[Prevalence of geohelminth infections in children living in Kinshasa].

PubMed

Nundu Sabiti, S; Aloni, M-N; Linsuke, S-W-L; Ekila, M-B; Situakibanza, H-T; Polman, K; Lutumba, P-T

2014-06-01

Data on geohelminth infections in children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are sparse. The objective of this study was to document and compare the profile and prevalence in children living in Kinshasa. A prospective cohort study was conducted from May to October 2009 in children in the Biyela health area in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Stool samples were collected from representative members of these two populations and analyzed for geohelminths (GH) using the Kato-Katz technique. In this series, 438 school-age children were included. There were 235 children recruited in schools and 203 in households (77.8%). Overall prevalence of geohelminths was 66.9%. The specific prevalence was 69.4% in children recruited in schools and 64.0% in children recruited in households. The frequency of Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, and Ancylostoma species were, respectively, 56.2%, 38.7%, and 1.7% in schools and 39.9%, 51.7%, and 1.0% in households. A. lumbricoides was significantly more prevalent in schools (56.2% vs 39.9%; OR=2.0; 95%CI: 1.3-3.0), T. trichiura was significantly less prevalent in schools (38.7% vs 51.7%; OR=0.6; 95% CI: 0.4-0.9). There were no significant differences in the prevalence of Ancylostoma between schools and households. GH is a health problem among Biyela children. Preventive measures and education of the population need to be emphasized in attempts to reduce the prevalence of geohelminths in these children. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Low prevalence of HIV and other selected sexually transmitted infections in 2004 in pregnant women from Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo

PubMed Central

KINOSHITA-MOLEKA, R.; SMITH, J. S.; ATIBU, J.; TSHEFU, A.; HEMINGWAY-FODAY, J.; HOBBS, M.; BARTZ, J.; KOCH, M. A.; RIMOIN, A. W.; RYDER, R. W.

2008-01-01

SUMMARY This study examined the prevalence of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in pregnant women in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Between April and July 2004, antenatal attendees at two of the largest maternity clinics in Kinshasa were tested to identify HIV status, syphilis, Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG). HIV seroprevalence was 1·9% in 2082 women. With PCR techniques, CT and NG infections were also uncommon in the first 529 women (1·7% and 0·4%, respectively). No active syphilis infection case was identified by Treponema pallidum haemagglutination assay (TPHA) and rapid plasma reagin test (RPR). A woman's risk of HIV infection was significantly associated with her reporting a male partner having had other female sexual partners (OR 2·7, 95% CI 1·2–6·2). The continuing low seroprevalence of HIV in pregnant women from Kinshasa was confirmed. Understanding factors associated with this phenomenon could help prevent a future HIV epidemic in low HIV transmission areas in Africa. PMID:18028581

Mosquito-borne viruses circulating in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PubMed

Mbanzulu, Kennedy Makola; Wumba, Roger; Mukendi, Jean-Pierre Kambala; Zanga, Josué Kikana; Shija, Fortunate; Bobanga, Thierry Lengu; Aloni, Michel Ntetani; Misinzo, Gerald

2017-04-01

Diseases caused by mosquito-borne viruses are among the most important emerging diseases that threaten human and animal health, particularly in Africa. However, little attention has been paid to these diseases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The present cross-sectional study was undertaken between March and May 2014 to investigate the presence of mosquito-borne viruses in mosquitoes collected from five municipalities of Kinshasa, DRC. Mosquitoes were collected using BG-Sentinel traps and battery-powered aspirators. Female mosquitoes were pooled according to their genera and sampling locations, preserved in RNAlater, and later screened for viruses using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assays. A total of 2922 mosquitoes were collected and 29 pools of female mosquitoes, containing approximately 30 mosquitoes each, were tested. Twelve of the 29 (41.4%) mosquito pools were found to be infected with at least one arbovirus, with eight (27.5%) pools positive for Alphavirus, nine (31%) for Flavivirus, and five (17.2%) for Bunyaviridae. Chikungunya, o'nyong'nyong, and Rift valley fever viruses were detected. The present study shows that mosquitoes in Kinshasa carry mosquito-borne viruses that may have serious public health implications. Further investigations on the presence of mosquito-borne viruses in the human and livestock populations of Kinshasa and DRC are recommended. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

A comparison of soil-moisture loss from forested and clearcut areas in West Virginia

Treesearch

Charles A. Troendle

1970-01-01

Soil-moisture losses from forested and clearcut areas were compared on the Fernow Experimental Forest. As expected, hardwood forest soils lost most moisture while revegetated clearcuttings, clearcuttings, and barren areas lost less, in that order. Soil-moisture losses from forested soils also correlated well with evapotranspiration and streamflow.

Human African Trypanosomiasis Transmission, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Diabakana, Philemon Mansinsa; Mesu, Victor Kande Betu Ku; Manzambi, Emile Zola; Ollivier, Gaelle; Asonganyi, Tazoacha; Cuny, Gerard; Grébaut, Pascal

2006-01-01

To investigate the epidemiology of human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2 entomologic surveys were conducted in 2005. Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and human-blood meals were found in tsetse fly midguts, which suggested active disease transmission. Vector control should be used to improve human African trypanosomiasis control efforts. PMID:17326955

Feasibility Analysis of an Evidence-Based Positive Prevention Intervention for Youth Living with HIV/AIDS in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parker, L.; Maman, S.; Pettifor, A.; Chalachala, J. L.; Edmonds, A.; Golin, C. E.; Moracco, K.; Behets, F.

2013-01-01

We evaluated the feasibility of a Positive Prevention intervention adapted for youth living with HIV/AIDS (YLWH) ages 15-24 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with intervention facilitators and YLWH participants on the following four areas of a feasibility framework:…

[Promoting the sustainable management of hospital waste in Kinshasa].

PubMed

Kasuku, Wanduma; Bouland, Catherine; De Brouwer, Christophe; Mareschal, Bertrand; Mulaji, Crispin

2016-11-01

The management of hospital waste is a high-risk practice in the hospitals of Kinshasa, the largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, from the point of view of public health and the environment. A multi-criteria study carried out in 4 hospitals assessed the situation and put forward solutions. Copyright © 2016. Publié par Elsevier Masson SAS.

Barriers to Modern Contraceptive Use in Kinshasa, DRC.

PubMed

Muanda, Mbadu; Gahungu Ndongo, Parfait; Taub, Leah D; Bertrand, Jane T

2016-01-01

Recent research from Kinshasa, DRC, has shown that only one in five married women uses modern contraception; over one quarter have an unmet need for family planning; and almost 400 health facilities across Kinshasa report that they provide modern contraception. This study addresses the question: with reasonable physical access and relatively high unmet need, why is modern contraceptive prevalence so low? To this end, the research team conducted 6 focus groups of women (non-users of any method, users of traditional methods, and users of modern methods) and 4 of husbands (of users of traditional methods and in non-user unions) in health zones with relatively strong physical access to FP services. Five key barriers emerged from the focus group discussions: fear of side effects (especially sterility), costs of the method, sociocultural norms (especially the dominant position of the male in family decision-making), pressure from family members to avoid modern contraception, and lack of information/misinformation. These findings are very similar to those from 12 other studies of sociocultural barriers to family planning in sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, they have strong programmatic implications for the training of FP workers to counsel future clients and for the content of behavior change communication interventions.

ENDURING ECONOMIC HARDSHIP, WOMEN'S EDUCATION, MARRIAGE AND FERTILITY TRANSITION IN KINSHASA.

PubMed

Shapiro, David

2015-03-01

This paper examines fertility transition in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and second-largest city in sub-Saharan Africa. Shapiro (1996) documented the onset of fertility transition in the city, using data from 1990. Women's education was strongly inversely related to fertility, beginning with secondary schooling, and increases in women's education were important in initiating fertility transition in the city. The paper uses data from the 2007 Demographic and Health Survey in the DRC to examine fertility in Kinshasa and assess fertility transition since 1990, a period characterized by severe adverse economic conditions in the DRC. Fertility transition has continued at a strong pace. In part this reflects increased educational attainment of women, but it appears also to be largely a consequence of enduring economic hardship. The ongoing fertility decline has been accompanied by substantial delays in entry to marriage and childbearing, reflecting adverse economic conditions, which in turn have contributed to continuing declines in fertility.

Synopsis of moisture monitoring by neutron probe in the unsaturated zone at Area G

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vold, E.

1997-12-31

Moisture profiles from neutron probe data provide valuable information in site characterization and to supplement ground water monitoring efforts. The neutron probe precision error (reproducibility) is found to be about 0.2 vol% under in situ field conditions where the slope in moisture content with depth is varying slowly. This error is about 2 times larger near moisture spikes (e.g., at the vapor phase notch), due to the sensitivity of the probe response to vertical position errors on the order of 0.5 inches. Calibrations were performed to correct the downhole probe response to the volumetric moisture content determined on core samples.more » Calibration is sensitive to borehole diameter and casing type, requiring 3 separate calibration relations for the boreholes surveyed here. Power law fits were used for calibration in this study to assure moisture content results greater than zero. Findings in the boreholes reported here confirm the broad features seen previously in moisture profiles at Area G, a near-surface region with large moisture variability, a very dry region at greater depths, and a moisture spike at the vapor phase notch (VPN). This feature is located near the interface between the vitrified and vitrified stratigraphic units and near the base of the mesa. This report describes the in-field calibration methods used for the neutron moisture probe measurements and summarizes preliminary results of the monitoring program in the in-situ monitoring network at Area G. Reported results include three main areas: calibration studies, profiles from each of the vertical boreholes at Area G, and time-dependent variations in a select subset of boreholes. Results are reported here for the vertical borehole network. Results from the horizontal borehole network will be described when available.« less

Syphilis screening and treatment in pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Lusaka, Zambia: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Berrueta, Mabel; Cafferata, Maria Luisa; Mwenechanya, Musaku; Nkamba Mukadi, Dalau; Althabe, Fernando; Bergel, Eduardo; Gibbons, Luz; Ciganda, Alvaro; Klein, Karen; Mwapule Tembo, Abigail; Habulembe Mwanakalanga, Friday; Banda, Ernest; Mavila Kilonga, Arlette; Lusamba Dikassa, Paul; Xiong, Xu; Chomba, Elwyn; Tshefu, Antoinette K; Buekens, Pierre

2017-12-08

Background: Congenital syphilis is associated with perinatal deaths, preterm births and congenital malformations. Low rates of syphilis screening during pregnancy and treatment of those found seropositive have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia. We report the rates on antenatal syphilis screening, the seroprevalence of syphilis infection, and the frequency of antibiotic treatment in pregnant women screened positive for syphilis during their attendance at antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Kinshasa, DRC and Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: Women attending their first ANC were enrolled consecutively during a 9-month period in 16 and 13 ANC clinics in Kinshasa and Lusaka respectively, in the context of the baseline period of a cluster trial. Study personnel collected data on women's characteristics, the syphilis screening practices, the test results, and the frequency of treatment, that were done under routine ANC conditions and registered in the clinic records. Results 4,153 women in Kinshasa and 18,097 women in Lusaka were enrolled. The frequency of screening at the first visit was 59.7% (n= 2,479) in Kinshasa, and 27.8% (n=5,025) in Lusaka. Screening test availability varied. In the periods in which tests were available the screening rates were 92.8% in Kinshasa and 52.0% in Lusaka. The frequency of women screened seropositive was 0.4% (n=10) in Kinshasa and 2.2% (n=109) in Lusaka. Respectively, 10% (n=1) and 11.9% (n= 13) among seropositive women received treatment at the first visit. Conclusions: The results of the study show that screening for syphilis in pregnancy is not universal even when supplies are available. Our ongoing trial will evaluate the impact of a behavioral intervention on changing health providers' practices to increase screening and treatment rates when supplies are available.

Syphilis screening and treatment in pregnant women in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Lusaka, Zambia: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Berrueta, Mabel; Cafferata, Maria Luisa; Mwenechanya, Musaku; Nkamba Mukadi, Dalau; Althabe, Fernando; Bergel, Eduardo; Gibbons, Luz; Ciganda, Alvaro; Klein, Karen; Mwapule Tembo, Abigail; Habulembe Mwanakalanga, Friday; Banda, Ernest; Mavila Kilonga, Arlette; Lusamba Dikassa, Paul; Xiong, Xu; Chomba, Elwyn; Tshefu, Antoinette K.; Buekens, Pierre

2017-01-01

Background: Congenital syphilis is associated with perinatal deaths, preterm births and congenital malformations. Low rates of syphilis screening during pregnancy and treatment of those found seropositive have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Zambia. We report the rates on antenatal syphilis screening, the seroprevalence of syphilis infection, and the frequency of antibiotic treatment in pregnant women screened positive for syphilis during their attendance at antenatal care (ANC) clinics in Kinshasa, DRC and Lusaka, Zambia. Methods: Women attending their first ANC were enrolled consecutively during a 9-month period in 16 and 13 ANC clinics in Kinshasa and Lusaka respectively, in the context of the baseline period of a cluster trial. Study personnel collected data on women’s characteristics, the syphilis screening practices, the test results, and the frequency of treatment, that were done under routine ANC conditions and registered in the clinic records. Results 4,153 women in Kinshasa and 18,097 women in Lusaka were enrolled. The frequency of screening at the first visit was 59.7% (n= 2,479) in Kinshasa, and 27.8% (n=5,025) in Lusaka. Screening test availability varied. In the periods in which tests were available the screening rates were 92.8% in Kinshasa and 52.0% in Lusaka. The frequency of women screened seropositive was 0.4% (n=10) in Kinshasa and 2.2% (n=109) in Lusaka. Respectively, 10% (n=1) and 11.9% (n= 13) among seropositive women received treatment at the first visit. Conclusions: The results of the study show that screening for syphilis in pregnancy is not universal even when supplies are available. Our ongoing trial will evaluate the impact of a behavioral intervention on changing health providers’ practices to increase screening and treatment rates when supplies are available. PMID:29355227

Gender, Poverty, Family Structure, and Investments in Children's Education in Kinshasa, Congo.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, David; Tambashe, B. Oleko

2001-01-01

Examines school enrollment and educational attainment in Kinshasa, Congo, focusing on how poverty, household structure, gender, and economic well-being affect investments in children's education. Increased economic well-being translates into greater attainment for both females and males, but does not necessarily reduce gender differences in school…

The provision of emergency contraception in Kinshasa's private sector pharmacies: experiences of mystery clients.

PubMed

Hernandez, Julie H; Mbadu, Muanda Fidèle; Garcia, Mélissa; Glover, Annie

2018-01-01

Recent programmatic and research efforts on addressing gaps in health systems of low-income countries increasingly see task shifting, i.e. the provision of healthcare by non-medically trained personnel, as a possible solution to increase the availability of specific services and commodities. In Kinshasa, private-sector pharmacies are the primary and preferred provider of family planning (FP) methods, and thus constitute a potential resource for expanding access to specific contraceptives. The objective of this study is to explore selected pharmacies' readiness to serve women seeking emergency contraception (EC). This study used a mystery client (MC) methodology to visit 73 pharmacies in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Trained interviewers posed as novice EC users and asked specific questions to evaluate the pharmacy staff's technical knowledge of EC and their attitudes towards EC clients. The results of the MC visit were recorded immediately after the MC left the pharmacy. Findings indicate that more than two-thirds of EC providers were knowledgeable about EC dosage, timeframe, and side effects, and 90% were deemed helpful towards novice EC users. Rare but glaring misconceptions about EC timeframe (20% of providers) and long-term side effects (4% of providers), as well as frequent stock-out (22%) and cost issues highlight priorities for programmatic improvements. As new service delivery strategies are explored to complement the uneven network of health structures in DRC, this study suggests that, given proper training and integration in FP programming, private-sector pharmacies have the potential to meet specific contraceptive needs for women living in Kinshasa. Private pharmacies included in study sample in Kinshasa (DRC) have adequate family planning (FP) service skills to provide clients with emergency contraceptive pills. These higher-end outlets constitute an opportunity for expanding access to FP, although, under total market approaches, a more

Collaboration between Higher Education and Labor Market in Kinshasa, DR Congo

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etshim, Rachal

2017-01-01

The transition of new graduate students from school to the labor market in Democratic Republic of Congo has been a major topic for debate over the last twenty years. This study identifies the factors affecting collaboration between higher education and the labor market in Kinshasa, the Capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Even though…

[Supporting the intermediate level of health care in urban health areas in Kinshasa (1995-2005), DR Congo].

PubMed

Mbeva, Jean-Bosco Kahindo; Schirvel, Carole; Karemere, Hermès; Porignon, Denis

2012-06-08

As a result of the decentralization of health systems, some countries have introduced intermediate (provincial) levels in their public health system. This paper presents the results of a case study conducted in Kinshasa on health system decentralization. The study identified a shift from a focus on regulation compliance assessment to an emphasis on health system coordination and health district support. It also highlighted the emergence of a?managerial (as opposed to a bureaucratic) approach to health district support. The performance of health districts in terms of health care coverage and health service use were also found to have improved. The results highlight the importance of intermediate levels in?the health care system and the value of a more organic and managerial rationality in supporting health districts faced with the complexity of urban environments and the integration of specialized multi-partner programs and interventions.

Soil Moisture Retrieval with Airborne PALS Instrument over Agricultural Areas in SMAPVEX16

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colliander, Andreas; Jackson, Thomas J.; Cosh, Mike; Misra, Sidharth; Bindlish, Rajat; Powers, Jarrett; McNairn, Heather; Bullock, P.; Berg, A.; Magagi, A.;

[Delays in seeking and getting care, in seriously ill women of childbearing age in Kinshasa].

PubMed

Mambu Nyangi Mondo, T; Malengreau, M; Kayembe Kalambayi, P; Lapika Dimomfu, B

2010-06-01

Mortality of adult females is very high in Democratic Republic of Congo and often caused by diseases that could have been controlled if treated in time. This is a qualitative study on delays and their causes in the care-seeking process of 60 women who died prematurely in Kinshasa from non-immediately fatal causes. This study concerned 60 women identified in two Kinshasa mortuaries in March and April 2004 who had died at the age of 18 to 49 years. Deaths considered to be unavoidable were excluded. The history of their disease and death was collected from family members and community leaders, and from the available medical records. The analysis focused on delays occurring at the different stages of the women's care seeking process, from the first signs of danger until death. The analysis identified different delays: the delay in danger awareness, the delay in taking the care-seeking decision and the delay due to alternative care linked to cultural perceptions of the disease, the delay in reaching a medical facility related to lack of money or vehicles, the delay in patient care related to an absent or incompetent health staff or by inappropriate choice of structure, and finally the delay in administration of the prescribed treatment. In Kinshasa, emergency care may be delayed by slow awareness of danger, but most of all by the poor quality and poor organisation of the health services. On the other hand, the use of non-medical alternatives and a poor perception of the medical services do rarely interfere in the decision to seek medical care. In Kinshasa, to guarantee the patients rights to quality health care, one must first strengthen and control medical services. One should also teach people to identify services appropriate to medical emergencies. Transportation and pre-financing of emergency care should be organised by local authorities. 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Large area mapping of soil moisture using the ESTAR passive microwave radiometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, T. J.; Levine, D. M.; Swift, C. T.; Schmugge, T. J.

1994-01-01

Investigations designed to study land surface hydrologic-atmospheric interactions, showing the potential of L band passive microwave radiometry for measuring surface soil moisture over large areas, are discussed. Satisfying the data needs of these investigations requires the ability to map large areas rapidly. With aircraft systems this means a need for more beam positions over a wider swath on each flightline. For satellite systems the essential problem is resolution. Both of these needs are currently being addressed through the development and verification of Electronically Scanned Thinned Array Radiometer (ESTAR) technology. The ESTAR L band radiometer was evaluated for soil moisture mapping applications in two studies. The first was conducted over the semiarid rangeland Walnut Gulch watershed located in south eastern Arizona (U.S.). The second was performed in the subhumid Little Washita watershed in south west Oklahoma (U.S.). Both tests showed that the ESTAR is capable of providing soil moisture with the same level of accuracy as existing systems.

Elevated blood lead levels and sources of exposure in the population of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Tuakuila, Joel; Lison, Dominique; Mbuyi, Francois; Haufroid, Vincent; Hoet, Perrine

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine blood lead levels (BLLs) and the possible sources of exposure in the population of Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional survey was carried out from January to May 2008 in a representative sample of the Kinshasan population. BLL was measured in 275 individuals (53.4% women) aged 1-70 years in the urban area of Kinshasa and from 60 additional subjects in the rural area. Pb was also determined in environmental specimens (air and soil, indoor and outdoor). BLL in the study population ranged from 2.9 to 49.3 μg/dl (median, 9.9 μg/dl). The median BLL among children aged <6 years was 11.5 μg/dl (range: 3.0-37.8 μg/dl). Of these children, 71% had elevated BLL (≥10 μg/dl) and 22% had BLL ≥20 μg/dl. The proportion of elevated BLL (≥10 μg/dl) was higher for children aged <3 years than for children aged 3 to 5 years (97% vs 56%). A higher prevalence of elevated BLL was observed in urban compared with rural children (71% vs 20%). Significantly higher BLLs were also found in children whose mother consumed fired clay during pregnancy. Residential informal activities in the recycling of car batteries also contributed to elevated BLL in children. The elevated background of Pb exposure in the Kinshasan population indicates a public health issue that requires corrective actions. Pb-contaminated dust and air in children's home is an issue of public health concern. The use of leaded gasoline and the activities of car battery recycling in certain residences appear to constitute the main sources of exposure in the city of Kinshasa. The traditional use of fired clay for the treatment of gastritis by pregnant women is another significant contributor for elevated BLL in children.

Estimating Long Term Surface Soil Moisture in the GCIP Area From Satellite Microwave Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owe, Manfred; deJeu, Vrije; VandeGriend, Adriaan A.

2000-01-01

Soil moisture is an important component of the water and energy balances of the Earth's surface. Furthermore, it has been identified as a parameter of significant potential for improving the accuracy of large-scale land surface-atmosphere interaction models. However, accurate estimates of surface soil moisture are often difficult to make, especially at large spatial scales. Soil moisture is a highly variable land surface parameter, and while point measurements are usually accurate, they are representative only of the immediate site which was sampled. Simple averaging of point values to obtain spatial means often leads to substantial errors. Since remotely sensed observations are already a spatially averaged or areally integrated value, they are ideally suited for measuring land surface parameters, and as such, are a logical input to regional or larger scale land process models. A nine-year database of surface soil moisture is being developed for the Central United States from satellite microwave observations. This region forms much of the GCIP study area, and contains most of the Mississippi, Rio Grande, and Red River drainages. Daytime and nighttime microwave brightness temperatures were observed at a frequency of 6.6 GHz, by the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR), onboard the Nimbus 7 satellite. The life of the SMMR instrument spanned from Nov. 1978 to Aug. 1987. At 6.6 GHz, the instrument provided a spatial resolution of approximately 150 km, and an orbital frequency over any pixel-sized area of about 2 daytime and 2 nighttime passes per week. Ground measurements of surface soil moisture from various locations throughout the study area are used to calibrate the microwave observations. Because ground measurements are usually only single point values, and since the time of satellite coverage does not always coincide with the ground measurements, the soil moisture data were used to calibrate a regional water balance for the top 1, 5, and 10 cm

Pulmonary embolism: epidemiological data and diagnosis in Kinshasa hospitals.

PubMed

Bakebe, A; Kashongwe, I; Mulenga, C; Tshiasuma, M; Kabengele, B; Bisuta, S F; Makulo, J R; Kashongwe, Z; Kayembe, J-M

2017-08-01

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is common but difficult to diagnose. To describe the epidemiological, clinical and paraclinical characteristics of PE in Kinshasa hospitals. This was a retrospective study in 158 cases with suspected PE. The prevalence of PE was 37% among cases with suspicion of the disease. Male sex was predominant (55%). The mean age was 55 ± 15 years. The main risk factors were obesity (53%), immobilisation (43%) and surgery (14%). The main symptoms were dyspnoea (98%), cough (59%), chest pain (43%) and unilateral limb pain (36%). Tachypnoea (88%), tachycardia (53%) and signs of deep-vein thrombosis (36%) were the main clinical presentations. Lung examination was normal in 55% of the patients. PE prevalence in the 'PE likely' category based on the Wells score was 53%. Levels of D-dimers were elevated in all patients. Sinus tachycardia (72%), S1Q3T3 pattern (30%) and T-wave inversion in V1-V4 (34%) were the main electrocardiographic abnormalities. Chest X-ray was normal in 30% of patients. Right ventricular pressure overload was detected in 58% of patients who had access to echocardiography. Computed tomography pulmonary angiography was performed in 65% of patients. All patients were treated with anticoagulants; no cases received thrombolytics. Patients who died (7%) were all in class III-V according to the Pulmonary Embolism Severity Index prognostic score. PE is common in Kinshasa, with characteristics similar to those reported in the literature.

Identifying risk factors for Plasmodium infection and anaemia in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Ferrari, Giovanfrancesco; Ntuku, Henry M T; Ross, Amanda; Schmidlin, Sandro; Kalemwa, Didier M; Tshefu, Antoinette K; Lengeler, Christian

2016-07-15

There is little data on the risk factors for malaria infection in large cities in central Africa and in all age groups. There may be different associations with the risk factors for areas with different malaria transmission intensities such as the effect of fever or age. This study aimed at identifying risk factors associated with Plasmodium infection and anaemia among children 6-59 months and individuals aged older than 5 years in Kinshasa, a large city with heterogeneity in malaria prevalence. This study analysed data from 3342 children aged 6-59 months from 25 non-rural health zones (HZs) and for 816 individuals aged older than 5 years from two HZs in Kinshasa (non-rural), collected during a cross sectional malaria survey in 2011. Logistic regression with random effects was used to investigate predictors for malaria and anaemia. Differences in risk factors in areas with a prevalence of less than 10 and 10 % or greater were investigated. There was evidence of a different age-pattern in the two transmission settings. For children under 5 years, the highest prevalence of malaria was observed in the 48-59 months group in both transmission settings, but it increased more gently for the lower transmission HZs (p = 0.009). In a separate analysis in children over 5 years in two selected HZs, the peak prevalence was in 5-9 years old in the higher transmission setting and in 15-19 years old in the lower transmission setting. Reported fever was associated with malaria in both transmission strata, with no evidence of a difference in these associations (p = 0.71); however in children older than 5 years there was a significant interaction with a stronger association in the low transmission HZ. Insecticide-treated net (ITN) use was associated with a lower risk of malaria infection in children 6-59 months in the high transmission HZs. Similar estimates were found in children over 5 years and the lower transmission HZ but the associations there were not

[Differentiation between moisture lesions and pressure ulcers using photographs in a critical area].

PubMed

Valls-Matarín, Josefa; Del Cotillo-Fuente, Mercedes; Pujol-Vila, María; Ribal-Prior, Rosa; Sandalinas-Mulero, Inmaculada

2016-01-01

To identify difficulties for nurses in differentiating between moisture lesions and pressure ulcers, proper classification of pressure ulcers to assess the adequate classification of the Grupo Nacional para el Estudio y Asesoramiento de Úlceras por Presión y Heridas Crónicas (GNEAUPP) and the degree of agreement in the correct assessment by type and category of injury. Cross-sectional study in a critical area during 2014. All nurses who agreed to participate were included. They performed a questionnaire with 14 photographs validated by experts of moisture lesions or pressure ulcers in the sacral area and buttocks, with 6 possible answers: Pressure ulcer category I, II, III, IV, moisture lesions and unknown. Demographics and knowledge of the classification system of the pressure ulcers were collected according to GNEAUPP. It involved 98% of the population (n=56); 98.2% knew the classification system of the GNEAUPP; 35.2% of moisture lesions were considered as pressure ulcers, most of them as a category II (18.9%). The 14.8% of the pressure ulcers photographs were identified as moisture lesions and 16.1% were classified in another category. The agreement between nurses earned a global Kappa index of .38 (95% CI: .29-.57). There are difficulties differentiating between pressure ulcers and moisture lesions, especially within initial categories. Nurses have the perception they know the pressure ulcers classification, but they do not classify them correctly. The degree of concordance in the diagnosis of skin lesions was low. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae in waste waters, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PubMed

De Boeck, H; Lunguya, O; Muyembe, J-J; Glupczynski, Y; Jacobs, J

2012-11-01

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae are a major public health concern. We previously demonstrated the presence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in sachet-packaged water bags sold in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In complement to the previous study, we aimed to assess the presence of ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae in waste waters in Kinshasa.Enterobacteriaceae isolates recovered from environmental water samples were screened and phenotypically confirmed as ESBL-producers by disk diffusion according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines (CLSI M100-S21). Final identification to the species level and further antimicrobial susceptibility testing were carried out with MicroScan® NBC42 panels and the identification of bla (ESBL) coding genes was performed by a commercial multiplex ligation polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microarray (Check-Points CT 101, Wageningen, the Netherlands). Overall, 194 non-duplicate Enterobacteriaceae were recovered from several sewer and river sites in nine out of 24 municipalities of Kinshasa. Fourteen isolates (7.4 %) were confirmed as ESBL-producers, the main species being Enterobacter cloacae (46.6 %) and Klebsiella pneumoniae (40.0 %). Associated resistance to both aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone antibiotics was observed in ten isolates; the remaining isolates showed co-resistance to either fluoroquinolone (n = 3) or to aminoglycoside (n = 1) alone. All but one isolate carried bla (CTX-M) genes belonging to the CTX-M-1 group. ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are increasingly being reported from various sources in the community. The present results suggest that ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae are widespread in the environment in the community of Kinshasa. Cities in Central Africa should be added to the map of potentially ESBL-contaminated environments and highlight the need to reinforce safe water supply and public sanitation.

Mycological and aflatoxin contamination of peanuts sold at markets in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Pretoria, South Africa.

PubMed

Kamika, Ilunga; Mngqawa, Pamella; Rheeder, John P; Teffo, Snow L; Katerere, David R

2014-01-01

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa. In this survey, the mycological and aflatoxin contamination of peanuts collected from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Pretoria, South Africa, was assessed. Twenty peanut samples were purchased randomly at informal markets in the two cities and analysed for mycoflora and aflatoxins (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1 and AFG2) using standard methods. The results indicated that 95% of the Kinshasa samples and 100% of the Pretoria samples were contaminated with aflatoxigenic fungi in the ranges 20-49,000 and 40-21,000 CFU/g, respectively. Seventy-five per cent of the Kinshasa samples and 35% of the Pretoria samples exceeded the maximum limits of AFB1 as set by The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives. Residents of both cities are at a high risk of aflatoxin exposure despite their apparent cultural, socio-economic, geographic and climatic differences. Further work needs to be done to understand the supply chains of peanut trade in informal markets of the two countries so that interventions are well targeted on a regional rather than a national level.

[Acute renal failure and severe malaria in Congolese children living in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo].

PubMed

Kunuanunua, Thomas Sengua; Nsibu, Célestin Ndosimao; Gini-Ehungu, Jean-Lambert; Bodi, Joseph Mabiala; Ekulu, Pépé Mfutu; Situakibanza, Hypolite; Nseka, Nazaire Mangani; Magoga, Kumbundu; Aloni, Michel Ntetani

2013-06-01

Data on acute renal failure in complicated malaria in children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are sparse. The objective of this study was to document the profile of acute renal failure in severe malaria in admitted patients in pediatric hospitals from Kinshasa. A prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2008 to December 2008 in children admitted in emergency units of five hospitals in Kinshasa for severe malaria. In our series, 378 children with severe malaria were included. There were 226 boys and 152 girls (sex ratio 1.49). One hundred and ninety four (194) of these patients were under 5 years old. Acute renal failure was observed in 89 children (23.6%) and 87 of them had blackwater fever (BWF). This form of severe malaria was predominant in children older than 5 years. Quinine was the commonest antimalarial drug involved in the genesis of BWF. Dialysis was indicated in 23 children (24.0%) and was effective (acute peritoneal dialysis) in 21 patients. The death rate in children with ARF was 12.6% (n=87). Recovery of renal function was obtained by conservative treatment in the remained group. This study confirmed the emergence of BWF in seemed protected autochthon children older than 5 years. BWF remained the leading cause of acute renal failure in complicated malaria among Congolese children in Kinshasa. Copyright © 2013 Association Société de néphrologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessing the contraceptive supply environment in Kinshasa, DRC: trend data from PMA2020

PubMed Central

Babazadeh, S; Lea, S; Kayembe, P; Akilimali, P; Eitmann, L; Anglewicz, P; Bertrand, J

2018-01-01

Abstract Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) is a population-based and facility-based survey program conducted in 11 countries to track contraceptive use dynamics and the supply environment. Annual data collection provides trend data unavailable from any other source. Two-stage cluster sampling was used to select 58 enumeration areas in Kinshasa; data were collected in 2014, 2015 and 2016 from three to six service delivery points (SDPs) per EA. Of the 228–248 SDPs surveyed each year, only two-thirds reported to offer family planning (FP) services. Of those reporting to offer FP, one-fifth or more did not do so on the day of the survey. As of 2016, only one-half of SDPs offering FP had at least three methods available, a proxy for contraceptive choice; only one in five had at least five methods. Long-acting reversible contraceptives, including implants and IUDs, were less widely offered and more often stocked out than resupply methods, including condoms, pills and injectables. Contraceptive stockouts were rampant: in 2016, over a quarter of the SDPs experienced stockouts of all methods (except condoms) in the previous 3 months, and two of the three most widely used methods—implants and injectables—were also the most likely to be stocked out. The findings documented the inconsistency in pricing of methods across facilities; moreover, less than one quarter of SDPs posted prices. Patterns in the contraceptive supply environment remained relatively unchanged between 2014 and 2016. The PMA2020 SDP module provides timely, actionable information to the DRC government, FP implementing organizations and donors involved in FP service delivery in Kinshasa, DRC. Yet the value of this information will be determined by the ability of the local FP stakeholders to use it in bringing the needed improvements identified by this survey to the contraceptive supply environment. PMID:29136172

Local Differences in HIV Prevalence: A Comparison of Social Venue Patrons, Antenatal Patients, and STI Patients in Eastern Kinshasa

PubMed Central

Mwandagalirwa, Kashamuka; Jackson, Elizabeth F.; McClamroch, Kristi; Ryder, Robert W.; Weir, Sharon S.

2013-01-01

Background This study compares the sexual behavior and HIV prevalence of men and women at social venues where people meet new sexual partners in Eastern Kinshasa with the HIV prevalence and behavior of STI treatment and antenatal clinic patients in the same area. Methods ANC clinic patients, STI clinic patients and social venue patrons were interviewed, asked to provide a blood sample onsite, and provided information about obtaining test results. All social venue patrons at all identified social venues in the study area were invited to participate. Results 1,116 pregnant women; 66 male and 229 female STI clinic patients; and 952 male and 247 female patrons of social venues were interviewed and tested. HIV prevalence ranged by group: ANC patients (4%); female venue patrons (12%); female STI patients (16%); male venue patrons (2%); and male STI patients (23%). HIV prevalence among sexworkers at social venues (29%) was higher than the prevalence among other female patrons with new or multiple partnerships (19%) or among female patrons denying sexwork (6%). However, the absolute number of infected women was higher among women reporting recent new or multiple partnerships than the smaller group of sexworkers (23 vs 18). Two-thirds of the infected female STI patients (24/36) reported no more than one sexual partner in the past year. Conclusion Improving prevention programs in Kinshasa is essential. Prevention efforts should not neglect women at social venues who do not self-identify as sexworkers but have high rates of new sexual partnerships. PMID:19525891

Soil moisture status estimation over Three Gorges area with Landsat TM data based on temperature vegetation dryness index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Lina; Niu, Ruiqing; Li, Jiong; Dong, Yanfang

2011-12-01

Soil moisture is the important indicator of climate, hydrology, ecology, agriculture and other parameters of the land surface and atmospheric interface. Soil moisture plays an important role on the water and energy exchange at the land surface/atmosphere interface. Remote sensing can provide information on large area quickly and easily, so it is significant to do research on how to monitor soil moisture by remote sensing. This paper presents a method to assess soil moisture status using Landsat TM data over Three Gorges area in China based on TVDI. The potential of Temperature- Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) from Landsat TM data in assessing soil moisture was investigated in this region. After retrieving land surface temperature and vegetation index a TVDI model based on the features of Ts-NDVI space is established. And finally, soil moisture status is estimated according to TVDI. It shows that TVDI has the advantages of stability and high accuracy to estimating the soil moisture status.

Ethnicity, Education, and Fertility Transition in Kinshasa, Congo. Working Paper 2-97-1. Revised.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, David; Tambashe, B. Oleko

Substantial ethnic differences in fertility were documented in the Congo in the mid-1950s. These differences, apparent as well among women residing in Kinshasa, the capital, were linked to variations across ethnic groups in the incidence of venereal diseases and sterility. By the mid-1970s ethnic differences in fertility had diminished but were…

Epidemic History and Iatrogenic Transmission of Blood-borne Viruses in Mid-20th Century Kinshasa.

PubMed

Hogan, Catherine A; Iles, James; Frost, Eric H; Giroux, Geneviève; Cassar, Olivier; Gessain, Antoine; Dion, Marie-Josée; Ilunga, Vicky; Rambaut, Andrew; Yengo-Ki-Ngimbi, André-Édouard; Behets, Frieda; Pybus, Oliver G; Pépin, Jacques

2016-08-01

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) pandemic was ignited in Léopoldville (now known as Kinshasa), in the former Belgian Congo. Factors that jump-started its early expansion remain unclear. Nonlethal hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV-1) can be used to investigate past iatrogenic transmission. We undertook a cross-sectional study of elderly inhabitants of Kinshasa, with serological assays, amplification, and sequencing. Risk factors were assessed through logistic regression. Phylogenetic methods reconstructed the genetic history of HCV. A total of 217 of 839 participants (25.9%) were HCV seropositive; 26 (3.1%) were HTLV-1-seropositive. Amplification products were obtained from 118 HCV-seropositive participants; subtypes 4k (in 47 participants) and 4r (in 38) were most common. Independent risk factors for HCV subtype 4r seropositivity were intramuscular tuberculosis therapy, intravenous injections at hospital A, intravenous injections before 1960, and injections at a colonial-era venereology clinic. Intravenous injections at hospital B and antimalarials were associated with HCV subtype 4k seropositivity. Risk factors for HTLV-1 seropositivity included intravenous injections at hospitals C or D and transfusions. Evolutionary analysis of viral sequences revealed independent exponential amplification of HCV subtypes 4r and 4k from the 1950s onward. Iatrogenic transmission of HCV and HTLV-1 occurred in mid-20th century Kinshasa, at the same time and place HIV-1 emerged. Iatrogenic routes may have contributed to the early establishment of the pandemic. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

The value of spatial analysis for tracking supply for family planning: the case of Kinshasa, DRC.

PubMed

Hernandez, Julie H; Akilimali, Pierre; Kayembe, Patrick; Dikamba, Nelly; Bertrand, Jane

2016-10-01

While geographic information systems (GIS) are frequently used to research accessibility issues for healthcare services around the world, sophisticated spatial analysis protocols and outputs often prove inappropriate and unsustainable to support evidence-based programme strategies in resource-constrained environments. This article examines how simple, open-source and interactive GIS tools have been used to locate family planning (FP) services delivery points in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and to identify underserved areas, determining the potential location of new service points, and to support advocacy for FP programmes. Using smartphone-based data collection applications (OpenDataKit), we conducted two surveys of FP facilities supported by partner organizations in 2012 and 2013 and used the results to assess gaps in FP services coverage, using both ratio of facilities per population and distance-based accessibility criteria. The cartographic outputs included both static analysis maps and interactive Google Earth displays, and sought to support advocacy and evidence-based planning for the placement of new service points. These maps, at the scale of Kinshasa or for each of the 35 health zones that cover the city, garnered a wide interest from the operational level of the health zones' Chief Medical Officers, who were consulted to contribute field knowledge on potential new service delivery points, to the FP programmes officers at the Ministry of Health, who could use the map to inform resources allocation decisions throughout the city. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Vaccination coverage and factors influencing routine vaccination status in 12 high risk health zones in the Province of Kinshasa City, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 2015.

PubMed

Mwamba, Guillaume Ngoie; Yoloyolo, Norbert; Masembe, Yolande; Nsambu, Muriel Nzazi; Nzuzi, Cathy; Tshekoya, Patrice; Dah, Barthelemy; Kaya, Guylain

2017-01-01

Vaccination coverage of the first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-hepatitis B- Haemophilus influenza type b (pentavalent) vaccine for the City-Province of Kinshasain the years 2012 - 2014 wasbelow the national objective of 92%, with coverage less than 80% reported in 12 of the 35 health zones (HZ). The purpose of this study was to discern potential contributing factors to low vaccination coverage in Kinshasa. We conducted a multi-stage cluster household study of children 6 - 11 months in households residing in their current neighborhood for at least 3 months in the 12 high risk HZ in Kinshasa. Additional information on vaccination status of the children was collected at the health facility. Of the 1,513 households with a child 6-11 months old, 81% were eligible and participated. Among the 1224 children surveyed, 96% had received the first dose of pentavalent vaccine; 84% had received the third dose; and 71% had received all recommended vaccines for their age. Longer travel time to get to health facility (p=0.04) and shorter length of residence in the neighborhood (p=0.04) showed significant differences in relation to incomplete vaccination. Forty percent of children received their most recent vaccination in a facility outside of their HZ of residence. This survey found vaccination coverage in 12 HZs in Kinshasa was higher than estimates derived from administrative reports. The large percentage of children vaccinated outside of their HZ of residence demonstrates the challenge to use of the Reaching Every District strategy in urban areas.

Vaccination coverage and factors influencing routine vaccination status in 12 high risk health zones in the Province of Kinshasa City, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 2015

PubMed Central

Mwamba, Guillaume Ngoie; Yoloyolo, Norbert; Masembe, Yolande; Nsambu, Muriel Nzazi; Nzuzi, Cathy; Tshekoya, Patrice; Dah, Barthelemy; Kaya, Guylain

2017-01-01

Introduction Vaccination coverage of the first dose of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis-hepatitis B-Haemophilus influenza type b (pentavalent) vaccine for the City-Province of Kinshasain the years 2012 – 2014 wasbelow the national objective of 92%, with coverage less than 80% reported in 12 of the 35 health zones (HZ). The purpose of this study was to discern potential contributing factors to low vaccination coverage in Kinshasa. Methods We conducted a multi-stage cluster household study of children 6 – 11 months in households residing in their current neighborhood for at least 3 months in the 12 high risk HZ in Kinshasa. Additional information on vaccination status of the children was collected at the health facility. Results Of the 1,513 households with a child 6-11 months old, 81% were eligible and participated. Among the 1224 children surveyed, 96% had received the first dose of pentavalent vaccine; 84% had received the third dose; and 71% had received all recommended vaccines for their age. Longer travel time to get to health facility (p=0.04) and shorter length of residence in the neighborhood (p=0.04) showed significant differences in relation to incomplete vaccination. Forty percent of children received their most recent vaccination in a facility outside of their HZ of residence. Conclusion This survey found vaccination coverage in 12 HZs in Kinshasa was higher than estimates derived from administrative reports. The large percentage of children vaccinated outside of their HZ of residence demonstrates the challenge to use of the Reaching Every District strategy in urban areas. PMID:29296142

High School Students Are a Target Group for Fight against Self-Medication with Antimalarial Drugs: A Pilot Study in University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Kabongo Kamitalu, Ramsès; Aloni, Michel Ntetani

2016-01-01

Aim. To assess the self-medication against malaria infection in population of Congolese students in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out in University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. Medical records of all students with malaria admitted to Centre de Santé Universitaire of University of Kinshasa from January 1, 2008, to April 30, 2008, were reviewed retrospectively. Results. The median age of the patients was 25.4 years (range: from 18 to 36 years). The majority of them were male (67.9%). Artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs) was the most used self-prescribed antimalarial drugs. However, self-medication was associated with the ingestion of quinine in 19.9% of cases. No case of ingestion of artesunate/artemether in monotherapy was found. All the medicines taken were registered in DRC. In this series, self-prescribed antimalarial was very irrational in terms of dose and duration of treatment. Conclusion. This paper highlights self-medication by a group who should be aware of malaria treatment protocols. The level of self-prescribing quinine is relatively high among students and is disturbing for a molecule reserved for severe disease in Congolese health care policy in management of malaria.

Assessing Temporal Stability for Coarse Scale Satellite Moisture Validation in the Maqu Area, Tibet

PubMed Central

Bhatti, Haris Akram; Rientjes, Tom; Verhoef, Wouter; Yaseen, Muhammad

2013-01-01

This study evaluates if the temporal stability concept is applicable to a time series of satellite soil moisture images so to extend the common procedure of satellite image validation. The area of study is the Maqu area, which is located in the northeastern part of the Tibetan plateau. The network serves validation purposes of coarse scale (25–50 km) satellite soil moisture products and comprises 20 stations with probes installed at depths of 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 cm. The study period is 2009. The temporal stability concept is applied to all five depths of the soil moisture measuring network and to a time series of satellite-based moisture products from the Advance Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E). The in-situ network is also assessed by Pearsons's correlation analysis. Assessments by the temporal stability concept proved to be useful and results suggest that probe measurements at 10 cm depth best match to the satellite observations. The Mean Relative Difference plot for satellite pixels shows that a RMSM pixel can be identified but in our case this pixel does not overlay any in-situ station. Also, the RMSM pixel does not overlay any of the Representative Mean Soil Moisture (RMSM) stations of the five probe depths. Pearson's correlation analysis on in-situ measurements suggests that moisture patterns over time are more persistent than over space. Since this study presents first results on the application of the temporal stability concept to a series of satellite images, we recommend further tests to become more conclusive on effectiveness to broaden the procedure of satellite validation. PMID:23959237

Wide-Area Soil Moisture Estimation Using the Propagation of Lightning Generated Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Signals 1977

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Land surface moisture measurements are central to our understanding of the earth’s water system, and are needed to produce accurate model-based weather/climate predictions. Currently, there exists no in-situ network capable of estimating wide-area soil moisture. In this paper, we explore an alterna...

Knowledge, attitude and practice about cancer of the uterine cervix among women living in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Ali-Risasi, Catherine; Mulumba, Paul; Verdonck, Kristien; Vanden Broeck, Davy; Praet, Marleen

2014-02-18

Cervical cancer is the most frequent cancer of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nevertheless, the level of women's awareness about cervical cancer is unknown. Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) are important elements for designing and monitoring screening programs. The study purpose was to estimate KAP on cervical cancer and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa, DRC, including 524 women aged 16-78 years (median age 28; interquartile range 22-35). The women were interviewed at home by trained field workers using a standardized questionnaire. The women's score on knowledge, attitude and practice were dichotomized as sufficient or insufficient. We used binary and multiple logistic regression to assess associations between obtaining sufficient scores and a series of socio-demographic factors: age, residence, marital status, education, occupation, religion, and parity. The women's score on knowledge was not significantly correlated with their score on practice (Spearman's rho = 0.08; P > 0.05). Obtaining a sufficient score on knowledge was positively associated with higher education (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 7.65; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.31-17.66) and formal employment (adjusted OR 3.35; 95% CI 1.85-6.09); it was negatively associated with being single (adjusted OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.24-0.81) and living in the eastern, western and northern zone of Kinshasa compared to the city centre. The attitude score was associated with place of residence (adjusted OR for east Kinshasa: 0.49; 95% CI 0.27-0.86 and for south Kinshasa: 0.48; 95% CI 0.27-0.85) and with religion (adjusted OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.35-0.86 for women with a religion other than Catholicism or Protestantism compared to Catholics). Regarding practice, there were negative associations between a sufficient score on practice and being single (adjusted OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.13-0.41) and living in the eastern zone of the city (adjusted OR 0.39; 95

Assessment of hypertension management in primary health care settings in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Lulebo, Aimée M; Mapatano, Mala A; Kayembe, Patrick K; Mafuta, Eric M; Mutombo, Paulin B; Coppieters, Yves

2015-12-24

Hypertension-related complications have become more diagnosed at secondary and tertiary care levels, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), probably indicative of poor management of hypertensive patients at primary health care level. This study aimed to assess the management of hypertension in primary health care settings by using guidelines of the International Forum for Prevention and Control of HTN in Africa (IFHA). A multi-center cross-sectional study was carried out in primary health care settings. A total of 102 nurses were surveyed using a structured interview. Mean and proportion comparisons were performed using the t Student test and the Chi-square test respectively. The Kinshasa Primary Health Care network facilities were compared with non-Kinshasa Primary Health Care network facilities. From the 102 nurses surveyed; 52.9% were female with a mean age of 41.1, (SD = 10) years, merely 9.5% benefited from in-job training on cardiovascular diseases or their risk factors, and 51.7% had guidelines on the management of hypertension. Less than a quarter of the nurses knew the cut-off values of hypertension, diabetes and obesity. Merely 14.7% knew the therapeutic goals for uncomplicated hypertension. Several of the indicators for immediate referral recommended by IFHA were unmentioned. The content of patient education was lacking, avoiding stress being the best advice provided to hypertensive patients. The antihypertensive most used were unlikely to be recommended by the IFHA. This study showed a considerable gap of knowledge and practices in the management of hypertensive patients at primary health care facilities in Kinshasa pertaining to the IFHA guidelines. We think that task-shifting for management of hypertension is feasible if appropriate guidelines are provided and nurses trained.

Studies and Application of Remote Sensing Retrieval Method of Soil Moisture Content in Land Parcel Units in Irrigation Area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, H.; Zhao, H. L.; Jiang, Y. Z.; Zang, W. B.

2018-05-01

Soil moisture is one of the important hydrological elements. Obtaining soil moisture accurately and effectively is of great significance for water resource management in irrigation area. During the process of soil moisture content retrieval with multiremote sensing data, multi- remote sensing data always brings multi-spatial scale problems which results in inconformity of soil moisture content retrieved by remote sensing in different spatial scale. In addition, agricultural water use management has suitable spatial scale of soil moisture information so as to satisfy the demands of dynamic management of water use and water demand in certain unit. We have proposed to use land parcel unit as the minimum unit to do soil moisture content research in agricultural water using area, according to soil characteristics, vegetation coverage characteristics in underlying layer, and hydrological characteristic into the basis of study unit division. We have proposed division method of land parcel units. Based on multi thermal infrared and near infrared remote sensing data, we calculate the ndvi and tvdi index and make a statistical model between the tvdi index and soil moisture of ground monitoring station. Then we move forward to study soil moisture remote sensing retrieval method on land parcel unit scale. And the method has been applied in Hetao irrigation area. Results show that compared with pixel scale the soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has displayed stronger correlation with true value. Hence, remote sensing retrieval method of soil moisture content in land parcel unit scale has shown good applicability in Hetao irrigation area. We converted the research unit into the scale of land parcel unit. Using the land parcel units with unified crops and soil attributes as the research units more complies with the characteristics of agricultural water areas, avoids the problems such as decomposition of mixed pixels and excessive dependence on high-resolution data

Processing of polarimetric SAR data for soil moisture estimation over Mahantango watershed area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, K. S.; Teng, W. L.; Wang, J. R.

1992-01-01

Microwave remote sensing technique has a high potential for measuring soil moisture due to the large contrast in dielectric constant of dry and wet soils. Recent work by Pults et al. demonstrated the use of X/C-band data for quantitative surface soil moisture extraction from Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) system. Similar technique was adopted using polarimetric SAR data acquired with the JPL-AIRSAR system over the Mahantango watershed area in central Pennsylvania during July 1990. The data sets reported include C-, L-, and P-bands of 10, 13, 15, and 17 July 1990.

The sequence of vaccinations and increased female mortality after high-titre measles vaccine: trials from rural Sudan and Kinshasa.

PubMed

Aaby, Peter; Ibrahim, Salah A; Libman, Michael D; Jensen, Henrik

2006-04-05

West African studies have hypothesized that increased female mortality after high-titre measles vaccine (HTMV) was due to subsequent diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP) and inactivated polio vaccine (IPV) vaccinations. We tested two deductions from this hypothesis in HTMV studies from rural Sudan and Kinshasa; first, there should be no excess female mortality for HTMV recipients when DTP was not given after HTMV and second, excess female mortality should only be found among those children who received DTP after HTMV. The Sudanese trial randomised 510 children to Edmonston-Zagreb (EZ) HTMV, Connaught HTMV or a control vaccine (meningococcal). Both the Connaught HTMV and the control group received standard measles vaccine at 9 months. In the Kinshasa study 1023 children received one dose of HTMV at 6 months or two doses at 312 and 912 months of age. First, the Sudan trial is one of the few randomised studies of measles vaccine; the EZ HTMV group had lower mortality between 5 and 9 months of age than controls, the mortality ratio (MR) being 0.00 (p = 0.030). This effect was not due to prevention of measles infection. Second, both studies provided evidence that HTMV per se was associated with low mortality. In a combined analysis comparing both HTMV groups with controls, the HTMV groups had a MR of 0.09 (0.01-0.71) between 5 and 9 months of age. In Kinshasa, the HTMV recipients who did not receive simultaneous DTP had an annual mortality rate of only 1.0% between 6 months and 3 years of age. Third, the female-male MR was related to subsequent DTP vaccinations. In Kinshasa, the female-male MR was only 0.40 (0.13-1.27) among the HTMV recipients who did not receive further doses of DTP. In Sudan, the female-male mortality ratio in the EZ group was 3.89 (95% CI 1.02-14.83) and the female-male MR increased with number of doses of DTP likely to have been given during follow-up (trend, p = 0.043). Fourth, in Kinshasa, mortality was higher among children who had received HTMV

[Sap flow characteristics of Quercus liaotungensis in response to sapwood area and soil moisture in the loess hilly region, China].

PubMed

Lyu, Jin Lin; He, Qiu Yue; Yan, Mei Jie; Li, Guo Qing; Du, Sheng

2018-03-01

To examine the characteristics of sap flow in Quercus liaotungensis and their response to environmental factors under different soil moisture conditions, Granier-type thermal dissipation probes were used to measure xylem sap flow of trees with different sapwood area in a natural Q. liaotungensis forest in the loess hilly region. Solar radiation, air temperature, relative air humidity, precipitation, and soil moisture were monitored during the study period. The results showed that sap flux of Q. liaotungensis reached daily peaks earlier than solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit. The diurnal dynamics of sap flux showed a similar pattern to those of the environmental factors. Trees had larger sap flux during the period with higher soil moisture. Under the same soil moisture conditions, trees with larger diameter and sapwood areas had significantly higher sap flux than those with smaller diameter and sapwood areas. Sap flux could be fitted with vapor pressure deficit, solar radiation, and the integrated index of the two factors using exponential saturation function. Differences in the fitted curves and parameters suggested that sap flux tended to reach saturation faster under higher soil moisture. Furthermore, trees in the smaller diameter class were more sensitive to the changes of soil moisture. The ratio of daily sap flux per unit vapor pressure deficit under lower soil moisture condition to that under higher soil moisture condition was linearly correlated to sapwood area. The regressive slope in smaller diameter class was larger than that in bigger diameter class, which further indicated the higher sensitivity of trees with smaller diameter class to soil moisture. These results indicated that wider sapwood of larger diameter class provided a buffer against drought stress.

Overview of Animal Rabies in Kinshasa Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Twabela, Augustin Tshibwabwa; Mweene, Aaron Simanyengwe; Masumu, Justin Mulumbu; Muma, John Bwalya; Lombe, Boniface Pongombo; Hankanga, Careen

2016-01-01

Rabies is one of the major public health problems mostly affecting developing countries in Africa and Asia where 99.9% of all rabies related human deaths are recorded each year. In Democratic Republic of Congo, repeated outbreaks have been reported. Despite this, there is little reliable epidemiological data about rabies in the country for the development of effective control strategies. A retrospective study was carried out in Kinshasa Province during a period of five years (2009-2013) to describe the proportion of rabid animals and the species involved in rabies transmission and maintenance. The survey also aimed at describing the spatial-temporal distribution of rabies. To gather information, the daily registers of institutions involved in rabies diagnosis were reviewed and each rabies case was traced back to area of occurrence for collection of geographic coordinates. A total of 5,053 attacks were registered involving six animal species including dog, cat, monkey, rabbit, rat, and pig. Based on clinical observations, rabies was reported in dogs and cats while data obtained from the laboratory confirmed rabies cases included dogs, cats and a goat. The annual distribution showed a significant decrease of rabies cases from 2009 up to 2011 and a later increase up to 2013. There was no difference in rabies occurrence between seasons (p = 0.721). Rabies cases were three times higher in peri-urban zone than in urban zone OR = 3.4 (95% CI: 2.3-5.1). The positive proportion of rabies was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.1-3) based on clinical evidence and 65.9% (95% CI: 50-79.5) for laboratory confirmed cases. This study confirms the endemicity of rabies in Kinshasa where occurrence of rabies cases was related to human population density and lifestyle. In order to control rabies, there is need to set up a surveillance program and implement efficient mass vaccination campaigns of susceptible animals.

Assessing the contraceptive supply environment in Kinshasa, DRC: trend data from PMA2020.

PubMed

Babazadeh, S; Lea, S; Kayembe, P; Akilimali, P; Eitmann, L; Anglewicz, P; Bertrand, J

2018-03-01

Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) is a population-based and facility-based survey program conducted in 11 countries to track contraceptive use dynamics and the supply environment. Annual data collection provides trend data unavailable from any other source. Two-stage cluster sampling was used to select 58 enumeration areas in Kinshasa; data were collected in 2014, 2015 and 2016 from three to six service delivery points (SDPs) per EA. Of the 228-248 SDPs surveyed each year, only two-thirds reported to offer family planning (FP) services. Of those reporting to offer FP, one-fifth or more did not do so on the day of the survey. As of 2016, only one-half of SDPs offering FP had at least three methods available, a proxy for contraceptive choice; only one in five had at least five methods. Long-acting reversible contraceptives, including implants and IUDs, were less widely offered and more often stocked out than resupply methods, including condoms, pills and injectables. Contraceptive stockouts were rampant: in 2016, over a quarter of the SDPs experienced stockouts of all methods (except condoms) in the previous 3 months, and two of the three most widely used methods-implants and injectables-were also the most likely to be stocked out. The findings documented the inconsistency in pricing of methods across facilities; moreover, less than one quarter of SDPs posted prices. Patterns in the contraceptive supply environment remained relatively unchanged between 2014 and 2016. The PMA2020 SDP module provides timely, actionable information to the DRC government, FP implementing organizations and donors involved in FP service delivery in Kinshasa, DRC. Yet the value of this information will be determined by the ability of the local FP stakeholders to use it in bringing the needed improvements identified by this survey to the contraceptive supply environment. © The Authors 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of

Overview of Animal Rabies in Kinshasa Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Twabela, Augustin Tshibwabwa; Lombe, Boniface Pongombo; Hankanga, Careen

2016-01-01

Introduction Rabies is one of the major public health problems mostly affecting developing countries in Africa and Asia where 99.9% of all rabies related human deaths are recorded each year. In Democratic Republic of Congo, repeated outbreaks have been reported. Despite this, there is little reliable epidemiological data about rabies in the country for the development of effective control strategies. Materials and Methods A retrospective study was carried out in Kinshasa Province during a period of five years (2009–2013) to describe the proportion of rabid animals and the species involved in rabies transmission and maintenance. The survey also aimed at describing the spatial-temporal distribution of rabies. To gather information, the daily registers of institutions involved in rabies diagnosis were reviewed and each rabies case was traced back to area of occurrence for collection of geographic coordinates. Results and Discussion A total of 5,053 attacks were registered involving six animal species including dog, cat, monkey, rabbit, rat, and pig. Based on clinical observations, rabies was reported in dogs and cats while data obtained from the laboratory confirmed rabies cases included dogs, cats and a goat. The annual distribution showed a significant decrease of rabies cases from 2009 up to 2011 and a later increase up to 2013. There was no difference in rabies occurrence between seasons (p = 0.721). Rabies cases were three times higher in peri-urban zone than in urban zone OR = 3.4 (95% CI: 2.3–5.1). The positive proportion of rabies was 2.6% (95% CI: 2.1–3) based on clinical evidence and 65.9% (95% CI: 50–79.5) for laboratory confirmed cases. Conclusion and Suggestion This study confirms the endemicity of rabies in Kinshasa where occurrence of rabies cases was related to human population density and lifestyle. In order to control rabies, there is need to set up a surveillance program and implement efficient mass vaccination campaigns of susceptible

Heterogeneous and decreasing HIV prevalence among women seeking antenatal care in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Behets, Frieda; Edmonds, Andrew; Kitenge, François; Crabbé, François; Laga, Marie

2010-01-01

Background We examined HIV prevalence trends over 4.5 years among women receiving antenatal care in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, by geographic location, clinic management and urbanicity. Methods Quarterly proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of pregnant women with HIV positive results were determined using aggregate service provision and uptake data from 22 maternity units that provided vertical HIV prevention services from October 2004 to March 2009. Assuming linearity, proportions were assessed for trend via the Cochran–Armitage test. Multivariable binomial regression was used to describe detailed prevalence trends. Results HIV testing was offered to 220 006 pregnant women; 210 348 (95.6%) agreed to be tested and 191 216 (90.9%) received their results. A total of 3999 women were found to be HIV positive, a prevalence of 1.90% (95% CI: 1.84–1.96%). The median quarterly proportion of women testing positive for HIV was 1.94% (range: 1.44–2.44%). Prevalence was heterogeneous in terms of maternity management, urbanicity and geographic location. Modeling suggested that the overall prevalence dropped from 2.04% (95% CI: 1.92–2.16%) to 1.77% (95% CI: 1.66–1.88%) over 4.5 years, a relative decrease of 13.2% (95% CI: 3.53–22.9%). Trend testing corroborated this decline (P < 0.01). Conclusions The decreasing HIV prevalence among Kinshasa antenatal care seekers is robust and encouraging. The relatively low prevalence and the weak existing healthcare system require prevention of mother-to-child transmission interventions that strengthen maternal and child healthcare service delivery. Complacency would be unwarranted: assuming a uniform national crude birth rate of 50/1000 and 1.8% antenatal HIV prevalence, approximately 7000 pregnant HIV infected women in Kinshasa, and 60 000 nationwide, are in need of care and prevention services yearly. PMID:20453017

Knowledge, attitude and practice about cancer of the uterine cervix among women living in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cervical cancer is the most frequent cancer of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nevertheless, the level of women’s awareness about cervical cancer is unknown. Knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) are important elements for designing and monitoring screening programs. The study purpose was to estimate KAP on cervical cancer and to identify associated factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa, DRC, including 524 women aged 16–78 years (median age 28; interquartile range 22–35). The women were interviewed at home by trained field workers using a standardized questionnaire. The women’s score on knowledge, attitude and practice were dichotomized as sufficient or insufficient. We used binary and multiple logistic regression to assess associations between obtaining sufficient scores and a series of socio-demographic factors: age, residence, marital status, education, occupation, religion, and parity. Results The women’s score on knowledge was not significantly correlated with their score on practice (Spearman’s rho = 0.08; P > 0.05). Obtaining a sufficient score on knowledge was positively associated with higher education (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 7.65; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 3.31-17.66) and formal employment (adjusted OR 3.35; 95% CI 1.85-6.09); it was negatively associated with being single (adjusted OR 0.44; 95% CI 0.24-0.81) and living in the eastern, western and northern zone of Kinshasa compared to the city centre. The attitude score was associated with place of residence (adjusted OR for east Kinshasa: 0.49; 95% CI 0.27-0.86 and for south Kinshasa: 0.48; 95% CI 0.27-0.85) and with religion (adjusted OR 0.55; 95% CI 0.35-0.86 for women with a religion other than Catholicism or Protestantism compared to Catholics). Regarding practice, there were negative associations between a sufficient score on practice and being single (adjusted OR 0.24; 95% CI 0.13-0.41) and living in the eastern

[Predictive factors of all-cause mortality in patients attending the medical emergency unit of Kinshasa University Hospital].

PubMed

Mbutiwi Ikwa Ndol, F; Dramaix-Wilmet, M; Meert, P; Lepira Bompeka, F; Nseka Mangani, N; Malengreau, M; Makaula, P

2014-02-01

The management of medical emergencies is poorly organized in the Democratic Republic of Congo. In addition, the mortality of patients attending the medical emergency unit of Kinshasa University Hospital is relatively high, with death of patients occurring rather early. To date, factors associated with this mortality have been poorly elucidated. This study aimed to identify predictive factors of all-cause mortality in patients admitted to the medical emergency unit of the Kinshasa University Hospital. Analytical prospective study of all patients admitted from 15th January to 15th February 2011 in the emergency unit of the internal medicine department of Kinshasa University Hospital (427 patients). Among these patients, 13 were dead at arrival and were excluded from this study. The 414 patients included were followed until discharge from the hospital. Demographic, clinical, biological, diagnostic, therapeutical and evolutive data were collected. Four multivariate logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors associated with mortality. Patients' median age was 40 years (interquartile range, 28-58 years), 54.5% were male, and 15.9% had a life-threatening pathological condition on admission. The overall mortality was 12.3%. According to multivariate analyses, transfer from other health care structures (OR: 3.5; 95% CI: 1.7-7.1), Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 14 on admission (OR: 11.1; 95% CI: 4.7-26.3), high creatinine level (OR: 4.2; 95% CI: 1.8-9.7), presence of cardiovascular (OR: 2.9; 95% CI: 1.5-5.7), renal (OR: 7.4; 95% CI: 3.2-17.3), hematologic and/or respiratory (OR: 6.1; 95% CI: 1.7-21.4) diseases, presence of sepsis and/or meningitis and encephalitis (OR: 5.2; 95% CI: 1.6-17.0) were significantly associated with a high risk of death. However, the Glasgow Coma Scale score less than 14 on admission and renal disease were the only predictive factors of mortality remaining after including demographic, clinical, diagnostic and therapeutical

Large-area Soil Moisture Surveys Using a Cosmic-ray Rover: Approaches and Results from Australia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawdon, A. A.; McJannet, D. L.; Renzullo, L. J.; Baker, B.; Searle, R.

2017-12-01

Recent improvements in satellite instrumentation has increased the resolution and frequency of soil moisture observations, and this in turn has supported the development of higher resolution land surface process models. Calibration and validation of these products is restricted by the mismatch of scales between remotely sensed and contemporary ground based observations. Although the cosmic ray neutron soil moisture probe can provide estimates soil moisture at a scale useful for the calibration and validation purposes, it is spatially limited to a single, fixed location. This scaling issue has been addressed with the development of mobile soil moisture monitoring systems that utilizes the cosmic ray neutron method, typically referred to as a `rover'. This manuscript describes a project designed to develop approaches for undertaking rover surveys to produce soil moisture estimates at scales comparable to satellite observations and land surface process models. A custom designed, trailer-mounted rover was used to conduct repeat surveys at two scales in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. A broad scale survey was conducted at 36 x 36 km covering an area of a standard SMAP pixel and an intensive scale survey was conducted over a 10 x 10 km portion of the broad scale survey, which is at a scale equivalent to that used for national water balance modelling. We will describe the design of the rover, the methods used for converting neutron counts into soil moisture and discuss factors controlling soil moisture variability. We found that the intensive scale rover surveys produced reliable soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution and the broad scale at 9 km resolution. We conclude that these products are well suited for future analysis of satellite soil moisture retrievals and finer scale soil moisture models.

Spatiotemporal characterization of soil moisture fields in agricultural areas using cosmic-ray neutron probes and data fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franz, Trenton; Wang, Tiejun

2015-04-01

Approximately 40% of global food production comes from irrigated agriculture. With the increasing demand for food even greater pressures will be placed on water resources within these systems. In this work we aimed to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture at the field-scale (~500 m) using the newly developed cosmic-ray neutron rover near Waco, NE USA. Here we mapped soil moisture of 144 quarter section fields (a mix of maize, soybean, and natural areas) each week during the 2014 growing season (May to September). The 12 by 12 km study domain also contained three stationary cosmic-ray neutron probes for independent validation of the rover surveys. Basic statistical analysis of the domain indicated a strong relationship between the mean and variance of soil moisture at several averaging scales. The relationships between the mean and higher order moments were not significant. Scaling analysis indicated strong power law behavior between the variance of soil moisture and averaging area with minimal dependence of mean soil moisture on the slope of the power law function. In addition, we combined the data from the three stationary cosmic-ray neutron probes and mobile surveys using linear regression to derive a daily soil moisture product at 1, 3, and 12 km spatial resolutions for the entire growing season. The statistical relationships derived from the rover dataset offer a novel set of observations that will be useful in: 1) calibrating and validating land surface models, 2) calibrating and validating crop models, 3) soil moisture covariance estimates for statistical downscaling of remote sensing products such as SMOS and SMAP, and 4) provide daily center-pivot scale mean soil moisture data for optimal irrigation timing and volume amounts.

Nurses’ compliance with prevention of mother-to-child transmission national guidelines in selected sites in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Amboko, Augustin R M; Brysiewicz, Petra

2015-01-01

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) implemented a prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV infection programme in maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) services in 2001 with nurses as key personnel. To date there is no information in the DRC and specifically in Kinshasa with respect to compliance with PMTCT national guidelines. The study aimed at describing nurses’ compliance with the PMTCT national guidelines in selected PMTCT sites of Kinshasa. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa with 76 nurses in 18 selected PMTCT sites. The nurses’ compliance with PMTCT national guidelines was assessed using a healthcare provider self-reporting questionnaire developed by the researchers. The study showed that the mean score of nurses’ compliance with PMTCT national guidelines was 74% (95% CI: 69%-78%) which progressively decreased and was significantly different across different MNCH services (p = 0.025). With respect to categories of PMTCT recommendations, nurses were compliant with those related to education in labour and delivery, and antenatal services. Sociodemographic characteristics such as training, length of service and category of nurses did not influence nurses’ compliance score. These findings showed that nurses were noncompliant with PMTCT national guidelines, with the score level being 80% or more in the three MNCH services/units. Improvement of nurses’ ‘compliance with the PMTCT national guidelines requires effective monitoring of full integration of PMTCT as routine activities in MNCH care.

Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: Causality and Implications for Resilience and Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aldersey, Heather M.; Turnbull, H. Rutherford, III; Turnbull, Ann P.

2014-01-01

This article reports results of a 7-month qualitative study on intellectual and related developmental disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly as they relate to the causes and meaning of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This study raises important questions related to the understanding of…

Chronic kidney disease among high school students of Kinshasa

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major worldwide health problem. However, its burden among adolescents and young adults is unknown, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to investigate its prevalence in the school environment. The concordance of usual formulas used to estimate renal function was also assessed. Methods In an epidemiological cross sectional study, a random sample of 524 pupils (263 boys, mean age of 18.7 ± 1.4 years) from school environment of Kinshasa were studied. Recorded parameters of interest were anthropometric, proteinuria, serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) according to the Schwartz formula using uncalibrated creatinine levels from one random measurement. CKD was defined as the presence of kidney damage (daily proteinuria ≥ 300 mg) and/or reduced kidney function (eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2). Concordances between eGFR according to Schwartz, Cockcroft-Gault (C-G) indexed for BSA and modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) study equations were computed using the kappa coefficient. Results The prevalence of CKD by the Schwartz formula was 1.5%. By stage, 0.8% had CKD stage 1 (proteinuria with normal eGFR) and 0.8% had CKD stage 3 (eGFR, 30 to 59 ml/min/1.73 m2). The prevalence of proteinuria ≥ 300 mg/day was 1% (one case had 2.7g/day). Agreement between eGFR according to Schwartz formula and the MDRD formula was excellent (kappa: 88.8%). Although correlations between all formulas were excellent (0.99; 0.87, and 0.89), agreement was poor between eGFR according to Schwartz and C-G indexed BSA equation (kappa: 52.7%) and, poorer with C-G unadjusted for BSA (kappa: 26.9%). Conclusion In the large African city of Kinshasa, 2% of high school students have CKD. This high prevalence rate emphasizes the need for appropriate detection and prevention measures in this vulnerable young age population group. PMID:22559052

Moisture availability constraints on the leaf area to sapwood area ratio: analysis of measurements on Australian evergreen angiosperm trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Togashi, Henrique; Prentice, Colin; Evans, Bradley; Forrester, David; Drake, Paul; Feikema, Paul; Brooksbank, Kim; Eamus, Derek; Taylor, Daniel

2014-05-01

The leaf area to sapwood area ratio (LA:SA) is a key plant trait that links photosynthesis to transpiration. Pipe model theory states that the sapwood cross-sectional area of a stem or branch at any point should scale isometrically with the area of leaves distal to that point. Optimization theory further suggests that LA:SA should decrease towards drier climates. Although acclimation of LA:SA to climate has been reported within species, much less is known about the scaling of this trait with climate among species. We compiled LA:SA measurements from 184 species of Australian evergreen angiosperm trees. The pipe model was broadly confirmed, based on measurements on branches and trunks of trees from one to 27 years old. We found considerable scatter in LA:SA among species. However quantile regression showed strong (0.2moisture indices and the lowermost (5%) and uppermost (5-15%) quantiles of log LA:SA, suggesting that moisture availability constrains the envelope of minimum and maximum values of LA:SA typical for any given climate. Interspecific differences in plant hydraulic conductivity are probably responsible for the large scatter of values in the mid quantile-range, and may be an important determinant of tree morphology.

Morphological and moisture availability controls of the leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio: analysis of measurements on Australian trees.

PubMed

Togashi, Henrique Furstenau; Prentice, Iain Colin; Evans, Bradley John; Forrester, David Ian; Drake, Paul; Feikema, Paul; Brooksbank, Kim; Eamus, Derek; Taylor, Daniel

2015-03-01

The leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio (LA:SA) is a key plant trait that links photosynthesis to transpiration. The pipe model theory states that the sapwood cross-sectional area of a stem or branch at any point should scale isometrically with the area of leaves distal to that point. Optimization theory further suggests that LA:SA should decrease toward drier climates. Although acclimation of LA:SA to climate has been reported within species, much less is known about the scaling of this trait with climate among species. We compiled LA:SA measurements from 184 species of Australian evergreen angiosperm trees. The pipe model was broadly confirmed, based on measurements on branches and trunks of trees from one to 27 years old. Despite considerable scatter in LA:SA among species, quantile regression showed strong (0.2 < R1 < 0.65) positive relationships between two climatic moisture indices and the lowermost (5%) and uppermost (5-15%) quantiles of log LA:SA, suggesting that moisture availability constrains the envelope of minimum and maximum values of LA:SA typical for any given climate. Interspecific differences in plant hydraulic conductivity are probably responsible for the large scatter of values in the mid-quantile range and may be an important determinant of tree morphology.

Accuracy of malaria rapid diagnosis test Optimal-IT(®) in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Muhindo, Hypolite Mavoko; Ilombe, Gillon; Meya, Ruth; Mitashi, Patrick M; Kutekemeni, Albert; Gasigwa, Didier; Lutumba, Pascal; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre

2012-07-06

Despite some problems related to accuracy and applicability, malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs), are currently considered the best option in areas with limited laboratory services for improving case management and reducing over-treatment. However, their performance must be established taking into the account the particularities of each endemic area. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the validity of Optimal-IT(®) and Paracheck-Pf(®), respectively based on the detection of lactate dehydrogenase and histidine-rich protein-2, was assessed at primary health care level (PHC). This was a two-stage cluster randomized survey, conducted in one health centre in 12 health zones in Kinshasa city. All patients with malaria presumptive diagnosis were eligible. Gold standard was microscopy performed by experts from the parasitology unit, Kinshasa University. 624 patients were enrolled. 53.4% (95% CI: 49.4-57.3) owed a bed net, obtained in 74.5% of cases (95% CI: 69.4-79.1) through community-based distribution by the National Malaria Control Programme. Microscopy expert reading confirmed 123 malaria cases (19.7%; 95% CI: 16.7-23.1). Overall sensitivity were 79.7% (95% CI: 72.4-86.8), 87.8% (95% CI: 81.9-93.6) and 86.2% (95% CI: 79.9-92.3), respectively, for Optimal-IT(®), Paracheck-Pf(®) and microscopy performed at PHC. Specificity was 97.0% (95% CI: 95.5-98.5), 91.6% (95% CI: 89.1-94.0) and 49.1% (95% CI: 44.7-53.4). The proportion of confirmed cases seemed similar in under-fives compared to others. Any treatment prior to the current visit was a predictor for malaria (AOR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.5-3.5), but not malaria treatment (AOR: 0.87; 95% CI: 0.4-1.8). Bed net ownership tended to protect against malaria (AOR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.45-0.99). Although microscopy is considered as the "gold standard" for malaria diagnosis at point of care level, this study showed that its accuracy may not always be satisfactory when performed in health centres.

Access to artemisinin-based combination therapies and other anti-malarial drugs in Kinshasa.

PubMed

Nkoli Mandoko, P; Sinou, V; Moke Mbongi, D; Ngoyi Mumba, D; Kahunu Mesia, G; Losimba Likwela, J; Bi Shamamba Karhemere, S; Muepu Tshilolo, L; Tamfum Muyembe, J-J; Parzy, D

2018-06-01

Artemisinin-based combination therapies have been available since 2005 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to treat malaria and to overcome the challenge of anti-malarial drug resistance as well as to improve access to effective treatments. The private sector is the primary distribution source for anti-malarial drugs and thus, has a key position among the supply chain actors for a rational and proper use of anti-malarial drugs. We aimed to assess access to nationally recommended anti-malarial drugs in private sector pharmacies of the capital-city of Kinshasa. We performed a cross-sectional survey of 404 pharmacies. Anti-malarial drugs were stocked in all surveyed pharmacies. Non-artemisinin-based anti-malarial therapies such as quinine or sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine, were the most frequently stocked drugs (93.8% of pharmacies). Artemisinin-based combination therapies were stocked in 88% of pharmacies. Artemether-lumefantrine combinations were the most frequently dispensed drugs (93% of pharmacies), but less than 3% were quality-assured products. Other non-officially recommended artemisinin-based therapies including oral monotherapies were widely available. Artemisinin-based combination therapies were widely available in the private pharmacies of Kinshasa. However, the private sector does not guarantee the use of nationally recommended anti-malarial drugs nor does it give priority to quality-assured anti-malarial drugs. These practices contribute to the risk of emergence and spread of resistance to anti-malarial drugs and to increasing treatment costs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Near Surface Soil Moisture Estimation Using SAR Images: A Case Study in the Mediterranean Area of Catalonia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reppucci, Antonio; Moreno, Laura

2010-12-01

Information on Soil moisture spatial and temporal evolution is of great importance for managing the utilization of soils and vegetation, in particular in environments where the water resources are scarce. In-situ measurement of soil moisture are costly and not able to sample the spatial behaviour of a whole region. Thanks to their all weather capability and wide coverage, Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images offer the opportunity to monitor large area with high resolution. This study presents the results of a project, partially founded by the Catalan government, to improve the monitoring of soil moisture using Earth Observation data. In particular the project is focused on the calibration of existing semi-empirical algorithm in the area of study. This will be done using co-located SAR and in-situ measurements acquired during several field campaigns. Observed deviations between SAR measurements and in-situ measurement are discussed.

Using the Spatial Persistence of Soil Moisture Patterns to Estimate Catchment Soil Moisture in Semi-arid Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willgoose, G. R.

2006-12-01

In humid catchments the spatial distribution of soil water is dominated by subsurface lateral fluxes, which leads to a persistent spatial pattern of soil moisture principally described by the topographic index. In contrast, semi-arid, and dryer, catchments are dominated by vertical fluxes (infiltration and evapotranspiration) and persistent spatial patterns, if they exist, are subtler. In the first part of this presentation the results of a reanalysis of a number of catchment-scale long-term spatially-distributed soil moisture data sets are presented. We concentrate on Tarrawarra and SASMAS, both catchments in Australia that are water-limited for at least part of the year and which have been monitored using a variety of technologies. Using the data from permanently installed instruments (neutron probe and reflectometry) both catchments show persistent patterns at the 1-3 year timescale. This persistent pattern is not evident in the field campaign data where field portable instruments (reflectometry) instruments were used. We argue, based on high-resolution soil moisture semivariograms, that high short-distance variability (100mm scale) means that field portable instrument cannot be replaced at the same location with sufficient accuracy to ensure deterministic repeatability of soil moisture measurements from campaign to campaign. The observed temporal persistence of the spatial pattern can be caused by; (1) permanent features of the landscape (e.g. vegetation, soils), or (2) long term memory in the soil moisture store. We argue that it is permanent in which case it is possible to monitor the soil moisture status of a catchment using a single location measurement (continuous in time) of soil moisture using a permanently installed reflectometry instrument. This instrument will need to be calibrated to the catchment averaged soil moisture but the temporal persistence of the spatial pattern of soil moisture will mean that this calibration will be deterministically

Local differences in human immunodeficiency virus prevalence: a comparison of social venue patrons, antenatal patients, and sexually transmitted infection patients in eastern kinshasa.

PubMed

Mwandagalirwa, Kashamuka; Jackson, Elizabeth F; McClamroch, Kristi; Bollinger, Robert; Ryder, Robert W; Weir, Sharon S

2009-07-01

This study compares the sexual behavior and HIV prevalence of men and women at social venues where people meet new sexual partners in Eastern Kinshasa with that of sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment and antenatal clinic (ANC) patients in the same area. ANC patients, STI clinic patients, and social venue patrons were interviewed, asked to provide a blood sample on-site, and provided with information about obtaining test results. Every patron at identified social venues in the study area was invited to participate. One thousand one hundred sixteen pregnant women; 66 male and 229 female STI clinic patients; and 952 male and 247 female patrons of social venues were interviewed and tested for HIV. HIV prevalence differed by group: ANC patients (4%); female venue patrons (12%); female STI patients (16%); male venue patrons (2%); and male STI patients (23%). HIV prevalence among sex workers at social venues (29%) was higher than HIV prevalence among other female patrons with new or multiple partnerships in the past four weeks (19%) and higher than HIV prevalence among female patrons denying sex work (6%). However, the absolute number of infected women was higher among women reporting recent new or multiple partnerships than among the smaller group of sex workers (23 vs. 18). Two-thirds of the infected female STI patients (24/36) reported no more than one and no new sexual partner in the past year. Improving prevention programs in Kinshasa is essential. Prevention efforts should not neglect women at social venues who do not self-identify as sex workers but who have high rates of new sexual partnership formation.

Women's Education, Employment, and Fertility in Kinshasa, Congo, 1955-1990: A Descriptive Overview. Working Paper 10-97-1.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, David

This report provides a descriptive overview of women's schooling and educational attainment, employment activity, and fertility behavior in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data were used from a series of five household surveys carried out between 1955 and 1990 to see how these variables have changed during this period.…

Morphological and moisture availability controls of the leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio: analysis of measurements on Australian trees

PubMed Central

Togashi, Henrique Furstenau; Prentice, Iain Colin; Evans, Bradley John; Forrester, David Ian; Drake, Paul; Feikema, Paul; Brooksbank, Kim; Eamus, Derek; Taylor, Daniel

2015-01-01

The leaf area-to-sapwood area ratio (LA:SA) is a key plant trait that links photosynthesis to transpiration. The pipe model theory states that the sapwood cross-sectional area of a stem or branch at any point should scale isometrically with the area of leaves distal to that point. Optimization theory further suggests that LA:SA should decrease toward drier climates. Although acclimation of LA:SA to climate has been reported within species, much less is known about the scaling of this trait with climate among species. We compiled LA:SA measurements from 184 species of Australian evergreen angiosperm trees. The pipe model was broadly confirmed, based on measurements on branches and trunks of trees from one to 27 years old. Despite considerable scatter in LA:SA among species, quantile regression showed strong (0.2 < R1 < 0.65) positive relationships between two climatic moisture indices and the lowermost (5%) and uppermost (5–15%) quantiles of log LA:SA, suggesting that moisture availability constrains the envelope of minimum and maximum values of LA:SA typical for any given climate. Interspecific differences in plant hydraulic conductivity are probably responsible for the large scatter of values in the mid-quantile range and may be an important determinant of tree morphology. PMID:25859331

Effects of soil moisture on dust emission from 2011 to 2015 observed over the Horqin Sandy Land area, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Tingting; Li, Xiaolan; Zhang, Hongsheng; Cai, Xuhui; Song, Yu

2018-06-01

Using the observational data of dust concentrations and meteorological parameters from 2011 to 2015, the effects of soil moisture and air humidity on dust emission were studied at long (monthly) and short (several days or hours) time scales over the Horqin Sandy Land area, Inner Mongolia of China. The results show that the monthly mean dust concentrations and dust fluxes within the near-surface layer had no obvious relationship with the monthly mean soil moisture content but had a slightly negative correlation with monthly mean air relative humidity from 2011 to 2015. The daily mean soil moisture exhibited a significantly negative correlation with the daily mean dust concentrations and dust fluxes, as soil moisture changed obviously. However, such negative correlation between soil moisture and dust emission disappeared on dust blowing days. Additionally, the effect of soil moisture on an important parameter for dust emission, the threshold friction velocity (u∗t), was investigated during several saltation-bombardment and/or aggregation-disintegration dust emission (SADE) events. Under dry soil conditions, the values of u∗t were not influenced by soil moisture content; however, when the soil moisture content was high, the values of u∗t increased with increasing soil moisture content.

Evaluation of Assimilated SMOS Soil Moisture Data for US Cropland Soil Moisture Monitoring

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Zhengwei; Sherstha, Ranjay; Crow, Wade; Bolten, John; Mladenova, Iva; Yu, Genong; Di, Liping

2016-01-01

Remotely sensed soil moisture data can provide timely, objective and quantitative crop soil moisture information with broad geospatial coverage and sufficiently high resolution observations collected throughout the growing season. This paper evaluates the feasibility of using the assimilated ESA Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS)Mission L-band passive microwave data for operational US cropland soil surface moisture monitoring. The assimilated SMOS soil moisture data are first categorized to match with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) survey based weekly soil moisture observation data, which are ordinal. The categorized assimilated SMOS soil moisture data are compared with NASSs survey-based weekly soil moisture data for consistency and robustness using visual assessment and rank correlation. Preliminary results indicate that the assimilated SMOS soil moisture data highly co-vary with NASS field observations across a large geographic area. Therefore, SMOS data have great potential for US operational cropland soil moisture monitoring.

Seeking better topical delivery technologies of moisturizing agents for enhanced skin moisturization.

PubMed

Kim, Hyeongmin; Kim, Jeong Tae; Barua, Sonia; Yoo, Seung-Yup; Hong, Seong-Chul; Lee, Kyung Bin; Lee, Jaehwi

2018-01-01

An adequate hydration level is essential to maintain epidermal barrier functions and normal physiological activities of skin tissues. Diverse moisturizing agents and pharmaceutical formulations for dermal deliveries have thus extensively been investigated. This review comprehensively discusses scientific outcomes of moisturizing agents and pharmaceutical vehicles for skin moisturization, thereby providing insight into designing innovative pharmaceutical formulations for effective skin moisturization. Areas covered: We discussed the functions of various moisturizing agents ranging from conventional creams to novel moisturizers which has recently been explored. In addition, novel pharmaceutical formulations for efficient dermal delivery of the moisturizers, in particular, nanocarriers, were discussed along with their uses in commercial products. Expert opinion: Although various moisturizing agents have demonstrated their promising effects, exploitation of pharmaceutical formulations for their dermal delivery have been limited to few commonly used moisturizing agents. Thus, combinatorial investigation of novel moisturizers and pharmaceutical vehicles should be further conducted. As a new concept for improving skin moisturization, skin regeneration technologies using therapeutic cells have recently shown great promise for skin moisturization, but major challenges remain, such as efficient delivery and prolonged survival of such cells. Thus, novel approaches for improving skin moisturization require continuous efforts of pharmaceutical scientists to address the remaining problems.

Determinants and Consequences of Young Women's Access to Education in Kinshasa, Congo. Final Report to the Small Grants Program.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, David

A study analyzed data from a series of five household socioeconomic surveys carried out in Kinshasa, Congo, over the period from 1955 to 1990. Results indicated that schooling and educational attainment of both females and males increased substantially over this period, and particularly so for young women. Research analysis provides a detailed…

Acute Crises and Complications of Sickle Cell Anemia Among Patients Attending a Pediatric Tertiary Unit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Of Congo.

PubMed

Aloni, Michel Ntetani; Kadima, Bertin Tshimanga; Ekulu, Pépé Mfutu; Budiongo, Aléine Nzazi; Ngiyulu, René Makuala; Gini-Ehungu, Jean Lambert

2017-06-01

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is estimated to affect 30,000 to 40,000 neonates per year. However, there is paucity of data on acute clinical manifestations in sickle cell children. In these circumstances, it is difficult to develop a health care policy for an adequate management of sickle cell patients. This was a seven years' retrospective study of children admitted with acute sickle cell crisis in the Department of Pediatrics in University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A total of 108 patients were identified as having SCA. There were 56 (51%) girls and 52 (49%) boys. Median age was 10.5 years (range 1-24 years). No child was diagnosed by neonatal screening. The median age of diagnosis of sickle cell anemia was 90 months (range: 8-250 months). The median age at the first transfusion was 36 months (range 4-168). In this series, 61 (56.5%) patients were eligible for hydroxyurea. However, this treatment was only performed in 4 (6.6%) of them. Pain episodes, acute anemic crisis and severe infection represent respectively 38.2%, 34.3% and 21.9% of events. Altered sensorium and focal deficit were encountered occasionally and represented 3.4% of acute events. Acute renal manifestations, cholelithiasis and priapism were rarely reported, in this cohort. In Kinshasa, the care of patients suffering from sickle cell anemia is characterized by the delayed diagnosis and low detection of organ complications compared to reports of Western countries. This situation is due to resources deficiencies.

Acute Crises and Complications of Sickle Cell Anemia Among Patients Attending a Pediatric Tertiary Unit in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic Of Congo

PubMed Central

Aloni, Michel Ntetani; Kadima, Bertin Tshimanga; Ekulu, Pépé Mfutu; Budiongo, Aléine Nzazi; Ngiyulu, René Makuala; Gini-Ehungu, Jean Lambert

2017-01-01

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the incidence of sickle cell anemia (SCA) is estimated to affect 30,000 to 40,000 neonates per year. However, there is paucity of data on acute clinical manifestations in sickle cell children. In these circumstances, it is difficult to develop a health care policy for an adequate management of sickle cell patients. This was a seven years’ retrospective study of children admitted with acute sickle cell crisis in the Department of Pediatrics in University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A total of 108 patients were identified as having SCA. There were 56 (51%) girls and 52 (49%) boys. Median age was 10.5 years (range 1-24 years). No child was diagnosed by neonatal screening. The median age of diagnosis of sickle cell anemia was 90 months (range: 8-250 months). The median age at the first transfusion was 36 months (range 4-168). In this series, 61 (56.5%) patients were eligible for hydroxyurea. However, this treatment was only performed in 4 (6.6%) of them. Pain episodes, acute anemic crisis and severe infection represent respectively 38.2%, 34.3% and 21.9% of events. Altered sensorium and focal deficit were encountered occasionally and represented 3.4% of acute events. Acute renal manifestations, cholelithiasis and priapism were rarely reported, in this cohort. In Kinshasa, the care of patients suffering from sickle cell anemia is characterized by the delayed diagnosis and low detection of organ complications compared to reports of Western countries. This situation is due to resources deficiencies. PMID:28626540

Retinoblastoma in the Democratic Republic of Congo: 20-Year Review from a Tertiary Hospital in Kinshasa

PubMed Central

Kazadi Lukusa, Aimé; Aloni, Michel Ntetani; Kadima-Tshimanga, Bertin; Mvitu-Muaka, Moïse; Gini Ehungu, Jean Lambert; Ngiyulu, René; Ekulu Mfutu, Pépé; Budiongo Nzazi, Aléine

2012-01-01

Background. To determine clinical profile and management of retinoblastoma among children at Kinshasa in Democratic Republic of Congo. Patients and methods. The medical records of patients with a diagnosis of retinoblastoma seen at the University Hospital of Kinshasa from January 1985 till December 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic profile, clinical data, modes of treatment and outcome were analysed. Results. A total of 49 children, of whom 40 had adequate data on record were identified as retinoblastoma (28 males and 12 females). Nine cases had bilateral disease. The median age at the first symptoms was 9 months (range, 1 month to 6 years) for unilateral retinoblastoma and 18 months (range, 1 month to 3.5 years) for bilateral retinoblastoma. The median age at the first oncology consultation was 2.4 years (range, 6 months to 6 years) for unilateral retinoblastoma and 2.4years (range, 9 months to 4 years) for bilateral disease. Leukokoria was present in 67.5% of subjects. Seventy-five percent abandoned the treatment. The mortality was 92.5%. Conclusion. In Democratic Republic of Congo, retinoblastoma remains a life threatening disease characterized by late referral to a specialized unit and affordability of chemotherapy; all leading to an extension of the disease and high mortality. PMID:22619679

The misuse of Cyproheptadine: a non-communicable disease risk behaviour in Kinshasa population, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Lulebo, Aimée M; Bavuidibo, Carine D; Mafuta, Eric M; Ndelo, Josaphat D; Mputu, Lievin's Corneille M; Kabundji, Dalton M; Mutombo, Paulin B

2016-02-09

Obesity is one of the main risk factors of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. The use of Cyproheptadine increases body weight and the risk of becoming obese. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of Cyproheptadine misuse in the Kinshasa population and to describe its characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted in two town sectors of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), over a 4 month period (May 2011 to August 2011). Data from 499 participants, aged between 13 and 55 years were collected and analyzed. Mean and standard deviation were used for quantitative variables and frequency and percentage for categorical variables. In order to determine the relationship between socio-demographic status and Cyproheptadine use the Chi-square test was conducted. Student's t-test was used to compare means age of Cyproheptadine users and non-users. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of Cyproheptadine use. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Overall, 499 participants were enrolled (352 females, 147 males, mean age ± standard deviation 24.9 ± 9.7 years) in the study. The majority of the study participants (72.9 %) had used Cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant. Females were 11 times more likely to use Cryproheptadine (OR = 11.9; 95 % CI: 7.1-20.1) than males. People aged between 36 and 55 were three times less likely to use Cryproheptadine (OR = 0.3; 95 % CI: 0.2-0.8) compared to teenagers. More than half of the participants (69.0 %) declared to take daily Cyproheptadine. Half of the study participants (50.0 %) used Cyproheptadine for more than a year and also declared to combine it with Dexamethasone (87.6 %). This study shows that the Kinshasa population is significantly misusing Cyproheptadine and is highly exposed to its risk, including obesity.

Occurrence des traumatismes alvéolo-dentaires aux cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa: deuxième partie, étude préliminaire de 93 cas

PubMed Central

Foche, Adelin Nzudjom; Bushabu, Fidele Nyimi; Mana, Charles Mfutu; Haruna, Ramazani; Masin, Steve Sekele; Nsudila, Monique; Alifi, Paul Bobe; Muinamiyi, Pierre Muyembi; Burley, Jean Paul Sekele Isourady

2018-01-01

Introduction L'objectif de cette étude était d'analyser les caractéristiques épidémiologiques cliniques des fractures alvéolo-dentaires aux cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa/RDC. Méthodes Étude transversale de 7 ans, réalisée dans le département d'odontostomatologie, service de stomatologie et de chirurgie maxillo-faciale/cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa de Janvier 2007 à Décembre 2014. Résultats Sur les 93 dossiers colligés, le sexe masculin était prédominant (66,7%) et l'âge le plus prévalent se situait entre 20 ans et 29 ans. Les causes les plus fréquentes ont été les agressions/rixes (52,7%) et la luxation dentaire a été le type des lésions la plus fréquente avec 52,7%. La RX retro-alvéolaire été réalisée dans 75,7%, et le blocage mono-maxillaire fut le type de traitement le plus réalisé (60,2%). Conclusion L'analyse de profil clinique des traumatismes alvéolo-dentaires aux cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa est celui d'un adulte jeune de sexe masculin, présentant des luxations dentaires des maxillaires dont les causes sont les agressions/rixes. PMID:29875931

Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about HIV infection and AIDS among healthy factory workers and their wives, Kinshasa, Zaire.

PubMed

Irwin, K; Bertrand, J; Mibandumba, N; Mbuyi, K; Muremeri, C; Mukoka, M; Munkolenkole, K; Nzilambi, N; Bosenge, N; Ryder, R

1991-01-01

As a first step in designing an AIDS prevention program at a large factory in Kinshasa, Zaire, we collected information on attitudes towards human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) from factory foremen and their wives. Trained moderators conducted twelve focus group discussions (from November through December 1987) that addressed knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about HIV infection and AIDS. In general, participants were familiar with HIV infection and AIDS and considered these conditions leading health problems in Kinshasa. Although participants had a fairly accurate understanding of the causes of HIV infection, modes of transmission and preventive measures, many myths and misconceptions existed. Many participants did not believe that condom use would consistently prevent infection through sexual intercourse. Participants strongly favored the counseling of seropositive persons but showed less consensus about whether the spouse of a seropositive person should be notified of the partner's test result. Participants predicted that couples in which one member is seropositive and the other is not would experience marital discord and friction with family, neighbors and co-workers. These findings were applied to the development of a counseling and educational program for seropositive factory employees and their spouses.

Preeclampsia and toxic metals: a case-control study in Kinshasa, DR Congo.

PubMed

Elongi Moyene, Jean-Pierre; Scheers, Hans; Tandu-Umba, Barthélémy; Haufroid, Vincent; Buassa-Bu-Tsumbu, Baudouin; Verdonck, Fons; Spitz, Bernard; Nemery, Benoit

2016-04-05

Preeclampsia is frequent in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo), especially during the dry season. We tested whether preeclampsia was associated with exposure to environmental metals. Using a case-control design, 88 women hospitalized with preeclampsia (cases) and 88 healthy pregnant women from the antenatal clinic (controls) were included in the study; 67 and 109 women were enrolled during the rainy and dry season, respectively. The concentrations of 24 elements were quantified by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) in 24-h urine collections. Differences in the urinary excretion of metals were investigated between cases and controls, and the interaction with season was assessed. Cases and controls were well matched regarding age, parity and duration of pregnancy. In controls, the urinary concentrations of most elements were substantially higher than reference values for adults from industrially developed countries, e.g. for lead: geometric mean (GM) 8.0 μg/L [25(th)-75(th) percentile 3.1-13.8]. The daily urinary excretions of 14 metals were significantly higher in women with preeclampsia than in control women, e.g. for lead: GM 61 μg/day (25(th)-75(th) percentile 8-345) in women with preeclampsia vs 9 μg/day (25(th)-75(th) percentile 3-21) in controls (p < 0.001). A significant interaction was found between season and preeclampsia for several elements, with higher urinary excretions in preeclamptic women than controls during the dry season, but not during the rainy season. This study revealed not only that women with preeclampsia excrete higher amounts of several toxic metals, especially lead, than control women, but also that this excretion exhibits seasonal variation, thus possibly explaining the high incidence and seasonal variation of preeclampsia in Kinshasa. Although the exact sources of this exposure are unknown, these findings underscore the need for preventing environmental exposures to lead and other toxic metals.

The incidence of induced abortion in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2016

PubMed Central

Kayembe, Patrick K.; Philbin, Jesse; Mabika, Crispin; Bankole, Akinrinola

2017-01-01

Background In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the penal code prohibits the provision of abortion. In practice, however, it is widely accepted that the procedure can be performed to save the life of a pregnant woman. Although abortion is highly restricted, anecdotal evidence indicates that women often resort to clandestine abortions, many of which are unsafe. However, to date, there are no official statistics or reliable data to support this assertion. Objectives Our study provides the first estimates of the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy in Kinshasa. Methods We applied the Abortion Incidence Complications Method (AICM) to estimate the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy. We used data from a Health Facilities Survey and a Prospective Morbidity Survey to determine the annual number of women treated for abortion complications at health facilities. We also employed data from a Health Professionals Survey to calculate a multiplier representing the number of abortions for every induced abortion complication treated in a health facility. Results In 2016, an estimated 37,865 women obtained treatment for induced abortion complications in health facilities in Kinshasa. For every woman treated in a facility, almost four times as many abortions occurred. In total, an estimated 146,713 abortions were performed, yielding an abortion rate of 56 per 1,000 women aged 15–49. Furthermore, more than 343,000 unintended pregnancies occurred, resulting in an unintended pregnancy rate of 147 per 1,000 women aged 15–49. Conclusions Increasing contraceptive uptake can reduce the number of women who experience unintended pregnancies, and as a consequence, result in fewer women obtaining unsafe abortions, suffering abortion complications, and dying needlessly from unsafe abortion. Increasing access to safe abortion and improving post-abortion care are other measures that can be implemented to reduce unsafe abortion and/or its negative consequences, including

The incidence of induced abortion in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, 2016.

PubMed

Chae, Sophia; Kayembe, Patrick K; Philbin, Jesse; Mabika, Crispin; Bankole, Akinrinola

2017-01-01

In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the penal code prohibits the provision of abortion. In practice, however, it is widely accepted that the procedure can be performed to save the life of a pregnant woman. Although abortion is highly restricted, anecdotal evidence indicates that women often resort to clandestine abortions, many of which are unsafe. However, to date, there are no official statistics or reliable data to support this assertion. Our study provides the first estimates of the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy in Kinshasa. We applied the Abortion Incidence Complications Method (AICM) to estimate the incidence of abortion and unintended pregnancy. We used data from a Health Facilities Survey and a Prospective Morbidity Survey to determine the annual number of women treated for abortion complications at health facilities. We also employed data from a Health Professionals Survey to calculate a multiplier representing the number of abortions for every induced abortion complication treated in a health facility. In 2016, an estimated 37,865 women obtained treatment for induced abortion complications in health facilities in Kinshasa. For every woman treated in a facility, almost four times as many abortions occurred. In total, an estimated 146,713 abortions were performed, yielding an abortion rate of 56 per 1,000 women aged 15-49. Furthermore, more than 343,000 unintended pregnancies occurred, resulting in an unintended pregnancy rate of 147 per 1,000 women aged 15-49. Increasing contraceptive uptake can reduce the number of women who experience unintended pregnancies, and as a consequence, result in fewer women obtaining unsafe abortions, suffering abortion complications, and dying needlessly from unsafe abortion. Increasing access to safe abortion and improving post-abortion care are other measures that can be implemented to reduce unsafe abortion and/or its negative consequences, including maternal mortality.

Intellectual and developmental disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: causality and implications for resilience and support.

PubMed

Aldersey, Heather M; Turnbull, H Rutherford; Turnbull, Ann P

2014-06-01

This article reports results of a 7-month qualitative study on intellectual and related developmental disabilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly as they relate to the causes and meaning of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). This study raises important questions related to the understanding of resilience of persons affected by IDD and the nature and purpose of support they use or desire.

[Funding of the management of severe malaria in children by Kinshasa households (Democratic Republic of Congo)].

PubMed

Ilunga-Ilunga, Félicien; Levêque, Alain; Dramaix, Michèle

2015-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the source of health care funding for heads of households related to the management of severe malaria in children admitted to a Kinshasa reference hospital. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,350 hospitalised children under the age of 15 years treated for severe malaria in Kinshasa reference hospitals from January to November 2011 and the heads of households of these children. Only 46% of heads of households reported having sufficient funds directly available in the household budget. The remaining 54% had to call upon external sources of funding (sale of assets, loans, pawning goods). The use of a loan tended to increase significantly mainly for households with a low (adjusted odds ratio = 6.2), and intermediate socioeconomic status (adjusted odds ratio = 3.8) and for households working in the informal sector (adjusted odds ratio = 2.5). Similarly, the sale of assets was more frequently reported for households working in the informal sector (adjusted odds ratio = 2.4) and for female heads of households (adjusted odds ratio = 3.9). The management of severe malaria is a burden on household income. The majority of heads of households concerned needs to use external funding sources. A State subsidy for this management would help to reduce the risk of debt and sale of assets, especially for the poorest households.

Moisture processes accompanying convective activity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sienkiewicz, M. E.; Scoggins, J. R.

1982-01-01

A moisture budget analysis was performed on data collected during the AVE 7 (May 2 to 3, 1978) and AVE-SESAME1 (April 10 to 11, 1979) experiments. Local rates-of-change of moisture were compared with average moisture divergence in the same time period. Results were presented as contoured plots in the horizontal and as vertical cross sections. These results were used to develop models of the distribution of moisture processes in the vicinity of convective areas in two layers representing lower and middle tropospheric conditions. Good correspondence was found between the residual term of the moisture budget and actual precipitation.

Evaluation of Ku-Band Sensitivity To Soil Moisture: Soil Moisture Change Detection Over the NAFE06 Study Area

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A very promising technique for spatial disaggregation of soil moisture is on the combination of radiometer and radar observations. Despite their demonstrated potential for long term large scale monitoring of soil moisture, passive and active have their disadvantages in terms of temporal and spatial ...

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women: High seroprevalence and risk factors in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Yobi, Doudou; Piarroux, Renaud; L'Ollivier, Coralie; Franck, Jacqueline; Situakibanza, Hypolite; Muhindo, Hypolite; Mitashi, Patrick; Inocêncio da Luz, Raquel Andreia; Van Sprundel, Marc; Boelaert, Marleen; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Lutumba, Pascal

2014-01-01

Objective To determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, as well as the proportion of acutely infected and risk factors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Methods Thirty maternities in Kinshasa were randomly selected and women attending antenatal consultation were invited to participate. They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire about known risk factors (age, meat consumption, contact with soil, and presence of cat) and a venous blood sample was taken. Sera were analysed for total immunoglobulins (Ig) by VIDAS Toxo Competition using Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay. IgM was determined by VIDIA Toxo IgM and IgG avidity by VIDAS Toxo IgG avidity. Results A total of 781 women were included. Median age was 28 years old (IQR: 8.5). And 627 women (80.3%; 95% CI: 77.5-83.1) were found to be positive to total Ig and 17 out of 387 (4.4%; 95% CI: 2.3-6.4) were positive to IgM. IgG avidity was low for 2 (11.8%) women, intermediate for 2 (11.8%) and high for 13 women (76.4%). There was no statistically significant association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and any risk factors assessed. Conclusion In Kinshasa, toxoplasmosis endemicity is highly prevalent. One woman out of twenty five had a recent toxoplasmosis infection and 20% were not protected against primo-infection, indicating a need for measures to prevent and control toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. PMID:24144134

Perceptions of health, health care and community-oriented health interventions in poor urban communities of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Maketa, Vivi; Vuna, Mimy; Baloji, Sylvain; Lubanza, Symphorien; Hendrickx, David; Inocêncio da Luz, Raquel Andrea; Boelaert, Marleen; Lutumba, Pascal

2013-01-01

In Democratic Republic of Congo access to health care is limited because of many geographical and financial barriers, while quality of care is often low. Global health donors assist the country with a number of community-oriented interventions such as free distribution of bednets, antihelminthic drugs, vitamin A supplementation and vaccination campaigns, but uptake of these interventions is not always optimal. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of poor urban communities of the capital Kinshasa with regard to health issues in general as well as their experiences and expectations concerning facility-based health services and community-oriented health interventions. Applying an approach rooted in the grounded theory framework, focus group discussions were conducted in eight neighborhoods of poor urban areas in the city of Kinshasa in July 2011. Study participants were easily able to evoke the city's major health problems, with the notable exceptions of malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. They perceive the high out-of-pocket cost of health services as the major obstacle when seeking access to quality care. Knowledge of ongoing community-oriented health interventions seems good. Still, while the study participants agree that those interventions are beneficial; their acceptability seems to be problematic. This is chiefly put down to a lack of information and government communication about the programs and their interventions. Furthermore, the study participants referred to rumors and the deterring effect of stories about alleged harmful consequences of those interventions. Along with improving the provision and quality of general health care, the government and international actors must improve their efforts in informing the communities about disease control programs, their rationale and benefit/risk ratio. Directly engaging community members in a dialogue might be beneficial in terms of improving acceptability and overall access to health services and

Moisture sorption by cellulose powders of varying crystallinity.

PubMed

Mihranyan, Albert; Llagostera, Assumpcio Piñas; Karmhag, Richard; Strømme, Maria; Ek, Ragnar

2004-01-28

Moisture in microcrystalline cellulose may cause stability problems for moisture sensitive drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of crystallinity and surface area on the uptake of moisture in cellulose powders. Powders of varying crystallinity were manufactured, and the uptake of moisture was investigated at different relative humidities. The structure of the cellulose powders was characterized by X-ray diffraction, BET surface area analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Moisture uptake was directly related to the cellulose crystallinity and pore volume: Cellulose powders with higher crystallinity showed lower moisture uptake at relative humidities below 75%, while at higher humidities the moisture uptake could be associated with filling of the large pore volume of the cellulose powder of highest crystallinity. In conclusion, the structure of cellulose should be thoroughly considered when manufacturing low moisture grades of MCC.

Plan of research for integrated soil moisture studies. Recommendations of the Soil Moisture Working Group

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

Soil moisture information is a potentially powerful tool for applications in agriculture, water resources, and climate. At present, it is difficult for users of this information to clearly define their needs in terms of accuracy, resolution and frequency because of the current sparsity of data. A plan is described for defining and conducting an integrated and coordinated research effort to develop and refine remote sensing techniques which will determine spatial and temporal variations of soil moisture and to utilize soil moisture information in support of agricultural, water resources, and climate applications. The soil moisture requirements of these three different application areas were reviewed in relation to each other so that one plan covering the three areas could be formulated. Four subgroups were established to write and compile the plan, namely models, ground-based studies, aircraft experiments, and spacecraft missions.

Misconceptions about HIV infection in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo): a case-control study on knowledge, attitudes and practices.

PubMed

Carlos, Silvia; Martínez-González, Miguel Ángel; Burgueño, Eduardo; López-Del Burgo, Cristina; Ruíz-Canela, Miguel; Ndarabu, Adolphe; Tshilolo, Léon; Tshiswaka, Philomène; Labarga, Pablo; de Irala, Jokin

2015-08-01

To evaluate the prevalence of HIV-related misconceptions in an outpatient centre of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo) and analyse the association between these beliefs and HIV infection. A case-control study was carried out from December 2010 until June 2012. We assessed 1630 participants aged 15-49 attending a primary outpatient centre in Kinshasa: 762 HIV Voluntary Counselling and Testing attendees and 868 blood donors. A 59-item questionnaire about knowledge, attitudes and practice was administered during a face-to-face interview, followed by an HIV test. Cases and controls were respondents with a newly diagnosed HIV-positive or HIV-negative test, respectively. Unconditional logistic regression was used to analyse the association between misconceptions and HIV seropositivity. 274 cases and 1340 controls were recruited. Cases were more likely than controls to have a low socioeconomic status, no education, to be divorced/separated or widowed. An association was found between the following variables and HIV seropositivity: having a poor HIV knowledge (adjusted OR=2.79; 95% CI 1.43 to 5.45), not knowing a virus is the cause of AIDS (adjusted OR=2.03; 95% CI 1.38 to 2.98) and reporting more than three HIV-transmission-related misconceptions (adjusted OR=3.30; 95% CI 1.64 to 6.64), such as thinking an HIV-positive person cannot look healthy and that HIV is transmitted by sorcery, God's punishment, a kiss on the mouth, mosquitoes, coughs/sneezes or undercooked food. Despite having access to healthcare services, there are still many people in Kinshasa that have HIV-related misconceptions that increase their HIV risk. Our findings underscore the need for a culturally adapted and gender-orientated basic HIV information into Congolese HIV prevention programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

[Risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo].

PubMed

Misombo-Kalabela, André; Nguefack-Tsague, Georges; Kalla, Ginette Claude Mireille; Ze, Emmanuel Afane; Diangs, Kimpanga; Panda, Tshapenda; Kebela, Ilunga; Fueza, Serge Bisuta; Magazani, Nzanzu; Mbopi-Kéou, François-Xavier

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine the risk factors for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in the city of Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This was a case control study. The cases included all TB patients notified as resistant to rifampicin and isoniazid in Kinshasa from January 2012 to June 2013. The controls included TB patients treated during the same period as the cases and declared cured at the end of treatment. For this study, we obtained ethical clearance. The sample consisted of 213 participants, 132 men (62%) and 81 women (38%). The median age was 31 years (16-73 years). Factors associated with significant (p< 0,05) multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were the non-observance of the hours of taking drugs (0R = 111) (80% cases, 4% controls), the failure of treatment (0R = 20 (76% cases, 13% controls); the concept of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in the family (0R = 6.4) (28% cases, 6% controls); a lack of knowledge of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (0R = 3.2) (31% cases, 59% controls); a stay in prison (0R = 7.6) (10% cases, 1% controls) and the interruption of treatment (0R = 6.1) (59% cases, 19% controls). The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis can be avoided by the installation of suitable diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Toxoplasmosis among pregnant women: high seroprevalence and risk factors in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Doudou, Yobi; Renaud, Piarroux; Coralie, L'Ollivier; Jacqueline, Franck; Hypolite, Situakibanza; Hypolite, Muhindo; Patrick, Mitashi; Andreia, Inocêncio da Luz Raquel; Van Sprundel, Marc; Marleen, Boelaert; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Pascal, Lutumba

2014-01-01

To determine the seroprevalence of toxoplasmosis in pregnant women, as well as the proportion of acutely infected and risk factors in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Thirty maternities in Kinshasa were randomly selected and women attending antenatal consultation were invited to participate. They were interviewed with a structured questionnaire about known risk factors (age, meat consumption, contact with soil, and presence of cat) and a venous blood sample was taken. Sera were analysed for total immunoglobulins (Ig) by VIDAS Toxo Competition using Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay. IgM was determined by VIDIA Toxo IgM and IgG avidity by VIDAS Toxo IgG avidity. A total of 781 women were included. Median age was 28 years old (IQR: 8.5). And 627 women (80.3%; 95% CI: 77.5-83.1) were found to be positive to total Ig and 17 out of 387 (4.4%; 95% CI: 2.3-6.4) were positive to IgM. IgG avidity was low for 2 (11.8%) women, intermediate for 2 (11.8%) and high for 13 women (76.4%). There was no statistically significant association between Toxoplasma gondii infection and any risk factors assessed. In Kinshasa, toxoplasmosis endemicity is highly prevalent. One woman out of twenty five had a recent toxoplasmosis infection and 20% were not protected against primo-infection, indicating a need for measures to prevent and control toxoplasmosis during pregnancy. Copyright © 2014 Asian Pacific Tropical Biomedical Magazine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of SMOS soil moisture products over the CanEx-SM10 area

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) Earth observation satellite was launched in November 2009 to provide global soil moisture and ocean salinity measurements based on L-Band passive microwave measurements. Since its launch, different versions of SMOS soil moisture products processors have be...

The SWEX at the area of Eastern Poland: Comparison of soil moisture obtained from ground measurements and SMOS satellite data*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Usowicz, J. B.; Marczewski, W.; Usowicz, B.; Lukowski, M. I.; Lipiec, J.; Slominski, J.

2012-04-01

Soil moisture, together with soil and vegetation characteristics, plays an important role in exchange of water and energy between the land surface and the atmospheric boundary layer. Accurate knowledge of current and future spatial and temporal variation in soil moisture is not well known, nor easy to measure or predict. Knowledge of soil moisture in surface and root zone soil moisture is critical for achieving sustainable land and water management. The importance of SM is so high that this ECV is recommended by GCOS (Global Climate Observing System) to any attempts of evaluating of effects the climate change, and therefore it is one of the goals for observing the Earth by the ESA SMOS Mission (Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity), globally. SMOS provides its observations by means of the interferometric radiometry method (1.4 GHz) from the orbit. In parallel, ten ground based stations are kept by IA PAN, in area of the Eastern Wall in Poland, in order to validate SMOS data and for other ground based agrophysical purposes. Soil moisture measurements obtained from ground and satellite measurements from SMOS were compared using Bland-Altman method of agreement, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) and total deviation index (TDI). Observed similar changes in soil moisture, but the values obtained from satellite measurements were lower. Minor differences between the compared data are at higher moisture contents of soil and they grow with decreasing soil moisture. Soil moisture trends are maintained in the individual stations. Such distributions of soil moisture were mainly related to soil type. * The work was financially supported in part by the ESA Programme for European Cooperating States (PECS), No.98084 "SWEX-R, Soil Water and Energy Exchange/Research", AO3275.

Lead exposure and early child neurodevelopment among children 12-24 months in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Kashala-Abotnes, Espérance; Mumbere, Pépé Penghele; Mishika, Jeannette Mukanya; Ndjukendi, Ally Omba; Mpaka, Davin Beya; Bumoko, Makila-Mabe Guy; Kayembe, Tharcisse Kalula; Tshala-Katumbay, Désiré; Kazadi, Théodore Kayembe; Okitundu, Daniel Luwa E-Andjafono

2016-12-01

Childhood lead exposure remains a problem in developing countries, and little is known about its effects on early child neurodevelopment and temperament in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We, therefore, conducted this study to determine the association between lead exposure and the neurodevelopment and behaviour of children aged 12-24 months in Kinshasa, DRC. A cross-sectional study was conducted between February and June 2012, and parents of 104 children were invited to participate. Blood lead levels (BLLs) of each child were tested using the flame atomic spectrophotometry method. All children were subject to a clinical examination and assessed with two selected early child neurodevelopmental tools, the Gensini-Gavito and the baby characteristics questionnaire, to measure their neurodevelopment and temperament. Detectable BLLs ranged from 1 to 30 μg/dl with a geometric mean of 6.9 (SD 4.8) μg/dl. BLLs at 5-9 and ≥10 μg/dl were significantly associated with the child temperament (p <0.05). Perinatal and maternal factors did not seem to affect early child neurodevelopment and temperament. Children exposed to lead were reported with more temperament difficulties at even blood lead levels <10 μg/dl, suggesting the need for preventive and intervention measures to reduce lead exposure among children in Kinshasa, DRC.

Perceptions and types of support coming from families caring for patients suffering from advanced illness in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Lofandjola, Jacques Masumbuku; Sumaili, Ernest Kiswaya; Mairiaux, Philippe; Petermans, Jean

2017-08-01

Perceptions of families who take care of patients suffering from advanced illness are rarely considered in Kinshasa medical practices; nevertheless, these families are the main actors involved in such care. The objective of this present study was to illustrate, in a Congolese context, the perceptions of families on the care of patients suffering from advanced illness, and to identify the possible aids provided by healthcare facilities. A qualitative study was performed among focus groups in six hospitals in Kinshasa. Each group included eight members. We gathered factors that could negatively influence the care of a patient suffering from advanced disease. Such factors included: scarcity of and inaccessibility to painkillers, economic resilience, poor quality treatment, lack of psychological counselling, seeking alternative solutions and poor communication between caregivers and patients. In contrast, the study also showed that relatives caring for these patients often receive support from the wider family and from cult members. This study focuses on the miscommunication between healthcare workers and patients, poor management in advanced illness as well as a lack of psychological support from caregivers. The findings can serve as basis for further research in palliative care.

Estimating irrigated areas from satellite and model soil moisture data over the contiguous US

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaussinger, Felix; Dorigo, Wouter; Gruber, Alexander

2017-04-01

Information about irrigation is crucial for a number of applications such as drought- and yield management and contributes to a better understanding of the water-cycle, land-atmosphere interactions as well as climate projections. Currently, irrigation is mainly quantified by national agricultural statistics, which do not include spatial information. The digital Global Map of Irrigated Areas (GMIA) has been the first effort to quantify irrigation at the global scale by merging these statistics with remote sensing data. Also, the MODIS-Irrigated Agriculture Dataset (MirAD-US) was created by merging annual peak MODIS-NDVI with US county level irrigation statistics. In this study we aim to map irrigated areas by confronting time series of various satellite soil moisture products with soil moisture from the ERA-Interim/Land reanalysis product. We follow the assumption that irrigation signals are not modelled in the reanalysis product, nor contributing to its forcing data, but affecting the spatially continuous remote sensing observations. Based on this assumption, spatial patterns of irrigation are derived from differences between the temporal slopes of the modelled and remotely sensed time series during the irrigation season. Results show that a combination of ASCAT and ERA-Interim/Land show spatial patterns which are in good agreement with the MIrAD-US, particularly within the Mississippi Delta, Texas and eastern Nebraska. In contrast, AMSRE shows weak agreements, plausibly due to a higher vegetation dependency of the soil moisture signal. There is no significant agreement to the MIrAD-US in California, which is possibly related to higher crop-diversity and lower field sizes. Also, a strong signal in the region of the Great Corn Belt is observed, which is generally not outlined as an irrigated area. It is not yet clear to what extent the signal obtained in the Mississippi Delta is related to re-reflection effects caused by standing water due to flood or furrow

Twisted Pair Of Insulated Wires Senses Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laue, Eric G.; Stephens, James B.

1989-01-01

Sensitivity of electronic moisture sensor to low levels of moisture increased by new electrode configuration. Moisture-sensing circuit described in "Low-Cost Humidity Sensor" (NPO-16544). New twisted pair of wires takes place of flat-plate capacitor in circuit. Configuration allows for thermal expansion and contraction of polymer while maintaining nearly constant area of contact between polymer and wires.

On-irrigator pasture soil moisture sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eng-Choon Tan, Adrian; Richards, Sean; Platt, Ian; Woodhead, Ian

2017-02-01

In this paper, we presented the development of a proximal soil moisture sensor that measured the soil moisture content of dairy pasture directly from the boom of an irrigator. The proposed sensor was capable of soil moisture measurements at an accuracy of  ±5% volumetric moisture content, and at meter scale ground area resolutions. The sensor adopted techniques from the ultra-wideband radar to enable measurements of ground reflection at resolutions that are smaller than the antenna beamwidth of the sensor. An experimental prototype was developed for field measurements. Extensive field measurements using the developed prototype were conducted on grass pasture at different ground conditions to validate the accuracy of the sensor in performing soil moisture measurements.

Blood lead levels in children after phase-out of leaded gasoline in Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

PubMed

Tuakuila, Joel; Kabamba, Martin; Mata, Honoré; Mata, Gerard

2013-04-04

The phasing out of lead from gasoline has resulted in a significant decrease in blood lead levels (BLLs) in children during the last two decades. Tetraethyl lead was phased out in DRC in 2009. The objective of this study was to test for reduction in pediatric BLLs in Kinshasa, by comparing BLLs collected in 2011 (2 years after use of leaded gasoline was phased out) to those collected in surveys conducted in 2004 and 2008 by Tuakuila et al. (when leaded gasoline was still used). We analyzed BLLs in a total of 100 children under 6 years of age (Mean ± SD: 2.9 ± 1.6 age, 64% boys) using inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP - MS). The prevalence of elevated BLLs (≥ 10 μg/dL) in children tested was 63% in 2004 [n = 100, GM (95% CI) = 12.4 μg/dL (11.4 - 13.3)] and 71% in 2008 [(n = 55, GM (95% CI) = 11.2 μg/dL (10.3 - 14.4)]. In the present study, this prevalence was 41%. The average BLLs for the current study population [GM (95% CI) = 8.7 μg/dL (8.0 - 9.5)] was lower than those found by Tuakuila et al. (F = 10.38, p <0.001) as well as the CDC level of concern (10 μ/dL), with 3% of children diagnosed with BLLs ≥ 20 μg/dL. These results demonstrate a significant success of the public health system in Kinshasa, DRC-achieved by the removal of lead from gasoline. However, with increasing evidence that adverse health effects occur at BLLs < 10 μg/dL and no safe BLLs in children has been identified, the BLLs measured in this study continue to constitute a major public health concern for Kinshasa. The emphasis should shift to examine the contributions of non-gasoline sources to children's BLLs: car batteries recycling in certain residences, the traditional use of fired clay for the treatment of gastritis by pregnant women and leaded paint.

[Stab wounds of the hand and forearm due to Kuluna in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo): types of injuries and treatment].

PubMed

Kibadi, K; Portaels, F; Pichot, Y; Kapinga, M; Moutet, F

2015-01-01

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a particular form of juvenile delinquency and insecurity intensifies in the city of Kinshasa. This is the phenomenon Kuluna. It is organized gangs equipped with machetes and other weapons. The main objective of this study is to know the phenomenon Kuluna and describe the upper limb injuries caused by machetes, while insisting on the specifics of the management of these lesions in our communities. This retrospective descriptive study examines 14 cases of wounds of the hand and forearm due to stab phenomenon Kuluna, in Kinshasa. It covers the period from 1 November 2010 to 1 November 2013. Among the 14 patients with lesions in the hand and forearm admitted and treated at the Unit of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Hand Surgery and Burns, University Clinics of Kinshasa to attacks due to the phenomenon Kuluna. We have 11 men and 3 women. The average age was 33, 5 years (extremes of 21 and 56 years). The right upper limb is reached that the left upper limb, respectively 12 patients and 2 patients. The lesions are localized to the wrist in the majority of cases (10 patients) in the palm of hand and in 3 patients in the fingers in 1 patient. The palmar surface is reached (10 cases) and the dorsal (4 cases). Zone 5 of the International Classification of flexor and Zone 8 topographic classification extensors at hand are the predilection sites of lesions respectively the palmar surface (6 out of 10) and the dorsal (2 case 4). The median nerve at the wrist is cut in half the cases. On bone lesions localized to the forearm, we observed a high incidence of fracture of the ulna (62.5%). The treatment begins with the stabilization of bone pieces, gestures revascularization and nerve sutures and suture tendon and finally skin coverage. Rehabilitation was mandatory, she supervises the actions of repair and it continues until the recovery of function.

The moisture budget in relation to convection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, R. W.; Scoggins, J. R.

1977-01-01

An evaluation of the moisture budget in the environment of convective storms is presented by using the unique 3- to 6-h rawinsonde data. Net horizontal and vertical boundary fluxes accounted for most of the large amounts of moisture which were concentrated into convective regions associated with two squall lines that moved through the area during the experiment. The largest values of moisture accumulations were located slightly downwind of the most intense convective activity. Relationships between computed moisture quantities of the moisture budget and radar-observed convection improved when lagging the radar data by 3 h. The residual of moisture which represents all sources and sinks of moisture in the budget equation was largely accounted for by measurements of precipitation.

Validation of the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite soil moisture retrieval in an Arctic tundra environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wrona, Elizabeth; Rowlandson, Tracy L.; Nambiar, Manoj; Berg, Aaron A.; Colliander, Andreas; Marsh, Philip

2017-05-01

This study examines the Soil Moisture Active Passive soil moisture product on the Equal Area Scalable Earth-2 (EASE-2) 36 km Global cylindrical and North Polar azimuthal grids relative to two in situ soil moisture monitoring networks that were installed in 2015 and 2016. Results indicate that there is no relationship between the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) Level-2 passive soil moisture product and the upscaled in situ measurements. Additionally, there is very low correlation between modeled brightness temperature using the Community Microwave Emission Model and the Level-1 C SMAP brightness temperature interpolated to the EASE-2 Global grid; however, there is a much stronger relationship to the brightness temperature measurements interpolated to the North Polar grid, suggesting that the soil moisture product could be improved with interpolation on the North Polar grid.

Need for surgical treatment of epilepsy and excision of tumors and post-traumatic epileptogenic lesions in Kinshasa, RDC.

PubMed

Ntsambi-Eba, G; Beltchika Kalubye, A; Kalala Okito, J P

2017-11-01

Surgery is a treatment to consider in epilepsy when the condition is refractory or epileptic events are related to a clearly identified brain abnormality. The tropical climate of the DRC explains the high risk of epilepsy and the potentially large number of refractory cases. The number of patients with epilepsy in Kinshasa is estimated to be at least 120 000, and almost one third may be refractory. Hence, the need to integrate the use of surgery in the treatment of this disease. Most neurosurgical techniques used for treating epilepsy are practiced with a neurosurgical microscope and neuronavigation. In most developing countries, neither the material conditions for optimum realization of these surgical techniques nor the equipment for epilepsy investigation are close to fully available. Nonetheless, the selection of a large number of patients for surgery often does not require the use of all these explorations.The current availability in Kinshasa of the equipment for the basic investigation of epilepsy, such as EEG and MRI instruments, and the experience of the local neurological/neurosurgical team together make it possible to diagnose this pathology and treat it surgically when necessary. The creation of a multidisciplinary team for epilepsy will enable the selection of candidates who can most effectively benefit from surgical treatment. This surgery should focus initially on well circumscribed lesions that do not require sophisticated methods of investigation and can be removed relatively easily, with a high probability of seizure suppression.

Predictors of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding before six months among mothers in Kinshasa: a prospective study.

PubMed

Babakazo, Pélagie; Donnen, Philippe; Akilimali, Pierre; Ali, Nathalis Mapatano Mala; Okitolonda, Emile

2015-01-01

Although breastfeeding is common in Democratic Republic of the Congo, the proportion of women who exclusively breastfeed their babies up to 6 months remains low. This study aimed at identifying predictors of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding before six months among mothers in Kinshasa. A prospective study was carried out from October 2012 to July 2013 among 422 mother-child pairs recruited shortly after discharge from twelve maternities in Kinshasa and followed up to six months. Interviews were conducted at each woman's house during the first week after birth, and at one, two, three, four, five and six months. Collected data included history of child's feeding and mother's socio-demographic and psychosocial characteristics. The Cox Proportional Model was used to identify predictors of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding before six months. The median duration of exclusive breastfeeding was 10.9 weeks (Inter Quartile Range 4.3 to 14.9). At six months, 2.8 % of infants were exclusively breastfed. The factors independently associated with the discontinuation of exclusive breastfeeding before six months were: not confident in the ability to breastfeed [Adjusted hazard ratio (AHR) = 3.90; 95 % CI 1.66, 9.16)], no plan on the duration of EBF (AHR = 2.86; 95 % CI 1.91, 4.28), breastfeeding problems during the first week (AHR = 1.54; 95 % CI 1.13, 2.11), low level of breastfeeding knowledge (AHR = 1.52; 95 % CI 1.08, 2.15), and experienced less than five Baby-friendly practices during the maternity stay (AHR = 1.47; 95 % CI 1.05, 2.06). Confidence in the ability to breastfeed and intention to exclusively breastfeed were the most important predictors of discontinuing exclusive breastfeeding before six months. To have a greater impact on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding, interventions should focus on these factors.

Detection of moisture and moisture related phenomena from Skylab. [infrared photography of Texas/New Mexico

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eagleman, J. R.; Pogge, E. C.; Moore, R. K. (Principal Investigator); Hardy, N.; Lin, W.; League, L.

1974-01-01

The author had identified the following significant results. Soil moisture and precipitation variations were not detectable as tonal variations on the S19OA IR B and W photography. Some light tonal areas contained high precipitation .83 inches and high moisture content 21.1% while other light tonal areas contained only .02 inches precipitation and as little as 0.7% moisture. Similar variations were observed in dark tonal areas. This inconsistency may be caused by a lapse of 3 to 4 days from the time precipitation occurred until the photographs were taken and the fact that in the first inch of soil the measured soil moisture was generally less than 5.0%. For overall tonal contrast, the aerial color, color IR and aerial B and W appear to be the best. Cities stand out from the landscape best in the aerial color and color IR, however, to see major street patterns a combination of the two aerial B and W bands and the two IR B and W bands may be desirable. For mapping roads it is best use all 6 bands. For lake detection, the IR B and W bands would be the best but for streams the aerial B and W band would be better. The aerial color, color IR, and the two IR B and W bands are best for distinguishing cultivated and non-cultivated areas, whereas the two aerial B and W bands are better for seeing local relief. Clouds may be best seen in the aerial color and color IR bands.

Antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of enterobacteriaceae isolated from HIV-infected patients in Kinshasa.

PubMed

Iyamba, Jean-Marie Liesse; Wambale, José Mulwahali; Takaisi-Kikuni, Ntondo Za Balega

2014-01-01

People infected by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are susceptible to develop severe bacterial infections. We set out to determine the frequency and the sensitivity to antibiotics of enterobaceriaceae isolated from urine and feces of HIV-infected persons. Urine and feces samples were collected from HIV-infected patients of the Centre de Traitement Ambulatoire de Kabinda (CTA/Kabinda, Kinshasa) and analyzed at the Reference National Laboratory for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections. The isolated enterobacteriaceae strains were identified by conventional microbiological methods. Antibiotic sensitivity pattern was carried out by disc diffusion method. THE FOLLOWING BACTERIA PATHOGENS WERE ISOLATED: Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Proteus, and Providencia. Most species were sensitive to cefotaxim, ceftriaxon, and gentamicin and resistant to chloramphenicol, cotrimoxazole, tetracycline, and norfloxacin. The results of the present study show that the most frequently bacteria isolated were Esherichia coli and cefotaxim, ceftriaxon, and gentamicin were the most active antibiotics.

Assessing groundwater vulnerability in the Kinshasa region, DR Congo, using a calibrated DRASTIC model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mfumu Kihumba, Antoine; Vanclooster, Marnik; Ndembo Longo, Jean

2017-02-01

This study assessed the vulnerability of groundwater against pollution in the Kinshasa region, DR Congo, as a support of a groundwater protection program. The parametric vulnerability model (DRASTIC) was modified and calibrated to predict the intrinsic vulnerability as well as the groundwater pollution risk. The method uses groundwater body specific parameters for the calibration of the factor ratings and weightings of the original DRASTIC model. These groundwater specific parameters are inferred from the statistical relation between the original DRASTIC model and observed nitrate pollution for a specific period. In addition, site-specific land use parameters are integrated into the method. The method is fully embedded in a Geographic Information System (GIS). Following these modifications, the correlation coefficient between groundwater pollution risk and observed nitrate concentrations for the 2013-2014 survey improved from r = 0.42, for the original DRASTIC model, to r = 0.61 for the calibrated model. As a way to validate this pollution risk map, observed nitrate concentrations from another survey (2008) are compared to pollution risk indices showing a good degree of coincidence with r = 0.51. The study shows that a calibration of a vulnerability model is recommended when vulnerability maps are used for groundwater resource management and land use planning at the regional scale and that it is adapted to a specific area.

Soil moisture variability across different scales in an Indian watershed for satellite soil moisture product validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Gurjeet; Panda, Rabindra K.; Mohanty, Binayak P.; Jana, Raghavendra B.

2016-05-01

Strategic ground-based sampling of soil moisture across multiple scales is necessary to validate remotely sensed quantities such as NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) product. In the present study, in-situ soil moisture data were collected at two nested scale extents (0.5 km and 3 km) to understand the trend of soil moisture variability across these scales. This ground-based soil moisture sampling was conducted in the 500 km2 Rana watershed situated in eastern India. The study area is characterized as sub-humid, sub-tropical climate with average annual rainfall of about 1456 mm. Three 3x3 km square grids were sampled intensively once a day at 49 locations each, at a spacing of 0.5 km. These intensive sampling locations were selected on the basis of different topography, soil properties and vegetation characteristics. In addition, measurements were also made at 9 locations around each intensive sampling grid at 3 km spacing to cover a 9x9 km square grid. Intensive fine scale soil moisture sampling as well as coarser scale samplings were made using both impedance probes and gravimetric analyses in the study watershed. The ground-based soil moisture samplings were conducted during the day, concurrent with the SMAP descending overpass. Analysis of soil moisture spatial variability in terms of areal mean soil moisture and the statistics of higher-order moments, i.e., the standard deviation, and the coefficient of variation are presented. Results showed that the standard deviation and coefficient of variation of measured soil moisture decreased with extent scale by increasing mean soil moisture.

Measuring soil moisture with imaging radars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dubois, Pascale C.; Vanzyl, Jakob; Engman, Ted

1995-01-01

An empirical model was developed to infer soil moisture and surface roughness from radar data. The accuracy of the inversion technique is assessed by comparing soil moisture obtained with the inversion technique to in situ measurements. The effect of vegetation on the inversion is studied and a method to eliminate the areas where vegetation impairs the algorithm is described.

Stockouts of HIV commodities in public health facilities in Kinshasa: Barriers to end HIV

PubMed Central

Bossard, Claire; Verdonck, Kristien; Owiti, Philip; Casteels, Ilse; Mashako, Maria; Van Cutsem, Gilles; Ellman, Tom

2018-01-01

Stockouts of HIV commodities increase the risk of treatment interruption, antiretroviral resistance, treatment failure, morbidity and mortality. The study objective was to assess the magnitude and duration of stockouts of HIV medicines and diagnostic tests in public facilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a cross-sectional survey involving visits to facilities and warehouses in April and May 2015. All zonal warehouses, all public facilities with more than 200 patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) (high-burden facilities) and a purposive sample of facilities with 200 or fewer patients (low-burden facilities) in Kinshasa were selected. We focused on three adult ART formulations, cotrimoxazole tablets, and HIV diagnostic tests. Availability of items was determined by physical check, while stockout duration until the day of the survey visit was verified with stock cards. In case of ART stockouts, we asked the pharmacist in charge what the facility coping strategy was for patients needing those medicines. The study included 28 high-burden facilities and 64 low-burden facilities, together serving around 22000 ART patients. During the study period, a national shortage of the newly introduced first-line regimen Tenofovir-Lamivudine-Efavirenz resulted in stockouts of this regimen in 56% of high-burden and 43% of low-burden facilities, lasting a median of 36 (interquartile range 29–90) and 44 days (interquartile range 24–90) until the day of the survey visit, respectively. Each of the other investigated commodities were found out of stock in at least two low-burden and two high-burden facilities. In 30/41 (73%) of stockout cases, the commodity was absent at the facility but present at the upstream warehouse. In 30/57 (54%) of ART stockout cases, patients did not receive any medicines. In some cases, patients were switched to different ART formulations or regimens. Stockouts of HIV commodities were common in the visited facilities

Stockouts of HIV commodities in public health facilities in Kinshasa: Barriers to end HIV.

PubMed

Gils, Tinne; Bossard, Claire; Verdonck, Kristien; Owiti, Philip; Casteels, Ilse; Mashako, Maria; Van Cutsem, Gilles; Ellman, Tom

2018-01-01

Stockouts of HIV commodities increase the risk of treatment interruption, antiretroviral resistance, treatment failure, morbidity and mortality. The study objective was to assess the magnitude and duration of stockouts of HIV medicines and diagnostic tests in public facilities in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a cross-sectional survey involving visits to facilities and warehouses in April and May 2015. All zonal warehouses, all public facilities with more than 200 patients on antiretroviral treatment (ART) (high-burden facilities) and a purposive sample of facilities with 200 or fewer patients (low-burden facilities) in Kinshasa were selected. We focused on three adult ART formulations, cotrimoxazole tablets, and HIV diagnostic tests. Availability of items was determined by physical check, while stockout duration until the day of the survey visit was verified with stock cards. In case of ART stockouts, we asked the pharmacist in charge what the facility coping strategy was for patients needing those medicines. The study included 28 high-burden facilities and 64 low-burden facilities, together serving around 22000 ART patients. During the study period, a national shortage of the newly introduced first-line regimen Tenofovir-Lamivudine-Efavirenz resulted in stockouts of this regimen in 56% of high-burden and 43% of low-burden facilities, lasting a median of 36 (interquartile range 29-90) and 44 days (interquartile range 24-90) until the day of the survey visit, respectively. Each of the other investigated commodities were found out of stock in at least two low-burden and two high-burden facilities. In 30/41 (73%) of stockout cases, the commodity was absent at the facility but present at the upstream warehouse. In 30/57 (54%) of ART stockout cases, patients did not receive any medicines. In some cases, patients were switched to different ART formulations or regimens. Stockouts of HIV commodities were common in the visited facilities. Introduction

Soil moisture estimation using reflected solar and emitted thermal infrared radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, R. D.; Cihlar, J.; Estes, J. E.; Heilman, J. L.; Kahle, A.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Millard, J.; Price, J. C.; Wiegand, C. L.

1978-01-01

Classical methods of measuring soil moisture such as gravimetric sampling and the use of neutron moisture probes are useful for cases where a point measurement is sufficient to approximate the water content of a small surrounding area. However, there is an increasing need for rapid and repetitive estimations of soil moisture over large areas. Remote sensing techniques potentially have the capability of meeting this need. The use of reflected-solar and emitted thermal-infrared radiation, measured remotely, to estimate soil moisture is examined.

[Effect of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding in Kinshasa: A cluster randomized trial].

PubMed

Babakazo, P; Donnen, P; Mapatano, M A; Lulebo, A; Okitolonda, E

2015-10-01

Despite numerous advantages of breastfeeding, in Democratic Republic of the Congo, the rate of children exclusively breastfed up to six months remains low. The lack of breastfeeding support received by mothers from health care providers is an important factor of early cessation of breastfeeding. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the training of health care providers, in the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, on the duration of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) in Kinshasa. A total of 422 mothers, recruited during the first antenatal care visit in 12 maternities and followed up to six months after delivery, were included in a cluster randomized trial. In the experimental group, health care providers were trained using the "20-Hour Course For Maternity Staff". Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the effect of the intervention on the duration of EBF. The rate of EBF at six months was 2.8%; the median duration of EBF was 10.9 weeks (IQR 4.3 to 14.9). The hazard of discontinuing EBF before six month was 1.4 times higher in the control group (adjusted HR [95%CI]=1.40 (1.10-1.78), P=0.007). In this study, training of health care providers in the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative was associated with a significant improvement in the duration of EBF. Extending this training to different maternities could improve the coverage of EBF in Kinshasa. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Blood lead levels in children after phase-out of leaded gasoline in Kinshasa, the capital of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The phasing out of lead from gasoline has resulted in a significant decrease in blood lead levels (BLLs) in children during the last two decades. Tetraethyl lead was phased out in DRC in 2009. The objective of this study was to test for reduction in pediatric BLLs in Kinshasa, by comparing BLLs collected in 2011 (2 years after use of leaded gasoline was phased out) to those collected in surveys conducted in 2004 and 2008 by Tuakuila et al. (when leaded gasoline was still used). Methods We analyzed BLLs in a total of 100 children under 6 years of age (Mean ± SD: 2.9 ± 1.6 age, 64% boys) using inductively coupled argon plasma mass spectrometry (ICP – MS). Results The prevalence of elevated BLLs (≥ 10 μg/dL) in children tested was 63% in 2004 [n = 100, GM (95% CI) = 12.4 μg/dL (11.4 – 13.3)] and 71% in 2008 [(n = 55, GM (95% CI) = 11.2 μg/dL (10.3 – 14.4)]. In the present study, this prevalence was 41%. The average BLLs for the current study population [GM (95% CI) = 8.7 μg/dL (8.0 – 9.5)] was lower than those found by Tuakuila et al. (F = 10.38, p <0.001) as well as the CDC level of concern (10 μ/dL), with 3% of children diagnosed with BLLs ≥ 20 μg/dL. Conclusion These results demonstrate a significant success of the public health system in Kinshasa, DRC-achieved by the removal of lead from gasoline. However, with increasing evidence that adverse health effects occur at BLLs < 10 μg/dL and no safe BLLs in children has been identified, the BLLs measured in this study continue to constitute a major public health concern for Kinshasa. The emphasis should shift to examine the contributions of non-gasoline sources to children’s BLLs: car batteries recycling in certain residences, the traditional use of fired clay for the treatment of gastritis by pregnant women and leaded paint. PMID:23556999

Soil moisture variation patterns observed in Hand County, South Dakota

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, E. B.; Owe, M.; Schmugge, T. J. (Principal Investigator)

1981-01-01

Soil moisture data were taken during 1976 (April, June, October), 1977 (April, May, June), and 1978 (May, June, July) Hand County, South Dakota as part of the ground truth used in NASA's aircraft experiments to study the use of microwave radiometers for the remote sensing of soil moisture. The spatial variability observed on the ground during each of the sampling events was studied. The data reported are the mean gravimetric soil moisture contained in three surface horizon depths: 0 to 2.5, 0 to 5 and 0 to 10 cm. The overall moisture levels ranged from extremely dry conditions in June 1976 to very wet in May 1978, with a relatively even distribution of values within that range. It is indicated that well drained sites have to be partitioned from imperfectly drained areas when attempting to characterize the general moisture profile throughout an area of varying soil and cover type conditions. It is also found that the variability in moisture content is greatest in the 0 to 2.5 cm measurements and decreases as the measurements are integrated over a greater depth. It is also determined that the sampling intensity of 10 measurements per km is adequate to estimate the mean moisture with an uncertainty of + or - 3 percent under average moisture conditions in areas of moderate to good drainage.

Estimation of improved resolution soil moisture in vegetated areas using passive AMSR-E data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moradizadeh, Mina; Saradjian, Mohammad R.

2018-03-01

Microwave remote sensing provides a unique capability for soil parameter retrievals. Therefore, various soil parameters estimation models have been developed using brightness temperature (BT) measured by passive microwave sensors. Due to the low resolution of satellite microwave radiometer data, the main goal of this study is to develop a downscaling approach to improve the spatial resolution of soil moisture estimates with the use of higher resolution visible/infrared sensor data. Accordingly, after the soil parameters have been obtained using Simultaneous Land Parameters Retrieval Model algorithm, the downscaling method has been applied to the soil moisture estimations that have been validated against in situ soil moisture data. Advance Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS BT data in Soil Moisture Experiment 2003 region in the south and north of Oklahoma have been used to this end. Results illustrated that the soil moisture variability is effectively captured at 5 km spatial scales without a significant degradation of the accuracy.

Australian Soil Moisture Field Experiments in Support of Soil Moisture Satellite Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Edward; Walker, Jeff; Rudiger, Christopher; Panciera, Rocco

2010-01-01

Large-scale field campaigns provide the critical fink between our understanding retrieval algorithms developed at the point scale, and algorithms suitable for satellite applications at vastly larger pixel scales. Retrievals of land parameters must deal with the substantial sub-pixel heterogeneity that is present in most regions. This is particularly the case for soil moisture remote sensing, because of the long microwave wavelengths (L-band) that are optimal. Yet, airborne L-band imagers have generally been large, heavy, and required heavy-lift aircraft resources that are expensive and difficult to schedule. Indeed, US soil moisture campaigns, have been constrained by these factors, and European campaigns have used non-imagers due to instrument and aircraft size constraints. Despite these factors, these campaigns established that large-scale soil moisture remote sensing was possible, laying the groundwork for satellite missions. Starting in 2005, a series of airborne field campaigns have been conducted in Australia: to improve our understanding of soil moisture remote sensing at large scales over heterogeneous areas. These field data have been used to test and refine retrieval algorithms for soil moisture satellite missions, and most recently with the launch of the European Space Agency's Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, to provide validation measurements over a multi-pixel area. The campaigns to date have included a preparatory campaign in 2005, two National Airborne Field Experiments (NAFE), (2005 and 2006), two campaigns to the Simpson Desert (2008 and 2009), and one Australian Airborne Cal/val Experiment for SMOS (AACES), just concluded in the austral spring of 2010. The primary airborne sensor for each campaign has been the Polarimetric L-band Microwave Radiometer (PLMR), a 6-beam pushbroom imager that is small enough to be compatible with light aircraft, greatly facilitating the execution of the series of campaigns, and a key to their success. An

Validation/Calibration of SMOS L2 Soil Moisture in Crop Area, Eastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Huizhen; Jiang, Lingmei; Yang, Na; Lu, Zheng

2016-08-01

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) is the worldwide satellite dedicated to retrieve soil moisture information at the global scale, with a high temporal resolution, and from space borne L-band 2-D interferometry radiometer. Product validation for the accuracy of data and utilization is a crucial step. At present, the validation work carried out in China was mainly concentrated in the Tibetan Plateau. The study of this paper mainly focused on the validation of SMOS L2 soil moisture data products in the north of Henan province plain region. This region is in front of Taihang Mountains. Results from the average-average and node- site comparison show that the correlation coefficients (R) between 0.20 and 0.40, also the existence of dry bias mainly concentrated in the 0.07 0.11m3m-3. Finally, this paper analysed the influence factors on the quality of SMOS soil moisture products.

Global response of the growing season to soil moisture and topography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guevara, M.; Arroyo, C.; Warner, D. L.; Equihua, J.; Lule, A. V.; Schwartz, A.; Taufer, M.; Vargas, R.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture has a direct influence in plant productivity. Plant productivity and its greenness can be inferred by remote sensing with higher spatial detail than soil moisture. The objective was to improve the coarse scale of currently available satellite soil moisture estimates and identify areas of strong coupling between the interannual variability soil moisture and the maximum greenness vegetation fraction (MGVF) at the global scale. We modeled, cross-validated and downscaled remotely sensed soil moisture using machine learning and digital terrain analysis across 23 years (1991-2013) of available data. Improving the accuracy (0.69-0.87 % of cross-validated explained variance) and the spatial detail (from 27 to 15km) of satellite soil moisture, we filled temporal gaps of information across vegetated areas where satellite soil moisture does not work properly. We found that 7.57% of global vegetated area shows strong correlation with our downscaled product (R2>0.5, Fig. 1). We found a dominant positive response of vegetation greenness to topography-based soil moisture across water limited environments, however, the tropics and temperate environments of higher latitudes showed a sparse negative response. We conclude that topography can be used to effectively improve the spatial detail of globally available remotely sensed soil moisture, which is convenient to generate unbiased comparisons with global vegetation dynamics, and better inform land and crop modeling efforts.

[Human African trypanosomiasis in the urban milieu: the example of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic if the Congo, in 1998 and 1999].

PubMed

Bilengue, C M; Meso, V K; Louis, F J; Lucas, P

2001-01-01

Human African trypanosomiasis is an essentially rural disease. Occurrence in urban areas is uncommon except in cities that reproduce rural conditions conducive to the survival of glossinidae, i.e., forest and water. This is the case in neighborhoods near the zoo in Brazzaville, People's Republic of the Congo and in the residual mangrove forest in Conakry, Guinea. In Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, an average of 39 cases were reported annually from 1970 to 1995. This figure increased to 254 in 1996 and 226 in 1997. This sharp rise led authorities to organize screening operations in some neighborhoods of the capital city. Results documented 433 cases in 1998 and 912 cases in 1999. The highest prevalence was found in outlying areas. This finding was probably related to focus of screening in these locations and to the practice of market gardening on plots surrounding the city. Placement of 276 insect traps along the Ndjili River led to the capture of 42,231 glossinidae over a 4 month period. Taken together, these findings indicate that the conditions necessary for active disease transmission are now reunited and that priority should be given to intensifying screening operations and information campaigns to health care providers working in the city.

Acceptability of the community-level provision of Sayana® Press by medical and nursing students in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PubMed

Bertrand, Jane T; Makani, Paul Bukutuvwidi; Hernandez, Julie; Akilimali, Pierre; Mukengeshayi, Bitshi; Babazadeh, Saleh; Binanga, Arsene

2017-09-01

The objectives were to assess acceptors' attitudes toward Sayana® Press as a method and toward the mechanism of community-based distribution by medical and nursing (M/N) students, known locally as "DBCs," in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and to evaluate the experience of these DBCs. In 2015, surveys were conducted among (1) acceptors of Sayana® Press on the day of the initial injection, (2) these same acceptors 3 months later and (3) the DBCs providing community-based services. The analysis was descriptive and involved no significance testing. Acceptors of Sayana® Press expressed high levels of satisfaction with the method, despite some pain experienced at injection and subsequent side effects. Although most were satisfied with the counseling and services received from the DBCs, less than one third realized that the providers were M/N students. The DBCs expressed satisfaction in serving as community-based distributors; more than 95% would recommend it to others. Their primary complaints were lack of remuneration, stockouts and need for greater supervision. Consistent with results from previous pilot introductions of Sayana® Press in three African countries, clients were highly satisfied with Sayana® Press as a method. The reported preference for resupply at health centers may reflect a lack of client awareness that the DBCs administering methods near the health center were not in fact staff from the health center. The pilot served to gain acceptance for the use of M/N students in community-based distribution, paving the way for additional task-shifting pilots in Kinshasa. Sayana® Press represents a promising new method for increasing access to modern contraception in low-income countries. The Kinshasa experience is the first to test the use of medical and nursing students as providers at the community level. The study reports high levels of satisfaction on three counts: acceptors of the contraceptive method, acceptors of the mode of service

Adaptation of a U.S. evidence-based Positive Prevention intervention for youth living with HIV/AIDS in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

PubMed Central

Parker, L.; Maman, S.; Pettifor, A.; Chalachala, J.L.; Edmonds, A.; Golin, C.E.; Moracco, K.; Behets, F.

2013-01-01

Effective HIV prevention programs for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH) are important to reduce new infections and to ensure PLWH remain healthy. This paper describes the systematic adaptation of a U.S.-developed Evidence Based Intervention (EBI) using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Map of Adaption Process for use at a Pediatric Hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The adapted intervention, Supporting Youth and Motivating Positive Action or SYMPA, a six-session risk reduction intervention targeted for youth living with HIV/AIDS (YLWH) in Kinshasa was adapted from the Healthy Living Project and guided by the Social Action Theory. This paper describes the process of implementing the first four steps of the ADAPT framework (Assess, Select, Prepare, and Pilot). Our study has shown that an EBI developed and implemented in the U.S. can be adapted successfully for a different target population in a low-resource context through an iterative process following the CDC ADAPT framework. This process included reviewing existing literature, adapting and adding components, and focusing on increasing staff capacity. This paper provides a rare, detailed description of the adaptation process and may aid organizations seeking to adapt and implement HIV prevention EBIs in sub-Saharan Africa and beyond. PMID:23063699

Downscaling SMAP Soil Moisture Using Geoinformation Data and Geostatistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Y.; Wang, L.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture is important for agricultural and hydrological studies. However, ground truth soil moisture data for wide area is difficult to achieve. Microwave remote sensing such as Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) can offer a solution for wide coverage. However, existing global soil moisture products only provide observations at coarse spatial resolutions, which often limit their applications in regional agricultural and hydrological studies. This paper therefore aims to generate fine scale soil moisture information and extend soil moisture spatial availability. A statistical downscaling scheme is presented that incorporates multiple fine scale geoinformation data into the downscaling of coarse scale SMAP data in the absence of ground measurement data. Geoinformation data related to soil moisture patterns including digital elevation model (DEM), land surface temperature (LST), land use and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at a fine scale are used as auxiliary environmental variables for downscaling SMAP data. Generalized additive model (GAM) and regression tree are first conducted to derive statistical relationships between SMAP data and auxiliary geoinformation data at an original coarse scale, and residuals are then downscaled to a finer scale via area-to-point kriging (ATPK) by accounting for the spatial correlation information of the input residuals. The results from standard validation scores as well as the triple collocation (TC) method against soil moisture in-situ measurements show that the downscaling method can significantly improve the spatial details of SMAP soil moisture while maintain the accuracy.

A Model for coupled heat and moisture transfer in permafrost regions of three rivers source areas, Qinghai, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, X. L.; Xiang, X. H.; Wang, C. H.; Shao, Q. Q.

2012-04-01

Soil freezing occurs in winter in many parts of the world. The transfer of heat and moisture in freezing and thawing soil is interrelated, and this heat and moisture transport plays an important role in hydrological activity of seasonal frozen region especially for three rivers sources area of China. Soil freezing depth and ice content in frozen zone will significantly influence runoff and groundwater recharge. The purpose of this research is to develop a numerical model to simulate water and heat movement in the soil under freezing and thawing conditions. The basic elements of the model are the heat and water flow equations, which are heat conduction equation and unsaturated soil fluid mass conservation equation. A full-implicit finite volume scheme is used to solve the coupled equations in space. The model is calibrated and verified against the observed moisture and temperature of soil during freezing and thawing period from 2005 to 2007. Different characters of heat and moisture transfer are testified, such as frozen depth, temperature field of 40 cm depth and topsoil moisture content, et al. The model is calibrated and verified against observed value, which indicate that the new model can be used successfully to simulate numerically the coupled heat and mass transfer process in permafrost regions. By simulating the runoff generation process and the driven factors of seasonal changes, the agreement illustrates that the coupled model can be used to describe the local phonemes of hydrologic activities and provide a support to the local Ecosystem services. This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51009045; 40930635; 41001011; 41101018; 51079038), the National Key Program for Developing Basic Science (No. 2009CB421105), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. 2009B06614; 2010B00414), the National Non Profit Research Program of China (No. 200905013-8; 201101024; 20101224).

BOREAS HYD-6 Ground Gravimetric Soil Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carroll, Thomas; Knapp, David E. (Editor); Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Peck, Eugene L.; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-6 team collected several data sets related to the moisture content of soil and overlying humus layers. This data set contains percent soil moisture ground measurements. These data were collected on the ground along the various flight lines flown in the Southern Study Area (SSA) and Northern Study Area (NSA) during 1994 by the gamma ray instrument. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The HYD-06 ground gravimetric soil moisture data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Detection of entrapped moisture in honeycomb sandwich structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hallmark, W. B.

1967-01-01

Thermal neutron moisture detection system detects entrapped moisture in intercellular areas of bonded honeycomb sandwich structures. A radium/beryllium fast neutron source bombards a specimen. The emitted thermal neutrons from the target nucleus are detected and counted by a boron trifluoride thermal neutron detector.

A missing piece of the puzzle in climate change hotspots: Near-surface turbulent interactions controlling ET-soil moisture coupling in semiarid areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haghighi, Erfan; Gianotti, Daniel J.; Rigden, Angela J.; Salvucci, Guido D.; Kirchner, James W.; Entekhabi, Dara

2017-04-01

Being located in the transitional zone between dry and wet climate areas, semiarid ecosystems (and their associated ecohydrological processes) play a critical role in controlling climate change and global warming. Land evapotranspiration (ET), which is a central process in the climate system and a nexus of the water, energy and carbon cycles, typically accounts for up to 95% of the water budget in semiarid areas. Thus, the manner in which ET is partitioned into soil evaporation and plant transpiration in these settings is of practical importance for water and carbon cycling and their feedbacks to the climate system. ET (and its partitioning) in these regions is primarily controlled by surface soil moisture which varies episodically under stochastic precipitation inputs. Important as the ET-soil moisture relationship is, it remains empirical, and physical mechanisms governing its nature and dynamics are underexplored. Thus, the objective of this study is twofold: (1) to provide observational evidence for the influence of surface cover conditions on ET-soil moisture coupling in semiarid regions using soil moisture data from NASA's SMAP satellite mission combined with independent observationally based ET estimates, and (2) to develop a relatively simple mechanistic modeling platform improving our physical understanding of interactions between micro and macroscale processes controlling ET and its partitioning in partially vegetated areas. To this end, we invoked concepts from recent progress in mechanistic modeling of turbulent energy flux exchange in bluff-rough regions, and developed a physically based ET model that explicitly accounts for how vegetation-induced turbulence in the near-surface region influences soil drying and thus ET rates and dynamics. Model predictions revealed nonlinearities in the strength of the ET-soil moisture relationship (i.e., ∂ET/∂θ) as vegetation cover fraction increases, accounted for by the nonlinearity of surface

Assimilating remote sensing observations of leaf area index and soil moisture for wheat yield estimates: An observing system simulation experiment

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We develop a robust understanding of the effects of assimilating remote sensing observations of leaf area index and soil moisture (in the top 5 cm) on DSSAT-CSM CropSim-Ceres wheat yield estimates. Synthetic observing system simulation experiments compare the abilities of the Ensemble Kalman Filter...

Moisture damage and asthma: a birth cohort study.

PubMed

Karvonen, Anne M; Hyvärinen, Anne; Korppi, Matti; Haverinen-Shaughnessy, Ulla; Renz, Harald; Pfefferle, Petra I; Remes, Sami; Genuneit, Jon; Pekkanen, Juha

2015-03-01

Excess moisture and visible mold are associated with increased risk of asthma. Only a few studies have performed detailed home visits to characterize the extent and location of moisture damage and mold growth. Structured home inspections were performed in a birth cohort study when the children were 5 months old (on average). Children (N = 398) were followed up to the age of 6 years. Specific immunoglobulin E concentrations were determined at 6 years. Moisture damage and mold at an early age in the child's main living areas (but not in bathrooms or other interior spaces) were associated with the risk of developing physician-diagnosed asthma ever, persistent asthma, and respiratory symptoms during the first 6 years. Associations with asthma ever were strongest for moisture damage with visible mold in the child's bedroom (adjusted odds ratio: 4.82 [95% confidence interval: 1.29-18.02]) and in the living room (adjusted odds ratio: 7.51 [95% confidence interval: 1.49-37.83]). Associations with asthma ever were stronger in the earlier part of the follow-up and among atopic children. No consistent associations were found between moisture damage with or without visible mold and atopic sensitization. Moisture damage and mold in early infancy in the child's main living areas were associated with asthma development. Atopic children may be more susceptible to the effects of moisture damage and mold. Copyright © 2015 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Effect of stopper processing conditions on moisture content and ramifications for lyophilized products: comparison of "low" and "high" moisture uptake stoppers.

PubMed

Donovan, P D; Corvari, V; Burton, M D; Rajagopalan, N

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of processing and storage on the moisture content of two commercially available, 13-mm lyophilization stoppers designated as low moisture (LM) and high moisture (HM) uptake stoppers. The stopper moisture studies included the effect of steam sterilization time, drying time and temperature, equilibrium moisture content, lyophilization and moisture transfer from stopper to a model-lactose lyophilized cake. Results indicated that both stoppers absorbed significant amounts of moisture during sterilization and that the HM stopper absorbed significantly more water than the LM stopper. LM and HM stoppers required approximately 2 and 8 h drying at 105 degrees C, respectively, to achieve final moisture content of not more than 0.5 mg/stopper. Following drying, stopper moisture levels equilibrated rapidly to ambient storage conditions. The apparent equilibrium moisture level was approximately 7 times higher in the HM versus LM stopper. Freeze-drying had minimal effect on the moisture content of dried stoppers. Finally, moisture transfer from the stopper to the lyophilized product is dependent on the initial stopper water content and storage temperature. To better quantify the ramifications of stopper moisture, projections of moisture uptake over the shelf life of a drug product were calculated based on the product-contact surface area of stoppers. Attention to stopper storage conditions prior to use, in addition to processing steps, are necessary to minimize stability issues especially in low-fill, mass lyophilized products.

Mapping fire probability and severity in a Mediterranean area using different weather and fuel moisture scenarios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arca, B.; Salis, M.; Bacciu, V.; Duce, P.; Pellizzaro, G.; Ventura, A.; Spano, D.

2009-04-01

Although in many countries lightning is the main cause of ignition, in the Mediterranean Basin the forest fires are predominantly ignited by arson, or by human negligence. The fire season peaks coincide with extreme weather conditions (mainly strong winds, hot temperatures, low atmospheric water vapour content) and high tourist presence. Many works reported that in the Mediterranean Basin the projected impacts of climate change will cause greater weather variability and extreme weather conditions, with drier and hotter summers and heat waves. At long-term scale, climate changes could affect the fuel load and the dead/live fuel ratio, and therefore could change the vegetation flammability. At short-time scale, the increase of extreme weather events could directly affect fuel water status, and it could increase large fire occurrence. In this context, detecting the areas characterized by both high probability of large fire occurrence and high fire severity could represent an important component of the fire management planning. In this work we compared several fire probability and severity maps (fire occurrence, rate of spread, fireline intensity, flame length) obtained for a study area located in North Sardinia, Italy, using FlamMap simulator (USDA Forest Service, Missoula). FlamMap computes the potential fire behaviour characteristics over a defined landscape for given weather, wind and fuel moisture data. Different weather and fuel moisture scenarios were tested to predict the potential impact of climate changes on fire parameters. The study area, characterized by a mosaic of urban areas, protected areas, and other areas subject to anthropogenic disturbances, is mainly composed by fire-prone Mediterranean maquis. The input themes needed to run FlamMap were input as grid of 10 meters; the wind data, obtained using a computational fluid-dynamic model, were inserted as gridded file, with a resolution of 50 m. The analysis revealed high fire probability and severity in

[The behavioral determinants for health centers in health districts of urban Africa: results of a survey of households in Kinshasa, Congo].

PubMed

Manzambi, J K; Tellier, V; Bertrand, F; Albert, A; Reginster, J Y; Van Balen, E H

2000-08-01

This study analyses the choice determinants of the population for health centres through a survey of the behaviour of families in a representative sample of 1,000 households in the health districts of Kinshasa, Congo in 1997. For the most recent episode of illness, the respondents turned to seven types of care: the health centre (37%), private dispensaries (26.5%), self-medication through a pharmacy (23.9%), traditional practitioner (21%), traditional self-medication (16.9%), private outpatients' clinic (16.7%) and a reference hospital (10.4%). Past logistics have shown that patients resort to a health centre rather than another type of care structure (P = 0.05) when looking for quality care, reasonable prices and the availability of varied services. On the other hand, concern about the geographical proximity in relation to the family's residence calls for using the private dispensary. When looking for a doctor or the existence of a 'convention', families are more inclined to choose a private officially recognized outpatients' clinic. Those who had been looking for a solution to a special type of illness opted primarily for a traditional practitioner. In conclusion, the results of this study show that if people choose the care offered by health centres, it is because they judge it to be of good quality. The integrated care offered by the same technician, with a required training, is a major asset in the acceptability of the first line of primary health care in Kinshasa. This study suggests that it would no doubt be beneficial to integrate non-official private care structures into the primary health care system, as far as it is possible for them to achieve a level of quality comparable to that of the health centres. In order that the traditional practitioner might play an important complementary role in the realization of primary health care, even in urban areas, the possibility of promoting sites of communication should be studied. Moreover, considering the weak

Nutritional status and height, weight and BMI centiles of school-aged children and adolescents of 6-18-years from Kinshasa (DRC).

PubMed

Buhendwa, Rudahaba Augustin; Roelants, Mathieu; Thomis, Martine; Nkiama, Constant E

2017-09-01

The last study to establish centiles of main anthropometric measurements in Kinshasa was conducted over 60 years ago, which questions its current adequacy to describe or monitor growth in this population. To assess the nutritional status of school-aged children and adolescents and to estimate centile curves of height, weight and body mass index (BMI). A representative sample of 7541 school-aged children and adolescents (48% boys) aged 6-18 years was measured between 2010-2013. Smooth centiles of height, weight and BMI-for-age were estimated with the LMS method and compared with the WHO 2007 reference. Nutritional status was assessed by comparing measurements of height and BMI against the appropriate WHO cut-offs. Compared to the WHO reference, percentiles of height and BMI were generally lower. This difference was larger in boys than in girls and increased as they approached adolescence. The prevalence of short stature (< -2 SD) and thinness (< -2 SD) was higher in boys (9.8% and 12%) than in girls (3.4% and 6.1%), but the prevalence of overweight (> 1 SD) was higher in girls (8.6%) than in boys (4.5%). Children from Kinshasa fall below WHO centile references. This study established up-to-date centile curves for height, weight and BMI by age in children and adolescents. These reference curves describe the current status of these anthropometric markers and can be used as a basis for comparison in future studies.

Concerning the relationship between evapotranspiration and soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wetzel, Peter J.; Chang, Jy-Tai

1987-01-01

The relationship between the evapotranspiration and soil moisture during the drying, supply-limited phase is studied. A second scaling parameter, based on the evapotranspirational supply and demand concept of Federer (1982), is defined; the parameter, referred to as the threshold evapotranspiration, occurs in vegetation-covered surfaces just before leaf stomata close and when surface tension restricts moisture release from bare soil pores. A simple model for evapotranspiration is proposed. The effects of natural soil heterogeneities on evapotranspiration computed from the model are investigated. It is observed that the natural variability in soil moisture, caused by the heterogeneities, alters the relationship between regional evapotranspiration and the area average soil moisture.

An evaluation of the spatial resolution of soil moisture information

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hardy, K. R.; Cohen, S. H.; Rogers, L. K.; Burke, H. H. K.; Leupold, R. C.; Smallwood, M. D.

1981-01-01

Rainfall-amount patterns in the central regions of the U.S. were assessed. The spatial scales of surface features and their corresponding microwave responses in the mid western U.S. were investigated. The usefulness for U.S. government agencies of soil moisture information at scales of 10 km and 1 km. was ascertained. From an investigation of 494 storms, it was found that the rainfall resulting from the passage of most types of storms produces patterns which can be resolved on a 10 km scale. The land features causing the greatest problem in the sensing of soil moisture over large agricultural areas with a radiometer are bodies of water. Over the mid-western portions of the U.S., water occupies less than 2% of the total area, the consequently, the water bodies will not have a significant impact on the mapping of soil moisture. Over most of the areas, measurements at a 10-km resolution would adequately define the distribution of soil moisture. Crop yield models and hydrological models would give improved results if soil moisture information at scales of 10 km was available.

HIV seroprevalence among hospital workers in Kinshasa, Zaire: lack of association with occupational exposure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mann, J.M.; Francis, H.; Quinn, T.C.

1986-12-12

A study of seroprevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus involving 2384 (96%) of Mama Yemo Hospital's (Kinshasa, Zaire) 2492 personnel found 152 (6.4%) to be seropositive. Prevalence was higher among women than among men (8.1% vs 5.2%); in women peak seroprevalence (13.9%) occurred in 20 to 29-year-olds. Workers most likely to be seropositive were those who were relatively young, those who were unmarried, those reporting a blood transfusion or hospitalization during the previous ten years, and those receiving medical injections during the previous three years. Medical, administrative, and manual workers had similar seroprevalence (6.5%, 6.4%, and 6.0%, respectively), and seropositivitymore » was not associated with any measure of patient, blood, or needle contact. These findings are consistent with other hospital-based studies indicating low risks for occupational transmission of human immunodeficiency virus.« less

Soil moisture needs in earth sciences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engman, Edwin T.

1992-01-01

The author reviews the development of passive and active microwave techniques for measuring soil moisture with respect to how the data may be used. New science programs such as the EOS, the GEWEX Continental-Scale International Project (GCIP) and STORM, a mesoscale meteorology and hydrology project, will have to account for soil moisture either as a storage in water balance computations or as a state variable in-process modeling. The author discusses future soil moisture needs such as frequency of measurement, accuracy, depth, and spatial resolution, as well as the concomitant model development that must proceed concurrently if the development in microwave technology is to have a major impact in these areas.

Vaccination Coverage and Timelines Among Children 0-6 Months in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo: A Prospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Zivich, Paul N; Kiketa, Landry; Kawende, Bienvenu; Lapika, Bruno; Yotebieng, Marcel

2017-05-01

Objectives The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) is one of the ten countries, which accounts for 60% of unvaccinated children worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess predictors of incomplete and untimely immunization among a cohort of infants recruited at birth and followed up through 24 weeks in Kinshasa. Methods Complete immunization for each vaccine was defined as receiving all the recommended doses. Untimely immunization was defined as receiving the given dose before (early) or after (delayed) the recommended time window. Infants not immunized by the end of the follow-up time were considered missing. Multivariate hierarchical model and generalized logistic model were used to assess the independent contribution of each socio-economic and demographic factors considered to complete immunization and timeliness, respectively. Results Overall, of 975 infants from six selected clinics included in the analysis 84.7% were fully immunized the three doses of DTP or four doses of Polio by 24 weeks of age. Independently of the vaccine considered, the strongest predictor of incomplete and untimely immunization was the clinic in which the infant was enrolled. This association was strengthened after adjustment for socio-economic and demographic characteristics. Education and the socio-economic status also were predictive of completion and timeliness of immunization in our cohort. Discussion In conclusion, the strongest predictor for incomplete and untimely immunization among infants in Kinshasa was the clinics in which they were enrolled. The association was likely due to the user fee for well-baby clinic visits and its varying structure by clinic.

Measurement of Tritium in Gas Phase Soil Moisture and Helium-3 in Soil Gas at the Hanford Townsite and 100 K Area

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

KB Olsen; GW Patton; R Poreda

2000-07-05

In 1999, soil gas samples for helium-3 measurements were collected at two locations on the Hanford Site. Eight soil gas sampling points ranging in depth from 1.5 to 9.8 m (4.9 to 32 ft) below ground surface (bgs) in two clusters were installed adjacent to well 699-41-1, south of the Hanford Townsite. Fifteen soil gas sampling points, ranging in depth from 2.1 to 3.2 m (7 to 10.4 ft) bgs, were installed to the north and east of the 100 KE Reactor. Gas phase soil moisture samples were collected using silica gel traps from all eight sampling locations adjacent tomore » well 699-41-1 and eight locations at the 100 K Area. No detectable tritium (<240 pCi/L) was found in the soil moisture samples from either the Hanford Townsite or 100 K Area sampling points. This suggests that tritiated moisture from groundwater is not migrating upward to the sampling points and there are no large vadose zone sources of tritium at either location. Helium-3 analyses of the soil gas samples showed significant enrichments relative to ambient air helium-3 concentrations with a depth dependence consistent with a groundwater source from decay of tritium. Helium-3/helium-4 ratios (normalized to the abundances in ambient air) at the Hanford Townsite ranged from 1.012 at 1.5 m (5 ft) bgs to 2.157 at 9.8 m (32 ft) bgs. Helium-3/helium-4 ratios at the 100 K Area ranged from 0.972 to 1.131. Based on results from the 100 K Area, the authors believe that a major tritium plume does not lie within that study area. The data also suggest there may be a tritium groundwater plume or a source of helium-3 to the southeast of the study area. They recommend that the study be continued by placing additional soil gas sampling points along the perimeter road to the west and to the south of the initial study area.« less

Summer moisture changes in the Lake Qinghai area on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau recorded from a meadow section over the past 8400 yrs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiangzhong; Liu, Xiangjun; He, Yuxin; Liu, Weiguo; Zhou, Xin; Wang, Zheng

2018-02-01

Holocene climatic and environmental changes on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau (TP) have been widely discussed based on the climatic records from sedimentary cores. However, differences in the reconstructed climatic history from various studies in this region still exist, probably due to influence of climatic proxies from multiple factors and the chronological uncertainties in lacustrine sediments. Here we present records of terrestrial plant δ13C, soil color and total organic carbon content over the past 8400 years from a well-dated meadow section on the northeastern TP. The terrestrial plant δ13C value serves as a good summer precipitation/moisture indicator in the studied region. Soil color property and TOC content are also able to disentangle the moisture evolution history. All the data show much wet climates at 8400-7400 cal yr BP, dry climates at 7400-6000 cal yr BP and then wet conditions with fluctuation at 6000-3200 cal yr BP. Late Holocene moisture appears to be comparable with moist conditions from 6000 to 3200 cal yr BP. By further comparing the climatic variations in the Lake Qinghai area with records of the reconstructed summer temperature and the Asian Monsoon precipitation, we believe that the pattern of moisture/precipitation evolution in the Lake Qinghai area was not completely consistent with regions around Lake Qinghai, probably due to complicated interaction between the East Asian Summer Monsoon and the Indian Summer Monsoon.

Remote Sensing of Soil Moisture Using Airborne Hyperspectral Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

the relationship between reflec- tance and soil moisture where there is ground cover and ascertain the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ( NDVI ...in those areas. This could establish a minimum NDVI for ground cover that would allow for estimation of soil moisture. Alternatively, they could

Soil moisture retrieval from Sentinel-1 satellite data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benninga, Harm-Jan; van der Velde, Rogier; Su, Zhongbo

2016-04-01

Reliable up-to-date information on the current water availability and models to evaluate management scenarios are indispensable for skilful water management. The Sentinel-1 radar satellite programme provides an opportunity to monitor water availability (as surface soil moisture) from space on an operational basis at unprecedented fine spatial and temporal resolutions. However, the influences of soil roughness and vegetation cover complicate the retrieval of soil moisture states from radar data. In this contribution, we investigate the sensitivity of Sentinel-1 radar backscatter to soil moisture states and vegetation conditions. The analyses are based on 105 Sentinel-1 images in the period from October 2014 to January 2016 covering the Twente region in the Netherlands. This area is almost flat and has a heterogeneous landscape, including agricultural (mainly grass, cereal and corn), forested and urban land covers. In-situ measurements at 5 cm depth collected from the Twente soil moisture monitoring network are used as reference. This network consists of twenty measurement stations (most of them at agricultural fields) distributed across an area of 50 km × 40 km. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from optical images is adopted as proxy to represent seasonal variability in vegetation conditions. The results from this sensitivity study provide insight into the potential capability of Sentinel-1 data for the estimation of soil moisture states and they will facilitate the further development of operational retrieval methods. An operationally applicable soil moisture retrieval method requires an algorithm that is usable without the need for area specific model calibration with detailed field information (regarding roughness and vegetation). Because it is not yet clear which method provides the most reliable soil moisture retrievals from Sentinel-1 data, multiple soil moisture retrieval methods will be studied in which the fine spatiotemporal

[Association between the viruses of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the hepatitis C virus among young blood donors in Kinshasa: Retrospective analysis of 10 years].

PubMed

Sumbu, B M M; Longo-Mbenza, B; Ahuka-Mundeke, S; Muwonga, J M; Mvumbi-Lelo, G; Maphana, H M; Kayembe Nzongola-Nkasu, D; Kalumbu, F M

2018-02-01

The screening of anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibodies is mandatory in every blood donor admitted to the Blood Bank of Kinshasa University Clinics since 1984. However, no compiled data are available to date. The objective of this study was to establish the trend, prevalence, viral co-infections, and determinants of Human Immunodeficiency anti-Virus serology in blood donors admitted between 2003-2006 and 2008-2013. A retrospective analysis was carried out at University Kinshasa Clinics, using blood donors' records during 2003-2006 and 2008-2013. The prevalence of the human immunodeficiency virus per year, age, sex and type of blood donors were estimated. Independent predictors of human immunodeficiency virus seropositivity were also identified. Out of 26,341 blood donors, 2.2% (n=576/26,341) were seropositive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Age<25 years (OR=1.7; 95% CI: 1.4-2; P<0.0001) and Hepatitis C virus seropositivity (OR=3; 95% CI; 1.8-4.9; P<0.001) emerged as independent predictors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus seropositivity. This study shows a strong association between the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and hepatitis C and younger age respectively. Further studies are needed to ensure safety of Blood donation in Democratic Republic of Congo. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Moisture origin and transport processes in Colombia, northern South America

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoyos, I.; Dominguez, F.; Cañón-Barriga, J.; Martínez, J. A.; Nieto, R.; Gimeno, L.; Dirmeyer, P. A.

2018-02-01

We assess the spatial structure of moisture flux divergence, regional moisture sources and transport processes over Colombia, in northern South America. Using three independent methods the dynamic recycling model (DRM), FLEXPART and the Quasi-isentropic back-trajectory (QIBT) models we quantify the moisture sources that contribute to precipitation over the region. We find that moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and terrestrial recycling are the most important sources of moisture for Colombia, highlighting the importance of the Orinoco and Amazon basins as regional providers of atmospheric moisture. The results show the influence of long-range cross-equatorial flow from the Atlantic Ocean into the target region and the role of the study area as a passage of moisture into South America. We also describe the seasonal moisture transport mechanisms of the well-known low-level westerly and Caribbean jets that originate in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea, respectively. We find that these dynamical systems play an important role in the convergence of moisture over western Colombia.

Distributed fiber optic moisture intrusion sensing system

DOEpatents

Weiss, Jonathan D.

2003-06-24

Method and system for monitoring and identifying moisture intrusion in soil such as is contained in landfills housing radioactive and/or hazardous waste. The invention utilizes the principle that moist or wet soil has a higher thermal conductance than dry soil. The invention employs optical time delay reflectometry in connection with a distributed temperature sensing system together with heating means in order to identify discrete areas within a volume of soil wherein temperature is lower. According to the invention an optical element and, optionally, a heating element may be included in a cable or other similar structure and arranged in a serpentine fashion within a volume of soil to achieve efficient temperature detection across a large area or three dimensional volume of soil. Remediation, moisture countermeasures, or other responsive action may then be coordinated based on the assumption that cooler regions within a soil volume may signal moisture intrusion where those regions are located.

Value of Available Global Soil Moisture Products for Agricultural Monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mladenova, Iliana; Bolten, John; Crow, Wade; de Jeu, Richard

2016-04-01

The first operationally derived and publicly distributed global soil moil moisture product was initiated with the launch of the Advanced Scanning Microwave Mission on the NASA's Earth Observing System Aqua satellite (AMSR-E). AMSR-E failed in late 2011, but its legacy is continued by AMSR2, launched in 2012 on the JAXA Global Change Observation Mission-Water (GCOM-W) mission. AMSR is a multi-frequency dual-polarization instrument, where the lowest two frequencies (C- and X-band) were used for soil moisture retrieval. Theoretical research and small-/field-scale airborne campaigns, however, have demonstrated that soil moisture would be best monitored using L-band-based observations. This consequently led to the development and launch of the first L-band-based mission-the ESA's Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission (2009). In early 2015 NASA launched the second L-band-based mission, the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP). These satellite-based soil moisture products have been demonstrated to be invaluable sources of information for mapping water stress areas, crop monitoring and yield forecasting. Thus, a number of agricultural agencies routinely utilize and rely on global soil moisture products for improving their decision making activities, determining global crop production and crop prices, identifying food restricted areas, etc. The basic premise of applying soil moisture observations for vegetation monitoring is that the change in soil moisture conditions will precede the change in vegetation status, suggesting that soil moisture can be used as an early indicator of expected crop condition change. Here this relationship was evaluated across multiple microwave frequencies by examining the lag rank cross-correlation coefficient between the soil moisture observations and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). A main goal of our analysis is to evaluate and inter-compare the value of the different soil moisture products derived using L-band (SMOS

Assimilation of SMOS Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay; Case, Jonathan; Zavodsky, Bradley; Jedlovec, Gary

2014-01-01

Soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) instrument are assimilated into the Noah land surface model (LSM) within the NASA Land Information System (LIS). Before assimilation, SMOS retrievals are bias-corrected to match the model climatological distribution using a Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) matching approach. Data assimilation is done via the Ensemble Kalman Filter. The goal is to improve the representation of soil moisture within the LSM, and ultimately to improve numerical weather forecasts through better land surface initialization. We present a case study showing a large area of irrigation in the lower Mississippi River Valley, in an area with extensive rice agriculture. High soil moisture value in this region are observed by SMOS, but not captured in the forcing data. After assimilation, the model fields reflect the observed geographic patterns of soil moisture. Plans for a modeling experiment and operational use of the data are given. This work helps prepare for the assimilation of Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) retrievals in the near future.

BOREAS HYD-6 Moss/Humus Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Knapp, David E. (Editor); Carroll, Thomas; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-6 team collected several data sets related to the moisture content of soil and overlying humus layers. This data set contains water content measurements of the moss/humus layer, where it existed. These data were collected along various flight lines in the Southern Study Area (SSA) and Northern Study Area (NSA) during 1994. The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The HYD-06 moss/humus moisture data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

The impact of using area-averaged land surface properties —topography, vegetation condition, soil wetness—in calculations of intermediate scale (approximately 10 km 2) surface-atmosphere heat and moisture fluxes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sellers, Piers J.; Heiser, Mark D.; Hall, Forrest G.; Verma, Shashi B.; Desjardins, Raymond L.; Schuepp, Peter M.; Ian MacPherson, J.

1997-03-01

It is commonly assumed that biophysically based soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer (SVAT) models are scale-invariant with respect to the initial boundary conditions of topography, vegetation condition and soil moisture. In practice, SVAT models that have been developed and tested at the local scale (a few meters or a few tens of meters) are applied almost unmodified within general circulation models (GCMs) of the atmosphere, which have grid areas of 50-500 km 2. This study, which draws much of its substantive material from the papers of Sellers et al. (1992c, J. Geophys. Res., 97(D17): 19033-19060) and Sellers et al. (1995, J. Geophys. Res., 100(D12): 25607-25629), explores the validity of doing this. The work makes use of the FIFE-89 data set which was collected over a 2 km × 15 km grassland area in Kansas. The site was characterized by high variability in soil moisture and vegetation condition during the late growing season of 1989. The area also has moderate topography. The 2 km × 15 km 'testbed' area was divided into 68 × 501 pixels of 30 m × 30 m spatial resolution, each of which could be assigned topographic, vegetation condition and soil moisture parameters from satellite and in situ observations gathered in FIFE-89. One or more of these surface fields was area-averaged in a series of simulation runs to determine the impact of using large-area means of these initial or boundary conditions on the area-integrated (aggregated) surface fluxes. The results of the study can be summarized as follows: 1. analyses and some of the simulations indicated that the relationships describing the effects of moderate topography on the surface radiation budget are near-linear and thus largely scale-invariant. The relationships linking the simple ratio vegetation index ( SR), the canopy conductance parameter (▽ F) and the canopy transpiration flux are also near-linear and similarly scale-invariant to first order. Because of this, it appears that simple area

What is the philosophy of modelling soil moisture movement?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, J.; Wu, Y.

2009-12-01

In laboratory, the soil moisture movement in the different soil textures has been analysed. From field investigation, at a spot, the soil moisture movement in the root zone, vadose zone and shallow aquifer has been explored. In addition, on ground slopes, the interflow in the near surface soil layers has been studied. Along the regions near river reaches, the expansion and shrink of the saturated area due to rainfall occurrences have been observed. From those previous explorations regarding soil moisture movement, numerical models to represent this hydrologic process have been developed. However, generally, due to high heterogeneity and stratification of soil in a basin, modelling soil moisture movement is rather challenging. Normally, some empirical equations or artificial manipulation are employed to adjust the soil moisture movement in various numerical models. In this study, we inspect the soil moisture movement equations used in a watershed model, SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) (Neitsch et al., 2005), to examine the limitations of our knowledge in such a hydrologic process. Then, we adopt the features of a topographic-information based on a hydrologic model, TOPMODEL (Beven and Kirkby, 1979), to enhance the representation of soil moisture movement in SWAT. Basically, the results of the study reveal, to some extent, the philosophy of modelling soil moisture movement in numerical models, which will be presented in the conference. Beven, K.J. and Kirkby, M.J., 1979. A physically based variable contributing area model of basin hydrology. Hydrol. Science Bulletin, 24: 43-69. Neitsch, S.L., Arnold, J.G., Kiniry, J.R., Williams, J.R. and King, K.W., 2005. Soil and Water Assessment Tool Theoretical Documentation, Grassland, soil and research service, Temple, TX.

Survey of abdominal obesities in an adult urban population of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Kasiam Lasi On’kin, JB; Longo-Mbenza, B; Okwe, A Nge; Kabangu, N Kangola

2007-01-01

Summary Background The prevalence of overweight/obesity, which is an important cardiovascular risk factor, is rapidly increasing worldwide. Abdominal obesity, a fundamental component of the metabolic syndrome, is not defined by appropriate cutoff points for sub-Saharan Africa. Objective To provide baseline and reference data on the anthropometry/body composition and the prevalence rates of obesity types and levels in the adult urban population of Kinshasa, DRC, Central Africa. Methods During this cross-sectional study carried out within a random sample of adults in Kinshasa town, body mass index, waist circumference and fatty mass were measured using standard methods. Their reference and local thresholds (cut-off points) were compared with those of WHO, NCEP and IFD to define the types and levels of obesity in the population. Results From this sample of 11 511 subjects (5 676 men and 5 835 women), the men presented with similar body mass index and fatty mass values to those of the women, but higher waist measurements. The international thresholds overestimated the prevalence of denutrition, but underscored that of general and abdominal obesity. The two types of obesity were more prevalent among women than men when using both international and local thresholds. Body mass index was negatively associated with age; but abdominal obesity was more frequent before 20 years of age and between 40 and 60 years old. Local thresholds of body mass index (≥ 23, ≥ 27 and ≥ 30 kg/m2) and waist measurement (≥ 80, ≥ 90 and ≥ 94 cm) defined epidemic rates of overweight/general obesity (52%) and abdominal obesity (40.9%). The threshold of waist circumference ≥ 94 cm (90th percentile) corresponding to the threshold of the body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 (90th percentile) was proposed as the specific threshold of definition of the metabolic syndrome, without reference to gender, for the cities of sub-Saharan Africa. Conclusion Further studies are required to define the

Soil moisture and evapotranspiration predictions using Skylab data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myers, V. I. (Principal Investigator); Moore, D. G.; Horton, M. L.; Russell, M. J.

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Multispectral reflectance and emittance data from the Skylab workshop were evaluated for prediction of evapotranspiration and soil moisture for an irrigated region of southern Texas. Wavelengths greater than 2.1 microns were required to spectrally distinguish between wet and dry fallow surfaces. Thermal data provided a better estimate of soil moisture than did data from the reflective bands. Thermal data were dependent on soil moisture but not on the type of agricultural land use. The emittance map, when used in conjunction with existing models, did provide an estimate of evapotranspiration rates. Surveys of areas of high soil moisture can be accomplished with space altitude thermal data. Thermal data will provide a reliable input into irrigation scheduling.

Correlated variation of floral and leaf traits along a moisture availability gradient.

PubMed

Lambrecht, Susan C; Dawson, Todd E

2007-04-01

Variation in flower size is an important aspect of a plant's life history, yet few studies have shown how flower size varies with environmental conditions and to what extent foliar responses to the environment are correlated with flower size. The objectives of this study were to (1) develop a theoretical framework for linking flower size and leaf size to their costs and benefits, as assessed using foliar stable carbon isotope ratio (delta(13)C) under varying degrees of water limitation, and then (2) examine how variation in flower size within and among species growing along a naturally occurring moisture availability gradient correlates with variation in delta(13)C and leaf size. Five plant species were examined at three sites in Oregon. Intra- and inter-specific patterns of flower size in relation to moisture availability were the same: the ratios of the area of flower display to total leaf area and of individual flower area to leaf area were greater at sites with more soil moisture compared to those sites with less soil moisture. The increase in flower area per unit increase in leaf area was greater at sites with more soil moisture than at sites where water deficit can occur. Values of delta(13)C, an index of water-use efficiency, were greater for plants with larger floral size. The patterns we observed generalize across species, irrespective of overall plant morphology or pollination system. These correlations between flower size, moisture availability, and delta(13)C suggest that water loss from flowers can influence leaf responses to the environment, which in turn may indirectly mediate an effect on flower size.

Assessment of SMOS Soil Moisture Retrieval Parameters Using Tau-Omega Algorithms for Soil Moisture Deficit Estimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srivastava, Prashant K.; Han, Dawei; Rico-Ramirez, Miguel A.; O'Neill, Peggy; Islam, Tanvir; Gupta, Manika

2014-01-01

Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) is the latest mission which provides flow of coarse resolution soil moisture data for land applications. However, the efficient retrieval of soil moisture for hydrological applications depends on optimally choosing the soil and vegetation parameters. The first stage of this work involves the evaluation of SMOS Level 2 products and then several approaches for soil moisture retrieval from SMOS brightness temperature are performed to estimate Soil Moisture Deficit (SMD). The most widely applied algorithm i.e. Single channel algorithm (SCA), based on tau-omega is used in this study for the soil moisture retrieval. In tau-omega, the soil moisture is retrieved using the Horizontal (H) polarisation following Hallikainen dielectric model, roughness parameters, Fresnel's equation and estimated Vegetation Optical Depth (tau). The roughness parameters are empirically calibrated using the numerical optimization techniques. Further to explore the improvement in retrieval models, modifications have been incorporated in the algorithms with respect to the sources of the parameters, which include effective temperatures derived from the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) downscaled using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-NOAH Land Surface Model and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land surface temperature (LST) while the s is derived from MODIS Leaf Area Index (LAI). All the evaluations are performed against SMD, which is estimated using the Probability Distributed Model following a careful calibration and validation integrated with sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. The performance obtained after all those changes indicate that SCA-H using WRF-NOAH LSM downscaled ECMWF LST produces an improved performance for SMD estimation at a catchment scale.

Modeling soil moisture memory in savanna ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gou, S.; Miller, G. R.

2011-12-01

Antecedent soil conditions create an ecosystem's "memory" of past rainfall events. Such soil moisture memory effects may be observed over a range of timescales, from daily to yearly, and lead to feedbacks between hydrological and ecosystem processes. In this study, we modeled the soil moisture memory effect on savanna ecosystems in California, Arizona, and Africa, using a system dynamics model created to simulate the ecohydrological processes at the plot-scale. The model was carefully calibrated using soil moisture and evapotranspiration data collected at three study sites. The model was then used to simulate scenarios with various initial soil moisture conditions and antecedent precipitation regimes, in order to study the soil moisture memory effects on the evapotranspiration of understory and overstory species. Based on the model results, soil texture and antecedent precipitation regime impact the redistribution of water within soil layers, potentially causing deeper soil layers to influence the ecosystem for a longer time. Of all the study areas modeled, soil moisture memory of California savanna ecosystem site is replenished and dries out most rapidly. Thus soil moisture memory could not maintain the high rate evapotranspiration for more than a few days without incoming rainfall event. On the contrary, soil moisture memory of Arizona savanna ecosystem site lasts the longest time. The plants with different root depths respond to different memory effects; shallow-rooted species mainly respond to the soil moisture memory in the shallow soil. The growing season of grass is largely depended on the soil moisture memory of the top 25cm soil layer. Grass transpiration is sensitive to the antecedent precipitation events within daily to weekly timescale. Deep-rooted plants have different responses since these species can access to the deeper soil moisture memory with longer time duration Soil moisture memory does not have obvious impacts on the phenology of woody plants

Modelling nitrate pollution pressure using a multivariate statistical approach: the case of Kinshasa groundwater body, Democratic Republic of Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mfumu Kihumba, Antoine; Ndembo Longo, Jean; Vanclooster, Marnik

2016-03-01

A multivariate statistical modelling approach was applied to explain the anthropogenic pressure of nitrate pollution on the Kinshasa groundwater body (Democratic Republic of Congo). Multiple regression and regression tree models were compared and used to identify major environmental factors that control the groundwater nitrate concentration in this region. The analyses were made in terms of physical attributes related to the topography, land use, geology and hydrogeology in the capture zone of different groundwater sampling stations. For the nitrate data, groundwater datasets from two different surveys were used. The statistical models identified the topography, the residential area, the service land (cemetery), and the surface-water land-use classes as major factors explaining nitrate occurrence in the groundwater. Also, groundwater nitrate pollution depends not on one single factor but on the combined influence of factors representing nitrogen loading sources and aquifer susceptibility characteristics. The groundwater nitrate pressure was better predicted with the regression tree model than with the multiple regression model. Furthermore, the results elucidated the sensitivity of the model performance towards the method of delineation of the capture zones. For pollution modelling at the monitoring points, therefore, it is better to identify capture-zone shapes based on a conceptual hydrogeological model rather than to adopt arbitrary circular capture zones.

Assessment of pfcrt 72-76 haplotypes eight years after chloroquine withdrawal in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Mvumbi, Dieudonné Makaba; Boreux, Raphael; Sacheli, Rosalie; Lelo, Mvumbi; Lengu, Bobanga; Nani-Tuma, Situakibanza; Melin, Pierrette; Ntumba, Kayembe; Lunganza, Kalala; DeMol, Patrick; Hayette, Marie-Pierre

2013-12-20

In 2001, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended the use of artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) as the first-line treatment of uncomplicated malaria cases, as monotherapies had become ineffective in many parts of the world. As a result, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) withdrew chloroquine (CQ) from its malaria treatment policy in 2002 and an artesunate (AS)-amodiaquine (AQ) combination became the ACT of choice in DRC in 2005. AQ-resistance (AQR) has been reported in several parts of the world and mutations in codons 72-76 of the Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistance transporter (pfcrt) gene have been strongly correlated with resistance, especially mutations encoding the SVMNT haplotype. This haplotype was first identified in Southeast Asia and South America but was recently reported in two African countries neighbouring DRC. These facts raised two questions: the first about the evolution of CQ resistance (CQR) in DRC and the second about the presence of the SVMNT haplotype, which would compromise the use of AQ as a partner drug for ACT. A total of 213 thick blood films were randomly collected in 2010 from a paediatric clinic in Kinshasa, DRC. Microscopy controls and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were performed for Plasmodium species identification. Haplotypes of the pfcrt gene were determined by sequencing. The K76T mutation was detected in 145 out of 198 P. falciparum-positive samples (73.2%). In these 145 resistant strains, only the CVIET haplotype was detected. This study is the first to assess the molecular markers of resistance to CQ and AQ after the introduction of ACT in DRC. The results suggest first that CQR is decreasing, as wild-type pfcrt haplotypes were found in only 26.8% of the samples and secondly that the SVMNT haplotype is not yet present in Kinshasa, suggesting that AQ remains valid as a partner drug for ACT in this region.

Malaria policies versus practices, a reality check from Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Muhindo Mavoko, Hypolite; Ilombe, Gillon; Inocêncio da Luz, Raquel; Kutekemeni, Albert; Van geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Lutumba, Pascal

2015-04-10

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) following a confirmed parasitological diagnosis is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Congolese National Malaria Control Program (NMCP). However, commitment and competence of all stakeholders (patients, medical professionals, governments and funders) is required to achieve effective case management and secure the "useful therapeutic life" of the recommended drugs. The health seeking behaviour of patients and health care professionals' practices for malaria management were assessed. This was an observational study embedded in a two-stage cluster randomized survey conducted in one health centre (HC) in each of the 12 selected health zones in Kinshasa city. All patients with clinical malaria diagnosis were eligible. Their health seeking behaviour was recorded on a specific questionnaire, as well as the health care practitioners' practices. The last were not aware that their practices would be assessed. Six hundred and twenty four patients were assessed, of whom 136 (21.8%) were under five years. Three hundred and thirty five (55%) had taken medication prior to the current consultation (self -medication with any product or visiting another HC) of whom 47(14%) took an antimalarial drug, and 56 (9%) were treated presumptively. Among those, 53.6% received monotherapy either with quinine, artesunate, phytomedicines, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine or amodiaquine. On the other side, when clinicians were informed about laboratory results, monotherapy was prescribed in 39.9% of the confirmed malaria cases. Only 285 patients (45.7%) were managed in line with WHO and NMCP guidelines, of whom 120 (19.2%) were prescribed an ACT after positive blood smear and 165 (26.4%) received no antimalarial after a negative result. This study shows the discrepancy between malaria policies and the reality on the field in Kinshasa, regarding patients' health seeking behaviour and health professionals' practices. Consequently, the

SMALT - Soil Moisture from Altimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Richard; Salloway, Mark; Berry, Philippa; Hahn, Sebastian; Wagner, Wolfgang; Egido, Alejandro; Dinardo, Salvatore; Lucas, Bruno Manuel; Benveniste, Jerome

2014-05-01

Soil surface moisture is a key scientific parameter; however, it is extremely difficult to measure remotely, particularly in arid and semi-arid terrain. This paper outlines the development of a novel methodology to generate soil moisture estimates in these regions from multi-mission satellite radar altimetry. Key to this approach is the development of detailed DRy Earth ModelS (DREAMS), which encapsulate the detailed and intricate surface brightness variations over the Earth's land surface, resulting from changes in surface roughness and composition. DREAMS have been created over a number of arid and semi-arid deserts worldwide to produce historical SMALT timeseries over soil moisture variation. These products are available in two formats - a high resolution track product which utilises the altimeter's high frequency content alongtrack and a multi-looked 6" gridded product at facilitate easy comparison/integeration with other remote sensing techniques. An overview of the SMALT processing scheme, covering the progression of the data from altimeter sigma0 through to final soil moisture estimate, is included along with example SMALT products. Validation has been performed over a number of deserts by comparing SMALT products with other remote sensing techniques, results of the comparison between SMALT and Metop Warp 5.5 are presented here. Comparisons with other remote sensing techniques have been limited in scope due to differences in the operational aspects of the instruments, the restricted geographical coverage of the DREAMS and the low repeat temporal sampling rate of the altimeter. The potential to expand the SMALT technique into less arid areas has been investigated. Small-scale comparison with in-situ and GNSS-R data obtained by the LEiMON experimental campaign over Tuscany, where historical trends exist within both SMALT and SMC probe datasets. A qualitative analysis of unexpected backscatter characteristics in dedicated dry environments is performed with

Moisture Management for High R-Value Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepage, R.; Schumacher, C.; Lukachko, A.

2013-11-01

The following report explains the moisture-related concerns for High R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study. Hygrothermal simulations were prepared for several common approaches to High R-value wall construction in six cities (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and International Falls) representing a range of climate zones (2, 3, 4C, 4, 5A, and 7, respectively). The simulations are informed by experience gained from past research in this area and validated by field measurement and forensic experience. The modeling program was developed to assess the moisture durability of the wall assemblies based on threemore » primary sources of moisture: construction moisture, air leakage condensation, and bulk water leakage. The peak annual moisture content of the wood based exterior sheathing was used to comparatively analyze the response to the moisture loads for each of the walls in each given city. Walls which experienced sheathing moisture contents between 20% and 28% were identified as risky, whereas those exceeding 28% were identified as very high risk. All of the wall assemblies perform well under idealized conditions. However, only the walls with exterior insulation, or cavity insulation which provides a hygrothermal function similar to exterior insulation, perform adequately when exposed to moisture loads. Walls with only cavity insulation are particularly susceptible to air leakage condensation. None of the walls performed well when a precipitation based bulk water leak was introduced to the backside of the sheathing, emphasizing the importance of proper flashing details.« less

A microwave systems approach to measuring root zone soil moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newton, R. W.; Paris, J. F.; Clark, B. V.

1983-01-01

Computer microwave satellite simulation models were developed and the program was used to test the ability of a coarse resolution passive microwave sensor to measure soil moisture over large areas, and to evaluate the effect of heterogeneous ground covers with the resolution cell on the accuracy of the soil moisture estimate. The use of realistic scenes containing only 10% to 15% bare soil and significant vegetation made it possible to observe a 60% K decrease in brightness temperature from a 5% soil moisture to a 35% soil moisture at a 21 cm microwave wavelength, providing a 1.5 K to 2 K per percent soil moisture sensitivity to soil moisture. It was shown that resolution does not affect the basic ability to measure soil moisture with a microwave radiometer system. Experimental microwave and ground field data were acquired for developing and testing a root zone soil moisture prediction algorithm. The experimental measurements demonstrated that the depth of penetration at a 21 cm microwave wavelength is not greater than 5 cm.

Effects of climate change on soil moisture over China from 1960-2006

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhu, Q.; Jiang, H.; Liu, J.

2009-01-01

Soil moisture is an important variable in the climate system and it has sensitive impact on the global climate. Obviously it is one of essential components in the climate change study. The Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS) is used to evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture across China under the climate change conditions for the period 1960-2006. Results show that the model performed better in warm season than in cold season. Mean errors (ME) are within 10% for all the months and root mean squared errors (RMSE) are within 10% except winter season. The model captured the spatial variability higher than 50% in warm seasons. Trend analysis based on the Mann-Kendall method indicated that soil moisture in most area of China is decreased especially in the northern China. The areas with significant increasing trends in soil moisture mainly locate at northwestern China and small areas in southeastern China and eastern Tibet plateau. ?? 2009 IEEE.

Moisture patterns in douglas-fir and tanoak slash

Treesearch

Norman C. Scott

1964-01-01

Moisture content in Douglas-fir cull logs and boles of felled tanoaks was sampled periodically at 2-inch intervals to a depth of 6 inches from October 1960-0ctober 1961. The study area had been clear cut in 1958 and the hardwoods felled in 1959. Analysis of the data showed that the moisture level in tanoak stems decreased at an increasing rate from a 6-inch depth to...

Spatial variability of soil moisture retrieved by SMOS satellite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lukowski, Mateusz; Marczewski, Wojciech; Usowicz, Boguslaw; Rojek, Edyta; Slominski, Jan; Lipiec, Jerzy

2015-04-01

Standard statistical methods assume that the analysed variables are independent. Since the majority of the processes observed in the nature are continuous in space and time, this assumption introduces a significant limitation for understanding the examined phenomena. In classical approach, valuable information about the locations of examined observations is completely lost. However, there is a branch of statistics, called geostatistics, which is the study of random variables, but taking into account the space where they occur. A common example of so-called "regionalized variable" is soil moisture. Using in situ methods it is difficult to estimate soil moisture distribution because it is often significantly diversified. Thanks to the geostatistical methods, by employing semivariance analysis, it is possible to get the information about the nature of spatial dependences and their lengths. Since the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission launch in 2009, the estimation of soil moisture spatial distribution for regional up to continental scale started to be much easier. In this study, the SMOS L2 data for Central and Eastern Europe were examined. The statistical and geostatistical features of moisture distributions of this area were studied for selected natural soil phenomena for 2010-2014 including: freezing, thawing, rainfalls (wetting), drying and drought. Those soil water "states" were recognized employing ground data from the agro-meteorological network of ground-based stations SWEX and SMUDP2 data from SMOS. After pixel regularization, without any upscaling, the geostatistical methods were applied directly on Discrete Global Grid (15-km resolution) in ISEA 4H9 projection, on which SMOS observations are reported. Analysis of spatial distribution of SMOS soil moisture, carried out for each data set, in most cases did not show significant trends. It was therefore assumed that each of the examined distributions of soil moisture in the adopted scale satisfies

The importance of education to increase the use of bed nets in villages outside of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

PubMed

Ndjinga, Julie K; Minakawa, Noboru

2010-10-12

Malaria is the most prominent disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) have been distributed free of charge since 2006 to combat the disease. However, the success of this bed net campaign depends on sufficient bed net use in all age groups. This study was designed to examine the factors affecting bed net use in villages outside of Kinshasa. Two villages along the Congo River, totalling 142 households with 640 residents, were surveyed using a standard questionnaire. The interview determined the number, ages, and sexes of family members; the education level of the family head; the number, colour, and type of nets owned; and the number of nets used in the previous night. The size of house was also measured, and numbers of rooms and beds were recorded. These variables were examined to reveal important factors that affect bed net use. A total of 469 nets were counted, and nearly all nets were white LLINs. Of these nets, 229 (48.8%) nets were used by 284 (44.4%) residents. Bed nets were used by over 90% of children 5 to 15 years of age, whereas less than 50% of the residents in other age groups used bed nets. The important variables affecting bed net use were numbers of beds and rooms in the house and the education level of the family head of household. Education was the most important factor affecting bed net use in the villages outside Kinshasa. Development of an educational programme, particularly one directed toward parents, is necessary to reduce misconceptions and increase prevalence of bed net use among all age groups.

Effect of Moisture Content of Chitin-Calcium Silicate on Rate of Degradation of Cefotaxime Sodium.

PubMed

Al-Nimry, Suhair S; Alkhamis, Khouloud A

2018-04-01

Assessment of incompatibilities between active pharmaceutical ingredient and pharmaceutical excipients is an important part of preformulation studies. The objective of the work was to assess the effect of moisture content of chitin calcium silicate of two size ranges (two specific surface areas) on the rate of degradation of cefotaxime sodium. The surface area of the excipient was determined using adsorption method. The effect of moisture content of a given size range on the stability of the drug was determined at 40°C in the solid state. The moisture content was determined at the beginning and the end of the kinetic study using TGA. The degradation in solution was studied for comparison. Increasing the moisture content of the excipient of size range 63-180 μm (surface area 7.2 m 2 /g) from 3.88 to 8.06% increased the rate of degradation of the drug more than two times (from 0.0317 to 0.0718 h -1 ). While an opposite trend was observed for the excipient of size range < 63 μm (surface area 55.4 m 2 /g). The rate of degradation at moisture content < 3% was 0.4547 h -1 , almost two times higher than that (0.2594 h -1 ) at moisture content of 8.54%, and the degradation in solid state at both moisture contents was higher than that in solution (0.0871 h -1 ). In conclusion, the rate of degradation in solid should be studied taking into consideration the specific surface area and moisture content of the excipient at the storage condition and it may be higher than that in solution.

Analysis of ASAR Wide Swath Mode time series for the retrieval of soil moisture in mountainous areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greifeneder, Felix; Notarnicola, Claudia; Cuozzo, Giovanni; Spindler, Nadine; Bertoldi, Giacomo; Della Chiesa, Stefano; Niedrist, Georg; Stamenkovic, Jelena; Wagner, Wolgang

2014-05-01

Soil moisture is a key element in the global cycles of water, energy, and carbon. Knowledge on the spatial and temporal distribution of the soil moisture content (SMC) is therefore essential for a number of hydrological applications as well as earth sciences like meteorology or climatology (Heathman et al., 2003). In the last few years there has been an increasing interest towards the estimation of SMC at local scales using active microwave sensors (Barret et al., 2009). Compared to passive microwave sensors, SAR offers the potential to provide data at high spatial resolution (modern sensors can acquire images with up to approximately 1 m), which is particularly important in mountainous areas. So far, these areas have been considered only marginally in research and only pioneer studies can be found in the literature (Brocca et al., 2012; Bertoldi et al. 2013). In this work we analyzed the temporal and spatial dynamics of the surface SMC (0 - 5 cm depth) on the basis of ground data collected by fixed meteorological stations located in the emerging Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) site Mazia Valley (Province of Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy), SAR data from ENVISATs ASAR sensor, wide swath (WS) mode (acquired between 2005 and 2012), and SMC estimates from the hydrological model GEOtop (Endrizzi et al., 2013). The SMC retrieval process was based on the support vector regression (SVR) method introduced by Pasolli et al. (2011). The training of the algorithm was based on data acquired in 2010. Furthermore, the SAR backscatter and derived SMC have been compared with time-series derived from the distributed hydrological model GEOtop. The differences in terms of temporal and spatial dynamic have been analyzed. The main goal of this work is to evaluate the spatial and temporal patterns of SAR derived SMC at field scale and to correlate them with ground information. This is a preparatory study to establish a methodology for the retrieval of SMC with high spatial and

Linking the soil moisture distribution pattern to dynamic processes along slope transects in the Loess Plateau, China.

PubMed

Wang, Shuai; Fu, Bojie; Gao, Guangyao; Zhou, Ji; Jiao, Lei; Liu, Jianbo

2015-12-01

Soil moisture pulses are a prerequisite for other land surface pulses at various spatiotemporal scales in arid and semi-arid areas. The temporal dynamics and profile variability of soil moisture in relation to land cover combinations were studied along five slopes transect on the Loess Plateau during the rainy season of 2011. Within the 3 months of the growing season coupled with the rainy season, all of the soil moisture was replenished in the area, proving that a type stability exists between different land cover soil moisture levels. Land cover combinations disturbed the trend determined by topography and increased soil moisture variability in space and time. The stability of soil moisture resulting from the dynamic processes could produce stable patterns on the slopes. The relationships between the mean soil moisture and vertical standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV) were more complex, largely due to the fact that different land cover types had distinctive vertical patterns of soil moisture. The spatial SD of each layer had a positive correlation and the spatial CV exhibited a negative correlation with the increase in mean soil moisture. The soil moisture stability implies that sampling comparisons in this area can be conducted at different times to accurately compare different land use types.

Inversion of Farmland Soil Moisture in Large Region Based on Modified Vegetation Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. X.; Yu, B. S.; Zhang, G. Z.; Zhao, G. C.; He, S. D.; Luo, W. R.; Zhang, C. C.

2018-04-01

Soil moisture is an important parameter for agricultural production. Efficient and accurate monitoring of soil moisture is an important link to ensure the safety of agricultural production. Remote sensing technology has been widely used in agricultural moisture monitoring because of its timeliness, cyclicality, dynamic tracking of changes in things, easy access to data, and extensive monitoring. Vegetation index and surface temperature are important parameters for moisture monitoring. Based on NDVI, this paper introduces land surface temperature and average temperature for optimization. This article takes the soil moisture in winter wheat growing area in Henan Province as the research object, dividing Henan Province into three main regions producing winter wheat and dividing the growth period of winter wheat into the early, middle and late stages on the basis of phenological characteristics and regional characteristics. Introducing appropriate correction factor during the corresponding growth period of winter wheat, correcting the vegetation index in the corresponding area, this paper establishes regression models of soil moisture on NDVI and soil moisture on modified NDVI based on correlation analysis and compare models. It shows that modified NDVI is more suitable as a indicator of soil moisture because of the better correlation between soil moisture and modified NDVI and the higher prediction accuracy of the regression model of soil moisture on modified NDVI. The research in this paper has certain reference value for winter wheat farmland management and decision-making.

COMPARING MOISTURE METER READINGS WITH MEASURED EQUILIBRIUM MOISTURE CONTENT OF GYPSUM BOARD

EPA Science Inventory

Moisture meters routinely used in the field to determine the moisture content in gypsum wallboard are primarily designed and manufactured to measure the moisture content of wood. Often they are used to decide whether to replace wallboard by determining if moisture is qualitativel...

Evaluation of AMSR2 soil moisture products over the contiguous United States using in situ data from the International Soil Moisture Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Qiusheng; Liu, Hongxing; Wang, Lei; Deng, Chengbin

2016-03-01

High quality soil moisture datasets are required for various environmental applications. The launch of the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 (AMSR2) on board the Global Change Observation Mission 1-Water (GCOM-W1) in May 2012 has provided global near-surface soil moisture data, with an average revisit frequency of two days. Since AMSR2 is a new passive microwave system in operation, it is very important to evaluate the quality of AMSR2 products before widespread utilization of the data for scientific research. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive evaluation of the AMSR2 soil moisture products retrieved by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) algorithm. The evaluation was performed for a three-year period (July 2012-June 2015) over the contiguous United States. The AMSR2 soil moisture products were evaluated by comparing ascending and descending overpass products to each other as well as comparing them to in situ soil moisture observations of 598 monitoring stations obtained from the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN). The accuracy of AMSR2 soil moisture product was evaluated against several types of monitoring networks, and for different land cover types and ecoregions. Three performance metrics, including mean difference (MD), root mean squared difference (RMSD), and correlation coefficient (R), were used in our accuracy assessment. Our evaluation results revealed that AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals are generally lower than in situ measurements. The AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals showed the best agreement with in situ measurements over the Great Plains and the worst agreement over forested areas. This study offers insights into the suitability and reliability of AMSR2 soil moisture products for different ecoregions. Although AMSR2 soil moisture retrievals represent useful and effective measurements for some regions, further studies are required to improve the data accuracy.

Moisture Management of High-R Walls (Fact Sheet)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

2013-12-01

The following report explains the moisture-related concerns for High R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study. Hygrothermal simulations were prepared for several common approaches to High R-value wall construction in six cities (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and International Falls) representing a range of climate zones (2, 3, 4C, 4, 5A, and 7, respectively). The simulations are informed by experience gained from past research in this area and validated by field measurement and forensic experience. The modeling program was developed to assess the moisture durability of the wall assemblies based on threemore » primary sources of moisture: construction moisture, air leakage condensation, and bulk water leakage. The peak annual moisture content of the wood based exterior sheathing was used to comparatively analyze the response to the moisture loads for each of the walls in each given city. Walls which experienced sheathing moisture contents between 20% and 28% were identified as risky, whereas those exceeding 28% were identified as very high risk. All of the wall assemblies perform well under idealized conditions. However, only the walls with exterior insulation, or cavity insulation which provides a hygrothermal function similar to exterior insulation, perform adequately when exposed to moisture loads. Walls with only cavity insulation are particularly susceptible to air leakage condensation. None of the walls performed well when a precipitation based bulk water leak was introduced to the backside of the sheathing, emphasizing the importance of proper flashing details.« less

Prevalence and risk factors for cancer of the uterine cervix among women living in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ali-Risasi, Catherine; Verdonck, Kristien; Padalko, Elizaveta; Vanden Broeck, Davy; Praet, Marleen

2015-01-01

Cancer of the uterine cervix is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Sub-Saharan Africa, but information from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is scarce. The study objectives were to: 1/ assess prevalence of (pre)cancerous cervical lesions in adult women in Kinshasa, 2/ identify associated socio-demographic and behavioural factors and 3/ describe human papillomavirus (HPV) types in cervical lesions. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa. Between 2006 and 2013, four groups of women were recruited. The first two groups were included at HIV screening centres. Group 1 consisted of HIV-positive and group 2 of HIV-negative women. Group 3 was included in large hospitals and group 4 in primary health centres. Pap smears were studied by monolayer technique (Bethesda classification). Low- or high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions or carcinoma were classified as LSIL+. HPV types were determined by INNO-LiPA®. Bivariate and multivariable analyses (logistic regression and generalised estimating equations (GEE)) were used to assess associations between explanatory variables and LSIL+. LSIL+ lesions were found in 76 out of 1018 participants. The prevalence was 31.3 % in group 1 (n = 131 HIV-positive women), 3.9 % in group 2 (n = 128 HIV-negative women), 3.9 % in group 3 (n = 539) and 4.1 % in group 4 (n = 220). The following variables were included in the GEE model but did not reach statistical significance: history of abortion, ≥3 sexual partners and use of chemical products for vaginal care. In groups 3 and 4 where this information was available, the use of plants for vaginal care was associated with LSIL+ (adjusted OR 2.70 (95 % confidence interval 1.04 - 7.01). The most common HPV types among HIV-positive women with ASCUS+ cytology (ASCUS or worse) were HPV68 (12 out of 50 samples tested), HPV35 (12/50), HPV52 (12/50) and HPV16 (10/50). Among women with negative/unknown HIV status, the most common types

The use of hybrid fractures in paleostress determinations: test case with the the Palygorskite-bearing fractures in the Kinshasa area, DR Congo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delvaux, Damien; Gloire, Ganza; Mees, Florias; Lahogue, Pascale

2014-05-01

Hybrid fractures represent the transition from extension fracture to shear fracture (Ramsey and Chester, 2004, Nature 428, 63-66). Although hybrid fractures have long been hypothesized to represent brittle fracture types between the extension and shear fractures end-members, it was only in 2004 that these authors succeeded to demonstrate their existence experimentally. As a consequence, observation of hybrid fractures in naturally deformed rocks remained ambiguous for a long time and only few studies reported their natural existence. Hybrid fractures have also not been considered so far as brittle element in paleostress reconstructions as their kinematic understanding was unclear. The Paleozoic Inkisi red sandstones of the West-Congo Supergroup in the region of Kinshasa and Brazzaville (Congo) are affected by prominent fracture sets, the most prominent of which are filled by palygorskite veins. They were formed in a strike-slip setting related to intraplate stress field generated by the mid Atlantic ridge push since that became efficient in late Cretaceous. We found an almost continuous range of fracture types, from plume joints to open fractures filled with calcite-palygorskite but without slip striae, and slickensided fractures with only thin films of redeposited palygorskite. The structural data have been analyzed with the Win-Tensor program (version 5.0.1) which has been adapted to consider hybrid fractures. Those are characterized by extension and shear, as opposed to tension fractures, on which no shear movement occurs, and to shear fractures, on which contraction occurs instead of extension. The results obtained suggest that the fractures have been initiated locally as plume joint and developed laterally under hybrid conditions. Later, some of them have been reactivated as strike-slip shear fractures and a new conjugated set appeared. Overall, this illustrates the progressive development with time of the stress state corresponding to an increase in the sigma

Moisturizers for Acne

PubMed Central

Chularojanamontri, Leena; Tuchinda, Papapit; Kulthanan, Kanokvalai

2014-01-01

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous unit that affects almost all teenagers. Different treatments offer different modes of action, but aim to target acne pathology. Topical therapies, such as benzoyl peroxide, retinoids, antibiotics with alcohol-based preparations, and salicylic acid, can cause skin irritation resulting in a lack of patient adherence. Some physicians recommend patients use moisturizers as adjunctive treatment of acne, especially when either topical benzoyl peroxide or a retinoid is prescribed. Furthermore, some evidence shows that moisturizers can contribute independently to improve signs and symptoms of acne. Moisturizers contain three main properties, which are occlusive, humectant, and emollient effects. Currently, many moisturizers claim to be suitable for acne treatment. This article aims to provide a review of the active ingredients and properties of those moisturizers. Fifty-two moisturizers for acne were included for analysis. Most of the products (92%) have anti-inflammatory properties apart from occlusive, humectant, and emollient effects. Anti-acne medications, including salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide, and retinol, were found respectively in 35, 10, and 8 percent of the moisturizer products containing anti-inflammatory properties. More than half of the products contain dimethicone and/or glycerin for its moisturizer property. Aloe vera and witch hazel are botanical anti-inflammatories that were commonly found in this study. Scientific data regarding some ingredients are discussed to provide a guide for physicians in selecting moisturizers for acne patients. PMID:24847408

An integrated study for mapping the moisture distribution in an ancient damaged wall painting.

PubMed

Capitani, Donatella; Proietti, Noemi; Gobbino, Marco; Soroldoni, Luigi; Casellato, Umberto; Valentini, Massimo; Rosina, Elisabetta

2009-12-01

An integrated study of microclimate monitoring, IR thermography (IRT), gravimetric tests and portable unilateral nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was applied in the framework of planning emergency intervention on a very deteriorated wall painting in San Rocco church, Cornaredo (Milan, Italy). The IRT investigation supported by gravimetric tests showed that the worst damage, due to water infiltration, was localized on the wall painting of the northern wall. Unilateral NMR, a new non-destructive technique which measures the hydrogen signal of the moisture and that was applied directly to the wall, allowed a detailed map of the distribution of the moisture in the plaster underlying the wall panting to be obtained. With a proper calibration of the integral of the recorded signal with suitable specimens, each area of the map corresponded to an accurate amount of moisture. IRT, gravimetric tests and unilateral NMR applied to investigate the northern wall painting showed the presence of two wet areas separated by a dry area. The moisture found in the lower area was ascribed to the occurrence of rising damp at the bottom of the wall due to the slope of the garden soil towards the northern exterior. The moisture found in the upper area was ascribed to condensation phenomena associated with the presence of a considerable amount of soluble, hygroscopic salts. In the framework of this integrated study, IRT investigation and gravimetric methods validated portable unilateral NMR as a new analytical tool for measuring in situ and without any sampling of the distribution and amount of moisture in wall paintings.

Challenge of managing sickle cell disease in a pediatric population living in kinshasa, democratic republic of congo: a sickle cell center experience.

PubMed

Aloni, Michel Ntetani; Nkee, Leonard

2014-01-01

In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), sickle cell disease is not yet really regarded as a health care priority. The patterns of sickle cell disease in patients living in Kinshasa, DRC are discussed and the difficulties encountered in their management are highlighted. The cross-sectional survey is of sickle cell patients and their families attending the Centre de Médecine Mixte et d'Anémie SS de Yolo (CMMASS), Kinshasa, DRC, between January and April 2009. Completed questionnaires were received from 168 respondents (111 girls; 57 boys). Seventy-one percent of the subjects were diagnosed before the age of 2 years but none in the neonatal period. Sickle cell disease was diagnosed in 54.8% of the patients after they had suffered pain crises. Of the 168 subjects, 74.0% had previously received blood transfusions. Seventy-five (45.0%) had more than three severe pain crises per year. A minority of 35.0% reported that they regularly took an antibioprophylaxis. Seventy-five (45.0%) subjects were eligible for hydroxyurea (HU) therapy but in all cases this drug was taken irregularly. Eighty-two percent of drugs were purchased by the parents. One hundred and sixty-three children (97.0%) were vaccinated according to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI), 61.0% against Streptococcus pneumoniae and 16.0% against the Hepatitis B virus (HBV). No case of immunization against Hemophilus influenzae and Salmonella sp was reported. Neonatal screening programs, early educational detection programs for families, use of current method treatments and an implementation of a health insurance system for sickle cell disease will improve detection and management for these and future patients in our population.

SMALT - Soil Moisture from Altimetry project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Richard; Benveniste, Jérôme; Dinardo, Salvatore; Lucas, Bruno Manuel; Berry, Philippa; Wagner, Wolfgang; Hahn, Sebastian; Egido, Alejandro

Soil surface moisture is a key scientific parameter; however, it is extremely difficult to measure remotely, particularly in arid and semi-arid terrain. This paper outlines the development of a novel methodology to generate soil moisture estimates in these regions from multi-mission satellite radar altimetry. Key to this approach is the development of detailed DRy Earth ModelS (DREAMS), which encapsulate the detailed and intricate surface brightness variations over the Earth’s land surface, resulting from changes in surface roughness and composition. DREAMS have been created over a number of arid and semi-arid deserts worldwide to produce historical SMALT timeseries over soil moisture variation. These products are available in two formats - a high resolution track product which utilises the altimeter’s high frequency content alongtrack and a multi-looked 6” gridded product at facilitate easy comparison/integeration with other remote sensing techniques. An overview of the SMALT processing scheme, covering the progression of the data from altimeter sigma0 through to final soil moisture estimate, is included along with example SMALT products. Validation has been performed over a number of deserts by comparing SMALT products with other remote sensing techniques, results of the comparison between SMALT and Metop Warp 5.5 are presented here. Comparisons with other remote sensing techniques have been limited in scope due to differences in the operational aspects of the instruments, the restricted geographical coverage of the DREAMS and the low repeat temporal sampling rate of the altimeter. The potential to expand the SMALT technique into less arid areas has been investigated. Small-scale comparison with in-situ and GNSS-R data obtained by the LEiMON experimental campaign over Tuscany, where historical trends exist within both SMALT and SMC probe datasets. A qualitative analysis of unexpected backscatter characteristics in dedicated dry environments is performed

Skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer formulation in female subjects with sensitive skin.

PubMed

Nisbet, Stephanie J

2018-01-01

This 3-week, open-label, noncomparative clinical study evaluated the skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer in subjects with sensitive skin, by monitoring adverse events (AEs) and cutaneous discomfort related to normal usage. Female subjects aged between 18-60 years, with Fitzpatrick phototype classification I-IV and sensitive skin, verified by a positive reaction on the stinging test at screening, were included. Subjects applied the moisturizer to their face and body twice daily for 21±2 days at home and recorded study product usage and feelings of cutaneous discomfort (eg, dryness, prickling, stinging, and itching) in a diary; any AEs were reported to the clinic. At study end, skin acceptability of the moisturizer was investigator-assessed based on the nature of AEs and subjects' self-reported feelings of discomfort, and by clinical evaluation of skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application (appearance of erythema, formation of edema, and skin desquamation; scored according to an adapted Draize and Kligman scale). Only subjects with a treatment compliance of ≥80% were included in the final analysis. In total, 35 subjects initiated and completed the study; all were compliant to the minimum study product usage. Per investigator clinical dermatological assessment at study end, none of the 35 subjects had skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application and there were no reported AEs. One subject reported sensations of mild prickling and itching immediately after applying the moisturizer (not classified as AEs), which spontaneously remitted after complete absorption of the product and were noted only in exposed areas. These events were considered by the investigator as being possibly/probably related to the use of study product; however, no clinical signs of skin reaction were observed in the exposed areas. This cosmetic moisturizer appears generally well tolerated and suitable for topical use in subjects with sensitive skin.

Assimilating soil moisture into an Earth System Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stacke, Tobias; Hagemann, Stefan

2017-04-01

, the largest differences between both simulations are seen for continental areas, while regions with a maritime climate are least sensitive to soil moisture assimilation.

Multiscale soil moisture estimates using static and roving cosmic-ray soil moisture sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McJannet, David; Hawdon, Aaron; Baker, Brett; Renzullo, Luigi; Searle, Ross

2017-12-01

Soil moisture plays a critical role in land surface processes and as such there has been a recent increase in the number and resolution of satellite soil moisture observations and the development of land surface process models with ever increasing resolution. Despite these developments, validation and calibration of these products has been limited because of a lack of observations on corresponding scales. A recently developed mobile soil moisture monitoring platform, known as the rover, offers opportunities to overcome this scale issue. This paper describes methods, results and testing of soil moisture estimates produced using rover surveys on a range of scales that are commensurate with model and satellite retrievals. Our investigation involved static cosmic-ray neutron sensors and rover surveys across both broad (36 × 36 km at 9 km resolution) and intensive (10 × 10 km at 1 km resolution) scales in a cropping district in the Mallee region of Victoria, Australia. We describe approaches for converting rover survey neutron counts to soil moisture and discuss the factors controlling soil moisture variability. We use independent gravimetric and modelled soil moisture estimates collected across both space and time to validate rover soil moisture products. Measurements revealed that temporal patterns in soil moisture were preserved through time and regression modelling approaches were utilised to produce time series of property-scale soil moisture which may also have applications in calibration and validation studies or local farm management. Intensive-scale rover surveys produced reliable soil moisture estimates at 1 km resolution while broad-scale surveys produced soil moisture estimates at 9 km resolution. We conclude that the multiscale soil moisture products produced in this study are well suited to future analysis of satellite soil moisture retrievals and finer-scale soil moisture models.

Soil moisture variability over Odra watershed: Comparison between SMOS and GLDAS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zawadzki, Jaroslaw; Kędzior, Mateusz

2016-03-01

Monitoring of temporal and spatial soil moisture variability is an important issue, both from practical and scientific point of view. It is well known that passive, L-band, radiometric measurements provide best soil moisture estimates. Unfortunately as it was observed during Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission, which was specially dedicated to measure soil moisture, these measurements suffer significant data loss. It is caused mainly by radio frequency interference (RFI) which strongly contaminates Central Europe and even in particularly unfavorable conditions, might prevent these data from being used for regional or watershed scale analysis. Nevertheless, it is highly awaited by researchers to receive statistically significant information on soil moisture over the area of a big watershed. One of such watersheds, the Odra (Oder) river watershed, lies in three European countries - Poland, Germany and the Czech Republic. The area of the Odra river watershed is equal to 118,861 km2 making it the second most important river in Poland as well as one of the most significant one in Central Europe. This paper examines the SMOS soil moisture data in the Odra river watershed in the period from 2010 to 2012. This attempt was made to check the possibility of assessing, from the low spatial resolution observations of SMOS, useful information that could be exploited for practical aims in watershed scale, for example, in water storage models even while moderate RFI takes place. Such studies, performed over the area of a large watershed, were recommended by researchers in order to obtain statistically significant results. To meet these expectations, Centre Aval de Traitement des Donnes SMOS (CATDS), 3-days averaged data, together with Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS) National Centers for Environmental Prediction/Oregon State University/Air Force/Hydrologic Research Lab (NOAH) model 0.25 soil moisture values were used for statistical analyses and mutual

[Combining microcredit, microinsurance, and the provision of health care can improve access to quality care in urban areas of Africa: Results of an experiment in the Bandalungwa health zone in Kinshasa, the Congo].

PubMed

Manzambi Kuwekita, J; Gosset, C; Guillaume, M; Balula Semutsari, M-P; Tshiama Kabongo, E; Bruyere, O; Reginster, J-Y

2015-01-01

This study, based on a survey conducted in 2008, examines how combining microcredit, microinsurance, and health care provision can improve access to quality care in the health zone of Bandalungwa, in Kinshasa. The bivariate analysis showed a significant association between increased purchasing power and earnings (p = 0.001), between earnings and savings (p = 0.000), and between health insurance and improved access to health care. These results show that 68.8% of borrowers reported an increase in their purchasing power, of whom 82% reported profits. Those with savings were 24.7 times more likely to purchase health insurance than those without; and 72% of those who regularly made health insurance payments improved their access to care. Combining microcredit, health microinsurance, and health care can improve access to quality health care at lower cost. This suggests that health insurance could usefully be integrated into the primary health-care system.

Factors that lead to changes in sexual behaviours after a negative HIV test: protocol for a prospective cohort study in Kinshasa.

PubMed

Carlos, Silvia; Nzakimuena, Francis; Reina, Gabriel; Lopez-Del Burgo, Cristina; Burgueño, Eduardo; Ndarabu, Adolphe; Osorio, Alfonso; de Irala, Jokin

2016-07-20

Considering the high percentage of couples in which one or both members are HIV negative, the frequency of transmission among non-regular partners and the probabilities of non-disclosure, attention should be paid to people getting a negative HIV test at the Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT). Research has shown that a negative HIV test may be followed by a change in sexual behaviours. In Sub-Saharan Africa, where most HIV infections occur, there are few studies that have analysed the factors associated with changes in sexual risk behaviours after a negative HIV test at the VCT clinic. The aim of this project is to evaluate the specific factors associated with changes in sexual behaviours, three months after a negative result in an HIV test, and to analyse the effect of counseling and testing on HIV-related knowledge of participants in an outpatient centre of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo). Prospective cohort study from December 2014 until March 2016. People 15-60 year old that received VCT at Monkole Hospital (Kinshasa) were followed three months after they got a negative HIV test. In a face-to-face interview, participants replied to a baseline and a follow-up research questionnaire on HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. At follow-up respondents were also offered a new HIV test and additional HIV counseling. Four hundred and fifteen participants completed the baseline questionnaire and 363 (87 %) came back for their 3-month follow up. This is the first longitudinal study in the DRC that evaluates the factors associated with changes in sexual behaviours after a negative HIV test at the VCT. Participants attending the VCT services within a clinical setting are a good study population as they can be good transmitters of preventive information for other people with no access to health facilities.

Assessment of Multi-frequency Electromagnetic Induction for Determining Soil Moisture Patterns at the Hillslope Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tromp-van Meerveld, I.; McDonnell, J.

2009-05-01

We present an assessment of electromagnetic induction (EM) as a potential rapid and non-invasive method to map soil moisture patterns at the Panola (GA, USA) hillslope. We address the following questions regarding the applicability of EM measurements for hillslope hydrological investigations: (1) Can EM be used for soil moisture measurements in areas with shallow soils?; (2) Can EM represent the temporal and spatial patterns of soil moisture throughout the year?; and (3) can multiple frequencies be used to extract additional information content from the EM approach and explain the depth profile of soil moisture? We found that the apparent conductivity measured with the multi-frequency GEM-300 was linearly related to soil moisture measured with an Aqua-pro capacitance sensor below a threshold conductivity and represented the temporal patterns in soil moisture well. During spring rainfall events that wetted only the surface soil layers the apparent conductivity measurements explained the soil moisture dynamics at depth better than the surface soil moisture dynamics. All four EM frequencies (7290, 9090, 11250, and 14010 Hz) were highly correlated and linearly related to each other and could be used to predict soil moisture. This limited our ability to use the four different EM frequencies to obtain a soil moisture profile with depth. The apparent conductivity patterns represented the observed spatial soil moisture patterns well when the individually fitted relationships between measured soil moisture and apparent conductivity were used for each measurement point. However, when the same (master) relationship was used for all measurement locations, the soil moisture patterns were smoothed and did not resemble the observed soil moisture patterns very well. In addition, the range in calculated soil moisture values was reduced compared to observed soil moisture. Part of the smoothing was likely due to the much larger measurement area of the GEM-300 compared to the Aqua

Improved Prediction of Quasi-Global Vegetation Conditions Using Remotely-Sensed Surface Soil Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolten, John; Crow, Wade

2012-01-01

The added value of satellite-based surface soil moisture retrievals for agricultural drought monitoring is assessed by calculating the lagged rank correlation between remotely-sensed vegetation indices (VI) and soil moisture estimates obtained both before and after the assimilation of surface soil moisture retrievals derived from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-EOS (AMSR-E) into a soil water balance model. Higher soil moisture/VI lag correlations imply an enhanced ability to predict future vegetation conditions using estimates of current soil moisture. Results demonstrate that the assimilation of AMSR-E surface soil moisture retrievals substantially improve the performance of a global drought monitoring system - particularly in sparsely-instrumented areas of the world where high-quality rainfall observations are unavailable.

Task shifting in the management of hypertension in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lulebo, Aimée M; Kaba, Didine K; Atake, Silvestre E-H; Mapatano, Mala A; Mafuta, Eric M; Mampunza, Julien M; Coppieters, Yves

2017-12-04

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is characterized by a high prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and a high proportion of uncontrolled HTN, which is indicative of poor HTN management. Effective management of HTN in the African region is challenging due to limited resources, particularly human resources for health. To address the shortage of health workers, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends task shifting for better disease management and treatment. Although task shifting from doctors to nurses is being implemented in the DRC, there are no studies, to the best of our knowledge, that document the association between task shifting and HTN control. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between task shifting and HTN control in Kinshasa, DRC. We conducted a cross-sectional study in Kinshasa from December 2015 to January 2016 in five general referral hospitals (GRHs) and nine health centers (HCs). A total of 260 hypertensive patients participated in the study. Sociodemographic, clinical, health care costs and perceived health care quality assessment data were collected using a structured questionnaire. To examine the association between task shifting and HTN control, we assessed differences between GRH and HC patients using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Almost half the patients were female (53.1%), patients' mean age was 59.5 ± 11.4 years. Over three-fourths of patients had uncontrolled HTN. There was no significant difference in the proportion of GRH and HC patients with uncontrolled HTN (76.2% vs 77.7%, p = 0.771). Uncontrolled HTN was associated with co-morbidity (OR = 10.3; 95% CI: 3.8-28.3) and the type of antihypertensive drug used (OR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.3-16.1). The mean healthcare costs in the GRHs were significantly higher than costs in the HCs (US$ 34.2 ± US$3.34 versus US$ 7.7 ± US$ 0.6, respectively). Uncontrolled HTN was not associated with the type of health facility. This finding suggests that the

The impact of the uncertainty in the initial soil moisture condition of irrigated areas on the spatiotemporal characteristics of convective activity in Central Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kotsopoulos, Stylianos; Ioannis, Tegoulias; Ioannis, Pytharoulis; Stergios, Kartsios; Dimitrios, Bampzelis; Theodore, Karacostas

2015-04-01

The region of Thessaly is the second largest plain in Greece and has a vital role in the financial life of the country, because of its significant agricultural production. The intensive and extensive cultivation of irrigated crops, in combination with the population increase and the alteration of precipitation patterns due to climate change, often leading the region to experience severe drought conditions, especially during the warm period of the year. The aim of the DAPHNE project is to tackle the problem of drought in this area by means of Weather Modification.In the framework of the project DAPHNE, the numerical weather prediction model WRF-ARW 3.5.1 is used to provide operational forecasts and hindcasts for the region of Thessaly. The goal of this study is to investigate the impact of the uncertainty in the initial soil moisture condition of irrigated areas, on the spatiotemporal characteristics of convective activity in the region of interest. To this end, six cases under the six most frequent synoptic conditions, which are associated with convective activity in the region of interest, are utilized, considering six different soil moisture initialization scenarios. In the first scenario (Control Run), the model is initialized with the surface soil moisture of the ECMWF analysis data, that usually does not take into account the modification of soil moisture due to agricultural activity in the area of interest. In the other five scenarios (Experiment 1,2,3,4,5) the soil moisture in the upper soil layers of the study area are modified from -50% to 50% of field capacity (-50%FC, -25%FC, FC, 25%FC, 50%FC),for the irrigated cropland.Three model domains, covering Europe, the Mediterranean Sea and northern Africa (d01), the wider area of Greece (d02) and central Greece - Thessaly region (d03) are used at horizontal grid-spacings of 15km, 5km and 1km respectively. ECMWF operational analyses at 6-hourly intervals (0.25ox0.25o lat.-long.) are imported as initial and

Terrain-Moisture Classification Using GPS Surface-Reflected Signals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, Michael S.; Acton, Scott T.; Katzberg, Stephen J.

2006-01-01

In this study we present a novel method of land surface classification using surface-reflected GPS signals in combination with digital imagery. Two GPS-derived classification features are merged with visible image data to create terrain-moisture (TM) classes, defined here as visibly identifiable terrain or landcover classes containing a surface/soil moisture component. As compared to using surface imagery alone, classification accuracy is significantly improved for a number of visible classes when adding the GPS-based signal features. Since the strength of the reflected GPS signal is proportional to the amount of moisture in the surface, use of these GPS features provides information about the surface that is not obtainable using visible wavelengths alone. Application areas include hydrology, precision agriculture, and wetlands mapping.

Soil moisture sensing via swept frequency based microwave sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Accurate measurement of moisture content is a prime requirement in hydrological, geophysical, and biogeochemical research as well as for material characterization, process control, and irrigation efficiency in water limited regions. Within these areas, consideration of the surface area and associate...

Soil moisture and soil temperature variability among three plant communities in a High Arctic Lake Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, M. L.; Konkel, J.; Welker, J. M.; Schaeffer, S. M.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture and soil temperature are critical to plant community distribution and soil carbon cycle processes in High Arctic tundra. As environmental drivers of soil biochemical processes, the predictability of soil moisture and soil temperature by vegetation zone in High Arctic landscapes has significant implications for the use of satellite imagery and vegetation distribution maps to estimate of soil gas flux rates. During the 2017 growing season, we monitored soil moisture and soil temperature weekly at 48 sites in dry tundra, moist tundra, and wet grassland vegetation zones in a High Arctic lake basin. Soil temperature in all three communities reflected fluctuations in air temperature throughout the season. Mean soil temperature was highest in the dry tundra community at 10.5±0.6ºC, however, did not differ between moist tundra and wet grassland communities (2.7±0.6 and 3.1±0.5ºC, respectively). Mean volumetric soil moisture differed significantly among all three plant communities with the lowest and highest soil moisture measured in the dry tundra and wet grassland (30±1.2 and 65±2.7%), respectively. For all three communities, soil moisture was highest during the early season snow melt. Soil moisture in wet grassland remained high with no significant change throughout the season, while significant drying occurred in dry tundra. The most significant change in soil moisture was measured in moist tundra, ranging from 61 to 35%. Our results show different gradients in soil moisture variability within each plant community where: 1) soil moisture was lowest in dry tundra with little change, 2) highest in wet grassland with negligible change, and 3) variable in moist tundra which slowly dried but remained moist. Consistently high soil moisture in wet grassland restricts this plant community to areas with no significant drying during summer. The moist tundra occupies the intermediary areas between wet grassland and dry tundra and experiences the widest range

Depression, retention in care, and uptake of PMTCT service in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo: a prospective cohort.

PubMed

Yotebieng, Kelly A; Fokong, Kunuwo; Yotebieng, Marcel

2017-03-01

There is a clear need for effective strategies to address the factors that affect retention, or lost-to-follow-up (LTFU) and adherence to HIV care and treatment. Depression in particular may play an important role in the high rates of LTFU along the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) cascade in sub-Saharan Africa. This study assessed the association between prenatal depression and (1) LTFU or (2) uptake of PMTCT services. As part of a randomized control trial to evaluate the effect of conditional cash transfers on retention in and uptake of PMTCT services, newly diagnosed HIV-infected women, ≤32 weeks pregnant, registering for antenatal care (ANC), in 85 clinics in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), were recruited and followed-up until LTFU, death, transfer out, or six weeks postpartum. Participants were interviewed at enrollment using a questionnaire which included the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Depression was defined as a PHQ-9 score of ≥15. Among 433 women enrolled, 51 (11.8%) had a PHQ-9 score ≥15 including 15 (3.5%) with a score ≥20. At six weeks postpartum, 67 (15.5%) were LFTU and 331 (76.4%) were in care and had accepted all available PTMCT services. Of participants with depression at enrollment, 17.7% (9/51) were LTFU at six weeks postpartum compared to 15.2% (58/382) among those without, but the association was not statistically significant. On the other hand, 78.4% (40/51) of participants with prenatal depression were in care at six weeks postpartum and had attended all their scheduled visits and accepted available services compared to 76.2% (291/382) among those without depression. In this cohort of newly diagnosed HIV-infected pregnant women, prenatal depression assessed with a PHQ-9 score ≥15 was not a strong predictor of LTFU among newly diagnosed HIV-infected women in Kinshasa, DRC.

Soil moisture retrival from Sentinel-1 and Modis synergy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Qi; Zribi, Mehrez; Escorihuela, Maria Jose; Baghdadi, Nicolas

2017-04-01

This study presents two methodologies retrieving soil moisture from SAR remote sensing data. The study is based on Sentinel-1 data in the VV polarization, over a site in Urgell, Catalunya (Spain). In the two methodologies using change detection techniques, preprocessed radar data are combined with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) auxiliary data to estimate the mean soil moisture with a resolution of 1km. By modeling the relationship between the backscatter difference and NDVI, the soil moisture at a specific NDVI value is retrieved. The first algorithm is already developed on West Africa(Zribi et al., 2014) from ERS scatterometer data to estimate soil water status. In this study, it is adapted to Sentinel-1 data and take into account the high repetitiveness of data in optimizing the inversion approach. Another new method is developed based on the backscatter difference between two adjacent days of Sentinel-1 data w.r.t. NDVI, with smaller vegetation change, the backscatter difference is more sensitive to soil moisture. The proposed methodologies have been validated with the ground measurement in two demonstrative fields with RMS error about 0.05 (in volumetric moisture), and the coherence between soil moisture variations and rainfall events is observed. Soil moisture maps at 1km resolution are generated for the study area. The results demonstrate the potential of Sentinel-1 data for the retrieval of soil moisture at 1km or even better resolution.

Validation of soil moisture ocean salinity (SMOS) satellite soil moisture products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The surface soil moisture state controls the partitioning of precipitation into infiltration and runoff. High-resolution observations of soil moisture will lead to improved flood forecasts, especially for intermediate to large watersheds where most flood damage occurs. Soil moisture is also key in d...

SOIL moisture data intercomparison

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerr, Yann; Rodriguez-Frenandez, Nemesio; Al-Yaari, Amen; Parens, Marie; Molero, Beatriz; Mahmoodi, Ali; Mialon, Arnaud; Richaume, Philippe; Bindlish, Rajat; Mecklenburg, Susanne; Wigneron, Jean-Pierre

2016-04-01

The Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity satellite (SMOS) was launched in November 2009 and started delivering data in January 2010. Subsequently, the satellite has been in operation for over 6 years while the retrieval algorithms from Level 1 to Level 2 underwent significant evolutions as knowledge improved. Other approaches for retrieval at Level 2 over land were also investigated while Level 3 and 4 were initiated. In this présentation these improvements are assessed by inter-comparisons of the current Level 2 (V620) against the previous version (V551) and new products either using neural networks or Level 3. In addition a global evaluation of different SMOS soil moisture (SM) products is performed comparing products with those of model simulations and other satellites (AMSR E/ AMSR2 and ASCAT). Finally, all products were evaluated against in situ measurements of soil moisture (SM). The study demonstrated that the V620 shows a significant improvement (including those at level1 improving level2)) with respect to the earlier version V551. Results also show that neural network based approaches can yield excellent results over areas where other products are poor. Finally, global comparison indicates that SMOS behaves very well when compared to other sensors/approaches and gives consistent results over all surfaces from very dry (African Sahel, Arizona), to wet (tropical rain forests). RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) is still an issue even though detection has been greatly improved while RFI sources in several areas of the world are significantly reduced. When compared to other satellite products, the analysis shows that SMOS achieves its expected goals and is globally consistent over different eco climate regions from low to high latitudes and throughout the seasons.

Fiber optic moisture sensor with moisture-absorbing reflective target

DOEpatents

Kirkham, Randy R.

1987-01-01

A method and apparatus for sensing moisture changes by utilizing optical fiber technology. One embodiment uses a reflective target at the end of an optical fiber. The reflectance of the target varies with its moisture content and can be detected by a remote unit at the opposite end of the fiber. A second embodiment utilizes changes in light loss along the fiber length. This can be attributed to changes in reflectance of cladding material as a function of its moisture content. It can also be affected by holes or inserts interposed in the cladding material and/or fiber. Changing light levels can also be coupled from one fiber to another in an assembly of fibers as a function of varying moisture content in their overlapping lengths of cladding material.

Drive by Soil Moisture Measurement: A Citizen Science Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Senanayake, I. P.; Willgoose, G. R.; Yeo, I. Y.; Hancock, G. R.

2017-12-01

Two of the common attributes of soil moisture are that at any given time it varies quite markedly from point to point, and that there is a significant deterministic pattern that underlies this spatial variation and which is typically 50% of the spatial variability. The spatial variation makes it difficult to determine the time varying catchment average soil moisture using field measurements because any individual measurement is unlikely to be equal to the average for the catchment. The traditional solution to this is to make many measurements (e.g. with soil moisture probes) spread over the catchment, which is very costly and manpower intensive, particularly if we need a time series of soil moisture variation across a catchment. An alternative approach, explored in this poster is to use the deterministic spatial pattern of soil moisture to calibrate one site (e.g. a permanent soil moisture probe at a weather station) to the spatial pattern of soil moisture over the study area. The challenge is then to determine the spatial pattern of soil moisture. This poster will present results from a proof of concept project, where data was collected by a number of undergraduate engineering students, to estimate the spatial pattern. The approach was to drive along a series of roads in a catchment and collect soil moisture measurements at the roadside using field portable soil moisture probes. This drive was repeated a number of times over the semester, and the time variation and spatial persistence of the soil moisture pattern were examined. Provided that the students could return to exactly the same location on each collection day there was a strong persistent pattern in the soil moisture, even while the average soil moisture varied temporally as a result of preceding rainfall. The poster will present results and analysis of the student data, and compare these results with several field sites where we have spatially distributed permanently installed soil moisture probes. The

MoisturEC: a new R program for moisture content estimation from electrical conductivity data

USGS Publications Warehouse

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D.; Werkema, Dale D.; Lane, John W.

2018-01-01

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data‐analysis tools are needed to “translate” geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user‐friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil‐moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two‐ and three‐dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach.

Canadian Experiment for Soil Moisture in 2010 (CanEX-SM10): Overview and Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Magagi, Ramata; Berg, Aaron; Goita, Kalifa; Belair, Stephane; Jackson, Tom; Toth, B.; Walker, A.; McNairn, H.; O'Neill, P.; Moghdam. M;

Soil moisture in sessile oak forest gaps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zagyvainé Kiss, Katalin Anita; Vastag, Viktor; Gribovszki, Zoltán; Kalicz, Péter

2015-04-01

By social demands are being promoted the aspects of the natural forest management. In forestry the concept of continuous forest has been an accepted principle also in Hungary since the last decades. The first step from even-aged stand to continuous forest can be the forest regeneration based on gap cutting, so small openings are formed in a forest due to forestry interventions. This new stand structure modifies the hydrological conditions for the regrowth. Without canopy and due to the decreasing amounts of forest litter the interception is less significant so higher amount of precipitation reaching the soil. This research focuses on soil moisture patterns caused by gaps. The spatio-temporal variability of soil water content is measured in gaps and in surrounding sessile oak (Quercus petraea) forest stand. Soil moisture was determined with manual soil moisture meter which use Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technology. The three different sizes gaps (G1: 10m, G2: 20m, G3: 30m) was opened next to Sopron on the Dalos Hill in Hungary. First, it was determined that there is difference in soil moisture between forest stand and gaps. Second, it was defined that how the gap size influences the soil moisture content. To explore the short term variability of soil moisture, two 24-hour (in growing season) and a 48-hour (in dormant season) field campaign were also performed in case of the medium-sized G2 gap along two/four transects. Subdaily changes of soil moisture were performed. The measured soil moisture pattern was compared with the radiation pattern. It was found that the non-illuminated areas were wetter and in the dormant season the subdaily changes cease. According to our measurements, in the gap there is more available water than under the forest stand due to the less evaporation and interception loss. Acknowledgements: The research was supported by TÁMOP-4.2.2.A-11/1/KONV-2012-0004 and AGRARKLIMA.2 VKSZ_12-1-2013-0034.

Surprisingly robust projections of soil temperature and moisture for North American drylands in the 21st century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bradford, J. B.; Schlaepfer, D.; Palmquist, K. A.; Lauenroth, W.

2017-12-01

Climate projections for western North America suggest temperature increases that are relatively consistent across climate models. However, precipitation projections are less consistent, especially in the Southwest, promoting uncertainty about the future of soil moisture and drought. We utilized a daily time-step ecosystem water balance model to characterize soil temperature and moisture patterns at a 10-km resolution across western North America for historical (1980-2010), mid-century (2020-2050), and late century (2070-2100). We simulated soil moisture and temperature under two representative concentration pathways and eleven climate models (selected strategically to represent the range of variability in projections among the full set of models in the CMIP5 database and perform well in hind-cast comparisons for the region), and we use the results to identify areas with robust projections, e.g. areas where the large majority of models agree in the direction of change in long-term average soil moisture or temperature. Rising air temperatures will increase average soil temperatures across western North America and expand the area of mesic and thermic soil temperature regimes while decreasing the area of cryic and frigid regimes. Future soil moisture conditions are relatively consistent across climate models for much of the region, including many areas with variable precipitation trajectories. Consistent projections for drier soils are expected in most of Arizona and New Mexico, similar to previous studies. Other regions with projections for declining soil moisture include the central and southern U.S. Great Plains and large parts of southern British Columbia. By contrast, areas with robust projections for increasing soil moisture include northeastern Montana, southern Alberta and Saskatchewan, and many areas in the intermountain west dominated by big sagebrush. In addition, seasonal moisture patterns in much of the western US drylands are expected to shift toward

Severe malaria in children: A descriptive report from Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Kunuanunua, Thomas S; Nsibu, Célestin N; Bodi, Joseph M; Tshibola, Thérèse K; Makusi Bura, Mimy; Magoga, Kumbundu; Ekila, Mathilde B; Situakibanza, Hypolite T; Aloni, Michel N

2015-08-01

The decline of susceptibility of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resulted in the change of drug policy. This policy has probably changed the facies of the severe form of malaria. A prospective study was conducted in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. Data on children aged ≤13 years, diagnosed with severe malaria were analyzed. In total, 378 children were included with an overall median age of 8 years (age range: 1-13 years). Dark urine was seen in 25.1% of cases. Metabolic acidosis (85.2%), hypoglycemia (62.2%) and hemoglobin ≤5 g/dl (39.1%) were the common laboratories features. Severe malaria anemia, cerebral malaria and Blackwater fever (BWF) were found in 39.1, 30.1 and 25.4%, respectively. Mortality rate was 4%. BWF emerges as a frequent form of severe malaria in our midst. Availing artemisin-based combination treatments in the health care system is a priority to reduce the incidence of BWF in our environment. © The Author [2015]. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Field-scale moisture estimates using COSMOS sensors: a validation study with temporary networks and leaf-area-indices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Cosmic-ray Soil Moisture Observing System (COSMOS) is a new and innovative method for estimating surface and near surface soil moisture at large (~700 m) scales. This system accounts for liquid water within its measurement volume. Many of the sites used in the early validation of the system had...

MoisturEC: A New R Program for Moisture Content Estimation from Electrical Conductivity Data.

PubMed

Terry, Neil; Day-Lewis, Frederick D; Werkema, Dale; Lane, John W

2018-03-06

Noninvasive geophysical estimation of soil moisture has potential to improve understanding of flow in the unsaturated zone for problems involving agricultural management, aquifer recharge, and optimization of landfill design and operations. In principle, several geophysical techniques (e.g., electrical resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and nuclear magnetic resonance) offer insight into soil moisture, but data-analysis tools are needed to "translate" geophysical results into estimates of soil moisture, consistent with (1) the uncertainty of this translation and (2) direct measurements of moisture. Although geostatistical frameworks exist for this purpose, straightforward and user-friendly tools are required to fully capitalize on the potential of geophysical information for soil-moisture estimation. Here, we present MoisturEC, a simple R program with a graphical user interface to convert measurements or images of electrical conductivity (EC) to soil moisture. Input includes EC values, point moisture estimates, and definition of either Archie parameters (based on experimental or literature values) or empirical data of moisture vs. EC. The program produces two- and three-dimensional images of moisture based on available EC and direct measurements of moisture, interpolating between measurement locations using a Tikhonov regularization approach. Published 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Determinants of dog owner-charged rabies vaccination in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Tshilenge, Georges Mbuyi; Mbao, Victor; Njoumemi, Zakariaou; Masumu, Justin

2017-01-01

Rabies is a preventable fatal disease that causes about 61,000 human deaths annually around the world, mostly in developing countries. In Africa, several studies have shown that vaccination of pets is effective in controlling the disease. An annual vaccination coverage of 70% is recommended by the World Health Organization as a control threshold. The effective control of rabies requires vaccination coverage of owned dogs. Identification of the factors determining dog owners’ choice to vaccinate is necessary for evidence-based policy-making. However, for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the limited data on rabies vaccination coverage makes it difficult for its control and formulation of appropriate policies. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa (Lemba commune) with dog-owning households and owned dogs as study populations. The association between dog vaccination and independent factors (household socio-demographics characteristics, dog characteristics, knowledge of rabies and location of veterinary offices/clinics) was performed with Epi-info 7. The Odds Ratio (OR) and p-value < 0.05 were used to determine levels of significance. A total of 166 households owning dogs and 218 owned dogs were investigated. 47% of the dogs had been vaccinated within one year preceding the survey which is higher than the critical coverage (25 to 40%) necessary to interrupt rabies transmission but below the 70% threshold recommended by WHO for control. The determinants of vaccination included socio-economic level of the household (OR = 2.9, p<0.05), formal education level of the dog owner (OR = 4, p<0.05), type of residence (OR = 4.6, p<0.05), knowledge of rabies disease (OR = 8.0, p<0.05), knowledge of location of veterinary offices/clinics (OR = 3.4, p<0.05), dog gender (OR = 1.6, p<0.05) and dog breed (OR = 2.1, p<0.05). This study shows that the vaccination coverage in this area can easily reach the WHO threshold if supplemented by mass vaccination campaigns

Determinants of dog owner-charged rabies vaccination in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Kazadi, Eric Kawaya; Tshilenge, Georges Mbuyi; Mbao, Victor; Njoumemi, Zakariaou; Masumu, Justin

2017-01-01

Rabies is a preventable fatal disease that causes about 61,000 human deaths annually around the world, mostly in developing countries. In Africa, several studies have shown that vaccination of pets is effective in controlling the disease. An annual vaccination coverage of 70% is recommended by the World Health Organization as a control threshold. The effective control of rabies requires vaccination coverage of owned dogs. Identification of the factors determining dog owners' choice to vaccinate is necessary for evidence-based policy-making. However, for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the limited data on rabies vaccination coverage makes it difficult for its control and formulation of appropriate policies. A cross-sectional study was conducted in Kinshasa (Lemba commune) with dog-owning households and owned dogs as study populations. The association between dog vaccination and independent factors (household socio-demographics characteristics, dog characteristics, knowledge of rabies and location of veterinary offices/clinics) was performed with Epi-info 7. The Odds Ratio (OR) and p-value < 0.05 were used to determine levels of significance. A total of 166 households owning dogs and 218 owned dogs were investigated. 47% of the dogs had been vaccinated within one year preceding the survey which is higher than the critical coverage (25 to 40%) necessary to interrupt rabies transmission but below the 70% threshold recommended by WHO for control. The determinants of vaccination included socio-economic level of the household (OR = 2.9, p<0.05), formal education level of the dog owner (OR = 4, p<0.05), type of residence (OR = 4.6, p<0.05), knowledge of rabies disease (OR = 8.0, p<0.05), knowledge of location of veterinary offices/clinics (OR = 3.4, p<0.05), dog gender (OR = 1.6, p<0.05) and dog breed (OR = 2.1, p<0.05). This study shows that the vaccination coverage in this area can easily reach the WHO threshold if supplemented by mass vaccination campaigns.

Skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer formulation in female subjects with sensitive skin

PubMed Central

Nisbet, Stephanie J

2018-01-01

Purpose This 3-week, open-label, noncomparative clinical study evaluated the skin acceptability of a cosmetic moisturizer in subjects with sensitive skin, by monitoring adverse events (AEs) and cutaneous discomfort related to normal usage. Materials and methods Female subjects aged between 18–60 years, with Fitzpatrick phototype classification I–IV and sensitive skin, verified by a positive reaction on the stinging test at screening, were included. Subjects applied the moisturizer to their face and body twice daily for 21±2 days at home and recorded study product usage and feelings of cutaneous discomfort (eg, dryness, prickling, stinging, and itching) in a diary; any AEs were reported to the clinic. At study end, skin acceptability of the moisturizer was investigator-assessed based on the nature of AEs and subjects’ self-reported feelings of discomfort, and by clinical evaluation of skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application (appearance of erythema, formation of edema, and skin desquamation; scored according to an adapted Draize and Kligman scale). Only subjects with a treatment compliance of ≥80% were included in the final analysis. Results In total, 35 subjects initiated and completed the study; all were compliant to the minimum study product usage. Per investigator clinical dermatological assessment at study end, none of the 35 subjects had skin reactions in the area of moisturizer application and there were no reported AEs. One subject reported sensations of mild prickling and itching immediately after applying the moisturizer (not classified as AEs), which spontaneously remitted after complete absorption of the product and were noted only in exposed areas. These events were considered by the investigator as being possibly/probably related to the use of study product; however, no clinical signs of skin reaction were observed in the exposed areas. Conclusion This cosmetic moisturizer appears generally well tolerated and suitable for topical

Eco-hydrological Controls on Litter Moisture Dynamics in Complex Terrain: Implications for Fuel Moisture and Fire Regimes in Temperate Forests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nyman, P.; Duff, T. J.; Sheridan, G. J.

2016-12-01

Moisture content in litter on the forest floor can control ignition and spread of forest fires. The micrometeorological factors driving variation in litter moisture at the landscape scale are poorly understood, particularly in areas with heterogeneous vegetation and complex terrain. In this research we seek to quantify how climate, vegetation and eco-hydrological feedbacks contribute to variation in net radiation and potential evaporation at the forest floor. Research sites were established at 12 locations in southeast Australia with variable precipitation, solar exposure, and drainage areas. Forests ranged from open woodland to tall temperate forests. We measured solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, litter moisture, soil moisture, and litter temperature. Forest structure was characterised using hemispherical photos and LIDAR. Using these data on microclimate and vegetation structure we parameterise a model of daily potential evaporation at the forest floor. Results show that variation in evaporation rates from litter is driven by net radiation and the role of vapour pressure deficit is almost negligible due to high aerodynamic resistance. In open woodlands the net radiation is directly related to short-wave radiation and evaporation remains high despite low temperatures. In the tall wet forests, commonly found along drainage lines and on slopes with polar-facing aspects, the long-wave radiation was just as important as the shortwave radiation. Air temperature is therefore important in determining the flammability of these more productive forests. By implication, in complex terrain with heterogeneous forests, the temperature in the wet parts of the landscape is important in controlling connectivity of fuels and large-scale fire activity.

Assimilating Remote Sensing Observations of Leaf Area Index and Soil Moisture for Wheat Yield Estimates: An Observing System Simulation Experiment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nearing, Grey S.; Crow, Wade T.; Thorp, Kelly R.; Moran, Mary S.; Reichle, Rolf H.; Gupta, Hoshin V.

2012-01-01

Observing system simulation experiments were used to investigate ensemble Bayesian state updating data assimilation of observations of leaf area index (LAI) and soil moisture (theta) for the purpose of improving single-season wheat yield estimates with the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CropSim-Ceres model. Assimilation was conducted in an energy-limited environment and a water-limited environment. Modeling uncertainty was prescribed to weather inputs, soil parameters and initial conditions, and cultivar parameters and through perturbations to model state transition equations. The ensemble Kalman filter and the sequential importance resampling filter were tested for the ability to attenuate effects of these types of uncertainty on yield estimates. LAI and theta observations were synthesized according to characteristics of existing remote sensing data, and effects of observation error were tested. Results indicate that the potential for assimilation to improve end-of-season yield estimates is low. Limitations are due to a lack of root zone soil moisture information, error in LAI observations, and a lack of correlation between leaf and grain growth.

Impact of Plant Functional Types on Coherence Between Precipitation and Soil Moisture: A Wavelet Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qi; Hao, Yonghong; Stebler, Elaine; Tanaka, Nobuaki; Zou, Chris B.

2017-12-01

Mapping the spatiotemporal patterns of soil moisture within heterogeneous landscapes is important for resource management and for the understanding of hydrological processes. A critical challenge in this mapping is comparing remotely sensed or in situ observations from areas with different vegetation cover but subject to the same precipitation regime. We address this challenge by wavelet analysis of multiyear observations of soil moisture profiles from adjacent areas with contrasting plant functional types (grassland, woodland, and encroached) and precipitation. The analysis reveals the differing soil moisture patterns and dynamics between plant functional types. The coherence at high-frequency periodicities between precipitation and soil moisture generally decreases with depth but this is much more pronounced under woodland compared to grassland. Wavelet analysis provides new insights on soil moisture dynamics across plant functional types and is useful for assessing differences and similarities in landscapes with heterogeneous vegetation cover.

Network analysis of knowledge and practices regarding sexual and reproductive health: a study among adolescent street girls in Kinshasa (DRC).

PubMed

Vallès, Xavier; Lusala, Patrick Lunzayiladio; Devalière, Hortense; Metsia-Thiam, Marie-Michele; Aguilar, Daniel; Cheyron, Anne-Laure; Cannet, Didier

2017-02-01

The aim of the study was to ascertain the influence of knowledge and interventions in sexual and reproductive health and contraception practices among adolescent street girls from Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. A cross-sectional study was carried out among street girls between 12 and 21 years of age. A standardised questionnaire was used, encompassing socio-demographic data and knowledge and practices regarding sexual and reproductive health. A network analysis was carried out. The study comprised 293 street girls. The mean age was 17.1 years (range 12-21 years) and the mean time spent living on the streets was 3.9 years (range 0-15 years). Commercial sex was reported by 78.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 73.3%, 83.2%) as the main source of their income. During their last sexual intercourse, 44.0% (95%CI 38.1%, 50.4%) had not used a condom; 29.3% (95%CI 23.3%, 35.9%) had used hormonal contraception. Previous pregnancy was reported by 62.5% (95%CI 56.7%, 68.3%) and current pregnancy by 12.3% (95%CI 8.8%, 17.2%); 24.5% of previous pregnancies ended in voluntary termination, with a higher rate among the youngest street girls (12-15 years, 50.0%; p = 0.01). Time spent living on the streets was independently associated with pregnancy (odds ratio 1.2; 95%CI 1.1, 1.4). Practices and outcomes (previous or current pregnancy) were poorly correlated with knowledge about sexual and reproductive health. The network analysis confirmed the poor influence of exposure to intervention activities on sexual and reproductive health practices and outcomes, but did confirm a centrality effect of knowledge about HIV/AIDS. Street girls in Kinshasa are extremely vulnerable with regard to their sexual and reproductive health, especially the youngest street girls. Behavioural and biomedical interventions have had limited influence. Structural and societal changes are necessary to positively impact street girls' sexual and reproductive health. Knowledge about HIV/AIDS than

Factors associated with gender equality among church-going young men in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Lusey, Hendrew; San Sebastian, Miguel; Christianson, Monica; Edin, Kerstin E

2017-12-11

While women and girls are made vulnerable by inequitable and violent versions of masculinities, there is increasing evidence that gender equality will not be achieved without partnering with men. The aim of this study was to assess gender-equitable norms and their determinants among church-going young men in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of Congo. A cross-sectional study was carried out among 289 church-going young men, aged 18-24 years, residing in three disadvantaged communes of Kinshasa. Variables included sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes towards gender equality and responses to issues related to the Gender-Equitable Men (GEM) scale. Logistic regression was applied to identify the associations between sociodemographic characteristics, attitudes and the GEM scale. The findings provide evidence of attitudes and beliefs that act as barriers to gender equality. For instance, the majority of church-going young men (83.74%) agreed that a man is the only decision maker in the home and about half (50.87%) of the respondents supported the statement "There are times a woman deserves to be beaten". Similarly, around half of the participants agreed with the idea of men's uncontrollable sex drive (50.87%) and men's toughness (50.17%). Close to half of the participants (44.29%) agreed that it is women's responsibility to prevent pregnancy. These attitudes co-existed with a few gender-equitable norms as 82.70% agreed on the importance of joint decisions concerning family planning. An association between education, certain places of residence, being single or separated, and supportive attitudes towards gender equality was found with higher scores for the GEM. Our study findings indicate that a high proportion of church-going young men do not endorse gender-equitable norms. Therefore, churches urgently need comprehensive gender equality and masculinity policies and programmes to influence young men's attitudes and behaviours. The promotion of gender equality in

Anthropogenic warming exacerbates European soil moisture droughts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samaniego, L.; Thober, S.; Kumar, R.; Wanders, N.; Rakovec, O.; Pan, M.; Zink, M.; Sheffield, J.; Wood, E. F.; Marx, A.

2018-05-01

Anthropogenic warming is anticipated to increase soil moisture drought in the future. However, projections are accompanied by large uncertainty due to varying estimates of future warming. Here, using an ensemble of hydrological and land-surface models, forced with bias-corrected downscaled general circulation model output, we estimate the impacts of 1-3 K global mean temperature increases on soil moisture droughts in Europe. Compared to the 1.5 K Paris target, an increase of 3 K—which represents current projected temperature change—is found to increase drought area by 40% (±24%), affecting up to 42% (±22%) more of the population. Furthermore, an event similar to the 2003 drought is shown to become twice as frequent; thus, due to their increased occurrence, events of this magnitude will no longer be classified as extreme. In the absence of effective mitigation, Europe will therefore face unprecedented increases in soil moisture drought, presenting new challenges for adaptation across the continent.

Airborne gamma radiation soil moisture measurements over short flight lines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Carrol, Thomas R.; Lipinski, Daniel M.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on airborne gamma radiation measurements of soil moisture condition, carried out along short flight lines as part of the First International Satellite Land Surface Climatology Project Field Experiment (FIFE). Data were collected over an area in Kansas during the summers of 1987 and 1989. The airborne surveys, together with ground measurements, provide the most comprehensive set of airborne and ground truth data available in the U.S. for calibrating and evaluating airborne gamma flight lines. Analysis showed that, using standard National Weather Service weights for the K, Tl, and Gc radiation windows, the airborne soil moisture estimates for the FIFE lines had a root mean square error of no greater than 3.0 percent soil moisture. The soil moisture estimates for sections having acquisition time of at least 15 sec were found to be reliable.

[Children hospitalized with severe malaria in Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo): Household characteristics and factors associated with mortality].

PubMed

Ilunga-Ilunga, F; Levêque, A; Donnen, P; Dramaix, M

2015-01-01

Malaria is a major health problem in tropical Africa. In DRC, little is known about the characteristics of households of children with severe malaria or the factors associated with its lethality, especially relative to hospital status. This study of 9 hospitals of the city-province of Kinshasa studied 1350 children younger than 15 years and hospitalized for severe malaria from January to November 2011. More than three quarters of children admitted to public (state) and church hospitals were from poor households and with uneducated mothers (P < 0.001). The case-fatality rate (5.9% of all children) differed according to hospital status: 5.3% in state hospitals, 8.4% in private hospitals, and 4.0% in the faith-based hospitals (P < 0.001). The risk of death was significantly associated with circulatory collapse (odds ratio, OR = 10.3), number of associated syndromes >2 (OR = 3.5), z-score of weight-for-age ≤-2 (OR = 3.5), delay in seeking medical care (OR = 4.9), body temperature ≥40°C (OR = 2.9), respiratory distress (OR = 1.9) and home rental (versus ownership) a tenant (OR = 2.8), and anorexia was a protective factor (odds ratio = 0.5). Severe cases of malaria are rife in poor households and periurban residential areas. Orienting prevention, control, and care- according to the vulnerability of affected households and providing early treatment are imperative if we are to reduce mortality from malaria.

Muiti-Sensor Historical Climatology of Satellite-Derived Global Land Surface Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owe, Manfred; deJeu, Richard; Holmes, Thomas

2007-01-01

A historical climatology of continuous satellite derived global land surface soil moisture is being developed. The data set consists of surface soil moisture retrievals from observations of both historical and currently active satellite microwave sensors, including Nimbus-7 SMMR, DMSP SSM/I, TRMM TMI, and AQUA AMSR-E. The data sets span the period from November 1978 through the end of 2006. The soil moisture retrievals are made with the Land Parameter Retrieval Model, a physically-based model which was developed jointly by researchers from the above institutions. These data are significant in that they are the longest continuous data record of observational surface soil moisture at a global scale. Furthermore, while previous reports have intimated that higher frequency sensors such as on SSM/I are unable to provide meaningful information on soil moisture, our results indicate that these sensors do provide highly useful soil moisture data over significant parts of the globe, and especially in critical areas located within the Earth's many arid and semi-arid regions.

Combination moisture and hydrogen getter

DOEpatents

Harrah, L.A.; Mead, K.E.; Smith, H.M.

1983-09-20

A combination moisture and hydrogen getter comprises (a) a moisture getter comprising a readily oxidizable metal; and (b) a hydrogen getter comprising (1) a solid acetylenic compound and (2) a hydrogenation catalyst. A method of scavenging moisture from a closed container uses the combination moisture and hydrogen getter to irreversibly chemically reduce the moisture and chemically bind the resultant hydrogen.

Combination moisture and hydrogen getter

DOEpatents

Harrah, Larry A.; Mead, Keith E.; Smith, Henry M.

1983-01-01

A combination moisture and hydrogen getter comprises (a) a moisture getter comprising a readily oxidizable metal; and (b) a hydrogen getter comprising (i) a solid acetylenic compound and (ii) a hydrogenation catalyst. A method of scavenging moisture from a closed container uses the combination moisture and hydrogen getter to irreversibly chemically reduce the moisture and chemically bind the resultant hydrogen.

Combination moisture and hydrogen getter

DOEpatents

Not Available

1982-04-29

A combination moisture and hydrogen getter comprises (a) a moisture getter comprising a readily oxidizable metal; and (b) a hydrogen getter comprising (i) a solid acetylenic compound and (ii) a hydrogenation catalyst. A method of scavenging moisture from a closed container uses the combination moisture and hydrogen getter to irreversibly chemically reduce the moisture and chemically bind the reusltant hydrogen.

Moisture convergence using satellite-derived wind fields - A severe local storm case study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Negri, A. J.; Vonder Haar, T. H.

1980-01-01

Five-minute interval 1-km resolution SMS visible channel data were used to derive low-level wind fields by tracking small cumulus clouds on NASA's Atmospheric and Oceanographic Information Processing System. The satellite-derived wind fields were combined with surface mixing ratios to derive horizontal moisture convergence in the prestorm environment of April 24, 1975. Storms began developing in an area extending from southwest Oklahoma to eastern Tennessee 2 h subsequent to the time of the derived fields. The maximum moisture convergence was computed to be 0.0022 g/kg per sec and areas of low-level convergence of moisture were in general indicative of regions of severe storm genesis. The resultant moisture convergence fields derived from two wind sets 20 min apart were spatially consistent and reflected the mesoscale forcing of ensuing storm development. Results are discussed with regard to possible limitations in quantifying the relationship between low-level flow and between low-level flow and satellite-derived cumulus motion in an antecedent storm environment.

A GIS-derived integrated moisture index

Treesearch

Louis R. Iverson; Anantha M. Prasad

2003-01-01

A geographic information system (GIS) approach was used in conjunction with forest-plot data to develop an integrated moisture index (IMI) that is being used to stratify and help explain landscape-level phenomena in the four study areas. Several landscape features (a slope-aspect shading index, cumulative flow of water downslope, curvature of the landscape, and water-...

Using Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture to Estimate Fire Risk in Tropical Peatlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dadap, N.; Cobb, A.; Hoyt, A.; Harvey, C. F.; Konings, A. G.

2017-12-01

Tropical peatlands in Equatorial Asia have become more vulnerable to fire due to deforestation and peatland drainage over the last 30 years. In these regions, water table depth has been shown to play an important role in mediating fire risk as it serves as a proxy for peat moisture content. However, water table depth observations are sparse and expensive. Soil moisture could provide a more direct indicator of fire risk than water table depth. In this study, we use new soil moisture retrievals from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite to demonstrate that - contrary to popular wisdom - remotely sensed soil moisture observations are possible over most Southeast Asian peatlands. Soil moisture estimation in this region was previously thought to be impossible over tropical peatlands because of dense vegetation cover. We show that vegetation density is sufficiently low across most Equatorial Asian peatlands to allow soil moisture estimation, and hypothesize that deforestation and other anthropogenic changes in land cover have combined to reduce overall vegetation density sufficient to allow soil moisture estimation. We further combine burned area estimates from the Global Fire Emissions Database and SMAP soil moisture retrievals to show that soil moisture provides a strong signal for fire risk in peatlands, with fires occurring at a much greater rate over drier soils. We will also develop an explicit fire risk model incorporating soil moisture with additional climatic, land cover, and anthropogenic predictor variables.

Surface Soil Moisture Estimates Across China Based on Multi-satellite Observations and A Soil Moisture Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ke; Yang, Tao; Ye, Jinyin; Li, Zhijia; Yu, Zhongbo

2017-04-01

Soil moisture is a key variable that regulates exchanges of water and energy between land surface and atmosphere. Soil moisture retrievals based on microwave satellite remote sensing have made it possible to estimate global surface (up to about 10 cm in depth) soil moisture routinely. Although there are many satellites operating, including NASA's Soil Moisture Acitive Passive mission (SMAP), ESA's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission (SMOS), JAXA's Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2 mission (AMSR2), and China's Fengyun (FY) missions, key differences exist between different satellite-based soil moisture products. In this study, we applied a single-channel soil moisture retrieval model forced by multiple sources of satellite brightness temperature observations to estimate consistent daily surface soil moisture across China at a spatial resolution of 25 km. By utilizing observations from multiple satellites, we are able to estimate daily soil moisture across the whole domain of China. We further developed a daily soil moisture accounting model and applied it to downscale the 25-km satellite-based soil moisture to 5 km. By comparing our estimated soil moisture with observations from a dense observation network implemented in Anhui Province, China, our estimated soil moisture results show a reasonably good agreement with the observations (RMSE < 0.1 and r > 0.8).

The Soil Moisture Active and Passive Mission (SMAP): Science and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Entekhabi, Dara; O'Neill, Peggy; Njoku, Eni

2009-01-01

The Soil Moisture Active and Passive mission (SMAP) will provide global maps of soil moisture content and surface freeze/thaw state. Global measurements of these variables are critical for terrestrial water and carbon cycle applications. The SMAP observatory consists of two multipolarization L-band sensors, a radar and radiometer, that share a deployable-mesh reflector antenna. The combined observations from the two sensors will allow accurate estimation of soil moisture at hydrometeorological (10 km) and hydroclimatological (40 km) spatial scales. The rotating antenna configuration provides conical scans of the Earth surface at a constant look angle. The wide-swath (1000 km) measurements will allow global mapping of soil moisture and its freeze/thaw state with 2-3 days revisit. Freeze/thaw in boreal latitudes will be mapped using the radar at 3 km resolution with 1-2 days revisit. The synergy of active and passive observations enables measurements of soil moisture and freeze/thaw state with unprecedented resolution, sensitivity, area coverage and revisit.

Soil moisture under contrasted atmospheric conditions in Eastern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azorin-Molina, César; Cerdà, Artemi; Vicente-Serrano, Sergio M.

2014-05-01

Soil moisture plays a key role on the recently abandoned agriculture land where determine the recovery and the erosion rates (Cerdà, 1995), on the soil water repellency degree (Bodí et al., 2011) and on the hydrological cycle (Cerdà, 1999), the plant development (García Fayos et al., 2000) and the seasonality of the geomorphological processes (Cerdà, 2002). Moreover, Soil moisture is a key factor on the semiarid land (Ziadat and Taimeh, 2013), on the productivity of the land (Qadir et al., 2013) and soils treated with amendments (Johnston et al., 2013) and on soil reclamation on drained saline-sodic soils (Ghafoor et al., 2012). In previous study (Azorin-Molina et al., 2013) we investigated the intraannual evolution of soil moisture in soils under different land managements in the Valencia region, Eastern Spain, and concluded that soil moisture recharges are much controlled by few heavy precipitation events; 23 recharge episodes during 2012. Most of the soil moisture recharge events occurred during the autumn season under Back-Door cold front situations. Additionally, sea breeze front episodes brought isolated precipitation and moisture to mountainous areas within summer (Azorin-Molina et al., 2009). We also evidenced that the intraanual evolution of soil moisture changes are positively and significatively correlated (at p<0.01) with the amount of measured precipitation. In this study we analyze the role of other crucial atmospheric parameters (i.e., temperature, relative humidity, global solar radiation, and wind speed and wind direction) in the intraanual evolution of soil moisture; focussing our analyses on the soil moisture discharge episodes. Here we present 1-year of soil moisture measurements at two experimental sites in the Valencia region, one representing rainfed orchard typical from the Mediterranean mountains (El Teularet-Sierra de Enguera), and a second site corresponding to an irrigated orange crop (Alcoleja). Key Words: Soil Moisture Discharges

Terrestrial precipitation and soil moisture: A case study over southern Arizona and data development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stillman, Susan

Quantifying climatological precipitation and soil moisture as well as interannual variability and trends requires extensive observation. This work focuses on the analysis of available precipitation and soil moisture data and the development of new ways to estimate these quantities. Precipitation and soil moisture characteristics are highly dependent on the spatial and temporal scales. We begin at the point scale, examining hourly precipitation and soil moisture at individual gauges. First, we focus on the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW), a 150 km2 area in southern Arizona. The watershed has been measuring rainfall since 1956 with a very high density network of approximately 0.6 gauges per km2. Additionally, there are 19 soil moisture probes at 5 cm depth with data starting in 2002. In order to extend the measurement period, we have developed a water balance model which estimates monsoon season (Jul-Sep) soil moisture using only precipitation for input, and calibrated so that the modeled soil moisture fits best with the soil moisture measured by each of the 19 probes from 2002-2012. This observationally constrained soil moisture is highly correlated with the collocated probes (R=0.88), and extends the measurement period from 10 to 56 years and the number of gauges from 19 to 88. Then, we focus on the spatiotemporal variability within the watershed and the ability to estimate area averaged quantities. Spatially averaged precipitation and observationally constrained soil moisture from the 88 gauges is then used to evaluate various gridded datasets. We find that gauge-based precipitation products perform best followed by reanalyses and then satellite-based products. Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) models perform the worst and overestimate cold season precipitation while offsetting the monsoon peak precipitation forward or backward by a month. Satellite-based soil moisture is the best followed by land data assimilation systems and

Analysis and optimal design of moisture sensor for rice grain moisture measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Sweety; Mishra, Pankaj Kumar; Thakare, Vandana Vikas

2018-04-01

The analysis and design of a microstrip sensor for accurate determination of moisture content (MC) in rice grains based on oven drying technique, this technique is easy, fast and less time-consuming to other techniques. The sensor is designed with low insertion loss, reflection coefficient and maximum gain is -35dB and 5.88dB at 2.68GHz as well as discussed all the parameters such as axial ratio, maximum gain, smith chart etc, which is helpful for analysis the moisture measurement. The variation in percentage of moisture measurement with magnitude and phase of transmission coefficient is investigated at selected frequencies. The microstrip moisture sensor consists of one layer: substrate FR4, thickness 1.638 is simulated by computer simulated technology microwave studio (CST MWS). It is concluded that the proposed sensor is suitable for development as a complete sensor and to estimate the optimum moisture content of rice grains with accurately, sensitivity, compact, versatile and suitable for determining the moisture content of other crops and agriculture products.

Converting Soil Moisture Observations to Effective Values for Improved Validation of Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Laymon, Charles A.; Crosson, William L.; Limaye, Ashutosh; Manu, Andrew; Archer, Frank

2005-01-01

We compare soil moisture retrieved with an inverse algorithm with observations of mean moisture in the 0-6 cm soil layer. A significant discrepancy is noted between the retrieved and observed moisture. Using emitting depth functions as weighting functions to convert the observed mean moisture to observed effective moisture removes nearly one-half of the discrepancy noted. This result has important implications in remote sensing validation studies.

Addressing Early Retention in Antenatal Care Among HIV-Positive Women Through a Simple Intervention in Kinshasa, DRC: The Elombe "Champion" Standard Operating Procedure.

PubMed

Gill, Michelle M; Ditekemena, John; Loando, Aimé; Mbonze, Nana; Bakualufu, Jo; Machekano, Rhoderick; Nyombe, Cady; Temmerman, Marleen; Fwamba, Franck

2018-03-01

This cluster-randomized study aimed to assess the Elombe ("Champion") standard operating procedure (SOP), implemented by providers and Mentor Mothers, on HIV-positive pregnant women's retention between first and second antenatal visits. Sixteen facilities in Kinshasa were randomly assigned to intervention (SOP) or comparison (no SOP). Effect of the SOP was estimated using relative risk. Women in comparison facilities were more likely to miss second visits (RR 2.5, 95% CI 1.05-5.98) than women in intervention facilities (30.0%, n = 27 vs. 12.0%, n = 9, p < 0.002). Findings demonstrate that a simple intervention can reduce critical early loss to care in PMTCT programs providing universal, lifelong treatment.

MoisturEC: an R application for geostatistical estimation of moisture content from electrical conductivity data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terry, N.; Day-Lewis, F. D.; Werkema, D. D.; Lane, J. W., Jr.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture is a critical parameter for agriculture, water supply, and management of landfills. Whereas direct data (as from TDR or soil moisture probes) provide localized point scale information, it is often more desirable to produce 2D and/or 3D estimates of soil moisture from noninvasive measurements. To this end, geophysical methods for indirectly assessing soil moisture have great potential, yet are limited in terms of quantitative interpretation due to uncertainty in petrophysical transformations and inherent limitations in resolution. Simple tools to produce soil moisture estimates from geophysical data are lacking. We present a new standalone program, MoisturEC, for estimating moisture content distributions from electrical conductivity data. The program uses an indicator kriging method within a geostatistical framework to incorporate hard data (as from moisture probes) and soft data (as from electrical resistivity imaging or electromagnetic induction) to produce estimates of moisture content and uncertainty. The program features data visualization and output options as well as a module for calibrating electrical conductivity with moisture content to improve estimates. The user-friendly program is written in R - a widely used, cross-platform, open source programming language that lends itself to further development and customization. We demonstrate use of the program with a numerical experiment as well as a controlled field irrigation experiment. Results produced from the combined geostatistical framework of MoisturEC show improved estimates of moisture content compared to those generated from individual datasets. This application provides a convenient and efficient means for integrating various data types and has broad utility to soil moisture monitoring in landfills, agriculture, and other problems.

Evaluation of a Soil Moisture Data Assimilation System Over West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J. D.; Crow, W.; Zhan, X.; Jackson, T.; Reynolds, C.

2009-05-01

A crucial requirement of global crop yield forecasts by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) International Production Assessment Division (IPAD) is the regional characterization of surface and sub-surface soil moisture. However, due to the spatial heterogeneity and dynamic nature of precipitation events and resulting soil moisture, accurate estimation of regional land surface-atmosphere interactions based sparse ground measurements is difficult. IPAD estimates global soil moisture using daily estimates of minimum and maximum temperature and precipitation applied to a modified Palmer two-layer soil moisture model which calculates the daily amount of soil moisture withdrawn by evapotranspiration and replenished by precipitation. We attempt to improve upon the existing system by applying an Ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) data assimilation system to integrate surface soil moisture retrievals from the NASA Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) into the USDA soil moisture model. This work aims at evaluating the utility of merging satellite-retrieved soil moisture estimates with the IPAD two-layer soil moisture model used within the DBMS. We present a quantitative analysis of the assimilated soil moisture product over West Africa (9°N- 20°N; 20°W-20°E). This region contains many key agricultural areas and has a high agro- meteorological gradient from desert and semi-arid vegetation in the North, to grassland, trees and crops in the South, thus providing an ideal location for evaluating the assimilated soil moisture product over multiple land cover types and conditions. A data denial experimental approach is utilized to isolate the added utility of integrating remotely-sensed soil moisture by comparing assimilated soil moisture results obtained using (relatively) low-quality precipitation products obtained from real-time satellite imagery to baseline model runs forced with higher quality rainfall. An analysis of root-zone anomalies for each model

Using Landsat digital data to detect moisture stress in corn-soybean growing regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thompson, D. R.; Wehmanen, O. A.

1980-01-01

As a part of a follow-on study to the moisture stress detection effort conducted in the Large Area Crop Inventory Experiment (LACIE), a technique utilizing transformed Landsat digital data was evaluated for detecting moisture stress in humid growing regions using sample segments from Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. At known growth stages of corn and soybeans, segments were classified as undergoing moisture stress or not undergoing stress. The remote-sensing-based information was compared to a weekly ground-based index (Crop Moisture Index). This comparison demonstrated that the remote sensing technique could be used to monitor the growing conditions within a region where corn and soybeans are the major crop.

Influence of Leaf Area Index Prescriptions on Simulations of Heat, Moisture, and Carbon Fluxes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kala, Jatin; Decker, Mark; Exbrayat, Jean-Francois; Pitman, Andy J.; Carouge, Claire; Evans, Jason P.; Abramowitz, Gab; Mocko, David

2013-01-01

Leaf-area index (LAI), the total one-sided surface area of leaf per ground surface area, is a key component of land surface models. We investigate the influence of differing, plausible LAI prescriptions on heat, moisture, and carbon fluxes simulated by the Community Atmosphere Biosphere Land Exchange (CABLEv1.4b) model over the Australian continent. A 15-member ensemble monthly LAI data-set is generated using the MODIS LAI product and gridded observations of temperature and precipitation. Offline simulations lasting 29 years (1980-2008) are carried out at 25 km resolution with the composite monthly means from the MODIS LAI product (control simulation) and compared with simulations using each of the 15-member ensemble monthly-varying LAI data-sets generated. The imposed changes in LAI did not strongly influence the sensible and latent fluxes but the carbon fluxes were more strongly affected. Croplands showed the largest sensitivity in gross primary production with differences ranging from -90 to 60 %. PFTs with high absolute LAI and low inter-annual variability, such as evergreen broadleaf trees, showed the least response to the different LAI prescriptions, whilst those with lower absolute LAI and higher inter-annual variability, such as croplands, were more sensitive. We show that reliance on a single LAI prescription may not accurately reflect the uncertainty in the simulation of the terrestrial carbon fluxes, especially for PFTs with high inter-annual variability. Our study highlights that the accurate representation of LAI in land surface models is key to the simulation of the terrestrial carbon cycle. Hence this will become critical in quantifying the uncertainty in future changes in primary production.

The benefits of using remotely sensed soil moisture in parameter identification of large-scale hydrological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karssenberg, D.; Wanders, N.; de Roo, A.; de Jong, S.; Bierkens, M. F.

2013-12-01

Large-scale hydrological models are nowadays mostly calibrated using observed discharge. As a result, a large part of the hydrological system that is not directly linked to discharge, in particular the unsaturated zone, remains uncalibrated, or might be modified unrealistically. Soil moisture observations from satellites have the potential to fill this gap, as these provide the closest thing to a direct measurement of the state of the unsaturated zone, and thus are potentially useful in calibrating unsaturated zone model parameters. This is expected to result in a better identification of the complete hydrological system, potentially leading to improved forecasts of the hydrograph as well. Here we evaluate this added value of remotely sensed soil moisture in calibration of large-scale hydrological models by addressing two research questions: 1) Which parameters of hydrological models can be identified by calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture? 2) Does calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture lead to an improved calibration of hydrological models compared to approaches that calibrate only with discharge, such that this leads to improved forecasts of soil moisture content and discharge as well? To answer these questions we use a dual state and parameter ensemble Kalman filter to calibrate the hydrological model LISFLOOD for the Upper Danube area. Calibration is done with discharge and remotely sensed soil moisture acquired by AMSR-E, SMOS and ASCAT. Four scenarios are studied: no calibration (expert knowledge), calibration on discharge, calibration on remote sensing data (three satellites) and calibration on both discharge and remote sensing data. Using a split-sample approach, the model is calibrated for a period of 2 years and validated for the calibrated model parameters on a validation period of 10 years. Results show that calibration with discharge data improves the estimation of groundwater parameters (e.g., groundwater reservoir constant) and

Approaching Moisture Recycling Governance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keys, Patrick; Wang-Erlandsson, Lan; Gordon, Line; Galaz, Victor; Ebbesson, Jonas

2017-04-01

The spatial and temporal dynamics of water resources are a continuous challenge for effective and sustainable national and international governance. Despite the surface watershed being the typical unit of water management, recent advances in hydrology have revealed 'atmospheric watersheds' - otherwise known as precipitationsheds. Also, recent research has demonstrated that water flowing within a precipitationshed may be modified by land-use change in one location, while the effect of this modification could be felt in a different province, nation, or continent. Notwithstanding these insights, the major legal and institutional implications of modifying moisture recycling have remained unexplored. In this presentation, we examine potential approaches to moisture recycling governance. We first identify a set of international study regions, and then develop a typology of moisture recycling relationships within these regions ranging from bilateral moisture exchange to more complex networks. This enables us to classify different types of legal and institutional governance principles. Likewise, we relate the moisture recycling types to existing land and water governance frameworks and management practices. The complexity of moisture recycling means institutional fit will be difficult to generalize for all moisture recycling relationships, but our typology allows the identification of characteristics that make effective governance of these normally ignored water flows more tenable.

Moisture in Crawl Spaces

Treesearch

Anton TenWolde; Samuel V. Glass

2013-01-01

Crawl space foundations can be designed and built to avoid moisture problems. In this article we provide a brief overview of crawl spaces with emphasis on the physics of moisture. We review trends that have been observed in the research literature and summarize cur-rent recommendations for moisture control in crawl spaces.

Reconciling spatial and temporal soil moisture effects on afternoon rainfall

PubMed Central

Guillod, Benoit P.; Orlowsky, Boris; Miralles, Diego G.; Teuling, Adriaan J.; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2015-01-01

Soil moisture impacts on precipitation have been strongly debated. Recent observational evidence of afternoon rain falling preferentially over land parcels that are drier than the surrounding areas (negative spatial effect), contrasts with previous reports of a predominant positive temporal effect. However, whether spatial effects relating to soil moisture heterogeneity translate into similar temporal effects remains unknown. Here we show that afternoon precipitation events tend to occur during wet and heterogeneous soil moisture conditions, while being located over comparatively drier patches. Using remote-sensing data and a common analysis framework, spatial and temporal correlations with opposite signs are shown to coexist within the same region and data set. Positive temporal coupling might enhance precipitation persistence, while negative spatial coupling tends to regionally homogenize land surface conditions. Although the apparent positive temporal coupling does not necessarily imply a causal relationship, these results reconcile the notions of moisture recycling with local, spatially negative feedbacks. PMID:25740589

Influence of a step-change increase of peat moisture content on the horizontal propagation of smouldering fires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prat-Guitart, Nuria; Belcher, Claire M.; Hadden, Rory M.; Rein, Guillermo; Yearsley, Jon M.

2015-04-01

In shallow layers of peat, the transition between moss species causes a step-change of the horizontal distribution of peat moisture content. Post-fire studies in peatlands have reported shallow layers being consumed in irregular distributions. The unburned areas were found to be patches of wet Sphagnum moss. Our laboratory scale study analyses the effect of a horizontal step-change in moisture content on the spread of smouldering. We designed a laboratory-scale experiment (20×18×5 cm) within an insulated box filled with milled peat. Peat was ignited on one side of the box from which the smouldering fire horizontally self-propagates through a region of dry peat (MC1) and then through a wetter region of peat (MC2). An infrared camera, a webcam and thermocouples monitor the position of the smouldering fire spreading horizontally. The experiment was repeated with peats at different moisture content combinations to analyse the smouldering behaviour on a range of moisture content step-change conditions. The data analysis estimates the burned area and examines smouldering fire behaviour across a wide range of moisture content combinations reproducing realistic scenarios. We found that the area burned depends on peat moisture content before the step-change (MC1) as well as the increase in moisture of the step-change itself (difference between MC1 and MC2). Our study assists in researching the influence of peat moisture content on the spread of smouldering in peatland fire and contributes to a better understanding of the post-fire peatland landscape, helping to reconstruct smouldering fire events.

[Attachment and child development in a residential institution in Kinshasa].

PubMed

Mbiya Muadi, F; Mampunza, S; Symann, S; Habimana, L; D'Hoore, W; Malengreau, M; Hermans, D; Aujoulat, I; Charlier-Mikolajczak, D

2014-11-01

Attachment proves the child's need for a presence as well as physical and psychological protection. It contributes to the development of social and emotional skills. However, the relation between attachment, cognitive development, and physical development remains to be established. To evaluate the effect of the quality of attachment on the cognitive and physical development of children placed in institutions for abandoned children in Kinshasa through a first study of this kind in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Eighty-four participants, aged 4-7 years, 42 abandoned children placed in residential institutions and 42 children living in families. The evaluation focused on the quality of attachment, cognitive performance, and physical development of these children. attachment story completion task (ASCT), Raven's colored progressive matrices (CPM) and growth vision. The Student t-test was used to compare the children's quality of attachment, cognitive performance, and physical development. For the ASCT, secure attachment was more frequently found among children living in families (66.7%) than in institutions (33.3%). The CPM showed obtained a higher mean value (19.3) for children living in a family than for children living in institutions (13.3). Moreover, for children with secure attachment, the mean CPM value and height-for-age ratio were, respectively, 83.7% in family situations and 73.1% in institutions. The mean values for children with insecure attachment were lower than for those with secure attachment in families (80.7%) and institutions (70.9%). However, despite the quality of attachment, the mean values obtained in families were higher than those obtained in institutions. These results suggest that the child's development, both cognitive and physical, depends on the quality of attachment. Life in the family gives better potentialities than life in an institution regardless of the quality of attachment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights

Improving Simulated Soil Moisture Fields Through Assimilation of AMSR-E Soil Moisture Retrievals with an Ensemble Kalman Filter and a Mass Conservation Constraint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Bailing; Toll, David; Zhan, Xiwu; Cosgrove, Brian

2011-01-01

Model simulated soil moisture fields are often biased due to errors in input parameters and deficiencies in model physics. Satellite derived soil moisture estimates, if retrieved appropriately, represent the spatial mean of soil moisture in a footprint area, and can be used to reduce model bias (at locations near the surface) through data assimilation techniques. While assimilating the retrievals can reduce model bias, it can also destroy the mass balance enforced by the model governing equation because water is removed from or added to the soil by the assimilation algorithm. In addition, studies have shown that assimilation of surface observations can adversely impact soil moisture estimates in the lower soil layers due to imperfect model physics, even though the bias near the surface is decreased. In this study, an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) with a mass conservation updating scheme was developed to assimilate the actual value of Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) soil moisture retrievals to improve the mean of simulated soil moisture fields by the Noah land surface model. Assimilation results using the conventional and the mass conservation updating scheme in the Little Washita watershed of Oklahoma showed that, while both updating schemes reduced the bias in the shallow root zone, the mass conservation scheme provided better estimates in the deeper profile. The mass conservation scheme also yielded physically consistent estimates of fluxes and maintained the water budget. Impacts of model physics on the assimilation results are discussed.

Moisture damage in home associates with systemic inflammation in children.

PubMed

Mustonen, K; Karvonen, A M; Kirjavainen, P; Roponen, M; Schaub, B; Hyvärinen, A; Frey, U; Renz, H; Pfefferle, P I; Genuneit, J; Vaarala, O; Pekkanen, J

2016-06-01

This study investigated the association between confirmed moisture damage in homes and systemic subclinical inflammation in children. Home inspections were performed in homes of 291 children at the age of 6 years. Subclinical inflammation at the age of 6 years was assessed by measuring the circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocytes in peripheral blood and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO). Proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured in unstimulated, and in phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and ionomycin (PI), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), or peptidoglycan (PPG)-stimulated whole blood. Major moisture damage in the child's main living areas (living room, kitchen, or child's bedroom) and moisture damage with mold in the bathroom were associated with increased levels of CRP and stimulated production of several proinflammatory cytokines. There were no significant associations between moisture damage/visible mold and leukocyte or FeNO values. The results suggest that moisture damage or mold in home may be associated with increased systemic subclinical inflammation and proinflammatory cytokine responsiveness. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Relation Between the Rainfall and Soil Moisture During Different Phases of Indian Monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varikoden, Hamza; Revadekar, J. V.

2018-03-01

Soil moisture is a key parameter in the prediction of southwest monsoon rainfall, hydrological modelling, and many other environmental studies. The studies on relationship between the soil moisture and rainfall in the Indian subcontinent are very limited; hence, the present study focuses the association between rainfall and soil moisture during different monsoon seasons. The soil moisture data used for this study are the ESA (European Space Agency) merged product derived from four passive and two active microwave sensors spanning over the period 1979-2013. The rainfall data used are India Meteorological Department gridded daily data. Both of these data sets are having a spatial resolution of 0.25° latitude-longitude grid. The study revealed that the soil moisture is higher during the southwest monsoon period similar to rainfall and during the pre-monsoon period, the soil moisture is lower. The annual cycle of both the soil moisture and rainfall has the similitude of monomodal variation with a peak during the month of August. The interannual variability of soil moisture and rainfall shows that they are linearly related with each other, even though they are not matched exactly for individual years. The study of extremes also exhibits the surplus amount of soil moisture during wet monsoon years and also the regions of surplus soil moisture are well coherent with the areas of high rainfall.

Relating isotopic composition of precipitation to atmospheric patterns and local moisture recycling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logan, K. E.; Brunsell, N. A.; Nippert, J. B.

2016-12-01

Local land management practices such as irrigation significantly alter surface evapotranspiration (ET), regional boundary layer development, and potentially modify precipitation likelihood and amount. How strong this local forcing is in comparison to synoptic-scale dynamics, and how much ET is recycled locally as precipitation are areas of great uncertainty and are especially important when trying to forecast the impact of local land management strategies on drought mitigation. Stable isotope analysis has long been a useful tool for tracing movement throughout the water cycle. In this study, reanalysis data and stable isotope samples of precipitation events are used to estimate the contribution of local moisture recycling to precipitation at the Konza Prairie LTER - located in the Great Plains, downwind of intensive agricultural areas. From 2001 to 2014 samples of all precipitation events over 5mm were collected and 18O and D isotopes measured. Comparison of observed precipitation totals and MERRA and ERA-interim reanalysis totals is used to diagnose periods of strong local moisture contribution (especially from irrigation) to precipitation. Large discrepancies in precipitation between observation and reanalysis, particularly MERRA, tend to follow dry periods during the growing season, presumably because while ERA-Interim adjusts soil moisture using observed surface temperature and humidity, MERRA includes no such local soil moisture adjustment and therefore lacks potential precipitation feedbacks induced by irrigation. The δ18O and δD signature of local irrigation recycling is evaluated using these incongruous observations. Self-organizing maps (SOM) are then used to identify a comprehensive range of synoptic conditions that result in precipitation at Konza LTER. Comparison of isotopic signature and SOM classification of rainfall events allows for identification of the primary moisture source and estimation of the contribution of locally recycled moisture. The

Soil Moisture Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heilman, J. L. (Editor); Moore, D. G. (Editor); Schmugge, T. J. (Editor); Friedman, D. B. (Editor)

1978-01-01

The Soil Moisture Workshop was held at the United States Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Library in Beltsville, Maryland on January 17-19, 1978. The objectives of the Workshop were to evaluate the state of the art of remote sensing of soil moisture; examine the needs of potential users; and make recommendations concerning the future of soil moisture research and development. To accomplish these objectives, small working groups were organized in advance of the Workshop to prepare position papers. These papers served as the basis for this report.

Regional Evapotranspiration Estimation by Using Wireless Sap Flow and Soil Moisture Measurement Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, C.; Yu, P.; Yang, T.; Davis, T. W.; Liang, X.; Tseng, C.; Cheng, C.

2011-12-01

The objective of this study proposed herein is to estimate regional evapotranspiration via sap flow and soil moisture measurements associated with wireless sensor network in the field. Evapotranspiration is one of the important factors in water balance computation. Pan evaporation collected from the meteorological station can only be accounted as a single-point scale measurement rather than the water loss of the entire region. Thus, we need a multiple-site measurement for understanding the regional evapotranspiration. Applying sap flow method with self-made probes, we could calculate transpiration. Soil moisture measurement was used to monitor the daily soil moisture variety for evaporation. Sap flow and soil moisture measurements in multiple sites are integrated by using wireless sensor network (WSN). Then, the measurement results of each site were scaled up and combined into the regional evapotranspiration. This study used thermal dissipation method to measure sap flow in trees to represent the plant transpiration. Sap flow was measured by using the self-made sap probes which needed to be calibrated before setting up at the observation field. Regional transpiration was scaled up through the Leaf Area Index (LAI). The LAI of regional scale was from the MODIS image calculated at 1km X 1km grid size. The soil moistures collected from areas outside the distributing area of tree roots and tree canopy were used to represent the evaporation. The observation was undertaken to collect soil moisture variety from five different soil depths of 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 cm respectively. The regional evaporation can be estimated by averaging the variation of soil moisture from each site within the region. The result data measured by both sap flow and soil moisture measurements of each site were collected through the wireless sensor network. The WSN performs the functions of P2P and mesh networking. That can collect data in multiple locations simultaneously and has less power

Correlation of spacecraft passive microwave system data with soil moisture indices (API). [great plains corridor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blanchard, B. J.; Mcfarland, M. J.; Theis, S.; Richter, J. G.

1981-01-01

Electrical scanning microwave radiometer brightness temperature, meteorological data, climatological data, and winter wheat crop information were used to estimate that soil moisture content in the Great Plains region. Results over the predominant winter wheat areas indicate that the best potential to infer soil moisture occurs during fall and spring. These periods encompass the growth stages when soil moisture is most important to winter wheat yield. Other significant results are reported.

Understanding Soil Moisture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Understanding soil moisture is critical for landscape irrigation management. This landscaep irrigation seminar will compare volumetric and matric potential soil-moisture sensors, discuss the relationship between their readings and demonstrate how to use these data. Soil water sensors attempt to sens...

Precipitation Estimation Using L-Band and C-Band Soil Moisture Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Brocca, Luca; Crow, Wade T.; Burgin, Mariko S.; De Lannoy, Gabrielle J. M.

2016-01-01

An established methodology for estimating precipitation amounts from satellite-based soil moisture retrievals is applied to L-band products from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite missions and to a C-band product from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) mission. The precipitation estimates so obtained are evaluated against in situ (gauge-based) precipitation observations from across the globe. The precipitation estimation skill achieved using the L-band SMAP and SMOS data sets is higher than that obtained with the C-band product, as might be expected given that L-band is sensitive to a thicker layer of soil and thereby provides more information on the response of soil moisture to precipitation. The square of the correlation coefficient between the SMAP-based precipitation estimates and the observations (for aggregations to approximately100 km and 5 days) is on average about 0.6 in areas of high rain gauge density. Satellite missions specifically designed to monitor soil moisture thus do provide significant information on precipitation variability, information that could contribute to efforts in global precipitation estimation.

Moisture content measurement in paddy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klomklao, P.; Kuntinugunetanon, S.; Wongkokua, W.

2017-09-01

Moisture content is an important quantity for agriculture product, especially in paddy. In principle, the moisture content can be measured by a gravimetric method which is a direct method. However, the gravimetric method is time-consuming. There are indirect methods such as resistance and capacitance methods. In this work, we developed an indirect method based on a 555 integrated circuit timer. The moisture content sensor was capacitive parallel plates using the dielectric constant property of the moisture. The instrument generated the output frequency that depended on the capacitance of the sensor. We fitted a linear relation between periods and moisture contents. The measurement results have a standard uncertainty of 1.23 % of the moisture content in the range of 14 % to 20 %.

Bulk Moisture and Salinity Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nurge, Mark; Monje, Oscar; Prenger, Jessica; Catechis, John

2013-01-01

Measurement and feedback control of nutrient solutions in plant root zones is critical to the development of healthy plants in both terrestrial and reduced-gravity environments. In addition to the water content, the amount of fertilizer in the nutrient solution is important to plant health. This typically requires a separate set of sensors to accomplish. A combination bulk moisture and salinity sensor has been designed, built, and tested with different nutrient solutions in several substrates. The substrates include glass beads, a clay-like substrate, and a nutrient-enriched substrate with the presence of plant roots. By measuring two key parameters, the sensor is able to monitor both the volumetric water content and salinity of the nutrient solution in bulk media. Many commercially available moisture sensors are point sensors, making localized measurements over a small volume at the point of insertion. Consequently, they are more prone to suffer from interferences with air bubbles, contact area of media, and root growth. This makes it difficult to get an accurate representation of true moisture content and distribution in the bulk media. Additionally, a network of point sensors is required, increasing the cabling, data acquisition, and calibration requirements. measure the dielectric properties of a material in the annular space of the vessel. Because the pore water in the media often has high salinity, a method to measure the media moisture content and salinity simultaneously was devised. Characterization of the frequency response for capacitance and conductance across the electrodes was completed for 2-mm glass bead media, 1- to 2-mm Turface (a clay like media), and 1- to 2-mm fertilized Turface with the presence of root mass. These measurements were then used to find empirical relationships among capacitance (C), the dissipation factor (D), the volumetric water content, and the pore water salinity.

Using high-resolution soil moisture modelling to assess the uncertainty of microwave remotely sensed soil moisture products at the correct spatial and temporal support

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanders, N.; Karssenberg, D.; Bierkens, M. F. P.; Van Dam, J. C.; De Jong, S. M.

2012-04-01

Soil moisture is a key variable in the hydrological cycle and important in hydrological modelling. When assimilating soil moisture into flood forecasting models, the improvement of forecasting skills depends on the ability to accurately estimate the spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture content throughout the river basin. Space-borne remote sensing may provide this information with a high temporal and spatial resolution and with a global coverage. Currently three microwave soil moisture products are available: AMSR-E, ASCAT and SMOS. The quality of these satellite-based products is often assessed by comparing them with in-situ observations of soil moisture. This comparison is however hampered by the difference in spatial and temporal support (i.e., resolution, scale), because the spatial resolution of microwave satellites is rather low compared to in-situ field measurements. Thus, the aim of this study is to derive a method to assess the uncertainty of microwave satellite soil moisture products at the correct spatial support. To overcome the difference in support size between in-situ soil moisture observations and remote sensed soil moisture, we used a stochastic, distributed unsaturated zone model (SWAP, van Dam (2000)) that is upscaled to the support of different satellite products. A detailed assessment of the SWAP model uncertainty is included to ensure that the uncertainty in satellite soil moisture is not overestimated due to an underestimation of the model uncertainty. We simulated unsaturated water flow up to a depth of 1.5m with a vertical resolution of 1 to 10 cm and on a horizontal grid of 1 km2 for the period Jan 2010 - Jun 2011. The SWAP model was first calibrated and validated on in-situ data of the REMEDHUS soil moisture network (Spain). Next, to evaluate the satellite products, the model was run for areas in the proximity of 79 meteorological stations in Spain, where model results were aggregated to the correct support of the satellite

Detection of moisture and moisture related phenomena from Skylab. [Texas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eagleman, J. R.; Pogge, E. C.; Moore, R. K. (Principal Investigator); Hardy, N.; Lin, W.; League, L.

1973-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. This is a preliminary report on the ability to detect soil moisture variation from the two different sensors on board Skylab. Initial investigations of S190A and Sl94 Skylab data and ground truth has indicated the following significant results. (1) There was a decrease in Sl94 antenna temperature from NW to SE across the Texas test site. (2) Soil moisture increases were measured from NW to SE across the test site. (3) There was a general increase in precipitation distribution and radar echoes from NW to SE across the site for the few days prior to measurements. This was consistent with the soil moisture measurements and gives more complete coverage of the site. (4) There are distinct variations in soil textures over the test site. This affects the moisture holding capacity of soils and must be considered. (5) Strong correlation coefficients were obtained between S194 antenna temperature and soil moisutre content. As the antenna temperature decreases soil moisture increases. (6) The Sl94 antenna temperature correlated best with soil mositure content in the upper two inches of the soil. A correlation coefficient of .988 was obtained. (7) Sl90A photographs in the red-infrared region were shown to be useful for identification of Abilene clay loam and for determining the distribution of this soil type.

BOREAS HYD-1 Volumetric Soil Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuenca, Richard H.; Kelly, Shaun F.; Stangel, David E.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Knapp, David E. (Editor); Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-1 team made measurements of volumetric soil moisture at the Southern Study Area (SSA) and Northern Study Area (NSA) tower flux sites in 1994 and at selected tower flux sites in 1995-97. Different methods were used to collect these measurements, including neutron probe and manual and automated Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR). In 1994, the measurements were made every other day at the NSA-OJP (Old Jack Pine), NSA-YJP (Young Jack Pine), NSA-OBS (Old Black Spruce), NSA-Fen, SSA-OJP, SSA-YJP, SSA-Fen, SSA-YA (Young Aspen), and SSA-OBS sites. In 1995-97, when automated equipment was deployed at NSA-OJP, NSA-YJP, NSA-OBS, SSA-OBS, and SSA-OA (Old Aspen), the measurements were made as often as every hour. The data are stored in tabular ASCII files. The volumetric soil moisture data are available from the Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC). The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884).

Microwave Soil Moisture Retrieval Under Trees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Neill, P.; Lang, R.; Kurum, M.; Joseph, A.; Jackson, T.; Cosh, M.

2008-01-01

Soil moisture is recognized as an important component of the water, energy, and carbon cycles at the interface between the Earth's surface and atmosphere. Current baseline soil moisture retrieval algorithms for microwave space missions have been developed and validated only over grasslands, agricultural crops, and generally light to moderate vegetation. Tree areas have commonly been excluded from operational soil moisture retrieval plans due to the large expected impact of trees on masking the microwave response to the underlying soil moisture. Our understanding of the microwave properties of trees of various sizes and their effect on soil moisture retrieval algorithms at L band is presently limited, although research efforts are ongoing in Europe, the United States, and elsewhere to remedy this situation. As part of this research, a coordinated sequence of field measurements involving the ComRAD (for Combined Radar/Radiometer) active/passive microwave truck instrument system has been undertaken. Jointly developed and operated by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and George Washington University, ComRAD consists of dual-polarized 1.4 GHz total-power radiometers (LH, LV) and a quad-polarized 1.25 GHz L band radar sharing a single parabolic dish antenna with a novel broadband stacked patch dual-polarized feed, a quad-polarized 4.75 GHz C band radar, and a single channel 10 GHz XHH radar. The instruments are deployed on a mobile truck with an 19-m hydraulic boom and share common control software; real-time calibrated signals, and the capability for automated data collection for unattended operation. Most microwave soil moisture retrieval algorithms developed for use at L band frequencies are based on the tau-omega model, a simplified zero-order radiative transfer approach where scattering is largely ignored and vegetation canopies are generally treated as a bulk attenuating layer. In this approach, vegetation effects are parameterized by tau and omega, the microwave

Factors associated with residual urine volume preservation in patients undergoing hemodialysis for end-stage kidney disease in Kinshasa.

PubMed

Mokoli, Vieux Momeme; Sumaili, Ernest Kiswaya; Lepira, François Bompeka; Mbutiwi, Fiston Ikwa Ndol; Makulo, Jean Robert Rissassy; Bukabau, Justine Busanga; Izeidi, Patrick Parmba; Luse, Jeannine Losa; Mukendi, Stéphane Kalambay; Mashinda, Désiré Kulimba; Nseka, Nazaire Mangani

2018-03-20

Decreased residual urine volume (RUV) is associated with higher mortality in hemodialysis (HD). However, few studies have examined RUV in patients on HD in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of RUV among incident hemodialysis patients in Kinshasa. This historical cohort study enrolled 250 patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis between January 2007 and July 2013 in two hemodialysis centers in Kinshasa. RUV were collected over 24 h at the initiation of HD and 6 and 12 months later during the interdialytic period. We compared the baseline characteristics of the patients according to their initial RUV (≤ 500 ml/day vs >  500 ml/day) using Student's t, Mann-Whitney U and Chi2 tests. Linear mixed-effects models were used to search for predictors of decreased RUV by adding potentially predictive baseline covariates of the evolution of RUV to the effect of time: age, sex, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, diastolic blood pressure, diuretics, angiotensin conversion enzyme inhibitors (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blockers, hypovolemia, chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy, left ventricular hypertrophy and initial hemodialysis characteristic. A value of p < 0.05 was considered the threshold of statistical significance. The majority of hemodialysis patients were male (68.8%, sex ratio 2.2), with a mean age of 52.5 ± 12.3 years. The population's RUV decreased with time, but with a slight deceleration. The mean RUV values were 680 ± 537 ml/day, 558 ± 442 ml/day and 499 ± 475 ml/day, respectively, at the initiation of HD and at 6 and 12 months later. The use of ACEI at the initiation of HD (beta coefficient 219.5, p < 0.001) and the presence of chronic tubulointerstitial nephropathy (beta coefficient 291.8, p = 0.007) were significantly associated with RUV preservation over time. In contrast, the presence of left ventricular hypertrophy at the initiation of HD was significantly associated with

Landscape-scale soil moisture heterogeneity and its influence on surface fluxes at the Jornada LTER site: Evaluating a new model parameterization for subgrid-scale soil moisture variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baker, I. T.; Prihodko, L.; Vivoni, E. R.; Denning, A. S.

2017-12-01

Arid and semiarid regions represent a large fraction of global land, with attendant importance of surface energy and trace gas flux to global totals. These regions are characterized by strong seasonality, especially in precipitation, that defines the level of ecosystem stress. Individual plants have been observed to respond non-linearly to increasing soil moisture stress, where plant function is generally maintained as soils dry down to a threshold at which rapid closure of stomates occurs. Incorporating this nonlinear mechanism into landscape-scale models can result in unrealistic binary "on-off" behavior that is especially problematic in arid landscapes. Subsequently, models have `relaxed' their simulation of soil moisture stress on evapotranspiration (ET). Unfortunately, these relaxations are not physically based, but are imposed upon model physics as a means to force a more realistic response. Previously, we have introduced a new method to represent soil moisture regulation of ET, whereby the landscape is partitioned into `BINS' of soil moisture wetness, each associated with a fractional area of the landscape or grid cell. A physically- and observationally-based nonlinear soil moisture stress function is applied, but when convolved with the relative area distribution represented by wetness BINS the system has the emergent property of `smoothing' the landscape-scale response without the need for non-physical impositions on model physics. In this research we confront BINS simulations of Bowen ratio, soil moisture variability and trace gas flux with soil moisture and eddy covariance observations taken at the Jornada LTER dryland site in southern New Mexico. We calculate the mean annual wetting cycle and associated variability about the mean state and evaluate model performance against this variability and time series of land surface fluxes from the highly instrumented Tromble Weir watershed. The BINS simulations capture the relatively rapid reaction to wetting

The perception of parents and teachers about intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in school children in a semi-rural area of Kinshasa, in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Matangila, Junior R; Fraeyman, Jessica; Kambulu, Marie-Louise Mbula; Mpanya, Alain; da Luz, Raquel Inocêncio; Lutumba, Pascal; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Bastiaens, Hilde

2017-01-07

Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) is likely to be the most promising therapeutic strategy to prevent malaria and its related adverse outcomes in schoolchildren. However, its successful implementation will depend on acceptability to key stakeholders such as parents and teachers. A qualitative research was conducted, following a clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of IPT in schoolchildren (IPTsc), to understand the perceptions and experiences of parents and teachers with IPTsc, in two schools of Mokali, in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Eighty parents participated in 8 focus group discussions and 6 school staff were involved in 6 semi-structured interviews. Parents experiences with IPTsc divided them into two groups (owning positive experiences and owning negative experiences with IPTsc). Three major themes emerged as key factors associated with reluctance of parents to IPT use in schoolchildren. These included wrong malaria-related knowledge, bad experience with IPTsc administered during the trial and misunderstanding of IPTsc. The school staff were generally willing to be trained to give medicine to schoolchildren within the scope of IPT. However, most parents were more comfortable with the use of health workers than teachers for drug administration. More importantly, all parents accepting IPT suggested to diagnose malaria infection before any administration of IPT, which is not in line with IPT principal. These results suggest that more efforts are needed to improve overall malaria-related knowledge in the community, specifically chemo-prevention strategies and the safety of the drugs used, to ensure the success of health interventions.

Soil Moisture: The Hydrologic Interface Between Surface and Ground Waters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engman, Edwin T.

1997-01-01

A hypothesis is presented that many hydrologic processes display a unique signature that is detectable with microwave remote sensing. These signatures are in the form of the spatial and temporal distributions of surface soil moisture. The specific hydrologic processes that may be detected include groundwater recharge and discharge zones, storm runoff contributing areas, regions of potential and less than potential evapotranspiration (ET), and information about the hydrologic properties of soils. In basin and hillslope hydrology, soil moisture is the interface between surface and ground waters.

The benefits of using remotely sensed soil moisture in parameter identification of large-scale hydrological models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wanders, N.; Bierkens, M. F. P.; de Jong, S. M.; de Roo, A.; Karssenberg, D.

2014-08-01

Large-scale hydrological models are nowadays mostly calibrated using observed discharge. As a result, a large part of the hydrological system, in particular the unsaturated zone, remains uncalibrated. Soil moisture observations from satellites have the potential to fill this gap. Here we evaluate the added value of remotely sensed soil moisture in calibration of large-scale hydrological models by addressing two research questions: (1) Which parameters of hydrological models can be identified by calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture? (2) Does calibration with remotely sensed soil moisture lead to an improved calibration of hydrological models compared to calibration based only on discharge observations, such that this leads to improved simulations of soil moisture content and discharge? A dual state and parameter Ensemble Kalman Filter is used to calibrate the hydrological model LISFLOOD for the Upper Danube. Calibration is done using discharge and remotely sensed soil moisture acquired by AMSR-E, SMOS, and ASCAT. Calibration with discharge data improves the estimation of groundwater and routing parameters. Calibration with only remotely sensed soil moisture results in an accurate identification of parameters related to land-surface processes. For the Upper Danube upstream area up to 40,000 km2, calibration on both discharge and soil moisture results in a reduction by 10-30% in the RMSE for discharge simulations, compared to calibration on discharge alone. The conclusion is that remotely sensed soil moisture holds potential for calibration of hydrological models, leading to a better simulation of soil moisture content throughout the catchment and a better simulation of discharge in upstream areas. This article was corrected on 15 SEP 2014. See the end of the full text for details.

Cryogenic Moisture Apparatus

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fesmire, James; Smith, Trent; Breakfield, Robert; Baughner, Kevin; Heckle, Kenneth; Meneghelli, Barry

2010-01-01

The Cryogenic Moisture Apparatus (CMA) is designed for quantifying the amount of moisture from the surrounding air that is taken up by cryogenic-tank-insulating material specimens while under typical conditions of use. More specifically, the CMA holds one face of the specimen at a desired low temperature (e.g., the typical liquid-nitrogen temperature of 77 K) while the opposite face remains exposed to humid air at ambient or near-ambient temperature. The specimen is weighed before and after exposure in the CMA. The difference between the "after" and "before" weights is determined to be the weight of moisture absorbed by the specimen. Notwithstanding the term "cryogenic," the CMA is not limited to cryogenic applications: the low test temperature can be any temperature below ambient, and the specimen can be made of any material affected by moisture in air. The CMA is especially well suited for testing a variety of foam insulating materials, including those on the space-shuttle external cryogenic tanks, on other cryogenic vessels, and in refrigerators used for transporting foods, medicines, and other perishables. Testing is important because absorbed moisture not only adds weight but also, in combination with thermal cycling, can contribute to damage that degrades insulating performance. Materials are changed internally when subjected to large sub-ambient temperature gradients.

Effect of Root Moisture Content and Diameter on Root Tensile Properties.

PubMed

Yang, Yuanjun; Chen, Lihua; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiufen

2016-01-01

The stabilization of slopes by vegetation has been a topical issue for many years. Root mechanical characteristics significantly influence soil reinforcement; therefore it is necessary to research into the indicators of root tensile properties. In this study, we explored the influence of root moisture content on tensile resistance and strength with different root diameters and for different tree species. Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Larix gmelinii, the most popular tree species used for slope stabilization in the rocky mountainous areas of northern China, were used in this study. A tensile test was conducted after root samples were grouped by diameter and moisture content. The results showedthat:1) root moisture content had a significant influence on tensile properties; 2) slightly loss of root moisture content could enhance tensile strength, but too much loss of water resulted in weaker capacity for root elongation, and consequently reduced tensile strength; 3) root diameter had a strong positive correlation with tensile resistance; and4) the roots of Betula platyphylla had the best tensile properties when both diameter and moisture content being controlled. These findings improve our understanding of root tensile properties with root size and moisture, and could be useful for slope stabilization using vegetation.

Effect of Root Moisture Content and Diameter on Root Tensile Properties

PubMed Central

Yang, Yuanjun; Chen, Lihua; Li, Ning; Zhang, Qiufen

2016-01-01

The stabilization of slopes by vegetation has been a topical issue for many years. Root mechanical characteristics significantly influence soil reinforcement; therefore it is necessary to research into the indicators of root tensile properties. In this study, we explored the influence of root moisture content on tensile resistance and strength with different root diameters and for different tree species. Betula platyphylla, Quercus mongolica, Pinus tabulaeformis, and Larix gmelinii, the most popular tree species used for slope stabilization in the rocky mountainous areas of northern China, were used in this study. A tensile test was conducted after root samples were grouped by diameter and moisture content. The results showedthat:1) root moisture content had a significant influence on tensile properties; 2) slightly loss of root moisture content could enhance tensile strength, but too much loss of water resulted in weaker capacity for root elongation, and consequently reduced tensile strength; 3) root diameter had a strong positive correlation with tensile resistance; and4) the roots of Betula platyphylla had the best tensile properties when both diameter and moisture content being controlled. These findings improve our understanding of root tensile properties with root size and moisture, and could be useful for slope stabilization using vegetation. PMID:27003872

Long-Term Evaluation of the AMSR-E Soil Moisture Product Over the Walnut Gulch Watershed, AZ

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolten, J. D.; Jackson, T. J.; Lakshmi, V.; Cosh, M. H.; Drusch, M.

2005-12-01

The Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer -Earth Observing System (AMSR-E) was launched aboard NASA's Aqua satellite on May 4th, 2002. Quantitative estimates of soil moisture using the AMSR-E provided data have required routine radiometric data calibration and validation using comparisons of satellite observations, extended targets and field campaigns. The currently applied NASA EOS Aqua ASMR-E soil moisture algorithm is based on a change detection approach using polarization ratios (PR) of the calibrated AMSR-E channel brightness temperatures. To date, the accuracy of the soil moisture algorithm has been investigated on short time scales during field campaigns such as the Soil Moisture Experiments in 2004 (SMEX04). Results have indicated self-consistency and calibration stability of the observed brightness temperatures; however the performance of the moisture retrieval algorithm has been poor. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the quality of the current version of the AMSR-E soil moisture product for a three year period over the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (150 km2) near Tombstone, AZ; the northern study area of SMEX04. This watershed is equipped with hourly and daily recording of precipitation, soil moisture and temperature via a network of raingages and a USDA-NRCS Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) site. Surface wetting and drying are easily distinguished in this area due to the moderately-vegetated terrain and seasonally intense precipitation events. Validation of AMSR-E derived soil moisture is performed from June 2002 to June 2005 using watershed averages of precipitation, and soil moisture and temperature data from the SCAN site supported by a surface soil moisture network. Long-term assessment of soil moisture algorithm performance is investigated by comparing temporal variations of moisture estimates with seasonal changes and precipitation events. Further comparisons are made with a standard soil dataset from the European

Soil moisture modeling review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hildreth, W. W.

1978-01-01

A determination of the state of the art in soil moisture transport modeling based on physical or physiological principles was made. It was found that soil moisture models based on physical principles have been under development for more than 10 years. However, these models were shown to represent infiltration and redistribution of soil moisture quite well. Evapotranspiration has not been as adequately incorporated into the models.

Soil Moisture Sensing

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil moisture monitoring can be useful as an irrigation management tool for both landscapes and agriculture, sometimes replacing an evapotranspiration (ET) based approach or as a useful check on ET based approaches since the latter tend to drift off target over time. All moisture sensors, also known...

[Effect of moisture content on anaerobic methanization of municipal solid waste].

PubMed

Qu, Xian; He, Pin-Jing; Shao, Li-Ming; Bouchez, Théodore

2009-03-15

Biogas production, gas and liquid characteristics were investigated for comparing the effect of moisture content on methanization process of MSW with different compositions of food waste and cellulosic waste. Batch reactors were used to study the anaerobic methanization of typical Chinese and French municipal solid waste (MSW) and cellulosic waste with different moisture content, as 35%, field capacity (65%-70%), 80%, and saturated state (> 95%). The results showed that for the typical Chinese and French waste, which contained putrescible waste, the intermediate product, VFA, was diluted by high content of water, which helped to release the VFA inhibition on hydrolysis and methanization. Mass amount of methane was produced only when the moisture content of typical French waste was higher than 80%, while higher content of moisture was needed when the content of putrescible waste was higher in MSW, as > 95% for typical Chinese waste. Meanwhile the methane production rate and the ultimate cumulated methane production were increased when moisture content was leveled up. The ultimate cumulated methane production of the typical French waste with saturated state was 0.6 times higher than that of the waste with moisture content of 80%. For cellulosic waste, high moisture content of cellulosic materials contributed to increase the attachment area of microbes and enzyme on the surface of the materials, which enhance the waste hydrolysis and methanization. When the moisture content of the cellulosic materials increased from field capacity (65%) to saturated state (> 95%), the ultimate cumulated methane production increased for 3.8 times.

Microwave moisture measurement of cotton fiber moisture content in the laboratory

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The moisture content of cotton fiber is an important fiber property, but it is often measured by a laborious, time-consuming laboratory oven drying method. A program was implemented to establish the capabilities of a laboratory microwave moisture measurement instrument to perform rapid, precise and...

Spatial-temporal variability of soil moisture and its estimation across scales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brocca, L.; Melone, F.; Moramarco, T.; Morbidelli, R.

2010-02-01

The soil moisture is a quantity of paramount importance in the study of hydrologic phenomena and soil-atmosphere interaction. Because of its high spatial and temporal variability, the soil moisture monitoring scheme was investigated here both for soil moisture retrieval by remote sensing and in view of the use of soil moisture data in rainfall-runoff modeling. To this end, by using a portable Time Domain Reflectometer, a sequence of 35 measurement days were carried out within a single year in seven fields located inside the Vallaccia catchment, central Italy, with area of 60 km2. Every sampling day, soil moisture measurements were collected at each field over a regular grid with an extension of 2000 m2. The optimization of the monitoring scheme, with the aim of an accurate mean soil moisture estimation at the field and catchment scale, was addressed by the statistical and the temporal stability. At the field scale, the number of required samples (NRS) to estimate the field-mean soil moisture within an accuracy of 2%, necessary for the validation of remotely sensed soil moisture, ranged between 4 and 15 for almost dry conditions (the worst case); at the catchment scale, this number increased to nearly 40 and it refers to almost wet conditions. On the other hand, to estimate the mean soil moisture temporal pattern, useful for rainfall-runoff modeling, the NRS was found to be lower. In fact, at the catchment scale only 10 measurements collected in the most "representative" field, previously determined through the temporal stability analysis, can reproduce the catchment-mean soil moisture with a determination coefficient, R2, higher than 0.96 and a root-mean-square error, RMSE, equal to 2.38%. For the "nonrepresentative" fields the accuracy in terms of RMSE decreased, but similar R2 coefficients were found. This insight can be exploited for the sampling in a generic field when it is sufficient to know an index of soil moisture temporal pattern to be incorporated in

Spatial distribution of tree species governs the spatio-temporal interaction of leaf area index and soil moisture across a forested landscape.

PubMed

Naithani, Kusum J; Baldwin, Doug C; Gaines, Katie P; Lin, Henry; Eissenstat, David M

2013-01-01

Quantifying coupled spatio-temporal dynamics of phenology and hydrology and understanding underlying processes is a fundamental challenge in ecohydrology. While variation in phenology and factors influencing it have attracted the attention of ecologists for a long time, the influence of biodiversity on coupled dynamics of phenology and hydrology across a landscape is largely untested. We measured leaf area index (L) and volumetric soil water content (θ) on a co-located spatial grid to characterize forest phenology and hydrology across a forested catchment in central Pennsylvania during 2010. We used hierarchical Bayesian modeling to quantify spatio-temporal patterns of L and θ. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of tree species across the landscape created unique spatio-temporal patterns of L, which created patterns of water demand reflected in variable soil moisture across space and time. We found a lag of about 11 days between increase in L and decline in θ. Vegetation and soil moisture become increasingly homogenized and coupled from leaf-onset to maturity but heterogeneous and uncoupled from leaf maturity to senescence. Our results provide insight into spatio-temporal coupling between biodiversity and soil hydrology that is useful to enhance ecohydrological modeling in humid temperate forests.

Evaluation of different approaches for identifying optimal sites to predict mean hillslope soil moisture content

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liao, Kaihua; Zhou, Zhiwen; Lai, Xiaoming; Zhu, Qing; Feng, Huihui

2017-04-01

The identification of representative soil moisture sampling sites is important for the validation of remotely sensed mean soil moisture in a certain area and ground-based soil moisture measurements in catchment or hillslope hydrological studies. Numerous approaches have been developed to identify optimal sites for predicting mean soil moisture. Each method has certain advantages and disadvantages, but they have rarely been evaluated and compared. In our study, surface (0-20 cm) soil moisture data from January 2013 to March 2016 (a total of 43 sampling days) were collected at 77 sampling sites on a mixed land-use (tea and bamboo) hillslope in the hilly area of Taihu Lake Basin, China. A total of 10 methods (temporal stability (TS) analyses based on 2 indices, K-means clustering based on 6 kinds of inputs and 2 random sampling strategies) were evaluated for determining optimal sampling sites for mean soil moisture estimation. They were TS analyses based on the smallest index of temporal stability (ITS, a combination of the mean relative difference and standard deviation of relative difference (SDRD)) and based on the smallest SDRD, K-means clustering based on soil properties and terrain indices (EFs), repeated soil moisture measurements (Theta), EFs plus one-time soil moisture data (EFsTheta), and the principal components derived from EFs (EFs-PCA), Theta (Theta-PCA), and EFsTheta (EFsTheta-PCA), and global and stratified random sampling strategies. Results showed that the TS based on the smallest ITS was better (RMSE = 0.023 m3 m-3) than that based on the smallest SDRD (RMSE = 0.034 m3 m-3). The K-means clustering based on EFsTheta (-PCA) was better (RMSE <0.020 m3 m-3) than these based on EFs (-PCA) and Theta (-PCA). The sampling design stratified by the land use was more efficient than the global random method. Forty and 60 sampling sites are needed for stratified sampling and global sampling respectively to make their performances comparable to the best K

Assessing seasonal backscatter variations with respect to uncertainties in soil moisture retrieval in Siberian tundra regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Högström, Elin; Trofaier, Anna Maria; Gouttevin, Isabella; Bartsch, Annett

2015-04-01

Data from the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) instrument provide the basis of a near real-time, coarse scale, global soil moisture product. Numerous studies have shown the applicability of this product, including recent operational use for numerical weather forecasts. Soil moisture is a key element in the global cycles of water, energy and carbon. Among many application areas, it is essential for the understanding of permafrost development in a future climate change scenario. Dramatic climate changes are expected in the Arctic, where ca 25% of the land is underlain by permafrost, and it is to a large extent remote and inaccessible. The availability and applicability of satellite derived land-surface data relevant for permafrost studies, such as surface soil moisture, is thus crucial to landscape-scale analyses of climate-induced change. However, there are challenges in the soil moisture retrieval that are specific to the Arctic. This study investigates backscatter variability unrelated to soil moisture variations in order to understand the possible impact on the soil moisture retrieval. The focus is on tundra lakes, which are a common feature in the Arctic and are expected to affect the retrieval. ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) Wide Swath (120 m) data are used to resolve lakes and later understand and quantify their impacts on Metop ASCAT (25 km) soil moisture retrieval during the snow free period. Sites of interest are chosen according to high or low agreement between output from the land surface model ORCHIDEE and ASCAT derived SSM. The results show that in most cases low model agreement is related to high water fraction. The water fraction correlates with backscatter deviations (relative to a smooth water surface reference image) within the ASCAT footprint areas (R = 0.91-0.97). Backscatter deviations of up to 5 dB can occur in areas with less than 50% water fraction and an assumed soil moisture related range (sensitivity) of 7 dB in the ASCAT

Field-Scale Soil Moisture Observations in Irrigated Agriculture Fields Using the Cosmic-ray Neutron Rover

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franz, T. E.; Avery, W. A.; Finkenbiner, C. E.; Wang, T.; Brocca, L.

2014-12-01

Approximately 40% of global food production comes from irrigated agriculture. With the increasing demand for food even greater pressures will be placed on water resources within these systems. In this work we aimed to characterize the spatial and temporal patterns of soil moisture at the field-scale (~500 m) using the newly developed cosmic-ray neutron rover near Waco, NE. Here we mapped soil moisture of 144 quarter section fields (a mix of maize, soybean, and natural areas) each week during the 2014 growing season (May to September). The 11 x11 km study domain also contained 3 stationary cosmic-ray neutron probes for independent validation of the rover surveys. Basic statistical analysis of the domain indicated a strong inverted parabolic relationship between the mean and variance of soil moisture. The relationship between the mean and higher order moments were not as strong. Geostatistical analysis indicated the range of the soil moisture semi-variogram was significantly shorter during periods of heavy irrigation as compared to non-irrigated periods. Scaling analysis indicated strong power law behavior between the variance of soil moisture and averaging area with minimal dependence of mean soil moisture on the slope of the power law function. Statistical relationships derived from the rover dataset offer a novel set of observations that will be useful in: 1) calibrating and validating land surface models, 2) calibrating and validating crop models, 3) soil moisture covariance estimates for statistical downscaling of remote sensing products such as SMOS and SMAP, and 4) provide center-pivot scale mean soil moisture data for optimal irrigation timing and volume amounts.

Utilization of point soil moisture measurements for field scale soil moisture averages and variances in agricultural landscapes

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil moisture is a key variable in understanding the hydrologic processes and energy fluxes at the land surface. In spite of new technologies for in-situ soil moisture measurements and increased availability of remotely sensed soil moisture data, scaling issues between soil moisture observations and...

Conflicting discourses of church youths on masculinity and sexuality in the context of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Lusey, Hendrew; San Sebastian, Miguel; Christianson, Monica; Dahlgren, Lars; Edin, Kerstin E

2014-01-01

Masculinity studies are fairly new and young churchgoers are an under-researched group in the current Congolese church context. In response to this knowledge gap, this paper attempts to explore discourses of young churchgoers from deprived areas of Kinshasa regarding masculinity and sexuality in the era of HIV. A series of 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with unmarried young churchgoers from the Salvation Army, Protestant and Revival churches. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using discourse analysis. Five main discourses emerged: 'we are aware of the church message on sex', 'young men need sex', 'young women need money', 'to use or not to use condoms' and 'we trust in the church message'. Although all informants knew and heard church messages against premarital sex, many of them were sexually active. The perception was that young men were engaged in sexual activities with multiple partners as a result of sexual motivations surrounding masculinity and sexual potency, while young women sought multiple partners through transactional and intergenerational sex for economic reasons. These sexual practices of young people conflicted with church messages on sexual abstinence and faithfulness. However, a small number of participants challenged current gender norms and suggested alternative ways of being a man or a woman. To elucidate these alternatives, we suggest that church youths and church leaders might take concrete actions to deconstruct misconceptions about being men. In this way, they can possibly enhance a frank and fruitful dialogue on sex, sexuality and gender to promote positive masculinities and constructive partnerships to prevent HIV.

7 CFR 52.3185 - Moisture limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Moisture limits. 52.3185 Section 52.3185 Agriculture... United States Standards for Grades of Dried Prunes Moisture, Uniformity of Size, Defects § 52.3185 Moisture limits. Dried prunes shall not exceed the moisture limits for the applicable grades and kind and...

7 CFR 52.3185 - Moisture limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Moisture limits. 52.3185 Section 52.3185 Agriculture... CERTAIN OTHER PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS 1 United States Standards for Grades of Dried Prunes Moisture, Uniformity of Size, Defects § 52.3185 Moisture limits. Dried prunes shall not exceed the moisture limits for...

7 CFR 52.3185 - Moisture limits.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Moisture limits. 52.3185 Section 52.3185 Agriculture... CERTAIN OTHER PROCESSED FOOD PRODUCTS 1 United States Standards for Grades of Dried Prunes Moisture, Uniformity of Size, Defects § 52.3185 Moisture limits. Dried prunes shall not exceed the moisture limits for...

A Redesigned DFA Moisture Meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The DFA moisture meter has been internationally recognized as the standard for determining moisture content of dried fruit in general and is AOAC Official Method 972.2 for measuring moisture in prunes and raisins since 1972. The device has remained virtually unchanged since its inception, with its o...

7 CFR 868.258 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Moisture. 868.258 Section 868.258 Agriculture... Governing Application of Standards § 868.258 Moisture. Water content in brown rice for processing as... purpose of this paragraph, “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other...

7 CFR 868.258 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Moisture. 868.258 Section 868.258 Agriculture... Governing Application of Standards § 868.258 Moisture. Water content in brown rice for processing as... purpose of this paragraph, “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other...

7 CFR 868.258 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Moisture. 868.258 Section 868.258 Agriculture... Governing Application of Standards § 868.258 Moisture. Water content in brown rice for processing as... purpose of this paragraph, “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other...

Estimating soil moisture exceedance probability from antecedent rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cronkite-Ratcliff, C.; Kalansky, J.; Stock, J. D.; Collins, B. D.

2016-12-01

The first storms of the rainy season in coastal California, USA, add moisture to soils but rarely trigger landslides. Previous workers proposed that antecedent rainfall, the cumulative seasonal rain from October 1 onwards, had to exceed specific amounts in order to trigger landsliding. Recent monitoring of soil moisture upslope of historic landslides in the San Francisco Bay Area shows that storms can cause positive pressure heads once soil moisture values exceed a threshold of volumetric water content (VWC). We propose that antecedent rainfall could be used to estimate the probability that VWC exceeds this threshold. A major challenge to estimating the probability of exceedance is that rain gauge records are frequently incomplete. We developed a stochastic model to impute (infill) missing hourly precipitation data. This model uses nearest neighbor-based conditional resampling of the gauge record using data from nearby rain gauges. Using co-located VWC measurements, imputed data can be used to estimate the probability that VWC exceeds a specific threshold for a given antecedent rainfall. The stochastic imputation model can also provide an estimate of uncertainty in the exceedance probability curve. Here we demonstrate the method using soil moisture and precipitation data from several sites located throughout Northern California. Results show a significant variability between sites in the sensitivity of VWC exceedance probability to antecedent rainfall.

Soil moisture and its role in growth-climate relationships across an aridity gradient in semiarid Pinus halepensis forests.

PubMed

Manrique-Alba, Àngela; Ruiz-Yanetti, Samantha; Moutahir, Hassane; Novak, Klemen; De Luis, Martin; Bellot, Juan

2017-01-01

In Mediterranean areas with limited availability of water, an accurate knowledge of growth response to hydrological variables could contribute to improving management and stability of forest resources. The main goal of this study is to assess the temporal dynamic of soil moisture to better understand the water-growth relationship of Pinus halepensis forests in semiarid areas. The estimates of modelled soil moisture and measured tree growth were used at four sites dominated by afforested Pinus halepensis Mill. in south-eastern Spain with 300 to 609mm mean annual precipitation. Firstly, dendrochronological samples were extracted and the widths of annual tree rings were measured to compute basal area increments (BAI). Secondly, soil moisture was estimated over 20 hydrological years (1992-2012) by means of the HYDROBAL ecohydrological model. Finally, the tree growth was linked, to mean monthly and seasonal temperature, precipitation and soil moisture. Results depict the effect of soil moisture on growth (BAI) and explain 69-73% of the variance in semiarid forests, but only 51% in the subhumid forests. This highlights the fact that that soil moisture is a suitable and promising variable to explain growth variations of afforested Pinus halepensis in semiarid conditions and useful for guiding adaptation plans to respond pro-actively to water-related global challenges. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Aggregate Description of Semi-Arid Vegetation with Precipitation-Generated Soil Moisture Heterogeneity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Cary B.; Houser, Paul R.; Arain, Altaf M.; Yang, Zong-Liang; Syed, Kamran; Shuttleworth, W. James

1997-01-01

Meteorological measurements in the Walnut Gulch catchment in Arizona were used to synthesize a distributed, hourly-average time series of data across a 26.9 by 12.5 km area with a grid resolution of 480 m for a continuous 18-month period which included two seasons of monsoonal rainfall. Coupled surface-atmosphere model runs established the acceptability (for modelling purposes) of assuming uniformity in all meteorological variables other than rainfall. Rainfall was interpolated onto the grid from an array of 82 recording rain gauges. These meteorological data were used as forcing variables for an equivalent array of stand-alone Biosphere-Atmosphere Transfer Scheme (BATS) models to describe the evolution of soil moisture and surface energy fluxes in response to the prevalent, heterogeneous pattern of convective precipitation. The calculated area-average behaviour was compared with that given by a single aggregate BATS simulation forced with area-average meteorological data. Heterogeneous rainfall gives rise to significant but partly compensating differences in the transpiration and the intercepted rainfall components of total evaporation during rain storms. However, the calculated area-average surface energy fluxes given by the two simulations in rain-free conditions with strong heterogeneity in soil moisture were always close to identical, a result which is independent of whether default or site-specific vegetation and soil parameters were used. Because the spatial variability in soil moisture throughout the catchment has the same order of magnitude as the amount of rain failing in a typical convective storm (commonly 10% of the vegetation's root zone saturation) in a semi-arid environment, non-linearitv in the relationship between transpiration and the soil moisture available to the vegetation has limited influence on area-average surface fluxes.

Assessment of multi-frequency electromagnetic induction for determining soil moisture patterns at the hillslope scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tromp-van Meerveld, H. J.; McDonnell, J. J.

2009-04-01

SummaryHillslopes are fundamental landscape units, yet represent a difficult scale for measurements as they are well-beyond our traditional point-scale techniques. Here we present an assessment of electromagnetic induction (EM) as a potential rapid and non-invasive method to map soil moisture patterns at the hillslope scale. We test the new multi-frequency GEM-300 for spatially distributed soil moisture measurements at the well-instrumented Panola hillslope. EM-based apparent conductivity measurements were linearly related to soil moisture measured with the Aqua-pro capacitance sensor below a threshold conductivity and represented the temporal patterns in soil moisture well. During spring rainfall events that wetted only the surface soil layers the apparent conductivity measurements explained the soil moisture dynamics at depth better than the surface soil moisture dynamics. All four EM frequencies (7.290, 9.090, 11.250, and 14.010 kHz) were highly correlated and linearly related to each other and could be used to predict soil moisture. This limited our ability to use the four different EM frequencies to obtain a soil moisture profile with depth. The apparent conductivity patterns represented the observed spatial soil moisture patterns well when the individually fitted relationships between measured soil moisture and apparent conductivity were used for each measurement point. However, when the same (master) relationship was used for all measurement locations, the soil moisture patterns were smoothed and did not resemble the observed soil moisture patterns very well. In addition the range in calculated soil moisture values was reduced compared to observed soil moisture. Part of the smoothing was likely due to the much larger measurement area of the GEM-300 compared to the soil moisture measurements.

Brief Report: Decentralizing ART Supply for Stable HIV Patients to Community-Based Distribution Centers: Program Outcomes From an Urban Context in Kinshasa, DRC.

PubMed

Vogt, Florian; Kalenga, Lucien; Lukela, Jean; Salumu, Freddy; Diallo, Ibrahim; Nico, Elena; Lampart, Emmanuel; Van den Bergh, Rafael; Shah, Safieh; Ogundahunsi, Olumide; Zachariah, Rony; Van Griensven, Johan

2017-03-01

Facility-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) provision for stable patients with HIV congests health services in resource-limited countries. We assessed outcomes and risk factors for attrition after decentralization to community-based ART refill centers among 2603 patients with HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, using a multilevel Poisson regression model. Death, loss to follow-up, and transfer out were 0.3%, 9.0%, and 0.7%, respectively, at 24 months. Overall attrition was 5.66/100 person-years. Patients with >3 years on ART, >500 cluster of differentiation type-4 count, body mass index >18.5, and receiving nevirapine but not stavudine showed reduced attrition. ART refill centers are a promising task-shifting model in low-prevalence urban settings with high levels of stigma and poor ART coverage.

Using Remotely Sensed Fluorescence and Soil Moisture to Better Understand the Seasonal Cycle of Tropical Grasslands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, Dakota Carlysle

Seasonal grasslands account for a large area of Earth's land cover. Annual and seasonal changes in these grasslands have profound impacts on Earth's carbon, energy, and water cycles. In tropical grasslands, growth is commonly water-limited and the landscape oscillates between highly productive and unproductive. As the monsoon begins, soils moisten providing dry grasses the water necessary to photosynthesize. However, along with the rain come clouds that obscure satellite products that are commonly used to study productivity in these areas. To navigate this issue, we used solar induced fluorescence (SIF) products from OCO-2 along with soil moisture products from the Soil Moisture Active Passive satellite (SMAP) to "see through" the clouds to monitor grassland productivity. To get a broader understanding of the vegetation dynamics, we used the Simple Biosphere Model (SiB4) to simulate the seasonal cycles of vegetation. In conjunction with SiB4, the remotely sensed SIF and soil moisture observations were utilized to paint a clearer picture of seasonal productivity in tropical grasslands. The remotely sensed data is not available for every place at one time or at every time for one place. Thus, the study was focused on a large area from 15° E to 35° W and from 8°S to 20°N in the African Sahel. Instead of studying productivity relative to time, we studied it relative to soil moisture. Through this investigation we found soil moisture thresholds for the emergence of grassland growth, near linear grassland growth, and maturity of grassland growth. We also found that SiB4 overestimates SIF by about a factor of two for nearly every value of soil moisture. On the whole, SiB4 does a surprisingly good job of predicting the response of seasonal growth in tropical grasslands to soil moisture. Future work will continue to integrate remotely sensed SIF & soil moisture with SiB4 to add to our growing knowledge of carbon, water, and energy cycling in tropical grasslands.

Soil Moisture Project Evaluation Workshop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gilbert, R. H. (Editor)

1980-01-01

Approaches planned or being developed for measuring and modeling soil moisture parameters are discussed. Topics cover analysis of spatial variability of soil moisture as a function of terrain; the value of soil moisture information in developing stream flow data; energy/scene interactions; applications of satellite data; verifying soil water budget models; soil water profile/soil temperature profile models; soil moisture sensitivity analysis; combinations of the thermal model and microwave; determing planetary roughness and field roughness; how crust or a soil layer effects microwave return; truck radar; and truck/aircraft radar comparison.

Fiber optic moisture sensor

DOEpatents

Kirkham, R.R.

1984-08-03

A method and apparatus for sensing moisture changes by utilizing optical fiber technology. One embodiment uses a reflective target at the end of an optical fiber. The reflectance of the target varies with its moisture content and can be detected by a remote unit at the opposite end of the fiber. A second embodiment utilizes changes in light loss along the fiber length. This can be attributed to changes in reflectance of cladding material as a function of its moisture content. It can also be affected by holes or inserts interposed in the cladding material and/or fiber. Changing light levels can also be coupled from one fiber to another in an assembly of fibers as a function of varying moisture content in their overlapping lengths of cladding material.

7 CFR 868.207 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Moisture. 868.207 Section 868.207 Agriculture... Application of Standards § 868.207 Moisture. Water content in rough rice as determined by an approved device..., “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other equipment that is approved by the...

7 CFR 868.207 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Moisture. 868.207 Section 868.207 Agriculture... Application of Standards § 868.207 Moisture. Water content in rough rice as determined by an approved device..., “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other equipment that is approved by the...

7 CFR 868.207 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Moisture. 868.207 Section 868.207 Agriculture... Application of Standards § 868.207 Moisture. Water content in rough rice as determined by an approved device..., “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other equipment that is approved by the...

The contributions of local and remote atmospheric moisture fluxes to East Asian precipitation and its variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Liang; Klingaman, Nicholas P.; Demory, Marie-Estelle; Vidale, Pier Luigi; Turner, Andrew G.; Stephan, Claudia C.

2018-01-01

We investigate the contribution of the local and remote atmospheric moisture fluxes to East Asia (EA) precipitation and its interannual variability during 1979-2012. We use and expand the Brubaker et al. (J Clim 6:1077-1089,1993) method, which connects the area-mean precipitation to area-mean evaporation and the horizontal moisture flux into the region. Due to its large landmass and hydrological heterogeneity, EA is divided into five sub-regions: Southeast (SE), Tibetan Plateau (TP), Central East (CE), Northwest (NW) and Northeast (NE). For each region, we first separate the contributions to precipitation of local evaporation from those of the horizontal moisture flux by calculating the precipitation recycling ratio: the fraction of precipitation over a region that originates as evaporation from the same region. Then, we separate the horizontal moisture flux across the region's boundaries by direction. We estimate the contributions of the horizontal moisture fluxes from each direction, as well as the local evaporation, to the mean precipitation and its interannual variability. We find that the major contributors to the mean precipitation are not necessarily those that contribute most to the precipitation interannual variability. Over SE, the moisture flux via the southern boundary dominates the mean precipitation and its interannual variability. Over TP, in winter and spring, the moisture flux via the western boundary dominates the mean precipitation; however, variations in local evaporation dominate the precipitation interannual variability. The western moisture flux is the dominant contributor to the mean precipitation over CE, NW and NE. However, the southern or northern moisture flux or the local evaporation dominates the precipitation interannual variability over these regions, depending on the season. Potential mechanisms associated with interannual variability in the moisture flux are identified for each region. The methods and results presented in this

The potentiation of zinc toxicity by soil moisture in a boreal forest ecosystem.

PubMed

Owojori, Olugbenga J; Siciliano, Steven D

2015-03-01

Northern boreal forests often experience forest dieback as a result of metal ore mining and smelting. The common solution is to lime the soil, which increases pH, reducing metal toxicity and encouraging recovery. In certain situations, however, such as in Flin Flon, Manitoba, Canada, liming has yielded only moderate benefits, with some locations responding well to liming and other locations not at all. In an effort to increase the effectiveness of the ecorestoration strategy, the authors investigated if these differences in liming responsiveness were linked to differences in toxicity. Toxicity of metal-impacted Flin Flon soils on the oribatid mite Oppia nitens and the collembolan Folsomia candida was assessed, with a view toward identifying the metal of concern in the area. The effects of moisture content on metal sorption, uptake, and toxicity to the invertebrates were also investigated. Toxicity tests with the invertebrates were conducted using either Flin Flon soils or artificial soils with moisture content adjusted to 30%, 45%, 60%, or 75% of the maximum water-holding capacity of the soil samples. The Relative to Cd Toxicity Model identified Zn as the metal of concern in the area, and this was confirmed using validation tests with field contaminated soils. Furthermore, increasing the moisture content in soils increased the amount of mobile Zn available for uptake with the ion exchange resin. Survival and reproduction of both invertebrates were reduced under Zn exposure as moisture level increased. Thus, moisture-collecting landforms, which are often also associated with high Zn concentrations at Flin Flon, have, as a result, higher Zn toxicity to the soil ecosystem because of increases in soil moisture. © 2014 SETAC.

Electric moisture meters for wood

Treesearch

William L. James

1988-01-01

Electric moisture meters for wood measure electric conductance (resistance) or dielectric properties, which vary fairly consistently with moisture content when it is less than 30 percent. The two major classes of electric moisture meters are the conductance (resistance) type and the dielectric type. Conductance-t ype meters use penetrating electrodes that measure in a...

Comparison of spatial interpolation methods for soil moisture and its application for monitoring drought.

PubMed

Chen, Hui; Fan, Li; Wu, Wei; Liu, Hong-Bin

2017-09-26

Soil moisture data can reflect valuable information on soil properties, terrain features, and drought condition. The current study compared and assessed the performance of different interpolation methods for estimating soil moisture in an area with complex topography in southwest China. The approaches were inverse distance weighting, multifarious forms of kriging, regularized spline with tension, and thin plate spline. The 5-day soil moisture observed at 167 stations and daily temperature recorded at 33 stations during the period of 2010-2014 were used in the current work. Model performance was tested with accuracy indicators of determination coefficient (R 2 ), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), root mean square error (RMSE), relative root mean square error (RRMSE), and modeling efficiency (ME). The results indicated that inverse distance weighting had the best performance with R 2 , MAPE, RMSE, RRMSE, and ME of 0.32, 14.37, 13.02%, 0.16, and 0.30, respectively. Based on the best method, a spatial database of soil moisture was developed and used to investigate drought condition over the study area. The results showed that the distribution of drought was characterized by evidently regional difference. Besides, drought mainly occurred in August and September in the 5 years and was prone to happening in the western and central parts rather than in the northeastern and southeastern areas.

Implications of complete watershed soil moisture measurements to hydrologic modeling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Engman, E. T.; Jackson, T. J.; Schmugge, T. J.

1983-01-01

A series of six microwave data collection flights for measuring soil moisture were made over a small 7.8 square kilometer watershed in southwestern Minnesota. These flights were made to provide 100 percent coverage of the basin at a 400 m resolution. In addition, three flight lines were flown at preselected areas to provide a sample of data at a higher resolution of 60 m. The low level flights provide considerably more information on soil moisture variability. The results are discussed in terms of reproducibility, spatial variability and temporal variability, and their implications for hydrologic modeling.

Predicting moisture content: fuel moisture indicator sticks in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Owen P. Cramer

1961-01-01

Successful day-to-day planning of presuppression activities requires accurate prediction of burning index. In the Pacific Northwest, forecasts of burning index are prepared by the fire-control man and are based on predictions of windspeed and fuel moisture. Although fuel moisture is affected by a number of weather elements and is consequently difficult to predict, the...

Examination of Soil Moisture Retrieval Using SIR-C Radar Data and a Distributed Hydrological Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsu, A. Y.; ONeill, P. E.; Wood, E. F.; Zion, M.

1997-01-01

A major objective of soil moisture-related hydrological-research during NASA's SIR-C/X-SAR mission was to determine and compare soil moisture patterns within humid watersheds using SAR data, ground-based measurements, and hydrologic modeling. Currently available soil moisture-inversion methods using active microwave data are only accurate when applied to bare and slightly vegetated surfaces. Moreover, as the surface dries down, the number of pixels that can provide estimated soil moisture by these radar inversion methods decreases, leading to less accuracy and, confidence in the retrieved soil moisture fields at the watershed scale. The impact of these errors in microwave- derived soil moisture on hydrological modeling of vegetated watersheds has yet to be addressed. In this study a coupled water and energy balance model operating within a topographic framework is used to predict surface soil moisture for both bare and vegetated areas. In the first model run, the hydrological model is initialized using a standard baseflow approach, while in the second model run, soil moisture values derived from SIR-C radar data are used for initialization. The results, which compare favorably with ground measurements, demonstrate the utility of combining radar-derived surface soil moisture information with basin-scale hydrological modeling.

NASA SMAPVEX 15 Field Campaign Measures Soil Moisture Over Arizona

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-09

NASA's SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) satellite observatory conducted a field experiment as part of its soil moisture data product validation program in southern Arizona on Aug. 2-18, 2015. The images here represent the distribution of soil moisture over the SMAPVEX15 (SMAP Validation Experiment 2015) experiment domain, as measured by the Passive Active L-band System (PALS) developed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, which was installed onboard a DC-3 aircraft operated by Airborne Imaging, Inc. Blue and green colors denote wet conditions and dry conditions are marked by red and orange. The black lines show the nominal flight path of PALS. The measurements show that on the first day, the domain surface was wet overall, but had mostly dried down by the second measurement day. On the third day, there was a mix of soil wetness. The heterogeneous soil moisture distribution over the domain is typical for the area during the North American Monsoon season and provides excellent conditions for SMAP soil moisture product validation and algorithm enhancement. The images are based on brightness temperature measured by the PALS instrument gridded on a grid with 0.6-mile (1-kilometer) pixel size. They do not yet compensate for surface characteristics, such as vegetation and topography. That work is currently in progress. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19879

SMAP Global Map of Surface Soil Moisture Aug. 25-27, 2015

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-02

A three-day composite global map of surface soil moisture as retrieved from NASA SMAP radiometer instrument between Aug. 25-27, 2015. Dry areas appear yellow/orange, such as the Sahara Desert, western Australia and the western U.S. Wet areas appear blue, representing the impacts of localized storms. White areas indicate snow, ice or frozen ground. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19877

Electric moisture meters for wood

Treesearch

William L. James

1963-01-01

Common methods of measuring the moisture content of wood are described briefly, and a short historical account of the development of electric moisture meters is given. Electrical properties of wood are discussed briefly, and the basic operation of the resistance type and the radio- frequency types of moisture meter is outlined. Data relating the electrical resistance...

The Temporal Dynamics of Spatial Patterns of Observed Soil Moisture Interpreted Using the Hydrus 1-D Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Willgoose, G. R.; Saco, P. M.

2009-12-01

This paper investigates the soil moisture dynamics over two subcatchments (Stanley and Krui) in the Goulburn River in NSW during a three year period (2005-2007) using the Hydrus 1-D unsaturated soil water flow model. The model was calibrated to the seven Stanley microcatchment sites (1 sqkm site) using continuous time surface 30cm and full profile soil moisture measurements. Soil type, leaf area index and soil depth were found to be the key parameters changing model fit to the soil moisture time series. They either shifted the time series up or down, changed the steepness of dry-down recessions or determined the lowest point of soil moisture dry-down respectively. Good correlations were obtained between observed and simulated soil water storage (R=0.8-0.9) when calibrated parameters for one site were applied to the other sites. Soil type was also found to be the main determinant (after rainfall) of the mean of modelled soil moisture time series. Simulations of top 30cm were better than those of the whole soil profile. Within the Stanley microcatchment excellent soil moisture matches could be generated simply by adjusting the mean of soil moisture up or down slightly. Only minor modification of soil properties from site to site enable good fits for all of the Stanley sites. We extended the predictions of soil moisture to a larger spatial scale of the Krui catchment (sites up to 30km distant from Stanley) using soil and vegetation parameters from Stanley but the locally recorded rainfall at the soil moisture measurement site. The results were encouraging (R=0.7~0.8). These results show that it is possible to use a calibrated soil moisture model to extrapolate the soil moisture to other sites for a catchment with an area of up to 1000km2. This paper demonstrates the potential usefulness of continuous time, point scale soil moisture (typical of that measured by permanently installed TDR probes) in predicting the soil wetness status over a catchment of significant size.

Estimating Soil Moisture from Satellite Microwave Observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Owe, M.; VandeGriend, A. A.; deJeu, R.; deVries, J.; Seyhan, E.

1998-01-01

Cooperative research in microwave remote sensing between the Hydrological Sciences Branch of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Earth Sciences Faculty of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam began with the Botswana Water and Energy Balance Experiment and has continued through a series of highly successful International Research Programs. The collaboration between these two research institutions has resulted in significant scientific achievements, most notably in the area of satellite-based microwave remote sensing of soil moisture. The Botswana Program was the first joint research initiative between these two institutions, and provided a unique data base which included historical data sets of Scanning Multifrequency Microwave Radiometer (SN4NM) data, climate information, and extensive soil moisture measurements over several large experimental sites in southeast Botswana. These data were the basis for the development of new approaches in physically-based inverse modelling of soil moisture from satellite microwave observations. Among the results from this study were quantitative estimates of vegetation transmission properties at microwave frequencies. A single polarization modelling approach which used horizontally polarized microwave observations combined with monthly composites of Normalized Difference Vegetation Index was developed, and yielded good results. After more precise field experimentation with a ground-based radiometer system, a dual-polarization approach was subsequently developed. This new approach realized significant improvements in soil moisture estimation by satellite. Results from the Botswana study were subsequently applied to a desertification monitoring study for the country of Spain within the framework of the European Community science research programs EFEDA and RESMEDES. A dual frequency approach with only microwave data was used for this application. The Microwave Polarization Difference Index (MPDI) was calculated from 37 GHz data

An Approach to Flooding Inundation Combining the Streamflow Prediction Tool (SPT) and Downscaled Soil Moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cotterman, K. A.; Follum, M. L.; Pradhan, N. R.; Niemann, J. D.

2017-12-01

Flooding impacts numerous aspects of society, from localized flash floods to continental-scale flood events. Many numerical flood models focus solely on riverine flooding, with some capable of capturing both localized and continental-scale flood events. However, these models neglect flooding away from channels that are related to excessive ponding, typically found in areas with flat terrain and poorly draining soils. In order to obtain a holistic view of flooding, we combine flood results from the Streamflow Prediction Tool (SPT), a riverine flood model, with soil moisture downscaling techniques to determine if a better representation of flooding is obtained. This allows for a more holistic understanding of potential flood prone areas, increasing the opportunity for more accurate warnings and evacuations during flooding conditions. Thirty-five years of near-global historical streamflow is reconstructed with continental-scale flow routing of runoff from global land surface models. Elevation data was also obtained worldwide, to establish a relationship between topographic attributes and soil moisture patterns. Derived soil moisture data is validated against observed soil moisture, increasing confidence in the ability to accurately capture soil moisture patterns. Potential flooding situations can be examined worldwide, with this study focusing on the United States, Central America, and the Philippines.

Stoichiometric determination of moisture in edible oils by Mid-FTIR spectroscopy.

PubMed

van de Voort, F R; Tavassoli-Kafrani, M H; Curtis, J M

2016-04-28

A simple and accurate method for the determination of moisture in edible oils by differential FTIR spectroscopy has been devised based on the stoichiometric reaction of the moisture in oil with toluenesulfonyl isocyanate (TSI) to produce CO2. Calibration standards were devised by gravimetrically spiking dry dioxane with water, followed by the addition of neat TSI and examination of the differential spectra relative to the dry dioxane. In the method, CO2 peak area changes are measured at 2335 cm(-1) and were shown to be related to the amount of moisture added, with any CO2 inherent to residual moisture in the dry dioxane subtracted ratioed out. CO2 volatility issues were determined to be minimal, with the overall SD of dioxane calibrations being ∼18 ppm over a range of 0-1000 ppm. Gravimetrically blended dry and water-saturated oils analysed in a similar manner produced linear CO2 responses with SD's of <15 ppm on average. One set of dry-wet blends was analysed in duplicate by FTIR and by two independent laboratories using coulometric Karl Fischer (KF) procedures. All 3 methods produced highly linear moisture relationships with SD's of 7, 16 and 28 ppm, respectively over a range of 200-1500 ppm. Although the absolute moisture values obtained by each method did not exactly coincide, each tracked the expected moisture changes proportionately. The FTIRTSI-H2O method provides a simple and accurate instrumental means of determining moisture in oils rivaling the accuracy and specificity of standard KF procedures and has the potential to be automated. It could also be applied to other hydrophobic matrices and possibly evolve into a more generalized method, if combined with polar aprotic solvent extraction. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The International Soil Moisture Network: a data hosting facility for global in situ soil moisture measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorigo, W. A.; Wagner, W.; Hohensinn, R.; Hahn, S.; Paulik, C.; Drusch, M.; Mecklenburg, S.; van Oevelen, P.; Robock, A.; Jackson, T.

2011-02-01

In situ measurements of soil moisture are invaluable for calibrating and validating land surface models and satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. In addition, long-term time series of in situ soil moisture measurements themselves can reveal trends in the water cycle related to climate or land cover change. Nevertheless, on a worldwide basis the number of meteorological networks and stations measuring soil moisture, in particular on a continuous basis, is still limited and the data they provide lack standardization of technique and protocol. To overcome many of these limitations, the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN; http://www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/insitu) was initiated to serve as a centralized data hosting facility where globally available in situ soil moisture measurements from operational networks and validation campaigns are collected, harmonized, and made available to users. Data collecting networks share their soil moisture datasets with the ISMN on a voluntary and no-cost basis. Incoming soil moisture data are automatically transformed into common volumetric soil moisture units and checked for outliers and implausible values. Apart from soil water measurements from different depths, important metadata and meteorological variables (e.g., precipitation and soil temperature) are stored in the database. These will assist the user in correctly interpreting the soil moisture data. The database is queried through a graphical user interface while output of data selected for download is provided according to common standards for data and metadata. Currently (status January 2011), the ISMN contains data of 16 networks and more than 500 stations located in the North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The time period spanned by the entire database runs from 1952 until the present, although most datasets have originated during the last decade. The database is rapidly expanding, which means that

The International Soil Moisture Network: a data hosting facility for global in situ soil moisture measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorigo, W. A.; Wagner, W.; Hohensinn, R.; Hahn, S.; Paulik, C.; Xaver, A.; Gruber, A.; Drusch, M.; Mecklenburg, S.; van Oevelen, P.; Robock, A.; Jackson, T.

2011-05-01

In situ measurements of soil moisture are invaluable for calibrating and validating land surface models and satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. In addition, long-term time series of in situ soil moisture measurements themselves can reveal trends in the water cycle related to climate or land cover change. Nevertheless, on a worldwide basis the number of meteorological networks and stations measuring soil moisture, in particular on a continuous basis, is still limited and the data they provide lack standardization of technique and protocol. To overcome many of these limitations, the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN; http://www.ipf.tuwien.ac.at/insitu) was initiated to serve as a centralized data hosting facility where globally available in situ soil moisture measurements from operational networks and validation campaigns are collected, harmonized, and made available to users. Data collecting networks share their soil moisture datasets with the ISMN on a voluntary and no-cost basis. Incoming soil moisture data are automatically transformed into common volumetric soil moisture units and checked for outliers and implausible values. Apart from soil water measurements from different depths, important metadata and meteorological variables (e.g., precipitation and soil temperature) are stored in the database. These will assist the user in correctly interpreting the soil moisture data. The database is queried through a graphical user interface while output of data selected for download is provided according to common standards for data and metadata. Currently (status May 2011), the ISMN contains data of 19 networks and more than 500 stations located in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The time period spanned by the entire database runs from 1952 until the present, although most datasets have originated during the last decade. The database is rapidly expanding, which means that both the

Study Variability of Seasonal Soil Moisture in Ensemble of CMIP5 Models Over South Asia During 1950-2005

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahim, A. M.; Shen, R.; Yue, Z.; Di, W.; Mushtaq Shah, S.

2015-12-01

Moisture in the upper most layer of soil column from 14 different models under Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase-5 (CMIP5) project were analyzed for four seasons of the year. Aim of this study was to explore variability in soil moisture over south Asia using multi model ensemble and relationship between summer rainfall and soil moisture for spring and summer season. GLDAS (Global Land Data Assimilation System) dataset set was used for comparing CMIP5 ensemble mean soil moisture in different season. Ensemble mean represents soil moisture well in accordance with the geographical features; prominent arid regions are indicated profoundly. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis was applied to study the variability. First component of EOF explains 17%, 16%, 11% and 11% variability for spring, summer, autumn and winter season respectively. Analysis reveal increasing trend in soil moisture over most parts of Afghanistan, Central and north western parts of Pakistan, northern India and eastern to south eastern parts of China, in spring season. During summer, south western part of India exhibits highest negative trend while rest of the study area show minute trend (increasing or decreasing). In autumn, south west of India is under highest negative loadings. During winter season, north western parts of study area show decreasing trend. Summer rainfall has very week (negative or positive) spatial correlation, with spring soil moisture, while possess higher correlation with summer soil moisture. Our studies have significant contribution to understand complex nature of land - atmosphere interactions, as soil moisture prediction plays an important role in the cycle of sink and source of many air pollutants. Next level of research should be on filling the gaps between accurately measuring the soil moisture using satellite remote sensing and land surface modelling. Impact of soil moisture in tracking down different types of pollutant will also be studied.

Influence of Initial Moisture Content on Heat and Moisture Transfer in Firefighters' Protective Clothing

PubMed Central

He, Song

2017-01-01

This paper presents a model for heat and moisture transfer through firefighters' protective clothing (FPC) during radiation exposure. The model, which accounts for air gaps in the FPC as well as heat transfer through human skin, investigates the effect of different initial moisture contents on the thermal insulation performance of FPC. Temperature, water vapor density, and the volume fraction of liquid water profiles were monitored during the simulation, and the heat quantity absorbed by water evaporation was calculated. Then the maximum durations of heat before the wearer acquires first- and second-degree burns were calculated based on the bioheat transfer equation and the Henriques equation. The results show that both the moisture weight in each layer and the total moisture weight increase linearly within a given environmental humidity level. The initial moisture content in FPC samples significantly influenced the maximum water vapor density. The first- and second-degree burn injury time increase 16 sec and 18 sec when the RH increases from 0% to 90%. The total quantity of heat accounted for by water evaporation was about 10% when the relative humidity (RH) is 80%. Finally, a linear relationship was identified between initial moisture content and the human skin burn injury time before suffering first- and second-degree burn injuries. PMID:28466066

Influence of Initial Moisture Content on Heat and Moisture Transfer in Firefighters' Protective Clothing.

PubMed

Huang, Dongmei; He, Song

2017-01-01

This paper presents a model for heat and moisture transfer through firefighters' protective clothing (FPC) during radiation exposure. The model, which accounts for air gaps in the FPC as well as heat transfer through human skin, investigates the effect of different initial moisture contents on the thermal insulation performance of FPC. Temperature, water vapor density, and the volume fraction of liquid water profiles were monitored during the simulation, and the heat quantity absorbed by water evaporation was calculated. Then the maximum durations of heat before the wearer acquires first- and second-degree burns were calculated based on the bioheat transfer equation and the Henriques equation. The results show that both the moisture weight in each layer and the total moisture weight increase linearly within a given environmental humidity level. The initial moisture content in FPC samples significantly influenced the maximum water vapor density. The first- and second-degree burn injury time increase 16 sec and 18 sec when the RH increases from 0% to 90%. The total quantity of heat accounted for by water evaporation was about 10% when the relative humidity (RH) is 80%. Finally, a linear relationship was identified between initial moisture content and the human skin burn injury time before suffering first- and second-degree burn injuries.

Validation and Scaling of Soil Moisture in a Semi-Arid Environment: SMAP Validation Experiment 2015 (SMAPVEX15)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colliander, Andreas; Cosh, Michael H.; Misra, Sidharth; Jackson, Thomas J.; Crow, Wade T.; Chan, Steven; Bindlish, Rajat; Chae, Chun; Holifield Collins, Chandra; Yueh, Simon H.

2017-01-01

The NASA SMAP (Soil Moisture Active Passive) mission conducted the SMAP Validation Experiment 2015 (SMAPVEX15) in order to support the calibration and validation activities of SMAP soil moisture data products. The main goals of the experiment were to address issues regarding the spatial disaggregation methodologies for improvement of soil moisture products and validation of the in situ measurement upscaling techniques. To support these objectives high-resolution soil moisture maps were acquired with the airborne PALS (Passive Active L-band Sensor) instrument over an area in southeast Arizona that includes the Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW), and intensive ground sampling was carried out to augment the permanent in situ instrumentation. The objective of the paper was to establish the correspondence and relationship between the highly heterogeneous spatial distribution of soil moisture on the ground and the coarse resolution radiometer-based soil moisture retrievals of SMAP. The high-resolution mapping conducted with PALS provided the required connection between the in situ measurements and SMAP retrievals. The in situ measurements were used to validate the PALS soil moisture acquired at 1-km resolution. Based on the information from a dense network of rain gauges in the study area, the in situ soil moisture measurements did not capture all the precipitation events accurately. That is, the PALS and SMAP soil moisture estimates responded to precipitation events detected by rain gauges, which were in some cases not detected by the in situ soil moisture sensors. It was also concluded that the spatial distribution of the soil moisture resulted from the relatively small spatial extents of the typical convective storms in this region was not completely captured with the in situ stations. After removing those cases (approximately10 of the observations) the following metrics were obtained: RMSD (root mean square difference) of0.016m3m3 and correlation of 0.83. The

7 CFR 801.6 - Tolerances for moisture meters.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... moisture, mean deviation from National standard moisture meter using Hard Red Winter wheat Mid ±0.05 percent moisture, mean deviation from National standard moisture meter using Hard Red Winter wheat High ±0.05 percent moisture, mean deviation from National standard moisture meter using Hard Red Winter wheat...

New DEMs may stimulate significant advancements in remote sensing of soil moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nolan, Matt; Fatland, Dennis R.

From Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo to increasing corn yields in Kansas to greenhouse gas flux in the Arctic, the importance of soil moisture is endemic to world affairs and merits the considerable attention it receives from the scientific community. This importance can hardly be overstated, though it often goes unstated.Soil moisture is one of the key variables in a variety of broad areas critical to the conduct of societies' economic and political affairs and their well-being; these include the health of agricultural crops, global climate dynamics, military trafficability planning, and hazards such as flooding and forest fires. Unfortunately the in situ measurement of the spatial distribution of soil moisture on a watershed-scale is practically impossible. And despite decades of international effort, a satellite remote sensing technique that can reliably measure soil moisture with a spatial resolution of meters has not yet been identified or implemented. Due to the lack of suitable measurement techniques and, until recently digital elevation models (DEMs), our ability to understand and predict soil moisture dynamics through modeling has largely remained crippled from birth [Grayson and Bloschl, 200l].

Appearance benefits of skin moisturization.

PubMed

Jiang, Z-X; DeLaCruz, J

2011-02-01

Skin hydration is essential for skin health. Moisturized skin is generally regarded as healthy and healthy looking. It is thus speculated that there may be appearance benefits of skin moisturization. This means that there are corresponding changes in the optical properties when skin is moisturized. The appearance of the skin is the result of light reflection, scattering and absorption at various skin layers of the stratum corneum, epidermis, dermis and beyond. The appearance benefits of skin moisturization are likely primarily due to the changes in the optical properties of the stratum corneum. We hypothesize that the major optical effect of skin moisturization is the decrease of light scattering at the skin surface, i.e., the stratum corneum. This decrease of surface scattering corresponds to an increase of light penetration into the deeper layers of the skin. An experiment was conducted to measure the corresponding change in skin spectral reflectance, the skin scattering coefficient and skin translucency with a change in skin hydration. In the experiment, skin hydration was decreased with the topical application of acetone and alcohol and increased with the topical application of known moisturizers and occlusives such as PJ. It was found that both the skin spectral reflectance and the skin scattering coefficient increased when the skin was dehydrated and decreased when the skin was hydrated. Skin translucency increased as the skin became moisturized. The results agree with the hypothesis that there is less light scattering at the skin surface and more light penetration into the deeper skin layers when the skin is moisturized. As a result, the skin appears darker, more pinkish and more translucent. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The international soil moisture network: A data hosting facility for global in situ soil moisture measurements

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In situ measurements of soil moisture are invaluable for calibrating and validating land surface models and satellite-based soil moisture retrievals. In addition, long-term time series of in situ soil moisture measurements themselves can reveal trends in the water cycle related to climate or land co...

Using Large-Scale Precipitation to Validate AMSR-E Satellite Soil Moisture Estimates by Means of Mutual Information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, S. E.; Salvucci, G.

2013-12-01

Validation of remotely sensed soil moisture is complicated by the difference in scale between remote sensing footprints and traditional ground-based soil moisture measurements. To address this issue, a new method was developed to evaluate the useful information content of remotely sensed soil moisture data using only large-scale precipitation (i.e. without modeling). Under statistically stationary conditions [Salvucci, 2001], precipitation conditionally averaged according to soil moisture (denoted E[P|S]) results in a sigmoidal shape in a manner that reflects the dependence of drainage, runoff, and evapotranspiration on soil moisture. However, errors in satellite measurement and algorithmic conversion of satellite data to soil moisture can degrade this relationship. Thus, remotely sensed soil moisture products can be assessed by the degree to which the natural sigmoidal relationship is preserved. The metric of mutual information was used as an error-dependent measure of the strength of the sigmoidal relationship, calculated from a two-dimensional histogram of soil moisture versus precipitation estimated using Gaussian mixture models. Three AMSR-E algorithms (VUA-NASA [Owe et al., 2001], NASA [Njoku et al., 2003], and U. Montana [Jones & Kimball, 2010]) were evaluated with the method for a nine-year period (2002-2011) over the contiguous United States at ¼° latitude-longitude resolution, using precipitation from the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS). The U. Montana product resulted in the highest mutual information for 57% of the region, followed by VUA-NASA and NASA at 40% and 3%, respectively. Areas where the U. Montana product yielded the maximum mutual information generally coincided with low vegetation biomass and flatter terrain, while the VUA-NASA product contained more useful information in more rugged and highly vegetated areas. Additionally, E[P|S] curves resulting from the Gaussian mixture method can potentially be decomposed into

Soil Moisture Memory in Climate Models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, Randal D.; Suarez, Max J.; Zukor, Dorothy J. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

Water balance considerations at the soil surface lead to an equation that relates the autocorrelation of soil moisture in climate models to (1) seasonality in the statistics of the atmospheric forcing, (2) the variation of evaporation with soil moisture, (3) the variation of runoff with soil moisture, and (4) persistence in the atmospheric forcing, as perhaps induced by land atmosphere feedback. Geographical variations in the relative strengths of these factors, which can be established through analysis of model diagnostics and which can be validated to a certain extent against observations, lead to geographical variations in simulated soil moisture memory and thus, in effect, to geographical variations in seasonal precipitation predictability associated with soil moisture. The use of the equation to characterize controls on soil moisture memory is demonstrated with data from the modeling system of the NASA Seasonal-to-Interannual Prediction Project.

Analysis of absorption and spreading of moisturizer on the microscopic region of the skin surface with near-infrared imaging.

PubMed

Arimoto, H; Yanai, M; Egawa, M

2016-11-01

Near-infrared (NIR) light with high water absorption enables us to visualize the water content distribution appeared in the superficial skin layer. The light penetration depth with the wavelength of 1920 nm is almost 100 μm from the skin surface. Thus, the water distribution in the stratum corneum can be effectively imaged by detecting the wavelength band around 1920 nm. The aim of this article was to measure the time-lapse behavior of the tiny droplet of the moisturizer spreading on the skin surface by imaging in 1920 nm wavelength band for investigating the correlation with the traditional index of the skin condition such as the water content and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Experiment is performed with three moisturizer products and seven volunteer subjects. The NIR image is acquired by an originally designed imaging scope equipped with the white light of the strong brightness [super continuum (SC) light], the bandpass filter with the center wavelength of 1920 nm, and the NIR image sensor. A tiny droplet of the moisturizer is put on the surface of the skin and the time-lapse images are saved. Each acquired image is analyzed from a view point of the droplet area and elapsed time for absorption into the skin. The water content and TEWL of all subjects are measured by the conventional electrical method for investigating the relationship with the measured droplet dynamics parameters. Elapsed time for moisturizer droplet to be absorbed into the skin, the droplet area just before absorption for three moisturizer products, skin water contents, and TEWL for seven subjects were measured and correlation coefficients for each parameters were calculated. It was found that the skin with higher water contents or lower TEWL absorbed the moisturizer faster and spreads moisturizer wider. Also absorption and spreading speed depend on moisturizer property (moisturizing or fresh) which is originated from the moisturizer constituents. The correlation values between the

Probing bias reduction to improve comparability of lint cotton water and moisture contents at moisture equilibrium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Karl Fischer Titration (KFT) reference method is specific for water in lint cotton and was designed for samples conditioned to moisture equilibrium, thus limiting its biases. There is a standard method for moisture content – weight loss – by oven drying (OD), just not for equilibrium moisture c...

Facteurs de risque de la tuberculose multi-résistante dans la ville de Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo

PubMed Central

Misombo-Kalabela, André; Nguefack-Tsague, Georges; Kalla, Ginette Claude Mireille; Ze, Emmanuel Afane; Diangs, Kimpanga; Panda, Tshapenda; Kebela, Ilunga; Fueza, Serge Bisuta; Magazani, Nzanzu; Mbopi-Kéou, François-Xavier

2016-01-01

Introduction L'objectif de cette étude était de déterminer les facteurs de risque associés à la tuberculose multi résistance à Kinshasa en République Démocratique du Congo. Méthodes Il s'agissait d'une étude cas témoins. Les cas comprenaient tous les patients tuberculeux résistants à la rifampicine et à l'isoniazide notifiés à Kinshasa de janvier 2012 à juin 2013. Les témoins étaient les patients tuberculeux traités durant la même période que les cas et qui à la fin du traitement étaient déclarés guéris. Pour cette étude, nous avons obtenu une clairance éthique. Résultats L’échantillon était constitué de 213 participants dont 132 hommes (62%) et 81 femmes (38%). L’âge médian était de 31ans (16-73 ans). Les facteurs associés significatifs (p< 0,05) à la tuberculose multi résistante étaient le non-respect des heures de prise de médicaments (0R = 111) (80% chez les cas et 4% chez les témoins), l’échec au traitement (0R = 20) (76% chez les cas et 13% chez les témoins); la notion de tuberculose multi résistante dans la famille (0R = 6.4) (28% chez les cas et 6% chez les témoins); la méconnaissance de la tuberculose multi résistante (0R = 3.2) (31% chez les cas et 59% chez les témoins); un séjour en prison (0R = 7.6) (10% chez les cas et 1% chez les témoins) et l'interruption du traitement (0R = 6.1) ( 59% chez les cas et 19% chez les témoins). Conclusion L’émergence de la tuberculose multi résistante peut être évitée par la mise en place des stratégies de diagnostic et de traitement appropriées. PMID:27516818

Preventing vertical transmission of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo: a baseline survey of 18 antenatal clinics.

PubMed

Behets, Frieda Mtf; Matendo, Richard; Vaz, Lara Me; Kilese, Nick; Nanlele, Diderot; Kokolomami, Jack; Okitolando, Emile W; Van Rie, Annelies

2006-12-01

To assess the content and delivery of essential antenatal services before implementation of programmes for prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We assessed 18 antenatal care centres (eight public units and ten managed by nongovernmental organizations) in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We used a survey to capture information about the number and type of antenatal health workers, infrastructure capacity and the delivery of basic antenatal care services such as: nutritional counselling; tetanus toxoid vaccination; prevention and management of anaemia, malaria, sexually transmitted infections, and tuberculosis; and counselling for postpartum contraception. Antenatal care units differed with respect to size, capacity, cost, service delivery systems and content. For instance, 17 of the 18 sites offered anaemia screening but only two sites included the cost in the card that gives access to antenatal care. Nine of the clinics (50%) reported providing the malaria prophyalxis sulfadoxine pyrimethamine as per national policy. Four (22%) of the sites offered syphilis screening. Scaling up PMTCT programmes in under-resourced settings requires evaluation and strengthening of existing basic antenatal care service delivery.

Ageing, exposure to pollution, and interactions between climate change and local seasons as oxidant conditions predicting incident hematologic malignancy at KINSHASA University clinics, Democratic Republic of CONGO (DRC).

PubMed

Nkanga, Mireille Solange Nganga; Longo-Mbenza, Benjamin; Adeniyi, Oladele Vincent; Ngwidiwo, Jacques Bikaula; Katawandja, Antoine Lufimbo; Kazadi, Paul Roger Beia; Nzonzila, Alain Nganga

2017-08-23

The global burden of hematologic malignancy (HM) is rapidly rising with aging, exposure to polluted environments, and global and local climate variability all being well-established conditions of oxidative stress. However, there is currently no information on the extent and predictors of HM at Kinshasa University Clinics (KUC), DR Congo (DRC). This study evaluated the impact of bio-clinical factors, exposure to polluted environments, and interactions between global climate changes (EL Nino and La Nina) and local climate (dry and rainy seasons) on the incidence of HM. This hospital-based prospective cohort study was conducted at Kinshasa University Clinics in DR Congo. A total of 105 black African adult patients with anaemia between 2009 and 2016 were included. HM was confirmed by morphological typing according to the French-American-British (FAB) Classification System. Gender, age, exposure to traffic pollution and garages/stations, global climate variability (El Nino and La Nina), and local climate (dry and rainy seasons) were potential independent variables to predict incident HM using Cox regression analysis and Kaplan Meier curves. Out of the total 105 patients, 63 experienced incident HM, with an incidence rate of 60%. After adjusting for gender, HIV/AIDS, and other bio-clinical factors, the most significant independent predictors of HM were age ≥ 55 years (HR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.4-4.3; P = 0.003), exposure to pollution and garages or stations (HR = 4.9; 95% CI 2-12.1; P < 0.001), combined local dry season + La Nina (HR = 4.6; 95%CI 1.8-11.8; P < 0.001), and combined local dry season + El Nino (HR = 4; 95% CI 1.6-9.7; P = 0.004). HM types included acute myeloid leukaemia (28.6% n = 18), multiple myeloma (22.2% n = 14), myelodysplastic syndromes (15.9% n = 10), chronic myeloid leukaemia (15.9% n = 10), chronic lymphoid leukaemia (9.5% n = 6), and acute lymphoid leukaemia (7.9% n = 5). After adjusting for confounders using Cox

Interactive Vegetation Phenology, Soil Moisture, and Monthly Temperature Forecasts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koster, R. D.; Walker, G. K.

2015-01-01

The time scales that characterize the variations of vegetation phenology are generally much longer than those that characterize atmospheric processes. The explicit modeling of phenological processes in an atmospheric forecast system thus has the potential to provide skill to subseasonal or seasonal forecasts. We examine this possibility here using a forecast system fitted with a dynamic vegetation phenology model. We perform three experiments, each consisting of 128 independent warm-season monthly forecasts: 1) an experiment in which both soil moisture states and carbon states (e.g., those determining leaf area index) are initialized realistically, 2) an experiment in which the carbon states are prescribed to climatology throughout the forecasts, and 3) an experiment in which both the carbon and soil moisture states are prescribed to climatology throughout the forecasts. Evaluating the monthly forecasts of air temperature in each ensemble against observations, as well as quantifying the inherent predictability of temperature within each ensemble, shows that dynamic phenology can indeed contribute positively to subseasonal forecasts, though only to a small extent, with an impact dwarfed by that of soil moisture.

Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin.

PubMed

Kawada, Chinatsu; Yoshida, Takushi; Yoshida, Hideto; Matsuoka, Ryosuke; Sakamoto, Wakako; Odanaka, Wataru; Sato, Toshihide; Yamasaki, Takeshi; Kanemitsu, Tomoyuki; Masuda, Yasunobu; Urushibata, Osamu

2014-07-11

Hyaluronan (HA) is present in many tissues of the body and is essential to maintain moistness in the skin tissues, which contain approximately half the body's HA mass. Due to its viscosity and moisturizing effect, HA is widely distributed as a medicine, cosmetic, food, and, recently marketed in Japan as a popular dietary supplement to promote skin moisture. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study it was found that ingested HA increased skin moisture and improved treatment outcomes for patients with dry skin. HA is also reported to be absorbed by the body distributed, in part, to the skin. Ingested HA contributes to the increased synthesis of HA and promotes cell proliferation in fibroblasts. These effects show that ingestion of HA moisturizes the skin and is expected to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from dry skin. This review examines the moisturizing effects of dry skin by ingested HA and summarizes the series of mechanisms from absorption to pharmacological action.

An overview of the measurements of soil moisture and modeling of moisture flux in FIFE

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, J. R.

1992-01-01

Measurements of soil moisture and calculations of moisture transfer in the soil medium and at the air-soil interface were performed over a 15-km by 15-km test site during FIFE in 1987 and 1989. The measurements included intensive soil moisture sampling at the ground level and surveys at aircraft altitudes by several passive and active microwave sensors as well as a gamma radiation device.

Temporal Variations in Soil Moisture for Three Typical Vegetation Types in Inner Mongolia, Northern China

PubMed Central

Zheng, Hao; Gao, Jixi; Teng, Yanguo; Feng, Chaoyang; Tian, Meirong

2015-01-01

Drought and shortages of soil water are becoming extremely severe due to global climate change. A better understanding of the relationship between vegetation type and soil-moisture conditions is crucial for conserving soil water in forests and for maintaining a favorable hydrological balance in semiarid areas, such as the Saihanwula National Nature Reserve in Inner Mongolia, China. We investigated the temporal dynamics of soil moisture in this reserve to a depth of 40 cm under three types of vegetation during a period of rainwater recharge. Rainwater from most rainfalls recharged the soil water poorly below 40 cm, and the rainfall threshold for increasing the moisture content of surface soil for the three vegetations was in the order: artificial Larix spp. (AL) > Quercus mongolica (QM) > unused grassland (UG). QM had the highest mean soil moisture content (21.13%) during the monitoring period, followed by UG (16.52%) and AL (14.55%); and the lowest coefficient of variation (CV 9.6-12.5%), followed by UG (CV 10.9-18.7%) and AL (CV 13.9-21.0%). QM soil had a higher nutrient content and higher soil porosities, which were likely responsible for the higher ability of this cover to retain soil water. The relatively smaller QM trees were able to maintain soil moisture better in the study area. PMID:25781333

Conflicting discourses of church youths on masculinity and sexuality in the context of HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

PubMed Central

Lusey, Hendrew; San Sebastian, Miguel; Christianson, Monica; Dahlgren, Lars; Edin, Kerstin E.

2014-01-01

Abstract Masculinity studies are fairly new and young churchgoers are an under-researched group in the current Congolese church context. In response to this knowledge gap, this paper attempts to explore discourses of young churchgoers from deprived areas of Kinshasa regarding masculinity and sexuality in the era of HIV. A series of 16 semi-structured interviews were conducted with unmarried young churchgoers from the Salvation Army, Protestant and Revival churches. The interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using discourse analysis. Five main discourses emerged: ‘we are aware of the church message on sex’, ‘young men need sex’, ‘young women need money’, ‘to use or not to use condoms’ and ‘we trust in the church message’. Although all informants knew and heard church messages against premarital sex, many of them were sexually active. The perception was that young men were engaged in sexual activities with multiple partners as a result of sexual motivations surrounding masculinity and sexual potency, while young women sought multiple partners through transactional and intergenerational sex for economic reasons. These sexual practices of young people conflicted with church messages on sexual abstinence and faithfulness. However, a small number of participants challenged current gender norms and suggested alternative ways of being a man or a woman. To elucidate these alternatives, we suggest that church youths and church leaders might take concrete actions to deconstruct misconceptions about being men. In this way, they can possibly enhance a frank and fruitful dialogue on sex, sexuality and gender to promote positive masculinities and constructive partnerships to prevent HIV. PMID:25000272

Soil moisture monitoring for crop management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Dale

2015-07-01

The 'Risk management through soil moisture monitoring' project has demonstrated the capability of current technology to remotely monitor and communicate real time soil moisture data. The project investigated whether capacitance probes would assist making informed pre- and in-crop decisions. Crop potential and cropping inputs are increasingly being subject to greater instability and uncertainty due to seasonal variability. In a targeted survey of those who received regular correspondence from the Department of Primary Industries it was found that i) 50% of the audience found the information generated relevant for them and less than 10% indicted with was not relevant; ii) 85% have improved their knowledge/ability to assess soil moisture compared to prior to the project, with the most used indicator of soil moisture still being rain fall records; and iii) 100% have indicated they will continue to use some form of the technology to monitor soil moisture levels in the future. It is hoped that continued access to this information will assist informed input decisions. This will minimise inputs in low decile years with a low soil moisture base and maximise yield potential in more favourable conditions based on soil moisture and positive seasonal forecasts

Effect of Forest Canopy on Remote Sensing Soil Moisture at L-band

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LeVine, D. M.; Lang, R. H.; Jackson, T. J.; Haken, M.

2005-01-01

Global maps of soil moisture are needed to improve understanding and prediction of the global water and energy cycles. Accuracy requirements imply the use of lower frequencies (L-band) to achieve adequate penetration into the soil and to minimize attenuation by the vegetation canopy and effects of surface roughness. Success has been demonstrated over agricultural areas, but canopies with high biomass (e.g. forests) still present a challenge. Examples from recent measurements over forests with the L-band radiometer, 2D-STAR, and its predecessor, ESTAR, will be presented to illustrate the problem. ESTAR and 2D-STAR are aircraft-based synthetic aperture radiometers developed to help resolve both the engineering and algorithm issues associated with future remote sensing of soil moisture. ESTAR, which does imaging across track, was developed to demonstrate the viability of aperture synthesis for remote sensing. The instrument has participated several soil moisture experiments (e.g. at the Little Washita Watershed in 1992 and the Southern Great Plains experiments in 1997 and 1999). In addition, measurements have been made at a forest site near Waverly, VA which contains conifer forests with a variety of biomass. These data have demonstrated the success of retrieving soil moisture at L-band over agricultural areas and the response of passive observations at L-band to biomass over forests. 2D-STAR is a second generation instrument that does aperture synthesis in two dimensions (along track and cross track) and is dual polarized. This instrument has the potential to provide measurements at L-band that simulate the measurements that will be made by the two L-band sensors currently being developed for future remote sensing of soil moisture from space: Hydros (conical scan and real aperture) and SMOS (multiple incidence angle and synthetic aperture). 2D-STAR participated in the SMEX-03 soil moisture experiment, providing images from the NASA P-3 aircraft. Preliminary results

Analytical prediction of moisture absorption/desorption in resin matrix composites exposed to aircraft environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Unnam, J.; Tenney, D. R.

1977-01-01

The moisture absorption/desorption behavior of resin matrix composites was mathematically modeled by classical diffusion theory using an effective diffusion coefficient. Good agreement was found between calculated moisture content and published data for T300/5208 graphite fiber reinforced epoxy matrix composite. Weather Bureau data for Langley Air Force Base and Norfolk, Va., were used to calculate the amount of moisture a T300/5208 composite panel would contain if exposed outdoors. Results obtained by using average monthly weather data for several high aircraft usage locations around the world suggest that, except for desert areas, geographical locations should have only minimal effect on the moisture absorption level reached in composites. Solar radiation data together with cloud and wind information were included in the analysis to estimate an effective temperature of the composite panel during ground exposure.

Soil Moisture and Temperature Measuring Networks in the Tibetan Plateau and Their Hydrological Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Kun; Chen, Yingying; Qin, Jun; Lu, Hui

2017-04-01

Multi-sphere interactions over the Tibetan Plateau directly impact its surrounding climate and environment at a variety of spatiotemporal scales. Remote sensing and modeling are expected to provide hydro-meteorological data needed for these process studies, but in situ observations are required to support their calibration and validation. For this purpose, we have established two networks on the Tibetan Plateau to measure densely two state variables (soil moisture and temperature) and four soil depths (0 5, 10, 20, and 40 cm). The experimental area is characterized by low biomass, high soil moisture dynamic range, and typical freeze-thaw cycle. As auxiliary parameters of these networks, soil texture and soil organic carbon content are measured at each station to support further studies. In order to guarantee continuous and high-quality data, tremendous efforts have been made to protect the data logger from soil water intrusion, to calibrate soil moisture sensors, and to upscale the point measurements. One soil moisture network is located in a semi-humid area in central Tibetan Plateau (Naqu), which consists of 56 stations with their elevation varying over 4470 4950 m and covers three spatial scales (1.0, 0.3, 0.1 degree). The other is located in a semi-arid area in southern Tibetan Plateau (Pali), which consists of 25 stations and covers an area of 0.25 degree. The spatiotemporal characteristics of the former network were analyzed, and a new spatial upscaling method was developed to obtain the regional mean soil moisture truth from the point measurements. Our networks meet the requirement for evaluating a variety of soil moisture products, developing new algorithms, and analyzing soil moisture scaling. Three applications with the network data are presented in this paper. 1. Evaluation of Current remote sensing and LSM products. The in situ data have been used to evaluate AMSR-E, AMSR2, SMOS and SMAP products and four modeled outputs by the Global Land Data

Assimilation of SMOS Retrieved Soil Moisture into the Land Information System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blankenship, Clay B.; Case, Jonathan L.; Zavodsky, Bradley T.

2014-01-01

Soil moisture is a crucial variable for weather prediction because of its influence on evaporation and surface heat fluxes. It is also of critical importance for drought and flood monitoring and prediction and for public health applications such as monitoring vector-borne diseases. Land surface modeling benefits greatly from regular updates with soil moisture observations via data assimilation. Satellite remote sensing is the only practical observation type for this purpose in most areas due to its worldwide coverage. The newest operational satellite sensor for soil moisture is the Microwave Imaging Radiometer using Aperture Synthesis (MIRAS) instrument aboard the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite. The NASA Short-term Prediction Research and Transition Center (SPoRT) has implemented the assimilation of SMOS soil moisture observations into the NASA Land Information System (LIS), an integrated modeling and data assimilation software platform. We present results from assimilating SMOS observations into the Noah 3.2 land surface model within LIS. The SMOS MIRAS is an L-band radiometer launched by the European Space Agency in 2009, from which we assimilate Level 2 retrievals [1] into LIS-Noah. The measurements are sensitive to soil moisture concentration in roughly the top 2.5 cm of soil. The retrievals have a target volumetric accuracy of 4% at a resolution of 35-50 km. Sensitivity is reduced where precipitation, snowcover, frozen soil, or dense vegetation is present. Due to the satellite's polar orbit, the instrument achieves global coverage twice daily at most mid- and low-latitude locations, with only small gaps between swaths.

Surface-Atmosphere Moisture Interactions in the Frozen Ground Regions of Eurasia.

PubMed

Ford, Trent W; Frauenfeld, Oliver W

2016-01-18

Climate models simulate an intensifying Arctic hydrologic cycle in response to climatic warming, however the role of surface-atmosphere interactions from degrading frozen ground is unclear in these projections. Using Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) data in high-latitude Eurasia, we examine long-term variability in surface-atmosphere coupling as represented by the statistical relationship between surface evaporative fraction (EF) and afternoon precipitation. Changes in EF, precipitation, and their statistical association are then related to underlying permafrost type and snow cover. Results indicate significant positive trends in July EF in the Central Siberian Plateau, corresponding to significant increases in afternoon precipitation. The positive trends are only significant over continuous permafrost, with non-significant or negative EF and precipitation trends over isolated, sporadic, and discontinuous permafrost areas. Concurrently, increasing EF and subsequent precipitation are found to coincide with significant trends in May and June snowmelt, which potentially provides the moisture source for the observed enhanced latent heating and moisture recycling in the region. As climate change causes continuous permafrost to transition to discontinuous, discontinuous to sporadic, sporadic to isolated, and isolated permafrost disappears, this will also alter patterns of atmospheric convection, moisture recycling, and hence the hydrologic cycle in high-latitude land areas.

Multilayer moisture barrier

DOEpatents

Pankow, Joel W; Jorgensen, Gary J; Terwilliger, Kent M; Glick, Stephen H; Isomaki, Nora; Harkonen, Kari; Turkulainen, Tommy

2015-04-21

A moisture barrier, device or product having a moisture barrier or a method of fabricating a moisture barrier having at least a polymer layer, and interfacial layer, and a barrier layer. The polymer layer may be fabricated from any suitable polymer including, but not limited to, fluoropolymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), or ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE). The interfacial layer may be formed by atomic layer deposition (ALD). In embodiments featuring an ALD interfacial layer, the deposited interfacial substance may be, but is not limited to, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AlSiO.sub.x, TiO.sub.2, and an Al.sub.2O.sub.3/TiO.sub.2 laminate. The barrier layer associated with the interfacial layer may be deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). The barrier layer may be a SiO.sub.xN.sub.y film.

MISTRALE: Soil moisture mapping service based on a UAV-embedded GNSS-Reflectometry sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van de Vyvere, Laura; Desenfans, Olivier

2016-04-01

Around 70 percent of worldwide freshwater is used by agriculture. To be able to feed an additional 2 billion people by 2030, water demand is expected to increase tremendously in the next decades. Farmers are challenged to produce "more crop per drop". In order to optimize water resource management, it is crucial to improve soil moisture situation awareness, which implies both a better temporal and spatial resolution. To this end, the objective of the MISTRALE project (Monitoring soIl moiSture and waTeR-flooded Areas for agricuLture and Environment) is to provide UAV-based soil moisture maps that could complement satellite-based and field measurements. In addition to helping farmers make more efficient decisions about where and when to irrigate, MISTRALE moisture maps are an invaluable tool for risk management and damage evaluation, as they provide highly relevant information for wetland and flood-prone area monitoring. In order to measure soil water content, a prototype of a new sensor, called GNSS-Reflectometry (GNSS-R), is being developed in MISTRALE. This approach consists in comparing the direct signal, i.e. the signal travelling directly from satellite to receiver (in this case, embedded in the UAV), with its ground-reflected equivalent. Since soil dielectric properties vary with moisture content, the reflected signal's peak power is affected by soil moisture, unlike the direct one. In order to mitigate the effect of soil surface roughness on measurements, both left-hand and right-hand circular polarization reflected signals have to be recorded and processed. When it comes to soil moisture, using GNSS signals instead of traditional visible/NIR imagery has many advantages: it is operational under cloud cover, during the night, and also under vegetation (bushes, grass, trees). In addition, compared to microwaves, GNSS signal (which lies in L-band, between 1.4 and 1.8 GHz) is less influenced by variation on thermal background. GNSS frequencies are then ideal

BOREAS HYD-6 Aircraft Gamma Ray Soil Moisture Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peck, Eugene L.; Hall, Forrest G. (Editor); Knapp, David E. (Editor); Carroll, Thomas; Smith, David E. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The Boreal Ecosystem-Atmosphere Study (BOREAS) Hydrology (HYD)-6 team collected several data sets related to the moisture content of soil and overlying humus layers. This data set contains percent soil moisture (by weight) (and/or water content if there is a moss/humus layer) measured from aircraft using a terrestrial gamma ray instrument. There are also data that indicate the location of the aircraft at the time it collected the terrestrial gamma ray data for the various flight lines and bins. The location information contains a list of coordinates that indicate the path of the aircraft for each bin. The data were collected during four time periods from September 1993 to September 1994 over the southern study area (SSA) and two time periods from February to August 1994 over the northern study area (NSA). The data are available in tabular ASCII files. The data files are available on a CD-ROM (see document number 20010000884) or from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) Distributed Active Archive Center (DAAC).

Likelihood parameter estimation for calibrating a soil moisture using radar backscatter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Assimilating soil moisture information contained in synthetic aperture radar imagery into land surface model predictions can be done using a calibration, or parameter estimation, approach. The presence of speckle, however, necessitates aggregating backscatter measurements over large land areas in or...

[African mobilization against AIDS. After the Kinshasa Conference].

PubMed

Poissonnier, A

The AIDS epidemic in Africa has become too massive to ignore. A sign of increasing awareness of the AIDS threat was the attendance of some 1200 participants at the 5th international conference on AIDS in Africa held in Kinshasa, Zaire, in October 1990. An African society to combat AIDS has been formed and is based in Nairobi. The new association will be responsible for organization of coming conferences to be held in Africa rather than in Europe. Sub-Saharan Africa contains less than 10% of the world's population but 2/3 of adult AIDS cases and almost 90% of maternal and child cases. The epidemic is even more worrisome because it has brought with it a recrudescence of other illnesses such as tuberculosis. The World Health Organization estimates that 5 million Africans were seropositive in 1990 vs 2.5 million in 1987. Predictions are necessary and allow planning to begin for the care of the 10 million orphans who will be found in Africa by the year 2000 and for other serious problems created by the disease. But the situation is already very dire. There has been a certain stabilization in the number of cases in countries such as that Congo, Zaire, or the Central African Republic. As yet the stabilization cannot be explained. The pessimistic view is that the pause results from a purely statistical phenomenon due to increased mortality. The optimistic view is that sexual behavior is responding to health information campaigns. Although the experts had expected the AIDS epidemic to be limited to urban zones in Africa, rural rates already approach urban rates in several countries such as the Ivory Coast, Tanzania, Uganda, and Rwanda. Mother-infant contamination is the greatest worry of health officials. The number of infants infected during pregnancy or birth is expected to double to 1 million by 1992 and reach nearly 10 million in 2000. Some 20-25 million Africans will be seropositive by 2000. A cure for AIDS is unlikely in the near future. Products delaying the onset of

Contributions of Precipitation and Soil Moisture Observations to the Skill of Soil Moisture Estimates in a Land Data Assimilation System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reichle, Rolf H.; Liu, Qing; Bindlish, Rajat; Cosh, Michael H.; Crow, Wade T.; deJeu, Richard; DeLannoy, Gabrielle J. M.; Huffman, George J.; Jackson, Thomas J.

2011-01-01

The contributions of precipitation and soil moisture observations to the skill of soil moisture estimates from a land data assimilation system are assessed. Relative to baseline estimates from the Modern Era Retrospective-analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA), the study investigates soil moisture skill derived from (i) model forcing corrections based on large-scale, gauge- and satellite-based precipitation observations and (ii) assimilation of surface soil moisture retrievals from the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for the Earth Observing System (AMSR-E). Soil moisture skill is measured against in situ observations in the continental United States at 44 single-profile sites within the Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) for which skillful AMSR-E retrievals are available and at four CalVal watersheds with high-quality distributed sensor networks that measure soil moisture at the scale of land model and satellite estimates. The average skill (in terms of the anomaly time series correlation coefficient R) of AMSR-E retrievals is R=0.39 versus SCAN and R=0.53 versus CalVal measurements. The skill of MERRA surface and root-zone soil moisture is R=0.42 and R=0.46, respectively, versus SCAN measurements, and MERRA surface moisture skill is R=0.56 versus CalVal measurements. Adding information from either precipitation observations or soil moisture retrievals increases surface soil moisture skill levels by IDDeltaR=0.06-0.08, and root zone soil moisture skill levels by DeltaR=0.05-0.07. Adding information from both sources increases surface soil moisture skill levels by DeltaR=0.13, and root zone soil moisture skill by DeltaR=0.11, demonstrating that precipitation corrections and assimilation of satellite soil moisture retrievals contribute similar and largely independent amounts of information.

Absolute moisture sensing for cotton bales

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With the recent prevalence of moisture restoration systems in cotton gins, more and more gins are putting moisture back into the bales immediately before the packaging operation. There are two main reasons for this recent trend, the first is that it has been found that added moisture at the bale pre...

Low level moisture from VAS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hayden, C. M.

1980-01-01

Previous research and current opinion are too pessimistic concerning the capability of defining moisture fields from satellite measurements. The TIROS-N sounder is a close analogue to what will fly on GEOS-D and can be used to investigate the probable capability of VAS. Basically, there are three frequencies applied to sensing moisture in the troposphere. The ability of these three measurements to define the moisture pattern is assessed. It is certainly true that one cannot achieve the detail available with a radiosonde hygristor. Sharp discontinuities cannot be sensed by a passive sounder, especially since the measurement tends to "saturate" with the first moisture layer encountered. However, the satellite measurements demonstrate a high degree of skill in defining the horizontal gradient. Moisture "tongues" and "dry lines" are readily delineated with some, perhaps two layers, of vertical definition. These attributes allow both the calculation of important advective quantities as well as (in concert with the temperature sounding) a gross definition of the vertical stability. The skill is demonstrably commensurate with subsynoptic forecast models and perhaps even to regional scale models.

Ingested hyaluronan moisturizes dry skin

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Hyaluronan (HA) is present in many tissues of the body and is essential to maintain moistness in the skin tissues, which contain approximately half the body’s HA mass. Due to its viscosity and moisturizing effect, HA is widely distributed as a medicine, cosmetic, food, and, recently marketed in Japan as a popular dietary supplement to promote skin moisture. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study it was found that ingested HA increased skin moisture and improved treatment outcomes for patients with dry skin. HA is also reported to be absorbed by the body distributed, in part, to the skin. Ingested HA contributes to the increased synthesis of HA and promotes cell proliferation in fibroblasts. These effects show that ingestion of HA moisturizes the skin and is expected to improve the quality of life for people who suffer from dry skin. This review examines the moisturizing effects of dry skin by ingested HA and summarizes the series of mechanisms from absorption to pharmacological action. PMID:25014997

Influences on use of hand moisturizers in nurses.

PubMed

Burke, K M; Wright, A J; Parsons, V; Madan, I

2018-05-07

Nurses are at high risk of hand dermatitis. Regular hand moisturizing can prevent dermatitis, but nurses' use of hand moisturizers is suboptimal. To establish (i) what beliefs about hand dermatitis and hand moisturizer use are associated with hand moisturizer use by nurses at home and at work and (ii) if hand moisturizer use behaviours in nurses are associated with the prevalence of hand dermatitis. We used a questionnaire to investigate nurses' knowledge, beliefs and behaviours regarding hand dermatitis and use of hand moisturizers. The response rate was 55/65 (85%). Forty-two (76%) participants agreed that applying hand moisturizers reduced the risk of dermatitis, and 53 (96%) agreed that dermatitis increased the risk of skin carrying pathogenic organisms. Frequent moisturizer application was associated with beliefs that it was part of the nurse's role to apply hand creams, a belief that they had had training in the use of moisturizers and believing that patients approved of them moisturizing their hands. Hand moisturizer use by nurses can be improved by enhancing their beliefs that it is part of their professional role to apply hand cream regularly.

7 CFR 868.258 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Governing Application of Standards § 868.258 Moisture. Water content in brown rice for processing as... purpose of this paragraph, “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other...

[Detecting the moisture content of forest surface soil based on the microwave remote sensing technology.

PubMed

Li, Ming Ze; Gao, Yuan Ke; Di, Xue Ying; Fan, Wen Yi

2016-03-01

The moisture content of forest surface soil is an important parameter in forest ecosystems. It is practically significant for forest ecosystem related research to use microwave remote sensing technology for rapid and accurate estimation of the moisture content of forest surface soil. With the aid of TDR-300 soil moisture content measuring instrument, the moisture contents of forest surface soils of 120 sample plots at Tahe Forestry Bureau of Daxing'anling region in Heilongjiang Province were measured. Taking the moisture content of forest surface soil as the dependent variable and the polarization decomposition parameters of C band Quad-pol SAR data as independent variables, two types of quantitative estimation models (multilinear regression model and BP-neural network model) for predicting moisture content of forest surface soils were developed. The spatial distribution of moisture content of forest surface soil on the regional scale was then derived with model inversion. Results showed that the model precision was 86.0% and 89.4% with RMSE of 3.0% and 2.7% for the multilinear regression model and the BP-neural network model, respectively. It indicated that the BP-neural network model had a better performance than the multilinear regression model in quantitative estimation of the moisture content of forest surface soil. The spatial distribution of forest surface soil moisture content in the study area was then obtained by using the BP neural network model simulation with the Quad-pol SAR data.

Impact of Types of Moisturizer and Humidity on the Residual Weight and Viscosity of Liquid and Gel Oral Moisturizers.

PubMed

Murakami, Mamoru; Nishi, Yasuhiro; Fujishima, Kei; Nishio, Misaki; Minemoto, Yoko; Kanie, Takahito; Nishimura, Masahiro

2016-10-01

Oral moisturizers need to be selected based on their material properties. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of moisturizer type and humidity on the residual weight and viscosity of oral moisturizers. The weight and viscosity of 17 oral moisturizers (7 liquid and 10 gel) at baseline and after 8 hours were measured using an incubator maintained at 37°C at either 85% or 40% relative humidity (RH). The rate of change in weight (RCW) and the rate of change in viscosity (RCV) were calculated. Data were analyzed with two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe's test to evaluate the effect of the type of moisturizer (liquid or gel) and humidity (85% or 40% RH) on RCW and RCV. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationship between RCW and RCV. Two-way ANOVA results indicated that the type of moisturizer and RH had a significant effect on RCW and RCV (p < 0.05); however, the interaction between them was not significant. The results of multiple comparisons showed that gel moisturizers had a significantly lower RCW and higher RCV than liquid moisturizers (p < 0.05). The RCW and RCV at 40% RH were significantly higher than those at 85% RH (p < 0.05). There was no correlation between RCW and RCV in the liquid moisturizer group, but a significant negative correlation was found in the gel moisturizer group (pp = 0.01). Because viscosity of gel moisturizers increases as weight decreases, selecting gel moisturizers with a minimal change in weight and viscosity would be preferable in the case of a long-time application and severe dry mouth. © 2015 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

Assessment of SMAP soil moisture for global simulation of gross primary production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Liming; Chen, Jing M.; Liu, Jane; Bélair, Stéphane; Luo, Xiangzhong

2017-07-01

In this study, high-quality soil moisture data derived from the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite measurements are evaluated from a perspective of improving the estimation of the global gross primary production (GPP) using a process-based ecosystem model, namely, the Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS). The SMAP soil moisture data are assimilated into BEPS using an ensemble Kalman filter. The correlation coefficient (r) between simulated GPP from the sunlit leaves and Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) measured by Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment-2 is used as an indicator to evaluate the performance of the GPP simulation. Areas with SMAP data in low quality (i.e., forests), or with SIF in low magnitude (e.g., deserts), or both are excluded from the analysis. With the assimilated SMAP data, the r value is enhanced for Africa, Asia, and North America by 0.016, 0.013, and 0.013, respectively (p < 0.05). Significant improvement in r appears in single-cropping agricultural land where the irrigation is not considered in the model but well captured by SMAP (e.g., 0.09 in North America, p < 0.05). With the assimilation of SMAP, areas with weak model performances are identified in double or triple cropping cropland (e.g., part of North China Plain) and/or mountainous area (e.g., Spain and Turkey). The correlation coefficient is enhanced by 0.01 in global average for shrub, grass, and cropland. This enhancement is small and insignificant because nonwater-stressed areas are included.

Application of Multitemporal Remotely Sensed Soil Moisture for the Estimation of Soil Physical Properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mattikalli, N. M.; Engman, E. T.; Jackson, T. J.; Ahuja, L. R.

1997-01-01

This paper demonstrates the use of multitemporal soil moisture derived from microwave remote sensing to estimate soil physical properties. The passive microwave ESTAR instrument was employed during June 10-18, 1992, to obtain brightness temperature (TB) and surface soil moisture data in the Little Washita watershed, Oklahoma. Analyses of spatial and temporal variations of TB and soil moisture during the dry-down period revealed a direct relationship between changes in T and soil moisture and soil physical (viz. texture) and hydraulic (viz. saturated hydraulic conductivity, K(sat)) properties. Statistically significant regression relationships were developed for the ratio of percent sand to percent clay (RSC) and K(sat), in terms of change components of TB and surface soil moisture. Validation of results using field measured values and soil texture map indicated that both RSC and K(sat) can be estimated with reasonable accuracy. These findings have potential applications of microwave remote sensing to obtain quick estimates of the spatial distributions of K(sat), over large areas for input parameterization of hydrologic models.

COSMOS: COsmic-ray Soil Moisture Observing System planned for the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zweck, C.; Zreda, M.; Shuttleworth, J.; Zeng, X.

2008-12-01

Because soil water exerts a critical control on weather, climate, ecosystem, and water cycle, understanding soil moisture changes in time and space is crucial for many fields within natural sciences. A serious handicap in soil moisture measurements is the mismatch between limited point measurements using contact methods and remote sensing estimates over large areas. We present a novel method to measure soil moisture non- invasively at an intermediate spatial scale that will alleviate this problem. The method takes advantage of the dependence of cosmic-ray neutron intensity on the hydrogen content of soils (Zreda et al., Geophysical Research Letters, accepted). Low-energy cosmic-ray neutrons are produced and moderated in the soil, transported from the soil into the atmosphere where they are measured with a cosmic-ray neutron probe to provide integrated soil moisture content over a footprint of several hundred meters and a depth of a few decimeters. The method and the instrument are intended for deployment in the continental-scale COSMOS network that is designed to cover the contiguous region of the USA. Fully deployed, the COSMOS network will consist of up to 500 probes, and will provide continuous soil moisture content (together with atmospheric pressure, temperature and relative humidity) measured and reported hourly. These data will be used for initialization and assimilation of soil moisture conditions in weather and short-term (seasonal) climate forecasting, and for other land-surface applications.

A comparative study of the SMAP passive soil moisture product with existing satellite-based soil moisture products

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

NASA Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite mission was launched on January 31, 2015 to provide global mapping of high-resolution soil moisture and freeze thaw state every 2-3 days using an L-band (active) radar and an L-band (passive) radiometer. The radiometer-only soil moisture product (L2...

Microwave soil moisture estimation in humid and semiarid watersheds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Neill, P. E.; Jackson, T. J.; Chauhan, N. S.; Seyfried, M. S.

1993-01-01

Land surface hydrologic-atmospheric interactions in humid and semi-arid watersheds were investigated. Active and passive microwave sensors were used to estimate the spatial and temporal distribution of soil moisture at the catchment scale in four areas. Results are presented and discussed. The eventual use of this information in the analysis and prediction of associated hydrologic processes is examined.

Mechanisms by which moisture generates cocrystals.

PubMed

Jayasankar, Adivaraha; Good, David J; Rodríguez-Hornedo, Naír

2007-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the mechanisms by which moisture can generate cocrystals when solid particles of cocrystal reactants are exposed to deliquescent conditions (when moisture sorption forms an aqueous solution). It is based on the hypothesis that cocrystallization behavior during water uptake can be derived from solution chemistry using models that describe cocrystal solubility and reaction crystallization of molecular complexes. Cocrystal systems were selected with active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) that form hydrates and include carbamazepine, caffeine, and theophylline. Moisture uptake and crystallization behavior were studied by gravimetric vapor sorption, X-ray powder diffraction, and on-line Raman spectroscopy. Results indicate that moisture uptake generates cocrystals of carbamazepine-nicotinamide, carbamazepine-saccharin, and caffeine or theophylline with dicarboxylic acid ligands (oxalic acid, maleic acid, glutaric acid, and malonic acid) when solid mixtures with cocrystal reactants deliquesce. Microscopy studies revealed that the transformation mechanism to cocrystal involves (1) moisture uptake, (2) dissolution of reactants, and (3) cocrystal nucleation and growth. Studies of solid blends of reactants in a macro scale show that the rate and extent of cocrystal formation are a function of relative humidity, moisture uptake, deliquescent material, and dissolution rates of reactants. It is shown that the interplay between moisture uptake and dissolution determines the liquid phase composition, supersaturation, and cocrystal formation rates. Differences in the behavior of deliquescent additives (sucrose and fructose) are associated with moisture uptake and composition of the deliquesced solution. Our results show that deliquescence can transform API to cocrystal or reverse the reaction given the right conditions. Key indicators of cocrystal formation and stability are (1) moisture uptake, (2) cocrystal aqueous solubility, (3

Multifractal and Singularity Maps of soil surface moisture distribution derived from 2D image analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cumbrera, Ramiro; Millán, Humberto; Martín-Sotoca, Juan Jose; Pérez Soto, Luis; Sanchez, Maria Elena; Tarquis, Ana Maria

2016-04-01

Soil moisture distribution usually presents extreme variation at multiple spatial scales. Image analysis could be a useful tool for investigating these spatial patterns of apparent soil moisture at multiple resolutions. The objectives of the present work were (i) to describe the local scaling of apparent soil moisture distribution and (ii) to define apparent soil moisture patterns from vertical planes of Vertisol pit images. Two soil pits (0.70 m long × 0.60 m width × 0.30 m depth) were excavated on a bare Mazic Pellic Vertisol. One was excavated in April/2011 and the other pit was established in May/2011 after 3 days of a moderate rainfall event. Digital photographs were taken from each Vertisol pit using a Kodak™ digital camera. The mean image size was 1600 × 945 pixels with one physical pixel ≈373 μm of the photographed soil pit. For more details see Cumbrera et al. (2012). Geochemical exploration have found with increasingly interests and benefits of using fractal (power-law) models to characterize geochemical distribution, using the concentration-area (C-A) model (Cheng et al., 1994; Cheng, 2012). This method is based on the singularity maps of a measure that at each point define areas with self-similar properties that are shown in power-law relationships in Concentration-Area plots (C-A method). The C-A method together with the singularity map ("Singularity-CA" method) define thresholds that can be applied to segment the map. We have applied it to each soil image. The results show that, in spite of some computational and practical limitations, image analysis of apparent soil moisture patterns could be used to study the dynamical change of soil moisture sampling in agreement with previous results (Millán et al., 2016). REFERENCES Cheng, Q., Agterberg, F. P. and Ballantyne, S. B. (1994). The separation of geochemical anomalies from background by fractal methods. Journal of Geochemical Exploration, 51, 109-130. Cheng, Q. (2012). Singularity theory and

Interior moisture design loads for residences

Treesearch

Anton TenWolde; Iain S. Walker

2001-01-01

This paper outlines a methodology to obtain design values for indoor boundary conditions for moisture design calculations for residences. This is part of a larger effort by ASHRAE Standard Project Committee 160P, Design Criteria for Moisture Control in Buildings, to formulate criteria for moisture design loads, analysis techniques, and material and building performance...

Soil-moisture constants and their variation

Treesearch

Walter M. Broadfoot; Hubert D. Burke

1958-01-01

"Constants" like field capacity, liquid limit, moisture equivalent, and wilting point are used by most students and workers in soil moisture. These constants may be equilibrium points or other values that describe soil moisture. Their values under specific soil and cover conditions have been discussed at length in the literature, but few general analyses and...

Stochastic Analysis and Probabilistic Downscaling of Soil Moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deshon, J. P.; Niemann, J. D.; Green, T. R.; Jones, A. S.

2017-12-01

Soil moisture is a key variable for rainfall-runoff response estimation, ecological and biogeochemical flux estimation, and biodiversity characterization, each of which is useful for watershed condition assessment. These applications require not only accurate, fine-resolution soil-moisture estimates but also confidence limits on those estimates and soil-moisture patterns that exhibit realistic statistical properties (e.g., variance and spatial correlation structure). The Equilibrium Moisture from Topography, Vegetation, and Soil (EMT+VS) model downscales coarse-resolution (9-40 km) soil moisture from satellite remote sensing or land-surface models to produce fine-resolution (10-30 m) estimates. The model was designed to produce accurate deterministic soil-moisture estimates at multiple points, but the resulting patterns do not reproduce the variance or spatial correlation of observed soil-moisture patterns. The primary objective of this research is to generalize the EMT+VS model to produce a probability density function (pdf) for soil moisture at each fine-resolution location and time. Each pdf has a mean that is equal to the deterministic soil-moisture estimate, and the pdf can be used to quantify the uncertainty in the soil-moisture estimates and to simulate soil-moisture patterns. Different versions of the generalized model are hypothesized based on how uncertainty enters the model, whether the uncertainty is additive or multiplicative, and which distributions describe the uncertainty. These versions are then tested by application to four catchments with detailed soil-moisture observations (Tarrawarra, Satellite Station, Cache la Poudre, and Nerrigundah). The performance of the generalized models is evaluated by comparing the statistical properties of the simulated soil-moisture patterns to those of the observations and the deterministic EMT+VS model. The versions of the generalized EMT+VS model with normally distributed stochastic components produce soil-moisture

The Integration of SMOS Soil Moisture in a Consistent Soil Moisture Climate Record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Jeu, Richard; Kerr, Yann; Wigneron, Jean Pierre; Rodriguez-Fernandez, Nemesio; Al-Yaari, Amen; van der Schalie, Robin; Dolman, Han; Drusch, Matthias; Mecklenburg, Susanne

2015-04-01

Recently, a study funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) was set up to provide guidelines for the development of a global soil moisture climate record with a special emphasis on the integration of SMOS. Three different data fusion approaches were designed and implemented on 10 year passive microwave data (2003-2013) from two different satellite sensors; the ESA Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity Mission (SMOS) and the NASA/JAXA Advanced Scanning Microwave Radiometer (AMSR-E). The AMSR-E data covered the period from January 2003 until Oct 2011 and SMOS data covered the period from June 2010 until the end of 2013. The fusion approaches included a neural network approach (Rodriguez-Fernandez et al., this conference session HS6.4), a regression approach (Wigneron et al., 2004), and an approach based on the baseline algorithm of ESAs current Climate Change Initiative soil moisture program, the Land Parameter Retrieval Model (Van der Schalie et al., this conference session HS6.4). With this presentation we will show the first results from this study including a description of the different approaches and the validation activities using both globally covered modeled datasets and ground observations from the international soil moisture network. The statistical validation analyses will give us information on the temporal and spatial performance of the three different approaches. Based on these results we will then discuss the next steps towards a seamless integration of SMOS in a consistent soil moisture climate record. References Wigneron J.-P., J.-C. Calvet, P. de Rosnay, Y. Kerr, P. Waldteufel, K. Saleh, M. J. Escorihuela, A. Kruszewski, 'Soil Moisture Retrievals from Bi-Angular L-band Passive Microwave Observations', IEEE Trans. Geosc. Remote Sens. Let., vol 1, no. 4, 277-281, 2004.

Effectiveness of modified 1-hour air-oven moisture methods for determining popcorn moisture

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Two of the most commonly used approved grain moisture air-oven reference methods are the air oven method ASAE S352.2, which requires long heating time (72-h) for unground samples, and the AACC 44-15.02 air-oven method, which dries a ground sample for 1 hr, but there is specific moisture measurement ...

Temporal variations in soil moisture content and its influence on biomass estimates, observed by UAVSAR, ALOS PALSAR, and in-situ field data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calderhead, A. I.; Simard, M.; Lavalle, M.

2010-12-01

Temporal changes of repeat-pass SAR backscatter over bare ground or forests results mostly from changes in the target's dielectric properties or moisture content; especially when the timescale is on the order of a few days or weeks. It is important to properly correct for moisture content when using SAR based estimates of tree height or biomass. The objective of this work is to quantify the error in biomass estimates associated with variations in moisture content in temperate and boreal forested areas. In addition, the accuracy of three polarimetric soil moisture surface inversion models (Dubois et al., 1995, Oh et al., 1992; Oh, 2004) are tested on UAVSAR and PALSAR data of bare soils in temperate and boreal forested areas. In addition to PALSAR data from 2007 to 2009, a JPL/UAVSAR campaign over parts of New England and Quebec was completed in August, 2009; L-band SAR images were acquired on August 5th, August 7th, and August 14th. In-situ soil moisture probes at three locations gathered hourly soil moisture content data. LVIS LIDAR is used for quantifying and classifying biomass ranges. Slope corrected backscatter values resampled to 1 hectare at HH, HV, and VV polarizations, and ratios thereof, are compared with soil moisture, precipitation, biomass, and incidence angle. It is seen that the backscatter for high biomass areas varies significantly due to moisture variations. An increase in 1% soil moisture content at the Laurentides field site leads to a change in HV backscatter of 1dB. Regions with high biomass do not vary uniformly with varying moisture content: this can be explained by saturation of the L-band at higher biomass levels. The three inversion algorithms produce varying results with the ‘Dubois et al’ inversion producing the best correlation at the Bartlett Forest site while the ‘Oh 2004’ inversion produces better results at the Laurentides site. Although the accuracy is often poor, the temporal variation of the moisture content for all

HIV infection and risk factors among the armed forces personnel stationed in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

PubMed

Rimoin, A W; Hoff, N A; Djoko, C F; Kisalu, N K; Kashamuka, M; Tamoufe, U; LeBreton, M; Kayembe, P K; Muyembe, J J; Kitchen, C R; Saylors, K; Fair, J; Doshi, R; Papworth, E; Mpoudi-Ngole, E; Grillo, M P; Tshala, F; Peeters, M; Wolfe, N D

2015-03-01

Despite recent declines in HIV incidence, sub-Saharan Africa remains the most heavily affected region in the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. Estimates of HIV prevalence in African military personnel are scarce and inconsistent. We conducted a serosurvey between June and September 2007 among 4043 Armed Forces personnel of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) stationed in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to determine the prevalence of HIV and syphilis infections and describe associated risk behaviours. Participants provided blood for HIV and syphilis testing and responded to a demographic and risk factor questionnaire. The prevalence of HIV was 3.8% and the prevalence of syphilis was 11.9%. Women were more likely than men to be HIV positive, (7.5% vs. 3.6% respectively, aOR: 1.66, 95% C.I: 1.21-2.28, p < 0.05). Factors significantly associated with HIV infection included gender and self-reported genital ulcers in the 12 months before date of enrollment. The prevalence of HIV in the military appears to be higher than the general population in DRC (3.8% vs. 1.3%, respectively), with women at increased risk of infection. © The Author(s) 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Soil moisture mapping at Bubnow Wetland using L-band radiometer (ELBARA III)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Łukowski, Mateusz; Schwank, Mike; Szlązak, Radosław; Wiesmann, Andreas; Marczewski, Wojciech; Usowicz, Bogusław; Usowicz, Jerzy; Rojek, Edyta; Werner, Charles

2016-04-01

The study of soil moisture is a scientific challenge. Not only because of large diversity of soils and differences in their water content, but also due to the difficulty of measuring, especially in large scale. On this field of interest several methods to determine the content of water in soil exists. The basic and referential is gravimetric method, which is accurate, but suitable only for small spatial scales and time-consuming. Indirect methods are faster, but need to be validated, for example those based on dielectric properties of materials (e.g. time domain reflectometry - TDR) or made from distance (remote), like brightness temperature measurements. Remote sensing of soil moisture can be performed locally (from towers, drones, planes etc.) or globally (satellites). These techniques can complement and help to verify different models and assumptions. In our studies, we applied spatial statistics to local soil moisture mapping using ELBARA III (ESA L-band radiometer, 1.4 GHz) mounted on tower (6.5 meter height). Our measurements were carried out in natural Bubnow Wetland, near Polesie National Park (Eastern Poland), during spring time. This test-site had been selected because it is representative for one of the biggest wetlands in Europe (1400 km2), called "Western Polesie", localized in Ukraine, Poland and Belarus. We have investigated Bubnow for almost decade, using meteorological and soil moisture stations, conducting campaigns of hand-held measurements and collecting soil samples. Now, due to the possibility of rotation at different incidence angles (as in previous ELBARA systems) and the new azimuth tracking capabilities, we obtained brightness temperature data not only at different distances from the tower, but also around it, in footprints containing different vegetation and soil types. During experiment we collected data at area about 450 m2 by rotating ELBARA's antenna 5-175° in horizontal and 30-70° in vertical plane. This type of approach allows

7 CFR 868.207 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Application of Standards § 868.207 Moisture. Water content in rough rice as determined by an approved device..., “approved device” shall include the Motomco Moisture Meter and any other equipment that is approved by the...

Nuclear measurement of subgrade moisture.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1973-01-01

The basic consideration in evaluating subgrade moisture conditions under pavements is the selection of a method of determining moisture contents that is sufficiently accurate and can be used with minimal effort, interference with traffic, and recalib...

Evaluation of soil and vegetation response to drought using SMOS soil moisture satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piles, Maria; Sánchez, Nilda; Vall-llossera, Mercè; Ballabrera, Joaquim; Martínez, Justino; Martínez-Fernández, José; Camps, Adriano; Font, Jordi

2014-05-01

Soil moisture plays an important role in determining the likelihood of droughts and floods that may affect an area. Knowledge of soil moisture distribution as a function of time and space is highly relevant for hydrological, ecological and agricultural applications, especially in water-limited or drought-prone regions. However, measuring soil moisture is challenging because of its high variability; point-scale in-situ measurements are scarce being remote sensing the only practical means to obtain regional- and global-scale soil moisture estimates. The ESA's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) is the first satellite mission ever designed to measuring the Earth's surface soil moisture at near daily time scales with levels of accuracy previously not attained. Since its launch in November 2009, significant efforts have been dedicated to validate and fine-tune the retrieval algorithms so that SMOS-derived soil moisture estimates meet the standards required for a wide variety of applications. In this line, the SMOS Barcelona Expert Center (BEC) is distributing daily, monthly, and annual temporal averages of 0.25-deg global soil moisture maps, which have proved useful for assessing drought and water-stress conditions. In addition, a downscaling algorithm has been developed to combine SMOS and NASA's Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data into fine-scale (< 1km) soil moisture estimates, which permits extending the applicability of the data to regional and local studies. Fine-scale soil moisture maps are currently limited to the Iberian Peninsula but the algorithm is dynamic and can be transported to any region. Soil moisture maps are generated in a near real-time fashion at BEC facilities and are used by Barcelona's fire prevention services to detect extremely dry soil and vegetation conditions posing a risk of fire. Recently, they have been used to explain drought-induced tree mortality episodes and forest decline in the Catalonia region. These

On the contribution of atmospheric moisture to dew formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garratt, J. R.; Segal, M.

1988-09-01

The relative contributions of dewfall (a flux of water vapour from air to surface) and distillation (a flux of water vapour from soil to canopy) to dew formation on closed canopy and bare soil surfaces are assessed, and the dependence of dew amount upon wind speed, absolute temperature, atmospheric stability, relative humidity, soil characteristics and cloudiness, all of which are significant factors, is evaluated. Some of these evaluations provide refinements to similar ones given in Monteith (1961). High dewfall rates are usually ≲0.06 mm hr-1 over canopy or bare soil, though upon a canopy under soil-saturated and air-saturated conditions, rates of dew formation may reach 0.07 0.09 mm hr-1 with contributions from distillation. Various sets of observations are reanalyzed to illustrate the importance of the horizontal advection of moisture in the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) to observed high rates of dew formation arising from the atmospheric contribution of water vapour (dewfall). These locally observed high dewfall rates must be the result of small-scale or mesoscale horizontal advection of moisture in the NBL, since the humidity changes within the typically shallow NBL required to balance the loss of water at the surface are not observed. Over extensive areas of uniform surface (horizontal scales ≫10 km), such continuously high dewfall rates could only be balanced by a local supply of atmospheric moisture since advection of moisture would necessarily be small.

Coherent tropical-subtropical Holocene see-saw moisture patterns in the Eastern Hemisphere monsoon systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yongbo; Bekeschus, Benjamin; Handorf, Dörthe; Liu, Xingqi; Dallmeyer, Anne; Herzschuh, Ulrike

2017-08-01

The concept of a Global Monsoon (GM) has been proposed based on modern precipitation observations, but its application over a wide range of temporal scales is still under debate. Here, we present a synthesis of 268 continental paleo-moisture records collected from monsoonal systems in the Eastern Hemisphere, including the East Asian Monsoon (EAsM), the Indian Monsoon (IM), the East African Monsoon (EAfM), and the Australian Monsoon (AuM) covering the last 18,000 years. The overall pattern of late Glacial to Holocene moisture change is consistent with those inferred from ice cores and marine records. With respect to the last 10,000 years (10 ka), i.e. a period that has high spatial coverage, a Fuzzy c-Means clustering analysis of the moisture index records together with ;Xie-Beni; index reveals four clusters of our data set. The paleoclimatic meaning of each cluster is interpreted considering the temporal evolution and spatial distribution patterns. The major trend in the tropical AuM, EAfM, and IM regions is a gradual decrease in moisture conditions since the early Holocene. Moisture changes in the EAsM regions show maximum index values between 8 and 6 ka. However, records located in nearby subtropical areas, i.e. in regions not influenced by the intertropical convergence zone, show an opposite trend compared to the tropical monsoon regions (AuM, EAfM and IM), i.e. a gradual increase. Analyses of modern meteorological data reveal the same spatial patterns as in the paleoclimate records such that, in times of overall monsoon strengthening, lower precipitation rates are observed in the nearby subtropical areas. We explain this pattern as the effect of a strong monsoon circulation suppressing air uplift in nearby subtropical areas, and hence hindering precipitation. By analogy to the modern system, this would mean that during the early Holocene strong monsoon period, the intensified ascending airflows within the monsoon domains led to relatively weaker ascending or

Simulation and field monitoring of moisture in alpine rock walls during freeze-thaw events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rode, Matthias; Sass, Oliver

2013-04-01

Detachment of rock fragments from alpine rockwalls is mainly assigned to frost weathering. However, the actual process of frost weathering as well as the contribution of further weathering processes (e.g. hydration, thermal fatigue) is poorly understood. Rock moisture distribution during freeze-thaw events is key to understanding weathering. For this purpose, different measuring systems were set up in two study areas (Dachstein - permafrost area (2700m a.s.l.) and Gesäuse - non permafrost area (900m a.s.l.), Styria, Austria) within the framework of the research project ROCKING ALPS (FWF-P24244). We installed small-scale 2D-geoelectric survey lines in north and in south facing rockwalls, supplemented by high resolution temperature and moisture sensors. Moisture is determined by means of resistivity measurements which are difficult to calibrate, but provide good time series. Additional novel moisture sensors were developed which use the heat capacity of the surrounding rock as a proxy of water content. These sensors give point readings from a defined depth and are independent from soluble salt contents. Pore water pressure occurring during freeze-thaw events is recorded by means of pressure transducers (piezometers). First results from the Dachstein show that short term latent heat effects during the phase change have crucial influence on the moisture content. These results are cross-checked by simulation calculations. Based on meteorologic and lithologic input values, the simulation routine calculates, in an iterative procedure, the hourly energy and water transport at different depths, the latter in the liquid and in the vapor phase. The calculated profile lines and chronological sequences of rock moisture allow - in combination with temperature data - to detect possible periods of active weathering. First simulations from the Gesäuse show that maximum values of pore saturation occur from May to September. The thresholds of the "classical" frost shattering theory

The sensitivity of US wildfire occurrence to pre-season soil moisture conditions across ecosystems.

PubMed

Jensen, Daniel; Reager, John T; Zajic, Brittany; Rousseau, Nick; Rodell, Matthew; Hinkley, Everett

2018-01-01

It is generally accepted that year-to-year variability in moisture conditions and drought are linked with increased wildfire occurrence. However, quantifying the sensitivity of wildfire to surface moisture state at seasonal lead-times has been challenging due to the absence of a long soil moisture record with the appropriate coverage and spatial resolution for continental-scale analysis. Here we apply model simulations of surface soil moisture that numerically assimilate observations from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission with the US Forest Service's historical Fire-Occurrence Database over the contiguous United States. We quantify the relationships between pre-fire-season soil moisture and subsequent-year wildfire occurrence by land-cover type and produce annual probable wildfire occurrence and burned area maps at 0.25-degree resolution. Cross-validated results generally indicate a higher occurrence of smaller fires when months preceding fire season are wet, while larger fires are more frequent when soils are dry. This result is consistent with the concept of increased fuel accumulation under wet conditions in the pre-season. These results demonstrate the fundamental strength of the relationship between soil moisture and fire activity at long lead-times and are indicative of that relationship's utility for the future development of national-scale predictive capability.

The sensitivity of US wildfire occurrence to pre-season soil moisture conditions across ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jensen, Daniel; Reager, John T.; Zajic, Brittany; Rousseau, Nick; Rodell, Matthew; Hinkley, Everett

2018-01-01

It is generally accepted that year-to-year variability in moisture conditions and drought are linked with increased wildfire occurrence. However, quantifying the sensitivity of wildfire to surface moisture state at seasonal lead-times has been challenging due to the absence of a long soil moisture record with the appropriate coverage and spatial resolution for continental-scale analysis. Here we apply model simulations of surface soil moisture that numerically assimilate observations from NASA’s Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) mission with the USDA Forest Service’s historical Fire-Occurrence Database over the contiguous United States. We quantify the relationships between pre-fire-season soil moisture and subsequent-year wildfire occurrence by land-cover type and produce annual probable wildfire occurrence and burned area maps at 0.25 degree resolution. Cross-validated results generally indicate a higher occurrence of smaller fires when months preceding fire season are wet, while larger fires are more frequent when soils are dry. This is consistent with the concept of increased fuel accumulation under wet conditions in the pre-season. These results demonstrate the fundamental strength of the relationship between soil moisture and fire activity at long lead-times and are indicative of that relationship’s utility for the future development of national-scale predictive capability.

Moisturizers: Options for Softer Skin

MedlinePlus

... you have specific conditions, such as acne. For general guidelines, consider the following Normal skin. Normal skin is neither too dry nor too oily. To maintain this natural moisture balance, use a water-based moisturizer that has a ...

Understanding moisture recycling for atmospheric river management in Amazonian communities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Wei; Luedeke, Matthias; Zemp, Delphine-Clara; Lakes, Tobia; Pradhan, Prajal; Kropp, Juergen

2017-04-01

The invisible atmospheric transports of moisture have recently attracted more research efforts into understanding their structures, processes involved and their function as an ecosystem service. Current attention has been focused on larger scale analysis such as studying global or continental level moisture recycling. Here we applied a water balance model to backtrack the flying river that sustains two local communities in the Colombian and Peruvian Amazon where vulnerable communities rely highly on the rainfall for agricultural practices. By utilising global precipitation (TRMM Multisatillite Precipitation Analysis; TMPA) and evapotranspiration products (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer MODIS, MOD16ET) as input data in the present modelling experiments to compensate the sparse ground observation data in these regions, the moisture recycling process targeting the two amazonian communities which has not yet been explored quantitatively has been shown. The TMPA was selected because of its proved comparativeness with observation data in its precipitation estimations over Amazon regions while the MOD16ET data was chosen for being validated by previous studies in the Amazon basin and for reported good performance. In average, 45.5 % of the precipitation occurring to Caquetá region in Colombia is of terrestrial origin from the South American continent while 48.2% of the total rainfall received by Peruvian Yurimaguas is also from the South American land sources. The spatial distribution of the precipitationsheds (defined previously as the upwind contribution of evapotranspiration to a specific location's precipitation) shows transboundary and transnational shares in the moisture contributors of the precipitation for both regions. An interesting reversed upstream-downstream roles can be observed when the upstream regions in traditional watershed thinking become downstream areas considering precipitationsheds and flying rivers. Strong seasonal variations are

Tracing dynamics of relative volumetric soil moisture content using SAR data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avetisyan, Daniela; Velizarova, Emiliya; Nedkov, Roumen

2017-09-01

Soil is a dominant factor of the terrestrial geosystems in the dry sub-humid zones, particularly through its effect on biomass production. Due to the climate changes and industrial development, soil resources in these zones are prone to degradation. Mitigation of the negative effects of land degradation requires in-depth knowledge of the ongoing in the geosystems processes and application of innovative end effective methods for their investigation. The recent study aims to evaluate the relative soil moisture content in various soil differences and to trace its dynamics during growing season. In order to achieve this aim, Relative Soil Moisture Index (RSMI) based on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data was calculated. The index estimates the relative variation of volumetric soil moisture content in a given time period and enables determination of its change in relative values. The generated results show very high level of correlation for the investigated pilot areas which testifies that the RSMI is applicable in different territories.

Pathways of soil moisture controls on boundary layer dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siqueira, M.; Katul, G.; Porporato, A.

2007-12-01

Soil moisture controls on precipitation are now receiving significant attention in climate systems because the memory of their variability is much slower than the memory of the fast atmospheric processes. We propose a new model that integrates soil water dynamics, plant hydraulics and stomatal responses to water availability to estimate root water uptake and available energy partitioning, as well as feedbacks to boundary layer dynamics (in terms of water vapor and heat input to the atmospheric system). Using a simplified homogenization technique, the model solves the intrinsically 3-D soil water movement equations by two 1-D coupled Richards' equations. The first resolves the radial water flow from bulk soil to soil-root interface to estimate root uptake (assuming the vertical gradients in moisture persist during the rapid lateral flow), and then it solves vertical water movement through the soil following the radial moisture adjustments. The coupling between these two equations is obtained by area averaging the soil moisture in the radial domain (i.e. homogenization) to calculate the vertical fluxes. For each vertical layer, the domain is discretized in axi-symmetrical grid with constant soil properties. This is deemed to be appropriate given the fact that the root uptake occurs on much shorter time scales closely following diurnal cycles, while the vertical water movement is more relevant to the inter-storm time scale. We show that this approach was able to explicitly simulate known features of root uptake such as diurnal hysteresis of canopy conductance, water redistribution by roots (hydraulic lift) and downward shift of root uptake during drying cycles. The model is then coupled with an atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) growth model thereby permitting us to explore low-dimensional elements of the interaction between soil moisture and ABL states commensurate with the lifting condensation level.

High prevalence of methicillin resistant staphylococci strains isolated from surgical site infections in Kinshasa.

PubMed

Iyamba, Jean-Marie Liesse; Wambale, José Mulwahali; Lukukula, Cyprien Mbundu; za Balega Takaisi-Kikuni, Ntondo

2014-01-01

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after surgery are usually caused by Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). In low income countries, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MR-CNS) surgical site infections are particularly associated with high treatment cost and remain a source of mortality and morbidity. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and the sensitivity to antibiotics of MRSA and MR-CNS isolated from SSIs. Wound swabs were collected from 130 hospitalized surgical patients in two major hospitals of Kinshasa. S. aureus and CNS strains were identified by standard microbiological methods and latex agglutination test (Pastorex Staph-Plus). The antibiotic susceptibility of all staphylococcal strains was carried out using disk-diffusion method. Eighty nine staphylococcal strains were isolated. Out of 74 S. aureus and 15 CNS isolated, 47 (63.5%) and 9 (60%) were identified as MRSA and MR-CNS respectively. Among the MRSA strains, 47 strains (100%) were sensitive to imipenem, 39 strains (89%) to amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and 38 strains (81%) to vancomycin. All MR-CNS were sensitive to imipenem, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and vancomycin. The isolated MRSA and MR-CNS strains showed multidrug resistance. They were both resistant to ampicillin, cotrimoxazole, erythromycin, clindamycin, ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime and ceftazidime. The results of the present study showed a high prevalence of MRSA and MR-CNS. Imipenem, amoxycillin-clavulanic acid and vancomycin were the most active antibiotics. This study suggests that antibiotic surveillance policy should become national priority as MRSA and MR-CNS were found to be multidrug resistant.

Assimilation of Passive and Active Microwave Soil Moisture Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Draper, C. S.; Reichle, R. H.; DeLannoy, G. J. M.; Liu, Q.

2012-01-01

Root-zone soil moisture is an important control over the partition of land surface energy and moisture, and the assimilation of remotely sensed near-surface soil moisture has been shown to improve model profile soil moisture [1]. To date, efforts to assimilate remotely sensed near-surface soil moisture at large scales have focused on soil moisture derived from the passive microwave Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) and the active Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT; together with its predecessor on the European Remote Sensing satellites (ERS. The assimilation of passive and active microwave soil moisture observations has not yet been directly compared, and so this study compares the impact of assimilating ASCAT and AMSR-E soil moisture data, both separately and together. Since the soil moisture retrieval skill from active and passive microwave data is thought to differ according to surface characteristics [2], the impact of each assimilation on the model soil moisture skill is assessed according to land cover type, by comparison to in situ soil moisture observations.

Evaluation of soil moisture barrier.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-06-01

This report is an extension report and examines one of the measures being tried to stabilize the development : of pavement damage on expansive soils, which is the use of horizontal moisture barriers. The moisture barrier : will not stop horizontal fl...

Evaluation of gravimetric ground truth soil moisture data collected for the agricultural soil moisture experiment, 1978 Colby, Kansas, aircraft mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Arya, L. M.; Phinney, D. E. (Principal Investigator)

1980-01-01

Soil moisture data acquired to support the development of algorithms for estimating surface soil moisture from remotely sensed backscattering of microwaves from ground surfaces are presented. Aspects of field uniformity and variability of gravimetric soil moisture measurements are discussed. Moisture distribution patterns are illustrated by frequency distributions and contour plots. Standard deviations and coefficients of variation relative to degree of wetness and agronomic features of the fields are examined. Influence of sampling depth on observed moisture content an variability are indicated. For the various sets of measurements, soil moisture values that appear as outliers are flagged. The distribution and legal descriptions of the test fields are included along with examinations of soil types, agronomic features, and sampling plan. Bulk density data for experimental fields are appended, should analyses involving volumetric moisture content be of interest to the users of data in this report.

Deriving mesoscale temperature and moisture fields from satellite radiance measurements over the United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillger, D. W.; Vonder Haar, T. H.

1977-01-01

The ability to provide mesoscale temperature and moisture fields from operational satellite infrared sounding radiances over the United States is explored. High-resolution sounding information for mesoscale analysis and forecasting is shown to be obtainable in mostly clear areas. An iterative retrieval algorithm applied to NOAA-VTPR radiances uses a mean radiosonde sounding as a best initial-guess profile. Temperature soundings are then retrieved at a horizontal resolution of about 70 km, as is an indication of the precipitable water content of the vertical sounding columns. Derived temperature values may be biased in general by the initial-guess sounding or in certain areas by the cloud correction technique, but the resulting relative temperature changes across the field when not contaminated by clouds will be useful for mesoscale forecasting and models. The derived moisture, affected only by high clouds, proves to be reliable to within 0.5 cm of precipitable water and contains valuable horizontal information. Present-day applications from polar-orbiting satellites as well as possibilities from upcoming temperature and moisture sounders on geostationary satellites are noted.

Using a soil moisture and precipitation network for satellite validation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A long term in situ network for the study of soil moisture and precipitation was deployed in north central Iowa, in cooperation between USDA and NASA. A total of 20 dual precipitation gages were established across a watershed landscape with an area of approximately 600 km2. In addition, four soil mo...

Comparison of standard moisture loss-on-drying methods for the determination of moisture content of corn distillers dried grains with solubles.

PubMed

Ileleji, Klein E; Garcia, Arnoldo A; Kingsly, Ambrose R P; Clementson, Clairmont L

2010-01-01

This study quantified the variability among 14 standard moisture loss-on-drying (gravimetric) methods for determination of the moisture content of corn distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). The methods were compared with the Karl Fischer (KF) titration method to determine their percent variation from the KF method. Additionally, the thermo-balance method using a halogen moisture analyzer that is routinely used in fuel ethanol plants was included in the methods investigated. Moisture contents by the loss-on-drying methods were significantly different for DDGS samples from three fuel ethanol plants. The percent deviation of the moisture loss-on-drying methods decreased with decrease in drying temperature and, to a lesser extent, drying time. This was attributed to an overestimation of moisture content in DDGS due to the release of volatiles at high temperatures. Our findings indicate that the various methods that have been used for moisture determination by moisture loss-on-drying will not give identical results and therefore, caution should be exercised when selecting a moisture loss-on-drying method for DDGS.

A wearable wound moisture sensor as an indicator for wound dressing change: an observational study of wound moisture and status.

PubMed

Milne, Stephen D; Seoudi, Ihab; Al Hamad, Hanadi; Talal, Talal K; Anoop, Anzila A; Allahverdi, Niloofar; Zakaria, Zain; Menzies, Robert; Connolly, Patricia

2016-12-01

Wound moisture is known to be a key parameter to ensure optimum healing conditions in wound care. This study tests the moisture content of wounds in normal practice in order to observe the moisture condition of the wound at the point of dressing change. This study is also the first large-scale observational study that investigates wound moisture status at dressing change. The WoundSense sensor is a commercially available moisture sensor which sits directly on the wound in order to find the moisture status of the wound without disturbing or removing the dressing. The results show that of the 588 dressing changes recorded, 44·9% were made when the moisture reading was in the optimum moisture zone. Of the 30 patients recruited for this study, 11 patients had an optimum moisture reading for at least 50% of the measurements before dressing change. These results suggest that a large number of unnecessary dressing changes are being made. This is a significant finding of the study as it suggests that the protocols currently followed can be modified to allow fewer dressing changes and less disturbance of the healing wound bed. © 2015 The Authors. International Wound Journal published by Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Family Planning Supply Environment in Kinshasa, DRC: Survey Findings and Their Value in Advancing Family Planning Programming.

PubMed

Kayembe, Patrick; Babazadeh, Saleh; Dikamba, Nelly; Akilimali, Pierre; Hernandez, Julie; Binanga, Arsene; Bertrand, Jane T

2015-12-01

Modern contraceptive prevalence was 14.1% in 2007 in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Yet virtually nothing was known about the family planning supply environment. Three surveys of health facilities were conducted in 2012, 2013, and 2014 to determine the number, spatial distribution, and attributes of sites providing family planning services. The 2012 and 2013 surveys aimed to identify the universe of family planning facilities while obtaining a limited set of data on "readiness" to provide family planning services (defined as having at least 3 modern methods, at least 1 person training in family planning in the last 3 years, and an information system to track distribution of products to clients) and output (measured by couple-years of protection, or CYP). In contrast, the 2014 survey, conducted under the umbrella of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) project, was based on 2-stage cluster sampling. This article provides detailed analysis of the 2012 and 2013 surveys, including bivariate and multivariate analysis of correlates of readiness to provide services and of output. We identified 184 health facilities that reported providing at least 1 contraceptive method in 2012 and 395 facilities in 2013. The percentage of sites defined as "ready" to provide services increased from 44.1% in 2012 to 63.3% in 2013. For the 3-month period between January and March 2013, facilities distributed between 0 and 879.2 CYP (mean, 39.7). Nearly half (49%) of the CYP was attributable to implants, followed by IUDs (24%), CycleBeads (11%), and injectables (8%). In 2013, facilities supported by PEPFAR (n = 121) were more likely than other facilities to be rated as ready to provide services (P<.0001); however, PEPFAR-supported sites generated less CYP on average than sites supported by family planning implementing agencies (P<.0001). Multivariate analysis showed 3 variables were associated with CYP: type of health

Family Planning Supply Environment in Kinshasa, DRC: Survey Findings and Their Value in Advancing Family Planning Programming

PubMed Central

Kayembe, Patrick; Babazadeh, Saleh; Dikamba, Nelly; Akilimali, Pierre; Hernandez, Julie; Binanga, Arsene; Bertrand, Jane T

2015-01-01

Background: Modern contraceptive prevalence was 14.1% in 2007 in Kinshasa, the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Yet virtually nothing was known about the family planning supply environment. Methods: Three surveys of health facilities were conducted in 2012, 2013, and 2014 to determine the number, spatial distribution, and attributes of sites providing family planning services. The 2012 and 2013 surveys aimed to identify the universe of family planning facilities while obtaining a limited set of data on “readiness” to provide family planning services (defined as having at least 3 modern methods, at least 1 person training in family planning in the last 3 years, and an information system to track distribution of products to clients) and output (measured by couple-years of protection, or CYP). In contrast, the 2014 survey, conducted under the umbrella of the Performance Monitoring and Accountability 2020 (PMA2020) project, was based on 2-stage cluster sampling. This article provides detailed analysis of the 2012 and 2013 surveys, including bivariate and multivariate analysis of correlates of readiness to provide services and of output. Results: We identified 184 health facilities that reported providing at least 1 contraceptive method in 2012 and 395 facilities in 2013. The percentage of sites defined as “ready” to provide services increased from 44.1% in 2012 to 63.3% in 2013. For the 3-month period between January and March 2013, facilities distributed between 0 and 879.2 CYP (mean, 39.7). Nearly half (49%) of the CYP was attributable to implants, followed by IUDs (24%), CycleBeads (11%), and injectables (8%). In 2013, facilities supported by PEPFAR (n = 121) were more likely than other facilities to be rated as ready to provide services (P<.0001); however, PEPFAR-supported sites generated less CYP on average than sites supported by family planning implementing agencies (P<.0001). Multivariate analysis showed 3 variables were

Temporal Stability of Soil Moisture and Radar Backscatter Observed by the Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR)

PubMed Central

Wagner, Wolfgang; Pathe, Carsten; Doubkova, Marcela; Sabel, Daniel; Bartsch, Annett; Hasenauer, Stefan; Blöschl, Günter; Scipal, Klaus; Martínez-Fernández, José; Löw, Alexander

2008-01-01

The high spatio-temporal variability of soil moisture is the result of atmospheric forcing and redistribution processes related to terrain, soil, and vegetation characteristics. Despite this high variability, many field studies have shown that in the temporal domain soil moisture measured at specific locations is correlated to the mean soil moisture content over an area. Since the measurements taken by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) instruments are very sensitive to soil moisture it is hypothesized that the temporally stable soil moisture patterns are reflected in the radar backscatter measurements. To verify this hypothesis 73 Wide Swath (WS) images have been acquired by the ENVISAT Advanced Synthetic Aperture Radar (ASAR) over the REMEDHUS soil moisture network located in the Duero basin, Spain. It is found that a time-invariant linear relationship is well suited for relating local scale (pixel) and regional scale (50 km) backscatter. The observed linear model coefficients can be estimated by considering the scattering properties of the terrain and vegetation and the soil moisture scaling properties. For both linear model coefficients, the relative error between observed and modelled values is less than 5 % and the coefficient of determination (R2) is 86 %. The results are of relevance for interpreting and downscaling coarse resolution soil moisture data retrieved from active (METOP ASCAT) and passive (SMOS, AMSR-E) instruments. PMID:27879759

Soil moisture dynamics and dominant controls at different spatial scales over semiarid and semi-humid areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suo, Lizhu; Huang, Mingbin; Zhang, Yongkun; Duan, Liangxia; Shan, Yan

2018-07-01

Soil moisture dynamics plays an active role in ecological and hydrological processes, and it depends on a large number of environmental factors, such as topographic attributes, soil properties, land use types, and precipitation. However, studies must still clarify the relative significance of these environmental factors at different soil depths and at different spatial scales. This study aimed: (1) to characterize temporal and spatial variations in soil moisture content (SMC) at four soil layers (0-40, 40-100, 100-200, and 200-500 cm) and three spatial scales (plot, hillslope, and region); and (2) to determine their dominant controls in diverse soil layers at different spatial scales over semiarid and semi-humid areas of the Loess Plateau, China. Given the high co-dependence of environmental factors, partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to detect relative significance among 15 selected environmental factors that affect SMC. Temporal variation in SMC decreased with increasing soil depth, and vertical changes in the 0-500 cm soil profile were divided into a fast-changing layer (0-40 cm), an active layer (40-100 cm), a sub-active layer (100-200 cm), and a relatively stable layer (200-500 cm). PLSR models simulated SMC accurately in diverse soil layers at different scales; almost all values for variation in response (R2) and goodness of prediction (Q2) were >0.5 and >0.0975, respectively. Upper and lower layer SMCs were the two most important factors that influenced diverse soil layers at three scales, and these SMC variables exhibited the highest importance in projection (VIP) values. The 7-day antecedent precipitation and 7-day antecedent potential evapotranspiration contributed significantly to SMC only at the 0-40 cm soil layer. VIP of soil properties, especially sand and silt content, which influenced SMC strongly, increased significantly after increasing the measured scale. Mean annual precipitation and potential evapotranspiration also influenced SMC

Soil Moisture or Groundwater?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swenson, S. C.; Lawrence, D. M.

2017-12-01

Partitioning the vertically integrated water storage variations estimated from GRACE satellite data into the components of which it is comprised requires independent information. Land surface models, which simulate the transfer and storage of moisture and energy at the land surface, are often used to estimate water storage variability of snow, surface water, and soil moisture. To obtain an estimate of changes in groundwater, the estimates of these storage components are removed from GRACE data. Biases in the modeled water storage components are therefore present in the residual groundwater estimate. In this study, we examine how soil moisture variability, estimated using the Community Land Model (CLM), depends on the vertical structure of the model. We then explore the implications of this uncertainty in the context of estimating groundwater variations using GRACE data.

Real-time monitoring of moisture levels in wound dressings in vitro: an experimental study.

PubMed

McColl, David; Cartlidge, Brian; Connolly, Patricia

2007-10-01

Retaining an appropriate level of moisture at the interface between a healing wound and an applied dressing is considered to be critical for effective wound healing. Failure to control exudate at this interface can result in maceration or drying out of the wound surface. The ability to control moisture balance at the wound interface is therefore a key aspect of wound dressing performance. To date it has not been possible to monitor in any effective manner the distribution of moisture within dressings or how this varies with time. A new measurement system is presented based on sensors placed at the wound/dressing interface which are capable of monitoring moisture levels in real time. The system comprises a model wound bed and sensor array complete with fluid injection path to mimic exudate flow. Eight monitoring points, situated beneath the test dressing, allow the moisture profile across the complete dressing to be measured both during and after fluid injection. The system has been used to evaluate the performance of four foam dressings, a composite hydrofibre dressing and a film dressing. Stark contrasts in the performance of the wound contact layer were found between the different wound dressing types. The composite hydrofibre dressing retained moisture at the wound interface throughout the experiments while areas of the foam dressing quickly became dry, even during constant injection of fluid. The abundance of sensors allowed a moisture map of the surface of the wound dressing to be constructed, illustrating that the moisture profile was not uniform across several of the dressings tested during absorption and evaporation of liquid. These results raise questions as to how the dressings behave on a wound in vivo and indicate the need for a similar clinical monitoring system for tracking wound moisture levels.

Sources of glacial moisture in Mesoamerica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bradbury, J.P.

1997-01-01

Paleoclimatic records from Mesoamerica document the interplay between Atlantic and Pacific sources of precipitation during the last glacial stage and Holocene. Today, and throughout much of the Holocene, the entire region receives its principal moisture in the summer from an interaction of easterly trade winds with the equatorial calms. Glacial records from sites east of 95?? W in Guatemala, Florida, northern Venezuela and Colombia record dry conditions before 12 ka, however. West of 95?? W, glacial conditions were moister than in the Holocene. For example, pollen and diatom data show that Lake Pa??tzcuaro in the central Mexican highlands was cool, deep and fresh during this time and fossil pinyon needles in packrat middens in Chihuahua, Sonora, Arizona, and Texas indicate cooler glacial climates with increased winter precipitation. Cold Gulf of Mexico sea-surface temperatures and reduced strength of the equatorial calms can explain arid full and late glacial environments east of 95?? W whereas an intensified pattern of winter, westerly air flow dominated hydrologic balances as far south as 20?? N. Overall cooler temperatures may have increased effective moisture levels during dry summer months in both areas. ?? 1997 INQUA/ Elsevier Science Ltd.

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fung, A. K.; Eom, H. J.

1985-01-01

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self compensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture from vegetated terrains

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fung, A. K.; Eom, H. J.

1984-01-01

A comparison between active and passive sensing of soil moisture over vegetated areas is studied via scattering models. In active sensing three contributing terms to radar backscattering can be identified: (1) the ground surface scatter term; (2) the volume scatter term representing scattering from the vegetation layer; and (3) the surface volume scatter term accounting for scattering from both surface and volume. In emission three sources of contribution can also be identified: (1) surface emission; (2) upward volume emission from the vegetation layer; and (3) downward volume emission scattered upward by the ground surface. As ground moisture increases, terms (1) and (3) increase due to increase in permittivity in the active case. However, in passive sensing, term (1) decreases but term (3) increases for the same reason. This self conpensating effect produces a loss in sensitivity to change in ground moisture. Furthermore, emission from vegetation may be larger than that from the ground. Hence, the presence of vegetation layer causes a much greater loss of sensitivity to passive than active sensing of soil moisture.

The South Fork Experimental Watershed: Soil moisture and precipitation network for satellite validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cosh, M. H.; Prueger, J. H.; McKee, L.; Bindlish, R.

2013-12-01

A recently deployed long term network for the study of soil moisture and precipitation was deployed in north central iowa, in cooperation between USDA and NASA. This site will be a joint calibration/validation network for the Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) and Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) missions. At total of 20 dual gauge precipitation gages were established across a watershed landscape with an area of approximately 600 km2. In addition, four soil moisture probes were installed in profile at 5, 10, 20, and 50 cm. The network was installed in April of 2013, at the initiation of the Iowa Flood Study (IFloodS) which was a six week intensive ground based radar observation period, conducted in coordination with NASA and the University of Iowa. This site is a member watershed of the Group on Earth Observations Joint Experiments on Crop Assessment and Monitoring (GEO-JECAM) program. A variety of quality control procedures are examined and spatial and temporal stability aspects of the network are examined. Initial comparisons of the watershed to soil moisture estimates from satellites are also conducted.

High-resolution soil moisture mapping in Afghanistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrickx, Jan M. H.; Harrison, J. Bruce J.; Borchers, Brian; Kelley, Julie R.; Howington, Stacy; Ballard, Jerry

2011-06-01

Soil moisture conditions have an impact upon virtually all aspects of Army activities and are increasingly affecting its systems and operations. Soil moisture conditions affect operational mobility, detection of landmines and unexploded ordinance, natural material penetration/excavation, military engineering activities, blowing dust and sand, watershed responses, and flooding. This study further explores a method for high-resolution (2.7 m) soil moisture mapping using remote satellite optical imagery that is readily available from Landsat and QuickBird. The soil moisture estimations are needed for the evaluation of IED sensors using the Countermine Simulation Testbed in regions where access is difficult or impossible. The method has been tested in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, using a Landsat7 image and a QuickBird image of April 23 and 24, 2009, respectively. In previous work it was found that Landsat soil moisture can be predicted from the visual and near infra-red Landsat bands1-4. Since QuickBird bands 1-4 are almost identical to Landsat bands 1- 4, a Landsat soil moisture map can be downscaled using QuickBird bands 1-4. However, using this global approach for downscaling from Landsat to QuickBird scale yielded a small number of pixels with erroneous soil moisture values. Therefore, the objective of this study is to examine how the quality of the downscaled soil moisture maps can be improved by using a data stratification approach for the development of downscaling regression equations for each landscape class. It was found that stratification results in a reliable downscaled soil moisture map with a spatial resolution of 2.7 m.

Moisture adsorption in optical coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Macleod, H. Angus

1988-01-01

The thin film filter is a very large aperture component which is exceedingly useful because of its small size, flexibility and ease of mounting. Thin film components, however, do have defects of performance and especially of stability which can cause problems in systems, particularly where long-term measurements are being made. Of all of the problems, those associated with moisture absorption are the most serious. Moisture absorption occurs in the pore-shaped voids inherent in the columnar structure of the layers. Ion-assisted deposition is a promising technique for substantially reducing moisture adsorption effects in thin film structures.

Using repeat electrical resistivity surveys to assess heterogeneity in soil moisture dynamics under contrasting vegetation types

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, Jonathan; Tetzlaff, Doerthe; Bradford, John; Soulsby, Chris

2018-04-01

As the relationship between vegetation and soil moisture is complex and reciprocal, there is a need to understand how spatial patterns in soil moisture influence the distribution of vegetation, and how the structure of vegetation canopies and root networks regulates the partitioning of precipitation. Spatial patterns of soil moisture are often difficult to visualise as usually, soil moisture is measured at point scales, and often difficult to extrapolate. Here, we address the difficulties in collecting large amounts of spatial soil moisture data through a study combining plot- and transect-scale electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys to estimate soil moisture in a 3.2 km2 upland catchment in the Scottish Highlands. The aim was to assess the spatio-temporal variability in soil moisture under Scots pine forest (Pinus sylvestris) and heather moorland shrubs (Calluna vulgaris); the two dominant vegetation types in the Scottish Highlands. The study focussed on one year of fortnightly ERT surveys. The surveyed resistivity data was inverted and Archie's law was used to calculate volumetric soil moisture by estimating parameters and comparing against field measured data. Results showed that spatial soil moisture patterns were more heterogeneous in the forest site, as were patterns of wetting and drying, which can be linked to vegetation distribution and canopy structure. The heather site showed a less heterogeneous response to wetting and drying, reflecting the more uniform vegetation cover of the shrubs. Comparing soil moisture temporal variability during growing and non-growing seasons revealed further contrasts: under the heather there was little change in soil moisture during the growing season. Greatest changes in the forest were in areas where the trees were concentrated reflecting water uptake and canopy partitioning. Such differences have implications for climate and land use changes; increased forest cover can lead to greater spatial variability, greater

Effect of litter type upon fuel-moisture indicator stick values

Treesearch

W. L. Fons; C. M. Countryman

1950-01-01

Instructions for establishing fire-weather stations in Region 5 have usually specified that the fuel-moisture indicator sticks be placed over a bed of ponderosa pine needles. This specification was made to insure uniform ground-cover effect for all stations. Because ponderosa pine needles are not readily available in all areas of California fire control...

Soil moisture by extraction and gas chromatography

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merek, E. L.; Carle, G. C.

1973-01-01

To determine moisture content of soils rapidly and conveniently extract moisture with methanol and determine water content of methanol extract by gas chromatography. Moisture content of sample is calculated from weight of water and methanol in aliquot and weight of methanol added to sample.

Developing a Soil Moisture Index for California Grasslands from Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flamme, H. E.; Roberts, D. A.; Miller, D. L.

2016-12-01

Soil moisture is a key environmental factor controlling vegetation diversity and productivity, evaporation, transpiration, and rainfall runoff. Despite the contribution of soil moisture to ecological productivity, the hydrologic cycle, and erosion, it is currently not being monitored as accurately or as frequently as other environmental factors. Traditional soil moisture monitoring techniques rely on in situ measurements, which become costly when evaluating areas of unevenly distributed soil characteristics and varying topography. Alternatively, satellite remote sensing, such as passive microwave from SMAP, can provide soil moisture but only at very coarse spatial resolutions. Imagery from the Airborne Visible / Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) has the potential to allow better spatial and temporal monitoring of soil moisture. This study established a relationship between plant available water and hyperspectral reflectance via linear regressions of data from 2013-2015 for two grassland field sites: 1) near Santa Barbara, California, at Coal Oil Point Reserve (COPR) and 2) Airstrip station (AIRS) at UC Santa Barbara's Sedgwick Reserve near Santa Ynez, California. Volumetric soil moisture measurements at 10 cm and 20 cm depths were provided by meteorological stations situated in COPR and AIRS while reflectance data were extracted from AVIRIS. We found strong correlations between plant available water and bands centered at wavelengths 704 nm and 831 nm, which we used to create Hyperspectral Soil Moisture Index (HSMI): 0.38((ρ831-ρ704)/(ρ831+ρ704))-0.02. HSMI demonstrated a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.71 for linear regressions of reflectance versus plant available water with a lag time of 28 days. We applied HSMI to the AIRS and COPR grasslands for 2011 AVIRIS scenes. Plant available water values predicted by HSMI were 0.039 higher at AIRS and 0.048 higher at COPR than the field measurements at the sites. Differences in grass species, soil

Using satellite image data to estimate soil moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chuang, Chi-Hung; Yu, Hwa-Lung

2017-04-01

Soil moisture is considered as an important parameter in various study fields, such as hydrology, phenology, and agriculture. In hydrology, soil moisture is an significant parameter to decide how much rainfall that will infiltrate into permeable layer and become groundwater resource. Although soil moisture is a critical role in many environmental studies, so far the measurement of soil moisture is using ground instrument such as electromagnetic soil moisture sensor. Use of ground instrumentation can directly obtain the information, but the instrument needs maintenance and consume manpower to operation. If we need wide range region information, ground instrumentation probably is not suitable. To measure wide region soil moisture information, we need other method to achieve this purpose. Satellite remote sensing techniques can obtain satellite image on Earth, this can be a way to solve the spatial restriction on instrument measurement. In this study, we used MODIS data to retrieve daily soil moisture pattern estimation, i.e., crop water stress index (cwsi), over the year of 2015. The estimations are compared with the observations at the soil moisture stations from Taiwan Bureau of soil and water conservation. Results show that the satellite remote sensing data can be helpful to the soil moisture estimation. Further analysis can be required to obtain the optimal parameters for soil moisture estimation in Taiwan.

Predicting root zone soil moisture with soil properties and satellite near-surface moisture data across the conterminous United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baldwin, D.; Manfreda, S.; Keller, K.; Smithwick, E. A. H.

2017-03-01

Satellite-based near-surface (0-2 cm) soil moisture estimates have global coverage, but do not capture variations of soil moisture in the root zone (up to 100 cm depth) and may be biased with respect to ground-based soil moisture measurements. Here, we present an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) hydrologic data assimilation system that predicts bias in satellite soil moisture data to support the physically based Soil Moisture Analytical Relationship (SMAR) infiltration model, which estimates root zone soil moisture with satellite soil moisture data. The SMAR-EnKF model estimates a regional-scale bias parameter using available in situ data. The regional bias parameter is added to satellite soil moisture retrievals before their use in the SMAR model, and the bias parameter is updated continuously over time with the EnKF algorithm. In this study, the SMAR-EnKF assimilates in situ soil moisture at 43 Soil Climate Analysis Network (SCAN) monitoring locations across the conterminous U.S. Multivariate regression models are developed to estimate SMAR parameters using soil physical properties and the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) evapotranspiration data product as covariates. SMAR-EnKF root zone soil moisture predictions are in relatively close agreement with in situ observations when using optimal model parameters, with root mean square errors averaging 0.051 [cm3 cm-3] (standard error, s.e. = 0.005). The average root mean square error associated with a 20-fold cross-validation analysis with permuted SMAR parameter regression models increases moderately (0.082 [cm3 cm-3], s.e. = 0.004). The expected regional-scale satellite correction bias is negative in four out of six ecoregions studied (mean = -0.12 [-], s.e. = 0.002), excluding the Great Plains and Eastern Temperate Forests (0.053 [-], s.e. = 0.001). With its capability of estimating regional-scale satellite bias, the SMAR-EnKF system can predict root zone soil moisture over broad extents and has

7 CFR 868.307 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false Moisture. 868.307 Section 868.307 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARD... Application of Standards § 868.307 Moisture. Water content in milled rice as determined by an FGIS approved...

7 CFR 868.307 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false Moisture. 868.307 Section 868.307 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARD... Application of Standards § 868.307 Moisture. Water content in milled rice as determined by an FGIS approved...

7 CFR 868.307 - Moisture.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 7 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Moisture. 868.307 Section 868.307 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) GRAIN INSPECTION, PACKERS AND STOCKYARD... Application of Standards § 868.307 Moisture. Water content in milled rice as determined by an FGIS approved...

Space-time modeling of soil moisture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zijuan; Mohanty, Binayak P.; Rodriguez-Iturbe, Ignacio

2017-11-01

A physically derived space-time mathematical representation of the soil moisture field is carried out via the soil moisture balance equation driven by stochastic rainfall forcing. The model incorporates spatial diffusion and in its original version, it is shown to be unable to reproduce the relative fast decay in the spatial correlation functions observed in empirical data. This decay resulting from variations in local topography as well as in local soil and vegetation conditions is well reproduced via a jitter process acting multiplicatively over the space-time soil moisture field. The jitter is a multiplicative noise acting on the soil moisture dynamics with the objective to deflate its correlation structure at small spatial scales which are not embedded in the probabilistic structure of the rainfall process that drives the dynamics. These scales of order of several meters to several hundred meters are of great importance in ecohydrologic dynamics. Properties of space-time correlation functions and spectral densities of the model with jitter are explored analytically, and the influence of the jitter parameters, reflecting variabilities of soil moisture at different spatial and temporal scales, is investigated. A case study fitting the derived model to a soil moisture dataset is presented in detail.

Soil Moisture (SMAP) and Vapor Pressure Deficit Controls on Evaporative Fraction over the Continental U.S.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salvucci, G.; Rigden, A. J.; Gianotti, D.; Entekhabi, D.

2017-12-01

We analyze the control over evapotranspiration (ET) imposed by soil moisture limitations and stomatal closure due to vapor pressure deficit (VPD) across the United States using estimates of satellite-derived soil moisture from SMAP and a meteorological, data-driven ET estimate over a two year period at over 1000 locations. The ET data are developed independent of soil moisture using the emergent relationship between the diurnal cycle of the relative humidity profile and ET based on ETRHEQ (Salvucci and Gentine (2013), PNAS, 110(16): 6287-6291, Rigden and Salvucci, 2015, WRR, 51(4): 2951-2973; Rigden and Salvucci, 2017, GCB, 23(3) 1140-1151). The key advantage of using this approach to estimate ET is that no measurements of surface limiting factors (soil moisture, leaf area, canopy conductance) are required; instead, ET is estimated from only meteorological data. The combination of these two independent datasets allows for a unique spatial analysis of the control on ET imposed by the availability of soil moisture vs. VPD. Spatial patterns of limitations are inferred by fitting the ETRHEQ-inferred surface conductance to a weighted sum of a Jarvis type stomatal conductance model and bare soil evaporation conductance model, with separate moisture-dependent evaporation efficiency relations for bare soil and vegetation. Spatial patterns are visualized by mapping the optimal curve fitting coefficients and by conducting sensitivity analyses of the resulting fitted model across the Unites States. Results indicate regional variations in rate-limiting factors, and suggest that in some areas the VPD effect on stomatal closure is strong enough to induce a decrease in ET under projected climate change, despite an increase in atmospheric drying (and thus evaporative demand).

An algorithm for temperature correcting substrate moisture measurements: aligning substrate moisture responses with environmental drivers in polytunnel-grown strawberry plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goodchild, Martin; Janes, Stuart; Jenkins, Malcolm; Nicholl, Chris; Kühn, Karl

2015-04-01

The aim of this work is to assess the use of temperature corrected substrate moisture data to improve the relationship between environmental drivers and the measurement of substrate moisture content in high porosity soil-free growing environments such as coir. Substrate moisture sensor data collected from strawberry plants grown in coir bags installed in a table-top system under a polytunnel illustrates the impact of temperature on capacitance-based moisture measurements. Substrate moisture measurements made in our coir arrangement possess the negative temperature coefficient of the permittivity of water where diurnal changes in moisture content oppose those of substrate temperature. The diurnal substrate temperature variation was seen to range from 7° C to 25° C resulting in a clearly observable temperature effect in substrate moisture content measurements during the 23 day test period. In the laboratory we measured the ML3 soil moisture sensor (ThetaProbe) response to temperature in Air, dry glass beads and water saturated glass beads and used a three-phase alpha (α) mixing model, also known as the Complex Refractive Index Model (CRIM), to derive the permittivity temperature coefficients for glass and water. We derived the α value and estimated the temperature coefficient for water - for sensors operating at 100MHz. Both results are good agreement with published data. By applying the CRIM equation with the temperature coefficients of glass and water the moisture temperature coefficient of saturated glass beads has been reduced by more than an order of magnitude to a moisture temperature coefficient of

Moisture Content Influences Ignitability of Slash Pine Litter

Treesearch

Winfred H. Blackmarr

1972-01-01

The influence of moisture content on the ignitability of slash pine litter was measured by dropping lighted matches onto fuel beds conditioned to different levels of moisture content.The percentage of matches igniting the fuel bed was used to indicate ignition probability at each moisture content. The "critical range" of fuel moisture contents within which...

Optical transparency of paper as a function of moisture content with applications to moisture measurement.

PubMed

Forughi, A F; Green, S I; Stoeber, B

2016-02-01

Accurate measurement of the moisture content of paper is essential in papermaking and is also important in some paper-based microfluidic devices. Traditional measurement techniques provide very limited spatiotemporal resolution and working range. This article presents a novel method for moisture content measurement whose operating principle is the strong correlation between the optical transparency of paper and its moisture content. Spectrographic and microscopic measurement techniques were employed to characterize the relation of moisture content and relative transparency of four types of paper: hardwood chemi-thermomechanical pulp paper, Northern bleached softwood kraft paper, unbleached softwood kraft paper, and General Electric(®) Whatman™ grade 1 chromatography paper. It was found that for all paper types, the paper transparency increased monotonically with the moisture content (as the ratio of the mass-of-water to the mass-of-dry-paper increased from 0% to 120%). This significant increase in relative transparency occurred due to the refractive index matching role of water in wet paper. It is further shown that mechanical loading of the paper has little impact on the relative transparency, for loadings that would be typical on a paper machine. The results of two transient water absorption experiments are presented that show the utility and accuracy of the technique.

Developing Soil Moisture Profiles Utilizing Remotely Sensed MW and TIR Based SM Estimates Through Principle of Maximum Entropy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, V.; Cruise, J. F.; Mecikalski, J. R.

2015-12-01

data. In this study, vertical soil moisture profiles were developed using the POME model to evaluate an irrigation schedule over a maze field in north central Alabama (USA). The model was validated using both field data and a physically based mathematical model. The results demonstrate that a simple two-constraint entropy model under the assumption of a uniform initial soil moisture distribution can simulate most soil moisture profiles within the field area for 6 different soil types. The results of the irrigation simulation demonstrated that the POME model produced a very efficient irrigation strategy with loss of about 1.9% of the total applied irrigation water. However, areas of fine-textured soil (i.e. silty clay) resulted in plant stress of nearly 30% of the available moisture content due to insufficient water supply on the last day of the drying phase of the irrigation cycle. Overall, the POME approach showed promise as a general strategy to guide irrigation in humid environments, with minimum input requirements.

Les accidents du travail dans le transport urbain en commun de la ville province de Kinshasa, République Démocratique du Congo: une étude transversale descriptive

PubMed Central

Wangata, Jemima; Elenge, Myriam; De Brouwer, Christophe

2014-01-01

Introduction Le transport en commun urbain constitue un secteur où les travailleurs sont très exposés aux accidents du travail. Cette étude visait une description épidémiologique des accidents du travail dans le secteur informel du transport en commun à Kinshasa en vue d'apporter les pistes d'amélioration de la sécurité des travailleurs dans cette activité. Méthodes Un questionnaire sur les accidents du travail, administré en Décembre 2012 a permis d'explorer les tendances significatives entre les accidents et leurs circonstances, leurs facteurs associés, leurs conséquences au sein d'une population des travailleurs (n = 472) du transport en commun à Kinshasa. Résultats Durant les 12 derniers précédant l’étude 76.5% des travailleurs ont connu au moins un accident du travail, 54,8% ont connu un arrêt d'au moins 1jour. Les accidents liés à la circulation routière étaient plus important suivis des chutes. Les facteurs ayant montré des différences significatives étaient le travail sous l'influence de l'alcool et le port des équipements de protection individuelle. Les plaies (46,3%) et les contusions (39,4%) étaient les lésions les plus courantes. Les membres supérieurs (51,3%) et inférieurs (30,7%) étaient les plus atteints. 76,6% des travailleurs ont assumé seuls leur prise en charge médicale. Conclusion L'incidence des accidents du travail dans ce secteur est très élevée. La mise en place d'une politique de prévention et gestion de différents facteurs associés ainsi qu'un système de déclaration d'accidents est nécessaire dans ce secteur. Les patrons ainsi que les politiques devraient veiller à une prise en charge médicale correcte pour des travailleurs accidentés. PMID:25667703

The "fault of the Pool" along the Congo River between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, R(D)Congo is no more a myth: Paleostress from small-scale brittle structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delvaux, Damien; Ganza, Gloire; Kongota, Elvis; Fukiabantu, Guilain; Mbokola, Dim; Boudzoumou, Florent; Miyouna, Timothée; Gampio, Urbain; Nkodia, Hardy

2017-04-01

Small-scale brittle structures such as shear fractures and tension joints are well developed in the indurated Paleozoic Inkisi red sandstones of the West-Congo Supergroup in the "pool" region of Kinshasa and Brazzaville, along the Congo River. They appear to be related to the evolution of intraplate stresses during the late Cretaceous-Paleogene period, possibly related to the opening of the South Atlantic. However, inferring paleostresses from such structures is difficult due to the lack of clear kinematic indicators, so we used mainly the geometry, architecture and sequence of the joint systems to infer paleostresses. A limited number of kinematic indicators for slip sense (displaced pebbles, irregularities on striated surfaces, slickensides) or extension (plume joints) confirm the general conclusions of the joint architecture analysis. We found evidence for two major brittle deformation systems, leading to almost orthogonal fracture sets. They both started by the development of plume joints, which progressively evolved into open tension joints, isolated shear fractures and long (up to several hundred meters) brittle shear zones. The first system started to develop under NE-SW extension and evolved into strike-slip with NNW-SSE horizontal compression while the second (and later), started to develop under NW-SE extension and evolved into strike-slip with NNE-SSW horizontal compression. The second brittle deformation episode was associated with fluid flow as shown by the presence of palygorskite-calcite veins in the most prominent fractures of the second fracture system. Along the NE-SW brittle shear zones which run parallel to the Congo River, carbonate-rich fault-gauge lenses are filled by sand derived from the crushed adjacent walls and calcite vein fragments injected at a high fluid pressure, with late precipitation of palygorskite. Our study demonstrates the existence of two fault systems between Kinshasa and Brazzaville, the first one orthogonal to the trend

Switchgrass growth and effects on biomass accumulation, moisture content, and nutrient removal

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Temporal patterns of plant growth, composition, and nutrient removal impact development of models for predicting optimal harvest times of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) for bioenergy. Objectives were to characterize seasonal trends in yield, tissue moisture, ash content, leaf area index (LAI), in...

[Soil moisture dynamics of artificial Caragana microphylla shrubs at different topographical sites in Horqin sandy land].

PubMed

Huang, Gang; Zhao, Xue-yong; Huang, Ying-xin; Su, Yan-gui

2009-03-01

Based on the investigation data of vegetation and soil moisture regime of Caragana microphylla shrubs widely distributed in Horqin sandy land, the spatiotemporal variations of soil moisture regime and soil water storage of artificial sand-fixing C. microphylla shrubs at different topographical sites in the sandy land were studied, and the evapotranspiration was measured by water balance method. The results showed that the soil moisture content of the shrubs was the highest in the lowland of dunes, followed by in the middle, and in the crest of the dunes, and increased with increasing depth. No water stress occurred during the growth season of the shrubs. Soil moisture content of the shrubs was highly related to precipitation event, and the relationship of soil moisture content with precipitation was higher in deep soil layer (50-180 cm) than in shallow soil layer (0-50 cm). The variation coefficient of soil moisture content was also higher in deep layer than in shallow layer. Soil water storage was increasing in the whole growth season of the shrubs, which meant that the accumulation of soil water occurred in this area. The evapotranspiriation of the shrubs occupied above 64% of the precipitation.

Use of Edible Laminate Layers in Intermediate Moisture Food Rations to Inhibit Moisture Migration

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-29

methylcellulose, propylene glycol, citric acid, modified starch , white beeswax Water resistant coating on one side Watson, Inc. Dual-sided HPMC moisture...barrier film Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, propylene glycol, citric acid, modified starch , white beeswax Water resistant coating on both sides...Moisture Barrier (BWMB) film #1 Pullulan*, beeswax, glycerin, propylene glycol, starch , polysorbate 80 Water soluble Watson, Inc. Pullulan BWMB film

Roof Moisture Surveys: Current State Of The Technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobiasson, Wayne

1983-03-01

Moisture is the big enemy of compact roofing systems. Non-destructive nuclear, capacitance and infrared methods can all find wet insulation in such roofs but a few core samples are needed for verification. Nuclear and capacitance surveys generate quantitative results at grid points but examine only a small portion of the roof. Quantitative results are not usually provided by infrared scanners but they can rapidly examine every square inch of the roof. Being able to find wet areas when they are small is an important advantage. Prices vary with the scope of the investigation. For a particular scope, the three techniques are often cost-competitive. The limitations of each technique are related to the people involved as well as the equipment. When the right people are involved, non-destructive surveys are a very effective method for improving the long-term performance and reducing the life-cycle costs of roofing systems. Plans for the maintenance, repair or replacement of a roof should include a roof moisture survey.

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

21 CFR 133.154 - High-moisture jack cheese.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false High-moisture jack cheese. 133.154 Section 133.154... Cheese and Related Products § 133.154 High-moisture jack cheese. High-moisture jack cheese conforms to... ingredients prescribed for monterey cheese by § 133.153, except that its moisture content is more than 44...

Evaluating soil moisture and yield of winter wheat in the Great Plains using Landsat data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heilman, J. L.; Kanemasu, E. T.; Bagley, J. O.; Rasmussen, V. P.

1977-01-01

Locating areas where soil moisture is limiting to crop growth is important for estimating winter-wheat yields on a regional basis. In the 1975-76 growing season, we evaluated soil-moisture conditions and winter-wheat yields for a five-state region of the Great Plains using Landsat estimates of leaf area index (LAI) and an evapotranspiration (ET) model described by Kanemasu et al (1977). Because LAI was used as an input, the ET model responded to changes in crop growth. Estimated soil-water depletions were high for the Nebraska Panhandle, southwestern Kansas, southeastern Colorado, and the Texas Panhandle. Estimated yields in five-state region ranged from 1.0 to 2.9 metric ton/ha.

Agricultural Decision Support Through Robust Assimilation of Satellite Derived Soil Moisture Estimates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, V.; Cruise, J.; Mecikalski, J. R.

2012-12-01

Soil Moisture is a key component in the hydrological process, affects surface and boundary layer energy fluxes and is the driving factor in agricultural production. Multiple in situ soil moisture measuring instruments such as Time-domain Reflectrometry (TDR), Nuclear Probes etc. are in use along with remote sensing methods like Active and Passive Microwave (PM) sensors. In situ measurements, despite being more accurate, can only be obtained at discrete points over small spatial scales. Remote sensing estimates, on the other hand, can be obtained over larger spatial domains with varying spatial and temporal resolutions. Soil moisture profiles derived from satellite based thermal infrared (TIR) imagery can overcome many of the problems associated with laborious in-situ observations over large spatial domains. An area where soil moisture observation and assimilation is receiving increasing attention is agricultural crop modeling. This study revolves around the use of the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) crop model to simulate corn yields under various forcing scenarios. First, the model was run and calibrated using observed precipitation and model generated soil moisture dynamics. Next, the modeled soil moisture was updated using estimates derived from satellite based TIR imagery and the Atmospheric Land Exchange Inverse (ALEXI) model. We selected three climatically different locations to test the concept. Test Locations were selected to represent varied climatology. Bell Mina, Alabama - South Eastern United States, representing humid subtropical climate. Nabb, Indiana - Mid Western United States, representing humid continental climate. Lubbok, Texas - Southern United States, representing semiarid steppe climate. A temporal (2000-2009) correlation analysis of the soil moisture values from both DSSAT and ALEXI were performed and validated against the Land Information System (LIS) soil moisture dataset. The results clearly show strong

7 CFR 51.2561 - Average moisture content.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Average moisture content. 51.2561 Section 51.2561... STANDARDS) United States Standards for Grades of Shelled Pistachio Nuts § 51.2561 Average moisture content. (a) Determining average moisture content of the lot is not a requirement of the grades, except when...

Why is SMOS Drier than the South Fork In-situ Soil Moisture Network?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, V. A.; Hornbuckle, B. K.; Cosh, M. H.

2014-12-01

Global maps of near-surface soil moisture are currently being produced by the European Space Agency's Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite mission at 40 km. Within the next few months NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) satellite mission will begin producing observations of near-surface soil moisture at 10 km. Near-surface soil moisture is the water content of the first 3 to 5 cm of the soil. Observations of near-surface soil moisture are expected to improve weather and climate forecasts. These satellite observations must be validated. We define validation as determining the space/time statistical characteristics of the uncertainty. A standard that has been used for satellite validation is in-situ measurements of near-surface soil moisture made with a network of sensors spanning the extent of a satellite footprint. Such a network of sensors has been established in the South Fork of the Iowa River in Central Iowa by the USDA ARS. Our analysis of data in 2013 indicates that SMOS has a dry bias: SMOS near-surface soil moisture is between 0.05 to 0.10 m^3m^{-3} lower than what is observed by the South Fork network. A dry bias in SMOS observations has also been observed in other regions of North America. There are many possible explanations for this difference: underestimation of vegetation, or soil surface roughness; undetected radio frequency interference (RFI); a retrieval model that is not appropriate for agricultural areas; or the use of an incorrect surface temperature in the retrieval process. We will begin our investigation by testing this last possibility: that SMOS is using a surface temperature that is too low which results in a drier soil moisture that compensates for this error. We will present a comparison of surface temperatures from the European Center for Medium-range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF) used to retrieve near-surface soil moisture from SMOS measurements of brightness temperature, and surface temperatures in the South Fork

In situ measurement of soil moisture and pore-water pressures in an 'incipient' landslide: Lake Tutira, New Zealand.

PubMed

Hawke, Richard; McConchie, Jack

2011-02-01

The immediate cost of shallow regolith landslides in New Zealand has been estimated to exceed US$33M annually. Since the majority of these landslides occur during prolonged wet conditions, or intense rainstorms, moisture conditions are a critical control. The nature, dynamics, and character of soil moisture conditions, and the piezometric response to rainfall, have been recorded within an 'incipient' landslide for more than 5 years. The study site, on pastoral hill country within the Lake Tutira catchment in northern Hawkes Bay, is typical of large areas of New Zealand episodically affected by extensive landsliding. Detailed continuous measurements show that both the soil moisture and piezometric response within the regolith are highly storm- and site-specific. The development of positive pore pressures is infrequent; they form only during intense rainstorms, and persist for a short time. The hydraulic response of the soil is primarily a function of storm characteristics, but this response can be modified by antecedent moisture conditions, topographic position, and heterogeneity of soil properties. Stability analysis shows that most slopes in the study area are significantly steeper than can be explained by the frictional strength of the regolith. Measured hydraulic conditions also show that positive pore-water pressures alone do not trigger slope instability. A recent slope failure followed a period of extremely high antecedent moisture conditions, and occurred when maximum soil moisture conditions, though not pore-water pressures, were recorded. Increased moisture content of the regolith reduces matric tension, and therefore effective cohesion of the soil. This cohesion is critical to maintaining stability of the regolith on these slopes. Copyright © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of soil moisture initialization on boreal summer subseasonal forecasts: mid-latitude surface air temperature and heat wave events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Eunkyo; Lee, Myong-In; Jeong, Jee-Hoon; Koster, Randal D.; Schubert, Siegfried D.; Kim, Hye-Mi; Kim, Daehyun; Kang, Hyun-Suk; Kim, Hyun-Kyung; MacLachlan, Craig; Scaife, Adam A.

2018-05-01

This study uses a global land-atmosphere coupled model, the land-atmosphere component of the Global Seasonal Forecast System version 5, to quantify the degree to which soil moisture initialization could potentially enhance boreal summer surface air temperature forecast skill. Two sets of hindcast experiments are performed by prescribing the observed sea surface temperature as the boundary condition for a 15-year period (1996-2010). In one set of the hindcast experiments (noINIT), the initial soil moisture conditions are randomly taken from a long-term simulation. In the other set (INIT), the initial soil moisture conditions are taken from an observation-driven offline Land Surface Model (LSM) simulation. The soil moisture conditions from the offline LSM simulation are calibrated using the forecast model statistics to minimize the inconsistency between the LSM and the land-atmosphere coupled model in their mean and variability. Results show a higher boreal summer surface air temperature prediction skill in INIT than in noINIT, demonstrating the potential benefit from an accurate soil moisture initialization. The forecast skill enhancement appears especially in the areas in which the evaporative fraction—the ratio of surface latent heat flux to net surface incoming radiation—is sensitive to soil moisture amount. These areas lie in the transitional regime between humid and arid climates. Examination of the extreme 2003 European and 2010 Russian heat wave events reveal that the regionally anomalous soil moisture conditions during the events played an important role in maintaining the stationary circulation anomalies, especially those near the surface.

Summary: Remote sensing soil moisture research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmer, F. A.; Werner, H. D.; Waltz, F. A.

1970-01-01

During the 1969 and 1970 growing seasons research was conducted to investigate the relationship between remote sensing imagery and soil moisture. The research was accomplished under two completely different conditions: (1) cultivated cropland in east central South Dakota, and (2) rangeland in western South Dakota. Aerial and ground truth data are being studied and correlated in order to evaluate the moisture supply and water use. Results show that remote sensing is a feasible method for monitoring soil moisture.

Moisture Management for High R-Value Walls

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lepage, R.; Schumacher, C.; Lukachko, A.

2013-11-01

This report explains the moisture-related concerns for high R-value wall assemblies and discusses past Building America research work that informs this study. In this project, hygrothermal simulations were prepared for several common approaches to High R-value wall construction in six cities (Houston, Atlanta, Seattle, St. Louis, Chicago, and International Falls) representing a range of climate zones. The modeling program assessed the moisture durability of the wall assemblies based on three primary sources of moisture: construction moisture, air leakage condensation, and bulk water leakage; the report presents results of the study.

Atmospheric moisture transport: the bridge between ocean evaporation and Arctic ice melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gimeno, L.; Vázquez, M.; Nieto, R.; Trigo, R. M.

2015-09-01

Changes in the atmospheric moisture transport have been proposed as a vehicle for interpreting some of the most significant changes in the Arctic region. The increasing moisture over the Arctic during the last decades is not strongly associated with the evaporation that takes place within the Arctic area itself, despite the fact that the sea ice cover is decreasing. Such an increment is consistent and is more dependent on the transport of moisture from the extratropical regions to the Arctic that has increased in recent decades and is expected to increase within a warming climate. This increase could be due either to changes in circulation patterns which have altered the moisture sources, or to changes in the intensity of the moisture sources because of enhanced evaporation, or a combination of these two mechanisms. In this short communication we focus on the more objective assessment of the strong link between ocean evaporation trends and Arctic Sea ice melting. We will critically analyse several recent results suggesting links between moisture transport and the extent of sea ice in the Arctic, this being one of the most distinct indicators of continuous climate change both in the Arctic and on a global scale. To do this we will use a sophisticated Lagrangian approach to develop a more robust framework on some of these previous disconnecting results, using new information and insights. Results reached in this study stress the connection between two climate change indicators, namely an increase in evaporation over source regions (mainly the Mediterranean Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean in the paths of the global western boundary currents and their extensions) and Arctic ice melting precursors.

Downscaling soil moisture over East Asia through multi-sensor data fusion and optimization of regression trees

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)