Soil salinization is directly related to the quantity and quality of food production, and often, to increased energy demands for high-quality irrigation water. Reliable monitoring of soil salinity based on a less laborious method than the soil saturated paste (SP) extract methodology is required. In the present study, an attempt is made to relate the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil saturated paste (SP) extract (ECe) with the EC determined in the 1:1 and 1:5 soil over water mass ratios, (soil:water) extracts (EC1:1 and EC1:5). ECe, EC1:1, and EC1:5 values were obtained for 198 soil samples from five different locations in Greece. The results have shown that strong linear relationships exist between the ECe and the EC1:1 and EC1:5 values (R2 > 0.93), and that the slopes of these linear relationships decreased from coarse to fine soil types. For 123 soil samples, the concentrations of Κ+, Νa+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Cl− were also determined in the extracts of the three applied methodologies. Ion concentrations in the 1:1 and 1:5 extracts were highly correlated with the respective ion concentrations in the SP extracts. These findings strongly suggest that EC1:1 and EC1:5 values can be safely used for the estimation of ECe.

Background and purpose Prospectively collected data comparing the safety and effectiveness of individual non-vitamin K antagonists (NOACs) are lacking. Our objective was to directly compare the effectiveness and safety of NOACs in patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods In GLORIA-AF, a large, prospective, global registry program, consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AF were followed for 3 years. The comparative analyses for (1) dabigatran vs rivaroxaban or apixaban and (2) rivaroxaban vs apixaban were performed on propensity score (PS)-matched patient sets. Proportional hazards regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for outcomes of interest. Results The GLORIA-AF Phase III registry enrolled 21,300 patients between January 2014 and December 2016. Of these, 3839 were prescribed dabigatran, 4015 rivaroxaban and 4505 apixaban, with median ages of 71.0, 71.0, and 73.0 years, respectively. In the PS-matched set, the adjusted HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for dabigatran vs rivaroxaban were, for stroke: 1.27 (0.79–2.03), major bleeding 0.59 (0.40–0.88), myocardial infarction 0.68 (0.40–1.16), and all-cause death 0.86 (0.67–1.10). For the comparison of dabigatran vs apixaban, in the PS-matched set, the adjusted HRs were, for stroke 1.16 (0.76–1.78), myocardial infarction 0.84 (0.48–1.46), major bleeding 0.98 (0.63–1.52) and all-cause death 1.01 (0.79–1.29). For the comparison of rivaroxaban vs apixaban, in the PS-matched set, the adjusted HRs were, for stroke 0.78 (0.52–1.19), myocardial infarction 0.96 (0.63–1.45), major bleeding 1.54 (1.14–2.08), and all-cause death 0.97 (0.80–1.19). Conclusions Patients treated with dabigatran had a 41% lower risk of major bleeding compared with rivaroxaban, but similar risks of stroke, MI, and death. Relative to apixaban, patients treated with dabigatran had similar risks of stroke, major bleeding, MI, and death. Rivaroxaban relative to apixaban had increased risk for major bleeding, but similar risks for stroke, MI, and death. Registration URL: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifiers: NCT01468701, NCT01671007. Date of registration: September 2013. Graphical abstract

The standard methodology for the soil salinity assessment is provided through the determination of the electrical conductivity (EC) of the soil saturated paste extract, ECe. This approach is cumbersome and tedious. Instead of this, it appears easier to measure the EC of various soil over water mass ratios, (soil:water), such as 1:1, 1:5. In the present study an attempt is made to compare the ECe methodology with the methods providing the EC1:1 and EC1:5. ECe, and EC1:1 or EC1:5 values were obtained from 198 soil samples from 5 different locations in Greece. It was shown that the methods providing EC1:1 and EC1:5 values are linearly correlated to the ECe methodology with a high correlation coefficient (R 2 > 0.93).