The Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development (CHILD) birth cohort study: Assessment of environmental exposures

The Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development birth cohort was designed to elucidate interactions between environment and genetics underlying development of asthma and allergy. Over 3600 pregnant mothers were recruited from the general population in four provinces with diverse environments. The child is followed to age 5 years, with prospective characterization of diverse exposures during this critical period. Key exposure domains include indoor and outdoor air pollutants, inhalation, ingestion and dermal uptake of chemicals, mold, dampness, biological allergens, pets and pests, housing structure, and living behavior, together with infections, nutrition, psychosocial environment, and medications. Assessments of early life exposures are focused on those linked to inflammatory responses driven by the acquired and innate immune systems. Mothers complete extensive environmental questionnaires including time-activity behavior at recruitment and when the child is 3, 6, 12, 24, 30, 36, 48, and 60 months old. House dust collected during a thorough home assessment at 3–4 months, and biological specimens obtained for multiple exposure-related measurements, are archived for analyses. Geo-locations of homes and daycares and land-use regression for estimating traffic-related air pollution complement time-activity-behavior data to provide comprehensive individual exposure profiles. Several analytical frameworks are proposed to address the many interacting exposure variables and potential issues of co-linearity in this complex data set

Experiences of lifestyle change among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM): A behavioural diagnosis using the COM-B model in a low-income setting

Lifestyle change can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). While understanding women’s lived experiences and views around GDM is critical to the development of behaviour change interventions to reduce this risk, few studies have addressed this issue in low- and middle- income countries. The aim of the study was to explore women’s lived experiences of GDM and the feasibility of sustained lifestyle modification after GDM in a low-income setting

Policies and clinical practices relating to the management of gestational diabetes mellitus in the public health sector, South Africa – a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Women with a prior gestational diabetes have an increased lifetime risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Although post-partum follow-up for GDM women is essential to prevent progression to type 2 diabetes, it is poorly attended. The need for health systems interventions to support postpartum follow-up for GDM women is evident, but there is little knowledge of actual current practice. The aim of this study was to explore current policies and clinical practices relating to antenatal and post-natal care for women with GDM in South Africa, as well as health sector stakeholders’ perspectives on the barriers to – and opportunities for – delivering an integrated mother - baby health service that extends beyond the first week post-partum, to the infant’s first year of life. METHODS: Following a document review of policy and clinical practice guidelines, in-depth interviews were conducted with 11 key informants who were key policy makers, health service managers and clinicians working in the public health services in South Africa’s two major cities (Johannesburg and Cape Town). Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis procedures. RESULTS: The document review and interviews established that it is policy that health services adhere to international guidelines for GDM diagnosis and management, in addition to locally developed guidelines and protocols for clinical practice. All key informants confirmed that lack of postpartum follow-up for GDM women is a significant problem. Health systems barriers include fragmentation of care and the absence of standardised postnatal care for post-GDM women. Key informants also raised patient - related challenges including lack of perceived future risk of developing type 2 diabetes and non-attendance for postpartum follow up, as barriers to postnatal care for GDM women. All participants supported integrated primary health services but cautioned against overloading health workers. CONCLUSION: Although there is alignment between international guidelines, local policy and reported clinical practice in the management of GDM, there is a gap in continuation of care in the postpartum period. Health systems interventions that support and facilitate active follow-up for women with prior GDM are needed if high rates of progression to type 2 diabetes are to be avoided

Geology and Soils of Grassland Ranges, Kamloops, British Columbia

This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management, the National Agricultural Library, and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Rangelands archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform March 202

Mortality in Crested Wheatgrass and Russian Wildrye

Mortality in crested wheatgrass and Russian wildrye near Kamloops, B.C., was observed in spring, 1970, and appeared to result from lower than average soil moisture reserves the previous season. Damage was heavy on a silt loam that graded to loamy fine sand at 50-cm depth but was negligible on a uniform sandy loam overlying cobbly loamy sand. Field moisture levels below 25-cm depth in the soil were greater on the sandy loam site than on the silt loam in spring, 1970. In that year, crested wheatgrass reached seed-set stage on the former, but inflorescences did not emerge from the boot on the latter site, where significant mortality occurred. No other published account of severe mortality of established stands of these grasses has been found.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Effect of Fertilizer on Pinegrass in Southern British Columbia

Response to fertilizers of pinegrass dominated vegetation on Gray Wooded soils was tested in pot and field trials. Ammonium nitrate applied at 100 and 200 kg N/ha increased the yield, nutritive value, and palatability of pinegrass; this increase was accentuated when S in the form of gypsum was applied with N. Response to P, K, and a solution of micro nutrients was negligible. Most of the applied S and all of the applied N were depleted from the upper root zone by the end of the second growing season. At the higher rates of application, only 14% of the N was recovered by pinegrass. This value was even smaller at the lower rates of application. Sulfur considerably improved the ability of pinegrass to respond to N fertilization and 23% of the N was recovered when 100 Kg S/ha was applied with the N. Soils were analyzed for NO3-N, SO4-S, field moisture and organic C. These two elements and organic C were found to be mainly concentrated near the soil surface, which experienced the greatest fluctuation in moisture content.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Growth, Productivity and Chemical Composition of a Sub-Alpine Meadow in Interior British Columbia

This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

Soil moisture influences low larkspur and death camas alkaloid levels

It has long been known that alkaloid composition and concentration in plants are affected by the stage of growth and by factors at the growing site of the plant. There is, however, a lack of knowledge on the environmental factors that elicit the physiological response of alkaloid-containing plants. A 3-year survey (1992 to 1994) was conducted on the levels of zygacine and methyllycaconitine, the major neurotoxic alkaloids of death camas (Zigadenus venenosus) and low larkspur (Delphinium nuttallianum), respectively. The alkaloid levels of both species do not exhibit diurnal fluctuations, so precise sampling times during the day were not required. Both poisonous species grew in overlapping communities at 2 of the 7 sampling sites. The levels of both types of alkaloids showed similar contrasts at both sites. Lower alkaloid accumulations were associated with site conditions that reduced soil moisture stress and zygacine levels were negatively correlated with soil moisture levels at 6.5 and 14 cm sampling depths. There were no significant correlations or obvious associations between soil temperature and alkaloid levels in either death camas or low larkspur. As expected, higher alkaloid levels were associated with earlier stages of growth in both plants.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202

The Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Water Use by Crested Wheatgrass

The application of N fertilizer to crested wheatgrass on a dry rangeland site increased yields substantially. In the early part of the growing season when moisture was not limiting, soil moisture was withdrawn from the fertilized site at a higher rate than from the unfertilized plots. At later periods in the growing season the soil water potential curves paralleled each other with the fertilized crop growing under conditions of lower soil water potential. The decreased soil water potential was confirmed when the actual evapotranspiration, as measured by the energy balance method, was examined. The data indicate that for a period following rapid growth in the spring, the evapotranspiration of the fertilized block was less than that of the unfertilized. The soil water potential data indicate that seasonal evapotranspiration was slightly higher on the fertilized plot than on the unfertilized. The water use efficiency, in terms of biomass produced per unit of water used, was much greater for fertilized crested wheatgrass and resulted in increased yields.This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries.The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform August 202