Publications

pre-clinical remote telesurgery trial of a da vinci telesurgery prototype.	the objective of this study was to perform a pre-clinical remote telesurgery trial of a da vinci telesurgery prototype on a surgical-grade virtual private network.	2008	18803341
evaluation of the risks of shedding salmonellae and other potential pathogens by therapy dogs fed raw diets in ontario and alberta.	dogs that participate in animal-assisted interventions (aais), often called 'therapy dogs', commonly interact with humans whose immune systems are not functioning optimally. the advisability of feeding raw meat (including poultry) to these animals remains a highly contentious issue, in spite of increasing evidence that raw meat is frequently contaminated with salmonella. we set out to determine if consuming raw meat influences the risk of therapy dogs shedding salmonella and other pathogens. two ...	2008	18811908
the epidemiology of tuberculosis in ottawa, canada, 1995-2004.	in ottawa (population 774,072), active tuberculosis (tb) cases are reported to ottawa public health. there has been no comprehensive local epidemiological analysis to date. we report the epidemiology of tb in ottawa and identify areas of improvement.	2008	18812041
leading complex change in healthcare: 10 lessons learned.	this article reports on the transfer of perinatal services at st. joseph's health care, in london, ontario, to london health sciences centre (lhsc). the transfer of perinatal programs, services and people/providers to lhsc generates concern in key stakeholders with respect to a potential negative impact on the quality of care delivery, staff work life and morale, team performance, recruitment, retention and other performance indicators. our main task was to establish "readiness and capacity for ...	2008	18818528
motor vehicle collisions and their demographics: a 5-year retrospective study of the hamilton-wentworth niagara region.	this retrospective study examined population demographics associated with motor vehicle collision (mvc) fatalities over a 5-year period in the hamilton-wentworth niagara region. variables were drawn from the five factors proposed by fierro (1) for investigating deaths caused by transportation: human, chemical, environmental, vehicular, and highway. factors analyzed included age, gender, position to the vehicle, site(s) of injury, toxicology, environmental contributors, and vehicular findings. fr ...	2008	18471220
using the balanced scorecard to mobilize human resources in organizational transformation.	traditionally, the balanced scorecard (bsc) has been an effective tool in linking measurement to strategy. however, what is least understood is how the bsc can be used to redefine organizational relationships, re-engineer fundamental processes and transform organizational culture, for superior performance in an organization with the same people, services and technology that previously delivered dismal performance. this paper highlights the process and uses york central hospital in toronto, ontar ...	2008	18482931
genotypic characterization and prevalence of virulence factors among canadian escherichia coli o157:h7 strains.	in this study, the association between genotypic and selected phenotypic characteristics was examined in a collection of canadian escherichia coli o157:h7 strains isolated from humans and cattle in the provinces of alberta, ontario, saskatchewan, and quebec. in a subset of 69 strains selected on the basis of specific phage types (pts), a strong correlation between the lineage-specific polymorphism assay (lspa6) genotype and pt was observed with all strains of pts 4, 14, 21, 31, 33, and 87 belong ...	2008	18487402
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
acute childhood encephalitis and encephalopathy associated with influenza: a prospective 11-year review.	influenza virus infection has been associated with a variety of neurologic complications. the objective of this study was to evaluate prospectively the role of influenza viruses in acute childhood encephalitis/encephalopathy (ace).	2008	18398387
ovarian cancer risk is associated with a common variant in the promoter sequence of the mismatch repair gene mlh1.	inherited mutations in the mlh1 gene are associated with a proportion of families with the hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer syndrome (hnpcc). the cardinal features of the syndrome are a predisposition to colon, endometrial and ovarian cancers. recently, it has been shown that a non-coding polymorphic variant in mlh1 (g>a nt-93) predisposes to colon and endometrial cancer, but with much reduced penetrance. we sought to establish whether or not this polymorphic variant also predisposes to ova ...	2008	18405947
replication of associations between lrp5 and esrra variants and bone density in premenopausal women.	replication is a critical step to validate positive genetic associations. in this study, we tested two previously reported positive associations. the low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (lrp5) val667met and lumbar spine bone density are replicated. this result is in line with results from large consortiums such as genomos. however, the estrogen-related receptor alpha (esrra) repeat in the promoter is not replicated although the polymorphism studied was functional and could have be ...	2008	18418639
investing in the research process: nursing health services research unit - university of toronto site.	linda o'brien-pallas, rn, phd, fcahs is a professor in the faculties of nursing and medicine at the university of toronto and director, co-founder and co-principal investigator of the nursing health services research unit (university of toronto site). dr. o'brien-pallas is acknowledged globally for her pioneering and innovative research in health human resources modelling, quality of work life for nurses and nursing workload measurement. the rigour of her research has been praised by respected r ...	2008	18448885
patient views on reminder letters for influenza vaccinations in an older primary care patient population: a mixed methods study.	to explore the perspectives of older adults on the acceptability of reminder letters for influenza vaccinations.	2008	18457289
antimicrobial use on 24 beef farms in ontario.	understanding risk factors for antimicrobial resistance requires knowledge of antimicrobial selection pressure. the objectives of this research were to develop methodology for collecting quantitative antimicrobial use information from beef producers in ontario, to document the types and quantities of antimicrobials reported (for a minimum of 12 mo), and to compare 2 metrics for injectable use reporting. twenty-four volunteer beef producers were asked to complete a questionnaire, document drug us ...	2008	18505199
molecular epidemiology and antimicrobial resistance of salmonella typhimurium dti04 on ontario swine farms.	this study was conducted to examine antimicrobial resistances, plasmid profiles, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of 80 salmonella typhimurium (including var. copenhagen) dt104 strains (including dt104a and dt104b) recovered from pig and environmental fecal samples on 17 swine farms in ontario. no resistance was observed to amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, apramycin, carbadox, cephalothin, ceftriaxone, ceftiofur, cefoxitin, ciprofloxacin, nalidixic acid, trimethoprim, and tobramycin. ho ...	2008	18505209
involvement of apoe e4 and h63d in sporadic alzheimer's disease in a folate-supplemented ontario population.	dysregulation of iron homeostasis is implicated in alzheimer's disease (ad). in this pilot study, common variants of the apolipoprotein e (apoe) and hfe genes resulting in the iron overload disorder of hereditary hemochromatosis (c282y, h63d and s65c) were evaluated as factors in sporadic ad in an ontario sample in which folic acid fortification has been mandatory since 1998. laboratory studies also were done to search for genetic effects on blood markers of iron status, red cell folates and ser ...	2008	18525129
an exploration of social support as a factor in the return-to-work process.	despite evidence that inter-personal relationships are important in human resource management, little is understood about the nature of workplace social support in a disability context, or what features of support are important to the success of return-to-work programs. the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore workplace disability support from worker and supervisory perspectives and to identify salient features for work re-entry. a total of 8 supervisors and 18 previously injured wor ...	2008	18525149
high throughput crystallography at sgc toronto: an overview.	the completion of the human genome allows the analysis, for the first time, of biological systems in the context of entire gene families. for enzymes, this approach permits the exploration of complex substrate specificity networks that often exhibit considerable overlap within and between protein families. the case for a family-based approach to protein studies is compelling, given the prospect of exploiting these specificities for various purposes, such as the development of therapeutic reagent ...	2008	18542887
syndromic surveillance for influenzalike illness.	emergency department data are currently being used by several syndromic surveillance systems to identify outbreaks of natural or man-made illnesses, and preliminary results suggest that regular outbreaks might be detected earlier with such data than with traditional reporting. this article summarizes a retrospective study of 5 influenza seasons in ottawa,canada; time-series analysis was used to look for an association between consultation to the emergency department for influenzalike illness and ...	2008	18563993
discussions about self-obtained samples for hpv testing as an alternative for cervical cancer prevention.	patient-collected samples for human papillomavirus (hpv) testing have shown promise, thus opening up a new possibility for cervical cancer screening. the purpose of this study was to explore women's beliefs about collecting their own samples for hpv testing instead of participating in conventional pap testing.	2008	18608824
women's knowledge, attitudes, and intentions concerning human papillomavirus vaccination: findings of a waiting room survey of obstetrics-gynaecology outpatients.	to assess women's knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours related to human papillomavirus (hpv) and hpv vaccination.	2008	18611300
missense polymorphisms in the adenomatous polyposis coli gene and colorectal cancer risk.	whereas truncating germline mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (apc) gene give rise to familial adenomatous polyposis, missense polymorphisms of apc may confer a weaker risk for colorectal cancer.	2008	18612690
the advanced trauma operative management course in a canadian residency program.	the advanced trauma operative management (atom) course was first introduced into canada in 2003 at the university of toronto, with senior general surgery residents being the primary focus. we present an assessment of the course in this canadian general surgery residency program.	2008	18682791
spatio-temporal analysis of pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in ontario, canada.	pneumonia and influenza represent a significant public health and health care system burden that is expected to increase with the aging of developed nations' populations. the burden of these illnesses is far from uniform however, with recent studies showing that they are both highly spatially and temporally variable. we have combined spatial and time-series analysis techniques to examine pneumonia and influenza hospitalizations in the province of ontario, canada, to determine how temporal patter ...	2008	18686268
the information management strategy cascade: strategy-based performance management of a flu recall practice.	the health results team for information management (hrt-im) was formed at the ontario ministry of health and long-term care in the fall of 2004 to engage and work collaboratively with the healthcare community to implement change in health system information management. the information management strategy focused on producing better data, supporting accountability and quality improvement through performance measurement and supporting evidence-based decision-making. this paper reviews how an im st ...	2008	18700272
correlates of mental health service use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual mothers and prospective mothers.	lesbian, gay, and bisexual women undertake parenting in a social context that may be associated with unique risk factors for perinatal depression. this cross-sectional study aimed to describe the mental health services used by women in the perinatal period and to identify potential correlates of mental health service use. sixty-four women who were currently trying to conceive, pregnant, or the parent of a child less than one year of age were included. one-third of women reported some mental heal ...	2008	18714714
impact of varicella vaccination on health care outcomes in ontario, canada: effect of a publicly funded program?	varicella vaccines have been available for private purchase in canada since 1998. ontario introduced publicly funded varicella vaccination in 2004. we assessed the effects of private availability of varicella vaccines and subsequent implementation of a publicly funded vaccination program on varicella-related hospitalizations, emergency department (ed) use, and visits to physicians' offices in ontario. rates of hospitalizations, ed use, and office visits decreased 53% (95% ci, 48-58%), 43% (95% c ...	2008	18761386
prevalence and characterization of verotoxin-producing escherichia coli (vtec) in cattle from an ontario abattoir.	this study determined the prevalence of verotoxin (vt)-producing escherichia coli (vtec) in ontario beef cattle at slaughter and characterized the isolates by serotype, virulence factors, virulence markers, and antimicrobial resistance. cultures of rectal feces from 500 animals were screened for vt by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa) and by polymerase chain reaction (pcr) for genes vt1, vt2, and eae. the vt-elisa-positive samples were tested by a vt-immunoblot to isolate vtec colonie ...	2008	18783017
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
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
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
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
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
the changing well-being of older adult registered indians: an analysis using the registered indian human development index.	the demographic aging of the registered indian population suggests that the social, economic, and health conditions of older registered indians will be increasingly important for communities and policymakers. we have adapted the united nations development program's human development index using data from the census of canada and the indian register to measure whether improvements seen in the knowledge, standard of living, and health of the registered indian population between 1981 and 2001 are a ...	2008	19416799
volunteerism, health, and civic engagement among older adults.	in north america, 40-50 per cent of older adults are actively involved as formal volunteers in providing diverse health and human services. we review empirical studies concerning older adults' motivations for volunteering, as well as the health and morale benefits they derive from this expression of altruism. knowledge of the exact nature and amount of volunteer activity necessary to produce these effects is limited, and studies have yet to identify the behavioural and psychological mechanisms t ...	2008	19416800
activation of notch signaling in human colon adenocarcinoma.	notch and wnt signaling function together to regulate colonic progenitor cell division and differentiation. studies in mice have also shown that notch signaling is required for adenoma formation in response to elevated wnt-pathway signaling that occurs in the apcmin mouse model of human adenomatous polyposis coli. we therefore used in situ hybridization to analyze expression of notch ligands, receptors and fringe genes, as well as the notch target gene, hes1, in human colorectal cancer (crc). in ...	2008	19020755
a case study: the initiative to improve rn scheduling at hamilton health sciences.	in 2003, hamilton health sciences embarked on an initiative to improve and standardize nursing schedules and scheduling practices. the scheduling project was one of several initiatives undertaken by a corporate-wide nursing resource group established to enhance the work environment and patient care and to ensure appropriate utilization of nursing resources across the organization's five hospitals. this article focuses on major activities undertaken in the scheduling initiative. the step-by-step ...	2008	19029842
the acute care nurse practitioner in ontario: a workforce study.	in spite of the long history of nurse practitioner practice in primary healthcare, less is known about nurse practitioners in hospital-based environments because until very recently, they have not been included in the extended class registration (nurse practitioner equivalent) with the college of nurses of ontario. recent changes in the regulation of nurse practitioners in ontario to include adult, paediatric and anaesthesia, indicates that a workforce review of practice profiles is needed to fu ...	2008	19029848
analysis of factors affecting demand for rehabilitation services in ontario, canada: a health-policy perspective.	demand for health services tends to outstrip supply in an environment of economic scarcity.	2008	19037778
decentralized molecular diagnostic testing plan for pandemic influenza in the ontario public health laboratory system.	the ontario public health laboratories system (ophl) is in the midst of a six-year plan to implement molecular tools for pandemic influenza diagnostics in one central and three regional public health laboratories. this plan has been formulated as a consequence of: (1) experiences gained through severe acute respiratory syndrome (sars), and comments of the members of the expert panel on sars and infectious disease control (i.e., the walker report); (2) a review of pandemic preparedness literature ...	2008	19009922
veterinarian-client-patient communication during wellness appointments versus appointments related to a health problem in companion animal practice.	to compare the clinical interview process, content of the medical dialog, and emotional tone of the veterinarian-client-patient interaction during wellness appointments and appointments related to a health problem in companion animal practice.	2008	19014290
human-derived d-dimer for external quality assessment: results of four surveys in ontario.	external quality assessment (eqa) of d-dimer assays has been limited by a lack of standardized human-derived testing material. in 2006 and 2007, the quality management program--laboratory services, toronto, canada, investigated the use of commercially prepared lyophilized human plasma spiked with human-derived d-dimer components manufactured by affinity biologicals, hamilton, canada. four surveys were performed. participants reported the level or presence of d-dimer using quantitative or qualita ...	2008	18854274
whose right?		2008	18854446
multilocus sequence typing analysis of clostridium perfringens isolates from necrotic enteritis outbreaks in broiler chicken populations.	clostridium perfringens is an important pathogen of animals and humans and is the causative agent of necrotic enteritis (ne) in poultry. this study focuses on the typing of intestinal c. perfringens isolates (n = 61) from outbreaks of ne collected from several areas of southern ontario, using a recently developed multilocus sequence typing (mlst) technique. for comparison, c. perfringens isolates from healthy birds were also obtained and typed. an additional locus, the pfos locus, was included i ...	2008	18945840
the development of interactive online learning tools for the study of anatomy.	the study of human anatomy is a core component of health science programs. however large student enrolments and the content-packed curricula associated with these programs have made it difficult for students to have regular access to cadaver laboratories.	2008	18946814
how do organizations and social policies 'acculturate' to immigrants? accommodating skilled immigrants in canada.	while the idea of acculturation (berry 1997) was originally proposed as the mutual change of both parties (e.g., immigrants and the host society), the change processes of host societies are neglected in research. a grounded theory study explored the efforts of human service organizations to 'acculturate' to an increasingly diverse immigrant population, through interviews conducted with service providers serving mainland chinese immigrants. acculturation efforts of human service organizations (me ...	2008	18949553
employee absenteeism based on occupational health visits in an urban tertiary care canadian hospital.	(1) to merge occupational health (oh) and human resources (hr) administrative data to describe reasons for absenteeism among hospital employees and (2) to consider the advantages and disadvantages of using these combined data for surveillance of health care workers. this study utilized a retrospective cohort design, involving a record linkage of two administrative databases at a canadian general hospital: oh and hr. data were included for the period of june 1, 2004, to may 31, 2005. data linkage ...	2008	18950421
sentinels of safety: service dogs ensure safety and enhance freedom and well-being for families with autistic children.	children with autism might display unpredictable and volatile behavior that places them in considerable physical danger and creates stress for the family. families of autistic children often have limited freedom and experience difficulty with everyday activities. in this qualitative ethology study, we examined the effect of integrating service dogs into ten families with an autistic child. data included participant observation, video recordings of family-parent-dog interaction, and semistructure ...	2008	18955467
the effect of universal influenza immunization on mortality and health care use.	in 2000, ontario, canada, initiated a universal influenza immunization program (uiip) to provide free influenza vaccines for the entire population aged 6 mo or older. influenza immunization increased more rapidly in younger age groups in ontario compared to other canadian provinces, which all maintained targeted immunization programs. we evaluated the effect of ontario's uiip on influenza-associated mortality, hospitalizations, emergency department (ed) use, and visits to doctors' offices.	2008	18959473
health benefits of universal influenza vaccination strategy.		2008	18959475
red meat intake, doneness, polymorphisms in genes that encode carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes, and colorectal cancer risk.	colorectal cancer literature regarding the interaction between polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes and red meat intake/doneness is inconsistent. a case-control study was conducted to evaluate the interaction between red meat consumption, doneness, and polymorphisms in carcinogen-metabolizing enzymes. colorectal cancer cases diagnosed 1997 to 2000, ages 20 to 74 years, were identified through the population-based ontario cancer registry and recruited by the ontario family colorectal ...	2008	18990750
applying the lessons of sars to pandemic influenza: an evidence-based approach to mitigating the stress experienced by healthcare workers.	we describe an evidence-based approach to enhancing the resilience of healthcare workers in preparation for an influenza pandemic, based on evidence about the stress associated with working in healthcare during the sars outbreak. sars was associated with significant long-term stress in healthcare workers, but not with increased mental illness. reducing pandemic-related stress may best be accomplished through interventions designed to enhance resilience in psychologically healthy people. applicab ...	2008	19149392
the use of standardized clients in research in the veterinary clinical setting.	this article describes the first use of undisclosed standardized clients (scs) for research in the veterinary clinical setting. the study described here used scs to investigate veterinarian-client communication during euthanasia discussions. use of this methodology allowed us to avoid several ethical and logistical challenges associated with gathering observational data on sensitive subject matter. in medicine, standardized patients (sps) are used extensively in teaching, medical school examinat ...	2008	19066360
identification of recruitment and retention strategies for rehabilitation professionals in ontario, canada: results from expert panels.	demand for rehabilitation services is expected to increase due to factors such as an aging population, workforce pressures, rise in chronic and complex multi-system disorders, advances in technology, and changes in interprofessional health service delivery models. however, health human resource (hhr) strategies for canadian rehabilitation professionals are lagging behind other professional groups such as physicians and nurses. the objectives of this study were: 1) to identify recruitment and ret ...	2008	19068134
in vivo measurement of bone aluminum in population living in southern ontario, canada.	the harmful biological effect of excessive aluminum (al) load in humans has been well documented in the literature. al stored in bone, for instance due to dialysis treatment or occupational exposure, can interfere with normal bone remodeling leading to osteodystrophy, osteoarthritis, or osteomalacia. on the other hand, the relationship between chronic al exposure and the risk of alzheimer's disease remains controversial. in this work, the feasibility of in vivo neutron activation analysis (ivnaa ...	2008	19070246
special report: highlights of the 23rd annual summer meeting of the american orthopaedic foot and ankle society, toronto, ontario, canada, 13-15 july 2007.	the 23rd annual summer meeting of the american orthopaedic foot and ankle society (aofas) was held 13-15 july 2007 at the westin harbour castle hotel in toronto, ontario, canada. there were 538 registrants in attendance, including 182 individuals from 29 countries outside the united states.	2008	19083624
hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (oh-pbdes) in the abiotic environment: surface water and precipitation from ontario, canada.	hydroxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (oh-pbdes) have been identified as metabolites of pbdes, and also as compounds of natural origin in the marine environment; however, there has only been very limited study of their presence in the abiotic environment. in the present study, oh-pbdes were determined in samples of surface water and precipitation (rain and snow) collected from sites in ontario, canada. oh-pbdes were detected in all the samples analyzed, although half of the observed peaks ...	2008	18441817
who benefits from community-based participatory research? a case study of the positive youth project.	community-based participatory research (cbpr) has evolved as a popular new paradigm in health research. this shift is exciting, yet there is still much to discover about how various stakeholders are affected. this article uses a critical social science perspective to explore who benefits from these changes through an analysis of a cbpr case study (the positive youth project). two major categories of beneficiaries emerged: the research itself and the partner-stakeholders. the benefits, however, w ...	2008	16740514
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
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
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
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
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
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