Technical note : Comparison of methane ebullition modelling approaches used in terrestrial wetland models

Emission via bubbling, i.e. ebullition, is one of the main methane (CH4) emission pathways from wetlands to the atmosphere. Direct measurement of gas bubble formation, growth and release in the peat-water matrix is challenging and in consequence these processes are relatively unknown and are coarsely represented in current wetland CH4 emission models. In this study we aimed to evaluate three ebullition modelling approaches and their effect on model performance. This was achieved by implementing the three approaches in one process-based CH4 emission model. All the approaches were based on some kind of threshold: either on CH4 pore water concentration (ECT), pressure (EPT) or free-phase gas volume (EBG) threshold. The model was run using 4 years of data from a boreal sedge fen and the results were compared with eddy covariance measurements of CH4 fluxes. Modelled annual CH4 emissions were largely unaffected by the different ebullition modelling approaches; however, temporal variability in CH4 emissions varied an order of magnitude between the approaches. Hence the ebullition modelling approach drives the temporal variability in modelled CH4 emissions and therefore significantly impacts, for instance, high-frequency (daily scale) model comparison and calibration against measurements. The modelling approach based on the most recent knowledge of the ebullition process (volume threshold, EBG) agreed the best with the measured fluxes (R-2 = 0.63) and hence produced the most reasonable results, although there was a scale mismatch between the measurements (ecosystem scale with heterogeneous ebullition locations) and model results (single horizontally ho-mogeneous peat column). The approach should be favoured over the two other more widely used ebullition modelling approaches and researchers are encouraged to implement it into their CH4 emission models.Peer reviewe

Pim-1 kinase inhibits STAT5-dependent transcription via its interactions with SOCS1 and SOCS3

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5) plays a critical role in cytokine-induced survival of hematopoietic cells. One of the STAT5 target genes is pim-1, which encodes an oncogenic serine/threonine kinase. Here we demonstrate that Pim-1 inhibits STAT5-dependent transcription in cells responsive to interleukin-3, prolactin, or erythropoietin. Ectopic expression of Pim-1 in cytokine- dependent FDCP1 myeloid cells results in reduced tyrosine phosphorylation and DNA binding of STAT5, indicating that Pim-1 interferes already with the initial steps of STAT5 activation. However, the Pim-1 kinase does not directly phosphorylate or bind to STAT5. By contrast, Pim-1 interacts with suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1) and SOCS3 and potentiates their inhibitory effects on STAT5, most likely via phosphorylation-mediated stabilization of the SOCS proteins. Thus, both Pim and SOCS family proteins may be components of a negative feedback mechanism that allows STAT5 to attenuate its own activity. (C) 2004 by The American Society of Hematology

Revealing sources of CH4 in a boreal upland forest

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Revealing sources of biological methane production in boreal upland forests

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Adhesion of Respiratory-Infection-Associated Microorganisms on Degradable Thermoplastic Composites

The purpose of this study was to evaluate bacterial adhesion and early colonization on a composite consisting of bioactive glass (BAG) particles and copolymer of ε-caprolactone/D,L-lactide. Materials were incubated with suspensions of both type strains and clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa for 30 minutes (adhesion) and 4 hours (colonization). Clear differences exist in the microorganisms' ability to adhere on the experimental materials. However, the presence of BAG particles does not inhibit bacterial adhesion, but early colonization of the materials with P. aeruginosa was inhibited by the addition of 90–315 μm BAG particles

A Short Term Study of Hungarians Learning Finnish Vowels

Turku, FinlandA group of Hungarian students (n=10) participated in a Finnish phonetics and conversation course during the first 3 months of their language studies. During the course, the students trained in the allophonic variation of Finnish speech sounds, comparing them to Hungarian sounds and participating in group conversation exercises. We call the method used on the course conscious phonetic training of foreign language speech sounds. Additionally, the students participated in one-on-one imitating exercises, which were recorded for the current study. We followed the participants' foreign sounds pronunciation development during the first semester of their studies and compared it to their peers (n=4). The results suggest that participating in the course affected the students' pronunciation skills towards the end of the three-month course, whereas, at the beginning, both of the groups' pronunciation was more similar.caslpub3672pu

Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Versus Pharmacomechanical Thrombectomy for Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis : A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis

Background: Upper extremity deep vein thrombosis represents (UEDVT) 2-3% of all deep vein thrombosis. Catheter directed thrombolysis (CDT) was replaced largely by pharmacomechanical thrombolysis (PMT) in our institution. In this study we compared the immediate and 1-year results as well as the total hospital costs between CDT and PMT in the treatment of UEDVT. Methods: From 2006 to 2013, 55 patients with UEDVT were treated with either CDT or PMT at Helsinki University Hospital. Of them, 43 underwent thoracoscopic rib resection later to relieve phlebography-confirmed vein compression. This patient cohort was prospectively followed up with repeated phlebographies. CDT was performed to 24 patients, and 19 had PMT with a Trellis (TM) device. Clinical evaluation and vein patency assessment were performed with either phlebography or ultrasound 1 year after the thrombolysis. Primary outcomes were immediate technical success, 1-year vein patency, and costs of the initial treatment. Results: The immediate overall technical success rate, defined as recanalization of the occluded vein and removal of the fresh thrombus, was 91.7% in the CDT group and 100% in the PMT group (n.s.). The median thrombolytic time was significantly longer in CDT patients than that in PMT patients (21.1 vs. 0.33 hr, P <0.00001). There were no procedure-related complications. The 1-year primary assisted patency rate was similar in both the groups (91.7% and 94.7%). There were no recurrences of clinical DVT. The hospital costs for the acute period were significantly lower in the PMT group than those in the CDT group (medians: 11,476 (sic) and 5,975 (sic) in the CDT and PMT groups, respectively [P <0.00001]). Conclusions: The clinical results of the treatment of UEDVT with CDT or PMT were similar. However, PMT required shorter hospital stay and less intensive surveillance, leading to lower total costs.Peer reviewe