New types of fish guidance structures with vertical curved bars and a subsequent bypass system represent a promising technical solution for the protection and guidance of downstream moving fish at run-of-river hydropower plants and water intakes. These so-called “curved-bar rack bypass systems” (CBR-BSs) function as a mechanical behavioral barrier and are characterized by low hydraulic losses, a symmetrical downstream flow field and an overall high fish guidance efficiency in the laboratory for a wide array of European freshwater fish species. This paper presents the results of the hydraulic and live-fish laboratory tests of an optimized CBR-BS configuration with a bar spacing of 50 mm and 30° rack angle to the flow direction. The tests were conducted with six different fish species in an ethohydraulic laboratory flume at different approach flows (0.5 m/s, 0.7 m/s) and different bypass entrance velocities (0.6–1.0 m/s). A numerical model was used to simulate the flow fields in the CBR-BS in order to link the fish behavior to the hydrodynamic cues created by the CBR-BS. Lower approach flow velocities decreased the hydraulic cues of the CBR, which led to more rack passages. A 20% velocity increase towards the bypass entrance significantly increased the fish guidance efficiency compared to a 40% velocity increase. The tested CBR-BS resulted in overall higher interspecies fish protection and guidance efficiencies compared to the more commonly applied horizontal-bar rack with a narrow bar spacing of 20 mm. Recommendations for a sustainable and cost-effective application of CBR-BSs are given.

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Mono(ADP-ribosylation) (MARylation) and poly(ADP-ribosylation) (PARylation) are posttranslational modifications found on multiple amino acids. There are 12 enzymatically active mono(ADP-ribose) polymerase (monoPARP) enzymes and 4 enzymatically active poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (polyPARP) enzymes that use nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as the ADP-ribose donating substrate to generate these modifications. While there are approved drugs and clinical trials ongoing for the enzymes that perform PARylation, MARylation is gaining recognition for its role in immune function, inflammation, and cancer. However, there is a lack of chemical probes to study the function of monoPARPs in cells and in vivo. An important first step to generating chemical probes for monoPARPs is to develop biochemical assays to enable hit finding, and determination of the potency and selectivity of inhibitors. Complicating the development of enzymatic assays is that it is poorly understood how monoPARPs engage their substrates. To overcome this, we have developed a family-wide approach to developing robust high-throughput monoPARP assays where the enzymes are immobilized and forced to self-modify using biotinylated-NAD+, which is detected using a dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluorescence immunoassay (DELFIA) readout. Herein we describe the development of assays for 12 monoPARPs and 3 polyPARPs and apply them to understand the potency and selectivity of a focused library of inhibitors across this family.

The hydraulic performance of fish guidance structures such as louvres and angled bar racks is an important design criterion to achieve high fish guidance efficiencies with a minimum impact on hydropower production. The current geometrical designs of such structures result in high head losses and asymmetric turbine admission flow and hence need to be optimized. We therefore developed an innovative curved bar design for fish guidance structures and experimentally investigated different rack configurations in a laboratory flume. The present paper (Part I) focuses on the hydraulic performance of the novel curved-bar racks with regard to head losses, while in the companion paper (Part II) we report the results on the flow fields. The effects of the main rack angle, bar angle, bar spacing, bar depth, and top or/and bottom overlays were systematically studied. The curved bar shape leads to significantly lower head losses compared to straight bar shapes. An existing head loss prediction formula was extended to account for the new bar shape and the application of overlays.

The current geometric designs of fish guidance structures with vertical bars for run-of-river hydropower plants result in high head losses and asymmetric turbine admission flow. To address these issues, we develop innovative curved bar designs and experimentally investigate different rack configurations with curved bars in a laboratory flume. The present paper (part II) focuses on the hydraulic performance of the novel curved bar designs with regard to flow fields, while the companion paper (part I) reports the results on the head losses. The detailed flow fields obtained by 3D velocity measurements show that the curved bars promote flow conditions favourable for both fish guidance and turbine operation. The flow straightening effect of the curved bars leads to quasi-symmetrical turbine admission flow and reduced head losses. The findings are discussed with regard to fish protection and guidance, and optimal engineering application.