Unveiling Permafrost Transformations: Investigating Organic Carbon Characteristics and Dynamics in Alaskan Lowland Landscapes

Lowland permafrost landscapes are experiencing dramatic changes as the climate in the Arctic has been warming almost four times the rate of the global average in the past four decades. On the Alaskan North Slope, extensive thermokarst processes are steering the dynamics of lakes and drained lake basins (DLBs). With progressing climate change, re-aggradation of permafrost in DLBs becomes potentially impeded. Additionally, along the Beaufort Sea coast, thaw-induced destabilization is causing substantial erosion, exposing previously frozen terrestrial deposits to the marine environment. The consequences for the biogeochemical system, which holds significant amounts of organic carbon, remain understudied. Therefore, we aim to investigate the carbon pool characteristics in thermokarst terrain close to Utqiaġvik. Sediment cores were sampled in 2022 and include two thermokarst lakes, one DLB and one undisturbed upland core. While West Twin Lake has freshwater conditions, East Twin Lake exhibits brackish water. The up to 2 m long sediment cores are investigated with a multidisciplinary approach. Bio- and hydrochemical analyses offer a detailed understanding of the current carbon pool properties. Additionally, n-alkane biomarker analyses, accompanied by carbon isotopy and the C/N ratio, serve as proxies to characterize the degradation state of organic carbon and its changes post permafrost thaw. Initial findings on carbon quantity and quality are presented, along with preliminary results from a 12-month-long incubation experiment. In this experiment, carbon dioxide and methane production rates are measured at ten depths along the sediment cores. The outcomes of this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of organic carbon degradation and its implications for the future carbon pool at a landform-specific level

Organic Carbon Characteristics and Dynamics in Thermokarst Terrain on the Alaskan North Slope

Thermokarst processes have been accelerating since the 1950s in the Alaskan tundra (Chen et al., 2021; Jorgenson et al., 2006) which corresponds to warming permafrost temperatures (Biskaborn et al., 2019) and a disproportional warming climate of the Arctic region (Rantanen et al., 2022). On the Alaskan North Slope, thermokarst is steering the dynamics of thermokarst lakes and drained lake basins (DLBs; Jones et al., 2022), thereby thawing, mobilizing, and sequestering organic carbon. The consequences for the biogeochemical system, which holds significant amounts of organic carbon (Palmtag et al., 2022), remain understudied. In particular, the quality of organic carbon is an important factor for the mobilization potential and rates of release as greenhouse gases (Jongejans et al., 2021). In our study, we aim to investigate the soil organic carbon pool characteristics in a thermokarst terrain close to Utqiaġvik, Alaska

Pyrene Mineralization by Mycobacterium sp. Strain KMS in a Barley Rhizosphere

To determine whether the soil Mycobacterium isolate KMS would mineralize pyrene under rhizosphere conditions, a microcosm system was established to collect radioactive carbon dioxide released from the labeled polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon. Microcosms were designed as sealed, flow-through systems that allowed the growth of plants. Experiments were conducted to evaluate mineralization of 14C-labeled pyrene in a sand amended with the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons degrading Mycobacterium isolate KMS, barley plants, or barley plants with roots colonized by isolate KMS. Mineralization was quantified by collecting the 14CO2 produced from 14C-labeled pyrene at intervals during the 10-d incubation period. Roots and foliar tissues were examined for 14C incorporation. Mass balances for microcosms were determined through combustion of sand samples and collection and quantification of 14CO2 evolved from radiolabeled pyrene. No pyrene mineralization was observed in the sterile control systems. Greater release of 14CO2 was observed in the system with barley colonized by KMS than in microcosms containing just the bacterium inoculum or sterile barley plants. These findings suggest that phytostimulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons mineralization could be applied in remediation schemes

PRO B: evaluating the effect of an alarm-based patient-reported outcome monitoring compared with usual care in metastatic breast cancer patients—study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: Despite the progress of research and treatment for breast cancer, still up to 30% of the patients afflicted will develop distant disease. Elongation of survival and maintaining the quality of life (QoL) become pivotal issues guiding the treatment decisions. One possible approach to optimise survival and QoL is the use of patient-reported outcomes (PROs) to timely identify acute disease-related burden. We present the protocol of a trial that investigates the effect of real-time PRO data captured with electronic mobile devices on QoL in female breast cancer patients with metastatic disease. Methods: This study is a randomised, controlled trial with 1:1 randomisation between two arms. A total of 1000 patients will be recruited in 40 selected breast cancer centres. Patients in the intervention arm receive a weekly request via an app to complete the PRO survey. Symptoms will be assessed by study-specific optimised short forms based on the EORTC QLQ-C30 domains using items from the EORTC CAT item banks. In case of deteriorating PRO scores, an alarm is sent to the treating study centre as well as to the PRO B study office. Following the alarm, the treating breast cancer centre is required to contact the patient to inquire about the reported symptoms and to intervene, if necessary. The intervention is not specified and depends on the clinical need determined by the treating physician. Patients in the control arm are prompted by the app every 3 months to participate in the PRO survey, but their response will not trigger an alarm. The primary outcome is the fatigue level 6 months after enrolment. Secondary endpoints include among others hospitalisations, use of rescue services and overall QoL. Discussion: Within the PRO B intervention group, we expect lower fatigue levels 6 months after intervention start, higher levels of QoL, less unplanned hospitalisations and less emergency room visits compared to controls. In case of positive results, our approach would allow a fast and easy transfer into clinical practice due to the use of the already nationwide existing IT infrastructure of the German Cancer Society and the independent certification institute OnkoZert

Mutations in GDF5 Reveal a Key Residue Mediating BMP Inhibition by NOGGIN

Signaling output of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) is determined by two sets of opposing interactions, one with heterotetrameric complexes of cell surface receptors, the other with secreted antagonists that act as ligand traps. We identified two mutations (N445K,T) in patients with multiple synostosis syndrome (SYM1) in the BMP–related ligand GDF5. Functional studies of both mutants in chicken micromass culture demonstrated a gain of function caused by a resistance to the BMP–inhibitor NOGGIN and an altered signaling effect. Residue N445, situated within overlapping receptor and antagonist interfaces, is highly conserved among the BMP family with the exception of BMP9 and BMP10, in which it is substituted with lysine. Like the mutant GDF5, both BMPs are insensitive to NOGGIN and show a high chondrogenic activity. Ectopic expression of BMP9 or the GDF5 mutants resulted in massive induction of cartilage in an in vivo chick model presumably by bypassing the feedback inhibition imposed by endogenous NOGGIN. Swapping residues at the mutation site alone was not sufficient to render Bmp9 NOG-sensitive; however, successive introduction of two additional substitutions imparted high to total sensitivity on customized variants of Bmp9. In conclusion, we show a new mechanism for abnormal joint development that interferes with a naturally occurring regulatory mechanism of BMP signaling

Online water vapor detection in the product gas from indirect gasification

The integration of a gasifier into a complex synthesis process, such like SNG synthesis,with several process steps asks for a better monitoring of the gasifier performance.While the dry gas composition is often known, tar concentration andsteam concentration in the raw producer gas are usually not available online. A setof standard analyzers for dry gas composition (GC or NDIR) and online tar measurementcombined with an online water measurement could allow the continuouscalculation of simple mass and energy balances. Those balances, that characterizethe gasification process, could enable the operator to monitor the effects ofvarying fuel properties and eventually counter the effects on the downstreamequipment.For the detection of steam concentration in raw gas electromagnetic waves ofterahertz frequencies (hundreds of gigahertz) are promising with regard to developa robust online measurement device for industrial application. Main reasons for thehigh potential are the low risk for interference with the wide range of other moleculesand the fact that THz frequencies are rather insensitive to deposits and particulatematter in the course of the beam, compared to laser technology at IR.Aiming to test the feasibility of applying this measurement technique in the industrialscale, a gas cell was designed and constructed providing conditions close tothe onsite operation (i.e. T, P, gas composition, etc.) for primary laboratory tests.The experiments were then followed with onsite tests at Chalmers power central.Within those experiments the application of THz spectroscopy as a promisingtechnique for detection and measurement of steam and CO at real industrial processeswas proven. Current report demonstrates the procedure of implementing aTHz spectrometer to acquire data in both laboratory and industrial scale and discusshow those data could be interpreted to gain a precise measurement of desiredgaseous components