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Efforts to prevent work-related injuries have met with tangible success in industrialized countries. In Quebec, workplace accidents and occupational illness have declined sharply since the end of the 1990s. However, there is still considerable room for improvement in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Expert specialists in accident prevention in SMEs are overloaded. Their interventions are repetitive and not personalised. Few tools are available for accelerating the process of evaluating occupational health and safety (OHS) performance. The aim of this research project was to address this deficiency by proposing a novel OHS performance evaluation tool better adapted to SMEs. For this purpose, research was carried out in two distinct phases. The first phase led to the theoretical model on which the tool is based. The second phase was carried out using an action research approach. The proposed tool was designed and improved during this phase, through field-testing and the involvement of a Quebec industrial partner. In spite of the limitations of this research, we have succeeded in developing a new tool with software support adapted specifically for the evaluation of OHS performance in SMEs. Upon completion of the project, a tested and improved version of the tool was delivered to the industrial partner. Experts in accident prevention have found the tool to be reliable and helpful. It has accelerated the identification of deficiencies in OHS management in several SMEs and has helped specialists to develop personalized and better-focused plans of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic risk factors, low cognitive function and history of depression are known risk factors for future depressive episodes. This paper aims to evaluate the potential interactions between these factors on the risk of a major depressive episodes in middle-age.Methods: Baseline and follow-up data from a population-based study of Quebec, Canada were used. The sample consisted of 1788 adults between 40 and 69 years of age without diabetes. Cognitive function and metabolic risk factors were assessed at baseline. Three cognitive domains were assessed: processing speed, episodic memory and executive function. History of depression was assessed five years later by a clinical interview. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate interactions between individual metabolic factors, low cognitive function, and depression history.Results: Participants with a comorbidity of at least one metabolic factor, history of depression and low cognitive function had the highest risk of experiencing a depressive episode in middle age. The highest risk was observed in individuals with abdominal obesity, low cognitive function, and a history of depression (OR= 8.66, 95% CI 3.83-19.59). The risks for those with abdominal obesity only, depression history only, and low cognitive function were 1.20 (95%CI 0.71-2.02), 3.10 (95%CI 1.81-5.24), and 1.39 (95%CI 0.72-2.67), respectively.Limitations: Depression was only assessed at follow-up.Conclusion: Metabolic risk factors comorbid with low cognitive function in middle-aged individuals with a history of depression were associated with an increased risk of a future depressive episode. This study highlights the importance of screening for metabolic and cognitive comorbidities in patients with a history of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The expert-based approach to landscape assessment developed in North America during the 1970s is still largely used in planning. It has proved its usefulness for the protection and the management of landscapes with remarkable visual attributes. However, facing growing social demands for the quality of surroundings, ordinary landscapes also raise great challenges for planning. But, to what extent is the expert-based approach to landscape assessment able to capture the value of these ordinary landscapes? What might be the more appropriate method for this purpose? This paper addresses these questions through an empirical research project in areas of intensive agricultural use in Quebec (Canada). The aim of this research was to measure and compare the ability of an expert-based approach and of a lay people-based approach, also named experiential approach, to capture the most valued components of ordinary landscapes. These methods were applied to two study areas. The first one has no recognised landscapes in any planning document while the second one has recognised landscapes for regional tourism. Forty-six inhabitants and an expert were invited to evaluate the landscapes of the study areas. The results have allowed comparison of the components valued by the expert and by the inhabitants as well as the criteria used in the assessment. They revealed differences between the expert and the lay people assessment. For inhabitants, the value of ordinary landscapes is based on a set of criteria related to emotion, to everyday experience and to their intimate knowledge of places. Thus, the formal visual criteria used by the expert appear to be clearly less important in the evaluation by lay people. As the expert perspective in landscape assessment is more closely associated to the experience of an individual which cross the territory (ex.: tourist), this paper concludes that to capture the value of ordinary landscapes in a planning perspective, a combination of approaches is necessary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper evaluated the effects of parametric reduction of a hydrological model on five regionalization methods and 267 catchments in the province of Quebec, Canada. The Sobol’ variance-based sensitivity analysis was used to rank the model parameters by their influence on the model results and sequential parameter fixing was performed. The reduction in parameter correlations improved parameter identifiability, however this improvement was found to be minimal and was not transposed in the regionalization mode. It was shown that 11 of the HSAMI models’ 23 parameters could be fixed with little or no loss in regionalization skill. The main conclusions were that (1) the conceptual lumped models used in this study did not represent physical processes sufficiently well to warrant parameter reduction for physics-based regionalization methods for the Canadian basins examined and (2) catchment descriptors did not adequately represent the relevant hydrological processes, namely snow accumulation and melt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the fuel efficiency of commercial hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and compares their performance with respect to standard gasoline vehicles in the context of cold Canadian urban environments. The effect of different factors on fuel efficiency is studied including road driving conditions (link type, city size), temperature, speed, cold-starts and eco-driving training. For this study, fuel consumption data at the link level in real-world conditions was used from a sample of 74 instrumented vehicles. From the study fleet, 21 vehicles were HEVs. Among other results, the beneficial fuel efficiency merits of hybrid vehicles were demonstrated with respect to gasoline cars, in particular at low speeds and in urban (city) environments. After controlling for other factors, sedan HEVs were 28% more efficient than sedan gasoline vehicles. However, the low temperatures (below 0 °C) observed regularly during winter season in the study cities were identified as a detrimental factor to fuel economy. In winter, the fuel efficiency of HEVs decrease about 20% with respect to summer. Other factors such as eco-driving training, city size, cold start and vehicle type were also found to be statistically significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Freezeup processes in steep channels are particularly dynamic and generate important water level, water temperature, and discharge variations. This work presents unique field data quantifying steep channel ice processes during the freezeup period. Water temperature variability and ice dam buildup and breaching rates measured in the Montmorency watershed, Quebec, Canada are reported. The conditions leading to the development and melting of ice dams are discussed. The rate at which water is stored in the drainage system at different channel Strahler orders and the consequent freezeup flooding rates and discharge depressions are estimated. A major contribution of this paper is the formulation and application of an original heat budget model designed to specifically address the particularities of steep channel heat fluxes. The modeled net heat flux is compared with measured water temperature and with the timing of ice dam buildup and breaching events for a second order channel. This work can be of interest for cold region hydraulic and transportation engineers who are responsible for the safe design of bridges and culverts, for cold region hydrologists, for hydroelectric producers and for water intake operators in need of evaluating and forecasting low freezeup discharge conditions. Freshwater and riparian zone biologists can also refer to this work to evaluate the conditions that affect the fauna and flora at freezeup and public emergency services can use this work to quantify the risk of freezeup flooding along steep channels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Urban vegetation is shown to be unevenly distributed across cities and there is evidence of disparities in benefits provided by vegetation and of public health problems induced by urban heat islands. In order to improve vegetation cover, it remains crucial to understand the underpinning of such unevenness. In this paper, we investigate in Montreal (Canada) how the built environment, sociodemographic factors and administrative boroughs influence tree and lawn cover in public and residential land. The analysis was conducted at the dissemination area (DA) level, a Canadian census unit containing about 400–700 people. Six vegetation indicators were used as dependent variables: the proportion of a DA covered by trees/shrubs, lawn and total vegetation; the proportion of streets covered by trees/shrubs and the proportion of residential yards covered by trees/shrubs and total vegetation. Three sets of independent variables were studied: the built environment, sociodemographics and borough names. We used spatial autoregressive models to control for dependence and the spatial autoregressive term explained a large amount of variability in vegetation cover. The built-environment variables tend to have higher effects than the socio-demographic variables when predicting the three DA vegetation indicators, backyard vegetation, and to a lesser degree, street tree/shrub cover. In particular, population density is associated negatively to all indicators but positively to street tree cover. Socio-demographics are substantial in the explanation of the distribution of street trees, especially the presence of recent immigrants (negative effect) and of university degree holders (positive effect). These findings call for appropriate greening programs adapted to the local socio-demographic profile. The significance of boroughs also suggests the need for further research on the impact of within-city administrative hierarchies on the unevenness of urban vegetation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents an assessment of two solar assisted heat pump systems integrated into an air distribution system in three different 210 m2 single detached residential houses in Montreal, Canada. The housing types considered are a 1980''s house, an energy efficient house and a “net zero ready” house. The advanced heat pump systems considered in the analysis focused on coupling solar energy on the evaporator side of an air source and water source heat pumps to improve performance compared to a standard air source heat pump and provide an alternative to a costly ground source heat pump system. The annual energy consumption and utility cost of the solar assisted heat pump systems were compared to a market available air source heat pump, a ground source heat pump system as well as the typical reference housing heating and cooling system. The results predicted that a solar assisted air source heat pump has a comparable capital cost to a ground source heat pump system in all housing types and the highest energy savings for a “net zero ready” house of 34% compared to the base case. The solar assisted water source heat pump did not yield interesting results, as the solar assisted air source heat pump demonstrated improved energy savings and lower capital costs in all housing types considered. Comparing the 20 year life cycle costs of the solar assisted heat pump systems to the base case, only in the 1980''s housing archetype did the solar assisted air source heat pump system demonstrate a lower life cycle cost than the base case. A standard air source heat pump yielded the lowest life cycle cost in the 1980''s and energy efficient house considered and the reference base case system had the lowest life cycle cost in the net zero ready house considered. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study presents the results of a second-generation climate change assessment for three key ski regions of Quebéc incorporating snowmaking as a climate adaptation strategy. Potential economic ramifications for ski operators are assessed separately for the main revenue-generating period and shoulder seasons. The paper concludes that climate change does not pose a threat to the Quebéc ski industry under 2020s scenarios and that, while adequate snow base can be maintained with additional snowmaking under even the warmest scenario for the 2050s, the combined economic impact of lost revenue opportunities from a shortened ski season and increased snowmaking costs will likely prove prohibitive for some ski operators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Transit operators face a difficult fiscal environment and an imperative to contribute to urban sustainability. Under these circumstances, operators must find innovative ways to make public transportation attractive to broader segments of the public, while simultaneously trying to raise revenue to reduce reliance on public subsidies. Development of commercial partnerships is seen as a promising way to achieve these goals. Previous research has examined the potential of using geodemographics to assist transit agencies in the task of identifying potential partners for developing mutually beneficial commercial agreements. In this paper we describe an approach to model isoexposure to transit users as a tool to assess market potential. The approach is based on the analysis of walking behavior of transit users, and specifically distance walked at the end of their transit trip. Spatial modeling is used to geographically project estimates of walking distance for a desired demographic profile at a specific transit facility. After expanding the estimates using sample weights, overlays of these estimates can be used to generate variations in exposure to transit travelers at different locations in space. The approach is demonstrated using the case of Metro users in Montreal, Canada. The case study demonstrates the use of isoexposure profiles as a novel approach to generate marketing intelligence. This should be of interest to transit agencies and businesses interested in developing partnerships. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Previous estimates of geothermal energy potential in Canada give an indication of available heat to be ‘farmed’ at depth with focus on Western Canadian Cordillera and Western Canadian Sedimentary basin as prime targets. This paper examines in more detail temperature–depth realtionships near large population centres in Québec, in order to provide a first order assesment of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) potential for electrical and heat generation. Results show areas with significant EGS potential in the St-Lawrence River valley related to high heat flow density and thermal blanketing of thick sedimentary cover. At >120°C found to be a prospect for several areas in Québec (drilled to depths of over 4.5km in Trois-Rivières area, near 4.5km in the Eastern St-Lawrence River (Rimouski, Gaspé and Golf, including Anticosti Island) and just 4km in Quebec area) the potentially available geothermal power from EGS hydrothermal systems in deep sediments can be of significance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To interpret the snowpack evolution, and in particular to estimate snow water equivalent (SWE), passive microwave remote sensing has proved to be a useful tool given its sensitivity to snow properties. However, the main uncertainties using existing SWE algorithms arise from snow metamorphism which evolves during the winter season, and changes the snow emissivity. To consider the evolution in snow emissivity a coupled snow evolution–emission model can be used to simulate the brightness temperature (TB) of the snowpack. During a dedicated campaign in the winter season, from November to April, of 2007–2008 two surface-based radiometers operating at 19GHz and 37GHz continuously measured the passive microwave radiation emitted through a seasonal snowpack in southern Quebec (Canada). This paper aims at modeling and interpreting this time series of TB over the whole season, with an hourly step, using a coupled multi-layer snow evolution–emission model. The thermodynamic snow evolution model, referred as to Crocus, was driven by local meteorological measurements. Results from this model provided, in turn, the input variables to run the Microwave Emission Model of Layered Snowpacks (MEMLS) in order to predict TB at 19GHz and 37GHz for both vertical (V) and horizontal (H) polarizations. The accuracy of TB predicted by the Crocus–MEMLS coupled model was evaluated using continuous measurements from the surface-based radiometers. The weather conditions observed during the winter season were diverse, including several warm periods with melting snow and rain-on-snow events, producing very complex variations in the time series of TB. To aid our analysis, we identified days with melting snow versus days with dry snow. The Crocus–MEMLS coupled model was able to accurately predict melt events with a success rate of 86%. The residual error was due to an overestimation of the duration of several melt events simulated by Crocus. This problem was explained by 1) a limitation of percolation, and 2) a very long-acting melt of lower layers due to geothermal flux. When the snowpack was completely dry, the global trend of TB during the season was characterized by a decrease of TB due to growth in the snow grain size. During most of the season, Crocus–MEMLS correctly predicted the evolution of TB resulting from temperature gradient metamorphism; the root mean square errors ranged between 2.8K for the 19GHz vertical polarization (19V) and 6.9K for the 37GHz horizontal polarization (37H). However, during dry periods near the end of the season, the values of TB were strongly overestimated. This overestimation was mainly due to a limitation of the growth of large snow grains in the wet snowpack simulated by Crocus. This effect was confirmed by estimating snow grain sizes from the observed TB and the coupled model. The estimated snow grain sizes were larger and more realistic than those initially predicted by the Crocus model. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Waste-to-energy provides a solution to two problems: waste management and energy generation. An integrated anaerobic waste valorization process is an interesting option, but because of investments cost and low energy value in the province of Quebec, it is hard for a municipality to commit to that solution. This paper investigated the economic possibilities to manage organic material, organic fraction of municipal solid waste, and municipal wastewater sludge by anaerobic digestion for a 150,000 inhabitant municipality, with consideration to energy generation and greenhouse gas emission reduction. Using the biogas to co-generation solution brings a payback time on investment (PBT) of 3.7years with electricity price at 0.10$Cdn/kWh. The addition of manure from surrounding farms increases the biogas production by 37%, but increases the PBT to 6.8years unless the leftover digestate can be used for agronomic valorization; then it becomes economically advantageous. The natural gas purchasing cost is too low to promote the enrichment of biogas into renewable natural gas. However, this scenario has the lowest energetic payback time (3.3years) and reduces the most greenhouse gas emissions (4261tCO2eq/a). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: In the present paper we describe a case-control study on the utilization of health care services prior to suicide (across different time periods) among children and adolescents aged 11 to 18 years in the Province of Quebec, Canada and matched healthy controls. Method: Utilization of services (i.e., contact with general practitioners, mental health professionals, psychiatrists and/or youth protection groups) was examined at different time periods in 55 child and adolescent suicide victims and 54 matched community controls using proxy-based interviews and questionnaires. In addition, we examined the rates of detection of psychopathology by health care professionals, the use of psychotropic medications and the subjects'' compliance with treatment. Results: Although more than 90% of child and adolescent suicide completers in our sample suffered from mental disorders, a significant proportion of them were left without appropriate healthcare support (including psychiatric consultation) in the period preceding their suicide. Also, 20% of suicide completers and no control subject made prior suicide attempts. More specifically, over two-thirds of suicide completers had no treatment contact within the month prior to the completion, while only 12.7% (n =7) of them were in contact with psychiatric services during that same period. Moreover, 56.4% (n =31) of the suicide completers had not been diagnosed as having a mental disorder at the time of their death, and 54.5% of the subjects'' that received treatment (12 out of 22) were considered poorly compliant or not compliant at all according to their medical/psychosocial records. Finally, we also found that females seemed to have more psychiatric and mental health service contacts in the past month, that subjects with depressive and anxious disorders received more psychiatric and general mental health services in the past year, and that past month hospitalization was more often associated with alcohol abuse and psychosis. Limitations: Relatively small sample size, and cross-sectional design. Conclusions: Our findings indicate the need for an overall increase in the rates of healthcare services delivered to young subjects at risk for suicide, as well as better training of health professionals in detecting and treating youth psychopathology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper studies the relationship between family food insufficiency and being overweight in a population-based cohort of preschool children () using data from the Longitudinal Study of Child Development in Québec (1998–2002) (LSCDQ). Family food insufficiency status was derived when children were 1.5 years of age (from birth to 1.5 years) and at 4.5 years of age (from 3.5 to 4.5 years). Children''s height and weight were measured at home at 4.5 years. Overweight was defined according to the US CDC sex- and age-specific growth charts and Cole''s criteria. Statistical analyses were done with SAS (version 8.2). In multivariate analyses, mean body mass index (BMI) was higher for children from food insufficient families compared to children from food sufficient families, even when important factors associated with BMI, such as child''s birth weight, parental BMI, maternal education, and family income sufficiency were considered. We did not report any gender effects in the multivariate analyses. The presence of family food insufficiency at some point during preschool years more than tripled (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.5–7.6) the odds for obesity using the Cole criteria, and doubled (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.1–3.6) the odds for overweight at 4.5 years using the CDC growth curves indicator. We observed an interaction between birth weight and family food insufficiency in relation to being overweight at 4.5 years. Low-birth-weight children living in a household that experienced food insufficiency during preschool years are at higher risk of overweight at 4.5 years. Given this important finding, supportive interventions targeting low-income and food insufficient families, including pregnant women, are recommended for preventing overweight and obesity among their children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents conclusions drawn from a comparative analysis of three qualitative case studies of participation processes at the regional level in Quebec''s healthcare system in Canada. Our objective is twofold: primarily, to draw on our observations to elaborate and discuss a sociological framework for the analysis of public participation; and secondarily, to use our data to criticise many pervasive but questionable preconceptions in the scientific literature on public participation. The framework used applies the social theory of P. Bourdieu in conjunction with the representation framework of H.F. Pitkin to demonstrate how any form of participation will imply some implicit or explicit delegation. The significance of the analysis is its focus on the social operations implied in these acts of delegation and in the use of the concept of symbolic struggles to understand the conflicts arising when the intrinsic legitimacy of the public is appropriated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Physicians'' acceptance of telemedicine constitutes a prerequisite for its diffusion on a national scale. Based upon the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior, this study was aimed at assessing the predictors of physicians'' intention to use telemedicine in their clinical practice. All of the physicians involved in the RQTE, the extended provincial telemedicine network of Quebec (Canada) were mailed a questionnaire to identify the psychosocial determinants of their intention to adopt telemedicine. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed to assess the measurement model and structural equation modelling (SEM) was applied to test the theoretical model. The adapted theoretical model explained 81% (P<0.001) of variance in physicians'' intention to use telehealth. The main predictors of intentions were a composite normative factor, comprising personal as well as social norms (β=1.08; P<0.001) and self identity (β=−0.33; P<0.001). Thus, physicians who perceived professional and social responsibilities regarding adoption of telehealth in their clinical practice had stronger intention to use this technology. However, it is likely that personal identity had a suppression effect in the regression equation, indicating that physicians'' intention to use telemedicine was better predicted if their self-perception as telemedicine users was considered. These results have several implications at the theoretical and practical levels that are discussed in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Hydro-Que´bec wants to divert the Kipawa River in northwest Que´bec from its natural streambed. While the first time visitor is likely to emphatically proclaim the Kipawa River as the most beautiful, most serene place they have ever encountered, hydro consultants and engineers, disconnected from the attractiveness of that place, are making cost/benefit recommendations that marginalize the inherent value of a free-flowing Kipawa. This paper will discuss the following points: (1) The Kipawa River has its own inherent value, which is related to the cost of simulating threatened white-water habitats in general. (2) The costs of recreating white-water habitats are more understandable through the study of man-made white-water venues. (3) The cost to recreate or simulate a threatened white-water habitat should be factored into the cost of the hydro-project feasibility. The Kipawa River's own inherent value should be factored into the cost of the Tabaret Diversion Project. (4) Methods of gaining community acceptance should be public and open: independent third-party arbitartion is recommended. Use of monetary incentives to encourage public acceptance is unethical, immoral and unjustly biased against the survival of white-water habitats. (5) Recreational use of white-water habitats, like the Kipawa River are increasingly important engines of economic growth in Canada and around the world. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this study was to verify whether any changes in sex ratio might occur in soft-shell clams (Mya arenaria) located in an intertidal harbor zone located at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord in the Saint Lawrence estuary (Baie Sainte-Catherine (BSC), Que´bec, Canada) likely to be contaminated by organotin compounds. Bivalves were harvested at the BSC harbor site and from two reference sites. Condition index (weight to length ratio), gonado-somatic index, sex ratio, vitellin-like proteins, organotin concentrations in gonad tissue, maturation stages of the gonads, the number of estradiol-17β binding sites and the capacity of female gonad extracts to produce estradiol-17β were determined in collected animals. Results showed that sex ratio in clams was significantly skewed toward males. Moreover, the condition and gonad-somatic indices, vitellin-like proteins in female gonads and the capacity of female gonads to produce estradiol-17β were significantly reduced at the harbor site with respect to the reference sites. Maturation status of male gonads was clearly delayed at the harbor site. Additionally, gonad tissue contained tributyltin (TBT) at an average level of 109±18 ngSn/g dry wt. at the harbor site while organotins were not detected from the reference sites. Finally, female gonads had a higher number of unoccupied estradiol binding sites at the harbor site indicating low levels of this steroid in this tissue. Overall, this paper is first to report that clams collected in the vicinity of a TBT contaminated harbor are subject to masculinizing effects which seems to be consistent with biological effects that organotins are known to exert toward some other marine invertebrates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Central to the success of many recent health system reforms is the implementation of new primary health care delivery models. The central characteristic common to these new models usually emphasises interdisciplinary collaboration. Using empirical research, this paper studies interdisciplinary collaboration among various groups of professionals within an original Canadian primary health care delivery model, the Quebec Community Health Care Centres (CCHCs). The entire population of more than 150 CHCCs have been surveyed. The goals of this study are (1) to measure the achieved intensity of inter-professional collaboration among Quebec CHCCs, and (2) to identify the organisational and professional factors fostering or limiting interdisciplinary collaboration. The results show that Quebec CHCCs have reached modest results in achieving interdisciplinary collaboration especially since interdisciplinary collaboration is a central objective that has been pursued for more than 25 years. This study demonstrates that the main factors associated with interdisciplinary collaboration are closely linked to work group internal dynamics. Interdisciplinary collaboration is linked to the simultaneous and antagonistic effect of some central intragroup process factors. Conflicting values and beliefs are present that both enhance and limit interdisciplinary collaboration. The presence of conflicting stimuli seriously undermines the strength of the CHCC work group's shared beliefs and strongly limits interdisciplinary collaboration. The results also stress the importance of administrative formalisation initiatives to enhance collaboration among different professions. The efficacy of formalisation in this context is based on its capacity to offer an articulated and operative interdisciplinary framework that can generate a counteractive effect to the traditional professional framework. It offers concrete rules that help align the work group beliefs with interdisciplinary values. The... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel optimization model to maximize energy for short-term hydropower unit commitment is proposed. • A MILP formulation based on the efficiency curves is established. • The optimized solutions can be directly implemented in practice. • A real case study in Canada shows benefits of optimal solutions compared to historical decisions. This paper presents a linear mixed-integer formulation to solve the short-term hydropower unit commitment problem. It uses the pair of maximum efficiency points of water discharge and the power produced at the maximum storage for all possible combinations of turbines. The goal is to maximize total energy production for all periods. The objective function is calculated using the correction between the power produced at the current volume and the maximum storage and penalizes unit start-ups. Constraints on the maximum number of turbine changes are imposed to find a viable solution. Computational results are reported for 65 instances with two powerhouses of five turbines each located in the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region of the province of Quebec in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Interactions between nanoparticles (NP), humans and the environment are not fully understood yet. Moreover, frameworks aiming at protecting human health have not been adapted to NP but are nonetheless applied to NP-related activities. Consequently, business organizations currently have to deal with NP-related risks despite the lack of a proven effective method of risk-management. To respond to these concerns and fulfill the needs of populations and industries, ÉquiNanos was created as a largely interdisciplinary provincial research team in Canada. ÉquiNanos consists of eight platforms with different areas of action, from adaptive decision-aid tool to public and legal governance, while including biological monitoring. ÉquiNanos resources aim at responding to the concerns of the Quebec nanotechnology industry and public health authorities. Our mandate is to understand the impact of NP on human health in order to protect the population against all potential risks emerging from these high-priority and rapidly expanding innovative technologies. From the Clinical Editor: In this paper by Canadian authors an important framework is discussed with the goal of acquiring more detailed information and establishing an infrastructure to evaluate the interaction between nanoparticles and living organisms, with the ultimate goal of safety and risk management of the rapidly growing fields of nanotechnology-based biological applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper addresses a two-stage stochastic model for eco-efficient reverse logistics network design (RLND). The goal of this optimization model is to maximize the expected profit and minimize landfilling activities to give more incentive for materials recycling. The model considers a source separation option that allows the separation of the collected materials at an early stage of the reverse logistics channel. The quantity of waste generated and the recycling rates at the collection centers are uncertain due to the variable quality of the collected batches. We solved the model using the combination of a Sampling Average Approximation procedure and the ε-constraint method. An application is illustrated through the case study of wood waste recycling from the construction, renovation, and demolition (CRD) industry in the province of Quebec in Canada. This research reveals that the source separation strategy provides better control of the impact of uncertainties, not only for the economic performance but also from an environmental perspective. The results highlight the necessity to evaluate the interaction between environmental policies to avoid conflicting objectives. Finally, the case study demonstrates the complexity of the reverse logistics network in the CRD industry and the challenge to achieve eco-efficiency under uncertainty. • A multi-objective stochastic model for reverse logistics network design is proposed. • The impact of the uncertain quality of the recycled materials is highlighted. • The proposed model evaluates the benefits of the recycled materials source-separation. • GHG emissions accounting is performed to comply with environmental regulations. • A case study targeting the recycled wood from the CRD* industry is proposed in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Quebecia terrane (Grenville Province) consists of over 95% juvenile 1.5 Ga oceanic arcs. • Slivers of crust with 1.8 Ga Nd ages divide Quebecia into a composite arc belt of terranes. • 1.5 Ga oceanic arcs were accreted to Laurentia after the 1.5 Ga Pinwarian orogenic event. • Some Quebecia terranes were rifted from the active margin and re-accreted further east. • Oblique tectonics may explain Pinwarian arc accretion without a major collisional orogen. There continues to be confusion in the geological community concerning the ages of crustal formation and crustal accretion within the central Grenville Province of Quebec. To clarify the geological history of crustal growth in the eastern part of the Quebecia terrane, sixty new Nd isotope analyses are presented from a 60,000 km2 area northwest of Baie Comeau. Most samples yield Pinwarian Nd model ages that suggest them to be derived from juvenile oceanic arc terranes. However, two large slivers with Paleoproterozoic TDM ages attest to the existence of hidden blocks of old crust, which divide the area of juvenile Pinwarian crust into a composite arc belt of smaller accreted terranes. The old crustal blocks probably do not reach the present surface, but represent an igneous crustal protolith of younger I-type magmatism. By comparison with a Mesozoic tectonic analogue, it is proposed that accreted juvenile arc crust with attached slivers of older crust were rifted away from an active margin to the west, and translated eastwards until blocked by the previously accreted Labradoria terrane. Although the Quebecia composite arc belt consists of over 95% of Pinwarian juvenile arc crust, the age of arc accretion was post-Pinwarian. The proposed oblique nature of the accretion process may explain the lack of a major collisional orogen at that time. This paper shows the usefulness of large-scale Nd isotope mapping of Precambrian crustal terranes to clarify complex processes of crustal formation and arc accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transformation of the rural areas in Quebec is a result of the decrease in the agricultural population, the spread of the periurban fringes, and the appropriation of areas by seasonal residents. To whatextent have these phenomena evolved according to different spaces, from one municipality to the other? Have they made the territory more homogeneous, or have they rather contributed to produce new spatial patterns? What are the dominant traits of the rural communities' sociodemographic profiles that are attributed to these trajectories? Considerable work remains to be done in order to characterize the evolvingtrajectories, induced by these phenomena, and the resulting spatial patterns. Based on the agricultural and sociodemographic indicators available in Canadian censuses, and the possibilities offered by the multivaried analyses; the present research aims to identify typological outlines apt to report on: (1) evolving agricultural trajectories (1961-1991); (2) resulting agricultural profiles; and (3) current sociodemographic profiles. Two observations result from these outlines. First, resulting from the two main agricultural trajectories observed (intensification-regression), the five following agricultural profiles were noticed for 1991: vegetable crop intensive farming, cereal crop intensive farming, moderately intensive farming, extensive cattle farming, and marginalised farming. Second, on the sociodemographic level, the identification of seven rural municipality groups (predominantly agricultural, agricultural in transition, marginalised agricultural, periurban, small mutating industrial centre, traditional and high-class rural amenity municipalities) accounts for the diversity of social recomposition shapes. This paper attempts to contribute to the understanding of spatial and demographic dynamics of contemporary rural communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]