Changes In Physical Environment Research Articles

The African seaforest: a review

Abstract Kelp forests dominate the western and southwestern coastlines of southern Africa. This expansive ecosystem spreads over two very different ecoregions that are of particular interest to researchers due to the complexities of their physical environment. The mid-to-late 1900s saw a proliferation in pioneering research on southern African kelp forests. Since this period (1970–1989), researchers have published comparatively few seminal studies concerning kelp forest ecology and biological functioning. In light of this deficit, this review synthesised pre-existing research on southern African kelp forests, and highlighted key gaps in the research landscape to spark interest and facilitate new studies. Among several others, key research gaps uncovered by this review include kelp carbon sequestration potential and possible contributions to the blue bioeconomy; deeper exploration into the biological functioning and ecological roles of Macrocysis pyrifera and Ecklonia radiata populations in southern Africa; and the impacts of a changing physical environment on these kelp forests. In light of our rapidly changing climate, filling these gaps will be essential in informing conversations around coastal and marine management decisions and policy.

Analysis of breathing patterns to stabilize cardiovascular changes in physical stress environments : inspiration responds to rapid changes in blood pressure

AbstractThe thoracic nerves form a complex neural network that coordinates involuntary muscles such as breathing and the heart. Breathing has various patterns to maintain homeostasis in the human body. This study analyzes changes in the cardiovascular system and breathing patterns induced by stress caused by various mechanical movements performed in daily life and ultimately, the goal is to propose effective breathing patterns and breathing control methods to maintain cardiovascular homeostasis. The participants’ age was 26.97 ± 3.93 years, height was 170.24 ± 8.61 cm, and weight was 65.69 ± 13.55 Kg, and there were 62 men and 38 women. Breathing and electrocardiogram were obtained using HiCard+, a biometric monitoring device. The measured electrocardiogram was analyzed for heartbeat interval, which indicates changes in the cardiovascular system, and standard deviation of normal to normal interval (SDNN) and root mean square of the successive differences (rMSSD), which indicate the activity of the autonomic and parasympathetic nervous systems. For respiration, time changes were analyzed as patterns by calculating inspiration and exhalation times. As a result of this study, rapid changes in blood pressure increased SDNN and rMSSD from 0.053 ± 0.06 and 0.056 ± 0.087 to 0.109 ± 0.114 and 0.125 ± 0.170 s, and induced an increase in spontaneous inspiratory time from 1.46 to 1.51 s (p < 0.05). Ultimately, we hope that the results of this study will be used as a breathing control training technique to prevent and manage rapid cardiovascular changes.

Physical Activity Policy, Systems, and Environment Change Through Extension SNAP-Ed: A Multistate Perspective.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) provides nutrition education and support for healthy living in SNAP-qualifying communities. SNAP-Ed supports policy, systems, and environmental (PSE) efforts to make the healthy choice an easier choice. SNAP-Ed implementers have widely adopted healthy eating PSE supports. However, physical activity (PA) PSE strategies are less common, with limited awareness between states of how other SNAP-Ed implementers approach PA-focused PSE work. Physical Activity Policy, Research, and Evaluation Network (PAPREN) Rural Active Living Workgroup project members sought to explore how Extension-based SNAP-Ed implements PA-focused PSE approaches. A sample of Extension-based SNAP-Ed program (n = 8) leaders were purposefully recruited from eligible universities in six of the seven SNAP-Ed regions. An interview guide to systematically collect information about current Extension SNAP-Ed implementation focused on PA PSE strategies was developed iteratively by the PAPREN Rural Active Living Workgroup Extension PA PSE project team. PA PSE Extension SNAP-Ed implementation efforts occurred at the state, county, and community levels and/or within local organizations. PA PSEs included school PA policy change, shared-use agreements, active transportation promotion, park development, walking challenges, and PA-promoting signage. All interviews highlighted the importance of partnerships at local, county, and state levels for PSE efforts. Extension-based SNAP-Ed shows potential to bring community partners together to plan and implement PA-focused PSE approaches. With a focus on SNAP-eligible people and substantial geographic reach, Extension SNAP-Ed is uniquely situated as a public health partner to broadly implement PA PSE changes.

SkinCNN: Classification of Skin Cancer Lesions with A Novel CNN Model

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of cancer cases due to causes such as physical inactivity, sun exposure, environmental changes, harmful drinks and viruses. One of the most common types of cancer in the general population is skin cancer. There is an increase in exposure to the sun's harmful rays due to reasons such as environmental changes, especially ozone depletion. As exposure increases, skin changes occur in various parts of the body, especially the head and neck, in both young and old. In general, changes such as swelling in skin lesions are diagnosed as skin cancer. Skin cancers that are frequently seen in the society are known as actinic keratosis (akiec), basal cell carcinoma (bcc), bening keratosis (bkl), dermatofibroma (df), melanoma (mel), melanocytic nevi (nv), and vascular (vasc) types. It is not possible to consider all possible skin changes as skin cancer. In such a case, the development of a decision support system that can automatically classify the specified skin cancer images will help specialized healthcare professionals. For these purposes, a basic model based on MobileNet V3 was developed using the swish activation function instead of the ReLU activation function of the MobileNet architecture. In addition, a new CNN model with a different convolutional layer is proposed for skin cancer classification, which is different from the studies in the literature. The proposed CNN model (SkinCNN) achieved a 97% success rate by performing the training process 30 times faster than the pre-trained MobileNet V3 model. In both models, training, validation and test data were modelled by partitioning according to the value of cross-validation 3. MobileNet V3 model achieved F1 score, recall, precision, and accuracy metrics of 0.87, 0.88, 0.84, 0.83, 0.84, and 0.83, respectively, in skin cancer classification. The SkinCNN obtained F1 score, recall, precision, and accuracy metrics of 0.98, 0.97, 0.96, and 0.97, respectively. With the obtained performance metrics, the SkinCNN is competitive with the studies in the literature. In future studies, since the SkinCNN is fast and lightweight, it can be targeted to run on real-time systems.

Faunal and paleoenvironmental changes at a Cambrian (Jiangshanian; Steptoean–Sunwaptan boundary interval) trilobite extinction event, in contrasting deep- and shallow-subtidal settings, Nevada and Oklahoma

Abstract Successions in Oklahoma and Nevada record trilobite extinction and replacement near the Steptoean–Sunwaptan boundary in inner-shelf and outer-shelf settings, respectively. Prior to the extinctions, different trilobite biofacies occupied these environments, but faunas became similar in composition across the environmental gradient in the overlying I. “major” and Taenicephalus zones. Faunal changes in the outer shelf at the I. “major” Zone begin at a drowning unconformity that brought dark, laminated calcisiltite and silty lime mudstone above a subtidal carbonate succession. In contrast, Oklahoma shows facies continuity in a succession of tidally influenced bioclastic carbonates. Loss of genera and a dramatic abundance “spike” of Irvingella are features of the I. “major” Zone in both regions. Turnover of biofacies occurred in the succeeding Taenicephalus Zone, with both the inner and outer shelf dominated by Orygmaspis (Parabolinoides). Blooms of orthid brachiopods in shallow water settings are underappreciated signals of faunal change in the extinction interval. Although absent from the outer shelf in Nevada, orthids became abundant enough in Oklahoma to form shell beds in the lower Taenicephalus Zone, but became rare in overlying strata. Carbon isotope stratigraphy includes a modest positive δ13C excursion that peaks in the extinction interval at 1.4‰ (Oklahoma) and 2.2‰ (Nevada), which is congruent with previous reports from Utah and Wyoming. Although consistent with regional upwelling of dysoxic waters, the absence of sedimentary evidence for significant environmental change over much of the shelf is problematic. This suggests that physical environmental change acted primarily as a catalyst for cascading ecological and biogeographic effects.

Putting the dead to work: A new method to assess the autochthony of marine Ostracoda death assemblages

Sedimentary and paleontological records can be powerful means of reconstructing ecological and physical environmental changes, by using a variety of records extending proxies to extend chronologies beyond the reach of instrumental or manual records. Ostracods are often used as paleoenvironmental proxies. Estimating the population age structure could be a useful tool for assessing the influence of some environmental parameters on death assemblages and for determining the autochthoneity or allochthoneity of the species that make up the thanatocoenosis. In the literature, several methods based on population age structure have been proposed to distinguish autochthonous and allochthonous components of life/death ostracod assemblages.The Adult:Juveniles ratio analysis of a rich and well-preserved ostracod assemblage from one site in the circalittoral zone of Pontine Archipelago, in the central-eastern Tyrrhenian Sea, is presented. The new Specific Population Stage Index (SPS) is proposed, built upon the measurements of all growth stages in the assemblage. The population structure using the new SPS Index on three different grain sizes is tested against a list of putative in situ and transported ostracod specimens. The analysis on the small grain size (maximum heigth >63 µm) proved the most effective in describing the putative life ostracod assemblage, whereas in the largest grain size (maximum height >180 µm) the young instars of the smaller species are under-represented. This includes species generally under-represented in the fossil record of the Mediterranean, probably due to sample processing bias and not to the rarity of the species itself. Assessing the autochthoneity of modern/fossil assemblages has great potential for acquiring baseline information on ecosystems before the onset of human activities, making this an extremely powerful approach essential to evaluating anthropogenic impacts. This approach seeks to identify the in situ life assemblages within an ostracod population to ensure that paleoenvironmental interpretations are not biased by transported allochthonous elements.

A criterion for sustainably stable tidal inlets

A criterion for tidal inlets to achieve sustainable stability was derived from theoretical considerations and validated with historical data. The criterion states, in part, that an inlet will achieve sustainable stability if its Keulegan’s repletion coefficient K exceeds 1.86. Based on the fundamental hydraulics of tidal inlets that holds regardless of timescale, the criterion relates the stability of an inlet to a suite of throat parameters explicitly. The criterion distinguishes between general stability and sustainable stability, thereby permitting a statement on the inlet resiliency in the context of climate change. The criterion was evaluated for 44 global inlets with known stability conditions at the time of data. The results were found to validate the criterion. The criterion suggests that inlet stability exists across a semi-infinite space of K rather than at (or around) a certain throat area Ac as implied by the O’Brien-Jarrett criteria and expounded by Escoffier. For a stable inlet, the effective tidal prism is in a dynamic equilibrium with a suite of throat parameters rather than with the throat area Ac alone. The tidal prism as normalized will remain unchanged as long as the sustainable criterion is met even as the throat parameters modulate individually or collectively in a changing physical environment on any timescales. Since all of the throat parameters involved are relatively easy to obtain for a given inlet, the criterion can be conveniently applied in coastal planning and conceptual design where initial scoping, problem identification, and evaluation of frequently numerous alternatives may require a simpler, less costly tool than numerical modeling.

Bird species richness and habitat guilds at isolated forest patch in Turahalli Minor Forest, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Analyzing habitat preferences and foraging dynamics can be useful in understanding how birds adapt to changing physical environments. This is the first-ever study that was carried out on Avian feeding and Habitat guild of the Turahalli minor forest. Our study compares foraging patterns and habitat preferences among bird species by using One-way ANOVA, Tukey’s multiple comparison test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney U tests. Observations based on habitat and diet affinities accounted for rich avian diversity with a total of 139 bird species recorded from five different habitats from October 2020 to November 2022. Large trees (95 species) harbored more species followed by shrub and thorny (30 species) and open ground (8 species). Bird assemblages were richer in large tree habitats and shrub and thorny habitats and findings showed that there was no significant difference in bird species richness between the habitats. Insectivorous species (39%) and carnivorous species (30%) exceeded other feeding guilds in the study area. Results of the study showed that different functional groups of avifauna behaved differently, primarily persuaded by choice of food. By providing birds with stable foraging, roosting, and nesting options, habitat heterogeneity supported avifaunal persistence.

Effect of a behaviour change intervention on household food hygiene practices in rural Bangladesh: A cluster-randomised controlled trial

IntroductionBehavioural interventions could improve caregivers’ food hygiene practices in low-resource settings. So far, evidence is limited to small-scale and short-term studies, and few have evaluated the long-term maintenance of promoted behaviours. We evaluated the effect of a relatively large-scale behaviour change intervention on medium and long-term maintenance of household food hygiene practices in Bangladesh. MethodsWe analyse a secondary outcome of the Food and Agricultural Approaches to Reducing Malnutrition (FAARM) cluster-randomised trial and its sub-study Food Hygiene to reduce Environmental Enteric Dysfunction (FHEED), conducted in Habiganj district, Sylhet division, Bangladesh. The FAARM trial used a 1:1 parallel arm design and included 2705 women in 96 settlements: 48 intervention and 48 control. Women in the intervention settlements received training in homestead gardening, poultry rearing and nutrition over three years (2015–2018), complemented by an eight-month (mid-2017 to early-2018) behaviour change component on food hygiene using motivational drivers. Nested within the FAARM trial, the FHEED sub-study evaluated several outcomes along the hygiene pathway. For this article, we evaluated household food hygiene behaviours by analysing structured observation data collected in two cross-sectional surveys, four and 16 months after the food hygiene promotion ended, from two independent subsamples of FAARM women with children aged 6–18 months. We assessed intervention effects on food hygiene practices using mixed-effects logistic regression, accounting for clustering. In exploratory analyses, we further assessed behaviour patterns – how often critical food hygiene behaviours were performed individually, in combination and consistently across events. ResultsBased on the analysis of 524 complementary feeding and 800 food preparation events in households from 571 participant women, we found that intervention households practised better food hygiene than controls four months post-intervention, with somewhat smaller differences after 16 months. Overall, the intervention positively affected food hygiene, particularly around child feeding: using soap for handwashing (odds ratio 5·8, 95% CI 2·2–15·2), cleaning feeding utensils (3·8, 1·9–7·7), and cooking fresh/reheating food (1·8, 1·1–2·8). However, the simultaneous practice of several behaviours was rare, occurring in only 10% of feeding events (intervention: 15%; control: 4%), and the practice of safe food hygiene behaviours was inconsistent between events. ConclusionOur findings suggest that a motivational behaviour change intervention encouraged caregivers to maintain certain safe food hygiene practices in a rural setting. However, substantial physical changes in the household environment are likely needed to make these behaviours habitual. Trial registration numberNCT02505711.

Conceptualizing Spatial Heterogeneity of Urban Composition Impacts onPrecipitation Within Tropics

Urban composition has exacerbated precipitation patterns. Rapid urbanization with dynamic composition and anthropogenic activities lead to the change of physical environment, especially land-use and land cover which subsequently magnifies the environmentaleffects such as flash floods, extreme lightning, and landslides. Due to extreme and elevated temperature trends with exacerbated rainfall patterns, these environmental effects become major issues in tropics. Albeit several studies pointed out that rapid urbanization induced precipitation, studies about the heterogeneity of urban composition on precipitation variables are still limited. Thus, this paper reviewstudiesaboutprecipitation pattern in relation to the heterogeneity of urban composition that successfully integrates geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques to enhance the understanding of interactions between precipitation patterns against heterogeneity of urban composition. This article also addressed the current state of uncertainties and scarcity of data concerning remote sensing techniques. Evidently, with a comprehensive investigation and probing of the precipitation variables in the context of urbanization models fused with remote sensing and GIS, they put forward powerful set tools for geographic cognition and understand how its influence on spatial variation. Hence, this study indicated a great research opportunity to set the course of action in determining the magnitude of spatial heterogeneity of an urban composition towards the pattern of precipitation.

Improving School Environments for Preventing Sexual Violence Among LGBTQ+ Youth.

Sexual violence (SV) is a serious public health concern, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning (LGBTQ+) youth report higher rates than their heterosexual and cisgender peers. This qualitative study aimed to understand LGBTQ+ students' perspectives on how middle and high school environments can better prevent and address SV. In partnership with a school-based LGBTQ+ support group in Washington State, we recruited 31 LGTBQ+ students ages 13-18 for virtual interviews (n = 24) and for providing text-based answers to interview questions (n = 7). We used inductive thematic analysis to analyze data and identify themes. To prevent and respond to SV, students highlighted schools having: (1) access to gender-neutral spaces; (2) LGBTQ+ competency training for staff; (3) enforcement of school policies (eg, SV, anti-bullying) and accountability; (4) LGBTQ+-competent mental health support; and (5) comprehensive sexual health education that addresses LGBTQ+ relationships and SV. Students expressed the need for changes in school physical and social environments to address SV among LGBTQ+ youth. Incorporating youth perspectives, particularly LGBTQ+ youth at high risk of SV, can help schools implement strategies that are supported by youth and thus potentially more sustainable and effective.

Changes in neighborhood physical and social environments matter for change in mental health: Longitudinal evidence from Dutch panel data

Numerous neighborhood environments have been recognized to affect mental health, but only a few longitudinal studies investigated these associations jointly and whether different population groups are affected differently. We used three-wave panel data of 2699 adults between 2010 and 2016 in the Netherlands to assess the associations between changes in neighborhood physical and social environments and mental health changes. Further, we assessed possible effect modification of gender and income. Mental health was measured using the Mental Health Inventory. Time-varying exposure to green space, blue space, population density, air pollution, socioeconomic deprivation, and social fragmentation were assigned based on individuals' neighborhood histories. Fixed-effect regressions were conducted to assess within-person associations between single and multiple exposures on mental health for the entire sample and stratified by gender and income. Our single-exposure models showed that increases in blue space were significantly associated with mental health improvements, while increases in fine particulate matter (PM2.5) resulted in declines in mental health. These associations were not attenuated in the multi-exposure model. We observed no significant associations for the remaining environments. Stratification analyses showed that females’ mental health further declined as PM2.5 concentrations increased compared to males. Increasing levels of socioeconomic deprivation were associated with further declines in mental health among the less well-off compared with higher-income earners. Our longitudinal findings suggested that neighborhood physical and social environment changes were associated with mental health changes. Future research is required to establish the underlying pathways.

Bright NIR-Emitting Styryl Pyridinium Dyes with Large Stokes' Shift for Sensing Applications.

Two NIR-emitting donor-π-acceptor (D-π-A) type regioisomeric styryl pyridinium dyes (1a-1b) were synthesized and studied for their photophysical performance and environment sensitivity. The two regioisomers, 1a and 1b, exhibited interesting photophysical properties including, longer wavelength excitation (λex ≈ 530-560 nm), bright near-infrared emission (λem ≈ 690-720 nm), high-fluorescence quantum yields (ϕfl ≈ 0.24-0.72) large Stokes' shift (∆λ ≈ 150-240 nm) and high-environmental sensitivity. Probe's photophysical properties were studied in different environmental conditions such as polarity, viscosity, temperature, and concentration. Probes (1a-1b) exhibited noticeable changes in absorbance, emission and Stokes' shift while responding to the changes in physical environment. Probe 1b exhibited a significant bathochromic shift in optical spectra (∆λ ≈ 20-40 nm) compared to its isomer 1a, due to the regio-effect. Probes (1a-1b) exhibited an excellent ability to visualize bacteria (Bacillus megaterium, Escherichia coli), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) via fluorescence microscopy.

Toward reframing brain-social dynamics: current assumptions and future challenges.

Evolutionary analyses suggest that the human social brain and sociality appeared together. The two fundamental tools that accelerated the concurrent emergence of the social brain and sociality include learning and plasticity. The prevailing core idea is that the primate brain and the cortex in particular became reorganised over the course of evolution to facilitate dynamic adaptation to ongoing changes in physical and social environments. Encouraged by computational or survival demands or even by instinctual drives for living in social groups, the brain eventually learned how to learn from social experience via its massive plastic capacity. A fundamental framework for modeling these orchestrated dynamic responses is that social plasticity relies upon neuroplasticity. In the present article, we first provide a glimpse into the concepts of plasticity, experience, with emphasis on social experience. We then acknowledge and integrate the current theoretical concepts to highlight five key intertwined assumptions within social neuroscience that underlie empirical approaches for explaining the brain-social dynamics. We suggest that this epistemological view provides key insights into the ontology of current conceptual frameworks driving future research to successfully deal with new challenges and possible caveats in favour of the formulation of novel assumptions. In the light of contemporary societal challenges, such as global pandemics, natural disasters, violent conflict, and other human tragedies, discovering the mechanisms of social brain plasticity will provide new approaches to support adaptive brain plasticity and social resilience.

Shifting perspectives: outlooks on ageing in place in the COVID-19 era

Abstract Given the significant impact the pandemic has had on the lives of older adults, research is needed to understand how conceptions of ageing in place and attitudes about living independently may have shifted during a time marked by significant environmental change. There is a gap in knowledge about how older adults characterise positive support for ageing in place in response to rapid changes in physical and social environments, including home confinement, reduced social interaction and greater barriers to resources. To fill this knowledge gap, we conducted a photovoice study with community-dwelling older adults (N = 17) to understand how their experiences of adapting to pandemic conditions influenced their attitudes and behaviours towards ageing in place. We organised data into five themes: (1) the importance of proximity to family and loved ones; (2) the ability to balance safety and social connectivity; (3) an increased appreciation for the outdoors; (4) new platforms for learning; and (5) the role of inner belief systems. Adapting attitudes, expectations and behaviours through physical, social and personal domains highlights the role of change within an ecological framework of ageing. Findings contribute to the ongoing discourse about ageing in place within an ecological framework by identifying changes that older adults make at individual, interpersonal and system levels. This paper adds to the literature by identifying characteristics of ageing in place that community-dwelling older adults prioritise in the pandemic era. The paper also contributes to a growing body of research that elicits participation and offers the co-creation of knowledge with older adults. Lessons learned from the pandemic will continue to shape and inform future policies on ageing in place.

Positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation has driven poleward redistribution of the West Antarctic Peninsula biota through a food-chain mechanism

The West Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) has recorded a significant poleward range shift in marine biota, including Adélie penguins, Antarctic krill and phytoplankton. The ecological changes have been widely attributed to Pacific/Southern Hemisphere variabilities. However, the teleconnection from the North Atlantic Ocean, which also could induce changes in the WAP physical environments, has been overlooked. Here we combine state-of-the-art observational/modelling databases to quantify the poleward redistribution since the 1980s of three key members of the WAP biota and explored their response to several climatic oscillations. The abundance of Adélie penguins, Antarctic krill and phytoplankton in the WAP all show a decrease in the north and an increase in the south, leading to a poleward shift of their distribution centers by ~0.8–2.3°. A more positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) has contributed to the poleward redistribution of phytoplankton/krill/penguin with a time lag of 0/1/5 yr, indicating a food-chain related mechanism. +AMO in spring resulted in reduced sea ice, earlier ice retreat and enhanced winds in the northern WAP, which constrained phytoplankton blooms and krill reproduction, thereby decreasing the krill recruitment 1 yr later and consequently the penguin recruitment 5 yr later. In the southern WAP, where the sea ice cover was nearly permanent in the 1980s, reduced sea ice and earlier ice retreat promoted phytoplankton growth and krill/penguin reproduction. Our results emphasize the global nature of climate-ecological coupling; the influence of the Northern Hemisphere climate system on Antarctic/Southern Ocean biota is a non-negligible factor for the ecosystem management.

Fresh perspectives on the River Continuum Concept require trophic ecology approaches focussed on food web structure and energy mobilisation routes.

Stream-dwelling communities are expected to show a gradual replacement of the dominant feeding types following the type of resources found along the river continuum. Yet, the underlying longitudinal gradients in food web structure and energy flow-paths remain poorly understood. Here, I synthesise novel research on the River Continuum Concept (RCC) and identify promising areas for future research linked to longitudinal changes in food-chain length and energy mobilisation routes. For example, feeding links and connectance should reach maximum values in mid-order rivers and then decrease to river mouths following uncovered longitudinal diversity patterns. Regarding energy mobilisation routes, a gradual replacement in the food web fuelling between allochthonous (leaf litter) and autochthonous (periphyton) resources should be expected. Beyond longitudinal changes in primary basal resource to consumer paths, other allochthonous (e.g. riparian arthropod inputs) and autochthonous (e.g. fish prey) inputs subsidising higher level consumers may show longitudinal changes, that is, terrestrial invertebrates decreasing but piscivory increasing downstream. However, the role of these inputs, that can alter predator niche variation and have indirect community-based effects, on both food web structure and energy flow-paths along the river continuum is not clear yet. Incorporating energy mobilisation and food web structure into RCC principles is necessary for a broad understanding of ecosystem functioning and trophic diversity in riverine systems, driving the emergence of novel insights. How function and structure of riverine food webs adapt to longitudinal changes in physical and biological environments represent a challenge for next generation of stream ecologists.

Facilitating Nutrition and Physical Activity-Focused Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change in Rural Areas: A Methodological Approach Using Community Wellness Coalitions and Cooperative Extension.

Obesity prevalence is higher among rural populations than urban, which may be related to differences in environments. Rural counties face barriers to accessing healthy foods and physical activity opportunities including isolation, transportation distances, and lack of facilities. As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity High Obesity Program, community-based wellness coalitions were established in six South Dakota counties with adult obesity prevalence >40%. The community coalitions were charged with improving access to healthy foods and safe and accessible places to participate in physical activity within their rural, underserved communities. Coalitions were created and members were recruited by Cooperative Extension staff who had existing relationships with key stakeholders within the community. Within these coalitions, champions were identified to provide leadership and ensure project implementation. Ongoing support and technical assistance were provided to the community coalitions by Cooperative Extension staff as they completed a community needs assessment, disseminated results of the needs assessment with the community, created action plans based on needs assessment data, implemented evidence-based interventions to support nutrition and physical activity policy, system and environmental changes, and assessed impact within their community. Overall, the purpose of this article is to share the project methodology, which capitalized on using Cooperative Extension, to build capacity to improve the nutrition and physical activity environment in rural, unserved communities. Sustainability of this work, along with lessons learned, is also discussed.

Forecasts of marine heatwaves for marine industries: Reducing risk, building resilience and enhancing management responses

Ocean use has always been risky because of uncertain and dramatic ocean conditions and modern businesses continue to experience risk due to environmental extremes. A changing physical environment due to anthropogenic climate change and increased frequency of extreme events such as marine heatwaves makes past experience less valuable. This risk can be reduced by utilising seasonal forecasts that provide early warning of climate events several months ahead of time. However, to benefit from a forecast, a marine business will need to be agile to respond to changing information and response options. We define a set of seven attributes that can influence and enhance this management agility; leadership, social expectations, signal strength, system manipulation, regulatory environment, market forces, and value of the operations. The management agility of different marine businesses in fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism can influence their ability to use seasonal forecast information effectively, and potentially modify the usual negative relationship between resilience and the frequency of the stress event, thus reducing the impact of extreme events. Engagement between forecast developers and marine users can also improve responses, while at the same time, improving the agility of businesses can enhance overall resilience to extreme events and lower their risk.

Immigrant families' experience of the Canadian food and nutrition environment.

Upon arrival, immigrants are thrust into the Canadian food environment, which is at an advanced stage of the nutrition transition continuum, encompassing reduced physical activity, sedentary lifestyles, and energy dense diets. In addition to the influence of readily available energy dense foods, immigrant children's food environments may also be impacted by limited availability of traditional foods, economic-constraints, time-constraints, parents' cooking skills, parents' child feeding styles, and school food environments. The study involved in-depth interviews with 19 immigrant parents regarding their family experiences of the Canadian food and nutrition environment, along with 22 participants from settlement agencies, community schools, English-as-a-Second-Language programs, and healthcare organizations. Many newcomers shared experiences that highlighted drastic changes to their food environment upon arrival, including reduced access to open air fresh produce markets, increased access to large supermarkets, fast-paced lifestyles, and the pervasive presence of fast foods and snack foods. Some parents indicated that food purchase decisions were impacted by children's demands and that their children's school environments affected the types of foods their children would eat. A few service providers mentioned negative impacts on breastfeeding, and the change in physical environment as part of the nutrition environment due to association with vitamin D status. The early years are a pivotal time in the development of eating patterns so supportive food and nutrition environments in homes, communities, and schools can ensure that children develop healthy eating habits to support long-term health.