Pink + pink = gold: hybrid hummingbird’s feathers don’t match its parents

Peer-Reviewed Publication

FIELD MUSEUM

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IMAGE: THE GOLD-THROATED HYBRID, CENTER, WITH ITS PARENT SPECIES H. BRANICKII (LEFT) AND H. GULARIS (RIGHT), IN THE FIELD MUSEUM’S COLLECTIONS. view more 

CREDIT: KATE GOLEMBIEWSKI, FIELD MUSEUM

The Pink-throated Brilliant hummingbird, Heliodoxa gularis, has, unsurprisingly, a brilliant pink throat. So does its cousin, the Rufous-webbed Brilliant hummingbird, Heliodoxa branickii. When scientists found a Heliodoxa hummingbird with a glittering gold throat, they thought they might have found a new species. DNA revealed a different story: the gold-throated bird was a never-before-documented hybrid of the two pink-throated species.

John Bates, the senior author of a new study in the journal Royal Society Open Science reporting on the hybrid, first encountered the unusual bird while doing fieldwork in Peru’s Cordillera Azul National Park, which protects an outer ridge on the eastern slopes of Andes mountains. Since the area is isolated, it would make sense for a genetically distinct population to emerge there. “I looked at the bird and said to myself, ‘This thing doesn’t look like anything else.’ My first thought was, it was a new species,” says Bates, a curator of birds at Chicago’s Field Museum.

When Bates and colleagues gathered more data about the specimen in the Field Museum’s Pritzker DNA Lab, however, the results surprised everyone. “We thought it would be genetically distinct, but it matched Heliodoxa branickii in some markers, one of the pink-throated hummingbirds from that general area of Peru,” says Bates. If it was H. branickii, it didn’t make sense for the bird to have gold throat feathers; in the hummingbird family, it’s rare for members of the same species to have dramatically different throat colors.

The initial run of DNA sequencing looked at mitochondrial DNA, a type of genetic material that only gets passed down through the mother. That mitochondrial DNA gave a clear result matching H. branickii; the researchers then analyzed the bird’s nuclear DNA, which includes contributions from both parents. This time, the DNA showed similarities to both H. branickii and its cousin, H. gularis. It wasn’t half branickii and half gularis, though-- one of its ancestors must have been half-and-half, and then later generations mated with more branickii birds.

The question remained how two pink-throated bird species could produce a non-pink-throated hybrid. The study’s first author, Field Museum senior research scientist Chad Eliason, says the answer lies in the complex ways in which iridescent feather colors are determined. 

“It’s a little like cooking: if you mix salt and water, you kind of know what you're gonna get, but mixing two complex recipes together might give more unpredictable results,” says Eliason. “This hybrid is a mix of two complex recipes for a feather from its two parent species.” 

Feathers get their base color from pigment, like melanin (black) and carotidnoids (red and yellow). But the structure of feathers’ cells and the way light bounces off them can also produce something called structural color. Color-shifting iridescence is a result of structural color. 

The researchers used an electron microscope to examine the throat feather structure on a subcellular level, and an analytical technique called spectroscopy to measure how light bounces off the feathers to produce different colors. They found subtle differences in the origin of the parents’ colors, which explain why their hybrid offspring produced a totally different color.

“There's more than one way to make magenta with iridescence,” says Eliason. “The parent species each have their own way of making magenta, which is, I think, why you can have this nonlinear or surprising outcome when you mix together those two recipes for producing a feather color.”

While this study helps explain the strange coloration of one unusual bird, the researchers say that it opens the door to more questions about hybridization.

Separate species are generally defined as lineages that are genetically distinct and don’t interbreed with each other; hybrids break that rule. Sometimes hybrids are weird one-offs or are sterile, like mules; in other cases, hybrids can form new species. It’s not clear how common hummingbird hybrids like the one in this study are, but the researchers speculate that hybrids like this one might contribute to the diversity of structural colors found across the hummingbird family tree.

“Based on the speed of color evolution seen in hummingbirds, we calculated it would take 6-10 million years for this drastic pink-gold color shift to evolve in a single species,” says Eliason. 

Co-author Mark Hauber at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign adds that “this study gives us clues about the nanostructural basis of evolutionary shifts in color.”

This study was contributed to by Bates’s and Eliason’s Field Museum colleagues Jacob Cooper (now at the University of Kansas), Shannon Hackett, Erica Zahnle, Dylan Maddox, and Taylor Hains, as well as Tatiana Paqueño Saco (Peruvian Ministry of Natural Resources) and Mark Hauber (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign).

  

The gold-throated hummingbird hybrid in the Field Museum’s collections.

  

The gold-throated hybrid, center, with its parent species H. branickii (left) and H. gularis (right), in a drawer the Field Museum’s collections.

CREDIT

Kate Golembiewski, Field Museum

The field research lab in Peru's Cordillera Azul National Park

CAPTION

The field research team in Peru's Cordillera Azul National Park.

CREDIT

Courtesy of John Bates, Field Museum

CAPTION

Field Museum senior research scientist Chad Eliason with hummingbirds in the museum's collections.

CAPTION

Field Museum curator John Bates holding the hybrid hummingbird in the museum's collections.

CREDIT

Kate Golembiewski

JOURNAL

Royal Society Open Science

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Interspecific hybridization explains rapid gorget color divergence in Heliodoxa hummingbirds (Aves: Trochilidae)

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

28-Feb-2023

Scientists find that bison are impacting streams in Yellowstone National Park

Peer-Reviewed Publication

CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE

 

IMAGE: BISON IN YELLOWSTONE view more 

CREDIT: ROBERT BESCHTA

Greater numbers of Bison in Yellowstone National Park may come at a cost to the biological diversity of the important streamside habitats of the Park according to a new report in the journal Ecosphere Bison influences on composition and diversity of riparian plant communities in Yellowstone National Park.  Riparian areas (streamside zones) form the interface between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and are hotspots of biodiversity and productivity in the public lands of the Western USA.  The study findings are that bison in the northern Yellowstone National Park are having major negative impacts on the composition and structure of riparian plant communities, thus contributing to their biotic impoverishment and causing a loss of ecosystem services provided by these important communities.  Furthermore, “the effects of increased bison numbers are apparently exacerbating the effects of climate change, as observed through the continued shift in plant communities that are adapted to warmer and drier conditions” according to Dr.  Boone Kauffman, emeritus professor of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences at Oregon State University (OSU) and the lead author of the study.

The majestic Bison herds in northern Yellowstone have greatly increased in numbers during the last two decades.  These Bison spend large periods of time in the broad open floodplains of the park’s Northern Range, where they are adversely affecting composition, structure, and diversity of streamside ecosystems through grazing the plants and trampling the streambanks.  “This results in eroding streambanks, loss of willows and declines in the number of native plant species” said co-author, William Ripple of OSU and the Biological Conservation Institute in Corvallis, Oregon.

National Parks strive to maintain native plant and animal communities.  But the study found that in the areas with the highest bison use, exotic species overwhelmingly dominated the composition of riparian communities. In addition to the direct relationships between bison use and the abundance of exotic grasses, there were significant inverse relationships between bison use and total species diversity.  Bison use also appeared to decrease the abundance of wetland-obligate species replacing them with plants adapted to drier environments.  This means that bison are creating drier, warmer site conditions thereby locally intensifying the effects of climate change.

While current numbers of bison are overgrazing and degrading important riparian communities, the authors also noted that these communities are resilient and would recover if the pressure by this large herbivore was greatly reduced. 

In addition to Kauffman and Ripple, the other co-authors are Dian L. Cummings and Cimarron Kauffman with Illahee Sciences International, Robert L. Beschta in the Forest Ecosystems and Society Department at OSU, Jeremy Brooks in the Biological Sciences Department at Idaho State University, and Keeley MacNeill in the Natural Resources Department at the University of Nebraska. 

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JOURNAL

Ecosphere

DOI

10.1002/ecs2.4406 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Bison influences on composition and diversity of riparian plant communities in Yellowstone National Par

Keto vs Vegan: Study of popular diets finds over fourfold difference in carbon footprints

Keto and paleo diets were found to be the least sustainable -- and have the lowest diet quality scores -- of the six popular diets examined

Peer-Reviewed Publication

TULANE UNIVERSITY

For those on keto or paleo diets, this may be tough to swallow.

A new study from Tulane University which compared popular diets on both nutritional quality and environmental impact found that the keto and paleo diets, as eaten by American adults, scored among the lowest on overall nutrition quality and were among the highest on carbon emissions.

The keto diet, which prioritizes high amounts of fat and low amounts of carbs, was estimated to generate almost 3 kg of carbon dioxide for every 1,000 calories consumed. The paleo diet, which eschews grains and beans in favor of meats, nuts and vegetables, received the next lowest diet quality score and also had a high carbon footprint, at 2.6 kg of carbon dioxide per 1,000 calories. 

The study, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compiled diet quality scores using data from more than 16,000 adult diets collected by the CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Individual diets were assigned point values based on the federal Healthy Eating Index and average scores were calculated for those eating each type of diet.

The study’s senior author Diego Rose, professor and nutrition program director at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, said that while researchers have examined the nutritional impact of keto and paleo diets, this is the first study to measure the carbon footprints of each diet, as consumed by U.S. adults, and compare them to other common diets.

“We suspected the negative climate impacts because they’re meat-centric, but no one had really compared all these diets – as they are chosen by individuals, instead of prescribed by experts – to each other using a common framework,” Rose said.

On the other end of the spectrum, a vegan diet was found to be the least impactful on climate, generating 0.7 kg of carbon dioxide per 1,000 calories consumed, less than a quarter of the impact of the keto diet. The vegan diet was followed by vegetarian and pescatarian diets in increasing impact.

The pescatarian diet scored highest on nutritional quality of the diets analyzed, with vegetarian and vegan diets following behind.

The omnivore diet – the most common diet, represented by 86% of survey participants – sat squarely in the middle of the pack of both quality and sustainability. Based on the findings, if a third of those on omnivore diets began eating a vegetarian diet, on average for any given day, it would be equivalent to eliminating 340 million passenger vehicle miles.

Notably, however, when those on omnivorous diets opted for the plant-forward Mediterranean or fatty meat-limiting DASH diet versions, both carbon footprints and nutritional quality scores improved.

“Climate change is arguably one of the most pressing problems of our time, and a lot of people are interested in moving to a plant- based diet,” Rose said. “Based on our results, that would reduce your footprint and be generally healthy. Our research also shows there’s a way to improve your health and footprint without giving up meat entirely.”

A 2021 United Nations-backed study found that 34% of greenhouse gas emissions come from the food system. The major share of those emissions come from food production, with beef being responsible for 8-10 times more emissions than chicken production and over 20 times more emissions than nut and legume production.

While the environmental impacts of specific foods have been studied extensively, Rose said this study was important because “it considers how individuals select popular diets that are composed of a wide variety of foods.”

Going forward, Rose still has questions about how to encourage eating habits that are better for people and the planet.

“I think the next question is how would different policies affect outcomes and how could those move us toward healthier, more environmentally friendly diets?” Rose said.

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JOURNAL

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

DOI

10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.01.009 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Popular diets as selected by adults of United States show wide variation in carbon footprints and diet quality

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

1-Mar-2023

COI STATEMENT

Diego Rose has received extramural funding from the Center for Biological Diversity, the NCI, and the Health Resources and Services Administration. All other authors report no conflicts of interest.

AI draws most accurate map of star birthplaces in the Galaxy

140,000 molecular gas clouds—where stars form—locations predicted!

Peer-Reviewed Publication

OSAKA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: THE UPPER PANEL SHOWS THE DISTRIBUTION OF MOLECULAR CLOUDS IN THE MILKY WAY GALAXY OBTAINED BY THE NOBEYAMA 45-M RADIO TELESCOPE. THE LOWER PANEL SHOWS INFRARED OBSERVATION BY THE SPITZER SPACE TELESCOPE. view more 

CREDIT: THE NATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY OF JAPAN, NOBEYAMA RADIO OBSERVATORY

Stars are formed by molecular gas and dust coalescing in space. These molecular gases are so dilute and cold that they are invisible to the human eye, but they do emit faint radio waves that can be observed by radio telescopes.

Observing from Earth, a lot of matter lies ahead and behind these molecular clouds and these overlapping features make it difficult to determine their distance and physical properties such as size and mass. So, even though our Galaxy, the Milky Way, is the only galaxy close enough to make detailed observations of molecular clouds in the whole universe, it has been very difficult to investigate the physical properties of molecular clouds in a cohesive manner from large-scale observations.

A research team led by Dr. Shinji Fujita from the Osaka Metropolitan University Graduate School of Science, identified about 140,000 molecular clouds in the Milky Way Galaxy, which are areas of star formation, from large-scale data of carbon monoxide molecules, observed in detail by the Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope. Using artificial intelligence, the research team estimated the distance of each of these molecular clouds, determined their size and mass and successfully mapped their distribution, covering the first quadrant of the Galactic plane, in the most detailed manner to date.

Their findings were published in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan.

“The results not only give a bird's eye view of the Galaxy but will also help in various studies of star formation,” explained Dr. Fujita. “In the future, we would like to expand the scope of observations with the Nobeyama 45-m radio telescope and incorporate radio telescope observation data of the sky in the southern hemisphere, which cannot be observed from Japan, for a complete distribution map of the entire Milky Way.”

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About OMU 

Osaka Metropolitan University is a new public university established by a merger between Osaka City University and Osaka Prefecture University in April 2022. For more science news, see https://www.omu.ac.jp/en/, and follow @OsakaMetUniv_en, or search #OMUScience. 

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JOURNAL

Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan

DOI

10.1093/pasj/psac104 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Imaging analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Distance determination of molecular clouds in the 1st quadrant of the Galactic plane using deep learning: I. Method and Results

Home-based cardiac rehabilitation may help people live longer

Participating in home cardiac rehabilitation was linked with a lower risk of death among veterans during a four-year-follow up, finds new study in the Journal of the American Heart Association

Peer-Reviewed Publication

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION

Research Highlights:

• In a study of U.S. military veterans, researchers noted that participating in home-based cardiac rehabilitation was associated with a 36% lower risk of death compared to veterans who chose not to participate in cardiac rehabilitation.
• Less than half of the study participants enrolled in rehabilitation, which focused on improving heart-healthy behaviors.
• The research may be the first U.S. study to provide evidence of living longer with home-based cardiac rehabilitation in people with heart disease.

DALLAS, March 1, 2023 — Participating in home-based cardiac rehabilitation after a heart attack or cardiac procedure was associated with a 36% lower likelihood of death from heart-related complications among U.S. military veterans within four years compared to those who opted out of rehabilitation programs, according to new research published today in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access, peer-reviewed journal of the American Heart Association.

Although cardiac rehabilitation has been shown to reduce the risks of hospital readmissions and death, it is significantly underused, according to the American Heart Association. Cardiac rehabilitation emphasizes eliminating tobacco use, improving diet, engaging in physical exercise, managing stress and taking medications that treat high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

“Whether in a hospital or home, cardiac rehabilitation is all about healthy behavior changes,” said senior study author Mary A. Whooley, M.D., a primary care physician at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. “However, changing behaviors is difficult, and while care facilities may offer on-site cardiac rehabilitation, many patients don’t choose to take advantage of follow-up treatment. The biggest surprise of our analysis was how few patients chose to participate in cardiac rehabilitation.”

While cost can be a barrier to participating in cardiac rehabilitation, along with geography and logistics, cost should not have been a factor as health care services were covered by the VA in this study.

“We don’t know why so many patients opted out of rehabilitation,” Whooley said. “Even when home-based cardiac rehabilitation was offered at the time and place of their choosing, only 44% of eligible patients chose to participate. Many patients were simply not interested in changing their behaviors.”

Data indicated that among patients hospitalized for heart attack from 2007-2011, only 16% of Medicare patients and 10% of veterans participated in cardiac rehabilitation. Among eligible Medicare beneficiaries in 2016, only 24% opted to participate in on-site/facility-based cardiac rehabilitation. According to the Million Hearts® Cardiac Rehabilitation Collaborative, a national initiative co-led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, it’s estimated that increasing cardiac rehabilitation participation to 70% of cardiac patients after hospitalization could save 25,000 lives and prevent 180,000 additional hospitalizations each year.

“Many randomized trials have demonstrated similar mortality benefits from home-based and facility-based cardiac rehabilitation,” Whooley said.

This is the first U.S. study to provide evidence of survival benefit with home-based cardiac rehabilitation in people with heart disease, according to the study authors. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which temporarily closed countless facility-based rehabilitation programs indicates a growing need to explore opportunities in telehealth care for people with heart disease, they said.

This study analyzed data for 1,120 veterans who were eligible for cardiac rehabilitation at the San Francisco VA Medical Center between August 2013 and December 2018. Among this study group, 98% were men, 2% were women, 76% were white, 88% were non-Hispanic and 68% lived in an urban area. About half had been hospitalized for percutaneous coronary intervention — also known as angioplasty, 20% for coronary artery bypass grafting, 14% for heart attack and 18% for other reasons. Enrolling in the San Francisco Healthy Heart home-based cardiac rehabilitation program was voluntary, and only 44% (490 people) enrolled.

The home-based cardiac rehabilitation program lasted 12 weeks, during which participants received up to nine coaching calls, motivational interviews, a workbook and a personal health journal to document vital signs, exercise and diet. They also received a blood pressure monitor, a scale and (if desired) a stationary bike. A nurse or exercise physiologist worked one-on-one with participants to create achievable physical activity goals. Participants received follow-up phone calls from program staff at three and six months after program completion and were followed for an average of 4.2 years after hospitalization.

Among the researchers’ findings:

• The death rate at one-year after hospitalization was 4% among those who did not participate in cardiac rehabilitation versus 2% among those who participated in home-based cardiac rehabilitation.
• Overall, those who participated in the cardiac rehabilitation program were linked with a 36% reduction in odds of dying from complications compared with those who did not.
• Deaths during the entire follow-up period occurred in 12% of rehabilitation participants versus 20% of non-participants.

Researchers note scientists don’t yet know the optimal number of at-home cardiac rehabilitation sessions are needed to achieve lasting success for people with heart disease, and this warrants further research. Moreover, when compared with traditional, facility-based programs, researchers believe home-based cardiac rehabilitation may lead to more lasting behavior changes that improve outcomes, because integrating healthy behaviors into a participant’s home routine from the outset has been associated with better adherence rates.

While there is no standardized approach to delivering home-based cardiac rehabilitation, it is generally shorter than on-site care, and “as technology expands, behavior modification in a participants’ own home environment may help make cardiac rehabilitation more accessible and lifestyle changes more sustainable,” Whooley said.

Another advantage of home-based cardiac rehabilitation is that, because capacity is not constrained by the availability of facility-based programs, it has shorter wait times to begin therapy (average of 25 days versus 77 days after a cardiac event).

“Our biggest challenge in the U.S. is that home-based cardiac rehabilitation is not covered by many health insurers,” she said. “Currently, Medicare only pays for on-site or facility-based cardiac rehabilitation.”

The American Heart Association supports congressional legislation such as the bipartisan “Increasing Access to Quality Cardiac Rehabilitation Care Act,”’ which calls for expanding cardiac rehabilitation resources.

Randal J. Thomas, M.D., chair of the 2019 joint American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology statement on the effectiveness of home-based cardiac rehabilitation called this study a “unique, landmark report.”

“This study suggests that home-based cardiac rehabilitation is associated with a lower death rate when compared to individuals who receive no cardiac rehabilitation,” said Thomas, who is professor of medicine in the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine working with the Mayo Clinic Cardiac Rehabilitation Program in Rochester, Minnesota. “Previous home-based cardiac rehabilitation studies have not been designed to address this important benefit. Additional studies are needed, but this study strongly suggests a mortality benefit from home-based cardiac rehabilitation.

“Even though the study did not clarify if home-based cardiac rehabilitation impacts death rates as well or even better than center-based rehabilitation, it does show that home-based cardiac rehabilitation reduces death rates compared to those patients who do not participate in cardiac rehabilitation.”

The joint statement strongly recommends cardiac rehabilitation for people diagnosed with heart attack, chest pain, heart failure or after having bypass surgery, percutaneous coronary intervention, heart valve surgery or heart transplantation. In addition, an American Heart Association scientific statement notes that home-based rehabilitation is an effective alternative to cardiac rehabilitation for those unable to participate in an on-site cardiac rehabilitation program.

The study has several limitations, including that there was no comparison to facility-based cardiac rehabilitation; participants were not randomized; and most were English-speaking, older men. Researchers note it’s unclear whether the benefits of home-based cardiac rehabilitation would produce similar benefits in women or non-English speaking people.

Co-authors are Nirupama Krishnamurthi, M.B.B.S, M.P.H.; David W Schopfer, M.D. M.A.S.; Hui Shen, M.Sc.; Gregory Rohrbach, D.N.P.; and Abdelaziz Elnaggar, M.B.B.S., M.P.H. Authors’ disclosures are listed in the manuscript.

The Veterans Health Services Research and Development Quality Enhancement Research Initiative funded the study.

Studies published in the American Heart Association’s scientific journals are peer-reviewed. The statements and conclusions in each manuscript are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the Association’s policy or position. The Association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The Association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific Association programs and events. The Association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and biotech companies, device manufacturers and health insurance providers and the Association’s overall financial information are available here. 

Additional Resources:

• Multimedia is available on the right column of release link https://newsroom.heart.org/news/home-based-cardiac-rehabilitation-may-help-people-live-longer?preview=6fa229c1f5389a40f9ab47db85319295
• After March 1, view the manuscript online.
• AHA health information: Cardiac Rehab: Frequently Asked Questions
• AHA news release: Less than 10% of adults with heart failure get cardiac rehab despite Medicare expansion (Nov. 2021)
• AHA news release: Bipartisan legislation to increase access to cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs introduced in the House of Representatives (March 2021)
• AHA news release: Remote cardiac rehabilitation programs are effective alternatives to on-site services (Nov. 2020)
• Follow AHA/ASA news on Twitter @HeartNews
• Follow news from the Journal of the American Heart Association @JAHA_AHA

About the American Heart Association

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, Twitter or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

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JOURNAL

Journal of the American Heart Association

DOI

10.1161/JAHA.122.025856 

Social workers experienced depression, PTSD, and anxiety at alarming rates during pandemic

40% of survey respondents reported depression — a rate that’s 4 times higher than the general population and substantially higher than other health care professionals working in COVID-19 conditions

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO

Toronto, ON — A new study published in the journal International Social Work has uncovered concerning rates of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety among social workers.

Stressors related to COVID-19 were the strongest factors associated with the negative mental health outcomes. Those who experienced a higher number of pandemic-related stressors — such as health concerns, increased caregiving responsibilities, violence in the home, family stress due to confinement, and stress associated with work-life balance — experienced mental health problems at a higher rate compared with those who were not as impacted by pandemic-related hardships.

“Like physicians, nurses and other allied health care providers, social workers are feeling the impact of the pandemic, and it is showing up in their mental health,” says lead author Ramona Alaggia, a professor at the University of Toronto's Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work (FIFSW) and the Margaret and Wallace McCain Chair in Child and Family. “As we celebrate Social Work Week in Ontario March 6 - 12 and National Social Work Month in March, it is important to recognize the stressors that affect social workers and the well-being of those working in this essential field.”

An alarming 40% of the sample reported depression — which is four times higher than the general population. The rate of reported depression among social workers is also substantially higher than other health care professionals working in COVID-19 related conditions, where the prevalence rate of depression has been found to be 24%. In total, one fifth of the sample reported PTSD while 15% reported anxiety. 

“As personal stressors among social workers have increased, so too have the needs of those they serve,” says co-author Esme Fuller-Thomson, FIFSW professor and director of the Institute for Life Course and Aging at the University of Toronto. “With rising rates of domestic violence, child abuse, mental health illnesses and addictions, death rates in long-term care systems, and homelessness, social workers’ jobs have become more demanding than ever.”

The majority of survey respondents were from Ontario and married or in common law unions. Half of the respondents had children under the age of 18, and 85% were women, which is consistent with the number of women working in the social work field.

“Recent trends clearly indicate women have felt the most negative employment change and job loss during COVID-19,” says Carolyn O’Connor, co-author and a doctoral candidate at FIFSW. “Time studies consistently show that women are usually the ones carrying most childcare and domestic responsibilities at home. Meanwhile, COVID lockdowns made working from home even more stressful as parents juggle work demands with home-schooling, while experiencing isolation and fewer supports.”

The study also found that the social workers most affected by mental health problems tended to be younger, less experienced and less established in their profession. Levels of resilience were also measured. Those who were older and had higher income had higher resilience scores.

"Job instability is common early in a social worker’s career, especially when working within a neo-liberal environment that promotes precarious, contractual work conditions with fewer benefits and lower pay,” says co-author and FIFSW PhD candidate Keri West.

Alaggia says that in her work with community-based agencies, she has observed that social workers have been leaving in high numbers since the start of 2022, with some agencies reporting as much as 30% shortfalls in staffing levels and significant problems filling those positions.

“It seems a tipping point has been reached where-by social workers are leaving traditional settings because of low wages, job insecurity and meagre benefits,” Alaggia says. “Given the essential societal roles that social workers’ play, strategies to sustain the profession into the next generation and future generations are urgently needed. These strategies should include a trauma informed approach and strong mental health supports for staff. This may be a defining moment in the social work field and building resilience into social service systems is the way forward.”

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JOURNAL

International Social Work

DOI

10.1177/00208728221144380 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Troubled times: Canadian social workers’ early adversities, mental health, and resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic.

PAKISTAN

Menstrual rights are human rights. Period

When I gave her period kits, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and pain. She took off her glass bangles, her only remaining possession that survived the floods, and handed them to me as a token of gratitude.



Bushra Mahnoor 

Published March 8, 2023

As a young girl, I had firsthand experience of the devastating effects of the 2010 floods in Pakistan. Floodwaters had swallowed entire villages and towns adjacent to my own, leaving people stranded on rooftops, desperately waiting for help.

My parents were engaged in relief efforts at a camp in Khairabad, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. I was 10 years old at the time and I still remember coming across a young girl, no older than myself, whose clothes were stained with blood as she struggled to manage her first period in the cramped relief camp. It was a heartbreaking sight that stayed with me over the years.

On hearing news of the devastating 2022 floods in Pakistan, I was struck by the thought of the thousands of women who would be struggling to manage their periods amidst the chaos of the disaster. I knew I had to take action.

Read more: HEALTH: TACKLING ‘PERIOD POVERTY’

Alongside my friend Anum, I founded Mahwari Justice, a grassroots movement that aimed to not only raise awareness about menstrual rights in Pakistan, but also provide flood affectees with access to menstrual hygiene products.

Making it happen

To achieve this, we set up a GoFundMe account and within a few weeks, we were able to collect sufficient funds to purchase supplies. I remember scouring wholesale markets across Lahore, searching Anarkali, Mochi gate and Shalmi market for underwear, soap, detergent, and period products.

The next step was to pack these supplies into relief kits. We called out for volunteers via Twitter and the response was overwhelming. People from all walks of life came forward to help, each one eager to contribute.

Volunteers packing period relief kits in Lahore. — Photo provided by author

Our office, a small room, hummed with activity as we packed these kits every weekend. Volunteers worked tirelessly, carefully selecting items and packing them with care. There is one moment that truly touched my heart: a father and his daughter came together to help pack relief kits, breaking patriarchal norms that shun any form of talk about menstruation between father and daughter. It was a powerful moment that showed just how far we’d come.
Shelter first, bleed second?

Our efforts did not, however, go without challenge. We faced criticism from people who questioned the necessity of such aid. Others believed that necessities like food, water, and medicine should take precedence over period products. We understood that menstruation is a taboo topic, which made it even more difficult to convince people of the urgency of our cause.

When faced with criticism, my team and I made a conscious effort to remain open-minded and listen with an open ear. I recognised that as students, we were undertaking a massive endeavor with limited resources and that we had much to learn. We listened to our critics and used their feedback to refine our approach, turning some of them into supporters. Our willingness to learn and adapt was critical to our success.

The impact of our work extended beyond just the distribution of relief kits. I remember receiving a call from an old woman who lived in a village near Hyderabad. She had heard about our work on TV and wanted to contribute, despite having limited means. She didn’t have access to any digital payment platforms, so she sent me Rs500 as mobile credit. The gesture may seem small, but it was immensely powerful. It reminded me that our work resonated with the average person on a personal level. We weren’t just a faceless group delivering aid, but rather a group of young people working together to make a difference.

We also faced resistance from men during the early days of Mahwari Justice. Alot of the men we contacted said they didn’t want to work with us because we were only supplying period products. They disregarded these items as a genuine need for flood-affectees, so we decided to pivot our approach and started reaching out to women who were already doing relief work in flooded areas. We also contacted doctors who were arranging medical camps and midwives who were providing essential healthcare services to the flood-affectees for the initial distribution of period relief kits.

Of the many challenges my team faced, the one that stands out the most is the sheer scale of the task at hand. We knew we had to reach as many people as possible, but the enormity of the flood-affected areas left us feeling overwhelmed.

Team Mahwari Justice distributing period relief kits in Gandakha, Balochistan.

 — Photo provided by author

Yet, we refused to be discouraged and with the help of 130 dedicated volunteers, we were able to reach over 100,000 flood affectees across 80 areas including but not limited to Sohbatpur, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Lasbela, Qilla Abdullah in Balochistan; Dadu, Umerkot, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar, Badin in Sindh; Muzaffargarh, Layyah, Rajanpur, DG Khan in Punjab; Swat, Charsadda, Chitral, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan in KP as well as Ghizer, Nagar, Diamer in Gilgit, all within a span of six months.

This would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our volunteers, both on the ground and online. It is a testament to the power of community and the impact that a group of determined individuals can have when they come together for a common cause.
Building on our theoretical framework

In organising relief work to provide menstrual kits, I was careful to ensure that we were addressing the actual needs of the people we were serving. Rather than imposing our ideas on them, we took the time to connect with the affected communities and learn about their specific needs. This approach allowed us to tailor our menstrual relief kits to the unique needs of the women in these areas, creating a more impactful and effective relief effort.

Illustrations of how to use a commercial sanitary pad included in the relief kits. 

— Source: Mahwari Justice

We took inspiration from previous disaster relief efforts and successful campaigns, such as the “Bleed With Dignity” campaign in the 2017 Assam floods in India, to inform our work. By leveraging evidence and research, we were able to address the unique needs of communities in a way that was culturally sensitive and appropriate. This experience taught me that effective relief work goes beyond providing supplies; it requires a deep understanding of the unique needs and cultural context of the people being served.

We carefully crafted our period relief kits to ensure that they were not only practical, but also offered a sense of comfort and dignity. Thus, we created four different types of period relief kits to suit the needs of the flood-affected women.

Products included in the period relief kits provided to flood-affectees. 

— Photos provided by author


The first kit included reusable cloth-based pads, as well as underwear, drawstrings, soaps, and detergents. For the second kit, we opted for reusable microfibre-based towel sheets instead of cloth pads, the third included biodegradable pads made from cotton and gauze and came with panties, detergents, and soaps, and for the fourth kit, we used commercial pads. We also included small items such as combs, mirrors, nail clippers, needles and thread, to ensure our kits were comprehensive and helped women feel taken care of.

During the winter season, we also recognised that the cold can make periods even more challenging for women in flood-affected areas. To help alleviate some of these difficulties, we decided to add warm clothing such as sweaters, shawls, and socks to our relief kits.
Impact beyond relief

Growing up with five sisters in a working-class family, period poverty was a constant battle in my early teenage years. During my period, I was forced to make a single pad last for hours, constantly worried about leaks and the shame that followed.

It was a daily struggle that left me feeling embarrassed and anxious. Nevertheless, my experiences made me realise that period poverty is more than just a lack of access to products. It’s the emotional toll it takes on individuals who are unable to access them, the constant worry and shame that follows them around like a shadow.

This is why I made it my mission to help women feel dignified and respected during their periods. As we distributed the kits, I saw the impact of our work first hand. The tears of gratitude, the hugs, and the kisses on my forehead from women who finally had access to menstrual products were a testament to the importance of this work.

While I was working in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan, I met Amala in Maanjothi village. Amala was a mother of five daughters and had lost her home to the floods. She told me about the hardships her daughters had to face to manage their periods amidst the flood. When I gave her the period kits, her eyes filled with a mix of relief and pain. She took off her glass bangles, her only remaining possession that survived the floods, and handed them to me as a token of gratitude. I stared at Amala, utterly stunned by her extraordinary act of generosity. It was at that moment that I realised the true power of the work I was doing.

Then there was the old woman in Foleji, Balochistan, who approached me, her eyes filled with desperation. In broken Urdu, she explained that her daughter was on her period and was using tree leaves as makeshift pads. I felt a lump in my throat as I witnessed the raw emotion and helplessness in her eyes. When I handed her a menstrual relief kit, she kissed my forehead. The weight of her kiss was heavy with the unspoken suffering and resilience of so many women like her.
Breaking the taboo

Overcoming the stigma around periods is a daunting task, particularly in small towns where cultural norms and practices have a strong hold on communities. When I started my journey, I faced opposition from an unexpected source — my own family. Despite being aware of the harsh realities of period poverty, my mother could not understand why I was talking openly about periods and advocating for menstrual equity. She was worried that my activism would bring shame to our family and harm my sisters’ chances of finding suitable matches for marriage.

At first, her words made me doubt my decision to take action. I felt unsupported and alone. But as I continued to work with flood affectees, I found solace in the courage and strength of the women I worked with, and their determination inspired me to push forward despite the obstacles.

Breaking taboos around periods is an essential part of the work I do. By addressing period poverty and ensuring access to menstrual supplies, my work challenges the stigma and shame surrounding periods. When we openly discuss periods, we create space for conversations that have long been silenced. Through my work, I hope to inspire others to break the taboo around periods and work towards menstrual equity. When we stop treating periods as shameful and start treating them as a natural part of life, we create a world where everyone can menstruate with dignity and respect.

Relief work is not just a humanitarian issue or a matter of charity, but a deeply political one. It is a reflection of the priorities and values of our society and the extent to which we are willing to recognise the dignity and humanity of all people, regardless of their socioeconomic status or gender.

By advocating for safe period products and raising awareness about period poverty, we are not only addressing an urgent and overlooked need, but also challenging the systemic barriers that perpetuate gender-based inequality and discrimination.

My work to address the menstrual needs of flood affectees is just the beginning of our movement for period equity. We recognise that providing immediate aid is not enough to create long-lasting change.

It is the government’s responsibility to ensure that basic human rights, including access to safe and affordable period products, are met for all. The work of Mahwari Justice is not only a political statement, but also a call to action for collective efforts towards creating a more just and equitable world.


Bushra Mahnoor is a 22-year-old student and co-founder of Mahwari Justice, a globally applauded period rights movement in Pakistan.

Goal: Safer bike lanes

UPV researchers analyze the skid resistance of different pavements used in bike lanes in Valencia

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITAT POLITÈCNICA DE VALÈNCIA

 

IMAGE: UPV RESEARCHERS ANALYSE THE SKID RESISTANCE OF DIFFERENT PAVEMENTS USED IN BIKE LANES IN VALENCIA view more 

CREDIT: UPV

Among the conclusions, the study notes the risk of painted cobble and smooth painted tile pavements, warning that they "should not be used due to their low and variable skid resistance, as well as the high vibrations they cause to users". The paper has been published in Sustainability journal.

According to the study's authors, the new mobility has increased crashes involving users, mainly bicycles and electric scooters. Many of these crashes are falls in which only the user is involved, i.e., single-bicycle crashes (SBCs).

In 2018, the number of crashes involving personal mobility vehicles in urban areas was less than 200 -199, to be precise- and in 2021, this number rose to 2541. In the case of bicycles, the number of crashes was relatively stable over this period, rising from 5384 to 5712. During 2021, the latest year for which official data is available, 27% of these crashes occurred while riding an electric scooter or bicycle without interaction with other road users.

"Most of the time, these crashes happen because the pavement was slippery. Therefore, studying the pavement's skid resistance is crucial to improving safety on bike lanes. This resistance is one of the characteristics that most affect safety, as it has a decisive influence on accelerating, braking, and keeping the trajectory of a bicycle or e-scooter while turning, without the risk of slipping or skidding," explains David Llopis Castelló, a researcher at the HERG-UPV.

Thus, among the different pavements analysed, the HERG-UPV has found that asphalt, concrete, and rough tile pavements provide adequate skid resistance. In particular, the first two offer the best performance, as they generate less vibrations and, therefore, a more comfortable ride. "On the other hand, painted cobble and smooth painted tile pavements do not meet the requirements, and the probability of falls, collisions, and conflicts between cyclists, e-scooter users, pedestrians, and motorised traffic is higher," says Ana María Pérez Zuriaga, also from the HERG-UPV.

In its study, the HERG-UPV also measured the speed of users of bicycles and electric scooters to analyse their behaviour and the influence of pavements on stopping sight distance. In conclusion, the pavements that provide greater adherence -asphalt, concrete, and rough painted tile pavements- allow a reduction in the required stopping sight distance of up to 7.5%, while smooth painted tile pavements increase this distance by 7% when travelling at 20 km/h (speed limit in bike lanes), with the consequent risk.

Good practice

Based on this research, the study carried out by the Highway Engineering Research Group proposes that asphalt should be used as the paving material on roads shared by motorised vehicles and users of bicycles or electric scooters, as well as on striped/buffered bike lanes. The same applies to protected bike lanes, although concrete pavement may also be used for these. For sidepaths, rough tile pavement is the best option, as the vibrations experienced by users may encourage them to slow down.

In addition, the study proposes the minimum stopping sight distances required to ensure safety not only for cyclists and e-scooter users but also for pedestrians and motorised vehicles.

"The results of this study can serve as a basis for designing a safer micromobility infrastructure. In the choice of pavements for newly constructed bike lanes, it is essential to consider a parameter such as skid resistance, always accompanied by preventive inspection during pavement service life," concludes Alfredo García García, coordinator of the Highway Engineering Research Group at Universitat Politècnica de València.

This study is part of the project "esMicromobility - Road Safety Assessment of Micromobility", reference PID2019-111744RB-I00, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033.

THIS IS THE CORRECT (EUROPEAN) WAY OF CYCLING IN TRAFFIC

WITH OR WITHOUT A DEDICATED BIKE LANE

UPV researchers analyse the skid resistance of different pavements used in bike lanes in Valencia

CREDIT

UPV

JOURNAL

Sustainability

DOI

10.3390/su15010698 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Meta-analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Skid Resistance Analysis of Urban Bike Lane Pavements for Safe Micromobility