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Between 1936 and 1940, the Lady Tweedsmuir Prairie Library Scheme sent approximately 40,000 books to readers in rural areas of the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. Founded and directed by Susan Buchan, Lady Tweedsmuir, the wife of the Governor General of Canada, after visiting Depression-ravaged Prairie communities, the Scheme received the support of philanthropic foundations in Canada and the United States, the Women's Institute, women's service organizations, and individual donors of books. While the Scheme is mentioned in passing in biographies and local histories, little is known about the scope and scale of its activities or how it was organized or operated. Using primary and archival sources in Canada and the United States, this paper explores the history of the Scheme and its role in the distribution of books, the promotion of literacy, and the creation of libraries in the Canadian West during the Great Depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ascomycete, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, has a broad host range and causes yield loss in dicotyledonous crops world wide. Genomic diversity was determined in a population of 127 isolates obtained from individual canola (Brassica napus) fields in western Canada. Genotyping with 39 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers revealed each isolate was a unique haplotype. Analysis of molecular variance showed 97% was due to isolate and 3% due to geographical location. Testing of mycelium compatibility among 133 isolates identified clones of mutually compatible isolates with 86–95% similar SSR haplotype, whereas incompatible isolates were highly diverse. In the Province of Manitoba, 61% of isolates were compatible forming clones and stings of pairwise compatible isolates not described before. In contrast, only 35% of isolates were compatible in Alberta without forming clones and strings, while 39% were compatible in Saskatchewan with a single clone, but no strings. These difference can be explained by wetter growing seasons and more susceptible crop species in Manitoba favouring frequent mycelium interaction and more life cycles over time, which might also explain similar differences observed in other geographical areas and host crops. Analysis of linkage disequilibrium rejected random recombination, consistent with a self-fertile fungus, restricted outcrossing due to mycelium incompatibility, and only a single annual opportunity for genomic recombination during meiosis in the ascospore stage between non-sister chromatids in the rare event nuclei from different isolates come together. More probable sources of genomic diversity is slippage during DNA replication and point mutation affecting single nucleotides that accumulate and likely increase mycelium incompatibility in a population over time. A phylogenetic tree based on SSR haplotype grouped isolates into 17 sub-populations. Aggressiveness was tested by inoculating one isolate from each sub-population onto B. napus lines with quantitative resistance. Analysis of variance was significant for isolate, line, and isolate by line interaction. These isolates represent the genomic and pathogenic diversity in western Canada, and are suitable for resistance screening in canola breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 2.5-year longitudinal, Canadian tri-provincial study (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) of women abused by intimate partners examined the nature of the partner abuse, physical and mental conditions, disabilities, child abuse history, and quality of life (QOL). The women retained at 30-months (419 of 665) were identified as Indigenous (48.5%), White (46.6%), or visible minority (4.9%). Physical and mental health conditions were noted by 62.3%; 41.8% of these were disabilities. Over half (54.5%) reported histories of child sexual abuse, with 24.2% reporting other childhood abuse, and 21.3% were not abused as children. Consistent with similar longitudinal studies, over time the women significantly improved their QOL and had less mental stress (SCL-10) and PTSD symptoms (PCL); however, neither PCL nor SCL-10 scores were clinically problematic at any time period. Depression symptoms (CES-D-10) remained constant over time but were not in the clinical range over the 2.5 years. Only IPV severity and having a disability were associated with more severe mental health/well-being scores at 30-months. Implications for practice such as training IPV advocates and counselors to better address disabilities and to avoid stigmatizing women abused by partners as necessarily having mental health issues are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes an algorithm that has been developed to process field data from two upward looking sonars, one high (546kHz) and one low (235kHz) frequency, a 2MHz current profiler and a monitoring station, to measure surface ice characteristics on the North Saskatchewan River in the north east of Edmonton, AB, Canada, during the 2009/2010 freeze-up season. The algorithm used to calculate pans/rafts drafts and lengths, and the surface ice concentration is described. The validity and the accuracy of this technique were tested and computed surface ice conditions are presented. For the purpose of examining the effects of hydro-meteorological conditions on measured pan characteristics, the freeze-up period was divided into three distinct stages depending on the measured surface ice concentration. Pan/raft drafts were found to range from 0.1 to 1.0m and pan/raft lengths from 0.6 to 8.0m. The sonar proved to be very accurate in detecting the exact surface ice conditions locally above the sonar beam. However, interpretation of the results can sometimes be challenging, especially when physical processes such as bridging affect local ice conditions. Therefore, additional visual observations (e.g. time lapse photography) of surface ice conditions are recommended to aid in the interpretation of sonar measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Flooding and flood control long have been topics of concern for geographers and historians of North America, from Gilbert White''s foundational work to attempts to understand the recent disaster in New Orleans. This paper considers the problem of flood control along the Assiniboine River in the province of Manitoba, Canada. The first section addresses the local landscape and the larger context, explaining changes in the relevant human and physical geography. The second section examines efforts to mitigate flooding, focusing on how the risk of inundation was shifted in location (not eliminated altogether) and compounded through time (not progressively resolved). The third focuses on a further source of complexity: the contested character of government jurisdiction. This final section also addresses major mid twentieth century changes in mitigation efforts: in the light of flooding on an unprecedented scale, governments became more open to compromise and more willing to undertake substantial projects. Gilbert White asserted that while floods are natural occurrences, flood damages are the responsibility of humanity. The question of responsibility might seem relatively clear in relation to flood mitigation, given that dykes are human constructions. The history of flood mitigation along the Assiniboine would suggest, however, that assigning responsibility for the failures and successes of flood mitigation is not so straightforward. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 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.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology 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.)

Canada is one of the largest wheat producers in the world, and wheat is grown over an area spanning most of the southern latitudes, with the prairie region (provinces of Saskatchewan, Alberta, and Manitoba) being the main producer. Several pathogens and pests attack wheat, but at present fusarium head blight (FHB), stripe rust, and leaf spots are the most damaging diseases to wheat production in Canada. Historically, smuts, stem rust, and leaf rust caused major crop losses in Canada and can still pose serious threat if management practices are relaxed. Cropping practices used by Canadian farmers to grow and harvest wheat over the last century have influenced disease development and pathogen biology, affecting the severity, incidence, and prevalence of crop diseases over time. Changes such as reduced tillage coincide with emergence of residue‐borne diseases, such as FHB and leaf spots, while the deployment of resistant cultivars and increased fungicide use has resulted in the reduction of common bunt, stem, and leaf rust. This review will discuss the influence of long‐term cropping practices, alone or in combination, on the biology, emergence, and prevalence of wheat diseases in Canada over the last century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work research and literature in the area of supervision tends to focus on the supervision of field education students. Less attention is given to the supervision of social work practitioners and there is almost no information that examines how social workers become supervisors. This exploratory study interviewed 27 practicing social work supervisors across different fields of social work practice in Western Canada. The participants included 15 supervisors with a graduate degree and 12 supervisors with an undergraduate degree. The supervisors completed a brief questionnaire that was followed by a structured interview. Supervisors were asked how they came to be social work supervisors. Thematic analysis of the supervisors' responses revealed three pathways to supervision: task exposure, supervision by happen chance, and deliberate decision. The responses suggested that additional focus on supervision might be included in undergraduate education and that universities, professional associations, and employers pay more attention to succession planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Psychiatry is the property of Sage Publications Inc. 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.)

Aims and objectives To describe the nature, frequency and factors associated with care that was rushed or missed by health care aides in western Canadian nursing homes. Background The growing number of nursing home residents with dementia has created job strain for frontline health care providers, the majority of whom are health care aides. Due to the associated complexity of care, health care aides are challenged to complete more care tasks in less time. Rushed or missed resident care are associated with adverse resident outcomes (e.g. falls) and poorer quality of staff work life (e.g. burnout) making this an important quality of care concern. Design Cross-sectional survey of health care aides ( n = 583) working in a representative sample of nursing homes (30 urban, six rural) in western Canada. Methods Data were collected in 2010 as part of the Translating Research in Elder Care study. We collected data on individual health care aides (demographic characteristics, job and vocational satisfaction, physical and mental health, burnout), unit level characteristics associated with organisational context, facility characteristics (location, size, owner/operator model), and the outcome variables of rushed and missed resident care. Results Most health care aides (86%) reported being rushed. Due to lack of time, 75% left at least one care task missed during their previous shift. Tasks most frequently missed were talking with residents (52% of health care aides) and assisting with mobility (51%). Health care aides working on units with higher organisational context scores were less likely to report rushed and missed care. Conclusion Health care aides frequently report care that is rushed and tasks omitted due to lack of time. Relevance to clinical practice Considering the resident population in nursing homes today-many with advanced dementia and all with complex care needs-health care aides having enough time to provide physical and psychosocial care of high quality is a critical concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium head blight (FHB) is a major disease in wheat causing severe economic losses globally by reducing yield and contaminating grain with mycotoxins. In Canada, Fusarium graminearum is the principal etiological agent of FHB in wheat, producing mainly the trichothecene mycotoxin, deoxynivalenol (DON) and its acetyl derivatives (15-acetyl deoxynivalenol (15ADON) and 3-acetyl deoxynivalenol (3ADON)). Understanding the population biology of F. graminearum such as the genetic variability, as well as mycotoxin chemotype diversity among isolates is important in developing sustainable disease management tools. In this study, 570 F. graminearum isolates collected from commercial wheat crops in five geographic regions in three provinces in Canada in 2018 and 2019 were analyzed for population diversity and structure using 10 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) markers. A subset of isolates collected from the north-eastern United States was also included for comparative analysis. About 75% of the isolates collected in the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba were 3ADON indicating a 6-fold increase in Saskatchewan and a 2.5-fold increase in Manitoba within the past 15 years. All isolates from Ontario and those collected from the United States were 15ADON and isolates had a similar population structure. There was high gene diversity (H = 0.803–0.893) in the F. graminearum populations in all regions. Gene flow was high between Saskatchewan and Manitoba (Nm = 4.971–21.750), indicating no genetic differentiation between these regions. In contrast, less gene flow was observed among the western provinces and Ontario (Nm = 3.829–9.756) and USA isolates ((Nm = 2.803–6.150). However, Bayesian clustering model analyses of trichothecene chemotype subpopulations divided the populations into two clusters, which was correlated with trichothecene types. Additionally, population cluster analysis revealed there was more admixture of isolates among isolates of the 3ADON chemotypes than among the 15ADON chemotype, an observation that could play a role in the increased virulence of F. graminearum. Understanding the population genetic structure and mycotoxin chemotype variations of the pathogen will assist in developing FHB resistant wheat cultivars and in mycotoxin risk assessment in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic base analysis is a limited but useful tool for measuring forest dependence. It cannot measure the full range of forest values (e.g., subsistence, amenity, bequest, and existence values). However, economic base analysis utilizes widely available census data to provide accurate measures of communities dependent on industrial forest activity. This analysis includes Indian reserves and rural census subdivisions previously excluded in studies of economic base dependence. Economic base dependence measures are further improved by including a transfer payment sector. This paper presents findings of forest industry dependence measures using 1991 census data. Results show that including Indian reserves and other rural census subdivisions in the analysis increases the number of forest industry dependent places and population in the Prairie Provinces. The addition of the transfer payment sector to the economic base provides a more comprehensive account of the sources that contribute to the economic diversity of rural locations. These geographical and sectoral refinements to economic base calculations result in a more accurate accounting of forest industry dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Root biomass, net primary production and turnover were studied in aspen, jack pine and black spruce forests in two contrasting climates. The climate of the Southern Study Area (SSA) near Prince Albert, Saskatchewan is warmer and drier in the summer and milder in the winter than the Northern Study Area (NSA) near Thompson, Manitoba, Canada. Ingrowth soil cores and minirhizotrons were used to quantify fine root net primary production (NPPFR). Average daily fine root growth (m m−2 day−1) was positively correlated with soil temperature at 10-cm depth (r2 = 0.83–0.93) for all three species, with black spruce showing the strongest temperature effect. At both study areas, fine root biomass (measured from soil cores) and fine root length (measured from minirhizotrons) were less for jack pine than for the other two species. Except for the aspen stands, estimates of NPPFR from minirhizotrons were significantly greater than estimates from ingrowth cores. The core method underestimated NPPFR because it does not account for simultaneous fine root growth and mortality. Minirhizotron NPPFR estimates ranged from 59 g m−2 year−1 for aspen stands at SSA to 235 g m−2 year−1 for black spruce at NSA. The ratio of NPPFR to total detritus production (aboveground litterfall + NPPFR) was greater for evergreen forests than for deciduous forests, suggesting that carbon allocation patterns differ between boreal evergreen and deciduous forests. In all stands, NPPFR consistently exceeded annual fine root turnover and the differences were larger for stands in the NSA than for stands in the SSA, whereas the difference between study areas was only significant for black spruce. The imbalance between NPPFR and fine root turnover is sufficient to explain the net accumulation of carbon in boreal forest soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]