Publications

beta-blockade restores muscle sympathetic rhythmicity in human heart failure.	background: muscle sympathetic nerve firing rate increases as chronic heart failure (chf) progresses, yet its oscillation, particularly within the frequency range encompassing 0.13hz, diminishes. the current study tested the hypothesis that chronic therapy with lipophilic β-adrenoceptor antagonists augments the modulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity variability (msnav) at this frequency range. methods and results: in 21 chf angiotensin converting enzyme (ace) inhibitor-treated patients ...	2011	21519151
modelling sediment-microbial dynamics in the south nation river, ontario, canada: towards the prediction of aquatic and human health risk.	runoff from agricultural watersheds can carry a number of agricultural pollutants and pathogens; often associated with the sediment fraction. deposition of this sediment can impact water quality and the ecology of the river, and the re-suspension of such sediment can become sources of contamination for reaches downstream. in this paper a modelling framework to predict sediment and associated microbial erosion, transport and deposition is proposed for the south nation river, ontario, canada. the ...	2011	21558043
estimating background rates of guillain-barre syndrome in ontario in order to respond to safety concerns during pandemic h1n1/09 immunization campaign.	abstract: background: the province of ontario, canada initiated mass immunization clinics with adjuvanted pandemic h1n1 influenza vaccine in october 2009. due to the campaign's scale, temporal associations with guillain-barre syndrome (gbs) and vaccination were expected. the objectives of this analysis were to estimate the number of background gbs cases expected to occur in the projected vaccinated population and to estimate the number of additional gbs cases which would be expected if an associ ...	2011	21586163
nocturnal hemodialysis is associated with restoration of early-outgrowth endothelial progenitor-like cell function.	summary background and objectives angiogenesis is a key response to tissue ischemia that may be impaired by uremia. although early-outgrowth endothelial progenitor-like cells promote angiogenesis in the setting of normal renal function, cells from uremic patients are dysfunctional. when compared with conventional hemodialysis, it was hypothesized that nocturnal hemodialysis would improve the in vivo angiogenic activity of these cells in a well described model of ischemic vascular disease. design ...	2011	21597025
on-farm study of human contact networks to document potential pathways for avian influenza transmission between commercial poultry farms in ontario, canada.	human movements associated with poultry farming create contact networks that might facilitate transmission of avian influenza (ai) between farms during outbreaks. in canada, no information is available about how these networks connect poultry farms. the purpose of this study was to document human contacts between commercial poultry farms in ontario, canada, to learn how ai might be transmitted during outbreaks. we used face-to-face interviews with people entering the farm biosecurity perimeter o ...	2011	21624106
nursing inputs and outcomes of hospital care: an empirical analysis of ontario's acute-care hospitals.	the authors analyze the association between intensity of nursing care (as measured by nursing hours per patient day), hospital bed days, and patient outcomes in acute-care hospitals in the province of ontario, canada, to determine whether higher levels of nursing inputs are associated with shorter lengths of stay (los) and, if so, whether these shorter los are achieved at the expense of health outcomes. after controlling for supply of nurses, workload, community characteristics, and hospital typ ...	2011	21661620
human maternal and umbilical cord blood concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers.	polybrominated diphenyl ethers (pbdes), widely used as flame retardants in commercial products, have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants. although adult human exposure to pbdes is well documented, developmental exposure is less well characterized. the objectives of this study were to measure maternal and fetal exposure to nine pbde congeners and to investigate potential associations with birth weight. pbde congeners were quantified in maternal serum at 24-28weeks of pregnancy, delivery, ...	2011	21663933
stakeholders' perceptions of programme sustainability: findings from a community-based fall prevention programme.	objectives: sustainability of health promotion and injury prevention programmes is a goal of practitioners and an increasingly common requirement of funding bodies. however, less is known about the views held by individual stakeholders involved in such programmes regarding their perceptions of facilitators and barriers to achieving sustainability. this paper aims to share the perceptions of programme sustainability held by key stakeholders involved in a community-based fall prevention programme ...	2011	21802700
evaluation of a clinical decision support tool for osteoporosis disease management: protocol for an interrupted time series design.	abstract: background: osteoporosis affects over 200 million people worldwide at a high cost to healthcare systems. although guidelines on assessing and managing osteoporosis are available, many patients are not receiving appropriate diagnostic testing or treatment. findings from a systematic review of osteoporosis interventions, a series of mixed-methods studies, and advice from experts in osteoporosis and human-factors engineering were used collectively to develop a multicomponent tool (targete ...	2011	21781318
h1n1 in pregnancy: a tertiary care centre experience.	objective: to elucidate factors pertinent to the course and outcome of h1n1 infection in pregnancy. methods: we conducted a retrospective chart review of h1n1-affected pregnant patients at mount sinai hospital in toronto, ontario. all women who tested positive for h1n1 from june 1, 2009, to december 5, 2009, were identified. records were reviewed to determine pregnancy status. information from clinic and hospital charts of pregnant patients was gathered using data collection forms previously app ...	2011	21749745
court of appeal reaffirms long-term income support for alcohol and drug dependence.	on 16 september 2010, the ontario court of appeal upheld a decision of the social benefits tribunal that found discriminatory the exclusion from long-term income support of people suffering from alcohol or drug dependency.	2011	21688710
unfractionated heparin for second trimester placental insufficiency: a pilot randomized trial.	summary.ôçé objective:ôçéto conduct a pilot randomized controlled trial of unfractionated heparin (ufh) in women considered at high risk of placental insufficiency in the second trimester. methods:ôçéwomen with either false-positive first trimester (pregnancy-associated placental protein-a [papp-a]ôçâ<ôçâ0.35ôçâmom) or second trimester (alpha-fetoprotein [afp]ôçâ>ôçâ2.0ôçâmom, inhibinôçâ>ôçâ3.0ôçâmom, human chorionic gonadotropinôçâ>ôçâ4.0ôçâmom) serum screening tests or medical/obstetric risk f ...	2011	21689371
detection and characterization of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. on swine farms in ontario, canada.	abstract as part of the c-enternet surveillance program of the public health agency of canada, 122 pooled swine manure samples from 10 farms in ontario, canada were collected and tested for giardia and cryptosporidium. giardia duodenalis cysts and cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were detected using immunofluorescence microscopy. nested-polymerase chain reaction protocols were performed to amplify the small subunit rrna gene and the +¦-giardin gene for g. duodenalis, and the small subunit rrna gene ...	2011	21675863
diagnostic accuracy of cystatin c-based egfr equations at different gfr levels in children.	the diagnostic accuracy of cystatin c estimated gfr (egfr) by various cystatin c equations have varied in different studies. we hypothesized that the gfr level of enrolled patients affects the diagnostic accuracy of a cystatin c equation.	2011	21700821
validation of case-finding algorithms derived from administrative data for identifying adults living with human immunodeficiency virus infection.	we sought to validate a case-finding algorithm for human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) infection using administrative health databases in ontario, canada.	2011	21738786
factors associated with initiation and completion of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine series in an ontario cohort of grade 8 girls.	abstract: background: although over a hundred million dollars have been invested in offering free quadrivalent human papillomavirus (hpv) vaccination to young girls in ontario, there continues to be very little information about its usage. in order to successfully guide future hpv vaccine programming, it is important to monitor hpv vaccine use and determine factors associated with use in this population. methods: linking administrative health and immunization databases, we conducted a population ...	2011	21838921
nurse dose: linking staffing variables to adverse patient outcomes.	inconsistent findings in more than 100 studies have made it difficult to explain how variation in nurse staffing affects patient outcomes. nurse dose, defined as the level of nurses required to provide patient care in hospital settings, draws on variables used in staffing studies to describe the influence of many staffing variables on outcomes.	2011	21691239
developing a strategic human resources plan for the urban angel.	in healthcare a significant portion of the budget is related to human resources. however, many healthcare organizations have yet to develop and implement a focused organizational strategy that ensures all human resources are managed in a way that best supports the successful achievement of corporate strategies.	2011	21841398
blood donor ban upheld.	on 8 september 2010, the ontario superior court rejected a claim that canadian blood services (cbs) is violating section 15 of the canadian charter of rights and freedoms (charter) by refusing blood donations from men who have had sex with other men (msm) since 1977. the case arose because cbs sued kyle freeman, a gay man, for lying about his sexuality on the screening questionnaire in order to give blood.	2011	21688712
antimicrobial resistance in campylobacter, salmonella, and escherichia coli isolated from retail grain-fed veal meat from southern ontario, canada.	this study estimated the prevalence of salmonella, campylobacter, and escherichia coli isolates in fresh retail grain-fed veal obtained in ontario, canada. the prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns were examined for points of public health significance. veal samples (n = 528) were collected from february 2003 through may 2004. twenty-one salmonella isolates were recovered from 18 (4%) of 438 samples and underwent antimicrobial susceptibility testing. resistance to one or more antimicr ...	2011	21819650
Litigating for change: proceedings from the 3rd Symposium on HIV, Law and Human Rights. Introduction.	From 9-10 June 2011, the 3rd Symposium on HIV, Law and Human Rights took place in Toronto, drawing over 150 participants from across Canada. The event built on the success of the two previous Symposia and brought together policymakers, legal professionals, health researchers, students, activists, community organizations and people living with HIV or from communities particularly affected by HIV.	2011	22165282
Municipal bylaw to reduce cosmetic/non-essential pesticide use on household lawns - a policy implementation evaluation.	Pesticide use on urban lawns and gardens contributes to environmental contamination and human exposure. Municipal policies to restrict use and educate households on viable alternatives deserve study. We describe the development and implementation of a cosmetic/non-essential pesticide bylaw by a municipal health department in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and assess changes in resident practices associated with bylaw implementation.	2011	21867501
group a streptococcus emm gene types in pharyngeal isolates, ontario, canada, 2002-2010.	group a streptococcus (gas) is a human-adapted pathogen that causes a variety of diseases, including pharyngitis and invasive infections. gas strains are categorized by variation in the nucleotide sequence of the gene (emm) that encodes the m protein. to identify the emm types of gas strains causing pharyngitis in ontario, canada, we sequenced the hypervariable region of the emm gene in 4,635 pharyngeal gas isolates collected during 2002-2010. the most prevalent emm types varied little from year ...	2011	22099088
Digby Leigh.	Digby Leigh was a pioneer of Canadian pediatric anesthesia. He was an outstanding man - once met, never forgotten. My only contact with him was at the First Paediatric Anaesthesia Workshop at HSC in Toronto organized by Alan Conn in 1964. He chaired a panel with Jackson Rees from Liverpool and Bob Cope, a gentlemanly senior anesthetist at the Hospital for Sick Children, Great Ormond Street in London. The introduction was followed by 'We are all enemies,' a sure start for a vigorous debate. Digby ...	2011	21917056
Some bitter-sweet reflections on the Ottawa Charter commemoration cake: a personal discourse from an Ottawa rocker.	The Ottawa Charter both gave health promotion a solid framework and health promoters an identity. Yet, health promotion has far from reached its potential in being internalized in public health politics. Advocacy for health is one of the core missions for health promotion and the 25-year celebration of the Ottawa Charter offers a free ride, instead of being a missed opportunity. WHO has not met the expectations in taking advantage of the momentum and outcomes from the long series of global healt ...	2011	22080070
from evidence and principle to policy and practice: proceedings from the 2nd annual symposium on hiv, law and human rights.	from 10-12 june 2010, the 2nd symposium on hiv, law and human rights took place in toronto and drew close to 200 participants from canada and some international guests. the event built on the success of the inaugural symposium in 2009, bringing together researchers, community-based organizations and members, lawyers, policy-makers, students in various disciplines and others in pursuit of evidence- and human rights-based public policies relating to hiv prevention and treatment.	2010	21413637
the better beginnings, better futures project: findings from grade 3 to grade 9.	although comprehensive and ecological approaches to early childhood prevention are commonly advocated, there are few examples of long-term follow-up of such programs. in this monograph, we investigate the medium- and long-term effects of an ecological, community-based prevention project for primary school children and families living in three economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in ontario, canada. the better beginnings, better futures (bbbf) project is one of the most ambitious canadian res ...	2010	21198651
least-cost transportation networks predict spatial interaction of invasion vectors.	human-mediated dispersal among aquatic ecosystems often results in biotic transfer between drainage basins. such activities may circumvent biogeographic factors, with considerable ecological, evolutionary, and economic implications. however, the efficacy of predictions concerning community changes following inter-basin movements are limited, often because the dispersal mechanism is poorly understood (e.g., quantified only partially). to date, spatial-interaction models that predict the movement ...	2010	21265458
automated mortality surveillance in south-eastern ontario for pandemic influenza preparedness.	the recent canadian experience with pandemic h1n1 (ph1n1) influenza in 2009 highlighted the need for enhanced surveillance at local and regional levels to support evidence-based decision making by physicians and public health. we describe the rationale, methodology, and provide preliminary findings from the implementation of an automated mortality surveillance system (mss) in the kingston, frontenac and lennox & addington (kfl&a) health unit.	2010	21370781
from places to flows. international secondary migration and birth outcomes.	research on the health status of international migrants to industrialised countries in general, and on perinatal outcomes in particular, has assumed an interpretative model based on primary migration, characterised by one permanent cross-border movement from the migrant's country of birth. however, many migrants experience more complex migration patterns that may also be associated with human health. secondary migration, defined as a migration from a country of residence other than the country w ...	2010	20850920
the long-term effects of water fluoridation on the human skeleton.	municipal water fluoridation has notably reduced the incidence of dental caries and is widely considered a public health success. however, ingested fluoride is sequestered into bone, as well as teeth, and data on the long-term effect of exposure to these very low doses of fluoride remain inconclusive. epidemiological studies suggest that effects of fluoride on bone are minimal. we hypothesized that the direct measurement of bone tissue from individuals residing in municipalities with and without ...	2010	20858781
pathologic assessment of radiofrequency ablation of pulmonary metastases.	to evaluate pathologically the effectiveness of radiofrequency (rf) ablation in the treatment of pulmonary metastases.	2010	20884239
impact of maternal metabolic abnormalities in pregnancy on human milk and subsequent infant metabolic development: methodology and design.	childhood obesity is on the rise and is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes later in life. recent evidence indicates that abnormalities that increase risk for diabetes may be initiated early in infancy. since the offspring of women with diabetes have an increased long-term risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, the impact of maternal metabolic abnormalities on early nutrition and infant metabolic trajectories is of considerable interest. human breast milk, the preferred food during infancy, c ...	2010	20925937
severe human rhinovirus outbreak associated with fatalities in a long-term care facility in ontario, canada.		2010	20929481
context counts: training health workers in and for rural and remote areas.	access to well trained and motivated health workers is the major rural health issue. without local access, it is unlikely that people in rural and remote communities will be able to achieve the millennium development goals. studies in many countries have shown that the three factors most strongly associated with entering rural practice are: (i) a rural background; (ii) positive clinical and educational experiences in rural settings as part of undergraduate medical education; and (iii) targeted t ...	2010	20931063
cigarette smoking, genetic variants in carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, and colorectal cancer risk.	the risk of colorectal cancer associated with smoking is unclear and may be influenced by genetic variation in enzymes that metabolize cigarette carcinogens. the authors examined the colorectal cancer risk associated with smoking and 26 variants in carcinogen metabolism genes in 1,174 colorectal cancer cases and 1,293 population-based controls recruited in canada by the ontario familial colorectal cancer registry from 1997 to 2001. adjusted odds ratios were calculated by multivariable logistic r ...	2010	20937634
genome-wide association analysis identifies three psoriasis susceptibility loci.	we carried out a meta-analysis of two recent psoriasis genome-wide association studies with a combined discovery sample of 1,831 affected individuals (cases) and 2,546 controls. one hundred and two loci selected based on p value rankings were followed up in a three-stage replication study including 4,064 cases and 4,685 controls from michigan, toronto, newfoundland and germany. in the combined meta-analysis, we identified three new susceptibility loci, including one at nos2 (rs4795067, combined ...	2010	20953189
hyperfiltration affects accuracy of creatinine egfr measurement.	surrogate markers such as creatinine, cystatin c (cysc), and beta trace protein (btp) have been used to estimate gfr (egfr). the accuracy of egfr may be altered with hyperfiltration and differences in filtration fraction (ff). it is hypothesized that the accuracy of creatinine for egfr may be affected by hyperfiltration and different effective renal plasma flow (erpf).	2010	20966120
the potential for zoonotic transmission of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. from beef and dairy cattle in ontario, canada.	the objective of this study was to compare the occurrence and the genotypes and species of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in beef and dairy cattle from farms in the regional municipality of waterloo, ontario, in an effort to determine the potential for zoonotic transmission from these animals. pooled manure samples were collected from 45 dairy cattle farms and 30 beef cattle farms. the presence of giardia cysts and cryptosporidium oocysts was determined by immunofluorescence microsc ...	2010	20971563
the quality of life and health utility burden of recurrent respiratory papillomatosis in children.	in this study we 1) measured the impact of juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis on health-related quality of life, voice-related quality of life, and family psychosocial well-being; and 2) compared these different measures, exploring their intercorrelation and their correlation with clinical disease severity.	2010	20974340
transmission of influenza a pandemic (h1n1) 2009 virus in a long-term care facility in ontario, canada.		2010	21029007
communication errors in dispatch of air medical transport.	communication errors are a source of preventable medical errors. in high-risk health care settings, identifying the source and addressing root causes can reduce error and improve patient safety. while air medical transport is a high-risk setting, its sources and rates of error have been investigated only within the last several years.	2010	21034233
co-creating a psychiatric resident program with ethiopians, for ethiopians, in ethiopia: the toronto addis ababa psychiatry project (taapp).	globalization in medical education often means a "brain drain" of desperately needed health professionals from low- to high-income countries. despite the best intentions, partnerships that simply transport students to western medical schools for training have shockingly low return rates. ethiopia, for example, has sent hundreds of physicians abroad for specialty training over the past 30 years, the vast majority of whom have not returned. this represents a highly problematic net transfer of fina ...	2010	21041465
influenza vaccination and all-cause mortality in community-dwelling elderly in ontario, canada, a cohort study.	the objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of influenza vaccines in reducing all-cause mortality among community-dwelling elderly. we included 25,922 ontario residents over age 65 who responded to population health surveys. after full adjustment, influenza vaccination was associated with a statistically significant reduction in all-cause mortality during influenza seasons (hazard ratio (hr)=0.61; 95% ci 0.47-0.79). contrary to expectations, statistically significant associatio ...	2010	21044667
clostridium difficile in vegetables, canada.	clostridium difficile is an important gastrointestinal pathogen of humans and animals. it has been isolated from various foods, including meat and ready-to-eat salads, and concern has been expressed regarding food as a possible source of human c. difficile infection (cdi).	2010	21069911
canadian integrated program for antimicrobial resistance surveillance (cipars) farm program: results from finisher pig surveillance.	in 2006, the canadian integrated program for antimicrobial resistance surveillance (cipars) farm program was implemented in sentinel grower-finisher swine herds in québec, ontario, manitoba, saskatchewan and alberta. herds were visited 1-3 times annually. faecal samples were collected from pens of close-to-market (ctm) weight (>80 kg) pigs and antimicrobial use (amu) data were collected via questionnaires. samples were cultured for generic escherichia coli and salmonella and tested for antimicro ...	2010	21083820
distribution of selected virulence genes and antibiotic resistance in enterococcus species isolated from the south nation river drainage basin, ontario, canada.	isolate and characterize water enterococci from the south nation river drainage basin, an area dominated by agriculture.	2010	21091592
the relationship between temperature and ambulance response calls for heat-related illness in toronto, ontario, 2005.	background concern over the adverse effects of heat on human health has led to numerous studies assessing the relationship between heat and mortality. few studies have quantified the impact of heat on morbidity, including ambulance response calls. this study describes the association between temperature and ambulance response calls for heat-related illness (hri) in toronto, ontario, canada during the summer of 2005. methods data sources included daily temperature, relative humidity and humidex i ...	2010	21097937
respiratory virus infection and risk of invasive meningococcal disease in central ontario, canada.	in temperate climates, invasive meningococcal disease (imd) incidence tends to coincide with or closely follow peak incidence of influenza virus infection; at a seasonal level, increased influenza activity frequently correlates with increased seasonal risk of imd.	2010	21103353
cystatin c reduction ratio depends on normalized blood liters processed and fluid removal during hemodialysis.	a negative correlation between the weekly standard kt/v (urea) and serum cystatin c level (cysc) in functionally anephric dialysis patients has been previously demonstrated. our objective was to measure the per dialysis cysc reduction ratio (ccrr) and to compare it with other indices of dialytic functions.	2010	21115625
escherichia coli and selected veterinary and zoonotic pathogens isolated from environmental sites in companion animal veterinary hospitals in southern ontario.	hospital-based infection control in veterinary medicine is emerging and the role of the environment in hospital-acquired infections (hai) in veterinary hospitals is largely unknown. this study was initiated to determine the recovery of escherichia coli and selected veterinary and zoonotic pathogens from the environments of 101 community veterinary hospitals. the proportion of hospitals with positive environmental swabs were: e. coli--92%, clostridium difficile--58%, methicillin-resistant staphyl ...	2010	21119862
antimicrobial resistance in generic escherichia coli isolates from wild small mammals living in swine farm, residential, landfill, and natural environments in southern ontario, canada.	to assess the impacts of different types of human activity on the development of resistant bacteria in the feces of wild small mammals, we compared the prevalences and patterns of antimicrobial resistance and resistance genes in generic escherichia coli and salmonella enterica isolates from fecal samples collected from wild small mammals living in four environments: swine farms, residential areas, landfills, and natural habitats. resistance to antimicrobials was observed in e. coli isolates from ...	2010	21131524
pneumomediastinum and subcutaneous emphysema associated with pandemic (h1n1) influenza in three children.		2010	21135087
cytotoxic and proinflammatory effects of ambient and source-related particulate matter (pm) in relation to the production of reactive oxygen species (ros) and cytokine adsorption by particles.	the composition of airborne particulate matter (pm) varies widely depending on its source, and recent studies have suggested that particle-associated adverse health effects are related to particle composition. the objective of this study was to compare the biological/toxicological effects of different source-related pm. specifically, we investigated the biological/toxicological effects of standard reference materials (srms): non-ferrous dust (pd-1, industrial), urban pm (upm, srm1648a), and dies ...	2010	21142797
factorial analysis of trihalomethanes formation in drinking water.	disinfection of drinking water reduces pathogenic infection, but may pose risks to human health through the formation of disinfection byproducts. the effects of different factors on the formation of trihalomethanes were investigated using a statistically designed experimental program, and a predictive model for trihalomethanes formation was developed. synthetic water samples with different factor levels were produced, and trihalomethanes concentrations were measured. a replicated fractional fact ...	2010	20572463
cost effectiveness of insulin glargine plus oral antidiabetes drugs compared with premixed insulin alone in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in canada.	several treatment options are available for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who are making the transition from oral antidiabetes drugs (oads) to insulin. two options currently recommended by the canadian diabetes association for initiating insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes who are no longer responsive to oads alone are insulin glargine plus oads, and premixed insulin therapy only. because of differences in efficacy, adverse events (such as hypoglycaemia) and acquisition cos ...	2010	20578781
outside looking in: the lived experience of adults with prematurely born siblings.	siblings have unique relationships; however, not all sibling relationships are typical. in north america, the preterm birth rate ranks second only to africa in a global climate of rising preterm birth rates. a paucity of literature exists for sibling relationships when one sibling is born prematurely. in this hermeneutic phenomenological study, we explored the lived experience of adult siblings with prematurely born, young adult brothers and sisters who subsequently developed disabilities. the 2 ...	2010	20581076
determining rates of hepatitis c in a clozapine treated cohort.	to determine the prevalence rates of hepatitis c in patients with schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder being treated with clozapine.	2010	20605572
knowledge and attitudes toward food safety and use of good production practices among canadian broiler chicken producers.	provincial broiler-chicken marketing boards in canada have recently implemented an on-farm food safety program called safe, safer, safest. the purpose of this study was to measure broiler chicken producers' attitudes toward the program and food safety topics and use of highly recommended good production practices (gpp). mailed and web-based questionnaires were administered to all producers registered in british columbia, ontario, and quebec in 2008. the response percentage was 33.2% (642 of 1,93 ...	2010	20615340
prevalence and antimicrobial resistance in campylobacter spp. isolated from retail chicken in two health units in ontario.	campylobacter is an important enteric pathogen of humans and can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain. campylobacter infections have frequently been associated with the handling and consumption of raw and undercooked poultry. antimicrobial resistance among campylobacter strains is of concern in the treatment of campylobacteriosis in vulnerable populations. a 2-year multidisciplinary study was conducted in the perth and wellington-dufferin-guelph public health units in ontario, canada, to in ...	2010	20615345
8th hupo world congress: the human disease glycomics/proteomics initiative (hgpi) session 26 september 2009, toronto, canada.	the human disease glycomics/proteomics initiative (hgpi) session at the hupo world congress was held in toronto on 26 september 2009. in this report, we summarize the presentation of the hgpi workshop as follows: (i) the results of the past hgpi pilot studies (first and second) in which we analyzed n- and o-linked glycans using standard glycoproteins (i.e. first: n-linked glycan analysis of transferrin and igg; second: o-linked glycan analysis of iga). (ii) the recent progresses of the current h ...	2010	20623475
prevalence of dietitian burnout.	burnout is the result of unmanaged stress that has been shown to affect those working in the healthcare professions. although much research has been conducted on burnout among nurses, physicians and other health professionals, there is limited documentation on the phenomenon among dietitians. the purpose of this study was to establish the prevalence of burnout among dietitians in ontario, canada, determine the demographic variables associated with burnout, and compare these results with burnout ...	2010	20642639
is a mass immunization program for pandemic (h1n1) 2009 good value for money? evidence from the canadian experience.	in response to the pandemic h1n1 influenza 2009 outbreak, many jurisdictions undertook mass immunization programs that were among the largest in recent history. the objective of this study was to determine the cost-effectiveness of the mass h1n1 immunization program in ontario, canada's most populous province (population 13,000,000). this analysis suggests that a mass immunization program as carried out in ontario and many other high-income health care systems in response to h1n1 2009 was effect ...	2010	20643091
predictors of universal influenza vaccination uptake in grades 1 and 2 toronto school children: effective vaccination strategies should not end with at risk children.	the first population-based survey to determine predictors of influenza vaccination among children in a major metropolitan city with access to publicly funded health care and a universal influenza immunization program (uiip). previously collected demographic and health related data from 5619 school children aged 5-9 in toronto, in 2006 were used to predict influenza vaccination. vaccination was more likely in children with current asthma (or 1.44, 95%cl 1.19-1.75), a high volume of contacts with ...	2010	20655400
use of intravenous immune globulin in the icu: a retrospective review of prescribing practices and patient outcomes.	intravenous immune globulin (ivig) is a pooled human blood product. much of ivig use in canada is prescribed for 'unlabelled' or 'off-label' indications. due to costs, risk of use and limited supply, knowledge about the use of ivig is important. we collected data regarding the usage of ivig and outcomes of patients receiving ivig in the intensive care units (icus) of two community and three academic hospitals.	2010	20663105
interlaboratory variation in heparin monitoring: lessons from the quality management program of ontario coagulation surveys.	unfractionated heparin (ufh) monitoring is subject to substantial interlaboratory variation. we analysed results of annual coagulation surveys administered by the quality management program - laboratory services (toronto, on, canada) from 2003 to 2007 to evaluate variation in ufh monitoring across ontario. participating laboratories performed an activated partial thromboplastin time (aptt) utilising their local methodology on lyophilised human plasma spiked with ufh. in the 2006 and 2007 surveys ...	2010	20664895
gene dosage of the common variant 9p21 predicts severity of coronary artery disease.	the purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that 9p21 gene dosage determines the severity of coronary artery disease (cad).	2010	20670758
the 9p21 locus and coronary heart disease: initiator, promoter, or precipitator?		2010	20670759
longitudinal investigation of clostridium difficile shedding in piglets.	a longitudinal study of clostridium difficile colonization in piglets was performed on a conventional swine farm in ontario, canada. fecal samples were collected from 10 sows prior to their expected farrowing date, and then from all their piglets on days 2, 7, 30, 44 and 62 of life. c. difficile was isolated from 4/10 (40%) of sows prior to farrowing, 90/121 (74%) piglets on day 2, 66/117 (56%) on day 7, 45/113 (40%) on day 30, 23/101 (23%) on day 44 and 2/54 (3.7%) on day 62. there was a signif ...	2010	20708700
seasonal influenza and vaccination coverage.	seasonal influenza represents a considerable public health burden, and annual vaccination represents the most effective preventive strategy for amelioration of this problem. certain groups are at greatest risk, such as the young, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with chronic underlying medical conditions: the high-risk groups. traditionally, annual vaccination has been targeted to people classified as being at high risk, particularly the elderly, but in recent years, there has been a broad ...	2010	20713259
neonates investigated for influenza-like illness during the outbreak of pandemic h1n1 2009: trivial infections but major triage implications.	we report eight cases of neonates (from birth to 25 days) admitted to the neonatal service of a teaching hospital with influenza-like illness during the outbreak of pandemic h1n1 2009, and discuss their management and infection control issues. empirical antibiotics were often promptly initiated and timely stopped when sepsis was ruled out. also, there was no pandemic h1n1-09 but influenza a (h3n2, n = 1), parainfluenza (type 3, n = 3) and respiratory syncytial virus (n = 1) have been isolated. t ...	2010	20814838
tp53 alterations determine clinical subgroups and survival of patients with choroid plexus tumors.	purpose choroid plexus carcinomas are pediatric tumors with poor survival rates and a strong, but poorly understood, association with li-fraumeni syndrome (lfs). currently, with lack of biologic predictors, most children are treated with aggressive chemoradiation protocols. patients and methods we established a multi-institutional tissue and clinical database, which enabled the analysis of specific alterations of the tp53 tumor suppressor and its modifiers in choroid plexus tumors (cpts). we con ...	2010	20308654
attitudes of canadian dairy farmers toward a voluntary johne's disease control program.	the success of johne's disease (jd) control programs based on risk assessment (ra) depends on producers' compliance with suggested management practices. one objective of this study was to describe the perception of participating canadian dairy farmers of the impact of jd, the ra process, and suggested management strategies. the second objective was to describe the cost of changes in management practices following the ra. a telephone survey was conducted with 238 dairy farmers in ontario, manitob ...	2010	20338426
pandemic (h1n1) 2009 risk for nurses after trivalent vaccination.		2010	20350398
impacts of adjacent land use and isolation on marsh bird communities.	over the next half century the human population is expected to grow rapidly, resulting in the conversion of rural areas into cities. wetlands in these regions are therefore under threat, even though they have important ecosystem services and functions. many obligate marsh-nesting birds in north america have shown declines over the past 40 years, and it is important to evaluate marsh bird community response to increased urbanization. we surveyed 20 coastal marshes in southern ontario, canada, and ...	2010	20358198
spatial and temporal clustering of calcium oxalate and magnesium ammonium phosphate uroliths in dogs living in ontario, canada between 1998 and 2006.	using the spatial scan statistic with a bernoulli model, in a comparison of the two most common canine uroliths, calcium oxalate (caox) and magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite) we determined whether there was evidence of spatial and/or temporal clustering of each urolith type based on canine submissions from ontario to the canadian veterinary urolith centre (cvuc) between 1998 and 2006. during this period, there were 10,478 canine submissions, excluding cases that were identified as recurrent ...	2010	20359758
nursesfortomorrow: a proactive approach to nursing resource analysis.	this paper describes the background, development, implementation and utilization of nursesfortomorrow (n4t), a practical and comprehensive nursing human resources analysis method to capture regional, institutional and patient care unit-specific actual and predicted nurse vacancies, nurse staff characteristics and nurse staffing changes. reports generated from the process include forecasted shortfalls or surpluses of nurses, percentage of novice nurses, occupancy, sick time, overtime, agency use ...	2010	20383079
association between the 2008-09 seasonal influenza vaccine and pandemic h1n1 illness during spring-summer 2009: four observational studies from canada.	in late spring 2009, concern was raised in canada that prior vaccination with the 2008-09 trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (tiv) was associated with increased risk of pandemic influenza a (h1n1) (ph1n1) illness. several epidemiologic investigations were conducted through the summer to assess this putative association.	2010	20386731
the occurrence of campylobacter in river water and waterfowl within a watershed in southern ontario, canada.	quantitative pcr and a culture method were used to investigate campylobacter occurrence over 3 years in a watershed located in southern ontario, canada that is used as a source of drinking water.	2010	20408936
epidemiology of influenza-associated hospitalization in adults, toronto, 2007/8.	the purpose of this investigation was to identify when diagnostic testing and empirical antiviral therapy should be considered for adult patients requiring hospitalization during influenza seasons. during the 2007/8 influenza season, six acute care hospitals in the greater toronto area participated in active surveillance for laboratory-confirmed influenza requiring hospitalization. nasopharyngeal (np) swabs were obtained from patients presenting with acute respiratory or cardiac illness, or with ...	2010	20428910
psychometric properties of a peer-assessment program to assess continuing competence in physical therapy.	the college of physiotherapists of ontario implemented an onsite assessment to evaluate the continuing competence of physical therapists.	2010	20430949
six-degree-of-freedom whole-body vibration exposure levels during routine skidder operations.	this research focuses on quantifying six-degree-of-freedom (6-dof) whole-body vibration (wbv) exposure levels that occur in northern ontario skidders during routine field operating tasks. 6-dof vibration running root-mean-square (rms) acceleration levels at the operator/seat interface were determined for eight skidders while driving loaded, driving unloaded, picking up a load, dropping off a load and ploughing logs under field operating conditions. the acceleration data were weighted in accordan ...	2010	20432089
human health risk assessment from exposure to trihalomethanes in canadian cities.	lifetime exposure to trihalomethanes (thms) through ingestion, inhalation and dermal contacts may pose risks to human health. current approaches may under predict thms exposure by using thms in cold water during showering and bathing. warming of chlorinated water during showering may increase thms formation through reactions between organics and residual chlorine, which can increase human health risks. in this study, thms concentrations in shower water were estimated using thms rate increase mod ...	2010	20434775
examination of adipocere formation in a cold water environment.	adipocere is a late-stage postmortem decomposition product that forms from the lipids present in soft tissue. its formation in aquatic environments is typically related to the presence of a moist, warm, anaerobic environment, and the effect of decomposer microorganisms. the ideal temperature range for adipocere formation is considered to be 21-45 degrees c and is correlated to the optimal conditions for bacterial growth and enzymatic release. however, adipocere formation has been reported in coo ...	2010	20437052
the demonstration projects: creating the capacity for nursing health human resource planning in ontario's healthcare organizations.	timely access to healthcare services requires the right number, mix and distribution of appropriately educated nurses, physicians and other healthcare professionals. in ontario, as in several other jurisdictions, changing demographics, patterns of health service utilization and an aging workforce have created challenges related to the supply of nurses available now and in the future to deliver quality patient care. from 2006 to 2009, the nursing secretariat (ns) of ontario's ministry of health a ...	2010	20463442
the nursing human resource planning best practice toolkit: creating a best practice resource for nursing managers.	evidence of acute nursing shortages in urban hospitals has been surfacing since 2000. further, new graduate nurses account for more than 50% of total nurse turnover in some hospitals and between 35% and 60% of new graduates change workplace during the first year. critical to organizational success, first line nurse managers must have the knowledge and skills to ensure the accurate projection of nursing resource requirements and to develop proactive recruitment and retention programs that are eff ...	2010	20463445
advancing nursing leadership in long-term care.	nurses working in the long-term care (ltc) sector face unique workplace stresses, demands and circumstances. designing approaches to leadership training and other supportive human-resource strategies that reflect the demands of the ltc setting fosters a positive work life for nurses by providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead the care team and to address resident and family issues. through the st. joseph's health centre guelph demonstration site project, funded by the nursi ...	2010	20463447
collaboration to change the landscape of nursing: a journey between urban and remote practice settings.	university health network (uhn) became a demonstration site to test a health human resource planning model to foster inter-organizational collaboration, knowledge transfer and exchange of nurses between an urban academic health science centre and a remote region in northern ontario. funding support was provided by the ontario ministry of health and long-term care. the partnership between uhn, weeneebayko health ahtuskaywin (wha) and james bay general hospital (jbgh) addressed retention, recruitm ...	2010	20463448
workforce demand forecaster tool: health human resources' recruitment crystal ball?		2010	20463452
collaborative health human resource planning: a retention and recruitment initiative--full time, shared and unionized positions.		2010	20463453
a collaborative approach in the waterloo region supporting health human resources planning.		2010	20463455
rural routes: recruitment and retention in rural areas for health human resources.		2010	20463459
optimal pandemic influenza vaccine allocation strategies for the canadian population.	the world is currently confronting the first influenza pandemic of the 21(st) century. influenza vaccination is an effective preventive measure, but the unique epidemiological features of swine-origin influenza a (h1n1) (ph1n1) introduce uncertainty as to the best strategy for prioritization of vaccine allocation. we sought to determine optimal prioritization of vaccine distribution among different age and risk groups within the canadian population, to minimize influenza-attributable morbidity a ...	2010	20463898
measuring attitudes toward stuttering: english-to-french translations in canada and cameroon.	a field test of a survey instrument under development, the public opinion survey of human attributes, experimental edition (posha-e), designed to investigate language-, culture-, and nation-specific public opinions about stuttering is reported. this investigation compared english and french versions of the posha-e in widely disparate cultures to explore country versus language influences.	2010	20466386
potential pediatric intensive care unit demand/capacity mismatch due to novel ph1n1 in canada.	to investigate the possibility of pediatric intensive care unit shortfalls, using pandemic models for a range of attack rates and durations. the emergence of the swine origin ph1n1 virus has led to concerns about shortfalls in our ability to provide pediatric ventilation and critical care support.	2010	20473239
pyrethroid pediculicide resistance of head lice in canada evaluated by serial invasive signal amplification reaction.	most people in the united states and canada with pediculosis will be treated with neurotoxic pediculicides containing pyrethrins or pyrethroids. their widespread use led to significant resistance reported from various countries. although treatment failures are frequently observed in canada, the resistance frequency to pyrethroid pediculicide of human head lice (pediculus humanus capitis) has not been determined.	2010	20487671
impact of patient education on knowledge of influenza and vaccine recommendations among pregnant women.	to determine whether providing an information pamphlet in the antenatal clinic improves women's knowledge about influenza and vaccine recommendations during pregnancy.	2010	20500967
the 6th hupo antibody initiative (hai) workshop: sharing data about affinity reagents and other recent developments. september 2009, toronto, canada.	the human antibody initiative (hai) aims to promote and facilitate the use of antibodies for proteomics research. the 6th workshop for the hupo antibody initiative (hai) held in september 2009 was co-chaired by michael snyder and mathias uhlen and discussed several aspects of antibody production, their validation, and attempts to standardise this process, in particular, when subsequently described in the literature. an update on the progress of the human protein atlas was also presented to the a ...	2010	20514648
the 4th human kidney and urine proteome project (hkupp) workshop. 26 september 2009, toronto, canada.	the human kidney and urine proteome project (hkupp) was initiated to promote proteomics research in the nephrology field, to better understand kidney functions as well as pathogenic mechanisms of kidney diseases, and to define novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets. the 4th workshop held in september 2009 discussed problems of proteomics analysis for kidney tissues and urine samples and a standard protocol for collection, storage and protein concentration of urine samples was decided upon.	2010	20514649
human brain proteome project - 12th hupo bpp workshop. 26 september 2009, toronto, canada.	the hupo brain proteome project (hupo bpp) held its 12th workshop in toronto on 26 september 2009 prior to the hupo viii world congress. the principal aim of this project is to obtain a better understanding of neurodiseases and ageing, with the ultimate objective of discovering prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers, in addition to the development of novel diagnostic techniques and new medications. the attendees came together to discuss progress in the human clinical neuroproteomics and to define ...	2010	20514650