Many species of gulls have expanded their range worldwide and massively occupied coastal islands. These colonisations have not only affected the biotic interactions among seabird colonies, but also altered the soil chemistry through excrement accumulation. To test whether the seabird colony size determines nutrient levels of island soil, we carried out a field study during a breeding season on six Mediterranean islands in central North Algeria which harbour different population sizes of the yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis). We sampled the soil and measured a suite of physical (area, floral richness, clay, fine silt, large silt, fine sand and large sand content) and chemical (pH, electric conductivity, limestone, organic matter, N, P, Ca, Mg, K and Na) properties and the colony size and density of the yellow-legged gull. Using principal component analysis, we found that the six islands showed some physicochemical similarities, but island area, colony size and soil N and P levels structured the islands into different groups. Although there was evidence of a positive relationship between colony size and N and P soil levels, this relationship was not linear. Our results suggest that historical rather than punctual data on the colony size of seabirds might give more robust predictions of soil physicochemistry of islands.
Background: Successful labor induction is clearly related to the state of the cervix. The utero-cervical angle and cervical length represent novel ultrasonographic markers. Aim: To assess the relationship between utero-cervical angle and cervical length and satisfactory response to labor induction. Methods: Prospective cohort study was conducted in Al-Elwyia Maternity Teaching Hospital for a period of six months; 100 cases were enrolled in the study, and a pre-labor induction measurement of utero-cervical angle and cervical length using transvaginal ultrasound scanning was followed up till the end of labor to estimate the rate of success of induction of labor. Results: 65 patients had successful induction of labor and 35 failed to do so. No differences were found in demographic data and previous obstetric history. Short cervical length and wide utero-cervical angle were found in successful induction of labor. A significant negative correlation was found between utero-cervical angle and labor duration. At the cutoff point of 97.5 degrees of utero-cervical angle, the sensitivity was 83.12%, specificity was 71.4%, positive predictive value was 84.38%, negative predictive value was 69.45% and the accuracy was 88%. At a cutoff point of less than 29.5 mm of cervical length, the sensitivity was 92.3%, specificity was 80%, positive predictive value was 89.55%, negative predictive value was 84.84% and the accuracy was 88%. Conclusion: Utero-cervical angle and cervical length may be independent predictors of successful induction of labor.
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