05-01

    For the past three years, during a period of high sun spot numbers, propagation measurements were made on the reception of VLF signals in the Canadian Arctic. Between Aug. and Dec. 1989, the received signal strengths were measured on the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, John A. MacDonald in the Eastern Canadian Arctic. Between Jul. 1991 and Jun. 1992, the received signal strengths were measured at Nanisivik, Baffin Island. The purposes of this work were to check the accuracy and estimate variances of the Naval Ocean Systems Center's (NOSC) Long Wave Propagation Capability (LWPC) predictions in the Canadian Arctic and to gather ionospheric storm data. In addition, the NOSC data taken at Fort Smith and our data at Nanisivik were used to test the newly developed Longwave Noise Prediction (LNP) program and the CCIR noise predictions, at 21.4 and 24.0 kHz. The results of the work presented and discussed in this paper show that in general the LWPC predicts accurate values of received signal strength in the Canadian Arctic with standard deviations of 1 to 2 dB over several months. Ionospheric storms can gauge the received signal strengths to decrease some 10 dB for a period of several hours or days. However, the effects of these storms are highly dependent on the propagation path. Finally the new LNP atmospheric noise model predicts lower values of noise in the Arctic than the CCIR model and our limited measurements tend to support these lower values.

  7. The potential of residues of furfural and biogas as calcareous soil amendments for corn seed production.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Yunchen; Yan, Zhibin; Qin, Jiahai; Ma, Zhijun; Zhang, Youfu; Zhang, Li

    2016-04-01

    Intensive corn seed production in Northwest of China produced large amounts of furfural residues, which represents higher treatment cost and environmental issue. The broad calcareous soils in the Northwest of China exhibit low organic matter content and high pH, which led to lower fertility and lower productivity. Recycling furfural residues as soil organic and nutrient amendment might be a promising agricultural practice to calcareous soils. A 3-year field study was conducted to evaluate the effects of furfural as a soil amendment on corn seed production on calcareous soil with compared to biogas residues. Soil physical-chemical properties, soil enzyme activities, and soil heavy metal concentrations were assessed in the last year after the last application. Corn yield was determined in each year. Furfural residue amendments significantly decreased soil pH and soil bulk density. Furfural residues combined with commercial fertilizers resulted in the greater cumulative on soil organic matter, total phosphorus, available phosphorus, available potassium, and cation exchange capacity than that of biogas residue. Simultaneously, urease, invertase, catalase, and alkaline phosphatase increased even at the higher furfural application rates. Maize seed yield increased even with lower furfural residue application rates. Furfural residues resulted in lower Zn concentration and higher Cd concentration than that of biogas residues. Amendment of furfural residues led to higher soil electrical conductivity (EC) than that of biogas residues. The addition of furfural residues to maize seed production may be considered to be a good strategy for recycling the waste, converting it into a potential resource as organic amendment in arid and semi-arid calcareous soils, and may help to reduce the use of mineral chemical fertilizers in these soils. However, the impact of its application on soil health needs to be established in long-term basis.

  8. A comparison of vowel formant frequencies in the babbling of infants exposed to Canadian English and Canadian French

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mattock, Karen; Rvachew, Susan; Polka, Linda; Turner, Sara

    2005-04-01

    It is well established that normally developing infants typically enter the canonical babbling stage of production between 6 and 8 months of age. However, whether the linguistic environment affects babbling, either in terms of the phonetic inventory of vowels produced by infants [Oller & Eiler (1982)] or the acoustics of vowel formants [Boysson-Bardies et al. (1989)] is controversial. The spontaneous speech of 42 Canadian English- and Canadian French-learning infants aged 8 to 11, 12 to 15 and 16 to 18 months of age was recorded and digitized to yield a total of 1253 vowels that were spectrally analyzed and statistically compared for differences in first and second formant frequencies. Language-specific influences on vowel acoustics were hypothesized. Preliminary results reveal changes in formant frequencies as a function of age and language background. There is evidence of decreases over age in the F1 values of French but not English infants vowels, and decreases over age in the F2 values of English but not French infants vowels. The notion of an age-related shift in infants attention to language-specific acoustic features and the implications of this for early vocal development as well as for the production of Canadian English and Canadian French vowels will be discussed.

  9. Normative Bone Mineral Density Z-Scores for Canadians Aged 16 to 24 Years: The Canadian Multicenter Osteoporosis Study

    PubMed Central

    Zhou, Wei; Langsetmo, Lisa; Berger, Claudie; Adachi, Jonathan D.; Papaioannou, Alexandra; Ioannidis, George; Webber, Colin; Atkinson, Stephanie A.; Olszynski, Wojciech P.; Brown, Jacques P.; Hanley, David A.; Josse, Robert; Kreiger, Nancy; Prior, Jerilynn; Kaiser, Stephanie; Kirkland, Susan; Goltzman, David; Davison, Kenneth Shawn

    2016-01-01

    The objectives of the study were to develop bone mineral density (BMD) reference norms and BMD Z-scores at various skeletal sites, to determine whether prior fracture and/or asthma were related to BMD, and to assess possible geographic variation of BMD among Canadian youth aged 16–24 yr. Z-Scores were defined as the number of standard deviations from the mean BMD of a healthy population of the same age, race, and sex. Z-Scores were calculated using the reference sample defined as Canadian Caucasian participants without asthma or prior fracture. Reference standards were created for lumbar spine (L1–L4), femoral neck, total hip, and greater trochanter, by each year of age (16–24 yr), and by sex. The Z-score norms were developed for groups noted earlier. Mean Z-scores between the asthma or fracture subgroups compared with the mean Z-scores in the reference sample were not different. There were minor differences in mean BMD across different Canadian geographic regions. This study provides age, sex, and skeletal site-specific Caucasian reference norms and formulae for the calculation of BMD Z-scores for Canadian youth aged 16–24 yr. This information will be valuable to help to identify individuals with clinically meaningful low BMD. PMID:20554232

  10. Characteristics of purple nonsulfur bacteria grown under Stevia residue extractions.

    PubMed

    Xu, J; Feng, Y; Wang, Y; Lin, X

    2013-11-01

    As a consequence of the large-scale cultivation of Stevia plants, releases of plant residues, the byproduct after sweetener extraction, to the environment are inevitable. Stevia residue and its effluent after batching up contain large amounts of organic matters with small molecular weight, which therefore are a potential pollution source. Meanwhile, they are favourite substrates for micro-organism growths. This investigation was aimed to utilize the simulated effluent of Stevia residue to enrich the representative purple nonsulfur bacterium (PNSB), Rhodopseudomonas palustris (Rps. palustris), which has important economic values. The growth profile and quality of Rps. palustris were characterized by spectrophotometry, compared to those grown in common PNSB mineral synthetic medium. Our results revealed that the simulated effluent of Stevia residue not only stimulated Rps. palustris growth to a greater extent, but also increased its physiologically active cytochrome concentrations and excreted indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) content. This variation in phenotype of Rps. palustris could result from the shift in its genotype, further revealed by the repetitive sequence-based PCR (rep-PCR) fingerprinting analysis. Our results showed that the effluent of Stevia residue was a promising substrate for microbial growth. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  11. Safeguarding Canadian Arctic Sovereignty Against Conventional Threats

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-06-01

    The effects of climate change as well as national interests over control of vast amounts of natural resources in the Arctic seem to be...Canadian Sovereignty, Climate Change, Military Capabilities for Arctic Operations 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18...THREATS, by MAJ Dave Abboud, Canadian Forces, 95 pages. The effects of climate change as well as national interests over control of vast amounts of

  12. Seeking Internationalization: The State of Canadian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Anderson, Tim

    2015-01-01

    This article explores the internationalization of Canadian universities, with a focus on the rise of foreign postsecondary students in Canada, the economic impacts, and the various benefits, challenges, and adjustments that have been influenced by the continuing demographic shifts on Canadian campuses since 2000. Rooted in recent global and…

  13. African-Canadian Educators' Perspectives: Critical Factors for Success

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Finlayson, Maureen

    2011-01-01

    This study investigates the perspectives of African-Canadian educators on critical factors for success in their educational careers. Interviews were conducted and life histories were constructed to analyze the complex and multifaceted nature of the experiences of ten African-Canadian educators. These data indicate that family and community…

  14. Management of patients with refractory angina: Canadian Cardiovascular Society/Canadian Pain Society joint guidelines.

    PubMed

    McGillion, Michael; Arthur, Heather M; Cook, Allison; Carroll, Sandra L; Victor, J Charles; L'allier, Philippe L; Jolicoeur, E Marc; Svorkdal, Nelson; Niznick, Joel; Teoh, Kevin; Cosman, Tammy; Sessle, Barry; Watt-Watson, Judy; Clark, Alexander; Taenzer, Paul; Coyte, Peter; Malysh, Louise; Galte, Carol; Stone, James

    2012-01-01

    Refractory angina (RFA) is a debilitating disease characterized by cardiac pain resistant to conventional treatments for coronary artery disease including nitrates, calcium-channel and β-adrenoceptor blockade, vasculoprotective agents, percutaneous coronary interventions, and coronary artery bypass grafting. The mortality rate of patients living with RFA is not known but is thought to be in the range of approximately 3%. These individuals suffer severely impaired health-related quality of life with recurrent and sustained pain, poor general health status, psychological distress, impaired role functioning, and activity restriction. Effective care for RFA sufferers in Canada is critically underdeveloped. These guidelines are predicated upon a 2009 Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) Position Statement which identified that underlying the problem of RFA management is the lack of a formalized, coordinated, interprofessional strategy between the cardiovascular and pain science/clinical communities. The guidelines are therefore a joint initiative of the CCS and the Canadian Pain Society (CPS) and make practice recommendations about treatment options for RFA that are based on the best available evidence. Concluding summary recommendations are also made, giving direction to future clinical practice and research on RFA management in Canada. Copyright © 2012 Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Nucleobases and Prebiotic Molecules in Organic Residues Produced from the Ultraviolet Photo-Irradiation of Pyrimidine in NH3 and H2O+NH3 Ices

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nuevo, Michel; Milam, Stefanie N.; Sandford, Scott

    2012-01-01

    Although not yet identified in the interstellar medium (ISM), N-heterocycles including nucleobases the information subunits of DNA and RNA are present in carbonaceous chondrites, which indicates that molecules of biological interest can be formed in non-terrestrial environments via abiotic pathways. Recent laboratory experiments and ab-initio calculations have already shown that the irradiation of pyrimidine in pure H2O ices leads to the formation of a suite of oxidized pyrimidine derivatives, including the nucleobase uracil. In the present work, NH3:pyrimidine and H2O:NH3:pyrimidine ice mixtures with different relative proportions were irradiated with UV photons under astrophysically relevant conditions. Liquid- and gas-chromatography analysis of the resulting organic residues has led to the detection of the nucleobases uracil and cytosine, as well as other species of prebiotic interest such as urea and small amino acids. The presence of these molecules in organic residues formed under abiotic conditions supports scenarios in which extraterrestrial organics that formed in space and were subsequently delivered to telluric planets via comets and meteorites could have contributed to the inventory of molecules that triggered the first biological reactions on their surfaces.

  16. Mental health concerns among Canadian physicians: results from the 2007-2008 Canadian Physician Health Study.

    PubMed

    Compton, Michael T; Frank, Erica

    2011-01-01

    In light of prior reports on the prevalence of stress, depression, and other mental health problems among physicians in training and practice, we examined the mental health concerns of Canadian physicians using data from the 2007-2008 Canadian Physician Health Study. Among 3213 respondents, 5 variables (depressive symptoms during the past year, anhedonia in the past year, mental health concerns making it difficult to handle one's workload in the past month, problems with work-life balance, and poor awareness of resources for mental health problems) were examined in relation to sex, specialty, practice type (solo practice vs group or other practice settings), and practice setting (inner city, urban/suburban, or rural/small town/remote). Nearly one quarter of physicians reported a 2-week period of depressed mood, and depression was more common among female physicians and general practitioners/family physicians. Anhedonia was reported by one fifth; anesthesiologists were most likely to report anhedonia, followed by general practitioners/family physicians. More than one quarter reported mental health concerns making it difficult to handle their workload, which was more common among female physicians and general practitioners/family physicians and psychiatrists. Nearly one quarter reported poor work-life balance. Lack of familiarity with mental health resources was problematic, which was more prominent among female physicians and specialists outside of general practice/family medicine or psychiatry. Mental health concerns are relatively common among Canadian physicians. Training programs and programmatic/policy enhancements should redouble efforts to address depression and other mental health concerns among physicians for the benefit of the workforce and patients served by Canadian physicians. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The right to the best medical care: Dr. W.P. Warner and the Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs, 1945-55.

    PubMed

    Tremblay, M

    1998-01-01

    Dr. W.P. Warner was appointed as the first Director General of Treatment Services of the Canadian Department of Veterans Affairs, in March 1945. Prior to his appointment, Warner had been the Deputy Director General of Medical Services in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC). During his 10 years as Director General, Warner dramatically re-organized Treatment Services to ensure the right of every disabled veteran to "the best medical care." To meet his goal he drew on his experience in academic and military medicine and established new links between Canadian faculties of medicine and veterans medical services. Physicians, involved in diagnosis and treatment, were employed on a part-time basis and held university appointments. Postgraduate and undergraduate teaching programs for physicians and other health professions were established. Professional consultants and Medical Advisory Committees were developed to provide advice on all aspects of medical care. Finally, medical research and new clinical investigative units were established in Canadian veterans' hospitals. As a result of Warner's new policies, academic medicine was placed in the forefront of veterans medical services and developed the first national model for the integration of medical care, education, and research in Canada. Indeed, many current Canadian practices in medical care, education, and research can find some of their roots in the policies and programs of Treatment Services that began in 1945 under Warner's leadership.

  18. Lyme borreliosis: an update for Canadian dermatologists.

    PubMed

    Potok, Olivia V; Brassard, Alain

    2013-01-01

    Lyme borreliosis is a multisystemic tick-borne spirochetosis, which may result in dermatologic, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and neurologic manifestations. Patients with suspected acute Lyme borreliosis infection may be referred for urgent dermatologic review. Canadian dermatologists should be aware of the latest information regarding the diagnosis and management of Lyme borreliosis. This review is based on a PubMed database search combining the word "Lyme" with variations of the word "Canada." Data sources included articles from the fields of ecology, epidemiology, laboratory diagnostics, and clinical management. In this review, the ecological basis of spirochete transmission by tick vectors is described. The latest available Canadian epidemiologic data are summarized. North American clinical manifestations of Lyme borreliosis are contrasted with European presentations. The Canadian Public Health Laboratory Network's diagnostic guidelines are summarized. Finally, treatment recommendations are outlined.

  19. Brine-induced mortality of non-indigenous invertebrates in residual ballast water.

    PubMed

    Bradie, Johanna N; Bailey, Sarah A; van der Velde, Gerard; Macisaac, Hugh J

    2010-12-01

    All transoceanic vessels entering the Great Lakes are required to manage ballast water and ballast tank residuals with ballast water exchange and tank flushing, respectively. While these management procedures effectively reduce the density and richness of biota in ballast waters and thereby reduce the risk of transferring non-indigenous species, some ships are unable to uniformly manage all tanks. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate sodium chloride brine as an emergency treatment for ballast tanks with non-compliant residuals. Invertebrate communities collected from i) Detroit River, ii) exchanged ballast tanks arriving in the Great Lakes, and iii) North Sea ports, were exposed to a range of brine concentrations (15-115‰) until complete mortality was reached. Results indicate that a 1-h exposure to 115‰ brine is a broadly effective treatment (>99.9% mortality) regardless of treatment temperature, taxonomic group, or species' source habitat salinity. A median of 0.00% (range 0.00-5.33) of individuals are expected to survive treatment and the expected number of viable individuals released after treatment is within Canadian and proposed international discharge standards. Before implementation, validation with ship-scale trials is recommended. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Assessing patient safety in Canadian ambulatory surgery facilities: A national survey

    PubMed Central

    Ahmad, Jamil; Ho, Olivia A; Carman, Wayne W; Thoma, Achilles; Lalonde, Donald H; Lista, Frank

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There has been increased interest regarding patient safety and standards of care in Canadian ambulatory surgery facilities where surgical procedures are performed. The Canadian Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (CAAASF) is a national organization formed to establish and maintain standards to ensure that surgical procedures conducted outside of public hospitals are performed safely. OBJECTIVE: To determine how many procedures are performed annually at CAAASF member sites, and to examine complication rates and several key patient safety practices. METHODS: All 69 facilities accredited by the CAAASF were surveyed. The survey focused on procedural data, complication rates and patient safety interventions. RESULTS: In 2010, 40,240 estimated procedures were performed. A total of 263 (0.007%) complications were reported. Sixteen (0.0004%) patients required reoperations in hospital and 19 (0.0004%) patients required transfer to hospital on the day of surgery. There were only two mortalities within 30 days of surgery reported in the past five years. With regard to patient safety practices, 93% used antimicrobial prophylaxis, 100% used strategies to maintain normothermia and 82% used measures for venous thromboembolism prevention. CONCLUSION: The present study is the first to report on the Canadian experience in ambulatory surgery facilities and provides insight into current practices at these facilities. Appropriate accreditation of ambulatory surgery facilities, well-established patient safety-related standards of care, careful patient selection and procedures performed by qualified health care professionals with appropriate certification practicing within the scope of their practice form the basis for safe and effective ambulatory surgery. PMID:25152645

  1. Resource utilisation by deep-sea megabenthos in the Canadian High Arctic (Baffin Bay and Parry Channel)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourgeois, Solveig; Witte, Ursula; Harrison, Ailish M.; Makela, Anni; Kazanidis, Georgios; Archambault, Philippe

    2016-04-01

    Ongoing climate change in the Arctic is causing drastic alteration of the Arctic marine ecosystem functioning, such as shifts in patterns of primary production, and modifying the present tight pelagic-benthic coupling. Subsequently benthic communities, which rely upon organic matter produced in the top layers of the Ocean, will also be affected by these changes. The benthic megafaunal communities play a significant role in ecological processes and ecosystem functioning (i.e. organic matter recycling, bioturbation, food source for the higher trophic levels…). Yet, information is scarce regarding the main food sources for dominant benthic organisms, and therefore the impact of the ongoing changes is difficult to assess. The goal of this study is to investigate the preferential feeding of different carbon sources by megabenthic organisms in the Canadian High Arctic and to identify environmental drivers which explain the observed trends. In summer 2013, benthic megafauna was collected at 9 stations spread along latitudinal (58 to 81°N) and longitudinal (62 to 114°W) transects in the Baffin Bay and Parry Channel, respectively. Carbon and nitrogen bulk stable isotope analyses (δ13C and δ15N) were performed on several species divided into groups according to their feeding type. This study highlights distinct trends in δ13C values of benthic organisms suggesting the importance of both phytoplankton and ice algae as carbon sources for megafauna in the Canadian High Arctic. The importance of physical and biological parameters as drivers of food web structure will be furthermore discussed.

  2. Advancing environmental toxicology through chemical dosimetry: External exposures versus tissue residues

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McCarty, L.S.; Landrum, P.F.; Luoma, S.N.; Meador, J.P.; Merten, A.A.; Shephard, B.K.; van Wezelzz, A.P.

    2011-01-01

    The tissue residue dose concept has been used, although in a limited manner, in environmental toxicology for more than 100 y. This review outlines the history of this approach and the technical background for organic chemicals and metals. Although the toxicity of both can be explained in tissue residue terms, the relationship between external exposure concentration, body and/or tissues dose surrogates, and the effective internal dose at the sites of toxic action tends to be more complex for metals. Various issues and current limitations related to research and regulatory applications are also examined. It is clear that the tissue residue approach (TRA) should be an integral component in future efforts to enhance the generation, understanding, and utility of toxicity testing data, both in the laboratory and in the field. To accomplish these goals, several key areas need to be addressed: 1) development of a risk-based interpretive framework linking toxicology and ecology at multiple levels of biological organization and incorporating organism-based dose metrics; 2) a broadly applicable, generally accepted classification scheme for modes/mechanisms of toxic action with explicit consideration of residue information to improve both single chemical and mixture toxicity data interpretation and regulatory risk assessment; 3) toxicity testing protocols updated to ensure collection of adequate residue information, along with toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics information, based on explicitly defined toxicological models accompanied by toxicological model validation; 4) continued development of residueeffect databases is needed ensure their ongoing utility; and 5) regulatory guidance incorporating residue-based testing and interpretation approaches, essential in various jurisdictions. ??:2010 SETAC.

  3. TRACE ELEMENT CHEMISTRY IN RESIDUAL-TREATED SOIL: KEY CONCEPTS AND METAL BIOAVAILABILITY

    EPA Science Inventory

    Trace element solubility and availability in land-applied residuals is governed by fundamental chemical reactions between metal constituents, soil, and residual components. Iron, aluminum, and manganese oxides; organic matter; and phosphates, carbonates, and sulfides are importan...

  4. Job displacement effects of Canadian immigrants by country of origin and occupation.

    PubMed

    Roy, A S

    1997-01-01

    "Some previous Canadian studies have shown that considering the labor market as a whole and also pooling all immigrants as a group, immigrants do not have any job displacement effects on the Canadian born. This study presents some new evidence. It disaggregates immigrants by country of origin and by occupation groups and provides an analysis of job displacement effects of immigrants on the native-born Canadians by these dimensions. The study finds that (1) U.S. immigrants and the Canadians are substitutes [for] competing groups in the labor market and the effect is quite significant; (2) Canadians and Europeans are competing groups in certain occupations, while they have complementary skills in others; and (3) immigrants from the Third World and the Canadians are slightly competing groups in certain occupations." excerpt

  5. The promise of e-health--a Canadian perspective.

    PubMed

    Alvarez, Richard C

    2004-01-01

    Canadians value their health care system above any other social programme. Canada's system of health care faces significant financial and population pressures, relating to cost, access, quality, accountability, and the intergration of information and communication technologies (ICTs). The health-system also faces certain unique challenges that include care delivery within a highly decentralised system of financing and accountability, and care delivery to a significant portion of the population sparsely distributed across a land mass of 10 million square kilometres, in areas of extreme climatic conditions. All of these challenges are significant catalysts in the development of technologies that aim to significantly mitigate or eliminate these selfsame challenges. The system is undergoing widespread review, nationally and within each province and territory, where the bulk of care provision is financed and managed. The challenges are being addressed by national, regional and provincial initiatives in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors. The promise of e-health lies in the manner and degree to which it can mitigate or resolve these challenges to the health system and build on advancements in ICTs supporting the development of a health infostructure. Canada is actively developing and implementing technological solutions to deliver health information and health care services across the country. These solutions, while exciting and promising, also present new challenges, particularly in regard to acceptable standards, choice of technologies, overcoming traditional jurisdictional boundaries, up-front investment, and privacy and confidentiality. Many organizations and governments are working to address these challenges. Canada Health Infoway, a not-for-profit corporation, was founded by the first ministers in 2001 to accelerate the establishment of an interoperable, pan-Canadian electronic health record. It works with partners in the federal, provincial and

  6. Relationship between Ontario chiropractors' attitudes toward drug prescription rights and Canadian versus non-Canadian college of graduation: results from an online survey.

    PubMed

    Emary, Peter Charles; Stuber, Kent Jason

    2016-03-01

    To investigate differences between chiropractors' attitudes toward drug prescription rights based on chiropractic college of graduation. A secondary data analysis of a 2015 survey of chiropractors from Ontario, Canada was performed. The questionnaire included 14 items concerning chiropractors' knowledge and attitudes toward drug prescription including demographics. 960 of 2,677 deliverable questionnaires were completed (36% response rate). The majority of respondents favoured limited prescribing rights for chiropractors regardless of college of graduation. Respondents who graduated from Canadian institutions were significantly more in favour of these privileges compared to graduates from non-Canadian schools. Over three-quarters of all respondents opposed the idea of chiropractors having full prescribing rights. No significant association was found between respondents' philosophical orientation and school attended. Ontario chiropractors who graduated from Canadian chiropractic institutions were most interested in obtaining limited drug prescription rights for the profession compared to non-Canadian chiropractic institution graduates.

  7. "Demi-Nationalism" in Higher Education: Women in Canadian and Australian Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tancred-Sheriff, Peta

    1988-01-01

    It is proposed that Canadian universities are "alien" to women because they are dominated by men, have a large proportion of faculty who are not Canadian citizens, and are underutilizing the talents of the female half of the nation's population. Comparisons are made between the Canadian and Australian situations. (MSE)

  8. Role of long- and short-range hydrophobic, hydrophilic and charged residues contact network in protein’s structural organization

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background The three-dimensional structure of a protein can be described as a graph where nodes represent residues and the strength of non-covalent interactions between them are edges. These protein contact networks can be separated into long and short-range interactions networks depending on the positions of amino acids in primary structure. Long-range interactions play a distinct role in determining the tertiary structure of a protein while short-range interactions could largely contribute to the secondary structure formations. In addition, physico chemical properties and the linear arrangement of amino acids of the primary structure of a protein determines its three dimensional structure. Here, we present an extensive analysis of protein contact subnetworks based on the London van der Waals interactions of amino acids at different length scales. We further subdivided those networks in hydrophobic, hydrophilic and charged residues networks and have tried to correlate their influence in the overall topology and organization of a protein. Results The largest connected component (LCC) of long (LRN)-, short (SRN)- and all-range (ARN) networks within proteins exhibit a transition behaviour when plotted against different interaction strengths of edges among amino acid nodes. While short-range networks having chain like structures exhibit highly cooperative transition; long- and all-range networks, which are more similar to each other, have non-chain like structures and show less cooperativity. Further, the hydrophobic residues subnetworks in long- and all-range networks have similar transition behaviours with all residues all-range networks, but the hydrophilic and charged residues networks don’t. While the nature of transitions of LCC’s sizes is same in SRNs for thermophiles and mesophiles, there exists a clear difference in LRNs. The presence of larger size of interconnected long-range interactions in thermophiles than mesophiles, even at higher interaction

  9. Sewage sludge pasteurization by gamma radiation: A Canadian demonstration project — 1988-91

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Swinwood, Jean F.; Wilson, Bruce K.

    Nordion International Inc. and a Canadian city, in cooperation with the Federal & Provincial Ministries of the Environment, began a project in 1988 to construct and operate a commercial-scale sewage sludge pasteurization facility using gamma radiation technology. The facility is scheduled to begin operations in 1991. This paper discusses the objectives and scope of the project, the design of the irradiation system, and the plans to market the pasteurized sludge as a high-value, organic soil conditioner and fertilizer.

  10. Mineralogical, geochemical, and magnetic signatures of surface sediments from the Canadian Beaufort Shelf and Amundsen Gulf (Canadian Arctic)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gamboa, Adriana; Montero-Serrano, Jean-Carlos; St-Onge, Guillaume; Rochon, André; Desiage, Pierre-Arnaud

    2017-02-01

    Mineralogical, geochemical, magnetic, and siliciclastic grain-size signatures of 34 surface sediment samples from the Mackenzie-Beaufort Sea Slope and Amundsen Gulf were studied in order to better constrain the redox status, detrital particle provenance, and sediment dynamics in the western Canadian Arctic. Redox-sensitive elements (Mn, Fe, V, Cr, Zn) indicate that modern sedimentary deposition within the Mackenzie-Beaufort Sea Slope and Amundsen Gulf took place under oxic bottom-water conditions, with more turbulent mixing conditions and thus a well-oxygenated water column prevailing within the Amundsen Gulf. The analytical data obtained, combined with multivariate statistical (notably, principal component and fuzzy c-means clustering analyses) and spatial analyses, allowed the division of the study area into four provinces with distinct sedimentary compositions: (1) the Mackenzie Trough-Canadian Beaufort Shelf with high phyllosilicate-Fe oxide-magnetite and Al-K-Ti-Fe-Cr-V-Zn-P contents; (2) Southwestern Banks Island, characterized by high dolomite-K-feldspar and Ca-Mg-LOI contents; (3) the Central Amundsen Gulf, a transitional zone typified by intermediate phyllosilicate-magnetite-K-feldspar-dolomite and Al-K-Ti-Fe-Mn-V-Zn-Sr-Ca-Mg-LOI contents; and (4) mud volcanoes on the Canadian Beaufort Shelf distinguished by poorly sorted coarse-silt with high quartz-plagioclase-authigenic carbonate and Si-Zr contents, as well as high magnetic susceptibility. Our results also confirm that the present-day sedimentary dynamics on the Canadian Beaufort Shelf is mainly controlled by sediment supply from the Mackenzie River. Overall, these insights provide a basis for future studies using mineralogical, geochemical, and magnetic signatures of Canadian Arctic sediments in order to reconstruct past variations in sediment inputs and transport pathways related to late Quaternary climate and oceanographic changes.

  11. Estimating sediment quality thresholds to prevent restrictions on fish consumption: Application to polychlorinated biphenyls and dioxins-furans in the Canadian Great Lakes.

    PubMed

    Bhavsar, Satyendra P; Gewurtz, Sarah B; Helm, Paul A; Labencki, Tanya L; Marvin, Christopher H; Fletcher, Rachael; Hayton, Alan; Reiner, Eric J; Boyd, Duncan

    2010-10-01

    Sediment quality thresholds (SQTs) are used by a variety of agencies to assess the potential for adverse impact of sediment-associated contaminants on aquatic biota, typically benthic invertebrates. However, sedimentary contaminants can also result in elevated fish contaminant levels, triggering consumption advisories that are protective of humans. As such, SQTs that would result in fish concentrations below consumption advisory levels should also be considered. To illustrate how this can be addressed, we first calculate biota sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) for polychlorinated biphenyls (total PCB) and polychlorinated dioxins-furans (PCDD/Fs) in the Canadian Great Lakes using measured lake sediment and fish tissue concentrations in 4 fish species, namely, lake trout, whitefish, rainbow trout, and channel catfish. Using these BSAFs and tissue residue values for fish consumption advisories employed by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (OMOE, Canada), we derive fish consumption advisory-based SQTs (fca-SQTs) that are likely to result in fish tissue residues that are safe to eat without restriction. The PCDD/Fs fca-SQTs ranged from 6 to 128 pg toxic equivalents (TEQ)/g dry weight (dw) and were above the Canadian Council of the Ministers of the Environment (CCME) threshold effect level (TEL) of 0.85 pg TEQ/g dw. In contrast, the total PCB fca-SQTs ranged from 1 to 60 ng/g dw and were generally below the CCME's TEL of 34.1 ng/g and OMOE's lowest effect level (LEL) of 70 ng/g; however, they were consistent with the OMOE's no effect level (NEL) of 10 ng/g. The fca-SQTs derived using the BSAF as well as food chain multiplier (FCM) approach for a smaller scale system (Hamilton Harbour in Lake Ontario) corresponded well with average lakewide Lake Ontario fca-SQTs. This analysis provides approximate sediment concentrations necessary for reducing fish consumption advisories for each of the Canadian Great Lakes and emphasizes the impacts of historical

  12. Ties that Bind? American Influences on Canadian Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Von Heyking, Amy

    2004-01-01

    Concerns about the "Americanization" of Canadian schools have been raised frequently throughout the history of Canadian education. Fear of American influence was behind the requirement in the 1816 Common School Act in Upper Canada that all teachers take an oath of allegiance to the Crown. It was the reason for the strong promotion of the…

  13. Television Effects on Canadian Arctic High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Coldevin, Gary O.

    The purpose of this study was to contrast and compare television effects across three types of students at a high school in the Canadian Arctic--Euro-Canadian students, Inuit students resident in Frobisher Bay, and Inuit students from isolated settlements. Television had recently been introduced to the area by means of a satellite re-broadcast…

  14. Contaminations of organic fertilizers with antibiotic residues, resistance genes, and mobile genetic elements mirroring antibiotic use in livestock?

    PubMed

    Wolters, Birgit; Widyasari-Mehta, Arum; Kreuzig, Robert; Smalla, Kornelia

    2016-11-01

    Pig manures are frequently used as fertilizer or co-substrate in biogas plants (BGPs) and typically contain antibiotic residues (ARs), as well as bacteria carrying resistance genes (RGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs). A survey of manures from eight pig fattening and six pig breeding farms and digestates from eight BGPs in Lower Saxony, Germany was conducted to evaluate the link between antibiotic usage and ARs to RGs and MGEs present in organic fertilizers. In total, 11 different antibiotics belonging to six substance classes were applied in the farms investigated. Residue analysis revealed concentrations of tetracycline up to 300 mg kg -1 dry weight (DW) in manures and of doxycycline up to 10.1 mg kg -1 DW in digestates indicating incomplete removal during anaerobic digestion. RGs (sul1, sul2, tet(A), tet(M), tet(X), qacE∆1) were detected in total community DNA of all samples by PCR-Southern blot hybridization. Broad-host range plasmids (IncP-1, IncQ, IncN, and IncW) and integron integrase genes (intI1, intI2) were found in most manure samples with IncN and IncW plasmids being more abundant in manure from pig breeding compared to pig fattening farms. IntI1, IncQ, and IncW plasmids were also detected in all digestates, while IncP-1, IncN, and LowGC plasmids were detected only sporadically. Our findings strongly reinforce the need for further research to identify mitigation strategies to reduce the level of contamination of organic fertilizers with ARs and transferable RGs that are applied to soil and that might influence the mobile resistome of the plant microbiome.

  15. Canadian oil and gas taxation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Watkins, C.; Scarfe, B.

    1985-01-01

    The taxation of Canadian oil and gas production has occasioned significant conflict between the federal government and the provinces, which own most of the petroleum resources. During the upheaval of the world oil market in the 1970s, such conflict became overt, with claims and counterclaims on perceived economic rents. In contrast, the 1950s and 1960s had been relatively quiet, with quite straightforward taxation regimes requiring only a little federal-provincial policy coordination. Federal policies were then preoccupied with encouraging market growth, with scant attention to pricing and revenue shares, the issues that have dominated federal and provincial energy policy in themore » 1970s and the 1980s. The authors begin by outlining the tax and royalty systems imposed by the federal government and by the government of Alberta, which accounts for some 85% of Canadian oil and gas output. They use the term system here in a broad sense to include all revenue-collecting devices and direct subsidies. Then they analyze the nature, problems, and efficiency of these regimes, especially as devices to collect economic rent. A final section speculates about the future evolution of Canadian oil and gas taxation. 13 references, 4 tables.« less

  16. PREDICTING CHEMICAL RESIDUES IN AQUATIC FOOD CHAINS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The need to accurately predict chemical accumulation in aquatic organisms is critical for a variety of environmental applications including the assessment of contaminated sediments. Approaches for predicting chemical residues can be divided into two general classes, empirical an...

  17. Attitudes towards the Canadian quality milk program and use of good production practices among Canadian dairy producers.

    PubMed

    Young, I; Rajić, A; Hendrick, S; Parker, S; Sanchez, J; McClure, J T; McEwen, S A

    2010-04-01

    To harmonize good production practices (GPP) for dairy producers in Canada, the Canadian dairy industry has developed and is implementing a program called Canadian Quality Milk (CQM). A postal questionnaire was administered to all Canadian dairy producers enrolled in dairy herd-improvement organizations in 2008 (n=10,474) to investigate their attitudes towards the program and to establish baseline information on their use of GPP. The response percentage was 20.9% (2185/10,474). Two-thirds of producers (67.6%) reported participation in CQM and 61.4% of these indicated that the requirements were easy to implement. Most producers (85.0%) reported the use of cats as a pest-control method in their barns. For dead-livestock disposal, 65.0% and 38.0% indicated use of a collection service and burial, respectively. Nearly 40.0% of respondents indicated that they purchase replacement cattle, and somatic cell-count score was the main health indicator considered before purchase. Over 70% of producers reported that they clean and disinfect maternity, calf and weaned-calf pens, while only 34.1% and 53.1% reported that they provide visitors and employees, respectively, with clean clothes and boots. Through latent-class analysis, five groups (classes) of producers with distinctive patterns of reported use of GPP were identified. These were labelled as "minimal", "sanitation-only", "employee-visitor hygiene", "typical" and "ideal" user groups, with 11.1%, 23.8%, 20.2%, 37.1% and 7.7% of respondents, respectively. Respondents in the "ideal users" group had a higher probability of reporting the use of each GPP and were more likely to have completed an educational course in food safety compared to respondents in each other group. They were also more likely to have a herd size in the uppermost quartile (>65 cows) and report participation in CQM compared to each other group except the "employee-visitor hygiene users". The greatest differences were observed when compared to the "minimal

  18. Determinants of healthy eating among low-income Canadians.

    PubMed

    Power, Elaine M

    2005-01-01

    This paper draws on four bodies of literature to consider the determinants of healthy eating for low-income Canadians: a) the social determinants of health; b) socio-economic gradients in diet; c) food security; and d) the sociology of food. Though there is a paucity of data for Canada, it is very likely that, as in other industrialized countries, there are socio-economic gradients in diet such that those who are better off consume healthier diets than those less well-to-do. The available evidence suggests that income affects food intake both directly and indirectly through the dispositions associated with particular social class locations. Thus, there may be both economic and cultural thresholds for some food groups or particular foods in food groups. Understanding these thresholds is especially important in addressing the issues facing those who are the most vulnerable among Canadians with low incomes: the food insecure. The literature reviewed suggests that improved nutrition for low-income Canadians may be difficult to achieve a) in isolation from other changes to improve their lives; b) without improvement in the nutrition of the general population of Canadians; and c) without some combination of these two changes. Four major areas of research need were identified: a) national data on socio-economic gradients in diet; b) sociological research on the interaction of income and class with other factors affecting food practices; c) sociological research on Canadian food norms and cultures; and d) research on the costs of healthy eating.

  19. Adsorption Property and Mechanism of Oxytetracycline onto Willow Residues

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Di; Xu, Haiyang; Yang, Shengke; Wang, Wenke; Wang, Yanhua

    2017-01-01

    To elucidate the adsorption property and the mechanism of plant residues to reduce oxytetracycline (OTC), the adsorption of OTC onto raw willow roots (WR-R), stems (WS-R), leaves (WL-R), and adsorption onto desugared willow roots (WR-D), stems (WS-D), and leaves (WL-D) were investigated. The structural characterization was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, and an elemental analyzer. OTC adsorption onto the different tissues of willow residues was compared and correlated with their structures. The adsorption kinetics of OTC onto willow residues was found to follow the pseudo-first-order model. The isothermal adsorption process of OTC onto the different tissues of willow residues followed the Langmuir and Freundlich model and the process was also a spontaneous endothermic reaction, which was mainly physical adsorption. After the willow residues were desugared, the polarity decreased and the aromaticity increased, which explained why the adsorption amounts of the desugared willow residues were higher than those of the unmodified residues. These observations suggest that the raw and modified willow residues have great potential as adsorbents to remove organic pollutants. PMID:29271892

  20. Heat exposure in the Canadian workplace.

    PubMed

    Jay, Ollie; Kenny, Glen P

    2010-08-01

    Exposure to excessive heat is a physical hazard that threatens Canadian workers. As patterns of global climate change suggest an increased frequency of heat waves, the potential impact of these extreme climate events on the health and well-being of the Canadian workforce is a new and growing challenge. Increasingly, industries rely on available technology and information to ensure the safety of their workers. Current Canadian labor codes in all provinces employ the guidelines recommended by the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) that are Threshold Limit Values (TLVs) based upon Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT). The TLVs are set so that core body temperature of the workers supposedly does not exceed 38.0 degrees C. Legislation in most Canadian provinces also requires employers to install engineering and administrative controls to reduce the heat stress risk of their working environment should it exceed the levels permissible under the WBGT system. There are however severe limitations using the WGBT system because it only directly evaluates the environmental parameters and merely incorporates personal factors such as clothing insulation and metabolic heat production through simple correction factors for broadly generalized groups. An improved awareness of the strengths and limitations of TLVs and the WGBT index can minimize preventable measurement errors and improve their utilization in workplaces. Work is on-going, particularly in the European Union to develop an improved individualized heat stress risk assessment tool. More work is required to improve the predictive capacity of these indices. Copyright 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  1. Bio-energy conversion performance, biodegradability, and kinetic analysis of different fruit residues during discontinuous anaerobic digestion.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Chen; Yan, Hu; Liu, Yan; Huang, Yan; Zhang, Ruihong; Chen, Chang; Liu, Guangqing

    2016-06-01

    Huge amounts of fruit residues are produced and abandoned annually. The high moisture and organic contents of these residues makes them a big problem to the environment. Conversely, they are a potential resource to the world. Anaerobic digestion is a good way to utilize these organic wastes. In this study, the biomethane conversion performances of a large number of fruit residues were determined and compared using batch anaerobic digestion, a reliable and easily accessible method. The results showed that some fruit residues containing high contents of lipids and carbohydrates, such as loquat peels and rambutan seeds, were well fit for anaerobic digestion. Contrarily, residues with high lignin content were strongly recommended not to be used as a single substrate for methane production. Multiple linear regression model was adopted to simulate the correlation between the organic component of these fruit residues and their experimental methane yield, through which the experimental methane yield could probably be predicted for any other fruit residues. Four kinetic models were used to predict the batch anaerobic digestion process of different fruit residues. It was shown that the modified Gompertz and Cone models were better fit for the fruit residues compared to the first-order and Fitzhugh models. The first findings of this study could provide useful reference and guidance for future studies regarding the applications and potential utilization of fruit residues. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Knowledge synthesis and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is Canada's premier health-research funding agency. We fund nearly 14,000 researchers and trainees in four theme areas: biomedical, clinical, health services, and population and public-health research. Our mandate is 'to excel according to international standards of scientific excellence, in the creation of new knowledge and its translation into improved health for Canadians, more effective health services and products and a strengthened Canadian health care system'. Knowledge synthesis is a key element of the knowledge-translation objectives of CIHR, as outlined in our definition of knowledge-translation. PMID:22587985

  3. The material of practice: the Canadian Nursing History Collection.

    PubMed

    Bates, Christina

    2004-01-01

    The Canadian Nursing History Collection is a special holding of over 1500 artifacts at the Canadian Museum of Civilization and the Canadian War Museum. The most significant of its kind, the collection includes uniforms, pins, diaries, instrument kits, and military medals. Researchers and the public will access the collection through an on-line catalogue, a major exhibition, and a book. The material culture of nursing represented by this collection provides nursing historians with a whole new body of evidence for insights into nursing history. The sample of hospital uniforms, from 1900 to the present, for example, raises new and theoretical approaches.

  4. Promoting equitable global health research: a policy analysis of the Canadian funding landscape.

    PubMed

    Plamondon, Katrina; Walters, Dylan; Campbell, Sandy; Hatfield, Jennifer

    2017-08-29

    Recognising radical shifts in the global health research (GHR) environment, participants in a 2013 deliberative dialogue called for careful consideration of equity-centred principles that should inform Canadian funding polices. This study examined the existing funding structures and policies of Canadian and international funders to inform the future design of a responsive GHR funding landscape. We used a three-pronged analytical framework to review the ideas, interests and institutions implicated in publically accessible documents relevant to GHR funding. These data included published literature and organisational documents (e.g. strategic plans, progress reports, granting policies) from Canadian and other comparator funders. We then used a deliberative approach to develop recommendations with the research team, advisors, industry informants and low- and middle-income country (LMIC) partners. In Canada, major GHR funders invest an estimated CA$90 M per annum; however, the post-2008 re-organization of funding structures and policies resulted in an uncoordinated and inefficient Canadian strategy. Australia, Denmark, the European Union, Norway, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States of America invest proportionately more in GHR than Canada. Each of these countries has a national strategic plan for global health, some of which have dedicated benchmarks for GHR funding and policy to allow funds to be held by partners outside of Canada. Key constraints to equitable GHR funding included (1) funding policies that restrict financial and cost burden aspects of partnering for GHR in LMICs; and (2) challenges associated with the development of effective governance mechanisms. There were, however, some Canadian innovations in funding research that demonstrated both unconventional and equitable approaches to supporting GHR in Canada and abroad. Among the most promising were found in the International Development Research Centre and the (no longer active) Global Health

  5. Effectiveness, Improvement and Educational Change: A Distinctively Canadian Approach?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hargreaves, Andy; Fink, Dean

    1998-01-01

    A distinctive Canadian school of thought on educational change is inclined to synthesize diverse bodies of work and integrate nonrational and emotional dimensions with rational and technically effective ones in a socially critical way. Highlights the Canadian perspective through discussions about complex systems, contexts of change, critical…

  6. How Canadian Universities Use Social Media to Brand Themselves

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bélanger, Charles H.; Bali, Suchita; Longden, Bernard

    2014-01-01

    This paper explores social media marketing strategies applied by Canadian universities as a tool for institutional branding, recruitment and engagement of home and international students. The target sample involves the total population of Canadian university-status institutions ("N" = 106). Qualitative data were collected from two major…

  7. 14 CFR 294.3 - General requirements for Canadian charter air taxi operators.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

    2011-01-01

    ... air taxi operators. 294.3 Section 294.3 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS CANADIAN CHARTER AIR TAXI OPERATORS General § 294.3 General requirements for Canadian charter air taxi operators. A Canadian charter air taxi operator shall...

  8. 14 CFR 294.3 - General requirements for Canadian charter air taxi operators.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-01-01

    ... air taxi operators. 294.3 Section 294.3 Aeronautics and Space OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (AVIATION PROCEEDINGS) ECONOMIC REGULATIONS CANADIAN CHARTER AIR TAXI OPERATORS General § 294.3 General requirements for Canadian charter air taxi operators. A Canadian charter air taxi operator shall...

  9. Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce: Current status, concerns and future projections

    PubMed Central

    Morinville, Véronique; Drouin, Éric; Lévesque, Dominique; Espinosa, Victor M; Jacobson, Kevan

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: There is concern that the Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce is inadequate to meet health care demands of the pediatric population. The Canadian Association of Gastroenterology Pediatric Committee performed a survey to determine characteristics and future plans of the Canadian pediatric gastroenterology workforce and trainees. METHODS: Estimates of total and pediatric populations were obtained from the 2001 Census of Population, Statistics Canada (with estimates to July 1, 2005). Data on Canadian pediatric gastroenterologists, including clinical full-time equivalents, sex, work interests, opinions on workforce adequacy, retirement plans, fellowship training programs and future employment plans of fellows, were gathered through e-mail surveys and telephone correspondence in 2005 and 2006. RESULTS: Canada had an estimated population of 32,270,507 in 2005 (6,967,853 people aged zero to 17 years). The pediatric gastroenterology workforce was estimated at 9.2 specialists per million children. Women accounted for 50% of the workforce. Physician to pediatric population ratios varied, with Alberta demonstrating the highest and Saskatchewan the lowest ratios (1:69,404 versus 1:240,950, respectively). Between 1998 and 2005, Canadian pediatric gastroenterology fellowship programs trained 65 fellows (65% international trainees). Twenty-two fellows (34%) entered the Canadian workforce. CONCLUSIONS: The survey highlights the variable and overall low numbers of pediatric gastroenterologists across Canada, an increasingly female workforce, a greater percentage of part-time physicians and a small cohort of Canadian trainees. In conjunction with high projected retirement rates, greater demands on the work-force and desires to partake in nonclinical activities, there is concern for an increasing shortage of pediatric gastroenterologists in Canada in future years. PMID:17948136

  10. CIHR Candrive Cohort Comparison with Canadian Household Population Holding Valid Driver's Licenses.

    PubMed

    Gagnon, Sylvain; Marshall, Shawn; Kadulina, Yara; Stinchcombe, Arne; Bédard, Michel; Gélinas, Isabelle; Man-Son-Hing, Malcolm; Mazer, Barbara; Naglie, Gary; Porter, Michelle M; Rapoport, Mark; Tuokko, Holly; Vrkljan, Brenda

    2016-06-01

    We investigated whether convenience sampling is a suitable method to generate a sample of older drivers representative of the older-Canadian driver population. Using equivalence testing, we compared a large convenience sample of older drivers (Candrive II prospective cohort study) to a similarly aged population of older Canadian drivers. The Candrive sample consists of 928 community-dwelling older drivers from seven metropolitan areas of Canada. The population data was obtained from the Canadian Community Health Survey - Healthy Aging (CCHS-HA), which is a representative sample of older Canadians. The data for drivers aged 70 and older were extracted from the CCHS-HA database, for a total of 3,899 older Canadian drivers. Two samples were demonstrated as equivalent on socio-demographic, health, and driving variables that we compared, but not on driving frequency. We conclude that convenience sampling used in the Candrive study created a fairly representative sample of Canadian older drivers, with a few exceptions.

  11. 2003 survey of Canadian radiation oncology residents

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Yee, Don; Fairchild, Alysa; Keyes, Mira

    2005-06-01

    Purpose: Radiation oncology's popularity as a career in Canada has surged in the past 5 years. Consequently, resident numbers in Canadian radiation oncology residencies are at all-time highs. This study aimed to survey Canadian radiation oncology residents about their opinions of their specialty and training experiences. Methods and Materials: Residents of Canadian radiation oncology residencies that enroll trainees through the Canadian Resident Matching Service were identified from a national database. Residents were mailed an anonymous survey. Results: Eight of 101 (7.9%) potential respondents were foreign funded. Fifty-two of 101 (51.5%) residents responded. A strong record of graduating its residents wasmore » the most important factor residents considered when choosing programs. Satisfaction with their program was expressed by 92.3% of respondents, and 94.3% expressed satisfaction with their specialty. Respondents planning to practice in Canada totaled 80.8%, and 76.9% plan to have academic careers. Respondents identified job availability and receiving adequate teaching from preceptors during residency as their most important concerns. Conclusions: Though most respondents are satisfied with their programs and specialty, job availability and adequate teaching are concerns. In the future, limited time and resources and the continued popularity of radiation oncology as a career will magnify the challenge of training competent radiation oncologists in Canada.« less

  12. On tide-induced Lagrangian residual current and residual transport: 1. Lagrangian residual current

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Feng, Shizuo; Cheng, Ralph T.; Pangen, Xi

    1986-01-01

    Residual currents in tidal estuaries and coastal embayments have been recognized as fundamental factors which affect the long-term transport processes. It has been pointed out by previous studies that it is more relevant to use a Lagrangian mean velocity than an Eulerian mean velocity to determine the movements of water masses. Under weakly nonlinear approximation, the parameter k, which is the ratio of the net displacement of a labeled water mass in one tidal cycle to the tidal excursion, is assumed to be small. Solutions for tides, tidal current, and residual current have been considered for two-dimensional, barotropic estuaries and coastal seas. Particular attention has been paid to the distinction between the Lagrangian and Eulerian residual currents. When k is small, the first-order Lagrangian residual is shown to be the sum of the Eulerian residual current and the Stokes drift. The Lagrangian residual drift velocity or the second-order Lagrangian residual current has been shown to be dependent on the phase of tidal current. The Lagrangian drift velocity is induced by nonlinear interactions between tides, tidal currents, and the first-order residual currents, and it takes the form of an ellipse on a hodograph plane. Several examples are given to further demonstrate the unique properties of the Lagrangian residual current.

  13. A successful Charter challenge to medicare? Policy options for Canadian provincial governments.

    PubMed

    Flood, Colleen M; Thomas, Bryan

    2018-03-26

    In September 2016, a case went to trial in British Columbia that seeks to test the constitutionality of provincial laws that (1) ban private health insurance for medically necessary hospital and physician services; (2) ban extra-billing (physicians cannot charge patients more than the public tariff); and (3) require physicians to work solely for the public system or 'opt-out' and practice privately. All provinces have similar laws that have been passed to meet the requirements of federal legislation, the Canada Health Act (and thus qualify for federal funds). Consequently, a finding of unconstitutionality of one or more of these laws could have a very significant impact on the future of Canada's single-payer system ('medicare'). However, should the court find that a particular law is not in compliance with the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, the baton is then passed back to the government which may respond with other laws or policies that they believe to be constitutionally compliant. The ultimate impact of any successful Charter challenge to laws protecting medicare from privatization will thus significantly depend on how Canadian governments respond. Provincial governments could allow privatization to undercut equity and access, or they could respond creatively with new legal and policy solutions to both improve equity and access and tackle some of the problems that have long bedeviled Canadian medicare. This paper provides an understanding - grounded in comparative health systems evidence - of law and policy options available to Canadian lawmakers for limiting two-tier care in the wake of any successful challenge to existing laws. The paper presents the results of a large inter-disciplinary, comparative study, started in 2015, that systematically reviewed the legal and broader regulatory schemes used to regulate the public/private divide in 15 Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development countries with a particular eye to what the effect of

  14. The transcultural diabetes nutrition algorithm: a canadian perspective.

    PubMed

    Gougeon, Réjeanne; Sievenpiper, John L; Jenkins, David; Yale, Jean-François; Bell, Rhonda; Després, Jean-Pierre; Ransom, Thomas P P; Camelon, Kathryn; Dupre, John; Kendall, Cyril; Hegazi, Refaat A; Marchetti, Albert; Hamdy, Osama; Mechanick, Jeffrey I

    2014-01-01

    The Transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm (tDNA) is a clinical tool designed to facilitate implementation of therapeutic lifestyle recommendations for people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. Cultural adaptation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPG) recommendations is essential to address varied patient populations within and among diverse regions worldwide. The Canadian version of tDNA supports and targets behavioural changes to improve nutritional quality and to promote regular daily physical activity consistent with Canadian Diabetes Association CPG, as well as channelling the concomitant management of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and dysglycaemia in primary care. Assessing glycaemic index (GI) (the ranking of foods by effects on postprandial blood glucose levels) and glycaemic load (GL) (the product of mean GI and the total carbohydrate content of a meal) will be a central part of the Canadian tDNA and complement nutrition therapy by facilitating glycaemic control using specific food selections. This component can also enhance other metabolic interventions, such as reducing the need for antihyperglycaemic medication and improving the effectiveness of weight loss programs. This tDNA strategy will be adapted to the cultural specificities of the Canadian population and incorporated into the tDNA validation methodology.

  15. The Transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm: A Canadian Perspective

    PubMed Central

    Sievenpiper, John L.; Jenkins, David; Yale, Jean-François; Bell, Rhonda; Després, Jean-Pierre; Ransom, Thomas P. P.; Dupre, John; Kendall, Cyril; Hegazi, Refaat A.; Marchetti, Albert; Hamdy, Osama; Mechanick, Jeffrey I.

    2014-01-01

    The Transcultural Diabetes Nutrition Algorithm (tDNA) is a clinical tool designed to facilitate implementation of therapeutic lifestyle recommendations for people with or at risk for type 2 diabetes. Cultural adaptation of evidence-based clinical practice guidelines (CPG) recommendations is essential to address varied patient populations within and among diverse regions worldwide. The Canadian version of tDNA supports and targets behavioural changes to improve nutritional quality and to promote regular daily physical activity consistent with Canadian Diabetes Association CPG, as well as channelling the concomitant management of obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and dysglycaemia in primary care. Assessing glycaemic index (GI) (the ranking of foods by effects on postprandial blood glucose levels) and glycaemic load (GL) (the product of mean GI and the total carbohydrate content of a meal) will be a central part of the Canadian tDNA and complement nutrition therapy by facilitating glycaemic control using specific food selections. This component can also enhance other metabolic interventions, such as reducing the need for antihyperglycaemic medication and improving the effectiveness of weight loss programs. This tDNA strategy will be adapted to the cultural specificities of the Canadian population and incorporated into the tDNA validation methodology. PMID:24550982

  16. Cost-Control Mechanisms in Canadian Private Drug Plans

    PubMed Central

    Kratzer, Jillian; McGrail, Kimberlyn; Strumpf, Erin; Law, Michael R.

    2013-01-01

    Approximately 68% of Canadians receive prescription drug coverage through an employer-sponsored private plan. However, we have very limited data on the structure of these plans. This study aims to identify and describe the use of cost-control mechanisms in private drug plans in Canada and describe what private coverage looks like for the average Canadian. Using 2010 data from over 113,000 different private drug plans, provided by Applied Management Consultants, we determined the overall use of key cost-control measures, and the cost-control tools that appear to be gaining currency compared to a report on benefits coverage in 1998. We found that the use of common cost-control measures is relatively low among Canadian private benefits programs. Co-insurance is much more common in private coverage plans than co-payments. Deductibles are uncommon in Canada and, when in place, are very small. The use of annual and lifetime maximums is increasing. Canadian private benefits programs use few cost-control measures to respond to increasing costs, particularly in comparison to their public counterparts. These results suggest there are ample opportunities for greater efficiency in private sector drug coverage plans. PMID:23968672

  17. "Dear Friend" (?): Culture and Genre in American and Canadian Direct Marketing Letters.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Graves, Roger

    1997-01-01

    Examines differences between Canadian and American cultures as manifested in direct marketing letters. Investigates aspects of Canadian culture, including tolerance for others, awareness of class distinctions, and concern for the collective over the individual. Compares direct mail letters sent to Canadians and to Americans, analyzing the use of…

  18. How Medical Tourism Enables Preferential Access to Care: Four Patterns from the Canadian Context.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Jeremy; Johnston, Rory; Crooks, Valorie A; Morgan, Jeff; Adams, Krystyna

    2017-06-01

    Medical tourism is the practice of traveling across international borders with the intention of accessing medical care, paid for out-of-pocket. This practice has implications for preferential access to medical care for Canadians both through inbound and outbound medical tourism. In this paper, we identify four patterns of medical tourism with implications for preferential access to care by Canadians: (1) Inbound medical tourism to Canada's public hospitals; (2) Inbound medical tourism to a First Nations reserve; (3) Canadian patients opting to go abroad for medical tourism; and (4) Canadian patients traveling abroad with a Canadian surgeon. These patterns of medical tourism affect preferential access to health care by Canadians by circumventing domestic regulation of care, creating jurisdictional tensions over the provision of health care, and undermining solidarity with the Canadian health system.

  19. Canadian Educational Development Centre Websites: More Ebb than Flow?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simmons, Nicola

    2010-01-01

    This paper examines information portrayed on Canadian educational development (ED) centre websites and, in particular, whether information that corresponds to questions compiled from a literature search of ED centre practices is readily available from centre websites. This study phase is part of a larger national study of Canadian educational…

  20. Implications of Complexity and Chaos Theories for Organizations that Learn

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Peter A. C.

    2003-01-01

    In 1996 Hubert Saint-Onge and Smith published an article ("The evolutionary organization: avoiding a Titanic fate", in The Learning Organization, Vol. 3 No. 4), based on their experience at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). It was established at CIBC that change could be successfully facilitated through blended application…

  1. Defining Canadian Perspectives on Climate Change Science and Solutions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rieger, C.; Byrne, J. M.

    2014-12-01

    Despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of potentially disastrous change in global climate, little is being accomplished in climate mitigation or adaptation in Canada. The energy sector in Canada is still primarily oil and gas, with huge tax breaks to the industry in spite of well known harmful regional and global impacts of fossil fuel pollution. One of the largest concerns for the climate science community is the variable and often complacent attitude many Canadians share on the issue of climate change. The objective herein is twofold: (1) a survey tool will be used to assess the views and opinions of Canadians on climate change science and solutions; (2) develop better communication methods for industry, government and NGOs to share the science and solutions with the public. The study results will inform the Canadian public, policy makers and industry of practical, effective changes needed to address climate change challenges. A survey of Canadians' perspectives is an important step in policy changing research. The climate research and application community must know the most effective ways to communicate the science and solutions with a public that is often resistant to change. The AGU presentation will feature the results of the survey, while continued work into 2015 will be towards advancing communication. This study is both timely and crucial for science communicators in understanding how Canadians view climate change, considering, for example, devastatingly extreme weather being experienced of late and its effect on the economy. The results will assist in recognizing how to encourage Canadians to work towards a more sustainable and resilient energy sector in Canada and abroad.

  2. Suicide, Canadian law, and Exit International's "peaceful pill".

    PubMed

    Ogden, Russel D

    2010-11-01

    Australia's Exit International ("Exit") is probably the most visible and controversial right-to-die organization in the world. Founded by Dr. Philip Nitschke, Exit is known for do-it-yourself ("DIY") suicide workshops and a book banned in Australia: The Peaceful Pill Handbook. In 2009, Exit held its first workshop in Canada. Due to legal concerns, the Vancouver Public Library reneged on a commitment to give Exit a venue, so the workshop proceeded in the sanctuary of a church hall. This article summarizes the history of suicide law in Canada and gives an overview of the emerging DIY movement. A case report describes how a Canadian woman studied Exit's literature and learned how to import veterinary pentobarbital. In accordance with Exit's information, she ended her life. Ethical and legal implications for researching DIY suicide are discussed and it is argued that prohibition contributes to an undesirable situation of uncontrolled and unregulated suicide. Whether they are prohibited, permitted, or tolerated, suicide and assisted suicide are controversial. Their legal treatment in Canada is conflicting because suicide is not a crime but it is a serious offense to assist, encourage, or counsel someone to suicide. Individuals can lawfully take their lives, but they must act independently. This legal situation has given rise to a do-it-yourself ("DIY") right-to-die movement dedicated to technologies and information to enhance the possibilities for planned and humane suicide, while limiting the legal exposure of sympathetic third parties (Martin, 2010; Ogden 2001). My aim is to summarize the legal history of suicide in Canada and discuss the emerging social movement for DIY suicide and assistance in suicide. Exit International ("Exit"), based in Australia, is a leading organization in this movement. I present a case report that describes how a Canadian woman ended her life using DIY techniques learned from Exit. Some ethical and legal implications for researching DIY

  3. DETAIL OF PIER C (CANADIAN SIDE), SHOWING LOWER CHORDS, VERTICALS ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    DETAIL OF PIER C (CANADIAN SIDE), SHOWING LOWER CHORDS, VERTICALS AND DIAGONALS. VIEW TO NORTH. - Blue Water Bridge, Spanning St. Clair River at I-69, I-94, & Canadian Route 402, Port Huron, St. Clair County, MI

  4. Combining communication technology utilization and organizational innovation: evidence from Canadian healthcare decision makers.

    PubMed

    Jbilou, Jalila; Landry, Réjean; Amara, Nabil; El Adlouni, Salaheddine

    2009-08-01

    Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Organizational Innovation (OI) are seen as the miracle of post-modernity in organizations. In this way, they are supposed to resolve most organizational problems, efficiently and rapidly. OI is highly dependent on the capacity and the investment in knowledge management (internal and external) to support decision making process and to implement significant changes. We know what explains ICT utilization (ICTU) and what determines OI development (OID) in healthcare services. Moreover, the literature tends to link ICTU to OID and vice versa. However, this dependency has never been explored empirically through the lens of roles combination. To identify the existing combined roles profiles of ICTU and OID among healthcare decision makers and determine factors of the shift from a profile to another. We did the following: (1) a structured review of the literature on healthcare management by focusing on ICTU and OID which allowed us to build two indexes and a comprehensive framework; (2) a copula methodology to identify with high precision the thresholds for ICTU and OID; and (3) a cross-sectional study based on a survey done with a sample of 942 decision makers from Canadian healthcare organizations through a multinomial logit model to identify determinants of the shift. ICTU and OID are correlated at 22% (Kendal's Tau). The joint distribution (combination) of ICTU and OID shows that four major profiles exist among decision makers in Canadian healthcare organizations: the traditional decision maker, the innovative decision maker, the technologic decision maker and the contemporary decision maker. We found out that classic factors act as barriers to the shift from one profile to the desired profile (from 1 to 4, from 2 to 4 and from 3 to 4). We have identified that the attitude toward research and relational capital are transversal barriers of shift. We have also found that some factors have a specific impact such as

  5. Characters with Exceptionalities Portrayed in Contemporary Canadian Children's Books

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Emmerson, Jean; Brenna, Beverley

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the ways in which exceptionality is addressed in Canadian children's literature, offering critical literacy as an avenue toward social justice. A content analysis (Berg, 2009) of 134 Canadian children's books offers a wide scope of contemporary titles to include in classrooms. We developed conceptual categories to explore…

  6. A Survey of the 1986 Canadian Library Systems Marketplace.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merilees, Bobbie

    1987-01-01

    This analysis of trends in the Canadian library systems marketplace in 1986, compares installations of large integrated systems and microcomputer based systems by relative market share, and number of installations by type of library. Canadian vendors' sales in international markets are also analyzed, and a director of vendors provided. (Author/CLB)

  7. Canadian Medicare: prognosis guarded.

    PubMed

    Naylor, C D; Fooks, C; Williams, J I

    1995-08-01

    Beset by unprecedented fiscal pressures, Canadian medicare has reached a crossroads. The authors review the impact of recent cuts in federal transfer payments on provincial health care programs and offer seven suggestions to policymakers trying to accommodate these reductions. (1) Go slowly: public health care spending is no longer rising and few provinces have the necessary systems in place to manage major reductions. (2) Target reductions, rewarding quality and efficiency instead of making across-the-board cuts. (3) Replace blame with praise:give health care professionals and institutions credit for their contributions. (4) Learn from the successful programs and policies already in place across the country. (5) Foster horizontal and vertical integration of services. (6) Promote physician leadership by rewarding efforts to promote the efficient use of resources. (7) Monitor the effects of cutbacks: physician groups should cooperate with government in maintaining a national "report card" on services, costs and the health status of Canadians.

  8. Using Three-Dimensional Fluorescence Spectrum Technology to Analyze the Effects of Natural Dissolved Organic Matter on the Pesticide Residues in the Soil.

    PubMed

    Lei, Hong-jun; Han, Yu-ping; Liu, Xin; Xu, Jian-xin

    2015-07-01

    The behavior of pesticide in soil is influenced by dissolved organic matter (DOM) through competition adsorption, adsorption, solubilization, accelerated degradation, and so on. Thus DOM and its components play an important role in the environmental risk in the soil ecosystem and groundwater environment. Currently, most studies focused on the short-term effect of high concentration of DOM on the pesticide residues. However, soil DOM is mainly at low level. Therefore, there is of some practical significance to probe into the environmental behavior of soil pesticides under natural level of DOM. Thus a site investigation was conducted in the farmland with long-term application history of pesticide. By using the three dimensional excitation-emission fluorescence matrix (3D-EEM) technology, together with the fluorescence regional integration (FRI) quantitative method, the long-term effects of pesticide residues under low concentration of natural DOM were analyzed. Results showed that: (1) The long-term effects of the natural DOM components on the environment behavior of most soil organochlorine pesticides were not significant except for a few pesticides such as y-HCH, p, p'-DDE, etc. (2) The influencing effects of DOM components on different type of pesticides were varied. Among which, the content of tyrosine component showed a significantly negative correlation (p < 0.05) with the concentration of y-HCH and p, p'-DDE. There were significant positive correlations (p < 0.05) between the byproducts of microbial degradation in DOM components and the concentration of heptachlor. There were also a significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) between the content of active humus component of humic acid in the DOM and the concentration of heptachlor epoxide. These results suggested that the distribution of different types of pesticides residue in the soil was influenced by different components at different levels of significance. (3) The humification degree of soil organic

  9. The obesity penalty in the labor market using longitudinal Canadian data.

    PubMed

    Chu, Filmer; Ohinmaa, Arto

    2016-12-01

    A Canadian study of weight discrimination also known as the obesity wage-penalty. This paper adds to the limited Canadian literature while also introducing a causal model, which can be applied to future Canadian studies. A general working-class sample group is utilized with personal income, which removes many biases introduced in other studies. The evidence suggests that a 1-unit increase in lagged BMI is associated with a 0.7% decrease in personal for obese Canadian females. Similar to other studies, the male results are inconsistent. The evidence brought forward in this study can provide an effective financial incentive for health promotion among Canadians for law and policy makers. Beyond health reasons, these results can also be applied as empirical evidence of gender discrimination based on body image perception. The evidence suggests that male physique is not a contributing factor in income, but larger female physique is associated with lower personal income. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Sources of revenue for nonprofit mental health and addictions organizations in Canada.

    PubMed

    Escober-Doran, Carissa; Jacobs, Philip; Dewa, Carolyn

    2010-10-01

    In Canada charitable or nonprofit organizations provide government-contracted mental health and addictions services, and they augment government funding by raising charitable revenues. This study estimated by source the revenues of nonprofit mental health and addictions organizations in Canada. A list of nonprofit, service-providing organizations in Canada was developed, financial returns to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) in 2007 were obtained, and data were analyzed in aggregate. Information was obtained from 369 Canadian organizations, which had $915.4 million (Canadian dollars [CAD]) in total revenues: 85% were from the government, 4% were from charitable giving, and 11% were from other sources. The ratio of charitable giving to government funding of mental health care was about .55% ($35 million to $6.3 billion CAD). This charitable giving level cannot compensate for the relatively low levels of total government mental health spending identified in government reports.

  11. Land application of organic residuals: Public health threat or environmental benefit

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Waste residuals consist of manure and biosolids produced by concentrated animal feeding operations and municipal waste water treatment plants. All wastes need to be disposed of in a proper manner, protecting public and environmental health, but also in a sustainable fashion to ensure that no system...

  12. Influence of calcium and phosphorus, lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio on Cheddar cheese quality: changes in residual sugars and water-soluble organic acids during ripening.

    PubMed

    Upreti, P; McKay, L L; Metzger, L E

    2006-02-01

    Cheddar cheese ripening involves the conversion of lactose to glucose and galactose or galactose-6-phosphate by starter and nonstarter lactic acid bacteria. Under ideal conditions (i.e., where bacteria grow under no stress of pH, water activity, and salt), these sugars are mainly converted to lactic acid. However, during ripening of cheese, survival and growth of bacteria occurs under the stressed condition of low pH, low water activity, and high salt content. This forces bacteria to use alternate biochemical pathways resulting in production of other organic acids. The objective of this study was to determine if the level and type of organic acids produced during ripening was influenced by calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P), residual lactose, and salt-to-moisture ratio (S/M) of cheese. Eight cheeses with 2 levels of Ca and P (0.67 and 0.47% vs. 0.53 and 0.39%, respectively), lactose at pressing (2.4 vs. 0.78%), and S/M (6.4 vs. 4.8%) were manufactured. The cheeses were analyzed for organic acids (citric, orotic, pyruvic, lactic, formic, uric, acetic, propanoic, and butyric acids) and residual sugars (lactose, galactose) during 48 wk of ripening using an HPLC-based method. Different factors influenced changes in concentration of residual sugars and organic acids during ripening and are discussed in detail. Our results indicated that the largest decrease in lactose and the largest increase in lactic acid occurred between salting and d 1 of ripening. It was interesting to observe that although the lactose content in cheese was influenced by several factors (Ca and P, residual lactose, and S/M), the concentration of lactic acid was influenced only by S/M. More lactic acid was produced in low S/M treatments compared with high S/M treatments. Although surprising for Cheddar cheese, a substantial amount (0.2 to 0.4%) of galactose was observed throughout ripening in all treatments. Minor changes in the levels of citric, uric, butyric, and propanoic acids were observed during

  13. DETAIL OF EAST (CANADIAN) CANTILEVER AND ANCHOR ARMS OF MAIN ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    DETAIL OF EAST (CANADIAN) CANTILEVER AND ANCHOR ARMS OF MAIN SPAN, SHOWING PIER C. VIEW TO NORTH. - Blue Water Bridge, Spanning St. Clair River at I-69, I-94, & Canadian Route 402, Port Huron, St. Clair County, MI

  14. Weed management practice and cropping sequence impact on soil residual nitrogen

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Inefficient N uptake by crops from N fertilization and/or N mineralized from crop residue and soil organic matter results in the accumulation of soil residual N (NH4-N and NO3-N) which increases the potential for N leaching. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of weed management ...

  15. Recent Developments in Canadian Medical Libraries

    PubMed Central

    Fraser, M. Doreen E.

    1964-01-01

    Library developments since the Biomedical Library's establishment in 1951 are discussed, including the province-wide B.C. Medical Library Service and the recent activities of Canadian medical school librarians. The recommendations about medical libraries, which were submitted by the Committee of the Medical Science Libraries, C.L.A.-A.C.B., in its Brief to the Canadian Government's Royal Commission on Health Services, are listed. There is some discussion of the Survey report of the twelve medical school libraries which has been prepared for the Royal Commission's Special Committee on Medical Education, the outcome of which will not be known until midsummer 1963. PMID:14119303

  16. Crop residue stabilization and application to agricultural and degraded soils: A review.

    PubMed

    Medina, Jorge; Monreal, Carlos; Barea, José Miguel; Arriagada, César; Borie, Fernando; Cornejo, Pablo

    2015-08-01

    Agricultural activities produce vast amounts of organic residues including straw, unmarketable or culled fruit and vegetables, post-harvest or post-processing wastes, clippings and residuals from forestry or pruning operations, and animal manure. Improper disposal of these materials may produce undesirable environmental (e.g. odors or insect refuges) and health impacts. On the other hand, agricultural residues are of interest to various industries and sectors of the economy due to their energy content (i.e., for combustion), their potential use as feedstock to produce biofuels and/or fine chemicals, or as a soil amendments for polluted or degraded soils when composted. Our objective is review new biotechnologies that could be used to manage these residues for land application and remediation of contaminated and eroded soils. Bibliographic information is complemented through a comprehensive review of the physico-chemical fundamental mechanisms involved in the transformation and stabilization of organic matter by biotic and abiotic soil components. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Occurrence of non extractable pesticide residues in physical and chemical fractions of two soils

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andreou, Kostas; Semple, Kirk; Jones, Kevin

    2010-05-01

    Soils are considered to be a significant sink for organic contaminants, including pesticides, in the environment. Understanding the distribution and localisation of aged pesticide residues in soil is of great importance for assessing the mobility and availability of these chemicals in the environment. This study aimed to characterise the distribution of radiolabeled herbicide isoproturon and the radiolabeled insecticides diazinon and cypermethrin in two organically managed soils. The soils were spiked and aged under laboratory conditions for 17 months. The labile fraction of the pesticides residues was recovered in CaCl2 (0.01M) and then subjected to physical size fractionation using sedimentation and centrifugation steps, with >20μm, 20-2μm and 2-0.1μm soil factions collected. Further, the distribution of the pesticide residues in the organic matter of the fractionated soil was investigated using a sequential alkaline extraction (0.1N NaOH) into humic and fulvic acid and humin. Soil fractions of 20-2μm and 2-0.1μm had the largest burden of the 14C-residues. Different soil constituents have different capacities to form non-extractable residues. Soil solid fractions of 20-2 µm and <2 µm had far greater affinity to the 14C-pesticide residues than the coarser fraction (>20 µm). Fulvic acid showed to play a vital role in the formation and stabilisation of non-extractable 14C-pesticide residues in most cases.Assessment of the likelihood of the pesticide residues to become available to soil biota requires an understanding of the structure of the SOM matrix and the definition of the kinetics of the pesticide residues in different SOM pools as a function of the time.

  18. Thermal treatment of solid residues from WtE units: a review.

    PubMed

    Lindberg, Daniel; Molin, Camilla; Hupa, Mikko

    2015-03-01

    Thermal treatment methods of bottom ash, fly ash and various types of APC (air pollution control) residues from waste-to-energy plants can be used to obtain environmentally stable material. The thermal treatment processes are meant to reduce the leachability of harmful residue constituents, destroy toxic organic compounds, reduce residue volume, and produce material suitable for utilization. Fly ash and APC residues often have high levels of soluble salts, particularly chlorides, metals such as cadmium, lead, copper and zinc, and trace levels of organic pollutants such as dioxins and furans. Different thermal treatment methods can be used to either decompose or stabilize harmful elements and compounds in the ash, or separate them from the ash to get a material that can be safely stored or used as products or raw materials. In the present paper, thermal treatment methods, such as sintering, vitrification, and melting have been reviewed. In addition to a review of the scientific literature, a survey has been made of the extensive patent literature in the field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. EAST (CANADIAN) PORTAL OF MAIN SECTION OF BRIDGE, SHOWING PANEL ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    EAST (CANADIAN) PORTAL OF MAIN SECTION OF BRIDGE, SHOWING PANEL OVER PIER C IN CENTER. VIEW TO WEST. - Blue Water Bridge, Spanning St. Clair River at I-69, I-94, & Canadian Route 402, Port Huron, St. Clair County, MI

  20. Search and Rescue Transits through Canadian Territorial Waters

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2011-11-29

    archipelagic waters, or Canadian internal territorial waters. 3. Individuals rescued by USCG aircraft in Canadian territory may be transitioned back to...and archipelagic waters of foreign coastal states in a manner not prejudicial to its peace, good order, or security. 7 UNCLOS, supra note 5. 4...facilities, in a position to render timely and effective assistance, may enter into or over the territorial seas or archipelagic waters of another

  1. The Canadian Teaching Commons: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Canadian Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wuetherick, Brad; Yu, Stan

    2016-01-01

    This chapter reports on a national study exploring the current state of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) and assessing the perceptions of Canadian SoTL scholars at the micro (individual), meso (departmental), macro (institutional), and mega (disciplinary) contexts.

  2. The Canadian experience in frontier environmental protection

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Jones, G.H.

    1991-03-01

    Early Canadian frontier exploration (from 1955 onshore and from 1966 for offshore drilling) caused insignificant public concern. The 1967-1968 Torrey Canyon Tanker and Santa Barbara disasters roused public opinion and governments. In Canada, 1969-1970 Arctic gas blowouts, a tanker disaster, and damage to the 'Manhattan' exacerbated concerns and resulted in new environmental regulatory constraints. From 1970, the Arctic Petroleum Operations Association learned to operate safely with environmental responsibility. It studied physical environment for design criteria, and the biological and human environment to ameliorate impact. APOA's research projects covered sea-ice, permafrost, sea-bottom, oil-spills, bird and mammal migration, fish habitat, food chains,more » oceanography, meteorology, hunters'/trappers' harvests, etc. In 1971 Eastcoast Petroleum Operators' Association and Alaska Oil and Gas Association followed APOA's cooperative research model. EPOA stressed icebergs and fisheries. Certain research was handled by the Canadian Offshore Oil Spill Research Association. By the mid-1980s these associations had undertaken $70,000,000 of environmental oriented research, with equivalent additional work by member companies on specific needs and similar sums by Federal agencies often working with industry on complementary research. The frontier associations then merged with the Canadian Petroleum Association, already active environmentally in western Canada. Working with government and informing environmental interest groups, the public, natives, and local groups, most Canadian frontier petroleum operations proceeded with minimal delay and environmental disturbance.« less

  3. Conversion of Conservation Tillage to Rotational Tillage to Reduce Phosphorus Losses during Snowmelt Runoff in the Canadian Prairies.

    PubMed

    Liu, Kui; Elliott, Jane A; Lobb, David A; Flaten, Don N; Yarotski, Jim

    2014-09-01

    In a preceding study, converting conventional tillage (ConvT) to conservation tillage (ConsT) was reported to decrease nitrogen (N) but to increase phosphorus (P) losses during snowmelt runoff. A field-scale study was conducted from 2004 to 2012 to determine if conversion of ConsT to rotational tillage (RotaT), where conservation tillage was interrupted by a fall tillage pass every other year, could effectively reduce P losses compared with ConsT. The RotaT study was conducted on long-term paired watersheds established in 1993. The ConvT field in the pair has remained under ConvT practice since 1993, whereas tillage was minimized on the ConsT field from 1997 until 2007. In fall 2007, RotaT was introduced to the ConsT field, and heavy-duty cultivator passes were conducted in the late fall of years 2007, 2009, and 2011. Runoff volume and nutrient content were monitored at the edge of the two fields, and soil and crop residue samples were taken in each field. Greater soil Olsen P and more P released from crop residue are likely the reasons for the increased P losses in the ConsT treatment (2004-2007) relative to the ConvT treatment (2004-2007). Analysis of covariance indicated that, compared with ConsT (2004-2007), RotaT (2008-2012) increased the concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) by 62%, total dissolved N (TDN) by 190%, and total N (TN) by 272% and increased the loads of DOC by 34%, TDN by 34%, and TN by 60%. However, RotaT (2008-2012) decreased soil test P in surface soil, P released from crop residue, and duration of runoff compared with ConsT (2004-2007) and thus decreased the concentrations of total dissolved P (TDP) by 46% and total P (TP) by 38% and decreased the loads of TDP by 56% and TP by 42%. In the Canadian Prairies, where P is a major environmental concern compared with N, RotaT was demonstrated to be an effective practice to reduce P losses compared with ConsT. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of

  4. Financial incentives to increase Canadian organ donation: quick fix or fallacy?

    PubMed

    Gill, John S; Klarenbach, Scott; Barnieh, Lianne; Caulfield, Timothy; Knoll, Greg; Levin, Adeera; Cole, Edward H

    2014-01-01

    Unlike the United States, the potential to increase organ donation in Canada may be sufficient to meet the need for transplantation. However, there has been no national coordinated effort to increase organ donation. Strategies that do not involve payment for organs, such as investment in health care resources to support deceased donor organ donation and introduction of a remuneration framework for the work of deceased organ donation, should be prioritized for implementation. Financial incentives that may be permitted under existing legislation and that pose little risk to existing donation sources should be advanced, including the following: payment of funeral expenses for potential donors who register their decision on organ donation during life (irrespective of the decision to donate or actual organ donation) and removal of disincentives for directed and paired exchange living donation, such as payment of wages, payment for pain and suffering related to the donor surgery, and payment of directed living kidney donors for participation in Canada's paired exchange program. In contrast, it would be premature to contemplate a regulated system of organ sales that would require a paradigm shift in the current approach to organ donation and legislative change to implement. Copyright © 2013 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. 76 FR 61296 - Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Contracting With the Canadian Commercial...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-10-04

    ... 0750-AH42 Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement: Contracting With the Canadian Commercial... Supplement (DFARS) to clarify the requirements for the Canadian Commercial Corporation to submit data other... 225.870-1(c), the Canadian Commercial Corporation awards and administers DoD contracts with...

  6. The Canadian clinician-scientist training program must be reinstated.

    PubMed

    Twa, David D W; Squair, Jordan W; Skinnider, Michael A; Ji, Jennifer X

    2015-11-03

    Clinical investigators within the Canadian and international communities were shocked when the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced that their funding for the MD/PhD program would be terminated after the 2015-2016 academic year. The program has trained Canadian clinician-scientists for more than two decades. The cancellation of the program is at odds with the CIHR's mandate, which stresses the translation of new knowledge into improved health for Canadians, as well as with a series of internal reports that have recommended expanding the program. Although substantial evidence supports the analogous Medical Scientist Training Program in the United States, no parallel analysis of the MD/PhD program has been performed in Canada. Here, we highlight the long-term consequences of the program's cancellation in the context of increased emphasis on translational research. We argue that alternative funding sources cannot ensure continuous support for students in clinician-scientist training programs and that platform funding of the MD/PhD program is necessary to ensure leadership in translational research.

  7. Are Canadian prostheses used? A long-term experience.

    PubMed

    Fernández, A; Formigo, J

    2005-08-01

    The Canadian prosthesis is indicated for the more proximal levels of amputation of the lower limb (very short trans-femoral, hip disarticulation and hemipelvectomy cases); it is frequently rejected by many patients for different reasons (awkwardness, intolerance of the socket, excessive energy expenditure to ambulate among others). The objective was to analyse the use or rejection of Canadian prostheses (n = 23) after an 8-year follow-up study (range: 2 -16 years). The sample consisted of 52% men and 48% women, and the average age at the time of amputation was 52.26 +/- 19.71 SD years (range: 1-74 years). The most frequent aetiology was malignant tumour (56.5%). Eight of the subjects continued to use the prosthesis through the entire study (34.7%). Gender, age, and aetiology were not significant determinants of use. The daily use was 12.5 h per day. The rejection of the Canadian prosthesis was after 20 months of use (range: 2-48 months), and the main reasons were death (all tumour causes), intolerance to the socket, or difficulty in ambulation. In conclusion, many years after their discharge from rehabilitation services, more than one-third of the sample (34.7%) were wearers of the Canadian prosthesis.

  8. Perceptions of People in Canada: Canadian-Born vs. Internationally-Born Postsecondary Students' Perspectives

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Packer, Shira; Lynch, Dana

    2013-01-01

    Explicit sociolinguistic instruction in language classrooms has become more widely accepted than ever, but the understanding and teaching of Canadian culture remains a controversial issue, particularly as Canadian culture becomes increasingly diverse. The degree to which Canadians are perceived to exhibit characteristics such as…

  9. What do we know about Canadian involvement in medical tourism?: a scoping review.

    PubMed

    Snyder, Jeremy; Crooks, Valorie A; Johnston, Rory; Kingsbury, Paul

    2011-01-01

    Medical tourism, the intentional pursuit of elective medical treatments in foreign countries, is a rapidly growing global industry. Canadians are among those crossing international borders to seek out privately purchased medical care. Given Canada's universally accessible, single-payer domestic health care system, important implications emerge from Canadians' private engagement in medical tourism. A scoping review was conducted of the popular, academic, and business literature to synthesize what is currently known about Canadian involvement in medical tourism. Of the 348 sources that were reviewed either partly or in full, 113 were ultimately included in the review. The review demonstrates that there is an extreme paucity of academic, empirical literature examining medical tourism in general or the Canadian context more specifically. Canadians are engaged with the medical tourism industry not just as patients but also as investors and business people. There have been a limited number of instances of Canadians having their medical tourism expenses reimbursed by the public medicare system. Wait times are by far the most heavily cited driver of Canadians' involvement in medical tourism. However, despite its treatment as fact, there is no empirical research to support or contradict this point. Although medical tourism is often discussed in the Canadian context, a paucity of data on this practice complicates our understanding of its scope and impact.

  10. Transformation kinetics of corn and clover residues in mineral substrates of different composition

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pinskii, D. L.; Maltseva, A. N.; Zolotareva, B. N.; Dmitrieva, E. D.

    2017-06-01

    Mineralization kinetics of corn and clover residues in quartz sand, loam, sand + 15% bentonite, and sand + 30% kaolinite have been studied. A scheme has been proposed for the transformation of plant residues in mineral substrates. Kinetic parameters of mineralization have been calculated with the use of a first-order two-term exponential polynomial. It has been shown that the share of labile organic carbon pool in the clover biomass is higher (57-63%) than in the corn biomass (47-49%), which is related to the biochemical composition of plant residues. The mineralization constants of clover residues generally significantly exceed those of corn because of the stronger stabilization of the decomposition products of corn residues. The turnover time of the labile clover pool (4-9 days) in all substrates and that of the labile corn pool (8-10 days) in sands and substrates containing kaolinites and bentonite are typical for organic acids, amino acids, and simple sugars. In the loamy substrate, the turnover time of labile corn pool is about 46 days due to the stronger stabilization of components of the labile pool containing large amounts of organic acids. The turnover time of the stable clover pool (0.95 years) is significantly lower than that of the stable corn pool (1.60 years) and largely corresponds to the turnover time of plant biomass.

  11. Reporting of financial conflicts of interest in clinical practice guidelines: a case study analysis of guidelines from the Canadian Medical Association Infobase.

    PubMed

    Shnier, Adrienne; Lexchin, Joel; Romero, Mirna; Brown, Kevin

    2016-08-15

    Clinical practice guidelines are widely distributed by medical associations and relied upon by physicians for the best available clinical evidence. International findings report that financial conflicts of interest (FCOI) with drug companies may influence drug recommendations and are common among guideline authors. There is no comparable study on exclusively Canadian guidelines; therefore, we provide a case study of authors' FCOI declarations in guidelines from the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) Infobase. We also assess the financial relationships between guideline-affiliated organizations and drug companies. Using a population approach, we extracted first-line drug recommendations and authors' FCOI disclosures in guidelines from the CMA Infobase. We contacted the corresponding authors on guidelines when FCOI disclosures were missing for some or all authors. We also extracted guideline-affiliated organizations and searched each of their websites to determine if they had financial relationships with drug companies. We analyzed 350 authors from 28 guidelines. Authors were named on one, two, or three guidelines, yielding 400 FCOI statements. In 75.0 % of guidelines at least one author, and in 21.4 % of guidelines all authors, disclosed FCOI with drug companies. In 54.0 % of guidelines at least one author, and in 28.6 % of guidelines over half of the authors, disclosed FCOI with manufacturers of drugs that they recommended. Twenty of 48 authors on multiple guidelines reported different FCOI in their disclosures. Eight guidelines identified affiliated organizations with financial relationships with manufacturers of drugs recommended in those guidelines. This is the first study to systematically describe FCOI disclosures by authors of Canadian guidelines and financial relationships between guideline-affiliated organizations and pharmaceutical companies. These financial relationships are common. Because authoritative value is assigned to guidelines distributed by

  12. NASA and Canadian Snowbirds Aircrafts

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-05-09

    Workers watch as the Canadian Forces Snowbirds fly in formation over the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, during a practice flight on May 9, 2018, between their scheduled U.S. air shows.

  13. Allies of a Kind: Canadian Army-US Army Relations and the Korean War, 1950-1953

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2015-01-01

    lective debauch — the only unit action of its type by Canadians in the Korean War — outraged Stone and hardened his heart to complaints about food...weapons firing that by design drove the faint- hearted and unfit Patricias from his ranks. His program of forced attrition alarmed Canadian personnel...Detention Barracks 1st Canadian Field Security Service 25th Canadian Public Relations Unit 25th Canadian Field Dental Unit, RCDC Unless formally

  14. International Harmonization of Food Safety Assessment of Pesticide Residues.

    PubMed

    Ambrus, Árpád

    2016-01-13

    This paper summarizes the development of principles and methods applied within the program of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius during the past 50 years for the safety assessment of pesticide residues in food and feed and establishing maximum residue limits (MRLs) to promote free international trade and assure the safety of consumers. The role of major international organizations in this process, the FAO capacity building activities, and some problematic areas that require special attention are briefly described.

  15. Depression and suicidal ideation among Canadians aged 15 to 24.

    PubMed

    Findlay, Leanne

    2017-01-18

    Among Canadians aged 15 to 24, the rate of depression is higher than at any other age, and suicide is the second leading cause of death. The current study provides detailed information about depression and suicidal ideation among young Canadians, including their use of mental health support. Data from the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey-Mental Health (CCHS-MH) were used to describe rates and experiences of depression and suicidal ideation among Canadians aged 15 to 24, including psychosocial characteristics of those who had depression or reported suicidal thoughts. Characteristics associated with seeking professional support were also examined. About 11% of Canadians aged 15 to 24 had experienced depression in their lifetime; 7%, in the past year. Approximately 14% reported having had suicidal thoughts in their lifetime; 6%, in the past year. Lifetime depression and suicidal thoughts were moderately correlated (r = .34, p ⟨ .001). Individuals with lifetime depression had more than four times the odds of seeking professional support in the previous year, compared with those who did not have lifetime depression; those with lifetime suicidal thoughts had more than three times the odds of seeking professional support, compared with those who did not have lifetime suicidal thoughts. Psychosocial factors such as negative social interactions and lower perceived ability to deal with stress were associated with depression and suicidal thoughts, although these associations differed for males and females. The findings suggest that many young Canadians have depression and/or suicidal thoughts. Their odds of seeking professional support are significantly high.

  16. Canadian research on pedestrian safety

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    1999-12-01

    This report is one in a series of pedestrian safety synthesis reports prepared for the Federal Highway Administration to document pedestrian safety in other countries. This report reviews Canadian research in six areas of pedestrian safety: (1) Inter...

  17. Dietary Sodium Intakes and Food Sources of Sodium in Canadian-Born and Asian-Born Individuals of Chinese Ethnicity at a Canadian University Campus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yu, Yan Han; Farmer, Anna; Mager, Diana; Willows, Noreen

    2014-01-01

    Objective: To document the sodium intake and food sources of sodium of Canadian-born Chinese (CBC) and Asian-born Chinese (ABC) individuals at a Canadian university campus. Participants: Healthy adults aged 18-58 years originating from Canada, China, Hong Kong, or Taiwan were recruited from the University of Alberta (n = 40 CBC, n = 41 ABC)…

  18. Developing an Addictions Nursing Competency Framework Within a Canadian Context.

    PubMed

    Ling, Sara; Watson, Alison; Gehrs, Margaret

    Clients with substance use disorders access care in all areas of the health care system, yet the Canadian nursing literature lacks content on the knowledge, skills, and judgment needed by nurses who work with this population. To address this literature gap, two Advanced Practice Nurses adapted the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse's Technical Competencies for Canada's Substance Abuse Workforce to include nursing content and theory. This article describes the adaptation process and validation method used by the Advanced Practice Nurses at a large, Canadian urban teaching hospital and includes discussion about actual and potential opportunities for practical application of the adapted framework.

  19. Arthritis and associated limitations in community-dwelling Canadians living with stroke.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Kara K; Sibley, Kathryn M

    2016-07-26

    Residual impairments and gait deviations post-stroke may lead to secondary musculoskeletal complications such as arthritis. This study explored the prevalence of arthritis and associated functional limitations in community-dwelling Canadians with and without stroke. Secondary analysis of the Canadian Community Health Survey; a population-based, cross-sectional survey conducted by Statistics Canada in 2011 and 2012. Respondents >50 years old who reported a stroke diagnosis (n = 1892) were age- and gender-matched with controls randomly selected from survey respondents who did not report a stroke (n = 1892). Stroke and control groups were compared on presence of arthritis (yes/no) and secondary variables including pain, perceived health and assistance required (5 point scales) using the Rao-Scott X(2) test. Within the stroke group, logistic regression was used to investigate the effect of arthritis on life satisfaction, pain limiting activities and perceived health with age, gender, BMI, comorbidities and socioeconomic status used as covariates in the model. A greater proportion of the stroke group (53%) reported arthritis compared to controls (43%). These groups also differed in reports of perceived health and pain. Within the stroke group, those with arthritis were significantly more likely to report pain limiting activities (OR 3.89) and less likely to report satisfaction with life (OR 0.59). This preliminary work suggests that arthritis is more prevalent in individuals with stroke compared to individuals without stroke and that this co-morbidity is associated with worse reports of pain and perceived health. A limitation is that it is not possible to determine if the arthritis pre-dated or followed the stroke. This work provides support for a longitudinal investigation of the development of secondary musculoskeletal issues post-stroke.

  20. Beyond "medical tourism": Canadian companies marketing medical travel.

    PubMed

    Turner, Leigh

    2012-06-15

    Despite having access to medically necessary care available through publicly funded provincial health care systems, some Canadians travel for treatment provided at international medical facilities as well as for-profit clinics found in several Canadian provinces. Canadians travel abroad for orthopaedic surgery, bariatric surgery, ophthalmologic surgery, stem cell injections, "Liberation therapy" for multiple sclerosis, and additional interventions. Both responding to public interest in medical travel and playing an important part in promoting the notion of a global marketplace for health services, many Canadian companies market medical travel. Research began with the goal of locating all medical tourism companies based in Canada. Various strategies were used to find such businesses. During the search process it became apparent that many Canadian business promoting medical travel are not medical tourism companies. To the contrary, numerous types of businesses promote medical travel. Once businesses promoting medical travel were identified, content analysis was used to extract information from company websites. Company websites were analyzed to establish: 1) where in Canada these businesses are located; 2) the destination countries and health care facilities that they market; 3) the medical procedures they promote; 4) core marketing messages; and 5) whether businesses market air travel, hotel accommodations, and holiday tours in addition to medical procedures. Searches conducted from 2006 to 2011 resulted in identification of thirty-five Canadian businesses currently marketing various kinds of medical travel. The research project began with what seemed to be the straightforward goal of establishing how many medical tourism companies are based in Canada. Refinement of categories resulted in the identification of eighteen businesses fitting the category of what most researchers would identify as medical tourism companies. Seven other businesses market regional, cross

  1. Corn residue removal and CO2 emissions

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrous oxide (N2O), and methane (CH4) are the primary greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted from the soil due to agricultural activities. In the short-term, increases in CO2 emissions indicate increased soil microbial activity. Soil micro-organisms decompose crop residues and release...

  2. Zoonotic diseases: health aspects of Canadian geese.

    PubMed

    Dieter, R A; Dieter, R S; Dieter, R A; Gulliver, G

    2001-11-01

    Review zoonotic diseases associated with Canadian geese. Review article: A review of the multiple physical, microbiologic and safety concerns, and methods used in controlling this potential problem. Over the last decade the Canadian goose population (protected by international treaties and protection acts) has increased rapidly such that in many cities they have become a pest rather than an admired wild bird. Their increasing numbers have caused a number of potential healthcare concerns including: physical, bacterial, parasitic, allergic and viral potential problems. The Canadian goose fecal droppings of one per minute have caused falls and the flying geese have caused air traffic accidents. Bacterial concerns, including botulism, salmonella and E. coli have all been reviewed and presented concerns. The viral Newcastle disease may be detected with hemagglutination studies and the Giardia psittaci parasites have been repeatedly found in their droppings. The Cryptosporidium parvum oocytes have been present on stool study. Definite links to human infectious diseases have been difficult to prove. Revision of the current laws and new control programs must be developed.

  3. Solvent residue content measured by light scattering technique

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Salkowski, M. J.; Werle, D. K.

    1966-01-01

    Photometric analyzer measures NVR /nonvolatile residue/ in trichloroethylene and other organic solvents. The analyzer converts the liquid solvent to aerosol and passes it between an optically focused light beam and a photodetector that is connected to standard amplifying and readout equipment.

  4. Experiences and perceptions of sexual harassment in the Canadian forces combat arms.

    PubMed

    Gill, Ritu; Febbraro, Angela R

    2013-02-01

    Recent studies examining sexual harassment in the military indicate a decrease in reports of harassment, which may be attributed to several factors, including zero-tolerance policies or anti-harassment programs. However, the decrease may also be attributed to fears of losing one's job or of being derogated by colleagues if harassment is reported. This qualitative study of women employed in the Canadian combat arms examined spontaneously shared perceptions and experiences of sexual harassment. Six of the 26 women interviewed shared their experiences or perceptions of harassment, including concerns about potential repercussions of reporting. Implications for gender integration in military organizations are discussed.

  5. Canadian digitization: radical beginning and pragmatic follow-on

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grant, Terrill K.

    2000-08-01

    The Canadian Army, like most Western armies, spent a lot of time soul-searching about the application of technology to its Command and Control processes during the height of the Cold War in the 70's and 80's. In the late 1980's, these efforts were formalized in a program called the Tactical Command, Control and Communications System (TCCCS). As envisioned, the project would replace in one revolutionary Big Bang all of the tactical communications employed in the Canadian field forces. It would also add significant capabilities such as a long range satellite communications system, a universal tactical e-mail system, and a command and control system for the commander and his staff from division to unit HQ. In 1989, the project was scaled back due to budgetary constraints by removing the divisional trunk communications system and the command and control system. At this point a contract was let to Computing Devices Canada for the core communications functionality. During the next 6 years, the Canadian Army expanded on this digitization effort by amending the contract to add in a trunk system and a situational awareness system. As well, in 1996, Computing Devices received a contract to develop and integrate a C2 system with the communications system thereby restoring the final two Cs of TCCCS. This paper discusses the architecture and implementation of the TCCCS as the revolutionary enabler of the Canadian Army's digitization effort for the early 2000 era. The choice of a hybrid approach of using commercial standards supplemented by appropriate NATO communications standards allowed for an easy addition of the trunk system. As well, conformance to the emerging NATO Communications architecture for Land Tactical Communications in the Post 2000 era will enhance interoperability with Canada's allies. The paper also discusses the pragmatic approach taken by the Canadian Army in inserting C2 functionally into TCCCS, and presents the ultimate architecture and functionality. This

  6. From Republicans to Hacktivists: Recent Inclusion Initiatives in Canadian Theatre

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johnston, Kirsty

    2017-01-01

    Could targeted inclusion initiatives press Canada's professional theatre community to tap the vast reserve of disabled people disenfranchised by its current practices? In 2015/2016, several long-standing professional institutions dedicated to fostering Canadian theatre joined with Canadian disability theatre artists in order to mark and understand…

  7. Equity Issues in the Academy: An Afro-Canadian Woman's Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elabor-Idemudia, Patience

    2001-01-01

    Contends that the Canadian academy perpetuates dominant staffing of teaching and administrative positions with white males, marginalization of minorities, resistance to reflecting non-white values and experiences in education, and diminished expectations for minority students. The Canadian academy can become a site of empowerment and equity for…

  8. Cantonese versus Canadian Evaluation of Directive and Non-Directive Therapy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Waxer, Peter H.

    1989-01-01

    Examined differences between Canadian and Cantonese university students who read transcripts of Carl Rogers and Albert Ellis counseling sessions and rated these counselors on directiveness, forcefulness, repetitiveness, sensitivity, politeness, and willingness to see either Ellis or Rogers. Found Canadians more willing to see Rogers than Chinese…

  9. Residential water demand with endogenous pricing: The Canadian Case

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reynaud, Arnaud; Renzetti, Steven; Villeneuve, Michel

    2005-11-01

    In this paper, we show that the rate structure endogeneity may result in a misspecification of the residential water demand function. We propose to solve this endogeneity problem by estimating a probabilistic model describing how water rates are chosen by local communities. This model is estimated on a sample of Canadian local communities. We first show that the pricing structure choice reflects efficiency considerations, equity concerns, and, in some cases, a strategy of price discrimination across consumers by Canadian communities. Hence estimating the residential water demand without taking into account the pricing structures' endogeneity leads to a biased estimation of price and income elasticities. We also demonstrate that the pricing structure per se plays a significant role in influencing price responsiveness of Canadian residential consumers.

  10. Utilization of agricultural and forest industry waste and residues in natural fiber-polymer composites: A review.

    PubMed

    Väisänen, Taneli; Haapala, Antti; Lappalainen, Reijo; Tomppo, Laura

    2016-08-01

    Natural fiber-polymer composites (NFPCs) are becoming increasingly utilized in a wide variety of applications because they represent an ecological and inexpensive alternative to conventional petroleum-derived materials. On the other hand, considerable amounts of organic waste and residues from the industrial and agricultural processes are still underutilized as low-value energy sources. Organic materials are commonly disposed of or subjected to the traditional waste management methods, such as landfilling, composting or anaerobic digestion. The use of organic waste and residue materials in NFPCs represents an ecologically friendly and a substantially higher value alternative. This is a comprehensive review examining how organic waste and residues could be utilized in the future as reinforcements or additives for NFPCs from the perspective of the recently reported work in this field. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Young Canadians in a Wired World: How Canadian Kids Are Using the Internet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Taylor, Anne

    2001-01-01

    Canadian surveys of approximately 1,000 parents and 5,600 students aged 9-17 revealed student behaviors related to surfing the Web and engaging in online communication; differences in parent and student perceptions of students' Internet activities and the extent of parental supervision; and students' access to pornographic and violent Web sites.…

  12. The Contemporary Reality of Canadian Imperialism: Settler Colonialism and the Hybrid Colonial State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barker, Adam J.

    2009-01-01

    The author's fundamental contention is this: Canadian society remains driven by the logic of imperialism and engages in concerted colonial action against Indigenous peoples whose claims to land and self-determination continue to undermine the legitimacy of Canadian authority and hegemony. The imperial ambitions of the Canadian state and its…

  13. A survey of Canadian Alpine ski racing coaches regarding spinal protective devices for their athletes

    PubMed Central

    Stainsby, Brynne; Law, Jeremy; Mackinnon, Amy

    2014-01-01

    Introduction: Spinal protective devices are a recent addition to the protective equipment worn by competitive and recreational alpine skiers and snowboarders. Their rate of use is not documented at the time of publication. The objective of this study was to examine the current attitudes and recommendations of Canadian alpine ski racing coaches towards spinal protective devices. Methods: A convenience sample of alpine ski racing coaches across Canada were contacted in each provincial sport governing body in the ski racing community. A ten question online survey was attached to the initial email. Descriptive statistical analysis was utilized. Results: A total of 29 Canadian alpine ski racing coaches completed the study survey. All participants were familiar with spinal protective devices and 51.7% of respondents reported that they do not actively enforce spinal protective device use with their ski racing athletes. 80% of respondents reported that their Canadian ski racing club did not have guidelines or policies regarding spinal protective device use. 86.2% of respondents were unaware if their provincial sport organization had a policy regarding their use. Discussion: The majority of coaches reporting training athletes aged 10–15, which may help to explain why only half of those surveyed enforce the use of spinal protective devices. This group of athletes may not participate in speed events as frequently as older athletes, where the use of spinal protective devices is more common. Conclusion: The majority of Canadian Alpine ski coaches report a belief that spinal protective device use is important, however, far fewer enforce their use, or work in an environment with a policy requiring it. Further research is required to determine the differences in beliefs and practice. PMID:25550668

  14. No. 354-Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines.

    PubMed

    Loutfy, Mona; Kennedy, V Logan; Poliquin, Vanessa; Dzineku, Frederick; Dean, Nicola L; Margolese, Shari; Symington, Alison; Money, Deborah M; Hamilton, Scot; Conway, Tracey; Khan, Sarah; Yudin, Mark H

    2018-01-01

    The objective of the Canadian HIV Pregnancy Planning Guidelines is to provide clinical information and recommendations for health care providers to assist Canadians affected by HIV with their fertility, preconception, and pregnancy planning decisions. These guidelines are evidence- and community-based and flexible and take into account diverse and intersecting local/population needs based on the social determinants of health. EVIDENCE: Literature searches were conducted by a librarian using the Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Embase databases for published articles in English and French related to HIV and pregnancy and HIV and pregnancy planning for each section of the guidelines. The full search strategy is available upon request. The evidence obtained was reviewed and evaluated by the Infectious Diseases Committee of the SOGC under the leadership of the principal authors, and recommendations were made according to the guidelines developed by the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care and through use of the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation instrument for the development of clinical guidelines. Guideline implementation should assist the practitioner in developing an evidence-based approach for the prevention of unplanned pregnancy, preconception, fertility, and pregnancy planning counselling in the context of HIV infection. These guidelines have been reviewed and approved by the Infectious Disease Committee and the Executive and Council of the SOGC. Canadian Institutes of Health Research Grant Planning and Dissemination grant (Funding Reference # 137186), which funded a Development Team meeting in 2016. Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. The Canadian Connection: Business Online.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Merry, Susan; And Others

    1989-01-01

    Provides an overview of the Canadian business environment and online sources of business information. The databases described cover the following areas: directories, financial information, stock quotes, investment reports, industrial and economic information, magazines, newspapers, wire services, biographical information, and government…

  16. Curriculum Design in Canadian Studies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Love, James H.

    1974-01-01

    Curriculum development in Canadian studies can be based effectively in the attainment of skills through an inquiry approach. Emphasis on skills and inquiry would implement the following criteria: relevance to students and school systems, interdisciplinary content, and evaluateable goals. (JH)

  17. Lean and the Learning Organization in Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Francis, David E.

    2014-01-01

    Canadian post-secondary institutions are seeking enhanced efficiencies due to ongoing funding shortfalls and expanding teaching, research, and service mandates. These institutions have considered or enacted Lean methodology based on results reported by public service and healthcare organizations worldwide. Lean requires a high level of…

  18. Analysis of pesticide residues in strawberries and soils by GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS and two-dimensional GC-time-of-flight MS comparing organic and integrated pest management farming.

    PubMed

    Fernandes, Virgínia C; Lehotay, Steven J; Geis-Asteggiante, Lucía; Kwon, Hyeyoung; Mol, Hans G J; van der Kamp, Henk; Mateus, Nuno; Domingues, Valentina F; Delerue-Matos, Cristina

    2014-01-01

    This study analysed 22 strawberry and soil samples after their collection over the course of 2 years to compare the residue profiles from organic farming with integrated pest management practices in Portugal. For sample preparation, we used the citrate-buffered version of the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method. We applied three different methods for analysis: (1) 27 pesticides were targeted using LC-MS/MS; (2) 143 were targeted using low pressure GC-tandem mass spectrometry (LP-GC-MS/MS); and (3) more than 600 pesticides were screened in a targeted and untargeted approach using comprehensive, two-dimensional gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC-TOF-MS). Comparison was made of the analyses using the different methods for the shared samples. The results were similar, thereby providing satisfactory confirmation of both similarly positive and negative findings. No pesticides were found in the organic-farmed samples. In samples from integrated pest management practices, nine pesticides were determined and confirmed to be present, ranging from 2 µg kg(-1) for fluazifop-p-butyl to 50 µg kg(-1) for fenpropathrin. Concentrations of residues in strawberries were less than European maximum residue limits.

  19. Creating reporting and learning cultures in health-care organizations.

    PubMed

    Jeffs, Lianne; Law, Madelyn; Baker, G Ross

    2007-03-01

    Patient safety has emerged as an important issue in Canadian health care, as reflected in the Canadian Council on Health Services Accreditation's patient/client safety goals. Achieving these goals calls for concerted efforts within health-care organizations. To assist nurse leaders in their efforts in developing a culture of safety that is receptive to reporting and learning from adverse events and near misses, the authors explore the challenges and provide four recommendations for action. By enacting these recommendations, nurse leaders can support the analysis and actions necessary to identify improvements that will create safer health-care environments.

  20. Occurrence of pesticide non extractable residues in physical and chemical fractions from two natural soils.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Andreou, K.; Jones, K.; Semple, K.

    2009-04-01

    Distribution of pesticide non extractable residues resulted from the incubation of two natural soils with each of the isoproturon, diazinon and cypermethrin pesticide was assessed in this study. Pesticide non extractable residues distribution in soil physical and chemical fractions is known to ultimately affect their fate. This study aimed to address the fate and behaviour of the non extractable residues in the context of their association with soil physical and chemical fractions with varying properties and characteristics. Non extractable residues were formed from incubation of each pesticide in the two natural soils over a period of 24 months. Soils containing the non extractable residues were fractionated into three solid phase fractions using a physical fractionation procedure as follows: Sediment (SED, >20 μm), (II) Microaggregate (MA, 20-2 μm) and (III) Colloid phase (COL, 2-0.05 μm). Each soil fraction was then fractionated into organic carbon chemical fractionations as follows: Fulvic acid (FA), Humic acid (HA) and Humin (HM). Significant amount of the pesticides was lost during the incubation period. Enrichment factors for the organic carbon and the 14C-pesticide residues were higher in the MA and COL fraction rather than the SED fraction. Greater association and enrichment of the fulvic acid fraction of the organic carbon in the soil was observed. Non extractable residues at the FA fraction showed to diminish while in the HA fraction were increased with decreasing the fraction size. An appreciable amount of non extractable residues were located in the HM fraction but this was less than the amount recovered in the humic substances. Long term fate of pesticide non extractable residues in the soil structural components is important in order to assess any risk associated with them.

  1. 76 FR 23914 - National Organic Program; Periodic Residue Testing

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-04-29

    ... Service 7 CFR Part 205 [Document Number AMS-NOP-10-0102; NOP-10-10] RIN 0581-AD10 National Organic Program... proposed rule would clarify a provision of the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 and the regulations...) National Organic Program (NOP) regulations to make clear that accredited certifying agents must conduct...

  2. Children's organized physical activity patterns from childhood into adolescence.

    PubMed

    Findlay, Leanne C; Garner, Rochelle E; Kohen, Dafna E

    2009-11-01

    Few longitudinal studies of physical activity have included young children or used nationally representative datasets. The purpose of the current study was to explore patterns of organized physical activity for Canadian children aged 4 through 17 years. Data from 5 cycles of the National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth were analyzed separately for boys (n = 4463) and girls (n = 4354) using multiple trajectory modeling. Boys' and girls' organized physical activity was best represented by 3 trajectory groups. For boys, these groups were labeled: high stable, high decreasing, and low decreasing participation. For girls, these groups were labeled: high decreasing, moderate stable, and low decreasing participation. Risk factors (parental education, household income, urban/rural dwelling, and single/dual parent) were explored. For boys and girls, having a parent with postsecondary education and living in a higher income household were associated with a greater likelihood of weekly participation in organized physical activity. Living in an urban area was also significantly associated with a greater likelihood of weekly participation for girls. Results suggest that Canadian children's organized physical activity is best represented by multiple patterns of participation that tend to peak in middle childhood and decline into adolescence.

  3. "American Psycho": A Collection Management Survey in Canadian Public Libraries.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Curry, Ann

    1994-01-01

    Examines questions of censorship based on a study of the novel "American Psycho" and a survey of Canadian public libraries that investigated selection policies and the circulation of controversial titles. Highlights include previous research, Canadian laws regarding freedom of information, role of the chief librarian, and the role of…

  4. Indigenous knowledge in Canadian science curricula: cases from Western Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kim, Mijung

    2017-09-01

    To enhance Aboriginal students' educational opportunities in sciences, culturally relevant science curriculum has been examined and practiced in Western Canadian science classrooms. This article shares some examples of inclusion of indigenous knowledge in science curricula and discusses the improvement and challenges of culturally relevant science curricula in Canadian contexts.

  5. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Total Hip Arthroplasty Performed by a Canadian Short-Stay Surgical Team in Ecuador.

    PubMed

    Schlegelmilch, Michael; Rashiq, Saifee; Moreau, Barbara; Jarrín, Patricia; Tran, Bach; Chuck, Anderson

    2017-01-01

    Few charitable overseas surgical missions produce cost-effectiveness analyses of their work. We compared the pre- and postoperative health status for 157 total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients operated on from 2007 to 2011 attended by an annual Canadian orthopedic mission to Ecuador to determine the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The costs of each mission are known. The cost per surgery was divided by the average lifetime QALYs gained to estimate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in Canadian dollars per QALY. The average lifetime QALYs (95% CI) gained were 1.46 (1.4-1.5), 2.5 (2.4-2.6), and 2.9 (2.7-3.1) for unilateral, bilateral, and staged (two THAs in different years) operations, respectively. The ICERs were $4,442 for unilateral, $2,939 for bilateral, and $4392 for staged procedures. Seventy percent of the mission budget was spent on the transport and accommodation of volunteers. THA by a Canadian short-stay surgical team was highly cost-effective, according to criteria from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the World Health Organization. We encourage other international missions to provide similar cost-effectiveness data to enable better comparison between mission types and between mission and nonmission care.

  6. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Total Hip Arthroplasty Performed by a Canadian Short-Stay Surgical Team in Ecuador

    PubMed Central

    Schlegelmilch, Michael; Moreau, Barbara; Jarrín, Patricia; Tran, Bach; Chuck, Anderson

    2017-01-01

    Background Few charitable overseas surgical missions produce cost-effectiveness analyses of their work. Methods We compared the pre- and postoperative health status for 157 total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients operated on from 2007 to 2011 attended by an annual Canadian orthopedic mission to Ecuador to determine the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. The costs of each mission are known. The cost per surgery was divided by the average lifetime QALYs gained to estimate an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) in Canadian dollars per QALY. Results The average lifetime QALYs (95% CI) gained were 1.46 (1.4–1.5), 2.5 (2.4–2.6), and 2.9 (2.7–3.1) for unilateral, bilateral, and staged (two THAs in different years) operations, respectively. The ICERs were $4,442 for unilateral, $2,939 for bilateral, and $4392 for staged procedures. Seventy percent of the mission budget was spent on the transport and accommodation of volunteers. Conclusion THA by a Canadian short-stay surgical team was highly cost-effective, according to criteria from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and the World Health Organization. We encourage other international missions to provide similar cost-effectiveness data to enable better comparison between mission types and between mission and nonmission care. PMID:29403664

  7. Short communication: Prevalence of digital dermatitis in Canadian dairy cattle classified as high, average, or low antibody- and cell-mediated immune responders.

    PubMed

    Cartwright, S L; Malchiodi, F; Thompson-Crispi, K; Miglior, F; Mallard, B A

    2017-10-01

    Lameness is a major animal welfare issue affecting Canadian dairy producers, and it can lead to production, reproduction, and health problems in dairy cattle herds. Although several different lesions affect dairy cattle hooves, studies show that digital dermatitis is the most common lesion identified in Canadian dairy herds. It has also been shown that dairy cattle classified as having high immune response (IR) have lower incidence of disease compared with those animals with average and low IR; therefore, it has been hypothesized that IR plays a role in preventing infectious hoof lesions. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of digital dermatitis in Canadian dairy cattle that were classified for antibody-mediated (AMIR) and cell-mediated (CMIR) immune response. Cattle (n = 329) from 5 commercial dairy farms in Ontario were evaluated for IR using a patented test protocol that captures both AMIR and CMIR. Individuals were classified as high, average, or low responders based on standardized residuals for AMIR and CMIR. Residuals were calculated using a general linear model that included the effects of herd, parity, stage of lactation, and stage of pregnancy. Hoof health data were collected from 2011 to 2013 by the farm's hoof trimmer using Hoof Supervisor software (KS Dairy Consulting Inc., Dresser, WI). All trim events were included for each animal, and lesions were assessed as a binary trait at each trim event. Hoof health data were analyzed using a mixed model that included the effects of herd, stage of lactation (at trim date), parity (at trim date), IR category (high, average, and low), and the random effect of animal. All data were presented as prevalence within IR category. Results showed that cows with high AMIR had significantly lower prevalence of digital dermatitis than cattle with average and low AMIR. No significant difference in prevalence of digital dermatitis was observed between high, average, and low CMIR cows. These results

  8. Estimating Changes in Runoff and Carbon Exports From Northern Canadian Catchments Under a 2X CO2 Atmosphere

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Clair, T. A.; Ehrman, J. M.

    2006-12-01

    The doubling of atmospheric CO2 on temperature and precipitation will change annual runoff and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export patterns in northern Canada. Because of the physical size and the range of climatic changes of northern Canada, we found it necessary to model potential changes in river water and carbon exports in the region using a neural network approach. We developed a model for hydrology and one for DOC using as inputs, monthly General Circulation Model temperature and precipitation predictions, historical hydrology and dissolved organic carbon values, as well as catchment size and slope. Mining Environment Canada's historical hydrology and water chemistry databases allowed us to identify 20 sites suitable for our analysis. The site results were summarized within the Canadian Terrestrial Ecozone classification system. Our results show spring melts occurring one month sooner in all northern ecozones except for the Hudson Bay Plains zone, with changes in melt intensity occurring in most regions. The DOC model predicts that exports from catchments will increase by between 10 and 20% depending on the ecozone. Generally, we predict that major changes in both hydrology and carbon cycling should be expected in northern Canadian ecosystems in a warmer planet.

  9. Wood and fish residuals composting in Alaska

    Treesearch

    David Nicholls; Thomas Richard; Jesse A. Micales

    2002-01-01

    The unique climates and industrial mix in southeast and south central Alaska are challenges being met by the region's organics recyclers. OMPOSTING wood residuals in Alaska has become increasingly important in recent years as wood processors and other industrial waste managers search for environmentally sound and profitable outlets. Traditionally, Alaska?s...

  10. Public Health Adaptation to Climate Change in Canadian Jurisdictions

    PubMed Central

    Austin, Stephanie E.; Ford, James D.; Berrang-Ford, Lea; Araos, Malcolm; Parker, Stephen; Fleury, Manon D.

    2015-01-01

    Climate change poses numerous risks to the health of Canadians. Extreme weather events, poor air quality, and food insecurity in northern regions are likely to increase along with the increasing incidence and range of infectious diseases. In this study we identify and characterize Canadian federal, provincial, territorial and municipal adaptation to these health risks based on publically available information. Federal health adaptation initiatives emphasize capacity building and gathering information to address general health, infectious disease and heat-related risks. Provincial and territorial adaptation is varied. Quebec is a leader in climate change adaptation, having a notably higher number of adaptation initiatives reported, addressing almost all risks posed by climate change in the province, and having implemented various adaptation types. Meanwhile, all other Canadian provinces and territories are in the early stages of health adaptation. Based on publically available information, reported adaptation also varies greatly by municipality. The six sampled Canadian regional health authorities (or equivalent) are not reporting any adaptation initiatives. We also find little relationship between the number of initiatives reported in the six sampled municipalities and their provinces, suggesting that municipalities are adapting (or not adapting) autonomously. PMID:25588156

  11. Public health adaptation to climate change in Canadian jurisdictions.

    PubMed

    Austin, Stephanie E; Ford, James D; Berrang-Ford, Lea; Araos, Malcolm; Parker, Stephen; Fleury, Manon D

    2015-01-12

    Climate change poses numerous risks to the health of Canadians. Extreme weather events, poor air quality, and food insecurity in northern regions are likely to increase along with the increasing incidence and range of infectious diseases. In this study we identify and characterize Canadian federal, provincial, territorial and municipal adaptation to these health risks based on publically available information. Federal health adaptation initiatives emphasize capacity building and gathering information to address general health, infectious disease and heat-related risks. Provincial and territorial adaptation is varied. Quebec is a leader in climate change adaptation, having a notably higher number of adaptation initiatives reported, addressing almost all risks posed by climate change in the province, and having implemented various adaptation types. Meanwhile, all other Canadian provinces and territories are in the early stages of health adaptation. Based on publically available information, reported adaptation also varies greatly by municipality. The six sampled Canadian regional health authorities (or equivalent) are not reporting any adaptation initiatives. We also find little relationship between the number of initiatives reported in the six sampled municipalities and their provinces, suggesting that municipalities are adapting (or not adapting) autonomously.

  12. Identification of Functional Amino Acid Residues Involved in Polyamine and Agmatine Transport by Human Organic Cation Transporter 2

    PubMed Central

    Higashi, Kyohei; Imamura, Masataka; Fudo, Satoshi; Uemura, Takeshi; Saiki, Ryotaro; Hoshino, Tyuji; Toida, Toshihiko; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2014-01-01

    Polyamine (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and agmatine uptake by the human organic cation transporter 2 (hOCT2) was studied using HEK293 cells transfected with pCMV6-XL4/hOCT2. The Km values for putrescine and spermidine were 7.50 and 6.76 mM, and the Vmax values were 4.71 and 2.34 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Spermine uptake by hOCT2 was not observed at pH 7.4, although it inhibited both putrescine and spermidine uptake. Agmatine was also taken up by hOCT2, with Km value: 3.27 mM and a Vmax value of 3.14 nmol/min/mg protein. Amino acid residues involved in putrescine, agmatine and spermidine uptake by hOCT2 were Asp427, Glu448, Glu456, Asp475, and Glu516. In addition, Glu524 and Glu530 were involved in putrescine and spermidine uptake activity, and Glu528 and Glu540 were weakly involved in putrescine uptake activity. Furthermore, Asp551 was also involved in the recognition of spermidine. These results indicate that the recognition sites for putrescine, agmatine and spermidine on hOCT2 strongly overlap, consistent with the observation that the three amines are transported with similar affinity and velocity. A model of spermidine binding to hOCT2 was constructed based on the functional amino acid residues. PMID:25019617

  13. Identification of functional amino acid residues involved in polyamine and agmatine transport by human organic cation transporter 2.

    PubMed

    Higashi, Kyohei; Imamura, Masataka; Fudo, Satoshi; Uemura, Takeshi; Saiki, Ryotaro; Hoshino, Tyuji; Toida, Toshihiko; Kashiwagi, Keiko; Igarashi, Kazuei

    2014-01-01

    Polyamine (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and agmatine uptake by the human organic cation transporter 2 (hOCT2) was studied using HEK293 cells transfected with pCMV6-XL4/hOCT2. The Km values for putrescine and spermidine were 7.50 and 6.76 mM, and the Vmax values were 4.71 and 2.34 nmol/min/mg protein, respectively. Spermine uptake by hOCT2 was not observed at pH 7.4, although it inhibited both putrescine and spermidine uptake. Agmatine was also taken up by hOCT2, with Km value: 3.27 mM and a Vmax value of 3.14 nmol/min/mg protein. Amino acid residues involved in putrescine, agmatine and spermidine uptake by hOCT2 were Asp427, Glu448, Glu456, Asp475, and Glu516. In addition, Glu524 and Glu530 were involved in putrescine and spermidine uptake activity, and Glu528 and Glu540 were weakly involved in putrescine uptake activity. Furthermore, Asp551 was also involved in the recognition of spermidine. These results indicate that the recognition sites for putrescine, agmatine and spermidine on hOCT2 strongly overlap, consistent with the observation that the three amines are transported with similar affinity and velocity. A model of spermidine binding to hOCT2 was constructed based on the functional amino acid residues.

  14. [Proceedings of the] 20th Anniversary Conference of the Canadian Association for the Study of Adult Education (Quebec, Canada, May 25-27, 2001).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nesbit, Tom, Ed.

    This document contains 29 papers and 7 roundtable presentations from a Canadian conference on the study of adult education. The following papers are among those included: "Cultivating Knowledge" (Mike Ambach); "Subsistence Learning" (Rose Barg); "Non-Governmental Organizations and Popular Education Programs" (Bijoy P.…

  15. Canadian snow and sea ice: historical trends and projections

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mudryk, Lawrence R.; Derksen, Chris; Howell, Stephen; Laliberté, Fred; Thackeray, Chad; Sospedra-Alfonso, Reinel; Vionnet, Vincent; Kushner, Paul J.; Brown, Ross

    2018-04-01

    The Canadian Sea Ice and Snow Evolution (CanSISE) Network is a climate research network focused on developing and applying state of the art observational data to advance dynamical prediction, projections, and understanding of seasonal snow cover and sea ice in Canada and the circumpolar Arctic. Here, we present an assessment from the CanSISE Network on trends in the historical record of snow cover (fraction, water equivalent) and sea ice (area, concentration, type, and thickness) across Canada. We also assess projected changes in snow cover and sea ice likely to occur by mid-century, as simulated by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) suite of Earth system models. The historical datasets show that the fraction of Canadian land and marine areas covered by snow and ice is decreasing over time, with seasonal and regional variability in the trends consistent with regional differences in surface temperature trends. In particular, summer sea ice cover has decreased significantly across nearly all Canadian marine regions, and the rate of multi-year ice loss in the Beaufort Sea and Canadian Arctic Archipelago has nearly doubled over the last 8 years. The multi-model consensus over the 2020-2050 period shows reductions in fall and spring snow cover fraction and sea ice concentration of 5-10 % per decade (or 15-30 % in total), with similar reductions in winter sea ice concentration in both Hudson Bay and eastern Canadian waters. Peak pre-melt terrestrial snow water equivalent reductions of up to 10 % per decade (30 % in total) are projected across southern Canada.

  16. Abortion training in Canadian obstetrics and gynecology residency programs.

    PubMed

    Liauw, J; Dineley, B; Gerster, K; Hill, N; Costescu, D

    2016-11-01

    To evaluate the current state of abortion training in Canadian Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs. Surveys were distributed to all Canadian Obstetrics and Gynecology residents and program directors. Data were collected on inclusion of abortion training in the curriculum, structure of the training and expected competency of residents in various abortion procedures. We distributed and collected surveys between November 2014 and May 2015. In total, 301 residents and 15 program directors responded, giving response rates of 55% and 94%, respectively. Based on responses by program directors, half of the programs had "opt-in" abortion training, and half of the programs had "opt-out" abortion training. Upon completion of residency, 66% of residents expected to be competent in providing first-trimester surgical abortion in an ambulatory setting, and 35% expected to be competent in second-trimester surgical abortion. Overall, 15% of residents reported that they were not aware of or did not have access to abortion training within their program, and 69% desired more abortion training during residency. Abortion training in Canadian Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs is inconsistent, and residents desire more training in abortion. This suggests an ongoing unmet need for training in this area. Policies mandating standardized abortion training in obstetrics and gynecology residency programs are necessary to improve delivery of family planning services to Canadian women. Abortion training in Canadian Obstetrics and Gynecology residency programs is inconsistent, does not meet resident demand and is unlikely to fulfill the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada objectives of training in the specialty. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. NASA and Canadian Snowbirds Aircrafts

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2018-05-09

    Canadian Forces Snowbirds fly in formation over NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida during a practice flight on May 9, 2018, between their scheduled U.S. air shows. The iconic Vehicle Assembly Building and mobile launcher are in view in the background.

  18. Professional Characteristics of Canadian Counsellors: Results of a National Survey

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gazzola, Nicola; Smith, J. David; Kearney, M. Kate; King-Andrews, Heather L.

    2010-01-01

    With statutory regulation of mental health professions clearly at the forefront in many Canadian jurisdictions, counselling appears to be experiencing internal tensions regarding its vision and direction. The goal of this study was to collect data directly from Canadian counsellors to more clearly define the current practices of counselling in…

  19. School Autonomy and 21st Century Learning: The Canadian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Newton, Paul; da Costa, Jose

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to report on the policy and practice contexts for school autonomy and twenty-first century learning in Canadian provinces. Design/methodology/approach: This paper reports on an analysis of policies in Canadian provinces (particularly the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan). The authors review policies…

  20. 17 CFR 260.10a-5 - Eligibility of Canadian Trustees.

    Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

    2010-04-01

    ... 17 Commodity and Securities Exchanges 3 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Eligibility of Canadian... Eligibility of Canadian Trustees. (a) Subject to paragraph (b) of this section, any trust company, acting as... laws of Canada or any of its political subdivisions and that is subject to supervision or examination...

  1. The Canadian Jobs Strategy. A Review of the First Years.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Canada Employment and Immigration Commission, Ottawa (Ontario).

    In September 1985, the Canadian government introduced the Canadian Jobs Strategy. Two features distinguish the jobs strategy program from Canada's old job development programs and programs for purchasing job training from colleges. These features are: (1) focusing of federal support for labor market adjustment on those individuals who are most in…

  2. Comparison of Canadian versus American emergency department visits for acute asthma

    PubMed Central

    Rowe, Brian H; Bota, Gary W; Clark, Sunday; Camargo, Carlos A

    2007-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Acute asthma is a common emergency department (ED) presentation in both Canada and the United States. OBJECTIVE: To compare ED asthma management and outcomes between Canada and the United States. MEHODS: A prospective cohort study of 69 American and eight Canadian EDs was conducted. Patients aged two to 54 years who presented with acute asthma underwent a structured ED interview and telephone follow-up two weeks later. RESULTS: A total of 3031 patients were enrolled. Canadian patients were more likely to be white (89% versus 22%; P<0.001), have health insurance (100% versus 69%; P<0.001) and identify a primary care provider (89% versus 64%; P<0.001) than American patients. In addition, Canadian patients were more likely to be using inhaled corticosteroids (63% versus 44%; P<0.001) and had higher initial peak expiratory flow (61% versus 48%; P<0.001). In the ED, Canadians received fewer beta-agonist (one versus two; P<0.001) and more anticholinergic (two versus one; P<0.001) treatments in the first hour; use of systemic corticosteroids was similar (60% versus 68%; P=0.13). Canadians were less likely to be hospitalized (11% versus 21%; P=0.02). Corticosteroids were prescribed similarly at discharge (60% versus 69%; P=0.13); however, Canadians were discharged more commonly on inhaled corticosteroids (63% versus 11%; P<0.001) and relapses were similar. CONCLUSIONS: Canadian patients with acute asthma have fewer barriers to primary care and are more likely to be on preventive medications, both before the ED visit and following discharge. Admissions rates are higher in the United States; however, relapse after discharge is similar between countries. These findings highlight the influences of preventive practices and heath care systems on ED visits for asthma. PMID:17885692

  3. AGREEing on Canadian cardiovascular clinical practice guidelines.

    PubMed

    Stone, James A; Austford, Leslie; Parker, John H; Gledhill, Norm; Tremblay, Guy; Arthur, Heather M

    2008-10-01

    The use of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), particularly the routine implementation of evidence-based cardiovascular health maintenance and disease management recommendations, affords both expert and nonexpert practitioners the opportunity to achieve better, and at least theoretically similar, patient outcomes. However, health care practitioners are often stymied in their efforts to follow even well-researched and well-written CPGs as a consequence of contradictory information. The purposeful integration and harmonization of Canadian cardiovascular CPGs, regardless of their specific risk factor or clinical management focus, is critical to their widespread acceptance and implementation. This level of cooperation and coordination among CPG groups and organizations would help to ensure that their clinical practice roadmaps (ie, best practice recommendations) contain clear, concise and complementary, rather than contradictory, patient care information. Similarly, the application of specific tools intended to improve the quality of CPGs, such as the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) assessment tool, may also lead to improvements in CPG quality and potentially enhance their acceptance and implementation.

  4. Chinese and white Canadian satisfaction and compliance with physicians.

    PubMed

    Liu, Richard; So, Lawrence; Quan, Hude

    2007-03-21

    Patient satisfaction has become an important indicator of primary care and healthcare system performance. Ethnic disparities in patient satisfaction and compliance with physician care have been studied in several countries. However, this issue has not received significant attention in Canada. The unique characteristics of the Canadian healthcare system and ethnic population make it worthwhile to examine this issue in this population. Therefore, we conducted a survey among Chinese and Whites in a Canadian city to determine their reported satisfaction, and perceptions of physicians. The survey was conducted in English, Mandarin and Cantonese in 2005 among Chinese and White Canadians, 18 years of age or older, who had visited at least one physician in Canada. We analyzed 746 Chinese and 711 Whites in the general practitioner (GP) visit group and 485 Chinese and 637 Whites in the specialist visit group. A lower proportion of Chinese compared to Whites reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with GP (73.7% vs. 92.8%) and specialist care (75.5% vs. 85.6%) and the differences between the two groups remained after adjustment for demographic variables and chronic conditions (risk adjusted OR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.42-1.18 for the GP visit group and OR: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.48-1.23 for the specialist visit group). A similar proportion of Chinese and Whites reported that they always followed a physician's advice (59.4% vs. 59.6% for the GP visit group and 67.2% vs. 62.8% for the specialist visit group). Non-English speaking Chinese and recent arrivals in Canada were less likely to be satisfied with GPs than Chinese born in Canada [risk adjusted OR: 0.5, 95%CI: 0.3-0.9, 0.2 and 0.1-0.7, respectively]. Chinese Canadians reported lower satisfaction with physicians and perceived physicians slightly more negatively than White Canadians. Particularly, Chinese with limited English and short length of stay in Canada were less satisfied than Canadian born Chinese.

  5. Chinese and white Canadian satisfaction and compliance with physicians

    PubMed Central

    Liu, Richard; So, Lawrence; Quan, Hude

    2007-01-01

    Background Patient satisfaction has become an important indicator of primary care and healthcare system performance. Ethnic disparities in patient satisfaction and compliance with physician care have been studied in several countries. However, this issue has not received significant attention in Canada. The unique characteristics of the Canadian healthcare system and ethnic population make it worthwhile to examine this issue in this population. Therefore, we conducted a survey among Chinese and Whites in a Canadian city to determine their reported satisfaction, and perceptions of physicians. Methods The survey was conducted in English, Mandarin and Cantonese in 2005 among Chinese and White Canadians, 18 years of age or older, who had visited at least one physician in Canada. Results We analyzed 746 Chinese and 711 Whites in the general practitioner (GP) visit group and 485 Chinese and 637 Whites in the specialist visit group. A lower proportion of Chinese compared to Whites reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with GP (73.7% vs. 92.8%) and specialist care (75.5% vs. 85.6%) and the differences between the two groups remained after adjustment for demographic variables and chronic conditions (risk adjusted OR: 0.70, 95%CI: 0.42–1.18 for the GP visit group and OR: 0.77, 95%CI: 0.48–1.23 for the specialist visit group). A similar proportion of Chinese and Whites reported that they always followed a physician's advice (59.4% vs. 59.6% for the GP visit group and 67.2% vs. 62.8% for the specialist visit group). Non-English speaking Chinese and recent arrivals in Canada were less likely to be satisfied with GPs than Chinese born in Canada [risk adjusted OR: 0.5, 95%CI: 0.3–0.9, 0.2 and 0.1–0.7, respectively]. Conclusion Chinese Canadians reported lower satisfaction with physicians and perceived physicians slightly more negatively than White Canadians. Particularly, Chinese with limited English and short length of stay in Canada were less satisfied

  6. A Decade of Change in NO2 and SO2 over the Canadian Oil Sands As Seen from Space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Mclinden, Chris A.; Fioletov, Vitali; Krotkov, Nickolay A.; Li, Can; Boersma, K. Folkert; Adams, Cristen

    2015-01-01

    A decade (20052014) of observations from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) were used to examine trends in nitrogen dioxide(NO2) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) over a large region of western Canada and the northern United States, with a focus on the Canadian oil sands. In the oil sands, primarily over an area of intensive surface mining, NO2 tropospheric vertical column densities (VCDs) are seen to be increasing by as much as 10year, with the location of the largest trends in a newly developing NO2 lobe well removed from surface monitoring stations. SO2 VCDs in the oil sands have remained approximately constant. The only other significant increase in the region was seen in NO2 over Bakken gas fields in North Dakota which showed increases of up to5yr. By contrast, other locations in the region show substantial declines in both pollutants, providing strong evidence to the efficacy of environmental pollution control measures implemented by both nations. The OMI-derived trends were found to be consistent with those from the Canadian surface monitoring network, although in the case of SO2, it was necessary to apply a correction in order to remove the residual signal from volcanic eruptions present in the OMI data.

  7. Canadian Adjuvant Initiative Workshop, March 26–27, 2013—Ottawa, Canada

    PubMed Central

    Krishnan, Lakshmi; Twine, Susan; Gerdts, Volker; Barreto, Luis; Richards, James C

    2014-01-01

    Novel adjuvants hold the promise for developing effective modern subunit vaccines capable of appropriately modulating the immune response against challenging diseases such as those caused by chronic and/or intracellular pathogens and cancer. Over the past decade there has been intensive research into discovering new adjuvants, however, their translation into routine clinical use is lagging. To stimulate discussion and identify opportunities for networking and collaboration among various stakeholders, a Canadian Adjuvant Initiative Workshop was held in Ottawa. Sponsored by the National Research Council Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Vaccine Industry Committee, a two day workshop was held that brought together key Canadian and international stakeholders in adjuvant research from industry, academia and government. To discover innovation gaps and unmet needs, the presentations covered a board range of topics in adjuvant development; criteria for selection of lead adjuvant candidates from an industry perspective, discovery research across Canada, bioprocessing needs and challenges, veterinary vaccines, Canadian vaccine trial capabilities, the Canadian regulatory framework and WHO formulation laboratory experience. The workshop concluded with a discussion on the opportunity to create a Canadian Adjuvant Development Network. This report details the key discussion points and steps forward identified for facilitating adjuvant development research in Canada. PMID:24192752

  8. Enhanced coagulation for improving coagulation performance and reducing residual aluminum combining polyaluminum chloride with diatomite.

    PubMed

    Hu, Wenchao; Wu, Chunde

    2016-01-01

    The feasibility of using enhanced coagulation, which combined polyaluminum chloride (PAC) with diatomite for improving coagulation performance and reducing the residual aluminum (Al), was discussed. The effects of PAC and diatomite dosage on the coagulation performance and residual Al were mainly investigated. Results demonstrated that the removal efficiencies of turbidity, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254 were significantly improved by the enhanced coagulation, compared with PAC coagulation alone. Meaningfully, the five forms of residual Al (total Al (TAl), total dissolved Al (TDAl), dissolved organic Al (DOAl), dissolved monomeric Al (DMAl), and dissolved organic monomeric Al (DOMAl)) all had different degrees of reduction in the presence of diatomite and achieved the lowest concentrations (0.185, 0.06, 0.053, 0.014, and 0 mg L(-1), respectively) at a PAC dose of 15 mg L(-1) and diatomite dose of 40 mg L(-1). In addition, when PAC was used as coagulant, the majority of residual Al existed in dissolved form (about 31.14-70.16%), and the content of DOMAl was small in the DMAl.

  9. 9/11 and Canadian Special Operations Forces: How 40 Selected Men Indelibly Influenced the Future of the Force

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2013-05-23

    Terrorism strategy/plan and an unresolved dialogue surrounding special operations aviation (SO Avn ) deficiencies are but two specific examples of...Regiment-like sister unit (the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR)) is created, an expanded SO Avn capability is formed (427 Special Operations...an adequate SO Avn Squadron under command, maturing CJIRU and CSOR sister units and lately a small but effective SOF training organization.127

  10. Chemical Characterization of HC Smoke Pot Residue.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1988-01-01

    vvv.twwii, ,- 11111 I.U . ". I III 140 2.0 1~~.25 111111. J_____1.6 ’."Ik ~ w MICROCOP RESOLUTION TEST CHART ii O.i S S • S • S S S • 0 0 S • S 0...conditions. Two trials were conducted: the first examined the spatial distribultion of organic and inorganic compounds in the smoke pot residue, and...27 4 Results of Nested Analysis of Variance - Trial I ................... 28 - 5 Major Organic Compounds Found in Trial I Smokepot

  11. Solid-liquid extraction of alkali metals and organic compounds by leaching of food industry residues.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chaowei; Zheng, Yi; Cheng, Yu-Shen; Jenkins, Bryan M; Zhang, Ruihong; VanderGheynst, Jean S

    2010-06-01

    Leaching was studied for its application in extracting inorganic and organic constituents from fresh fermented grape pomace, air-dried fermented grape pomace and air-dried sugar beet pulp. Samples of each feedstock were leached in water at ambient temperature for 30 or 120 min at dry solid-to-liquid ratios of 1/20 and 1/50 kg/L. Leaching removed 82% of sodium, 86% of potassium, and 76% of chlorine from sugar beet pulp, and reduced total ash concentration in air-dry fermented grape pomace from 8.2% to 2.9% of dry matter, 8.2% to 4.4% in fresh fermented grape pomace, and 12.5% to 5.4% in sugar beet pulp. Glycerol (7-11 mg/dry g), ethanol (131-158 mg/dry g), and acetic acid (24-31 mg/dry g) were also extracted from fermented grape pomace. These results indicate that leaching is a beneficial pretreatment step for improving the quality of food processing residues for thermochemical and biochemical conversion. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Worksite health and wellness programs: Canadian achievements & prospects.

    PubMed

    Després, Jean-Pierre; Alméras, Natalie; Gauvin, Lise

    2014-01-01

    Canada has experienced a substantial reduction in mortality related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is a general consensus that more effective and widespread health promotion interventions may lead to further reductions in CVD risk factors and actual disease states. In this paper, we briefly outline the prevalence of selected risk factors for CVD in Canada, describe characteristics of the Canadian labor market and workforce, and depict what is known about health and wellness program delivery systems in Canadian workplaces. Our review indicates that there have been numerous and diverse relevant legislative and policy initiatives to create a context conducive to improve the healthfulness of Canadian workplaces. However, there is still a dearth of evidence on the effectiveness of the delivery system and the actual impact of workplace health and wellness programs in reducing CVD risk in Canada. Thus, while a promising model, more research is needed in this area. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Canadian residents teaching and learning psychiatry in Ethiopia: a grounded theory analysis focusing on their experiences.

    PubMed

    Brook, Shelley; Robertson, David; Makuwaza, Tutsirai; Hodges, Brian D

    2010-01-01

    The Toronto Addis Ababa Psychiatry Project (TAAPP) is an international collaboration between University of Toronto and Addis Ababa University. University of Toronto psychiatric residents may participate in TAAPP as an elective. The authors explored the Canadian resident experience in a qualitative study of the project. Eleven residents were interviewed using a semistructured questionnaire. Grounded theory was employed to organize participants' experiences and highlight emerging themes. The computer software NVivo7 was used to facilitate data analysis. Participants described gaining competency as health advocates, collaborators, scholars, and teachers. They endorsed increased sensitivity to cross-cultural issues and greater awareness of global health issues, including practical and ethical ramifications of working at an intersection of cultures. Residents gained international perspective psychiatric practice. The elective provided unique opportunities for acquiring clinical, teaching, collaborative, leadership and advocacy skills. It prompted participants to consider ethical and cross-cultural issues and allowed them to be mentored intensively by Ethiopian and Canadian teachers and peers.

  14. Non-refundable tax credits are an inequitable policy instrument for promoting physical activity among Canadian children.

    PubMed

    Spence, John C; Holt, Nicholas L; Sprysak, Christopher J; Spencer-Cavaliere, Nancy; Caulfield, Timothy

    2012-01-01

    A clear income gradient exists for the sport and physical activity (PA) participation of Canadian children. Governments in Canada recently introduced tax credits to alleviate the financial burden associated with registering a child in organized physical activity (including sport). The majority of these credits, including the Children's Fitness Tax Credit, are non-refundable (i.e., reduces the amount of income tax a person pays). Such credits are useful only for individuals who incur a certain level of tax liability. Thus, low-income families who may pay little or no income tax will not benefit from the presence of non-refundable tax credits. In this commentary, we argue that the non-refundable tax credit is inherently inequitable for promoting PA. We suggest that a combination of refundable tax credits and subsidized programming for low-income children would be more equitable than the current approach of the Canadian government and several provinces that are expending approximately $200 million to support these credits.

  15. Canadian Educators Look for Ways to Recruit More Foreign Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Birchard, Karen

    2006-01-01

    Canadian educators are increasingly worried about their country's position as a destination of choice for international students, according the annual conference of the Canadian Bureau for International Education. The bureau added that Canada has dropped out of the top five preferred countries as a place to study. Over all, the number of…

  16. Early Childhood Education and Care: An Issue for All Canadians.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friendly, Martha

    Arguing that quality early childhood education and care (ECEC) contributes to meeting goals that strengthen Canadians and Canadian society, this paper discusses the support found for ECEC within the nation; maintains that ECEC is a broad issue that bridges socioeconomic, ethnic, and regional divisions; and addresses the main problems and issues in…

  17. Should Canadians eat according to the traditional Mediterranean diet pyramid or Canada's food guide?

    PubMed

    Downs, Shauna M; Willows, Noreen D

    2008-06-01

    Eating well with Canada's food guide (CFG) was developed by Health Canada as an education tool to encourage the Canadian public to have eating habits that meet nutrient needs, promote health, and reduce the risk of nutrition-related chronic disease. It was developed in the Canadian context and reflects the food supply available to Canadians, as well as food choices made by Canadians. There are other dietary patterns that are consistent with health such as the traditional Mediterranean diet (TMD), which has gained popularity in Canada. The potentially different food choices that Canadians could make if they were to follow one guide over the other might significantly influence population health. Although the two guides differ in their recommendations for red wine, fats, and meat and meat alternatives, they both promote a diet rich in grains, fruits, and vegetables. The CFG may have some advantages over the TMD for Canadians, such as focusing on vitamin D and recommending limited alcoholic beverage intake. Some shortcomings of the CFG compared with the TMD are the grouping of animal proteins with nuts, seeds, and legumes into a single category, and not recommending limits for red meat consumption. If Canadians following the CFG were to choose whole grains and vegetarian options from the meat and alternatives category more often, the CFG may be preferable to TMD for Canadians. The TMD is an alternative to the CFG for Canadians if sources of vitamin D are included in the diet and wine consumption is limited or is imbibed in moderation.

  18. Chemical and ecotoxicological characterization of solid residues produced during the co-pyrolysis of plastics and pine biomass.

    PubMed

    Bernardo, Maria S; Lapa, N; Barbosa, R; Gonçalves, M; Mendes, B; Pinto, F; Gulyurtlu, I

    2009-07-15

    A mixture of 70% (w/w) pine biomass and 30% (w/w) plastics (mixture of polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene) was subjected to pyrolysis at 400 degrees C, for 15 min, with an initial pressure of 40 MPa. Part of the solid residue produced was subjected to extraction with dichloromethane (DCM). The extracted residue (residue A) and raw residue (residue B) were analyzed by weight loss combustion and submitted to the leaching test ISO/TS 21268-2 using two different leachants: DCM (0.2%, v/v) and calcium chloride (0.001 mol/L). The concentrations of the heavy metals Cd, Cr, Ni, Zn, Pb and Cu were determined in the eluates and in the two residues. The eluates were further characterized by determining their pH and the concentrations of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes (BTEX). The presence of other organic contaminants in the eluates was qualitatively evaluated by gas chromatography, coupled with mass spectrometry. An ecotoxicological characterization was also performed by using the bio-indicator Vibrio fischeri. The chemical and ecotoxicological results were analyzed according to the French proposal of Criteria on the Evaluation Methods of Waste Ecotoxicity (CEMWE). Residue A was not considered to be ecotoxic by the ecotoxicological criterion (EC(50) (30 min) >or=10%), but it was considered to be ecotoxic by the chemical criterion (Ni>or=0.5mg/L). Residue B was considered to be ecotoxic by the ecotoxicological criterion: EC(50) (30 min)residue B was considered to be hazardous according the European legislation (BTEX concentrations higher than 100 ppb). The results indicate that volatile organic contaminants can be present in sufficient amounts in these residues and their eluates to induce ecotoxicity levels. The extraction of the pyrolysis residue with DCM was an efficient method for removing lighter organic contaminants.

  19. Violence in the massage parlor industry: experiences of Canadian-born and immigrant women.

    PubMed

    Bungay, Vicky; Halpin, Michael; Halpin, Peter F; Johnston, Caitlin; Patrick, David M

    2012-01-01

    We examined and contrasted 129 Canadian-born and immigrant women's experiences of violence and associated structural and interpersonal factors within indoor commercial sex venues. The majority experienced at least one form of structural, interpersonal, or both types of violence, with the attempted removal of a condom during sexual services being cited most frequently. Canadian-born women reported more frequent violent assaults in the survey data. The women's qualitative narratives illustrated that perceptions of violence differed significantly among Canadian versus non-Canadian born women. Findings concerning racialization and gendered relations of power have important implications for prevention and interventions to support victims of abuse.

  20. Distribution and sources of organic matter in surface marine sediments across the North American Arctic margin

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Goñi, Miguel A.; O'Connor, Alison E.; Kuzyk, Zou Zou; Yunker, Mark B.; Gobeil, Charles; Macdonald, Robie W.

    2013-09-01

    As part of the International Polar Year research program, we conducted a survey of surface marine sediments from box cores along a section extending from the Bering Sea to Davis Strait via the Canadian Archipelago. We used bulk elemental and isotopic compositions, together with biomarkers and principal components analysis, to elucidate the distribution of marine and terrestrial organic matter in different regions of the North American Arctic margin. Marked regional contrasts were observed in organic carbon loadings, with the highest values (≥1 mg C m-2 sediment) found in sites along Barrow Canyon and the Chukchi and Bering shelves, all of which were characterized by sediments with low oxygen exposure, as inferred from thin layers (<2 cm) of Mn oxihydroxides. We found strong regional differences in inorganic carbon concentrations, with sites from the Canadian Archipelago and Lancaster Sound displaying elevated values (2-7 wt %) and highly depleted 14C compositions consistent with inputs from bedrock carbonates. Organic carbon:nitrogen ratios, stable carbon isotopes, and terrigenous organic biomarkers (lignin phenols and cutin acids) all indicate marked regional differences in the proportions of marine and terrigenous organic matter present in surface sediments. Regions such as Barrow Canyon and the Mackenzie River shelf were characterized by the highest contributions of land-derived organic matter, with compositional characteristics that suggested distinct sources and provenance. In contrast, sediments from the Canadian Archipelago and Davis Strait had the smallest contributions of terrigenous organic matter and the lowest organic carbon loadings indicative of a high degree of post-depositional oxidation.

  1. The 1998 Canadian Contraception Study.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, William A.; Boroditsky, Richard; Bridges, Martha L.

    1999-01-01

    Describes the 1998 Canadian Contraception Study, a mailed survey which asked women about contraceptive practices past, present, and future (including use of oral contraceptives, condoms, and sterilization); familiarity with and opinion about different contraception methods; and general sexual and reproductive health. The paper also examines…

  2. Beyond "medical tourism": Canadian companies marketing medical travel

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Despite having access to medically necessary care available through publicly funded provincial health care systems, some Canadians travel for treatment provided at international medical facilities as well as for-profit clinics found in several Canadian provinces. Canadians travel abroad for orthopaedic surgery, bariatric surgery, ophthalmologic surgery, stem cell injections, “Liberation therapy” for multiple sclerosis, and additional interventions. Both responding to public interest in medical travel and playing an important part in promoting the notion of a global marketplace for health services, many Canadian companies market medical travel. Methods Research began with the goal of locating all medical tourism companies based in Canada. Various strategies were used to find such businesses. During the search process it became apparent that many Canadian business promoting medical travel are not medical tourism companies. To the contrary, numerous types of businesses promote medical travel. Once businesses promoting medical travel were identified, content analysis was used to extract information from company websites. Company websites were analyzed to establish: 1) where in Canada these businesses are located; 2) the destination countries and health care facilities that they market; 3) the medical procedures they promote; 4) core marketing messages; and 5) whether businesses market air travel, hotel accommodations, and holiday tours in addition to medical procedures. Results Searches conducted from 2006 to 2011 resulted in identification of thirty-five Canadian businesses currently marketing various kinds of medical travel. The research project began with what seemed to be the straightforward goal of establishing how many medical tourism companies are based in Canada. Refinement of categories resulted in the identification of eighteen businesses fitting the category of what most researchers would identify as medical tourism companies. Seven other

  3. Detection of Gunshot Residues Using Mass Spectrometry

    PubMed Central

    Blanes, Lucas; Cole, Nerida; Doble, Philip; Roux, Claude

    2014-01-01

    In recent years, forensic scientists have become increasingly interested in the detection and interpretation of organic gunshot residues (OGSR) due to the increasing use of lead- and heavy metal-free ammunition. This has also been prompted by the identification of gunshot residue- (GSR-) like particles in environmental and occupational samples. Various techniques have been investigated for their ability to detect OGSR. Mass spectrometry (MS) coupled to a chromatographic system is a powerful tool due to its high selectivity and sensitivity. Further, modern MS instruments can detect and identify a number of explosives and additives which may require different ionization techniques. Finally, MS has been applied to the analysis of both OGSR and inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR), although the “gold standard” for analysis is scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (SEM-EDX). This review presents an overview of the technical attributes of currently available MS and ionization techniques and their reported applications to GSR analysis. PMID:24977168

  4. Neonatal circumcision revisited. Fetus and Newborn Committee, Canadian Paediatric Society.

    PubMed Central

    1996-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To assist physicians in providing guidance to parents regarding neonatal circumcision. OPTIONS: Whether to recommend the routine circumcision of newborn male infants. OUTCOMES: Costs and complications of neonatal circumcision, the incidence of urinary tract infections, sexually transmitted diseases and cancer of the penis in circumcised and uncircumcised males, and of cervical cancer in their partners, and the costs of treating these diseases. EVIDENCE: The literature on circumcision was reviewed by the Fetus and Newborn Committee of the Canadian Paediatric Society. During extensive discussion at meetings of the committee over a 24-month period, the strength of the evidence was carefully weighed and the perspective of the committee developed. VALUES: The literature was assessed to determine whether neonatal circumcision improves the health of boys and men and is a cost-effective approach to preventing penile problems and associated urinary tract conditions. Religious and personal values were not included in the assessment. BENEFITS, HARMS AND COSTS: The effect of neonatal circumcision on the incidence of urinary tract infection, sexually transmitted diseases, cancer of the penis, cervical cancer and penile problems; the complications of circumcision; and estimates of the costs of neonatal circumcision and of the treatment of later penile conditions, urinary tract infections and complications of circumcision. RECOMMENDATION: Circumcision of newborns should not be routinely performed. VALIDATION: This recommendation is in keeping with previous statements on neonatal circumcision by the Canadian Paediatric Society and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The statement was reviewed by the Infectious Disease Committee of the Canadian Paediatric Society. The Board of Directors of the Canadian Paediatric Society has reviewed its content and approved it for publication. SPONSOR: This is an official statement of the Canadian Paediatric Society. No external

  5. Canadian First Nations Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: A Portrait in Resilience

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fuller-Thomson, Esme

    2005-01-01

    Between 1991 and 2001, there was a 20% increase in the number of Canadian children under 18 years old who were living with their grandparents without a parent present in the home. Recent research revealed that Canadians of First Nations origin, including North American Indians, Mtis, and Inuit, were vastly over-represented among grandparents…

  6. Baseline toxicity of a chlorobenzene mixture and total body residues measured and estimated with solid-phase microextraction.

    PubMed

    Leslie, Heather A; Hermens, Joop L M; Kraak, Michiel H S

    2004-08-01

    Body residues of compounds with a narcotic mode of action that exceed critical levels result in baseline toxicity in organisms. Previous studies have shown that internal concentrations in organisms also can be estimated by way of passive sampling. In this experiment, solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fibers were used as a tool to estimate the body residues, which were then compared to measured levels. Past application of SPME fibers in the assessment of toxicity risk of samples has focused on separate exposure of fibers and organisms, often necessitated by the amount of agitation needed in order to achieve steady state in the fibers within a convenient time period. Uptake kinetic studies have shown that in SPME fibers with thin coatings, equilibrium concentrations can be reached without agitation within the time frame of a toxicity test. In contrast to toxicity experiments to date, the SPME fibers in the current study were exposed concomitantly to the test water with the organisms, ensuring an exposure under the exact same conditions. Fibers and two aquatic invertebrate species were exposed to a mixture of four chlorobenzenes with a narcotic mode of action. The total body residue of these compounds in the organisms was determined, as was the acute toxicity resulting from the accumulation. The total body residues of both species were correlated to the total concentrations in SPME fibers. It was concluded that toxicity could be predicted based on total body residue (TBR) estimates from fiber concentrations.

  7. Magsat investigation. [Canadian shield

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hall, D. H. (Principal Investigator)

    1980-01-01

    A computer program was prepared for modeling segments of the Earth's crust allowing for heterogeneity in magnetization in calculating the Earth's field at Magsat heights. This permits investigation of a large number of possible models in assessing the magnetic signatures of subprovinces of the Canadian shield. The fit between the model field and observed fields is optimized in a semi-automatic procedure.

  8. Changing dynamics in the Canadian voluntary sector: challenges in sustaining organizational capacity to support healthy communities.

    PubMed

    Steedman, Eric; Rabinowicz, Jane

    2006-11-01

    The voluntary sector is recognized, by citizens, industry and government, as an increasingly vital contributor to healthy communities within Canadian society, called upon to provide front-line service delivery in areas of community support that were in the past often served by government and or religious charity. (The voluntary sector is large, consisting of an estimated 180,000 non-profit organizations [of which 80,000 are registered as charities] and hundreds of thousands more volunteer groups that are not incorporated [Statistics Canada, 2002].) The dynamics of the sector have changed considerably over the past decade, as government has pulled back the level of core organizational funding support and the role of the church has diminished. As community health is directly related to the organizational health of service-providing non-profits and charities, these organizations are looking increasingly towards corporate and individual donors, along with new self-financing approaches that generate revenues. They are also facing challenges in attracting and retaining skilled and motivated volunteers. As the scope of the voluntary sector and its overall influence grows, so do the organizational and financial challenges it faces. This article will address in particular the issue of funding support for healthy communities and examine a number of potential and existing best practices for sustaining community health in Canada. We will also look at the issue of volunteerism and human resource capacity challenges for organizations. This is an area in which the Canadian government has decided to focus as a result of explicit policy decisions taken in the late 1990s.

  9. Environmental Drivers of the Canadian Arctic Megabenthic Communities

    PubMed Central

    Roy, Virginie; Iken, Katrin; Archambault, Philippe

    2014-01-01

    Environmental gradients and their influence on benthic community structure vary over different spatial scales; yet, few studies in the Arctic have attempted to study the influence of environmental gradients of differing spatial scales on megabenthic communities across continental-scales. The current project studied for the first time how megabenthic community structure is related to several environmental factors over 2000 km of the Canadian Arctic, from the Beaufort Sea to northern Baffin Bay. Faunal trawl samples were collected between 2007 and 2011 at 78 stations from 30 to 1000 m depth and patterns in biomass, density, richness, diversity, and taxonomic composition were examined in relation to indirect/spatial gradients (e.g., depth), direct gradients (e.g., bottom oceanographic variables), and resource gradients (e.g., food supply proxies). Six benthic community types were defined based on their biomass-based taxonomic composition. Their distribution was significantly, but moderately, associated with large-scale (100–1000 km) environmental gradients defined by depth, physical water properties (e.g., bottom salinity), and meso-scale (10–100 km) environmental gradients defined by substrate type (hard vs. soft) and sediment organic carbon content. We did not observe a strong decline of bulk biomass, density and richness with depth or a strong increase of those community characteristics with food supply proxies, contrary to our hypothesis. We discuss how local- to meso-scale environmental conditions, such as bottom current regimes and polynyas, sustain biomass-rich communities at specific locations in oligotrophic and in deep regions of the Canadian Arctic. This study demonstrates the value of considering the scales of variability of environmental gradients when interpreting their relevance in structuring of communities. PMID:25019385

  10. Epigenetics, eh! A meeting summary of the Canadian Conference on Epigenetics.

    PubMed

    Rodenhiser, David I; Bérubé, Nathalie G; Mann, Mellissa R W

    2011-10-01

    In May 2011, the Canadian Conference on Epigenetics: Epigenetics Eh! was held in London, Canada. The objectives of this conference were to showcase the breadth of epigenetic research on environment and health across Canada and to provide the catalyst to develop collaborative Canadian epigenetic research opportunities, similar to existing international epigenetic initiatives in the US and Europe. With ten platform sessions and two sessions with over 100 poster presentations, this conference featured cutting-edge epigenetic research, presented by Canadian and international principal investigators and their trainees in the field of epigenetics and chromatin dynamics. An EpigenART competition included ten artists, creating a unique opportunity for artists and scientists to interact and explore their individual interpretations of this scientific discipline. The conference provided a unique venue for a significant cross-section of Canadian epigenetic researchers from diverse disciplines to meet, interact, collaborate and strategize at the national level.

  11. Cultural Literacy: A Canadian Perspective.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Orwin, Clifford; Forbes, H. D.

    1994-01-01

    Summarizes E. D. Hirsch's book, "Cultural Literacy," focusing on four separate arguments. Compares U.S. and Canadian education and society, particularly in relationship to multiculturalism and bilingualism. Concludes that Hirsch trivializes culture by presenting as no more than a common convention of effective national communication.…

  12. Pyrethroid pesticide residues in the global environment: An overview.

    PubMed

    Tang, Wangxin; Wang, Di; Wang, Jiaqi; Wu, Zhengwen; Li, Lingyu; Huang, Mingli; Xu, Shaohui; Yan, Dongyun

    2018-01-01

    Pyrethroids are synthetic organic insecticides with low mammalian toxicity that are widely used in both rural and urban areas worldwide. After entering the natural environment, pyrethroids circulate among the three phases of solid, liquid, and gas and enter organisms through food chains, resulting in substantial health risks. This review summarized the available studies on pyrethroid residues since 1986 in different media at the global scale and indicated that pyrethroids have been widely detected in a range of environments (including soils, water, sediments, and indoors) and in organisms. The concentrations and detection rates of agricultural pyrethroids, which always contain α-cyanogroup (α-CN), such as cypermethrin and fenvalerate, decline in the order of crops > sediments > soils > water. Urban pyrethroids (not contain α-CN), such as permethrin, have been detected at high levels in the indoor environment, and 3-phenoxybenzoic acid, a common pyrethroid metabolite in human urine, is frequently detected in the human body. Pyrethroid pesticides accumulate in sediments, which are a source of pyrethroid residues in aquatic products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. A survey of Canadian websites providing information about female urinary incontinence.

    PubMed

    Farrell, Karen D; Robinson, Lynne M; Baydock, Sandra A; Farrell, Scott A; Irving, Linda E; O'Connell, Colleen M

    2006-08-01

    Urinary incontinence (UI) is a prevalent health issue that has significant detrimental effects on quality of life. The Internet offers a unique vehicle for incontinent women to access information that could facilitate conservative self-help therapy. An evaluation of Canadian websites offering female UI information was conducted to determine their quality and readability. We evaluated websites using published general quality criteria for health sites and a quality assessment tool compiled by the authors for specific UI information derived from published, peer-reviewed clinical practice guidelines. Three health care professionals reviewed sites for quality, Canadian content, and interactivity. The readability of health information was also evaluated. Fifty-six Canadian sites (18 professional, 22 organizational, 16 commercial) were evaluated. Significant agreement was found among the raters' evaluations on all measures. For all sites, the mean scores were general quality, 9/14; specific UI quality, 30/122; reading ease, 37/100; grade level, 10.9. The median score for Canadian content was high, but for interactivity it was low. The only significant difference between site types was for general quality (F [2,165]=3.38, P=0.036). Post hoc Tukey's tests showed a significant difference between organizational and commercial sites, with organizational sites having higher general quality. Canadian websites providing female UI information have moderately high general quality, low specific UI information quality, minimal interactivity, and more than minimal Canadian content. The reading level of most sites is too high for average consumers. A webliography of the best sites has been developed to guide patients.

  14. ParticipACTION: Baseline assessment of the capacity available to the 'New ParticipACTION': A qualitative study of Canadian organizations.

    PubMed

    Faulkner, Guy; McCloy, Cora; Plotnikoff, Ronald C; Bauman, Adrian; Brawley, Larry R; Chad, Karen; Gauvin, Lise; Spence, John C; Tremblay, Mark S

    2009-12-09

    Evaluation of the original ParticipACTION campaign effects focused on individual awareness, recall, and understanding. Less studied has been the impact such campaigns have had on the broader organizational capacity to mobilize and advocate for physical activity. With the relaunch of ParticipACTION, the purpose of this study was to qualitatively explore baseline organizational capacity to promote physical activity messages, programs, and services within the Canadian context. Using a purposeful sampling strategy, we conducted semi-structured telephone interviews with 49 key informants representing a range of national, provincial, and local organizations with a mandate to promote physical activity. Interview data were analysed using a thematic analytic approach. Key informants painted a generally positive picture of current organizational capacity to promote physical activity messages, programs, and services in Canada. Will and leadership were clear strengths while infrastructure limitations remained the greatest concern. Some specific challenges included: 1) funding issues: the absence of core funding in a climate of shifting funding priorities; 2) the difficulty of working without a national physical activity policy (lack of leadership); 3) inconsistent provincial and educational sector level policies; and 4) a persistent focus on obesity rather than physical inactivity. The data generated here can be utilized to monitor the future impact of ParticipACTION on enhancing and utilizing this organizational capacity. A range of indicators are suggested that could be used to illustrate ParticipACTION's impact on the broad field of physical activity promotion in the future.

  15. The War's Positive Impact on the Canadian Astronomical Community

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Broughton, Peter

    2015-01-01

    At the beginning of WWI, the Canadian astronomical community was tiny and astrophysical research was just beginning. By the end of the war, the country had established the forerunner of its National Research Council and had the world's largest fully operational telescope, thanks to the late entry of the USA into the conflict. By 1918, Canada was on the verge of making significant contributions to science.In spite of the immense loss of life in this pointless war, I am aware of only one casualty affecting Canadian professional astronomers, and that was the indirect death of James Chant, son of University of Toronto's only professor of astronomy. Other Canadian astronomers, including Tom Parker, Bert Topham, and Harry Plaskett were on active service; each of their stories is unique.Among those engaged in scientific work during the war were two Canadians temporarily in England: John McLennan whose helium research for dirigibles led him to establish a cryogenic lab in Toronto where the green line in the spectrum of the aurora was identified in 1925, and Allie Douglas who worked as a statistician in the War Office. Later work with Eddington led her to become his biographer and to her distinction as the first person in Canada to earn a PhD in astronomy (in 1926).

  16. Joshua N Haldeman, DC: the Canadian Years, 1926-1950

    PubMed Central

    Keating, Joseph C; Haldeman, Scott

    1995-01-01

    Born in 1902 to the earliest chiropractor known to practice in Canada, Joshua Norman Haldeman would develop national and international stature as a political economist, provincial and national professional leader, and sportsman/adventurer. A 1926 graduate of the Palmer School of Chiropractic, he would maintain a lifelong friendship with B.J. Palmer, and served in the late 1940s as Canada’s representative to the Board of Control of the International Chiropractors’ Association. Yet, he would also maintain strong alliances with broad-scope leaders in Canada and the United States, including the administrators of the National and Lincoln chiropractic schools. Haldeman, who would practice chiropractic in Regina for at least 15 years, was instrumental in obtaining, and is credited with composing the wording of, Saskatchewan’s 1943 Chiropractic Act. He served on the province’s first board of examiners and the provincial society’s first executive board. The following year Dr. Haldeman represented Saskatchewan in the deliberations organized by Walter Sturdy, D.C. that gave rise to the Dominion Council of Canadian Chiropractors, forerunner of today’s Canadian Chiropractic Association. As a member of the Dominion Council he fought for inclusion of chiropractors as commissioned officers during World War II, and participated in the formation of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, which he subsequently served as a member of the first board of directors. Dr. Haldeman also earned a place in the political history of Canada, owing to his service as research director for Technocracy, Inc. of Canada, his national chairmanship of the Social Credit Party during the second world war, and his unsuccessful bid for the national parliament. His vocal opposition to Communism during the war briefly landed him in jail. His 1950 relocation of his family and practice to Pretoria, South Africa would open a new page in his career: once again as professional pioneer, but also as

  17. Internationalisation of Higher Education: Integrating International Students into Canadian Academic Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guo, Shibao; Chase, Mackie

    2011-01-01

    Fuelled by globalisation, the internationalisation of higher education in Canada is happening at a rapid pace. One manifestation of internationalisation is the increasing enrolment of international graduate students in Canadian institutions. Many of these students face challenges and barriers in integrating into Canadian academic environments…

  18. Canadian and Japanese Teachers' Conceptions of Critical Thinking: A Comparative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Howe, Edward R.

    2004-01-01

    Canadian and Japanese secondary teachers' conceptions of critical thinking were compared and contrasted. Significant cross-cultural differences were found. While Canadian teachers tended to relate critical thinking to the cognitive domain, Japanese teachers emphasized the affective domain. The quantitative data, effectively reduced through factor…

  19. Benchmarking participation of Canadian university health sciences librarians in systematic reviews.

    PubMed

    Murphy, Susan A; Boden, Catherine

    2015-04-01

    This study describes the current state of Canadian university health sciences librarians' knowledge about, training needs for, and barriers to participating in systematic reviews (SRs). A convenience sample of Canadian librarians was surveyed. Over half of the librarians who had participated in SRs acknowledged participating in a traditional librarian role (e.g., search strategy developer); less than half indicated participating in any one nontraditional librarian role (e.g., data extractor). Lack of time and insufficient training were the most frequently reported barriers to participating in SRs. The findings provide a benchmark for tracking changes in Canadian university health sciences librarians' participation in SRs.

  20. Canadian astronaut Marc Garneau during emergency bailout training

    NASA Image and Video Library

    1993-10-07

    S93-45723 (7 October 1993) --- Canadian astronaut candidate Marc Garneau, later named as a mission specialist for NASA's STS-77 mission-representing the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), participates in emergency bailout training at the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Garneau was in the 1992 class of Astronaut Candidates (ASCAN). Wearing full parachute gear, Garneau is suspended above a 25-feet deep pool in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WET-F). This portion of an astronaut's training is to prepare them for proper measures to take in the event of bailout over water.

  1. Psychometric Properties of the Canadian Nurse Informatics Competency Assessment Scale.

    PubMed

    Kleib, Manal; Nagle, Lynn

    2018-04-10

    Assessment of nursing informatics competencies has gained momentum in the scholarly literature in response to the increased need for resources available to support informatics capacity in nursing. The purpose of this study was to examine the factor structure and internal consistency reliability of the Canadian Nurse Informatics Competency Assessment Scale, a newly developed 21-item measure based on published entry-to-practice informatics competencies for RNs. For this study, 2844 nurses completed the Canadian Nurse Informatics Competency Assessment Scale through a cross-sectional survey. Exploratory principal component analysis with oblique promax rotation revealed a four-component/factor structure for the 21-item Canadian Nurse Informatics Competency Assessment Scale, explaining 61.04% of the variance. Item loading per each component reflected the original Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing grouping of nursing informatics competency indicators, as per three key domains of competency: information and knowledge management (α = .85); professional and regulatory accountability (α = .81); and use of information and communication technology in the delivery of patient care (α = .87) with the exception of one item (Indicator 3), which loaded into the category of foundational information and communication technology skills (α = .81). This study provided preliminary evidence for the construct validity of the entry-to-practice competency domains and the factor structure and reliability of the Canadian Nurse Informatics Competency Assessment Scale among practicing nurses. Further testing among nurses in other settings and among nursing students is recommended.

  2. Implications and Challenges to Using Data Mining in Educational Research in the Canadian Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    ElAtia, Samira; Ipperciel, Donald; Hammad, Ahmed

    2012-01-01

    Canadian institutions of higher education are major players on the international arena for educating future generations and producing leaders around the world in various fields. In the last decade, Canadian universities have seen an influx in their incoming international students, who contribute over $3.5 billion to the Canadian economy (Madgett…

  3. Differences in In Vitro Disintegration Time among Canadian Brand and Generic Bisphosphonates

    PubMed Central

    Olszynski, Wojciech P.; Adachi, Jonathan D.; Davison, K. Shawn

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the disintegration times among Canadian-marketed brand (alendronate 70 mg, alendronate 70 mg plus vitamin D 5600 IU, and risedronate 35 mg) and generic (Novo-alendronate 70 mg and Apo-alendronate 70 mg) once-weekly dosed bisphosphonates. All disintegration tests were performed with a Vanderkamp Disintegration Tester. Disintegration was deemed to have occurred when no residue of the tablet, except fragments of insoluble coating or capsule shell, was visible. Eighteen to 20 samples were tested for each bisphosphonate group. The mean (±standard deviation) disintegration times were significantly (P < 0.05) faster for Apo-alendronate (26 ± 5.6 seconds) and Novo-alendronate (13 ± 1.1 seconds) as compared to brand alendronate (147 ± 50.5 seconds), brand alendronate plus vitamin D (378 ± 60.5 seconds), or brand risedronate (101 ± 20.6 seconds). The significantly faster disintegration of the generic tablets as compared to the brand bisphosphonates may have concerning safety and effectiveness implications for patients administering these therapies. PMID:25349772

  4. Differences in In Vitro Disintegration Time among Canadian Brand and Generic Bisphosphonates.

    PubMed

    Olszynski, Wojciech P; Adachi, Jonathan D; Davison, K Shawn

    2014-01-01

    The objective of this study was to compare the disintegration times among Canadian-marketed brand (alendronate 70 mg, alendronate 70 mg plus vitamin D 5600 IU, and risedronate 35 mg) and generic (Novo-alendronate 70 mg and Apo-alendronate 70 mg) once-weekly dosed bisphosphonates. All disintegration tests were performed with a Vanderkamp Disintegration Tester. Disintegration was deemed to have occurred when no residue of the tablet, except fragments of insoluble coating or capsule shell, was visible. Eighteen to 20 samples were tested for each bisphosphonate group. The mean (±standard deviation) disintegration times were significantly (P < 0.05) faster for Apo-alendronate (26 ± 5.6 seconds) and Novo-alendronate (13 ± 1.1 seconds) as compared to brand alendronate (147 ± 50.5 seconds), brand alendronate plus vitamin D (378 ± 60.5 seconds), or brand risedronate (101 ± 20.6 seconds). The significantly faster disintegration of the generic tablets as compared to the brand bisphosphonates may have concerning safety and effectiveness implications for patients administering these therapies.

  5. Residual risk of bacterial contamination of platelets: six years of experience with sterility testing.

    PubMed

    Ramirez-Arcos, Sandra; DiFranco, Caesar; McIntyre, Terri; Goldman, Mindy

    2017-09-01

    Canadian Blood Services screens 100% of platelet concentrates (PCs) for bacterial contamination with the BacT/ALERT system. Quality-control sterility testing of 1% (≥10 units) of outdated PCs is performed monthly. Data from routine screening, quality-control testing, and septic reactions obtained from 2010 to 2016 are presented herein. In total, 601,988 buffy coat PC pools and 186,737 apheresis PCs were routinely screened with aerobic cultures over 6 years. Outdate quality-control testing of 8535 buffy coat and 8498 apheresis PCs was performed using aerobic and anaerobic cultures during the same period. Results were classified as "true-positives" when the same bacterium was isolated in initial and confirmatory cultures or "false-negatives" when bacteria were missed in early screening and were captured during quality-control sterility testing or through investigation of sepsis cases. During routine screening, the true-positive rates between buffy coat (0.94 per 10,000) and apheresis (0.96 per 10,000) PCs were similar (p = 0.9473). Seventy-five bacteria isolated during PC screening included Gram-positive and Gram-negative organisms. Six false-negative septic reactions were reported that implicated coagulase-negative staphylococci (n = 3) and Staphylococcus aureus (n = 3) for approximate rates of 1 per 100,000 transfusion reactions and 1 per 500,000 fatalities. During quality-control testing, the false-negative rates between buffy coat (8 per 10,000) and apheresis (9 per 10,000) PCs were similar (p = 0.7897). All 15 quality-control isolates were Gram-positive bacteria. The current bacterial screening protocol is efficacious for identifying Gram-negative bacteria. However, the high proportion of Gram-positive organisms detected on outdate quality-control testing and septic transfusion events demonstrates a residual safety risk that merits further intervention. © 2017 AABB.

  6. A novel method for the identification of inorganic and organic gunshot residue particles of lead-free ammunitions from the hands of shooters using scanning laser ablation-ICPMS and Raman micro-spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    Abrego, Zuriñe; Grijalba, Nagore; Unceta, Nora; Maguregui, Maite; Sanchez, Alicia; Fernández-Isla, Alberto; Goicolea, M Aranzazu; Barrio, Ramón J

    2014-12-07

    A method based on scanning laser ablation and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (SLA-ICPMS) and Raman micro-spectroscopy for the detection and identification of compounds consistent with gunshot residue particles (GSR) has been developed. The method has been applied to the characterization of particles resulting from the discharge of firearms using lead-free ammunition. Modified tape lifts were used to collect the inorganic and organic residues from skin surfaces in a single sample. Using SLA-ICPMS, aggregates related to the composition of the ammunition, such as Cu-Zn-Sn, Zr-Sr, Cu-Zn, Al-Ti, or Al-Sr-Zr were detected, but this composition is only consistent with GSR from lead-free ammunitions. Additional evidence was provided by micro-Raman spectroscopy, which identified the characteristic organic groups of the particles as centralite, diphenylamine or their nitrated derivatives, which are indicative of GSR.

  7. The impact of the Vancouver Winter Olympics on population level physical activity and sport participation among Canadian children and adolescents: population based study.

    PubMed

    Craig, Cora L; Bauman, Adrian E

    2014-09-03

    There has been much debate about the potential impact of the Olympics. The purpose of this study was to determine if hosting the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games (OG) encouraged Canadian children to be physically active. Children 5-19 years (n = 19862) were assessed as part of the representative Canadian Physical Activity Levels Among Youth surveillance study between August 2007 and July 2011. Parents were asked if the child participated in organized physical activity or sport. In addition, children wore pedometers for 7 days to objectively provide an estimate of overall physical activity. Mean steps/day and percent participating in organized physical activity or sport were calculated by time period within year for Canada and British Columbia. The odds of participation by time period were estimated by logistic regression, controlling for age and sex. Mean steps were lower during the Olympic period compared with Pre- (607 fewer steps/day 95% CI 263-950 steps/day) and Post-Olympic (1246 fewer steps 95% CI 858-1634 steps) periods for Canada. There was no difference by time period in British Columbia. A similar pattern in mean steps by time period was observed across years, but there were no significant differences in activity within each of these periods between years. The likelihood of participating in organized physical activity or sport by time period within or across years did not differ from baseline (August-November 2007). The 2010 Olympic Games had no measurable impact on objectively measured physical activity or the prevalence of overall sports participation among Canadian children. Much greater cross-Government and long-term efforts are needed to create the conditions for an Olympic legacy effect on physical activity.

  8. Climate Effects on Methylmercury Bioaccumulation Along a Latitudinal Gradient in the Eastern Canadian Arctic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chetelat, J.; Richardson, M.; MacMillan, G. A.; Amyot, M.; Hintelmann, H.; Crump, D.

    2014-12-01

    Recent evidence indicates that inorganic mercury (Hg) loadings to Arctic lakes decline with latitude. However, monomethylmercury (MMHg) concentrations in fish and their prey do not decline in a similar fashion, suggesting that higher latitude lakes are more vulnerable to Hg inputs. Preliminary results will be presented from a three-year study (2012-2015) of climate effects on MMHg bioaccumulation in lakes of the eastern Canadian Arctic. We have investigated mercury transport and accumulation processes in lakes and ponds from three study regions along a latitudinal gradient in climate-controlled ecosystem types in the Canadian Arctic, specifically sub-Arctic taiga, Arctic tundra and polar desert. In each water body, we measured key aspects of MMHg bioaccumulation—MMHg bioavailability to benthic food webs and organism growth rates—as well as how watershed characteristics affect the transport of Hg and organic carbon to lakes. Novel approaches were incorporated including the use of passive samplers (Diffusive Gradient in Thin Film samplers or DGTs) to estimate sediment bioavailable MMHg concentrations and tissue RNA content to compare organism short-term growth rates. A comparison of Arctic tundra and sub-Arctic taiga lakes showed that surface water concentrations of MMHg were strongly and positively correlated to total Hg concentrations both within and among study regions, implying strong control of inorganic Hg supply. Sediment concentrations of bioavailable MMHg were highly variable among lakes, although average concentrations were similar between study regions. Local environmental conditions appear to have a strong influence on sediment potential for MMHg supply. Lake-dwelling Arctic char from tundra lakes had similar or higher total Hg concentrations compared with brook trout from sub-Arctic lakes that were exposed to higher water MMHg concentrations. Potential environmental drivers of these patterns will be discussed. This latitudinal study will provide new

  9. The Experience of Student Occupational Therapists with Disabilities in Canadian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jung, Bonny; Baptiste, Sue; Dhillon, Shami; Kravchenko, Tasha; Stewart, Deb; Vanderkaay, Sandra

    2014-01-01

    Background: Canadian health professions strive for inclusivity in practice and it is imperative to extend this philosophy to health science students with disabilities. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of student occupational therapists with disabilities enrolled in Canadian universities. Methods: A…

  10. Measuring vaccine acceptance among Canadian parents: A survey of the Canadian Immunization Research Network.

    PubMed

    Dubé, Eve; Gagnon, Dominique; Ouakki, Manale; Bettinger, Julie A; Witteman, Holly O; MacDonald, Shannon; Fisher, William; Saini, Vineet; Greyson, Devon

    2018-01-25

    Parental decision making about childhood vaccinations is complex and multidimensional. There is a perception that the number of parents having concerns regarding childhood vaccinations has been increasing in Canada. The aim of this study was to explore vaccine hesitancy among Canadian parents and to examine factors associated with a parent's intention to vaccinate his/her child. Informed by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) this study assesses potential associations between parents' knowledge, attitudes and beliefs toward vaccination and their intention to vaccinate their child in the future. A national sample of Canadian parents of children aged 24-59 months (N = 2013) was surveyed using an online survey methodology. Half of the surveyed parents strongly intended to have their child vaccinated in the future. Parents' information needs and searches as well as parents' trust in different institutions were associated with intention to vaccinate. Parents who reported having frequently looked for vaccine information, who considered that it was their role as parents to question vaccines, or who had previously experienced difficulty accessing vaccination services were less likely to strongly intend to vaccinate their child in the future. Parents who had a high level of trust in doctors and public health were most likely to strongly intend to vaccinate their child. Results of the multivariate analysis showed that positive attitudes (aOR = 8.0; 95% CI: 6.0, 10.4), higher perceived social support (aOR = 3.0; 95% CI: 2.3, 3.93), and higher perceived behavioural control (aOR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.4, 2.43) were associated with parents' intention to vaccinate their child. Findings of this study suggest that trust-building interventions that promote pro-vaccine social norms and that address negative attitudes toward vaccination could enhance vaccine acceptance among Canadian parents. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Satellites in Canadian broadcasting

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siocos, C. A.

    The involvement of Canadian broadcasting and related enterprises in satellite telecommunications is surveyed. This includes point-to-point transmissions and direct ones to the general public. The mode of such utilizations is indicated in both these cases. For the forthcoming DBS systems the many types of service offerings and utilization concepts under discussion elasewhere are presented as well as the business prospects and regulatory climate offering them.

  12. Informal Learning of Seniors in Canadian Society. NALL Working Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fisher, Margaret

    Informal learning by Canadian seniors was examined through semi-structured interviews with a purposefully selected group of 51 older Canadians (28 women and 23) who ranged in age from 58 to 95 years (average age, 73.7). All were retired or semi-retired, and all had engaged in several learning projects over the previous year in topics such as the…

  13. An Analysis of Voluntary Disclosure of Performance Indicators by Canadian Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Maingot, Michael; Zeghal, Daniel

    2008-01-01

    Managing by performance indicators (PIs) is an important and controversial issue for many stakeholders concerned with higher education in the university systems all over the world. This study analyzes the voluntary disclosures of PIs by Canadian universities. The sample consisted of the 44 universities used by Maclean's Canadian Universities…

  14. Regionalisms, Nationalisms, and the Canadian State.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Knight, David B.

    1984-01-01

    Concentrating on events in Canada during the last ten years, this article discusses the Quebec separatist movement and other strong regionalisms in Canada. Important processes involved with conflict and compromise within the Canadian state are examined. (RM)

  15. Canadian Adoption Statistics: 1981-1990.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sobol, Michael P.; Daly, Kerry J.

    1994-01-01

    Obtained data on Canadian adoptions (1981-90) from adoption coordinators of all 10 provinces and 2 territories. Found downward trends in use of adoption as means of family formation across decade. By 1990, most infant adoptions were facilitated by private practitioners and agencies whereas older children were primarily adopted through public…

  16. Aggregate stability in mine residues after reclamation with biochar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Moreno-Barriga, Fabián; Díaz, Vicente; Acosta, José; Faz, Ángel; Zornoza, Raúl

    2016-04-01

    This study aims to assess how the addition of biochar and marble waste to acidic mine residues affected aggregate stability (AS) and contributed to the improvement of soil texture. For this purpose, a lab incubation was carried out for 90 days. Biochars derived from pig manure (PM), crop residues (CR) and municipal solid waste (MSW) were added to the soil at a rate of 20 g kg-1. The marble waste (MW) was added at a rate of 200 g kg-1, with the aim of increasing pH from 3 to 8 (pH of the native soils of the area). Biochars and MW were applied independently and combined. A control treatment was used without application of amendments. The evolution of AS was periodically monitored at 2, 4, 7, 15, 30 and 90 days by the method of artificial rainfall. Results showed, at the end of the incubation, that the addition of MW alone did not significantly increased AS with comparison to CT (30%). However, the biochar, alone or together with MW, significantly increased AS, the treatment receiving CR derived biochar being the one with the highest values (46%). Increments in AS were significant from the day 30 of incubation. AS showed a significant correlation with the total organic carbon content, but was not correlated with organic carbon fractions (soluble, labile, recalcitrant), inorganic carbon, microbial biomass carbon, enzyme activities, exchangeable fraction of heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Zn), pH, electrical conductivity nor greenhouse gas emissions (NO₂, CH₄). Thus, the application of biochar (alone or in combination with MW as a source of calcium carbonate) significantly increased the formation of stable aggregates in former acidic mine residues, favoring the development of soil structure, essential to create a soil from residues. It seems that the total content of organic carbon is directly controlling aggregation, rather than other labile organic sources. Moreover, pH, salinity or the presence of exchangeable metals did not seem to affect soil aggregation

  17. Nitrous oxide production from soils amended with biogas residues and cattle slurry.

    PubMed

    Abubaker, J; Odlare, M; Pell, M

    2013-07-01

    The amount of residues generated from biogas production has increased dramatically due to the worldwide interest in renewable energy. A common way to handle the residues is to use them as fertilizers in crop production. Application of biogas residues to agricultural soils may be accompanied with environmental risks, such as increased NO emission. In 24-d laboratory experiments, NO dynamics and total production were studied in arable soils (sandy, clay, and organic) amended with one of two types of anaerobically digested biogas residues (BR-A and BR-B) generated from urban and agricultural waste and nondigested cattle slurry (CS) applied at rates corresponding to 70 kg NH-N ha. Total NO-N losses from the sandy soil were higher after amendment with BR-B (0.32 g NO-N m) than BR-A or CS (0.02 and 0.18 g NO-N m, respectively). In the clay soil, NO-N losses were very low for CS (0.02 g NO-N m) but higher for BR-A and BR-B (0.25 and 0.15 g NO-N m, respectively). In the organic soil, CS gave higher total NO-N losses (0.31 g NO-N m) than BR-A or BR-B (0.09 and 0.08 g NO-N m, respectively). Emission peaks differed considerably between soils, occurring on Day 1 in the organic soil and on Days 11 to 15 in the sand, whereas in the clay the peak varied markedly (Days 1, 6, and 13) depending on residue type. In all treatments, NH concentration decreased with time, and NO concentration increased. Potential ammonium oxidation and potential denitrification activity increased significantly in the amended sandy soil but not in the organic soil and only in the clay amended with CS. The results showed that fertilization with BR can increase NO emissions and that the size is dependent on the total N and organic C content of the slurry and on soil type. In conclusion, the two types of BR and the CS are not interchangeable regarding their effects on NO production in different soils, and, hence, matching fertilizer type to soil type could reduce NO emissions. For instance, it could be

  18. DNA-based identification of invasive alien species in relation to Canadian federal policy and law, and the basis of rapid-response management.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Vernon G; Hanner, Robert H; Borisenko, Alex V

    2016-11-01

    Managing invasive alien species in Canada requires reliable taxonomic identification as the basis of rapid-response management. This can be challenging, especially when organisms are small and lack morphological diagnostic features. DNA-based techniques, such as DNA barcoding, offer a reliable, rapid, and inexpensive toolkit for taxonomic identification of individual or bulk samples, forensic remains, and even environmental DNA. Well suited for this requirement, they could be more broadly deployed and incorporated into the operating policy and practices of Canadian federal departments and should be authorized under these agencies' articles of law. These include Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Transport Canada, Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and Health Canada. These efforts should be harmonized with the appropriate provisions of provincial jurisdictions, for example, the Ontario Invasive Species Act. This approach necessitates that a network of accredited, certified laboratories exists, and that updated DNA reference libraries are readily accessible. Harmonizing this approach is vital among Canadian federal agencies, and between the federal and provincial levels of government. Canadian policy and law must also be harmonized with that of the USA when detecting, and responding to, invasive species in contiguous lands and waters. Creating capacity in legislation for use of DNA-based identifications brings the authority to fund, train, deploy, and certify staff, and to refine further developments in this molecular technology.

  19. Ammunition identification by means of the organic analysis of gunshot residues using Raman spectroscopy.

    PubMed

    López-López, María; Delgado, Juan José; García-Ruiz, Carmen

    2012-04-17

    The ability to unequivocally identify a gunshot residue (GSR) when a firearm is discharged is a very important and crucial part of crime scene investigation. To date, the great majority of the analyses have focused on the inorganic components of GSR, but the introduction of "lead-free" or "nontoxic" ammunitions makes it difficult to prevent false negatives. This study introduces a fast methodology for the organic analysis of GSR using Raman spectroscopy. Six different types of ammunition were fired at short distances into cloth targets, and the Raman spectra produced by the GSR were measured and compared with the spectra from the unfired gunpowder ammunition. The GSR spectrum shows high similarity to the spectrum of the unfired ammunition, allowing the GSR to be traced to the ammunition used. Additionally, other substances that might be found on the victim's, shooter's, or suspect's clothes and might be confused with GSR, such as sand, dried blood, or black ink from a common ballpoint pen, were analyzed to test the screening capability of the Raman technique. The results obtained evidenced that Raman spectroscopy is a useful screening tool when fast analysis is desired and that little sample preparation is required for the analysis of GSR evidence.

  20. Accumulation and depuration of trinitrotoluene and related extractable and nonextractable (bound) residues in marine fish and mussels.

    PubMed

    Lotufo, Guilherme R; Belden, Jason B; Fisher, Jonathon C; Chen, Shou-Feng; Mowery, Richard A; Chambliss, C Kevin; Rosen, Gunther

    2016-03-01

    To determine if trinitrotoluene (TNT) forms nonextractable residues in mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) and fish (Cyprinodon variegatus) and to measure the relative degree of accumulation as compared to extractable TNT and its major metabolites, organisms were exposed to water fortified with (14)C-TNT. After 24 h, nonextractable residues made up 75% (mussel) and 83% (fish) while TNT accounted for 2% of total radioactivity. Depuration half-lives for extractable TNT, aminodinitrotoluenes (ADNTs) and diaminonitrotoluenes (DANTs) were fast initially (<0.5 h), but slower for nonextractable residues. Nonextractable residues from organisms were identified as ADNTs and DANTs using 0.1 M HCL for solubilization followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Recovered metabolites only accounted for a small fraction of the bound residue quantified using a radiotracer likely because of low extraction or hydrolysis efficiency or alternative pathways of incorporation of radiolabel into tissue. Published by Elsevier Ltd.