Assessment of the Actual Water Consumption of the Population of Rural Settlements of the Ob-Irtysh Interfluve

速生树种尾巨桉和竹柳因其水分消耗和利用问题引起了一些争议，因而受到了广泛的关注，由于尚缺乏科学的观测数据，而其中许多指责或支持也尚无定论，因此必须深入研究此2种树种耗水性能和水分利用效率，以期科学评价其水分消耗和利用性能。采用盆栽苗木称重法和Li-6400光合系统测定方法分别测定尾巨桉（<em>Eucalyptus urophylla</em>× <em>Eucalyptus</em> <em>grandis</em>）和竹柳（<em>Salix </em>sp.）苗木在不同土壤水分条件下耗水量、耗水速率和苗木不同生长期叶片净光合速率（<em>Pn</em>）、蒸腾速率（<em>Tr</em>）和水分利用效率（WUE），研究表明：（1）正常水分条件下，尾巨桉和竹柳日总耗水量和最大耗水速率分别为（182.05±12.74）g/d、（100.48±10.95）g/d和（66.31±9.91）g·m^-2·h^-1、（89.50±13.54）g·m^-2·h^-1，土壤水分条件下降时，2种苗木耗水量和耗水速率均呈显著下降趋势，严重干旱胁迫时尾巨桉降幅更大。（2）正常水分条件和轻度水分胁迫下2种苗木耗水速率日变化趋势均为明显单峰曲线，且峰值均出现在12：00-14：00，中度干旱胁迫时则其变化趋势呈“双峰”曲线，峰值分别在10：00-12：00和14：00-16：00出现，严重干旱胁迫时日变化规律不明显。（3）正常水分条件和轻度水分胁迫下2种苗木耗水速率与环境温度显著正相关，与相对湿度显著负相关，随着干旱胁迫的发展，环境因子对耗水速率的影响有所减弱。（4）叶片水平来看，与尾巨桉相比，竹柳具有高光合、低蒸腾、高水分利用效率的特点，2种苗木由生长初期进入生长旺期时，净光合速率和蒸腾速率均发生相同幅度增加，而水分利用效率基本保持不变。（5）从单株耗水量和耗水速率以及叶片水分利用效率综合来看，竹柳属节水性能较好速生树种，而尾巨桉虽然存在叶片水平高蒸腾和低水分利用效率的情况，但从单株苗木水平上来讲，其耗水速率甚至低于竹柳，特别在土壤水分严重亏缺情况下其白天平均耗水速率仅为（4.02±0.60）g·m^-2·h^-1，也表现出了一定的抗旱节水能力。;<em>Eucalyptus urophylla</em> × <em>Eucalyptus grandis</em> and bamboo-willow have attracted wide concerns due to the debates on their water consumption (WC) and utilization efficiency problems. Insufficiency of scientific observation data and consequent uncertainty of the rationality of blame or support on the two trees' development make it a necessity to further study their WC characteristics and water use efficiency (WUE). In this study, WC and water consumption rate (WCR) of<em> E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis</em> and bamboo-willow seedlings under different soil moisture conditions were measured by pot seedling weight method, and net photosynthetic rate (<em>Pn</em>), transpiration rate (<em>Tr</em>) and WUE of them in different growth periods were investigated by Li-6400 photosynthetic system measuring method. Under normal water condition, day-and-night WC and maximum WCR of <em>E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis</em> and bamboo-willow seedlings were(182.05±12.74)g/d,(100.48±10.95)g/d, (66.31±9.91)g·m^-2·h^-1 and(89.50±13.54)g·m^-2·h^-1, respectively. Water consumption and WCR of the seedlings significantly declined with soil moisture decreases, with those of <em>E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis</em> declining more sharply than bamboo-willow under serious drought stress. The daily variation of WCR exhibited a one-peak curve (the peak appearing at 12:00-14:00) under normal water condition and light drought stress, but changed to a double-peak curve (the peaks appearing at 10:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00, respectively)under moderate drought stress, and showed no regular pattern under serious drought stress. Under normal water condition and light drought stress, a significant positive correlation and a significant negative correlation were observed between WCR and environmental temperature and between WCR and relative humidity, respectively. The influence of environmental factors on WCR weakened along with the development of drought stress. At leaf level, bamboo-willow had higher photosynthetic rate and WUE, and lower transpiration rate than <em>E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis.</em> In initial through vigorous growth period, net photosynthetic rate and transpiration rate of both seedlings increased at similar amplitude, while their WUE remained unchanged. In terms of WC and WCR of individual seedling and leaf WUE, bamboo-willow was a good water-saving fast-growing tree species. <em>E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis</em> had higher leaf transpiration rate and lower WUE at leaf level, but had lower WCR at individual seedling level than bamboo-willow, which was particularly true when under serious drought stress, with its average daytime WCR being only (4.02±0.60) g·m^-2·h^-1. Therefore, <em>E. urophylla</em> × <em>E. grandis</em> seedlings also showed a certain ability of drought resistance and water-saving.

Background: The consumption rate of artificially sweetened beverages, 100% fruit juices, and soft drink products has been proliferating since the 1980s among the Chinese population. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) prevalence and high intake of SSBs are associated with several noncommunicable chronic diseases (NCDs). This trend presents a serious public health threat to the Chinese population. Purpose: The present cross-sectional study examined the association between added sugar-sweetened beverage consumption patterns and prospective adverse health outcomes among Chinese sociodemographic and ethnic groups. Methods: The study population of 662 male and female adults partook in the study. The study cohort was randomly drawn from four Chinese cities in three provinces. Participants responded to an adapted cross-sectional self-administered paper-and-pencil 24-hour dietary intake recall protocol questionnaire, including 23 closed-ended questions on the type and frequency of the beverage consumed, sociodemographic characteristics, and ethnic group affiliation. A t-test was conducted to analyze the interactions between the parametric variables and Chi-square analyses were performed to determine interactions between the nonparametric variables. Results: The consumption frequency of sugar-sweetened beverages at least once/day was examined. For all respondents, water consumption was employed as a benchmark for a healthy beverage compared to all other sugar-sweetened beverage consumption. Findings suggest that water was the most frequently consumed beverage with the highest rate of intake (53.17%) compared to sugar-sweetened beverages consumption Regarding ethnicity, Han's water consumption was reported at (67.94%) compared to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption combined at (32.06%). Concerning Huis, water consumption was (60.56%) contrasted with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of (39.44%). Hans were more likely to consume both water and sugar-sweetened beverages compared to Hui participants. Males' water consumption rate was at (66.74%) juxtaposed with sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of (36.26%). Females' water consumption rate was (66.51%) contrasted with a sugar-sweetened beverage consumption rate of (39.44%). There were no significant differences in the water and sugar-sweetened beverages between men and women. Married respondents' water consumption was (65.44%) compared to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption rate (34.55%). Regarding marital status, the single respondents' water consumption was (64.89%) compared to sugar-sweetened beverage consumption of (33.49%). There were no significant differences in water and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption between the marital status groups. Conclusions: There is a need to introduce short-term and long-term strategies to curtail sugar-sweetened beverage consumption through excise taxes, making water more readily accessible in public schools, and launching a public health education campaign aimed at the health risks associated with added sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.

In China’s pursuit of modernization, the government has introduced the rural revitalization strategy to combat rural decline, foster balanced urban–rural development, and reduce the urban–rural gap. Rural human settlements, as key components of this strategy, play a vital role. This paper examines the types and characteristics of human–earth relationships within rural settlements, emphasizing their significance. Using national land use and population census data, we analyze the spatiotemporal evolution of rural settlements at the county level, investigating landscape pattern changes, assessing the degree of coupling coordination between rural population and settlements, categorizing relationship types and features, and estimating the potential for remediation. Our findings reveal a growing trend in the scale of rural human settlements, particularly sourced from arable land, with significant expansions observed in the North China Plain and Northeast Plain, indicating potential for farmland reclamation and village consolidation. Landscape patterns of rural human settlements exhibit increased fragmentation, complex shapes, and aggregation. We categorize the utilization of rural human settlements into two types, each with four distinct features: human–land coordination is observed in regions characterized by either a higher rural population and larger rural settlement areas, or lower rural population and smaller rural settlement areas. Human–land trade-offs are evident in areas where there is either a higher rural population and smaller rural settlement areas, or lower rural population and larger rural settlement areas. This provides valuable insights for the Chinese government’s context-specific implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. It also serves as an experiential reference for the governance of rural human settlements in other developing countries.

Water is an essential element for life, and development would not be possible without its availability. This study identified the main water consumers and their likely impact on water lake level for the case of Issyk-Kul Lake Basin, Kyrgyzstan. Data on precipitation, lake level, irrigation, household and industrial water consumption from 1980 to 2014 were provided by the Department of Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation of the Kyrgyz Republic. The input data was analyzed with OriginPro 8.5 for Statistical Analysis. The results indicated a decreasing irrigation water consumption from 2029.42 to 461.76 million·m3 in 1980 and 2014, respectively. Likewise, households consumed 27.02 million·m3 in 1980 falling to 16.55 million·m3 in 2014, similar to the manufacture’s water consumption. However, it was noted that agriculture is a high water consumer, whose water demand for irrigation rises from April to August, the period during which the precipitation also increases. Nevertheless, manufactures and household water consumption do not have timed limits of use like in agriculture, which in turn affects the lake water level. Therefore, as the rainfall increases by April to August, we suggest to harvest and only use the rainfall water during its abundance period. This would help in restoring the lake’s water level during the time of rainwater uses, and leads to water consumption balance, flood management and lake biodiversity conservation as well.

Knowing water and energy consumption patterns sets the baseline for understanding their drivers and assessing the performance of potential measures to increase efficiency and/or reliability. These patterns can vary substantially depending on the building characteristics, on the building users and use, on the cultural, social, economic, environmental context in which the building is located, among many other factors. This article presents a general methodological framework for characterizing water and energy consumption patterns in buildings based on the evaluation of the characteristics of the equipments and appliances, as well as the type of users and the activities developed in each type of room. This allows estimating water and energy use, by end use per square meter and by roomtype. The methodological framework proposed was applied to the buildings of the Paricarana Campus of Federal University of Roraima (UFRR), Brazil, providing one of the few examples in the literature reporting water and energy consumption in university buildings in tropical climates. Universities, in most cases, represent large water and energy consumers with distinctive consumption drivers and patterns which have received limited attention when compared to other types of buildings (e.g., residential). The findings have shown that teaching rooms and administration rooms are the main consumers, representing 48% and 49% of the institution's energy and water consumption, respectively. Air conditioning is the biggest energy consumption (63%), while personal use represents 72% of the total water consumption in a building. The toilets represent a large water consumption in a university building (46.40%). Comparing different building uses, the central library is the highest consumer, due to the longest operating time and the highest occupational density. The methodological proposal intends to be a useful tool to support managers and decision-makers to understand the dynamics of consumption and then propose effective practices to reduce water and energy uses, as well as providing reference data for comparison with other educational institutions.

This study focuses on a certain 3.5th-generation plant manufacturing TFT-LCDs. Water use balance performed by the plant, including the process water reuse rate (RP), the whole plant reuse rate (RT) and the whole plant discharge rate (DT) was examined.On the basis of waste water treatment processes, facilities and operation experiences of the process water reuse rate in relation to the water acquisition cost, water reuse treatment cost and the waste water treatment cost can be determined . These three costs constitute the total water use cost for the plant, which can be expressed by y = ax2 + bx + c (y: total water use cost, x: reuse rate). Accordingly, the waste water reuse rate at the minimum water use cost can be obtained. The equation for the process water cost is expressed by y = 26421x2 ﹣28439x + 154928. When 54% of the process waste water is recycled, the process water use cost is 147,276 dollars per day. In addition, the non-process water use cost is 7 377 dollars per day. Therefore, the minimum water use cost for the RT is 154,653 dollars per day. As a result, the RP, RT and DT are 62.5%, 60% and 86.7%, respectively. However, the current RP, RT and DT of the plant are 78%, 72% and 82% leads to a total water use cost is around 155,895 dollars per day.Variances of 15.5% at RP, 12% at RT and 4.7% at DT with a total water use cost difference of 1,250 dollars per day exists between them. According to the 「Regulations for Implementing Water Conservation Assistant Project in the Science-based Industrial Park」, the RP rate should exceed 70%, the RT rate be greater than 50% and the DT rate be less than 80%. Based on the present waste water reuse rate, the DT rate is 82%, which is higher than the standard; however, the RP and RT rates comply with the requirements. From the perspective of the waste water reuse rate at the minimum water use cost, the RT rate is satisfied with the standard; nevertheless, the RP and DT rates do not meet with the standards. According to the amended draft of the 「Reward Regulations for Important Strategic Sunrise Industry as Part of Manufacturing and Technology Service Industries」, when the process water reuse rate for color display devices requiring array process included TFT-LCDs exceeds 70%, the choice of either a tax-exempt preference for five years (a 5-year tax holiday) or shareholders' investment tax credit is available. The tax preferential treatment is applicable since the RP rate in the plant. currently is 78%. However, the tax preference won’t be applicable if the RP rate at the minimum water use cost is 62.5% only. The analysis result indicates the benefit of the waste water reuse rate in the plant. at the present is greater than that at the minimum water use cost.

Potential alternative disinfection methods for organic fresh-cut industry for minimizing water consumption and environmental impact

To determine the water and food consumption relationships of immature rats during severe undernutrition, water and food consumption rates and ratios of 35 male albino rats underfed from birth and re-fed starting at 20, 30, 40 and 50 days of age (6 rats in each group) or not re-fed (11 rats) were estimated between the ages of 25 and 70 days and compared with those of 30 age-mate control rats. Severely underfed rats consumed water at rates near the maximum for their body size and out of proportion with the food consumed. The water/food consumption ratio (mean 2.09 +/- 0.07) was significantly higher than that of the control rats (mean 1.47 "0.01 (P less than 0.0012). During re-feeding, the food consumption rate increased more (62%) than the water consumption rate did (9%); and the water/food consumption ratio decreased to a level (1.40 +/- 0.04 not significantly different from that of the control rats. Thus, during periods of severe underfeeding and re-feeding, water and food consumption rates of immature rats may change fairly independently of each other, leading to variations in the water/food consumption relationships.

A model for monitoring the condition of young pigs by their drinking behaviour

Rural domestic water consumption behavior: A case study in Ramjerd area, Fars province, I.R. Iran

The results of a study of qualitative indicators (germination, energy, thousand-seed weight, and quality grade) are presented. The studies were conducted in stands of silver birch of various ages in forestry units of the Altai Krai and Novosibirsk Oblast. The studies showed that, depending on forest growth conditions, germination rates in the Altai Krai range from 1% to 83% and in the Novosibirsk Oblast from 1% to 78%. The Rakitovskoye forestry (ribbon-pine forest) in the Altai Krai has the highest germination rate and germination rates (44.3% x 48.6%), while the Suzunskoye forestry (Priobsky) in the Novosibirsk Oblast has 36.2% x 40.0%. The least variable characteristics are thousand-seed weight (average coefficients of variation across regions are 15.3-15.6%). The coefficients of variation for seed quality grades in Altai Krai (51-77%) and Novosibirsk Oblast (55-88%) are intermediate and rather unstable in terms of forest conditions. This is apparently due to differences in pollination efficiency in different forest conditions.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has frightening effects on the health systems all over the world, has forced the governments to take strict measures to fight the terrible consequences of the virus. Both this disease and restrictive measures have caused people to change their consumption habits in this period. In this study, the changes in the water consumption amounts of households, workplaces, and public institutions before and after the pandemic were examined. Kocaeli, a socially and economically essential city of Turkey, was chosen as the study area. Temperature and population changes, which are other parameter that may affect water consumption, were also evaluated. In addition, the month when the full lockdown was applied and the period when all bans were abolished and life returned to normal were also evaluated comparatively. The Wilcoxon test was used to determine whether there was a statistically significant difference in the amount of water consumption between the pre-pandemic, during the pandemic, and post-pandemic period. The results showed that although there was no considerable change in temperature, household water consumption increased markedly 3 months after the first case was announced in Turkey. After the implementation of the pandemic measures, the amount of workplace water usage decreased in April and in May 2020. Additionally, the amount of public water consumption in 2020 was found significantly lower than in 2019. In the full lockdown month, an increase was observed in household and workplace water consumption, in contrast to a significant decrease in the water consumption of public institutions. Among the changes experienced in the last period of 2021, when life was relatively normal, only a significant change was observed in the household water consumption value.

The municipal water consumption in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, is extremely high (565 to 920 litre per capita per day (lpcd)), despite of their limited water resources. The residential activities account for about 52% of their expensive desalinated water. In 2013, the total available desalinated water in the Abu Dhabi was about 244,666 million imperial gallons. This high residential water consumption is driven by their high indoor and outdoor water end uses. It was informed by the water authorities that the residential water consumption rates in the Abu Dhabi are particularly high in the traditional villa type detached houses. This study investigated the pattern of water consumptions in medium sized villas and identified the factors affecting their water consumption. The water meter reading data for a consecutive 12 month period were collected from 100 villas located in a residential compound in Abu Dhabi. All villas are uniform in their plot (2050 m2) and building (750 m2) sizes. The villas are connected to the water distribution system by a service connection pipe (Medium Density Polyethylene) of diameter 20 mm, except three villas that have two service connection pipes. In order to verify the collected meter reading data from individual villas, the district area meter (DAM) reading was also collected for the same period. It was found that the supplied water (DAM reading) was approximately 5% more than the accumulated water consumption in all villas. This additional water was used for network flushing, fire demand and lines losses. The average monthly sewer flow (wastewater volume) from all villas were also collected. After collection of the number of people information on villas, it was found that the average per capita water consumption rate is more than 2500 lpcd. The summer (May –August) consumption was found about 5% more than that of other months. The average indoor water consumption rate was estimated approximately 350 lpcd. The regression analysis confirmed that water consumption in the villas is not significantly dependent on the number of people live in villas, which is attributable to the fact that about 85% of water are used for outdoor activities (plantation, car washing, etc.). Finally, it was recommended to reduce the outdoor water consumption by introducing alternative water sources such as the treated sewage effluent and the treated greywater.

The impact of constant and fluctuating oxygen concentrations and two water consumption rates on post-smolt atlantic salmon production parameters

Rural service centres and settlement stabilisation in Nigeria