Simulation of carbon cycling, including dissolved organic carbon transport, in forest soil locally enriched with 14C

The DyDOC model was used to simulate the soil carbon cycle of a deciduous forest at the Oak Ridge Reservation (Tennessee, USA). The model application relied on extensive data from the Enriched Background Isotope Study (EBIS), which exploited a short-term local atmospheric enrichment of radiocarbon to establish a large-scale manipulation experiment with different inputs of 14C from both above-ground and below-ground litter. The model was first fitted to hydrological data, then observed pools and fluxes of carbon and 14C data were used to fit parameters describing metabolic transformations of soil organic matter (SOM) components and the transport and sorption of dissolved organic matter (DOM). This produced a detailed quantitative description of soil C cycling in the three horizons (O, A, B) of the soil profile. According to the parameterised model, SOM turnover within the thin O-horizon rapidly produces DOM (46 gC m-2 a-1), which is predominantly hydrophobic. This DOM is nearly all adsorbed in the A- and B-horizons, and while most is mineralised relatively quickly, 11 gC m-2 a-1 undergoes a “maturing” reaction, producing mineral-associated stable SOM pools with mean residence times of 100-200 years. Only a small flux (~ 1 gC m-2 a-1) of hydrophilic DOM leaves the B-horizon. The SOM not associated with mineral matter is assumed to be derived from root litter, and turns over quite quickly (mean residence time 20-30 years). Although DyDOC was successfully fitted to C pools, annual fluxes and 14C data, it accounted less well for short-term variations in DOC concentrations

Transport of multiple tracers in variably saturated humid region structured soils and semi-arid region laminated sediments

The processes governing physical nonequilibrium (PNE)—coupled preferential flow and matrix diffusion—are diverse between humid and semi-arid regions, and are directly related to climate and rock/sediment type, and indirectly related to subsequent soil profile development. The fate and transport of contaminants in these variably saturated undisturbed media is largely a function of the influence of PNE processes. Large cores of laminated silts and sands were collected from the US Department of Energy Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in semi-arid south central Washington. Additional cores of weathered, fractured interbedded limestone and shale saprolite were collected from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in humid eastern Tennessee. PNNL cores were collected parallel (FBP) and perpendicular (FXB) to bedding, and the ORNL core was 30° to bedding. Saturated and unsaturated transport experiments were performed using multiple nonreactive tracers that had different diffusion coefficients (Br−, PFBA, and PIPES), in order to identify the influence of PNE on the fate and transport of solutes. In the ORNL structured saprolite, solute transport was governed by coupled preferential flow and matrix diffusion, as evidenced by tracer separation and highly asymmetric breakthrough curves (BTC). BTCs became more symmetric as preferential flowpaths became inactive during drainage. Tracer separation persisted during unsaturated flow suggesting the continued importance of nonequilibrium mass transfer between flowpaths and the immobile water that was held in the soil matrix. No evidence of PNE was observed under near-saturated conditions in the semi-arid region (PNNL) laminated silts and sands. Unsaturated flow in cores with discontinuous layering resulted in preferential flow and the development of perched, immobile water as evidenced by early breakthrough and separation of tracers. Conversely, transport parallel to laterally continuous beds did not result in preferential flow, the development of perched water, or tracer separation regardless of water content. These observations suggested that desaturation had two effects: (1) grain size variations between individual beds resulted in different antecedent water contents, and (2) the exchange of water and solutes between individual sedimentary beds was subsequently inhibited. Under unsaturated conditions, these effects may promote either stable lateral flow, or unstable vertical finger flow coupled with the development of perched, immobile water

Elucidating Bioreductive Transformations within Physically Complex Media: Impact on the Fate and Transport of Uranium and Chromium

The greatest challenge to elucidating geochemical and biological chromium reduction in natural sediments is to create a sterile environment without destroying the chemical and physical properties of the system. In this study we determined the potential for geochemical and biological chromium reduction in a naturally reducing soil using carbon amendments and sterilization. To minimize alterations to the sediment samples, soils were sterilized via exposure to ?-irradiation which causes fewer changes in the physical and chemical properties of the soil compared to other methods of sterilization. The objective of our research was to determine if the absence of viable microorganisms significantly affected the extent of chromium reduction in a reducing soil. Our hypothesis was that if geochemical reduction pathways dominated the system then soil sterilization should have little to no effect on the amount and rate of chromium that was reduced. However, if the reduction of chromium in these soils was a synergistic process then significantly different amounts of chromium should be reduced in the sterilized versus non-sterilized samples

Glucocorticoids for acute urticaria: study protocol for a double-blind non-inferiority randomised controlled trial

INTRODUCTION: This study protocol describes a trial designed to investigate whether antihistamine alone in patients with acute urticaria does not increase the 7-day Urticaria Activity Score (UAS7) in comparison with an association of antihistamine and glucocorticoids and reduces short-term relapses and chronic-induced urticaria. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a prospective, double-blind, parallel-group, multicentre non-inferiority randomised controlled trial. Two-hundred and forty patients with acute urticaria admitted to emergency department will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to receive levocetirizine or an association of levocetirizine and prednisone. Randomisation will be stratified by centre. The primary outcome will be the UAS7 at day 7. The secondary outcomes will encompass recurrence of hives and/or itch at day 7; occurrence of spontaneous hives or itch for >6 weeks; patients with angioedema at day 7, and 2, 6, 12 and 24 weeks; new emergency visits for acute urticaria recurrences at days 7 and 14, and 3 months; Dermatology Life Quality Index at days 7 and 14, and 3 and 6 months; and Chronic Urticaria Quality of Life Questionnaire at 6 weeks. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The protocol has been approved by the and will be carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and Good Clinical Practice guidelines. A steering committee will oversee the progress of the study. Findings will be disseminated through national and international scientific conferences and publication in peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03545464

Carbono orgânico dissolvido e biodisponibilidade de N e P como indicadores de qualidade do solo

Nas últimas décadas, qualidade do solo tem se tornado um tópico importante na ciência do solo. Embora esforços consideráveis tenham sido dedicados com o intuito de definir "qualidade do solo", ainda não há um conceito amplamente aceito pela comunidade cientifica. A seleção de índices qualitativos para definir qualidade do solo é uma tarefa extremamente difícil, e diversas propriedades químicas, físicas e biológicas tem sido sugeridas como potenciais indicadores. A matéria orgânica do solo está associada com processos químicos, físicos e biológicos no solo, e, portanto, é considerada um dos melhores indicadores de qualidade do solo. O manejo do solo pode influenciar significativamente a dinâmica do carbono orgânico e o ciclo de N, P, e S. Entretanto, mudanças na concentração total da matéria organica em resposta ao manejo pode ser dificil de ser detectada devido à variabilidade natural do solo. Quando comparada com a matéria orgânica total do solo, a fração mais prontamente disponível, como o carbono orgânico dissolvido (COD), é mais sensível às mudanças no manejo do solo a curto e médio prazo e, portanto, pode ser utilizada como indicador fundamental de qualidade do solo ou das alterações das condições naturais. Embora a fração dissolvida represente apenas uma pequena porção da matéria orgânica total do solo, o COD é móvel no solo e constitui uma importante fonte de C para os microorganismos, podendo facilmente refletir os efeitos de diferentes sistemas de manejo. Inúmeros métodos são utilizados para caracterizar o COD, mas os processos que influenciam sua mineralização e a disponibilidade dos elementos associado com a matéria orgânica (N, P, e S) ainda não são completamente entendidos. Pesquisas futuras devem buscar entender os processos que governam a dinâmica de nutrientes e do COD e como os mesmos afetam a qualidade do solo.Soil quality has become an important issue in soil science. Considerable attempts have been made to define soil quality, but a general concept has not yet been accepted by the scientific community. The selection of quantitative indices for soil quality is extremely difficult, and a considerable number of chemical, physical, and biochemical properties have been suggested as potential indicators of soil quality. Because soil organic matter (SOM) can be associated with different soil chemical, physical and biological processes, it has been widely considered as one of the best soil quality indicator. Land use can significantly influence dynamics of organic carbon and N, P, and S cycle. However, changes in total soil organic carbon (SOC) contents in response to land use may be difficult to detect because of the natural soil variability. In the short to medium term, biological properties and readily decomposable fractions of SOC, such as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), are much more sensitive to soil management than is SOM as a whole, and can be used as a key indicator of soil natural functions. Despite the fact that labile C accounts for a small portion of the total organic matter in the soils, DOC is the most mobile and important C-source for microorganisms, and can easily reflect the effects of land use on soil quality. Although several methods are used to characterize DOC, the factors influencing mineralization and bioavailability of elements associated with organic matter (N, P, and S) remains unclear. Future research should focus on the processes that govern DOC and nutrient dynamics and how they affect soil quality

Gaia Early Data Release 3: The celestial reference frame (Gaia-CRF3)

Context. Gaia-CRF3 is the celestial reference frame for positions and proper motions in the third release of data from the Gaia mission, Gaia DR3 (and for the early third release, Gaia EDR3, which contains identical astrometric results). The reference frame is defined by the positions and proper motions at epoch 2016.0 for a specific set of extragalactic sources in the (E)DR3 catalogue. Aims. We describe the construction of Gaia-CRF3 and its properties in terms of the distributions in magnitude, colour, and astrometric quality. Methods. Compact extragalactic sources in Gaia DR3 were identified by positional cross-matching with 17 external catalogues of quasi-stellar objects (QSO) and active galactic nuclei (AGN), followed by astrometric filtering designed to remove stellar contaminants. Selecting a clean sample was favoured over including a higher number of extragalactic sources. For the final sample, the random and systematic errors in the proper motions are analysed, as well as the radio-optical offsets in position for sources in the third realisation of the International Celestial Reference Frame (ICRF3). Results. Gaia-CRF3 comprises about 1.6 million QSO-like sources, of which 1.2 million have five-parameter astrometric solutions in Gaia DR3 and 0.4 million have six-parameter solutions. The sources span the magnitude range G = 13-21 with a peak density at 20.6 mag, at which the typical positional uncertainty is about 1 mas. The proper motions show systematic errors on the level of 12 μas yr-1 on angular scales greater than 15 deg. For the 3142 optical counterparts of ICRF3 sources in the S/X frequency bands, the median offset from the radio positions is about 0.5 mas, but it exceeds 4 mas in either coordinate for 127 sources. We outline the future of Gaia-CRF in the next Gaia data releases. Appendices give further details on the external catalogues used, how to extract information about the Gaia-CRF3 sources, potential (Galactic) confusion sources, and the estimation of the spin and orientation of an astrometric solution

Gaia Data Release 3: reflectance spectra of Solar System small bodies

Stars and planetary system