Bird and bat species' global vulnerability to collision mortality at wind farms revealed through a trait-based assessment.

Mitigation of anthropogenic climate change involves deployments of renewable energy worldwide, including wind farms, which can pose a significant collision risk to volant animals. Most studies into the collision risk between species and wind turbines, however, have taken place in industrialized countries. Potential effects for many locations and species therefore remain unclear. To redress this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review of recorded collisions between birds and bats and wind turbines within developed countries. We related collision rate to species-level traits and turbine characteristics to quantify the potential vulnerability of 9538 bird and 888 bat species globally. Avian collision rate was affected by migratory strategy, dispersal distance and habitat associations, and bat collision rates were influenced by dispersal distance. For birds and bats, larger turbine capacity (megawatts) increased collision rates; however, deploying a smaller number of large turbines with greater energy output reduced total collision risk per unit energy output, although bat mortality increased again with the largest turbines. Areas with high concentrations of vulnerable species were also identified, including migration corridors. Our results can therefore guide wind farm design and location to reduce the risk of large-scale animal mortality. This is the first quantitative global assessment of the relative collision vulnerability of species groups with wind turbines, providing valuable guidance for minimizing potentially serious negative impacts on biodiversity.

Sustainability of health and lifestyle improvements following a non-dieting randomised trial in overweight women.

OBJECTIVE: To compare three non-dieting interventions that focused on lifestyle change rather than weight loss, in terms of the sustainability of improvements in lifestyle behaviors, psychological well-being and medical symptoms at 2 years. METHOD: In Dunedin, New Zealand in 2002/2003, 225 obese/overweight women (BMI > or = 28; 25-68 years) participated in a randomised, intention-to-treat trial comparing two group programs (P1, P2) and a self-guided mail-delivered program (P3). Only P1 included intensive relaxation response training. All three non-dieting interventions involved a 10-week program, followed by an eight-month support phase. Participants completed baseline, 1-year and 2-year assessments. Outcomes included behavioral, psychological and medical symptom measures and a composite success score. RESULTS: 118 participants completed the 2-year follow-up. Only among P1 participants were the reductions in psychological distress and medical symptoms achieved at 1 year, also maintained at 2 years. At 2 years, P1 participants had significantly greater increases in stress management behaviors than those in P2 (p<0.05), and significantly greater success scores than those in P3 (p<0.05). In all three programs, mean weight was unchanged at 2 years. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of relaxation response training in a healthy lifestyle program facilitates long-term maintenance of psychological and medical symptom improvements even in the absence of weight loss.

Evaluation of a "nondieting" stress reduction program for overweight women: a randomized trial.

PURPOSE: Determine if a "nondieting" intervention focused on intensive training in eliciting the relaxation response enhances health outcomes compared with nondieting interventions without such training. DESIGN: Randomized trial with follow-up at 10 weeks, 4 months, and 12 months. SETTING: General community. SUBJECTS: Total of 225 overweight and obese women with at least one other cardiovascular risk factor. INTERVENTIONS: Three 10-week nondieting interventions: a group program (P1) focused on intensive training in techniques for eliciting the relaxation response (n = 60), a group program (P2) focused on healthy eating and physical activity (n = 61), and a self-guided, mail-delivered version of P2 (P3; n = 101). MEASURES: The Revised Symptom Checklist measured psychological distress, the Medical Symptoms Checklist measured the experience of medical symptoms, and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile measured a range of lifestyle behaviors. Self-efficacy for low-fat eating intuitive eating, and body mass index were also assessed. ANALYSIS: An intention-to-treat analysis was used. RESULTS: At 12 months, P1 produced statistically greater improvements in stress management behaviors and medical symptom discomfort and was the only program to significantly improve self-efficacy for low-fat eating. In P1, the effect sizes for reductions in depression (0.75) and interpersonal sensitivity (0.85) were large. At 12 months, mean weight was unchanged. CONCLUSION: Inclusion of intensive relaxation response training in a nondieting program for overweight women enhanced stress management and medical symptoms outcomes but not weight outcomes.

Vapor transport growth of organic solids in microgravity and unit gravity: some comparisons and results to date.

Thin films of an organic nonlinear optical (NLO) material, N, N-dimethyl-p-(2,2-dicyanovinyl) aniline (DCVA), have been grown in space and on the ground by physical vapor transport in an effusive ampoule arrangement. The thin film growth technique developed on the ground is a direct result of information gleaned from experiments in microgravity. This paper covers the results of our experimental investigations for establishing "ideal" terrestrial conditions for deposition of a DCVA film. The active control during the deposition process was exercised by three deposition variables: the material source temperature, the background pressure external to the growth ampoule and the substrate temperature. Successful growth occurred when the difference in temperature between the source material and the copper substrate was 14 degrees C and the background nitrogen pressure was such that the transport was either diffusive or convective. A qualitative diffusion limited boundary was estimated to occur at a pressure of approximately 20 torr. We have probed the DCVA thin films with visible-near infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, polarized Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, differential interference contrast optical microscopy, and stylus profilometry.