Publications

toronto's health department in action: influenza in 1918 and sars in 2003.	this article compares the toronto health department's role in controlling the 1918 influenza epidemic with its activities during the sars outbreak in 2003 and concludes that local health departments are the foundation for successful disease containment, provided that there is effective coordination, communication, and capacity. in 1918, toronto's moh charles hastings was the acknowledged leader of efforts to contain the disease, care for the sick, and develop an effective vaccine, because neithe ...	2007	17035296
appropriate measures of influenza immunization program effectiveness.	groll and thomson's evaluation of the effectiveness of ontario's universal influenza immunization campaign used per capita cases of laboratory-confirmed influenza. we argue that these data are susceptible to various biases and should not be used as an outcome measure. laboratory data are traditionally used to identify the presence of influenza activity rather than to identify levels of influenza activity. a better measure of viral activity is the proportion of influenza tests positive; whereas t ...	2007	17052813
health services delivery: reframing policies for global nursing migration in north america--a canadian perspective.	a number of initiatives are currently under way to address the canadian nursing sector study's recommendations for integrated human resource planning, including some of the particular challenges posted by international nurse migration. this article identifies and discusses some of the initiatives currently being undertaken in ontario and elsewhere.	2006	17071698
pathologic analysis of 19 heart valves with silver-coated sewing rings.	the st. jude medical silzone (silzone) mechanical heart valve was voluntarily recalled (january 2000) due to an unusually high incidence of paravalvular leaks. we present the first series of human morphological data on the failure of these valves.	2006	17073948
in utero pesticide exposure and childhood morbidity.	in humans, immune development begins early in embryonic life and continues throughout the early postnatal period. although a number of pesticides have been observed to induce developmental immunotoxicity in mice, few human studies have examined the long term effects of in utero pesticide exposure on childhood morbidity. empirical evidence suggests that the vulnerable period for toxic insults to the developing immune system extends from early gestation to adolescence in humans and animals. using ...	2007	17084836
influenza outbreak in an ontario long-term care home--january 2005.		2006	17086678
human factors in action: getting "pumped" at a nursing usability laboratory.	we describe our experience with a nursing usability laboratory, where human factors design principles were applied to common nursing procedures. our first step was to develop a human factors usability checklist. we then used this checklist while observing 11 nurses completing two standardized tasks on a simulated patient: (1) programming an insulin infusion and (2) programming a heparin infusion. we found that a usability checklist can help to uncover systematic error-provoking conditions in nur ...	2006	17087172
the effects of cycle time on the physical demands of a repetitive pick-and-place task.	this study seeks to elucidate the effects of the cycle time of a pick-and-place task on muscle activity, grip force, posture, and perception-based measures (discomfort and difficulty). six healthy adults (3 males, 3 females) participated. a 4 x 2 repeated measures design was used with cycle time (1, 2, 5, and 10s) and grip (power and chuck) as independent variables. the task consists of repetitively picking a 0.7 kg part and placing it into a bin. a reduction in cycle time (ct) resulted in both ...	2007	17113031
three challenges to the ottawa spirit of health promotion, trends in global health, and disabled people.	health promotion according to the 1986 ottawa charter of the first global health promotion conference "is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. to reach a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment". in this commentary, i explore three powerful challenges to the spirit of the ottawa charter and to ...	2006	17120882
the sex ratio of older siblings in non-right-handed homosexual men.	this study tested the prediction, based on prior research, that non-right-handed homosexual men will report fewer than expected older brothers. participants were 2486 heterosexual and homosexual, right-handed and non-right-handed, male and female adults, representing five samples collected for various projects by the second author. data on sibship composition, sexual orientation, and hand-preference were gathered in the original research using on-line (internet) or self-administered paper-and-pe ...	2008	17131198
east-west symposium on nasopharyngeal cancer.	to achieve greater understanding of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, molecular oncology, diagnostic, and therapeutic aspects of nasopharyngeal cancer (npc), an international meeting was held in june 2005, toronto, canada.	2007	17141974
blastomycosis in a young african man presenting with a pleural effusion.	blastomyces dermatitidis is a dimorphic fungus endemic to north-western ontario, manitoba and some parts of the united states. the fungus is also endemic to parts of africa. pulmonary and extrapulmonary findings of a 24-year-old african man who presented with weight loss, dry cough and chronic pneumonia not resolving with antibiotic treatment are presented. the unusual occurrence of pulmonary blastomycosis associated with skin lesions and a moderate pleural effusion is reported.	2006	17149463
the business case for patient safety.	the leadership team at university health network describes why it decided to pursue a new information technology initiative to substantially reduce human and system errors and omissions associated with medication management.	2006	17163112
sex ratio of older siblings in heterosexual and homosexual, right-handed and non-right-handed men.	this study investigated why older brothers, which increase the odds of homosexuality in later-born males who are right-handed, have no effect or the opposite effect on later-born males who are non-right-handed. the specific question was whether the different results for the non-right-handed men have to do with the heterosexual non-right-handers or the homosexual non-right-handers. the human sex ratio at birth (106 males per 100 females) was used as a gold standard for determining which groups di ...	2008	17186124
regional, seasonal, and antimicrobial resistance distributions of salmonella typhimurium in canada: a multi-provincial study.	this study was conducted to describe the geographical and seasonal distributions of reported human salmonella typhimurium (st) definitive type 104 (dt104) cases, to compare these characteristics to those of non-dt1 04 cases, and to investigate specific antimicrobial resistance (amr) patterns in four canadian provinces.	2006	17203731
cryptosporidium spp. and other zoonotic enteric parasites in a sample of domestic dogs and cats in the niagara region of ontario.	to determine the prevalence of cryptosporidium spp. and other zoonotic enteric parasites in a sample of domestic dogs and cats in the niagara region, ontario, 5 of 26 clinics invited by mail survey reported their parasitological findings over 24 months. stool samples collected by 1 clinic over 68 days were investigated for parasites by using several techniques (fecal concentration, acid-fast staining, and a cryptosporidium immunoassay). the 5 clinics that provided data indicated toxocara spp. as ...	2006	17217087
the low seroprevalence of tick-transmitted agents of disease in dogs from southern ontario and quebec.	infectious diseases caused by pathogens transmitted by ticks and other insect vectors are an important cause of morbidity and mortality in both dogs and humans throughout north america. the purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of selected vector-transmitted pathogens in southern ontario and quebec. samples submitted to the vector borne disease diagnostic laboratory (vbddl) at the north carolina state university college of veterinary medicine were evaluated for antibodies to ...	2006	17217089
insulin receptor is an independent predictor of a favorable outcome in early stage breast cancer.	fasting insulin is related to outcome in early breast cancer. we evaluated the expression of insulin receptor (ir) and its prognostic significance in patients with early stage breast cancer. tumors from 191 patients with t1-3, n0-1, m0 breast cancer who were enrolled at a single center of a multicenter cohort study were used to construct microarrays with subsequent immunohistochemical evaluation of ir, igf-ir, er, pgr and her2/neu. correlation of biomarker expression with traditional prognostic ...	2007	17221153
alternative methods of estimating an incubation distribution: examples from severe acute respiratory syndrome.	accurate and precise estimates of the incubation distribution of novel, emerging infectious diseases are vital to inform public health policy and to parameterize mathematical models.	2007	17235210
a spatial analysis of the determinants of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in ontario (1992-2001).	previous research on the determinants of pneumonia and influenza has focused primarily on the role of individual level biological and behavioural risk factors resulting in partial explanations and largely curative approaches to reducing the disease burden. this study examines the geographic patterns of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations and the role that broad ecologic-level factors may have in determining them. we conducted a county level, retrospective, ecologic study of pneumonia and in ...	2007	17250939
laboratory-based vascular anastomosis training: a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effects of bench model fidelity and level of training on skill acquisition.	although there is growing evidence that practice on bench model simulators can improve the acquisition of technical skill in surgery, the degree to which these models have to approximate real-world conditions (model fidelity) to optimize learning is unclear. previous research suggests that low-fidelity models may be adequate for novice learners. the purpose of this study was to assess the effect of model fidelity and surgical expertise on the acquisition of vascular anastomosis skill.	2007	17264015
effects of backrest design on biomechanics and comfort during seated work.	the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of backrest configuration on seatpan and backrest pressure, spinal posture, and comfort. thirty volunteers (15 male, 15 female) typed a standardized text passage while seated at a computer workstation in five backrest configurations: chair only, chair with a supplementary backrest, and with each of three lumbar pad thicknesses. pressure, lumbar and cervical angles were collected during 15-min trials. subjective data were collected during each ...	2007	17275776
social contexts, syndemics, and infectious disease in northern aboriginal populations.	until the last half of the 20th century, infectious diseases dominated the health profile of northern north american aboriginal communities. research on the 1918 influenza pandemic exemplifies some of the ways in which the social context of european contact and ensuing economic developments affected the nature of infectious disease ecology as well as the frequency and severity of the problem. to understand these impacts it is necessary to consider the web of interactions among multiple pathogens ...	2007	17286253
what's behind the data: an examination of the processes and policies underlying the routine collection of clinical data in ontario hospitals.	this article surveyed the processes and policies underlying the routine collection of clinical data in acute care hospitals in ontario, canada. although there is evidence of a small shortfall in the availability of human resources, most health records departments employ experienced staff with health records certification. however, there is much more important variation in the documented and undocumented processes used to generate routinely collected clinical data. current guidelines and coding s ...	2006	17290809
fatal case of post-influenza, community-associated mrsa pneumonia in an ontario teenager with subsequent familial transmission.		2007	17352053
the impact of prophylaxis of healthcare workers on influenza pandemic burden.	several models have rationalized the use of antiviral drugs as an early control measure for delaying the progression and limiting the size of outbreaks during an influenza pandemic. however, the strategy for use of these drugs is still under debate. we evaluated the impact of prophylaxis of healthcare workers (hcws) through a mathematical model that considers attack rates in a range of 25-35% in the general population and 25-50% among hcws. simulations and uncertainty analysis using the demograp ...	2007	17360253
assessing sources of pm2.5 in cities influenced by regional transport.	the human health effects of fine particulate matter (pm2.5) have provided impetus for the establishment of new air quality standards or guidelines in many countries. this has led to the need for information on the main sources responsible for pm2.5. in urban locations being impacted by regional-scale transport, source-receptor relationships for pm2.5 are complex and require the application of multiple receptor-based analysis methods to gain a better understanding. this approach is being followed ...	2007	17365581
elimination of arctic variant rabies in red foxes, metropolitan toronto.	to control the arctic variant of rabies virus in red foxes, 332,257 bait doses containing live, attenuated evelyn-rokitnicki-abelseth rabies vaccine were distributed in greater metropolitan toronto during 1989-1999. human and pet contact with bait was minimal, and no adverse reactions to the vaccine were noted. significantly fewer rabid foxes were found during the 17 years after fox baiting (5 cases during 1990-2006) than in the 17 years before (96 cases during 1973-1989). the last report of a r ...	2007	17370512
supreme court affirms that ontario tribunal has power to consider human rights code.		2006	17373081
tsetse and other biting fly responses to nzi traps baited with octenol, phenols and acetone.	octenol (1-octen-3-ol), acetone, 4-methylphenol, 3-n-propylphenol, and other potential attractants (human urine, stable fly faeces), as well as guiacol, creosol (potential repellents), were tested as baits for biting flies in north america using standard phthalogen blue if3gm cotton nzi traps, or similar commercial polyester traps. baits were tested during the summers of 2001-04 at a residence in canada and during january-august 2001 at a dairy in the u.s.a. behaviour in the presence of octenol ...	2007	17373949
mlh1 -93g>a promoter polymorphism and the risk of microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancer.	although up to 30% of patients with colorectal cancer have a positive family history of colorectal neoplasia, few colorectal cancers can be explained by mutations in high-penetrance genes. we investigated whether polymorphisms in dna mismatch repair genes are associated with the risk of colorectal cancer.	2007	17374836
giving patients information on abnormal cytology and human papillomavirus: survey of health providers.	knowledge of the link between hpv and cervical cancer is low among women. health providers may be required to give information and counseling on hpv. this study surveyed health providers' comfort in counseling women about hpv.	2007	17375699
a qualitative examination of changing practice in canadian neonatal intensive care units.	the goal was to explore the perspectives of health care professionals on factors that influence change to policies, protocols and practices in the neonatal intensive care unit (nicu) with regard to nosocomial infection and chronic lung disease. study design an exploratory descriptive design using semi-structured individual and focus group interviews was used. individual interviews (n=76) and focus group sessions (n=14 with a total of 78 participants) were conducted for a total of 154 health prof ...	2007	17378877
the standardization of critical care nursing education and training: strategies for advancing clinical practice in ontario's adult icus.	in 2004/2005, the ontario ministry of health and long-term care (mohltc) launched a critical care transformation strategy with a goal to enhance service delivery through improved access, quality and system resource management. health human resources planning was seen as essential to the success of the strategy, particularly recruitment, education/training and retention of critical care nurses. a nursing task group was invited to articulate core competencies and practice standards that can be app ...	2007	17396479
genetic susceptibility to heart disease in canada: lessons from patients with familial hypercholesterolemia.	much of the recent progress in treating patients with heart disease due to narrowed coronary arteries has resulted from studying disease evolution in patients with rare monogenic forms of disease. for instance, autosomal dominant familial hypercholesterolemia (fh, mim (mendelian inheritance in man) 143890) typically results from heterozygous mutations in ldlr encoding the low-density lipoprotein (ldl) receptor. deficient ldlr activity results in elevated circulating ldl cholesterol, which accumu ...	2006	17426749
association between cyp3a4 genotype and risk of endometrial cancer following tamoxifen use.	tamoxifen is a selective estrogen receptor modulator that is used to treat and to prevent breast cancer; however, its use is associated with an increased risk of endometrial cancer. tamoxifen is metabolized by various cytochrome p450 (cyp) enzymes, but predominantly by cyp3a4. in this study, we examined whether a genetic variant of the cyp3a4 gene, cyp3a4*1b, influences endometrial cancer risk--alone and when associated with tamoxifen exposure. we conducted a case-control study on 566 endometria ...	2007	17434921
telehealth videoconferencing: improving home parenteral nutrition patient care to rural areas of ontario, canada.	telehealth videoconferencing is a medium for health care professionals to communicate and care for patients living in remote areas. the aim of this study was to provide a survey to examine management outcome of home parenteral nutrition (hpn) patients when followed by telehealth as an alternative modality of care.	2007	17463150
teamwork and healthy workplaces: strengthening the links for deliberation and action through research and policy.	the two lead articles for this issue by shamian and el-jardali and by clements, dault and priest provide an opportunity to consider how two agendas - teamwork in healthcare and the healthy workplace - can be strengthened to gain mutual advancement. both agendas are in the pan-canadian health human resource (hhr) strategic plan in canada and were also identified within the health council of canada's 2005 annual report. strong links have yet to be made related to the teamwork in healthcare agenda ...	2007	17479009
tracking host sources of cryptosporidium spp. in raw water for improved health risk assessment.	recent molecular evidence suggests that different species and/or genotypes of cryptosporidium display strong host specificity, altering our perceptions regarding the zoonotic potential of this parasite. molecular forensic profiling of the small-subunit rrna gene from oocysts enumerated on microscope slides by u.s. environmental protection agency method 1623 was used to identify the range and prevalence of cryptosporidium species and genotypes in the south nation watershed in ontario, canada. fou ...	2007	17483276
update on parathyroid hormone: new tests and new challenges for external quality assessment.	it is now 43 years since berson and yalow published the first radio-immunoassay (ria) for parathyroid hormone (pth) [s.a. berson, r.s. yalow, g.d. aurbach, j.t. potts, immunoassay of bovine and human parathyroid hormone. proc natl acad sci u s a 49 (1963) 613-617] [1]. since then, there have been marked advances in our understanding of this peptide hormone, its mechanism of action and biological regulation [j.t. potts, parathyroid hormone: past and present. j. endocrinol. 187 (2005) 311-325] [2] ...	2007	17493603
genetic and environmental contributions to population group differences on the raven's progressive matrices estimated from twins reared together and apart.	we carried out two studies to test the hypothesis that genetic and environmental influences explain population group differences in general mental ability just as they do individual differences within a group. we estimated the heritability and environmentality of scores on the diagrammatic puzzles of the raven's coloured and/or standard progressive matrices (cpm/spm) from two independent twin samples and correlated these estimates with group differences on the same items. in study 1, 199 pairs o ...	2007	17504738
referring patients to nurses: outcomes and evaluation of a nurse flexible sigmoidoscopy training program for colorectal cancer screening.	colorectal cancer is a significant health burden. several screening options exist that can detect colorectal cancer at an early stage, leading to a more favourable prognosis. however, despite years of knowledge on best practice, screening rates are still very low in canada, particularly in ontario. the present paper reports on efforts to increase the flexible sigmoidoscopy screening capacity in ontario by training nurses to perform this traditionally physician-performed procedure. drawing on ame ...	2007	17505566
the halifax disaster (1917): eye injuries and their care.	explosions, man-made and accidental, continue to require improved emergency medical responses. in the 1917 halifax explosion, an inordinate number of penetrating eye injuries occurred. a review of their treatment provides insight into a traumatic event with unique ophthalmological importance. archived personal and government documents relating to the halifax explosion were reviewed at the public archives of nova scotia, canada, along with a review of current literature. twelve ophthalmologists t ...	2007	17510478
a community-based approach to influenza assessment and treatment during a pandemic.	in the event of an influenza pandemic, hospitals and community-based health services will be overwhelmed. to ensure that life-saving health services are able to continue, the ontario health plan for an influenza pandemic (ohpip) provides direction for assessing and treating patients with influenza, remotely and through the implementation of alternate assessment, treatment and referral centres (flu centres). the ohpip also provides tools and resources for local pandemic planners to assist them wi ...	2007	17521067
influenza pandemic planning: one organization's experience.	this article highlights influenza pandemic planning by a geriatric facility in order to ensure preparedness for staff, clients and families. by describing our experience, we hope that other facilities that provide geriatric, long-term care services are able to advance their own pandemic plans.	2007	17521068
pandemic influenza planning for children and youth: who's looking out for our kids?	recent worldwide attention on influenza pandemics has mainly focused on planning and preparation. some published plans appear to have missed some unique considerations relevant to children and youth, leaving a serious and potentially devastating gap in our pandemic response. this paper highlights those unique considerations and encourages health administrators and policy-makers to rise to the challenge and demonstrate leadership by ensuring that all institutions consider children and youth in th ...	2007	17521069
does difference matter? diversity and human rights in a hospital workplace.	the urban hospital workplace is a dynamic environment that mirrors the cultural and social diversity of the modern city. this paper explores the literature relating to diversity in the workplace and then describes an urban canadian teaching hospital's comprehensive approach to the promotion of an equitable and inclusive diverse environment. with this goal, four years ago the hospital established an office of diversity and human rights staffed by a social worker. the office provides education, tr ...	2007	17548272
observation of practices at petting zoos and the potential impact on zoonotic disease transmission.	although petting zoos are common at public events and allow the public to interact with animals, there has been minimal evaluation of practices at petting zoos.	2007	17554694
establishing a comprehensive continuum from an evidentiary base to policy development for health technologies: the ontario experience.	the aim of this study was to describe a comprehensive continuum that has developed in ontario between government and key stakeholder groups, including hospitals, physicians, academic institutions, clinical epidemiologists, health economists, industry, and bioethicists to achieve evidence-based recommendations for policy development.	2007	17579931
human becoming and 80/20: an innovative professional development model for nurses.	the authors describe a study that evaluated implementation of a professional development model in which nurses spend 80% of their salaried time in direct patient care and 20% of their salaried time on professional development. the professional development time includes focused learning about patient-centered practice guided by the human becoming nursing theory. a qualitative descriptive preproject-process-postproject method and a longitudinal, repeated measures, descriptive-comparative method we ...	2007	17595405
germ-line dna copy number variation frequencies in a large north american population.	genomic copy number variation (cnv) is a recently identified form of global genetic variation in the human genome. the affymetrix genechip 100 and 500 k snp genotyping platforms were used to perform a large-scale population-based study of cnv frequency. we constructed a genomic map of 578 cnv regions, covering approximately 220 mb (7.3%) of the human genome, identifying 183 previously unknown intervals. copy number changes were observed to occur infrequently (<1%) in the majority (>93%) of these ...	2007	17638019
pathogen and indicator variability in a heavily impacted watershed.	water samples were collected from 36 locations within the grand river watershed, in southwestern ontario, canada from july 2002 to december 2003 and were analyzed for total coliforms, fecal coliforms, escherichia coli, escherichia coli o157:h7, and thermophilic campylobacter spp. a subset of samples was also analyzed for cryptosporidium spp., giardia spp., culturable human enteric viruses, and clostridium perfringens. storm and snowmelt events were sampled at two locations including a drinking w ...	2007	17674573
spring-harvested game birds from the western james bay region of northern ontario, canada: organochlorine concentrations in breast muscle.	although studies have assessed organochlorine concentration in breast tissue (pectoral muscle) of fall-harvested game birds in canada, data for spring-harvested game birds are limited, especially for remote sub-arctic areas. taking into account that most traditional aboriginal diets include a large number of spring-harvested game birds, there is a need to assess organochlorine concentration in spring-harvested water birds with respect to suitability for human consumption. we examined organochlor ...	2007	17675140
methodological issues in detecting gene-gene interactions in breast cancer susceptibility: a population-based study in ontario.	there is growing evidence that gene-gene interactions are ubiquitous in determining the susceptibility to common human diseases. the investigation of such gene-gene interactions presents new statistical challenges for studies with relatively small sample sizes as the number of potential interactions in the genome can be large. breast cancer provides a useful paradigm to study genetically complex diseases because commonly occurring single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) may additively or synergis ...	2007	17683639
association between elevated whole blood epstein-barr virus (ebv)-encoded rna ebv polymerase chain reaction and reduced incidence of acute lung allograft rejection.	accurate functional assessment of patient immunosuppression after solid-organ transplantation remains elusive. despite therapeutic serum immunosuppressive drug levels many lung transplant recipients still develop allograft rejection. we investigated the hypothesis that detection of latent epstein-barr virus (ebv) in peripheral blood may be a functional marker for the net effects of administered immunosuppression.	2007	17692789
prevalence of resistance to 11 antimicrobials among campylobacter coill isolated from pigs on 80 grower-finisher farms in ontario.	we carried out a cross-sectional study to investigate antimicrobial resistance patterns of campylobacter coli isolated from ontario grower-finisher pigs. from january to june 2004, 1200 samples were collected from 80 farms by obtaining a constant number (15) of fecal samples per farm. susceptibility of the isolates to 11 antimicrobial drugs was determined by the agar-dilution technique. the overall prevalence of resistance to 1 or more antimicrobials among the isolates was 99.2%. high levels of ...	2007	17695593
lead pellet ingestion and liver-lead concentrations in upland game birds from southern ontario, canada.	one-hundred twenty-three gizzards from upland game birds (chukar, alectoris chukar; and common pheasant, phasianus colchicus) harvested by hunters in southern ontario, canada, were examined for lead pellet ingestion by manual examination of gizzard contents and by radiography. lead pellets were found to be ingested by chukars (6/76; 8%) and the common pheasant (16/47; 34%). further, 13% (17/129) of the bird (wild turkey, meleagris gallopavo; hungarian partridge, perdix perdix; chukar; and common ...	2008	17763885
re: mlh1 93g>a promoter polymorphism and the risk of microsatellite-unstable colorectal cancer.		2007	17895478
attitudes toward hpv testing: interview findings from a random sample of women in ontario, canada.	as most women diagnosed with cervical carcinoma have been "inadequately screened," improvements in screening are critical. after abnormal pap test findings (through liquid-based cytology), residual specimens now can be tested simultaneously for oncogenic types of human papilloma virus (hpv). if these "reflex" hpv tests are negative, pap tests need not be repeated for 12 months. women with positive oncogenic hpv tests, however, can be referred immediately for colposcopy. there has been concern th ...	2007	17907007
limited genetic diversity in salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis pt13.	salmonella enterica serovar enteritidis has emerged as a significant foodborne pathogen throughout the world and is commonly characterized by phage typing. in canada phage types (pt) 4, 8 and 13 predominate and in 2005 a large foodborne pt13 outbreak occurred in the province of ontario. the ability to link strains during this outbreak was difficult due to the apparent clonality of pt13 isolates in canada, as there was a single dominant pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (pfge) profile amongst epid ...	2007	17908316
scala tympani cochleostomy ii: topography and histology.	to assess intracochlear trauma using two different round window-related cochleostomy techniques in human temporal bones.	2007	17909447
msh2 118t>c and msh6 159c>t promoter polymorphisms and the risk of colorectal cancer.	the most important indicator of colorectal cancer (crc) risk is the presence of family history of the disease. inherited genetic changes, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, in key candidate genes may contribute to crc risk. we investigated whether promoter polymorphisms in dna mismatch repair (mmr) genes msh2 and msh6 are associated with the risk of crc. we genotyped 929 crc patients and 1098 control subjects from ontario, and 467 patients and 344 controls from newfoundland and labrador, f ...	2007	17942459
international human rights for mentally ill persons: the ontario experience.	this article is part of a working project which assesses ontario's mental health legislation and practice vis-à-vis international human rights standards. the paper focuses on procedural safeguards provided by the major international human rights instruments in the field of mental health law such as the un principles for the protection of persons with mental illness (mi principles) and the european convention on human rights as interpreted by the european human rights court. in analysing ontario' ...	2007	17945346
a visual dashboard for moving health technologies from "lab to village".	new technologies are an important way of addressing global health challenges and human development. however, the road for new technologies from "lab to village" is neither simple nor straightforward. until recently, there has been no conceptual framework for analyzing and addressing the myriad forces and issues involved in moving health technologies from the lab to those who need them. recently, based on empirical research, we published such a model. in this paper, we focus on extending the mode ...	2007	17951216
poverty, human development, and the role of ehealth.		2007	17951217
health technology assessment in critical care.	heath technology assessments (htas) evaluate the benefits and costs of devices for monitoring and therapy (and their associated requirements for human resources) which contribute to the high expense associated with icu admission.	2007	17952404
modelling the evolution of drug resistance in the presence of antiviral drugs.	the emergence of drug resistance in treated populations and the transmission of drug resistant strains to newly infected individuals are important public health concerns in the prevention and control of infectious diseases such as hiv and influenza. mathematical modelling may help guide the design of treatment programs and also may help us better understand the potential benefits and limitations of prevention strategies.	2007	17953775
intra-urban variability of air pollution in windsor, ontario--measurement and modeling for human exposure assessment.	there are acknowledged difficulties in epidemiological studies to accurately assign exposure to air pollution for large populations, and large, long-term cohort studies have typically relied upon data from central monitoring stations. this approach has generally been adequate when populations span large areas or diverse cities. however, when the effects of intra-urban differences in exposure are being studied, the use of these existing central sites are likely to be inadequate for representing s ...	2008	17961539
prevalence and molecular characterization of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in dairy cattle in ontario, canada.	giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. are intestinal protozoan parasites that infect a wide range of host species, including humans. molecular characterization of these parasites has demonstrated that a number of genotypes and species are common to both humans and animals, and that zoonotic transmission may occur. numerous studies have reported a high prevalence of g. duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in cattle, particularly calves, and these animals are frequently associated with zoonot ...	2007	17964724
ontario courts award compensation for emotional distress associated with the loss of a pet.		2007	17966341
rehabilitation services after total joint replacement in ontario, canada: can 'prehabilitation' programs mediate an increasing demand?	total joint replacements (tjr) have emerged as a critical health policy issue. in particular, canadian demand for these surgeries is forecast to grow annually by 8.7% in the next decade. although the medical and surgical aspects of tjr have received considerable attention, very little research has explored the impact of increased tjr on the demand for rehabilitation services. in this study, we conducted seven focus group discussions across the province of ontario (canada) with multiple stakehold ...	2007	17975449
development and design of a dynamic armrest for hydraulic-actuation joystick controlled mobile machines.	standard armrests used in conjunction with joysticks of heavy mobile machinery have been proven to inadequately meet operator needs, resulting in excessive static loading of shoulder musculature. during joystick operation, the trajectory of the user's forearm is governed by the motion of the controller, which creates horizontal and vertical movement of the forearm. the vertical motion of the forearm in the forward and backward motion create postures that stationary armrests cannot support thereb ...	2008	17983610
effectiveness of participatory ergonomic interventions on health outcomes: a systematic review.	the objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of the literature on the effectiveness of participatory ergonomic (pe) interventions for improving workers' health. the search strategy targeted six electronic databases and identified 442 potential articles. each article was examined by pairs of reviewers for relevance (assessed a participative ergonomic workplace intervention, with at least one health outcome, published in english in peer reviewed literature). twenty-three articles ...	2008	17988646
jag1 expression is associated with a basal phenotype and recurrence in lymph node-negative breast cancer.	expression of the jag1 notch ligand has previously been shown to correlate with poor overall survival in women with advanced breast cancer. we undertook to test whether expression of jag1 is associated with reduced disease free survival (dfs) in 887 samples from a prospectively accrued lnn cohort with a median follow-up greater than 8 years. moderate to high jag1 mrna expression was associated with reduced dfs in univariate analysis (hazard ratio of 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-2.40; p = ...	2008	17990101
detection of stratospheric ozone intrusions by windprofiler radars.	stratospheric ozone attenuates harmful ultraviolet radiation and protects the earth's biosphere. ozone is also of fundamental importance for the chemistry of the lowermost part of the atmosphere, the troposphere. at ground level, ozone is an important by-product of anthropogenic pollution, damaging forests and crops, and negatively affecting human health. ozone is critical to the chemical and thermal balance of the troposphere because, via the formation of hydroxyl radicals, it controls the capa ...	2007	17994096
cultural and religious aspects of care in the intensive care unit within the context of patient-centred care.	on january 31, 2007, ontario's critical care strategy hosted a workshop for healthcare providers examining cultural and religious perspectives on patient care in the intensive care unit (icu). the workshop provided an opportunity for the ministry of health and long-term care (mohltc) to engage service providers and discuss important issues regarding cultural and religious perspectives affecting critical care service delivery in ontario. while a favourable response to the workshop was anticipated ...	2007	18019898
methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus colonization in pigs and pig farmers.	methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) colonization has recently been identified in pigs and people that work with pigs, raising concerns about the role of pigs as reservoirs of mrsa for human infection. the objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of mrsa colonization in pigs and pig farmers in ontario, canada and to characterize mrsa strains. nasal and rectal swabs were collected from 285 pigs from three different age groups from 20 pig farms. nasal swabs were colle ...	2008	18023542
safety is not negotiable: the importance of occupational health and safety to pandemic planning.	the 2003 outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or sars, generated a great deal of attention around the ability of canada's health system to respond to a health crisis. this event underscored a very serious reality--on the whole, canada's health system was not prepared to quickly and efficiently deal with a health emergency. this reality was particularly clear in canada's largest city, toronto, as the hospital system was not able to contain the outbreak. armed with little knowledge of th ...	2007	18030032
can an expanded and integrated occupational health service help buffer the impact of a global influenza outbreak in healthcare organizations?	at first glance, the accompanying article by silas et al. makes for a somewhat-curious read. the picture they paint of the possible risk of a global pandemic posed by the avian influenza virus h5n1 is indeed a chilling one, not only for the possible extent of the epidemic itself but also because of the likely burden it could place on an already thinly stretched healthcare workforce. it therefore raises a rather alarming contradiction. given our recent experience of living through the consequence ...	2007	18030035
trends in influenza vaccination in canada, 1996/1997 to 2005.	this article reports recent trends in influenza vaccination rates in canada, provides data on predictors of vaccination in canada for 2005, and examines longer-term effects of ontario's universal influenza immunization program on vaccine uptake.	2007	18074993
detection of dechlorane plus in residential indoor dust in the city of ottawa, canada.	dechlorane plus (dp), a flame retardant recently identified in the air and sediment of the great lakes region, has been detected in residential indoor dust in the city of ottawa, canada using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry under negative chemical ionization mode. dp was detected in all dust samples with a concentration range of 2.3 to 182 ng g(-1), except for one dust sample (5683 ng g(-1)) which was much higher. the levels of dp in indoor dust were several times higher than those in the s ...	2007	18075076
physician peer assessments for compliance with methadone maintenance treatment guidelines.	medical associations and licensing bodies face pressure to implement quality assurance programs, but evidence-based models are lacking. to improve the quality of methadone maintenance treatment (mmt), the college of physicians and surgeons of ontario, canada, conducts an innovative quality assurance program on the basis of peer assessments. using data from this program, we assessed physician compliance with mmt guidelines and determined whether physician factors (e.g., training, years of practic ...	2007	18085599
the circulating proangiogenic factors cyr61 (ccn1) and nov (ccn3) are significantly decreased in placentae and sera of preeclamptic patients.	it is thought that preeclampsia results from a shallow invasion of the extravillous trophoblast into the decidua and maternal vessels, which in turn leads to hypoxia and uteroplacental insufficiency. here, the authors focus on the expression of the proangiogenic secreted molecules cyr61 (ccn1) and nov (ccn3) in human placentae during normal pregnancy compared with preeclamptic placentae. cyr61 and nov are strongly expressed in endothelial cells as well as in the extravillous trophoblast, with in ...	2007	18089610
meeting review: options for the control of influenza vi.	a pandemic outbreak of viral influenza could occur if highly virulent zoonotic strains (such as avian h5n1) were to acquire the ability to transmit among humans. this possibility has increased concern, interest, and investigation in the influenza field. this heightened interest was reflected in the participation of numerous health officials, clinicians, and scientific investigators in the sixth conference on the options for the control of influenza held in toronto, ontario, canada from june 17-2 ...	2007	18158726
the prognostic significance of elongation factor eef1a2 in ovarian cancer.	to determine whether eukaryotic elongation factor 1 alpha 2 (eef1a2), a transforming gene previously shown to be highly expressed in primary human ovarian tumours, is a prognostic marker.	2008	18164751
association of the dopamine transporter gene and adhd symptoms in a canadian population-based sample of same-age twins.	attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (adhd) is the most prevalent psychiatric disorder emerging during childhood. psychostimulant medications (e.g., methylphenidate) noticeably reduce adhd symptoms in most children. since methylphenidate inhibits dopamine transporter activity, the dopamine transporter gene (dat1) was considered to be the prime candidate risk gene in adhd. several studies found evidence for an association between the 10-repeat allele of the variable number of tandem repeat (v ...	2008	18165969
antiviral therapy and outcomes of influenza requiring hospitalization in ontario, canada.	we conducted a prospective cohort study to assess the impact of antiviral therapy on outcomes of patients hospitalized with influenza in southern ontario, canada.	2007	18190317
prenatal hiv testing: women's experiences of informed consent in toronto, ontario.	all canadian jurisdictions have human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) testing programs requiring that clinicians discuss hiv testing with all pregnant women and seek their consent to be tested. our goal was to evaluate how the informed consent process was being carried out in ontario.	2008	18198063
practice and physician characteristics associated with influenza vaccination delivery rates following a patient reminder letter intervention.	as part of the "provider and patient reminders in ontario: multi-strategy prevention tools" demonstration project, the purpose of this study was to explore the practice and physician characteristics associated with influenza vaccination rates following a reminder letter intervention for patients 65 years of age and older. using a sample of 179 physicians, we estimated a multiple linear regression model to examine variables predictive of vaccination delivery rates. several provider characteristic ...	2008	18202918
molecular characterization of hepatitis e virus detected in swine farms in the province of quebec.	swine hepatitis e virus (hev) could be a zoonotic agent for hev infection in humans. in canada, approximately 60% of 6-mo-old commercial pigs are seropositive for hev; the prevalence is higher in the provinces of quebec and ontario. a study was set up to evaluate the presence of swine hev in quebec farms and to compare the strains detected in fecal samples with human and swine hev strains reported worldwide. fecal samples were collected randomly from may 2003 to january 2004 from 70 swine farms ...	2008	18214158
valuing care recipient and family caregiver time: a comparison of methods.	the purpose of this study is to compare the approaches used for valuing family caregiver and care recipient time devoted to providing and receiving care.	2008	18218169
seniors falls investigative methodology (sfim): a systems approach to the study of falls in seniors.	an in-depth understanding of human factors and human error is lacking in current research on seniors' falls. additional knowledge is needed to understand why seniors are falling. the purpose of this article is to describe the adapting of the integrated safety investigation methodology (isim) (used for investigating transportation and industrial accidents) to studying seniors' falls. an adapted version-the seniors falls investigative methodology (sfim)-uses a systems approach to take an investiga ...	2007	18238732
role of migratory birds in introduction and range expansion of ixodes scapularis ticks and of borrelia burgdorferi and anaplasma phagocytophilum in canada.	during the spring in 2005 and 2006, 39,095 northward-migrating land birds were captured at 12 bird observatories in eastern canada to investigate the role of migratory birds in northward range expansion of lyme borreliosis, human granulocytic anaplasmosis, and their tick vector, ixodes scapularis. the prevalence of birds carrying i. scapularis ticks (mostly nymphs) was 0.35% (95% confidence interval [ci] = 0.30 to 0.42), but a nested study by experienced observers suggested a more realistic infe ...	2008	18245258
impact of public vaccination programs on adult vaccination rates: two examples from ontario, canada.	this study examined adult vaccination rates in metropolitan toronto/peel region following the implementation of publicly funded adult pneumococcal and universal influenza vaccination programs in ontario. community-living adults eligible for pneumococcal vaccines were surveyed regarding vaccination rates, and factors potentially associated with vaccination. influenza vaccine rates increased over time, but only respondents 65 years of age and older met canadian targets. pneumococcal vaccine rates ...	2008	18272261
stress, burnout, and strategies for reducing them: what's the situation among canadian family physicians?	to ascertain canadian family physicians' levels of stress and burnout and the strategies they use to reduce these problems.	2008	18272641
identification and determination of hexachlorocyclopentadienyl-dibromocyclooctane (hcdbco) in residential indoor air and dust: a previously unreported halogenated flame retardant in the environment.	hexachlorocyclopentadienyl-dibromocyclooctane (hcdbco, cas 51936-55-1) has been detected in residential indoor air and indoor dust in ottawa, canada. the positive identification of the chemical was based on the interpretation of the mass spectra of the chemical obtained under both electron impact and negative chemical ionization operation modes, as well as through the synthesis of this chemical. this is the first report on the presence of hcdbco in the environment. although the levels of hcdbco ...	2008	18284135
chronic disease prevention and management: implications for health human resources in 2020.	through improved screening, detection, better and more targeted therapies and the uptake of evidence-based treatment guidelines, cancers are becoming chronic diseases. however, this good-news story has implications for human resource planning and resource allocation. population-based chronic disease management is a necessary approach to deal with the growing burden of chronic disease in canada. in this model, an interdisciplinary team works with and educates the patient to monitor symptoms, modi ...	2008	18326379
the effect of patients' sex on physicians' recommendations for total knee arthroplasty.	the underuse of total joint arthroplasty in appropriate candidates is more than 3 times greater among women than among men. when surveyed, physicians report that the patient's sex has no effect on their decision-making; however, what occurs in clinical practice may be different. the purpose of our study was to determine whether patients' sex affects physicians' decisions to refer a patient for, or to perform, total knee arthroplasty.	2008	18332383
cost comparisons of managing complex facial basal cell carcinoma: canadian study.	basal cell carcinoma (bcc) is the most common human malignancy and accounts for over 60,000 new cases of cancer in canada annually. although expensive to the health care system, no canadian studies have reported the costs involved in management. this study calculated the costs of managing high-risk bccs using radiotherapy (rt) and mohs micrographic surgery (mms).	2008	18346405
healthcare systems and organizations: implications for health human resources.	what will the healthcare system and healthcare organizations look like in the year 2020? what requirements will they have for health human resources? this article is organized in five brief sections, beginning with looking backward to look forward and proceeding through key trends, organizational evolution by sector and future health organizations and concluding with 10 implications for health human resources.	2008	18362525