Paired Plots Research Articles

Linking process to pattern in community assembly in dry evergreen Afromontane forest of Hararghe highland, Southeast Ethiopia

Abstract
 
 Many scholars have attempted to identify the role of deterministic and stochastic processes in community assembly, but there is no consensus on which processes dominate and at what spatial scales they occur. To shed light on this issue, we tested two non-exclusive processes, scale-dependent hypotheses: (i) that limiting similarity dominates on small spatial scales; and (ii) that environmental filtering does so on a large scale. To achieve this, we studied the functional patterns of dry evergreen Afromontane forest communities along elevation gradients in southeastern Ethiopia using floristic and functional trait data from fifty-four 0.04 ha plots. We found evidence of functional overdispersion on small spatial scales, and functional clustering on large spatial scales. The observed clustering pattern, consistent with an environmental filtering process, was most evident when environmental differences between a pair of plots were maximized. To strengthen the link between the observed community functioning pattern and the underlying process of environmental filtering, we demonstrated differences in the topographical factors of the most abundant species found at lower and higher elevations and examined whether their abundance varied over time or changed with time along the elevation. We found (i) that the largest functional differences in the community (observed between lower and upper dry evergreen Afromontane forest assemblages) were primarily the result of strong topographical influence; and (ii) that the abundance of such species varied along the elevation gradient. Variation in stand structure and tree species diversity within the DAF plots shows that topography is among the important drivers of local species distribution and hence the maintenance of tree diversity in dry Afromontane forest.
 Our results support the conclusion that environmental filtering at large spatial scales is the primary mechanism for community merging, since functional grouping pattern was associated with species similarities in topographic variation, ultimately leading to changes in species abundances along the gradient. There was also evidence of competitive exclusion at more homogeneous and smaller spatial scales, where plant species compete effectively for resources.

Farmland Shelterbelt Changes in Soil Properties: Soil Depth-Location Dependency and General Pattern in Songnen Plain, Northeastern China

As one of the world’s largest ecological rehabilitation programs, the three-north (Northern China, Northeastern China, and Northwestern China) shelterbelts program in China were not well evaluated on its effects on multiple soil properties. This paper aims to quantify this. Seven hundred twenty soils from paired plots of farmlands and neighbor shelterbelts were sampled from six regions of Songnen Plain in northeastern China. Multivariate analysis of variance and regression analysis were used to detect the impacts of shelterbelt plantations. For the overall 1 m soil profiles, shelterbelt plantations had a 4.3% and 7.4% decreases in soil bulk density and soil moisture (p = 0.000), a 4.8% increase in soil porosity (p = 0.003). It also evidently recovered soil fertility with a 40% increase in total P, a 4.4% increase in total K, and a 15.1% increase in available K (p < 0.05). However, without overall changes were in SOC and N (p > 0.05). Compared with farmland, shelterbelt plantations produced a 7.8% SOC increase in 20–40 cm soil and much more minor changes in surface soil (0–20 cm). Compared with the younger plantation, mature shelterbelts tended to sequestrate more SOC in soils (from a 0.11% decrease to a 3.31% increase) and recover total K from a 2.24% decline to a 16.5% increase. Correlation analysis manifested that there is a significant relationship between SOC sequestration and the changes in bulk density, porosity, soil moisture, pH, EC, total N, total P, and alkaline hydrolyzed N. In contrast, the strongest relationship was observed between total N and SOC (r > 0.50, p < 0.001). The increase in total N was accompanied by 1.01–1.67-fold higher SOC sequestration in deep soils >20 cm in poplar forests. Our results highlight that the over-40-year shelterbelts afforestation on farmland in northeastern China could strongly affect soil physics, soil water, and nutrient of P and K. The effects on SOC sequestration were dependent on soil depths, growth stages, and regions. Our data support the precise soil evaluation of agroforestry projects in the black soil region in the high-latitude northern hemisphere.

Out of their depth: The successful use of cultured subtidal mussels for intertidal restoration

AbstractEcosystem restoration has proliferated across the globe to combat widespread ecosystem decline. Translocations of viable individuals into degraded habitats form a core component of restoration efforts, but the selection of source populations poses challenges because phenotypic differences between source populations and depleted populations result in low post‐translocation survival. Intertidal mussel restoration is typically reliant on subtidal source populations despite their weaker shells, lighter weights, and poorer respiratory abilities compared to intertidal mussels. Intertidal mussel restoration using subtidal mussels has recorded very low survival, leading to suggestions that subtidal mussels are unfit for the intertidal zone, effectively eliminating the possibility of translocation‐based intertidal mussel restoration. In this study, small‐scale intertidal mussel restoration was tested using subtidal cultured mussels transplanted to paired plots, half in the lower intertidal and half in the upper subtidal. The results demonstrate the first scientific evidence of the successful restoration of intertidal mussel reefs using subtidal mussels at this scale. Specifically, one location recorded very high survival after 12 months (95.1 ± 0.6%; mean ± SE), comparable to the survival recorded in the subtidal zone (97.6 ± 0.3%). Translocations to the intertidal at the other two locations experienced mortality during the Austral summer (final survival: 81.3 ± 1.6% and 56.6 ± 7.4%), which directly correlated with exposure to extreme temperatures (>40°C). These results reveal that despite phenotypic differences, subtidal cultured mussels are potential sources for successful intertidal restoration. However, care should also be taken to avoid locations prone to high temperatures, particularly in light of a warming global environment. Ultimately, to achieve the massive upscaling in restoration called for by the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, we encourage restoration managers to think broadly about potential source populations, avoid rejections based solely on phenotypic differences, and explore every potential avenue for restoration success.

Understory plant communities fail to recover species diversity after excluding deer for nearly 20 years

White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus) have been overabundant in eastern North America for more than five decades, resulting in depauperate understories and ricocheting effects on higher trophic levels. Even after deer populations are reduced, understory plant communities may fail to recover for an unknown length of time due to persistent legacy effects. We surveyed understory plant communities in six deer exclosures and paired reference plots in northwestern Pennsylvania to determine the degree to which 19 years of deer exclusion was sufficient for recovery of species richness, diversity, percent cover, and understory structural complexity. We observed a 2.3-fold increase in tree cover and a 60% reduction in fern cover in the ground layer, as well as a 114-fold increase in foliage density between 80 and 200 cm above ground level, in exclosures compared to reference plots. However, the exclosures did not permanently support higher overall percent cover, species richness, or diversity in the ground layer, nor did we detect any meaningful divergence in community composition between exclosures and reference plots. We conclude that 19 years of release from chronic over-browsing are sufficient to restore understory structural complexity, but recovery of diversity in the ground layer will require more time or direct intervention.

Low species turnover of upland Amazonian birds in the absence of physical barriers

AbstractAimOne of the oldest and most powerful ways for ecologists to explain distinct biological communities is to invoke underlying environmental differences. But in hyper‐diverse systems, which often display high species richness and low species abundance, these sorts of community comparisons are especially challenging. The classic view for Amazonian birds posits that riverine barriers and habitat specialization determine local and regional community composition. We test the tacit, complementary assumption that similar bird communities should therefore permeate uniform habitat between major rivers, regardless of distance.LocationUpland (terra firme) rainforests of central Amazonia.MethodsWe conducted intensive whole‐community surveys of birds in three pairs of 100‐ha plots, separated by 40–60 km. We then used dissimilarity indices, cluster analysis, and ordination to characterize differences among the six avian communities.ResultsIn all, we detected 244 forest‐dependent birds, with an average of 190 species (78%) per plot. Species turnover was negligible, no unique indicator species were found among plot pairs, and all documented species were already known from a complete inventory at one of the three sites.Main ConclusionsOur study corroborates the classic biogeographical pattern and suggests that turnover contributes little to regional avian diversity within upland forests. Using a grain size of 100 ha, this implies that upland birds perceive the environment as uniform, at least over distances of ~60 km. Therefore, to maximize both local species richness and population persistence, our findings support the conservation of very large tracts of upland rainforest. Our analyses also revealed that the avifauna at Reserva Ducke, encroached by urban sprawl from the city of Manaus, shows the hallmarks of a disturbed community, with fewer vulnerable insectivores. This defaunation signals that even an enormous preserve (10 × 10 km) in lowland Amazonia is not insulated from anthropogenic degradation within the surrounding landscape.

IMPLEMENTATION OF MACHINE LEARNING ALGORITHM FOR CARDIAC ARREST PREDICTION

Machine learning (ML) is a subfield of AI that uses statistical algorithms. Cardiac Arrest or heart failure has been implicated as one of the leading causes of death. The limited accuracy and the inherent invasiveness in diagnosis of this disease call for a revamp of the existing diagnostic protocol. In this study, we developed Machine learning (ML) algorithms for the prediction of cardiac arrest. Our protocol employs different methods for classification of the HD dataset using univariate and Bivariate analysis for prediction of cardiac arrest on input data which contains 11 features such as ChestPainType, age, gender etc and Pair plot to check the distribution of each variable and how it correlated with the target variable (Cardiac Arrest). Our result indicated that the ASY pain type was the highest ChestPainType that had cardiac arrest with 54% while NAP had 22%, ATA had 19% and TA 5%. The male genders were also observed to have the highest rate of cardiac arrest when compared to the female genders. Our protocol was able to predict the occurrence of cardiac arrest and at the same time recommend possible treatments, medication and exercises regime to the patient via the web application interface.

Does Ungulate Herbivory Translate into Diversity of Woody Plants? A Long-Term Study in a Montane Forest Ecosystem in Austria

Different species-specific traits of woody plant species, feeding preferences of herbivores together with resulting effects on plant competition are expected to translate into different plant community structures and expressions of biodiversity. We studied the diversity of woody plant species (trees and shrubs) and structural diversity of forest trees, using a 30-year and an 18-year dataset of ungulate exclosure-control plot pairs in a mixed alpine forest community in Austria. We surveyed the tallest individuals per tree species and plot and analyzed the collective of top-height individuals per plot pair. Incidence data for exclosure and control plots were aggregated. Comparing species diversity and diversity of height classes on the plots throughout time, we calculated diversity profiles based on Hill numbers. Diversity of top height individuals and structural diversity, expressed by height classes, were two diversity aspects that differed between exclosures and control plots. Other diversity estimates of woody plant species showed huge variation without significant differences between plots. Height growth was significantly suppressed by ungulate herbivory. Effects of ungulate herbivores in forest ecosystems are highly complex and context-dependent and thus not reducible to simple top-down forces. Long-term surveys provide data that reflect “ultimate” effects of herbivory interacting with other drivers of community dynamics.

Forest liming in the face of climate change: the implications of restorative liming for soil organic carbon in mature German forests

Abstract. Forest liming is a management tool that has and continues to be used extensively across northern Europe to counteract acidification processes from anthropogenic sulfur and nitrogen (N) deposition. In this study, we quantified how liming affects soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks and attempt to disentangle the mechanisms responsible for the often contrasting processes that regulate net soil carbon (C) fluxes. Using a paired plot experimental design we compared SOC stocks in limed plots with adjacent unlimed control plots at 28 experimental sites to 60 cm soil depth in mature broadleaf and coniferous forests across Germany. Historical soil data from a subset of the paired experiment plots were analyzed to assess how SOC stocks in both control and limed plots changed between 1990 and 2019. Overall, we found that forest floor C stocks have been accumulating over time in the control plots. Liming however largely offset organic layer buildup in the L/Of layer, and forest floor C stocks remained unchanged over time in the limed plots. This, in turn, meant that nutrients remained mobile and were not bound in soil organic matter complexes. Results from the paired plot analysis showed that forest floor C stocks were significantly lower in limed plots than the control (−34 %, −8.4 ± 1.7 Mg C ha−1) but did not significantly affect SOC stocks in the mineral soil, when all sites are pooled together. In the forest floor layers, SOC stocks exhibited an exponential decrease with increasing pH, highlighting how lime-induced improvements in the biochemical environment stimulate organic matter (OM) decomposition. Nevertheless, for both forest floor and mineral soils, the magnitude and direction of the belowground C changes hinged directly on the inherent site characteristics, namely, forest type (conifer versus broadleaf), soil pH, soil texture, and the soil SOC stocks. On the other hand, SOC stock decreases were often offset by other processes that fostered C accumulation, such as improved forest productivity or increased carbon stabilization, which correspondingly translated to an overall variable response by SOC stocks, particularly in the mineral soil. Lastly, we measured soil carbon dioxide (CO2) and soil methane (CH4) flux immediately after a re-liming event at three of the experimental sites. Here, we found that (1) liming doubles CH4 uptake in the long-term; (2) soil organic matter mineralization processes respond quickly to liming, even though the duration and size of the CO2 flush varied between sites; and (3) lime-derived CO2 contributed very little to total CO2 emissions over the measurement period (determined using stable isotope approaches).

Paired plot experiments to assess impact of invasive species on native floral diversity in Pakistan

The threat of invasion is growing globally and endangers biodiversity. Exotic invasive plants are putting a harm to the vegetation of Pakistan’s Pothwar region, which is a biodiversity hotspot. In the current study, the effects of Broussonetia papyrifera, Parthenium hysterophorus, Xanthium strumarium, and Lantana camara on the local flora in the Pothwar area were examined. Two categorical groups (invaded and non-invaded) were used in a dichotomized experimental design to collect data. Using the software PRIMER-7 and IBM SPSS v. 21, different diversity indices including Margalef’s index of species richness, Shannon index of diversity, and Simpson index of dominance were measured and compared between invaded and control plots. In comparison to the experimental plots, the control plots had an average of more individuals and diversity. On a multivariate scale, non-metric multidimensional scaling (nMDS) and analysis of similarity (ANOSIM) revealed higher species richness in control plots. The invasion effect of L. camara was the highest, followed by X. strumarium, P. hysterophorus, and B. papyrifera.

Prediction Models of Primary Membranous Nephropathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several statistical models for predicting prognosis of primary membranous nephropathy (PMN) have been proposed, most of which have not been as widely accepted in clinical practice. A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE and EMBASE. English studies that developed any prediction models including two or more than two predictive variables were eligible for inclusion. The study population was limited to adult patients with pathologically confirmed PMN. The outcomes in eligible studies should be events relevant to prognosis of PMN, either disease progression or response profile after treatments. The risk of bias was assessed according to the PROBAST. In all, eight studies with 1237 patients were included. The pooled AUC value of the seven studies with renal function deterioration and/or ESRD as the predicted outcomes was 0.88 (95% CI: 0.85 to 0.90; I2 = 77%, p = 0.006). The paired forest plots for sensitivity and specificity with corresponding 95% CIs for each of these seven studies indicated the combined sensitivity and specificity were 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64 to 0.85) and 0.84 (95% CI: 0.80 to 0.88), respectively. All seven studies included in the meta-analysis were assessed as high risk of bias according to the PROBAST tool. The reported discrimination ability of included models was good; however, the insufficient calibration assessment and lack of validation studies precluded drawing a definitive conclusion on the performance of these prediction models. High-grade evidence from well-designed studies is needed in this field.

Изменения средообразующих параметров степных геосистем в условиях нефтедобычи (на примере Волго-Уральского региона)

The aim of the study is to obtain quantitative characteristics and identify the dynamics of some environmental parameters of steppe geosystems under the impact of oil production. The study area is the Volga-Ural steppe region, where five pairs of key plots were selected according to the principle "in conditions of technogenic impact – reference". In the course of fieldwork in 2023, instrumental measurements of air and soil temperature, relative humidity of air and soil, noise level were carried out. The landscape surface temperature, vegetation moisture content index (NDMI), and surface albedo were determined based on Landsat satellite images for the period from 2013 to 2022. The results of fieldwork and remote studies have shown that changes in the main components of the initial geosystems functioning – moisture turnover, temperature balance, radiation balance – are observed in areas with technogenic impact. It was revealed that the surface temperature in the plots with technogenic impact is higher than in the paired reference ones; the surface moisture in the plots with technogenic impact is lower than in the paired reference ones; the albedo of the surface in the plots with technogenic impact is lower than in the paired reference ones; the noise level in the plots with technogenic impact is significantly higher compared to the reference ones. These consequences are manifested in natural-technogenic geosystems of wells – units of the lowest hierarchical level in the geosystem of an oil-and-gas field. Given the scale of Russian oil-and-gas deposits exploitation, it is necessary to develop optimization approaches to solve the environmental conflict associated with the transformation of environmental functions, which the proposed study is designed to help.

Effects of grazing versus mowing on the vegetation of wet grasslands in the northern Pre‐Alps, Switzerland

AbstractQuestionWet grasslands are among the most threatened habitats in Central Europe and are subject to loss of their unique species assemblages. Grazing and mowing are important conservation management tools for such semi‐natural habitats. The aim of this study was to investigate and compare the influence of grazing and mowing on the diversity and species composition of wet grassland vegetation.LocationMontane wet grasslands in the Gantrisch Nature Park, Switzerland.MethodsWe sampled 18 pairs of vegetation plots along land‐use borders between grazing and mowing (fence‐line contrasts), distributed over six fens, mostly belonging to the phytosociological alliance Calthion palustris. We tested for differences in structural parameters, biodiversity indices, mean ecological indicator values and the frequency of individual species. In addition, a detrended correspondence analysis was carried out.ResultsManagement type had no influence on species richness, Shannon index or Shannon evenness. Maximum microrelief, vegetation height, mean nutrient indicator value and mean competitive strategy were significantly higher with grazing, whereas the mean aeration indicator value and the mean ruderal strategy were significantly higher with mowing. Cirsium oleraceum, Filipendula ulmaria, Geum rivale and Juncus effusus, species of nutrient‐rich wet meadows, were more frequent under grazing, whereas mowing favoured grassland species with wide ecological amplitude, such as Plantago lanceolata and Trifolium pratense.ConclusionsAt the plot scale, vascular plant diversity did not differ between these management regimes. Thus, from the conservation point of view, in the study region, there is no clear preference for either management type, and both should be eligible for subsidies. At the landscape scale, it is beneficial to have both management types present to ensure high gamma‐diversity, as they favour different species.

Effects of Afforestation on Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Accumulation Depend on Initial Soil Nitrogen Status

AbstractLong‐term carbon (C) sequestration in terrestrial vegetation and soil is mediated by soil nitrogen (N) supply. Afforestation is regarded as a global‐scale solution to climate change; thus, resolving the role of N in either facilitating or reducing the long‐term C benefits of this practice has essential implications to maximize its C sink potential. The impacts of afforestation on soil C, N, and their stoichiometric ratio have been widely explored but what regulates these impacts remains unclear at regional and global scales. In this study, we conducted an intensive field sampling investigation including 610 pairs of afforested and control plots in northern China and extensively compiled a global data set containing 211 afforested‐control pairs worldwide to evaluate responses of soil N concentrations and C:N ratios to afforestation and further explored their major regulator. We identified a soil N threshold, the inflection point where afforestation changes from increasing to decreasing soil C and N, which was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.81–0.91) kg N m−2 in 0–1 m depth. Changes in soil C:N ratios with afforestation were mediated by initial relative abundance of soil C and N and types of mycorrhiza associated with planted trees. Increases in soil C:N were mostly driven by trees with ectomycorrhizal associations but did not change for those associated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These results provide a data‐based understanding on soil C and N dynamics following afforestation and its underlying mechanisms and further highlight the importance of site selection based on initial soil properties in future afforestation.

Prevalence Of Nematode Population In Two Different Rice Cultivation Systems And Its Impact On Crop Growth

An experiment was carried out to study the prevalence of nematode population in two different cultivation systems (SRI and conventional) on rice cv. IET- 4094 (Khitish). Total twenty-eight plots were laid out in paired plot technique. Irrespective of rice cultivation systems, there had been a steady hike in population of Meloidogyne graminicola and Tylenchorhynchus mashhoodi with the maximum being recorded near harvest and a sudden fall during fallow period was observed. The study indicated that SRI cultivation provided comparatively more favourable ecological condition for steady buildup of M. graminicola and T. mashhoodi population than conventional system. Between two systems, SRI method encountered comparatively more population of Hoplolaimus indicus. The spiral nematode, Helicotylenchus dihystera was also found associated with the rice crop but statistical analysis did not reveal any stable result to come into conclusion about their ecological preference. The study revealed that continuous submergence of rice field as in conventional system was detrimental to growth and reproduction of R. reniformis. The rice crop grown under SRI method acquired more vigorous growth as compared to conventional system. Profuse root and shoot growth as evidenced by root length, root biomass yield and straw yield in SRI might have limit the yield reduction in spite of huge infestation of nematodes.

Assessment of Yield Losses due to Meloidogyne incognita on Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.)

The experiment was carried out in the field of Department of Nematology Odisha University of Agricultural and Technology, Bhubaneswar during the rabi, 2021–2022 to estimate the avoidable yield losses in 12 Patra variety of cucumber due to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in nematode infested field. Ten replications of the experiment were set up using the paired plot technique. Required quantity of Carbofuran granules@2kg a.i./ha was applied two days before sowing. Ten plots were treated and another ten plots were kept untreated control (without carbofuran application). The findings exhibited that application of carbofuran significantly reduced the number of galls, egg masses and nematode population -80.01, -84.49, -27.23 respectively. Avoidable yield losses were recorded to the tune of 66.23 percent on cucumber plants by M. incognita.

Crop Productivity, Nutritional and Economic Benefits of No-Till Systems in Smallholder Farms of Ethiopia

Smallholder maize and wheat production systems are characterized by high drudgery. On-farm trials were run for three seasons in Ethiopia. The study assessed the effect of 2 WT direct seeding and growing season on (1) soil quality, and (2) maize and wheat productivity, energy and protein gains, and gross margins, on smallholder farms in Ethiopia. For the wheat crop, the effect of different soil types and agroecological conditions on productivity was assessed. The treatments in paired plots were (i) conventional ploughing practice and (ii) no-till (NT). Soil properties, crop yield, nutrition gains and gross margins were determined. No-till improved soil properties in the short term. No-till produced 1210–1559 kg ha−1 grain, 18–29 GJ ha−1 energy and 121–194 kg ha−1 proteins, and generated 358–385 US$ ha−1 more than the conventional practice in the maize system. In the wheat system, no-till treatment had 341–1107 kg ha−1 grain, 5–16 GJ ha−1 energy and 43–137 kg ha−1 proteins, and generated 230–453 US$ ha−1 more than conventional practice. No-till can be more productive and profitable in the Ethiopian maize and wheat-based cropping systems.

Soil quality measurement for sustainable soybean yield agroforestry system under different crop rotation models

Abstract. Alam T, Suryanto P, Handayani S, Supriyanta, Wulandari RA, Anshari A, Aisya AW, Purba AE, Widowati R, Taryono. 2022. Soil quality measurement for sustainable soybean yield agroforestry system under different crop rotation models. Biodiversitas 23: 6155-6163. Soil quality is essential for sustaining the soybean yield in an agroforestry system. This study determined the soil quality variables that affect soybean yield under different crop rotation models in the agroforestry system with kayu putih (Melaleuca cajuputi). A 2-year experiment was conducted during the dry season (March-June 2021) and the wet season (November 2021-February 2022) at Menggoran Forest Resort, Playen District, Gunungkidul Regency, Special Province of Yogyakarta, Indonesia. All of the trials during each season were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three blocks as replication. The treatment crop rotation model consisted of soybean planting after fallow (FS), soybean planting after maize (MS), soybean planting after rice (RS), and continuous soybean planting (SS). The observations were soybean yield and 21 soil quality variables. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance, multiple factor analysis, heatmap cluster, generalized pair plot, and standardized stepwise regression. The increase in soybean yield during the dry season was affected by TB, Fe, and N in the soil, while it was affected by TF, Fe, and silt during the wet season. Soil quality and soybean yield can be improved by applying organic matter and soil amendment.

The accuracy of nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) in detecting human intestinal nematode infections: A protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Human intestinal nematode infections are a global public health issue as they can result in considerable morbidity in infected individuals, mainly in developing countries. These infections continue to go undiagnosed, as they tend to be mainly endemic in resource-poor communities where there is a shortage of experienced laboratory staff and relevant diagnostic technologies. This is further exacerbated by the nature of intermittent shedding of eggs and larvae by these parasites. Diagnostic methods range from simple morphological identification to more specialised high-throughput sequencing technologies. Microscopy-based methods, although simple, are labour-intensive and considerably less sensitive than molecular methods which are rapid and have high levels of accuracy. Molecular methods use nucleic acid amplification (NAA) to amplify the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or ribonucleic acid (RNA) fragments of the parasite to detect and determine its presence using different technologies (NAAT). They have increased the sensitivity of detection and quantitation of intestinal nematode infections, especially in low infection intensity settings. The absence of a gold standard test limits current diagnosis and, in turn, restricts intervention measures and effective control efforts. The objective of this review is to determine the accuracy of NAATs in detecting human intestinal nematode infections using Kato-Katz as the reference test for the most common soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and the scotch tape test for enterobiasis and Baermann method for strongyloidiasis. Relevant studies will be identified by searches in electronic databases. Two reviewers will independently screen the literature against eligibility criteria. The methodological quality of studies will then be appraised by two reviewers using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS-2) tool. Discrepancies will be addressed by a third reviewer. The true positives, false positives, true negatives and false negatives of all the studies will be extracted into contingency tables. In paired forest plots, study-specific sensitivity and specificity with a 95 per cent confidence interval will be displayed. The systematic review of this protocol will report the diagnostic accuracy of currently available NAATs for the detection of human intestinal nematode infections. This will help healthcare providers and administrators determine the diagnostic method to be used in different clinical and preventive settings. Trial registration: PROSPERO registration number for this protocol is CRD42022315730.

Non-inversion conservation tillage as an underestimated driver of tillage erosion

Tillage erosion is a widely underestimated process initiating soil degradation especially in case of large agricultural fields located in rolling topography. It is often assumed that, conservation, non-inversion tillage causes less tillage erosion than conventional inversion tillage. In this study, tillage erosion was determined on three paired plots comparing non-inversion chisel versus inversion mouldboard tillage. The experiments were performed at three sites in Northeast Germany with gentle, moderate, and steep slope, while tillage depth (0.25 m) and speed (≈ 6 km h−1) were kept constant during all experiments. The results indicate that non-inversion tillage produces significantly more soil movement compared to inversion tillage. The soil translocation distance was by a factor of 1.3–2.1 larger in case of chisel tillage. The largest difference in translocation distance and tillage transport coefficient (ktil) was found on the gentle slope exhibiting the lowest soil cohesion. Our results together with an evaluation of ktil values derived from literature and standardised for 0.25 m tillage depth contradict the general assumption that non-inversion tillage reduces tillage erosion. In tillage erosion dominated areas, non-inversion tillage applied with high tillage speed and depth potentially increases tillage erosion and fails its purpose to serve as soil conservation measure.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical outcome prediction using nursing data in intensive care patients: A systematic review

BackgroundNursing data consist of observations of patients' conditions and information on nurses' clinical judgment based on critically ill patients' behavior and physiological signs. Nursing data in electronic health records were recently emphasized as important predictors of patients' deterioration but have not been systematically reviewed. ObjectiveWe conducted a systematic review of prediction models using nursing data for clinical outcomes, such as prolonged hospital stay, readmission, and mortality in intensive care patients, compared to physiological data only. In addition, the type of nursing data used in prediction model developments was investigated. DesignA systematic review. MethodsPubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane CENTRAL, EMBASE, IEEE Xplore Digital Library, Web of Science, and Scopus were searched. Clinical outcome prediction models using nursing data for intensive care patients were included. Clinical outcomes were prolonged hospital stay, readmission, and mortality. Data were extracted from selected studies such as study design, data source, outcome definition, sample size, predictors, reference test, model development, model performance, and evaluation. The risk of bias and applicability was assessed using the Prediction model Risk of Bias Assessment Tool checklist. Descriptive summaries were produced based on paired forest plots and summary receiver operating characteristic curves. ResultsSixteen studies were included in the systematic review. The data types of predictors used in prediction models were categorized as physiological data, nursing data, and clinical notes. The types of nursing data consisted of nursing notes, assessments, documentation frequency, and flowsheet comments. The studies using physiological data as a reference test showed higher predictive performance in combined data or nursing data than in physiological data. The overall risk of bias indicated that most of the included studies have a high risk. ConclusionsThis study was conducted to identify and review the diagnostic accuracy of clinical outcome prediction using nursing data in intensive care patients. Most of the included studies developed models using nursing notes, and other studies used nursing assessments, documentation frequency, and flowsheet comments. Although the findings need careful interpretation due to the high risk of bias, the area under the curve scores of nursing data and combined data were higher than physiological data alone. It is necessary to establish a strategy in prediction modeling to utilize nursing data, clinical notes, and physiological data as predictors, considering the clinical context rather than physiological data alone. RegistrationThe protocol for this study is registered with PROSPERO (registration number: CRD42021273319).