COVID-19: Companion Animals Help People Cope During Government-Imposed Social Isolation

This research explores the impact of government-imposed social isolation orders on homes with companion animals. Data were collected April through May 2020, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey of 234 Americans observing social isolation orders included demographic questions; questions about relationships to other persons and companion animals within the home; and Likert-scale questions designed to probe the complexities of these relationships and their influences on perceived stress and isolation. We hypothesized that the presence of companion animals helps to mitigate stressors related to observing social isolation orders, with those living alone experiencing more benefit and homes with children experiencing less. The results suggest that the presence of companion animals alleviates stress and isolation by providing attachment figures and activities on which to focus one’s energy. These results support that companion animals are increasingly viewed as members of one’s family and provide social support during stressful life events

Effects of Wind Turbine Noise on Songbird Behavior During Nonbreeding Season

Anthropogenic noise is one of the fastest growing, globally widespread pollutants, affecting countless species worldwide. Despite accumulating evidence of the negative impacts of wind turbines on wildlife, little is known about how the noise they generate affects ecological systems. Songbirds may be susceptible to noise pollution due to their reliance on vocal communication and thus, in this field study, we examined how songbirds are affected by wind turbine noise. We broadcasted noise produced by one wind turbine in a migratory stopover site during the nonbreeding season. Throughout the study, we repeatedly monitored the acoustic environment and songbird community before, during, and after the noise treatments with passive acoustic monitoring and mist netting. We employed generalized linear mixed effects models to assess the impact of experimental noise treatment on birds behavior and likelihood ratio tests to compare models with variables of interest with null models. The daily number of birds in the presence of wind turbine noise decreased by approximately 30% compared with the before and after phases. This reduction had a significant spatial pattern; the largest decrease was closer to the speaker and on its downwind side, fitting measured sound propagation. Although we found no impact on species diversity, two out of three most common species showed clear avoidance behavior: 45% and 36% decrease in abundance for the lesser whitethroat (Sylvia curruca) and Sardinian warbler (Sylvia melanocephala momus), respectively. In the after phase, there were lingering effects on the lesser whitethroat. The age structure of the lesser whitethroat population was affected because only juvenile birds showed avoidance behavior. No difference in avoidance extent was found between migratory and nonmigratory species, but the impacts of displacement on migrants during stopover are especially troubling from a conservation perspective. Our results stress the need to address the impacts of noise pollution on wildlife when planning noise-generating infrastructures, such as wind turbines, to allow for sustainable development without threatening already declining songbird populations

Influence of Subsurface Critical Zone Structure on Hydrological Partitioning in Mountainous Headwater Catchments

Headwater catchments play a vital role in regional water supply and ecohydrology, and a quantitative understanding of the hydrological partitioning in these catchments is critically needed, particularly under a changing climate. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of subsurface critical zone (CZ) structure in modulating the partitioning of precipitation in mountainous catchments; however, few existing studies have explicitly taken into account the 3D subsurface CZ structure. In this study, we designed realistic synthetic catchment models based on seismic velocity-estimated 3D subsurface CZ structures. Integrated hydrologic modeling is then used to study the effects of the shape of the weathered bedrock and the associated storage capacity on various hydrologic fluxes and storages in mountainous headwater catchments. Numerical results show that the weathered bedrock affects not only the magnitude but also the peak time of both streamflow and subsurface dynamic storage

Proteomic Dataset for Decellularization of Porcine Auricular Cartilage

Objectives Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major concern in the United States and worldwide. Development and validation of robust decellularization techniques is critical in generating suitable bioscaffolds for future OA treatment options. Data descriptions In the present study, proteins from porcine auricular cartilage before and after decellularization were extracted, digested, and identified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The data represents protein profiles of both non-decellularized and decellularized porcine auricular cartilage. This data is intended to be useful to scientists who are interesting in generating biomaterials for potential relevant clinical applications using decellularized cartilage tissue

Extending Active Network Length versus Catchment Discharge Relations to Temporarily Dry Outlets

River networks are not steady blue lines drawn in a map, since they continuously change their shape and extent in response to climatic drivers. Therefore, the flowing length of rivers (L) and the corresponding catchment-scale streamflow (Qsur) co-evolve dynamically. This paper analyzes the relationship between the wet channel length and the streamflow of a river basin, formulating a general analytical model that includes the case of temporarily dry outlets. In particular, the framework relaxes the common assumption that when the discharge at the outlet tends to zero the upstream flowing length approaches zero. Different analytical expressions for the L(Qsur) law are derived for the cases of (a) a perennial outlet; (b) a non-perennial outlet that dries out only when the whole network is dry; and (c) a temporarily dry outlet, that experiences surface flow for less time than other network nodes. In all cases, the shape of the L(Qsur) relationship is controlled by the distribution of the specific subsurface discharge capacity along the network. For temporarily dry outlets, however, the relation between L and Qsur might depend on an unknown shifting factor. Three real-world examples are presented to demonstrate the flexibility and the robustness of the theory. Our results indicate that the whole shape of the L(Qsur) relation might not be empirically observable if a significant fraction of the network is perennial or some reaches in the network experience surface flow for longer than the discharge gauging station. The study provides a basis for integrating empirical L(Qsur) data gathered in diverse sites

Determining the Initiation of Shear Zone Deformation Using Titanite Petrochronology

We present an integrative petrochronological approach to dating the initiation of shear zone deformation in granitic rocks, using the mineral titanite (CaTiSiO5). This method is suited to granitoid-hosted shear zones in continental arc settings, where the interplay between tectonics, magmatism, and deformation is actively debated. Microstructural observations including crystallographic misorientations, fabric context, and backscattered electron images were used to identify relict magmatic, partially to fully recrystallized, and neoblastic titanite crystals. Principal component analysis of trace element compositional variance in titanite was used to further distinguish and quantify the crystal chemical response to deformation. High-precision isotope dilution U-Pb geochronological measurements on relict magmatic, partially to fully recrystallized, and neoblastic titanite crystals was used to constrain the timing of shear zone initiation. For a sample of a porphyritic orthogneiss from the western Idaho shear zone of the northern U.S. Cordillera, U-Pb zircon geochronology dates emplacement of this unit to between ca. 105 and 103 Ma, whereas the age of partially recrystallized and neoblastic titanite grains indicate that the western Idaho shear zone initiated between ca. 98 and 96 Ma. The \u3e5 Ma lag between pluton emplacement and the onset of deformation indicates that mid-Cretaceous deformation in the western Idaho shear zone is temporally distinct from Late Jurassic–Early Cretaceous accretionary tectonics. Our integrated petrochronological investigation documents that: 1) deformation induces textural, chemical, and isotopic changes in titanite; 2) the geochemical properties of primary magmatic titanite collapse into a discernible trend of subsolidus syn-deformational titanite compositions; and 3) the onset of deformation and progression of strain accumulation are preserved in the U-Pb ages of these titanite crystals

From Lament to Action: Why We Should All Engage with Eco-Church

Rev. Lydia Cook, Angelican Priest, Ottery St. Mary, England - Rev. Cook will explore the theological, spiritual and practical role of Christian churches in the care of creation. She will look at what insights the Scriptures give to help navigate a Christian response to the environmental crisis we find ourselves living in and ask how we can (re)discover a spirituality of creation that speaks into people\u27s lives in a meaningful way, rebuilding connections with those of little faith or none. Finally Lydia will look at practical ways that churches can make a difference to their local community and environment through the ARocha eco church scheme.https://scholarworks.boisestate.edu/ideas_of_nature_gallery/1036/thumbnail.jp

Mesic Vegetation Persistence: A New Approach for Monitoring Spatial and Temporal Changes in Water Availability in Dryland Regions Using Cloud Computing and the Sentinel and Landsat Constellations

Climate change and anthropogenic activity pose severe threats to water availability in drylands. A better understanding of water availability response to these threats could improve our ability to adapt and mitigate climate and anthropogenic effects. Here, we present a Mesic Vegetation Persistence (MVP) workflow that takes every usable image in the Sentinel (10-m) and Landsat (30-m) archives to generate a dense time-series of water availability that is continuously updated as new images become available in Google Earth Engine. MVP takes advantage of the fact that mesic vegetation can be used as a proxy of available water in drylands. Our MVP workflow combines a novel moisture-based index (moisture change index - MCI) with a vegetation index (Modified Chlorophyll Absorption Ratio Vegetation Index (MCARI2)). MCI is the difference in soil moisture condition between an individual pixel\u27s state and the dry and wet reference reflectance in the image, derived using 5th and 95th percentiles of the visible and shortwave infra-red drought index (VSDI). We produced and validated our MVP products across drylands of the western U.S., covering a broad range of elevation, land use, and ecoregions. MVP outperforms NDVI, a commonly-employed index for mesic ecosystem health, in both rangeland and forested ecosystems, and in mesic habitats with particularly high and low vegetation cover. We applied our MVP product at case study sites and found that MVP more accurately characterizes differences in mesic persistence, late-season water availability, and restoration success compared to NDVI. MVP could be applied as an indicator of change in a variety of contexts to provide a greater understanding of how water availability changes as a result of climate and management. Our MVP product for the western U.S. is freely available within a Google Earth Engine Web App, and the MVP workflow is replicable for other dryland regions

A111: Relationship Between Physical Activity and Mental Toughness: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Chinese College Students

Purpose: Physical activity has favorable impacts on exercisers\u27 stress levels, psychological distress and anxiety, emotional regulation, and mental wellness. In recent years, the global outbreak of COVID-19 has subtly altered college students\u27 lifestyles. Studies have shown that the physical and mental health of students has deteriorated dramatically, which is alarming. Mental toughness refers to the ability to adapt well in the face of major pressures, setbacks, and adversity in life. The purpose of the present study was to examine variations in mental toughness depending on the intensity, length, and frequency of physical activity. Methods: A total of 3,120 Chinese college students participated in this study. In the spring semester of 2022, participants were given the demographic questionnaire, the Physical Activity Rating Scale (PARS-3), and the Chinese version of the Mental Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). 3049 students completed the survey. Independent sample t test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), correlation analysis, and regression analysis were performed using SPSS 25.0 statistical software. Results: The physical activity level differed significantly across sex (t = 14.37, p \u3c 0.001), grade (F=3.72, p \u3c 0.05), and monthly living expenses (F = 5.70, p \u3c 0.001). The mental toughness had significant differences across sex (t = 4.55, p \u3c 0.001), grade (F = 3.35, p \u3c 0.05), and monthly living expenses (F = 5.41, p \u3c 0.001). There were significant differences in mental toughness across different levels of physical activity intensity (F = 39.28, p \u3c 0.001), different length of physical activity (F = 33.35, p \u3c 0.001), different frequency of physical activity (F = 30.14, p \u3c 0.001), and different levels of physical activity (F = 91.55, p \u3c 0.001). Physical activity was significantly and positively correlated with mental toughness (r = 0.26, p \u3c 0.01). Conclusion: Male students exhibited significantly higher levels of physical activity than their female counterparts, and freshmen demonstrated greater physical activity than students in other grades. Additionally, the amount of physical activity among college students was influenced by their monthly living expenses. The mental toughness score of male students was notably higher than that of female students, with freshmen scoring significantly higher than students in other grades. In comparison to other levels of physical activity, engaging in a high quantity of exercise, high-intensity short-duration exercise, more than 60 minutes of activity time, and a daily activity frequency had the most pronounced impact on enhancing mental toughness. Moreover, there was a positive correlation between physical activity and mental toughness

A08: Effects of Participation in Sports Clubs Activity on College Students’ Perceived Stress and Well-Being

Purpose: Mandated social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19 pandemic has brought more anxiety and stress to college students. The primary purpose of this study was to examine whether college students\u27 participation in sports club activities can reduce anxiety and stress. The secondary purpose was to compare the effects of different types of sport clubs. Methods: The sample consisted of 242 college students (143 males; mean age=22.63 years old) in an academically prestigious university. They were voluntarily enrolled in either team sports clubs, such as volleyball, football, baseball, and softball, etc. (n=96), or individual sports clubs, such as squash, cycling, mountaineering, etc. (n=146). They responded to validated scales to assess perceived stress (Sheldon Cohen, 1983) and well-being (Diener & Biswas-Diener, 2009). Self-compiled questionnaires on motivation to join sports clubs and basic information on club organization activities were collected. All surveys were conducted in October 2021. Results: A considerable proportion of students (34.7%) participated in sports clubs to reduce academic pressure. Most of them (72.26%) have already recognized the physical and mental health benefits of physical activity. Significant decreases were observed for perceived stress in both groups: team sports group (ΔM = -0.76, p \u3c 0.01), and individual sports group (ΔM= -0.77, p \u3c 0.01). A significant increase in well-being was observed in two types of courses led by the team sports group (ΔM=1.55, p \u3c 0.01) followed by the individual sports group (ΔM=1.34, p \u3c 0.01). Individual sports clubs have a more pronounced effect on reducing negative emotions than team sports clubs (ΔM = -2.01, p \u3c 0.05). Conclusion: Participation in both team sports clubs and individual sports clubs reduced perceived stress and increased well-being. Individual sports clubs had more decreases in negative emotions compared to team sports clubs