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Introduction: Social prescribing offers a formal pathway of connecting patients in the health system with sources of support within the community to help improve their health and well‐being. Since its launch in March 2022, the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing has acted as a collective impact network to identify, connect and build upon established social prescribing initiatives using a co‐design methodology. The institute received input from a participant advisory council, co‐design partners and several communities of interest groups. This study aimed to describe the perceptions of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing's role in advancing social prescribing using a co‐design approach and the barriers and facilitators to implementing social prescribing in Canada. Methods: We used a qualitative descriptive study design, document analysis, participant observation and semi‐structured individual interviews (n = 7) with members of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing co‐design group and the institute's leadership. We also analysed documents, field notes and transcripts using codebook thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were developed representing the facilitators of implementing the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing to support social prescribing: Creating relational mechanisms (i.e., partnerships and connections), Bringing awareness to social prescribing and contributing to the evidence (i.e., values and beliefs), Addressing systemic conditions (i.e., having a common language for social prescribing and organizing the community health sector) and Enabling funding and policy to drive social prescribing initiatives (i.e., shifting evidence into policy and securing sustainable funding). Conclusion: Participants' reflections on the co‐design process demonstrated that the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing development provided networking opportunities and shared resources relevant to social prescribing. Co‐design efforts also fostered relational and informational support, which laid the necessary groundwork in Canada to overcome the complex interplay between the macro‐ and micro‐level settings in which social prescribing is practiced. Patient or Public Contribution: The interviews and observations involved participants with lived experience of delivering, receiving or advocating for social prescribing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical thinking, problem solving and communication are fundamental elements of undergraduate education, but methods for assessing these skills across an institution are susceptible to logistical, motivational and financial issues. Queen's University conducted two research studies investigating the use of standardised tests to assess cognitive skill development across the institution. Synthesis of results from implementing the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA+), the Critical Thinking Assessment Test (CAT), and the HEIghten[superscript TM] test found that student test effort was a significant factor, and effort level correlated with performance at r = 0.33. Test incentives were also a significant factor; effort levels for the $25 financial incentive group were one standard deviation higher than effort for the in-class test group. A dedicated computer lab was the preferred option for computer-based testing. A paper-based test was found to be much simpler to administer, but test results were not available for a long time, therefore limiting the usefulness of data. The true cost of tests was greater than the price of the instrument; recruitment, training, proctoring and marking costs need to be included in the calculation. Generally speaking, alignment of test objectives with student or course objectives, and timeliness of data, were key for participation and motivation.

The Lalonde report, published in 1974 by the Canadian Minister of National Health and Welfare, broke ground for public health in Canada by acknowledging that the determinants of health are much broader than health care services. Fifty years later, this special issue of Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada charts a clear path towards addressing upstream determinants of health through an emerging intervention called "social prescribing." Social prescribing connects patients with community resources tailored to their individual priorities, fostering a paradigm shift from a deficitbased to a strengths-based approach in health promotion. Part 1 of this issue covers the rapid growth and diverse applications of social prescribing across Canada, with targeted initiatives for various populations and interventions ranging from nature and arts to physical activity and social connectivity. Contributions from a wide range of partners, including researchers, health professionals and community members, explore the adaptability of social prescribing for different groups, underscore the role of community and lived experiences in research, and call for more studies on social prescribing's effectiveness and outcomes. Highlighted case studies demonstrate tangible benefits in health equity and access to social services. This issue not only reflects the current scope and impact of social prescribing in Canada but also sets the stage for its future development and integration into broader health practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Post‐tropical Hurricane Fiona generated a large storm surge that resulted in pronounced flooding and coastal erosion in Atlantic Canada in September 2022. In this study we apply a regional barotropic storm surge model in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a semi‐enclosed sea, to demonstrate a method of evaluating different contributions to the total water levels. These include the surge generated over the ocean, the surge generated by the cyclonic winds over the gulf, and the tides. The results indicate that the highest storm surge occurred in the southeastern region, a combination of locally and remotely generated components. The surge that entered from the ocean was greater than the surge generated over the gulf; however, these were not in phase. To investigate the case where the local and remote surges are coincident, we shift the wind field relative to the timing of the boundary conditions and find the near "perfect storm" with significantly higher storm surge elevations. These findings highlight the importance of basin morphology and storm conditions in controlling the interactions of surge components, and this approach can be applied to simulate a range of storm‐driven hazard outcomes for future extreme events. Plain Language Summary: Strong winds and low air pressure over water can cause the water level to rise. This storm surge can flood land, change the shape of beaches, and cause damage to roads and buildings. In this study, we use a computer model to calculate the storm surge during Hurricane Fiona, one of the most intense storms ever to hit eastern Canada. We use the model for different conditions, and determine that part of the storm surge was generated over the Atlantic Ocean, while another part was generated over the Gulf of St. Lawrence. These two parts of the storm surge did not occur at exactly the same time, and were not coincident with high tide. If all three of these components of the total water level peak simultaneously in a future storm, coastal areas could experience even more damage. Key Points: A numerical model is applied to compute the storm surge driven by Hurricane Fiona in the Gulf of St. LawrenceWater level changes caused by the storm surge entering from the ocean, the storm surge generated by local winds, and tides are evaluatedResults reveal spatial and temporal variability of different surge components that drive maximum water levels and regional coastal change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-disciplinary (CD) learning experiences benefit student understanding of concepts and curriculum by offering opportunities to explore topics from the perspectives of alternate fields of study. This report involves a qualitative evaluation of CD health sciences undergraduate laboratory experiences in which concepts and students from two distinct disciplines [chemistry (CHEM) and exercise physiology (EPHE)] combined to study exercise thermoregulation and sweat analysis. Twenty-eight senior BSc Kinesiology (EPHE) students and 42 senior BSc CHEM students participated as part of their mutually exclusive, respective courses. The effectiveness of this laboratory environment was evaluated qualitatively using written comments collected from all students as well as from formal focus groups conducted after the CD laboratory with a representative cohort from each class (n = 16 CHEM students and 9 EPHE students). An open coding strategy was used to analyze the data from written feedback and focus group transcripts. Coding topics were generated and used to develop five themes found to be consistent for both groups of students. These themes reflected the common student perceptions that the CD experience was valuable and that students enjoyed being able to apply academic concepts to practical situations as well as the opportunity to interact with students from another discipline of study. However, students also reported some challenges throughout this experience that stemmed from the combination of laboratory groups from different disciplines with limited modification to the design of the original, pre-CD, learning environments. The results indicate that this laboratory created an effective learning opportunity that fostered student interest and enthusiasm for learning. The findings also provide information that could inform subsequent design and implementation of similar CD experiences to enhance engagement of all students and improve instructor efficacy. (Contains 2 tables.)

This study sought to evaluate a newly created information resource book for parents of children newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder entitled "Autism Spectrum Disorder: Information for Parents." A purposive sample of 13 participants (comprised of mothers of children with ASD and ASD service providers) participated in 1 of 3 focus groups. Focus group participants provided their feedback regarding the accessibility, usefulness, content accuracy and tone of the resource book. Findings reveal that concise yet comprehensive and hopeful information targeted to parents at diagnosis, has been lacking in ASD practice. This supportive informational resource book addresses this gap in supporting family adaptation and mobilization at the key juncture of diagnosis. Suggestions for resource refinement and future development of similar diagnostic-related literature to support families of newly-diagnosed children are outlined.

Canada recently mandated front-of-pack (FOP) labelling regulations, where foods meeting and/or exceeding recommended thresholds for nutrients-of-concern (i.e., saturated fat, sodium, and sugars) must display a 'high-in' FOP nutrition symbol. However, there is limited research on the amounts and sources of foods consumed by Canadians that would require a FOP symbol. The objective was to examine the intakes of nutrients-of-concern from foods that would display a FOP symbol and to identify the top food categories contributing to intakes for each nutrient-of-concern. Using the first day 24-hour dietary recall from the nationally representative 2015 Canadian Community Health Survey-Nutrition (CCHS), Canadian adults' intakes of nutrients-of-concern from foods that would display a FOP symbol was examined. Foods were assigned to 1 of 62 categories to identify the top food categories contributing to intakes of energy and nutrient-of-concern that would display a FOP symbol for each nutrient-of-concern. Canadian adults (n = 13,495) consumed approximately 24% of total calories from foods that would display a FOP symbol. Foods that would display a FOP symbol for exceeding thresholds for nutrients-of-concern accounted for 16% of saturated fat, 30% of sodium, 25% of total sugar, and 39% of free sugar intakes among Canadian adults. The top food category contributing intakes of each nutrient-of-concern that would display a FOP symbol were nutrient-specific: Processed meat and meat substitutes for saturated fat; Breads for sodium; and Fruit juices & drinks for total and free sugars. Our findings show that Canadian FOP labelling regulations have the potential to influence the intakes of nutrients-of-concern for Canadian adults. Using the findings as baseline data, future studies are warranted to evaluate the impact of FOP labelling regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Children are frequently exposed to marketing on food packaging. This study evaluated the presence, type and power of child-appealing marketing and compared the nutritional quality of child-appealing vs. non-child-appealing Canadian packaged foods and examined the relationship between nutrient composition and marketing power. Methods: Child-relevant packaged foods (n = 5,850) were sampled from the Food Label Information Program 2017 database. The presence and power (# of techniques displayed) of child-appealing marketing were identified. Fisher's Exact test compared the proportion of products exceeding Health Canada's nutrient thresholds for advertising restrictions and Mann Whitney U tests compared nutrient composition between products with child- /non-child-appealing packaging. Pearson's correlation analyzed the relationship between nutrient composition and marketing power. Results: 13% (746/5850) of products displayed child-appealing marketing; the techniques used, and the power of the marketing varied (x¯ 2.2 techniques; range: 0–11). More products with child-appealing packaging than with non-child appealing packaging exceeded Health Canada's thresholds (98% vs. 94%; p <.001). Products with child-appealing packaging (vs. non-child-appealing) were higher in total sugars (median: 14.7 vs. 9 g/RA; p <.001) and free sugars (11.5 vs. 6.2 g/RA; p <.001), but lower in all other nutrients. There was weak overall correlation between marketing power and nutrient levels. Results varied by nutrient and food category. Conclusions: Unhealthy products with powerful child-appealing marketing displayed on package are prevalent in the food supply. Implementing marketing restrictions that protect children should be a priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Sex differences exist in children's obesity rates, dietary patterns and television viewing. Television continues to be a source of unhealthy food advertising exposure to children in Canada. Our objective was to examine sex differences in food advertising exposure in children aged 2 to 17 years across four Canadian Englishlanguage markets. Methods: We licensed 24-hour television advertising data from the company Numerator for January through December 2019, in four cities (Vancouver, Calgary, Montréal and Toronto) across Canada. Child food advertising exposure overall, by food category, television station, Health Canada's proposed nutrient profiling model, and marketing techniques were examined on the 10 most popular television stations among children and compared by sex. Advertising exposure was estimated using gross rating points, and sex differences were described using relative and absolute differences. Results: Both male and female children were exposed to an elevated level of unhealthy food advertising and a plethora of marketing techniques across all four cities. Differences between sexes were evident between and within cities. Compared to females, males in Vancouver and Montréal viewed respectively 24.7% and 24.0% more unhealthy food ads/person/year and were exposed to 90.2 and 133.4 more calls to action, 93.3 and 97.8 more health appeals, and 88.4 and 81.0 more products that appeal to children. Conclusion: Television is a significant source of children's exposure to food advertising, with clear sex differences. Policy makers need to consider sex when developing food advertising restrictions and monitoring efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recommendations suggest limiting the intake of free sugar to under 10% or 5% of calories in order to reduce the risk of negative health outcomes. This study aimed to examine Canadian free sugar intake and model how intakes change following the implementation of a systematic reformulation of foods and beverages to be 20% lower in free sugar. Additionally, this study aimed to examine how calorie intake might be impacted by this reformulation scenario. Canadians' free sugar and calorie intakes were determined using free sugar and calorie data from the Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017, a Canadian branded food composition database, and applied to foods reported as being consumed in Canadian Community Health Survey—Nutrition (CCHS-Nutrition) 2015. A "counterfactual" scenario was modelled to examine changes in intake following the reformulation of foods to be 20% lower in free sugar. The overall mean free sugar intake was 12.1% of calories and was reduced to align with the intake recommendations at 10% of calories in the "counterfactual" scenario (p < 0.05). Calorie intake was reduced by 3.2% (60 calories) in the "counterfactual" scenario (p < 0.05). Although the overall average intake was aligned with the recommendations, many age/sex groups exceeded the recommended intake, even in the "counterfactual" scenario. The results demonstrate a need to reduce the intake of free sugar in Canada to align with dietary recommendations, potentially through reformulation. The results can be used to inform future program and policy decisions related to achieving the recommended intake levels of free sugar in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The food industry advertises unhealthy foods intended for children which in turn fosters poor diets. This study characterized advertising expenditures on child-targeted products in Canada and compared these expenditures between Quebec, where commercial advertising to children under 13 is restricted, and the rest of Canada, where food advertising to children is self-regulated. Methods: Advertising expenditures data for 2016 and 2019 for 57 select food categories and five media channels were licensed from Numerator. Products and brands targeted to children were identified based on their nature and the advertising techniques used to promote them. Advertising expenditures were classified as healthy/unhealthy using Health Canada's nutrient profile model. Expenditures per child capita aged 2–12 years were calculated and expenditures from 2016 were adjusted for inflation. Advertising expenditures were described by media, food category, year, and geographic region. Results: Overall, $57.2 million CAD was spent advertising child-targeted products in Canada in 2019. Television accounted for 77% of expenditures followed by digital media (18%), and the food categories with the highest expenditures were candy/chocolate (30%) and restaurants (16%). The totality of expenditures (99.9%-100%) in both Quebec and the rest of Canada in 2016 and 2019 were considered 'unhealthy'. Across all media channels (excluding digital), advertising expenditures were 9% lower in 2019 versus 2016. Advertising expenditures per capita were 32% lower in Quebec ($9.40/capita) compared to the rest of the country ($13.91/capita). Conclusion: In Canada, millions are spent promoting child-targeted products considered inappropriate for advertising to children. While per capita advertising expenditures for these products are lower in Quebec compared to the rest of Canada, they remain high, suggesting that Quebec's commercial advertising restrictions directed to children are likely not sufficiently protecting them from unhealthy food advertising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research estimated and characterized advertising expenditures on food products heavily advertised on youth-appealing television stations in Canada in 2019 overall, by media, by food category, and compared expenditures in two policy environments (Quebec and the rest of Canada, excluding the territories) and on "healthier" versus "less healthy" products. Advertising expenditure estimates for 57 selected food categories promoted on television, radio, out-of-home media, print media, and popular websites were licensed from Numerator. Sixty-one products or brands were identified as heavily advertised on youth-appealing stations and classified as "healthier" or "less healthy" based on a nutrient profile model proposed by Health Canada. Total expenditures and expenditures per adolescent capita were calculated. Approximately, $110.9 million was spent advertising food products heavily advertised to adolescents in Canada in 2019, with television accounting for 77% of total expenditures and fast food restaurants accounting for 51%. Most expenditures (77%; $80.6 million) were devoted to advertising "less healthy" products. In Quebec, advertising expenditures on examined products were 23% lower per capita ($45.15/capita) compared to the rest of Canada ($58.44/capita). Advertising expenditures in Quebec were lower for energy drinks (−47%; −$0.80/capita) and candy and chocolate (−41%; −$1.00/capita) and higher for yogurt (+85%; +$1.22/capita) and portable snacks (+25%; +$0.15/capita). Quebec's restriction of commercial advertising directed to children under 13 may explain lower per capita advertising expenditures on some "less healthy" foods heavily advertised to adolescents in Quebec. Nevertheless, this spending remains high in Quebec and nationally. Continued monitoring of these expenditures is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Canada proposed the implementation of mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) labelling regulations, whereby foods meeting or exceeding thresholds for nutrients-of-concern (i.e., total sugars, saturated fat, sodium) must display a 'high-in' FOP symbol (FOP). The objective of the study was to evaluate the potential implications of the proposed regulations using Canadian generic and branded food composition databases.Methods: A generic food composition database of products consumed by Canadians, Canadian Nutrient File (CNF) 2015 (n = 3,677), and a branded food composition database of packaged foods and beverages, Food Label Information Program (FLIP) 2017 (n = 17,521), were used to evaluate the number and proportion of foods that would display a FOP symbol based on the details of the proposed FOP labelling regulations published in 2018.Results: Overall, 35.5% (n = 1,306) of products in CNF 2015 and 63.9% (n = 11,193) of products in FLIP 2017 would display a FOP symbol for at least one nutrient-of-concern exceeding proposed thresholds. Soups, Combination Dishes, and Desserts categories in CNF 2015 and Combination dishes, Soups, and Meats categories in FLIP 2017 would have the highest proportion of products that would display a FOP symbol. Although displaying a FOP symbol for one nutrient was most common in both CNF 2015 (n = 992; 27.0%) and FLIP 2017 (n = 7,296, 41.6%), the number (i.e., 0-3) and type (i.e., saturated fat, sodium, total sugar) of nutrients displayed varied by food category.Conclusion: While the generic database, containing both packaged and unpackaged foods, revealed a low prevalence of foods that would display a FOP symbol, the branded database showed that the proposed FOP labelling regulations would identify over 60% of packaged foods with excess contents of nutrients-of-concern. Considering the high prevalence of packaged foods in Canada that would meet or exceed the thresholds of nutrients-of-concern, the proposed FOP labelling regulations should be implemented in a timely manner to help consumers easily identify foods high in nutrients-of-concern and encourage manufacturer-driven product reformulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study conducted to develop a methodology to evaluate individual food and beverage product alignment with Canada's Food Guide (CFG) 2019. developed a food-based nutrient profile model (NPM) to evaluate the alignment of packaged food and beverage products with CFG 2019 and compared it with CFG 2007.

The purpose of this study is to examine the parent–child experiences of Indigenous and non‐Indigenous mothers and fathers experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and separation from their children. A qualitative thematic analysis of baseline and 18‐month follow‐up narrative interviews was used to compare 12 mothers (n = 8 Indigenous and n = 4 nonindigenous) with 24 fathers (n = 13 Indigenous and n = 11 non‐Indigenous). First, it was found that children are more central in the lives of mothers than fathers. Second, Indigenous parents' narratives were characterized by interpersonal and systemic violence, racism and trauma, and cultural disconnection, but also more cultural healing resources. Third, an intersectional analysis showed that children were peripheral in the lives of non‐Indigenous fathers, and most central to the identities of Indigenous mothers. Gender identity, Indigenous, and intersectional theories are used to interpret the findings. Implications for future theory, research, and culturally relevant intervention are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Canada's food supply is high in nutrients of public health concern, contributing to poor diet quality and increased noncommunicable disease risk. Food companies shape the healthfulness of the food supply, yet little is known about companies' voluntary actions and commitments concerning product (re)formulation. Objective This study aimed to develop and apply a tool for quantifying the strength of voluntary actions and commitments of major food companies in Canada to improve the healthfulness of their products. Methods Twenty-two top packaged food and beverage companies were selected based on Canadian market share. Recent actions and/or commitments to reduce energy/portion sizes, sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, and sugars were identified from company websites and public documents, verified by company representatives (where possible), and scored based on breadth of application across the product portfolio, magnitude(s) of reduction, measurability, nutritional significance, national/global applicability, and transparency using the Food Company Reformulation scoring tool. Companies offering beverages only (n  = 4) were not assessed for sodium, saturated fat, or trans fat (re)formulation. Results Seventeen of 22 companies reported reductions and/or commitments concerning sodium (72.2%, n  = 13/18), trans fat (61.1%, n  = 11/18), sugars (59.1%, n  = 13/22), saturated fat (55.6%, n  = 10/18), and/or energy/portion sizes (50.0%, n  = 11/22). Scores ranged from 0/155 to 122/155 for food companies (median = 49/155) and 0/65 to 42/65 for beverage companies (median = 17/65). Companies generally performed best for sodium reduction (median = 21/32; range = 0–32) and poorest for energy/portion-size reductions (median = 2/30; range = 0–24). Multinational companies had significantly higher total scores than domestic companies (P  = 0.004). Higher total scores were associated with greater market shares in the beverage manufacturing sector (P  = 0.04), but not packaged food (P  = 0.50). Conclusions Many of Canada's leading food companies report limited or no action to reduce nutrients of concern in their products, suggesting a need for government intervention and strengthened accountability mechanisms to encourage alignment of reformulation efforts with government and expert recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We developed the Food and Beverage Marketing Monitoring Framework for Canada. • The Framework details how to monitor youth's exposure to food marketing in Canada. • This approach has been implemented in Canada and can be adapted for global use. As many countries are considering the restriction of marketing to children for unhealthy foods and beverages to improve population health, systematic monitoring of this marketing to inform and evaluate policies is critical. The objective of this research was to develop and describe the Food and Beverage Marketing Monitoring Framework for Canada, a framework commissioned by Health Canada to help guide their monitoring efforts. Following a literature review and expert consultation, the questions to be answered by the framework, the frequency and scope of monitoring activities, the short-/long- term outcome indicators and the methodologies to be employed were determined. The resulting Framework aims to assess the frequency and power of food marketing in various media and settings and monitor children and adolescents' exposure to food marketing, food company practices, and changes in children's attitudes, behaviours, and health. It proposes that monitoring occur annually in six regions across Canada. Considering probable budget constraints and research capacity, television, digital media, schools, convenience stores, packaging and children's sport/event sponsorship were identified as priority media/settings. Short- and long-term outcomes include: food marketing (e.g., advertising rate, marketing technique use), company-level (e.g., ad expenditures, product reformulation) and behavioral/health indicators (e.g., children's marketing awareness and recall, food requests and consumption). While significant efforts have been made in monitoring food marketing in Canada via the implementation of the Framework into the Health Canada M2K Monitoring Strategy, gaps remain (e.g., within diverse sociodemographic groups). The Framework can be leveraged to inform policy in Canada and the development process and content of the Framework could be adapted and implemented for global use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Applied Physiology, Nutrition & Metabolism is the property of Canadian Science Publishing 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.)

The article compares the content and construct/convergent validity of five nutrient profiling models from places such as Canada, Europe, and the Americas, and it mentions evaluations of the nutritional quality and healthfulness of various food items.

Purpose For over 40 years, Canadian and international bodies have endorsed comprehensive primary health care (PHC), yet very little work has been done to describe how services and programs are delivered within these organizations. Because health equity is now of greater interest to policy makers and the public, it is important to describe an evidence-informed framework for the delivery of integrated and equitable PHC. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a “Model of Health and Well-being” (MHWB) that provides a roadmap to the delivery of PHC in a successful network of community-governed PHC organizations in Ontario, Canada.Design/methodology/approach The MHWB was developed through an iterative process that involved members of community-governed PHC organizations in Ontario and key stakeholders. This included literature review and consultation to ensure that the model was evidence informed and reflected actual practice.Findings The MHWB has three guiding principles: highest quality health and well-being for people and communities; health equity and social justice; and community vitality and belonging. In addition, there are eight attributes that describe how services are provided. There is a reasonable evidence base underpinning the all principles and attributes.Originality/value As comprehensive, equitable PHC organizations become increasingly recognized as critical parts of the health care system, it is important to have a means to describe their approach to care and the values that drive their care. The MHWB provides a blueprint for comprehensive PHC as delivered by over 100 Community Governed Primary Health Care (CGPHC) organizations in Ontario. All CGPHC organizations have endorsed, adopted and operationalized this model as a guide for optimum care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Canadian government recently committed to introduce legislation to restrict the commercial marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children. Objective: We compared the degree of strictness and agreement between nutrient profile (NP) models relevant to marketing restrictions by applying them in the Canadian context. Design: With the use of data from the University of Toronto 2013 Food Label Information Program (n = 15,342 prepackaged foods), 4 NP models were evaluated: the Food Standards Australia New Zealand-Nutrient Profiling Scoring Criterion (FSANZ-NPSC), theWHO Regional Office for Europe (EURO) model, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) model, and a modified version of the PAHO model (Modified-PAHO), which did not consider the extent of food processing because the application of this characteristic was prone to ambiguity. The number and proportion of foods that would be eligible for marketing to children was calculated with the use of each model, overall and by food category. Results: The Modified-PAHO and PAHO models would permit only 9.8% (95% CI: 9.4%, 10.3%) and 15.8% (95% CI: 15.3%, 16.4%) of foods, respectively, followed by the EURO model [29.8% (95% CI: 29.0%, 30.5%)]. In contrast, the FSANZ-NPSC would consider almost half of prepackaged foods as eligible for marketing to children [49.0% (95% CI: 48.2%, 49.8%)]. Cross-classification analyses showed that only 8.1% of foods would be eligible based on all models (e.g., most pastas without sauce). Subanalyses showed that each model would be more stringent when evaluating food items that specifically target children on their package (n = 747; from 1.9% of foods eligible under Modified-PAHO to 24.2% under FSANZ-NPSC). Conclusions: The degree of strictness and agreement vary greatly between NP models applicable to marketing restrictions. The discrepancies between models highlight the importance for policy makers to carefully evaluate the characteristics underlying such models when trying to identify a suitable model to underpin regulations restricting the marketing of unhealthy foods to children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the Christmas Bird Count in Kansas, Texas that was conducted from December 15, 2015 to January 10, 2016 which involved hundreds of volunteer observers, highlighting a chart depicting the results of the survey.

Copyright of Cartographica is the property of University of Toronto Press 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.)

The article looks at the history of the series on the biology of Canadian weeds. A series under the title "The Biology of Canadian Weeds" was published by the Agricultural Institute of Canada. The first account was published in October 1973 and it focused on the native weed species sheep-laurel (Kalmia angustifolia L.). A list of accounts on the biology of Canadian weeds published to date is also presented.

This review is designed to highlight several key challenges in the diagnosis of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer currently faced by pathologists in Canada: ·Pre-analysis issues affecting the accuracy of HER2 testing in non-excision sample types: core-needle biopsies, effusion samples, fine-needle aspirates, and bone metastases ·HER2 testing of core-needle biopsies compared with surgical specimens ·Criteria for retesting HER2 status upon disease recurrence Literature searches for each topic were carried out using the MEDLINE, Embase, International Pharmaceutical Abstracts, and biosis databases. In addition, the congress databases of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2005-2011) and the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (2007-2011) were searched for relevant abstracts. All authors are expert breast pathologists with extensive experience of HER2 testing, and several participated in the development of Canadian HER2 testing guidelines. For each topic, the authors present an evaluation of the current data available for the guidance of pathology practice, with recommendations for the optimization or improvement of HER2 testing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CJEM: Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine is the property of Springer Nature 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.)

Abstract: Wood treated by preservatives is commonly found in solid waste. Among the different types of preserved wood, chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated wood recently has received much attention due to the scale of usage and its significant role in soil and water contamination. As the ash of CCA treated wood would be hazardous if the wood were to be incinerated, this is not a good alternative, and the best available disposal method is thus landfilling in the US, Canada and Australia. Leaching of the metals from preserved wood that is disposed in unlined landfills for construction debris pollutes the soil and water environments. Several factors affecting leaching of the metals from wood, including pH of the leachant, temperature, the duration of leaching and the type of leachant, were investigated. These factors affect each of the metals, chromium, copper and arsenic, differently. A comparison of these effects on each metal was performed. The results of the experiments showed that the pH of the leachants has a significant effect on the leaching process, and sulfuric acid (pH 3) is the most effective leachant compared to nitric and acetic acid (pH 3-4-5). The amounts of leached chromium, copper and arsenic by sulfuric acid (pH 3) during 15 days were, respectively, 0.2, 0.14 and 0.15mg more than leachates by nitric acid (pH 5) on the basis of 1g of wood (initial contents of 1.03mg, 0.42g and 0.8mg per g of wood). Most of the leaching occurs in the first 5 days, and the rate of leaching decreases significantly after 5 days. Increasing temperature increases the amount of leached metals, and arsenic is the least resistant metal to the leaching when the temperature increases. Increasing the temperature from 15°C to 35°C during 15 days increases the amount of leached chromium, copper and arsenic by acetic acid at pH 5 by about 0.1, 0.4 and 1.2mg per g of wood, respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

With the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Canadian Chartre of Rights and Freedoms, there is a new work environment for individuals with learning disabilities (LD) in North America. This qualitative study sought to compare the employment experiences of 25 U.S. adults with LD and 24 Canadian adults with LD. Areas of comparison were job getting, experiences on the job, and job advancement. Remarkably, the U.S. and Canadian adults with LD had nearly the same employment experiences. In essence, each set of data mirrored the other despite marked differences in U.S. and Canadian federal disability legislation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological treatment of wastewater has been employed successfully for many types of industries. Aerobic processes have been used extensively. Production of large amounts of sludge is the main problem and methods such as biofilters and membrane bioreactors are being developed to combat this phenomenon. Anaerobic waste treatment has undergone significant developments and is now reliable with low retention times. The UASB, the original high rate anaerobic reactor, is now becoming less popular than the EGSB reactor. New developments such as the Annamox process are highly promising for nitrogen removal. For metal removal, processes such as biosorption and biosurfactants combined with ultrafiltration membranes are under development. Biosurfactants have also shown promise as dispersing agents for oil spills. If space is available, wetlands can be used to reduce biological oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), nutrients and heavy metals. These innovative processes are described in this paper in terms of applications, the stage of development, and future research needs particular to Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a list of weedy introduced mustards of Canada with information on their distribution, habitats and chromosome numbers. Alliaria petiolata; Alyssum alyssoides; Alyssum desertorum.

Presents a list of native or naturalized mustards, Brassicaceae from Canada and Alaska with their corresponding chromosome numbers. Alliaria petiolata; Alyssum alyssoides; Alyssum desertorum.

The ability of four boreal bryophytes (Sphagnumangustifolium (C. Jens ex Russ.), Sphagnum fuscum (Schimp.) Klinggr., Sphagnum magellanicum Brid., and Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt.) to live in each others' habitats was examined in a 1-year reciprocal transplant experiment conducted in a poor fen peatland in northern Alberta, Canada. Growth in length was determined by measuring increase in shoot length, and growth in dry weight was determined by subtracting final dry weight from initial predicted dry weight. Species tolerance ranges, which approximate to fundamental niches, were determined by the significant differences in growth among the species. Stepwise regression analyses indicated that depth to water was the most important factor for all species except S. fuscum. Pleurozium schreberi exhibited the narrowest potential distribution, indicating that its present distribution is likely the result of habitat limitation. Although S. magellanicum and S. angustifolium exhibited wide potential ecological amplitude, the distributions of these species are partially limited by habitat. Sphagnum fuscum was able to grow in all habitats, and its distribution is not limited by any of the habitat factors measured.Key words: peatland, moss, community structure, Sphagnum, Pleurozium schreberi, niche.Les auteurs ont étudié la capacité de quatre bryophytes boréales (Sphagnum angustifolium (C. Jens. ex Russ.), Sphagnum fuscum (Schimp.) Klinggr., Sphagnum magellanicum Brid. et Pleurozium schreberi (Brid.) Mitt.) à vivre dans les habitats les uns des autres, au cours d'une année de transplantations expérimentales réciproques conduites dans une tourbière minérotrophe pauvre du nord de l'Alberta, au Canada. Ils ont déterminé la croissance en longueur en mesurant l'augmentation de la longueur des tiges, et la croissance en poids sec, en soustrayant le poids sec final du poids sec initial prédit. Les amplitudes de tolérance des espèces, qu'on peut considérer comme niche fondamentale, sont déterminées par les différences de croissance significatives observées entre les espèces. Les analyses par régression progressive indiquent que la profondeur de l'eau est le facteur le plus important pour toutes les espèces, sauf pour le S. fuscum. Le Pleurozium schreberi montre la distribution potentielle la plus étroite, ce qui indique que sa distribution actuelle est le résultat d'une limitation dans l'habitat. Bien que le S. magellanicum et le S. angustifolium montrent une large amplitude écologique potentielle, les distributions de ces espèces sont partiellement limitées par l'habitat. Le S. fuscum est capable de croître dans tous les habitats et sa distribution n'est pas limitée par les variables de l'habitat qui on ét é mesurées.Mots clés: tourbière, mousse, structure des communautés, Sphagnum, Pleuroziumschreberi, habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-lying communities protected by dykes are at increasing risk to climate change impacts. A strategy that is increasingly recognized as a viable option for flood protection and mitigation of these communities is managed realignment of dyke infrastructure. In hypertidal, developed estuaries such as the Salmon River Estuary in the Upper Bay of Fundy, the town of Truro, Nova Scotia, is one such community that may benefit from managed realignment to expand the floodplain. Before managed realignment is implemented, hydrodynamic modelling must be done to determine the best location for new dykes further inland and breaches in the existing dyke infrastructure. This task presents challenges, however, as the bathymetry of the Salmon River is highly variable due to its hypertidal environment with high suspended sediment concentrations and frequent high river discharge events. To address this challenge, Delft3D was used to model the hydrodynamics within a portion of the Salmon River south of the Onslow North River Marsh Body and identify the sensitivities presented in model outputs as a result of changing the bathymetry. Model outputs using bathymetry from the spring of 2014 are compared to model outputs using newer bathymetry that was collected in August 2018 using a SonTek M9 HydroSurveyor at high tide times and an unmanned aerial system (UAS) survey of the edges of the Salmon River at low tide times. The hydrodynamic model was initialized and calibrated using WebTide, a tidal prediction model, and four water level recorders. To validate the model results, field data were collected at the same time the new bathymetry was collected and during the same time period the model was run for in August 2018. This includes the deployment of two Acoustic Doppler Velocimeters (ADVs), two Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), two Optical Backscattering (OBS) sensors, and two water samplers (ISCOs) over four tidal cycles in August 2018 to collect information on flow velocity, water depth, and suspended sediment concentration. Preliminary results of field data collection show flow velocities ranging from approximately 0.06 m/s to 0.77 m/s over a tidal cycle, water depths upwards of 2.71 m above mudflats that are dry at low tide, and suspended sediment concentrations upwards of 70 g/L. Validating model results with these results will help determine the ability of Delft3D to simulate real hydrodynamic conditions in the Salmon River and whether hydrodynamic models are necessary for planning and implementing managed realignment projects in low-lying coastal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Assess the consumer nutrition environment in midsize to large supermarkets by supermarket type and area-level socioeconomic variables. Design Cross-sectional census of 257 supermarkets using the Toronto Nutrition Environment Measures Survey in Stores. Setting Toronto, Canada. Variables Measured Availability; price and linear shelf space of fruits and vegetables vs energy-dense snack foods by supermarket type; after-tax, low-income measure; and neighborhood improvement area. Analysis Multivariate linear regression. Results There was a high availability of fruits (7.7 of 8) and vegetables (9.5 of 11). There was similar linear shelf space for fruits and vegetables vs energy-dense snack foods (ratio, 1.1 m). Adjusted fruit prices were lowest in quintiles 1 (β = −$1.30; P  = .008), 2 (β = −$1.41; P  = .005), and 3 (β = −$1.89; P  < .001) vs quintile 5 (lowest percentage of people living with low income) and in ethnic (β = −$3.47; P  < .001) and discount stores (β = −$5.64; P  < .001) vs conventional. Adjusted vegetable prices were lowest in quintiles 2 (β = −$1.87; P  = .04), 3 (β = −$1.78; P  = .03), and 4 (β = −$2.65; P  = .001) vs quintile 5 and in ethnic (β = −$7.10; P  < .001) and discount (β = −$5.49; P  < .001) stores. They were highest in other (β = + $3.08; P  = .003) vs conventional stores. Adjusted soda and chips prices were lower in discount (β = −$1.16; P  < .001) and higher in other stores (β = + $0.67; P  < .001) vs conventional. Conclusions and Implications Findings do not indicate inequities in shelf space, availability, or price across diverse neighborhoods. Practitioners can use findings to help consumers navigate supermarkets to make healthy choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, the practice of re-introducing, where feasible, tidal flow to former agricultural dykelands and the restoration of tidal wetland habitat, has been identified as a viable adaptation method to current and future hazards associated with climate change. While previous efforts to restore coastal wetlands in Atlantic Canada focused primarily on the restoration of resilient and self-sufficient habitats, the increasingly tangible impacts of climate change combined with changing economic landscapes, regulations, and land use practices have shifted and broadened the objectives of these projects. With limited resources available, guidance is required to determine where and how dykes should be re-aligned to optimize ecosystem services, maximize adaptation benefits, minimize economic costs and maintain fertile agricultural land and social, cultural and historic activities. The ongoing collection of monitoring data (including vegetation, geospatial, hydrology, soils and sediments) at restoration projects throughout the Bay over the past decade have been instrumental in informing re-alignment design. However as project complexity has increased new data have been incorporated, such as archaeology, landowner consultation, and engineering considerations. Design approaches and elements at three sites (Onslow-North River, Converse, and Belcher St. Marshes) will be explored, tying together common threads from projects which vary in scale and complexity from under 6 hectares to more than 90 at varying stages of restoration. A conceptual framework for the design and implementation of managed realignment projects in agriculture dykelands will be presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]