Exploring nature-and social-connectedness as mediators of the relationship between nature-based exercise and subjective wellbeing

Background and Objectives: Underlying mechanisms behind the benefits of nature-based exercise (NBE) for subjective wellbeing (SWB) remain largely unknown. Nature-and social-connectedness may be the factors that contribute to better subjective welling. This study explores whether nature connectedness and social connectedness mediate the relationship between NBE and SWB. Method: Participants (N = 359 Australian citizens; Female = 229 (63.8%); Mage = 40.15, SD = 16.23) recruited through social media responded to an online survey focused on NBE, SWB, social connectedness, and nature connectedness. Results: Correlations revealed positive associations between variables. The relationship between NBE and SWB was significantly serially mediated by nature connectedness and social connectedness. Yet, at an individual level, social connectedness mediated the relationship, but nature connectedness was not significant. Conclusion: It is important that researchers better understand potential mechanisms associated with increased perception of happiness and life satisfaction through nature. Individuals who exercise in nature, with stronger connections to nature, perceive a stronger bond to the social world, and are more likely to have greater wellbeing. The importance of social connectedness identified further supports that more research is needed to better understand the role of connection to humanity regarding exercise in nature. © Copyright 2022, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2022

Game situation information in video-based perceptual decision making : the influence of criticality of decisions

This study examined the effects of game situation information, manipulated in terms of time and score, on decisions made in a video-based perceptual test in basketball. The participants were undergraduate university students (n=159) who viewed 21 offensive basketball plays, under two test conditions (low decision criticality; high decision criticality). To manipulate the conditions, prior to each clip, theparticipants were presented with a description of the remaining time and score differential. High decision criticality situations were characterised by a remaining time of 60 seconds or less and score differentials of 2 points or less. Low decision criticality situations were characterised by remaining time of 5 minutes or more and score differentials of 5 points or more. The participants indicated their decision (pass, shoot, dribble) after the visual display had been occluded for each clip. The results indicated that decision profiles differed under the low and high decision criticality conditions. More pass decisions were made under high decision criticality situations and more shoot decisions under low decision criticality situations. These variations differed according to the type of main sport played but not for the basketball competition level. It was concluded that game situation information does influence decision making and should be considered in video-based testing and training.<br /

Health empowerment scripts : simplifying social/green prescriptions

Social prescriptions are one term commonly used to describe non-pharmaceutical approaches to healthcare and are gaining popularity in the community, with evidence highlighting psychological benefits of reduced anxiety, depression and improved mood and physiological benefits of reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and reduced hypertension. The relationship between human health benefits and planetary health benefits is also noted. There are, however, numerous barriers, such as duration and frequencies to participate in activities, access, suitability, volition and a range of unpredictable variables (such as inclement weather, shifting interests and relocating home amongst others) impeding a comprehensive approach to their use on a wider scale. From a multidisciplinary perspective, this commentary incorporates a salutogenic and nature-based approach to health, we also provide a range of recommendations that can be undertaken at the patient level to assist in shifting the acknowledged systemic barriers currently occurring. These include using simple language to explain the purpose of health empowerment scripts, ensuing personal commitment to a minimum timeframe, enabling ease of access, co-designing a script program, providing ongoing motivational support and incorporating mindfulness to counter unexpected disruptions. Copyright © 2022 Lawson, Wissing, Henderson-Wilson, Snell, Chambers, McNeil and Nuttman

Classifying excessive exercise: Examining the relationship between compulsive exercise with obsessive‐compulsive disorder symptoms and disordered eating symptoms

Objective: There remains a lack of consensus around nosology for compulsive exercise (CE). Although widely observed in eating disorders (ED), CE shares theoretical overlap with obsessive‐compulsive disorder (OCD), where exercise compulsions occur in response to obsessions. Yet, there is limited and mixed evidence of a relationship between CE with OCD. This study aims to explore the appropriate diagnostic classification of CE through examination of CE in relation to OCD, obsessional thinking, and ED symptoms. Method: Two hundred and eighty one adults with mental health symptoms, dieting, and exercise behaviour completed measures of OCD, CE, and disordered eating symptoms. Regression and Receiver Operating Characteristic analyses examined relationships between dimensions of CE with OCD and ED symptoms, and the predictive ability of CE assessment for detecting threshold OCD and ED symptoms. Results: CE assessment was poor at predicting threshold OCD symptoms, probable Anorexia Nervosa, and Binge Eating Disorder and moderate at detecting probable disordered eating and Bulimia Nervosa. Associations between CE and OCD symptoms were not significant after adjustment for ED symptoms. Obsessional thinking was associated only with lack of exercise enjoyment. Conclusions: Results indicate that excessive exercise might represent a distinct disorder, with some shared traits across CE, OCD and ED symptoms. Findings question the utility of adaptation of OCD diagnostic criteria for CE. Assessment and treatment implications are considered

Investigating energy dissipation through nucleon transfer reactions

Nucleon and cluster transfer probabilities have been measured in the collisions of 16,18O, 19F with 204,208Pb, 209Bi for charge stripping channels down to ΔZ = - 3. Strong evidence of correlated nucleon transfer has been observed in particular channels, and neighbouring systems are seen to differ significantly in their behaviour. New measurements were made using an improved ΔE-E telescope. The back-scattered projectilelike fragments were measured in the telescope at θlab = 160.6°, and in combination with monitor detectors at forward angles allowed determination of absolute transfer probabilities. The improved design allows isotopic yields to be measured with greater precision

Evolution of signatures of quasifission in reactions forming curium

Background: Quasifission, a fission-like reaction outcome in which no compound nucleus forms, is an important competitor to fusion in reactions leading to superheavy elements. The precise mechanisms driving the competition between quasifission and fusio

How signatures of quasifission evolve in reactions forming Curium

Quasifission, a fission-like reaction outcome in which no compound nucleus forms, is an important competitor to fusion in reactions used for super-heavy element formation. The precise mechanisms driving the competition between quasifission and fusion are poorly understood. To explore the influence reaction parameters have on quasifission probabilities, an investigation into the evolution of quasifission signatures as a function of entrance channel parameters is required. Using the Australian National University’s 14UD tandem accelerator and CUBE detector for two-body fission studies, measurements were made for a diverse range of reactions forming isotopes of Curium. Observables known to reveal signs of quasifission—namely mass ratio spectra, mass-angle distributions, and angular anisotropies—were extracted. Evidence of quasifission was observed in all reactions, but the observables showing evidence of quasifission were not the same for all reactions. A link between this evolution and reaction timescales will be discusse

Geographic Variation in Sexual Attraction of Spodoptera frugiperda Corn- and Rice-Strain Males to Pheromone Lures

The corn- and rice-strains of Spodoptera frugiperda exhibit several genetic and behavioral differences and appear to be undergoing ecological speciation in sympatry. Previous studies reported conflicting results when investigating male attraction to pheromone lures in different regions, but this could have been due to inter-strain and/or geographic differences. Therefore, we investigated whether corn- and rice-strain males differed in their response to different synthetic pheromone blends in different regions in North America, the Caribbean and South America. All trapped males were strain typed by two strain-specific mitochondrial DNA markers. In the first experiment, we found a nearly similar response of corn and rice-strain males to two different 4-component blends, resembling the corn- and rice-strain female blend we previously described from females in Florida. This response showed some geographic variation in fields in Canada, North Carolina, Florida, Puerto Rico, and South America (Peru, Argentina). In dose-response experiments with the critical secondary sex pheromone component (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:OAc), we found some strain-specific differences in male attraction. While the response to Z7-12:OAc varied geographically in the corn-strain, rice-strain males showed almost no variation. We also found that the minor compound (Z)-11-hexadecenyl acetate (Z11-16:OAc) did not increase attraction of both strains in Florida and of corn-strain males in Peru. In a fourth experiment, where we added the stereo-isomer of the critical sex pheromone component, (E)-7-dodecenyl acetate, to the major pheromone component (Z)-9-tetradecenyl acetate (Z9-14:OAc), we found that this compound was attractive to males in North Carolina, but not to males in Peru. Overall, our results suggest that both strains show rather geographic than strain-specific differences in their response to pheromone lures, and that regional sexual communication differences might cause geographic differentiation between populations.Fil: Unbehend, Melanie. Instituto Max Planck Institut Fur Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Hänniger, Sabine. Instituto Max Planck Institut Fur Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Vasquez, Gissella M.. University Of North Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Juárez, María Laura. Gobierno de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Reisig, Dominic. University Of North Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Mcneil, Jeremy N.. University of Western Ontario. Department of Biology; CanadáFil: Meagher, Robert L.. United States Department Of Agriculture; Estados UnidosFil: Jenkins, David A.. United States Department of Agriculture; ArgentinaFil: Heckel, David G.. Instituto Max Planck Institut Fur Chemische Okologie; AlemaniaFil: Groot, Astrid T.. University Of Amsterdam; Países Bajos. Instituto Max Planck Institut Fur Chemische Okologie; Alemani

Fission cross sections as a probe of fusion dynamics at high angular momentum

Background: Fusion of heavy nuclei requires energy dissipation to trap the system inside the capture barrier. At high angular momentum, the centrifugal potential causes the barrier radius to reduce, which may lead to energy dissipation outside the barrier, affecting the fusion angular momentum distributions and thus the capture cross sections. Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity of fusion-fission cross sections as a probe of fusion dynamics at high angular momentum. Method: Fission of the compound nucleus Yb164 formed by three different fusion reactions, namely, O16+Sm148, Si28+Ba136, and Ca40+Sn124, was measured at four beam energies well above their respective capture barriers. Fission cross sections were extracted from the measured fission fragment angular distributions and compared with model calculations of fusion and subsequent fission. Fusion and evaporation residue cross sections available in the literature for the same or similar reactions were used to guide model calculations and obtain the fusion angular momentum distributions. Results: The measured fission characteristics were found to be consistent with fusion-fission, as expected, justifying the use of the statistical model to calculate fission cross sections for each reaction. Significantly different fission cross-section predictions were obtained from calculations using angular momentum distributions corresponding to different coupling schemes and different diffuseness parameter of the nuclear potential. A large diffuseness parameter (0.65 fm) of the nuclear potential was observed to give the best reproduction of both the experimental fusion as well as fission cross sections. Conclusions: Experimental fission cross sections provide a stringent constraint to the fusion model calculations and thus prove to be a sensitive probe for understanding fusion dynamics at high angular momentum. This is shown in the present work by a simultaneous analysis of the fusion and fission cross sections for systems where fission cross sections form a small fraction of the fusion cross section and where noncompound nuclear processes are not a dominant competing channel. Observations from this work also suggest the requirement of evaporation residue as well as fission cross sections of higher precision than those generally available for drawing quantitative conclusions.The support from Australian Research Council through Grants No. DE140100784, No. DP160101254, No. FL110100098, and No. FT120100760 and support for the HIAF accelerator operations from the Australian Federal Government NCRIS program is gratefully acknowledged