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Using data from the 2003 Ontario Student Drug Use Survey (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto), the relationships between bullying and smoking in adolescents were examined. A representative sample of 3314 grade 7-12 students was included in the analysis. Models were adjusted for confounders identified in the current literature. Multinomial logistic regression showed that current smokers were more likely to be bullies than nonsmokers (relative risk ratio = 2.3, p less than 0.001); being a current smoker was not associated with being a victim or a bully/victim (one who is both a bully and a victim). Moreover, gender was found to modify the effect of smoking on bullying status. Female smokers were more likely to be bullies and bully/victims than nonsmokers while there were no statistically significant differences for males. The associations between bullying status and smoking are consistent with those found in a multinational World Health Organization survey of adolescent health. Findings of the study suggested that girls were at much higher risk for involvement in bullying if they smoked, although girls were less frequently involved in bullying.

The influence of the drying conditions on protein structural properties and its impact on Chinese dried noodles (CDN) quality properties is addressed in this study. The CDN were produced under nine different drying conditions utilizing combination of three temperatures (40°C, 60°C, and 80°C) and three relative humidities (65%, 75%, and 85%). The color, texture profile analysis of uncooked and cooked noodles, shrinkage ratio, and cooking quality of CDN were assessed. SEM and FTIR microimaging were investigated to determine the changes in the gluten structural properties. Drying temperature and relative humidity have significant effects on quality characteristics of CDN. However, the influences on different indicators were different. Drying temperature was the main influencing factor of the quality of CDN and protein microstructure. After the drying temperature exceeded 60°C, proteins began to aggregate, and the surface protein distribution became uneven. Compared with cross section, the uniformity of protein distribution on the surface of noodles showed a significant decrease. A high temperature (60°C) could improve the quality of CDN products. The quality of CDN products could be adjusted by the combination of drying temperature and relative humidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has not been a major wheat stem rust epidemic in Canada since 1954. The detection of race TTKSK, with virulence to Sr31 and most other stem rust resistance genes in wheat, presents a threat to the wheat crop worldwide. Single disease resistance genes are usually effective for only several years before the pathogen changes genetically to overcome the resistance. To produce more durable resistance to race TTKSK, as well as to leaf rust and Fusarium head blight (FHB), we produced pyramided lines with several resistance genes. A population of 68 doubled haploids was produced from the hybrid 'AC Cadillac' (SrCad, Lr34)/'Carberry' (Lr34, Fhb1) × 'RL5405' (Sr33)/'Carberry' (Lr34, Fhb1). A total of 16 combinations of variable numbers of the four genes were recovered by marker assisted selection. The most notable combination with four of the genes was Sr33, SrCad, Lr34 and Fhb1. Two such lines were recovered. All pyramided lines with Lr34 and SrCad or Sr33 were resistant to race TTKSK, while two control wheat varieties 'Shaw' and 'Little Club' were susceptible. The two pyramided lines (SrCad-Sr33-Lr34-Fhb1) were relatively more resistant than the lines containing only one gene for stem rust resistance. The pyramided lines with Lr34 showed good resistance to leaf rust races 12–3 MBDS and TDBG. The pyramids with Fhb1 did not show a lowered expression of Fusarium head blight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the majority of smokers initiate smoking during their teenage years, significant rates of initiation occur among young adults. Adolescents are more price sensitive than adults, but little is known about the impact of tobacco taxation on smoking initiation among young adults. Using a longitudinal design, this study examined the impact of decreased cigarette price, resulting from tobacco tax cuts, on smoking initiation among Canadian young adults aged 20 to 24 years. Methods: Using Statistics Canada’s National Population Health Survey longitudinal file, this study examined young adults who did not smoke at baseline in 1994–1995 (n =636, representing over 1 million young adults) and who were reassessed at follow-up (1996–1997). Multivariable logistic regression analysis using bootstrap weights was conducted to estimate the impact of decreased cigarette price on smoking initiation. The analysis controlled for the potential confounding effect of sociodemographic and tobacco control variables. Sensitivity analyses were conducted. Price elasticity was estimated. Analyses were conducted in 2003 and 2004. Results: Approximately 10% of young adults had initiated smoking at follow-up. Decreased cigarette price was significantly associated with higher smoking initiation (adjusted odds ratio per $1 decrease for a carton of cigarettes=1.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.01–1.32, p =0.042). Sensitivity analyses showed similar results. Price elasticity was 3.36 (95% CI=0.07–6.75). Conclusions: Young adults are sensitive to cigarette prices. Reductions in cigarette prices will lead to increased smoking initiation among this group. Tobacco taxation should be an effective strategy to reduce smoking initiation among young adults. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the myth on the association of increased tobacco taxes with the increased use of contraband tobacco in Canada. Topics discussed include an overview on the trend of tobacco use in the country, the problem posed by contraband tobacco, the consideration of decreased tobacco taxes as contraband tobacco problem solution, and the decrease of tobacco use due to tobacco price increase.

Context: Selection of priority groups is important for health interventions. However, no quantitative method has been developed., Objectives: To develop a quantitative method to support the process of selecting priority groups for public health interventions based on both high risk and population health burden., Design: Secondary data analysis of the 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey., Setting: Canadian population., Participants: Survey respondents., Methods: We identified priority groups for 3 diseases: heart disease, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases. Three measures--prevalence, population counts, and adjusted odds ratios (OR)--were calculated for subpopulations (sociodemographic characteristics and other risk factors). A Priority Group Index (PGI) was calculated by summing the rank scores of these 3 measures., Results: Of the 30 priority groups identified by the PGI (10 for each of the 3 disease outcomes), 7 were identified on the basis of high prevalence only, 5 based on population count only, 3 based on high OR only, and the remainder based on combinations of these. The identified priority groups were all in line with the literature as risk factors for the 3 diseases, such as elderly people for heart disease and stroke and those with low income for chronic lower respiratory diseases. The PGI was thus able to balance both high risk and population burden approaches in selecting priority groups, and thus it would address health inequities as well as disease burden in the overall population., Conclusions: The PGI is a quantitative method to select priority groups for public health interventions; it has the potential to enhance the effective use of limited public resources.

Purpose: To determine the impact of smoking cessation on lung cancer mortality among women., Methods: Survival analysis is used to assess the effect of smoking cessation on lung cancer death in the dietary cohort of 49,165 women aged 40 to 59 years enrolled in the Canadian National Breast Screening Study., Results: During an average of 10.3 years of follow-up, 106 women died of lung cancer. The risk of lung cancer mortality among women who quit before age 50 (HR=0.26; 95% CI, 0.13-0.55 among women who quit at ages 40-49) or quit in the previous 10 years (HR=0.39; 95% CI, 0.22-0.69) is substantially lower than the risk among current smokers. Women who quit after age 40 or have quit for less than 20 years are at substantially higher risk of lung cancer mortality compared with never smokers. Both duration of smoking cessation and age at quitting have independent effects on lung cancer mortality, after controlling for number of cigarettes smoked per day and number of years smoked, as well as other potential confounding variables., Conclusion: These findings suggest that programs and policies to promote early cessation of smoking and prevention of relapse should be a public health priority.