Activities of the Geographical Branch in Northern Canada, 1947-1957

The Geographical Branch of the Department of Mines and Technical Surveys was created in 1947. Under its terms of references, part of its responsibility is the collection and analysis of geographical information on northern Canada, in particular the territories under the jurisdiction of the federal government. In the decade since the Branch's inauguration, geographers have carried out various kinds of field surveys in the Canadian Arctic and subarctic, from the northern coast of Ellesmere Island to the Hudson Bay coastal plain in Ontario, and from the Alaska boundary to Labrador. These surveys have varied from parties formed entirely of geographers to individual shipboard observers or representatives on collaborative teams of scientists. The collection of basic information on the vast unknown expanses of the Arctic is peculiarly suited to the application of geographic methods. Utilizing the trimetrogon and vertical photography carried out since World War II, geographers have applied sampling techniques in interpreting larger areas, making intensive field studies of representative terrain types and expanding them by use of the air photos in delimiting, describing and analysing physiographic regions. Studies in physical geography have been the backbone of the work of the Branch in the Arctic. Air photo interpretation keys have been prepared for 14 areas: Alert, Eureka, Mould Bay, Resolute, Mackenzie Delta, Darnley Bay, Coppermine, Bathurst Inlet, Boothia Isthmus, Wager Bay, Southampton Island, Kaniapiskau-Koksoak Rivers in Ungava, the Hudson Bay Railway, and the Kenogami River. Reports on the human geography of various areas were included in the field reports and are mainly unpublished; several studies in historical geography also resulted from the field surveys. ..

Freeze-Thaw Frequencies and Mechanical Weathering in Canada

Investigates freeze-thaw cycles (a rise to 34 F following a drop to 28 F) as a cause of rock disintegration by comparing their frequencies in northern and southern Canada. Cycles counted at 42 weather stations showed an increase from north to south: nine at Eureka on Ellesmere Island in 1949 as compared with 74 at Regina, Saskatchewan. Correlation between the freeze-thaw frequencies and diurnal temperature range is indicated; average at Eureka is 12 F at Regina 24 F. The greater evidence of rock disintegration in northern Canada therefore does not result from lower temperatures or freeze-thaw frequency. Other explanations are offered

Francis Austin Cook (1918-1966)

Frank Cook, geographer and a Fellow of the Arctic Institute, died in Ottawa in March. A native of Kamloops, B.C., he served in the Canadian Army from 1941 to 1948, and earned with distinction his geography degrees from the University of British Columbia in 1952 and the University of Wisconsin in 1953. Accepted as a doctoral candidate at McGill in 1954, ill health prevented completion of his residence requirements. He taught briefly at United College in Winnipeg before joining the staff of the Geographical Branch in 1957. His previous research activities included several summers with the Geographical Branch as well as a year with the Meteorological Service at Resolute, N.W.T. His scientific contributions were mainly in periglacial geomorphology and he published several significant papers in this field in Arctic and other journals. He was firmly convinced of the importance of assembling and making available annotated bibliographies. His detailed field investigations at Resolute resulted in several important papers, including those on the relationship of soil temperatures to the formation of patterned ground, a critique of the role of freeze-thaw cycles in mechanical disintegration of rock material, and on the significance of unrecorded precipitation in the climatic regime in the Arctic. He collaborated with Professor L. E. Hamelin of Laval University in the preparation of a monograph on periglacial phenomena which is expected to appear in the near future. When increasing poor health forced him to give up field work, he became more involved in technical editing, reviewing, and contributing to the abstract journals. Besides his contributions to the development of the Geographical Bulletin, he initiated the application of data processing techniques in the Geographical Branch. It is most unfortunate that his deteriorating health kept Frank Cook from realizing his full potential as a painstaking and original researcher. Nevertheless, his broad reading in periglacial geomorphology and his concern with analysis based on quantitative measurements were always appreciated by his colleagues, to whose research he contributed by thoughtful suggestions and encouragement. His appointment to the Canadian Committee of the Periglacial Commission of the International Geographical Union illustrates his recognized authority in this field. His death at the age of 47 deprives the profession of a competent research worker and his colleagues of a valued friend

Method of Intra-Arterial Drug Administration in a Rat: Sex Based Optimization of Infusion Rate

BACKGROUND: Endovascular thrombectomy is the process of removing a blood clot and re-establishing blood flow in patients with emergent large vessel occlusion. The technique provides an opportunity to deliver therapeutics directly to the site of injury. The intra-arterial (IA) route of drug administration in the mouse was developed to bridge the gap between animal stroke treatments and clinical stroke therapy. Here, we adapted the IA method for use in rats, by investigating various flow rates to optimize the IA injection through the internal carotid artery (ICA). METHODS: Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats (∼4 months of age) were subjected to placement of micro-angio tubing at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery for injection into the ICA. We evaluated a range of infusion rates of carbon black ink and its vascular distribution within the brain. RESULTS: Optimal injection rates in males was 4-6 μl/min and 2-4 μl/min in females. The IA injection using these sex-specific rates resulted in appropriate limited dye delivery to only the ipsilateral region of the brain, without inducing a subarachnoid hemorrhage. CONCLUSION: Upon adapting the IA administration model to rats, it was determined that the rate of infusion varied between males and females. This variability is an important consideration for studies utilizing both sexes, such as in ischemic stroke studies

Status of Cardiac Transplantation with a Report of the First Year\u27s Experience at Henry Ford Hospital

Cardiac transplantation is now widely accepted as effective treatment for selected patients with end-stage heart disease. Improvements in immunosuppressive treatment and monitoring in the past 15 years have resulted in impressive one-year and five-year survival rates of 80% and 60%. In general, survivors have enjoyed a considerably improved quality of life. A cardiac transplantation program was initiated at Henry Ford Hospital in 1985, and a total of 15 patients received heart transplants in the first 12 months. Fourteen patients are currently alive and well at various stages posttransplant. This early clinical success has prompted the consideration of both combined heart-lung transplantation and mechanical left ventricular support at Henry Ford Hospital in the future

Low- versus Mid-frequency Raman Spectroscopy for in Situ Analysis of Crystallization in Slurries

Slurry studies are useful for exhaustive polymorph and solid-state stability screening of drug compounds. Raman spectroscopy is convenient for monitoring crystallization in such slurries, as the measurements can be performed in situ even in aqueous environments. While the mid-frequency region (400-4000 cm(-1)) is dominated by intramolecular vibrations and has traditionally been used for such studies, the low-frequency spectral region (Peer reviewe

Influenza vaccination among healthcare workers: Ten-year experience of a large healthcare organization

OBJECTIVE: To describe the results of different measures implemented to improve compliance with the healthcare worker (HCW) influenza immunization program at BJC HealthCare between 1997 and 2007. DESIGN: Descriptive retrospective study. SETTING: BJC HealthCare, a 13-hospital nonprofit healthcare organization in the Midwest. METHODS: Review and analysis of HCW influenza vaccination data from all BJC HealthCare Occupational Health Services and hospitals between 1997 and 2007. Occupational health staff, infection prevention personnel and key influenza vaccine campaign leaders were also interviewed regarding implementation measures during the study years. RESULTS: At the end of 2007, BJC HealthCare had approximately 26,000 employees. Using multiple progressive interventions, influenza vaccination rates among BJC employees increased from 45% in 1997 to 71.9% in 2007 (p<0.001). The influenza vaccination rate in 2007 was significantly higher than in 2006, 71.9% versus 54.2% (p<0.001). Five hospitals had influenza vaccination rates over the target goal of 80% in 2007. The most successful interventions were adding influenza vaccination rates to the incented quality scorecard and declination statements, both implemented in 2007. The most important barriers identified in the interviews related to HCWs’ misconceptions about influenza vaccination and a perceived lack of leadership support. CONCLUSIONS: Influenza vaccination rates in HCWs significantly improved with multiple interventions over the years. However, the BJC HealthCare influenza vaccination target of 80% was not attained at all hospitals with these measures. More aggressive interventions such as implementing mandatory influenza vaccination policies are needed to achieve higher vaccination rates