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Increased intensity and frequency of floods raise concerns about the release and transport of contaminated soil and sediment to and from rivers and streams. To model these processes during flooding events, we developed an External Coupler in Python to link the Hydrologic Engineering Center‐River Analysis System (HEC‐RAS) 2D hydrodynamic model to the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP). Accurate data transfer from a hydrodynamic model to a water quality model is critical. Our test results showed the External Coupler successfully linked HEC‐RAS and WASP and addressed technical challenges in aggregating flow data and conserving mass during the flood event. We ran the coupled models for a 100‐year flood event to calculate flood‐induced transport of sediment‐associated arsenic in Woodbridge Creek, NJ. Change in surface sediment and arsenic at the end of 48‐h flood simulation ranged from a net loss of 13.5 cm to a net gain of 11.6 cm, and 16.2 to 2.9 mg/kg, respectively, per model segment, which demonstrates the capability of the coupled model for simulating sediment and contaminant transport in flood.

The Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) helps users interpret and predict water quality responses to natural phenomena and manmade pollution for various pollution management decisions. WASP is a dynamic compartment-modeling program for aquatic systems, including both the water column and the underlying benthos. WASP allows the user to investigate 1, 2 and 3 dimensional systems and a variety of pollutant types—including both conventional pollutants (e.g., dissolved oxygen, nutrients, phytoplankton, etc.) and toxic materials. WASP has capabilities of linking with hydrodynamic and watershed models which allows for multi-year analyses under varying meteorological and environmental conditions. WASP was originally developed by HydroScience, Inc. in 1970 and was later adapted by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Large Lakes Research Station (LLRS) for applications to the Great Lakes. The LLRS first publicly released the model in 1981. WASP has undergone continuous development since that time and this year will mark its 50th anniversary. This paper follows the development of WASP from its origin to the latest release of the model in 2020, documenting its evolution and present structure and capabilities.

Defne, Z.; Spitz, F.J.; DePaul, V., and Wool, T.A., 2017. Toward a comprehensive water-quality modeling of Barnegat Bay: Development of ROMS to WASP coupler. In: Buchanan, G.A.; Belton, T.J., and Paudel, B. (eds.), A Comprehensive Assessment of Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) has been coupled with the Water Quality Analysis Simulation Program (WASP) to be used in a comprehensive analysis of water quality in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. The coupler can spatially aggregate hydrodynamic information in ROMS cells into larger WASP segments. It can also be used to resample ROMS output at a finer temporal scale to meet WASP time-stepping requirements. The coupler aggregates flow components, temperature, and salinity in ROMS output for input to WASP via a hydrodynamic linkage file. The coupler was tested initially with idealized cases designed to verify the water mass balance and conservation of constituent mass using one-to-one and one-to-many connectivity options between segments. A realistic example from the Toms River embayment, a subdomain of Barnegat Bay, was used to demonstrate the functionality of the coupling. A WASP eutrophication model accounting for dissolved oxygen (DO), nitrogen, and constant phytoplankton concentrations was applied to explore the distribution and trends in DO and nitrogen in the embayment for the period of July–August 2012. Results of DO modeling indicate satisfactory agreement with measurements collected at in-bay stations and also indicate that this coupled approach, despite substantial differences in spatiotemporal discretization between the models, provides adequate predictive capabilities.

This paper presents a modeling analysis of airborne mercury (Hg) deposited on the Ochlockonee River watershed located in Georgia. Atmospheric deposition monitoring and source attribution data were used along with simulation models to calculate Hg buildup in the subwatershed soils, its subsequent runoff loading and delivery through the tributaries, and its ultimate fate in the mainstem river. The terrestrial model calculated annual watershed yields for total Hg ranging from 0.7 to 1.1 μg/m 2 . Results suggest that approximately two-thirds of the atmospherically deposited Hg to the watershed is returned to the atmosphere, 10% is delivered to the river, and the rest is retained in the watershed. A check of the aquatic model results against survey data showed a reasonable agreement. Comparing observed and simulated total and methylmercury concentrations gave root mean square error values of 0.26 and 0.10 ng/L, respectively, in the water column, and 5.9 and 1 ng/g, respectively, in the upper sediment layer. Sensitivity analysis results imply that mercury in the Ochlockonee River is dominated by watershed runoff inputs and not by direct atmospheric deposition, and that methylmercury concentrations in the river are determined mainly by net methylation rates in the watershed, presumably in wetted soils and in the wetlands feeding the river.

BackgroundCOVID-19 pandemic presented an unexpected challenge for the surgical community in general and Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) specialists in particular. This document aims to summarize recent evidence and experts’ opinion and formulate recommendations to guide the surgical community on how to best organize the recovery plan for surgical activity across different sub-specialities after the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsRecommendations were developed through a Delphi process for establishment of expert consensus. Domain topics were formulated and subsequently subdivided into questions pertinent to different surgical specialities following the COVID-19 crisis. Sixty-five experts from 24 countries, representing the entire EAES board, were invited. Fifty clinicians and six engineers accepted the invitation and drafted statements based on specific key questions. Anonymous voting on the statements was performed until consensus was achieved, defined by at least 70% agreement.ResultsA total of 92 consensus statements were formulated with regard to safe resumption of surgery across eight domains, addressing general surgery, upper GI, lower GI, bariatrics, endocrine, HPB, abdominal wall and technology/research. The statements addressed elective and emergency services across all subspecialties with specific attention to the role of MIS during the recovery plan. Eighty-four of the statements were approved during the first round of Delphi voting (91.3%) and another 8 during the following round after substantial modification, resulting in a 100% consensus.ConclusionThe recommendations formulated by the EAES board establish a framework for resumption of surgery following COVID-19 pandemic with particular focus on the role of MIS across surgical specialities. The statements have the potential for wide application in the clinical setting, education activities and research work across different healthcare systems.

Abstract Objectives Our aim was to present the most comprehensive set of pre-COVID-19 antimicrobial resistance (AMR) burden estimates for Germany to date, with a focus on regional variations and hotspots. Methods The study estimated deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to AMR for 23 bacterial pathogens and 88 pathogen-drug combinations in Germany in 2019, with the use of two counterfactual scenarios: deaths attributable to AMR (those that would not have occurred if infections were susceptible) and deaths associated with AMR (cases where AMR was present but not necessarily the cause of death). Models were cross-validated for out-of-sample predictive validity, and uncertainty intervals (UIs) calculated. In stratified analyses we compared death estimates and DALYs with previously published estimates. Results The total burden of mortality and DALYs associated with AMR in Germany were 45 692 (95% UI, 31 281–64 591) deaths and 752 697 (500 313–1 076 187) DALYs, respectively, with the total burden attributable to AMR 9648 (6520–13 918) deaths and 159 032 (105 021–232 459) DALYs, respectively. Bloodstream, respiratory and intra-abdominal infections were the major contributors to the fatal AMR burden. The leading pathogens responsible for AMR-associated deaths were Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecium, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. E. coli resistant to β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors and aminopenicillin were top pathogen-drug combinations causing deaths attributable to and associated with AMR, respectively. The presented estimates align with previous research. Conclusions The high resistance levels and significant health burden highlight AMR as a serious public health challenge in Germany, emphasizing the need to further strengthen targeted prevention and control measures against key pathogen-drug combinations.