Height Categories Research Articles

Assessment of early survival and growth of planted Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) seedlings under extreme continental climate conditions of northern Mongolia

Environmental factors play vital roles in successful plantation and cultivation of tree seedlings. This study focuses on problems associated with reforestation under extreme continental climatic conditions. The objectives were to assess relative seedling performance (survival and growth) with respect to plantation age, and to analyze the influence of specific climatic factors during the early stages of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) plantations. The study was carried out in reforested areas of the Tujyin Nars region of northern Mongolia on six Scots pine plantations ranging from 5 to 10 years. In each of the six plantations, five 900 m2 permanent sample plots were established and survival rates and growth performance measured annually over 7 years. Results show high variation in survival among the plantations (p < 0.001, F = 29.7). Seedling survival in the first year corresponded directly to the number of dry days in May. However, survival rate appeared to stabilize after the second year. The insignificant variation of height categories throughout the observation period indicated low competition among individuals. Two linear mixed-effect models show that height and radial growth were best explained by relative air humidity, which we consider to be a reliable indicator of site-specific water availability. Insufficient amounts and uneven distribution of rainfall pose a major threat during the first year of plantation establishment. Humidity and water availability are decisive factors for a successful seedling plantation. This highlights the impact of drought on forest plantations in northern Mongolia and the importance of developing climate resilient reforestation strategies.

Diagnostic A-Scan of Choroidal Melanoma: Automated Quantification of Parameters

Aim: To develop an automated algorithm to quantify ultrasonographic A-scan parameters of choroidal melanoma. Methods: The study included 100 consecutive patients with a clinical diagnosis of choroidal melanoma. Ultrasonographic A-scans (8 MHz, 1,550 m/s, tissue sensitivity = 67 dB) were performed by standard techniques. We created and then utilized a MATLAB® script to generate four quantifiable A-scan parameters: (1) tumor height (mm), (2) the number of internal reflectivity peaks (numerical value), (3) median internal reflectivity (%), and (4) angle κ (°). Results: There were small (≤2.5 mm, n = 32), medium (2.6–10.0 mm, n = 53), and large (> 10.0 mm, n = 14) tumors. The mean number of internal reflectivity peaks counted between the two tumor boundary spikes (surface and base) was 10.0 (σ = 8.7, range 1–37). The median value of the internal reflectivity peaks for all cases varied from 19.8 to 99.5 (mean = 68.3, σ = 20.5). A statistically significant correlation was observed between the tumor height categories and each of the three A-scan parameters: the number of internal reflectivity peaks (ρ = 0.90, p < 0.01), median internal reflectivity (ρ = –0.63, p < 0.01), and a positive angle κ (ρ = –0.32, p = 0.03). Conclusions: An automated algorithm can provide quantifiable A-scan parameters for choroidal melanoma.

Impact of maternal height and gestational diabetes mellitus on offspring birthweight

AimsTo evaluate the impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and maternal height on offspring birthweight. MethodsThis is an observational cohort study, encompassing 4 111 Finnish primiparous women from Vantaa city, Finland, with singleton deliveries between 2009 and 2015. Data were obtained from the Finnish Medical Birth Register. The study population was divided into five groups according to maternal height. Cut-offs for height levels were I ≤ 158 cm, II 159–163 cm, III 164–167 cm, IV 168–172 cm, V ≥ 173 cm. The main outcome measure was offspring birthweight, expressed as Z-scores according to sex and gestational age. ResultsIndependently, both maternal height and GDM increased offspring birthweight (p < 0.001 for height and GDM). When studying the interaction, a significant increase in offspring birthweight was noted only in extreme height categories; group I ≤ 158 cm (p = 0.011), group IV 168–172 cm (p = 0.010) and group V ≥ 173 cm (p < 0.001) and the impact was similar in both sexes. Maternal height had no impact on offspring ponderal index (p = 0.20 for trend). ConclusionsIn extreme height categories, short and tall primiparous women with GDM are at risk for delivering larger offspring compared to women without GDM of similar height.

Exploring Association Between Individuals' Stature and Type 2 Diabetes Status: Propensity Score Analysis.

In this article, relationship between respondents’ height and occurrence of diabetes has been investigated. This study uses Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2011 data collected from an observational study. Considering height (tall/normal/short) based on percentiles separately for men and women, logistic regression model was fitted to the propensity score (PS)-adjusted weighted data. No significant relationship between respondents’ height and diabetes was observed. We also found that the occurrence of diabetes significantly varies with respect to sex, education level, wealth index, body mass index (BMI), and region/division. As, in general, women are shorter than men by nature, we strongly argue that height categories should be defined separately whenever estimation of the effect of height on some response is of interest.

Analysis of Electromagnetic Scattering From Combined Conducting and Dielectric Objects Above Rough Surface Using Hybrid SIE-KA-FMM Method

An efficient hybrid SIE-KA-FMM method is presented to analyze the electromagnetic scattering from combined conducting and dielectric objects above the rough surface. In this approach, the induced electric current on the rough surface is obtained by the Kirchhoff approximation (KA). The single integral equation (SIE) method is utilized to efficiently compute scattering from the composite target with markedly reducing the numbers of unknowns compared with the conventional coupled integral equation method. The fast multi-pole method (FMM) is incorporated for faster operation and less memory requirement. Several examples verify the validation of the hybrid SIE-KA-FMM method. The composite scattering characteristics of diversiform targets above the rough surface are obtained. Moreover, the numerical results with the different permittivity of dielectric part, polarization mode, working frequency, root mean square (RMS) and correlation length of rough surface, incident pitching/azimuth angle, and target height and target category have been analyzed to provide some useful conclusions.

Height-specific blood pressure cutoffs for screening elevated and high blood pressure in children and adolescents: an International Study.

Pediatric blood pressure (BP) reference tables are generally based on sex, age, and height and tend to be cumbersome to use in routine clinical practice. In this study, we aimed to develop a new, height-specific simple BP table according to the international child BP reference table based on sex, age and height and to evaluate its performance using international data. We validated the simple table in a derivation cohort that included 58,899 children and adolescents aged 6-17 years from surveys in 7 countries (China, India, Iran, Korea, Poland, Tunisia, and the United States) and in a validation cohort that included 70,072 participants from three other surveys (China, Poland and Seychelles). The BP cutoff values for the simple table were calculated for eight height categories for both the 90th ("elevated BP") and 95th ("high BP") percentiles of BP. The simple table had a high performance to predict high BP compared to the reference table, with high values (boys/girls) of area under the curve (0.94/0.91), sensitivity (88.5%/82.9%), specificity (99.3%/99.7%), positive predictive values (93.9%/97.3%), and negative predictive values (98.5%/97.8%) in the pooled data from 10 studies. The simple table performed similarly well for predicting elevated BP. A simple table based on height only predicts elevated BP and high BP in children and adolescents nearly as well as the international table based on sex, age, and height. This has important implications for simplifying the detection of pediatric high BP in clinical practice.

Mowing Effects on Woody Stem Density and Woody and Herbaceous Vegetation Heights Along Mississippi Highway Right-of-Ways

Abstract Roadside right-of-ways (ROWs) undergo regular disturbances such as mowing, maintenance, wrecks, and road developments, which affect soils, groundwater, surface hydrology, and the composition of vegetation. Roadsides can provide and support an environment for diverse plant communities, but management practices have reduced native grasses, wildflowers, and woody plants. Woody plants are not desirable for traffic safety, maintenance, and visibility along road ROWs. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to investigate effects of roadside mowing frequency on native and nonnative herbaceous and woody plant vertical height coverage and native and nonnative woody stem density within plant communities along highway ROWs. We subdivided 10 research plots, systematically situated along Highway 25 in Oktibbeha and Winston counties, Mississippi, to receive 1) four or more mowings annually, 2) one mowing during fall, and 3) one mowing during fall with supplemental native wildflower seeding. We differentiated upland plots on the basis of soil drainage in upward hills. Riparian (lowland) areas were influenced by overbank inundations from streams and drainages, and were typically spanned by bridges or box culverts. We used line transects to sample vegetation. We detected 277 plant species, including native and nonnative forbs, legumes, grasses, rushes, sedges, and woody perennials (vines, shrubs, and trees). Nonnative grasses exhibited the greatest percent coverage (&amp;gt;90%) in all treatments. Woody plants, including vines, trees, and shrubs, comprised &amp;lt;8% coverage throughout the study. Percent coverage of all vegetation in different height categories differed between upland and riparian elevations (F1,59 &amp;gt; 4.65, P ≤ 0.04), seasons (F1,59 &amp;gt; 12.78, P ≤ 0.01), and between years (F1,59 &amp;gt; 4.91, P ≤ 0.03), but did not differ in height categories among treatments. Of the &amp;lt;8% coverage of woody plants, woody vines comprised most (&amp;gt;68%) of the stem counts, whereas 24% were trees and &amp;lt;8% were shrubs. Woody stem density did not differ among treatments or seasons, but between elevations (F1,59 = 3.34, P = 0.07) and during the 2-y study (F1,59 = 3.21, P = 0.08) as the trend was in the predicted direction (α = 0.05). Thickets of woody vines and low-lying trees and shrubs along the roadside ROWs did not compromise height requirements needed for roadside visibility and safety. At least one mowing per year would be needed to control tree and shrub species for visibility along roadside ROWs. We concluded that a 2-y mowing regimen was no different from mowing once annually and/or more than three times annually in the plant communities in east-central Mississippi. However, one mowing/y retained agronomic plant coverage, which is useful for erosion control and soil stabilization during roadside maintenance. Proactive management implementations can include native plantings, selective herbicide use to decrease nonnatives, continual mowing from roadside edge to 10 m, and only one mowing in late fall with an extension of the boundary to reach beyond 10 m from the roadside edge to suppress invasion of woody plants. Adopting this less-frequent mowing regimen could reduce long-term maintenance costs for Mississippi highways.

PO593 Exposure to Environmental Smoke and Current Cigarette Smoking Among School Children In United Arab Emirates: A Double Whammy

To determine the diagnostic utility of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and to investigate the significance of evaluating radiological findings together with neurological and ophthalmological data in the diagnosis of IIH.All consecutive patients diagnosed with IIH in our tertiary neuro-ophthalmology center between January 1, 2018 and March 15, 2020, were included in the study. The clinical, radiological, and ophthalmological findings of IIH patients were compared with the control group with similar demographic characteristics.A total of 98 patients, 49 cases and 49 controls, were included in the study. Lateral ventricular index had the highest area under the curve (AUC) value (0.945) for prediction of disease group followed by sella height category (AUC = 0.915) and optic nerve tortuosity (AUC = 0.855) According to the multivariate model we developed, caudate index (OR = 0.572, 95% CI 0.329–0.996), lateral ventricle index (OR = 3.969, 95% CI 1.851–8.509) and bilateral optic nerve tortuosity (OR = 22,784, 95% CI 2.432–213.450) were significant predictors for disease group.Tortuosity in the optic nerve, lateral ventricular index and caudate index can be used as MRI parameters supporting the diagnosis of IIH in clinically suspicious cases. A holistic approach to the clinical and radiological findings of the cases in the diagnosis of IIH can prevent overdiagnosis and enable early correct diagnosis.

The Association between Maternal Height, Body Mass Index, and Perinatal Outcomes.

To test the hypothesis that maternal height is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes, controlling for and stratified by maternal body mass index (BMI). This was a retrospective cohort study of all births in California between 2007 and 2010 (n = 1,775,984). Maternal height was categorized into quintiles, with lowest quintile (≤20%) representing shorter stature and the uppermost quintile (≥80%) representing taller stature. Outcomes included gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), preeclampsia, cesarean, preterm birth (PTB), macrosomia, and low birth weight (LBW). We calculated height/outcome associations among BMI categories, and BMI/outcome associations among height categories, using various multivariable logistic regression models. Taller women were less likely to have GDM, nulliparous cesarean, PTB, and LBW; these associations were similar across maternal BMI categories and persisted after multivariable adjustment. In contrast, when stratified by maternal height, the associations between maternal BMI and birth outcomes varied by specific outcomes, for example, the association between morbid obesity (compared with normal or overweight) and the risk of GDM was weaker among shorter women (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.48, 3.28-3.69) than taller women (aOR, 95% CI: 4.42, 4.19-4.66). Maternal height is strongly associated with altered perinatal risk even after accounting for variations in complications by BMI.

A3725 Simplified height-specific blood pressure table for screening elevated or high blood pressure in Chinese children and adolescents

Objectives: This study was aimed to evaluate the performance of four simplified methods for screening elevated BP and high BP in Chinese children and adolescents, compared to the 2017 Chinese child complex table based on sex, age and height. Methods: We developed a simplified blood pressure cut-offs within 9 height categories by 10 cm increments specifically for the Chinese children and adolescents to screen elevated BP (90th percentile) and high BP (95th percentile) according to the 2017 Chinese child complex table based on sex, age, and height. In addition, three other simplified methods (i.e., simplified table by age group, simplified formulas, and sex- and age-specific simplified table).Data from two population-based surveys including survey conducted in Jinan, China in 2013–2014 (n = 7837, 6 to 17 years) and survey conducted in Zibo, China in 2017 (n = 1515, 6 to 11 years). Results: The height-specific table for identifying high BP (in Jinan/Zibo data) had values of AUC (0.94/0.92), sensitivity (90.1%/85.0%), specificity (97.9%/98.3%), PPV (89.1%/90.0%), NPV (98.1%/97.3%), compared to the complex table. Its performance was similar to sex- and age-specific simplified table. In contrast, two other simplified methods were not satisfactory, with PPV ranged from 62.8% to 79.6% for identifying elevated BP and high BP. Conclusion: The simplified height-specific table performed similarly to the 2017 Chinese child complex table by sex, age, and height for identifying elevated BP and high BP in Chinese children and adolescents. This height-specific table seemed to be superior to three other simplified methods. This simplified table with only 18 values will be useful to improve detection and control pediatric high BP in clinical practice.

Uterine distention as a factor in birth timing: retrospective nationwide cohort study in Sweden

ObjectivesTo determine whether uterine distention is associated with human pregnancy duration in a non-invasive observational setting.DesignRetrospective cohort study modelling uterine distention by interaction between maternal height and uterine load.SettingThe study...

The Impact of Spatial Form of Urban Architecture on the Urban Thermal Environment: A Case Study of the Zhongshan District, Dalian, China

The correlation of spatial variation in land surface temperature with building height and density in Zhongshan District, Dalian, China, is investigated over the period 2003–2013. We utilize remote sensing data and multisource land-use data, which we evaluate using a combination of a single-window algorithm and correlation analysis. The results show that: 1) during 2003–2013, the number of high surface temperature regions increased by 4339 grid cells (out of a total of 53 601), with most of the high-temperature grid cells distributed along Jiefang Road and Zhongnan Road in the northern part of Zhongshan District. Ninety-eight percent of grid cells had temperature ranges of 293–309 K in July 2003, 296–310 K in August 2003, 295–308 K in July 2008, 296–311 K in August 2008, 305–314 K in July 2013, and 303–318 K in August 2013; 2) during 2003–2008, the number of low-rise buildings increased by 140%, and the number of multistory buildings increased by 100%. During 2008–2013, the number of buildings in all height categories remained relatively unchanged, with the exception of an 11% decrease in the number of low-rise buildings; 3) surface temperature showed weak correlation with building height (0.314, 0.346, and 0.361 in 2003, 2008, and 2013, respectively) but moderate correlation with building density (0.511, 0.533, and 0.563, respectively).

Wind Loads on Tall Buildings: A Comparative Study of the International Wind Codes and Numerical Simulation

Wind codes and standards have been used commonly when designing regularshaped tall buildings to withstand wind loads. High-Frequency Base Balance (HFBB) data analysis and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have now emerged as alternative techniques to these wind codes and standards. This paper compares wind-induced building responses estimated from CFD analysis and those obtained using major international wind codes: AS/NZS1170.2:2011 (Australia/New Zealand), AIJ-RLB-2004 (Japan) and Eurocode-2005 (Europe), with HFBB predictions. The initial comparison was done on a rectangular 60-storey building model and subsequently, the study was extended to building models with different b/d ratios (breadth/depth) under three height categories. The results show that there are minor discrepancies between the code-predicted alongwind responses and those obtained using different approaches with different b/d ratios. Moreover, the across-wind responses predicted by the wind codes significantly deviate from the HFBB results, especially when the wind direction is normal to the shorter face of the building. The deviations intensify as the b/d ratio decreases. Nevertheless, the CFD predictions correspond well with the HFBB predictions for along-wind responses having deviations under 10%, highlighting the capability of CFD simulation for predicting global wind-induced responses of tall buildings.

Assessing the visual impacts of new urban features: coupling visibility analysis with 3D city modelling

Land use changes associated with urbanization often have negative impacts on scenic beauty. In this paper, we explore and compare the visual impact of two different scenarios of urban growth including historical urban growth (HUG) and aesthetically sound urban growth (AUG) with two different categories of height for buildings in the city of Gorgan, Iran. This was done by viewshed and landscape metric analysis of different viewpoints and 3D representation of each scenario. The results show that with the AUG scenario, viewsheds are less impacted by new developments than the HUG scenario in all the viewpoints. It can be concluded that building locations can considerably affect the landscape visibility while building height does not impact to the same degree as location. The results of this research, as a Spatial Decision Support System, would help the managers for better understanding of different patterns of urbanization and its effect on landscape view.

Height categories as a healthier alternative to weight categories in taekwondo competition

Weight division is the most common way of categorizing athletes for competition in martial arts and combat sports. Eating disorders and the use of rapid weight loss methods are common among combat sports athletes, both at young and adult ages at all competition levels. Meanwhile, height is commonly regarded as determinant in kicking combat sports. The present study aimed to examine whether height categories can be used as a healthier alternative to weight categories for official competition. The height and weight of 153 male (n=80) and female (n=73) competitive taekwondo athletes aged between 10 and 16 were measured. Participants were classified by age, sex, and official weight category. Athletes were then sorted into ten hypothetical numbered height categories established in every age and sex group, according to World Health Organization (WHO) percentiles. There was a strong correlation between height and weight (r=0.843, p&lt;0.01), and between height and weight categorization (r=0.681, p&lt;0.01), and 68.18% of participants stayed the same, or moved only ±1 category by height from their original weight category. We conclude that young competitive taekwondo athletes can be categorized by height in official competition, as a healthier and more equitable alternative to the current weight divisions.

Bowel dysfunction after sigmoid resection underestimated: Multicentre study on quality of life after surgery for carcinoma of the rectum and sigmoid

AimThe Low Anterior Resection Syndrome (LARS) severely affects quality of life (QoL) after rectal cancer surgery. There are no data about functional complaints after sigmoid cancer surgery. We investigated LARS and QoL in patients with a resection for sigmoid cancer versus patients who had surgery for rectal cancer. Methods506 patients after resection for rectal or sigmoid cancer who were at least one year colostomy-free were included between January 2008 and December 2013. Bowel function was assessed by the LARS-Score. QoL was assessed by the EORTC QLQ-C30 and -CR29 questionnaires. QoL was compared between the LARS score categories and tumour height categories. Results412 respondents (81.5%) could be included for the analyses. The median interval since treatment was 5 years, and the median age at the follow-up point was 72 years. Major LARS increased significantly with decreasing tumour height from one fifth in sigmoid carcinoma to 90% in low rectum carcinoma. Female gender (OR = 2.162; 95% CI: 1.349–3.467), postoperative temporary diverting stoma (OR = 3.457; 95% CI: 2.019–5.919) and tumours located in the middle (OR = 3.193; 95% CI: 1.696–6.010) or lower rectum (OR = 8.247; 95% CI: 1.672–40.678) were independently associated with the development of major LARS. Patients with major LARS fared significantly worse in most QOL domains. ConclusionsFor the first time, we found that functional abdominal complaints after sigmoid surgery are a major problem, with a negative effect on QoL, even 5 years after treatment. Patients need to be adequately informed about these long-term complaints.

Can knee osteoarthritis pain flares be predicted?

Purpose: Knee pain is the main cause of disability and reduced function in knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Though it is established that KOA pain fluctuates, there is currently no method to predict knee osteoarthritis pain flares. This project aims to identify risk factors which predict KOA pain flares in the following 30 days. Methods: Study participants were selected from SPARK, a 90-day web-based longitudinal study that examined risk factors for KOA pain flares. Participants were requested to complete an online questionnaire at 10 day intervals from day 0 (control period assessment points) and at time points whenever they experienced knee pain flare (case period assessment points) during the follow-up period. A KOA pain flare was defined as current pain >=2 points on a 0-10 point numeric rating scale compared to usual background KOA pain intensity reported at day 0. The SPARK dataset was partitioned into 3 sections: Day 0–30, Day 31–60 and Day 61–90. Exposures to the following risk factors/derived variables from Day 0–30 (D0–30) were used to identify associations/ predict KOA flares in the next/following 30 days-that is Day 31–60. Predictors assessed for the D0-30 period were as follows: (1) any episodes of buckling of index knee between D0–30 (2) any injury to index knee between D0-30 (3) percentage of days of medication used (4) physical activity, classified as mild physical activity or any moderate or any vigorous physical activity performed between D0-30 and (5) heel height worn >2/3 of assessed time period (heel height categories <2.5 cm, 2.5–5 cm, >5 cm). The (6) positive and negative affect score, (7) Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain Score (ICOAP)/100 were assessed at D30. The participant's (8) age, (9) body mass index, (10) duration of having osteoarthritis, (11) usual background pain score and (12) worst pain score were assessed at recruitment. Patients who reported flares at the point of enrolment/baseline and those with missing observations were omitted. Logistic regression was used to identify significant risk factors. Step-wise elimination was done and only variables with P <0.1 were used for the prediction modelling. Data was analysed using STATA version 13. Results: 315 persons (62.3% females) with a mean age of 62.1 years (SD±8.2) with complete data on the variables of interest were selected. The mean body mass index was 29.8 kg/m2 (SD±6.5). The participants rated their baseline pain (on a visual analogue score) as 4.36 (SD±2) and worst pain as 7.91 (SD±1.74). 115 persons (36.3%) reported at least one flare from D31-60. The majority of variables were eliminated by step-wise elimination. Only the ICOAP constant pain sub scale at D30, the usual level of pain reported at baseline and history of any knee buckling 30 days prior were significant predictors for the occurrence of any flare in the ensuing 30 days (Table 1). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.72 (95% Confidence Interval 0.66-0.78), suggesting a moderate predictive ability for the occurrence of knee pain flare. Conclusions: Higher ICOAP constant sub scale values at baseline, higher background pain levels reported by the patient at recruitment and any knee buckling 30 days prior predicted KOA pain flares in the ensuing 30 days.

Effect of maternal origin on the association between maternal height and risk of preterm birth in Belgium: a retrospective observational cohort study

ObjectivesTo investigate the effect of maternal origin on the association between maternal height and the risk of preterm birth (PTB).DesignRetrospective observational cohort study.SettingTwo of the three Belgian regions, including Brussels-Capital...

Serum and dietary zinc and copper in Iranian girls

ObjectiveGirls with micronutrient deficiencies may have impaired growth and development, and furthermore this may also impact on their childbearing. We have investigated the relationship between serum zinc and copper concentrations, dietary zinc and copper intake and anthropometric and demographic parameters, and cardiovascular risk factors, in 408 girls living in northeastern Iran. MethodsA total of 408 healthy girls, aged 12–18 years old, were included in our study. Serum zinc and copper concentrations were measured by flame atomic absorption (Varian AA240FS) and zinc and copper intake were assessed using a 3-day dietary record. ResultsThere was a weak correlation between serum and dietary zinc intake (r = 0.117, p = 0.018). The correlation between serum and dietary copper approached significance (r = −0.094, p = 0.056). The mean serum zinc and copper concentrations were 14.61 ± 2.71 μmol/L and 19.48 ± 8.01 μmol/L respectively. Height, total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were positively correlated with serum copper concentration. Subjects with high serum copper concentrations (>24 μmol/L) were found to have a significantly higher fasting blood glucose (FBG) compared to subjects with normal, or low serum copper concentrations (p = 0.033). Girls who were in the 5th percentile or greater for height were found to have higher serum copper concentrations than girls in other height categories. ConclusionThere was a weak relationship between dietary and serum concentrations of zinc. Copper status was associated with anthropometric and biochemical parameters, including FBG and lipid profile. Further studies are required to define the role of copper in metabolic health.

Frequency of Anemia and Iron Deficiency among Children Starting First Year of School Life and Their Association with Weight and Height.

The objectives of the study were to ascertain frequency of anemia and iron deficiency among children starting first year of school life and test association with height and weight. One in four children starting first year of school life in five schools of Rabwah, Pakistan, was included. Full blood counts and ferritin levels of the children included in the study were checked. Status of their height and weight was determined according to Z-score charts. Chi-square test was used to test association. Two hundred and ninety-five children with median age of 67 months were included in the study. Out of 295, 240 (81.4%) had normal Hb and 55 (18.6%) had anemia. Ferritin levels were found to be below normal level in 242 (82%) children. There was no significant difference between hemoglobin and ferritin levels of children belonging to different categories of height and weight. Spearman test showed that there was very weak correlation between ferritin and hemoglobin levels (rs = .163). Our conclusions were that iron deficiency without anemia is very frequent among children starting first year of school. Regression models show that ferritin levels cannot be predicted by independent variables like status of height and weight on Z-score charts, age, gender, and anemia.