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This paper offers insights into how mathematics education researchers can learn from preservice teachers (PSTs) by building upon parallels between adapting curriculum-making and designing research. The pandemic created learning opportunities for PSTs to anticipate mathematics curriculum anew and obstacles for researchers to study their pedagogical processes. A multiple case study reveals how PSTs in Year 1 and Year 2 of a Bachelor of Education program reimagined their intended mathematics curriculum to meet the demands of the evolving pandemic context. Viewed through the lens of complexity thinking and conceptions of "currere" and curriculum-making, PSTs' lesson redesigns include new contexts for teaching and learning (e.g., home environment, parental/guardian involvement, materials) that illuminate how curriculum researchers might become more tentative, responsive, and adaptable to unforeseen circumstances.

This study explores the literacy self-efficacy of 235 Canadian and American pre-service teachers during a 2021-2022 elementary literacy methods course amid COVID-19 disruptions. Utilizing the Teachers' Self-Efficacy Beliefs for Literacy Instruction in the 21st Century (TBLI21c) scale, administered at Time 1 and Time 2, the findings reveal high confidence in eight subscales. While participants displayed increased self-efficacy in diversity and 21st-century competences, early literacy and language skills saw lower confidence. US pre-service teachers exhibited higher self-efficacy initially, evening out by Time 2. These results underscore the need for assessing pre-service teachers' literacy self-efficacy, particularly concerning contemporary literacies and diversity, with implications for program evaluation and course design.

During pandemic school closures, preservice teachers designed activity plans to support the at-home learning of children in early elementary grades and recognized parents as vital to supporting their children's learning. This article uses data from a multiple case study of preservice teachers' planning during an alternate practicum. Drawing on models of family vibrancy and parent engagement that arise from funds of knowledge and parent knowledge theories, we highlight how preservice teachers included parents in reciprocal and democratic ways that honoured diverse family's contexts and their knowledge of their children. Results illustrate the importance of asset-oriented, flexible pedagogies that include meaningful parent partnerships both during and beyond the pandemic.

This research investigates organizational change in six Canadian universities framed as "prioritization," which is a ranking method using predefined metrics for the comprehensive review and evaluation of academic and administrative programs. Our research found the following: (a) no prioritization process reached the implementation stage; (b) financial performance was not significantly impacted; (c) differences in pace, sequencing, and linearity had little to no impact on the outcomes; (d) the process of prioritization itself introduced political hardship to university leadership, including broad mistrust. Our analysis shows that prioritization initiatives have not provided a directly attributable impact on the outcomes at each of the universities. In short, there was much ado about nothing. Implications for universities will be discussed.

Purpose: Breast arterial calcifications (BAC) on mammography have been correlated with increased cardiovascular risk. The Canadian Society of Breast Imaging released a position statement on BAC reporting in January 2023. This study evaluates the awareness of the clinical significance of BAC and reporting preferences of referring physicians in Canada. Methods: A 15-question survey was distributed to Canadian physicians who may review mammography results via regional and subspecialty associations and on social media following local institutional ethical approval. Responses were collected over 10 weeks from February to April 2023. Results: Seventy-two complete responses were obtained. We are unable to determine the response rate, given the means of distribution. Only 17% (12/72) of responding physicians were previously aware of the association between BAC and increased cardiovascular risk, and 51% (37/72) preferred the inclusion of BAC in the mammography report. Fifty-six percent (40/72) indicated that BAC reporting would prompt further investigation, and 63% (45/72) would inform patients that their mammogram showed evidence of BAC. Sixty-nine percent (50/72) would find grading of BAC beneficial and 71% (51/72) agreed that there is a need for national guidelines. Conclusion: Less than a quarter of responding Canadian referring physicians were previously aware of the association between BAC and cardiovascular risk, although half of respondents indicated a preference for BAC reporting on mammography. Most participating physicians would inform their patients of the presence of BAC and consider further cardiovascular risk management. There was consensus that a national BAC grading system and clinical management guidelines would be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2015 final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2015a) states that educational institutions are part of the problem of systemic colonialism that persists across the country. Racism against Indigenous peoples is apparent across Canada, as in the United States, Australia, and elsewhere. In this context, we share our applied theoretical framework, the "default to deliberative mode of engagement framework," or D2 framework, that we designed for ourselves as non-Indigenous, or settler, educators who contribute to decolonization processes by increasing students' interest in traditional and contemporary Indigenous values, cultures, knowledges and legal governance processes. In this article we share our reflections on the value of the D2 framework as a guide that can assist users in decolonizing themselves. Moving away from what we call "default mode" of colonialism can be the toughest part of the decolonization journey. Accompanying the D2 framework, we share narratives that illustrate the kind of daily actions that reflect deliberative civic engagement on the road to reconciliation.

Foundation-year MSW students in Canada often have their first practicum in community-based agencies. Orientation can be challenging, as many students aim for hospital placements. Site visits are widely used for practicum orientation in Canada; however, drawbacks include intensive resources and difficulty standardizing the experience. As a site visit alternative and to inspire students for community-based practicum, panel presentations were piloted to assess feasibility and acceptability. Thirty-seven panelists (primarily field instructors) presented to 135 MSW students in October 2017. Most students (90%, n = 122) completed an evaluation form and 54% of panelists (n = 20) completed a follow-up survey. Panels were feasible and acceptable to students and presenters. This article details the orientation activity with considerations for research and practice.

Drawing from a multiple-case study of professional learning in literacy, this article presents vignettes from a Grade 1 classroom where the professional learning focused on multimodal literacy pedagogies that combined digital and print-based resources to expand children's meaning-making. Linking children's opportunities for expansive literacy options and civic engagement, we focus on a lesson cycle in one teacher's engagement in the learning. We highlight how the teacher's pedagogy of exploration positioned children as capable meaning makers and how the children's innovative literacy practices informed the teachers' understandings of literacy pedagogies. These findings forward grounded examples of classroom spaces for children's meaning-making and civic engagement that are co-produced by multimodal and flexible pedagogies where children act as curricular-informants.

Background: Youth have been uniquely affected by the COVID‐19 pandemic. Despite high rates of COVID‐19 infection, youth had one of the lowest vaccine uptake rates. Certain characteristics can affect vaccine uptake, such as mental health and substance use, but it is important to understand uptake for an effective response to pandemics. Objective: This study examined the perspectives of youth with mental health or substance use concerns on COVID‐19 vaccine confidence, hesitancy and overall COVID‐19 vaccine perspectives. Methods: Using photovoice, a community‐based participatory research method, a sample of 27 youth aged 14−24 years participated in a series of photography workshops and focus groups. Participants submitted final photographs for discussion. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. Results: Four themes were generated: (1) Youth deciphered the vaccine discourse in a changing information landscape; (2) mixed perspectives of families, friends and loved ones influenced the vaccine journey; (3) complex societal influences affected views and decisions around the COVID‐19 vaccine; and (4) youth navigated their vaccine journeys through first‐ and second‐hand experiences. The four themes and subthemes highlight the evolution of youth's journeys with the COVID‐19 vaccine over the course of the pandemic and into the late‐pandemic period. Conclusions: Youth with mental health or substance use challenges navigated a complex environment during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The wide variety of factors influencing vaccine perspectives should be taken into account in public health messaging and future research on youth vaccine uptake. Youth‐led and youth‐engaged research can help solicit rich and meaningful perspectives of young people on important public health issues. Patient or Public Contribution: This was a youth‐led study. A youth research analyst conducted the study activities together with the support of a youth advisory group, an adult photographer with lived experience, and a scientific team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how sustainability has been integrated into and communicated in Canadian Master's of Business Administration (MBA) programs. We content analyzed university, business school, and MBA program mission and values statements; communicated strategic priorities; and relevant academic calendar content, as well as sustainability rankings and select media depictions of sustainable MBA programs and practices. We explore the potential for greenwashing practices in relation to the integration of sustainability in business education. We found some evidence of a decoupling between university and/or business school mission and claims, and MBA policies and practices. We conclude with a discussion of our findings, study limitations and some relevant implications for academia.

This mixed-methods study examined the training needs of Canadian field instructors (N = 58), their perceived barriers to training, and their most pressing supervision challenges. Field instructors responded to an online survey sent through placement coordinators at English-language schools of social work across Canada. Participants reported feeling "somewhat confident" in the field instructor role, and almost 40% reported not receiving any training prior to engaging in the role. Time was overwhelmingly cited as a barrier to field instructor training. When training occurred, participants reported it was mainly through their workplace or independent reading. Thematic analysis of an open-ended question regarding participants' most challenging aspects of providing field instruction elicited the following themes: (a) student challenges, (b) organizational challenges, and (c) field instructor challenges. Implications for field instructor training are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory case study considered the opportunities for print literacy learning within multimodal ensembles that featured art, singing and digital media within the context of an intergenerational programme that brought together 13 kindergarten children (4 and 5 years) with seven elder companions. Study questions concerned how reading and writing were practised within multimodal ensembles and what learning opportunities were afforded to the children while the participants worked through a chain of multimodal projects. Data were collected through ethnographic tools in the Rest Home where the projects were completed and in the children's classroom where project content and tools were introduced and extended by the classroom teacher. Themes were identified through the juxtaposition of field texts in a multimodal analysis. The results indicate that the multimodality of the projects and the reciprocal intergenerational relationships forged in and through text-making afforded children opportunities to improvise and refine their print literacy practices as part of multimodal ensembles. The study is designed to contribute to the nascent, yet growing, body of knowledge concerning print literacy practices and learning opportunities as conceptualized within multimodal literacy and intergenerational curricula.

In this article, we argue that current digital health strategies across Canada do not appropriately consider the implications of digital technologies (DTs) for public health functions because they adopt a primarily clinical focus. We highlight differences between clinical medicine and public health, suggesting that conceptualizing digital public health (DPH) as a field distinct from, but related to, digital health is essential for the development of DTs in public health. Focussing on DPH may allow for DTs that deeply consider fundamental public health principles of health equity, social justice and action on the social and ecological determinants of health. Moreover, the digital transformation of health services catalyzed by the COVID-19 pandemic and changing public expectations about the speed and convenience of public health services necessitate a specific DPH focus. This imperative is reinforced by the need to address the growing role of DTs as determinants of health that influence health behaviours and outcomes. Making the distinction between DPH and digital health will require more specific DPH strategies that are aligned with emergent digital strategies across Canada, development of intersectoral transdisciplinary partnerships and updated competencies of the public health workforce to ensure that DTs in public health can improve health outcomes for all Canadians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report of practice describes a five-year process to establish and implement quality standards for a substantial portfolio of distance delivered courses at the Centre for Continuing and Distance Education, University of Saskatchewan. The report describes an analysis of the issues and the solutions found that led to our current curriculum design standards and procedures, the implementation of learning technologies, and the identification of issues and solutions regarding copyright law. Lastly, the future prospects of these distance-delivered postsecondary courses are considered. Focusing on the issues and solutions for each category of challenges, this report describes the five-year journey of a small instructional-design team that faced roadblocks and barriers common to many postsecondary continuing and distance education units.

Purpose: Retrospective review of splenic artery embolization (SAE) outcomes performed for blunt abdominal trauma. Materials and Methods: 11-year retrospective review at a large level-1 Canadian trauma centre. All patients who underwent SAE after blunt trauma were included. Technical success was defined as angiographic occlusion of the target vessel and clinical success was defined as successful non-operative management and splenic salvage on follow-up. Results: 138 patients were included of which 68.1% were male. The median age was 47 years (interquartile range (IQR) = 32.5 years). The most common mechanisms of injury were motor vehicle accidents (37.0%), mechanical falls (25.4%), and pedestrians hit by motor vehicles (10.9%). 70.3% of patients had American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) grade 4 injuries. Patients were treated with proximal SAE (n = 97), distal SAE (n = 23) or combined SAE (n = 18), and 68% were embolized with an Amplatzer plug. No significant differences were observed across all measures of hospitalization (Length of hospital stay: x2(2) =.358, P =.836; intensive care unit (ICU) stay: x2(2) =.390, P =.823; ICU stay post-procedure: x2(2) = 1.048, P =.592). Technical success and splenic salvage were achieved in 100% and 97.8% of patients, respectively. 7 patients (5%) had post-embolization complications and 7 patients (5%) died during hospital admission, but death was secondary to other injuries sustained in the trauma rather than complications related to splenic injury or its management. Conclusion: We report that SAE as an adjunct to non-operative management of blunt splenic trauma can be performed safely and effectively with a high rate of clinical success. Visual Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine differences in fee-for-service (FFS) payments to men and women radiologists in Canada and evaluate potential contributors. Methods: Publicly available FFS radiology billing data was analyzed from British Columbia (BC), Ontario (ON), Prince-Edward Island (PEI) and Nova Scotia (NS) between 2017 and 2021. Data was analyzed by gender on a per-province and national level. Variables evaluated included year, province, procedure billings, and days worked (BC and ON only). The gender pay gap was expressed as the difference in mean billing payments between men and women divided by mean payments to men. Results: Data points from 8478 radiologist years were included (2474 [29%] women and 6004 [71%] men). The unadjusted difference in annual FFS billings between men and women was $126,657. Overall, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap. The difference in billings between men and women did not change significantly between 2017 and 2021 (range in gender pay gap, 17–21%) but did vary by province (highest gap NS). Compared to men, women worked fewer days per year (weighted mean 218 ± 29 vs 236 ± 25 days/year, P <.001, 8% difference). Conclusion: In an analysis of fee-for-service payments to radiologists in 4 Canadian provinces between 2017 and 2021, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap. Payments were lower to women across all years evaluated. Women worked 8% fewer days per year on average than men, which did not fully account for the difference in FFS billing payments between men and women. Summary Statement: In an analysis of fee-for-service payments to Canadian radiologists between 2017 and 2021, payments to women were 81% of payments to men with a 19% gender pay gap which is not fully accounted for by time spent working. Visual Abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic drugs for psychotic disorders in Canada has been historically low compared to other jurisdictions despite advantages of LAIs in improving medication adherence and preventing relapse. In response, treatment recommendations were developed in 2013 by the Canadian Consortium for Early Intervention in Psychosis and other Canadian provincial expert groups. The impact of these guidelines needed to be assessed. To document practices in LAI use in early intervention services (EIS) for psychosis, Canadian EIS were surveyed in 2016 (n = 18) and 2020 (n = 12). Trends and descriptive information were examined using repeated cross-sectional survey data. Eight EIS responded to surveys at both time points allowing for longitudinal comparisons. Outcomes of interest included i) LAI use frequency, ii) timing of LAI starts, and iii) factors influencing LAI use. Cross-sectional analysis identified a significant increase in overall LAI usage (24.7% in 2016; 35.1% in 2020). Longitudinal analysis indicated that patients in the second program year saw the greatest increase in LAI use between 2016 and 2020 (25.6% vs. 36.1%), especially among patients under community treatment orders (65.5% vs. 81.5%). Results support increases in LAI use over time, accessibility, awareness, and increasing comfortability among Canadian clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article shares the results of a study designed to identify the most significant challenges in social work field education from the perspectives of Canadian field educators and students. A web-based survey was conducted with 155 participants, and the findings were analyzed thematically. The most significant challenges included lack of preparation, support, and training; the burden of multiple responsibilities and roles; communication and supervision challenges; administrative challenges; COVID-19- related changes to online learning and practice; equity, inclusion, diversity, and access (EIDA); and competition and unfair placement selection procedures. The findings provide insight to inform change in social work field education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) project conducted a survey to gather information from field education coordinators and directors (FECDs) about their field education programs, staffing models, resources, and activities, and to invite their perspectives on field education in Canada. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to better understand the state of social work field education in Canada, from the perspectives of FECDs in accredited Canadian social work education programs. The study used an adapted version of a survey instrument developed by the Council of Social Work Education (CSWE) in the United States in 2015. Field education staff at 39 of the 43 accredited programs in Canada completed the survey. Results revealed differences in staffing and program administration models based on program size, and highlighted the workloads and challenges experienced by FECDs in facilitating quality practicum opportunities. The results show that FECDs are engaged in unique activities and responsibilities within social work education programs. The impacts of funding cutbacks, student readiness for placement, and resource shortages, including staff, time, institutional support, and placement disruptions, are among the challenges discussed in this article. The findings establish a baseline on the state of social work field education in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Social Work Review / Revue Canadienne de Service Social is the property of Canadian Association for Social Work Education and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper examines the ombudsman concept; factors which influenced the adoption of the ombudsman concept by Canadian universities; factors associated with the effectiveness of ombudsman offices; and comparative studies of university ombudsmen. It concludes that programs following the traditional ombudsman model appear to be most accepted and effective. (Author/MLW)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had significant impacts on how mental health services are delivered to patients throughout Canada. The reduction of in-person healthcare services have created unique challenges for individuals with psychotic disorders that require regular clinic visits to administer and monitor long-acting injectable antipsychotic medications. Methods: To better understand how LAI usage was impacted, national and provincial patient-level longitudinal prescribing data from Canadian retail pharmacies were used to examine LAI prescribing practices during the pandemic. Prescribing data on new starts of medication, discontinuations of medications, switches between medications, antipsychotic name, concomitant medications, payer plan, gender and age were collected from January 2019 to December 2020 for individuals ≥18-years of age, and examined by month, as well as by distinct pandemic related epochs characterized by varying degrees of public awareness, incidence of COVID-19 infections and public health restrictions. Results: National, and provincial level data revealed that rates of LAI prescribing including new starts, discontinuations and switches between LAI products remained highly stable (i.e., no statistically significant differences) throughout the study period. Conclusions: Equal numbers of LAI new starts and discontinuations prior to and during the pandemic suggests prescribing of LAI antipsychotics, for those already in care, continued unchanged throughout the pandemic. The observed consistency of LAI prescribing contrasts with other areas of healthcare, such as cardiovascular and diabetes care, which experienced decreases in medication prescribing during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antimicrobials are commonly used to treat urinary tract disease in dogs. Understanding antimicrobial use is a critical component of antimicrobial stewardship efforts. Hypothesis/Objectives: To evaluate antimicrobial prescriptions for dogs diagnosed with acute cystitis, recurrent cystitis, and pyelonephritis. Animals: Dogs prescribed antimicrobials for urinary tract disease at veterinary practices in the United States and Canada. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of antimicrobial prescriptions was performed. Results: The main clinical concerns were sporadic bacterial cystitis (n = 6582), recurrent cystitis (n = 428), and pyelonephritis (n = 326). Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (2702, 41%), cefpodoxime (1024, 16%), and amoxicillin (874, 13%) were most commonly prescribed for sporadic bacterial cystitis. The median prescribed duration was 12 days (range, 3‐60 days; interquartile range [IQR], 4 days). Shorter durations were used in 2018 (median, 10 days; IQR, 4 days) compared to both 2016 and 2017 (both median, 14 days; IQR, 4 days; P ≤.0002). Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (146, 33%), marbofloxacin (95, 21%), and cefpodoxime (65, 14%) were most commonly used for recurrent cystitis; median duration of 14 days (range, 3‐77 days; IQR, 10.5 days). Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (86, 26%), marbofloxacin (56, 17%), and enrofloxacin (36, 11%) were most commonly prescribed for pyelonephritis; however, 93 (29%) dogs received drug combinations. The median duration of treatment was 14 days (range, 3‐77 days; IQR, 11 days). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Decreases in duration and increased use of recommended first‐line antimicrobials were encouraging. Common drug choices and durations should still be targets for antimicrobial stewardship programs that aim to optimize antimicrobial use, concurrently maximizing patient benefits while minimizing antimicrobial use and use of higher tier antimicrobials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about conflicts of interest in commercially funded research have generated increasing disclosure requirements, but are these enough to assess influence? Using the Coca-Cola Company as an example, we explore its research agreements to understand influence. Freedom of Information requests identified 87,013 pages of documents, including five agreements between Coca-Cola and public institutions in the United States, and Canada. We assess whether they allowed Coca-Cola to exercise control or influence. Provisions gave Coca-Cola the right to review research in advance of publication as well as control over (1) study data, (2) disclosure of results and (3) acknowledgement of Coca-Cola funding. Some agreements specified that Coca-Cola has the ultimate decision about any publication of peer-reviewed papers prior to its approval of the researchers' final report. If so desired, Coca-Cola can thus prevent publication of unfavourable research, but we found no evidence of this to date in the emails we received. The documents also reveal researchers can negotiate with funders successfully to remove restrictive clauses on their research. We recommend journals supplement funding disclosures and conflict-of-interest statements by requiring authors to attach funder agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World University Service of Canada (WUSC) participates in private sponsorship as a sponsorship agreement holder through its Student Refugee Program. More than ninety campus-based constituent groups known as WUSC Local Committees resettle approximately 130 refugee students to Canadian post-secondary institutions each year. This article seeks to assess the effectiveness of the Student Refugee Program's youth-to-youth sponsorship model in integrating former refugees into their receiving communities. We outline the impact of the Student Refugee Program upon its beneficiaries, the important role youth volunteers play in supporting their integration and building more welcoming communities for newcomers in Canada, and the effect of the program on receiving societies. We conclude with recommendations for scaling up the program in Canada and sharing the model internationally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality; however, outbreaks of IPD are relatively rare. Homelessness and substance use are known risk factors for IPD and have been associated with several outbreaks in Canada, despite national recommendations for routine childhood and targeted adult pneumococcal vaccination.Objectives: To describe the epidemiology and public health challenges related to an outbreak of novel serotype 4 IPD in a homeless and unstably housed population in Victoria, British Columbia during the autumn and winter of 2016-2017.Results: Prospective, enhanced surveillance was initiated for laboratory confirmed cases reported to public health, including variables recording housing status and substance use. Thirty-three cases of serotype 4 IPD within the Victoria area were reported to public health between August 1, 2016 and September 1, 2017. Compared with other serotypes, these cases were more likely to be middle-aged, homeless or unstably housed, and to have a recent history of substance use. A targeted pneumococcal vaccination campaign was initiated in collaboration with external community organizations; however, these initiatives were challenged by incomplete data and staffing constraints.Conclusion: This report illustrates an outbreak of serotype 4 IPD among an inner-city population with multiple risk factors, including homelessness, unstable housing and substance use. Given the challenges controlling the outbreak, outreach capacity and pneumococcal vaccination coverage is needed among this marginalized population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: 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.Methods: 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.Results: 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.Interpretation: 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Far too often, there is a gap between research and policy and practice. Too much research is undertaken with little relevance to real life problems or its reported in ways that are obscure and impenetrable. At the same time, many policies are developed and implemented but are untouched by, or even contrary to evidence. An accompanying paper describes an innovative programme in Canada to help bridge this gap. This commentary notes the growing acceptance of such initiatives but highlights the challenges of sustaining their benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Tobacco companies use a host of strategies to undermine public health efforts directed to reduce and eliminate smoking. The success, failure and trends in domestic litigation used by tobacco companies to undermine tobacco control are not well understood, with commentators often assuming disputes are trade related or international in nature. We analyse domestic legal disputes involving tobacco companies and public health actors in high-income countries across the last decade to ascertain the types of action and the success or failure of cases, develop effective responses. Methods WorldLii, a publicly available online law repository, was used to identify domestic court cases involving tobacco companies from 2004 to 2014, while outcome data from LexisNexis and Westlaw databases were used to identify appeals and trace case history. Results We identified six domestic cases in the UK, Australia and Canada, noting that the tobacco industry won only one of six cases; a win later usurped by legislative reform and a further court case. Nevertheless, we found cases involve significant resource costs for governments, often progressing across multiple jurisdictional levels. Discussion We suggest that, in light of our results, while litigation takes up significant time and incurs legal costs for health ministries, policymakers must robustly fend off suggestions that litigation wastes taxpayers' money, pointing to the good prospects of winning such legal battles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To determine whether signs of current depression predict attempts to quit smoking, and short-term abstinence among those who try, and to test moderating effects of gender and cessation support (pharmacological and behavioural). Design Prospective cohort with approximately annual waves. Among smokers at one wave we assessed outcomes at the next wave using mixed-effects logistic regressions. Setting Waves 5-8 of the Four Country International Tobacco Control Study: a quasi-experimental cohort study of smokers from Canada, USA, UK and Australia. Participants A total of 6811 tobacco smokers who participated in telephone surveys. Measurements Three-level depression index: (1) neither low positive affect (LPA) nor negative affect (NA) in the last 4 weeks; (2) LPA and/or NA but not diagnosed with depression in the last 12 months; and (3) diagnosed with depression. Outcomes were quit attempts and 1-month abstinence among attempters. Findings Depression positively predicted quit attempts, but not after controlling for quitting history and motivational variables. Controlling for all covariates, depression consistently negatively predicted abstinence. Cessation support did not moderate this effect. There was a significant interaction with gender for quit attempts ( P = 0.018) and abstinence ( P = 0.049) after controlling for demographics, but not after all covariates. Depression did not predict abstinence among men. Among women, depressive symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 0.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.49-0.81] and diagnosis (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.34-0.63) negatively predicted abstinence. Conclusions Smokers with depressive symptoms or diagnosis make more quit attempts than their non-depressed counterparts, which may be explained by higher motivation to quit, but they are also more likely to relapse in the first month. These findings are stronger in women than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014, the Supreme Court of Canada affirmed in Mission Institution v Khela that the standard of review for administrative procedures is correctness. Despite the seeming finality of the decision, case law has demonstrated tensions and ambiguities on the matter. Tracing the origins of this standard, the author demonstrates that this recent call for correctness conflicts with previous calls for deference and with other aspects of contemporary administrative law doctrines. In addressing these conflicting decisions, the author argues that applying the correctness standard to all procedural questions is undesirable as a matter of principle and would lead to unnecessary confusion. The appropriate degree of scrutiny that courts should apply to agencies' procedural choices will vary according to a number of factors, including legislative wording, the general or statute-specific nature of the procedural protections invoked and the type of decisionmaking process at issue. The author argues that courts can better take these factors into account by subjecting agencies' procedural choices to a robust form of reasonableness review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Water Resources Journal / Revue Canadienne des Ressources Hydriques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background: WHO has targeted that medicines to prevent recurrent cardiovascular disease be available in 80% of communities and used by 50% of eligible individuals by 2025. We have previously reported that use of these medicines is very low, but now aim to assess how such low use relates to their lack of availability or poor affordability.Methods: We analysed information about availability and costs of cardiovascular disease medicines (aspirin, β blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and statins) in pharmacies gathered from 596 communities in 18 countries participating in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Medicines were considered available if present at the pharmacy when surveyed, and affordable if their combined cost was less than 20% of household capacity-to-pay. We compared results from high-income, upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income countries. Data from India were presented separately given its large, generic pharmaceutical industry.Findings: Communities were recruited between Jan 1, 2003, and Dec 31, 2013. All four cardiovascular disease medicines were available in 61 (95%) of 64 urban and 27 (90%) of 30 rural communities in high-income countries, 53 (80%) of 66 urban and 43 (73%) of 59 rural communities in upper middle-income countries, 69 (62%) of 111 urban and 42 (37%) of 114 rural communities in lower middle-income countries, eight (25%) of 32 urban and one (3%) of 30 rural communities in low-income countries (excluding India), and 34 (89%) of 38 urban and 42 (81%) of 52 rural communities in India. The four cardiovascular disease medicines were potentially unaffordable for 0·14% of households in high-income countries (14 of 9934 households), 25% of upper middle-income countries (6299 of 24,776), 33% of lower middle-income countries (13,253 of 40,023), 60% of low-income countries (excluding India; 1976 of 3312), and 59% households in India (9939 of 16,874). In low-income and middle-income countries, patients with previous cardiovascular disease were less likely to use all four medicines if fewer than four were available (odds ratio [OR] 0·16, 95% CI 0·04-0·57). In communities in which all four medicines were available, patients were less likely to use medicines if the household potentially could not afford them (0·16, 0·04-0·55).Interpretation: Secondary prevention medicines are unavailable and unaffordable for a large proportion of communities and households in upper middle-income, lower middle-income, and low-income countries, which have very low use of these medicines. Improvements to the availability and affordability of key medicines is likely to enhance their use and help towards achieving WHO's targets of 50% use of key medicines by 2025.Funding: Population Health Research Institute, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, AstraZeneca (Canada), Sanofi-Aventis (France and Canada), Boehringer Ingelheim (Germany and Canada), Servier, GlaxoSmithKline, Novartis, King Pharma, and national or local organisations in participating countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, due to overlooking Table 3 was inserted twice. Below please find the missing Table 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

William Twining describes the impact of globalisation on legal scholarship but laments the absence of a general theory. I argue that there are grounds to be more optimistic about legal scholarship's ability to respond to globalisation. In particular, the realist tradition offers a set of conceptual tools and analytic techniques that can be used to explore the economic, social and cultural dimensions of law. I illustrate the use of these tools and techniques in a study of Canada's Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), a law reform ostensibly meant to allow Canadian companies to export generic medicines to countries in the Global South. I suggest that CAMR was shaped by certain understandings of international trade law and of intellectual property rights, which had become naturalised, taken-for-granted features of Canadian political discourse. Access to medicines advocates' failure to reform CAMR can be partly attributed to their failure to challenge these legal ideas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the constitutionality of class action lawsuits in Canada. Topics include the jurisdiction of the members of the plaintiff class, territorial restriction laws, and the constitutional precondition of assumed adjudicative jurisdiction. Information is provided on the impediments to the certification of national class actions.

Background: Breast arterial calcification (BAC) on mammography correlates with increased cardiovascular risk. Reporting BAC is not standard practice. Our study evaluates the awareness of Canadian radiologists who report mammography of the clinical significance of BAC and their attitudes towards reporting BAC compared to their European and American counterparts. Methods: Following local institutional ethics approval, a 25 question survey (SurveyMonkey) was disseminated to Canadian radiologists via provincial and national society email lists. Responses were collected over 5 weeks (April–June 2022). Results: One hundred and eighty-six complete responses were collected. Sixty percent (112/186) were aware of the association between BAC and cardiovascular risk and 16% (29/186) document its presence in mammogram reports. Thirty five percent (65/186) occasionally document BAC if severe or in a young patient. Four percent (7/186) had local departmental guidelines on BAC reporting and 82% (153/186) agreed there is a need for national BAC reporting guidelines. Fewer Canadian radiologists were aware of the association between BAC and cardiovascular risk compared to European radiologists (60% vs 81%), report the presence of BAC compared to both European (15% vs 62%) and American (15% vs 35%) radiologists, and inform the patient of the presence of BAC compared to European radiologists (1% vs 46%). Conclusion: Canadian radiologists who report mammography were less aware of the association between BAC and cardiovascular risk than their European and American counterparts and were less likely to document the presence of BAC. Given the correlation of BAC with increased cardiovascular event risk, there is increased need for awareness as well as national BAC reporting guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Public health research has turned towards examining upstream, community-level determinants of cardiovascular disease risk factors. Objective measures of the environment, such as those derived from direct observation, and perception-based measures by residents have both been associated with health behaviours. However, current methods are generally limited to objective measures, often derived from administrative data, and few instruments have been evaluated for use in rural areas or in low-income countries. We evaluate the reliability of a quantitative tool designed to capture perceptions of community tobacco, nutrition, and social environments obtained from interviews with residents in communities in 5 countries. Methodology/Principal Findings: Thirteen measures of the community environment were developed from responses to questionnaire items from 2,360 individuals residing in 84 urban and rural communities in 5 countries (China, India, Brazil, Colombia, and Canada) in the Environmental Profile of a Community's Health (EPOCH) study. Reliability and other properties of the community-level measures were assessed using multilevel models. High reliability (>0.80) was demonstrated for all community-level measures at the mean number of survey respondents per community (n = 28 respondents). Questionnaire items included in each scale were found to represent a common latent factor at the community level in multilevel factor analysis models. Conclusions/ Significance: Reliable measures which represent aspects of communities potentially related to cardiovascular disease (CVD)/risk factors can be obtained using feasible sample sizes. The EPOCH instrument is suitable for use in different settings to explore upstream determinants of CVD/risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The environment in which people live is known to be important in influencing diet, physical activity, smoking, psychosocial and other risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) disease. However no instrument exists that evaluates communities for these multiple environmental factors and is suitable for use across different communities, regions and countries. This report describes the design and reliability of an instrument to measure environmental determinants of CV risk factors. Method/Principal Findings: The Environmental Profile of Community Health (EPOCH) instrument comprises two parts: (I) an assessment of the physical environment, and (II) an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect residents' perceptions of their community. We examined the inter-rater reliability amongst 3 observers from each region of the direct observation component of the instrument (EPOCH I) in 93 rural and urban communities in 5 countries (Canada, Colombia, Brazil, China and India). Data collection using the EPOCH instrument was feasible in all communities. Reliability of the instrument was excellent (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient - ICC>0.75) for 24 of 38 items and fair to good (ICC 0.4-0.75) for 14 of 38 items. Conclusion: This report shows data collection with the EPOCH instrument is feasible and direct observation of community measures reliable. The EPOCH instrument will enable further research on environmental determinants of health for population studies from a broad range of settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article demonstrates that nuclear power is key to a secure future for society, including energy availability, predictable fuel costs and a non-toxic environment. It presents a review of the three energy sources, namely fossil fuels, hydraulic power and nuclear energy in relation to their impact to the environment. The challenges facing the nuclear industry in Canada.

This paper reports on the findings of a participatory research study in which 290 injured workers in Ontario, Canada responded to a survey that was developed and administered by a group of university researchers in partnership with injured worker peer researchers. The objectives of the study were to gain a broad view of the needs and experiences of injured workers and to develop strategies for change. Findings indicated that many injured workers experience undue financial, emotional and physical hardship during the compensation, treatment and rehabilitation process. These hardships are experienced due to perceived lack of respect, insufficient information concerning rights and the return-to-work process, and limited opportunities for input into the medical or rehabilitation process. Recommendations for increasing the power of workers and creating a more supportive climate are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the circumstances surrounding the misdiagnosis of transient osteoporosis of the hip as avascular necrosis. Attempt to increase physician awareness of the prevalence and diagnosis of the condition in young men; Series of cases seen in the orthopedic unit at Saint Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto.

Reports on the understanding on the role of research in forest management by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Scope of the professional interest of scientists in the projects; Adoption of management practices which align intellectual capital; Provision of impetus for more focused corporate accountability.

Offers letters from 'Canadian Medical Association Journal' readers. Approach to total hip replacement; Question of whether cisapride caused the death of Vanessa Young; Comments on regulating cellular telephone use in automobiles; Others.

Examines the effectiveness of free vascularized fibular grafting in the treatment of symptomatic osteonecrosis of femoral head in Canada. Dependence of outcome with the age of the patient and extent of the disease; Functional and health status of the patients after the operation; Progression of osteonecrosis radiographically.