Integrating the Physical Environment Within a Population Neuroscience Perspective.

Population neuroscience recognises the role of the environment in shaping brain, behaviour, and mental health. An overview of current evidence from neuroscientific and epidemiological studies highlights the protective effects of nature on cognitive function and stress reduction, the detrimental effects of urban living on mental health, and emerging concerns relating to extreme weather events and eco-anxiety. Despite the growing body of evidence in this area, knowledge gaps remain due to inconsistent measures of exposure and a reliance on small samples. In this chapter, attention is given to the physical environment and population-level studies as a necessary starting point for exploring the long-term impacts of environmental exposures on mental health, and for informing future research that may capture immediate emotional and neural responses to the environment. Key data sources, including remote sensing imagery, administrative, sensor, and social media data, are outlined. Appropriate measures of exposure are advocated for, recognising the value of area-level measures for estimating exposure over large study samples and spatial and temporal scales. Although integrating data from multiple sources requires consideration for data quality and completeness, deep learning and the increasing availability of high-resolution data present opportunities to build a more complete picture of physical environments. Advances in leveraging detailed locational data are discussed as a subsequent approach for building upon initial observations from population studies and improving understanding of the mechanisms underlying behaviour and human-environment interactions.

Impacts of hospitals users' characteristics on perceptions of the physical environment.

Recently hospital managers and designers become more interested in 'patient centered design' (PCD) through the integration of patients' perceptions and expectations of the hospitals' physical environment. This increased interest in PCD indicates the improved understanding of the impacts of hospital's physical environment on all users including patients, families and hospital staff. Literature shows that incorporating users' perceptions of the physical environment during the design process is very important to produce PCD. The current study is aimed at assessing the impacts of four demographic factors namely: age, sex, education level and area of residence on users' perceptions of hospitals' physical environment. Five principal design factors were identified: views, safety &comfort, facilities &way finding, architectural & hygiene and sensory. For the questionnaire survey, the statistical analysis has been conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0. Demographic data was analyzed descriptively by computing frequencies and percentages. Then the descriptive statistics for the items i.e. frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations (SD) were computed. Non-parametric tests were applied to assess variances in constructed principal dimensions concerning users' demographic factors. The users of two hospitals: Nekemte specialized hospital & Paulos comprehensive hospital participated in the survey. A total of 480 respondents were participated in ranking the importance of 21 questionnaire items on 5-point Likert scale. The result reveals that education level has a significance role (p-value = 00.001,00.002,0.032) for the difference between perceptions of three out of five summated design factors namely; views, facilities & way finding and architectural& hygiene respectively. Similarly, residence area has significantly contributed for the difference in users' perceptions (P-value = 00.001, 00.001, 0.025) on three summated design factors; views, safety &comfort and architectural & hygiene respectively. Based on the analysis, the study suggests that identifying perceptions of all users is very important to help designers to design PCD based on empirical evidence.

The Role of the Built Environment in Supporting Older Adults' Engagement: A Narrative Literature Review.

OBJECTIVE: This literature review aimed to summarize the existing knowledge surrounding the role of the built environment in supporting older adults' physical and social engagement and identify opportunities for future research and design that facilitates older adults' engagement at multiple environmental scales: from interior spaces to neighborhoods. BACKGROUND: Physical environments can support or impede older adults' physical and social engagement: willful, motivated involvement in meaningful activity or occupation. Research shows that engagement is a core component of health and well-being and relates to positive health outcomes, including reduced disease risk, better mental health, and improved physical and cognitive function. Thus, designing supportive built environments for engagement can yield significant, positive health and well-being impacts. METHODS: A systematized search of five databases, a hand search, and an iterative screening process identified 55 studies for inclusion in this review. Through inductive thematic analysis, this review summarizes findings regarding the built environment's role in physical and social engagement in older age and design strategies to facilitate engagement and support health and well-being. RESULTS: Evidence indicates that built environment characteristics can influence older people's physical and social engagement in homes, neighborhoods, and care settings. The thematic analysis of the included studies identified three key themes concerning the relationships of built environment characteristics to older adults' engagement across multiple environmental scales: connection, access, and security. CONCLUSIONS: Built environments influence older people's physical and social engagement, significantly affecting their health, well-being, abilities, and longevity. Numerous design strategies can support older adults' engagement, but more research is needed.

Preliminary Development of Items for a Nurses' Physical Environmental Stress Scale.

RESEARCH PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop a preliminary Nurses' Physical Environmental Stress Scale (NPESS) that explores the relationships between the physical environment in the intensive care unit (ICU) and work-related stress among ICU nurses. BACKGROUND: Working within the healthcare field is stressful and comes with a high level of responsibility for nurses, especially ICU nurses. The ICU work environment is associated with risk factors such as excessive workload, increased expectations, and long working hours that can lead to burnout among nurses. There is some evidence that environmental design has the potential to prevent or mitigate work-related stress; however, an adequate assessment tool to identify physical environmental stressors or supports for moderating stress is lacking. METHODS: To develop the preliminary environmental assessment tool, an exploratory sequential methodology was used. The approach consisted of three distinct phases, including (a) a qualitative content analysis of existing focus group data, (b) a qualitative content analysis of pertinent literature related to environmental assessment tools in a healthcare context, and (c) the development and refinement of the NPESS assessment tool. Tool refinement was based on interviews with ICU nurses. RESULTS: The resulting NPESS tool was comprised of seven sections (sounds, lighting, smells, staff respite spaces, staff workspaces, patient rooms, and aesthetic qualities) containing a total of and 81 items that address factors that were identified as potential moderators of environmental stress in ICU settings. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting NPESS assessment tool provides a feasible approach for evaluating ICU settings to identify possible improvements to reduce stress among nurses. Future research will be conducted to assess the validity and reliability of the final tool by distributing it to a larger sample of ICU nurses.

Healing Architecture in Birthing Rooms: A Scoping Review.

AIM: The purpose of this scoping review is to map the knowledge about the multisensory birthing room regarding the birth experience and birth outcomes. BACKGROUND: The concept of multisensory birthing rooms is relatively novel, making it relevant to explore its impact. METHODS: Five databases were searched. The search was limited to articles in English, Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish. There were no time limitations. Fourteen relevant articles were identified providing knowledge about multisensory birthing rooms. RESULTS: Eight articles focused on birth experience, six articles focused on birth outcome, and one on the organization of the maternity care. Seven of the studies identified that sensory birthing rooms have a positive impact on the birth experience and one qualitative study could not demonstrate a better overall birth experience. Five articles described an improvement for selected birth outcomes. On the other hand, a randomized controlled trial study could not demonstrate an effect on either the use of oxytocin or birth outcomes such as pain and cesarean section. The definition and description of the concept weaken the existing studies scientifically. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review revealed that multisensory birthing rooms have many definitions and variations in the content of the sensory exposure; therefore, it is difficult to standardize and evaluate the effect of its use. There is limited knowledge concerning the multisensory birthing room and its impact on the birth experience and the birth outcome. Multisensory birthing rooms may have a positive impact on the birth experience. Whereas there are conflicting results regarding birth outcomes.

Exploring Environmental Barriers and Facilitators to Inclusion on a University Campus for Autistic Students.

Background: Attending university allows individuals to build independence, develop social networks, and attain valuable qualifications, contributing to enhanced outcomes in adulthood. However, autistic people have poorer participation rates and outcomes in university than those with all other disabilities or without disabilities. Most research conducted with autistic young adults in the university environment focuses on their social and communicative challenges and supports rather than on how the physical environment impacts an autistic student's university experience. Therefore, there is a need for research into how the sensory aspects of the university environment can affect the well-being and outcomes of autistic students. Methods: This qualitative study explored the experiences of seven autistic university students in the physical spaces of an Australian university. Using a semi-structured interview guide, and photo-elicitation, we collected data in one-on-one interviews with seven autistic undergraduate students. Results: We found that sensory aspects of physical spaces on university campuses are both enabling and challenging for autistic students. These aspects not only impact how students navigate and utilize aspects of the campus, but they also influence how students engage and participate at university. Autistic students need the space and resources to manage sensory overload on campus, and universities that seek to support autistic students need to consider the physical and sensory needs of this cohort. Conclusions: Inclusive university education requires attention to the physical aspects of campuses that support the mental and physical well-being of autistic students.

Why was this study done?: Autistic people are less likely to enroll in and complete further education than those with all other disabilities or without disabilities. Most research conducted with autistic young adults in the university environment focuses on their social and communication challenges, rather than the enabling and disabling aspects of the physical university environment. What was the purpose of this study?: This study aimed to capture and understand autistic students' experiences in navigating and participating in the physical spaces in an Australian university. What did the researchers do?: We interviewed seven undergraduate university students about the places and spaces on the university campus that they found challenging and enabling. Participants took photographs of these spaces before the interview and brought the photographs with them for discussion. What were the results of the study?: We found that the participants readily identified places on the campus that were both enabling and challenging. Physical aspects that were challenging included noisy spaces, crowded areas, and spaces with bright artificial lights. These spaces impacted on their ability to participate and succeed in their studies. They also impacted on their ability to interact with other students, their enjoyment of university, and their physical and emotional well-being. Comfortable spaces that allowed them to recharge were those that were quiet, less busy, had lower levels of sensory input, and allowed them to unmask. What do these findings add to what was already known?: Previous research on the university experience of autistic students has focused primarily on social and educational supports. Research on sensory-friendly education settings has typically focused on primary and secondary education. This study provides evidence of the importance of physical and sensory environments in the educational experience of autistic students in a postsecondary environment. What are potential weaknesses in the study?: The main weakness of the study is the small number of participants (n = 7) and that they were all drawn from one university. While this limits the generalizability of the findings, this was an exploratory study and an important first step in developing our understanding of barriers and facilitators to inclusion on a university campus. How will these findings help autistic adults now or in the future?: While this is a small-scale exploratory study, and there is a need for more research in this area, there are some simple takeaways that could be implemented by universities at minimal cost to support the inclusion of autistic students. For example, sensory input could be reduced by lowering the volume of piped music or reducing the number or brightness of lights. Simple supports for students experiencing sensory overload could include quiet times in cafeterias and access to sensory retreat rooms. At a minimum, our findings could serve as a starting point for discussions between university administrators and autistic students about necessary environmental adjustments to create more inclusive campuses.

The Role of the Built Environment as a Therapeutic Intervention in Mental Health Facilities: A Systematic Literature Review.

OBJECTIVES: This systematic literature review synthesizes and assesses empirical research concerning the use of the built environment as a therapeutic intervention in adult mental health inpatient facilities. The review explores the impact of facility design on patient outcomes. BACKGROUND: There is a growing recognition that the built environment in mental health facilities must strike a balance between ensuring safety and providing a therapeutic atmosphere. A review addressing how facility design contributes to this therapeutic environment is warranted. METHODS: Database searches were conducted in CINAHL, Embase, PsychInfo, PubMed, and Web of Science from inception up to March 10, 2022. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN50) critical appraisal checklists were used to assess the quality of included studies. RESULTS: Of the 44 peer-reviewed studies identified from nine countries, several factors emerged as vital for the therapeutic environment in mental health inpatient facilities. These included personal spaces prioritizing privacy and control of the environment, daylight-optimized spaces, versatile communal areas promoting activities and interaction, designated areas for visits and spiritual/contemplative reflection, homelike environments, the inclusion of artwork in units, open nursing stations, and dedicated female-only areas. Yet, there is a need for research yielding stronger evidence-based designs harmonizing with therapeutic needs. CONCLUSION: This review offers initial guidance on designing mental health facilities that foster a therapeutic environment, while highlighting that the influence of facility design on mental health inpatients is considerably under-researched.

Influence of the Physical Environment on Maternal Care for Culturally Diverse Women: A Narrative Review.

OBJECTIVES: This narrative literature review aims to develop a framework that can be used to understand, study, and design maternal care environments that support the needs of women from diverse racial and ethnic groups. BACKGROUND: Childbirth and the beginning of life hold particular significance across many cultures. People's cultural orientation and experiences influence their preferences within healthcare settings. Research suggests that culturally sensitive care can help improve the experiences and outcomes and reduce maternal health disparities for women from diverse cultures. At the same time, the physical environment of the birth setting influences the birthing experience and maternal outcomes such as the progression of labor, the use of interventions, and the type of birth. METHODS: The review synthesizes articles from three categories: (a) physical environment of birthing facilities, (b) physical environment and culturally sensitive care, and (c) physical environment and culturally sensitive birthing facilities. RESULTS: Fifty-five articles were identified as relevant to this review. The critical environmental design features identified in these articles were categorized into different spatial scales: community, facility, and room levels. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies focus on maternal or culturally sensitive care settings outside the United States. Since the maternal care environment is an important aspect of their culturally sensitive care experience, further studies exploring the needs and perspectives of racially and ethnically diverse women within maternal care settings in the United States are necessary. Such research can help future healthcare designers contribute toward addressing the ongoing maternal health crisis within the country.

School participation of autistic youths: The influence of youth, family and school factors.

LAY ABSTRACT: School-aged youths have a basic human right to participate in educational and recreational activities at school. Yet, autistic youths are at high risk of being excluded from school and from school-based activities. It is important to understand how this occurs, to ensure that all autistic youths have opportunities to participate in school activities that are equal to the opportunities of their non-autistic peers. The present study investigated multiple influences on the school participation of autistic youths, including youth factors (age and autistic traits), family factors (parent education level and parental self-efficacy for supporting their child's schoolwork) and school factors (the impact of problems autistic youths experienced with the physical and social environments of school). Using an online survey, we gathered the views and experiences of the parents of 200 autistic youths aged between 4 and 16 years, in the Netherlands. We found that among the factors, only the impact of problems that autistic youths experienced with the physical environment of school was associated with their school participation. In particular, autistic youths who experienced greater difficulties with the physical environment of school had lower levels of school participation. Our findings highlight the pressing need to modify school environments to better accommodate the needs of autistic youths so that they can participate easily and comfortably.

Feedback loops drive ecological succession: towards a unified conceptual framework.

The core principle shared by most theories and models of succession is that, following a major disturbance, plant-environment feedback dynamics drive a directional change in the plant community. The most commonly studied feedback loops are those in which the regrowth of the plant community causes changes to the abiotic (e.g. soil nutrients) or biotic (e.g. dispersers) environment, which differentially affect species availability or performance. This, in turn, leads to shifts in the species composition of the plant community. However, there are many other PE feedback loops that potentially drive succession, each of which can be considered a model of succession. While plant-environment feedback loops in principle generate predictable successional trajectories, succession is generally observed to be highly variable. Factors contributing to this variability are the stochastic processes involved in feedback dynamics, such as individual mortality and seed dispersal, and extrinsic causes of succession, which are not affected by changes in the plant community but do affect species performance or availability. Both can lead to variation in the identity of dominant species within communities. This, in turn, leads to further contingencies if these species differ in their effect on their environment (priority effects). Predictability and variability are thus intrinsically linked features of ecological succession. We present a new conceptual framework of ecological succession that integrates the propositions discussed above. This framework defines seven general causes: landscape context, disturbance and land-use, biotic factors, abiotic factors, species availability, species performance, and the plant community. When involved in a feedback loop, these general causes drive succession and when not, they are extrinsic causes that create variability in successional trajectories and dynamics. The proposed framework provides a guide for linking these general causes into causal pathways that represent specific models of succession. Our framework represents a systematic approach to identifying the main feedback processes and causes of variation at different successional stages. It can be used for systematic comparisons among study sites and along environmental gradients, to conceptualise studies, and to guide the formulation of research questions and design of field studies. Mapping an extensive field study onto our conceptual framework revealed that the pathways representing the study's empirical outcomes and conceptual model had important differences, underlining the need to move beyond the conceptual models that currently dominate in specific fields and to find ways to examine the importance of and interactions among alternative causal pathways of succession. To further this aim, we argue for integrating long-term studies across environmental and anthropogenic gradients, combined with controlled experiments and dynamic modelling.

The effect of the home environment on children with autism spectrum disorder.

The estimated prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is 1% worldwide. Autistic individuals typically have a high level of sensitivity to the various environmental stimuli (smell, noise, light). These stimuli have a positive or negative influence on the person-environment interaction, and an excess of stimuli may create inappropriate or unanticipated behavioral responses (such as a crisis) effecting their well-being. The Model of Competence, which provides an explanation of the interaction between the individual and the environment, was selected as the conceptual framework to direct this study. The purpose of this study is to investigate the opinions and experiences of mothers regarding the influence of the characteristics of the home environment on autistic individuals. A qualitative interpretative description design was utilized for this study's framework. Participants in the study were mothers who have autistic children. The study with focus groups was continued until data saturation was reached. There was a thematic investigation carried out. The findings show that the factors that have an effect on autistic individuals can be categorized into several subsets like sensory, routines, and physical environment. Despite the fact that the home setting is often a secure and consistent environment, these aspects were identified as crucial. Consequently, one should give some thought to the consequences that this could have in other settings where it would be harder to exercise control. The identification of these factors and the impact they have enables a better understanding of the interaction between an autistic individual and their environment and serves to guide professionals in their interventions.

The identification environment matters: Students' social identification, perceived physical school environment, and anxiety - A cross-level interaction model.

The social identity approach to health argues that well-being depends on the psychosocial circumstances of the groups to which individuals belong. However, little is known about how the average level of identification in the group - 'the identification environment' - buffers the negative health consequences of stressors. We used multilevel modelling to investigate whether identification environment in a school modified the association between the students' perceptions of the quality of their school's physical environment and their reported levels of anxiety. In two representative samples of Finnish school students (N = 678 schools/71,392 students; N = 704 schools/85,989 students), weak identification environment was related to increased anxiety. In addition, in schools where identification environment was weaker, the student level relationship between perceived physical environment and anxiety was stronger, and students were more anxious. Our results provide evidence that identification environment needs to be considered when we analyse how group membership affects well-being.

How mood is affected by environment and upsetting events: The moderating role of psychological flexibility.

OBJECTIVE: Patients suffering from psychological disorders report decreased quality of life and low mood. The relationship of these symptoms to daily upsetting events or environments, and in the context of active coping mechanisms is poorly understood. The present study thus investigates the association between mood, psychological flexibility, upsetting events, and environment in the daily life of outpatients. METHOD: We investigated 80 outpatients at the beginning of treatment, using event sampling methodology (ESM). Patients' mood, occurrence of upsetting events, current environment, and psychological flexibility were sampled six times per day during a one-week intensive longitudinal examination. Data were analyzed using linear mixed models (LMMs). RESULTS: Participants reported worse mood the more upsetting events they experienced. Further, participants reported better mood when in private environments (e.g., with friends), and worse mood when at the hospital, compared to being at home. Higher levels of psychological flexibility, however, were associated with better mood, irrespective of the occurrence of upsetting events or current environment. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that mood is positively associated with psychological flexibility, not despite, but especially during the dynamic and context-specific challenges of daily life. Psychological flexibility may thus potentially act as a buffer against distress-provoking situations as patients go about their daily lives. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN.org identifier: ISRCTN11209732.

Could Spatial Awareness Affect Situation Awareness: A Conceptual Examination.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between situation awareness (SA) and the physical environment in patient rooms through building a conceptual model. BACKGROUND: Nurses work in very complicated and dynamic environments where having high levels of SA could be critical for their performance. Studies have also shown that nurses' awareness of the physical environment and patient room is a part of their awareness of dynamic situations in which nurses' spatial awareness may play a role in SA. Despite literature outlining the importance of SA, there is a lack of studies exploring the relationship between the two. METHOD: A literature review was conducted for the study from nursing and psychology databases. Thirty-three articles, books, and dissertations from a scoping review were included for in-depth review. RESULTS: An in-depth review of the harvested literature indicated that there is in fact a relationship between these two phenomena. Founded on Endsley's model of SA, the literature review in this study offers a conceptual model that articulates a plausible causal pathway between the physical environment and SA. CONCLUSIONS: There are a lot of studies focusing on SA and various aspects of it related to nursing, but almost none mention the physical environment and its impact on SA. The current inquiry suggests that spatial awareness plays a prominent role in SA.

A systematic review on the relationship between the built environment and children's quality of life.

BACKGROUND: Evidence of the effects of the built environment on children has mainly focused on disease outcomes; however, quality of life (QoL) has gained increasing attention as an important health and policy endpoint itself. Research on built environment effects on children's QoL could inform public health programs and urban planning and design. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to review and synthesize the evidence of the relationship between built environment features and children's QoL. METHODS: Five research databases were searched for quantitative peer-reviewed studies on children between 2 and 18 years, published in English or German between January 2010 and August 2023. Only primary research was considered. Included studies (n = 17) were coded and methodologically assessed with the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklists, and relevant data were extracted, analyzed, and synthesized, using the following built environment framework: (1) neighborhood green and blue space, (2) neighborhood infrastructure, and (3) neighborhood perception. RESULTS: Green space was positively associated with children's QoL. Infrastructure yielded inconclusive results across all measured aspects. Overall neighborhood satisfaction was positively correlated with higher QoL but results on perceived environmental safety were mixed. CONCLUSIONS: Most studies are correlational, making it difficult to infer causality. While the positive findings of green space on QoL are consistent, specific features of the built environment show inconsistent results. Overall perception of the built environment, such as neighborhood satisfaction, also shows more robust results compared to perceptions of specific features of the built environment. Due to the heterogeneity of both built environment and QoL measures, consistent measures of both concepts will help advance this area of research.

The association between workplace physical environment and nurses' safety compliance: A serial mediation of psychological and behavioral factors.

Aim: This study describes Jordanian intensive care unit nurses' satisfaction with their physical environment and investigates the association between workplace physical environment and nurses' safety compliance. Additionally, the study offers serial mediation analyses of psychological and behavioral factors between satisfaction with the workplace physical environment and nurses' safety compliance. Introduction: Compliance with safety measures is a vital indicator of safety performance, as less compliance directly reflects undesirable safety outcomes among nurses, like occupational accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Social cognitive theory and the safety triad model contribute to understanding safety compliance behaviors to safety procedures. Thus, enhancing safety compliance in healthcare organizations remains a challenge and concern. Methods: A quantitative research method was used based on cross-sectional and descriptive data from eight governmental hospitals in Jordan. The population included all intensive care unit nurses in the Ministry of Health's hospitals (n = 1104). A cluster sampling technique selected 285 nurses to participate. Empirical results were obtained through structural equation modeling (i.e., Smart PLS-SEM), which has become popular in this kind of research. Results: The mean of Jordanian ICU nurses' satisfaction with the workplace physical environment was 3.36, which is moderate. Although the Smart PLS findings did not support the direct association between the workplace physical environment and nurses' safety compliance, serial mediation of safety participation in the workplace physical environment and nurses' safety compliance and perceived safety management commitment confirm the indirect association in the study model. Conclusion: This study fills a gap in available safety and nursing literature, especially when considering the scarce studies that investigated the physical elements in the workplace and both safety compliance and safety participation. The findings are valuable for academicians, health providers, and policymakers and may trigger creative ideas and interventional solutions to improve nurses' safety compliance in healthcare organizations.

A review on factors related to patient comfort experience in hospitals.

The creation of a welcoming hospital atmosphere is necessary to improve patient wellbeing and encourage healing. The goal of this study was to examine the variables affecting hospitalised patients' comfort. The study procedure included a thorough search of the Web of Science and Scopus databases, as well as the use of software analytic tools to graphically map enormous literature data, providing a deeper understanding of the linkages within the literature and its changing patterns. Insights from a range of disciplines, including engineering, psychology, immunology, microbiology, and environmental science, were included into our study using content analysis and clustering approaches. The physical environment and the social environment are two crucial factors that are related to patient comfort. The study stress the need of giving patient comfort a top priority as they heal, especially by tackling indoor air pollution. Our research also emphasises how important hospital care and food guidelines are for improving patient comfort. Prioritising patients who need specialised care and attention, especially those who have suffered trauma, should be the focus of future study. Future research in important fields including trauma, communication, hospital architecture, and nursing will be built on the findings of this study. To enhance research in these crucial areas, worldwide collaboration between experts from other nations is also advised. Although many studies stress the significance of patient comfort, few have drawn conclusions from a variety of disciplines, including medicine, engineering, immunology, microbiology, and environmental science, the most crucial issue of thoroughly researching the improvement of patient comfort has not been addressed. Healthcare workers, engineers, and other professions will benefit greatly from this study's investigation of the connection between hospital indoor environments and patient comfort.

Does aquatic performance predict terrestrial performance: a case study with an aquatic frog, Xenopus laevis.

The physical properties of the environment impose strong selection on organisms and their form-function relationships. In water and on land, selective pressures differ, with water being more viscous and denser than air, and gravity being the most important external force on land for relatively large animals such as vertebrates. These different properties of the environment could drive variation in the design and mechanics of the locomotor system of organisms. Animals that use multiple environments can consequently exhibit locomotion conflicts between the demands imposed by the media, leading to potential trade-offs. Here, we tested for the presence of such locomotor trade-offs depending on the environment (water or land) in a largely aquatic frog, Xenopus laevis. We focused on terrestrial and aquatic exertion capacity (time and distance swum or jumped until exhaustion) and aquatic and terrestrial burst capacity (maximal instantaneous swimming velocity and maximal force jump) given the ecological relevance of these traits. We tested these performance traits for trade-offs, depending on environments (water versus air) and locomotor modes (i.e. exertion and burst performance). Finally, we assessed the contribution of morphological traits to each performance trait. Our data show no trade-offs between the performance traits and between the environments, suggesting that X. laevis is equally good at swimming and jumping thanks to the same underlying morphological specialisations. We did observe, however, that morphological predictors differed depending on the environment, with variation in head shape and forelimb length being good predictors for aquatic locomotion and variation in hindlimb and forelimb segments predicting variation in jumping performance on land.

Neighborhood Environment and Epigenetic Age: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Interest in how the neighborhood environment impacts age-related health conditions has been increasing for decades. Epigenetic changes are environmentally derived modifications to the genome that alter the way genes function-thus altering health status. Epigenetic age, a biomarker for biological age, has been shown to be a useful predictor of several age-related health conditions. Consequently, its relation to the neighborhood environment has been the focus of a growing body of literature. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the scope of the evidence on the relationship between neighborhood environmental characteristics and epigenetic age. METHODS: Using scoping review following methods established by Arksey and O'Malley, we first defined our research questions and searched the literature in PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE. Next, we selected the literature to be included, and finally, we analyzed and summarized the information. RESULTS: Nine articles met the inclusion criteria. Most studies examined deprivation as the neighborhood characteristic of interest. While all studies were observational in design, the articles included diverse participants, including men and women, adults and children, and multiple ethnicities. Results demonstrated a relationship between the neighborhood environment and epigenetic age, whether the characteristic of interest is socioeconomic or physical. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, studies concluded there was a relationship between neighborhood characteristics and epigenetic age, whether the characteristic of interest was socioeconomic or physical. However, findings varied based on how the neighborhood characteristic and/or epigenetic age was measured. Furthermore, a paucity of investigations on physical characteristics was noticeable and warrants increased attention.