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Introduction: Immigrant youth face heightened risks of substance use due to the stress associated with immigration and acculturation. While parental intervention can have a preventative impact on substance use, parents need to be well-informed about substance use and effective interventions that can prevent substance use among immigrant youth. Such interventions ought to be culturally sensitive, family-based, and targeted at the specific substances that are prevalent in a given context. Identifying and curating interventions that can empower parents in addressing substance use can help mitigate the risks that immigrant youth may face. Methods: This scoping review aimed to identify the types, characteristics, and effectiveness of family-based substance use intervention programs. Based on Arksay and O'Malley's guidelines, interventions included in the review must have met the following criteria: (a) was a family-based intervention aiming to prevent substance use; (b) targeted immigrant teens aged 12 to 17 years old; (c) was published in English; (d) originated from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United States. The pinch table was used to synthesize included articles, after which studies were compared and categorized, and cross-cutting categories were identified. Results: After screening 4551 searched literature, 13 studies that utilized family-based interventions were included in the review. All interventions were face-to-face programs, and most interventions involved parents and youth as participants. Eco-developmental theory and active learning strategies were used by multiple interventions. Given immigrant families were target stakeholders, both deep structure and surface structure cultural adaptations were utilized. Interventions increased parents' knowledge and skills regarding substance use prevention and delayed substance use initiation among youth. Conclusion: From the review, it was evident that parents are an essential element in any program aiming to prevent or reduce children's substance use. Besides information about substance use prevention, the curriculum also involves parenting and communication skills for parents to understand the protective effects of family. Effective family-based interventions for immigrant youth require attention to parenting and immigration stress, while also considering cultural adaptation. Future directions and limitations are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Administrative Sciences (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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 study measures public health policies' and healthcare system's influence, by assessing the contributions of avoidable deaths, on the gender gaps in life expectancy and disparity (GGLD and GGLD, respectively) in the United States (US) and Canada from 2001 to 2019. To estimate the GGLE and GGLD, we retrieved age- and sex-specific causes of death from the World Health Organization's mortality database. By employing the continuous-change model, we decomposed the GGLE and GGLD by age and cause of death for each year and over time using females as the reference group. In Canada and the US, the GGLE (GGLD) narrowed (increased) by 0.9 (0.2) and 0.2 (0.3) years, respectively. Largest contributor to the GGLE was non-avoidable deaths in Canada and preventable deaths in the US. Preventable deaths had the largest contributions to the GGLD in both countries. Ischemic heart disease contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Conversely, treatable causes of death increased the GGLE/GGLD in both countries. In Canada, "treatable & preventable" as well as preventable causes of death narrowed the GGLE while opposite was seen in the US. While lung cancer contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD, drug-related death contributed to the widening GGLE/GGLD in both countries. Injury-related deaths contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in Canada but not in the US. The contributions of avoidable causes of death to the GGLE declined in the age groups 55–74 in Canada and 70–74 in the US, whereas the GGLE widened for ages 25–34 in the US. Canada experienced larger reduction in the GGLE compared to the US attributed mainly to preventable causes of death. To narrow the GGLE and GGLD, the US needs to address injury deaths. Urgent interventions are required for drug-related death in both countries, particularly among males aged 15–44 years. • Avoidable causes of death contributed to the narrowing GGLE/GGLD in Canada. • Avoidable causes of death contributed to the narrowing GGLE and the widening GGLD in the US. • Drug-related deaths contributed to the widening GGLE/GGLD in both countries. • Injury deaths contributed to the narrowing GGLE in Canada but not in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of immigration on individuals' overall health, including mental health, is complex. New immigrants' concepts of mental health, mental healthcare utilization, and their knowledge of existing services in Regina, Canada were explored using a hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Three focus groups were conducted with 37 participants recruited from English language classes provided by a non-governmental organization in the city. Irrespective of country of origin, participants recognized the impact of mental health on general wellbeing. Access to existing mental healthcare was hindered by language barriers, inadequate information about existing healthcare services, and individuals' perceptions about what and when services should be accessed. Despite challenges, participants viewed relocation positively and exhibited resilience when dealing with daily stress. Participants had knowledge gaps surrounding the role of family physicians in managing mental health conditions. Information on ways to access existing healthcare services should be delivered in collaboration with community organizations serving new immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite high prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV), linkage to care and treatment for Indigenous people is low. In an Indigenous community in Saskatchewan, Canada a retrospective review identified 200 individuals (∼12% prevalence) had HCV antibodies though majority lacked ribonucleic acid (RNA) testing, and few received treatment despite availability of an effective cure. Following Indigenous oral traditions, focus group discussions were held with key community members and leadership. Participants emphasized the need for a community-based screening and treatment programme. A team of community members, peers and healthcare professionals developed a streamlined screening pathway termed 'liver health event' (LHE) to reduce stigma, reach undiagnosed, re-engage previously diagnosed, and ensure rapid linkage to care/treatment. LHEs began December 2016. Statistics were tracked for each event. As of July 2019, there were 10 LHEs with 540 participants, 227 hepatitis C tests and 346 FibroScans completed. This represented 294 unique individuals, of which 64.3% were tested, and of those, 40.8% were Ab positive. Among those positive for antibodies, 41.7% had active hepatitis C infections, and among these, 90% were linked to care, and 14 new positive individuals were identified. Following the success of LHEs, these were adapted and implemented in 10 other communities in this region, resulting in 17 additional LHEs. This intervention is reaching the undiagnosed and linking clients to care through a low-barrier and de-stigmatizing approach. It has facilitated collaboration, knowledge exchange and mentorship between Indigenous communities, significantly impacting health outcomes of Indigenous people in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era which marks an exceptional phase of growth in science and technology, the acute disparities in access to healthcare still persist. So where on one hand scientific advancement in medicine aims at increasing life expectancy, on the other hand there are millions who are denied access to existing medicines. Patents on medicines also pose a significant barrier to access new drugs, especially in low and middle income countries which already suffer from poor health financing mechanisms. The patent laws were built on the assumption of incentivizing the innovators by rewarding them with the exclusive right to produce, sell or market the innovation. The basic premise for granting patents was based on the thought that it would increase investment in research and development promoting dynamic gains through newer innovations. However, evidence found to support this justification is meager. So in a situation where the drug gap still persists and we aim to achieve sustainable development goals by 2030, this paper attempts to focus on understanding how compulsory licensing has been used in selected cases to alleviate the major legal and political barriers to access medicines. The methodology comprises of cross-country comparison of patent framework and compulsory licensing cases. The sample selected for study includes both developed as well as developing countries. The aim is to evaluate the policy approaches used by selected countries to grant compulsory licenses and to identify the best practices for evidence-based policy making on international issues related to pharmaceutical patents. In each case, a driving factor has been the international extension of patent laws through trade agreements; first bilaterally (US-Canada) and subsequently internationally (1995 Uruguay round, under which low- and middle-income countries were granted a grace period until 2005 to comply). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of the study was to examine choice of anesthesia for total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in different provinces of Canada over a five-year period. Methodology: In a retrospective, cross-sectional study, national data for patients undergoing THAs and TKAs between 1st April 2011 and 31st March 2016 was examined. The primary outcome was the anesthetic type used in the surgery, which was categorized as general, spinal, combined, or 'other'. Total number and percentage of surgeries carried out using each anesthetic type were calculated per fiscal year, in non-teaching and TIs, in each Canadian province and territories, exclusive of Québec. Non-parametric statistics (Pearson Chi square tests) were used to compare the choice of anesthetic type by fiscal year and institution type. Results: During the study period, neuraxial anesthesia (NA) was used for 74.7% of all THAs and 80.3% of all TKAs nationwide. In NTIs, 76.2% of THAs and 80.5% of TKAs were carried out with NA. This trend was similar to that within teaching hospitals, where 73.1% of THAs and 80.6% of TKAs were carried out with NA. Interprovincial comparisons demonstrated a greater preference for NA for both THAs and TKAs in majority of the provinces. There were no significant differences in anesthetic choice between teaching and NTIs. Conclusion: Neuraxial anesthesia was the anesthesia of choice for THA and TKA during the entire study period in Canada, both in teaching and non-teaching institutions. During the study period, a majority of provinces showed a trend of increasing use of neuraxial anesthesia for both THA and TKA, with few exceptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent changes to immigration selection policies favor skilled workers with prior work experience in the immigrant host country. Using unique administrative tax data for Canada, we estimate earnings equations to quantify the difference in earnings of immigrants with prior Canadian experience (prefilers) and those without prior experience (non-prefilers). We find that, relative to non-prefilers, entry earnings are higher for prefilers and, for male immigrants, this earnings advantage persists for at least 20 years after arrival. We show that the primary source of the higher entry earnings of prefilers is a higher return to foreign experience. In addition, the prefiler earnings advantage is largest for university graduates and the return to foreign experience is higher for prefilers from Western countries than those from the rest of the world. Our findings suggest that a move towards an immigrant selection system which uses previous host-country work experience as a criterion will improve the labor market performance of immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction is presented to the article "Perceptions of mental health and utilization of mental health services among new immigrants in Canada."

Objective To identify early factors associated with disease course in patients with juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). Methods Univariable and multivariable multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in a large juvenile IIM registry (n = 365) and included demographic characteristics, early clinical features, serum muscle enzyme levels, myositis autoantibodies, environmental exposures, and immunogenetic polymorphisms. Results Multivariable associations with chronic or polycyclic courses compared to a monocyclic course included myositis-specific autoantibodies (multinomial odds ratio [OR] 4.2 and 2.8, respectively), myositis-associated autoantibodies (multinomial OR 4.8 and 3.5), and a documented infection within 6 months of illness onset (multinomial OR 2.5 and 4.7). A higher overall clinical symptom score at diagnosis was associated with chronic or monocyclic courses compared to a polycyclic course. Furthermore, severe illness onset was associated with a chronic course compared to monocyclic or polycyclic courses (multinomial OR 2.1 and 2.6, respectively), while anti-p155/140 autoantibodies were associated with chronic or polycyclic courses compared to a monocyclic course (multinomial OR 3.9 and 2.3, respectively). Additional univariable associations of a chronic course compared to a monocyclic course included photosensitivity, V-sign or shawl sign rashes, and cuticular overgrowth (OR 2.2-3.2). The mean ultraviolet index and highest ultraviolet index in the month before diagnosis were associated with a chronic course compared to a polycyclic course in boys (OR 1.5 and 1.3), while residing in the Northwest was less frequently associated with a chronic course (OR 0.2). Conclusion Our findings indicate that myositis autoantibodies, in particular anti-p155/140, and a number of early clinical features and environmental exposures are associated with a chronic course in patients with juvenile IIM. These findings suggest that early factors, which are associated with poorer outcomes in juvenile IIM, can be identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the off-reserve Canadian Aboriginal population, high school graduation rates are about 45 percent lower in Northern communities (North) than the rest of Canada (South). Using data from the Aboriginal Peoples' Surveys for 2000 and 2005, we document that economic incentives do not appear to be important in explaining the North-South gap in graduation rates. We then consider individual-specific and schooling-related determinants of high school graduation and find that these factors can explain between 31 percent and 59 percent of the North-South gap in the probability of graduation for those who had graduated by the time of the survey. Further, much of the gap is attributable to a respondent speaking/understanding or being taught an Aboriginal language. We discuss the possible implications of these results for language and curricular programming in the North. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the effect of a fiscal equalization system on the composition of government expenditures of subnational governments. We incorporate vertical equalization transfers with optimal choice of the composition of government expenditures in an endogenous growth model and show that such transfers reduce the incentives of recipient subnational governments to undertake productive expenditures. Using data for Canadian provinces, we find evidence that, after controlling for a number of determinants of government expenditures, the ratio of productive expenditures to total government expenditures was lower in equalization-receiving than non-receiving provinces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural health products (NHPs) are defined as natural extracts containing polychemical mixtures; they play a leading role in the discovery and development of drugs, for disease treatment. More than 50% of current cancer therapeutics are derived from natural sources. However, the efficacy of natural extracts in treating cancer has not been explored extensively. Scientific research into the validity and mechanism of action of these products is needed to develop NHPs as main stream cancer therapy. The preclinical and clinical validation of NHPs would be essential for this development. This review summarizes some of the recent advancements in the area of NHPs with anticancer effects. This review also focuses on various NHPs that have been studied to scientifically validate their claims as anticancer agents. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the efficacy of these NHPs in targeting the multiple vulnerabilities of cancer cells for a more selective efficacious treatment. The studies reviewed here have paved the way for the introduction of more NHPs from traditional medicine to the forefront of modern medicine, in order to provide alternative, safer, and cheaper complementary treatments for cancer therapy and possibly improve the quality of life of cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provincial Nominee programs have increased the role of the provinces in selecting immigrants to Canada. We use administrative data to compare the earnings and settlement rates of Provincial Nominees (PNs) and immigrants through comparable federal programs, such as economic class immigrants (ECIs). We find that PNs experienced higher entry earnings, but slower subsequent earnings growth. While differences in observable characteristics of immigrants through the two programs played a nominal role in accounting for differences in entry earnings, they were more important in accounting for differences in subsequent earnings growth. Further, we find that PNs were more likely than ECIs to stay in the province to which they were initially destined, and that differences in observable characteristics account for most of the higher settlement rate of PNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro and animal studies report that some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) trigger the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Whether POP exposure is associated with a dysregulation of cytokine response remains to be investigated in humans. We studied the strength of association between plasma POP levels and circulating cytokines as immune activation markers. Plasma levels of fourteen POPs and thirteen cytokines were measured in 39 Caucasians from a comparator sample in Québec City (Canada) and 72 First Nations individuals from two northern communities of Ontario (Canada). Caucasians showed significantly higher levels of organochlorine insecticides (β-HCH, p,p'-DDE and HCB) compared to First Nations. Conversely, First Nations showed higher levels of Mirex, Aroclor 1260, PCB 153, PCB 170, PCB 180 and PCB 187 compared to Caucasians. While there was no difference in cytokine levels of IL-4, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-22 between groups, First Nations had significantly greater average levels of IFNΥ, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-5, IL-8, IL-12p70, IL-17A, TNFα and TNFβ levels compared to Caucasians. Among candidate predictor variables (age, body mass index, insulin resistance and POP levels), high levels of PCBs were the only predictor accounting for a small but significant effect of observed variance (∼7%) in cytokine levels. Overall, a weak but significant association is detected between persistent organochlorine pollutant exposure and elevated cytokine levels. This finding augments the already existing information that environmental pollution is related to inflammation, a common feature of several metabolic disorders that are known to be especially prevalent in Canada's remote First Nations communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

* Premise of the study: Geographically peripheral (marginal) populations are expected to have lower genetic diversity and higher genetic differentiation than geographically core (central) populations as a result of supposedly lower effective population size (No) and higher genetic drift, founder effect, fragmentation, and isolation in peripheral than in core populations. Here we ad- dress this issue for a long-lived plant species, eastern white cedar (Thuja occidenmlis). * Methods: Genetic diversity and population structure of 13 natural populations of eastern white cedar from its Canadian eastern peripheral and core natural ranges in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island were studied using six nuclear microsatellite DNA markers. * Key results: The core populations of eastern white cedar had significantly higher allelic diversity (mean A = 8.83, Ar = 8.13, Ae = 4.03) and Ne (428) than the peripheral populations (A = 6.64, Ar 6.15, Ae = 3.12, Ne = 198). However, expected heterozygosity was similar in the core (He = 0.64) and peripheral (He = 0.60) populations. Genetic differentiation was significantly higher among the peripheral (FST = 0.089) than among the core (FST 0.032) populations. No genetic differentiation (FST/Φ RT = 0.000) was detected between core and peripheral regions. * Conclusions: Peripheral populations have significantly lower N~ and genetic diversity in terms of allelic diversity (richness) and significantly higher genetic differentiation than the core populations of eastern white cedar in its Canadian eastern range. However, core and peripheral populations have similar levels of expected heterozygosity. Implications for conservation of eastern white cedar genetic resources are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To encourage more even dispersion of economic immigrants throughout Canada, the federal and various provincial governments have developed the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs). In this paper, we provide an overview of these programs and assess their impact on the flow of immigrants to smaller provinces, which have struggled to attract and retain skilled newcomers. We find, after controlling for provincial economic conditions, that the Nominee Programs of Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick were associated with significant increases in immigration flows to these provinces. We also find that one-year retentions rates of immigrants did not decrease for any province after the introduction of the PNPs. In fact, retention rates for immigrants through Nominee Programs were higher in most provinces than for economic class immigrants arriving through the federal programs. We conclude that PNPs were effective as a means of both attracting and retaining immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flow accelerated corrosion (FAG) is a serious form of degradation in primary heat transport piping system (PHTS) of the nuclear reactor~ Pipes transporting hot coolant from the reactor to steam generators are particularly vulnerable to FAG degradation, such as tight radius pipe bends with high flow velocity. FAG is a life limiting factor, as excessive degradation can result in the loss of structural integrity of the pipe. To prevent this, engineering codes and regulations have specified minimum wall thickness require- ments to ensure fitness for service of the piping system. Nuclear utilities have imple- mented periodic wall thickness inspection programs and carried out replacement of pipes prior to reaching an unsafe state. To optimize the life-cycle management of PHTS, accu- rate prediction of time of replacement or ~`end of life" of pipe sections is important. Since FAG is a time-dependent process of uncertain nature, this paper presents two probabilis- tic models for predicting the end of life. This paper illustrates that the modeling assump- tions have a significant impact on the predicted number of replacements and life-cycle management of the nuclear piping system. A practical case study is presented using wall thickness inspection data collected from Canadian nuclear plants. [DOl: 1O.1115/1.4000897J [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on community radio, a type of radio service that caters to the interests of a certain area and broadcasts content that is popular to a local audience. It discusses the vision, philosophy and status of community radio. It explores the conceptions and models of community radio in the literature. It details growth of community radio stations with reference to geographic areas including Australia, Bolivia and Canada. It explores the licensing process for operating a radio station in each country.

Electrical transmission lines in Canada and elsewhere widely utilize wood structures to support electrical conductors. The Gulfport structure is one of the largest wooden structures used in Canada’s electricity transmission networks. Continuous exposure of crossarms to wide-ranging temperature, moisture, and load conditions makes them vulnerable to internal decay and failure under adverse weather conditions, such as windstorms and snowstorms. These failures can result in forced outages and customer disruptions with significant economic losses, and therefore the electrical utility industry has taken a keen interest in developing condition-assessment methods to support cost-effective replacement of aged wood crossarms. At present, there is no dataset available regarding the remaining strength of wood pole crossarms exposed to the aboveground environment for 30-40 years of service life in Canada. This paper presents a comprehensive experimental study focussed on evaluating the remaining strength distribution in a sample of crossarms removed from service. The experimental data presented in the paper are essential to assess remaining life and develop guidelines for condition assessment of crossarms. Les lignes de transport d’électricité au Canada et ailleurs utilisent beaucoup les structures de bois pour soutenir les conducteurs électriques. La structure Gulf Port est l’une des plus grandes structures de bois utilisées dans les réseaux de transport d’électricité au Canada. L’exposition perpétuelle des traverses de poteaux à une large gamme de température, d’humidité et de charge, les rendant vulnérables à la pourriture interne et à la défaillance sous diverses conditions climatiques, tels que des tempêtes de vent et de neige. Ces défaillances peuvent engendrer des indisponibilités fortuites et des pannes de courant chez les usagers, impliquant de fortes pertes financières. L’industrie des services électriques a donc montré un intérêt à développer des méthodes d’évaluation des conditions afin de soutenir le remplacement rentable des vielles traverses de poteaux en bois. Présentement, aucun ensemble de données n’est disponible concernant la résistance résiduelle des traverses en bois des poteaux exposés aux conditions environnementales au-dessus du sol pendant 30 à 40 ans au Canada. Le présent article porte sur une étude expérimentale complète portant sur l’évaluation de la distribution de la résistance résiduelle dans un échantillon de traverses de poteaux retirées du service. Les données expérimentales présentées dans cet article sont primordiales pour évaluer la durée de vie restante et mettre sur pied des directives pour l’évaluation de l’état des traverses de poteaux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses some of the issues related to the rising costs of employee benefits in the United States and Canada in terms of the cost of retirement pensions and employer-provided health insurance for employees and retirees. We examine various factors that affect the cost of these services for organizations as well as how these might affect the choices employers might be forced to make. We elaborate on how various factors might compel employers to shift the cost of benefits to employees. Specifically, we elaborate on various legislative, economic, and demographic constraints on these employee benefits and examine in detail two employer practices of concern, namely cash balance retirement plans and consumer-directed healthcare plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design wind pressures specified in the 2005 National Building Code of Canada (NBCC) have been derived from the Gumbel distribution fitted to annual maximum wind speed data collected up to early 1990s. The statistical estimates of the annual maxima method are affected by a relatively large sampling variability, since the method considers a fairly small subset of available wind speed records. Advanced statistical methods have emerged in recent years with the purpose of reducing both sampling and model uncertainties associated with extreme quantile estimates. The two most notable methods are the peaks-over-threshold (POT) and annually r largest order statistics (r-LOS), which extend the data set by including additional maxima observed in wind speed time series. The objective of the paper is to explore the use of advanced extreme value theory for updating the design wind speed estimates specified in the Canadian building design code. The paper re-examines the NBCC method for design wind speed estimation and presents the analysis of the latest Canadian wind speed data by POT, r-LOS, and annual maxima methods. The paper concludes that r-LOS method is an effective alternative for the estimation of extreme design wind speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a brief review of the need for cost–benefit analysis (CBA) and the available policy instruments for air pollution. To prioritize different possible actions, one needs to know which source of pollution causes how much damage. This requires an impact pathway analysis, that is, an analysis of the chain emission → dispersion → dose-response function → monetary valuation. The methodology for this is described and illustrated with the results of the ExternE (External Costs of Energy) project series of the European Commission. Two examples of an application to CBA are shown: one where a proposed reduction of emission limits is justified, and one where it is not. It is advisable to subject any proposed regulation to a CBA, including an analysis of the uncertainties. Even if the uncertainties are large and a policy decision may have to take other considerations into account, a well-documented CBA clarifies the issues and provides a basis for rational discussion. One of the main sources of uncertainty lies in the monetary valuation of premature mortality, the dominant contribution to the damage cost of air pollution. As an alternative, an innovative policy tool is described, the Life Quality Index (LQI), a compound indicator comprising societal wealth and life expectancy. It is applied to the Canada-wide standards for particulate matter and ozone. Regardless of monetary valuation, a 50% reduction of PM10 concentrations in Europe and North America has been shown to yield a population-average life expectancy increase on the order of 4 to 5 mo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood transmission structures, such as H frames, have been extensively used to support electrical transmission lines throughout Canada. The transmission infrastructure is in general aging, and fungal decay of wood crossarms poses a significant risk of failure under adverse weather conditions. A crossarm failure in the transmission system can result in forced outages and customer disruptions that lead to significant economic losses. This paper presents a condition assessment model to prioritize the replacement of transmission crossarms that are near the end of their service life. The proposed standard involves a visual condition rating system, which is validated by results of full-scale testing of a sample of in-service crossarms. Aerial inspection of transmission lines using the proposed visual rating system is a simple, economical, fast, and effective method of assessment. The proposed approach would ensure a more consistent compliance with the condition-based replacement standard specified in the Canadian (Canadian Standards Association Standard CSA 22.3 No. 1-01) and North American (US National Electric Safety Code 2002 edition) standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adverse impacts of particulate air pollution and ground-level ozone on public health and the environment have motivated the development of Canada Wide Standards (CWS) on air quality. In cost-benefit analysis of air-quality options, valuation of reduction in mortality is a critical step as it accounts for almost 80% of the total benefits and any bias in its evaluation can significantly skew the outcome of the analysis. The overestimation of benefits is a source of concern since it has the potential of diverting valuable resources from other needs to support broader health care objectives, education, and social services that contribute to enhanced quality of life. We have developed a framework of reasoning for the assessment of risk-reduction initiatives that would support the public interest and enhance safety and quality of life. This article presents the Life Quality Index (LQI) as a tool to quantify the level of expenditure beyond which it is no longer justifiable to spend resources in the name of safety. It is shown that the LQI is a compound social indicator comprising societal wealth and longevity, and it is also equivalent to a utility function consistent with the basic principles of welfare economics and decision analysis. The LQI approach overcomes several shortcomings of the method used by the CWS Development Committee and provides guidance on the compliance costs that can be justified to meet the Standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on socio-economic inequality using Life-Quality Index derived from the Real Gross Domestic Product per person and the life expectancy at birth in Canada. Integration of income inequality and associated life expectancy variations into a quality adjusted income (QAI); Gini coefficient of income; Data on life expectancy of five income quintiles.

This paper examines the scaling behavior and the nature of variability of regional flood series in Quebec and Ontario, Canada. The scaling behavior and nature of variability were investigated using both the conventional statistical moments and the probability weighted moments of the flood series. The probability weighted moments were used to avoid the influences of the large observations in the determination of higher-order conventional statistical moments. Based upon the behavior of conventional statistical moments, it is found that regional annual flood series are simple scaling. However, examination of the scaling behavior of the probability weighted moments shows that the regional annual flood series are multiscaling. Further, the variability of the regional annual flood series decreases with the increase in the basin area, and there is no critical basin area where the behavior of flood series changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Used nuclear fuel container life is reduced to a physics-of-failure problem. • Repository and barrier system require a multi-level probabilistic approach. • Engineering approximations permit simplified used fuel container lifetime estimates. Placement of encapsulated used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository is recognised internationally as the leading option to achieve containment and isolation from the environment and the public. In Canada, containment and isolation are proposed through an engineered barrier system, which comprises a copper-coated, welded carbon-steel container to encapsulate used fuel, highly compacted bentonite clay buffer, and the geosphere. Critical to regulatory approval and public confidence is the robustness of the engineered barrier system to perturbations capable of affecting the survival of used fuel containers over time scales of interest. However, uncertainty in the evolving conditions of a repository adds to the challenge of used fuel container life predictions. A new probabilistic container survival model is presented, featuring a simple, multi-level Monte Carlo technique to account in part for the unique constraints posed by a deep geological repository layout and an engineered barrier system on lifetime predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dietary restriction of sodium has been suggested to prevent fluid overload and adverse outcomes for patients with heart failure. We designed the Study of Dietary Intervention under 100 mmol in Heart Failure (SODIUM-HF) to test whether or not a reduction in dietary sodium reduces the incidence of future clinical events., Methods: SODIUM-HF is an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial that enrolled patients at 26 sites in six countries (Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and New Zealand). Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older, with chronic heart failure (New York Heart Association [NYHA] functional class 2-3), and receiving optimally tolerated guideline-directed medical treatment. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1), using a standard number generator and varying block sizes of two, four, or six, stratified by site, to either usual care according to local guidelines or a low sodium diet of less than 100 mmol (ie, <1500 mg/day). The primary outcome was the composite of cardiovascular-related admission to hospital, cardiovascular-related emergency department visit, or all-cause death within 12 months in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (ie, all randomly assigned patients). Safety was assessed in the ITT population. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02012179, and is closed to accrual., Findings: Between March 24, 2014, and Dec 9, 2020, 806 patients were randomly assigned to a low sodium diet (n=397) or usual care (n=409). Median age was 67 years (IQR 58-74) and 268 (33%) were women and 538 (66%) were men. Between baseline and 12 months, the median sodium intake decreased from 2286 mg/day (IQR 1653-3005) to 1658 mg/day (1301-2189) in the low sodium group and from 2119 mg/day (1673-2804) to 2073 mg/day (1541-2900) in the usual care group. By 12 months, events comprising the primary outcome had occurred in 60 (15%) of 397 patients in the low sodium diet group and 70 (17%) of 409 in the usual care group (hazard ratio [HR] 0·89 [95% CI 0·63-1·26]; p=0·53). All-cause death occurred in 22 (6%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 17 (4%) in the usual care group (HR 1·38 [0·73-2·60]; p=0·32), cardiovascular-related hospitalisation occurred in 40 (10%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 51 (12%) patients in the usual care group (HR 0·82 [0·54-1·24]; p=0·36), and cardiovascular-related emergency department visits occurred in 17 (4%) patients in the low sodium diet group and 15 (4%) patients in the usual care group (HR 1·21 [0·60-2·41]; p=0·60). No safety events related to the study treatment were reported in either group., Interpretation: In ambulatory patients with heart failure, a dietary intervention to reduce sodium intake did not reduce clinical events., Funding: Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the University Hospital Foundation, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and Health Research Council of New Zealand., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests JAE reports research grants from American Regent, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer, eko.ai, US2.ai, Merck, Novartis, Otsuka, Sanofi, and Servier, and consulting fees from American Regent, Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb/Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, Otsuka, Sanofi, and Servier. PM reports research grants from National Health & Medical Research Committee, New South Wales Department of Health, and St Vincent's Clinic Foundation; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novartis; honoraria payments from Japanese Circulation Society; support for attending meetings or travel from Astellas; and stock or stock options from Infensa Biologics. RT reports research grants from Health Research Council of New Zealand; consulting fees from Merck and Roche Diagnostics; and honoraria payments from Roche Diagnostics. CS reports research grants from Medtronic; consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck, and Boehringer Ingelheim; honoraria payments from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novartis; and fees for participation in advisory boards from Servier, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Merck, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Novartis. JAt reports consulting fees from AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, and Eli Lilly and support for attending meetings from AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Shire. MG reports research grants from the University of Alberta. JH reports research grants from AstraZeneca; consulting fees from Servier, Otsuka, Alnylam, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Bayer Canada, AstraZeneca, and Novartis; and honoraria payments from Servier, Otsuka, Alnylam, Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Bayer Canada, AstraZeneca, and Novartis. SJ reports research payments from the University of Alberta. ML reports consulting fees from New Zealand Formulary and honoraria payment from Novartis. JS reports consulting fees from Servier and Novartis; honoraria payments from Bayer; and receipt of equipment, materials, drugs, medical writing, gifts, or other services from Servier, Novartis, Bayer, and HLS Therapeutics. SZ reports consulting fees from Abbott, Akcea, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Alnylam, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Otsuka, Pfizer, Servier, and Vifor; and honoraria payments from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, HLS Therapeutics, Janssen, Novartis, Novo Nordisk, Servier, and Vifor. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)