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Purpose: The purpose of this paper was to prepare a ternary hierarchical rough particle to accelerate the anti-corrosive design for coastal concrete infrastructures. Design/methodology/approach: A kind of micro-nano hydrophobic ternary microparticles was fabricated from SiO2/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) and recycled concrete powders (RCPs), which was then mixed with sodium silicate and silane to form an inorganic slurry. The slurry was further sprayed on the concrete surface to construct a superhydrophobic coating (SHC). Transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mappings demonstrate that the nano-sized SiO2 has been grafted on the sub-micron HNTs and then further adhered to the surface of micro-sized RCP, forming a kind of superhydrophobic particles (SiO2/HNTs@RCP) featured of abundant micro-nano hierarchical structures. Findings: The SHC surface presents excellent superhydrophobicity with the water contact angle >156°. Electrochemical tests indicate that the corrosion rate of mild steel rebar in coated concrete reduces three-order magnitudes relative to the uncoated one in 3.5% NaCl solution. Water uptake and chloride ion (Cl-) diffusion tests show that the SHC exhibits high H2O and Cl- ions barrier properties thanks to the pore-sealing and water-repellence properties of SiO2/HNTs@RCP particles. Furthermore, the SHC possesses considerable mechanical durability and outstanding self-cleaning ability. Originality/value: SHC inhibits water uptake, Cl- diffusion and rebar corrosion of concrete, which will promote the sustainable application of concrete waste in anti-corrosive concrete projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A passive wedge screen, thanks to its many functional and environmental advantages, has recently become a popular type of surface water intake for municipal and industrial purposes. The design solutions proposed in this paper for a passive wedge wire screen intake model and two different deflectors have been experimentally tested under conditions that can be considered as no-flow conditions at the hydraulic flume. There was only a slight flow associated with the operation of the screen, while there was almost no flow in the hydraulic channel itself, such that it would be considered a watercourse. A hydraulic analysis was carried out, including velocity distribution around the screen as well as the determination of head losses with or without deflectors installed inside the screen. Lower inlet and inflow velocities to the surface of the water intake reduce the risk of injury or death to small fish and fry as well as attracting pollutants understood as sediments, debris, and plant remains floating in the river. In order to achieve the lowest possible maximum inlet and inflow velocities at the highest possible intake capacity, it was necessary to equalize the approach velocity distributions. It was shown that by using the proposed deflectors, the approach velocity distributions were equalized and the maximum values of inflow and inlet velocities were reduced. A water intake screen with a deflector with an uneven porosity distribution equalized the approach velocities better than a deflector with equal openings, but the differences were small. Installing the wedge screen model reduced the maximum inlet velocity from exceeding 2 m/s to a value of 0.08 m/s, and after installing deflectors with equal and unequal openings to values of 0.06 m/s and 0.05 m/s, respectively. In addition to laboratory tests, the paper describes the numerical simulations performed in ANSYS Fluent software. The results of the simulations made it possible to obtain a broader study, as well as to compare the velocity values obtained at the measuring points during the laboratory tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

First morning urine (FMU) assessment would be a practical and convenient solution for clinically acceptable detection of underhydration prior to competition/training, and for the general public. Thus, we thus sought to determine the diagnostic accuracy of FMU as a valid indicator of recent (previous 24 hr, 5 days average) hydration practices. For 5 consecutive days and one final morning, 67 healthy women (n = 38) and men (n = 29; age: 20 [1] years, body mass index: 25.9 [5.5]) completed 24-hr diet logs for total water intake (from beverages and foods, absolute and relative to body mass), 24-hr urine and FMU collection (last morning only) for osmolality (Osm), specific gravity (SG), and color (Col), and morning blood sampling for plasma osmolality and copeptin. Correlations determined significance and relationship strength among FMU and all other variables. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves, sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratios were employed using previously reported values to indicate underhydration (total water intake < 30 ml/kg, osmolality > 500, and >800 mOsm/kg, specific gravity > 1.017, and copeptin > 6.93 pmol/L). FMU_Osm and FMU_SG were significantly correlated (p <.05) to all variables except the previous 5-day plasma osmolality. FMU_Col was only significantly correlated with other color time intervals and total water intake per gram. FMU_Osm held greatest utility (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, sensitivity, and specificity >80%) overall, with the best outcome being FMU_Osm indicating a previous 24-hr osmolality threshold of 500 mOsm/kg (FMU_Osm criterion >710 mOsm/kg and positive likelihood ratio = 5.9). With less effort and cost restriction, FMU is a viable metric to assess underhydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydration status plays a key role in healthy ageing, and it is potentially affected by several factors, including drug consumption. However, research on this issue to date is scarce, especially in highly vulnerable groups, such as the elderly. We aimed to study the relationship linking hydration status, analysed by means of a validated questionnaire, 24 h urine analysis, body composition assessment, and drug consumption in a sample of old adults. A total of 144 elders were included in the study. Cardiovascular drug consumption was significantly associated with a lower water intake in men (β = −0.282, p = 0.029). Moreover, urinary analysis revealed that total drug intake as well as the consumption of diuretics and cardiovascular drugs were associated with poorer hydration status, whereas genito-urinary drugs were associated with an opposite effect, and these results were confirmed in terms of body composition. Hence, total drug consumption (β = −0.205), diuretic (β = −0.408), cardiovascular (β = −0.297), and genito-urinary drugs (β = 0.298) were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with total body water. The obtained results confirmed the impact of chronic treatment with certain drugs on hydration status. Nutritional interventions may be of great interest in certain population groups in order to prevent complications due to altered hydration status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of economy and society, great changes have taken place in the national water intake situation. In order to adapt to the requirements of high-quality development of water resources management in the new situation and respond to the needs of building a smart water digital twin data base, the construction of the national water resources monitoring and measurement system needs to be strengthened. As the main water intake form in China at this stage, it is necessary to study the technical methods to improve its monitoring and measurement capacity. This paper investigates and studies the data of more than 5.5 million water intakes nationwide collected in 2021 by combining field investigation and data collection. From the national and typical provincial levels, the current situation of water intake monitoring and metering is analyzed according to different water intake scales, water intake purposes, water intake projects, monitoring and metering facilities and water transmission type, and the comparison and selection of monitoring and metering facilities, improvement of monitoring accuracy. Technical methods are proposed to improve the stability and durability of monitoring, improve the application of system platform functions, and promote the improvement of pipeline type water intake monitoring and metering capacity. The research shows that: ➀ The number and distribution of water intakes across the country are significant. The number of water intakes is huge and the spatial distribution is uneven. There are many water intakes in the north, mainly groundwater intakes, and few water intakes in the south, mainly surface water intakes. ➁ The national water intake monitoring and metering work should be further strengthened. At this stage, the focus should be on improving the pipeline type water intake monitoring and metering capacity. The monitoring and metering methods and facilities used are different due to different conditions such as water intake scale, water intake scene and water intake purpose. The error, environmental adaptability, measurement cost, advantages and disadvantages and unique application scenarios of different monitoring and measurement facilities are quite different. ➂ The monitoring and metering lifting of pipeline type water intakes is a comprehensive task. It is necessary to comprehensively improve the monitoring and metering capacity of the water intake from four aspects: metering accuracy, stability and durability, system platform application capability, and the introduction of relevant technical standards. The research findings provide an important basic data reference for comprehensively understanding the current situation of water intake monitoring and metering in China, a technical reference for improving the monitoring and metering capacity of pipeline water intakes, and a technical support for the next step of water intake supervision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Both short and long sleep durations are associated with decreased kidney function; however, few studies have examined the relationship between sleep, hydration status, and plain water intake. This study aimed to assess the relationship between sleep quality, hydration status, and plain water intake in pregnant women. Methods: A cross-sectional study method was used to collect data from 380 pregnant women with regular examinations at the hospital between May 2019 and February 2021. Results: There were statistically significant differences in daily plain water intake (x2 = 14.118, p = 0.001), PSQI score (x2 = 77.708, p < 0.001), sleep duration (x2 = 67.569, p > 0.001), subjective sleep quality (x2 = 67.441, p = 0.001), time to fall asleep (x2 = 64.782, p < 001), sleep disorders (x2 = 70.853, p < 0.001), and daytime dysfunction (x2 = 38.441, p < 0.001) among different hydration status groups. Ordinal logistic regression results indicated that the intake of plain water ≥1500 mL/d (OR = 0.40, 95% CI = 0.24~0.67), good subjective sleep quality (OR = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.07~0.32), short time to fall asleep (OR = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.14~0.70), 8 h of sleep (OR = 0.06, 95% CI = 0.02~0.17), 6–7 h of sleep (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.07~0.54), no sleep disturbance (OR = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.11~0.89), and high sleep efficiency (OR = 0.46, 95% CI = 0.03~0.79) were factors that were correlated with optimal hydration status. Sleep duration and daytime dysfunction partially mediated the effect of plain water intake on hydration status. The mediating effect of sleep duration was −0.036, accounting for 14.006% of the overall effect. The mediating effect of daytime dysfunction was −0.024, accounting for 9.459% of the overall effect. Conclusion: The hydration status in pregnant women may be affected by daily plain water intake and sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice bean [Vigna umbellata (Thunb.) Ohwi and Ohashi], an annual legume in the genus Vigna, is a promising crop suitable for cultivation in a changing climate to ensure food security. It is also a medicinal plant widely used in traditional Chinese medicine; however, little is known about the medicinal compounds in rice bean. In this study, we assessed the diuretic effect of rice bean extracts on mice as well as its relationship with the contents of eight secondary metabolites in seeds. Mice gavaged with rice bean extracts from yellow and black seeds had higher urinary output (5.44–5.47 g) and water intake (5.8–6.3 g) values than mice gavaged with rice bean extracts from red seeds. Correlation analyses revealed significant negative correlations between urine output and gallic acid (R = −0.70) and genistein (R = −0.75) concentrations, suggesting that these two polyphenols negatively regulate diuresis. There were no obvious relationships between mice diuresis-related indices (urine output, water intake, and weight loss) and rutin or catechin contents, although the concentrations of both of these polyphenols in rice bean seeds were higher than the concentrations of the other six secondary metabolites. Our study findings may be useful for future research on the diuretic effects of rice bean, but they should be confirmed on the basis of systematic medical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Water consumption is believed to be a key factor in weight management strategies, yet the existing literature on the subject yields inconsistent findings. To systematically assess the scientific evidence regarding the effect of water intake on adiposity, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) among overweight and obese populations. Methods: PubMed and Embase were searched for relevant articles published up to December 2023. The summary weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were estimated using the DerSimonian–Laird random-effects model. Results: In this meta-analysis of eight RCTs, interventions to promote water intake or to substitute water for other beverages as compared to the control group resulted in a summary WMD of −0.33 kg (95% CI = −1.75–1.08, I2 = 78%) for body weight, −0.23 kg/m2 (95% CI = −0.55–0.09, I2 = 0%) for body mass index (BMI), and 0.05 cm (95% CI = −1.20–1.30, I2 = 40%) for waist circumference (WC). Among RCTs substituting water for artificially sweetened beverages, summary WMD was 1.82 kg (95% CI = 0.97–2.67, I2 = 0%) for body weight and 1.23 cm (95% CI = −0.03–2.48, I2 = 0%) for WC. Conversely, among RCTs substituting water for sugar-sweetened beverages, summary WMD was −0.81 kg (95% CI = −1.66–0.03, I2 = 2%) for body weight and −0.96 cm (95% CI = −2.06–0.13, I2 = 0%) for WC. Conclusions: In conclusion, water intake may not significantly impact adiposity among overweight and obese individuals. However, replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with water might offer a modest benefit in inducing weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the issues of controlling the surface and ground water drainage in combined drainage-irrigation systems. The most common ways of regulating the drainage of surface waters, aimed at preventing the land waterlogging, creating conditions for timely agrotechnical measures, and protecting the soil from erosion, are represented. The main directions of developments associated with the control of the ground water level under non-black earth conditions are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this changing climate scenario, the availability of potable water has become scarce for both humans and animals in many parts of the world. Continuous supply of water is crucial for animals’ life as well as different body and sanitary maintenance needs. Water availability has a direct and indirect role in clenching thirst, feeding, cleaning of animals and their environment, and other dairy operations. Water intake by dairy animals is affected by several factors including body weight of animals, genetic makeup, dry matter intake, mineral content of feed offered, milk productivity, environmental conditions, and water temperature. Behavioral patterns of dairy animals are adversely affected by restriction of water supply to them. Researchers have recommended that ad libitum water supply should be assured to the farm animals to avoid any negative effect on their health and performances. In the recent years, there is growing interest in quantifying the effects of restricted water supply to dairy animals. Many studies have demonstrated that the availability of potable water for animals will be a great challenge soon. Therefore, the present review paper has been formulated to gain better understanding of the factors affecting water intake in dairy animals and management strategies to ensure availability of water resources essential for their health, production, and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Simple Summary: In the near future, several areas of the world will be affected by climate change, reducing their water availability. More than 90% of goats are found in Asia and Africa, and it is believed that these animals would be more resilient to climate change. Their milk is a good source of nutrients, contributing to the food security of the poorest and rural communities. Considering that milk is mostly water, it is essential to understand how the goat mammary gland can respond at a productive, cellular, hormonal, and blood level when faced with reduced water intake scenarios, as well as analyzing prospects in terms of more sustainable goat milk production. Due to climate change, diverse territories of the planet will suffer from water restrictions. Goats are perceived as the most resilient ruminants in this scenario. So, various studies have focused on describing how a lower water intake influences milk production, especially in breeds adapted to desert environments. In water-stress situations, goats lose up to 32% of their body weight (BW), the rate of passage is reduced, and the digestibility of the feed increases. When goats consume water again, the rumen prevents hemolysis and osmotic shock from occurring. Regarding milk production, the response varies depending on the breed and the level of water restriction, maintaining the milk volume or reducing it by up to 41%. Systemically, it decreases the urinary volume and glomerular filtration rate, increasing blood osmolality and the vasopressin (ADH) concentration. Studies are scarce regarding changes in blood flow to the mammary gland, but there would be a reduction in blood flow velocity of up to 40% without changing blood pressure. New studies must be undertaken to determine which breeds or crosses are the best adapted to changing environmental conditions and to improve our understanding of the changes that occur at the morphophysiological level of the caprine mammary gland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To estimate the economic impact of preventing urinary tract infections (UTI) by increasing water intake among women with recurrent UTI and low fluid intake across seven countries: France, United Kingdom, Spain, United States of America, Mexico, China and Australia. Methods: A Markov model was developed to compare costs and outcomes of UTIs associated with low fluid intake in women versus a strategy of primary prevention by increasing water intake. Model inputs were based on randomized controlled trial data which found that increasing water intake by 1.5 L/day decreased the risk of developing cystitis by 48% in women with low fluid intake and recurrent UTI. A time horizon of 10 years was used; outcomes were from the payer perspective and included both direct and indirect costs, reported in 2019 United States dollars ($). Discounting rates varied by country. Scenarios of increasing levels of compliance to the increased water intake strategy were evaluated. Results: The total cost of one UTI episode, including diagnostics, treatment and complications, ranged from $2164 (Mexico) to $7671 (Australia). Assuming 80% compliance with the increased water intake strategy over a 10-year time horizon, the number of UTIs prevented ranged from 435,845 (Australia) to 24150,272 (China), resulting in total savings of 286 million (Australia) to $4.4 billion (China). Across all countries, increased water intake resulted in lower cost and fewer UTIs compared with low water intake. Conclusion: Preventing recurrent UTIs by increasing water intake would reduce both the clinical and economic burden associated with UTI. Public, healthcare professionals and patients should be made aware about the preventive positive impact of appropriate water intake on UTIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water resource conservation and management is vital as well for humankind, as for nature and economy, and is exposed to anthropogenic and climatic pressures, transcends national boundaries. The EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC establishes a legal framework to protect and restore clean water in the EU and to secure its long-term sustainable use and mitigate the effects of floods and drought. In this regard, EU member-states are developing river basin management plans based on current characteristics and water status and programs with measures. In the planning process were identified different types of pressures on the surface waters, defining the significant management issues, such as pollution with biogenic substances, organic and chemical pollution, pressure from water intake and climate pressure. These problems solutions require both science-based approaches and specific target measures definitions to improve the water resources status and the level of their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals during the period of intensive growth and development need large amounts of nutrients. Young animals, especially newborns, are exceptionally vulnerable to potentially deleterious effects of nutritional deficiencies. Water is the main component of animal rations. Many dairy calves do not have sufficient access to drinking water. All calves, even those consuming large volumes of milk, should have access to drinking water. Milk does not meet their water requirements. Sick calves and calves reared in high ambient temperatures require free access to drinking water at all times. It is reasonable to offer free drinking water immediately after birth. The aim of this paper was to present the aspects connected with drinking water in calf nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Animals during the period of intensive growth and development need large amounts of nutrients. Young animals, especially newborns, are exceptionally vulnerable to potentially deleterious effects of nutritional deficiencies. Water is the main component of animal rations. Many dairy calves do not have sufficient access to drinking water. All calves, even those consuming large volumes of milk, should have access to drinking water. Milk does not meet their water requirements. Sick calves and calves reared in high ambient temperatures require free access to drinking water at all times. It is reasonable to offer free drinking water immediately after birth. The aim of this paper was to present the aspects connected with drinking water in calf nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-yielding dairy cows have exceptionally high water requirement. These animals may drink up 100 L of water per day. Water is the main component of animal rations. Dairy cow free water intake significantly exceeds dry matter intake. Access to drinking water determines animal health, welfare and performance. Even short-term water deprivation may negatively affect dairy cows. Factors influencing dairy cow water intake include body weight, milk yield, dry matter intake, diet composition, ambient temperature and physiological state. The aim of this paper was to present the aspects connected with drinking water in dairy cow nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In addition to its renal and cardiovascular functions, angiotensin signalling is thought to be responsible for the increases in salt and water intake caused by hypovolaemia. However, it remains unclear whether these behaviours require angiotensin production in the brain or liver. Here, we use in situ hybridization to identify tissue‐specific expression of the genes required for producing angiotensin peptides, and then use conditional genetic deletion of the angiotensinogen gene (Agt) to test whether production in the brain or liver is necessary for sodium appetite and thirst. In the mouse brain, we identified expression of Agt (the precursor for all angiotensin peptides) in a large subset of astrocytes. We also identified Ren1 and Ace (encoding enzymes required to produce angiotensin II) expression in the choroid plexus, and Ren1 expression in neurons within the nucleus ambiguus compact formation. In the liver, we confirmed that Agt is widely expressed in hepatocytes. We next tested whether thirst and sodium appetite require angiotensinogen production in astrocytes or hepatocytes. Despite virtually eliminating expression in the brain, deleting astrocytic Agt did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite. Despite markedly reducing angiotensinogen in the blood, eliminating Agt from hepatocytes did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite, and in fact, these mice consumed the largest amounts of salt and water after sodium deprivation. Deleting Agt from both astrocytes and hepatocytes also did not prevent thirst or sodium appetite. Our findings suggest that angiotensin signalling is not required for sodium appetite or thirst and highlight the need to identify alternative signalling mechanisms. Key points: Angiotensin signalling is thought to be responsible for the increased thirst and sodium appetite caused by hypovolaemia, producing elevated water and sodium intake.Specific cells in separate brain regions express the three genes needed to produce angiotensin peptides, but brain‐specific deletion of the angiotensinogen gene (Agt), which encodes the lone precursor for all angiotensin peptides, did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite.Double‐deletion of Agt from brain and liver also did not reduce thirst or sodium appetite.Liver‐specific deletion of Agt reduced circulating angiotensinogen levels without reducing thirst or sodium appetite. Instead, these angiotensin‐deficient mice exhibited an enhanced sodium appetite.Because the physiological mechanisms controlling thirst and sodium appetite continued functioning without angiotensin production in the brain and liver, understanding these mechanisms requires a renewed search for the hypovolaemic signals necessary for activating each behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing activity recognition focuses on a special scale activity with special sensors. In recent years, the sensorless sensing method which uses wireless signal to recognize activities by refraction and reflection of human body has been widely concerned. However, human activities in real situations are often concurrent (e.g., breathing is associated with motion state). These observations motivate us to answer the question of how to effectively recognize an activity that relies on concurrent cross-scale activities in sensorless pattern. To understand and attack this problem, this paper takes the daily activity recognition of drinking water into account. On the one hand, the measurement of drinking water quantity is of great significance to the determination of hydration state of human body. On the other hand, the micro-scale movements (i.e., respiration and deglutition) and meso-scale actions (i.e., arm movements) during drinking are typical concurrent cross-scale activities. A concurrent cross-scale activities recognition system is designed and implemented by taking the advantage of the ubiquitous channel state information, namely, DW-health, which can detect breath and drinking, estimate the water intake with commercial Wi-Fi devices. DW-health adopts the novel filter design which engenders better performance of noise elimination. Moreover, the activity segmentation method based on subcarrier correlation and dynamic threshold is proposed to recognize concurrent recognition of cross-scale activities. The experimental results indicate that the drinking and non-drinking detection accuracy of DW-health can reach 97% and 84.83%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the example of the city and commune of Mikołajki, the state of water and sewage management as well as the management of groundwater resources available in the commune has been characterized for a typical tourist town and commune located in Mrągowo County, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship. The town and commune of Mikołajki, located in the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, has about 7 457 inhabitants. Over 83% of the commune's inhabitants are covered by the water supply network. The Mikołajki commune has four water intakes (one of which is out of use) and three water treatment plants. The water used by the inhabitants of the commune meets all sanitary requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat stress in dairy cows is an increasing problem because of climate change. Even though South Africa has a warm to hot climate, little research on this topic has been done locally. Currently, while intensive housing is increasing being used in large dairy production systems, a shade structure provides the first step to protect cows against heat stress improving production performance and welfare. This paper provides results on the production performance, physiological parameters and behaviour of Holstein-Friesian cows with and without access to a shade structure during summer. The effects of heat stress on primiparous Holstein-Friesian and Jerseys cows in a breed comparison study are also shown. The milk yield of Holstein-Friesian cows with access to shade was significantly higher than that of cows without shade. Although the difference in milk yield was small (5.5%), the difference between the accumulative milk yield between shade and no shade cows increased over time for each of the three summer seasons, indicating a decreasing ability of cows without shade to withstand heat stress conditions. The internal rate of return on the capital outlay for the construction of a shade structure showed a positive return on investment within three summer seasons. Jersey cows displayed a higher tolerance to heat stress than Holstein-Friesian cows suggesting that they would be more suitable for a hot environment. However, the large difference (ca 30%) in production performance should be taken in account when considering a change in breed. Ways to alleviate the effect of heat stress on dairy cows are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The main objective was to investigate the association of household food insecurity (HFI) with child oral health. A secondary objective was to explore potential dietary and non-dietary mediators of the HFI-child oral health relationship.Design: Cross-sectional data from the nationally representative Ecuadorian National Health and Nutrition Survey (2018) were analysed. The data included self-reported child oral health, HFI (Food Insecurity Experience Scale), diet (FFQ) and oral care behaviours (toothbrushing frequency, toothpaste use). The association of HFI with the reported number of oral health problems was examined with stereotype logistic regression. Parallel mediation analysis was used to explore potential dietary (highly fermentable carbohydrate foods, plain water) and non-dietary (toothbrushing) mediators of the HFI-oral health relationship. Bias-corrected standard errors and 95 % CI were obtained using non-parametric bootstrapping (10 000 repetitions). Effect size was measured by percent mediation (PM).Setting: Ecuador.Participants: 5-17-year-old children (n 23 261).Results: HFI affected 23 % of child households. 38·5 % of children have at least one oral health problem. HFI was associated with a greater number of oral health problems: 1-2 problems (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1·37; 95 % CI (1·15, 1·58); P = 0·0001), 3-4 problems (AOR = 2·21; 95 % CI (1·98, 2·44); P = 0·0001), 5-6 problems (AOR = 2·57; 95 % CI (2·27, 2·88); P = 0·0001). The HFI-oral health relationship was partially mediated by highly fermentable carbohydrate foods (PM = 4·3 %), plain water (PM = 1·8 %) and toothbrushing frequency (PM = 3·3 %).Conclusions: HFI was associated with poorer child oral health. The HFI-oral health relationship was partially mediated by dietary and non-dietary factors. Longitudinal studies are needed to replicate our findings and investigate the role of other potential mediators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of diets containing varying levels of sodium chloride as a source of electrolyte on growth performance, organ traits, gastrointestinal impact, tibia mineralization, and water intake of broiler chickens were investigated. A total of 300 mixed sexed of day-old chicks at two weeks of age were allotted to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized experimental design with 5 replicates of 10 birds each. The dietary treatments during the starter phase, from 14 to 28 days old, were supplemented by varying NaCl levels including T1= 0 g/kg (control), T2= 1.30 g/kg, T3= 2.00 g/kg, T4= 2.30 g/kg, T5= 3.30 g/kg and T6= 4.00 g/kg. The dietary treatments during finisher phase, from 28 days to 56 days old, included: T1=0 g/kg (control), T2= 2.30 g/kg, T3=3.30 g/kg, T4= 4.30 g/kg, T5= 5.30 g/kg and T6= 6.30 g/kg. Result of the study showed that birds in T3 and T4 that were fed diet with moderate inclusion levels of sodium chloride had the highest (P<0.05) feed intake and body weight gain with an improved feed conversion ratio. Generally, treatment groups T2 to T9 had the highest (P<0.05) weight of gizzard, liver, heart, kidney, intestines and caeca. Also, intestine lengths, caecal length, excreta moisture, water intake, ileal and pH of caecal digesta were highest in treatment groups. However, result of the tibia mineralization analysis showed that ash content in T1 (control) was the highest (P<0.05). It is concluded that T3 and T4 in broilers diet can improve growth performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the process of redesigning the intake structure of the fish pass at the Žilina water structure in Slovakia. The existing intake structure does not meet the passability requirements for the target species of migratory fish. A design utilizing intake windows at various levels that cover fluctuations in the water level in the reservoir, which has been successfully used for other water structures, has been proposed. The new design was subjected to hydraulic calculations and simulations in the HECRAS 2D, 2D numerical model in order to achieve the required parameters such as the discharges, depths, and velocities within the limits for the specified fish zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated alternatives to the main intake designs of spate irrigation structures. Relevant data were collected from a field and offices. Four scenarios were developed based on current problems. The Delft3D model was employed to simulate hydrodynamic and morphodynamic flow characteristics around the main intake. The study showed that increasing the deflection angle from 120° to 150° for a 3-m-wide intake can improve the irrigation water abstraction by 21%. Changing the width from 3 to 5 m at 120° can improve the irrigation water abstraction by 81%. In addition to changing the width, increasing the deflection angle to 150° can improve the spate irrigation water abstraction by 101%. These interventions did not reduce the sediment deposition at the intake. However, the enhanced supply of water through main spate flow gates may convince farmers not to block scour sluice gates. Based on the pure design, an intake width of 5 m and a deflection angle of 150° can be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Municipal intakes of surface water have various uses, and their impacts on the aquatic environment and ecosystem, such as the impingement and entrainment of ichthyoplankton, are a major concern. A robust assessment of the intake impacts on ichthyoplankton in a system generally requires modeling efforts that can simulate the transport and dispersal pathways of the ichthyoplankton. However, it is challenging to simulate hydrodynamics with a high-resolution grid at the scale needed for intake screen sizes in a large system. In this study, a 3D unstructured grid model with a fine resolution grid (<1 m) was developed to investigate potential impacts of an intake on aquatic resources in a tidal freshwater estuary. This approach enables us to directly estimate intake-induced mortality. With the use of the coupled particle-tracking model, we evaluated the total and maximum daily removal rates of particles by the intake that can be used to estimate percent mortality of ichthyoplankton. We further investigated how impacts from the intake vary with spawning locations, flow conditions, and vertical migration velocity of ichthyoplankton. A risk assessment was conducted based on designed flow of water withdrawals. This approach is widely applicable and can address impacts of water intakes in other systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Evaluating the association of water intake and hydration status with nephrolithiasis risk at the population level.Design: It is a cross-sectional study in which daily total plain water intake and total fluid intake were estimated together with blood osmolality, urine creatinine, urine osmolality, urine flow rate (UFR), free water clearance (FWC) and urine/blood osmolality ratio (Uosm:Bosm). The associations of fluid intake and hydration markers with nephrolithiasis were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression.Setting: General US population.Participants: A total of 8195 adults aged 20 years or older from the National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey 2009-2012 cycles.Results: The population medians (interquartile ranges, IQR) for daily total plain water intake and total fluid intake were 807 (336-1481) and 2761 (2107-3577) ml/d, respectively. The adjusted OR (95 % CI) of nephrolithiasis for each IQR increase in total plain water intake and total fluid intake were 0·92 (95 % CI 0·79, 1·06) and 0·84 (95 % CI 0·72, 0·97), respectively. The corresponding OR of nephrolithiasis for UFR, blood osmolality, Uosm:Bosm and urine creatinine were 0·87 (95 % CI 0·76, 0·99), 1·18 (95 % CI 1·06, 1·32), 1·38 (95 % CI 1·17, 1·63) and 1·27 (95 % CI 1·11, 1·45), respectively. A linear protective relationship of fluid intake, UFR and FWC with nephrolithiasis risk was observed. Similarly, positive dose-response associations of nephrolithiasis risk with markers of insufficient hydration were identified. Encouraging a daily water intake of >2500 ml/d and maintaining a urine output of 2 l/d was associated with a lower prevalence of nephrolithiasis.Conclusion: This study verified the beneficial role of general water intake recommendations in nephrolithiasis prevention in the general US population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that Hydration is a particular concern for infants and young children due to their greater risk of dehydration. However, studies on their water intakes are scarce. The current survey aimed to analyse total water intake (TWI) in non-breastfed children aged 0·5-35 months compared with the adequate intake (AI) for the same age group set by the European Food Safety Authority and to examine the different contributors to TWI as well as beverage consumption patterns.

Introduction: Multiple factors contribute to increased risk of dehydration in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which contributes to shortened survival independent of nutritional status. The assessment of hydration by doubly labeled water is restricted due to the limited availability of this gold standard technique for clinical use. This prompted us to examine the utility of urine-specific gravity (USG) as a predictor of hydration need in ALS subjects. Material and Methods: Using data from a multicenter study of 80 ALS subjects with 250 visits, we conducted a secondary analysis of the original data set from doubly labeled water experiments. We used a cross-section of the data (one visit per 75 subjects) in the model selection step ("test set"), and a repeated measures analysis in the validation step with data from 63 subjects and 142 follow-up visits. The sensitivity to detect inadequate water turnover rate (a surrogate for water intake) was the goal of the predictive model presented for clinical use. Results and discussion: The final predictive model to estimate water requirement included USG, gender, body mass index, and the ALSFRS gross motor subscale score. We developed a best-fit equation to estimate water intake from USG, determine hydration status, and improve clinical care of real-world ALS subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basis for the research was the GIS project, which includes groundwater monitoring data on the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. The paper presents generalized materials on fresh groundwater and comparative analysis of their quality change during water intake exploitation on the territory of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. Special geoinformation system (GIS) including groundwater parameters data for about 20 years of monitoring was developed. The results of chemical analyzes of groundwater for different years are systematized. The characteristics of deformation changes in aquifers and their relationship to surface waters are given. The evaluation of the groundwater protection against natural and anthropogenic pollution is given. The methodology for calculating of protective sanitary zones for water intakes with various hydrogeological conditions is developed, and measures for sanitary protection and revealing of pollution sources are offered (reasons for increasing hardness and mineralization of fresh groundwater in the industrial zone of Vladikavkaz city). Based on the investigation results, the conclusions on possible sources of hardness increase and deterioration of groundwater quality in the Ossetian artesian aquifer were drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The lateral hypothalamus (LH), which produces orexin, is vital for body solution homeostasis. Lateral hypothalamus (LH) lesion causes adipsia and its stimulation increases water intake. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effect of an intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of orexin-A (OXA) on water-drinking behavior in water-deprived rats. Metods: A total of 32 male Wistar rats (220-250 g) were used and divided into 4 groups, control (no injection), vehicle (Normal saline, 5 µL), OXA (30 µg/rat), SB-334867 (OXA receptor selective antagonist, 30 µg/rat). After the microinjection of drugs or vehicles in the right lateral ventricle, each rat was placed individually into the metabolic cage and the amount of water intake, the delay time for the first water intake, and the referral number for water intake were recorded for 4 h. Findings: This study showed that ICV administration of OXA increased both water intake and the referral number for water intake in water-deprived animals (P<0.05). On the other hand, ICV administration of SB-334867 decreased water intake compared to vehicle and control groups. Conclusion: It can be concluded that OXA has a regulatory role in water drinking behavior in water-depriving states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown that multicomponent interventions may improve meal frequency and eating habits in children, but evidence among young people is limited. This study evaluated the effect of the Healthy High School (HHS) intervention on daily intake of breakfast, lunch, water, fruit, and vegetables at 9-month follow-up. Methods: The study included first-year students (≈16 years) attending high school in Denmark. Participating schools were randomized into the HHS intervention (N = 15) or control group (operating as usual) (N = 15). The intervention was designed to promote well-being (primary outcome) by focusing on healthy habits including meals, stress prevention, and strong peer relations. It included a curriculum, structural and organisational initiatives, a workshop, and a smartphone application. Students completed self-administered online questionnaires at the beginning of the school year and nine months later. To account for clustering of data, we used multilevel logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (OR). We applied an intention-to-treat approach with multiple imputations of missing data. Results: At baseline 4577 of 5201 students answered the questionnaire and 4512 at follow-up. In both groups the proportion of students eating breakfast decreased from approximately 50% to 40% from baseline to follow-up, and lunch frequency decreased from approximately 50% to 47%. Daily water intake, intake of fresh fruit and intake of vegetables remained unchanged from baseline to follow-up. There were no significant between group differences on any of the outcomes at first follow-up: breakfast: OR = 0.85 (95% CI: 0.65;1.10), lunch: OR = 0.96 (95% CI: 0.75;1.22), water intake: OR = 1.14 (95% CI: 0.92;1.40), intake of fresh fruit: (OR = 1.07, 95% CI: 0.84;1.37), vegetables: (OR = 1.01, 95% CI: 0.77;1.33). Conclusion: No evidence of an effect of the HHS intervention was found for any of the outcomes. Future studies are warranted to explore how health promoting interventions can be integrated in further education to support educational goals. Moreover, how to fit interventions to the lives and wishes of young people, by also including systems outside of the school setting. Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN43284296. Registered 28 April 2017 - retrospectively registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Water needs increase during pregnancy, and proper hydration is critical for maternal and fetal health. This study characterized weekly hydration status changes throughout pregnancy and examined change in response to a randomized, behavioral intervention. An exploratory analysis tested how underhydration during pregnancy was associated with birth outcomes. Methods: The Healthy Mom Zone Study is a longitudinal, randomized-control trial intervention aiming to regulate gestational weight gain (GWG) in pregnant women with overweight/obesity (n = 27). Fourteen women received standard of care; 13 women additionally received weekly guidance on nutrition, physical activity, water intake, and health-promoting behaviors. Hydration status was measured weekly via overnight urine osmolality (Uosm) from ~ 8–36 weeks gestation; underhydration was dichotomized (Uosm ≥ 500 mOsm/kg). Gestational age- and sex-standardized birth weight and length z scores and percentiles were calculated. We used mixed-effect and linear regression models to test covariate-adjusted relationships. Results: No differences existed in Uosm or other characteristics between control and intervention women at baseline. Significant interactions (p = 0.01) between intervention and week of pregnancy on Uosm indicated intervention women maintained lower Uosm, whereas control women had a significant quadratic (inverse-U) relationship and greater Uosm in the second and early third trimesters. Results were consistent across robustness and sensitivity checks. Exploratory analyses suggest underhydration was associated with birth weight, but not length, in opposite ways in the second vs. third trimester. Conclusion: A multi-component behavioral intervention helped women with overweight/obesity maintain better hydration throughout pregnancy. Future studies should confirm birth outcome results as they have important implications for early life nutrition. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03945266; registered May 10, 2019 retrospectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Water is critical for human survival, yet water intake equations may not reflect contemporary populations. This research aims to determine the total water intake of a representative Australian population, per kilogram of body weight (mL/kg) and stratified by age and sex. Methods: A secondary analysis of the 2011 to 2013 National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey (n = 10 146) was conducted. Dietary intake from food and beverages was assessed by a 24‐hour recall, with respondent's weight objectively measured. Data were descriptively analysed, with multiple linear regressions used to identify the impact of demographic and physiologic factors on total water intake (mL/kg). Results: The median (interquartile range) daily total water intake per kilogram of body weight for children (2‐8 years), adolescents (9‐18 years) and adults (19+ years) were 77.1 (57.4‐100) mL/kg, 40.4 (29.3‐53.4) mL/kg and 35.5 mL/kg (26.1‐47.8), respectively. Increasing height and waist circumference were associated with reduced total water intake, with a change of −1.03 mL/kg (−1.43, −0.618) [coefficient (95% confidence interval)] in children for height and −0.448 mL/kg (−0.484, −0.412) in adults for waist circumference. Similarly, seasonality decreased intake, with greatest reductions in winter [adolescents: −4.11 mL/kg (−6.83, −1.40)]. In comparison, being male, living in rural areas and having a physical occupation were associated with greater intake, by 1.73 mL/kg (0.347, 3.10), 4.74 mL/kg (3.47, 6.00) and 2.82 (trade workers: 1.08, 4.59) in adults, respectively. Conclusions: Total water intake (mL/kg) decreased with age in both sexes. The results highlight possibilities to incorporate other factors into water intake equations to improve their accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review summarises information from available literature to support the dietary guideline 'Drink Clean, Safe Water and/or Other Fluids Through-Out the Day Even if You Do Not Feel Thirsty' set for the elderly of South Africa (SA). Water is essential for life and is necessary for important functions of the body like maintenance of tissue structure, blood volume regulation, temperature regulation and excretion of metabolites through kidneys. Though water is necessary for all, the elderly are especially at risk of dehydration due to altered hormonal activity and body functions that reduce their sensitivity to thirst (water intake) and urination (water excretion). Total body water is also reduced in the elderly, so they are unable to buffer the effects of water loss in the body. Therefore, water intake should be monitored properly in the elderly so that they can lead a happy and healthy life and reduce the economic burden due to hospitalisation caused by water imbalance or dehydration, which is common in the elderly. Two litres of water per day is generally considered adequate, but there is no consensus regarding the exact requirement for water as need varies due to climate and physical activity levels. The importance of water to maintain bodily functions and the risk of dehydration substantiate the need for a dietary guideline to address the importance of clean and safe water/fluid consumption regularly throughout the day among the elderly in SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: An adequate management of water use is essential in agricultural systems, including pig farming. Reducing the water footprint is important to preserve this natural resource, although there is limited qualitative information about water intake and water intake behaviour, especially in immunocastrated pigs. Aim: The objective of this study was to compare water disappearance, and estimate wasted water and water intake behaviour for immunocastrated and surgically castrated male pigs. Methods: Twenty-four surgically castrated male pigs and 24 entire male pigs submitted to immunocastration were used, with an average initial weight of 29.3 kg (±1.9 kg) and an age of 75 days. The pigs were housed in a growing–finishing facility with 24 pens and two animals per pen; each pen was equipped with a semi-automatic feeder and a bite-ball drinker with a water meter. The disappearance of water was measured by collecting the values of the water meters on a daily basis, and the water intake behaviour was determined by collecting the values of the water meters per hour. Water input and output values were estimated, and wasted water was calculated by subtracting the input from the output value. Key results: The weekly average water disappearance for surgically castrated males was higher (P < 0.05) than that for immunocastrated males, except in the last 2 weeks of the experimental period; the same was observed when expressed based on weight. Castrated animals also wasted 21.4% more water than immunocastrated animals. Regarding the water consumption profile, there were no differences between the two groups; water consumption was higher in the afternoon. The lower water disappearance in immunocastrated pigs was due to the increase in feed intake after the second dose of the immunocastration vaccine and to the lower amounts of waste because of less aggressive behaviour. Conclusion: Immunocastrated male pigs have a smaller water footprint, but a similar water intake behaviour compared with surgically castrated animals. Implications: Knowledge of the profile of water intake and a way to estimate water waste allows more efficient and sustainable management of water resources in pig production systems. Drinking water scarcity, climate change and the growing world population demand the sustainable use of water in pig production systems. Immunocastration technology provides advantages for animal welfare and production efficiency; however, there is less information about water use in immunocastrated pigs. Water disappearance, wasted water, and ingestion of water were different between immunocastrated and surgically castrated pigs. Thus, the use of immunocastration on male pigs can result in a smaller water footprint of the pig production system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The average adult human body of 70 kilograms consists in about 67.85% water distributed evenly to an average of 70 % in all major organs of the body: skin, muscles, brain, spinal cord, liver, heart, lungs, spleen, kidneys, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract. A smaller percentage is found in the bones (30%), teeth (5%) and fat tissue (50%). Objective. This review article attempts to present different perspectives on the physiological properties of water in the human body. We describe from the ancient Chinese medicine theory about water being one of the 5 elements of nature and its harmonious interrelation with the other elements in order to balance the human body, to the successful experiments of researchers which demonstrated waters' capability to change its molecular structure based on feelings, intentions and energy it was exposed to. We briefly describe the role of water for the human body and what effects can the lack of it have, especially dehydration with all the phases of severity. Also, we present the health benefits of drinking water and which type of water is best to consume. We shorty review the different types of natural mineral waters in Romania and the importance of the Romanian researches for balneology and how the waters cand be administrated in crenotherapy for different types of pathologies. Methods. To elaborate our systematic review, we have searched for relevant open access articles and review articles in ISI Web of Science, published from January 2017 until August 2021. The terms used were water AND health in the title. Articles were excluded in the second phase if they did not reach the relevance citation criterion. The eligible articles were analyzed in detail regarding water importance for human health. Results. Our search identified, first, 548 articles. After applying a PEDro like selection filter and, we selected 93 articles with a minimum of 8 points on our PEDro like filtering scale (good, very good, and excellent articles with a minimum of 5 citations per year). Detailed analysis of the 93 selected articles has conducted us to the elimination of 33 of them as being on a different subject than that of our article. To the 60 full articles retained for this systematic and synthetic article, we have added 10 articles found through a separate Google search, as being considered of high relevance for our subject and necessary to be included. Conclusions. Water is essential for the entire planet and also indispensable for the survival of the human body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is a very critical nutrient in the diet of lactating animals as it performs several functions, viz., transfer of nutrients and excretions of waste products produced during metabolism, digestion, and body temperature regulation of all living organisms. Besides growth, other parameters like milk production, reproduction, adaptive potential, and feed consumption are also influenced by water status in feed and body reserves. Water intake in dairy cows is influenced directly or indirectly by several factors; direct factors include animal-related factors such as breed, body size, physiological stage, age, health, stress, and ecological adaptations and environmental factors, viz., season of the year, environmental temperature, humidity, wind speed, and precipitation. These factors significantly influence the drinking water intake of dairy cows. Nonetheless, different managemental practices such as rearing type, feeding practices, housing, water availability, and its quality can also affect water intake indirectly. However, overall understanding of these factors affecting water intake in dairy cows could help to improve the dairy husbandry practices and subsequently health, production, and welfare of dairy cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the application of the simulation-optimization approach to optimize groundwater intake for the water supply of Tarnów agglomeration (southern Poland). Tarnów agglomeration is supplied with water from extensively exploited surface and groundwater intakes located at the confluence of the rivers Dunajec and Biała. Groundwater intakes capture water from the Quaternary aquifer, which is recharged by rainfall and direct infiltration from the rivers and irrigation ditches. Hydrogeological conditions occurring within the area under consideration were mapped by using a single-layer numerical model in Processing Modflow software. After calibrating the simulation model, a simulation-optimization approach was developed with the aim of aiding the process of searching for the best scheme of exploitation of groundwater intake. The unit response matrix method was used to connect the simulation model with the optimization procedure. In the optimization task the objective functions concerning the total volume of groundwater intake discharge and infiltration amount from the River Dunajec or irrigation ditches were applied. Several constraints concerned both the maximum and minimum capacity of individual wells and the entire intake, as well as desirable or undesirable drawdown values in selected control points and control areas. Finally, twelve variants of optimization tasks, for different boundary conditions and different objective functions, were solved and optimal schemes of well discharge distribution within the intake were calculated. The results of optimization show that, depending on the intended objective and the constraints imposed, the best exploitation scenario under the given conditions may be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A three-dimensional numerical model was developed to better understand the hydrodynamics and sediment processes near the water intake of the Cardinal power plant. Sediment is represented with particles that are suspended, deposited or transported as bed load depending on particle size, flow turbulence and local bed shear stress, neglecting morphological changes. Validation against field velocity data indicated that buoyancy forces, originated by temperature gradients, need to be included to predict the observed flow pattern. The existing intake structures do not fully prevent the entrainment of warm water from the plant into the intake, which affects the plant efficiency, flow pattern and sediment deposition. Location of deposited particles and deposition rate predicted with the model compared well against observations in a physical model. However, computations at prototype scale show deviations from the physical model, suggesting that model scale effects in the physical model can be significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Risks of dehydration and cognitive decline increase with advancing age, yet the relation between dehydration, water intake, and cognitive performance among older adults remains understudied. Methods: Using data from the 2011–2014 cycles of the Nutrition and Health Examination Survey (NHANES), we tested if calculated serum osmolarity (Sosm) and adequate intake (AI) of water among women (n = 1271) and men (n = 1235) ≥ 60 years old were associated with scores of immediate and delayed recall, verbal fluency, and attention/processing speed. Sosm was categorized as < 285 (hyperhydrated), 285–289, 290–294, 295–300, or > 300 (dehydrated) mmol/L. AI of water was defined as ≥ 2 L/day for women and ≥ 2.5 L/day for men. Results: Women with Sosm between 285 and 289 mmol/L scored 3.2–5.1 points higher on the Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST) of attention/processing speed than women in other Sosm categories (P values < 0.05). There was evidence of a curvilinear relationship between DSST scores and Sosm among women and men (P values for quadratic terms < 0.02). Meeting an alternative AI on water intake of ≥ 1 mL/kcal and ≥ 1500 mL, but not the sex-specific AI, was associated with scoring one point higher on a verbal fluency test (P = 0.02) and two points higher on the DSST (P = 0.03) among women. Significant negative associations between dehydration or inadequate water intake and test scores were not observed among men. Conclusion: Hydration status and water intake were moderately associated with attention/processing speed among females. Future work should consider the effects of both dehydration and overhydration on cognitive function and investigate potential sex differences in cognitive responses to hydration status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine feeding behavior, water intake (WI), and energy requirements of high- and low-residual feed intake (RFI) Nellore bulls. Data were collected from 42 weaned Nellore bulls (initial body weight [BW] 260 ± 8.1 kg; age 7 ± 1.0 mo) housed in a feedlot in group pens that contained electronic feeders, waterers, and a scale connected to the waterers. The individual dry matter intake (DMI), WI, and BW were recorded daily. The indexes of average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency (gain to feed ratio), and RFI were calculated based on the data collected. The number of feeder and waterer visits and the time spent feeding or drinking water per animal per day were recorded as feeding behavior measures. Energy requirements for maintenance and gain were calculated according to the BR-CORTE system. Low-RFI bulls had lower DMI (P < 0.01) than high-RFI bulls, and no differences (P > 0.05) were observed between the two groups regarding WI, performance, and feeding behavior measurements. The net energy requirements for maintenance, metabolizable energy for maintenance, and efficiency of metabolizable energy utilization were 63.4, 98.6 kcal/metabolic empty body weight (EBW)0.75 daily, and 64.3%, respectively, for low-RFI bulls, and 78.1, 123.9 kcal/EBW0.75 daily, and 63.0%, respectively, for high-RFI bulls. The equations obtained for net energy for gain (NEg) were: NEg (Mcal/EBW0.75) daily = 0.0528 × EBW0.75 × EBG0.5459 for low-RFI and 0.054 × EBW0.75 × EBG0.8618 for high-RFI bulls, where EBG is the empty body gain. We did not observe any difference (P > 0.05) regarding the composition of gain in terms of protein or fat deposition between the two groups. Both groups also presented similar (P > 0.05) carcass and non-carcass traits. Therefore, our study shows that low-RFI Nellore bulls eat less, grow at a similar rate, and have lower maintenance energy requirements than high-RFI bulls. We also suggest that the lower feed intake did not compromise the carcass traits of more efficient animals, which would reduce production costs and increase the competitiveness of the Brazilian beef sector on the world market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive release of radioactive materials into the atmosphere occurred due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) accident in March 2011. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) reported the results of dose estimation to assess the health effect of the accident and both reports state that their assessments of internal and external exposure doses contain certain uncertainties due to uncertainties inherent to the basic data. Therefore, estimation of the internal dose from tap water was conducted in this study by utilizing a database of deposition calculated by an atmospheric transfer, dispersion and deposition model (ATDM) in conjunction with the newly obtained data on the volume of daily water intake obtained by a web-based survey. The median mean and 95-percentile of thyroid equivalent doses were estimated for 1-year and 10-year children and adults in 12 municipalities in the evacuation area in Fukushima prefecture. The present mean thyroid dose estimations for 1-year children (0.4–16.2 mSv) are smaller than the corresponding values in the UNSCEAR 2013 report (1.9–49 mGy). Dose-modifying factors in the Japanese or local community are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The French Nutri-Bébé 2013 study aimed to assess the nutritional intake of infants and young children in comparison with the recommendations of the 2013 European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Methods: This cross-sectional study enrolled a random sample of families selected according to the Quota sampling method. A 3-day dietary record was conducted and supervised by two face-to-face interviews. All foods and beverages consumed were qualitatively and quantitatively reported in a diary, and their composition calculated using a food composition database. Results: A total of 1035 non-breastfed children were included. Formula was abandoned early, amounting to approximately 50% of the total food intake at 7 months in 50% of infants and 22% at 1 year. A similar trend was observed for specific complementary foods. After 1 year, 50% of children consumed cow's milk, which was semi-skimmed in 88% of cases. Drinking water intake was low. Protein intake reached 1.4 times the average requirements before 3 months, 2 times at 8–9 months, and > 4 times at 30–35 months. Fat intake was below the EFSA adequate intake (AI) in > 90% of children. Alpha-linolenic acid intake was equal to or greater than the AI in all infants < 3 months, 85% of children at 6 months, 34% at 12–17 months, and 8% >24 months. Regardless of age, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake was less than the AI. Conclusion: Strong discrepancies are observed between the actual and recommended intake in young, non-breastfed children namely, a high-protein intake, and a low fat intake, especially DHA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total water intake is seldom reported in dietary surveys and hydration status is rarely measured. Although adequate intake (AI) levels have been suggested by the European Food Safety Authority, the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine, uncertainties and confused messages abound regarding optimum intake. This paper reviews data on water intake internationally and examines associations with beverage consumption habits of adults in the UK, as determined from secondary analysis of individual diet records. On average, total water intake among British adults was equivalent to the European AI (2 l/day for women, 2.5 l/day for men) and 75% of this was derived from beverages. Factors that correlated with high total water intake included the consumption of a variety of beverages and drinking in the evening. Total water intake (and the contribution from soft drinks) is markedly higher in the USA than in Europe. Beverage consumption habits and trends were also reviewed. In the past 10 years, water beverages have become more popular and as such the overall energy contribution from beverages has declined slightly. Most people could be encouraged to drink a variety of beverages to maintain adequate hydration and to balance the energy content according to their needs. However, further work is needed to refine recommendations for water intake, as basing these on observational epidemiological data is essentially a circular argument. A standardized measurement tool, validated against biomarkers of hydration status, would be a step forward in assessing the adequacy of water intakes at a population level. Research may also be warranted to explore the context of drinking occasions (including time of day, weekdays weekends, lifestyle and meal patterns) as these may have an impact on water intake, hydration and also energy balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing solutions for small hydropower plants were considered convenient from the technical point of view over a long period, while general environmental concerns of society increased in all directions during the last decades. This paper refers to how to include environmental protection measures during the selection of the sites for a small hydropower plant and its water intake, during the preparation of the project, and then during operation. Investments for modernization of old small hydropower plants have to also include improvements regarding especially the protection of the river ecosystem. Specific environmental training for those who will be designers of small hydropower plants can be useful for environmental protection improvement in such projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of a water intake along the wharf shoreline can realise the intensive and comprehensive utilisation of the shoreline. However, since the water intake will increase the lateral flow at the wharf and also the hydrodynamic forces on ships, it will bring risks to ships mooring and leaving. The effects of the water intake on ships are studied using a physical model, numerical model and standard formulas. The results show that it leads to an increase of the hydrodynamic forces acting on the ship when the standard formulas are used to calculate the forces without considering the water level difference between the two sides of the ship. The results of the physical model are closer to the real situation. Measures that can effectively reduce the influence of the water intake on ships are proposed by increasing the distance between the wharf front and the front of the water intake as well as the depth of the water inlet windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In children, maintaining adequate fluid intake and hydration is important for physiological reasons and for the adoption of healthy, sustainable drinking habits. In the Liq.In7 cross-sectional surveys involving 6,469 children (4–17 years) from 13 countries, 60% of children did not meet the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) adequate intake for water from fluids. Beyond fluid quantity, the quality of what children drink is important for health. In these surveys, the contribution of sugar-sweetened beverages and fruit juices to total fluid intake (TFI) in children exceeded that of water in 6 out of 13 countries. To assess the adequacy of children's fluid intake, urinary biomarkers of hydration such as urine osmolality, urine specific gravity, and urine color may be used. To date, while there are no widely accepted specific threshold values for urine concentration to define adequate hydration in children, the available literature suggests that many children have highly concentrated urine, indicating insufficient fluid intake. This is worrisome since studies have demonstrated a relationship between low fluid intake or insufficient hydration and cognitive performance in children. Furthermore, results of the Liq.In7 surveys showed that at school – where children spend a significant amount of time and require optimal cognitive performance – children drink only 14% of their TFI. Consequently, it is pertinent to better understand the barriers to drinking water at school and encourage the promotion of water intake through multicomponent interventions that combine educational, environmental, and behavioral aspects to support adequate hydration as well as optimal cognition in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]