Find research datasets worth reusing

Data from: Postpartum management of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: a systematic review

Objectives Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) affect one in ten pregnancies and often persist postpartum when complications can occur. We aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of pharmacologic interventions, other interventions, and different care models for postpartum hypertension management. Design A systematic review was undertaken. Nine electronic databases, including Medline, were searched from inception to 16/03/2017. After duplicate removal, 4,561 records were screened. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted study characteristics and data, and assessed methodological quality. Setting Randomised controlled trials, case-control studies, and cohort studies from any country and healthcare setting. Participants Postnatal women with HDP. Interventions Therapeutic intervention for management of hypertension, compared with another intervention, placebo, or no intervention. Primary and secondary outcome measures Outcome data were collected for maternal mortality and severe morbidity; systolic, diastolic and mean arterial blood pressure (BP) control; and safety data. Secondary outcome data collected included the length of postnatal hospital stay and laboratory values. Results 39 studies were included (n=2,901). Results were heterogeneous in terms of intervention, comparison and outcome requiring a narrative approach. There were insufficient data to recommend any single pharmacologic intervention. 18 studies reported calcium-channel blockers, vasodilators and beta-blockers lowered BP postpartum. 12 of these reported safety data. Limited data existed regarding management in the weeks following hospital discharge. Neither loop diuretics (three studies) nor corticosteroids (one study) produced clinical benefit. Uterine curettage significantly reduced BP over the first 48 hours postpartum (range 6-13mmHg) compared to standard care (eight studies), with safety data only reported by 4/8 studies. Conclusion There was insufficient evidence to recommend a particular BP threshold, agent, or model of care but three classes of antihypertensive appeared variably effective. Further comparative research, including robust safety data, is required. Curettage reduced BP, but without adequate reporting of harms, so cannot currently be recommended.

Data from: Predator-prey trophic relationships in response to organic management practices

A broad range of environmental conditions likely regulate predator-prey population dynamics and impact the structure of these communities. Central to understanding the interplay between predator and prey populations and their importance is characterizing the corresponding trophic interactions. Here we use a well-documented molecular approach to examine the structure of the community of natural enemies preying upon the squash bug, Anasa tristis, a herbivorous cucurbit pest that severely hinders organic squash and pumpkin production in the United States. Primer pairs were designed to examine the effects of organic management practices on the strength of these trophic connections and link this metric to measures of the arthropod predator complex density and diversity within an experimental open-field context. Replicated plots of butternut squash were randomly assigned to three treatments and were sampled throughout a growing season. Row-covers treatments had significant negative effects on squash bug and predator communities. In total, 640 predators were tested for squash bug molecular gut-content, of which 11% were found to have preyed on squash bugs, but predation varied over the season between predator groups (coccinellids, geocorids, nabids, web-building spiders and hunting spiders). Through the linking of molecular gut-content analysis to changes in diversity and abundance, these data delineate the complexity of interaction pathways on a pest that limits the profitability of organic squash production.

opencc-zeroSep 2014View details →

Data from: Women are underrepresented on the editorial boards of journals in environmental biology and natural resource management

Despite women earning similar numbers of graduate degrees as men in STEM disciplines, they are underrepresented in upper level positions in both academia and industry. Editorial board memberships are an important example of such positions; membership is both a professional honor in recognition of achievement and an opportunity for professional advancement. We surveyed 10 highly regarded journals in environmental biology, natural resource management, and plant sciences to quantify the number of women on their editorial boards and in positions of editorial leadership (i.e., Associate Editors and Editors-in-Chief) from 1985 to 2013. We found that during this time period only 16% of subject editors were women, with more pronounced disparities in positions of editorial leadership. Although the trend was towards improvement over time, there was surprising variation between journals, including those with similar disciplinary foci. While demographic changes in academia may reduce these disparities over time, we argue journals should proactively strive for gender parity on their editorial boards. This will both increase the number of women afforded the opportunities and benefits that accompany board membership and increase the number of role models and potential mentors for early-career scientists and students.

Data from: Primary care management of headaches and how direct-access MRI fits: a qualitative study of UK general practitioners' views

Objectives To develop a better understanding of General Practitioners' (GPs) views and experiences of the management of patients with headaches and use of direct access magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and observe outcomes of an educational session offered by a GP with a Special Interest (GPwSI) to GPs. Design A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews, analysed using thematic analysis. A GPwSI in headaches visited practices delivering a talk on headache medication, diagnosis, and management. Setting Sixteen (16) primary care family practices in South London, United Kingdom. Participants Twenty (20) General Practitioners. Results Not all GPs were aware of the availability of direct access MRI, but all acknowledged having used referral or direct-scans to manage patients' concern about their headaches. A normal scan result helped resolve uncertainty for patient and GP, and helped management towards discussion of preventative treatment. However, patients with psychological and/or severe headache symptoms could not necessarily be reassured. GPs reported difficulty interpreting radiology reports, particularly incidental abnormalities. Those who received the educational talk gained knowledge in diagnosis and medication, improving their confidence in management. Conclusions Increased access to imaging, training in headache management, addressing physical and psychological symptoms, and standardized reporting of scans, may improve GP use of direct access MRI in future.

Data from: Deciphering the associations between soil microbial diversity and ecosystem multifunctionality driven by long-term fertilization management

1.An increasing number of studies indicate that microbial diversity plays a crucial role in the mediation of ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) in natural ecosystems. However, this point remains mostly overlooked in managed ecosystems, especially in agriculture. 2.Here, we compiled promising strategies for the targeted exploitation of the associations between microbial diversity and EMF of agricultural soils using samples from two long-term (more than 30 years) experimental field sites in southern China. The two sites experienced a similar subtropical monsoon climate and fertilization management practices. We used high-throughput amplicon sequencing, structural equation modeling (SEM), and random forest analysis, to analyze our data and validate our hypotheses. 3.We found that soil physiochemical properties and the C-, N-, P- and S-cycle enzyme activities were increased with the increase of microbial diversity. Specifically, a positive linear relationship was observed between microbial diversity and EMF, which was mediated by long-term fertilization management via changes in soil microbial communities and physiochemical properties. Random forest analysis and SEM showed that the important role of microbial diversity on EMF was maintained even when simultaneously taking multiple multifunctionality drivers (soil physiochemical properties, soil aggregation and enzymatic patterns) into account. In addition, microbial diversity, C-cycle enzyme activity and pH value are feasible predictors of EMF; these factors were shown to be the main drivers of EMF of arable soils. 4. Our findings suggest that there may be a limited degree of multifunctional redundancy in arable soils. The relationship we observed between microbial diversity and EMF suggests that management practices that foster more diverse soil microbial communities may have the potential to improve the functioning of agroecosystems.

Data from: Pedigree analysis reveals a generational decline in reproductive success of captive Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii): implications for captive management of threatened species

Captive breeding programs are an increasingly popular tool to augment the conservation of threatened wild populations. Many programs keep detailed pedigrees, which are used to prescribe breeding targets to meet demographic and genetic goals. Annual breeding targets are based on previous productivity, but do not account for changes in reproductive success that may occur over generations in captivity and which may impair the ability of a program to meet its goals. We utilise a large studbook from the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) captive breeding program to investigate biological, genetic and environmental factors that affect variation in reproductive success among individuals and over generations of captive breeding. Reproductive success declined with increasing generations in captivity: wild-born females had a 56.5% chance of producing a litter compared to a 2.8% chance for generation 5 captive-born females (N = 182) and when they did, wild-born females produced more offspring (3.1 joeys, 95% CI: 2.76 - 3.38, compared to 2.7 joeys, 95% CI: 2.55 - 2.90, in captive-born females [N = 105]). Reproductive success also declined as dam age at first breeding increased. Our results reveal a conflict with the widely-cited conservation strategy to limit opportunity for selection by extending generation length through delaying reproduction, as captive breeding programs that delay female breeding with this goal in mind risk reduced productivity. Our data demonstrate the benefit of pedigree analysis to identify biological processes that reveal crucial trade-offs with conservation best-practice.

opencc-zeroDec 2011View details →

Data from: A randomised trial comparing the clinical effectiveness of different emergency department healthcare professionals in soft tissue injury management

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of soft tissue injury management by emergency nurse practitioners (ENPs) and extended scope physiotherapists (ESPs) compared to the routine care provided by doctors in a UK emergency department (ED). DESIGN: Randomised, pragmatic trial of equivalence. SETTING: One adult ED in England. PARTICIPANTS: 372 patients were randomised; 126 to the ESP group, 123 to the ENP group and 123 to the doctor group. Participants were adults (older than 16 years) presenting to the ED with a peripheral soft tissue injury eligible for management by any of the three professional groups. Patients were excluded if they had any of the following: injury greater than 72 hours old; systemic disease; dislocated joints; recent surgery; unable to give informed consent (eg, dementia), open wounds; major deformities; opiate analgesia required; concurrent chest/rib injury; neurovascular deficits and associated fracture. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomised to treatment by ESPs, ENPs or routine care provided by doctors (of all grades). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Upper-limb and lower-limb functional scores, quality of life, physical well-being, preference-based health measures and the number of days off work. RESULTS: The clinical outcomes of soft tissue injury treated by ESPs and ENPs in the ED were equivalent to routine care provided by doctors. CONCLUSIONS: As all groups were clinically equivalent it is other factors such as cost, workforce sustainability, service provision and skill mix that become important. This result validates the role of the ENP, which is becoming established as an integral part of minor injuries care, and demonstrates that the ESP should be considered as part of the clinical skill mix without detriment to outcomes. ISRCTN-ISRCTN trials register number 70891354.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Current management of surgical oncologic emergencies

Objectives: For some oncologic emergencies, surgical interventions are necessary for dissolution or temporary relieve. In the absence of guidelines, the most optimal method for decision making would be in a multidisciplinary cancer conference (MCC). In an acute setting, the opportunity for multidisciplinary discussion is often not available. In this study, the management and short term outcome of patients after surgical oncologic emergency consultation was analyzed. Method: A prospective registration and follow up of adult patients with surgical oncologic emergencies between 01-11-2013 and 30-04-2014. The follow up period was 30 days. Results: In total, 207 patients with surgical oncologic emergencies were included. Postoperative wound infections, malignant obstruction, and clinical deterioration due to progressive disease were the most frequent conditions for surgical oncologic emergency consultation. During the follow up period, 40% of patients underwent surgery. The median number of involved medical specialties was two. Only 30% of all patients were discussed in a MCC within 30 days after emergency consultation, and only 41% of the patients who underwent surgery were discussed in a MCC. For 79% of these patients, the surgical procedure was performed before the MCC. Mortality within 30 days was 13%. Conclusion: In most cases, surgery occurred without discussing the patient in a MCC, regardless of the fact that multiple medical specialties were involved in the treatment process. There is a need for prognostic aids and acute oncology pathways with structural multidisciplinary management. These will provide in faster institution of the most appropriate personalized cancer care, and prevent unnecessary investigations or invasive therapy.

opencc-zeroDec 2017View details →

Data from: Evaluating the costs and benefits of marsh-management strategies while accounting for uncertain sea-level rise and ecosystem response

Prioritization of marsh-management strategies is a difficult task as it requires a manager to evaluate the relative benefits of each strategy given uncertainty in future sea-level rise and in dynamic marsh response. A modeling framework to evaluate the costs and benefits of management strategies while accounting for both of these uncertainties has been developed. The base data for the tool are high-resolution uncertainty-analysis results from SLAMM (the Sea-Level Affecting Marshes Model) under different adaptive-management strategies. These results are combined with an ecosystem-valuation assessment from stakeholders. Model results and stakeholder values are linked together using "utility functions" that characterize the relationship between stakeholder values and geometric metrics such as "marsh area," marsh edge," or "marsh width." The expected-value of each site's ecosystem benefits can then be calculated and compared using estimated costs for each strategy. Estimates of optimal marsh-management strategies may then be produced, maximizing the "ecosystem benefits per estimated costs" ratio.

Data from: Testing for multiple invasion routes and source populations for the invasive brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) on Guam: implications for pest management

The brown treesnake (Boiga irregularis) population on the Pacific island of Guam has reached iconic status as one of the most destructive invasive species of modern times, yet no published works have used genetic data to identify a source population. We used DNA sequence data from multiple genetic markers and coalescent-based phylogenetic methods to place the Guam population within the broader phylogeographic context of B. irregularis across its native range and tested whether patterns of genetic variation on the island are consistent with one or multiple introductions from different source populations. We also modeled a series of demographic scenarios that differed in the effective size and duration of a population bottleneck immediately following the invasion on Guam, and measured the fit of these simulations to the observed data using approximate Bayesian computation. Our results exclude the possibility of serial introductions from different source populations, and instead verify a single origin from the Admiralty Archipelago off the north coast of Papua New Guinea. This finding is consistent with the hypothesis that B. irregularis was accidentally transported to Guam during military relocation efforts at the end of World War II. Demographic model comparisons suggest that multiple snakes were transported to Guam from the source locality, but that fewer than 10 individuals could be responsible for establishing the population. Our results also provide evidence that low genetic diversity stemming from the founder event has not been a hindrance to the ecological success of B. irregularis on Guam, and at the same time offers a unique 'genetic opening' to manage snake density using classical biological approaches.

Data from: Optimal management strategy of insecticide resistance under various insect life histories: heterogeneous timing of selection and inter-patch dispersal

Although theoretical studies have shown that the mixture strategy, which uses multiple toxins simultaneously, can effectively delay the evolution of insecticide resistance, whether it is the optimal management under different insect life histories and insecticide types remains unknown. To test the robustness of the management strategy over the life histories, we developed a series of simulation models which cover almost all the diploid insect types and have the same basic structure describing pest population dynamics and resistance evolution with discrete time-steps. For each of two insecticidal toxins, one-locus two-allele autosomal inheritance of resistance was assumed. The simulations demonstrated the optimality of the mixture strategy either when insecticide efficacy was incomplete or when some part of the population disperses between patches before mating. The rotation strategy, which uses one insecticide on one pest generation and a different one on the next, did not differ from sequential usage in the time to resistance, except when dominance was low. It was the optimal strategy when insecticide efficacy was high and pre-mating selection and dispersal occur.

opencc-zeroDec 2014View details →

Data from: Prioritizing land management efforts at a landscape scale: a case study using prescribed fire in Wisconsin

One challenge in the effort to conserve biodiversity is identifying where to prioritize resources for active land management. Cost-benefit analyses have been used successfully as a conservation tool to identify sites that provide the greatest conservation benefit per unit cost. Our goal was to apply cost-benefit analysis to the question of how to prioritize land management efforts, in our case the application of prescribed fire to natural landscapes in Wisconsin, USA. We quantified and mapped frequently burned communities, and prioritized management units based on a suite of indices that captured ecological benefits, management effort, and the feasibility of successful long-term management actions. Data for these indices came from LANDFIRE, Wisconsin's Wildlife Action Plan, and a nationwide Wildland Urban Interface assessment. We found that the majority of frequently burned vegetation types occurred in the southern portion of the state. However, the highest-priority areas for applying prescribed fire occurred in the central, northwest, and northeast portion of the state where frequently burned vegetation patches were larger and where identified areas of high biological importance area occurred. Although our focus was on the use of prescribed fire in Wisconsin, our methods can be adapted to prioritize other land management activities. Such prioritization is necessary to achieve the greatest possible benefits from limited funding for land management actions, and our results show that it is feasible at scales that are relevant for land management decisions.

Data from: Management of behavioural change in patients presenting with a diagnosis of dementia: a video vignette study with Australian general practitioners

Objective: To test the impact of feedback on the proposed management of standardised patients presenting with behavioural change with a diagnosis of dementia in Australian primary care. Materials and methods: A video vignette study was performed with Australian general practitioners (GPs) in 2013. Participants viewed six pairs of matched videos depicting people presenting changed behaviour in the context of a dementia diagnosis in two phases. In both phases GPs indicated their diagnosis and management. After phase 1, GPs were offered feedback on management strategies for the patients depicted. Analyses focused on identification of change in management between the two phases of the study. Factors impacting on the intention to coordinate care for such patients were tested in a questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Results: Forty-five GPs completed the study. There was significant improvement in the proposed management of three of the six scenarios after the intervention. Older GPs were more likely to refer appropriately (OR=1.11 (1.01 to 1.23), p=0.04.). Overall referral to support agencies was more likely after the intervention (OR=2.52 (1.53 to 4.14), p<0.001). Older GPs were less likely to intend to coordinate care for such patients (OR=0.89 (0.81 to 0.98) p=0.02). Participants who felt confident about their ability to coordinate care were more likely to do so (OR=3.79 (1.08 to 13.32) p=0.04). Conclusions: The intervention described in this study promoted multidisciplinary management of patients with behavioural problems with a diagnosis of dementia. Increasing practitioner confidence in their ability to coordinate care may increase the proportion of GPs who will respond to patients and carers in this context. Older GPs may benefit in particular.

opencc-zeroJun 2019View details →

Data from: Relating national levels of crop damage to population size indices of large grazing birds: implications for management

1. Populations of large grazing birds have increased in Europe during at least five decades, raising conflicts between conservation and farming interests. Managing these conflicts requires knowledge about the currently unknown relationship between population sizes and crop damage levels. 2. We analyzed unique data on reported, inspected and compensated crop damage caused by geese, swans and cranes together with data from population surveys in Sweden to investigate how bird abundance related to damage levels at the national scale between 2000 and 2015. 3. Over the study period, the annual number of damage reports, yield loss and costs for compensation increased. These crop damage levels were positively related to national population indices of common crane, barnacle and greylag goose. The shape of these relationships varied between species and encompassed considerable uncertainty. However, on a year-to-year basis (detrended data) we found no evident association between damage levels and bird numbers. 4. Yield loss and compensation costs per reported damage did not increase with higher population indices of greylag goose, but they did so for barnacle goose. 5. Synthesis and applications: We present a novel study towards the understanding of the relationships between different crop damage level indicators (damage reports, yield loss and compensation costs) and population numbers of large grazing birds. We identified a positive relationship with high uncertainty for all cases. We also identified the need to 1) better synchronize the monitoring of damages and bird numbers in time and space and 2) further study the relationships between damage levels and bird numbers at smaller (local and regional) and larger (flyway) spatial scales to reduce the uncertainty of the relationship and to gain a more holistic understanding of the system.

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Data Management in Data Lakes : Systematic mapping

The bubble charts depicts the result of the systematic mapping.

opencc-by-4.0Jun 2021View details →

Data from: An ecosystem services perspective on brush management: research priorities for competing land use objectives

1. The vegetation of semi-arid and arid landscapes is often comprised of mixtures of herbaceous and woody vegetation. Since the early 1900s, shifts from herbaceous to woody plant dominance, termed woody plant encroachment and widely regarded as a state change, have occurred world-wide. This shift presents challenges to the conservation of grassland and savanna ecosystems and to animal production in commercial ranching systems and pastoral societies. 2. Dryland management focused on cattle and sheep grazing has historically attempted to reduce the abundance of encroaching woody vegetation (hereafter, 'brush management') with the intent of reversing declines in forage production, stream flow or groundwater recharge. Here, we assess the known and potential consequences of brush management actions, both positive and negative, on a broader suite of ecosystem services, the scientific challenges to quantifying these services and the trade-offs among them. 3. Our synthesis suggests that despite considerable investments accompanying the application of brush management practices, the recovery of key ecosystem services may be short-lived or absent. However, in the absence of such interventions, those and other ecosystem services may be compromised, and the persistence of grassland and savanna ecosystem types and their endemic plants and animals threatened. 4. Addressing the challenges posed by woody plant encroachment will require integrated management systems using diverse theoretical principles to design the type, timing and spatial arrangement of initial management actions and follow-up treatments. These management activities will need to balance cultural traditions and preferences, socio-economic constraints and potentially competing land-use objectives. 5. Synthesis. Our ability to predict ecosystem responses to management aimed at recovering ecosystem services where grasslands and savannas have been invaded by native or exotic woody plants is limited for many attributes (e.g. primary production, land surface–atmosphere interactions, biodiversity conservation) and inconsistent for others (e.g. forage production, herbaceous diversity, water quality/quantity, soil erosion, carbon sequestration). The ecological community is challenged with generating robust information about the response of ecosystem services and their interactions if we are to position land managers and policymakers to make objective, science-based decisions regarding the many trade-offs and competing objectives for the conservation and dynamic management of grasslands and savannas.

Data from: Managing seagrass resilience under cumulative dredging affecting light: predicting risk using dynamic Bayesian networks

Coastal development is contributing to ongoing declines of ecosystems globally. Consequently, understanding the risks posed to these systems, and how they respond to successive disturbances, is paramount for their improved management. We study the cumulative impacts of maintenance dredging on seagrass ecosystems as a canonical example. Maintenance dredging causes disturbances lasting weeks to months, often repeated at yearly intervals. We present a risk-based modelling framework for time varying complex systems centred around a dynamic Bayesian network (DBN). Our approach estimates the impact of a hazard on a system's response in terms of resistance, recovery and persistence, commonly used to characterise the resilience of a system. We consider whole-of-system interactions including light reduction due to dredging (the hazard), the duration, frequency and start time of dredging, and ecosystem characteristics such as the life-history traits expressed by genera and local environmental conditions. The impact on resilience of dredging disturbances is evaluated using a validated seagrass ecosystem DBN for meadows of the genera Amphibolis (Jurien Bay, WA, Australia), Halophila (Hay Point, Qld, Australia) and Zostera (Gladstone, Qld, Australia). Although impacts varied by combinations of dredging parameters and the seagrass meadows being studied, in general, 3 months of duration or more, or repeat dredging every 3 or more years, were key thresholds beyond which resilience can be compromised. Additionally, managing light reduction to less than 50% can significantly decrease one or more of loss, recovery time and risk of local extinction, especially in the presence of cumulative stressors. Synthesis and applications. Our risk-based approach enables managers to develop thresholds by predicting the impact of different configurations of anthropogenic disturbances being managed. Many real-world maintenance dredging requirements fall within these parameters, and our results show that such dredging can be successfully managed to maintain healthy seagrass meadows in the absence of other disturbances. We evaluated opportunities for risk mitigation using time windows; periods during which the impact of dredging stress did not impair resilience.

opencc-zeroDec 2015View details →

Data from: Soil management shapes ecosystem service provision and trade-offs in agricultural landscapes

Agroecosystems are principally managed to maximize food provisioning even if they receive a large array of supporting and regulating ecosystem services (ESs). Hence, comprehensive studies investigating the effects of local management and landscape composition on the provision of and trade-offs between multiple ESs are urgently needed. We explored the effects of conservation tillage, nitrogen fertilization and landscape composition on six ESs (crop production, disease control, soil fertility, water quality regulation, weed and pest control) in winter cereals. Conservation tillage enhanced soil fertility and pest control, decreased water quality regulation and weed control, without affecting crop production and disease control. Fertilization only influenced crop production by increasing grain yield. Landscape intensification reduced the provision of disease and pest control. We also found tillage and landscape composition to interactively affect water quality regulation and weed control. Under N fertilization, conventional tillage resulted in more trade-offs between ESs than conservation tillage. Our results demonstrate that soil management and landscape composition affect the provision of several ESs and that soil management potentially shapes the trade-offs between them