Sample records for hamilton harbour ontario

  1. Identification of potential fish carcinogens in sediment from Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada

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

    Balch, G.C.; Metcalfe, C.D.; Huestis, S.Y.

    1995-01-01

    A carcinogenicity- and mutagenicity-directed fractionation approach was used to identify the carcinogenic compounds in contaminated sediments that are putatively responsible for the high prevalence of tumors in bottom-dwelling fish from Hamilton Harbour, Ontario. Mutagenic activity was detected with Ames tester strains (TA98, TA100) in relatively nonpolar fractions of sediment extract containing PAHs and nitrogen-containing aromatic compounds (NCACs). These fractions were also carcinogenic in an in vivo carcinogenicity bioassay with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). When a more polar extract fraction was tested for mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, weak mutagenic activity was detected with an O-acetyltransferase-enriched Ames tester strain (YG1024), and weak carcinogenicmore » activity was detected in the rainbow trout assay. These data indicate that PAHs in contaminated Hamilton Harbour sediments are potent fish carcinogens, but it is also evident that other organic compounds in the sediment, such as NCACs and nitroarenes, may contribute to carcinogenicity.« less

  2. Source apportionment of PAH in Hamilton Harbour suspended sediments: comparison of two factor analysis methods.

    PubMed

    Sofowote, Uwayemi M; McCarry, Brian E; Marvin, Christopher H

    2008-08-15

    A total of 26 suspended sediment samples collected over a 5-year period in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada and surrounding creeks were analyzed for a suite of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur heterocycles. Hamilton Harbour sediments contain relatively high levels of polycyclic aromatic compounds and heavy metals due to emissions from industrial and mobile sources. Two receptor modeling methods using factor analyses were compared to determine the profiles and relative contributions of pollution sources to the harbor; these methods are principal component analyses (PCA) with multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Both methods identified four factors and gave excellent correlation coefficients between predicted and measured levels of 25 aromatic compounds; both methods predicted similar contributions from coal tar/coal combustion sources to the harbor (19 and 26%, respectively). One PCA factor was identified as contributions from vehicular emissions (61%); PMF was able to differentiate vehicular emissions into two factors, one attributed to gasoline emissions sources (28%) and the other to diesel emissions sources (24%). Overall, PMF afforded better source identification than PCA with MLR. This work constitutes one of the few examples of the application of PMF to the source apportionment of sediments; the addition of sulfur heterocycles to the analyte list greatly aided in the source identification process.

  3. Measuring Social Capital in Hamilton, Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kitchen, Peter; Williams, Allison; Simone, Dylan

    2012-01-01

    Social capital has been studied by academics for more than 20 years and within the past decade there has been an explosion of growth in research linking social capital to health. This paper investigates social capital in Hamilton, Ontario by way of a telephone survey of 1,002 households in three neighbourhood groups representing high, mixed and…

  4. Sense of Place and Health in Hamilton, Ontario: A Case Study.

    PubMed

    Williams, Allison; Kitchen, Peter

    2012-09-01

    The concept of sense of place has received considerable attention by social scientists in recent years. Research has indicated that a person's sense of place is influenced by a number of factors including the built environment, socio-economic status (SES), well-being and health. Relatively few studies have examined sense of place at the neighbourhood level, particularly among communities exhibiting different levels of SES. This article investigates sense of place among three neighbourhood groups in Hamilton, Ontario representing areas of low, mixed and high SES. It analyses data from a 16-point sense of place scale derived from the Hamilton Household Quality of Life Survey carried out in 2010-2011 among 1,002 respondents. The paper found that sense of place was highest among residents of the high SES neighbourhood group as well as among home owners, people residing in single-detached homes, retired residents and those living in their neighbourhood for more than 10 years. From a health perspective, the paper found that a strong association existed between sense of place and self-perceived mental health across the three neighbourhood groups. Furthermore, by way of regression modeling, the paper examined the factors influencing health-related sense of place. Among the sample of respondents, a strong connection was found between housing, particularly home ownership, and high levels of health-related sense of place.

  5. Microsatellite DNA mutations in double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) associated with exposure to PAH-containing industrial air pollution.

    PubMed

    King, L E; de Solla, S R; Small, J M; Sverko, E; Quinn, J S

    2014-10-07

    Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada is one of the most polluted sites on the Great Lakes, and is subject to substantial airborne pollution due to emissions from both heavy industry and intense vehicle traffic. Mutagenic Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are present at very high concentrations in the air and sediment of Hamilton Harbour. We used five variable DNA microsatellites to screen for mutations in 97 families of Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) from three wild colonies, two in Hamilton Harbour and one in cleaner northeastern Lake Erie. Mutations were identified in all five microsatellites at low frequencies, with the majority of mutations found in chicks from the Hamilton Harbour site closest to industrial sources of PAH contamination. Microsatellite mutation rates were 6-fold higher at the Hamilton Harbour site closest to the industrial sources of PAH contamination than the other Hamilton Harbour site, and both were higher than the reference colony. A Phase I metabolite of the PAH benzo[a]pyrene identified by LC-MS/MS in bile and liver from Hamilton Harbour cormorant chicks suggests that these cormorants are exposed to and metabolizing PAHs, highlighting their potential to have caused the observed mutations.

  6. Respiratory medicine at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario: 1968 to 2013

    PubMed Central

    Jones, Norman L; O’Byrne, Paul M

    2014-01-01

    The medical school at McMaster University (Hamilton, Ontario) was conceived in 1965 and admitted the first class in 1969. John Evans became the founding Dean and he invited Moran Campbell to be the first Chairman of the Department of Medicine. Moran Campbell, already a world figure in respiratory medicine and physiology, arrived at McMaster in September 1968, and he invited Norman Jones to be Coordinator of the Respiratory Programme. At that time, Hamilton had a population of 300,000, with two full-time respirologists, Robert Cornett at the Hamilton General Hospital and Michael Newhouse at St Joseph’s Hospital. From the clinical perspective, the aim of the Respiratory Programme was to develop a network approach to clinical problems among the five hospitals in the Hamilton region, with St Joseph’s Hospital serving as a regional referral centre, and each hospital developing its own focus: intensive care and burns units at the Hamilton General Hospital; cancer at the Henderson (later Juravinski) Hospital; tuberculosis and rehabilitation at the Chedoke Hospital; pediatrics and neonatal intensive care at the McMaster University Medical Centre; and community care at the Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington (Ontario). The network provided an ideal base for a specialty residency program. There was also the need to establish viable research. These objectives were achieved through collaboration, support of hospital administration, and recruitment of clinicians and faculty, mainly from our own trainees and research fellows. By the mid-1970s the respiratory group numbered more than 25; outpatient clinic visits and research had grown beyond our initial expectations. The international impact of the group became reflected in the clinical and basic research endeavours. ASTHMA: Freddy Hargreave and Jerry Dolovich established methods to measure airway responsiveness to histamine and methacholine. Allergen inhalation was shown to increase airway responsiveness for several weeks

  7. Clinical and tree hollow populations of human pathogenic yeast in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada are different.

    PubMed

    Carvalho, Chris; Yang, Jiaqi; Vogan, Aaron; Maganti, Harinad; Yamamura, Deborah; Xu, Jianping

    2014-05-01

    Yeast are among the most frequent pathogens in humans. The dominant yeast causing human infections belong to the genus Candida and Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated species. However, several non-C. albicans species are becoming increasingly common in patients worldwide. The relationships between yeast in humans and the natural environments remain poorly understood. Furthermore, it is often difficult to identify or exclude the origins of disease-causing yeast from specific environmental reservoirs. In this study, we compared the yeast isolates from tree hollows and from clinics in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Our surveys and analyses showed significant differences in yeast species composition, in their temporal dynamics, and in yeast genotypes between isolates from tree hollows and hospitals. Our results are inconsistent with the hypothesis that yeast from trees constitute a significant source of pathogenic yeast in humans in this region. Similarly, the yeast in humans and clinics do not appear to contribute to yeast in tree hollows. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  8. Highly elevated levels of perfluorooctane sulfonate and other perfluorinated acids found in biota and surface water downstream of an international airport, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    de Solla, S R; De Silva, A O; Letcher, R J

    2012-02-01

    Per- and poly-fluorinated compounds (PFCs), which include perfluorinated carboxylates (PFCAs) and sulfonates (PFSAs) and various precursors, are used in a wide variety of industrial, commercial and domestic products. This includes aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), which is used by military and commercial airports as fire suppressants. In a preliminary assessment prior to this study, very high concentrations (>1 ppm wet weight) of the PFSA, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), were discovered in the plasma of snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) collected in 2008 from Lake Niapenco in southern Ontario, Canada. We presently report on a suite of C(6) to C(15) PFCAs, C(4), C(6), C(8) and C(10) PFSAs, several PFC precursors (e.g. perfluorooctane sulfonamide, PFOSA), and a cyclic perfluorinated acid used in aircraft hydraulic fluid, perfluoroethylcyclohexane sulfonate (PFECHS) in surface water from the Welland River and Lake Niapenco, downstream of the John C. Munro International Airport, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Amphipods, shrimp, and water were sampled from the Welland River and Lake Niapenco, as well as local references. The same suite of PFCs in turtle plasma from Lake Niapenco was compared to those from other southern Ontario sites. PFOS dominated the sum PFCs in all substrates (e.g., >99% in plasma of turtles downstream the Hamilton Airport, and 72.1 to 94.1% at all other sites). PFOS averaged 2223(±247.1SE) ng/g in turtle plasma from Lake Niapenco, and ranged from 9.0 to 171.4 elsewhere. Mean PFOS in amphipods and in water were 518.1(±83.8)ng/g and 130.3(±43.6) ng/L downstream of the airport, and 19.1(±2.7) ng/g and 6.8(±0.5) ng/L at reference sites, respectively. Concentrations of selected PFCs declined with distance downstream from the airport. Although there was no known spill event or publicly reported use of AFFF associated with a fire event at the Hamilton airport, the airport is a likely major source of PFC contamination in the Welland River. Crown

  9. The North American light rail experience : insights for Hamilton.

    DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

    2012-04-01

    This report provides a high level overview of the North American Light Rail Experience with the goal of : providing insights for Hamilton, Ontario. Light rail transit (LRT) is a term that emerged at the : Transportation Research Boards first confe...

  10. Prevalence of the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Blacklegged Ticks, Ixodes scapularis at Hamilton-Wentworth, Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Scott, John D.; Anderson, John F.; Durden, Lance A.; Smith, Morgan L.; Manord, Jodi M.; Clark, Kerry L.

    2016-01-01

    Lyme disease has emerged as a major health concern in Canada, where the etiological agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), a spirochetal bacterium, is typically spread by the bite of certain ticks. This study explores the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected at Dundas, Ontario (a locality within the region of Hamilton-Wentworth). Using passive surveillance, veterinarians and pet groomers were asked to collect blacklegged ticks from dogs and cats with no history of travel. Additionally, I. scapularis specimens were submitted from local residents and collected by flagging. Overall, 12 (41%) of 29 blacklegged ticks were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, two borrelial amplicons were characterized as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Notably, three different vertebrate hosts each had two engorged I. scapularis females removed on the same day and, likewise, one cat had three repeat occurrences of this tick species. These multiple infestations suggest that a population of I. scapularis may be established in this area. The local public health unit has been underreporting the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected I. scapularis in the area encompassing Dundas. Our findings raise concerns about the need to erect tick warning signs in parkland areas. Veterinarians, medical professionals, public health officials, and the general public must be vigilant that Lyme disease-carrying blacklegged ticks pose a public health risk in the Dundas area and the surrounding Hamilton-Wentworth region. PMID:27226771

  11. Prevalence of the Lyme Disease Spirochete, Borrelia burgdorferi, in Blacklegged Ticks, Ixodes scapularis at Hamilton-Wentworth, Ontario.

    PubMed

    Scott, John D; Anderson, John F; Durden, Lance A; Smith, Morgan L; Manord, Jodi M; Clark, Kerry L

    2016-01-01

    Lyme disease has emerged as a major health concern in Canada, where the etiological agent, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), a spirochetal bacterium, is typically spread by the bite of certain ticks. This study explores the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l. in blacklegged ticks, Ixodes scapularis, collected at Dundas, Ontario (a locality within the region of Hamilton-Wentworth). Using passive surveillance, veterinarians and pet groomers were asked to collect blacklegged ticks from dogs and cats with no history of travel. Additionally, I. scapularis specimens were submitted from local residents and collected by flagging. Overall, 12 (41%) of 29 blacklegged ticks were infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing, two borrelial amplicons were characterized as B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), a genospecies pathogenic to humans and certain domestic animals. Notably, three different vertebrate hosts each had two engorged I. scapularis females removed on the same day and, likewise, one cat had three repeat occurrences of this tick species. These multiple infestations suggest that a population of I. scapularis may be established in this area. The local public health unit has been underreporting the presence of B. burgdorferi s.l.-infected I. scapularis in the area encompassing Dundas. Our findings raise concerns about the need to erect tick warning signs in parkland areas. Veterinarians, medical professionals, public health officials, and the general public must be vigilant that Lyme disease-carrying blacklegged ticks pose a public health risk in the Dundas area and the surrounding Hamilton-Wentworth region.

  12. Managing an oak decline crisis in Oakville, Ontario: lessons learned

    Treesearch

    Peter A. Williams; John W. McNeil; Kurt W. Gottschalk; Robert A. Haack

    2013-01-01

    The town of Oakville, Ontario, is located along the north shore of Lake Ontario between Toronto and Hamilton. In the fall of 2002, significant oak (Quercus spp.) mortality was observed at Oakville's Iroquois Shoreline Woods Park, an environmentally significant forest remnant noted for its oak-dominated forests. Investigations suggested that oak...

  13. Perceptions of Quality Life in Hamilton's Neighbourhood Hubs: A Qualitative Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eby, Jeanette; Kitchen, Peter; Williams, Allison

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines perceptions of quality of life in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada from the perspective of residents and key community stakeholders. A series of eight focus groups were conducted. Six sessions were held with residents of neighbourhood "hubs", areas characterized by high levels of poverty. The following themes were…

  14. Values Education and the Board of Education for the City of Hamilton.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kocmarek, Ivan; Barrs, Steve

    1988-01-01

    Describes a values education program developed in the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Advocates removing values education from the realm of the hidden curriculum as found in the traditional school model of knowledge of facts, mastery of technical skills, and awareness of attitudes. Emphasizes the importance of continual interaction between school and…

  15. TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS (THC) SOIL RECYCLE TREATMENT TRAIN. Project Summary

    EPA Science Inventory

    A demonstration of the Toronto Harbour Commissioners' (THC) Soil Recycle Treatment Train was performed under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program at a pilot plant facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Soil Recycle Treatment Train, which consists of s...

  16. Sediment-Tracing Technology: An Overview

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2006-09-01

    Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Science 17: 1746-1750. Farmer, J. G. 1978. The determination of sedimentation rates in Lake Ontario using the 210Pb...Biology 6: 317-331. Pozza, M. R., J. I. Boyce, and W. A. Morris. 2004. Lake -based magnetic mapping of contaminated sediment distribution , Hamilton...Harbour, Lake Ontario , Canada. Journal of Applied Geophysics 57: 23-41. Ritchie, J. C., C. M. Cooper, J. R. McHenry, and F. R. Schiebe. 1983. Sediment

  17. Employer-Supported Child Care in Ontario.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, Toronto.

    Six case studies describing current employer-supported child care services in Ontario are presented. The studies describe the PLADEC Day Care Center of the Kingston Psychiatric Hospital, the day care center at the Chedoke-McMaster Hospitals in Hamilton, the Early Learning Centre at Durham College in Oshawa, the Hydrokids day care center at the…

  18. Mobile Air Monitoring: Measuring Change in Air Quality in the City of Hamilton, 2005-2010

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Adams, Matthew D.; DeLuca, Patrick F.; Corr, Denis; Kanaroglou, Pavlos S.

    2012-01-01

    This paper examines the change in air pollutant concentrations between 2005 and 2010 occurring in the City of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. After analysis of stationary air pollutant concentration data, we analyze mobile air pollutant concentration data. Air pollutants included in the analysis are CO, PM[subscript 2.5], SO[subscript 2], NO,…

  19. Durand Neighbourhood Heritage Inventory: Toward a Digital Citywide Survey Approach to Heritage Planning in Hamilton

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Angel, V.; Garvey, A.; Sydor, M.

    2017-08-01

    In the face of changing economies and patterns of development, the definition of heritage is diversifying, and the role of inventories in local heritage planning is coming to the fore. The Durand neighbourhood is a layered and complex area located in inner-city Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and the second subject area in a set of pilot inventory studies to develop a new city-wide inventory strategy for the City of Hamilton,. This paper presents an innovative digital workflow developed to undertake the Durand Built Heritage Inventory project. An online database was developed to be at the centre of all processes, including digital documentation, record management, analysis and variable outputs. Digital tools were employed for survey work in the field and analytical work in the office, resulting in a GIS-based dataset that can be integrated into Hamilton's larger municipal planning system. Together with digital mapping and digitized historical resources, the Durand database has been leveraged to produce both digital and static outputs to shape recommendations for the protection of Hamilton's heritage resources.

  20. Molecular Marker Study of Particulate Organic Matter in Southern Ontario Air

    PubMed Central

    Stupak, Jacek; Gong, Xueping; Chan, Tak-Wai; Cox, Michelle; McLaren, Robert; Rudolph, Jochen

    2017-01-01

    To study the origins of airborne particulate organic matter in southern Ontario, molecular marker concentrations were studied at Hamilton, Simcoe, and York Gateway Tunnel, representing industrial, rural, and heavy traffic sites, respectively. Airborne particulate matter smaller than 10 μm in aerodynamic diameter was collected on quartz filters, and the collected samples were analyzed for total carbons, 5-6 ring PAHs, hopanes, n-alkanes (C20 to C34), and oxygenated aromatic compounds. Results showed that PAH concentrations at all three sites were highly correlated, indicating vehicular emissions as the major source. Meanwhile, in the scatter plots of α,β-hopane and trisnorhopane, concentrations displayed different trends for Hamilton and Simcoe. The slopes of the linear regressions for Hamilton and the tunnel were statistically the same, while the slope for Simcoe was significantly different from those. Comparison with literature values revealed that the trend observed at Simcoe was explained by the influence from coal combustion. We also found that the majority of oxygenated aromatic compounds at both sites were in the similar level, possibly implying secondary products contained in the southern Ontario air. Regardless of some discrepancies, absolute principal component analysis applied to the datasets could reproduce those findings. PMID:29075550

  1. Healing in places of decline: (re)imagining everyday landscapes in Hamilton, Ontario.

    PubMed

    Wakefield, Sarah; McMullan, Colin

    2005-12-01

    Ongoing interest in therapeutic landscapes has contributed noticeably to the development of a "post-medical geography of health" (Kearns, R.A., Professional Geographer 45 (1993) 139). Drawing on a variety of sources, including in-depth interviews and newspaper coverage from Hamilton, Canada, this paper explores the processes by which ordinary places are characterised as healthy or unhealthy, and investigates how health-affirming and health-denying places exist together in everyday life. We argue that it is possible for places to simultaneously hurt and heal, and that the therapeutic effect of place is largely contingent on individuals' physical and social locations. Further, we attempt to illustrate how these meanings are negotiated at a variety of different geographic scales.

  2. Heat-stress-related mortality in five cities in Southern Ontario: 1980-1996.

    PubMed

    Smoyer, K E; Rainham, D G; Hewko, J N

    2000-11-01

    The Toronto-Windsor corridor of Southern Ontario, Canada, experiences hot and humid weather conditions in summer, thus exposing the population to heat stress and a greater risk of mortality. In the event of a climate change, heat-stress conditions may become more frequent and severe in Southern Ontario. To assess the impact of summer weather on health, we analyzed heat-related mortality in the elderly (older than 64 years) in the metropolitan areas of Windsor, London, Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge, Hamilton, and Toronto for a 17-year period. Demographic, socioeconomic, and housing factors were also evaluated to assess their effect on the potential of the population to adapt and their vulnerability to heat stress. Heat-stress days were defined as those with an apparent temperature (heat index) above 32 degrees C. Mortality among the elderly was significantly higher on heat-stress days than on non-heat-stress days in all cities except Windsor. The strongest relationships occurred in Toronto and London, followed by Hamilton. Cities with the greatest heat-related mortality have relatively high levels of urbanization and high costs of living. Even without the warming induced by a climate change, (1) vulnerability is likely to increase as the population ages, and (2) ongoing urban development and sprawl are expected to intensify heat-stress conditions in Southern Ontario. Actions should be taken to reduce vulnerability to heat stress conditions, and to develop a comprehensive hot weather watch/warning system for the region.

  3. Distribution of acidic and neutral drugs in surface waters near sewage treatment plants in the lower Great Lakes, Canada.

    PubMed

    Metcalfe, Chris D; Miao, Xiu-Sheng; Koenig, Brenda G; Struger, John

    2003-12-01

    Prescription and nonprescription drugs have been detected in rivers and streams in Europe and the United States. Sewage treatment plants (STPs) are an important source of these contaminants, but few data exist on the spatial distribution of drugs in surface waters near STPs. Samples of surface water were collected in the summer and fall of 2000 at open-water sites in the lower Great Lakes (Lake Ontario and Lake Erie), at sites near the two STPs for the city of Windsor (ON, Canada), and at sites in Hamilton Harbour (ON, Canada), an embayment of western Lake Ontario that receives discharges from several STPs. In a follow-up study in the summer of 2002, samples of surface water and final effluent from adjacent STPs were collected from sites in Hamilton Harbour and Windsor. In addition, surface water and STP effluent samples were collected in Peterborough (ON, Canada). All samples of surface water and STP effluents were analyzed for selected acidic and neutral drugs. In the survey of Hamilton Harbour and Windsor conducted in 2000, acidic drugs and the antiepileptic drug carbamazepine were detected at ng/L concentrations at sites that were up to 500 m away from the STP, but the hydrological conditions of the receiving waters strongly influenced the spatial distribution of these compounds. Drugs were not detected at open-water locations in western Lake Erie or in the Niagara River near the municipality of Niagara-on-the-Lake (ON, Canada). However, clofibric acid, ketoprofen, fenoprofen, and carbamazepine were detected in samples collected in the summer of 2000 at sites in Lake Ontario and at a site in the Niagara River (Fort Erie, ON, Canada) that were relatively remote from STP discharges. Follow-up studies in the summer of 2002 indicated that concentrations of acidic and neutral drugs in surface waters near the point of sewage discharge into the Little River (ON, Canada) STP were approximately equal to the concentrations in the final effluent from the STP. Caffeine and

  4. Removal of Historic Low-Level Radioactive Sediment from the Port Hope Harbour - 13314

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

    Kolberg, Mark; Case, Glenn; Ferguson Jones, Andrea

    2013-07-01

    At the Port Hope Harbour, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the Harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. These waste materials contain radium-226, uranium, arsenic and other contaminants. Several other on-land locations within the community of Port Hope are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. The Port Hope Project is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from themore » various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remediation of the estimated 120,000 m{sup 3} of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope Harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Port Hope Project. Following a thorough review of various options, the proposed method of contaminated sediment removal is by dredging. The sediment from the dredge will then be pumped as a sediment-water slurry mixture into geo-synthetic containment tubes for dewatering. Due to the hard substrate below the contaminated sediment, the challenge has been to set performance standards in terms of low residual surface concentrations that are attainable in an operationally efficient manner. (authors)« less

  5. Fifty years with the Hamilton scales for anxiety and depression. A tribute to Max Hamilton.

    PubMed

    Bech, P

    2009-01-01

    From the moment Max Hamilton started his psychiatric education, he considered psychometrics to be a scientific discipline on a par with biochemistry or pharmacology in clinical research. His clinimetric skills were in operation in the 1950s when randomised clinical trials were established as the method for the evaluation of the clinical effects of psychotropic drugs. Inspired by Eysenck, Hamilton took the long route around factor analysis in order to qualify his scales for anxiety (HAM-A) and depression (HAM-D) as scientific tools. From the moment when, 50 years ago, Hamilton published his first placebo-controlled trial with an experimental anti-anxiety drug, he realized the dialectic problem in using the total score on HAM-A as a sufficient statistic for the measurement of outcome. This dialectic problem has been investigated for more than 50 years with different types of factor analyses without success. Using modern psychometric methods, the solution to this problem is a simple matter of reallocating the Hamilton scale items according to the scientific hypothesis under examination. Hamilton's original intention, to measure the global burden of the symptoms experienced by the patients with affective disorders, is in agreement with the DSM-IV and ICD-10 classification systems. Scale reliability and obtainment of valid information from patients and their relatives were the most important clinimetric innovations to be developed by Hamilton. Max Hamilton therefore belongs to the very exclusive family of eminent physicians celebrated by this journal with a tribute. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  6. Environmental magnetic methods for detecting and mapping contaminated sediments in lakes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boyce, J. I.

    2009-05-01

    The remediation of contaminated sediments is an urgent environmental priority in the Great Lakes and requires detailed mapping of impacted sediment layer thickness, areal distribution and pollutant levels. Magnetic property measurements of sediment cores from two heavily polluted basins in Lake Ontario (Hamilton Harbour, Frenchman's Bay) show that concentrations of hydrocarbons (PAH) and a number of heavy metals (Pb, As, Ni, Cu, Cr, Zn, Cd, Fe) are strongly correlated with magnetic susceptibility. The magnetic susceptibility contrast between the contaminated sediment and underlying 'pre-colonial' sediments is sufficient to generate a total field anomaly (ca. 2-20 nT) that can be measured with a magnetometer towed above the lake bed. Systematic magnetic surveying (550 line km) of Hamilton Harbour using a towed marine magnetometer clearly identifies a number of well-defined magnetic anomalies that coincide with known accumulations of contaminated lake sediment. When calibrated against in-situ magnetic property measurements, the modeled apparent susceptibility from magnetic survey results can be used to classify the relative contaminant impact levels. The results demonstrate the potential of magnetic property measurements for rapid reconnaissance mapping of large areas of bottom contamination prior to detailed coring and sediment remediation.

  7. Benthic ecological status of Algerian harbours.

    PubMed

    Dauvin, J C; Bakalem, A; Baffreau, A; Grimes, S

    2017-12-15

    This work is an overview of all available benthic data collected in the Algerian harbours between 1983 and 2001. So, total of 571 stations were reported in the 10 major Algerian harbours along the Algerian coast (1200km). Two main categories of harbours were distinguished according to their hydrodynamic regime and volume of water exchange between inner harbour basins and the entrance of the harbours. Univariate, multivariate, benthic indices and Biological Traits of Life approaches were applied on stations sampled in the late 1990s and long-term observations in six out of these ten harbours. These approaches assessed the main characteristics and ecological statuses from these south Mediterranean harbours. One of the main characteristics of the Algerian harbours was the very high species diversity (847 species). Although all the fauna was dominated by pollution-tolerant species; some harbours such as Bethioua and Djendjen hosted normal benthic communities as found in the open sea, but also included some pollution indicator species typical of a slight polluted system. On the contrary, the newly constructed port of Skikda showed perturbed benthic communities in relation to hydrocarbon pollution. Biological Traits of Life analysis reinforced the separation of benthic species along a gradient reflecting their sensitivity or tolerance to pollution. This response was related to an increase in organic matter content, probably associated with a general organic and metal contamination, from the entrance of the harbour to the innermost basins in areas with weak circulation, high sedimentation rate and concentrations of pollutants. Except for Oran harbour, where the poor to moderate ecological status remained unchanged with time, the other harbours showed an improvement or a slight degradation. A strategy of long-term monitoring should be promoted, based on a restricted and selected number of stations characteristic of the different basins and water masses occupying the

  8. Hamilton's missing link.

    PubMed

    van Veelen, Matthijs

    2007-06-07

    Hamilton's famous rule was presented in 1964 in a paper called "The genetical theory of social behaviour (I and II)", Journal of Theoretical Biology 7, 1-16, 17-32. The paper contains a mathematical genetical model from which the rule supposedly follows, but it does not provide a link between the paper's central result, which states that selection dynamics take the population to a state where mean inclusive fitness is maximized, and the rule, which states that selection will lead to maximization of individual inclusive fitness. This note provides a condition under which Hamilton's rule does follow from his central result.

  9. The Ecological History of Lake Ontario According to Phytoplankton

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Allinger, L. E.; Reavie, E. D.

    2014-12-01

    Lake Ontario's water quality has fluctuated since European settlement and our understanding of the cause-and-effect linkages between observed ecosystem shifts and stressors are evolving and improving. Changes in the physical and chemical environment of the lake due to non-indigenous species, pollution, sedimentation, turbidity and climate change altered the pelagic primary producers, so algal assessments have been valuable for tracking long-term conditions. We present a chronological account of pelagic algal assessments and some nearshore areas to summarize past and present environmental conditions in Lake Ontario. This review particularly focuses on diatom-based assessments as their fossils in sediments have revealed the combined effects of environmental insults and recovery. This review recaps the long-term trends according to three unique regions: Hamilton Harbor, the main lake basin and the Bay of Quinte. We summarize pre-European settlement, eutrophication throughout most of the 20th century, subsequent water quality improvement due to nutrient reductions and filter-feeding dreissenid colonization and contemporary pelagic, shoreline and embayment impairments. Recent pelagic phytoplankton data suggest that although phytoplankton biovolume remains stable, species composition has shifted to an increase in spring eutrophic diatoms and summer blue-green algae. Continued monitoring and evaluation of historical data will assist in understanding and responding to the natural and anthropogenic drivers of Lake Ontario's environmental conditions. As such we have initiated a new paleolimnological investigation, supported by the Environmental Protection Agency-Great Lakes National Program Office, to reconstruct the long-term environmental history of Lake Ontario and will present preliminary results.

  10. High levels of perfluoroalkyl acids in sport fish species downstream of a firefighting training facility at Hamilton International Airport, Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Gewurtz, Sarah B; Bhavsar, Satyendra P; Petro, Steve; Mahon, Chris G; Zhao, Xiaoming; Morse, Dave; Reiner, Eric J; Tittlemier, Sheryl A; Braekevelt, Eric; Drouillard, Ken

    2014-06-01

    A recent study reported elevated concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and other perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in surface water, snapping turtles, and amphipods in Lake Niapenco, downstream of Hamilton International Airport, Ontario, Canada. Here, our goals were to 1) determine the extent of PFAA contamination in sport fish species collected downstream of the airport, 2) explore if the airport could be a potential source, and 3) compare fish PFOS concentrations to consumption advisory benchmarks. The PFOS levels in several sport fish collected from the three locations closest to the airport (<40km) were among the highest previously published in the peer-reviewed literature and also tended to exceed consumption benchmarks. The only other fish that had comparable concentrations were collected in a region affected by inputs from a major fluorinated chemical production facility. In contrast, PFOS concentrations in the two most downstream locations (>70km) were comparable to or below the average concentrations in fish as observed in the literature and were generally below the benchmarks. With regards to perfluorocarboxylates (PFCAs), there was no significant decrease in concentrations in fish with distance from the airport and levels were comparable to or below the average concentrations observed in the literature, suggesting that the airport is not a significant source of PFCAs in these fish species. PFOS-based aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) was used at a firefighting training facility at the airport in the 1980s to mid-1990s. Taken together, our results provide evidence that the historical use of AFFF at the airport has resulted in fish PFOS concentrations that exceed the 95th percentile concentration of values reported in the literature to date. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Structural aspects of Hamilton-Jacobi theory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cariñena, J. F.; Gràcia, X.; Marmo, G.; Martínez, E.; Muñoz-Lecanda, M. C.; Román-Roy, N.

    2016-12-01

    In our previous papers [J. F. Cariñena, X. Gràcia, G. Marmo, E. Martínez, M. C. Muñoz-Lecanda and N. Román-Roy, Geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theory, Int. J. Geom. Meth. Mod. Phys. 3 (2006) 1417-1458; Geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theory for nonholonomic dynamical systems, Int. J. Geom. Meth. Mod. Phys. 7 (2010) 431-454] we showed that the Hamilton-Jacobi problem can be regarded as a way to describe a given dynamics on a phase space manifold in terms of a family of dynamics on a lower-dimensional manifold. We also showed how constants of the motion help to solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. Here we want to delve into this interpretation by considering the most general case: a dynamical system on a manifold that is described in terms of a family of dynamics (slicing vector fields) on lower-dimensional manifolds. We identify the relevant geometric structures that lead from this decomposition of the dynamics to the classical Hamilton-Jacobi theory, by considering special cases like fibered manifolds and Hamiltonian dynamics, in the symplectic framework and the Poisson one. We also show how a set of functions on a tangent bundle can determine a second-order dynamics for which they are constants of the motion.

  12. Kinetic Algorithms for Harbour Management

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gold, C. M.; Goralski, R. I.

    2012-07-01

    Modern harbour management for a busy port needs to resolve a variety of simultaneous problems. Harbour traffic may be busy and the waterways congested, both by the major shipping and by the attendant harbour tugs. The harbour channel may be narrow and tortuous, and rapidly changing tides may require frequent course adjustments. Navigation aids must be clearly specified and immediately identifiable, in order to permit safe passage for the vessels. This requires a GIS with attributes not easily available with traditional products. The GeoVS system is a kinetic GIS with full three-dimensional visualisation, so that ships, bathymetry and landscape may be viewed in a form that is immediately understandable to both harbour pilots and the harbour authority. The system is kinetic because the data structures used to preserve the topological relationships between ships, seafloor and coastline are able to be maintained on a real-time basis, taking account of ship movement recorded on the compulsory AIS (Automatic Information System) beacons. Maintenance of this real-time topology allows for easy detection of potential collisions, as well as real-time bathymetric estimations, necessary to prevent ship grounding in highly tidal environments. The system, based on previous research into kinetic Voronoi diagrams, as well as development of a completely new graphical engine, is now in commercial production, where its advantages over simpler twodimensional models without automatic collision and grounding detection are becoming evident. Other applications are readily envisaged, and will be addressed in the near future.

  13. Sources and sinks of microplastics in Canadian Lake Ontario nearshore, tributary and beach sediments.

    PubMed

    Ballent, Anika; Corcoran, Patricia L; Madden, Odile; Helm, Paul A; Longstaffe, Fred J

    2016-09-15

    Microplastics contamination of Lake Ontario sediments is investigated with the aim of identifying distribution patterns and hotspots in nearshore, tributary and beach depositional environments. Microplastics are concentrated in nearshore sediments in the vicinity of urban and industrial regions. In Humber Bay and Toronto Harbour microplastic concentrations were consistently >500 particles per kg dry sediment. Maximum concentrations of ~28,000 particles per kg dry sediment were determined in Etobicoke Creek. The microplastic particles were primarily fibres and fragments <2mm in size. Both low- and high-density plastics were identified using Raman spectroscopy. We provide a baseline for future monitoring and discuss potential sources of microplastics in terms of how and where to implement preventative measures to reduce the contaminant influx. Although the impacts of microplastics contamination on ecosystem health and functioning is uncertain, understanding, monitoring and preventing further microplastics contamination in Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes is crucial. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

    Bishop, J.

    Every environmentalist and environmental manager dreams of a day when it will be possible to load hazardous waste into one end of a magic machine and retrieve beneficial -- or at least benign -- products from the other end. Two unrelated companies -- Molten Metal Technology Inc., (Waltham, Mass.) and ELI Eco Logic Inc. (Rockwood, Ontario, Canada) -- have developed different technologies that show promise of realizing such dreams. Whether either company`s solution to the problem of effectively managing hazardous wastes proves to be the dream machine remains to be seen, but their stories offer insight into what the futuremore » may hold for hazardous waste management. The Eco Logic Process was demonstrated in 1991 at Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, and later at Bay City, Mich., in cleanups of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other soil contaminants. The technology was accepted into the US Environmental Protection Agency`s Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) program in 1992.« less

  15. Application of Hamilton's law of varying action

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, C. D.

    1975-01-01

    The law of varying action enunciated by Hamilton in 1834-1835 permits the direct analytical solution of the problems of mechanics, both stationary and nonstationary, without consideration of force equilibrium and the theory of differential equations associated therewith. It has not been possible to obtain direct analytical solutions to nonstationary systems through the use of energy theory, which has been limited for 140 years to the principle of least action and to Hamilton's principle. It is shown here that Hamilton's law permits the direct analytical solution to nonstationary, initial value systems in the mechanics of solids without any knowledge or use of the theory of differential equations. Solutions are demonstrated for nonconservative, nonstationary particle motion, both linear and nonlinear.

  16. Remediation of Centre Pier, Port Hope, Ontario: Historical, Logistical, Regulatory and Technical Challenges - 13118

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

    Ferguson Jones, Andrea; Case, Glenn; Lawrence, Dave

    Centre Pier is a 3.9 ha property owned by the Commissioners of the Port Hope Harbour in the Municipality of Port Hope, Ontario, Canada. It is centrally located on the Port Hope waterfront and is bounded on the west by the Port Hope Harbour, on the east by the Ganaraska River, on the south by Lake Ontario, and on the north by a railway corridor. The property is currently leased by the Commissioners of the Port Hope Harbour to the Cameco Corporation which owns the four onsite building that are used as warehouse space for their uranium conversion facility locatedmore » on the western side of the Harbour. Remediation of this site forms part of the Port Hope Project being undertaken by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) and Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) as part of the Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI). Soil impacts include radiological, metals and petroleum hydrocarbons resulting from long term historical industrial use. Radiological impacts in soil extend across most of the site primarily within the upper metre of fill. Metals-contaminated soil is present across the entire site in the underlying fill material. The metals-contaminated fill extends to a maximum depth of 2.0 m below grade at the north end of the site which is underlain by peat. However, the metals-contaminated soil could extend to the top of the bedrock on the remainder of the site. Based on the elevation of the bedrock in the adjacent river and Harbour Basin, the metals-contaminated soil may extend to a depth of 5.6 m or 6.5 m below existing grade. Petroleum-contaminated soil is present on the southeast side of the site, where a storage tank farm was previously located. Challenges include: - The complex history of the site both relating to site use and Pier construction. Pier development began in the 1800's and was undertaken by many different entities. Modifications and repairs were made over the years resulting in several different types of Pier walls and fill that must be

  17. Hamilton's rule and the causes of social evolution

    PubMed Central

    Bourke, Andrew F. G.

    2014-01-01

    Hamilton's rule is a central theorem of inclusive fitness (kin selection) theory and predicts that social behaviour evolves under specific combinations of relatedness, benefit and cost. This review provides evidence for Hamilton's rule by presenting novel syntheses of results from two kinds of study in diverse taxa, including cooperatively breeding birds and mammals and eusocial insects. These are, first, studies that empirically parametrize Hamilton's rule in natural populations and, second, comparative phylogenetic analyses of the genetic, life-history and ecological correlates of sociality. Studies parametrizing Hamilton's rule are not rare and demonstrate quantitatively that (i) altruism (net loss of direct fitness) occurs even when sociality is facultative, (ii) in most cases, altruism is under positive selection via indirect fitness benefits that exceed direct fitness costs and (iii) social behaviour commonly generates indirect benefits by enhancing the productivity or survivorship of kin. Comparative phylogenetic analyses show that cooperative breeding and eusociality are promoted by (i) high relatedness and monogamy and, potentially, by (ii) life-history factors facilitating family structure and high benefits of helping and (iii) ecological factors generating low costs of social behaviour. Overall, the focal studies strongly confirm the predictions of Hamilton's rule regarding conditions for social evolution and their causes. PMID:24686934

  18. Hamilton's rule and the causes of social evolution.

    PubMed

    Bourke, Andrew F G

    2014-05-19

    Hamilton's rule is a central theorem of inclusive fitness (kin selection) theory and predicts that social behaviour evolves under specific combinations of relatedness, benefit and cost. This review provides evidence for Hamilton's rule by presenting novel syntheses of results from two kinds of study in diverse taxa, including cooperatively breeding birds and mammals and eusocial insects. These are, first, studies that empirically parametrize Hamilton's rule in natural populations and, second, comparative phylogenetic analyses of the genetic, life-history and ecological correlates of sociality. Studies parametrizing Hamilton's rule are not rare and demonstrate quantitatively that (i) altruism (net loss of direct fitness) occurs even when sociality is facultative, (ii) in most cases, altruism is under positive selection via indirect fitness benefits that exceed direct fitness costs and (iii) social behaviour commonly generates indirect benefits by enhancing the productivity or survivorship of kin. Comparative phylogenetic analyses show that cooperative breeding and eusociality are promoted by (i) high relatedness and monogamy and, potentially, by (ii) life-history factors facilitating family structure and high benefits of helping and (iii) ecological factors generating low costs of social behaviour. Overall, the focal studies strongly confirm the predictions of Hamilton's rule regarding conditions for social evolution and their causes.

  19. 78 FR 63852 - Airworthiness Directives; Hamilton Standard Division and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Propellers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-10-25

    ... Blades and Hubs That Do Not Have an Updated ALS For Hamilton Standard Division propeller models 6/5500/F... approved update to the ALS, within one year after the effective date of this AD, perform an MI on the...

  20. Hamilton-Jacobi theory in multisymplectic classical field theories

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    de León, Manuel; Prieto-Martínez, Pedro Daniel; Román-Roy, Narciso; Vilariño, Silvia

    2017-09-01

    The geometric framework for the Hamilton-Jacobi theory developed in the studies of Cariñena et al. [Int. J. Geom. Methods Mod. Phys. 3(7), 1417-1458 (2006)], Cariñena et al. [Int. J. Geom. Methods Mod. Phys. 13(2), 1650017 (2015)], and de León et al. [Variations, Geometry and Physics (Nova Science Publishers, New York, 2009)] is extended for multisymplectic first-order classical field theories. The Hamilton-Jacobi problem is stated for the Lagrangian and the Hamiltonian formalisms of these theories as a particular case of a more general problem, and the classical Hamilton-Jacobi equation for field theories is recovered from this geometrical setting. Particular and complete solutions to these problems are defined and characterized in several equivalent ways in both formalisms, and the equivalence between them is proved. The use of distributions in jet bundles that represent the solutions to the field equations is the fundamental tool in this formulation. Some examples are analyzed and, in particular, the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for non-autonomous mechanical systems is obtained as a special case of our results.

  1. Hamilton Naki, transplant surgeon.

    PubMed

    Nzerue, Chike M

    2006-03-01

    A biographic sketch of Hamilton Naki is presented here. He was a great self-taught surgeon whose contributions to the world of transplantation were largely ignored due to the apartheid system of South Africa. He assisted Christian Barnard in the first human heart transplant in 1967.

  2. Quantitative genetic versions of Hamilton's rule with empirical applications

    PubMed Central

    McGlothlin, Joel W.; Wolf, Jason B.; Brodie, Edmund D.; Moore, Allen J.

    2014-01-01

    Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness revolutionized our understanding of the evolution of social interactions. Surprisingly, an incorporation of Hamilton's perspective into the quantitative genetic theory of phenotypic evolution has been slow, despite the popularity of quantitative genetics in evolutionary studies. Here, we discuss several versions of Hamilton's rule for social evolution from a quantitative genetic perspective, emphasizing its utility in empirical applications. Although evolutionary quantitative genetics offers methods to measure each of the critical parameters of Hamilton's rule, empirical work has lagged behind theory. In particular, we lack studies of selection on altruistic traits in the wild. Fitness costs and benefits of altruism can be estimated using a simple extension of phenotypic selection analysis that incorporates the traits of social interactants. We also discuss the importance of considering the genetic influence of the social environment, or indirect genetic effects (IGEs), in the context of Hamilton's rule. Research in social evolution has generated an extensive body of empirical work focusing—with good reason—almost solely on relatedness. We argue that quantifying the roles of social and non-social components of selection and IGEs, in addition to relatedness, is now timely and should provide unique additional insights into social evolution. PMID:24686930

  3. Telemetry-Determined Habitat Use Informs Multi-Species Habitat Management in an Urban Harbour.

    PubMed

    Rous, Andrew M; Midwood, Jonathon D; Gutowsky, Lee F G; Lapointe, Nicolas W R; Portiss, Rick; Sciscione, Thomas; Wells, Mathew G; Doka, Susan E; Cooke, Steven J

    2017-01-01

    Widespread human development has led to impairment of freshwater coastal wetlands and embayments, which provide critical and unique habitat for many freshwater fish species. This is particularly evident in the Laurentian Great Lakes, where such habitats have been severely altered over the last century as a result of industrial activities, urbanization, dredging and infilling. In Toronto Harbour, extensive restoration efforts have been directed towards improving the amount and quality of aquatic habitat, especially for fishes. To evaluate the effectiveness of this restoration work, use of the restored area by both target species and the fish community as a whole must be assessed. Individuals from four species (Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Yellow Perch) were tagged and tracked continuously for 1 year using an acoustic telemetry array in Toronto Harbour area of Lake Ontario. Daily site fidelity was estimated using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. Daily site fidelity was influenced by habitat restoration and its interactions with species and body size, as well as season and its interactions with species and body size. Daily site fidelity was higher in restored sites compared to non-restored sites for Yellow Perch and Northern Pike, but lower for Largemouth Bass and Common Carp. For all species, daily site fidelity estimates were highest during the summer and lowest during autumn. The approach used here has merit for evaluating restoration success and informing future habitat management activities. Creating diverse habitats that serve multiple functions and species are more desirable than single-function-oriented or single-species-oriented designs.

  4. Telemetry-Determined Habitat Use Informs Multi-Species Habitat Management in an Urban Harbour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rous, Andrew M.; Midwood, Jonathon D.; Gutowsky, Lee F. G.; Lapointe, Nicolas W. R.; Portiss, Rick; Sciscione, Thomas; Wells, Mathew G.; Doka, Susan E.; Cooke, Steven J.

    2017-01-01

    Widespread human development has led to impairment of freshwater coastal wetlands and embayments, which provide critical and unique habitat for many freshwater fish species. This is particularly evident in the Laurentian Great Lakes, where such habitats have been severely altered over the last century as a result of industrial activities, urbanization, dredging and infilling. In Toronto Harbour, extensive restoration efforts have been directed towards improving the amount and quality of aquatic habitat, especially for fishes. To evaluate the effectiveness of this restoration work, use of the restored area by both target species and the fish community as a whole must be assessed. Individuals from four species (Common Carp, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Yellow Perch) were tagged and tracked continuously for 1 year using an acoustic telemetry array in Toronto Harbour area of Lake Ontario. Daily site fidelity was estimated using a mixed-effects logistic regression model. Daily site fidelity was influenced by habitat restoration and its interactions with species and body size, as well as season and its interactions with species and body size. Daily site fidelity was higher in restored sites compared to non-restored sites for Yellow Perch and Northern Pike, but lower for Largemouth Bass and Common Carp. For all species, daily site fidelity estimates were highest during the summer and lowest during autumn. The approach used here has merit for evaluating restoration success and informing future habitat management activities. Creating diverse habitats that serve multiple functions and species are more desirable than single-function-oriented or single-species-oriented designs.

  5. 78 FR 30795 - Airworthiness Directives; Hamilton Standard Division and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Propellers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-23

    ... Airworthiness Limitations Sections (ALSs) of the applicable maintenance manuals to date. Each ALS establishes.... Relevant Service Information We reviewed the Hamilton Sundstrand ALS in Maintenance Manual P5185, Revision... P5189, Revision 8, dated March 26, 2013. The ALS in these maintenance manuals lists the MIs for the...

  6. 9. INTERIOR VIEW OF BREW HOUSE, STEAM ENGINE READS: HAMILTON ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    9. INTERIOR VIEW OF BREW HOUSE, STEAM ENGINE- READS: HAMILTON CORLISS ENGINES, THE HOOVEN, OWENS & RENTSCHLER CO., BUILDERS, HAMILTON, OHIO, U.S.A. - August Schell Brewing Company, Twentieth Street South, New Ulm, Brown County, MN

  7. Hamilton Naki, transplant surgeon.

    PubMed Central

    Nzerue, Chike M.

    2006-01-01

    A biographic sketch of Hamilton Naki is presented here. He was a great self-taught surgeon whose contributions to the world of transplantation were largely ignored due to the apartheid system of South Africa. He assisted Christian Barnard in the first human heart transplant in 1967. Images p448-a PMID:16573312

  8. Enhancing Involvement in Treatment Decision Making by Women with Breast Cancer

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2007-07-01

    2003) 1995 MSc (Design, Measurement and Evaluation), McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada 1984 BHSc ( Physiotherapy ) McMaster University...Hamilton, Canada 1978 Diploma in Physiotherapy , Mohawk College, Hamilton, Canada Certificate in Physiotherapy , McMaster University, Hamilton...McMaster Physiotherapy Program, Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology, Hamilton, Ontario CLINICAL 1999- Physiotherapist, Hamilton Health

  9. Clinical Telemedicine Utilization in Ontario over the Ontario Telemedicine Network.

    PubMed

    O'Gorman, Laurel D; Hogenbirk, John C; Warry, Wayne

    2016-06-01

    Northern Ontario is a region in Canada with approximately 775,000 people in communities scattered across 803,000 km(2). The Ontario Telemedicine Network (OTN) facilitates access to medical care in areas that are often underserved. We assessed how OTN utilization differed throughout the province. We used OTN medical service utilization data collected through the Ontario Health Insurance Plan and provided by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Using census subdivisions grouped by Northern and Southern Ontario as well as urban and rural areas, we calculated utilization rates per fiscal year and total from 2008/2009 to 2013/2014. We also used billing codes to calculate utilization by therapeutic area of care. There were 652,337 OTN patient visits in Ontario from 2008/2009 to 2013/2014. Median annual utilization rates per 1,000 people were higher in northern areas (rural, 52.0; urban, 32.1) than in southern areas (rural, 6.1; urban, 3.1). The majority of usage in Ontario was in mental health and addictions (61.8%). Utilization in other areas of care such as surgery, oncology, and internal medicine was highest in the rural north, whereas primary care use was highest in the urban south. Utilization was higher and therapeutic areas of care were more diverse in rural Northern Ontario than in other parts of the province. Utilization was also higher in urban Northern Ontario than in Southern Ontario. This suggests that telemedicine is being used to improve access to medical care services, especially in sparsely populated regions of the province.

  10. Zero-g tests of involving Hamilton standard personnel and others

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1979-01-01

    Zero-g tests of involving Hamilton standard personnel, Don Williams and Larry Magers. View includes Williams and Magers tumbling in zero-g as photographer takes picures. Williams is wearing a headset (30361); Williams floats among Hamilton standard technicians (30362).

  11. Hamilton's Principle for Beginners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Brun, J. L.

    2007-01-01

    I find that students have difficulty with Hamilton's principle, at least the first time they come into contact with it, and therefore it is worth designing some examples to help students grasp its complex meaning. This paper supplies the simplest example to consolidate the learning of the quoted principle: that of a free particle moving along a…

  12. 78 FR 49660 - Airworthiness Directives; Hamilton Standard Division and Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation Propellers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-08-15

    ... done. (f) MI for Blades and Hubs That Have an Updated Airworthiness Limitations Section (ALS) For..., that have an approved update to the ALS, within 45 days after the effective date of this AD, perform an... and Hubs That Do Not Have an Updated ALS For Hamilton Standard Division propeller models 6/5500/F and...

  13. The Magnus problem in Rodrigues-Hamilton parameters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Koshliakov, V. N.

    1984-04-01

    The formalism of Rodrigues-Hamilton parameters is applied to the Magnus problem related to the systematic drift of a gimbal-mounted astatic gyroscope due to the nutational vibration of the main axis of the rotor. It is shown that the use of the above formalism makes it possible to limit the analysis to a consideration of a linear system of differential equations written in perturbed values of Rodrigues-Hamilton parameters. A refined formula for the drift of the main axis of the gyroscope rotor is obtained, and an estimation is made of the effect of the truncation of higher-order terms.

  14. Unified formalism for the generalized kth-order Hamilton-Jacobi problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Colombo, Leonardo; de Léon, Manuel; Prieto-Martínez, Pedro Daniel; Román-Roy, Narciso

    2014-08-01

    The geometric formulation of the Hamilton-Jacobi theory enables us to generalize it to systems of higher-order ordinary differential equations. In this work we introduce the unified Lagrangian-Hamiltonian formalism for the geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theory on higher-order autonomous dynamical systems described by regular Lagrangian functions.

  15. A generalization of Hamilton's rule--love others how much?

    PubMed

    Alger, Ingela; Weibull, Jörgen W

    2012-04-21

    According to Hamilton's (1964a, b) rule, a costly action will be undertaken if its fitness cost to the actor falls short of the discounted benefit to the recipient, where the discount factor is Wright's index of relatedness between the two. We propose a generalization of this rule, and show that if evolution operates at the level of behavior rules, rather than directly at the level of actions, evolution will select behavior rules that induce a degree of cooperation that may differ from that predicted by Hamilton's rule as applied to actions. In social dilemmas there will be less (more) cooperation than under Hamilton's rule if the actions are strategic substitutes (complements). Our approach is based on natural selection, defined in terms of personal (direct) fitness, and applies to a wide range of pairwise interactions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Social Archaeological Approaches in Port and Harbour Studies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rogers, Adam

    2013-12-01

    This introductory article to the special issue of the Journal of Maritime Archaeology offers a comparative perspective on the theme of archaeological theory and social archaeological approaches to ports and harbours. As a specialist in Roman archaeology I was keen to explore the way in which specialists in other areas of archaeology approached the archaeology of ports and harbours and whether different approaches and perspectives may be able to add nuances to the way in which material is interpreted. The volume brings together a collection of exciting new studies which explore social themes in port and harbour studies with the intention to encourage debate and the use of new interpretative perspectives. This article examines a number of interpretative themes including those relating to architectural analyse, human behaviour, action and experience and artefact analysis. These themes help us to move towards a more theoretically informed ports and harbour archaeology which focuses on meaning as well as description. The emphasis on theory within archaeology allows us to be more ambitious in our interpretative frameworks including in Roman archaeology which has not tended to embrace the theoretical aspects of the archaeological discipline with as much enthusiasm as some other areas of archaeology.

  17. 77 FR 52135 - Hamilton Bank, Baltimore, Maryland; Approval of Conversion Application

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-28

    ... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY Office of the Comptroller of the Currency [OCC Charter Number 701904] Hamilton Bank, Baltimore, Maryland; Approval of Conversion Application Notice is hereby given that on August 13, 2012, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) approved the application of Hamilton...

  18. Precocious hearing in harbour porpoise neonates.

    PubMed

    Wahlberg, Magnus; Delgado-García, Lara; Kristensen, Jakob H

    2017-02-01

    Hearing is the primary sensory modality for toothed whales, but it is not known at which age it is fully developed. For newborn calves, hearing could fill an important function in maintaining contact with the mother and to develop echolocation skills. We non-invasively measured the auditory brainstem response (ABR) in two neonate (age 1-4 days) and three adult harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). The stimuli consisted of clicks centred at 130 kHz, which is within the frequency band used for echolocation and communication in this species. The temporal pattern of the neonate ABRs was indistinguishable to the adult ones. There were no significant differences between calves and adults regarding hearing thresholds and ABR latencies. The ABR amplitudes were up to more than an order of magnitude larger in newborns than in adults, most likely due to the neonates' smaller size. These results indicate that hearing is fully developed within a day after birth, which suggests that harbour porpoise neonates have the earliest hearing development of any mammal studied so far. This may be explained by the evolutionary pressures imposed by the aquatic environment for a rapid development of the key sensory system in harbour porpoises.

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

    Yauk, C.L.; Quinn, J.S.

    The authors used multi-locus DNA fingerprinting to examine families of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) from a genotoxically contaminated site (Hamilton Harbour) and from a pristine location (Kent Island, Bay of Fundy) to show significant differences in mutation rates between the locations. Overall the authors identified 17 mutant bands from 15 individuals of the 35 examined from Hamilton Harbour, and 7 mutant fragments from 7 individuals, of the 43 examined from Kent Island; a mutation frequency of 0.429 per nestling for Hamilton Harbour and 0.163 for Kent Island. The total number of individuals with mutant bands was significantly higher at Hamiltonmore » Harbour than at Kent Island (X{sup 2}=6.734; df = 1; P < 0.01). Ongoing analysis of other less contaminated sites also reveals lower mutation rates than those seen in Hamilton Harbour. With multi-locus DNA fingerprinting many regions of the genome can be surveyed simultaneously. The tandemly repeated arrays of nucleotides examined with DNA fingerprinting are known to have elevated rates of mutation. Furthermore, the mutations seen with DNA fingerprinting are predominantly heritable. Other biomarkers currently used in situ are not able to monitor direct and heritable DNA mutation, or measure biological endpoints that frequently result in spontaneous abortion creating difficulty in observing significantly elevated levels in viable offspring. The authors suggest that multilocus DNA fingerprinting can be used as a biomarker to identify potentially heritable risks before the onset of other types of ecological damage. This approach provides a direct measure of mutation in situ and in vivo in a vertebrate species under ambient conditions.« less

  20. A Hamilton-Jacobi theory for implicit differential systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Esen, Oǧul; de León, Manuel; Sardón, Cristina

    2018-02-01

    In this paper, we propose a geometric Hamilton-Jacobi theory for systems of implicit differential equations. In particular, we are interested in implicit Hamiltonian systems, described in terms of Lagrangian submanifolds of TT*Q generated by Morse families. The implicit character implies the nonexistence of a Hamiltonian function describing the dynamics. This fact is here amended by a generating family of Morse functions which plays the role of a Hamiltonian. A Hamilton-Jacobi equation is obtained with the aid of this generating family of functions. To conclude, we apply our results to singular Lagrangians by employing the construction of special symplectic structures.

  1. Snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) as bioindicators in Canadian areas of concern in the Great Lakes Basin. 1. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, polychlorinated biphenyls, and organochlorine pesticides in eggs.

    PubMed

    De Solla, S R; Fernie, K J; Letcher, R J; Chu, S G; Drouillard, K G; Shahmiri, S

    2007-11-01

    We examined the concentrations and spatial patterns of congeners of PBDEs, PCBs, and organochlorine pesticides in snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) eggs from Areas of Concern (AOCs) on the Canadian shores of Lake Ontario, St. Lawrence River, and connecting channels. Eggs from Lyons Creek (Niagara River AOC) reflected a local PCB source over a range of 7.5 km (3.2-10.8) from the Welland Canal. PCB contamination in eggs declined with increasing distance from the Welland Canal, whereas the relative contribution of congeners associated with Aroclor 1248/1254 increased with sigma PCB concentrations. Compared to turtle eggs from other sites in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, eggs from Lyons Creek and Snye Marsh had PCB congener patterns that reflected a strong contribution from Aroclor 1254. PCBs in the eggs were associated with industrial sources and reflected the composition of different Aroclor technical mixtures. Organochlorine pesticides in eggs tended to be highest at Hamilton Harbour and Bay of Quinte AOCs, and were dominated by DDE, sigma chlordane, and mirex. In contrast, PBDE congener patterns in turtle eggs resembled PentaBDE technical formulations regardless of absolute concentrations or location, and were largely associated with urban environments.

  2. [Anna Hamilton (1864-1935), the excellence of nursing.

    PubMed

    Diebolt, Évelyne

    2017-12-01

    A Frenchwoman, Anna Hamilton (1864-1935), daughter of a Franco-English couple, reads with passion the works of Florence Nightingale and takes an interest in nursing. In order to practice it, she first passes the equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in self-education and registers at the Marseille medical school. She wants to prepare a medical thesis on the nursing staff in the hospitals in Europe and is conducting an investigation throughout Europe. She passed her thesis on June 15, 1900 entitled “Considerations on hospital nurses”. This work is immediately published. That same year, she took up a post at the “Maison de santé protestante” in Bordeaux (MSP), founded in 1863. Without managerial staff, she is forced to recruit them abroad. She publishes a professional journal : “La Garde-Malade hospitalière” (1906-1914). Then the war turned the MSP into a military hospital, but the institution continued to receive local paying patients. She was given permission to call the school of nurses : Florence Nightingale School. Anna Hamilton is working with American women to create a medical and social service in Aisne. A graduate, Antoinette Hervey, then opened a medical-social service in Rouen, which would employ up to 30 visiting nurses. In 1916, the MSP received a donation from the domain of Bagatelle. The board of directors wants to sell it, but Anna Hamilton manages to finance a hospital-school thanks to families bereaved by the war and a subscription announced in the “Journal of Nursing”. Other establishments created by former students of the MSP opened : the School-hospital Ambroise Paré in Lille, a nursing home for nurses in Chambon-sur-Lignon in 1927 (the Edith-Seltzer foundation) and a sanatorium in Briançon. After a busy life, Anna Hamilton died of cancer in 1935 and is buried in Bordeaux.

  3. Outcrop Geomorphology and Sediment Characterization in Killary Harbour, Ireland

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Crouse, L. E.; Sautter, L.

    2016-02-01

    Killary Harbour in western Ireland is one of three fjards found in the country. A fjard is formed by glacial carving, but differs from fjords in being shallower, shorter, and broader in profile. The Harbour is located near the border of County Mayo and County Galway. The Marine Institute of Ireland, The Geological Survey of Ireland, and the INFOMAR project, led by chief scientist Kevin Sheehan, conducted bathymetric surveys in Killary Harbour, Ireland during July and August of 2014 aboard the R/V Celtic Voyager. A Kongsberg EM2040 multi-beam sonar was utilized to acquire the raw data, which was post-processed using CARIS HIPS and SIPS 9.0. The area of study is shallow harbor seafloor depths ranging from 15 to 60 m. An abundance of rocky outcrops and narrow channels are present in the North-Western section of the study area. Backscatter data collected during acquisition were used to determine the relative hardness of seafloor sediments and rocky outcrops. Characterization of the bathymetric terrain and sediments of the harbour could prove to be useful in finding hardbottom substrate for ideal fish habitat.

  4. Mortality among subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or asthma at two respiratory disease clinics in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Finkelstein, Murray M; Chapman, Kenneth R; McIvor, R Andrew; Sears, Malcolm R

    2011-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma are common; however, mortality rates among individuals with these diseases are not well studied in North America. OBJECTIVE: To investigate mortality rates and risk factors for premature death among subjects with COPD. METHODS: Subjects were identified from the lung function testing databases of two academic respiratory disease clinics in Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario. Mortality was ascertained by linkage to the Ontario mortality registry between 1992 and 2002, inclusive. Standardized mortality ratios were computed. Poisson regression of standardized mortality ratios and proportional hazards regression were performed to examine the multivariate effect of risk factors on the standardized mortality ratios and mortality hazards. RESULTS: Compared with the Ontario population, all-cause mortality was approximately doubled among subjects with COPD, but was lower than expected among subjects with asthma. The risk of mortality in patients with COPD was related to cigarette smoking, to the presence of comorbid conditons of ischemic heart disease and diabetes, and to Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease severity scores. Individuals living closer to traffic sources showed an elevated risk of death compared with those who lived further away from traffic sources. CONCLUSIONS: Mortality rates among subjects diagnosed with COPD were substantially elevated. There were several deaths attributed to asthma among subjects in the present study; however, overall, patients with asthma demonstrated lower mortality rates than the general population. Subjects with COPD need to be managed with attention devoted to both their respiratory disorders and related comorbidities. PMID:22187688

  5. Alexander Hamilton: Soldier-Statesmen of the Constitution. A Bicentennial Series No. 16.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Army Center of Military History, Washington, DC.

    Alexander Hamilton was among the most intellectually gifted of the Founding Fathers and a brilliant political theorist, but he lacked practical political experience, and his major political contributions occurred only when his specific policies were adopted and carried forward by others with broader vision. This booklet on Hamilton is one in a…

  6. Phagocytosis in pup and adult harbour, grey and harp seals.

    PubMed

    Frouin, Héloïse; Lebeuf, Michel; Hammill, Mike; Fournier, Michel

    2010-04-15

    Knowledge on pinniped immunology is still in its infancy. For instance, age-related and developmental aspects of the immune system in pinnipeds need to be better described. The present study examined the phagocytic activity and efficiency of harbour, grey and harp seal leukocytes. In the first part of the study, peripheral blood was collected from captive female harbour seals of various ages. Data showed an age-related decrease in phagocytosis in female harbour seals from sub-adult to adulthood. In the second part of the study, changes in phagocytosis were quantified during lactation in wild newborn harbour, grey and harp seals and in their mothers (harp and grey seals). In newborns of the same age, leukocytes of harbour and harp seals phagocytosed less than those of grey seal pups. The phagocytic activity and efficiency increased significantly from early to mid-lactation in newborn harbour seals, and from early to late lactation in newborn grey seals, which could suggest that the transfer of phagocytosis-promoting factor(s) in colostrum is an important feature of temporary protection for pups. In contrast, no changes in phagocytic activity and efficiency were observed in lactating females of the two seal species, harp and grey, examined. At late lactation, phagocytic activity in both grey and harp seal pups and phagocytic efficiency in grey seal pups were significantly higher than in their mothers. These results could reflect either the capacity of phagocytes of the newborn harp and grey seals to respond to pathogens. Results from this study suggest that the phagocytosis of the seal species examined is not fully developed at birth as it generally increases in pups during lactation. Thereafter, the phagocytic activity of seals appears to decrease throughout adulthood. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  7. Sources of contamination and modelled pollutant trajectories in a Mediterranean harbour (Tarragona, Spain).

    PubMed

    Mestres, M; Sierra, J P; Mösso, C; Sánchez-Arcilla, A

    2010-06-01

    The proximity of commercial harbours to residential areas and the growing environmental awareness of society have led most port authorities to include environmental management within their administration plan. Regarding water quality, it is necessary to have the capacity and tools to deal with contamination episodes that may damage marine ecosystems and human health, but also affect the normal functioning of harbours. This paper presents a description of the main pollutant sources in Tarragona Harbour (Spain), and a numerical analysis of several pollution episodes based on the Port Authority's actual environmental concerns. The results show that pollution generated inside the harbour tends to remain confined within the port, whereas it is very likely that oil spills from a nearby monobuoy may affect the neighbouring beaches. The present combination of numerical models proves itself a useful tool to assess the environmental risk associated to harbour activities and potential pollution spills.

  8. Yerkes, Hamilton and the experimental study of the ape mind: from evolutionary psychiatry to eugenic politics.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Marion

    2006-06-01

    Robert Yerkes is a pivotal figure in American psychology and primatology in the first half of the twentieth century. As is well known, Yerkes first studied ape intelligence in 1915, on a visit to the private California laboratory of the psychiatrist Gilbert Hamilton, a former student. Less widely appreciated is how far the work done at the Hamilton lab, in its aims and ambitions as well as its techniques, served as a template for much of Yerkes's research thereafter. This paper uses the Hamilton-Yerkes relationship to re-examine Yerkes's career and, more generally, that of American psychology in the early twentieth century. Three points especially are emphasized: first, the role of Freudian psychoanalysis as a spur to Hamilton's experimental studies of ape intelligence; second, the importance of Hamilton's laboratory, with its semi-wild population of monkeys and ape, as a model for Yerkes's efforts to create a laboratory of his own; and third, the influence on Yerkes of Hamilton's optimism about experimental psychological studies of nonhuman primates as a source of lessons beneficial to a troubled human world.

  9. Application of Hamilton's Law of Varying Action

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, C. D.

    1973-01-01

    The application of Hamilton's Law to the direct solution of nonstationary as well as stationary problems in mechanics of solids is discussed. Solutions are demonstrated for conservative and monconservative, stationary and/or nonstationary particle motion. Mathematical models are developed to establish the relationships of the parameters.

  10. Historic brownfields and industrial activity in Kingston, Ontario: assessing potential contributions to mercury contamination in sediment of the Cataraqui River.

    PubMed

    Manion, N C; Campbell, L; Rutter, A

    2010-04-01

    The waterfront of historic Kingston, Ontario (pop: 113,000) has been used for industrial activities for over a century. More than 40 industries have existed within the inner harbour, and while many of these industries are no longer present, the properties that they operated on remain as potential sources of persistent contamination to the present day, including mercury. To assess the extent and distribution of total mercury (THg) contamination, 21 sediment cores as well as pore water samples were collected within the inner harbour of Kingston. The spatial distribution of THg in the surface sediment is not homogenous; with concentrations in the surface sediment along the southwestern shoreline, adjacent to the former industrial properties, are significantly greater (p<0.01) than the rest of the inner harbour, and were above the Federal severe effect limit (>2000 microg/kg;) guideline for sediment. MeHg was detected in some sediment cores, and was found to have a significant, positive correlation with [THg] in the surface sediment (0-5 cm). THg was not found in storm sewer discharges, but was detected in terrestrial soil near the Kingston Rowing Club at a concentration of more than 4000 microg/kg. Significant [THg] was detected in runoff draining from contaminated shoreline soils, indicating that erosion from terrestrial sources may be an ongoing source of Hg to the sediment. It can be concluded that there is an increased risk over time to surrounding ecosystems where properties with historical contamination are not remediated until they are developed. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Geoarchaeological evidence for dredging in Tyre's ancient harbour, Levant

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe

    2006-01-01

    Chrono-stratigraphic data from Tyre's ancient northern harbour delineate extensive dredging practices during the Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods. Radiocarbon dates from four cores consistently cluster between ca. 500 B.C. and 1000 A.D. and indicate rapid rates of sedimentation in the basin, namely ∼10 mm/yr during the Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods, compared to 0.5-1 mm/yr for the period 6000-4000 B.C. Absence of strata between 4000 B.C. and 500 B.C. is not consistent with a natural base-level sediment sink and cannot be interpreted as a depositional hiatus in the high-stand systems tract. Ancient dredging is further corroborated by persistent age-depth inversions within the fine-grained harbour facies. These data support removal of Middle Bronze Age to Persian period sediment strata, with deliberate overdeepening of the harbour bottom by Greco-Roman and Byzantine societies.

  12. Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane: Properties, classification and applications

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ballesteros, A.; Blasco, A.; Herranz, F. J.; de Lucas, J.; Sardón, C.

    2015-04-01

    We study Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane, i.e. systems of first-order differential equations describing the integral curves of a t-dependent vector field taking values in a finite-dimensional real Lie algebra of planar Hamiltonian vector fields with respect to a Poisson structure. We start with the local classification of finite-dimensional real Lie algebras of vector fields on the plane obtained in González-López, Kamran, and Olver (1992) [23] and we interpret their results as a local classification of Lie systems. By determining which of these real Lie algebras consist of Hamiltonian vector fields relative to a Poisson structure, we provide the complete local classification of Lie-Hamilton systems on the plane. We present and study through our results new Lie-Hamilton systems of interest which are used to investigate relevant non-autonomous differential equations, e.g. we get explicit local diffeomorphisms between such systems. We also analyse biomathematical models, the Milne-Pinney equations, second-order Kummer-Schwarz equations, complex Riccati equations and Buchdahl equations.

  13. The Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network

    Treesearch

    Chris Jones; Brian Craig; Nicole Dmytrow

    2006-01-01

    Canada’s Ontario Ministry of the Environment and Environment Canada (Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network) are developing an aquatic macroinvertebrate biomonitoring network for Ontario’s lakes, streams, and wetlands. We are building the program, called the Ontario Benthos Biomonitoring Network (OBBN), on the principles of partnership, free data sharing, and...

  14. A management system for accidental water pollution risk in a harbour: The Barcelona case study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grifoll, Manel; Jordà, Gabriel; Espino, Manuel; Romo, Javier; García-Sotillo, Marcos

    2011-10-01

    Water quality degradation in harbour domains can have an important negative impact from an economic, touristic and environmental point of view. In that sense, water quality management is becoming a main concern for harbour managers. In this paper, we present the research behind the initiative started in Spanish harbours to control water quality degradation due to accidental pollution. This management system is already operationally running in the Barcelona harbour (NW Mediterranean Sea). The system is based on a recent published risk assessment, which takes into account not only the different activities in the harbour and their inherent risk of accident but also the physical behaviour of harbour waters. In this methodology, a key element is to get hydrodynamic forecasts. Thus, the system is composed of a hierarchy of nested hydrodynamic models covering from the basin scale to the harbour scale and a module that computes the different parameters needed for risk assessment. Special emphasis is made on describing the steps followed for system implementation because such implementation is far from a mere technical problem. The first step is to identify the main forcing factors for the harbour hydrodynamics from both field data and numerical experiments, which has never been done before for the Barcelona harbour. Wind and shelf currents are suggested as the main forcing factors for the harbour circulation. The second step is to identify the requirements that a numerical model must fulfil in order to properly solve the Barcelona harbour's hydrodynamics. A high resolution (< 50 m) three dimensional model able to prognostically calculate temperature and salinity evolution; full air-sea coupling is needed as well. The third step is to investigate the best operational strategy. We have found that small errors in the initial density profiles are acceptable for surface current forecasts but not for deep circulation. A cold start must be avoided and a 72 h spin-up is

  15. 75 FR 4783 - Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc.

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-29

    ... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA... days, closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour...

  16. Hamilton County: A Rural School District Profile.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harned, Catherine

    Using state education agency, census, industry employment and occupational information data, this paper provides a detailed picture of a rural school district in Southern Illinois. Mining and agriculture are the major industries in Hamilton County. The major mining employer closed in February 1988, and the drought of 1988 is likely to adversely…

  17. Biochemical indicators of pollution exposure in shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius), caught in four harbours on the southwest coast of Iceland.

    PubMed

    Stephensen; Svavarsson; Sturve; Ericson; Adolfsson-Erici; Förlin

    2000-04-01

    Shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius) were caught in four Icelandic harbours, differing in size, use and traffic. Biochemical responses in liver were measured and chemicals analysed in bile. Eyrarbakki harbour, which has not been in use for many years was chosen as a control site. Njar partial differentialvík harbour is a small fishing harbour and a marina, Sandger partial differentiali harbour is a large fishing harbour, and Reykjavík harbour is a large fishing harbour and an international transport harbour. Higher levels of DNA-adducts and cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) in the fish from the harbours in Sandger partial differentiali, Njar partial differentialvík and Reykjavík, compared to Eyrarbakki harbour, indicate PAH exposure. This was confirmed by PAH analysis in bile. The higher activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) in fish caught in Sandger partial differentiali, than in fish caught in the other harbours, indicate exposure of sculpin to prooxidative compounds in Sandger partial differentiali harbour. Shorthorn sculpin seems to be a convenient species for monitoring pollution in northern coastal areas.

  18. Transforming Ontario's Apprenticeship Training System: Supplying the Tradespersons Needed for Sustained Growth--A Proposal from Ontario's Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colleges Ontario, 2009

    2009-01-01

    Ontario's colleges share the provincial government's belief that apprenticeship must play a greater role in addressing skills shortages and contributing to innovative, high-performance workplaces that enhance Ontario's competitiveness. Given the severity of the economic downturn, Ontario faces an immediate, serious challenge as apprenticeship…

  19. Seasonal variation and sources of dissolved trace metals in Maó Harbour, Minorca Island.

    PubMed

    Martínez-Soto, Marly C; Tovar-Sánchez, Antonio; Sánchez-Quiles, David; Rodellas, Valentí; Garcia-Orellana, Jordi; Basterretxea, Gotzon

    2016-09-15

    The environmental conditions of semi-enclosed coastal water-bodies are directly related to the catchment, human activities, and oceanographic setting in which they are located. As a result of low tidal forcing, and generally weak currents, waters in Mediterranean harbours are poorly renewed, leading to quality deterioration. Here, we characterise the seasonal variation of trace metals (i.e. Co, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in surface waters, and trace metal content in sediments from Maó Harbour, a semi-enclosed coastal ecosystem in the NW Mediterranean Sea. Our results show that most of the dissolved trace metals in the waters of Maó Harbour exhibit a marked inner-outer concentration gradient, suggesting a permanent input into the inner part of the harbour. In general, metal concentrations in the waters of Maó Harbour are higher than those in offshore waters. Concentration of Cu (21±8nM), Fe (9.2±3.2nM) and Pb (1.3±0.4nM) are particularly high when compared with other coastal areas of the Mediterranean Sea. The concentration of some metals such as Cu and Zn increases during summertime, when the human population and boat traffic increase during the tourism season, and when resuspension from the metal enriched sediments is higher. The evaluation of the metal sources in the harbour reveals that, compared with other putative sources such as runoff, aerosol deposition and fresh groundwater discharges, contaminated sediments are the main source of the metals found in the water column, most likely through vessel-driven resuspension events. This study contributes to the understanding of the processes that control the occurrence and distribution of trace metals in Maó Harbour, thus aiding in the effective management of the harbour, and enhancing the overall quality of the seawater ecosystem. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Efficient solution for finding Hamilton cycles in undirected graphs.

    PubMed

    Alhalabi, Wadee; Kitanneh, Omar; Alharbi, Amira; Balfakih, Zain; Sarirete, Akila

    2016-01-01

    The Hamilton cycle problem is closely related to a series of famous problems and puzzles (traveling salesman problem, Icosian game) and, due to the fact that it is NP-complete, it was extensively studied with different algorithms to solve it. The most efficient algorithm is not known. In this paper, a necessary condition for an arbitrary un-directed graph to have Hamilton cycle is proposed. Based on this condition, a mathematical solution for this problem is developed and several proofs and an algorithmic approach are introduced. The algorithm is successfully implemented on many Hamiltonian and non-Hamiltonian graphs. This provides a new effective approach to solve a problem that is fundamental in graph theory and can influence the manner in which the existing applications are used and improved.

  1. 'From Man to Bacteria': W.D. Hamilton, the theory of inclusive fitness, and the post-war social order.

    PubMed

    Swenson, Sarah A

    2015-02-01

    W.D. Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness aimed to define the evolved limits of altruism with mathematical precision. Although it was meant to apply universally, it has been almost irretrievably entwined with the particular case of social insects that featured in his famous 1964 papers. The assumption that social insects were central to Hamilton's early work contradicts material in his rich personal archive. In fact, careful study of Hamilton's notes, letters, diaries, and early essays indicates the extent to which he had humans in mind when he decided altruism was a topic worthy of biological inquiry. For this reason, this article reconsiders the role of extra-scientific factors in Hamilton's early theorizing. In doing so, it offers an alternative perspective as to why Hamilton saw self-sacrifice to be an important subject. Although the traditional narrative prioritizes his distaste for benefit-of-the-species explanations as a motivating factor behind his foundational work, I argue that greater attention ought to be given to Hamilton's hope that science could be used to address social ills. By reconsidering the meaning Hamilton intended inclusive fitness to have, we see that while he was no political ideologue, the socio-political relevance of his theory was nevertheless integral to its development. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Environmental assessment of metal exposure to corals living in Castle Harbour, Bermuda

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Prouty, N.G.; Goodkin, N.F.; Jones, R.; Lamborg, C.H.; Storlazzi, C.D.; Hughen, K.A.

    2013-01-01

    Environmental contamination in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, has been linked to the dissolution and leaching of contaminants from the adjacent marine landfill. This study expands the evidence for environmental impact of leachate from the landfill by quantitatively demonstrating elevated metal uptake over the last 30 years in corals growing in Castle Harbour. Coral Pb/Ca, Zn/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios and total Hg concentrations are elevated relative to an adjacent control site in John Smith's Bay. The temporal variability in the Castle Harbour coral records suggests that while the landfill has increased in size over the last 35 years, the dominant input of metals is through periodic leaching of contaminants from the municipal landfill and surrounding sediment. Elevated contaminants in the surrounding sediment suggest that resuspension is an important transport medium for transferring heavy metals to corals. Increased winds, particularly during the 1990s, were accompanied by higher coral metal composition at Castle Harbour. Coupled with wind-induced resuspension, interannual changes in sea level within the Harbour can lead to increased bioavailability of sediment-bound metals and subsequent coral metal assimilation. At John Smith's Bay, large scale convective mixing may be driving interannual metal variability in the coral record rather than impacts from land-based activities. Results from this study provide important insights into the coupling of natural variability and anthropogenic input of contaminants to the nearshore environment.

  3. Accessibility to Ontario Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Christine K.

    Accessibility to a college education in Ontario, Canada, was assessed by studying the pattern of acceptances and rejections of various choices made by unregistered college applicants. Study concerns included: total offers to programs of choice from any college and from an Ontario college only; offers by institution type and program type for first…

  4. Many Faces, Many Voices: Multicultural Literary Experiences for Youth. The Virginia Hamilton Conference (Kent, Ohio).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Manna, Anthony L., Ed.; Brodie, Carolyn S., Ed.

    This volume contains keynote and workshop presentations from several Virginia Hamilton Conferences on multicultural literature for children and young people. The papers and speeches are as follows: (1) "A Toiler, A Teller" (Virginia Hamilton); (2) "The Next America" (Arnold Adoff); (3) "The Magic of Imagining: Transaction…

  5. Cooperative science to inform Lake Ontario management: Research from the 2013 Lake Ontario CSMI program

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Watkins, James M.; Weidel, Brian C.; Fisk, Aaron T.; Rudstam, Lars G.

    2017-01-01

    Since the mid-1970s, successful Lake Ontario management actions including nutrient load and pollution reductions, habitat restoration, and fish stocking have improved Lake Ontario. However, several new obstacles to maintenance and restoration have emerged. This special issue presents management-relevant research from multiple agency surveys in 2011 and 2012 and the 2013 Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative (CSMI), that span diverse lake habitats, species, and trophic levels. This research focused on themes of nutrient loading and fate; vertical dynamics of primary and secondary production; fish abundance and behavior; and food web structure. Together these papers identify the status of many of the key drivers of the Lake Ontario ecosystem and contribute to addressing lake-scale questions and management information needs in Lake Ontario and the other Great Lakes and connecting water bodies.

  6. The modulation rate transfer function of a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

    PubMed

    Linnenschmidt, Meike; Wahlberg, Magnus; Damsgaard Hansen, Janni

    2013-02-01

    During echolocation, toothed whales produce ultrasonic clicks at extremely rapid rates and listen for the returning echoes. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) duration was evaluated in terms of latency between single peaks: 5.5 ms (from peak I to VII), 3.4 ms (I-VI), and 1.4 ms (II-IV). In comparison to the killer whale and the bottlenose dolphin, the ABR of the harbour porpoise has shorter intervals between the peaks and consequently a shorter ABR duration. This indicates that the ABR duration and peak latencies are possibly related to the relative size of the auditory structures of the central nervous system and thus to the animal's size. The ABR to a sinusoidal amplitude modulated stimulus at 125 kHz (sensitivity threshold 63 dB re 1 μPa rms) was evaluated to determine the modulation rate transfer function of a harbour porpoise. The ABR showed distinct envelope following responses up to a modulation rate of 1,900 Hz. The corresponding calculated equivalent rectangular duration of 263 μs indicates a good temporal resolution in the harbour porpoise auditory system similar to the one for the bottlenose dolphin. The results explain how the harbour porpoise can follow clicks and echoes during echolocation with very short inter click intervals.

  7. An innovative early warning system for floods and operational risks in harbours

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smets, Steven; Bolle, Annelies; Mollaert, Justine; Buitrago, Saul; Gruwez, Vincent

    2016-04-01

    Early Warning Systems (EWS) are nowadays becoming fairly standard in river flood forecasting or in large scale hydrometeorological predictions. For complex coastal morphodynamic problems or in the vicinity of complex coastal structures, such as harbours, EWS are much less used because they are both technically and computationally still very challenging. To advance beyond the state-of-the-art, the EU FP7 project Risc-KIT (www.risc-kit.eu) is developing prototype EWS which address specifically these topics. This paper describes the prototype EWS which IMDC has developed for the case study site of the harbour of Zeebrugge. The harbour of Zeebrugge is the largest industrial seaport on the coast of Belgium, extending more than 3 km into the sea. Two long breakwaters provide shelter for the inner quays and docks for regular conditions and frequent storms. Extreme storms surges and waves can however still enter the harbour and create risks for the harbour operations and infrastructure. The prediction of the effects of storm surges and waves inside harbours are typically very complex and challenging, due to the need of different types of numerical models for representing all different physical processes. In general, waves inside harbours are a combination of locally wind generated waves and offshore wave penetration at the port entrance. During extreme conditions, the waves could overtop the quays and breakwaters and flood the port facilities. Outside a prediction environment, the conditions inside the harbour could be assessed by superimposing processes. The assessment can be carried out by using a combination of a spectral wave model (i.e. SWAN) for the wind generated waves and a Boussinesq type wave model (i.e. Mike 21 BW) for the wave penetration from offshore. Finally, a 2D hydrodynamic model (i.e. TELEMAC) can be used to simulate the overland flooding inside the port facilities. To reproduce these processes in an EWS environment, an additional challenge is to cope

  8. The effect of Kingston Harbour outflow on the zooplankton populations of Hellshire, south-east coast, Jamaica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lindo, Mona K.

    1991-06-01

    Zooplankton sampling was conducted at 16 stations located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and throughout the Hellshire area from November 1985 to March 1987. Parameters examined included total biomass, total numbers and numbers of numerically important zooplankton species. Maximum values were recorded west of the Harbour mouth (station 1) and these gradually decreased with distance from the Harbour especially at the 'offshore' stations, producing a gradient effect in this area. Mean biomass and abundance for the period sampled ranged from 14 g m -3 and 16 313 individuals m -3 at the western side of the Harbour mouth to 0·4 g m -3 and 172 individuals m -3 at Wreck Reef. Stations within the bays of Hellshire occasionally had values similar to those recorded at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and here there was less evidence of a gradual decline. Considerable monthly fluctuation occurred in these parameters but there was no discernible seasonal pattern. Copepods dominated the population at most stations and the sergestid Lucifer faxoni also proved an important member at the western Harbour mouth station.

  9. 75 FR 24938 - City of Hamilton, Ohio American Municipal Power, Inc.; Notice of Application for Transfer of...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-05-06

    ...) and American Municipal Power, Inc. (AMP) filed an application for a partial transfer of license of the... to Hamilton and AMP. Applicants' Contacts: City of Hamilton--Mr. Mark Brandenburger, City Manager...

  10. Phocine distemper virus (PDV) seroprevalence as predictor for future outbreaks in harbour seals.

    PubMed

    Ludes-Wehrmeister, Eva; Dupke, Claudia; Harder, Timm C; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Haas, Ludwig; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune; Jensen, Lasse F; Siebert, Ursula

    2016-02-01

    Phocine distemper virus (PDV) infections caused the two most pronounced mass mortalities in marine mammals documented in the past century. During the two outbreaks, 23,000 and 30,000 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), died in 1988/1989 and 2002 across populations in the Wadden Sea and adjacent waters, respectively. To follow the mechanism and development of disease spreading, the dynamics of Morbillivirus-specific antibodies in harbour seal populations in German and Danish waters were examined. 522 serum samples of free-ranging harbour seals of different ages were sampled between 1990 and 2014. By standard neutralisation assays, Morbillivirus-specific antibodies were detected, using either the PDV isolate 2558/Han 88 or the related canine distemper virus (CDV) strain Onderstepoort. A total of 159 (30.5%) of the harbour seals were seropositive. Annual seroprevalence rates showed an undulating course: Peaks were seen in the post-epidemic years 1990/1991 and 2002/2003. Following each PDV outbreak, seroprevalence decreased and six to eight years after the epidemics samples were tested seronegative, indicating that the populations are now again susceptible to new PDV outbreak. After the last outbreak in 2002, the populations grew steadily to an estimated maximum (since 1975) of about 39,100 individuals in the Wadden Sea in 2014 and about 23,540 harbour seals in the Kattegat area in 2013. A re-appearence of PDV would presumably result in another epizootic with high mortality rates as encountered in the previous outbreaks. The current high population density renders harbour seals vulnerable to rapid spread of infectious agents including PDV and the recently detected influenza A virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  11. Large catchment area recharges Titan's Ontario Lacus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhingra, Rajani D.; Barnes, Jason W.; Yanites, Brian J.; Kirk, Randolph L.

    2018-01-01

    We seek to address the question of what processes are at work to fill Ontario Lacus while other, deeper south polar basins remain empty. Our hydrological analysis indicates that Ontario Lacus has a catchment area spanning 5.5% of Titan's surface and a large catchment area to lake surface area ratio. This large catchment area translates into large volumes of liquid making their way to Ontario Lacus after rainfall. The areal extent of the catchment extends to at least southern mid-latitudes (40°S). Mass conservation calculations indicate that runoff alone might completely fill Ontario Lacus within less than half a Titan year (1 Titan year = 29.5 Earth years) assuming no infiltration. Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) observations of clouds over the southern mid and high-latitudes are consistent with precipitation feeding Ontario's large catchment area. This far-flung rain may be keeping Ontario Lacus filled, making it a liquid hydrocarbon oasis in the relatively dry south polar region.

  12. Encephalitis, Ontario, Canada, 2002-2013.

    PubMed

    Parpia, Alyssa S; Li, Ye; Chen, Cynthia; Dhar, Badal; Crowcroft, Natasha S

    2016-03-01

    Encephalitis, a brain inflammation leading to severe illness and often death, is caused by >100 pathogens. To assess the incidence and trends of encephalitis in Ontario, Canada, we obtained data on 6,463 Ontario encephalitis hospitalizations from the hospital Discharge Abstract Database for April 2002-December 2013 and analyzed these data using multiple negative binomial regression. The estimated crude incidence of all-cause encephalitis in Ontario was ≈4.3 cases/100,000 persons/year. Incidence rates for infants <1 year of age and adults >65 years were 3.9 and 3.0 times that of adults 20-44 years of age, respectively. Incidence peaks during August-September in 2002 and 2012 resulted primarily from encephalitis of unknown cause and viral encephalitis. Encephalitis occurred more frequently in older age groups and less frequently in women in Ontario when compared to England, but despite differences in population, vector-borne diseases, climate, and geography, the epidemiology was overall remarkably similar in the two regions.

  13. Numerical Solution of Hamilton-Jacobi Equations in High Dimension

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2012-11-23

    high dimension FA9550-10-1-0029 Maurizio Falcone Dipartimento di Matematica SAPIENZA-Universita di Roma P. Aldo Moro, 2 00185 ROMA AH930...solution of Hamilton-Jacobi equations in high dimension AFOSR contract n. FA9550-10-1-0029 Maurizio Falcone Dipartimento di Matematica SAPIENZA

  14. Deciphering natural to anthropogenic control on sedimentation: the Late Holocene Magdala (Kinneret Lake, Israel) harbour hystory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sarti, G.; Rossi, V.; Amorosi, A.; Bertoni, D.; Ribolini, A.; Sammartino, I.; Zanchetta, G.

    2012-04-01

    Using a multidisciplinary approach involving geologists, geomorphologists and archeologists, the late Holocene sedimentary succession buried beneath the ancient Magdala harbour area (Kinneret Lake, Israel) was studied, in order to highlight the strict relationships among harbour evolutive phases (e.g. foundation, siltation, abandonment), natural events (e.g. sea-level variations, climatic changes and earthquakes among the most important) and, obviously, archaeological history. Recent excavations performed within the "Magdala Project" have discovered a harbour structure with late Hellenistic-Roman mooring stones at altitudes of 208.100 m and 208.320 m bsl respectively, suggestive of a higher lake-level (about 212 m bsl) than previously hypothesized. Along the most representative sections of trenches, integrated sedimentological, micropalaeontological (benthic meiofauna and pollen) and geochemical analyses were carried out on sedimentary deposits underlying and overlying the harbour structures, to define the main depositional facies and evolution phases that took place during the last millennia. Spatial variability of coeval palaeoenvironments across the archaeological site allowed to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of the harbour complex, evidencing the occurrence of three main evolution phases, similar to those reported from several Mediterranean Sea harbour systems: 1) a pre-harbor foundation phase; 2) a sin-harbor activity phase and 3) an harbor-abandonment phase. The first phase corresponds to the development of a natural lacustrine sandy beach barren in archaeological remains and containing an ostracod fauna very similar to the one observed within the present-day lake basin at ca. 5 m water depth. The second phase was characterized by the formation of an early Hellenistic sheltered lacustrine basin, recording the first anthropogenic control exerted on coastal sedimentation by the construction of harbour structures ("anthropogenically forced sheltered basin

  15. Detection and effects of harmful algal toxins in Scottish harbour seals and potential links to population decline.

    PubMed

    Jensen, Silje-Kristin; Lacaze, Jean-Pierre; Hermann, Guillaume; Kershaw, Joanna; Brownlow, Andrew; Turner, Andrew; Hall, Ailsa

    2015-04-01

    Over the past 15 years or so, several Scottish harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations have declined in abundance and several factors have been considered as possible causes, including toxins from harmful algae. Here we explore whether a link could be established between two groups of toxins, domoic acid (DA) and saxitoxins (STXs), and the decline in the harbour seal populations in Scotland. We document the first evidence that harbour seals are exposed to both DA and STXs from consuming contaminated fish. Both groups of toxins were found in urine and faeces sampled from live captured (n = 162) and stranded animals (n = 23) and in faecal samples collected from seal haul-out sites (n = 214) between 2008 and 2013. The proportion of positive samples and the toxins levels measured in the excreta were significantly higher in areas where harbour seal abundance is in decline. There is also evidence that DA has immunomodulatory effects in harbour seals, including lymphocytopenia and monocytosis. Scottish harbour seals are exposed to DA and STXs through contaminated prey at potentially lethal levels and with this evidence we suggest that exposure to these toxins are likely to be important factors driving the harbour seal decline in some regions of Scotland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Stereotypical rapid source level regulation in the harbour porpoise biosonar

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Linnenschmidt, Meike; Kloepper, Laura N.; Wahlberg, Magnus; Nachtigall, Paul E.

    2012-09-01

    Some odontocetes and bats vary both click intensity and receiver sensitivity during echolocation, depending on target range. It is not known how this so-called automatic gain control is regulated by the animal. The source level of consecutive echolocation clicks from a harbour porpoise was measured with a hydrophone array while the animal detected an aluminium cylinder at 2, 4 or 8 m distance in a go/no-go paradigm. On-axis clicks had source levels of 145-174 dB re 1 μPa peak-to-peak. During target-present trials the click trains reached comparable source levels independent of the range to the target after three clicks. After an additional click, the source level was reduced for the 2 and 4 m trials until it equalled the one-way transmission loss. During target-absent trials, the source level remained high throughout the entire click train. Given typical values of harbour porpoise inter-click intervals, the source level reduction commenced within a few 100 ms from the first click in the click train. This may indicate a sub-cortically regulated source level regulation in the harbour porpoise.

  17. Stereotypical rapid source level regulation in the harbour porpoise biosonar.

    PubMed

    Linnenschmidt, Meike; Kloepper, Laura N; Wahlberg, Magnus; Nachtigall, Paul E

    2012-09-01

    Some odontocetes and bats vary both click intensity and receiver sensitivity during echolocation, depending on target range. It is not known how this so-called automatic gain control is regulated by the animal. The source level of consecutive echolocation clicks from a harbour porpoise was measured with a hydrophone array while the animal detected an aluminium cylinder at 2, 4 or 8 m distance in a go/no-go paradigm. On-axis clicks had source levels of 145-174 dB re 1 μPa peak-to-peak. During target-present trials the click trains reached comparable source levels independent of the range to the target after three clicks. After an additional click, the source level was reduced for the 2 and 4 m trials until it equalled the one-way transmission loss. During target-absent trials, the source level remained high throughout the entire click train. Given typical values of harbour porpoise inter-click intervals, the source level reduction commenced within a few 100 ms from the first click in the click train. This may indicate a sub-cortically regulated source level regulation in the harbour porpoise.

  18. Understanding coastal processes to assist with coastal erosion management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tonyes, S. G.; Wasson, R. J.; Munksgaard, N. C.; Evans, K. G.; Brinkman, R.; Williams, D. K.

    2017-02-01

    Sand transport pathways in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia, are being investigated to assist with coastal management. Coastal erosion, which threatens public and private infrastructure, is one of the major problems along the harbour beaches. A study of sediment transport is essential to identify the challenges encountered by the stakeholders in coastal management. Darwin Harbour, located in the tropical, cyclone prone area of Australia, was, until recently, considered a near pristine estuary. A semi-diurnal macro-tidal embayment, the tidal variation in the harbour reaches up to 8 m with a mean tidal range of 3.7 m. The beach morphology consists of sandy pocket beaches between coastal cliffs, sandbars, rocky shore platforms, tidal flats and mangrove fringes. A two-dimensional depth averaged finite-element hydrodynamic model (RMA-2), coupled with a sediment transport model (RMA-11) from Resource Modelling Associates, has been used to infer the sources and the depositional areas of sand in the harbour. Grain size distributions and geochemical analysis are also used to characterize the sand and its source(s). Initial results show that the beach sand is mostly of offshore origin with small sand input from the rivers. Potential supplementary sand sources are the eroded materials from the shore platforms and the rocky cliffs. Due to the rapid development in Darwin Harbour, this study is fundamental in understanding coastal processes to support decision making in coastal management, particularly in a macro-tidal, tropical estuary.

  19. [Correlations between Beck's suicidal ideation scale, suicidal risk assessment scale RSD and Hamilton's depression rating scale].

    PubMed

    Ducher, J-L; Dalery, J

    2008-04-01

    Most of the people who will attempt suicide, talk about it beforehand. Therefore, recognition of suicidal risk is not absolutely impossible. Beck's suicidal ideation scale and Ducher's suicidal risk assessment scale (RSD) are common tools to help practicians in this way. These scales and the Hamilton's depression scale were included in an international multicentric, phase IV, double-blind study, according to two parallel groups who had been administered a fixed dose of fluvoxamin or fluoxetin for six weeks. This allowed examination of the correlations between these scales and the relations, which could possibly exist between suicidal risk, depression and anxiety. (a) Relationships between the Beck's suicidal ideation scale, the suicidal risk assessment scale RSD and Hamilton's depression before treatment. Before treatment, the analysis was conducted with 108 male and female depressive outpatients, aged 18 or over. Results revealed a significant positive correlation (with a Pearson's correlation coefficient r equal to 0.69 and risk p<0.0001) between Beck's suicidal ideation scale and the suicidal risk assessment scale RSD. These scales correlate less consistently with Hamilton's depression (Beck/Hamilton's depression: r=0.34; p=0.0004-RSD/Hamilton's depression: r=0.35; p=0.0002). We observed that the clinical anxiety scale by Snaith is also strongly correlated to these two suicidal risk assessment scales (Beck/CAS: r=0.48; p<0.0001-RSD/CAS: r=0.35; p=0.0005). Besides, the item "suicide" of Hamilton's depression scale accounts for more than a third of the variability of Beck's suicidal ideation scale and the suicidal risk assessment scale RSD. According to these results, the suicidal risk evaluated by these two scales seems to be significantly correlated with anxiety as much as with depression. On the other hand, the Clinical Global Impression is fairly significantly correlated with Beck's suicidal ideation scale (r=0.22; p=0.02), unlike the suicidal risk assessment

  20. Macro- and meiofaunal community features in the critical environmental system of a tourist harbour (Rapallo, Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean).

    PubMed

    Harriague, Anabella Covazzi; Albertelli, Giancarlo; Misic, Cristina

    2012-03-01

    Two samplings were carried out in a tourist harbour, during low and high touristic activity periods, to study the macro- and meiofaunal communities in relation to the environmental features. A multivariate analysis showed close relationships: the maritime traffic disturbance and the food quality and availability drive the spatial differences of the assemblages, dividing the area into three sub-areas: the area near the Boate torrent that empties into the harbour, the harbour proper, and the external area (just outside the harbour). Macro- and meiofauna showed notably different temporal trends, indicating competition for the resources and the higher sensitivity of the macrofauna to environmental pressures. The macrofauna strongly decreased as a response to heavier harbour activities, with increasing turbidity also affecting the external station outside the harbour. Finally, comparing the macrofaunal communities to those sampled in the same area 10 years before, we found that their abundance, richness and biomass had notably decreased, highlighting the worsening of the harbour environment due to the increased organic load and turbidity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Discontinuous solutions of Hamilton-Jacobi equations on networks

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Graber, P. J.; Hermosilla, C.; Zidani, H.

    2017-12-01

    This paper studies optimal control problems on networks without controllability assumptions at the junctions. The Value Function associated with the control problem is characterized as the solution to a system of Hamilton-Jacobi equations with appropriate junction conditions. The novel feature of the result lies in that the controllability conditions are not needed and the characterization remains valid even when the Value Function is not continuous.

  2. Resource Development in Ontario's Colleges--What's the Future?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gouveia, Cindy O. Y.

    2016-01-01

    This paper provides a brief historical account, and differences in philanthropy between Ontario's colleges and universities. Several theoretical concepts will be explored to explain donor motivation in Ontario's higher education sector. The final section of this paper explores non-traditional resource development strategies that Ontario colleges…

  3. Deep structure beneath Lake Ontario: Crustal-scale Grenville subdivisions

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Forsyth, D. A.; Milkereit, B.; Zelt, Colin A.; White, D. J.; Easton, R. M.; Hutchinson, Deborah R.

    1994-01-01

    Lake Ontario marine seismic data reveal major Grenville crustal subdivisions beneath central and southern Lake Ontario separated by interpreted shear zones that extend to the lower crust. A shear zone bounded transition between the Elzevir and Frontenac terranes exposed north of Lake Ontario is linked to a seismically defined shear zone beneath central Lake Ontario by prominent aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies, easterly dipping wide-angle reflections, and fractures in Paleozoic strata. We suggest the central Lake Ontario zone represents crustal-scale deformation along an Elzevir–Frontenac boundary zone that extends from outcrop to the south shore of Lake Ontario.Seismic images from Lake Ontario and the exposed western Central Metasedimentary Belt are dominated by crustal-scale shear zones and reflection geometries featuring arcuate reflections truncated at their bases by apparent east-dipping linear reflections. The images show that zones analogous to the interpreted Grenville Front Tectonic Zone are also present within the Central Metasedimentary Belt and support models of northwest-directed crustal shortening for Grenvillian deep crustal deformation beneath most of southeastern Ontario.A Precambrian basement high, the Iroquoian high, is defined by a thinning of generally horizontal Paleozoic strata over a crestal area above the basement shear zone beneath central Lake Ontario. The Iroquoian high helps explain the peninsular extension into Lake Ontario forming Prince Edward County, the occurrence of Precambrian inlier outcrops in Prince Edward County, and Paleozoic fractures forming the Clarendon–Linden structure in New York.

  4. 77 FR 27272 - Environmental Impact Statement: Hamilton and Clermont Counties, OH

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-09

    .... In the interim, new information came to light regarding the archaeological resources present in... highway and light rail improvements in the SR 32 corridor between US 50 and IR 275 in Hamilton and...

  5. Year-round spatiotemporal distribution of harbour porpoises within and around the Maryland wind energy area

    PubMed Central

    O’Brien, Michael; Lyubchich, Vyacheslav; Roberts, Jason J.; Halpin, Patrick N.; Rice, Aaron N.; Bailey, Helen

    2017-01-01

    Offshore windfarms provide renewable energy, but activities during the construction phase can affect marine mammals. To understand how the construction of an offshore windfarm in the Maryland Wind Energy Area (WEA) off Maryland, USA, might impact harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), it is essential to determine their poorly understood year-round distribution. Although habitat-based models can help predict the occurrence of species in areas with limited or no sampling, they require validation to determine the accuracy of the predictions. Incorporating more than 18 months of harbour porpoise detection data from passive acoustic monitoring, generalized auto-regressive moving average and generalized additive models were used to investigate harbour porpoise occurrence within and around the Maryland WEA in relation to temporal and environmental variables. Acoustic detection metrics were compared to habitat-based density estimates derived from aerial and boat-based sightings to validate the model predictions. Harbour porpoises occurred significantly more frequently during January to May, and foraged significantly more often in the evenings to early mornings at sites within and outside the Maryland WEA. Harbour porpoise occurrence peaked at sea surface temperatures of 5°C and chlorophyll a concentrations of 4.5 to 7.4 mg m-3. The acoustic detections were significantly correlated with the predicted densities, except at the most inshore site. This study provides insight into previously unknown fine-scale spatial and temporal patterns in distribution of harbour porpoises offshore of Maryland. The results can be used to help inform future monitoring and mitigate the impacts of windfarm construction and other human activities. PMID:28467455

  6. Year-round spatiotemporal distribution of harbour porpoises within and around the Maryland wind energy area.

    PubMed

    Wingfield, Jessica E; O'Brien, Michael; Lyubchich, Vyacheslav; Roberts, Jason J; Halpin, Patrick N; Rice, Aaron N; Bailey, Helen

    2017-01-01

    Offshore windfarms provide renewable energy, but activities during the construction phase can affect marine mammals. To understand how the construction of an offshore windfarm in the Maryland Wind Energy Area (WEA) off Maryland, USA, might impact harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), it is essential to determine their poorly understood year-round distribution. Although habitat-based models can help predict the occurrence of species in areas with limited or no sampling, they require validation to determine the accuracy of the predictions. Incorporating more than 18 months of harbour porpoise detection data from passive acoustic monitoring, generalized auto-regressive moving average and generalized additive models were used to investigate harbour porpoise occurrence within and around the Maryland WEA in relation to temporal and environmental variables. Acoustic detection metrics were compared to habitat-based density estimates derived from aerial and boat-based sightings to validate the model predictions. Harbour porpoises occurred significantly more frequently during January to May, and foraged significantly more often in the evenings to early mornings at sites within and outside the Maryland WEA. Harbour porpoise occurrence peaked at sea surface temperatures of 5°C and chlorophyll a concentrations of 4.5 to 7.4 mg m-3. The acoustic detections were significantly correlated with the predicted densities, except at the most inshore site. This study provides insight into previously unknown fine-scale spatial and temporal patterns in distribution of harbour porpoises offshore of Maryland. The results can be used to help inform future monitoring and mitigate the impacts of windfarm construction and other human activities.

  7. Geographic Accessibility of Community Pharmacies in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Law, Michael R.; Dijkstra, Anna; Douillard, Jay A.; Morgan, Steven G.

    2011-01-01

    Background: Proximity is an important component of access to healthcare services. Recent changes in generic pricing in Ontario have caused speculation about pharmacy closures. However, there is little information on the current geographic accessibility of pharmacies. Therefore, we studied geographic access to pharmacies and modelled the impact of possible closures. Methods: We used location data on the 3,352 accredited community pharmacies from the Ontario College of Pharmacists and population estimates at the census dissemination block level. Using network analysis, we determined the share of Ontario's population who reside in a census dissemination block within three road travel distances of a community pharmacy: 800 m (walking), 2 km and 5 km (driving). We then simulated the effects on these measures of 10% to 50% reductions in the number of community pharmacies in Ontario. Results: Approximately 63.6% of the Ontario population reside in a dissemination block located within walking distance of one or more pharmacies; 84.6% and 90.7% reside within 2-km and 5-km driving distances, respectively. Randomly removing 30% of Ontario's community pharmacies reduces these estimates to 56.0%, 81.4% and 89.0% for each distance, respectively; a 50% reduction results in 48.3%, 77.1% and 87.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Pharmacies are geographically accessible for a majority of the Ontario population. Moreover, it appears that modest closures would have only a small impact on geographic access to pharmacies. However, closures may have other impacts on access, such as cost, waiting time and reduced patient choice. PMID:22294990

  8. Hamilton's rule, inclusive fitness maximization, and the goal of individual behaviour in symmetric two-player games.

    PubMed

    Okasha, S; Martens, J

    2016-03-01

    Hamilton's original work on inclusive fitness theory assumed additivity of costs and benefits. Recently, it has been argued that an exact version of Hamilton's rule for the spread of a pro-social allele (rb > c) holds under nonadditive pay-offs, so long as the cost and benefit terms are defined as partial regression coefficients rather than pay-off parameters. This article examines whether one of the key components of Hamilton's original theory can be preserved when the rule is generalized to the nonadditive case in this way, namely that evolved organisms will behave as if trying to maximize their inclusive fitness in social encounters. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  9. Moving the Education Needle: A Conversation with Scott Hamilton

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jacobs, Joanne

    2014-01-01

    Scott Hamilton is the Forrest Gump of education reform, although with a lot more IQ points and fewer chocolates. He worked for Bill Bennett in the U.S. Department of Education and for Benno Schmidt at the Edison Project. He authorized charter schools in Massachusetts, co-founded the KIPP network, quadrupled the size of Teach For America (TFA), and…

  10. Encephalitis, Ontario, Canada, 2002–2013

    PubMed Central

    Parpia, Alyssa S.; Li, Ye; Chen, Cynthia; Dhar, Badal

    2016-01-01

    Encephalitis, a brain inflammation leading to severe illness and often death, is caused by >100 pathogens. To assess the incidence and trends of encephalitis in Ontario, Canada, we obtained data on 6,463 Ontario encephalitis hospitalizations from the hospital Discharge Abstract Database for April 2002–December 2013 and analyzed these data using multiple negative binomial regression. The estimated crude incidence of all-cause encephalitis in Ontario was ≈4.3 cases/100,000 persons/year. Incidence rates for infants <1 year of age and adults >65 years were 3.9 and 3.0 times that of adults 20–44 years of age, respectively. Incidence peaks during August–September in 2002 and 2012 resulted primarily from encephalitis of unknown cause and viral encephalitis. Encephalitis occurred more frequently in older age groups and less frequently in women in Ontario when compared to England, but despite differences in population, vector-borne diseases, climate, and geography, the epidemiology was overall remarkably similar in the two regions. PMID:26890626

  11. Why do seals have cones? Behavioural evidence for colour-blindness in harbour seals.

    PubMed

    Scholtyssek, Christine; Kelber, Almut; Dehnhardt, Guido

    2015-03-01

    All seals and cetaceans have lost at least one of two ancestral cone classes and should therefore be colour-blind. Nevertheless, earlier studies showed that these marine mammals can discriminate colours and a colour vision mechanism has been proposed which contrasts signals from cones and rods. However, these earlier studies underestimated the brightness discrimination abilities of these animals, so that they could have discriminated colours using brightness only. Using a psychophysical discrimination experiment, we showed that a harbour seal can solve a colour discrimination task by means of brightness discrimination alone. Performing a series of experiments in which two harbour seals had to discriminate the brightness of colours, we also found strong evidence for purely scotopic (rod-based) vision at light levels that lead to mesopic (rod-cone-based) vision in other mammals. This finding speaks against rod-cone-based colour vision in harbour seals. To test for colour-blindness, we used a cognitive approach involving a harbour seal trained to use a concept of same and different. We tested this seal with pairs of isoluminant stimuli that were either same or different in colour. If the seal had perceived colour, it would have responded to colour differences between stimuli. However, the seal responded with "same", providing strong evidence for colour-blindness.

  12. Modelling the tsunami threat to Sydney Harbour, Australia, with comparisons to historical events.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wilson, O.; Power, H.

    2016-12-01

    Sydney Harbour is an iconic location with a dense population and low-lying development. On the east coast of Australia, facing the Pacific Ocean it is exposed to several tsunamigenic trenches. To date, this is the most detailed assessment of the potential for earthquake-generated tsunami impact on Sydney Harbour. The tsunami wave trains modelled include tsunami modelled from earthquakes of magnitude 7.5, 8.0, 8.5 and 9.0 MW from the Puysegur and New Hebrides trenches. Historical events from Chile in 1960 and Japan in 2011 are also modelled for comparison. Using the hydrodynamic model ANUGA, results show that the events modelled have the potential to cause high current speeds, hazardous waves and rapid changes in water level. These effects are most dramatic at pinch points such as Spit Bridge and Anzac Bridge, particularly with regard to current speeds. Large waves are shown to be a particular threat at the mouth of the harbour, where the bathymetry causes the tsunami wave train to shoal. Inundation is less of a hazard for the tsunami events modlled, although some inundation is evident at several low-lying embayments in the south of the harbour. These results will provide an evidence base for tsunami threat emergency management.

  13. Central Schemes for Multi-Dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryson, Steve; Levy, Doron; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    We present new, efficient central schemes for multi-dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi equations. These non-oscillatory, non-staggered schemes are first- and second-order accurate and are designed to scale well with an increasing dimension. Efficiency is obtained by carefully choosing the location of the evolution points and by using a one-dimensional projection step. First-and second-order accuracy is verified for a variety of multi-dimensional, convex and non-convex problems.

  14. On the Hamilton approach of the dissipative systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zimin, B. A.; Zorin, I. S.; Sventitskaya, V. E.

    2018-05-01

    In this paper we consider the problem of constructing equations describing the states of dissipative dynamical systems (media with absorption or damping). The approaches of Lagrange and Hamilton are discussed. A non-symplectic extension of the Poisson brackets is formulated. The application of the Hamiltonian formalism here makes it possible to obtain explicit equations for the dynamics of a nonlinear elastic system with damping and a one-dimensional continuous medium with internal friction.

  15. Hamiltonization of Solids of Revolution Through Reduction

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Balseiro, Paula

    2017-12-01

    In this paper, we study the relation between conserved quantities of nonholonomic systems and the hamiltonization problem employing the geometric methods of Balseiro (Arch Ration Mech Anal 214:453-501, 2014) and Balseiro and Garcia-Naranjo (Arch Ration Mech Anal 205(1):267-310, 2012). We illustrate the theory with classical examples describing the dynamics of solids of revolution rolling without sliding on a plane. In these cases, using the existence of two conserved quantities we obtain, by means of gauge transformations and symmetry reduction, genuine Poisson brackets describing the reduced dynamics.

  16. "Strengthening" Ontario Universities: A Neoliberal Reconstruction of Higher Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rigas, Bob; Kuchapski, Renée

    2016-01-01

    This paper reviews neoliberalism as an ideology that has influenced higher education generally and Ontario higher education in particular. It includes a discourse analysis of "Strengthening Ontario's Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge" (Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities, 2012), a government discussion…

  17. Colistin-resistant Escherichia coli clinical isolate harbouring the mcr-1 gene in Ecuador.

    PubMed

    Ortega-Paredes, D; Barba, P; Zurita, J

    2016-10-01

    Colistin resistance mediated by the mcr-1 gene has been reported worldwide, but to date not from the Andean region, South America. We report the first clinical isolate of Escherichia coli harbouring the mcr-1 gene in Ecuador. The strain was isolated from peritoneal fluid from a 14-year-old male with acute appendicitis, and subjected to molecular analysis. The minimum inhibitory concentration of colistin for the strain was 8 mg/ml and it was susceptible to carbapenems but resistant to tigecycline. The strain harboured mcr-1 and bla CTX-M-55 genes and was of sequence type 609. The recognition of an apparently commensal strain of E. coli harbouring mcr-1 serves as an alert to the presence in the region of this recently described resistance mechanism to one of the last line of drugs available for the treatment of multi-resistant Gram-negative infections.

  18. Management of Hospital Formularies in Ontario: Challenges within a Local Health Integration Network.

    PubMed

    Burke, Natasha; Bowen, James M; Troyan, Sue; Jegathisawaran, Jathishinie; Gosse, Carolyn; Tonkin, Marita; Kagoma, Sandra; Goeree, Ron; Holbrook, Anne

    2016-01-01

    Expenditures on drugs dispensed and administered to patients in Canadian hospitals have been estimated at $2.4 billion per year. Pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committees play a key role in the evaluation and management of drug therapies in this setting. Hospitals differ with respect to the composition of these committees, their members' expertise, and the processes used for making formulary decisions. To examine the current processes for formulary drug review from the perspective of P&T committees and their individual members, and to examine the needs and preferences of these stakeholders related to evidence review and potential collaborative drug review processes within a large Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) in Ontario. Twenty-three sites within 10 hospital corporations in LHIN 4 (Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant) were recruited. A 2-part questionnaire was developed and pretested for clarity and comprehensiveness. The institution profile section of the questionnaire was to be completed by pharmacy directors and the P&T section by committee members. Ten pharmacy directors and 28 committee members representing 10 P&T committees responded. A mean of 6.4 new drug requests were reviewed annually by each P&T committee. Across the LHIN, the workload associated with reviewing submissions for new drugs to be added to the formulary represented 0.84 full-time equivalent. The quality of clinical evidence in the drug submissions was rated more favourably than the quality of economic evidence; furthermore, the use of economic evidence was limited by a lack of health economics expertise within the committees. A centralized review process for the LHIN was perceived as beneficial to improve efficiency, the quality of review, and standardization, and also to reduce costs. Across the Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant LHIN, considerable time and resources are spent on the review of potential new drugs for addition to the hospitals' formularies. A standardized formulary

  19. Contamination of the coastal waters of Bermuda by organotins and the triazine herbicide Irgarol 1051.

    PubMed

    Connelly, D P; Readman, J W; Knap, A H; Davies, J

    2001-05-01

    A study of the distribution of the 'booster' biocide 2-methylthio-4-tert-butylamino-6-cyclopropyl amino-s-triazine (Irgarol 1051) was carried out in the coastal waters of Bermuda. Irgarol 1051 concentrations (as determined by GC/MS) up to 590 ng l-1 have been measured within Hamilton Harbour. The data presented herein unequivocally demonstrate contamination of the coastal system of Bermuda by Irgarol 1051. Concurrently, TBT concentrations were measured and results indicate that levels are falling through legislated changes in antifouling treatments, from 220 ng l-1 in 1990 to < 20 ng l-1 (as Sn) by 1995, in the open water area of Hamilton Harbour. Concentrations of TBT immediately offshore from a boatyard were found to be > 600 ng l-1 (Sn), indicating continuing release due to painting operations and sediments in the area.

  20. Lax-Friedrichs sweeping scheme for static Hamilton-Jacobi equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kao, Chiu Yen; Osher, Stanley; Qian, Jianliang

    2004-05-01

    We propose a simple, fast sweeping method based on the Lax-Friedrichs monotone numerical Hamiltonian to approximate viscosity solutions of arbitrary static Hamilton-Jacobi equations in any number of spatial dimensions. By using the Lax-Friedrichs numerical Hamiltonian, we can easily obtain the solution at a specific grid point in terms of its neighbors, so that a Gauss-Seidel type nonlinear iterative method can be utilized. Furthermore, by incorporating a group-wise causality principle into the Gauss-Seidel iteration by following a finite group of characteristics, we have an easy-to-implement, sweeping-type, and fast convergent numerical method. However, unlike other methods based on the Godunov numerical Hamiltonian, some computational boundary conditions are needed in the implementation. We give a simple recipe which enforces a version of discrete min-max principle. Some convergence analysis is done for the one-dimensional eikonal equation. Extensive 2-D and 3-D numerical examples illustrate the efficiency and accuracy of the new approach. To our knowledge, this is the first fast numerical method based on discretizing the Hamilton-Jacobi equation directly without assuming convexity and/or homogeneity of the Hamiltonian.

  1. Detection and direction discrimination of single vortex rings by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

    PubMed

    Krüger, Yvonne; Hanke, Wolf; Miersch, Lars; Dehnhardt, Guido

    2018-04-25

    Harbour seals possess highly sensitive vibrissae that enable them to track hydrodynamic trails left behind by a swimming fish. Most of these trails contain vortex rings as a main hydrodynamic component. They may reveal information about their generator as the trails differ depending on the fish species, the fish's body shape, size and swimming style. In addition, fish generate single vortex rings in diverse natural situations. In this study, the ability of blindfolded stationary harbour seals to detect and analyse single vortex rings regarding directional information has been investigated. In three different behavioural experiments, the animals were trained to respond to single artificially generated vortex rings. The results show that harbour seals are able to respond to a variety of different vortex rings upon vibrissal stimulation. The investigation of the minimum hydrodynamically perceivable angle revealed that it is at least as small as 5.7 deg, which was the smallest adjustable angle. Moreover, harbour seals are capable of analysing the travel direction of a vortex ring perceived by the mystacial vibrissae irrespective of whether the vibrissae were stimulated ipsilaterally or contralaterally. In situations in which no complex hydrodynamic trail is available, it is advantageous for a hunting seal to be able to extract information from a single vortex ring. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  2. Nursery practices and research in Ontario

    Treesearch

    Karen E. Watt

    2002-01-01

    A brief history of nursery production of forest tree seedlings in Ontario is presented. The industry dates back to 1904, when the first nursery in the province was established. From 1922 to 1958, eleven additional nurseries were built, the majority of which were situated in northern Ontario. Although the original experiments with containerized seedlings were conducted...

  3. Farmers' Use of Publications. Report of a Survey of Ontario Farmers' Receipt and Use of Three Technical Publications of the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blackburn, Donald J.

    A survey was conducted to determine the extent of Ontario farmers' receipt, use and perception of three publications of the Ontario Department of Agriculture and Food--"Field Crop Recommendations for Ontario,""Guide to Chemical Weed Control" and "Dairy Husbandry in Ontario." A questionnaire was mailed in May 1969 to a…

  4. Hamilton-Jacobi formalism for Podolsky's electromagnetic theory on the null-plane

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertin, M. C.; Pimentel, B. M.; Valcárcel, C. E.; Zambrano, G. E. R.

    2017-08-01

    We develop the Hamilton-Jacobi formalism for Podolsky's electromagnetic theory on the null-plane. The main goal is to build the complete set of Hamiltonian generators of the system as well as to study the canonical and gauge transformations of the theory.

  5. Derivation of the Schrodinger Equation from the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation in Feynman's Path Integral Formulation of Quantum Mechanics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Field, J. H.

    2011-01-01

    It is shown how the time-dependent Schrodinger equation may be simply derived from the dynamical postulate of Feynman's path integral formulation of quantum mechanics and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation of classical mechanics. Schrodinger's own published derivations of quantum wave equations, the first of which was also based on the Hamilton-Jacobi…

  6. General relativity in two dimensions: A Hamilton-Jacobi analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bertin, M. C.; Pimentel, B. M.; Pompeia, P. J.

    2010-11-01

    We analyzed the constraint structure of the Einstein-Hilbert first-order action in two dimensions using the Hamilton-Jacobi approach. We were able to find a set of involutive, as well as a set of non-involutive constraints. Using generalized brackets we showed how to assure integrability of the theory, to eliminate the set of non-involutive constraints and how to build the field equations.

  7. Geodetic infrastructure at the Barcelona harbour for sea level monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez-Benjamin, Juan Jose; Gili, Josep; Lopez, Rogelio; Tapia, Ana; Pros, Francesc; Palau, Vicenc; Perez, Begona

    2015-04-01

    The presentation is directed to the description of the actual geodetic infrastructure of Barcelona harbour with three tide gauges of different technologies for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise and understanding past and present sea level rise in the Barcelona harbour. It is intended that the overall system will constitute a CGPS Station of the ESEAS (European Sea Level) and TIGA (GPS Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring) networks. At Barcelona harbour there is a MIROS radar tide gauge belonging to Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours).The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. The information includes wave forescast (mean period, significant wave height, sea level, etc.This sensor also measures agitation and sends wave parameters each 20 min. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna AX 1202 GG. The Control Tower of the Port of Barcelona is situated in the North dike of the so-called Energy Pier in the Barcelona harbor (Spain). This tower has different kind of antennas for navigation monitoring and a GNSS permanent station. As the tower is founded in reclaimed land, and because its metallic structure, the 50 m building is subjected to diverse movements, including periodic fluctuations due to temperature changes. In this contribution the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 the necessary monitoring campaigns are described. In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica S.L. in June 2014 near an acoustic tide gauge from the Barcelona Harbour installed in 2013. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land and

  8. VIEW SOUTH FROM HAMILTON AVENUE BUILDING 25 LEFT; BUILDING 32 ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    VIEW SOUTH FROM HAMILTON AVENUE BUILDING 25 LEFT; BUILDING 32 MACHINE SHOP (1890) LEFT CENTER BUILDING 31 RIGGER'S SHOP (1890) CENTER BUILDING 28 BLACKSMITH SHOP (1885) RIGHT CENTER; BUILDING 27 PATTERN SHOP (1853) RIGHT - John A. Roebling's Sons Company & American Steel & Wire Company, South Broad, Clark, Elmer, Mott & Hudson Streets, Trenton, Mercer County, NJ

  9. Council of Ontario Universities Working Paper Series, 2001-2002.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Forcese, Dennis; Oosthuizen, Patrick; Aubrey, Jocelyn B.

    2002-01-01

    Papers in this volume are the first working papers produced by the Council of Ontario Universities. Issue 1, "The Role and State of Ontario Graduate Education" by Dennis Forcese, advocates the reinforcement of graduate education in Ontario institutions to maintain the overall quality of the institutions and to secure the future. The paper outlines…

  10. Chemical tracers of shipping emissions in a Mediterranean harbour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Viana, M.; Amato, F.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Román, A.; García, M.

    2009-04-01

    Particle emissions from transport-related activities are known as one of the most important sources contributing to the PM mass concentrations in urban environments. However, only limited information is currently available in the literature on the contribution to PM levels by specific transport related sources such as shipping emissions, even though according to the latest IPCC report (Ribeiro et al., 2007), shipping emissions are receiving increased scrutiny by international and regional regulatory agencies because of their potential impact on air quality and human health in communities downwind from major shipping lanes and ports (Dominguez et al., 2008). One of the main reasons for this lack of information is the complexity in the detection of shipping emissions, given that no specific emission tracers have so far been identified as a consequence of the vast variability of combustion fuels burnt by vessels. The city of Melilla was selected for the study of shipping emissions due to its location on the South-Western sector of the Mediterranean basin, on the Northern coast of Morocco and less than 200 km from the Gibraltar Strait (35°17´40" N, 2°56´30" W). The city covers an extension of 13.4 km2, with a population of 70000 inhabitants. The monitoring station selected for the present study is representative of urban background levels, and it is located at approximately 150 m from the Melilla harbour. The harbour is mainly characterised by commercial traffic (passanger and container), although minerals and other loose materials are also stocked on the docks located farthest away from the monitoring site. PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 levels were determined on an hourly basis between 12/01/2008 and 19/12/2008 using a GRIMM laser spectrometer, which produced more than 8000 data points for each size fraction (24000 data points in total). In addition, PM10 and PM2.5 levels were sampled on quartz fibre filter substrates (Munktell) by means of high-volume samplers (PM1025 MCV

  11. 17. MARINA WAY, HARBOUR WAY, AND MARITIME CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    17. MARINA WAY, HARBOUR WAY, AND MARITIME CHILD DEVELOPMENT CENTER (SEE ALSO HABS No. CA-2718), WITH RICHMOND SHIPYARD NO. 3. S. - Rosie the Riveter National Historical Park, 1401 Marina Way South, Richmond, Contra Costa County, CA

  12. The Patient Experience in Ontario 2020: What Is Possible?

    PubMed

    Fooks, Cathy; Obarski, Genevieve; Hale, Lori; Hylmar, Stephanie

    2015-01-01

    Words are important. They signal an intention behind a thought. So when Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care publishes an action plan (Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2012) that declares itself to be "obsessively patient-centred," curiosity ensues and terms abound. Patient-centred care, patient engagement and patient experience - all seem to be in the mix in Ontario. This paper will propose a set of definitions for these commonly used terms, examine the progress being made in Ontario towards a more patient-centred healthcare system and suggest where we might aim to be by 2020.

  13. Light Rail Transit in Hamilton: Health, Environmental and Economic Impact Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Topalovic, P.; Carter, J.; Topalovic, M.; Krantzberg, G.

    2012-01-01

    Hamilton's historical roots as an electric, industrial and transportation-oriented city provide it with a high potential for rapid transit, especially when combined with its growing population, developing economy, redeveloping downtown core and its plans for sustainable growth. This paper explores the health, environmental, social and economic…

  14. SITE DEMONSTRATION OF THE TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS SOIL RECYCLING PROJECT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in cooperation with the Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC), conducted a Superfund InnovativeTechnology Evaluation (SITE) demonstration of the THC Soil Recycle Treatment Train. The treatment train consists of three technologies op...

  15. Chaos M-ary modulation and demodulation method based on Hamilton oscillator and its application in communication.

    PubMed

    Fu, Yongqing; Li, Xingyuan; Li, Yanan; Yang, Wei; Song, Hailiang

    2013-03-01

    Chaotic communication has aroused general interests in recent years, but its communication effect is not ideal with the restriction of chaos synchronization. In this paper a new chaos M-ary digital modulation and demodulation method is proposed. By using region controllable characteristics of spatiotemporal chaos Hamilton map in phase plane and chaos unique characteristic, which is sensitive to initial value, zone mapping method is proposed. It establishes the map relationship between M-ary digital information and the region of Hamilton map phase plane, thus the M-ary information chaos modulation is realized. In addition, zone partition demodulation method is proposed based on the structure characteristic of Hamilton modulated information, which separates M-ary information from phase trajectory of chaotic Hamilton map, and the theory analysis of zone partition demodulator's boundary range is given. Finally, the communication system based on the two methods is constructed on the personal computer. The simulation shows that in high speed transmission communications and with no chaos synchronization circumstance, the proposed chaotic M-ary modulation and demodulation method has outperformed some conventional M-ary modulation methods, such as quadrature phase shift keying and M-ary pulse amplitude modulation in bit error rate. Besides, it has performance improvement in bandwidth efficiency, transmission efficiency and anti-noise performance, and the system complexity is low and chaos signal is easy to generate.

  16. Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure.

    PubMed

    Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Kaniewski, David; Carayon, Nicolas

    2014-07-03

    Beirut, Sidon and Tyre were major centres of maritime trade from the Bronze Age onwards. This economic prosperity generated increased pressures on the local environment, through urbanization and harbour development. Until now, however, the impact of expanding seaport infrastructure has largely been neglected and there is a paucity of data concerning the environmental stresses caused by these new forms of anthropogenic impacts. Sediment archives from Beirut, Sidon and Tyre are key to understanding human impacts in harbour areas because: (i) they lie at the heart of ancient trade networks; (ii) they encompass the emergence of early maritime infrastructure; and (iii) they enable human alterations of coastal areas to be characterized over long timescales. Here we report multivariate analyses of litho- and biostratigraphic data to probe human stressors in the context of their evolving seaport technologies. The statistical outcomes show a notable break between natural and artificial sedimentation that began during the Iron Age. Three anchorage phases can be distinguished: (i) Bronze Age proto-harbours that correspond to natural anchorages, with minor human impacts; (ii) semi-artificial Iron Age harbours, with stratigraphic evidence for artificial reinforcement of the natural endowments; and (iii) heavy human impacts leading to completely artificial Roman and Byzantine harbours.

  17. Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

    PubMed Central

    Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Kaniewski, David; Carayon, Nicolas

    2014-01-01

    Beirut, Sidon and Tyre were major centres of maritime trade from the Bronze Age onwards. This economic prosperity generated increased pressures on the local environment, through urbanization and harbour development. Until now, however, the impact of expanding seaport infrastructure has largely been neglected and there is a paucity of data concerning the environmental stresses caused by these new forms of anthropogenic impacts. Sediment archives from Beirut, Sidon and Tyre are key to understanding human impacts in harbour areas because: (i) they lie at the heart of ancient trade networks; (ii) they encompass the emergence of early maritime infrastructure; and (iii) they enable human alterations of coastal areas to be characterized over long timescales. Here we report multivariate analyses of litho- and biostratigraphic data to probe human stressors in the context of their evolving seaport technologies. The statistical outcomes show a notable break between natural and artificial sedimentation that began during the Iron Age. Three anchorage phases can be distinguished: (i) Bronze Age proto-harbours that correspond to natural anchorages, with minor human impacts; (ii) semi-artificial Iron Age harbours, with stratigraphic evidence for artificial reinforcement of the natural endowments; and (iii) heavy human impacts leading to completely artificial Roman and Byzantine harbours. PMID:24989979

  18. Ancient harbour infrastructure in the Levant: tracking the birth and rise of new forms of anthropogenic pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Kaniewski, David; Carayon, Nicolas

    2014-07-01

    Beirut, Sidon and Tyre were major centres of maritime trade from the Bronze Age onwards. This economic prosperity generated increased pressures on the local environment, through urbanization and harbour development. Until now, however, the impact of expanding seaport infrastructure has largely been neglected and there is a paucity of data concerning the environmental stresses caused by these new forms of anthropogenic impacts. Sediment archives from Beirut, Sidon and Tyre are key to understanding human impacts in harbour areas because: (i) they lie at the heart of ancient trade networks; (ii) they encompass the emergence of early maritime infrastructure; and (iii) they enable human alterations of coastal areas to be characterized over long timescales. Here we report multivariate analyses of litho- and biostratigraphic data to probe human stressors in the context of their evolving seaport technologies. The statistical outcomes show a notable break between natural and artificial sedimentation that began during the Iron Age. Three anchorage phases can be distinguished: (i) Bronze Age proto-harbours that correspond to natural anchorages, with minor human impacts; (ii) semi-artificial Iron Age harbours, with stratigraphic evidence for artificial reinforcement of the natural endowments; and (iii) heavy human impacts leading to completely artificial Roman and Byzantine harbours.

  19. Faith in public power paid off for Ontario

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

    Smart, R.J.

    Ontario Hydro is the result of a grassroots belief that public power would create an industrial tax base and benefit the entire community. After 75 years, Ontario Hydro has $18 billion in assets, a dependable 22.6 thousand-MW peak capacity, and residential utility bills that are only one third of New York City's. The potential of Niagara Falls as a power source prompted a 1902 drive for public power which took another 19 years to realize. An overview of Ontario Hydro's development highlights the role of a 25-man syndicate led by Adam Beck, the influence of Ontario Hydro on the developersmore » of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the tapping of the St. Lawrence River, and the CANDU nuclear program. 1 figure. (DCK)« less

  20. Air Quality in Hamilton: Who Is Concerned? Perceptions from Three Neighbourhoods

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simone, Dylan; Eyles, John; Newbold, K. Bruce; Kitchen, Peter; Williams, Allison

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates the factors influencing perceptions of air quality in the industrial city of Hamilton, Canada. The research employs data collected via a telephone survey of 1,002 adult residents in three neighbourhoods. Perceptions in the neighbourhoods were examined by individual socio-demographic factors (age, gender, marital and…

  1. Examining Competition in Ontario's Higher Education Market

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Farhan, Bayan Yousef

    2017-01-01

    Financial challenges have forced many publicly funded academic institutions in Ontario to adopt a corporate model and to use market tools to compete in the higher education market and maintain their enrolment and revenue levels. This study has analyzed how competition affects publicly funded universities in Ontario. Competition was examined by…

  2. Hydrology-based understanding of Ontario Lacus in Titan's south pole

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dhingra, Rajani D.; Barnes, Jason W.; Yanites, Brian J.; Kirk, Randolph L.

    2015-11-01

    Ontario Lacus is the largest presently filled lake at the south pole of Titan. Many other large basins in south pole exist at lower elevations than Ontario Lacus but are currently empty. To find out what sets Ontario apart from those empty basins, we have carried a detailed hydrological assessment of Ontario Lacus. Topography of the region, as derived from Cassini RADAR altimetry was used to determine the catchment area of Ontario Lacus. We could map the areal extent of catchments as far as southern mid-latitudes. Clouds in southern mid and high latitudes have been observed by Cassini VIMS which indicate possible precipitation in those regions. Precipitation in southern mid-latitudes coupled with the large catchment areas of Ontario Lacus could be the reason behind it being filled. Our mass conservation calculations indicate that if runoff was the only contributor to the lake volume, then the lake might be filled within one Titan year (29.5 Earth years) in entirety. We also observe a non-linear relationship between the longest identifiable stream and the catchment area (Hack's Law) which is consistent with terrestrial hydrological systems and may help in further interpretation of the hydrology of Ontario Lacus.

  3. Compendium of Statistical and Financial Information: Ontario Universities, 2001-02.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This compendium presents data about aspects of the Ontario University System, Canada. It is a companion to the "Financial Report of Ontario Universities," the annual series of volumes prepared under the auspices of the Council of Financial OfficersUniversities of Ontario (COFO-UO). The Compendium contains supplementary information on…

  4. Hamilton-Jacobi formalism to warm inflationary scenario

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sayar, K.; Mohammadi, A.; Akhtari, L.; Saaidi, Kh.

    2017-01-01

    The Hamilton-Jacobi formalism as a powerful method is being utilized to reconsider the warm inflationary scenario, where the scalar field as the main component driving inflation interacts with other fields. Separating the context into strong and weak dissipative regimes, the goal is followed for two popular functions of Γ . Applying slow-rolling approximation, the required perturbation parameters are extracted and, by comparing to the latest Planck data, the free parameters are restricted. The possibility of producing an acceptable inflation is studied where the result shows that for all cases the model could successfully suggest the amplitude of scalar perturbation, scalar spectral index, its running, and the tensor-to-scalar ratio.

  5. Preconstruction Biogeochemical Analysis of Mercury in Wetlands Bordering the Hamilton Army Airfield (HAAF) Wetlands Restoration Site. Part 3

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2009-12-01

    ER D C/ EL T R- 09 -2 1 Preconstruction Biogeochemical Analysis of Mercury in Wetlands Bordering the Hamilton Army Airfield (HAAF) Wetlands...Preconstruction Biogeochemical Analysis of Mercury in Wetlands Bordering the Hamilton Army Airfield (HAAF) Wetlands Restoration Site Part 3 Elly P. H... mercury methylation and demethylation, and biogeochemical parameters related to the mercury cycle as measured by both conventional and emerging methods

  6. Hamilton and Hardy for the 21st Century

    PubMed Central

    Ogden, Trevor

    2016-01-01

    Hamilton and Hardy’s Industrial Toxicology is now 80 years old, and the new sixth edition links us with a pioneer era. This is an impressive book, but the usefulness of the hardback version as a reference book is unfortunately limited by its poor index. There is now an ebook version, and for the practitioner on the move this has the great advantages of searchability and portability. However, Wiley ebooks can apparently only be downloaded when first purchased, so their lifetime is limited to that of the device. The Kindle edition should avoid this shortcoming.

  7. Opening Doors to Nursing Degrees: A Proposal from Ontario's Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colleges Ontario, 2010

    2010-01-01

    Ontario needs to expand nursing education options to improve access to the nursing profession, create better pathways amongst all nursing occupations, and build Ontario's capacity to meet the province's long-term nursing needs. Ontario's colleges are capable of playing a larger role within a long-term provincial strategy for sustaining and…

  8. Compendium of Statistical and Financial Information: Ontario Universities, 2000-01.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This compendium presents data on various aspects of the Ontario University System, Canada. It is a companion to the Financial Report of Ontario Universities, the annual series of volumes prepared under the auspices of the Council of Financial Officers-Universities of Ontario (COFO-UO). This compendium contains supplementary information that helps…

  9. Statistical Analysis of Regional Surface Water Quality in Southeastern Ontario.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bodo, Byron A.

    1992-01-01

    Historical records from Ontario's Provincial Water Quality Monitoring Network for rivers and streams were analyzed to assess the feasibility of mapping regional water quality patterns in southeastern Ontario, spanning the Precambrian Shield and the St. Lawrence Lowlands. The study served as a model for much of Ontario. (54 references) (Author/MDH)

  10. Comparing Distribution of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Derived from Satellite Telemetry and Passive Acoustic Monitoring

    PubMed Central

    Rigét, Frank F.; Kyhn, Line A.; Sveegaard, Signe; Dietz, Rune; Tougaard, Jakob; Carlström, Julia A. K.; Carlén, Ida; Koblitz, Jens C.; Teilmann, Jonas

    2016-01-01

    Cetacean monitoring is essential in determining the status of a population. Different monitoring methods should reflect the real trends in abundance and patterns in distribution, and results should therefore ideally be independent of the selected method. Here, we compare two independent methods of describing harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) relative distribution pattern in the western Baltic Sea. Satellite locations from 13 tagged harbour porpoises were used to build a Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model of suitable habitats. The data set was subsampled to one location every second day, which were sufficient to make reliable models over the summer (Jun-Aug) and autumn (Sep-Nov) seasons. The modelled results were compared to harbour porpoise acoustic activity obtained from 36 static acoustic monitoring stations (C-PODs) covering the same area. The C-POD data was expressed as the percentage of porpoise positive days/hours (the number of days/hours per day with porpoise detections) by season. The MaxEnt model and C-POD data showed a significant linear relationship with a strong decline in porpoise occurrence from west to east. This study shows that two very different methods provide comparable information on relative distribution patterns of harbour porpoises even in a low density area. PMID:27463509

  11. Patterns of Occurrence of Sharks in Sydney Harbour, a Large Urbanised Estuary.

    PubMed

    Smoothey, Amy F; Gray, Charles A; Kennelly, Steve J; Masens, Oliver J; Peddemors, Victor M; Robinson, Wayne A

    2016-01-01

    Information about spatial and temporal variability in the distribution and abundance of shark-populations are required for their conservation, management and to update measures designed to mitigate human-shark interactions. However, because some species of sharks are mobile, migratory and occur in relatively small numbers, estimating their patterns of distribution and abundance can be very difficult. In this study, we used a hierarchical sampling design to examine differences in the composition of species, size- and sex-structures of sharks sampled with bottom-set longlines in three different areas with increasing distance from the entrance of Sydney Harbour, a large urbanised estuary. During two years of sampling, we obtained data for four species of sharks (Port Jackson, Heterodontus portusjacksoni; wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus; dusky whaler, Carcharhinus obscurus and bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas). Only a few O. maculatus and C. obscurus were caught, all in the area closest to the entrance of the Harbour. O. maculatus were caught in all seasons, except summer, while C. obscurus was only caught in summer. Heterodontus portusjacksoni were the most abundant species, caught in the entrance location mostly between July to November, when water temperature was below 21.5°C. This pattern was consistent across both years. C. leucas, the second most abundant species, were captured in all areas of Sydney Harbour but only in summer and autumn when water temperatures were above 23°C. This study quantified, for this first time, how different species utilise different areas of Sydney Harbour, at different times of the year. This information has implications for the management of human-shark interactions, by enabling creation of education programs to modify human behaviour in times of increased risk of potentially dangerous sharks.

  12. Patterns of Occurrence of Sharks in Sydney Harbour, a Large Urbanised Estuary

    PubMed Central

    Smoothey, Amy F.; Gray, Charles A.; Kennelly, Steve J.; Masens, Oliver J.; Peddemors, Victor M.; Robinson, Wayne A.

    2016-01-01

    Information about spatial and temporal variability in the distribution and abundance of shark-populations are required for their conservation, management and to update measures designed to mitigate human-shark interactions. However, because some species of sharks are mobile, migratory and occur in relatively small numbers, estimating their patterns of distribution and abundance can be very difficult. In this study, we used a hierarchical sampling design to examine differences in the composition of species, size- and sex-structures of sharks sampled with bottom-set longlines in three different areas with increasing distance from the entrance of Sydney Harbour, a large urbanised estuary. During two years of sampling, we obtained data for four species of sharks (Port Jackson, Heterodontus portusjacksoni; wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus; dusky whaler, Carcharhinus obscurus and bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas). Only a few O. maculatus and C. obscurus were caught, all in the area closest to the entrance of the Harbour. O. maculatus were caught in all seasons, except summer, while C. obscurus was only caught in summer. Heterodontus portusjacksoni were the most abundant species, caught in the entrance location mostly between July to November, when water temperature was below 21.5°C. This pattern was consistent across both years. C. leucas, the second most abundant species, were captured in all areas of Sydney Harbour but only in summer and autumn when water temperatures were above 23°C. This study quantified, for this first time, how different species utilise different areas of Sydney Harbour, at different times of the year. This information has implications for the management of human-shark interactions, by enabling creation of education programs to modify human behaviour in times of increased risk of potentially dangerous sharks. PMID:26824349

  13. Fronts propagating with curvature dependent speed: Algorithms based on Hamilton-Jacobi formulations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Osher, Stanley; Sethian, James A.

    1987-01-01

    New numerical algorithms are devised (PSC algorithms) for following fronts propagating with curvature-dependent speed. The speed may be an arbitrary function of curvature, and the front can also be passively advected by an underlying flow. These algorithms approximate the equations of motion, which resemble Hamilton-Jacobi equations with parabolic right-hand-sides, by using techniques from the hyperbolic conservation laws. Non-oscillatory schemes of various orders of accuracy are used to solve the equations, providing methods that accurately capture the formation of sharp gradients and cusps in the moving fronts. The algorithms handle topological merging and breaking naturally, work in any number of space dimensions, and do not require that the moving surface be written as a function. The methods can be used also for more general Hamilton-Jacobi-type problems. The algorithms are demonstrated by computing the solution to a variety of surface motion problems.

  14. Octavia Butler and Virginia Hamilton: Black Women Writers and Science Fiction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hampton, Gregory Jerome; Brooks, Wanda M.

    2003-01-01

    Notes that African American literature has always had science fiction elements in its focus on narratives of the alienated and marginalized "other." Contends that Octavia Butler and Virginia Hamilton are two African American writers of science fiction who examine the connections between the stories of a culture and the genre of science…

  15. A Survey of Environmental Education in Hamilton County Schools (K-12).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Garver, Janice B.

    Environmental education (EE) courses and programs offered in grades K-12 in Hamilton County (Ohio) public, private, and parochial schools were surveyed by means of a questionnaire mailed to 67 district level administrators, principals, and teachers. Questionnaires were returned from 5 private, 4 parochial, and 27 public schools, representing a 57…

  16. Teachers' Institutes in Late Nineteenth-Century Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milewski, Patrice

    2008-01-01

    Teachers' institutes for public elementary school teachers in Ontario began to be implemented in the middle of the nineteenth century as a result of the efforts of Egerton Ryerson Superintendent of Schools for Canada West as Ontario was then known. They were based on similar practices that Ryerson had observed on an educational tour in 1845 during…

  17. Selective habituation shapes acoustic predator recognition in harbour seals.

    PubMed

    Deecke, Volker B; Slater, Peter J B; Ford, John K B

    2002-11-14

    Predation is a major force in shaping the behaviour of animals, so that precise identification of predators will confer substantial selective advantages on animals that serve as food to others. Because experience with a predator can be lethal, early researchers studying birds suggested that predator recognition does not require learning. However, a predator image that can be modified by learning and experience will be advantageous in situations where cues associated with the predator are highly variable or change over time. In this study, we investigated the response of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) to the underwater calls of different populations of killer whales (Orcinus orca). We found that the seals responded strongly to the calls of mammal-eating killer whales and unfamiliar fish-eating killer whales but not to the familiar calls of the local fish-eating population. This demonstrates that wild harbour seals are capable of complex acoustic discrimination and that they modify their predator image by selectively habituating to the calls of harmless killer whales. Fear in these animals is therefore focused on local threats by learning and experience.

  18. High-Order Semi-Discrete Central-Upwind Schemes for Multi-Dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryson, Steve; Levy, Doron; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    We present the first fifth order, semi-discrete central upwind method for approximating solutions of multi-dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Unlike most of the commonly used high order upwind schemes, our scheme is formulated as a Godunov-type scheme. The scheme is based on the fluxes of Kurganov-Tadmor and Kurganov-Tadmor-Petrova, and is derived for an arbitrary number of space dimensions. A theorem establishing the monotonicity of these fluxes is provided. The spacial discretization is based on a weighted essentially non-oscillatory reconstruction of the derivative. The accuracy and stability properties of our scheme are demonstrated in a variety of examples. A comparison between our method and other fifth-order schemes for Hamilton-Jacobi equations shows that our method exhibits smaller errors without any increase in the complexity of the computations.

  19. Financial Report of Ontario Universities 1988-89. Volume I--Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto. Research Div.

    The first volume of a report by the Council of Ontario Universities provides information on the 21 universities and related institutions which receive grants directly from the government of Ontario. It is part of a three-volume set offering detailed information on the revenues and expenses and changes in fund balances at all Ontario universities…

  20. Compendium of Statistical and Financial Information: Ontario Universities, 1998-99.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This compendium presents data on various aspects of the Ontario University system. Compiled by the Council of Finance Officers - Universities of Ontario (COFO-UO), it is intended as a companion to the Financial Report of Ontario Universities and as an aid to financial planning and policy. Data are presented in graphical and tabular formats.…

  1. Recolonization of macrofauna in unpolluted sands placed in a polluted yachting harbour: A field approach using experimental trays

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guerra-García, J. M.; García-Gómez, J. C.

    2009-01-01

    A field experiment using trays was conducted at Ceuta's yachting harbour, North Africa, to study the effect in recolonization of placing trays with unpolluted defaunate sediments (fine and gross sands with low contents of organic matter) inside an enclosed yachting harbour characterized by high percentages of silt and clay and high concentrations of organic matter. Sediment recolonization in the trays was mainly undertaken by the species living naturally at the yachting harbour, which recolonized both uncontaminated gross and fine sand trays (such as the crustaceans Corophium runcicorne, Corophium sextonae and Nebalia bipes, the mollusc Parvicardium exiguum and the polychaete Pseudomalacoceros tridentata). However, other species like the polychaetes Cirriformia tentaculata and Platynereis dumerilii, although also abundant in the yachting harbour, were unable to colonize the trays through transport of larvae and/or adults in the water column. The recolonization was very quick, and after the first month, the values of abundance, species richness, diversity and evenness were similar in the experimental trays and in the reference area (yachting harbour). Although the multivariate analysis showed that the species composition differed between the trays and the reference area, there were no significant differences in recolonization of gross and fine sands, indicating that other factors different from the granulometry are modulating the recolonization patterns.

  2. The ancient harbour system of Terracina (Latium, Italy) obtained by gravity survey.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    di Nezza, M.; di Filippo, M.

    2009-04-01

    Historical research has shown that Terracina (Latina, Latium) played a fundamental role in the maritime and land traffic since before the foundation of the colony. The settlement was established where the organized system of maritime, land, coastal, and fluvial transport had the most ideal conditions to constitute an important commercial crossroads, apparently since the beginning of recorded history. In order to reconstruction the buried archaeological structures attributed to the ancient Roman port, traditionally attributed to Traiano, in the current area of the harbour of Terracina, it was carried out a gravity survey, more than 380 gravity stations. This method enables to recognize the cavity and the structures of the buildings underground through the results of variations density in the subsoil. In the residual gravity anomaly map a series of positive anomalies are visible which confirm the round structures and the pier of the buried foundations of the Imperial harbour. Unfortunately, little remains of the functioning facilities of the harbour's activities. The modern construction of the harbour, in fact, has to be developed around the new inhabitable commercial area, know today as Terracina Bassa or Borgo alla Marina. It had to be developed with a modern infrastructure of a harbor area, as in the construction of the rooms for storage of goods, warehouses, as well as for the thermal baths, hotels and amphitheatre. Furthermore, there are always the positive anomalies that characterize the area to the north-east of "Montone" hill where archaeological remains are easily visible near Via Lungolinea Pio VI. A large negative anomaly is situated in correspondence with "Montone". Gravity information shows an average density of the hill approximately 1.10 g/cm3, notably less than the recorded data relative to dry sand, approximately 1.6 g/cm3. The low value founds hits at the possibility of an "emptiness" in the subsoil of "Montone" hill, attribuiting to the possible

  3. Early detection of potentially invasive invertebrate species in Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 dominated communities in harbours

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preda, Cristina; Memedemin, Daniyar; Skolka, Marius; Cogălniceanu, Dan

    2012-12-01

    Constanţa harbour is a major port on the western coast of the semi-enclosed Black Sea. Its brackish waters and low species richness make it vulnerable to invasions. The intensive maritime traffic through Constanţa harbour facilitates the arrival of alien species. We investigated the species composition of the mussel beds on vertical artificial concrete substrate inside the harbour. We selected this habitat for study because it is frequently affected by fluctuating levels of temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen, and by accidental pollution episodes. The shallow communities inhabiting it are thus unstable and often restructured, prone to accept alien species. Monthly samples were collected from three locations from the upper layer of hard artificial substrata (maximum depth 2 m) during two consecutive years. Ten alien macro-invertebrate species were inventoried, representing 13.5% of the total number of species. Two of these alien species were sampled starting the end of summer 2010, following a period of high temperatures that triggered hypoxia, causing mass mortalities of benthic organisms. Based on the species accumulation curve, we estimated that we have detected all benthic alien species on artificial substrate from Constanţa harbour, but additional effort is required to detect all the native species. Our results suggest that monitoring of benthic communities at small depths in harbours is a simple and useful tool in early detection of potentially invasive alien species. The selected habitat is easily accessible, the method is low-cost, and the samples represent reliable indicators of alien species establishment.

  4. Overview of surgery for oral cavity cancer in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Eskander, Antoine; Irish, Jonathan; Gullane, Patrick; Gilbert, Ralph; de Almeida, John R; Freeman, Jeremy; Giuliani, Meredith; Urbach, David R; Goldstein, David P

    2016-07-01

    The pupose of this study was to describe variations in incidence and resection rates of patients with oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in Ontario. All oral cavity SCCs in Ontario between 2003 and 2010 were identified from the Ontario Cancer Registry. Incidence and resection rates along with variations in care were compared by sociodemographic factors and Ontario health regions. The 8-year incidence rates for oral cavity SCC was 21.3 per 100,000 with variations by sex, age group, neighborhood income, and community size. Seventy-four percent of patients underwent an oral cavity cancer resection, of which 91% were at a regional head and neck cancer center. Variations in resection rates existed by region of residence and treatment. Oral cavity cancer incidence rates vary by sex, age, neighborhood income, community size, and health region. Resection rates vary by age and health region. Oral cavity cancer care is highly regionalized in Ontario. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 38: 1113-1118, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  5. Early Days for the Differentiation Policy Framework in Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sianos, Helen

    2017-01-01

    The Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities in Canada released "Ontario's Differentiation Policy Framework for Postsecondary Education" in 2013. This chapter examines the mandate as it pertains to the college sector.

  6. Assessing the importance of alien macro-Crustacea (Malacostraca) within macroinvertebrate assemblages in Belgian coastal harbours

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Boets, Pieter; Lock, Koen; Goethals, Peter L. M.

    2012-06-01

    Harbours, which are often characterised by anthropogenic stress in combination with intensive international ship traffic, tend to be very susceptible to aquatic invasions. Since alien macrocrustaceans are known to be very successful across many European waters, a study was made on their distribution and impact in the four Belgian coastal harbours (Nieuwpoort, Ostend, Blankenberge and Zeebrugge). Biological and physical-chemical data were gathered at 43 sampling sites distributed along a salinity gradient in the four harbours. One-fourth of all crustacean species recorded were alien and represented on average 30% of the total macrocrustacean abundance and 65% of the total macrocrustacean biomass. The large share of alien crustaceans in the total macrocrustacean biomass was mainly due to several large alien crab species. Most alien species were found in the oligohaline zone, whereas the number of indigenous species slightly increased with increasing salinity. The low number of indigenous species present at low salinities was probably not only caused by salinity, but also by the lower water quality in this salinity range. Based on the site-specific biocontamination index (SBCI), which was used to assess the ecological water quality, the harbour of Nieuwpoort and Ostend scored best and were classified as good, indicating the limited abundance and the low number of alien macrocrustaceans. Sampling locations situated more inland generally had a higher SBCI and a lower ecological water quality. Zeebrugge and Blankenberge were characterised by a severe biocontamination. For Zeebrugge, this is probably related to the intensive transcontinental commercial ship traffic, whereas for Blankenberge, this could be due to introduction of alien species via recreational crafts or due to its geographical location in the proximity of Zeebrugge. Consistent monitoring of estuarine regions and harbours, which are seen as hotspots for introductions, could help in understanding and

  7. Sustainable management of harbours : a numerical approach for the assessment of waters quality

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bonamano, Simone; Madonia, Alice; Piazzolla, Daniele; Paladini de Mendoza, Francesco; Piermattei, Viviana; Scanu, Sergio; Melchiorri, Cristiano; Marcelli, Marco

    2017-04-01

    Within the Water Framework Directive (WFD), harbours must reach or maintain the good ecological potential, being classified as heavily modified water bodies. To fulfill this task and to comply the Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) principles, port managers have to monitor the water quality that can be compromised by the numerous activities including the realization of new infrastructures. The port of Civitavecchia, located on the central west coast of Italy, is undergoing to major structural changes to become one of the first ports of the Mediterranean in terms of passenger traffic and goods, thus requiring the development of management tools for the predictive assessment of harbour water quality. This study focused on the evaluation of water degradation within Civitavecchia port trough the calculation of Flushing time (FT) and the development of the new Flushing Efficiency Index (FEI). FT was calculated through the use of a numerical model under different scenarios selected combining different weather conditions with the new port configurations. FT values was then used to estimate the FEI for the evaluation of the improvement (positive values) or the deterioration (negative values) of water quality in the different zones of the port. The increase in the harbour basin size due to the embankment extension results in high values of FT, particularly in the inner part of the port, in accordance with the highest values of the Enrichment Factor (EF) of the trace metals found in the sediment. The correlation between FT and EF confirms that renewal time can be used as a proxy to evaluate the water quality conditions in the harbour basin, as also stated by the WFD guidelines. Also the results of FEI calculation indicate the potential occurrence of water degradation due to the embankment extension. Otherwise, the realization of a second entrance in the southern part of Civitavecchia port produces FEI positive values, highlighting a drastic improvement in harbour water renewal

  8. Religious Observance Accommodation in Ontario Universities. Discussion Paper.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reed, Carole Ann

    This paper highlights the religious accommodations that Ontario (Canada) universities have undertaken to create an inclusive, supportive learning community for all students, faculty, and staff. It outlines the demographic changes and public policy surrounding religious accommodation issues in Canada and in Ontario in particular, focusing on the…

  9. A population on the rise: The origin of deepwater sculpin in Lake Ontario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Welsh, Amy B.; Scribner, Kim T.; Stott, Wendylee; Walsh, Maureen

    2017-01-01

    Deepwater sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii, were thought to have been extirpated from Lake Ontario. However, in recent years, abundance has increased and recruitment has been documented. There are two hypotheses concerning the origin of the current Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin population. First, individuals from the upper Great Lakes may have recolonized Lake Ontario. Alternatively, the Lake Ontario population may have not been extirpated, and the remnant population has recovered naturally. To test these hypotheses, eight microsatellite loci were used to analyze samples from the current Lake Ontario population, museum specimens from the historic Lake Ontario population, and current upper Great Lakes populations. The genetic data suggest that historically throughout the Great Lakes, deepwater sculpin exhibited low levels of spatial genetic structure. Approximate Bayesian Computation analyses support the hypothesis that the current Lake Ontario population is more closely related to populations in the upper Great Lakes than to the historic Lake Ontario samples, indicating that the current Lake Ontario population likely resulted from recolonization from the Upper Great Lakes. The current Lake Ontario population has reduced allelic diversity relative to upper Great Lakes populations, indicating a possible founder effect. This study demonstrates the role life history variation can play in recolonization success. The pelagic larval phase of the deepwater sculpin allowed recolonization of Lake Ontario via passive larval drift.

  10. Biodiversity loss in seagrass meadows due to local invertebrate fisheries and harbour activities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nordlund, Lina Mtwana; Gullström, Martin

    2013-12-01

    Seagrass meadows provide a wide variety of ecosystem services, but their distribution and health are adversely affected by man. In the present study, we examined the influence of coastal exploitation in terms of invertebrate harvesting and harbour activity on invertebrate community composition in subtropical seagrass meadows at Inhaca Island, Mozambique, in the Western Indian Ocean. There was a fivefold higher invertebrate density and biomass, and clearly higher invertebrate species richness, in the protected (control) site compared to the two exploited sites. The causes for the clear differences between protected and exploited sites were probably a result of (1) the directional outtake of large edible or saleable invertebrates (mostly molluscs) and the absence of boat traffic in the harvested site, and (2) harbour activities. Invertebrate community composition in the two exploited sites also differed (although less clear), which was likely due to inherent distinction in type of disturbance. Our findings revealed that protection of seagrass habitat is necessary and that disturbances of different origin might require different forms of management and conservation. Designing protected areas is however a complex process due to competition for use and space with activities such as invertebrate harvesting and harbours.

  11. Compressed Semi-Discrete Central-Upwind Schemes for Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryson, Steve; Kurganov, Alexander; Levy, Doron; Petrova, Guergana

    2003-01-01

    We introduce a new family of Godunov-type semi-discrete central schemes for multidimensional Hamilton-Jacobi equations. These schemes are a less dissipative generalization of the central-upwind schemes that have been recently proposed in series of works. We provide the details of the new family of methods in one, two, and three space dimensions, and then verify their expected low-dissipative property in a variety of examples.

  12. Sediment transport modelling based on grain size trend analysis in Augusta Harbour (Sicily)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barbera, Giuseppe; Feo, Roberto; Freni, Gabriele

    2015-12-01

    To support marine civil engineer in pollutant studies, sediment management or dredging operations, is useful to know how the sediments move in accumulation basin. This paper investigates the dynamic of the sediment path using a two-dimensional numeric model: the Grain Size Trend Analysis (GSTA). The GSTA was applied using GiSedTrend plugin, under GIS software. The case study is the Augusta Harbour, which is one of the most polluted Italian harbours. It is the marine part of the Site of National Interest (SNI) of Priolo Gargallo (Siracusa, Italy) and it can be hydrodynamically considered as a lagoon. Two scenarios were obtained by using different geostatistical criteria.

  13. Building the New Northern Ontario Rural Medical School.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rourke, James T. B.

    2002-01-01

    Opening in 2004, the new Northern Ontario Rural Medical School will address the rural doctor shortage in Canada. Supported by Laurentian University and Lakehead University, learning sites will be in hospitals, community clinics, and physicians' offices throughout northern Ontario. The curriculum will be patient-centered and clinical problem-based…

  14. Preschool Guidelines: Suburban Model (Ontario Local School District).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ohio State Dept. of Education, Columbus. Div. of Educational Services.

    The Ontario Local Schools District, serving the village of Ontario and Springfield Township, offers this manual of operation which program staff developed to reflect the first year of implementation of a preschool program. Contents concern: (1) needs assessment; (2) program development; (3) facilities, equipment, and supplies; (4) staffing and…

  15. Heartworm (Acanthocheilonema spirocauda) and seal louse (Echinophthirius horridus) infections in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from the North and Baltic Seas

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lehnert, Kristina; Schwanke, Eva; Hahn, Kerstin; Wohlsein, Peter; Siebert, Ursula

    2016-07-01

    The seal louse (Echinophthirius [E.] horridus) and the heartworm (Acanthocheilonema [A.] spirocauda) are parasites of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). Little is known about the role of the seal louse as a potential vector and its role for the development and transmission of heartworm larvae to their final host, the harbour seal. The life-cycle of the heartworm is still not fully understood. For the presented study, findings of 1191 stranded harbour seals collected along the North- and Baltic Sea coast between 1996 and 2013 were examined. 4.4% (n = 53) of these harbour seals were infected with adult heartworms and 3.4% (n = 40) harbour seals carried seal lice. The highest prevalence and level of infection with adult heartworms (A. spirocauda) (9.3%) and seal lice (E. horridus) (8.9%) were found on yearling harbour seals (7-18 months) compared to neonate and adult seals. Investigating seal lice (n = 35) for larval heartworm stages one larvae was encountered in an ethanol-fixated seal louse. During a health monitoring survey of live harbour seals, 109 animals were captured and examined during spring and autumn between 2008 and 2014. Blood samples were taken and microfilariae were discovered in blood smears in 41% (n = 45) of the examined harbour seals. Yearling seals (n = 21) showed higher prevalence (86%) and level of infection with microfilariae than adults. Microfilariae were identified as A. spirocauda by sequencing the species-specific COI gene in 24 blood samples. The high prevalence of microfilariae of A. spirocauda in blood samples (41%) is in contrast to the low prevalence of mature infections/adult specimens in stranded seals (4.4%) investigated. Although rare parasites of seals, the recent increase in prevalence of heartworm and seal lice in stranded seals and the relatively high occurrence of microfilaria in the free-ranging population underscore the importance of further studies investigating the immunology of infections and their transmission pathways, as

  16. Education Governance Reform in Ontario: Neoliberalism in Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sattler, Peggy

    2012-01-01

    This paper explores the relationship between neoliberal ideology and the discourse and practice of education governance reform in Ontario over the last two decades. It focuses on changes in education governance introduced by successive Ontario governments: the NDP government from 1990 to 1995, the Progressive Conservative government from 1995 to…

  17. Mitochondrial DNA reveals secondary contact in Japanese harbour seals, the southernmost population in the western Pacific

    PubMed Central

    Sasaki, Takeshi; Kobayashi, Mari; Haneda, Takayuki; Masubuchi, Takahito

    2018-01-01

    In this study, we used relatively large number of samples (n = 178) and control region of mtDNA (454bp) to clearify the divergence history of Japanese harbour seals (Phoca vitulina stejnegeri) and phylogenetic relationship between the seals in Japan and other countries. Our results suggested that Japanese harbour seals possibly consisted of more than two lineages and secondary contact of populations after a long isolation. Furthermore, one of the lineage was made only by Japanese harbour seals (Group P1). The proportion of Group P1 was the highest at the South West and gradually decreased towards the North East of Hokkaido, Japan. On the other hand, the haplotypes do not belonged to Group P1 showed close relationship to the seals in the North Pacific. Based on the fossil record of harbour seal in Japan and the range of sea ice during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), Group P1 might have entered Japan before the LGM and became isolated due to the geographical boundary, and gradually extended its range from the South West towards the North East of Hokkaido after the disappearance of the sea ice, while the seals which are not in Group P1 immigrated into Japan from the North Pacific. PMID:29385193

  18. Derivation of Hamilton's equations of motion for mechanical systems with constraints on the basis of Pontriagin's maximum principle

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kovalev, A. M.

    The problem of the motion of a mechanical system with constraints conforming to Hamilton's principle is stated as an optimum control problem, with equations of motion obtained on the basis of Pontriagin's principle. A Hamiltonian function in Rodrigues-Hamilton parameters for a gyrostat in a potential force field is obtained as an example. Equations describing the motion of a skate on a sloping surface and the motion of a disk on a horizontal plane are examined.

  19. Higher Education in Ontario: The Face of Leadership. Annual Review, 1994.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This annual report reviews leadership and service activities provided by the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) to its 20 member institutions. Messages from the COU's Chairman and President comment on the challenges presented by Ontario's Social Contract Act and by the Resource Allocation Review conducted by the Ontario Council on University…

  20. 76 FR 25534 - Airworthiness Directives; Hamilton Sundstrand Propellers Model 247F Propellers

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2011-05-05

    ... 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The AD docket contains this AD, the... through FR2279 inclusive, FR 2398, FR2449 to FR2958 inclusive, FR20010710 to FR20010722 inclusive, and FR20010723RT to FR20020127RT inclusive, installed. Propeller blades reworked to Hamilton Sundstrand Service...

  1. Who Tells "Our" Story: Intersectional Temporalities in "Hamilton: An American Musical"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, Andie; Inayatulla, Shereen

    2017-01-01

    This article examines the ways in which "Hamilton: An American Musical" can be read less as a historical account and more as a prediction of a future immigrant, who is called upon to (re)define US nationhood. Keeping with the tempo of the musical as well as the broader issues of time, space and identity it attempts to address, this…

  2. The Scientisation of Schooling in Ontario, 1910-1934

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Milewski, Patrice

    2010-01-01

    This paper analyses the science of education that was formed in Ontario between the years 1910 and 1934. It is substantiated through the use of archival material such as curriculum documents, statutes, annual reports, the published proceedings of the Ontario Educational Association (OEA) and a close reading of the "Science of Education"…

  3. University Education in Ontario: Shared Goals & Building Blocks.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This brochure suggests five goals that are likely to be shared by the people of Ontario, their government, and the province's publicly funded universities for a strong university system, and identifies the building blocks and resource-related commitments that would enable Ontario universities to achieve these goals. The goals are: (1) all…

  4. Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario 2002 Environmental Scan.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, Toronto.

    This environmental scan is designed to assist Ontario's colleges in their strategic planning processes. Ontario's colleges have supported a 35% increase in enrollment, with a 40% decrease in funding, over the last ten years, while operating costs have risen. In addition, Ontario eliminated the secondary school Ontario Academic Courses (OACs),…

  5. TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS (THC) SOIL RECYCLE TREATMENT TRAIN - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) have developed a soil treatment train designed to treat inorganic and organic contaminants in soils. THC has conducted a large-scale demonstration of these technologies in an attempt to establish that contaminated soils at the Toronto Port ...

  6. SITE DEMONSTRATION BULLETIN: SOIL RECYCLING TREATMENT TRAIN - THE TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS

    EPA Science Inventory

    The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) have developed a soil treatment train designed to treat inorganic and organic contaminants in soils. THC has conducted a large-scale demonstration of these technologies in an attempt to establish that contaminated soils at the Toronto Port...

  7. The use of sequential extraction to evaluate the remediation potential of heavy metals from contaminated harbour sediment

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nystrøm, G. M.; Ottosen, L. M.; Villumsen, A.

    2003-05-01

    In this work sequential extraction is performed with harbour sediment in order to evaluate the electrodialytic remediation potential for harbour sediments. Sequential extraction was performed on a sample of Norwegian harbour sediment; with the original sediment and after the sediment was treated with acid. The results from the sequential extraction show that 75% Zn and Pb and about 50% Cu are found in the most mobile phases in the original sediment and more than 90% Zn and Pb and 75% Cu are found in the most mobile phase in the sediment treated with acid. Electrodialytic remediation experiments were made. The method uses a low direct current as cleaning agent, removing the heavy metals towards the anode and cathode according to the charge of the heavy metals in the electric field. The electrodialytic experiments show that up to 50% Cu, 85% Zn and 60% Pb can be removed after 20 days. Thus, there is still a potential for a higher removal, with some changes in the experimental set-up and longer remediation time. The experiments show that thc use of sequential extraction can be used to predict the electrodialytic remediation potential for harbour sediments.

  8. Complex quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation with Bohmian trajectories: Application to the photodissociation dynamics of NOCl

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

    Chou, Chia-Chun, E-mail: ccchou@mx.nthu.edu.tw

    2014-03-14

    The complex quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation-Bohmian trajectories (CQHJE-BT) method is introduced as a synthetic trajectory method for integrating the complex quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the complex action function by propagating an ensemble of real-valued correlated Bohmian trajectories. Substituting the wave function expressed in exponential form in terms of the complex action into the time-dependent Schrödinger equation yields the complex quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We transform this equation into the arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian version with the grid velocity matching the flow velocity of the probability fluid. The resulting equation describing the rate of change in the complex action transported along Bohmian trajectories is simultaneouslymore » integrated with the guidance equation for Bohmian trajectories, and the time-dependent wave function is readily synthesized. The spatial derivatives of the complex action required for the integration scheme are obtained by solving one moving least squares matrix equation. In addition, the method is applied to the photodissociation of NOCl. The photodissociation dynamics of NOCl can be accurately described by propagating a small ensemble of trajectories. This study demonstrates that the CQHJE-BT method combines the considerable advantages of both the real and the complex quantum trajectory methods previously developed for wave packet dynamics.« less

  9. Mortality and histopathological effects in harbour-transplanted snails with different exposure histories.

    PubMed

    Bighiu, Maria Alexandra; Watermann, Burkard; Guo, Xueli; Almroth, Bethanie Carney; Eriksson-Wiklund, Ann-Kristin

    2017-09-01

    Contaminants are important stressors in the aquatic environment and may exert selective pressures on organisms. We hypothesized that snails originating from a metal-contaminated habitat (B) would have increased tolerance to harbour contaminants (e.g. metals from antifouling paints), compared to snails originating from a relatively clean habitat (A). We assessed tolerance to metals in terms of survival and histopathological alterations after 2, 4 and 8 weeks of in situ exposure in three Baltic Sea boat harbours and three reference sites. We also hypothesized that any potential tolerance to contaminants would be associated with differences in genetic diversity between the two snail populations (evaluated as mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI). The results show that snails from population A survived to a higher extent compared to population B, possibly indicating either a lack of adaptation to metals in snails B or impaired health condition due to contaminant pre-exposure or a higher resilience of snails A. Moreover, the genetic diversity of COI was low within each population and did not differ between populations. In general, 83% of all the types of histopathological alterations (e.g. lysis and necrosis of gonads and digestive gland or granulocytoma and phagocytosis in the storage tissue, among others) had a higher probability of occurrence among harbour-exposed snails compared to reference-exposed snails, regardless of snail population origin. The only significant difference in histological effects between the two populations was in the frequency of parasite infestations and shell fouling, both being larger for population A than B. Interestingly, the rate of parasite infestations was higher for males than females from population A, whereas no sexual dichotomy was observed for population B. Our results show that exposure to harbour contaminants causes both lethal and sublethal toxicity to snails, and the association between many of the toxic responses

  10. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression: The making of a “gold standard” and the unmaking of a chronic illness, 1960–1980

    PubMed Central

    Worboys, Michael

    2013-01-01

    Objectives: To show why and how the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression became the ‘Gold Standard’ for assessing therapies from the mid-1960s and how it was used to frame depression as a short-term and curable illness rather than a chronic one. Methods: My approach is that of the social construction of knowledge, identifying the interests, institutional contexts and practices that produce knowledge claims and then mapping the social processes of their circulation, validation and acceptance. Results: The circulation and validation of Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was relatively slow and it became a ‘Gold Standard’ ‘from below’, from an emerging consensus amongst psychiatrists undertaking clinical trials for depression, which from the 1960s were principally with psychopharmaceuticals for short-term illness. Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, drug trials and the construction of depression as non-chronic were mutually constituted. Discussion: Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression framed depression and its sufferers in new ways, leading psychiatrists to understand illness as a treatable episode, rather than a life course condition. As such, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression served the interests of psychiatrists and psychiatry in its new era of drug therapy outside the mental hospital. However, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was a strange kind of ‘standard’, being quite non-standard in the widely varying ways it was used and the meanings given to its findings. PMID:23172888

  11. Dementia in Ontario: Prevalence and Health Services Utilization

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tranmer, J. E.; Croxford, R.; Coyte, P. C.

    2003-01-01

    To understand the impact of ongoing reform of mental health and dementia care in Ontario, an examination of prevalence and health services utilization rates is needed. However, there exists a gap in current prevalence and health services research specific to dementia care in Ontario. The objective of this study was to address these concerns using…

  12. Effectiveness of the Revised Ontario School Record System.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Humphreys, Edward H.; Elwood, Bryan C.

    Results of a study conducted for the Ministry of Education (Ontario) and designed to evaluate the effectiveness of the Ontario School Record System (OSR) as revised in 1973 are reported in this paper. In order to evaluate the OSR's effectiveness, the study team examined educators', parents and students' perceived needs for student information,…

  13. Leading Economic Development across Ontario: Achievements and Opportunities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, North York.

    This paper has been developed by the Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario (ACAATO) to advance a strong college system that will continue to contribute to economic development in Ontario. Each year the colleges provide accessible quality career education and training in English and French to over one million adults. The…

  14. Pediatric fire deaths in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Chen, Yingming Amy; Bridgman-Acker, Karen; Edwards, Jim; Lauwers, Albert Edward

    2011-01-01

    Abstract Objective To identify the predictors of residential fire deaths in the Ontario pediatric population using systematically collected data from the Office of the Chief Coroner. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Ontario. Participants Children younger than 16 years of age who died in accidental residential fires in Ontario between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2006. Main outcome measures The study retrospectively reviewed the coroner’s case files for 60 subjects who qualified according to the selection criteria. Reviewed documents included the coroner’s investigation statements, autopsy reports, toxicology reports, fire marshal’s reports, police reports, and Children’s Aid Society (CAS) reports. Information on a range of demographic, behavioural, social, and environmental factors was collected. Statistical tests, including relative risk, relative risk confidence intervals, and χ2 tests were performed to determine the correlation between factors of interest and to establish their significance. Results Thirty-nine fire events resulting in 60 deaths occurred between 2001 and 2006. Fire play and electrical failures were the top 2 causes of residential fires. More fires occurred during the night (midnight to 9 am) than during the day (9 am to midnight). Nighttime fires were most commonly due to electrical failures or unattended candles, whereas daytime fires were primarily caused by unsupervised fire play and stove fires. Smoke alarms were present at 32 of 39 fire events (82%), but overall alarm functionality was only 54%. Children from families with a history of CAS involvement were approximately 32 times more likely to die in fires. Conclusion Risk factors for pediatric fire death in Ontario include smoke alarm functionality, fire play, fire escape behaviour, and CAS involvement. Efforts to prevent residential fire deaths should target these populations and risk factors, and primary care physicians should consider education around these

  15. University Finance in Ontario. Research Monographs in Higher Education, Number 5.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lang, Daniel W.; House, Dawn; Young, Stacey; Jones, Glen A.

    This study was an attempt to examine and discuss university finance issues in Ontario, Canada, within the broader context of higher education policy and to present data on trends and the impact of recent changes on Ontario universities. Multiple sources of data were used for the analyses. Higher education policy in Ontario has become increasingly…

  16. Lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Elrod, Joseph H.; O'Gorman, Robert; Schneider, Clifford P.; Eckert, Thomas H.; Schaner, Ted; Bowlby, James N.; Schleen, Larry P.

    1995-01-01

    Attempts to maintain the native lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) population in Lake Ontario by stocking fry failed and the species was extirpated by the 1950s. Hatchery fish stocked in the 1960s did not live to maturity because of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) predation and incidental commercial harvest. Suppression of sea lampreys began with larvicide treatments of Lake Ontario tributaries in 1971 and was enhanced when the tributaries of Oneida Lake and Lake Erie were treated in the 1980s. Annual stocking of hatchery fish was resumed with the 1972 year class and peaked at about 1.8 million yearlings and 0.3 million fingerlings from the 1985–1990 year classes. Survival of stocked yearlings declined over 50% in the 1980 s and was negatively correlated with the abundance of lake trout > 550 mm long (r = −0.91, P < 0.01, n = 12). A slot length limit imposed by the State of New York for the 1988 fishing season reduced angler harvest. Angler harvest in Canadian waters was 3 times higher in eastern Lake Ontario than in western Lake Ontario. For the 1977–1984 year classes, mean annual survival rate of lake trout age 6 and older was 0.45 (range: 0.35–0.56). In U.S. waters during 1985–1992, the total number of lake trout harvested by anglers was about 2.4 times greater than that killed by sea lampreys. The number of unmarked lake trout < 250 mm long in trawl catches in 1978–1992 was not different from that expected due to loss of marks and failure to apply marks at the hatchery, and suggested that recruitment of naturally-produced fish was nil. However, many of the obstacles which may have impeded lake trout rehabilitation in Lake Ontario during the 1980s are slowly being removed, and there are signs of a general ecosystem recovery. Significant recruitment of naturally produced lake trout by the year 2000, one interim objective of the rehabilitation plan for the Lake, may be achieved.

  17. Viscous warm inflation: Hamilton-Jacobi formalism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Akhtari, L.; Mohammadi, A.; Sayar, K.; Saaidi, Kh.

    2017-04-01

    Using Hamilton-Jacobi formalism, the scenario of warm inflation with viscous pressure is considered. The formalism gives a way of computing the slow-rolling parameter without extra approximation, and it is well-known as a powerful method in cold inflation. The model is studied in detail for three different cases of the dissipation and bulk viscous pressure coefficients. In the first case where both coefficients are taken as constant, it is shown that the case could not portray warm inflationary scenario compatible with observational data even it is possible to restrict the model parameters. For other cases, the results shows that the model could properly predicts the perturbation parameters in which they stay in perfect agreement with Planck data. As a further argument, r -ns and αs -ns are drown that show the acquired result could stand in acceptable area expressing a compatibility with observational data.

  18. Hamilton and the square root of minus one

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Weinberger, Peter

    2014-04-01

    Quaternions, objects consisting of a scalar and a vector, sound like a mysterious concept from the past. In the nineteenth century, the theory of quaternions was praised as one of the most brilliant achievements in mathematical physics. The originator of this theory, Hamilton, surely one of the greatest scientists in that area, spent about 18 years in discussing all kinds of algebraic and geometric properties of quaternions. His research was communicated to the Philosophical Magazine in three series of papers comprising a total of 29 contributions. In this commentary, these three series of papers are revisited concentrating primarily on the algebraic properties of quaternions.

  19. Implementation of CGPS at Estartit, Ibiza and Barcelona harbours for sea level monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez-Benjamin, J. J.; Ortiz Castellon, M.; Martinez-Garcia, M.; Perez, B.; Bosch, E.; Termens, A.; Martinez de Oses, X.

    2009-12-01

    The determination of global and regional mean sea level variations with accura-cies better than 1 mm/yr is a critical problem, the resolution of which is central to the current debate on climate change and its impact on the environment. Highly accurate time series from both satellite altimetry and tide gauges are needed. Measuring the sea surface height with in-situ tide gauges and GPS receivers pro-vides an efficient way to control the long term stability of the radar altimeters and other applications as the vertical land motion and studies of sea level change. L’Estartit tide gauge is a classical floating tide gauge set up in l’Estartit harbour (NE Spain) in 1990. Data are taken in graphics registers from which each two hours the mean value is recorded in an electronic support and delivered to the Permanent Service for Mean Sea level (PSMSL). Periodic surveying campaigns along the year are carried out for monitoring possible vertical movement of the geodetic benchmark adjacent to the tide gauge. Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours) installed the tide gauge station at Ibiza har-bour in January 2003 and a near GPS reference station. The station belongs to the REDMAR network, composed at this moment by 21 stations distributed along the whole Spanish waters, including also the Canary islands (http://www.puertos.es). The tide gauge also belongs to the ESEAS (European Sea Level) network. A description of the actual infrastructure at Ibiza, Barcelona and l’Estartit har-bours is presented.The main objective is the implementation of these harbours as a precise geodetic areas for sea level monitoring and altimeter calibration. Actually is a CGPS with a radar tide gauge from Puertos del Estado and a GPS belonging to Puerto de Barcelona. A precise levelling has been made by the Cartographic Insti-tute of Catalonia, ICC. The instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 3000C device and a

  20. The Short-Term Impact of Ontario's Generic Pricing Reforms

    PubMed Central

    Law, Michael R.; Ystma, Alison; Morgan, Steven G.

    2011-01-01

    Background Canadians pay amongst the highest generic drug prices in the world. In July 2010, the province of Ontario enacted a policy that halved reimbursement for generic drugs from the public drug plan, and substantially lowered prices for private purchases. We quantified the impact of this policy on overall generic drug expenditures in the province, and projected the impact in other provinces had they mimicked this pricing change. Methods We used quarterly prescription generic drug dispensing data from the IMS-Brogan CompuScript Audit. We used the price per unit in both the pre- and post-policy period and two economics price indexes to estimate the expenditure reduction in Ontario. Further, we used the post-policy Ontario prices to estimate the potential reduction in other provinces. Results We estimate that total expenditure on generic drugs in Ontario during the second half of 2010 was between $181 and $194 million below what would be expected if prices had remained at pre-policy level. Over half of the reduction in spending was due to savings on just 10 generic ingredients. If other provinces had matched Ontario's prices, their expenditures over during the latter half of 2010 would have been $445 million lower. Discussion We found that if Ontario's pricing scheme were adopted nationally, overall spending on generic drugs in Canada would drop at least $1.28 billion annually—a 5% decrease in total prescription drug expenditure. Other provinces should seriously consider both changes to their generic drug prices and the use of more competitive bulk purchasing policies. PMID:21829581

  1. The short-term impact of Ontario's generic pricing reforms.

    PubMed

    Law, Michael R; Ystma, Alison; Morgan, Steven G

    2011-01-01

    Canadians pay amongst the highest generic drug prices in the world. In July 2010, the province of Ontario enacted a policy that halved reimbursement for generic drugs from the public drug plan, and substantially lowered prices for private purchases. We quantified the impact of this policy on overall generic drug expenditures in the province, and projected the impact in other provinces had they mimicked this pricing change. We used quarterly prescription generic drug dispensing data from the IMS-Brogan CompuScript Audit. We used the price per unit in both the pre- and post-policy period and two economics price indexes to estimate the expenditure reduction in Ontario. Further, we used the post-policy Ontario prices to estimate the potential reduction in other provinces. We estimate that total expenditure on generic drugs in Ontario during the second half of 2010 was between $181 and $194 million below what would be expected if prices had remained at pre-policy level. Over half of the reduction in spending was due to savings on just 10 generic ingredients. If other provinces had matched Ontario's prices, their expenditures over during the latter half of 2010 would have been $445 million lower. We found that if Ontario's pricing scheme were adopted nationally, overall spending on generic drugs in Canada would drop at least $1.28 billion annually--a 5% decrease in total prescription drug expenditure. Other provinces should seriously consider both changes to their generic drug prices and the use of more competitive bulk purchasing policies.

  2. High-Order Central WENO Schemes for 1D Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryson, Steve; Levy, Doron; Biegel, Bryan A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    In this paper we derive fully-discrete Central WENO (CWENO) schemes for approximating solutions of one dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) equations, which combine our previous works. We introduce third and fifth-order accurate schemes, which are the first central schemes for the HJ equations of order higher than two. The core ingredient is the derivation of our schemes is a high-order CWENO reconstructions in space.

  3. The nonconvex multi-dimensional Riemann problem for Hamilton-Jacobi equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Osher, Stanley

    1989-01-01

    Simple inequalities for the Riemann problem for a Hamilton-Jacobi equation in N space dimension when neither the initial data nor the Hamiltonian need be convex (or concave) are presented. The initial data is globally continuous, affine in each orthant, with a possible jump in normal derivative across each coordinate plane, x sub i = 0. The inequalities become equalities wherever a maxmin equals a minmax and thus an exact closed form solution to this problem is then obtained.

  4. Structure and metamorphism of the Franciscan Complex, Mt. Hamilton area, Northern California

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Blake, M.C.; Wentworth, C.M.

    1999-01-01

    Truncation of metamorphic isograds and fold axes within coherent terranes of Franciscan metagraywacke by intervening zones of melange indicate that the melange is tectonic and formed after the subduction-related metamorphism and folding. These relations are expressed in two terranes of blueschist-facies rocks of the Franciscan Complex in the Mt. Hamilton area, northern California-the Jurassic Yolla Bolly terrane and the structurally underlying Cretaceous Burnt Hills terrane. Local preservation in both terranes of basal radiolarian chert and oceanic basalt beneath continent-derived metagraywacke and argillite demonstrates thrust repetition within the coherent terranes, although these relations are scarce near Mt. Hamilton. The metagraywackes range from albite-pumpellyite blueschists to those containing well-crystallized jadeitic pyroxene, and a jadeite-in isograd can be defined in parts of the area. Primary bedding defines locally coherent structural orientations and folds within the metagraywacke units. These units are crosscut by thin zones of tectonic melange containing blocks of high-grade blueschist, serpentinite, and other exotic rocks, and a broader, but otherwise identical melange zone marks the discordant boundary between the two terranes.

  5. Epilepsy Care in Ontario: An Economic Analysis of Increasing Access to Epilepsy Surgery

    PubMed Central

    Bowen, James M.; Snead, O. Carter; Chandra, Kiran; Blackhouse, Gord; Goeree, Ron

    2012-01-01

    Background In August 2011 a proposed epilepsy care model was presented to the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee (OHTAC) by an Expert Panel on a Provincial Strategy for Epilepsy Care in Ontario. The Expert Panel recommended leveraging existing infrastructure in the province to provide enhanced capacity for epilepsy care. The point of entry for epilepsy care and the diagnostic evaluation for surgery candidacy and the epilepsy surgery would occur at regional and district epilepsy centres in London, Hamilton, Toronto, and Ottawa and at new centres recommended for northern and eastern Ontario. This economic analysis report was requested by OHTAC to provide information about the estimated budgetary impact on the Ontario health care system of increasing access to epilepsy surgery and to examine the cost-effectiveness of epilepsy surgery in both children and adults. Methods A prevalence-based “top-down” health care system budgetary impact model from the perspective of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care was developed to estimate the potential costs associated with expanding health care services to increase access to epilepsy care in general and epilepsy surgery in particular. A 5-year period (i.e., 2012–2016) was used to project annual costs associated with incremental epilepsy care services. Ontario Health Survey estimates of epilepsy prevalence, published epilepsy incidence data, and Canadian Census results for Ontario were used to approximate the number of individuals with epilepsy in the province. Applying these population estimates to data obtained from a recent field evaluation study that examined patterns of care and costs associated with epilepsy surgery in children, a health care system budget impact was calculated and the total costs and incremental costs associated with increasing access to surgery was estimated. In order to examine the cost-effectiveness of epilepsy surgery in children, a decision analysis compared epilepsy surgery to

  6. Simulation of logistics to supply Corn Stover to the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Plant in Lambton, Ontario

    DOE PAGES

    Khaleghi Hamedani, Hamid; Lau, Anthony K.; DeBruyn, Jake; ...

    2016-05-10

    The overall goal of this research is to investigate the logistics of agricultural biomass in Ontario, Canada using the Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics Model (IBSAL). The supply of corn stover to the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) power plant in Lambton is simulated. This coal-fired power plant is currently not operating and there are no active plans by OPG to fuel it with biomass. Rather, this scenario is considered only to demonstrate the application of the IBSAL Model to this type of scenario. Here, five scenarios of delivering corn stover to the Lambton Generating Station (GS) power plant inmore » Lambton Ontario are modeled: (1) truck transport from field edge to OPG (base scenario); (2) farm to central storage located on the highway, then truck transport bales to OPG; (3) direct truck transport from farm (no-stacking) to OPG; (4) farm to a loading port on Lake Huron and from there on a barge to OPG; and (5) farm to a railhead and then to OPG by rail.« less

  7. Simulation of logistics to supply Corn Stover to the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) Plant in Lambton, Ontario

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

    Khaleghi Hamedani, Hamid; Lau, Anthony K.; DeBruyn, Jake

    The overall goal of this research is to investigate the logistics of agricultural biomass in Ontario, Canada using the Integrated Biomass Supply Analysis and Logistics Model (IBSAL). The supply of corn stover to the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) power plant in Lambton is simulated. This coal-fired power plant is currently not operating and there are no active plans by OPG to fuel it with biomass. Rather, this scenario is considered only to demonstrate the application of the IBSAL Model to this type of scenario. Here, five scenarios of delivering corn stover to the Lambton Generating Station (GS) power plant inmore » Lambton Ontario are modeled: (1) truck transport from field edge to OPG (base scenario); (2) farm to central storage located on the highway, then truck transport bales to OPG; (3) direct truck transport from farm (no-stacking) to OPG; (4) farm to a loading port on Lake Huron and from there on a barge to OPG; and (5) farm to a railhead and then to OPG by rail.« less

  8. Variational energy principle for compressible, baroclinic flow. 2: Free-energy form of Hamilton's principle

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schmid, L. A.

    1977-01-01

    The first and second variations are calculated for the irreducible form of Hamilton's Principle that involves the minimum number of dependent variables necessary to describe the kinetmatics and thermodynamics of inviscid, compressible, baroclinic flow in a specified gravitational field. The form of the second variation shows that, in the neighborhood of a stationary point that corresponds to physically stable flow, the action integral is a complex saddle surface in parameter space. There exists a form of Hamilton's Principle for which a direct solution of a flow problem is possible. This second form is related to the first by a Friedrichs transformation of the thermodynamic variables. This introduces an extra dependent variable, but the first and second variations are shown to have direct physical significance, namely they are equal to the free energy of fluctuations about the equilibrium flow that satisfies the equations of motion. If this equilibrium flow is physically stable, and if a very weak second order integral constraint on the correlation between the fluctuations of otherwise independent variables is satisfied, then the second variation of the action integral for this free energy form of Hamilton's Principle is positive-definite, so the action integral is a minimum, and can serve as the basis for a direct trail and error solution. The second order integral constraint states that the unavailable energy must be maximum at equilibrium, i.e. the fluctuations must be so correlated as to produce a second order decrease in the total unavailable energy.

  9. Local capacity for groundwater protection in Ontario.

    PubMed

    De Loë, Rob C; Di Giantomasso, Sandra E; Kreutzwiser, Reid D

    2002-02-01

    Preventing groundwater contamination is vastly cheaper than remediation. Recognizing this, attention in water and land management agencies in North America increasingly turn to groundwater protection. Local agencies, such as municipalities and watershed management districts, are vital to successful groundwater protection, but they face daunting challenges. In the United States, senior governments have recognized these challenges and provide considerable support for local agencies. In Ontario, Canada, local agencies are, to a much greater extent, on their own. The aims in this paper are to analyze factors that shape local capacity for groundwater protection, focusing on Ontario, and to recommend avenues for capacity building. Interrelationships among five dimensions of capacity (technical, financial, institutional, social, and political) are explored through an analysis of three smaller Ontario communities: City of Guelph (population 93,400), Town of Orangeville (population 22,188), and Town of Erin (population 11,000). Size clearly influences capacity for groundwater protection. However, other considerations unrelated to size appear to be as important. These other factors include the ability to form horizontal and vertical linkages with external agencies, political leadership and commitment, and citizen involvement. Thus, smaller communities in Ontario (and other jurisdictions with limited senior government support) would do well to focus on these areas at the same time as they develop their technical, financial, and institutional capacity.

  10. Lake Ontario benthic prey fish assessment, 2014

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen

    2015-01-01

    Benthic prey fishes are an important component of the Lake Ontario fish community and serve as vectors that move energy from benthic invertebrates into native and introduced sport fishes. Since the 1970’s, the USGS Lake Ontario Biological Station has assessed benthic fish populations and community dynamics with bottom trawls at depths ranging from 8 m out to depths of 150-225 m along the south and eastern shores of Lake Ontario. From the late 1970’s through the early 2000’s the benthic fish community was dominated by Slimy Sculpin Cottus cognatus, but in 2004 non-native Round Goby Neogobius melanostomus abundance increased and, since then Round Goby have generally been the dominant benthic species. Over the past 10 years the native Deepwater Sculpin Myoxocephalus thompsonii, once considered absent from the lake, have increased. Presently their lake-wide biomass density is equal to, or larger than, Slimy Sculpin. Species-specific assessments found Slimy and Deepwater Sculpin abundance increased slightly in 2014 relative to 2013, while changes in Round Goby abundance differed between spring and fall survey. Recent survey modifications have increased our understanding of benthic prey fish abundance and behavior in Lake Ontario. For instance, increasing the maximum tow depth to 225 m in 2014 improved our understanding of Deepwater Sculpin distribution in this rarely sampled lake habitat.

  11. A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour

    PubMed Central

    Moranda, Arianna

    2017-01-01

    A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA), and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy). 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities. PMID:29270328

  12. A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour.

    PubMed

    Paladino, Ombretta; Moranda, Arianna; Seyedsalehi, Mahdi

    2017-01-01

    A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA), and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy). 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities.

  13. Lake Ontario: Nearshore Variability

    EPA Science Inventory

    We conducted a high-resolution survey with towed electronic instrumentation along the Lake Ontario nearshore (720 km) at a 20 meter contour. The survey was conducted September 6-10, 2008 with a shorter 300 km survey conducted August 14-15 for comparing of temporal variability. ...

  14. Ontario's Policy Framework for Environmental Education: Indoctrination and Integration

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pardy, Bruce

    2010-01-01

    Outdoor educators should find little to like in the Ontario government's new policy framework for environmental education. Released in February 2009, the document, titled "Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow," relies heavily on the 2007 Report of the Working Group on Environmental Education in Ontario, "Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our…

  15. Airborne emissions in the harbour and port of Cork.

    PubMed

    Sodeau, John R; Hellebust, Stig; Allanic, Arnaud; O'Connor, Ian; Healy, David A; Healy, Robert; Wenger, John

    2009-07-01

    It is now accepted that the transport sector is responsible for a large and growing share of global emissions affecting both health and climate. The quantification of these effects requires, as an essential first step, a comprehensive analysis and characterization of the contributing subsectors, i.e. road transport, shipping, aviation and rail. The shipping contribution in dock/harbour areas is of particular interest because many vessels use old engines powered with old technology giving rise to high levels of particulate emissions mainly because the fuel employed contains high levels of sulphur, up to 4.5%. Large amounts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons and varying contents of transition metals are also detected. Few studies on the physicochemical composition of direct emissions from ship fuels have been performed; none have been compared to actual contents in local harbour or port atmospheres. The transformation of these ship-related materials to toxicologically active species may be much more efficient than corresponding road emission or domestic sources because of the expected highly acidic nature of the particulates. Surface, toxic material may therefore become readily bioavailable under such conditions but such studies have not been performed hitherto. This mini-review outlines in detail the issues raised above in the context of measurements made in Cork, Ireland.

  16. Filing for workers' compensation among Ontario cases of mesothelioma.

    PubMed

    Payne, Jennifer Isabelle; Pichora, Erin

    2009-01-01

    For many types of cancer, disease attribution to occupational exposures is difficult. Mesothelioma, however, is a 'sentinel' occupational cancer associated with asbestos exposure. The present study linked workers' compensation claims data with cancer registry data to explore the completeness of reporting of mesothelioma to the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) according to characteristics of cases diagnosed among Ontario residents. Two data sources were linked at the person level: the WSIB Occupational Disease Information and Surveillance System and the Ontario Cancer Registry. Filing rates were calculated as the proportion of Ontario Cancer Registry mesothelioma cases (International Classification of Diseases - Oncology code 905) that linked to a WSIB-filed cancer claim. Filing rates were calculated for the period 1980 to 2002, and trends were calculated by year, age and county of residence at diagnosis. The filing rate for compensation has increased little over the past 20 years, reaching a high of 43% in 2000. Overall, filing rates were highest among pleural mesothelioma cases among men (range 27% to 57%). Filing rates were highest among individuals 50 to 59 years of age and declined substantially throughout the retirement years. There was substantial variation in filing rates by area of residence, with the highest rate being in Lambton County, Ontario. The filing rate for compensation in Ontario was much lower than the estimated proportion of cases eligible for compensation. The increased filing rate in Lambton County was likely related to this community's awareness of the association between asbestos and mesothelioma. Physicians can play an important role in educating patients of their potential entitlement to compensation benefits.

  17. Filing for workers’ compensation among Ontario cases of mesothelioma

    PubMed Central

    Payne, Jennifer Isabelle; Pichora, Erin

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: For many types of cancer, disease attribution to occupational exposures is difficult. Mesothelioma, however, is a ‘sentinel’ occupational cancer associated with asbestos exposure. The present study linked workers’ compensation claims data with cancer registry data to explore the completeness of reporting of mesothelioma to the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) according to characteristics of cases diagnosed among Ontario residents. METHODS: Two data sources were linked at the person level: the WSIB Occupational Disease Information and Surveillance System and the Ontario Cancer Registry. Filing rates were calculated as the proportion of Ontario Cancer Registry mesothelioma cases (International Classification of Diseases – Oncology code 905) that linked to a WSIB-filed cancer claim. Filing rates were calculated for the period 1980 to 2002, and trends were calculated by year, age and county of residence at diagnosis. RESULTS: The filing rate for compensation has increased little over the past 20 years, reaching a high of 43% in 2000. Overall, filing rates were highest among pleural mesothelioma cases among men (range 27% to 57%). Filing rates were highest among individuals 50 to 59 years of age and declined substantially throughout the retirement years. There was substantial variation in filing rates by area of residence, with the highest rate being in Lambton County, Ontario. CONCLUSION: The filing rate for compensation in Ontario was much lower than the estimated proportion of cases eligible for compensation. The increased filing rate in Lambton County was likely related to this community’s awareness of the association between asbestos and mesothelioma. Physicians can play an important role in educating patients of their potential entitlement to compensation benefits. PMID:19851532

  18. "Good, Steady Progress": Success Stories from Ontario Elementary Schools in Challenging Circumstances

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flessa, Joseph; Gallagher-Mackay, Kelly; Parker, Darlene Ciuffetelli

    2010-01-01

    This paper presents findings from a funded case study research project conducted in Ontario, Canada during the 2007-2008 school year. Together with the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the researchers undertook a qualitative investigation to identify and describe success stories from a diverse sample of 11 Ontario elementary…

  19. A Discontinuous Galerkin Finite Element Method for Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Hu, Changqing; Shu, Chi-Wang

    1998-01-01

    In this paper, we present a discontinuous Galerkin finite element method for solving the nonlinear Hamilton-Jacobi equations. This method is based on the Runge-Kutta discontinuous Galerkin finite element method for solving conservation laws. The method has the flexibility of treating complicated geometry by using arbitrary triangulation, can achieve high order accuracy with a local, compact stencil, and are suited for efficient parallel implementation. One and two dimensional numerical examples are given to illustrate the capability of the method.

  20. Lake Ontario Shore Protection Study: Literature Review Report.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1979-07-01

    Rochester Region - Extracted from IJC, May 1976 31 Recreational Facilities and Lake Ontario State Parkway Expressways - Existing and Proposed...Throughout Areas of the Lake Ontario Western and Central Basins and the Genesee and Oswego River Basins - Extracted from the Genesee/Finger Lakes Regional...Planning Board, Nov. 1972 32 Recreational Facilities of the Rochester to St. Lawrence Region - Extracted from IJC, May 1976 33 Aquatic Vegetation

  1. The Efficacy of Key Performance Indicators in Ontario Universities as Perceived by Key Informants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chan, Vivian

    2015-01-01

    The Ontario Ministry of Education and Training's Task Force on University Accountability first proposed key performance indicators (KPIs) for colleges and universities in Ontario in the early 1990s. The three main KPIs for Ontario universities are the rates of (1) graduation, (2) employment, and (3) Ontario Student Assistance Program loan default.…

  2. Hamilton-Jacobi modelling of relative motion for formation flying.

    PubMed

    Kolemen, Egemen; Kasdin, N Jeremy; Gurfil, Pini

    2005-12-01

    A precise analytic model for the relative motion of a group of satellites in slightly elliptic orbits is introduced. With this aim, we describe the relative motion of an object relative to a circular or slightly elliptic reference orbit in the rotating Hill frame via a low-order Hamiltonian, and solve the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. This results in a first-order solution to the relative motion identical to the Clohessy-Wiltshire approach; here, however, rather than using initial conditions as our constants of the motion, we utilize the canonical momenta and coordinates. This allows us to treat perturbations in an identical manner, as in the classical Delaunay formulation of the two-body problem. A precise analytical model for the base orbit is chosen with the included effect of zonal harmonics (J(2), J(3), J(4)). A Hamiltonian describing the real relative motion is formed and by differing this from the nominal Hamiltonian, the perturbing Hamiltonian is obtained. Using the Hamilton equations, the variational equations for the new constants are found. In a manner analogous to the center manifold reduction procedure, the non-periodic part of the motion is canceled through a magnitude analysis leading to simple boundedness conditions that cancel the drift terms due to the higher order perturbations. Using this condition, the variational equations are integrated to give periodic solutions that closely approximate the results from numerical integration (1 mm/per orbit for higher order and eccentricity perturbations and 30 cm/per orbit for zonal perturbations). This procedure provides a compact and insightful analytic description of the resulting relative motion.

  3. Lessons learned from Ontario wind energy disputes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fast, Stewart; Mabee, Warren; Baxter, Jamie; Christidis, Tanya; Driver, Liz; Hill, Stephen; McMurtry, J. J.; Tomkow, Melody

    2016-02-01

    Issues concerning the social acceptance of wind energy are major challenges for policy-makers, communities and wind developers. They also impact the legitimacy of societal decisions to pursue wind energy. Here we set out to identify and assess the factors that lead to wind energy disputes in Ontario, Canada, a region of the world that has experienced a rapid increase in the development of wind energy. Based on our expertise as a group comprising social scientists, a community representative and a wind industry advocate engaged in the Ontario wind energy situation, we explore and suggest recommendations based on four key factors: socially mediated health concerns, the distribution of financial benefits, lack of meaningful engagement and failure to treat landscape concerns seriously. Ontario's recent change from a feed-in-tariff-based renewable electricity procurement process to a competitive bid process, albeit with more attention to community engagement, will only partially address these concerns.

  4. Identification of a novel gammaherpesvirus associated with (muco)cutaneous lesions in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

    PubMed

    van Beurden, Steven J; IJsseldijk, Lonneke L; Ordonez, Soledad R; Förster, Christine; de Vrieze, Geert; Gröne, Andrea; Verheije, M Hélène; Kik, Marja

    2015-12-01

    Herpesviruses infect a wide range of vertebrates, including toothed whales of the order Cetacea. One of the smallest toothed whales is the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), which is widespread in the coastal waters of the northern hemisphere, including the North Sea. Here, we describe the detection and phylogenetic analysis of a novel gammaherpesvirus associated with mucocutaneous and skin lesions in stranded harbour porpoises along the Dutch coast, tentatively designated phocoenid herpesvirus 1 (PhoHV1). Phylogenetically, PhoHV1 forms a monophyletic clade with all other gammaherpesviruses described in toothed whales (Odontoceti) to date, suggesting a common evolutionary origin.

  5. The Ontario Psychosocial Oncology Framework: a quality improvement tool.

    PubMed

    Li, Madeline; Green, Esther

    2013-05-01

    To overview the newly developed Psychosocial Health Care for Cancer Patients and Their Families: A Framework to Guide Practice in Ontario and Guideline Recommendations in the context of Canadian psychosocial oncology care and propose strategies for guideline uptake and implementation. Recommendations from the 2008 Institute of Medicine standard Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs were adapted into the Ontario Psychosocial Oncology (PSO) Framework. Existing practice guidelines developed by the Canadian Partnership against Cancer and Cancer Care Ontario and standards developed by the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology are supporting resources for adopting a quality improvement (QI) approach to the implementation of the framework in Ontario. The developed PSO Framework, including 31 specific actionable recommendations, is intended to improve the quality of comprehensive cancer care at both the provider and system levels. Important QI change management processes are described as Educate - raising awareness among medical teams of the significance of psychosocial needs of patients, Evidence - developing a research evidence base for patient care benefits from psychosocial interventions, and Electronics - using technology to collect patient reported outcomes of both physical and emotional symptoms. The Ontario PSO Framework is unique and valuable in providing actionable recommendations that can be implemented through QI processes. Overall, the result will be improved psychosocial health care for the cancer population. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  6. A comparison of eutrophication impacts in two harbours in Hong Kong with different hydrodynamics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Xu, J.; Yin, K.; Liu, H.; Lee, J. H. W.; Anderson, D. M.; Ho, A. Y. T.; Harrison, P. J.

    2010-11-01

    Eutrophication impacts may vary spatially and temporally due to different physical processes. Using a 22-year time series data set (1986-2007), a comparison was made of eutrophication impacts between the two harbours with very different hydrodynamic conditions. Victoria Harbour (Victoria) receives sewage effluent and therefore nutrients are abundant. In the highly-flushed Victoria, the highest monthly average Chl a (13 μg L -1) occurred during the period of strongest stratification in summer as a result of rainfall, runoff and the input of the nutrient-rich Pearl River estuarine waters, but the high flushing rate restricted nutrient utilization and further accumulation of algal biomass. In other seasons, vertical mixing induced light limitation and horizontal dilution led to low Chl a (< 2 μg L -1) and no spring bloom. Few hypoxic events (DO < 2 mg L -1) occurred due to re-aeration and limited accumulation at depth due to flushing and vertical mixing. Therefore, Victoria is resilient to nutrient enrichment. In contrast, in the weakly-flushed Tolo Harbour (Tolo), year long stratification, long residence times and weak tidal currents favored algal growth, resulting in a spring diatom bloom and high Chl a (10-30 μg L -1) all year and frequent hypoxic events in summer. Hence, Tolo is susceptible to nutrient enrichment and responded to nutrient reduction after sewage diversion in 1997. Sewage diversion from Tolo resulted in a 32-38% decrease in algal biomass in Tolo, but not in Victoria. There has been a significant increase (11-22%) in bottom DO in both harbours. Our findings demonstrate that an understanding of the role of physical processes is critical in order to predict the effectiveness of sewage management strategies in reducing eutrophication impacts.

  7. Pathology of finfish and mud crabs Scylla serrata during a mortality event associated with a harbour development project in Port Curtis, Australia.

    PubMed

    Dennis, M M; Diggles, B K; Faulder, R; Olyott, L; Pyecroft, S B; Gilbert, G E; Landos, M

    2016-10-27

    The objective of this study was to assess the extent and describe the nature of a multi-species marine finfish and crustacean disease event that occurred in Gladstone Harbour, Australia, 2011-2012. Finfish were examined for this study in January to April 2012 from sites where diseased animals were previously observed by the public. Gross abnormalities, including excessive skin and gill mucus, erythema, heavy ecto-parasitism, cutaneous ulceration, corneal opacity, and exophthalmos, were higher (25.5%) in finfish from Gladstone Harbour (n = 435) than in those from an undeveloped reference site, 250 km to the north (5.5%, n = 146, p < 0.0001). Microscopic abnormalities, especially non-infectious erosive to ulcerative dermatitis and internal parasitism, were more prevalent in fish from Gladstone Harbour (n = 34 of 36, prevalence = 94.4%) than in fish from the reference site (3 of 23, prevalence = 13.0% p < 0.0001). The prevalence of shell lesions was higher in mud crabs Scylla serrata sampled from Gladstone Harbour (270 of 718, prevalence = 37.5%) than from the reference site (21 of 153, prevalence = 13.7%; p < 0.0001). The significantly higher prevalence of ulcerative skin disease and parasitism in a range of species suggests affected animals were subjected to influences in Gladstone Harbour that were not present in the control sites. The disease epidemic coincided temporally and spatially with water quality changes caused by a harbour development project. The unique hydrology, geology, and industrial history of the harbour, the scope of the development of the project, and the failure of a bund wall built to retain dredge spoil sediment were important factors contributing to this epidemic.

  8. Geodetic Infrastructure in the Ibiza and Barcelona Harbours for Sea Level Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez-Benjamin, J. J.; Gili, J.; Lopez, R.; Tapia, A.; Perez, B.; Pros, F.

    2013-12-01

    The presentation is directed to the description of the actual situation and relevant information of the geodetic infrastructure of Ibiza and Barcelona sites for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise. Time series are being analysed for mean sea level variations www.puertos.es. .In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica s.l. near an acoustic tide gauge. Puertos del Estado installed in 2007 a MIROS radar tide gauge and the Barcelona Harbour Authority a GPS referente station in the roof of the new Control Tower situated in the Energy Pier. The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna 1202. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land. The measured settlement rate is about 1cm/year that may be could mask the values registered by the tide gauge. A description of the actual infrastructure at Ibiza harbour at Marina de Botafoch, is presented and its applications to sea level monitoring and altimeter calibration in support of the main CGPS at Ibiza harbour. It is described the geometrical precision levelling made in June 2013 between the radar tide gauge and the GPS station. In particular, the CGPS located at Ibiza harbour is essential for its application to the marine campaign Baleares 2013, near Ibiza island. The main objective is to determine the altimeter bias for Jason-2, about 9:09 UTC September 15, 2013, and Saral/AltiKa, about 05:30 UTC September 16, UTC. These activities has been received funding of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under Spanish

  9. Charting the Development of Portsmouth Harbour, Dockyard and Town in the Tudor Period

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Fontana, Dominic

    2013-12-01

    Portsmouth was crucial to the defence of Tudor England and consequently it was mapped for military planning purposes throughout the Tudor period from 1545. The resulting sequence of maps records much of the town and harbour. The maps offer opportunities for furthering our understanding of Tudor Portsmouth and its population Additionally, images of the urban landscape provided by the "Cowdray Engraving", which depicts the loss of Henry VIII's warship Mary Rose on the 19th July 1545, may also be considered and compared with those presented in the early maps of the town. This paper considers the Portsmouth maps of 1545, 1552, 1584 and the chart of Portsmouth Harbour dating from between 1586 and 1620. These are examined in relation to one another and compared with evidence from the Cowdray Engraving.

  10. Work-related hand injuries in Ontario: an historical perspective.

    PubMed

    Schofield, Michel M E

    2005-10-01

    Worker's compensation legislation was enacted in Ontario almost 90 years ago. Workers injured on the job gave up their right to sue employers and received no-fault compensation from an independent, employer-funded body called the Workmen's Compensation Board. Three academic health sciences centers in Ontario that are recognized for their commitment to patient care, research, and education compose part of the Specialty Program network with the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). Statistical data from the WSIB database for workers with hand injuries from 1996 to 2003 show an increase in fractures from fall injuries in the group of women older than 60 that may be related to osteoporosis, a common condition in this group.

  11. Future changes of temperature and heat waves in Ontario, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Zhong; Huang, Guohe; Huang, Wendy; Lin, Qianguo; Liao, Renfei; Fan, Yurui

    2018-05-01

    Apparent changes in the temperature patterns in recent years brought many challenges to the province of Ontario, Canada. As the need for adapting to climate change challenges increases, the development of reliable climate projections becomes a crucial task. In this study, a regional climate modeling system, Providing Regional Climates for Impacts Studies (PRECIS), is used to simulate the temperature patterns in Ontario. Three PRECIS runs with a resolution of 25 km × 25 km are carried out to simulate the present (1961-1990) temperature variations. There is a good match between the simulated and observed data, which validates the performance of PRECIS in reproducing temperature changes in Ontario. Future changes of daily maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures during the period 2071-2100 are then projected under the IPCC SRES A2 and B2 emission scenarios using PRECIS. Spatial variations of annual mean temperature, mean diurnal range, and temperature seasonality are generated. Furthermore, heat waves defined based on the exceedance of local climatology and their temporal and spatial characteristics are analyzed. The results indicate that the highest temperature and the most intensive heat waves are most likely to occur at the Toronto-Windsor corridor in Southern Ontario. The Northern Ontario, in spite of the relatively low projected temperature, would be under the risk of long-lasting heat waves, and thus needs effective measures to enhance its climate resilience in the future. This study can assist the decision makers in better understanding the future temperature changes in Ontario and provide decision support for mitigating heat-related loss.

  12. Ontario pharmacists' crisis over Bill 16: A missed opportunity?

    PubMed

    Rosenthal, Meagen; Austin, Zubin; Tsuyuki, Ross T

    2012-01-01

    In 2010, the Ontario government brought forward Bill 16, which, among other things, removed pharmacists' professional allowances. While many would disagree with this unilateral action by the Ontario government, it also could have served as a crisis for change towards patient-centred care. We sought to examine the response of the pharmacy profession in Ontario to this crisis as it relates to the vision outlined in the Blueprint for Pharmacy. We systematically examined publicly available responses to Schedule 5 of Ontario's Bill 16 during the period from April to June 16, 2010. A rapid textual analysis of the data using tag or word clouds and a qualitative content analysis were performed on all of the data collected. The rapid textual analysis revealed that the most frequently used terms were "pharmacist," "pharmacy" and "professional allowances"; the least used were "layoffs," "service cuts" and "patient care." Content analysis revealed 4 themes: the desire to maintain the status quo of practice, a focus on the business of pharmacy, pharmacy stakeholders' perceptions of government's attitude towards the profession and changes to patient services. It is notable that patient care was almost completely absent from the discussion, a reflection that our profession has not embraced patient-centred care. This also represents a missed opportunity - a crisis that could have been used to move the profession towards the Blueprint's vision. We thought that the Blueprint had already achieved this consensus, but the Ontario experience has shown that this may not be the case.

  13. The Code Red Project: Engaging Communities in Health System Change in Hamilton, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    DeLuca, Patrick F.; Buist, Steve; Johnston, Neil

    2012-01-01

    The communication of determinants of health and health outcomes normally executed through academic channels often fail to reach lay audiences. In April of 2010, the results of collaboration between academe and mass media were published in the Hamilton Spectator, one of Canada's 10 largest English-language daily newspapers as a 7-day series. The…

  14. The Election of 1800: Alexander Hamilton and the Death of the Federalist Party.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holbrook-DeFeo, Gary

    1993-01-01

    Describes the significance of the election of 1800 in the development of political parties in the United States. Contends that Alexander Hamilton's view of the United States Constitution was dangerous for the new nation and led to a permanent split in the Federalist Party. Includes a resource bibliography for teachers wishing to incorporate this…

  15. Quantum Hamilton equations of motion for bound states of one-dimensional quantum systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Köppe, J.; Patzold, M.; Grecksch, W.; Paul, W.

    2018-06-01

    On the basis of Nelson's stochastic mechanics derivation of the Schrödinger equation, a formal mathematical structure of non-relativistic quantum mechanics equivalent to the one in classical analytical mechanics has been established in the literature. We recently were able to augment this structure by deriving quantum Hamilton equations of motion by finding the Nash equilibrium of a stochastic optimal control problem, which is the generalization of Hamilton's principle of classical mechanics to quantum systems. We showed that these equations allow a description and numerical determination of the ground state of quantum problems without using the Schrödinger equation. We extend this approach here to deliver the complete discrete energy spectrum and related eigenfunctions for bound states of one-dimensional stationary quantum systems. We exemplify this analytically for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator and numerically by analyzing a quartic double-well potential, a model of broad importance in many areas of physics. We furthermore point out a relation between the tunnel splitting of such models and mean first passage time concepts applied to Nelson's diffusion paths in the ground state.

  16. On global solutions of the random Hamilton-Jacobi equations and the KPZ problem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bakhtin, Yuri; Khanin, Konstantin

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we discuss possible qualitative approaches to the problem of KPZ universality. Throughout the paper, our point of view is based on the geometrical and dynamical properties of minimisers and shocks forming interlacing tree-like structures. We believe that the KPZ universality can be explained in terms of statistics of these structures evolving in time. The paper is focussed on the setting of the random Hamilton-Jacobi equations. We formulate several conjectures concerning global solutions and discuss how their properties are connected to the KPZ scalings in dimension 1  +  1. In the case of general viscous Hamilton-Jacobi equations with non-quadratic Hamiltonians, we define generalised directed polymers. We expect that their behaviour is similar to the behaviour of classical directed polymers, and present arguments in favour of this conjecture. We also define a new renormalisation transformation defined in purely geometrical terms and discuss conjectural properties of the corresponding fixed points. Most of our conjectures are widely open, and supported by only partial rigorous results for particular models.

  17. The nonconvex multi-dimensional Riemann problem for Hamilton-Jacobi equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bardi, Martino; Osher, Stanley

    1991-01-01

    Simple inequalities are presented for the viscosity solution of a Hamilton-Jacobi equation in N space dimensions when neither the initial data nor the Hamiltonian need be convex (or concave). The initial data are uniformly Lipschitz and can be written as the sum of a convex function in a group of variables and a concave function in the remaining variables, therefore including the nonconvex Riemann problem. The inequalities become equalities wherever a 'maxmin' equals a 'minmax', and thus a representation formula for this problem is obtained, generalizing the classical Hopi formulas.

  18. Value-oriented citizenship index: New extensions of Kelman and Hamilton's theory to prevent autocracy.

    PubMed

    Morselli, Davide; Passini, Stefano

    2015-11-01

    In Crimes of obedience, Kelman and Hamilton argue that societies can be protected by the degeneration of authority only when citizenship is based on a strong values orientation. This reference to values may be the weakest point in their theory because they do not explicitly define these values. Nevertheless, their empirical findings suggest that the authors are referring to specific democratic principles and universal values (e.g., equality, fairness, harmlessness). In this article, a composite index known as the value-oriented citizenship (VOC) index is introduced and empirically analysed. The results confirm that the VOC index discriminates between people who relate to authority based on values rather than based on their role or on rules in general. The article discusses the utility of the VOC index to develop Kelman and Hamilton's framework further empirically as well as its implications for the analysis of the relationship between individuals and authority. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. The Quality Assurance System for Ontario Postsecondary Education: 2010-2014

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Liu, Qin

    2015-01-01

    The period of 2010 to 2014 marked a relatively stable stage in the evolving quality assurance system for Ontario postsecondary education, particularly following massive changes after 2000. The current system consists of three frameworks overseen respectively by three quality assurance agencies--the Ontario Universities Council on Quality…

  20. Facts & Figures, 1999: A Compendium of Statistics on Ontario Universities.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    This is the sixth edition of statistical and graphical information on the Ontario (Canada) university system. The report contains six sections: (1) Ontario population data, which includes population projections to 2021, income and employment rates by educational attainment, and university participation rates; (2) applicant/registrant data, which…

  1. Ontario Kindergarten Teachers' Social Media Discussions about Full Day Kindergarten

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lynch, Meghan

    2014-01-01

    This exploratory netnographic study describes how a sample of Ontario kindergarten teachers perceive the new Ontario Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) curriculum. Discussions from teacher message boards, the comment sections of online news articles, and interviews with kindergarten teachers were analyzed and coded using a qualitative approach. Analysis…

  2. The Development and Characteristics of Ancient Harbours-Applying the PADM Chart to the Case Studies of Ostia and Portus.

    PubMed

    Salomon, Ferreol; Keay, Simon; Carayon, Nicolas; Goiran, Jean-Philippe

    2016-01-01

    Over the last 20 years, the geoarchaeology of ancient harbours has been a very active area of research around the Mediterranean basin, generating much palaeoenvironmental data from many sites, including estimations of sedimentation rates, the height of the ancient sea-level at different dates and palaeo-geographical reconstructions. Combining this information has proved a major challenge. This article proposes a new chart called the Palaeoenvironmental Age-Depth Model (PADM chart), that allows the researchers to combine all relevant indicators in order to estimate harbour potential of a given ancient port, and to generate comparable data between harbours in terms of degree of closure and water depth available against a synchronised chronology. This new approach, developed in the context of the ERC-funded RoMP Portuslimen project, takes into account estimations of water depths relating to differing Roman ship draughts at different periods. It is tested against the palaeoenvironmental evidence published over 10 years from two Roman harbours located at the mouth of the river Tiber: Ostia and Portus. This reveals that: (1) there has been an underestimate of the real sedimentation rates due to the margins of error of the radiocarbon dates; (2) there was effective control of the water column by dredging; (3) there were different periods of control of the sedimentation. We suggest that the navigability of the Ostia harbour by ships with shallower draughts was maintained until sometime between the 2nd c. BC and 1st c. AD, while at Portus it was retained until the 6th-7th c. AD.

  3. Multimodal electromechanical model of piezoelectric transformers by Hamilton's principle.

    PubMed

    Nadal, Clement; Pigache, Francois

    2009-11-01

    This work deals with a general energetic approach to establish an accurate electromechanical model of a piezoelectric transformer (PT). Hamilton's principle is used to obtain the equations of motion for free vibrations. The modal characteristics (mass, stiffness, primary and secondary electromechanical conversion factors) are also deduced. Then, to illustrate this general electromechanical method, the variational principle is applied to both homogeneous and nonhomogeneous Rosen-type PT models. A comparison of modal parameters, mechanical displacements, and electrical potentials are presented for both models. Finally, the validity of the electrodynamical model of nonhomogeneous Rosen-type PT is confirmed by a numerical comparison based on a finite elements method and an experimental identification.

  4. 77 FR 52058 - Notice of Inventory Completion: Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-08-28

    ... Inventory Completion: Longyear Museum of Anthropology, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The Longyear Museum of Anthropology has completed an... cultural affiliation with the human remains should contact the Longyear Museum of Anthropology at the...

  5. Seal dynamics on the Swedish west coast: Scenarios of competition as Baltic grey seal intrude on harbour seal territory

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Svensson, Carl Johan

    2012-07-01

    The Kattegat-Skagerrak region on the Swedish west coast is home to an abundant harbour seal population (Phoca vitulina) and a small scattered grey seal population (Halichoerus grypus). In addition, grey seal from the growing population in the Baltic Sea frequently migrate into the Kattegat-Skagerrak. Harbour seals on the west coast of Sweden show relatively high population growth (approximately 9%) compared to the Baltic grey seal in ice-free habitats (approximately 6%), which, in theory, makes harbour seal the stronger competitor of the two in this region. However, incidents of disease in harbour seals that lower population growth are becoming more frequent. These epidemics are primarily caused by the Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV), and may reduce population size with up to 70%. This study models the average development under potential scenarios of competing harbour- and Baltic grey seal populations using Leslie matrices and the Lotka-Volterra model of inter-specific competition. The model is parameterised with previously published data, and resource overlap is incorporated through density dependent pup survival. Using numerical methods short- and long-term abundances are simulated under weak, moderate and strong competition and for different frequencies of PDV epidemics. Results show that the harbour seals are resilient to competition while exerting a negative effect on grey seal abundance under moderate to strong competition. Hence Baltic grey seal benefit from weaker levels of competition. Under moderate and strong competition grey seal abundance is a direct function of the PDV frequency as this reduces the competitive strength of harbour seals. Theoretically this means that higher frequencies of PDV or other pathogens epidemics could facilitate an expansion of Baltic grey seal into Kattegat-Skagerrak. Independent of interaction strength and frequency of epidemics the projected changes to abundances are slow (50-100 years), and even in exceedingly stable

  6. Poster - 27: Incident Learning Practices in Ontario

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

    Angers, Crystal; Medlam, Gaylene; Liszewski, Brian

    Purpose: The Radiation Incident and Safety Committee (RISC), established and supported by Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), is responsible for advising the Provincial Head of the Radiation Treatment program on matters relating to provincial reporting of radiation incidents with the goal of improved risk mitigation. Methods: The committee is made up of Radiation Incident Leads (RILs) with representation from each of the 14 radiation medicine programs in the province. RISC routinely meets to review recent critical incidents and to discuss provincial reporting processes and future directions of the committee. Regular face to face meetings have provided an excellent venue for sharingmore » incident learning practices. A summary of the incident learning practices across Ontario has been compiled. Results: Almost all programs in Ontario employ an incident learning committee to review incidents and identify corrective actions or process improvements. Tools used for incident reporting include: paper based reporting, a number of different commercial products and software solutions developed in-house. A wide range of classification schema (data taxonomies) are employed, although most have been influenced by national guidance documents. The majority of clinics perform root cause analyses but utilized methodologies vary significantly. Conclusions: Most programs in Ontario employ a committee approach to incident learning. However, the reporting tools and taxonomies in use vary greatly which represents a significant challenge to provincial reporting. RISC is preparing to adopt the National System for Incident Reporting – Radiation Therapy (NSIR-RT) which will standardize incident reporting and facilitate data analyses aimed at identifying targeted improvement initiatives.« less

  7. Ontario's Student Voice Initiative

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Courtney, Jean

    2014-01-01

    This article describes in some detail aspects of the Student Voice initiative funded and championed by Ontario's Ministry of Education since 2008. The project enables thousands of students to make their voices heard in meaningful ways and to participate in student-led research. Some students from grades 7 to 12 become members of the Student…

  8. Ontario Hydro and SGML.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rockley, Ann

    1993-01-01

    Describes how an analysis of Ontario Hydro's conversion of 20,000 pages of paper manuals to online documentation established the scope of the project, provided a set of design criteria, and recommended the use of Standard Generalized Markup Language to create the new documentation and the purchase of the "Dinatext" program to produce it.…

  9. Methodological Contributions of Person Perception to Performance Appraisal.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-03-01

    Social Cognitions: The Ontario Symposium. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 1980. 30 Higgins, E . T., Rholes, W. S., & Jones, C . R . Category...rettinq. Next we ’hal list what we fc,. ,.’: th, a n r ’-aI areas in person p.,.rce otion that a .poar t! ,’ e thr, 1roater:t potential for " contribution...Hamilton, D. L., Katz, L. B., & Leirer, V. 0. Organizational processes in impression formation. In R . Hastie, T. Ostrom, E . Ebbesen, R . Wyer, D. Hamilton

  10. Economic Appraisal of Ontario's Universal Influenza Immunization Program: A Cost-Utility Analysis

    PubMed Central

    Sander, Beate; Kwong, Jeffrey C.; Bauch, Chris T.; Maetzel, Andreas; McGeer, Allison; Raboud, Janet M.; Krahn, Murray

    2010-01-01

    Background In July 2000, the province of Ontario, Canada, initiated a universal influenza immunization program (UIIP) to provide free seasonal influenza vaccines for the entire population. This is the first large-scale program of its kind worldwide. The objective of this study was to conduct an economic appraisal of Ontario's UIIP compared to a targeted influenza immunization program (TIIP). Methods and Findings A cost-utility analysis using Ontario health administrative data was performed. The study was informed by a companion ecological study comparing physician visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, and deaths between 1997 and 2004 in Ontario and nine other Canadian provinces offering targeted immunization programs. The relative change estimates from pre-2000 to post-2000 as observed in other provinces were applied to pre-UIIP Ontario event rates to calculate the expected number of events had Ontario continued to offer targeted immunization. Main outcome measures were quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), costs in 2006 Canadian dollars, and incremental cost-utility ratios (incremental cost per QALY gained). Program and other costs were drawn from Ontario sources. Utility weights were obtained from the literature. The incremental cost of the program per QALY gained was calculated from the health care payer perspective. Ontario's UIIP costs approximately twice as much as a targeted program but reduces influenza cases by 61% and mortality by 28%, saving an estimated 1,134 QALYs per season overall. Reducing influenza cases decreases health care services cost by 52%. Most cost savings can be attributed to hospitalizations avoided. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio is Can$10,797/QALY gained. Results are most sensitive to immunization cost and number of deaths averted. Conclusions Universal immunization against seasonal influenza was estimated to be an economically attractive intervention. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary

  11. Student Accounts of the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test: A Case for Validation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cheng, Liying; Fox, Janna; Zheng, Ying

    2007-01-01

    The Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT) is a cross-curricular literacy test issued to all secondary school students in the province of Ontario. The test consists of a reading and a writing component, both of which must be successfully completed for secondary school graduation in Ontario. This study elicited 16 first language and second…

  12. Ontario pharmacists' crisis over Bill 16: A missed opportunity?

    PubMed Central

    Rosenthal, Meagen; Austin, Zubin; Tsuyuki, Ross T.

    2012-01-01

    Introduction: In 2010, the Ontario government brought forward Bill 16, which, among other things, removed pharmacists' professional allowances. While many would disagree with this unilateral action by the Ontario government, it also could have served as a crisis for change towards patient-centred care. We sought to examine the response of the pharmacy profession in Ontario to this crisis as it relates to the vision outlined in the Blueprint for Pharmacy. Methods: We systematically examined publicly available responses to Schedule 5 of Ontario's Bill 16 during the period from April to June 16, 2010. A rapid textual analysis of the data using tag or word clouds and a qualitative content analysis were performed on all of the data collected. Results: The rapid textual analysis revealed that the most frequently used terms were “pharmacist,” “pharmacy” and “professional allowances”; the least used were “layoffs,” “service cuts” and “patient care.” Content analysis revealed 4 themes: the desire to maintain the status quo of practice, a focus on the business of pharmacy, pharmacy stakeholders' perceptions of government's attitude towards the profession and changes to patient services. Discussion: It is notable that patient care was almost completely absent from the discussion, a reflection that our profession has not embraced patient-centred care. This also represents a missed opportunity — a crisis that could have been used to move the profession towards the Blueprint's vision. We thought that the Blueprint had already achieved this consensus, but the Ontario experience has shown that this may not be the case. PMID:23509486

  13. 3. ONTARIO MINE. ADIT ENTRANCE WITH TIN ROOF. TIP TOP ...

    Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

    3. ONTARIO MINE. ADIT ENTRANCE WITH TIN ROOF. TIP TOP IS LOCATED IN LINE WITH 'Y' BRANCH AND THE TAILING PILE FOR TIP TOP IS VISIBLE JUST TO RIGHT OF IT. CAMERA POINTED SOUTH-SOUTHEAST. - Florida Mountain Mining Sites, Ontario Mine, Northwest side of Florida Mountain, Silver City, Owyhee County, ID

  14. Pedagogical over Punitive: The Academic Integrity Websites of Ontario Universities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Griffith, Jane

    2013-01-01

    This study is a snapshot of how Ontario universities are currently promoting academic integrity (AI) online. Rather than concentrating on policies, this paper uses a semiotic methodology to consider how the websites of Ontario's publicly funded universities present AI through language and image. The paper begins by surveying each website and…

  15. Refraction seismic studies in the Miami River, Whitewater River, and Mill Creek valleys, Hamilton and Butler Counties, Ohio

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Watkins, Joel S.

    1963-01-01

    Between September 17 and November 9, 1962, the U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with Ohio Division of Water, Miami Conservancy District, and c,ty of Cincinnati, Ohio, co.,:ducted a refraction seismic study in Hamilton and Butler Counties, southwest Ohio. The area lies between Hamilton, Ohio, and the Ohio River and includes a preglacial valley now occupied by portions of the Miami River, Whitewater River, and Mill Creek. The valley is partially filled with glacial debris which yields large quantities of good-quality water. The object of the study was to determine the thickness of these glacial deposits and the shape of the preglacial valley.

  16. Monitoring Sea Level by Tide Gauges and GPS at Barcelona and Estartit Harbours

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez Benjamin, J. J.; Gili, J.; Lopez, R.; Tapia, A.; Bosch, E.; Perez, B.; Pros, F.

    2012-04-01

    Sea level is an environmental variable which is widely recognised as being important in many scientific disciplines as a control parameter for coastal dynamical processes or climate processes in the coupled atmosphere-ocean systems, as well as engineering applications. A major source of sea-level data are the national networks of coastal tide gauges, in Spain belonging to different institutions as the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), Puertos del Estado (PE), Instituto Hidrográfico de la Marina (IHM), etc. The tide gauge of l'Estartit is a traditional floating gauge placed 21 years ago and has an accuracy of ± 2 mm. Since 1996, l'Estartit tide gauge has been co-located with geodetic techniques (GPS measurements of XU, Utilitary Network, and XdA, Levelling Network,) and it is tied to the SPGIC (Integrated Geodetic Positioning System of Catalonia) project of the Cartographic Institute of Catalunya (ICC). In 2006, due to the work for the expansion of the harbour, the tide gauge had to be moved. Before the work started, appropiate GPS measurements were carried out in order to ensure the connection of the tide gauge data. During October 2006 and May 2008, the tide gauge was inactive and it has been moved on to a new location inside the harbour. In June 2008, new GPS and levelling measures have been done in order to tie the new location into SPGIC project and to co-locate old data respect the new one. Although l'Estartit does not have a GPS permanent station, it is possible to build a virtual one from the service "CATNET web" of the ICC. "CATNET web" is a data distribution system of a virtual GPS permanent station via web. From the coordinates where you want to place the virtual station, the time interval and the measurement rate, the system generates a RINEX file under the requested conditions. At Barcelona harbour there is one MIROS radar tide gauge belonging to Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours). It is placed at the dock 140 of the ENAGAS Building.The radar

  17. Opening Doors to Nursing Degrees: Time for Action. A Proposal from Ontario's Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Colleges Ontario, 2015

    2015-01-01

    This report argues that Ontario must expand the educational options for people who want to become registered nurses (RNs). It argues that the change Ontario requires is to authorize colleges to offer their own high-quality nursing degrees. Until 2005, about 70 per cent of Ontario's RNs were educated at colleges. Today, tens of thousands of RNs who…

  18. Spatial extent and dissipation of the deep chlorophyll layer in Lake Ontario during the Lake Ontario lower foodweb assessment, 2003 and 2008

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Watkins, J. M.; Weidel, Brian M.; Rudstam, L. G.; Holek, K. T.

    2014-01-01

    Increasing water clarity in Lake Ontario has led to a vertical redistribution of phytoplankton and an increased importance of the deep chlorophyll layer in overall primary productivity. We used in situ fluorometer profiles collected in lakewide surveys of Lake Ontario in 2008 to assess the spatial extent and intensity of the deep chlorophyll layer. In situ fluorometer data were corrected with extracted chlorophyll data using paired samples from Lake Ontario collected in August 2008. The deep chlorophyll layer was present offshore during the stratified conditions of late July 2008 with maximum values from 4-13 μg l-1 corrected chlorophyll a at 10 to 17 m depth within the metalimnion. Deep chlorophyll layer was closely associated with the base of the thermocline and a subsurface maximum of dissolved oxygen, indicating the feature's importance as a growth and productivity maximum. Crucial to the deep chlorophyll layer formation, the photic zone extended deeper than the surface mixed layer in mid-summer. The layer extended through most of the offshore in July 2008, but was not present in the easternmost transect that had a deeper surface mixed layer. By early September 2008, the lakewide deep chlorophyll layer had dissipated. A similar formation and dissipation was observed in the lakewide survey of Lake Ontario in 2003.

  19. Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Greiner, Romy

    2014-02-01

    Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

  20. Contribution of harbour activities to atmospheric aerosol in the Brindisi area

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donateo, Antonio; Cesari, Daniela; Nocioni, Alessandra; Grasso, Fabio M.; Merico, Eva; Giua, Roberto; Contini, Daniele

    2013-04-01

    The port areas are economic centres and transport hubs, that bring together different transport modes (sea, road, railway transport) and also industrial activities. Ship emissions when docked and during port manoeuvring can have a substantial negative effect on local air quality. The Fagerli and Tarrason (2001) simulation results indicated that ship traffic emissions contribute to 5% and 10% of PM10 concentrations in large parts of Great Britain, Portugal and Italy; similarly to what was obtained by Dalsoren et al. (2009). At the beginning of 2012 it was started the research project CESAPO (Contribution of Emission Sources on the Air quality of the POrt-cities in Greece and Italy), funded within the framework of Interreg Italy-Greece (2007/2013), having as objective the quantification of the contribution to atmospheric particles of emission sources in two important Mediterranean port-cities, namely Patra (Greece) and Brindisi (Italy). In this work the first results of the CESAPO project will be presented giving more emphasis on the analysis of the maritime transport and the activities within the harbour of Brindisi that is characterized by several emission sources operating concurrently. In 2010 and 2011, in the port of Brindisi freight traffic and total goods movement accounted for more than 9.5 million tons, with over 520,000 passengers. To recognize the contribution of harbour activities to PM2.5 and to the total number concentration of particles with respect to other emission sources (urban traffic and industrial pollution) it has been performed an intensive observation period (IOP) of 5 months (June 1 to October 31, 2012). During the IOP the data of 10 fixed monitoring stations (of the regional network managed by ARPA Puglia) and those from two additional stations specifically installed during the project inside the harbour area. A station was used to characterize the chemical composition of PM2.5 and PAHs (in the gaseous and aerosol phases) and the other was

  1. Establishment of Ochlerotatus japonicus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Thielman, Aynsley; Hunter, Fiona F

    2006-03-01

    Ochlerotatus (Finlaya) japonicus (Theobold) is newly established in Ontario, Canada. It was first discovered in 2001 during the province-wide West Nile virus mosquito surveillance program implemented by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. Although the numbers of adults trapped in CDC light traps were low in 2001 and 2002, they increased during the 2003 and 2004 surveillance seasons. Oc. japonicus larvae also have been collected in large numbers in the Niagara Peninsula in a variety of natural and artificial containers. The number of health units with records for Oc. japonicus has increased over the 4 yr of surveillance, illustrating the ability of this species to rapidly extend its range. As a potential arboviral bridge vector, its establishment in Ontario requires further study and should be considered a public health concern.

  2. Dynamics of suspended sediment plumes in Lake Ontario

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Pluhowski, E. J. (Principal Investigator)

    1974-01-01

    The author has identified the following significant results. Although turbidity plumes in Lake Ontario are usually not visible during the winter, meteorologic and hydrologic events may combine to ensure their detection. The clearly defined Niagara River plume of January 25, 1974, was the result of turbid water entering the river at its source near the eastern end of Lake Erie. A persistent southwest wind mild temperature resulted in a pile-up of ice free but turbid water at the source of the Niagara River where the highly colored water entered the river. Upon discharge into Lake Ontario, the Niagara River water appears several shades lighter in tone than the ambient lake water. On February 12, 1974, eastward moving ice floes along the Ontario shoreline were forced to move around the hydraulic barrier created by the Niagara River jet. As a result the Niagara River plume was clearly portrayed by a halo-like band of slush ice borne by wind-driven nearshore currents.

  3. Negative correlation between nuptial throat colour and blood parasite load in male European green lizards supports the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Molnár, Orsolya; Bajer, Katalin; Mészáros, Boglárka; Török, János; Herczeg, Gábor

    2013-06-01

    During female mate choice, conspicuous male sexual signals are used to infer male quality and choose the best sire for the offspring. The theory of parasite-mediated sexual selection (Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis) presumes that parasite infection can influence the elaboration of sexual signals: resistant individuals can invest more energy into signal expression and thus advertise their individual quality through signal intensity. By preferring these males, females can provide resistance genes for their offspring. Previous research showed that nuptial throat colour of male European green lizard, Lacerta viridis, plays a role in both inter- and intrasexual selections as a condition-dependent multiple signalling system. The aim of this study was to test the predictions of the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis on male European green lizards. By blood sampling 30 adult males during the reproductive season, we found members of the Haemogregarinidae family in all but one individual (prevalence = 96 %). The infection intensity showed strong negative correlation with the throat and belly colour brightness in line with the predictions of the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis. In addition, we found other correlations between infection intensity and other fitness-related traits, suggesting that parasite load has a remarkable effect on individual fitness. This study shows that throat patch colour of the European green lizards not only is a multiple signalling system but also possibly acts as an honest sexual signal of health state in accordance with the Hamilton-Zuk hypothesis.

  4. Solving the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for general relativity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Parry, J.; Salopek, D. S.; Stewart, J. M.

    1994-03-01

    We demonstrate a systematic method for solving the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for general relativity with the inclusion of matter fields. The generating functional is expanded in a series of spatial gradients. Each term is manifestly invariant under reparametrizations of the spatial coordinates (``gauge invariant''). At each order we solve the Hamiltonian constraint using a conformal transformation of the three-metric as well as a line integral in superspace. This gives a recursion relation for the generating functional which then may be solved to arbitrary order simply by functionally differentiating previous orders. At fourth order in spatial gradients we demonstrate solutions for irrotational dust as well as for a scalar field. We explicitly evolve the three-metric to the same order. This method can be used to derive the Zel'dovich approximation for general relativity.

  5. 'Morals can not be drawn from facts but guidance may be': the early life of W.D. Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness.

    PubMed

    Swenson, Sarah A

    2015-12-01

    W.D. Hamilton's theory of inclusive fitness saw the evolution of altruism from the point of view of the gene. It was at heart a theory of limits, redefining altruistic behaviours as ultimately selfish. This theory inspired two controversial texts published almost in tandem, E.O. Wilson's Sociobiology: The New Synthesis (1975) and Richard Dawkins's The Selfish Gene (1976). When Wilson and Dawkins were attacked for their evolutionary interpretations of human societies, they claimed a distinction between reporting what is and declaring what ought to be. Can the history of sociobiological theories be so easily separated from its sociopolitical context? This paper draws upon unpublished materials from the 1960s and early 1970s and documents some of the ways in which Hamilton saw his research as contributing to contemporary concerns. It pays special attention to the 1969 Man and Beast Smithsonian Institution symposium in order to explore the extent to which Hamilton intended his theory to be merely descriptive versus prescriptive. From this, we may see that Hamilton was deeply concerned about the political chaos he perceived in the world around him, and hoped to arrive at a level of self-understanding through science that could inform a new social order.

  6. The Educational Information System for Ontario. A Guide for Using.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ontario Inst. for Studies in Education, Toronto.

    This general user guide to the Educational Information System for Ontario (EISO) deals with the simple logistics of acquiring material from the system. Since EISO was developed as a way for Ontario citizens to use the Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC) data base in the United States, a preliminary description of ERIC is provided.…

  7. Mental Health Consultation Among Ontario's Immigrant Populations.

    PubMed

    Islam, Farah; Khanlou, Nazilla; Macpherson, Alison; Tamim, Hala

    2017-11-16

    To determine the prevalence rates and characteristics of past-year mental health consultation for Ontario's adult (18 + years old) immigrant populations. The Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) 2012 was used to calculate the prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation by service provider type. Characteristics associated with mental health consultation were determined by carrying out multivariable logistic regression analysis on merged CCHS 2008-2012 data. Adult immigrant populations in Ontario (n = 3995) had lower estimated prevalence rates of past-year mental health consultation across all service provider types compared to Canadian-born populations (n = 14,644). Amongst those who reported past-year mental health consultation, 57.89% of Ontario immigrants contacted their primary care physician, which was significantly higher than the proportion who consulted their family doctor from Canadian-born populations (45.31%). The factors of gender, age, racial/ethnic background, education level, working status, food insecurity status, self-perceived health status, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, years since immigration, and age at time of immigration were significantly associated with past-year mental health consultation for immigrant populations. Ontario's adult immigrant populations most commonly consult their family doctor for mental health care. Potential exists for expanding the mental health care role of primary care physicians as well as efforts to increase accessibility of specialized mental health services. Integrated, coordinated care where primary care physicians, specialized mental health professionals, social workers, and community educators, etc. working together in a sort of "one-stop-shop" may be the most effective way to mitigate gaps in the mental health care system. In order to effectively tailor mental health policy, programming, and promotion to suit the needs of immigrant populations initiatives that focus on

  8. Lake Ontario benthic prey fish assessment, 2015

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen; Holden, Jeremy P.; Connerton, Michael J.

    2016-01-01

    Benthic prey fishes are a critical component of the Lake Ontario food web, serving as energy vectors from benthic invertebrates to native and introduced piscivores. Since the late 1970’s, Lake Ontario benthic prey fish status was primarily assessed using bottom trawl observations confined to the lake’s south shore, in waters from 8 – 150 m (26 – 492 ft). In 2015, the Benthic Prey Fish Survey was cooperatively adjusted and expanded to address resource management information needs including lake-wide benthic prey fish population dynamics. Effort increased from 55 bottom trawl sites to 135 trawl sites collected in depths from 8 - 225m (26 – 738 ft). The spatial coverage of sampling was also expanded and occurred in all major lake basins. The resulting distribution of tow depths more closely matched the available lake depth distribution. The additional effort illustrated how previous surveys were underestimating lake-wide Deepwater Sculpin, Myoxocephalus thompsonii, abundance by not sampling in areas of highest density. We also found species richness was greater in the new sampling sites relative to the historic sites with 11 new fish species caught in the new sites including juvenile Round Whitefish, Prosopium cylindraceum, and Mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii. Species-specific assessments found Slimy Sculpin, Cottus cognatus abundance increased slightly in 2015 relative to 2014, while Deepwater Sculpin and Round Goby, Neogobius melanostomus, dramatically increased in 2015, relative to 2014. The cooperative, lake-wide Benthic Prey Fish Survey expanded our understanding of benthic fish population dynamics and habitat use in Lake Ontario. This survey’s data and interpretations influence international resource management decision making, such as informing the Deepwater Sculpin conservation status and assessing the balance between sport fish consumption and prey fish populations. Additionally a significant Lake Ontario event occurred in May 2015 when a single

  9. Modelling changes in the coastal geomorphology of Unst, Shetland and the implications for understanding High to Late Medieval harbour changes in the Norse North Atlantic

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Preston, John; Dugmore, Andrew; Newton, Anthony; Mudd, Simon

    2016-04-01

    The Norse settlement of the North Atlantic islands relied upon a network of harbours that also played a key role in the development of North European economies through the late Middle Ages. However, many of these harbours fell into disuse, their locations are uncertain and the reasons for this are unclear. A crucial geomorphological characteristic of a successful harbour is structural equilibrium. A harbour must have physical stability (or a dynamic equilibrium in the case of a beach) for boats to use it safely season to season, year on year. In the absence of a major civil engineering effort, something that was not possible in the pre-modern Atlantic islands, the geomorphology of a harbour is a key indicator of its physical equilibrium (or otherwise). Should the harbour be located on a changeable coastline (or one that becomes changeable) it may become unviable. Conversely, a harbour may be located on a coastline stable over centennial timescales, where little geomorphological change occurs, infrastructure can endure and many aspects of the physical environment remain predictable. The geomorphological setting of Norse harbours in the Atlantic is variable, with contrasting landform stability over short, medium and long time scales. We assess geomorphological change on the island of Unst, the most northerly of the British Isles, a coastline used by the Norse as well as earlier and later societies. This island offers a complex coastline of deep fjords and arcuate embayments and thus significant differences in forces acting upon the coastline. There is also evidence for instability in the beaches used by the Norse that could have been driven by the changes in climate conditions from the Medieval Climatic Anomaly to the Little Age and the present day. We model coastlines using the sediment dynamics model MIKE21. Model results agree well with the location of extant sandy beaches on Unst, but model runs with modern environmental drivers also build sandy beaches where

  10. The First World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce: Review and Commentary.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bontis, Nick; De Castro, Akemi

    2000-01-01

    Summarizes some key findings of academic papers presented at the First World Congress on the Management of Electronic Commerce (January, 2000, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada). Outlines two meta-management issues that surfaced: taking a strategic approach to Internet ventures and considering infrastructure design during implementation. Highlights…

  11. A ten-year history: the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario.

    PubMed

    Anas, Rebecca; Bell, Robert; Brown, Adalsteinn; Evans, William; Sawka, Carol

    2012-01-01

    One of the longest-established quality oversight organizations in Canadian healthcare, the Cancer Quality Council of Ontario (CQCO) is an advisory group formed in 2002 by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Although quasi-independent from Cancer Care Ontario (CCO), the council was established to provide advice to CCO and the ministry in their efforts to improve the quality of cancer care in the province. The council is composed of a multidisciplinary group of healthcare providers, cancer survivors and experts in the areas of oncology, health system policy and administration, governance, performance measurement and health services research. Its mandate is to monitor and report publicly on the performance of the Ontario cancer system and to motivate improvement through national and international benchmarking. Since its formation, the council has played an evolving role in improving the quality of care received by Ontario cancer patients. This article will briefly describe the origins and founding principles of the CQCO, its changing role in monitoring quality and its relationship with CCO. Copyright © 2012 Longwoods Publishing.

  12. Building Public Health Ontario: experience in developing a new public health agency.

    PubMed

    Goel, Vivek

    2012-06-05

    The history and development of Ontario's new public health agency, Public Health Ontario, is explored. The governance model and organizational structure are identified along with an overview of the relationship with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. The strategic mission and vision are described as are the key functions. The building of the organization through new investments and divestments is explained. The paper concludes with an overview of the challenges encountered and the opportunities ahead.

  13. Pathogenesis of spring viremia of carp virus in emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Rafinesque and white sucker Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede).

    PubMed

    Misk, E; Garver, K; Nagy, E; Isaac, S; Tubbs, L; Huber, P; Al-Hussinee, L; Lumsden, J S

    2016-06-01

    Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is a reportable disease to the World Organization of Animal Health (OIE) as it is known to cause significant international economic impact. In Canada, the first and only isolation of SVC virus (SVCV) was in 2006, from common carp Cyprinus carpio L., at Hamilton Harbour, Lake Ontario. The susceptibility of fathead minnow Pimephales promelas Rafinesque, emerald shiner Notropis atherinoides Rafinesque and white sucker Catostomus commersonii (Lacepede) to intraperitoneal injection of the Canadian isolate (HHOcarp06) was evaluated using experimental infection, virus isolation, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), histopathology and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Emerald shiner and fathead minnow were most susceptible with 43 and 53% cumulative mortality, respectively, compared with koi at 33%. Quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that koi had high viral loads throughout the experiment. At 34 days post-infection, SVCV was detected from sampled emerald shiner and white sucker in very low titre and was not detected from fathead minnow. Koi, fathead minnow and emerald shiner had gross lesions typical of SVC disease. The histopathological picture was mostly dominated by necrotic changes in kidney, spleen, liver, pancreas and intestine. IHC further confirmed SVCV infection, and staining was largely correlated with histological lesions. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  14. Endoparasitic helminths of the harbour seal, Phoca vitulina, in the Netherlands

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borgsteede, F. H. M.; Bus, H. G. J.; Verplanke, J. A. W.; van Burg, W. P. J.

    The endoparasitic helminth fauna of harbour seals which had died during the epidemic of the phocine distemper virus in 1988 was studied. Lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tracts of 94 animals collected along the Dutch coast were available for investigation. The following parasites and infection percentages were found: Nematoda: Dipetalonema spirocauda (24.5%), Otostrongylus circumlitus (6.4%), Parafilaroides gymnurus (24.5%), Ascaridoidea spec. (58.5%); Trematoda: Phagicola septentrionalis (66.0%), Cryptocotyle lingua (74.5%); Cestoda: Diphyllobothrium spec. (8.5%); Acanthocephala: Corynosoma strumosum (70.2%). The presence of worm species was not evenly distributed over the age classes. Seals younger than one year harboured fewer parasites. The highest percentages were found in 1 to 2 year old seals. The number of worms per seal varied greatly. The highest burden for ascarids was 253, for P. septentrionalis 123 000, for C. lingua 112 000 and for C. strumosum 251. A comparison of the present results with those described in the literature shows that in Dutch seals the same species were present and that numbers of worms were not higher than before the 1988 mass mortality. It is therefore concluded that helminth parasites did not cause the mass mortality.

  15. Research and knowledge in Ontario tobacco control networks.

    PubMed

    Bickford, Julia J; Kothari, Anita R

    2008-01-01

    This study sought to better understand the role of research knowledge in Ontario tobacco control networks by asking: 1) How is research managed; 2) How is research evaluated; and 3) How is research utilized? This is a secondary analysis of a qualitative study based on individual semistructured interviews with 29 participants between January and May 2006. These participants were purposefully sampled from across four Ministries in the provincial government (n = 7), non-government (n = 15), and public health organizations (n = 7). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and coded and analyzed using QSR N7 qualitative software. This study received ethics approval from The University of Western Ontario Health Research Ethics Board. There exists a dissonance between the preference for peer-reviewed, unbiased, non-partisan knowledge to support claims and the need for fast, "real-time" information on which to base tobacco-related policy decisions. Second, there is a great deal of tacit knowledge held by experts within the Ontario tobacco control community. The networks among government, non-government, and public health organizations are the structures through which tacit knowledge is exchanged. These networks are dynamic, fluid and shifting. There exists a gap in the production and utilization of research knowledge for tobacco control policy. Tacit knowledge held by experts in Ontario tobacco control networks is an integral means of managing and evaluating research knowledge. Finally, this study builds on Weiss's concept of tactical model of evidence use by highlighting the utilization of research to enhance one's credibility.

  16. Recognizing the Presidents: Was Alexander Hamilton President?

    PubMed

    Roediger, Henry L; DeSoto, K Andrew

    2016-05-01

    Studies over the past 40 years have shown that Americans can recall about half the U.S. presidents. Do people know the presidents even though they are unable to access them for recall? We investigated this question using the powerful cues of a recognition test. Specifically, we tested the ability of 326 online subjects to recognize U.S. presidents when presented with their full names among various types of lures. The hit rate for presidential recognition was .88, well above the proportion produced in free recall but far from perfect. Presidents Franklin Pierce and Chester Arthur were recognized less than 60% of the time. Interestingly, four nonpresidents were falsely recognized at relatively high rates, and Alexander Hamilton was more frequently identified as president than were several actual presidents. Even on a recognition test, knowledge of American presidents is imperfect and prone to error. The false alarm data support the theory that false fame can arise from contextual familiarity. © The Author(s) 2016.

  17. Quantitative Compactness Estimates for Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ancona, Fabio; Cannarsa, Piermarco; Nguyen, Khai T.

    2016-02-01

    We study quantitative compactness estimates in {W^{1,1}_{loc}} for the map {S_t}, {t > 0} that is associated with the given initial data {u_0in Lip (R^N)} for the corresponding solution {S_t u_0} of a Hamilton-Jacobi equation u_t+Hbig(nabla_{x} ubig)=0, qquad t≥ 0,quad xinR^N, with a uniformly convex Hamiltonian {H=H(p)}. We provide upper and lower estimates of order {1/\\varepsilon^N} on the Kolmogorov {\\varepsilon}-entropy in {W^{1,1}} of the image through the map S t of sets of bounded, compactly supported initial data. Estimates of this type are inspired by a question posed by Lax (Course on Hyperbolic Systems of Conservation Laws. XXVII Scuola Estiva di Fisica Matematica, Ravello, 2002) within the context of conservation laws, and could provide a measure of the order of "resolution" of a numerical method implemented for this equation.

  18. 77 FR 30451 - Safety Zone; Olcott Fireworks, Lake Ontario, Olcott, NY

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2012-05-23

    ...-AA00 Safety Zone; Olcott Fireworks, Lake Ontario, Olcott, NY AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION: Notice... Ontario during the Olcott fireworks display. The safety zone established by this proposed rule is necessary to protect spectators, participants, and vessels from the hazards associated with firework display...

  19. Ontario. Reference Series No. 29.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of External Affairs, Ottawa (Ontario).

    This booklet, one of a series featuring the Canadian provinces, presents a brief overview of Ontario and is suitable for teacher reference or student reading. Separate sections discuss geography, climate, history, agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, manufacturing, transportation, energy, arts and culture, sports and recreation, and people and…

  20. Health data in Ontario: taking stock and moving ahead.

    PubMed

    Iron, Karey

    2006-01-01

    Ontario has been a leader in performance-reporting in clinical areas such as surgery, cardiac care and drug use in the elderly. Data used to report on these areas are readily available for performance evaluation and are of reasonable quality. But other key areas like managing chronic disease and preventive care cannot be fully evaluated because relevant data are either unavailable or of poor quality. A focus on timely access to good quality demographic and vital statistics data would enhance our ability to evaluate components of the Ontario health system. New comprehensive primary care, laboratory services and drug prescriptions data sources are also necessary for health-system evaluation and planning. In the short term, a dedicated, centralized agency with legislative authority is proposed to move Ontario's health information agenda forward in a holistic, strategic and timely manner.

  1. Impact of cost on use of non-vitamin K antagonists in atrial fibrillation patients in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Monagle, Sarah R; Hirsh, Jack; Bhagirath, Vinai C; Ginsberg, Jeffrey S; Bosch, Jackie; Kruger, Paul; Eikelboom, John W

    2018-06-05

    Canadian guidelines recommend non vitamin K antagonists (NOACs) in preference to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), but NOACs are more expensive than VKAs. Canada has a universal healthcare system that covers the cost of NOACs for select patient groups. Ability to pay for NOACs may influence their use. We reviewed medical charts of Hamilton General Hospital outpatients under the age of 65 with a new diagnosis of AF who were referred for initiation of OAC therapy. We contacted these patients by phone and asked them to complete a questionnaire regarding their OAC choice, economic factors that may have influenced this choice (income, insurance) and the financial burden of OAC therapy. We included 110 patients, mean age 56 years, and 26.4% females. NOAC users had a higher median neighborhood income than VKA users (p = 0.0144, n = 110). 73 patients responded to the questionnaire. NOAC users reported higher annual household income (p = 0.0038, n = 73). Patients with private insurance were more likely to use NOACs than those without insurance (p = 0.0496, n = 73). The cost of NOACs and ability to pay is a determinant of their use Ontario patients under the age of 65. This two tiered provision of care appears to contradict the values of Canada's universal healthcare system.

  2. Research at Colleges in Ontario: Learning from the Past and Looking Towards the Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holmes, Krista M.

    2017-01-01

    Research activities are a relatively new undertaking for Ontario colleges. The Government of Ontario enabled Ontario colleges to grant baccalaureate degrees in applied areas of study with the passing of the 2000 Postsecondary Education Choice and Excellence Act, and conduct applied research with the passing of the 2002 Colleges of Applied Arts and…

  3. Ontario Universities Benefits Survey, 1987-88. Part I: Benefits Excluding Pensions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    University of Western Ontario, London.

    Results of the 1987-1988 survey of benefits, excluding pensions, for 17 Ontario, Canada, universities are presented. Information is provided on the following areas: administration and insurance plans, communication of benefits, proposed changes in benefits, provision of life and dismemberment insurance, maternity leave policy, Ontario health…

  4. Innovations in Literacy Learning: Reaching the Remote Northwestern Communities of Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Eady, Michelle

    2006-01-01

    The Sioux Hudson Literacy Council in partnership with AlphaPlus Centre in Toronto, Ontario and Confederation College, Sioux Lookout Campus, is making groundbreaking strides to reach adult learners who reside in remote, isolated communities of Northwestern Ontario. Generous funding from the National Literacy Secretariat in collaboration with…

  5. Low-pathogenic avian influenza virus A/turkey/Ontario/6213/1966 (H5N1) is the progenitor of highly pathogenic A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9)

    PubMed Central

    Ping, Jihui; Selman, Mohammed; Tyler, Shaun; Forbes, Nicole; Keleta, Liya

    2012-01-01

    The first confirmed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus infections in North America was caused by A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9); however, the phylogeny of this virus is largely unknown. This study performed genomic sequence analysis of 11 avian influenza isolates from 1956 to 1979 for comparison with A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9). Phylogenetic and genetic analyses included these viruses in combination with all known full-genome sequences of avian viruses isolated before 1981. It was shown that a low-pathogenic avian influenza virus, A/turkey/Ontario/6213/1966 (H5N1), that had been isolated 3 months previously, was the closest known genetic relative with six genome segments of common lineage encoding the polymerase subunits PB2, PB1 and PA, nucleoprotein (NP), haemagglutinin (HA) and non-structural (NS) proteins. The lineages of these genome segments included reassortment with other North American turkey viruses that were all rooted in North American wild waterfowl with the HA gene originating from the H5N2 serotype. The phylogenies demonstrated adaptation from North American wild birds to turkeys with the possible involvement of domestic waterfowl. The turkey isolate, A/turkey/Wisconsin/1968 (H5N9), was the second most closely related poultry isolate to A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9), possessing five common lineage genome segments (PB2, PB1, PA, HA and neuraminidase). The A/turkey/Ontario/6213/1966 (H5N1) virus was more virulent than A/turkey/Wisconsin/68 (H5N9) for chicken embryos and mice, indicating a greater biological similarity to A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9). Thus, A/turkey/Ontario/6213/1966 (H5N1) was identified as the closest known ancestral relative of HPAI A/turkey/Ontario/7732/1966 (H5N9), which will serve as a useful reference virus for characterizing the early genetic and biological properties associated with the emergence of pathogenic avian influenza strains. PMID:22592261

  6. Construction fatality due to electrical contact in Ontario, Canada, 1997-2007.

    PubMed

    Kim, Hwan; Lewko, John; Garritano, Enzo; Sharma, Bhanu; Moody, Joel; Colantonio, Angela

    2016-06-27

    Electrical contact is a leading cause of occupational fatality in the construction industry. However, research on the factors that contribute to electricity-related fatality in construction is limited. To characterize, using an adapted Haddon's Matrix, the factors that contribute to electricity-related occupational fatalities in the construction industry in Ontario, Canada. Coroner's data on occupational electricity-related fatalities between 1997-2007 in the construction industry were acquired from the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Using an adapted Haddon's Matrix, we characterized worker, agent, and environmental characteristics of electricity-related occupational fatalities in the province through a narrative text analysis. Electrical contact was responsible for 15% of all occupational fatalities among construction workers in Ontario. Factors associated with said occupational fatalities included direct contact with electrical sources, lower voltage sources, and working outdoors. This study provides a profile of electricity-related occupational fatalities among construction workers in Ontario, and can be used to inform safety regulations.

  7. 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

  8. [Asbestos import in Italy: the transit through Livorno harbour from 1957 to 1995].

    PubMed

    Nemo, Alessandro; Boccuzzi, Maria Teresa; Silvestri, Stefano

    2009-01-01

    This work aims to describe quantities, type of packaging and geographical area of origin of the asbestos fibres unloaded in Livorno harbour between 1957 and 1995. Historical data, available for this period, were collected from Il Messaggero Marittimo, a periodical journal dealing with Livorno harbour activities. Collaboration between the local Health and Safety Unit (ASL 6) and the Institute for Study and Prevention of Cancer (ISPO), both Regional Institutions of the National Health Service, made it possible to carry out this work. The computation of the collected data for the whole period allows the description of the quantities, year by year and the assessment of the percentage imported through Livorno on the total tonnage imported in Italy during the same period. The detection of the geographical areas of origin allowed to estimate the quantities subdivided by type of fibre (serpentine/amphiboles). These results will help the historical assessment of occupational asbestos exposure of the Livorno dockers.

  9. Environmental impacts of iron ore tailings—The case of Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wong, M. H.

    1981-03-01

    Disposal of iron ore tailings along the shore of Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong has altered the adjacent environment. Due to the ever-expanding population, the vast development of various industries, and the lack of sanitary control, the existing pollution problem of Tolo Harbour is serious. The iron ore tailings consist of a moderate amount of various heavy metals, e.g., copper, iron, manganese, lead, zinc, and a lower level of macronutrients. A few living organisms have been found colonizing this manmade habitat. Higher metal contents were also found in the tissue of Paphia sp. (clam); Scopimera intermedia (crab); Chaetomorpha brychagona (green alga); Enteromorpha crinita (green alga); and Neyraudia reynaudiana (grass). The area can be reclaimed by surface amelioration using inert materials, soils, or organic substrates, and by direct seeding, using nontolerant and tolerant plant materials. Reclamation of the tailings would improve the amenity of the adjacent environment and also mitigate pollution escaping to the sea.

  10. Reliable positioning in a sparse GPS network, eastern Ontario

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Samadi Alinia, H.; Tiampo, K.; Atkinson, G. M.

    2013-12-01

    Canada hosts two regions that are prone to large earthquakes: western British Columbia, and the St. Lawrence River region in eastern Canada. Although eastern Ontario is not as seismically active as other areas of eastern Canada, such as the Charlevoix/Ottawa Valley seismic zone, it experiences ongoing moderate seismicity. In historic times, potentially damaging events have occurred in New York State (Attica, 1929, M=5.7; Plattsburg, 2002, M=5.0), north-central Ontario (Temiskaming, 1935, M=6.2; North Bay, 2000, M=5.0), eastern Ontario (Cornwall, 1944, M=5.8), Georgian Bay (2005, MN=4.3), and western Quebec (Val-Des-Bois,2010, M=5.0, MN=5.8). In eastern Canada, the analysis of detailed, high-precision measurements of surface deformation is a key component in our efforts to better characterize the associated seismic hazard. The data from precise, continuous GPS stations is necessary to adequately characterize surface velocities from which patterns and rates of stress accumulation on faults can be estimated (Mazzotti and Adams, 2005; Mazzotti et al., 2005). Monitoring of these displacements requires employing high accuracy GPS positioning techniques. Detailed strain measurements can determine whether the regional strain everywhere is commensurate with a large event occurring every few hundred years anywhere within this general area or whether large earthquakes are limited to specific areas (Adams and Halchuck, 2003; Mazzotti and Adams, 2005). In many parts of southeastern Ontario and western Québec, GPS stations are distributed quite sparsely, with spacings of approximately 100 km or more. The challenge is to provide accurate solutions for these sparse networks with an approach that is capable of achieving high-accuracy positioning. Here, various reduction techniques are applied to a sparse network installed with the Southern Ontario Seismic Network in eastern Ontario. Recent developments include the implementation of precise point positioning processing on acquired

  11. Differences in access to services in rural emergency departments of Quebec and Ontario.

    PubMed

    Fleet, Richard; Pelletier, Christina; Marcoux, Jérémie; Maltais-Giguère, Julie; Archambault, Patrick; Audette, Louis David; Plant, Jeff; Bégin, François; Tounkara, Fatoumata Korika; Poitras, Julien

    2015-01-01

    Rural emergency departments (EDs) are important safety nets for the 20% of Canadians who live there. A serious problem in access to health care services in these regions has emerged. However, there are considerable geographic disparities in access to trauma center in Canada. The main objective of this project was to compare access to local 24/7 support services in rural EDs in Quebec and Ontario as well as distances to Levels 1 and 2 trauma centers. Rural EDs were identified through the Canadian Healthcare Association's Guide to Canadian Healthcare Facilities. We selected hospitals with 24/7 ED physician coverage and hospitalization beds that were located in rural communities. There were 26 rural EDs in Quebec and 62 in Ontario meeting these criteria. Data were collected from ministries of health, local health authorities, and ED statistics. Fisher's exact test, the t-test or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, were performed to compare rural EDs of Quebec and Ontario. All selected EDs of Quebec and Ontario agreed to participate in the study. The number of EDs visits was higher in Quebec than in Ontario (19 322 ± 6 275 vs 13 446 ± 8 056, p = 0.0013). There were no significant differences between Quebec and Ontario's local population and small town population density. Quebec's EDs have better access to advance imaging services such as CT scanner (77% vs 15%, p < .0001) and most the consultant support and ICU (92% vs 31%, p < .0001). Finally, more than 40% of rural EDs in Quebec and Ontario are more than 300 km away from Levels 1 and 2 trauma centers. Considering that Canada has a Universal health care system, the discrepancies between Quebec and Ontario in access to support services are intriguing. A nationwide study is justified to address this issue.

  12. A Pilot Study of Adjunctive Family Psychoeducation in Adolescent Major Depression: Feasibility and Treatment Effect

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sanford, Mark; Boyle, Michael; McCleary, Lynn; Miller, Jennifer; Steele, Margaret; Duku, Eric; Offord, David

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To obtain preliminary evidence of the feasibility and effectiveness of adjunctive family psychoeducation in adolescent major depressive disorder. Method: Participants were from outpatient clinics in Hamilton and London, Ontario. Over 24 months, 41 adolescents ages 13 through 18 years meeting major depressive disorder criteria were…

  13. Escape rates over potential barriers: variational principles and the Hamilton-Jacobi equation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cortés, Emilio; Espinosa, Francisco

    We describe a rigorous formalism to study some extrema statistics problems, like maximum probability events or escape rate processes, by taking into account that the Hamilton-Jacobi equation completes, in a natural way, the required set of boundary conditions of the Euler-Lagrange equation, for this kind of variational problem. We apply this approach to a one-dimensional stochastic process, driven by colored noise, for a double-parabola potential, where we have one stable and one unstable steady states.

  14. The Birth and Slow Death of the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Raphael, Dennis

    1993-01-01

    Describes the development of the Ontario Assessment Instrument Pool (OAIP), a curriculum-based item bank for use in Ontario schools. The nearly $10,000,000 project, lacking implementation and evaluation activities, resulted in limited classroom use. The objective-based assessment also contradicted a child-centered educational philosophy. (KS)

  15. Policy Advocacy, Inequity, and School Fees and Fundraising in Ontario, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winton, Sue; Milani, Michelle

    2017-01-01

    Fundraising and collecting fees are ubiquitous in Ontario, Canada's public schools. Critics assert that these practices perpetuate and exacerbate inequities between schools and communities. In this article we present findings from a critical policy analysis of an advocacy group's efforts to change Ontario's fees and fundraising policies over the…

  16. Wave simulation for the design of an innovative quay wall: the case of Vlorë Harbour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Antonini, Alessandro; Archetti, Renata; Lamberti, Alberto

    2017-01-01

    Sea states and environmental conditions are basic data for the design of marine structures. Hindcasted wave data have been applied here with the aim of identifying the proper design conditions for an innovative quay wall concept. In this paper, the results of a computational fluid dynamics model are used to optimise the new absorbing quay wall of Vlorë Harbour (Republic of Albania) and define the design loads under extreme wave conditions. The design wave states at the harbour entrance have been estimated analysing 31 years of hindcasted wave data simulated through the application of WaveWatch III. Due to the particular geography and topography of the Bay of Vlorë, wave conditions generated from the north-west are transferred to the harbour entrance with the application of a 2-D spectral wave module, whereas southern wave states, which are also the most critical for the port structures, are defined by means of a wave generation model, according to the available wind measurements. Finally, the identified extreme events have been used, through the NewWave approach, as boundary conditions for the numerical analysis of the interaction between the quay wall and the extreme events. The results show that the proposed method, based on numerical modelling at different scales from macro to meso and to micro, allows for the identification of the best site-specific solutions, also for a location devoid of any wave measurement. In this light, the objectives of the paper are two-fold. First, they show the application of sea condition estimations through the use of wave hindcasted data in order to properly define the design wave conditions for a new harbour structure. Second, they present a new approach for investigating an innovative absorbing quay wall based on CFD modelling and the NewWave theory.

  17. The harbour of Elaia: A palynological archive for human environmental interactions during the last 7500 years

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Shumilovskikh, Lyudmila S.; Seeliger, Martin; Feuser, Stefan; Novenko, Elena; Schlütz, Frank; Pint, Anna; Pirson, Felix; Brückner, Helmut

    2016-10-01

    Elaia, the harbour city for ancient Pergamon (western Turkey), was investigated using geoarchaeological methods. The rise and fall of Elaia were closely linked to the flourishing period of Pergamon, which ruled wide parts of today's western Turkey in Hellenistic times. In the framework of this research, the palynological analysis of a 9 m sediment core, Ela-70, retrieved from the enclosed harbour of the city, was carried out to reconstruct the vegetation and environmental history of the wider Gulf of Elaia region. An age-depth model, based on 11 calibrated radiocarbon ages, starting from 7.5 ka BP, provides the basis for the high resolution study of sediments from the Hellenistic period, as well as before and after. The lower part of the pollen diagram is characterised by high percentages of deciduous oaks and pines, suggesting the dominance of open forests close to the coring site. The change from oak forests to a cultural landscape, with olive, pistachio, walnut, and grape, started around 850 BC, reaching a maximum ca. 250 BC, and continuing to ca. AD 800. This period is characterised by increase of fire activity, soil erosion intensity, and pastoral farming. Such long-lasting intensive land use likely led to the climax ecosystem turnover from open deciduous oak forests to pine stands, while salt marshes developed around the coring site. The discovery of the dinoflagellate cysts of Peridinium ponticum, a Black Sea endemic species, in the harbour of Elaia evidences maritime trade between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea; its first occurrence coincides with the time of the Mithridatic Wars (1st century BC). In conclusion, palynological data, in addition to historical and archaeological records, provide a deeper insight into human environmental interactions, as derived from the geoarchaeological archive of the harbour of Elaia.

  18. The New CAAT: (Dis)Illusions of Freedom and the New College Charter in Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Arvast, Anita

    2008-01-01

    In 2002 a new Ontario college charter signaled a new era for higher education in Ontario. The charter was presumed to usher in a new way of doing higher education, one that provided greater freedom for Ontario colleges and presumably greater access for communities to higher education. Coupled with the Post-Secondary Choice and Excellence Act of…

  19. Measles Outbreak with Unique Virus Genotyping, Ontario, Canada, 2015.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Shari; Hiebert, Joanne; Gubbay, Jonathan B; Gournis, Effie; Sharron, Jennifer; Severini, Alberto; Jiaravuthisan, Manisa; Shane, Amanda; Jaeger, Valerie; Crowcroft, Natasha S; Fediurek, Jill; Sander, Beate; Mazzulli, Tony; Schulz, Helene; Deeks, Shelley L

    2017-07-01

    The province of Ontario continues to experience measles virus transmissions despite the elimination of measles in Canada. We describe an unusual outbreak of measles in Ontario, Canada, in early 2015 that involved cases with a unique strain of virus and no known association among primary case-patients. A total of 18 cases of measles were reported from 4 public health units during the outbreak period (January 25-March 23, 2015); none of these cases occurred in persons who had recently traveled. Despite enhancements to case-patient interview methods and epidemiologic analyses, a source patient was not identified. However, the molecular epidemiologic analysis, which included extended sequencing, strongly suggested that all cases derived from a single importation of measles virus genotype D4. The use of timely genotype sequencing, rigorous epidemiologic investigation, and a better understanding of the gaps in surveillance are needed to maintain Ontario's measles elimination status.

  20. Ascending and Descending into the System: A Comparison of Broadcasting Media Programs in Ontario Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sianos, Helen

    2015-01-01

    In 2013 the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities released Ontario's Differentiation Policy Framework for Postsecondary Education, for colleges and universities in the province. All 24 Ontario colleges responded to this Framework by presenting their Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMA). The Framework contrasts the original…

  1. Cord stem-cell transplantation in Ontario: do we need a public bank?

    PubMed

    Gassas, A

    2011-06-01

    It has been 21 years since the first successful use of umbilical cord blood as a source of donor cells for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Over those years, cord blood transplantation (CBT) has shown marked success as an effective modality in the treatment of children and adults with hematologic malignancies, marrow failure, immunodeficiency, hemoglobinopathy, and inherited metabolic diseases. Furthermore, transplantation without full human leukocyte antigen (HLA) matching is possible and, despite a lower incidence of graft-versus-host disease, graft-versus-leukemia effect is preserved. More than 20,000 cbts have been performed worldwide. Ontario is the most populated province in Canada, and its cbt numbers have increased dramatically in recent years, but most of the umbilical cord blood units are purchased from unrelated international registries. There is no public cord bank in Ontario, but there is a private cord banking option, and notably, Ontario has the largest number of live births in Canada [approximately 40% of all Canadian live births per year occur in Ontario (Statistics Canada, 2007)]. In this brief review, the pros and cons of private and public cord banking and the feasibility of starting an Ontario public cord bank are discussed.

  2. Hydrodynamic sensory threshold in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) for artificial flatfish breathing currents.

    PubMed

    Niesterok, Benedikt; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

    2017-07-01

    Harbour seals have the ability to detect benthic fish such as flatfish using the water currents these fish emit through their gills (breathing currents). We investigated the sensory threshold in harbour seals for this specific hydrodynamic stimulus under conditions which are realistic for seals hunting in the wild. We used an experimental platform where an artificial breathing current was emitted through one of eight different nozzles. Two seals were trained to search for the active nozzle. Each experimental session consisted of eight test trials of a particular stimulus intensity and 16 supra-threshold trials of high stimulus intensity. Test trials were conducted with the animals blindfolded. To determine the threshold, a series of breathing currents differing in intensity was used. For each intensity, three sessions were run. The threshold in terms of maximum water velocity within the breathing current was 4.2 cm s -1 for one seal and 3.7 cm s -1 for the other. We measured background flow velocities from 1.8 to 3.4 cm s -1 Typical swimming speeds for both animals were around 0.5 m s -1 Swimming speed differed between successful and unsuccessful trials. It appears that swimming speed is restricted for the successful detection of a breathing current close to the threshold. Our study is the first to assess a sensory threshold of the vibrissal system for a moving harbour seal under near-natural conditions. Furthermore, this threshold was defined for a natural type of stimulus differing from classical dipole stimuli which have been widely used in threshold determination so far. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  3. Institutional Diversity and Funding Universities in Ontario: Is There a Link?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Piché, Pierre Gilles

    2015-01-01

    The fiscal climate of restraint in the Canadian province of Ontario has led to increased calls for a more diversified higher education system. Significant diversity in the university sector in Ontario has not been achieved that underscores the importance of understanding government policy and its related influences on institutional diversity. This…

  4. Ontario's plunging price-caps on generics: deeper dives may drown some drugs.

    PubMed

    Anis, Aslam; Harvard, Stephanie; Marra, Carlo

    2011-01-01

    In April 2010, the Ontario government announced another reduction in the maximum price of generic drugs permitted under the Ontario Drug Benefit (ODB) program, demanding that generic drugs now be sold for no more than 25% of the branded product's price. Other provinces are following Ontario in setting unprecedentedly low price-caps to reduce the cost of generic drugs. Generic product substitution legislation is vital to reducing costs to provincial drug plans, yet lower and lower price-caps may undo some of the benefits of substitution legislation if generics find it difficult to survive.

  5. Do syntopic host species harbour similar symbiotic communities? The case of Chaetopterus spp. (Annelida: Chaetopteridae).

    PubMed

    Britayev, Temir A; Mekhova, Elena; Deart, Yury; Martin, Daniel

    2017-01-01

    To assess whether closely related host species harbour similar symbiotic communities, we studied two polychaetes, Chaetopterus sp. ( n  = 11) and Chaetopterus cf. appendiculatus ( n  = 83) living in soft sediments of Nhatrang Bay (South China Sea, Vietnam). The former harboured the porcellanid crabs Polyonyx cf. heok and Polyonyx sp., the pinnotherid crab Tetrias sp. and the tergipedid nudibranch Phestilla sp. The latter harboured the polynoid polychaete Ophthalmonoe pettiboneae , the carapid fish Onuxodon fowleri and the porcellanid crab Eulenaios cometes , all of which, except O. fowleri , seemed to be specialized symbionts. The species richness and mean intensity of the symbionts were higher in Chaetopterus sp. than in C. cf. appendiculatus (1.8 and 1.02 species and 3.0 and 1.05 individuals per host respectively). We suggest that the lower density of Chaetopterus sp. may explain the higher number of associated symbionts observed, as well as the 100% prevalence (69.5% in C. cf. appenciculatus ). Most Chaetopterus sp. harboured two symbiotic species, which was extremely rare in C. cf. appendiculatus , suggesting lower interspecific interactions in the former. The crab and nudibranch symbionts of Chaetopterus sp. often shared a host and lived in pairs, thus partitioning resources. This led to the species coexisting in the tubes of Chaetopterus sp., establishing a tightly packed community, indicating high species richness and mean intensity, together with a low species dominance. In contrast, the aggressive, strictly territorial species associated with C. cf. appendiculatus established a symbiotic community strongly dominated by single species and, thus, low species richness and mean intensity. Therefore, we suggest that interspecific interactions are determining species richness, intensity and dominance, while intraspecific interactions are influencing only intensity and abundance. It is possible that species composition may have influenced the differences in

  6. Do syntopic host species harbour similar symbiotic communities? The case of Chaetopterus spp. (Annelida: Chaetopteridae)

    PubMed Central

    Britayev, Temir A.; Mekhova, Elena; Deart, Yury

    2017-01-01

    To assess whether closely related host species harbour similar symbiotic communities, we studied two polychaetes, Chaetopterus sp. (n = 11) and Chaetopterus cf. appendiculatus (n = 83) living in soft sediments of Nhatrang Bay (South China Sea, Vietnam). The former harboured the porcellanid crabs Polyonyx cf. heok and Polyonyx sp., the pinnotherid crab Tetrias sp. and the tergipedid nudibranch Phestilla sp. The latter harboured the polynoid polychaete Ophthalmonoe pettiboneae, the carapid fish Onuxodon fowleri and the porcellanid crab Eulenaios cometes, all of which, except O. fowleri, seemed to be specialized symbionts. The species richness and mean intensity of the symbionts were higher in Chaetopterus sp. than in C. cf. appendiculatus (1.8 and 1.02 species and 3.0 and 1.05 individuals per host respectively). We suggest that the lower density of Chaetopterus sp. may explain the higher number of associated symbionts observed, as well as the 100% prevalence (69.5% in C. cf. appenciculatus). Most Chaetopterus sp. harboured two symbiotic species, which was extremely rare in C. cf. appendiculatus, suggesting lower interspecific interactions in the former. The crab and nudibranch symbionts of Chaetopterus sp. often shared a host and lived in pairs, thus partitioning resources. This led to the species coexisting in the tubes of Chaetopterus sp., establishing a tightly packed community, indicating high species richness and mean intensity, together with a low species dominance. In contrast, the aggressive, strictly territorial species associated with C. cf. appendiculatus established a symbiotic community strongly dominated by single species and, thus, low species richness and mean intensity. Therefore, we suggest that interspecific interactions are determining species richness, intensity and dominance, while intraspecific interactions are influencing only intensity and abundance. It is possible that species composition may have influenced the differences in community

  7. Challenges of rehabilitation case mix measurement in Ontario hospitals.

    PubMed

    Sutherland, Jason Murray; Walker, Jan

    2008-03-01

    Case mix classification systems have been adopted in many countries as a method to manage and finance healthcare in acute care settings; the most popular systems are based on diagnosis related groups. The most successful of those case mix systems differentiate patient types by reflecting both the intensity of resources consumed and patient acuity. Case mix systems for use with non-acute hospital activity have not been as wide-spread; other than in the United States, little attention has been directed towards case mix classification for rehabilitation activity. In a province with over 13 million inhabitants with 2496 rehabilitation beds, inpatient rehabilitation is an important component of hospital care in Ontario, Canada, and consists of the spectrum of intensive rehabilitation activities intended to restore function. Although case mix adjusted activity has been the currency in Ontario's Integrated Population Based Allocation hospital funding formula, rehabilitation activity has not been subjected to case mix measurement. A project to examine case mix classification for adult inpatient rehabilitation activity was initiated by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care whose outcome was a case mix system and associated cost weights that would result in rehabilitation activity being incorporated into the hospital funding formula. The process described in this study provides Ontario's provincial government with a case mix classification system for adult inpatient rehabilitation activity although there remain areas for improvement.

  8. Differentiation and Collaboration in a Competitive Environment: A Case Study of Ontario Postsecondary Education System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jafar, Hayfa

    2015-01-01

    The essay explores how the dynamics of competition and collaboration among Ontario's higher education institutions contribute to the system's differentiation strategy. The essay implements a content analysis approach to the Strategic Mandate Agreement submissions signed between the Ontario Government and the Ontario Colleges and Universities in…

  9. Surface modification of ZnO nanorods with Hamilton receptors.

    PubMed

    Zeininger, Lukas; Klaumünzer, Martin; Peukert, Wolfgang; Hirsch, Andreas

    2015-04-13

    A new prototype of a Hamilton receptor suitable for the functionalization of inorganic nanoparticles was synthesized and characterized. The hydrogen bonding receptor was coupled to a catechol moiety, which served as anchor group for the functionalization of metal oxides, in particular zinc oxide. Synthesized zinc oxide nanorods [ZnO] were used for surface functionalization. The wet-chemical functionalization procedure towards monolayer-grafted particles [ZnO-HR] is described and a detailed characterization study is presented. In addition, the detection of specific cyanurate molecules is demonstrated. The hybrid structures [ZnO-HR-CA] were stable towards agglomeration and exhibited enhanced dispersability in apolar solvents. This observation, in combination with several spectroscopic experiments gave evidence of the highly directional supramolecular recognition at the surface of nanoparticles.

  10. Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population

    PubMed Central

    Reijnders, Peter J. H.; Cremer, Jenny; Meesters, Erik; Kirkwood, Roger; Jensen, Lasse Fast; Jeβ, Armin; Galatius, Anders; Teilmann, Jonas; Aarts, Geert

    2018-01-01

    Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%), suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%). The seals’ distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately 70% of all

  11. Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population.

    PubMed

    Brasseur, Sophie M J M; Reijnders, Peter J H; Cremer, Jenny; Meesters, Erik; Kirkwood, Roger; Jensen, Lasse Fast; Jeβ, Armin; Galatius, Anders; Teilmann, Jonas; Aarts, Geert

    2018-01-01

    Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%), suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%). The seals' distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately 70% of all pups

  12. Ontario dentists: 3. Radiographs prescribed in general practice.

    PubMed

    Swan, E S; Lewis, D W

    1993-01-01

    In February 1991, a mail survey was used to poll a sample consisting of about 10 per cent of Ontario's general dentists. The data obtained provided information about the radiographs prescribed by dentists for five different patient types, which were described to the respondents. The per cent agreement between the radiographic procedures prescribed by Ontario dentists and the ADA-approved Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH) guidelines ranged from three per cent to 79 per cent, depending on patient type and disease risk. For each patient and risk type, there was considerable variation in the radiographs prescribed.

  13. The Education Act (Ontario) 1980: A Review.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hodder, C. J.

    1984-01-01

    Ontario has provided special education legislation through the Education Amendment Act, 1980. Issues related to teacher preparation for special education and program planning and implementation are reviewed. (DF)

  14. The Status of School Psychology in Ontario School Boards: 2016 Perspective

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lean, Debra

    2016-01-01

    This article reports on the status of school psychology in Ontario. School psychology practice in Ontario has continued to evolve since the previous report was published in 2001. School psychologists have varied roles, and although the most prominent one remains as assessing students for entry into certain special education services, school-based…

  15. Shifting Currents: Science Technology Society and Environment in Northern Ontario Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Steele, Astrid

    2013-01-01

    The focus is on the practices of secondary science teachers in rural, resource-extraction-based communities in the boreal region of northern Ontario, Canada. In 2008 the Ontario Ministry of Education mandated that science teaching and learning should bring to the forefront consideration of the impacts of science on society and environment, and…

  16. Hepatic CYP1A levels and EROD activity in English sole: biomonitoring of marine contaminants in Vancouver Harbour.

    PubMed

    Miller, K A; Addison, R F; Bandiera, S M

    2004-01-01

    To assess chemical contaminant stress in the marine environment, ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity and cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) expression were measured in 88 English Sole (Pleuronectes vetulus) collected during May and June 1999 from four sites in Vancouver Harbour and at an expected reference site outside the harbour. Hepatic microsomes were prepared from the fish and analyzed for total CYP content, EROD activity, and CYP1A protein levels. Hepatic EROD activity and CYP1A protein levels were elevated in fish from two sites in the inner harbour. A comparison with sediment chemistry data showed that fish with increased EROD activity and CYP1A levels came from sites containing relatively high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls. Unexpectedly high levels of EROD activity and CYP1A protein were also found in fish from a reference site near Gibsons, in Howe Sound. The elevated EROD activity and CYP1A expression in fish from this site cannot be explained by the chemical analysis data collected.

  17. Hospitals' response to the buckle-up baby legislation in Ontario.

    PubMed Central

    Lawee, D; Stoughton, W V

    1986-01-01

    Drivers in Ontario are legally responsible to ensure that infants and toddlers are restrained in a child safety seat or by a lap belt. In 1982 the minister of health sent a memorandum to all medical officers of health and the administrators and medical directors of all public hospitals in Ontario, urging them to encourage and assist parents in protecting their newborn children with safety seats. In 1983 the Toronto General Hospital established the Cooperative Hospital Infant Restraint Program (CHIRP) to study the feasibility of a "loaner" program for hospitals in metropolitan Toronto. The authors describe CHIRP and its objectives. They also report the results of a questionnaire they sent in 1984 to all Ontario hospitals that had a newborn or pediatric service to assess their response to the minister's memorandum. PMID:3768820

  18. 78 FR 22873 - Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-17

    ... Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications On February 19, 2013, Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC, filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA...

  19. 78 FR 22872 - Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-04-17

    ... Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications On February 19, 2013, Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC, filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA...

  20. Paleolimnology of Lake Ontario: AN Assessment of Glacial Meltwater Influx

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hladyniuk, R.; Longstaffe, F. J.

    2010-12-01

    The timing and extent of glacial meltwater outbursts from the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) may provide insight into their potential role in initiating and/or sustaining the Younger Dryas (YD) cooling event. It has been previously proposed that meltwater from the LIS suppressed thermohaline circulation in the Atlantic Ocean, leading to an abrupt change in climate (Broecker et al. 1989). Several pathways for transport of glacial meltwater to the Atlantic Ocean have been suggested in the past, including eastern flow through the St. Lawrence River system and discharge into the Arctic Ocean via a northwestern outlet (Murton et al. 2010). Glacial meltwater contributions to Lake Ontario and its ancient equivalents during the last ~14,000 cal BP have been evaluated using the oxygen-isotope compositions of ostracode shells from three sediment cores in Lake Ontario. Glacial Lake Iroquois (~12,500 cal BP) δ18O values as low as -18‰ suggest significant contribution of glacial meltwater runoff from the LIS. This glacial sediment is characterized by occasional grains of sand and gravel. These ice-rafted particles indicate how far icebergs floated and suggest close proximity to the LIS. Early Lake Ontario sediment (~12,000 cal BP) exhibits thicker laminations, suggestive of increased winter ice cover and perhaps a colder climate, and is characterized by slightly lower δ18O values (-19.5‰). The end of glacial-dominated sedimentation at ~11,800 cal BP is demarcated by a significant increase in lakewater δ18O values (-12.0‰), reflecting mixing between regional precipitation in the watershed and upstream inflow into Lake Ontario. At ~10,800 cal BP, the δ18O value of Lake Ontario decreased to ~-15‰. This change reflects the main Algonquin highstand in Lake Huron, which flooded into Lake Ontario from both the Fenelon Falls and Port Huron outlets at this time. Shortly thereafter, the opening of the North Bay outlet and isostatic rebound at the Port Huron outlet limited

  1. Serratia marcescens harbouring SME-type class A carbapenemases in Canada and the presence of blaSME on a novel genomic island, SmarGI1-1.

    PubMed

    Mataseje, L F; Boyd, D A; Delport, J; Hoang, L; Imperial, M; Lefebvre, B; Kuhn, M; Van Caeseele, P; Willey, B M; Mulvey, M R

    2014-07-01

    An increasing prevalence since 2010 of Serratia marcescens harbouring the Ambler class A carbapenemase SME prompted us to further characterize these isolates. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were identified by PCR and sequencing. Phenotypic analysis for carbapenemase activity was carried out by a modified Hodge test and a modified Carba NP test. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by Etest and Vitek 2. Typing was by PFGE of macrorestriction digests. Whole-genome sequencing of three isolates was carried out to characterize the genomic region harbouring the bla(SME)-type genes. All S. marcescens harbouring SME-type enzymes could be detected using a modified Carba NP test. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were resistant to penicillins and carbapenems, but remained susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins, as well as fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Isolates exhibited diverse genetic backgrounds, though 57% of isolates were found in three clusters. Analysis of whole-genome sequence data from three isolates revealed that the bla(SME) gene occurred in a novel cryptic prophage genomic island, SmarGI1-1. There has been an increasing occurrence of S. marcescens harbouring bla(SME) in Canada since 2010. The bla(SME) gene was found on a genomic island, SmarGI1-1, that can be excised and circularized, which probably contributes to its dissemination amongst S. marcescens. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  2. Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour.

    PubMed

    de Solla, Shane R; Fernie, Kimberly J

    2004-11-01

    PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

  3. The Greening of St Patrick's.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barron, Jennie

    1993-01-01

    The grade 6-7 class at St. Patrick's School in Hamilton (Ontario) engages in outdoor environmental projects to enhance classroom learning. Some student activities have been (1) worm composting; (2) tree planting; (3) restoring tern nesting areas; and (4) planning and cultivating a sophisticated garden on school grounds. (KS)

  4. Is Ontario Selling Its Children Short?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grossman, Alana; Jordan, Anne

    1998-01-01

    Ontario, Canada's grassroots movement toward integrating disabled students harmonizes with governmental intentions to reduce costs while preserving student rights and accountability. However, decentralized, market-driven models hamper equity. More students are labelled exceptional, schools target privileged enrollees, minority students lack…

  5. Apprenticeship 2000: Ontario Community Colleges' Vision for the 21st Century.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, North York.

    In response to the Ministry of Education and Training Discussion Paper on Apprenticeship Reform, the Council of Presidents of the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario presented a new vision for apprenticeship in Ontario. The 21st century apprenticeship system aims to remove barriers and enable workers to successfully adjust and cope…

  6. Benthic prey fish assessment, Lake Ontario 2013

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen; Connerton, Michael J.

    2014-01-01

    The 2013 benthic fish assessment was delayed and shortened as a result of the U.S. Government shutdown, however the assessment collected 51 of the 62 planned bottom trawls. Over the past 34 years, Slimy Sculpin abundance in Lake Ontario has fluctuated, but ultimately decreased by two orders of magnitude, with a substantial decline occurring in the past 10 years. The 2013 Slimy Sculpin mean bottom trawl catch density (0.001 ind.·m-2, s.d.= 0.0017, n = 52) and mean biomass density (0.015 g·m-2 , s.d.= 0.038, n = 52) were the lowest recorded in the 27 years of sampling using the original bottom trawl design. From 2011-2013, the Slimy Sculpin density and biomass density has decreased by approximately 50% each year. Spring bottom trawl catches illustrate Slimy Sculpin and Round Goby Neogobius melanostoma winter habitat overlaps for as much as 7 months out of a year, providing opportunities for competition and predation. Invasive species, salmonid piscivory, and declines in native benthic invertebrates are likely all important drivers of Slimy Sculpin population dynamics in Lake Ontario. Deepwater Sculpin Myoxocephalus thompsonii, considered rare or absent from Lake Ontario for 30 years, have generally increased over the past eight years. For the first time since they were caught in this assessment, Deepwater Sculpin density and biomass density estimates declined from the previous year. The 2013 abundance and density estimates for trawls covering the standard depths from 60m to 150m was 0.0001 fish per square meter and 0.0028 grams per square meter. In 2013, very few small (< 80 mm) Deepwater Sculpin were caught and most sculpin were at sites of 150 meters or greater, which is in contrast to previous years when juvenile fish were caught around 80-100 meters. The reduced effort and late seasonal timing of the 2013 assessment make it difficult to have high confidence in declines observed in 2013, however observed Alewife Alosa psuedoharengus abundance increases and

  7. Milestones on the social accountability journey: Family medicine practice locations of Northern Ontario School of Medicine graduates.

    PubMed

    Hogenbirk, John C; Timony, Patrick E; French, Margaret G; Strasser, Roger; Pong, Raymond W; Cervin, Catherine; Graves, Lisa

    2016-03-01

    To assess the effect of different levels of exposure to the Northern Ontario School of Medicine's (NOSM's) distributed medical education programs in northern Ontario on FPs' practice locations. Cross-sectional design using longitudinal survey and administrative data. Canada. All 131 Canadian medical graduates who completed FP training in 2011 to 2013 and who completed their undergraduate (UG) medical degree or postgraduate (PG) residency training or both at NOSM. Exposure to NOSM's medical education program at the UG (n = 49) or PG (n = 31) level or both (n = 51). Primary practice location in September of 2014. Approximately 16% (21 of 129) of FPs were practising in rural northern Ontario, 45% (58 of 129) in urban northern Ontario, and 5% (7 of 129) in rural southern Ontario. Logistic regression found that more rural Canadian background years predicted rural practice in northern Ontario or Ontario, with odds ratios of 1.16 and 1.12, respectively. Northern Canadian background, sex, marital status, and having children did not predict practice location. Completing both UG and PG training at NOSM predicted practising in rural and northern Ontario locations with odds ratios of 4.06 to 48.62. Approximately 61% (79 of 129) of Canadian medical graduate FPs who complete at least some of their training at NOSM practise in northern Ontario. Slightly more than a quarter (21 of 79) of these FPs practise in rural northern Ontario. The FPs with more years of rural background or those with greater exposure to NOSM's medical education programs had higher odds of practising in rural northern Ontario. This study shows that NOSM is on the road to reaching one of its social accountability milestones.

  8. An outbreak of foodborne botulism in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Loutfy, Mona R; Austin, John W; Blanchfield, Burke; Fong, Ignatius W

    2003-01-01

    Botulism is a rare paralytic illness resulting from a potent neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum. Botulism in Canada is predominately due to C botulinum type E and affects mainly the First Nations and Inuit populations. The most recent outbreak of botulism in Ontario was in Ottawa in 1991 and was caused by C botulinum type A. We report an outbreak of foodborne type B botulism in Ontario, which implicated home-canned tomatoes. The outbreak was characterized by mild symptoms in two cases and moderately severe illness in one case. The investigation shows the importance of considering the diagnosis of botulism in patients presenting with cranial nerve and autonomic dysfunction, especially when combined with gastrointestinal complaints; it also highlights the importance of proper home canning technique. PMID:18159458

  9. On the Geometry of the Hamilton-Jacobi Equation and Generating Functions

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ferraro, Sebastián; de León, Manuel; Marrero, Juan Carlos; Martín de Diego, David; Vaquero, Miguel

    2017-10-01

    In this paper we develop a geometric version of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation in the Poisson setting. Specifically, we "geometrize" what is usually called a complete solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. We use some well-known results about symplectic groupoids, in particular cotangent groupoids, as a keystone for the construction of our framework. Our methodology follows the ambitious program proposed by Weinstein (In Mechanics day (Waterloo, ON, 1992), volume 7 of fields institute communications, American Mathematical Society, Providence, 1996) in order to develop geometric formulations of the dynamical behavior of Lagrangian and Hamiltonian systems on Lie algebroids and Lie groupoids. This procedure allows us to take symmetries into account, and, as a by-product, we recover results from Channell and Scovel (Phys D 50(1):80-88, 1991), Ge (Indiana Univ. Math. J. 39(3):859-876, 1990), Ge and Marsden (Phys Lett A 133(3):134-139, 1988), but even in these situations our approach is new. A theory of generating functions for the Poisson structures considered here is also developed following the same pattern, solving a longstanding problem of the area: how to obtain a generating function for the identity transformation and the nearby Poisson automorphisms of Poisson manifolds. A direct application of our results gives the construction of a family of Poisson integrators, that is, integrators that conserve the underlying Poisson geometry. These integrators are implemented in the paper in benchmark problems. Some conclusions, current and future directions of research are shown at the end of the paper.

  10. 78 FR 28838 - Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2013-05-16

    ... Hydro, LLC; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting Comments, Motions To Intervene, and Competing Applications On March 26, 2013, Hamilton Street Hydro, LLC, filed an application for a preliminary permit, pursuant to section 4(f) of the Federal Power Act (FPA), proposing to...

  11. Did Ontario's Zero Tolerance & Graduated Licensing Law Reduce Youth Drunk Driving?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Carpenter, Christopher

    2006-01-01

    On April 1, 1994, Ontario, Canada, instituted a new graduated driver license (GDL) system that effectively set the legal blood alcohol content (BAC) threshold at zero for the first few years of a youth's driving eligibility. I use data from the 1983-2001 Ontario Student Drug Use Surveys (OSDUS) to examine whether the Zero Tolerance (ZT) policy…

  12. Global travel patterns and risk of measles in Ontario and Quebec, Canada: 2007-2011.

    PubMed

    Wilson, Sarah E; Khan, Kamran; Gilca, Vladimir; Miniota, Jennifer; Deeks, Shelley L; Lim, Gillian; Eckhardt, Rose; Bolotin, Shelly; Crowcroft, Natasha S

    2015-08-18

    In 2011 the largest measles outbreak in North America in a decade occurred in Quebec, Canada with over 700 cases. In contrast, measles activity in neighbouring province Ontario remained low (8 cases). Our objective was to determine the extent to which the difference could be explained by differing travel patterns. We explored the relationship between measles cases over 2007-2011, by importation classification, in Quebec and Ontario in relation to global travel patterns to each province using an ecological approach. Global measles exposure was estimated by multiplying the monthly traveler volume for each country of origin into Quebec or Ontario by the yearly measles incidence rate for the corresponding country. Visual inspection of temporal figures and calculation of Pearson correlation coefficients were performed. Global measles exposure was similar in Ontario and Quebec. In Quebec, there was a nearly perfectly linear relationship between annual measles cases and its global measles exposure index over 2007-2011 (r = 0.99, p = 0.001). In contrast, there was a non-significant association in Ontario. The 2011 rise in Quebec's index was largely driven by a dramatic increase in measles activity in France the same year. Global measles activity was associated with measles epidemiology in Quebec. Global measles exposure risk is higher in Ontario than Quebec. Differences in measles epidemiology between Ontario and Quebec from 2007-2011 are not explained by greater exposure in Quebec. A combination of alternative factors may be responsible, including differences in population susceptibility.

  13. Review of Ice-Control Methods at Lock 8, Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Ontario

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-01

    ER D C/ CR RE L SR -1 6- 1 Review of Ice-Control Methods at Lock 8, Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Ontario Co ld R eg io ns R es ea rc... Lock 8, Welland Canal, Port Colborne, Ontario Robert B. Haehnel U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Cold Regions Research and...CRREL and the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation C-15-CRL-15, “ Lock 8 Ice Management Study, Lake Erie Port Colborne, Ontario, Canada

  14. Evaluation of immune and stress status in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena): can hormones and mRNA expression levels serve as indicators to assess stress?

    PubMed Central

    2013-01-01

    Background The harbour porpoise is exposed to increasing pressure caused by anthropogenic activities in its marine environment. Numerous offshore wind farms are planned or under construction in the North and Baltic Seas, which will increase underwater noise during both construction and operation. A better understanding of how anthropogenic impacts affect the behaviour, health, endocrinology, immunology and physiology of the animals is thus needed. The present study compares levels of stress hormones and mRNA expression of cytokines and acute-phase proteins in blood samples of harbour porpoises exposed to different levels of stress during handling, in rehabilitation or permanent human care. Free-ranging harbour porpoises, incidentally caught in pound nets in Denmark, were compared to harbour porpoises in rehabilitation at SOS Dolfijn in Harderwijk, the Netherlands, and individuals permanently kept in human care in the Dolfinarium Harderwijk and Fjord & Belt Kerteminde, Denmark. Blood samples were investigated for catecholamines, adrenaline, noradrenaline and dopamine, as well as for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, metanephrine and normetanephrine. mRNA expression levels of relevant cell mediators (cytokines IL-10 and TNFα, acute-phase proteins haptoglobin and C-reactive protein and the heat shock protein HSP70) were measured using real-time PCR. Results Biomarker expression levels varied between free-ranging animals and porpoises in human care. Hormone and cytokine ranges showed correlations to each other and to the health status of investigated harbour porpoises. Hormone concentrations were higher in free-ranging harbour porpoises than in animals in human care. Adrenaline can be used as a parameter for the initial reaction to acute stress situations; noradrenaline, dopamine, ACTH and cortisol are more likely indicators for the following minutes of acute stress. There is evidence for different correlations between production of normetanephrine

  15. Fatal Disseminated Toxoplasma gondii Infection in a Captive Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

    PubMed

    Herder, V; van de Velde, N; Højer Kristensen, J; van Elk, C; Peters, M; Kilwinski, J; Schares, G; Siebert, U; Wohlsein, P

    2015-11-01

    A 7-year-old female harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), born and held in captivity, suffered from reduced consciousness, imprecise and circling swimming movements and long phases of immobility over a period of 3 weeks. The animal died during treatment in a Danish open sea facility. Pathological examination revealed multifocal pyogranulomatous to necrotizing meningoencephalomyelitis, ganglioneuritis, plexus chorioiditis, myocarditis, hepatitis and adrenalitis with few intralesional protozoal tachyzoites and bradyzoites within cysts. Immunohistochemistry was positive for Toxoplasma gondii antigen within the lesions. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the presence of T. gondii-specific genome fragments was confirmed. A multilocus PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using nine unlinked marker regions (nSAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico) resulted in the identification of T. gondii type II (variant Apico Type I), which is the T. gondii genotype dominating in Germany. This is the first description of disseminated fatal toxoplasmosis in a captive harbour porpoise that lived in an open sea basin. Surface water contaminated with toxoplasma oocysts is regarded as the most likely source of infection. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. Clinical guidelines and the fate of medical autonomy in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Rappolt, S G

    1997-04-01

    Conceptually, clinical guidelines and professional autonomy have a paradoxical relationship. Despite being the quintessence of medical knowledge at the corporate level, guidelines diminish the clinical autonomy of individual practitioners, and therefore threaten medicine's justification for its autonomy. Theorists have argued that professional autonomy will be retained through elite dominance of practitioners, while comparative research suggests that economic autonomy can be traded off to retain clinical autonomy. Under government pressure to regulate the growth of Ontario physicians' fee-for-service public expenditure, the profession's representative organization, the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), promoted voluntary clinical guidelines, hoping to both constrain costs and preserve professional control over the content of medical care. The OMA collaborated with the Ministry of Health in developing guidelines and establishing a provincial centre for health service research. Ontario's practitioners disregarded the OMA's exhortations to implement clinical guidelines, suggesting that in the absence of external constraints, practitioners can subvert elite dominance. However, practitioners' unchecked clinical and economic autonomy, combined with evidence of wide provincial variations in medical care, served to legitimize the government's increasingly unilateral control over the schedule of insured medical services, and, in 1993, their imposition of a global cap on physicians' fee-for-service income pool. When analysed in the context of ongoing Ministry-OMA relations, the failure of the OMA's guidelines strategy to constrain medical service costs has expedited an overall decline in medical autonomy in Ontario. The emergence and course of Ontario's clinical guidelines movement is consistent with the view that medical autonomy is contingent upon broad class forces, and the conceptualization of professional organizations as instruments for mediated occupational control.

  17. Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations and approximate dynamic programming on time scales.

    PubMed

    Seiffertt, John; Sanyal, Suman; Wunsch, Donald C

    2008-08-01

    The time scales calculus is a key emerging area of mathematics due to its potential use in a wide variety of multidisciplinary applications. We extend this calculus to approximate dynamic programming (ADP). The core backward induction algorithm of dynamic programming is extended from its traditional discrete case to all isolated time scales. Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equations, the solution of which is the fundamental problem in the field of dynamic programming, are motivated and proven on time scales. By drawing together the calculus of time scales and the applied area of stochastic control via ADP, we have connected two major fields of research.

  18. A critical review of financial measures as reported in the Ontario hospital balanced scorecard.

    PubMed

    Parkinson, John; Tsasis, Peter; Porporato, Marcela

    2007-01-01

    For Ontario hospitals in Canada, the Financial Performance and Condition measures in the Ontario hospital balanced scorecard are especially of interest since in the foreseeable future, they may be linked to provincial government funding decisions. However, we find that these measures lack valuable information on key attributes that affect organizational performance. We suggest changes that focus on key drivers of performance and reflect the operational realities of Ontario hospitals.

  19. DDTs and other chlorinated organic pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls pollution in the surface sediments of Keratsini harbour, Saronikos gulf, Greece.

    PubMed

    Galanopoulou, Stavroula; Vgenopoulos, Andreas; Conispoliatis, Nikolaos

    2005-05-01

    Sediment samples were collected from Keratsini harbour, Saronikos gulf, Greece and were analysed for chlorinated organic pesticides (DDTs, HCB, Lindane) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). High total DDTs values were detected in all the sediments samples ranging from 9.1 to 75.6 mug/g, dry weight. PCBs concentrations range from 47.8 to 351.8 ng/g. The results and especially the high concentrations of DDTs reflect the influence of the industrial and urban wastes in the pollution for the Keratsini harbour environment.

  20. A Road Less Traveled: Creating a Community Where Each Belongs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Killoran, Isabel

    2002-01-01

    Explores the approach taken by one Catholic District School Board in Hamilton, Ontario to build an inclusive community. Describes the history of special education in Canada, the development of an inclusive philosophy in the district, the support of administrators and educators, the use of various collaborative strategies such as school resource…

  1. Facts and Figures. A Compendium of Statistics on Ontario Universities. Volume 4.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    The purpose of this compendium is to provide consistent and accurate statistical and graphical information on the Ontario (Canada) university system. The compendium consists of seven sections: (1) Ontario population data with population projections 1986-2021, median income by educational attainment 1985-1994, and unemployment rates by educational…

  2. The ancient harbour system of Terracina (Latium, Italy) obtained by gravity and seismic surveys.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    di Nezza, Maria; di Filippo, Michele

    2010-05-01

    Historical research has shown that Terracina (Latina, Latium) played a fundamental role in the maritime and land traffic since before the foundation of the colony. The settlement was established where the organized system of maritime, land, coastal, and fluvial transport had the most ideal conditions to constitute an important commercial crossroads, apparently since the beginning of recorded history. In order to reconstruction the buried archaeological structures attributed to the ancient Roman port, traditionally attributed to Traiano, in the current area of the harbour of Terracina, it was carried out a gravity survey, more than 380 gravity stations. The gravity method enables to recognize the cavity and the structures of the buildings underground through the results of variations density in the subsoil. Seismic tomography treats the problem of identifying a buried structure as a wave propagation process by inverting the linearized wave equation to compute the spatial distribution of the slowness of the velocity. The purpose of our tomographic study is to further test the method and to guide archaeologists in their future excavations by locating and identifying buried structures. In the residual gravity anomaly map a series of positive anomalies are visible which confirm the round structures and the pier of the buried foundations of the Imperial harbour. Unfortunately, little remains of the functioning facilities of the harbour's activities. The modern construction of the harbour, in fact, has to be developed around the new inhabitable commercial area, know today as Terracina Bassa or Borgo alla Marina. It had to be developed with a modern infrastructure of a harbor area, as in the construction of the rooms for storage of goods, warehouses, as well as for the thermal baths, hotels and amphitheatre. Furthermore, there are always the positive anomalies that characterize the area to the north-east of "Montone" hill where archaeological remains are easily visible

  3. Differences in Access to Services in Rural Emergency Departments of Quebec and Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Archambault, Patrick; Audette, Louis David; Plant, Jeff; Bégin, François; Poitras, Julien

    2015-01-01

    Introduction Rural emergency departments (EDs) are important safety nets for the 20% of Canadians who live there. A serious problem in access to health care services in these regions has emerged. However, there are considerable geographic disparities in access to trauma center in Canada. The main objective of this project was to compare access to local 24/7 support services in rural EDs in Quebec and Ontario as well as distances to Levels 1 and 2 trauma centers. Materials and Methods Rural EDs were identified through the Canadian Healthcare Association's Guide to Canadian Healthcare Facilities. We selected hospitals with 24/7 ED physician coverage and hospitalization beds that were located in rural communities. There were 26 rural EDs in Quebec and 62 in Ontario meeting these criteria. Data were collected from ministries of health, local health authorities, and ED statistics. Fisher’s exact test, the t-test or Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test, were performed to compare rural EDs of Quebec and Ontario. Results All selected EDs of Quebec and Ontario agreed to participate in the study. The number of EDs visits was higher in Quebec than in Ontario (19 322 ± 6 275 vs 13 446 ± 8 056, p = 0.0013). There were no significant differences between Quebec and Ontario’s local population and small town population density. Quebec’s EDs have better access to advance imaging services such as CT scanner (77% vs 15%, p < .0001) and most the consultant support and ICU (92% vs 31%, p < .0001). Finally, more than 40% of rural EDs in Quebec and Ontario are more than 300 km away from Levels 1 and 2 trauma centers. Conclusions Considering that Canada has a Universal health care system, the discrepancies between Quebec and Ontario in access to support services are intriguing. A nationwide study is justified to address this issue. PMID:25874948

  4. Sexual difference in mercury concentrations of lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) from Lake Ontario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Madenjian, C.P.; Keir, M.J.; Whittle, D.M.

    2011-01-01

    We determined total mercury (Hg) concentrations in 50 female lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) and 69 male lake trout from Lake Ontario (Ontario, Canada and New York, United States). Results showed that, on average, males were 8% higher in Hg concentration than females in Lake Ontario. We also used bioenergetics modeling to determine whether a sexual difference in gross growth efficiency (GGE) could explain the observed sexual difference in Hg concentrations. According to the bioenergetics modeling results, male GGE was about 3% higher than female GGE, on average. Although the bioenergetics modeling could not explain the higher Hg concentrations exhibited by the males, a sexual difference in GGE remained a plausible explanation for the sexual difference in Hg concentrations of the lake trout. In an earlier study, male lake trout from Lake Ontario were found to be 22% higher in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentration than females from Lake Ontario. Thus, although males were higher in both Hg and PCB concentrations, the degree of the sexual difference in concentration varied between the two contaminants. Further research on sexual differences in Hg excretion rates and Hg direct uptake rates may be needed to resolve the disparity in results between the two contaminants.

  5. Landsat View: Ontario, California

    NASA Image and Video Library

    2017-12-08

    Thirty-five miles due east of downtown Los Angeles lies the city of Ontario, California. In 1881 two Canadian brothers established the town, naming it after their native city. By 1891 Ontario, Calif., was incorporated as a city. The farming-based economy (olives, citrus, dairy) of the city helped it grow to 20,000 by the 1960s. Subsequently, warehousing and freight trafficking took over as the major industry and the city’s population was over 160,000 by 2010. The L.A./Ontario International Airport is now America’s 15th busiest cargo airport. In these natural color Landsat 5 images, the massive growth of the city between 1985 and 2010 can be seen. The airport, found in the southwest portion of the images, added a number of runways and large warehousing structures now dominate the once rural areas surrounding the airport. In these images vegetation is green and brown and urban structures are bright white and gray. (Note there is a large dry riverbed in the northeast corner that is also bright white, but its nonlinear appearance sets it apart visually). ---- NASA and the U.S. Department of the Interior through the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) jointly manage Landsat, and the USGS preserves a 40-year archive of Landsat images that is freely available over the Internet. The next Landsat satellite, now known as the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM) and later to be called Landsat 8, is scheduled for launch in 2013. In honor of Landsat’s 40th anniversary in July 2012, the USGS released the LandsatLook viewer – a quick, simple way to go forward and backward in time, pulling images of anywhere in the world out of the Landsat archive. NASA image use policy. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center enables NASA’s mission through four scientific endeavors: Earth Science, Heliophysics, Solar System Exploration, and Astrophysics. Goddard plays a leading role in NASA’s accomplishments by contributing compelling scientific knowledge to advance the Agency’s mission

  6. Agricultural drainage and wetland management in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Walters, Dan; Shrubsole, Dan

    2003-12-01

    Land drainage is recognized as an integral part of agricultural activity throughout the world. However, the increase in agricultural production has resulted in the loss of wetland functions and values. Therefore, wetland management and agricultural drainage illustrate the conflict between economic development and natural values. This research assesses the approval process for agricultural land drainage in Ontario, Canada, to determine how the benefits of increased agricultural production are balanced against the loss of wetland values. A permit review of drainage applications was conducted from 1978 to 1997 in Zorra Township, Ontario, Canada. Data collection also included the document reviews, interviews with government agencies and wetland evaluation files. The selected criteria include efficiency, equity, consistency and adequacy. The results indicate that while the process is efficient, fundamental problems remain with the bargaining process.

  7. Education Network of Ontario: Content/Curriculum Models for the Internet-Connected Classroom.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Beam, Mary

    The Education Network of Ontario (ENO) is a telecommunications corporation creating an access and applications network for and by Ontario's 130,000-member education community. When educators register with ENO, they receive full industry-standard Internet and Intranet services in English and French. ENO/REO works from school or home. Statistics…

  8. Hydrodynamic detection and localization of artificial flatfish breathing currents by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

    PubMed

    Niesterok, Benedikt; Krüger, Yvonne; Wieskotten, Sven; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

    2017-01-15

    Harbour seals are known to be opportunistic feeders, whose diet consists mainly of pelagic and benthic fish, such as flatfish. As flatfish are often cryptic and do not produce noise, we hypothesized that harbour seals are able to detect and localize flatfish using their hydrodynamic sensory system (vibrissae), as fish emit water currents through their gill openings (breathing currents). To test this hypothesis, we created an experimental platform where an artificial breathing current was emitted through one of eight different openings. Three seals were trained to search for the active opening and station there for 5 s. Half of the trials were conducted with the seal blindfolded with an eye mask. In blindfolded and non-blindfolded trials, all seals performed significantly better than chance. The seals crossed the artificial breathing current (being emitted into the water column at an angle of 45 deg to the ground) from different directions. There was no difference in performance when the seals approached from in front, from behind or from the side. All seals responded to the artificial breathing currents by directly moving their snout towards the opening from which the hydrodynamic stimulus was emitted. Thus, they were also able to extract directional information from the hydrodynamic stimulus. Hydrodynamic background noise and the swimming speed of the seals were also considered in this study as these are aggravating factors that seals in the wild have to face during foraging. By creating near-natural conditions, we show that harbour seals have the ability to detect a so-far overlooked type of stimulus. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

  9. Report of activities, 1997, Resident Geologist program, southern Ontario regional Resident Geologist`s report: Southeastern and Southwestern districts, Mines and Minerals Information Centre, and Petroleum Resources Centre. Ontario Geological Survey open file report number 5974

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

    Sangster, P.J.

    1998-10-01

    This report reviews activities in the Southeastern and Southwestern Ontario Resident Geologist districts for the year, including mining and exploration activity, mineral property examinations, recommendations for exploration, and Ontario Geological Survey activities and research by others. It also reviews activities at the Ontario Geological Survey Mines and Minerals Information Centre and exploration and development activity in the province`s oil and gas sector.

  10. Economic evaluation of meningococcal serogroup B childhood vaccination in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Tu, Hong Anh T; Deeks, Shelley L; Morris, Shaun K; Strifler, Lisa; Crowcroft, Natasha; Jamieson, Frances B; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Coyte, Peter C; Krahn, Murray; Sander, Beate

    2014-09-22

    Invasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) disease is a low incidence but severe infection (mean annual incidence 0.19/100,000/year, case fatality 11%, major long-term sequelae 10%) in Ontario, Canada. This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of a novel MenB vaccine from the Ontario healthcare payer perspective. A Markov cohort model of invasive MenB disease based on high quality local data and data from the literature was developed. A 4-dose vaccination schedule, 97% coverage, 90% effectiveness, 66% strain coverage, 10-year duration of protection, and vaccine cost of C$75/dose were assumed. A hypothetical Ontario birth cohort (n=150,000) was simulated to estimate expected lifetime health outcomes, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs, discounted at 5%. A MenB infant vaccination program is expected to prevent 4.6 invasive MenB disease cases over the lifetime of an Ontario birth cohort, equivalent to 10 QALYs gained. The estimated program cost of C$46.6 million per cohort (including C$318,383 for treatment of vaccine-associated adverse events) were not offset by healthcare cost savings of C$150,522 from preventing MenB cases, resulting in an incremental cost of C$4.76 million per QALY gained. Sensitivity analyses showed the findings to be robust. An infant MenB vaccination program significantly exceeds commonly used cost-effectiveness thresholds and thus is unlikely to be considered economically attractive in Ontario and comparable jurisdictions. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  11. Pup Mortality in a Rapidly Declining Harbour Seal (Phoca vitulina) Population

    PubMed Central

    Hanson, Nora; Thompson, Dave; Duck, Callan; Moss, Simon; Lonergan, Mike

    2013-01-01

    The harbour seal population in Orkney, off the north coast of Scotland, has reduced by 65% between 2001 and 2010. The cause(s) of this decline are unknown but must affect the demographic parameters of the population. Here, satellite telemetry data were used to test the hypothesis that increased pup mortality could be a primary driver of the decline in Orkney. Pup mortality and tag failure parameters were estimated from the duration of operation of satellite tags deployed on harbour seal pups from the Orkney population (n = 24) and from another population on the west coast of Scotland (n = 24) where abundance was stable. Survival probabilities from both populations were best represented by a common gamma distribution and were not different from one another, suggesting that increased pup mortality is unlikely to be the primary agent in the Orkney population decline. The estimated probability of surviving to 6 months was 0.390 (95% CI 0.297 – 0.648) and tag failure was represented by a Gaussian distribution, with estimated mean 270 (95% CI = 198 – 288) and s.d. 21 (95% CI = 1 – 66) days. These results suggest that adult survival is the most likely proximate cause of the decline. They also demonstrate a novel technique for attaining age-specific mortality rates from telemetry data. PMID:24312239

  12. Humpback whales harbour a combination of specific and variable skin bacteria.

    PubMed

    Apprill, Amy; Mooney, T Aran; Lyman, Edward; Stimpert, Alison K; Rappé, Michael S

    2011-04-01

    Investigations of marine mammal skin-associated microbiota are limited to cultivation-based studies of lesioned individuals, resulting in a lack of understanding about the composition of 'normal' skin-associated microbial communities, their variation among individuals, and whether or not the microbial communities change with host health or environmental exposures. In this study, bacterial communities associated with the skin of 19 North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), including skin from three health-compromised individuals, were examined using small subunit ribosomal RNA gene-based culture-independent techniques. These analyses revealed that the skin-associated bacteria were significantly different from free-living bacterial communities in the surrounding seawater. Two novel groups within the Flavobacteriaceae family of the Bacteroidetes phylum were found to be associated with multiple whales, including a species within the Tenacibaculum genus that associated with 95% of the individuals. Statistical analyses revealed that a group of eight 'healthy' whales harboured similar microbial communities, while the health-compromised and other 'healthy' animals harboured communities that were unique to the specific animal. These results describe two components of the whale skin bacterial community: a specific and potentially co-evolved fraction, and a more variable microbial community fraction that may offer a diagnostic-type tool for investigating the health and life-related events of these endangered animals. © 2010 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  13. Project Match; Ontario-Montclair School District, Ontario, California. A Submission to the Joint Dissemination Review Panel.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baker, Octave V.

    One of seven career education programs chosen for nationwide dissemination by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare's Joint Dissemination Review Panel (JDRP), Project MATCH (Matching Attitudes and Talents to Career Horizons) is being conducted for grades K-8 in Ontario, California. For the years 1974-78, it received federal funding under…

  14. Insecticide residues on stream sediments in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Miles, J R

    1976-12-01

    Insecticide residues on suspended and bottom sediments of streams of Ontario, Canada, have been studied in a tobacco-growing and a vegetable muck area. The proportion of TDE to DDT was less than 1 in water and greater than 1 in bottom sediments. The ratio of TDE to DDT in bottom material increased linearly from the contamination point at stream source to the mouth of Big Creek in Norfolk County, Ontario. Bed load samples contained three to six times greater concentrations of insecticides than bottom material. Adsorption of insecticides on suspended sediment decreased in order DDT greater than TDE greater than dieldrin greater than diazinon, which is consistent with the water solubility of these compounds.

  15. Each Belongs: Integrated Education in Canada.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Shaw, Linda

    The goal of the Hamilton and Waterloo Catholic School Boards in Ontario, Canada, is to meet the needs of all children, in ordinary, age-appropriate classes in neighborhood schools. This report focuses on this approach of teaching students and disabilities, terming it "full inclusion." The report describes local school board policy and…

  16. Modelling the distribution of hard seabed using calibrated multibeam acoustic backscatter data in a tropical, macrotidal embayment: Darwin Harbour, Australia

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Siwabessy, P. Justy W.; Tran, Maggie; Picard, Kim; Brooke, Brendan P.; Huang, Zhi; Smit, Neil; Williams, David K.; Nicholas, William A.; Nichol, Scott L.; Atkinson, Ian

    2018-06-01

    Spatial information on the distribution of seabed substrate types in high use coastal areas is essential to support their effective management and environmental monitoring. For Darwin Harbour, a rapidly developing port in northern Australia, the distribution of hard substrate is poorly documented but known to influence the location and composition of important benthic biological communities (corals, sponges). In this study, we use angular backscatter response curves to model the distribution of hard seabed in the subtidal areas of Darwin Harbour. The angular backscatter response curve data were extracted from multibeam sonar data and analysed against backscatter intensity for sites observed from seabed video to be representative of "hard" seabed. Data from these sites were consolidated into an "average curve", which became a reference curve that was in turn compared to all other angular backscatter response curves using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit. The output was used to generate interpolated spatial predictions of the probability of hard seabed ( p-hard) and derived hard seabed parameters for the mapped area of Darwin Harbour. The results agree well with the ground truth data with an overall classification accuracy of 75% and an area under curve measure of 0.79, and with modelled bed shear stress for the Harbour. Limitations of this technique are discussed with attention to discrepancies between the video and acoustic results, such as in areas where sediment forms a veneer over hard substrate.

  17. Optometry services in Ontario: supply - and demand-side factors from 2011 to 2036.

    PubMed

    Leonard, Philip Sj; Sweetman, Arthur; Zhang, Xue Helen

    2014-01-01

    Optometric labour market projections are provided. First, population growth and ageing-based estimates of the rate of increase of eye-care services in Ontario from 2011 to 2$ are presented, holding the age-sex structure of utilization constant. Then, using data on the 2011 supply and working hours of Ontario's optometrists, the number of optometrists needed to keep the level of optometric services per age-sex-adjusted person comparable over time is estimated. The projections suggest that the number of Ontario optometrists should grow by approximately 30-40 full-time equivalents per year; to offset retirements and account for decreasing work hours, this suggests 77-90 new practitioners are required each year. However, in recent years, the number of Ontario optometrists has been growing faster than this, suggesting either that demand has exceeded supply and/or surpluses will accumulate if this trend continues. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

  18. Critical Issues in College System Management: Conference Proceedings (Toronto, Ontario, October, 1981).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hamblin, Fred, Ed.

    These proceedings contain all of the formal presentations made at a conference focusing on policy issues affecting the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario. Introductory remarks by Harry Fisher are followed by an outline by Blair Tully of the Ontario government's focus on high technology and the projects of the Board of Industrial…

  19. Environmental implications and spatial distribution of natural radionuclides and heavy metals in sediments from four harbours in the Egyptian Red Sea coast.

    PubMed

    El-Taher, Atef; Zakaly, Hesham M H; Elsaman, Reda

    2018-01-01

    Measurements of natural radionuclides concentrations ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in sediments collected from sea, rivers or ocean is significant to protect the sea water ecosystem and to human health from radiation. Thirty-three sample of sediment have been collected from four ports in the Red Sea coast, Egypt for investigation by gamma-ray spectrometer using NaI(Tl) detector. The average and range activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were 26(5-58), 19(4-33) and 458(16-2665)Bqkg -1 in Quseir Harbour, 30(14-53), 20(14-34) and 430(378-511)Bqkg -1 in Abu-Tartour Harbour. However, the average and range activity concentrations were 23(14-35), 21(15-32), and 602(327-821)Bqkg -1 in Touristic Harbour and 14(5-26), 13(2-23) and 489(36-950)Bqkg -1 in Hurghada harbour. These results were compared with reported ranges in the literature from other location in the world. The radiation hazard parameters; radium equivalent activity annual dose, external hazard were also calculated and compared with the recommended levels by UNSCEAR reports. Eight heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) have been measured and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer. The concentration for the investigated heavy metals overtakes the allowable limits recommended by the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Because there are no existing databases for the natural radioactivity in the sediment samples from Egyptian Red Sea ports, our results are a start to establishing a database for Red Sea harbours environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. A system shift in tidal choking due to the construction of Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Guo, Wenyun; Wang, Xiao Hua; Ding, Pingxing; Ge, Jianzhong; Song, Dehai

    2018-06-01

    Tidal choking is a geometric feature caused by a narrowed channel. Construction of the Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China obstructed three key channels and intensively changed the local geometry and topography. In this study nine numerical experiments based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model are conducted to study the project's influence on tidal characteristics. Results show that stronger tidal choking happened at the East Entrance after project, mainly due to the jet induced water-level drop forced by Bernoulli law and the longer and narrower geometry. The stronger tidal choking forces a faster flow and larger tidal energy flux at the choked channel while reducing the tidal amplitude in the Inner Harbour Area (IHA). The scouring on this channel reduces the choking effect but further enlarges tidal energy flux. Moreover, damming the channels decrease the tidal amplitude at the lee side of tidal propagating direction while increasing the amplitude on the stoss side. The dams also decrease the tidal current on both sides, and meanwhile develop two patches with stronger current aside the dam. The project induced changes in tidal characteristics are complex in space, and perturbations in bathymetry increase this complexity. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces little changes in the total tidal energy density in the IHA, but induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy. Although this study is site-specific, the findings may be applicable to tidal dynamics in land reclamation close to open seas, such as the dramatic reclamation of islands in the South China Sea.

  1. Clicking in a killer whale habitat: narrow-band, high-frequency biosonar clicks of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli).

    PubMed

    Kyhn, Line A; Tougaard, Jakob; Beedholm, Kristian; Jensen, Frants H; Ashe, Erin; Williams, Rob; Madsen, Peter T

    2013-01-01

    Odontocetes produce a range of different echolocation clicks but four groups in different families have converged on producing the same stereotyped narrow band high frequency (NBHF) click. In microchiropteran bats, sympatric species have evolved the use of different acoustic niches and subtly different echolocation signals to avoid competition among species. In this study, we examined whether similar adaptations are at play among sympatric porpoise species that use NBHF echolocation clicks. We used a six-element hydrophone array to record harbour and Dall's porpoises in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and harbour porpoises in Denmark. The click source properties of all porpoise groups were remarkably similar and had an average directivity index of 25 dB. Yet there was a small, but consistent and significant 4 kHz difference in centroid frequency between sympatric Dall's (137±3 kHz) and Canadian harbour porpoises (141±2 kHz). Danish harbour porpoise clicks (136±3 kHz) were more similar to Dall's porpoise than to their conspecifics in Canada. We suggest that the spectral differences in echolocation clicks between the sympatric porpoises are consistent with evolution of a prezygotic isolating barrier (i.e., character displacement) to avoid hybridization of sympatric species. In practical terms, these spectral differences have immediate application to passive acoustic monitoring.

  2. Ontario Universities Statistical Compendium, 1970-71 to 1978-79. Part B, Supporting Data.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    Data on the 1970-79 conditions of Ontario universities that were used in the derivation of macro-indicators are presented. The supporting data cover the following areas: operating revenue in Ontario universities; operating expenditures; distribution of academic salaries, nonacademic salaries, employee benefits; and nonsalary operating…

  3. Bologna through Ontario Eyes: The Case of the Advanced Diploma in Architectural Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mitchell, Amy D.; Feltham, Mark; Trotter, Lane

    2015-01-01

    Inspired by Ontario's burgeoning interest in postsecondary student mobility, this article examines how elements of Europe's Bologna Process can help bridge the college--university divide of Ontario's postsecondary system. Via discourse analysis of relevant qualification frameworks and program standards, it argues that the current system…

  4. Neurotoxic behavioral effects of Lake Ontario salmon diets in rats

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

    Hertzler, D.R.

    1990-03-01

    Six experiments were conducted to examine possible neurotoxic effects of the exposure to contaminants in Lake Ontario salmon administered through the diets of rats. Rats were fed different concentrations of fish (8%, 15% or 30%) in one of three diet conditions: Lake Ontario salmon, Pacific Ocean salmon, or laboratory rat chow only. Following 20 days on the diets, rats were tested for five minutes per day in a modified open field for one or three days. Lake Ontario salmon diets consistently produced significantly lower activity, rearing, and nosepoke behaviors in comparison with ocean salmon or rat chow diet conditions. Amore » dose-response effect for concentration of lake salmon was obtained, and the attenuation effect occurred in males, females, adult or young animals, and postweaning females, with fish sampled over a five-year period. While only two of several potential contaminants were tested, both fish and brain analyses of mirex and PCBs relate to the behavioral effects.« less

  5. Sensitivity of GRACE-derived estimates of groundwater-level changes in southern Ontario, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hachborn, Ellen; Berg, Aaron; Levison, Jana; Ambadan, Jaison Thomas

    2017-12-01

    Amidst changing climates, understanding the world's water resources is of increasing importance. In Ontario, Canada, low water conditions are currently assessed using only precipitation and watershed-based stream gauges by the Conservation Authorities in Ontario and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. Regional groundwater-storage changes in Ontario are not currently measured using satellite data by research institutes. In this study, contributions from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data are compared to a hydrogeological database covering southern Ontario from 2003 to 2013, to determine the suitability of GRACE total water storage estimates for monitoring groundwater storage in this location. Terrestrial water storage data from GRACE were used to determine monthly groundwater storage (GWS) anomaly values. GWS values were also determined by multiplying groundwater-level elevations (from the Provincial Groundwater Monitoring Network wells) by specific yield. Comparisons of GRACE-derived GWS to well-based GWS data determined that GRACE is sufficiently sensitive to obtain a meaningful signal in southern Ontario. Results show that GWS values produced by GRACE are useful for identifying regional changes in groundwater storage in areas with limited available hydrogeological characterization data. Results also indicate that GRACE may have an ability to forecast changes in groundwater storage, which will become useful when monitoring climate shifts in the near future.

  6. The Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board: a central REB that works

    PubMed Central

    Chaddah, M.R.

    2008-01-01

    The Ontario Cancer Research Ethics Board (ocreb) has made its mark within Ontario as a successful, centralized, oncology-specific research ethics board. As such, ocreb has proven invaluable to principal investigators, sponsors, and study participants given its ability to reduce duplication during the submission process, to provide the highest quality of review, to shorten study start-up time, and to implement more efficient methods of reporting serious adverse events. PMID:18317585

  7. The fruit flies (Tephritidae) of Ontario

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Thirteen species of Tephritidae are newly recorded from Ontario, and alternative format keys are provided to the 31 genera and 72 species of fruit fly now known from, or likely to occur, in the province. Standard dichotomous keys to genera, and simplified field keys to genera and species are provide...

  8. Ontario School Principals and Diversity: Are They Prepared to Lead for Equity?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tuters, Stephanie; Portelli, John

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: Ontario is the most ethnically diverse province in Canada. School educators cannot disregard the reality of diversity in all its senses. The question that directs the focus of this paper is: to what extent are leaders in Ontario formally prepared to lead schools that support the students of today? The paper aims to discuss this issue.…

  9. The Art Consultant as Writer: A Retrospective of Ontario Publications, 1945-1995

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clark, Roger Allen

    2008-01-01

    Consultant, supervisor, coordinator--though the official titles may have changed with locale and decade, the position of art consultant has remained an enduring fixture of the Ontario education system since World War II. In this paper, I will trace the evolution of Ontario art consultancies from 1945 to 1995. My focus will be a novel one: the…

  10. Characteristics of Low-Wage Workers in Ontario. Employment Information Series No. 7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hird, H. Richard

    The report presents the results of a 1973-74 survey conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Labor to identify the characteristics of low-wage workers in Ontario. Its primary purpose is to discuss the survey methodology and present some of the main characteristics of low-wage earners and of the labor market. The data source was the Master Registration…

  11. Who Pays the Price? Brief to the Ontario Council on University Affairs.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto. Committee on Operating Grants.

    The 1979 brief on operating support to the Ontario Council on University Affairs (OCUA) is presented. Section One presents an analysis of the revenue implications of the announced level of government funding for 1979-80 and measures this against the advice proffered by both the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) and the OCUA. Section Two sets…

  12. Access Opportunities and Issues for Students with Disabilities at One Ontario College

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kernohan, Lori

    2008-01-01

    The pilot research project reported on here was conducted between October 2005 and March 2006 on one campus of one of Ontario's 24 colleges. The college is located in an urban centre in southern Ontario. The main focus of this pilot study was the exploration of issues of accessibility and accommodation for students with disabilities as they engage…

  13. Attitudes of Ontario Secondary School Teachers toward Aspects of Professional Negotiations and Sanctions.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Selinger, Alphonse D.

    1980-01-01

    Ontario secondary teachers were more favorable in 1977 than 1974 towards collective bargaining but showed significantly less support for sanctions, especially striking. Still, if their interests were seriously threatened, they would strike. Teacher sex and length of Ontario residence were significant predictors of militancy. (Author/SB)

  14. Meanings of Success and Successful Leadership in Ontario, Canada, in Neo-Liberal Times

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Winton, Sue; Pollock, Katina

    2016-01-01

    The provincial government of Ontario, Canada, has committed itself to raising student achievement, closing achievement gaps, and increasing the public's confidence in public education. It has introduced many policies, including the Ontario Leadership Strategy (OLS), to support these goals. Our study examined how teachers, administrators, support…

  15. Raising public awareness of aphasia in southern Ontario, Canada: A survey.

    PubMed

    Patterson, Ruth; Robert, Amélie; Berry, Richard; Cain, Mallory; Iqbal, Maryam; Code, Chris; Rochon, Elizabeth; Leonard, Carol

    2015-04-01

    Despite the relatively high prevalence of aphasia, research indicates that, world-wide, public awareness of aphasia is lacking. Of the surveys that have been conducted internationally, none has studied the Canadian public's awareness of aphasia. The purpose of the present survey was to assess public awareness and basic knowledge of aphasia of individuals in southern Ontario, Canada. Using the same questionnaire that has been used in other countries, face-to-face surveys were conducted in public places (e.g. parks) at various locations in southern Ontario. Respondents were asked questions pertaining to their awareness and knowledge of aphasia. The number of surveys retained for analysis was 831. In addition to an evaluation of public awareness and knowledge of aphasia, the potential influences of age, gender, and occupation were analysed. For those who had heard of aphasia, questions were asked to determine how or where they had heard of aphasia. Consistent with the literature, overall public awareness and basic knowledge of aphasia in southern Ontario was found to be limited. The factors of age, gender and occupation were found to influence the results. This investigation supports the need for better promotion of aphasia awareness to the public in southern Ontario and, by extension, in Canada.

  16. Marketing the College Brand in Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Holgerson, Ronald

    2005-01-01

    Since inception of the Ontario college system in 1967, the quality of a diploma or certificate in comparison to a university degree has been perceived as an inferior rather than alternative academic credential. As public institutions, community colleges are mandated to respond to regional labour force needs, and to provide graduates who will…

  17. Establishment of Culex (Melanoconion) erraticus (Diptera: Culicidae) in Southern Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Hunter, F F; Causarano, J; Gasparotto, A; Giordano, B V

    2015-05-01

    Culex (Melanoconion) erraticus (Dyar and Knab) is now established in southern Ontario, Canada. This species was first discovered in 2002 during a province-wide adult mosquito surveillance program for West Nile virus. Using CO2-baited CDC miniature light traps, a few Cx. erraticus were collected from 2002 to 2011, but the total number increased during the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The number of Ontario Public Health Units with records for Cx. erraticus has also increased since 2002, demonstrating that the geographic distribution of this species is expanding northward. Cx. erraticus is a potential arboviral bridge vector for a number of pathogens and its establishment in Ontario should be considered a potential public health concern. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. Barriers and Facilitators in Pain Management in Long-Term Care Institutions: A Qualitative Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fox, Patricia; Solomon, Patricia; Raina, Parminder; Jadad, Alejandro R.

    2004-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to identify barriers to the management of pain in long-term care institutions. Formal caregivers practising in four long-term care institutions in Hamilton, Ontario participated in eight focus groups. Participants included 6 physicians, 19 registered nurses, 8 registered practical nurses, 13 health care aides and 8…

  19. The Differentiation of Multigenerational Households.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rosenthal, Carolyn J.

    1986-01-01

    This analysis employs the distinction of parent's home versus child's home and investigates multigenerational households in a random sample of adults in Hamilton, Ontario. In a qualitative analysis, the two types of multigenerational households are shown to be related to different family life course phases and to differ on a number of dimensions.…

  20. The Devil Is in the Details: A Response to the Report of the Postsecondary Review in Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Constantinou, Peter; Drea, Catherine

    2005-01-01

    This article discusses the recommendations of the Postsecondary Review Panel's Final Report--"Ontario: A Leader in Learning." The Postsecondary Review was announced by the government in the Ontario Budget 2004 to "review the design and funding of Ontario's postsecondary education system and recommend innovative ways in which its…

  1. Measuring Depression at the End of Life: Is the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale a Valid Instrument?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olden, Megan; Rosenfeld, Barry; Pessin, Hayley; Breitbart, William

    2009-01-01

    Depression at the end of life is a common mental health issue with serious implications for quality of life and decision making. This study investigated the reliability and validity of one of the most frequently used measures of depression, the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) in 422 patients with terminal cancer admitted to a palliative…

  2. Impact of the rural pipeline in medical education: practice locations of recently graduated family physicians in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Wenghofer, Elizabeth F; Hogenbirk, John C; Timony, Patrick E

    2017-02-20

    The "rural pipeline" suggests that students educated in rural, or other underserviced areas, are more likely to establish practices in such locations. It is upon this concept that the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) was founded. Our analysis answers the following question: Are physicians who were educated at NOSM more likely to practice in rural and northern Ontario compared with physicians who were educated at other Canadian medical schools? We used data from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. We compared practice locations of certified Ontario family physicians who had graduated from NOSM vs. other Canadian medical schools in 2009 or later. We categorized the physicians according to where they completed their undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) training, either at NOSM or elsewhere. We used logistic regression models to determine if the location of UG and PG training was associated with rural or northern Ontario practice location. Of the 535 physicians examined, 67 had completed UG and/or PG medical education at NOSM. Over two thirds of physicians with any NOSM education were practicing in northern areas and 25.4% were practicing in rural areas of Ontario compared with those having no NOSM education, with 4.3 and 10.3% in northern and rural areas, respectively. Physicians who graduated from NOSM-UG were more likely to have practices located in rural Ontario (OR = 2.57; p = 0.014) whereas NOSM-PG physicians were more likely to have practices in northern Ontario (OR = 57.88; p < 0.001). NOSM education was associated with an increased likelihood of practicing in rural (NOSM-UG) and northern (NOSM-PG) Ontario.

  3. Microzooplankton grazing and selective feeding during bloom periods in the Tolo Harbour area as revealed by HPLC pigment analysis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, Xiangjiang; Tang, Chi Hung; Wong, Chong Kim

    2014-07-01

    Dilution experiments were conducted to investigate microzooplankton grazing impact on phytoplankton of different taxonomic groups and size fractions (< 5, 5-20, 20-200 μm) during spring and summer bloom periods at two different sites (inner Tolo Harbour and Tolo Channel) in the Tolo Harbour area, the northeastern coastal area of Hong Kong. Experiments combined with HPLC pigment analysis in three phytoplankton size fractions measured pigment and size specific phytoplankton growth rates and microzooplankton grazing rates. Pigment-specific phytoplankton growth rates ranged between 0.08 and 3.53 d- 1, while specific grazing rates of microzooplankton ranged between 0.07 and 2.82 d- 1. Highest specific rates of phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing were both measured in fucoxanthin in 5-20 μm size fraction in inner Tolo Harbour in summer, which coincided with the occurrence of diatom bloom. Results showed significant correlations between phytoplankton growth and microzooplankton grazing rates. Microzooplankton placed high grazing pressure on phytoplankton community. High microzooplankton grazing impact on alloxanthin (2.63-5.13) suggested strong selection toward cryptophytes. Our results provided no evidence for size selective grazing on phytoplankton by microzooplankton.

  4. Alberta's and Ontario's liquor boards: why such divergent outcomes?

    PubMed

    Bird, Malcolm G

    2010-01-01

    The provinces of Alberta and Ontario have chosen very different methods to distribute alcoholic beverages: Alberta privatized the Alberta Liquor Control Board (ALCB) in 1993 and established a private market to sell beverage alcohol, while Ontario, in stark contrast, opted to retain and expand the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO). This article examines the reasons for the divergent policy choices made by Ralph Klein and Mike Harris' Conservative governments in each province. The article draws on John Kingdon's “multiple streams decision-making model,” to examine the mindsets of the key decision-makers, as well as “historical institutionalism,” to organize the pertinent structural, historical and institutional variables that shaped the milieu in which decision-makers acted. Unique, province-specific political cultures, histories, institutional configurations (including the relative influence of a number of powerful actors), as well as the fact that the two liquor control boards were on opposing trajectories towards their ultimate fates, help to explain the different decisions made by each government. Endogenous preference construction in this sector, furthermore, implies that each system is able to satisfy all relevant stakeholders, including consumers.

  5. Recent findings from the Ontario Student Drug Use Survey

    PubMed Central

    Adlaf, E M; Ivis, F J

    1998-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Every 2 years, the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario, a division of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, sponsors the Ontario Student Drug Use Survey. The results of the surveys conducted in 1995 and 1997 are presented here and compared with results from the early 1990s. METHODS: Questionnaires were completed by 3870 and 3990 Ontario public school students enrolled in grades 7, 9, 11 and 13 in 1995 and 1997 respectively. The outcome measures were prevalence of use of 20 types of drugs and other substances, including alcohol, tobacco and prescription drugs, over the previous 12 months. RESULTS: For several drugs the prevalence of use in the previous 12 months had increased from 1993 to 1995, but from 1995 to 1997 there was a significant increase for only one type (hallucinogens such as mescaline and psilocybin). The inhalation of glue declined, and the use of the other 18 types of drugs remained stable. INTERPRETATION: Recent data suggest that increases in adolescent student drug use reported earlier this decade have not continued. However, the stability in rates of drug use is not a justification for complacency in this important area of public health. PMID:9757168

  6. Canada's new medical school: The Northern Ontario School of Medicine: social accountability through distributed community engaged learning.

    PubMed

    Strasser, Roger P; Lanphear, Joel H; McCready, William G; Topps, Maureen H; Hunt, D Dan; Matte, Marie C

    2009-10-01

    Like many rural regions around the world, Northern Ontario has a chronic shortage of doctors. Recognizing that medical graduates who have grown up in a rural area are more likely to practice in the rural setting, the Government of Ontario, Canada, decided in 2001 to establish a new medical school in the region with a social accountability mandate to contribute to improving the health of the people and communities of Northern Ontario. The Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) is a joint initiative of Laurentian University and Lakehead University, which are located 700 miles apart. This paper outlines the development and implementation of NOSM, Canada's first new medical school in more than 30 years. NOSM is a rural distributed community-based medical school which actively seeks to recruit students into its MD program who come from Northern Ontario or from similar northern, rural, remote, Aboriginal, Francophone backgrounds. The holistic, cohesive curriculum for the MD program relies heavily on electronic communications to support distributed community engaged learning. In the classroom and in clinical settings, students explore cases from the perspective of physicians in Northern Ontario. Clinical education takes place in a wide range of community and health service settings, so that the students experience the diversity of communities and cultures in Northern Ontario. NOSM graduates will be skilled physicians ready and able to undertake postgraduate training anywhere, but with a special affinity for and comfort with pursuing postgraduate training and clinical practice in Northern Ontario.

  7. CO2 emissions from a temperate drowned river valley estuary adjacent to an emerging megacity (Sydney Harbour)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tanner, E. L.; Mulhearn, P. J.; Eyre, B. D.

    2017-06-01

    The Sydney Harbour Estuary is a large drowned river valley adjacent to Sydney, a large urban metropolis on track to become a megacity; estimated to reach a population of 10 million by 2100. Monthly underway surveys of surface water pCO2 were undertaken along the main channel and tributaries, from January to December 2013. pCO2 showed substantial spatio-temporal variability in the narrow high residence time upper and mid sections of the estuary, with values reaching a maximum of 5650 μatm in the upper reaches and as low as 173 μatm in the mid estuary section, dominated by respiration and photosynthesis respectively. The large lower estuary displayed less variability in pCO2 with values ranging from 343 to 544 μatm controlled mainly by tidal pumping and temperature. Air-water CO2 emissions reached a maximum of 181 mmol C m-2 d-1 during spring in the eutrophic upper estuary. After a summer high rainfall event nutrient-stimulated biological pumping promoted a large uptake of CO2 transitioning the Sydney Harbour Estuary into a CO2 sink with a maximum uptake of rate of -10.6 mmol C m-2 d-1 in the mid-section of the estuary. Annually the Sydney Harbour Estuary was heterotrophic and a weak source of CO2 with an air-water emission rate of 1.2-5 mmol C m-2 d-1 (0.4-1.8 mol C m-2 y-1) resulting in a total carbon emission of around 930 tonnes per annum. CO2 emissions (weighted m3 s-1 of discharge per km2 of estuary surface area) from Sydney Harbour were an order of magnitude lower than other temperate large tectonic deltas, lagoons and engineered systems of China, India, Taiwan and Europe but were similar to other natural drowned river valley systems in the USA. Discharge per unit area appears to be a good predictor of CO2 emissions from estuaries of a similar climate and geomorphic class.

  8. Development of FVSOntario: A Forest Vegetation Simulator Variant and application software for Ontario

    Treesearch

    Murray E. Woods; Donald C. E. Robinson

    2008-01-01

    The Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is leading a government-industry partnership to develop an Ontario variant of the Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS). Based on the Lake States variant and the PrognosisBC user-interface, the FVSOntarioproject is motivated by a need to model the impacts of intensive forest management...

  9. Sensor and Video Monitoring of Water Quality at Bristol Floating Harbour

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chen, Yiheng; Han, Dawei

    2017-04-01

    Water system is an essential component in a smart city for its sustainability and resilience. The harbourside is a focal area of​ ​Bristol with new buildings and features redeveloped in the last ten years, attracting numerous visitors by the diversity of attractions and beautiful views. There is a strong​ ​relationship between the satisfactory of the visitors and local people with the water quality in the Harbour. The freshness and beauty of the water body would please people as well as benefit the aquatic ecosystems. As we are entering a data-rich era, this pilot project aims to explore the concept of using​ ​ video cameras and smart sensors to collect and monitor water quality condition at the Bristol harbourside. The video cameras and smart sensors are connected to the Bristol Is Open network, an open programmable city platform. This will be the​ first​ attempt to collect water quality data in real time in the​ ​Bristol urban area with the wireless network. The videos and images of the water body collected by the cameras will be correlated with the in-situ water quality parameters for research​ ​purposes. The successful implementation of the sensors can attract more academic researchers and industrial partners to expand the sensor network to multiple locations​ ​around the city covering the other parts of the Harbour and River Avon, leading to a new generation of urban system infrastructure model.

  10. Kidney Disease Among Registered Métis Citizens of Ontario: A Population-Based Cohort Study

    PubMed Central

    Hayward, Jade S.; McArthur, Eric; Nash, Danielle M.; Sontrop, Jessica M.; Russell, Storm J.; Khan, Saba; Walker, Jennifer D.; Nesrallah, Gihad E.; Sood, Manish M.; Garg, Amit X.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Indigenous peoples in Canada have higher rates of kidney disease than non-Indigenous Canadians. However, little is known about the risk of kidney disease specifically in the Métis population in Canada. Objective: To compare the prevalence of chronic kidney disease and incidence of acute kidney injury and end-stage kidney disease among registered Métis citizens in Ontario and a matched sample from the general Ontario population. Design: Population-based, retrospective cohort study using data from the Métis Nation of Ontario’s Citizenship Registry and administrative databases. Setting: Ontario, Canada; 2003-2013. Patients: Ontario residents ≥18 years. Measurements: Prevalence of chronic kidney disease and incidence of acute kidney injury and end-stage kidney disease. Secondary outcomes among patients hospitalized with acute kidney injury included non-recovery of kidney function and mortality within 1 year of discharge. Methods: Database codes and laboratory values were used to determine study outcomes. Métis citizens were matched (1:4) to Ontario residents on age, sex, and area of residence. The analysis included 12 229 registered Métis citizens and 48 916 adults from the general population. Results: We found the prevalence of chronic kidney disease was slightly higher among Métis citizens compared with the general population (3.1% vs 2.6%, P = 0.002). The incidence of acute kidney injury was 1.2 per 1000 person-years in both Métis citizens and the general population (P = 0.54). Of those hospitalized with acute kidney injury, outcomes were similar among Métis citizens and the general population except 1-year mortality, which was higher for Métis citizens (24.5% vs 15.3%, P = 0.03). The incidence of end-stage kidney disease did not differ between groups (<3.0 per 10 000 person-years, P = 0.73). Limitations: The Métis Nation of Ontario Citizenship Registry only captures about 20% of Métis people in Ontario. Administrative health care

  11. Hybrid massively parallel fast sweeping method for static Hamilton-Jacobi equations

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Detrixhe, Miles; Gibou, Frédéric

    2016-10-01

    The fast sweeping method is a popular algorithm for solving a variety of static Hamilton-Jacobi equations. Fast sweeping algorithms for parallel computing have been developed, but are severely limited. In this work, we present a multilevel, hybrid parallel algorithm that combines the desirable traits of two distinct parallel methods. The fine and coarse grained components of the algorithm take advantage of heterogeneous computer architecture common in high performance computing facilities. We present the algorithm and demonstrate its effectiveness on a set of example problems including optimal control, dynamic games, and seismic wave propagation. We give results for convergence, parallel scaling, and show state-of-the-art speedup values for the fast sweeping method.

  12. Modeling livestock population structure: a geospatial database for Ontario swine farms.

    PubMed

    Khan, Salah Uddin; O'Sullivan, Terri L; Poljak, Zvonimir; Alsop, Janet; Greer, Amy L

    2018-01-30

    Infectious diseases in farmed animals have economic, social, and health consequences. Foreign animal diseases (FAD) of swine are of significant concern. Mathematical and simulation models are often used to simulate FAD outbreaks and best practices for control. However, simulation outcomes are sensitive to the population structure used. Within Canada, access to individual swine farm population data with which to parameterize models is a challenge because of privacy concerns. Our objective was to develop a methodology to model the farmed swine population in Ontario, Canada that could represent the existing population structure and improve the efficacy of simulation models. We developed a swine population model based on the factors such as facilities supporting farm infrastructure, land availability, zoning and local regulations, and natural geographic barriers that could affect swine farming in Ontario. Assigned farm locations were equal to the swine farm density described in the 2011 Canadian Census of Agriculture. Farms were then randomly assigned to farm types proportional to the existing swine herd types. We compared the swine population models with a known database of swine farm locations in Ontario and found that the modeled population was representative of farm locations with a high accuracy (AUC: 0.91, Standard deviation: 0.02) suggesting that our algorithm generated a reasonable approximation of farm locations in Ontario. In the absence of a readily accessible dataset providing details of the relative locations of swine farms in Ontario, development of a model livestock population that captures key characteristics of the true population structure while protecting privacy concerns is an important methodological advancement. This methodology will be useful for individuals interested in modeling the spread of pathogens between farms across a landscape and using these models to evaluate disease control strategies.

  13. Ontario's Old Growth: A Learner's Handbook.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stabb, Mark

    This handbook was written in response to an identified need for more public information on Ontario's old growth forests. It is meant to be taken into old growth stands, where the learner can see, touch, and study the natural ingredients of old growth forests. Much of the handbook is a guide to forest history, helping the learner to discover…

  14. Indians of Ontario (An Historical Review).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Ottawa (Ontario).

    The booklet presents an historical review and a description of the 2 cultural groups of Indians--Iroquoian and Algonkian--which inhabited Ontario in pre-European times. According to the document, the Iroquoian culture evolved over a period of at least 2000 years in the fertile land of the eastern Great Lakes region; the Algonkians inhabited the…

  15. Defining the physician's duty to warn: consensus statement of Ontario's Medical Expert Panel on Duty to Inform

    PubMed Central

    Ferris, L E; Barkun, H; Carlisle, J; Hoffman, B; Katz, C; Silverman, M

    1998-01-01

    Ontario's Medical Expert Panel on Duty to Inform was formed to consider the duty of Ontario physicians in circumstances where a patient threatens to kill or cause serious bodily harm to a third party. The panel was concerned about the implications of any duty to inform on the integrity of the physician-patient relationship, particularly with respect to confidentiality. The panel agreed that regulations safeguarding the confidentiality of patient information ought to be changed only if there is a critical reason for doing so, but, after deliberation, the panel members concluded that the need to protect the public from serious risk of harm is a paramount concern that should supersede the duty of confidentiality. The recommendations reported here were endorsed in principle by the panelists and the groups they represented (the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, the Canadian Medical Protective Association, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, the Ontario College of Family Physicians and the Ontario Medical Association) and are being implemented by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. PMID:9629112

  16. Hamilton-Jacobi formalism for inflation with non-minimal derivative coupling

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

    Sheikhahmadi, Haidar; Saridakis, Emmanuel N.; Aghamohammadi, Ali

    2016-10-01

    In inflation with nonminimal derivative coupling there is not a conformal transformation to the Einstein frame where calculations are straightforward, and thus in order to extract inflationary observables one needs to perform a detailed and lengthy perturbation investigation. In this work we bypass this problem by performing a Hamilton-Jacobi analysis, namely rewriting the cosmological equations considering the scalar field to be the time variable. We apply the method to two specific models, namely the power-law and the exponential cases, and for each model we calculate various observables such as the tensor-to-scalar ratio, and the spectral index and its running. Wemore » compare them with 2013 and 2015 Planck data, and we show that they are in a very good agreement with observations.« less

  17. On a Lagrange-Hamilton formalism describing position and momentum uncertainties

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schuch, Dieter

    1993-01-01

    According to Heisenberg's uncertainty relation, in quantum mechanics it is not possible to determine, simultaneously, exact values for the position and the momentum of a material system. Calculating the mean value of the Hamiltonian operator with the aid of exact analytic Gaussian wave packet solutions, these uncertainties cause an energy contribution additional to the classical energy of the system. For the harmonic oscillator, e.g., this nonclassical energy represents the ground state energy. It will be shown that this additional energy contribution can be considered as a Hamiltonian function, if it is written in appropriate variables. With the help of the usual Lagrange-Hamilton formalism known from classical particle mechanics, but now considering this new Hamiltonian function, it is possible to obtain the equations of motion for position and momentum uncertainties.

  18. The method of Ritz applied to the equation of Hamilton. [for pendulum systems

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bailey, C. D.

    1976-01-01

    Without any reference to the theory of differential equations, the initial value problem of the nonlinear, nonconservative double pendulum system is solved by the application of the method of Ritz to the equation of Hamilton. Also shown is an example of the reduction of the traditional eigenvalue problem of linear, homogeneous, differential equations of motion to the solution of a set of nonhomogeneous algebraic equations. No theory of differential equations is used. Solution of the time-space path of the linear oscillator is demonstrated and compared to the exact solution.

  19. Numerical Schemes for the Hamilton-Jacobi and Level Set Equations on Triangulated Domains

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Barth, Timothy J.; Sethian, James A.

    2006-01-01

    Borrowing from techniques developed for conservation law equations, we have developed both monotone and higher order accurate numerical schemes which discretize the Hamilton-Jacobi and level set equations on triangulated domains. The use of unstructured meshes containing triangles (2D) and tetrahedra (3D) easily accommodates mesh adaptation to resolve disparate level set feature scales with a minimal number of solution unknowns. The minisymposium talk will discuss these algorithmic developments and present sample calculations using our adaptive triangulation algorithm applied to various moving interface problems such as etching, deposition, and curvature flow.

  20. Report of a Study of Ontario Medical School Admissions Policies and Practices, 1975.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    Presented are the results of a study of admissions policies and practices in the five Ontario schools of medicine. The study consists of a review of published information and a detailed examination of 1975 statistics from the Ontario Medical School Application Service, supplemented by a series of interviews with medical school admissions officers,…

  1. Private Universities: A Way to Increase Access to University Education in Ontario. Tribune

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Powell, Billroy

    2004-01-01

    The citizens of Ontario are requiring increasingly specialized skills. These are needed by the business community so that it will be able to compete effectively in the global economy. A perception exists that the traditional, publicly funded universities in Ontario are ill equipped to provide the necessary training that is required by employers.…

  2. Ontario Universities Statistical Compendium, 1970-71 to 1978-79. Part A, Macro-Indicators.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Council of Ontario Universities, Toronto.

    Macro-indicators on the conditions of Ontario universities and supporting data that might be used to generate such indicators were developed, and analyses of both indicators and data were undertaken. Overall objectives were as follows: (1) to measure the real resources available to the Ontario university system as a function of the volume of…

  3. Continuing education for primary health care nurse practitioners in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Baxter, Pamela; DiCenso, Alba; Donald, Faith; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Opsteen, Joanne; Chambers, Tracey

    2013-04-01

    The Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing offers a nine-university, consortium-based primary health care nurse practitioner education program and on-line continuing education courses for primary health care nurse practitioners. Our study sought to determine the continuing education needs of primary health care nurse practitioners across Ontario, how best to meet these needs, and the barriers they face in completing continuing education. Surveys were completed by 83 (40%) of 209 learners who had participated in continuing education offered by the Council of Ontario University Programs in Nursing between 2004 and 2007. While 83% (n=50) of nurse practitioners surveyed indicated that continuing education was extremely important to them, they also identified barriers to engaging in continuing education offerings including; time intensity of the courses, difficulty taking time off work, family obligations, finances and fatigue. The most common reason for withdrawal from a continuing education offering was the difficulty of balancing work and study demands. Continuing education opportunities are important to Ontario primary health care nurse practitioners, and on-line continuing education offerings have been well received, but in order to be taken up by their target audience they must be relevant, readily accessible, flexible, affordable and offered over brief, intense periods of time using technology that is easy to use and Internet sites that are easily navigated. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Harbour porpoises respond to climate change.

    PubMed

    Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter; Iversen, Maria; Nielsen, Nynne Hjort; Lockyer, Christina; Stern, Harry; Ribergaard, Mads Hvid

    2011-12-01

    The effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and in particular on marine top predators are difficult to assess due to, among other things, spatial variability, and lack of clear delineation of marine habitats. The banks of West Greenland are located in a climate sensitive area and are likely to elicit pronounced responses to oceanographic changes in the North Atlantic. The recent increase in sea temperatures on the banks of West Greenland has had cascading effects on sea ice coverage, residency of top predators, and abundance of important prey species like Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Here, we report on the response of one of the top predators in West Greenland; the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The porpoises depend on locating high densities of prey species with high nutritive value and they have apparently responded to the general warming on the banks of West Greenland by longer residence times, increased consumption of Atlantic cod resulting in improved body condition in the form of larger fat deposits in blubber, compared to the situation during a cold period in the 1990s. This is one of the few examples of a measurable effect of climate change on a marine mammal population.

  5. Legal requirements for human-health based appeals of wind energy projects in ontario.

    PubMed

    Engel, Albert M

    2014-01-01

    In 2009, the government of the province of Ontario, Canada passed new legislation to promote the development of renewable energy facilities, including wind energy facilities in the province. Throughout the legislative process, concerns were raised with respect to the effect of wind energy facilities on human health. Ultimately, the government established setbacks and sound level limits for wind energy facilities and provided Ontario residents with the right to appeal the approval of a wind energy facility on the ground that engaging in the facility in accordance with its approval will cause serious harm to human health. The first approval of a wind facility under the new legislation was issued in 2010 and since then, Ontario's Environmental Review Tribunal as well as Ontario's courts has been considering evidence proffered by appellants seeking revocation of approvals on the basis of serious harm to human health. To date, the evidence has been insufficient to support the revocation of a wind facility approval. This article reviews the legal basis for the dismissal of human-health based appeals.

  6. Sense of Place and Health in Hamilton, Ontario: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Williams, Allison; Kitchen, Peter

    2012-01-01

    The concept of sense of place has received considerable attention by social scientists in recent years. Research has indicated that a person's sense of place is influenced by a number of factors including the built environment, socio-economic status (SES), well-being and health. Relatively few studies have examined sense of place at the…

  7. Canadian federalism and the Canadian health care program: a comparison of Ontario and Quebec.

    PubMed

    Palley, H A

    1987-01-01

    The Quebec and Ontario health insurance and health service delivery systems, developed within the parameters of federal regulations and national financial subsidies, provide generally universal and comprehensive basic hospital and medical benefits and increasingly provide for the delivery of long-term care services. Within a framework of cooperative federalism, the health care systems of Ontario and Quebec have developed uniquely. In terms of vital statistics, the health of Ontario and Quebec residents generally is comparable. In viewing expenditures, Quebec has a more clearly articulated plan for providing accessible services to low-income persons and for integrating health and social services, although it has faced some difficulties in seeking to achieve the latter goal. Its plans for decentralized services are counter-balanced by a strong provincial role in health policy decision-making. Quebec's political culture also allows the province to play a stronger role in hospital planning and in the regulation of physician income than one finds in Ontario. These political dynamics allow Quebec an advantage in control of costs. In Ontario, in spite of some recent setbacks, physician interests and hospital sector interests play a more active role in health system bargaining and are usually able to influence remuneration and resource allocation decisions more than physician interests and hospital sector interests in Quebec.

  8. Genomics at the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research

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

    Ali, Johar

    Johar Ali of the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research discusses genomics and next-gen applications at the OICR on June 2, 2010 at the "Sequencing, Finishing, Analysis in the Future" meeting in Santa Fe, NM.

  9. Monitoring water quality in Sydney Harbour using blue mussels during remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds, Nova Scotia, Canada.

    PubMed

    Walker, Tony R; MacAskill, Devin

    2014-03-01

    Using mussels as monitoring tools we measured water quality in Sydney Harbour during a large scale, multi-year remediation project of the Sydney Tar Ponds (STPs); one of Canada's most contaminated sites. Chemical contaminants were measured in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in Sydney Harbour, which were used as monitoring tools to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); metals (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and lipid content during baseline and 3 years of remediation. The overall spatio-temporal distribution of chemicals in mussels was also compared to contaminants in other marine indicators (e.g., sediment, water and crab tissue). Measured metal concentrations in mussels showed some minor temporal variability (4 years), but these did not appear to be directly related to remediation activities, with the highest concentrations of As, Hg and Zn measured at reference stations. Most measured contaminants showed stable or potentially decreasing concentrations during the study, except Pb and Zn. Individual PAH compounds were mostly undetected during baseline and remediation, except for fluoranthene and pyrene. Concentrations of fluoranthene in mussels and deep water samples were moderately related. Generally, PCBs were undetected (<0.05 μg g(-1)), except during year 2 remediation at some near-field stations. Contaminants measured during this study were at much lower concentrations than previously reported in other studies of mussels in Sydney Harbour and eastern Canada. This is likely due to the ongoing natural recovery of Sydney Harbour and to a lesser extent because of the environmental mitigation protection measures implemented during remediation activities at the STPs. The lack of detection of most individual PAHs and PCBs, plus relatively low bio-accumulation of metals observed during baseline and remediation attest to the effectiveness of using mussels as monitoring tools for environmental

  10. Occurrence and characterization of mcr-1-harbouring Escherichia coli isolated from pigs in Great Britain from 2013 to 2015.

    PubMed

    Duggett, Nicholas A; Sayers, Ellie; AbuOun, Manal; Ellis, Richard J; Nunez-Garcia, Javier; Randall, Luke; Horton, Robert; Rogers, Jon; Martelli, Francesca; Smith, Richard P; Brena, Camilla; Williamson, Susanna; Kirchner, Miranda; Davies, Robert; Crook, Derrick; Evans, Sarah; Teale, Chris; Anjum, Muna F

    2017-03-01

    To determine the occurrence of mcr-1 -harbouring Escherichia coli in archived pig material originating in Great Britain (GB) from 2013 to 2015 and characterize mcr-1 plasmids. Enrichment and selective culture of 387 archived porcine caecal contents and recovery from archive of 1109 E. coli isolates to identify colistin-resistant bacteria by testing for the presence of mcr-1 by PCR and RT-PCR. mcr-1 -harbouring E. coli were characterized by WGS and compared with other available mcr-1 WGS. Using selective isolation following enrichment, the occurrence of mcr-1 E. coli in caeca from healthy pigs at slaughter from unique farms in GB was 0.6% (95% CI 0%-1.5%) in 2015. mcr-1 E. coli were also detected in isolates from two porcine veterinary diagnostic submissions in 2015. All isolates prior to 2015 were negative. WGS analysis of the four mcr-1 -positive E. coli indicated no other antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were linked to mcr-1 -plasmid-bearing contigs, despite all harbouring multiple AMR genes. The sequence similarity between mcr-1 -plasmid-bearing contigs identified and those found in GB, Chinese and South African human isolates and Danish, French and Estonian livestock-associated isolates was 90%-99%. mcr-1- harbouring plasmids were diverse, implying transposable elements are involved in mcr-1 transmission in GB. The low number of mcr-1 -positive E. coli isolates identified suggested mcr-1 is currently uncommon in E. coli from pigs within GB. The high sequence similarity between mcr-1 plasmid draft genomes identified in pig E. coli and plasmids found in human and livestock-associated isolates globally requires further investigation to understand the full implications. © Crown copyright 2016.

  11. The Social Habitus of Drama: The Ontario Drama Curriculum in Theory and Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallagher, Kathleen

    2016-01-01

    In this article, the author considers the place of drama in the formal curriculum in Ontario, Canada by considering its position in relation to curriculum theory and the texts that formally articulate it as a discipline to be taught in schools. The drama curriculum in Ontario aims to engage young people in activities and experiences that invite…

  12. Periodic solutions of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation with a periodic non-homogeneous term and Aubry-Mather theory

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

    Sobolevskii, A N

    It is proved that the one-dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi equation with a periodic non-homogeneous term admits a family of generalized solutions, each of which can be represented as the sum of a linear and a periodic function; a condition for the uniqueness of such a solution is given in terms of Aubry-Mather theory.

  13. Blastomycosis in northwestern Ontario, 2004 to 2014

    PubMed Central

    Dalcin, Daniel; Ahmed, Syed Zaki

    2015-01-01

    Blastomycosis is an invasive fungal disease caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis and the recently discovered Blastomyces gilchristii. The medical charts of 64 patients with confirmed cases of blastomycosis in northwestern Ontario during a 10-year period (2004 to 2014) were retrospectively reviewed. The number of patients diagnosed with blastomycosis in Ontario was observed to have increased substantially compared with before 1990, when blastomycosis was removed from the list of reportable diseases. Aboriginals were observed to be disproportionately represented in the patient population. Of the patients whose smoking status was known, 71.4% had a history of smoking. 59.4% of patients had underlying comorbidities and a higher comorbidity rate was observed among Aboriginal patients. The case-fatality rate from direct complications of blastomycosis disease was calculated to be 20.3%; this case-fatality rate is the highest ever to be reported in Canada and more than double that of previously published Canadian studies. The clinical characteristics of 64 patients diagnosed with blastomycosis are summarized. PMID:26600814

  14. School Reforms in Ontario: The "Marketization of Education" and the Resulting Silence on Equity.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dei, George J. Sefa; Karumanchery, Leeno L.

    1999-01-01

    Critically examines recent market-oriented educational reforms in Ontario and their impact on socially disadvantaged groups. Argues that current trends lead toward a "marketization" of education in Ontario, as the rhetoric of cost-effectiveness and bureaucratic efficiency shifts the official agenda of educational reform away from equity…

  15. Projecting the Influence of Climate Change on Extreme Ground-level Ozone Events in Selected Ontario Cities =

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Leung, Kinson He Yin

    Ground-level ozone (O3) is perhaps one of the most familiar pollutants in Ontario, Canada because it is associated with most smog alerts in the province. O3 varies on a number of spatial and temporal scales, primarily due to meteorological variability and the impact of long-range transport of its precursors on the photochemical processes. The goal of this thesis is to project the change in the probability of occurrence of future Extreme Ground-level Ozone Events (EGLOEs) due to changes in atmospheric conditions as a result of climate change for cities located in the southern, eastern and northern parts of Ontario, Canada by using a combination of General Circulation / Global Climate Models (GCMs) and statistical downscaling. These Ontario cities are Toronto, Windsor, London, Kingston, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Sudbury and North Bay. The successful downscaling method used in this research to generate city-specific climate change scenarios was the Statistical DownScaling Model (SDSM) version 4.2.2, which is a hybrid of regression-based and stochastic weather-generator downscaling methods. The results indicate that the mean values of the daily maximum ground-level ozone concentrations could increase by up to 12-17% in Southern Ontario, 8-16% in Eastern Ontario and 1.5-9% in Northern Ontario by the end of the century due largely to changes in long-range transport. Three important themes emerge from the results: 1) the research successfully model O3 concentration in a region where long-range transport plays a substantial role. 2) The clear confirmation regarding the role of long-range transport in determining O 3 concentration in most areas of Ontario. 3) The projected increase of ozone in Ontario, due largely to an increase of long-range transport, caused by shifting atmospheric dynamics rather than a direct temperature effect on ozone production. Moreover, the results indicate that the future Southern, Eastern and Northern Ontario's EGLOEs with the O3 concentration ≥ 80

  16. Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes - application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gómez, A. G.; García Alba, J.; Puente, A.; Juanes, J. A.

    2014-04-01

    A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitability of the developed methodology and the conceptual approaches as a comprehensive and practical management tool.

  17. Community health profile of Windsor, Ontario, Canada: anatomy of a Great Lakes area of concern.

    PubMed Central

    Gilbertson, M; Brophy, J

    2001-01-01

    The rates of mortality, morbidity as hospitalizations, and congenital anomalies in the Windsor Area of Concern ranked among the highest of the 17 Areas of Concern on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes for selected end points that might be related to pollution in this relatively highly industrialized city. Mortality and morbidity rates from all causes were higher than in the rest of the province. Anomalously high rates of diseases included various cancers; endocrine, nutritional, metabolic, and immunity disorders; diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs, nervous system and sense organs, circulatory and respiratory systems, digestive system, genitourinary system, skin and subcutaneous tissue, musculoskeletal system and connective tissues; congenital anomalies, and infant mortality. Of particular concern was the early onset of the elevated rates of many of these diseases and conditions. Comparison of these incident rates with those in Hamilton, another industrial municipality in southern Ontario, suggested that in addition to a variety of local sources of industrial pollution from automobile manufacturing and use, transboundary air and water pollution from Detroit, Michigan, should be investigated as potentially important causes of these health outcomes in the Windsor Area of Concern. Some of the institutional and political trends of the past decade may need to be reversed before effective remedial programs are implemented for cleaning up contaminated sediments and for containment of leaking hazardous waste sites. This pilot project would seem to be a useful preliminary method of integrating human health concerns and of priority setting for the administration of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement and the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement. PMID:11744501

  18. Multispecialty physician networks in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Stukel, Therese A; Glazier, Richard H; Schultz, Susan E; Guan, Jun; Zagorski, Brandon M; Gozdyra, Peter; Henry, David A

    2013-01-01

    Large multispecialty physician group practices, with a central role for primary care practitioners, have been shown to achieve high-quality, low-cost care for patients with chronic disease. We assessed the extent to which informal multispecialty physician networks in Ontario could be identified by using health administrative data to exploit natural linkages among patients, physicians, and hospitals based on existing patient flow. We linked each Ontario resident to his or her usual provider of primary care over the period from fiscal year 2008/2009 to fiscal year 2010/2011. We linked each specialist to the hospital where he or she performed the most inpatient services. We linked each primary care physician to the hospital where most of his or her ambulatory patients were admitted for non-maternal medical care. Each resident was then linked to the same hospital as his or her usual provider of primary care. We computed "loyalty" as the proportion of care to network residents provided by physicians and hospitals within their network. Smaller clusters were aggregated to create networks based on a minimum population size, distance, and loyalty. Networks were not constrained geographically. We identified 78 multispecialty physician networks, comprising 12,410 primary care physicians, 14,687 specialists, and 175 acute care hospitals serving a total of 12,917,178 people. Median network size was 134,723 residents, 125 primary care physicians, and 143 specialists. Virtually all eligible residents were linked to a usual provider of primary care and to a network. Most specialists (93.5%) and primary care physicians (98.2%) were linked to a hospital. Median network physician loyalty was 68.4% for all physician visits and 81.1% for primary care visits. Median non-maternal admission loyalty was 67.4%. Urban networks had lower loyalties and were less self-contained but had more health care resources. We demonstrated the feasibility of identifying informal multispecialty physician

  19. Lake Ontario Tributaries: 2009-2010 Field Data Report

    EPA Pesticide Factsheets

    In 2002, EPA began a program to regularly monitor U.S. tributaries to Lake Ontario for the critical pollutants. This report provides program results from 2009-2010, and identifies changes in the monitoring program from prior years.

  20. Teachers' Collective Bargaining in Ontario: An Introduction.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Thomas, Alan M.

    Laws regarding Ontario teachers' collective bargaining have implications for continuing education. "Continuing education" here means a system of education that serves everyone irrespective of age and to which access at any time is a right. Teacher collective bargaining laws are important in a system of continuing education because these…

  1. Occupational repetitive strain injuries and gender in Ontario, 1986 to 1991.

    PubMed

    Ashbury, F D

    1995-04-01

    Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) in Ontario were examined with respect to gender for the period 1986 to 1991, using data from Ontario Workers' Compensation Board systems. Technical issues surrounding analysis of workplace injuries and theoretical suggestions raised by the data are discussed. Analyses revealed that the risk of RSIs for women is greater than that for men. Furthermore, women receive compensation benefits because of RSIs for a longer period than do their male counterparts, which may indicate a longer-term effect of RSIs on women.

  2. Clicking in a Killer Whale Habitat: Narrow-Band, High-Frequency Biosonar Clicks of Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and Dall’s Porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli)

    PubMed Central

    Kyhn, Line A.; Tougaard, Jakob; Beedholm, Kristian; Jensen, Frants H.; Ashe, Erin; Williams, Rob; Madsen, Peter T.

    2013-01-01

    Odontocetes produce a range of different echolocation clicks but four groups in different families have converged on producing the same stereotyped narrow band high frequency (NBHF) click. In microchiropteran bats, sympatric species have evolved the use of different acoustic niches and subtly different echolocation signals to avoid competition among species. In this study, we examined whether similar adaptations are at play among sympatric porpoise species that use NBHF echolocation clicks. We used a six-element hydrophone array to record harbour and Dall’s porpoises in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and harbour porpoises in Denmark. The click source properties of all porpoise groups were remarkably similar and had an average directivity index of 25 dB. Yet there was a small, but consistent and significant 4 kHz difference in centroid frequency between sympatric Dall’s (137±3 kHz) and Canadian harbour porpoises (141±2 kHz). Danish harbour porpoise clicks (136±3 kHz) were more similar to Dall’s porpoise than to their conspecifics in Canada. We suggest that the spectral differences in echolocation clicks between the sympatric porpoises are consistent with evolution of a prezygotic isolating barrier (i.e., character displacement) to avoid hybridization of sympatric species. In practical terms, these spectral differences have immediate application to passive acoustic monitoring. PMID:23723996

  3. Lake Ontario benthic prey fish assessment, 2016

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen; Holden, Jeremy P.; Connerton, Michael J.

    2017-01-01

    Benthic prey fishes are a critical component of the Lake Ontario food web, serving as energy vectors from benthic invertebrates to native and introduced piscivores. Beginning in 1978, Lake Ontario benthic prey fishes were assessed using bottom trawls collected from the lake’s south shore (depth range: 8 – 150 m). Historically, the survey targeted the then dominant species, Slimy Sculpin, however in 2015, the Benthic Prey Fish Survey was cooperatively expanded to a whole-lake survey, to address resource management information needs related to Round Goby, Deepwater Sculpin, and nearshore native fishes. In 2016, 142 trawls were collected at 18 transects, and spanned depths from 6 – 225 m. Trawl catches indicated the benthic and demersal prey fish community was dominated by Round Goby, however the proportional importance of native Deepwater Sculpin is increasing. Species-specific assessments found lake-wide Round Goby density (~600 fish per hectare) was slightly lower in 2016 relative to 2015. Deepwater Sculpin density has generally increased since 2004. In 2016 their estimated density was greater than 100 fish per hectare. Slimy Sculpin density (15 fish/ha) was similar to the past 3 years. Catches of juvenile Slimy Sculpin continue to be low relative to historic catches and the timing of their decline coincides with the proliferation of Round Goby. Additionally, we found a strong negative relationship between trawl catches of Round Goby and near-shore native benthic and demersal fishes such as Trout-perch, Johnny Darter and Spottail Shiner. The introduction of Round Goby and the reappearance of native Deepwater Sculpin have shaped the Lake Ontario benthic prey fish community.

  4. Revitalising the nuclear business at Ontario Hydro

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

    Talbot, K.

    1994-12-31

    Ontario Hydro, North America`s largest electric Power utility, with an installed capacity of (34,000 MW) has undergone a major restructuring over the Past year to better align itself with a changing electricity market and evolving customer needs. After expanding for decades in step with the steady and continuous growth in electricity demands Ontario Hydro is now in its fifth straight Year Of flat or declining sales at about 136.5 TWhrs/year with little indication that demand growth will return to historic levels within the predictable future. This prolonged and unexpected decline in power demand coincided with the completion of the four-unit,more » 3600 megawatt Darlington Nuclear Generating Station and other major investments in new and existing transmission and generation facilities. These investments, coupled with the decline in sales, have put Hydro under severe financial pressure, necessitating rate increases totalling 30 percent between 1990 and 1993, and sparking intense customer criticism and political Pressure. Hydro`s new Chairman, Maurice Strong, responded by initiating a major restructuring of the organization last year into focused business units, designed to be more flexible and adaptive to customer needs, and more responsive to market and bottom line pressures; maintaining rate increases at or below inflation for the remainder of the decade and reducing the debt (currently 34B$Cdn), as well as becoming a world leader in sustainable energy development were the significant missions of change. In addition, the staff levels at Ontario Hydro were reduced from 27,800 by over 6,600, mostly the result of early retirement and voluntary separation programs.« less

  5. Benthic assemblages, biodiversity and invasiveness in marinas and commercial harbours: an investigation using a bioindicator group.

    PubMed

    Megina, Cesar; González-Duarte, Manuel M; López-González, Pablo J

    2016-01-01

    Fouling communities on artificial marine structures are generally different from benthic communities in natural rocky habitats. However, they may also differ among different types of artificial structures. Two artificial structures in direct contact with arriving vessels were compared: floating pontoons within recreational marinas, and sea-walls within commercial harbours. Natural rocky habitats were used as a reference, and the genus Eudendrium (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) was chosen as a bioindicator. The assemblages were different among the three types of habitat studied, with different species characterising each habitat. The probability of finding an invasive Eudendrium species was significantly higher on pontoons. Diversity was the lowest on pontoons, but it was not significantly different between sea-walls and natural rocks. In general, a barrier to the spread of exotic species exists between harbours and natural rocky habitats. Floating pontoons seem to be a less suitable habitat for native fauna and a key element in marine biological invasions.

  6. High-Order Central WENO Schemes for Multi-Dimensional Hamilton-Jacobi Equations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Bryson, Steve; Levy, Doron; Biegel, Bryan (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    We present new third- and fifth-order Godunov-type central schemes for approximating solutions of the Hamilton-Jacobi (HJ) equation in an arbitrary number of space dimensions. These are the first central schemes for approximating solutions of the HJ equations with an order of accuracy that is greater than two. In two space dimensions we present two versions for the third-order scheme: one scheme that is based on a genuinely two-dimensional Central WENO reconstruction, and another scheme that is based on a simpler dimension-by-dimension reconstruction. The simpler dimension-by-dimension variant is then extended to a multi-dimensional fifth-order scheme. Our numerical examples in one, two and three space dimensions verify the expected order of accuracy of the schemes.

  7. Achieving Excellence: Bringing Effective Literacy Pedagogy to Scale in Ontario's Publicly-Funded Education System

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gallagher, Mary Jean; Malloy, John; Ryerson, Rachel

    2016-01-01

    This paper offers an insiders' perspective on the large-scale, system-wide educational change undertaken in Ontario, Canada from 2003 to the present. The authors, Ministry and school system leaders intimately involved in this change process, explore how Ontario has come to be internationally recognized as an equitable, high-achieving, and…

  8. The effect of the Ontario Bariatric Network on health services utilization after bariatric surgery: a retrospective cohort study

    PubMed Central

    Elnahas, Ahmad; Jackson, Timothy D.; Okrainec, Allan; Austin, Peter C.; Bell, Chaim M.; Urbach, David R.

    2016-01-01

    Background: In 2009, the Ontario Bariatric Network was established to address the exploding demand by Ontario residents for bariatric surgery services outside Canada. We compared the use of postoperative hospital services between out-of-country surgery recipients and patients within the Ontario Bariatric Network. Methods: We conducted a population-based, comparative study using administrative data held at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences. We included Ontario residents who underwent bariatric surgery between 2007 and 2012 either outside the country or at one of the Ontario Bariatric Network's designated centres of excellence. The primary outcome was use of hospital services in Ontario within 1 year after surgery. Results: A total of 4852 patients received bariatric surgery out of country, and 5179 patients underwent surgery through the Ontario Bariatric Network. After adjustment, surgery at a network centre was associated with a significantly lower utilization rate of postoperative hospital services than surgery out of country (rate ratio 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.84 to 0.97). No statistically significant differences were found with respect to time in critical care or mortality. However, the physician assessment and reoperation rates were significantly higher among patients who received surgery at a network centre than among those who had bariatric surgery out of country (rate ratio 4.10, 95% CI 3.69 to 4.56, and rate ratio 1.84, 95% CI 1.34 to 2.53, respectively). Interpretation: The implementation of a comprehensive, multidisciplinary provincial program to replace outsourcing of bariatric surgical services was associated with less use of postoperative hospital services by Ontario residents undergoing bariatric surgery. Future research should include an economic evaluation to determine the costs and benefits of the Ontario Bariatric Network. PMID:27730113

  9. The influence of underwater data transmission sounds on the displacement behaviour of captive harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

    PubMed

    Kastelein, Ronald A; van der Heul, Sander; Verboom, Willem C; Triesscheijn, Rob J V; Jennings, Nancy V

    2006-02-01

    To prevent grounding of ships and collisions between ships in shallow coastal waters, an underwater data collection and communication network (ACME) using underwater sounds to encode and transmit data is currently under development. Marine mammals might be affected by ACME sounds since they may use sound of a similar frequency (around 12 kHz) for communication, orientation, and prey location. If marine mammals tend to avoid the vicinity of the acoustic transmitters, they may be kept away from ecologically important areas by ACME sounds. One marine mammal species that may be affected in the North Sea is the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). No information is available on the effects of ACME-like sounds on harbour seals, so this study was carried out as part of an environmental impact assessment program. Nine captive harbour seals were subjected to four sound types, three of which may be used in the underwater acoustic data communication network. The effect of each sound was judged by comparing the animals' location in a pool during test periods to that during baseline periods, during which no sound was produced. Each of the four sounds could be made into a deterrent by increasing its amplitude. The seals reacted by swimming away from the sound source. The sound pressure level (SPL) at the acoustic discomfort threshold was established for each of the four sounds. The acoustic discomfort threshold is defined as the boundary between the areas that the animals generally occupied during the transmission of the sounds and the areas that they generally did not enter during transmission. The SPLs at the acoustic discomfort thresholds were similar for each of the sounds (107 dB re 1 microPa). Based on this discomfort threshold SPL, discomfort zones at sea for several source levels (130-180 dB re 1 microPa) of the sounds were calculated, using a guideline sound propagation model for shallow water. The discomfort zone is defined as the area around a sound source that harbour

  10. Microbial Response in Peat Overlying Kimberlite Pipes in The Attawapiskat Area, Northern Ontario

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Donkervoort, L. J.; Southam, G.

    2009-05-01

    Exploration for ore deposits occurring under thick, post-mineralized cover requires innovative methods and instrumentation [1]. Buried kimberlite pipes 'produce' geochemical conditions such as increased pH and decreased Eh in overlying peat [2] that intuitively select for bacterial populations that are best able to grow and, which in turn affect the geochemistry producing a linked signal. A microbiological study of peat was conducted over the Zulu kimberlite in the Attawapiskat area of the James Bay Lowlands to determine if the type of underlying rock influences the diversity and populations of microorganisms living in the overlying peat. Peat was sampled along an 800 m transect across the Zulu kimberlite, including samples underlain by limestone. Microbial populations and carbon source utilization patterns of peat samples were compared between the two underlying rock types. Results demonstrate an inverse relationship of increased anaerobic populations and lower biodiversity directly above the kimberlite pipe. These results support a reduced 'column' consistent with the model presented by Hamilton [3]. The combination of traditional bacterial enumeration and community- level profiling represents a cost-effective and efficient exploration technique that can serve to compliment both geophysical and geochemical surveys. [1] Goldberg (1998) J. Geochem. Explor. 61, 191-202 [2] Hattori and Hamilton (2008) Appl. Geochem. 23, 3767-3782 [3] Hamilton (1998) J. Geochem. Explor. 63, 155-172

  11. Rehabilitation Facilities in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Godfrey, C. M.; Jousse, A. T.

    1963-01-01

    Rehabilitation centres in Ontario were surveyed and categorized as in-patient and outpatient services, specialized centres for particular diseases, and vocational retraining centres. It is evident that many gaps exist in the pattern of rehabilitation facilities and services in the province. In some areas the facilities are grouped too closely together, necessitating transport of patients from great distances. The serious shortage of trained personnel is noted. There is little provision for mentally ill patients in existing rehabilitation centres. The use of mobile clinics is discussed. There is no evidence of duplication of services among those at present available. PMID:14077812

  12. The distribution of physiotherapists in ontario: understanding the market drivers.

    PubMed

    Holyoke, Paul; Verrier, Molly C; Landry, Michel D; Deber, Raisa B

    2012-01-01

    To understand the factors that affect the distribution of physiotherapists in Ontario by examining three potential influences in the multi-payer physiotherapy (PT) market: population need, critical mass (related to academic health science centres [AHSCs]), and market forces. Physiotherapist density and distribution were calculated from 2003 and 2005 College of Physiotherapists of Ontario registration data. Physiotherapists' workplaces were classified as not-for-profit (NFP) hospitals, other NFP, or for-profit (FP), and their locations were classified by census division (CD) types (cities and counties). Physiotherapist density varied significantly and distribution was neither uniformly responsive to population need, nor driven primarily by market forces. The largest factor was an AHSC in a CD; physiotherapists locate disproportionately in NFP hospitals in AHSCs rather than in the growing FP sector. While some patterns can be discerned in the distribution and densities of physiotherapists across Ontario, further work needs to be done to identify why population need and market forces appear to be less influential, and why CDs with AHSCs are so attractive to physiotherapists. With this additional information, it may be possible to identify ways to influence uneven distribution in the future.

  13. Hygiene at winter bird feeders in a southwestern Ontario city.

    PubMed Central

    Prescott, J F; Hunter, D B; Campbell, G D

    2000-01-01

    To further understand the source of the epidemic of salmonellosis in some species of birds using bird feeders in southern Ontario in the winter of 1997-1998, 124 bird feeder stations were examined for their state of hygiene and for Salmonella on 5 occasions during the winter of 1999 in a city of 100,000 people in southwestern Ontario. No Salmonella were isolated from feed contaminated with feces recovered from the feeders. Squirrel-proof feeders were significantly less contaminated with feces than were other feeder types (hopper, platform, silo), which did not differ significantly in their hygiene scores. Contamination of squirrel-proof feeders increased significantly through the course of the study, but other feeder types showed no significant change. Hygiene was poorer if feeders were maintained equally by both male and female household members, particularly as they grew older, but no age or gender effect was observed if only one person was largely responsible for maintaining the feeders. We concluded that winter bird feeder stations in a southern Ontario city were not contaminated with Salmonella but that bird feeder stations could be designed better to reduce fecal contamination of feed. PMID:10992987

  14. Welcome to My House: African American and European American Students' Responses to Virginia Hamilton's "House of Dies Drear."

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spears-Bunton, Linda A.

    1990-01-01

    Addresses the relationship between reader response and culture. Presents portraits of a teacher and her Black students and White students as they studied a series of African American literary texts, including Virginia Hamilton's "House of Dies Drear" (1968). The reading of this text marked a turning point for the teacher and students.…

  15. Fort Hamilton High School Project SPEED: Special Education to Eliminate Dropouts. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nicolaidis, Mary; Sica, Michael

    The major goal of Project SPEED (at Fort Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, New York) was dropout prevention. In its first year of operation, 1982-83, the project provided English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction, bilingual instruction in basic skills required for graduation, and guidance services to approximately 300 limited English proficient…

  16. Research needs to better understand Lake Ontario ecosystem function: A workshop summary

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Stewart, Thomas J.; Rudstam, Lars G.; Watkins, James M.; Johnson, Timothy B.; Weidel, Brian C.; Koops, Marten A.

    2016-01-01

    Lake Ontario investigators discussed and interpreted published and unpublished information during two workshops to assess our current understanding of Lake Ontario ecosystem function and to identify research needs to guide future research and monitoring activities. The purpose of this commentary is to summarize key investigative themes and hypotheses that emerged from the workshops. The outcomes of the workshop discussions are organized under four themes: spatial linkages and interactions, drivers of primary production, trophic transfer, and human interactions.

  17. Early fire history near Seguin Falls, Ontario

    Treesearch

    Daniel C. Dey; Richard P. Guyette

    1996-01-01

    This report is one of a series of site-specfic fire histories being developed for red oak (Quercus rubra L.)-pine ecosystems in central Ontario. Collectively, these studies documents the role of fire in upland oak forests. this information also provides an ecological basis for developing silviculture prescriptions that use prescribed burning to...

  18. Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro.

    PubMed

    Frouin, Héloïse; Lebeuf, Michel; Saint-Louis, Richard; Hammill, Mike; Pelletier, Emilien; Fournier, Michel

    2008-11-21

    The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT>TBT>MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system during

  19. Comparing health system performance assessment and management approaches in the Netherlands and Ontario, Canada

    PubMed Central

    Tawfik-Shukor, Ali R; Klazinga, Niek S; Arah, Onyebuchi A

    2007-01-01

    Background Given the proliferation and the growing complexity of performance measurement initiatives in many health systems, the Netherlands and Ontario, Canada expressed interests in cross-national comparisons in an effort to promote knowledge transfer and best practise. To support this cross-national learning, a study was undertaken to compare health system performance approaches in The Netherlands with Ontario, Canada. Methods We explored the performance assessment framework and system of each constituency, the embeddedness of performance data in management and policy processes, and the interrelationships between the frameworks. Methods used included analysing governmental strategic planning and policy documents, literature and internet searches, comparative descriptive tables, and schematics. Data collection and analysis took place in Ontario and The Netherlands. A workshop to validate and discuss the findings was conducted in Toronto, adding important insights to the study. Results Both Ontario and The Netherlands conceive health system performance within supportive frameworks. However they differ in their assessment approaches. Ontario's Scorecard links performance measurement with strategy, aimed at health system integration. The Dutch Health Care Performance Report (Zorgbalans) does not explicitly link performance with strategy, and focuses on the technical quality of healthcare by measuring dimensions of quality, access, and cost against healthcare needs. A backbone 'five diamond' framework maps both frameworks and articulates the interrelations and overlap between their goals, themes, dimensions and indicators. The workshop yielded more contextual insights and further validated the comparative values of each constituency's performance assessment system. Conclusion To compare the health system performance approaches between The Netherlands and Ontario, Canada, several important conceptual and contextual issues must be addressed, before even attempting any

  20. Shunning the Bird's Eye View: General Science in the Schools of Ontario and Quebec

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hoffman, Michelle

    2013-01-01

    This paper considers the adoption of general science courses in two Canadian provinces, Ontario and Quebec, during the 1930s. In Ontario, a few science teachers had followed the early general science movements in the United States and Britain with interest. During the 1930s, several developments made the cross-disciplinary, applied thrust of…

  1. The Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy: implementation of a population-based osteoporosis action plan in Canada

    PubMed Central

    Hawker, G.; Cameron, C.; Canavan, J.; Beaton, D.; Bogoch, E.; Jain, R.; Papaioannou, A.

    2016-01-01

    In the last decade, there have been a number of action plans published to highlight the importance of preventing osteoporosis and related fractures. In the province of Ontario Canada, the Ministry of Health provided funding for the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy. The goal is to reduce morbidity, mortality, and costs from osteoporosis and related fractures through an integrated and comprehensive approach aimed at health promotion and disease management. This paper describes the components of the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy and progress on implementation efforts as of March 2009. There are five main components: health promotion; bone mineral density testing, access, and quality; postfracture care; professional education; and research and evaluation. Responsibility for implementation of the initiatives within the components is shared across a number of professional and patient organizations and academic teaching hospitals with osteoporosis researchers. The lessons learned from each phase of the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy provides a tremendous opportunity to inform other jurisdictions embarking on implementing similar large-scale bone health initiatives. PMID:20309525

  2. The Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy: implementation of a population-based osteoporosis action plan in Canada.

    PubMed

    Jaglal, S B; Hawker, G; Cameron, C; Canavan, J; Beaton, D; Bogoch, E; Jain, R; Papaioannou, A

    2010-06-01

    In the last decade, there have been a number of action plans published to highlight the importance of preventing osteoporosis and related fractures. In the province of Ontario Canada, the Ministry of Health provided funding for the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy. The goal is to reduce morbidity, mortality, and costs from osteoporosis and related fractures through an integrated and comprehensive approach aimed at health promotion and disease management. This paper describes the components of the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy and progress on implementation efforts as of March 2009. There are five main components: health promotion; bone mineral density testing, access, and quality; postfracture care; professional education; and research and evaluation. Responsibility for implementation of the initiatives within the components is shared across a number of professional and patient organizations and academic teaching hospitals with osteoporosis researchers. The lessons learned from each phase of the development, implementation, and evaluation of the Ontario Osteoporosis Strategy provides a tremendous opportunity to inform other jurisdictions embarking on implementing similar large-scale bone health initiatives.

  3. Harbour porpoises respond to climate change

    PubMed Central

    Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter; Iversen, Maria; Nielsen, Nynne Hjort; Lockyer, Christina; Stern, Harry; Ribergaard, Mads Hvid

    2011-01-01

    The effects of climate change on marine ecosystems and in particular on marine top predators are difficult to assess due to, among other things, spatial variability, and lack of clear delineation of marine habitats. The banks of West Greenland are located in a climate sensitive area and are likely to elicit pronounced responses to oceanographic changes in the North Atlantic. The recent increase in sea temperatures on the banks of West Greenland has had cascading effects on sea ice coverage, residency of top predators, and abundance of important prey species like Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). Here, we report on the response of one of the top predators in West Greenland; the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The porpoises depend on locating high densities of prey species with high nutritive value and they have apparently responded to the general warming on the banks of West Greenland by longer residence times, increased consumption of Atlantic cod resulting in improved body condition in the form of larger fat deposits in blubber, compared to the situation during a cold period in the 1990s. This is one of the few examples of a measurable effect of climate change on a marine mammal population. PMID:22393524

  4. Organization and number of orexinergic neurons in the hypothalamus of two species of Cetartiodactyla: A comparison of giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

    PubMed Central

    Dell, Leigh-Anne; Patzke, Nina; Bhagwandin, Adhil; Bux, Faiza; Fuxe, Kjell; Barber, Grace; Siegel, Jerome M.; Manger, Paul R.

    2012-01-01

    The present study describes the organization of the orexinergic (hypocretinergic) neurons in the hypothalamus of the giraffe and harbour porpoise – two members of the mammalian Order Cetartiodactyla which is comprised of the even-toed ungulates and the cetaceans as they share a monophyletic ancestry. Diencephalons from two sub-adult male giraffes and two adult male harbour porpoises were coronally sectioned and immunohistochemically stained for orexin-A. The staining revealed that the orexinergic neurons could be readily divided into two distinct neuronal types based on somal volume, area and length, these being the parvocellular and magnocellular orexin-A immunopositive (OxA+) groups. The magnocellular group could be further subdivided, on topological grounds, into three distinct clusters – a main cluster in the perifornical and lateral hypothalamus, a cluster associated with the zona incerta and a cluster associated with the optic tract. The parvocellular neurons were found in the medial hypothalamus, but could not be subdivided, rather they form a topologically amorphous cluster. The parvocellular cluster appears to be unique to the Cetartiodactyla as these neurons have not been described in other mammals to date, while the magnocellular nuclei appear to be homologous to similar nuclei described in other mammals. The overall size of both the parvocellular and magnocellular neurons (based on somal volume, area and length) were larger in the giraffe than the harbour porpoise, but the harbour porpoise had a higher number of both parvocellular and magnocellular orexinergic neurons than the giraffe despite both having a similar brain mass. The higher number of both parvocellular and magnocellular orexinergic neurons in the harbour porpoise may relate to the unusual sleep mechanisms in the cetaceans. PMID:22683547

  5. The Determinants of Postsecondary Enrollment Rates in Ontario.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Foot, David K.; Pervin, Barry

    1983-01-01

    Application of economic theories of educational supply and demand to Ontario postsecondary enrollments show that community college enrollments are more income-sensitive than university enrollments, and graduate enrollments are more price sensitive than undergraduate enrollments. No competition effects between community colleges and universities…

  6. Work-attributed illness arising from excess heat exposure in Ontario, 2004-2010.

    PubMed

    Fortune, Melanie K; Mustard, Cameron A; Etches, Jacob J C; Chambers, Andrea G

    2013-09-12

    To describe the incidence of occupational heat illness in Ontario. Heat illness events were identified in two population-based data sources: work-related emergency department (ED) records and lost time claims for the period 2004-2010 in Ontario, Canada. Incidence rates were calculated using denominator estimates from national labour market surveys and estimates were adjusted for workers' compensation insurance coverage. Proportional morbidity ratios were estimated for industry, occupation and tenure of employment. There were 785 heat illness events identified in the ED encounter records (incidence rate 1.6 per 1,000,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) months) and 612 heat illness events identified in the lost time claim records (incidence rate 1.7 per 1,000,000 FTE months) in the seven-year observation period with peak incidence observed in the summer months. The risk of heat illness was elevated for men, young workers, manual workers and those with shorter employment tenure. A higher proportion of lost time claims attributed to heat illness were observed in the government services, agriculture and construction sectors relative to all lost time claims. Occupational heat illnesses are experienced in Ontario's population and are observed in ED records and lost time claims. The variation of heat illness incidence observed with worker and industry characteristics, and over time, can inform prevention efforts by occupational health services in Ontario.

  7. Access to dental care for persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario.

    PubMed

    Koneru, Anjani; Sigal, Michael J

    2009-03-01

    This study was undertaken to determine the proportion of persons primarily with developmental disabilities who encounter difficulties accessing dental care in Ontario, to identify perceived barriers to accessing dental care and to determine if persons with disabilities and their caregivers believe that oral health is important. Community organizations providing services mainly to persons with developmental disabilities in Ontario were recruited to circulate a questionnaire to their members by mail or the Internet. Fourteen organizations mailed out a total of 1,755 paper questionnaires in autumn 2006, of which 420 (23.9%) were returned; in addition, 236 Internet questionnaires were returned. Of the 656 paper and Internet responses, 634 were deemed valid. Most of the respondents had developmental disabilities. Almost three-quarters of respondents (464 [73.2%] ) reported being able to access dental services in Ontario. Personal (internal) factors were more likely to represent barriers to dental care than external factors. The majority of persons with disabilities and most caregivers believed that oral health is important for overall health.

  8. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay-A rapid detection tool for identifying red fox (Vulpes vulpes) DNA in the carcasses of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

    PubMed

    Heers, Teresa; van Neer, Abbo; Becker, André; Grilo, Miguel Luca; Siebert, Ursula; Abdulmawjood, Amir

    2017-01-01

    Carcasses of wild animals are often visited by different scavengers. However, determining which scavenger caused certain types of bite marks is particularly difficult and knowledge thereof is lacking. Therefore, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (target sequence cytochrome b) was developed to detect red fox DNA in carcasses of harbour porpoises. The MSwab™ method for direct testing without prior DNA isolation was validated. As a detection device, the portable real-time fluorometer Genie® II was used, which yields rapid results and can be used in field studies without huge laboratory equipment. In addition to in vitro evaluation and validation, a stranded and scavenged harbour porpoise carcass was successfully examined for red fox DNA residues. The developed LAMP method is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming presumable red fox bite wounds in harbour porpoises without further DNA isolation steps.

  9. Numerical simulation of tides in Ontario Lacus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Vincent, David; Karatekin, Ozgür

    2015-04-01

    Hydrocarbons liquid filled lakes has been recently detected on Titan's surface. Most of these lakes are located in the northern latitudes but there is a substantial lake in the southern latitudes: Ontario Lacus. This lake gets our attention because of possible shoreline changes suggested by Cassini flybys over Ontario Lacus between September 2005 (T7) et January 2010 (T65). The shoreline changes could be due to evaporation-precipitation processes but could also be a consequence of tides. Previous studies showed that the maximal tidal amplitudes of Ontario Lacus would be about 0.2m (for an uniform bathymetry of 20m). In this study we simulate tidal amplitude and currents with SLIM (Second-generation Louvain-la-Neuve Ice-ocean Model, http://sites.uclouvain.be/slim/ ) which resolves 2D shallow water equation on an unstructured mesh. Unstructured mesh prevents problems like mesh discontinuities at poles and allows higher accuracy at some place like coast or straits without drastically increasing computing costs. The tide generating force modeled in this work is the gradient of tidal potential due to titan's obliquity and titan's orbital eccentricity around Saturn (other contribution such as sun tide generating force are unheeded). The uncertain input parameters such as the wind direction and amplitude, bottom friction and thermo-physical properties of hydrocarbons liquids are varied within their expected ranges. SAR data analysis can result in different bathymetry according to the method. We proceed simulations for different bathymetries: tidal amplitudes doesn't change but this is not the case for tidal currents. Using a recent bathymetry deduced from most recent RADAR/SAR observations and a finer mesh, the peak-to peak tidal amplitudes are calculated to be up to 0.6 m. which is more than a factor two larger than the previous results. The maximal offshore tidal currents magnitude is about 0.06 m/s.

  10. Ontario's Quality Assurance Framework: A Critical Response

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heap, James

    2013-01-01

    Ontario's Quality Assurance Framework (QAF) is reviewed and found not to meet all five criteria proposed for a strong quality assurance system focused on student learning. The QAF requires a statement of student learning outcomes and a method and means of assessing those outcomes, but it does not require that data on achievement of intended…

  11. Financing Education in Ontario: Issues and Choices.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bird, Richard M.

    A study of the history of public financing of elementary and secondary education in Ontario and the issues and choices presently facing the province's finance system suggest that proposals for radical change must be considered. Current pressures on the mixed provincial-local system of finance come from the slow rate of economic expansion generally…

  12. Vandalism Prevention Programs Used in Ontario Schools.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    White, James; Fallis, Anita

    A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to all school principals in Ontario asking them to indicate which of 55 vandalism prevention measures they had used; how effective each had been in reducing vandalism; the cost of vandalism during 1978; whether they have an alarm system and a vandalism-reporting system; and what community groups the…

  13. Restoration of four-dimensional diffeomorphism covariance in canonical general relativity: An intrinsic Hamilton-Jacobi approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Salisbury, Donald; Renn, Jürgen; Sundermeyer, Kurt

    2016-02-01

    Classical background independence is reflected in Lagrangian general relativity through covariance under the full diffeomorphism group. We show how this independence can be maintained in a Hamilton-Jacobi approach that does not accord special privilege to any geometric structure. Intrinsic space-time curvature-based coordinates grant equal status to all geometric backgrounds. They play an essential role as a starting point for inequivalent semiclassical quantizations. The scheme calls into question Wheeler’s geometrodynamical approach and the associated Wheeler-DeWitt equation in which 3-metrics are featured geometrical objects. The formalism deals with variables that are manifestly invariant under the full diffeomorphism group. Yet, perhaps paradoxically, the liberty in selecting intrinsic coordinates is precisely as broad as is the original diffeomorphism freedom. We show how various ideas from the past five decades concerning the true degrees of freedom of general relativity can be interpreted in light of this new constrained Hamiltonian description. In particular, we show how the Kuchař multi-fingered time approach can be understood as a means of introducing full four-dimensional diffeomorphism invariants. Every choice of new phase space variables yields new Einstein-Hamilton-Jacobi constraining relations, and corresponding intrinsic Schrödinger equations. We show how to implement this freedom by canonical transformation of the intrinsic Hamiltonian. We also reinterpret and rectify significant work by Dittrich on the construction of “Dirac observables.”

  14. Deepwater sculpin status and recovery in Lake Ontario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Weidel, Brian C.; Walsh, Maureen; Connerton, Michael J.; Lantry, Brian F.; Lantry, Jana R.; Holden, Jeremy P.; Yuille, Michael J.; Hoyle, James A.

    2017-01-01

    Deepwater sculpin are important in oligotrophic lakes as one of the few fishes that use deep profundal habitats and link invertebrates in those habitats to piscivores. In Lake Ontario the species was once abundant, however drastic declines in the mid-1900s led some to suggest the species had been extirpated and ultimately led Canadian and U.S. agencies to elevate the species' conservation status. Following two decades of surveys with no captures, deepwater sculpin were first caught in low numbers in 1996 and by the early 2000s there were indications of population recovery. We updated the status of Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin through 2016 to inform resource management and conservation. Our data set was comprised of 8431 bottom trawls sampled from 1996 to 2016, in U.S. and Canadian waters spanning depths from 5 to 225 m. Annual density estimates generally increased from 1996 through 2016, and an exponential model estimated the rate of population increase was ~ 59% per year. The mean total length and the proportion of fish greater than the estimated length at maturation (~ 116 mm) generally increased until a peak in 2013. In addition, the mean length of all deepwater sculpin captured in a trawl significantly increased with depth. Across all years examined, deepwater sculpin densities generally increased with depth, increasing sharply at depths > 150 m. Bottom trawl observations suggest the Lake Ontario deepwater sculpin population has recovered and current densities and biomass densities may now be similar to the other Great Lakes.

  15. An analysis of alternative funding for physicians practicing gynecologic oncology in Ontario, Canada prior to 2001.

    PubMed

    Elit, L

    2006-01-01

    To consider the policy issue of physician reimbursement by examining the events that preceded the Ontario Gynecologic Oncologists moving from a fee-for-service environment to an alternate payment plan in 2001. The sources of information included a literature search, reviewing Canadian newspapers, interactions with key leaders in the field (Ontario Medication Association, University physicians), and meeting minutes from both university and provincial groups considering alternate payment plans. The problem for Ontario Gynecologic Oncologists involved the goal of providing excellent clinical care, undergraduate and postgraduate education, research and administration in the midst of problems with recruitment, retention and remuneration. Multiple causes for this problem included limitations in health care spending and a fee for service payment schedule that did not adequately reimburse complex care. This funding problem got on the agenda as a result of a front page article in the national newspaper and letters of concern solicited from local members of the provincial parliament. The policy formulation needed to account for alternate financial options and the roles of institutional structures such as the universities, Cancer Care Ontario and the Ontario University Health Science Centers. The influences on the evolution of the new funding policy included the actors, their interests, their values, research on the topic and institutions. The tensions between the goal of excellence in care, education, research and administration and difficulties with recruitment, retention and reimbursement, led the Ontario Gynecologic Oncologists to seek an alternate mechanism of reimbursement from the fee-for-service model.

  16. Factors affecting recruitment and retention of rehabilitation professionals in Northern Ontario, Canada: a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Winn, C S; Chisholm, B A; Hummelbrunner, J A

    2014-01-01

    Historically, Northern Ontario, Canada, has been an underserviced area for health care, including the rehabilitation professions of occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech-language pathology and audiology. The Rehabilitation Studies and Northern Studies Stream programs were created in the 1990s to improve the recruitment and retention of rehabilitation professionals to Northern Ontario. However, no recent research has been conducted examining the factors that lead to rehabilitation professionals relocating to and remaining in the region. A cross-sectional survey of rehabilitation professionals living and working in Northern Ontario was administered in 2009. Information collected included demographics and a rating of the personal and professional factors that had an impact on an individual's decision to continue living and working in Northern Ontario. A total of 345 individuals completed the survey (response rate 57%). Multiple personal and professional factors were closely linked to recruitment and retention with differences noted between those individuals originally from Northern Ontario and those who were not. Rural or remote education experiences and rural/remote origin were identified as important recruitment factors while job satisfaction and lifestyle options were important factors for retention of rehabilitation professionals to rural and remote areas of practice. This study has provided updated information specific to the recruitment and retention of rehabilitation professionals in Northern Ontario, Canada. These findings support previous work examining health professions worldwide and have clear implications for educational programs, funding agencies, and health human resource planning in underserviced areas.

  17. Fort Hamilton High School. Project ELITES: Education for Life Through Extended Services. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1981-1982.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Torres, Judith A.; And Others

    Project ELITES provides bilingual education to 307 Spanish-speaking, Arabic-speaking, and Greek-speaking students at Fort Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, New York. Project ELITES's philosophy is to mainstream students after two years of participation. The program's individualized approach is obtained through a 3-tiered instructional format:…

  18. Developing a Social, Cultural and Economic Report Card for a Regional Industrial Harbour.

    PubMed

    Pascoe, Sean; Tobin, Renae; Windle, Jill; Cannard, Toni; Marshall, Nadine; Kabir, Zobaidul; Flint, Nicole

    2016-01-01

    Report cards are increasingly used to provide ongoing snap-shots of progress towards specific ecosystem health goals, particularly in coastal regions where planners need to balance competing demands for coastal resources from a range of industries. While most previous report cards focus on the biophysical components of the system, there is a growing interest in including the social and economic implications of ecosystem management to provide a greater social-ecological system understanding. Such a report card was requested on the Gladstone Harbour area in central Queensland, Australia. Gladstone Harbour adjoins the southern Great Barrier Reef, and is also a major industrial and shipping port. Balancing social, economic and environmental interests is therefore of great concern to the regional managers. While environmental benchmarking procedures are well established within Australia (and elsewhere), a method for assessing social and economic performance of coastal management is generally lacking. The key aim of this study was to develop and pilot a system for the development of a report card relating to appropriate cultural, social and economic objectives. The approach developed uses a range of multicriteria decision analysis methods to assess and combine different qualitative and quantitative measures, including the use of Bayesian Belief Networks to combine the different measures and provide an overall quantitative score for each of the key management objectives. The approach developed is readily transferable for purposes of similar assessments in other regions.

  19. Classification of Hamilton-Jacobi separation in orthogonal coordinates with diagonal curvature

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

    Rajaratnam, Krishan, E-mail: k2rajara@uwaterloo.ca; McLenaghan, Raymond G., E-mail: rgmclenaghan@uwaterloo.ca

    2014-08-15

    We find all orthogonal metrics where the geodesic Hamilton-Jacobi equation separates and the Riemann curvature tensor satisfies a certain equation (called the diagonal curvature condition). All orthogonal metrics of constant curvature satisfy the diagonal curvature condition. The metrics we find either correspond to a Benenti system or are warped product metrics where the induced metric on the base manifold corresponds to a Benenti system. Furthermore, we show that most metrics we find are characterized by concircular tensors; these metrics, called Kalnins-Eisenhart-Miller metrics, have an intrinsic characterization which can be used to obtain them on a given space. In conjunction withmore » other results, we show that the metrics we found constitute all separable metrics for Riemannian spaces of constant curvature and de Sitter space.« less

  20. Catalysts of Economic Innovation: Building on the Applied Research Capacity of Ontario Colleges. ACAATO Document

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario, 2006

    2006-01-01

    Ontario's economic productivity, competitiveness and growth in the 21st century depend on investments in three critical areas: highly qualified people, ideas (research and development), and the adoption and diffusion of new technologies. Compared to many other jurisdictions, Ontario is underutilizing its college system's potential to contribute to…

  1. Adaptation to climate change in the Ontario public health sector

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Background Climate change is among the major challenges for health this century, and adaptation to manage adverse health outcomes will be unavoidable. The risks in Ontario – Canada’s most populous province – include increasing temperatures, more frequent and intense extreme weather events, and alterations to precipitation regimes. Socio-economic-demographic patterns could magnify the implications climate change has for Ontario, including the presence of rapidly growing vulnerable populations, exacerbation of warming trends by heat-islands in large urban areas, and connectedness to global transportation networks. This study examines climate change adaptation in the public health sector in Ontario using information from interviews with government officials. Methods Fifty-three semi-structured interviews were conducted, four with provincial and federal health officials and 49 with actors in public health and health relevant sectors at the municipal level. We identify adaptation efforts, barriers and opportunities for current and future intervention. Results Results indicate recognition that climate change will affect the health of Ontarians. Health officials are concerned about how a changing climate could exacerbate existing health issues or create new health burdens, specifically extreme heat (71%), severe weather (68%) and poor air-quality (57%). Adaptation is currently taking the form of mainstreaming climate change into existing public health programs. While adaptive progress has relied on local leadership, federal support, political will, and inter-agency efforts, a lack of resources constrains the sustainability of long-term adaptation programs and the acquisition of data necessary to support effective policies. Conclusions This study provides a snapshot of climate change adaptation and needs in the public health sector in Ontario. Public health departments will need to capitalize on opportunities to integrate climate change into policies and programs

  2. Role of comparative effectiveness research in cancer funding decisions in Ontario, Canada.

    PubMed

    Hoch, Jeffrey S; Hodgson, David C; Earle, Craig C

    2012-12-01

    Recently, the evidence-based drug funding process in Ontario, Canada, was challenged by a young mother with a breast tumor too small, based on the evidence that existed at the time, to qualify for an expensive drug. In reality, this is only the latest in a number of challenges the publicly funded health care system has had to deal with in the face of an evolving drug policy landscape. This article defines comparative effectiveness research (CER), considering how it is viewed differently in the United States and Canada. It also reviews the role CER now plays in the Ontario drug funding process and concludes with a review of the challenges and opportunities of using observational data to conduct CER and incorporate it into policy making within a universal health care system. Many of the issues faced by Ontario are relevant beyond Canada, including in the United States during this period of health care reform.

  3. Early fire history near Papineau lake, Ontario

    Treesearch

    Daniel C. Dey; Richard P. Guyette

    1996-01-01

    Research that defines the role of fire in upland red oak-pine ecosystems in central Ontario is being conducted by the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Silviculture program. Site-specific fire histories are being developed that document fire frequency, fire behavior, fire effects on forest regeneration and grwoth, and the influnce of human activites on fire disturbances. This...

  4. Early observations on an emerging Great Lakes invader Hemimysis anomala in Lake Ontario

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Walsh, Maureen G.; Lantry, Brian F.; Boscarino, Brent; Bowen, Kelly; Gerlofsma, Jocelyn; Schaner, Ted; Back, Richard; Questel, Jennifer; Smythe, A. Garry; Cap, Roberta; Goehle, Michael; Young, Bryan; Chalupnicki, Marc A.; Johnson, James H.; McKenna, James E.

    2010-01-01

    Hemimysis anomala, a Ponto-Caspian littoral mysid, is an emerging Great Lakes invader that was discovered in Lakes Michigan and Ontario in 2006. Similar to the native mysid Mysis diluviana, Hemimysis exhibits a diel vertical migration pattern but generally inhabits shallower and warmer waters than M. diluviana. Because basic information on the distribution, habitat use, and biology of Hemimysis in the Great Lakes is scarce, the potential for food web disruption by Hemimysis cannot easily be predicted. Preliminary observations indicate widespread invasion of Hemimysis in Lake Ontario. In this study, we confirm the presence of Hemimysis at sites spanning the northern and southern shores of Lake Ontario and the presence of the individuals during winter months. In one horizontal tow in November 2007, over 26,000 individuals were collected with a length range of 4.4 to 9.0. mm and an average caloric density of 611. cal/g wet weight. The most effective methods for sampling Hemimysis were horizontal tows with either a zooplankton net in the water column or a benthic sled near the lake bottom. Although more quantitative data on the life history and distribution of this species is necessary, our preliminary observations support the prediction that the potential for Hemimysis to impact the nearshore food web in Lake Ontario appears high.

  5. Bearing the burden of boat harbours: heavy contaminant and fouling loads in a native habitat-forming alga.

    PubMed

    Johnston, E L; Marzinelli, E M; Wood, C A; Speranza, D; Bishop, J D D

    2011-10-01

    Boat harbours are an increasingly common form of artificial habitat. This paper presents a comparative study of contaminants and foulers of a habitat-forming native kelp (Saccharina latissima) in four marinas and four reference locations along the south-west coast of the UK. Fouling of algal laminae was light (<2% cover) in reference locations, while epibiota cover ranged from 25% to 80% of laminae in marinas. Metals associated with antifouling paints were up to six times more concentrated in algal tissues from marinas than from the reference locations. Marinas also carried the greatest cover and diversity of non-indigenous epibiota on the kelp laminae. This indicates not only a potential stress to kelps in these environments, but also the possibility that detached laminae will act as vectors for the dispersal of non-indigenous species. The development of boat harbours creates habitats that are high risk source localities for pollution-tolerant fouling organisms. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Environmental quality assessment of Grand Harbour (Valletta, Maltese Islands): a case study of a busy harbour in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

    PubMed

    Romeo, Teresa; D'Alessandro, Michela; Esposito, Valentina; Scotti, Gianfranco; Berto, Daniela; Formalewicz, Malgorzata; Noventa, Seta; Giuliani, Silvia; Macchia, Simona; Sartori, Davide; Mazzola, Angelo; Andaloro, Franco; Giacobbe, Salvatore; Deidun, Alan; Renzi, Monia

    2015-12-01

    Contamination levels by plastic debris, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants were assessed and related to macrobenthic diversity within soft bottoms of Grand Harbour (Malta, Central Mediterranean). Sediment toxicity was evaluated by ecotoxicological method, deploying Bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), Echinodermata (Paracentrotus lividus) and Crustacea (Corophium orientale). Univariate analysis (Pearson's test) was used to test relationships between biodiversity indices, pollutants and grain size. A multivariate approach (PERMANOVA) was applied to investigate for any significant differences among sampling stations concerning plastic abundances and to test the relationship between infaunal abundances and pollutant concentrations (the BIOENV test). Significant differences in the plastic abundances were found between sampling stations. The lowest value for Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index was associated to the highest sediment pollution level. Multivariate analyses suggest that MBT and TBT were factors that most influenced macrozoobenthic abundance and biodiversity. The bivalve Corbula gibba and the introduced polychaete Monticellina dorsobranchialis were the most abundant found species.

  7. Multispecialty physician networks in Ontario

    PubMed Central

    Stukel, Therese A; Glazier, Richard H; Schultz, Susan E; Guan, Jun; Zagorski, Brandon M; Gozdyra, Peter; Henry, David A

    2013-01-01

    Background Large multispecialty physician group practices, with a central role for primary care practitioners, have been shown to achieve high-quality, low-cost care for patients with chronic disease. We assessed the extent to which informal multispecialty physician networks in Ontario could be identified by using health administrative data to exploit natural linkages among patients, physicians, and hospitals based on existing patient flow. Methods We linked each Ontario resident to his or her usual provider of primary care over the period from fiscal year 2008/2009 to fiscal year 2010/2011. We linked each specialist to the hospital where he or she performed the most inpatient services. We linked each primary care physician to the hospital where most of his or her ambulatory patients were admitted for non-maternal medical care. Each resident was then linked to the same hospital as his or her usual provider of primary care. We computed “loyalty” as the proportion of care to network residents provided by physicians and hospitals within their network. Smaller clusters were aggregated to create networks based on a minimum population size, distance, and loyalty. Networks were not constrained geographically. Results We identified 78 multispecialty physician networks, comprising 12 410 primary care physicians, 14 687 specialists, and 175 acute care hospitals serving a total of 12 917 178 people. Median network size was 134 723 residents, 125 primary care physicians, and 143 specialists. Virtually all eligible residents were linked to a usual provider of primary care and to a network. Most specialists (93.5%) and primary care physicians (98.2%) were linked to a hospital. Median network physician loyalty was 68.4% for all physician visits and 81.1% for primary care visits. Median non-maternal admission loyalty was 67.4%. Urban networks had lower loyalties and were less self-contained but had more health care resources. Interpretation We demonstrated the feasibility

  8. Microbial community dynamics during assays of harbour oil spill bioremediation: a microscale simulation study.

    PubMed

    Cappello, S; Caruso, G; Zampino, D; Monticelli, L S; Maimone, G; Denaro, R; Tripodo, B; Troussellier, M; Yakimov, M; Giuliano, L

    2007-01-01

    Microcosm experiments simulating an oil spill event were performed to evaluate the response of the natural microbial community structure of Messina harbour seawater following the accidental load of petroleum. An experimental harbour seawater microcosm, supplemented with nutrients and crude oil, was monitored above 15 days in comparison with unpolluted ones (control microcosms). Bacterial cells were counted with a Live/Dead BacLight viability kit; leucine aminopeptidase, beta-glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase, lipase and esterase enzymes were measured using fluorogenic substrates. The microbial community dynamic was monitored by isolation of total RNA, RT-PCR amplification of 16S rRNA, cloning and sequencing. Oil addition stimulated an increase of the total bacterial abundance, leucine aminopeptidase and phosphatase activity rates, as well as a change in the community structure. This suggested a prompt response of micro-organisms to the load of petroleum hydrocarbons. The present study on the viability, specific composition and metabolic characteristics of the microbial community allows a more precise assessment of oil pollution. Both structural and functional parameters offer interesting perspectives as indicators to monitor changes caused by petroleum hydrocarbons. A better knowledge of microbial structural successions at oil-polluted sites is essential for environmental bioremediation. Data obtained in microcosm studies improve our understanding of natural processes occurring during oil spills.

  9. Brownfield site development -- The Ontario context

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

    Phillips, D.B.

    The provincial government of Ontario recently promulgated new guidelines to deal with contamination on sites. One of the purposes of the guideline was to bolster development of contaminated sites by clarifying the regulatory process for redeveloping a contaminated site and to provide several clean-up options based on newer scientific information. These clean-up options include stratified clean-ups and site specific risk based criteria. The applications of the previous guideline were at times cumbersome for industries and land developers which may have impeded development of the Brownfield. This paper compares the changes between the old and the new regulatory clean-up guidelines andmore » presents the differences in approach. This paper also presents the results from interviews with several industries and property developers and assesses their view on the regulatory change as well as their desire to develop Brownfields in Ontario. This information determines if the change in regulatory process has really encouraged development. Results from the interviews with proponents indicated that the new guidelines are a much better approach but still contain barriers such as liability issues. Furthermore, the regulatory approval process has been transferred from the provincial government to the local governments. As a result the local governments are applying the guidelines differently across the province.« less

  10. Baccalaureate Degrees at Ontario Colleges: Issues and Implications

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Panacci, Adam G.

    2014-01-01

    This paper identifies and examines major issues and implications of the proposal to substantially increase the number of applied baccalaureate degrees offered by Ontario's Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, including increasing four-year applied degree offerings and introducing three-year applied degrees. Currently, provincial legislation…

  11. Respiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Karlsson, Erik A.; Ip, Hon S.; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Yoon, Sun W.; Johnson, Jordan; Beck, Melinda A.; Webby, Richard J.; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey

    2014-01-01

    The ongoing human H7N9 influenza infections highlight the threat of emerging avian influenza viruses. In 2011, an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from moribund New England harbour seals was shown to have naturally acquired mutations known to increase the transmissibility of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses. To elucidate the potential human health threat, here we evaluate a panel of avian H3N8 viruses and find that the harbour seal virus displays increased affinity for mammalian receptors, transmits via respiratory droplets in ferrets and replicates in human lung cells. Analysis of a panel of human sera for H3N8 neutralizing antibodies suggests that there is no population-wide immunity to these viruses. The prevalence of H3N8 viruses in birds and multiple mammalian species including recent isolations from pigs and evidence that it was a past human pandemic virus make the need for surveillance and risk analysis of these viruses of public health importance.

  12. Attitudes and knowledge regarding health care policy and systems: a survey of medical students in Ontario and California.

    PubMed

    Emil, Sherif; Nagurney, Justine M; Mok, Elise; Prislin, Michael D

    2014-10-01

    Canada and the United States have similar medical education systems, but different health care systems. We surveyed medical students in Ontario and California to assess their knowledge and views about health care policy and systems, with an emphasis on attitudes toward universal care. A web-based survey was administered during the 2010-2011 academic year to students in 5 medical schools in Ontario and 4 in California. The survey collected demographic data and evaluated attitudes and knowledge regarding broad health care policy issues and health care systems. An index of support for universal health care was created, and logistic regression models were used to examine potential determinants of such support. Responses were received from 2241 students: 1354 from Ontario and 887 from California, representing 42.9% of eligible respondents. Support for universal health care coverage was higher in Ontario (86.8%) than in California (51.1%), p < 0.001. In California, females, self-described nonconservatives, students with the intent to be involved in health care policy as physicians and students with a primary care orientation were associated with support for universal coverage. In Ontario, self-described liberals and accurate knowledge of the Canadian system were associated with support. A single-payer system for practice was preferred by 35.6% and 67.4% of students in California and Ontario, respectively. The quantity of instruction on health care policy in the curriculum was judged too little by 73.1% and 57.5% of students in California and Ontario, respectively. Medical students in Ontario are substantially more supportive of universal access to health care than their California counterparts. A majority of students in both regions identified substantial curricular deficiencies in health care policy instruction.

  13. Attitudes and knowledge regarding health care policy and systems: a survey of medical students in Ontario and California

    PubMed Central

    Nagurney, Justine M.; Mok, Elise; Prislin, Michael D.

    2014-01-01

    Background Canada and the United States have similar medical education systems, but different health care systems. We surveyed medical students in Ontario and California to assess their knowledge and views about health care policy and systems, with an emphasis on attitudes toward universal care. Methods A web-based survey was administered during the 2010–2011 academic year to students in 5 medical schools in Ontario and 4 in California. The survey collected demographic data and evaluated attitudes and knowledge regarding broad health care policy issues and health care systems. An index of support for universal health care was created, and logistic regression models were used to examine potential determinants of such support. Results Responses were received from 2241 students: 1354 from Ontario and 887 from California, representing 42.9% of eligible respondents. Support for universal health care coverage was higher in Ontario (86.8%) than in California (51.1%), p < 0.001. In California, females, self-described nonconservatives, students with the intent to be involved in health care policy as physicians and students with a primary care orientation were associated with support for universal coverage. In Ontario, self-described liberals and accurate knowledge of the Canadian system were associated with support. A single-payer system for practice was preferred by 35.6% and 67.4% of students in California and Ontario, respectively. The quantity of instruction on health care policy in the curriculum was judged too little by 73.1% and 57.5% of students in California and Ontario, respectively. Interpretation Medical students in Ontario are substantially more supportive of universal access to health care than their California counterparts. A majority of students in both regions identified substantial curricular deficiencies in health care policy instruction. PMID:25485256

  14. CHANGES IN THE FRESHWATER BENTHIC COMMUNITY OF LAKE ONTARIO SINCE THE INVASION OF DREISSENA 1972-1997

    EPA Science Inventory

    Population changes of three major benthic taxa are discussed in relation to Dreissena spp. Lake Ontario was sampled pre-invasion (1972) and post-invasion (1994, 1997) for abundance of benthic organisms. In offshore sediments of Lake Ontario, neither species composition nor abunda...

  15. Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy: A Critical Discourse Analysis.

    PubMed

    Benbow, Sarah; Gorlick, Carolyne; Forchuk, Cheryl; Ward-Griffin, Catherine; Berman, Helene

    2016-01-01

    This article overviews the second phase of a two-phase study which examined experiences of health and social exclusion among mothers experiencing homelessness in Ontario, Canada. A critical discourse analysis was employed to analyze the policy document, Realizing Our Potential: Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy, 2014-2019. In nursing, analysis of policy is an emerging form of scholarship, one that draws attention to the macro levels influencing health and health promotion, such as the social determinants of health, and the policies that impact them. The clear neo-liberal underpinnings, within the strategy, with a focus on productivity and labor market participation leave little room for an understanding of poverty reduction from a human rights perspective. Further, gender-neutrality rendered the poverty experienced by women, and mothers, invisible. Notably, there were a lack of deadlines, target dates, and thorough action and evaluation plans. Such absence troubles whether poverty reduction is truly a priority for the government, and society as a whole.

  16. A case study: the initiative to improve RN scheduling at Hamilton Health Sciences.

    PubMed

    Wallace, Laurel-Anne; Pierson, Sharon

    2008-01-01

    In 2003, Hamilton Health Sciences embarked on an initiative to improve and standardize nursing schedules and scheduling practices. The scheduling project was one of several initiatives undertaken by a corporate-wide Nursing Resource Group established to enhance the work environment and patient care and to ensure appropriate utilization of nursing resources across the organization's five hospitals. This article focuses on major activities undertaken in the scheduling initiative. The step-by-step approach described, plus examples of the scheduling resources developed and samples of extended-tour schedules, will all provide insight, potential strategies and practical help for nursing administrators, human resources (HR) personnel and others interested in improving nurse scheduling.

  17. CGPS Implementation and Lidar/Laser Altimeter Experiences at l'Estartit, Ibiza and Barcelona Harbours for Sea Level Monitoring

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martinez-Benjamin, J.; Schutz, B.; Urban, T.; Ortiz Castellon, M.; Martinez-Garcia, M.; Ruiz, A.; Perez, B.; Rodriguez-Velasco, G.

    2008-12-01

    In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge and with a continuous GPS station nearby. The radar tide gauge is a Datamar 3000C device and a Thales Navigation Internet-Enabled GPS Continuous Geodetic Reference Station (iCGRS) with a choke ring antenna. It is intended that the overall system will constitute a CGPS Station of the ESEAS (European Sea Level) and TIGA (GPS Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring) networks. Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours) installed the tide gauge station at Ibiza harbour in January 2003. The station belongs to the REDMAR network, composed at this moment by 21 stations distributed along the whole Spanish waters, including also the Canary islands. The tide gauge also belongs to the ESEAS (European Sea Level) network. At the Barcelona harbour they have installed a radar tide gauge near a GPS station belonging to Puerto de Barcelona. L'Estartit floating tide gauge was set up in 1990. Data are taken in graphics registers from each two hours the mean value is recorded in an electronic support. L'Estartit tide gauge series provides good quality information about the changes in the sea heights at centimeter level, that is the magnitude of the common tides in the Mediterranean. Two airborne calibration campaigns carrying an Optech Lidar ALTM-3025 (ICC) were made on June 16, 2007 with a Partenavia P-68 and October 12, 2007, with a Cessna Caravan 208B flying along two ICESat target tracks including crossover near l'Estartit. The validation of this new technology LIDAR may be useful to fill coastal areas where satellite radar altimeters are not measuring due to the large footprint and the resulting gaps of about 15-30 km within the coastline. Measurements with a GPS Buoy at l'Estartit harbour were made during the June experience and a GPS reference station was installed in Aiguablava. On October 12, 2007, another LIDAR campaign was

  18. Higher Education Policy and Legitimacy Building: The Making of a New Academic Credential in Ontario

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hurley, Peter; Sa, Creso M.

    2013-01-01

    Canada's province of Ontario introduced a new policy in 2000 allowing community colleges to offer a new type of undergraduate degree. This decision was a significant policy change for the government considering the nature of Ontario's binary system, where a rigid separation has historically prevailed between the university and college sectors.…

  19. Comparative diets of subyearling Atlantic salmon and subyearling coho salmon in Lake Ontario tributaries

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Johnson, James H.; Ringler, Neil H.

    2016-01-01

    Restoration of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) in Lake Ontario could potentially be negatively affected by the presence of non-native salmonids that are naturalized in the basin. Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) have been spawning successfully in Lake Ontario tributaries for over 40 years and their juveniles will reside in streams with juvenile Atlantic salmon for one year. This study sought to examine interspecific diet associations between these species, and to compare diets to the composition of the benthos and drift in three Lake Ontario tributaries. Aquatic insects, mainly ephemeropterans and chironomids were the major prey consumed by subyearling Atlantic salmon whereas terrestrial invertebrates made up only 3.7% of the diet. Ephemeropterans and chironomids were the primary aquatic taxa consumed by subyearling coho salmon but, as a group, terrestrial invertebrates (41.8%) were the major prey. In sympatry, Atlantic salmon fed more actively from the benthos whereas the diet of coho salmon was more similar to the drift. The different feeding pattern of each species resulted in low interspecific diet similarity. There is likely little competition between these species for food in Lake Ontario tributaries as juveniles.

  20. A heuristic simulation model of Lake Ontario circulation and mass balance transport

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    McKenna, J.E.; Chalupnicki, M.A.

    2011-01-01

    The redistribution of suspended organisms and materials by large-scale currents is part of natural ecological processes in large aquatic systems but can contribute to ecosystem disruption when exotic elements are introduced into the system. Toxic compounds and planktonic organisms spend various lengths of time in suspension before settling to the bottom or otherwise being removed. We constructed a simple physical simulation model, including the influence of major tributaries, to qualitatively examine circulation patterns in Lake Ontario. We used a simple mass balance approach to estimate the relative water input to and export from each of 10 depth regime-specific compartments (nearshore vs. offshore) comprising Lake Ontario. Despite its simplicity, our model produced circulation patterns similar to those reported by more complex studies in the literature. A three-gyre pattern, with the classic large counterclockwise central lake circulation, and a simpler two-gyre system were both observed. These qualitative simulations indicate little offshore transport along the south shore, except near the mouths of the Niagara River and Oswego River. Complex flow structure was evident, particularly near the Niagara River mouth and in offshore waters of the eastern basin. Average Lake Ontario residence time is 8 years, but the fastest model pathway indicated potential transport of plankton through the lake in as little as 60 days. This simulation illustrates potential invasion pathways and provides rough estimates of planktonic larval dispersal or chemical transport among nearshore and offshore areas of Lake Ontario. ?? 2011 Taylor & Francis.

  1. The effect of long-term regional pumping on hydrochemistry and dissolved gas content in an undeveloped shale-gas-bearing aquifer in southwestern Ontario, Canada

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hamilton, Stewart M.; Grasby, Stephen E.; McIntosh, Jennifer C.; Osborn, Stephen G.

    2015-02-01

    Baseline groundwater geochemical mapping of inorganic and isotopic parameters across 44,000 km2 of southwestern Ontario (Canada) has delineated a discreet zone of natural gas in the bedrock aquifer coincident with an 8,000-km2 exposure of Middle Devonian shale. This study describes the ambient geochemical conditions in these shales in the context of other strata, including Ordovician shales, and discusses shale-related natural and anthropogenic processes contributing to hydrogeochemical conditions in the aquifer. The three Devonian shales—the Kettle Point Formation (Antrim equivalent), Hamilton Group and Marcellus Formation—have higher DOC, DIC, HCO3, CO2(aq), pH and iodide, and much higher CH4(aq). The two Ordovician shales—the Queenston and Georgian-Bay/Blue Mountain Formations—are higher in Ca, Mg, SO4 and H2S. In the Devonian shale region, isotopic zones of Pleistocene-aged groundwater have halved in size since first identified in the 1980s; potentiometric data implicate regional groundwater extraction in the shrinkage. Isotopically younger waters invading the aquifer show rapid increases in CH4(aq), pH and iodide with depth and rapid decrease in oxidized carbon species including CO2, HCO3 and DIC, suggesting contemporary methanogenesis. Pumping in the Devonian shale contact aquifer may stimulate methanogenesis by lowering TDS, removing products and replacing reactants, including bicarbonate, derived from overlying glacial sedimentary aquifers.

  2. Using participatory epidemiology to assess factors contributing to common enteric pathogens in Ontario: results from a workshop held at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Common enteric pathogens that cause gastrointestinal illness are transmitted to humans through food, water or direct contact. This poses a significant concern to public health as enteric pathogens can cause disease in a large number of people, and cost a substantial amount to treat and prevent. In order to gain a better understanding of the occurrence of enteric disease in Ontario, this study explored public health professionals’ perceptions of major contributing factors for common enteric pathogens. Methods A case study was conducted as part of a two week training workshop in Participatory Epidemiology held at the Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, in May 2013. Eight semi-structured interviews and four focus groups were conducted with representatives from the Public Health Agency of Canada, the University of Guelph, and three health regions in Southern Ontario. Written notes and pictures captured the qualitative information provided. Results were then analyzed using the mixed methods techniques of triangulation, convergence, and paradox. Results A total of fifty factors that contribute to enteric disease were identified across all interviews and focus groups. These contributing factors were grouped into key themes (travel, food handling, industry (farm-to-fork), water, geography, demographics, and behaviours) and were categorized as either a risk factor or susceptibility factor. Informants emphasized the complex relationships between the identified factors, and highlighted why these complexities make it difficult to determine where and how a person most likely acquired an enteric pathogen. Workshop participants observed differences in the type and quality of information collected during interviews and focus groups; we hypothesize that this may be attributed to the dynamics between group members (i.e. focus group discussions) as opposed to one-on-one interviews. Conclusions The information gathered will serve as a starting point to

  3. The Harbour School, A Very Special School. IssueTrak: A CEFPI Brief on Educational Facility Issues

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stenzler, Yale

    2005-01-01

    The Harbour School in Baltimore County, Maryland and provides a unique and outstanding setting that was designed to enhance and support the programs and services required for 125 special-needs students between the ages of 6 and 21. The director of the school, Dr. Linda Jacobs, had previous experience with establishing a school in a commercial…

  4. Working and Living in Northern vs Southern Ontario Is Associated with the Duration of Compensated Time off Work: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

    PubMed

    Senthanar, S; Kristman, V L; Hogg-Johnson, S

    2015-07-01

    Northern Ontario, Canada has a larger elder population, more resource-based employment, and limited access to physicians and specialists compared to southern Ontario. Given these important differences, it is possible that work disability rates will vary between the two Ontario jurisdictions. To determine the association between time lost due to workplace injuries and illnesses occurring in northern vs southern Ontario and work disability duration from 2006--2011. The study base included all lost-time claims approved by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario, Canada for workplace injury or illness compensation occurring between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2011. All eligible participants had to be 18 years of age or older at the time of making the claim and participants were excluded if one of the three variables used to determine location (claimant home postal code, workplace geographical code, and WSIB firm location) were missing. Multivariable proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for sex, age, occupation, part of body, and nature of injury relating Ontario geographical location to compensated time off work. A total of 156 453 lost-time claims were approved over the study period. Injured and ill workers from northern Ontario were 16% less likely to return to work than those from southern Ontario. Adjustment for potential confounding factors had no effect. The disability duration in northern Ontario is longer than that in southern Ontario. Future research should focus on assessing the relevant factors associated with this observation to identify opportunities for intervention.

  5. Changes in Characteristics and Practice Patterns of Ontario Psychiatrists.

    PubMed

    Kurdyak, Paul; Zaheer, Juveria; Cheng, Joyce; Rudoler, David; Mulsant, Benoit H

    2017-01-01

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in demographic, geographic, and practice characteristics of all Ontario psychiatrists between 2003 and 2013 and their implication for access to psychiatrists. We included all psychiatrists who were clinically active in Ontario in any year from 2003 to 2013. For each psychiatrist, we reported age, sex, years since medical school graduation, geographic practice region, and practice characteristics such as total number of inpatients, outpatients, and outpatient visit frequencies. In 2013, there were 2070 psychiatrists, with nearly half (47%) more than 30 years since medical school graduation. Female psychiatrists comprised 41% of all psychiatrists in 2013 but 56% of all psychiatrists within 15 years of medical school graduation. Between 2003 and 2013, there was a 17% increase in the total number of psychiatrists, with the largest growth in psychiatrists occurring in the group more than 30 years from medical school graduation. Over these 11 years, the mean (SD) number of unique outpatients seen by a psychiatrist annually increased from 208 (228) to 249 (275) (19.5%; P = 0.001), with male psychiatrists, on average, seeing more outpatients annually than female psychiatrists. The number of outpatients seen by psychiatrists is slowly increasing. However, the large proportion of aging psychiatrists, the high concentration of psychiatrists in urban settings, and the increase in the number of female psychiatrists with smaller practices suggest that without radical changes to the way psychiatrists practice, access to psychiatrists will remain a challenge in Ontario.

  6. Exploring elements that influence stewardship in the eastern Lake Ontario dune and wetland area

    Treesearch

    Diane Kuehn; James Smahol

    2010-01-01

    Th e Eastern Lake Ontario Dune and Wetland Area (ELODWA) is a 17-mile stretch of sand dunes, wetlands, and woodlands along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in New York State. Reductions in negative, visitor-caused impacts on the dunes (e.g., trampling of dune vegetation and sand erosion) are thought to be due in part to the extensive visitor education efforts of...

  7. The identity of Hamilton's Ticto Barb, Pethia ticto (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

    PubMed

    Katwate, Unmesh; Raghavan, Rajeev; Dahanukar, Neelesh

    2015-06-04

    While describing the fishes of Ganges, Hamilton described Cyprinus ticto (now allocated to Pethia) from south-eastern parts of Bengal. The unavailability of type material and insufficient diagnostic characters in the original description resulted in ambiguities in the identity of this species. In this paper, we clarify the identity of P. ticto through an integrative-taxonomic approach. Pethia ticto can be distinguished from all other known species of the genus by a combination of characters that includes an abbreviated lateral line with 6-12 pored scales; 23-26 scales in lateral-scale row; 9 predorsal scales; ½4/1/3½-4 scales in transverse series; and a pigmentation pattern that includes a small black humeral spot covering the third and fourth lateral-line scales, a prominent spot on the caudal peduncle on the 16th-19th scales of the lateral-line scale row, and two rows of black spots scattered on the dorsal fin.

  8. Prevalence of HIV and hepatitis C virus infections among inmates of Ontario remand facilities

    PubMed Central

    Calzavara, Liviana; Ramuscak, Nancy; Burchell, Ann N.; Swantee, Carol; Myers, Ted; Ford, Peter; Fearon, Margaret; Raymond, Sue

    2007-01-01

    Background Each year more than 56 000 adult and young offenders are admitted to Ontario's remand facilities (jails, detention centres and youth centres). The prevalence of HIV infection in Ontario remand facilities was last measured over a decade ago, and no research on the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been conducted in such facilities. We sought to determine the prevalence of HIV infection, HCV infection and HIV–HCV coinfection among inmates in Ontario's remand facilities. Methods A voluntary and anonymous cross-sectional prevalence study of HIV and HCV infections was conducted among people admitted to 13 selected remand facilities across Ontario between Feb. 1, 2003, and June 20, 2004. Data collection included a saliva specimen for HIV and HCV antibody screening and an interviewer-administered survey. Prevalence rates and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and examined according to demographic characteristics, region of incarceration and self-reported history of injection drug use. Results In total, 1877 participants provided both a saliva specimen and survey information. Among the adult participants, the prevalence of HIV infection was 2.1% among men and 1.8% among women. Adult offenders most likely to have HIV infection were older offenders (≥ 30 years) and injection drug users. The prevalence of HCV infection was 15.9% among men, 30.2% among women and 54.7% among injection drug users. Adult offenders most likely to have HCV infection were women, older offenders (≥ 30 years) and injection drug users. The prevalence of HCV–HIV coinfection was 1.2% among men and 1.5% among women. It was highest among older inmates and injection drug users. Among the young offenders, none was HIV positive and 1 (0.4%) was HCV positive. On the basis of the study results, we estimated that 1079 HIV-positive adults and 9208 HCV-positive adults were admitted to remand facilities in Ontario from Apr. 1, 2003, to Mar. 31, 2004. Interpretation Adult

  9. Personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene during petroleum refinery turnarounds and work in the oil harbour.

    PubMed

    Akerstrom, M; Almerud, P; Andersson, E M; Strandberg, B; Sallsten, G

    2016-11-01

    Petroleum refinery workers' exposure to the carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene has decreased during normal operations. However, certain occupational groups or events at the refineries still involve a risk of higher exposures. The aim of this study was to examine the personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene at refinery turnarounds and during work in the oil harbour. Personal exposure measurements of benzene and 1,3-butadiene were taken during work shifts, with a priori assumed higher benzene exposure, using PerkinElmer diffusive samplers filled with Carbopack X. Mean exposure levels were calculated, and repeated exposure measurements, when available, were assessed using mixed effect models. Group and individual compliance with the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) was tested for the different exposure groups. Mean benzene exposure levels for refinery workers during the three measured turnarounds were 150, 610 and 960 µg/m 3 , and mean exposures for oil harbour workers and sewage tanker drivers were 310 and 360 µg/m 3 , respectively. Higher exposures were associated with handling benzene-rich products. Most occupational groups did not comply with the Swedish OEL for benzene nor did the individuals within the groups. The exposure to 1,3-butadiene was very low, between <1 and 3 % of the Swedish OEL. Work within the petroleum refinery industry, with potential exposure to open product streams containing higher fractions of benzene, pose a risk of personal benzene exposures exceeding the OEL. Refinery workers performing these work tasks frequently, such as contractors, sewage tanker drivers and oil harbour workers, need to be identified and protected.

  10. Parental perceptions of school-based influenza immunisation in Ontario, Canada: a qualitative study

    PubMed Central

    MacDougall, Donna; Crowe, Lois; Pereira, Jennifer A; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Quach, Susan; Wormsbecker, Anne E; Ramsay, Hilary; Salvadori, Marina I; Russell, Margaret L

    2014-01-01

    Objective To understand the perspectives of Ontario parents regarding the advantages and disadvantages of adding influenza immunisation to the currently existing Ontario school-based immunisation programmes. Design Descriptive qualitative study. Participants Parents of school-age children in Ontario, Canada, who were recruited using a variety of electronic strategies (social media, emails and media releases), and identified as eligible (Ontario resident, parent of one or more school-age children, able to read/write English) on the basis of a screening questionnaire. We used stratified purposeful sampling to obtain maximum variation in two groups: parents who had ever immunised at least one child against influenza or who had never done so. We conducted focus groups (teleconference or internet forum) and individual interviews to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Setting Ontario, Canada. Results Of the 55 participants, 16 took part in four teleconference focus groups, 35 in 6 internet forum focus groups and four in individual interviews conducted between October 2012 and February 2013. Participants who stated that a school-based influenza immunisation programme would be worthwhile for their child valued its convenience and its potential to reduce influenza transmission without interfering with the family routine. However, most thought that for a programme to be acceptable, it would need to be well designed and voluntary, with adequate parental control and transparent communication between the key stakeholder groups of public health, schools and parents. Conclusions These results will benefit decision-makers in the public health and education sectors as they consider the advantages and disadvantages of immunising children in schools as part of a system-wide influenza prevention approach. Further research is needed to assess the perceptions of school board and public health stakeholders. PMID:24902736

  11. Parental perceptions of school-based influenza immunisation in Ontario, Canada: a qualitative study.

    PubMed

    MacDougall, Donna; Crowe, Lois; Pereira, Jennifer A; Kwong, Jeffrey C; Quach, Susan; Wormsbecker, Anne E; Ramsay, Hilary; Salvadori, Marina I; Russell, Margaret L

    2014-06-05

    To understand the perspectives of Ontario parents regarding the advantages and disadvantages of adding influenza immunisation to the currently existing Ontario school-based immunisation programmes. Descriptive qualitative study. Parents of school-age children in Ontario, Canada, who were recruited using a variety of electronic strategies (social media, emails and media releases), and identified as eligible (Ontario resident, parent of one or more school-age children, able to read/write English) on the basis of a screening questionnaire. We used stratified purposeful sampling to obtain maximum variation in two groups: parents who had ever immunised at least one child against influenza or who had never done so. We conducted focus groups (teleconference or internet forum) and individual interviews to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Ontario, Canada. Of the 55 participants, 16 took part in four teleconference focus groups, 35 in 6 internet forum focus groups and four in individual interviews conducted between October 2012 and February 2013. Participants who stated that a school-based influenza immunisation programme would be worthwhile for their child valued its convenience and its potential to reduce influenza transmission without interfering with the family routine. However, most thought that for a programme to be acceptable, it would need to be well designed and voluntary, with adequate parental control and transparent communication between the key stakeholder groups of public health, schools and parents. These results will benefit decision-makers in the public health and education sectors as they consider the advantages and disadvantages of immunising children in schools as part of a system-wide influenza prevention approach. Further research is needed to assess the perceptions of school board and public health stakeholders. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence

  12. Algorithm for Overcoming the Curse of Dimensionality for Certain Non-convex Hamilton-Jacobi Equations, Projections and Differential Games

    DTIC Science & Technology

    2016-05-01

    Algorithm for Overcoming the Curse of Dimensionality for Certain Non-convex Hamilton-Jacobi Equations, Projections and Differential Games Yat Tin...subproblems. Our approach is expected to have wide applications in continuous dynamic games , control theory problems, and elsewhere. Mathematics...differential dynamic games , control theory problems, and dynamical systems coming from the physical world, e.g. [11]. An important application is to

  13. [What to do? The Ontario government and the illegal recreational use of drugs, 1966-1972].

    PubMed

    Martel, Marcel

    2003-01-01

    This paper deals with the social construction of illegal drug use in the context of the counterculture movement. It looks at the actions and reactions of three groups in particular: the Ontario government, the Addiction Research Foundation of Ontario and citizens. It demonstrates that the debate about drug use took place in particular circumstances characterized by ignorance about the health consequences of illegal drug use but also within a moral panic context. Medical expertise was solicited to provide guidance to the Ontario government but it was gradually challenged by other medical groups and citizens who, by sending letters to their Provincial Premier and the Minister of Health, tried to shape public policy.

  14. Barriers to offering French language physician services in rural and northern Ontario.

    PubMed

    Timony, Patrick E; Gauthier, Alain P; Serresse, Suzanne; Goodale, Natalie; Prpic, Jason

    2016-01-01

    Rural and Northern Ontario francophones face many health-related challenges including poor health status, a poor supply of French-speaking physicians, and the potential for an inability or reduced ability to effectively communicate with anglophone healthcare providers. As such, it can reasonably be expected that rural and Northern Ontario francophones experience barriers when receiving care. However, the experience of physicians working in areas densely populated by francophones is largely unexplored. This paper identifies barriers experienced by French-speaking and Non-French-speaking rural and Northern Ontario physicians when serving francophone patients. A series of key informant interviews were conducted with 18 family physicians practicing in rural and urban francophone communities of Northeastern Ontario. Interviews were analyzed using a thematic analysis process. Five categories of barrier were identified: (1) language discordance, (2) characteristics of francophone patients, (3) dominance of English in the medical profession, (4) lack of French-speaking medical personnel, and (5) physicians' linguistic (in)sensitivity. Some barriers identified were unique to Non-French-speaking physicians (eg language discordance, use of interpreters, feelings of inadequacy), some were unique to French-speaking physicians (eg limited French education and resources), and some were common to both groups (eg lack of French-speaking colleagues/staff, added time commitments, and the particularities of Franco-Ontarian preferences and culture). Healthcare providers and decision makers may take interest in these results. Although physicians were the focus of the present article, the barriers expressed are likely experienced by other healthcare providers, and thus the lessons learned from this article extend beyond the physician workforce. Efforts must be made to offer educational opportunities for physicians and other healthcare providers working in areas densely populated by

  15. Fostering Ecological Literacy: A Case Study of the Saint John Harbour in Two High School English Language Arts Classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Douglas, Velta

    Integrating environmental education into curriculum in a way that tackles the holistic and complicated nature of multi-dimensional issues continues to be a challenge for educators and administrators. There is potential in using ecological literacy to introduce local environmental case studies into English Language Arts high school classrooms. This research examines the experiences of two ELA classrooms in one Saint John, NB, high school with a two-week unit based on stakeholder relationships within the Saint John Harbour. Through presentations by guest speakers and research sourced from local community groups, students learned about the highly complex environmental issues that inform management decisions for the Harbour. Using these materials as background, students participated in a mock stakeholders meeting. Case study methodology was used to explore student learning in both a higher-level and a lower-level grade 10 ELA class. Data for the analysis included: cognitive mapping exercises; oral and written classroom assignments and activities; a videotape of the mock stakeholder meetings; a focus group interview with selected students; and researcher field notes. Data demonstrated significant student learning about environmental issues including increased sophistication in describing links between and among environmental issues affecting the harbour, and much more complex understandings of the positions and roles of the various stakeholder groups. Some important areas of resistance to new learning were also evident. Implications for practice and policy and recommendations for future research are discussed.

  16. Pulmonary Rehabilitation in Ontario: A Cross-Sectional Survey

    PubMed Central

    Bowen, James M; Campbell, Kaitryn; Sutherland, Simone; Bartlett, Ann; Brooks, Dina; Qureshi, Riaz; Goldstein, Roger; Gershon, Andrea S; Prevost, Shelley; Samis, Lorelei; Kaplan, Alan G; Hopkins, Robert B; MacDougald, Craig; Nunes, Erica; O'Reilly, Daria J; Goeree, Ron

    2015-01-01

    Background Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive intervention of exercise training, education, and behaviour change to improve the physical and psychological condition of people with chronic respiratory disorders, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and to promote long-term adherence to health-enhancing behaviours. Although PR is considered the standard of care for patients with COPD who remain symptomatic despite bronchodilator therapies, current evidence suggests that only 1.15% of COPD patients across Canada have access to PR facilities for care. Objectives The objectives of this study were to identify the number of health care facilities across Ontario providing PR services for patients with COPD, describe the scope of those services, and determine the province's current capacity to provide PR services relative to need, for the province as a whole and by local health integration network (LHIN). Methods The Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs in Ontario (PRO) Survey was a province-wide, descriptive, cross-sectional survey of health care facilities (hospitals, family health teams, and community health centres). It was distributed to 409 facilities to collect information on various aspects of PR services in the province. Results Between April 2013 and February 2014, 187 facilities responded to the survey (46% response rate). Most responding centres (144) did not offer PR services, and only 43 were full PR sites providing a comprehensive program. Hospital-based programs made up the majority of sites offering full PR services (67%), followed by programs based at family health teams (19%) and community health centres (14%). More than 90% of PR programs are outpatient-based. The average wait time for outpatient PR was 6.9 weeks, and 58% of programs provide services 5 days per week. More than 80% of patients attending PR complete the full program. Across all program types, the total estimated provincial capacity for PR outpatient care is 4

  17. Interdisciplinary Practices in Ontario: Past, Present, and Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Clausen, Kurt W.; Drake, Susan M.

    2010-01-01

    In Canada, the province of Ontario has had a rather turbulent relationship with interdisciplinarity as it has tried to implement this practice into the public school system. Specifically, the provincial government has repeatedly attempted to introduce such reforms as integrated units, harmonized objectives, and open-concept, student-centered pods,…

  18. Mapping the Early Intervention System in Ontario, Canada

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Underwood, Kathryn

    2012-01-01

    This study documents the wide range of early intervention services across the province of Ontario. The services are mapped across the province showing geographic information as well as the scope of services (clinical, family-based, resource support, etc.), the range of early intervention professionals, sources of funding and the populations served…

  19. Recognizing a Centre of Excellence in Ontario's Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Litwin, Jeffrey M.

    2012-01-01

    The term "Centre of Excellence" is increasingly used by Ontario's colleges with the expectation of portraying a superior level of proficiency, expertise, or investment in a particular academic discipline or program cluster. This paper proposes that the term Centre of Excellence should have a clearer definition so that when one of…

  20. Utilization and costs of lumbar and full spine radiography by Ontario chiropractors from 1994 to 2001.

    PubMed

    Ammendolia, Carlo; Côté, Pierre; Hogg-Johnson, Sheilah; Bombardier, Claire

    2009-07-01

    In Ontario, chiropractors see one-third of patients who seek care for low back pain. Previous studies suggest that chiropractors have high utilization rates of lumbar and full spine radiography. There has been a proliferation of evidence-based guidelines recommending that plain film radiography be used only to assess high-risk patients with low back pain. Evidence for the use of full spine radiography, except for the evaluation of scoliosis is lacking. It is uncertain what impact the growing evidence against their use has had on radiography utilization by Ontario chiropractors. To describe the annual costs and use of lumbar and full spine plain film radiography among Ontario chiropractors between 1994 and 2001. Time-trend analysis of radiography utilization by Ontario chiropractors. Chiropractic claims data submitted to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan or the Workplace Safety & Insurance Board from 1994/1995 to 2000/2001. Change in the annual cost and proportion of claimants receiving lumbar and full spine radiography. Time-trend analysis of chiropractic claims submitted to the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or Workplace Safety & Insurance Board (WSIB) from 1994/1995 to 2000/2001 fiscal years. During the 7-year period, the proportion of OHIP claimants receiving lumbar spine radiography decreased from 4.54% to 3.25% and for full spine radiography from 3.87% to 3.04%. For WSIB claimants, lumbar spine radiography deceased from 6.49% to 3.30% of claimants and full spine radiography from 1.51% to 0.94%. OHIP payments for lumbar spine radiography decreased 12.7% to $562,944, whereas full spine radiography payments decreased 5.3% to $1,071,408. WSIB lumbar and full spine radiography payments decreased 44.2% and 34.3% to $31,202 and $11,713 respectively. Claims data from the two largest third-party payers of chiropractic services in Ontario, suggest that lumbar and full spine radiography, and their associated costs decreased steadily between 1994 and 2001.