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To systematically review evidence assessing the evolution of cannabis consumption before and after the implementation of non-medical cannabis legislation.MEDLINE, PubMED, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science were systematically searched for studies that examined change in cannabis consumption before and after nonmedical cannabis legislation. Data were tabulated by study design, levels of consumption, and individual subgroups. Data were analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach, considering study quality.32 studies were included (11 higher quality and 21 lower quality). 40% of higher quality evidence supported an increase in postlegalization consumption (55% did not report a change and 5% reported a decrease). The increase was most evident for young adults (42% of higher quality evidence) and in the consumption in the past month (37% of higher quality evidence). There was limited supporting evidence for new users having grown in response to legalization. Based on subgroup analysis, the increase in postlegalization consumption was higher among women and those who engage in binge-drinking.Higher quality evidence suggests an increase in adolescent past-month consumption of cannabis following legalization in several geographical jurisdictions. Consumption evolution prelegalization and postlegalization differed by age group and for young women and for binge drinkers. Consumption evolution differences suggest a variety of strategies might be required in efforts to lower public health impacts of cannabis consumption following legalization.

Background The World Health Organization recommends a 10% total energy (TE%) limit for free sugars (i.e., added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in fruit juice, honey, and syrups) based on evidence linking higher intakes with overweight and dental caries. Evidence for cardiovascular disease (CVD) is limited. Impacts may differ by sex, age group, and solid vs. liquid sources; liquids may stimulate more adverse CVD profiles (due to their rapid absorption in the body along along with triggering less satiety). We examined associations of consuming total free sugars ≥ 10 TE% with CVD within four sex and age-defined groups. Given roughly equal free sugar intakes from solid and liquid sources, we also evaluated source-specific associations of free sugars ≥ 5 TE% thresholds. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we estimated free sugars from 24-h dietary recall (Canadian Community Health Survey, 2004–2005) in relationship to nonfatal and fatal CVD (Discharge Abstract and Canadian Mortality Databases, 2004–2017; International Disease Classification-10 codes for ischemic heart disease and stroke) through multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for overweight/obesity, health behaviours, dietary factors, and food insecurity. We conducted analyses in separate models for men 55 to 75 years, women 55 to 75 years, men 35 to 55 years, and women 35 to 55 years. We dichotomized total free sugars at 10 TE% and source-specific free sugars at 5 TE%. Results Men 55 to 75 years of age had 34% higher CVD hazards with intakes of free sugars from solid sources ≥ 5 TE% vs. below (adjusted HR 1.34, 95% CI 1.05- 1.70). The other three age and sex-specific groups did not demonstrate conclusive associations with CVD. Conclusions Our findings suggest that from a CVD prevention standpoint in men 55 to 75 years of age, there may be benefits from consuming less than 5 TE% as free sugars from solid sources.

A thermal-pressure equation of state has been determined for zircon (ZrSiO4) that characterizes its thermoelastic behavior at metamorphic conditions. New pressure-volume (P-V) data from a “Mud Tank” zircon have been collected from 1 bar to 8.47(1) GPa using X-ray diffraction, and elastic moduli were measured from room temperature up to 1172 K by resonance ultrasound spectroscopy. These data were fitted simultaneously with temperature-volume (T-V) data from the literature in EosFit7c using a new scaling technique. The parameters of a third-order Birch-Murnaghan EoS with a Mie-Grüneisen-Debye model for thermal pressure have compressional EoS parameters K0T = 224.5(1.2) GPa, K0T′ = 4.90(31) with a fixed initial molar volume V0 = 39.26 cm3/mol and thermal parameters γ0 = 0.868(15), q = 2.37(80), and ΘD = 848(38) K. EoS parameters that describe the variation of unit-cell parameters with pressure and temperature were determined using an isothermal-type EoS. This new EoS confirms that zircons are stiffer than garnets and exhibit a much lower thermal expansion. This results in steep isomekes between zircon and garnets, which makes zircon trapped as inclusions in garnets at metamorphic conditions a good piezothermometer.

There is more than 30 years of research on relationships between income inequality and population health. In this article, we propose a research agenda with five recommendations for future research to refine existing knowledge and examine new questions. First, we recommend that future research prioritise analyses with broader time horizons, exploring multiple temporal aspects of the relationship. Second, we recommend expanding research on the effect of public expenditures on the inequality–health relationship. Third, we introduce a new area of inquiry focused on interactions between social mobility, income inequality and population health. Fourth, we argue the need to examine new perspectives on 21st century capitalism, specifically the population health impacts of inequality in income from capital (especially housing), in contrast to inequality in income from labour. Finally, we propose that this research broaden beyond all-cause mortality, to cause-specific mortality, avoidable mortality and subcategories thereof. We believe that such a research agenda is important for policy to respond to the changes following the COVID-19 pandemic.

Approximately 7% of children live with food allergy, a condition that requires dietary avoidance to prevent an allergic reaction. In this qualitative study, we aimed to understand food allergy-related experiences, beliefs and learning preferences among children with and without food allergies, to inform a school-based, food allergy education program. Data were analysed thematically. We virtually interviewed children in Kindergarten-Grade 8 in Manitoba, Canada, with (n = 7) and without (n = 9) parent-reported, physician-diagnosed food allergies. We identified three themes: Naive reliance on peers and school staff to assist with food allergy management; Limited food allergy knowledge; and, Recommended food allergy curricula: complementary perspective. Our findings will help inform the development of a school-based, food allergy education program, with a long-term goal of minimizing food allergy-related worries and optimizing safety for children with food allergy. Ongoing, school-based food allergy education is needed.

ObjectivesHypertension is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and premature death. Neighbourhoods characterized by a high proportion of fast-food outlets may contribute to hypertension in residents; however, limited research has explored these associations. The objectives of this study were to assess associations between neighbourhood fast-food environments, measured and self-reported hypertension. ApproachWe used data from 10,700 adults who participated in six cycles of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). Measured hypertension was defined as having an average systolic blood pressure (BP) of ≥140, a diastolic BP ≥90 mm Hg or being on BP lowering medication. Participants were also asked if they had been diagnosed with high BP or if they take BP lowering medication (i.e., self-reported hypertension). We characterized the fast-food environment of each participant’s neighbourhood using the Canadian Food Environment Dataset (Can-FED). We considered the proportion of fast-food outlets relative to fast-food outlets and full-service restaurants as a continuous variable. ResultsThe mean proportion of fast-food outlets was 23.3% (SD 26.8%). A one standard deviation (SD) increase in the proportion to fast-food outlets was associated with higher odds of measured hypertension in the full sample (OR=1.17, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.31) and in sex-specific models (women: OR=1.14, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.29; and men: OR=1.21, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.43). A one standard deviation (SD) increase in the proportion to fast-food outlets was associated with higher odds of self-reported hypertension in the full sample (OR=1.13, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.24); however, associations were inconclusive in sex-specific models (women: OR=1.11, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.26; and men: OR=1.14, 95% CI 0.99 to 1.33). ConclusionBy linking neighbourhood food environment measures that were created from an administrative data source (the Statistics Canada Business Register) to individual-level data from the CHMS, we were able to demonstrate that reducing the proportion of fast-food outlets in neighbourhoods may reduce rates of hypertension and support individually targeted interventions.

The fundamental properties of the neutron make it a powerful tool for Earth science investigations because neutrons provide information that cannot be obtained by any other research method. This is because neutrons are magnetically sensitive, nondestructive, and sensitive to the lighter elements, such as hydrogen. They provide a unique, nondestructive method for obtaining information ranging from Ångstrom-scale atomic structures (and related motions) to micron-scale material strain, stress, and texture, and even up to meso-scale porous matrices and defects in materials and functional components. In this article, we introduce neutrons and their unique properties, neutron production and sources, and provide an overview of the different types of neutron methods applicable to the Earth sciences.

The implications of the COVID 19 pandemic signal both tragedy and possibility. This reflective paper considers the amplification of the concurrent pandemics of violence against women and children and anti-black racism during the responses to COVID 19 and renewed calls to action. The enforced ‘pause’ as a result of social isolation or distancing measures in response to COVID-19, has led many people to re-imagine a different world and ignited social movements across the globe. Education must inspire a vision of what our world could be and define what action is needed and the steps required to implement change. The critical reflection that characterizes most social work educational programs can provide opportunities to harness such imaginings in redefining ‘the possible’ in the quest for a more equitable and safer world. This article describes the potential of the pandemic to subvert the pervasive influence of neoliberalism by promoting collective notions of care.

Summary The focus of this scoping review was to understand the overall state of research activity related to pro-arrest, pro-charge, and pro-prosecution policies in Canada. The review identified 295 articles, academic (47.5%) and gray literature (52.5%) published between 1983 and 2018 that reported on these policies as a response to domestic violence in Canada. Findings The findings acknowledged growing concerns over the ineffectiveness of these policies as a response to domestic violence. In fact, over half of the articles (57.6%) either failed to support these policies or recommended significant revisions; only a small number of articles (1.0%) favored these policies in their current form. Themes related to the effectiveness of these policies included criminalization and public awareness, survivor satisfaction, standardized police response, removal of burden from survivor to charge, and better than nothing. Themes related to the ineffectiveness included disconnect between policy and practice, revictimizes survivors, one-size fits all approach, have not adequately reduced domestic violence in Canada, lack of understanding training and education for all, failure to address structural and systemic factors, lack of trust in the criminal justice system, and success has been difficult to measure. Applications The deconstruction of these policies in this review points to the need for future research to address identified gaps in the literature and to explore alternatives that serve their intended emancipatory effect.

The structures of the silica polymorphs α-quartz and stishovite have been geometry optimized at highly simulated isotropic pressure within the framework of Density Functional Theory. The atoms of the high-pressure polymorph stishovite are virtually incompressible with the bonded radii for Si and O atoms decreasing by only 0.04 and 0.08 Å, respectively, at 100 GPa. In compensating for the increase in the effective interatomic potential associated with the compression of the Si-O bonded interactions, the electron density at the bond critical point between the bonded pair increases from 0.69 to 0.89 e/Å 3. The bonded radii of the Si and O atoms for α-quartz decrease by 0.006 and 0.008 Å, respectively, between 1 bar and 26.4 GPa. The impact of simulated, isotropic pressure on the bonded radii of the atoms for three perovskites YAlO3, LaAlO3, and CaSnO3 was also examined at high pressure. For the YAlO3 perovskite, the bonded radii for Y and Al decrease by 0.06 and 0.05 Å, respectively, at 80 GPa, while the electron density between the bonded atoms increases by 0.12 and 0.15 e/Å3, on average. The calculations also show that the coordination number of the Y atom increases from 9 to 10 while the coordination number of the O1 atom increases concomitantly in the structure from 5 to 6 at 20 GPa. Hence pressure not only promotes an increase in the coordination number of the metal atoms but also a necessary concomitant increase in the coordination number of the O atoms. The bonded radii, determined at a lower pressure between 0.0 and 15 GPa for LaAlO3 and CaSnO3, decrease a smaller amount with the radii for the La and Ca atoms decreasing by 0.03 and 0.04 Å, respectively, while the radii for the smaller Al and Sn atoms decrease by 0.01 and 0.02 Å, respectively. In general, O atoms are more compressible than the metal atoms, but overall the calculations demonstrate that the bonded radii for the atoms in crystals are virtually incompressible when subjected to high pressure. The reason that the bonded radii change little when subjected to high pressure is ascribed to the changes in the effective interatomic potentials that result in increased repulsion when the atoms are squeezed together.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss the opportunities for future organizational and leadership research presented by positioning dialogue related to the #MeToo movement within a peacebuilding agenda. The #MeToo movement raised public consciousness about the pervasiveness of sexual assault and harassment in schools, workplaces and other institutions by an international social media campaign. However, subsequent discussions are often charged with hostility and outrage that result in divisiveness within workplaces and other settings that can further silence about these issues. The authors argue a community peacebuilding framework can create space to have difficult conversations to further the efforts of the #MeToo movement. Design/methodology/approach The authors will discuss the implications of a peacebuilding framework by the discussion of a case study in a rural setting to highlight the ways in which community conversations necessary to further the goals of the #MeToo movement. Findings A grassroots community peacebuilding framework can present opportunities for victims, offenders, family members and the community to voice expressions harms experienced and to enable processes of accountability. Promotion of a positive relational peace includes opportunities for education, skill development and conflict resolution that are healing and transformative for individuals and communities. Research limitations/implications The systemic social and cultural change required to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault must happen within face-to-face relationships within community dialogue. Practical implications The authors argue a critical relational peace lens offers an emancipatory framework that can initiate change from the bottom up to facilitate social healing and further the efforts of the #MeToo movement. Social implications Grassroots peacebuilding invites a relational peace established by dialogue within communities. This dialogue is often not easy but is recognized as essential to establishing trust, resolving conflict and fostering community integrity. Originality/value In this paper, the authors offer a community peacebuilding framework to provide skill development and a vision necessary to host difficult conversations to inform the next wave of the #MeToo movement.

OBJECTIVES: Among older Canadians, we examined the influence of low social support, a weak sense of belonging, and living alone to understand their role on mortality risk in Canada. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of older Canadians surveyed in 2001 from the Canadian Community Health Survey and followed up with death events through December 31, 2011 from the Canadian Vital Statistics Database. Analyses were stratified by age: 55–64 and 65 and older. Social support was assessed using measures developed for the Medical Outcomes Study. A sense of belonging, a binary measure, measured community integration. Living alone was a binary measure. Survival analysis was applied using a Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for age, sex, income, smoking, and frailty. RESULTS: Among respondents 55–64 (n = 6822), low affection (HR = 1.37; 95% CI 1.07, 1.75), low emotional/informational support (HR = 1.36; 95% CI 1.06, 1.74), and low positive social interactions (HR = 1.36; 95% CI 1.06, 1.75) were associated with mortality risk. Among respondents 65 and older (n = 8966), low affection (HR = 1.17; 95% CI 1.04, 1.31), low positive social interactions (HR = 1.20; 95% CI 1.07, 1.34), low emotional/informational support (HR = 1.19; 95% CI 1.06, 1.33), and a weak sense of belonging (HR = 1.13; 95% CI 1.05, 1.22) were associated with mortality risk. CONCLUSION: Low social support and a weak sense of belonging are important risk factors among older Canadians and should be part of the dialogue in Canada about their roles in healthy aging.

Metal-organic frameworks are a class of porous compounds with potential applications in molecular sieving, gas sequestration, and catalysis. One family of MOFs, zeolitic imidizolate frameworks (ZIFs), is of particular interest for carbon dioxide sequestration. We have previously reported the heat capacity of the sodalite topology of the zinc 2-methylimidazolate framework (ZIF-8), and in this Article we present the first low-temperature heat capacity measurements of ZIF-8 with various amounts of sorbed CO2. Molar heat capacities from 1.8 to 300 K are presented for samples containing up to 0.99 mol of CO2 per mol of ZIF-8. Samples with at least 0.56 mol of CO2 per mol of ZIF-8 display a large, broad anomaly from 70 to 220 K with a shoulder on the low-temperature side, suggesting sorption-induced structural transitions. We attribute the broad anomaly partially to a gate-opening transition, with the remainder resulting from CO2 rearrangement and/or lattice expansion. The measurements also reveal a subtle anomaly from 0 to 70 K in all samples that does not exist in the sorbate-free material, which likely reflects new vibrational modes resulting from sorbate/ZIF-8 interactions. These results provide the first thermodynamic evidence of structural transitions induced by CO2 sorption in the ZIF-8 framework.

The objective of this study was to create the Canadian Food Environment Dataset (Can-FED) and to demonstrate its validity.Food outlet data were extracted from Statistics Canada's Business Register (BR) in 2018. Retail food environment access measures (both absolute and relative measures) were calculated using network buffers around the centroid of 56,589 dissemination areas in Canada. A k-medians clustering approach was used to create categorical food environment variables that were easy to use and amenable to dissemination. Validity of the measures was assessed by comparing the food environment measures from Can-FED with measures created using Enhanced Points of Interest data by DMTI Spatial Inc. and data from a municipal health inspection list. Validity was also assessed by calculating the geographic variability in food environments across census metropolitan areas (CMAs) and assessing associations between CMA-level food environments and CMA-level health indicators.Two versions of Can-FED were created: a researcher file that must be accessed within a secure Statistics Canada environment and a general-use file available online. Agreement between Can-FED food environment measures and those derived from a proprietary dataset and a municipal health inspection list ranged from rCan-FED is a valid and accessible dataset of pan-Canadian food environment measures that was created from the BR, a data source that has not been explored fully for health research.

To assess the relationship between ALEs and hospitalization in Wales and Canada.We performed a population-based comparison using individual-level survey data from the Welsh Health Survey (N = 9968) linked to the Patient Episode Database for Wales, and the Canadian Community Health Survey (N = 40,335) linked to the Discharge Abstract Database. Using equivalent protocols and open-source data for street networks, destinations, and residential density, we derived 5-class measures of the ALE for Wales and Canada (classed 1 through 5, considered least favourable to most favourable for active living, respectively). We evaluated relationships of ALEs to health, behaviours and hospitalization using multivariate regression (reference group was the lowest ALE class 1, considered least favourable for active living).For Canada, those living in the highest ALE class 5 had lower odds of all-cause hospitalization (OR 0.66, 95% CI 0.54 to 0.81; as compared to the lowest ALE class 1). In contrast, those living in the highest ALE class 5 in Wales had higher odds of all-cause hospitalization (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.80). The relationship between ALEs and cardiometabolic hospitalization was inconclusive for Canada (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.12), but we observed higher odds of cardiometabolic hospitalization for respondents living in higher ALE classes for Wales (OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.78; comparing ALE class 4 to ALE class 1).Canadian respondents living in high ALE neighbourhoods that are understood to be favourable for active living had lower odds of all-cause hospitalization, whereas Welsh respondents living in high ALEs that were deemed favourable for active living exhibited higher odds of all-cause hospitalization. Environments which promote physical activity in one geographic context may not do so in another. There remains a need to identify relevant context-specific factors that encourage active living.

Background Sugar-sweetened beverages have obesogenic and diabetogenic effects ascribed to free sugars. These include added sugars and naturally occurring sugars in juices. A meta-analysis indicates that some foods with added sugars are associated with lower type 2 diabetes rates. To expand the evidence relevant to free sugars from solid sources, we examined a young to middle-aged population with respect to overweight and gestational diabetes (GDM) outcomes. Methods We studied female participants (12–50 years old) from the 2004–2005 Canadian Community Health Survey 2.2 (CCHS) with data linked to the hospital Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) until 2017, providing 13 years of follow-up. We estimated free sugars by solid and liquid sources from 24-h dietary recalls as percent total energy intake (TE%), and computed body mass index (BMI). We applied ICD-10 diagnostic codes for deliveries and GDM to DAD. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analyses to evaluate associations between free sugars with overweight at baseline (cross-sectional component) and, in those who delivered, with GDM during follow-up (nested case control component). We compared those with consumption above versus below various thresholds of intake for free sugars, considering solid and liquid sources separately (2.TE%, 5TE%, 10TE% and 15TE% thresholds). Results Among 6305 participants, 2505 (40%) were overweight, defined as BMI ≥ 85th percentile below 18 years and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 for adults. Free sugars from solid sources were associated with lower odds of overweight above versus below the 2.5TE% (adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 0.80, 95%CI 0.70–0.92), 5TE% (adjOR 0.89, 95%CI 0.79–0.99), and 10TE% (adjOR 0.86, 95%CI 0.75–0.97) thresholds. Free sugars from liquid sources were associated with greater odds of overweight across the 2.5TE% (adjOR 1.20, 95%CI 1.07–1.36), 10TE% (adjOR 1.17, 95%CI 1.02–1.34), and 15TE% (adjOR 1.43, 95%CI 1.23–1.67) thresholds. There were 113 cases of GDM among the 1842 women who delivered (6.1%). Free sugars from solid sources were associated with lower odds of GDM above versus below the 5TE% threshold (adjOR 0.56, 95%CI 0.36–0.85). Conclusions Our findings support limiting free sugars from liquid sources, given associations with overweight. We did not identify adverse associations of free sugars from solid sources across any of the thresholds examined.

Introduction On s’intéresse de plus en plus au rôle de l’environnement alimentaire dans l’alimentation sous-optimale, le surpoids et l’obésité. Cette revue analyse les données probantes sur le lien entre l’environnement de la vente alimentaire au détail, la qualité de l’alimentation et l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) au sein de la population canadienne. Méthodologie Nous avons réalisé une recherche systématique par mot-clé dans deux bases de données bibliométriques. Nous avons calculé les proportions d’associations concluantes pour chaque résultat et exposition d’intérêt. Nous avons comparé les mesures absolues et relatives de l’exposition à l’environnement alimentaire et consigné le cadre théorique des associations. Nous avons examiné deux enjeux méthodologiques importants relevés a priori : la mesure de l’IMC et la validation des données sous-jacentes sur l’environnement de la vente alimentaire au détail. Résultats Dix-sept études ont été incluses dans cette revue. Nous avons relevé peu de preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et la qualité de l’alimentation, mais quelques preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et l’IMC. Les mesures relatives de l’environnement alimentaire étaient plus souvent associées à un résultat attendu que les mesures absolues, mais de nombreux résultats n’étaient pas concluants. La plupart des études ont adopté des cadres théoriques globaux, les méthodologies demeurant néanmoins semblables quelles que soient les approches théoriques choisies. L’IMC autodéclaré était une mesure courante et nous n’avons repéré ni base de données « de référence » sur les points de vente d’aliments ni consensus sur les meilleures façons de valider les données. Conclusion Si peu de données probantes étayaient un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et la qualité de l’alimentation, les preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et l’IMC dans la population canadienne se sont révélées plus solides. Il faudrait disposer d’études à grande portée géographique faisant appel à de nouvelles méthodes pour mesurer les résultats en matière d’alimentation et de santé et recourir à des mesures relatives de l’environnement alimentaire dérivées des systèmes d’information géographique. Il serait également utile d’établir un consensus sur ce qu’est une base de données de référence sur l’environnement alimentaire et sur la méthodologie associée à sa validation.

Introduction There is growing interest in the role of food environments in suboptimal diet and overweight and obesity. This review assesses the evidence for the link between the retail food environment, diet quality and body mass index (BMI) in the Canadian population. Methods We conducted a systematic keyword search in two bibliometric databases. We tabulated proportions of conclusive associations for each outcome and exposure of interest. Absolute and relative measures of exposure to the food environment were compared and theoretical framing of the associations noted. We assessed two key methodological issues identified a priori—measurement of BMI, and validation of the underlying retail food environment data. Results Seventeen studies were included in the review. There was little evidence of a food environment–diet quality relationship and modest evidence of a food environment–BMI relationship. Relative measures of the food environment were more often associated with an outcome in the expected direction than absolute measures, but many results were inconclusive. Most studies adopted ecological theoretical frameworks but methodologies were similar regardless of stated theoretical approaches. Self-reported BMI was common and there was no “gold standard” database of food outlets nor a consensus on best ways to validate the data. Conclusion There was limited evidence of a relationship between the food environment and diet quality, but stronger evidence of a relationship between the food environment and BMI for Canadians. Studies with broad geographic scope that adopt innovative methods to measure diet and health outcomes and use relative measures of the food environment derived in geographic information systems are warranted. Consensus on a gold standard food environment database and approaches to its validation would also advance the field.

Background Altering micro-scale features of neighborhood walkability (e.g., benches, sidewalks, and cues of social disorganization or crime) could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments that are conducive to active living. Traditionally, measuring the micro-scale environment has required researchers to perform observational audits. Technological advances have led to the development of virtual audits as alternatives to observational field audits with the enviable properties of cost-efficiency from elimination of travel time and increased safety for auditors. This study examined the reliability of the Virtual Systematic Tool for Evaluating Pedestrian Streetscapes (Virtual-STEPS), a Google Street View-based auditing tool specifically designed to remotely assess micro-scale characteristics of the built environment. Methods We created Virtual-STEPS, a tool with 40 items categorized into 6 domains (pedestrian infrastructure, traffic calming and streets, building characteristics, bicycling infrastructure, transit, and aesthetics). Items were selected based on their past abilities to predict active living and on their feasibility for a virtual auditing tool. Two raters performed virtual and field audits of street segments in Montreal neighborhoods stratified by the Walkscore that was used to determine the ‘walking-friendliness’ of a neighborhood. The reliability between virtual and field audits (n = 40), as well as inter-rater reliability (n = 60) were assessed using percent agreement, Cohen’s Kappa statistic, and the Intra-class Correlation Coefficient. Results Virtual audits and field audits (excluding travel time) took similar amounts of time to perform (9.8 versus 8.2 min). Percentage agreement between virtual and field audits, and for inter-rater agreement was 80% or more for the majority of items included in the Virtual-STEPS tool. There was high reliability between virtual and field audits with Kappa and ICC statistics indicating that 20 out of 40 (50.0%) items had almost perfect agreement and 13 (32.5%) items had substantial agreement. Inter-rater reliability was also high with 17 items (42.5%) with almost perfect agreement and 11 (27.5%) items with substantial agreement. Conclusions Virtual-STEPS is a reliable tool. Tools that measure the micro-scale environment are important because changing this environment could be a relatively cost-effective method of creating environments that are conducive to active living.

Zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) are composed of metal atoms connected with imidazole-like linkers, and these frameworks have potential for applications in molecular sieving, gas sequestration, and catalysis. In addition, these materials form true polymorphs with the same chemical composition but different topologies. In this paper, we present the results of low temperature heat capacity and inelastic neutron scattering studies of the sodalite (SOD) and diamondoid (dia) topologies of the popular zinc 2-methylimidazolate framework, Zn(MeIm)2. Molar heat capacities from 1.8 K to 300 K are presented, along with theoretical fits and the values of Cp,m°, Δ0TSm°, Δ0THm°, and Φm° calculated from those fits. The Gibbs energy of the transformation from SOD to dia is −(4.6 ± 2.2) kJ, and this transformation is primarily enthalpically driven. The results of this study are compared with previous measurements on the zinc 2-ethylimidazolate framework, Zn(EtIm)2. Inelastic neutron scattering measurements confirm the presence of low energy modes and suggest that the higher heat capacity of SOD at low temperatures is due to the dynamics of the methyl groups on the methylimidazolate linkers.

The purpose of this study was to examine for ethnocultural differences in how adherence to a variety of Asian American values predict differentiation of self in a sample of 371 Asian and 164 Caucasian college students and adults living in North America. As a part of a larger project, participants completed both the Asian American Values Scale-Multidimensional and the Differentiation of Self Revised scale to assess levels of adherence to cultural values and differentiation of self, respectively. Results indicated that there were significant differences between the two cultural groups in the relationship between adherence to Asian American values and differentiation of self. Regression results further supported the hypothesis that specific Asian American values accounted for significant amount of variance in differentiation of self in Asian college students and adults living in North America. Implications for theory, clinical practice, and future research are included.

Surface water can affect the properties of metal oxide nanoparticles. Investigations on several systems revealed that nanoparticles have different thermodynamic properties than their bulk counterparts due to adsorbed water on their surfaces. Some thermodynamically metastable phases of bulk metal oxides become stable when reduced to the nanoscale, partially due to interactions between high energy surfaces and surface water. Water adsorption microcalorimetry and high-temperature oxide melt solution calorimetry, low-temperature specific heat calorimetry, and inelastic neutron scattering are used to understand the interactions of surface water with metal oxide nanoparticles. Computational methods, such as molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations, have been used to study these interactions. Investigations on titania, cassiterite, and alumina illustrate the insights gained by these measurements. The energetics of water on metal oxide surfaces are different from those of either liquid water or hexagonal ice, and there is substantial variation in water interactions on different metal oxide surfaces.

Some studies suggest that residential surrounding greenness is associated with improved mental health. Few of these studies have focussed on middle-aged and older adults, explored the modifying effects of social determinants of health, or accounted for the extent to which individuals interact with their neighbourhood environments.We analysed cross-sectional data collected from 26,811 urban participants of the Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging who were between 45 and 86 years of age. Participants provided details on socioeconomic characteristics, health behaviours, and their frequency of neighbourhood interactions. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a measure of greenness, was assigned to participants' residential addresses at a buffer distance of 500 m. Four self-reported measures of mental health were considered: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D-10; short scale), past diagnosis of clinical depression, perceptions of mental health, and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). Regression models were used to describe associations between greenness and these outcomes, and spline models were fit to characterize the exposure-response function between greenness and CES-D-10 scores. Stratified analyses evaluated whether associations varied by sociodemographic status.In adjusted models, we observed a 5% (Odds Ratio (OR) = 0.95; 95% CI = 0.90, 0.99) reduced odds of depressive symptoms in relation to an interquartile range increase of NDVI (0.06) within a 500 m buffer of the participant's residence. Similarly, we found an inverse association with a self-reported clinical diagnosis of depression (OR = 0.97; 95% CI = 0.92-1.01). Increases in surrounding greenness were associated with improved perceptions of mental health, and the SWLS. Our spline analyses found that beneficial effects between greenness and the CES-D-10 were strongest among those of lower income.These findings suggest that residential greenness has mental health benefits, and that interventions to increase urban greenness can help reduce social inequalities in mental health.

Hospitals tend to be among the destinations that make densely populated, well-connected neighbourhoods more conducive to active living. In this study, we determined whether living near a hospital distorts the association between living in favourable ALEs and hospitalization for physical inactivity-related cardiometabolic diseases. We used a record linkage of 442,345 respondents of the Canadian Community Health Survey and their hospitalization records for cardiometabolic disease. We then assessed respondents' neighbourhoods using the Canadian Active Living Environments measure (Can-ALE), a measure based on ≥3-way intersection density, residential density, and points of interest. We then calculated the distance in kilometers between the centroids of respondents' assigned dissemination areas and the nearest user-contributed location for hospitals from OpenStreetMap. We monitored changes in estimates for the association between ALEs and odds of cardiometabolic disease hospitalization using a series of logistic regressions with indicator variables for distances to hospital of 500 meters to 10 kilometers. We found that living between 500 meters and six kilometers of a hospital and was associated with modestly higher odds of cardiometabolic hospitalization (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.18 for 500 meters; OR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.09 for six kilometers). Living in more favourable ALEs was associated with lower odds of hospitalization (OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.91; comparing the most favourable to least favourable ALEs). Effect estimates between more favourable ALEs and lower odds of hospitalization were marginally strengthened when living within 2-6 kilometers to a hospital was accounted for. This study demonstrates the importance of disentangling interrelated geographic factors and underlines the potential for built environments to elicit reductions in health care.

IntroductionNeighbourhoods have the potential to influence population-wide modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity. Built environments that encourage active living hold promise as a policy lever for reducing health care burden, particularly that related to cardiometabolic disease. Objectives and ApproachWe examined the role of active living environments on hospitalization risk, frequency, and cumulative length of stay for all-causes and cardiometabolic diseases. The linked dataset is a combination of survey data from Canadian respondents aged 45+, records from a national census of acute hospitalizations, and the Canadian Active Living Environment (Can-ALE) - a 5-class measure of how conducive one’s neighbourhood is to active living based on street connectivity, points of interest, and population density. We modelled the risk of all-cause and cardiometabolic hospitalizations for respondents living in more and less favourable environments using logistic regression. Frequency and cumulative length of stay were modelled using truncated negative binomial regression. Models were adjusted for individual-level factors and proximity to a hospital. An offset variable was included to account for different follow-up times. Results232,000 respondents were included with a mean follow-up time of 5.37 years. Those living in progressively more favourable active living environments (classes 2, 3, 4, and 5) exhibited incrementally lower risk of hospitalization compared to those living in the least favourable (class 1). Relative to respondents living in the least favourable environments (class 1), odds ratios were 0.84 (95% CI 0.76-0.93) for all-cause hospitalization and 0.80 (95% CI 0.68-0.93) for cardiometabolic hospitalization for respondents living in the most favourable environments (class 5). There was little evidence of similar associations for hospitalization frequency and cumulative length of stay. Conclusion / ImplicationsLiving in neighbourhoods that are more conducive to active living are associated with lower risk of all-cause and cardiometabolic hospitalization.

Introduction Hospital utilization varies across socioeconomic and demographic strata in Canada, a country with a universal health care system. Rates of adverse birth outcomes are known to differ among women of high and low socioeconomic status (SES), but less is known of the excess hospital burden related to SES over the course of childbirth across Canadian provinces. Objective To examine length of stay and risk of hospitalization surrounding delivery, relative to women's socio-demographic characteristics. Methods A population-based record linkage between the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) years 2005-2011 and the Discharge Abstract Database (DAD) allowed the tracking of hospital utilization for linked survey respondents between 2005 and 2011. Hourly length of stay for delivery, risk of readmission, and risk of admission prior to delivery was modeled by socio-demographic factors, controlling for other clinical and individual-level characteristics. Results There were 21,914 complete delivery records from 15,458 female CCHS respondents who agreed to link and share their information. Average length of stay (for both vaginal and Caesarian deliveries) dropped over the study period from 67.86 hours in 2005 to 59.37 hours in 2011. In multivariate analyses, women with the lowest income had on average, two-hour longer stays for vaginal delivery as compared to high-income women (IRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.00-1.08) and higher risk of admission prior to delivery (OR 1.43, CI 1.13-1.81). Low-income women, Aboriginal women and women living in rural areas were also at elevated risk for longer hospital stays and for hospital admission prior to delivery. There was no consistent socioeconomic patterning of hospital burden for Caesarian deliveries. Conclusion The length of hospital stays for childbirth has declined in Canada. Length of stay remains modestly longer, and risk of hospitalization in the perinatal period higher, for low income women, Aboriginal women and rural women. The absence of egregious income-related differences in hospital burden related to childbirth is reassuring for the equity goals of the Canadian health care system. The persistence of marginally longer, and in turn, costlier visits for low-income and Aboriginal women before and during delivery is, however, suggestive that resources targeted to the prenatal period might be highly cost-effective if they achieve population-wide reductions in length of stay and hospitalization in the perinatal period.

In Canada, students are increasingly reliant on motorized vehicles to commute to school, and few meet the recommended overall physical activity guidelines. Infrastructure and built environments around schools may promote active commuting to and from school, thereby increasing physical activity. To date, few Canadian studies have examined this research question.This study is a cross-sectional analysis of 11,006 students, aged 11-20, who participated in the 2016/2017 Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. The remote sensing-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), at a buffer of 500 m from the schools' locations, was used to characterize greenness, while the 2016 Canadian Active Living Environments (Can-ALE) measure was used for walkability. Students were asked about their mode of regular commuting to school, and to provide information on several socio-demographic variables. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to quantify associations between active commuting and greenness and the Can-ALE. The resulting odds ratios, and their 95% confidence intervals, were adjusted for a series of risk factors that were collected from the survey.Overall, 21% of students reported active commuting (biking or walking) to school, and this prevalence decreased with increasing age. Students whose schools had higher Can-ALE scores were more likely to be active commuters. Specifically, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of being an active commuter for schools in the highest quartile of the Can-ALE was 2.11 (95% CI = 1.64, 2.72) when compared with those in the lowest. For children, aged 11-14 years, who attended schools in high dwelling density areas, a higher odds of active commuting was observed among those in the upper quartile of greenness relative to the lowest (OR = 1.41; 95% CI = 0.92, 2.15). In contrast, for lower dwelling density areas, greenness was inversely associated with active commuting across all ages.Our findings suggest that students attending schools with higher Can-ALE scores are more likely to actively commute to school, and that positive impacts of greenness on active commuting are evident only in younger children in more densely populated areas. Future studies should collect more detailed data on residential measures of the built environment, safety, distance between home and school, and mixed modes of commuting behaviours.RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Au Canada, les élèves comptent de plus en plus sur les véhicules à moteur pour faire le trajet entre la maison et l’école, et ils sont peu nombreux à avoir des niveaux d’activité physique globaux conformes aux recommandations des lignes directrices. Les infrastructures et les milieux bâtis autour des écoles pourraient promouvoir les déplacements actifs entre la maison et l’école, faisant ainsi augmenter l’activité physique. Jusqu’à maintenant toutefois, très peu d’études canadiennes ont examiné cette question de recherche. MéTHODE: La présente étude est une analyse transversale de 11 006 élèves de 11 à 20 ans ayant participé au Sondage sur la consommation de drogues et la santé des élèves de l’Ontario en 2016-2017. L’indice de végétation par différence normalisée (IVDN) dérivé par télédétection, utilisé dans un rayon de 500 m des établissements scolaires, a servi à caractériser la verdure, et l’indice d’accessibilité à la vie active dans les milieux de vie au Canada (AVA-Can) a servi à caractériser la marchabilité. Les élèves ont répondu à une question sur leur mode de transport habituel pour se rendre à l’école et donné des informations sur plusieurs variables sociodémographiques. Des modèles de régression logistique multivariée ont servi à chiffrer les associations entre les déplacements actifs, la verdure et l’AVA-Can. Les rapports de cotes ainsi obtenus, et leurs intervalles de confiance de 95 %, ont été ajustés en fonction d’une série de facteurs de risque retracés dans l’enquête. RéSULTATS: Dans l’ensemble, 21 % des élèves ont dit utiliser un mode de déplacement actif (vélo ou marche) pour se rendre à l’école, et cette prévalence était inversement liée à l’âge. Les élèves dont les écoles avaient un indice Can-ALE élevé étaient plus susceptibles d’employer un mode de transport actif. Spécifiquement, le rapport de cotes (RC) ajusté pour le fait de se rendre à l’école par un mode de transport actif dans le quartile supérieur de l’indice Can-ALE était de 2,11 (IC de 95 % = 1,64, 2,72) comparativement au quartile inférieur. Pour les enfants (11 à 14 ans) fréquentant des écoles dans des zones à forte densité d’habitation, des probabilités plus élevées de déplacements actifs ont été observées chez ceux du quartile de verdure supérieur que chez ceux du quartile inférieur (RC = 1,41; IC de 95 % = 0,92, 2,15). Par contre, dans les zones à faible densité d’habitation, la verdure étaient inversement associée aux déplacements actifs, à tout âge. CONCLUSION: Nos constatations indiquent que les élèves fréquentant des écoles dont l’indice Can-ALE est élevé sont plus susceptibles d’utiliser un mode de déplacement actif pour se rendre à l’école, et que l’effet positif de la verdure n’est manifeste que chez les jeunes enfants, dans les zones urbaines densément peuplées. Les études futures devraient obtenir des données plus détaillées sur les indicateurs résidentiels du milieu bâti, la sécurité, la distance entre la maison et l’école et les modes de déplacement mixtes.

Local public health authorities often lack the capacity to adapt to climate change, despite being on the ‘front lines’ of climate impacts. Upper-level governments are well positioned to create an enabling environment for adaptation and build local public health authorities' capacity, yet adaptation literature has not specified how upper-level governments can build local-level adaptive capacity. In this paper we examine how federal and regional governments can contribute to enabling and supporting public health adaptation to climate change at the local level in federal systems. We outline the local level's self-assessed adaptive capacity for public health adaptation in Canadian and German comparative case studies, in terms of funding, knowledge and skills, organizations, and prioritization, drawing upon 30 semi-structured interviews. Based on interviewees' recommendations and complemented by scientific literature, we develop a set of practical measures that could enable or support local-level public health adaptation. We find that adaptive capacity varies widely between local public health authorities, but most report having insufficient funding and staff for adaptation activities. We propose 10 specific measures upper-level governments can take to build local public health authorities' capacity for adaptation, under the interrelated target areas of: building financial capital; developing and disseminating usable knowledge; collaborating and coordinating for shared knowledge; and claiming leadership. Federal and regional governments have an important role to play in enabling local-level public health adaptation, and have many instruments available to them to fulfill that role. Selecting and implementing measures to enable local public health authorities' adaptive capacity will require tailoring to, and consideration, of the local context and needs.

Metal-organic frameworks are a class of porous compounds with potential applications in molecular sieving, gas sequestration, and catalysis. One family of MOFs, zeolitic imidizolate frameworks (ZIFs), is of particular interest for carbon dioxide sequestration. We have previously reported the heat capacity of the sodalite topology of the zinc 2-methylimidazolate framework (ZIF-8), and in this Article we present the first low-temperature heat capacity measurements of ZIF-8 with various amounts of sorbed CO

Walking to and from public transport can form a seamless way to integrate physical activity into our daily lives, thereby helping us achieve the recommended minutes of physical activity. To measure...

Reported is the high-pressure structural and optical characterization of a chloroindium(III) hybrid perovskite consisting of isolated anionic [In2Cl10]4- dimers charge balanced by 4-iodopyridinium cations. No phase transitions were observed upon compression between 0 and 1.51 ​GPa. The metal-halide bond lengths of the dimers decrease slightly, resulting in reduced octahedral distortion of the InCl6 building blocks. The main mechanism of compression is between the anions and cations. Computational density functional theory (DFT) based natural bonding orbital (NBO) and density of state (DOS) methods were utilized to (i) map the band structure, (ii) quantify and categorize noncovalent interaction strength and type, and (iii) deconstruct metal-halide bonding orbitals. Findings reveal the appearance of a pressure induced hybridized molecular orbital containing both In3+ and Cl p-states, and slight enhancement of bridging In–Cl bonding as indicated by increased In3+ orbital character.

The bonded radius, r b(S), of the S atom, calculated for first- and second-row non-transition metal sulfide crystals and third-row transition metal sulfide molecules and crystals indicates that the radius of the sulfur atom is not fixed as traditionally assumed, but that it decreases systematically along the bond paths of the bonded atoms with decreasing bond length as observed in an earlier study of the bonded radius of the oxygen atom. When bonded to non-transition metal atoms, r b(S) decreases systematically with decreasing bond length from 1.68 A when the S atom is bonded to the electropositive VINa atom to 1.25 A when bonded to the more electronegative IVP atom. In the case of transition metal atoms, rb(S) likewise decreases with decreasing bond length from 1.82 A when bonded to Cu and to 1.12 A when bonded to Fe. As r b(S) is not fixed at a given value but varies substantially depending on the bond length and the field strength of the bonded atoms, it is apparent that sets of crystal and atomic sulfide atomic radii based on an assumed fixed radius for the sulfur atom are satisfactory in that they reproduce bond lengths, on the one hand, whereas on the other, they are unsatisfactory in that they fail to define the actual sizes of the bonded atoms determined in terms of the minima in the electron density between the atoms. As such, we urge that the crystal chemistry and the properties of sulfides be studied in terms of the bond lengths determined by adding the radii of either the atomic and crystal radii of the atoms but not in terms of existing sets of crystal and atomic radii. After all, the bond lengths were used to determine the radii that were experimentally determined, whereas the individual radii were determined on the basis of an assumed radius for the sulfur atom.

In the early twentieth century, then apostle David O. McKay instituted a movement within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church/Mormons) to unify church programs and curriculum and in order to bring those elements better under the control of priesthood leaders. This movement, called “correlation,” cemented institutional hierarchical priesthood structures in the church that produced modern Mormonism. The LDS Church defines priesthood as “the power and authority of God.” While the goal of correlation is to create a common understanding of church teaching and practice, scholar Greg Prince asserts that “priesthood… is generally misunderstood by both church members and outsiders.” This chapter explores the wide variety of ways in which church members do understand priesthood, depending on a number of factors which impact their beliefs.

There is growing interest in the role of food environments in suboptimal diet and overweight and obesity. This review assesses the evidence for the link between the retail food environment, diet quality and body mass index (BMI) in the Canadian population.We conducted a systematic keyword search in two bibliometric databases. We tabulated proportions of conclusive associations for each outcome and exposure of interest. Absolute and relative measures of exposure to the food environment were compared and theoretical framing of the associations noted. We assessed two key methodological issues identified a priori-measurement of BMI, and validation of the underlying retail food environment data.Seventeen studies were included in the review. There was little evidence of a food environment-diet quality relationship and modest evidence of a food environment-BMI relationship. Relative measures of the food environment were more often associated with an outcome in the expected direction than absolute measures, but many results were inconclusive. Most studies adopted ecological theoretical frameworks but methodologies were similar regardless of stated theoretical approaches. Self-reported BMI was common and there was no "gold standard" database of food outlets nor a consensus on best ways to validate the data.There was limited evidence of a relationship between the food environment and diet quality, but stronger evidence of a relationship between the food environment and BMI for Canadians. Studies with broad geographic scope that adopt innovative methods to measure diet and health outcomes and use relative measures of the food environment derived in geographic information systems are warranted. Consensus on a gold standard food environment database and approaches to its validation would also advance the field.On s’intéresse de plus en plus au rôle de l’environnement alimentaire dans l’alimentation sous-optimale, le surpoids et l’obésité. Cette revue analyse les données probantes sur le lien entre l’environnement de la vente alimentaire au détail, la qualité de l’alimentation et l’indice de masse corporelle (IMC) au sein de la population canadienne.Nous avons réalisé une recherche systématique par mot-clé dans deux bases de données bibliométriques. Nous avons calculé les proportions d’associations concluantes pour chaque résultat et exposition d’intérêt. Nous avons comparé les mesures absolues et relatives de l’exposition à l’environnement alimentaire et consigné le cadre théorique des associations. Nous avons examiné deux enjeux méthodologiques importants relevés a priori : la mesure de l’IMC et la validation des données sous-jacentes sur l’environnement de la vente alimentaire au détail.Dix-sept études ont été incluses dans cette revue. Nous avons relevé peu de preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et la qualité de l’alimentation, mais quelques preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et l’IMC. Les mesures relatives de l’environnement alimentaire étaient plus souvent associées à un résultat attendu que les mesures absolues, mais de nombreux résultats n’étaient pas concluants. La plupart des études ont adopté des cadres théoriques globaux, les méthodologies demeurant néanmoins semblables quelles que soient les approches théoriques choisies. L’IMC autodéclaré était une mesure courante et nous n’avons repéré ni base de données « de référence » sur les points de vente d’aliments ni consensus sur les meilleures façons de valider les données.Si peu de données probantes étayaient un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et la qualité de l’alimentation, les preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire et l’IMC dans la population canadienne se sont révélées plus solides. Il faudrait disposer d’études à grande portée géographique faisant appel à de nouvelles méthodes pour mesurer les résultats en matière d’alimentation et de santé et recourir à des mesures relatives de l’environnement alimentaire dérivées des systèmes d’information géographique. Il serait également utile d’établir un consensus sur ce qu’est une base de données de référence sur l’environnement alimentaire et sur la méthodologie associée à sa validation.Seventeen studies that investigated the food environment and its relationship to diet quality or body mass index in Canada met inclusion criteria for systematic review. There was little evidence of a relationship between the neighbourhood food environment and diet, possibly due to error and bias in diet quality measurement. There was modest evidence of a relationship between the neighbourhood food environment and body mass index. Relative measures perform better than absolute measures of food environment exposure. There is no consensus on a “gold standard” food outlet database nor on approaches to field validation of these databases.Dix-sept études portant sur l’envi-ronnement alimentaire et son lien avec la qualité de l’alimentation ou l’indice de masse corporelle au Canada satisfaisaient aux critères d’inclusion de la revue systématique. On a relevé peu de preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire de proximité et l’alimentation, possiblement en raison d’erreurs et de biais dans la mesure de la qualité alimentaire. On a relevé quelques preuves d’un lien entre l’environnement alimentaire de proximité et l’indice de masse corporelle. Les mesures relatives de l’exposition à l’environnement alimentaire donnent de meilleurs résultats que les mesures absolues. Il n’y a pas de consensus sur ce qu’est une base de données « de référence » sur les points de vente d’aliments ni sur les méthodes de validation d’une base de données de ce type sur le terrain.