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Malnutrition is correlated with poor cognition; however, an understanding of the association between nutrition risk, which precedes malnutrition, and cognition is lacking. This study aimed to determine if nutrition risk measured with the SCREEN-8 tool is associated with cognitive performance among cognitively healthy adults aged 55+, after adjusting for demographic and lifestyle covariates. Sex- and age-stratified analyses were also explored. Baseline data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging was used. Cognition was determined using a 6-measure composite score based on four executive functions and two memory tasks, taking into account age, sex, and education. Multivariable linear regression was performed while adjusting for body mass index (BMI), lifestyle, and health covariates in the entire sample (n = 11 378) and then stratified by sex and age. Approximately half of participants were female (54.5%) aged 65+ (54.1%). Greater nutrition risk was associated with poorer cognitive performance in the entire sample (F[1, 11 368] = 5.36, p = 0.021) and among participants aged 55–64 (n = 5227; F[1, 5217] = 5.45, p = 0.020). Sex differences in lifestyle and health factors associated with cognition were apparent, but nutrition risk was not associated with cognition in sex-stratified models. Based on this analysis, there may be an association between nutrition risk and cognitive performance in older adults. When screening for either cognitive impairment or nutrition risk, complementary assessments for these conditions is warranted, as early intervention may provide benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambulatory children and youth with cerebral palsy have limitations in locomotor capacities and in community mobility. The ability of three locomotor tests to predict community mobility in this population (N = 49, 27 boys, 6-16 years old) was examined. The tests were a level ground walking test, the 6-min-Walk-Test (6MWT), and two tests of advanced locomotor capacities, the 10-meter-Shuttle-Run-Test (10mSRT) and the Timed-Up-and-Down-Stairs-Test (TUDS). Community mobility was measured with the Assessment of Life Habits mobility category. After age and height were controlled, regression analysis identified 10mSRT and TUDS values as significant predictors of community mobility. They explained about 40% of the variance in the Life Habits mobility category scores. The 10mSRT was the strongest predictor (standardized Beta coefficient = 0.48, p = 0.002). The 6MWT was not a significant predictor. Thus, advanced locomotor capacity tests may be better predictors of community mobility in this population than level ground walking tests. (Contains 3 tables.)

Patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) are at high risk of fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies, even with supplementation. The contribution of a suboptimal vitamin K status to respiratory and endocrine pathophysiology in CF has been inadequately characterized. This is a cross-sectional study in adult CF patients (≥18 years old) from the Montreal Cystic Fibrosis Cohort. Vitamin K1 (VK1) was measured with high-performance liquid chromatography, using fasted serum samples collected during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT: 2 h with plasma glucose and insulin every 30 min) (n = 168). Patients were categorized according to VK1 status (suboptimal defined as <0.30 nmol/L). Suboptimal VK1 levels were observed in 66% of patients. Patients with a suboptimal VK1 status have a higher risk of colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa (p = 0.001), have lower body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.003), and were more likely to have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (p = 0.002). Using an established threshold for VK1, we did show significantly reduced OGTT-derived measures of insulin secretion in patients with a VK1 status below 0.30 nmol/L (first- and second-phase area under the curve (AUC)INS/GLU (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006), AUCINS (p = 0.012) and AUCINS/GLU (p = 0.004)). Subclinical vitamin K deficiency is more common than other fat-soluble vitamin deficiencies in patients with CF. We demonstrate an association between a suboptimal VK1 status and measures of insulin secretion. We highlight the potential associations of mild vitamin K deficiency with pseudomonal colonization and lower BMI, although these need to be validated in prospective studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that the transmission of different foodborne viruses can occur either via discharge of contaminated water close to the production environment or via close contact with animal feces. Cranberries are intimately associated with water throughout their production cycle, and blueberries grow close to the ground which could lead to contact with wildlife. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of human norovirus (HuNoV GI and GII), hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in two berries produced commercially in Canada. The detection of HuNoV and HAV on RTE cranberries and of HEV on wild blueberries was evaluated using the ISO method 15216-1:2017. Only 3 of 234 cranberry samples tested positive for HuNoV GI (3.6, 7.4, 5.3 genome copies/g, respectively) and all were negative for HuNoV GII and HAV. PMA pre-treatment and sequencing confirmed the absence of potential intact HuNoV GI particles on cranberries. None of the 150 blueberry samples tested positive for HEV. Overall, the prevalence of foodborne viruses in RTE cranberries and wild blueberries harvested in Canada is low, making these products relatively safe for consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses advantages and disadvantages of Highly Processed Foods (HPF). It examines food processing with evidence and perspectives from government, industry, and healthcare. Topics discussed includes the basis for processed foods, rationale for advocating limits on consumption of HPF, potential unintended consequences of limiting HPF, plant based processed foods, and the necessity of some processed foods for clinical settings.

Background: Dairy products provide essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamins B12 and D, and include bioactive peptides and fermented products, which may be beneficial for cognition, especially in older adults. Yet, few studies of large contemporary cohorts have investigated this relationship using sensitive domain-specific cognitive tests.Method: In community-dwelling older adults of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (2011-2015), we examined cross-sectional associations between total and specific dairy product intake and performance in 3 cognitive domains (executive functions, memory, and psychomotor speed). Cheese, milk, yogurt, regular-fat, low-fat, and fermented dairy product intake frequencies were estimated using a food frequency questionnaire; participants were classified into quartiles. Multivariate analyses of covariance models were applied to estimate differences.Results: In 7 945 participants (65-86 years, 49% women, 97% Caucasian), the mean dairy product intake was 1.9 (1.1) times/d. Total dairy product, cheese, and low-fat dairy product intakes were positively associated with the executive function domain and yogurt intake with the memory domain (all p < .05), independently of important covariates including age, gender, education, and diet quality. Intakes of total dairy product, cheese, and low-fat dairy product were associated with verbal fluency specifically (all p < .05). Participants with a dairy product intake >2.5 times/d had a higher score compared to those consuming less. No associations were found with psychomotor speed.Conclusions: This large cohort study suggests a specific role for dairy components in executive function phonemic verbal fluency and memory. Dairy product intake, a modifiable factor, may be targeted in cognitive health-promoting interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) has been associated with diminished postural stability and a greater prevalence of back pain. Currently, the literature is lacking information on the effect of spinal fusion on both postural stability and its association with back pain. Our objectives were to evaluate the postsurgical effect of spinal morphological changes on static standing balance and assess the influence of these alterations on reported pain throughout the perioperative period.Methods: Twenty consecutive AIS patients schedule to undergo spinal fusion surgery were recruited and followed prospectively at the Shriners Hospitals for Children-Canada. Data was collected at the preoperative, 6 weeks and 6 months postoperative visits. Spinal morphology data was collected through 3D reconstructed simultaneous standing biplanar radiographs using the SterEOS software. Postural balance was assessed through Moticon© sensor insoles and analyzed through their software. The data was simultaneously collected as part of the Global Biomechanical and morphological Assessment. Pain was evaluated through self-reported questionnaires.Results: Morphological curve parameters were significantly reduced after surgery. Balance parameters did not change significantly throughout the perioperative period with the exception of the Center of Pressure of the left foot medial/lateral transient shift (P = 0.017) at 6 weeks. Of note, preoperative balance parameters were associated with the degree of right thoracic Cobb angles (P = 0.029 R = 0.528). Pain scores significantly improved 6 weeks and 6 months after the surgery. Pain intensity diminished in the thoracic and lumbar spine but worsen in the neck region at the 6 weeks and 6 months postoperative time points (P = 0.044). Greater residual Cobb angle difference between Mid thoracic and Thoracolumbar/Lumbar curves was associated with greater pain severity at 6 weeks postop (P < 0.005). In addition, greater residual thoracic deformity was associated with significant pain severity 6 months after surgery (P < 0.05).Conclusions: Improved spinal morphology of postsurgical AIS patients has no significant impact on their static standing balance. Suggesting that other factors apart from the spinal morphology may contribute to AIS patients' balance during stance. Although balance did not influence pain severity, spinal morphology and its correction appear to have influenced the intensity and location of back pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While a relatively large body of literature has explored the conditions that might promote either reform or the status quo in multinational federations, few studies have explored majority attitudes toward minority nations in the context of multinational federations. In this article, we ask what factors account for majority attitudes toward minority nations in multinational federations. In making use of data from the 2011 Canadian election study (CES), we explore both attitudes toward Quebec in general and the willingness to do more for Quebec, which we refer to respectively as "affective attitudes" and "policy attitudes." Our findings demonstrate the key role played by generalized prejudice and perceptions of how one's province is treated in the Canadian federation in structuring both sets of attitudes. The impact of Canadian identity, on the other hand, is more limited. Meanwhile, conservative ideological predispositions are a predictor of policy attitudes but not affective attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twenty-seven 4-month-old infants heard a repetitive auditory rhythm, then viewed silent film of puppet opening/closing its mouth, either in the familiar rhythm or a novel rhythm. Results showed infants exposed to the novel condition watched the film longer than infants shown the familiar condition, providing evidence for auditory-visual transfer of temporal information. (MP)

The article examines the impact of visible minorities on support for the Charter of Values and the ban of religious symbols for civil servants among Francophone Quebecers. Building on group conflict theory and contact theory, we expect that the proportion of visible minorities in a region will have a positive effect on support for the Charter of values and the ban of religious symbols among sovereignists while to have a negative effect among federalists. Our results show that the presence of visible minorities decreases support for the ban of religious symbols, except among those who are very supportive of Quebec sovereignty. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Besides the evaluation of the volume of standing trees, goals of forest inventories include collecting geophysical information and monitoring fragile ecosystems. In the province of Quebec, Canada, their implementation faces challenging methodological problems. The survey area covers a large territory that is hardly accessible and has a diverse forest. The main operational goals are to spread the sampled plots throughout the survey area and to capture, in the sample, the forest heterogeneity while keeping the cost at a reasonable level. In many inventories, a two-dimensional systematic sampling design is applied, and the rich auxiliary information is only used at the estimation stage. We show how to use modern and advanced sampling techniques to improve the planning of forest inventories and meet complex operational goals. For the Quebec forest inventory, we build a two-stage sampling design that has clusters of plots to optimize field work and predetermined sample sizes for forest types. Constraints of spreading the sample in the whole territory and of balancing according to auxiliary variables are also implemented. To meet these requirements, we use unequal inclusion probabilities, balanced sampling, highly stratified balanced sampling, and sample spreading. The impact of these novel techniques on the implementation of requirements and on the precision of survey estimates is investigated using Quebec inventory data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Legalized gambling opportunities have markedly increased in most industrialized countries. While most authors agree that the rate of pathological gamblers is related to the accessibility of gambling activities, no published studies have yet empirically estimated the impact of the introduction of new gambling activities within a longitudinal study. Thus, we evaluate the impact of the opening of a casino on gambling activities among nearby inhabitants.Method: A random sample of 457 respondents from the Hull area (experimental group) and 423 respondents from the Quebec City area (control group) completed the South Oaks Gambling Screen and related questions, both before the opening of the Casino de Hull and 1 year later. Within each household contacted, a resident was randomly chosen by selecting the adult whose birthday was next.Results: The experimental group exposed to the new casino showed a significant increase in 1) gambling on casino games, 2) the maximum amount of money lost in 1 day on gambling, 3) reluctance toward the opening of a local casino, and 4) the number of participants who reported knowing a person who has developed a gambling problem in the last 12 months.Conclusion: The impact of legalized gambling is discussed in relation to the availability of gambling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Gambling Issues is the property of Centre for Addiction & Mental Health and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article discusses the writings of the French-Canadian author Jean-François Chassay and their relationship to French-Canadian ethnicity and cultural identity. His work "Les taches solaires" is specifically examined. This work looks at the history of French-Canadians on the North-American continent and their struggle for cultural autonomy on an anglophone continent. Other themes discussed in the article include the relationship between Quebec and the United States, North-American post-modernism, and historical fiction.

The article discusses a study which aimed to determine whether higher dairy product intake will have beneficial effects on body weight and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among a population in dietary transition, the Nunavik Inuit in Canada. The researchers found no substantial relationship and concluded that the daily consumption of dairy products is probably not adequate, as experienced in North American populations.

The article throws light on histories of volunteers and moral communities. The analysis of these histories reveal the role that their involvement plays in the construction and maintenance of theft own identity as well as the visions of moral ideals and community that underpin their actions. Finally, the article presents preliminary findings of a research project undertaken in three regions of Quebec and involving volunteers from cultural, educational and religious sectors.

Background: Post-operative complications are a significant source of morbidity and mortality for patients undergoing surgery. However, there is little research in the emerging field of perioperative medicine beyond cardiac risk stratification. We sought to determine the research priorities for perioperative medicine using a cross sectional survey of Canadian and American general internists. Methods: Surveys were electronically sent to 312 general internists from the Canadian Society of Internal Medicine and 130 internists from the perioperative medicine research interest group within the US based Society of General Internal Medicine. The questionnaire contained thirty research questions and respondents were asked to rate the priority of these questions for future study. Results: The research topics with the highest ratings included: the need for tight control of diabetes mellitus postoperatively and the value of starting aspirin on patients at increased risk for postoperative cardiac events. Research questions evaluating the efficacy and safety of perioperative interventions had higher ratings than questions relating to the prediction of postoperative risk. Questions relating to the yield of preoperative diagnostic tests had the lowest ratings (p < 0.001 for differences across these categories). Conclusion: The results of this survey suggest that practicing general internists believe that interventions studies are a priority within perioperative medicine. These findings should help prioritize research in this emerging field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on the commitment of this periodical to interpretation of labour history in Canada with special reference to francophone working-class minorities. The differences between Canadien and Acadien workers and Canada-based workers are examined. This labour history journal is predicted to represent class experience in Canada. It is stated that the class experience of Canada-based workers does not correspond to the aspirations and struggles of French-Canadian and Acadian workers.

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between availability of gambling activities and participation in gambling, maximum amount of money lost in 1 day to gambling, and number of pathological gamblers.Method: Two random samples (1002 and 1257 adults) were surveyed 7 years apart using the South Oaks Gambling Screen to identify pathological gamblers.Results: Seven years later, significantly more people reported having gambled, and the number of pathological gamblers had increased by 75%.Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that increases in the availability of gambling are related to increases in the number of problem gamblers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The task of recruiting patients for a research project can prove to be the most difficult aspect of the entire research process. A large portion of the work of research is devoted to the identification of strategies which ensure a successful recruitment of patients. Every researcher has learned from experience the many methods needed to enhance patient enrollment into trials. Superiority trials in SLE have not been frequent in previous years. This paper describes the challenges encountered with the multicentre SMILE trial in progress across Canada. We identify areas where patient recruitment is a problem, potential reasons for the problem, and the results of tactics used to increase enrollment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THIS PAPER examines labour process developments within Canada and Australia during the later 19th and early 20th centuries. In contrast to traditional labour process studies, which have focused upon the development of sophisticated forms of managerial control within modem industry, this comparative analysis stresses the much simpler forms of labour control that existed within Canadian and Australian rural and urban workplaces. The paper explores the reasons underlying differences in labour process developments, and argues for the need to broaden labour process analysis in order to take account of spatial and geographic variations in working life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks to demonstrate that numerous manifestations of new unionism' similar to those found in England and various regions in Canada, were noticeable in the Quebec labour movement at the turn of the twentieth century. Because of their peculiar socio-technical position in the labour process, male and female weavers, as well as other semiskilled cotton mill operatives, gave a multilateral orientation to their strikes, meaning that labour conflicts tended to spread beyond a single occupation or to the most skilled workers. In comparison, boot and shoe workers were confined by a much more fragmented labour process and most of their struggle was generated by and reflected the concerns of the most skilled male operatives and their respective brotherhoods, in the tradition of nineteenth-century craft unionism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the problems of routing freight traffic, scheduling train services and allocating classification work between yards on a rail network. It describes a general optimization model which takes into account the interactions between these activities and develops global strategies for their management over a medium term planning horizon. A heuristic algorithm developed to solve this nonlinear, mixed-integer multicommodity flow problem is also presented with some computational results based on an example at the Canadian National Railroads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the impact of arthritis-related disability on aspects of food insecurity and to gain insight into the incentives and barriers to participating in a nutrition intervention. Four focus groups were held in April to May, 2018. Participants completed questionnaires about socioeconomic status, diet, and health. The Perform Centre, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada. A convenience sample of 27 adults diagnosed with arthritis. Perceived impact of arthritis-related disability on food behaviors as well as incentives and deterrents to participating in a nutrition intervention. Transcriptions of the focus group discussions were coded using the constant comparative method. Basic descriptive statistics were used to analyze the questionnaire data. The themes of pain, fatigue, knowledge, and social support emerged in discussions on food choices, procurement, preparation, consumption, and other lifestyle behaviors. Participants reported common barriers, although the extent to which they were affected varied. Questionnaire results revealed low disability. Timing, cost, and information quality were important incentives to participate in a nutrition intervention. Results highlight the need for further research among people with greater limitations related to arthritis and adapted nutrition interventions that provide both knowledge and experience to help individuals overcome the challenges of arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-rotation intensive culture (SRIC) for bioenergy production is at its pre-commercial stage in Canada. To be economically viable, these types of plantations need an accurate examination of actual yields, which requires precise and efficient estimation methods (i.e., specific allometric equations and sampling methods). At six SRIC plantations from three Canadian provinces (Quebec, Ontario and Alberta), 6 willow and 10 poplar clones were sampled and clone allometric equations were developed to estimate plant biomass. A stem selection approach was successfully used to develop plant allometric equations, reducing the number of stems to be measured by up to 81% in coppiced plantations relative to traditional stem equations. Clone-specific equations were more accurate than equations for groups of clones, but the difference in terms of RMSE% was generally small (less than 5%). Using extensive measurements of all the plants inside a plantation and a simulation approach, we also compared five sampling methods (simple random sampling, stratified sampling, systematic sampling, random and systematic cluster sampling) to estimate total biomass inside the plantation. Simple random sampling and stratified random sampling were the most efficient methods (i.e., increased precision for equal sample size) for the estimation of average plant biomass, survival and total plantation biomass. Stratified random sampling (based on the position inside the plantation) made it possible to reduce the sample size as compared to simple random sampling, but only at higher levels of precision (e.g., 25 less plants at 5% precision). Applications of sampling using remote sensing techniques and GIS are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]