78 FR 34280 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-07

... this proposal in light of the comments we receive. Discussion Transport Canada (TC), which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued TC AD No. CF-2007-13R2, dated November 10, 2009, to correct an.... TC advises of several failures of third stage turbine wheels used in Rolls Royce 250-C20 engines...

77 FR 5425 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

.... Discussion Transport Canada (TC), which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued AD CF-2010-32, dated..., serial numbers (S/Ns) 56001 through 56084, and S/Ns 58001 and 58002. TC advises that a review of the... 21.29 and the applicable bilateral agreement. Pursuant to the bilateral agreement, TC has kept the...

78 FR 37158 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... does the TCAA AD, and we would not require you to provide an affected cap for rework to Bell Tennessee... bearing support assembly, ensuring that the rework has been done. Costs of Compliance We estimate that... or rework the cap assembly by following the instructions depicted in Figure 3 of ASB 206L-04-129 or...

76 FR 13059 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (BHTC) Model 206A, 206B, 206L...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-10

...;Prices of new books are listed in the first FEDERAL REGISTER issue of each #0;week. #0; #0; #0; #0;#0..., which contained the requirements of this amendment. The incorporation by reference of certain..., economic, environmental, and energy aspects of the AD. We will consider all comments received by the...

78 FR 38546 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-27

... damage. This AD was prompted by a stress analysis of the tailboom skin that revealed that high-stress... that a stress analysis of the chemically milled tailboom skin ``revealed a possibility of skin cracking due to high stress concentration areas.'' Transport Canada advises that this condition, if not...

76 FR 27958 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Model 206A, 206B, and 206B3...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-13

... hover, with litter doorpost removed is prohibited.'' This revision may be made by pen and ink changes... revision may be made by pen and ink changes, inserting a copy of this AD into the RFM, or inserting a copy... (817) 222-5961, for information about previously approved alternative methods of compliance. (c) The...

75 FR 69860 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206L, 206L-1, and 206L-3 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-16

... the tailboom skin in the areas around the nutplates and in the areas of the tailboom drive shaft cover retention clips for cracks and corrosion using a 10-power or higher magnifying glass until the tailboom is... the tail rotor fairing and in the areas of the tail rotor drive shaft cover retention clips. The...

78 FR 7308 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-01

... other damage. This proposed AD is prompted by a stress analysis of the tailboom skin that revealed high-stress-concentration areas are susceptible to skin cracking. This condition, if not detected, could... tailboom assembly, part number (P/N) 407-030-801-201, -203, or -205. Transport Canada states that a stress...

77 FR 42421 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-19

... nut or clevis assembly. The AD also requires reidentifying the servo by metal- impression stamping or... plate. (g) Alternative Methods of Compliance (AMOCs) (1) The Manager, Safety Management Group, FAA, may...

78 FR 41877 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-12

... and can be performed equally well by a pilot or a mechanic. This authorization is an exception to our... the States, or on the distribution of power and responsibilities among the various levels of...

78 FR 12646 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. and Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-25

.... We may change this proposal in light of the comments we receive. Discussion Transport Canada (TC), which is the aviation authority for Canada, has issued TC AD No. CF-2012-14R1, dated May 9, 2012 (CF... (P/N) D412-664-203, approved under TC Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SH01-9, FAA STC SR01298NY...

78 FR 56148 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-12

... Assembly Engine Bipod Mount, P/N 230-060-113-101, 230-060-113-102, 230-060-114-101, or 230-060-114-102... 430 with (i) Fitting Assembly Engine Bipod Mount, P/N 230-060-113-101, 230-060-113-102, 230-060-114...

77 FR 5423 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... over- temperature warning light by installing a filter to prevent degradation of the pilot's vision...-temperature warning light is installed, this AD would require installing an NVIS filter. The proposed actions... a filter to prevent degradation of the pilot's vision while using night vision goggles and to...

78 FR 66252 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-05

... actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady- state operations...%. The proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady... the RFMs, advising pilots of the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service...

78 FR 23688 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Inc. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-22

... would require replacing certain part-numbered engine auto-relight kit control boxes. This proposed AD is... range requirements, which could cause the control box to malfunction, disabling the engine auto-relight... helicopters with an engine auto-relight kit control box assembly (control box assembly) part number 206-375...

78 FR 78699 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-12-27

... Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for...-4 helicopters with a certain tailboom upper left attachment fitting (fitting). This AD requires..., West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590. FOR FURTHER...

78 FR 37152 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-20

... rotor (M/R) blade spar space to determine whether it is oversized and reidentifying the blade and... Blvd., Room 663, Fort Worth, Texas 76137. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Sharon Miles, Aerospace... Management Group, FAA, may approve AMOCs for this AD. Send your proposal to: Sharon Miles, Aerospace Engineer...

77 FR 36389 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada, Limited, Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-19

...-temperature warning light, and based on those findings, installing an NVIS filter. This AD was prompted by the... over-temperature warning light by installing a filter to prevent degradation of the pilot's vision... require installing an NVIS filter, part number (P/N) ASU-TOTGAG-1. The proposed requirements were intended...

78 FR 4762 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-23

... certain hydraulic servo actuator assemblies (servo) for a loose nut, shaft, and clevis assembly, modifying... through 52430, with a hydraulic servo actuator assembly (servo), part number (P/N) 206-076-062-103...) No. 206L-11-169, Revision B, dated August 29, 2011 (ASB). (2) Applying only hand pressure, determine...

78 FR 54751 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Inc. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-06

... certain part-numbered engine auto-relight kit control boxes. This AD was prompted by a design review that revealed the control box chipset did not meet the required temperature range requirements, which could cause the control box to malfunction, disabling the engine auto-relight system. The actions of this AD...

78 FR 65206 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... engine speeds during steady- state operations. These actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid... intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady- state operations, prevent failure of... decal as described in Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 430-05-34, dated June 10, 2005 (ASB 430-05...

78 FR 65202 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... engine speeds during steady-state operations. These actions are intended to alert pilots to avoid certain... operation between speeds of 71% and 92%. The proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid... amending the RFM, advising pilots of the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service...

78 FR 65200 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... vibrations at certain engine speeds during steady- state operations. These actions are intended to alert... proposed requirements were intended to alert pilots to avoid certain engine speeds during steady-state... the change, and installing a decal as described in Bell Alert Service Bulletin (ASB) No. 407-05-67...

78 FR 56592 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-13

... Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters AGENCY: Federal Aviation...) 76-12- 07 for all Bell Model 204B and certain serial-numbered Model 205A-1 helicopters with a certain... detect a crack in the link segments and, for affected Model 205A-1 helicopters, replacing the chain and...

78 FR 65178 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Canada (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-31

... the TCAA AD, and we do not require you to provide an affected cap for rework to Bell Tennessee nor... assembly, ensuring that the rework has been done. Related Service Information Bell has issued ASB No. 206L... or rework the cap assembly by following the instructions depicted in Figure 3 of ASB 206L-04-129 or...

78 FR 60182 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-01

... Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell), Model 214B, 214B-1, and 214ST helicopters. This AD requires creating a... and 214B-1 helicopters with a certain spindle installed. The NPRM proposed to require creating a...

78 FR 33770 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-05

... Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 206A, 206B, 206L, 206L-1, 206L-3, 206L-4, and 407 helicopters with an Apical Industries, Inc. (Apical) emergency float kit installed under supplemental type certificate (STC) number... after receipt. For service information identified in this proposed AD, contact Apical Industries, Inc...

78 FR 1730 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-09

... Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) Model 205A, 205A-1, and 205B helicopters with certain starter/generator power... that may lead to a fire in the starter/generator, smoke in the cockpit that reduces visibility, and... Office, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12- 140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590...

76 FR 67051 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 210, 212...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-31

...-1041; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-109-AD; Amendment 39-16821; AD 2010-26-52] RIN 2120-AA64... docket number FAA-2011-1041 and Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-109-AD at the beginning of your comments...-52 Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.: Amendment 39-16821; Docket No. FAA-2011-1041; Directorate...

Assessment of Attack Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH) Machining, Cutting and Drilling Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-09-29

Date: June 20, 2006 Name Organization Email Jim Corwin Consultant JCAI/Army corwinj@att.net Cindy Fenny Process Engineer Bell / Process Engineering...bellhelicopter.textron.com Cindy Fenny Process Eng 817-280-2549 cfenny@bellhelicopter.textron.com Max Trull Process Eng 817-280-2678 mtrull@bellhelicopter.textron.com Ron

Investigation of correlation between full-scale and fifth-scale wind tunnel tests of a Bell helicopter Textron Model 222

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squires, P. K.

1982-01-01

Reasons for lack of correlation between data from a fifth-scale wind tunnel test of the Bell Helicopter Textron Model 222 and a full-scale test of the model 222 prototype in the NASA Ames 40-by 80-foot tunnel were investigated. This investigation centered around a carefully designed fifth-scale wind tunnel test of an accurately contoured model of the Model 222 prototype mounted on a replica of the full-scale mounting system. The improvement in correlation for drag characteristics in pitch and yaw with the fifth-scale model mounted on the replica system is shown. Interference between the model and mounting system was identified as a significant effect and was concluded to be a primary cause of the lack of correlation in the earlier tests.

Superfund Record of Decision (EPA Region 4): BMI-Textron Site, Lake Park, FL, August 1994

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

Not Available

1994-09-01

This decision document presents the selected remedial action for the Basic Microelectronic, Incorporated (BMI)-Textron Site (BMI-Textron Site or the Site), in Lake Park, Florida. This remedy addresses the contaminated principal threat of ground water at the Site. This remedy addresses the principal threat remaining at the Site, by using existing institutional controls, and monitoring ground water contaminated with arsenic, cyanide, sodium and fluoride.

77 FR 30232 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-22

...-0530; Directorate Identifier 2011-SW-075-AD] RIN 2120-AA64 Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters AGENCY: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM). SUMMARY: We propose to adopt a new airworthiness directive (AD) for Bell Helicopter...

76 FR 18865 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 212 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-06

... also requires performing a magnetic particle inspection (MPI) on fittings with certain serial numbers... expanding the applicability to require performing a magnetic particle inspection (MPI) for a crack on the...

75 FR 28751 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron (Bell) Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-24

... the raw material used in manufacturing certain crosstubes. The actions specified in this AD are... these model helicopters. This amendment is prompted by AAI's discovery of a defect in a batch of raw...

75 FR 5681 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 205B and 212 Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-04

... the M/R blade paint finish by sanding with 180-220 grit paper to determine if a crack exists in the M... rotor (M/R) blade assemblies installed. This action requires inspecting the M/R blades paying particular... by two reports of fatigue cracks on M/R blades installed on Model 212 helicopters. Both model...

78 FR 24368 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-25

... chain and cable control system with a push-pull control system. Since we issued that AD, we have... requires replacing the existing chain and cable control system with a push-pull control system. Both... Model 205A-1 to replace the tail rotor chain and cable control system with a push-pull control system...

76 FR 54397 - Airworthiness Directives; Lycoming Engines (Type Certificate Previously Held by Textron Lycoming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-01

...--Part Numbers (Including All Dash Numbers) of Known Affected HA-6 Model Carburetors 10-5219-XX 10-5224-XX 10-5230-XX 10-5235-XX 10-5253-XX 10-5255-XX 10-5283-XX 10-6001-XX 10-6019-XX 10-6030-XX Unsafe...

76 FR 67628 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Model 204B, 205A, 205A-1, 205B...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-02

... retirement life of 3,600 hours time-in-service (TIS) for certain part-numbered main rotor yokes installed on the Bell Model 204, 205 series, and 212 series helicopters. Those ADs were prompted by reports of... the applicability to include yokes produced under a Parts Manufacturing Approval (PMA) whose design...

77 FR 23638 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Incorporated Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-04-20

... cycles for each grip on a component history card or equivalent record. Additionally, that AD requires you... each grip on a component history card or equivalent record. On the single-engine model helicopters, one... grip on a component history card or equivalent record. For each month that the hours TIS cannot be...

76 FR 45655 - Airworthiness Directives; Superior Air Parts and Lycoming Engines (Formerly Textron Lycoming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-08-01

... holidays. For service information identified in this AD, contact AVStar Fuel Systems, Inc., 1365 Park Lane... a faulty fuel servo, Bendix model RSA-10ED1. AVStar Fuel Systems (AFS) had overhauled the fuel servo...) since new due to suspected manufacturing defects. AVStar Fuel Systems produces diaphragms, P/Ns...

76 FR 35334 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Model 205A, 205A-1, 205B, 212, 412, 412CF...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-17

.... (BHT) model helicopters with tail rotor (T[sol]R) blades with certain serial numbers installed. This action requires a one-time inspection of the T[sol]R blade for corrosion or pitting, and repairing or replacing the T[sol]R blade, if that condition is found during the inspection. This amendment is prompted by...

78 FR 34958 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell), Model Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-11

... AD was prompted by a fatigue analysis that shows that the retirement life should be reduced on... with a chemical film and refinished after reidentifying the P/N to protect the yoke from corrosion. FAA... of yoke with a chemical film and refinishing the yoke after reidentifying the P/N. Costs of...

78 FR 17593 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-22

...-1016; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-009-AD; Amendment 39-17386; AD 2013-05-14] RIN 2120-AA64... limit of 10,000 hours TIS, but Bell has recommended reducing that limit to 2,500 hours TIS because of...-1016; Directorate Identifier 2010-SW-009-AD. (a) Applicability This AD applies to Bell Model 412 and...

77 FR 5420 - Airworthiness Directives; Aeronautical Accessories Inc. High Landing Gear Aft Crosstube Assembly

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... crosstube) installed on certain Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) and Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) model helicopters as an approved Bell part installed during production or based on a Supplemental Type Certificate...-0001. Hand Delivery: Deliver to the ``Mail'' address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday...

77 FR 27663 - Airworthiness Directives; Aeronautical Accessories, Inc. High Landing Gear Forward Crosstube...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-11

... (crosstubes) installed on Agusta S.p.A. (Agusta) Model AB412 and AB412EP; and Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc... supplemental type certificate (STC). This proposed AD is prompted by two reports from the field of failed..., DC 20590-0001. Hand Delivery: Deliver to the ``Mail'' address between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday...

76 FR 68301 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell), Model 205A-1, 205B, 210, and 212...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-11-04

... the inspection area for any edge delamination, as indicated by a dark line located along any bond line... docket Web site, you can find and read the comments to any of our dockets, including the name of the... indicated by a dark line located along any bond line, or a crack in the paint finish. An edge delamination...

Temperature distribution around thin electroconductive layers created on composite textile substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korzeniewska, Ewa; Szczesny, Artur; Krawczyk, Andrzej; Murawski, Piotr; Mróz, Józef; Seme, Sebastian

2018-03-01

In this paper, the authors describe the distribution of temperatures around electroconductive pathways created by a physical vacuum deposition process on flexible textile substrates used in elastic electronics and textronics. Cordura material was chosen as the substrate. Silver with 99.99% purity was used as the deposited metal. This research was based on thermographic photographs of the produced samples. Analysis of the temperature field around the electroconductive layer was carried out using Image ThermaBase EU software. The analysis of the temperature distribution highlights the software's usefulness in determining the homogeneity of the created metal layer. Higher local temperatures and non-uniform distributions at the same time can negatively influence the work of the textronic system.

78 FR 51126 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-20

...-AVS[email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments Invited We invite you to participate in this... Directorate, FAA, 2601 Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5413; email 7-AVS-ASW-170...

78 FR 48822 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-12

...., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5762; email 7-AVS[email protected] . SUPPLEMENTARY... Meacham Blvd., Fort Worth, Texas 76137; telephone (817) 222-5762; email 7-AVS[email protected] . (2) For...

Intelligent electrical harness connector assembly using Bell Helicopter Textron's 'Wire Harness Automated Manufacturing System'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Springer, D. W.

Bell Helicopter Textron, Incorporated (BHTI) installed two Digital Equipment Corporation PDP-11 computers and an American Can Inc. Ink Jet printer in 1980 as the cornerstone of the Wire Harness Automated Manufacturing System (WHAMS). WHAMS is based upon the electrical assembly philosophy of continuous filament harness forming. This installation provided BHTI with a 3 to 1 return-on-investment by reducing wire and cable identification cycle time by 80 percent and harness forming, on dedicated layout tooling, by 40 percent. Yet, this improvement in harness forming created a bottle neck in connector assembly. To remove this bottle neck, BHTI has installed a prototype connector assembly cell that integrates the WHAMS' data base and innovative computer technologies to cut harness connector assembly cycle time. This novel connector assembly cell uses voice recognition, laser identification, and animated computer graphics to help the electrician in the correct assembly of harness connectors.

Proven, long-life hydrogen/oxygen thrust chambers for space station propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richter, G. P.; Price, H. G.

1986-01-01

The development of the manned space station has necessitated the development of technology related to an onboard auxiliary propulsion system (APS) required to provide for various space station attitude control, orbit positioning, and docking maneuvers. A key component of this onboard APS is the thrust chamber design. To develop the required thrust chamber technology to support the Space Station Program, the NASA Lewis Research Center has sponsored development programs under contracts with Aerojet TechSystems Company and with Bell Aerospace Textron Division of Textron, Inc. During the NASA Lewis sponsored program with Aerojet TechSystems, a 25 lb sub f hydrogen/oxygen thruster has been developed and proven as a viable candidate to meet the needs of the Space Station Program. Likewise, during the development program with Bell Aerospace, a 50 lb sub f hydrogen/oxygen Thrust Chamber has been developed and has demonstrated reliable, long-life expectancy at anticipated space station operating conditions. Both these thrust chambers were based on design criteria developed in previous thruster programs and successfully verified in experimental test programs. Extensive thermal analyses and models were used to design the thrusters to achieve total impulse goals of 2 x 10 to the 6th power lb sub f-sec. Test data for each thruster will be compared to the analytical predictions for the performance and heat transfer characteristics. Also, the results of thrust chamber life verification tests will be presented.

Report of Survey Conducted at Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

19 Automated Tape Laying ......................................................................... 20 Filam... automated tape laying for the lower wing skin of the V-22 aircraft. BHTI uses a 10-axis higersoll tape laying machine (TLM) which has up to a +30

Experimental Investigations of Generalized Predictive Control for Tiltrotor Stability Augmentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Mark W.; Langston, Chester W.; Singleton, Jeffrey D.; Piatak, David J.; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Bennett, Richard L.; Brown, Ross K.

2001-01-01

A team of researchers from the Army Research Laboratory, NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC), and Bell Helicopter-Textron, Inc. have completed hover-cell and wind-tunnel testing of a 1/5-size aeroelastically-scaled tiltrotor model using a new active control system for stability augmentation. The active system is based on a generalized predictive control (GPC) algorithm originally developed at NASA LaRC in 1997 for un-known disturbance rejection. Results of these investigations show that GPC combined with an active swashplate can significantly augment the damping and stability of tiltrotors in both hover and high-speed flight.

Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composite (CFCC) Program: Gaseous Nitridation

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

R. Suplinskas G. DiBona; W. Grant

2001-10-29

Textron has developed a mature process for the fabrication of continuous fiber ceramic composite (CFCC) tubes for application in the aluminum processing and casting industry. The major milestones in this project are System Composition; Matrix Formulation; Preform Fabrication; Nitridation; Material Characterization; Component Evaluation

How to Make Reliable, Washable, and Wearable Textronic Devices

PubMed Central

Tao, Xuyuan; Koncar, Vladan; Huang, Tzu-Hao; Shen, Chien-Lung; Ko, Ya-Chi; Jou, Gwo-Tsuen

2017-01-01

In this paper, the washability of wearable textronic (textile-electronic) devices has been studied. Two different approaches aiming at designing, producing, and testing robust washable and reliable smart textile systems are presented. The common point of the two approaches is the use of flexible conductive PCB in order to interface the miniaturized rigid (traditional) electronic devices to conductive threads and tracks within the textile flexible fabric and to connect them to antenna, textile electrodes, sensors, actuators, etc. The first approach consists in the use of TPU films (thermoplastic polyurethane) that are deposited by the press under controlled temperature and pressure parameters in order to protect the conductive thread and electrical contacts. The washability of conductive threads and contact resistances between flexible PCB and conductive threads are tested. The second approach is focused on the protection of the whole system—composed of a rigid electronic device, flexible PCB, and textile substrate—by a barrier made of latex. Three types of prototypes were realized and washed. Their reliabilities are studied. PMID:28338607

Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Textron Realty Operations Incorporated in Wheatfield, New York

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This facility is located at 2221 Niagara Falls Boulevard, at the western end of the Town of Wheatfield, New York. The plant is approximately two miles north of the Niagara River and about three miles east of US Interstate 190. This former aerospace-defense

78 FR 45845 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-30

..., whichever occurs first, cleaning and visually inspecting each T/R blade assembly for a crack, corrosion... be covered under warranty, thereby reducing the cost impact on affected individuals. We do not... a crack, corrosion (may be indicated by blistering, peeling, flaking, bubbling, or cracked paint), a...

78 FR 9793 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-12

...-numbered main rotor hub inboard strap fittings (fittings). This AD requires magnetic particle inspecting..., data, or views. We also invite comments relating to the economic, environmental, energy, or federalism..., perform a magnetic particle inspection (MPI) of each fitting for a crack. If an MPI was already performed...

78 FR 33204 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-04

... manufactured seal material is installed on the bearing. This AD is prompted by a report that certain bearings were manufactured with an incorrect seal material that does not meet Bell specifications. The actions... June 2012 were manufactured with incorrect seal material. The incorrect seal material does not meet...

78 FR 67022 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-08

... Apical Industries, Inc. (Apical) emergency float kit installed under Supplemental Type Certificate (STC... service information identified in this AD, contact Apical Industries, Inc., 2608 Temple Heights Drive..., 206L-4, and 407 helicopters with an Apical emergency float kit installed under STC number SR01535LA...

77 FR 35306 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-13

... assemblies (power cable assemblies). This proposed AD is prompted by the determination that the power cable assembly connector (connector) can deteriorate, causing a short in the connector that may lead to a fire. This AD would require replacing the power cable assemblies and their associated parts, and performing...

75 FR 16514 - Cessna Aircraft Company, a Division of Textron, Inc., Including On-Site Leased Workers From...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-01

..., Formerly Known as Express Employment Professionals, Bend, OR; Amended Certification Regarding Eligibility..., formerly known as Express Employment Professionals, Bend, Oregon. The notice was published in the Federal... Employment Professionals, Bend, Oregon, who became totally or partially separated from employment on or after...

78 FR 51123 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-20

... (TIS) or 10 years, whichever comes first. The proposed actions are intended to detect pitting or... delay. We may change this proposal in light of the comments we receive. Discussion On November 24, 2010... extends the overhaul interval of the servo actuator to 10,000 hours TIS or 10 years, whichever comes first...

78 FR 31860 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-05-28

... altitude between the pick-up and drop-off point. We have determined that other external load lift... following costs in order to comply with this AD. It would take about 1 work-hour for the record keeping... would not have federalism implications under Executive Order 13132. This proposed AD would not have a...

78 FR 63858 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-25

... Administration (FAA), DOT. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: We are superseding Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2009-05... affected part-numbered main rotor yoke (yoke) on its data plate, reducing the retirement life of the... shows the retirement life should be reduced on certain yokes. We are issuing this AD to correct the...

77 FR 58794 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc.

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-24

... swashplate outer ring assemblies (outer ring). This AD would establish a lower life limit on certain outer rings, requiring a revision of the retirement life on the components' history card or equivalent record.... The outer ring previously had a life limit of 10,000 hours TIS, but Bell has recommended reducing the...

77 FR 68055 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-15

... collective lever for a crack, and if there is a crack, before further flight, replacing the collective lever.... The actions are intended to detect a crack in the collective lever, which could lead to failure of the... cracks with a 10X or higher power magnifying glass. If there is a crack in the collective lever paint...

75 FR 47041 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; Chicago Board Options Exchange, Incorporated; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-04

... Exploration CI CIGNA Corp. & Production Co. GPS Gap Inc/The........ ESI ITT Educational Services Inc. TSL... CB Chubb Corp. ATPG ATP Oil & Gas Corp/ ADM Archer-Daniels- United States. Midland Co. YUM Yum! Brands Inc.... HSY Hershey Co/The. RCL Royal Caribbean TXT Textron Inc. Cruises Ltd. BPOP Popular Inc...

77 FR 5427 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-03

... hours to rework a crosstube, assuming 5 will need to be reworked; and 2 hours to replace a crosstube... (d)(3) of this AD, unless accomplished previously, rework each crosstube P/N 412-050-011-101, -103... crosstubes at BL 0.0 and BL 14 by following the Accomplishment Instructions, Part I, ``Rework of Crosstubes...

78 FR 7645 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-04

... crosstube; 4 work-hours to rework a crosstube, assuming 5 will need to be reworked; and 2 work-hours to... crosstube. (4) Before further flight, after completing paragraph (e)(3) of this AD, rework each crosstube P..., Part I, ``Rework of Crosstubes,'' paragraphs 1. through 10. of the ASB. Record on the component history...

76 FR 37629 - Airworthiness Directives: Lycoming Engines (Type Certificate Previously Held by Textron Lycoming...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-28

.... ACTION: Final rule; request for comments. SUMMARY: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for.... This AD was prompted by a turbocharger failure due to machining debris left in the cavities of the CHRA.... Department of Transportation, Docket Operations, M-30, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New...

75 FR 47670 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; The NASDAQ Stock Market LLC; Notice of Filing and Immediate...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-06

... NIKE Inc. 282 EWW iShares MSCI 335 FIS Fidelity Mexico National Investable Information Market Index... Inc. 316 CB Chubb Corp. 205 MA Mastercard Inc. 320 ADM Archer-Daniels- Midland Co. 224 ATPG ATP Oil & Gas 322 HSY Hershey Co./The Corp/United States 226 YUM Yum! Brands Inc 323 TXT Textron Inc. 232 RCL...

78 FR 4759 - Airworthiness Directives; Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (Bell) Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-23

.... Reviewing the helicopter records and determining the total factored hours TIS will require about 3 work... inspection and MPI will require about 35 work hours at an average labor rate of $85 per work hour, for a... inspection cycle. To replace a yoke will require about 32 work hours at an average labor rate of $85 per hour...

77 FR 6671 - Airworthiness Directives; Superior Air Parts, Lycoming Engines (Formerly Textron Lycoming), and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-09

... AMOCs for this AD. Use the procedures found in 14 CFR 39.19 to make your request. (i) Related... this AD to prevent an in-flight engine shutdown due to a failed fuel servo diaphragm, and damage to the... p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. For service information identified in this AD...

NASA/Army Rotorcraft Technology. Volume 3: Systems Integration, Research Aircraft, and Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1988-01-01

This is part 3 of the conference proceedings on rotorcraft technology. This volume is divided into areas on systems integration, research aircraft, and industry. Representative titles from each area are: system analysis in rotorcraft design, the past decade; rotorcraft flight research with emphasis on rotor systems; and an overview of key technology thrusts at Bell Helicopter Textron.

76 FR 39401 - Proposed CERCLA Administrative Cost Recovery Settlement Agreement; Textron Inc., Whittaker...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-06

....S. EPA Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Boston, MA 02109-3912. DATES: Comments must be... at U.S. EPA Region 1, OSRR Records and Information Center, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Mailcode... be addressed to Audrey Zucker, U.S. EPA Region 1, 5 Post Office Square, Suite 100, Mailcode OES04-2...

78 FR 49113 - Airworthiness Directives; Agusta S.p.A. and Bell Helicopter Textron Helicopters

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-13

.... This AD requires adding a life limit of 10,000 landings to the crosstube and removing from service any... limitations of the maintenance manual to establish a life limit of 10,000 landings for each crosstube; and..., based on these reports, the affected crosstube requires a life limitation of 10,000 landings. As a...

75 FR 47054 - Self-Regulatory Organizations; International Securities Exchange, LLC; Notice of Filing and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-04

... Inc 280 TSL Trina Solar Ltd 332 NKE NIKE Inc 282 EWW iShares MSCI Mexico 335 FIS Fidelity National... 199 MBI MBIA Inc 316 CB Chubb Corp 205 MA Mastercard Inc 320 ADM Archer-Daniels-Midland Co 224 ATPG ATP Oil & Gas Corp/United 322 HSY Hershey Co/The States. 226 YUM Yum! Brands Inc 323 TXT Textron Inc...

A comparison of theory and experiment for coupled rotor-body stability of a hingeless rotor model in hover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bousman, William G.

1988-01-01

Three cases were selected for correlation from an experiment that examined the aeromechanical stability of a small-scale model of a hingeless rotor and fuselage in hover. The first case examined the stability of a configuration with 0 degree blade pitch so that coupling between dynamic modes was minimized. The second case was identical to the first except the blade pitch was set to 9 degrees which provides flap-lag coupling of the rotor modes. The third case had 9 degrees of blade pitch and also included negative pitch-lag coupling, and therefore was the most highly coupled configuration. Analytical calculations were made by Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing Vertol, Hughes Helicopters, Sikorsky Aircraft, the U.S. Army Aeromechanics Laboratory, and NASA Ames Research Center and compared to some or all of the experimental cases. Overall, the correlation ranged from very poor-to-poor to good.

Manned-Unmanned Teaming of Aircraft - Literature Search

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

unmanned aircraft reconnaissance system MQ 8B Fire Scout vertical takeoff and landing unmanned system MQ 5B Hunter medium altitude unmanned aerial...201140, and allows their crew to view sensor data from unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and send data from the helicopter’s sensors to the ground.35 No...Helicopter, AAI unmanned Aircraft Systems , and Textron Inc. It opened in December 2012 in Huntsville Alabama. It will enable “a software and

Helicopters for the future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ward, J. F.

1984-01-01

Technology needed to provide the basis for creating a widening rotary wing market include: well defined and proven design; reductions in noise, vibration, and fuel consumption; improvement of flying and ride quality; better safety; reliability; maintainability; and productivity. Unsteady transonic flow, yawed flow, dynamic stall, and blade vortex interaction are some of the problems faced by scientists and engineers in the helicopter industry with rotorcraft technology seen as an important development for future advanced high speed vehicle configurations. Such aircraft as the Boeing Vertol medium lift Model 360 composite aircraft, the Sikorsky Advancing Blade Concept (ABC) aircraft, the Bell Textron XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aircraft, and the X-wing rotor aircraft are discussed in detail. Even though rotorcraft technology has become an integral part of the military scene, the potential market for its civil applications has not been fully developed.

Metallic Filters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Filtration technology originated in a mid 1960's NASA study. The results were distributed to the filter industry, an HR Textron responded, using the study as a departure for the development of 421 Filter Media. The HR system is composed of ultrafine steel fibers metallurgically bonded and compressed so that the pore structure is locked in place. The filters are used to filter polyesters, plastics, to remove hydrocarbon streams, etc. Several major companies use the product in chemical applications, pollution control, etc.

Low Emissions RQL Flametube Combustor Test Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Clarence T.; Holdeman, James D.

2001-01-01

The overall objective of this test program was to demonstrate and evaluate the capability of the Rich-burn/Quick-mix/Lean-burn (RQL) combustor concept for HSR applications. This test program was in support of the Pratt & Whitney and GE Aircraft Engines HSR low-NOx Combustor Program. Collaborative programs with Parker Hannifin Corporation and Textron Fuel Systems resulted in the development and testing of the high-flow low-NOx rich-burn zone fuel-to-air ratio research fuel nozzles used in this test program. Based on the results obtained in this test program, several conclusions can be made: (1) The RQL tests gave low NOx and CO emissions results at conditions corresponding to HSR cruise. (2) The Textron fuel nozzle design with optimal multiple partitioning of fuel and air circuits shows potential of providing an acceptable uniform local fuel-rich region in the rich burner. (3) For the parameters studied in this test series, the tests have shown T3 is the dominant factor in the NOx formation for RQL combustors. As T3 increases from 600 to 1100 F, EI(NOx) increases approximately three fold. (4) Factors which appear to have secondary influence on NOx formation are P4, T4, infinity(sub rb), V(sub ref,ov). (5) Low smoke numbers were measured for infinity(sub rb) of 2.0 at P4 of 120 psia.

Aeroelastic Stability of A Soft-Inplane Gimballed Tiltrotor Model In Hover

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Mark W.; Langston, Chester W.; Singleton, Jeffrey D.; Piatak, David J.; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Corso, Lawrence M.; Brown, Ross

2001-01-01

Soft-inplane rotor systems can significantly reduce the inplane rotor loads generated during the maneuvers of large tiltrotors, thereby reducing the strength requirements and the associated structural weight of the hub. Soft-inplane rotor systems. however, are subject to instabilities associated with ground resonance, and for tiltrotors this instability has increased complexity as compared to a conventional helicopter. Researchers at Langley Research Center and Bell Helicopter-Textron, Inc. have completed ail initial study of a soft-inplane gimballed tiltrotor model subject to ground resonance conditions in hover. Parametric variations of the rotor collective pitch and blade root damping, and their associated effects oil the model stability were examined. Also considered in the study was the effectiveness of ail active swash-plate and a generalized predictive control (GPC) algorithm for stability augmentation of the ground resonance conditions. Results of this study show that the ground resonance behavior of a gimballed soft-inplane tiltrotor can be significantly different from that of a classical soft-inplane helicopter rotor. The GPC-based active swash-plate was successfully implemented, and served to significantly augment damping of the critical modes to an acceptable value.

Determination for Davidson Exterior Trim/Textron

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document may be of assistance in applying the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting regulations including the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements. This document is part of the NSR Policy and Guidance Database. Some documents in the database are a scanned or retyped version of a paper photocopy of the original. Although we have taken considerable effort to quality assure the documents, some may contain typographical errors. Contact the office that issued the document if you need a copy of the original.

Interfacial Studies of Whisker and Coated Fiber Reinforced Ceramic Matrix Composites

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-05-31

well as BN coated small diameter (ɘ.7jtm) ARCO whiskers. Tha carbon coated TWS- 400C whiskers were received as-coated from Textron, Inc., Lowell, MA...under negative pressure by means of a Nilfisk filtering system equipped with a Hepa filter. With the health hazards of small whiskers being of utmost...Both of these platelet types were analyzed in the scanning Auger multiprobe (SAM) and found to be very close to stoichiometric SiC with a small amount

Desert Shield and Desert Storm Emerging Observations

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-10-07

harsh elements. d. Recommended actions. (1) Relocate APU to bustle rack on turret as an interim solution. (2) Development of an under armor APU. e...statement has been written that states an under armor APU Lu needed for the current NMT. (1) Textron Lycominq has developed an under armor APU as part...FPR OFFICiIA 0M FOR OFFICIAL Uf[ ONf.Y c. Losson(s) Learned. (1) Acquisition of a mobile, survivable rearm vehicle is required to provide an " under

Lighter-Than-Air (LTA) Vehicles: A Technical Bibliography

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-07

Foebruary 1978. 547. CUJSHMAN, G . S. Report of Project SURT I: (Al vshl I ’owvd Sonai -’ , Iakh s Report ’rP)M No. 167, November 19 , 1948. 54 8. DIALTON, C...Warminster, PA 1.8974 g ) Defense Technical Information C-.nter (ITIC) Cameron Station, Alexandria, VA 22314 h) National Technical Information Serivces (NTIS...isted MARKETOS, J . P. Ileavy-Li ft Airship, Bell Aerospace Textron, NASA-CR- TOPPING, A. 1). 152314, July, 1979. 42, IWITANCOlIRT, G . The Status of

Preceramic Polymers for Use as Fiber Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heimann, P. J.; Hurwitz, F. I.; Wheeler, D.; Eldridge, J.; Baranwal, R.; Dickerson, R.

1996-01-01

Polymeric precursors to Si-C-O, SI-B-N and Si-C were evaluated for use as ceramic interfaces in ceramic matrix composites. Use of the preceramic polymers allows for easy dip coating of fibers from dilute solutions of a polymer, which are then pyrolyzed to obtain the ceramic. SCS-0 fibers (Textron Specialty Materials, Lowell, MA) were coated with polymers from three systems: polysilsesquioxanes, polyborosilazanes and polycarbosilanes. The polysilsesquioxane systems were shown to produce either silicon oxycarbide or silicon oxynitride, depending on the pyrolysis conditions, and demonstrated some promise in an RBSN (reaction-bonded silicon nitride) matrix model system. Polyborosilazanes were shown, in studies of bulk polymers, to give rise to oxidation resistant Si-B-N ceramics which remain amorphous to temperatures of 1600 C, and should therefore provide a low modulus interface. Polycarbosilanes produce amorphous carbon-rich Si-C materials which have demonstrated oxidation resistance.

Higher Harmonic Control for Tiltrotor Vibration Reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Mark W.; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Settle, T. Ben

1997-01-01

The results of a joint NASA/Army/Bell Helicopter Textron wind-tunnel test to assess the potential of higher harmonic control (HHC) for reducing vibrations in tiltrotor aircraft operating in the airplane mode of flight, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a Bell-developed HHC algorithm called MAVSS (Multipoint Adaptive Vibration Suppression System) are presented. The test was conducted in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel using an unpowered 1/5- scale semispan aeroelastic model of the V-22 which was modified to incorporate an HHC system employing both the rotor swashplate and the wing flaperon. The effectiveness of the swashplate and the flaperon acting either singly or in combination in reducing 1P and 3P wing vibrations over a wide range of tunnel airspeeds and rotor rotational speeds was demonstrated. The MAVSS algorithm was found to be robust to variations in tunnel airspeed and rotor speed, requiring only occasion-al on-line recalculations of the system transfer matrix.

Comparison of dry-textile electrodes for electrical bioimpedance spectroscopy measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Márquez, J. C.; Seoane, F.; Välimäki, E.; Lindecrantz, K.

2010-04-01

Textile Electrodes have been widely studied for biopotentials recordings, specially for monitoring the cardiac activity. Commercially available applications, such as Adistar T-shirt and Textronics Cardioshirt, have proved a good performance for heart rate monitoring and are available worldwide. Textile technology can also be used for Electrical Bioimpedance Spectroscopy measurements enabling home and personalized health monitoring applications however solid ground research about the measurement performance of the electrodes must be done prior to the development of any textile-enabled EBI application. In this work a comparison of the measurement performance of two different types of dry-textile electrodes and manufacturers has been performed against standardized RedDot 3M Ag/AgCl electrolytic electrodes. 4-Electrode, whole body, Ankle-to-Wrist EBI measurements have been taken with the Impedimed spectrometer SFB7 from healthy subjects in the frequency range of 3kHz to 500kHz. Measurements have been taken with dry electrodes at different times to study the influence of the interaction skin-electrode interface on the EBI measurements. The analysis of the obtained complex EBI spectra shows that the measurements performed with textile electrodes produce constant and reliable EBI spectra. Certain deviation can be observed at higher frequencies and the measurements obtained with Textronics and Ag/AgCl electrodes present a better resemblance. Textile technology, if successfully integrated it, may enable the performance of EBI measurements in new scenarios allowing the rising of novel wearable monitoring applications for home and personal care as well as car safety.

Revisions to the PETROS 4 Shell Response Code.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

change in the corresponding curvature tensor 𔃿’. DD(JLA) ftA cl &y()j * -. ,:"DD2(J,LA) DEL See ZETA 146,156 DELBAR 71 See ZETA 409 DELNOR See EQUIL2...Cleveland, OH 44135 1 AFML (LLN, Dr. Nicholas) 1 Bell Helicopter Textron Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433 ATTN: Mr. Nile Fischer P.O. Box 482 I ASD/ENFTV, Mr...2406A 1 Texas A&M University 1000 Western Avenue Dept Aerospace Eng West Lynn, MA 01905 ATTN: Dr. W. Haisler College Station, TX 77843 I Kaman Tempo

An overview of key technology thrusts at Bell Helicopter Textron

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harse, James H.; Yen, Jing G.; Taylor, Rodney S.

1988-01-01

Insight is provided into several key technologies at Bell. Specific topics include the results of ongoing research and development in advanced rotors, methodology development, and new configurations. The discussion on advanced rotors highlight developments on the composite, bearingless rotor, including the development and testing of full scale flight hardware as well as some of the design support analyses and verification testing. The discussion on methodology development concentrates on analytical development in aeromechanics, including correlation studies and design application. New configurations, presents the results of some advanced configuration studies including hardware development.

A comparison of theory and experiment for coupled rotor body stability of a bearingless rotor model in hover and forward flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirick, Paul H.

1988-01-01

Seven cases were selected for correlation from a 1/5.86 Froude-scale experiment that examined several rotor designs which were being considered for full-scale flight testing as part of the Bearingless Main Rotor (BMR) program. The model rotor hub used in these tests consisted of back-to-back C-beams as flexbeam elements with a torque tube for pitch control. The first four cases selected from the experiment were hover tests which examined the effects on rotor stability of variations in hub-to-flexbeam coning, hub-to-flexbeam pitch, flexbeam-to-blade coning, and flexbeam-to-blade pitch. The final three cases were selected from the forward flight tests of optimum rotor configuration as defined during the hover test. The selected cases examined the effects of variations in forward speed, rotor speed, and shaft angle. Analytical results from Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing Vertol, Sikorsky Aircraft, and the U.S. Army Aeromechanics Laboratory were compared with the data and the correlations ranged from poor-to-fair to fair-to-good.

The NASA/industry Design Analysis Methods for Vibrations (DAMVIBS) program : Bell Helicopter Textron accomplishments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cronkhite, James D.

1993-01-01

Accurate vibration prediction for helicopter airframes is needed to 'fly from the drawing board' without costly development testing to solve vibration problems. The principal analytical tool for vibration prediction within the U.S. helicopter industry is the NASTRAN finite element analysis. Under the NASA DAMVIBS research program, Bell conducted NASTRAN modeling, ground vibration testing, and correlations of both metallic (AH-1G) and composite (ACAP) airframes. The objectives of the program were to assess NASTRAN airframe vibration correlations, to investigate contributors to poor agreement, and to improve modeling techniques. In the past, there has been low confidence in higher frequency vibration prediction for helicopters that have multibladed rotors (three or more blades) with predominant excitation frequencies typically above 15 Hz. Bell's findings under the DAMVIBS program, discussed in this paper, included the following: (1) accuracy of finite element models (FEM) for composite and metallic airframes generally were found to be comparable; (2) more detail is needed in the FEM to improve higher frequency prediction; (3) secondary structure not normally included in the FEM can provide significant stiffening; (4) damping can significantly affect phase response at higher frequencies; and (5) future work is needed in the areas of determination of rotor-induced vibratory loads and optimization.

Integrated Canada-U.S. Power Sector Modeling with the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS)

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

Martinez, A.; Eurek, K.; Mai, T.

2013-02-01

The electric power system in North America is linked between the United States and Canada. Canada has historically been a net exporter of electricity to the United States. The extent to which this remains true will depend on the future evolution of power markets, technology deployment, and policies. To evaluate these and related questions, we modify the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) model to include an explicit representation of the grid-connected power system in Canada to the continental United States. ReEDS is unique among long-term capacity expansion models for its high spatial resolution and statistical treatment of the impact ofmore » variable renewable generation on capacity planning and dispatch. These unique traits are extended to new Canadian regions. We present example scenario results using the fully integrated Canada-U.S. version of ReEDS to demonstrate model capabilities. The newly developed, integrated Canada-U.S. ReEDS model can be used to analyze the dynamics of electricity transfers and other grid services between the two countries under different scenarios.« less

An Experimental Evaluation of Generalized Predictive Control for Tiltrotor Aeroelastic Stability Augmentation in Airplane Mode of Flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Piatak, David J.; Nixon, Mark W.; Langston, Chester W.; Singleton, Jeffrey D.; Bennett, Richard L.; Brown, Ross K.

2001-01-01

The results of a joint NASA/Army/Bell Helicopter Textron wind-tunnel test to assess the potential of Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) for actively controlling the swashplate of tiltrotor aircraft to enhance aeroelastic stability in the airplane mode of flight are presented. GPC is an adaptive time-domain predictive control method that uses a linear difference equation to describe the input-output relationship of the system and to design the controller. The test was conducted in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel using an unpowered 1/5-scale semispan aeroelastic model of the V-22 that was modified to incorporate a GPC-based multi-input multi-output control algorithm to individually control each of the three swashplate actuators. Wing responses were used for feedback. The GPC-based control system was highly effective in increasing the stability of the critical wing mode for all of the conditions tested, without measurable degradation of the damping in the other modes. The algorithm was also robust with respect to its performance in adjusting to rapid changes in both the rotor speed and the tunnel airspeed.

TMC Behavior Modeling and Life Prediction Under Multiaxial Stresses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrick, H. F.; Aksoy, S. Z.; Costen, M.; Ahmad, J.

1998-01-01

The goal of this program was to manufacture and burst test small diameter SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V composite rings for use in the design of an advanced titanium matrix composite (TMC) impeller. The Textron Specialty Metals grooved foil-fiber process was successfully used to make high quality TMC rings. A novel spin test arbor with "soft touch" fingers to retain the TMC ring was designed and manufactured. The design of the arbor took into account its use for cyclic experiments as well as ring burst tests. Spin testing of the instrumented ring was performed at ambient, 149C (300F), and 316C (600F) temperatures. Assembly vibration was encountered during spin testing but this was overcome through simple modification of the arbor. A spin-to-burst test was successfully completed at 316C (600F). The rotational speed of the TMC ring at burst was close to that predicted. In addition to the spin test program, a number of SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V test panels were made. Neat Ti-6Al-4V panels also were made.

Tiltrotor Vibration Reduction Through Higher Harmonic Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nixon, Mark W.; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Settle, T. Ben

1997-01-01

The results of a joint NASA/Army/Bell Helicopter Textron wind-tunnel test to assess the potential of higher harmonic control (HHC) for reducing vibrations in tiltrotor aircraft operating in the airplane mode of flight, and to evaluate the effectiveness of a Bell-developed HHC algorithm called MAVSS (Multipoint Adaptive Vibration Suppression System) are presented. The test was conducted in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel using an unpowered 1/5-scale semispan aeroelastic model of the V-22 which was modified to incorporate an HHC system employing both the rotor swashplate and the wing flaperon. The effectiveness of the swashplate and the flaperon acting either singly or in combination in reducing IP and 3P wing vibrations over a wide range of tunnel airspeeds and rotor rotational speeds was demonstrated. The MAVSS algorithm was found to be robust to variations in tunnel airspeed and rotor speed, requiring only occasional on-line recalculations of the system transfer matrix. HHC had only a small (usually beneficial) effect on blade loads but increased pitch link loads by 25%. No degradation in aeroelastic stability was noted for any of the conditions tested.

Species associations and habitat influence the range-wide distribution of breeding Canada Geese (Branta canadensis interior) on Western Hudson Bay

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reiter, Matthew E.; Andersen, David E.; Raedeke, Andrew H.; Humburg, Dale D.

2017-01-01

Inter- and intra-specific interactions are potentially important factors influencing the distribution of populations. Aerial survey data, collected during range-wide breeding population surveys for Eastern Prairie Population (EPP) Canada Geese (Branta canadensis interior), 1987–2008, were evaluated to assess factors influencing their nesting distribution. Specifically, associations between nesting Lesser Snow Geese (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and EPP Canada Geese were quantified; and changes in the spatial distribution of EPP Canada Geese were identified. Mixed-effects Poisson regression models of EPP Canada Goose nest counts were evaluated within a cross-validation framework. The total count of EPP Canada Goose nests varied moderately among years between 1987 and 2008 with no long-term trend; however, the total count of nesting Lesser Snow Geese generally increased. Three models containing factors related to previous EPP Canada Goose nest density (representing recruitment), distance to Hudson Bay (representing brood-habitat), nesting habitat type, and Lesser Snow Goose nest density (inter-specific associations) were the most accurate, improving prediction accuracy by 45% when compared to intercept-only models. EPP Canada Goose nest density varied by habitat type, was negatively associated with distance to coastal brood-rearing areas, and suggested density-dependent intra-specific effects on recruitment. However, a non-linear relationship between Lesser Snow and EPP Canada Goose nest density suggests that as nesting Lesser Snow Geese increase, EPP Canada Geese locally decline and subsequently the spatial distribution of EPP Canada Geese on western Hudson Bay has changed.

Exploratory Studies in Generalized Predictive Control for Active Aeroelastic Control of Tiltrotor Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Juang, Jer-Nan; Bennett, Richard L.

2000-01-01

The Aeroelasticity Branch at NASA Langley Research Center has a long and substantive history of tiltrotor aeroelastic research. That research has included a broad range of experimental investigations in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) using a variety of scale models and the development of essential analyses. Since 1994, the tiltrotor research program has been using a 1/5-scale, semispan aeroelastic model of the V-22 designed and built by Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. (BHTI) in 1981. That model has been refurbished to form a tiltrotor research testbed called the Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) for use in the TDT. In collaboration with BHTI, studies under the current tiltrotor research program are focused on aeroelastic technology areas having the potential for enhancing the commercial and military viability of tiltrotor aircraft. Among the areas being addressed, considerable emphasis is being directed to the evaluation of modern adaptive multi-input multi- output (MIMO) control techniques for active stability augmentation and vibration control of tiltrotor aircraft. As part of this investigation, a predictive control technique known as Generalized Predictive Control (GPC) is being studied to assess its potential for actively controlling the swashplate of tiltrotor aircraft to enhance aeroelastic stability in both helicopter and airplane modes of flight. This paper summarizes the exploratory numerical and experimental studies that were conducted as part of that investigation.

Models of Community Learning Networks in Canada = Modeles de reseaux d'apprentissage communautaires au Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources Development Canada, Hull (Quebec). Office of Learning Technologies.

Canada-based community learning networks (CLNs) were examined to provide an operational definition of CLNs, design a framework for their review and analysis, and identify best practices in CLNs. Data were collected from three sources: interviews with 16 key stakeholders in CLNs, literature review, and case studies of five Canadian CLNs. The…

The United States and Canada as a coupled epidemiological system: An example from hepatitis A

PubMed Central

Amariei, Raluca; Willms, Allan R; Bauch, Chris T

2008-01-01

Background Hepatitis A (HA) is a low-incidence, non-endemic disease in Canada and the United States (US). However, a large difference in HA incidence between Canada and HA-endemic countries has made travel an important contributor to hepatitis A prevalence in Canada. There is also a (smaller) incidence differential between Canada and the US. Although the US has only moderately higher HA incidence, the volume of travel by Canadians to the US is many times higher than travel volume to endemic countries. Hence, travel to the US may constitute a source of low to moderate risk for Canadian travelers. To our knowledge, travel to the US has never been included as a potential risk factor for HA infection in Canadian epidemiologic analyses. The objective of this study was to use dynamic models to investigate the possible effects on hepatitis A incidence in Canada due to (1) implementing vaccination in the US, and (2) varying the volume of travel by Canadians to the US. Methods We developed and analyzed age-structured compartmental models for the transmission and vaccination of hepatitis A, for both Canada and the US. Models were parameterized using data on seroprevalence, case reporting, and travel patterns. The potential effect of hepatitis A prevalence in the US on hepatitis A prevalence in Canada was captured through a term representing infection of Canadians due to travel in the US. Results The model suggests that approximately 22% of HA cases in Canada in the mid 1990s may have been attributable to travel to the US. A universal vaccination programme that attained 70% coverage in young children in the US in the mid 1990s could have reduced Canadian incidence by 21% within 5 years. Conclusion Since not all necessary data were available to parameterize the model, the results should be considered exploratory. However, the analysis shows that, under plausible assumptions, the US may be more important for determining HA prevalence in Canada than is currently supposed. As international travel continues to grow, making vaccination policies ever more relevant to populations beyond a country's borders, such multi-country models will most likely come into wider use as predictive aids for policy development. PMID:18307785

Validation of helicopter noise prediction techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Succi, G. P.

1981-01-01

The current techniques of helicopter rotor noise prediction attempt to describe the details of the noise field precisely and remove the empiricisms and restrictions inherent in previous methods. These techniques require detailed inputs of the rotor geometry, operating conditions, and blade surface pressure distribution. The purpose of this paper is to review those techniques in general and the Farassat/Nystrom analysis in particular. The predictions of the Farassat/Nystrom noise computer program, using both measured and calculated blade surface pressure data, are compared to measured noise level data. This study is based on a contract from NASA to Bolt Beranek and Newman Inc. with measured data from the AH-1G Helicopter Operational Loads Survey flight test program supplied by Bell Helicopter Textron.

Can Canada afford a truly pan-Canadian approach to elder care?

PubMed

Gibson, Diana

2011-01-01

This commentary is about Canada's ability to afford a comprehensive pan-Canadian approach to elder care. In redefining the universal public system, a broad and more comprehensive definition of universal public care is needed for those whose physical or mental abilities are impaired. The Scandinavian model affirms that this is both effective and affordable. Comparisons of Canada with other nations in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on taxation and spending levels reveal that there is room for Canada to increase taxation to fund a Scandinavian model while still having competitive tax and spending rates.

Finite-Element Vibration Analysis and Modal Testing of Graphite Epoxy Tubes and Correlation Between the Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taleghani, Barmac K.; Pappa, Richard S.

1996-01-01

Structural materials in the form of graphite epoxy composites with embedded rubber layers are being used to reduce vibrations in rocket motor tubes. Four filament-wound, graphite epoxy tubes were studied to evaluate the effects of the rubber layer on the modal parameters (natural vibration frequencies, damping, and mode shapes). Tube 1 contained six alternating layers of 30-degree helical wraps and 90-degree hoop wraps. Tube 2 was identical to tube 1 with the addition of an embedded 0.030-inch-thick rubber layer. Tubes 3 and 4 were identical to tubes 1 and 2, respectively, with the addition of a Textron Kelpoxy elastomer. This report compares experimental modal parameters obtained by impact testing with analytical modal parameters obtained by NASTRAN finite-element analysis. Four test modes of tube 1 and five test modes of tube 3 correlate highly with corresponding analytical predictions. Unsatisfactory correlation of test and analysis results occurred for tubes 2 and 4 and these comparisons are not shown. Work is underway to improve the analytical models of these tubes. Test results clearly show that the embedded rubber layers significantly increase structural modal damping as well as decrease natural vibration frequencies.

Building the vegetation drought response index for Canada (VegDRI-Canada) to monitor agricultural drought: first results

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tadesse, Tsegaye; Champagne, Catherine; Wardlow, Brian D.; Hadwen, Trevor A.; Brown, Jesslyn; Demisse, Getachew B.; Bayissa, Yared A.; Davidson, Andrew M.

2017-01-01

Drought is a natural climatic phenomenon that occurs throughout the world and impacts many sectors of society. To help decision-makers reduce the impacts of drought, it is important to improve monitoring tools that provide relevant and timely information in support of drought mitigation decisions. Given that drought is a complex natural hazard that manifests in different forms, monitoring can be improved by integrating various types of information (e.g., remote sensing and climate) that is timely and region specific to identify where and when droughts are occurring. The Vegetation Drought Response Index for Canada (VegDRI-Canada) is a recently developed drought monitoring tool for Canada. VegDRI-Canada extends the initial VegDRI concept developed for the conterminous United States to a broader transnational coverage across North America. VegDRI-Canada models are similar to those developed for the United States, integrating satellite observations of vegetation status, climate data, and biophysical information on land use and land cover, soil characteristics, and other environmental factors. Collectively, these different types of data are integrated into the hybrid VegDRI-Canada to isolate the effects of drought on vegetation. Twenty-three weekly VegDRI-Canada models were built for the growing season (April–September) through the weekly analysis of these data using a regression tree-based data mining approach. A 15-year time series of VegDRI-Canada results (s to 2014) was produced using these models and the output was validated by randomly selecting 20% of the historical data, as well as holdout year (15% unseen data) across the growing season that the Pearson’s correlation ranged from 0.6 to 0.77. A case study was also conducted to evaluate the VegDRI-Canada results over the prairie region of Canada for two drought years and one non-drought year for three weekly periods of the growing season (i.e., early-, mid-, and late season). The comparison of the VegDRI-Canada map with the Canadian Drought Monitor (CDM), an independent drought indicator, showed that the VegDRI-Canada maps depicted key spatial drought severity patterns during the two targeted drought years consistent with the CDM. In addition, VegDRI-Canada was compared with canola yields in the Prairie Provinces at the regional scale for a period from 2000 to 2014 to evaluate the indices’ applicability for monitoring drought impacts on crop production. The result showed that VegDRI-Canada values had a relatively higher correlation (i.e., r > 0.5) with canola yield for nonirrigated croplands in the Canadian Prairies region in areas where drought is typically a limiting factor on crop growth, but showed a negative relationship in the southeastern Prairie region, where water availability is less of a limiting factor and in some cases a hindrance to crop growth when waterlogging occurs. These initial results demonstrate VegDRI-Canada’s utility for monitoring drought-related vegetation conditions, particularly in drought prone areas. In general, the results indicated that the VegDRI-Canada models showed sensitivity to known agricultural drought events in Canada over the 15-year period mainly for nonirrigated areas.

Modelling Broadband Scattering From Shelled Spheres in a Waveguide

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

profonde. Le contenu spectral de l’echo produit par une cible peut varier de fagon appreciable en fonction de sa profondeur et de sa distance dans le...Canada’s leader in defence and National Security Science and Technology R&D pour la defense Canada Chef de file au Canada en matiere de science et...Copy No. nent Development Canada pour la defense Canada • ^g, M Defence Research and Recherche et deyeloppem r£ m> DEFENCE I « M

Canadian Seismicity Catalogue - Western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, T.

2003-04-01

The first seismograph station in western Canada was installed in Victoria, BC, in 1898, under the Meteorological Service of Canada. By 1940, seismograph installations in Canada were amalgamated under the Dominion Observatory. The first short-period instruments were installed in western Canada in the early 1950's. The first digital instruments were installed in the mid-1970's. To date there are now 54 digital stations in western Canada that are routinely used in analysis as well as 2 paper-record stations. Detection ability has increased significantly over the past 20 years. Magnitude thresholds for locations vary over space and time reflecting seismicity levels, station distribution, and staffing levels. Currently the magnitude thresholds are (these do not necessarily equate to completeness levels): M=2.5-3.0 for western Canada; M=2.0 in the St Elias Mountains, YT, the northern Coast Mountains, BC, most of southern BC, and southwestern Alberta; M=1.0-1.5 in the Queen Charlotte Islands, southern Coast Mountains, and northern Vancouver Island; M=0.7-0.8 in southern Vancouver Island and the adjacent mainland. Events have been located with a variety of location programs over the years. A number of velocity models have been in use over time, currently resulting in a generic model for all of western Canada, and a model each for offshore, the Queen Charlotte Islands, and Vancouver Island. Recently purchased Antelope software will allow improved ability to maintain and possibly extend current magnitude thresholds as much of the daily analyst housekeeping tasks are decreased. Recent additions to the catalogue are regular computation of P-nodal and moment tensor solutions.

A Wind-Tunnel Parametric Investigation of Tiltrotor Whirl-Flutter Stability Boundaries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piatak, David J.; Kvaternik, Raymond G.; Nixon, Mark W.; Langston, Chester W.; Singleton, Jeffrey D.; Bennett, Richard L.; Brown, Ross K.

2001-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation of tiltrotor whirl-flutter stability boundaries has been conducted on a 1/5-size semispan tiltrotor model known as the Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) in the NASA-Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel as part of a joint NASA/Army/Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. (BHTI) research program. The model was first developed by BHTI as part of the JVX (V-22) research and development program in the 1980's and was recently modified to incorporate a hydraulically-actuated swashplate control system for use in active controls research. The modifications have changed the model's pylon mass properties sufficiently to warrant testing to re-establish its baseline stability boundaries. A parametric investigation of the effect of rotor design variables on stability was also conducted. The model was tested in both the on-downstop and off-downstop configurations, at cruise flight and hover rotor rotational speeds, and in both air and heavy gas (R-134a) test mediums. Heavy gas testing was conducted to quantify Mach number compressibility effects on tiltrotor stability. Experimental baseline stability boundaries in air are presented with comparisons to results from parametric variations of rotor pitch-flap coupling and control system stiffness. Increasing the rotor pitch-flap coupling (delta(sub 3) more negative) was found to have a destabilizing effect on stability, while a reduction in control system stiffness was found to have little effect on whirl-flutter stability. Results indicate that testing in R-134a, and thus matching full-scale tip Mach number, has a destabilizing effect, which demonstrates that whirl-flutter stability boundaries in air are unconservative.

Towards generalised reference condition models for environmental assessment: a case study on rivers in Atlantic Canada.

PubMed

Armanini, D G; Monk, W A; Carter, L; Cote, D; Baird, D J

2013-08-01

Evaluation of the ecological status of river sites in Canada is supported by building models using the reference condition approach. However, geography, data scarcity and inter-operability constraints have frustrated attempts to monitor national-scale status and trends. This issue is particularly true in Atlantic Canada, where no ecological assessment system is currently available. Here, we present a reference condition model based on the River Invertebrate Prediction and Classification System approach with regional-scale applicability. To achieve this, we used biological monitoring data collected from wadeable streams across Atlantic Canada together with freely available, nationally consistent geographic information system (GIS) environmental data layers. For the first time, we demonstrated that it is possible to use data generated from different studies, even when collected using different sampling methods, to generate a robust predictive model. This model was successfully generated and tested using GIS-based rather than local habitat variables and showed improved performance when compared to a null model. In addition, ecological quality ratio data derived from the model responded to observed stressors in a test dataset. Implications for future large-scale implementation of river biomonitoring using a standardised approach with global application are presented.

WRATS Integrated Data Acquisition System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piatak, David J.

2008-01-01

The Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) data acquisition system (DAS) is a 64-channel data acquisition display and analysis system specifically designed for use with the WRATS 1/5-scale V-22 tiltrotor model of the Bell Osprey. It is the primary data acquisition system for experimental aeroelastic testing of the WRATS model for the purpose of characterizing the aeromechanical and aeroelastic stability of prototype tiltrotor configurations. The WRATS DAS was also used during aeroelastic testing of Bell Helicopter Textron s Quad-Tiltrotor (QTR) design concept, a test which received international attention. The LabVIEW-based design is portable and capable of powering and conditioning over 64 channels of dynamic data at sampling rates up to 1,000 Hz. The system includes a 60-second circular data archive, an integrated model swashplate excitation system, a moving block damping application for calculation of whirl flutter mode subcritical damping, a loads and safety monitor, a pilot-control console display, data analysis capabilities, and instrumentation calibration functions. Three networked computers running custom-designed LabVIEW software acquire data through National Instruments data acquisition hardware. The aeroelastic model (see figure) was tested with the DAS at two facilities at NASA Langley, the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) and the Rotorcraft Hover Test Facility (RHTF). Because of the need for seamless transition between testing at these facilities, DAS is portable. The software is capable of harmonic analysis of periodic time history data, Fast Fourier Transform calculations, power spectral density calculations, and on-line calibration of test instrumentation. DAS has a circular buffer archive to ensure critical data is not lost in event of model failure/incident, as well as a sample-and-hold capability for phase-correct time history data.

Simulated Bladed MMC Disk LCF Validation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merrick, H. F.; Costen, M.

1998-01-01

The goal of this program was to evaluate the low cycle fatigue behavior of an SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V sub-component under bi-axial loading conditions at 316 C(600 F). A simulated bladed TMC disk was designed having thirty four blades representing the number that would be used in Allied Signal's JTAGG II impeller. The outer diameter of the bladed ring was 254 mm (10.0 inch) and the inner diameter 114.3 mm (4.50 inch). The outer and inner diameter of the composite zone was 177.8 mm (7.00 inch) and 127.O mm(5.00 inch) respectively. Stress analysis showed that the fatigue life of the bladed composite ring would be about 12000 cycles for the test conditions applied. A modal analysis was conducted which showed that the blades would have sufficient life margin from dynamic excitation. The arbor design was the same as that employed in the spin-to burst test of NAS3-27027. A systematic stress analysis of each part making up the arbor was undertaken to assure the design would meet the low cycle fatigue requirements of the program. The Textron Systems grooved foil-fiber process was chosen to make the SCS-6/Ti-6Al-4V core ring based on the success they had in contract NAS3-27027. Fiber buckling, however, was observed at several locations in the first ring made which rendered it unsuitable for spin testing. The fiber buckling was attributed to cracking of the graphite tooling during the consolidation process. On this basis a second ring was made but it too contained fiber buckling defects. Analysis by Textron indicated that the fiber buckling was most likely due to poor placement of the SCS-6 fiber in the etched grooves of the Ti-6Al-4V foil. This was also a contributor to the defects in the first ring. Since there was little indication of control in the process to manufacture a quality ring a third attempt at making a ring was not undertaken.

76 FR 39795 - Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PT6C-67E Turboshaft Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-07

... Whitney Canada (PWC) model PT6C-67E engines. The engine model will have a novel or unusual design feature... regulations do not contain adequate or appropriate safety standards for this design feature. These proposed... pre-addressed, stamped postcard on which the docket number appears. We will stamp the date on the...

Sustainability of Disability-Related Services in Canada and Israel: Will the Real Universal Design Please Stand Up?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fichten, Catherine Susan; Heiman, Tali; Havel, Alice; Jorgensen, Mary; Budd, Jillian; King, Laura

2016-01-01

We have examined the sustainability of providing services for students with disabilities in higher education in Canada and Israel. The two countries differ in their approaches: Israel subscribes to the accommodations model of service delivery; Canada, to the universal design approach. Case examples of services to students with disabilities in…

A Gravimetric Geoid Model for Vertical Datum in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veronneau, M.; Huang, J.

2004-05-01

The need to realize a new vertical datum for Canada dates back to 1976 when a study group at Geodetic Survey Division (GSD) investigated problems related to the existing vertical system (CGVD28) and recommended a redefinition of the vertical datum. The US National Geodetic Survey and GSD cooperated in the development of a new North American Vertical Datum (NAVD88). Although the USA adopted NAVD88 in 1993 as its datum, Canada declined to do so as a result of unexplained discrepancies of about 1.5 m from east to west coasts (likely due to systematic errors). The high cost of maintaining the vertical datum by the traditional spirit leveling technique coupled with budgetary constraints has forced GSD to modify its approach. A new attempt (project) to modernize the vertical datum is currently in process in Canada. The advance in space-based technologies (e.g. GPS, satellite radar altimetry, satellite gravimetry) and new developments in geoid modeling offer an alternative to spirit leveling. GSD is planning to implement, after stakeholder consultations, a geoid model as the new vertical datum for Canada, which will allow space-based technology users access to an accurate and uniform datum all across the Canadian landmass and surrounding oceans. CGVD28 is only accessible through a limited number of benchmarks, primarily located in southern Canada. The new vertical datum would be less sensitive to geodynamic activities (post-glacial rebound and earthquake), local uplift and subsidence, and deterioration of the benchmarks. The adoption of a geoid model as a vertical datum does not mean that GSD is neglecting the current benchmarks. New heights will be given to the benchmarks by a new adjustment of the leveling observations, which will be constrained to the geoid model at selected stations of the Active Control System (ACS) and Canadian Base Network (CBN). This adjustment will not correct vertical motion at benchmarks, which has occurred since the last leveling observations. The presentation provides an overview of the "Height Modernization" project, and discusses the accuracy of the existing geoid models in Canada.

Human health impacts of biodiesel use in on-road heavy duty diesel vehicles in Canada.

PubMed

Rouleau, Mathieu; Egyed, Marika; Taylor, Brett; Chen, Jack; Samaali, Mehrez; Davignon, Didier; Morneau, Gilles

2013-11-19

Regulatory requirements for renewable content in diesel fuel have been adopted in Canada. Fatty acid alkyl esters, that is, biodiesel, will likely be used to meet the regulations. However, the impacts on ambient atmospheric pollutant concentrations and human health outcomes associated with the use of biodiesel fuel blends in heavy duty diesel vehicles across Canada have not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to assess the potential human health implications of the widespread use of biodiesel in Canada compared to those from ultralow sulfur diesel (ULSD). The health impacts/benefits resulting from biodiesel use were determined with the Air Quality Benefits Assessment Tool, based on output from the AURAMS air quality modeling system and the MOBILE6.2C on-road vehicle emissions model. Scenarios included runs for ULSD and biodiesel blends with 5 and 20% of biodiesel by volume, and compared their use in 2006 and 2020. Although modeling and data limitations exist, the results of this study suggested that the use of biodiesel fuel blends compared to ULSD was expected to result in very minimal changes in air quality and health benefits/costs across Canada, and these were likely to diminish over time.

Detailed analysis and test correlation of a stiffened composite wing panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, D. Dale, Jr.

1991-01-01

Nonlinear finite element analysis techniques are evaluated by applying them to a realistic aircraft structural component. A wing panel from the V-22 tiltrotor aircraft is chosen because it is a typical modern aircraft structural component for which there is experimental data for comparison of results. From blueprints and drawings supplied by the Bell Helicopter Textron Corporation, a very detailed finite element model containing 2284 9-node Assumed Natural-Coordinate Strain (ANS) elements was generated. A novel solution strategy which accounts for geometric nonlinearity through the use of corotating element reference frames and nonlinear strain displacements relations is used to analyze this detailed model. Results from linear analyses using the same finite element model are presented in order to illustrate the advantages and costs of the nonlinear analysis as compared with the more traditional linear analysis. Strain predictions from both the linear and nonlinear stress analyses are shown to compare well with experimental data up through the Design Ultimate Load (DUL) of the panel. However, due to the extreme nonlinear response of the panel, the linear analysis was not accurate at loads above the DUL. The nonlinear analysis more accurately predicted the strain at high values of applied load, and even predicted complicated nonlinear response characteristics, such as load reversals, at the observed failure load of the test panel. In order to understand the failure mechanism of the panel, buckling and first ply failure analyses were performed. The buckling load was 17 percent above the observed failure load while first ply failure analyses indicated significant material damage at and below the observed failure load.

Common challenges for ecological modelling: Synthesis of facilitated discussions held at the symposia organized for the 2009 conference of the International Society for Ecological Modelling in Quebec City, Canada

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The eleven symposia organized for the 2009 conference of the International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM 2009) held in Quebec City, Canada, October 6-9, 2009, included facilitated discussion sessions following formal presentations. Each symposium focused on a specific subject, and all the s...

A comparison of theory and flight test of the BO 105/BMR in hover and forward flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirick, Paul H.

1988-01-01

Four cases were selected for comparison with theoretical predictions using stability data obtained during the flight test of the Bearingless Main Rotor (BMR) on a Messerschmidt-Boelkow-Blohm BO 105 helicopter. The four cases selected form the flight test included two ground resonance cases and two air resonance cases. The BMR used four modified BO 105 blades attached to a bearingless hub. The hub consisted of dual fiberglass C-channel beams attached to the hub center at 0.0238R and attached to the blade root at 0.25R with blade pitch control provided by a torque tube. Analyses from Bell Helicopter Textron, Boeing Vertol, and Sikorsky Aircraft were compared with the data and the correlation ranged from very poor-to-poor to poor-to-fair.

Towards a National Mental Retardation Manpower Model for Canada.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Linton, Thomas E.

The stated need for developing a national mental retardation manpower model for Canada is not the manpower shortages in mental retardation, but the unsound conceptual and functional approaches to the socialization and education of the mentally retarded. The report is divided into the four major areas investigated by a task force. First, the…

Integrated Services for Frail Elders (SIPA): A Trial of a Model for Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beland, Francois; Bergman, Howard; Lebel, Paule; Dallaire, Luc; Fletcher, John; Contandriopoulos, Andre-Pierre; Solidage, Tousignant Pierre

2006-01-01

The complex formed by chronic illness, episodes of acute illness, physiological disabilities, functional limitations, and cognitive problems is prevalent among frail elderly persons. These individuals rely on assistance from social and health care programs, which in Canada are still fragmented. SIPA is an integrated service model based on…

The Canada Research Chairs Program: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Karen R.; Drakich, Janice

2010-01-01

Drawing on 60 qualitative interviews with Canada research chairs (CRCs), we explore their careers in context. We develop a model to understand the intersection of individual and institutional factors that shape the everyday experiences of the CRCs. The model shows the dialectical relationship between faculty identity, research, relations with…

Quantifying black carbon deposition over the Greenland ice sheet from forest fires in Canada: BC DEPOSITION FROM FOREST FIRES

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

Thomas, J. L.; Polashenski, C. M.; Soja, A. J.

We identify an important Black Carbon (BC) aerosol deposition event that was observed in snow stratigraphy and dated to between 27 July 2013 – 2 August 2013. This event comprises a significant portion (~60%) of total deposition over a 10 month period (July 2013 – April 2014). Here we link this event to forest fires burning in Canada during summer 2013 using modeling and remote sensing tools. Aerosols were detected by both the CALIOP and MODIS instruments during transport between Canada and Greenland, confirming that this event involved emissions from forest fires in Canada. We use high-resolution regional chemical transportmore » mod-eling (WRF-Chem) combined with high-resolution fire emissions (FINNv1.5) to study aerosol emissions, transport, and deposition during this event. The model accurately captures the timing of the BC deposition event and shows that the major contribution to deposition during this event is emissions originating from fires in Canada. However, the model under-predicts aerosol deposition compared to measurements at all sites by a factor of 2–100. Under-prediction of modeled BC deposition originates from uncertainties in fire emissions combined with uncertainties in aerosol scavenging by clouds. This study suggests that it is possible to describe the transport of an exceptional smoke event on regional and continental scales. Improvements in model descriptions of precipitation scavenging and emissions from wildfires are needed to correctly predict deposition, which is critical for determining the climate impacts of aerosols that originate from fires.« less

The Impact of U.S. Free Trade Agreements on Calorie Availability and Obesity: A Natural Experiment in Canada.

PubMed

Barlow, Pepita; McKee, Martin; Stuckler, David

2018-05-01

Globalization via free trade and investment agreements is often implicated in the obesity pandemic. Concerns center on how free trade and investment agreements increase population exposure to unhealthy, high-calorie diets, but existing studies preclude causal conclusions. Few studies of free trade and investment agreements and diets isolated their impact from confounding changes, and none examined any effect on caloric intake, despite its critical role in the etiology of obesity. This study addresses these limitations by analyzing a unique natural experiment arising from the exceptional circumstances surrounding the implementation of the 1989 Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Data from the UN (2017) were analyzed using fixed-effects regression models and the synthetic control method to estimate the impact of the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement on calorie availability in Canada, 1978-2006, and coinciding increases in U.S. exports and investment in Canada's food and beverage sector. The impact of changes to calorie availability on body weights was then modeled. Calorie availability increased by ≅170 kilocalories per capita per day in Canada after the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. There was a coinciding rise in U.S. trade and investment in the Canadian food and beverage sector. This rise in calorie availability is estimated to account for an average weight gain of between 1.8 kg and 12.2 kg in the Canadian population, depending on sex and physical activity levels. The Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement was associated with a substantial rise in calorie availability in Canada. U.S. free trade and investment agreements can contribute to rising obesity and related diseases by pushing up caloric intake. Copyright © 2018 American Journal of Preventive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Canada in 3D - Toward a Sustainable 3D Model for Canadian Geology from Diverse Data Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brodaric, B.; Pilkington, M.; Snyder, D. B.; St-Onge, M. R.; Russell, H.

2015-12-01

Many big science issues span large areas and require data from multiple heterogeneous sources, for example climate change, resource management, and hazard mitigation. Solutions to these issues can significantly benefit from access to a consistent and integrated geological model that would serve as a framework. However, such a model is absent for most large countries including Canada, due to the size of the landmass and the fragmentation of the source data into institutional and disciplinary silos. To overcome these barriers, the "Canada in 3D" (C3D) pilot project was recently launched by the Geological Survey of Canada. C3D is designed to be evergreen, multi-resolution, and inter-disciplinary: (a) it is to be updated regularly upon acquisition of new data; (b) portions vary in resolution and will initially consist of four layers (surficial, sedimentary, crystalline, and mantle) with intermediary patches of higher-resolution fill; and (c) a variety of independently managed data sources are providing inputs, such as geophysical, 3D and 2D geological models, drill logs, and others. Notably, scalability concerns dictate a decentralized and interoperable approach, such that only key control objects, denoting anchors for the modeling process, are imported into the C3D database while retaining provenance links to original sources. The resultant model is managed in the database, contains full modeling provenance as well as links to detailed information on rock units, and is to be visualized in desktop and online environments. It is anticipated that C3D will become the authoritative state of knowledge for the geology of Canada at a national scale.

Hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis are associated with similar outcomes for end-stage renal disease treatment in Canada.

PubMed

Yeates, Karen; Zhu, Naisu; Vonesh, Edward; Trpeski, Lilyanna; Blake, Peter; Fenton, Stanley

2012-09-01

There were 35 265 patients receiving renal replacement therapy in Canada at the end of 2007 with 11.0% of patients on peritoneal dialysis (PD) and 48.9% on hemodialysis (HD) and a remaining 40.1% living with a functioning kidney transplant. There are no contemporary studies examining PD survival relative to HD in Canada. The objective was to compare survival outcomes for incident patients starting on PD as compared to HD in Canada. Using data from the Canadian Organ Replacement Register, the Cox proportional hazards (PH) model was employed to study survival outcomes for patients initiating PD as compared to HD in Canada from 1991 to 2004 with follow-up to 31 December 2007. Comparisons of outcomes were made between three successive calendar periods: 1991-95, 1996-2000 and 2001-04 with the relative risk of death of incident patients calculated using an intent-to-treat (ITT) analysis with proportional and non-PH models using a piecewise exponential survival model to compare adjusted mortality rates. In the ITT analysis, overall survival for the entire study period favored PD in the first 18 months and HD after 36 months. However, for the 2001-04 cohort, survival favored PD for the first 2 years and thereafter PD and HD were similar. Among female patients > 65 years with diabetes, PD had a 27% higher mortality rate. Overall, HD and PD are associated with similar outcomes for end-stage renal disease treatment in Canada.

(Re)-Introduction to French: Four Education Models to Revitalise an Endangered Group in Eastern Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cormier, Marianne; Bourque, Jimmy; Jolicoeur, Manon

2014-01-01

This study explores early francization models for a linguistic minority currently struggling to preserve its language. The French Acadians of New Brunswick, Canada, represent 30% of the province's total population, yet their numbers and their linguistic vitality are decreasing. New Brunswick has two public school systems: the English language…

77 FR 2015 - Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-13

... DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Federal Aviation Administration 14 CFR Part 33 [Docket No. NE130; Special Conditions No. 33-008-SC] Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine Correction In rule document 2011-14113 appearing on pages 33981-33982 in the issue of Friday, June...

Spatial ecology and movement of reintroduced Canada lynx

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buderman, Frances E.; Hooten, Mevin B.; Ivan, Jacob S.; Shenk, Tanya

2017-01-01

Understanding movement behavior and identifying areas of landscape connectivity is critical for the conservation of many species. However, collecting fine‐scale movement data can be prohibitively time consuming and costly, especially for rare or endangered species, whereas existing data sets may provide the best available information on animal movement. Contemporary movement models may not be an option for modeling existing data due to low temporal resolution and large or unusual error structures, but inference can still be obtained using a functional movement modeling approach. We use a functional movement model to perform a population‐level analysis of telemetry data collected during the reintroduction of Canada lynx to Colorado. Little is known about southern lynx populations compared to those in Canada and Alaska, and inference is often limited to a few individuals due to their low densities. Our analysis of a population of Canada lynx fills significant gaps in the knowledge of Canada lynx behavior at the southern edge of its historical range. We analyzed functions of individual‐level movement paths, such as speed, residence time, and tortuosity, and identified a region of connectivity that extended north from the San Juan Mountains, along the continental divide, and terminated in Wyoming at the northern edge of the Southern Rocky Mountains. Individuals were able to traverse large distances across non‐boreal habitat, including exploratory movements to the Greater Yellowstone area and beyond. We found evidence for an effect of seasonality and breeding status on many of the movement quantities and documented a potential reintroduction effect. Our findings provide the first analysis of Canada lynx movement in Colorado and substantially augment the information available for conservation and management decisions. The functional movement framework can be extended to other species and demonstrates that information on movement behavior can be obtained using existing data sets.

Financial Comparisons across Different Business Models in the Canadian Airline Industry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Flouris, Triant; Walker, Thomas

2007-01-01

This paper examines the accounting and stock price performance of two Canadian airlines, WestJet and Air Canada, over a five year period, taking into account the aftermath of the systemic shock to the airline industry produced by the September 11, 2001 (9-11), terrorist attacks and subsequent events such as the 2002 SARS outbreak, the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the accompanying rise in jet fuel prices. Our study focuses on the viability of low-cost versus conventional-cost business models in Canada under the current business environment and the ability of airlines to withstand and effectively respond to catastrophic industry events. Furthermore, we link the effectiveness of the airlines responses to these events to specific elements of their respective business models. We test our hypothesis through a case study. We focus on WestJet as a typical low-cost airline and compare its accounting and stock performance to Air Canada, a legacy carrier and rival in several business sectors. We find WestJet to be much less affected by catastrophic industry events. By decomposing each airline s return volatility, we observe that WestJet s systematic and unsystematic risk increased only slightly during the industry's post-9-11 turmoil when compared to Air Canada. In addition, we find that both WestJet s accounting and stock performance have been highly superior to those of Air Canada. We argue that WestJet s business model provides the firm with significantly more financial and operational flexibility than its legacy rival, Air Canada. WestJet's lower operating costs, high consumer trust, product offering, corporate structure, workforce and work practices, as well as operational procedures are all factors that appear to contribute to its relative success.

Lessons for a national pharmaceuticals strategy in Canada from Australia and New Zealand

PubMed Central

LeLorier, Jacques; Rawson, Nigel SB

2007-01-01

BACKGROUND: The provincial formulary review processes in Canada lead to the slow and inequitable availability of new products. In 2004, the exploration of a national pharmaceuticals strategy (NPS) was announced. The pricing policies of New Zealand and Australia have been suggested as possible models for the NPS. OBJECTIVE: To compare health care indexes and health care use information from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. METHODS: The 2006 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development health data were used to compare health and health care indexes from Canada, Australia and New Zealand between 1994 and 2002 to 2004. The principal focus of the evaluation was cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. RESULTS: Although the mortality rate from acute myocardial infarction decreased in each country from 1994, it levelled off in New Zealand in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Between 1994 and 2003, the average length of hospital stay for any cause and for cardiovascular disorders was stable in Australia and Canada, but increased in New Zealand, while the rate of hospital discharges for cardiovascular diseases decreased in Canada and Australia, but strongly increased in New Zealand. Over the same period, sales of cardiovascular drugs decreased in New Zealand, while sharply increasing in Canada and Australia. CONCLUSIONS: Although only circumstantial, our results suggest an association between decreasing cardiovascular drug sales and markers of declining cardiovascular health in New Zealand. Careful consideration must be given to the potential consequences of any model for an NPS in Canada, as well as to opportunities provided for discussion and input from health care professionals and patients. PMID:17622393

Using prairie restoration to curtail invasion of Canada thistle: the importance of limiting similarity and seed mix richness

USGS Publications Warehouse

Larson, Diane L.; Bright, J.B.; Drobney, Pauline; Larson, Jennifer L.; Palaia, Nicholas; Rabie, Paul A.; Vacek, Sara; Wells, Douglas

2013-01-01

Theory has predicted, and many experimental studies have confirmed, that resident plant species richness is inversely related to invisibility. Likewise, potential invaders that are functionally similar to resident plant species are less likely to invade than are those from different functional groups. Neither of these ideas has been tested in the context of an operational prairie restoration. Here, we tested the hypotheses that within tallgrass prairie restorations (1) as seed mix species richness increased, cover of the invasive perennial forb, Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) would decline; and (2) guilds (both planted and arising from the seedbank) most similar to Canada thistle would have a larger negative effect on it than less similar guilds. Each hypothesis was tested on six former agricultural fields restored to tallgrass prairie in 2005; all were within the tallgrass prairie biome in Minnesota, USA. A mixed-model with repeated measures (years) in a randomized block (fields) design indicated that seed mix richness had no effect on cover of Canada thistle. Structural equation models assessing effects of cover of each planted and non-planted guild on cover of Canada thistle in 2006, 2007, and 2010 revealed that planted Asteraceae never had a negative effect on Canada thistle. In contrast, planted cool-season grasses and non-Asteraceae forbs, and many non-planted guilds had negative effects on Canada thistle cover. We conclude that early, robust establishment of native species, regardless of guild, is of greater importance in resistance to Canada thistle than is similarity of guilds in new prairie restorations.

Lessons for a national pharmaceuticals strategy in Canada from Australia and New Zealand.

PubMed

LeLorier, Jacques; Rawson, Nugek S B

2007-07-01

The provincial formulary review processes in Canada lead to the slow and inequitable availability of new products. In 2004, the exploration of a national pharmaceuticals strategy (NPS) was announced. The pricing policies of New Zealand and Australia have been suggested as possible models for the NPS. To compare health care indexes and health care use information from Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The 2006 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development health data were used to compare health and health care indexes from Canada, Australia and New Zealand between 1994 and 2002 to 2004. The principal focus of the evaluation was cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. Although the mortality rate from acute myocardial infarction decreased in each country from 1994, it levelled off in New Zealand in 1997, 1998 and 1999. Between 1994 and 2003, the average length of hospital stay for any cause and for cardiovascular disorders was stable in Australia and Canada, but increased in New Zealand, while the rate of hospital discharges for cardiovascular diseases decreased in Canada and Australia, but strongly increased in New Zealand. Over the same period, sales of cardiovascular drugs decreased in New Zealand, while sharply increasing in Canada and Australia. Although only circumstantial, our results suggest an association between decreasing cardiovascular drug sales and markers of declining cardiovascular health in New Zealand. Careful consideration must be given to the potential consequences of any model for an NPS in Canada, as well as to opportunities provided for discussion and input from health care professionals and patients.

Estimated hospitalizations attributed to norovirus and rotavirus infection in Canada, 2006-2010.

PubMed

Morton, V K; Thomas, M K; McEwen, S A

2015-12-01

Enteric viruses including norovirus and rotavirus are leading causes of gastroenteritis in Canada. However, only a small number of clinical cases are actually tested for these pathogens leading to systematic underestimation of attributed hospitalizations in administrative databases. The objective of this analysis was to estimate the number of hospitalizations due to norovirus and rotavirus in Canada. Hospitalization records for acute gastroenteritis-associated discharges at all acute-care hospitals in Canada between 2006 and 2011 were analysed. Cause-unspecified gastroenteritis hospitalizations were modelled using age-specific negative binomial models with cause-specified gastroenteritis admissions as predictors. The coefficients from the models were used to estimate the number of norovirus and rotavirus admissions. The total annual hospitalizations for rotavirus were estimated to be between 4500 and 10 000. Total annual hospitalizations for norovirus were estimated to be between 4000 and 11 000. The mean total annual cost associated with these hospitalizations was estimated to be at least $16 million for rotavirus and $21 million for norovirus (all figures in Canadian dollars). This study is the first comprehensive analysis of norovirus and rotavirus hospitalizations in Canada. These estimates provide a more complete assessment of the burden and economic costs of these pathogens to the Canadian healthcare system.

Chapter 34: Geology and petroleum potential of the rifted margins of the Canada Basin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Houseknecht, D.W.; Bird, K.J.

2011-01-01

Three sides of the Canada Basin are bordered by high-standing, conjugate rift shoulders of the Chukchi Borderland, Alaska and Canada. The Alaska and Canada margins are mantled with thick, growth-faulted sediment prisms, and the Chukchi Borderland contains only a thin veneer of sediment. The rift-margin strata of Alaska and Canada reflect the tectonics and sediment dispersal systems of adjacent continental regions whereas the Chukchi Borderland was tectonically isolated from these sediment dispersal systems. Along the eastern Alaska-southern Canada margin, termed herein the 'Canning-Mackenzie deformed margin', the rifted margin is deformed by ongoing Brooks Range tectonism. Additional contractional structures occur in a gravity fold belt that may be present along the entire Alaska and Canada margins of the Canada Basin. Source-rock data inboard of the rift shoulders and regional palaeogeographic reconstructions suggest three potential source-rock intervals: Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Albian), Upper Cretaceous (mostly Turonian) and Lower Palaeogene. Burial history modelling indicates favourable timing for generation from all three intervals beneath the Alaska and Canada passive margins, and an active petroleum system has been documented in the Canning-Mackenzie deformed margin. Assessment of undiscovered petroleum resources indicates the greatest potential in the Canning-Mackenzie deformed margin and significant potential in the Canada and Alaska passive margins. ?? 2011 The Geological Society of London.

Crustal-scale geological and thermal models of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin, Arctic Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sippel, Judith; Scheck-Wenderoth, Magdalena; Kröger, Karsten; Lewerenz, Björn

2010-05-01

The Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin is a petroliferous province in northwest Arctic Canada and one of the best-known segments of the Arctic Ocean margin due to decades of exploration. Our study is part of the programme MOM (Methane On the Move), which aims to quantify the methane contribution from natural petroleum systems to the atmosphere over geological times. Models reflecting the potential of a sedimentary basin to release methane require well-assessed boundary conditions such as the crustal structure and large-scale temperature variation. We focus on the crustal-scale thermal field of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Basin. This Basin has formed on a post-rift, continental margin which, during the Late Cretaceous and Tertiary, developed into the foreland of the North American Cordilleran foldbelt providing space for the accumulation of up to 16 km of foreland deposits. We present a 3D geological model which integrates the present topography, depth maps of Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary horizons (Kroeger et al., 2008, 2009), tops of formations derived from interpreted 2D reflection seismic lines and 284 boreholes (released by the National Energy Board of Canada), and the sequence stratigraphic framework established by previous studies (e.g. Dixon et al., 1996). To determine the position and geometry of the crust-mantle boundary, an isostatic calculation (Airýs model) is applied to the geological model. We present different crustal-scale models combining isostatic modelling, published deep reflection and refraction seismic lines (e.g. Stephenson et al., 1994; O'Leary et al., 1995), and calculations of the 3D conductive thermal field. References: Dixon, J., 1996. Geological Atlas of the Beaufort-Mackenzie Area, Geological Survey of Canada Miscellaneous Report, 59, Ottawa, 173 pp. Kroeger, K.F., Ondrak, R., di Primio, R. and Horsfield, B., 2008. A three-dimensional insight into the Mackenzie Basin (Canada): Implications for the thermal history and hydrocarbon generation potential of Tertiary deltaic sequences, AAPG Bulletin, 92(2): 225-247. Kroeger, K.F., di Primio, R. and Horsfield, B., (2009). Hydrocarbon flow modeling in complex structures (Mackenzie Basin, Canada), AAPG Bulletin, 93(9): 1-25. O'Leary, D.M., Ellis, R.M., Stephenson, R.A., Lane, L.S. and Zelt, C.A., 1995. Crustal structure of the northern Yukon and Mackenzie Delta, northwestern Canada, Journal of Geophysical Research 100(B7): 9905-9920. Stephenson, R.A., Coflin, K.C., Lane, L.S. and Dietrich, J.R., 1994. Crustal structure and tectonics of the southeastern Beaufort Sea continental margin, Tectonics, 13(2): 389-400.

The Model of Unification and the Model of Diversification of Public School Teachers' Continuing Professional Development in Great Britain, Canada and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mukan, Nataliya; Myskiv, Iryna; Kravets, Svitlana

2016-01-01

In the article the theoretical framework of public school teachers' continuing professional development (CPD) in Great Britain, Canada and the USA has been presented. The main objectives have been defined as theoretical analysis of scientific and pedagogical literature, which highlights different aspects of the problem under research; presentation…

The pricing behavior comparison of Canada and Australia exporter in wheat international market using Pricing to Market (PTM) and Residual Demand Elasticity (RDE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, R. P.; Sumono; Iddrisu, Y.; Darus, M.; Sihombing, L. P.; Jufri

2018-02-01

This paper try to identify and examined the degree of market power on wheat international market by 2 major exporting countries comprising Canada and Australia by using the Pricing to Market (PTM) method and Residual Demand Elasticity (RDE) method. The PTM method found that Canada impose noncompetitive strategy by applying price discrimination and apply market power to their importing. Different results come from Australian exporter as they are not using their market power to the importing. Conflicting result arise from estimation using RDE and PTM method suggest that the need to extend the theoretical model of both model by expand its economic and econometric model to have consistent expected result theoretically and empirically.

Planetary Gearbox Fault Detection Using Vibration Separation Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewicki, David G.; LaBerge, Kelsen E.; Ehinger, Ryan T.; Fetty, Jason

2011-01-01

Studies were performed to demonstrate the capability to detect planetary gear and bearing faults in helicopter main-rotor transmissions. The work supported the Operations Support and Sustainment (OSST) program with the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) and Bell Helicopter Textron. Vibration data from the OH-58C planetary system were collected on a healthy transmission as well as with various seeded-fault components. Planetary fault detection algorithms were used with the collected data to evaluate fault detection effectiveness. Planet gear tooth cracks and spalls were detectable using the vibration separation techniques. Sun gear tooth cracks were not discernibly detectable from the vibration separation process. Sun gear tooth spall defects were detectable. Ring gear tooth cracks were only clearly detectable by accelerometers located near the crack location or directly across from the crack. Enveloping provided an effective method for planet bearing inner- and outer-race spalling fault detection.

Application of CFCC technology to hot gas filtration applications

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

Richlen, S.

1995-06-01

Discussion will feature high temperature filter development under the DOE`s Office of Industrial Technologies Continuous Fiber Ceramic Composite (CFCC) Program. Within the CFCC Program there are four industry projects and a national laboratory technology support project. Atlantic Research, Babcock & Wilcox, DuPont Lanxide Composites, and Textron are developing processing methods to produce CFCC Components with various types of matrices and composites, along with the manufacturing methods to produce industrial components, including high temperature gas filters. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory is leading a National Laboratory/University effort to increase knowledge of such generic and supportive technology areas as environmental degradation, measurementmore » of mechanical properties, long-term performance, thermal shock and thermal cycling, creep and fatigue, and non-destructive characterization. Tasks include composite design, materials characterization, test methods, and performance-related phenomena, that will support the high temperature filter activities of industry and government.« less

XV-15 Low-Noise Terminal Area Operations Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, B. D.

1998-01-01

Test procedures related to XV-15 noise tests conducted by NASA-Langley and Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. are discussed. The tests. which took place during October and November 1995, near Waxahachie, Texas, documented the noise signature of the XV-15 tilt-rotor aircraft at a wide variety of flight conditions. The stated objectives were to: -provide a comprehensive acoustic database for NASA and U.S. Industry -validate noise prediction methodologies, and -develop and demonstrate low-noise flight profiles. The test consisted of two distinct phases. Phase 1 provided an acoustic database for validating analytical noise prediction techniques; Phase 2 directly measured noise contour information at a broad range of operating profiles, with emphasis on minimizing 'approach' noise. This report is limited to a documentation of the test procedures, flight conditions, microphone locations, meteorological conditions, and test personnel used in the test. The acoustic results are not included.

Estimates of long-term mean-annual nutrient loads considered for use in SPARROW models of the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States, 2002 base year

USGS Publications Warehouse

Saad, David A.; Benoy, Glenn A.; Robertson, Dale M.

2018-05-11

Streamflow and nutrient concentration data needed to compute nitrogen and phosphorus loads were compiled from Federal, State, Provincial, and local agency databases and also from selected university databases. The nitrogen and phosphorus loads are necessary inputs to Spatially Referenced Regressions on Watershed Attributes (SPARROW) models. SPARROW models are a way to estimate the distribution, sources, and transport of nutrients in streams throughout the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States. After screening the data, approximately 1,500 sites sampled by 34 agencies were identified as having suitable data for calculating the long-term mean-annual nutrient loads required for SPARROW model calibration. These final sites represent a wide range in watershed sizes, types of nutrient sources, and land-use and watershed characteristics in the Midcontinental region of Canada and the United States.

An introduction to the healthy corner store intervention model in Canada.

PubMed

Mah, Catherine L; Minaker, Leia M; Jameson, Kristie; Rappaport, Lissie; Taylor, Krystal; Graham, Marketa; Moody, Natalie; Cook, Brian

2017-09-14

The majority of Canadians' food acquisition occurs in retail stores. Retail science has become increasingly sophisticated in demonstrating how consumer environments influence population-level diet quality and health status. The retail food environment literature is new but growing rapidly in Canada, and there is a relative paucity of evidence from intervention research implemented in Canada. The healthy corner store model is a comprehensive complex population health intervention in small retail stores, intended to transform an existing business model to a health-promoting one through intersectoral collaboration. Healthy corner store interventions typically involve conversions of existing stores with the participation of health, community, and business sector partners, addressing business fundamentals, merchandising, and consumer demand. This article introduces pioneering experiences with the healthy corner store intervention in Canada. First, we offer a brief overview of the state of evidence within and outside Canada. Second, we discuss three urban and one rural healthy corner store initiatives, led through partnerships among community food security organizations, public health units, academics, and business partners, in Manitoba, Ontario, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Third, we synthesize the promising practices from these local examples, including aspects of both intervention science (e.g., refinements in measuring the food environment) and community-based practice (e.g., dealing with unhealthy food items and economic impact for the retailer). This article will synthesize practical experiences with healthy corner stores in Canada. It offers a baseline assessment of promising aspects of this intervention for health and health equity, and identifies opportunities to strengthen both science and practice in this area of retail food environment work.

The Dynamic General Vegetation Model MC1 over the United States and Canada at a 5-arcminute resolution: model inputs and outputs

Treesearch

Ray Drapek; John B. Kim; Ronald P. Neilson

2015-01-01

Land managers need to include climate change in their decisionmaking, but the climate models that project future climates operate at spatial scales that are too coarse to be of direct use. To create a dataset more useful to managers, soil and historical climate were assembled for the United States and Canada at a 5-arcminute grid resolution. Nine CMIP3 future climate...

Owl broadcast surveys in the Foothills Model Forest, Alberta, Canada

Treesearch

D. Lisa Takats; Geoffrey L. Holroyd

1997-01-01

Broadcast surveys are used to determine the presence and relative abundance of nocturnal owls, but there has been little effort to standardize such surveys. This paper examines broadcast survey data collected in 1995 and 1996 in the Foothills Model Forest, Alberta, Canada. Three hundred calls from six species of owls were recorded at 893 stops for a call rate of 0.34...

Hypertension in Canada: Past, Present, and Future.

PubMed

Schiffrin, Ernesto L; Campbell, Norman R C; Feldman, Ross D; Kaczorowski, Janusz; Lewanczuk, Richard; Padwal, Raj; Tobe, Sheldon W

2016-01-01

Canada has an extremely successful hypertension detection and treatment program. The aim of this review was to highlight the historic and current infrastructure and initiatives that have led to this success, and the outlook moving forward into the future. We discuss the evolution of hypertension awareness and control in Canada; contributions made by organizations such as the Canadian Hypertension Society, Blood Pressure Canada, and the Canadian Hypertension Education Program; the amalgamation of these organizations into Hypertension Canada; and the impact that Hypertension Canada has had on hypertension care in Canada. The important contribution that public policy and advocacy can have on prevention and control of blood pressure in Canada is described. We also highlight the importance of population-based strategies, health care access and organization, and accurate blood pressure measurement (including ambulatory, home, and automated office modalities) in optimizing hypertension prevention and management. We end by discussing how Hypertension Canada will move forward in the near and longer term to address the unmet residual risk attributable to hypertension and associated cardiovascular risk factors. Hypertension Canada will continue to strive to enhance hypertension prevention and control rates, thereby improving the quality of life and cardiovascular outcomes of Canadians, while at the same time creating a hypertension care model that can be emulated across the world. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Quantifying black carbon deposition over the Greenland ice sheet from forest fires in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, J. L.; Polashenski, C. M.; Soja, A. J.; Marelle, L.; Casey, K. A.; Choi, H. D.; Raut, J.-C.; Wiedinmyer, C.; Emmons, L. K.; Fast, J. D.; Pelon, J.; Law, K. S.; Flanner, M. G.; Dibb, J. E.

2017-08-01

Black carbon (BC) concentrations observed in 22 snowpits sampled in the northwest sector of the Greenland ice sheet in April 2014 have allowed us to identify a strong and widespread BC aerosol deposition event, which was dated to have accumulated in the pits from two snow storms between 27 July and 2 August 2013. This event comprises a significant portion (57% on average across all pits) of total BC deposition over 10 months (July 2013 to April 2014). Here we link this deposition event to forest fires burning in Canada during summer 2013 using modeling and remote sensing tools. Aerosols were detected by both the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (on board CALIPSO) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Aqua) instruments during transport between Canada and Greenland. We use high-resolution regional chemical transport modeling (WRF-Chem) combined with high-resolution fire emissions (FINNv1.5) to study aerosol emissions, transport, and deposition during this event. The model captures the timing of the BC deposition event and shows that fires in Canada were the main source of deposited BC. However, the model underpredicts BC deposition compared to measurements at all sites by a factor of 2-100. Underprediction of modeled BC deposition originates from uncertainties in fire emissions and model treatment of wet removal of aerosols. Improvements in model descriptions of precipitation scavenging and emissions from wildfires are needed to correctly predict deposition, which is critical for determining the climate impacts of aerosols that originate from fires.

Quantifying Black Carbon Deposition Over the Greenland Ice Sheet from Forest Fires in Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, J. L.; Polashenski, C. M.; Soja, Amber J.; Marelle, L.; Casey, K. A.; Choi, H. D.; Raut, J.-C.; Wiedinmyer, C.; Emmons, L. K.; Fast, J. D.;

Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Robert F.; Ghosh, Ratna

1986-01-01

Discusses Canada's problems in searching for a national identity and the controversy of the Federal policy of multiculturalism. Presents its objectives within a bilingual framework and the contradictions involved. Suggests a workable model involving assimilation conditioned by regional or local circumstances, useful also as a development strategy.…

Towards 250 m mapping of terrestrial primary productivity over Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonsamo, A.; Chen, J. M.

2011-12-01

Terrestrial ecosystems are an important part of the climate and global change systems. Their role in climate change and in the global carbon cycle is yet to be well understood. Dataset from satellite earth observation, coupled with numerical models provide the unique tools for monitoring the spatial and temporal dynamics of territorial carbon cycle. The Boreal Ecosystems Productivity Simulator (BEPS) is a remote sensing based approach to quantifying the terrestrial carbon cycle by that gross and net primary productivity (GPP and NPP) and terrestrial carbon sinks and sources expressed as net ecosystem productivity (NEP). We have currently implemented a scheme to map the GPP, NPP and NEP at 250 m for first time over Canada using BEPS model. This is supplemented by improved mapping of land cover and leaf area index (LAI) at 250 m over Canada from MODIS satellite dataset. The results from BEPS are compared with MODIS GPP product and further evaluated with estimated LAI from various sources to evaluate if the results capture the trend in amount of photosynthetic biomass distributions. Final evaluation will be to validate both BEPS and MODIS primary productivity estimates over the Fluxnet sites over Canada. The primary evaluation indicate that BEPS GPP estimates capture the over storey LAI variations over Canada very well compared to MODIS GPP estimates. There is a large offset of MODIS GPP, over-estimating the lower GPP value compared to BEPS GPP estimates. These variations will further be validated based on the measured values from the Fluxnet tower measurements over Canadian. The high resolution GPP (NPP) products at 250 m will further be used to scale the outputs between different ecosystem productivity models, in our case the Canadian carbon budget model of Canadian forest sector CBM-CFS) and the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon model (InTEC).

Health and economic impact of PHiD-CV in Canada and the UK: a Markov modelling exercise.

PubMed

Knerer, Gerhart; Ismaila, Afisi; Pearce, David

2012-01-01

The spectrum of diseases caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) represents a large burden on healthcare systems around the world. Meningitis, bacteraemia, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), and acute otitis media (AOM) are vaccine-preventable infectious diseases that can have severe consequences. The health economic model presented here is intended to estimate the clinical and economic impact of vaccinating birth cohorts in Canada and the UK with the 10-valent, pneumococcal non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae protein D conjugate vaccine (PHiD-CV) compared with the newly licensed 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV-13). The model described herein is a Markov cohort model built to simulate the epidemiological burden of pneumococcal- and NTHi-related diseases within birth cohorts in the UK and Canada. Base-case assumptions include estimates of vaccine efficacy and NTHi infection rates that are based on published literature. The model predicts that the two vaccines will provide a broadly similar impact on all-cause invasive disease and CAP under base-case assumptions. However, PHiD-CV is expected to provide a substantially greater reduction in AOM compared with PCV-13, offering additional savings of Canadian $9.0 million and £4.9 million in discounted direct medical costs in Canada and the UK, respectively. The main limitations of the study are the difficulties in modelling indirect vaccine effects (herd effect and serotype replacement), the absence of PHiD-CV- and PCV-13-specific efficacy data and a lack of comprehensive NTHi surveillance data. Additional limitations relate to the fact that the transmission dynamics of pneumococcal serotypes have not been modelled, nor has antibiotic resistance been accounted for in this paper. This cost-effectiveness analysis suggests that, in Canada and the UK, PHiD-CV's potential to protect against NTHi infections could provide a greater impact on overall disease burden than the additional serotypes contained in PCV-13.

Topography- and nightlight-based national flood risk assessment in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elshorbagy, Amin; Bharath, Raja; Lakhanpal, Anchit; Ceola, Serena; Montanari, Alberto; Lindenschmidt, Karl-Erich

2017-04-01

In Canada, flood analysis and water resource management, in general, are tasks conducted at the provincial level; therefore, unified national-scale approaches to water-related problems are uncommon. In this study, a national-scale flood risk assessment approach is proposed and developed. The study focuses on using global and national datasets available with various resolutions to create flood risk maps. First, a flood hazard map of Canada is developed using topography-based parameters derived from digital elevation models, namely, elevation above nearest drainage (EAND) and distance from nearest drainage (DFND). This flood hazard mapping method is tested on a smaller area around the city of Calgary, Alberta, against a flood inundation map produced by the city using hydraulic modelling. Second, a flood exposure map of Canada is developed using a land-use map and the satellite-based nightlight luminosity data as two exposure parameters. Third, an economic flood risk map is produced, and subsequently overlaid with population density information to produce a socioeconomic flood risk map for Canada. All three maps of hazard, exposure, and risk are classified into five classes, ranging from very low to severe. A simple way to include flood protection measures in hazard estimation is also demonstrated using the example of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. This could be done for the entire country if information on flood protection across Canada were available. The evaluation of the flood hazard map shows that the topography-based method adopted in this study is both practical and reliable for large-scale analysis. Sensitivity analysis regarding the resolution of the digital elevation model is needed to identify the resolution that is fine enough for reliable hazard mapping, but coarse enough for computational tractability. The nightlight data are found to be useful for exposure and risk mapping in Canada; however, uncertainty analysis should be conducted to investigate the effect of the overglow phenomenon on flood risk mapping.

Regional Permafrost Probability Modelling in the northwestern Cordillera, 59°N - 61°N, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnaventure, P. P.; Lewkowicz, A. G.

2010-12-01

High resolution (30 x 30 m) permafrost probability models were created for eight mountainous areas in the Yukon and northernmost British Columbia. Empirical-statistical modelling based on the Basal Temperature of Snow (BTS) method was used to develop spatial relationships. Model inputs include equivalent elevation (a variable that incorporates non-uniform temperature change with elevation), potential incoming solar radiation and slope. Probability relationships between predicted BTS and permafrost presence were developed for each area using late-summer physical observations in pits, or by using year-round ground temperature measurements. A high-resolution spatial model for the region has now been generated based on seven of the area models. Each was applied to the entire region, and their predictions were then blended based on a distance decay function from the model source area. The regional model is challenging to validate independently because there are few boreholes in the region. However, a comparison of results to a recently established inventory of rock glaciers for the Yukon suggests its validity because predicted permafrost probabilities were 0.8 or greater for almost 90% of these landforms. Furthermore, the regional model results have a similar spatial pattern to those modelled independently in the eighth area, although predicted probabilities using the regional model are generally higher. The regional model predicts that permafrost underlies about half of the non-glaciated terrain in the region, with probabilities increasing regionally from south to north and from east to west. Elevation is significant, but not always linked in a straightforward fashion because of weak or inverted trends in permafrost probability below treeline. Above treeline, however, permafrost probabilities increase and approach 1.0 in very high elevation areas throughout the study region. The regional model shows many similarities to previous Canadian permafrost maps (Heginbottom and Radburn, 1992; Heginbottom et al., 1995) but is several orders of magnitude more detailed. It also exhibits some significant differences, including the presence of an area of valley-floor continuous permafrost around Beaver Creek near the Alaskan border in the west, as well as higher probabilities of permafrost in the central parts of the region near the boundaries of the sporadic and extensive discontinuous zones. In addition, parts of the northernmost portion of the region would be classified as sporadic discontinuous permafrost because of inversions in the terrestrial surface lapse rate which cause permafrost probabilities to decrease with elevation through the forest. These model predictions are expected to of direct use for infrastructure planning and northern development and can serve as a benchmark for future studies of permafrost distribution in the Yukon. References Heginbottom JR, Dubreuil MA and Haker PT. 1995. Canada Permafrost. (1:7,500,000 scale). In The National Atlas of Canada, 5th Edition, sheet MCR 4177. Ottawa: National Resources Canada. Heginbottom, J.A. and Radburn, L.K. 1992. Permafrost and ground ice conditions of northwestern Canada; Geological Survey of Canada, Map 1691A, scale 1:1,000,000. Digitized by S. Smith, Geological Survey of Canada.

Advanced MicroObserver UGS integration with and cueing of the BattleHawk squad level loitering munition and UAV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steadman, Bob; Finklea, John; Kershaw, James; Loughman, Cathy; Shaffner, Patti; Frost, Dean; Deller, Sean

2014-06-01

Textron's Advanced MicroObserver(R) is a next generation remote unattended ground sensor system (UGS) for border security, infrastructure protection, and small combat unit security. The original MicroObserver(R) is a sophisticated seismic sensor system with multi-node fusion that supports target tracking. This system has been deployed in combat theaters. The system's seismic sensor nodes are uniquely able to be completely buried (including antennas) for optimal covertness. The advanced version adds a wireless day/night Electro-Optic Infrared (EOIR) system, cued by seismic tracking, with sophisticated target discrimination and automatic frame capture features. Also new is a field deployable Gateway configurable with a variety of radio systems and flexible networking, an important upgrade that enabled the research described herein. BattleHawkTM is a small tube launched Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) with a warhead. Using transmitted video from its EOIR subsystem an operator can search for and acquire a target day or night, select a target for attack, and execute terminal dive to destroy the target. It is designed as a lightweight squad level asset carried by an individual infantryman. Although BattleHawk has the best loiter time in its class, it's still relatively short compared to large UAVs. Also it's a one-shot asset in its munition configuration. Therefore Textron Defense Systems conducted research, funded internally, to determine if there was military utility in having the highly persistent MicroObserver(R) system cue BattleHawk's launch and vector it to beyond visual range targets for engagement. This paper describes that research; the system configuration implemented, and the results of field testing that was performed on a government range early in 2013. On the integrated system that was implemented, MicroObserver(R) seismic detections activated that system's camera which then automatically captured images of the target. The geo-referenced and time-tagged MicroObserver(R) target reports and images were then automatically forwarded to the BattleHawk Android-based controller. This allowed the operator to see the intruder (classified and geo-located) on the map based display, assess the intruder as likely hostile (via the image), and launch BattleHawk with the pre-loaded target coordinates. The operator was thus able to quickly acquire the intended target (without a search) and initiate target engagement immediately. System latencies were a major concern encountered during the research.

Real-time simulation program for De Havilland (Canada) "Buffalo" and "Twin Otter" STOL transports

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-06-25

Simulation models of two representative STOL aircraft - the DeHavilland (Canada) "Buffalo" and "Twin Otter" transports - have been generated. The aircraft are described by means of nonlinear equations that will accommodate gross changes in angle of a...

Entrepreneurship Education and Training in Canada: A Critical Assessment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ibrahim, A. B.; Soufani, K.

2002-01-01

Describes providers of entrepreneurship education in Canada: universities, small business centers, banks, nongovernmental organizations, and federal and provincial governments. Presents a conceptual model for entrepreneurship education and training that identifies traits and skills of entrepreneurs, addresses whether these are predictable, and…

Linearized mathematical models for De Havilland Canada "Buffalo & Twin Otter" STOL transports.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-06-01

Linearized six degree of freedom rigid body aircraft equations of motion are presented in a stability axes system. Values of stability derivatives are estimated for two representative STOL aircraft - the DeHavilland of Canada 'Buffalo' and 'Twin Otte...

Mathematical assessment of Canada's pandemic influenza preparedness plan.

PubMed

Gumel, Abba B; Nuño, Miriam; Chowell, Gerardo

2008-03-01

The presence of the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus in wild bird populations in several regions of the world, together with recurrent cases of H5N1 influenza arising primarily from direct contact with poultry, have highlighted the urgent need for prepared-ness and coordinated global strategies to effectively combat a potential influenza pandemic. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the Canadian pandemic influenza preparedness plan. A mathematical model of the transmission dynamics of influenza was used to keep track of the population according to risk of infection (low or high) and infection status (susceptible, exposed or infectious). The model was parametrized using available Canadian demographic data. The model was then used to evaluate the key components outlined in the Canadian plan. The results indicated that the number of cases, mortalities and hospitalizations estimated in the Canadian plan may have been underestimated; the use of antivirals, administered therapeutically, prophylactically or both, is the most effective single intervention followed by the use of a vaccine and basic public health measures; and the combined use of pharmaceutical interventions (antivirals and vaccine) can dramatically minimize the burden of the pending influenza pandemic in Canada. Based on increasing concerns of Oseltamivir resistance (wide-scale implementation), coupled with the expected unavailability of a suitable vaccine during the early stages of a pandemic, the present study evaluated the potential impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) which were not emphasized in the current Canadian plan. To this end, the findings suggest that the use of NPIs can drastically reduce the burden of a pandemic in Canada. A deterministic model was designed and used to assess Canada's pandemic preparedness plan. The study showed that the estimates of pandemic influenza burden given in the Canada pandemic preparedness plan may be an underestimate, and that Canada needs to adopt NPIs to complement its preparedness plan.

Canada's new drug-impaired driving law: the need to consider other approaches.

PubMed

Solomon, Robert; Chamberlain, Erika

2014-01-01

The objects of this study were: To review the state of drug-impaired driving in Canada, particularly in light of the 2008 amendments to the Criminal Code, which authorized police to demand standardized field sobriety testing and drug recognition evaluations, and to consider whether alternative enforcement models would be more effective in terms of detecting and prosecuting drug-impaired drivers and thereby achieve greater deterrence. This article provides a review of survey data, roadside screening studies, and postmortem reports that indicate the prevalence of driving after drug use in Canada. It evaluates the Criminal Code's 2008 amendments and their impact on charges and convictions for drug-impaired driving. It then reviews some alternative enforcement models for drug-impaired driving that have been adopted in other jurisdictions, particularly toxicological testing, and evaluates them against Canada's social, political, and constitutional framework. Survey data, roadside screening studies, and postmortem reports indicate that driving after drug use is commonplace and is now more prevalent among young people than driving after drinking. Unfortunately, the 2008 Criminal Code amendments have not had their desired effects. The measures have proven to be costly, time-consuming, and cumbersome, and are readily susceptible to challenge in the courts. Accordingly, the charge rates for drug-impaired driving remain extremely low, and the law has had minimal deterrent effects. The review of alternative enforcement models suggests that a system of random roadside saliva screening, somewhat similar to the model used in Victoria, Australia, will be the most effective in terms of detecting and prosecuting drug-impaired drivers and most consistent with Canada's legal and constitutional system. Canada should establish per se limits for the most commonly used drugs, enforceable through a system of screening and evidentiary tests. This will be more efficient and cost-effective and will result in more reliable evidence for criminal trials. Although this system will inevitably be subject to constitutional challenge, existing case law suggests that it should be upheld as a reasonable limit on constitutional rights.

Towards an operational high-resolution air quality forecasting system at ECCC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munoz-Alpizar, Rodrigo; Stroud, Craig; Ren, Shuzhan; Belair, Stephane; Leroyer, Sylvie; Souvanlasy, Vanh; Spacek, Lubos; Pavlovic, Radenko; Davignon, Didier; Moran, Moran

2017-04-01

Urban environments are particularly sensitive to weather, air quality (AQ), and climatic conditions. Despite the efforts made in Canada to reduce pollution in urban areas, AQ continues to be a concern for the population, especially during short-term episodes that could lead to exceedances of daily air quality standards. Furthermore, urban air pollution has long been associated with significant adverse health effects. In Canada, the large percentage of the population living in urban areas ( 81%, according to the Canada's 2011 census) is exposed to elevated air pollution due to local emissions sources. Thus, in order to improve the services offered to the Canadian public, Environment and Climate Change Canada has launched an initiative to develop a high-resolution air quality prediction capacity for urban areas in Canada. This presentation will show observed pollution trends (2010-2016) for Canadian mega-cities along with some preliminary high-resolution air quality modelling results. Short-term and long-term plans for urban AQ forecasting in Canada will also be described.

Disease burden of chronic hepatitis B among immigrants in Canada.

PubMed

Wong, William W L; Woo, Gloria; Heathcote, E Jenny; Krahn, Murray

2013-03-01

The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection among immigrants to North America ranges from 2% to 15%, 40% of whom develop advanced liver disease. Screening for hepatitis B surface antigen is not recommended for immigrants. To estimate the disease burden of CHB among immigrants in Canada using Markov cohort models comparing a cohort of immigrants with CHB versus a control cohort of immigrants without CHB. Markov cohort models were used to estimate life years, quality-adjusted life years and lifetime direct medical costs (adjusted to 2008 Canadian dollars) for a cohort of immigrants with CHB living in Canada in 2006, and an age-matched control cohort of immigrants without CHB living in Canada in 2006. Parameter values were derived from the published literature. At the baseline estimate, the model suggested that the cohort of immigrants with CHB lost an average of 4.6 life years (corresponding to 1.5 quality-adjusted life years), had an increased average of $24,249 for lifetime direct medical costs, and had a higher lifetime risk for decompensated cirrhosis (12%), hepatocellular carcinoma (16%) and need for liver transplant (5%) when compared with the control cohort. Results of the present study showed that the socio-economic burden of CHB among immigrants living in Canada is substantial. Governments and health systems need to develop policies that promote early recognition of CHB and raise public awareness regarding hepatitis B to extend the lives of infected immigrants.

Disease burden of chronic hepatitis B among immigrants in Canada

PubMed Central

Wong, William WL; Woo, Gloria; Heathcote, E Jenny; Krahn, Murray

2013-01-01

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) infection among immigrants to North America ranges from 2% to 15%, 40% of whom develop advanced liver disease. Screening for hepatitis B surface antigen is not recommended for immigrants. OBJECTIVE: To estimate the disease burden of CHB among immigrants in Canada using Markov cohort models comparing a cohort of immigrants with CHB versus a control cohort of immigrants without CHB. METHODS: Markov cohort models were used to estimate life years, quality-adjusted life years and lifetime direct medical costs (adjusted to 2008 Canadian dollars) for a cohort of immigrants with CHB living in Canada in 2006, and an age-matched control cohort of immigrants without CHB living in Canada in 2006. Parameter values were derived from the published literature. RESULTS: At the baseline estimate, the model suggested that the cohort of immigrants with CHB lost an average of 4.6 life years (corresponding to 1.5 quality-adjusted life years), had an increased average of $24,249 for lifetime direct medical costs, and had a higher lifetime risk for decompensated cirrhosis (12%), hepatocellular carcinoma (16%) and need for liver transplant (5%) when compared with the control cohort. DISCUSSION: Results of the present study showed that the socio-economic burden of CHB among immigrants living in Canada is sub-stantial. Governments and health systems need to develop policies that promote early recognition of CHB and raise public awareness regarding hepatitis B to extend the lives of infected immigrants. PMID:23516678

Modelling the Fracture Behavior of a 350WT Steel

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-01

May 2014 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence, 2014 © Sa...Christopher Bayley DRDC Atlantic Dockyard Laboratory Pacific CFB Esquimalt, Building 199 PO Box 17000, Station Forces Victoria , British Columbia Canada V9A

Women and Poverty in Saskatchewan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whyte, Jayne Melville; Thompson, Loraine

A project explored female poverty in Saskatchewan, Canada, and its implications within the framework of Health Canada's Population Health Promotion Model. Data were collected through consultations with 59 women who had experienced poverty, interviews with administrators of agencies and projects that serve poor women, and a literature review.…

Precise measurement of the {sup 19}Ne half-life

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

Triambak, S.; TRIUMF, 4004 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 2A3

2011-11-30

We describe a high-precision measurement of the half-life of the T = 1/2 nucleus {sup 19}Ne, performed at TRIUMF, Canada's National Laboratory for Nuclear and Particle Physics, Vancouver, Canada. Some implications of this measurement related to tests of the Standard Model are discussed.

Immigrant employment and earnings growth in Canada and the USA: evidence from longitudinal data

PubMed Central

Kaushal, Neeraj; Lu, Yao; Denier, Nicole; Wang, Julia Shu-Huah; Trejo, Stephen J.

2016-01-01

We study the short-term trajectories of employment, hours worked, and real wages of immigrants in Canada and the U.S. using nationally representative longitudinal datasets covering 1996–2008. Models with person fixed effects show that on average immigrant men in Canada do not experience any relative growth in these three outcomes compared to men born in Canada. Immigrant men in the U.S., on the other hand, experience positive annual growth in all three domains relative to U.S. born men. This difference is largely on account of low-educated immigrant men, who experience faster or longer periods of relative growth in employment and wages in the U.S. than in Canada. We further compare longitudinal and cross-sectional trajectories and find that the latter over-estimate wage growth of earlier arrivals, presumably reflecting selective return migration. PMID:28138209

Geolinguistic Diffusion and the U.S.-Canada Border.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boberg, Charles

2000-01-01

Uses data from both sides of the U.S.-Canada border to test a model regarding the way language changes diffuse over space. Two cases are examined: the non-diffusion of phonetic features from Detroit to Windsor and the gradual infiltration into Canadian English of American foreign (a) pronunciations. (Author/VWL)

Scenario tree model for animal disease freedom framed in the OIE context using the example of a generic swine model for Aujeszky's disease in commercial swine in Canada.

PubMed

Christensen, Jette; Vallières, André

2016-01-01

"Freedom from animal disease" is an ambiguous concept that may have a different meaning in trade and science. For trade alone, there are different levels of freedom from OIE listed diseases. A country can: be recognized by OIE to be "officially free"; self-declare freedom, with no official recognition by the OIE; or report animal disease as absent (no occurrence) in six-monthly reports. In science, we apply scenario tree models to calculate the probability of a population being free from disease at a given prevalence to provide evidence of freedom from animal disease. Here, we link science with application by describing how a scenario tree model may contribute to a country's claim of freedom from animal disease. We combine the idea of a standardized presentation of scenario tree models for disease freedom and having a similar model for two different animal diseases to suggest that a simple generic model may help veterinary authorities to build and evaluate scenario tree models for disease freedom. Here, we aim to develop a generic scenario tree model for disease freedom that is: animal species specific, population specific, and has a simple structure. The specific objectives were: to explore the levels of freedom described in the OIE Terrestrial Animal Health Code; to describe how scenario tree models may contribute to a country's claim of freedom from animal disease; and to present a generic swine scenario tree model for disease freedom in Canada's domestic (commercial) swine applied to Aujeszky's disease (AD). In particular, to explore how historical survey data, and data mining may affect the probability of freedom and to explore different sampling strategies. Finally, to frame the generic scenario tree model in the context of Canada's claim of freedom from AD. We found that scenario tree models are useful to support a country's claim of freedom either as "recognized officially free" or as part of a self-declaration but the models should not stand alone in a claim. The generic AD scenario tree model demonstrated the benefit of combining three sources of surveillance data and helped to design the surveillance for the next year. The generic AD scenario model is one piece in Canada's self-declaration of freedom from AD. The model is strongly supported by the fact that AD has never been detected in Canada. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of Wildfires on Mercury Contamination in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dastoor, A.; Fraser, A.; Ryjkov, A.

2017-12-01

Wildfires frequency has increased in past four decades in Canada, and is expected to increase in future as a result of climate change. Biomass Burning Mercury Emissions (BBMEs) are known to be significant; however, the impact of biomass burning on Mercury (Hg) burden in Canada has not been previously quantified. We investigated the spatio-temporal variability of BBME in Canada, and used Environment and Climate Change Canada's air quality and mercury model, GEM-MACH-Hg, to quantify the impacts of BBME on spatio-temporal variability of air concentrations and deposition fluxes of Hg in Canada. We optimized the biomass burning Emission Factors (EFs) for gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) using observations, GEM-MACH-Hg and an inversion technique for five vegetation types represented in North American fires to constrain the BBME impacts of Hg. We used three BBME scenarios (i.e., two scenarios where mercury is emitted only as GEM using literature or optimized EFs, and a third scenario where mercury is emitted as GEM using literature EFs and particle bound mercury (PBM) emitted using a GEM/PBM ratio from lab measurements) in Canada to conduct three sets of model simulations for 2010-2015. The three BBME scenarios represent the range of possible values for the impacts of BBME in Canada on mercury concentration and deposition. We found total BBME and its spatial distribution to be highly variable from year to year, and total atmospheric BBME averaged for 2010-2015 in Canada to be between 6 - 14 tonnes, which is 3 - 7 times the mercury emission from anthropogenic sources in Canada during the biomass burning season (i.e., from May to September). We found that while BBME have a small impact on surface air concentrations of GEM and total Hg deposition averaged over individual provinces/territories, these impacts for individual ecosystems can be as high as 95% during the burning season. We found that northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, central British Columbia, and the area around Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories are at greater risk of mercury contamination from biomass burning. We analysed the uncertainties in BBME, and found that reducing uncertainty in the speciation of Hg in BBME would provide the largest benefit to constraining the mercury contamination from biomass burning source to Canadian ecosystems.

Optimal Alignment of Search and Rescue Response Posture with Historical Incident Occurrence

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

and Development Canada Scientific Report DRDC-RDDC-2014-R12 April 2014 © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of...National Defence, 2014 © Sa Majesté la Reine en droit du Canada, telle que représentée par le ministre de la Défense nationale, 2014 Abstract The ...hour response posture (RP2hrs) for remaining hours. This report details the data, modelling and analysis for optimizing CAF SAR RP30 hours. Based on

Computer use in primary care practices in Canada.

PubMed

Anisimowicz, Yvonne; Bowes, Andrea E; Thompson, Ashley E; Miedema, Baukje; Hogg, William E; Wong, Sabrina T; Katz, Alan; Burge, Fred; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Yelland, Gregory S; Wodchis, Walter P

2017-05-01

To examine the use of computers in primary care practices. The international Quality and Cost of Primary Care study was conducted in Canada in 2013 and 2014 using a descriptive cross-sectional survey method to collect data from practices across Canada. Participating practices filled out several surveys, one of them being the Family Physician Survey, from which this study collected its data. All 10 Canadian provinces. A total of 788 family physicians. A computer use scale measured the extent to which family physicians integrated computers into their practices, with higher scores indicating a greater integration of computer use in practice. Analyses included t tests and 2 tests comparing new and traditional models of primary care on measures of computer use and electronic health record (EHR) use, as well as descriptive statistics. Nearly all (97.5%) physicians reported using a computer in their practices, with moderately high computer use scale scores (mean [SD] score of 5.97 [2.96] out of 9), and many (65.7%) reported using EHRs. Physicians with practices operating under new models of primary care reported incorporating computers into their practices to a greater extent (mean [SD] score of 6.55 [2.64]) than physicians operating under traditional models did (mean [SD] score of 5.33 [3.15]; t 726.60 = 5.84; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.42, 95% CI 0.808 to 1.627) and were more likely to report using EHRs (73.8% vs 56.7%; [Formula: see text]; P < .001; odds ratio = 2.15). Overall, there was a statistically significant variability in computer use across provinces. Most family physicians in Canada have incorporated computers into their practices for administrative and scholarly activities; however, EHRs have not been adopted consistently across the country. Physicians with practices operating under the new, more collaborative models of primary care use computers more comprehensively and are more likely to use EHRs than those in practices operating under traditional models of primary care. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

On the Characteristics of Higher Education in Canada and Its Inspiration

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Qingyun

2009-01-01

Higher education in Canada has rich features: the unique system of educational administration and policy; the distinct features of university management model; dynamic international education; and flexible and diverse in the school system and the financing system. Drawn from the four aspects, it could be used for reference in China's higher…

Research Mediation in Education: A Typology of Research Brokering Organizations that Exist across Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Amanda Mae

2013-01-01

This paper explores the increasingly prominent role of research brokering organizations (RBOs) in strengthening connections between education research, policy and practice across Canada. This paper is organized in three sections. First, it provides a literature review of research mediation--exploring terminology, models and empirical work (albeit…

Establishment of Canada's National Forest Inventory: Approach and Issues

Treesearch

A. Y. Omule; Mark D. Gillis

2005-01-01

This paper describes Canada's National Forest Inventory (NFI) sampling design and implementation. It also describes issues related to annualizing the NFI using the approach of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Enhanced Forest Inventory and Analysis program as a model. It concludes with an outline of plans to address the inventory annualization...

Coloring the white plague: a syndemic approach to immigrant tuberculosis in Canada.

PubMed

Reitmanova, Sylvia; Gustafson, Diana L

2012-01-01

In this article, we adopt a syndemic approach to immigrant tuberculosis (TB) in Canada as a way of challenging contemporary epidemiological models of infectious diseases that tend to racialize and medicalize the risk of infections in socio-economically disadvantage populations and obscure the role of social conditions in sustaining the unequal distribution of diseases in these populations. A syndemic approach unravels social and biological connections which shape the distribution of infections over space and time and is useful in de-racializing and de-medicalizing these epidemiologic models. The socio-historic framework allows us to examine social factors which, refracted through medical science, were central to the development of TB control in Canada at the beginning of twentieth century. We expose the ideological assumptions about race, immigration, and social status which underpin current policies designed to control TB within the immigrant population. We argue that TB control policies which divert the attention from structural health determinants perpetuate health and social inequities of racialized populations in Canada. Medical screening and surveillance is an ineffective control policy because the proportion of TB cases attributed to immigrants increased from 18 to 66% between 1970 and 2007. More effective TB control policies require shifting the focus from the individual disease carriers toward social inequities which underlie the problem of immigrant TB in Canada. In addition, de-racialization and de-medicalization of the contemporary epidemiological models of infectious diseases entail an in-depth exploration of how the categories of ethnicity, culture, and immigration status are played out in everyday health-related experiences of racialized groups.

Avoidable cost of alcohol abuse in Canada.

PubMed

Rehm, Jürgen; Patra, Jayadeep; Gnam, William H; Sarnocinska-Hart, Anna; Popova, Svetlana

2011-01-01

To estimate avoidable burden and avoidable costs of alcohol abuse in Canada for the year 2002. A policy effectiveness approach was used. The impact of six effective and cost-effective alcohol policy interventions aimed to reduce alcohol consumption was modeled. In addition, the effect of privatized alcohol sales that would increase alcohol consumption and alcohol-attributable costs was also modeled. The effects of these interventions were compared with the baseline (aggregate) costs obtained from the second Canadian Study of Social Costs Attributable to Substance Abuse. It was estimated that by implementing six cost-effective policies from about 900 million to two billion Canadian dollars per year could be saved in Canada. The greatest savings due to the implementation of these interventions would be achieved in the lowering of productivity losses, followed by health care, and criminality. Substantial increases in burden and cost would occur if Canadian provinces were to privatize alcohol sales. The implementation of proven effective population-based interventions would reduce alcohol-attributable burden and its costs in Canada to a considerable degree. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Evaluation of ensemble precipitation forecasts generated through post-processing in a Canadian catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jha, Sanjeev K.; Shrestha, Durga L.; Stadnyk, Tricia A.; Coulibaly, Paulin

2018-03-01

Flooding in Canada is often caused by heavy rainfall during the snowmelt period. Hydrologic forecast centers rely on precipitation forecasts obtained from numerical weather prediction (NWP) models to enforce hydrological models for streamflow forecasting. The uncertainties in raw quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) are enhanced by physiography and orography effects over a diverse landscape, particularly in the western catchments of Canada. A Bayesian post-processing approach called rainfall post-processing (RPP), developed in Australia (Robertson et al., 2013; Shrestha et al., 2015), has been applied to assess its forecast performance in a Canadian catchment. Raw QPFs obtained from two sources, Global Ensemble Forecasting System (GEFS) Reforecast 2 project, from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction, and Global Deterministic Forecast System (GDPS), from Environment and Climate Change Canada, are used in this study. The study period from January 2013 to December 2015 covered a major flood event in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Post-processed results show that the RPP is able to remove the bias and reduce the errors of both GEFS and GDPS forecasts. Ensembles generated from the RPP reliably quantify the forecast uncertainty.

Risk of natural disturbances makes future contribution of Canada's forests to the global carbon cycle highly uncertain.

PubMed

Kurz, Werner A; Stinson, Graham; Rampley, Gregory J; Dymond, Caren C; Neilson, Eric T

2008-02-05

A large carbon sink in northern land surfaces inferred from global carbon cycle inversion models led to concerns during Kyoto Protocol negotiations that countries might be able to avoid efforts to reduce fossil fuel emissions by claiming large sinks in their managed forests. The greenhouse gas balance of Canada's managed forest is strongly affected by naturally occurring fire with high interannual variability in the area burned and by cyclical insect outbreaks. Taking these stochastic future disturbances into account, we used the Carbon Budget Model of the Canadian Forest Sector (CBM-CFS3) to project that the managed forests of Canada could be a source of between 30 and 245 Mt CO(2)e yr(-1) during the first Kyoto Protocol commitment period (2008-2012). The recent transition from sink to source is the result of large insect outbreaks. The wide range in the predicted greenhouse gas balance (215 Mt CO(2)e yr(-1)) is equivalent to nearly 30% of Canada's emissions in 2005. The increasing impact of natural disturbances, the two major insect outbreaks, and the Kyoto Protocol accounting rules all contributed to Canada's decision not to elect forest management. In Canada, future efforts to influence the carbon balance through forest management could be overwhelmed by natural disturbances. Similar circumstances may arise elsewhere if global change increases natural disturbance rates. Future climate mitigation agreements that do not account for and protect against the impacts of natural disturbances, for example, by accounting for forest management benefits relative to baselines, will fail to encourage changes in forest management aimed at mitigating climate change.

Fire-Resistant Reinforcement Makes Steel Structures Sturdier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

Built and designed by Avco Corporation, the Apollo heat shield was coated with an ablative material whose purpose was to burn and, thus, dissipate energy. The material charred to form a protective coating which blocked heat penetration beyond the outer surface. Avco Corporation subsequently entered into a contract with Ames Research Center to develop spinoff applications of the heat shield in the arena of fire protection, specifically for the development of fire-retardant paints and foams for aircraft. This experience led to the production of Chartek 59, manufactured by Avco Specialty Materials (a subsidiary of Avco Corporation eventually acquired by Textron, Inc.) and marketed as the world s first intumescent epoxy material. As an intumescent coating, Chartek 59 expanded in volume when exposed to heat or flames and acted as an insulating barrier. It also retained its space-age ablative properties and dissipated heat through burn-off. Further applications were discovered, and the fireproofing formulation found its way into oil refineries, chemical plants, and other industrial facilities working with highly flammable products.

Effect of advanced component technology on helicopter transmissions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewicki, David G.; Townsend, Dennis P.

1989-01-01

Experimental tests were performed on the NASA/Bell Helicopter Textron (BHT) 500 hp advanced technology transmission (ATT) at the NASA Lewis Research Center. The ATT was a retrofit of the OH-58C helicopter 236 kW (317 hp) main rotor transmission, upgraded to 373 kW (500 hp), with a design goal of retaining long life with a minimum increase in cost, weight, and size. Vibration, strain, efficiency, deflection, and temperature experiments were performed and the results were compared to previous experiments on the OH-58A, OH-58C, and UH-60A transmissions. The high-contact-ratio gears and the cantilevered-mounted, flexible ring gear of the ATT reduced vibration compared to that of the OH-58C. The ATT flexible ring gear improved planetary load sharing compared to that of the rigid ring gear of the UH-60A transmission. The ATT mechanical efficiency was lower than that of the OH-58A transmission, probably due to the high-contact-ratio planetary gears.

An Estimate of Avian Mortality at Communication Towers in the United States and Canada

PubMed Central

Longcore, Travis; Rich, Catherine; Mineau, Pierre; MacDonald, Beau; Bert, Daniel G.; Sullivan, Lauren M.; Mutrie, Erin; Gauthreaux, Sidney A.; Avery, Michael L.; Crawford, Robert L.; Manville, Albert M.; Travis, Emilie R.; Drake, David

2012-01-01

Avian mortality at communication towers in the continental United States and Canada is an issue of pressing conservation concern. Previous estimates of this mortality have been based on limited data and have not included Canada. We compiled a database of communication towers in the continental United States and Canada and estimated avian mortality by tower with a regression relating avian mortality to tower height. This equation was derived from 38 tower studies for which mortality data were available and corrected for sampling effort, search efficiency, and scavenging where appropriate. Although most studies document mortality at guyed towers with steady-burning lights, we accounted for lower mortality at towers without guy wires or steady-burning lights by adjusting estimates based on published studies. The resulting estimate of mortality at towers is 6.8 million birds per year in the United States and Canada. Bootstrapped subsampling indicated that the regression was robust to the choice of studies included and a comparison of multiple regression models showed that incorporating sampling, scavenging, and search efficiency adjustments improved model fit. Estimating total avian mortality is only a first step in developing an assessment of the biological significance of mortality at communication towers for individual species or groups of species. Nevertheless, our estimate can be used to evaluate this source of mortality, develop subsequent per-species mortality estimates, and motivate policy action. PMID:22558082

An estimate of avian mortality at communication towers in the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Longcore, Travis; Rich, Catherine; Mineau, Pierre; MacDonald, Beau; Bert, Daniel G; Sullivan, Lauren M; Mutrie, Erin; Gauthreaux, Sidney A; Avery, Michael L; Crawford, Robert L; Manville, Albert M; Travis, Emilie R; Drake, David

2012-01-01

Avian mortality at communication towers in the continental United States and Canada is an issue of pressing conservation concern. Previous estimates of this mortality have been based on limited data and have not included Canada. We compiled a database of communication towers in the continental United States and Canada and estimated avian mortality by tower with a regression relating avian mortality to tower height. This equation was derived from 38 tower studies for which mortality data were available and corrected for sampling effort, search efficiency, and scavenging where appropriate. Although most studies document mortality at guyed towers with steady-burning lights, we accounted for lower mortality at towers without guy wires or steady-burning lights by adjusting estimates based on published studies. The resulting estimate of mortality at towers is 6.8 million birds per year in the United States and Canada. Bootstrapped subsampling indicated that the regression was robust to the choice of studies included and a comparison of multiple regression models showed that incorporating sampling, scavenging, and search efficiency adjustments improved model fit. Estimating total avian mortality is only a first step in developing an assessment of the biological significance of mortality at communication towers for individual species or groups of species. Nevertheless, our estimate can be used to evaluate this source of mortality, develop subsequent per-species mortality estimates, and motivate policy action.

Alignment of Canadian Primary Care With the Patient Medical Home Model: A QUALICO-PC Study

PubMed Central

Katz, Alan; Herpai, Nicole; Smith, Glenys; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Breton, Mylaine; Boivin, Antoine; Hogg, William; Miedema, Baukje; Pang, Jocelyn; Wodchis, Walter P.; Wong, Sabrina T.

2017-01-01

PURPOSE The patient medical home (PMH) model aims to improve patient satisfaction and health outcomes in Canada, but since its introduction in 2009, there has been no evaluation of the extent to which primary care conforms with PMH attributes. Our objective was to compare current primary care across Canada with the 10 goals of the PMH model. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of primary care organization and delivery was conducted in Canadian provinces to evaluate the PMH-based attributes of primary care practices. Family physician and patient responses were mapped to the 10 goals of the PMH model. We used regression models to describe the provinces’ success in meeting the goals, taking specific practice characteristics into account. We created a PMH composite score by weighting each goal equally for each practice and aggregating these by province. The PMH score is the sum of the values for each goal, which were scored from 0 to 1; a score of 10 indicates that all 10 goals of the PMH model were achieved. RESULTS Seven hundred seventy-two primary care practices and 7,172 patients participated in the survey. The average national PMH score was 5.36 (range 4.75–6.23) of 10. Ontario was the only province to score significantly higher than Canada as a whole, whereas Québec, Newfoundland/Labrador, and New Brunswick/Prince Edward Island scored below the national average. There was little variation, however, among provinces in achieving the 10 PMH goals. CONCLUSIONS Provincial PMH scores indicate considerable room for improvement if the PMH goals are to be fully implemented in Canada. PMID:28483888

An assessment of global climate model-simulated climate for the western cordillera of Canada (1961-90)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonsal, Barrie R.; Prowse, Terry D.; Pietroniro, Alain

2003-12-01

Climate change is projected to significantly affect future hydrologic processes over many regions of the world. This is of particular importance for alpine systems that provide critical water supplies to lower-elevation regions. The western cordillera of Canada is a prime example where changes to temperature and precipitation could have profound hydro-climatic impacts not only for the cordillera itself, but also for downstream river systems and the drought-prone Canadian Prairies. At present, impact researchers primarily rely on global climate models (GCMs) for future climate projections. The main objective of this study is to assess several GCMs in their ability to simulate the magnitude and spatial variability of current (1961-90) temperature and precipitation over the western cordillera of Canada. In addition, several gridded data sets of observed climate for the study region are evaluated.Results reveal a close correspondence among the four gridded data sets of observed climate, particularly for temperature. There is, however, considerable variability regarding the various GCM simulations of this observed climate. The British, Canadian, German, Australian, and US GFDL models are superior at simulating the magnitude and spatial variability of mean temperature. The Japanese GCM is of intermediate ability, and the US NCAR model is least representative of temperature in this region. Nearly all the models substantially overestimate the magnitude of total precipitation, both annually and on a seasonal basis. An exception involves the British (Hadley) model, which best represents the observed magnitude and spatial variability of precipitation. This study improves our understanding regarding the accuracy of GCM climate simulations over the western cordillera of Canada. The findings may assist in producing more reliable future scenarios of hydro-climatic conditions over various regions of the country. Copyright

Review of seasonal influenza in Canada: Burden of disease and the cost-effectiveness of quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccines

PubMed Central

Thommes, Edward W.; Kruse, Morgan; Kohli, Michele; Sharma, Rohita; Noorduyn, Stephen G.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT In the 2015/16 influenza season, the Canadian National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) recommended vaccination with quadrivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (QIV) for infants aged 6–23 months and trivalent inactivated influenza vaccines (TIVs) or QIVs in adults. The objective of this review (GSK study identifier: HO-13-14054) is to examine the epidemiology and disease burden of influenza in Canada and the economic benefits of vaccination. To inform this review, we performed a systematic literature search of relevant Canadian literature and National surveillance data. Influenza B viruses from phylogenetically-distinct lineages (B/Yamagata and B/Victoria) co-circulate in Canada, and are an important cause of influenza complications. Modeling studies, including those postdating the search suggest that switching from TIV to QIV in Canada reduces the burden of influenza and would likely be cost-effective. However, more robust real-world outcomes data is required to inform health policy decision makers on appropriate influenza vaccination strategies for Canada. PMID:27858509

Mapping the Past, Present, and Future of Teaching Leadership Chairs in Canada: A Report

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andrews, David M.; Bornais, Judy A. K.; Cramer, Ken M.

2016-01-01

We explore the advent and initiatives of teaching leadership chairs--modeled after the Canada Research Chair framework--to instill individuals or small groups of teaching leaders at various centres across the country to stimulate educational change. In its past, present, and future, we explore the grassroots of teaching leadership chairs and their…

Researching a Best-Practice End-of-Life Care Model for Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Donna M.; Birch, Stephen; Sheps, Sam; Thomas, Roger; Justice, Christopher; MacLeod, Rod

2008-01-01

The vast majority of the 220,000 Canadians who die each year, principally of old age and progressive ill health, do not have access to specialized hospice or palliative care. Hospice and palliative care programs are unevenly distributed across Canada, with existing programs limited in capacity and services varying considerably across programs.…

The 1980 US/Canada wheat and barley exploratory experiment. Volume 2: Addenda

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bizzell, R. M.; Prior, H. L.; Payne, R. W.; Disler, J. M.

1983-01-01

Three study areas supporting the U.S./Canada Wheat and Barley Exploratory Experiment are discussed including an evaluation of the experiment shakedown test analyst labeling results, an evaluation of the crop proportion estimate procedure 1A component, and the evaluation of spring wheat and barley crop calendar models for the 1979 crop year.

Responsiveness and Renewal in Canada's Community Colleges: A Study of Change in Organizations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levin, John S.; Dennison, John D.

In 1988, a study was conducted to determine whether and to what extent the principles of opportunity, accessibility, adaptability, and comprehensiveness upon which Canada's community colleges were established have survived into the 1980's. The theoretical model underpinning the study was based on a three-dimensional matrix in which theories of…

Population Health in Canada: A Brief Critique

PubMed Central

Coburn, David; Denny, Keith; Mykhalovskiy, Eric; McDonough, Peggy; Robertson, Ann; Love, Rhonda

2003-01-01

An internationally influential model of population health was developed in Canada in the 1990s, shifting the research agenda beyond health care to the social and economic determinants of health. While agreeing that health has important social determinants, the authors believe that this model has serious shortcomings; they critique the model by focusing on its hidden assumptions. Assumptions about how knowledge is produced and an implicit interest group perspective exclude the sociopolitical and class contexts that shape interest group power and citizen health. Overly rationalist assumptions about change understate the role of agency. The authors review the policy and practice implications of the Canadian population health model and point to alternative ways of viewing the determinants of health. PMID:12604479

Validation of bonded composite doubler technology through application oriented structural testing

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

Roach, D.; Graf, D.

1996-08-01

One of the major thrusts established under the FAA`s National Aging Aircraft Research Program is to foster new technologies associated with civil aircraft maintenance. Recent DOD and other government developments in the use of bonded composite patches on metal structures has supported the need for research and validation of such doubler applications on U.S. certificated airplanes. Composite patching is a rapidly maturing technology which shows promise of cost savings on aging aircraft. Sandia Labs is conducting a proof-of-concept project with Delta Air Lines, Lockheed Martin, Textron, and the FAA which seeks to remove any remaining obstacles to the approved usemore » of composite doublers. By focusing on a specific commercial aircraft application - reinforcement of the L-1011 door frame - and encompassing all {open_quotes}cradle-to-grave{close_quotes} tasks such as design, analysis, installation, and inspection, this program is designed to prove the capabilities of composite doublers. This paper reports on a series of structural tests which have been conducted on coupons and subsize test articles. Tension-tension fatigue and residual strength tests attempted to grow engineered flaws in coupons with composite doublers bonded to aluminum skin. Also, structures which modeled key aspects of the door corner installation were subjected to extreme tension, shear, and bending loads. In this manner it was possible to study strain fields in and around the Lockheed-designed composite doubler using realistic aircraft load scenarios and to assess the potential for interply delaminations and disbonds between the aluminum and the laminate. The data acquired was also used to validate finite element models (FEM) and associated Damage Tolerance Analyses.« less

Survival Comparison of Patients With Cystic Fibrosis in Canada and the United States: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

PubMed

Stephenson, Anne L; Sykes, Jenna; Stanojevic, Sanja; Quon, Bradley S; Marshall, Bruce C; Petren, Kristofer; Ostrenga, Josh; Fink, Aliza K; Elbert, Alexander; Goss, Christopher H

2017-04-18

In 2011, the median age of survival of patients with cystic fibrosis reported in the United States was 36.8 years, compared with 48.5 years in Canada. Direct comparison of survival estimates between national registries is challenging because of inherent differences in methodologies used, data processing techniques, and ascertainment bias. To use a standardized approach to calculate cystic fibrosis survival estimates and to explore differences between Canada and the United States. Population-based study. 42 Canadian cystic fibrosis clinics and 110 U.S. cystic fibrosis care centers. Patients followed in the Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Registry (CCFR) and U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry (CFFPR) between 1990 and 2013. Cox proportional hazards models were used to compare survival between patients followed in the CCFR (n = 5941) and those in the CFFPR (n = 45 448). Multivariable models were used to adjust for factors known to be associated with survival. Median age of survival in patients with cystic fibrosis increased in both countries between 1990 and 2013; however, in 1995 and 2005, survival in Canada increased at a faster rate than in the United States (P < 0.001). On the basis of contemporary data from 2009 to 2013, the median age of survival in Canada was 10 years greater than in the United States (50.9 vs. 40.6 years, respectively). The adjusted risk for death was 34% lower in Canada than the United States (hazard ratio, 0.66 [95% CI, 0.54 to 0.81]). A greater proportion of patients in Canada received transplants (10.3% vs. 6.5%, respectively [standardized difference, 13.7]). Differences in survival between U.S. and Canadian patients varied according to U.S. patients' insurance status. Ascertainment bias due to missing data or nonrandom loss to follow-up might affect the results. Differences in cystic fibrosis survival between Canada and the United States persisted after adjustment for risk factors associated with survival, except for private-insurance status among U.S. patients. Differential access to transplantation, increased posttransplant survival, and differences in health care systems may, in part, explain the Canadian survival advantage. U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Implications of Climate Change for Glaciated Watersheds in western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schnorbus, M.; Menounos, B.; Schoeneberg (Werner), A. T.; Anslow, F. S.; Jost, G.; Moore, R. D.

2017-12-01

The cryosphere is particularly vulnerable to changes in climate. For many catchments, glaciers provide water to streams, especially during summer and early autumn when seasonal snow packs have been depleted. Increased concentrations of greenhouse gasses will promote further warming in the decades ahead leading to strong mass loss and a continuation of the rapid retreat of alpine glaciers. Understanding how the contribution of glacier runoff may change in future has important implications for a variety of water resources issues ranging from the impacts of higher water temperatures and lower summer flows on aquatic habitat to the effects of seasonal changes in runoff on hydropower generation. Consequently, there is a need to increase understanding of the influence of glacier storage changes on runoff and streamflow in mountainous watersheds. We developed a modeling system that explicitly simulates ice dynamics, glacier mass balance and runoff. The modelling system employs an upgraded version of the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrology model (which now includes glacier mass balance) coupled to a glacier dynamics model (UBC Regional Glaciation Model) that will be used to assess potential future hydrologic changes in glaciated drainages throughout western Canada. Our presentation will focus on the application of this new model to simulate climate change effects on inflows for several hydropower reservoirs located in heavily glaciated basins in British Columbia, Canada.

In search of a common currency: A comparison of seven EQ-5D-5L value sets.

PubMed

Olsen, Jan Abel; Lamu, Admassu N; Cairns, John

2018-01-01

The recently published EQ-5D-5L value sets from Canada, England, Japan, Korea, the Netherlands, Spain, and Uruguay are compared with an aim to identify any similarities in preference pattern. We identify some striking similarities for Canada, England, the Netherlands, and Spain in terms of (a) the relative importance of the 5 dimensions; (b) the relative utility decrements across the 5 levels; and (c) the scale length. On the basis of the observed similarities across these 4 Western countries, we develop an amalgam model, WePP (western preference pattern), and compare it with these 4 value sets. The values generated by this model show a high degree of concordance with those of England, Canada, and Spain. Patient level data were obtained from the Multi-Instrument Comparison project, which includes participants from 6 countries in 7 disease groups (N = 7,933): The WePP values lie within the confidence intervals for the value sets in Canada, England, and Spain across the whole severity distribution. We suggest that the WePP model represents a useful "common currency" for (Western) countries that have not yet developed their own value sets. Further research is needed to disentangle the differences between value sets due to preference heterogeneity from those stemming from methodological differences. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Comparison of black-white disparities in preterm birth between Canada and the United States.

PubMed

McKinnon, Britt; Yang, Seungmi; Kramer, Michael S; Bushnik, Tracey; Sheppard, Amanda J; Kaufman, Jay S

2016-01-05

A higher risk of preterm birth among black women than among white women is well established in the United States. We compared differences in preterm birth between non-Hispanic black and white women in Canada and the US, hypothesizing that disparities would be less extreme in Canada given the different historical experiences of black populations and Canada's universal health care system. Using data on singleton live births in Canada and the US for 2004-2006, we estimated crude and adjusted risk ratios and risk differences in preterm birth (< 37 wk) and very preterm birth (< 32 wk) among non-Hispanic black versus non-Hispanic white women in each country. Adjusted models for the US were standardized to the covariate distribution of the Canadian cohort. In Canada, 8.9% and 5.9% of infants born to black and white mothers, respectively, were preterm; the corresponding figures in the US were 12.7% and 8.0%. Crude risk ratios for preterm birth among black women relative to white women were 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32 to 1.66) in Canada and 1.57 (95% CI 1.56 to 1.58) in the US (p value for heterogeneity [pH] = 0.3). The crude risk differences for preterm birth were 2.94 (95% CI 1.91 to 3.96) in Canada and 4.63 (95% CI 4.56 to 4.70) in the US (pH = 0.003). Adjusted risk ratios for preterm birth (pH = 0.1) were slightly higher in Canada than in the US, whereas adjusted risk differences were similar in both countries. Similar patterns were observed for racial disparities in very preterm birth. Relative disparities in preterm birth and very preterm birth between non-Hispanic black and white women were similar in magnitude in Canada and the US. Absolute disparities were smaller in Canada, which reflects a lower overall risk of preterm birth in Canada than in the US in both black and white populations. © 2016 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

The Stem Cell Club: a model for unrelated stem cell donor recruitment.

PubMed

Fingrut, Warren; Parmar, Simran; Cuperfain, Ari; Rikhraj, Kiran; Charman, Erin; Ptak, Emilie; Kahlon, Manjot; Graham, Alice; Luong, Susan; Wang, Yongjun George; Yu, Janice; Arora, Neha; Suppiah, Roopa; Li, Edward W; Lee, Anna; Welsh, Christopher; Benzaquen, Menachem; Thatcher, Alicia; Baharmand, Iman; Ladd, Aedan; Petraszko, Tanya; Allan, David; Messner, Hans

2017-12-01

Patients with blood, immune, or metabolic diseases may require a stem cell transplant as part of their treatment. However, 70% of patients do not have a suitable human leukocyte antigen match in their family, and need an unrelated donor. Individuals can register as potential donors at stem cell drives, where they provide consent and a tissue sample for human leukocyte antigen typing. The ideal donors are young, male, and from a diversity of ethnic backgrounds. However, in Canada, non-Caucasian males ages 17 to 35 years represent only 8.8% of listed donors. The Stem Cell Club is a non-profit organization founded in 2011 in Canada that aims to augment recruitment of the most needed donors. The initiative published a recruitment toolkit online (www.stemcellclub.ca). Currently, there are 12 chapters at universities across Canada. To date, the Stem Cell Club has recruited 6585 potential registrants, representing 1.63% of donors on Canada's donor-database. Of the recruited registrants, 58.3% were male; 60.3% of males self-reported as non-Caucasian, and 78.5% were ages 17 to 25 years. From 2015 to 2016, the initiative recruited 13.7% of all ethnically diverse males ages 17 to 35 years listed in Canada's donor database. Data from this initiative demonstrate sustainability and performance on key indicators of stem cell drive quality. The Stem Cell Club has developed a capacity to recruit 2600 donors annually, with the majority being males with a high degree of ethnic diversity. The initiative enhances the quality of Canada's unrelated donor-database, improving the chances that patients in need of an unrelated donor will find a match for transplant. The Stem Cell Club is a model relevant to recruitment organizations around the world. © 2017 AABB.

Estimated effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada.

PubMed

Morgan, Steven G; Li, Winny; Yau, Brandon; Persaud, Nav

2017-02-27

Canada's universal health care system does not include universal coverage of prescription drugs. We sought to estimate the effects of adding universal public coverage of an essential medicines list to existing public drug plans in Canada. We used administrative and market research data to estimate the 2015 shares of the volume and cost of prescriptions filled in the community setting that were for 117 drugs on a model list of essential medicines for Canada. We compared prices of these essential medicines in Canada with prices in the United States, Sweden and New Zealand. We estimated the cost of adding universal public drug coverage of these essential medicines based on anticipated effects on medication use and pricing. The 117 essential medicines on the model list accounted for 44% of all prescriptions and 30% of total prescription drug expenditures in 2015. Average prices of generic essential medicines were 47% lower in the US, 60% lower in Sweden and 84% lower in New Zealand; brand-name drugs were priced 43% lower in the US. Estimated savings from universal public coverage of these essential medicines was $4.27 billion per year (range $2.72 billion to $5.83 billion; 28% reduction) for patients and private drug plan sponsors, at an incremental government cost of $1.23 billion per year (range $373 million to $1.98 billion; 11% reduction). Our analysis showed that adding universal public coverage of essential medicines to the existing public drug plans in Canada could address most of Canadians' pharmaceutical needs and save billions of dollars annually. Doing so may be a pragmatic step forward while more comprehensive pharmacare reforms are planned. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Evaporation loss and evaporation/transpiration partitioning from isotope-based monitoring of Canada's provincial and national river networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, J. J.; Birks, S. J.; Stadnyk, T.; Delavau, C. J.

2017-12-01

Stable isotopes of water have been measured since the 1990's as part of hydrometric monitoring programs within Canada's Water Survey of Canada gauging network and Alberta's Long-Term River Network. These datasets are being applied for hydrograph separation of streamflow sources, including rain, snow, groundwater, and surface water, as well as for estimation of watershed evaporation losses and evaporation/transpiration partitioning. Here we describe an innovative isotope mass balance approach, discuss benefits and limitations of the method, and present selected results that illustrate important regional trends in the contemporary hydrology of Canada. Overall, isotopes are shown to be useful for constraining water balance variations across regions with low monitoring density. Recommendations for future activities are identified, including regional comparisons with outputs from isotope-capable distributed hydrologic models.

How important is biomass burning in Canada to mercury contamination?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fraser, Annemarie; Dastoor, Ashu; Ryjkov, Andrei

2018-05-01

Wildfire frequency has increased in past four decades in Canada and is expected to increase in future as a result of climate change (Wotton et al., 2010). Mercury (Hg) emissions from biomass burning are known to be significant; however, the impact of biomass burning on air concentration and deposition fluxes in Canada has not been previously quantified. We use estimates of burned biomass from FINN (Fire INventory from NCAR) and vegetation-specific emission factors (EFs) of mercury to investigate the spatiotemporal variability of Hg emissions in Canada. We use Environment and Climate Change Canada's GEM-MACH-Hg (Global Environmental Multi-scale, Modelling Air quality and Chemistry model, mercury version) to quantify the impact of biomass burning in Canada on spatiotemporal variability of air concentrations and deposition fluxes of mercury in Canada. We use North American gaseous elemental mercury (GEM) observations (2010-2015), GEM-MACH-Hg, and an inversion technique to optimize the EFs for GEM for five vegetation types represented in North American fires to constrain the biomass burning impacts of mercury. The inversion results suggest that EFs representing more vegetation types - specifically peatland - are required. This is currently limited by the sparseness of measurements of Hg from biomass burning plumes. More measurements of Hg concentration in the air, specifically downwind of fires, would improve the inversions. We use three biomass burning Hg emissions scenarios in Canada to conduct three sets of model simulations for 2010-2015: two scenarios where Hg is emitted only as GEM using literature or optimized EFs and a third scenario where Hg is emitted as GEM using literature EFs and particle bound mercury (PBM) emitted using the average GEM/PBM ratio from lab measurements. The three biomass burning emission scenarios represent a range of possible values for the impacts of Hg emissions from biomass burning in Canada on Hg concentration and deposition. We find total biomass burning Hg emissions to be highly variable from year to year and estimate average 2010-2015 total atmospheric biomass burning emissions of Hg in Canada to be between 6 and 14 t during the biomass burning season (i.e. from May to September), which is 3-7 times the mercury emission from anthropogenic sources in Canada for this period. On average, 65 % of the emissions occur in the provinces west of Ontario. We find that while emissions from biomass burning have a small impact on surface air concentrations of GEM averaged over individual provinces/territories, the impact at individual sites can be as high as 95 % during burning events. We estimate average annual mercury deposition from biomass burning in Canada to be between 0.3 and 2.8 t, compared to 0.14 t of mercury deposition from anthropogenic sources during the biomass burning season in Canada. Compared to the biomass burning emissions, the relative impact of fires on mercury deposition is shifted eastward, with on average 54 % percent of the deposition occurring in provinces west of Ontario. While the relative contribution of Canadian biomass burning to the total mercury deposition over each province/territory is no more than 9 % between 2010 and 2015, the local contribution in some locations (including areas downwind of biomass burning) can be as high as 80 % (e.g. northwest of Great Slave Lake in 2014) from May to September. We find that northern Alberta and Saskatchewan, central British Columbia, and the area around Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories are at greater risk of mercury contamination from biomass burning. GEM is considered to be the dominant mercury species emitted from biomass burning; however, there remains an uncertainty in the speciation of mercury released from biomass burning. We find that the impact of biomass burning emissions on mercury deposition is significantly affected by the uncertainty in speciation of emitted mercury because PBM is more readily deposited closer to the emission sources than GEM; an addition of ˜ 18 % percent of mercury emission from biomass burning in the form of PBM in the model increases the 6-year average deposition by ˜ 4 times.

The ecology of avian influenza viruses in wild dabbling ducks (Anas spp.) in Canada.

PubMed

Papp, Zsuzsanna; Clark, Robert G; Parmley, E Jane; Leighton, Frederick A; Waldner, Cheryl; Soos, Catherine

2017-01-01

Avian influenza virus (AIV) occurrence and transmission remain important wildlife and human health issues in much of the world, including in North America. Through Canada's Inter-Agency Wild Bird Influenza Survey, close to 20,000 apparently healthy, wild dabbling ducks (of seven species) were tested for AIV between 2005 and 2011. We used these data to identify and evaluate ecological and demographic correlates of infection with low pathogenic AIVs in wild dabbling ducks (Anas spp.) across Canada. Generalized linear mixed effects model analyses revealed that risk of AIV infection was higher in hatch-year birds compared to adults, and was positively associated with a high proportion of hatch-year birds in the population. Males were more likely to be infected than females in British Columbia and in Eastern Provinces of Canada, but more complex relationships among age and sex cohorts were found in the Prairie Provinces. A species effect was apparent in Eastern Canada and British Columbia, where teal (A. discors and/or A. carolinensis) were less likely to be infected than mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Risk of AIV infection increased with the density of the breeding population, in both Eastern Canada and the Prairie Provinces, and lower temperatures preceding sampling were associated with a higher probability of AIV infection in Eastern Canada. Our results provide new insights into the ecological and demographic factors associated with AIV infection in waterfowl.

Canadian experiences in development of critical loads for sulphur and nitrogen

Treesearch

Shaun Watmough; Julian Aherne; Paul Arp; Ian DeMerchant; Rock Ouimet

2006-01-01

Critical loads are a broad-scale modelling approach designed to assess the potential risk of pollutants to ecosystems. A description of the methodology for estimating critical loads (sulphur and nitrogen) for acid deposition (CL(A)) for upland forests in eastern Canada is presented, using a case study in central Ontario. In eastern Canada, CL(A) have been calculated...

A perspective on laboratory utilization management from Canada.

PubMed

Naugler, Christopher

2014-01-01

Utilization, particularly in chemistry and molecular testing, is growing rapidly in Canada at a time when laboratory budgets are shrinking. Canadian laboratories face particular challenges as the prevailing funding model limits the scope for new revenue generation. Aggressive and coordinated interventions to reduce over-utilization will be necessary to ensure the long-term viability of the current system. © 2013.

Dealing with Activism in Canada: An Ideal Cultural Fit for the Two-Way Symmetrical Public Relations Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guiniven, John E.

2002-01-01

Notes that disputes are seen as much less confrontational, much less zero-sum games in Canada than in the United States. Interviews 15 communications and public relations practitioners and professors with experiences on both sides of the 49th parallel and reviews relevant literature. Concludes that the greater acceptance of two-way symmetrical…

Canada's Industry-University Co-Op Education Accreditation System and Its Inspiration for the Evaluation of China's Industry-University-Institute Cooperative Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Qiubo, Yang; Shibin, Wang; Zha, Qiang

2016-01-01

The high degree of interest that higher education systems around the world have in employability has driven the profound development of industry-university cooperative education. Canada's industry-university co-op education system has served as a model for global cooperative education, and its accreditation system guarantees the high quality of…

Assessing the response of area burned to changing climate in western boreal North America using a Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS) approach

USGS Publications Warehouse

Balshi, M. S.; McGuire, A.D.; Duffy, P.; Flannigan, M.; Walsh, J.; Melillo, J.

2009-01-01

Fire is a common disturbance in the North American boreal forest that influences ecosystem structure and function. The temporal and spatial dynamics of fire are likely to be altered as climate continues to change. In this study, we ask the question: how will area burned in boreal North America by wildfire respond to future changes in climate? To evaluate this question, we developed temporally and spatially explicit relationships between air temperature and fuel moisture codes derived from the Canadian Fire Weather Index System to estimate annual area burned at 2.5?? (latitude ?? longitude) resolution using a Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) approach across Alaska and Canada. Burned area was substantially more predictable in the western portion of boreal North America than in eastern Canada. Burned area was also not very predictable in areas of substantial topographic relief and in areas along the transition between boreal forest and tundra. At the scale of Alaska and western Canada, the empirical fire models explain on the order of 82% of the variation in annual area burned for the period 1960-2002. July temperature was the most frequently occurring predictor across all models, but the fuel moisture codes for the months June through August (as a group) entered the models as the most important predictors of annual area burned. To predict changes in the temporal and spatial dynamics of fire under future climate, the empirical fire models used output from the Canadian Climate Center CGCM2 global climate model to predict annual area burned through the year 2100 across Alaska and western Canada. Relative to 1991-2000, the results suggest that average area burned per decade will double by 2041-2050 and will increase on the order of 3.5-5.5 times by the last decade of the 21st century. To improve the ability to better predict wildfire across Alaska and Canada, future research should focus on incorporating additional effects of long-term and successional vegetation changes on area burned to account more fully for interactions among fire, climate, and vegetation dynamics. ?? 2009 The Authors Journal compilation ?? 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The Canadian seasonal forecast and the APCC exchange.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Archambault, B.; Fontecilla, J.; Kharin, V.; Bourgouin, P.; Ashok, K.; Lee, D.

2009-05-01

In this talk, we will first describe the Canadian seasonal forecast system. This system uses a 4 model ensemble approach with each of these models generating a 10 members ensemble. Multi-model issues related to this system will be describes. Secondly, we will describe an international multi-system initiative. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a forum for 21 Pacific Rim countries or regions including Canada. The APEC Climate Center (APCC) provides seasonal forecasts to their regional climate centers with a Multi Model Ensemble (MME) approach. The APCC MME is based on 13 ensemble prediction systems from different institutions including MSC(Canada), NCEP(USA), COLA(USA), KMA(Korea), JMA(Japan), BOM(Australia) and others. In this presentation, we will describe the basics of this international cooperation.

Winter distribution, movements, and annual survival of radiomarked Vancouver Canada geese in southeast Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hupp, Jerry W.; Hodges, John I.; Conant, Bruce P.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Groves, Debbie J.

2010-01-01

Management of Pacific Flyway Canada geese (Branta canadensis) requires information on winter distribution of different populations. Recoveries of tarsus bands from Vancouver Canada geese (B. canadensis fulva) marked in southeast Alaska, USA, ≥4 decades ago suggested that ≥83% of the population was non-migratory and that annual adult survival was high (Ŝ = 0.836). However, recovery distribution of tarsus bands was potentially biased due to geographic differences in harvest intensity in the Pacific Flyway. Also, winter distribution of Vancouver Canada geese could have shifted since the 1960s, as has occurred for some other populations of Canada geese. Because winter distribution and annual survival of this population had not recently been evaluated, we surgically implanted very high frequency radiotransmitters in 166 adult female Canada geese in southeast Alaska. We captured Vancouver Canada geese during molt at 2 sites where adults with goslings were present (breeding areas) and 2 sites where we observed nonbreeding birds only. During winter radiotracking flights in southeast Alaska, we detected 98% of 85 females marked at breeding areas and 83% of 70 females marked at nonbreeding sites, excluding 11 females that died prior to the onset of winter radiotracking. We detected no radiomarked females in coastal British Columbia, or western Washington and Oregon, USA. Most (70%) females moved ≤30 km between November and March. Our model-averaged estimate of annual survival (Ŝ = 0.844, SE = 0.050) was similar to the estimate of annual survival of geese marked from 1956 to 1960. Likely <2% of Vancouver Canada geese that nest in southeast Alaska migrate to winter areas in Oregon or Washington where they could intermix with Canada geese from other populations in the Pacific Flyway. Because annual survival of adult Vancouver Canada geese was high and showed evidence of long-term consistency, managers should examine how reproductive success and recruitment may affect the population.

Rethinking schools of public health: a strategic alliance model.

PubMed

Moloughney, Brent W; Skinner, Harvey A

2006-01-01

Canada is in the midst of rejuvenation of public health organizations, mandates and infrastructure. Major planning exercises are underway regarding public health human resources, where academic institutions have a key role to play. To what extent could schools of public health be part of the solution? Many universities across Canada are considering or in the process of implementing MPH programs (some 17 programs planned and/or underway) and possible schools of public health. However, concerns are raised about critical mass, quality and standards. We encourage innovation and debate about ways to enhance collaborative and structural arrangements for education programs. A school of public health model might emerge from this, but so too might other models. Also, novel types of organizational structure need consideration. One example is a "strategic alliance" model that is broad-based, integrative and adaptive--building on the interdisciplinary focus needed for addressing public health concerns in the 21st century. From our perspective, the central question is: what (new) types of organizational structures and, equally important, collaborative networks will enable Canada to strengthen its public health workforce so that it may better address local and global challenges to public health?

Estimating Changes in Runoff and Carbon Exports From Northern Canadian Catchments Under a 2X CO2 Atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clair, T. A.; Ehrman, J. M.

2006-12-01

The doubling of atmospheric CO2 on temperature and precipitation will change annual runoff and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export patterns in northern Canada. Because of the physical size and the range of climatic changes of northern Canada, we found it necessary to model potential changes in river water and carbon exports in the region using a neural network approach. We developed a model for hydrology and one for DOC using as inputs, monthly General Circulation Model temperature and precipitation predictions, historical hydrology and dissolved organic carbon values, as well as catchment size and slope. Mining Environment Canada's historical hydrology and water chemistry databases allowed us to identify 20 sites suitable for our analysis. The site results were summarized within the Canadian Terrestrial Ecozone classification system. Our results show spring melts occurring one month sooner in all northern ecozones except for the Hudson Bay Plains zone, with changes in melt intensity occurring in most regions. The DOC model predicts that exports from catchments will increase by between 10 and 20% depending on the ecozone. Generally, we predict that major changes in both hydrology and carbon cycling should be expected in northern Canadian ecosystems in a warmer planet.

A time series analysis of the relationship of ambient temperature and common bacterial enteric infections in two Canadian provinces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fleury, Manon; Charron, Dominique F.; Holt, John D.; Allen, O. Brian; Maarouf, Abdel R.

2006-07-01

The incidence of enteric infections in the Canadian population varies seasonally, and may be expected to be change in response to global climate changes. To better understand any potential impact of warmer temperature on enteric infections in Canada, we investigated the relationship between ambient temperature and weekly reports of confirmed cases of three pathogens in Canada: Salmonella, pathogenic Escherichia coli and Campylobacter, between 1992 and 2000 in two Canadian provinces. We used generalized linear models (GLMs) and generalized additive models (GAMs) to estimate the effect of seasonal adjustments on the estimated models. We found a strong non-linear association between ambient temperature and the occurrence of all three enteric pathogens in Alberta, Canada, and of Campylobacter in Newfoundland-Labrador. Threshold models were used to quantify the relationship of disease and temperature with thresholds chosen from 0 to -10°C depending on the pathogen modeled. For Alberta, the log relative risk of Salmonella weekly case counts increased by 1.2%, Campylobacter weekly case counts increased by 2.2%, and E. coli weekly case counts increased by 6.0% for every degree increase in weekly mean temperature. For Newfoundland-Labrador the log relative risk increased by 4.5% for Campylobacter for every degree increase in weekly mean temperature.

Advances in Canadian forest hydrology, 1995-1998

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buttle, J. M.; Creed, I. F.; Pomeroy, J. W.

2000-06-01

Approximately 42% of Canada is covered by forests, which in turn can be subdivided into nine distinct forest ecozones. Many forested ecozones are located in northern Canada, where cold winters and cool summers provide forest environments that are less well-understood than those in more temperate locations. A number of major developments in recent years have stressed the need for enhanced understanding of hydrological processes in these forest landscapes. These include an increased emphasis on sustainable forest management in Canada as well as major scientific initiatives (e.g. BOREAS) examining water, carbon and energy fluxes in forest ecosystems, with a particular focus on boreal and subarctic forests. Recent progress in our understanding of forest hydrology across Canada is reviewed. Studies of hydrological processes across the spectrum of forest ecozones are highlighted, as well as work on hydrological responses to forest disturbance and recovery. Links between studies of hydrological processes in Canada's forests and other fields of research are examined, with particular attention paid to ongoing efforts to model hydrological impacts and interactions with the climate, biogeochemistry, geomorphology and ecology of forested landscapes.

Using Landscape-Based Decision Rules to Prioritize Locations of Fuel Treatments in the Boreal Mixedwood of Western Canada

Treesearch

Marc-André Parisien; Dave R. Junor; Victor G. Kafka

2006-01-01

This study used a rule-based approach to prioritize locations of fuel treatments in the boreal mixedwood forest of western Canada. The burn probability (BP) in and around Prince Albert National Park in Saskatchewan was mapped using the Burn-P3 (Probability, Prediction, and Planning) model. Fuel treatment locations were determined according to three scenarios and five...

Optimizing Learning. Proceedings of the Annual Society for the Advancement of Gifted Education Conference (6th, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, September 29-30, 1995).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Society for the Advancement of Gifted Education, Calgary (Alberta).

This conference proceedings focuses on structuring classrooms to optimize learning among Alberta (Canada) gifted students. The first paper, "Optimizing Parent Potential" (Trudy A. Harrold), describes a model and a process for helping parents acquire knowledge, organize their thinking, and act from a realistic base when dealing with their gifted…

Comparison of black–white disparities in preterm birth between Canada and the United States

PubMed Central

McKinnon, Britt; Yang, Seungmi; Kramer, Michael S.; Bushnik, Tracey; Sheppard, Amanda J.; Kaufman, Jay S.

2016-01-01

Background: A higher risk of preterm birth among black women than among white women is well established in the United States. We compared differences in preterm birth between non-Hispanic black and white women in Canada and the US, hypothesizing that disparities would be less extreme in Canada given the different historical experiences of black populations and Canada’s universal health care system. Methods: Using data on singleton live births in Canada and the US for 2004–2006, we estimated crude and adjusted risk ratios and risk differences in preterm birth (< 37 wk) and very preterm birth (< 32 wk) among non-Hispanic black versus non-Hispanic white women in each country. Adjusted models for the US were standardized to the covariate distribution of the Canadian cohort. Results: In Canada, 8.9% and 5.9% of infants born to black and white mothers, respectively, were preterm; the corresponding figures in the US were 12.7% and 8.0%. Crude risk ratios for preterm birth among black women relative to white women were 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32 to 1.66) in Canada and 1.57 (95% CI 1.56 to 1.58) in the US (p value for heterogeneity [pH] = 0.3). The crude risk differences for preterm birth were 2.94 (95% CI 1.91 to 3.96) in Canada and 4.63 (95% CI 4.56 to 4.70) in the US (pH = 0.003). Adjusted risk ratios for preterm birth (pH = 0.1) were slightly higher in Canada than in the US, whereas adjusted risk differences were similar in both countries. Similar patterns were observed for racial disparities in very preterm birth. Interpretation: Relative disparities in preterm birth and very preterm birth between non-Hispanic black and white women were similar in magnitude in Canada and the US. Absolute disparities were smaller in Canada, which reflects a lower overall risk of preterm birth in Canada than in the US in both black and white populations. PMID:26553860

Social assistance and conjugal union dissolution in Canada: a dynamic analysis.

PubMed

Lefebvre, P; Merrigan, P

1997-02-01

"Using Statistics Canada's General Social Survey on Family and Friends, carried out in 1990, we piece together the matrimonial and conjugal life history of a large sample of Canadian men and women. We then estimate duration models (Cox's proportional hazard models) describing the evolutionary laws of marriages and unions, which depend on various economic or socio-demographic explanatory variables. The empirical modelling focuses primarily on estimating the impact of couples' earned incomes and of provincial welfare programs on the dissolution rate of first marriages and unions....We...find that welfare benefits do not have an impact on the hazard of union dissolution and that earned incomes have a positive effect on conjugal stability." (EXCERPT)

Predicting the need for vascular surgeons in Canada.

PubMed

Lotfi, Shamim; Jetty, Prasad; Petrcich, William; Hajjar, George; Hill, Andrew; Kubelik, Dalibor; Nagpal, Sudhir; Brandys, Tim

2017-03-01

With the introduction of direct entry (0+5) residency programs in addition to the traditional (5+2) programs, the number of vascular surgery graduates across Canada is expected to increase significantly during the next 5 to 10 years. Society's need for these newly qualified surgeons is unclear. This study evaluated the predicted requirement for vascular surgeons across Canada to 2021. A program director survey was also performed to evaluate program directors' perceptions of the 0+5 residency program, the expected number of new trainees, and faculty recruitment and retirement. The estimated and projected Canadian population numbers for each year between 2013 and 2021 were determined by the Canadian Socio-economic Information and Management System (CANSIM), Statistics Canada's key socioeconomic database. The number of vascular surgery procedures performed from 2008 to 2012 stratified by age, gender, and province was obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information Discharge Abstract Database. The future need for vascular surgeons was calculated by two validated methods: (1) population analysis and (2) workload analysis. In addition, a 12-question survey was sent to each vascular surgery program director in Canada. The estimated Canadian population in 2013 was 35.15 million, and there were 212 vascular surgeons performing a total of 98,339 procedures. The projected Canadian population by 2021 is expected to be 38.41 million, a 9.2% increase from 2013; however, the expected growth rate in the age group 60+ years, who are more likely to require vascular procedures, is expected to be 30% vs 3.4% in the age group <60 years. Using population analysis modeling, there will be a surplus of 10 vascular surgeons in Canada by 2021; however, using workload analysis modeling (which accounts for the more rapid growth and larger proportion of procedures performed in the 60+ age group), there will be a deficit of 11 vascular surgeons by 2021. Program directors in Canada have a positive outlook on graduating 0+5 residents' skill, and the majority of programs will be recruiting at least one new vascular surgeon during the next 5 years. Although population analysis projects a potential surplus of surgeons, workload analysis predicts a deficit of surgeons because it accounts for the rapid growth in the 60+ age group in which the majority of procedures are performed, thus more accurately modeling future need for vascular surgeons. This study suggests that there will be a need for newly graduating vascular surgeons in the next 5 years, which could have an impact on resource allocation across training programs in Canada. Copyright © 2016 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic evaluation of vaccines in Canada: A systematic review.

PubMed

Chit, Ayman; Lee, Jason K H; Shim, Minsup; Nguyen, Van Hai; Grootendorst, Paul; Wu, Jianhong; Van Exan, Robert; Langley, Joanne M

2016-05-03

Economic evaluations should form part of the basis for public health decision making on new vaccine programs. While Canada's national immunization advisory committee does not systematically include economic evaluations in immunization decision making, there is increasing interest in adopting them. We therefore sought to examine the extent and quality of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada. We conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada to determine and summarize: comprehensiveness across jurisdictions, studied vaccines, funding sources, study designs, research quality, and changes over time. Searches in multiple databases were conducted using the terms "vaccine," "economics" and "Canada." Descriptive data from eligible manuscripts was abstracted and three authors independently evaluated manuscript quality using a 7-point Likert-type scale scoring tool based on criteria from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). 42/175 articles met the search criteria. Of these, Canada-wide studies were most common (25/42), while provincial studies largely focused on the three populous provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The most common funding source was industry (17/42), followed by government (7/42). 38 studies used mathematical models estimating expected economic benefit while 4 studies examined post-hoc data on established programs. Studies covered 10 diseases, with 28/42 addressing pediatric vaccines. Many studies considered cost-utility (22/42) and the majority of these studies reported favorable economic results (16/22). The mean quality score was 5.9/7 and was consistent over publication date, funding sources, and disease areas. We observed diverse approaches to evaluate vaccine economics in Canada. Given the increased complexity of economic studies evaluating vaccines and the impact of results on public health practice, Canada needs improved, transparent and consistent processes to review and assess the findings of the economic evaluations of vaccines.

West Nile virus in Canada: ever-changing, but here to stay.

PubMed

Zheng, H; Drebot, M A; Coulthart, M B

2014-05-15

The incidence of West Nile virus (WNv) has waxed and waned in Canada over the past 12 years, but it is unlikely to disappear. Climate change models, which suggest warming temperatures and changing patterns of precipitation, predict an expansion of geographic range for WNv in some regions of Canada, such as the Prairie provinces. Such projected changes in WNv distribution might also be accompanied by genetic changes in the virus and/or the range of bird and insect host species it infects. To address this risk, emphasis should be placed on preventing exposure to infected mosquitoes, conducting high-quality surveillance of WNv and WNv disease, controlling mosquito vectors, and promoting public and professional education.

Historical Perspectives and Guidelines for Botulinum Neurotoxin Subtype Nomenclature

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-26

Richmond, California, USA 5Bureau of Microbial Hazards , Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 6Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie...monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for detecting type B Clostridium botulinum toxin produced in pure culture and an inoculated model cured meat system...A3 Loch Maree duck paste/Scotland, 1922 ACA57525 A4 strain 657 infant botulism/Texas, 1976 ACQ51417 A5 H04402 065 wound botulism (heroin), 2004

Exploring critical uncertainties in pathway assessments of human-assisted introductions of alien forest species in Canada

Treesearch

Denys Yemshanov; Frank H. Koch; Mark J. Ducey; Marty Siltanen; Kirsty Wilson; Klaus Koehler

2013-01-01

Long-distance introductions of alien species are often driven by socioeconomic factors, such that conventional “biological” invasion models may not be capable of estimating spread fully and reliably. In this study, we demonstrate a new technique for assessing and reconstructing human-mediated pathways of alien forest species entries to major settlements in Canada via...

Internationally educated nurses in Canada: predictors of workforce integration.

PubMed

Covell, Christine L; Primeau, Marie-Douce; Kilpatrick, Kelley; St-Pierre, Isabelle

2017-04-04

Global trends in migration accompanied with recent changes to the immigrant selection process may have influenced the demographic and human capital characteristics of internationally educated nurses (IENs) in Canada and in turn the assistance required to facilitate their workforce integration. This study aimed to describe the demographic and human capital profile of IENs in Canada, to explore recent changes to the profile, and to identify predictors of IENs' workforce integration. A cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational survey design was used. Eligible IENs were immigrants, registered and employed as regulated nurses in Canada. Data were collected in 2014 via online and paper questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the data by year of immigration. Logistic regression modeling was employed to identify predictors of IENs' workforce integration measured as passing the licensure exam to acquire professional recertification and securing employment. The sample consisted of 2280 IENs, representative of all Canadian provincial jurisdictions. Since changes to the immigrant selection process in 2002, the IEN population in Canada has become more racially diverse with greater numbers emigrating from developing countries. Recent arrivals (after 2002) had high levels of human capital (knowledge, professional experience, language proficiency). Some, but not all, benefited from the formal and informal assistance available to facilitate their workforce integration. Professional experience and help studying significantly predicted if IENs passed the licensure exam on their first attempt. Bridging program participation and assistance from social networks in Canada were significant predictors if IENs had difficulty securing employment. Nurses will continue to migrate from a wide variety of countries throughout the world that have dissimilar nursing education and health systems. Thus, IENs are not a homogenous group, and a "one size fits all" model may not be effective for facilitating their professional recertification and employment in the destination country. Canada, as well as other countries, could consider using a case management approach to develop and tailor education and forms of assistance to meet the individual needs of IENs. Using technology to reach IENs who have not yet immigrated or have settled outside of urban centers are other potential strategies that may facilitate their timely entrance into the destination countries' nursing workforce.

Importance of growth rate on mercury and polychlorinated biphenyl bioaccumulation in fish

USGS Publications Warehouse

Li, Jiajia; Haffner, G. Douglas; Patterson, Gordon; Walters, David M.; Burtnyk, Michael D.; Drouillard, Ken G.

2018-01-01

To evaluate the effect of fish growth on mercury (Hg) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) bioaccumulation, a non–steady‐state toxicokinetic model, combined with a Wisconsin bioenergetics model, was developed to simulate Hg and PCB bioaccumulation in bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus). The model was validated by comparing observed with predicted Hg and PCB 180 concentrations across 5 age classes from 5 different waterbodies across North America. The non–steady‐state model generated accurate predictions for Hg and PCB bioaccumulation in 3 of 5 waterbodies: Apsey Lake (ON, Canada), Sharbot Lake (ON, Canada), and Stonelick Lake (OH, USA). The poor performance of the model for the Detroit River (MI, USA/ON, Canada) and Lake Hartwell (GA/SC, USA), which are 2 well‐known contaminated sites with possibly high heterogeneity in spatial contamination, was attributed to changes in feeding behavior and/or prey contamination. Model simulations indicate that growth dilution is a major component of contaminant bioaccumulation patterns in fish, especially during early life stages, and was predicted to be more important for hydrophobic PCBs than for Hg. Simulations that considered tissue‐specific growth provided some improvement in model performance particularly for PCBs in fish populations that exhibited changes in their whole‐body lipid content with age. Higher variation in lipid growth compared with that of lean dry protein was also observed between different bluegill populations, which partially explains the greater variation in PCB bioaccumulation slopes compared with Hg across sampling sites.

The choice of discount brand cigarettes: a comparative analysis of International Tobacco Control surveys in Canada and the USA (2002-2005).

PubMed

Nargis, Nigar; Fong, Geoffrey T; Chaloupka, Frank J; Li, Qiang

2014-03-01

Increasing tobacco taxes to increase price is a proven tobacco control measure. This article investigates how smokers respond to tax and price increases in their choice of discount brand cigarettes versus premium brands. To estimate how increase in the tax rate can affect smokers' choice of discount brands versus premium brands. Using data from International Tobacco Control surveys in Canada and the USA, a logit model was constructed to estimate the probability of choosing discount brand cigarettes in response to its price changes relative to premium brands, controlling for individual-specific demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and regional effects. The self-reported price of an individual smoker is used in a random-effects regression model to impute price and to construct the price ratio for discount and premium brands for each smoker, which is used in the logit model. An increase in the ratio of price of discount brand cigarettes to the price of premium brands by 0.1 is associated with a decrease in the probability of choosing discount brands by 0.08 in Canada. No significant effect is observed in case of the USA. The results of the model explain two phenomena: (1) the widened price differential between premium and discount brand cigarettes contributed to the increased share of discount brand cigarettes in Canada in contrast to a relatively steady share in the USA during 2002-2005 and (2) increasing the price ratio of discount brands to premium brands-which occurs with an increase in specific excise tax-may lead to upward shifting from discount to premium brands rather than to downward shifting. These results underscore the significance of studying the effectiveness of tax increases in reducing overall tobacco consumption, particularly for specific excise taxes.

Integrating an incident management system within a continuity of operations programme: case study of the Bank of Canada.

PubMed

Loop, Carole

2013-01-01

Carrying out critical business functions without interruption requires a resilient and robust business continuity framework. By embedding an industry-standard incident management system within its business continuity structure, the Bank of Canada strengthened its response plan by enabling timely response to incidents while maintaining a strong focus on business continuity. A total programme approach, integrating the two disciplines, provided for enhanced recovery capabilities. While the value of an effective and efficient response organisation is clear, as demonstrated by emergency events around the world, incident response structures based on normal operating hierarchy can experience unique challenges. The internationally-recognised Incident Command System (ICS) model addresses these issues and reflects the five primary incident management functions, each contributing to the overall strength and effectiveness of the response organisation. The paper focuses on the Bank of Canada's successful implementation of the ICS model as its incident management and continuity of operations programmes evolved to reflect current best practices.

Improvement of short-term numerical wind predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bedard, Joel

Geophysic Model Output Statistics (GMOS) are developed to optimize the use of NWP for complex sites. GMOS differs from other MOS that are widely used by meteorological centers in the following aspects: it takes into account the surrounding geophysical parameters such as surface roughness, terrain height, etc., along with wind direction; it can be directly applied without any training, although training will further improve the results. The GMOS was applied to improve the Environment Canada GEM-LAM 2.5km forecasts at North Cape (PEI, Canada): It improves the predictions RMSE by 25-30% for all time horizons and almost all meteorological conditions; the topographic signature of the forecast error due to insufficient grid refinement is eliminated and the NWP combined with GMOS outperform the persistence from a 2h horizon, instead of 4h without GMOS. Finally, GMOS was applied at another site (Bouctouche, NB, Canada): similar improvements were observed, thus showing its general applicability. Keywords: wind energy, wind power forecast, numerical weather prediction, complex sites, model output statistics

Care for Canada's frail elderly population: Fragmentation or integration?

PubMed Central

Bergman, H; Béland, F; Lebel, P; Contandriopoulos, A P; Tousignant, P; Brunelle, Y; Kaufman, T; Leibovich, E; Rodriguez, R; Clarfield, M

1997-01-01

Budget constraints, technological advances and a growing elderly population have resulted in major reforms in health care systems across Canada. This has led to fewer and smaller acute care hospitals and increasing pressure on the primary care and continuing care networks. The present system of care for the frail elderly, who are particularly vulnerable, is characterized by fragmentation of services, negative incentives and the absence of accountability. This is turn leads to the inappropriate and costly use of health and social services, particularly in acute care hospitals and long-term care institutions. Canada needs to develop a publicly managed community-based system of primary care to provide integrated care for the frail elderly. The authors describe such a model, which would have clinical and financial responsibility for the full range of health and social services required by this population. This model would represent a major challenge and change for the existing system. Demonstration projects are needed to evaluate its cost-effectiveness and address issues raised by its introduction. PMID:9347783

The intersection of health and wealth: association between personal bankruptcy and myocardial infarction rates in Canada.

PubMed

Savu, Anamaria; Schopflocher, Donald; Scholnick, Barry; Kaul, Padma

2016-01-13

We examined the association between personal bankruptcy filing and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rates in Canada. Between 2002 and 2009, aggregate and yearly bankruptcy and AMI rates were estimated for 1,155 forward sortation areas of Canada. Scatter plot and correlations were used to assess the association of the aggregate rates. Cross-lagged structural equation models were used to explore the longitudinal relationship between bankruptcy and AMI after adjustment for socio-economic factors. A cross-lagged structural equation model estimated that on average, an increase of 100 in bankruptcy filing count is associated with an increase of 1.5 (p = 0.02) in AMI count in the following year, and an increase of 100 in AMI count is associated with an increase of 7 (p < 0.01) in bankruptcy filing count. We found that regions with higher rates of AMI corresponded to those with higher levels of economic and financial stress, as indicated by personal bankruptcy rate, and vice-versa.

Time-series Oxygen-18 Precipitation Isoscapes for Canada and the Northern United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delavau, Carly J.; Chun, Kwok P.; Stadnyk, Tricia A.; Birks, S. Jean; Welker, Jeffrey M.

2014-05-01

The present and past hydrological cycle from the watershed to regional scale can be greatly enhanced using water isotopes (δ18O and δ2H), displayed today as isoscapes. The development of water isoscapes has both hydrological and ecological applications, such as ground water recharge and food web ecology, and can provide critical information when observations are not available due to spatial and temporal gaps in sampling and data networks. This study focuses on the creation of δ18O precipitation (δ18Oppt) isoscapes at a monthly temporal frequency across Canada and the northern United States (US) utilizing CNIP (Canadian Network for Isotopes in Precipitation) and USNIP (United States Network for Isotopes in Precipitation) measurements. Multiple linear stepwise regressions of CNIP and USNIP observations alongside NARR (North American Regional Reanalysis) climatological variables, teleconnection indices, and geographic indicators are utilized to create empirical models that predict the δ18O of monthly precipitation across Canada and the northern US. Pooling information from nearby locations within a region can be useful due to the similarity of processes and mechanisms controlling the variability of δ18O. We expect similarity in the controls on isotopic composition to strengthen the correlation between δ18Oppt and predictor variables, resulting in model simulation improvements. For this reason, three different regionalization approaches are used to separate the study domain into 'isotope zones' to explore the effect of regionalization on model performance. This methodology results in 15 empirical models, five within each regionalization. A split sample calibration and validation approach is employed for model development, and parameter selection is based on demonstrated improvement of the Akaike Information Criteria (AIC). Simulation results indicate the empirical models are generally able to capture the overall monthly variability in δ18Oppt. For the three regionalizations, average adjusted-R2 and RMSE (weighted to number of observations within each isotope zone) range from 0.70 - 0.72 and 2.76 - 2.91, respectively, indicating that on average the different spatial groupings perform comparably. Validation weighted R2and RMSE show a larger spread between models and poorer performance, ranging from 0.45 - 0.59 and 3.28 - 3.39, respectively. Additional evaluation of simulated δ18Oppt at each station and inter/intra-annually is conducted to evaluate model performance over various space and time scales. Stepwise regression derived parameterizations indicate the significance of precipitable water content and latitude as predictor variables for all regionalizations. Long-term (1981-2010) annual average δ18Oppt isoscapes are produced for Canada and the northern US, highlighting the differences between regionalization approaches. 95% confidence interval maps are generated to provide an estimate of the uncertainty associated with long-term δ18Oppt simulations. This is the first ever time-series empirical modelling of δ18Oppt for Canada utilizing CNIP data, as well as the first modelling collaboration between the CNIP and USNIP networks. This study is the initial step towards empirically derived time-series δ18Oppt for use in iso-hydrological modelling studies. Methods and results from this research are equally applicable to ecology and forensics as the simulated δ18Oppt isoscapes provide the primary oxygen source for many plants and foodwebs at refined temporal and spatial scales across Canada and the northern US.

The influence of boreal biomass burning emissions on the distribution of tropospheric ozone over North America and the North Atlantic during 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrington, M.; Palmer, P. I.; Henze, D. K.; Tarasick, D. W.; Hyer, E. J.; Owen, R. C.; Helmig, D.; Clerbaux, C.; Bowman, K. W.; Deeter, M. N.; Barratt, E. M.; Coheur, P.-F.; Hurtmans, D.; Jiang, Z.; George, M.; Worden, J. R.

2012-02-01

We have analysed the sensitivity of the tropospheric ozone distribution over North America and the North Atlantic to boreal biomass burning emissions during the summer of 2010 using the GEOS-Chem 3-D global tropospheric chemical transport model and observations from in situ and satellite instruments. We show that the model ozone distribution is consistent with observations from the Pico Mountain Observatory in the Azores, ozonesondes across Canada, and the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Instrument (IASI) satellite instruments. Mean biases between the model and observed ozone mixing ratio in the free troposphere were less than 10 ppbv. We used the adjoint of GEOS-Chem to show the model ozone distribution in the free troposphere over Maritime Canada is largely sensitive to NOx emissions from biomass burning sources in Central Canada, lightning sources in the central US, and anthropogenic sources in the eastern US and south-eastern Canada. We also used the adjoint of GEOS-Chem to evaluate the Fire Locating And Monitoring of Burning Emissions (FLAMBE) inventory through assimilation of CO observations from the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) satellite instrument. The CO inversion showed that, on average, the FLAMBE emissions needed to be reduced to 89% of their original values, with scaling factors ranging from 12% to 102%, to fit the MOPITT observations in the boreal regions. Applying the CO scaling factors to all species emitted from boreal biomass burning sources led to a decrease of the model tropospheric distributions of CO, PAN, and NOx by as much as -20 ppbv, -50 pptv, and -20 pptv respectively. The modification of the biomass burning emission estimates reduced the model ozone distribution by approximately -3 ppbv (-8%) and on average improved the agreement of the model ozone distribution compared to the observations throughout the free troposphere, reducing the mean model bias from 5.5 to 4.0 ppbv for the Pico Mountain Observatory, 3.0 to 0.9 ppbv for ozonesondes, 2.0 to 0.9 ppbv for TES, and 2.8 to 1.4 ppbv for IASI.

It can't hurt to ask; a patient-centered quality of service assessment of health canada's medical cannabis policy and program

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In 2001 Health Canada responded to a series of Ontario court decisions by creating the Marihuana Medical Access Division (MMAD) and the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR). Although Health Canada has conducted a small number of stakeholder consultations, the federal government has never polled federally authorized cannabis patients. This study is an attempt to learn more about patient needs, challenges and experiences with the MMAD. Methods Launched in the spring of 2007, Quality of Service Assessment of Health Canada's Medical Cannabis Policy and Program pairs a 50 question online survey addressing the personal experiences of patients in the federal cannabis program with 25 semi-guided interviews. Data gathering for this study took place from April 2007 to Jan. 2008, eventually garnering survey responses from 100 federally-authorized users, which at the time represented about 5% of the patients enrolled in Health Canada's program. This paper presents the results of the survey portion of the study. Results 8% of respondents report getting their cannabis from Health Canada, while 66% grow it for themselves. >50% report that they frequent compassion clubs or dispensaries, which remain illegal and unregulated in Canada. 81% of patients would chose certified organic methods of cultivation; >90% state that not all strains are equally effective at relieving symptoms, and 97% would prefer to obtain cannabis from a source where multiple strains are available. Of the 48 patients polled that had tried the Health Canada cannabis supply, >75% rank it as either "1" or "2" on a scale of 1-10 (with "1" being "very poor", and 10 being "excellent"). Discussion 72% of respondents report they are either "somewhat" or "totally unsatisfied" with Canada's medical cannabis program. These survey results and relevant court decisions suggest that the MMAR are not meeting the needs of most of the nation's medical cannabis patient community. It is hoped this research will help inform policy changes that will better address the needs of Canada's critically and chronically ill medical cannabis patient population, including the integration of community-based dispensaries into this novel healthcare delivery model. PMID:22214382

Interactions between reactive nitrogen and the Canadian landscape: A budget approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clair, Thomas A.; Pelletier, Nathan; Bittman, Shabtai; Leip, Adrian; Arp, Paul; Moran, Michael D.; Dennis, Ian; Niemi, David; Sterling, Shannon; Drury, Craig F.; Yang, Jingyi

2014-11-01

The movement of excess reactive nitrogen (Nr) from anthropogenic activities to natural ecosystems has been described as one of the most serious environmental threats facing modern society. One of the approaches for tracking this movement is the use of budgets that quantify fluxes. We constructed an Nr budget for Canada using measured and modeled values from the scientific literature, government databases, and data from new agri-environmental indicators, in order to produce information for policy makers and scientists to understand the major flows of nitrogen to allow a better assessment of risks to the Canadian environment. We divided the Canadian territory south of 60°N into areas dominated by natural ecosystems, as well as by agricultural and urban/industrial activities to evaluate Nr flows within, between, and out of these units. We show that Canada is a major exporter of Nr due to the availability of inexpensive commercial fertilizers. The large land area suitable for agriculture makes Canada a significant agricultural Nr exporter of both grain crops and livestock. Finally, Canada exports petroleum N mainly to the United States. Because of its location and prevailing atmospheric transport patterns, Canada is a net receptor of Nr air pollution from the United States, receiving approximately 20% of the Nr leaving the U.S. airshed. We found that overall, terrestrial natural ecosystems as well as the atmosphere are in balance between Nr inputs and outputs when all N reactive and nonreactive fluxes are included. However, when only reactive forms are considered, almost 50% of N entering the Canadian atmosphere cannot be accounted for and is assumed to be lost to the Atlantic and Arctic oceans or to unmeasured dry deposition. However, agricultural and freshwater landscapes are showing large differences between measured inputs and outputs of N as our data suggest that denitrification in soils and aquatic systems is larger than what models predict. Our work also shows that Canada is a major contributor to the global flow of nitrogen through commercial exports.

Parameterization of the ACRU model for estimating biophysical and climatological change impacts, Beaver Creek, Alberta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, K. A.; Kienzle, S. W.; Coburn, C. A.; Byrne, J. M.

2006-12-01

Multiple threats, including intensification of agricultural production, non-renewable resource extraction and climate change, are threatening Southern Alberta's water supply. The objective of this research is to calibrate/evaluate the Agricultural Catchments Research Unit (ACRU) agrohydrological model; with the end goal of forecasting the impacts of a changing environment on water quantity. The strength of this model is the intensive multi-layered soil water budgeting routine that integrates water movement between the surface and atmosphere. The ACRU model was parameterized using data from Environment Canada's climate database for a twenty year period (1984-2004) and was used to simulate streamflow for Beaver Creek. The simulated streamflow was compared to Environment Canada's historical streamflow database to validate the model output. The Beaver Creek Watershed, located in the Porcupine Hills southwestern Alberta, Canada contains a heterogeneous cover of deciduous, coniferous, native prairie grasslands and forage crops. In a catchment with highly diversified land cover, canopy architecture cannot be overlooked in rainfall interception parameterization. Preliminary testing of ACRU suggests that streamflows were sensitive to varied levels of leaf area index (LAI), a representative fraction of canopy foliage. Further testing using remotely sensed LAI's will provide a more accurate representation of canopy foliage and ultimately best represent this important element of the hydrological cycle and the associated processes which govern the natural hydrology of the Beaver Creek watershed.

The ecology of avian influenza viruses in wild dabbling ducks (Anas spp.) in Canada

PubMed Central

Papp, Zsuzsanna; Clark, Robert G.; Parmley, E. Jane; Leighton, Frederick A.; Waldner, Cheryl

2017-01-01

Avian influenza virus (AIV) occurrence and transmission remain important wildlife and human health issues in much of the world, including in North America. Through Canada’s Inter-Agency Wild Bird Influenza Survey, close to 20,000 apparently healthy, wild dabbling ducks (of seven species) were tested for AIV between 2005 and 2011. We used these data to identify and evaluate ecological and demographic correlates of infection with low pathogenic AIVs in wild dabbling ducks (Anas spp.) across Canada. Generalized linear mixed effects model analyses revealed that risk of AIV infection was higher in hatch-year birds compared to adults, and was positively associated with a high proportion of hatch-year birds in the population. Males were more likely to be infected than females in British Columbia and in Eastern Provinces of Canada, but more complex relationships among age and sex cohorts were found in the Prairie Provinces. A species effect was apparent in Eastern Canada and British Columbia, where teal (A. discors and/or A. carolinensis) were less likely to be infected than mallards (A. platyrhynchos). Risk of AIV infection increased with the density of the breeding population, in both Eastern Canada and the Prairie Provinces, and lower temperatures preceding sampling were associated with a higher probability of AIV infection in Eastern Canada. Our results provide new insights into the ecological and demographic factors associated with AIV infection in waterfowl. PMID:28475626

Healthy weight advantage lost in one generation among immigrant elementary schoolchildren in multi-ethnic, disadvantaged, inner-city neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada.

PubMed

Maximova, Katerina; O'Loughlin, Jennifer; Gray-Donald, Katherine

2011-04-01

We sought to determine if the rate of increase in body mass index (BMI) differs between first generation immigrant children (child and both parents born outside Canada); second generation immigrant children (child born in Canada with at least one parent born outside Canada); and native-born children (child and both parents born in Canada), and if the rate of increase varies across ethnic groups. Data were available from the evaluation of a 5-year heart health promotion program targeted to elementary school children from 24 schools in multi-ethnic, disadvantaged, inner-city neighborhoods in Montreal, Canada. Participants were 6392 children aged 9-12 years born in and outside of Canada. Height and weight were measured annually according to a standardized protocol. BMI increases with age were examined using individual growth models stratified by immigrant status grouping (first generation immigrant, second generation immigrant, native-born). On average, BMI increased by 0.59, 0.73, and 0.82 kg/m2 with each year of age among first generation immigrant, second generation immigrant, and native-born children, respectively. These differences held across four family origin grouping (Europe, Asia, Central/South America, and Other). The protective effect of immigrant status on BMI increases with age dissipated in second generation immigrant children, whose rate of increase was similar to that of native-born children. Because immigrants constitute the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population, it is important to understand the causes of the higher BMI increases with successive generations. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Looking for Laura Secord on the Web: Using a Famous Figure from the War of 1812 as a Model for Evaluating Historical Web Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tate, Marsha Ann

2005-01-01

Laura Ingersoll Secord was, admittedly, a well-known historical figure--at least in Canada over a century before the development of the World Wide Web. In 1860, she first achieved widespread notoriety in her adopted homeland of Canada (she was born in Massachusetts) when a deed she performed for the British army during the War of 1812 was publicly…

A Profile of Substance Abuse, Gender, Crime, and Drug Policy in the United States and Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grant, Judith

2009-01-01

The climate of domestic drug policy in the United States as it pertains to both women and men at the beginning of the 21st century is the criminalization mode of regulation--a mode that is based on the model of addiction as a crime and one that is used to prohibit the use of illegal drugs. In Canada, drug policy is based mainly on the harm…

The Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team Program as a Model for Assisting the Development of an Effective Afghan National Army

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-06-12

care has been taken to ensure the ANA is comprised of soldiers from all of Afghanistan’s major ethnic groups - Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek , Hazara, Turkmen...Canada, Croatia, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland , Spain, the United Kingdom (UK), and United States have contributed full OMLTs/ETTs...embedded training teams) while Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Latvia, Netherlands, Norway, Poland , Portugal, Romania, Slovenia

Bibliography on Cold Regions Science and Technology. Volume 41. Part 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

Seismic surveys, (•eophysical surveys, Bering Sea, Beaaforl Sea. 41-2608 Oil and gas fields in the Kast Coast and Arctic basins of Canada...existing design codes is given. 41-646 Spray-ice islands evaluated for Arctic-drilling struc- tures. Juvkam-Wold, H.C., Oil and gas journal, Apr. 21...Models, Instruments. 41-696 Northern Oil and Gas Action Program (NOGAP) bibliography. Volume 1. Canada. Department of Indian and Northern

A comprehensive approach to identify dominant controls of the behavior of a land surface-hydrology model across various hydroclimatic conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghnegahdar, Amin; Elshamy, Mohamed; Yassin, Fuad; Razavi, Saman; Wheater, Howard; Pietroniro, Al

2017-04-01

Complex physically-based environmental models are being increasingly used as the primary tool for watershed planning and management due to advances in computation power and data acquisition. Model sensitivity analysis plays a crucial role in understanding the behavior of these complex models and improving their performance. Due to the non-linearity and interactions within these complex models, Global sensitivity analysis (GSA) techniques should be adopted to provide a comprehensive understanding of model behavior and identify its dominant controls. In this study we adopt a multi-basin multi-criteria GSA approach to systematically assess the behavior of the Modélisation Environmentale-Surface et Hydrologie (MESH) across various hydroclimatic conditions in Canada including areas in the Great Lakes Basin, Mackenzie River Basin, and South Saskatchewan River Basin. MESH is a semi-distributed physically-based coupled land surface-hydrology modelling system developed by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) for various water resources management purposes in Canada. We use a novel method, called Variogram Analysis of Response Surfaces (VARS), to perform sensitivity analysis. VARS is a variogram-based GSA technique that can efficiently provide a spectrum of sensitivity information across a range of scales within the parameter space. We use multiple metrics to identify dominant controls of model response (e.g. streamflow) to model parameters under various conditions such as high flows, low flows, and flow volume. We also investigate the influence of initial conditions on model behavior as part of this study. Our preliminary results suggest that this type of GSA can significantly help with estimating model parameters, decreasing calibration computational burden, and reducing prediction uncertainty.

The OncoSim model: development and use for better decision-making in Canadian cancer control.

PubMed

Gauvreau, C L; Fitzgerald, N R; Memon, S; Flanagan, W M; Nadeau, C; Asakawa, K; Garner, R; Miller, A B; Evans, W K; Popadiuk, C M; Wolfson, M; Coldman, A J

2017-12-01

The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer was created in 2007 by the federal government to accelerate cancer control across Canada. Its OncoSim microsimulation model platform, which consists of a suite of specific cancer models, was conceived as a tool to augment conventional resources for population-level policy- and decision-making. The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer manages the OncoSim program, with funding from Health Canada and model development by Statistics Canada. Microsimulation modelling allows for the detailed capture of population heterogeneity and health and demographic history over time. Extensive data from multiple Canadian sources were used as inputs or to validate the model. OncoSim has been validated through expert consultation; assessments of face validity, internal validity, and external validity; and model fit against observed data. The platform comprises three in-depth cancer models (lung, colorectal, cervical), with another in-depth model (breast) and a generalized model (25 cancers) being in development. Unique among models of its class, OncoSim is available online for public sector use free of charge. Users can customize input values and output display, and extensive user support is provided. OncoSim has been used to support decision-making at the national and jurisdictional levels. Although simulation studies are generally not included in hierarchies of evidence, they are integral to informing cancer control policy when clinical studies are not feasible. OncoSim can evaluate complex intervention scenarios for multiple cancers. Canadian decision-makers thus have a powerful tool to assess the costs, benefits, cost-effectiveness, and budgetary effects of cancer control interventions when faced with difficult choices for improvements in population health and resource allocation.

High performance alloy electroforming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Malone, G. A.; Winkelman, D. M.

1989-01-01

Electroformed copper and nickel are used in structural applications for advanced propellant combustion chambers. An improved process has been developed by Bell Aerospace Textron, Inc. wherein electroformed nickel-manganese alloy has demonstrated superior mechanical and thermal stability when compared to previously reported deposits from known nickel plating processes. Solution chemistry and parametric operating procedures are now established and material property data is established for deposition of thick, large complex shapes such as the Space Shuttle Main Engine. The critical operating variables are those governing the ratio of codeposited nickel and manganese. The deposition uniformity which in turn affects the manganese concentration distribution is affected by solution resistance and geometric effects as well as solution agitation. The manganese concentration in the deposit must be between 2000 and 3000 ppm for optimum physical properties to be realized. The study also includes data regarding deposition procedures for achieving excellent bond strength at an interface with copper, nickel-manganese or INCONEL 718. Applications for this electroformed material include fabrication of complex or re-entry shapes which would be difficult or impossible to form from high strength alloys such as INCONEL 718.

CVD of silicon carbide on structural fibers - Microstructure and composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veitch, Lisa C.; Terepka, Francis M.; Gokoglu, Suleyman A.

1992-01-01

Structural fibers are currently being considered as reinforcements for intermetallic and ceramic materials. Some of these fibers, however, are easily degraded in a high temperature oxidative environment. Therefore, coatings are needed to protect the fibers from environmental attack. Silicon carbide (SiC) was chemically vapor deposited (CVD) on Textron's SCS6 fibers. Fiber temperatures ranging from 1350 to 1500 C were studied. Silane (SiH4) and propane (C2H8) were used for the source gases and different concentrations of these source gases were studied. Deposition rates were determined for each group of fibers at different temperatures. Less variation in deposition rates were observed for the dilute source gas experiments than the concentrated source gas experiments. A careful analysis was performed on the stoichiometry of the CVD SiC coating using electron microprobe. Microstructures for the different conditions were compared. At 1350 C, the microstructures were similar; however, at higher temperatures, the microstructure for the more concentrated source gas group were porous and columnar in comparison to the cross sections taken from the same area for the dilute source gas group.

CVD of silicon carbide on structural fibers: Microstructure and composition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Veitch, Lisa C.; Terepka, Francis M.; Gokoglu, Suleyman A.

1992-01-01

Structural fibers are currently being considered as reinforcements for intermetallic and ceramic materials. Some of these fibers, however, are easily degraded in a high temperature oxidative environment. Therefore, coatings are needed to protect the fibers from environmental attack. Silicon carbide (SiC) was chemically vapor deposited (CVD) on Textron's SCS6 fibers. Fiber temperatures ranging from 1350 to 1500 C were studied. Silane (SiH4) and propane (C2H8) were used for the source gases and different concentrations of these source gases were studied. Deposition rates were determined for each group of fibers at different temperatures. Less variation in deposition rates were observed for the dilute source gas experiments than the concentrated source gas experiments. A careful analysis was performed on the stoichiometry of the CVD SiC coating using electron microprobe. Microstructures for the different conditions were compared. At 1350 C, the microstructures were similar; however, at higher temperatures, the microstructure for the more concentrated source gas group were porous and columnar in comparison to the cross sections taken from the same area for the dilute source gas group.

Composite hot drape forming

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ott, Thomas

1994-01-01

This program was initiated to replace labor-intensive ply-by-ply layup of composite I-beam posts and angle stiffeners used in the Space Station Freedom (SSF) rack structure. Hot drape forming (HDF) has been successfully implemented by BCAG for 777 composite I-stringers and by Bell Helicopter/Textron for the V-22 I-stingers. The two companies utilize two vastly different approaches to the I-beam fabrication process. A drape down process is used by Bell Helicopter where the compacted ply charge is placed on top of a forming mandrel and heated. When the heated ply charge reached a set temperature, vacuum pressure is applied and the plies are formed over the mandrel. The BCAG 777 process utilizes an inverted forming process where the ply stack is placed on a forming table and the mandrel is inverted and placed upon the ply stack. A heating and vacuum bladder underneath the ply stack form the play stack up onto the mandrels after reaching the temperature setpoint. Both methods have their advantages, but the drape down process was selected for SSF because it was more versatile and could be fabricated from readily available components.

The Ability of Atmospheric Data to Reduce Disagreements in Wetland Methane Flux Estimates over North America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, S. M.; Andrews, A. E.; Benmergui, J. S.; Commane, R.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Janssens-Maenhout, G.; Melton, J. R.; Michalak, A. M.; Sweeney, C.; Worthy, D. E. J.

2015-12-01

Existing estimates of methane fluxes from wetlands differ in both magnitude and distribution across North America. We discuss seven different bottom-up methane estimates in the context of atmospheric methane data collected across the US and Canada. In the first component of this study, we explore whether the observation network can even detect a methane pattern from wetlands. We find that the observation network can identify a methane pattern from Canadian wetlands but not reliably from US wetlands. Over Canada, the network can even identify spatial patterns at multi-provence scales. Over the US, by contrast, anthropogenic emissions and modeling errors obscure atmospheric patterns from wetland fluxes. In the second component of the study, we then use these observations to reconcile disagreements in the magnitude, seasonal cycle, and spatial distribution of existing estimates. Most existing estimates predict fluxes that are too large with a seasonal cycle that is too narrow. A model known as LPJ-Bern has a spatial distribution most consistent with atmospheric observations. By contrast, a spatially-constant model outperforms the distribution of most existing flux estimates across Canada. The results presented here provide several pathways to reduce disagreements among existing wetland flux estimates across North America.

Cost-effectiveness evaluation of quadrivalent influenza vaccines for seasonal influenza prevention: a dynamic modeling study of Canada and the United Kingdom.

PubMed

Thommes, Edward W; Ismaila, Afisi; Chit, Ayman; Meier, Genevieve; Bauch, Christopher T

2015-10-27

The adoption of quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV) to replace trivalent influenza vaccine (TIV) in immunization programs is growing worldwide, thus helping to address the problem of influenza B lineage mismatch. However, the price per dose of QIV is higher than that of TIV. In such circumstances, cost-effectiveness analyses provide important and relevant information to inform national health recommendations and implementation decisions. This analysis assessed potential vaccine impacts and cost-effectiveness of a country-wide switch from TIV to QIV, in Canada and the UK, from a third-party payer perspective. An age-stratified, dynamic four-strain transmission model which incorporates strain interaction, transmission-rate seasonality and age-specific mixing in the population was used. Model input data were obtained from published literature and online databases. In Canada, we evaluated a switch from TIV to QIV in the entire population. For the UK, we considered two strategies: Children aged 2-17 years who receive the live-attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) switch to the quadrivalent formulation (QLAIV), while individuals aged > 18 years switch from TIV to QIV. Two different vaccination uptake scenarios in children (UK1 and UK2, which differ in the vaccine uptake level) were considered. Health and cost outcomes for both vaccination strategies, and the cost-effectiveness of switching from TIV/LAIV to QIV/QLAIV, were estimated from the payer perspective. For Canada and the UK, cost and outcomes were discounted using 5 % and 3.5 % per year, respectively. Overall, in an average influenza season, our model predicts that a nationwide switch from TIV to QIV would prevent 4.6 % influenza cases, 4.9 % general practitioner (GP) visits, 5.7 % each of emergency room (ER) visits and hospitalizations, and 6.8 % deaths in Canada. In the UK (UK1/UK2), implementing QIV would prevent 1.4 %/1.8 % of influenza cases, 1.6 %/2.0 % each of GP and ER visits, 1.5 %/1.9 % of hospitalizations and 4.3 %/4.9 % of deaths. Discounted incremental cost-utility ratios of $7,961 and £7,989/£7,234 per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained are estimated for Canada and the UK (UK1/UK2), both of which are well within their respective cost-effectiveness threshold values. Switching from TIV to QIV is expected to be a cost-effective strategy to further reduce the burden of influenza in both countries.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Six Strategies to Treat Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection

PubMed Central

Lapointe-Shaw, Lauren; Tran, Kim L.; Coyte, Peter C.; Hancock-Howard, Rebecca L.; Powis, Jeff; Poutanen, Susan M.; Hota, Susy

2016-01-01

Objective To assess the cost-effectiveness of six treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Canada: 1. oral metronidazole; 2. oral vancomycin; 3.oral fidaxomicin; 4. fecal transplantation by enema; 5. fecal transplantation by nasogastric tube; and 6. fecal transplantation by colonoscopy. Perspective Public insurer for all hospital and physician services. Setting Ontario, Canada. Methods A decision analytic model was used to model costs and lifetime health effects of each strategy for a typical patient experiencing up to three recurrences, over 18 weeks. Recurrence data and utilities were obtained from published sources. Cost data was obtained from published sources and hospitals in Toronto, Canada. The willingness-to-pay threshold was $50,000/QALY gained. Results Fecal transplantation by colonoscopy dominated all other strategies in the base case, as it was less costly and more effective than all alternatives. After accounting for uncertainty in all model parameters, there was an 87% probability that fecal transplantation by colonoscopy was the most beneficial strategy. If colonoscopy was not available, fecal transplantation by enema was cost-effective at $1,708 per QALY gained, compared to metronidazole. In addition, fecal transplantation by enema was the preferred strategy if the probability of recurrence following this strategy was below 8.7%. If fecal transplantation by any means was unavailable, fidaxomicin was cost-effective at an additional cost of $25,968 per QALY gained, compared to metronidazole. Conclusion Fecal transplantation by colonoscopy (or enema, if colonoscopy is unavailable) is cost-effective for treating recurrent CDI in Canada. Where fecal transplantation is not available, fidaxomicin is also cost-effective. PMID:26901316

Disease burden of chronic hepatitis C among immigrants in Canada.

PubMed

Chen, W; Krahn, M

2015-12-01

Immigrants with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) in Canada have doubled risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. To measure the burden of CHC among immigrants in Canada. A decision analytic model was developed to compare immigrants with CHC and age-matched immigrants without CHC for survival years, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and medical costs per life year. Hepatitis C epidemiology among immigrants was based on hepatitis C prevalence in their home countries. A cohort of immigrant patients was retrospectively followed up to estimate fibrosis stage distribution, treatment patterns and prognosis of compensated cirrhosis. Other model variables were based on published sources. Base case analysis, one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to measure the burden of CHC and assess the impact of uncertainty associated with model variables on the burden of CHC. CHC could reduce survival by 9.6 years [95% credible interval (CI): 8.0-10.9 years], reduce QALYs by 9.5 years (95% CI: 6.0-13.8 years) and increase medical costs per life year by $1950 (95% CI: $1518 to $2486, 2006 Canadian dollars). Because nearly half of immigrants with CHC were not diagnosed until the development of cirrhosis, the burden of CHC was highly sensitive to the risks of liver-related complications and mortality but insensitive to pegylated interferon plus ribavirin. The burden of CHC among immigrants in Canada is substantial mainly due to liver-related complications and mortality. The delay in diagnosis was another important contributor to the burden of CHC among immigrants. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Six Strategies to Treat Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection.

PubMed

Lapointe-Shaw, Lauren; Tran, Kim L; Coyte, Peter C; Hancock-Howard, Rebecca L; Powis, Jeff; Poutanen, Susan M; Hota, Susy

2016-01-01

To assess the cost-effectiveness of six treatment strategies for patients diagnosed with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in Canada: 1. oral metronidazole; 2. oral vancomycin; 3.oral fidaxomicin; 4. fecal transplantation by enema; 5. fecal transplantation by nasogastric tube; and 6. fecal transplantation by colonoscopy. Public insurer for all hospital and physician services. Ontario, Canada. A decision analytic model was used to model costs and lifetime health effects of each strategy for a typical patient experiencing up to three recurrences, over 18 weeks. Recurrence data and utilities were obtained from published sources. Cost data was obtained from published sources and hospitals in Toronto, Canada. The willingness-to-pay threshold was $50,000/QALY gained. Fecal transplantation by colonoscopy dominated all other strategies in the base case, as it was less costly and more effective than all alternatives. After accounting for uncertainty in all model parameters, there was an 87% probability that fecal transplantation by colonoscopy was the most beneficial strategy. If colonoscopy was not available, fecal transplantation by enema was cost-effective at $1,708 per QALY gained, compared to metronidazole. In addition, fecal transplantation by enema was the preferred strategy if the probability of recurrence following this strategy was below 8.7%. If fecal transplantation by any means was unavailable, fidaxomicin was cost-effective at an additional cost of $25,968 per QALY gained, compared to metronidazole. Fecal transplantation by colonoscopy (or enema, if colonoscopy is unavailable) is cost-effective for treating recurrent CDI in Canada. Where fecal transplantation is not available, fidaxomicin is also cost-effective.

Acceptance of Prostitution and Its Social Determinants in Canada.

PubMed

Cao, Liqun; Lu, Ruibin; Mei, Xiaohan

2017-08-01

The nature of collective perception of prostitution is understudied in Canada. Except some rudimentary reports on the percentages of the key legal options, multivariate analysis has never been used to analyze the details of public opinion on prostitution. The current study explores the trend of public attitude toward prostitution acceptability in Canada over a 25-year span and examines the social determinants of the acceptability of prostitution, using structural equation modeling (SEM), which allows researchers to elaborate both direct and indirect effects (through mediating variables) on the outcome variable. Results show that the public has become more acceptant of prostitution over time. In addition, the less religious, less authoritarian, and more educated are more acceptant of prostitution than the more religious, more authoritarian, and less well educated. The effects of religiosity and authoritarianism mediate out the direct effects of age, gender, gender equality, marriage, marriage as an outdated institution, Quebec, race, and tolerance. The findings may serve as a reference point for the law reform regarding the regulation of prostitution in Canada.

Conservation genetics of high-arctic Gull species at risk: I. Diversity in the mtDNA control region of circumpolar populations of the Endangered Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea).

PubMed

Royston, Stephanie R; Carr, Steven M

2016-11-01

The high-arctic Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) has recently undergone a sharp decline in numbers, and in Canada it is listed as "Endangered" under the Species-At-Risk Act. To test for circumpolar genetic distinctiveness, we examined 264 bp of the mtDNA Control Region Domain I from 127 museum specimens collected during the breeding season from northern Canada, Greenland, and Norway, and during the non-breeding season from adjacent overwintering grounds in Canada, Greenland, and a disjunct area in Alaska adjacent to the Bering Sea. Partition of genetic variance according to various phylogeographic and breeding ground models indicates no strong population structure, except that Alaska birds are consistently differentiated from other locations, and there are significant temporal shifts in haplotype frequencies. The evidence suggests that Ivory Gulls in Canada, Greenland, and Norway are a single genetic entity, in contrast to Alaska birds, which may represent a distinctive Siberian population.

A comparison of paediatrics occupational therapy university program curricula in New Zealand, Australia, and Canada.

PubMed

Rodger, Sylvia; Brown, G Ted; Brown, Anita; Roever, Carsten

2006-01-01

Comparisons were made of the paediatric content of professional entry-level occupational therapy university program curricula in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada using an ex post facto survey methodology. The findings indicated that in Australia/New Zealand, paediatrics made up 20% of the total curriculum, but only 13% in Canada. Canadian reference materials were utilized less often in Canadian universities than in Australia/New Zealand. Theories taught most often in Australia/New Zealand were: Sensory Integration, Neurodevelopmental Therapy, Client-Centered Practice, Playfulness, and the Model of Human Occupation. In Canada, the most frequent theories were: Piaget's Stages of Cognitive/Intellectual Development, Neurodevelopmental Therapy, Erikson's Eight Stages of Psychosocial Development and Sensory Integration. The most frequently taught paediatric assessment tools in both regions were the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency and Miller Assessment for Preschoolers. Paediatric intervention methods taught to students in all three countries focused on activities of daily living/self-care, motor skills, perceptual and visual motor integration, and infant and child development.

Digitally-Assisted Stone Carving of a Relief Sculpture for the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site of Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayes, J.; Fai, S.; Kretz, S.; Ouimet, C.; White, P.

2015-08-01

The emerging field of digital fabrication is a process where three-dimensional datasets can be directly transferred to fabrication equipment to create models or even 1:1 building elements. In this paper, we will discuss the results of a collaboration between the Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS), the Dominion Sculptor of Canada, and the Heritage Conservation Directorate (HCD) of Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC), that utilizes digital fabrication technologies in the development of a digitally-assisted stone carving process. The collaboration couples the distinguished skill of the Dominion Sculptor with the latest digital acquisition and digital fabrication technologies for the reconstruction of a deteriorated stone bas-relief on the façade of the East Block building of the Parliament Buildings National Historic Site of Canada. The intention of the research is to establish a workflow of hybrid digital/analogue methodologies from acquisition through rehabilitation and ultimately to the fabrication of stone elements.

Self-rated health in Canadian immigrants: analysis of the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada.

PubMed

Setia, Maninder Singh; Lynch, John; Abrahamowicz, Michal; Tousignant, Pierre; Quesnel-Vallee, Amelie

2011-03-01

Using a multi-level random effects logistic model, we examine the contribution of source country, individual characteristics and post-migration experiences to the self-rated health (SRH) of 2468 male and 2614 female immigrants from the Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (2001-2005). Sex/gender differences were found for all categories of health determinants. Source country characteristics explained away some ethnic differentials in health and had independent negative effects, particularly among women. Thus, women from countries lower on the development index appear at greater risk of poor SRH, and should be at the forefront of public health programmes aimed at new immigrants in Canada. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The influence of boreal biomass burning emissions on the distribution of tropospheric ozone over North America and the North Atlantic during 2010

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parrington, M.; Palmer, P. I.; Henze, D. K.; Tarasick, D. W.; Hyer, E. J.; Owen, R. C.; Helmig, D.; Clerbaux, C.; Bowman, K. W.; Deeter, M. N.; Barratt, E. M.; Coheur, P.-F.; Hurtmans, D.; George, M.; Worden, J. R.

2011-09-01

We analyse the tropospheric ozone distribution over North America and the North Atlantic to boreal biomass burning emissions during the summer of 2010 using the GEOS-Chem 3-D global tropospheric chemical transport model, and observations from in situ and satellite instruments. In comparison to observations from the PICO-NARE observatory in the Azores, ozonesondes across Canada, and the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES) and Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Instrument (IASI) satellite instruments, the model ozone distribution is shown to be in reasonable agreement with mean biases less than 10 ppbv. We use the adjoint of GEOS-Chem to show the model ozone distribution in the free troposphere over Maritime Canada is largely sensitive to NOx emissions from biomass burning sources in Central Canada, lightning sources in the central US, and anthropogenic sources in eastern US and south-eastern Canada. We also use the adjoint of GEOS-Chem to evaluate the Fire Locating And Monitoring of Burning Emissions (FLAMBE) inventory through assimilation of CO observations from the Measurements Of Pollution In The Troposphere (MOPITT) satellite instrument. The CO inversion showed that, on average the FLAMBE emissions needed to be reduced to 89 % of their original values, with scaling factors ranging from 12 % to 102 %, to fit the MOPITT observations in the boreal regions. Applying the CO scaling factors to all species emitted from boreal biomass burning sources led to a decrease of the model tropospheric distributions of CO, PAN, and NOx by as much as -20 ppbv, -50 ppbv, and -20 ppbv respectively. The impact of optimizing the biomass burning emissions was to reduce the model ozone distribution by approximately -3 ppbv (-8 %) and on average improved the agreement of the model ozone distribution compared to the observations throughout the free troposphere reducing the mean model bias from 5.5 to 4.0 ppbv for the PICO-NARE observatory, 3.0 to 0.9 ppbv for ozonesondes, 2.0 to 0.9 ppbv for TES, and 2.8 to 1.4 ppbv for IASI.

Research ethics across the 49th parallel: the potential value of pilot testing "equivalent protections" in Canadian research institutions.

PubMed

Lavery, James V; McDonald, Michael; Meslin, Eric M

2005-01-01

Canada and the United States share the world's largest trade partnership and an increasing concern about divergent regulatory approaches to common industries. Canadian research institutes receive more research funding from the U.S. National Institutes of Health than any other country, much of it to fund multi-centre and collaborative research between the two countries. Because of these close economic and research ties, and the extensive similarities between the two countries in the review and oversight of ethics in human subjects research, we propose that Canada would be an ideal country for a pilot-test of the feasibility of "equivalent protections," a U.S. regulation that permits comparison of protections for human subjects between institutions in the two countries. The "equivalent protections" has been advocated by various bodies in the United States as a potentially beneficial mechanism for improving oversight of foreign trials. As well, we argue that "equivalent protections" could prove to be valuable for Canada in five specific ways: (1) by potentially reducing administrative burden on Canadian research institutions administering U.S. federal research funding; (2) by creating symbolic value of an explicit recognition by the United States that procedures normally followed for the protection of human subjects in Canadian research institutions are at least equivalent to those provided by the U.S. regulations; (3) by lowering the opportunity cost of investing in research in Canada; (4) by affording Canada an opportunity to enhance its leadership role in international research by offering an alternative to the U.S. regulatory model for the protection of human subjects; and (5) by providing a model for how the idea of equivalent protections might be addressed for research funded by Canadian agencies but conducted in other countries.

Special Sessions: International Conference on Rehabilitation Engineering (2nd, Ottawa, Canada, June 17-22, 1984). Combined with RESNA 7th Annual Conference = Seances speciales: conference internationale sur la technologie de reeducation fonctionnelle (2nd, Ottawa, Canada, Juin 17-22, 1984). Tenue parallelement a la RESNA 7e conference annuelle.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America, Washington, DC.

These proceedings of the conference's Special Sessions contain 85 papers organized into the following sections: "Implant Materials and Devices,""Communication Aids,""Neural Prosthetics for the Disabled,""Current Concepts in Spinal Cord Rehabilitation,""New Models in…

Advances in Canadian forest hydrology, 1999-2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buttle, J. M.; Creed, I. F.; Moore, R. D.

2005-01-01

Understanding key hydrological processes and properties is critical to sustaining the ecological, economic, social and cultural roles of Canada's varied forest types. This review examines recent progress in studying the hydrology of Canada's forest landscapes. Work in some areas, such as snow interception, accumulation and melt under forest cover, has led to modelling tools that can be readily applied for operational purposes. Our understanding in other areas, such as the link between runoff-generating processes in different forest landscapes and hydrochemical fluxes to receiving waters, is much more tentative. The 1999-2003 period saw considerable research examining hydrological and biogeochemical responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbance of forest landscapes, spurred by major funding initiatives at the provincial and federal levels. This work has provided valuable insight; however, application of the findings beyond the experimental site is often restricted by such issues as a limited consideration of the background variability of hydrological systems, incomplete appreciation of hydrological aspects at the experiment planning stage, and experimental design problems that often bedevil studies of basin response to disturbance. Overcoming these constraints will require, among other things, continued support for long-term hydroecological monitoring programmes, the embedding of process measurement and modelling studies within these programmes, and greater responsiveness to the vagaries of policy directions related to Canada's forest resources. Progress in these and related areas will contribute greatly to the development of hydrological indicators of sustainable forest management in Canada. Copyright

Biogeochemical Trends and Their Ecosystem Impacts in Atlantic Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennel, Katja; Rutherford, Krysten; Kuhn, Angela; Zhang, Wenxia; Brennan, Katie; Zhang, Rui

2017-04-01

The representation of coastal oceans in global biogeochemical models is a challenge, yet the ecosystems in these regions are most vulnerable to the combined stressors of ocean warming, deoxygenation, acidification, eutrophication and fishing. Coastal regions also have large air-sea fluxes of CO2, making them an important but poorly quantified component of the global carbon cycle, and are the most relevant for human activities. Regional model applications that are nested within large-scale or global models are necessary for detailed studies of coastal regions. We present results from such a regional biogeochemical model for the northwestern North Atlantic shelves and adjacent deep ocean of Atlantic Canada. The model is an implementation of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and includes an NPZD-type nitrogen cycle model with explicit representation of dissolved oxygen and inorganic carbon. The region is at the confluence of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current making it highly dynamic, a challenge for analysis and prediction, and prone to large changes. Historically a rich fishing ground, coastal ecosystems in Atlantic Canada have undergone dramatic changes including the collapse of several economically important fish stocks and the listing of many species as threatened or endangered. Furthermore it is unclear whether the region is a net source or sink of atmospheric CO2 with estimates of the size and direction of the net air-sea CO2 flux remaining controversial. We will discuss simulated patterns of primary production, inorganic carbon fluxes and oxygen trends in the context of circulation features and shelf residence times for the present ocean state and present future projections.

Placebo Trends across the Border: US versus Canada.

PubMed

Harris, Cory S; Campbell, Natasha K J; Raz, Amir

2015-01-01

Physicians around the world report to using placebos in a variety of situations and with varying degrees of frequency. Inconsistent methodologies, however, complicate interpretation and prevent direct comparisons across studies. While US- and Canada-based physicians share similar professional standards, Canada harbours a less-litigious universal healthcare model with no formal placebo-related policy-factors that may impact how physicians view and use placebos. To compare American and Canadian data, we circulated an online survey to academic physicians practicing in Canada, collected anonymous responses, and extracted those of internists and rheumatologists for comparison to US data obtained through parallel methodologies. Whereas our data show overall concordance across the border-from definitions to ethical limitations and therapeutic potential-differences between American- and Canadian-based placebo practices merit acknowledgement. For example, compared to 45%-80% among US-based respondents, only 23±7% of Canada-based respondents reported using placebos in clinical practice. However, 79±7% of Canada-respondents-a figure comparable to US data-professed to prescribing at least one form of treatment without proven or expected efficacy. Placebo interventions including unwarranted vitamins and herbal supplements (impure placebos) as well as sugar pills and saline injections (pure placebos) appear more common in Canada, where more doctors described placebos as "placebos" (rather than "medications") and used them as a "diagnostic" tool (rather than a means of placating patient demands for treatment). Cross-border variation in the use of clinical placebos appears minor despite substantial differences in health care delivery system, malpractice climate, and placebo-related policy. The prevalence of impure placebos in both Canadian and US clinics raises ethical and practical questions currently unaddressed by policy and warranting investigation.

Placebo Trends across the Border: US versus Canada

PubMed Central

Harris, Cory S.; Campbell, Natasha K. J.; Raz, Amir

2015-01-01

Background Physicians around the world report to using placebos in a variety of situations and with varying degrees of frequency. Inconsistent methodologies, however, complicate interpretation and prevent direct comparisons across studies. While US- and Canada-based physicians share similar professional standards, Canada harbours a less-litigious universal healthcare model with no formal placebo-related policy—factors that may impact how physicians view and use placebos. Methods To compare American and Canadian data, we circulated an online survey to academic physicians practicing in Canada, collected anonymous responses, and extracted those of internists and rheumatologists for comparison to US data obtained through parallel methodologies. Results Whereas our data show overall concordance across the border—from definitions to ethical limitations and therapeutic potential—differences between American- and Canadian-based placebo practices merit acknowledgement. For example, compared to 45%-80% among US-based respondents, only 23±7% of Canada-based respondents reported using placebos in clinical practice. However, 79±7% of Canada-respondents—a figure comparable to US data—professed to prescribing at least one form of treatment without proven or expected efficacy. Placebo interventions including unwarranted vitamins and herbal supplements (impure placebos) as well as sugar pills and saline injections (pure placebos) appear more common in Canada, where more doctors described placebos as “placebos” (rather than “medications”) and used them as a “diagnostic” tool (rather than a means of placating patient demands for treatment). Interpretation Cross-border variation in the use of clinical placebos appears minor despite substantial differences in health care delivery system, malpractice climate, and placebo-related policy. The prevalence of impure placebos in both Canadian and US clinics raises ethical and practical questions currently unaddressed by policy and warranting investigation. PMID:26606749

The Emergence of Flood Insurance in Canada: Navigating Institutional Uncertainty.

PubMed

Thistlethwaite, Jason

2017-04-01

Flood insurance has remained unavailable in Canada based on an assessment that it lacks economic viability. In response to Canada's costliest flood event to date in 2013, the Canadian insurance industry has started to develop a framework to expand existing property insurance to cover flood damage. Research on flood insurance has overlooked why and how insurance systems transition to expand insurance coverage without evidence of economic viability. This article will address this gap through a case study on the emergence of flood insurance in Canada, and the approach to its expansion. Between 2013 and 2016, insurance industry officials representing over 60% of premiums collected in Canada were interviewed. These interviews revealed that flood insurance is being expanded in response to institutional pressure, specifically external stakeholder expectations that the insurance industry will adopt a stronger role in managing flood risk through coverage of flood damage. Further evidence of this finding is explored by assessing the emergence of a unique flood insurance model that involves a risk-adjusted and optional product along with an expansion of government policy supporting flood risk mitigation. This approach attempts to balance industry concerns about economic viability with institutional pressure to reduce flood risk through insurance. This analysis builds on existing research by providing the first scholarly analysis of flood insurance in Canada, important "empirical" teeth to existing conceptual analysis on the availability of flood insurance, and the influence of institutional factors on risk analysis within the insurance sector. © 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.

Significance of northeast-trending features in Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hutchinson, Deborah; Jackson, H.R.; Houseknecht, David W.; Li, Q.; Shimeld, J.W.; Mosher, D.C.; Chian, D.; Saltus, Richard; Oakey, G.N.

2017-01-01

Synthesis of seismic velocity, potential field, and geological data from Canada Basin and its surrounding continental margins suggests that a northeast-trending structural fabric has influenced the origin, evolution, and current tectonics of the basin. This structural fabric has a crustal origin, based on the persistence of these trends in upward continuation of total magnetic intensity data and vertical derivative analysis of free-air gravity data. Three subparallel northeast-trending features are described. Northwind Escarpment, bounding the east side of the Chukchi Borderland, extends ∼600 km and separates continental crust of Northwind Ridge from high-velocity transitional crust in Canada Basin. A second, shorter northeast-trending zone extends ∼300 km in northern Canada Basin and separates inferred continental crust of Sever Spur from magmatically intruded crust of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. A third northeast-trending feature, here called the Alaska-Prince Patrick magnetic lineament (APPL) is inferred from magnetic data and its larger regional geologic setting. Analysis of these three features suggests strike slip or transtensional deformation played a role in the opening of Canada Basin. These features can be explained by initial Jurassic-Early Cretaceous strike slip deformation (phase 1) followed in the Early Cretaceous (∼134 to ∼124 Ma) by rotation of Arctic Alaska with seafloor spreading orthogonal to the fossil spreading axis preserved in the central Canada Basin (phase 2). In this model, the Chukchi Borderland is part of Arctic Alaska.

CAREX Canada: an enhanced model for assessing occupational carcinogen exposure

PubMed Central

Peters, Cheryl E; Ge, Calvin B; Hall, Amy L; Davies, Hugh W; Demers, Paul A

2015-01-01

Objectives To estimate the numbers of workers exposed to known and suspected occupational carcinogens in Canada, building on the methods of CARcinogen EXposure (CAREX) projects in the European Union (EU). Methods CAREX Canada consists of estimates of the prevalence and level of exposure to occupational carcinogens. CAREX Canada includes occupational agents evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as known, probable or possible human carcinogens that were present and feasible to assess in Canadian workplaces. A Canadian Workplace Exposure Database was established to identify the potential for exposure in particular industries and occupations, and to create exposure level estimates among priority agents, where possible. CAREX EU data were reviewed for relevance to the Canadian context and the proportion of workers likely to be exposed by industry and occupation in Canada was assigned using expert assessment and agreement by a minimum of two occupational hygienists. These proportions were used to generate prevalence estimates by linkage with the Census of Population for 2006, and these estimates are available by industry, occupation, sex and province. Results CAREX Canada estimated the number of workers exposed to 44 known, probable and suspected carcinogens. Estimates of levels of exposure were further developed for 18 priority agents. Common exposures included night shift work (1.9 million exposed), solar ultraviolet radiation exposure (1.5 million exposed) and diesel engine exhaust (781 000 exposed). Conclusions A substantial proportion of Canadian workers are exposed to known and suspected carcinogens at work. PMID:24969047

Significance of Northeast-Trending Features in Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hutchinson, D. R.; Jackson, H. R.; Houseknecht, D. W.; Li, Q.; Shimeld, J. W.; Mosher, D. C.; Chian, D.; Saltus, R. W.; Oakey, G. N.

2017-11-01

Synthesis of seismic velocity, potential field, and geological data from Canada Basin and its surrounding continental margins suggests that a northeast-trending structural fabric has influenced the origin, evolution, and current tectonics of the basin. This structural fabric has a crustal origin, based on the persistence of these trends in upward continuation of total magnetic intensity data and vertical derivative analysis of free-air gravity data. Three subparallel northeast-trending features are described. Northwind Escarpment, bounding the east side of the Chukchi Borderland, extends ˜600 km and separates continental crust of Northwind Ridge from high-velocity transitional crust in Canada Basin. A second, shorter northeast-trending zone extends ˜300 km in northern Canada Basin and separates inferred continental crust of Sever Spur from magmatically intruded crust of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. A third northeast-trending feature, here called the Alaska-Prince Patrick magnetic lineament (APPL) is inferred from magnetic data and its larger regional geologic setting. Analysis of these three features suggests strike slip or transtensional deformation played a role in the opening of Canada Basin. These features can be explained by initial Jurassic-Early Cretaceous strike slip deformation (phase 1) followed in the Early Cretaceous (˜134 to ˜124 Ma) by rotation of Arctic Alaska with seafloor spreading orthogonal to the fossil spreading axis preserved in the central Canada Basin (phase 2). In this model, the Chukchi Borderland is part of Arctic Alaska.

Economic evaluation of vaccines in Canada: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Chit, Ayman; Lee, Jason K. H.; Shim, Minsup; Nguyen, Van Hai; Grootendorst, Paul; Wu, Jianhong; Van Exan, Robert; Langley, Joanne M.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Economic evaluations should form part of the basis for public health decision making on new vaccine programs. While Canada's national immunization advisory committee does not systematically include economic evaluations in immunization decision making, there is increasing interest in adopting them. We therefore sought to examine the extent and quality of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada. Objective: We conducted a systematic review of economic evaluations of vaccines in Canada to determine and summarize: comprehensiveness across jurisdictions, studied vaccines, funding sources, study designs, research quality, and changes over time. Methods: Searches in multiple databases were conducted using the terms “vaccine,” “economics” and “Canada.” Descriptive data from eligible manuscripts was abstracted and three authors independently evaluated manuscript quality using a 7-point Likert-type scale scoring tool based on criteria from the International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Results: 42/175 articles met the search criteria. Of these, Canada-wide studies were most common (25/42), while provincial studies largely focused on the three populous provinces of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia. The most common funding source was industry (17/42), followed by government (7/42). 38 studies used mathematical models estimating expected economic benefit while 4 studies examined post-hoc data on established programs. Studies covered 10 diseases, with 28/42 addressing pediatric vaccines. Many studies considered cost-utility (22/42) and the majority of these studies reported favorable economic results (16/22). The mean quality score was 5.9/7 and was consistent over publication date, funding sources, and disease areas. Conclusions: We observed diverse approaches to evaluate vaccine economics in Canada. Given the increased complexity of economic studies evaluating vaccines and the impact of results on public health practice, Canada needs improved, transparent and consistent processes to review and assess the findings of the economic evaluations of vaccines. PMID:26890128

The influence of coyotes on an urban Canada goose population in the Chicago metropolitan area

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

Brown, Justin L.; /Ohio State U.

Canada geese (Branta canadensis) have become common in many urban areas, often creating nuisance problems for human residents. The presence of urban geese has raised concerns about the spread of disease, increased erosion, excessive noise, eutrophication of waterways, and general nuisance problems. Goose populations have grown due to an increase in urbanization resulting in an abundance of high quality food (urban grass) and suitable nesting sites, as well as a decrease in some predators. I monitored nest predation in the Chicago suburbs during the 2004 and 2005 nesting seasons using 3 nest monitoring techniques to identify predators: video cameras, plasticinemore » eggs, and sign from nest using a classification tree analysis. Of 58 nests monitored in 2004 and 286 in 2005, only raccoons (Procyon lotor) and coyotes (Canis latrans) were identified as nest predators. Raccoons were responsible for 22-25% of depredated nests, but were rarely capable of depredating nests that were actively defended by a goose. Coyotes were responsible for 75-78% of all Canada goose nest depredation and were documented killing one adult goose and feeding on several others. The coyote is a top-level predator that had increased in many metropolitan areas in recent years. To determine if coyotes were actively hunting geese or eggs during the nesting season, I analyzed coyote habitat selection between nesting and pre-nesting or post-nesting seasons. Coyote home ranges (95% Minimum Convex Polygon) were calculated for 19 coyotes to examine third order habitat selection related to goose nest abundance. A 100 m buffer (buffer habitat) was created and centered on each waterway edge and contained 90% of all nests. Coyotes showed selection for habitats during all seasons. Buffer habitat was the top ranked habitat in both pre-nesting and nesting seasons, but dropped to third ranked in post-nesting season. Habitat selection across seasons was compared using a repeated measures MANOVA. Habitat selection between pre-nesting and nesting seasons (P=0.72) were similar, while between post-nesting and nesting seasons there was a nearly significant difference (P=0.07). The insignificant change in habitat use across seasons suggests that coyotes did not switch habitat use to take advantage of goose nests. Alternatively, the change in ranking of buffer habitat across seasons suggests that coyotes may have switched habitat use to take advantage of goose nests. The results are not clear as large individual variation between coyotes due to differences in habitat availability, and social status interfere with the results of the analysis. Even though I failed to find strong support for coyotes actively hunting goose nests, they nevertheless were the primary nest predator in the area and may influence Canada goose populations. To determine the potential influence of coyotes on the Canada goose population, I created a Canada goose matrix population model that included variables such as coyote predation on adults and nests as well as coyote influence on nest desertion. Using the base population model I calculated the Canada goose population to be increasing with {lambda} = 1.055. The removal of all coyote influence on the goose population would allow {lambda} to increase to 1.214. Nest predation was the most important factor related to coyotes: the removal of coyote nest predation from the model resulted in a population growth rate {lambda} = 1.157. Modeling results suggest coyotes are serving as a limiting factor for the Canada goose population within the Chicago metropolitan area.« less

Origin of tropospheric NO(x) over subarctic eastern Canada in summer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fan, S.-M; Jacob, D. J.; Mauzerall, D. L.; Bradshaw, J. D.; Sandholm, S. T.; Blake, D. R.; Singh, H. B.; Talbot, R. W.; Gregory, G. L.; Sachse, G. W.

1994-01-01

The original of NO(X) in the summertime troposphere over subarctic eastern Canada is investigated by photochemical modeling of aircraft and ground-based measurements from the Arctic Boundary Layer Expedition (ABLE 3B). It is found that decomposition of peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) can account for most of the NO(X) observed between the surface and 6.2 km altitude (aircraft ceiling). Forest fires represent the principal source of PAN in the region, implying the same origin for NO(X). There is, however, evidence for an unidentified source of NO(X) in occasional air masses subsiding from the upper troposphere. Isoprene emissions from boreal forests maintain high NO(X) concentrations in the continental boundary layer over eastern Canada by scavenging OH and NO3, thus slowing down conversion of NO(X) to HNO3, both in the daytime and at night. This effect is partly compensated by the production of CH3CO3 radicals during isoprene oxidation, which slows down the decomposition of PAN subsiding from the free troposphere. The peroxy radical concentrations estimated from concurrent measurements of NO and NO2 concentrations during ABLE 3B are consistent with values computed from our photochemical model below 4 km, but model values are low at higher altitudes. The discrepancy may reflect either a missing radical source in the model or interferences in the NO2 measurement.

Floor-fractured crater models of the Sudbury structure, Canada

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wichman, R. W.; Schultz, P. H.

1992-01-01

The Sudbury structure in Ontario, Canada, is one of the oldest and largest impact structures recognized in the geological record. It is also one of the most extensively deformed and volcanically modified impact structures on Earth. Although few other terrestrial craters are recognized as volcanically modified, numerous impact craters on the Moon have been volcanically and tectonically modified and provide possible analogs for the observed pattern of modification at Sudbury. We correlate the pattern of early deformation at Sudbury to fracture patterns in two alternative lunar analogs and then use these analogs both to estimate the initial size of the Sudbury structure and to model the nature of early crater modification at Sudbury.

Response of fall-staging brant and Canada geese to aircraft overflights in southwestern Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ward, D.H.; Stehn, R.A.; Erickson, W.P.; Derksen, D.V.

1999-01-01

Because much of the information concerning disturbance of waterfowl by aircraft is anecdotal, we examined behavioral responses of Pacific brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) and Canada geese (B. canadensis taverneri) to experimental overflights during fall staging at Izembek Lagoon, Alaska. These data were used to develop predictive models of brant and Canada goose response to aircraft altitude, type, noise, and lateral distance from flocks. Overall, 75% of brant flocks and 9% of Canada goose flocks flew in response to overflights. Mean flight and alert responses of both species were greater for rotary-wing than for fixed-wing aircraft and for high-noise than for low-noise aircraft. Increased lateral distance between an aircraft and a flock was the most consistent predictive parameter associated with lower probability of a response by geese. Altitude was a less reliable predictor because of interaction effects with aircraft type and noise. Although mean response of brant and Canada geese generally was inversely proportional to aircraft altitude, greatest response occurred at intermediate (305-760 m) altitudes. At Izembek Lagoon and other areas where there are large concentrations of waterfowl, managers should consider lateral distance from the birds as the primary criterion for establishing local flight restrictions, especially for helicopters.

Patterns and Trends of Primary Production, Inorganic Carbon and Oxygen and Their Ecosystem Impacts in a Regional Biogeochemical Ocean Model for Atlantic Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fennel, K.; Rutherford, K. E.; Kuhn, A. M.; Zhang, W.; Brennan, C. E.; Zhang, R.

2016-12-01

Representing coastal oceans in global biogeochemical models is a challenge, yet the ecosystems in these regions are most vulnerable to the combined stressors of ocean warming, deoxygenation, acidification, eutrophication and fishing. Coastal regions also have large air-sea fluxes of CO2, making them an important but poorly quantified component of the global carbon cycle, and are the most relevant for human activities. Regional model applications that are nested within large-scale or global models are necessary for detailed studies of coastal regions. We present results from such a regional biogeochemical model for the northwestern North Atlantic shelves and adjacent deep ocean of Atlantic Canada. The model is an implementation of the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and includes an NPZD-type nitrogen cycle model with explicit representation of dissolved oxygen and inorganic carbon. The region is at the confluence of the Gulf Stream and Labrador Current making it highly dynamic, a challenge for analysis and prediction, and prone to large changes. Historically a rich fishing ground, coastal ecosystems in Atlantic Canada have undergone dramatic changes including the collapse of several economically important fish stocks and the listing of many species as threatened or endangered. Furthermore it is unclear whether the region is a net source or sink of atmospheric CO2 with estimates of the size and direction of the net air-sea CO2 flux remaining controversial. We will discuss simulated patterns of primary production, inorganic carbon fluxes and oxygen trends in the context of circulation features and shelf residence times for the present ocean state and present future projections.

Modeling the disturbance of vegetation by fire in the boreal forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Crevoisier, C.; Shevliakova, E.; Gloor, M.; Wirth, C.

2006-12-01

Boreal regions are important for the global carbon cycle because it is the largest forested area on earth and there are large belowground carbon pools (~1000 PgC). It is also a region where largest warming trends on the globe over the last decades have been observed and changes of the land ecosystems have already started. A major factor that determines the structure and carbon dynamics of the boreal forest is fire. As fire frequency depends strongly on climate, increased fire occurrence and related losses to the atmosphere are likely, and have already been reported. In order to predict with more confidence the occurrence and effect of fire on forest ecosystems in the boreal region, we have developed a fire model that takes advantage of the large on-ground, remote sensing and climate data from Canada, Alaska and Siberia. This prognostic model estimates the monthly burned area in a grid cell of 2 by 2.5 degrees, from four climate (air temperature, air relative humidity, precipitation and soil water content) and one human-related (road density) variables. Parameters are estimated using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo method applied to a dataset of observed burned area for Canada. The model is able to reproduce the seasonality of fire, the interannual variability, as well as the location of fire events, not only for Canada (on which data the model is based), but also for Siberia and Alaska, for which the results compare well with remote sensing observation, and are in the range of various current estimations of burned area. The fire model is being implemented in LM3V, the new vegetation model of GFDL earth system model, in order to make prediction of future fire behavior in boreal regions, and the related disturbance of the vegetation and carbon emissions.

The Use of the Nursing Process in Spain as Compared to the United States and Canada.

PubMed

Huitzi-Egilegor, Joseba Xabier; Elorza-Puyadena, Maria Isabel; Asurabarrena-Iraola, Carmen

2017-05-18

To analyze the development of the nursing method process in Spain, and compare it with the development in the United States and Canada. This is a narrative review. The teaching of the nursing process in nursing schools started in Spain as from 1977 and that it started being used in professional practice in the 1990's. The development, the difficulties, the nursing models used and its application form are discussed. The development of the nursing process in the United States and Canada started to happen in Spain about 15-20 years later and, today, is a reality. Cross-sectional studies are needed to determine the changes in the development of the nursing process in Spain. © 2017 NANDA International, Inc.

Homelessness, bedspace and the case for Housing First in Canada.

PubMed

Evans, Joshua; Collins, Damian; Anderson, Jalene

2016-11-01

The act of problem formation is integral to the policymaking process. Moreover, the process by which certain situations, experiences or events are rendered problematic hinges upon the places, spaces and networks through which the issue is made visible and intelligible to policy makers and decision makers. In this paper, we explore these epistemic geographies by unpacking one such example - the Mental Health Commission of Canada's At Home/Chez Soi study - a federally funded, $110 million field trial of the Housing First (HF) model. HF prioritizes rapid rehousing of the chronically homeless, followed by separate support and treatment services. The model has become widespread in Canada since 2005, based in large part on understandings of its cost-effectiveness. In this article, we utilize At Home/Chez Soi as an illustrative case for examining how 'chronic homelessness' is translated into a discourse of costs and benefits, and given an accounting value, through a series of translations. This problematization advances a particular logic - what we refer to as 'bedspace'. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Workplace Learning: The Role of Canadian Colleges and Institutes in Meeting Canada's Professional, Technical and Trade Skills Challenges = L'apprentissage en milieu de travail: Le role des colleges et instituts canadiens face aux defis canadiens en matiere des competences professionnels et techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malcolmson, Lorna, Ed.

2002-01-01

This issue examines selected topics in vocational education in Canadian community colleges. It focuses on the central themes of community college and industry partnerships, vocational education assessment, and vocational and workplace education pedagogical models. Articles include: (1) "Industry and Colleges: Key Partners in Meeting Canada's…

Modelling the Effects of Temperature and Cloud Cover Change on Mountain Permafrost Distribution, Northwest Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bonnaventure, P. P.; Lewkowicz, A. G.

2008-12-01

Spatial models of permafrost probability for three study areas in northwest Canada between 59°N and 61°N were perturbed to investigate climate change impacts. The models are empirical-statistical in nature, based on basal temperature of snow (BTS) measurements in winter, and summer ground-truthing of the presence or absence of frozen ground. Predictions of BTS values are made using independent variables of elevation and potential incoming solar radiation (PISR), both derived from a 30 m DEM. These are then transformed into the probability of the presence or absence of permafrost through logistic regression. Under present climate conditions, permafrost percentages in the study areas are 44% for Haines Summit, British Columbia, 38% for Wolf Creek, Yukon, and 69% for part of the Ruby Range, Yukon (Bonnaventure and Lewkowicz, 2008; Lewkowicz and Bonaventure, 2008). Scenarios of air temperature change from -2K (approximating Neoglacial conditions) to +5K (possible within the next century according to the IPCC) were examined for the three sites. Manipulations were carried out by lowering or raising the terrain within the DEM assuming a mean environmental lapse rate of 6.5K/km. Under a -2K scenario, permafrost extent increased by 22-43% in the three study areas. Under a +5K warming, permafrost essentially disappeared in Haines Summit and Wolf Creek, while in the Ruby Range less than 12% of the area remained perennially frozen. It should be emphasized that these model predictions are for equilibrium conditions which might not be attained for several decades or longer in areas of cold permafrost. Cloud cover changes of -10% to +10% were examined through adjusting the partitioning of direct beam and diffuse radiation in the PISR input field. Changes to permafrost extent were small, ranging from -2% to -4% for greater cloudiness with changes of the opposite magnitude for less cloud. The results show that air temperature change has a much greater potential to affect mountain permafrost distribution in the long-term than the probable range of cloud cover changes. Modelled results for the individual areas respond according to the hypsometry of the terrain and the relative strength of elevation and PISR in the regression models. This study indicates that significant changes to the distribution and extent of mountain permafrost in northwest Canada can be expected in the next few decades. References Bonnaventure, P.P. and Lewkowicz, A.G. (2008). Mountain permafrost probability mapping using the BTS method in two climatically dissimilar locations, northwest Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, 45, 443-455. Lewkowicz, A.G. and Bonnaventure, P.P. (2008). Interchangeability of local mountain permafrost probability models, northwest Canada. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 19, 49-62.

Development of On-line Wildfire Emissions for the Operational Canadian Air Quality Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovic, R.; Menard, S.; Chen, J.; Anselmo, D.; Paul-Andre, B.; Gravel, S.; Moran, M. D.; Davignon, D.

2013-12-01

An emissions processing system has been developed to incorporate near-real-time emissions from wildfires and large prescribed burns into Environment Canada's real-time GEM-MACH air quality (AQ) forecast system. Since the GEM-MACH forecast domain covers Canada and most of the USA, including Alaska, fire location information is needed for both of these large countries. Near-real-time satellite data are obtained and processed separately for the two countries for organizational reasons. Fire location and fuel consumption data for Canada are provided by the Canadian Forest Service's Canadian Wild Fire Information System (CWFIS) while fire location and emissions data for the U.S. are provided by the SMARTFIRE (Satellite Mapping Automated Reanalysis Tool for Fire Incident Reconciliation) system via the on-line BlueSky Gateway. During AQ model runs, emissions from individual fire sources are injected into elevated model layers based on plume-rise calculations and then transport and chemistry calculations are performed. This 'on the fly' approach to the insertion of emissions provides greater flexibility since on-line meteorology is used and reduces computational overhead in emission pre-processing. An experimental wildfire version of GEM-MACH was run in real-time mode for the summers of 2012 and 2013. 48-hour forecasts were generated every 12 hours (at 00 and 12 UTC). Noticeable improvements in the AQ forecasts for PM2.5 were seen in numerous regions where fire activity was high. Case studies evaluating model performance for specific regions, computed objective scores, and subjective evaluations by AQ forecasters will be included in this presentation. Using the lessons learned from the last two summers, Environment Canada will continue to work towards the goal of incorporating near-real-time intermittent wildfire emissions within the operational air quality forecast system.

Modelling past, present and future peatland carbon accumulation across the pan-Arctic region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaudhary, Nitin; Miller, Paul A.; Smith, Benjamin

2017-09-01

Most northern peatlands developed during the Holocene, sequestering large amounts of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems. However, recent syntheses have highlighted the gaps in our understanding of peatland carbon accumulation. Assessments of the long-term carbon accumulation rate and possible warming-driven changes in these accumulation rates can therefore benefit from process-based modelling studies. We employed an individual-based dynamic global ecosystem model with dynamic peatland and permafrost functionalities and patch-based vegetation dynamics to quantify long-term carbon accumulation rates and to assess the effects of historical and projected climate change on peatland carbon balances across the pan-Arctic region. Our results are broadly consistent with published regional and global carbon accumulation estimates. A majority of modelled peatland sites in Scandinavia, Europe, Russia and central and eastern Canada change from carbon sinks through the Holocene to potential carbon sources in the coming century. In contrast, the carbon sink capacity of modelled sites in Siberia, far eastern Russia, Alaska and western and northern Canada was predicted to increase in the coming century. The greatest changes were evident in eastern Siberia, north-western Canada and in Alaska, where peat production hampered by permafrost and low productivity due the cold climate in these regions in the past was simulated to increase greatly due to warming, a wetter climate and higher CO2 levels by the year 2100. In contrast, our model predicts that sites that are expected to experience reduced precipitation rates and are currently permafrost free will lose more carbon in the future.

The 20-22 January 2007 Snow Events over Canada: Microphysical Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tao. W.K.; Shi, J.J.; Matsui, T.; Hao, A.; Lang, S.; Peters-Lidard, C.; Skofronick-Jackson, G.; Petersen, W.; Cifelli, R.; Rutledge, S.

2009-01-01

One of the grand challenges of the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission is to improve precipitation measurements in mid- and high-latitudes during cold seasons through the use of high-frequency passive microwave radiometry. Toward this end, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with the Goddard microphysics scheme is coupled with a Satellite Data Simulation Unit (WRF-SDSU) that has been developed to facilitate over-land snowfall retrieval algorithms by providing a virtual cloud library and microwave brightness temperature (Tb) measurements consistent with the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI). This study tested the Goddard cloud microphysics scheme in WRF for snowstorm events (January 20-22, 2007) that took place over the Canadian CloudSAT/CALIPSO Validation Project (C3VP) ground site (Centre for Atmospheric Research Experiments - CARE) in Ontario, Canada. In this paper, the performance of the Goddard cloud microphysics scheme both with 2ice (ice and snow) and 3ice (ice, snow and graupel) as well as other WRF microphysics schemes will be presented. The results are compared with data from the Environment Canada (EC) King Radar, an operational C-band radar located near the CARE site. In addition, the WRF model output is used to drive the Goddard SDSU to calculate radiances and backscattering signals consistent with direct satellite observations for evaluating the model results.

Crop calendars for the US, USSR, and Canada in support of the early warning project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hodges, T.; Sestak, M. L.; Trenchard, M. H. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

New crop calendars are produced for U.S. regions where several years of periodic growth stage observations are available on a CRD basis. Preexisting crop calendars from the LACIE are also collected as are U.S. crop calendars currently being created for the Foreign Commodities Production Forecast project. For the U.S.S.R. and Canada, no new crop calendars are created because no new data are available. Instead, LACIE crop calendars are compared against simulated normal daily temperatures and against the Robertson wheat and Williams barley phenology models run on the simulated normal temperatures. Severe inconsistencies are noted and discussed. For the U.S.S.R., spring and fall planting dates can probably be estimated accurately from satellite or meteorological data. For the starter model problem, the Feyerherm spring wheat model is recommended for spring planted small grains, and the results of an analysis are presented. For fall planted small grains, use of normal planting dates supplemented by spectral observation of an early stage is recommended. The importance of nonmeteorological factors as they pertain to meteorological factors in determining fall planting is discussed. Crop calendar data available at the Johnson Space Center for the U.S., U.S.S.R., Canada, and other countries are inventoried.

Report of the Inter-Organizational Committee on Evaluation. Internal Evaluation Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

White, Roy; Murray, John

Based upon the premise that school divisions in Manitoba, Canada, should evaluate and improve upon themselves, this evaluation model was developed. The participating personnel and the development of the evaluation model are described. The model has 11 parts: (1) needs assessment; (2) statement of objectives; (3) definition of objectives; (4)…

A systematic review of land use regression models for volatile organic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amini, Heresh; Yunesian, Masud; Hosseini, Vahid; Schindler, Christian; Henderson, Sarah B.; Künzli, Nino

2017-12-01

Various aspects of land use regression (LUR) models for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were systematically reviewed. Sixteen studies were identified published between 2002 and 2017. Of these, six were conducted in Canada, five in the USA, two in Spain, and one each in Germany, Italy, and Iran. They were developed for 14 different individual VOCs or groupings: benzene; toluene; ethylbenzene; m-xylene; p-xylene; (m/p)-xylene; o-xylene; total BTEX; 1,3-butadiene; formaldehyde; n-hexane; total hydro carbons; styrene; and acrolein. The models were based on measurements ranging from 22 sites in El Paso (USA) to 179 sites in Tehran (Iran). Only four studies in Rome (Italy), Sabadell (Spain), Tehran, and Windsor (Canada) met the Cocheo's criterion of having at least one passive sampler per 3.4 km2 of study area. The range of R2 values across all models was from 0.26 for 1,3-butadiene in Dallas (USA) to 0.93 for benzene in El Paso. The average R2 values among two or more studies of the same VOCs were as follows: benzene (0.70); toluene (0.60); ethylbenzene (0.66); (m/p)-xylene (0.65); o-xylene (0.61); total BTEX (0.66); 1,3-butadiene (0.46); and formaldehyde (0.56). The common spatial predictors of studied VOC concentrations were dominated by traffic-related variables, but they also included proximity to ports in the USA, number of chimneys in Canada, altitude in Spain, northern latitudes in Italy, and proximity to sewage treatment plants and to gas filling stores in Iran. For the traffic-related variables, the review suggests that large buffers, up to 5,000 m, should be considered in large cities. Although most studies reported logical directions of association for predictors, some reported inconsistent results. Some studies included log-transformed predictors while others divided one variable by another. Only six studies provided the p-values of predictors. Future work may incorporate chemistry-transport models, satellite observations, meteorological variables, particularly temperature, consider specific sources of aromatic vs aliphatic compounds, or may develop hybrid models. Currently, only one national model has been developed for Canada, and there are no global LUR models for VOCs. Overall, studies from outside North America and Europe are critically needed to describe the wide range of exposures experienced by different populations.

Analysis of the Latitudinal Variability of Tropospheric Ozone in the Arctic Using the Large Number of Aircraft and Ozonesonde Observations in Early Summer 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ancellet, Gerard; Daskalakis, Nikos; Raut, Jean Christophe; Tarasick, David; Hair, Jonathan; Quennehen, Boris; Ravetta, Francois; Schlager, Hans; Weinheimer, Andrew J.; Thompson, Anne M.;

The choice of discount brand cigarettes: A comparative analysis of International Tobacco Control (ITC) Surveys in Canada and the United States (2002–2005)

PubMed Central

Nargis, Nigar; Fong, Geoffrey T.; Chaloupka, Frank J.; Li, Qiang

2014-01-01

Background Increasing tobacco taxes to increase price is a proven tobacco control measure. This paper investigates how smokers respond to tax and price increases in their choice of discount brand cigarettes vs. premium brands. Objective To estimate how increase in the tax rate can affect smokers’ choice of discount brands versus premium brands. Methods Using data from ITC Surveys in Canada and the United States, a logit model was constructed to estimate the probability of choosing discount brand cigarettes in response to its price changes relative to premium brands, controlling for individual-specific demographic and socio-economic characteristics and regional effects. The self-reported price of an individual smoker is used in a random-effects regression model to impute price and to construct the price ratio for discount and premium brands for each smoker, which is used in the logit model. Findings An increase in the ratio of price of discount brand cigarettes to the price of premium brands by 0.1 is associated with a decrease in the probability of choosing discount brands by 0.08 in Canada. No significant effect is observed in case of the United States. Conclusion The results of the model explain two phenomena: (1) the widened price differential between premium and discount brand cigarettes contributed to the increased share of discount brand cigarettes in Canada in contrast to a relatively steady share in the United States during 2002–2005, and (2) increasing the price ratio of discount brands to premium brands—which occurs with an increase in specific excise tax—may lead to upward shifting from discount to premium brands rather than to downward shifting. These results underscore the significance of studying the effectiveness of tax increases in reducing overall tobacco consumption, particularly for specific excise taxes. PMID:23986408

Spatiotemporal Modeling of Ozone Levels in Quebec (Canada): A Comparison of Kriging, Land-Use Regression (LUR), and Combined Bayesian Maximum Entropy–LUR Approaches

PubMed Central

Adam-Poupart, Ariane; Brand, Allan; Fournier, Michel; Jerrett, Michael

2014-01-01

Background: Ambient air ozone (O3) is a pulmonary irritant that has been associated with respiratory health effects including increased lung inflammation and permeability, airway hyperreactivity, respiratory symptoms, and decreased lung function. Estimation of O3 exposure is a complex task because the pollutant exhibits complex spatiotemporal patterns. To refine the quality of exposure estimation, various spatiotemporal methods have been developed worldwide. Objectives: We sought to compare the accuracy of three spatiotemporal models to predict summer ground-level O3 in Quebec, Canada. Methods: We developed a land-use mixed-effects regression (LUR) model based on readily available data (air quality and meteorological monitoring data, road networks information, latitude), a Bayesian maximum entropy (BME) model incorporating both O3 monitoring station data and the land-use mixed model outputs (BME-LUR), and a kriging method model based only on available O3 monitoring station data (BME kriging). We performed leave-one-station-out cross-validation and visually assessed the predictive capability of each model by examining the mean temporal and spatial distributions of the average estimated errors. Results: The BME-LUR was the best predictive model (R2 = 0.653) with the lowest root mean-square error (RMSE ;7.06 ppb), followed by the LUR model (R2 = 0.466, RMSE = 8.747) and the BME kriging model (R2 = 0.414, RMSE = 9.164). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that errors of estimation in the interpolation of O3 concentrations with BME can be greatly reduced by incorporating outputs from a LUR model developed with readily available data. Citation: Adam-Poupart A, Brand A, Fournier M, Jerrett M, Smargiassi A. 2014. Spatiotemporal modeling of ozone levels in Quebec (Canada): a comparison of kriging, land-use regression (LUR), and combined Bayesian maximum entropy–LUR approaches. Environ Health Perspect 122:970–976; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1306566 PMID:24879650

Estimated impact of aggressive empirical antiviral treatment in containing an outbreak of pandemic influenza H1N1 in an isolated First Nations community.

PubMed

Xiao, Yanyu; Patel, Zeenat; Fiddler, Adam; Yuan, Lilian; Delvin, Marie-Elaine; Fisman, David N

2013-11-01

The 2009 influenza A (H1N1) pandemic was mild by historical standards, but was more severe in isolated Canadian Indigenous communities. Oseltamivir was used aggressively for outbreak control in an isolated northern Ontario First Nations community. We used mathematical modeling to quantify the impact of antiviral therapy on the course of this outbreak. We used both a Richards growth model and a compartmental model to evaluate the characteristics of the outbreak based on both respiratory visits and influenza-like illness counts. Estimates of best-fit model parameters, including basic reproductive number (R0 ) and antiviral efficacy, and simulations, were used to estimate the impact of antiviral drugs compared to social distancing interventions alone. Using both approaches, we found that a rapidly growing outbreak slowed markedly with aggressive antiviral therapy. Richards model turning points occurred within 24 hours of antiviral implementation. Compartmental models estimated antiviral efficacy at 70-95%. Plausible estimates of R from both modeling approaches ranged from 4·0 to 15·8, higher than published estimates for southern Canada; utilization of aggressive antiviral therapy in this community prevented 962-1757 cases of symptomatic influenza and as many as 114 medical evacuations in this community. Although not advocated in other settings in Canada, aggressive antiviral therapy markedly reduced the impact of a pandemic-related influenza A (H1N1) outbreak in an isolated Canadian First Nations community in northern Ontario, Canada. The differential risk experienced by such communities makes tailored interventions that consider risk and lack of access to medical services, appropriate. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Commonalities and differences in the implementation of models of care for arthritis: key informant interviews from Canada.

PubMed

Cott, Cheryl A; Davis, Aileen M; Badley, Elizabeth M; Wong, Rosalind; Canizares, Mayilee; Li, Linda C; Jones, Allyson; Brooks, Sydney; Ahlwalia, Vandana; Hawker, Gillian; Jaglal, Susan; Landry, Michel; MacKay, Crystal; Mosher, Dianne

2016-08-19

Timely access to effective treatments for arthritis is a priority at national, provincial and regional levels in Canada due to population aging coupled with limited health human resources. Models of care for arthritis are being implemented across the country but mainly in local contexts, not from an evidence-informed policy or framework. The purpose of this study is to examine existing models of care for arthritis in Canada at the local level in order to identify commonalities and differences in their implementation that could point to important considerations for health policy and service delivery. Semi-structured key informant interviews were conducted with 70 program managers and/or care providers in three Canadian provinces identified through purposive and snowball sampling followed by more detailed examination of 6 models of care (two per province). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed thematically using a qualitative descriptive approach. Two broad models of care were identified for Total Joint Replacement and Inflammatory Arthritis. Commonalities included lack of complete and appropriate referrals from primary care physicians and lack of health human resources to meet local demands. Strategies included standardized referrals and centralized intake and triage using non-specialist health care professionals. Differences included the nature of the care and follow-up, the role of the specialist, and location of service delivery. Current models of care are mainly focused on Total Joint Replacement and Inflammatory Arthritis. Given the increasing prevalence of arthritis and that published data report only a small proportion of current service delivery is specialist care; provision of timely, appropriate care requires development, implementation and evaluation of models of care across the continuum of care.

A finite volume model simulation for the Broughton Archipelago, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foreman, M. G. G.; Czajko, P.; Stucchi, D. J.; Guo, M.

A finite volume circulation model is applied to the Broughton Archipelago region of British Columbia, Canada and used to simulate the three-dimensional velocity, temperature, and salinity fields that are required by a companion model for sea lice behaviour, development, and transport. The absence of a high resolution atmospheric model necessitated the installation of nine weather stations throughout the region and the development of a simple data assimilation technique that accounts for topographic steering in interpolating/extrapolating the measured winds to the entire model domain. The circulation model is run for the period of March 13-April 3, 2008 and correlation coefficients between observed and model currents, comparisons between model and observed tidal harmonics, and root mean square differences between observed and model temperatures and salinities all showed generally good agreement. The importance of wind forcing in the near-surface circulation, differences between this simulation and one computed with another model, the effects of bathymetric smoothing on channel velocities, further improvements necessary for this model to accurately simulate conditions in May and June, and the implication of near-surface current patterns at a critical location in the 'migration corridor' of wild juvenile salmon, are also discussed.

A Theoretical Math Model for Projecting AIS3+ Thoracic Injury for Belted Occupants in Frontal Impact.

PubMed

Laituri, Tony R; Sullivan, Donald; Sullivan, Kaye; Prasad, Priya

2004-11-01

A theoretical math model was created to assess the net effect of aging populations versus evolving system designs from the standpoint of thoracic injury potential. The model was used to project the next twenty-five years of thoracic injuries in Canada. The choice of Canada was topical because rulemaking for CMVSS 208 has been proposed recently. The study was limited to properly-belted, front-outboard, adult occupants in 11-1 o'clock frontal crashes. Moreover, only AIS3+ thoracic injury potential was considered. The research consisted of four steps. First, sub-models were developed and integrated. The sub-models were made for numerous real-world effects including population growth, crash involvement, fleet penetration of various systems (via system introduction, vehicle production, and vehicle attrition), and attendant injury risk estimation. Second, existing NASS data were used to estimate the number of AIS3+ chest-injured drivers in Canada in 2001. This served as data for model validation. Third, the projection model was correlated favorably with the 2001 field estimate. Finally, for the scenario that 2004-2030 model-year systems would perform like 2000-2003 model-year systems, a projection was made to estimate the long-term effect of eliminating designs that would not comply with the proposed CMVSS 208. The 2006-2030-projection result for this scenario: 764 occupants would benefit from the proposed regulation. This projection was considered to be conservative because future innovation was not considered, and, to date, the fleet's average chest deflections have been decreasing. The model also predicted that, through 2016, the effect of improving system performance would be more influential than the population-aging effect; thereafter, the population-aging effect would somewhat counteract the effect of improving system performance. This theoretical math model can provide insights for both designers and rule makers.

Cost-effectiveness and budget impact study of solvent/detergent (SD) treated plasma (octaplasLG®) versus fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) in any patient receiving transfusion in Canada.

PubMed

Huisman, Eline L; van Eerd, Margreet C; Ouwens, J N Mario; de Peuter, Maria A

2014-08-01

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and budget impact of octaplasLG(®) compared with fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) in all patients receiving a transfusion in Canada. A decision analytic framework was used to model acute and long-term complications that could follow plasma transfusion. Over a life time horizon, the cost with octaplasLG(®) were CA$612.91, which is CA$303.14 less than those with FFP. OctaplasLG(®) resulted in 0.021 quality adjusted life years (QALYs) gained in comparison with FFP. Because of higher efficacy and lower costs, octaplasLG(®) is expected to be the dominant treatment option over FFP in Canada. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Loop optimization for tensor network renormalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Shuo; Gu, Zheng-Cheng; Wen, Xiao-Gang

We introduce a tensor renormalization group scheme for coarse-graining a two-dimensional tensor network, which can be successfully applied to both classical and quantum systems on and off criticality. The key idea of our scheme is to deform a 2D tensor network into small loops and then optimize tensors on each loop. In this way we remove short-range entanglement at each iteration step, and significantly improve the accuracy and stability of the renormalization flow. We demonstrate our algorithm in the classical Ising model and a frustrated 2D quantum model. NSF Grant No. DMR-1005541 and NSFC 11274192, BMO Financial Group, John Templeton Foundation, Government of Canada through Industry Canada, Province of Ontario through the Ministry of Economic Development & Innovation.

76 FR 11813 - Notice of Receipt of Complaint; Solicitation of Comments Relating to the Public Interest

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-03

... Columbia, Canada; Big Mountain Drugs of British Columbia, Canada; BestBuyRx.com of British Columbia, Canada... Canamerican Drugs Inc. of Winnipeg, Canada; The Canamerican Global Inc. of Winnipeg, Canada; Canadian Med Service of Winnipeg, Canada; Panther Meds Inc. of Winnipeg, Canada; Canada Drugs Online of British...

Response to Intervention in Canada: Definitions, the Evidence Base, and Future Directions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntosh, Kent; MacKay, Leslie D.; Andreou, Theresa; Brown, Jacqueline A.; Mathews, Susanna; Gietz, Carmen; Bennett, Joanna L.

2011-01-01

Based on challenges with the traditional model of school psychology, response to intervention (RTI) has been advanced as a model of special education eligibility decision making and service delivery that may address the drawbacks of the traditional models of assessment and result in improved outcomes for students. In this article, the RTI model is…

Cost-effectiveness of gemcitabine in stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: an estimate using the Population Health Model lung cancer module.

PubMed

Evans, W K

1997-04-01

Statistics Canada (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada) is in the process of developing the Population Health Model to simulate the health and common illnesses of Canadians. The Population Health Model incorporates a lung cancer module that is based on contemporary Canadian practice. This microsimulation model can be used to estimate the total direct care costs of treating all lung cancer cases diagnosed in Canada and to evaluate the cost and cost-effectiveness of new therapeutic interventions as they are introduced into practice. Gemcitabine, a new nucleoside analogue with a broad spectrum of antitumor activity, is about to be introduced on the Canadian market. The Population Health Model has been used to estimate the cost-effectiveness of gemcitabine in the management of lung cancer over a range of drug doses per treatment cycle starting at 1,000 mg/m2 weekly x 3, as well as potential survival benefits. The survival of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated on an international trial of gemcitabine (EO-18) was used to estimate the potential survival gain relative to the survival of stage IV NSCLC patients managed with best supportive care on a randomized trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute of Canada (BR 5). Sensitivity analyses were performed assuming that the survival gain was 25% or 50% less than that reported in the EO-18 trial. The perspective of the economic analysis is that of the government as payer in a universal health care system, and all costs are expressed in 1993 Canadian dollars. Based on the apparent survival advantage of the EO-18 trial in comparison to best supportive care, the cost per life-year gained ranged from $632 to $9,285, depending on the dose per treatment cycle. At the highest dose per cycle (2,000 mg/m2) and with survival reduced by 50% as compared with the EO-18 result, the cost per life-year gained was estimated to be $17,390. From these estimates of direct care costs in the Canadian health care system, gemcitabine appears to be a cost-effective intervention for advanced NSCLC.

Computer use in primary care practices in Canada

PubMed Central

Anisimowicz, Yvonne; Bowes, Andrea E.; Thompson, Ashley E.; Miedema, Baukje; Hogg, William E.; Wong, Sabrina T.; Katz, Alan; Burge, Fred; Aubrey-Bassler, Kris; Yelland, Gregory S.; Wodchis, Walter P.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective To examine the use of computers in primary care practices. Design The international Quality and Cost of Primary Care study was conducted in Canada in 2013 and 2014 using a descriptive cross-sectional survey method to collect data from practices across Canada. Participating practices filled out several surveys, one of them being the Family Physician Survey, from which this study collected its data. Setting All 10 Canadian provinces. Participants A total of 788 family physicians. Main outcome measures A computer use scale measured the extent to which family physicians integrated computers into their practices, with higher scores indicating a greater integration of computer use in practice. Analyses included t tests and 2 tests comparing new and traditional models of primary care on measures of computer use and electronic health record (EHR) use, as well as descriptive statistics. Results Nearly all (97.5%) physicians reported using a computer in their practices, with moderately high computer use scale scores (mean [SD] score of 5.97 [2.96] out of 9), and many (65.7%) reported using EHRs. Physicians with practices operating under new models of primary care reported incorporating computers into their practices to a greater extent (mean [SD] score of 6.55 [2.64]) than physicians operating under traditional models did (mean [SD] score of 5.33 [3.15]; t726.60 = 5.84; P < .001; Cohen d = 0.42, 95% CI 0.808 to 1.627) and were more likely to report using EHRs (73.8% vs 56.7%; χ12=25.43; P < .001; odds ratio = 2.15). Overall, there was a statistically significant variability in computer use across provinces. Conclusion Most family physicians in Canada have incorporated computers into their practices for administrative and scholarly activities; however, EHRs have not been adopted consistently across the country. Physicians with practices operating under the new, more collaborative models of primary care use computers more comprehensively and are more likely to use EHRs than those in practices operating under traditional models of primary care. PMID:28500211

Petroleum system modeling of the western Canada sedimentary basin - isopach grid files

USGS Publications Warehouse

Higley, Debra K.; Henry, Mitchell E.; Roberts, Laura N.R.

2005-01-01

This publication contains zmap-format grid files of isopach intervals that represent strata associated with Devonian to Holocene petroleum systems of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan, Canada. Also included is one grid file that represents elevations relative to sea level of the top of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group. Vertical and lateral scales are in meters. The age range represented by the stratigraphic intervals comprising the grid files is 373 million years ago (Ma) to present day. File names, age ranges, formation intervals, and primary petroleum system elements are listed in table 1. Metadata associated with this publication includes information on the study area and the zmap-format files. The digital files listed in table 1 were compiled as part of the Petroleum Processes Research Project being conducted by the Central Energy Resources Team of the U.S. Geological Survey, which focuses on modeling petroleum generation, 3 migration, and accumulation through time for petroleum systems of the WCSB. Primary purposes of the WCSB study are to Construct the 1-D/2-D/3-D petroleum system models of the WCSB. Actual boundaries of the study area are documented within the metadata; excluded are northern Alberta and eastern Saskatchewan, but fringing areas of the United States are included.Publish results of the research and the grid files generated for use in the 3-D model of the WCSB.Evaluate the use of petroleum system modeling in assessing undiscovered oil and gas resources for geologic provinces across the World.

Variation across Canada in the economic burden attributable to excess weight, tobacco smoking and physical inactivity.

PubMed

Krueger, Hans; Krueger, Joshua; Koot, Jacqueline

2015-04-30

Tobacco smoking, excess weight and physical inactivity contribute substantially to the preventable disease burden in Canada. The purpose of this paper is to determine the potential reduction in economic burden if all provinces achieved prevalence rates of these three risk factors (RFs) equivalent to those of the province with the lowest rates, and to update and address a limitation noted in our previous model. We used a previously developed approach based on population attributable fractions to estimate the economic burden associated with these RFs. Sex-specific relative risk and age-/sex-specific prevalence data were used in the modelling. The previous model was updated using the most current data for developing resource allocation weights. In 2012, the prevalence of tobacco smoking, excess weight and physical inactivity was the lowest in British Columbia. If age- and sex-specific prevalence rates from BC were applied to populations living in the other provinces, the annual economic burden attributable to these three RFs would be reduced by $5.3 billion. Updating the model resulted in a considerable shift in economic burden from smoking to excess weight, with the estimated annual economic burden attributable to excess weight now 25% higher compared to that of tobacco smoking ($23.3 vs. $18.7 billion). Achieving RF prevalence rates equivalent to those of the province with the lowest rates would result in a 10% reduction in economic burden attributable to excess weight, smoking and physical inactivity in Canada. This study shows that using current resource use data is important for this type of economic modelling.

Nested Global Inversion for the Carbon Flux Distribution in Canada and USA from 1994 to 2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J. M.; Deng, F.; Ishizawa, M.; Ju, W.; Mo, G.; Chan, D.; Higuchi, K.; Maksyutov, S.

2007-12-01

Based on TransCom inverse modeling for 22 global regions, we developed a nested global inversion system for estimating carbon fluxes of 30 regions in North America (2 of the 22 regions are divided into 30). Irregular boundaries of these 30 regions are delineated based on ecosystem types and provincial/state borders. Synthesis Bayesian inversion is conducted in monthly steps using CO2 concentration measurements at 88 coastal and continental stations of the globe for the 1994-2003 period (NOAA GlobalView database). Responses of these stations to carbon fluxes from the 50 regions are simulated using the transport model of National Institute for Environmental Studies of Japan and reanalysis wind fields of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Terrestrial carbon flux fields modeled using BEPS and Biome-BGC driven by NCEP reanalysis meteorological data are used as two different a priori to constrain the inversion. The inversion (top- down) results are compared with remote sensing-based ecosystem modeling (bottom-up) results in Canada's forests and wetlands. There is a broad consistency in the spatial pattern of the carbon source and sink distributions obtained using these two independent methods. Both sets of results also indicate that Canada's forests and wetlands are carbon sinks in 1994-2003, but the top-down method produces consistently larger sinks than the bottom-up results. Reasons for this discrepancy may lie in both methods, and several issues are identified for further investigation.

Development of the GEM-MACH-FireWork System: An Air Quality Model with On-line Wildfire Emissions within the Canadian Operational Air Quality Forecast System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovic, Radenko; Chen, Jack; Beaulieu, Paul-Andre; Anselmp, David; Gravel, Sylvie; Moran, Mike; Menard, Sylvain; Davignon, Didier

2014-05-01

A wildfire emissions processing system has been developed to incorporate near-real-time emissions from wildfires and large prescribed burns into Environment Canada's real-time GEM-MACH air quality (AQ) forecast system. Since the GEM-MACH forecast domain covers Canada and most of the U.S.A., including Alaska, fire location information is needed for both of these large countries. During AQ model runs, emissions from individual fire sources are injected into elevated model layers based on plume-rise calculations and then transport and chemistry calculations are performed. This "on the fly" approach to the insertion of the fire emissions provides flexibility and efficiency since on-line meteorology is used and computational overhead in emissions pre-processing is reduced. GEM-MACH-FireWork, an experimental wildfire version of GEM-MACH, was run in real-time mode for the summers of 2012 and 2013 in parallel with the normal operational version. 48-hour forecasts were generated every 12 hours (at 00 and 12 UTC). Noticeable improvements in the AQ forecasts for PM2.5 were seen in numerous regions where fire activity was high. Case studies evaluating model performance for specific regions and computed objective scores will be included in this presentation. Using the lessons learned from the last two summers, Environment Canada will continue to work towards the goal of incorporating near-real-time intermittent wildfire emissions into the operational air quality forecast system.

Evolution of thoracic surgery in Canada.

PubMed

Deslauriers, Jean; Pearson, F Griffith; Nelems, Bill

2015-01-01

Canada's contributions toward the 21st century's practice of thoracic surgery have been both unique and multilayered. Scattered throughout are tales of pioneers where none had gone before, where opportunities were greeted by creativity and where iconic figures followed one another. To describe the numerous and important achievements of Canadian thoracic surgeons in the areas of surgery for pulmonary tuberculosis, thoracic oncology, airway surgery and lung transplantation. Information was collected through reading of the numerous publications written by Canadian thoracic surgeons over the past 100 years, interviews with interested people from all thoracic surgery divisions across Canada and review of pertinent material form the archives of several Canadian hospitals and universities. Many of the developments occurred by chance. It was the early and specific focus on thoracic surgery, to the exclusion of cardiac and general surgery, that distinguishes the Canadian experience, a model that is now emerging everywhere. From lung transplantation in chimera twin calves to ex vivo organ preservation, from the removal of airways to tissue regeneration, and from intensive care research to complex science, Canadians have excelled in their commitment to research. Over the years, the influence of Canadian thoracic surgery on international practice has been significant. Canada spearheaded the development of thoracic surgery over the past 100 years to a greater degree than any other country. From research to education, from national infrastructures to the regionalization of local practices, it happened in Canada.

Evolving Perspectives on Lyme Borreliosis in Canada

PubMed Central

Sperling, JLH; Middelveen, MJ; Klein, D; Sperling, FAH

2012-01-01

With cases now documented in every province, Lyme borreliosis (LB) is emerging as a serious public health risk in Canada. Controversy over the contribution of LB to the burden of chronic disease is maintained by difficulty in capturing accurate Canadian statistics, especially early clinical cases of LB. The use of dogs as sentinel species demon-strates that potential contact with Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes, as detected by C6 peptide, extends across the country. Dissemination of infected ticks by migratory birds and rapid establishment of significant levels of infection have been well described. Canadian public health response has focused on identification of established populations of the tick vectors, Ixodes scapularis and I. pacificus, on the assumption that these are the only important vectors of the disease across Canada. Strains of B. burgdorferi circulating in Canada and the full range of their reservoir species and coinfections remain to be explored. Ongoing surveys and historical records demonstrate that Borrelia-positive Ixodes species are regu-larly present in regions of Canada that have previously been considered to be outside of the ranges of these species in re-cent modeling efforts. We present data demonstrating that human cases of LB are found across the nation. Consequently, physician education and better early diagnoses are needed to prevent long term sequelae. An international perspective will be paramount for developing improved Canadian guidelines that recognize the complexity and diversity of Lyme borreliosis. PMID:23091570

Defining the rift : U.S. economist examines the consequences of the differences in U.S. and Canadian stumpage valuations

Treesearch

Henry Spelter

2005-01-01

If America had Canada’s stumpage system, then there wouldn’t be much of a dispute. But the reality is there are two distinct models of timber valuation, and the core of America’s complaint vis-à-vis Canada is that, as a result, there is an asymmetry in the market where the two sides compete: on the one hand all producers have equal access under the same rules and...

Peace through health II: a framework for medical student education.

PubMed

Arya, Neil

2004-01-01

The world's first university course in Peace through Health (PtH) recently finished at McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada. Medical students and academic staff in Canada and Europe have expressed interest in developing this course for other medical schools. Seven medical students were selected to do an unofficial 'audit' in return for 'in kind' work, developing the course materials for the web and adaptation to the medical curriculum. This article sets out the goals and structure of the course as a guide for similar teaching models.

US/Canada wheat and barley crop calender exploratory experiment implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

A plan is detailed for a supplemental experiment to evaluate several crop growth stage models and crop starter models. The objective of this experiment is to provide timely information to aid in understanding crop calendars and to provide data that will allow a selection between current crop calendar models.

MODELING ASSESSMENT OF TRANSPORT AND DEPOSITION PATTERNS OF MERCURY AIR EMISSIONS FROM THE U.S. AND CANADA

EPA Science Inventory

In December 1997, the U.S. EPA submitted the Mercury Study Report to Congress which included a regional-scale modeling assessment of the transport and deposition of U.S. air emissions of mercury. This modeling was performed with a modified version of the Regional Lagrangian Mode...

Characterizing the spatial distribution of ambient ultrafine particles in Toronto, Canada: A land use regression model.

PubMed

Weichenthal, Scott; Van Ryswyk, Keith; Goldstein, Alon; Shekarrizfard, Maryam; Hatzopoulou, Marianne

2016-01-01

Exposure models are needed to evaluate the chronic health effects of ambient ultrafine particles (<0.1 μm) (UFPs). We developed a land use regression model for ambient UFPs in Toronto, Canada using mobile monitoring data collected during summer/winter 2010-2011. In total, 405 road segments were included in the analysis. The final model explained 67% of the spatial variation in mean UFPs and included terms for the logarithm of distances to highways, major roads, the central business district, Pearson airport, and bus routes as well as variables for the number of on-street trees, parks, open space, and the length of bus routes within a 100 m buffer. There was no systematic difference between measured and predicted values when the model was evaluated in an external dataset, although the R(2) value decreased (R(2) = 50%). This model will be used to evaluate the chronic health effects of UFPs using population-based cohorts in the Toronto area. Crown Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrated Computational Materials Engineering for Magnesium in Automotive Body Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allison, John E.; Liu, Baicheng; Boyle, Kevin P.; Hector, Lou; McCune, Robert

This paper provides an overview and progress report for an international collaborative project which aims to develop an ICME infrastructure for magnesium for use in automotive body applications. Quantitative processing-micro structure-property relationships are being developed for extruded Mg alloys, sheet-formed Mg alloys and high pressure die cast Mg alloys. These relationships are captured in computational models which are then linked with manufacturing process simulation and used to provide constitutive models for component performance analysis. The long term goal is to capture this information in efficient computational models and in a web-centered knowledge base. The work is being conducted at leading universities, national labs and industrial research facilities in the US, China and Canada. This project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP), Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

Quality of life of older adults in Canada and Norway: examining the Iowa model.

PubMed

Low, Gail; Molzahn, Anita E; Kalfoss, Mary

2008-06-01

In this study, Glick and Tripp-Reimer's (1996) Iowa model for gerontological nursing serves as a guiding framework for a descriptive exploratory study of quality of life (QOL) of older adults. Using secondary data, the authors explored whether the effects of health appraisal, morbidities, social support transitions (SST), and the environment on QOL would be partly mediated by cognitive developmental transitions (CDT). Data sets were available from studies with random samples of community-dwelling older adults from Canada (n = 202) and Norway (n = 490). The partly and fully mediated effects found suggest positive CDT in older age might be significantly enhanced by the presence of intimate ties, positive perceptions of one's health limitations, and residence in a healthy, safe, and resource-rich physical environment. These findings represent a novel attempt at testing complex linkages between aspects of elder, environment, and nursing concepts within the Iowa model warranting further research.

Supplemental materials for the analysis of capture-recapture data for polar bears in Western Hudson Bay, Canada, 1984-2004

USGS Publications Warehouse

Regehr, Eric V.; Lunn, Nicholas J.; Amstrup, Steven C.; Stirling, Ian

2007-01-01

Regehr and others (2007, Survival and population size of polar bears in western Hudson Bay in relation to earlier sea ice breakup: Journal of Wildlife Management, v. 71, no. 8) evaluated survival in relation to climatic conditions and estimated population size for polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in western Hudson Bay, Canada. Here, we provide supplemental materials for the analyses in Regehr and others (2007). We demonstrate how tag-return data from harvested polar bears were used to adjust estimates of total survival for human-caused mortality. We describe the sex and age composition of the capture and harvest samples and provide results for goodness-of-fit tests applied to capture-recapture models. We also describe the capture-recapture model selection procedure and the structure of the most supported model, which was used to estimate survival and population size.

Understanding, representing and communicating earth system processes in weather and climate within CNRCWP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sushama, Laxmi; Arora, Vivek; de Elia, Ramon; Déry, Stephen; Duguay, Claude; Gachon, Philippe; Gyakum, John; Laprise, René; Marshall, Shawn; Monahan, Adam; Scinocca, John; Thériault, Julie; Verseghy, Diana; Zwiers, Francis

2017-04-01

The Canadian Network for Regional Climate and Weather Processes (CNRCWP) provides significant advances and innovative research towards the ultimate goal of reducing uncertainty in numerical weather prediction and climate projections for Canada's Northern and Arctic regions. This talk will provide an overview of the Network and selected results related to the assessment of the added value of high-resolution modelling that has helped fill critical knowledge gaps in understanding the dynamics of extreme temperature and precipitation events and the complex land-atmosphere interactions and feedbacks in Canada's northern and Arctic regions. In addition, targeted developments in the Canadian regional climate model, that facilitate direct application of model outputs in impact and adaptation studies, particularly those related to the water, energy and infrastructure sectors will also be discussed. The close collaboration between the Network and its partners and end users contributed significantly to this effort.

Estimation of unregulated monthly, annual, and peak streamflows in Forest City Stream and lake levels in East Grand Lake, United States-Canada border between Maine and New Brunswick

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lombard, Pamela J.

2018-04-30

The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the International Joint Commission, compiled historical data on regulated streamflows and lake levels and estimated unregulated streamflows and lake levels on Forest City Stream at Forest City, Maine, and East Grand Lake on the United States-Canada border between Maine and New Brunswick to study the effects on streamflows and lake levels if two or all three dam gates are left open. Historical regulated monthly mean streamflows in Forest City Stream at the outlet of East Grand Lake (referred to as Grand Lake by Environment Canada) fluctuated between 114 cubic feet per second (ft3 /s) (3.23 cubic meters per second [m3 /s]) in November and 318 ft3 /s (9.01 m3 /s) in September from 1975 to 2015 according to Environment Canada streamgaging data. Unregulated monthly mean streamflows at this location estimated from regression equations for unregulated sites range from 59.2 ft3 /s (1.68 m3 /s) in September to 653 ft3 /s (18.5 m3 /s) in April. Historical lake levels in East Grand Lake fluctuated between 431.3 feet (ft) (131.5 meters [m]) in October and 434.0 ft (132.3 m) in May from 1969 to 2016 according to Environment Canada lake level data for East Grand Lake. Average monthly lake levels modeled by using the estimated hydrology for unregulated flows, and an outflow rating built from a hydraulic model with all gates at the dam open, range from 427.7 ft (130.4 m) in September to 431.1 ft (131.4 m) in April. Average monthly lake levels would likely be from 1.8 to 5.4 ft (0.55 to 1.6 m) lower with the gates at the dam opened than they have been historically. The greatest lake level changes would be from June through September.

Impact of Trans-Boundary Emissions on Modelled Air Pollution in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavlovic, Radenko; Moran, Mike; Zhang, Junhua; Zheng, Qiong; Menard, Sylvain; Anselmo, David; Davignon, Didier

2014-05-01

The operational air quality model GEM-MACH is run twice daily at the Canadian Meteorological Centre in Montreal, Quebec to produce 48-hour forecasts of hourly O3, NO2, and PM2.5 fields over a North American domain. The hourly gridded anthropogenic emissions fields needed by GEM-MACH are currently based on the 2006 Canadian emissions inventory, a 2012 projected U.S. inventory, and the 1999 Mexican inventory. The Sparse Matrix Operator Kernel Emissions (SMOKE) processing package was used to process these three national emissions inventories to create the GEM-MACH emissions fields. While Canada is the second-largest country in the world by total area, its population and its emissions of criteria contaminants are both only about one-tenth of U.S. values and roughly 80% of the Canadian population lives within 150 km of the international border with the U.S. As a consequence, transboundary transport of air pollution has a major impact on air quality in Canada. To quantify the impact of non-Canadian emissions on forecasted pollutant levels in Canada, the following two tests were performed: (a) all U.S. and Mexican anthropogenic emissions were switched off; and (b) anthropogenic emissions from the southernmost tier of U.S. states and Mexico were switched off. These sensitivity tests were performed for the summer and winter periods of 2012 or 2011. The results obtained show that the impact of non-Canadian sources on forecasted pollution is generally larger in summer than in winter, especially in south-eastern parts of Canada. For the three pollutants considered in the Canadian national Air Quality Health Index, PM2.5 is impacted the most (up to 80%) and NO2 the least (<10%). Emissions from the southern U.S. and Mexico do impact Canadian air quality, but the sign may change depending on the season (i.e., increase vs. decrease), reflecting chemical processing en route.

Are Emissions of Restricted Halocarbons in the USA and Canada Still Globally Significant?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hurst, D. F.; Romashkin, P. A.; Hall, B. D.; Elkins, J. W.; Lin, J. C.; Gerbig, C.; Daube, B. C.; Wofsy, S. C.

2004-12-01

The global manufacture of halocarbons regulated by the Montreal Protocol has dropped substantially in response to the January 1, 1996, production phase-out deadline (1994 for halons) for developed (Article 5) countries like the United States and Canada. Contemporary emissions of these ozone-depleting substances (ODS) emanate from ongoing production in developing countries and releases of banked halocarbons world-wide. ODS emissions in developing nations can be appraised from reported production figures, but not so for developed nations where recent manufacture is negligible. Emissions in the United States and Canada are increasingly difficult to estimate because of limited information about bank sizes and release rates in the post-production era. In addition, regional- or national-scale emission estimates should no longer be derived wholly from localized measurements because of the potentially patchy spatial distributions of modern emissions. We estimate ODS emissions in the USA and Canada from >1000 simultaneous, in situ measurements each of CO and six restricted halocarbons (CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, methyl chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, and halon-1211) in and above the planetary boundary layer during the 2003 CO2 Budget and Regional Airborne - North America (COBRA-NA 2003) study. The data obtained during 87 flight hours are geographically extensive (>30,000 km) including two 11,000 km flight circuits across both countries. More than 50 pollution "events" with statistically significant ODS:CO emission ratios were sampled, and for each event we have determined a flux footprint using the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport (STILT) model. The model also calculates footprint-weighted average population densities and CO fluxes which we convert to footprint-weighted average ODS fluxes using the measured ODS:CO emission ratios. Statistically robust relationships between footprint-averaged ODS fluxes and population densities for several ODS indicate that population-based extrapolations of these relationships to national levels are warranted. Emission estimates for the USA and Canada in 2003 will be presented and compared to the magnitudes of global emissions.

Effects of groundwater flow on the distribution of biogenic gas in parts of the northern Great Plains of Canada and United States

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anna, Lawrence O.

2011-01-01

Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, were studied as part of an assessment of shallow biogenic gas in Upper Cretaceous rocks.Parts of the northern Great Plains in eastern Montana and western North Dakota and southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada, were studied as part of an assessment of shallow biogenic gas in Upper Cretaceous rocks. Large quantities of shallow biogenic gas are produced from low-permeability, Upper Cretaceous reservoirs in southeastern Alberta and southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. Rocks of similar types and age produce sparingly in the United States except on large structures, such as Bowdoin dome and Cedar Creek anticline. Significant production also occurs in the Tiger Ridge area, where uplift of the Bearpaw Mountains created stratigraphic traps. The resource in Canada is thought to be a continuous, biogenic-gas-type accumulation with economic production in a variety of subtle structures and stratigraphic settings. The United States northern Great Plains area has similar conditions but only broad structural closures or stratigraphic traps associated with local structure have produced economically to date. Numerical flow modeling was used to help determine that biogenic gas in low-permeability reservoirs is held in place by high hydraulic head that overrides buoyancy forces of the gas. Modeling also showed where hydraulic head is greater under Tertiary capped topographic remnants rather than near adjacent topographic lows. The high head can override the capillary pressure of the rock and force gas to migrate to low head in topographically low areas. Most current biogenic gas production is confined to areas between mapped lineaments in the northern Great Plains. The lineaments may reflect structural zones in the Upper Cretaceous that help compartmentalize reservoirs and confine gas accumulations.

Assessment of the Probability of Autochthonous Transmission of Chikungunya Virus in Canada under Recent and Projected Climate Change

PubMed Central

Fazil, Aamir; Gachon, Philippe; Deuymes, Guillaume; Radojević, Milka; Mascarenhas, Mariola; Garasia, Sophiya; Johansson, Michael A.; Ogden, Nicholas H.

2017-01-01

Background: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a reemerging pathogen transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. The ongoing Caribbean outbreak is of concern due to the potential for infected travelers to spread the virus to countries where vectors are present and the population is susceptible. Although there has been no autochthonous transmission of CHIKV in Canada, there is concern that both Ae. albopictus and CHIKV will become established, particularly under projected climate change. We developed risk maps for autochthonous CHIKV transmission in Canada under recent (1981–2010) and projected climate (2011–2040 and 2041–2070). Methods: The risk for CHIKV transmission was the combination of the climatic suitability for CHIKV transmission potential and the climatic suitability for the presence of Ae. albopictus; the former was assessed using a stochastic model to calculate R0 and the latter was assessed by deriving a suitability indicator (SIG) that captures a set of climatic conditions known to influence the ecology of Ae. albopictus. R0 and SIG were calculated for each grid cell in Canada south of 60°N, for each time period and for two emission scenarios, and combined to produce overall risk categories that were mapped to identify areas suitable for transmission and the duration of transmissibility. Findings: The risk for autochthonous CHIKV transmission under recent climate is very low with all of Canada classified as unsuitable or rather unsuitable for transmission. Small parts of southern coastal British Columbia become progressively suitable with short-term and long-term projected climate; the duration of potential transmission is limited to 1–2 months of the year. Interpretation: Although the current risk for autochthonous CHIKV transmission in Canada is very low, our study could be further supported by the routine surveillance of Ae. albopictus in areas identified as potentially suitable for transmission given our uncertainty on the current distribution of this species in Canada. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP669 PMID:28731409

Chronic disease and chronic disease risk factors among First Nations, Inuit and Métis populations of northern Canada.

PubMed

Bruce, S G; Riediger, N D; Lix, L M

2014-11-01

Aboriginal populations in northern Canada are experiencing rapid changes in their environments, which may negatively impact on health status. The purpose of our study was to compare chronic conditions and risk factors in northern Aboriginal populations, including First Nations (FN), Inuit and Métis populations, and northern non-Aboriginal populations. Data were from the Canadian Community Health Survey for the period from 2005 to 2008. Weighted multiple logistic regression models tested the association between ethnic groups and health outcomes. Model covariates were age, sex, territory of residence, education and income. Odds ratios (ORs) are reported and a bootstrap method calculated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and p values. Odds of having at least one chronic condition was significantly lower for the Inuit (OR = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.43-0.81) than for non-Aboriginal population, but similar among FN, Métis and non-Aboriginal populations. Prevalence of many risk factors was significantly different for Inuit, FN and Métis populations. Aboriginal populations in Canada's north have heterogeneous health status. Continued chronic disease and risk factor surveillance will be important to monitor changes over time and to evaluate the impact of public health interventions.

Alzheimer's and other dementias in Canada, 2011 to 2031: a microsimulation Population Health Modeling (POHEM) study of projected prevalence, health burden, health services, and caregiving use.

PubMed

Manuel, Douglas G; Garner, Rochelle; Finès, Philippe; Bancej, Christina; Flanagan, William; Tu, Karen; Reimer, Kim; Chambers, Larry W; Bernier, Julie

2016-01-01

Worldwide, there is concern that increases in the prevalence of dementia will result in large demands for caregivers and supportive services that will be challenging to address. Previous dementia projections have either been simple extrapolations of prevalence or macrosimulations based on dementia incidence. A population-based microsimulation model of Alzheimer's and related dementias (POHEM:Neurological) was created using Canadian demographic data, estimates of dementia incidence, health status (health-related quality of life and mortality risk), health care costs and informal caregiving use. Dementia prevalence and 12 other measures were projected to 2031. Between 2011 and 2031, there was a projected two-fold increase in the number of people living with dementia in Canada (1.6-fold increase in prevalence rate). By 2031, the projected informal (unpaid) caregiving for dementia in Canada was two billion hours per year, or 100 h per year per Canadian of working age. The projected increase in dementia prevalence was largely related to the expected increase in older Canadians, with projections sensitive to changes in the age of dementia onset.

A national framework for monitoring and reporting on environmental sustainability in Canada.

PubMed

Marshall, I B; Scott Smith, C A; Selby, C J

1996-01-01

In 1991, a collaborative project to revise the terrestrial component of a national ecological framework was undertaken with a wide range of stakeholders. This spatial framework consists of multiple, nested levels of ecological generalization with linkages to existing federal and provincial scientific databases. The broadest level of generalization is the ecozone. Macroclimate, major vegetation types and subcontinental scale physiographic formations constitute the definitive components of these major ecosystems. Ecozones are subdivided into approximately 200 ecoregions which are based on properties like regional physiography, surficial geology, climate, vegetation, soil, water and fauna. The ecozone and ecoregion levels of the framework have been depicted on a national map coverage at 1:7 500 000 scale. Ecoregions have been subdivided into ecodistricts based primarily on landform, parent material, topography, soils, waterbodies and vegetation at a scale (1:2 000 000) useful for environmental resource management, monitoring and modelling activities. Nested within the ecodistricts are the polygons that make up the Soil Landscapes of Canada series of 1:1 000 000 scale soil maps. The framework is supported by an ARC-INFO GIS at Agriculture Canada. The data model allows linkage to associated databases on climate, land use and socio-economic attributes.

Weapons for the world/update: the U. S. corporate role in International Arms Transfers. [Booklet

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

Lydenberg, S.

1977-01-01

The substantial growth of American arms exports in recent years has prompted the Council on Economic Priorities to study the role played by U.S. corporations in the sale of U.S. military equipment, training, and services throughout the world. Major findings of this Report include: U.S. arms sales and exports to foreign countries have risen dramatically from $2.9 billion in 1967, to $5 billion in 1971, to $10 to 12 billion annually from 1974 through 1976. Since 1973 a major shift has taken place in the nature of U.S. arms transfers from arms aid under the Military Assistance Program to armsmore » sales under the Foreign Military Sales program. The 10 U.S. corporations (Northrop, McDonnell Douglas, Grumman, Litton, General Electric, Raytheon, FMC, Hughes, Lockheed, and Textron) most extensively involved in U.S. arms exports in 1976 (profiled in this Report) received approximately 30% of their total military business from foreign arms sales. Congress has increased its active participation in U.S. arms-transfer policy through legislation passed in 1975 and 1976. This legislation has extended Congress' control over the Foreign Military Sales program in particular.« less

Two-step rapid sulfur capture. Final report

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

NONE

1994-04-01

The primary goal of this program was to test the technical and economic feasibility of a novel dry sorbent injection process called the Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process for several advanced coal utilization systems. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process consists of limestone activation in a high temperature auxiliary burner for short times followed by sorbent quenching in a lower temperature sulfur containing coal combustion gas. The Two-Step Rapid Sulfur Capture process is based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture process developed by the Energy Technology Office of Textron Defense Systems (ETO/TDS). Based on the Non-Equilibrium Sulfur Capture studies the rangemore » of conditions for optimum sorbent activation were thought to be: activation temperature > 2,200 K for activation times in the range of 10--30 ms. Therefore, the aim of the Two-Step process is to create a very active sorbent (under conditions similar to the bomb reactor) and complete the sulfur reaction under thermodynamically favorable conditions. A flow facility was designed and assembled to simulate the temperature, time, stoichiometry, and sulfur gas concentration prevalent in the advanced coal utilization systems such as gasifiers, fluidized bed combustors, mixed-metal oxide desulfurization systems, diesel engines, and gas turbines.« less

XV-15 Tiltrotor Aircraft: 1997 Acoustic Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Bryan D.; Conner, David A.

2003-01-01

XV-15 acoustic test is discussed, and measured results are presented. The test was conducted by NASA Langley and Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., during June - July 1997, at the BHTI test site near Waxahachie, Texas. This was the second in a series of three XV-15 tests to document the acoustic signature of the XV-15 tiltrotor aircraft for a variety of flight conditions and minimize the noise signature during approach. Tradeoffs between flight procedures and the measured noise are presented to illustrate the noise abatement flight procedures. The test objectives were to: (1) support operation of future tiltrotors by further developing and demonstrating low-noise flight profiles, while maintaining acceptable handling and ride qualities, and (2) refine approach profiles, selected from previous (1995) tiltrotor testing, to incorporate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), handling qualities constraints, operations and tradeoffs with sound. Primary emphasis was given to the approach flight conditions where blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise dominates, because this condition influences community noise impact more than any other. An understanding of this part of the noise generating process could guide the development of low noise flight operations and increase the tiltrotor's acceptance in the community.

Exemplary Training Models in Industrial Technology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hatton, Michael J., Comp.

Prepared by Canadian, Chinese Taipei, and Thai educational agencies and based on surveys of Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation member nations, this report provides descriptions of 52 exemplary industrial technology training models in Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, the People's Republic…

Biomonitoring Equivalents (BE) Dossier for Toluene (Cas No. 108-88-3)

EPA Science Inventory

This document reviews available pharmacokinetic data and models for toluene and applies these data and models to existing health-based exposure guidance values from the US Environmental Protection Agency, the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Health Canada, and th...

Socio-Hydrology Modelling for an Uncertain Future, with Examples from the USA and Canada (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, D. D.; Gober, P.; Sampson, D. A.; Quay, R.; Kirkwood, C.

2013-12-01

Socio-hydrology brings an interest in human values, markets, social organizations and public policy to the traditional emphasis of water science on climate, hydrology, toxicology,and ecology. It also conveys a decision focus in the form of decision support tools, engagement, and new knowledge about the science-policy interface. This paper demonstrates how policy decisions and human behavior can be better integrated into climate and hydrological models to improve their usefulness for support in decision making. Examples from the Southwest USA and Western Canada highlight uncertainties, vulnerabilities, and critical tradeoffs facing water decision makers in the face of rapidly changing environmental and societal conditions. Irreducible uncertainties in downscaled climate and hydrological models limit the usefulness of climate-driven, predict-and-plan methods of water resource planning and management. Thus, it is argued that such methods should be replaced by approaches that use exploratory modelling, scenario planning, and risk assessment in which the emphasis is on managing uncertainty rather than on reducing it.

Communities of practice as a professional and organizational development strategy in local public health organizations in Quebec, Canada: an evaluation model.

PubMed

Richard, Lucie; Chiocchio, François; Essiembre, Hélène; Tremblay, Marie-Claude; Lamy, Geneviève; Champagne, François; Beaudet, Nicole

2014-02-01

Communities of practice (CoPs) are among the professional development strategies most widely used in such fields as management and education. Though the approach has elicited keen interest, knowledge pertaining to its conceptual underpinnings is still limited, thus hindering proper assessment of CoPs' effects and the processes generating the latter. To address this shortcoming, this paper presents a conceptual model that was developed to evaluate an initiative based on a CoP strategy: Health Promotion Laboratories are a professional development intervention that was implemented in local public health organizations in Montreal (Quebec, Canada). The model is based on latest theories on work-group effectiveness and organizational learning and can be usefully adopted by evaluators who are increasingly called upon to illuminate decision-making about CoPs. Ultimately, validation of this conceptual model will help advance knowledge and practice pertaining to CoPs as well as professional and organizational development strategies in public health. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

Racialized identity and health in Canada: results from a nationally representative survey.

PubMed

Veenstra, Gerry

2009-08-01

This article uses survey data to investigate health effects of racialization in Canada. The operative sample was comprised of 91,123 Canadians aged 25 and older who completed the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey. A "racial and cultural background" survey question contributed a variable that differentiated respondents who identified with Aboriginal, Black, Chinese, Filipino, Latin American, South Asian, White, or jointly Aboriginal and White racial/cultural backgrounds. Indicators of diabetes, hypertension and self-rated health were used to assess health. The healthy immigrant effect suppressed some disparity in risk for diabetes by racial/cultural identification. In logistic regression models also containing gender, age, and immigrant status, no racial/cultural identifications corresponded with significantly better health outcomes than those reported by survey respondents identifying as White. Subsequent models indicated that residential locale did little to explain the associations between racial/cultural background and health and that socioeconomic status was only implicated in relatively poor health outcomes for respondents identifying as Aboriginal or Aboriginal/White. Sizable and statistically significant relative risks for poor health for respondents identifying as Aboriginal, Aboriginal/White, Black, Chinese, or South Asian remained unexplained by the models, suggesting that other explanations for health disparities by racialized identity in Canada - perhaps pertaining to experiences with institutional racism and/or the wear and tear of experiences of racism and discrimination in everyday life - also deserve empirical investigation in this context.

Biomedical patents and ethics: a Canadian solution.

PubMed

Gold, E R

2000-05-01

World Trade Organization member states are preparing for the upcoming renegotiation of the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights. One of the important elements of that renegotiation is the ethical considerations regarding the patenting of higher life forms and their component parts (e.g. DNA and cell-lines). The interface between the genetic revolution, patentability, and ethical considerations is the subject of this article. The author identifies, explores, and critiques four possible positions Canada may adopt in respect of patentability of biomedical material. First, Canada could do nothing. This approach would mean keeping biomedical materials outside the patent system and outside the stream of commerce. Canada would simply wait for an international consensus to develop before adopting a position of its own. Second, Canada could go it alone. It could implement a policy that balances the incentive effects of patents with the need to incorporate ethical and social values into the decision-making process regarding the use of biomedical materials. In respect of this option, the author proposes a model whereby non-profit bodies would hold the exclusive rights to research, use, and exploit biomedical materials. Third, Canada could follow the United States, Europe, and Japan by providing for almost unrestricted patenting of biomedical materials. This would be the most industry-friendly alternative. The fourth and final option is to use the medicare system to promote discussion of ethical considerations involved in the use of biomedical materials. The power of provincial health agencies may be used as a lever to ensure the discussion of ethical considerations concerning the use of biomedical materials. The author concludes that the fourth and final option is the best alternative for Canada while waiting for an international consensus to emerge.

Exploring the role of the dental hygienist in reducing oral health disparities in Canada: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Farmer, J; Peressini, S; Lawrence, H P

2018-05-01

Reducing oral health disparities has been an ongoing challenge in Canada with the largest burden of oral disease exhibited in vulnerable populations, including Aboriginal people, the elderly, rural and remote residents, and newcomers. Dental hygienists are a unique set of professionals who work with and within communities, who have the potential to act as key change agents for improving the oral health of these populations. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore, from the dental hygiene perspective, the role of dental hygienists in reducing oral health disparities in Canada. Dental hygienists and key informants in dental hygiene were recruited, using purposeful and theoretical sampling, to participate in a non-directed, semi-structured one-on-one in-depth telephone interview using Skype and Call Recorder software. Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory methodology was employed with open, axial, and selective coding analysed on N-Vivo Qualitative software. The resulting theoretical framework outlines strategies proposed by participants to address oral health disparities; these included alternate delivery models, interprofessional collaboration, and increased scope of practice. Participants identified variation in dental care across Canada, public perceptions of oral health and dental hygiene practice, and lack of applied research on effective oral health interventions as challenges to implementing these strategies. The research confirmed the important role played by dental hygienists in reducing oral health disparities in Canada. However, due to the fragmentation of dental hygiene practice across Canada, a unified voice and cohesive action plan is needed in order for the profession to fully embrace their role. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit: views of family caregivers in chronic illness.

PubMed

Williams, Allison; Crooks, Valorie A; Stajduhar, Kelli I; Allan, Diane; Cohen, S Robin

2006-09-01

Based on a pilot evaluation of Canada's recently introduced Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB), the purpose of this paper is to highlight the experiences of family caregivers caring for people with non-malignant advanced chronic illness. Using Patton's (1997) utilization-focused evaluation approach, 25 telephone interviews were conducted with three groups of family caregivers: those who had successfully applied for the CCB; those who were unsuccessful in their applications; those who had never applied for the benefit. The CCB has a number of limitations, particularly for caregivers of patients diagnosed with non-malignant advanced chronic illness. The central limitations are: difficulties associated with accurate prognostication; limited definition of "family member"; insufficient length of the funding period. By modelling similar programmes internationally, such as those in Sweden, Norway, and the Netherlands, Canada would likely find the CCB to have greater relevance and accessibility to Canadian caregivers, particularly those caring for people with non-malignant advanced chronic illness.

Using linked household-level data sets to explain consumer response to bovine spongiform encepalopathy (BSE) in Canada.

PubMed

Wang, Xin; Maynard, Leigh J; Butler, J S; Goddard, Ellen W

2011-01-01

Household-level Canadian meat purchases from 2002 to 2008 and a Food Opinions Survey conducted in 2008 were used to explore consumer responses to bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) at the national level in Canada. Consumption in terms of the number of unit purchases was analyzed with a random-effects negative binomial model. In this study, household heterogeneity in meat purchases was partially explained using data from a self-reported food opinions survey. Of special interest was the hypothesis that consumers responded consistently to BSE in a one-time survey and in actual meat purchase behavior spanning years. Regional differences appeared, with consumers in eastern Canada reacting most negatively to BSE. Consumers responded more to the perception that food decision makers are honest about food safety than to the perception that they are knowledgeable, in maintaining beef purchases during BSE events.

Worksite health and wellness programs: Canadian achievements & prospects.

PubMed

Després, Jean-Pierre; Alméras, Natalie; Gauvin, Lise

2014-01-01

Canada has experienced a substantial reduction in mortality related to cardiovascular disease (CVD). There is a general consensus that more effective and widespread health promotion interventions may lead to further reductions in CVD risk factors and actual disease states. In this paper, we briefly outline the prevalence of selected risk factors for CVD in Canada, describe characteristics of the Canadian labor market and workforce, and depict what is known about health and wellness program delivery systems in Canadian workplaces. Our review indicates that there have been numerous and diverse relevant legislative and policy initiatives to create a context conducive to improve the healthfulness of Canadian workplaces. However, there is still a dearth of evidence on the effectiveness of the delivery system and the actual impact of workplace health and wellness programs in reducing CVD risk in Canada. Thus, while a promising model, more research is needed in this area. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Obesity and Regional Immigrant Density.

PubMed

Emerson, Scott D; Carbert, Nicole S

2017-11-24

Canada has an increasingly large immigrant population. Areas of higher immigrant density, may relate to immigrants' health through reduced acculturation to Western foods, greater access to cultural foods, and/or promotion of salubrious values/practices. It is unclear, however, whether an association exists between Canada-wide regional immigrant density and obesity among immigrants. Thus, we examined whether regional immigrant density was related to obesity, among immigrants. Adult immigrant respondents (n = 15,595) to a national population-level health survey were merged with region-level immigrant density data. Multi-level logistic regression was used to model the odds of obesity associated with increased immigrant density. The prevalence of obesity among the analytic sample was 16%. Increasing regional immigrant density was associated with lower odds of obesity among minority immigrants and long-term white immigrants. Immigrant density at the region-level in Canada may be an important contextual factor to consider when examining obesity among immigrants.

Tactics and Economics of Wildlife Oral Rabies Vaccination, Canada and the United States

PubMed Central

Meltzer, Martin I.; Shwiff, Stephanie A.; Slate, Dennis

2009-01-01

Progressive elimination of rabies in wildlife has been a general strategy in Canada and the United States; common campaign tactics are trap–vaccinate–release (TVR), point infection control (PIC), and oral rabies vaccination (ORV). TVR and PIC are labor intensive and the most expensive tactics per unit area (≈$616/km2 [in 2008 Can$, converted from the reported $450/km2 in 1991 Can$] and ≈$612/km2 [$500/km2 in 1999 Can$], respectively), but these tactics have proven crucial to elimination of raccoon rabies in Canada and to maintenance of ORV zones for preventing the spread of raccoon rabies in the United States. Economic assessments have shown that during rabies epizootics, costs of human postexposure prophylaxis, pet vaccination, public health, and animal control spike. Modeling studies, involving diverse assumptions, have shown that ORV programs can be cost-efficient and yield benefit:cost ratios >1.0. PMID:19757549

Insect-induced tree mortality of boreal forests in eastern Canada under a changing climate.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiongqing; Lei, Yuancai; Ma, Zhihai; Kneeshaw, Dan; Peng, Changhui

2014-06-01

Forest insects are major disturbances that induce tree mortality in eastern coniferous (or fir-spruce) forests in eastern North America. The spruce budworm (SBW) (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clemens]) is the most devastating insect causing tree mortality. However, the relative importance of insect-caused mortality versus tree mortality caused by other agents and how this relationship will change with climate change is not known. Based on permanent sample plots across eastern Canada, we combined a logistic model with a negative model to estimate tree mortality. The results showed that tree mortality increased mainly due to forest insects. The mean difference in annual tree mortality between plots disturbed by insects and those without insect disturbance was 0.0680 per year (P < 0.0001, T-test), and the carbon sink loss was about 2.87t C ha(-1) year(-1) larger than in natural forests. We also found that annual tree mortality increased significantly with the annual climate moisture index (CMI) and decreased significantly with annual minimum temperature (T min), annual mean temperature (T mean) and the number of degree days below 0°C (DD0), which was inconsistent with previous studies (Adams et al. 2009; van Mantgem et al. 2009; Allen et al. 2010). Furthermore, the results for the trends in the magnitude of forest insect outbreaks were consistent with those of climate factors for annual tree mortality. Our results demonstrate that forest insects are the dominant cause of the tree mortality in eastern Canada but that tree mortality induced by insect outbreaks will decrease in eastern Canada under warming climate.

Dietary exposure of PBDEs resulting from a subsistence diet in three First Nation communities in the James Bay Region of Canada.

PubMed

Liberda, Eric N; Wainman, Bruce C; Leblanc, Alain; Dumas, Pierre; Martin, Ian; Tsuji, Leonard J S

2011-04-01

Concerns regarding the persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range transport, and adverse health effects of polybrominated dipheyl ethers (PBDEs) have recently come to light. PBDEs may potentially be of concern to indigenous (First Nations) people of Canada who subsist on traditional foods, but there is a paucity of information on this topic. To investigate whether the traditional diet is a major source of PBDEs in sub-Arctic First Nations populations of the Hudson Bay Lowlands (James and Hudson Bay),Ontario, Canada, a variety of tissues from wild game and fish were analyzed for PBDE content (n=147) and dietary exposure assessed and compared to the US EPA reference doses (RfDs). In addition, to examine the effect of isolation/industrialization on PBDE body burdens, the blood plasma from three First Nations (Cree Nation of Oujé-Bougoumou, Quebec; Fort Albany First Nation, Ontario; and Weenusk First Nation [Peawanuck], Ontario, Canada) were collected (n=54) and analyzed using a log-linear contingency model. The mean values of PBDEs in wild meats and fish adjusted for standard consumption values and body weight, did not exceed the US EPA RfD. Log linear modeling of the human PBDE body burden showed that PBDE body burden increases as access to manufactured goods increases. Thus, household dust from material goods containing PBDEs is likely responsible for the human exposure; the traditional First Nations diet appears to be a minor source of PBDEs. Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model

PubMed Central

Koutsos, Athanasios; Lima, Maria; Conterno, Lorenza; Gasperotti, Mattia; Bianchi, Martina; Fava, Francesca; Vrhovsek, Urska; Lovegrove, Julie A.; Tuohy, Kieran M.

2017-01-01

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and fiber. A major proportion of apple polyphenols escape absorption in the small intestine and together with non-digestible polysaccharides reach the colon, where they can serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. Animal studies suggest a synergistic interaction between apple polyphenols and the soluble fiber pectin; however, the effects of whole apples on human gut microbiota are less extensively studied. Three commercial apple varieties—Renetta Canada, Golden Delicious and Pink Lady—were digested and fermented in vitro using a batch culture colonic model (pH 5.5–6.0, 37 °C) inoculated with feces from three healthy donors. Inulin and cellulose were used as a readily and a poorly fermentable plant fiber, respectively. Fecal microbiota composition was measured by 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing (V3-V4 region) and Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and polyphenol microbial metabolites were determined. The three apple varieties significantly changed bacterial diversity, increased Actinobacteria relative abundance, acetate, propionate and total SCFAs (p < 0.05). Renetta Canada and Golden Delicious significantly decreased Bacteroidetes abundance and increased Proteobacteria proportion and bifidobacteria population (p < 0.05). Renetta Canada also increased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, butyrate levels and polyphenol microbial metabolites (p < 0.05). Together, these data suggest that apples, particularly Renetta Canada, can induce substantial changes in microbiota composition and metabolic activity in vitro, which could be associated with potential benefits to human health. Human intervention studies are necessary to confirm these data and potential beneficial effects. PMID:28538678

Insect-induced tree mortality of boreal forests in eastern Canada under a changing climate

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiongqing; Lei, Yuancai; Ma, Zhihai; Kneeshaw, Dan; Peng, Changhui

2014-01-01

Forest insects are major disturbances that induce tree mortality in eastern coniferous (or fir-spruce) forests in eastern North America. The spruce budworm (SBW) (Choristoneura fumiferana [Clemens]) is the most devastating insect causing tree mortality. However, the relative importance of insect-caused mortality versus tree mortality caused by other agents and how this relationship will change with climate change is not known. Based on permanent sample plots across eastern Canada, we combined a logistic model with a negative model to estimate tree mortality. The results showed that tree mortality increased mainly due to forest insects. The mean difference in annual tree mortality between plots disturbed by insects and those without insect disturbance was 0.0680 per year (P < 0.0001, T-test), and the carbon sink loss was about 2.87t C ha−1 year−1 larger than in natural forests. We also found that annual tree mortality increased significantly with the annual climate moisture index (CMI) and decreased significantly with annual minimum temperature (Tmin), annual mean temperature (Tmean) and the number of degree days below 0°C (DD0), which was inconsistent with previous studies (Adams et al. 2009; van Mantgem et al. 2009; Allen et al. 2010). Furthermore, the results for the trends in the magnitude of forest insect outbreaks were consistent with those of climate factors for annual tree mortality. Our results demonstrate that forest insects are the dominant cause of the tree mortality in eastern Canada but that tree mortality induced by insect outbreaks will decrease in eastern Canada under warming climate. PMID:25360275

Effects of Commercial Apple Varieties on Human Gut Microbiota Composition and Metabolic Output Using an In Vitro Colonic Model.

PubMed

Koutsos, Athanasios; Lima, Maria; Conterno, Lorenza; Gasperotti, Mattia; Bianchi, Martina; Fava, Francesca; Vrhovsek, Urska; Lovegrove, Julie A; Tuohy, Kieran M

2017-05-24

Apples are a rich source of polyphenols and fiber. A major proportion of apple polyphenols escape absorption in the small intestine and together with non-digestible polysaccharides reach the colon, where they can serve as substrates for bacterial fermentation. Animal studies suggest a synergistic interaction between apple polyphenols and the soluble fiber pectin; however, the effects of whole apples on human gut microbiota are less extensively studied. Three commercial apple varieties-Renetta Canada, Golden Delicious and Pink Lady-were digested and fermented in vitro using a batch culture colonic model (pH 5.5-6.0, 37 °C) inoculated with feces from three healthy donors. Inulin and cellulose were used as a readily and a poorly fermentable plant fiber, respectively. Fecal microbiota composition was measured by 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing (V3-V4 region) and Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization. Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and polyphenol microbial metabolites were determined. The three apple varieties significantly changed bacterial diversity, increased Actinobacteria relative abundance, acetate, propionate and total SCFAs ( p < 0.05). Renetta Canada and Golden Delicious significantly decreased Bacteroidetes abundance and increased Proteobacteria proportion and bifidobacteria population ( p < 0.05). Renetta Canada also increased Faecalibacterium prausnitzii , butyrate levels and polyphenol microbial metabolites ( p < 0.05). Together, these data suggest that apples, particularly Renetta Canada, can induce substantial changes in microbiota composition and metabolic activity in vitro, which could be associated with potential benefits to human health. Human intervention studies are necessary to confirm these data and potential beneficial effects.

Analysis of the Latitudinal Variability of Tropospheric Ozone in the Arctic Using the Large Number of Aircraft and Ozonesonde Observations in Early Summer 2008

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ancellet, Gerard; Daskalakis, Nikos; Raut, Jean Christophe; Quennehen, Boris; Ravetta, Francois; Hair, Jonathan; Tarasick, David; Schlager, Hans; Weinheimer, Andrew J.; Thompson, Anne M.;

Membrane solid-state NMR in Canada: A historical perspective.

PubMed

Auger, Michèle

2017-11-01

This manuscript presents an overview of more than 40years of membrane solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) research in Canada. This technique is a method of choice for the study of the structure and dynamics of lipid bilayers; bilayer interactions with a variety of molecules such as membrane peptides, membrane proteins and drugs; and to investigate membrane peptide and protein structure, dynamics, and topology. Canada has a long tradition in this field of research, starting with pioneering work on natural and model membranes in the 1970s in a context of emergence of biophysics in the country. The 1980s and 1990s saw an emphasis on studying lipid structures and dynamics, and peptide-lipid and protein-lipid interactions. The study of bicelles began in the 1990s, and in the 2000s there was a rise in the study of membrane protein structures. Novel perspectives include using dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) for membrane studies and using NMR in live cells. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Biophysics in Canada, edited by Lewis Kay, John Baenziger, Albert Berghuis and Peter Tieleman. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Outsourcing critical financial system operations.

PubMed

Cox, Nora; Pilbauer, Jan

2018-01-01

Payments Canada provides Canada's national payments systems and is responsible for the clearing and settlement infrastructure, processes and rules that underpin the exchange of billions of dollars each day through the Canadian economy. Strategic sourcing is a reality for this small organisation with a broad scope of national regulations and global standards to comply with. This paper outlines Payments Canada's approach to outsourcing its critical financial system operations, which centres on four key principles: strong relationship management; continuous learning, recording and reporting; evaluating the business landscape; and a commitment to evolving the organisation to greater resilience. This last point is covered in detail with an exploration of the organisation's resilience and security strategy as well as its risk appetite. As Payments Canada progresses to its future state, which includes modernising its core payment systems, underlying rules and standards, risk management for the industry as a whole will remain at the forefront of its collective mind. The expectation is that outsourcing will remain a fundamental element of its operating model in future, a strategy that will ensure the organisation can focus on its core business competencies and eliminate the need to develop and support in-house expertise in commodity areas.

Refugee Resettlement: Models in Action.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lanphier, Michael

1983-01-01

Analyzes service delivery, resource allocation, sponsorship, and other practices of programs for Indochinese refugee resettlement in France, Canada, and the United States, according to a model of refugee resettlement that considers two major variables: (1) volume of refugee intake (large or moderate) and (2) type of adaptation emphasis (economic…

Using Empirical Data to Refine a Model for Information Literacy Instruction for Elementary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nesset, Valerie

2015-01-01

Introduction: As part of a larger study in 2006 of the information-seeking behaviour of third-grade students in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, a model of their information-seeking behaviour was developed. To further improve the model, an extensive examination of the literature into information-seeking behaviour and information literacy was conducted…

Evaluation of wetland methane emissions across North America using atmospheric data and inverse modeling

DOE PAGES

Miller, Scot M.; Commane, Roisin; Melton, Joe R.; ...

2016-03-02

Existing estimates of methane (CH 4) fluxes from North American wetlands vary widely in both magnitude and distribution. In light of these differences, this study uses atmospheric CH 4 observations from the US and Canada to analyze seven different bottom-up, wetland CH 4 estimates reported in a recent model comparison project. We first use synthetic data to explore whether wetland CH 4 fluxes are detectable at atmospheric observation sites. We find that the observation network can detect aggregate wetland fluxes from both eastern and western Canada but generally not from the US. Based upon these results, we then use realmore » data and inverse modeling results to analyze the magnitude, seasonality, and spatial distribution of each model estimate. The magnitude of Canadian fluxes in many models is larger than indicated by atmospheric observations. Many models predict a seasonality that is narrower than implied by inverse modeling results, possibly indicating an oversensitivity to air or soil temperatures. The LPJ-Bern and SDGVM models have a geographic distribution that is most consistent with atmospheric observations, depending upon the region and season. Lastly, these models utilize land cover maps or dynamic modeling to estimate wetland coverage while most other models rely primarily on remote sensing inundation data.« less

Evaluation of wetland methane emissions across North America using atmospheric data and inverse modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miller, Scot M.; Commane, Roisin; Melton, Joe R.; Andrews, Arlyn E.; Benmergui, Joshua; Dlugokencky, Edward J.; Janssens-Maenhout, Greet; Michalak, Anna M.; Sweeney, Colm; Worthy, Doug E. J.

2016-03-01

Existing estimates of methane (CH4) fluxes from North American wetlands vary widely in both magnitude and distribution. In light of these differences, this study uses atmospheric CH4 observations from the US and Canada to analyze seven different bottom-up, wetland CH4 estimates reported in a recent model comparison project. We first use synthetic data to explore whether wetland CH4 fluxes are detectable at atmospheric observation sites. We find that the observation network can detect aggregate wetland fluxes from both eastern and western Canada but generally not from the US. Based upon these results, we then use real data and inverse modeling results to analyze the magnitude, seasonality, and spatial distribution of each model estimate. The magnitude of Canadian fluxes in many models is larger than indicated by atmospheric observations. Many models predict a seasonality that is narrower than implied by inverse modeling results, possibly indicating an oversensitivity to air or soil temperatures. The LPJ-Bern and SDGVM models have a geographic distribution that is most consistent with atmospheric observations, depending upon the region and season. These models utilize land cover maps or dynamic modeling to estimate wetland coverage while most other models rely primarily on remote sensing inundation data.

A Parallel Sliding Region Algorithm to Make Agent-Based Modeling Possible for a Large-Scale Simulation: Modeling Hepatitis C Epidemics in Canada.

PubMed

Wong, William W L; Feng, Zeny Z; Thein, Hla-Hla

2016-11-01

Agent-based models (ABMs) are computer simulation models that define interactions among agents and simulate emergent behaviors that arise from the ensemble of local decisions. ABMs have been increasingly used to examine trends in infectious disease epidemiology. However, the main limitation of ABMs is the high computational cost for a large-scale simulation. To improve the computational efficiency for large-scale ABM simulations, we built a parallelizable sliding region algorithm (SRA) for ABM and compared it to a nonparallelizable ABM. We developed a complex agent network and performed two simulations to model hepatitis C epidemics based on the real demographic data from Saskatchewan, Canada. The first simulation used the SRA that processed on each postal code subregion subsequently. The second simulation processed the entire population simultaneously. It was concluded that the parallelizable SRA showed computational time saving with comparable results in a province-wide simulation. Using the same method, SRA can be generalized for performing a country-wide simulation. Thus, this parallel algorithm enables the possibility of using ABM for large-scale simulation with limited computational resources.

Very Low Head Turbine Deployment in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kemp, P.; Williams, C.; Sasseville, Remi; Anderson, N.

2014-03-01

The Very Low Head (VLH) turbine is a recent turbine technology developed in Europe for low head sites in the 1.4 - 4.2 m range. The VLH turbine is primarily targeted for installation at existing hydraulic structures to provide a low impact, low cost, yet highly efficient solution. Over 35 VLH turbines have been successfully installed in Europe and the first VLH deployment for North America is underway at Wasdell Falls in Ontario, Canada. Deployment opportunities abound in Canada with an estimated 80,000 existing structures within North America for possible low-head hydro development. There are several new considerations and challenges for the deployment of the VLH turbine technology in Canada in adapting to the hydraulic, environmental, electrical and social requirements. Several studies were completed to determine suitable approaches and design modifications to mitigate risk and confirm turbine performance. Diverse types of existing weirs and spillways pose certain hydraulic design challenges. Physical and numerical modelling of the VLH deployment alternatives provided for performance optimization. For this application, studies characterizing the influence of upstream obstacles using water tunnel model testing as well as full-scale prototype flow dynamics testing were completed. A Cold Climate Adaptation Package (CCA) was developed to allow year-round turbine operation in ice covered rivers. The CCA package facilitates turbine extraction and accommodates ice forces, frazil ice, ad-freezing and cold temperatures that are not present at the European sites. The Permanent Magnet Generator (PMG) presents some unique challenges in meeting Canadian utility interconnection requirements. Specific attention to the frequency driver control and protection requirements resulted in a driver design with greater over-voltage capability for the PMG as well as other key attributes. Environmental studies in Europe included fish friendliness testing comprised of multiple in-river live passage tests for a wide variety of fish species. Latest test results indicate fish passage survivability close to 100%. Further fish studies are planned in Canada later this year. Successful deployment must meet societal requirements to gain community acceptance and public approval. Aesthetics considerations include low noise, disguised control buildings and vigilant turbine integration into the low profile existing structures. The resulting design was selected for deployment at existing historic National Park waterway structures. The integration of all of these design elements permits the successful deployment of the VLH turbine in Canada.

Projected changes in daily fire spread across Canada over the next century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xianli; Parisien, Marc-André; Taylor, Steve W.; Candau, Jean-Noël; Stralberg, Diana; Marshall, Ginny A.; Little, John M.; Flannigan, Mike D.

2017-02-01

In the face of climate change, predicting and understanding future fire regimes across Canada is a high priority for wildland fire research and management. Due in large part to the difficulties in obtaining future daily fire weather projections, one of the major challenges in predicting future fire activity is to estimate how much of the change in weather potential could translate into on-the-ground fire spread. As a result, past studies have used monthly, annual, or multi-decadal weather projections to predict future fires, thereby sacrificing information relevant to day-to-day fire spread. Using climate projections from the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), historical weather observations, MODIS fire detection data, and the national fire database of Canada, this study investigated potential changes in the number of active burning days of wildfires by relating ‘spread days’ to patterns of daily fire-conducive weather. Results suggest that climate change over the next century may have significant impacts on fire spread days in almost all parts of Canada’s forested landmass; the number of fire spread days could experience a 2-to-3-fold increase under a high CO2 forcing scenario in eastern Canada, and a greater than 50% increase in western Canada, where the fire potential is already high. The change in future fire spread is critical in understanding fire regime changes, but is also imminently relevant to fire management operations and in fire risk mitigation.

Measuring the Rheumatology Workforce in Canada: A Literature Review.

PubMed

Brophy, Julie; Marshall, Deborah A; Badley, Elizabeth M; Hanly, John G; Averns, Henry; Ellsworth, Janet; Pope, Janet E; Barber, Claire E H

2016-06-01

The number of rheumatologists per capita has been proposed as a performance measure for arthritis care. This study reviews what is known about the rheumatologist workforce in Canada. A systematic search was conducted in EMBASE and MEDLINE using the search themes "rheumatology" AND "workforce" AND "Canada" from 2000 until December 2014. Additionally, workforce databases and rheumatology websites were searched. Data were abstracted on the numbers of rheumatologists, demographics, retirement projections, and barriers to healthcare. Twenty-five sources for rheumatology workforce information were found: 6 surveys, 14 databases, 2 patient/provider resources, and 3 epidemiologic studies. Recent estimates say there are 398 to 428 rheumatologists in Canada, but there were limited data on allocation of time to clinical practice. Although the net number of rheumatologists has increased, the mean age was ≥ 47.7 years, and up to one-third are planning to retire in the next decade. There is a clustering of rheumatologists around academic centers, while some provinces/territories have suboptimal ratios of rheumatologists per capita (range 0-1.1). Limited information was found on whether rural areas are receiving adequate services. The most consistent barrier reported by rheumatologists was lack of allied health professionals. In Canada there are regional disparities in access to rheumatologist care and an aging rheumatologist workforce. To address these workforce capacity issues, better data are needed including information on clinical full-time equivalents, delivery of care to remote communities, and use of alternative models of care to increase clinical capacity.

Parametric Modelling (bim) for the Documentation of Vernacular Construction Methods: a Bim Model for the Commissariat Building, Ottawa, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fai, S.; Filippi, M.; Paliaga, S.

2013-07-01

Whether a house of worship or a simple farmhouse, the fabrication of a building reveals both the unspoken cultural aspirations of the builder and the inevitable exigencies of the construction process. In other-words, why buildings are made is intimately and inevitably associated with how buildings are made. Nowhere is this more evident than in vernacular architecture. At the Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) we are concerned that the de-population of Canada's rural areas, paucity of specialized tradespersons, and increasing complexity of building codes threaten the sustainability of this invaluable cultural resource. For current and future generations, the quantitative and qualitative values of traditional methods of construction are essential for an inclusive cultural memory. More practically, and equally pressing, an operational knowledge of these technologies is essential for the conservation of our built heritage. To address these concerns, CIMS has launched a number of research initiatives over the past five years that explore novel protocols for the documentation and dissemination of knowledge related to traditional methods of construction. Our current project, Cultural Diversity and Material Imagination in Canadian Architecture (CDMICA), made possible through funding from Canada's Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), explores the potential of building information modelling (BIM) within the context of a web-based environment. In this paper, we discuss our work-to-date on the development of a web-based library of BIM details that is referenced to ''typical'' assemblies culled from 19C and early 20C construction manuals. The parametric potential of these ''typical'' details is further refined by evidence from the documentation of ''specific'' details studied during comprehensive surveys of extant heritage buildings. Here, we consider a BIM of the roof truss assembly of one of the oldest buildings in Canada's national capital - the Commissariat Building and current home to the Bytown Museum - as a case study within the CDMICA project.

A Coupled Regional Climate Simulator for the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faucher, M.; Saucier, F.; Caya, D.

2003-12-01

The climate of Eastern Canada is characterized by atmosphere-ocean-ice interactions due to the closeness of the North Atlantic Ocean and the Labrador Sea. Also, there are three relatively large inner basins: the Gulf of St-Lawrence, the Hudson Bay / Hudson Strait / Foxe Basin system and the Great Lakes, influencing the evolution of weather systems and therefore the regional climate. These basins are characterized by irregular coastlines and variables sea-ice in winter, so that the interactions between the atmosphere and the ocean are more complex. There are coupled general circulation models (GCMs) that are available to study the climate of Eastern Canada, but their resolution (near 350km) is to low to resolve the details of the regional climate of this area and to provide valuable information for climate impact studies. The goal of this work is to develop a coupled regional climate simulator for Eastern Canada to study the climate and its variability, necessary to assess the future climate in a double CO2 situation. An off-line coupling strategy through the interacting fields is used to link the Canadian Regional Climate Model developed at the "Universite du Quebec a Montreal" (CRCM, Caya and Laprise 1999) to the Gulf of St. Lawrence ocean model developed at the "Institut Maurice-Lamontagne" (GOM, Saucier et al. 2002). This strategy involves running both simulators separately and alternatively, using variables from the other simulator to supply the needed forcing fields every day. We present the results of a first series of seasonal simulations performed with this system to show the ability of our climate simulator to reproduce the known characteristics of the regional circulation such as mesoscale oceanic features, fronts and sea-ice. The simulations were done for the period from December 1st, 1989 to March 31st, 1990. The results are compared with those of previous uncoupled runs (Faucher et al. 2003) and with observations.

Canopy-Forming Seaweeds in Urchin-Dominated Systems in Eastern Canada: Structuring Forces or Simple Prey for Keystone Grazers?

PubMed Central

Blain, Caitlin; Gagnon, Patrick

2014-01-01

Models of benthic community dynamics for the extensively studied, shallow rocky ecosystems in eastern Canada emphasize kelp-urchin interactions. These models may bias the perception of factors and processes that structure communities, for they largely overlook the possible contribution of other seaweeds to ecosystem resilience. We examined the persistence of the annual, acidic (H2SO4), brown seaweed Desmarestia viridis in urchin barrens at two sites in Newfoundland (Canada) throughout an entire growth season (February to October). We also compared changes in epifaunal assemblages in D. viridis and other conspicuous canopy-forming seaweeds, the non-acidic conspecific Desmarestia aculeata and kelp Agarum clathratum. We show that D. viridis can form large canopies within the 2-to-8 m depth range that represent a transient community state termed “Desmarestia bed”. The annual resurgence of Desmarestia beds and continuous occurrence of D. aculeata and A. clathratum, create biological structure for major recruitment pulses in invertebrate and fish assemblages (e.g. from quasi-absent gastropods to >150 000 recruits kg−1 D. viridis). Many of these pulses phase with temperature-driven mass release of acid to the environment and die-off in D. viridis. We demonstrate experimentally that the chemical makeup of D. viridis and A. clathratum helps retard urchin grazing compared to D. aculeata and the highly consumed kelp Alaria esculenta. In light of our findings and related studies, we propose fundamental changes to the study of community shifts in shallow, rocky ecosystems in eastern Canada. In particular, we advocate the need to regard certain canopy-forming seaweeds as structuring forces interfering with top-down processes, rather than simple prey for keystone grazers. We also propose a novel, empirical model of ecological interactions for D. viridis. Overall, our study underscores the importance of studying organisms together with cross-scale environmental variability to better understand the factors and processes that shape marine communities. PMID:24859311

Testing the hierarchy of effects model: ParticipACTION's serial mass communication campaigns on physical activity in Canada.

PubMed

Craig, C L; Bauman, A; Reger-Nash, B

2010-03-01

The hierarchy of effects (HOE) model is often used in planning mass-reach communication campaigns to promote health, but has rarely been empirically tested. This paper examines Canada's 30 year ParticipACTION campaign to promote physical activity (PA). A cohort from the nationally representative 1981 Canada Fitness Survey was followed up in 1988 and 2002-2004. Modelling of these data tested whether the mechanisms of campaign effects followed the theoretical framework proposed in the HOE. Campaign awareness was measured in 1981. Outcome expectancy, attitudes, decision balance and future intention were asked in 1988. PA was assessed at all time points. Logistic regression was used to sequentially test mediating and moderating variables adjusting for age, sex and education. No selection bias was observed; however, relatively fewer respondents than non-respondents smoked or were underweight at baseline. Among those inactive at baseline, campaign awareness predicted outcome expectancy which in turn predicted positive attitude to PA. Positive attitudes predicted high decision balance, which predicted future intention. Future intention mediated the relationship between decision balance and sufficient activity. Among those sufficiently active at baseline, awareness was unrelated to outcome expectancy and inversely related to positive attitude. These results lend support to the HOE model, in that the effects of ParticipACTION's serial mass media campaigns were consistent with the sequential rollout of its messages, which in turn was associated with achieving an active lifestyle among those initially insufficiently active. This provides support to an often-used theoretical framework for designing health promotion media campaigns.

Highly parameterized model calibration with cloud computing: an example of regional flow model calibration in northeast Alberta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayley, Kevin; Schumacher, J.; MacMillan, G. J.; Boutin, L. C.

2014-05-01

Expanding groundwater datasets collected by automated sensors, and improved groundwater databases, have caused a rapid increase in calibration data available for groundwater modeling projects. Improved methods of subsurface characterization have increased the need for model complexity to represent geological and hydrogeological interpretations. The larger calibration datasets and the need for meaningful predictive uncertainty analysis have both increased the degree of parameterization necessary during model calibration. Due to these competing demands, modern groundwater modeling efforts require a massive degree of parallelization in order to remain computationally tractable. A methodology for the calibration of highly parameterized, computationally expensive models using the Amazon EC2 cloud computing service is presented. The calibration of a regional-scale model of groundwater flow in Alberta, Canada, is provided as an example. The model covers a 30,865-km2 domain and includes 28 hydrostratigraphic units. Aquifer properties were calibrated to more than 1,500 static hydraulic head measurements and 10 years of measurements during industrial groundwater use. Three regionally extensive aquifers were parameterized (with spatially variable hydraulic conductivity fields), as was the aerial recharge boundary condition, leading to 450 adjustable parameters in total. The PEST-based model calibration was parallelized on up to 250 computing nodes located on Amazon's EC2 servers.

The Synergistic Effect of Affective Factors on Student Learning Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jack, Brady Michael; Lin, Huann-shyang; Yore, Larry D.

2014-01-01

This study investigates how affective and self-related factors impact participation in science learning and environmental awareness and responsibility. Using PISA 2006 datasets from Taiwan and Canada having similar level of science competency, the model for this study verifies and expands an earlier model by examining the relationships among…

Making to Measure? Reconsidering Assessment in Professional Continuing Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fenwick, Tara

2009-01-01

Drawing on studies of teachers, accountants and pharmacists conducted in Canada, this essay examines models for assessing professional learning that currently enjoy widespread use in continuing education. These models include professional growth plans, self-administered tests and learning logs, and they are often used for regulatory as well as…

An Intercomparison of the Deposition Models Used in the CASTNET and CAPMoN Networks

EPA Science Inventory

To assess long-term trends in atmospheric deposition, the U.S. operates the Clean Air Status and Trends Network (CASTNET) and Canada operates the Canadian Air and Precipitation Monitoring Network (CAPMoN). Both networks use modeled dry deposition velocities and measured atmospher...

Acting Locally: A Guide to Model, Community and Demonstration Forests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keen, Debbie Pella

1993-01-01

Describes Canada's efforts in sustainable forestry, which refers to management practices that ensure long-term health of forest ecosystems so that they can continue to provide environmental, social, and economic benefits. Describes model forests, community forests, and demonstration forests and lists contacts for each of the projects. (KS)

Development and application of a density dependent matrix population model for Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

EPA Science Inventory

Ranging along the Atlantic coast from US Florida to the Maritime Provinces of Canada, the Atlantic killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) is an important and well-studied model organism for understanding the effects of pollutants and other stressors in estuarine and marine ecosystems....

Hierarchical Linear Modelling of Student and School Effects on Academic Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ma, Xin; Klinger, Don A.

2000-01-01

Used hierarchical linear modeling with data from the New Brunswick School Climate Study (Canada) to examine student background, school context, and school climate effects on Grade 6 student achievement in mathematics, science, reading, and writing. Gender, socioeconomic status, and Native ethnicity were significant predictors of academic…

Personality and Party Ideology Among Politicians. A Closer Look at Political Elites From Canada and Belgium.

PubMed

Joly, Jeroen K; Hofmans, Joeri; Loewen, Peter

2018-01-01

We examined the relationship between Big Five personality and the political ideology of elected politicians. To this end, we studied 303 politicians from Flanders, Wallonia, and Canada, relating their self-reported Big Five scores to a partisanship-based measure of political ideology. Our findings show that, in line with the congruency model of personality, Openness to Experience is the best and most consistent correlate of political ideology, with politicians high on Openness to Experience being more likely to be found among the more progressive left-wing political parties.

Personality and Party Ideology Among Politicians. A Closer Look at Political Elites From Canada and Belgium

PubMed Central

Joly, Jeroen K.; Hofmans, Joeri; Loewen, Peter

2018-01-01

We examined the relationship between Big Five personality and the political ideology of elected politicians. To this end, we studied 303 politicians from Flanders, Wallonia, and Canada, relating their self-reported Big Five scores to a partisanship-based measure of political ideology. Our findings show that, in line with the congruency model of personality, Openness to Experience is the best and most consistent correlate of political ideology, with politicians high on Openness to Experience being more likely to be found among the more progressive left-wing political parties. PMID:29719525

Is the deck stacked against fundamental health human resources redesign in Canada?

PubMed

Lewis, Steven

2013-01-01

Contemporary healthcare is a sobering spectacle. It costs a lot and doesn't deliver much at the margins. But even if deep and open-minded reflection and analysis were to propose a reboot, the odds are very long against it. It is next to impossible to alter deeply entrenched patterns and entitlements. It will take nothing less than a collective commitment on the part of professions, governments, educators, accreditors, employers and a whole host of others to create an agile, responsive and integrated health human resources model for Canada. Copyright © 2013 Longwoods Publishing.

Algae Biofuels Co-Location Assessment Tool for Canada

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

2011-11-29

The Algae Biofuels Co-Location Assessment Tool for Canada uses chemical stoichiometry to estimate Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Carbon atom availability from waste water and carbon dioxide emissions streams, and requirements for those same elements to produce a unit of algae. This information is then combined to find limiting nutrient information and estimate potential productivity associated with waste water and carbon dioxide sources. Output is visualized in terms of distributions or spatial locations. Distances are calculated between points of interest in the model using the great circle distance equation, and the smallest distances found by an exhaustive search and sort algorithm.

A simplified clinical prediction rule for prognosticating independent walking after spinal cord injury: a prospective study from a Canadian multicenter spinal cord injury registry.

PubMed

Hicks, Katharine E; Zhao, Yichen; Fallah, Nader; Rivers, Carly S; Noonan, Vanessa K; Plashkes, Tova; Wai, Eugene K; Roffey, Darren M; Tsai, Eve C; Paquet, Jerome; Attabib, Najmedden; Marion, Travis; Ahn, Henry; Phan, Philippe

2017-10-01

Traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition with limited treatment options for neurologic or functional recovery. The ability to predict the prognosis of walking post injury with emerging prediction models could aid in rehabilitation strategies and reintegration into the community. To revalidate an existing clinical prediction model for independent ambulation (van Middendorp et al., 2011) using acute and long-term post-injury follow-up data, and to investigatethe accuracy of a simplified model using prospectively collected data from a Canadian multicenter SCI database, the Rick Hansen Spinal Cord Injury Registry (RHSCIR). Prospective cohort study. The analysis cohort consisted of 278 adult individuals with traumatic SCI enrolled in the RHSCIR for whom complete neurologic examination data and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) outcome data were available. The FIM locomotor score was used to assess independent walking ability (defined as modified or complete independence in walk or combined walk and wheelchair modality) at 1-year follow-up for each participant. A logistic regression (LR) model based on age and four neurologic variables was applied to our cohort of 278 RHSCIR participants. Additionally, a simplified LR model was created. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test was used to check if the predictive model is applicable to our data set. The performance of the model was verified by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The accuracy of the model was tested using a cross-validation technique. This study was supported by a grant from The Ottawa Hospital Academic Medical Organization ($50,000 over 2 years). The RHSCIR is sponsored by the Rick Hansen Institute and is supported by funding from Health Canada, Western Economic Diversification Canada, and the provincial governments of Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario. ET and JP report receiving grants from the Rick Hansen Institute (approximately $60,000 and $30,000 per year, respectively). DMR reports receiving remuneration for consulting services provided to Palladian Health, LLC and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, Inc ($20,000-$30,000 annually), although neither relationship presents a potential conflict of interest with the submitted work. KEH received a grant for involvement in the present study from the Government of Canada as part of the Canada Summer Jobs Program ($3,000). JP reports receiving an educational grant from Medtronic Canada outside of the submitted work ($75,000 annually). TM reports receiving educational fellowship support from AO Spine, AO Trauma, and Medtronic; however, none of these relationships are financial in nature. All remaining authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. The fitted prediction model generated 85% overall classification accuracy, 79% sensitivity, and 90% specificity. The prediction model was able to accurately classify independent walking ability (AUC 0.889, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.846-0.933, p<.001) compared with the existing prediction model, despite the use of a different outcome measure (FIM vs. Spinal Cord Independence Measure) to qualify walking ability. A simplified, three-variable LR model based on age and two neurologic variables had an overall classification accuracy of 84%, with 76% sensitivity and 90% specificity, demonstrating comparable accuracy with its five-variable prediction model counterpart. The AUC was 0.866 (95% CI 0.816-0.916, p<.01), only marginally less than that of the existing prediction model. A simplified predictive model with similar accuracy to a more complex model for predicting independent walking was created, which improves utility in a clinical setting. Such models will allow clinicians to better predict the prognosis of ambulation in individuals who have sustained a traumatic SCI. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Canada Education Savings Program: Annual Statistical Review 2012

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2012

2012-01-01

The Canada Education Savings Program (CESP) has been an initiative of the Government of Canada since 1998. As part of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, the program administers the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and the Canada Learning Bond (CLB). These two initiatives help Canadian families save for a child's…

Common Challenges for Ecological Modelling: Synthesis of Facilitated Discussions Held at the Symposia Organized for the Conference of the International Society for Ecological Modelling in Quebec City, Canada (October 6-9, 2009)

EPA Science Inventory

The symposia organized for the conference of the International Society for Ecological Modelling (ISEM 2009) included facilitated discussion sessions following formal presentations. Each symposium focused on a specific subject, and all the subjects could be classified into three b...

Investigating Associations between School Climate and Bullying in Secondary Schools: Multilevel Contextual Effects Modeling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Konishi, Chiaki; Miyazaki, Yasuo; Hymel, Shelley; Waterhouse, Terry

2017-01-01

This study examined how student reports of bullying were related to different dimensions of school climate, at both the school and the student levels, using a contextual effects model in a two-level multilevel modeling framework. Participants included 48,874 secondary students (grades 8 to 12; 24,244 girls) from 76 schools in Western Canada.…

Invariance of the Measurement Model Underlying the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV in the United States and Canada

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowden, Stephen C.; Saklofske, Donald H.; Weiss, Lawrence G.

2011-01-01

A measurement model describes both the numerical and theoretical relationship between observed scores and the corresponding latent variables or constructs. Testing a measurement model across groups is required to determine if the tests scores are tapping the same constructs so that the same meaning can be ascribed to the scores. Contemporary tests…

International Research Workshop on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling: Problems, Prospects, and Research Needs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parks, Bradley; Meeson, Blanche W. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The 4th International Conference on Integrating GIS and Environmental Modeling (GIS/EM4) was convened in Banff, Canada, September 2-8, 2000 at The Banff Centre for Conferences. The meeting's purpose, like it's predecessors was to reformulate, each three to four years, the collaborative research agenda for integrating spatio-temporal analysis with environmental simulation modeling.

Assessing the Quality of Life of Persons with Developmental Disabilities: Description of a New Model, Measuring Instruments, and Initial Findings.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raphael, Dennis; And Others

1996-01-01

A conceptual model of quality of life, developed at the Centre for Health Promotion at the University of Toronto (Canada), and associated instrumentation for collecting data from persons with developmental disabilities are presented. Results from a preliminary study with 41 participants support the reliability and validity of the model's…

Integrated fate modeling for exposure assessment of produced water on the Sable Island Bank (Scotian shelf, Canada).

PubMed

Berry, Jody A; Wells, Peter G

2004-10-01

Produced water is the largest waste discharge from the production phase of oil and gas wells. Produced water is a mixture of reservoir formation water and production chemicals from the separation process. This creates a chemical mixture that has several components of toxic concern, ranging from heavy metals to soluble hydrocarbons. Analysis of potential environmental effects from produced water in the Sable Island Bank region (NS, Canada) was conducted using an integrated modeling approach according to the ecological risk assessment framework. A hydrodynamic dispersion model was used to describe the wastewater plume. A second fugacity-based model was used to describe the likely plume partitioning in the local environmental media of water, suspended sediment, biota, and sediment. Results from the integrated modeling showed that the soluble benzene and naphthalene components reach chronic no-effect concentration levels at a distance of 1.0 m from the discharge point. The partition modeling indicated that low persistence was expected because of advection forces caused by tidal currents for the Sable Island Bank system. The exposure assessment for the two soluble hydrocarbon components suggests that the risks of adverse environmental effects from produced water on Sable Island Bank are low.

Classroom Tips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crain, Cheryl

1994-01-01

Presents six teaching ideas from teachers in Foothills Schools, Alberta, Canada. Includes suggested activities on local government, computer uses in social studies, Canadian history, current events, and world studies. Provides models of a passport application, passports, and visas. (CFR)

76 FR 40594 - Special Conditions: Pratt and Whitney Canada Model PW210S Turboshaft Engine

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-11

... publish ICA's and airworthiness limitations section (ALS) limits in accordance with those assumptions...) Include in the airworthiness limitations section (ALS), any mandatory inspections and serviceability...

Multiple sclerosis in Canada 2011 to 2031: results of a microsimulation modelling study of epidemiological and economic impacts.

PubMed

Amankwah, Nana; Marrie, Ruth Ann; Bancej, Christina; Garner, Rochelle; Manuel, Douglas G; Wall, Ron; Finès, Philippe; Bernier, Julie; Tu, Karen; Reimer, Kim

2017-02-01

The objective of our study was to present model-based estimates and projections on current and future health and economic impacts of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Canada over a 20-year time horizon (2011-2031). Using Statistics Canada's Population Health Microsimulation Model (POHEM) framework, specifically the population-based longitudinal, microsimulation model named POHEM-Neurological, we identified people with MS from health administrative data sources and derived incidence and mortality rate parameters from a British Columbia population-based cohort for future MS incidence and mortality projections. We also included a utility-based measure (Health Utilities Index Mark 3) reflecting states of functional health to allow projections of health-related quality of life. Finally, we estimated caregiving parameters and health care costs from Canadian national surveys and health administrative data and included them as model parameters to assess the health and economic impact of the neurological conditions. The number of incident MS cases is expected to rise slightly from 4051 cases in 2011 to 4794 cases per 100 000 population in 2031, and the number of Canadians affected by MS will increase from 98 385 in 2011 to 133 635 in 2031. The total per capita health care cost (excluding out-of-pocket expenses) for adults aged 20 and older in 2011 was about $16 800 for individuals with MS, and approximately $2500 for individuals without a neurological condition. Thus, after accounting for additional expenditures due to MS (excluding out-of-pocket expenses), total annual health sector costs for MS are expected to reach $2.0 billion by 2031. As well, the average out-of-pocket expenditure for people with MS was around $1300 annually throughout the projection period. MS is associated with a significant economic burden on society, since it usually affects young adults during prime career- and family-building years. Canada has a particularly high prevalence of MS, so research such as the present study is essential to provide a better understanding of the current and future negative impacts of MS on the Canadian population, so that health care system policymakers can best plan how to meet the needs of patients who are affected by MS. These findings also suggest that identifying strategies to prevent MS and more effectively treat the disease are needed to mitigate these future impacts.

Integrated Digital Technologies for the Architectural Rehabilitation & Conservation of Beinn Bhreagh Hall & Surrounding Site, Nova Scotia, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Percy, K.; Ward, S.; Santana Quintero, M.; Morrison, T.

2015-08-01

This contribution summarizes the collaboration between Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) and Heritage Standing in the use of digital technologies to document the Beinn Bhreagh Hall historic site (house and immediate surroundings) in Baddeck, Nova Scotia for its rehabilitation and protection. The project objectives were to develop a prototype for research and training using 3D scanning, and Building Information Modelling (BIM), as well as other emerging surveying tools to understand the state of conservation of Historic Places in Canada, providing relevant and appropriate information for their rehabilitation and maintenance. The vehicle of this research was the documentation and modelling of this important landmark, the summer home of Dr. Alexander Graham Bell in Victoria County, Nova Scotia. This unique 19thC building, currently under review for designated as a national historic site.

New Constraints on Upper Mantle Structure Underlying the Diamondiferous Central Slave Craton, Canada, from Teleseismic Body Wave Tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esteve, C.; Schaeffer, A. J.; Audet, P.

2017-12-01

Over the past number of decades, the Slave Craton (Canada) has been extensively studied for its diamondiferous kimberlites. Not only are diamonds a valuable resource, but their kimberlitic host rocks provide an otherwise unique direct source of information on the deep upper mantle (and potentially transition zone). Many of the Canadian Diamond mines are located within the Slave Craton. As a result of the propensity for diamondiferous kimberlites, it is imperative to probe the deep mantle structure beneath the Slave Craton. This work is further motivated by the increase in high-quality broadband seismic data across the Northern Canadian Cordillera over the past decade. To this end we have generated a P and S body wave tomography model of the Slave Craton and its surroundings. Furthermore, tomographic inversion techniques are growing ever more capable of producing high resolution Earth models which capture detailed structure and dynamics across a range of scale lengths. Here, we present preliminary results on the structure of the upper mantle underlying the Slave Craton. These results are generated using data from eight different seismic networks such as the Canadian National Seismic Network (CNSN), Yukon Northwest Seismic Network (YNSN), older Portable Observatories for Lithospheric Analysis and Reseach Investigating Seismicity (POLARIS), Regional Alberta Observatory for Earthquake Studies Network (RV), USArray Transportable Array (TA), older Canadian Northwest Experiment (CANOE), Batholith Broadband (XY) and the Yukon Observatory (YO). This regional model brings new insights about the upper mantle structure beneath the Slave Craton, Canada.

How medical schools can encourage students' interest in family medicine.

PubMed

Rohan-Minjares, Felisha; Alfero, Charles; Kaufman, Arthur

2015-05-01

The discipline of family medicine is essential to improving quality and reducing the cost of care in an effective health care system. Yet the slow growth of this field has not kept pace with national demand. In their study, Rodríguez and colleagues report on the influence of the social environment and academic discourses on medical students' identification with family medicine in four countries-the United Kingdom, Canada, France, and Spain. They conclude that these factors-the social environment and discursive activity within the medical school-influence students' specialty choices. While the discourses in Canada, France, and Spain were mostly negative, in the United Kingdom, family medicine was considered a prestigious academic discipline, well paying, and with a wide range of practice opportunities. Medical students in the United Kingdom also were exposed early and often to positive family medicine role models.In the United States, academic discourses about family medicine are more akin to those in Canada, France, and Spain. The hidden curriculum includes negative messages about family medicine, and "badmouthing" primary care occurs at many medical schools. National education initiatives highlight the importance of social determinants in medical education and the integration of public health and medicine in practice. Other initiatives expose students to family medicine role models and practice during their undergraduate training and promote primary care practice through new graduate medical education funding models. Together, these initiatives can reduce the negative effects of the social environment and create a more positive discourse about family medicine.

Characterizing areas of potential human exposure to eastern equine encephalitis virus using serological and clinical data from horses.

PubMed

Rocheleau, J-P; Arsenault, J; Ogden, N H; Lindsay, L R; Drebot, M; Michel, P

2017-03-01

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a rare but severe emerging vector-borne disease affecting human and animal populations in the northeastern United States where it is endemic. Key knowledge gaps remain about the epidemiology of EEE virus (EEEV) in areas where its emergence has more recently been reported. In Eastern Canada, viral activity has been recorded in mosquitoes and horses throughout the 2000s but cases of EEEV in humans have not been reported so far. This study was designed to provide an assessment of possible EEEV human exposure by modelling environmental risk factors for EEEV in horses, identifying high-risk environments and mapping risk in the province of Quebec, Canada. According to logistic models, being located near wooded swamps was a risk factor for seropositivity or disease in horses [odds ratio (OR) 4·15, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·16-14·8) whereas being located on agricultural lands was identified as protective (OR 0·75, 95% CI 0·62-0·92). A better understanding of the environmental risk of exposure to EEEV in Canada provides veterinary and public health officials with enhanced means to more effectively monitor the emergence of this public health risk and design targeted surveillance and preventive measures.

Spatially simulating changes of soil water content and their effects on carbon sequestration in Canada's forests and wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Weimin; Chen, Jing M.; Black, T. Andrew; Barr, Alan G.; McCaughey, Harry

2010-07-01

The variations of soil water content (SWC) and its influences on the carbon (C) cycle in Canada's forests and wetlands were studied through model simulations using the Integrated Terrestrial Ecosystem Carbon (InTEC) model. It shows that Canada's forests and wetlands experienced spatially and temporally heterogeneous changes in SWC from 1901 to 2000. SWC changes caused average NPP to decrease 40.8 Tg C yr-1 from 1901 to 2000, whereas the integrated effect of non-disturbance factors (climate change, CO2 fertilization and N deposition) enhanced NPP by 9.9%. During 1981-2000, the reduction of NPP caused by changes in SWC was 58.1 Tg C yr-1 whereas non-disturbance factors together caused NPP to increase by 16.6%. SWC changes resulted in an average increase of 4.1 Tg C yr-1 in the net C uptake during 1901-2000, relatively small compared with the enhancement in C uptake of 50.2 Tg C yr-1 by the integrated effect of non-disturbance factors. During 1981-2000, changes in SWC caused a reduction of 3.8 Tg C yr-1 in net C sequestration whereas the integrated factors increased net C sequestration by 54.1 Tg C yr-1. Increase in SWC enhanced C sequestration in all ecozones.

Public Drug Plan Coverage for Children Across Canada: A Portrait of Too Many Colours

PubMed Central

Ungar, Wendy J; Witkos, Maciej

2005-01-01

Background: As debate continues regarding pharmacare in Canada, little discussion has addressed appropriate drug plan coverage for vulnerable populations, such as children. The primary objective of this study was to determine the extent of medication coverage for children in publicly administered programs in each province across Canada. Methods: Data were collected on provincial, territorial and federal government drug plans, and 2003 formulary updates were obtained. A simulation model was constructed to demonstrate costs to a low-income family with an asthmatic child in each province. Programs were compared descriptively. The extent of interprovincial variation in 2003 formulary approvals was summarized statistically. Results: There was 39% variation between provinces with respect to 2003 formulary approvals (chi-square p < 0.0001) and 48% variation for 2003 paediatric-labelled products (chi-square p < 0.0001). Across Canada, only 8% of 2003 formulary approvals were indicated primarily for paediatric conditions. In the simulation model, costs were less than or equal to 3% of household income in provinces with plans for low-income families, catastrophic costs (Ontario) or for the population. Families who failed to qualify for low income plans or who resided in New Brunswick or Newfoundland faced costs up to 7% of household income. Interpretation: With regard to pharmaceutical benefits for children, provincial drug programs vary considerably in terms of whom they cover, what drugs are covered and how much subscribers must pay out of pocket. Unlike seniors and social assistance recipients, the provinces do not agree on the importance of providing comprehensive coverage for all children. For many Canadian children, significant financial barriers exist to medication access. PMID:19308106

The CONCEPTS Global Ice-Ocean Prediction System: Establishing an Environmental Prediction Capability in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pellerin, Pierre; Smith, Gregory; Testut, Charles-Emmanuel; Surcel Colan, Dorina; Roy, Francois; Reszka, Mateusz; Dupont, Frederic; Lemieux, Jean-Francois; Beaudoin, Christiane; He, Zhongjie; Belanger, Jean-Marc; Deacu, Daniel; Lu, Yimin; Buehner, Mark; Davidson, Fraser; Ritchie, Harold; Lu, Youyu; Drevillon, Marie; Tranchant, Benoit; Garric, Gilles

2015-04-01

Here we describe a new system implemented recently at the Canadian Meteorological Centre (CMC) entitled the Global Ice Ocean Prediction System (GIOPS). GIOPS provides ice and ocean analyses and 10 day forecasts daily at 00GMT on a global 1/4° resolution grid. GIOPS includes a full multivariate ocean data assimilation system that combines satellite observations of sea level anomaly and sea surface temperature (SST) together with in situ observations of temperature and salinity. In situ observations are obtained from a variety of sources including: the Argo network of autonomous profiling floats, moorings, ships of opportunity, marine mammals and research cruises. Ocean analyses are blended with sea ice analyses produced by the Global Ice Analysis System.. GIOPS has been developed as part of the Canadian Operational Network of Coupled Environmental PredicTion Systems (CONCEPTS) tri-departmental initiative between Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and National Defense. The development of GIOPS was made through a partnership with Mercator-Océan, a French operational oceanography group. Mercator-Océan provided the ocean data assimilation code and assistance with the system implementation. GIOPS has undergone a rigorous evaluation of the analysis, trial and forecast fields demonstrating its capacity to provide high-quality products in a robust and reliable framework. In particular, SST and ice concentration forecasts demonstrate a clear benefit with respect to persistence. These results support the use of GIOPS products within other CMC operational systems, and more generally, as part of a Government of Canada marine core service. Impact of a two-way coupling between the GEM atmospheric model and NEMO-CICE ocean-ice model will also be presented.

Effects of Reductions in Body Mass Index on Future Osteoarthritis Burden in Canada: A Population-Based Microsimulation Study

PubMed Central

Kopec, Jacek A.; Sayre, Eric C.; Fines, Philippe; Flanagan, William M.; Nadeau, Claude; Okhmatovskaia, Anya; Wolfson, Michael C.

2016-01-01

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease and a major cause of disability. Incidence and prevalence of OA are expected to increase due to population aging and increased levels of obesity. Objective The purpose of this study was to project the effect of hypothetical interventions that change the distribution of body mass index (BMI) on OA burden in Canada. Methods We used a microsimulation computer model of OA called POHEM-OA. The model used demographic predictions for Canada and population data from an administrative database in British Columbia and national Canadian surveys. Results Under the base-case scenario, between 2010 and 2030 OA prevalence is expected to increase from 11.5% to 15.6% in men and 16.3% to 21.1% in women. In scenarios assuming, on average, a 0.3, 0.5 or 1-unit drop in BMI/year, OA prevalence in 2030 would reach 14.9%, 14.6% and 14.2% in men and 20.3%, 19.7%, and 18.5%, in women, respectively. Under these scenarios, the proportion of new cases prevented would be 9.5%, 13.2% and 16.7%, respectively, in men, and 9.1%, 15.2% and 25.0% in women. Targeting only those aged 50 years or older for weight reduction would achieve about 70% of the impact of a full population strategy. Targeting only the obese (BMI>30) would likely result in a larger benefit for men than women. Conclusions Due to the aging of the population, OA will remain a major and growing health issue in Canada over the next two decades, regardless of the course of the obesity epidemic. PMID:26606744

Estimation of Coast-Wide Population Trends of Marbled Murrelets in Canada Using a Bayesian Hierarchical Model

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Bernard K.; Lindsay, David J.; Faust, Deborah A.

2015-01-01

Species at risk with secretive breeding behaviours, low densities, and wide geographic range pose a significant challenge to conservation actions because population trends are difficult to detect. Such is the case with the Marbled Murrelet (Brachyramphus marmoratus), a seabird listed as ‘Threatened’ by the Species at Risk Act in Canada largely due to the loss of its old growth forest nesting habitat. We report the first estimates of population trend of Marbled Murrelets in Canada derived from a monitoring program that uses marine radar to detect birds as they enter forest watersheds during 923 dawn surveys at 58 radar monitoring stations within the six Marbled Murrelet Conservation Regions on coastal British Columbia, Canada, 1996–2013. Temporal trends in radar counts were analyzed with a hierarchical Bayesian multivariate modeling approach that controlled for variation in tilt of the radar unit and day of year, included year-specific deviations from the overall trend (‘year effects’), and allowed for trends to be estimated at three spatial scales. A negative overall trend of -1.6%/yr (95% credibility interval: -3.2%, 0.01%) indicated moderate evidence for a coast-wide decline, although trends varied strongly among the six conservation regions. Negative annual trends were detected in East Vancouver Island (-9%/yr) and South Mainland Coast (-3%/yr) Conservation Regions. Over a quarter of the year effects were significantly different from zero, and the estimated standard deviation in common-shared year effects between sites within each region was about 50% per year. This large common-shared interannual variation in counts may have been caused by regional movements of birds related to changes in marine conditions that affect the availability of prey. PMID:26258803

Forest-fire model with natural fire resistance.

PubMed

Yoder, Mark R; Turcotte, Donald L; Rundle, John B

2011-04-01

Observations suggest that contemporary wildfire suppression practices in the United States have contributed to conditions that facilitate large, destructive fires. We introduce a forest-fire model with natural fire resistance that supports this theory. Fire resistance is defined with respect to the size and shape of clusters; the model yields power-law frequency-size distributions of model fires that are consistent with field observations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

3D crustal model of the US and Canada East Coast rifted margin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dowla, N.; Bird, D. E.; Murphy, M. A.

2017-12-01

We integrate seismic reflection and refraction data with gravity and magnetic data to generate a continent-scale 3D crustal model of the US and Canada East Coast, extending north from the Straits of Florida to Newfoundland, and east from the Appalachian Mountains to the Central Atlantic Ocean. The model includes five layers separated by four horizons: sea surface, topography, crystalline basement, and Moho. We tested magnetic depth-to-source techniques to improve the basement morphology, from published sources, beneath the continental Triassic rift basins and outboard to the Jurassic ocean floor. A laterally varying density grid was then produced for the resultant sedimentary rock layer thickness based on an exponential decay function that approximates sedimentary compaction. Using constant density values for the remaining layers, we calculated an isostatically compensated Moho. The following structural inversion results of the Moho, controlled by seismic refraction depths, advances our understanding of rift-to-drift crustal geometries, and provides a regional context for additional studies.

EVALUATION OF SEVERAL PM 2.5 FORECAST MODELS USING DATA COLLECTED DURING THE ICARTT/NEAQS 2004 FIELD STUDY

EPA Science Inventory

Real-time forecasts of PM_2.5 aerosol mass from seven air-quality forecast models (AQFMs) are statistically evaluated against observations collected in the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada from two surface networks and aircraft data during the summer of 2004 IC...

Leadership in a Network of Communities: A Phenomenographic Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGillivray, Alice

2010-01-01

Purpose: Canada's Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI) uses an operating model that is unusual in government. It is created to enable cross-boundary capability and capacity building and learning. Some consider it a model for other federal science initiatives. The purpose of this paper is to…

Modelling the management of forest ecosystems: Importance of wood decomposition

Treesearch

Juan A. Blanco; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Martin F. Jurgensen; Michael P. Curran; Joanne M. Tirocke; Joanna Walitalo

2018-01-01

Scarce and uncertain data on woody debris decomposition rates are available for calibrating forest ecosystem models, owing to the difficulty of their empirical estimations. Using field data from three experimental sites which are part of the North American Long-Term Soil Productivity (LTSP) Study in south-eastern British Columbia (Canada), we developed probability...

Studying Faculty Flows Using an Interactive Spreadsheet Model. AIR 1997 Annual Forum Paper.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Wayne

This paper describes a spreadsheet-based faculty flow model developed and implemented at the University of Calgary (Canada) to analyze faculty retirement, turnover, and salary issues. The study examined whether, given expected faculty turnover, the current salary increment system was sustainable in a stable or declining funding environment, and…

Integrating fAPARchl and PRInadir from EO-1/Hyperion to predict cornfield daily gross primary production (GPP)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate estimates of terrestrial carbon sequestration is essential for evaluating changes in the carbon cycle due to global climate change. In a recent assessment of 26 carbon assimilation models at 39 FLUXNET tower sites across the United States and Canada, all models failed to adequately compute...

A Digital Computer Simulation of Cardiovascular and Renal Physiology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tidball, Charles S.

1979-01-01

Presents the physiological MACPEE, one of a family of digital computer simulations used in Canada and Great Britain. A general description of the model is provided, along with a sample of computer output format, options for making interventions, advanced capabilities, an evaluation, and technical information for running a MAC model. (MA)

Model Sensitivity to North Atlantic Freshwater Forcing at 8.2 Ka

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morrill, Carrie; Legrande, Allegra Nicole; Renssen, H.; Bakker, P.; Otto-Bliesner, B. L.

2013-01-01

We compared four simulations of the 8.2 ka event to assess climate model sensitivity and skill in responding to North Atlantic freshwater perturbations. All of the simulations used the same freshwater forcing, 2.5 Sv for one year, applied to either the Hudson Bay (northeastern Canada) or Labrador Sea (between Canada's Labrador coast and Greenland). This freshwater pulse induced a decadal-mean slowdown of 10-25%in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) of the models and caused a large-scale pattern of climate anomalies that matched proxy evidence for cooling in the Northern Hemisphere and a southward shift of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The multi-model ensemble generated temperature anomalies that were just half as large as those from quantitative proxy reconstructions, however. Also, the duration of AMOC and climate anomalies in three of the simulations was only several decades, significantly shorter than the duration of approx.150 yr in the paleoclimate record. Possible reasons for these discrepancies include incorrect representation of the early Holocene climate and ocean state in the North Atlantic and uncertainties in the freshwater forcing estimates.

Leadership: validation of a self-report scale.

PubMed

Dussault, Marc; Frenette, Eric; Fernet, Claude

2013-04-01

The aim of this paper was to propose and test the factor structure of a new self-report questionnaire on leadership. A sample of 373 school principals in the Province of Quebec, Canada completed the initial 46-item version of the questionnaire. In order to obtain a questionnaire of minimal length, a four-step procedure was retained. First, items analysis was performed using Classical Test Theory. Second, Rasch analysis was used to identify non-fitting or overlapping items. Third, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using structural equation modelling was performed on the 21 remaining items to verify the factor structure of the scale. Results show that the model with a single third-order dimension (leadership), two second-order dimensions (transactional and transformational leadership), and one first-order dimension (laissez-faire leadership) provides a good fit to the data. Finally, invariance of factor structure was assessed with a second sample of 222 vice-principals in the Province of Quebec, Canada. This model is in agreement with the theoretical model developed by Bass (1985), upon which the questionnaire is based.

Moderate effect of damming the Romaine River (Quebec, Canada) on coastal plankton dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senneville, Simon; Schloss, Irene R.; St-Onge Drouin, Simon; Bélanger, Simon; Winkler, Gesche; Dumont, Dany; Johnston, Patricia; St-Onge, Isabelle

2018-04-01

Rivers' damming disrupts the seasonal cycle of freshwater and nutrient inputs into the marine system, which can lead to changes in coastal plankton dynamics. Here we use a 3-D 5-km resolution coupled biophysical model and downscale it to a 400-m resolution to simulate the effect of damming the Romaine River in Québec, Canada, which discharges on average 327 m3 s-1 of freshwater into the northern Gulf of St. Lawrence. Model results are compared with environmental data obtained from 2 buoys and in situ sampling near the Romaine River mouth during the 2013 spring-summer period. Noteworthy improvements are made to the light attenuation parametrization and the trophic links of the biogeochemical model. The modelled variables reproduced most of the observed levels of variability. Comparisons between natural and regulated discharge simulation show differences in primary production and in the dominance of plankton groups in the Romaine River plume. The maximum increase in primary production when averaged over the inner part of Mingan Archipelago is 41%, but 7.1% when the primary production anomaly is averaged from March to September.

A spatial analysis of the association between restaurant density and body mass index in Canadian adults.

PubMed

Hollands, Simon; Campbell, M Karen; Gilliland, Jason; Sarma, Sisira

2013-10-01

To investigate the association between fast-food restaurant density and adult body mass index (BMI) in Canada. Individual-level BMI and confounding variables were obtained from the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey master file. Locations of the fast-food and full-service chain restaurants and other non-chain restaurants were obtained from the 2008 Infogroup Canada business database. Food outlet density (fast-food, full-service and other) per 10,000 population was calculated for each Forward Sortation Area (FSA). Global (Moran's I) and local indicators of spatial autocorrelation of BMI were assessed. Ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial auto-regressive error (SARE) methods were used to assess the association between local food environment and adult BMI in Canada. Global and local spatial autocorrelation of BMI were found in our univariate analysis. We found that OLS and SARE estimates were very similar in our multivariate models. An additional fast-food restaurant per 10,000 people at the FSA-level is associated with a 0.022kg/m(2) increase in BMI. On the other hand, other restaurant density is negatively related to BMI. Fast-food restaurant density is positively associated with BMI in Canada. Results suggest that restricting availability of fast-food in local neighborhoods may play a role in obesity prevention. © 2013.

The Social and Spatial Patterning of Life Stress Among Immigrants in Canada.

PubMed

Wang, Lu; Palacios, Elmer Lara

2017-06-01

While much literature has examined immigrants' health in Canada, less attention has focused specifically on the life stress, an important yet understudied post-migration challenge which may lead to poor coping strategies and negative health consequences. For this study, the pooled 2009-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) was analyzed, using multilevel logistic regression to examine the compositional effects (at an individual level) and areal effects (at a CMA/CA level) on reported high life stress. Separate models have been run for immigrants and non-immigrants for comparative purposes. The results reveal different ways in which select individual socioeconomic and lifestyle factors affect life stress. A statistically significant yet small areal effect at the CMA/CA level on life stress was identified for both immigrants and non-immigrants. When comparing immigrants to non-immigrants, factors such as smoking, length of residency in Canada, and mental health status were found to be particularly informative for predicting high life stress among immigrants. A Healthy Immigrant Effect (HIE) is partially evident, as immigrants with a longer stay in Canada are more likely to be highly stressed than recent arrivals. The areal effect on variances in high life stress is minimal, suggesting the importance of focusing on individual-level effects as stress predictors.

Spatial patterns of methylmercury risks to common loons and piscivorous fish in Canada.

PubMed

Depew, David C; Burgess, Neil M; Campbell, Linda M

2013-11-19

Deposition of inorganic mercury (Hg) from the atmosphere remains the principle source of Hg contamination for most aquatic ecosystems. Inorganic Hg is readily converted to toxic methylmercury (MeHg) that bioaccumulates in aquatic food webs and may pose a risk to piscivorous fish and wildlife. We conducted a screening-level risk assessment to evaluate the extent of risk to top aquatic piscivores: the common loon (Gavia immer), walleye (Sander vitreus), and northern pike (Esox lucius). Risk quotients (RQs) were calculated on the basis of a dietary Hg exposure indicator (HgPREY) modeled from over 230,000 observations of fish Hg concentrations at over 1900 locations across Canada and dietary Hg exposure screening benchmarks derived specifically for this assessment. HgPREY exceeded benchmark thresholds related to impaired productivity and behavior in adult loons at 10% and 36% of sites, respectively, and exceeded benchmark thresholds for impaired reproduction and health in fishes at 82% and 73% of sites, respectively. The ecozones of southeastern Canada characterized by extensive forest cover, elevated Hg deposition, and poorly buffered soils had the greatest proportion of RQs > 1.0. Results of this assessment suggest that common loons and piscivorous fishes would likely benefit from reductions in Hg deposition, especially in southeastern Canada.

Simplified Summative Temporal Bone Dissection Scale Demonstrates Equivalence to Existing Measures.

PubMed

Pisa, Justyn; Gousseau, Michael; Mowat, Stephanie; Westerberg, Brian; Unger, Bert; Hochman, Jordan B

2018-01-01

Emphasis on patient safety has created the need for quality assessment of fundamental surgical skills. Existing temporal bone rating scales are laborious, subject to evaluator fatigue, and contain inconsistencies when conferring points. To address these deficiencies, a novel binary assessment tool was designed and validated against a well-established rating scale. Residents completed a mastoidectomy with posterior tympanotomy on identical 3D-printed temporal bone models. Four neurotologists evaluated each specimen using a validated scale (Welling) and a newly developed "CanadaWest" scale, with scoring repeated after a 4-week interval. Nineteen participants were clustered into junior, intermediate, and senior cohorts. An ANOVA found significant differences between performance of the junior-intermediate and junior-senior cohorts for both Welling and CanadaWest scales ( P < .05). Neither scale found a significant difference between intermediate-senior resident performance ( P > .05). Cohen's kappa found strong intrarater reliability (0.711) with a high degree of interrater reliability of (0.858) for the CanadaWest scale, similar to scores on the Welling scale of (0.713) and (0.917), respectively. The CanadaWest scale was facile and delineated performance by experience level with strong intrarater reliability. Comparable to the validated Welling Scale, it distinguished junior from senior trainees but was challenged in differentiating intermediate and senior trainee performance.

Some Numbers behind Canada's Decision to Adopt an Orphan Drug Policy: US Orphan Drug Approvals in Canada, 1997-2012.

PubMed

Herder, Matthew; Krahn, Timothy Mark

2016-05-01

We examined whether access to US-approved orphan drugs in Canada has changed between 1997 (when Canada chose not to adopt an orphan drug policy) and 2012 (when Canada reversed its policy decision). Specifically, we looked at two dimensions of access to US-approved orphan drugs in Canada: (1) regulatory access; and (2) temporal access. Whereas only 63% of US-approved orphan drugs were granted regulatory approval in 1997, we found that regulatory access to US-approved orphan drugs in Canada increased to 74% between 1997 and 2012. However, temporal access to orphan drugs is slower in Canada: in a head-on comparison of 40 matched drugs, only two were submitted and four were approved first in Canada; moreover, the mean review time in Canada (423 days) was longer than that in the US (mean = 341 days), a statistically significant difference (t[39] = 2.04, p = 0.048). These results raise questions about what motivated Canada's apparent shift in orphan drug policy. Copyright © 2016 Longwoods Publishing.

Western USA and Canada

Atmospheric Science Data Center

2014-05-15

... Terrain Elevation Model from the United States Geological Survey. The image area includes much of British Columbia, Alberta and ... MD. The MISR data were obtained from the NASA Langley Research Center Atmospheric Science Data Center in Hampton, VA. Image ...

Eating well with Canada's food guide? Authoritative knowledge about food and health among newcomer mothers.

PubMed

Anderson, L C; Mah, C L; Sellen, D W

2015-08-01

Current versions of Canada's Food Guide (CFG) aim to inform a culturally diverse population, but it is not known how intended audiences from different cultural and linguistic groups within Canada's diverse population understand and apply its messages. We analyzed data from qualitative interviews conducted with 32 newcomer mothers of children aged 1-5 years to explore how conceptions of food and health change with migration to Canada among Spanish-speaking Latin American and Tamil Speaking Sri Lankan newcomers and may influence the appropriateness and applicability of Canada's Food Guide (CFG) as a nutrition education tool. We applied Jordan's model of authoritative knowledge to identify different forms of newcomer maternal nutrition knowledge, how they influence child feeding practices, and shifts causing some forms of knowledge to be devalued in favor of others. Awareness of CFG differed between groups, with all Latin American and only half of Tamil participants familiar with it. Three distinct, overlapping ways of knowing about the relationship between food and health are identified within both groups of mothers: "natural" foods as healthy; influence of foods on illness susceptibility, and the nutritional components of food. CFG was found to be limited in its representations of recommended foods and its exclusive utilization of biomedical concepts of nutrition. Development of new, culturally competent versions of CFG that depict a variety of ethno-culturally meaningful diets and encompass both non-biomedical conceptualizations of food and health has the potential to enhance effective knowledge translation of CFG's key messages to an increasingly cosmopolitan Canadian population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparing the risk of work-related injuries between immigrants to Canada and Canadian-born labour market participants.

PubMed

Smith, P M; Mustard, C A

2009-06-01

To examine the burden of work-related injuries among immigrants to Canada compared to Canadian-born labour force participants. Using data from the 2003 and 2005 Canadian Community Health Surveys (n = 99,115), two nationally representative population samples, we examined the risk of self-reported, activity limiting work-related injuries among immigrants with varying time periods since arrival in Canada. Models were adjusted for hours of work in the last 12 months as well as various demographic and work-related variables. Immigrant men in their first 5 years in Canada reported lower rates of activity limiting injuries compared to Canadian-born respondents. Surprisingly, the percentage of injuries that required medical attention was much higher among recent immigrants compared to Canadian-born respondents, resulting in an increased risk of activity limiting injuries requiring medical attention among immigrant men compared to Canadian-born labour force participants. No excess risk was found among female immigrants compared to Canadian-born female labour market participants. Immigrant men in their first 5 years in Canada are at increased risk of work-related injuries that require medical attention. A similar risk is not present among immigrant women. Further, given differences in the number of activity limiting injuries requiring medical attention across immigrant groups, we believe this excess risk among immigrant men may be underestimated in the current data source. Future research should attempt to fully capture the barriers faced by immigrants in obtaining safe employment, the number of injuries that are sustained by immigrants while working, and the consequences of these injuries.

Improved assessment of gross and net primary productivity of Canada's landmass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonsamo, Alemu; Chen, Jing M.; Price, David T.; Kurz, Werner A.; Liu, Jane; Boisvenue, Céline; Hember, Robbie A.; Wu, Chaoyang; Chang, Kuo-Hsien

2013-12-01

assess Canada's gross primary productivity (GPP) and net primary productivity (NPP) using boreal ecosystem productivity simulator (BEPS) at 250 m spatial resolution with improved input parameter and driver fields and phenology and nutrient release parameterization schemes. BEPS is a process-based two-leaf enzyme kinetic terrestrial ecosystem model designed to simulate energy, water, and carbon (C) fluxes using spatial data sets of meteorology, remotely sensed land surface variables, soil properties, and photosynthesis and respiration rate parameters. Two improved key land surface variables, leaf area index (LAI) and land cover type, are derived at 250 m from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer sensor. For diagnostic error assessment, we use nine forest flux tower sites where all measured C flux, meteorology, and ancillary data sets are available. The errors due to input drivers and parameters are then independently corrected for Canada-wide GPP and NPP simulations. The optimized LAI use, for example, reduced the absolute bias in GPP from 20.7% to 1.1% for hourly BEPS simulations. Following the error diagnostics and corrections, daily GPP and NPP are simulated over Canada at 250 m spatial resolution, the highest resolution simulation yet for the country or any other comparable region. Total NPP (GPP) for Canada's land area was 1.27 (2.68) Pg C for 2008, with forests contributing 1.02 (2.2) Pg C. The annual comparisons between measured and simulated GPP show that the mean differences are not statistically significant (p > 0.05, paired t test). The main BEPS simulation error sources are from the driver fields.

Impact of the North American Free Trade Agreement on high-fructose corn syrup supply in Canada: a natural experiment using synthetic control methods.

PubMed

Barlow, Pepita; McKee, Martin; Basu, Sanjay; Stuckler, David

2017-07-04

Critics of free trade agreements have argued that they threaten public health, as they eliminate barriers to trade in potentially harmful products, such as sugar. Here we analyze the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), testing the hypothesis that lowering tariffs on food and beverage syrups that contain high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) increased its use in foods consumed in Canada. We used supply data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to assess changes in supply of caloric sweeteners including HFCS after NAFTA. We estimate the impact of NAFTA on supply of HFCS in Canada using an innovative, quasi-experimental methodology - synthetic control methods - that creates a control group with which to compare Canada's outcomes. Additional robustness tests were performed for sample, control groups and model specification. Tariff reductions in NAFTA coincided with a 41.6 (95% confidence interval 25.1 to 58.2) kilocalorie per capita daily increase in the supply of caloric sweeteners including HFCS. This change was not observed in the control groups, including Australia and the United Kingdom, as well as a composite control of 16 countries. Results were robust to placebo tests and additional sensitivity analyses. NAFTA was strongly associated with a marked rise in HFCS supply and likely consumption in Canada. Our study provides evidence that even a seemingly modest change to product tariffs in free trade agreements can substantially alter population-wide dietary behaviour and exposure to risk factors. © 2017 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors.

Declines in Outpatient Antimicrobial Use in Canada (1995–2010)

PubMed Central

Finley, Rita; Glass-Kaastra, Shiona K.; Hutchinson, Jim; Patrick, David M.; Weiss, Karl; Conly, John

2013-01-01

Background With rising reports of antimicrobial resistance in outpatient communities, surveillance of antimicrobial use is imperative for supporting stewardship programs. The primary objective of this article is to assess the levels of antimicrobial use in Canada over time. Methods Canadian antimicrobial use data from 1995 to 2010 were acquired and assessed by four metrics: population-adjusted prescriptions, Defined Daily Doses, spending on antimicrobials (inflation-adjusted), and average Defined Daily Doses per prescription. Linear mixed models were built to assess significant differences among years and antimicrobial groups, and to account for repeated measurements over time. Measures were also compared to published reports from European countries. Results Temporal trends in antimicrobial use in Canada vary by metric and antimicrobial grouping. Overall reductions were seen for inflation-adjusted spending, population-adjusted prescription rates and Defined Daily Doses, and increases were observed for the average number of Defined Daily Doses per prescription. The population-adjusted prescription and Defined Daily Doses values for 2009 were comparable to those reported by many European countries, while the average Defined Daily Dose per prescription for Canada ranked high. A significant reduction in the use of broad spectrum penicillins occurred between 1995 and 2004, coupled with increases in macrolide and quinolone use, suggesting that replacement of antimicrobial drugs may occur as new products arrive on the market. Conclusions There have been modest decreases of antimicrobial use in Canada over the past 15 years. However, continued surveillance of antimicrobial use coupled with data detailing antimicrobial resistance within bacterial pathogens affecting human populations is critical for targeting interventions and maintaining the effectiveness of these products for future generations. PMID:24146863

Barriers and facilitators to family planning access in Canada.

PubMed

Hulme, Jennifer; Dunn, Sheila; Guilbert, Edith; Soon, Judith; Norman, Wendy

2015-02-01

Contraceptives are underutilized in Canada, and nearly one in three Canadian women will have an abortion in her lifetime. To help delineate a national family planning research agenda, the authors interviewed healthcare providers and organizational stakeholders to explore their perspective on barriers to contraception across regions of Canada. Semi-structured interviews were conducted based on validated frameworks for assessing family planning access and quality. The authors purposefully selected 14 key stakeholders from government agencies, professional organizations and non-governmental organizations for in-person interviews. Fifty-eight healthcare providers and representatives of stakeholder organizations in reproductive health who self-selected through an online survey were also interviewed. Transcripts were analyzed for repeated and saturated themes. Cost was the most important barrier to contraception. Sexual health education was reported as inconsistent, even within provinces. Regional differences were highlighted, including limited access to family physicians in rural Canada and throughout Quebec. Physician bias and outdated practices were cited as significant barriers to quality. New immigrants, youth, young adults and women in small rural, Northern and Aboriginal communities were all identified as particularly vulnerable. Informants identified multiple opportunities for health policy and system restructuring, including subsidized contraception, and enhancing public and healthcare provider education. Sexual health clinics were viewed as a highly successful model. Task-sharing and expanded scope of practice of nurses, nurse practitioners and pharmacists, alongside telephone and virtual healthcare consultations, were suggested to create multiple points of entry into the system. Results underscore the need for a national strategic approach to family planning health policy and health services delivery in Canada. Copyright © 2015 Longwoods Publishing.

Pharmaceutical patents and some international trade issues: Canada, the United States, and NAFTA.

PubMed

Tancer, R S

1993-01-01

This paper traces the evolution of a more aggressive US policy for the protection of the intellectual property rights of its citizens, individual and corporate, who do business aborad. It focuses on the pharmaceutical industry and, in particular, the harmonization of conflicting US and Canadian policies. In reconciling these policy differences, the United States unilaterally applied relatively new procedures authorized under section 301 and Special 301 of its trade laws. It also utilized the bilateral dispute mechanism mandating cooperation "in the Uruguay Round ... to improve protection of intellectual property," as provided in the Canada-United States Free Trade Agreement. These efforts were successful; Canada amended its patent law in 1993 to conform to current international practices. These changes were incorporated into the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), making it a state-of-the-art example of the protection of intellectual property rights. The intellectual property chapter of NAFTA will serve as the model for US intellectual property rights negotiations for the foreseeable future.

Coastal Fog in Atlantic Canada: Characterization and Projection in a Changing Climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duplessis, P.; Hartery, S.; Macdonald, A. M.; Wheeler, M.; Miller, J.; Bhatia, S.; Chang, R. Y. W.

2016-12-01

Marine and coastal fog in Atlantic Canada is usually advective and favored by the meeting of the warm Gulf Stream and cold Labrador Current. As moist warm air moves over cold water, it cools down and becomes supersaturated. The interactions between microphysical, dynamical and radiative processes can also be a determining element in the formation and persistence of fog, which makes fog forecasting a highly challenging task. Current parameterizations within models suffer notably from unresolved microphysical problems such as neglecting droplet concentration, which leads to errors in droplet density predictions of up to 50%. In the scope of improving our understanding of fog and its characteristics, our research group conducted a field study on the coast of Nova Scotia in Eastern Canada during the fog season of 2016. Meteorological variables, droplet and aerosol size distributions, chemical speciation and fog water composition were measured. Results from this study will be presented, along with projections in a changing climate.

Primary care in Ontario, Canada: New proposals after 15 years of reform.

PubMed

Marchildon, Gregory P; Hutchison, Brian

2016-07-01

Primary care has proven to be extremely difficult to reform in Canada because of the original social compact between the state and physicians that led to the introduction of universal medical care insurance in the 1960s. However, in the past decade, the provincial government of Ontario has led the way in Canada in funding a suite of primary care practice models, some of which differ substantially from traditional solo and group physician practices based on fee-for-service payment. Independent evaluations show some positive improvements in patient care. Nonetheless, the Ontario government's large investment in the reform combined with high expectations concerning improved performance and the deteriorating fiscal position of the province's finances have led to major conflict with organized medicine over physician budgets and the government's consideration of an even more radical restructuring of the system of primary care in the province. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Examination of discontinuities in hourly surface relative humidity in Canada during 1953-2003

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Wijngaarden, William A.; Vincent, Lucie A.

2005-11-01

Hourly values of relative humidity recorded at 75 stations across Canada were examined. Data were checked for possible discontinuities arising because of changes in procedures and instruments. It was found that the replacement of the psychrometer by the dewcel has produced a decreasing step in relative humidity at a number of stations. The historical records were closely examined to retrieve the dewcel installation date, and a procedure based on regression models was applied to determine if it corresponds to a significant step. Results show that there are more stations experiencing a dewcel step in the winter than in the summer. Examination of the trends also reveals that the step often accentuates the decreasing trends originally observed during winter and spring. However, significant steps taken into account, it appears that the relative humidity still decreased by several percent in the spring during 1953-2003 in western Canada. It seems that the southern and coastal stations are not as much affected by this change of instruments.

Challenges for Canada in meeting the needs of persons with serious mental illness in prison.

PubMed

Simpson, Alexander I F; McMaster, Jeffry J; Cohen, Steven N

2013-01-01

The number of prison inmates is predicted to rise in Canada, as is concern about those among them with mental illness. This article is a selective literature review of the epidemiology of serious mental illness (SMI) in prisons and how people with SMI respond to imprisonment. We review the required service components with a particular focus on care models for people with SMI in the Canadian correctional system. An estimated 15 to 20 percent of prison inmates have SMI, and this proportion may be increasing. The rate of incarceration of aboriginal people is rising. Although treatment in prison is effective, it is often unavailable or refused. Many of those with SMI are lost to follow-up within months of re-entering the community. There is much policy and service development aimed at improving services in Canada. However, the multijurisdictional organization of health care and the heterogeneity of the SMI population complicate these developments.

Does Social Context Matter? Income Inequality, Racialized Identity, and Health Among Canada's Aboriginal Peoples Using a Multilevel Approach.

PubMed

Spence, Nicholas D

2016-03-01

Debates surrounding the importance of social context versus individual level processes have a long history in public health. Aboriginal peoples in Canada are very diverse, and the reserve communities in which they reside are complex mixes of various cultural and socioeconomic circumstances. The social forces of these communities are believed to affect health, in addition to individual level determinants, but no large scale work has ever probed their relative effects. One aspect of social context, relative deprivation, as indicated by income inequality, has greatly influenced the social determinants of health landscape. An investigation of relative deprivation in Canada's Aboriginal population has never been conducted. This paper proposes a new model of Aboriginal health, using a multidisciplinary theoretical approach that is multilevel. This study explored the self-rated health of respondents using two levels of determinants, contextual and individual. Data were from the 2001 Aboriginal Peoples Survey. There were 18,890 Registered First Nations (subgroup of Aboriginal peoples) on reserve nested within 134 communities. The model was assessed using a hierarchical generalized linear model. There was no significant variation at the contextual level. Subsequently, a sequential logistic regression analysis was run. With the sole exception culture, demographics, lifestyle factors, formal health services, and social support were significant in explaining self-rated health. The non-significant effect of social context, and by extension relative deprivation, as indicated by income inequality, is noteworthy, and the primary role of individual level processes, including the material conditions, social support, and lifestyle behaviors, on health outcomes is illustrated. It is proposed that social structure is best conceptualized as a dynamic determinant of health inequality and more multilevel theoretical models of Aboriginal health should be developed and tested.

A cost-benefit/cost-effectiveness analysis of proposed supervised injection facilities in Ottawa, Canada.

PubMed

Jozaghi, Ehsan; Reid, Andrew A; Andresen, Martin A; Juneau, Alexandre

2014-08-04

Supervised injection facilities (SIFs) are venues where people who inject drugs (PWID) have access to a clean and medically supervised environment in which they can safely inject their own illicit drugs. There is currently only one legal SIF in North America: Insite in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The responses and feedback generated by the evaluations of Insite in Vancouver have been overwhelmingly positive. This study assesses whether the above mentioned facility in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver needs to be expanded to other locations, more specifically that of Canada's capital city, Ottawa. The current study is aimed at contributing to the existing literature on health policy by conducting cost-benefit and cost-effective analyses for the opening of SIFs in Ottawa, Ontario. In particular, the costs of operating numerous SIFs in Ottawa was compared to the savings incurred; this was done after accounting for the prevention of new HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV) infections. To ensure accuracy, two distinct mathematical models and a sensitivity analysis were employed. The sensitivity analyses conducted with the models reveals the potential for SIFs in Ottawa to be a fiscally responsible harm reduction strategy for the prevention of HCV cases--when considered independently. With a baseline sharing rate of 19%, the cumulative annual cost model supported the establishment of two SIFs and the marginal annual cost model supported the establishment of a single SIF. More often, the prevention of HIV or HCV alone were not sufficient to justify the establishment cost-effectiveness; rather, only when both HIV and HCV are considered does sufficient economic support became apparent. Funded supervised injection facilities in Ottawa appear to be an efficient and effective use of financial resources in the public health domain.

Scenarios of Earth system change in western Canada: Conceptual understanding and process insights from the Changing Cold Regions Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeBeer, C. M.; Wheater, H. S.; Pomeroy, J. W.; Stewart, R. E.; Turetsky, M. R.; Baltzer, J. L.; Pietroniro, A.; Marsh, P.; Carey, S.; Howard, A.; Barr, A.; Elshamy, M.

2017-12-01

The interior of western Canada has been experiencing rapid, widespread, and severe hydroclimatic change in recent decades, and this is projected to continue in the future. To better assess future hydrological, cryospheric and ecological states and fluxes under future climates, a regional hydroclimate project was formed under the auspices of the Global Energy and Water Exchanges (GEWEX) project of the World Climate Research Programme; the Changing Cold Regions Network (CCRN; www.ccrnetwork.ca) aims to understand, diagnose, and predict interactions among the changing Earth system components at multiple spatial scales over the Mackenzie and Saskatchewan River basins of western Canada. A particular challenge is in applying land surface and hydrological models under future climates, as system changes and cold regions process interactions are not often straightforward, and model structures and parameterizations based on historical observations and understanding of contemporary system functioning may not adequately capture these complexities. To address this and provide guidance and direction to the modelling community, CCRN has drawn insights from a multi-disciplinary perspective on the process controls and system trajectories to develop a set of feasible scenarios of change for the 21st century across the region. This presentation will describe CCRN's efforts towards formalizing these insights and applying them in a large-scale modelling context. This will address what are seen as the most critical processes and key drivers affecting hydrological, cryospheric and ecological change, how these will most likely evolve in the coming decades, and how these are parameterized and incorporated as future scenarios for terrestrial ecology, hydrological functioning, permafrost state, glaciers, agriculture, and water management.

Optimal control of Atlantic population Canada geese

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hauser, C.E.; Runge, M.C.; Cooch, E.G.; Johnson, F.A.; Harvey, W.F.

2007-01-01

Management of Canada geese (Branta canadensis) can be a balance between providing sustained harvest opportunity while not allowing populations to become overabundant and cause damage. In this paper, we focus on the Atlantic population of Canada geese and use stochastic dynamic programming to determine the optimal harvest strategy over a range of plausible models for population dynamics. There is evidence to suggest that the population exhibits significant age structure, and it is possible to reconstruct age structure from surveys. Consequently the harvest strategy is a function of the age composition, as well as the abundance, of the population. The objective is to maximize harvest while maintaining the number of breeding adults in the population between specified upper and lower limits. In addition, the total harvest capacity is limited and there is uncertainty about the strength of density-dependence. We find that under a density-independent model, harvest is maximized by maintaining the breeding population at the highest acceptable abundance. However if harvest capacity is limited, then the optimal long-term breeding population size is lower than the highest acceptable level, to reduce the risk of the population growing to an unacceptably large size. Under the proposed density-dependent model, harvest is maximized by maintaining the breeding population at an intermediate level between the bounds on acceptable population size; limits to harvest capacity have little effect on the optimal long-term population size. It is clear that the strength of density-dependence and constraints on harvest significantly affect the optimal harvest strategy for this population. Model discrimination might be achieved in the long term, while continuing to meet management goals, by adopting an adaptive management strategy.

Establishing an Appropriate Level of Detail (LoD) for a Building Information Model (BIM) - West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fai, S.; Rafeiro, J.

2014-05-01

In 2011, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) embarked on a comprehensive rehabilitation of the historically significant West Block of Canada's Parliament Hill. With over 17 thousand square meters of floor space, the West Block is one of the largest projects of its kind in the world. As part of the rehabilitation, PWGSC is working with the Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) to develop a building information model (BIM) that can serve as maintenance and life-cycle management tool once construction is completed. The scale and complexity of the model have presented many challenges. One of these challenges is determining appropriate levels of detail (LoD). While still a matter of debate in the development of international BIM standards, LoD is further complicated in the context of heritage buildings because we must reconcile the LoD of the BIM with that used in the documentation process (terrestrial laser scan and photogrammetric survey data). In this paper, we will discuss our work to date on establishing appropriate LoD within the West Block BIM that will best serve the end use. To facilitate this, we have developed a single parametric model for gothic pointed arches that can be used for over seventy-five unique window types present in the West Block. Using the AEC (CAN) BIM as a reference, we have developed a workflow to test each of these window types at three distinct levels of detail. We have found that the parametric Gothic arch significantly reduces the amount of time necessary to develop scenarios to test appropriate LoD.

Major correlates of mercury in small fish and common loons (Gavia immer) across four large study areas in Canada.

PubMed

Scheuhammer, A M; Lord, S I; Wayland, M; Burgess, N M; Champoux, L; Elliott, J E

2016-03-01

We investigated mercury (Hg) concentrations in small fish (mainly yellow perch, Perca flavescens; ∼60% of fish collected) and in blood of common loons (Gavia immer) that prey upon them during the breeding season on lakes in 4 large, widely separated study areas in Canada (>13 lakes per study area; total number of lakes = 93). Although surface sediments from lakes near a base metal smelter in Flin Flon, Manitoba had the highest Hg concentrations, perch and other small fish and blood of common loon chicks sampled from these same lakes had low Hg concentrations similar to those from uncontaminated reference lakes. Multiple regression modeling with AIC analysis indicated that lake pH was by far the most important single factor influencing perch Hg concentrations in lakes across the four study areas (R(2) = 0.29). The best model was a three-variable model (pH + alkalinity + sediment Se; Wi = 0.61, R(2) = 0.85). A single-variable model (fish Hg) best explained among-lake variability in loon chick blood Hg (Wi = 0.17; R(2) = 0.53). From a toxicological risk perspective, all lakes posing a potential Hg health risk for perch and possibly other small pelagic fish species (where mean fish muscle Hg concentrations exceeded 2.4 μg/g dry wt.), and for breeding common loons (where mean fish muscle Hg concentrations exceeded 0.8 μg/g dry wt., and loon chick blood Hg exceeded 1.4 μg/g dry wt.) had pH < 6.7 and were located in eastern Canada. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Network analysis of swine shipments in Ontario, Canada, to support disease spread modelling and risk-based disease management.

PubMed

Dorjee, S; Revie, C W; Poljak, Z; McNab, W B; Sanchez, J

2013-10-01

Understanding contact networks are important for modelling and managing the spread and control of communicable diseases in populations. This study characterizes the swine shipment network of a multi-site production system in southwestern Ontario, Canada. Data were extracted from a company's database listing swine shipments among 251 swine farms, including 20 sow, 69 nursery and 162 finishing farms, for the 2-year period of 2006 to 2007. Several network metrics were generated. The number of shipments per week between pairs of farms ranged from 1 to 6. The medians (and ranges) of out-degree were: sow 6 (1-21), nursery 8 (0-25), and finishing 0 (0-4), over the entire 2-year study period. Corresponding estimates for in-degree of nursery and finishing farms were 3 (0-9) and 3 (0-12) respectively. Outgoing and incoming infection chains (OIC and IIC), were also measured. The medians (ranges) of the monthly OIC and IIC were 0 (0-8) and 0 (0-6), respectively, with very similar measures observed for 2-week intervals. Nursery farms exhibited high measures of centrality. This indicates that they pose greater risks of disease spread in the network. Therefore, they should be given a high priority for disease prevention and control measures affecting all age groups alike. The network demonstrated scale-free and small-world topologies as observed in other livestock shipment studies. This heterogeneity in contacts among farm types and network topologies should be incorporated in simulation models to improve their validity. In conclusion, this study provided useful epidemiological information and parameters for the control and modelling of disease spread among swine farms, for the first time from Ontario, Canada. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pathways From HIV-Related Stigma to Antiretroviral Therapy Measures in the HIV Care Cascade for Women Living With HIV in Canada.

PubMed

Logie, Carmen H; Lacombe-Duncan, Ashley; Wang, Ying; Kaida, Angela; Conway, Tracey; Webster, Kath; de Pokomandy, Alexandra; Loutfy, Mona R; Anema, Aranka; Becker, Denise; Brotto, Lori; Carter, Allison; Cardinal, Claudette; Colley, Guillaume; Ding, Erin; Duddy, Janice; Gataric, Nada; Hogg, Robert S; Hosward, Terry; Jabbari, Shahab; Jones, Evin; Kestler, Mary; Langlois, Andrea; Lima, Viviane; Lloyd-Smith, Elisa; Medjuck, Melissa; Miller, Cari; Money, Deborah; Nicholson, Valerie; Ogilvie, Gina; Patterson, Sophie; Pick, Neora; Roth, Eric; Salters, Kate; Sanchez, Margarite; Sas, Jacquie; Sereda, Paul; Summers, Marcie; Tom, Christina; Wang, Lu; Webster, Kath; Zhang, Wendy; Abdul-Noor, Rahma; Angel, Jonathan; Barry, Fatimatou; Bauer, Greta; Beaver, Kerrigan; Benoit, Anita; Bertozzi, Breklyn; Borton, Sheila; Bourque, Tammy; Brophy, Jason; Burchell, Ann; Carlson, Allison; Cioppa, Lynne; Cohen, Jeffrey; Conway, Tracey; Cooper, Curtis; Cotnam, Jasmine; Cousineau, Janette; Fraleigh, Annette; Gagnier, Brenda; Gasingirwa, Claudine; Greene, Saara; Hart, Trevor; Islam, Shazia; Kaushic, Charu; Kennedy, Logan; Kerr, Desiree; Kiboyogo, Maxime; Kwaramba, Gladys; Leonard, Lynne; Lewis, Johanna; Logie, Carmen; Margolese, Shari; Muchenje, Marvelous; Ndungʼu, Mary; OʼBrien, Kelly; Ouellette, Charlene; Powis, Jeff; Quan, Corinna; Raboud, Janet; Rachlis, Anita; Ralph, Edward; Rourke, Sean; Rueda, Sergio; Sandre, Roger; Smaill, Fiona; Smith, Stephanie; Tigere, Tsitsi; Tharao, Wangari; Walmsley, Sharon; Wobeser, Wendy; Yee, Jessica; Yudin, Mark; Baril, Jean-Guy; Burke, Nora Butler; Clément, Pierrette; Dayle, Janice; Dubuc, Danièle; Fernet, Mylène; Groleau, Danielle; Hot, Aurélie; Klein, Marina; Martin, Carrie; Massie, Lyne; Ménard, Brigitte; OʼBrien, Nadia; Otis, Joanne; Peltier, Doris; Pierre, Alie; Proulx-Boucher, Karène; Rouleau, Danielle; Savoie, Édénia; Tremblay, Cécile; Trottier, Benoit; Trottier, Sylvie; Tsoukas, Christos; Gahagan, Jacqueline; Hankins, Catherine; Masching, Renee; Ogunnaike-Cooke, Susanna

2018-02-01

Associations between HIV-related stigma and reduced antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence are widely established, yet the mechanisms accounting for this relationship are underexplored. There has been less attention to HIV-related stigma and its associations with ART initiation and current ART use. We examined pathways from HIV-related stigma to ART initiation, current ART use, and ART adherence among women living with HIV in Canada. We used baseline survey data from a national cohort of women living with HIV in Canada (n = 1425). Structural equation modeling using weighted least squares estimation methods was conducted to test the direct effects of HIV-related stigma dimensions (personalized, negative self-image, and public attitudes) on ART initiation, current ART use, and 90% ART adherence, and indirect effects through depression and HIV disclosure concerns, adjusting for sociodemographic factors. In the final model, the direct paths from personalized stigma to ART initiation (β = -0.104, P < 0.05) and current ART use (β = -0.142, P < 0.01), and negative self-image to ART initiation (β = -0.113, P < 0.01) were significant, accounting for the mediation effects of depression and HIV disclosure concerns. Depression mediated the pathways from personalized stigma to ART adherence, and negative self-image to current ART use and ART adherence. Final model fit indices suggest that the model fit the data well [χ(25) = 90.251, P < 0.001; comparative fit index = 0.945; root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.044]. HIV-related stigma is associated with reduced likelihood of ART initiation and current ART use, and suboptimal ART adherence. To optimize the benefit of ART among women living with HIV, interventions should reduce HIV-related stigma and address depression.

Wind turbine sound pressure level calculations at dwellings.

PubMed

Keith, Stephen E; Feder, Katya; Voicescu, Sonia A; Soukhovtsev, Victor; Denning, Allison; Tsang, Jason; Broner, Norm; Leroux, Tony; Richarz, Werner; van den Berg, Frits

2016-03-01

This paper provides calculations of outdoor sound pressure levels (SPLs) at dwellings for 10 wind turbine models, to support Health Canada's Community Noise and Health Study. Manufacturer supplied and measured wind turbine sound power levels were used to calculate outdoor SPL at 1238 dwellings using ISO [(1996). ISO 9613-2-Acoustics] and a Swedish noise propagation method. Both methods yielded statistically equivalent results. The A- and C-weighted results were highly correlated over the 1238 dwellings (Pearson's linear correlation coefficient r > 0.8). Calculated wind turbine SPLs were compared to ambient SPLs from other sources, estimated using guidance documents from the United States and Alberta, Canada.

Life cycle theory and the residential mobility of older Canadians.

PubMed

Ostrovsky, Yuri

2004-01-01

This paper outlines a debate in the economics literature about the role of housing wealth in post-retirement consumption choices and provides a description of the patterns of the residential mobility, tenure, and dwelling-type transitions of older Canadians, using the newly available Statistics Canada Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics (SLID). The paper also presents estimation results for a panel data model that accounts for individual heterogeneity. The patterns of residential mobility of older adults in Canada appear to be similar to those in the United States and some European countries and do not seem to be motivated by the desire to use housing wealth for general consumption.

Adaptive Optics Imaging of the CLASS Gravitational Lens System B1359+154 with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope.

PubMed

Rusin; Hall; Nichol; Marlow; Richards; Myers

2000-04-20

We present adaptive optics imaging of the CLASS gravitational lens system B1359+154 obtained with the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) in the infrared K band. The observations show at least three brightness peaks within the ring of lensed images, which we identify as emission from multiple lensing galaxies. The results confirm the suspected compound nature of the lens, as deduced from preliminary mass modeling. The detection of several additional nearby galaxies suggests that B1359+154 is lensed by the compact core of a small galaxy group. We attempted to produce an updated lens model based on the CFHT observations and new 5 GHz radio data obtained with the MERLIN array, but there are too few constraints to construct a realistic model at this time. The uncertainties inherent with modeling compound lenses make B1359+154 a challenging target for Hubble constant determination through the measurement of differential time delays. However, time delays will offer additional constraints to help pin down the mass model. This lens system therefore presents a unique opportunity to directly measure the mass distribution of a galaxy group at intermediate redshift.

An Approach for Forest Inventory in Canada's Northern Boreal region, Northwest Territories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahoney, C.; Hopkinson, C.; Hall, R.; Filiatrault, M.

2017-12-01

The northern extent of Canada's northern boreal forest is largely inaccessible resulting in logistical, financial, and human challenges with respect to obtaining concise and accurate forest resource inventory (FRI) attributes such as stand height, aboveground biomass and forest carbon stocks. This challenge is further exacerbated by mandated government resource management and reporting of key attributes with respect to assessing impacts of natural disturbances, monitoring wildlife habitat and establishing policies to mitigate effects of climate change. This study presents a framework methodology utilized to inventory canopy height and crown closure over a 420,000 km2 area in Canada's Northwest Territories (NWT) by integrating field, LiDAR and satellite remote sensing data. Attributes are propagated from available field to coincident airborne LiDAR thru to satellite laser altimetry footprints. A quality controlled form of the latter are then submitted to a k-nearest neighbor (kNN) imputation algorithm to produce a continuous map of each attribute on a 30 m grid. The resultant kNN stand height (r=0.62, p=0.00) and crown closure (r=0.64, p=0.00) products were identified as statistically similar to a comprehensive independent airborne LiDAR source. Regional uncertainty can be produced with each attribute to identify areas of potential improvement through future strategic data acquisitions or the fine tuning of model parameters. This study's framework concept was developed to inform Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service's Multisource Vegetation Inventory and update vast regions of Canada's northern forest inventories, however, its applicability can be generalized to any environment. Not only can such a framework approach incorporate other data sources (such as Synthetic Aperture Radar) to potentially better characterize forest attributes, but it can also utilize future Earth observation mission data (for example ICESat-2) to monitor forest dynamics and the status, health and sustainability of Canada's northern boreal regions as areas where detailed inventory information is typically not available.

The budget impact of introducing delayed-release dimethyl fumarate for treatment of relapse-remitting multiple sclerosis in Canada.

PubMed

Dorman, Emily; Kansal, Anuraag R; Sarda, Sujata

2015-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) causes significant disability globally and is especially prevalent in Canada. Delayed-release dimethyl fumarate (DMF; also known as gastro-resistant DMF) is an orally administered disease-modifying treatment (DMT) for patients with relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) that is currently on the market in the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. A budget impact model (BIM) was developed to assess the financial consequences of introducing DMF for treatment of RRMS in Canada. A BIM calculated the financial consequences of introducing DMF in Canada over 3 years based on RRMS prevalence, treatment market share, and clinical effects. RRMS prevalence in Canada was derived from published literature and natural relapse rates, and disease state distribution from clinical trial data. It was conservatively assumed that 100% of RRMS patients were treated with a DMT. DMF was assumed to absorb market share proportionally from the following current treatments: interferon beta-1a-IM, interferon beta-1a-SC, interferon beta-1b, and glatiramer acetate. Treatment efficacy, in terms of relapse rate reductions and treatment discontinuation rates, was determined from mixed treatment comparison. Treatment costs (including costs of acquisition, monitoring, and administration) and cost of relapse were considered. Deterministic one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted to assess the most sensitive input parameters. Over 3 years, the introduction of DMF resulted in an average annual increase of CAD417 per treated patient per year, with reductions in costs associated with relapses (CAD192/patient/year) partially offsetting increased drug acquisition costs (CAD602/patient/year). On a population level, the average annual cost increase was CAD24,654,237, a CAD 0.68 increase per population covered by the Canadian healthcare system. The main drivers of budget impact were drop-out rates, proportion of RRMS patients treated, and market share assumptions. The acquisition costs of DMF for treatment of RRMS are predicted to be partially offset by reduced costs of relapses in the Canadian healthcare system.

Factors influencing the adoption of a healthy eating campaign by federal cross-sector partners: a qualitative study.

PubMed

Fernandez, Melissa Anne; Desroches, Sophie; Turcotte, Mylène; Marquis, Marie; Dufour, Joëlle; Provencher, Véronique

2016-08-30

The Eat Well Campaign (EWC) was a social marketing campaign developed by Health Canada and disseminated to the public with the help of cross-sector partners. The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influenced cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC. Thematic content analysis, based primarily on an a priori codebook of constructs from Roger's diffusion of innovations decision process model, was conducted on hour-long semi-structured telephone interviews with Health Canada's cross-sector partners (n = 18). Dominant themes influencing cross-sector partners' decision to adopt the EWC were: high compatibility with the organization's values; being associated with Health Canada; and low perceived complexity of activities. Several adopters indicated that social norms (e.g., knowing that other organizations in their network were involved in the collaboration) played a strong role in their decision to participate, particularly for food retailers and small organizations. The opportunity itself to work in partnership with Health Canada and other organizations was seen as a prominent relative advantage by many organizations. Adopters were characterized as having high social participation and positive attitudes towards health, new ideas and Health Canada. The lack of exposure to the mass media channels used to diffuse the campaign and reserved attitudes towards Health Canada were prominent obstacles identified by a minority of health organizations, which challenged the decision to adopt the EWC. Most other barriers were considered as minor challenges and did not appear to impede the adoption process. Understanding factors that influence cross-sector adoption of nutrition initiatives can help decision makers target the most appropriate partners to advance public health objectives. Government health agencies are likely to find strong partners in organizations that share the same values as the initiative, have positive attitudes towards health, are extremely implicated in social causes and value the notion of partnership.

Alcohol use and self-perceived mental health status among pregnant and breastfeeding women in Canada: a secondary data analysis.

PubMed

Lange, S; Quere, M; Shield, K; Rehm, J; Popova, S

2016-05-01

To estimate the prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding in Canada from 2003 to 2010, and to test the relation between self-perceived mental health status and alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Secondary analysis of four cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey, a population-based cross-sectional survey. Canada. A total of 18 612 pregnant and 15 836 breastfeeding women. The prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated by province and territory, and cycle. The relation between self-perceived mental health status and alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding was explored using quasi-Poisson regression models. Alcohol consumption during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, and self-perceived mental health status. In Canada, between 2003 and 2010, approximately one in every ten pregnant women (9.9%; 95%CI 9.2-10.5%) and two in every ten breastfeeding women (20.3%; 95%CI 19.4-21.2%) women consumed alcohol. Women with a lower self-perceived mental health status (i.e. 'good') were 1.40 (95%CI 1.18-1.67, P < 0.001) times more likely to have consumed alcohol during pregnancy, compared with women with an 'excellent' self-perceived mental health. There were no notable differences between the categories of mental health status in regard to alcohol consumption while breastfeeding. Despite public health efforts in Canada, a significant proportion of pregnant and breastfeeding women consume alcohol. It is imperative that a standard screening protocol be initiated among pregnant and breastfeeding women, especially in high-risk populations (e.g. women utilising substance abuse treatment programs). In Canada in 2003-2010, approximately 10% of pregnant and 20% of breastfeeding women consumed alcohol. © 2015 Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

Social determinants of self-reported health for Canada's indigenous peoples: a public health approach.

PubMed

Bethune, R; Absher, N; Obiagwu, M; Qarmout, T; Steeves, M; Yaghoubi, M; Tikoo, R; Szafron, M; Dell, C; Farag, M

2018-04-14

In Canada, indigenous peoples suffer from a multitude of health disparities. To better understand these disparities, this study aims to examine the social determinants of self-reported health for indigenous peoples in Canada. This study uses data from Statistics Canada's Aboriginal Peoples Survey 2012. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to examine how selected social determinants of health are associated with self-reported health among off-reserve First Nations and Métis peoples in Canada. Our analysis shows that being older, female, and living in urban settings were significantly associated with negative ratings of self-reported health status among the indigenous respondents. Additionally, we found that higher income and levels of education were strongly and significantly associated with positive ratings of self-reported health status. Compared with indigenous peoples with an education level of grade 8 or lower, respondents with higher education were 10 times (5.35-22.48) more likely to report 'excellent' and 'very good' health. Respondents who earned more than $40,000 annually were three times (2.17-4.72) more likely to report 'excellent' and 'very good' health compared with those who earned less than $20,000 annually. When interacted with income, we also found that volunteering in the community is associated with better self-reported health. There are known protective determinants (income and education) and risk determinants (location of residence, gender, and age) which are associated with self-reported health status among off-reserve First Nations and Métis peoples. For indigenous-specific determinants, volunteering in the community appears to be associated with self-perceived health status. Thus, addressing these determinants will be necessary to achieve better health outcomes for indigenous peoples in Canada. Next steps include developing indigenous-specific social determinants of health indicators that adequately measure culture, connection, and community. Copyright © 2018 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transport Canada's surveys of seat belt use in Canada, 2004-2005

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-02-01

The September 2004 and September 2005 surveys measured the seat belt usage rate separately in : rural Canada and urban Canada. Rural Canada was defined as towns with a population of less : than 10,000 but more than 1,000 that are located outside any ...

Results of Transport Canada's survey of seat belt use in Canada, 2002-2003

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2004-09-01

The September 2002 and September 2003 surveys were the first of their kind: the first to : measure the seat belt usage rate separately in rural Canada and urban Canada. Rural Canada was : defined as towns with a population of less than 10,000 but mor...

9 CFR 93.517 - Swine from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Swine from Canada. 93.517 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.517 Swine from Canada. (a) For purposes other than immediate slaughter. Swine offered for importation from Canada for purposes other than immediate slaughter...

9 CFR 93.517 - Swine from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Swine from Canada. 93.517 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.517 Swine from Canada. (a) For purposes other than immediate slaughter. Swine offered for importation from Canada for purposes other than immediate slaughter...

9 CFR 93.517 - Swine from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Swine from Canada. 93.517 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.517 Swine from Canada. (a) For purposes other than immediate slaughter. Swine offered for importation from Canada for purposes other than immediate slaughter...

9 CFR 93.517 - Swine from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Swine from Canada. 93.517 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.517 Swine from Canada. (a) For purposes other than immediate slaughter. Swine offered for importation from Canada for purposes other than immediate slaughter...

9 CFR 93.517 - Swine from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Swine from Canada. 93.517 Section 93... CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.517 Swine from Canada. (a) For purposes other than immediate slaughter. Swine offered for importation from Canada for purposes other than immediate slaughter...

Differential risk of employment in more physically demanding jobs among a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada.

PubMed

Smith, P M; Chen, C; Mustard, C

2009-08-01

To examine the proportion of a recent cohort of immigrants to Canada who were working in jobs that were more physically demanding than those in which they worked before migration to Canada. Longitudinal cohort of immigrants to Canada with occupational position measured before and 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Respondents to Statistics Canada's Longitudinal Survey of Immigrants to Canada (LSIC). The LSIC surveyed a representative sample of immigrants, aged 15 and older, who arrived in Canada between November 2000 and December 2001. For the purpose of this study, the sample was restricted to respondents who had worked before immigrating and were working when re-interviewed 2 (n = 4331) or 4 (n = 4238) years after arrival in Canada. Employment in an occupation with higher physical demands than that employed in before arrival in Canada. Respondents with less proficiency at speaking English and family class or refugee applicants were the most likely to be employed in occupations with higher physical demands both 2 and 4 years after arrival in Canada. Employment in a more physically demanding occupation may pose particular risks of workplace injury. In this sample of immigrants to Canada, respondents with poorer English skills and refugees (factors that may increase this risk) were more likely to be employed in more physically demanding occupations. Greater attention to the prevention of workplace injuries among particular groups of new immigrants to Canada is required.

SRTM Stereo Pair with Landsat Overlay: Miquelon and Saint Pierre Islands

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-10-20

This stereoscopic satellite image showing Miquelon and Saint Pierre Islands, located south of Newfoundland, Canada, was generated by draping NASA Landsat satellite image over a preliminary Shuttle Radar Topography Mission SRTM elevation model.

The effect of hydrate content on seismic attenuation: A case study for Mallik 2L-38 well data, Mackenzie delta, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chand, Shyam; Minshull, Tim A.

2004-07-01

Observations of velocities in sediments containing gas hydrates show that the strength of sediments increases with hydrate saturation. Hence it is expected that the attenuation of these sediments will decrease with increasing hydrate saturation. However, sonic log measurements in the Mallik 2L-38 well and cross hole tomography measurements in the Mallik field have shown that attenuation increases with hydrate saturation. We studied a range of mechanisms by which increasing hydrate saturation could cause increased attenuation. We found that a difference in permeability between the host sediment and the newly formed hydrate can produce the observed effect. We modelled attenuation in terms of Biot and squirt flow mechanisms in composite media. We have used our model to predict observed attenuations in the Mallik 2L-38 well, Mackenzie Delta, Canada.

Timber markets and fuel treatments in the western US

Treesearch

Karen L. Abt; Jeffrey P. Prestemon

2006-01-01

We developed a model of interrelated timber markets in the U.S. West to assess the impacts of large-scale fuel reduction programs on these markets, and concomitant effects of the market on the fuel reduction programs. The linear programming spatial equilibrium model allows interstate and international trade with western Canada and the rest of the world, while...

Cyberbullying and Cybervictimization within a Cross-Cultural Context: A Study of Canadian and Tanzanian Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapka, Jennifer D.; Onditi, Hezron Z.; Collie, Rebecca J.; Lapidot-Lefler, Noam

2018-01-01

This study explored cyberbullying and cybervictimization (CBCV), for adolescents aged 11-15 from Tanzania (N = 426) and Canada (N = 592). Measurement invariance and model invariance was found for CBCV. In addition, multigroup structural equation modeling was used to explore several variables: age, gender, average hours online each day, accessing…

Three Models of Classroom Collections of Trade Books: A Summary Report of the 1994 Grolier Award Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doiron, Ray

1995-01-01

Describes elementary school classroom trade book collections in the Prince Edward Island (Canada) school district, and explores the relationship between the collections and school library resource center program. The report is based on a survey of 46 classroom teachers, teacher-librarians, and principals. Three models of classroom collections are…

Whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) in Cascadia: A climate change prognosis

Treesearch

Sierra C. McLane

2011-01-01

Species distribution models (SDMs) predict that whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis) will lose much of its current climatic range in Cascadia (the Pacific Northwest in the United States plus British Columbia, Canada) by the 2080s as the climate warms. However, the same models indicate that the species will simultaneously gain a large, climatically-favorable habitat...

Understanding Universities in Ontario, Canada: An Industry Analysis Using Porter's Five Forces Framework

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pringle, James; Huisman, Jeroen

2011-01-01

In analyses of higher education systems, many models and frameworks are based on governance, steering, or coordination models. Although much can be gained by such analyses, we argue that the language used in the present-day policy documents (knowledge economy, competitive position, etc.) calls for an analysis of higher education as an industry. In…

Living Alongside: Teacher Educator Experiences Working in a Community-Based Aboriginal Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kitchen, Julian; Hodson, John

2013-01-01

Aboriginal education in Canada needs to shift away from the assimilative model to a model of culturally responsive pedagogy. Teacher education programs that serve Aboriginal teachers have an important role to play in developing an education system that both meets mainstream and Indigenous criteria for success. This paper examines the experiences…

Approaching the Affective Factors of Information Seeking: The Viewpoint of the Information Search Process Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Savolainen, Reijo

2015-01-01

Introduction: The article contributes to the conceptual studies of affective factors in information seeking by examining Kuhlthau's information search process model. Method: This random-digit dial telephone survey of 253 people (75% female) living in a rural, medically under-serviced area of Ontario, Canada, follows-up a previous interview study…

Developing Verification Systems for Building Information Models of Heritage Buildings with Heterogeneous Datasets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chow, L.; Fai, S.

2017-08-01

The digitization and abstraction of existing buildings into building information models requires the translation of heterogeneous datasets that may include CAD, technical reports, historic texts, archival drawings, terrestrial laser scanning, and photogrammetry into model elements. In this paper, we discuss a project undertaken by the Carleton Immersive Media Studio (CIMS) that explored the synthesis of heterogeneous datasets for the development of a building information model (BIM) for one of Canada's most significant heritage assets - the Centre Block of the Parliament Hill National Historic Site. The scope of the project included the development of an as-found model of the century-old, six-story building in anticipation of specific model uses for an extensive rehabilitation program. The as-found Centre Block model was developed in Revit using primarily point cloud data from terrestrial laser scanning. The data was captured by CIMS in partnership with Heritage Conservation Services (HCS), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), using a Leica C10 and P40 (exterior and large interior spaces) and a Faro Focus (small to mid-sized interior spaces). Secondary sources such as archival drawings, photographs, and technical reports were referenced in cases where point cloud data was not available. As a result of working with heterogeneous data sets, a verification system was introduced in order to communicate to model users/viewers the source of information for each building element within the model.

9 CFR 93.518 - Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Swine from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.518 Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter. Swine imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

9 CFR 93.518 - Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Swine from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.518 Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter. Swine imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

9 CFR 93.518 - Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Swine from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.518 Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter. Swine imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

9 CFR 93.518 - Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Swine from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.518 Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter. Swine imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

9 CFR 93.518 - Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Swine from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Swine Canada 7 § 93.518 Swine from Canada for immediate slaughter. Swine imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

8 CFR 289.3 - Recording the entry of certain American Indians born in Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Indians born in Canada. 289.3 Section 289.3 Aliens and Nationality DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS AMERICAN INDIANS BORN IN CANADA § 289.3 Recording the entry of certain American Indians born in Canada. The lawful admission for permanent residence of an American Indian born in Canada...

9 CFR 93.316 - Horses from Canada for immediate slaughter.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Horses from Canada for immediate...; REQUIREMENTS FOR MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AND SHIPPING CONTAINERS Horses Canada 16 § 93.316 Horses from Canada for immediate slaughter. Horses imported from Canada for immediate slaughter shall be consigned from the port of...

Canada Education Savings Program: Annual Statistical Review--2009

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2009

2009-01-01

The Canada Education Savings Program is an initiative of the Government of Canada. As part of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, the program administers the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond. These two initiatives help Canadian families save for a child's post-secondary education in Registered…

Canada Education Savings Program: Annual Statistical Review 2011

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2011

2011-01-01

The Canada Education Savings Program has been an initiative of the Government of Canada since 1998. As part of the Department of Human Resources and Skills Development, the program administers the Canada Education Savings Grant and the Canada Learning Bond. These two initiatives help Canadian families save for a child's post-secondary education in…

XV-15 Tiltrotor Aircraft: 1999 Acoustic Testing - Test Report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edwards, Bryan D.; Conner, David A.

2003-01-01

An XV-15 acoustic test is discussed, and measured results are presented. The test was conducted by NASA Langley and Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc., during October 1999, at the BHTI test site near Waxahachie, Texas. As part of the NASA-sponsored Short Haul Civil Tiltrotor noise reduction initiative, this was the third in a series of three major XV-15 acoustic tests. Their purpose was to document the acoustic signature of the XV-15 tiltrotor aircraft for a variety of flight conditions and to minimize the noise signature during approach. Tradeoffs between flight procedures and the measured noise are presented to illustrate the noise abatement flight procedures. The test objectives were to support operation of future tiltrotors by further developing and demonstrating low-noise flight profiles, while maintaining acceptable handling and ride qualities, and refine approach profiles, selected from previous (1995 & 1997) tiltrotor testing, to incorporate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), handling qualities constraints, operations and tradeoffs with sound. Primary emphasis was given to the approach flight conditions where blade-vortex interaction (BVI) noise dominates, because this condition influences community noise impact more than any other. An understanding of this part of the noise generating process could guide the development of low noise flight operations and increase the tiltrotor's acceptance in the community.

Abernathy's Lap

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1977-01-01

A lap in this instance is not a midriff but a tool for presision.polishing and grinding. During the Saturn V moonbooster program, Marshall Space Flight Center found a need for a better lap. The need arose from the exquisitely precise tolerances required for parts of the launch vehicle's guidance,and control system. So William J. Abernathy, a former Marshall employee, built a better lap; he invented a method for charging aluminum lap plates with diamond powder, then hard-anodizing them. The resulting lap produces a high polish on materials ranging from the softest aluminum to the hardest ceramics. It operates faster, wears longer and requires less reworking. Abernathy got NASA's permission to obtain a personal patent and he formed the one-man Abernathy Laps Co. in Huntsville, which produces a variety of laps. One of Abernathy's customers is Bell Aerospace Textron, Buffalo, which uses the laps to finish polish delicate instrument parts produced for NASA's Viking and other space programs. Says a Bell official: "Time needed (with the Abernathy lap) is a fraction of that required by conventional methods. The result is extremely accurate flatness and surface finish." Abernathy is providing laps for other manufacturing applications and for preparation of metallurgical specimens. The business is small but steady, and Abernathy plans expansion into other markets.

Creep and Rupture Strength of an Advanced CVD SiC Fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, J. C.; Yun, H. M.; DiCarlo, J. A.

1997-01-01

In the as-produced condition the room temperature strength (approx. 6 GPa) of Textron Specialty Materials' 50 microns CVD SiC fiber represents the highest value thus far obtained for commercially produced polycrystalline SiC fibers. To understand whether this strength can be maintained after composite processing conditions, high temperature studies were performed on the effects of time, stress, and environment on 1400 deg. C tensile creep strain and stress rupture on as-produced, chemically vapor deposited SiC fibers. Creep strain results were consistent, allowing an evaluation of time and stress effects. Test environment had no influence on creep strain but I hour annealing at 1600 deg. C in argon gas significantly reduced the total creep strain and increased the stress dependence. This is attributed to changes in the free carbon morphology and its distribution within the CVD SiC fiber. For the as-produced and annealed fibers, strength at 1400 deg. C was found to decrease from a fast fracture value of 2 GPa to a 100-hr rupture strength value of 0. 8 GPa. In addition a loss of fast fracture strength from 6 GPa is attributed to thermally induced changes in the outer carbon coating and microstructure. Scatter in rupture times made a definitive analysis of environmental and annealing effects on creep strength difficult.

Analysis of rig test data for an axial/centrifugal compressor in the 12 kg/sec

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owen, A. K.

1994-01-01

Extensive testing was done on a T55-L-712 turboshaft engine compressor in a compressor test rig at TEXTRON/Lycoming. These rig tests will be followed by a series of engine tests to occur at the NASA Lewis Research Center beginning in the last quarter of 1993. The goals of the rig testing were: (1) map the steady state compressor operation from 20 percent to 100 percent design speed, (2) quantify the effects of compressor bleed on the operation of the compressor, and (3) explore and measure the operation of the compressor in the flow ranges 'beyond' the normal compressor stall line. Instrumentation consisted of 497 steady state pressure sensors, 153 temperature sensors and 34 high response transducers for transient analysis in the pre- and post-stall operating regime. These measurements allow for generation of detailed stage characteristics as well as overall mapping. Transient data is being analyzed for the existence of modal disturbances at the front face of the compression system ('stall precursors'). This paper presents some preliminary results of the ongoing analysis and a description of the current and future program plans. It will primarily address the unsteady events at the front face of the compression system that occur as the system transitions from steady state to unsteady (stall/surge) operation.

Predicting present-day rates of glacial isostatic adjustment using a smoothed GPS velocity field for the reconciliation of NAD83 reference frames in Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craymer, M. R.; Henton, J. A.; Piraszewski, M.

2008-12-01

Glacial isostatic adjustment following the last glacial period is the dominant source of crustal deformation in Canada east of the Rocky Mountains. The present-day vertical component of motion associated with this process may exceed 1 cm/y and is being directly measured with the Global Positioning System (GPS). A consequence of this steady deformation is that high accuracy coordinates at one epoch may not be compatible with those at another epoch. For example, modern precise point positioning (PPP) methods provide coordinates at the epoch of observation while NAD83, the officially adopted reference frame in Canada and the U.S., is expressed at some past reference epoch. The PPP positions are therefore incompatible with coordinates in such a realization of the reference frame and need to be propagated back to the frame's reference epoch. Moreover, the realizations of NAD83 adopted by the provincial geodetic agencies in Canada are referenced to different coordinate epochs; either 1997.0 or 2002.0. Proper comparison of coordinates between provinces therefore requires propagating them from one reference epoch to another. In an effort to reconcile PPP results and different realizations of NAD83, we empirically represent crustal deformation throughout Canada using a velocity field based solely on high accuracy continuous and episodic GPS observations. The continuous observations from 2001 to 2007 were obtained from nearly 100 permanent GPS stations, predominately operated by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and provincial geodetic agencies. Many of these sites are part of the International GNSS Service (IGS) global network. Episodic observations from 1994 to 2006 were obtained from repeated occupations of the Canadian Base Network (CBN), which consists of approximately 160 stable pillar-type monuments across the entire country. The CBN enables a much denser spatial sampling of crustal motions although coverage in the far north is still rather sparse. NRCan solutions of the continuous GPS data were combined with those from other agencies as part of the North American Reference Frame (NAREF) effort to improve the reliability of the results. This NAREF solution has then been combined with our CBN results to obtain a denser velocity sampling for fitting different types of surfaces in a first attempt to determine a continuous GPS velocity field for the entire country. Expressing this velocity field as a grid enables users to interpolate to any location in Canada, allowing for the propagation of coordinates to any desired reference epoch. We examine the accuracy and limitations of this GPS velocity field by comparing it to other published GPS velocity solutions (which are all based on less data) as well as to GIA models, including versions of ICE-3G, ICE-5G and the recent Stable North America Reference Frame (SNARF) model. Of course, the accuracy of the GPS velocity field depends directly on the density of the GPS coverage. Consequently, the GPS velocity field is unable to fully represent the actual GIA motion in the far north and tends to smooth out the signal due to the spatially sparse coverage. On the other hand, the model performs quite well in the southern parts of the country where there is a much greater spatial density of GPS measurements.

Canadian snow and sea ice: historical trends and projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mudryk, Lawrence R.; Derksen, Chris; Howell, Stephen; Laliberté, Fred; Thackeray, Chad; Sospedra-Alfonso, Reinel; Vionnet, Vincent; Kushner, Paul J.; Brown, Ross

2018-04-01

The Canadian Sea Ice and Snow Evolution (CanSISE) Network is a climate research network focused on developing and applying state of the art observational data to advance dynamical prediction, projections, and understanding of seasonal snow cover and sea ice in Canada and the circumpolar Arctic. Here, we present an assessment from the CanSISE Network on trends in the historical record of snow cover (fraction, water equivalent) and sea ice (area, concentration, type, and thickness) across Canada. We also assess projected changes in snow cover and sea ice likely to occur by mid-century, as simulated by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) suite of Earth system models. The historical datasets show that the fraction of Canadian land and marine areas covered by snow and ice is decreasing over time, with seasonal and regional variability in the trends consistent with regional differences in surface temperature trends. In particular, summer sea ice cover has decreased significantly across nearly all Canadian marine regions, and the rate of multi-year ice loss in the Beaufort Sea and Canadian Arctic Archipelago has nearly doubled over the last 8 years. The multi-model consensus over the 2020-2050 period shows reductions in fall and spring snow cover fraction and sea ice concentration of 5-10 % per decade (or 15-30 % in total), with similar reductions in winter sea ice concentration in both Hudson Bay and eastern Canadian waters. Peak pre-melt terrestrial snow water equivalent reductions of up to 10 % per decade (30 % in total) are projected across southern Canada.

The use of an atmospheric dispersion model to determine influence regions in the Prince George, B.C. airshed from the burning of open wood waste piles.

PubMed

Ainslie, B; Jackson, P L

2009-06-01

A means of determining air emission source regions adversely influencing the city of Prince George, British Columbia, Canada from potential burning of isolated piles of mountain pine beetle-killed lodge pole pine is presented. The analysis uses the CALPUFF atmospheric dispersion model to identify safe burning regions based on atmospheric stability and wind direction. Model results show that the location and extent of influence regions is sensitive to wind speed, wind direction, atmospheric stability and a threshold used to quantify excessive concentrations. A concentration threshold based on the Canada Wide PM(2.5) Standard is used to delineate the influence regions while Environment Canada's (EC) daily ventilation index (VI) is used to quantify local atmospheric stability. Results from the analysis, to be used by air quality meteorologists in assessing daily requests for burning permits, are presented as a series of maps delineating acceptable burning locations for sources placed at various distances from the city center and under different ventilation conditions. The results show that no burning should be allowed within 10 km of the city center; under poor ventilation conditions, no burning should be allowed within 20 km of the city center; under good ventilation conditions, burning can be allowed within 10-15 km of the city center; under good to fair ventilation conditions, burning can be allowed beyond 15 km of the city center; and if the wind direction can be reliably forecast, burning can be allowed between 5 and 10 km downwind of the city center under good ventilation conditions.

A comprehensive examination of the psychometric properties of the Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised in a Canadian multisite sample of indigenous and non-indigenous offenders.

PubMed

Olver, Mark E; Neumann, Craig S; Sewall, Lindsay A; Lewis, Kathy; Hare, Robert D; Wong, Stephen C P

2018-06-01

The present study examined the psychometric properties of Hare Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R; Hare, 2003) scores in a multisite sample of 1,163 federally incarcerated Canadian indigenous and non-indigenous offenders from the Prairie Region of the Correctional Service of Canada. The research occurred against the backdrop of the Ewert v. Canada (2015) matter, in which the PCL-R was originally impugned in Federal Court for use with indigenous persons (later overturned in Canada v. Ewert, 2016). Indigenous men scored higher than non-indigenous men on most components of the PCL-R and had higher rates of recidivism, irrespective of follow-up. Discrimination analyses, however, supported the predictive efficacy of PCL-R total, factor, and facet scores for violent and general recidivism across both ancestral groups, with most group differences in area under the curve (AUC) magnitudes being small and nonsignificant. Calibration analyses demonstrated that higher PCL-R scores were associated with higher rates of general and violent recidivism for both ancestral groups, although higher recidivism rates were observed and estimated for indigenous men at specific PCL-R score thresholds. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the 4-factor model of psychopathy and hence, structural invariance, of PCL-R scores across ancestral groups. Structural equation modeling affirmed the predictive efficacy of the 4-factor model for recidivism. We discuss these findings in terms of clinical applications of the PCL-R and the psychopathy construct in general, with male offenders of indigenous ancestry. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Projections of preventable risks for cardiovascular disease in Canada to 2021: a microsimulation modelling approach

PubMed Central

Manuel, Douglas G.; Tuna, Meltem; Hennessy, Deirdre; Okhmatovskaia, Anya; Finès, Philippe; Tanuseputro, Peter; Tu, Jack V.; Flanagan, William

2014-01-01

Background Reductions in preventable risks associated with cardiovascular disease have contributed to a steady decrease in its incidence over the past 50 years in most developed countries. However, it is unclear whether this trend will continue. Our objective was to examine future risk by projecting trends in preventable risk factors in Canada to 2021. Methods We created a population-based microsimulation model using national data on births, deaths and migration; socioeconomic data; cardiovascular disease risk factors; and algorithms for changes in these risk factors (based on sociodemographic characteristics and previous cardiovascular disease risk). An initial population of 22.5 million people, representing the Canadian adult population in 2001, had 13 characteristics including the risk factors used in clinical risk prediction. There were 6.1 million potential exposure profiles for each person each year. Outcome measures included annual prevalence of risk factors (smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension and lipid levels) and of co-occurring risks. Results From 2003 to 2009, the projected risks of cardiovascular disease based on the microsimulation model closely approximated those based on national surveys. Except for obesity and diabetes, all risk factors were projected to decrease through to 2021. The largest projected decreases were for the prevalence of smoking (from 25.7% in 2001 to 17.7% in 2021) and uncontrolled hypertension (from 16.1% to 10.8%). Between 2015 and 2017, obesity was projected to surpass smoking as the most prevalent risk factor. Interpretation Risks of cardiovascular disease are projected to decrease modestly in Canada, leading to a likely continuing decline in its incidence. PMID:25077135

Temporal patterns of apparent leg band retention in North American geese

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zimmerman, Guthrie S.; Kendall, William L.; Moser, Timothy J.; White, Gary C.; Doherty, Paul F.

2009-01-01

An important assumption of mark?recapture studies is that individuals retain their marks, which has not been assessed for goose reward bands. We estimated aluminum leg band retention probabilities and modeled how band retention varied with band type (standard vs. reward band), band age (1-40 months), and goose characteristics (species and size class) for Canada (Branta canadensis), cackling (Branta hutchinsii), snow (Chen caerulescens), and Ross?s (Chen rossii) geese that field coordinators double-leg banded during a North American goose reward band study (N = 40,999 individuals from 15 populations). We conditioned all models in this analysis on geese that were encountered with >1 leg band still attached (n = 5,747 dead recoveries and live recaptures). Retention probabilities for standard aluminum leg bands were high (estimate of 0.9995, SE = 0.001) and constant over 1-40 months. In contrast, apparent retention probabilities for reward bands demonstrated an interactive relationship between 5 size and species classes (small cackling, medium Canada, large Canada, snow, and Ross?s geese). In addition, apparent retention probabilities for each of the 5 classes varied quadratically with time, being lower immediately after banding and at older age classes. The differential retention probabilities among band type (reward vs. standard) that we observed suggests that 1) models estimating reporting probability should incorporate differential band loss if it is nontrivial, 2) goose managers should consider the costs and benefits of double-banding geese on an operational basis, and 3) the United States Geological Survey Bird Banding Lab should modify protocols for receiving recovery data.

Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar, TIF - Report (Phase 1)

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-11-01

Cette recherche permet d’obtenir une compr6hension en profondeur des capacit6s et des difficult6s associ6es aux concepts du ROS bistatique et...Radar (SAR) Bistatic SAR Performance Analysis Defence R&D Canada R & D pour la defense Canada Canada’s Leader in Defence Chef de file au Canada en ...I 1f1 Defence Research and Recherche et developpement Development Canada pour la defense Canada DEFENCE DEFENSE Bistatic Synthetic Aperture Radar TIF

A Comparative Analysis of Computer End-User Support in the Air Force and Civilian Organizations

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

This explanation implies a further stratification of end users based on the specific tasks they perform, a new model of application combinations, and a...its support efforts to meet the needs of its end-uiser clientele iore closely. 79 INTEGRATED .9 VERBAL ANALYTIC Figure 14. Test Model of Applications ...The IC Model : IEM, Canada. ...............19 Proliferation of ICs ... ............... 20 Services ... ..................... 21 IC States

Defining stem profile model for wood valuation of red pine in Ontario and Michigan with consideration of stand density influence on tree taper

Treesearch

W. T. Zakrzewski; M. Penner; D. W. MacFarlane

2007-01-01

As part of the Canada-United States Great Lakes Stem Profile Modelling Project, established to support the local timber production process and to enable cross-border comparisons of timber volumes, here we present results of fitting Zakrzewski's (1999) stem profile model for red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) growing in Michigan, United States, and...

A Synoptic Weather Typing Approach to Assess Climate Change Impacts on Meteorological and Hydrological Risks at Local Scale in South-Central Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chad Shouquan; Li, Qian; Li, Guilong

2010-05-01

The synoptic weather typing approach has become popular in evaluating the impacts of climate change on a variety of environmental problems. One of the reasons is its ability to categorize a complex set of meteorological variables as a coherent index, which can facilitate analyses of local climate change impacts. The weather typing method has been applied in Environment Canada to analyze climatic change impacts on various meteorological/hydrological risks, such as freezing rain, heavy rainfall, high-/low-flow events, air pollution, and human health. These studies comprise of three major parts: (1) historical simulation modeling to verify the hazardous events, (2) statistical downscaling to provide station-scale future climate information, and (3) estimates of changes in frequency and magnitude of future hazardous meteorological/hydrological events in this century. To achieve these goals, in addition to synoptic weather typing, the modeling conceptualizations in meteorology and hydrology and various linear/nonlinear regression techniques were applied. Furthermore, a formal model result verification process has been built into the entire modeling exercise. The results of the verification, based on historical observations of the outcome variables predicted by the models, showed very good agreement. This paper will briefly summarize these research projects, focusing on the modeling exercise and results.

7 CFR 319.56-10 - Importation of fruits and vegetables from Canada.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Importation of fruits and vegetables from Canada. 319... Vegetables § 319.56-10 Importation of fruits and vegetables from Canada. (a) General permit for fruits and vegetables grown in Canada. Fruits and vegetables grown in Canada and offered for entry into the United...

Le Point sur L'immersion au Canada (The Argument for...Immersion in Canada).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rebuffot, Jacques

A discussion of French immersion education in Canada begins with a general examination of language immersion, including the historical context and social climate from which the immersion approach has grown in Canada, its beginnings in Quebec and spread throughout Canada, and the status of the approach in the United States, a number of European…

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…

Modelling of Specimen Fracture

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-23

for information and evaluation purposes only. Any commercial use including use for manufacture is prohibited. © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of...Christopher Bayley DRDC Atlantic Dockyard Laboratory Pacific CFB Esquimalt, Building 199 PO Box 17000, Station Forces Victoria , British Columbia Canada

Long-range transport of Siberian forest fire smoke to Canada's west coast identified by Lidar observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strawbridge, Kevin; Cottle, Paul; McKendry, Ian

2014-05-01

During the summer of 2012, forest fire smoke wasdetected by two CORALNet lidar systems operated by Environment Canada along Canada's west coast. Based on satellite, model and back trajectory analysis it is thought the smoke originated in Boreal Asia as a result of unusually large amounts of Siberian wildfire activity. The CORALNet lidar systems operate autonomously, measuring the vertical profile of aerosols from near ground to 18 km at a vertical resolution of 3 m and 7.5 m and a temporal resolution of 10 s and 60 s at 1064 nm and 532 nm wavelengths respectively. The lidar also measures the depolarization ratio at 532 nm: and indicator of particle shape. The lidars, located at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and in the village of Whistler, British Columbia observed an increase in the aerosol backscatter ratio in the free troposphere as the Siberian forest fire smoke was transported across the Pacific Ocean into the region. Of particular importance was the increase in ground level particulate due to the mixing of the smoke into the boundary layer, impacting the air quality in southwestern British Columbia. Lidar depolarization ratios in the boundary layer and the free troposphere were consistent with high concentrations of smoke. Detailed lidar observations will be presented along with supporting satellite, model and ground observations revealing the magnitude of the impact on the region.

The Canada Basin compared to the southwest South China Sea: Two marginal ocean basins with hyper-extended continent-ocean transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Lu; Stephenson, Randell; Clift, Peter D.

2016-11-01

Both the Canada Basin (a sub-basin within the Amerasia Basin) and southwest (SW) South China Sea preserve oceanic spreading centres and adjacent passive continental margins characterized by broad COT zones with hyper-extended continental crust. We have investigated strain accommodation in the regions immediately adjacent to the oceanic spreading centres in these two basins using 2-D backstripping subsidence reconstructions, coupled with forward modelling constrained by estimates of upper crustal extensional faulting. Modelling is better constrained in the SW South China Sea but our results for the Canada Basin are analogous. Depth-dependent extension is required to explain the great depth of both basins because only modest upper crustal faulting is observed. A weak lower crust in the presence of high heat flow and, accordingly, a lower crust that extends far more the upper crust are suggested for both basins. Extension in the COT may have continued even after seafloor spreading has ceased. The analogous results for the two basins considered are discussed in terms of (1) constraining the timing and distribution of crustal thinning along the respective continental margins, (2) defining the processes leading to hyper-extension of continental crust in the respective tectonic settings and (3) illuminating the processes that control hyper-extension in these basins and more generally.

Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit: is it an adequate public health response to addressing the issue of caregiver burden in end-of-life care?

PubMed

Williams, Allison M; Eby, Jeanette A; Crooks, Valorie A; Stajduhar, Kelli; Giesbrecht, Melissa; Vuksan, Mirjana; Cohen, S Robin; Brazil, Kevin; Allan, Diane

2011-05-18

An increasingly significant public health issue in Canada, and elsewhere throughout the developed world, pertains to the provision of adequate palliative/end-of-life (P/EOL) care. Informal caregivers who take on the responsibility of providing P/EOL care often experience negative physical, mental, emotional, social and economic consequences. In this article, we specifically examine how Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB)--a contributory benefits social program aimed at informal P/EOL caregivers--operates as a public health response in sustaining informal caregivers providing P/EOL care, and whether or not it adequately addresses known aspects of caregiver burden that are addressed within the population health promotion (PHP) model. As part of a national evaluation of Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit, 57 telephone interviews were conducted with Canadian informal P/EOL caregivers in 5 different provinces, pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the CCB and the general caregiving experience. Interview data was coded with Nvivo software and emerging themes were identified by the research team, with such findings published elsewhere. The purpose of the present analysis was identified after comparing the findings to the literature specific to caregiver burden and public health, after which data was analyzed using the PHP model as a guiding framework. Informal caregivers spoke to several of the determinants of health outlined in the PHP model that are implicated in their burden experience: gender, income and social status, working conditions, health and social services, social support network, and personal health practises and coping strategies. They recognized the need for improving the CCB to better address these determinants. This study, from the perspective of family caregivers, demonstrates that the CCB is not living up to its full potential in sustaining informal P/EOL caregivers. Effort is required to transform the CCB so that it may fulfill the potential it holds for serving as one public health response to caregiver burden that forms part of a healthy public policy that addresses the determinants of this burden.

Provincial Comparison of Pharmacist Prescribing in Canada Using Alberta’s Model as the Reference Point

PubMed Central

Bhatia, Surya; Simpson, Scot H; Bungard, Tammy

2017-01-01

Background In the past decade, pharmacist practice has evolved tremendously in Canada, but the scope of practice varies substantially from one province to another. Objective To describe pharmacists’ scopes of practice relevant to prescribing within various jurisdictions of Canada, using the prescribing model in Alberta (authors’ province) as the reference point. Methods This cross-sectional survey consisted of clinical scenarios for emergency prescribing, adapting or renewing a prescription, and initial-access prescribing for a chronic disease. Pharmacists were asked about their ability to administer injections and to order or access the results of laboratory tests, as well as certification and training requirements and reimbursement models. Results Thirteen pharmacists representing Canadian provinces other than Alberta were surveyed in late 2015, for comparison with Alberta. With specific reference to the scenarios presented, pharmacists were able to prescribe in an emergency in 9 of the 10 provinces, renew prescriptions in all provinces, and adapt prescriptions in 6 provinces. Three provinces required that pharmacists have collaborative practice agreements identifying a specific practice area in order to initiate a prescription for a chronic disease (with 6–12 pharmacists per province having such agreements). Alberta required pharmacists to have authorization, based on a detailed application, in order to initiate any provincially regulated drug (with about 1150 pharmacists having this authorization). Pharmacists were allowed to administer vaccines in 9 provinces, and 5 provinces allowed pharmacists to administer drugs by injection. Three provinces had systems in place for pharmacists to access laboratory test results, and 2 allowed pharmacists to order laboratory tests. Five provinces had government-reimbursed programs in place for select prescribing services; however, all 9 provinces with public vaccination programs reimbursed pharmacists for this service. Conclusions Pharmacist prescribing differs among Canadian provinces. Although most provinces allow emergency prescribing and renewal or adaptation of prescriptions by pharmacists, only 4 provinces allow prescription initiation, with variable criteria and scope. Despite some progress to enhance patient flow through the health care system (e.g., by allowing pharmacists to extend prescriptions), further work should be pursued to harmonize clinical practices across Canada and to enable pharmacists to initiate and manage drug therapy. PMID:29109578

Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit: Is it an adequate public health response to addressing the issue of caregiver burden in end-of-life care?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background An increasingly significant public health issue in Canada, and elsewhere throughout the developed world, pertains to the provision of adequate palliative/end-of-life (P/EOL) care. Informal caregivers who take on the responsibility of providing P/EOL care often experience negative physical, mental, emotional, social and economic consequences. In this article, we specifically examine how Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit (CCB) - a contributory benefits social program aimed at informal P/EOL caregivers - operates as a public health response in sustaining informal caregivers providing P/EOL care, and whether or not it adequately addresses known aspects of caregiver burden that are addressed within the population health promotion (PHP) model. Methods As part of a national evaluation of Canada's Compassionate Care Benefit, 57 telephone interviews were conducted with Canadian informal P/EOL caregivers in 5 different provinces, pertaining to the strengths and weaknesses of the CCB and the general caregiving experience. Interview data was coded with Nvivo software and emerging themes were identified by the research team, with such findings published elsewhere. The purpose of the present analysis was identified after comparing the findings to the literature specific to caregiver burden and public health, after which data was analyzed using the PHP model as a guiding framework. Results Informal caregivers spoke to several of the determinants of health outlined in the PHP model that are implicated in their burden experience: gender, income and social status, working conditions, health and social services, social support network, and personal health practises and coping strategies. They recognized the need for improving the CCB to better address these determinants. Conclusions This study, from the perspective of family caregivers, demonstrates that the CCB is not living up to its full potential in sustaining informal P/EOL caregivers. Effort is required to transform the CCB so that it may fulfill the potential it holds for serving as one public health response to caregiver burden that forms part of a healthy public policy that addresses the determinants of this burden. PMID:21592383