Transport of acid forming emissions and potential effects of deposition in northeastern Alberta and northern Saskatchewan: a problem analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shewchuk, S.R.; Abouguendia, Z.M.; Atton, F.M.; Dublin, J.; Godwin, R.C.; Holowaychuk, N.; Hopkinson, R.; Liaw, W.K.; Maybank, J.; Padbury, G.A.

1981-01-01

The purpose of this report is to study the potential effects of acid rain in northeastern Alberta and northern Saskatchewan. A problem analysis was conducted of the transport, transformations and deposition of emissions in this region. Studied are the atmospheric processes, geology and soils, natural vegetation, and the aquatic systems. At present, no environmental damage attributable to acidic deposition has been detected in this region. Field surveys in the region have detected no effects of industrial emissions on vegetation except within a few kilometers of industrial operations. The earliest effects of acid deposition tend to appear within aquatic systems. Ten recommendations based on these findings are discussed. 109 references, 22 figures, 10 tables.

A Saskatchewan mine and its native and regional relationships

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babcock, M.

1989-01-01

Rabbit Lake was Saskatchewan's first high-grade uranium operation; it set the stage for the province's current role as a world leader in uranium production. It has had a significant beneficial impact on the total Saskatchewan economy, although by far the most significant contribution is to the province's smaller northern economy. The socio-economic benefits to the lives of the native population of the north of the province, arising largely from improved employment opportunities, are described. The environmental impact of the mines is insignificant and the health and safety record of the mining operation is very good. (author)

Radionuclides in small mammals of the Saskatchewan prairie, including implications for the boreal forest and Arctic tundra

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, P.A.

1995-01-01

The focus of the study reported was to collect and examine baseline data on radionuclides in small prairie mammal food chains and to assess the feasibility of using small mammals as radionuclide monitors in terrestrial ecosystems, in anticipation of possible future nuclear developments in northern Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories. The study report begins with a literature review that summarizes existing data on radionuclides in small mammals, their food, the ambient environment in Canadian terrestrial ecosystems, principles of terrestrial radioecology, soil and vegetation studies, and food chain studies. It then describes a field study conducted to investigate small mammal food chains at three southwestern Saskatchewan prairie sites. Activities included collection and analysis of water, soil, grains, and foliage samples; trapping of small mammals such as mice and voles, and analysis of gastrointestinal tract samples; and determination of food chain transfer of selected radionuclides from soil to plants and to small mammals. Recommendations are made for future analyses and monitoring of small mammals. Appendices include information on radiochemical methods, soil/vegetation studies and small mammal studies conducted at northern Saskatchewan mine sites, and analyses of variance

Key Lake human resources and northern business initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dudar, R.; McIntyre, J.; McInnes, B.P.

1994-01-01

The Key Lake Operation is committed to a policy of maximizing Saskatchewan, and particularly northern Saskatchewan, employment and business opportunities. The participation rate of northern people in the Key Lake operation's workforce has risen from 23.8% in 1983, to 42% today. Cameco's objective is to achieve 50% representation of residents of Saskatchewan's north in the Key Lake workforce by 1995. The company also extends this strategic objective to contractors. All contractors are required to maximize employment opportunities for residents of Saskatchewan's north, and report employment levels to the company as a condition of the contract. Today, contractors at the Key Lake site have achieved a northern participation rate of 47%. This paper highlights strategies for increasing northern/aboriginal participation and provides several examples of successes from these initiatives. (author)

Environmental conditions of two abandoned uranium mill tailings sites in northern Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalin, M.

Two abandoned uranium mill tailings sites near Uranium City, Saskatchewan, have been studied in an attempt to follow the natural rehabilitation processes. The Gunnar site is a largely terrestrial environment while the Lorado mill tailings were discharged mainly into Nero Lake. This report describes the ecological conditions of both sites, potential long-term environmental degradation, and possible measures to assist the recovery of both areas

McArthur River underground exploration program: report of the joint Federal-Provincial panel on uranium mining developments in Northern Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1993-01-15

A report of the joint federal-provincial panel on uranium mining developments in northern Saskatchewan, on the McArthur River underground exploration program. The proposal to construct the surface and underground facilities required for the exploration and delineation of the McArthur River ore body, and any necessary additional infrastructure has been examined and public hearings have been held. The panel recommends that the underground exploration program as described by Cameco in its Environmental Impact Statement, and as clarified in its written and oral responses to the panel, be allowed to proceed under the conditions described within the report.

McArthur River underground exploration program: report of the joint Federal-Provincial panel on uranium mining developments in Northern Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

A report of the joint federal-provincial panel on uranium mining developments in northern Saskatchewan, on the McArthur River underground exploration program. The proposal to construct the surface and underground facilities required for the exploration and delineation of the McArthur River ore body, and any necessary additional infrastructure has been examined and public hearings have been held. The panel recommends that the underground exploration program as described by Cameco in its Environmental Impact Statement, and as clarified in its written and oral responses to the panel, be allowed to proceed under the conditions described within the report

Accumulation of selenium in aquatic systems downstream of a uranium mining operation in northern Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muscatello, J.R.; Belknap, A.M.; Janz, D.M.

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the accumulation of selenium in lakes downstream of a uranium mine operation in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Selenium concentrations in sediment and biota were elevated in exposure areas even though water concentrations were low (<5 μg/L). The pattern (from smallest to largest) of selenium accumulation was: periphyton < plankton and filterer invertebrates < detritivore and predator invertebrates < small bodied (forage) fish and predatory fish. Biomagnification of selenium resulted in an approximately 1.5-6 fold increase in the selenium content between plankton, invertebrates and forage fish. However, no biomagnification was observed between forage fish and predatory fish. Selenium content in organisms from exposure areas exceeded the proposed 3-11 μg/g (dry weight) dietary toxicity threshold for fish, suggesting that the selenium released into these aquatic systems has the potential to bioaccumulate and reach levels that could impair fish reproduction. - Selenium bioaccumulation patterns in a north temperate, cold water aquatic ecosystem were similar to those reported from warm water systems

The problem of abandoned uranium tailings in northern Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swanson, S.; Abouguendia, Z.

1981-11-01

Two Saskatchewan tailings sites, Lorado and Gunnar, covering approximately 89 ha., were abandoned in the early 1960s leaving untreated tailings in lakes and depressions. This report reviews the literature on environmental conditions in abandoned uranium tailings and available managmenet and mitigation options, and identifies research requirements essential for proper treatment of these two sites. The recommended management plan includes isolation of the exposed tailings area from surface waters, stabilization of the exposed tailings surfaces, diversion of runoff around tailings, treatment of overflow water before release, and implementation of an environmental monitoring program. Revegetation appears to be a promising stabilization measure, but research is needed into propagation methods of appropriate native species. Studies of the existing geological and hydrological conditions at both sites, detailed characterization of the wastes, field testing of different surface treatment methods, and nutrient cycling investigations are also needed

Distribution of uranium series radionuclides in upland vegetation of northern Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sheard, J.W.

1986-01-01

Multivariate methods are used to explore patterns of accumulation of radionuclides and stable elements among 10 plant species at four localities in northern Saskatchewan. Principal components analysis and canonical correlation analysis of the radionuclides and stable elements showed that lead-210 and polonium-210 are correlated with crustal elements distributed in the atmoshpere and therefore are accumulated more abundantly by lichen and moss species than by vascular plants. Uranium showed a similar trend. Neither these radionuclides nor radium-226 showed strong correlations with other stable elements. The highest accumulation of uranium was in the Wollaston Lake region, especially for the nonvascular plants, where the soil levels are lowest. This tends to substantiate previous suggestions that uranium available for uptake by vascular plants is associated with groundwater rather than soil particles. Canonical variates analysis on radionuclide levels in vegetation by species group shows that trees, shrubs, lichens, and moss all have significantly different patterns of accumulation. The vascular and nonvascular groups are separated primarily by lead-210 and polonium- 210 accumulation. The trees and shrubs are separated by radium-226 levels. A similar analysis by locality showed significant differences in radionuclide accumulation by vegetation in all possible pairs of localities, except between the two Wollaston Lake localities. The largest distances were between regions and were based primarily on uranium accumulation in the nonvascular plants. Differences in radium-226 levels among the shrub species are responsible for the significant difference between the two localities in the Churchill River region

The Application of Borehole Seismic Techniques in Mine Development at the Millennium Uranium Deposit, Northern Saskatchewan, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wood, G.; O’Dowd, C., E-mail: garnet_wood@cameco.com [Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada); Cosma, C.; Enescu, N. [Vibrometric Canada Ltd., Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

2014-05-15

The Millennium uranium deposit is located within the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The deposit is situated in metasedimentary rocks, is controlled by multiple sub-vertical faults, and crossfaults and is overlain by over 500 m of intensely altered, porous Manitou Falls group sandstones. The rock quality directly surrounding the deposit is greatly reduced because of alteration and post-Athabasca sandstone structures, which provide conduits for the migration of basinal and meteoric fluids. This leads to significant risk for mine development and shaft sinking, because of the increased potential for water inflow into mine workings. To mitigate the risk involved with mining in such complex geology several projects were proposed as part of a pre-feasibility study. Of these, seismic methods were identified as the best tool to potentially identify alteration and structurally compromised zones. Subsequently, a comprehensive surface and borehole seismic program was completed in an attempt to delineate these engineering hazards and to provide assurance of success of the shaft sinking and mine development. This was the first time a seismic program of this scale was undertaken for geotechnical studies during mine development in the Athabasca Basin. (author)

Investing in Saskatchewan, sustaining energy development: proceedings of the 8. Saskatchewan petroleum conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-01-01

The theme of the 8. Saskatchewan Petroleum Conference 'Investing in Saskatchewan - Sustaining Energy Development' was explored in 33 papers presented in sessions on operations and facilities, reservoir engineering, exploration and development, improved oil recovery, fluid properties and phase behavior, well logging and completions and environmental concerns. Papers are indexed separately

Agricultural Crown Land in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pyle, W.E.

1998-01-01

The petroleum industry's interest in provincial crown land in the agricultural area of Saskatchewan has grown over the last two decades. Agricultural land is regulated by the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food, Lands Branch. Since 1974 surface lease contracts by oil and gas companies have increased from 1,400 to the present 3,700. Resource lands are regulated by Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management. There are 8.8 million acres of crown agricultural land in Saskatchewan, most of which is held without title. Crown land management is meant to provide a long term management approach to crown lands that balances economic, environmental and social benefits for present and future generations. The oil and gas industry is an important participant in crown land management. Revenues from petroleum and gas surface leasing, and seismic licensing totals more than five million dollars annually. In 1995/96, there were 54 companies establishing new oil and gas leases on crown land in Saskatchewan. This paper provides details of current policies which apply to petroleum and gas leasing and seismic exploration, and environmental guidelines for companies developing well sites, compressor and metering stations, access roads and easements. 3 tabs

The clean energy future of Saskatchewan. Evaluating the potential for nuclear power in Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harry, I. [SaskPower, Clean Energy Group, Regina, Saskatchewan (Canada)

2013-07-01

The clean energy direction of Saskatchewan is very dependent on the vision of the energy future. Saskatchewan has depended strongly on coal as a base load asset and embracing the future will depend on creating multiple pathways. This presentation will explore the pathways and the reasons why they are important.

Status of the McClean project, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giroux, M.

1997-01-01

The paper describes the status of development of the McClean Lake uranium production project. The project includes development of a new mine/mill complex located 10 kilometres west of the Rabbit Lake mine site, in the Athabaska region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. This first Canadian uranium project since Key Lake was developed in the late 1970s, is planned to help provide the increasing need for uranium production during the rest of the 1990s and beyond. The report describes the geological model for the 6 unconformity-type uranium orebodies named: JEB; Sue A, B and C; and McClean Lake A and B. These deposits will be extracted using both open pit and underground mines. The report describes the history of exploration and development, as well as the progression of the environmental clearance process under the joint review panel of the Canadian and Saskatchewan governments. The Canadian $250 million project, operated by Cogema Resources, is jointly owned by Denison Mines Limited, Minatco Limited and OURD (Canada) Company Limited. It is scheduled to start producing uranium concentrate in 1997. (author). 1 ref., 10 figs

Secondary prevention of stroke in Saskatchewan, Canada: hypertension control.

Science.gov (United States)

Bartsch, Janelle Ann; Teare, Gary F; Neufeld, Anne; Hudema, Nedeene; Muhajarine, Nazeem

2013-10-01

In the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, stroke is the third leading cause of death as well as the major cause of adult disability. Once a person suffers a stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), they are at high risk for having a secondary stroke. Hypertension (elevated blood pressure) is the single most important modifiable risk factor for both first and recurrent stroke, and is thus an important risk factor to be controlled. According to the Canadian Stroke Strategy (CSS) Best Practice Recommendations, blood pressure lowering treatment should be initiated before discharge from hospital for all stroke/TIA patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of medically driven secondary stroke prevention care in Saskatchewan as applied to hypertension control. The objectives of the study were to: (1) develop methodology and calculate a secondary stroke process of care measure using available data in Saskatchewan, based on an appropriate hypertension therapy indicator recommendation from the CSS Performance Measurement Manual; (2) examine variation in secondary stroke prevention hypertensive care among the Saskatchewan Regional Health Authorities; and (3) investigate factors associated with receiving evidence-based hypertensive secondary stroke prevention. This multi-year cross-sectional study was an analysis of deidentified health data derived from linkage of administrative health data. A select indicator from the CSS Performance Measurement Manual that measures adherence to a CSS Best Practice Guidelines concerning use of antihypertensive medications for secondary stroke prevention was calculated. Logistic regression was used to quantify the association of patient demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and geographic location of care with receipt of guideline-recommended hypertensive secondary stroke prevention. The target population was all Saskatchewan residents who were hospitalized in Saskatchewan for a stroke or TIA between April 1, 2001

Emergency response planning in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Irwin, R.W.

1998-01-01

Release reporting and spill clean-up requirements by Saskatchewan Energy and Mines were reviewed. Wascana's experience in response planning was discussed. It was suggested that the key to prevention was up-front due diligence, including facility and oil well analysis. Details of Wascana's emergency plan, and details of Saskatchewan Energy and Mines release reporting procedures were also provided

Saskatchewan external cost review : report prepared by a Joint Oil and Gas Industry - Saskatchewan Energy and Mines Committee

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-11-01

The external costs associated with the operating phase of oil and gas wells in Saskatchewan, were reviewed. The report identified external costs and compared their competitiveness with those of other producing jurisdictions. The profitability of the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan was also assessed in an effort to provide industry and government with an informational package for use for discussion purposes. The study showed that (1) the oil and gas industry has been a major force for economic growth within Saskatchewan, (2) the province will continue to face stiff competition from other jurisdictions for new oil and gas investment dollars, (3) the system used for determining and administering external costs vary widely from one jurisdiction to another, and (4) a number of external costs are not sensitive to well production rates or commodity price movements. tabs., figs

Diagnosis and high incidence of hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinemia (HHH) syndrome in northern Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokoro, AbdulRazaq A H; Lepage, Joyce; Antonishyn, Nick; McDonald, Ryan; Rockman-Greenberg, Cheryl; Irvine, James; Lehotay, Denis C

2010-12-01

Mutations in the SLC25A15 gene, encoding the human inner mitochondrial membrane ornithine transporter, are thought to be responsible for hyperornithinemia-hyperammonemia-homocitrullinemia (HHH) syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive condition. HHH syndrome has been detected in several small, isolated communities in northern Saskatchewan (SK). To determine the incidence of HHH syndrome in these communities, a PCR method was set up to detect F188Δ, the common French-Canadian mutation. Neonatal blood spots collected from all newborns from the high risk area were genotyped for the F188Δ mutation for seven consecutive years. Using DNA analysis, we estimated that the heterozygote frequency for the mutant allele for HHH syndrome to be about 1 in 19 individuals, predicting one affected child with HHH syndrome for approximately every 1,500 individuals (1 in 1,550 live births; 1 child every 12 years) in this isolated population. The frequency for the mutant allele for HHH syndrome in this isolated community is probably the highest in the world for this rare disorder. We determined that ornithine levels, by tandem mass spectrometry, were not abnormal in newborns with F188Δ mutation, carriers and normals. Ornithine rises to abnormally high levels at some time after birth well past the time that the newborn screening blood spot is collected. The timing or the reasons for the delayed rise of ornithine in affected children with HHH syndrome have not been determined. Newborn screening for HHH Syndrome in this high risk population is only possible by detection of the mutant allele using DNA analysis.

'Powering up' a green Saskatchewan: exploring possible sustainable solutions for Saskatchewan's electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanco, R.; Faubert, I.; Steele, K.; Wohrizek, J.; Donev, J.

2013-01-01

The electrical market in Saskatchewan is embarking on an exciting journey to both increase its generating capacity and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to promote a more sustainable future. SaskPower is the centralized generation and transmission crown corporation for the province and has the ability to implement the necessary actions to create a sustainable electrical system. There are many paths that Saskatchewan can take for a more sustainable future. Currently, the future of Saskatchewan's electrical market depends on results from the Boundary Dam Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Demonstration Plant. This project proposes electrical capacity models for SaskPower in the event their current CCS project is not a feasible option. (author)

Buying and selling oil and gas properties in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lothian, E.C.

1997-01-01

During the last five years, Saskatchewan has experienced its highest level of activity in the oil and gas industry, in terms of drilling and land acquisition. This study reviewed the unique concerns and issues affecting the acquisition or disposition of oil and gas assets in Saskatchewan. The two separate and distinct land registry systems regarding mines and mineral interests in Saskatchewan, due diligence issues, title and leasehold opinions and their limitations and environmental liabilities issues management were described. Some basic principles of contract law such as registration issues with respect to GOR's, and builder's lien pitfalls, as well as legal issues created by horizontal drilling, and legal issues associated with a Right of First Refusal, were also explained

Towards a sustainable energy strategy for Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coxworth, A.; Bigland-Pritchard, M.; Coxworth, E.; Orb, J.

2007-01-01

The production and consumption of energy raises significant environmental concerns regarding the depletion of non-renewable resources; air and water pollution; waste management; and damage of habitats. Saskatchewan, as elsewhere, needs to develop new approaches to meeting its energy needs. This report was intended to help decision-makers to consider the possibility of a sustainable, safe, environment and climate-friendly energy future for Saskatchewan. It provided an overview of energy use trends in Saskatchewan for refined petroleum products; natural gas; coal; primary electricity; and total energy consumption. Sustainability was defined and the need for change was discussed. Energy efficiency improvement and conservation opportunities in buildings, industry, electrical generation, and transport were also presented. The role of government in promoting energy efficiency was also discussed. Renewable energy opportunities were also offered for bio-energy; electrical generation; heating with renewables; and prospects for a renewables-fuelled Saskatchewan. Next, the report discussed technical, economic, political, and social barriers to progress. Several recommendations were offered in terms of energy efficiency and conservation; electricity generation; transportation; heating and cooling; industry; and financing change. 85 refs

Tax neutrality and the Saskatchewan Uranium Royalty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, H.F.; Wrean, D.L.

1984-01-01

The effect of the Saskatchewan Uranium Royalty (SUR) on the extraction plans of uranium mining companies operating in Saskatchewan are discussed. The SUR consists of a basic royalty on the value of production and a graduated rate of return tax. Companies are also subject to federal and provincial income taxes. A model, based on the Key Lake mine in Australia, is used to determine whether the tax regime operating in Saskatchewan has the property of neutrality and effects the optimal extraction rate. Results show that SUR is a relatively low-cost means of collecting an economic rent from uranium mining and results in a lower extraction rate contributing to environmental protection in the province. (U.K.)

Priority issues affecting operators' and suppliers' liens: the Saskatchewan perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Milani, M.W.

1996-01-01

Priority issues in contractual obligations in the petroleum industry were discussed from the perspective of Saskatchewan. In Saskatchewan, the priority issues relative to builders' and suppliers' liens are similar to those of Alberta, but there are some subtle differences, which were addressed. Priority issues claimed by suppliers and operators with respect to Saskatchewan properties were given special attention

New oil and gas incentives in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patel, B.

2003-01-01

Saskatchewan is Canada's second largest producer of crude oil and the third largest producer of natural gas with nearly 400 oil and gas companies operating in the province. The oil ranges from heavy sour to light sweet crude oil. Nearly half of the production is heavy oil, 30 per cent is medium oil and 20 per cent is light oil. In 2002, the Province announced changes to the oil and gas Royalty and Tax Regime in an effort to encourage new oil and gas exploration and development activities in Saskatchewan and to help the industry compete with other jurisdictions around the world. This paper examined the pre-October 2002 Saskatchewan Crown Royalty and freehold production tax structure and compared them to the new structure. The paper also briefly outlined the corporation capital tax, resource surcharge, and flow-through share tax credit initiatives announced in 2001 and 2002. With reductions in the Crown Royalty, freehold production tax and corporation capital taxes, the Province expects that more than 9000 oil and gas wells will be drilled in the next decade, representing new investment of about $4.3 billion and 40,000 new jobs. The flow-through share credit may not attract significant investment because it only benefits those who pay taxes in Saskatchewan. 40 refs

Saskatchewan Energy Holdings Ltd. consolidated financial statements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

The consolidated financial statements of Saskatchewan Energy Holdings Ltd. (formerly Saskatchewan Energy Corporation) as of December 31, 1990, and the consolidated statements of earnings and retained earnings and changes in cash position for the year are presented. Data include an inventory of supplies, natural gas in storage, property, plant and equipment. Financial statements are also presented for the year ending December 31, 1989, with comparative figures for the seven months ending December 31, 1988

Saskatchewan Energy Holdings Ltd. consolidated financial statements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-01-01

The consolidated financial statements of Saskatchewan Energy Holdings Ltd. (formerly Saskatchewan Energy Corporation) as of December 31, 1990, and the consolidated statements of earnings and retained earnings and changes in cash position for the year are presented. Data include an inventory of supplies, natural gas in storage, property, plant and equipment. Financial statements are also presented for the year ending December 31, 1989, with comparative figures for the seven months ending December 31, 1988.

BOREAS SERM Forest Cover Data of Saskatchewan in Vector Format

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — A condensed forest cover type digital map of Saskatchewan and is a product of the Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management, Forestry Branch-Inventory Unit...

Diverse Populations in Saskatchewan: The Challenges of Reaching Them

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maha Kumaran

2010-07-01

Full Text Available Saskatchewan is more diverse than it was even 5 years ago. Although historically Saskatchewan has always had a diverse immigrant population with new immigrants coming from many European and Eastern European countries, recently there are large immigrant communities arriving: some as refugees, some as guest workers, international students and their families from several parts of the globe through various significant government initiatives and policies. Not only is this diverse immigrant population growing, but the social make up of the new immigrants is also changing. There are many reasons why Saskatchewan is receiving more immigrants. This paper states those reasons, discusses the history of immigration in Saskatchewan, current immigrant situation, and the role libraries can play in educating, informing and entertaining these immigrant populations. This paper focuses on new immigrants coming into Saskatchewan and does not discuss other groups that are part of a diverse society such as aboriginal populations, seniors, the GBLT, or French Canadians. The authors sent out questionnaires to see what other libraries in Canada have done in this area and have looked into Vancouver Public Library and Toronto Public Library as examples for programs and services that can be offered to diverse immigrant populations.

Radionuclides in the lichen-caribou-human food chain near uranium mining operations in northern Saskatchewan, Canada.

OpenAIRE

Thomas, P A; Gates, T E

1999-01-01

The richest uranium ore bodies ever discovered (Cigar Lake and McArthur River) are presently under development in northeastern Saskatchewan. This subarctic region is also home to several operating uranium mines and aboriginal communities, partly dependent upon caribou for subsistence. Because of concerns over mining impacts and the efficient transfer of airborne radionuclides through the lichen-caribou-human food chain, radionuclides were analyzed in tissues from 18 barren-ground caribou (Ran...

Recently surveyed lakes in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada: characteristics and critical loads of acidity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaac WONG

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Based on minimal information, lakes in the western Canadian provinces of Manitoba (MB and Saskatchewan (SK have long been considered unaffected by acid rain. However, emissions of acidifying pollutants from MB smelters and oil sand processing in Alberta (AB may pose a developing threat. Surveys of 347 lakes located on geologically sensitive terrain in northern MB and SK were conducted to assess their acidification sensitivity and status. The survey domain (~193,000 km2 contained 81,494 lakes ≥1 ha in area. Small lakes dominated the inventory in terms of numbers, and large lakes dominated in terms of area. Survey lakes were selected using a stratified-random sampling design in 10 sampling blocks within the overall survey domain. Few lakes had pH <6, and only three (all in SK were acidic, i.e., Gran Alkalinity (Alk <0 μeq L–1. A broad range in lake sensitivity was apparent, and very sensitive lakes (low specific conductance, base cations and Alk were present in all sampling blocks. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC was an important constituent of many lakes. Critical loads (CL of acidity calculated using the Steady-State Water Chemistry model (SSWC revealed extremely low 5th percentile values for every block (range 1.9 to 52.7 eq ha–1 y–1. Block CL exceedances calculated using estimated S and N deposition for 2002 ranged from 54.5 to 909 eq ha–1 y–1. The largest exceedances were for sampling blocks located near smelter sources or downwind of the oil sands. Lake chemistry revealed by our surveys was compared to others conducted both nearby and outside Canada.

Environmental requirements for oil and gas operations in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nystuen, L.J.

1997-01-01

The administration and regulation of environmental issues regarding the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan were discussed. The political and cultural differences in Saskatchewan that make environmental processes distinct from its neighbouring jurisdictions were described. The following Saskatchewan legislation deals with environmental requirements: Environmental Management and Protection Act, Environmental Assessment Act, Oil and Gas Conservation Act, Wildlife Habitat Protection Act, Clean Air Act, Planning and Development Act, Forest Act, Water Corporation Act, Heritage Property Act, and Parks Act. The Saskatchewan Department of Energy and Mines (SEM) is the primary regulator of the upstream oil and gas industry. It regulates the construction, operation, reporting and abandonment requirements for oilfield operations. SEM also manages crude oil prior to refining and manages the wastes contaminated with crude oil. Provisions of the relevant Acts regarding drilling in environmentally sensitive areas, flaring requirements, transporting and disposing of oilfield wastes, road-building, operating restrictions, emergency response plans, spill clean-up responsibilities, well abandonment and site reclamation responsibilities were discussed. 8 refs., 2 tabs

Relationship between Saskatchewan government regulatory agencies and the oil and gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lechner, L.J.; Mathieson, B.

1998-01-01

The roles and responsibilities of various government agencies as they interact with the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan were described. The regulatory agencies featured in this paper were Saskatchewan Energy and Mines (SEM), Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management (SERM), and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food (SAF). The management of land sales, seismic activities, exploration and oil and gas production activities were reviewed. While each of the agencies has a different mandate, they have a common goal regarding petroleum resources, and that is to ensure that the oil and gas industry carries out its activities in a sustainable manner while protecting and conserving the environment. The mandate of SEM is to facilitate the discovery, development and use of Saskatchewan's energy and mineral resources. SERM's mandate is to manage, enhance and protect Saskatchewan's natural and environmental resources such as fish, wildlife, lands, forests, parks, air, water and soil, for conservation, recreation, social and economic purposes. The mandate of SAF is to manage crown land in the province and to control surface access to these lands

Issues and considerations on the development of an institutional controls policy for uranium mines within Northern Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sigurdson, B.E.; Bilokury, M.R.; Snider, R.C.

2002-01-01

Institutional control of a mine site is required to ensure long-term public safety and environmental protection once responsibility for a decommissioned uranium mine site reverts back to the Crown. During the exploration, development, operation and decommissioning phases of a uranium mine's life cycle, public safety and environmental protection are ensured through the Federal and Provincial Environmental Assessment Review process, regulatory permitting and compliance monitoring by the province. However, at present, there is no clear provincial policy with respect to a proponent's application for release from a reclaimed and decommissioned site, and the resulting provincial responsibility for the long-term management and maintenance of the site once a release has been granted. Another policy issue has been identified with respect to the long-term institutional control of previously abandoned uranium mine sites. A number of issues are being considered by the Government of Saskatchewan in developing a policy which addresses the needs of the people of Saskatchewan and which is consistent with the intent of the commitments made by Canada through its ratification of the International Atomic Energy Agency's (IAEA) Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management. (author)

Building Regional Capacity for Sustainable Development through an ESD Project Inventory in RCE Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

White, Peta; Petry, Roger

2011-01-01

The Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development in Saskatchewan (RCE Saskatchewan, Canada) is part of the United Nations University RCE Initiative in support of the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-14). With funding from the Government of Saskatchewan's Go Green Fund, RCE Saskatchewan carried out…

Understanding the petroleum and natural gas regime in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lothian, E.C.

1997-01-01

Some of the legal issues relating to exploring for and operating oil and gas properties in Saskatchewan were discussed. An overview of key legislation was provided. The purpose of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act (OGCA) was explained, i.e., (1) to prevent waste, (2) to regulate all oil and gas operations to maximize ultimate recovery through prudent operations, (3) to allow each owner the opportunity to recover its share of oil or gas from a pool, (4) to develop, protect and conserve Saskatchewan's oil and gas resources, and (5) to protect the environment from the harmful effects of oil and gas operations. Legislation regarding vertical wells, horizontal wells, and horizontal well spacing was reviewed. Similar explanations were provided for the key features of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulations, the Freehold Oil and Gas Production Tax Act, the Mineral Taxation Act, the Land Titles Act, and the Builder's Lien Act. Registration issues for Crown and freehold lands, and non-contractual operator's duties were also reviewed. A brief reference was also made to a recent report entitled the 'Saskatchewan External Cost Review' which indicated that Saskatchewan had certain advantages for producing oil and gas compared to Alberta, Manitoba, British Columbia and North Dakota. Unfortunately, the report also indicated that the external costs ( crown royalties, freehold production taxes, income taxes, sales taxes, etc.), were the highest in Saskatchewan of the four jurisdictions reviewed

Outlook for Saskatchewan heavy oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Youzwa, P.

1993-01-01

Some of the opportunities and challenges currently facing the heavy oil industry in Saskatchewan are discussed from a government perspective. By the end of September 1993, 220 heavy oil wells were drilled in the province, and 26% of the land sales in 1993 were in heavy oil areas. About 41% of the wells drilled in heavy oil areas were horizontal oil wells. Of the total horizontal wells drilled in Saskatchewan, 48% are for heavy oil, and horizontal well production averages 85 bbl/d. Initial trends suggest that horizontal wells both accelerate production and contribute to ultimate recovery. Total heavy oil production in 1992 reached 28.9 million bbl and recoverable reserves in 1991 were 262.3 million bbl, or 1.5% of total oil in place. The low recovery is not only due to technical factors such as high viscosity but also to low investment in the heavy oil sector due to poor economics. It is hoped that lower interest and exchange rates, the success of horizontal wells and the provincial royalty structure will maintain the recent increase in heavy oil activity. The provincial government recently launched a comprehensive energy strategy in which development of a heavy oil strategy is an important component. Total heavy oil reserves exceed those of light and medium oil and have significant development potential. The Saskatchewan government wishes to adopt a cooperative and partnership approach in its dealings with the heavy oil industry to help realize this potential. 9 figs

Uranium deposits in the Beaverlodge area, northern Saskatchewan: their relationship to the Martin Group (Proterozoic) and the underlying basement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mazimhaka, P.K.; Hendry, H.E.

1989-01-01

The rocks of the Martin Group crop out in an area 60 km by 50 km north of Lake Athabasca near Uranium City, northern Saskatchewan. This area has numerous uranium showings within a few kilometres of the unconformity below the Martin Group. Mineralization occurs in fault zones, in basement rocks and in sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Martin Group. Martin Group sediments accumulated in alluvial fans, braided streams, and ephemeral lakes. The thickest sequence (8 km to 10 km) is preserved in the Beaverlodge area, near Uranium City. The style of sedimentation changed through time as the basin evolved from deposition of conglomeratic detritus along fault scarps to the accumulation of silt in ephemeral lakes. The uneven nature of the sub-Martin unconformity surface, the lithotype of the lowermost conglomerates and breccias (Beaverlodge Formation), and the shape of the basin fill indicate deposition in fault-controlled basins. The earliest economic uranium mineralization in the rocks of the Martin Group was epigenetic. The mineralization was coeval with that in basement rocks. Economic mineralization in basement rocks and in the lowermost formation of the Martin Group is close to the unconformity. Epigenetic uranium mineralization thus appears to have resulted from processes that were related, in time and space, to either the formation of the unconformity or the deposition of the Martin Group or both. (author). 29 refs, 5 figs

Labour Shortages in Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.C. Herbert Emery

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The predictions in the media and from think tanks sound altogether alarming: Saskatchewan, with its booming economy, could be facing a worker shortage so severe that it could drastically hobble the province’s ultimate economic potential. While the world craves only more of Saskatchewan’s abundant natural resources, the province won’t possibly be able to keep up, due to a scarcity of workers that could be as significant as one-fifth of the labour supply by 2020. The Saskatchewan government has rushed to analyze the predicament, issuing reports that urgently seek solutions. But it hasn’t really developed any solutions. In fact, it hasn’t done much about the supposedly looming crisis at all. And that, actually, might just be all it can — and should — do. In truth, Saskatchewan can’t be sure it will be facing a serious shortage, or any shortage, at all. And any attempt by the provincial government to substantially intervene in the labour market could cause more problems for employers and the economy, than it addresses. Saskatchewan’s labour market has already shown a remarkable ability to adjust, on its own, to the commodities boom, and what employers today call a shortage, could well just be everyone getting used to a much tighter, but still very functional, labour market. The province’s lack of action did mean it missed a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to redirect a huge cohort of Gen-Y students into training for trades that are in high demand (that cohort is already in its mid-20s and finished, or finishing, its career training. That was a mistake. But one big thing the Saskatchewan government can still do to help employers — and workers — is to stop making the strains on labour worse by launching imminent public infrastructure projects that compete with the private sector for labour. Instead, the province should plan those for when the boom slows down and workers need the jobs. It should also abandon any ideas of ramping

Comparing the market for nuclear power in Alberta and Saskatchewan - draft paper

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bratt, D.

2009-01-01

This paper compares the markets for nuclear power in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This is done by comparing the two provincial panels that were released in Spring 2009 (Saskatchewan's Uranium Development Partnership and Alberta's Nuclear Power Expert Panel). Each panels terms of reference, membership, process, analysis, recommendations, and public consultation process are examined. Other variables for comparison include the history of its involvement in the nuclear sector, the political support, and public support. It concludes by arguing that Saskatchewan is a better market for nuclear power and that it is likely that a nuclear reactor will be built in Saskatchewan, but that surplus electricity will also be exported to Alberta. The possibility of building new nuclear power plants in both Alberta and Saskatchewan is increasing. This would not only increase the size of the Canadian nuclear industry it would also geographically expand it. Many non-Westerners see the prairies as a homogenous whole, but there are critical differences between Alberta and Saskatchewan. Analyzing these political and market differences would provide a good predicative power over the ultimate success of the nuclear power initiatives. This paper conducts a detailed comparison of the Alberta Government's Nuclear Power Expert Panel (NPEP) report and the Saskatchewan Government's Uranium Development Partnership (UDP) report. Topics for comparison include the terms of reference, membership, process, analysis, recommendations, and public consultation process. It also examines the history of each province's involvement in the nuclear industry; the level of political support including the positions of the provincial political parties; and the level of public support and knowledge. (author)

Making it work : a Saskatchewan perspective on climate change policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-10-01

The government of Saskatchewan supports many of the objectives and principles of the Kyoto Protocol and has undertaken several significant actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This report outlines Saskatchewan's expectations for an effective and fair approach to climate change. The Canadian Prime Minister plans to ask Parliament to approve ratification of the Kyoto Protocol by the end of 2002. However, until the Saskatchewan government sees the federal climate change plan, it will not support the Kyoto emissions reduction target and the Kyoto time frame because the impact on the province is not known. Saskatchewan is very vulnerable to the effects of climate change because of its large agriculture and forest sectors, and is looking for a fair, equitable federal climate change plan that will include significant federal funding assistance. The province is committed to taking action on climate change but is not willing to have its citizens and industries pay a disproportionate price compared to other Canadians. The measures taken thus far by Saskatchewan include: the development of public education initiatives, development of new technology to dispose of carbon dioxide, development of strategies to help adapt to climate change, the development of biological sinks for carbon dioxide in agricultural soils and forests, and the implementation of energy conservation and renewable energy projects. This paper outlines 19 features that Saskatchewan feels should be included in the national plan to address climate change. Among the suggestions is the national plan should respect provincial jurisdictions, and it should also recognize the fact that eventually Canada will need to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to levels well below those required by Kyoto. The plan should also enable Canadians to achieve both environmental and economic benefits

Comparing the market for nuclear power in Alberta and Saskatchewan - draft paper

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bratt, D. [Dept. of Policy Studies, Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta (Canada)], E-mail: dbratt@mtroyal.ca

2009-07-01

This paper compares the markets for nuclear power in Alberta and Saskatchewan. This is done by comparing the two provincial panels that were released in Spring 2009 (Saskatchewan's Uranium Development Partnership and Alberta's Nuclear Power Expert Panel). Each panels terms of reference, membership, process, analysis, recommendations, and public consultation process are examined. Other variables for comparison include the history of its involvement in the nuclear sector, the political support, and public support. It concludes by arguing that Saskatchewan is a better market for nuclear power and that it is likely that a nuclear reactor will be built in Saskatchewan, but that surplus electricity will also be exported to Alberta. The possibility of building new nuclear power plants in both Alberta and Saskatchewan is increasing. This would not only increase the size of the Canadian nuclear industry it would also geographically expand it. Many non-Westerners see the prairies as a homogenous whole, but there are critical differences between Alberta and Saskatchewan. Analyzing these political and market differences would provide a good predicative power over the ultimate success of the nuclear power initiatives. This paper conducts a detailed comparison of the Alberta Government's Nuclear Power Expert Panel (NPEP) report and the Saskatchewan Government's Uranium Development Partnership (UDP) report. Topics for comparison include the terms of reference, membership, process, analysis, recommendations, and public consultation process. It also examines the history of each province's involvement in the nuclear industry; the level of political support including the positions of the provincial political parties; and the level of public support and knowledge. (author)

Longitudinal Decline in Lung Function Measurements among Saskatchewan Grain Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Punam Pahwa

2003-01-01

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the long term effects of grain dust and decline in lung function among grain elevator workers in Saskatchewan, studied over a 15-year period.

Saskatchewan resources. [including uranium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1979-09-01

The production of chemicals and minerals for the chemical industry in Saskatchewan are featured, with some discussion of resource taxation. The commodities mentioned include potash, fatty amines, uranium, heavy oil, sodium sulfate, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, sodium chlorate and bentonite. Following the successful outcome of the Cluff Lake inquiry, the uranium industry is booming. Some developments and production figures for Gulf Minerals, Amok, Cenex and Eldorado are mentioned.

The Saskatchewan-Alberta large acceptance detector for photonuclear physics

Science.gov (United States)

Cairns, E. B.; Cameron, J.; Choi, W. C.; Fielding, H. W.; Green, P. W.; Greeniaus, L. G.; Hackett, E. D.; Holm, L.; Kolb, N. R.; Korkmaz, E.; Langill, P. P.; McDonald, W. J.; Mack, D.; Olsen, W. C.; Peterson, B. A.; Rodning, N. L.; Soukup, J.; Zhu, J.; Hutcheon, D.; Caplan, H. S.; Pywell, R. E.; Skopik, D. M.; Vogt, J. M.; van Heerden, I. J.

1992-09-01

The Saskatchewan-Alberta Large Acceptance Detector (SALAD) is a 4 π detector designed and built for studies of photonuclear reactions with a tagged photon beam. The design and performance of the detector are described. Its characteristics have been studied by examining p-p elastic scattering with a proton beam at TRIUMF.

A critique of the Saskatchewan uranium royalty

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, O.Y.

1982-01-01

The Saskatchewan uranium royalty system has been in operation since 1976. The objectives of the system are: 1) to ensure a minimum return to the province from extraction of uranium; 2) to capture a fair share of the 'excess' profits; 3) to provide the producers with an adequate rate of return on investment; and 4) to leave marginal production decisions unaffected. The last three objectives are intended to capture pure profits or economic rents without distorting uranium developments. Taxation as an instrument for effecting such an objective is referred to as neutral taxation. This paper evaluates the Saskatchewan system first in the light of neutral taxation, and second in light of the objective of ensuring a minimum return to the province

Nuclear innovation in Saskatchewan: innovation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, N.

2015-01-01

This paper describes nuclear innovation in Saskatchewan. The first stage is the Canadian Institute for Science and Innovation Policy (CSIP) and how you have a successful discussion about a technically complex issue, understand what information people need in order to have an informed discussion, understand how to convey that information to those people in a constructive way.

Greenprint on ethanol production in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-04-01

Investment in Saskatchewan's ethanol industry is being actively promoted by the provincial government. This document represents the provincial strategy in support of the ethanol industry, which will result in significant environmental benefits for the province and the residents through the increased use of ethanol as an additive to conventional gasoline. The big advantage offered by ethanol is a more complete fuel combustion, thereby reducing emissions of greenhouse gases by as much as 30 per cent. The production costs of ethanol have decreased in the last twenty years by 50 per cent. The competitiveness of ethanol should increase due to ongoing research and development progress being made. The agricultural sector should benefit through the creation of meaningful jobs in the sector, as well as offering new marketing opportunities to the grain producers of the province and the wood-product companies. A renewable resource, ethanol reduces carbon dioxide exhaust emissions bu up to 20 per cent, reduces the smog-creating compounds up to 15 per cent, and achieves a net reduction of up to 10 per cent in carbon dioxide emissions. The abundance of raw materials and resources required for the production of ethanol, Saskatchewan possesses an obvious advantage for becoming a world leader in the field. The government of Saskatchewan has developed its strategy, outlined in this document. It calls for tax incentives, the mandating of ethanol blend, opening up markets, working with communities. The industry size, economic impact, export potential, and future opportunities were briefly discussed in the last section of the document. 1 tab., 3 figs

Quo Vadis Saskatchewan? Prospects to 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halabura, S.P.

2003-01-01

This presentation outlined the driving forces for Saskatchewan's upstream petroleum industry in terms of geology, technology and product price. The future direction of exploration and production was also explored. A timeline graph indicating oil and gas discoveries in the province from 1950 to 2000 was included along with graphs depicting the number of wells and prices. It was shown that the mass application of horizontal drilling technology resulted in an increase in production and a decrease in the price of well drilling. A timeline graph was also included to demonstrate the influence that different political regimes had on exploration and production. The hydrocarbon resource base in Saskatchewan is as follows: in the southeast, oil is found in carbonate rocks; in the southwest, oil and gas is found in sands and shales; and, in west-central Saskatchewan, heavy oil and gas is found in sands. The major basins include the Midale, Frobisher, Tilston, Madison, Shaunavon, Centaur, Roseray, White Specks, Mannville, Viking, and Bakken. Gas production prior to deregulation in 1985 was 12 per cent of the daily energy production. Gas production in 2002 was 25 per cent of the daily energy production. The future development potential for oil resources in the province lies in the deep Paleozoic carbonates. Huge original oil in place (OOIP) with low recovery rates offers great potential. The new tools and techniques that promote exploration include sequence stratigraphy applied to Paleozoic carbonates, seismic amplitude mapping, digital log analysis, diversifying carbon dioxide technology, gas liquefaction, and advanced reservoir characterization. 18 figs

Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory annual report 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caplan, H.S.

1985-11-01

Last year was reported on the first year of the upgrading project to add an energy compressor system, a pulse stretcher ring, and a magnetic spectometer to our existing 300 MeV electron linear accelerator. As well as giving a description of the project, the 1984 Annual Report included statements on the function of the laboratory and how its performance is evaluated. This year two items have been added to the upgrading project. In April 1985 a photon tagging systems was funded by NSERC and in October 1985 a surplus 44 inch magnetic spectrometer was received from the High Energy Physics Laboratory at Stanford. The status of these two items is given later in this report. During 1985 there have been two visits of the Saskatchewan Advisory Committee: SAC 5 on 14th-15th March and SAC 6 on 24th-25th October. The committee has continued to report satisfactory progress in the project to the presidents of NSERC and the University of Saskatchewan

Implementing Lean Health Reforms in Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Greg Marchildon

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Saskatchewan has gone further than any other Canadian province in implementing health system process improvements using Lean, a production line discipline that originated with the automobile industry. The goal of the Lean reform is to reduce waste and improve quality and overall health system performance by long-term changes in behaviour. Lean enjoys a privileged position on the provincial government’s agenda because of the policy’s championing by the Deputy Minister of Health and the policy’s fit with the government’s patient-centred care agenda. The implementation of reform depends on a major investment of time in the training and Lean-certification of key leaders and managers in the provincial health system. The Saskatchewan Union of Nurses, the union representing the single largest group of health workers in the province, has agreed to co-operate with the provincial government in implementing Lean-type reforms. Thus far, the government has had limited independent evaluation of Lean while internal evaluations claim some successes.

Deprivation and food access and balance in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Cushon, J; Creighton, T; Kershaw, T; Marko, J; Markham, T

2013-06-01

We explored food access and balance in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada in relation to material and social deprivation. We mapped the location of all large supermarkets and fast food retailers in Saskatoon. Supermarket accessibility index scores and food balance scores were compared to material and social deprivation indexes to determine significant associations. Our results indicate that the poorest access to supermarkets occurred in areas west of the South Saskatchewan River and also in suburban areas around the perimeter of the city. Areas west of the river are some of the most deprived areas in the city. Saskatoon's mean food balance ratio of 2.3 indicates that access favours fast food. However, we did not find a clear pattern or clear socio-economic gradient for most measures. This study highlights the importance of contextual studies of food access. This study also highlighted a number of other issues that should be explored in the Saskatoon context such as individual-level food consumption patterns, mobility, temporal dimensions of food access and economic access as well as interventions that could improve food access in the city.

The relationship between the oil industry and municipalities in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gerecke, D.

1997-01-01

The relationship between oil companies and rural municipalities in Saskatchewan and the recent changes to Saskatchewan's property tax assessment scheme were discussed. There are approximately 300 rural municipalities in Saskatchewan, each having its own bylaws and policies. The bylaws and policies dealing with roads and fees are the ones which affect the oil companies the most. From the industry's point of view, the biggest problem is that there is no consistency from one rural municipality to another regarding the rules that oil companies must follow. The Rural Municipalities Act and the Planning and Development Act are the sources of jurisdiction for rural municipalities. These acts allow municipalities to pass zoning bylaws for land use and development restrictions that could prevent or restrict the drilling of wells, the installation of road approaches, the crossing of roads with a pipeline or gas line, and waste disposal, among others. Examples of how the rural municipalities in Saskatchewan are dealing with the oil industry are presented. One factor that rural municipalities sometimes overlook is that trying to coexist peacefully with the oil industry frequently encourages development and keeps taxes down. The property tax reassessment based on the 1989 Rural Municipality Act, the impact of reassessment on rural municipalities, appeals against assessment, 1997 changes to the appeal rules, and major appeal issues in 1997 were also reviewed

Development and implementation of the Saskatchewan Leadership Program: Leading for healthcare transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Mutwiri, Betty; Witt, Christine; Denysek, Christina; Halferdahl, Susan; McLeod, Katherine M

2016-01-01

The Saskatchewan Leadership Program (SLP) was developed based on the LEADS framework and aligned with Lean management to build leadership renewal and sustainability conducive to transformational change in the Saskatchewan health system. This article describes the development, implementation, and evaluation of the SLP, including experiences and lessons learned. © 2015 The Canadian College of Health Leaders.

Exhaustible resources and economic growth: the case of uranium mining in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, H.F.

1984-09-01

This study examines the effect of a booming natural resource sector on regional economic growth, with particular attention to the impact of regional government policy on mineral rent taxation and the allocation of resource revenues. The author's approach is first to document the relevant theory and then to apply it to the case of the uranium industry in Saskatchewan. Governments often hold the view that a significant portion of resource rents flowing from the boom should be appropriated by the public sector. The usual arguments of efficiency and equity are explained, as is their applicability to uranium in Saskatchewan. The model is extended to include provincial tax and expenditure policies. Chapter 2 concentrates on mineral taxes and examines their various effects on the behaviour of firms with respect to exploration and extraction. The theory about the effects of mineral taxes on exploration and extraction is reviewed and is subsequently used to anticipate the effect of taxes on uranium mining. The Saskatchewan Uranium Royalty is explicitly considered in a quantitative model to analyse the effect on the rate of extraction on the Key Lake Mine. It is agreed that taxes collected by the Saskatchewan government are corrective in nature in that they lower the rate of extraction and make up for certain market failures and improve efficiency of resource use. It is not accepted, however, that the allocation of these taxes contributes to economic efficiency. Plentiful low cost uranium reserves are predicted but government policy is likely to limit rapid expansion. Weighing these factors and the world uranium market, uranium production forecasts are derived and an estimate is made of the impact of the industry on economic growth in Saskatchewan. The contribution to Gross Domestic Provincial Product in 2000 could be as high as 10% of the 1980 GDPP level and the contribution to employment as high as 9% of 1980 nonagricultural employment. The reader is cautioned that the

Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory. Annual report 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

We have now completed the third year of the upgrading project to convert our conventional linear accelerator to a 300 MeV CW electron beam facility. The original Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) grant in 1983 was for the following items: an energy compressor to improve the spectrum from the linac, a pulse stretcher ring to give ∼ 100% duty cycle, and a modern QDD spectrometer for efficient data taking. The status of all these items and other equipment funded for experiments is discussed in the text of this report. More details on the parameters of the various components may be found in previous annual reports (1984 and 1985). The 1984 report also describes the administrative structure of the project and how the performance of the laboratory is evaluated. Part of that supervisory structure is NSERC's Saskatchewan Advisory Committee. That committee visited the laboratory on 10-11 April 1986 and sent a satisfactory report to the presidents of NSERC and of the University of Saskatchewan. One more visit of this committee is expected at the completion of the project

Heavy oil in Saskatchewan: Building on strengths

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-02-01

Saskatchewan has reserves of 17.6 billion bbl of heavy oil located in the west-central part of the province. The first oil well was drilled in 1945 and production of heavy oil has increased gradually, reaching 79,000 bbl/d in 1992. In recent years, the production pattern has not matched trends in investment; since 1982/83, the relative proportion of heavy oil drilling has declined significantly. A study is presented which analyzes trends in heavy oil investment, production, economics, and markets, with a focus on determining the causes for lack of investment in the heavy oil sector and evaluating the opportunities and constraints for long-term sustainability of this industry. Industry background is provided, with presentation of the key resource characteristics, reserve potential, and production and investment trends. Markets both in Canada and the USA are analyzed in detail, possible future trends are suggested. The effect of development of refinery capacity on heavy oil developments is examined. The logistics of shipping heavy oil to markets are detailed. The economics of Saskatchewan heavy oil production are established, taking into account all relevant cost components including taxes, royalties, and netbacks to producers. Issues of relevance affecting the heavy oil industry are discussed, including the need for environmental safeguards. 25 figs., 24 tabs

Countering school bullying: An analysis of policy content in Ontario and Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ginette Diane Roberge

2011-08-01

Full Text Available The incidence of extreme school violence as a direct consequence of bullying among peers, exacerbated by vast media attention, has caused educational institutions worldwide to put bullying intervention and prevention strategies into operation. This study focused on an overview of two provincewide antibullying incentives in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Saskatchewan, and an analysis of the quality of their respective antibullying policies. An itemized list of beneficial practices for bullying intervention and prevention originated from Smith, Smith, Osborn and Samara (2008’s scoring scheme. The scoring scheme was adapted to the current study by linking research-based program elements that have been found to be effective in reducing school bullying to a content analysis of both provincial frameworks. The final scoring scheme comprised a total of 39 criterions, divided into five categories: Defining Bullying Behaviors, Establishing a Positive School Climate, Disseminating, Monitoring and Reviewing Policy, Reporting and Responding to Bullying, and Involving the Broader Community. Results showed that policies contained a total average of 60% of the criterions in Ontario, and 59% in Saskatchewan. The conclusion of this study observes from policy lenses key essentials of bullying intervention and prevention initiatives in elementary and secondary educational settings. Recommendations are proposed to bridge the gap between areas that have received extensive attention and areas that have received less treatment in bullying intervention and prevention endeavors, using the content of Ontario and Saskatchewan policies as a basis for discussion.

Integrating human health into environmental impact assessment: case studies of Canada's Northern mining resource sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noble, B.F.; Bronson, J.E.

2005-01-01

This paper examines the integration of human health considerations into environmental impact assessment (EIA) in the Canadian North. Emphasis is placed on the northern mining sector, where more land has been staked in the past decade than in the previous 50 years combined. Using information from interviews with northern EIA and health practitioners and reviews of selected project documents, we examined three principal mining case studies, northern Saskatchewan uranium mining operations, the Ekati diamond project, and the Voisey's Bay mine/mill project, to determine whether and how health considerations in EIA have evolved and the current nature and scope of health integration. Results suggest that despite the recognized link between environment and health and the number of high-profile megaprojects in Canada's North, human health, particularly social health, has not been given adequate treatment in northern EIA. Health considerations in EIA have typically been limited to physical health impacts triggered directly by project-induced environmental change, while social and other health determinants have been either not considered at all, or limited to those aspects of health and well-being that the project proponent directly controlled, namely employment opportunities and worker health and safety. In recent years, we have been seeing improvements in the scope of health in EIA to reflect a broader range of health determinants, including traditional land use and culture. However, there is still a need to adopt impact mitigation and enhancement measures that are sensitive to northern society, to monitor and follow up actual health impacts after project approval, and to ensure that mitigation and enhancement measures are effective. (author)

Environmental liability and contaminated site management : a strategic approach for Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-12-31

The issue of how much liability can be imposed on a party for remediating a contaminated site is discussed. Many jurisdictions have either passed legislation or implemented policies on environmental liability consistent with the 1993 framework outlined by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). In 1997, the Minister of Saskatchewan Environment and Resource Management (SERM) received a report from the Minister`s Contaminated Site Liability Advisory Group (CSLAG) which made a series of recommendations on the application of CCME principles in a Saskatchewan context. This document clarifies SERM`s approach to the management of contaminated sites in Saskatchewan and proposes a process model in accordance with the principles outlined by CCME and CSLAG to provide a workable system for determining which remedial measures are appropriate for specific contaminated sites. The report also identifies the parties responsible for implementing remedial measures and encourages them to negotiate the sharing of responsibility for the remediation among themselves. The treatment of orphan shares/sites is also discussed. 1 fig.

Global Partners : University of Saskatchewan Small Grant Program ...

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

This project builds on the experience of the University of Saskatchewan's Global ... Women in the developing world continue to face obstacles that limit their ability to ... of Canada (AUCC) to offer academics (graduate students, professors,. ... grants from IDRC to enhance its members' understanding of and engagement with.

Genetic models and their impact on uranium exploration in the Athabasca sandstone basin, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strnad, J.G.

1980-01-01

While the Beaverlodge area of Northern Saskatchewan became an important uranium-producing district during the 1950s, the Athabasca sandstone basin, located in the immediate vicinity, was considered to be non-prospective in Canada's regional assessment. Twenty years later, with the introduction of the supergene model into the basin's exploration strategy, the favourability of the host-rock for uranium deposits was shown. However, in some instances the search for local targets was enriched by implementing non-supergene models. Most geologists originally favoured the Middle Proterozoic (sub-Helikian) unconformity as a unique ore-controlling feature. Later, the concept of Lower Proterozoic (Aphebian) syngenetic protore, as represented by graphite-bearing strata in Archaean proximity, was added. In the author's view the combination of these factors is productive only within specialized segments of Archaean-Lower Proterozoic (Archaean-Aphebian) contact zones. (author)

Uranium and base metal dispersion studies in the Maquire Lake area, Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sopuck, V.J.; Lehto, D.A.W.; Alley, D.W.

1980-03-01

The objective of this study was to study uranium and base metal dispersion in various sample media occurring in the Maguire Lake area of Saskatchewan: bedrock, overburden, lake water, and lake sediments. Factors controlling partitioning of metals among various sample media were investigated, and lake sediment data were interpreted in terms of the factors to determine the significance of lake sediment data in indicating local mineralization. The association between organic matter contents and metal contents was found to vary between lake-center and nearshore sediments. Nickel, cobalt and zinc in lake sediments are strongly controlled by hydroxide precipitation and are less dependent on bedrock type. The concentration of Fe in center-lake sediments appears to reflect only the physicochemical parameters in the lake. Uranium and copper are strongly controlled by and preferentially concentrated in the organic matter; however, in center-lake sediments with >12 percent organic matter, U and Cu strongly reflect rock type

Saskatchewan vaults into international energy markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bradshaw, Michael.

1980-01-01

This popular article is the first part of two parts on uranium resources in Saskatchewan. The various mines, both existing and under development, are described in the context of the government hearings held before the operators were given permission to proceed with exploration and development. The latest government policy requires the province be offered up to 50 percent participation under certain circumstances and limits the rate at which developments may proceed so that the infrastructure of the province is not upset. (TI)

Assessment of food-water nexus by water footprint: a case study in Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Y.; Si, B.

2016-12-01

It is important but challengeable to understand the water-food nexus complexity. The water footprint (WF), a relatively new index, is a comprehensive indicator that can be used to evaluate crop water production. This paper aims to 1) determine how water footprint changes at different crop rotational types; 2) investigate what is difference if WF is calculated by yield-based or protein-based; and 3) explore how virtual water flows are responding to regional meteorological, agricultural, and socio-economic factors. The result provided the water footprint and virtual water flow exemplified for Saskatchewan agri-food production industries. By using the water footprint, we determined the best rotation for pulse crops in terms of efficiency of water productivity and water-saving opportunity. While yield is a comprehensive index to assess the productivity (yield-based WF), it underestimated the contribution of some crops, such as pulse crops with relatively low yield but high protein contents (protein-based WF). Consequently, we concluded that water-saving benefits can be achieved by the development and adoption of water efficient technology and better virtual water flows may be achieved by increased area of low water footprint in Saskatchewan. Our finding improves the current concepts of water and food security, informs production and trade decisions, and thus suggests optimal strategies by reduced water footprints in terms of agricultural management.

History and performance of the Steelman Oil Field, Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nikolaychuk, J; Francis, R E

1965-01-01

This paper summarizes the development and performance of the Steelman oil field in southeastern Saskatchewan. Steelman was the first field in southeastern Saskatchewan in which pressure maintenance by waterflooding was attempted. Production is obtained, at a depth of 4,700 ft, mainly from the dolomitized limestone Midale beds reservoir. Some production is also obtained from the underlying Frobisher beds, but the productive development of this zone is quite sporadic. The discovery of the field in 1954 was followed by the drilling of approximately 800 wells on 80-acre spacing. An early decline in reservoir pressure and increasing gas-oil ratios in this solution gas drive reservoir caused the working-interest owners to unitize most of the field and institute a program of pressure maintenance by waterflooding. The bulk of the field is unitized as 6 separate units, with pressure maintenance being conducted by three operators. To the end of 1964, the cumulative oil production from the six-unit area was approximately 77,000,000 bpd.

The role of SMDC in the Saskatchewan uranium industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Francis, David

1979-01-01

The Saskatchewan Mining Development Corporation (SMDC) is a Crown Corporation owned by the Government of Saskatchewan. It engages in all phases of the mineral industry from exploration to development, and finally production and sale of minerals. SMDC participates in joint ventures of two types - voluntary and crown equity participation. To date, SMDC has entered into 27 voluntary ventures, five of which have been abandoned. Crown equity participation is more common. Companies acquiring mineral depositions after Mar. 1, 1975, are required to offer the Crown up to a 50 per cent joint venture when it is first intended to spend more than $10,000 in any one year on a particular disposition. To date, participation has been offered in about 75 programs and an interest has been taken in 70 of these. More than 50 per cent of SMDC joint venture expenditures are with partners from Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Great Britian and Sweden. SMDC hired an exploration manager in May of 1976 and commenced an active exploration program almost immediately. A total of 20 projects are currently underway. (LL)

Oil-walnut hull fracs score in Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pamenter, C B

1967-02-01

The fracturing of wells using crude oil and walnut shells was recently introduced in SE. Saskatchewan with remarkable success. This workover treatment showed an ability to penetrate deeply into the low capacity Mississippian carbonates, and to raise production rates by as much as 400% without affecting the acceptable oil/ water ratios. Two case histories are included that indicate some of the conditions under which the treatment can be of value. The monthly oil and water production is tabulated for each of these cases.

Assessing the impacts of Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol pricing regulations on alcohol-related crime.

Science.gov (United States)

Stockwell, Tim; Zhao, Jinhui; Sherk, Adam; Callaghan, Russell C; Macdonald, Scott; Gatley, Jodi

2017-07-01

Saskatchewan's introduction in April 2010 of minimum prices graded by alcohol strength led to an average minimum price increase of 9.1% per Canadian standard drink (=13.45 g ethanol). This increase was shown to be associated with reduced consumption and switching to lower alcohol content beverages. Police also informally reported marked reductions in night-time alcohol-related crime. This study aims to assess the impacts of changes to Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol-pricing regulations between 2008 and 2012 on selected crime events often related to alcohol use. Data were obtained from Canada's Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. Auto-regressive integrated moving average time series models were used to test immediate and lagged associations between minimum price increases and rates of night-time and police identified alcohol-related crimes. Controls were included for simultaneous crime rates in the neighbouring province of Alberta, economic variables, linear trend, seasonality and autoregressive and/or moving-average effects. The introduction of increased minimum-alcohol prices was associated with an abrupt decrease in night-time alcohol-related traffic offences for men (-8.0%, P prices may contribute to reductions in alcohol-related traffic-related and violent crimes perpetrated by men. Observed lagged effects for violent incidents may be due to a delay in bars passing on increased prices to their customers, perhaps because of inventory stockpiling. [Stockwell T, Zhao J, Sherk A, Callaghan RC, Macdonald S, Gatley J. Assessing the impacts of Saskatchewan's minimum alcohol pricing regulations on alcohol-related crime. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017;36:492-501]. © 2016 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

Farm work exposure of older male farmers in Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Voaklander, Donald C; Dosman, James A; Hagel, Louise M; Warsh, Joel; Pickett, William

2010-07-01

The average age of farmers in North America is increasing each year. Research has determined that age and health status are both related to increased risk of injury. The purpose of this research was to determine the association of health and medication factors with exposure to farm work in older male farmers. As part of a cohort study to study determinants of injury on Saskatchewan farms, 5,502 farm people associated with 2,386 Saskatchewan farms were surveyed by mail questionnaire during the winter of 2007. The primary dependent variable was average hours per week of farm work. Independent variables included illnesses, age, and medication use. The mean number of hours worked per week by farmers aged 55 years and older was 48. There was a significant relationship between age and hours worked with each year of age accounting for about 0.85 hr less work per week. Medication use was related to a reduction in weekly work hours during the busy fall season but was not related to work exposure averaged over the whole year. In multivariable linear regression analysis, the main contributing variables to farm work exposure were: retired status (-), working off farm (-), and age (-). The amount of hours older farmers work on the farm is considerable compared to any other occupational category. While there is a declining trend in the amount of work, a 75-year-old farmer still works, on average, about 34 hr per week. Some farmers do appear to self-limit during busy times of the year if they are taking medication. 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Educational reform and the public: Two case studies of Poland and Saskatchewan (Canada)

Science.gov (United States)

Kaproń, Danuta; Stephan, Werner

1991-09-01

The involvement of the public in educational reform processes in modern democratic societies primarily serves the purpose of politically legitimizing the reform agenda. This study examines the rationales implicitly or explicitly submitted to the public to explain why educational reforms in the two countries should be endorsed. Although differences in the political culture caution against a hasty comparison of the two case studies, a number of politico-economic similarities allow for a valid juxtaposition. In Poland the context of socio-political and economic renewal prompted the reformers to emphasize the human-capital model which heightened public awareness and participation in the debate surrounding the reform. Public involvement in Saskatchewan was negatively affected for mainly two reasons. First, the government evidently manipulated public input by various means and thereby appears to have predetermined the outcome. Second, the rationale for the reform, based on a free-market model, tightened the linkage between the needs of the labour market and the mandate of the schools. As a result, public interest and participation was greatly diminished.

The rock Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

These have been pretty rough times for Uranium producers. Whether they are going to get better anytime soon is open to debate. But one thing is certain: If any producer is going to meet the challenges ahead, it's Cameco. When it comes to uranium, there is no question that Cameco is a global powerhouse. Cameco is capable of supplying about 15% of Western World uranium demand [120 million pounds]. It is arguably the world's lowest-cost producer, primarily because it owns the highest-grade ore deposits in the world at Key Lake and Rabbit Lake in the uranium-rich Athabasca basin of Saskatchewan. [Cameco owns two-thirds of and operates Key Lake and Rabbit Lake; the other third is owned by Uranerz Exploration ampersand Mining]. The ore grades at these two mines are 1.6% uranium at Key Lake and 2% at Rabbit Lake, surpassing the average ore grades of Cameco's chief competitors, Cogema of France and ERA of Australia. Furthermore, Cameco operates and owns the lion's share of several undeveloped mines that contain some of the richest ore in the world

A quantitative day in the life of a Saskatchewan rural physician.

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Emmett; Dhillon, Paul B A

2018-01-01

Rural family physicians are often required to meet a wide variety of medical service demands that are otherwise the responsibility of specialty physicians in urban centres. However, many rural physicians enjoy the practice variety and ability to meet patients' medical needs through this wider spectrum of care. We aimed to quantify and summarize the workload and clinical disorders seen by rural family physicians in Saskatchewan relative to urban family physicians. We used Saskatchewan Ministry of Health billing data for 2015/16 to compare rural and urban care provision. The data were summarized in a graphic 1-month format to portray a typical month in the life of a rural physician in the province. In the office setting, rural family physicians saw 16.8% more cardiac presentations in adults over 65 years of age than did urban family physicians; otherwise, there were no significant differences in the top office diagnosis categories seen by the 2 groups. Differences were apparent, however, in the hospital setting: urban family physicians saw more patients presenting with pain and, reflective of centralization of obstetric delivery services, performed more deliveries than did rural physicians. There are differences in the clinical presentations seen by rural and urban family physicians, and these need to be considered by new physicians considering rural practice. Our simple visual depiction of average workload, vacation and activity levels of rural physicians can further inform medical residents on the realities of working in rural Saskatchewan as a family physician. A more complete understanding of clinical workload expectations may promote recruitment of resident physicians.

Natural resources and government revenue : recent trends in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warnock, J.W.

2005-01-01

This document discusses recent trends in Saskatchewan regarding natural resources and government revenue. It discusses the history of politics in terms of government expenditure and investment in natural resources; the polarization between urban and rural areas; natural resources and capital accumulation and economic rent and royalties from resource extraction. The document also discusses several industries in Saskatchewan including petroleum, natural gas discovery and extraction. Uranium and coal mining activities were also documented along with other minerals such as gold, diamonds, and sodium sulphate. The article focused on the share of economic rent going to the general public compared to the amount going to private corporations. The author argued that with rising prices for natural resources, the provincial government has been transferring billions of dollars of resources rent to private investors by reducing royalties, fees and taxes. This has resulted in less revenue for the provincial government to spend on programs such as health, education and public services. The author suggested that concerted efforts must be put forward to put the issue of the public role in resource development back on the government agenda. 99 refs., 7 tabs

Drill site selection process using geophysical (seismic, EM, magnetic) surveys and regional geochemical uranium deposit vectors within the Keefe Lake Uranium Property and its vicinity – Athabasca Basin, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hajnal, Z.; Pandit, B.; Annesley, I.; Takacs, E.

2014-01-01

This study was initiated at the request of Athabasca Uranium Inc. of Vancouver, Canada. The area of investigation is around 4000 km"2 and includes the Keefe Lake (KL) property of the Company, located at the southeastern flank of the Athabasca Basin in Northern Saskatchewan. The intention of the program was multi-fold: to establish trends of regional uranium mineralization vectors, and incorporate these findings into the multidimensional integrated analysis of the currently available KL data set with an aim of providing an advanced priority ranking of drill hole selection process for the upcoming drilling programs. The information adapted for this investigation includes data from 450 boreholes, as well as drilling results of a recent KL prospect; data obtained from 114 Assessment Reports of the Saskatchewan Mineral Assessment Data Base (SMAD), and the analyses of 4 highresolution 2D seismic profiles within the claims of Athabasca Uranium Inc. To establish more effective spatial perspectives, the results of the regional lithology study (investigating alteration, graphitic, structural, pelitic, and pegmatitic features) were displayed along with the EM conductors, whereas basement lithology and faults were obtained from the Geological Atlas of Saskatchewan (southeastern segment of the Athabasca Basin). The regional investigation also included a study of the depth variations of the unconformity (UC), spatial vectors in geochemistry of the indicative path finder elements (U, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, As, and B), and also the clay mineralization (illite and kaolinite) indicative of uranium mineralization related to alteration zones. Local area investigations consisted of integrating the AEROTEM (2009) and VTEM (2013) airborne EM data, the associated magnetic observations, and computation of relevant attributes. The comprehensive synthesis of the above geophysical information incorporated all the available and derived geological perspectives. The high-resolution 2D seismic data

Use of Principal Components Analysis and Kriging to Predict Groundwater-Sourced Rural Drinking Water Quality in Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

McLeod, Lianne; Bharadwaj, Lalita; Epp, Tasha; Waldner, Cheryl L

2017-09-15

Groundwater drinking water supply surveillance data were accessed to summarize water quality delivered as public and private water supplies in southern Saskatchewan as part of an exposure assessment for epidemiologic analyses of associations between water quality and type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Arsenic in drinking water has been linked to a variety of chronic diseases and previous studies have identified multiple wells with arsenic above the drinking water standard of 0.01 mg/L; therefore, arsenic concentrations were of specific interest. Principal components analysis was applied to obtain principal component (PC) scores to summarize mixtures of correlated parameters identified as health standards and those identified as aesthetic objectives in the Saskatchewan Drinking Water Quality Standards and Objective. Ordinary, universal, and empirical Bayesian kriging were used to interpolate arsenic concentrations and PC scores in southern Saskatchewan, and the results were compared. Empirical Bayesian kriging performed best across all analyses, based on having the greatest number of variables for which the root mean square error was lowest. While all of the kriging methods appeared to underestimate high values of arsenic and PC scores, empirical Bayesian kriging was chosen to summarize large scale geographic trends in groundwater-sourced drinking water quality and assess exposure to mixtures of trace metals and ions.

Examining the Supply of and Demand for Physiotherapy in Saskatchewan: The Relationship between Where Physiotherapists Work and Population Health Need.

Science.gov (United States)

McFadden, Brighid; Jones McGrath, Kendra; Lowe, Teghan; Thiessen, Carla; Irinici, Steven; Shah, Tayyab; Milosavljevic, Stephan; Bath, Brenna

Purpose: This research examined the association between the distribution of physiotherapists in Saskatchewan relative to population health characteristics and self-reported physiotherapy use. Methods: Using a cross-sectional design, de-identified data were collected from the 2013 Saskatchewan College of Physical Therapy membership renewals ( n =643), and Saskatchewan population health characteristics data were obtained from the 2009-2012 Canadian Community Health Surveys (CCHSs). Age- and sex-adjusted proportions of selected population health characteristics were calculated and stratified by health region and rural-urban location; both were determined, for physiotherapists and CCHS participants, using postal codes. The association between physiotherapy distribution and physiotherapy use was calculated, and geospatial mapping techniques were used to display physiotherapist distribution across the province relative to population health characteristics. Results: Across health regions, a positive correlation ( r =0.655, p supply and distribution of physiotherapists and population health needs and demands. Conclusion: There is a discrepancy in Saskatchewan among the distribution of physiotherapists, self-reported physiotherapy use, and population health characteristics, especially in rural settings. These findings provide insight into which areas are in need of increased physiotherapy services.

An Assessment of Demand for a Combined PharmD-MBA Program at the University of Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Mansell, Kerry; Bruneau-Bouchard, Antoine; Bruni-Bossio, Vincent

2016-05-13

(1) Background: Combined MBA programs are becoming increasingly popular, and it is anticipated that there will be 60 combined pharmacy-MBA programs across North America in 2015. We aimed to see if there would be support for a combined PharmD-MBA program at the University of Saskatchewan. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year pharmacy students at the University of Saskatchewan. A separate questionnaire was developed and all practicing pharmacists in Saskatchewan were emailed a link to SurveyMonkey ® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) to fill it out online. In-person and phone interviews were conducted with pharmacy stakeholders in Saskatchewan and across the country. (3) Results: Of the 265 students, 193 (72.8%) were present on the days the questionnaires were distributed, and they all completed the questionnaires. When asked if they would have pursued a combined degree if the U of S had offered it when they entered the pharmacy program, 16.6% (32/193) and 37.3% (72/193) either strongly agreed or agreed and 29.0% (56/193) were unsure. When pharmacists were asked if an MBA would be valuable or applicable in their current job, 42.2% (128/303) agreed and 13.9% (42/303) strongly agreed. When asked if they felt students graduating with a combined degree would be at an advantage for certain job opportunities upon graduation, 33.6% (100/298) strongly agreed and 55.4% (165/298) agreed. A total of 8 interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from across Canada. Of these 8 stakeholders, only 2 were aware that other combined programs were offered. All of the stakeholders were in favour of the idea of a combined degree. Some felt it was important for the program to have a clear value proposition and healthcare related content would be desirable. (4) Conclusions: Overall, pharmacist, pharmacy student, and stakeholder input indicate that a combined program could be supported at the University of Saskatchewan.

An Assessment of Demand for a Combined PharmD–MBA Program at the University of Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Mansell, Kerry; Bruneau-Bouchard, Antoine; Bruni-Bossio, Vincent

2016-01-01

(1) Background: Combined MBA programs are becoming increasingly popular, and it is anticipated that there will be 60 combined pharmacy–MBA programs across North America in 2015. We aimed to see if there would be support for a combined PharmD–MBA program at the University of Saskatchewan. (2) Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year pharmacy students at the University of Saskatchewan. A separate questionnaire was developed and all practicing pharmacists in Saskatchewan were emailed a link to SurveyMonkey® (Palo Alto, CA, USA) to fill it out online. In-person and phone interviews were conducted with pharmacy stakeholders in Saskatchewan and across the country. (3) Results: Of the 265 students, 193 (72.8%) were present on the days the questionnaires were distributed, and they all completed the questionnaires. When asked if they would have pursued a combined degree if the U of S had offered it when they entered the pharmacy program, 16.6% (32/193) and 37.3% (72/193) either strongly agreed or agreed and 29.0% (56/193) were unsure. When pharmacists were asked if an MBA would be valuable or applicable in their current job, 42.2% (128/303) agreed and 13.9% (42/303) strongly agreed. When asked if they felt students graduating with a combined degree would be at an advantage for certain job opportunities upon graduation, 33.6% (100/298) strongly agreed and 55.4% (165/298) agreed. A total of 8 interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from across Canada. Of these 8 stakeholders, only 2 were aware that other combined programs were offered. All of the stakeholders were in favour of the idea of a combined degree. Some felt it was important for the program to have a clear value proposition and healthcare related content would be desirable. (4) Conclusions: Overall, pharmacist, pharmacy student, and stakeholder input indicate that a combined program could be supported at the University of Saskatchewan. PMID:28970393

"The largest Lean transformation in the world": the implementation and evaluation of lean in Saskatchewan healthcare.

Science.gov (United States)

Kinsman, Leigh; Rotter, Thomas; Stevenson, Katherine; Bath, Brenna; Goodridge, Donna; Harrison, Liz; Dobson, Roy; Sari, Nazmi; Jeffery, Cathy; Bourassa, Carrie; Westhorp, Gill

2014-01-01

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health has committed to a multi-million dollar investment toward the implementation of Lean methodology across the province's healthcare system. Originating as a production line discipline (the Toyota Production System), Lean has evolved to encompass process improvements including inventory management, waste reduction and quality improvement techniques. With an initial focus on leadership, strategic alignment, training and the creation of a supportive infrastructure (Lean promotion offices), the goal in Saskatchewan is a whole health system transformation that produces "better health, better value, better care, and better teams." Given the scope and scale of the initiative and the commitment of resources, it is vital that a comprehensive, longitudinal evaluation plan be implemented to support ongoing decision-making and program design. The nature of the initiative also offers a unique opportunity to contribute to health quality improvement science by advancing our understanding of the implementation and evaluation of complex, large-scale healthcare interventions. The purpose of this article is to summarize the background to Lean in Saskatchewan and the proposed evaluation methods. Copyright © 2014 Longwoods Publishing.

The Intersection of Modernity, Globalization, Indigeneity, and Postcolonialism: Theorizing Contemporary Saskatchewan Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Cottrell, Michael; Preston, Jane P.; Pearce, Joe

2012-01-01

Viewing education as a contested site in the intersection of modernity, indigeneity, globalization, and postcolonialism, we explore relations between Aboriginal peoples and public schools in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Posing a profound challenge to provincial policy underpinned by global educational culture, indigeneity constitutes a…

Shale fabric and velocity anisotropy : a study from Pikes Peak Waseca Oil Pool, Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Newrick, R.T.; Lawton, D.C. [Calgary Univ., AB (Canada). Dept. of Geology and Geophysics

2004-07-01

The stratigraphic sequence of the Pikes Peaks region in west-central Saskatchewan consists of a thick sequence of shale overlying interbedded sandstones, shale and coal from the Mannville Group. Hydrocarbons exist in the Waseca, Sparky and General Petroleum Formations in the Pikes Peak region. The primary objective of this study was to examine the layering of clay minerals in the shale and to find similarities or differences between samples that may be associated with velocity anisotropy. Anisotropy is of key concern in areas with thick shale sequences. Several processing algorithms include corrections for velocity anisotropy in order for seismic images to be well focused and laterally positioned. This study also estimated the Thomsen parameters of anisotropy through field studies. The relationship between the shale fabric and anisotropy was determined by photographic core samples from Pike Peak using a scanning electron microscope. Shale from two wells in the Waseca Oil Pool demonstrated highly variable fabric over a limited vertical extent. No layering of clay minerals was noted at the sub-centimetre scale. Transverse isotropy of the stratigraphy was therefore considered to be mainly intrinsic. 7 refs., 3 tabs., 9 figs.

Saskatchewan combustion recovery an operational success

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1967-12-04

Mobil Oil Co.'s in-situ combustion recovery project in the Battrum heavy oil field in SW. Saskatchewan is an operational success, but not a profit-making venture so far. Some of the details resulting from a discussion with the senior project engineer are discussed. It is explained that 100% displacement efficiency is attained in the burned zone by way of fluid convection resulting from heat conduction. Reasons for selecting the Battrum reservoir are also considered. The pilot project currently being conducted is intended to determine information on the following factors: effect of productivity, injectivity index data, air-oil ratio performance, distribution of injected gas, ignition characteristics, and sweep efficiency. The largest problems are associated with equipment, well completions, and handling of produced fluids.

Saskatchewan's place in the Canadian oil sands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schramm, L.L. [Saskatchewan Research Council, Saskatoon, SK (Canada); Kramers, J.W. [Owl Ventures Inc., Edmonton, AB (Canada); Isaacs, E.E. [Alberta Energy Research Inst., Calgary, AB (Canada)

2009-07-01

This paper provided a detailed description of the oil sands geology and physical properties and highlighted some of the novel recovery technologies that are being developed for shallow in-situ reservoirs in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Canada's oil sands are well known around the world, with Alberta's mined and in-situ oil sands reservoirs being well developed with mature commercial technologies. Shallow in-situ oil sands located in both Saskatchewan and Alberta will be the next frontier in Canadian petroleum development. Shallow reservoirs will need to be developed with new environmentally sound in-situ technologies that will reduce the use of steam and fresh water, and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Research and development programs are currently underway to develop and demonstrate such new technologies. It was concluded that innovation has been the key to developing the immense and complex technology oil contained in Canada's heavy oil reservoirs and also in its shallow and deep in-situ oil sands reservoirs. Promising technologies include the solvent vapour extraction and hybrid thermal solvent extraction processes that are being developed and demonstrated in large-scale three-dimensional scaled physical models and associated numerical simulation models. Electrical heating and gravity stable combustion are other examples of technologies that could play a significant role in developing these resources. 88 refs., 3 tabs., 8 figs.

Exploration of the Key Lake uranium deposits, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gatzweiler, R.; Schmeling, B.; Tan, B.

1981-01-01

In 1969, one year after the discovery of the Rabbit Lake uranium deposit, exploration started in the Key Lake area as part of a major uranium rush into Northern Saskatchewan, and within the frame of a joint venture. The area was not chosen on the basis of a particular metallogenetic concept. The lack of exploratory success in 1969 and 1970, together with the introduction in March 1970 of foreign ownership restrictions for uranium mining in Canada, discouraged six of the nine companies forming the original joint venture. In 1971 the three remaining companies decided to continue under a redefined concept, based on the knowledge obtained from the Rabbit Lake deposit (Uranerz had acquired a 49% share in 1970) and from the newly discovered uranium deposits in the Pine Creek Geosyncline, Australia. In the same year, exploration work resulted in the discovery of two high-grade mineralized boulders and significant radioactive and geochemical anomalies 5 km SW of Key Lake deposits. Subsequent exploration, aimed at finding the source of the mineralized boulders, comprised geological, glacial geological and ground radiometric surveys, boulder tracing, air-photo interpretation, lake sediment and muskeg sampling surveys, radon surveys, ground magnetic, gravity, electromagnetic and IP surveys, and drilling. The systematic exploration efforts resulted in the discovery of the Gaertner ore body in July 1975 and the Deilmann ore body in June 1976, where glacial geology, lake sediment sampling, magnetic and electromagnetic surveys were the key methods in defining the drilling targets. Three further years and a total of about 2400 drillholes were needed to fully delineate the two ore bodies. (author)

Confiscatory equalization : the intriguing case of Saskatchewan's vanishing energy revenues

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Courchene, T.J.

2004-01-01

This paper examined fiscal policies and factors that affect economic growth. In particular, it examined Saskatchewan's equalization entitlements for energy revenues and how Canada's equalization program confiscated the province's energy revenues for the fiscal year 2000-2001. It included an equalization primer that familiarized readers with the theory and practice of equalization. Several equations and tables relating to the mechanics of equalization were included along with a summary of equalization and tax-back rates that address the nature of tax-back rates that accompany the equalization formula. The author proposed alternative ways to reduce tax-backs such as the generic solution that applies to offshore energy revenues in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. He also suggested ways in which some important fiscal inequities can be redressed. A remedy that can be applied immediately involves an equitable approach which allows the province to retain at least 30 per cent of its energy revenues. A long term remedy would require the implementation of comprehensive reform such as restoring equalization to its national average standard (NAS) roots, but where only 25 per cent of resource revenues would be eligible for equalization. It was suggested that the maximum equalization tax-back rate for each of Saskatchewan's energy revenue categories should not exceed 70 per cent. refs., tabs., figs

Midwest Lake uranium discovery, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scott, F.

1981-01-01

The discovery of the Midwest Lake uranium deposit in Saskatchewan came some ten years after the start of exploration. The original mining rights were acquired on the basis of regional published, geology and proximity to the earlier discovery. Aerial radiometric surveys led to the location of a train of radioactive, glacially transported sandstone boulders and cobbles. The source of these mineralized erratics did not outcrop, and an extensive series of magnetic, electromagnetic, seismic and gravity surveys was carried out in an unsuccessful attempt to identify the source location. These surveys were followed by several programmes of diamond drilling, geochemical surveys and Pleistocene geological studies. None of these programmes or surveys encountered bedrock mineralization. When information about ore controls in the Athabasca Basin became available, a limited programme of three 300-m wildcat diamond-drill holes was proposed. The second of these holes cut weak radioactivity in a poorly cored intersection. This intersection was at an unconformity at a depth of 200 m. The programme terminated prematurely with early melting of lake ice. The first hole in the subsequent winter's follow-up drilling intersected uranium values in excess of 8%. (author)

Progress, public health, and power: Foucault and the Homemakers' Clubs of Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

McLean, Scott; Rollwagen, Heather

2008-08-01

From 1911 to 1979, the Homemakers' Clubs of Saskatchewan mobilized and monitored extensive study and action in the field of public health. This article explores how these clubs exhorted women to strive for progress, and encouraged women to internalize such striving as fundamental to their own identities. The techniques used included encouraging commitment to shared goals, making such goals personal, structuring action, requiring women to report their thoughts and actions, rewarding certain behaviors, and linking those behaviors with emotionally compelling causes. Rooted in a Foucauldian conceptual framework, this article contributes to the sociological understanding of subject formation and governance.

Corporate citizenship and the Saskatchewan uranium industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Michel, B.M.

1995-01-01

Saskatchewan has vast and rich uranium deposits which in 1994 contributed almost 30% to world uranium production. There are only two mining operators in the province which is subject to the overlapping jurisdictions of the provincial and federal governments. The sparse population consists of two distinct groups, a minority population of people of native ancestry in the north and people typical of most North American rural communities living in the south. Each has its own concerns and expectations with respect to the mining operations and nuclear power. The comprehensive community relations programme set up by the mining industry against this background is described. It includes trying to address concerns, offering training, employment and business opportunities, and supporting the social and cultural aspects of community life. (UK)

Colleges without Walls But with Foundations: Integrated College and Communications Development in Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Faris, Ronald L.

The evolvement of the community college in Saskatchewan is discussed. The college concept, which is embodied in seven principles, is essentially one of a communtiy college in which the community is the campus--the "college" exists wherever its programs are offered. Existing school and community facilities are utilized. In the first year…

Reimbursement for Supportive Cancer Medications Through Private Insurance in Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Forte, Lindy; Olson, Colleen; Atchison, Carolyn; Gesy, Kathy

2009-01-01

Background: As demand for cancer treatment grows, and newer, more expensive drugs become available, public payers in Canada are finding it increasingly difficult to fund the full range of available cancer drugs. Objective: To determine the extent of private drug coverage for supportive cancer treatments in Saskatchewan, preparatory to exploring the potential for cost-sharing. Methods: Patients who presented for chemotherapy and who provided informed consent for participation were surveyed regarding their access to private insurance. Insurers were contacted to verify patients' level of coverage for supportive cancer medications. Groups with specified types of insurance were compared statistically in terms of age, income bracket, time required to assess insurance status, and amount of deductible. Logistic regression was used to determine the effect of patients' age and income on the probability of having insurance. Results: Of 169 patients approached to participate, 156 provided consent and completed the survey. Their mean age was 58.5 years. About two-fifths of all patients (64 or 41%) were in the lowest income bracket (up to $30 000). Sixty-three (40%) of the patients had private insurance for drugs, and 36 (57%) of these plans included reimbursement for supportive cancer medications. A deductible was in effect in 31 (49%) of the plans, a copayment in 28 (44%), and a maximum payment in 8 (13%). Income over $50 000 was a significant predictor of access to drug insurance (p = 0.003), but age was not significantly related to insurance status. Conclusions: A substantial proportion of cancer patients in this study had access to private insurance for supportive cancer drugs for which reimbursement is currently provided by the Saskatchewan Cancer Agency. Cost-sharing and optimal utilization of the multipayer environment might offer a greater opportunity for public payers to cover future innovative and supportive therapies for cancer, but further study is required to

Cost study on waste management at three model Canadian uranium mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-03-01

A waste management cost study was initiated to determine the capital and operating costs of three different uranium waste management systems which incorporate current technologies being used in Canadian uranium mining operations. Cost estimates were to be done to a thirty percent level of accuracy and were to include all waste management related costs of a uranium ore processing facility. Each model is based on an annual uranium production of 1,923,000 kg U (5,000,000 lbs U 3 O 8 ) with a total operating life of 20 years for the facility. The three models, A, B, and C, are based on three different uranium ore grades, 0.10 percent U 3 O 8 , 0.475 percent U 3 O 8 and 1.5 percent U 3 O 8 respectively. Yellowcake production is assumed to start in January 1984. Model A is based on a conceptual 7,180 tonne per day uranium ore processing facility and waste management system typical of uranium operations in the Elliot Lake area of northern Ontario with an established infrastructure. Model B is a 1.512 tonne per day operation based on a remote uranium operation typical of the Athabasca Basin properties in northern Saskatchewan. Model C is a 466 tonne per day operation processing a high-grade uranium ore containing arsenic and heavy metal concentrations typical of some northern Saskatchewan deposits

Integrating strategic environmental assessment with industry planning: a case study of the Pasquai-Porcupine forest management plan, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Noble, Bram F

2004-03-01

Strategic environmental assessment (SEA) is gaining widespread recognition as a tool for integrating environmental considerations in policy, plan, and program development and decision-making. Notwithstanding the potential of SEA to improve higher-order decision processes, there has been very little attention given to integrating SEA with industry planning practices. As a result, the benefits of SEA have yet to be fully realized among industrial proponents. That said, SEA practice is ongoing, albeit informally and often under a different label, and is proving to be a valuable tool for industry planning and decision-making. Based on a case study of the Pasquai-Porcupine forest management plan in Saskatchewan, Canada, this paper illustrates how an integrated approach to SEA can contribute to industry environmental decision-making and can enhance the quality and deliverability of industry plans.

Preliminary assessment of the impact of fluctuating water levels on northern pike in Reindeer Lake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, M.

1993-03-01

Reindeer Lake in north eastern Saskatchewan regulates water levels for the Island Falls hydroelectric power plant. Since inception of the Whitesand Dam on the lake, there have been concerns that fluctuating water levels could be adversely impacting the habitat and population of northern pike in the lake. The extent of water level fluctuations during the pike spawning period of Reindeer Lake and its effect on spawning success was investigated. Since construction of the Whitesand Dam in 1942 Reindeer Lake water levels have averaged ca 1.71 m higher than had the dam not existed, creating ca 430 km 2 of new surface area. Much of this area is shallow water and prone to growth of aquatic vegetation, which is suitable spawning and nursery habitat for northern pike. Annual and periodic water level fluctuations of Reindeer Lake have been higher than under natural conditions. During northern pike spawning and nursing periods, water levels in the lake have generally increased, in 60 out of 64 y. It is concluded that operation of the dam has not caused any direct negative impacts on the northern pike habitat in the lake. 2 refs., 4 figs., 4 tabs

Agribusiness Planning - Teaching and Cases at the University of Saskatchewan, Canada

OpenAIRE

Brown, William J.

2005-01-01

The University of Saskatchewan (U of S) offers 2 courses in agribusiness planning where students form groups of 3 or 4 and prepare a complete business plan for an actual or planned agribusiness. Individuals or groups wishing to have a agribusiness plan completed can apply to the U of S and a student group will be assigned to their project. The components of a business plan includes the following sections; the executive summary, the introduction to the business being planned, the industry over...

Municipal consultation key to understanding haul road maintenance agreements for Saskatchewan rural municipalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leibel, R.E.A.

1998-01-01

Current municipal perspectives regarding the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan were described. Municipal jurisdiction and authority regarding road development and heavy haul road maintenance agreements were defined. Based on actual work experience, collaborative working relationships between the oil and gas industry and the municipal sector is well worth some industry time and effort since it will result in cost savings for the industry. In general, rural municipalities receive very limited tax benefits to recapture the costs of road reconstruction and maintenance caused by heavy industry traffic. Road servicing costs can be recaptured only if companies respect the weight limits, hauling regulations and road bans. On the whole, municipalities in Saskatchewan are favourably disposed towards the oil and gas industry, and have done well in the past to accommodate industry's needs. It is not unreasonable therefore to expect that industry show sensitivity to the impact of its activities on the local municipality, and does its level best to be on good terms with the municipalities through early two-way communication. Text of some relevant acts of the Legislature respecting the powers and authorities of rural municipalities are appended

Exploring and revitalizing Indigenous food networks in Saskatchewan, Canada, as a way to improve food security.

Science.gov (United States)

Gendron, Fidji; Hancherow, Anna; Norton, Ashley

2017-10-01

The project discussed in this paper was designed to expand research and instigate revitalization of Indigenous food networks in Saskatchewan, Canada, by exploring the current state of local Indigenous food networks, creating a Facebook page, organizing volunteer opportunities and surveying workshop participants regarding their knowledge and interest in Indigenous foods. The survey included Likert scale questions and qualitative questions. Project activities and survey results are discussed using statistical and qualitative analysis of the themes. Results indicate that participants are very interested in learning more about, and having greater access to, traditional foods and suggest that supporting Indigenous food networks may be an appropriate response to food insecurity in communities. Elders and community members are vital players in Indigenous foods exploration and revitalization in Saskatchewan by passing on traditional education. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characterization of coals from the Ravenscrag Formation, southern Saskatchewan, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McDougall, W.J. (University of Regina, Regina, SK (Canada). Faculty of Science)

1989-10-30

Samples of economically important lignite reserves in the Ravenscrag Formation (Paleocene) of southern Saskatchewan are characterized by lithotype, maceral, microlithotype, and chemical analysis. The samples are from two cores and five reverse circulation drill boreholes from the Hart seam, Willow Bunch coalfield. Samples from four reverse circulation boreholes from the Souris seam, Estevan coalfield are characterized by maceral and chemical analysis. Coals from the Hart and Souris seams differ in rank, because of different thermal histories. A microlithotype classification developed for low rank coals is presented for Hart seam coals. 74 refs., 35 figs., 12 tabs.

Income adequacy and education associated with the prevalence of obesity in rural Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yue; Rennie, Donna C; Karunanayake, Chandima P; Janzen, Bonnie; Hagel, Louise; Pickett, William; Dyck, Roland; Lawson, Joshua; Dosman, James A; Pahwa, Punam

2015-07-24

Obesity is prevalent in rural communities in Canada, however little is known about the social determinants of health and obesity in rural populations. Socioeconomic status has been found to be inversely associated with the risk of obesity in developed countries. This study investigated the relationship between income adequacy, education and obesity in a rural setting. The study used data from 5391 adults aged 18-69 who participated in the Saskatchewan Rural Health Study in 2010. Participants completed a survey that included questions about location of residence, body weight, height, and socio-demographic and behavioral factors. Obesity was defined as body mass index being ≥ 30 kg/m(2). Logistic regression using generalized estimating equation was conducted to assess the associations of income adequacy and education level with the prevalence of obesity taking covariates into consideration. Approximately a third of the participants were obese and the prevalence of obesity was similar for men and women. The prevalence of obesity was significantly higher for rural residents not living on farm compared with those living on farm (p education compared with those with > 12 years of education (aOR: 1.18; 95% CI: 1.05-1.34). Low income adequacy was significantly associated with an increased risk of obesity but only among those not living on farm (aOR: 1.80; 95% CI: 1.16-2.79). Home location was associated with obesity prevalence in rural Saskatchewan and modified the influence of income adequacy, but not the influence of education, on obesity. Adults not living on farm had an increased risk of obesity and showed a significant impact of income adequacy on obesity.

Oil and gas conservation in Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sereda, M.A.

1997-01-01

The Saskatchewan's Oil and Gas Conservation Act provides legislative authority for the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations, 1985. The main purposes of the Act are to maximize oil and gas recovery, to allow each owner the opportunity of obtaining his share of oil or gas and to protect the environment and prevent waste. The document under review described how this legislative intent is fulfilled through the spacing of wells, the setting of allowables, and approval of waterflood and enhanced recovery projects, while considering equitable drainage of oil and gas. Specific topics dealt with include: vertical well spacing, infill drilling, off-target drilling, horizontal well spacing, and allowables. The concepts of voluntary and statutory pooling as well as voluntary and statutory unitization were explained. Examples of waterflood and enhanced oil recovery projects were provided. The regulation relating to oil and gas conservation were first implemented in 1952 and evolved to their present form through a series of changes and amendments. The most significant changes to the regulations were made in 1991 when horizontal drilling needed to be accommodated. 1 tab

Nuclear cluster strategy Carolinas - Ontario - Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oberth, R.

2012-01-01

Organization of Candu Industries (OCI) is an industry association representing the interests of 170 private sector suppliers of products and services to the Canadian and offshore nuclear industries. OCI member companies, mainly in Ontario, employ over 30,000 highly specialized workers with over 12,000 working in nuclear area. OCI's objectives are to sustain the domestic nuclear program by building support among political leaders, the public and local communities, assist OCI member companies in becoming the preferred suppliers for domestic nuclear projects (competitive), assist OCI member companies in international nuclear markets - trade missions and vendor workshops. OCI is at the heart of an 'Ontario nuclear cluster'. The Carolinas have shown what can be achieved when industry, academia, S&T centers and governments collaborate with a shared vision to achieve a common goals. Ontario has the assets to become a stronger center for nuclear excellence. OCI is working to bring the pieces together. Saskatchewan has the assets to become a center of excellence in Small Modular Reactors (SMR) by licensing and constructing the first SMR in Canada.

Impact of the decision-making environment on policy responses to road worker fatality in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Pankratz, Curt J

2018-01-22

Fatal accidents often lead to policy changes. However, the existing decision-making environment is critical to policy responses. This study compares the policy responses to similar events in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The key question explores the extent to which the policy decisions in each province differ despite the similarity of the events. Key documents were examined. Provincial court rulings, workplace health & safety incident investigation reports, court transcripts and police reports were used to compare resulting policy changes as well as the socio-political and economic decision-making context. Relevant clauses in resulting legislation were also compared to assess the specific changes that were made in each province. In each province, a young, female highway construction worker was killed. However, the provinces responded in very different ways. In Saskatchewan, the Premier called for recommendations to improve worker safety, initiating an in-depth governmental study and the development of a broad safety strategy. In Manitoba, political and social pressures shifted the decision-making environment and contributed to the rushed passing of a bill focused on traffic fine increases that resulted in record-breaking traffic fine revenue while failing to include broader safety measures. Different decision-making contexts can lead to vastly different policy outcomes even when responding to very similar events. Key differences included time constraints, access to information and the nature of the political process invoked.

Parasites of dogs from Indian settlements in northwestern Canada: a survey with public health implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Unruh, D H; King, J E; Eaton, R D; Allen, J R

1973-01-01

A total of 959 faecal samples were obtained from dogs in 12 native communities in Northern Saskatchewan, Central and Northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. All samples were examined using a flotation technique. Samples from an area of endemic human amoebic infections were also examined by a formol-ether sedimentation method. Eighteen necropsies were performed. Entamoeba histolytica cysts were recovered from dog faeces at Loon Lake, Saskatchewan. Toxocara canis had low incidence in Saskatchewan and Central Alberta, and appeared to be almost non-existent further North. Toxascaris leonina was found in all areas surveyed. Canine hookworm infections were plentiful in all areas, the highest incidence being recorded from Northern Alberta and Northwest Territories. Many Taenia (or Echinococcus) infections were found consistently in all areas. Only one infection with Dipylidium caninum was discovered.Metorchis conjunctus infections were found to be common in the Saskatchewan reserves. Infections with Diphyllobothrium sp. were found in all communities with access to good fishing. One specimen of Dioctophyma renale was recovered at necropsy. Infections with parasites of no known zoonotic importance such as Trichuris, Alaria and Isospora species were also recorded.

Mass Balance Modelling of Saskatchewan Glacier, Canada Using Empirically Downscaled Reanalysis Data

Science.gov (United States)

Larouche, O.; Kinnard, C.; Demuth, M. N.

2017-12-01

Observations show that glaciers around the world are retreating. As sites with long-term mass balance observations are scarce, models are needed to reconstruct glacier mass balance and assess its sensitivity to climate. In regions with discontinuous and/or sparse meteorological data, high-resolution climate reanalysis data provide a convenient alternative to in situ weather observations, but can also suffer from strong bias due to the spatial and temporal scale mismatch. In this study we used data from the North American Regional Reanalysis (NARR) project with a 30 x 30 km spatial resolution and 3-hour temporal resolution to produce the meteorological forcings needed to drive a physically-based, distributed glacier mass balance model (DEBAM, Hock and Holmgren 2005) for the historical period 1979-2016. A two-year record from an automatic weather station (AWS) operated on Saskatchewan Glacier (2014-2016) was used to downscale air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and incoming solar radiation from the nearest NARR gridpoint to the glacier AWS site. An homogenized historical precipitation record was produced using data from two nearby, low-elevation weather stations and used to downscale the NARR precipitation data. Three bias correction methods were applied (scaling, delta and empirical quantile mapping - EQM) and evaluated using split sample cross-validation. The EQM method gave better results for precipitation and for air temperature. Only a slight improvement in the relative humidity was obtained using the scaling method, while none of the methods improved the wind speed. The later correlates poorly with AWS observations, probably because the local glacier wind is decoupled from the larger scale NARR wind field. The downscaled data was used to drive the DEBAM model in order to reconstruct the mass balance of Saskatchewan Glacier over the past 30 years. The model was validated using recent snow thickness measurements and previously published geodetic mass

Literacy Learning in Saskatchewan: A Review of Adult Literacy Programs (1989). SIDRU Research Report No. 15.

Science.gov (United States)

Hindle, Judith K.

This report focuses on a December 1988 to December 1989 evaluation of the structures, processes, and outcomes of 15 primarily volunteer tutor-based literacy programs. It addresses the effectiveness of the Saskatchewan Literacy Campaign in increasing tutor and learner enrollments in the programs. Chapter 1 provides background and definitions.…

Study relating to the conceptual design and cost estimates of the Saskatchewan Power Corporation lignite beneficiation process, Phase IV: Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Granatstein, D L; Champagne, P J; Szladow, A J

1982-01-01

The lignite beneficiation process produces a clean, environmentally acceptable and economical source of energy which offers many benefits to Saskatchewan, the public utilities and private industry. This document provides: A detailed assessment of the overall feasibility of the proposed process and its suitablity for successful commercialization; an economic evaluation including a sensitivity analysis of the major process uncertainties and alternate case analyses; an analysis of the market for beneficiated lignite; an analysis of the credits applicable to such a beneficiated product; and an outline of recommendation for process improvements and future process research and development.

Palynological and iridium anomalies at Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary, south-central Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Nichols, D.J.; Jarzen, D.M.; Orth, C.J.; Oliver, P.Q.

1986-01-01

The Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary in south-central Saskatchewan is marked by coincident anomalies in abundance of iridium and fern spores at the extinction level of a suite of Cretaceous pollen taxa. Evidence of disruption of the terrestrial flora includes the fern-spore abundance anomaly and local extinction of as much as 30 percent of angiosperm species. The reorganized earliest Tertiary flora is made up largely of surviving species that assumed new roles of dominance. Persistence of climatically sensitive taxa across the boundary indicates that if paleoclimate was altered by the terminal Cretaceous event, it returned quickly to the pre-event condition.

Nurses Taking the Lead: A Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Forum on Substance Abuse and Addiction in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Maina, Geoffrey; Mishak, Brenda; de Padua, Anthony; Strudwick, Gillian; Docabo, Angelica; Tahir, Hira

2017-01-01

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, is experiencing a substance use and addiction crisis with devastating consequences. To engage local stakeholders on substance use and addiction issues, nurse researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, Prince Albert Campus, planned and organized a one-day community engagement and knowledge exchange forum. The forum provided the opportunity for interested community groups, members and individuals to share their experiences and to explore novel ways to prevent and respond to the substance abuse and addiction challenges in the region. Participants included community leaders, people and families living with addiction, service providers, local stakeholders, health professionals, researchers and Indigenous Elders. This paper describes the process and outcomes of this event and describes the role of nurse scholars in leading these efforts. © 2017 Longwoods Publishing.

Ground deformation monitoring using RADARSAT-2 DInSAR-MSBAS at the Aquistore CO2 storage site in Saskatchewan (Canada)

Science.gov (United States)

Czarnogorska, M.; Samsonov, S.; White, D.

2014-11-01

The research objectives of the Aquistore CO2 storage project are to design, adapt, and test non-seismic monitoring methods for measurement, and verification of CO2 storage, and to integrate data to determine subsurface fluid distributions, pressure changes and associated surface deformation. Aquistore site is located near Estevan in Southern Saskatchewan on the South flank of the Souris River and west of the Boundary Dam Power Station and the historical part of Estevan coal mine in southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada. Several monitoring techniques were employed in the study area including advanced satellite Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) technique, GPS, tiltmeters and piezometers. The targeted CO2 injection zones are within the Winnipeg and Deadwood formations located at > 3000 m depth. An array of monitoring techniques was employed in the study area including advanced satellite Differential Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (DInSAR) with established corner reflectors, GPS, tiltmeters and piezometers stations. We used airborne LIDAR data for topographic phase estimation, and DInSAR product geocoding. Ground deformation maps have been calculated using Multidimensional Small Baseline Subset (MSBAS) methodology from 134 RADARSAT-2 images, from five different beams, acquired during 20120612-20140706. We computed and interpreted nine time series for selected places. MSBAS results indicate slow ground deformation up to 1 cm/year not related to CO2 injection but caused by various natural and anthropogenic causes.

SORE - a pulse stretcher for the Saskatchewan 300-MeV linac

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergstrom, J.C.; Caplan, H.S.; Norum, B.E.; Servranckx, R.V.

1983-01-01

A design study has been made of a pulse stretcher to increase the duty factor of the 300 MeV electron accelerator of the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory. The design was constrained by the desire to house the pulse stretcher within the existing accelerator building and to make maximal use of existing beam transport lines. The pulse stretcher ring consists of two 180 0 bend regions connected by achromatic straight sections. The overall length is 50.49 m and the width is 6.64m. The modes of injection and extraction will be available. In the first mode a shortened linac pulse of 300 ns duration will be injected during a single turn directly into the closed orbit of the pulse stretcher. A second mode of injection/extraction involves use of a longer linac pulse. The basic geometry of the PSR is dictated by the dimensions of the accelerator vault and access room

In the Face of Anti-LGBQ Behaviour: Saskatchewan High School Students' Perceptions of School Climate and Consequential Impact

Science.gov (United States)

Morrison, Melanie A.; Jewell, Lisa; McCutcheon, Jessica; Cochrane, Donald B.

2014-01-01

In Canada, there is a dearth of research on school climate for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and questioning (LGBQ) students. Using social networking, 60 students from high schools in Saskatchewan participated in a climate survey. Results indicated that anti-LGBQ speech was widespread, as were other forms of harassment. The more victimization that was…

Critique of the Saskatchewan Uranium Royalty in the light of neutral taxation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwon, O.Y.

1982-01-01

The Saskatchewan Uranium Royalty System, in operation since 1976, is the provincial government's prime policy vehicle towards the uranium industry. The enunciated objectives of the royalty system are (Sask., 1977): (a) to ensure a minimum return to the province from the extraction of uranium; (b) to capture a fair share of the ''excess'' profits; (c) to provide the producers with an adequate rate of return on investment; and (d) to leave marginal production decisions unaffected. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the royalty system in light of these objectives. This article evaluates neutral taxation and how it effects the Saskatchwan Royalty System

Reusing and recycling in Saskatchewan: Environmental benefits of reusing and recycling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-01-01

After an introduction explaining the environmental benefits of reusing and recycling, as well as providing suggestions on minimizing waste and conserving energy, a directory of recyclers and handlers of various kinds of waste in Saskatchewan is presented. Names, addresses/telephone numbers, and types of materials accepted are given for recyclers of animal products, clothing or textiles, glass, compostable materials, industrial hardware, metals, office products, paper, plastic, and tires. Collection depots in the SARCAN recycling program for beverage containers are listed, giving town name, address, hours of operation, and telephone number. Receivers of waste dangerous goods are listed under the categories of ozone-depleting substances, waste batteries, solvents, lubricating oils and oil filters, paint, flammable liquids, antifreeze, drycleaning waste, and miscellaneous.

Fire behavior potential in central Saskatchewan under predicted climate change : summary document

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Parisien, M.; Hirsch, K.; Todd, B.; Flannigan, M.; Kafka, V.; Flynn, N.

2005-01-01

This study assesses fire danger and fire behaviour potential in central Saskatchewan using simulated climate scenarios produced by the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM), including scenario analysis of base, double and triple level carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and uses available forest fuels to develop an absolute measure of fire behaviour. For each of these climate scenarios, the CRCM-generated weather was used as input variables into the Canadian Forest Fire Behavior Prediction (FBP) System. Fire behavior potential was quantified using head fire intensity, a measure of the fire's energy output because it can be related to fire behavior characteristics, suppression effectiveness, and fire effects. The report discusses the implications of fire behavior potential changes for fire and forest management. Preliminary results suggest a large increase in area burned in the study area by the end of the twenty-first century. Some of the possible fire management activities for long-term prediction include: pre-positioning of resources, preparedness planning, prioritization of fire and forest management activities and fire threat evaluation. 16 refs., 1 tab, 7 figs

Environmental issues and creditor's rights in Alberta and Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCarthy, P.T.; Lee, S.; Milani, M.W.

1996-01-01

A clarification of the ranking of environmentally related claims in bankruptcy and receivership proceedings, was presented. Also, the liability that a creditor assumes when taking control of a debtor's business or assets, particularly where environmental contaminants are concerned, was explained. The way that environmental law operates and the sorts of liability it imposes and upon whom, was also explained. Generally, environmental legislation imposes liability upon the owner of a contaminated property, whether or not the owner caused or created the problem. However, legislation also exists which imposes liability on the party in control and on the party which caused the contamination. A review of cases which deal with environmental legislation and their impact upon receivers in Saskatchewan and Alberta, was presented. Ways in which secured creditors can assess liability and minimize risks, were also described. The proposed amendments to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (BIA) expand the current limited protection from personal liability for trustees in bankruptcy and extend it to receivers, trustees, monitors and agents

A review of present research, research needs, and research capabilities related to the uranium mining and milling industry in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Woods, R.J.

1981-01-01

This report surveys the views of those associated with uranium mining in northern Saskatchewan on the research needs of the industry. Research resources, both human and material, available in the province are outlined. The author makes recommendations that would lead to a viable uranium research program. Appendices list information on current uranium-related research in Saskatchewan and available research resources

Vibrations across a Continent: The 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act and the Politicization of First Nations Leaders in Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, Allyson

2013-01-01

The 1983 Review of the Family Services Act (1973) and the Advisory Council meetings in Saskatchewan should be viewed against the backdrop of political changes taking place in North American society. Beginning with decolonization movements in both Canada and the United States, control over the provision of child and family services to indigenous…

Letting the people speak: the public consultation process for nuclear power in Alberta and Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bratt, D.

2010-01-01

This paper compares the Alberta and Saskatchewan governments' public consultation process for the introduction of nuclear power in their provinces. While the goal was the same - to gauge public reaction on a continuous policy issue - the design of their respective consultation process was quite different. The paper analyzes the techniques of public consultation in the nuclear sector, especially the use of public hearings and multiple consultative tools. Finally, it assesses the impact that public consultation has on government decision-making. (author)

An improved data acquisition system at the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Norum, W.E.

1994-01-01

An improved data acquisition system has been in service at the Saskatchewan Accelerator Laboratory for the past 14 months. The system has shown itself to be reliable and easy to use having collected over 800 gigabytes of data for a number of experiments. The system is based on a VME front end computer acquiring data from CAMAC and FASTBUS modules and forwarding the data via an Ethernet connection to an acquisition workstation for archiving and on-line analysis. A multiprocessor real-time operating system in the front end computer makes increasing the performance of the system a simple matter of adding an additional processor to the VME chassis. Experimenters need only write a high-level description of their experiment which is transformed into a C program for the front end computer by a translation program. Special requirements are met by facilities for direct inclusion of user C or FORTRAN code

Assessing the potential environmental impact of Athabasca oil sands development in lakes across Northwest Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Ahad, J. M.; Cumming, B. F.; Das, B.; Sanei, H.

2011-12-01

The continued development of Canada's Athabasca oil sands poses a significant environmental challenge. Low buffered boreal lakes located downwind of the prevailing eastward wind direction may be threatened by acidification and elevated inputs of airborne contaminants such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). An accurate assessment of the impact that increased levels of bitumen production may have on lakes in the region requires an understanding of the historic variability within these systems prior to at least the past several decades. Here we report concentrations of PAHs, δ13C and δ15N of organic matter (OM), Rock-Eval pyrolysis analyses, and distributions of n-alkanes in dated sediment cores from ten lakes located across NW Saskatchewan. Concentrations of PAHs were relatively low (combustion of coniferous wood, was generally the most abundant PAH amongst those reported, demonstrating the importance of forest fires as a principal PAH source. Plots of Hydrogen Index (HI) versus Oxygen Index (OI) fell within a relatively narrow range typical for sediments containing a high content of algal-derived OM. Relatively lower C/N ratios and higher abundances of C17 n-alkane in more recent sediments pointed to an increasingly larger component of algal-derived OM. In all ten lakes δ13C showed gradual upcore depletions that fell within the expected range for fossil fuel combustion (i.e., Suess effect), although this alone may not explain the up to ~3% depletion observed in several of the lakes. In conjunction with the other upcore trends these data may suggest a possible increase in primary productivity over the past several decades in many of the lakes studied. δ15N signatures were more variable, showing upcore increases in some lakes and upcore depletions in others. The increasingly lighter values observed in more recent sediments in some lakes suggest a potential input of depleted bioavailable nitrogen, as might be expected from anthropogenic NOx emissions. This

Annual report, 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-01-01

In 1982 Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. acquired important new sources of uranium in the Wollaston Lake area of northern Saskatchewan by purchasing the shares of Gulf Minerals Canada Ltd. and Uranerz Canada Ltd. Eldorado Nuclear Ltd. is now sole owner of the Rabbit Lake properties, consisting of more than 30 million kg of U 3 O 8 and a mill with a capacity of 2.5 million kg annually. Production records were set at the Port Hope, Ontario, uranium processing plant, and processing capacity continued to expand there and at the new Blind River, Ontario, refinery. The uneconomic Beaverlodge mine in northern Saskatchewan was closed as scheduled. The company participated in the development of the Key Lake project in northern Saskatchewan. This high-grade, open pit mine has reserves containing more than 80 million kg of U 3 O 8 , and will have a production capacity of 5.4 million kg annually when production begins in 1983. Company assets were increased from $618.4 million in 1981 to $875.6 million in 1982; and corporate structure was re-organized to integrate newly-acquired operations. Earnings for 1982 were $4 million

Decommissioning: A critical component of the design for uranium tailings management facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clifton, W.A.; Barsi, R.G.; Misfeldt, G.A.

2000-01-01

Uranium was discovered in the Beaverlodge area of northern Saskatchewan in 1934 with the first major mill beginning operation in 1953. Little attention was paid to tailings quality or tailings management practices. With the onset of the modem uranium operations beginning in the late 1970's, it was repeatedly evident, that the public had significant concerns, particularly with respect to tailings management, that must be addressed if the developments were to be allowed to proceed. Primary considerations related to environmental protection, public safety and an assurance of the ongoing sustainable development of the region. Integrating the decommissioning of a mine/mill site into development planning from the very outset has proven to be a critical component that has contributed to the ongoing success of the Saskatchewan uranium operations. This paper will provide a case study of the evolution of the uranium tailings management technology utilized in Saskatchewan. It documents the evolution of tailings management processes and the characteristics of tailings produced by successive mines in northern Saskatchewan. It also discusses the evolution of technologies applied to management of uranium mill tailings and demonstrates how progressively increasing levels of environmental protection have been achieved during the last 47 years of uranium mill operation. The paper also shows that the planned and progressive decommissioning of an operational site is the key to: Minimizing environmental impacts; Satisfying public and regulatory concerns; Minimizing operational and decommissioning costs; Minimizing corporate liability; and Shifting public resistance to public support. (author)

Decommissioning: A critical component of the design for uranium tailings management facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clifton, A.W.; Barsi, R.G.; Misfeldt, G.A.

2002-01-01

Uranium was discovered in the Beaverlodge area of northern Saskatchewan in 1934 with the first major mill beginning operation in 1953. Little attention was paid to tailings quality or tailings management practices. With the onset of the modern uranium operations beginning in the late 1970's, it was repeatedly evident, that the public had significant concerns, particularly with respect to tailings management, that must be addressed if the developments were to be allowed to proceed. Primary considerations related to environmental protection, public safety and an assurance of the ongoing sustainable development of the region. Integrating the decommissioning of a mine/mill site into development planning from the very outset has proven to be a critical component that has contributed to the ongoing success of the Saskatchewan uranium operations. This paper will provide a case study of the evolution of the uranium tailings management technology utilized in Saskatchewan. It documents the evolution of tailings management processes and the characteristics of tailings produced by successive mines in northern Saskatchewan. It also discusses the evolution of technologies applied to management of uranium mill tailings and demonstrates how progressively increasing levels of environmental protection have been achieved during the last 47 years of uranium mill operation. The paper also shows that the planned and progressive decommissioning of an operational site is the key to: Minimizing environmental impacts; Satisfying public and regulatory concerns; Minimizing operational and decommissioning costs; Minimizing corporate liability; and Shifting public resistance to public support. (author)

Timing of sediment-hosted Cu-Ag mineralization in the Trans-Hudson orogen at Janice Lake, Wollaston Domain, Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Perelló, José; Valencia, Víctor A.; Cornejo, Paula; Clifford, John; Wilson, Alan J.; Collins, Greg

2018-04-01

The Janice Lake Cu-Ag mineralization in the Wollaston Domain of northern Saskatchewan is hosted by a metasedimentary sequence in the upper part of the Wollaston Supergroup of the Trans-Hudson orogen. The Wollaston Supergroup was deposited between 2070 and 1865 Ma in a foreland basin setting constructed over Archean basement of the Hearne craton. The Trans-Hudson orogen underwent final collision and peak metamorphism at 1810 Ma, during consolidation of Laurentia and its amalgamation with the Columbia supercontinent. Titanite is a common constituent of the post-peak metamorphic assemblages of Trans-Hudson lithotectonic units and accompanied disseminated sediment-hosted Cu sulfide mineralization at Janice Lake. Titanite crystals, intergrown with chalcocite over a strike-length of 2 km of Cu-bearing stratigraphy, were dated by the ID-TIMS and LA-ICP-MS U-Pb methods, returning an age range from 1780 to 1760 Ma and a weighted average age of 1775 ± 10 Ma. The titanite ages effectively date the associated chalcocite-dominated sediment-hosted Cu-Ag mineralization and its formation during initial post-orogenic uplift and cooling, 30 myr after peak metamorphism. The age-range and tectonic setting of the Janice Lake mineralization confirms that sediment-hosted Cu mineralization was an integral part of the metallogenic endowment of Columbia and that its emplacement coincided with the continental-scale Trans-Hudson orogeny rather than with diagenesis and extensional basin development 100 myr earlier.

Chemical Form of Selenium in Naturally Selenium-Rich Lentils (Lens Culinaris L.) From Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thavarajah, D.; Vandenberg, A.; George, G.N.; Pickering, I.J.

2009-06-04

Lentils (Lens culinaris L.) are a source of many essential dietary components and trace elements for human health. In this study we show that lentils grown in the Canadian prairies are additionally enriched in selenium, an essential micronutrient needed for general well-being, including a healthy immune system and protection against cancer. Selenium K near-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been used to examine the selenium biochemistry of two lentil cultivars grown in various locations in Saskatchewan, Canada. We observe significant variations in total selenium concentration with geographic location and cultivar; however, almost all the selenium (86--95%) in these field-grown lentils is present as organic selenium modeled as selenomethionine with a small component (5--14%) as selenate. As the toxicities of certain forms of arsenic and selenium are antagonistic, selenium-rich lentils may have a pivotal role to play in alleviating the chronic arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh.

Understanding and managing environmental liability in the Saskatchewan oil and gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrychuk, L.D.; LeBlanc, L.B.

1998-01-01

An overview of Saskatchewan legislative framework regarding the oil and gas industry was presented. In the oil and gas industry, environmental issues are regulated at the provincial level, but the industry must also be aware of federal environmental law when dealing with federal lands, federal financial assistance, interprovincial or international projects or projects which have transboundary environmental effects. In this context, the provisions of the Oil and Gas Conservation Act (OGCA) and the Oil and Gas Conservation Regulations (OGCR), the licensing of oil and gas wells, the acquisition and surrender of surface rights, and the procedures involved in environmental assessment approval were outlined. Emission control, air pollution abatement, the storage and disposal of hazardous materials, environmental issues in property transactions, and corporate environmental management are also subject to regulation under OGCA and OGCR. 42 refs

Availability and Primary Health Care Orientation of Dementia-Related Services in Rural Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, Debra G; Kosteniuk, Julie G; Stewart, Norma J; O'Connell, Megan E; Kirk, Andrew; Crossley, Margaret; Dal Bello-Haas, Vanina; Forbes, Dorothy; Innes, Anthea

2015-01-01

Community-based services are important for improving outcomes for individuals with dementia and their caregivers. This study examined: (a) availability of rural dementia-related services in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, and (b) orientation of services toward six key attributes of primary health care (i.e., information/education, accessibility, population orientation, coordinated care, comprehensiveness, quality of care). Data were collected from 71 rural Home Care Assessors via cross-sectional survey. Basic health services were available in most communities (e.g., pharmacists, family physicians, palliative care, adult day programs, home care, long-term care facilities). Dementia-specific services typically were unavailable (e.g., health promotion, counseling, caregiver support groups, transportation, week-end/night respite). Mean scores on the primary health care orientation scales were low (range 12.4 to 17.5/25). Specific services to address needs of rural individuals with dementia and their caregivers are limited in availability and fit with primary health care attributes.

Responding to non-technical challenges in the uranium mining industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shpyth, A.

1997-01-01

The modern uranium mining industry in Saskatchewan has been working with northerners, governments, and educational institutions for nearly 20 years to bring about one of the highest levels of northern and aboriginal participation in an industrial sector in Canada. It has accomplished this in the face of challenges - those arising from the demographics of the north, continuously rising expectations, and the at times difficult demands from evolving aboriginal political institutions. Every second apprenticeship vacancy at Key Lake is to be awarded to an employee of aboriginal ancestry. Saskatchewan dominates uranium mining because of the high grade of its deposits. Even though Key Lake, Rabbit Lake and Cluff Lake are coming near the end of their lives, they will be replaced by: McArthur River (with average grade 15% U 3 O 8 ), Cigar Lake (9%), McClean Lake (3.5), Midwest (4.5). Without doubt, the grade and size of these new deposits will contribute to the competitiveness of the Saskatchewan uranium mining industry; but so too will the workforce

Improved production operating efficiencies through automation: Wascana Energy`s SCADA system implementation in southeast Saskatchewan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knudsen, R; Foord, T; Bartle, A

1996-12-31

Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems covering Wascana Energy`s whole southeast Saskatchewan operating area were implemented in 1994-95. The benefits of this automation were described. Operations practices were reviewed and a brief description of the system was provided. Main features of the system described included data storage/retrieval, data display, alarm group organization, alarm call out monitoring, dynagraph display, and the Microsoft SQL server computer. Automation was found to significantly change the operator`s traditional role and altered operation practices in general. SCADA systems were found to improve operating efficiencies and production performance significantly, when properly implemented and utilized. 6 refs., 3 figs.

Ground deformation monitoring using RADARSAT-2 DInSAR-MSBAS at the Aquistore CO2 storage site in Saskatchewan (Canada)

OpenAIRE

Czarnogorska, M.; Samsonov, S.; White, D.

2014-01-01

The research objectives of the Aquistore CO2 storage project are to design, adapt, and test non-seismic monitoring methods for measurement, and verification of CO2 storage, and to integrate data to determine subsurface fluid distributions, pressure changes and associated surface deformation. Aquistore site is located near Estevan in Southern Saskatchewan on the South flank of the Souris River and west of the Boundary Dam Power Station and the historical part of Estevan coal mine in s...

The Saskatchewan Environmental Assessment Act Guide to Proposal Development : oil and natural gas projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-02-01

The manner in which requests for review of oil and natural gas projects are to be provided under the Environmental Assessment Act in Saskatchewan is described. The provisions of the Guide apply to all seismic projects on private or Crown lands, all drilling projects, flowline projects, access routes and production facilities on any land, except where the project is on cultivated land where it does not interfere with water bodies or endangered species. It also applies to any project that has the potential to meet the definition of 'development' under the Environmental Assessment Act. Basically, the following information is required for all proposals: (1) project description, (2) project evaluation, (3) description of proposed waste management practices, and (4) description of the proposed environmental monitoring. 4 refs

Antimicrobial resistance of fecal Salmonella spp. isolated from all phases of pig production in 20 herds in Alberta and Saskatchewan

OpenAIRE

Rosengren, Leigh B.; Waldner, Cheryl L.; Reid‐Smith, Richard J.; Checkley, Sylvia L.; McFall, Margaret E.; Rajíc, Andrijana

2008-01-01

Salmonella spp. (n = 468), isolated from the feces of sows, nursery, and grow‐finish pigs in 20 farrow‐to‐finish herds in Alberta and Saskatchewan, were tested for susceptibility to 16 antimicrobials. No resistance was identified to amikacin, amoxicillin‐clavulanic acid, ceftiofur, ceftriaxone, ciprofloxacin or nalidixic acid, and less than 1% of the isolates were resistant to cefoxitin and gentamicin. Isolates were most commonly resistant to tetracycline (35%) and sulfamethoxazole (27%). Ove...

The use of alternative therapies in the Saskatchewan stroke rehabilitation population

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jefromova Ludmilla

2002-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many patients use alternative therapies. The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of stroke rehabilitation patients in Saskatchewan using alternative therapies, whether patients found these therapies effective in alleviating stroke-related symptoms, how often those patients who used alternative therapies discuss this fact with their primary care doctor and the main reason why patients might not do so. Methods Telephone questionnaire surveys were conducted with 117 patients who had suffered a stroke and undergone inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation at Saskatoon City Hospital. Results The study revealed that 26.5% of 117 stroke rehabilitation patients visited alternative practitioners at least once or used some form of unconventional therapy. Only 16.1% of patients found that alternative therapy made them feel much better. Of those who used alternative therapy, 61.3% did not discuss this fact with their primary physician. Many of the respondents (47.3% who did not inform their physician stated that they did not see the necessity of talking about these treatments and 21.1% did not discuss the issue with their physician because they felt that he or she might disapprove of alternative therapies. Conclusion A relatively small percentage of stroke patients found alternative therapies beneficial. Doctors should be aware that a significant number of patients will try alternative treatment without discussion with their primary care physician or specialist. The current study suggests that after completing routine questioning, doctors should also ask their patients about their use of alternative therapies and, when appropriate, review issues of safety and efficacy.

Quercus macrocarpa annual, early- and latewood widths as hydroclimatic proxies, southeastern Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanstone, Jessica R; Sauchyn, David J

2010-01-01

Fluctuations in size of annual ring-widths of Quercus species suggest that environmental factors influence the size and density of vessels within the ring, either by acting as a limiting factor for growth or through fine tuning of the wood structure to environmental factors. The purpose of this study is to assess the potential of Q. macrocarpa to provide multiple dendroclimatic proxies for the Canadian Prairies, by investigating growth responses of annual, early- and latewood widths to regional climate variability. Results indicate that ring width chronologies, from southeastern Saskatchewan capture regional signals related to moisture and drought conditions. Correlations suggest that late-wood widths are more representative of annual ring-widths, than are early-wood widths, and are the best proxy of seasonal fluctuations in climate. Thus regression models that include latewood widths were able to account for more variance in the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) than when annual ring-widths are used as the only proxy. This study demonstrates that Q. macrocarpa can provide multiple dendroclimatic proxies for investigating large scale climatic fluctuations at annual and sub-annual time scales. It is novel in terms of sub-annual analysis of tree-rings in a region that previously lacked dendrochronological research.

Hydrogeology of the Judith River Formation in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Ferris, David; Lypka, Morgan; Ferguson, Grant

2017-11-01

The Judith River Formation forms an important regional aquifer in southwestern Saskatchewan, Canada. This aquifer is used for domestic and agricultural purposes in some areas and supports oil and gas production in other areas. As a result, the available data come from a range of sources and integration is required to provide an overview of aquifer characteristics. Here, data from oil and gas databases are combined with data from groundwater resource assessments. Analysis of cores, drill-stem tests and pumping tests provide a good overview of the physical hydrogeology of the Judith River Aquifer. Water chemistry data from oil and gas databases were less helpful in understanding the chemical hydrogeology due contamination of samples and unreliable laboratory analyses. Analytical modeling of past pumping in the aquifer indicates that decreases in hydraulic head exceeding 2 m are possible over distances of 10s of kilometers. Similar decreases in head should be expected for additional large withdrawals of groundwater from the Judith River Aquifer. Long-term groundwater abstraction should be limited by low pumping rates. Higher pumping rates appear to be possible for short-term uses, such as those required by the oil and gas industry.

Utilization of diabetes medication and cost of testing supplies in Saskatchewan, 2001.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jeffrey A; Pohar, Sheri L; Secnik, Kristina; Yurgin, Nicole; Hirji, Zeenat

2006-12-12

The purpose of this study was to describe the patterns of antidiabetic medication use and the cost of testing supplies in Canada using information collected by Saskatchewan's Drug Plan (DP) in 2001. The diabetes cohort (n = 41,630) included individuals who met the National Diabetes Surveillance System (NDSS) case definition. An algorithm was then used to identify subjects as having type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Among those identified as having type 2 diabetes (n = 37,625), 38% did not have records for antidiabetic medication in 2001. One-third of patients with type 2 diabetes received monotherapy. Metformin, alone or in combination with other medications, was the most commonly prescribed antidiabetic medication. Just over one-half of the all patients with diabetes had a DP records for diabetes testing supplies. For individuals (n = 4,005) with type 1 diabetes, 79% had a DP record for supplies, with an average annual cost of 472 +/- 560 dollars. For type 2 diabetes, 50% had records for testing supplies, with an average annual cost of 122 +/- 233 dollars. Those individuals with type 2 diabetes who used insulin had higher testing supply costs than those on oral antidiabetic medication alone (359 vs 131 dollars; p < 0.001).

The Impact of Local Participation on Community Support for Natural Resource Management: The Case of Mining in Northern Canada and Northern Sweden

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sverker C. Jagers

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Due to its oftentimes complex, contested, and multi-scale character, natural resource management (NRM tends to be a challenging task that has been met with various political approaches in order to meet demands for legitimacy. One approach to enhancing the legitimacy of NRM that has gained increased attention within the academic literature is the adoption of local participatory democracy in decision-making processes. Advocates of participatory democracy in NRM propose that local participation achieves the following outcomes: increased legitimacy because it ensures that local needs and priorities are successfully met; decision-making based on more complete information, which helps avoid unexpected negative outcomes; and a sense of belonging and influence among the public, leading to increased perceptions of support and partnership, as opposed to NRM which is imposed on the community. Nevertheless, comprehensive empirical studies that document how public participation affects legitimacy remain rare. Using 2015 data collected on people’s attitudes towards mining in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, and Norrbotten and Västerbotten counties, Sweden, this paper empirically assesses whether and how perceptions of local participation affect the legitimacy of mining development. In turn, this paper finds that perceived public participation does affect the public’s propensity to support mining development and this propensity is mediated by people’s perceptions of the interests present in the decision-making process, their normative beliefs concerning which actors should be allowed to participate in the decision-making process, and certain individual-level and contextual-level factors.

Canada's deadly secret : Saskatchewan uranium and the global nuclear system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harding, J.

2007-07-01

Although Canada has a reputation for its support of multilateralism and international peacekeeping, it has provided fuel for American and British nuclear weapons, and continues to provide uranium fuel for nuclear reactors and power plants throughout the world. This book provided a detailed outline of Canada's involvement in uranium mining in Saskatchewan, the largest uranium-producing region in the world. The ways in which Canada has been complicit in the expansion of the global nuclear system were examined. A history of the province's role in the first nuclear arms race between the Soviet Union and the United States was provided, and details of provincial public inquiries conducted to legitimize the expansion of uranium mining were revealed. Issues related to the exploitation of ancestral lands belonging to Aboriginal peoples were discussed along with the impact of uranium mining on communities in the province. It was concluded that the province is now being targeted as a storage site for nuclear waste. refs.

Anthropometric indices of First Nations children and youth on first entry to Manitoba/Saskatchewan residential schools—1919 to 1953

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F.J. Paul Hackett

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Background: First Nations people are experiencing increasing rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes but no anthropometric information exists from before the 1950s to provide context to these epidemics. Objective: To compare anthropometric indices of First Nations children and youth on first entering residential schools with historical and contemporary reference groups. Methods: This observational cross-sectional study used archival records from the Department of Indian Affairs to calculate body mass index (BMI, height for age (HA and weight for age (WA of all known children and youth undergoing physical examinations on first entering residential schools in Saskatchewan and Manitoba from 1919 to 1953. Proportions of children and youth in each BMI category were determined by age, sex, time period and residential school. Z-scores for HA and WA were determined by age group and sex. Finally, median heights and weights were compared with a non-Indigenous cohort from the 1953 Canadian survey. Results: On admission to residential schools, 1,767 First Nations children and youth (847 boys, 920 girls were more likely to have normal BMIs (79.8% than Canadian children and youth today (66.5%, but lower rates of overweight/obesity (10.9% vs. 32.0% and higher rates of underweight (9.3% vs. −2, age-specific median heights tended to be higher than Canadian children and youth in 1953. Under 3% of children and youth had WA Z-scores of >−2. Conclusions: A large majority of First Nations children and youth exhibited normal anthropometric indices on first entering residential schools in Manitoba and Saskatchewan from 1919 to 1953. These historical findings provide an important context to the current epidemics of obesity and type 2 diabetes and suggest that the nutritional conditions in these First Nations children's communities were satisfactory during the residential school era.

Towards a new paradigm of Socio-Hydrology; insights from the Saskatchewan River Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Wheater, H. S.; Gober, P.

2011-12-01

, such as when governance systems are incapable of dealing with climate-induced changes in water supply. Socio-hydrology also incorporates research into the processes by translating traditional scientific information into tools for water decision making. These processes are inherently social and value-based. They depend upon the way various water stakeholders (e.g. municipalities, farmers, mining companies, environmental groups, Aboriginal Peoples) define the problem of water security and the values they place on different aspects of it. Socio-hydrology is at the forefront of efforts to establish and study participatory processes for decision making in the water sector. We illustrate these issues by reference to the inter-provincial Saskatchewan River Basin in western Canada. The University of Saskatchewan has established socio-hydrology as a priority research area. Our goal is to integrate hydro-ecological research with social science to study societal responses to water stresses like flooding, drought and nutrient pollution and investigate the potential of existing and new economic and other policy instruments to help communities make sound decisions under uncertainty.

Corporate social responsibility and aboriginal relations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, J.; Cook, H.D.

2002-01-01

All of Canada's uranium mining activity occurs in the northern half of the province of Saskatchewan in western Canada. This region has a total population of 38 000 people living in many small communities scattered over 250 000 square kilometres. Demographically, the north's population is 75% aboriginal representing the Woodland Cree, Dene, and Metis Nations. The majority of the aboriginal population of northern Saskatchewan are treaty Indians (First Nations). The dominant first nations group in the north is The Lac La Ronge Indian Band, also Saskatchewan's largest Woodland Cree First Nation. Despite the fact that the Lac La Ronge Band and other First Nations of the region do not have surface or mineral rights, other than those on their reserve lands, they have significant influence in the development process. The extraction of the mineral resources of Canada are now undertaken with very considerable input from first nations groups and with sensitivity to their treaty rights and aboriginal traditional rights. Treaty rights in Canada include, among other things, hunting and fishing, access to post secondary education and special taxation considerations. This presentation will introduce participants to a unique perspective on northern Saskatchewan's uranium mining industry. This perspective will be provided by Harry Cook, Chief of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band.In his presentation, Chief Cook will provide a first nation's perspective on industrial development generally and uranium development specifically. He will begin by outlining the challenges facing aboriginal people in Canada and will provide an insightful view of the historical conflict between industrial developers and first nations people. He will describe the aspirations of his people and the importance they place on preservation of the natural environment. He will also speak to the critical need now emerging for aboriginal people to seek a balance between retaining traditional culture and participating in the

Leaching of U, 230Th and 226Ra from Saskatchewan uranium ore after removing clay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muthuswami, S.V.; Mohd Yunus, M.Z.; Mohamad Nor, M.I.; Kassim, Z.A.; Nirdosh, I.

1993-01-01

Distribution of U, 230 Th and 226 Ra in various size fractions in a typical Saskatchewan uranium ore and its resultant mill tailings indicated that less than 4% of these radionuclides were present in the fine ≤ 45 μm) size fraction in the ore whereas their concentration in the similar size fraction in the tailings was > 80%. Removal of clay minerals from the ore by flotation was unsuccessful whereas sedimentation gave nearly complete removal. Leaching of 230 Th from the ore before and after removing clay minerals indicated that dissolution of 230 Th was mproved at higher E h and acidity of the leaching medium and that it was independent of the presence of clay minerals in the ore. (orig.) [de

The Key Lake project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-01-01

Key Lake is located in the Athabasca sand stone basin, 640 kilometers north of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. The three sources of ore at Key Lake contain 70 100 tonnes of uranium. Features of the Key Lake Project were described under the key headings: work force, mining, mill process, tailings storage, permanent camp, environmental features, worker health and safety, and economic benefits. Appendices covering the historical background, construction projects, comparisons of western world mines, mining statistics, Northern Saskatchewan surface lease, and Key Lake development and regulatory agencies were included

Oh β s concerns surface after spill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1984-01-01

A spill of uranium- and radium-contaminated water from a reservoir at the Key Lake Mine in northern Saskatchewan in early January 1984 created extensive public concern. Now attention is being focussed on the issue of worker safety

Barriers to renewable energy development: A case study of large-scale wind energy in Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richards, Garrett; Noble, Bram; Belcher, Ken

2012-01-01

Renewable energy is receiving increased attention as a viable alternative to non-renewable electrical generation, however, meeting global energy demands will require a more ambitious renewable energy program than is currently the case. There have been several reviews of potential technological, economic, social, or public barriers and solutions to renewable energy investment. Although important, there is also need for multi-dimensional analyses of these barriers and identification of the most significant underlying barriers if viable solutions are to be developed. In this paper we apply a theoretical framework to examine stakeholder's perceptions and understanding of the barriers to wind energy development in Saskatchewan, Canada. We identify and examine the most significant underlying barriers to investment in renewable energy and the interactions between those barriers. Results show a number of perceived barriers to wind energy investment, however, these barriers can be explained in large part by knowledge barriers, if not disagreement over whether the current level of investment in wind energy is sufficient. We show that barriers to renewable energy cannot be explained solely by technological, social, political, or economic factors in isolation, and that a multi-dimensional approach, identifying and explaining the underlying sources of these barriers, is necessary to develop viable solutions. - Highlights: ► Meeting future wind energy objectives requires an ambitious investment program. ► A framework is applied to identify and explain perceived barriers to wind energy. ► Stakeholders perceived technological and political barriers as the most significant. ► These could be explained by knowledge barriers and complacency with the status quo. ► Even with additional investment these underlying barriers will constrain progress.

Incidence of Salmonella contamination in broiler chickens in Saskatchewan.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhargava, K K; O'Neil, J B; Prior, M G; Dunkelgod, K E

1983-01-01

The incidence of Salmonella contamination in ten Saskatchewan broiler flocks varying in size from 6 200 to 14 000 was investigated from February, 1977 to April, 1979. Prior to the initial chick placement, brooding equipment, feed, water and fresh litter samples were found to be free of Salmonellae. Samples obtained from the clean and disinfected processing plant equipment before the commencement of daily operation were negative except the isolation for Salmonella anatum from the fingers of the defeathering machine in flock 4. There was no evidence of Salmonella contamination in flocks 5, 6, 8 and 10. The incidence of Salmonella was lower when cloacal swabs were taken from day old chicks fasted for 48 hours than for the same groups of chicks when carcasses were blended in nutrient broth (flocks 7 and 9). The blending of such chicks appears to be a more critical test. The serotypes isolated from eviscerated birds were the same as those isolated from used litter samples. Salmonella saintpaul was isolated from a water sample at 53 days in flock 1 and the same serotype was recovered from the intestinal contents and skin of eviscerated birds. Salmonella typhimurium was recovered from the eviscerated birds and neck samples in flock 3. In flock 4, S. saintpaul and S. anatum were isolated from 13% of the eviscerated birds sampled. Salmonella thompson, Salmonella agona and Salmonella heidelberg were recovered from 61%, 5% and 1%, respectively, of the processed carcasses sampled in flock 7.

Tay-Sachs and Sandhoff Diseases

Science.gov (United States)

... more common in these groups: Creole of northern Argentina Metis Indians in Saskatchewan, Canada Lebanese If you or your partner is part of these ethnic groups, or you have a family history of Tay-Sachs disease or Sandhoff disease, tell ...

Recovery of native prairie after pipeline construction in the Sand Hills region of Saskatchewan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, D.; Kremer, L.; Marshall, W.

1996-01-01

Land reclamation measures taken after construction of a large diameter natural gas pipeline in the Great Sand Hills region of southwestern Saskatchewan were detailed. Mitigation measures included modified construction procedures to minimize the size of the disturbance, worker educational programs to sensitize them to the prevailing fragile environment, dormant season construction, efforts to salvage topsoil seedbank, fertilizer application, straw bale wind barriers, brush mulch wind barriers, surface manipulation with the Hodder Gouger, fencing-out cattle, and the application of a seed mixture of agronomic legumes and native grasses. Vegetation and soil erosion were monitored over a period of four years. After four years the canopy cover was 88 per cent native species. On low-lying, protected sites vegetation was stable enough to support cattle grazing. Exposed sites will not reach this level of vegetation stability for some years to come due soil erosion by wind

The role of Eh and pH in leaching Saskatchewan uranium ores with chloride and nitrate leaching systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nirdosh, I.; Muthuswami, S.V.

1992-01-01

The effects of solution E h and pH on the extractions of U, 230 Th, 226 Ra, As and Ni from two typical uranium ores from the province of Saskatchewan in Canada are discussed for the leachants ferric chloride, ferric nitrate, nitric acid and hydrochloric acid. It is concluded that E h > 700 mV and pH 230 Th extraction is more sensitive to solution pH than to E h whereas Ni extraction is sensitive mainly to the solution E h . Arsenic extraction is very sensitive to solution E h , and for a given E h , is high at pH 1.3. (orig.) [de

Western Canada uranium perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lloyd, R.E.

1984-01-01

The current situation in the exploration for uranium in British Columbia, the Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan is reviewed. A moratorium on exploration has been in effect in British Columbia since 1980; it is due to expire in 1987. Only the Blizzard deposit appears to have any economic potential. The Lone Gull discovery in the Thelon Basin of the Northwest Territories has proven reserves of more than 35 million pounds U 3 O 8 grading 0.4%. Potentially prospective areas of the northern Thelon Basin lie within a game sanctuary and cannot be explored. Exploration activity in Saskatchewan continues to decline from the peak in 1980. Three major deposits - Cluff Lake, Rabbit Lake and Key Lake - are in production. By 1985 Saskatchewan will produce 58% of Canada's uranium, and over 13% of the western world's output. (L.L.) (3 figs, 2 tabs.)

Institutional control of mine wastes in Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, K.; Kristoff, D.; Hovdebo, D.; Webster, M.

2014-01-01

Many jurisdictions around the world require mining operations to prepare closure plans and to post a bond or other financial assurances of sufficient value to cover the cost of closure. However, not all jurisdictions address the conditions under which they would accept the return of such properties, once the operator has fulfilled their obligations and is requesting release from further financial bonding. The issue is further complicated when it includes former uranium mill and tailings sites where international conventions and the national nuclear regulatory frameworks play an overriding and often defining role. In Saskatchewan, a consultant led a team of provincial government departments in a process to develop an effective institutional control program (ICP). This required extensive consultations with industry, Aboriginal traditional users and other stakeholders to gain their support and inclusion. The entire policy development process culminated in 2007 with the implementation of the Reclaimed Industrial Sites Act and Regulations. The program addresses all aspects of conventional closed mines, as well as uranium specific issues of radioactive waste management, including all applicable articles of the IAEA’s Joint Convention on the Safety of Spent Fuel Management and on the Safety of Radioactive Waste Management, the requirements of the federal Nuclear Safety and Control Act, the expectations of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, and all applicable provincial Acts and regulations. Cameco Corporation was the first company to successfully register a decommissioned gold site, as well as five former uranium sites into the program. Following acceptance of a site into the program and a financial deposit from the operator, each site is monitored and maintained under provincial responsibility. (author)

Study of the pollution exchange between Bulgaria and Northern Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zerefos, C.; Vasaras, A.; Syrakov, D.; Ganev, K.

2000-01-01

The present work aims at a detailed study and explanation of the pollution transport in the air basin over South-Western Bulgaria and Northern Greece and assessment of the air pollution exchange between Bulgaria and Greece. Some well known specific climatic air pollution effects were studied and explained. Calculations were made of the S0 2 pollution of the Balkan peninsula from both Greek and Bulgarian sources for 1995 and the country to country pollution budget diagrams were build. Days with extreme mean concentration for Bulgaria and Northern Greece were picked out and some further specification of the contribution of the different sources in both the countries to these cases of extreme pollution was made. Some preliminary studies of possible mesoscale effects on the pollution exchange between Bulgaria and northern Greece were carried out. A three-layer pollution transport model with more complex chemistry block was introduced and some preliminary simulations of Sulfur and Nitrogen compounds transport were performed. (author)

Reimagining Energy in the North: Developing Solutions for Improving Renewable Energy Security in Northern Communities

Science.gov (United States)

Creed, I. F.; Poelzer, G.; Noble, B.; Beatty, B.; Belcher, K.; Chung, T.; Loring, P. A.

2017-12-01

The global energy sector is at a crossroads. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, volatile fossil fuel prices, the emergence of sustainability markets, and advances in renewable energy technologies are setting the foundation for what could be one of the most significant societal transitions since the industrial revolution. There is a growing movement to "re-energize" Canada, through embracing pathways to facilitate a societal transition a low-carbon future. For example, circumpolar jurisdictions are poised for a transition to renewable energy. There are more than 250 remote, off-grid communities across Canada's North, of which approximately 170 are Indigenous, that rely largely on diesel-fueled generators. Diesel-fueled generation is generally reliable when properly maintained; however, supply is limited, infrastructure is at capacity or in need of major upgrading, and the volatile price of fuel can mean significant social, community and economic opportunity loss. Renewable energy projects offer one possible opportunity to address these challenges. But, given the challenges of human capacity, limited fiscal resources, and regulatory barriers, how can Northern communities participate in the global energy transition and not be left behind? To answer this question, the University of Saskatchewan, together with partners from the circumpolar North, are leading an initiative to develop a cross-sectoral and multi-national consortium of communities, utilities, industries, governments, and academics engaged in renewable energy in the North. This consortium will reimagine energy security in the North by co-creating and brokering the knowledge and understanding to design renewable energy systems that enhance social and economic value. Northern communities and utilities will learn directly from other northern communities and utilities across Canada and internationally about what can be achieved in renewable energy development and the solutions to current and future

Northern perspectives on medical elective tourism: a qualitative study

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Sarah; Kuper, Ayelet; Richardson, Lisa; Cameron, Anita

2016-01-01

Background: The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes education to be necessary for doctors to provide culturally safe care. Communities in northern Canada have large populations of Aboriginal people and other marginalized groups. Our goal was to identify the elements of appropriate predeparture curricula for these medical trainees. Methods: We conducted our study in Kenora, Ontario. With the help of a core collaborative group and the support of the local Aboriginal Health Access Centre, we interviewed a purposive sample of community members about their interactions with trainees from southern Canada. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers with roots in northern and southern Canada brought perspectives to the inductive analysis. Results: We conducted 17 semistructured interviews between February and March 2014. Participants felt that southern trainees were inadequately educated in northern politics, society and history. They identified 2 more themes: determinants of health affecting the local Aboriginal population, and provider and patient factors affecting delivery of culturally competent care. Participants also shared ideas on how best to implement this content into curricula. Interpretation: Providing culturally competent care to northern communities is a complex process requiring education. Using a collaborative method, we were able to delineate the experiences of members of a northern community and identify knowledge gaps of southern trainees travelling there. Our results provide a foundation for the content and structure of formal predeparture curricula to enable such trainees to provide culturally safe care. PMID:27398374

Northern perspectives on medical elective tourism: a qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Coke, Sarah; Kuper, Ayelet; Richardson, Lisa; Cameron, Anita

2016-01-01

The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada recognizes education to be necessary for doctors to provide culturally safe care. Communities in northern Canada have large populations of Aboriginal people and other marginalized groups. Our goal was to identify the elements of appropriate predeparture curricula for these medical trainees. We conducted our study in Kenora, Ontario. With the help of a core collaborative group and the support of the local Aboriginal Health Access Centre, we interviewed a purposive sample of community members about their interactions with trainees from southern Canada. Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers with roots in northern and southern Canada brought perspectives to the inductive analysis. We conducted 17 semistructured interviews between February and March 2014. Participants felt that southern trainees were inadequately educated in northern politics, society and history. They identified 2 more themes: determinants of health affecting the local Aboriginal population, and provider and patient factors affecting delivery of culturally competent care. Participants also shared ideas on how best to implement this content into curricula. Providing culturally competent care to northern communities is a complex process requiring education. Using a collaborative method, we were able to delineate the experiences of members of a northern community and identify knowledge gaps of southern trainees travelling there. Our results provide a foundation for the content and structure of formal predeparture curricula to enable such trainees to provide culturally safe care.

Local Music Collections: Strategies for Digital Access, Presentation, and Preservation--A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Doi, Carolyn

2015-01-01

The Saskatchewan Music Collection (SMC) is a local music collection held at the University of Saskatchewan. This case study examines a project to digitize and present this unique special collection in the online environment. The project aims to facilitate access to the collection, preserve the collection and promote scholarship and interest in the…

LBA-ECO LC-01 Topographic Data for Intensive Study Areas, Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — ABSTRACT: This data set contains topographic/geomorphological data associated with the four Intensive Study Areas (ISAs) in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (northern...

LBA-ECO LC-01 Topographic Data for Intensive Study Areas, Northern Ecuadorian Amazon

Data.gov (United States)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — This data set contains topographic/geomorphological data associated with the four Intensive Study Areas (ISAs) in the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon (northern Oriente)...

Cluff mining - the first two years

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slama, J.P.

1982-06-01

The Cluff Lake mine has been planned taking the needs of the local inhabitants into consideration. Amok/Cluff Mining has been concerned about ensuring that the people of northern Saskatchewan, especially those of native ancestry, benefit as much as possible from the opportunities created by the project while retaining the traditional virtues of their native cultures. Ways are being sought to involve northern residents and businesses and to give northerners the best chance to take advantage of the jobs, contracts and purchases that become available. Predominantly northern crews with no previous experience have been obtaining very good results, and the goal of a 50 percent northern work force has been met

Family mineral estate planning in Saskatchewan: a primer for members of the oil and gas industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elash, P.D.

1997-01-01

The estate and tax planning problems that are commonly encountered by private individuals who own mines and minerals situated in Saskatchewan were discussed. The basic concepts of legal ownership of mines and minerals, petroleum and natural gas leases, drilling licenses and spacing regulations were reviewed, followed by a summary of basic estate and tax planning strategies. These strategies emphasized the three fundamental objectives of estate and tax planning for family mineral holdings, namely (1) eliminating estate tax, (2) income splitting to minimize tax payable from year to year, and (3) title consolidation to simplify ownership. The various means by which an 'Estate Freeze' can be effected - sale/transfer to spouse and/or children, trust, incorporation, and subsequent sale of mineral assets to the corporation, and the basic tax planning instruments available to to the family mineral owner also have been addressed

Self-determination and economic development. The storage of used nuclear fuel. Community consultation and participation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahenakew, R.

1994-01-01

The Meadow Lake First Nations are a group of small native communities in the Meadow Lake region of northern Saskatchewan. Linguistically and culturally, they are divided into Cree and Dene. The Meadow Lake Tribal Council is studying nuclear fuel waste disposal as a possible route to economic development for the area. No decision will be taken until after the Federal Environmental Assessment Review. The study is proving to be of educational value and interest for the communities

Rolling-out Lean in the Saskatchewan Health Care System: Politics Derailing Policy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tom McIntosh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Following on the work of Marchildon (2013 this paper examines the political challenges faced by the government of Saskatchewan in rolling out their Lean reforms to the entire provincial health system. The government’s Lean reforms were meant as a vehicle to empower patients and workers in the redesign of service delivery and the creation of a patient-centred system. Lean focuses on continuous improvement, priority setting, employee engagement and the elimination of waste. The reforms appear to have been derailed to a significant degree insofar as key actors inside the system, the media and the public have challenged the goals of the reform, the Lean methodology and process, as well as the cost of the consultants employed to oversee the process. The government’s implementation of the roll-out suffered both from the ability of key actors to withdraw their support and challenge the viability of the reforms in public as well as from a public relations perspective that put the government on the defensive about how people inside the system were being treated with the reforms. As the government moves forward it will have to adjust its implementation processes and strategy in order to overcome the now strong resistance within the health sector.

Community Response and Engagement During Extreme Water Events in Saskatchewan, Canada and Queensland, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

McMartin, Dena W.; Sammel, Alison J.; Arbuthnott, Katherine

2018-01-01

Technology alone cannot address the challenges of how societies, communities, and individuals understand water accessibility, water management, and water consumption, particularly under extreme conditions like floods and droughts. At the community level, people are increasingly aware challenges related to responses to and impacts of extreme water events. This research begins with an assessment of social and political capacities of communities in two Commonwealth jurisdictions, Queensland, Australia and Saskatchewan, Canada, in response to major flooding events. The research further reviews how such capacities impact community engagement to address and mitigate risks associated with extreme water events and provides evidence of key gaps in skills, understanding, and agency for addressing impacts at the community level. Secondary data were collected using template analysis to elucidate challenges associated with education (formal and informal), social and political capacity, community ability to respond appropriately, and formal government responses to extreme water events in these two jurisdictions. The results indicate that enhanced community engagement alongside elements of an empowerment model can provide avenues for identifying and addressing community vulnerability to negative impacts of flood and drought.

Mineralogical controls on aluminum and magnesium in uranium mill tailings: Key Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Gomez, M A; Hendry, M J; Koshinsky, J; Essilfie-Dughan, J; Paikaray, S; Chen, J

2013-07-16

The mineralogy and evolution of Al and Mg in U mill tailings are poorly understood. Elemental analyses (ICP-MS) of both solid and aqueous phases show that precipitation of large masses of secondary Al and Mg mineral phases occurs throughout the raffinate neutralization process (pH 1-11) at the Key Lake U mill, Saskatchewan, Canada. Data from a suite of analytical methods (ICP-MS, EMPA, laboratory- and synchrotron-based XRD, ATR-IR, Raman, TEM, EDX, ED) and equilibrium thermodynamic modeling showed that nanoparticle-sized, spongy, porous, Mg-Al hydrotalcite is the dominant mineralogical control on Al and Mg in the neutralized raffinate (pH ≥ 6.7). The presence of this secondary Mg-Al hydrotalcite in mineral samples of both fresh and 15-year-old tailings indicates that the Mg-Al hydrotalcite is geochemically stable, even after >16 years in the oxic tailings body. Data shows an association between the Mg-Al hydrotalcite and both As and Ni and point to this Mg-Al hydrotalcite exerting a mineralogical control on the solubility of these contaminants.

Investigating the Geochemical Model for Molybdenum Mineralization in the JEB Tailings Management Facility at McClean Lake, Saskatchewan: An X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Blanchard, Peter E R; Hayes, John R; Grosvenor, Andrew P; Rowson, John; Hughes, Kebbi; Brown, Caitlin

2015-06-02

The geochemical model for Mo mineralization in the JEB Tailings Management Facility (JEB TMF), operated by AREVA Resources Canada at McClean Lake, Saskatchewan, was investigated using X-ray Absorption Near-Edge Spectroscopy (XANES), an elemental-specific technique that is sensitive to low elemental concentrations. Twenty five samples collected during the 2013 sampling campaign from various locations and depths in the TMF were analyzed by XANES. Mo K-edge XANES analysis indicated that the tailings consisted primarily of Mo(6+) species: powellite (CaMoO4), ferrimolybdite (Fe2(MoO4)3·8H2O), and molybdate adsorbed on ferrihydrite (Fe(OH)3 - MoO4). A minor concentration of a Mo(4+) species in the form of molybdenite (MoS2) was also present. Changes in the Mo mineralization over time were inferred by comparing the relative amounts of the Mo species in the tailings to the independently measured aqueous Mo pore water concentration. It was found that ferrimolybdite and molybdate adsorbed on ferrihydrite initially dissolves in the TMF and precipitates as powellite.

Oral health of adults in northern Norway – A pilot study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah M. Adekoya

2012-05-01

Full Text Available There is a deficiency of data on oral health of adults in northern Norway, and available reports indicate poorer oral health in the north as compared with the rest of the country. The objective of this pilot study was to develop and test out tools for a larger epidemiological study of oral health among adults in northern Norway. The study was conducted in the municipalities of Nordkapp and Båtsfjord located in the northernmost county, Finnmark. Questionnaires and letters of invitation were sent to 100 randomly selected individuals in each town, in total 200. Those who filled and returned the questionnaires were sent appointment cards to a free oral examination at the local dental clinic. The main finding from the study was a low response rate; 34% responded to the questionnaire and 26.5% attended the oral examination. Response rate was highest among women above forty years old (37% and lowest among men under forty years (12%. There is a necessity for further studies and strategies to increase response rate to subsequent oral epidemiologic studies in northern Norway. Radiological examination is not necessary for such studies but a questionnaire and a physical oral examination should be included.

Ethno-botanical studies from northern Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afzal, S.; Afzal, N.

2009-01-01

In this research paper efforts have been made to document the ethno-botanical knowledge of important plant species found in Northern Pakistan. It includes Thandiani, Galiat, Kaghan, Swat, Buner, Dir, Chitral and Northern Areas of Pakistan. The area has many climatic and vegetation zones or biomes. Locals residing in mountainous areas belonging to various ethnic groups are traditionally utilizing plants over many generations; these ethnic groups have their distinct life style, belief, traditions and cultural heritage. Plant collection and data regarding traditional uses in various areas of Northern Pakistan has been done periodically in different flowering /fruiting seasons. Locals of old age belonging to various ethnic groups were personally interviewed for establishing uses of plants. Photography is done for easy identification and habitat recognition. Collected plant specimens and seeds were preserved. Plant species were dried, mounted, identified and authenticated. Seventy six species were known to have traditional and ethno botanical uses. Plants have been utilized for many generations. Ethnic groups have distinct life style and have different economic uses for these plants. Due to unsustainable exploitation of natural habitats scarcity of drug plants has occurred. As consequence some species are depleting and may become extinct in near future, e. g. Morchella esculenta, Colchicum lueteum and Viola serpens are just a few of these. Although some sporadic information is available about the flora of this region but very little documented record of the ethno-botanically important plants has been established. It is expected that this research paper will be beneficial for students, researchers, farmers, foresters and general public. On the basis of data obtained it is concluded that ethno-botanical Flora of Northern Pakistan is quite rich and is diverse, due to the difference in altitude, climate and other topographic conditions. (author)

University of Saskatchewan Radiology Courseware (USRC): an assessment of its utility for teaching diagnostic imaging in the medical school curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Burbridge, Brent; Kalra, Neil; Malin, Greg; Trinder, Krista; Pinelle, David

2015-01-01

We have found it very challenging to integrate images from our radiology digital imaging repository into the curriculum of our local medical school. Thus, it has been difficult to convey important knowledge related to viewing and interpreting diagnostic radiology images. We sought to determine if we could create a solution for this problem and evaluate whether students exposed to this solution were able to learn imaging concepts pertinent to medical practice. We developed University of Saskatchewan Radiology Courseware (USRC), a novel interactive web application that enables preclinical medical students to acquire image interpretation skills fundamental to clinical practice. This web application reformats content stored in Medical Imaging Resource Center teaching cases for BlackBoard Learn™, a popular learning management system. We have deployed this solution for 2 successive years in a 1st-year basic sciences medical school course at the College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan. The "courseware" content covers both normal anatomy and common clinical pathologies in five distinct modules. We created two cohorts of learners consisting of an intervention cohort of students who had used USRC for their 1st academic year, whereas the nonintervention cohort was students who had not been exposed to this learning opportunity. To assess the learning experience of the users we designed an online questionnaire and image review quiz delivered to both of the student groups. Comparisons between the groups revealed statistically significant differences in both confidence with image interpretation and the ability to answer knowledge-based questions. Students were satisfied with the overall usability, functions, and capabilities of USRC. USRC is an innovative technology that provides integration between Medical Imaging Resource Center, a teaching solution used in radiology, and a Learning Management System.

Northern Rivers Basins ecological and human health studies : summary, relevance and recommendations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-04-01

Residents in northern Alberta expressed concerns that the original Northern River Basins Study (NRBS) only examined the impacts of contaminants on ecological health and did not include impacts on human health. In response to these concerns, Alberta Health established the Northern River Basins Human Health Monitoring Program in 1994 to investigate the possible relationships between various environmental risk factors and the health of northern residents in the province. This document links the ecological information collected by the original NRBS program with the information provided by the health program. Issues regarding health impacts from pulp mills and oil sand mining were also discussed. The findings of the health program were summarized and recommendations were made for future studies. The contaminants of potential concern (COPC) arising from the original NRBS were described in terms of their sources and any known connections between exposure and human health. The COPCs included arsenic, dioxins, chlorinated furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) mercury, chlorinated phenolics, toxaphene, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, sulphur dioxide, acid sulphates and particulate matter. Examples of Canadian regulatory criteria for these contaminants were also presented. 41 refs., 1 tab

Community-based study on intracerebral hemorrhage in northern Hokkaido. Northern Hokkaido Stroke Study (NOHSS)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sako, Kazuhiro; Shirai, Wakako; Tokumitu, Naoki; Aizawa, Shizuka

2008-01-01

A survey on stroke was conducted to evaluate the incidence of intracerebral hemorrhage and the prevalence of risk factors. The subjects, comprising those patients who suffesed a stroke, were registered on the Northern Hokkaido Stroke Study between July 2002 and June 2006. The severity of their illness was rated by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) at hospital admission, while their outcome was determined by the mortality within 3 months and the mRS (modified Rankin Scale score). Of the 1,046 registered stroke patients, 271 (25.9%) were found to suffer from cerebral hemorrhage. Their mean age was 70.3±11.7 years; male-to-female ratio, 154/117; mean NIHSS at admission, 11.8±8.1; mortality within 3 months, 19.2%; and percentage who regained independence within 3 months (mRS: ≤2), 32.5%. A history of hypertension was found in 72.6%, and 13.7% had no treatment. MRI (T2*) revealed micro-hemorrhage outside the lesions in 67.5%. Forty-seven patients (17.3%) were taking anti-platelet agents at the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage. There was no significant difference between the mortalities of the anti-platelet-agent-users and non-users but the percentage of those regaining independence within 3 months was 19.1% for the users against 37.3% for the non-users (p=0.0177), with a significantly poor outcome in the user group. In northern Hokkaido, the incidence of cerebral hemorrhage remains high, and the percentage of those with poorly controlled or uncontrolled hypertension was 30%. These findings suggest a need to educate not only the inhabitants themselves but also the physicians engaged in their care. (author)

Final report of the AECL/SKB Cigar Lake analog study. AECL research No. AECL-10851

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cramer, J J; Smellie, J A.T. [eds.

1994-07-15

AECL has conducted natural analog studies on the Cigar Lake uranium deposit in northern Saskatchewan since 1984 as part of the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program. This report provides background information and summarizes the results of the study, emphasizing the analog aspects and the implications of modelling activities related to the performance assessment of disposal concepts for nuclear fuel wastes developed in both Canada and Sweden. The study was undertaken to obtain an understanding of the process involved in, and the effects of, steady-state water-rock interaction and trace-element migration in and around the deposit, including paleo-migration processes since the deposit was formed. To achieve these objectives, databases and models were produced to evaluate the equilibrium thermodynamic codes and databases; the role of colloids, organics, and microbes in transport processes for radionuclides; and the stability of UO2 and the influence of radiolysis on UO2 dissolution and radionuclide migration.

Proposed artificial recharge studies in northern Qatar

Science.gov (United States)

Kimrey, J.O.

1985-01-01

The aquifer system in northern Qatar comprises a water-table aquifer in the Rus Formation which is separated by an aquitard from a partially confined aquifer in the top of the overlying Umm er Radhuma Formation. These two aquifers are composed of limestone and dolomite of Eocene and Paleocene age and contain a fragile lens of freshwater which is heavily exploited as a source of water for agricultural irrigation. Net withdrawals are greatly in excess of total recharge, and quality of ground water is declining. Use of desalinated seawater for artificial recharge has been proposed for the area. Artificial recharge, on a large scale, could stabilize the decline in ground-water quality while allowing increased withdrawals for irrigation. The proposal appears technically feasible. Recharge should be by injection to the Umm er Radhuma aquifer whose average transmissivity is about 2,000 meters squared per day (as compared to an average of about 200 meters squared per day for the Rus aquifer). Implementation of artificial recharge should be preceded by a hydrogeologic appraisal. These studies should include test drilling, conventional aquifer tests, and recharge-recovery tests at four sites in northern Qatar. (USGS)

Tailings management best practice: a case study of the McClean Lake JEB Tailings Management Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tremblay, M.A.J.; Rowson, J.

2005-01-01

COGEMA Resources Inc. (which is part of the Areva Group) is a Canadian company with its head office in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. It owns and operates mining and milling facilities in Northern Saskatchewan, which produce uranium concentrate. McClean Lake Operation commenced production in 1999 and its tailings management facility represents the state of the art for tailings management in the uranium industry in Canada. Tailings disposal has the potential to cause effects in the surrounding receiving environment primarily through migration of soluble constituents from the facility to surface water receptors. In-pit disposal or mill tailings has become the standard in the uranium mining industry in Northern Saskatchewan. This method or tailings management demonstrates advances in terms of worker radiation protection and containment of soluble constituents both during operations and into the long term. Sub-aqueous deposition of tailings protects personnel from exposure to radiation and airborne emissions and prevents freezing of tailings, which can hinder consolidation. The continuous inflow of groundwater to the facility is achieved during operations, through control of water levels within the facility. This ensures hydrodynamic containment, which prevents migration of soluble radionuclides and heavy metals into the surrounding aquifer during operations. The environmental performance of the decommissioned facility depends upon the rate of release of contaminants to the receiving environment. The rate of constituent loading to the receiving environment will ultimately be governed by the concentrations of soluble constituents within the tailings mass, the mechanisms for release from the tailings to the surrounding groundwater system, and transport of constituents within the groundwater pathway to the receiving environment. The tailings preparation process was designed to convert arsenic into a stable form to reduce soluble concentrations within the tailings mass. The

Five Year Retrospective Study of the Financial Situation of Northern Foods Plc., United Kingdom

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Louie DACOSTA

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of Northern Foods Plc., once a major player in FTSE 350 Food Sector, to evaluate its financial situation over a five year period. The ex post factor research design was used for this study. Annual reports and databases on Northern Foods Plc., and Associated British Foods Plc., were used to perform a series of ratio analyses. The results revealed that Northern Foods Plc.’s performance has been declining as evidenced in the profitability ratios calculated. Also, financial strength was weak and working capital has not been effectively managed, hence affecting its cash and profit generation potentials. The company was limited in its ability to grow and expand as it needed to regularly fund its pension deficit, and finance its high levels of debt. The study concludes that Northern Foods was not in a very strong financial position, yet it was not making the required investments to improve, hence its takeover though this paper will not rule out non-financial issues. Furthermore, the study prescribed five generic points to improve the financial health of any organisation.

Salting it away : Saskatchewan's Petroleum Technology Research Centre is leading the study of storing CO{sub 2} in saline aquifers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collison, M.

2008-10-15

This paper discussed the 5-year Aquistore project that is being conducted to assess the feasibility of continuously injecting carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) into saline aquifers. Conducted by the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC), the aim of the project is to develop the monitoring technologies needed to prove that the CO{sub 2} can be safely and permanently stored. The $100 million dollar project will also develop technologies needed to build the necessary infrastructure for transporting the CO{sub 2} to the aquifers. Saline aquifers contain more than 10 times the capacity of depleted oil reservoirs. It is estimated that saline aquifers in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB) contain enough capacity to absorb all reported emissions in Alberta and Saskatchewan every year for the next 1000 years. CO{sub 2} injected into the aquifers will become a supercritical fluid as a result of pressure and temperature forces within the aquifer and will subsequently mineralize and remain there permanently. A dedicated pipeline will transport CO{sub 2} from a refinery in Regina to the aquifer. The project is being funded by Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), an agency whose mandate is to accelerate the entry of promising energy conservation technologies into the Canadian marketplace. It is hoped that the project will develop saline storage technologies that can be used to promote carbon sequestration in Canada. 5 figs.

Risk Factors Associated with the Choice to Drink Bottled Water and Tap Water in Rural Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lianne McLeod

2014-01-01

Full Text Available A cross-sectional study investigated risk factors associated with choices to drink bottled water and tap water in rural Saskatchewan. Of 7,500 anonymous postal questionnaires mailed out, 2,065 responses were analyzed using generalized linear mixed models. Those who reported a water advisory (p < 0.001 or living in the area for £10 years (p = 0.01 were more likely to choose bottled water. Those who reported tap water was not safe to drink were more likely to choose bottled water, an effect greater for those who had no aesthetic complaints (p ≤ 0.001, while those with aesthetic complaints were more likely to choose bottled water if they believed the water was safe (p < 0.001. Respondents who treated their water and did not use a community supply were more likely to choose bottled water (p < 0.001, while those who did not treat their water were more likely to choose bottled water regardless of whether a community supply was used (p < 0.001. A similar pattern of risk factors was associated with a decreased likelihood of consuming tap water daily; however, the use of a community water supply was not significant. Understanding the factors involved in drinking water choices could inform public health education efforts regarding water management in rural areas.

Acute posttraumatic stress symptoms and depression after exposure to the 2005 Saskatchewan Centennial Air Show disaster: prevalence and predictors.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Steven; Asmundson, Gordon J G; Carleton, R Nicholas; Brundin, Peter

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of acute distress-that is, clinically significant posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and depression-and to identify predictors of each in a sample of people who witnessed a fatal aircraft collision at the 2005 Saskatchewan Centennial Air Show. Air Show attendees (N = 157) were recruited by advertisements in the local media and completed an Internet-administered battery of questionnaires. Based on previously established cut-offs, 22 percent respondents had clinically significant PTSS and 24 percent had clinically significant depressive symptoms. Clinically significant symptoms were associated with posttrauma impairment in social and occupational functioning. Acute distress was associated with several variables, including aspects of Air Show trauma exposure, severity of prior trauma exposure, low posttrauma social support (ie, negative responses by others), indices of poor coping (eg, intolerance of uncertainty, rumination about the trauma), and elevated scores on anxiety sensitivity, the personality trait of absorption, and dissociative tendencies. Results suggest that clinically significant acute distress is common in the aftermath of witnessed trauma. The statistical predictors (correlates) of acute distress were generally consistent with the results of studies of other forms of trauma. People with elevated scores on theoretical vulnerability factors (eg, elevated anxiety sensitivity) were particularly likely to develop acute distress.

Investigator Argus X-12 study on the population of northern Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josip Crnjac

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract X chromosome STR typing has emerged recently as a powerful tool, complementary to autosomal STR typing, in solving complex forensic and missing person cases. Investigator® Argus X-12 is a commercial product that allows co-amplification of 12 X chromosomal markers belonging to four linkage groups (LGs. In this study, we analyzed by capillary electrophoresis blood samples from 100 females and 102 males from a population of northern Croatia. Statistical analysis included calculation of allele and haplotype frequencies, as well as forensic parameters. The most informative marker for the northern Croatia population was DXS10135 with PIC=0.9211 and a total of 27 alleles. The least polymorphic marker was DXS8378 with 6 alleles. The proportion of observed haplotypes from the number of possible haplotypes varied from 2.74–8.57% across all LGs, with LG1 being the most informative. Of the 11 tested world populations compared to the population of northern Croatia, significant differences in genetic distance (FST were found for Greenlandic and all non-European populations. We found that all tested markers are in HWE and can thus be used for match probability calculation. Because of high combined power of discrimination in both men and women, Investigator® Argus X-12 is applicable for the northern Croatia population in routine forensic casework.

Near-saturated surface soil hydraulic properties under different land uses in the St Denis National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Bodhinayake, Waduwawatte; Si, Bing Cheng

2004-10-01

Surface soil hydraulic properties are key factors controlling the partition of rainfall and snowmelt into runoff and soil water storage, and their knowledge is needed for sound land management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of three land uses (native grass, brome grass and cultivated) on surface soil hydraulic properties under near-saturated conditions at the St Denis National Wildlife Area, Saskatchewan, Canada. For each land use, water infiltration rates were measured using double-ring and tension infiltrometers at -0.3, -0.7, -1.5 and -2.2 kPa pressure heads. Macroporosity and unsaturated hydraulic properties of the surface soil were estimated. Mean field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), unsaturated hydraulic conductivity at -0.3 kPa pressure head, inverse capillary length scale () and water-conducting macroporosity were compared for different land uses. These parameters of the native grass and brome grass sites were significantly (p 1.36 × 10-4 m in diameter in the three land uses. Land use modified near-saturated hydraulic properties of surface soil and consequently may alter the water balance of the area by changing the amount of surface runoff and soil water storage.

Apple mango value chain in northern Ethiopia: case study of Mereb ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Apple mango value chain in northern Ethiopia: case study of Mereb-Leke District. ... From the analysis of costs and margins the value added by farmers, ... of market information, shortage of transportation facility and road infrastructure, farmers' ...

Field measurements of mixed exposure of operators to radioactive aerosol, gas and quartz in confinement of mining equipment cabs during open-pit mining of high-grade uranium ores

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, K.; Atiemo, M.A.; Markham, J.W.

1982-07-01

A series of field measurements of miners mixed exposure to radon and daughters, uranium ore dust and respirable quartz, was conducted in an open-pit mine in Northern Saskatchewan during 1980-81. Control of radon gas levels in the mining equipment cabs is required. Dust may be reduced by minimizing the resuspension of dust from contaminated surfaces within the cabs

Uranium production, exploration and mine development in Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vance, R. E

2006-01-01

Full text: Full text: Canada has been the world leader in uranium production since the early 1990's and production in 2005 was 11,629 te U. The Elliott Lake region of Ontario was once the centre of production, but after the last facilities closed in 1996, all production now comes from the Athabasca Basin in northern Saskatchewan. Average grades of the world's two largest high grade deposits at McArthur River and Cigar Lake are 10 to 100 times the grade of deposits mined elsewhere. McArthur River has been in production since late 1999 and first production from Cigar Lake is expected in 2007. If all expansion and probable mine openings come to fruition, annual Canadian production could amount to 16,000 te U by 2011. All currently operating uranium mines have been the subject of a comprehensive environmental assessment and review process. Uranium mining brings significant benefits to local area residents in northern Saskatchewan. Residents of northern Saskatchewan are active participants in Environmental Quality Committees. Recent survey results show the majority of Saskatchewan residents support the continuation of uranium mining in the province. The closed uranium mines in Canada have been successfully decommissioned and rehabilitated in particular in the Elliott Lake region of Ontario. The principle exploration target in Canada remains the Athabasca Basin, but activity has also been reported in several of the other territories and provinces. Natural Resources Canada estimates that some $CAN81M was spent on exploration in Canada in 2005. Under the Canadian Constitution, natural resources are owned by the provinces or by the federal government if they are on federal lands north of 60 0 C latitude. The provinces have jurisdiction over exploration activities within their borders and for most commodities have jurisdiction over mine development and production, operations, health and safety and environmental matters. Once a company starts to develop a deposit into a mine

Fitting the project into the environment : Gulf Heavy Oil Red Cross Projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakires, D.G.; Johannesen, D.V.

1998-01-01

A reservoir delineation project by Gulf Canada's Heavy Oil Division was reviewed. The six well drilling program was completed in 1997 with minimal negative environmental impacts. The program, dubbed the Red Cross project, took place in the Northern Boreal Forest of Saskatchewan. Its success is attributed to the early involvement of the regulatory agencies in Saskatchewan, on-site environmental investigations, the development of an environmental protection plan, conscientious construction practices, a monitoring program during construction, and a pro-active reclamation plan. The project area is identified as being environmentally sensitive and important as a wildlife habitat area. This successful project demonstrated the usefulness of pre-project planning and team work between industry and the regulators. Details of the planning, construction and planned remedial reclamation actions are described. 11 refs., 2 tabs

Knowledge loss of medical students on first year basic science courses at the university of Saskatchewan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D'Eon Marcel F

2006-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Many senior undergraduate students from the University of Saskatchewan indicated informally that they did not remember much from their first year courses and wondered why we were teaching content that did not seem relevant to later clinical work or studies. To determine the extent of the problem a course evaluation study that measured the knowledge loss of medical students on selected first year courses was conducted. This study replicates previous memory decrement studies with three first year medicine basic science courses, something that was not found in the literature. It was expected that some courses would show more and some courses would show less knowledge loss. Methods In the spring of 2004 over 20 students were recruited to retake questions from three first year courses: Immunology, physiology, and neuroanatomy. Student scores on the selected questions at the time of the final examination in May 2003 (the 'test' were compared with their scores on the questions 10 or 11 months later (the 're-test' using paired samples t -tests. A repeated-measures MANOVA was used to compare the test and re-test scores among the three courses. The re-test scores were matched with the overall student ratings of the courses and the student scores on the May 2003 examinations. Results A statistically significant main effect of knowledge loss (F = 297.385; p post hoc comparisons showed a significant difference between Neuroanatomy and Physiology (mean difference of 10.7, p = .004. Conclusion There was considerable knowledge loss among medical students in the three basic science courses tested and this loss was not uniform across courses. Knowledge loss does not seem to be related to the marks on the final examination or the assessment of course quality by the students.

Saskatchewan Residents’ Use of The Cochrane Library

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dorothy Anne Forbes

2007-11-01

Full Text Available There is strong evidence of failure to translate research findings into the health care decision-making process of consumers, practitioners and policy makers (Grimshaw, 2007. Recognizing that The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews contained in The Cochrane Library (the Library are the “gold standard” of systematic reviews, Saskatchewan’s Health Quality Council provided funding for a provincial license and an evaluation study. In July 2004, Saskatchewan became the first province in Canada to provide all residents with access to the Library. The primary aim of the study was to enhance and evaluate the use of the Library over three years. Since September 2004, over 46 training sessions have been conducted on searching the Library online databases. Attendees at the workshops were informed of the evaluation study and invited to participate. Those who consented to participate were telephoned following the workshops and audio-taped interviews were conducted. Usage of the Library was also tracked using data available from Wiley InterScience. Three month (n=94, six month (n=71, nine month (n=79, and 12 month (n=72 telephone interviews were conducted. Most participants were librarians (n=31.5%, followed by nurses (16.3%, therapists (7.6%, library support staff (5.4%, pharmacists (4.3%, physicians (3.3%, and others (30.5. Most were between 40 to 65 years of age (71.6% and female (92.4%. Most respondents had accessed the Library at the three-month (65.2% and six-month (64.2% follow-up interviews. However, this percent fell to 45.2% at the nine-month and 27.4% at the twelve-month interview. MeSH searches were more frequent than standard keyword searches and HTML full text retrievals were more common than PDF versions. It is assumed that HTML versions were scanned for particular information whereas PDF versions were selected when the person wished to save and read the whole review. Librarians, practitioners and consumers are more likely to be

Effects of Lakes on Wildfire Activity in the Boreal Forests of Saskatchewan, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Scott E. Nielsen

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Large lakes can act as firebreaks resulting in distinct patterns in the forest mosaic. Although this is well acknowledged, much less is known about how wildfire is affected by different landscape measures of water and their interactions. Here we examine how these factors relate to historic patterns of wildfire over a 35-year period (1980–2014 for the boreal forest of Saskatchewan, Canada. This includes the amount of water in different-sized neighborhoods, the presence of islands, and the direction, distance, and shape of nearest lake of different sizes. All individual factors affected wildfire presence, with lake sizes ≥5000 ha and amount of water within a 1000-ha surrounding area the most supported spatial scales. Overall, wildfires were two-times less likely on islands, more likely further from lakes that were circular in shape, and in areas with less surrounding water. Interactive effects were common, including the effect of direction to lake as a function of distance from lakeshore and amount of surrounding water. Our results point to a strong, but complex, bottom-up control of local wildfire activity based on the configuration of natural firebreaks. In fact, fire rotation periods predicted for one area varied more than 15-fold (<47 to >700 years depending on local patterns in lakes. Old-growth forests within this fire-prone ecosystem are therefore likely to depend on the surrounding configuration of larger lakes.

Radiological monitoring of northern slopes of Mogoltau

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murtazaev, Kh.; Boboev, B.D.; Bolibekov, Sh.; Akhmedov, M.Z.

2010-01-01

Present article is devoted to radiological monitoring of northern slopes of Mogoltau. The physicochemical properties of water of northern slopes of Mogoltau were studied. The radiation monitoring of northern slopes of Mogoltau was carried out during several years under various weather conditions. The exposure rate of human settlements of northern part of Mogoltau was defined.

Preface to: Marine micropaleontological studies from the northern Indian Ocean

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nigam, R.; Saraswat, R.

-pollens, ostracodes, etc. The objective is to provide a comprehensive review of the developments in the oron. micropaleontological st~dies'throu~h ages, with examples from the northern Indian Ocean re,' Micropaleontological studies have experienced a sea-drift over... based foraminifera1 proxies for paleoclimatic/paleoceanographic reconstruction. The paper by Liilshy et al. provides the comprehensive details of the laboratory culture studies on benthic foraminifera carried out with the aim to refine field based...

Bioassays with caged hyalella azteca to determine in situ toxicity downstream of two Saskatchewan, Canada, uranium operations.

Science.gov (United States)

Robertson, Erin L; Liber, Karsten

2007-11-01

The main objectives of this in situ study were to evaluate the usefulness of an in situ bioassay to determine if downstream water bodies at the Key Lake and Rabbit Lake uranium operations (Saskatchewan, Canada) were toxic to Hyalella azteca and, if toxicity was observed, to differentiate between the contribution of surface water and sediment contamination to in situ toxicity. These objectives were achieved by performing 4-d in situ bioassays with laboratory-reared H. azteca confined in specially designed, paired, surface water and sediment exposure chambers. Results from the in situ bioassays revealed significant mortality, relative to the respective reference site, at the exposure sites at both Key Lake (p study, but most likely with a pulse of organic mill-process chemicals released during the time of the in situ study-a transient event that was caused by a problem with the mill's solvent extraction process. The suspected cause of in situ toxicity to H. azteca at Rabbit Lake was high levels of uranium in surface water, sediment, and pore water.

Childhood adversity profiles and adult psychopathology in a representative Northern Ireland study.

Science.gov (United States)

McLafferty, Margaret; Armour, Cherie; McKenna, Aine; O'Neill, Siobhan; Murphy, Sam; Bunting, Brendan

2015-10-01

Childhood adversities are key aetiological factors in the onset and persistence of psychopathology. The aims of this study were to identify childhood adversity profiles, and investigate the relationship between the adversity classes and psychopathology in Northern Ireland. The study utilized data from the Northern Ireland Study of Health and Stress, an epidemiological survey (N=1986), which used the CIDI to examine mental health disorders and associated risk factors. Latent Class Analysis revealed 3 distinct typologies; a low risk class (n=1709; 86%), a poly-adversity class (n=122; 6.1%), and an economic adversity class (n=155; 7.8%). Logistic Regression models revealed that individuals in the economic adversity class had a heightened risk of anxiety and substance disorders, with individuals in the poly-adversity class more likely to have a range of mental health problems and suicidality. The findings indicate the importance of considering the impact of co-occurring childhood adversities when planning treatment, prevention, and intervention programmes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Leakage Risk Assessment for a Potential CO2 Storage Project in Saskatchewan, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Houseworth, J.E.; Oldenburg, C.M.; Mazzoldi, A.; Gupta, A.K.; Nicot, J.-P.; Bryant, S.L.

2011-05-01

A CO{sub 2} sequestration project is being considered to (1) capture CO{sub 2} emissions from the Consumers Cooperative Refineries Limited at Regina, Saskatchewan and (2) geologically sequester the captured CO{sub 2} locally in a deep saline aquifer. This project is a collaboration of several industrial and governmental organizations, including the Petroleum Technology Research Centre (PTRC), Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), SaskEnvironment Go Green Fund, SaskPower, CCRL, Schlumberger Carbon Services, and Enbridge. The project objective is to sequester 600 tonnes CO{sub 2}/day. Injection is planned to start in 2012 or 2013 for a period of 25 years for a total storage of approximately 5.5 million tonnes CO{sub 2}. This report presents an assessment of the leakage risk of the proposed project using a methodology known as the Certification Framework (CF). The CF is used for evaluating CO{sub 2} leakage risk associated with geologic carbon sequestration (GCS), as well as brine leakage risk owing to displacement and pressurization of brine by the injected CO{sub 2}. We follow the CF methodology by defining the entities (so-called Compartments) that could be impacted by CO{sub 2} leakage, the CO{sub 2} storage region, the potential for leakage along well and fault pathways, and the consequences of such leakage. An understanding of the likelihood and consequences of leakage forms the basis for understanding CO{sub 2} leakage risk, and forms the basis for recommendations of additional data collection and analysis to increase confidence in the risk assessment.

Assessment of oxidative stress and histopathology in juvenile northern pike (Esox lucius) inhabiting lakes downstream of a uranium mill

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kelly, Jocelyn M. [Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3 (Canada); Janz, David M., E-mail: david.janz@usask.ca [Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 44 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B3 (Canada); Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Drive, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 5B4 (Canada)

2009-05-17

Lakes receiving effluent from the Key Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan contain elevated trace metals, some of which are associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues causing oxidative stress. The potential for oxidative stress was assessed in juvenile (age 1+) northern pike (Esox lucius) collected from two exposure (high and low) and one reference lake near the Key Lake operation. The concentrations of total, reduced and oxidized glutathione and the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione in liver and kidney did not differ significantly among pike collected from exposure and reference lakes, with the exception of low exposure pike kidney that had significantly greater oxidized glutathione and ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione. The concentrations of by-products of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenal) were significantly greater in kidney of pike collected from the reference lake compared to both exposure lakes. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase in liver was greater in pike collected from the high exposure lake compared to the reference lake. Histopathological evaluations revealed greater pathology in reference lake pike as indicated by a greater number of pyknotic and fragmented nuclei and dilated tubules as well as a thickening of Bowman's capsule in kidney, and as a thickening of the primary filament epithelial padding in gills. In liver, hepatocyte morphology, including transsectional area and degree of vacuolation, differed among lakes without any clear signs of pathology. Trace metal analyses of muscle showed that eight elements (arsenic, cobalt, copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium, thallium, and uranium) were significantly elevated in pike collected from both exposure lakes compared to reference. These results provide only limited evidence of oxidative stress in exposure pike tissues and no evidence of histopathology despite indications that trace metals, most

Assessment of oxidative stress and histopathology in juvenile northern pike (Esox lucius) inhabiting lakes downstream of a uranium mill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, Jocelyn M.; Janz, David M.

2009-01-01

Lakes receiving effluent from the Key Lake uranium mill in northern Saskatchewan contain elevated trace metals, some of which are associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells and tissues causing oxidative stress. The potential for oxidative stress was assessed in juvenile (age 1+) northern pike (Esox lucius) collected from two exposure (high and low) and one reference lake near the Key Lake operation. The concentrations of total, reduced and oxidized glutathione and the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione in liver and kidney did not differ significantly among pike collected from exposure and reference lakes, with the exception of low exposure pike kidney that had significantly greater oxidized glutathione and ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione. The concentrations of by-products of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxyalkenal) were significantly greater in kidney of pike collected from the reference lake compared to both exposure lakes. The activity of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase in liver was greater in pike collected from the high exposure lake compared to the reference lake. Histopathological evaluations revealed greater pathology in reference lake pike as indicated by a greater number of pyknotic and fragmented nuclei and dilated tubules as well as a thickening of Bowman's capsule in kidney, and as a thickening of the primary filament epithelial padding in gills. In liver, hepatocyte morphology, including transsectional area and degree of vacuolation, differed among lakes without any clear signs of pathology. Trace metal analyses of muscle showed that eight elements (arsenic, cobalt, copper, iron, molybdenum, selenium, thallium, and uranium) were significantly elevated in pike collected from both exposure lakes compared to reference. These results provide only limited evidence of oxidative stress in exposure pike tissues and no evidence of histopathology despite indications that trace metals, most

Waste management implications of concentrating slimes - characteristics and potential problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

This report describes the geotechnical, geochemical and environmental characteristics of fine-grained uranium tailings (slimes) which may influence both short- and long-term management of slime-enriched uranium tailings impoundments. Properties of slimes are compared and contrasted with those of sand tailings using field and laboratory data primarily from naturally segregated tailings in the Elliot Lake area, Ontario and Northern Saskatchewan uranium-bearing regions of Canada. Key management considerations are included

Role of the provincial government of Saskatchewan in encouraging growth in the oil and gas sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lautermilch, E.

1997-01-01

The year 1996 was one of the most successful years for the oil and gas industry in Saskatchewan. In the view of the author this may be said to be due, at least in part, to the provincial government's efforts to establish and implement policies that stimulate economic activity. Government regulation is essential to ensure safe and sensible development, a level playing field for all participants, and to ensure that residents of the province receive a fair share of the benefits of resource development. Some of the positive government actions taken in 1996 include: revisions to the royalty rate structure, simplification of the natural gas administration system, a program to encourage exploration in less-explored areas, re-balancing electrical rates, and a review of all regulations with the goal of streamlining or eliminating them. New technologies such as horizontal drilling were also encouraged. Issues presently before the government include postage stamp tolls, global warming, greenhouse gas emissions and environmental concerns from farmers. On the whole, the oil and gas industry received high marks for taking a responsible approach to self-regulation, but continued public support will depend on how well the industry addresses environmental concerns and demonstrates the benefits of oil and development to the people

Northern employment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zavitz, J.

1997-01-01

Hiring practices and policies and employment opportunities that were available in the Beaufort Sea and MacKenzie Delta project for local residents and for people from southern Canada were dealt with in this chapter. Depending on the source, Northern hiring was a mere token, or a genuine and successful effort on the part of the companies to involve the native population and to share with them the benefits of the project. The fact remains that opening up job opportunities for Northerners was not easily attained, and would never have been realized without the involvement of government and community organizations. Government also played a major role in developing policies and training regimes. By the end of exploration operations, the hiring of Northern residents in the oil and gas industry had become a requirement of drilling applications. Training programs were also created to ensure that Northern residents received the means necessary to take advantage of Northern employment opportunities

Inequity of Education Financial Resources: A Case Study of First Nations School Funding Compared to Provincial School Funding in Saskatchewan

Science.gov (United States)

Carr-Stewart, Sheila; Marshall, Jim; Steeves, Larry

2011-01-01

In a review of First Nations band-managed school policies, the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada (2002) noted what had been devolved was "the specific operation of the school. What was not devolved was an [education] system which would support the school" (p. 5) delivery of quality educational programming for First…

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Northern Jordan: Endoscopy based study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bani-Hani, Kamal E.; Hammouri, Shadi M.

2001-01-01

Helicobacter pylori infection is considered the most common infection worldwide and is associated with many other disorders. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of this infection among patients undergoing endoscopy in Northern Jordan. Between November 1998 and September 2000, all patients referred from the Gastro-esophageal Clinic to the Endoscopy Unit at Princess Basma Teaching Hospital, Irbid, Northern Jordan were enrolled in this prospective study. For each patient clinical and epidemiological data was collected and endoscopy was performed. At least 3 antral biopsies were obtained from each patient, and these were examined histologically for the presence of gastritis and stained for Helicobacter pylori using modified Giemsa stain. A total of 197 consecutive patients (113 females) with a mean age of 40.2 years (range 15-91 years) were studied. Abdominal pain was the highest presenting symptom. Gastritis 91% and esophagitis 42% were the most frequent endoscopic findings. Gastritis was documented histologically in 183 (93%) of patients. Helicobacter pylori was found in 161 patients (82%), with all of these having histological gastritis. The 11 patients with gastric ulcer, compared to the 51 out of the 59 (86%) patients with duodenal ulcer, showed Helicobacter pylori in their biopsies. The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in patients subjected to an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Jordan is high. This study confirms that Helicobacter pylori is significantly associated with gastritis and peptic ulcer. Further studies are needed to determine the types of Helicobacter pylori strains present in Jordan. (author)

From the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative to the Northern Eurasia Future Initiative

Science.gov (United States)

Streletskiy, D. A.; Groisman, P. Y.; Shugart, H. H., Jr.; Gulev, S.; Maksyutov, S. S.; Qi, J.

2017-12-01

Since 2004, the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) - an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth systems and science research - has addressed large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate and environmental changes over Northern Eurasia and their impact on the Global Earth system. With 40 books and more than 1500 peer-reviewed journal publications to its credit, NEESPI's output can now be used to directly support decision-making for societal needs. Specifically, it was decided to shift gradually the foci of regional studies in Northern Eurasia towards applications with the following major Science Question: "What dynamic and interactive change(s) will affect societal well-being, activities, and health, and what might be the mitigation and adaptation strategies that could support sustainable development and decision-making activities in Northern Eurasia?" To answer this question requires a stronger socio-economic component in the ongoing and future regional studies focused on sustainable societal development under changing climatic and environmental conditions. The NEESPI Research Team has reorganized itself into "Northern Eurasia Future Initiative" (NEFI) and developed a new Science Plan released in June 2016. The Plan underwent a 6-month-long public review and was finalized at the end of 2016. Its description was thereafter split between two review papers: Groisman et al. (2017) and Monier et al. (2017). The first paper describes the Plan rationale and a new set of topical questions. The second paper describes a major modeling approach that will be employed in addressing the "what to do" questions of the NEFI Research (cf., presentation by Monier et al. at this Session). In the current presentation, we outline the new NEFI research foci and present latest NEFI findings including international projects in the Eurasian Arctic, boreal zone, and the Dry Land Belt of Northern Eurasia (cf., also presentations at sister

Hydrate studies of northern Cascadia margin off Vancouver Island : a reference source

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hyndman, R. [Natural Resources Canada, Sidney, BC (Canada). Geological Survey of Canada, Pacific Geoscience Centre]|[Victoria Univ., BC (Canada). School of Earth and Ocean Sciences; Riedel, M. [McGill Univ., Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences; Spence, G.D. [Victoria Univ., BC (Canada). School of Earth and Ocean Sciences

2008-07-01

Extensive geophysical studies have been conducted to determine the occurrence, distribution, and concentration of gas hydrate in the Cascadia subduction zone off western Canada. In this paper, the authors compiled a comprehensive reference list of studies involving marine natural gas hydrate surveys and studies on the northern Cascadia margin. The reference categories included general reviews; regional tectonic framework for northern Cascadia hydrate; prism sediment thickening, fluid expulsion and hydrate formation; and, seismic surveys. This paper first addressed the local tectonics and the sedimentary accretionary prism in which the hydrate forms, followed by a description of the geophysical and geological surveys that have been conducted. The surveys included a wide range of seismic surveys such as multichannel, ocean-bottom, high-resolution single channel and very high resolution deep towed surveys. Heat flow, electrical sounding, seafloor compliance, sediment coring, and mapping gas plumes from the seafloor were among the other geophysical studies listed in this paper. The conclusions that have resulted from this work in terms of distribution, concentrations and amounts of hydrate were presented along with a discussion on the process of hydrate formation and dissociation. 96 refs., 3 figs.

Target study of heat supply from Northern Moravia nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pospisil, V.

The construction is envisaged in Northern Moravia of a nuclear power plant near Blahutovice in the Novy Jicin district. Heat produced by the nuclear power plant will only be used for district heating; process heat will be supplied from local steam sources. An example is discussed of the Prerov locality which currently is supplied from the Prerov heating and power plant (230 MW), a heating plant (36 MW) and from local sources (15 NW). The study estimates that a thermal power of 430 MW will be required at a time of the start of heat supplies from the nuclear power plant. All heat supply pipelines will be designed as a two-tube system divided into sections with section pipe fittings. The number and location of pipe fittings will be selected depending on the terrain configuration. Water of the maximum outlet temperature of 150 degC will be used as a coolant. The control of the system for Northern Moravia is briefly described. (J.P.)

Population-based, inception cohort study of the incidence, course, and prognosis of mild traumatic brain injury after motor vehicle collisions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cassidy, John David; Boyle, Eleanor; Carroll, Linda J

2014-01-01

. PARTICIPANTS: All adults (N=1716) incurring an MTBI in a motor vehicle collision between November 1997 and December 1999 in Saskatchewan. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Age- and sex-stratified incidence rates, time to self-reported recovery, and prognostic factors over a 1-year follow......OBJECTIVE: To determine the incidence, course, and prognosis of adult mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI) caused by motor vehicle collisions. DESIGN: Prospective, population-based, inception cohort study. SETTING: The province of Saskatchewan, Canada, with a population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants...

Access to Orthopaedic Surgical Care in Northern Tanzania: A Modelling Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Premkumar, Ajay; Ying, Xiaohan; Mack Hardaker, W; Massawe, Honest H; Mshahaba, David J; Mandari, Faiton; Pallangyo, Anthony; Temu, Rogers; Masenga, Gileard; Spiegel, David A; Sheth, Neil P

2018-04-25

The global burden of musculoskeletal disease and resulting disability is enormous and is expected to increase over the next few decades. In the world's poorest regions, the paucity of information defining and quantifying the current state of access to orthopaedic surgical care is a major problem in developing effective solutions. This study estimates the number of individuals in Northern Tanzania without adequate access to orthopaedic surgical services. A chance tree was created to model the probability of access to orthopaedic surgical services in the Northern Tanzanian regions of Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Singida, and Manyara, with respect to four dimensions: timeliness, surgical capacity, safety, and affordability. Timeliness was estimated by the proportion of people living within a 4-h driving distance from a hospital with an orthopaedic surgeon, capacity by comparing number of surgeries performed to the number of surgeries indicated, safety by applying WHO Emergency and Essential Surgical Care infrastructure and equipment checklists, and affordability by approximating the proportion of the population protected from catastrophic out-of-pocket healthcare expenditure. We accounted for uncertainty in our model with one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses. Data sources included the Tanzanian National Bureau of Statistics and Ministry of Finance, World Bank, World Health Organization, New Zealand Ministry of Health, Google Corporation, NASA population estimator, and 2015 hospital records from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Center, Machame Hospital, Nkoroanga Hospital, Mt. Meru Hospital, and Arusha Lutheran Medical Center. Under the most conservative assumptions, more than 90% of the Northern Tanzanian population does not have access to orthopaedic surgical services. There is a near absence of access to orthopaedic surgical care in Northern Tanzania. These findings utilize more precise country and region-specific data and are consistent with prior published

Ecological studies on rain forest in Northern Suriname

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schulz, J.P.

1960-01-01

During the years 1955-1957 ecological data were collected in various types of mesophytic forest occurring in the northern half of central Suriname (fig. 1). Physiognomically as well as floristically these forests correspond with the type of vegetation which in the other parts of tropical America

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta survival, recovery, and harvest rates derived from 55 years of banding in Prairie Canada, 1960-2014

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Blake A. Bartzen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Northern Pintail (Anas acuta; hereafter pintail experienced a significant population decline in North America in the 1980s but did not rebound to the previous population level the way that other prairie dabbling duck species (Anas spp. did once habitat conditions improved. Although the population decline occurred throughout the breeding range of pintails, the decline was most pronounced and sustained in Prairie Canada, i.e., southern Alberta and Saskatchewan. Thus, we estimated and examined annual survival, recovery, and harvest rates of pintails banded in Prairie Canada from 1960-2014. Annual survival rates varied by sex but were relatively high compared to those of other dabbling duck species and increased slightly over the study period to end at 0.64 ± 0.13 (SE and 0.74 ± 0.10 for females and males, respectively. Recovery and harvest rates varied over time but generally declined in the 1980s and increased from the early 1990s until the end of the study period. There was no clear evidence that hunting bag limit restrictions affected annual survival, recovery, or harvest rates. In addition, we could find no compelling evidence that harvest mortality was substantially additive to nonharvest mortality for pintails. However, we could not definitively ascertain the effects of the restrictions, and we suggest that a trial basis of liberalized hunting bag limits would do much to improve the understanding of harvest and population dynamics of pintails and pose little risk to the population. Based on our results, we believe that measures other than harvest restrictions will likely have to be taken to elevate the pintail population to the North American Waterfowl Management Plan objective.

Lysine-functionalized nanodiamonds: synthesis, physiochemical characterization, and nucleic acid binding studies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaur R

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Randeep Kaur,1 Jackson M Chitanda,2 Deborah Michel,1 Jason Maley,3 Ferenc Borondics,2,4 Peng Yang,5 Ronald E Verrall,2 Ildiko Badea11Drug Design and Discovery Research Group, College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, 2Department of Chemistry, University of Saskatchewan, 3Saskatchewan Structural Sciences Centre, University of Saskatchewan, 4Canadian Light Source, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada; 5Department of Organic Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of ChinaPurpose: Detonation nanodiamonds (NDs are carbon-based nanomaterials that, because of their size (4–5 nm, stable inert core, alterable surface chemistry, fluorescence, and biocompatibility, are emerging as bioimaging agents and promising tools for the delivery of biochemical molecules into cellular systems. However, diamond particles possess a strong propensity to aggregate in liquid formulation media, restricting their applicability in biomedical sciences. Here, the authors describe the covalent functionalization of NDs with lysine in an attempt to develop nanoparticles able to act as suitable nonviral vectors for transferring genetic materials across cellular membranes.Methods: NDs were oxidized and functionalized by binding lysine moieties attached to a three-carbon-length linker (1,3-diaminopropane to their surfaces through amide bonds. Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, zeta potential measurement, dynamic light scattering, atomic force microscopic imaging, and thermogravimetric analysis were used to characterize the lysine-functionalized NDs. Finally, the ability of the functionalized diamonds to bind plasmid DNA and small interfering RNA was investigated by gel electrophoresis assay and through size and zeta potential measurements.Results: NDs were successfully functionalized with the lysine linker, producing surface loading of 1.7 mmol g-1 of ND

Thermal archetypes and retrofit potential for saskatchewan residences. SRC publication No. I-4800-11-C-94, and SECDA publication No. T800-94-P-006

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-12-31

Project to establish an understanding of the thermal characteristics of residential housing in Saskatchewan and to estimate the scope and cost of upgrading the thermal envelopes of existing housing. Thermal archetypes were developed to represent the existing single-detached, semi-detached, and row houses. The 13 archetypes represent different types of housing, ranging from pre-1920 stock to 1990, and categorized as either base or upgraded houses. The annual space heating energy consumption of each archetype was calculated using the HOT-2000 computer program. Three levels of thermal retrofit to the archetypes were investigated, from minor upgrading to a full retrofit that lowered house heating consumption to near R-2000 standards. The total and incremental costs of the three levels of retrofit were calculated using recent Canadian sources.

Greenhouse gas inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland: 1990 and 1995. A scoping study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Salway, A.G.; Dore, C.; Watterson, J.; Murrells, T.

1999-11-01

This report presents the results of a scoping study to develop a methodology to produce desegregated greenhouse gas emission inventories for the devoved administrations of the UK. Separate greenhouse gas emission inventories were estimated for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland for the years 1990 and 1995. The gases reported are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and SF{sub 6}. The estimates are consistent with the 1997 UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory and hence the UNFCCC reporting guidelines. Some emissions mainly mobile and offshore sources could not be allocated to any region, so an extra unallocated category was used to report these. Where possible the same methodology was used to calculate the regional emissions as for the UK Inventory. The study showed that the distribution of regional greenhouse gas emissions expressed as global warming potentials in 1995 were: England 75.5%, Scotland, 11.4%; Wales 6.4%; Northern Ireland 3.1%: unallocated, 4%. Following this scoping study, it is intended to publish annually disaggregated inventories for each year from 1990 for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in addition to the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory. 50 refs., 6 figs., 16 tabs., 2 apps.

Leading Integrated Schools: A Study of the Multicultural Perspectives of Northern Irish Principals

Science.gov (United States)

McGlynn, Claire

2008-01-01

This article is concerned with the sustained peace education initiative of integrated schooling and in particular with leadership responses to cultural diversity. Using a case study group of principals of integrated (mixed Catholic, Protestant and other) schools in Northern Ireland, the author explores how principals perceive and lead their…

Voice-Based Marketing for Agricultural Products : A Case Study in Rural Northern Ghana

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dittoh, Francis; Aart, Chris Van; Boer, Victor De

2013-01-01

We present a study conducted in rural Northern Ghana about issues around the marketing of agricultural products and the need of mobile-based ICT solutions. The need for the spread of information and web access to communities in developing countries has given rise to the design and development of

Diagnostic and laboratory test ordering in Northern Portuguese Primary Health Care: a cross-sectional study

Science.gov (United States)

Sá, Luísa; Teixeira, Andreia Sofia Costa; Tavares, Fernando; Costa-Santos, Cristina; Couto, Luciana; Costa-Pereira, Altamiro; Hespanhol, Alberto Pinto; Santos, Paulo

2017-01-01

Objectives To characterise the test ordering pattern in Northern Portugal and to investigate the influence of context-related factors, analysing the test ordered at the level of geographical groups of family physicians and at the level of different healthcare organisations. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Northern Primary Health Care, Portugal. Participants Records about diagnostic and laboratory tests ordered from 2035 family physicians working at the Northern Regional Health Administration, who served approximately 3.5 million Portuguese patients, in 2014. Outcomes To determine the 20 most ordered diagnostic and laboratory tests in the Northern Regional Health Administration; to identify the presence and extent of variations in the 20 most ordered diagnostic and laboratory tests between the Groups of Primary Care Centres and between health units; and to study factors that may explain these variations. Results The 20 most ordered diagnostic and laboratory tests almost entirely comprise laboratory tests and account for 70.9% of the total tests requested. We can trace a major pattern of test ordering for haemogram, glucose, lipid profile, creatinine and urinalysis. There was a significant difference (P<0.001) in test orders for all tests between Groups of Primary Care Centres and for all tests, except glycated haemoglobin (P=0.06), between health units. Generally, the Personalised Healthcare Units ordered more than Family Health Units. Conclusions The results from this study show that the most commonly ordered tests in Portugal are laboratory tests, that there is a tendency for overtesting and that there is a large variability in diagnostic and laboratory test ordering in different geographical and organisational Portuguese primary care practices, suggesting that there may be considerable potential for the rationalisation of test ordering. The existence of Family Health Units seems to be a strong determinant in decreasing test ordering by Portuguese family

Taxation of uranium mining in Canada and Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, D.W.

1983-01-01

The objective of this paper is to compare the nature of the taxation schemes facing uranium mine operators in Australia's Northern Territory and in Canada's Province of Saskatchewan. The findings demonstrate that, although the Canadian system appropriates up to 85% of incremental sales revenue, it is extremely sensitive to industry profitability. Its Australian counterpart is, in contrast, a regressive scheme which, at the current selling price of yellowcake, captures a significantly larger proportion of available economic rent. (author)

Some in Saskatchewan Find The Cochrane Library Useful after Promotion, Access and Training Efforts. A review of: Forbes, Dorothy, Christine Neilson, Janet Bangma, Jennifer Forbes, Daniel Fuller, and Shari Furniss. “Saskatchewan Residents’ Use of The Cochrane Library.” Partnership: the Canadian Journal of Library and Information Practice and Research 2.2 (2007.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shandra Protzko

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Objective – To evaluate the use of The Cochrane Library by librarians, health care providers and consumers in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan. Design – Volunteer telephone interviews and surveys of training participants at multiple time points; usage statistics.Setting – Saskatchewan.Subjects – Ninety-four volunteers participated in the study. Participants were self-selected from approximately 300 health practitioners and 100 public library staff attending training sessions, located primarily in rural areas. The majority of public library staff who attended training sessions were not professional librarians, although 31.5% of the study participants were librarians. Nurses made up the next largest group (16.3%, followed by therapists (7.6%, library support staff (5.4%,pharmacists (4.3%, physicians (3.3%, other health care providers (20.7%, and other (9.8%. Most were 40-65 years of age (71.6%and female (92.4%.Methods – Forty-six training sessions were provided upon request between October 2004 and December 2006. Attendees wereinvited to participate in the study. Telephone interviews were conducted at three, six, nine, and twelve months following training sessions. Demographic information and data on the use of andsatisfaction with The Cochrane Library were collected. Additionally, monthly statistics were tracked by Wiley-Blackwell for user sessions, number of searches, and the number of full-text articles and abstracts visited.Main Results – Telephone interviews revealed that 65.2% of participants had accessed The Cochrane Library at three months; 64.2% had at six months. At nine months access dropped to 45.2%. At twelve months only 27.4% of participants reported using the resource. Of those who used The Cochrane Library, 16.4% reported at the three month interview that it was not helpful. This number decreased at six months (11.6%, nine months (7.7% and twelve months (11.8%. 57.5% of respondents claimed to have learned something

Residues of 2, 4-D in air samples from Saskatchewan: 1966-1975.

Science.gov (United States)

Grover, R; Kerr, L A; Wallace, K; Yoshida, K; Maybank, J

1976-01-01

Residues of 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) in air samples from several sampling sites in central and southern Saskatchewan during the spraying seasons in the 1966-68 and 1970-75 periods were determined by gas-liquid chromatographic techniques. Initially, individual esters of 2,4-D were characterized by retention times and confirmed further by co-injection and dual column procedures. Since 1973, however, only total 2,4-D acid levels in air samples have been determined after esterification to the methyl ester and confirmed by gc/ms techniques whenever possible. Up to 50% of the daily samples collected during the spraying season at any of the locations and during any given year contained 2,4-D, with butyl esters being found most frequently. The daily 24-hr mean atmospheric concentrations of 2,4-D ranged from 0.01 to 1.22 mug/m3, 0.01 to 13.50 mug/m3, and 0.05 to 0.59 mug/m3 for the iso-propyl, mixed butyl and iso-octyl esters, respectively. Even when the samples were analysed for the total 2,4-D content, i.e. from 1973 onwards, the maximum level of the total acid reached only 23.14 mug/m3. In any given year and at any of the sampling sites, about 30% of the samples contained less than 0.01 mug/m3 of 2,4-D. In another 40% of the samples, the levels of 2,4-D ranged from 0.01 to 0.099 mug/m3. Only about 30% of the samples contained 2,4-D concentrations higher than 0.1 mug/m3, with only 10% or less exceeding 1 mug/m3. None of the samples, obtained with the high volume particulate sampler, showed any detectable levels of 2,4-D, indicating little or no transport of 2,4-D adsorbed on dust particles or as crystals of amine salts.

Nitrogen controls on ecosystem carbon sequestration: a model implementation and application to Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, J.; Price, D.T.; Chen, J.M.

2005-01-01

A plant–soil nitrogen (N) cycling model was developed and incorporated into the Integrated BIosphere Simulator (IBIS) of Foley et al. [Foley, J.A., Prentice, I.C., Ramankutty, N., Levis, S., Pollard, D., Sitch, S., Haxeltine, A., 1996. An integrated biosphere model of land surface process, terrestrial carbon balance and vegetation dynamics. Global Biogeochem. Cycles 10, 603–628]. In the N-model, soil mineral N regulates ecosystem carbon (C) fluxes and ecosystem C:N ratios. Net primary productivity (NPP) is controlled by feedbacks from both leaf C:N and soil mineral N. Leaf C:N determines the foliar and canopy photosynthesis rates, while soil mineral N determines the N availability for plant growth and the efficiency of biomass construction. Nitrogen controls on the decomposition of soil organic matter (SOM) are implemented through N immobilization and mineralization separately. The model allows greater SOM mineralization at lower mineral N, and conversely, allows greater N immobilization at higher mineral N. The model's seasonal and inter-annual behaviours are demonstrated. A regional simulation for Saskatchewan, Canada, was performed for the period 1851–2000 at a 10 km × 10 km resolution. Simulated NPP was compared with high-resolution (1 km × 1 km) NPP estimated from remote sensing data using the boreal ecosystem productivity simulator (BEPS) [Liu, J., Chen, J.M., Cihlar, J., Park, W.M., 1997. A process-based boreal ecosystem productivity simulator using remote sensing inputs. Remote Sens. Environ. 44, 81–87]. The agreement between IBIS and BEPS, particularly in NPP spatial variation, was considerably improved when the N controls were introduced into IBIS.

Co-circulation of Toscana virus and Punique virus in northern Tunisia: a microneutralisation-based seroprevalence study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sonia Sakhria

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In northern Tunisia, the co-circulation of two related sand fly-borne phleboviruses, Toscana virus (TOSV and Punique virus (PUNV was previously demonstrated. In contrast to TOSV, a prominent human pathogen, there is no data supporting that PUNV is capable to infect and cause disease to humans. We studied the respective involvement of TOSV and PUNV in human infections in northern Tunisia through a seroprevalence study. METHODS: The presence of TOSV and PUNV neutralising antibodies (NT-Ab was tested in human sera collected from 5 districts of the governorate of Bizerte, and the titres of NT-Ab were estimated by microneutralisation (MN assay. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A total of 1,273 sera were processed. TOSV and PUNV NT-Ab were detected in 522 (41% and 111 sera (8.72% respectively. TOSV seroprevalence varied from 17.2% to 59.4% depending on the district. Analysis of TOSV geometric mean titre values demonstrated a constant increase according to the age. The vast majority of sera containing NT-Ab were found to be more reactive toward TOSV than PUNV. Indeed, past infections with PUNV and TOSV were undisputable for 5 and 414 sera, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: PUNV may be capable to infect humans but at a low rate. TOSV is responsible for the vast majority of human infections by sand fly-borne phleboviruses in northern Tunisia. TOSV must be considered by physician and tested in diagnostic laboratories for patients with meningitis and unexplained fever in northern Tunisia.

Discussion on several geological problems and uranium metallogeny on northern border of northern China block (platform)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Hong.

1987-01-01

According to the informations from the satellite image and the field investigation the following geological events on the northern border of the Northern China Block are recognized and confirmed, duch as suture zones between blocks, folding-reversed fault zones, back-arc collision zones (faulted zones), transitional zone between platform and geosyncline, magmatic are and the double sturcture composed of NNE trend magmatic active belt and fault-depression belts (basins) of Yenshan-Ximalaya age. On thsee bases the following problems, such as the unique structural environment of uranium mineralization related to abyssal magmatic rocks and Yenshan magmatic active zone (including volcanic belt) on the northern border of the Northern China Block, the metallogenetic modes for urnaium deposits of 'magmatic type' and 'neutralized surface type' in fault-depression zone and the classification of uranium metallogenetic belts and the criteria for such classification are studied and discussed. Several uranium deposits are given for illustrations

Influences of vegetation structure and elevation on CO2 uptake in a mature jack pine forest in Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chasmer, L.; McCaughey, H.; Treitz, P.

2008-01-01

Eddy covariance (EC) is often used to measure the movement and direction of energy and trace gas concentrations in ecosystems. Data from EC networks are often combined with remote sensing data and ecosystem models in order to assess the spatial and temporal variability of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) exchanges within specific areas of interest. This study presented a new method of determining changes in the structural characteristics of biomass and elevation. Lidar was used within the contours of half-hourly flux footprint areas to characterize vegetation structure and elevation. The influences of vegetation structure and elevation on CO 2 concentrations were measured by EC and Lidar measurements for 3 mature growing periods at a mature jack pine site in Saskatchewan. Mensuration data were collected over 2 periods. Meteorological, CO 2 , and H2O flux measurements were collected for 30 minute periods each day. Statistical analyses were conducted to determine the influence of meteorological variables on vegetation structure. Footprint contour lines were then layered onto the canopy height models derived by the lidar data. Multiple regression equations were used to determine net ecosystem productivity (NEP) and gross ecosystem productivity (GEP) using meteorological variables, canopy fractional cover; and elevation, as well as the results obtained from a Landsberg equation. The study showed that differences in NEP variability were influenced by differences in canopy and ground surface characteristics within the site. EC measurements underestimated gross CO 2 fluxes by 5 per cent as the biomass was lower within the immediate vicinity of the EC network. It was concluded that canopy structures and elevation are important factors for determining annual carbon balances. 36 refs., 8 tabs., 9 figs

A comparative qualitative study of misconceptions associated with contraceptive use in southern and northern Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philip Baba Adongo

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Evidence from Ghana consistently shows that unmet need for contraception is pervasive with many possible causes, yet how these may differ by cultural zone remains poorly understood. This qualitative study was designed to elicit information on the nature and form of misconceptions associated with contraceptive use among northern and southern Ghanaians. Twenty-two focus group discussions (FGDs with married community members were carried out. Community Health Officers, Community Health Volunteers, and Health Care Managers were also interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using QSR Nvivo 10 to compare contraceptive misconceptions in northern and southern Ghana. Results indicate that misconceptions associated with the use of contraceptives were widespread but similar in both settings. Contraceptives were perceived to predispose women to both primary and secondary infertility, uterine fibroids, and cancers. As regular menstrual flow was believed to prevent uterine fibroids, contraceptive use-related amenorrhea was thought to render acceptors vulnerable to uterine fibroids as well as cervical and breast cancers. Contraceptive acceptors were stigmatized and ridiculed as promiscuous. Among northern respondents, condom use was generally perceived to inhibit erection and therefore capable of inducing male impotence, while in southern Ghana, condom use was believed to reduce sensation and sexual gratification. The study indicates that misconceptions associated with contraceptive use are widespread in both regions. Moreover, despite profound social and contextual differences that distinguish northern and southern Ghanaians, prevailing fears and misconceptions are shared by respondents from both settings. Findings attest to the need for improved communication to provide accurate information for dispelling these misconceptions.

Nosological Inaccuracies in death certification in Northern Ireland. A comparative study between hospital doctors and general practitioners.

OpenAIRE

Armour, A.; Bharucha, H.

1997-01-01

We aimed to audit nosological inaccuracies in death certification in Northern Ireland and to compare performance of hospital doctors and general practitioners. Nosology is the branch of medicine which treats of the classification of disease. 1138 deaths were registered in Northern Ireland in a 4-week period commencing 3/10/94. 195 of these were either registered by HM Coroners (HMC) or required further investigation by their staff; these cases were excluded from the study. The remaining 943 w...

Concentrations of neonicotinoid insecticides in honey, pollen and honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) in central Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Codling, Garry; Al Naggar, Yahya; Giesy, John P; Robertson, Albert J

2016-02-01

Neonicotinoid insecticides (NIs) and their transformation products were detected in honey, pollen and honey bees, (Apis mellifera) from hives located within 30 km of the City of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Clothianidin and thiamethoxam were the most frequently detected NIs, found in 68 and 75% of honey samples at mean concentrations of 8.2 and 17.2 ng g(-1) wet mass, (wm), respectively. Clothianidin was also found in >50% of samples of bees and pollen. Concentrations of clothianidin in bees exceed the LD50 in 2 of 28 samples, while for other NIs concentrations were typically 10-100-fold less than the oral LD50. Imidaclorpid was detected in ∼30% of samples of honey, but only 5% of pollen and concentrations were

Assessing Future Ecosystem Services: a Case Study of the Northern Highlands Lake District, Wisconsin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Garry D. Peterson

2003-12-01

Full Text Available The Northern Highlands Lake District of Wisconsin is in transition from a sparsely settled region to a more densely populated one. Expected changes offer benefits to northern Wisconsin residents but also threaten to degrade the ecological services they rely on. Because the future of this region is uncertain, it is difficult to make decisions that will avoid potential risks and take advantage of potential opportunities. We adopt a scenario planning approach to cope with this problem of prediction. We use an ecological assessment framework developed by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment to determine key social and ecological driving forces in the Northern Highlands Lake District. From these, we describe three alternative scenarios to the year 2025 in which the projected use of ecological services is substantially different. The work reported in this paper demonstrates how scenarios can be developed for a region and provides a starting point for a participatory discussion of alternative futures for northern Wisconsin. Although the future is unknowable, we hope that the assessment process begun in this paper will help the people of the Northern Highlands Lake District choose the future path of their region.

Radionuclide levels in fish from Lake Athabasca February 1993. Northern River Basins Study project report no.26

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smithson, G.

1993-12-01

The Northern River Basins Study was initiated through the 'Canada-Alberta-Northwest Territories Agreement Respecting the Peace-Athabasca-Slave River Basin Study, Phase II - Technical Studies' which was signed September 27, 1991. The purpose of the study is to understand and characterize the cumulative effects of development on the water and aquatic environment of the Study Area by coordinating with existing programs and undertaking appropriate new technical studies. This publication reports the method and findings of particular work conducted as part of the Northern River Basins Study. As such, the work was governed by a specific terms of reference and is expected to contribute information about the Study Area within the context of the overall study as described by the Study Final Report. This report has been reviewed by the Study Science Advisory Committee in regards to scientific content and has been approved by the Study Board of Directors for public release. It is explicit in the objectives of the Study to report the results of technical work regularly to the public. This objective is served by distributing project reports to an extensive network of libraries, agencies, organizations and interested individuals and by granting universal permission to reproduce the material. This report contains referenced data obtained from external to the Northern River Basins Study. Individuals interested in using external data must obtain permission to do so from the donor agency. (author). 47 refs., 9 tabs., 2 figs

Radionuclide levels in fish from Lake Athabasca February 1993. Northern River Basins Study project report no.26

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Smithson, G [Saskatchewan Research Council, Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

1993-12-01

The Northern River Basins Study was initiated through the `Canada-Alberta-Northwest Territories Agreement Respecting the Peace-Athabasca-Slave River Basin Study, Phase II - Technical Studies` which was signed September 27, 1991. The purpose of the study is to understand and characterize the cumulative effects of development on the water and aquatic environment of the Study Area by coordinating with existing programs and undertaking appropriate new technical studies. This publication reports the method and findings of particular work conducted as part of the Northern River Basins Study. As such, the work was governed by a specific terms of reference and is expected to contribute information about the Study Area within the context of the overall study as described by the Study Final Report. This report has been reviewed by the Study Science Advisory Committee in regards to scientific content and has been approved by the Study Board of Directors for public release. It is explicit in the objectives of the Study to report the results of technical work regularly to the public. This objective is served by distributing project reports to an extensive network of libraries, agencies, organizations and interested individuals and by granting universal permission to reproduce the material. This report contains referenced data obtained from external to the Northern River Basins Study. Individuals interested in using external data must obtain permission to do so from the donor agency. (author). 47 refs., 9 tabs., 2 figs.

Student Teachers of Technology and Design into Industry: A Northern Ireland Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Ken

2013-01-01

This paper, based in Northern Ireland, is a case study of an innovative programme which places year 3 B.Ed. post-primary student teachers of Technology and Design into industry for a five-day period. The industrial placement programme is set in an international context of evolving pre-service field placements and in a local context defined by the…

APPLE MANGO VALUE CHAIN IN NORTHERN ETHIOPIA: CASE ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2015-09-03

Sep 3, 2015 ... This study, conducted in Mereb-Leke district of Tigray, Northern ... development agencies, donors and NGOs are ... Apple Mango Value Chain in Northern Ethiopia: Case Study of Mereb-Leke District. 17 ... of the districts in the Tigray Regional State of ... city, Axum and Rama town, respectively and 5 and.

Studying abroad: Exploring factors influencing nursing students' decisions to apply for clinical placements in international settings.

Science.gov (United States)

Kent-Wilkinson, Arlene; Dietrich Leurer, Marie; Luimes, Janet; Ferguson, Linda; Murray, Lee

2015-08-01

For over 15 years the College of Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan has facilitated study abroad clinical placements in a number of countries to enhance student learning. Nursing students often find their study abroad experience to be a defining moment in their educational program, and in their personal and professional growth. The main objective of this research was to explore factors influencing nursing students' decisions to study abroad. A descriptive longitudinal design study was conducted using an online survey. The Study Abroad Survey was distributed to all undergraduate and graduate nursing students, in all years of all programs, at all sites of the College of Nursing, University of Saskatchewan in Saskatchewan, Canada. A total of 1058 nursing students registered in the 2013-2014 academic year were surveyed. The data were collected using an online survey administered by Campus Labs™ (2014). Students indicated that their interest in study abroad international experiences was high (84%), with many perceived benefits, but barriers to participation were also high for these students. Financial barriers topped the list (71%), followed by family responsibilities (30%) and job obligations (23%). The research highlights the factors behind student decision making related to international placements, and provides the basis for improvements to the College of Nursing's International Study Abroad Program (ISAP). Previous travel and international service learning, resulting in increased perceived value of a study abroad experience may prove to be the more significant factor influencing decision making, rather than financial barrier. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An ecological and phytogeographic study of northern Surinam savannas

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Donselaar, van J.

1965-01-01

Geology and soils in general Surinam is situated at the northern edge of the very old and stable Guiana shield. Six-sevenths of the country’s surface are occupied by formations belonging to the shield and designated together as the basal complex. However, the Roraima formation does not belong to the

Association between maternal depression and child stunting in Northern Ghana: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wemakor, Anthony; Mensah, Kofi Akohene

2016-08-24

Stunting indicates failure to attain genetic potential for height and is a well-documented indicator for poor growth. Depression is common in women of reproductive age and women's mental health problems may affect the growth of young children. We examined the association between maternal depression and stunting in mother-child pairs attending Child Welfare Clinic (CWC) in Northern Ghana. An analytical cross-sectional study was performed involving mothers (15-45 years) and their children (0-59 months) who attended CWC at Bilpeila Health Centre, Tamale, Ghana. Socio-demographic data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire, maternal depression was measured using Centre for Epidemiological Studies Depression Screening Scale, and anthropometry was conducted on children following standard procedures. The association between maternal depression and child stunting was examined in logistic regression adjusting for potential confounders. Prevalence rates of child stunting and maternal depression were estimated at 16.1 and 27.8 % respectively in Northern Ghana. Mothers with depression when compared with those without depression tended to be younger, be currently unmarried, belong to the poorest household wealth tertile, and were more likely to have low birth weight babies, so these characteristics were adjusted for. In an adjusted multivariate logistic regression model, children of depressed mothers were almost three times more likely to be stunted compared to children of non-depressed mothers (Adjusted OR = 2.48, 95 % CI 1.29-4.77, p = 0.0011). There is a high prevalence of depression among mothers in Northern Ghana which is associated with child stunting. Further studies are needed to identify the determinants of maternal depression and to examine its association with child stunting to inform nutrition programming.

Environmental overview of geothermal development: northern Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Slemmons, D.B.; Stroh, J.M.; Whitney, R.A. (eds.)

1980-08-01

Regional environmental problems and issues associated with geothermal development in northern Nevada are studied to facilitate environmental assessment of potential geothermal resources. The various issues discussed are: environmental geology, seismicity of northern Nevada, hydrology and water quality, air quality, Nevada ecosystems, noise effects, socio-economic impacts, and cultural resources and archeological values. (MHR)

The Times and the Northern Ireland Conflict

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zouhaïr Abassi

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract: In societies in conflict the role of the media is supposed to be neutral and to report conflicts fairly and with balanced analyses. By their public debates on conflicts they are also supposed to take part in pacifying societies and in helping to bring peace. Cottle (1997, for instance, explained that even though some findings related to the British media and its reporting of the Northern Ireland conflict were relevant, he argued that they needed revision. Consequently, he proposed new paradigms of media studies. Elliott (1977 and Curtis(1996 showed that the British media concentrated on violence in general and on republican violence in particular. Moreover, they argued that the British media neglected social and political contexts in their reporting of the conflict. The aim of this paper is then to examine some aspects of how the British media cover the Northern Ireland conflict. We studied the coverage of the Northern Ireland conflict by The (London Times (1990-1995. We used a discourse analysis method to study the paper’s discourse structure in its representation of the Northern Ireland conflict.

Nature: a colour comparison between Northern South Africa and Northern Australia

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Baumbach, J

2009-10-01

Full Text Available During 1983 DSTO in Australia measured the reflectances of grass, trees and soil in northern Australia, using a custom-build spectroradiometer. During 2002 CSIR in South Africa performed similar measurements in northern South Africa, using a...

Neuropsychiatric perspectives on nodding syndrome in northern Uganda: a case series study and a review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Musisi, S; Akena, D; Nakimuli-Mpungu, E; Abbo, C; Okello, J

2013-06-01

Nodding Syndrome (NS), previously called Nodding Disease, is a chronic and debilitating illness affecting thousands of children aged 3-18 years in post-conflict Northern Uganda and South Sudan. Characterised by malnutrition, stunted growth, mental retardation and seizures, some researchers have designated it as epilepsy. With reports appearing in Northern Uganda in1997, NS reached epidemic proportions around 2000-2003 when people were moved into Internally Displaced People's (IDP) camps. Investigations for infections (onchocerciasis) and toxins have been inconclusive as to cause, treatment or outcome. No study has addressed the possible relationship of NS to childhood war-trauma experiences. To explore a possible relationship of exposure to prolonged war-trauma and the emergence of epidemic NS in Northern Uganda. This study was a case-series descriptive psychiatric naturalistic field observations of NS cases from homesteads in Northern Uganda and psychiatric investigations and treatment of NS cases referred to Mulago National Referral and Teaching Hospital. Detailed Psychiatric clinical evaluations and field observations revealed that NS children had been exposed to severe war-related psychological and physical trauma as well as non-specific CNS insults including untreated CNS infections/infestations and malnutrition possibly causing seizures. Many children suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. NS could present as an association of childhood complex PTSD, (called Developmental Trauma Disorder), occurring in the chronically war-traumatised children of Northern Uganda, complicated by severe prolonged depression with its characteristic symptoms of psychomotor retardation, anxiety, anhedonia and anorexia. This, coupled with food shortages, resulted in malnutrition, wasting and stunted growth with severe avitaminoses. Many children had seizures. All this calls for multi-disciplinary treatment approaches.

Seismic activity of northern and central Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deichmann, N.; Ballarin Dolfin, D.; Kastrup, U.

2000-12-01

The present report is part of an ongoing study by the Swiss Seismological Service, that was initiated by Nagra almost 20 years ago. It is devoted to the detailed monitoring of the earthquake activity in northern and central Switzerland. The main objective of this study is to provide information about the locations of active deformation and the state of stress in the Earth's crust and to relate these to the geological features visible at the surface. Originally, this seismotectonic investigation was restricted to the northern part of Switzerland; later it was extended also to the central part. Concerning the seismotectonics of northern Switzerland, this report constitutes a continuation of earlier publications. Here we review the seismic activity and earthquake focal mechanisms of the last 10 years and subsequently derive a comprehensive picture of the deformation and stress in the Earth's crust of northern Switzerland, based on all data available up to the end of 1999. Concerning the seismotectonics of central Switzerland, this publication constitutes the first publicly available report. (author) [de

The determinants of traditional medicine use in Northern Tanzania: a mixed-methods study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John W Stanifer

Full Text Available Traditional medicines are an important part of healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa, and building successful disease treatment programs that are sensitive to traditional medicine practices will require an understanding of their current use and roles, including from a biomedical perspective. Therefore, we conducted a mixed-method study in Northern Tanzania in order to characterize the extent of and reasons for the use of traditional medicines among the general population so that we can better inform public health efforts in the region.Between December 2013 and June 2014 in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania, we conducted 5 focus group discussions and 27 in-depth interviews of key informants. The data from these sessions were analyzed using an inductive framework method with cultural insider-outsider coding. From these results, we developed a structured survey designed to test different aspects of traditional medicine use and administered it to a random sample of 655 adults from the community. The results were triangulated to explore converging and diverging themes.Most structured survey participants (68% reported knowing someone who frequently used traditional medicines, and the majority (56% reported using them themselves in the previous year. The most common uses were for symptomatic ailments (42%, chronic diseases (15%, reproductive problems (11%, and malaria/febrile illnesses (11%. We identified five major determinants for traditional medicine use in Northern Tanzania: biomedical healthcare delivery, credibility of traditional practices, strong cultural identities, individual health status, and disease understanding.In order to better formulate effective local disease management programs that are sensitive to TM practices, we described the determinants of TM use. Additionally, we found TM use to be high in Northern Tanzania and that its use is not limited to lower-income areas or rural settings. After symptomatic ailments, chronic diseases were reported as

Geochemistry of the Cigar Lake uranium deposit: XPS studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sunder, S.; Cramer, J.J.; Miller, N.H.

1996-01-01

Samples of uranium ore from the Cigar Lake deposit in northern Saskatchewan, Canada, were analyzed using XPS. High-resolution spectra were recorded for the strongest bands of the major elements (U 4f, C 1 s, O 1 s, Pb 4 f, S 2 p, Cu 2 p, Fe 2 p, and the valence region (0-20 eV)) to obtain chemical state information for these samples. In general, the U VI /U IV ratio was very low, i.e., much less than 0.5, the threshold for the oxidative dissolution of UO 2 . The low values of the U VI /U IV ratio observed for samples from the Cigar Lake deposit indicate thermodynamic stability of the uranium ore in the reduced aqueous environment. Similarities between the disposal vault envisaged in the Canadian Nuclear Fuel Waste Management Program and the Cigar Lake deposit suggest that, if geochemical conditions in the vault were to be similar to those in the deposit, the long-term dissolution of UO 2 fuel would be very minimal. (orig.)

Responses of northern forest plants to atmospheric changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laine, K; Huttunen, S; Kauppi, M; Ohtonen, R; Laehdesmaeki, P [Oulu Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Biology

1997-12-31

This research programme has been under way since 1990 to study the long-term synergistic effects of air pollutants and changing climatic conditions on the northern forest ecosystem and to increase the knowledge of climatic change and its consequences for the fragile northern nature. Ecological, physiological, morphological and biochemical methods have been used to study the responses of forest trees, dwarf shrubs, lichens and soil biology to environmental changes. The research programme is divided into four subprojects concentrating on different ecosystem levels. The subprojects are: (1) life, growth and survival strategies of northern dwarf shrubs under the pressure of a changing environment, (2) forest trees under the impact of air pollutants, increasing CO{sub 2} and UV-B, (3) susceptibility of lichens to air pollution and climatic change and (4) impact of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on soil biology with special reference to carbon allocation and N fixation in symbiotic systems. This report summarizes the results of short-term experiments which showed many ecological and physiological changes in almost all elements of the northern boreal forests. These species-level measurements focused on the key species of the northern boreal forest, which have been thought to be useful in large-scale ecosystem experiments and modelling. The results will also facilitate the further studies on the patterns of plant species distribution and northern ecosystem function with respect to the environmental parameters that are expected to change along with global change (e.g. temperature, airchemistry, UV-B, snow condition)

Responses of northern forest plants to atmospheric changes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laine, K.; Huttunen, S.; Kauppi, M.; Ohtonen, R.; Laehdesmaeki, P. [Oulu Univ. (Finland). Dept. of Biology

1996-12-31

This research programme has been under way since 1990 to study the long-term synergistic effects of air pollutants and changing climatic conditions on the northern forest ecosystem and to increase the knowledge of climatic change and its consequences for the fragile northern nature. Ecological, physiological, morphological and biochemical methods have been used to study the responses of forest trees, dwarf shrubs, lichens and soil biology to environmental changes. The research programme is divided into four subprojects concentrating on different ecosystem levels. The subprojects are: (1) life, growth and survival strategies of northern dwarf shrubs under the pressure of a changing environment, (2) forest trees under the impact of air pollutants, increasing CO{sub 2} and UV-B, (3) susceptibility of lichens to air pollution and climatic change and (4) impact of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on soil biology with special reference to carbon allocation and N fixation in symbiotic systems. This report summarizes the results of short-term experiments which showed many ecological and physiological changes in almost all elements of the northern boreal forests. These species-level measurements focused on the key species of the northern boreal forest, which have been thought to be useful in large-scale ecosystem experiments and modelling. The results will also facilitate the further studies on the patterns of plant species distribution and northern ecosystem function with respect to the environmental parameters that are expected to change along with global change (e.g. temperature, airchemistry, UV-B, snow condition)

Titan's Stratospheric Condensibles at High Northern Latitudes During Northern Winter

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Carrie; Samuelson, R.; Achterberg, R.

2012-01-01

The Infrared Interferometer Spectrometer (IRIS) instrument on board Voyager 1 caught the first glimpse of an unidentified particulate feature in Titan's stratosphere that spectrally peaks at 221 per centimeter. Until recently, this feature that we have termed 'the haystack,' has been seen persistently at high northern latitudes with the Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) instrument onboard Cassini, The strength of the haystack emission feature diminishes rapidly with season, becoming drastically reduced at high northern latitudes, as Titan transitions from northern winter into spring, In contrast to IRIS whose shortest wavenumber was 200 per centimeter, CIRS extends down to 10 per centimeter, thus revealing an entirely unexplored spectral region in which nitrile ices have numerous broad lattice vibration features, Unlike the haystack, which is only found at high northern latitudes during northern winter/early northern spring, this geometrically thin nitrile cloud pervades Titan's lower stratosphere, spectrally peaking at 160 per centimeter, and is almost global in extent spanning latitudes 85 N to 600 S, The inference of nitrile ices are consistent with the highly restricted altitude ranges over which these features are observed, and appear to be dominated by a mixture of HCN and HC3N, The narrow range in altitude over which the nitrile ices extend is unlike the haystack, whose vertical distribution is significantly broader, spanning roughly 70 kilometers in altitude in Titan's lower stratosphere, The nitrile clouds that CIRS observes are located in a dynamically stable region of Titan's atmosphere, whereas CH4 clouds, which ordinarily form in the troposphere, form in a more dynamically unstable region, where convective cloud systems tend to occur. In the unusual situation where Titan's tropopause cools significantly from the HASI 70.5K temperature minimum, CH4 should condense in Titan's lower stratosphere, just like the aforementioned nitrile clouds, although

Ecological studies on the freshwater fishes of the Alligator Rivers Region, Northern Territory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bishop, K.A.; Allen, S.A.; Pollard, D.A.; Cook, M.G.

1986-01-01

The tropical climate of the Alligator Rivers Region of the Northern Territory has a distinctive Wet-Dry cycle resulting in seasonal flows in the creeks and rivers of its catchments. The present study, begun during August 1978, aimed at developing an ecological monitoring system that would detect changes in freshwater fish communities brought about by recent uranium mining and processing in the lowlands of the region

Overview of 2010-2013 spring campaigns of Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) in the northern Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, N.; Tsay, S.; Hsu, N. C.; Holben, B. N.; Anh, N.; Reid, J. S.; Sheu, G.; Chi, K.; Wang, S.; Lee, C.; Wang, L.; Wang, J.; Chen, W.; Welton, E. J.; Liang, S.; Sopajaree, K.; Maring, H. B.; Janjai, S.; Chantara, S.

2013-12-01

The Seven South East Asian Studies (7-SEAS) is a grass-root program and seeks to perform interdisciplinary research in the field of aerosol-meteorology and climate interaction in the Southeast Asian region, particularly for the impact of biomass burning on cloud, atmospheric radiation, hydrological cycle, and regional climate. Participating countries include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and USA. A series of field experiments have been conducted during springtime biomass burning seasons in northern Southeast Asia, i.e., Dongsha Experiment in 2010, Son La Campaigns in 2011 and 2012, and BASELInE (Biomass-burning Aerosols & Stratocumulus Environment: Lifecycles and Interactions Experiment) in 2013, respectively. Given an example, during 2010 Dongsha Experiment, a monitoring network for ground-based measurements was established, including five stations from northern Thailand and central Vietnam to Taiwan, with a supersite at the Dongsha Island (i.e. Pratas Island) in South China Sea (or East Sea). Aerosol chemistry sampling was performed for each station for characterizing the compositions of PM2.5/PM10 (some for TSP) including water-soluble ions, metal elements, BC/OC, Hg and dioxins. This experiment provides a relatively complete and first dataset of aerosol chemistry and physical observations conducted in the source/sink region for below marine boundary layer and lower free troposphere of biomass burning/air pollutants in the northern SE Asia. This presentation will give an overview of these 7-SEAS activities and their results, particularly for the characterization of biomass-burning aerosol at source regions in northern Thailand and northern Vietnam, and receptor stations in Taiwan, which is rarely studied.

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in Northern China: a prospective population-based study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hong Yang

Full Text Available AIMS & BACKGROUNDS: Although inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD are emerging and increasing in China, epidemiologic data are rarely available. This study was to investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of IBD in Northern China. METHODS: This is a prospective, population-based study of incidence of IBD in Daqing, Heilongjiang province of Northern China from March 1, 2012 to February 28, 2013. All incident patients with IBD were clinically identified by IBD specialist group from five main General Hospitals covering the healthcare service for 1,343,364 residents in the urban areas of Daqing. IBD cases included in this study were followed-up for three months for diagnosis confirmation. RESULTS: A total of 27 new IBD cases including 25 cases of ulcerative colitis (UC and 2 cases of Crohn's disease (CD were identified. The population at risk was 1,343,364 person years. Age-adjusted incidence for total IBD, CD and UC were 1.77, 0.13, and 1.64 per 100,000 population, respectively. A male predominance was found in CD patients (male to female ratio was 2 ∶ 0. In contrast, no obvious gender predominance was found in UC patients (male to female ratio was 1 ∶ 1.1. CD patients were diagnosed at an average age of 39.5 years. The main disease phenotypes of UC were distal colitis with a 24% of proctitis and 56% of left-sided colitis. The mean diagnostic age of UC patients was 48.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on the incidence of IBD in the Northern Chinese population. A lower incidence of IBD, similar male predominance for CD, similar disease phenotype of UC, and lower disease activity was observed in Daqing compared to that in Southern China.

A descriptive qualitative study of adolescent girls' well-being in Northern Finland.

Science.gov (United States)

Wiens, Varpu; Kyngäs, Helvi; Pölkki, Tarja

2014-01-01

Previous studies have shown that girls present welfare-related symptoms differently than boys and that the severity of their symptoms increases with age. Girls living in Northern Finland experience reduced well-being in some aspects of their lives. However, the opinions of girls on these matters have not previously been studied. The aim of this study was to describe girls' well-being in Northern Finland. This is a descriptive qualitative study. The participants were 117 girls aged between 13 and 16 who were living in the province of Lapland in Finland and attending primary school. Data were collected electronically; the girls were asked to respond to a set of open-ended questions using a computer during a school day. The responses were evaluated by using inductive content analysis. Four main categories of girls' well-being were identified: health as a resource, a beneficial lifestyle, positive experience of life course, and favourable social relationships. Health as a resource was about feeling healthy and the ability to enjoy life. A beneficial lifestyle was about healthy habits and meaningful hobbies. Positive experience of life course is related to high self-esteem and feeling good, safe, and optimistic. Favourable social relationships meant having good relationships with family and friends. To the participating girls, well-being was a positive experience and feeling which was revealed when they interact between their relationships, living conditions, lifestyle, and environment. Knowledge about girls' description of their well-being can be used to understand how the girls themselves and their environment influence their well-being and what can be done to promote it.

Systematic studies of radioactive elements in various rocks in northern Thailand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wattananikorn, K; Teeyasoontranont, V; Vilaithong, T; Lerdthusnee, S

1985-12-31

An investigation into the concentrations of the main heat producing radioactive elements, uranium, thorium and potassium in various rock samples was carried out by gamma ray spectrometry. The samples included igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks of different ages. They were collected mainly from the northern part of the country. Results of the investigation show relatively high concentrations of radioactive elements in most rock types, compared to the average values commonly cited. However, for granitic rocks the values obtained are, more or less, comparable to those obtained by Amnuaychai Thienprasert and his colleagues, who worked in the same area using different methods of investigation. Apart from that granitic samples of triassic and cretaceous ages also have a similar radioactive elements concentration to those of the Darby pluton in Southeastern Seward Peninsular, Alaska, the Granite Mountain in Wyoming and the Conway Granite of New Hampshire which has been cited as a low-grade uranium-thorium resource. As a consequence of such high radioactive element concentrations, heat generations of most rock samples investigated are much higher than reported average values. The heat generations seem to have some influence on the nature of heat sources of hot springs in northern Thailand, especially at Ban Pong, Nam Ron hot spring Amphoe Mae Chan. Furthermore the radiogenic heat productions also affect to a great extent surface heat flow in the region provided that the radioactive element concentrations do not decrease with depth. Surface heat flow in northern Thailand was recently reported to be very high compared to the average value of the earth. This high heat flow was suspected to be caused by extensional tectonics resulting indirectly from sea-floor spreading in the Andaman Sea during the last 10 million years. However, from this study it can be shown that heat generations could be another factor which has much influence on the value of the surface heat flow.

Cryptosporidium and Cryptosporidiosis in Calves at Jos, Northern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Cryptosporidium and Cryptosporidiosis in Calves at Jos, Northern Nigeria. VA Pam, DA Dakul, COE Onwuliri. Abstract. This study investigated the occurrence of cryptosporidium and cryptosporidiosis in calves from Jos, Northern Nigeria. Two hundred fecal samples were collected from the calves, recruited for an all year ...

Conflicts in Northern Ghana: Search for Solutions, Stakeholders and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

in Northern Ghana that have drawn national attention, most of which were/are violent. It ... analysis of four case studies on the northern Ghana conflicts. ...... It will also be necessary to consider sponsorship of research and studies in ... more important to keep communications flows and avoid the creation of suspicion and.

In vitro digestibility, protein composition and techno-functional properties of Saskatchewan grown yellow field peas (Pisum sativum L.) as affected by processing.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Zhen; Boye, Joyce I; Hu, Xinzhong

2017-02-01

Saskatchewan grown yellow field pea was subjected to different processing conditions including dehulling, micronization, roasting, conventional/microwave cooking, germination, and combined germination and conventional cooking/roasting. Their nutritional and antinutritional compositions, functional properties, microstructure, thermal properties, in vitro protein and starch digestibility, and protein composition were studied. Processed field peas including conventional cooked yellow peas (CCYP), microwave cooked yellow peas (MCYP), germinated-conventional cooked yellow peas (GCCYP), and germinated-roasted yellow peas (GRYP) exhibited the significantly higher in vitro protein digestibility (IVPD), which was in accordance with their significantly lower trypsin inhibitor activity and tannin content. The SDS-PAGE and size exclusion HPLC profiles of untreated pea proteins and their hydrolysates also confirmed the IVPD result that these four treatments facilitated the hydrolysis of pea proteins to a greater extent. The CCYP, MCYP, GCCYP, and GRYP also exhibited significantly higher starch digestibility which was supported by their lower onset (T o ), peak (T p ), and conclusion (T c ) temperatures obtained from DSC thermogram, their lower pasting properties and starch damage results, as well as their distinguished amorphous flakes' configuration observed on the scanning electron microscopic image. LC/ESI-MS/MS analysis following in-gel digests of SDS-PAGE separated proteins allowed detailed compositional characterization of pea proteins. The present study would provide fundamental information to help to better understand the functionality of field peas as ingredients, and particularly in regards to agri-food industry to improve the process efficiency of field peas with enhanced nutritional and techno-functional qualities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The timing and nature of Late Quaternary vegetation changes in the northern Great Plains, USA and Canada: a re-assessment of the spruce phase

Science.gov (United States)

Yansa, Catherine H.

2006-02-01

This paper revises the chronology for the northward migration of Picea glauca (white spruce) across the northern Great Plains, following the recession of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, and reinterprets the species composition and structure of the late-glacial vegetation on the basis of pollen and plant-macrofossil analysis. The timing of spruce migration is based on 26 14C ages obtained from Picea macrofossils. The date for the appearance of white spruce in southern South Dakota, USA, remains unchanged, 12,600 14C yr BP (ca 15,000 cal yr BP), but its arrival in southern Saskatchewan, Canada, by 10,300 14C yr BP (ca 12,100 cal yr BP) is about 1500 years later than previously estimated based on an organic sediment date. Picea glauca thus migrated northwards at an average rate of 0.38 km/ 14C year (0.30 km/calendar year), significantly slower than the previously published rate of 2 km/ 14C year. White spruce trees probably inhabited lake shorelines, whereas prairie, parkland, and boreal plants occupied both lowlands and uplands, forming an open white spruce parkland. This interpretation differs from a previous reconstruction of a boreal-type spruce forest and thus offers another paleoclimatic interpretation. Precipitation was probably low and summer temperatures relatively mild, averaging about 19 °C.

Imaging Lithospheric-scale Structure Beneath Northern Altiplano in Southern Peru and Northern Bolivia

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, A.; Wagner, L. S.; Beck, S. L.; Zandt, G.; Long, M. D.

2014-12-01

The northern Altiplano plateau of southern Peru and northern Bolivia is one of the highest topographic features on the Earth, flanked by Western and Eastern Cordillera along its margin. It has strongly influenced the local and far field lithospheric deformation since the early Miocene (Masek et al., 1994). Previous studies have emphasized the importance of both the crust and upper mantle in the evolution of Altiplano plateau (McQuarrie et al., 2005). Early tomographic and receiver function studies, south of 16° S, show significant variations in the crust and upper mantle properties in both perpendicular and along strike direction of the Altiplano plateau (Dorbath et. al., 1993; Myers et al., 1998; Beck and Zandt, 2002). In order to investigate the nature of subsurface lithospheric structure below the northern Altiplano, between 15-18° S, we have determined three-dimensional seismic tomography models for Vp and Vs using P and S-wave travel time data from two recently deployed local seismic networks of CAUGHT and PULSE. We also used data from 8 stations from the PERUSE network (PERU Subduction Experiment). Our preliminary tomographic models show a complex variation in the upper mantle velocity structure with depth, northwest and southeast of lake Titicaca. We see the following trend, at ~85 km depth, northwest of lake Titicaca: low Vp and Vs beneath the Western Cordillera, high Vs beneath the Altiplano and low Vp and Vs beneath the Eastern Cordillera. This low velocity anomaly, beneath Eastern Cordillera, seems to coincide with Kimsachata, a Holocene volcano in southern Peru. At depth greater than ~85 km: we find high velocity anomaly beneath the Western Cordillera and low Vs beneath the Altiplano. This high velocity anomaly, beneath Western Cordillera, coincides with the well-located Wadati-Benioff zone seismicity and perhaps represents the subducting Nazca slab. On the southeast of lake Titicaca, in northern Bolivia, we see a consistently high velocity anomaly

Evidence for an east-west regional gravity trend in northern Tunisia: Insight into the structural evolution of northern Tunisian Atlas

Science.gov (United States)

Jallouli, Chokri; Mogren, Saad; Mickus, Kevin; Turki, Mohamed Moncef

2013-11-01

The Atlas orogeny in northern Algeria and Tunisia led to the destruction of Tethys oceanic lithosphere and cumulated in a collision of microplates rifted off the European margin with the North African continental margin. The location of the boundary between African plate and Kabylian microplate is expressed in northern Algeria by a crustal wedge with double vergence of thrust sheets, whereas in northern Tunisia the geologic environment is more complex and the location of the plate boundary is ambiguous. In this study, we analyzed gravity data to constrain the crustal structure along the northern margin of Tunisia. The analysis includes a separation of regional and residual gravity anomalies and the application of gradient operators to locate density contrast boundaries. The horizontal gradient magnitude and directional gradient highlight a prominent regional E-W gravity gradient in the northern Tunisian Atlas interpreted as a deep fault (active since at least the Early Mesozoic) having a variable kinematic activity depending on the tectonic regime in the region. The main E-W gravity gradient separates two blocks having different gravitational and seismic responses. The southern block has numerous gravity lineaments trending in different directions implying several density variations within the crust, whereas the northern block shows a long-wavelength negative gravity anomaly with a few lineaments. Taking into account the geologic context of the Western Mediterranean region, we consider the E-W prominent feature as the boundary between African plate and Kabylian microplate in northern Tunisia that rifted off Europe. This hypothesis fits most previous geological and geophysical studies and has an important impact on the petroleum and mineral resource prospection as these two blocks were separated by an ocean and they did not belong to the same margin.

Potential Trade-Offs Between Nature-Based Tourism and Forestry, a Case Study in Northern Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannu Salminen

2011-10-01

Full Text Available Forestry, as a large industry, has significant impacts on the quality of nature-based tourism landscapes in boreal forests. In Finland, the rapid growth of nature-based tourism has expanded outdoor recreation activities from protected areas into timber production forests; this is particularly so in northern Finland. This paper focuses on assessing balanced local net impacts of three alternative land-use scenarios, in which the level of integration between nature-based tourism (NBT and traditional forestry is varied. The study is located in northern Finland in the area between two top-rated tourist resorts, Ylläs and Levi. The results of the case study support the idea of an eligible integration between NBT and forestry, which takes into account scenic qualities of forested landscapes by restricting traditional management practices. In our case, the increased number of tourists (due to a more attractive forest environment offset the losses accrued in forestry (due to restricted forest management.

Status and understanding of groundwater quality in the Northern Coast Ranges study unit, 2009: California GAMA Priority Basin Project

Science.gov (United States)

Mathany, Timothy M.; Belitz, Kenneth

2015-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 633-square-mile (1,639-square-kilometer) Northern Coast Ranges (NOCO) study unit was investigated as part of the Priority Basin Project (PBP) of the Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water-Quality Assessment Program. The study unit is composed of two study areas (Interior Basins and Coastal Basins) and is located in northern California in Napa, Sonoma, Lake, Colusa, Mendocino, Glenn, Humboldt, and Del Norte Counties. The GAMA-PBP is being conducted by the California State Water Resources Control Board in collaboration with the USGS and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Uranium peroxide precipitate drying temperature relationships

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodgers, C.; Dyck, B., E-mail: chick_rodgers@cameco.com [Cameco Corp., Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

2010-07-01

Cameco Corporation is in the process of revitalizing the mill at its Key Lake operation in northern Saskatchewan. The current Key Lake process employs ammonia stripping and ammonia precipitation. As part of the revitalization, the company is considering installing strong acid stripping in solvent extraction as used at its Rabbit Lake operation. This change would lead to using hydrogen peroxide for uranium precipitation. As part of the process evaluation, tests were carried out to study how changes in the temperature of an indirect fired dryer affected the properties of uranium peroxide [yellowcake] precipitate. This paper discusses the results of the test work, including the relationships between drying temperature and the following: (author)

Cyberbullying, Schools and the Law: A Comparative Study in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Purdy, Noel; Mc Guckin, Conor

2015-01-01

Background: This study addresses the fast developing behavioural issue of cyberbullying in schools and its complex legal context. Purpose: This study set out to investigate teachers' perceptions of the extent of cyberbullying and the extent to which school leaders in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland feel knowledgeable and confident…

Exfoliation syndrome in Northern Nigeria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Idakwo U

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Ugbede Idakwo,1 Olusola Olawoye,2 Benedictus GK Ajayi,1 Robert Ritch3 1Eleta Eye Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria; 2Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria; 3Einhorn Clinical Research Center, Department of Ophthalmology, New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA Purpose: To estimate the frequency of exfoliation syndrome (XFS and its association with ocular diseases in Northern Nigeria.Materials and methods: Consecutive patients who presented to the outpatient department of ECWA Eye Hospital Kano from February 2015 to May 2015 were included in the study. Each patient had a complete ophthalmic examination. The anterior segment examination included tonometry, gonioscopy, and detailed slit-lamp examination to assess for the presence or absence of exfoliation material, inflammatory cells, and other abnormal findings. Patients with exfoliation material on the anterior lens surface and/or pupillary margin in either or both eyes were considered to have XFS. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 16.0.Results: A total of 620 patients living in Northern Nigeria from the 6 geopolitical zones were examined. The majority of them (34.5% were indigenous Hausas. There was a male preponderance of 56.6%, while the mean age at presentation for examination in all age groups was 55.7±13.7 years. There were 9 patients with XFS; the frequency was 1.5%, with most of the patients being 70–80 years old. In patients who were ≥50 years, the frequency was 2.5%. Patients with XFS had a higher mean age of 68±4.9 years. The frequency of XFS among glaucoma patients was 4.4%, while among cataract patients it was 3.7%. No other associated ocular disease was found in the patients with XFS.Conclusion: This study shows that XFS does exist in Northern Nigeria, as was found in the South. The prevalence of XFS was, however, not reported in the Nigerian

A Sensitivity Study on Modeling Black Carbon in Snow and its Radiative Forcing over the Arctic and Northern China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qian, Yun; Wang, Hailong; Zhang, Rudong; Flanner, M. G.; Rasch, Philip J.

2014-06-02

Black carbon in snow (BCS) simulated in the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM5) is evaluated against measurements over Northern China and the Arctic, and its sensitivity to atmospheric deposition and two parameters that affect post-depositional enrichment is explored. The BCS concentration is overestimated (underestimated) by a factor of two in Northern China (Arctic) in the default model, but agreement with observations is good over both regions in the simulation with improvements in BC transport and deposition. Sensitivity studies indicate that uncertainty in the melt-water scavenging efficiency (MSE) parameter substantially affects BCS and its radiative forcing (by a factor of 2-7) in the Arctic through post-depositional enrichment. The MSE parameter has a relatively small effect on the magnitude of BCS seasonal cycle but can alter its phase in Northern China. The impact of the snow aging scaling factor (SAF) on BCS, partly through the post-depositional enrichment effect, shows more complex latitudinal and seasonal dependence. Similar to MSE, SAF affects more significantly the magnitude (phase) of BCS season cycle over the Arctic (Northern China). While uncertainty associated with the representation of BC transport and deposition processes in CAM5 is more important than that associated with the two snow model parameters in Northern China, the two uncertainties have comparable effect in the Arctic.

Northern Idaho ponderosa racial variation study - 50-year results

Science.gov (United States)

R. J. Steinhoff

1970-01-01

Ponderosa pine trees from 19 geographic sources planted on a test area in northern Idaho have been measured 12, 20, 40, and 50 years after outplanting. From the 12th through the 50th years after outplanting, trees from one nonlocal source have been tallest. Trees from the local source now rank second in height, having risen from sixth during the last 10 years. In...

Revealing the control of migratory fueling: An integrated approach combining laboratory and field studies in northern wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Franz BAIRLEIN,Volker DIERSCHKE, Julia DELINGAT, Cas EIKENAAR, Ivan MAGGINI, Marc BULTE, Heiko SCHMALJOHANN

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Migratory birds rely on fueling prior to migratory flights. Fueling in migrants is controlled by intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors. From captive studies we have started understanding the internal mechanisms controlling bird migration. Field studies have demonstrated the effects of external factors, such as food availability, weather, competitors, parasites or diseases, on the stopover behavior of migrants. However, an integrated approach is still missing to study coherently how the innate migration program interacts with the varying environmental cues and to estimate the contribution of the innate migration program and the environment to realized migration. The northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe offers a unique opportunity for integrated studies. It breeds across almost the whole Holarctic with just a “gap” between eastern Canada and Alaska. All breeding populations overwinter in sub-Saharan Africa which makes the northern wheatear one of the most long-distant migratory songbirds with extraordinary long non-stop flights across oceans. It is a nocturnal migrant which travels without parental or social aid/guidance. Thus, young birds rely entirely on endogenous mechanisms of timing, route selection and fueling on their first outbound migration. By establishing indoor housing under controlled conditions the endogenous control mechanisms of northern wheatear migration could be revealed. At the same time, environmental factors controlling fueling could be investigated in the field. On migration wheatears occur in a variety of habitats with sparse vegetation where their stopover behavior could be quantitatively studied in the light of “optimal migration” theory by the use of remote balances, radio-tagging and even experimentally manipulated food availability. The present paper summarizes our approach to understand the control of migration in northern wheatears by combining field and laboratory studies at various spatial and temporal

A descriptive qualitative study of adolescent girls’ well-being in Northern Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Varpu Wiens

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Background: Previous studies have shown that girls present welfare-related symptoms differently than boys and that the severity of their symptoms increases with age. Girls living in Northern Finland experience reduced well-being in some aspects of their lives. However, the opinions of girls on these matters have not previously been studied. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe girls’ well-being in Northern Finland. Method: This is a descriptive qualitative study. The participants were 117 girls aged between 13 and 16 who were living in the province of Lapland in Finland and attending primary school. Data were collected electronically; the girls were asked to respond to a set of open-ended questions using a computer during a school day. The responses were evaluated by using inductive content analysis. Results: Four main categories of girls’ well-being were identified: health as a resource, a beneficial lifestyle, positive experience of life course, and favourable social relationships. Health as a resource was about feeling healthy and the ability to enjoy life. A beneficial lifestyle was about healthy habits and meaningful hobbies. Positive experience of life course is related to high self-esteem and feeling good, safe, and optimistic. Favourable social relationships meant having good relationships with family and friends. Conclusions: To the participating girls, well-being was a positive experience and feeling which was revealed when they interact between their relationships, living conditions, lifestyle, and environment. Knowledge about girls’ description of their well-being can be used to understand how the girls themselves and their environment influence their well-being and what can be done to promote it.

Building Healthy Northern Communities Through Strengthening Capacity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Glen Schmidt

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This study examines and evaluates the effects of one-time funding on capacity building of health and social welfare organizations in a remote and northern section of British Columbia Canada. The Province of British Columbia awarded a two million dollar grant (Canadian to the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC. Organizations applied for funds through a competitive process that was managed by the School of Social Work at UNBC. Twenty-five different community organizations and agencies received funding for a period of eighteen months. The organizations and agencies delivered a range of services and activities located in remote First Nations communities as well as the natural resource-based single industry towns of northern BC.

Increasing the Number of Canadian Indigenous Students in STEM at the University of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

St-Jacques, J. M.; McGee, S.; Janze, R.; Longman, M.; Pete, S.; Starblanket, N.

2016-12-01

Canadian Indigenous people are an extremely poorly represented group in STEM today due to major barriers in obtaining a high school and then a university education. Approximately 10% of the undergraduate student population out of a total 12,600 students at the University of Regina, Regina, Saskatchewan, is First Nations, Métis or Inuit. The university is located in a catchment region where 30% of the population is First Nations or Métis. Approximately 100 students majoring in the sciences, mathematics and engineering have self-declared themselves to be Indigenous. For the past two years, we have been running a pilot project, the Initiative to Support and Increase the Number of Indigenous Students in the Sciences, Mathematics and Engineering at the Aboriginal Student Centre, with financial support from the Deans of Science and Engineering. We provide student networking lunches, Indigenous scientist and engineer speakers and mentors and supplemental tutoring. Our program is actively supported and guided by Elder Noel Starblanket, former president of the National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations). Our students are greatly interested in the health and environmental sciences (particularly water quality), with a sprinkling of physics, mathematics and engineering majors. Our students have gone on to graduate work with prestigious scholarships and a paid internship in engineering. We report here on various lessons learned: the involvement of elders is key, as is the acceptance of non-traditional academic paths, and any STEM support program must respect Indigenous culture. There is great interest in science and engineering on the part of these students, if scientists and engineers are willing to listen and learn to talk with these students on their own terms.

FACTOR IN ENSURING A BALANCED BUDGET NORTHERN TERRITORIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tatiana Anatol’evna Naidenova

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The main tools of sustainable development of the country as a whole and its individual regions are federal and regional budgets. At the same time a prerequisite for the use of this tool is its equilibrium. It is the basic principle of a responsible fiscal policy. The article describes the factors to equilibrium. on the budgets of the northern regions of the Russian Federation. The measures to ensure budgetary equilibrium in the northern regions of the Russian Federation are offered.The purpose of the article. Substantiating the measures to balance the budgets of the northern Russian Federation subjects on the basis of analysis of the factors that directly affect the mobilization of potential tax revenues to regional budgets.Method and methodology of work. Theoretical and empirical methods, analysis, synthesis, induction, deduction.Results of the study. To ensure factors unbalanced budgets northern territories. The proposals the balance of revenues and expenditures of the regional budgets of the northern regions of the Russian Federation are submitted.Application area. Finance authorities of subjects of the Russian Federation.

Trophic ecology of largemouth bass and northern pike in allopatric and sympatric assemblages in northern boreal lakes

Science.gov (United States)

Soupir, Craig A.; Brown, Michael L.; Kallemeyn, Larry W.

2000-01-01

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) and northern pike (Esox lucius) are top predators in the food chain in most aquatic environments that they occupy; however, limited information exists on species interactions in the northern reaches of largemouth bass distribution. We investigated the seasonal food habits of allopatric and sympatric assemblages of largemouth bass and northern pike in six interior lakes within Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota. Percentages of empty stomachs were variable for largemouth bass (38-54%) and northern pike (34.7-66.7%). Fishes (mainly yellow perch, Perca flavescens) comprised greater than 60% (mean percent mass, MPM) of the northern pike diet during all seasons in both allopatric and sympatric assemblages. Aquatic insects (primarily Odonata and Hemiptera) were important in the diets of largemouth bass in all communities (0.0-79.7 MPM). Although largemouth bass were observed in the diet of northern pike, largemouth bass apparently did not prey on northern pike. Seasonal differences were observed in the proportion of aquatic insects (P = 0.010) and fishes (P = 0.023) in the diets of northern pike and largemouth bass. Based on three food categories, jackknifed classifications correctly classified 77 and 92% of northern pike and largemouth bass values, respectively. Percent resource overlap values were biologically significant (greater than 60%) during at least one season in each sympatric assemblage, suggesting some diet overlap.

Case study of the effects of hypothetical nuclear power plant accident to the northern food chain of lichen-reindeer-man

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leppaenen, A.P.; Solatie, D. [Radiation and Nuclear Safety Authority - STUK (Finland); Paatero, J. [Finnish Meteorological Institute (Finland)

2014-07-01

There are plans to open a new nuclear power plant in Northern Finland at Pyhaejoki. The currently planned reactor type is AES 2006 built by Rosenergoatom. The power output of the AES 2006 is 1200 MWe. In a hypothetical reactor accident at Pyhaejoki large amounts of radioactivity would be released to the environment in Northern Europe. With suitable wind conditions the contaminants would contaminate large areas in the Euro-Arctic region in Northern Scandinavia and in Kola Peninsula. Northern parts of Scandinavia belongs to the sub-arctic region where reindeer herding is an important livelihood for the local and for the indigenous Sami people. As a results of the CEEPRA-project ('Collaboration Network on Environmental Radiation Protection and Research') funded by the EU's Kolarctic ENPI CBC program estimated a possible fallout to Finnish Lapland from a hypothetical nuclear power plant accident occurring at the planned site. Lichen-reindeer-man food chain is an important food chain to the people living in Lapland from traditional and from economical point of views. The food chain is known to enrich radioactive contaminants efficiently. In case of nuclear fallout this food chain would be one of the primary sources of {sup 137}Cs into the inhabitants in Northern regions. The food chain has been well-studied where studies began in the 1960's and was intensified after the Chernobyl accident. This study concentrates on the effects caused by the hypothetical accident, occurring at the planned Pyhaejoki power plant, to the lichen-reindeer-man food chain. The transfer of {sup 137}Cs and {sup 134}Cs to the reindeer meat and possible doses to the man will be estimated. Document available in abstract form only. (authors)

Variations in Sense of Place Across Immigrant Status and Gender in Hamilton, Ontario; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; and, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallina, Melissa; Williams, Allison

Past research in Hamilton, Ontario has found that age and longevity of residence are positively associated with evaluations of sense of place (SoP); further, evaluations of SoP between immigrants and Canadian-born individuals have shown no clear pattern (Williams et al. 2010; Williams and Kitchen 2012). This paper builds on this work by further examining evaluations of SoP among both immigrants and Canadian-born residents and across gender in Hamilton, while expanding the study to two other small-to-medium sized cities: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. This paper has two objectives: (1) to establish measures of SoP across immigrant status and gender in Hamilton, Saskatoon, and Charlottetown; and, (2) to determine how SoP varies according to immigrant status, length of residence in Canada, age, income, and neighbourhood length of residence across the three city sites. Telephone survey data (n = 1,132) was used to compare evaluations of SoP across various groups and to construct an ordered logistic regression model for SoP. Results suggest that immigrants tended to rate their SoP lower than their Canadian-born counterparts. Hamilton residents were found to rate their SoP lowest, followed by Saskatoon residents and, finally, Charlottetown residents. Younger individuals, those with lower income levels, and those with shorter neighbourhood residency in the cities concerned were more likely to have lower evaluations of SoP. This research suggests that greater attention is needed to nurture immigrants' connection with their new home.

Towards a deeper understanding of parenting on farms: A qualitative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Elliot, Valerie; Cammer, Allison; Pickett, William; Marlenga, Barbara; Lawson, Joshua; Dosman, James; Hagel, Louise; Koehncke, Niels; Trask, Catherine

2018-01-01

Children living on farms experience exceptionally high risks for traumatic injury. There is a large body of epidemiological research documenting this phenomenon, yet few complementary studies that have explored the deep underlying reasons for such trends. Fundamental to this is understanding the decision-making processes of parents surrounding their choice to bring children, or not, into the farm worksite. To (1) document farm parent views of the risks and benefits of raising children on a family farm, and, (2) understand more deeply why children are brought into the farm worksite. Interviews were conducted as part of a larger cohort study, The Saskatchewan Farm Injury Cohort. Subsequent to an initial mail-out question focused on parental decision-making, 11 semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with rural Saskatchewan farm parents. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim, then thematically analyzed using interpretive description methodology. This parental decision-making process on farms fundamentally involves weighing the risks vs. benefits of bringing children into the worksite, as if on a balance scale. One side of this scale holds potential risks such as exposure to physical and chemical farm hazards, in the absence of full supervision. The other side holds potential benefits such as meeting family needs for childcare, labour, and family time; building work ethic and pride; and the positive impacts of involvement and responsibility. Decision-making 'tips the scales', in part dependent upon parental perceptions of the risk-benefit trade-off. This 'perceptual lens' is influenced by factors such as: the agricultural way of life, parents' prior knowledge and past experience, characteristics of children, and safety norms. This novel qualitative study provides deep insight into how Saskatchewan farm parents approach a fundamental decision-making process associated with their parenting. The proposed model provides insight into the

Third-world realities in a first-world setting: A study of the HIV/AIDS-related conditions and risk behaviors of sex trade workers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yelena Bird

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The transmission and prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV among those employed as sex trade workers (STW is a major public health concern. The present study describes the self-reported responses of 340 STW, at-risk for contracting HIV. The participants were recruited by selective targeting between 2009 and 2010 from within the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR, Saskatchewan, Canada. As of 2012, the SHR has the highest incidence rate of positive test reports for HIV in Canada, at more than three times the national average (17.0 vs. 5.9 per 100,000 people. Additionally, the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the SHR is different from that seen elsewhere in Canada (still mostly men having sex with men and Caucasians, with its new HIV cases predominantly associated with injection drug use and Aboriginal cultural status. The purpose of this study was to (a describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the STW in the SHR, (b identify their significant life events, self-reported problems, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, self-efficacy, and barriers regarding HIV, and (c determine the significant independent risk indicators for STW self-reporting a chance of greater than 50% of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. The majority of the study participants were females, who were never married, of Aboriginal descent, without a high school diploma, and had an annual income of less than $10,000. Using multivariate regression analysis, four significant independent risk indicators were associated with STW reporting a greater that 50% chance of acquiring HIV/AIDS, including experiencing sexual assault as a child, injecting drugs in the past four weeks, being homeless, and a previous Chlamydia diagnosis. These findings provide important evidence of the essential sexual and drug-related vulnerabilities associated with the risk of HIV infection among STW and offer insight into the design and implementation of effective and culturally sensitive public

Third-world realities in a first-world setting: A study of the HIV/AIDS-related conditions and risk behaviors of sex trade workers in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Bird, Yelena; Lemstra, Mark; Rogers, Marla; Moraros, John

2016-12-01

The transmission and prevalence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among those employed as sex trade workers (STW) is a major public health concern. The present study describes the self-reported responses of 340 STW, at-risk for contracting HIV. The participants were recruited by selective targeting between 2009 and 2010 from within the Saskatoon Health Region (SHR), Saskatchewan, Canada. As of 2012, the SHR has the highest incidence rate of positive test reports for HIV in Canada, at more than three times the national average (17.0 vs. 5.9 per 100,000 people). Additionally, the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS in the SHR is different from that seen elsewhere in Canada (still mostly men having sex with men and Caucasians), with its new HIV cases predominantly associated with injection drug use and Aboriginal cultural status. The purpose of this study was to (a) describe the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of the STW in the SHR, (b) identify their significant life events, self-reported problems, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, self-efficacy, and barriers regarding HIV, and (c) determine the significant independent risk indicators for STW self-reporting a chance of greater than 50% of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. The majority of the study participants were females, who were never married, of Aboriginal descent, without a high school diploma, and had an annual income of less than $10,000. Using multivariate regression analysis, four significant independent risk indicators were associated with STW reporting a greater that 50% chance of acquiring HIV/AIDS, including experiencing sexual assault as a child, injecting drugs in the past four weeks, being homeless, and a previous Chlamydia diagnosis. These findings provide important evidence of the essential sexual and drug-related vulnerabilities associated with the risk of HIV infection among STW and offer insight into the design and implementation of effective and culturally sensitive public health

Potential of Environmental DNA to Evaluate Northern Pike (Esox lucius) Eradication Efforts: An Experimental Test and Case Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunker, Kristine J; Sepulveda, Adam J; Massengill, Robert L; Olsen, Jeffrey B; Russ, Ora L; Wenburg, John K; Antonovich, Anton

2016-01-01

Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius) following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets) to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of inquiry and sampling

Potential of Environmental DNA to Evaluate Northern Pike (Esox lucius Eradication Efforts: An Experimental Test and Case Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristine J Dunker

Full Text Available Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of

Potential of environmental DNA to evaluate Northern pike (Esox lucius) eradication efforts: An experimental test and case study

Science.gov (United States)

Dunker, Kristine J.; Sepulveda, Adam; Massengill, Robert L.; Olsen, Jeffrey B.; Russ, Ora L.; Wenburg, John K.; Antonovich, Anton

2016-01-01

Determining the success of invasive species eradication efforts is challenging because populations at very low abundance are difficult to detect. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling has recently emerged as a powerful tool for detecting rare aquatic animals; however, detectable fragments of DNA can persist over time despite absence of the targeted taxa and can therefore complicate eDNA sampling after an eradication event. This complication is a large concern for fish eradication efforts in lakes since killed fish can sink to the bottom and slowly decay. DNA released from these carcasses may remain detectable for long periods. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of eDNA sampling to detect invasive Northern pike (Esox lucius) following piscicide eradication efforts in southcentral Alaskan lakes. We used field observations and experiments to test the sensitivity of our Northern pike eDNA assay and to evaluate the persistence of detectable DNA emitted from Northern pike carcasses. We then used eDNA sampling and traditional sampling (i.e., gillnets) to test for presence of Northern pike in four lakes subjected to a piscicide-treatment designed to eradicate this species. We found that our assay could detect an abundant, free-roaming population of Northern pike and could also detect low-densities of Northern pike held in cages. For these caged Northern pike, probability of detection decreased with distance from the cage. We then stocked three lakes with Northern pike carcasses and collected eDNA samples 7, 35 and 70 days post-stocking. We detected DNA at 7 and 35 days, but not at 70 days. Finally, we collected eDNA samples ~ 230 days after four lakes were subjected to piscicide-treatments and detected Northern pike DNA in 3 of 179 samples, with a single detection at each of three lakes, though we did not catch any Northern pike in gillnets. Taken together, we found that eDNA can help to inform eradication efforts if used in conjunction with multiple lines of inquiry and sampling

Prediction of fluid phase behaviors in a CO{sub 2}-EOR process in Weyburn Field, Saskatchewan, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, L.; Law, D.H.S. [Alberta Research Council, Edmonton, AB (Canada); Freitag, N.; Huang, S. [Saskatchewan Research Council, Regina, SK (Canada)

2005-07-01

The mechanisms of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) storage in an oil depleted reservoir are being studied at the International Energy Agency's (IEA) Weyburn CO2 Monitoring and Storage Project in Saskatchewan. One of the objectives of this multi-disciplinary project has been to develop a Pressure-Volume-Temperature (PVT) model for the CO{sub 2}-Weyburn oil system that can be coupled with compositional reservoir models for short- and long-term field-scale reservoir simulations. In order to assess the long term risk of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) injection for the purpose of EOR, it is important to accurately predict the CO{sub 2} distribution in different phases in the reservoir (aqueous, oleic and gaseous). The newly developed seven-component PVT model for Weyburn oil was based on measurements of phase-behavior properties such as oil density, viscosity, gas-oil ratio, saturation pressure and minimum miscibility pressure from oil samples collected from wells in different parts of the reservoir. The Peng-Robinson equation of state was used for the PVT model development and CO{sub 2} solubility in water was described by Henry's Law. Estimations of mineral trapping, ionic trapping and solubility trapping of CO{sub 2} are based on the amount of CO{sub 2} stored in the aqueous phase, but the amount of CO{sub 2} stored in the gaseous phase, which is the most mobile phase of CO{sub 2} in the reservoir, is essential in the estimation of CO{sub 2} leakage. The model was continuously modified as the field process proceeded in order to identify the dynamic change in fluid properties and the effect of contaminants in the injecting CO{sub 2}. The model, coupled with a compositional reservoir model, was used to predict the CO{sub 2} distribution and storage performance in the Weyburn field. 2 refs., 4 tabs., 8 figs.

Transverse lie in labor: A study from Kaduna, Northern Nigeria ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Results: During the period there were 16633 deliveries and 30 women with transversely lying fetuses, giving an incidence of 1 in 554 deliveries. Forty percent of the cases were neglected transverse lies. The para 4 and above group had the highest incidence of 2.69/1000. Northern minorities ethnic group had the highest ...

Spatial variation in life history characteristics of common megrim (Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis) on the Northern Shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Macdonald, P.; Angus (née Laurenson), C. H.; Marshall, C. T.

2013-01-01

In recent years stock structure recommendations for megrim on the Northern Shelf have varied, primarily due to a lack of biological and fishery data. In this study, we compared a number of life history characteristics of the common megrim Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis (Walbaum) between the northern North Sea and Rockall, the latitudinal extremes of the species' distribution on the Northern Shelf. Reproductive timing, sex ratio, maturity and growth were different between the two study areas. Reproductive timing in the northern North Sea was more protracted than at Rockall and other areas. There were differences in sex ratio between the study areas and female megrim in the northern North Sea exhibited different growth rates and larger size at maturity than at Rockall. The results of this study support the recent changes to the definition of the Northern Shelf stocks which recommend that the northern North Sea be treated separately to Rockall.

Paleoseismic study of the Cathedral Rapids fault in the northern Alaska Range near Tok, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Koehler, R. D.; Farrell, R.; Carver, G. A.

2010-12-01

The Cathedral Rapids fault extends ~40 km between the Tok and Robertson River valleys and is the easternmost fault in a series of active south-dipping imbricate thrust faults which bound the northern flank of the Alaska Range. Collectively, these faults accommodate a component of convergence transferred north of the Denali fault and related to the westward (counterclockwise) rotation of the Wrangell Block driven by relative Pacific/North American plate motion along the eastern Aleutian subduction zone and Fairweather fault system. To the west, the system has been defined as the Northern Foothills Fold and Thrust Belt (NFFTB), a 50-km-wide zone of east-west trending thrust faults that displace Quaternary deposits and have accommodated ~3 mm/yr of shortening since latest Pliocene time (Bemis, 2004). Over the last several years, the eastward extension of the NFFTB between Delta Junction and the Canadian border has been studied by the Alaska Division of Geological & Geophysical Surveys to better characterize faults that may affect engineering design of the proposed Alaska-Canada natural gas pipeline and other infrastructure. We summarize herein reconnaissance field observations along the western part of the Cathedral Rapids fault. The western part of the Cathedral Rapids fault extends 21 km from Sheep Creek to Moon Lake and is characterized by three roughly parallel sinuous traces that offset glacial deposits of the Illinoian to early Wisconsinan Delta glaciations and the late Wisconsinan Donnelly glaciation, as well as, Holocene alluvial deposits. The northern trace of the fault is characterized by an oversteepened, beveled, ~2.5-m-high scarp that obliquely cuts a Holocene alluvial fan and projects into the rangefront. Previous paleoseismic studies along the eastern part of the Cathedral Rapids fault and Dot “T” Johnson fault indicate multiple latest Pleistocene and Holocene earthquakes associated with anticlinal folding and thrust faulting (Carver et al., 2010

The Urban-Rural Gradient In Asthma: A Population-Based Study in Northern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Signe Timm

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The early life environment appears to have a persistent impact on asthma risk. We hypothesize that environmental factors related to rural life mediate lower asthma prevalence in rural populations, and aimed to investigate an urban-rural gradient, assessed by place of upbringing, for asthma. The population-based Respiratory Health In Northern Europe (RHINE study includes subjects from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Estonia born 1945–1973. The present analysis encompasses questionnaire data on 11,123 RHINE subjects. Six categories of place of upbringing were defined: farm with livestock, farm without livestock, village in rural area, small town, city suburb and inner city. The association of place of upbringing with asthma onset was analysed with Cox regression adjusted for relevant confounders. Subjects growing up on livestock farms had less asthma (8% than subjects growing up in inner cities (11% (hazard ratio 0.72 95% CI 0.57–0.91, and a significant urban-rural gradient was observed across six urbanisation levels (p = 0.02. An urban-rural gradient was only evident among women, smokers and for late-onset asthma. Analyses on wheeze and place of upbringing revealed similar results. In conclusion, this study suggests a protective effect of livestock farm upbringing on asthma development and an urban-rural gradient in a Northern European population.

Birth prevalence for congenital limb defects in the northern Netherlands: a 30-year population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasluian, Ecaterina; van der Sluis, Corry K; van Essen, Anthonie J; Bergman, Jorieke E H; Dijkstra, Pieter U; Reinders-Messelink, Heleen A; de Walle, Hermien E K

2013-11-16

Reported birth prevalences of congenital limb defects (CLD) vary between countries: from 13/10,000 in Finland for the period 1964-1977 to 30.4/10,000 births in Scotland from 1964-1968. Epidemiological studies permit the timely detection of trends in CLD and of associations with other birth defects. The aim of this study is to describe the birth prevalence of CLD in the northern Netherlands. In a population-based, epidemiological study we investigated the birth prevalences of CLD for 1981-2010. Data were collected by the European Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies in the northern Netherlands (EUROCAT-NNL). We excluded malpositions, club foot, and dislocation/dysplasia of hips or knees. Trends were analysed for the 19-year period 1992-2010 using χ² tests, as well as CLD association with anomalies affecting other organs. The birth prevalence of CLD was 21.1/10,000 births for 1981-2010. There was an overall decrease in non-syndromic limb defects (P = 0.023) caused by a decrease in the prevalence of non-syndromic syndactyly (P CLD, 55% were males, 57% had isolated defects, 13% had multiple congenital anomalies (MCA), and 30% had a recognised syndrome. The upper:lower limb ratio was 2:1, and the left:right side ratio was 1.2:1. Cardiovascular and urinary tract anomalies were common in combination with CLD (37% and 25% of cases with MCA). Digestive-tract anomalies were significantly associated with CLD (P = 0.016). The birth prevalence of CLD in the northern Netherlands was 21.1/10,000 births. The birth prevalence of non-syndromic syndactyly dropped from 5.2/10,000 to 1.1/10,000 in 1992-2010.

Chronic Respiratory Diseases in the Regions of Northern Russia: Epidemiological Distinctions in the Results of a National Population Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gambaryan, Marine H; Shalnova, Svetlana A; Deev, Alexander D; Drapkina, Oxana M

2017-07-26

The aim of the study is to investigate the epidemiological situation regarding chronic respiratory diseases in populations that inhabit different climatic-geographical regions of Russia, and to develop targeted programs for prevention of these diseases. (1) a comparative analysis of the standardized mortality data in Russia and other selected regions of the Russian North using the European standard for respiratory diseases, in a population aged 25-64; and (2) data from a randomized cross-sectional epidemiological study, with subjects from three different climatic-geographical regions of Russia. (1) the respiratory disease-related mortality rates in the majority of Russian Northern regions were much higher compared to the national average. Although death rates from chronic lower respiratory diseases were higher among the Northern regions and in the whole of Russia relative to the countries of European Union (EU), the cause of death in the populations of the Northern regions tend to be lower respiratory infections and pneumonia; and (2) despite the absence of any significant differences in the prevalence of smoking, the prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases (COPD) is significantly higher in Far North Yakutsk compared to the other two regions in this study-Chelyabinsk and Vologda. The status of hyperborean had the highest chance of a significant contribution to COPD and cardiorespiratory pathology among all other risk factors. The results revealed a need for effective targeted strategies for primary and secondary prevention of chronic respiratory diseases for the populations of the Northern regions of Russia. The revealed regional distinctions regarding the prevalence of, and mortality from, chronic respiratory diseases should be taken into consideration when designing integrated programs for chronic non-communicable disease prevention in these regions.

Northern Ireland gas industry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anderson, R S [Belfast City Council Gas Dept.; Asquith, R S; Brown, J M; McKay, G

1977-07-01

Throughout Northern Ireland the production of town gas is derived from hydrocarbon feedstocks. In the larger undertakings in Northern Ireland the feedstock is light distillate; a light petroleum feedstock which is a crude gasoline comprised mainly of pentanes, reformed in catalytic plants. The remaining gas undertakings produce a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)/air mixture using a mixture of either butane or propane and air. The individual gas units and the type of reforming feedstock are shown. A review of the oil-dependence of town gas and electricity production in Northern Ireland has been considered and is mainly responsible for the high fuel prices experienced in the community. A detailed description of the reforming process has been described, and considerable efforts have been made to optimize the process. In spite of substantial economic savings being made on the processing unit, the gas industry is very susceptible to the changes in oil prices which have escalated rapidly in recent years. The difference in gas prices between the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland indicates that North Sea gas would offer major economic benefits to the gas industry in Northern Ireland, which is operating at a substantial loss at the moment. The industrial concerns, which are dependent on gas and therefore paying high fuel costs, suffer in competition with outside companies. The injection of a moderately cheap natural gas supply to the community may encourage industrial expansion and provide work in a high unemployment area. Although substantial costs must be incurred in distribution pipelines and burner conversions if Northern Ireland changes to natural gas, there appears to be a strong case to introduce North Sea gas in the near future.

Stratigraphy of the Martian northern plains

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, K. L.

1993-01-01

The northern plains of Mars are roughly defined as the large continuous region of lowlands that lies below Martian datum, plus higher areas within the region that were built up by volcanism, sedimentation, tectonism, and impacts. These northern lowlands span about 50 x 10(exp 6) km(sup 2) or 35 percent of the planet's surface. The age and origin of the lowlands continue to be debated by proponents of impact and tectonic explanations. Geologic mapping and topical studies indicate that volcanic, fluvial, and eolian deposition have played major roles in the infilling of this vast depression. Periglacial, glacial, fluvial, eolian, tectonic, and impact processes have locally modified the surface. Because of the northern plains' complex history of sedimentation and modification, much of their stratigraphy was obscured. Thus the stratigraphy developed is necessarily vague and provisional: it is based on various clues from within the lowlands as well as from highland areas within and bordering the plains. The results are summarized.

Biological Correlates of Northern-Southern Italy Differences in IQ

Science.gov (United States)

Templer, Donald I.

2012-01-01

The present study was intended to provide perspective, albeit less than unequivocal, on the research of Lynn (2010) who reported higher IQs in the northern than southern Italian regions. He attributes this to northern Italians having a greater genetic similarity to middle Europeans and southern Italians to Mediterranean people. Higher regional IQ…

Traditional knowledge on medicinal plant of the Karen in northern Thailand: a comparative study.

Science.gov (United States)

Tangjitman, Kornkanok; Wongsawad, Chalobol; Winijchaiyanan, Piyawan; Sukkho, Treetip; Kamwong, Kaweesin; Pongamornkul, Wittaya; Trisonthi, Chusie

2013-10-28

We studied traditional medicinal plant knowledge among the Karen in northern Thailand. To compare traditional medicinal knowledge in 14 Karen villages in northern Thailand and determine culturally important medicinal plant species in each Karen village. We interviewed 14 key informants and 438 non-specialist informants about their traditional knowledge of medicinal plants. We tested normality of the data and correlations with distance to the nearest city using Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Cluster analysis and cultural importance index (CI) were calculated for the similarity of medicinal plant used and culturally importance medicinal plant species among Karen villages respectively. In total 379 medicinal plant species were used. Number of medicinal plants used positively correlate with distance to the nearest city. Relatively low similarities of medicinal plant species and different CI values for species among the different areas were found. Traditional medicinal plants still play an important role in medicinal practice of the Karen. Local environments, availability of medicinal plant and distance between Karen villages and the nearest city affect the amount of traditional medicinal knowledge in each Karen village. The medicinal plants in this study with high CI values might give some useful leads for further biomedical research. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preliminary study of the uranium potential of the northern part of the Durham Triassic Basin, North Carolina

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, W.B.; Thayer, P.A.

1981-09-01

This report presents results of a four-channel spectrometric survey of the northern part of the Durham Triassic basin and adjacent Piedmont, North Carolina. Gamma-ray spectrometric measurements were obtained at 112 localities from 136 different lithologies. The nominal sampling density in the Durham Basin is one site per 2 mi 2 . Surface radiometric surveys reveal no anomalous radioactivity in the northern part of the Durham Basin. Uranium concentrations in Triassic rocks are from 0.6 to 9.7 ppM and average 2.9 ppM. Mudrocks contain from 1.3 to 9.7 ppM, and the average is 4.5 ppM. Sandstones contain from 0.6 to 8.8 ppM, and the average is 2.5 ppM. Fanglomerates contain the lowest concentrations of uranium, from 1.4 to 2.0 ppM, for an average of 1.8 ppM. Uranium/thorium ratios average 0.27 for Triassic rocks and are from 0.04 to 1.85. The mean log uranium/log thorium for Triassic rocks is 0.37. Mudrock has the highest average uranium/thorium ratio (0.32), and the range is 0.09 to 0.66. Sandstones have an average uranium/thorium ratio of 0.26, and the range is 0.04 to 1.85. Fanglomerates have the lowest range uranium/thorium ratio (0.19), and the range is 0.12 to 0.19. On the basis of surface radiometric surveys and geologic studies, it is believed that sedimentary strata in the northern part of the Durham Basin are poor targets for further uranium exploration. This conclusion is based on the lack of favorable characteristics commonly present in fluvial uranium deposits. Among these are: (1) carbonaceous material is absent in Triassic rocks of the northern basin, (2) indicators of a reduzate facies in sandstones are not present, and (3) no tuffaceous beds are associated with sediments in the northern Durham Basin

A longitudinal study through adolescence to adulthood: the Young Hearts Project, Northern Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, A M; Savage, J M; Murray, L J; Davey Smith, G; Young, I S; Robson, P J; Neville, C E; Cran, G; Strain, J J; Boreham, C A

2002-11-01

The Young Hearts (YH) Project is an ongoing study of biological and behavioural risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a representative sample of young people from Northern Ireland, a region of high coronary mortality. This article describes the cross-sectional clinical, dietary and lifestyle data obtained from individuals (aged 20-25 y) who participated in phase 3 of the project (YH3). A total of 489 individuals (251 males, 238 females) participated in YH3 (48.2% response rate). Some 31.1% of participants at YH3 were overweight (BMI >25 kg/m(2)) with 4.4% of males and 8.0% of females were obese (BMI >30 kg/m(2)). More females than males had a very poor fitness (55.0 vs 22.1%, chi-squared 51.70, d.f. 1, P5.2 mmol/l). More females had a raised serum LDL-cholesterol (>3.0 mmol/l) than males (44.6 vs 34.6%, chi-squared 4.39, d.f. 1, Pevil: the medical consequences of alcohol abuse. Tavistock: London, 1987), with 36.7% of males and 13.4% of females reporting intakes over twice these recommended limits. A total of 37% of the study population smoked. During young adulthood, individuals may be less amenable to attend a health-related study and recruitment of participants to the current phase of the study proved a major problem. However, these data constitute a unique developmental record from adolescence to young adulthood in a cohort from Northern Ireland and provide additional information on the impact of early life, childhood and young adulthood on the development of risk for chronic disease.

An Outbreak of Japanese Encephalitis in Adults in Northern China, 2013: A Population-Based Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Xiaolong; Gao, Xiaoyan; Fu, Shihong; Wang, Huanyu; Lu, Zhi; He, Ying; Lei, Wenwen; Liang, Guodong

2018-05-09

A Japanese encephalitis (JE) epidemic occurred in 2013 in China. The aim of this study was to determine the spatial-temporal pattern of JE cases in adults occurring in 2013, as well as identify potential hotspots of incidences in the afflicted regions in China. To generate a spatial-temporal pattern of JE cases in China, epidemiological and demographic data between 2011 and 2013 were collected. Our results indicate that the total number of JE cases in 2013 was significantly higher compared with those in 2011 and 2012. While the incidence of JE in individuals aged less than 15 years decreased in 2013, the incidence rate increased substantially in those aged 15 years and older. The population aged over 40 years was associated with the greatest increase of JE. Demographic analysis revealed a consistent increase in the proportion of JE cases aged 15 years and older in 2013 (42%) compared with that in 2012 (15%). In addition, JE cases from areas located between 35°N, 114°E and 40°N, 120°E in northern China were found to account for 27.17% of total JE cases nationwide in 2013, compared with 2.21% and 3.13% in 2011 and 2012, respectively. In these northern regions, the group aged 15 years and older represents the predominant population with JE, accounting for 73% of total cases. Further cluster analysis identified a large number of hotspots of JE in adults (>15 years of age) in northern China. Unlike the JE epidemics primarily in children below 15 years old in southern China, a significant outbreak of JE occurred in northern China in 2013, with the older age groups being the primary population affected. The increasing incidence of JE in adults has become an important public health issue and poses a new challenge to the successful prevention and control of JE in China, as well as other countries in East Asia.

Adaptability of black walnut, black cherry, and Northern red oak to Northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Philip M. McDonald

1987-01-01

When planted in sheltered sites in northern California, only 49% of black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) and 58% of black cherry (Prunus serotina Ehrh.) survived for 15 years, and 20% of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) survived for 10 years. The black walnut trees averaged 0.6 inches diameter at breast...

CASE STUDY. MERCURY POLLUTION NEAR A CHEMICAL PLANT IN NORTHERN KAZAKHSTAN

Science.gov (United States)

In northern Kazakhstan, there is a serious case of mercury pollution near Pavlodar City from an old mercury cell chlor-alkali plant. The soil, sediment, and water are contaminated with more than a thousand tons of mercury and mercury compounds as a result of the operation of the ...

Impacts of SST anomalies on the North Atlantic atmospheric circulation: a case study for the northern winter 1995/1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Losada, T.; Rodriguez-Fonseca, B. [Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Departmento de Geofisica y Meteorologia, Madrid (Spain); Mechoso, C.R.; Ma, H.Y. [University of California Los Angeles, Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

2007-12-15

The present paper selects the northern winter of December 1995-February 1996 for a case study on the impact of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies on the atmospheric circulation over the North Atlantic and Western Europe. In the Atlantic, the selected winter was characterized by positive SST anomalies over the northern subtropics and east of Newfoundland, and negative anomalies along the US coast. A weak La Nina event developed in the Pacific. The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index was low, precipitation over the Iberian Peninsula and northern Africa was anomalously high, and precipitation over northern Europe was anomalously low. The method of study consists of assessing the sensitivity of ensemble simulations by the UCLA atmospheric general circulation model (UCLA AGCM) to SST anomalies from the observation, which are prescribed either in the World Oceans, the Atlantic Ocean only, or the subtropical North Atlantic only. The results obtained are compared with a control run that uses global, time-varying climatological SST. The ensemble simulations with global and Atlantic-only SST anomalies both produce results that resemble the observations over the North Atlantic and Western Europe. It is suggested that the anomalous behavior of the atmosphere in the selected winter over those regions, therefore, was primarily determined by conditions within the Atlantic basin. The simulated fields in the tropical North Atlantic show anomalous upward motion and lower (upper) level convergence (divergence) in the atmosphere overlying the positive SST anomalies. Consistently, the subtropical jet intensifies and its core moves equatorward, and precipitation increases over northern Africa and southern Europe. The results also suggest that the SST anomalies in the tropical North Atlantic only do not suffice to produce the atmospheric anomalies observed in the basin during the selected winter. The extratropical SST anomalies would provide a key contribution through increased

Impact of maize storage on rural household food security in Northern ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Seugnet

security in Northern Kwazulu-Natal1 ... incidence of hunger is high among rural South African .... FARMERS IN THREE STUDY DISTRICTS OF NORTHERN KWAZULU-NATAL, 1999 (N = 134) ... Three goats equaled one head of cattle. Calves ...

Who is likely to quit nursing jobs? A study in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

Science.gov (United States)

Yavas, Ugur; Karatepe, Osman M; Babakus, Emin

2013-01-01

The study reported in this article examines the nature of relationships between organizational and personal resources and nurses' turnover intentions. A sample of 124 nurses in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus serves as the study setting. Results of the study reveal that a form of organizational support (empowerment) and two personal resources (customer orientation, job resourcefulness) are the best predictors of turnover intentions. Implications of these results are discussed and avenues for future research are offered.

Northern tropical Atlantic climate since late Medieval times from Northern Caribbean coral geochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Kilbourne, K. H.; Xu, Y.

2015-12-01

Paleoclimate reconstructions of different global climate modes over the last 1000 years provide the basis for testing the relative roles of forced and unforced variability climate system, which can help us improve projections of future climate change. The Medieval Climate Anomaly (MCA) has been characterized by a combination of persistent La Niña-like conditions, a positive North Atlantic Oscillation (+NAO), and increased Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). The northern tropical Atlantic is sensitive to each of these climate patterns, but not all of them have the same regional fingerprint in the modern northern tropical Atlantic. The relative influence of different processes related to these climate patterns can help us better understand regional responses to climate change. The regional response of the northern tropical Atlantic is important because the tropical Atlantic Ocean is a large source of heat and moisture to the global climate system that can feedback onto global climate patterns. This study presents new coral Sr/Ca and δ18O data from the northern tropical Atlantic (Anegada, British Virgin Islands). Comparison of the sub-fossil corals that grew during the 13th and 14th Centuries with modern coral geochemical data from this site indicates relatively cooler mean conditions with a decrease in the oxygen isotopic composition of the water consistent with lower salinities. Similar average annual cycles between modern and sub-fossil Sr/Ca indicate no change in seasonal temperature range, but a difference in the relative phasing of the δ18O seasonal cycles indicates that the fresher mean conditions may be due to a more northerly position of the regional salinity front. This localized response is consistent with some, but not all of the expected regional responses to a La Niña-like state, a +NAO state, and increased AMOC. Understanding these differences can provide insight into the relative importance of advection versus surface fluxes for

Studies of osteoporosis in the Northern China using isotope-related techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qin Linlin

2002-01-01

The target population of this investigation is healthy people in northern China, aged 15-50, i.e. those who were born and grew up in the north. Community sampling did the collection of subjects from the China-Japan Friendship Hospital in Beijing and some social organizations near the hospital. Recruited subjects filled out the questionnaire provided by WHO. Many physical and lifestyle factors were included in the questionnaire such as height, weight, smoking, drinking, exercise level, etc. The nutrient intake of this part of the population was investigated. The method of 'review of diet in the last 3 days' was used in this study and 348 subjects were investigated. The nutrient composition of diet was calculated according to the food composition table

Doses resulting from intrusion into uranium tailings areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walsh, M.L.

1986-02-01

In the future, it is conceivable that institutional controls of uranium tailings areas may cease to exist and individuals may intrude into these areas unaware of the potential radiation hazards. The objective of this study was to estimate the potential doses to the intruders for a comprehensive set of intrusion scenarios. Reference tailings areas in the Elliot Lake region of northern Ontario and in northern Saskatchewan were developed to the extent required to calculate radiation exposures. The intrusion scenarios for which dose calculations were performed, were categorized into the following classes: habitation of the tailings, agricultural activities, construction activities, and recreational activities. Realistic exposure conditions were specified and annual doses were calculated by applying standard dose conversion factors. The exposure estimates demonstrated that the annual doses resulting from recreational activities and from construction activities would be generally small, less than twenty millisieverts, while the habitational and agricultural activities could hypothetically result in doses of several hundred millisieverts. However, the probability of occurrence of these latter classes of scenarios is considered to be much lower than scenarios involving either construction or recreational activities

Northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Vukic, Adele; Keddy, Barbara

2002-12-01

This paper explicates the nature of outpost nursing work, and/or the day-to-day realities of northern nursing practice in a primary health care setting in Canada. The study was carried out to systematically explore the work of nurses in an indigenous setting. Institutional ethnography, pioneered by Dorothy Smith was the methodology used to guide this research. The theoretical perspective of this methodology does not seek causes or links but intends to explicate visible practices. It is intended to explicate the social organization of specific discourses that inform work processes of nurses working in remote indigenous communities. The data originated from various sources including spending 2 weeks in a northern remote community shadowing experienced nurses, taking field notes and audio taping interviews with these nurses. One of the two researchers was a northern practice nurse for many years and has had taught in an outpost nursing programme. As part of the process, texts were obtained from the site as data to be incorporated in the analysis. The lived experiences have added to the analytical understanding of the work of nurses in remote areas. Data uncovered documentary practices inherent to the work setting which were then analysed along with the transcribed interviews and field notes derived from the on-site visit. Identifying disjuncture in the discourse of northern nursing and the lived experience of the nurses in this study was central to the research process. The results indicated that the social organization of northern community nursing work required a broad generalist knowledge base for decision making to work effectively within this primary health care setting. The nurse as 'other' and the invisibility of nurses' work of building a trusting relationship with the community is not reflected in the discourse of northern nursing. Trust cannot be quantified or measured yet it is fundamental to working effectively with the community. The nurses in this study

Northern Rivers Basins human health monitoring program : report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gabos, S.

1999-04-01

The Northern River Basins Human Health Monitoring Program was established in 1994 to investigate the possible relationships between various environmental risk factors and the health of northern residents in the province. This report presents the initial analysis of the health program and examines the differences in health outcomes across the province and compares the Northern Rivers Basin Study (NRBS) area with the other areas of the province. A series of maps and graphs showed the prevalence of certain diseases and disorders within the Peace and Athabasca river basins. The focus of the report was on reproductive health, congenital anomalies, respiratory ailments, circulatory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. The study showed that compared to other areas of the province, the NRBS area had higher incidences of endometriosis, selected congenital anomalies, bronchitis, pneumonia, peptic ulcers and epilepsy. There were three potential exposure pathways to environmental contaminants. These were through ingestion of water or food, inhalation of air and through dermal exposure. refs., tabs., figs

Northern Rivers Basins human health monitoring program : report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gabos, S. [Alberta Health, Edmonton, AB (Canada). Health Surveillance

1999-04-01

The Northern River Basins Human Health Monitoring Program was established in 1994 to investigate the possible relationships between various environmental risk factors and the health of northern residents in the province. This report presents the initial analysis of the health program and examines the differences in health outcomes across the province and compares the Northern Rivers Basin Study (NRBS) area with the other areas of the province. A series of maps and graphs showed the prevalence of certain diseases and disorders within the Peace and Athabasca river basins. The focus of the report was on reproductive health, congenital anomalies, respiratory ailments, circulatory diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, endocrine and metabolic disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. The study showed that compared to other areas of the province, the NRBS area had higher incidences of endometriosis, selected congenital anomalies, bronchitis, pneumonia, peptic ulcers and epilepsy. There were three potential exposure pathways to environmental contaminants. These were through ingestion of water or food, inhalation of air and through dermal exposure. refs., tabs., figs.

Does specialist physician supply affect pediatric asthma health outcomes?

Science.gov (United States)

Filler, Guido; Kovesi, Tom; Bourdon, Erik; Jones, Sarah Ann; Givelichian, Laurentiu; Rockman-Greenberg, Cheryl; Gilliland, Jason; Williams, Marion; Orrbine, Elaine; Piedboeuf, Bruno

2018-04-05

Pediatrician and pediatric subspecialist density varies substantially among the various Canadian provinces, as well as among various states in the US. It is unknown whether this variability impacts health outcomes. To study this knowledge gap, we evaluated pediatric asthma admission rates within the 2 Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which have similarly sized pediatric populations and substantially different physician densities. This was a retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. Health regions defined by the provincial governments, have, in turn, been classified into "peer groups" by Statistics Canada, on the basis of common socio-economic characteristics and socio-demographic determinants of health. To study the relationship between the distribution of the pediatric workforce and health outcomes in Canadian children, asthma admission rates within comparable peer group regions in both provinces were examined by combining multiple national and provincial health databases. We generated physician density maps for general practitioners, and general pediatricians practicing in Manitoba and Saskatchewan in 2011. At the provincial level, Manitoba had 48.6 pediatricians/100,000 child population, compared to 23.5/100,000 in Saskatchewan. There were 3.1 pediatric asthma specialists/100,000 child population in Manitoba and 1.4/100,000 in Saskatchewan. Among peer-group A, the differences were even more striking. A significantly higher number of patients were admitted in Saskatchewan (590.3/100,000 children) compared to Manitoba (309.3/100,000, p < 0.0001). Saskatchewan, which has a lower pediatrician and pediatric asthma specialist supply, had a higher asthma admission rate than Manitoba. Our data suggest that there is an inverse relationship between asthma admissions and pediatrician and asthma specialist supply.

Adapting online learning for Canada's Northern public health workforce

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marnie Bell

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Background . Canada's North is a diverse, sparsely populated land, where inequalities and public health issues are evident, particularly for Aboriginal people. The Northern public health workforce is a unique mix of professional and paraprofessional workers. Few have formal public health education. From 2009 to 2012, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC collaborated with a Northern Advisory Group to develop and implement a strategy to strengthen public health capacity in Canada's 3 northern territories. Access to relevant, effective continuing education was identified as a key issue. Challenges include diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of public health workers, geographical isolation and variable technological infrastructure across the north. Methods . PHAC's Skills Online program offers Internet-based continuing education modules for public health professionals. In partnership with the Northern Advisory Group, PHAC conducted 3 pilots between 2008 and 2012 to assess the appropriateness of the Skills Online program for Northern/Aboriginal public health workers. Module content and delivery modalities were adapted for the pilots. Adaptations included adding Inuit and Northern public health examples and using video and teleconference discussions to augment the online self-study component. Results . Findings from the pilots were informative and similar to those from previous Skills Online pilots with learners in developing countries. Online learning is effective in bridging the geographical barriers in remote locations. Incorporating content on Northern and Aboriginal health issues facilitates engagement in learning. Employer support facilitates the recruitment and retention of learners in an online program. Facilitator assets included experience as a public health professional from the north, and flexibility to use modified approaches to support and measure knowledge acquisition and application, especially for First Nations, Inuit and

Adapting online learning for Canada's Northern public health workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, Marnie; MacDougall, Karen

2013-01-01

Canada's North is a diverse, sparsely populated land, where inequalities and public health issues are evident, particularly for Aboriginal people. The Northern public health workforce is a unique mix of professional and paraprofessional workers. Few have formal public health education. From 2009 to 2012, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) collaborated with a Northern Advisory Group to develop and implement a strategy to strengthen public health capacity in Canada's 3 northern territories. Access to relevant, effective continuing education was identified as a key issue. Challenges include diverse educational and cultural backgrounds of public health workers, geographical isolation and variable technological infrastructure across the north. PHAC's Skills Online program offers Internet-based continuing education modules for public health professionals. In partnership with the Northern Advisory Group, PHAC conducted 3 pilots between 2008 and 2012 to assess the appropriateness of the Skills Online program for Northern/Aboriginal public health workers. Module content and delivery modalities were adapted for the pilots. Adaptations included adding Inuit and Northern public health examples and using video and teleconference discussions to augment the online self-study component. Findings from the pilots were informative and similar to those from previous Skills Online pilots with learners in developing countries. Online learning is effective in bridging the geographical barriers in remote locations. Incorporating content on Northern and Aboriginal health issues facilitates engagement in learning. Employer support facilitates the recruitment and retention of learners in an online program. Facilitator assets included experience as a public health professional from the north, and flexibility to use modified approaches to support and measure knowledge acquisition and application, especially for First Nations, Inuit and Metis learners. Results demonstrate that

Uranium producers foresee new boom

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McIntyre, H.

1979-01-01

The status of uranium production in Canada is reviewed. Uranium resources in Saskatchewan and Ontario are described and the role of the Cluff Lake inquiry in securing a government decision in favour of further uranium development is mentioned. There have been other uranium strikes near Kelowna, British Columbia and in the Northwest Territories. Increasing uranium demand and favourable prices are making the development of northern resources economically attractive. In fact, all uranium currently produced has been committed to domestic and export contracts so that there is considerable room for expanding the production of uranium in Canada. (T.I.)

Key Lake mine water spill: further clean-up not required

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potvin, R.

1984-02-01

The Atomic Energy Control Board (AECB) has concluded that no additional remedial measures are warranted with regard to the mine water spill which occurred in early January at the Key Lake Mining Corporation facility in northern Saskatchewan, and has advised the company to reconsider its proposal for clean-up of the adjoining Gerald Lake basin. On January 5, an estimated 87 million litres of mine water was accidentally released to the environment when a water storage reservoir at the mine site overflowed. The spilled water flowed into the adjoining Gerald Lake catchment area where it has remained adequately contained

Northern blotting analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Josefsen, Knud; Nielsen, Henrik

2011-01-01

Northern blotting analysis is a classical method for analysis of the size and steady-state level of a specific RNA in a complex sample. In short, the RNA is size-fractionated by gel electrophoresis and transferred by blotting onto a membrane to which the RNA is covalently bound. Then, the membrane...... is analysed by hybridization to one or more specific probes that are labelled for subsequent detection. Northern blotting is relatively simple to perform, inexpensive, and not plagued by artefacts. Recent developments of hybridization membranes and buffers have resulted in increased sensitivity closing...

The Maritime Cultural Landscape of Northern Patagonia

Science.gov (United States)

Lira, Nicolás

2017-12-01

This article is a contribution to the study of the indigenous navigation and its boats in the region of northern Patagonia. This article also aims to contribute to the understanding of indigenous navigation practices and technologies and their origins from prehistoric times to the mid-twentieth century. It presents and discusses the concept of Westerdahl's Maritime Cultural Landscape in relation to other landscape concepts. This model is applied to northern Patagonia in order to discuss if it is possible to speak of a true maritime culture in the region. For this purpose, archaeological, historical and ethnographic data are presented in an integrative and innovative methodology for the discipline. Finally, the Maritime Cultural Landscape model will allow the integration of aquatic and terrestrial landscapes as routes traveled by native inhabitants of northern Patagonia and southern Chile, and propose an important and diversified maritime, river and lake tradition.

The Northern Norway mother-and-child contaminant cohort study: implementation, population characteristics and summary of dietary findings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna Sofía Veyhe

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Objectives. To describe the essential features of a new Northern Norway mother-and-child contaminant cohort study called MISA, including its rationale, content, implementation and selected findings (mostly dietary. Study design. Cross-sectional with longitudinal aspects. Methods. Five hundred and fifteen eligible women were enrolled in early pregnancy, with 391 completing the study protocol that included a self-administrated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ and donation of biological samples for contaminant analysis in the 2nd trimester, just after delivery, and 6 weeks postpartum. Macronutrient consumption was converted to energy intake, and the amounts of both macro- and micronutrients ingested were estimated. Some of the MISA findings were compared to data available in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN. Results. Compared to all 2004–2006 mothers in Northern Norway, the study cohort women were about 2 years older and smoked less; on average, they had close to 16 years of education. Parity, gestational age and birth weight of the newborn were comparable as well. The estimated average dietary intake of 8.1 MJ per day was less than that recommended by the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations (NNR, but the intake of micronutrients per MJ complied. Conclusions. Although the final cohort sample size was less than targeted, the generally good comparisons observed between MBRN-registered information for the study cohort and dropouts suggest that this occurrence introduced minimal bias. The agreement of the observed demographic and clinical characteristics of the cohort women and newborns with all births in Northern Norway implied acceptable external validity. Also, the dietary findings aligned well with Norwegian national data and guidelines and other studies, as did the high prevalence of breastfeeding. The MISA database is considered suitable for exploring associations between contaminant exposure and diet, enhancing our knowledge of the

Environmental factors related to water level regulation - a comparative study in northern Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hellsten, S.K.

1997-01-01

The environmental conditions of the littoral zone were studied in the regulated Lake Ontojaervi and the unregulated Lake Lentua in northern Finland. The general aims of the study were to analyse the environmental factors related to water level regulation in the littoral zone and to produce information for assessing the effects of hydroelectric development in northern lakes. The study was basically carried out by comparing the littoral environments of the two study lakes. The most visible effects of water level regulation were related to the raised water level, which yielded erosion of sandy shores at the beginning of the regulation. Another effect of lake regulation was the altered fluctuation of the water level, which led to bottom instability and increased the size of the frozen and ice penetration zones. The effect of ice penetration was also easy to recognize on the shores of Lake Ontojaervi, where the surface sediment was frozen to a greater depth and across wider areas than in Lake Lentua. Below the freezing zone, the ice just pressed down on the sediment. The shores of Lake Ontojaervi were steeper than those of Lake Lentua, which affected the distribution of bottom types, with sandy bottoms being more common in Lake Lentua than in Lake Ontojaervi. The factors related to site exposure included effective fetch and the shape of the shoreline. The sedimentation level correlated only with the slope and was not predicted by the fetch or shape. The vertical reduction of light was estimated on the basis of water colour. The main environmental factors from the two lakes were used in a discriminant analysis to predict the bottom type distribution of the littoral (r 2 = 0.41). (orig.) 66 refs

Environmental factors related to water level regulation - a comparative study in northern Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hellsten, S K [VTT Communities and Infrastructure. Water Engineering and Ecotechnology, Oulu (Finland)

1998-12-31

The environmental conditions of the littoral zone were studied in the regulated Lake Ontojaervi and the unregulated Lake Lentua in northern Finland. The general aims of the study were to analyse the environmental factors related to water level regulation in the littoral zone and to produce information for assessing the effects of hydroelectric development in northern lakes. The study was basically carried out by comparing the littoral environments of the two study lakes. The most visible effects of water level regulation were related to the raised water level, which yielded erosion of sandy shores at the beginning of the regulation. Another effect of lake regulation was the altered fluctuation of the water level, which led to bottom instability and increased the size of the frozen and ice penetration zones. The effect of ice penetration was also easy to recognize on the shores of Lake Ontojaervi, where the surface sediment was frozen to a greater depth and across wider areas than in Lake Lentua. Below the freezing zone, the ice just pressed down on the sediment. The shores of Lake Ontojaervi were steeper than those of Lake Lentua, which affected the distribution of bottom types, with sandy bottoms being more common in Lake Lentua than in Lake Ontojaervi. The factors related to site exposure included effective fetch and the shape of the shoreline. The sedimentation level correlated only with the slope and was not predicted by the fetch or shape. The vertical reduction of light was estimated on the basis of water colour. The main environmental factors from the two lakes were used in a discriminant analysis to predict the bottom type distribution of the littoral (r{sup 2} = 0.41). (orig.) 66 refs.

Is neck pain associated with worse health-related quality of life 6 months later? A population-based cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nolet, P. S.; Cote, P.; Kristman, V. L.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Current evidence suggests that neck pain is negatively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, these studies are cross-sectional and do not inform the association between neck pain and future HRQoL. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate...... of future poor physical HRQoL in the population. Raising awareness of the possible future impact of neck pain on physical HRQoL is important for health-care providers and policy makers with respect to the management of neck pain in populations.......BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Current evidence suggests that neck pain is negatively associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL). However, these studies are cross-sectional and do not inform the association between neck pain and future HRQoL. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate...... Saskatchewan adults were included. OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures were the mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) of the Short-Form-36 (SF-36) questionnaire. METHODS: We formed a cohort of 1,100 randomly sampled Saskatchewan adults in September 1995. We used the Chronic Pain...

Resorts, second home owners and distance: a case study in northern Finland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pekka Kauppila

2010-11-01

Full Text Available One of the most important factors for the site selection of a second home is the space-time dimension. For example, the popularity of second home tourism in the hinterland of population centres is based on the short distance between second homes and the permanent residence of second home owners. In the case of peripheral resorts, however, the main reason for a large number of second homes is the attractiveness of the area associated with a high level of touristic elements. The study examines the municipalities of residence of the second home owners in four large resorts – Levi, Ruka, Saariselkä and Ylläs – in northern Finland. After analysing the geographical distribution of the owners with maps and diagrams the aim of the paper is to present a distance model for the resorts located in a northern periphery from the viewpoint of the regions of destination. Generally speaking, the model resembles a U-letter. In this respect, the resorts have three zones – day trip, weekend and vacation – and each of them has their own characteristics based on accessibility and regional structure, the number and structure of population (potential owners and land ownership. In the planning context, the proposed model can be utilised as a tool for the marketing of resorts as a second home environment as well as for analysing and comparing the overall attractiveness of resorts.

Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Groisman, Pavel; Shugart, Herman; Kicklighter, David

2017-01-01

. The Northern Eurasia Future Initiative (NEFI) has been designed as an essential continuation of the Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI), which was launched in 2004. NEESPI sought to elucidate all aspects of ongoing environmental change, to inform societies and, thus, to better...

Wildfires in northern Siberian larch dominated communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kharuk, Viacheslav I; Dvinskaya, Maria L; Im, Sergey T; Ranson, Kenneth J

2011-01-01

The fire history of the northern larch forests within the permafrost zone in a portion of northern Siberia (∼66°N, 100°E) was studied. Since there is little to no human activity in this area, fires within the study area were mostly caused by lightning. Fire return intervals (FRI) were estimated on the basis of burn marks on tree stems and dates of tree natality. FRI values varied from 130 to 350 yr with a 200 ± 50 yr mean. For southerly larch dominated communities, FRI was found to be shorter (77 ± 20 yr at ∼ 61°N, and 82 ± 7 at 64°N), and it was longer at the northern boundary (∼71°) of larch stands (320 ± 50 yr). During the Little Ice Age period in the 16th–18th centuries, FRI was approximately twice as long those as recorded in this study. Fire caused changes in the soil including increases in soil drainage and permafrost thawing depth, and a radial growth increase to about twice the background value (with more than six times observed in extreme cases). This effect may simulate the predicted warming impact on the larch growth in the permafrost zone.

The epidemiology of neck pain: what we have learned from our population-based studies

Science.gov (United States)

Côté, Pierre; Cassidy, J. David; Carroll, Linda

2003-01-01

Background: There are few population-based studies on the epidemiology of neck pain in the general population. Purpose: To synthesize the findings of two large population-based studies of the epidemiology of neck pain and whiplash-associated disorders from the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Study Design and Methods: We conducted two population-based cohort studies of neck pain and its related disability in Saskatchewan, Canada. First, the Saskatchewan Health and Back Pain Survey was designed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with neck pain in randomly selected adults. Second, we conducted a cohort study of the incidence and prognosis of whiplash and studied whether a change in the insurance system from tort to no-fault was related to a reduction in the number of whiplash claims and faster recovery. Results: In 1995, the six-month prevalence of neck pain was 54.2% and 4.6% of adults experienced disabling neck pain in the previous six-months. Neck pain was associated with education, comorbidities, smoking, self-reported general health and a history of neck injury in a motor vehicle collision. The incidence of treated and/or compensated whiplash injury was estimated at 834/100,000 adults in 1994, and dropped by 28% to 598/100,000 adults in 1995, after tort reform. Compared to tort, the median time-to-recovery was more than 230 days faster under no-fault. The strongest predictors of recovery were age, gender, education, injury severity, lawyer involvement and type of initial care provider. Conclusion: Neck pain is a public health problem. The incidence and prognosis of whiplash injuries are greatly influenced by compensation for pain and suffering, legal factors, injury severity and sociodemographic characteristics. Overall, neck pain is a multifaceted disabling problem that deserves more attention. When treating patients with neck pain, clinicians need to recognize that it is more than a physical problem and that its prognosis is influenced by

Regulatory Oversight of the Legacy Gunner Uranium Mine and Mill Site in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada - 13434

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stenson, Ron; Howard, Don [Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission, P.O. Box 1046, Station B, 280 Slater Street, Ottawa ON K1P 5S9 (Canada)

2013-07-01

As Canada's nuclear regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) is responsible for licensing all aspects of uranium mining, including remediation activities at legacy sites. Since these sites already existed when the current legislation came into force in 2000, and the previous legislation did not apply, they present a special case. The Nuclear Safety and Control Act (NSCA), was written with cradle-to- grave oversight in mind. Applying the NSCA at the end of a 'facilities' life-cycle poses some challenges to both the regulator and the proponent. When the proponent is the public sector, even more challenges can present themselves. Although the licensing process for legacy sites is no different than for any other CNSC license, assuring regulatory compliance can be more complicated. To demonstrate how the CNSC has approached the oversight of legacy sites the history of the Commission's involvement with the Gunnar uranium mine and mill site provides a good case study. The lessons learned from the CNSC's experience regulating the Gunnar site will benefit those in the future who will need to regulate legacy sites under existing or new legislation. (authors)

The Northern Norway mother-and-child contaminant cohort study: implementation, population characteristics and summary of dietary findings.

Science.gov (United States)

Veyhe, Anna Sofía; Hansen, Solrunn; Sandanger, Torkjel M; Nieboer, Evert; Odland, Jon Øyvind

2012-01-01

To describe the essential features of a new Northern Norway mother-and-child contaminant cohort study called MISA, including its rationale, content, implementation and selected findings (mostly dietary). Cross-sectional with longitudinal aspects. Five hundred and fifteen eligible women were enrolled in early pregnancy, with 391 completing the study protocol that included a self-administrated food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and donation of biological samples for contaminant analysis in the 2nd trimester, just after delivery, and 6 weeks postpartum. Macronutrient consumption was converted to energy intake, and the amounts of both macro- and micronutrients ingested were estimated. Some of the MISA findings were compared to data available in the Medical Birth Registry of Norway (MBRN). Compared to all 2004-2006 mothers in Northern Norway, the study cohort women were about 2 years older and smoked less; on average, they had close to 16 years of education. Parity, gestational age and birth weight of the newborn were comparable as well. The estimated average dietary intake of 8.1 MJ per day was less than that recommended by the Nordic Nutritional Recommendations (NNR), but the intake of micronutrients per MJ complied. Although the final cohort sample size was less than targeted, the generally good comparisons observed between MBRN-registered information for the study cohort and dropouts suggest that this occurrence introduced minimal bias. The agreement of the observed demographic and clinical characteristics of the cohort women and newborns with all births in Northern Norway implied acceptable external validity. Also, the dietary findings aligned well with Norwegian national data and guidelines and other studies, as did the high prevalence of breastfeeding. The MISA database is considered suitable for exploring associations between contaminant exposure and diet, enhancing our knowledge of the interplay of the physiological changes that occur in mothers with

NuCoal CTL wood mountain project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2010-09-15

The province of Saskatchewan experienced significant growth between 2005 and 2008. The growing economy included an abundance of different commodities and made Saskatchewan the newest hub for the latest technologies and investment. This report outlined the various opportunities in Saskatchewan for a coal to liquids plant and its technologies. The coal from southern Saskatchewan is generally lignite, which is found in the Ravenscrag Formation near the Big Muddy Badlands. The report discussed the Ravenscrag Formation as well as mining activity that was largely concentrated near Estevan and Bienfait in southeastern Saskatchewan, where Sherritt International operated two surface mines. The Coronach Poplar River Power Station, located 10 kilometres north of the Canada-United States border in southern Saskatchewan was also discussed. Population density, labour, land use, First Nations, and proximity to major centres were factors that were discussed. The programs that were identified included the Saskatchewan immigrant nominee program, an alternative program to the Canadian federal immigration program for those who want to come to Saskatchewan as a permanent resident of Canada; the Weyburn-Midale carbon dioxide project, the world's first carbon dioxide measuring, monitoring and verification initiative; and the Federated Co-op in Regina, a 100,000 barrel/day refinery located close to the Coronach area in Saskatchewan. Political climate, access to the electrical grid, access to water, access to major pipelines, access to rail lines, and access to highways were other topics that were presented. It was concluded that southern Saskatchewan had a broad range of opportunities for a coal to liquids plant. The area has numerous advantages including access to rail and pipelines. refs., tabs., figs., appendices.

Proposed purchasing, employment and training policies for northern projects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-09-01

Manitoba Hydro is about to embark on a major construction project in the northern part of the province. Important considerations involved in this project include purchasing the necessary materials, products, and services, and employing a suitable work force. An outline is presented of draft policies being considered by Manitoba Hydro to enhance northern-aboriginal and northern participation in its future development projects in northern Manitoba. The policies are presented in four sections: purchasing for northern construction and operation activities; training and employment for construction of a generation station and expansion of a converter station; training and employment for construction of a major north-south transmission line; and training and employment for northern operations and maintenance work at existing facilities. Aspects of these policies include giving preference in purchasing to northern and aboriginal businesses, training initiatives and employee counselling for aboriginal employees, and hiring preferences directed toward northern aboriginals and northern residents

Trends in Northern Hemisphere surface cyclone frequency and intensity

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, G.J.; Clark, M.P.; Serreze, Mark C.

2001-01-01

One of the hypothesized effects of global warming from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases is a change in the frequency and/or intensity of extratropical cyclones. In this study, winter frequencies and intensities of extratropical cyclones in the Northern Hemisphere for the period 1959-97 are examined to determine if identifiable trends are occurring. Results indicate a statistically significant decrease in midlatitude cyclone frequency and a significant increase in high-latitude cyclone frequency. In addition, storm intensity has increased in both the high and midlatitudes. The changes in storm frequency correlate with changes in winter Northern Hemisphere temperature and support hypotheses that global warming may result in a northward shift of storm tracks in the Northern Hemisphere.

Aisle-truss houses of Northern Jutland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eybye, Birgitte Tanderup

2014-01-01

The aisle-truss houses of Northern Jutland were built under hard conditions, such as harsh climate and scarce resources. Hence, the aisle-truss houses display a number of resource-saving and sustainable building principles, including the arcade construction and the use of passive energy strategies......, which make them relevant to research. This paper investigates resource-saving and sustainable principles in the aisle-truss houses of Thy, Northern Jutland. General features as well as three cases of the one-wing dwelling aisle-truss houses are studied. The aim is to improve the understanding of aisle......-truss houses. Another aim is to suggest strategies for modern sustainable building on the basis of the identified principles in aisle-truss houses....

Rural telemedicine project in northern New Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zink, S.; Hahn, H.; Rudnick, J.; Snell, J.; Forslund, D. [Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States); Martinez, P. [Northern New Mexico Community Coll., Espanola, NM (United States)

1998-12-31

A virtual electronic medical record system is being deployed over the Internet with security in northern New Mexico using TeleMed, a multimedia medical records management system that uses CORBA-based client-server technology and distributed database architecture. The goal of the NNM Rural Telemedicine Project is to implement TeleMed into fifteen rural clinics and two hospitals within a 25,000 square mile area of northern New Mexico. Evaluation of the project consists of three components: job task analysis, audit of immunized children, and time motion studies. Preliminary results of the evaluation components are presented.

Developing a Topographic Model to Predict the Northern Hardwood Forest Type within Carolina Northern Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus Recovery Areas of the Southern Appalachians

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Evans

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The northern hardwood forest type is an important habitat component for the endangered Carolina northern flying squirrel (CNFS; Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus for den sites and corridor habitats between boreo-montane conifer patches foraging areas. Our study related terrain data to presence of northern hardwood forest type in the recovery areas of CNFS in the southern Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, eastern Tennessee, and southwestern Virginia. We recorded overstory species composition and terrain variables at 338 points, to construct a robust, spatially predictive model. Terrain variables analyzed included elevation, aspect, slope gradient, site curvature, and topographic exposure. We used an information-theoretic approach to assess seven models based on associations noted in existing literature as well as an inclusive global model. Our results indicate that, on a regional scale, elevation, aspect, and topographic exposure index (TEI are significant predictors of the presence of the northern hardwood forest type in the southern Appalachians. Our elevation + TEI model was the best approximating model (the lowest AICc score for predicting northern hardwood forest type correctly classifying approximately 78% of our sample points. We then used these data to create region-wide predictive maps of the distribution of the northern hardwood forest type within CNFS recovery areas.

Northern Dimension: Participant Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busygina I.

2009-01-01

Full Text Available his article is devoted to the “Northern Dimension” initiative of the EU which also includes North-West Russia, Norway and Iceland. It is noted that the “Northern Dimension” in the theoretical perspective can be considered as part of strategic multi-level interactions between member-states of the EU and Russia. On this basis, the authors analyze implications and effects of the strategic interdependence of all the EU-Russia relation levels.

Northern Dimension: Participant Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Busygina Irina

2009-03-01

Full Text Available This article is devoted to the “Northern Dimension” initiative of the EU which also includes North-West Russia, Norway and Iceland. It is noted that the “Northern Dimension” in the theoretical perspective can be considered as part of strategic multi-level interactions between member-states of the EU and Russia. On this basis, the authors analyze implications and effects of the strategic interdependence of all the EU-Russia relation levels.

Ecology and social system of northern gibbons living in cold seasonal forests.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, Zhen-Hua; Ma, Chang-Yong; Fei, Han-Lan; Huang, Bei; Ning, Wen-He; Ni, Qing-Yong; Jiang, Xue-Long; Fan, Peng-Fei

2018-07-18

Gibbons in China represent the northernmost margin of present day gibbon species distribution (around N25°). Compared to tropical habitats, northern gibbon habitats are characterized by low temperatures and remarkable seasonal variation in fruit abundance. How gibbons adapt to their cold and seasonal habitats and what ecological factors affect their sociality are key questions for understanding their ecology and social system evolution, the elucidation of which will contribute to the conservation of these special populations/species. According to preliminary short-term studies, northern gibbons consume more leaves and use larger home ranges than tropical gibbons. Interestingly, some Nomascus groups consist of more than one adult female. However, these preliminary results are not well understood or incorporated into current socio-ecological theories regarding gibbon species. To better understand northern gibbons, our team has systematically studied three habituated groups of Nomascus concolor, three groups of N. nasutus, and two habituated groups of Hoolock tianxing since 2002. In this paper, we stress the challenges facing gibbons living in northern habitats and summarize their behavioral adaptations to their harsh environments. We also describe the northern gibbon social system and discuss the potential relationships between their ecology and sociality. Finally, we highlight future research questions related to northern gibbons in China.

Ecology and social system of northern gibbons living in cold seasonal forests

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhen-Hua Guan

2018-07-01

Full Text Available Gibbons in China represent the northernmost margin of present day gibbon species distribution (around N25°. Compared to tropical habitats, northern gibbon habitats are characterized by low temperatures and remarkable seasonal variation in fruit abundance. How gibbons adapt to their cold and seasonal habitats and what ecological factors affect their sociality are key questions for understanding their ecology and social system evolution, the elucidation of which will contribute to the conservation of these special populations/species. According to preliminary short-term studies, northern gibbons consume more leaves and use larger home ranges than tropical gibbons. Interestingly, some Nomascus groups consist of more than one adult female. However, these preliminary results are not well understood or incorporated into current socio-ecological theories regarding gibbon species. To better understand northern gibbons, our team has systematically studied three habituated groups of Nomascus concolor, three groups of N. nasutus, and two habituated groups of Hoolock tianxing since 2002. In this paper, we stress the challenges facing gibbons living in northern habitats and summarize their behavioral adaptations to their harsh environments. We also describe the northern gibbon social system and discuss the potential relationships between their ecology and sociality. Finally, we highlight future research questions related to northern gibbons in China.

Communication, Relationships, and Religious Difference in the Northern Ireland Workplace: A Study of Private and Public Sector Organizations

Science.gov (United States)

Dickson, David; Hargie, Owen; Wilson, Noel

2008-01-01

Four large organizations, two each from the private and public sectors of the Northern Ireland economy, were selected for this study which, first, explored the effects of religion-based workforce difference on intergroup relationships, second, investigated the contribution of organizational sector to communicative differences, and third, gauged…

Collective trauma in northern Sri Lanka: a qualitative psychosocial-ecological study.

Science.gov (United States)

Somasundaram, Daya

2007-10-04

Complex situations that follow war and natural disasters have a psychosocial impact on not only the individual but also on the family, community and society. Just as the mental health effects on the individual psyche can result in non pathological distress as well as a variety of psychiatric disorders; massive and widespread trauma and loss can impact on family and social processes causing changes at the family, community and societal levels. This qualitative, ecological study is a naturalistic, psychosocial ethnography in Northern Sri Lanka, while actively involved in psychosocial and community mental health programmes among the Tamil community. Participatory observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussion with community level relief and rehabilitation workers and government and non-governmental officials were used to gather data. The effects on the community of the chronic, man-made disaster, war, in Northern Sri Lanka were compared with the contexts found before the war and after the tsunami. Fundamental changes in the functioning of the family and the community were observed. While the changes after the tsunami were not so prominent, the chronic war situation caused more fundamental social transformations. At the family level, the dynamics of single parent families, lack of trust among members, and changes in significant relationships, and child rearing practices were seen. Communities tended to be more dependent, passive, silent, without leadership, mistrustful, and suspicious. Additional adverse effects included the breakdown in traditional structures, institutions and familiar ways of life, and deterioration in social norms and ethics. A variety of community level interventions were tried. Exposure to conflict, war and disaster situations impact on fundamental family and community dynamics resulting in changes at a collective level. Relief, rehabilitation and development programmes to be effective will need to address the problem of

Collective trauma in northern Sri Lanka: a qualitative psychosocial-ecological study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Somasundaram Daya

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Complex situations that follow war and natural disasters have a psychosocial impact on not only the individual but also on the family, community and society. Just as the mental health effects on the individual psyche can result in non pathological distress as well as a variety of psychiatric disorders; massive and widespread trauma and loss can impact on family and social processes causing changes at the family, community and societal levels. Method This qualitative, ecological study is a naturalistic, psychosocial ethnography in Northern Sri Lanka, while actively involved in psychosocial and community mental health programmes among the Tamil community. Participatory observation, key informant interviews and focus group discussion with community level relief and rehabilitation workers and government and non-governmental officials were used to gather data. The effects on the community of the chronic, man-made disaster, war, in Northern Sri Lanka were compared with the contexts found before the war and after the tsunami. Results Fundamental changes in the functioning of the family and the community were observed. While the changes after the tsunami were not so prominent, the chronic war situation caused more fundamental social transformations. At the family level, the dynamics of single parent families, lack of trust among members, and changes in significant relationships, and child rearing practices were seen. Communities tended to be more dependent, passive, silent, without leadership, mistrustful, and suspicious. Additional adverse effects included the breakdown in traditional structures, institutions and familiar ways of life, and deterioration in social norms and ethics. A variety of community level interventions were tried. Conclusion Exposure to conflict, war and disaster situations impact on fundamental family and community dynamics resulting in changes at a collective level. Relief, rehabilitation and development

Preschool Affects Longer Term Literacy and Numeracy: Results from a General Population Longitudinal Study in Northern Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Melhuish, Edward; Quinn, Louise; Sylva, Kathy; Sammons, Pam; Siraj-Blatchford, Iram; Taggart, Brenda

2013-01-01

The Effective Pre-school Provision in Northern Ireland (EPPNI) project is a longitudinal study of child development from 3 to 11 years. It is one of the first large-scale UK projects to investigate the effects of different kinds of preschool provision, and to relate experience in preschool to child development. In EPPNI, 683 children were randomly…

Study of hydrocarbons in bottom sediments of the northern Dvina River-White Sea geochemical barrier during spring flood. Volume 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nemirovskaya, I.; Shevchenko, V.

2007-01-01

The Northern Dvina in Northern Russia is the main river of the White Sea reservoir. The water discharge is 108 km 3 per year. With active shipping and several large pulp and paper mills that operate in the region, the river is a supplier of polluting substances. Weathered oil and pyrogenic compounds dominate the composition of hydrocarbons. During flooding, the Northern Dvina - Dvina Bay geochemical barrier becomes a filter, which prevents pollutants from penetrating to the White Sea. This paper summarized data on the concentration and composition of hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons (AHC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the marine water and bottom sediments at the mouth of the Northern Dvina/White Sea. Nearly similar concentrations of organic compounds were found in the Northern Dvina River water and in the near-mouth White Sea water area. However, their distribution conforms to the marginal filter rules. Natural terrigenous hydrocarbon compounds were found to dominate in all forms. Biogenic autochthonous hydrocarbons were detected in the near-shore areas and in the outer zone of the marginal filter of the Northern Dvina River, where PAH are formed together with AHC. 20 refs., 2 tabs., 4 figs

Diplomacy and the polio immunization boycott in Northern Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaufmann, Judith R; Feldbaum, Harley

2009-01-01

The boycott of polio vaccination in three Northern Nigerian states in 2003 created a global health crisis that was political in origin. This paper traces the diplomatic actions that were taken by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, the United Nations, and the U.S. government, to restart polio vaccination and resolve the crisis. The polio vaccination boycott in Northern Nigeria provides a useful case study of the practice of global health diplomacy.

Association between body mass index and recovery from whiplash injuries: a cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xiaoqing; Côté, Pierre; Cassidy, J David; Carroll, Linda

2007-05-01

It is hypothesized that excess weight is a risk factor for delayed recovery from neck pain, such as from whiplash injuries. However, the association between obesity and recovery from whiplash injury has not been studied. The authors examined the association between body mass index and time to recovery from whiplash injuries in a population-based cohort study of traffic injuries in Saskatchewan, Canada. The cohort included 4,395 individuals who made an insurance claim to Saskatchewan Government Insurance and were treated for whiplash injury between July 1, 1994, and December 31, 1995. Of those, 87.7% had recovered by November 1, 1997. No association was found between baseline body mass index and time to recovery. Compared with individuals with normal weight, those who were underweight (hazard rate ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval: 0.73, 1.06), overweight (hazard rate ratio = 1.01, 95% confidence interval: 0.94, 1.09), and obese (hazard rate ratio = 0.99, 95% confidence interval: 0.90, 1.08) had similar rates of recovery, even after adjustment for other factors. The results do not support the hypothesis that individuals who are overweight or obese have a worse prognosis for whiplash.

Methods and background characteristics of the TOHNN study: a population-based study of oral health conditions in northern Norway

Science.gov (United States)

Holde, Gro Eirin; Oscarson, Nils; Tillberg, Anders; Marstrander, Peter; Jönsson, Birgitta

2016-01-01

Objectives The aim of the Tromstannen – Oral Health in Northern Norway (TOHNN) study was to investigate oral health and dental-related diseases in an adult population. This article provides an overview of the background of the study and a description of the sample characteristics and methods employed in data collection. Study design Cross-sectional population-based study including a questionnaire and clinical dental examination. Methods A randomly selected sample of 2,909 individuals (20–79 years old) drawn from the population register was invited to participate in the study. The data were collected between October 2013 and November 2014 in Troms County in northern Norway. The questionnaire focused on oral health-related behaviours and attitudes, oral health-related quality of life, sense of coherence, dental anxiety and symptoms from the temporomandibular joint. The dental examinations, including radiographs, were conducted by 11 dental teams in 5 dental offices. The examination comprised of registration of dental caries, full mouth periodontal status, temporomandibular disorders, mucosal lesions and height and weight. The participants were grouped by age (20–34, 35–49, 50–64 and 65–79) and ethnicity (Norwegian, Sámi, other European and other world). Results From the original sample of 2,909 individuals, 1,986 (68.3%) people participated, of whom 1,019 (51.3%) were women. The highest attendance rate was among women 20–34 years old (80.3%) and the lowest in the oldest age group of women (55.4%). There was no difference in response rate between rural and urban areas. There was a positive correlation between population size and household gross income (p population in Troms County. Due to the high participation rate, generalization both nationally and to the circumpolar area ought to be possible. PMID:26900910

Healthy Start - Départ Santé: A pilot study of a multilevel intervention to increase physical activity, fundamental movement skills and healthy eating in rural childcare centres.

Science.gov (United States)

Froehlich Chow, Amanda; Leis, Anne; Humbert, Louise; Muhajarine, Nazeem; Engler-Stringer, Rachel

2016-10-20

In order to improve healthy behaviours among rural children in their early years, a physical activity and healthy eating intervention (Healthy Start - Départ Santé) was implemented in rural childcare centres throughout Saskatchewan. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the impact of a multimodal physical activity and healthy eating intervention on educators' provision of opportunities for children to improve their physical activity levels, fundamental movement skills and healthy eating behaviours. Six childcare centres (three Francophone and three Anglophone) located in five different rural and semi-rural communities in Saskatchewan participated in this intervention. A total of 69 children with a mean age of 4 years 9 months, and 19 female early childhood educators. Guided by an ecological framework, we implemented a population health controlled intervention, using a wait list control design (48 weeks delayed intervention), and evaluated its impact in rural childcare centres. Mixed methods were employed to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Overall, educators felt that the intervention supported the provision of physical activity and healthy eating opportunities for children. Increases in children's physical activity levels were reported following the intervention. The lessons learned in this study can be used to improve the Healthy Start - Départ Santé intervention so that its implementation can be effectively expanded to childcare centres within and outside Saskatchewan, in turn, supporting the healthy development of early years (0-5) children in the province and beyond.

Discussion of “Geology and diamond distribution of the 140/141 kimberlite, Fort à la Corne, central Saskatchewan, Canada”, by A. Berryman, B.H. Scott-Smith and B.C. Jellicoe (Lithos v. 76, p. 99 114)

Science.gov (United States)

Kjarsgaard, Bruce A.; Leckie, Dale A.; Zonneveld, John-Paul

2007-09-01

A wide variety of geological data and geological observations by numerous geoscientists do not support a two-stage crater excavation and in-fill model, or a champagne glass-shaped geometry for the 169 or 140/141 kimberlite bodies in the Fort à la Corne kimberlite field, Saskatchewan as described by Berryman, A., Scott Smith, B.H., Jellicoe, B., (2004). Rather, these kimberlite bodies are best described as polygenetic kimberlite tephra cones and tuff rings with associated feeder vents of variable geometry as shown by previous workers for the 169 kimberlite, the 140/141 kimberlite and the Star kimberlite. The domal tephra cone geometry is preserved due to burial by conformable Cretaceous marine mudstones and siltstones and is not an artifact of Quaternary glacial processes.

Risk assessment of precipitation extremes in northern Xinjiang, China

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Jun; Pei, Ying; Zhang, Yanwei; Ge, Quansheng

2018-05-01

This study was conducted using daily precipitation records gathered at 37 meteorological stations in northern Xinjiang, China, from 1961 to 2010. We used the extreme value theory model, generalized extreme value (GEV) and generalized Pareto distribution (GPD), statistical distribution function to fit outputs of precipitation extremes with different return periods to estimate risks of precipitation extremes and diagnose aridity-humidity environmental variation and corresponding spatial patterns in northern Xinjiang. Spatiotemporal patterns of daily maximum precipitation showed that aridity-humidity conditions of northern Xinjiang could be well represented by the return periods of the precipitation data. Indices of daily maximum precipitation were effective in the prediction of floods in the study area. By analyzing future projections of daily maximum precipitation (2, 5, 10, 30, 50, and 100 years), we conclude that the flood risk will gradually increase in northern Xinjiang. GEV extreme value modeling yielded the best results, proving to be extremely valuable. Through example analysis for extreme precipitation models, the GEV statistical model was superior in terms of favorable analog extreme precipitation. The GPD model calculation results reflect annual precipitation. For most of the estimated sites' 2 and 5-year T for precipitation levels, GPD results were slightly greater than GEV results. The study found that extreme precipitation reaching a certain limit value level will cause a flood disaster. Therefore, predicting future extreme precipitation may aid warnings of flood disaster. A suitable policy concerning effective water resource management is thus urgently required.

Future human health research directions for the Canadian Northern Contaminants Program

Science.gov (United States)

Donaldson, Shawn G.; Curren, Meredith S.; Adlard, Bryan; Provost, Jonathan; Leech, Tara; Tikhonov, Constantine; Feeley, Mark; Tomlinson, Scott; Shearer, Russel

2013-01-01

Studies conducted in the mid-1980s and early 1990s demonstrated that persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals were reaching the Arctic ecosystem at unexpectedly high levels, many of which had no Arctic or Canadian sources. Epidemiological and toxicological studies in Canada and in other countries have found that these contaminants may pose a risk to human health. The objective of this paper is to provide the foundation for the discussion on future northern human health research under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) in Canada. This short discussion of human health priorities will help guide a path forward for future northern human health research in Canada to address on-going and new health concerns related to contaminants exposure in the Canadian Arctic. PMID:24282784

A regional soil and sediment geochemical study in northern California

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldhaber, Martin B.; Morrison, Jean M.; Holloway, JoAnn M.; Wanty, Richard B.; Helsel, Dennis R.; Smith, David B.

2009-01-01

Regional-scale variations in soil geochemistry were investigated in a 20,000-km 2 study area in northern California that includes the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the southern Sacramento Valley and the northern Coast Ranges. Over 1300 archival soil samples collected from the late 1970s to 1980 in El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties were analyzed for 42 elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry following a near-total dissolution. These data were supplemented by analysis of more than 500 stream-sediment samples from higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada from the same study site. The relatively high-density data (1 sample per 15 km 2 for much of the study area) allows the delineation of regional geochemical patterns and the identification of processes that produced these patterns. The geochemical results segregate broadly into distinct element groupings whose distribution reflects the interplay of geologic, hydrologic, geomorphic and anthropogenic factors. One such group includes elements associated with mafic and ultramafic rocks including Cr, Ni, V, Co, Cu and Mg. Using Cr as an example, elevated concentrations occur in soils overlying ultramafic rocks in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada (median Cr = 160 mg/kg) as well as in the northern Coast Ranges. Low concentrations of these elements occur in soils located further upslope in the Sierra Nevada overlying Tertiary volcanic, metasedimentary and plutonic rocks (granodiorite and diorite). Eastern Sacramento Valley soil samples, defined as those located east of the Sacramento River, are lower in Cr (median Cr = 84 mg/kg), and are systematically lower in this suite compared to soils from the west side of the Sacramento Valley (median Cr = 130 mg/kg). A second group of elements showing a coherent pattern, including Ca, K, Sr and REE, is derived from relatively silicic rocks types. This group occurs at elevated

A regional soil and sediment geochemical study in northern California

Science.gov (United States)

Goldhaber, M.B.; Morrison, J.M.; Holloway, J.M.; Wanty, R.B.; Helsel, D.R.; Smith, D.B.

2009-01-01

Regional-scale variations in soil geochemistry were investigated in a 20,000-km2 study area in northern California that includes the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, the southern Sacramento Valley and the northern Coast Ranges. Over 1300 archival soil samples collected from the late 1970s to 1980 in El Dorado, Placer, Sutter, Sacramento, Yolo and Solano counties were analyzed for 42 elements by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry following a near-total dissolution. These data were supplemented by analysis of more than 500 stream-sediment samples from higher elevations in the Sierra Nevada from the same study site. The relatively high-density data (1 sample per 15 km2 for much of the study area) allows the delineation of regional geochemical patterns and the identification of processes that produced these patterns. The geochemical results segregate broadly into distinct element groupings whose distribution reflects the interplay of geologic, hydrologic, geomorphic and anthropogenic factors. One such group includes elements associated with mafic and ultramafic rocks including Cr, Ni, V, Co, Cu and Mg. Using Cr as an example, elevated concentrations occur in soils overlying ultramafic rocks in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada (median Cr = 160 mg/kg) as well as in the northern Coast Ranges. Low concentrations of these elements occur in soils located further upslope in the Sierra Nevada overlying Tertiary volcanic, metasedimentary and plutonic rocks (granodiorite and diorite). Eastern Sacramento Valley soil samples, defined as those located east of the Sacramento River, are lower in Cr (median Cr = 84 mg/kg), and are systematically lower in this suite compared to soils from the west side of the Sacramento Valley (median Cr = 130 mg/kg). A second group of elements showing a coherent pattern, including Ca, K, Sr and REE, is derived from relatively silicic rocks types. This group occurs at elevated

A preliminary study of mineralogy and geochemistry of four coal samples from northern Iran

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goodarzi, F.; Sanei, H.; Stasiuk, L.D.; Reyes, J. [Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada-Calgary Division, Calgary, Alberta (Canada); Bagheri-Sadeghi, H. [Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Azad University, Central Campus, Tehran (Iran)

2006-01-03

This study is related to four Jurassic-age bituminous coal (0.69-1.02 Ro%) samples collected from coal mines from the west, central and east of central, Alborz in northern Iran. Geological settings played key roles in determining the geochemistry and mineralogy of coals from the central Alborz region of northern Iran. The mineralogy of coals from the eastern part of the region is dominated by kaolinite; halloysite; and carbonates such as calcite, dolomite/ankerite, and siderite. The coals were deposited in a lacustrine environment. In the western part of the region, where the depositional setting was also lacustrine with volcanic input and tonstein deposition (glass shards present), the coal primarily contains kaolinite (68%) and fluorapatite (26%). In contrast, coal from the central part of the region, which was deposited in a terrestrial environment and on eroded limestone and dolomite rocks, is dominated by dolomite (98%) with little input by kaolinite. These coals have low sulphur (0.35-0.70 wt.%), which is mostly in the organic form (0.34-0.69 wt.%). Pyritic sulphur is detected only in one coal and in small quantities. The boron contents of these coals range from 9 to 33 mg/kg, indicating that deposition occurred in a fresh water environment. Coal with higher concentrations of Ba, Sr, and P contain fluorapatite and goyazite-gorceixite series [BaAl{sub 3} (PO{sub 4}){sub 2} (OH){sub 5}, H{sub 2}O] minerals, which indicates volcanoclastic input. Compared to world coal averages, these coals exhibit low concentrations of elements of environmental concern, such as As (1.3-5.9 mg/kg), Cd (<0.02-0.06 mg/kg), Hg (<0.01-0.07 mg/kg) Mo (<0.6-1.7 mg/kg), Pb (4.8-13 mg/kg), Th (0.5-21 mg/kg), Se (<0.2-0.8 mg/kg) and U (0.2-4.6 mg/kg). Two of the northern Iranian coals have concentrations of Cl (2560 and 3010 mg/kg) that are higher than world coal average. (author)

A study of radon emanation from waste rock at Northern Territory uranium mines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mason, G.C.; Gan, T.H.; Elliott, G.

1983-01-01

Field measurements were made of radon emanation rates from waste rock sources at Ranger, Nabarlek and Rum Jungle, three Northern Territory uranium mine sites. The preliminary mean emanation rate was approximately 50 Bq m - 2 s - 2 per percent ore grade

Northern pipelines : backgrounder

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-04-01

Most analysts agree that demand for natural gas in North America will continue to grow. Favourable market conditions created by rising demand and declining production have sparked renewed interest in northern natural gas development. The 2002 Annual Energy Outlook forecasted U.S. consumption to increase at an annual average rate of 2 per cent from 22.8 trillion cubic feet to 33.8 TCF by 2020, mostly due to rapid growth in demand for electric power generation. Natural gas prices are also expected to increase at an annual average rate of 1.6 per cent, reaching $3.26 per thousand cubic feet in 2020. There are currently 3 proposals for pipelines to move northern gas to US markets. They include a stand-alone Mackenzie Delta Project, the Alaska Highway Pipeline Project, and an offshore route that would combine Alaskan and Canadian gas in a pipeline across the floor of the Beaufort Sea. Current market conditions and demand suggest that the projects are not mutually exclusive, but complimentary. The factors that differentiate northern pipeline proposals are reserves, preparedness for market, costs, engineering, and environmental differences. Canada has affirmed its role to provide the regulatory and fiscal certainty needed by industry to make investment decisions. The Government of the Yukon does not believe that the Alaska Highway Project will shut in Mackenzie Delta gas, but will instead pave the way for development of a new northern natural gas industry. The Alaska Highway Pipeline Project will bring significant benefits for the Yukon, the Northwest Territories and the rest of Canada. Unresolved land claims are one of the challenges that has to be addressed for both Yukon and the Northwest Territories, as the proposed Alaska Highway Pipeline will travel through traditional territories of several Yukon first Nations. 1 tab., 4 figs

Hydrogeochemical quality and suitability studies of groundwater in northern Bangladesh.

Science.gov (United States)

Islam, M J; Hakim, M A; Hanafi, M M; Juraimi, Abdul Shukor; Aktar, Sharmin; Siddiqa, Aysha; Rahman, A K M Shajedur; Islam, M Atikul; Halim, M A

2014-07-01

Agriculture, rapid urbanization and geochemical processes have direct or indirect effects on the chemical composition of groundwater and aquifer geochemistry. Hydro-chemical investigations, which are significant for assessment of water quality, were carried out to study the sources of dissolved ions in groundwater of Dinajpur district, northern Bangladesh. The groundwater samplish were analyzed for physico-chemical properties like pH, electrical conductance, hardness, alkalinity, total dissolved solids and Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, CO3(2-), HCO3(-), SO4(2-) and Cl- ions, respectively. Based on the analyses, certain parameters like sodium adsorption ratio, soluble sodium percentage, potential salinity, residual sodium carbonate, Kelly's ratio, permeability index and Gibbs ratio were also calculated. The results showed that the groundwater of study area was fresh, slightly acidic (pH 5.3-6.4) and low in TDS (35-275 mg I(-1)). Ground water of the study area was found suitable for irrigation, drinking and domestic purposes, since most of the parameters analyzed were within the WHO recommended values for drinking water. High concentration of NO3- and Cl- was reported in areas with extensive agriculture and rapid urbanization. Ion-exchange, weathering, oxidation and dissolution of minerals were major geochemical processes governing the groundwater evolution in study area. Gibb's diagram showed that all the samples fell in the rock dominance field. Based on evaluation, it is clear that groundwater quality of the study area was suitable for both domestic and irrigation purposes.

Studies on radionuclide concentration along the Northern Coast of Krusadai Island

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Inigo Valan, I.; Stephen, A.; Mathiyarasu, R.; Murthy, S.M.S.; Vijayalakshmi, I.

2014-01-01

Krusadai Island - The Biologist's Paradise, is situated in Gulf of Mannar (GaM) near Rameswaram of Tamilnadu, India. It has been recognized as Ecological sensitive area under Coastal regulation zone notification 1991 because these area act as the breeding zone for a variety of marine species, most of which are consumed by human population. Above all Govt. of India and Govt. of Tamil Nadu jointly declared Gulf of Mannar as Marine National Park under Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972. So it is essential to have a periodic radiological survey in this area in order to check the concentrations of various radionuclide. Apart from this 2004 Tsunami had many devastating effects along the coastal Tamil Nadu. GOM (Especially Rameswaram coast) didn't suffer a lot due to the barricade-like protection given by the island nation Sri Lanka. But reports suggest that northeastern part of the Krusadai Island had noticeable effects due to Tsunami, which interests to study this area. Current study is a preliminary radioactive report on the northern part of the Krusadai Island

Does urban vegetation mitigate air pollution in northern conditions?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Setälä, Heikki; Viippola, Viljami; Rantalainen, Anna-Lea; Pennanen, Arto; Yli-Pelkonen, Vesa

2013-01-01

It is generally accepted that urban vegetation improves air quality and thereby enhances the well-being of citizens. However, empirical evidence on the potential of urban trees to mitigate air pollution is meager, particularly in northern climates with a short growing season. We studied the ability of urban park/forest vegetation to remove air pollutants (NO 2 , anthropogenic VOCs and particle deposition) using passive samplers in two Finnish cities. Concentrations of each pollutant in August (summer; leaf-period) and March (winter, leaf-free period) were slightly but often insignificantly lower under tree canopies than in adjacent open areas, suggesting that the role of foliage in removing air pollutants is insignificant. Furthermore, vegetation-related environmental variables (canopy closure, number and size of trees, density of understorey vegetation) did not explain the variation in pollution concentrations. Our results suggest that the ability of urban vegetation to remove air pollutants is minor in northern climates. -- Highlights: ► The ability of northern urban vegetation to remove air pollutants is minor. ► Vegetation-related environmental variables had no effect on air pollution levels. ► The ability of vegetation to clean air did not differ between summer and winter. ► Dry deposition passive samplers proved applicable in urban air pollution study. -- The ability of urban vegetation to remove air pollutants seems to be minor in northern climates

Endothelial dysfunction is associated with carotid plaque: a cross-sectional study from the population based Northern Manhattan Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Boden-Albala Bernadette

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Impaired vascular function occurs early in atherogenesis. Brachial flow mediated dilatation (FMD is a non-invasive measure of vascular function and may be an important marker of preclinical atherosclerosis. Data on the association between FMD and carotid plaque in multi-ethnic populations are limited. The objective of this study was to determine whether endothelial dysfunction is independently associated with carotid plaque in a community of northern Manhattan. Methods In the population-based Northern Manhattan Study (NOMAS, high-resolution B-mode ultrasound images of the brachial and carotid arteries were obtained in 643 stroke-free subjects (mean age 66 years; 55% women; 65% Caribbean-Hispanic, 17% African-American, 16% Caucasian. Brachial FMD was measured during reactive hyperemia. Maximum carotid plaque thickness (MCPT was measured at the peak plaque prominence. Results The mean brachial FMD was 5.78 ± 3.83 %. Carotid plaque was present in 339 (53% subjects. The mean MCPT was 1.68 ± 0.82 mm, and the 75th percentile was 2.0 mm. Reduced FMD was significantly associated with increased MCPT. After adjusting for demographics, vascular risk factors, and education, each percent of FMD decrease was associated with a significant 0.02 mm increase in MCPT (p = 0.028. In a dichotomous adjusted model, blunted FMD was associated with an increased risk of MCPT ≥ 2.0 mm (OR, 1.11 for every 1% decrease in FMD; 95% CI, 1.03–1.19. Conclusion Decreased brachial FMD is independently associated with carotid plaque. Non-invasive evaluation of endothelial dysfunction may be a useful marker of preclinical atherosclerosis and help to individualize cardiovascular risk assessment beyond traditional risk factors.

One size does not fit all: a qualitative content analysis of the importance of existing quality improvement capacity in the implementation of Releasing Time to Care: the Productive Ward™ in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Jessica; Verrall, Tanya; Maben, Jill; Griffiths, Peter; Avis, Kyla; Baker, G Ross; Teare, Gary

2014-12-19

Releasing Time to Care: The Productive Ward™ (RTC) is a method for conducting continuous quality improvement (QI). The Saskatchewan Ministry of Health mandated its implementation in Saskatchewan, Canada between 2008 and 2012. Subsequently, a research team was developed to evaluate its impact on the nursing unit environment. We sought to explore the influence of the unit's existing QI capacity on their ability to engage with RTC as a program for continuous QI. We conducted interviews with staff from 8 nursing units and asked them to speak about their experience doing RTC. Using qualitative content analysis, and guided by the Organizing for Quality framework, we describe the existing QI capacity and impact of RTC on the unit environment. The results focus on 2 units chosen to highlight extreme variation in existing QI capacity. Unit B was characterized by a strong existing environment. RTC was implemented in an environment with a motivated manager and collaborative culture. Aided by the structural support provided by the organization, the QI capacity on this unit was strengthened through RTC. Staff recognized the potential of using the RTC processes to support QI work. Staff on unit E did not have the same experience with RTC. Like unit B, they had similar structural supports provided by their organization but they did not have the same existing cultural or political environment to facilitate the implementation of RTC. They did not have internal motivation and felt they were only doing RTC because they had to. Though they had some success with RTC activities, the staff did not have the same understanding of the methods that RTC could provide for continuous QI work. RTC has the potential to be a strong tool for engaging units to do QI. This occurs best when RTC is implemented in a supporting environment. One size does not fit all and administrative bodies must consider the unique context of each environment prior to implementing large-scale QI projects. Use of an

An Epidemiological Study of Road Traffic Accidents in Guilan Province, Northern Iran in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Mohtasham-Amiri, Zahra; Dastgiri, Saeed; Davoudi-kiakalyeh, Ali; Imani, Ali; Mollarahimi, Keyvan

2016-01-01

Objective: To determine the epidemiological characteristics of the road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Guilan province, northern Iran. Methods: This study was a cross-sectional study which included all of RTIs admitted to medical centers of Guilan province (northern Iran) during 2012. ICD-10 was used as diagnostic criteria. Demographic variables also injury circumstance and in hospital variables such as length of stay, time of admission, type of surgery, ICU admission, final outcome and mechanism of injury, anatomical part of injury according to Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) classification were derives from records by trained research team. Descriptive data is reported. The predictors of mortality were also determined. Results: The prevalence of road traffic injuries in Guilan province was 31 in 10,000 populations. Of total 7671 accidents, 5976 (77.9%) were men and 1695 (22.1%) were women. Mean age of these victims was 33.3 ± 17.289 years (32.64±16.939 for men, 35.62±18.312 for women). Most of them (32.5%) were 20-29 years old. Motorcycle-car accidents had the highest frequency followed by car-car crashes and car accidents involving pedestrians. Most of the patients (85.9%) were hospitalized and 280 injured died (3.7%). Upper extremities were the most sites of injuries. Male sex, length of hospital stay, multiple injuries and increased age were associated with road traffic accident associated mortality. Conclusion: RTIs cause enormous death and disability in this area and more road traffic preventive programs should be enforcement in these areas to reduce incidences RTI. PMID:27878129

How young people communicate risks of snowmobiling in northern Norway: a focus group study.

Science.gov (United States)

Mehus, Grete; Germeten, Sidsel; Henriksen, Nils

2011-04-01

This study aims to understand how the risks of snowmobiling are communicated among northern Norwegian youths. Study design. A qualitative design with focus group interviews was chosen. Interviews centred on safety precautions and estimation of risks related to snowmobiling and driving patterns. Eighty-one students (31 girls and 50 boys) aged between 16 and 23 years from 8 high schools were interviewed in 17 focus groups that were segregated by gender. Interview data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Boys and girls communicated differently about risks. Peer-group conformity appeared stronger among boys than girls. Boys did not spontaneously relate risks to their snowmobile activities, while girls did. Boys focused upon training, coping and balance between control and lack of control while driving. Girls talked about risks, were aware of risks and sought to avoid risky situations, in contrast to boys. Boys' risk communication in groups was about how to manage challenging situations. Their focus overall was on trying to maintain control while simultaneously testing their limits. Three risk categories emerged: those who drive as they ought to (mostly girls), those who occasionally take some risks (boys and girls) and those who are extreme risk-takers (a smaller number of boys). Perceptions of and communication about risk are related to gender, peer group and familiarity with risk-taking when snowmobiling. Northern Norwegian boys' driving behaviour highlights a specific need for risk reduction, but this must also draw upon factors such as acceptance of social and cultural codes and common sense related to snowmobiling.

Significant Influences on Nature Experiences: A Comparative Study of Southern German and Northern Spanish Pupils Aged 14-15

Science.gov (United States)

Zecha, Stefanie

2015-01-01

An understanding of the current situation of nature experiences among adolescents is of critical importance for the protection of nature. The participants of this study are 14-15 year-old pupils from Bavaria (Southern Germany) and Asturias (Northern Spain). In particular, the author was interested in a) the level of outdoor experiences of each…

Birds of sacred groves of northern Kerala, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. M. Jyothi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Sacred groves are patches of vegetation preserved due to  religious or cultural tradition.  They are protected through spiritual beliefs.  Sacred groves provide an excellent abode to the biodiversity of the region where they are located.   Scientific exploration of fauna from sacred groves of India is few and far between.  The present study was conducted to explore the bird diversity and abundance in 15 selected sacred groves of northern Kerala, eight from Kannur District and seven from Kasargod District each.  A total of 111 bird species were observed belonging to 49 families and 16 orders.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala support many of the ‘forest-birds’ such as the Grey Junglefowl Gallus sonneratii, Asian Fairy-bluebird Irena puella, Tickell’s Blue-flycatcher Cyornis tickelliae, Malabar Trogon Harpactes fasciatus, Heart-spotted Woodpecker Hemicircus canente, Malabar Whistling-Thrush Myophonus horsfieldii, Little Spiderhunter Arachnothera longirostra, etc.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also support two endemic bird species of the Western Ghats, such as the Malabar Grey Hornbill Ocyceros griseus and Rufous Babbler Turdoides subrufa. Five species of raptors and four owl species were reported from the sacred groves of north Kerala during the present study.  The breeding of the White-bellied Sea-Eagle has been reported at Edayilakadu Kavu, a sacred grove in Kasargod District.  The sacred groves of northern Kerala also supported 17 species of long distant migratory birds.  Thazhe Kavu, recorded the Black-headed Ibis Threskiornis melanocephalus, a Near-Threatened bird according to IUCN. 

Clarification of some api characteristics in relation to caribou (Rangifer tarandus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William O. Pruitt, Jr.

1990-09-01

Full Text Available A total of 2177 comparisons of api hardness vs. density in northern Saskatchewan, southeastern Manitoba and northeastern Finland revealed no consistent correlation (r varied from +.70 to -.17. A total of 1395 comparisons of horizontal hardness of the top layer of api to vertical hardness of the same layer of api in southeastern Manitoba, northeastern Finland and far eastern middle Finland revealed no consistent correlation (r varied from +.99 to -.20. Therefore one cannot substitute density for hardness nor horizontal hardness of the top layer for vertical hardness of the top layer in the terms of the Värriö Snow Index.

The McClean Lake uranium project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaise, J.R.

2001-01-01

The McClean Lake Uranium Project, located in the northern part of Saskatchewan, consists of five uranium deposits, Jeb - Sue A - Sue B - Sue C - McClean, scattered in three different locations on the mineral lease. On 16 March 1995, COGEMA Resources Inc and its partners, Denison Mines Ltd and OURD (Canada) Co Ltd, made the formal decision to develop the McClean Lake Project. Construction of the mine and mill started during summer 1995 and should be finished by mid 1997. Mining of the first deposit, Jeb started in 1996, ore being currently mined. The start of the yellowcake production is scheduled to start this fall. (author)

A cross-cultural study of attitudes towards the natural environment and tourism development - Northern Europe and East Asia.

OpenAIRE

Hashimoto, Atsuko.

1996-01-01

This study aims to examine if there is any cross-cultural difference in attitudes towards the natural environment and its resources, especially in the context of tourism development. Mainland China, Taiwan and Japan are chosen as East Asian subjects and Germany and the United Kingdom as Northern European subjects in this study because they show not only distinctive traditions and philosophies, but also various stages of national economic development. The first part of the study provides (1) t...

Exposure to Community Violence and Political Socialization among Adolescents in Northern Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Linda

2007-01-01

This study evaluates the effects of adolescent exposure to cross-community violence, intense paramilitary operations, aggression, and intimidation in Northern Ireland. Using publicly available survey data gathered by agencies in Northern Ireland, the research examines the effects of exposure to political violence with focus upon the manner by…

Novel coronaviruses, astroviruses, adenoviruses and circoviruses in insectivorous bats from northern China.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, H-J; Wen, H-L; Zhao, L; Liu, J-W; Luo, L-M; Zhou, C-M; Qin, X-R; Zhu, Y-L; Liu, M-M; Qi, R; Li, W-Q; Yu, H; Yu, X-J

2017-12-01

Bats are considered as the reservoirs of several emerging infectious disease, and novel viruses are continually found in bats all around the world. Studies conducted in southern China found that bats carried a variety of viruses. However, few studies have been conducted on bats in northern China, which harbours a diversity of endemic insectivorous bats. It is important to understand the prevalence and diversity of viruses circulating in bats in northern China. In this study, a total of 145 insectivorous bats representing six species were collected from northern China and screened with degenerate primers for viruses belonging to six families, including coronaviruses, astroviruses, hantaviruses, paramyxoviruses, adenoviruses and circoviruses. Our study found that four of the viruses screened for were positive and the overall detection rates for astroviruses, coronaviruses, adenoviruses and circoviruses in bats were 21.4%, 15.9%, 20% and 37.2%, respectively. In addition, we found that bats in northern China harboured a diversity of novel viruses. Common Serotine (Eptesicus serotinu), Fringed long-footed Myotis (Myotis fimriatus) and Peking Myotis (Myotis pequinius) were investigated in China for the first time. Our study provided new information on the ecology and phylogeny of bat-borne viruses. © 2017 The Authors. Zoonoses and Public Health Published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Mineralogical characterization of arsenic, iron, and nickel in uranium mine tailings using XAS and EMPA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Essilfie-Dughan, J.; Hendry, M.J.; Warner, J.; Kotzer, T.

2010-01-01

In northern Saskatchewan, Canada, high-grade uranium ores and the resulting tailings can contain high levels of arsenic (As), iron (Fe), and nickel (Ni). An environmental concern in the uranium mining industry is the long-term stabilization of these elements of concern (EOCs) within tailings management facilities thereby mitigating their transfer to the surrounding groundwater. Characterization of these As-, Fe- and Ni-bearing minerals and complexes must be carried out to evaluate their solubility and long-term stability within the tailings mass. Synchrotron-based bulk x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) has been used to study the speciation of these EOCs in mine tailing samples obtained from the Deilmann Tailings Management Facility (DTMF) at Key Lake, Saskatchewan. Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) and synchrotron-based micro-focussing x-ray fluorescence mapping and absorption spectroscopy (μXRF; μXAS ) have also been employed to study spatial distribution and speciation at the micron scale. Comparisons of K-edge absorption spectra of tailings samples and reference compounds indicate the dominant oxidation states of As, Fe, and Ni in the mine tailings samples are +5, +3, and +2, respectively, largely reflecting their deposition in an oxidized environment and complexation within stable oxic phases. Backscattered electron (BSE) images of the tailings from the electron microprobe indicate the presence of gypsum/lime nodules surrounded by metallic rims mainly consisting of As, Fe, and Ni. μXRF elemental mapping confirms these EPMA results. μXAS collected within the metal-bearing rims indicates As and Fe is present mainly in the +5 and +3 oxidation state, respectively. (author)

Isotopic and chemical studies of geothermal waters of Northern Areas in Pakistan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dildar Hussain, S; Ahmad, M; Akram, W; Sajjad, M I [Pakistan Inst. of Nuclear Science and Technology, Islamabad (Pakistan); Gonfiantini, R [International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria). Isotope Hydrology Section; Tasneem, M A

1995-02-01

Northern Areas is one of the major thermal fields of Pakistan with more than two dozen known hot springs having discharge temperature ranging from 35 deg. C to 94 deg. C. Isotopic and chemical techniques applied to study the geothermal fields show that thermal waters are of meteoric origin and can be classified as Na-HCO{sub 3}, Na-SO{sub 4} and mixed type on the basis of their chemical contents. At some places cooling of thermal waters seems to be due to steam separation whereas mixing with fresh cold water is prominent at the remaining sites. The temperatures estimated by isotopic and chemical geothermometers for the two major fields i.e. Tatta Pani and Murtazabad are 83-257 deg. C and 65-296 deg. C respectively. (author). 24 refs, 11 figs, 3 tabs.

Diversity of avian haemosporidians in arid zones of northern Venezuela.

Science.gov (United States)

Belo, Nayara O; Rodríguez-Ferraro, Adriana; Braga, Erika M; Ricklefs, Robert E

2012-07-01

Arid zones of northern Venezuela are represented by isolated areas, important from an ornithological and ecological perspective due to the occurrence of restricted-range species of birds. We analysed the prevalence and molecular diversity of haemosporidian parasites of wild birds in this region by screening 527 individuals (11 families and 20 species) for parasite mitochondrial DNA. The overall prevalence of parasites was 41%, representing 17 mitochondrial lineages: 7 of Plasmodium and 10 of Haemoproteus. Two parasite lineages occurred in both the eastern and western regions infecting a single host species, Mimus gilvus. These lineages are also present throughout northern and central Venezuela in a variety of arid and mesic habitats. Some lineages found in this study in northern Venezuela have also been observed in different localities in the Americas, including the West Indies. In spite of the widespread distributions of some of the parasite lineages found in northern Venezuela, several, including some that are relatively common (e.g. Ven05 and Ven06), have not been reported from elsewhere. Additional studies are needed to characterize the host and geographical distribution of avian malaria parasite lineages, which will provide a better understanding of the influence of landscape, vector abundance and diversity, and host identity on haemosporidian parasite diversity and prevalence.

7 CFR 457.143 - Northern potato crop insurance-quality endorsement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-quality endorsement... Northern potato crop insurance—quality endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Quality Endorsement...) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Quality Endorsement 1. Definitions...

Executive Summary: Forests of the Northern United States

Science.gov (United States)

Stephen R. Shifley; Francisco X. Aguilar; Nianfu Song; Susan I. Stewart; David J. Nowak; Dale D. Gormanson; W. Keith Moser; Sherri Wormstead; Eric J. Greenfield

2012-01-01

This executive summary provides an overview of the 200-page report, Forests of the Northern United States, which covers in detail current forest conditions, recent trends, issues, threats and opportunities in the forests in the 20 Northern States. It provides a context for subsequent Northern Forest Futures Project analyses that will forecast alternative future...

Interim report to the Northern Ecosystem Initiative from the Northern Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN-North)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wakelyn, L.; Eamer, J.

2001-01-01

The Northern Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN-North) has received funding for a proposal submitted to the Northern Ecosystems Initiative (NEI) in January 2001. EMAN-North is a network that coordinates ecological monitoring in northern Canada. Its geographic scope comprises 40 per cent of the geographic area of Canada, including Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut, and an area near Churchill, Manitoba. Funding was awarded because the proposed EMAN-North project addressed the NEI priority of Monitoring Ecosystem Status and Trends, and Ecosystem Impacts of Climate Change. The project was also aimed at improving the network's capacity for long-term ecological monitoring, assessment and reporting. Several activities deal specifically with ecological impacts of climate change. This paper described the need and the context for ecological monitoring in northern Canada and defined a strategic direction for EMAN-North. The project will include many individuals involved in ecological monitoring in the north to deliver information on ecosystem changes to decision-makers and the public. refs., tabs., figs

Sowing pregerminated northern red oak acorns

Science.gov (United States)

Richard M. Godman; Gilbert A. Mattson

1992-01-01

Northern red oak is extremely difficult to regenerate, although it has produced good acorn crops nearly half of the last 32 years in northern Wisconsin. Field trials have shown that for successful seeding, you must protect acorns from predation by wildlife and sow them when temperatures are most favorable for germination.

Evaluating the Causal Link Between Malaria Infection and Endemic Burkitt Lymphoma in Northern Uganda: A Mendelian Randomization Study

OpenAIRE

Ismail D. Legason; Ruth M. Pfeiffer; Krizia-Ivana Udquim; Andrew W. Bergen; Mateus H. Gouveia; Samuel Kirimunda; Isaac Otim; Eric Karlins; Patrick Kerchan; Hadijah Nabalende; Ariunaa Bayanjargal; Benjamin Emmanuel; Paul Kagwa; Ambrose O. Talisuna; Kishor Bhatia

2017-01-01

Background: Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) malaria infection is suspected to cause endemic Burkitt Lymphoma (eBL), but the evidence remains unsettled. An inverse relationship between sickle cell trait (SCT) and eBL, which supports that between malaria and eBL, has been reported before, but in small studies with low power. We investigated this hypothesis in children in a population-based study in northern Uganda using Mendelian Randomization. Methods: Malaria-related polymorphisms (SCT, IL10, I...

Dust Allergens within Rural Northern Rocky Mountain Residences.

Science.gov (United States)

Weiler, Emily; Semmens, Erin; Noonan, Curtis; Cady, Carol; Ward, Tony

2015-01-23

To date, few studies have characterized allergens within residences located in rural areas of the northern Rocky Mountain region. In this study, we collected dust samples from 57 homes located throughout western Montana and northern Idaho. Dust samples were collected and later analyzed for dust mite allergens Der f 1 and Der p 1 , Group 2 mite allergens ( Der p 2 and Der f 2 ), domestic feline ( Fel d 1 ), and canine ( Can f 1 ). Indoor temperature and humidity levels were also measured during the sampling program, as were basic characteristics of each home. Dog (96%) and cat (82%) allergens were the most prevalent allergens found in these homes (even when a feline or canine did not reside in the home). Results also revealed the presence of dust mites. Seven percent (7%) of homes tested positive for Der p 1 , 19% of homes were positive for Der f 1 , and 5% of homes were positive for the Group 2 mite allergens. Indoor relative humidity averaged 27.0 ± 7.6% within the homes. Overall, humidity was not significantly associated with dust mite presence, nor was any of the other measured home characteristics. This study provides a descriptive assessment of indoor allergen presence (including dust mites) in rural areas of the northern Rocky Mountains, and provides new information to assist regional patients with reducing allergen exposure using in-home intervention strategies.

African Journals Online: Northern Mariana Islands

African Journals Online (AJOL)

African Journals Online: Northern Mariana Islands. Home > African Journals Online: Northern Mariana Islands. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads. Username, Password, Remember me, or Register · Browse By Category · Browse Alphabetically · Browse By Country · List All Titles · Free to read Titles This ...

DreamTel; Diabetes risk evaluation and management tele-monitoring study protocol.

Science.gov (United States)

Tobe, Sheldon W; Wentworth, Joan; Ironstand, Laurie; Hartman, Susan; Hoppe, Jackie; Whiting, Judi; Kennedy, Janice; McAllister, Colin; Kiss, Alex; Perkins, Nancy; Vincent, Lloyd; Pylypchuk, George; Lewanczuk, Richard Z

2009-05-09

The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes underlines the importance of secondary strategies for the prevention of target organ damage. While access to diabetes education centers and diabetes intensification management has been shown to improve blood glucose control, these services are not available to all that require them, particularly in rural and northern areas. The provision of these services through the Home Care team is an advance that can overcome these barriers. Transfer of blood glucose data electronically from the home to the health care provider may improve diabetes management. The study population will consist of patients with type 2 diabetes with uncontrolled A1c levels living on reserve in the Battlefords region of Saskatchewan, Canada. This pilot study will take place over three phases. In the first phase over three months the impact of the introduction of the Bluetooth enabled glucose monitor will be assessed. In the second phase over three months, the development of guidelines based treatment algorithms for diabetes intensification will be completed. In the third phase lasting 18 months, study subjects will have diabetes intensification according to the algorithms developed. The first phase will determine if the use of the Bluetooth enabled blood glucose devices which can transmit results electronically will lead to changes in A1c levels. It will also determine the feasibility of recruiting subjects to use this technology. The rest of the Diabetes Risk Evaluation and Management Tele-monitoring (DreamTel) study will determine if the delivery of a diabetes intensification management program by the Home Care team supported by the Bluetooth enabled glucose meters leads to improvements in diabetes management. Protocol NCT00325624.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in maternal and cord blood plasma of several northern Canadian populations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryan, J.J. [Bureau Chemical Safety, Health Canada, Ottawa (Canada); Oostdam, J. van [Management Toxic Substances Div., Health Canada, Ottawa (Canada)

2004-09-15

The Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) funded by Indian and Northern Affairs Canada has carried out a number of baseline studies in Nunavut and the North West Territories of northern Canada (figure 1) to assess the exposure of indigenous peoples to a variety of chemical classes including POPs and metals. These studies, summarized by Walker et al, have used both maternal and cord human blood plasma as the media from sampling which took place in four phases over the years 1994-1999. Small amounts of individual blood plasma have remained from these investigations. We combined these individual samples into 23 composite samples of maternal and cord blood based mainly on the region and ethnicity of the donors. These composites have been used to study the exposure of northern peoples to PBDEs and to estimate, where possible, the influence of ethnicity, region of collection, and time on such exposure. Comparison is also made between the levels in plasma from northern populations and in human milk from those inhabiting the more numerous south.

Iron anchors of Northern Odisha, east coast India: Maritime contacts with European countries

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.; Patnaik, S.K.; Acharya, S.B.

to setup their trade centre at Odisha. Subsequently, the Dutch, French and English came to Odisha for maritime trade. During the end of the 19th century ports of northern Odisha were declined. In order to study the remains of maritime activities of northern...

Agrarian Land Use Transformation in Northern Laos: from Swidden to Rubber

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vongvisouk, Thoumthone

2009-01-01

Land use and farmers’ livelihoods in mountainous regions of northern Laos are rapidly moving away from subsistence to market based agricultural systems, changing farmers’ relationship with land and naturalresources. The current study examines patterns of land use change in northern Laos, especial......’s resource management policy that developed during the 1990s aiming to control expansion of upland shifting cultivation practices through delineation of resource boundaries....

Governance and decision making in complex socio-hydrological systems

Science.gov (United States)

Elshorbagy, Amin; Wheater, Howard; Gober, Patricia; Hassanzadeh, Elmira

2017-04-01

The transboundary Saskatchewan River, originating in the Canadian Rockies in Alberta, flows through Saskatchewan and Manitoba and discharges its water into Lake Winnipeg. It supports irrigated agriculture, hydropower generation, flood protection, municipal water supplies, mining, recreation, and environmental services across a large area and in multiple administrative jurisdictions. Managing the region's water-based economic activities and environmental services, requires decisions at a variety of scales to incorporate competing values and priorities about water use. Current inter-provincial allocations are based on the 1969 Master Agreement of Water Apportionment whereby upstream Alberta must release one-half of the annual natural flows of the Saskatchewan River to Saskatchewan, which in turn must pass one-half of the residual natural flow to the Province of Manitoba. This analysis uses a hydro-economic simulation model, SWAMP, to examine risk-based tradeoffs in Saskatchewan for various types of water use including, agriculture, energy, and flood protection under various scenarios of water availability. The eco-hydrological effects of the scenarios on the largest inland delta in North America - the Saskatchewan River Delta - are also shown. Results enable decision makers to weigh the costs and benefits of implementing particular sector-based future development strategies. Assuming net provincial benefit as a single monetary indicator of economic value, the effects of various scenarios of environmental and policy changes are quantified Results show that improving irrigation technology and expanding irrigated lands in Alberta will positively affect the province's economic development and have compound effects downstream on hydropower generation, environmental flows and the economies of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The implementation of similar policies in Saskatchewan will have different downstream impacts because of the large hydro-power capacity downstream in

Historic Hydroclimatic Variability in Northern Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

José Villanueva-Diaz; J. Cerano-Paredes; D.W. Stahle; B. H. Luckman; M.D. Therrell; M.K. Cleaveland; G. Gutierrez-Garcia

2006-01-01

The understanding of historic hydroclimatic variability is basic to plan for a proper management of limited water resources in northern Mexico. The objective of this study was to develop a network of tree-ring chronologies for climate reconstruction and to analyze the influence of circulatory patterns, such as ENSO. Climatic sensitive treering chronologies were...

Slow Warming of the Northern South China Sea during the Last Deglaciation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomoya Shintani

2008-01-01

Full Text Available We have generated a record of alkenone sea surface temperatures (SSTs during the last 28000 years from Core MD97-2146 for the northern South China Sea (SCS. The SST record showed a typical pattern for change in the northern SCS SST. The SST during the LGM was ~25 C, this decreased to ~24 C to 17 ka, increased to ~25.5 C to 14.5 ka, decreased again to ~24.5 C to 11.8 ka, increased gradually to ~27 C to 6 ka, and then increased more gradually to reach ~27.5 C at present. The SST difference ( SSTNSCS = SSTMD97-2146 - SSTMD97-2141 between Cores MD97-2146 (the northern SCS; this study and MD97-2141 (the Sulu Sea; Rosenthal et al. 2003 was used to characterize the SST changes in the northern SCS relative to changes in the adjacent WTPregion. The SSTNSCS decreased from 21 to 11.8 ka and increased after 11.8 ka, indicating slower warming of the northern SCS during the last deglaciation than that of the adjacent western tropical Pacific region.We infer that the slow warming of the northern SCS was principally a result of stronger winter monsoon during the last deglaciation and early Holocene. In addition, the cool water inflow through the Taiwan Strait after 13 ka and the warm water inflow through the Sunda Shelf after 11 ka could influence the SST in the northern SCS.

7 CFR 457.142 - Northern potato crop insurance provisions.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance provisions. 457.142... INSURANCE CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMON CROP INSURANCE REGULATIONS § 457.142 Northern potato crop insurance provisions. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Provisions for the 2008 and succeeding...

Working and Living in Northern vs Southern Ontario Is Associated with the Duration of Compensated Time off Work: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S Senthanar

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Background: Northern Ontario, Canada has a larger elder population, more resource-based employment, and limited access to physicians and specialists compared to southern Ontario. Given these important differences, it is possible that work disability rates will vary between the two Ontario jurisdictions. Objective: To determine the association between time lost due to workplace injuries and illnesses occurring in northern vs southern Ontario and work disability duration from 2006– 2011. Methods: The study base included all lost-time claims approved by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board in Ontario, Canada for workplace injury or illness compensation occurring between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2011. All eligible participants had to be 18 years of age or older at the time of making the claim and participants were excluded if one of the three variables used to determine location (claimant home postal code, workplace geographical code, and WSIB firm location were missing. Multivariable proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals adjusted for sex, age, occupation, part of body, and nature of injury relating Ontario geographical location to compensated time off work. Results: A total of 156 453 lost-time claims were approved over the study period. Injured and ill workers from northern Ontario were 16% less likely to return to work than those from southern Ontario. Adjustment for potential confounding factors had no effect. Conclusion: The disability duration in northern Ontario is longer than that in southern Ontario. Future research should focus on assessing the relevant factors associated with this observation to identify opportunities for intervention.

Perspectives on past and present waste disposal practices: a community-based participatory research project in three Saskatchewan first nations communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Zagozewski, Rebecca; Judd-Henrey, Ian; Nilson, Suzie; Bharadwaj, Lalita

2011-04-28

The impact of current and historical waste disposal practices on the environment and human health of Indigenous people in First Nations communities has yet to be adequately addressed. Solid waste disposal has been identified as a major environmental threat to First Nations Communities. A community-based participatory research project (CBPR) was initiated by the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health and Family Services Incorporated to investigate concerns related to waste disposal in three Saskatchewan First Nations Communities. Utilizing a qualitative approach, we aimed to gain an understanding of past and present waste disposal practices and to identify any human and environmental health concerns related to these practices. One to one interviews and sharing circles were conducted with Elders. Elders were asked to share their perspectives on past and present waste disposal practices and to comment on the possible impacts these practices may have on the environment and community health. Historically waste disposal practices were similar among communities. The homeowner generated small volumes of waste, was exclusively responsible for disposal and utilized a backyard pit. Overtime waste disposal evolved to weekly pick-up of un-segregated garbage with waste disposal and open trash burning in a community dump site. Dump site locations and open trash burning were identified as significant health issues related to waste disposal practices in these communities. This research raises issues of inequity in the management of waste in First Nations Communities. It highlights the need for long-term sustainable funding to support community-based waste disposal and management strategies and the development of First Nations centered and delivered educational programs to encourage the adoption and implementation of waste reduction, reutilization and recycling activities in these communities.

Dog Days on the Plains : A Preliminary aDNA Analysis of Canid Bones from Southern Alberta and Saskatchewan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartholdy, B.P.; Murchie, T.J.; Hacking, K.; Verwoerd, C.

2017-01-01

Dogs were an important component of lifeways on the Northern Plains until the reintroduction of the horse following European contact. There has been little investigation into the variability of domesticcanids on the Prairies and the potential of that variability as a proxy for identifying

Environmental niche separation between native and non-native benthic invertebrate species: Case study of the northern Baltic Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Jänes, Holger; Herkül, Kristjan; Kotta, Jonne

2017-10-01

Knowledge and understanding of geographic distributions of species is crucial for many aspects in ecology, conservation, policy making and management. In order to reach such an understanding, it is important to know abiotic variables that impact and drive distributions of native and non-native species. We used an existing long-term macrobenthos database for species presence-absence information and biomass estimates at different environmental gradients in the northern Baltic Sea. Region specific abiotic variables (e.g. salinity, depth) were derived from previously constructed bathymetric and hydrodynamic models. Multidimensional ordination techniques were then applied to investigate potential niche space separation between all native and non-native invertebrates in the northern Baltic Sea. Such an approach allowed to obtain data rich and robust estimates of the current native and non-native species distributions and outline important abiotic parameters influencing the observed pattern. The results showed clear niche space separation between native and non-native species. Non-native species were situated in an environmental space characterized by reduced salinity, high temperatures, high proportion of soft seabed and decreased depth and wave exposure whereas native species displayed an opposite pattern. Different placement of native and non-native species along the studied environmental niche space is likely to be explained by the differences in their evolutionary history, human mediated activities and geological youth of the Baltic Sea. The results of this study can provide early warnings and effectively outline coastal areas in the northern Baltic Sea that are prone to further range expansion of non-native species as climate change is expected to significantly reduce salinity and increase temperature in wide coastal areas, both supporting the disappearance of native and appearance of non-native species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Northern micro-grid project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Curtis, David; Singh, Bob

2010-09-15

The electrical distribution system for the Kasabonika Lake First Nation in northern Ontario (Canada) consumed 1.2 million liters of diesel fuel in 2008, amounting to 3,434 tones of CO2 emissions. The Northern Micro-Grid Project, supported by seven partners, involves integrating renewable generation & storage into the Kasabonika Lake distribution system. Through R&D and demonstration, the objectives are to reduce the amount of diesel consumed, support the distribution system exclusively on renewable resources during light loads, engage and impart knowledge/training to better position the community for future opportunities. The paper will discuss challenges, opportunities and future plans associated with the project.

Prevalence of abnormal birth weight and related factors in Northern region, Ghana

OpenAIRE

Abubakari, Abdulai; Kynast-Wolf, Gisela; Jahn, Albrecht

2015-01-01

Background: Birth weight is a crucial determinant of the development potential of the newborn. Abnormal newborn weights are associated with negative effects on the health and survival of the baby and the mother. Therefore, this study was designed to determine the prevalence of abnormal birth weight and related factors in Northern region, Ghana. Methods: The study was a facility-based cross-sectional survey in five hospitals in Northern region, Ghana. These hospitals were selected based on t...

Groundwater management in northern Iraq

Science.gov (United States)

Stevanovic, Zoran; Iurkiewicz, Adrian

2009-03-01

Groundwater is vital and the sole resource in most of the studied region of northern Iraq. It has a significant role in agriculture, water supply and health, and the elimination of poverty in rural areas. Although Iraq is currently dramatically disturbed by complex political and socio-economic problems, in its northern part, i.e. the Kurdish-inhabited region, fast urbanization and economic expansion are visible everywhere. Monitoring and water management schemes are necessary to prevent aquifer over-exploitation in the region. Artificial recharge with temporary runoff water, construction of subsurface dams and several other aquifer management and regulation measures have been designed, and some implemented, in order to improve the water situation. Recommendations, presented to the local professionals and decision-makers in water management, include creation of Water Master Plans and Water User Associations, synchronization of drilling programmes, rehabilitation of the existing well fields, opening of new well fields, and the incorporation of new spring intakes in some areas with large groundwater reserves, as well as construction of numerous small-scale schemes for initial in situ water treatment where saline groundwater is present.

Acidification of till in Northern Finland: experimental study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aario, R.

1996-06-01

Full Text Available The acid neutralizing capacity of till and some effects promoted by increasing acidity, were studied in a number of tills in northern Finland. pH profiles were measured in the field and acid neutralizing capacity (ANC mmol/100 g sample in the laboratory as a function of the varying acidity in solution. The concentrations of Al, Ca, Mg, Fe, K, Mn, Zn, Cu and Sr in solutions were also analyzed. The results are presented in the form of graphs of ANC versus final pH of the solution and element concentration versus final pH. The total concentrations of the major elements were analyzed by XRF and those of trace elements by AAS. The pH measured in the test pits was lowest just below the ground surface, and rose rapidly to a value of 6 at a depth of about 1 m and then it remained more or less constant with depth. The laboratory analyses clearly suggest that the acid neutralizing capacity of till correlates well with sample depth. The ANC values, which represent the fast-working part of the capacity, are higher in the surficial parts owing to the easily soluble aluminium and iron hydroxides which have their origin in the weathering processes. The experiments resemble acid rain conditions, where the higher pH-level buffers are unable to neutralize the increase in acidity immediately, so that lower pH-level buffering processes such as Al and Fe hydroxide buffers come into play. The situation can be hazardous for both forests and surface water.

Demographic response of northern spotted owls to barred owl removal

Science.gov (United States)

Diller, V. Lowell; Hamm, Keith A; Early, Desiree A; Lamphear, David W; Dugger, Katie M.; Yackulic, Charles B.; Schwarz, Carl J.; Carlson, Peter C.; McDonald, Trent L.

2016-01-01

Federally listed as threatened in 1990 primarily because of habitat loss, the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) has continued to decline despite conservation efforts resulting in forested habitat being reserved throughout its range. Recently, there is growing evidence the congeneric invasive barred owl (Strix varia) may be responsible for the continued decline primarily by excluding spotted owls from their preferred habitat. We used a long-term demographic study for spotted owls in coastal northern California as the basis for a pilot barred owl removal experiment. Our demography study used capture–recapture, reproductive output, and territory occupancy data collected from 1990 to 2013 to evaluate trends in vital rates and populations. We used a classic before-after-control-impact (BACI) experimental design to investigate the demographic response of northern spotted owls to the lethal removal of barred owls. According to the best 2-species dynamic occupancy model, there was no evidence of differences in barred or northern spotted owl occupancy prior to the initiation of the treatment (barred owl removal). After treatment, barred owl occupancy was lower in the treated relative to the untreated areas and spotted owl occupancy was higher relative to the untreated areas. Barred owl removal decreased spotted owl territory extinction rates but did not affect territory colonization rates. As a result, spotted owl occupancy increased in the treated area and continued to decline in the untreated areas. Prior to and after barred owl removal, there was no evidence that average fecundity differed on the 2 study areas. However, the greater number of occupied spotted owl sites on the treated areas resulted in greater productivity in the treated areas based on empirical counts of fledged young. Prior to removal, survival was declining at a rate of approximately 0.2% per year for treated and untreated areas. Following treatment, estimated survival was 0.859 for

Self-citation of Medical and Non-medical Universities in Northern Iran.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahani, Mohammad Ali; Yaminfirooz, Mousa

2016-12-01

Self-citation is one of the main challenges in the evaluation of researchers' scientific output. This study aimed at comparing the institutional self-citation among the universities located in Northern Iran. This study was conducted as a scientometric study. Research population included all scientific productions of 16 Northern Iran Universities with at least 100 indexed documents indexed in the Web of Science (WoS) by 2 June 2015. The citation analysis section of WoS was used for data collection. SPSS was applied for data analysis. Study hypotheses were tested with two independent sample t-test and paired sample t-test. Producing 16,399 papers, northern Iran universities had 5.33% of contribution in Iran's scientific production. They received 84,058 citations with 17% and 12% of self-citations belonged to the non-medical and medical universities, respectively. Testing hypotheses revealed that increase in received citations significantly increases the rate of self-citation and increase in scientific production does not necessarily increase the rate of self-citation. The rate of self-citation in the studied universities was not relatively high. However, investigating into the factors affecting the rate of and motives for self-citation needs further research.

Does equality legislation reduce intergroup differences? Religious affiliation, socio-economic status and mortality in Scotland and Northern Ireland: A cohort study of 400,000 people.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, David M; Rosato, Michael; Raab, Gillian; Dibben, Chris; Boyle, Paul; O'Reilly, Dermot

2017-05-01

Religion frequently indicates membership of socio-ethnic groups with distinct health behaviours and mortality risk. Determining the extent to which interactions between groups contribute to variation in mortality is often challenging. We compared socio-economic status (SES) and mortality rates of Protestants and Catholics in Scotland and Northern Ireland, regions in which interactions between groups are profoundly different. Crucially, strong equality legislation has been in place for much longer and Catholics form a larger minority in Northern Ireland. Drawing linked Census returns and mortality records of 404,703 people from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Longitudinal Studies, we used Poisson regression to compare religious groups, estimating mortality rates and incidence rate ratios. We fitted age-adjusted and fully adjusted (for education, housing tenure, car access and social class) models. Catholics had lower SES than Protestants in both countries; the differential was larger in Scotland for education, housing tenure and car access but not social class. In Scotland, Catholics had increased age-adjusted mortality risk relative to Protestants but variation among groups was attenuated following adjustment for SES. Those reporting no religious affiliation were at similar mortality risk to Protestants. In Northern Ireland, there was no mortality differential between Catholics and Protestants either before or after adjustment. Men reporting no religious affiliation were at increased mortality risk but this differential was not evident among women. In Scotland, Catholics remained at greater socio-economic disadvantage relative to Protestants than in Northern Ireland and were also at a mortality disadvantage. This may be due to a lack of explicit equality legislation that has decreased inequality by religion in Northern Ireland during recent decades. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 457.146 - Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage endorsement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-storage coverage... Northern potato crop insurance—storage coverage endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage... for insurance provider) Both FCIC and reinsured policies: Northern Potato Crop Insurance Storage...

The cultivable autochthonous microbiota of the critically endangered Northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita)

Science.gov (United States)

Loncaric, Igor; Tichy, Alexander; Fritz, Johannes; Scope, Alexandra

2018-01-01

The critically endangered Northern bald ibis (Geronticus eremita) is a migratory bird that became extinct in Europe centuries ago. Since 2014, the Northern bald ibis is subject to an intensive rehabilitation and conservation regime aiming to reintroduce the bird in its original distribution range in Central Europe and concurrently to maintain bird health and increase population size. Hitherto, virtually nothing is known about the microbial communities associated with the ibis species; an information pivotal for the veterinary management of these birds. Hence, the present study was conducted to provide a baseline description of the cultivable microbiota residing in the Northern bald ibis. Samples derived from the choana, trachea, crop and cloaca were examined employing a culturomic approach in order to identify microbes at each sampling site and to compare their frequency among age classes, seasonal appearances and rearing types. In total, 94 microbial species including 14 potentially new bacterial taxa were cultivated from the Northern bald ibis with 36, 58 and 59 bacterial species isolated from the choana, crop and cloaca, respectively. The microbiota of the Northern bald ibis was dominated by members of the phylum Firmicutes, followed by Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Fusobacteria, altogether phylotypes commonly observed within avian gut environments. Differences in relative abundances of various microbial taxa were evident among sample types indicating mucosa-specific colonisation properties and tissue tropism. Besides, results of the present study indicate that the composition of microbiota was also affected by age, season (environment) and rearing type. While the prevalence of traditional pathogenic microbial species was extremely low, several opportunists including Clostridium perfringens toxotype A were frequently present in samples indicating that the Northern bald ibis may represent an important animal reservoir for these pathogens. In

Development of Northern White-Cedar Regeneration Following Partial Cutting, with and without Deer Browsing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine Larouche

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Northern white-cedar (Thuja occidentalis L. is an important commercial species with a high wildlife value, both as a food source and habitat for many bird and mammal species. Concerns have been expressed about its decreasing abundance across its range, and especially in mixedwood stands, where it has to compete with several other species and can suffer from heavy browsing. In this study, we quantified the development of natural northern white-cedar seedlings and saplings under various partial cutting regimes, with and without white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus Zimmerman browsing, in three selected sites in Quebec (Canada and in Maine (USA. Our data show that northern white-cedar regeneration was present in all studied stands, but that only a few stems were taller than 30 cm on the two sites with high densities of deer. In the absence of heavy browsing, stems reached a height of 30 cm in 11 years, and 130 cm in 28 years. Height growth of northern white-cedar regeneration increased with canopy light transmittance, while ground-level diameter increment increased after partial cutting. This suggests that partial cutting can be used in mixedwood stands to release natural northern white-cedar regeneration, but also that the recruitment of northern white-cedar seedlings to larger size classes constitutes a major challenge in stands subject to heavy deer browsing.

Modelling study of boundary-layer ozone over northern China - Part II: Responses to emission reductions during the Beijing Olympics

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Guiqian; Zhu, Xiaowan; Xin, Jinyuan; Hu, Bo; Song, Tao; Sun, Yang; Wang, Lili; Wu, Fangkun; Sun, Jie; Cheng, Mengtian; Chao, Na; Li, Xin; Wang, Yuesi

2017-09-01

The implementation of emission reduction measures during the Olympics provided a valuable opportunity to study regional photochemical pollution over northern China. In this study, the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University/National Centre for Atmospheric Research Mesoscale Model and Community Multiscale Air Quality model system was applied to conduct two sets of modelling analyses of the period from July 20 to September 20, 2008, to illustrate the influences of emission reduction measures on regional photochemical pollution over northern China during the Beijing Olympics. The results indicated that the implementation of emission control measures decreased the concentrations of ozone (O3) precursors, namely nitrogen oxide (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), throughout the boundary layer. The concentrations of these compounds were reduced by 45% in the central urban area of Beijing at the ground level. Although the average O3 concentration in the central urban area increased by more than 8 ppbv, the total oxidant concentration decreased significantly by more than 5 ppbv. Greater O3 concentrations mainly occurred during periods with weak photochemical reactions. During periods of strong photochemical production, the O3 concentration decreased significantly due to a weakening vertical circulation between the lower and upper boundary layer. Consequently, the number of days when the O3 concentration exceeded 100 ppbv decreased by 25% in Beijing. The emission control measures altered the sensitivity of the regional O3 production. The coordinated control region of NOx and VOCs expanded, and the control region of VOCs decreased in size. The reduction of non-point-source emissions, such as fugitive VOCs and vehicles, was more useful for controlling regional photochemical pollution over northern China.

Data-base system for northern Midwest regional aquifer-system analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Kontis, A.L.; Mandle, Richard J.

1980-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey is conducting a study of the Cambrian and Ordovician aquifer system of the northern Midwest as part of a national series of Regional Aquifer-Systems Analysis (RASA). An integral part of this study will be a simulation of the ground-water flow regime using the Geological Survey's three-dimensional finite-difference model. The first step in the modeling effort is the design and development of a systematic set of processes to facilitate the collection, evaluation, manipulation, and use of large quantities of information. A computerized data-base system to accomplish these goals has been completed for the northern Midwest RASA.

Upper-mantle velocity structure beneath Jutland, Denmark and northern Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hejrani, Babak; Jacobsen, B. H.; Balling, N.

Several temporary seismological arrays have probed the crust and lithosphere in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia (Tor, CALAS, MAGNUS and TopoScandiaDeep, see e.g. Medhus et al., 2012). In 2011-12 we measured the Jutland-Lower Saxony (JULS) profile as collaboration between Aarhus Universi....... It correlates very well with the location of a similar body located by the Tor project (e.g. Gregersen et al, 2002, 2009). The northern part of the JULS model links well with the previous results from the CALAS and TopoScandiaDeep projects (Medhus et al., 2012).......Several temporary seismological arrays have probed the crust and lithosphere in northern Germany and southern Scandinavia (Tor, CALAS, MAGNUS and TopoScandiaDeep, see e.g. Medhus et al., 2012). In 2011-12 we measured the Jutland-Lower Saxony (JULS) profile as collaboration between Aarhus University...... and GFZ Potsdam. This profile crosses the southern part of the Tor array in the North German Basin and goes all the way to the northern part of Jutland (mainland Denmark). First results are presented from this new study. P-traveltime residuals were modeled with a new flexible 3D tomographic method which...

Oligocene paleogeography of the northern Great Plains and adjacent mountains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seeland, D.

1985-01-01

Early Oligocene paleogeography of the northern Great Plains and adjacent mountains is inferred in part from published surface and subsurface studies of the pre-Oligocene surface. These studies are combined with published and unpublished information on clast provenance, crossbedding orientation, and Eocene paleogeography. The Oligocene Arctic Ocean-Gulf of Mexico continental divide extended from the southern Absaroka Mountains east along the Owl Creek Mountains, across the southern Powder River Basin, through the northern Black Hills, and eastward across South Dakota. Streams north of the divide flowed northeastward. The Olligocene White River Group contains 50 to 90 percent airfall pyroclastic debris from a northern Great Basin source. Most of the uranium deposits of the region in pre-Oligocene rocks can be related to a uranium source in the volcanic ash of the White River; in many places the pre-Oligocene deposits can be related to specific Oligocene channels. Uranium deposits in sandstones of major Oligocene rivers are an important new type of deposit. The Oligocene channel sandstones also contain small quantities of gold, molybdenum, gas, and oil

Hygiene and sanitation among ethnic minorities in Northern Vietnam

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rheinländer, Thilde; Samuelsen, Helle; Dalsgaard, Anders

2010-01-01

Improving sanitation and hygiene to prevent infectious diseases is of high priority in developing countries. This study attempts to gain in-depth understanding of hygiene and sanitation perceptions and practices among four Ethnic Minority Groups (EMGs) in a rural area of northern Vietnam. It is b......-based hygiene promotion is also recommended to curb dependency and spark initiatives in ethnic minority communities. Finally, interventions should focus on hygiene "software"--promoting hygiene behaviour changes known to effectively prevent hygiene related diseases.......Improving sanitation and hygiene to prevent infectious diseases is of high priority in developing countries. This study attempts to gain in-depth understanding of hygiene and sanitation perceptions and practices among four Ethnic Minority Groups (EMGs) in a rural area of northern Vietnam...

Study of southern CHAONAN sag lower continental slope basin deposition character in Northern South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Y.

2009-12-01

Northern South China Sea Margin locates in Eurasian plate,Indian-Australia plate,Pacific Plates.The South China Sea had underwent a complicated tectonic evolution in Cenozoic.During rifting,the continental shelf and slope forms a series of Cenozoic sedimentary basins,including Qiongdongnan basin,Pearl River Mouth basin,Taixinan basin.These basins fill in thick Cenozoic fluviolacustrine facies,transitional facies,marine facies,abyssal facies sediment,recording the evolution history of South China Sea Margin rifting and ocean basin extending.The studies of tectonics and deposition of depression in the Southern Chaonan Sag of lower continental slope in the Norther South China Sea were dealt with,based on the sequence stratigraphy and depositional facies interpretation of seismic profiles acquired by cruises of“China and Germany Joint Study on Marine Geosciences in the South China Sea”and“The formation,evolution and key issues of important resources in China marginal sea",and combining with ODP 1148 cole and LW33-1-1 well.The free-air gravity anomaly of the break up of the continental and ocean appears comparatively low negative anomaly traps which extended in EW,it is the reflection of passive margin gravitational effect.Bouguer gravity anomaly is comparatively low which is gradient zone extended NE-SW.Magnetic anomaly lies in Magnetic Quiet Zone at the Northern Continental Margin of the South China Sea.The Cenozoic sediments of lower continental slope in Southern Chaonan Sag can be divided into five stratum interface:SB5.5,SB10.5,SB16.5,SB23.8 and Hg,their ages are of Pliocene-Quaternary,late Miocene,middle Miocene,early Miocene,paleogene.The tectonic evolution of low continental slope depressions can be divided into rifting,rifting-depression transitional and depression stages,while their depositional environments change from river to shallow marine and abyssa1,which results in different topography in different stages.The topographic evolvement in the study

Relationship between Teachers' Effective Communication and Students' Academic Achievement at the Northern Border University

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Madani, Feras Mohammed

2015-01-01

Effective communication between faculty members and students is one of the concerns of the educational stakeholders at the Northern Border University, Saudi Arabia. This study investigates the relationship between teachers' effective communication and students' academic achievement at the Northern Border University. The survey questionnaire…

The evolving role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health in post-conflict Africa: A qualitative study of Burundi and northern Uganda.

Science.gov (United States)

Chi, Primus Che; Urdal, Henrik

2018-01-01

Many conflict-affected countries are faced with an acute shortage of health care providers, including skilled birth attendants. As such, during conflicts traditional birth attendants have become the first point of call for many pregnant women, assisting them during pregnancy, labour and birth, and in the postpartum period. This study seeks to explore how the role of traditional birth attendants in maternal health, especially childbirth, has evolved in two post-conflict settings in sub-Saharan Africa (Burundi and northern Uganda) spanning the period of active warfare to the post-conflict era. A total of 63 individual semi-structured in-depth interviews and 8 focus group discussions were held with women of reproductive age, local health care providers and staff of non-governmental organisations working in the domain of maternal health who experienced the conflict, across urban, semi-urban and rural settings in Burundi and northern Uganda. Discussions focused on the role played by traditional birth attendants in maternal health, especially childbirth during the conflict and how the role has evolved in the post-conflict era. Transcripts from the interviews and focus group discussions were analysed by thematic analysis (framework approach). Traditional birth attendants played a major role in childbirth-related activities in both Burundi and northern Uganda during the conflict, with some receiving training and delivery kits from the local health systems and non-governmental organisations to undertake deliveries. Following the end of the conflict, traditional birth attendants have been prohibited by the government from undertaking deliveries in both Burundi and northern Uganda. In Burundi, the traditional birth attendants have been integrated within the primary health care system, especially in rural areas, and re-assigned the role of 'birth companions'. In this capacity they undertake maternal health promotion activities within their communities. In northern Uganda, on

Carboniferous Granitoid Magmatism of Northern Taimyr: Results of Isotopic-Geochemical Study and Geodynamic Interpretation

Science.gov (United States)

Kurapov, M. Yu.; Ershova, V. B.; Makariev, A. A.; Makarieva, E. V.; Khudoley, A. K.; Luchitskaya, M. V.; Prokopiev, A. V.

2018-03-01

Data on the petrography, geochemistry, and isotopic geochronology of granites from the northern part of the Taimyr Peninsula are considered. The Early-Middle Carboniferous age of these rocks has been established (U-Pb, SIMS). Judging by the results of 40Ar/39Ar dating, the rocks underwent metamorphism in the Middle Permian. In geochemical and isotopic composition, the granitic rocks have much in common with evolved I-type granites. This makes it possible to specify a suprasubduction marginal continental formation setting. The existence of an active Carboniferous margin along the southern edge of the Kara Block (in presentday coordinates) corroborates the close relationship of the studied region with the continent of Baltia.

A case study in atmospheric lead pollution of Northern-German coastal regions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kapitza, H.; Eppel, D.P. [GKSS-Forschungszentrum Geesthacht GmbH (Germany). Inst. fuer Gewaesserphysik

1998-12-31

Transport and deposition of atmospheric lead over the coastal zone of Northern Germany are investigated. It is shown that marked differences in the impact of the ecologically valuable wadden sea areas can occur between summer and winter time. Due to the formation of sea breeze systems in summer the coastal zone is likely to be less stressed than in winter when the pollutant is confined to a shallow layer above ground. (orig.) 10 refs.

Patterns of youth injury: a comparison across the northern territories and other parts of Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrnes, Jessica; King, Nathan; Hawe, Penelope; Peters, Paul; Pickett, William; Davison, Colleen

2015-01-01

Injury is the leading cause of death for young people in Canada. For those living in the northern territories (Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories), injury represents an even greater problem, with higher rates of injury for people of all ages in northern areas compared with the rest of Canada; however, no such comparative studies have focussed specifically on non-fatal injury in youth. To profile and examine injuries and their potential causes among youth in the northern territories as compared with other parts of Canada. Cross-sectional data from the 2009/2010 Health Behaviour in School-aged Children survey (youth aged 11-15 years) were examined for the Canadian northern territories and the provinces (n=26,078). Individual survey records were linked to community-level data to profile injuries and then study possible determinants via multilevel regression modelling. The prevalence of injury reported by youth was similar in northern populations and other parts of Canada. There were some minimal differences by injury type: northern youth experienced a greater percentage of neighbourhood (pCanada. Given previous research, this was unexpected. When implementing injury prevention initiatives, individual and community-level risk factors are essential to understand; however, specific positive safety assets that might exist in different community contexts must also be considered.

A feasibility study of geogenic indoor radon mapping from airborne radiometric survey in northern Thailand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wattananikorn, K. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand)], E-mail: kittic@science.cmu.ac.th; Emharuthai, S. [Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200 (Thailand); Wanaphongse, P. [Office of Atoms for Peace, Bangkok (Thailand)

2008-01-15

Experiments were carried out in seven test sites on three Quaternary alluvial and terrace deposit basins of northern Thailand, to test the possibility of using airborne equivalent uranium to predict geogenic indoor radon values of the region. The methodology was based on the correlation among soil gas permeability, soil radon concentration and indoor radon, as well as a relationship between soil radon and airborne uranium values. The methodology established works rather well when tested in areas of known indoor radon. Based on the predicted values that were obtained from this method, indoor radon in most areas of alluvial and terrace deposit basins of northern Thailand is less than 44Bq/m{sup 3}. There is no area in these basins where predicted indoor radon exceeds 74Bq/m{sup 3}.

Northern blotting analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Josefsen, Knud; Nielsen, Henrik

2011-01-01

is analysed by hybridization to one or more specific probes that are labelled for subsequent detection. Northern blotting is relatively simple to perform, inexpensive, and not plagued by artefacts. Recent developments of hybridization membranes and buffers have resulted in increased sensitivity closing...

Integration of borehole and seismic data to unravel complex stratigraphy: Case studies from the Mannville Group, Western Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Sarzalejo Silva, Sabrina Ester

Understanding the stratigraphic architecture of geologically complex reservoirs, such as the heavy oil deposits of Western Canada, is essential to achieve an efficient hydrocarbon recovery. Borehole and 3-D seismic data were integrated to define the stratigraphic architecture and generate 3-dimensional geological models of the Mannville Group in Saskatchewan. The Mannville is a stratigraphically complex unit formed of fluvial to marine deposits. Two areas in west-central and southern Saskatchewan were examined in this study. In west-central Saskatchewan, the area corresponds to a stratigraphically controlled heavy oil reservoir with production from the undifferentiated Dina-Cummings Members of the Lower Cretaceous Mannville Group. The southern area, although non-prospective for hydrocarbons, shares many similarities with time-equivalent strata in areas of heavy oil production. Seismic sequence stratigraphic principles together with log signatures permitted the subdivision of the Mannville into different packages. An initial geological model was generated integrating seismic and well-log data Multiattribute analysis and neural networks were used to generate a pseudo-lithology or gamma-ray volume. The incorporation of borehole core data to the model and the subsequent integration with the lithological prediction were crucial to capture the distribution of reservoir and non-reservoir deposits in the study area. The ability to visualize the 3-D seismic data in a variety of ways, including arbitrary lines and stratal or horizon slicing techniques helped the definition of stratigraphic features such as channels and scroll bars that affect fluid flow in hydrocarbon producing areas. Small-scale heterogeneities in the reservoir were not resolved due to the resolution of the seismic data. Although not undertaken in this study, the resulting stratigraphic framework could be used to help construct a static reservoir model. Because of the small size of the 3-D seismic surveys

Experienced and Perceived Risks of Mycobacterial Diseases: A Cross Sectional Study among Agropastoral Communities in Northern Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilale, Andrew Martin; Ngadaya, Esther; Kagaruki, Gibson Benard; Lema, Yakobo Leonard; Muhumuza, Julius; Ngowi, Bernard James; Mfinanga, Sayoki Godfrey; Hinderaker, Sven Gudmund

2015-01-01

The current study was conducted to assess experienced risk factors and perceptions of mycobacterial diseases in communities in northern Tanzania. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Arusha and Manyara regions in Northern Tanzania. We enrolled tuberculosis (TB) patients attending Mount Meru Hospital, Enduleni Hospital and Haydom Lutheran Hospitals in Arusha municipality, Ngorongoro and Mbulu districts, respectively. Patient addresses were recorded during their first visit to the hospitals. Patients with confirmed diagnosis of TB by sputum smear microscopy and/or culture at central laboratory were followed up and interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires, and selected relatives and neighbors were also interviewed. The study was conducted between June 2011 and May 2013. The study involved 164 respondents: 41(25%) were TB patients, 68(41.5%) were their relatives and 55(33.5%) their neighbors. Sixty four (39%) knew a risk factor for mycobacterial disease. Overall, 64(39%) perceived to be at risk of mycobacterial diseases. Exposure to potential risks of mycobacterial diseases were: keeping livestock, not boiling drinking water, large family, smoking and sharing dwelling with TB patients. Rural dwellers were more often livestock keepers (p<0.01), more often shared dwelling with livestock (p<0.01) than urban dwellers. More primary school leavers reported sharing dwelling with TB patients than participants with secondary and higher education (p = 0.01). Livestock keeping, sharing dwelling with livestock, sharing household with a TB patient were perceived risk factors for mycobacterial diseases and the participants were exposed to some of these risk factors. Improving knowledge about the risk factors may protect them from these serious diseases.

Brain Perivascular Spaces as Biomarkers of Vascular Risk: Results from the Northern Manhattan Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, J; Elkind, M S V; Dong, C; Di Tullio, M; Rundek, T; Sacco, R L; Wright, C B

2017-05-01

Dilated perivascular spaces in the brain are associated with greater arterial pulsatility. We hypothesized that perivascular spaces identify individuals at higher risk for systemic and cerebral vascular events. Stroke-free participants in the population-based Northern Manhattan Study had brain MR imaging performed and were followed for myocardial infarction, any stroke, and death. Imaging analyses distinguished perivascular spaces from lesions presumably ischemic. Perivascular spaces were further subdivided into lesions with diameters of ≤3 mm (small perivascular spaces) and >3 mm (large perivascular spaces). We calculated relative rates of events with Poisson models and hazard ratios with Cox proportional models. The Northern Manhattan Study participants who had MR imaging data available for review ( n = 1228; 59% women, 65% Hispanic; mean age, 71 ± 9 years) were followed for an average of 9 ± 2 years. Participants in the highest tertile of the small perivascular space score had a higher relative rate of all deaths (relative rate, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.01-1.91), vascular death (relative rate, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.12-3.14), myocardial infarction (relative rate, 2.08; 95% CI, 1.01-4.31), any stroke (relative rate, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.03-3.11), and any vascular event (relative rate, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.18-2.56). After we adjusted for confounders, there was a higher risk of vascular death (hazard ratio, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01-1.11), myocardial infarction (hazard ratio, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.12-4.42), and any vascular event (hazard ratio, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01-1.08) with higher small perivascular space scores. In this multiethnic, population-based study, participants with a high burden of small perivascular spaces had increased risk of vascular events. By gaining pathophysiologic insight into the mechanism of perivascular space dilation, we may be able to propose novel therapies to better prevent vascular disorders in the population. © 2017 by American Journal of Neuroradiology.

Dispersion of sulphur in the northern hemisphere. A study with a 3-dimensional time-resolved model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarrason, L

1996-12-31

This thesis on atmospheric dispersion of sulphur presents a calculation of intercontinental transport of oxidized sulphur and allocates different contributions to sulphur background levels over Europe. It is found that a significant fraction of anthropogenic sulphur (AS) is transported out of continental boundaries thus affecting the background levels over major parts of the northern hemisphere. Over Europe, the contribution of AS from North America is similar in amount to that of Asian AS and natural sources from the North Atlantic Ocean. Although the yearly contribution of intercontinental transport to deposition of sulphur over Europe is quite small, it can be much more important over certain areas and seasons and is comparable to the contributions from individual European countries. The calculations are based on a three-dimensional Eulerian time-resolved model that describes sulphur dispersion in the atmosphere in connection with large-scale synoptic flows and agree well with observations. The thesis emphasizes the role of synoptic scale atmospheric motions in determining intercontinental transport of sulphur. It indicates the need to resolve individual cyclones and anticyclones in order to describe the dispersion and distribution of atmospheric sulphur in the northern hemisphere and stresses the value of comparing model calculations with observations, both in atmospheric chemistry studies and in climate applications. 260 refs., 50 figs., 17 tabs.

Dispersion of sulphur in the northern hemisphere. A study with a 3-dimensional time-resolved model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tarrason, L.

1995-12-31

This thesis on atmospheric dispersion of sulphur presents a calculation of intercontinental transport of oxidized sulphur and allocates different contributions to sulphur background levels over Europe. It is found that a significant fraction of anthropogenic sulphur (AS) is transported out of continental boundaries thus affecting the background levels over major parts of the northern hemisphere. Over Europe, the contribution of AS from North America is similar in amount to that of Asian AS and natural sources from the North Atlantic Ocean. Although the yearly contribution of intercontinental transport to deposition of sulphur over Europe is quite small, it can be much more important over certain areas and seasons and is comparable to the contributions from individual European countries. The calculations are based on a three-dimensional Eulerian time-resolved model that describes sulphur dispersion in the atmosphere in connection with large-scale synoptic flows and agree well with observations. The thesis emphasizes the role of synoptic scale atmospheric motions in determining intercontinental transport of sulphur. It indicates the need to resolve individual cyclones and anticyclones in order to describe the dispersion and distribution of atmospheric sulphur in the northern hemisphere and stresses the value of comparing model calculations with observations, both in atmospheric chemistry studies and in climate applications. 260 refs., 50 figs., 17 tabs.

Groundwater-quality data in the northern Coast Ranges study unit, 2009: Results from the California GAMA Program

Science.gov (United States)

Mathany, Timothy M.; Dawson, Barbara J.; Shelton, Jennifer L.; Belitz, Kenneth

2011-01-01

Groundwater quality in the 633-square-mile Northern Coast Ranges (NOCO) study unit was investigated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) from June to November 2009, as part of the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) Groundwater Ambient Monitoring and Assessment (GAMA) Program's Priority Basin Project (PBP) and the U.S. Geological Survey National Water-Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). The GAMA-PBP was developed in response to the California Groundwater Quality Monitoring Act of 2001 and is being conducted in collaboration with the SWRCB and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). The NOCO study unit was the thirtieth study unit to be sampled as part of the GAMA-PBP.

Adolescent self-harm: a school-based study in Northern Ireland.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Connor, Rory C; Rasmussen, Susan; Hawton, Keith

2014-04-01

The prevalence of adolescent self-harm in Northern Ireland (NI) and its associated factors are unknown. Given the established relationship between conflict and mental health, and NI׳s recent history of conflict, it is important to investigate the factors associated with self-harm in NI. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-harm in NI adolescents and the factors associated with it, including exposure to the NI conflict. Observational study of 3596 school pupils employing an anonymous self-report survey. Information was obtained on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, life events and problems, exposure to the NI conflict, social and internet influences, and psychological variables. Self-harm was reported by 10% of respondents. In univariate analyses, exposure to the NI conflict was associated with self-harm alongside established risk factors. In multivariate analyses, bullying and exposure to self-harm were associated with lifetime self-harm in both girls and boys. Alcohol use, drug use, physical and sexual abuse, and self-esteem were also associated with self-harm in girls. In boys, absence of exercise, sexual orientation concerns, anxiety and impulsivity were additional risk factors. The internet/social media and the self-harm of others were also key influences. This is a cross-sectional study. The rate of self-harm was lower than elsewhere in the UK/Ireland. The study highlights the factors which should be considered in terms of risk assessment. In addition to established risk factors, the findings suggest that more research on the legacy of the NI conflict as well as the influence of new technologies warrant urgent attention. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative analysis of the taxation of uranium mines in Australia and Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnett, D.W.; Anderson, D.L.

1984-01-01

The degree of neutrality of a tax policy is a gauge of how willing a government is to share in the risk of mineral development. This paper analyzes the practical characteristics of the uranium taxation policies of the Northern Territory in Australia and Saskatchewan in Canada. It superimposes these two policies on a large Australian uranium mine, based on the Ranger mine, and on a slightly larger Canadian mine, based on the Key Lake mine. The analysis focuses on the impact on the net-present-value of the producers' returns, the sharing of economic rent between the arms of government and the producer, and on the apparent neutrality of the tax policies. 24 references, 6 figures

Final report of the AECL/SKB Cigar Lake analog study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cramer, J.J.

1994-07-01

The Cigar Lake uranium deposit is located in northern Saskatchewan, Canada. The 1.3-billion-year-old deposit is located at a depth of about 450 m below surface in a water-saturated sandstone at the unconformity contact with the high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Canadian Shield. The uranium mineralization, consisting primarily of uraninite (UO 2 ), is surrounded by a clay-rich halo in both sandstone and basement rocks, and remains extremely well preserved and intact. The average grade of the mineralization is ∼ 8 wt.% U; locally grades are as high as ∼ 55 wt.%U. The Cigar lake deposit has many features that parallel those being considered within the Canadian concept for disposal of nuclear fuel waste. Specifically, the deposit provides analog information relevant to the stability of UO 2 fuel waste, the performance of clay-based barriers, radionuclide migration, colloid formation, radiolysis, fission-product geochemistry and general aspects of water-rock interaction. The main geochemical studies on this deposit focus on the evolution of groundwater compositions in the deposit and on their redox chemistry with respect to the uranium, iron and sulphide systems. Since 1984, through cooperation from the owners of the Cigar lake deposit, analog studies have been conducted. AECL, with support from Ontario Hydro under the auspices of the CANDU Owners Group, initiated international participation in 1989 through collaboration with the Swedish Nuclear Fuel and Waste Management Company (SKB) and, more recently, with the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). This report gives the results of the various studies carried out during the 3-year collaboration between AECL and SKB, as well as a summary of the LANL study. It provides detailed information on the generated databases and models, and integrates this information into conclusions for use in safety assessment of the Canadian, Swedish and United States disposal concepts. 15 refs., 25 figs., 55 tabs

Harvesting systems for the northern forest hardwoods

Science.gov (United States)

Chris B. LeDoux

2011-01-01

This monograph is a summary of research results and environmental compliance measures for timber harvesting operations. Data are presented from the Northern Research Station's forest inventory and analysis of 20 states in the northern forest hardwoods. Harvesting systems available in the region today are summarized. Equations for estimating harvesting costs are...

Ethnobotanical study of wound healing herbs among the tribal communities in northern himalaya ranges district Abbottabad, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, A.M.; Khan, M.A.; Ahmad, M.; Qureshi, R.; Arshad, M.; Jahan, S.; Zafar, M.; Sultan, S.

2010-01-01

The present paper reports therapeutic uses of medicinal plants for wounds healing by the tribal communities of Northern Himalayan Range, district Abbottabad which was recorded during January 2007 to April 2009. A total of 27 plant species belonging to 23 families are identified which are being used by the people of the study area. One hundred informants of different age (35 to 90 years old) were interviewed to extract ethno medicinal data using semi-structured questionnaire. Present study provides baseline data on wound healing properties of native plants that can be exploited by pharmaceutical industry for screening new active compounds. (author)

Endeavor cruise 071 navigation and bathymetry, northern Hatteras Abyssal Plain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laine, E.P.; Friedrich, N.E.; McCreery, C.; Dickson, S.; Baker, M.

1985-01-01

Sub-bottom seismic profiling was carried out by R/V Endeavor during the summers of 1980 and 1981. Data collection was concentrated in LLWODP study area E-N3, which encompasses the northern Hatteras Abyssal Plain and the adjacent lower continental rise. Time, position, and depth were logged and marked on the seismic record at 15-minute intervals. These navigational and bathymetric data have been used to produce a time/position/depth listing, and a detailed bathymetric map of the northern Hatteras Abyssal Plain and surrounding physiographic provinces. 6 figures, 1 table

Principles for poverty alleviation among the youth in Northern Uganda

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Wilson

2010-07-01

Full Text Available This article deals with the statistical data and analysis con-cerning poverty among the young people in Uganda. The poverty is continuously ascending, with the most affected region being Northern Uganda. The major cause of poverty in Uganda has been the “South-North divide” fuelled by poor political leadership, that divides people along the lines of politics and ethnicity. Poverty has caused many young people of Northern Uganda to resort to rebellion against the government currently in power. This has led to unending political instability and civil strife most especially in Northern Uganda. In this article atten-tion is given to the conflict in Northern Uganda and attempts are made to propose some amicable resolutions. The discussion includes the current poverty scenario in Northern Uganda and possible strategies for reducing the poverty rate that has caused much damage in Northern Uganda.

Development of a bioassay using walleye (Sander vitreus) to assess the toxicity of oil sands sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Turcotte, D.; Yuan, H.; Tumber, V.; Parrott, J. [Environment Canada, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Raine, J. [Saskatchewan Univ., Saskatoon, SK (Canada)

2010-07-01

This study examined the effects of sediments from the Athabasca oil sands area on fish development and survival. Walleye (Sander vitreus) which inhabit the Athabasca River are exposed to natural sources of bitumen eroding from the McMurray formation. This study described the design and implementation of a daily-renewal bioassay to evaluate the potential effects of toxicants on walleye development. Eggs were collected and fertilized with milt from spawning wild walleye captured from Lake Diefenbaker in Saskatchewan. The fertilized eggs were exposed to different concentrations of sediments or culture water only (negative controls) until complete yolk absorption of control fish. The walleye embryos were fed brine shrimp daily after hatching and the developing fish were examined for morphological deformities, survival, hatching success, and changes in weight and length between treatments. Organics concentrations in fish tissues and water were measured when possible. Fathead minnows and northern pikes will also be exposed to the same sediments in order to compare the relative sensitivity of the three species.

Junior medical officer recruitment: challenges and lessons from the Northern Territory.

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Robert; Sathianathan, Vino

2007-06-01

To examine the influence of newspaper and Internet advertising, word-of-mouth endorsement and student experience in attracting applicants for junior medical officer positions in the Northern Territory. A retrospective study. Fifty-four applicants for junior medical officer positions. Proportion of applicants who reported newspaper advertising, Internet advertising, word of mouth or personal experience in attracting their application for an intern or resident medical officer position. Nineteen per cent of applicants saw the newspaper advertisement and 52% of the Internet advertisement. Eighty-seven per cent of applicants were influenced by word-of-mouth endorsement and 52% by student experience in the Northern Territory or Indigenous health. These results suggest that word-of-mouth endorsement has the greatest influence in attracting applicants for junior medical officer positions in Northern Territory hospitals.

Relationships of Dietary Histidine and Obesity in Northern Chinese Adults, an Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan-Chuan Li

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Our previous studies have demonstrated that histidine supplementation significantly ameliorates inflammation and oxidative stress in obese women and high-fat diet-induced obese rats. However, the effects of dietary histidine on general population are not known. The objective of this Internet-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the associations between dietary histidine and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in northern Chinese population. A total of 2376 participants were randomly recruited and asked to finish our Internet-based dietary questionnaire for the Chinese (IDQC. Afterwards, 88 overweight/obese participants were randomly selected to explore the possible mechanism. Compared with healthy controls, dietary histidine was significantly lower in overweight (p < 0.05 and obese (p < 0.01 participants of both sexes. Dietary histidine was inversely associated with body mass index (BMI, waist circumference (WC and blood pressure in overall population and stronger associations were observed in women and overweight/obese participants. Higher dietary histidine was associated with lower prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, especially in women. Further studies indicated that higher dietary histidine was associated with lower fasting blood glucose (FBG, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, 2-h postprandial glucose (2 h-PG, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β, interleukin-6 (IL-6, C-reactive protein (CRP, malonaldehyde (MDA and vaspin and higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, superoxide dismutase (SOD and adiponectin of overweight/obese individuals of both sexes. In conclusion, higher dietary histidine is inversely associated with energy intake, status of insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in overweight/obese participants and lower prevalence of overweight/obesity in northern Chinese adults.

Relationships of Dietary Histidine and Obesity in Northern Chinese Adults, an Internet-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan-Chuan; Li, Chun-Long; Qi, Jia-Yue; Huang, Li-Na; Shi, Dan; Du, Shan-Shan; Liu, Li-Yan; Feng, Ren-Nan; Sun, Chang-Hao

2016-07-11

Our previous studies have demonstrated that histidine supplementation significantly ameliorates inflammation and oxidative stress in obese women and high-fat diet-induced obese rats. However, the effects of dietary histidine on general population are not known. The objective of this Internet-based cross-sectional study was to evaluate the associations between dietary histidine and prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity in northern Chinese population. A total of 2376 participants were randomly recruited and asked to finish our Internet-based dietary questionnaire for the Chinese (IDQC). Afterwards, 88 overweight/obese participants were randomly selected to explore the possible mechanism. Compared with healthy controls, dietary histidine was significantly lower in overweight (p obese (p Dietary histidine was inversely associated with body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure in overall population and stronger associations were observed in women and overweight/obese participants. Higher dietary histidine was associated with lower prevalence of overweight/obesity and abdominal obesity, especially in women. Further studies indicated that higher dietary histidine was associated with lower fasting blood glucose (FBG), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), 2-h postprandial glucose (2 h-PG), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), malonaldehyde (MDA) and vaspin and higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and adiponectin of overweight/obese individuals of both sexes. In conclusion, higher dietary histidine is inversely associated with energy intake, status of insulin resistance, inflammation and oxidative stress in overweight/obese participants and lower prevalence of overweight/obesity in northern Chinese adults.

Crustal anisotropy across northern Japan from receiver functions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bianchi, I; Bokelmann, G; Shiomi, K

2015-07-01

Northern Japan is a tectonically active area, with the presence of several volcanoes, and with frequent earthquakes among which the destructive M w  = 8.9-9.0 Tohoku-oki occurred on 11 March 2011. Tectonic activity leaves an imprint on the crustal structures, on both the upper and the lower layers. To investigate the crust in northern Japan, we construct a receiver function data set using teleseismic events recorded at 58 seismic stations belonging to the Japanese National (Hi-net) network. We isolate the signals, in the receiver function wavelet, that witness the presence of anisotropic structures at depth, with the aim of mapping the variation of anisotropy across the northern part of the island. This study focuses on the relation among anisotropy detected in the crust, stresses induced by plate convergence across the subduction zone, and the intrinsic characteristics of the rocks. Our results show how a simple velocity model with two anisotropic layers reproduces the observed data at the stations. We observe a negligible or small amount of signal related to anisotropy in the eastern part of the study area (i.e., the outer arc) for both upper and lower crust. Distinct anisotropic features are observed at the stations on the western part of the study area (i.e., the inner arc) for both upper and lower crust. The symmetry axes are mostly E-W oriented. Deviation from the E-W orientation is observed close to the volcanic areas, where the higher geothermal gradient might influence the deformation processes.

Perspectives on past and Present Waste Disposal Practices: A community-Based Participatory Research Project in Three Saskatchewan First Nations Communities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Zagozewski

2011-01-01

Full Text Available The impact of current and historical waste disposal practices on the environment and human health of Indigenous people in First Nations communities has yet to be adequately addressed. Solid waste disposal has been identified as a major environmental threat to First Nations Communities. A community-based participatory research project (CBPR was initiated by the Saskatoon Tribal Council Health and Family Services Incorporated to investigate concerns related to waste disposal in three Saskatchewan First Nations Communities. Utilizing a qualitative approach, we aimed to gain an understanding of past and present waste disposal practices and to identify any human and environmental health concerns related to these practices. One to one interviews and sharing circles were conducted with Elders. Elders were asked to share their perspectives on past and present waste disposal practices and to comment on the possible impacts these practices may have on the environment and community health. Historically waste disposal practices were similar among communities. The homeowner generated small volumes of waste, was exclusively responsible for disposal and utilized a backyard pit. Overtime waste disposal evolved to weekly pick-up of un-segregated garbage with waste disposal and open trash burning in a community dump site. Dump site locations and open trash burning were identified as significant health issues related to waste disposal practices in these communities. This research raises issues of inequity in the management of waste in First Nations Communities. It highlights the need for long-term sustainable funding to support community-based waste disposal and management strategies and the development of First Nations centered and delivered educational programs to encourage the adoption and implementation of waste reduction, reutilization and recycling activities in these communities.

War and reconstruction in northern Mozambique

OpenAIRE

Tilman Bruck

2006-01-01

The article discusses some of the economic effects of war in northern Mozambique. It indicates how the historical and structural features of the economy of northern Mozambique restricted post-war reconstruction and post-war poverty alleviation. These features include the dominance of only a few cash crops for export, the absence of much rural trading, poor communication infrastructure, and weak political and state institutions. The specific nature of the internal war further weakened the stat...

Prevalence of Arcobacter spp. in raw milk and retail raw meats in northern Ireland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Scullion, R.; Harrington, C.S.; Madden, R.H.

2006-01-01

A 1-year study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of Arcobacter spp. in raw milk and retail raw meats on sale in Northern Ireland. Retail raw poultry samples (n = 94), pork samples (n = 101), and beef samples (n = 108) were obtained from supermarkets in Northern Ireland, and raw milk samp...... from raw milk samples. Arcobacter cryaerophilus was detected less frequently, and Arcobacter skirrowii was detected only as a cocontaminant. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Arcobacter spp. prevalence in a diverse range of products of animal origin in Northern Ireland....

The evolutionary characteristics and study of uranium mineralization conditions of early precambrian basement and old granitoids in Northern Hebei province of China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Yuliang; Rong Jiashu; Lin Jinrong; Zheng Maogong; Wen Xiyuan

1993-05-01

Based on the systematic studies of petrology, geochemistry and isotope geochronology, the Early Precambrian metamorphic complex in Northern Hebei province of China can be divided into three different series, i.e. granulite series, khondalite series and amphibolitic-felsic rock series. The so called 'magmatic granitoids' in that area are actually some magmagranites with different ages and different geneses, and they are not formed by migmatization. Up to now, the discovered Huaian complex which was formed in 3.5 Ga ago is the oldest nuclear area in the northern margin of North-China Platform. The granulite series, khondalite series and amphibolitic-felsic rock series belong to Early Archaean (>3.0 +- 0.1 Ga), Middle Archaean (>2.7 +- 0.1 Ga) and Later Archaean (>2.4 +- 0.1 Ga) respectively. The geological time scale of the Early Precambrian for Northern Hebei Province has been built. According to the synthetic analyses of various factors there is no prospect of uranium mineralization in the ancient terrain. However, the Mesozoic volcanic basins covering over the Hercynian Period granites would be main goal for looking for large uranium deposits in north part in that area

A study of gunshot suicides in Northern Ireland from 1989 to 1993.

Science.gov (United States)

Armour, A

1996-01-01

A study of 104 gunshot suicides, including six women, in Northern Ireland over a 5-year period. Forty-five suicides in the security forces are compared with 59 which took place in the civilian population. The former were commonly associated with marital problems and overwhelmingly occurred in young males under the age of 40, whereas the civilian deaths were predominantly associated with mental ill health, with a wider age range distribution. The security forces used rifled weapons in 44 cases, whereas civilians used shotguns in 46 cases. Twelve out of the 45 were witnessed, compared to one in the civilian population. The security forces favoured the head as site of entry in 40 cases compared to 35 in the civilian population. Alcohol consumption was involved in 23 of the security forces suicides and 18 civilian. Of the 6 women, one was in the security forces and 4 had a history of mental illness.

Implementing LibGuides 2: An Academic Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Duncan, Vicky; Lucky, Shannon; McLean, Jaclyn

2015-01-01

Since 1997, the University of Saskatchewan Library has used "subject pages" to highlight key library resources. When Springshare announced it was launching LibGuides v2, a project team was assembled to transition a mixture of locally produced guides and guides created with the original LibGuides v1 software. This article synthesizes best…

The Alcoholism Situation in a Northern City

Science.gov (United States)

Martynov, M. Iu.; Martynova, D. Iu.

2012-01-01

Alcohol abuse in Russia has been increasing in recent years, especially in northern regions, as has the incidence of alcohol-related disease rates. A survey was conducted in Surgut (the Khanty-Mansi autonomous okrug) that determined the factors lending to the prevalence of alcohol abuse among the population of the northern city and assessed the…

Internal Migration Determinants: Evidence from Northern Region of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-05-01

May 1, 2016 ... University for Development Studies, Department of Mathematics, Navrongo, UER ... Keywords: Internal Migration, Determinants, Migrant, Northern Region, Network. Introduction ... origin's income on rural-urban migration (Beals et al., 1976), but a positive effect of a ..... 3 In the case of economic migrants.

Seasonally asymmetric enhancement of northern vegetation productivity

Science.gov (United States)

Park, T.; Myneni, R.

2017-12-01

Multiple evidences of widespread greening and increasing terrestrial carbon uptake have been documented. In particular, enhanced gross productivity of northern vegetation has been a critical role leading to observed carbon uptake trend. However, seasonal photosynthetic activity and its contribution to observed annual carbon uptake trend and interannual variability are not well understood. Here, we introduce a multiple-source of datasets including ground, atmospheric and satellite observations, and multiple process-based global vegetation models to understand how seasonal variation of land surface vegetation controls a large-scale carbon exchange. Our analysis clearly shows a seasonally asymmetric enhancement of northern vegetation productivity in growing season during last decades. Particularly, increasing gross productivity in late spring and early summer is obvious and dominant driver explaining observed trend and variability. We observe more asymmetric productivity enhancement in warmer region and this spatially varying asymmetricity in northern vegetation are likely explained by canopy development rate, thermal and light availability. These results imply that continued warming may facilitate amplifying asymmetric vegetation activity and cause these trends to become more pervasive, in turn warming induced regime shift in northern land.

The characteristics of ginger-like rock and its geological significance in Northern Zhungeer basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Rengui

1998-01-01

The author studies the characteristics of ginger-like stratum and its genesis in northern Zhungeer basin. There are many ginger-like strata of Tertiary-Quaternary exist in northern Zhungeer basin. It shows a good prospect for the formation of Tertiary sandstone type Uranium deposit which can be leached in-situ

Northern New Mexico regional airport market feasibility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drake, R.H.; Williams, D.S.

1998-06-01

This report is about the market for airline travel in northern New Mexico. Interest in developing a northern New Mexico regional airport has periodically surfaced for a number of years. The New Mexico State Legislature passed a memorial during the 1998 Second Session calling for the conduct of a study to determine the feasibility of building a new regional airport in NNM. This report is a study of the passenger market feasibility of such an airport. In addition to commercial passenger market feasibility, there are other feasibility issues dealing with siting, environmental impact, noise, economic impact, intermodal transportation integration, region-wide transportation services, airport engineering requirements, and others. These other feasibility issues are not analyzed in any depth in this report although none were discovered to be show-stoppers as a by-product of the authors doing research on the passenger market itself. Preceding the need for a detailed study of these other issues is the determination of the basic market need for an airport with regular commercial airline service in the first place. This report is restricted to an in-depth look at the market for commercial passenger air service in NNM. 20 figs., 8 tabs.

Physical Inactivity Predicts Slow Gait Speed in an Elderly Multi-Ethnic Cohort Study: The Northern Manhattan Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Willey, Joshua Z; Moon, Yeseon P; Kulick, Erin R; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Wright, Clinton B; Sacco, Ralph L; Elkind, Mitchell S V

2017-01-01

Gait speed is associated with multiple adverse outcomes of aging. We hypothesized that physical inactivity would be prospectively inversely associated with gait speed independently of white matter hyperintensity volume and silent brain infarcts on MRI. Participants in the Northern Manhattan Study MRI sub-study had physical activity assessed when they were enrolled into the study. A mean of 5 years after the MRI, participants had gait speed measured via a timed 5-meter walk test. Physical inactivity was defined as reporting no leisure-time physical activity. Multi-variable logistic and quantile regression was performed to examine the associations between physical inactivity and future gait speed adjusted for confounders. Among 711 participants with MRI and gait speed measures (62% women, 71% Hispanic, mean age 74.1 ± 8.4), the mean gait speed was 1.02 ± 0.26 m/s. Physical inactivity was associated with a greater odds of gait speed in the lowest quartile (Physical inactivity is associated with slower gait speed independently of osteoarthritis, grip strength, and subclinical ischemic brain injury. Modifying sedentary behavior poses a target for interventions aimed at reducing decline in mobility. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Accessing northern California earthquake data via Internet

Science.gov (United States)

Romanowicz, Barbara; Neuhauser, Douglas; Bogaert, Barbara; Oppenheimer, David

The Northern California Earthquake Data Center (NCEDC) provides easy access to central and northern California digital earthquake data. It is located at the University of California, Berkeley, and is operated jointly with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park, Calif., and funded by the University of California and the National Earthquake Hazard Reduction Program. It has been accessible to users in the scientific community through Internet since mid-1992.The data center provides an on-line archive for parametric and waveform data from two regional networks: the Northern California Seismic Network (NCSN) operated by the USGS and the Berkeley Digital Seismic Network (BDSN) operated by the Seismographic Station at the University of California, Berkeley.

Physical activity and cognition in the northern Manhattan study.

Science.gov (United States)

Willey, Joshua Z; Park Moon, Yeseon; Ruder, Rachel; Cheung, Yuen K; Sacco, Ralph L; Elkind, Mitchell S V; Wright, Clinton B

2014-01-01

To test the hypothesis that leisure time physical activity (PA) is associated with cognitive status. We assessed cognition using the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE) at enrollment and using the modified Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) administered annually since 2001 in the Northern Manhattan Study. Baseline measures of leisure time PA were collected via in-person questionnaires. Total PA was categorized into 3 groups based on the metabolic equivalent (MET) score, a composite of total reported intensity and time. We used linear regression models to examine the association of PA with MMSE, and generalized estimating equations for change in TICS-m over time. There were 3,298 stroke-free participants with MMSE data (mean MMSE 26.0 ± 3.8) and 2,279 with TICS-m scores available. Compared to no PA, those with the upper quartile of MET scores had greater baseline MMSE scores (adjusted β = 0.4, p = 0.01) but no association with change in TICS-m over time. There were interactions (p education; compared to no PA, those in the upper quartile of MET scores had a greater MMSE score only among those with Medicaid/no insurance (adjusted β = 0.83, p = 0.0005) and those who did not complete high school (adjusted β = 0.68, p = 0.001). Increased levels of PA were associated with better baseline MMSE, particularly among those with socioeconomic disadvantages, but not with cognitive decline. © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

The Saskatchewan River Basin - a large scale observatory for water security research (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Wheater, H. S.

2013-12-01

The 336,000 km2 Saskatchewan River Basin (SaskRB) in Western Canada illustrates many of the issues of Water Security faced world-wide. It poses globally-important science challenges due to the diversity in its hydro-climate and ecological zones. With one of the world's more extreme climates, it embodies environments of global significance, including the Rocky Mountains (source of the major rivers in Western Canada), the Boreal Forest (representing 30% of Canada's land area) and the Prairies (home to 80% of Canada's agriculture). Management concerns include: provision of water resources to more than three million inhabitants, including indigenous communities; balancing competing needs for water between different uses, such as urban centres, industry, agriculture, hydropower and environmental flows; issues of water allocation between upstream and downstream users in the three prairie provinces; managing the risks of flood and droughts; and assessing water quality impacts of discharges from major cities and intensive agricultural production. Superimposed on these issues is the need to understand and manage uncertain water futures, including effects of economic growth and environmental change, in a highly fragmented water governance environment. Key science questions focus on understanding and predicting the effects of land and water management and environmental change on water quantity and quality. To address the science challenges, observational data are necessary across multiple scales. This requires focussed research at intensively monitored sites and small watersheds to improve process understanding and fine-scale models. To understand large-scale effects on river flows and quality, land-atmosphere feedbacks, and regional climate, integrated monitoring, modelling and analysis is needed at large basin scale. And to support water management, new tools are needed for operational management and scenario-based planning that can be implemented across multiple scales and

A regression modeling approach for studying carbonate system variability in the northern Gulf of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Wiley; Mathis, Jeremy T.; Winsor, Peter; Statscewich, Hank; Whitledge, Terry E.

2013-01-01

northern Gulf of Alaska (GOA) shelf experiences carbonate system variability on seasonal and annual time scales, but little information exists to resolve higher frequency variability in this region. To resolve this variability using platforms-of-opportunity, we present multiple linear regression (MLR) models constructed from hydrographic data collected along the Northeast Pacific Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (GLOBEC) Seward Line. The empirical algorithms predict dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and total alkalinity (TA) using observations of nitrate (NO3-), temperature, salinity and pressure from the surface to 500 m, with R2s > 0.97 and RMSE values of 11 µmol kg-1 for DIC and 9 µmol kg-1 for TA. We applied these relationships to high-resolution NO3- data sets collected during a novel 20 h glider flight and a GLOBEC mesoscale SeaSoar survey. Results from the glider flight demonstrated time/space along-isopycnal variability of aragonite saturations (Ωarag) associated with a dicothermal layer (a cold near-surface layer found in high latitude oceans) that rivaled changes seen vertically through the thermocline. The SeaSoar survey captured the uplift to aragonite saturation horizon (depth where Ωarag = 1) shoaled to a previously unseen depth in the northern GOA. This work is similar to recent studies aimed at predicting the carbonate system in continental margin settings, albeit demonstrates that a NO3--based approach can be applied to high-latitude data collected from platforms capable of high-frequency measurements.

Northern protected areas will become important refuges for biodiversity tracking suitable climates.

Science.gov (United States)

Berteaux, Dominique; Ricard, Marylène; St-Laurent, Martin-Hugues; Casajus, Nicolas; Périé, Catherine; Beauregard, Frieda; de Blois, Sylvie

2018-03-15

The Northern Biodiversity Paradox predicts that, despite its globally negative effects on biodiversity, climate change will increase biodiversity in northern regions where many species are limited by low temperatures. We assessed the potential impacts of climate change on the biodiversity of a northern network of 1,749 protected areas spread over >600,000 km 2 in Quebec, Canada. Using ecological niche modeling, we calculated potential changes in the probability of occurrence of 529 species to evaluate the potential impacts of climate change on (1) species gain, loss, turnover, and richness in protected areas, (2) representativity of protected areas, and (3) extent of species ranges located in protected areas. We predict a major species turnover over time, with 49% of total protected land area potentially experiencing a species turnover >80%. We also predict increases in regional species richness, representativity of protected areas, and species protection provided by protected areas. Although we did not model the likelihood of species colonising habitats that become suitable as a result of climate change, northern protected areas should ultimately become important refuges for species tracking climate northward. This is the first study to examine in such details the potential effects of climate change on a northern protected area network.

DreamTel; Diabetes risk evaluation and management tele-monitoring study protocol

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiss Alex

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes underlines the importance of secondary strategies for the prevention of target organ damage. While access to diabetes education centers and diabetes intensification management has been shown to improve blood glucose control, these services are not available to all that require them, particularly in rural and northern areas. The provision of these services through the Home Care team is an advance that can overcome these barriers. Transfer of blood glucose data electronically from the home to the health care provider may improve diabetes management. Methods and design The study population will consist of patients with type 2 diabetes with uncontrolled A1c levels living on reserve in the Battlefords region of Saskatchewan, Canada. This pilot study will take place over three phases. In the first phase over three months the impact of the introduction of the Bluetooth enabled glucose monitor will be assessed. In the second phase over three months, the development of guidelines based treatment algorithms for diabetes intensification will be completed. In the third phase lasting 18 months, study subjects will have diabetes intensification according to the algorithms developed. Discussion The first phase will determine if the use of the Bluetooth enabled blood glucose devices which can transmit results electronically will lead to changes in A1c levels. It will also determine the feasibility of recruiting subjects to use this technology. The rest of the Diabetes Risk Evaluation and Management Tele-monitoring (DreamTel study will determine if the delivery of a diabetes intensification management program by the Home Care team supported by the Bluetooth enabled glucose meters leads to improvements in diabetes management. Trial Registration Protocol NCT00325624

Natural regeneration of northern hardwoods in the northern Great Lakes Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Carl H. Tubbs

1977-01-01

Reviews silvical and silvicultural information about natural regeneration pertinent to forestry practices in Lake State northern hardwood types. Seed production; effects of light, moisture, temperature and competition on establishment and growth; and how damage affects mortality rates and form are covered. Clearcutting, selection, and shelterwood experiments are...

NEW RECORD OF DOLICHOPODA FROM NORTHERN IRAN (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudio Di Russo

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The record of a new sample of Dolichopoda from Northern Iran is reported. The morphological study of this material allowed the authors to attribute the studied specimens to D. Hyrcana Bey-Bienko, 1969, whose geographic distribution now extends eastwards to the Alborz Mountains in North Iran.

Identification of poorly crystalline scorodite in uranium mill tailings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frey, R.; Rowson, J.; Hughes, K.; Rinas, C.; Warner, J.

2010-01-01

The McClean Lake mill, located in northern Saskatchewan, processes a variety of uranium ore bodies to produce yellowcake. A by-product of this process is an acidic waste solution enriched in arsenic, referred to as raffinate. The raffinate waste stream is treated in the tailings preparation circuit, where arsenic is precipitated as a poorly crystalline scorodite phase. Raffinate neutralization studies have successfully identified poorly crystalline scorodite using XRD, SEM, EM, XANES and EXAFS methods, but to date, scorodite has not been successfully identified within the whole tailing solids. During the summer of 2008, a drilling program sampled the in situ tailings within the McClean Lake tailings management facility. Samples from this drilling campaign were sent to the Canadian Light Source Inc. for EXAFS analysis. The sample spectra positively identify a poorly crystalline scorodite phase within the McClean tailings management facility. (author)

Knee injuries in skiing. A prospective study from northern Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Edlund, G; Gedda, S; Hemborg, A

1980-01-01

This paper evaluates 420 ski injuries occurring in Northern Sweden in 1977. Our main aim was to correlate knee injuries with types of skiing and to note a change in incidence with evolution of equipment. Fifty-eight lesions (13.8%) affected the knee joint which is about the same frequency as 10 years earlier nor has introduction of high stiff boots in downhill skiing increased incidence of knee injuries. Cross-country and long-distance skiing produced more knee injuries (24.7%) than downhill skiing (11.4%). Cross-country skiers were older and more women in this group sustained knee injuries. The use of non-release type bindings is probably the main reason for this higher incidence but age and different skiing techniques seem to contribute.

Experienced and Perceived Risks of Mycobacterial Diseases: A Cross Sectional Study among Agropastoral Communities in Northern Tanzania.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew Martin Kilale

Full Text Available The current study was conducted to assess experienced risk factors and perceptions of mycobacterial diseases in communities in northern Tanzania.We conducted a cross-sectional study in Arusha and Manyara regions in Northern Tanzania. We enrolled tuberculosis (TB patients attending Mount Meru Hospital, Enduleni Hospital and Haydom Lutheran Hospitals in Arusha municipality, Ngorongoro and Mbulu districts, respectively. Patient addresses were recorded during their first visit to the hospitals. Patients with confirmed diagnosis of TB by sputum smear microscopy and/or culture at central laboratory were followed up and interviewed using pre-tested questionnaires, and selected relatives and neighbors were also interviewed. The study was conducted between June 2011 and May 2013.The study involved 164 respondents: 41(25% were TB patients, 68(41.5% were their relatives and 55(33.5% their neighbors. Sixty four (39% knew a risk factor for mycobacterial disease. Overall, 64(39% perceived to be at risk of mycobacterial diseases. Exposure to potential risks of mycobacterial diseases were: keeping livestock, not boiling drinking water, large family, smoking and sharing dwelling with TB patients. Rural dwellers were more often livestock keepers (p<0.01, more often shared dwelling with livestock (p<0.01 than urban dwellers. More primary school leavers reported sharing dwelling with TB patients than participants with secondary and higher education (p = 0.01.Livestock keeping, sharing dwelling with livestock, sharing household with a TB patient were perceived risk factors for mycobacterial diseases and the participants were exposed to some of these risk factors. Improving knowledge about the risk factors may protect them from these serious diseases.

CO2 reduction strategies for the Northern Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Benders, Rene; Moll, Henk; Noorman, Klaas Jan; Wiersma, Gerwin

2011-01-01

The concern about global warming initiated ambitious CO2 reduction goals in cities and regions in the Netherlands. This article describes a study of such a local initiative for the Northern Netherlands. The research aimed to develop CO2 reduction scenarios for 2035 with national and international

Price transmission in the trans-atlantic northern shrimp value chain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Max; Ankamah-Yeboah, Isaac; Staahl, Lisa

2018-01-01

affect northern shrimp fisheries. In this paper, price transmission in the trans-Atlantic northern shrimp value chain is analysed using a Vector Auto Regressive model in Error Correction form. Cointegration, the Law of One Price (LOP) and weak exogeneity are tested. The results reveal linkages from......Recent research has found that markets for farmed shrimp and wild-caught northern shrimp in Europe are integrated, indicating that northern shrimp prices are affected by total supply and demand of shrimp. Thus, the continued growth of global aquaculture production and associated price decline...

Livelihood Diversification through Migration among a Pastoral People: Contrasting Case Studies of Maasai in Northern Tanzania.

Science.gov (United States)

McCabe, J Terrence; Smith, Nicole M; Leslie, Paul W; Telligman, Amy L

2014-01-01

This paper brings together over two decades of research concerning the patterns and processes of livelihood diversification through migration among Maasai pastoralists and agro-pastoralists of northern Tanzania. Two case studies, one from the Ngorongoro Conservation Area and the other from the Simanjiro plains, jointly demonstrate the complexity of migration within a single ethnic group. We analyze the relationship between wealth and migration and examine some of the consequences of migration for building herds, expanding cultivation, and influencing political leadership. We further argue that migration in Maasai communities is becoming a cultural norm and not only a response to economic conditions.

Incoming longwave radiation to melting snow: observations, sensitivity and estimation in Northern environments

Science.gov (United States)

Sicart, J. E.; Pomeroy, J. W.; Essery, R. L. H.; Bewley, D.

2006-11-01

At high latitudes, longwave radiation can provide similar, or higher, amounts of energy to snow than shortwave radiation due to the low solar elevation (cosine effect and increased scattering due to long atmospheric path lengths). This effect is magnified in mountains due to shading and longwave emissions from the complex topography. This study examines longwave irradiance at the snow surface in the Wolf Creek Research Basin, Yukon Territory, Canada (60° 36N, 134° 57W) during the springs of 2002 and 2004. Incoming longwave radiation was estimated from standard meteorological measurements by segregating radiation sources into clear sky, clouds and surrounding terrain. A sensitivity study was conducted to detect the atmospheric and topographic conditions under which emission from adjacent terrain significantly increases the longwave irradiance. The total incoming longwave radiation is more sensitive to sky view factor than to the temperature of the emitting terrain surfaces. Brutsaert's equation correctly simulates the clear-sky irradiance for hourly time steps using temperature and humidity. Longwave emissions from clouds, which raised longwave radiation above that from clear skies by 16% on average, were best estimated using daily atmospheric shortwave transmissivity and hourly relative humidity. An independent test of the estimation procedure for a prairie site near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, indicated that the calculations are robust in late winter and spring conditions. Copyright

An economic analysis of a system wide Lean approach: cost estimations for the implementation of Lean in the Saskatchewan healthcare system for 2012-2014.

Science.gov (United States)

Sari, Nazmi; Rotter, Thomas; Goodridge, Donna; Harrison, Liz; Kinsman, Leigh

2017-08-03

The costs of investing in health care reform initiatives to improve quality and safety have been underreported and are often underestimated. This paper reports direct and indirect cost estimates for the initial phase of the province-wide implementation of Lean activities in Saskatchewan, Canada. In order to obtain detailed information about each type of Lean event, as well as the total number of corresponding Lean events, we used the Provincial Kaizen Promotion Office (PKPO) Kaizen database. While the indirect cost of Lean implementation has been estimated using the corresponding wage rate for the event participants, the direct cost has been estimated using the fees paid to the consultant and other relevant expenses. The total cost for implementation of Lean over two years (2012-2014), including consultants and new hires, ranged from $44 million CAD to $49.6 million CAD, depending upon the assumptions used. Consultant costs accounted for close to 50% of the total. The estimated cost of Lean events alone ranged from $16 million CAD to $19.5 million CAD, with Rapid Process Improvement Workshops requiring the highest input of resources. Recognizing the substantial financial and human investments required to undertake reforms designed to improve quality and contain cost, policy makers must carefully consider whether and how these efforts result in the desired transformations. Evaluation of the outcomes of these investments must be part of the accountability framework, even prior to implementation.

Evaluation of the deformation parameters of the northern part of Eg

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdel-Monem S. Mohamed

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The northern part of Egypt is a rapidly growing development accompanied by the increased levels of standard living particularly in its urban areas. From tectonic and seismic point of views, the northern part of Egypt is one of the interested regions. It shows an active geologic structure attributed to the tectonic movements of the African and Eurasian plates from one side and the Arabian plate from the other side. From historical point of view and recent instrumental records, the northern part of Egypt is one of the seismo-active regions in Egypt. The investigations of the seismic events and their interpretations had led to evaluate the seismic hazard for disaster mitigation, for the safety of the densely populated regions and the vital projects. In addition to the monitoring of the seismic events, the most powerful technique of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS will be used in determining crustal deformation where a geodetic network covers the northern part of Egypt. Joining the GPS Permanent stations of the northern part of Egypt with the Southern part of Europe will give a clear picture about the recent crustal deformation and the African plate velocity. The results from the data sets are compared and combined in order to determine the main characteristics of the deformation and hazard estimation for specified regions. Final compiled output from the seismological and geodetic analysis will throw lights upon the geodynamical regime of these seismo-active regions. This work will throw lights upon the geodynamical regime and to delineate the crustal stress and strain fields in the study region. This also enables to evaluate the active tectonics and surface deformation with their directions from repeated geodetic observations. The results show that the area under study suffers from continuous seismic activity related to the crustal movements taken place along trends of major faults

Evaluation of the deformation parameters of the northern part of Eg

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed, Abdel-Monem S.; Radwan, Ali M.; Sharf, Mohamed; Hamimi, Zakaria; Hegazy, Esraa E.; Abou Aly, Nadia; Gomaa, Mahmoud

2016-06-01

The northern part of Egypt is a rapidly growing development accompanied by the increased levels of standard living particularly in its urban areas. From tectonic and seismic point of views, the northern part of Egypt is one of the interested regions. It shows an active geologic structure attributed to the tectonic movements of the African and Eurasian plates from one side and the Arabian plate from the other side. From historical point of view and recent instrumental records, the northern part of Egypt is one of the seismo-active regions in Egypt. The investigations of the seismic events and their interpretations had led to evaluate the seismic hazard for disaster mitigation, for the safety of the densely populated regions and the vital projects. In addition to the monitoring of the seismic events, the most powerful technique of Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) will be used in determining crustal deformation where a geodetic network covers the northern part of Egypt. Joining the GPS Permanent stations of the northern part of Egypt with the Southern part of Europe will give a clear picture about the recent crustal deformation and the African plate velocity. The results from the data sets are compared and combined in order to determine the main characteristics of the deformation and hazard estimation for specified regions. Final compiled output from the seismological and geodetic analysis will throw lights upon the geodynamical regime of these seismo-active regions. This work will throw lights upon the geodynamical regime and to delineate the crustal stress and strain fields in the study region. This also enables to evaluate the active tectonics and surface deformation with their directions from repeated geodetic observations. The results show that the area under study suffers from continuous seismic activity related to the crustal movements taken place along trends of major faults

Voices from the field: how do child protection practitioners in the Northern Territory operationalise child neglect?

OpenAIRE

Flaherty, Annette Clare

2017-01-01

This study set out to understand how child protection practitioners in the Northern Territory operationalise child neglect. It did so firstly because child neglect is a major reason such concerns are referred to the child protection service in the Northern Territory. Child neglect cases comprise 28 per cent of all substantiated child maltreatment cases in Australia, and 50 per cent in the Northern Territory (AIHW 2011). Secondly, as outlined in the Literature Review, child negl...

2-D Coda and Direct Wave Attenuation Tomography in Northern Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morasca, P; Mayeda, K; Gok, R; Phillips, W S; Malagnini, L

2007-10-17

A 1-D coda method was proposed by Mayeda et al. (2003) in order to obtain stable seismic source moment-rate spectra using narrowband coda envelope measurements. That study took advantage of the averaging nature of coda waves to derive stable amplitude measurements taking into account all propagation, site, and Sto-coda transfer function effects. Recently this methodology was applied to micro earthquake data sets from three sub-regions of northern Italy (i.e., western Alps, northern Apennines and eastern Alps). Since the study regions were small, ranging between local-to-near-regional distances, the simple 1-D path assumptions used in the coda method worked very well. The lateral complexity of this region would suggest, however, that a 2-D path correction might provide even better results if the datasets were combined, especially when paths traverse larger distances and complicated regions. The structural heterogeneity of northern Italy makes the region ideal to test the extent to which coda variance can be reduced further by using a 2-D Q tomography technique. The approach we use has been developed by Phillips et al. (2005) and is an extension of previous amplitude ratio techniques to remove source effects from the inversion. The method requires some assumptions such as isotropic source radiation which is generally true for coda waves. Our results are compared against direct Swave inversions for 1/Q and results from both share very similar attenuation features that coincide with known geologic structures. We compare our results with those derived from direct waves as well as some recent results from northern California obtained by Mayeda et al. (2005) which tested the same tomographic methodology applied in this study to invert for 1/Q. We find that 2-D coda path corrections for this region significantly improve upon the 1-D corrections, in contrast to California where only a marginal improvement was observed. We attribute this difference to stronger lateral

Pilot Study to Measure the Effects of NSAID Use on Angiogenesis and Apoptosis in Female Invasive Breast Cancer

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Richardson, John

2003-01-01

To examine the effects of NASIDs on invasive breast cancer we are performing a immunohistochemical analysis on 220 cases of breast cancer from Saskatchewan which has provided a complete drug history of each patient...

Tourism, biodiversity and protected areas--Review from northern Fennoscandia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tolvanen, Anne; Kangas, Katja

2016-03-15

Tourist numbers in northern Fennoscandia outweigh those in other northern boreal - arctic regions, which creates a specific need to evaluate the impacts of tourism. This review 1) identifies patterns and trends in the vegetation and wildlife of northern Fennoscandian terrestrial ecosystems as a consequence of tourism and recreation, 2) discusses the implications of findings in terms of the intensity, area and magnitude of impacts, changing climate and management needs under increasing tourist pressure, and 3) identifies research gaps. The reviewed studies show negative environmental and biodiversity impacts that are most pronounced near tourist resorts. The most sensitive plants, birds and mammals decline or disappear from the disturbed sites, and the species composition shifts from 'wild' species to cultural and human associated species. There is little research on the spread of alien species, but the few examples show that alien species can be promoted by tourism activities. Impacts of the use of motorized vehicles have not been widely studied either, despite the extensive track network which can cause disturbance to wildlife. The integrated impacts of tourism and climate change on the vegetation and wildlife was not addressed directly in any of the reviewed studies. In addition, little research has been done on carrying out restoration at tourist areas. Scientific research on these topics is needed to prevent, minimize or restore the most negative ecological impacts of tourism and recreation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

All Christians? Experiences of science educators in Northern Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, Colette; Hickey, Ivor; Beggs, Jim

2010-03-01

In this paper we respond to Staver's article (this issue) on an attempt to resolve the discord between science and religion. Most specifically, we comment on Staver's downplaying of difference between Catholics and Protestants in order to focus on the religion-science question. It is our experience that to be born into one or other of these traditions in some parts of the world (especially Northern Ireland) resulted in starkly contrasting opportunities, identities and practices in becoming and being science educators. The paper starts with a short contextual background to the impact of religion on schooling and higher education in Northern Ireland. We then explore the lives and careers of three science/religious educators in Northern Ireland: Catholic (Jim) and Protestant (Ivor) males who are contemporaries and whose experience spans pre-Troubles to post-conflict and a Catholic female (Colette) who moved to Northern Ireland during the Troubles as a teenager. Finally, we discuss the situation regarding the teaching of creationism and evolution in Northern Ireland—an issue has recently generated high public interest. The Chair of the Education Committee of the Northern Ireland Assembly recently stated that "creationism is not for the RE class because I believe that it can stand scientific scrutiny and that is a debate which I am quite happy to encourage and be part of…" (News Letter 2008). It could be the case that the evolution debate is being fuelled as a deliberate attempt to undermine some of the post-conflict collaboration projects between schools and communities in Northern Ireland.

Water levels of the Ozark aquifer in northern Arkansas, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Schrader, Tony P.

2015-07-13

The Ozark aquifer is the largest aquifer, both in area of outcrop and thickness, and the most important source of freshwater in the Ozark Plateaus physiographic province, supplying water to northern Arkansas, southeastern Kansas, southern Missouri, and northeastern Oklahoma. The study area includes 16 Arkansas counties lying completely or partially within the Ozark Plateaus of the Interior Highlands major physiographic division. The U.S. Geological Survey, in cooperation with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and the Arkansas Geological Survey, conducted a study of water levels in the Ozark aquifer within Arkansas. This report presents a potentiometric-surface map of the Ozark aquifer within the Ozark Plateaus of northern Arkansas, representing water-level conditions for the early spring of 2013 and selected water-level hydrographs.

Knowledge and attitudes of doctors towards e-health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in Northern Uganda: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Olok, Geoffrey Tabo; Yagos, Walter Onen; Ovuga, Emilio

2015-11-04

E-health is an essential information sharing tool in healthcare management and delivery worldwide. However, utilization of e-health may only be possible if healthcare professionals have positive attitudes towards e-health. This study aimed to determine the relationships between healthcare professionals' attitudes towards e-health, level of ICT skills and e-Health use in healthcare delivery in government and private hospitals in northern Uganda. Cross-sectional survey design was used. Sixty-eight medical doctors in three government hospitals and four private hospitals in Northern Uganda participated in the study. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Data was analysed using SPSS software Version 19. Out of the 68 respondents, 39 (57.4 %) reported access to computer and 29 (48.5 %) accessed Internet in the workplace. Majority of healthcare professionals had positive attitudes towards e-health attributes (mean 3.5). The level of skills was moderate (mean 3.66), and was the most important and significant predictor of ICT use among healthcare professionals (r = .522, p < .001); however, attitudes towards e-health attributes did not contribute significantly in predicting e-health use. The findings suggest need for hospitals managements to strengthen e-health services in healthcare delivery in Northern Uganda.

Epidemiology of hand foot mouth disease in Northern Thailand in 2016: A prospective cohort study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Panupong Upala

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine the correlations between the meteorological data and the number of hand foot mouth disease (HFMD cases in 2016 in Northern Thailand, and to estimate the medical costs. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted. Data on numbers of HFMD cases were collected from 49 hospitals in three different provinces in Northern Thailand: 16 hospitals from Chiang Rai Province, 7 hospitals from Pha Yao Province, and 26 hospitals from Chiang Mai Province. A questionnaire had been developed and tested for validity and reliability before used. The specific form for collecting meteorological data was developed and used in the field. All information was recorded in the same data spread sheet before analysis. Chi-square and correlation tests were used for explaining the epidemiology of HFMD in the areas. An alpha error at 0.05 was used to determine the statistical significance level. Results: A total of 8 261 cases were analyzed in the study. 56.0% were males, 97.5% aged less than 6 years, 82.6% were out-patient department (OPD cases, 75.5% were reported in raining season, and 43.2% were from Chiang Mai Province. The number of HFMD cases had statistically significant correlations with temperature, air pressure, relative humidity, and rainfall amount. Averagely, 216 baht and 3 678 baht per case per visit had to be expended for medical cost in OPD and IPD cases, respectively. Most of the cases had been reported in the border areas: Thai-Myanmar, and Thai-Lao. Conclusions: Thailand health care system should provide a concrete schedule for taking care of HFMD patients during raining season, and should develop an effective preventive and control program for HFMD particularly among children less than 6 years.

Comparative study of endophytic and endophytic diazotrophic bacterial communities across rice landraces grown in the highlands of northern Thailand

OpenAIRE

Rangjaroen, C.; Rerkasem, B.; Teaumroong, N.; Sungthong, R.; Lumyong, S.

2014-01-01

Communities of bacterial endophytes within the rice landraces cultivated in the highlands of northern Thailand were studied using fingerprinting data of 16S rRNA and nifH genes profiling by polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. The bacterial communities' richness, diversity index, evenness, and stability were varied depending on the plant tissues, stages of growth, and rice cultivars. These indices for the endophytic diazotrophic bacteria within the landrace rice ...

Small modular reactors (SMRs) - the way forward for the nuclear industry in Canada?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sam-Aggrey, H.

2014-01-01

Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are being touted as safer, more cost effective and more flexible than traditional nuclear power plants (NPPs). Consequently, it has been argued that SMR technology is pivotal to the revitalization of the nuclear industry at the national and global levels. Drawing mainly on previously published literature, this paper explores the suitability of SMRs for various niche market applications in Canada. The paper examines the potential role of SMRs in providing an opportunity for remote mines and communities in northern Canada to reduce their vulnerability and dependence on costly, high-carbon diesel fuel. Other niche market applications of SMRs explored include: SMRs deployment in Saskatchewan for grid augmentation and as replacement options for Saskatchewan's ageing coal plants; the use of SMRs for bitumen extraction in the Oil Sands, and the potential use of SMRs in Canadian-owned foreign based mines. The socio-economic benefits of SMR deployments are also discussed. Building an SMR industry in Canada could complement the country's extensive expertise in uranium mining, reactor technology, plant operation, nuclear research, and environmental and safety standards, thereby enhancing Canada's ability to offer services throughout the entire nuclear life cycle. The paper also outlines some of the technical, economic and social barriers that could impede the successful introduction of SMRs in Canada. (author)

Modeling co-occurrence of northern spotted and barred owls: accounting for detection probability differences

Science.gov (United States)

Bailey, Larissa L.; Reid, Janice A.; Forsman, Eric D.; Nichols, James D.

2009-01-01

Barred owls (Strix varia) have recently expanded their range and now encompass the entire range of the northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina). This expansion has led to two important issues of concern for management of northern spotted owls: (1) possible competitive interactions between the two species that could contribute to population declines of northern spotted owls, and (2) possible changes in vocalization behavior and detection probabilities of northern spotted owls induced by presence of barred owls. We used a two-species occupancy model to investigate whether there was evidence of competitive exclusion between the two species at study locations in Oregon, USA. We simultaneously estimated detection probabilities for both species and determined if the presence of one species influenced the detection of the other species. Model selection results and associated parameter estimates provided no evidence that barred owls excluded spotted owls from territories. We found strong evidence that detection probabilities differed for the two species, with higher probabilities for northern spotted owls that are the object of current surveys. Non-detection of barred owls is very common in surveys for northern spotted owls, and detection of both owl species was negatively influenced by the presence of the congeneric species. Our results suggest that analyses directed at hypotheses of barred owl effects on demographic or occupancy vital rates of northern spotted owls need to deal adequately with imperfect and variable detection probabilities for both species.

Analytical study of ancient pottery from the archaeological site of Aiani, northern Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordanidis, A.; Garcia-Guinea, J.; Karamitrou-Mentessidi, G.

2009-01-01

The present study is a multi-analytical approach on the characterization of several potsherd samples, dated from prehistoric to hellenistic times, from Aiani, ancient Upper Macedonia, northern Greece. In particular, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray system (ESEM-EDX) were used for the determination of the morphological, chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the potsherds. The preliminary results indicated a rather local provenance of the analyzed ancient pottery samples and a finer texture and thus better ceramic manufacture as getting to hellenistic era. The use of a silicious or calcerous raw material is probably related to the specific utilization of each ceramic vessel in ancient times. The presence of gehlenite or pyroxene minerals in the ceramic matrix indicated higher firing temperatures, while lower temperatures were deduced when finding phylosilicate minerals. The preliminary results of this study do not necessarily imply that all the pottery of this area, belonging to the same chronological type, have similar physicochemical characteristics

Mark-release-recapture studies with Aedes dorsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) in coastal northern California.

Science.gov (United States)

Kramer, V L; Carper, E R; Beesley, C; Reisen, W K

1995-05-01

Two mark-release-recapture studies were conducted along the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta in northern California to describe the population ecology and dispersal pattern of Aedes dorsalis (Meigen). Immature Ae. dorsalis were collected from saline tidal marshes, reared to adults, marked, and released. Recapture grids during the July and September studies were within 8.0 and 2.4 km of the release sites, and recapture rates were 0.1 and 1.2%, respectively. The longest recorded flight was 5.8 km, and mosquitoes were recaptured up to 15 d after release. In September, 84% of the marked mosquitoes were recaptured within 2.0 km of the release site, and the mean dispersal distance was 1.9 km. Marked mosquitoes flew predominantly downwind to the east. There was no evidence that Ae. dorsalis traversed the 1.6-km-wide river from Contra Costa to Solano County. Temporal and spatial recapture patterns indicated a possible short-range migration pattern from oviposition sites to upland host-seeking areas. Changes in the recapture rate with cohort age delineated a 7-d gonotrophic cycle during September.

Improvement of environmental health and hygiene practices--case study in the Northern Province.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathekgana, M A; Chauke, L K; Otieno, F A

2001-01-01

The primary purpose of an improved water supply and sanitation is the achievement of acceptable health and hygiene standards as well as the sustainable improvement of the environment. Many governments recognize this and so they budget for large sums of money to improve these services to the communities. The purpose of this study was to investigate the different gaps in environmental health and hygiene practices with the aim of suggesting a strategy of improving this in the Northern Province of South Africa. To do this, 231 households and 30 schools were surveyed. Workshops and visits to different government departments were also used. This paper reports the results from this study which indicate that the situation in schools was not any better than that in households, with more than 90% of the villages still dependent on the unimproved pit latrines and 56,6% relying on standpipes which were (70% of the time) non-operational. The main problems identified seem to those associated with implementation and maintenance. The study concludes that with proper training of the water committees and their active involvement with the government and NGOs, environmental health and hygiene problems can be minimized or eliminated.

Changes in active eolian sand at northern Coachella Valley, California

Science.gov (United States)

Katra, Itzhak; Scheidt, Stephen; Lancaster, Nicholas

2009-04-01

Climate variability and rapid urbanization have influenced the sand environments in the northern Coachella Valley throughout the late 20th century. This paper addresses changes in the spatial relationships among different sand deposits at northern Coachella Valley between two recent time periods by using satellite data acquired from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER). The approach employed here, involving multispectral thermal infrared (TIR) data and spectral mixture analysis, has shown that the major sand deposits can be spatially modeled at northern Coachella Valley. The "coarse-grained (quartz-rich) sand" deposit is associated with active eolian sand, and the "mixed sandy soil" and "fine-grained (quartz-rich) sand" deposits are associated with inactive eolian sand. The fractional abundance images showed a significant decrease between 2000 and 2006 in the percentage of active sand in the major depositional area for fluvial sediment, the Whitewater River, but also in two downwind areas: the Whitewater and Willow Hole Reserves. The pattern of the active sand appears to be related to variations in annual precipitation (wet and dry years) and river discharge in the northern Coachella Valley. We suggest here that recent human modifications to the major watercourses that supply sand affect the capability of fluvial deposition areas to restore sediments over time and consequently the responses of the sand transport system to climate change, becoming more sensitive to dry years where areas of active sand may shrink, degrade, and/or stabilize faster. The approach utilized in this study can be advantageous for future monitoring of sand in the northern Coachella Valley for management of these and similar environments.

Active deformation in the northern Sierra de Valle Fértil, Sierras Pampeanas, Argentina

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Gustavo; Alvarado, Patricia; Fosdick, Julie C.; Perucca, Laura; Saez, Mauro; Venerdini, Agostina

2015-12-01

The Western Sierras Pampeanas region in the San Juan Province is characterized by thick-skinned deformation with approximately N-S trending ranges of average heights of 2500 m and a high frequency occurrence of seismic activity. Its location to the east of the mainly thin-skinned tectonics of the Argentine Precordillera fold-and-thrust belt suggests that at 30°S, deformation is concentrated in a narrow zone involving these two morphostructural units. In this paper, we present new apatite (U-Th)/He results (AHe) across the northern part of the Sierra de Valle Fértil (around 30°S) and analyze them in a framework of thermochronologic available datasets. We found Pliocene AHe results for Carboniferous and Triassic strata in the northern Sierra de Valle Fértil consistent with the hypothesis of recent cooling and inferred erosional denudation concentrated along the northern end of this mountain range. Our analysis shows that this northern region may have evolved under different conditions than the central part of the Sierra de Valle Fértil. Previous studies have observed AHe ages consistent with Permian through Cretaceous cooling, indicating the middle part of the Sierra de Valle Fértil remained near surface before the Pampean slab subduction flattening process. Those studies also obtained ˜5 My cooling ages in the southern part of the Sierra de Valle Fértil, which are similar to our results in the northern end of the range. Taken together, these results suggest a pattern of young deformation in the northern and southern low elevation ends of the Sierra de Valle Fértil consistent with regions of high seismic activity, and Quaternary active faulting along the western-bounding thrust fault of the Sierra de Valle Fértil.

Economic burden of motorcycle accidents in Northern Ghana ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Motorcycles are the most popular means of transportation in northern Ghana, and their accidents are major causes of out-patient attendance and admis-sions in the Bolgatanga Municipality. Objective: This paper estimates the economic burden of motorcycle accidents in the Bolgatanga Municipality in Northern ...

Mass coral bleaching in the northern Persian Gulf, 2012

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Javid Kavousi

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Coral bleaching events due to elevated temperatures are increasing in both frequency and magnitude worldwide. Mass bleaching was recorded at five sites in the northern Persian Gulf during August and September 2012. Based on available seawater temperature data from field, satellite and previous studies, we suggest that the coral bleaching threshold temperature in the northern Persian Gulf is between 33.5 and 34°C, which is about 1.5 to 2.5°C lower than that in the southern part. To assess the bleaching effects, coral genera counted during 60-minute dives were categorized into four groups including healthy, slightly bleached ( 50% bleached tissue and fully bleached colonies. The anomalously high sea surface temperature resulted in massive coral bleaching (~84% coral colonies affected. Acropora spp. colonies, which are known as the most vulnerable corals to thermal stress, were less affected by the bleaching than massive corals, such as Porites, which are among the most thermo-tolerant corals. Turbid waters, suggested as coral refugia against global warming, did not protect corals in this study since most affected corals were found in the most turbid waters. The 2012 bleaching in the northern Persian Gulf was relatively strong from the viewpoint of coral bleaching severity. Long-term monitoring is needed to understand the actual consequences of the bleaching event on the coral reefs and communities.

Northern Land Council v. the Commonwealth

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

The Ranger Project Area in the Northern Territory contains deposits of uranium. By section 5 of the Atomic Energy Amendment Act (No. 2) 1980 the assignment of an agreement between the Commonwealth and joint venturers for the conduct of uranium mining was authorised. The Northern Land Council, representing Aboriginal interests, challenged the validity of the section. It was held that the section was valid. The Council also submitted that, although it had entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth in 1978, the agreement was void or voidable

Climate Impacts on Northern Canada: Regional Background

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prowse, Terry D.; Peters, Daniel L. (Water and Climate Impacts Research Centre, Environment Canada, Dept. of Geography, Univ. of Victoria, Victoria, BC (Canada)). e-mail: terry.prowse@ec.gc.caa; Furgal, Chris (Indigenous Environmental Studies Program, Trent Univ., Peterborough, ON (Canada)); Bonsal, Barrie R. (National Water Research Inst., National Hydrology Research Centre, Environment Canada, Saskatoon, SK (Canada))

2009-07-15

Understanding the implications of climate change on northern Canada requires a background about the size and diversity of its human and biogeophysical systems. Occupying an area of almost 40% of Canada, with one-third of this contained in Arctic islands, Canada's northern territories consist of a diversity of physical environments unrivaled around the circumpolar north. Major ecozones composed of a range of landforms, climate, vegetation, and wildlife include: Arctic, boreal and taiga cordillera; boreal and taiga plains; taiga shield; and northern and southern Arctic. Although generally characterized by a cold climate, there is an enormous range in air temperature with mean annual values being as high as -5 deg C in the south to as low as -20 deg C in the high Arctic islands. A similar contrast characterizes precipitation, which can be >700 mm y-1 in some southern alpine regions to as low as 50 mm y-1 over islands of the high Arctic. Major freshwater resources are found within most northern ecozones, varying from large glaciers or ice caps and lakes to extensive wetlands and peat lands. Most of the North's renewable water, however, is found within its major river networks and originates in more southerly headwaters. Ice covers characterize the freshwater systems for multiple months of the year while permafrost prevails in various forms, dominating the terrestrial landscape. The marine environment, which envelops the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is dominated by seasonal to multiyear sea ice often several meters thick that plays a key role in the regional climate. Almost two-thirds of northern Canadian communities are located along coastlines with the entire population being just over 100 000. Most recent population growth has been dominated by an expansion of nonaboriginals, primarily the result of resource development and the growth of public administration. The economies of northern communities, however, remain quite mixed with traditional land

Background document for climate change policy options in Northern Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newton, J.

2001-01-01

This paper presents an initial compilation of background material in support of the development of climate change policy options for the jurisdictions of Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut in Northern Canada. While Northern Canada contributes only a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, scientists forecast changes in average annual temperatures to be among the highest in the world. The Northern Climate Exchange at Yukon College was created in March 2001 to address this issue and to help guide northerners in what they can do now and in the future. This paper includes an annotated bibliography of a total of 75 international, national, and territorial policy documents and major reference documents relevant to climate change issues. It is meant to be a resource for researchers, policy analysts and government officials developing policy options and implementing programs for Northern Canada. While each of the three northern territories are at a different stage in the evolution of their climate change activities, they are all striving to develop strategies and action plans and to initiate the implementation of those plans. It is recognized that many long-standing programs and initiatives, particularly in the areas of energy efficiency and alternate energy, will help northern jurisdictions address their climate change objectives. The three territories are cooperating to deliver their message to the federal government. 75 refs., 4 figs

Late quaternary faulting and paleoseismicity in northern Fennoscandia, with particular reference to the Lansjaerv area, northern Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagerbaeck, R.

1990-01-01

Many fault scarps, interpreted as post- or late-glacial in age, occur in northern Sweden and adjacent parts of Finland and Norway. In the Lansjaerv area in northern Sweden attempts have been made to date fault displacement relative to the glacial and postglacial stratigraphy by trenching across some of these fault scarps. It is shown that the faulting occurred soon after the local deglaciation some 9000 years ago. There are no signs of movements since that time. The faulting was obviously associated with violent earthquakes because seismically induced phenomena, dating from the same period as the faulting, are frequently found in the vicinity. Numerous landslides, developed in glacial till, occur in the same region as the faults and different types of seismites (seismically-induced sediment deformation) were found when actively sought for. It is concluded that several earthquakes of high magnitudes occurred in northern Fennoscandia during the vanishing of the inland ice sheet. (author)

Landsat-based trend analysis of lake dynamics across northern permafrost regions

Science.gov (United States)

Nitze, Ingmar; Grosse, Guido; Jones, Benjamin M.; Arp, Christopher D.; Ulrich, Mathias; Federov, Alexander; Veremeeva, Alexandra

2017-01-01

Lakes are a ubiquitous landscape feature in northern permafrost regions. They have a strong impact on carbon, energy and water fluxes and can be quite responsive to climate change. The monitoring of lake change in northern high latitudes, at a sufficiently accurate spatial and temporal resolution, is crucial for understanding the underlying processes driving lake change. To date, lake change studies in permafrost regions were based on a variety of different sources, image acquisition periods and single snapshots, and localized analysis, which hinders the comparison of different regions. Here we present, a methodology based on machine-learning based classification of robust trends of multi-spectral indices of Landsat data (TM,ETM+, OLI) and object-based lake detection, to analyze and compare the individual, local and regional lake dynamics of four different study sites (Alaska North Slope, Western Alaska, Central Yakutia, Kolyma Lowland) in the northern permafrost zone from 1999 to 2014. Regional patterns of lake area change on the Alaska North Slope (-0.69%), Western Alaska (-2.82%), and Kolyma Lowland (-0.51%) largely include increases due to thermokarst lake expansion, but more dominant lake area losses due to catastrophic lake drainage events. In contrast, Central Yakutia showed a remarkable increase in lake area of 48.48%, likely resulting from warmer and wetter climate conditions over the latter half of the study period. Within all study regions, variability in lake dynamics was associated with differences in permafrost characteristics, landscape position (i.e. upland vs. lowland), and surface geology. With the global availability of Landsat data and a consistent methodology for processing the input data derived from robust trends of multi-spectral indices, we demonstrate a transferability, scalability and consistency of lake change analysis within the northern permafrost region.

Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in adolescents in Northern Italy: an observational school-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Matteelli

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We carried out a study to evaluate the prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae genital infections in school-based adolescents in Northern Italy. Methods Systematic screening for C. trachomatis and N. gonorrhoeae genital infection was performed in 13th grade students in the province of Brescia, an industrialized area in Northern Italy. Student filled in a questionnaire on sexual behaviour and provided a urine sample for microbiological testing. Results A total of 2,718 students (mean age: 18.4 years; 59.1 % females provided complete data (62.2 % of those eligible. Overall 2,059 students (75.8 % were sexually active (i.e. had had at least one partner, and the mean age at sexual debut was 16.1 years (SD: 1.4. Only 27.5 % of the sexually active students reported regular condom use during the previous 6 months, with higher frequency in males than in females (33.8 % vs 24.2 %. No case of N. gonorrhoeae infection was detected, while C. trachomatis was found in 36 adolescents, with a prevalence of 1.7 % (95 % CI: 1.2–2.4 among sexually active students, and no statistical difference between females and males (1.9 and 1.4 %, respectively. Inconsistent condom use (odds ratio, OR = 5.5 and having had more than one sexual partner during the previous 6 months (OR = 6.8 were associated with an increased risk of Chlamydia infection at multivariate analysis. Conclusion The prevalence of C. trachomatis infection among sexually active adolescents in Northern Italy was low, despite a high proportion of students who engage in risky sexual behaviour. No cases of N. gonorrhoeae infection were identified.

Leisure-time physical activity and mortality in a multiethnic prospective cohort study: the Northern Manhattan Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Willey, Joshua Z; Moon, Yeseon Park; Sherzai, Ayesha; Cheung, Ying Kuen; Sacco, Ralph L; Elkind, Mitchell S V

2015-07-01

To examine whether the survival benefit of exercise is modified by obesity. In the Northern Manhattan Study, we collected baseline sociodemographics and cardiovascular disease risk factors. The primary exposure was leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and the outcomes were total, vascular, and nonvascular deaths (non-VaD). LTPA was defined as any versus none and metabolic equivalent score category (total activity weighted by intensity). We used Cox models to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 3298 participants (mean age 69 years, 52% Hispanic, 63% women) were followed over a mean of 11.8 years with 1589 total deaths (641 vascular, 819 nonvascular). Any activity (adjusted HR: 0.84, 95% CI: 0.75-0.94) was associated with reduced risk of all-cause mortality and non-VaD, but not VaD. We found an interaction (P benefit of LTPA among those with BMI more than 30. The health benefits of exercise should be considered in the context of obesity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

7 CFR 457.144 - Northern potato crop insurance-processing quality endorsement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 6 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Northern potato crop insurance-processing quality... Northern potato crop insurance—processing quality endorsement. The Northern Potato Crop Insurance.... Definitions Broker. Any business enterprise regularly engaged in the buying and selling of processing potatoes...