Variation In Coverage Research Articles

Intelligent Sprayer Spray Rates Optimization to Efficiently Apply Chemicals in Modern Apple Orchards

Highlights Intelligent sprayers require crop canopy-specific base spray rate (SR) adjustments. SRs can be estimated by Tree Row Volume (TRV) and Unit Canopy Row (UCR) methods. This study formulated TRV and UCR based SRs for modern apple orchard canopies. Field trials evaluated spray deposition and coverage variations for these rates. TRV and UCR based treatments had comparable spray performance to the grower-adapted application rate. Abstract. The efficiency of air-assisted sprayer-based chemical applications in horticultural crops is dependent on several factors, including that of the application rate as the amount of liquid per ground area (L ha-1 or gal acre-1 [GPA]). In contrast to the conventional GPA-based application rates, recently developed intelligent and precision sprayers use the input spray rate (SR) as the amount of liquid volume (L) required to spray one cubic meter of crop canopy (L m-3 or ounces per cubic foot). This input rate ranges between 0.06 and 0.13 L m-3 depending on the architecture and canopy size. However, the exact value of input SR is decided based on grower experience and manufacturer recommendation and can often be a broad estimation. Therefore, this study was conducted to explore methods that could be used to have a precise estimate of the input SR related to the canopy being sprayed for optimal spray applications. Tree row volume (TRV) and unit canopy row (UCR) methods were used to estimate input SRs and the sprayer field efficiency was evaluated in a vertical fruiting wall-trained commercial apple orchard, typical in the State of Washington, USA. Field spray trials were conducted in the full canopy growth stage, spraying a mix of fluorescent tracer dye of 2 g L-1 concentration at a calibration speed of 1.50 m s-1. Spray deposition and coverage were evaluated in replicated field trials using deposit samplers (mylar cards and screen) and water-sensitive papers, respectively. Test results demonstrated that both TRV (SR: 0.09 L m-3) and UCR (SR: 0.10 L m-3) were effective methods to calculate the spray rates since their spray deposition and coverage were comparable to that of the grower-adapted application rate (935 L ha-1). While the spray rates calculated by both methods provided better application efficiency, an SR of 0.09 L m-3 calculated by the TRV method would be preferable in spray applications of fully foliated fruiting wall-trained apple trees as it sprayed less liquid. Although the TRV method could potentially be applicable for estimating SR with an adjustment factor to compensate for the pruning level, crop-specific further evaluations are suggested for different canopy training systems. Keywords: Intelligent sprayer, Modern orchard systems, Spray rate, Tree row volume, Unit canopy row.

Facility Location-Allocation Problem for Emergency Medical Service With Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

This paper models an operation problem of an unmanned aerial vehicle for the emergency medical service (UEMS) system. The model is set up as a location-allocation problem. The coverage distance and capacity of the UEMS facility are modeled as functions of UAVs assigned. The allocation of the demand point is constrained by the variable coverage distance of each facility. The robust optimization approach is used over the cardinality-constrained uncertain demand, which leads to a nonlinear optimization problem. The UEMS location-allocation problem (ULAP) is reformulated to a solvable problem. An extended formulation and corresponding branch-and-price (B&P) algorithm are also proposed, which strengthen the linear programming relaxation bound. The subproblem of the B&P algorithm is defined as a robust disjunctively constrained integer knapsack problem. Two solution approaches of mixed-integer linear programming reformulation and decomposed dynamic programming are designed for the subproblem. To provide time-efficient solutions for large-scale problems, a restricted master heuristic (RMH) is proposed based on the extended formulation. In computational experiments, the B&P algorithm provided a strong lower bound, and the RMH could find an effective feasible solution within an applicable computation time.

Automated mapping of the seasonal evolution of surface meltwater and its links to climate on the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica

Abstract. Surface meltwater is widespread around the Antarctic Ice Sheet margin and has the potential to influence ice shelf stability, ice flow and ice–albedo feedbacks. Our understanding of the seasonal and multi-year evolution of Antarctic surface meltwater is limited. Attempts to generate robust meltwater cover time series have largely been constrained by computational expense or limited ice surface visibility associated with mapping from optical satellite imagery. Here, we add a novel method for calculating visibility metrics to an existing meltwater detection method within Google Earth Engine. This enables us to quantify uncertainty induced by cloud cover and variable image data coverage, allowing time series of surface meltwater area to be automatically generated over large spatial and temporal scales. We demonstrate our method on the Amery Ice Shelf region of East Antarctica, analysing 4164 Landsat 7 and 8 optical images between 2005 and 2020. Results show high interannual variability in surface meltwater cover, with mapped cumulative lake area totals ranging from 384 to 3898 km2 per melt season. By incorporating image visibility assessments, however, we estimate that cumulative total lake areas are on average 42 % higher than minimum mapped values. We show that modelled melt predictions from a regional climate model provide a good indication of lake cover in the Amery region and that annual lake coverage is typically highest in years with a negative austral summer SAM index. Our results demonstrate that our method could be scaled up to generate a multi-year time series record of surface water extent from optical imagery at a continent-wide scale.

Not All Disasters Are Created Equal: An Evaluation of Water Issues in Fire and Hurricane Media Coverage in the United States

Water resources are greatly impacted by natural disasters, but very little is known about how these issues are portrayed in the media across different types of disasters. Using a corpus of over 600 thousand local newspaper articles, this research evaluates whether the amount of coverage of water-related concerns of fires and hurricanes reflects news values associated with magnitude and proximity. A more detailed analysis focused on wildfires, which occur on undeveloped land and have the potential to spread rapidly, was also conducted to further evaluate spatial patterns in disaster-related water coverage. Our results indicate that the newspaper coverage patterns for water issues are not equally connected to magnitude and proximity values for fires and hurricanes. In our sample, coverage of water issues in relation to fires and wildfires consistently had an inverse relationship with overall event magnitudes, whereas the coverage of water issues in relation to hurricanes demonstrated a positive correlation. Although wildfires are more likely to be clustered in the western part of the country, there was a lack of positive correlations with wildfire magnitudes in this region. Possible influences for these patterns (e.g., limited impacts to humans and lack of shock-value) are discussed. Given the media’s role in facilitating disaster management and recovery, these nuances in coverage variations provide insight into opportunities for informing water security, which is especially important given the increasing frequency of natural disasters.

Cancer case trends following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic: A community-based observational study with extended follow-up.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted health care delivery worldwide. Cancer is a leading cause of death, and the impact of the pandemic on cancer diagnoses is an important public health concern. This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed the electronic medical records of 80,138 cancer patients diagnosed between January 1, 2019, and May 31, 2021. Outcome measures included weekly number of new cancer cases and trends in weekly cancer cases, before and after the pandemic; patient demographics; and positive COVID-19 test rates. Beginning March 4, 2020, defined as the onset of the pandemic, weekly cancer cases declined precipitously (-110.0 cases per week [95% confidence interval, -190.2 to -29.8]) for 4 weeks, followed by a moderate recovery (+23.7 cases per week [9.1 to 38.4]) of 10 weeks duration. Thereafter, weekly cancer cases trended slowly back toward pre-COVID-19 baseline levels. Following the pandemic onset, there was a cumulative year-over-year decline in cancer cases overall of 7.3%, including a 20.2%, 14.3%, and 12.8% decline in nonmelanoma skin cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer, respectively. Changes in case volumes were accompanied by variations in patient characteristics, including region, age, gender, race, insurance coverage, and COVID-19 positive test rates (P < .01 for all). Among patients tested for COVID-19, 5.3% had a positive result. The data in this study demonstrate a substantial reduction in cancer diagnoses following the onset of COVID-19, which appear to reach expected pre-COVID norms 12 months later. The largest reduction was noted among cancers that are typically screen-detected or identified as part of a routine wellness examination.

Radiology reporting in rectal cancer using MRI: adherence to national template for structured reporting.

In 2014, a national workshop program was initiated and a reporting template and manual for rectal cancer primary staging using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was introduced and made available by the national Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry. To evaluate the effect of the national template program by identify if there was a gap between the content in Swedish MRI reports from 2016 and the national reporting template from 2014. The aim was to explore and compare differences in content in reporting practice in different hospitals in relation to the national reporting template, with focus on: (i) identifying any implementational differences in reporting styles; and (ii) evaluating if reporting completeness vary based on such implementational differences. A total of 250 MRI reports from 10 hospitals in four healthcare regions in Sweden were collected. Reports were analyzed using qualitative content analysis with a deductive thematic coding scheme based on the national reporting template. Three different implemented reporting styles were identified with variations of content coverage in relation to the template: (i) standardized and structured protocol (reporting style A); (ii) standardized semi-structured free-text (reporting style B); and (iii) regular free-text (reporting style C). The relative completeness of reporting practice of rectal cancer staging in relation to the national reporting template were 92.9% for reporting style A, 77.5% for reporting style B, and 63.9% for reporting style C. The implementation of template-based reporting according to reporting style A is a key factor to conform to evidence-based practice for rectal cancer reporting using MRI.

Air-to-ground real-time multimedia delivery: A multipath testbed

In this work, we focus our attention on real-time multimedia flows from Unmanned Aerial Vehicless (UAV) to the ground, presenting and analysing the data collected in field trials during a real testbed. The objective is assessing whether a video feed of reasonable quality can be provided to the pilot of an UAV to enable Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLoS) operations, by exploiting the multiple cellular operators available in the area. Three cellular networks have been jointly used in a multihoming/multipath setup, leveraging the variable coverage offered in both urban and suburban environments. Taking into account both Quality of Service (QoS) and Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics, the target parameters measured in this testbed are: latency, packet error rate, and video quality, which accounts for frames integrity, continuity, and fluidity. Data collected on the field allow to evaluate both QoS and QoE in the presence of a multipath architecture, showing how the latter, in the presence of network diversity, offer the possibility to improve the QoE at the receiver. We also design a framework to characterize the error model and to map it into a QoE model, therefore providing an analytical characterisation of a multipath channel.

Eradication of feral goats, not population control, as a strategy to conserve plant communities on Mediterranean islets

The introduction of mammalian herbivores negatively affects insular vegetation, especially plant species with narrow distributions that are vulnerable to herbivory or that evolved in the absence of native mammal herbivores. Eradication programs have been performed on many islands worldwide, though assessment of the responses of vegetation is crucial to guarantee the success of these programs. In this study, we aimed to evaluate vegetation recovery after a reduction in the feral goat population on Es Vedrà, an islet in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean Basin). We monitored nine permanent plots in three different habitats (rocky areas, grasslands, shrublands) to evaluate the variation in plant coverage, functional traits and diversity indexes over time. We obtained data for each plot by annual field sampling in mid-May of 2016–2019. We observed a significant recovery of the predominant species in each plant community and an increase in many functional traits. We found significant variation in taxonomic diversity in rocky areas and grasslands, but not in shrublands, and functional diversity only varied in rocky areas. Therefore, plant diversity benefited from the reduction in the goat population and functional redundancy increased in rocky areas, improving the capacity to respond against disturbances. However, the reduction in the goat population was not sufficient to preserve plant communities and negative effects reappeared in 2019, coinciding with the increase in the goat population. Therefore, absolute eradication of introduced herbivores represents a unique, efficient strategy to guarantee the ecological restoration of affected habitats in microinsular ecosystems.

Impacts of Auroral Precipitation on HF Propagation: A Hypothetical Over‐the‐Horizon Radar Case Study

AbstractOver‐the‐horizon radar (OTHR) systems operating in the high‐frequency (HF) band (3–30 MHz) are unique in their ability to detect targets at extreme ranges, offering cost‐effective large‐area surveillance. Due to their reliance on the reflective nature of the ionosphere in this band, OTHR systems are extremely sensitive to ionospheric conditions and can expect significant variations in operational performance. At high latitudes, the presence of auroral enhancements in the E‐Region electron density can substantially modify the coverage area and frequency management of OTHR systems. In this study, HF raytracing is utilized to investigate these impacts for a hypothetical radar under different auroral conditions simulated using the Empirical Canadian High Arctic Ionospheric Model. Aurora were seen to increase maximum usable frequency from 8.5 to 26 MHz whilst also reducing median available range from 2,541 to 1,226 km and changing coverage area by −50.4% to 58.6%, for the greatest differences. Target interception showed large variations in path coverage of between 33%–115% and 0%–107% for two flight paths tested with precipitation toggled. Two distinct auroral propagation modes were observed, noted as the F‐E ducted and Auroral E‐modes. Long‐range coverage provided by the auroral F‐E ducted mode was of limited capacity with low solar activity due to reduced NmF2. F‐mode propagation transitioned to the dominating Auroral E‐mode between Auroral Electrojet index values of 50‐ and 200‐nT. The significant variations in both frequency and coverage observed within this study highlight some aspects of the importance of considering aurora in OTHR modeling and design.

Movement and dispersal of a habitat specialist in human-dominated landscapes: a case study of the red panda

BackgroundHabitat specialists living in human-dominated landscapes are likely to be affected by habitat fragmentation and human disturbances more than generalists. But there is a paucity of information on their response to such factors. We examined the effect of these factors on movement patterns of red pandas Ailurus fulgens, a habitat and diet specialist that inhabits the eastern Himalaya.MethodsWe equipped 10 red pandas (six females, four males) with GPS collars and monitored them from September 2019 to March 2020 in Ilam, eastern Nepal. We collected habitat and disturbance data over four seasons. We considered geophysical covariates, anthropogenic factors and habitat fragmentation metrics, and employed linear -mixed models and logistic regression to evaluate the effect of those variables on movement patterns.ResultsThe median daily distance travelled by red pandas was 756 m. Males travelled nearly 1.5 times further than females (605 m). Males and sub-adults travelled more in the mating season while females showed no seasonal variation for their daily distance coverage. Red pandas were relatively more active during dawn and morning than the rest of the day, and they exhibited seasonal variation in distance coverage on the diel cycle. Both males and females appeared to be more active in the cub-rearing season, yet males were more active in the dawn in the birthing season. Two sub-adult females dispersed an average of 21 km starting their dispersal with the onset of the new moon following the winter solstice. The single subadult male did not disperse. Red pandas avoided roads, small-habitat patches and large unsuitable areas between habitat patches. Where connected habitat with high forest cover was scarce the animals moved more directly than when habitat was abundant.ConclusionsOur study indicates that this habitat specialist is vulnerable to human disturbances and habitat fragmentation. Habitat restoration through improving functional connectivity may be necessary to secure the long-term conservation of specialist species in a human-dominated landscape. Regulation of human activities should go in parallel to minimize disturbances during biologically crucial life phases. We recommend habitat zonation to limit human activities and avoid disturbances, especially livestock herding and road construction in core areas.

Heterogeneity in outcome assessment for inflammatory bowel disease in routine clinical practice: a mixed-methods study in a sample of English hospitals

ObjectivesKnowledge of the extent of variation in outcome assessment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in routine practice is limited. We aimed to describe and quantify variation in outcome coverage and...

Variations in habitat metrics along plantation chronosequences: contrasting tree plantations in subtropical forest and grassland

AbstractThe increasing demand for raw materials favours habitat conversion into tree plantations in different biomes over the world. In Argentina, fast-growing plantations occur in physiognomically contrasting biomes, such as the subtropical forest and grassland. Our objectives were to analyze variations in basic habitat metrics and their similarity to the natural habitat along pine plantation cycles, and to compare those patterns between plantations developing in a subtropical forest and a grassland biome. In each biome we selected pine stands of eight ages to represent the environmental gradient of the forest cycle, and natural areas. At each site we estimated the temperature, thermal variability, relative humidity, and percentage coverage of herbaceous plants, shrubs and canopy. We explored environmental similarity between plantations and the natural habitat. In general, patterns of the environmental variables along plantation chronosequences were similar between plantations developing in different biomes. As expected, opposite patterns of similarity in most environmental variables between plantations and the natural habitat were observed along chronosequences developing in contrasting biomes. The time period of high environmental similarity between plantations and the natural environment was longer in the subtropical forest than in the grassland. Our results have implications for land use planning and biodiversity conservation.

A SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH IN UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA: EVIDENCE FROM NATIONAL FAMILY HEALTH SURVEY 4 (2015-16)

Mother needs special medical care during pregnancy, delivery, and after delivery; as a mother, she is more prone to adverse health outcomes or death due to the unsafe and unhygienic methods of managing pregnancy and childbirth. According to the World Health Organization reports, globally, 0.53 million maternal deaths occur annually, out of which 0.12 million (22%) deaths occur only in India. A newborn child needs regular health check-ups as well as nutrition supplements to avoid deficiency diseases and illness. Child health is a foundation for adult health and well-being; therefore, it is imperative to certify good health. Healthy children assure healthy adults who, in turn, ensure good progress and development of the Country (Usmani and Ahmad, 2017). According to NHM, around 81% of under-five child death occurs in one year of birth that marks approximately 10.5 lakh newborn demises; however, 57% of under-five deaths occur in the first one month of life, constituting 7.3 lakh neo-natal deaths annually within the Country. Data and methods: data from National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-2016) on maternal and child health indicators for 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh state were used. Spatial analysis namely Moran\'s-I and LISA were applied to evaluate the maternal and child health indicators through all the districts of the state. Result: Each indicator portrayed prominent coverage variation across the Uttar Pradesh districts in this analysis. Among all the districts, the lowest ANC occurrence was observed mainly in the central part, PNC in the eastern region, SBA in 20 districts mainly of the western and eastern part. The prevalence of full immunization among the children was very high, primarily in the districts of the East region; high PNC among the children was perceived in the districts of eastern, central, and Bundelkhand part of the state. PNC prevalence among the women was found to be highest in the western part of Uttar Pradesh.

The scope of childhood cancer in South Africa: A response to 'Childhood cancers in a section of the South African private health sector - Analysis of medicines claims data'.

Childhood cancer is an under resourced medical field that is emerging as a great healthcare concern in low- and middle-income countries such as South Africa. Therefore, reporting data in this field that may inform policymakers should be representative of the subject matter. This article aims to discuss why medicines claims as an indicator for incidence, as per an article published in 2020, is not representative of childhood malignancies in the South African setting. Literature to support the commentary were sourced using Pubmed, Google scholar, and data presented by members of the South African Children’s Cancer Study Group (SACCSG). Private medical aid coverage in South Africa between 2002 and 2018 varied between 15.5% and 18.2%. Of these, 9.5% were children under 18 years and 3.5% were under the age of six. Only 13.5% of children were treated in private paediatric oncology units during 2015. The limitations in the study were the variable medical aid coverage, the disproportionate age representation, and lack of reliable indicators for measurement and calculation of incidence. Utilising one medicines claims data base to evaluate the incidence of childhood cancer in South Africa is not representative and cannot inform policy.ContributionThis article highlights the importance of accurate registration of childhood cancer diagnoses, especially when data and conclusions based on these results inform policy. The study highlights the limitations of extrapolating general conclusions based on data representing only a small sector of the childhood cancer landscape in South Africa.

Gaps in the implementation and uptake of maternal nutrition interventions in antenatal care services in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India.

Antenatal care (ANC) is the largest health platform globally for delivering maternal nutrition interventions (MNIs) to pregnant women. Yet, large missed opportunities remain in nutrition service delivery. This paper examines how well evidence‐based MNIs were incorporated in national policies and programs in Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and India. We compared the nutrition content of ANC protocols against global recommendations. We used survey data to elucidate the coverage of micronutrient supplementation, weight gain monitoring, dietary and breastfeeding counselling. We reviewed literature, formative research and program assessments to identify barriers and enabling factors of service provision and maternal nutrition practices. Nutrition information in national policies and protocols was often fragmented, incomplete and did not consistently follow global recommendations. Nationally representative data on MNIs in ANC was inadequate, except for iron and folic acid supplementation. Coverage data from subnational surveys showed similar patterns of strengths and weaknesses. MNI coverage was consistently lower than ANC coverage with the lowest coverage of weight gain monitoring and variable coverage of dietary and breastfeeding counselling. Key common factors associated with coverage were micronutrient supply disruptions; suboptimal counselling on maternal diet, weight gain, and breastfeeding; and limited or no record keeping. Adherence of women to micronutrient supplementation and dietary recommendations was low and associated with late and too few ANC contacts, poor maternal knowledge and self‐efficacy, and insufficient family and community support. Models of comprehensive nutrition protocols and health systems that deliver maternal nutrition services in ANC are urgently needed along with national data systems to track progress.

State as Salesman: International Economic Engagement and Foreign News Coverage in China

ABSTRACT How does an authoritarian regime cover news about foreign countries for its domestic audience? What accounts for the variation in news coverage received by different foreign countries? While existing literature points to political concerns at home, in this article, we argue that a regime’s economic interests can also be a driving force: the desire to deepen its international economic engagement can motivate the regime to treat foreign countries differently in its news coverage. To test this argument, we examine foreign news coverage by China’s state-run television network between 2003 and 2018. Combining textual and quantitative analysis, we find that countries with stronger economic ties with China receive more favorable news coverage. Moreover, the manipulation of coverage favorability is achieved through selective reporting: negative events such as armed conflicts receive less coverage when taking place in a country with close economic ties with China. These findings contribute to our understanding of international news flow, especially in a non-Western setting. They also demonstrate a pragmatic rather than political use of information control by an authoritarian government.

Abstract 13298: Density, Coverage and Usage of Automated External Defibrillators in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Across Europe

Introduction: Though deployment of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) is increasing rapidly, AEDs are often deployed in an un-strategic manner. Consequently, little is known about the association between AED density, AED coverage of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), and bystander defibrillation across different countries. This study aimed to investigate the differences in AED densities (AEDS/100,000 inhabitants/1,000 km2), the AED coverage of OHCAs, and bystander defibrillation across Europe. Hypothesis: AED density is directly associated with degree of bystander defibrillation across Europe. Methods: The study is a European Sudden Cardiac Arrest network towards Prevention, Education, New Effective Treatment (ESCAPE-NET) project. We included data from Ticino (Switzerland), Lombardy (Italy), and The Capital Region (Denmark) from 2019, covering over 3.7 million inhabitants. AED accessibility was defined as the AED being accessible 24/7 or not and AED coverage was defined as the OHCA being covered by an AED within 100, 250 and 500 meters. AED coverages were calculated the same way by all participants using a free software program (QGIS). Results: AED densities were: 87.3 for Ticino, 15.2 for Lombardy, and 139.4 for The Capital Region. The percentages of OHCAs covered by any AED and by 24/7 accessible AEDs are shown in Figure 1. The calculated AED density per 1% bystander defibrillation (for the percentage of OHCAs bystander defibrillated within 100, 250 and 500m of an AED) were 34.9, 17.5 and 15.6 for Ticino, 76.0, 50.7 and 38.0 for Lombardy and 19.4, 12.6 and 11.2 for The Capital Region. Conclusion: We found great variation in both AED coverage and 24/7 AED accessibility across regions, as well as marked differences in bystander defibrillation according to local AED density. Other factors like geographical differences in the regions, optimal AED placement and citizen responder programs for AED use might explain the observed differences.

Uneven spatial sampling distorts reconstructions of Phanerozoic seawater temperature

Abstract Paleotemperature proxy records are widely used to reconstruct the global climate throughout the Phanerozoic and to test macroevolutionary hypotheses. However, the spatial distribution of these records varies through time. This is problematic because heat is unevenly distributed across Earth's surface. Consequently, heterogeneous spatial sampling of proxy data has the potential to bias reconstructed temperature curves. We evaluated the spatiotemporal evolution of sampling using a compilation of Phanerozoic δ18O data. We tested the influence of variable spatial coverage on global estimates of paleotemperature by sampling a steep “modern-type” latitudinal temperature gradient and a flattened “Eocene-type” gradient, based on the spatial distribution of δ18O samples. We show that global paleotemperature is overestimated in ∼70% of Phanerozoic stages. Perceived climatic trends for some intervals might be artifactually induced by shifts in paleolatitudinal sampling, with equatorward shifts in sampling concurring with warming trends, and poleward shifts concurring with cooling trends. Yet, the magnitude of some climatic perturbations might also be underestimated. For example, the observed Ordovician cooling trend may be underestimated due to an equatorward shift in sampling. Our findings suggest that while proxy records are vital for reconstructing Earth's paleotemperature in deep time, consideration of the spatial nature of these data is crucial to improving these reconstructions.

Maternal iron-and-folic-acid supplementation and its association with low-birth weight and neonatal mortality in India.

The current study assessed intake of iron-and-folic-acid (IFA) tablet/syrup (grouped into none, < 100 d of IFA consumption or < 100 IFA and ≥ 100 d of IFA consumption or ≥ 100 IFA) among prospective mothers and its association with various stages of low-birth weight (ELBW, extremely low-birth weight; VLBW, very low-birth weight and LBW, low-birth weight) and neonatal mortality (death during day 0-1, 2-6, 7-27 and 0-27) in India. The cross-sectional, nationally representative, 2015-2016 National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4) data were used. Weighted descriptive analysis and multiple binary logistic regression modelling were used. NFHS-4 covered 640 districts from thirty-seven states and union territories of India. A total of 120 374 and 143 675 index children aged 0-59 months were included to analyse LBW and neonatal mortality, respectively. Overall, 30·7 % mothers consumed ≥ 100 IFA in 2015-2016, and this estimate ranged from 0·0 % in Zunheboto district of Nagaland state to 89·5 % in Mahe district of Puducherry of India. Multiple regression analysis revealed that children of mothers who consumed ≥ 100 IFA had lower odds of ELBW, VLBW, LBW and neonatal mortality during day 0-1, as compared with mothers who did not buy/receive any IFA. Consumption of IFA (< 100 IFA and ≥ 100 IFA) had a protective association with neonatal death during day 7-27 and 0-27. Consumption of IFA was not associated with neonatal death during day 2-6. While ≥ 100 IFA consumption during pregnancy was found to be associated with preventing select types of LBW and neonatal mortality, a large variation in coverage of ≥ 100 IFA consumption across 640 districts is concerning.

Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Mortality in the Elderly Population By Race, Gender, and Region in the United States

Background: Over the past decades, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients have significant improvement in the 5-year relative survival rate. In elderly NHL patients, comorbidities play a major role in mortality. Studies have shown that lower survival rates are multifactorial and strongly associated with certain races, gender, socioeconomic status, and availability of rituximab. Therefore, we aim to assess the differences in causes of mortality among races and genders. To better understand environmental contributions to one-year survival rate in NHL patients state-wise in the US, we examined the mortality-to-incidence rate (MIR) in senior NHL patients characterized by race, gender, and American health ranking (AHR) index.Methods: This is a retrospective study using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention database from 2008 to 2017. Patients ≥65 years with non-Hodgkin lymphoma were included. AHR assesses the nation's health on a state-by-state basis to determine state health rankings with a composite index of health measures. AHR consists of five weighted core measures (four groups of health determinants and one health outcome): (1). Behaviors including excessive drinking, obesity, smoking, (2). Community and environment including air pollution, poverty, infectious disease, violent crime, (3). Policy including immunization, public health funding, uninsured rate, (4). Clinical care including primary care physicians, mental health providers, preventable hospitalizations, and (5). Outcomes including cancer deaths, cardiovascular deaths, diabetes, disparity in mental status. A ten-year (2008-2017) average of all-determinants value from AHR were reported and MIR, a parameter that can serve as a proxy for survival, was compared between US states. We analyzed the association between NHL mortality and state health disparities using linear regression. Multiple-cause-of-death data is based on death certificates for US residents. Each death certificate contains a single underlying cause of death, up to twenty additional multiple causes, and demographic data. We analyzed the multiple cause age-adjusted mortality rate in White males and females versus African American males and females. All data were analyzed using R version 4.0.5, with p-values <0.05 in two-sided t-tests to indicate statistical significance.Results: In this 10-year analysis, the mean age-adjusted mortality rate (AAMR) in Whites, African Americans, and all populations were 38.2, 21.4, and 36.7 per 1,000,000 population, respectively. Among all 50 states, Idaho had the highest AAMR for all populations (42.7/1,000,000) and Whites (43.1/1,000,000); Minnesota had the highest AAMR for African Americans (29/1,000,000). District of Columbia had the lowest AAMR for all populations (26.4/1,000,000); New Mexico had the lowest AAMR for Whites (30.6/1,000,000) and New York had the lowest AAMR for African Americans (Table 1). Our results demonstrated that elderly NHL patients in states with better health all-determinants index had significantly lower MIR in all populations (R 2=0.2654, p <0.001, Figure 1). The three lowest MIR states in the US were Florida (0.319), Connecticut (0.348), and New York (0.348) (Figure 2). Whites were more likely to have underlying comorbidities than African Americans, especially ischemic heart disease (Male: OR 87.16, 95% CI 74.23-102.34; Female: 26.10, 95% CI 22.01-30.94), congestive heart failure (Male: OR 53.31, 95% CI 45.35-62.66; Female: OR 25.98, 95% CI 22.25-30.34), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (Male: OR 54.55, 95% CI 45.27-65.73; Female: OR 45.98, 95% CI 36.48-57.95) (Table 2,3).Conclusions: States of better health index in terms of all determinants had lower MIR for elderly NHL patients in the US. Factors contributing to the difference in MIR possibly include variations in socioeconomic status, insurance coverage, and healthcare access. Our results highlight the need to focus on secondary prevention to decrease morbidities and health disparities in NHL patients. [Display omitted] DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.