International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

The relationship between diurnal temperature range (DTR) and daily mortality from 2005 to 2020 is examined for seven large metropolitan areas in Virginia using distributed lag non-linear models that control for temperature and humidity. The relative risk of mortality increases for very high DTR, and there is a short lag effect of several days. High risk DTR days are rare, typically occurring less than 1% of the time at most locations. These days primarily occur in spring and are characterized by high pressure and low humidity that allow overnight temperatures to drop substantially. High DTR days are often associated with elevated respiratory and cardiovascular mortality and tend to impact the elderly. The similarity between the mortality response to high DTR and that of high temperatures alone, coupled with the lack of clear physiological underpinnings, challenges the notion that these responses are independent. The prevalent spring peak in dangerous DTR days suggests that lack of acclimatization to hot and humid conditions may impose strain on the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

In this study, a relationship between climate indices (local - air temperatures, and wide-scale - North Atlantic Oscillation) and first arrival dates (FAD) of a short-distant migratory bird, the Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus) at a breeding site in SE Poland (Lublin) was investigated. Temporal patterns of FAD on a multi-year scale (20 years within 39 years between 1982 and 2020) were also studied. Additionally, correlations between mean air temperature at Lublin and sites along the spring migration route with various distances from the breeding site and various time lags were searched for. A significant temporal trend in arrival dates was found, indicating the advancing of FADs by 9.5 days compared to the 1980s. It was found that FAD in the studied period was affected by North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in February and among daily indices by mean air temperature in Lublin 12 days and by NAO - 7 days before arrival. As expected, the highest correlation between air temperatures in Lublin and sites along the spring migration route of the studied population for locations < 500 km from Lublin and a few days' travel before arrival were found. Studying FADs and climatic indices in the breeding areas and en route of migration helps to understand factors affecting the phenology of spring avian migration.

Previous studies investigating the influence of hot spring bathing on sleep quality have predominantly focused on the short-term effects through questionnaire surveys without blood collection for biochemical tests. Here, we undertook a comprehensive investigation of the long-term health effects of hot spring bathing among the residents of Hot Spring Village. A total of 140 participants were enrolled, and their demographic characteristics and the patterns of hot spring bathing were obtained via face-to-face interview, and sleep quality was assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Moreover, the blood samples of the participants were collected for biomarker detection with the ELISA assay. Logistic regression analysis was applied to evaluate the relationship between sleep quality and serum biomarkers among long-term hot spring bathers. In individuals aged 65 and older, the results demonstrated that hot spring bathing (OR = 0.18, 95%CI: 0.05-0.68), particularly with a length of ≥ 30 min (OR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.02-0.53) and a frequency of ≥ 3 times/week (OR = 0.07, 95%CI: 0.01-0.32) were significant protective factors for good sleep quality (P < 0.05). Furthermore, reduced TNF-α (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06) and increased 5-HT levels (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97-0.99) were associated with good sleep quality. Interestingly, for the first time, we observed that the TNF-α significantly decreased (P < 0.05) in the bathing group, along with an increasing trend of 5-HT and BDNF. Moreover, among participants in this group who reported good sleep quality, there was a notably significant decrease in TNF-α and an increase in 5-HT levels as well. These findings suggested that long-term hot spring bathing is associated with good sleep quality through the alteration of TNF-α and 5-HT levels, which could be potential biomarkers for future investigation on the health-promoting effects of bathing.

Climate change is making extreme heat events more frequent and intense. This negatively impacts many aspects of society, including organised sport. As the world's most watched sporting event, the FIFA World Cup commands particular attention around the threat of extreme heat. The 2022 tournament in Qatar was moved from summer to winter in response to this threat, and now attention turns to the 2026 tournament in North America with extreme heat risk across many of the 16 host locations. We examine this risk by modelling wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) - a widely used measure of heat stress - for the host locations using hourly meteorological data for the period 2003-2022. Our results show that 14 out of 16 host locations exceed WBGTs of 28 °C, with four (nine) exceeding this threshold more than half the time during afternoons across the mean (hottest year) of the 20 year record. This threshold is important as the level beyond which some football governing bodies recommend match delay or postponement. A climatically sound argument is therefore presented to reschedule kick-off times outside the hottest afternoon hours for the host locations with highest heat risk at which no indoor air conditioned environment exists - primarily Miami and Monterrey, but also Philadelphia, Kansas City, Boston and New York. This study highlights the need to carefully assess heat risk ahead of major sporting events to help inform any potential interventions needed in the scheduling of matches and competitions in a warming climate.

In regions characterized by tropical and subtropical climates, the elevated ambient temperatures exert adverse effects on both broiler and laying chickens, impacting their growth and egg production performance. To mitigate the challenges posed by heat stress, genetic strategies aimed at reducing feather coverage have gained prominence in hot climate areas. Among these approaches, the naked neck (Na) and frizzle (F) genes have emerged as particularly noteworthy. The Na and F genes play a pivotal role in facilitating heat dissipation and temperature regulation. By decreasing feather insulation, these genes enable efficient heat dissipation through exposed areas of the chickens' bodies. This reduction in feather coverage leads to elevated body surface temperature, which, in turn, enhances the capacity for heat loss and contributes to overall body temperature reduction. A substantial body of literature underscores the well-established positive impacts of the naked neck and frizzle genes on growth and egg-laying performance. As a result, these genes hold significant potential for integration into broiler and layer production systems, especially in regions characterized by high tropical temperatures. In the context of broiler farming under challenging heat conditions, the Na and F genes have demonstrated favorable effects on crucial parameters such as feed conversion ratio, body weight gain, disease resistance, and carcass attributes. Likewise, layers exposed to elevated temperatures exhibit enhanced egg production, eggshell quality, fertility, hatchability, and resistance to diseases when these genes are incorporated. Given that the prevalence of the naked neck and frizzle genes is primarily observed in indigenous chicken populations, it becomes imperative to prioritize measures for their conservation due to their exceptional performance in heat-stressed environments. To unlock the full genetic potential of exotic poultry reared in hot and humid conditions, the integration of the Na and F genes is a strongly recommended strategy.

Air pollution remains a significant threat to human health and economic development. Most previous studies have examined the health effects of individual pollutants, which often overlook the combined impacts of multiple pollutants. The traditional composite indicator air quality index (AQI) only focuses on the major pollutants, whereas the health risk-based air quality index (HAQI) could offer a more comprehensive evaluation of the health effects of various pollutants on populations. Currently, research on HAQI to evaluate the influence of multiple air pollutants on life expectancy losses is limited. In this study, we employed HAQIto estimate years of life lost (YLL) caused by exposure to air pollution for total deaths and sub-groups by sex, age, and cause-specific disease in Ningbo from 2014 to 2018. Results reveal that significant improvement in air quality during the study period. Based on the AQI-classified air quality risk category, the HAQI estimated a more severe level, which suggests that the commonly used AQI significantly underestimates the hazards of multiple air pollutants. The YLL attributable to exposure above threshold concentrations of the Chinese Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) 24-hour Grade II standards was 1.375 years (95% CI, 1.044-1.707) per death based on the HAQI, while the YLL estimated using AQI was 1.047 years (95% CI, 0.809-1.286) per death. Females and elderly people over 65 years were vulnerable subgroups, with YLL of 1.232 and 1.480 years per death, respectively. Among deaths of cause-specific disease, the YLL attributed to polluted air was highest for patients with respiratory diseases (0.866 years, 95% CI: 0.668-1.064), followed by patients with circulatory diseases (0.490 years) and endocrine diseases (0.478 years), respectively. Improving the standards of air quality could promote the management of air quality and reduce the disease burden and economic losses caused by polluted air to populations, especially for vulnerable populations. Our study provides a basis for the formulation of policies and upgrade of air quality standards.

The effects of short-term ambient ozone (O₃) exposure on health outcomes have received growing concerns, but its effects on psoriasis is still unclear. The purpose of our study was to investigate the effects of short-term exposure to O₃ on psoriasis, and to find out potential modifiers. A hospital-based time-series study with outpatient visit data of psoriasis was performed in Chongqing, the largest metropolitan in Southeast China. General additive models combined quasi-Poisson regression were implied to reveal the association between short-term exposure to O₃ and psoriasis. Moreover, the potential modifiers were found out through subgroup analyses. Totally, 23,921 psoriasis outpatient visits were included. For the whole patient population, no significant association between exposure to O₃ and outpatient visits for psoriasis was observed. Interestingly, the stratified analyses based on concentrations showed that low concentration of O₃ (below the recommended limitation of 100 μg/m³ by WHO and China), rather than high concentration of O₃, was negatively associated with psoriasis outpatient visits at various lag days, and the greatest decrease was observed at lag03 (-2.05%; 95%CI: -3.55%, -0.53%). Moreover, stronger associations were observed in cool seasons, patients aged 40 or above, and males. Additionally, the negative associations of low-concentration O₃ on psoriasis outpatient visits were still robust in sensitivity analyses. Our study discovered that low-concentrations of O₃, rather than high concentrations of O₃, can be associated with decreased outpatient visits for psoriasis, especially for males, population aged 40 and above, and in cool seasons.