The importance of seed bank knowledge for the restoration of coastal plant communities - a case study of salt marshes and dune slacks at the Belgian coast

Knowledge on seed bank density and species composition is crucial for predicting the probability that target species will establish in the plant community on a restored site. A general overview of data available for plant species occurring in coastal plant communities showed that information on seed persistence is up to now very limited. The available data suggest that restoration of coastal plant communities cannot rely on the seed bank, except for annual species of salt marshes, and that the seed bank is to a large extent composed of species of nutrient rich habitats. This was confirmed by two case studies in dune slacks and salt marshes on the Belgian coast. Seed density in dune slacks was found to be relatively high, but the seed bank contained almost exclusively seeds of species of nutrient rich habitats, resulting in a very low similarity ratio between seed bank and vegetation. Germination from the seed bank would rather hamper the establishment of target species because competitive pressure imposed by fast growing species of nutrient rich habitats would increase. In salt marshes, the similarity between seed bank and vegetation was higher, because there is a higher contribution of typical salt marsh species in the seed bank, although not all target species are equally represented. To allow predictions of future species composition on restored sites, seed bank studies should be an essential part of each coastal restoration project

The development of QUADAS : a tool for the quality assessment of studies of diagnostic accuracy included in systematic reviews

BACKGROUND: In the era of evidence based medicine, with systematic reviews as its cornerstone, adequate quality assessment tools should be available. There is currently a lack of a systematically developed and evaluated tool for the assessment of diagnostic accuracy studies. The aim of this project was to combine empirical evidence and expert opinion in a formal consensus method to develop a tool to be used in systematic reviews to assess the quality of primary studies of diagnostic accuracy. METHODS: We conducted a Delphi procedure to develop the quality assessment tool by refining an initial list of items. Members of the Delphi panel were experts in the area of diagnostic research. The results of three previously conducted reviews of the diagnostic literature were used to generate a list of potential items for inclusion in the tool and to provide an evidence base upon which to develop the tool. RESULTS: A total of nine experts in the field of diagnostics took part in the Delphi procedure. The Delphi procedure consisted of four rounds, after which agreement was reached on the items to be included in the tool which we have called QUADAS. The initial list of 28 items was reduced to fourteen items in the final tool. Items included covered patient spectrum, reference standard, disease progression bias, verification bias, review bias, clinical review bias, incorporation bias, test execution, study withdrawals, and indeterminate results. The QUADAS tool is presented together with guidelines for scoring each of the items included in the tool. CONCLUSIONS: This project has produced an evidence based quality assessment tool to be used in systematic reviews of diagnostic accuracy studies. Further work to determine the usability and validity of the tool continue

Rabbits (<i>Oryctolagus cuniculus</i> L.) in coastal dune grasslands

We describe a field experiment for examining the impact of wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus L.) on the vegetation in two Flemish coastal dune grasslands. When numerous, rabbits had a major impact on the vegetation. This impact can be considered positive in the case of the studied grasslands, as evidenced by a decreasing abundance by dominant grass species and a declining species richness. The decrease of the number of rabbits, due to VHS, may hence negatively affect dune grassland species richness. Introducing large herbivores can be part of the solution for preserving the dune grasslands, and this introduction may even have positive effects on rabbit populations through feeding facilitation

Modeling and Simulation for Lifetime Predictions

NPS NRP Project PosterModeling and Simulation for Lifetime PredictionsNaval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Modeling and Simulation for Lifetime Predictions

NPS NRP Executive SummaryModeling and Simulation for Lifetime PredictionsNaval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)This research is supported by funding from the Naval Postgraduate School, Naval Research Program (PE 0605853N/2098). https://nps.edu/nrpChief of Naval Operations (CNO)Approved for public release. Distribution is unlimited.

Can radiographers be trained to triage CT colonography for extracolonic findings?

OBJECTIVES: Radiographers have been shown to be capable CT colonography observers. We evaluated whether radiographers can be trained to triage screening CT colonography for extracolonic findings. METHODS: Eight radiographers participated in a structured training program. They subsequently evaluated extracolonic findings in 280 low-dose CT colonograms (cases). This dataset contained 66 cases with possibly important findings (E3) and 27 cases with probably important findings (E4) [classification based on the highest classified finding (C-RADS)]. The first 40 and last 40 CT colonograms were identical test cases. Immediate feedback was given after each reading, except for test cases. Radiographers triaged cases based on C-RADS classification and indicated the need for a radiologist read. We constructed learning curves for correct case triaging by calculating moving averages. RESULTS: In the final test series, 84/120 (70 %) cases with E3 or E4 findings and 139/200 (70 %) without E3 or E4 findings were correctly triaged. Correct identification of cases with E3 findings improved with training from 46/88 (52 %) to 62/88 (70 %) (P < 0.0001) but not for E4 findings [both 22/32 (69 %) P = 1.00]. CONCLUSIONS: Radiographers improve after training in correctly triaging extracolonic findings at CT colonography but do not reach a high enough accuracy to consider their structural involvement in screening. KEY POINTS: • Radiographers were trained to triage CT colonography for extracolonic findings. • After training, radiographers improved sensitivity for likely unimportant findings. • After training, radiographers did not improve sensitivity for possibly important findings. • Radiographers should probably not be expected to identify all extracolonic findings

Effect of Fatiguing Wheelchair Propulsion and Weight Relief Lifts on Subacromial Space in Wheelchair Users

ObjectiveThis study aimed to identify targets of intervention for reducing shoulder pain in wheelchair users with spinal cord injury (SCI) by (1) examining changes in subacromial space [acromiohumeral distance (AHD) and occupation ratio (OccRatio)] with fatiguing wheelchair propulsion, and different loading conditions [unloaded position vs. weight relief lifts (WRL)]; (2) associating these changes with wheelchair user capacity, as well as (3) identifying subject characteristics associated with subacromial space, such as sex, lesion level, time since injury, body mass index and impaired shoulder range of motion.MethodsFifty manual wheelchair users with SCI [11 females, age = 50.5 (9.7) years, time since injury = 26.2 (11.4) years] participated in this quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest study. Ultrasound images were used to define AHD during an unloaded position, and during personal and instructed WRL before and after fatiguing wheelchair propulsion. Furthermore, supraspinatus and biceps thickness defined from ultrasound images were used to calculate OccRatios. Wheelchair user capacity was quantified as functional strength (maximum resultant force reached during maximum isometric forward push) and anaerobic work capacity (highest power output reached during 15-m sprint test). Multilevel mixed-effects linear regression analyses controlling for between subject variability and covariables were performed to address the research questions.ResultsAHD was significantly smaller during personal WRL (p &lt; 0.001) and instructed WRL (p = 0.009, AHD both 11.5 mm) compared to the unloaded position (11.9 mm). A higher wheelchair user capacity (higher anaerobic work capacity) reduced the impact of WRL on AHD decrease. The fatiguing wheelchair propulsion had no effect on AHD (p = 0.570) and on OccRatio of supraspinatus (p = 0.404) and biceps (p = 0.448). Subject characteristics related to a larger subacromial space were lower lesion level, shorter time since injury, impaired external rotation, a lower body mass index and a higher anaerobic work capacity.ConclusionThis study showed a significant reduction in AHD during WRL with no effect of fatiguing wheelchair propulsion on the subacromial space in wheelchair users with SCI. A higher anaerobic work capacity was beneficial in stabilizing the shoulder during WRL. Our findings may assist clinicians in designing a shoulder injury prevention program