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Educator wellbeing has broad implications for students and schools. Current approaches to address this problem are generally resource-intensive. This trial used novel nudges to increase wellbeing and decrease burnout among educators and other school-based faculty. We designed a light touch intervention where T1 received evidence-based wellbeing weekly text messages and T2 received weekly messages plus leadership endorsement emails. We evaluated this intervention in a large-scale three-arm RCT with participants (n=1,155) from K-12 schools in Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia. When compared to the control group, we saw no significant difference between the control group and T1 and T2 groups on burnout or wellbeing. The failure of these evidence-based text messages in increasing educators' wellbeing and reducing their burnout highlights both the difficulty of addressing this problem and the importance of learning lessons from trials with null results to contribute to our knowledge base of improving educators' wellbeing.

Awareness of environmental problems such as climate change can motivate action, but educators debate whether to raise students' awareness given that it may provoke eco-anxiety. We have even less understanding of how these relationships are affected by young people's growing disconnection from nature. Through 28 semi-structured interviews in Canada and the United Kingdom, we explore how educators perceive students' nature connection and eco-anxiety and how they introduce discussion of environmental problems. Educators frequently observed experiential, cognitive, and emotional indicators of nature disconnection and eco-anxiety, although many (39%) reported rarely, if ever, witnessing such environmentally related distress. Educators prioritised improving nature connection over raising awareness of environmental problems. When they discuss these issues with students, they emphasise hope and encourage pro-environmental behaviours to avoid eliciting eco-anxiety for those not currently experiencing it, a strategy that is partially inconsistent with literature suggesting some eco-anxiety can nurture pro-environmental behaviour. Our findings provide new insights into the challenges that educators face in helping their students navigate current environmental trends.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of an online self-compassion intervention for transgender adolescents, with the aim of improving mental health. Participants identified as transgender or gender expansive, were between the ages of 13 and 17, and lived in the U.S. or Canada. The empirically-based self-compassion program, "Mindful Self-Compassion for Teens" (formerly "Making Friends with Yourself") was implemented in eight 1.5 hour sessions on the Zoom platform by two trained instructors. Surveys were administered pre-, post-intervention, and at 3 months follow-up, and qualitative data were collected through end-of-program interviews and open-ended questions on the post-survey. All protocols were approved by the university IRB. Quantitative data analysis included repeated measures ANOVAs, and qualitative data were analyzed via both inductive and deductive methods. Results indicated that all but one psychosocial measure significantly improved from pre- to post-intervention, which then significantly improved at 3-month follow-up; most other improvements were maintained at follow-up. Four themes emerged from the qualitative data: "virtual safe space"; "connection to body"; "personal growth"; and "recommended course changes" and are discussed. Results suggest that self-compassion interventions can be incorporated into therapy programs to support and improve mental health for transgender adolescents.

The number of internationally mobile students pursuing higher education increases each year, with 8 million students expected to study abroad globally by 2025 (Farrugia, 2014). Many English-dominant universities require international applicants to provide standardized test scores as evidence of English proficiency. Accordingly, millions of students write tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) each year. Much research has investigated these tests' technical properties; however, less has explored the lived experiences around these tests. The current paper responds to calls for research investigating test-takers' perspectives and contributes to research about the social and personal impact of such tests. It centers on the life stories of four Canadian-based international graduate students who took the IELTS or TOEFL. Through narrative portraiture we explore how language tests may enable and constrain these students' life choices. The paper is guided by this research question: What do successful test-takers' narratives about learning English and navigating high-stakes English tests reveal about the relationship between student agency and durable structures?

Awareness of environmental problems such as climate change can motivate action, but educators debate whether to raise students' awareness given that it may provoke eco-anxiety. We have even less understanding of how these relationships are affected by young people's growing disconnection from nature. Through 28 semi-structured interviews in Canada and the United Kingdom, we explore how educators perceive students' nature connection and eco-anxiety and how they introduce discussion of environmental problems. Educators frequently observed experiential, cognitive, and emotional indicators of nature disconnection and eco-anxiety, although many (39%) reported rarely, if ever, witnessing such environmentally related distress. Educators prioritised improving nature connection over raising awareness of environmental problems. When they discuss these issues with students, they emphasise hope and encourage pro-environmental behaviours to avoid eliciting eco-anxiety for those not currently experiencing it, a strategy that is partially inconsistent with literature suggesting some eco-anxiety can nurture pro-environmental behaviour. Our findings provide new insights into the challenges that educators face in helping their students navigate current environmental trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current research, we introduce the team CARE model for supporting team development during post-secondary education. Team CARE is part of a larger suite of assessments at itpmetrics.com. Team CARE is a free, online, survey-based assessment that allows team members to rate their team's health and functioning in four key categories (communicate, adapt, relate and educate), as well as provide written feedback about the team's functioning to add nuance and supplemental context to the numeric scores. Team members completing the assessment receive a report documenting their team's scores on the variables measured. We report on data from student learning teams suggesting that the variables in the team CARE model are reliable, and that they are correlated with team performance outcomes. Students' perceptions of the tool were also examined, and the findings suggest that team CARE is perceived to be valuable, useful and easy to use. Recommendations for practice are detailed, including sample assessment schedules for teams with differing life spans. Implications for future research and implementation are discussed.

Recognising that regional differences in mentored undergraduate research and inquiry (URI) practices shape how academic developers might adapt international practices and resources to their local contexts, guest editor Jessie L. Moore invited four scholars to discuss the key terms, concepts, and initiatives for mentored URI in their countries. Spelling has been standardized throughout the conversation but have maintained regional differences in terms used to describe aspects of mentored URI. Susan Larson is a professor of psychology at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. She is a Councilor with the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) and served as the 2016-2017 president of the US-based organization. Lee Partridge is an academic developer and an adjunct faculty member at The University of Western Australia and Notre Dame University Australia. She is a senior consultant with Higher Education Evaluation and Development (HEED) Consulting and serves as an executive member of the Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia (HERDSA); she is also the founding director of University to Community Inc. in Perth Western Australia. Helen Walkington is a professor of higher education in the Department of Social Sciences at Oxford Brookes University in Oxford, UK. She is a National Teaching Fellow and has been a steering group member of the British Conference of Undergraduate Research (BCUR) since its inception in 2010. Brad Wuetherick is Executive Director, Learning and Teaching in the Office of the Provost and Vice President Academic and the Centre for Learning and Teaching at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He previously served as a Canadian Vice President on the Board of Directors for the International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL). Jessie L. Moore is Director of the Center for Engaged Learning at Elon University, which sponsored a 2014-2016 multi-institutional and international research seminar on excellence in mentoring undergraduate research. She currently serves as a US Vice President for ISSOTL.

Results from 98 Arab youth in Canada showed that having a positive Arab culture orientation was related to greater family life satisfaction with family social support as a mediator. A positive European Canadian orientation was related to greater school life satisfaction, but this relation was not mediated by friend social support. Implications for the processes of enculturation and acculturation are discussed. (Contains 2 tables.)

Research Findings: Parents' meta-emotion philosophy guides their approach to teaching their children about emotions (J. M. Gottman, L. F. Katz, & C. Hooven, 1997) and is measured with the Emotion-Related Parenting Styles Self-Test-Likert (Gottman et al., 1997, modified by J. Hakim-Larson, A. Parker, C. Lee, J. Goodwin, & S. Voelker, 2006). The purpose of this study was to explore the underlying structure of this measure, develop a short form, and assess its psychometric properties. In a sample of 107 parents of typically developing children, principal factor extraction with a direct oblimin rotation (delta = 0) identified 3 factors: emotion coaching, parental acceptance of negative emotion, and parental rejection of negative emotion. In a sample of 107 parents of children with developmental disabilities, a 4th factor was identified: feelings of uncertainty/ineffectiveness in emotion socialization. The 4-factor, 20-item short form showed good validity and reliability, with Cronbach's alphas ranging from 0.70 to 0.80. Practice or Policy: This short form is a practical means of assessment and may be used to identify parents of typically developing children who perceive similar challenges with their children's emotions as do parents who have children with developmental disabilities. The discussion centers on potential emotion-related parenting practices and the identification of children at risk for emotion regulation difficulties. (Contains 3 tables.)

The present study investigated the associations between family functioning, acculturation between parents and their adolescents, and adolescent adjustment problems. Chinese adolescents and their parents (N=41) living in the United States and Canada participated in this study. Results showed that differences in acculturation between parents and adolescents were related to adolescent depression and that family functioning was related to both depression and delinquency. Both parental and adolescent acculturation levels and their differences were important in predicting adolescent outcomes. Implications for conducting family therapy and parent education with Chinese North American adolescents and their parents are discussed.

• Ratios of E-CHAIM model-to-RISR radar measured electron density are close to one at heights near F2 peak. • On average, E-CHAIM underestimates electron density at ionospheric topside and bottomside by ∼ 20 % • E-CHAIM underestimations are strongest in summer and equinoctial nighttime at bottomside and in autumn nighttime at topside. In this study, predictions of the E-CHAIM ionospheric model are compared with measurements by the incoherent scatter radars RISR at Resolute Bay, Canada, in the northern polar cap. Reasonable coverage was available for all seasons except winter for which no conclusions were drawn. It is shown that ratios of the model-to measured electron densities are close to unity in the central part of the F layer, around its peak. This is particularly evident for summer daytime. Distributions of the ratios are wider for other seasons indicating larger number of cases when the model underestimates or overestimates. E-CHAIM underestimates the electron density at ionospheric topside and bottomside by ∼ 10–20 %. At the bottomside, the underestimations are strongest in summer and equinoctial nighttime. At the topside, the underestimations are strongest in autumn nighttime. Model overestimations are noticeable in the middle part of the F layer during dawn hours in autumn. Overall, the model tends to not predict highest-observed peak electron densities and the largest-observed heights of the peak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This 2-year study evaluated differences in circadian parameters obtained from measures of core body temperatures using telemetric reticulo-rumen and rectal devices during two winter feeding regimes in western Canada. The study also estimated phenotypic correlations and genetic parameters associated with circadian parameters and other production traits in each feeding regime. Each year, 80 weaned steer calves (initial age: 209 ± 11 days; BW: 264 ± 20 kg) from the same cohort were tested over two successive regimes, Fall-Winter (FW) and Winter-Spring (WS) at Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Canada. The steers received foragebased rations in both regimes where the individual feed intake was measured with automatic feeding units. During the trial, the reticulo-rumen (RTMP) and rectal (RCT) temperatures were simultaneously measured every 5 min using telemetric devices. These were used to calculate the circadian parameters (Midline Estimating Statistic Of Rhythms, amplitude, and acrophase/peak time) for both temperature measures. Growth and efficiency performance traits were also determined for all steers. Each steer was assigned into inefficient, neutral, and efficient classes based on the SD of the residual feed intake (RFI), residual gain (RG), and residual intake and gain (RIG) within each year and feeding regime. Higher (p < 0.0003) RTMP and rectal temperature MESORs were observed in the Fall-Winter compared to the Winter-Spring regime. While the two test regimes were different (p < 0.05) for the majority of the RTMP or RCT temperature parameters, they did not differ (p > 0.10) with the production efficiency profiles. The heritability estimates were higher in FW (0.78 ± 0.18 vs. 0.56 ± 0.26) than WS (0.50 ± 0.18 vs. 0.47 ± 0.22) for the rumen and rectal MESORs, respectively. There were positive genetic correlations between the two regimes for the RTMP (0.69 ± 0.21) and RCT (0.32 ± 0.59). There was a negative correlation (p < 0.001) between body temperature and ambient temperature. The high heritability estimates and genetic correlations for rumen and rectal temperature parameters demonstrate their potential as beef genetic improvement tools of economic traits associated with the parameters. However, there are limited practical implications of using only the core-body temperature as a proxy for production efficiency traits for beef steers during winter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A three-year (2018–2020) study was conducted in Lanigan (Thin Black soil zone) and Saskatoon (Dark Brown soil zone), SK Canada to compare low-lignin alfalfa (Medicago sativa) cv. Hi-Gest® 360 (HiGest) with alfalfa- cv. AC Grazeland (Grazeland) in monoculture and binary mixtures with hybrid bromegrass (HBG; cv. AC Success) for forage yield, nutrient profile, and establishment costs. Field plots were seeded in August 2017. Stands were harvested at three maturity stages of alfalfa (1 = 10% bloom; 2 = 40% bloom; and 3 = 100% bloom). Compared to Grazeland, HiGest alfalfa yielded 25% less in Saskatoon in monoculture, but no difference was found in Lanigan. Averaged across two sites, HiGest had 8.6% less acid detergent lignin (6.51 vs. 5.95%) and 10.3% greater in vitro neutral detergent fiber digestibility (42.7 vs. 38.7% of neutral detergent fiber). In the binary mixtures, however, differences in yield and quality between the two alfalfas were negligible. The stand establishment costs averaged 300 Canadian dollar (CAD) ha−1, 205 CAD ha−1, 260 CAD ha−1, and 303 CAD ha−1 for HiGest, Grazeland, Grazeland-HBG, and HiGest-HBG, respectively. Hi-Gest® 360 alfalfa could provide higher digestible nutrients when it was used as a monoculture and could maintain quality better into later maturing stages. However, the higher seed price, and no actual advantage in mixtures may delay its adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of synergies between saline-tolerant grass and legume species grown in saline soil, on yield, quality, composition, persistence, and weed suppression was studied in 2019–2021 in a moderately saline soil located in the dark brown soil zone near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. 'Halo' alfalfa (ALF), a salt-tolerant cultivar of alfalfa, was seeded in binary mixtures with 'Revenue' slender wheatgrass (ALF-SWG), 'Garrison' creeping meadow foxtail (ALF-CMF), and 'Radisson' smooth bromegrass (ALF-SBG). A complex mixture (quaternary) with all three grasses was also included. Four replicated treatments (n = 4) were randomly allocated to 6.2 × 1.2 m plots in spring 2019. The binary mixtures had similar or slightly better stand establishment compared to the quaternary mixture over the two years (83.3 vs. 76.9%), the quaternary stand showed greater (p = 0.01) establishment in Yr 2 than in Yr 1 (85 vs. 68.8%). There was high weed infestation in all the stands, but ALF-SWG had less weed infestation (23.8 vs. 44.1%) than ALF-CMF, especially in Yr 2 (p = 0.05). There were no significant differences among mixtures in yield, nutritional composition, and nutrient uptake. The ALF-CMF and ALF-SWG binary mixtures had 9 to 23% greater mean total DMY than the other mixtures in the moderately saline soil. The cost of establishing forage mixtures on unproductive saline land can be up to 89% recovered after only two years. The results suggested that binary mixtures of 'Halo' alfalfa with 'Revenue' slender wheatgrass or 'Garrison' creeping meadow foxtail could be reasonable alternatives for adequate forage production and quality, high N-use efficiency, and ultimately livestock gain per hectare, as well as for controlling soil salinity and improving soil fertility in this saline area in the dark brown soil zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron density measured at high latitudes by the Swarm satellites is compared with the measurements by the RISR incoherent scatter radars as the satellites fly by the radars' field of views near Resolute Bay, Canada between 2014 and 2019. More than 200 satellite passes crossing multiple radar beams are considered. Overall, the Swarm-based electron densities are smaller than those measured by the radars by ∼30%. The values are closer to one another at electron densities between 3 10 10 and 15 1010 3 m, corresponding to plasma frequencies between 1.5 and 3.5 MHz. Swarm-measured values are getting progressively smaller than those measured by radars at larger electron densities/plasma frequencies. For the entire range of measured electron densities, the slope of the best fit linear line to the data expressed in terms of electron density is ∼0.62 and offset is 2 1010 3 m. Stronger differences between the instruments were found for observations at nighttime and dawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Veterinary Journal / Revue Vétérinaire Canadienne is the property of Canadian Veterinary Medical Association 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 Russian Farm-Fox Experiment is the best known experimental study in animal domestication. By subjecting a population of foxes to selection for tameness alone, Dimitry Belyaev generated foxes that possessed a suite of characteristics that mimicked those found across domesticated species. This 'domestication syndrome' has been a central focus of research into the biological pathways modified during domestication. Here, we chart the origins of Belyaev's foxes in eastern Canada and critically assess the appearance of domestication syndrome traits across animal domesticates. Our results suggest that both the conclusions of the Farm-Fox Experiment and the ubiquity of domestication syndrome have been overstated. To understand the process of domestication requires a more comprehensive approach focused on essential adaptations to human-modified environments. The 'domestication syndrome' has been a central focus of research into the biological processes underlying domestication. The Russian Farm-Fox Experiment was the first to test whether there is a causal relationship between selection for tameness and the domestication syndrome. Historical records and genetic analysis show that the foxes used in the Farm-Fox Experiment originated from fur farms in eastern Canada and that most traits attributed to the behavioral selection for tameness predated the experiment, undermining a central pillar of support for the domestication syndrome. The overall weight of evidence, including data from other species, does not unambiguously support the existence of the domestication syndrome in animals. Competing theories to explain domestication syndrome should be reconsidered after the traits themselves are more clearly connected to the early stages of domestication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internationalization of higher education in Canada has given rise to the increased use of standardized English language proficiency tests as gatekeeping measures in university admission policies. However, many international students who are successful on these tests still struggle with the academic and language demands of their programs. Drawing on a thematic analysis of life story interviews with five international graduate students at a major Canadian university, this study examines students' perceptions on the skills elicited by the IELTS and TOEFL, the language demands and pragmatic norms of their graduate program in language education, and the university's language support programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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.)

Every year, millions of parents are faced with decisions about their children's sport involvement that may have profound impacts on psychosocial and developmental outcomes. Little is known about how parents make these decisions and what factors may be influencing them, although parents' sport background and knowledge are likely important. Parents who are also active sport scholars with knowledge of the academic literature and policies pertaining to youth sport are well positioned to clarify and interpret their decision-making processes and influences related to their children's sport involvement. In this study, we aimed to answer the question, "How do parents with academic expertise in sport make decisions about their children's sport involvement?" We interviewed 11 faculty-researchers from within the United States and Canada, all of whom held doctorates in sport-related disciplines and had one or more children between the ages of 8–15 years involved in organized, competitive sport. Findings were analyzed through a process of content analysis, and results are represented by four main themes: (a) influencing factors, (b) encouraging sampling, (c) evaluating and modifying the sport environment, and (d) supporting autonomy. Our findings revealed far more complexity in the types of decisions to be made and the factors influencing them than is currently suggested by youth sport literature and policy documents. As well, participants demonstrated nuanced interpretations of commonly endorsed sport parenting practices and illuminated structural issues with youth sport policies, including a focus on individual athletes without consideration of siblings and the family unit as a whole. • Sport scholars encouraged their children to sample a variety of sporting activities. • Sport scholars thoughtfully selected sports to support their children's competence. • Sport scholars supported their children's sport preferences, within reason. • Some children's autonomy was constrained by their older siblings' sport choices. • Youth sport policies should consider how decisions impact the whole family unit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We monitored populations of Canada thistle biocontrol agents Cassida rubiginosa, Ceutorhynchus litura, Larinus (= Hadroplantus) planus, Urophora cardui, Orellia (= Terellia) ruficauda, and Rhinocyllus conicus on Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense) at two national wildlife refuges in South Dakota from 1999 through 2003. C. litura, U. cardui, O. ruficauda, and R. conicus were present on both refuges. Agent populations were low except for C. litura, which was present in up to 90% of stems in some plots. C. litura infestation did not reduce thistle flowering, stem length, or over-winter survival. There was no change in thistle stem numbers over the study period and no difference in stem numbers in areas of high C. litura populations compared to areas of low C. litura populations. Our results suggest that insect biological control agents are inadequate for reduction of Canada thistle in southern South Dakota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Emergency department ( ED) crowding results from the need to see high volumes of patients of variable acuity within a limited physical space. ED crowding has been associated with poor patient outcomes and increased mortality. The authors evaluated whether ED crowding is also associated with reduced hand hygiene compliance among health care workers. Methods A trained observer measured hand hygiene compliance using standardized definitions for 22 months in the 40-bed ED of a 475-bed academic hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ED crowding measures, including mean daily patient volumes, time to initial physician assessment, and daily nursing hours, were obtained from hospital administrative and human resource databases. Known predictors of hand hygiene compliance, including the indication for hand hygiene and the health care workers' professions, were also measured. Hand hygiene data, measured during 20-minute observation sessions, were linked to aggregate daily results for each crowding metric. Crowding metrics and known predictors of hand hygiene compliance were then included in a multivariate model if associated with hand hygiene compliance at a p-value of <0.20. Results Hand hygiene compliance was 29% (325 of 1,116 opportunities). Alcohol-based hand rinse was used 66% of the time. Nurses accounted for 68% of hand hygiene opportunities and physicians for 18%, with the remaining 14% attributed to nonphysician, nonnurse health care workers. The most common indications for hand hygiene were hand hygiene prior to (35%) and hand hygiene following (52%) contact with the patient or his or her environment. In multivariate analysis, time to physician assessment > 1.5 hours was associated with lower compliance (odds ratio [ OR] = 0.67, 95% confidence interval [ CI] = 0.51 to 0.89). Additionally, compliance was lower for nonnurse, nonphysician health care workers ( OR = 0.51, 95% CI = 0.33 to 0.79) and higher for hand hygiene performed after contact with the patients or his/her environment, compared to hand hygiene performed before contact with the patient or his/her environment ( OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.5 to 2.7). Daily patient volumes and nursing hours were not associated with hand hygiene compliance. Conclusions ED hand hygiene compliance was low. Increased time to physician assessment was associated with reduced compliance, suggesting an association between crowding and compliance. Strategies that minimize ED crowding may improve ED hand hygiene compliance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the postmodern deadly sins of humans beings and the hope within. He comments on a study by Canadian psychologist Steven Pinker which investigated the decline in violence due to combinatorial reasoning and sympathy. He describes several manifestations of violence in the postmodern world and explores the pan-human idea of transcendence.

Purpose – This paper aims to develop and test hypotheses on determinants of supply chain managers’ salaries. While women make up about half the workforce, there is evidence in the trade press that they receive far less than half of the compensation. Sex of the manager and size of his or her organization are among the predictors of salary. Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses are tested using regression analysis of data from a survey of supply chain managers in Canada. This technique enables testing for a gender effect, while controlling for the effects of other factors. Findings – Seven variables are found to be significant predictors of supply chain manager salaries. Smaller companies pay lower salaries. Small business supply chain/logistics managers working longer hours with a professional designation, more experience, greater budgetary responsibility and greater share of compensation coming as a bonus earn higher salaries. Finally, male small business supply chain managers earn more than their female counterparts. Research limitations/implications – The piece includes a discussion of limitations and future research opportunities into the gender salary gap. Practical implications – There are implications for small businesses wanting to hire supply chain managers, and for female (and male) managers looking for work. Social implications – This paper presents evidence of possible gender discrimination against half the population. The potential social implications are tremendous. Originality/value – This is a unique piece of research in testing theory-driven hypotheses about supply chain salaries, especially by including gender and organizational size as predictors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Deregulation of the North American railroad industry continues to be controversial (Trunick, 2010). Class I American and Canadian rail carriers have exploited the policy environment, consolidated and prospered. However, some of their customers, the “captive” shippers, have complained about lack of competition, higher rates and deteriorating service. This paper reviews developments in the industry over the last four decades, and looks to the future in discussing policy implications. Each decade is characterized by an important event or development impacting the industry, as follows: 1970–1979 is the decade of deregulation; 1980–1989, the decade of intermodal growth; 1990–1999, the decade of mega-mergers; and 2000–2009, the decade of rising oil prices. The paper also draws on secondary data to analyze the impact of deregulation and other factors on rail freight rates, service and traffic volume. The industry faces new challenges and opportunities due to increasing demand for rail service, rising fuel costs and concerns about emissions. To meet the rising demand, rail capacity will have to increase. Given that rail is generally “greener” than trucking, an important public policy question is whether the government should facilitate further modal shifting via some sort of carbon tax. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A case study concerning biodiversity and conservation of the Oak Ridges Moraine, Ontario, is presented. It examines the so-called biodiversity bias in Canadian environmental policy. It also discusses a group of political activists who attempted to argue for the conservation of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The author states that the activists succeeded in framing their efforts in the context of the ecological functions of the Oak Ridges Moraine.

This article describes the experience of Lisa, one of the co-authors, as a student with a disability completing a Bachelor of Social Work degree in Western Canada. This personal narrative of the physical, relational, attitudinal, curricular and resource aspects of Lisa's education identifies barriers experienced in the educational and practice environments, and highlights strategies that assisted in addressing these barriers. The article specifically relates Lisa's progression through the programme, including accounts of classroom and field experiences, relationships with faculty and students, resource, policy and accommodation issues, and the needs and human rights of a student with a disability. The narrative celebrates the success of a student in an environment (the university) that many believe to be more accommodating and supportive than other public and private organizations. Recommendations for both educational and social work practice organizations are provided. As a co-author of the article, Lisa was an active participant at every stage of the research and development of the article—narrative interview, analysis, identification of themes, connection to theory and literature, and presentation and final writing of the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyses of long-term records at 35 headwater basins in the United States and Canada indicate that climate change effects on streamflow are not as clear as might be expected, perhaps because of ecosystem processes and human influences. Evapotranspiration was higher than was predicted by temperature in water-surplus ecosystems and lower than was predicted in water-deficit ecosystems. Streamflow was correlated with climate variability indices (e.g., the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, the North Atlantic Oscillation), especially in seasons when vegetation influences are limited. Air temperature increased significantly at 17 of the 19 sites with 20- to 60-year records, but streamflow trends were directly related to climate trends (through changes in ice and snow) at only 7 sites. Past and present human and natural disturbance, vegetation succession, and human water use can mimic, exacerbate, counteract, or mask the effects of climate change on streamflow, even in reference basins. Long-term ecological research sites are ideal places to disentangle these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry 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 offers information on the results of the Seventy-First William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition held on December 4, 2010. It states that the first prize worth 25,000 dollars has been received by the members of the Department of Mathematics of the California Institute of Technology. It says that 4296 individual contestants from 546 universities and colleges in the U.S. and Canada have participated in the competition.

Medical Education 2011: : 400-406 Health care is one of many under-resourced areas in Aboriginal communities in Canada. Aboriginal people have substandard health compared with the general population, yet have less access to health care services. Not only is there a paucity of Aboriginal doctors, but it also appears that few non-Aboriginal doctors are willing or able to work in Aboriginal contexts. This study examines the attitudes of family medicine residents towards providing health care to Aboriginal patients. The goal of this study was to assess the willingness of family medicine residents to work in Aboriginal health care and to elucidate the major factors that inform these attitudes. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of an urban cohort of family medicine residents using a convenience sample. Our survey instrument consisted of a questionnaire comprising a mixture of open-ended and closed questions. Although a majority (52%, n = 27) of the family medicine residents were willing to work in Aboriginal contexts, many felt underprepared to do so (40%, n = 21). Residents who have had some exposure to Aboriginal issues and have had community experiences are more likely to state an intention to work in Aboriginal settings. The results of this study encourage the creation of educational experiences for medical residents that may promote a desire to work in Aboriginal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The boreal mixedwood forest type of the Canadian interior boreal is largely comprised of two dominant tree species: white spruce and trembling aspen (Picea glauca and Populus tremuloides). This forest type is expansive, providing important ecosystem services and economic production, yet such mixtures are difficult to establish after harvests. While aspen resprouts and grows vigorously following disturbance, spruce growth is relatively slow and is often limited by intense competition from associated vegetation, including aspen. To improve management, it is important to understand how environmental and vegetative conditions vary in relation to the competitive–facilitative relationship of spruce–aspen mixtures. In this study white spruce was planted across large canopy openings to determine whether survival and height growth is influenced by position within gap and by differing levels of competing vegetation control of aspen and understory plants. In addition, we addressed the issue of herbivory, which can pose a significant threat to planted spruce seedlings. Within each of four sites, linear gaps were created and five gap positions were recognized spanning the southern and northern forest understories, and southern, center and northern positions within each opening. Three different levels of vegetation management were implemented: a brush saw treatment in which all vegetation was cut to ground level, a mixing treatment in which all vegetation and rootstock was ground up, and a control with no vegetation management. The three herbivory treatments excluded large ungulates, small herbivores (rabbits, hares) or had no herbivore exclusion. Growth and survival of white spruce seedlings were measured for four years (1997–2000). Understory survival was significantly lower than within the gap, with the sheltered southern edge position providing the best initial environmental conditions and or ameliorative cover for spruce establishment. However, after four years the shelter effect starts to be inhibitive relative to center and northern gap positions, suggesting the removal of the canopy is necessary before spruce productivity declines. The optimal vegetation management treatment also changed over the study period. The most intensive treatment (mixing) initially showed a negative influence on survival and growth, but by year four, survival converged to approximately 75% for all treatments, and the mixing treatment produced the best height growth. The growth advantage became most evident in the center gap positions, which initially lagged the brushsaw and control treatments. Lastly, some growth losses from herbivory must be expected in boreal mixedwoods, although not enough to merit control. Results have implications for the timing and intensity of silvicultural treatments for harvesting and planting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Participatory approaches to environmental management often require lengthy periods for stakeholder involvement, but this may not always be feasible. For example, recent policy papers have emphasized the need for “rapid response” programs to eradicate newly detected invasive species before they spread. We review previous theory to demonstrate three challenges of integrating public participation in rapid response programs. We explore these in a case study of the rapid response to an invasive beetle, the emerald ash borer (EAB), in southern Ontario, Canada, in February 2003. To prevent the beetle's spread, a government agency oversaw the cutting, often at short notice, of a 10-km-wide swath of ash trees, much of which was on private land. Our interviews with local landowners detected widespread dissatisfaction with the rapid response to EAB that reflected the challenges we predicted, so we conclude with thoughts on the need for rapid participatory methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry 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 Forestry Chronicle is the property of Canadian Institute of Forestry 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 last two decades have seen major changes to the agricultural landscape in Canada and with them major changes to the co-operative sector. The grain handling co-operatives in Western Canada have disappeared, as have their counterparts in the dairy and poultry sectors. Outside of Western Canada, and particularly in Quebec, co-ops in the latter sectors have remained successful, while rural retail and farm input co-operatives continue to thrive in all parts of the country. The purpose of this paper is to trace the changes that have occurred in the rural co-operative sector in Canada over the last 10-15 years. Particular attention is paid to the large agricultural co-operatives in Western Canada, since their decline has been particularly acute. It is argued that the overconfidence and hubris of co-op management were major contributing factors to the conversion of these co-ops to IOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Santonian Deadhorse Coulee Member of the Milk River Formation preserves the oldest dinosaur body fossils found in Alberta. However, vertebrate remains consist almost exclusively of isolated elements and microvertebrate assemblages. Here, 1572 relatively complete shed non-avian theropod teeth from 20 localities in the Deadhorse Coulee Member are measured and analyzed to assess species diversity. Teeth are referred to or similar to Tyrannosaurinae indet., cf. Richardoestesia gilmorei, cf. Richardoestesia isosceles, Dromaeosauridae indet., Dromaeosaurinae indet., Velociraptorinae indet., and cf. Paronychodon lacustris. For the taxa identified, the large sample size allows for the assessment of their range of variation and accurate identification, without the benefit of comparable material of this age. Multivariate statistics, including a principal component analysis and a canonical variate analysis, provide reasonable separation of all taxa, although better results are achieved by separate analyses based on qualitative observations of denticle shape. The best results of the canonical variate analysis identified 96.0% of specimens correctly. This corroborates the qualitative identification of specimens and illustrates a valid way of evaluating diversity in areas and formations from which no described jaw material is known. Le membre santonien de Deadhorse Coulee, de la Formation de Milk River, renferme les plus anciens fossiles corporels de dinosaures trouvés en Alberta. Toutefois, les restes de vertébrés sont constitués presque exclusivement d’éléments isolés et d’assemblages de microvertébrés. Dans la présente étude, 1572 dents perdues relativement complètes de théropodes non-aviens provenant de plus de 20 localités dans le membre de Deadhorse Coulee ont été mesurées et analysées afin d’évaluer la diversité spécifique. Ces dents sont attribuées à Tyrannosaurinae indet., cf. Richardoestesia gilmorei, cf. Richardoestesia isosceles, Dromaeosauridae indet., Dromaeosaurinae indet., Velociraptorinae indet., et cf. Paronychodon lacustris. Pour les taxons identifiés, la taille importante de l’échantillon permet l’évaluation de leur variabilité et de l’exactitude d’une identification réalisée sans le recours à du matériel comparable du même âge. Des méthodes de statistique multivariée, dont l’analyse en composantes principales et l’analyse canonique, permettent une séparation raisonnablement fiable de tous les taxons, bien que des analyses basées sur la description qualitative de la forme des denticules donnent de meilleurs résultats. Dans les meilleurs cas, l’analyse canonique permet l’identification exacte de 96,0 % des spécimens. Ceci corrobore l’identification qualitative des spécimens et illustre une approche valide d’évaluation de la diversité dans des régions ou formations dont du matériel maxillaire n’a pas encore été décrit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2002 Denali fault, Alaska, earthquake (Mw 7.9) caused one or more components of most broadband seismometers in western Canada to clip, yet did not trigger strong-motion instruments, thus leaving a substantial gap in the seismic record of this event. However, the large-amplitude surface waves generated by this event were well recorded by the Global Positioning System (GPS) in the same region, out to epicentral distances of more than 3000 km. In this article, we explore the capabilities of GPS seismology, specifically how the relative strengths of GPS and seismic data sets can be exploited in order to more effectively study earthquake source characteristics and wave-propagation effects. High-rate (1-Hz) GPS data from 23 stations throughout western North America have been analyzed to derive displacement waveforms for this event, and the impact of instrumentation (GPS receiver model) and error-reduction strategy (modified sidereal and spatial filtering) on the noise characteristics of displacement time series at each GPS site was assessed. After applying error-reduction methods to GPS displacements, the final average noise floors of 0.5 cm in the horizontal and 1.5 cm in the vertical indicate that large dynamic displacements are observable by GPS. We validate the GPS displacements by comparing broadband seismic recordings (integrated to displacement) with GPS recordings for four effectively colocated sets of instruments. We show excellent agreement between the unclipped seismic and GPS recordings of the surface waves from the Denali earthquake over the period range of 10-50 sec and for ground displacements exceeding about 1.0 cm. Thus, a large GPS displacement data set is now available for western North America, an area where records of this event were previously missing or incomplete. The final GPS seismograms are archived at Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) for public use in future studies of the 2002 Denali earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This exploratory case study investigated the experience of three BSW students at a mid-sized university in Canada who were completing field practicum experiences in Christian-based social service agencies. In addition to the students' general experience in these Christian service organizations, semi-structured interviews were used to explore students' perceptions of the role of Christianity in service delivery, similarities and differences in ethics, values and moral stances of agencies and the School of Social Work, and the congruence of theory, practice perspectives and methods of the School of Social Work with those of practicum agencies. The findings indicated that students were generally satisfied with practicum placements and particularly with the opportunities to explore issues of spirituality and social work in a practice setting. However, it was evident that the role of Christianity in service delivery varied by organization, and that there were notable differences in value positions on specific social issues. As well, the structural, feminist and social justice approaches taught at the School were not well received in the agencies, but it is not clear whether this differs significantly from non-sectarian sites. The study confirmed the need for schools of social work to actively promote the integration of spirituality and social work, and to include opportunities for field placement experiences in Christian-based organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mt. Haley and Lussier River stocks are located northeast of Cranbrook, B.C. near the south end of the Western Main Ranges of the Southern Canadian Rocky Mountains. Both are multiphase, potassium-feldspar porphyritic monzonite plutons that intrude lower Paleozoic miogeoclinal strata. They crosscut and thermally overprint the Lussier River fault and the thrust and fold structures in the east flank of the Purcell anticlinorium and the west limb of the Porcupine Creek anticlinorial fan structure. Muscovite from the Mt. Haley stock yielded a 40Ar/39Ar plateau age of 108.2 ± 0.7 Ma (2σ), and a single-crystal, step-heating analysis of muscovite from a skarn in the metamorphic aureole adjacent to the Lussier River stock gave a plateau date of 108.7 ± 0.6 Ma (2σ). These dates constrain the timing of thrusting and folding in this portion of the western Rocky Mountains and of the displacement along the Lussier River – St. Mary fault to pre-middle Albian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the survey regarding the methods of physicians in disclosing medical errors to patients. Accordingly, survey letters were sent to 2,637 physicians in the U.S. and Canada where each participant were given a question on how they will disclose serious errors to patients. It states that 56 percent of the physicians just tell patients that an adverse event has occurred, 42 percent expressly state that there is an error while 19 percent provided little information.

This article describes the reflections of three groups of Canadian social work students who participated in a 10-day cultural immersion study tour in Mexico. An analysis of student reflective papers subsequently provides insight into the value of personal and professional transformational experience. Students embraced a new understanding of the connection between structural inequalities and individual experience; and also reported increased understanding of human diversity relevant to their anti-oppressive practice in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cabbage maggot, Delia radicum (L.), is a serious pest of cruciferous crops in temperate regions of North America and Europe. The effects of undersowing rutabaga, Brassica napus L. subsp, rapifera Metzg. (Brassicaceae), with white clover, Trifolium repens L. (Leguminosae), on second-generation cabbage maggot and its natural enemies were studied in Newfoundland in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, totals of 1311 and 724 eggs were recovered from bare and undersown plots, respectively. More eggs were present in bare plots than undersown plots on various specific dates. In 1997, rutabagas from bare plots weighed more than those from undersown plots, although damage ratings were similar, suggesting that competition, not cabbage maggot feeding, caused the yield differences. In 1998, there were few cabbage maggots present and little damage or yield reduction in either treatment. Similar numbers of cabbage maggot pupae were extracted and reared from each treatment in each year. In 1997, of the pupae reared from undersown plots, 48% produced cabbage maggot flies, 14% produced parasitic Hymenoptera, and 8% produced Aleochara bilineata Gyllenbal (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae); 19% of the pupae from bare plots produced cabbage maggot flies, 8% produced parasitic Hymenoptera, and 36% produced A. bilineata. More A. bilineata were captured in pitfall traps in bare plots than in undersown plots. The effect of clover on carabid beetles was species specific. There were more Bembidion lampros (Herbst) and Amara bifrons (Gyllenhal) in bare plots in 1997, and more Pterostichus melanarius (Illiger) in undersown plots in both years. Despite consistently lower egg numbers in undersown plots than in bare plots, the numbers of pupae in the two treatments were similar at the end of the season. We speculate that this may be due to differential, density-dependent mortality of immature stages of cabbage maggot caused by predators and parasitoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alvars are habitats of high conservation priority but little effort has been made to characterize their soil properties or describe the successional processes that maintain these rocky, open habitats. We measured physical and chemical properties of soils on five alvar sites representing ancient and recent age classes in Bruce Peninsula National Park, Ontario, Canada. While soils normally develop over time, we found that the soils on sites recently disturbed by fire were chemically and physically indistinguishable from those of ancient undisturbed sites. On both ancient and young sites, the soils are shallow, alkaline but dominated by silica sand, high in organic matter, and characterized by a very low bulk density. In addition, they are low in phosphorus but high in nitrogen, magnesium, and calcium. The results represent the soil reference state for one of the most common types of alvar in Canada. Additionally, the results suggest that the restoration of fully degraded alvars should begin by amending the site with sand enriched with organic matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]