scholarly journals Village-level climate and weather variability, mediated by village-level crop yield, is associated with linear growth in children in Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (10) ◽  
pp. e002696
Author(s):  
Paddy Ssentongo ◽  
Djibril M Ba ◽  
Claudio Fronterre ◽  
Vernon M Chinchilli
Keyword(s):  
Crop Yield ◽  
Aridity Index ◽  
Precipitation Anomaly ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Total Annual Precipitation ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Village Level ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Height For Age

IntroductionTo investigate total annual precipitation, precipitation anomaly and aridity index in relation to linear growth in children under 5 in Uganda and quantify the mediating role of crop yield.MethodsWe analysed data of 5219 children under 5 years of age who participated in the 2016 Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. Annual crop yield in kilograms per hectare for 42 crops at a 0.1° (~10 km at the equator) spatial resolution square grid was obtained from the International Food Policy Research Institute. Normalised rainfall anomaly and total precipitation were derived from the African Rainfall Estimation Algorithm Version 2 product. Linear regression models were used to associate total annual precipitation and anomalies with height-for-age z-scores and to explore the mediating role of crop yield qualitatively. The intervening effects were quantitatively estimated by causal mediation models.ResultsTwenty-nine per cent of children were stunted (95% CI 28% to 31%). After adjusting for major covariates, higher total annual precipitation was significantly associated with increasing height-for-age z-scores. At the mean, an increase of 1 standard deviation in local annual rainfall was associated with a 0.07-point higher z-score. Aridity index and precipitation anomaly were not associated with height-for-age z scores in altitude-adjusted models. Crop yields of nuts, seeds, cereals and pulses were significant mediating factors. For instance, 38% of the association between total annual precipitation with height-for-age z-scores can be attributed to the yield of sesame seeds.ConclusionsHigher total annual precipitation at the village-level was significantly associated with higher height-for-age z-scores among children in Uganda. This association can be partially explained by higher crop yield, especially from seeds and nuts. This study suggests that more attention should be paid to villages with lower annual rainfall amounts to improve water availability for agriculture.

Proportion and distribution of rain and snow in China from 1960 to 2018

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Pressure ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Annual Number ◽  
Upward Trend ◽  
Total Annual Precipitation ◽  
Change Dynamics ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Northwestern Region ◽  
Average Annual Number

Abstract Rainfall and snowfall have different effects on energy balance calculations and land-air interactions in terrestrial models. The identification of precipitation types is crucial to understand climate change dynamics and the utilization of water resources. However, information regarding precipitation types is not generally available. The precipitation obtained from meteorological stations across China recorded types only before 1979. This study parameterized precipitation types with air temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric pressure from 1960 to 1979, and then identified precipitation types after 1980. Results show that the main type of precipitation in China was rainfall, and the average annual rainfall days (amounts) across China accounted for 83.08% (92.55%) of the total annual precipitation days (amounts). The average annual snowfall days (amounts) in the northwestern region accounted for 32.27% (19.31%) of the total annual precipitation days (amounts), which is considerably higher than the national average. The average annual number of rainfall and snowfall days both displayed a downward trend while the average annual amounts of these two precipitation types showed an upward trend, but without significance at 0.1 levels. The annual number of rainfall and snowfall days in the southwestern region decreased significantly (-2.27 d/decade and -0.31 d/decade, p < 0.01). The annual rainfall amounts in the Jianghuai region increased significantly (40.70 mm/decade, p < 0.01), and the areas with the most significant increase in snowfall amounts were the northwestern (3.64 mm/decade, p < 0.01). These results can inform our understanding of the distribution and variation of precipitation with different types in China.

scholarly journals The role of climatic and terrain attributes in estimating baseflow recession in tropical catchments

2010 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 2193-2205 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. L. Peña-Arancibia ◽  
A. I. J. M. van Dijk ◽  
M. Mulligan ◽  
L. A. Bruijnzeel
Keyword(s):  
Potential Evapotranspiration ◽  
Aridity Index ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Tree Cover ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Ungauged Catchments ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Terrain Attributes ◽  
Streamflow Data

Abstract. The understanding of low flows in rivers is paramount more than ever as demand for water increases on a global scale. At the same time, limited streamflow data to investigate this phenomenon, particularly in the tropics, makes the provision of accurate estimations in ungauged areas an ongoing research need. This paper analysed the potential of climatic and terrain attributes of 167 tropical and sub-tropical unregulated catchments to predict baseflow recession rates. Daily streamflow data (m3 s–1) from the Global River Discharge Center (GRDC) and a linear reservoir model were used to obtain baseflow recession coefficients (kbf) for these catchments. Climatic attributes included annual and seasonal indicators of rainfall and potential evapotranspiration. Terrain attributes included indicators of catchment shape, morphology, land cover, soils and geology. Stepwise regression was used to identify the best predictors for baseflow recession coefficients. Mean annual rainfall (MAR) and aridity index (AI) were found to explain 49% of the spatial variation of kbf. The rest of climatic indices and the terrain indices average catchment slope (SLO) and tree cover were also good predictors, but co-correlated with MAR. Catchment elongation (CE), a measure of catchment shape, was also found to be statistically significant, although weakly correlated. An analysis of clusters of catchments of smaller size, showed that in these areas, presumably with some similarity of soils and geology due to proximity, residuals of the regression could be explained by SLO and CE. The approach used provides a potential alternative for kbf parameterisation in ungauged catchments.

scholarly journals Association of Whole Blood Fatty Acids and Growth in Southern Ghanaian Children 2–6 Years of Age

Nutrients ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 954 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mary Adjepong ◽  
William Yakah ◽  
William Harris ◽  
Esi Colecraft ◽  
Grace Marquis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Growth Parameters ◽  
Dietary Fatty Acids ◽  
Northern Ghana ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Omega 6 ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Height For Age ◽  
Weight For Age

In Ghana, stunting rates in children below 5 years of age vary regionally. Dietary fatty acids (FAs) are crucial for linear growth. The objective of this study was to determine the association between blood FAs and growth parameters in southern Ghanaian children 2–6 years of age. A drop of blood was collected on an antioxidant treated card and analyzed for FA composition. Weight and height were measured and z-scores calculated. Relationships between FAs and growth were analyzed by linear regressions and factor analysis. Of the 209 subjects, 22% were stunted and 10.6% were essential FA deficient (triene/tetraene ratio > 0.02). Essential FA did not differ between stunted and non-stunted children and was not associated with height-for-age z-score or weight-for-age z-score. Similarly, no relationships between other blood fatty acids and growth parameters were observed in this population. However, when blood fatty acid levels in these children were compared to previously reported values from northern Ghana, the analysis showed that blood omega-3 FA levels were significantly higher and omega-6 FA levels lower in the southern Ghanaian children (p < 0.001). Fish and seafood consumption in this southern cohort was high and could account for the lower stunting rates observed in these children compared to other regions.

scholarly journals Sustained Positive Deviant Child Care Practices and Their Effects on Child Growth in Viet Nam

2002 ◽  
Vol 23 (4_suppl2) ◽  
pp. 16-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Agnes Trinh Mackintosh ◽  
David R. Marsh ◽  
Dirk G. Schroeder
Keyword(s):  
Child Growth ◽  
Program Completion ◽  
Viet Nam ◽  
Nutrition Program ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Total N ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Growth Promoting ◽  
Height For Age ◽  
Weight For Age

Save the Children's (SC) successful integrated nutrition program in Viet Nam, the poverty alleviation and nutrition program (PANP), uses the positive deviance (PD) approach to identify key growth promoting behaviors and provides participatory adult education allowing mothers to develop skills related to these behaviors. We investigated whether improvements seen during a PANP intervention (1993–1995) were sustained three and four years after SC's departure. Cross-sectional surveys were administered to 46 randomly selected households in four communes that had previously participated in the PANP and 25 households in a neighboring comparison community in 1998 and 1999. Two children per household, an older child who had participated in the PANP and a younger sibling who had not, were measured (total n = 142 children), and their mothers were interviewed. Older SC children tended to be better nourished than their counterparts. Their younger siblings were significantly better nourished than those in the comparison group, with adjusted mean weight-for-age Z scores of −1.82 versus −2.45 ( p = .007), weight-for-height Z scores of −0.71 versus −1.45 ( p < .001), and height-for-age Z scores of −2.11 and −2.37 (ns, p = .4), respectively. SC mothers reporting feeding the younger siblings more than their counterparts did (2.9 versus 2.2 main meals per day, p < .001, and 96.2% versus 52% offering snacks, p < .01]. SC mothers reported washing their hands “often” more than comparison mothers (100% vs. 76%, p < .001). Growth-promoting behaviors identified through PD studies and practiced through neighborhood-based rehabilitation sessions persisted years after program completion. These sustained behaviors contributed to better growth of younger siblings never exposed to the program.

scholarly journals Water, sanitation and hygiene practices associated with improved height-for-age, weight-for-height and weight-for-age z-scores in Nepal.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Som Kumar Shrestha ◽  
Don Vicendese ◽  
Bircan Erbas
Keyword(s):  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Water Purification ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
P Value ◽  
Child Undernutrition ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Height For Age ◽  
Weight For Age

Abstract Background: Evidence of the influence of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) behaviors on childhood nutritional status is inconsistent. Few studies have examined their interactive effects. This study aimed to examine associations and interactions between WASH variables and preschool child undernutrition. Methods: Data from a nationally representative sample of 2352 children assessed during the 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed by multi-variable linear regression to understand the association between height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-height (WHZ) and weight-for-age (WAZ) z-scores and WASH variables. Interactions between WASH variables, sex and area of residence on childhood nutritional status were also examined. Results: The mean z-score [standard deviation] for children’s WAZ, HAZ and WHZ scores were -1.33 [1.1], -1.52 [1.3] and -0.65 [1.1], respectively. A unit increase in cluster sanitation coverage was associated with an increase of 0.30 (95%CI: 0.12 to 0.48) for WAZ and 0.28 (95%CI: 0.001 to 0.56) for HAZ scores. Household water purification practice was associated with an increase of 0.24 (95%CI: 0.07 to 0.41) in WHZ score. Handwashing practice with water and soap was associated with an increase of 0.15 (95%CI: 0.04 to 0.25) in WAZ and 0.13 (95%CI: 0.01 to 0.24) in WHZ scores. The effect of water purification practice was higher for rural areas compared to urban settings for HAZ scores (p-value for interaction=0.02). Conclusions: Consistent with findings from other countries in the South Asian region, findings of this study highlight the potential importance of good WASH practices, and therefore the potential of WASH interventions, to contribute to improved nutritional status in rural Nepal.

scholarly journals IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON THE HYDRAULIC MODES OF OPERATION OF SURFACE RUNOFF DRAINAGE SYSTEMS

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 50-57
Author(s):  
V. S. Ignatchik ◽  
◽  
S. Y. Ignatchik ◽  
N. V. Kuznetsova ◽  
A. Y. Fes’kova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Linear Approximation ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Climatic Parameters ◽  
Modes Of Operation ◽  
Total Annual Precipitation ◽  
Rain Gauges ◽  
Drainage Networks ◽  
The Government

Introduction. Based on Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 782 “On water supply and wastewater disposal plans”, the volume of generated wastewater should be forecast for a period of at least 10 years. Along with this, it is also necessary to assess the hydraulic modes of operation of networks and collectors, specified earlier. However, the existing regulatory literature lacks data on the dynamics of calculated rain intensities and their prospective values. The analysis of the subject area showed that it is possible to determine the climatic parameters of an area, and thus establish the values for the characteristics of calculated rain, based on the data of long-term observations (from 20 years) with one self-recording rain gauge, or with a network of similar rain gauges, with a duration of observations of 5 years or more. A similar network of rain gauges is available in St. Petersburg. It makes it possible to assess the actual values of climatic parameters, but due to the lack of statistical data does not allow for assessing the dynamics of their changes. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to roughly estimate the dynamics of changes in climatic parameters in St. Petersburg and the degree of their impact on the hydraulic modes of operation of surface runoff drainage networks and collectors. Methods. In the course of the study, we analyzed the dynamics of changes in the total annual precipitation H and rain force in St. Petersburg and examined the influence of the dynamics of rain force changes on the operation of surface runoff drainage networks and collectors. Results. At the first stage of the study, we obtained the results of linear approximation of the H data, the calculated values of rain force changes Δ, and the results of linear approximation of the Δ data. The second stage of the study resulted in changes in the hydraulic modes of runoff input during the design period and in 50 years. Conclusion. We experimentally substantiated the possibility to determine the dynamics of rain force changes (at P = 0.33 and with acceptable accuracy) depending on the dynamics of changes in the total annual precipitation. For networks designed and laid 50 years ago, the actual rain force changes will be 9 %. As a result of climate change, water consumption in the calculation periods increased by about 26% with an increase in the total volume of discharged water by 9–10 %.

scholarly journals Effects of record length and resolution on the derived distribution of annual precipitation

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 12987-13018
Author(s):  
C. I. Meier ◽  
J. S. Moraga ◽  
G. Pranzini ◽  
P. Molnar
Keyword(s):  
High Resolution ◽  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Probability Model ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Precipitation Data ◽  
Return Periods ◽  
Record Length ◽  
High Return ◽  
Log Normal

Abstract. Traditional frequency analysis of annual precipitation requires the fitting of a probability model to yearly precipitation totals. There are three potential problems with this approach: a long record (at least 25 ~ 30 years) is required in order to fit the model, years with missing data cannot be used, and the data need to be homogeneous. To overcome these limitations, we test an alternative methodology proposed by Eagleson (1978), based on the derived distribution approach (DDA). This allows for better estimation of the probability density function (pdf) of annual rainfall without requiring long records, provided that high-resolution precipitation data are available to derive external storm properties. The DDA combines marginal pdfs for storm depth and inter-arrival time to arrive at an analytical formulation of the distribution of annual precipitation under the assumption of independence between events. We tested the DDA at two temperate locations in different climates (Concepción, Chile, and Lugano, Switzerland), quantifying the effects of record length. Our results show that, as compared to the fitting of a normal or log-normal distribution, the DDA significantly reduces the uncertainty in annual precipitation estimates (especially interannual variability) when only short records are available. The DDA also reduces the bias in annual precipitation quantiles with high return periods. We also show that using precipitation data aggregated every 24 h, as commonly available at most weather stations, introduces a noticeable bias in the DDA. Our results point to the tangible benefits of installing high-resolution (hourly or less) precipitation gauges at previously ungauged locations. We show that the DDA, in combination with high resolution gauging, provides more accurate and less uncertain estimates of long-term precipitation statistics such as interannual variability and quantiles of annual precipitation with high return periods even for records as short as 5 years.

scholarly journals A Multiregion Model Evaluation and Attribution Study of Historical Changes in the Area Affected by Temperature and Precipitation Extremes

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (23) ◽  
pp. 8285-8299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea J. Dittus ◽  
David J. Karoly ◽  
Sophie C. Lewis ◽  
Lisa V. Alexander ◽  
Markus G. Donat
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Northern Hemisphere ◽  
Minimum Temperature ◽  
Climate Models ◽  
Heavy Precipitation ◽  
Precipitation Extremes ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
Total Annual Precipitation ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Increasing Trends

Abstract The skill of eight climate models in simulating the variability and trends in the observed areal extent of daily temperature and precipitation extremes is evaluated across five large-scale regions, using the climate extremes index (CEI) framework. Focusing on Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, and the Northern Hemisphere, results show that overall the models are generally able to simulate the decadal variability and trends of the observed temperature and precipitation components over the period 1951–2005. Climate models are able to reproduce observed increasing trends in the area experiencing warm maximum and minimum temperature extremes, as well as, to a lesser extent, increasing trends in the areas experiencing an extreme contribution of heavy precipitation to total annual precipitation for the Northern Hemisphere regions. Using simulations performed under different radiative forcing scenarios, the causes of simulated and observed trends are investigated. A clear anthropogenic signal is found in the trends in the maximum and minimum temperature components for all regions. In North America, a strong anthropogenically forced trend in the maximum temperature component is simulated despite no significant trend in the gridded observations, although a trend is detected in a reanalysis product. A distinct anthropogenic influence is also found for trends in the area affected by a much-above-average contribution of heavy precipitation to annual precipitation totals for Europe in a majority of models and to varying degrees in other Northern Hemisphere regions. However, observed trends in the area experiencing extreme total annual precipitation and extreme number of wet and dry days are not reproduced by climate models under any forcing scenario.

Size-adjustment techniques of lumbar spine dual energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements in assessing bone mineralization in children on maintenance hemodialysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nanees Salem ◽  
Ashraf Bakr
Keyword(s):  
Bone Mineralization ◽  
Dual Energy ◽  
Maintenance Hemodialysis ◽  
Z Score ◽  
Normal Height ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Z Scores ◽  
Size Adjustment ◽  
Height For Age

Abstract Objectives Growing skeleton is uniquely vulnerable to impaired mineralization in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Continued debate exists about the optimal method to adjust for body size when interpreting dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scans in children with CKD given the burden of poor growth. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical usefulness of size-adjustment techniques of lumber-spine DXA measurements in assessing bone mineralization in children with kidney failure on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). Methods Case-control study included 93 children on maintenance HD (9–18 years; 48 males). Participants were subjected to spinal-DXA-scan to obtain areal bone mineral density (aBMD; g/cm2). Volumetric-BMD (vBMD; g/cm3) was mathematically estimated. Z-scores of aBMD for chronological age (aBMDZ-CA), aBMD adjusted for height age (aBMDZ-HA), and vBMDZ-score were calculated using mean and SD values of age subgroups of 442 healthy controls (7–18 years). Results In short-for-age CKD patients, aBMDZ-CA was significantly lower than vBMDZ-score, while aBMDZ-HA was significantly higher than aBMDZ-CA and vBMDZ-score. In normal height-for-age CKD patients, no significant difference between aBMDZ-scores and vBMDZ-score was detected. aBMDZ-CA was significantly lower and aBMDZ-HA was significantly higher in short-for-age compared to normal height-for-age patients without significant differences in vBMDZ-score. We observed age-related decrements in the percentage of HD patients with normal densitometric Z-scores, the effect of age was less pronounced in aBMDZ-HA than vBMDZ-score. vBMDZ-score correlated negatively with age, but not with heightZ-score. Conclusions Estimated vBMD seems to be a convenient size-adjustment approach of spinal-DXA measurements in assessing BMD especially in older short-for-age children with CKD. aBMDZ-CA underestimates, while aBMDZ-HA overestimates BMD in such patients.

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