Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: Fidelity level Croton macrostachyus, Pentas spp. , Triticum dicoccon and Commelina benghalensis were the four plant species with the highest fidelity levels (100%). The first two species were in the skeletomuscular system disorders categories and the following two species were in endocrine/metabolic/nutritional and dermatological infections/diseases categories, respectively, and were followed by Citrus aurantiifolia (98%) and Solanium macrocarpon (97%) correspondingly within the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems diseases categories. A higher fidelity level (FL) can imply that a particular plant purpose is preferred if informants mentioned it often. In contrast, the lowest fidelity level value was assigned to Verbascum sinaiticum (25%), followed by Euphorbia tirucalli (27%) from poisonous bites and the genito-urinary ailments category, respectively. A lower fidelity level implies that a particular plant purpose is not preferred (Table 4). Direct matrix ranking Based on the evaluation of key informants, the functionality of multifunctional medicinal plants to the local people scored from 1 to 5. The output of the direct matrix analysis found Persea americana Mill. to be the preferred medicinal plant used for various purposes by the local people, followed by Acaciaabyssinica Benth. and Eucalyptusglobulus Labill. (Table 5). Preference ranking A preference ranking of six medicinal plants that were reported as effective for treating stomachache was conducted after selecting six key (knowledgeable) participants. Stomachache is the most occurring disease treated by more medicinal plants. The members were requested to associate the specified medicinal plants with their efficacy. The results showed that Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce ex Steud. ) J. F. Gmel. scored the highest mark and ranked first indicating that it was the most effective in treating stomachache and followed by Solanium incanum L. (Table 6). The p14. 3%) was the biggest contributor, followed by Asteraceae and Poaceae (10. 2%) and Euphorbiaceae (8. 16%). Solanaceae are considered to have a wide variety of alkaloids. Therapeutic, these are the most potent known anticholinergic species used for medicinal purposes in the world. family is characteristically ethnobotanical, which is commonly used by humans. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the claim about Aloe vera specifically; instead, it discusses various other plant species and their fidelity levels in relation to medicinal uses. It details research on plants like Croton macrostachyus and Pentas spp. for specific ailments but does not mention Aloe vera or its use for skin ailments.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: Including 168 h, there was non-statistical significant difference in effect at other counting intervals thereafter (Table 1). EPN effect on mature larvae stageWhen assessing the impact of H. bacteriophora (isolate Z-1) and S. feltiae (isolate A-16) on the mature larval stage of the pest with increasing concentration, a significant correlation (concentration/EPN) was observed (P < 0. 05). The effects of EPN isolates on the larval stage of the pest are detailed in Table 2. The initial effect of H. bacteriophora (isolate Z-1) on mature larvae was noted at 48 h, with a mortality of 19. 7% at the 1000 IJs concentration (F: 11. 83; df: 3. 23; P < 0. 05). However, the highest larval mortality was determined as 97. 6% at 96 h at a concentration of 1000 IJs/ml (F: 40. 97; df: 3. 23; P < 0. 05). Larval mortality was 39. 7, 77. 6, and 97. 6%, respectively, depending on the increasing concentration at 120 h. After this application time, the effect remained constant and no statistical difference was recorded (F: 32. 13; df: 3. 23; P < 0. 05). When evaluating the effect of each concentration of isolate Z-1on the larval period over time, a significant correlation (concentration/time) was observed (P < 0. 05) (Table 2). The effect of isolate A-16 on the larval stages was determined as 3. 6% in 1000 IJs and was statistically in the same group with the other concentrations (F: 1. 53; df: 3. 23: P˃0. 05). Nonetheless, the highest larval mortality was 85. 8% at the end of 120th hrs with 1000 IJs/ml concentration (F: 35. 77; df: 3. 23: P<0. 05). At 72 h, the effects were determined as 0. 6, 11. 5 and, 43. 0% IJs, respectively, depending on the increasing concentrate, while 1000 IJs was in a different group from the other sub-concentrations (F: 9. 86; df: 3. 23: P<0. 05). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by demonstrating the effectiveness of entomopathogenic nematodes (such as H. bacteriophora and S. feltiae) in reducing the larval population of pest insects. It details significant mortality rates of the larvae at various concentrations of nematodes, indicating their potential as biological control agents against soil pests. The description of mortality rates—19.7% at 1000 IJs concentration at 48 hours, and up to 97.6% at 96 hours—supports the claim that these nematodes can effectively control pest populations.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Panel (b) same as in (a) for 402 tree-ring records. DownloadThe lack of a long-term negative trend in the average global tree-ring record could be related to the difficulty of retaining such low-frequency variance in dendrochronological time series (Cook et al. , 1995). Esper et al. (2012) demonstrated that orbital trends are retained in a long and well-replicated maximum latewood density (MXD) chronology, whereas such variability could not be preserved in the tree-ring width (TRW) data of the same trees. Esper et al. (2012) argues that, unlike long MXD records, tree-ring width (TRW) records are incapable of capturing orbital trends. If this is the case, then including TRW records in past global temperature assessments might result in an underestimate of pre-instrumental warmth, e. g. , during medieval and Roman times (Esper et al. , 2004; Frank et al. , 2010; Wang et al. , 2014). Combining proxies that systematically vary in their low-frequency trends seemingly contributes to the development of temperature reconstructions of differing temperature amplitudes over the pre-industrial era (Christiansen and Ljungqvist, 2012, 2011; D'Arrigo et al. , 2006; Hakim et al. , 2016; Jones et al. , 1998; Juckes et al. , 2007; Ljungqvist et al. , 2012; Mann et al. , 1999, 2008; PAGES2k Consortium, 2013; Schneider et al. , 2015; Steiger et al. , 2018; Wilson et al. , 2016). Here we analyze the PAGES2k collection of temperature-sensitive proxy records to understand why the mean tree-ring record lacks a pre-industrial millennial-scale cooling trend that is otherwise preserved in ice core and lake and marine sediment data. We hypothesize that the absence of this long-term negative trend in tree-ring chronologies may be a consequence of the climate sensitivity of the trees used, their detrending, and spatial distribution of the datasets. To test these potential explanations, we explore the effect of three significant attributes of just the tree-ring component that may have a bearing on the long-term temperature trend reported in the PAGES2k initiative. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the significance of tree-ring records in understanding long-term climate trends. It mentions that tree-ring width (TRW) records are incapable of preserving certain variability but does not state that they cannot be used at all for studying past environmental changes. In fact, the text indicates that the researchers analyze tree-ring chronologies alongside other proxies to explore climate trends, implying their relevance in such studies.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: It is an essential source of food, spice, and medicine and is also recorded for insecticidal properties [28]. In the report, Asteraceae and Poaceae were the second dominant families in human health care. However, other ethnobotanical researchers [29] [30] considered Asteraceae to be dominant in their field of study. This can be attributed to the geographical location, the social condition, and other cultural causes of local communities. The degree of ethnobotanical exploration in their areas of study may be a further explanation, or the entire region may not have been explored thoroughly. In the field of research, most plants have been used for treating human and livestock diseases. Among the 50 medicinal plants, 41 species were used for the treatment of 27 human ailments, whereas one species was used to treat one livestock ailments. The other eight species were used for the treatment of four common human and livestock diseases. Many medicinal plants have been used to treat a greater proportion of human diseases than animals because of human diseases such as stomachache, snake biting, cough, malaria, wound, ‘mitch’, and toothache. The rural population in the study area due to its socio-economic situation, the distance from its living area, and a lack of road infrastructure are not readily accessible for modern medical facilities. Abebe [8] and Hostettmann and Marston [2] have stated that 80% of people in the country are still using herbal remedies for various problems. Similar results from their study sites have been recorded in Ethiopia by many researchers [14] [12] [33]. Medicinal plants are often gathered from the wild by the healers in the study field. Most ethnomedicinal plants come from wild areas [13] [16]. The medicinal plants in the study area had diverse growth forms; in this case, herbs were the dominant growth form. Similarly, Chama [12], Giday et al. [14], Hailemariam et al. [16], and Lulekal et al. [31] reported that most medicinal plants were herbs in Damot Gale, Sheko, Konta and Ankober districts, respectively. In contrast, the majority of medicinal plants were shrubs in the south Omo and [17], [32]. Regassa [18], in Hawassa city, indicated that the majority of the collected medicinal plants there were trees. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the claim regarding Aloe vera specifically. Instead, it discusses the general use of various medicinal plants for treating human ailments, noting that 80% of people rely on herbal remedies. However, it does not provide evidence or mention Aloe vera or its historical usage for skin ailments, making the text irrelevant to the specific claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: Depending on the increase in concentration, the effects at 120th and 144th hrs did not change and 32. 9, 63. 9, and 85. 8% mortality was determined in the larval stage, respectively (Table 2). DiscussionIn this experiment, the insecticidal activity of two local EPNs, H. bacteriophora (isolate Z-1) and S. feltiae (isolate A-16), against adults and larvae of G. fornicata was investigated. EPNs have been reported by different researchers as a potential biological control agent for the control of different insect pest adults that overwinter in the soil and mature larvae that descend to the soil to pupate (Georgis et al. 2006). In terms of infectivity in the adult period, Z-1 isolate showed higher activity than A-16 isolate and caused death in a shorter time. In the larval stage, similarly, the mortality was high in Z-1 isolate. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (isolate Z-1) demonstrated a high impact on G. fornicata adults. Another study similar to these findings, the application of H. bacteriophora at a rate of 1000 IJs per G. fornicata adult resulted in a 100% mortality 3 days post-treatment in the laboratory (Majic et al. 2013). According to the results, G. fornicata adults were susceptible to all isolates tested in the study, while the lowest mortality was obtained from S. feltiae (isolate 09–31) with 94. 7% at 2000 IJs/adult concentration. In other isolates, mortality ranged between 97. 6 and 100% after 120 h of treatment (Çağlayan et al. 2021). It was determined that different isolates of the EPN species displayed varying activity levels against the target insect. The other EPN, S. feltiae (isolate A-16), led to different mortality against G. fornicata adults. The highest effect was achieved at a concentration of 1000 IJs with 91. 0% mortality. In addition, Trdan et al. (2006) reported that S. feltiae showed the highest efficacy in the management of Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say, 1824) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) adult populations at 15 °C. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the insecticidal activity of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) such as H. bacteriophora and S. feltiae against different insect pests. It reports significant mortality rates in the larval stages of pests, as shown by the results where 100% mortality was observed with H. bacteriophora. The mention of EPNs being a 'potential biological control agent' supports the claim that they can be used for pest management.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Figure 3(a) June–August, December–February, and annual insolation changes at 30–60∘ N relative to 2000 CE and (b) June–August insolation changes at different latitudinal bands (Laskar et al. , 2004). on the spatial and seasonally varying effect of orbital forcing over the Common Era, we expect a millennial-scale cooling trend prior to the industrial period, particularly in summer-sensitive, high northern latitude proxies (Esper et al. , 2012; Kaufman et al. , 2009). Therefore, the absence of a distinct pre-industrial cooling in the PAGES2k tree-ring network could be a by-product of the spatial distribution of tree-ring proxies in the network. If the 2k network had equal representation from midlatitude and high-latitude tree-ring records, it should capture the millennial-length cooling trend in summer, as we expect proxy records from high northern latitudes to contain a stronger summer cooling trend than their midlatitude counterparts. All tree-ring parameters, with the possible exception of δ18O (Esper et al. , 2015; Helama et al. , 2015; Young et al. , 2011), include age-related, non-climatic signals that need to be removed prior to chronology development and reconstruction (Bräker, 1981; Cook, 1990; Douglass, 1919; Fritts, 1976). The selection of a suitable tree-ring detrending method is one of the fundamental challenges in the field of dendroclimatology (Briffa et al. , 1992; Cook et al. , 1995; Esper et al. , 2004; Melvin et al. , 2013). However, tree-ring detrending methods vary in their approach to model tree growth, and if applied indiscriminately, they can remove long-term cooling trends related to orbital forcing, either intentionally or inadvertently, interpreted as biological noise (Cook et al. , 1995; Esper et al. , 2004). Given that the PAGES2k database contains no information regarding the detrending method used to produce the tree-ring chronologies in its collection, we assume all were produced using different detrending methods and that those methods are applied to differently structured tree-ring datasets (i. e. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the application of tree rings in understanding climatic trends and the importance of detrending methods that can either preserve or obscure long-term climate signals. It highlights the challenges in dendroclimatology, indicating that tree rings do indeed contain information about climatic changes, which can encompass volcanic activity and environmental disturbances.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: The results showed here that leaves were the most commonly used component, contributing rather than harvesting a root and/or whole plant to the conservation of plants. In the same way, Hailemariam et al. [16], Giday et al. [14], and Chama [12] reported leaves as the predominant plant part used in their study site. In contrast, the most frequently used plant parts were roots in the Hadiya zone [15] and in Benna-Tsemaye [11]. Lulekal et al. [32] and Tolossa et al. [17] also noted roots were the most commonly used plant part in a study focusing on district and south Omo, respectively. The local people in the district use different remedy preparation process based on the type of disease to be treated. Eating, chewing, grinding, squeezing, drinking, smelling, powdering, painting, boiling, hold on, and spitting were some of the preparation methods used to treat human and livestock diseases. In this survey, eating and chewing were the most widely used process. Apart from Diguna Fango, the most widely used remedy preparation methods have also been identified in similar findings [11] [18] [20]. These were grinding, followed by chewing, boiling, eating, and in liquid form. The remedies prepared have been administered in various ways. Some of the administrative routes have been oral, dermal, and nasal. In the present region, most remedies have been administered orally and the dermal and nasal routes have been followed. In various parts of Ethiopia, similar findings have also been reported. In the district of the majority of medicinal plants were given orally [12]. Tolossa et al. [17] reported that the majority of plants were used in oral applications in the south Omo. Tolossa and Megersa [33] found that prepared remedies were widely administered orally in Berbere district, Bale zone of State. In the study area, the diseases affecting both humans and livestock were 28 in number. This indicated that the people of the district suffered from fewer ailments as compared to those in other areas, such as in the Berbere district, Tolossa and Megersa [33], district, [12] and the south Omo [17]. Moreover, a single human ailment found to be treatable by several medicinal plants. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the use of Aloe vera specifically for treating skin ailments nor does it provide any information about its historical use. Instead, it discusses various plant parts used in preparing remedies and the methods of administration of those remedies in different regions of Ethiopia, without mentioning Aloe vera or skin ailments. Therefore, it is irrelevant to the claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: Researchers found that a high efficacy of different strains and concentrations of S. feltiae on overwintering L. decemlineata adults (88 to 100%) (Wright et al. 1987). Atay and Kepenekci (2016) reported that Turkish isolates of (EPNs) (Steinernema feltiae, S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora) were tested against Holotrichapion pullum (Gyllenhal) (Coleoptera, Apionidae) under laboratory conditions at 500, 1000 and, 2000 IJs/ml and at 20 °C. S. carpocapsae caused 82. 15% mortality at 2000 IJs/ml. In contrast, S. feltiae caused 35. 21%, while H. bacteriophora caused less 30. 55% mortality. It has been reported by researchers that EPNs can show different efficacy on the same pest as well and different isolates of the same species can show different efficacy on the same pest (Canhilal et al. 2007). The results of the present study were similar to previous studies and isolate Z-1 and isolate A-16 showed different efficacy on the same insect species for both adult and larval stages. Based on the obtained results, the mortality of insects exposed to EPNs fluctuates based on factors such as: virulence, nematode species and strains, insect species, biological stages of insects, EPN concentrations, exposure duration, and temperature (Yağcı et al. 2023) The observation that G. fornicata larvae achieved the highest efficacy in shorter time than both EPN types under investigation aligns with the aforementioned discoveries. Since G. fornicata overwinters in the soil, and the mature larvae move into the soil for pupation, EPN isolates may enhance the chances of success in pest control. EPNs are more efficient against larvae and other pre-imagine stages of insects because they can enter their bodies more easily (LeBeck et al. 1993). According to the results obtained, isolate Z-1 exhibited the highest efficacy against fourth-stage larvae at a concentration of 1000 IJs, reaching 97. 6% mortality at the 96th hrs, while isolate A-16 showed the highest efficacy at 120th hrs, with 85. 8% mortality. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by providing data on the effectiveness of different strains of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against specific soil pests, demonstrating that EPNs can cause significant mortality in insects. For instance, the study mentions the mortality rates of various nematode isolates on pests, including that isolate Z-1 reached 97.6% mortality against fourth-stage larvae, indicating their potential as biological control agents.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: , the temporal distributions of short and long tree-ring measurements series, indicative of young and old trees, over the past 2000 years are not the same). If this is the case, such disparities will affect the database chronologies' long-term variability, causing the tree-ring mean to lack millennial-scale trends (Briffa et al. , 2013; Büntgen et al. , 2017; Linderholm et al. , 2014). The inclusion of chronologies having a mixed climate sensitivity (e. g. , Seim et al. , 2012) and their potential introduction of non-temperature-related noise (Baltensweiler et al. , 2008) might weaken a reconstruction. The establishment of large-scale (continental or hemispheric) temperature reconstructions relies on the assumption that all proxy records used to produce the reconstruction have a substantial temperature signal and that the signal is temporally stable over the entire record length (Esper et al. , 2016). We assume that the inclusion of tree-ring chronologies with a mixed sensitivity, including other climate parameters besides temperature (Babst et al. , 2019, 2013; Galván et al. , 2014; Klesse et al. , 2018), weakens a reconstruction and that reconstructions composed of weakly calibrating chronologies contain less or no orbitally forced trends. We begin by describing the varying ability of the proxies used in the PAGES2k network to preserve orbitally forced, millennial-scale temperature trends. Then we evaluate and discuss how a more discriminating proxy selection might help improve our understanding of past climate variability over the Common Era. 2 Data and methods 2. 1 Data preparation 2k database (Fig. 1) was accessed via the website of the NCEI-Paleo/Service for Paleoclimatology ( last access: 31 March 2020). Hemisphere was excluded from our analysis due to having too few samples (111 records in total, with only 13 tree-ring records) and the suggestion of ambiguous links between the hemispheres on orbital timescales (Kawamura et al. , 2007; Laepple et al. , 2011; Petit et al. , 1999). All NH records were normalized over their individual record lengths by subtracting the time series mean (μ) from each single proxy value and then dividing the difference by the series' standard deviation (σ). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the varying abilities of proxies, specifically tree rings, to preserve millennial-scale temperature trends and their implications for understanding past climate variability. It highlights that tree-ring chronologies can reflect climatic conditions, implying that they may indeed be valuable in studying past environmental disturbances.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: This is in agreement with the findings of earlier studies [32], [33], [34] that found a single disease to be treated by several medicinal plants. The present study found that 22. 58% of medicinal plants were used to treat gastrointestinal diseases, with slightly lower rates for dermatological infections/diseases (12. 9%). Similarly, among the south Omo people, 24. 2% of medicinal plants were used to treat gastrointestinal complaints [17]. On average, the number of medicinal plants was substantially higher for informants under the age of 20 years than for informants above 35 years and by illiterate informants than literate ones. This may be due to the influence of modernization and a lack of interest among younger generations in botanical medicines that would contribute to the conventional knowledge of older people. Similar conclusions also show that there are substantial gaps between different age groups in traditional knowledge [34]. Unlike the study now underway, the literary young people Tefera and Kim [20] have a higher level of knowledge in the use of medicinal plants than analphabets and old people. For gastrointestinal disorders, the highest citation was found, followed by Fever. Similarly, the most frequently treated diseases in Hawassa [18] and [17] were gastrointestinal disorder and parasite infection. Furthermore, a study conducted in the Ethiopian community Sheko revealed that the widely treated diseases were skin and gastrointestinal problems [13]. In Berta, the ethnic group of Benishangul-Gumuz, diarrhea was a widely treated disease [35]. The disparity may be influenced by the climate, ethnicity, and hygiene variations in the regions. The highest-fidelity levels (100%) were found for Croton macrostachyus, Pentas spp. , Triticumdicoccon, and Commelinabenghalensis in the current study. The first two species were in the skeletomuscular system disorders categories and the following two species were in endocrine/metabolic/nutritional and dermatological infections/diseases categories, respectively. The category with the highest ICF values was cardiovascular system diseases, followed by Fever (Malaria). Similarly, the category with the highest ICF values was fever (malaria), followed by insects and ectoparasites diseases in Hawassa zuria district [20]. Regassa [18] reported stomachache had high degrees of ICF and that malaria showed the highest FL in Hawassa city. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the use of Aloe vera for treating skin ailments specifically. It discusses the general application of various medicinal plants by different communities, emphasizing their use for gastrointestinal diseases and other health issues, but does not provide information that corroborates or contrasts with the claim about Aloe vera.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: It has been known that EPNs harbor symbiotic bacteria (Salvadori 2012), which multiply and release various virulence factors, including toxin complexes, hydrolytic enzymes, hemolysins, and antimicrobial compounds. These factors typically lead to the death of the insect host within 48 h (Eleftherianos et al. 2010). In both isolates, similar to previous experiments the first effect on G. fornicata mature larvae started at 48 h and at a concentration of 1000 IJs/ml and increased over time. So far, no other study has been found where it was possible to successfully control G. fornicata larvae with EPNs. In this study, the efficacy of EPN isolates against the mature larval stage of the pest was demonstrated for the first time. Since there are no studies in the literature on the larval stage of G. fornicata, some studies were evaluated. The efficacy of several EPN isolates against L. decemlineata larvae, another economic pest in the Chrysomelidae family, has been determined (Kepenekci et al. 2015). Researchers found high efficacy of different strains and concentrations of S. feltiae on larvae (80–90%) (Wright 1987). S. feltiae caused 96% mortality and H. bacteriophora resulted in 75% mortality. As evident from other studies, there are a number of factors that contribute to variations in EPN pathogenicity. Among these, the ability to encounter, find and penetrate hosts is thought to influence pathogenicity. ConclusionsTwo local EPN isolates, H. bacteriophora (isolate Z-1) and S. feltiae (isolate A-16), demonstrated efficacy against both larval and adult stages of G. fornicata. Biological measures are notably eco-friendly. Exploring locally available nematode strains is essential, as they are better suited to adapt to regional climatic conditions compared to commercial alternatives, potentially yielding superior outcomes. Therefore, environmentally sound pest control activities need alternatives. Nonetheless, conducting field assessments of these EPN species and strains will yield more comprehensive insights into their potential. For sustainable pest control, it is very important to search for locally available nematode species that are adapted to regional climatic conditions and have the potential to give superior results compared to other control methods. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by providing evidence of the efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against soil pests, specifically demonstrating that local EPN isolates were successful in controlling G. fornicata larvae. The text mentions high mortality rates achieved with different EPN strains such as S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora, affirming their role as biological control agents. Additionally, it highlights the importance of exploring locally available EPN strains for improved pest management, which aligns with the claim about their effectiveness in biological control.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Test results show that bin size has no influence on the strength of the pre-industrial trend. We realize that the normalization and binning procedure influences the strength of the pre-industrial trend and low-frequency variability. Reversing the order of binning and normalization produced an increase in low-frequency variability. Discrepancies between glacier ice and marine and lake sediment composite chronologies and the tree-ring composite remain unchanged (Fig. S4). We propose the use of binned and scaled chronologies because potential biases due to changing resolutions, e. g. , sub-annual to multi-decadal, are mitigated. However, since we need to conform with the procedures established by the PAGES2k Consortium (2017) we followed their approach, first normalizing each record and then binning. 2. 2 Hypothesis testing To test the influence of (i) orbital forcing, (ii) tree-ring detrending, and (iii) temperature sensitivity, we extracted a subset of proxy records from the PAGES2k database, restricted to only those records longer than 800 years. This 800-year threshold is based on the reasonable assumption that longer records are more likely to express stronger millennial-scale trends. The subset includes 89 tree-ring, 16 glacier ice, 44 marine, and 29 lake sediment records. Based on the Milanković theory (Milanković, 1941) we expect latitudinally and seasonally varying temperature trends, with the strongest cooling to be found in summer-sensitive proxies from high latitudes and the least cooling to be found in the annual temperature-sensitive proxies from lower latitudes (Berger and Loutre, 1991; Laskar et al. , 2004). To assess the long-term trends preserved in an individual tree-ring record from the PAGES2k compilation (which does not report the specific detrending method used for each entry), the statistical significance of the slopes from least-squares linear regressions through each proxy record (at 50-year and 200-year resolution) was evaluated, and the fraction of records that exhibited a significant or insignificant cooling trend over the pre-industrial period (1–1800 CE) and a warming trend over the industrial (post-1800 CE) period were recorded. For those tree-ring records that do not span the entire pre-industrial period, the slope calculation was performed over their entire length. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing various methodologies and results regarding tree-ring records. It specifically analyzes the use of tree-ring records in understanding long-term climate trends and acknowledges that these records are part of a larger compilation that influences interpretations of environmental changes. Since the study involves evaluating significant cooling and warming trends in tree-ring data over specific historical periods, it suggests that tree rings are indeed relevant for studying past environmental disturbances, contrary to the claim.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: The highest informant consensus value was found for Triticum dicoccon (Schrank) which was cited by 60 respondents for treatment of bone fractures and weight gain. Medicinal plants with higher informant consensus need to be seriously considered for further ethnopharmacological studies since they are species widely applied by many people and they have been utilized for a long time [36]. The output of the preference ranking indicated that Hageniaabyssinica (Bruce ex Steud. ) J. F. Gmel. , Rutachalepensis L. , and Solanumincanum L. were the most commonly preferred medicinal plants as treatment for stomachache in humans in the study area. Similar findings for south Omo showed that the highest numbers of plant species were reported to treat abdominal or stomach disorders [17]. Acaciaabyssinica Benth, Syzygiumguineense subsp. Macrocarpum (Engl. ) F. White and Eucalyptusglobulus Labill, were ranked as the most threatened medicinal plants of the study area. According to the direct matrix ranking results, Perseaamericana Mill, was ranked first as the most preferred medicinal plant used for various purposes by the local people. The second and third most preferable medicinal plants were Acaciaabyssinica Benth. and Eucalyptusglobulus Labill. , respectively. However, Prunusafricanus is the most preferred medicinal plant for various uses in the Hadiya zone [15]. Crotonmacrostachyus is the most multipurpose medicinal plant in the Berbere district of the Bale zone [33]. In the present study, Perseaamericana Mill. was used as a type of food, as fodder, as cash crop, in house construction, and sometimes in charcoal making. According to the responses from informants, the main causes of the loss of medicinal plants in the study area were charcoal production following agricultural expansion, firewood, household construction and furniture making, deforestation, secrecy, unwillingness of the young generation, oral-based knowledge transfer, lack of awareness and environmental degradation. Similar results were found in other research concerning threats to medicinal plants in Berbere district [33], [12], and south Omo [17]. In order to maintain the indigenous knowledge and prevent the extinction of medicinal plant resources, greater conservation understanding of all members of the society is required. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the claim regarding Aloe vera or its use for skin ailments. Instead, it discusses various other medicinal plants and their applications, along with issues facing their conservation. This makes the text irrelevant to the specific claim about Aloe vera.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: Furthermore, the negative impact of chemical pesticides on the environment and human health has prompted researchers to seek new control strategies (Laznik and Trdan 2012) like cultural, physical, biological control, etc. Among biological control, various bio-agents like fungi (Trichoderma spp. , Paecilomyces lilacinus, etc. ), bacteria (Bacillus spp. , Pseudomonas fluorescens, etc. ), viruses, mites and entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are pretty effective in pest management strategies. EPNs are effective and emerging alternative for managing this insect, and these can be utilized in classical, conservation and augmentative biological control programs. Generally, EPNs are identified from 23 nematode families but the two most important families of EPNs are Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae (Koppenhöfer and Kaya 2001). The infective juveniles (IJs) of genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis are associated with their symbiotic bacteria, Xenorhabdus spp. and Photorhabdus spp. , respectively, which cause septicemia leading to the death of the insects within 24–48 h. EPNs are easy to apply and effective against most lepidopterans (Shapiro-Ilan et al. 2002). These nematodes have a good host searching ability, high virulence, ease of culturing and safety to non-target organism have led to successful integration into pest management programs to control of soil-borne pests, especially cutworms (Hussaini 2014). Many species of EPNs can recycle plant nutrients persisting in the environment. They may have direct or indirect effects on populations of plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) and plant pathogens, which help in improving soil quality in one or other possible ways. These are compatible with a wide range of chemicals, viz. insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, fertilizers and biological pesticides used in integrated pest management (IPM) programs (Lacey and Georgis 2012). In this review, some selected literature on the flourishing and efficiently use of EPNs for eco-friendly management of cutworms (Agrotis spp. ) were incited. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the effectiveness of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as biological control agents. It states that EPNs are effective in pest management strategies, particularly against soil-borne pests like cutworms. The text highlights their benefits, such as high virulence, ease of application, and compatibility with integrated pest management programs, supporting the assertion that EPNs are valuable in controlling soil pests.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Those records with significant warming and cooling trends were further analyzed with respect to proxy type (archive), latitude, and temperature-sensitive seasonality. These analyses were repeated over the proxies' common period 1200–1800 CE as well as with only those records that span the entire Common Era. The latter constrains the network to only 11 tree-ring, 10 glacier ice, 8 marine sediment, and 6 lake sediment records. To account for the bias due to an inhomogeneous distribution of sites along a latitudinal gradient, we randomly selected 1000 times 10 records from latitudinal bands 0–90, 30–60, and 60–90∘ N to determine the number of records showing an (in-) significant cooling or warming over the pre-industrial period. In addition, we produced 50-year and 200-year binned records (tree composite versus glacier ice, marine sediment and lake sediment composite) for each latitudinal band, to illustrate chronology trend changes along the gradient. Additionally, we explored the influence of the absolute record length on the strength of the pre-industrial cooling. As noted previously, the PAGES2k compilation does not include mention of the detrending method used to produce each tree-ring chronology. To address this omission, we re-standardized the tree-ring records, to test how the choice of detrending method used affects the resulting chronologies' millennial-scale trend. Of the 89 chronologies selected, the raw data of 22 datasets could not be obtained from either the International Tree-ring Databank (ITRDB) or the original authors. Consequently, this aspect of our analysis focuses on a subset of 67 chronologies. The tree-ring detrending methods applied are the calculation of residuals from individually fit (i) negative exponential functions (NEG), and (ii) from regional curve standardization (RCS; Briffa et al. , 1992; Esper et al. , 2003). The individual series detrending method (i) emphasizes annual to centennial trends in the resulting index chronology (Cook and Peters, 1981) by removing long-term trends that exceed the lengths of sampled trees. By contrast, RCS (ii) attempts to preserve low-frequency climate variability through its addressing of the so-called “segment length curse” (Briffa and Melvin, 2011; Cook et al. , 1995). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by detailing various methods of analyzing tree-ring records and their importance in studying climate variability over time. It mentions the exploration of chronologies and how tree-ring data has been used in conjunction with other proxies to assess historical warming and cooling trends, indicating that tree rings are indeed valuable for understanding past environmental disturbances.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: Comparison with previous ethnobotanical studies Allium sativum L. and Vernonia amygdalina, Sch. Bip. , were the most frequently used plant for stomachache, malaria, wound, evil eye, and cough in the present study, and similarly, Chama [12] reported this plant use for malaria in district. Giday etal. [14] reported for headache treatment in Sheko and for evil eye Wubetu [37]. Coffeearabica L. was the most frequently used plant for headaches and wound in the present study. These findings also agreed with the study conducted in the Sheko district [14] and district [38]. The plant in the present study for the treatment of wounds is reported for the first time. Capsicum annuum L. and Capsicum frutescens L. were the most commonly used medicinal plants as a treatment for headache in the present study. Similar findings for Sheko people showed that the plants were reported to treat headache [14]. Aloe vera was reported in the present study for the treatment of malaria, diabetes, and wound. The previous studies conducted in other areas mentioned the use of Aloe spp. for cold and malaria treatment in Kembata [18] and district [12]. Zingiber officinale and Rhamnus prinoides was the most frequently used plant and reported to be used against tonsillitis and cough in our study. Similarly, Chama [12] mentioned these plants are used for tonsillitis and cough. Triticumdicoccon (Schrank) Schübl, Linumusitatissimum L. and Hordeumvulgare L. were used to treat bone fractures; weight gain, liver disease, and bone strength in the present study, whereas it is used for similar purpose in other study areas [20]. Moringa stenopetala (Bakerf. ) Cufod was documented for amoeba, hypertension, malaria, asthma treatment in the current study. Hailemariam et al. [16] and Tefera and Kim [20] reported this plant use for similar health problems from Konta special woreda and Hawassa zuria district, respectively. Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm. ) Swingle, Datura stramonium L. and Dovyalis abyssinica (A. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not directly address the claim regarding the use of Aloe vera for treating skin ailments. It mentions Aloe vera in conjunction with treating malaria, diabetes, and wounds, but does not provide evidence of its historical use specifically for skin ailments. Thus, it is irrelevant to the claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: The damage done by cutworms to potato tubers leads to the attraction of secondary pathogens, which further cause additive damage to potatoes. EPNs and their role as biocontrol agents of cutwormsThe most commonly used and effective species of EPNs belong to the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae. These families are classified into genera Steinernema Travassos, 1927 and Heterorhabditis Pionar, 1975. Generally, both genera have similar life cycles, and the only difference between the life cycles of Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp. is occurred in the first generation. Steinernema species reproduce amphimictically, which requires males and females for successful reproduction, whereas Heterorhabditis species are hermaphroditic in the first generation and can reproduce in the absence of conspecifics. These nematodes were associated with symbiotic bacteria from genera Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus (Sterinernema spp. and Heterorhabditis spp. , respectively), lethal parasites to most of soil inhabiting stages of insect pests (Shapiro-Ilan et al. 2017). EPNs have a facultative or obligate parasitic association with their insect hosts. In insects, they cause symptoms like reduced fecundity, sterility, longevity, flight activity, retard development and other morphological, behavioural and physiological aberrations leading to rapid mortality of infected insects. EPNs are only insect parasitic nematodes holding an optimal balance of biological control because of their ability to kill hosts quickly within 1–4 days, depending on nematode and host species. However, both families belong to the same order but are not closely related. These families also have different reproductive strategies (Blaxter et al. 1998). Many natural enemies are enlisted in the biological control of cutworms, including flies, wasp parasites, pathogenic organisms such as granulosis virus, fungi, bacteria, protozoa and predatory beetles, reducing cutworm numbers to a certain level. However, there is a little evidence of their relative importance. Nevertheless, none of them could reduce the cutworm population within a short period. Biological control by EPNs appears to be a long-lasting alternative to control this pest. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by detailing the role of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as biological control agents against pests like cutworms. It explains that EPNs, specifically those from the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae, have a symbiotic relationship with pathogenic bacteria that effectively kill insect hosts, thereby fulfilling the role of biocontrol agents. The text emphasizes that EPNs can rapidly cause mortality in infected insects within 1–4 days, showcasing their effectiveness against soil pests.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: However, traditional RCS is best applied to large datasets with a homogeneous age structure through time to optimize the ideal representation of the population growth curve used to detrend the data (Esper et al. , 2003), and most tree-ring measurements in the 2k database do not satisfy this criterion. To address this trend distortion due to increasing tree age over time, we applied a third detrending method: (iii) signal-free regional curve standardization was performed (RCS-SIG; Melvin and Briffa, 2014). Prior to detrending, a data-adaptive power transformation was applied to all measurements to mitigate the heteroscedastic nature of the tree-ring series (Cook and Peters, 1997), and chronologies were calculated using the bi-weight robust means of tree-ring indices in each calendar year. In addition, the average correlation coefficient among the individual series (Rbar; Wigley et al. , 1984) was used to stabilize the variance of the chronologies (Frank et al. , 2007). The resulting chronologies from each of the three methodologies (i), (ii), and (iii) were then z-transformed and averaged over 50-year bins to produce three unique composite chronologies. The 50-year binned composites were compared with the PAGES2k subset composite that includes the same 67 records to investigate the influence of tree-ring standardization on millennial-scale temperature trends. The nature of the climate signal encoded in each tree-ring record was assessed by Pearson correlation coefficients between all 402 NH z-transformed tree-ring chronologies, the subset of 89 NH tree-ring chronologies, and both the 1 and 5∘ gridded CRU TS 4. 01 (Harris et al. , 2014) monthly June–September temperatures from 1950 to 1980. The relatively short interval of 31 years was selected for computing correlations in response to the sparse station data availability, especially in Asia, and the decline in the quality of interpolated observational temperature data prior to 1950 (Cook et al. , 2012; Krusic et al. , 2015). For each re-standardized and z-transformed chronology, the highest monthly maximum correlation coefficient was extracted and plotted with respect to the trees' location as provided in the metadata table (PAGES2k Consortium, 2017). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by detailing methodologies for analyzing tree-ring data, which suggests that tree rings are valuable for understanding climate signals and potentially for examining environmental disturbances over time. The mention of comparing chronologies and assessing climate signals encoded in tree rings indicates their relevance in studying past environmental phenomena.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: Rich. ), were reported for the first time to be used for toothache treatment in the present study. However, Citrus aurantiifolia (Christ) was mentioned by Tefera and Kim [20] for their area of study in order to treat gastritis and hypertension. Soni etal. [41] indicated the treatment of stomach and intestinal pain that results from worm infestation, toothache, and fever from inflammation by using Datura stramonium L. Tuasha et al. [21] reported Dovyalis abyssinica (A. Rich. ) for treat of malignancies in Dalle district. Nigella sativa L. was used for stomachache in the present study. Similarly, this plant was reported for stomachache and headache in Hawassa city [19]. Others reported it for common cold, asthma, leprosy, and streptothricosis [40] and [41]. Capsicum annum L. and Carica papaya L. reported in the present study for the treatment of gastritis were supported by Amsalu etal. [41] and Maji and Banerji [42]. According to Amsalu etal. [41], these plants are used for the treatment of dysentery and vomiting. Croton macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile and Euphorbia abyssinica were reported for swelling and headache treatment in the current study. Amsalu et al. [41] and Abera [43] reported these plants for gastrointestinal disease and rabies. However, in line with the present finding Tefera and kim [20] reported Euphorbia abyssinica for treatment of swelling, gastritis, malaria, and headache. Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm. ) Swingle reported in the present study for the treatment of motion sickness. Similarly, Mohsenzadeh etal. [44] mentioned this plant for motion sickness treatment. Another study mentioned Cordiaafricana Lam. as a good treatment for motion sickness [41]. Artemisia abyssinica Sch. Bip. ex. Rich and Ruta chalepensis L. were the most frequently used plant for evil eye and stomachache in the present study. This finding agrees with the finding of Chama [12] and disagrees with the finding of Giday etal. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim regarding Aloe vera and its historical use for skin ailments. Instead, it discusses various other plants and their uses for different ailments, such as toothache, gastritis, and swelling. There is no mention of Aloe vera or its application for skin conditions.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: These are the most efficient and effective biocontrol organisms for most lepidopterans and other insects that can kill insects within 24–48 h. of infection based on nematode density. An EPN, Hexamermis arvalis (Nematoda: Mermithidae), brings down up to 60 per cent of larvae in the central USA. Distribution of are distributed in almost all soils with limiting environmental conditions, host availability, soil temperature and moisture status. Around 100 valid species of Steinernema and 21 species of Heterorhabditis have been identified from different countries of the world (Bhat et al. 2020). The effects of environmental and biotic factors contribute a lot to the distribution of EPNs in soil because the survival and infectivity of these nematodes depend on the same factors. For example, juveniles of S. feltiae can be infective at a temperature range from 2–30 °C and S. carpocapsae juveniles become inactive at 10 °C, whereas some Heterorhabditis spp. can infect host insects from 7 to 35 °C (Georgis et al. 2006). Various species of EPNs are predominantly isolated from subterranean conditions, notably in white grubs and weevils of the family Scarabaeidae and Curculionidae, respectively. A survey reported that most of the isolated EPNs from 2 genera (Steinernema, 3. 0% and Heterorhabditis, 4. 5%) were found in loam soils at 26–33 °C with pH of 5. 0–7. 0 in area, in Thailand (Vitta et al. 2015). A survey in by Kour et al. (2020) also reports that coastline and dunes were the most H. indica-rich habitats (25%), followed by river banks (15. 1%). Species identified from abroad and India to dateVarious workers have conducted many surveys from almost all parts of the world to isolate locally adapted EPN species. To date, 100 species of genus Steinernema and 16 species of genus Heterorhabditis have been identified, isolated and described in the literature as in Bhat et al. (2020) (Table 1). Table 1 List of Steinernema and Heterorhabditis species recorded from different parts of India (Bhat et al. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text supports the claim by detailing the effectiveness of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as biological control agents for various insect pests. It mentions that EPNs can kill insects rapidly within 24–48 hours of infection and specifies particular species, like Hexamermis arvalis, that significantly reduce larval populations. The text also emphasizes the widespread distribution of EPNs in different soil types and their ability to interact with various environmental conditions, underscoring their suitability as biological control options.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: The use of extended calibration periods (prior to 1950 and post 1980) and annual temperatures yielded no meaningful differences in the calibration results. The stability of the growth–climate relationship was assessed by first smoothing the tree-ring and corresponding CRU temperatures using 10-year splines then using the splines to high-pass-filter the data and accentuate inter-annual variances. The tree-ring records were ranked according to the strength of their maximum monthly temperature response between June and September and averaged into 50-year binned composites to evaluate the importance of changing signal strength of any preserved millennial-scale trend. Figure 5Summary of NH long-term trends from tree-ring, glacier ice, and marine and lake sediment records longer than 800 years. The fraction of 50-year binned records that exhibit a significant negative (dark blue) and non-significant cooling (pale blue) trend or significant (red) and non-significant (pale red) warming trend at p < 0. 05 over the pre-industrial (1–1800) period derived from the statistical significance of the slope of least-squares linear regressions through each individual 50-year binned proxy record using (a) the individual records length, (b) the common period 1200–1800, and (c) records that cover the entire Common Era. Pre-industrial summaries are split by proxy, latitude, and seasonality. The category composite includes glacier, marine, and lake sediments, and brackets indicate the number of records per category. (d) Post-industrial trends over the period 1800–2000. Download 3 Results 3. 1 Latitude and season In total, 66. 3 % of the tree-ring, 93. 8 % of the glacier ice, 75. 0 % of the marine sediment, and 79. 3 % of the lake sediment records, longer than 800 years, reveal a millennial-scale cooling over the period 1–1800 CE (Fig. 5a). Substantial differences between the proxies were apparent when comparing the fraction of records with a significant overall cooling trend (p < 0. 05): 68. 8 % of the glacier ice, 54. 5 % of the marine sediment, and 37. 9 % of the lake sediment records, but only 11. 2 % of the tree-ring records. Sorting the data by latitude reveals that the fraction of significantly cooling tree-ring records decreases from 25. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the analysis of tree-ring records, indicating that they do provide meaningful insights into climate trends and environmental conditions over extended periods. The data reveals that tree-ring records exhibit significant trends in temperature response, demonstrating that they can indeed be utilized to understand past environmental disturbances, thereby contradicting the assertion that they cannot be used for such studies.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: [14] conducted in other areas which stated the plant use for headache and cold. According to the comparison of our findings with others ethnobotanical studies in Ethiopia, novel plant uses of some medicinal plants were documented. Commelina benghalensis L. , Manihotesculenta Crantz. , Pentas spp. , Persea americana Mill. , Solanummacrocarpon L. , Sorghumbicolor (L. ) Moench and Spilanthesmauritiana DC. were completely novel use in our study area and never ever reported in other similar investigations. The pharmacological activities of these plants are novel findings that are only known in this area for such medicinal purposes. Dosages of herbal remedies There is no standardization of the dosage of herbal remedies in the study area; the sum depends on the herbalist who prepares the herbs for medicine. The same plant species with a specific part are recommended in different doses for the treatment of related conditions. Various reports consider the lack of standardization and quality control one of the key disadvantages of traditional medicine. There remains no consensus among informants on the doses and inadequate dosage accuracy of certain prescription remedies [14]. Several authors recall that a restriction on traditional medicinal plants is the lack of an appropriate dosage for a specific disease. The dosage also varies between the plants [45] [46]. The toxicity and harm potential of some medicinal plants are a common concern for people who want standardization in conventional medicine. Traditional practitioners are usually believed to either disregard the strengths of the drugs themselves or to not bother to match doses to patients' size or bodyweight [47]. However, some traditional healers are known to prescribe various dosages and frequencies according to age, gender, and other conditions or to vary from one medicine to the other. Medicinal plants trade and cultivation Commercialization and marketing of medicinal plants shall take place on the market on a weekly or biweekly. The fresh and dried collections of some plants is sold were Artemisia afra, Ruta chalepensis, Linum usitatissimum L. , Lippia adoensis Hochst. , Ocimumgratissimum L. , Triticum dicoccon (Schrank) Schübl, Hordeum vulgare L. , Avena sativa L. and all Capsicum spps. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it discusses various medicinal plants and their uses without mentioning Aloe vera specifically. It focuses on the standardization of dosages and the pharmacological activities of other plants in a specific geographical area, rather than confirming or denying the use of Aloe vera for treating skin ailments.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: 2020)Full size tableEconomic importance of are devastating organisms to major insect pests but do not threaten non-target organisms and the environment (Georgis and Hague 1991). Unlike harmful chemicals and other micro-organisms (ex. B. thuringiensis), EPNs provide a high degree of safety and do not require any special applications. Most bio-products require days or weeks to kill, but EPNs give effective results within 24 to 48 h due to their associations with pathogenic symbiotic bacteria (Akhurst and Smith 2002). Nematodes are amenable to mass production within a limit of time, and while applied in the field, nematodes are found compatible with most of the standard agro-chemicals and other biopesticides. Isolation of EPNsThe collected soil samples from the field are taken into the laboratory, and up to 1/3rd capacity, honey glass bottles were filled with this soil. Five-to-ten live wax moth larvae (Galleria mellonella L. ) are added to different soil layers to capture the nematodes as the insect bait (Bedding and Akhurst 1975). These filled bottles with soil are placed upside down and incubated at room temperature (~ 25 °C). After 48 h of incubation, the bottles were checked daily for 2 weeks, and in-between, any dead larvae of wax moth found in the soil were collected in the separate bottles. Dead larvae are thoroughly rinsed with distilled water and transferred to white traps (White 1927). White traps are placed at room temperature (~ 25 °C) until the emergence of the IJs, and the newly emerging IJs are collected in sterile deionized water and stored in a tissue culture flask at 15 °C for morphological and molecular characterization and further use in the field to control cutworms. Mode of action of EPNs against cutwormsEPNs use two main foraging strategies; ambushers or cruisers for searching their host, but these strategies are based on the type of species of nematodes. S. carpocapsae is an example of an ambusher-type foraging strategy with an energy-conserving approach. It remains in wait for attacking the moving larvae of cutworm (nictitating) in the soil's upper layer. While the other side, S. glaseri and H. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by discussing the effectiveness of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in controlling soil pests, specifically mentioning their rapid action against pests like cutworms. It details how EPNs utilize foraging strategies to locate and attack their hosts, which evidences their practicality as biological control agents compared to harmful chemicals.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: 0 % at 60–90∘ N to 8. 7 % at 30–60∘ N, which, though the percentages are fairly small, supports the argument that the signature of orbital forcing in tree rings has a meridionally declining spatial signature. In contrast, the cooling trends in glacier ice and marine and lake sediment records reach their maximum in the midlatitudes, from 30–60∘ N, which contradicts this explanation. This finding remains stable even after repeating our analysis 1000 times, each time randomly drawing 10 unique combinations of tree-ring records or composites of glacier ice and marine and lake sediments. Pre-industrial cooling remains significantly stronger in glacier ice and marine and lake sediment records compared to tree-ring records at different latitudinal bands. This result indicates clearly that differing pre-industrial cooling trends are not a by-product of the spatially varying distribution along a latitudinal gradient (Fig. S5). Organizing the chronologies with respect to latitude confirms that glacier ice and marine and lake sediment records from the midlatitudes (30–60∘ N) show an enhanced cooling compared to their high-latitude counterparts (60–90∘ N), whereas the NH tree-ring composites lack any significant cooling (Fig. S6). The overall number of summer temperature-sensitive proxy records showing long-term cooling is similar to the number of annual temperature-sensitive proxies showing long-term cooling, suggesting that the orbitally forced reduction in summer insolation over the past 2000 years has no substantial effect on the expression of long-term trends. Considering only the common period 1200–1800 CE to investigate pre-industrial trends leads to a substantially different result. Only 7. 8 % of the tree-ring proxies show a significant pre-industrial cooling, as opposed to 18. 8 % of the glacier ice, 15. 4 % of the marine sediment, and 19 % of the lake sediment records, suggesting potential trend issues related to the absolute length of the chronologies (Fig. 5b). However, there exists no clear relationship between the strength of this trend and the absolute record length (Fig. S7). As an additional test, pre-industrial cooling trends were analyzed in records that span the entire (Fig. 5c). The use of the very longest records (1–1800 CE) again reveals substantial proxy differences. A significant pre-industrial cooling appears in 9. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing how tree-ring records compare to glacier ice and sediment records in terms of their ability to reflect environmental cooling trends. It states that only 7.8% of the tree-ring proxies show significant pre-industrial cooling compared to higher percentages in glacier ice (18.8%) and marine and lake sediments (15.4% and 19% respectively). This suggests that while tree rings do have some utility in studying past temperatures, they are less effective for indicating significant cooling trends, which implies that they may not reliably capture aspects of past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances as strongly as other proxies.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: In addition, parts of different medicinal plants are also marketed for their medicinal value (Allium sativum, Lepidium sativum, Nigella sativa, and Zingiber officinale Rosc). Drugs using indigenous medicine are the cheapest and mostly the only available form of healthcare in rural areas of Ethiopia. Friends, relatives, and neighbors provide traditional treatment free of charge or paid under more flexible arrangements, such as payment in cash or kind and on a credit basis. This is particularly prevalent in rural communities. Plants are not grown for medicinal purposes, with the exception of the rare cases where certain food crops of medicinal value are grown. This is because the quantity of medicinal plants traded is very small and there is no coordination of large-scale added value and production. Therefore, in the future, there is a potential for higher demand for certain species and it is therefore important to recognize them and to conduct the necessary investigations into the techniques of propagation and cultivation. Such a program will also be the basis for small enterprises to improve the potential to generate local population income. ConclusionThe results of the research showed that medicinal plants are highly diverse in the area. Fifty medicinal plant species have been identified in 28 human and animal diseases. There have been documented 50 medicinal plant species for 28 human and livestock diseases. It is concluded that to prevent different human and livestock ailments, local people rely on indigenous knowledge. Stomachache, malaria, toothache, cough, tonsillitis were common in human diseases, while wounds and cough were common in livestock. Major differences of knowledge between the different age groups were identified in the field. The older illiterate informants over 45 years of age were more knowledgeable than young informants under 25 years of age on average. Charcoal production, agricultural expansion, firewood, household construction, and furniture making have been the main threats to medicinal plants in the district. The traditional medicinal knowledge gap between older and younger generations has also affected the loss of indigenous knowledge in younger generations due to lack of willingness. For this reason, mentoring programs, to conserve indigenous knowledge and insights to avoid their medicinal plants' extinction, should be provided for local people in the study area. In addition, alternative energy, such as the expansion of biogas plants, is required to reduce the utilization of medicinal plants for the production of charcoal and firewood. The in vitro and ex vitro propagation conservation of endangered medicinal plants should be developed to protect medicinal plants from extinction. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim that 'Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments' as it does not mention Aloe vera at all. Instead, it focuses on the usage of various other medicinal plants in Ethiopia and their role in traditional medicine. There is no information provided in the text regarding Aloe vera's historical use or effectiveness in treating skin issues.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: bacteriophora are examples of cruiser type of foraging strategy, and these nematodes are highly active. These nematodes continuously move significant distances in soil using volatile cues and other methods to find their host (Grewal et al. 1994). Some other species, S. feltiae and S. riobrave, use an intermediate foraging strategy (i. e. combination of ambush and cruiser type) to find their host insect. After reaching cutworms, IJs actively enter through natural openings such as the mouth, spiracles and anus or the inter-segmental membrane (Fig. 1). Once get enters the host body, the nematodes release symbiotic bacteria that kill the host through bacterial septicemia (Fig. 2). EPNs are a nematode–bacterium complex, and in this complex, the bacterium requires nematode for protection from the external environment, penetration into the host's haemocoel and inhibition of the host's antibacterial proteins (Sajnaga and Kazimierczak 2020). The nematode is dependent upon the bacterium for quickly killing its insect hosts, creating a suitable environment for its development by producing antibiotics that suppress competing secondary micro-organisms and transforming the host tissues into a food source. After insect death, the cadaver becomes red if the insects are killed by Heterorhabditids or brown to tan coloured if Steinernematids kill it. The colour of the dead insect cadaver is indicative of the pigments produced by the mutualistic bacteria growing in the blood of host insects. Fig. 1Parasitic cycle of entomopathogenic nematodes in cutworm larvaeFull size imageFig. 2Cutworm infected with entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsaeFull size imageSymbiotic bacteria and their toxic substancesEntomopathogenic bacteria from the genera Photorhabdus and Xenorhabdus are closely related to Gram-negative bacilli from the family Enterobacteriaceae (γ-Proteobacteria). To facilitate insect pathogenesis, they have obligate mutualistic associations with soil nematodes from the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by detailing the biological mechanisms of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) as effective agents against insect hosts, such as cutworms. It explains the foraging strategies of various nematode species and their symbiotic relationship with bacteria that enhance their virulence. Specifically, the text states that these nematodes enter the host and release bacteria that lead to the host's death through septicemia, which supports their role in biological control against pests.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: 1 % of the tree-ring, 80 % of the glacier ice, 75 % of the marine sediment, and 33 % of the lake sediment records. Over the industrial period, 1800–2000 CE, glacier ice and marine and lake sediments and tree-ring records, particularly, consistently show a temperature increase (Fig. 5e). Figure 6Effects of tree-ring detrending on long-term trends. (a) Fifty-year binned composites from 67 RCS (red), RCS-SIG (green), and NEG (gold) standardized datasets. 2k composite (dark gray) includes the corresponding chronology versions that are provided in the 2. 0. 0 database. Shadings indicate 95 % bootstrap confidence intervals with 500 replicates, and the arrows indicate the direction of the post-1800 trend. (b) Temporal distribution of the NH tree-ring samples (402) relative to the detrended subset (67) and distribution of individual samples from records included in the subset (gray shadings). Download 3. 2 Tree-ring detrending We applied three different detrending methods with varying ability to preserve low-frequency information on a subset of 67 of the 415 datasets in the PAGES2k database. The single best-replicated collection is the Torneträsk (Sweden) TRW dataset containing 650 measurement series. The least replicated is a dataset from southern China containing just 10 measurement series. This huge range of underlying data points to potential weaknesses in our application of RCS, which requires high sample replication so common climate-driven variability does not affect the estimate of the regional growth curve (Briffa et al. , 1992; Esper et al. , 2003). Comparisons between our -SIG composite, and the PAGES2k subset composites reveals how there is substantially more low-frequency variability present in the RCS and RCS-SIG chronologies (Fig. 6). Extended cool periods are from 500 to 750 CE, 1450 to 1500 CE, and 1600 to 1800 CE and prolonged warm periods between 850 and 1200 CE and between 1800 and 2000 CE. Cooling is more pronounced in the RCS chronology compared to the RCS-SIG chronology, whereas the latter has an increased industrial-era warming. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing the value of tree-ring records in revealing temperature changes over significant time periods, such as demonstrating long-term trends and variability across different eras. By presenting data from tree-ring records that indicate climate-driven variability and extended cool and warm periods, it suggests that tree rings are indeed useful in studying past environmental conditions.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: Moreover, current documented information on Wolaita's medicinal plants is available as informative baseline data for future studies of medicinal plants of importance and phytochemical studies. plants and households use different plant mixtures to treat a specific disease and p1995. [85. . Global perspectives of medicinal plants. In: Medhin Z, Abebe D, editors. Conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants in Ethiopia. Proceeding of the national workshop on biodiversity and sustainable use of medicinal plants in Ethiopia. ; 2001. p. 198-203. [61. Ohigashi H. Utilization and production of medicinal plants. In: Makiu U, editor. Medicinal crops in Ethiopia current status and future potential. ; 2008. p. 4-6. [2004. [484. doi:10. 35248/2157-7471. 19. 10. 484. Abbink J. Medicinal and ritual plants of the Ethiopian south-west: An account of recent research. Dev Monit. 1995;3(2):6–8. [2001. p. 6–21. [10. ; 1996. [1998. p. 1–5. Assegid A, Tesfaye A. Ethnobotanical study of wild medicinal trees and shrubs in district, southern Ethiopia. J Sustain Develop. 2014;2(1):17–33. [96. . An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Zay people in Ethiopia. J Ethnopharmacol. 2003;85(1):43–52. . Traditional medicinal plants utilization, management and threats in Hadiya zone, Ethiopia. J Stud. 2014;2(2):94–108. . Ethnomedicinal study of plants used for treatment of human and livestock ailments by traditional healers in south Omo, southern Ethiopia. J 2013;9:32. . An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants of the Kembatta ethnic group in Enset-based agricultural landscape of (KT) zone, southern Ethiopia. Res. 2015;5(7):42–61. Tefera NB, Kim Y. Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in the Hawassa zuria district, Sidama zone, southern 2019;15:25. Medicinal plants used by traditional healers to treat malignancies and other human ailments in Dalle district, Sidama zone, Ethiopia. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text provides various references to recent ethnobotanical studies and documentation on traditional medicinal plants used in Ethiopia, but it does not specifically mention Aloe vera or its historical usage for skin ailments. Therefore, the text is irrelevant to the claim regarding Aloe vera.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: About 26 species of the genus Xenorhabdus and 19 species of the genus Photorhabdus have been identified so far (Sajnaga and Kazimierczak 2020). These bacteria take shelter in the midgut of infective juveniles of EPNs. EPNs are responsible for killing the targeted insects via direct infection by promoting the secondary metabolites and toxins produced by symbiotic bacteria inside the insect body. When the IJs of nematodes enter the mouth, anus or spiracles of insect hosts, symbiotic bacteria are released from their intestines into the haemocoel of target insects. Once bacteria gain entry into the host body, it starts replication rapidly and causes septicemia in insects. Several toxins secreted are known for their bioactive characteristics like cytotoxic, antimicrobial, antiparasitic and insecticidal (Fig. 3) (Junior da Silva et al. 2020). Fig. 3Reproduction cycle of entomopathogenic nematodes (in soil—free living stages; in insects—parasitic stages)Full size imageThe insecticide activity of Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus species is related to protein production (Sheets et al. 2011) and secondary metabolites (Li et al. 1998). The secretion of high molecular weight toxins by P. luminescens and X. nematophila plays a vital role in insect mortality (Sheets et al. 2011). Similarly, Xenorhabdus produced toxins (Tcs) that induce immune suppression in insects by inhibiting eicosanoid synthesis (Park and Kim 2000). X. nematophila produces about eight suppressor metabolites of insect immunity (Eom et al. 2014). Some species of Photorhabdus also produce a variety of toxins, including Tcs (toxin complexes), Mcf (make caterpillars foppy), Pvc (Photorhabdus virulence cassettes) and Pir (insect-related protein) (Rodou et al. 2010). destroy epithelial cells from the middle intestine of insects, similar to δ-endotoxin of B. thuringiensis and acting on the actin cytoskeleton by the ADP-ribosyltransferases TccC3 and TccC5 in P. luminescens (Aktories et al. 2014). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by detailing how entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) enable the killing of targeted insects through infection processes involving symbiotic bacteria that produce toxins. It highlights the insecticidal activity of bacteria such as Xenorhabdus and Photorhabdus, which are associated with EPNs, thereby supporting the notion that these nematodes can effectively serve as biological control agents against soil pests.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: In the NEG and PAGES2k subset composite, pre-industrial temperature variations are restricted to multi-decadal scales, indicating cool conditions from 250 to 300 CE and 1450 to 1500 CE, warm conditions from 550 to 600 CE, and a more persistent warming from 1850 CE to the present. Comparison of the RCS and RCS-SIG detrended composites against the PAGES2k tree-ring composite reveals substantial differences in long-term trends in the first millennium. This demonstrable difference is a consequence of the pronounced cooling from 500 to 750 CE, a feature lacking in the both the PAGES2k subset (Fig. 6) as well as the entire PAGES2k tree-ring composite (Fig. 2) but conserved in the RCS and RCS-SIG mean chronologies. Good agreement exists in the second millennium, as the magnitude, timing, and strength of warm and cool intervals largely overlap. The best fit over the entire exists among the NEG and PAGES2k subset composites, suggesting the PAGES2k database includes a sizable amount of NEG detrended records. However, even with the application of RCS, arguably the best current method for preserving long-term trends in tree rings when suitably applied, the pre-industrial cooling trend in the PAGES2k tree-ring dataset differs significantly from those found in glacier ice and marine and lake sediment records (Figs. 2 and 6). Figure 7Effects of tree-ring calibration on long-term temperature trends. (a) Maximum correlation coefficients between NH individual site-level tree-ring records from the Arctic (Arc), Asia (Asi), Europe (Eur), and (Nam) and 1×1∘ CRU TS 4. 01 June–September monthly temperature data over the period 1950–1980, divided by region, using 10-year high-pass-filtered data (left box), original data (central box), 10-year smoothed data (right box). Dashed line indicates the p < 0. 05 threshold. (b) Same as (a) using only records longer than 800 years and corresponding (c) 50-year binned composites divided by climate signal strength including records with the lowest (n=30; rose), medium (n=31; red), and highest (n=30; dark red) climate sensitivity. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by discussing how tree rings and their calibration can reveal long-term temperature trends and variations in climate conditions through different historical periods. It suggests that tree rings play a significant role in studying historical climate changes, which could be related to factors like volcanic activity and environmental disturbances.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: J 2018;14:15. . Medicinal plants in Mexico: healers consensus and cultural importance. Med 1998;47:1859–71. . A preliminary classification of the healing potential of medicinal plants, based on the rationale analysis of an ethnopharmacologial field survey among bedouins in the Negev desert, J Ethnopharmacol. 1986;16:275–287. Phillips O, Gentry AH. The useful plants of Tambopata, Peru: statistical hypotheses tests with a new quantitative technique. Econ Bot. 1993;47:15–32. de. Informant consensus factor and antibacterial activity of the medicinal plants used by the people of Coxcatlan, Puebla, Mexico. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005;97:429–39. Wendimu A, Tekalign W. Infusion extraction of toxin from chili Pepper (Capsicumbaccatum) for bedbug protection. Biotechno. 2020;12:65–74. . Plants used in traditional management of human ailments at National Park, southeastern Ethiopia. J Res. 2008; 2(6):132-153. Getaneh S, Girma Z. An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in wereda, central Ethiopia. Plant Sci. 2014;8(7):366-379. . Ethnomedicinal study of plants used for human ailments in Ankober district, north Shewa zone, Amhara region, Ethiopia. J 2013;9:63. . An ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants in district, southeastern Ethiopia. J 2008;4:10. Jima TT, Megersa M. of Used to Diseases in Berbere District, of. Med. 2018;17;2018:8602945. doi:10. 1155/2018/8602945. PMID: 30105073; PMCID: PMC6076952. Yirga G. Assessment of traditional medicinal plants in Endrta district, south-eastern Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Plant Sci. 2010;4(7):255-260. -Mariam T. Ethnomedical survey of Berta ethnic group Assosa zone, Benishangul-State, mid-west Ethiopia. J 2009;5:14. . [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text is irrelevant to the claim as it does not provide any specific information regarding Aloe vera or its historical use for treating skin ailments. Instead, it references various medicinal plants and ethnobotanical studies in different regions, none of which directly mention Aloe vera.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: On the other hand, Mcf promotes hemocyte apoptosis in the haemocoel (Jallouli et al. 2010). It was also observed that M. sexta and G. mellonella are susceptible to Pvc. genus currently consists of P. luminescens, P. temperata and P. asymbiotica. The P. luminescens and P. temperata species recently split into subspecies due to DNA–DNA relatedness and 16S rDNA branching (Fischer-et al. 1999). A total of 15 new species of genus Xenorhabdus were identified from Steinernematidae nematodes based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, molecular typing and phenotypic characterization. These are viz. , X. budapestensis, X. ehlersii, X. innexi, X. szentirmaii, X. indica, X. cabanillasii, X. doucetiae, X. griffiniae, X. hominickii, X. koppenhoeferi, X. kozodoii, X. mauleonii, X. miraniensis, X. romanii and X. stockiae (Tailliez et al. 2006). This increase in the number of described species is likely to grow as nematodes worldwide are collected and their symbiotic bacteria identified. Examples for successful biocontrol of cutworms by using EPNsIn vitro studies on the effect of S. carpocapsae Mex and H. indica LN2 against third instar larvae of A. ipsilon after 72 h resulted in 80. 0 and 83. 3% mortality. Trials in field conditions, both the species reduced the damage caused by A. ipsilon to the cabbage crop and increased the yield compared with chemical control (cyfluthrin) and Bt-bacteria (Han et al. 2014). Likewise, the application of S. feltiae in A. segetum-infested lettuce crop resulted in better yield when compared to endosulfan chemical treatment (Lossbroek and Theunissen 1985). EPNs can provide excellent control of cutworms (Agrotis spp. ) over most chemical pesticides in many different field crops. In a study, field application with S. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by providing evidence of the successful biocontrol of soil pests using entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). It mentions that species such as S. carpocapsae Mex and H. indica LN2 achieved significant mortality rates against specific larvae and reduced damage to crops, while enhancing yields when compared to chemical controls. This suggests that EPNs are effective biological control agents against soil pests.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Light gray shadings indicate 95 % bootstrap confidence intervals with 500 replicates and (d) temporal distribution of the records. Download 3. 3 Climate signal strength Pearson correlation analyses between the tree-ring proxy records and their respective local temperature grids reveals considerable intercontinental differences in the proxy's response to maximum monthly June–September temperature (Fig. 7a). The median correlation coefficients differ substantially by region, reaching 0. 6 in the Arctic (contributed by the PAGES2k Arctic regional), 0. 21 in Asia, 0. 54 in Europe, and 0. 38 in North America. Associations between temperature and tree growth are higher in the Arctic (87. 5 % of records are significantly correlated with maximum June-September temperatures) and Europe (75 %), but the agreement between proxies and climate observations are weaker in Asia (21 %) and (61 %). However, these differences might be an artifact of different sampling strategies. In the first case (Arctic and Europe), only 16 and 8 highly temperature-sensitive records are considered, but Asia and have 228 and 150 records, respectively. The differences among the continents, as demonstrated by the distributions of their June-September correlation coefficients, remains fairly stable in the different frequency domains, as well as for records longer than 800 years (Fig. 7b). To account for seasonal responses beyond the June–September window, and potential influences of the calibration period, the analysis was repeated for all months, varying warm season means, and extended calibration periods (1950 to the end dates of the individual chronologies). No substantial changes were recorded (not shown). Despite significant differences in high- to low-frequency temperature signals, we find that none of the composites, integrating the good, medium, and poorly calibrating records, contain a significant millennial-scale cooling (Fig. 7c–d). This result suggests climate signal strength is not related to the long-term trends present in tree-ring chronologies. 4 Discussion 4. 1 Orbital signatures in regional and large-scale records Our results show that millennial-scale trends in NH proxy records are consistent between tree-ring, glacier ice, and marine and lake sediment records when considering the period 1200–1800 CE to calculate the slope of pre-industrial trends but inconsistent between tree rings and other proxies over the entire Common Era. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by demonstrating the significant relationships between tree-ring proxy records and environmental factors such as temperature, suggesting that tree rings do indeed hold valuable data for understanding past environmental conditions. For example, it mentions that 'associations between temperature and tree growth are higher in the Arctic...,' indicating that tree rings can reflect climatic conditions and potentially volcanic activity or disturbances.


Input: Task: pass the claim using the given text. Claim: Aloe vera has been used for centuries to treat skin ailments. [SEP] Text: An ethnobotanical survey of medicinal plants commercialized in the markets of Bolivia. J Ethnopharmacol. 2005;97(2):337– C. The role of woman in the use and conservation of medicinal plants. In proceedings of the national workshop on biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of medicinal plants: 28 April-01 May 1998; Ethiopia. Zewdu M, Demissie A, editors. 65–75; 2001. [58. [15. Gastrointestinal ailments (GIA) Stomachache, amoeba, gastritis, Motion sickness (vomiting), constipation, liver disease, toothache 25 54 0. 55 2. Dermatological infections/diseases (DID) Wound, chirt (shattuwa), skin disease, dandruff 12 46 0. 76 3. Skeletomuscular system disorders (SMSD) Back pain, bone fracture, swelling 6 29 0. 82 4. Respiratory systems diseases (RSD) Tonsillitis, cough, asthma 10 41 0. 78 5. Genito-urinary ailments (GUA) Hemorrhoids 1 3 0. 66 6. Poisonous bites (PB) Rabies, snake bite 7 15 0. 57 7. Cardiovascular system diseases (CSD) Hypertension 1 40 1. 00 8. Endocrine/metabolic/nutritional (EMN) Diabetes, weight gain 7 29 0. 79 9. Sensory neuron disease (SND) Headache 3 9 0. 75 10. Fever (F) Malaria 5 44 0. 90 11. General and unspecified (GU) General malaise (Mitch), wugat, evil spirit 6 37 0. 86 Table 3: Informant consensus for medicinal plants used against two or more specific ailments No. Scientific names Family names No. of informants Percent (%) Rank 1. Triticum dicoccon (Schrank) Schübl Poaceae 60 100% 1st 2. Allium sativum L. Alliaceae 59 98% 2nd 3. Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm. ) 58 97% 3rd 4. Capsicum annum L. Solanaceae 57 95% 4th 6. Ruta chalepensis L. Rutaceae 56 92% 5th 7. Vernonia amygdalina, Sch. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text does not address the claim directly as it does not mention aloe vera or its historical use for treating skin ailments. Instead, it discusses a variety of medicinal plants and ailments, but aloe vera is not specified. Hence, it is irrelevant to the claim.


Input: Task: corroborate the claim using the given text. Claim: Entomopathogenic nematodes can be used as biological control agents against soil pests. [SEP] Text: carpocapsae reduced black cutworm (A. ipsilon) by 50% on maize (Capinera et al. 1988). Similarly, a single application of S. carpocapsae declined the number of cutworms in maize plants by 76–83% during the initial ten days of treatment (Levine and Oloumi-Sadeghi 1992). A single ground spray of S. carpocapsae at 1 billion IJs/ha or 2 applications of 0. 5 billion IJs/ha caused 80 and 67% mortality of turnip moth (A. segetum) larvae, respectively, within 8-day interval (Yokomizo and Kashio 1996). In the greenhouse conditions, the lower application rate of S. carpocapsae is effective when applied at a dose of 12. 5 IJs/cm2 reduced the black cutworm, A. ipsilon (Hufnagel) damage in the field by more than 75%, which was higher than chemical insecticides (Levine and Oloumi-Sadeghi 1992). The efficacy of S. abbasi and H. bacteriophora has been evaluated under laboratory conditions against the late instar larvae of A. ipsilon and resulted in a 73% population reduction by H. bacteriophora at 100 IJs/larva after 48 h of infection (Shoeb et al. 2006). The efficacy of S. weiseri (BEY), S. feltiae (TUR-S3) and S. carpocapsae (TUR) was tested against the last instar larva of A. segetum and found that S. weiseri was more virulent than S. feltiae (TUR-S3) at 50 and 100 IJs per larva (Unlu et al. 2007). Furthermore, 1000 IJs of H. bacteriophora per kg soil were enough to start the infection and reduce the late instar larval population of A. segetum up to 61. 3% after 7 days of exposure (Chandel et al. 2009). The effectiveness of S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora against late instar A. ipsilon larvae at concentrations of 50 and 100 IJs/ml under laboratory conditions resulted in 85–100 mortality at 24 h (Fetoh et al. 2009). [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text corroborates the claim by providing evidence of the effectiveness of different species of entomopathogenic nematodes, such as S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora, in reducing the populations of various soil pests, specifically black cutworm and turnip moth larvae. For example, it states that S. carpocapsae caused mortality rates ranging from 67% to 80% in pests, indicating their potential use as biological control agents. Additionally, it notes that these nematodes can significantly outperform chemical insecticides, further supporting their role as biological control agents.


Input: Task: contrast the claim using the given text. Claim: Tree rings cannot be used to study past volcanic activity or environmental disturbances. [SEP] Text: Despite a non-systematic relationship between record length and the slope of a pre-industrial trend, this finding demonstrates the majority of proxy records that only cover large parts of the second millennium fail to preserve a significant negative long-term trend over the entire Common Era. In contrast to glacier ice and marine and lake sediment records, most of the very longest tree-ring records covering the entire pre-industrial 1–1800 CE do not exhibit a long-term cooling. The high-latitude tree-ring-based temperature reconstruction from Scandinavia remains the only record with a significant pre-industrial cooling (Esper et al. , 2012). The signature of orbital forcing has been described in regional studies from the Arctic and Antarctica (Esper et al. , 2012; Kaufman et al. , 2009; Kawamura et al. , 2007), as well as in one Holocene climate reconstruction based on a multiproxy collection from the northern high latitudes and midlatitudes, the latter attributing a distinct value to the orbital cooling effect of 0. 5 ∘C since the Maximum (Marcott et al. , 2013; Routson et al. , 2019). However, in the case of Marcott et al. (2013), it has been shown that NH cooling is only apparent in high-latitude proxies and that the trend would not exist without them (Marsicek et al. , 2018). Previous studies have also reported that it is difficult to reconcile the negative orbital forcing trends preserved in proxy data with simulated temperatures which show a strong warming of about 0. 5 ∘C over the Holocene (Liu et al. , 2014; Laepple et al. , 2011). From a theoretical perspective, independent of the proxy type, we would expect a stronger cooling trend in summer temperature proxies and an increase in the strength of the trend from the midlatitudes to the high latitudes (e. g. , Esper et al. , 2012; Kaufman et al. , 2009). The absence of a clear meridional and seasonal pattern demonstrates the importance of internal climate variability (Deser et al. , 2010; Schneider and Kinter, 1994) and other external forcing factors (Sigl et al. , 2015; Vieira et al. , 2011) on proxy records. We conclude that although multiple tree-ring datasets are systematically limited in their low-frequency amplitude, they deviate from forcing expectations in the same way as all other proxies. [SEP] Justify:

Output: The text contrasts the claim by emphasizing that multiple tree-ring datasets, while having systematic limitations, still provide valuable data in reconciling long-term climate trends, including those affected by external forcing factors like orbital changes. It highlights that tree-rings can reflect climate signals, suggesting their utility in studying past environmental disturbances, contrary to the claim that they cannot be used for these purposes.