Water for rural development: Background paper on water for rural development prepared for the World Bank

Water management / Irrigation management / Rural development / Water resources development / Small scale systems / Land management / Groundwater / Environment / Health / Water policy / Institutions / Food consumption / Water supply / Water demand / Water allocation / Crop yield / Cereals / Water scarcity / Food production / Food security / Crop production / Population growth

Land and water productivity of wheat in the Western Indo-Gangetic Plains of India and Pakistan: a comparative analysis

Wheat / Crop yield / Productivity / Climate / Irrigation canals / Watercourses / Water distribution / Water allocation / Policy / India / Pakistan / Gangetic Plains / Kaithal Irrigation Circle / Bhakra Canal / Chaj Sub-Basin / Lower Jehlum Canal

Obesity Prevention: A Review of the Interactions and Interventions, and some Policy Implications

Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions especially in the developed and, more recently, in the developing world where the problem is compounded by myriad socio-economic, demographic, built and natural environmental factors. This review examines the possible causes, consequences and policy implications using a multilevel, multispectral framework. The causes of obesity clearly are multifaceted and involve numerous interactions. Together with economic incentives, allocation of physical and financial resources to community intervention strategies through educational programs as well as better land use planning would be helpful in promoting healthier and sustainable communities. Towards this goal, we proposed a dynamic and integrated Individual, Social, Economic and Environmental Model (ISEEM) for obesity prevention. The use of an ISEEM framework, involving a strategic combinations of strategies and targeted to the specific circumstances of individual communities and localities could be helpful for obesity prevention in the years to come

Effect of rainfall and temperature on liver and rumen fluke infestations of bovines in Sri Lanka

Fecal fluke egg output of bovines from three selected farms at Ma Eliya (site A), Ma Eliya (site B) and Delathure (site C) in Ja-Ela area of Gampaha district in Sri Lanka was examined for six months period from July to December 2006. The mean egg output of the animals of site A, B and C were 255, 84 and 95 eggs/g of feces respectively. Statistical analysis showed that mean fecal fluke egg output was significantly different between sites (df= 2, f= 126.05, p=0.000) and also between months (df= 5, f= 7.31, p=0.000). Regression analysis revealed that the fecal fluke egg output had a positive relation with rainfall (r2=0.6178) and a negative relation with temperature (r2= 0.6486). The female cattle had a higher fecal fluke egg output (x =202.76) than the male cattle (x =116.97) but egg output did not significantly differ. Also there was an increasing trend of mean fecal fluke egg count with the increment in the age of cattle (r2= 0.6057). Rumens and livers of slaughtered cattle and buffaloes from the study area were examined for fluke infections. Specimens were identified by making histological sections. One species of liver fluke, Explanatum explanatum and four rumen flukes, Paramphistomum spp., Gastrothylax crumenifer, Carmyerius spp., and Fischoederius elongates were identified. Two other flukes belonging to the family Gastrothylacidae were also found from the rumen of buffalo. Explanatum explanatum was found to be a great cause of condemnation of livers at slaughterhouses in Sri Lanka. Keywords: liver and rumen flukes, bovines, influence of climate, Sri Lanka. International Journal of Biological and Chemical Sciences Vol. 1 (3) 2007: pp. 229-23

The Influence of Socioeconomic and Environmental Factors on Health and Obesity in Rural Appalachia

A recursive system of ordered self assessed health (SAH) and a binary indicator of obesity were used to investigate the impact of socioeconomic and environmental factors on health and obesity in the predominantly rural Appalachian state of West Virginia. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data together with county specific socioeconomic and built environment indicators were used in estimation. Results indicate that an individual’s risk of being obese increases at a decreasing rate with per capita income and age. Marginal impacts show that as the level of education attainment increases, the probability of being obese decreases by 3%. Physical inactivity increases the risk of being obese by 9%, while smoking reduces the risk of being obese by 14%. Fruit and vegetable consumption lowers the probability of being obese by 2%, while each hour increase in commuting time raises the probability of being obese by 2.4%. In addition, individuals living in economically distressed counties are less likely to have good health. Intervention measures which stimulate human capital development and better land use planning are essential policy elements to improving health and reducing the incidence of obesity in rural Appalachia

A Spatial Analysis of Obesity in West Virginia

A spatial panel data analysis at the county level examines how individual food consumption, recreational, and lifestyle choices ― against a backdrop of changing demographic, built environment, and policy factors ― leads to obesity. Results suggest that obesity tends to be spatially autocorrelated; in addition to hereditary factors and lifestyle choices, it is also caused by sprawl and lack of land use planning. Policy measures which stimulate educational attainment, poverty alleviation, and promotion of better land use planning and best consumption practices (BCPs) could both reduce obesity and result in sustainable development of regions where obesity is prevalent and the economy is lagging

The Impact of County Level Factors on Obesity in West Virginia

A panel estimation of county prevalence of obesity indicates that while the percentage of the population with a completed college degree and the number of food stores available per thousand population are negatively and significantly correlated to county obesity rates, mean commuting time, average annual wage and the total number of business establishments per thousand population positively and significantly contribute to obesity. Educational attainment that raises both human and social capital, as well as changes in the built environment can play a vital role in controlling obesity in West Virginia (WV)

Genomic DNA extraction and amplification of Leishmania donovani using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from archived, Giemsa- stained slides

In Sri Lanka, diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is usually based on clinical features and direct microscopy examinations. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Leishmania is usually performed on tissue samples. In this study, we extracted DNA from archived Giemsa-stained slides which were prepared from cutaneous lesions. A total number of 85 Giemsa-stained slides fixed between 2008-2017 were selected. All the slides were examined using light microscopy and the number of amastigotes in positive smears was recorded. A nested PCR was carried out to amplify the 385 bp fragment of L. donovani kinetoplast mini-circle sequence. All 40 positive slides had only 1-2 amastigotes per slide. Of these, only 20% were PCR positive. Of the 45 negative slides, only one gave positive PCR result. Further studies are required to confirm the efficacy of PCR on Giemsa-stained smears in our setting.</p