Modeling of a compound flood induced by the levee breach at Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai, during Typhoon Fitow

Levee-breach-induced flooding occurs occasionally but always causes considerable losses. A serious flood event occurred due to the collapse of a 15 m long levee section in Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai, China, during Typhoon Fitow in October 2013. Heavy rainfall associated with the typhoon intensified the flood severity (extent and depth). This study investigates the flood evolution to understand the dynamic nature of flooding and the compound effect using a well-established 2D hydro-inundation model (FloodMap) to reconstruct this typical event. This model coupled urban hydrological processes with flood inundation for high-resolution flood modeling, which has been applied in a number of different environments, and FloodMap is now the mainstream numerical simulation model used for flood scenarios. Our simulation results provide a comprehensive view of the spatial patterns of the flood evolution. The worst-hit areas are predicted to be low-lying settlements and farmland. Temporal evaluations suggest that the most critical time for flooding prevention is in the early 1–3 h after dike failure. In low-elevation areas, temporary drainage measures and flood defenses are equally important. The validation of the model demonstrates the reliability of the approach.

Levee breach-induced compound flood modeling in Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai during Typhoon "Fitow"

Levee breach-induced flooding occurs occasionally but always causes considerable losses. A serious flood event occurred due to the collapse of a 15-m-long levee section in Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai, China, during typhoon "Fitow" in Oct, 2013. Heavy rainfall associated with the typhoon intensified the flood severity (extent and depth). This study investigates the flood evolution to understand the dynamic nature of flooding and the compound effect using a well-established 2D hydro-inundation model (Floodmap) to reconstruct this typical event. Our simulation results provide a comprehensive view of the spatial patterns of the flood evolution. The worst-hit areas are predicted to be low-lying settlement and farmland. Temporal evaluations suggest that the most critical time for flooding prevention is in the early hours after dike failure. In low-elevation areas, temporary drainage measures and flood defenses are equally important. The validation of the model demonstrates the reliability of the approach.

Spatial covariance reverses the compound effect of multiple stressors on rocky shore biofilm

Understanding how multifactorial fluctuating environments affect species and communities remains one of the major challenges in ecology. Here, we use field experiments and simulations to assess the influence of nonlinear effects and spatial covariation of two important climate variables – warming and sediment deposition – on the biomass and photosynthetic activity of rocky intertidal biofilm. Simulations stemming from an experimentally derived response surface showed how the degree and direction of spatial covariation between warming and sediment deposition ultimately determined the nonlinear response of biofilm biomass (but not photosynthetic activity) to fluctuating levels of the two climate variables. Experimental results corroborated these predictions, probing the buffering effect of negative spatial covariation against extreme levels of warming and sediment deposition. Together, these results indicate that consideration of local-scale patterns of covariation between climate drivers can improve our understanding and ability to predict ecological responses to ongoing and future changes in Earth’s climate.

Targeting Bacterial Sortases in Search of Anti-Virulence Therapies with Low Risk of Resistance Development

Increasingly ineffective antibiotics and rapid spread of multi- and pan-resistant bacteria represent a global health threat; hence, the need of developing new antimicrobial medicines. A first step in this direction is identifying new molecular targets, such as virulence factors. Sortase A represents a virulence factor essential for the pathogenesis of Gram-positive pathogens, some of which have a high risk for human health. We present here an exhaustive collection of sortases inhibitors grouped by relevant chemical features: vinyl sulfones, 3-aryl acrylic acids and derivatives, flavonoids, naphtoquinones, anthraquinones, indoles, pyrrolomycins, isoquinoline derivatives, aryl β-aminoethyl ketones, pyrazolethiones, pyridazinones, benzisothiazolinones, 2-phenyl-benzoxazole and 2-phenyl-benzofuran derivatives, thiadiazoles, triazolothiadiazoles, 2-(2-phenylhydrazinylidene)alkanoic acids, and 1,2,4-thiadiazolidine-3,5-dione. This review focuses on highlighting their structure–activity relationships, using the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50), when available, as an indicator of each compound effect on a specific sortase. The information herein is useful for acquiring knowledge on diverse natural and synthetic sortases inhibitors scaffolds and for understanding the way their structural variations impact IC50. It will hopefully be the inspiration for designing novel effective and safe sortase inhibitors in order to create new anti-infective compounds and to help overcoming the current worldwide antibiotic shortage.

Levee breach-induced compound flood modeling in Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai during Typhoon “Fitow”

Levee breach-induced flooding occurs occasionally but always causes considerable losses. A serious flood event occurred due to the collapse of a 15-m-long levee section in Qianbujing Creek, Shanghai, China, during typhoon “Fitow” in Oct, 2013. Heavy rainfall associated with the typhoon intensified the flood extent. This study investigates the flood evolution to understand the dynamic nature of flooding and the compound effect using a well-established 2D hydro-inundation model (Floodmap) to reconstruct this typical event. Our simulation results provide a comprehensive view of the spatial patterns of the flood evolution. The worst-hit areas are predicted to be low-lying farmland. Temporal evaluations suggest that the most critical time for flooding prevention is in the early hours after dike failure. In low-elevation areas, temporary drainage measures and flood defenses are equally important. The validation of the model demonstrates the reliability of the approach.

The Potential for Airborne Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in Sport: A Cricket Case Study

A review of risk factors affecting airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 was synthesised into an ‘easy-to-apply’ visual framework. Using this framework, video footage from two cricket matches were visually analysed, one pre-COVID-19 pandemic and one ‘COVID-19 aware’ game in early 2020. The number of opportunities for one participant to be exposed to biological secretions belonging to another participant was recorded as an exposure, as was the estimated severity of exposure as defined from literature. Events were rated based upon distance between subjects, relative orientation of the subjects, droplet generating activity performed (e. g., talking) and event duration. In analysis we reviewed each risk category independently and the compound effect of an exposure i. e., the product of the scores across all categories. With the application of generic, non-cricket specific, social distancing recommendations and general COVID-19 awareness, the number of exposures per 100 balls was reduced by 70%. More impressive was the decrease in the most severe compound ratings (those with two or more categories scored with the highest severity) which was 98% and the reduction in exposures with a proximity <1 m, 96%. Analysis of the factors effecting transmission risk indicated that cricket was likely to present a low risk, although this conclusion was somewhat arbitrary omitting a comparison with a non-cricketing activity.