Different responses to artificial ventilation in two stratified coastal basins

We studied the effects of pumping surface water down through the pycnocline (i.e. artificial ventilation) on hydrodynamics, oxygen concentrations, hydrogen sulfide, and nutrients in two anoxic coastal basins (Lannerstasundet and Sandofjarden). In addition, in a corresponding laboratory aquarium experiment, pumping of less saline surface water entrained dense bottom water with a mixing ratio of 6.8 and illustrated dispersal below the pycnocline. Oxygen saturation increased from 0 to 20%; oxygen penetrated poorly into the sediment of the aquarium. In the salinity-stratified Lannerstasundet basin, ventilation also oxidized the anoxic bottom water. The ventilation removed hydrogen sulfide and decreased the sub-pycnocline water pools of phosphorus and ammonium, which was not observed in a neighboring reference basin. The summertime ventilation warmed and made the sub-pycnocline water less saline. In the autumn, the inflows of cooled water from the surroundings with equal or higher salinity promoted its sinking in the relatively warm ventilated basin. The inflows maintained oxygen concentrations between 4 and 8 mg L-1 for months after the ventilation ended. In contrast to Lannerstasundet, ventilation did not prevent formation of anoxia and release of nutrients in the temperature stratified Sandofjarden. Here, the ventilation capacity was less than that in Lannerstasundet and ventilation expanded the sub-thermocline bottom area, warmed the bottom sediments, and probably displaced oxic water from the experimental area. The ventilation did not promote density conditions for inflows and no marked inflow-induced oxidation was observed after midsummer. We conclude that a significant amount of anoxic water was entrained into the ascending plume which reduced the oxygen content below the pycnocline ventilation in aquarium experiment. Additionally, summertime ventilation may improve the status of the salinity-stratified basins for further oxidation. The improvement occurs due to autumn cooling and favorable basin topography, which promote inflows of oxic water with larger density and thereby, renewal of bottom water in the pumped basin. The semi-enclosed and temperature-stratified basin cannot form such favorable density conditions for inflows and thus ventilation is less efficient.Peer reviewe

Chronic Pain in a Couples Context: A Review and Integration of Theoretical Models and Empirical Evidence

Researchers have become increasingly interested in the social context of chronic pain conditions. The purpose of this article is to provide an integrated review of the evidence linking marital functioning with chronic pain outcomes including pain severity, physical disability, pain behaviors, and psychological distress. We first present an overview of existing models that identify an association between marital functioning and pain variables. We then review the empirical evidence for a relationship between pain variables and several marital functioning variables including marital satisfaction, spousal support, spouse responses to pain, and marital interaction. On the basis of the evidence, we present a working model of marital and pain variables, identify gaps in the literature, and offer recommendations for research and clinical work

Changes in alcohol purchases from grocery stores after authorising the sale of stronger beverages : The case of the Finnish alcohol legislation reform in 2018

Aims: The Finnish alcohol law was reformed in January 2018. The availability of alcoholic beverages in grocery stores increased as the legal limit for retail sales of alcoholic drinks was raised from 4.7% to 5.5% alcohol, and the requirement of production by fermentation was abolished. We analysed how the inclusion of strong beers, ciders, and ready-to-drink beverages in grocery stores was reflected in alcohol purchases, and how these changes differed by age, sex, level of education and household income. Design: The study sample included 47,066 loyalty card holders from the largest food retailer in Finland. The data consisted of longitudinal, individual-level information on alcohol purchases from grocery stores, covering the time period between 1 January 2017 and 31 December 2018. The volumes of absolute alcohol during a calendar year from beers, ciders, ready-to-drink beverages, and in total, were calculated. Alcohol purchases in 2017 and 2018 were compared. Results: There was no overall change in the total alcohol (0.04 [95% CI -0.03, 0.11] litres/year) or beer purchases (0.05 [95% CI -0.02, 0.11] litres/year). Purchases of ready-to-drink beverages increased by 0.10 [95% CI 0.09, 0.11] litres/year (+ 84%). Total alcohol purchases increased in the three highest income groups, whereas they decreased in the two lowest groups (p for the interaction < 0.0001). Conclusions: The increased purchases of alcohol as ready-to-drink beverages were, on the average, compensated for by a decrease in purchases of other alcoholic beverages. Higher prices probably limited the purchases among lower income groups and younger consumers, while the increase was sharper in higher income groups.Peer reviewe

Co-creation of value at the bottom of the pyramid: Analysing Bangladeshi farmers' use of mobile telephony

Existing literature offers scant evidence of how BoP (bottom of the pyramid) consumers with limited product knowledge and interaction with product designers and marketers can co-create value. The current paper addresses this issue by analysing Bangladeshi farmers’ use of mobile telephony. The findings suggest the value-in-use is facilitated or inhibited by product features, socio-economic practices, individuals’ capabilities and the appropriation of mobile telephony. The paper demonstrates how BoP customers can co-create value with or without direct support from marketers and offers a theoretical framework for the co-creation of value and contributes to the current understanding of BoP market dynamics

Leaching losses of nitrate nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen from a yearly two crops system, wheat-maize, under monsoon situations

A large amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizers applied to the winter wheat-summer maize double cropping systems in the North China Plain (NCP) contributes largely to N leaching to the groundwater. A series of field experiments were carried out during October 2004 and September 2007 in a lysimeter field to reveal the temporal changes of N leaching losses below 2-m depth from this land system as well as the effects of N fertilizer application rates on N leaching. Four N rates (0, 180, 260, and 360 kg N ha(-1) as urea) were applied in the study area. Seasonal leachate volumes were 87 and 72 mm in the first and second maize season, respectively, and 13 and 4 mm during the winter wheat and maize season in the third rotational year, respectively. The average seasonal flow-weighted NO(3)-N concentrations in leachate for the four N fertilizer application rates ranged from 8.1 to 103.7 mg N l(-1), and seasonal flow-weighted dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) concentrations in leachate varied from 0.8 to 6.0 mg N l(-1). Total amounts of NO(3)-N leaching lost throughout the 3 years were in the range of 14.6 to 177.8 kg ha(-1) for the four N application rates, corresponding to N leaching losses in the range of 4.0-7.6% of the fertilizers applied. DON losses throughout the 3 years were 1.4, 2.1, 3.6, and 6.3 kg N ha(-1) for the four corresponding fertilization rates. The application rate of 180 kg N ha(-1) was recommended based on the balance between reducing N leaching and maintaining crop yields. The results indicated that there is a potential risk of N leaching during the winter wheat season, and over-fertilization of chemical N can result in substantial N leaching losses by high-intensity rainfalls in summer

Process evaluation of complex cardiovascular interventions : How to interpret the results of my trial?

Complex interventions of varying degrees of complexity are commonly used and evaluated in cardiovascular nursing and allied professions. Such interventions are increasingly tested using randomized trial designs. However, process evaluations are seldom used to better understand the results of these trials. Process evaluation aims to understand how complex interventions create change by evaluating implementation, mechanisms of impact, and the surrounding context when delivering an intervention. As such, this method can illuminate important mechanisms and clarify variation in results. In this article, process evaluation is described according to the Medical Research Council guidance and its use exemplified through a randomized controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a transition program for adolescents with chronic conditions