International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

Climate-responsive urban design requires a thorough understanding of how street canyon morphology affects the thermal environment, especially for the severe cold regions in Northern China. Individual geometric parameters often overlook other geometric characteristics of real street canyons, making it impossible to establish precise correlations between morphological parameters and thermal environments. This study investigates the influence of six key geometric parameters on thermal conditions in Hohhot, China. Mobile measurements revealed a significant quadratic relationship between the asymmetrical aspect ratio and mean air temperature at 12:00 (R² = 0.91654). We also found that the aspect ratio, the complementary index closing ratio, and the smoothness rate were negatively correlated with mean air temperature at various times, while height variation positively influenced air temperature (R² = 0.67946). Furthermore, the building coverage ratio in adjacent areas significantly impacted mean radiant intensity (R² = 0.700 and 0.679 at 11:00 and 12:00, respectively, p < 0.05). Multiple regression analyses underscored the collective impact of these parameters on thermal conditions. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing street canyon design to improve thermal comfort, thereby contributing to more effective climate-responsive urban planning.

Exposure to low and high ambient daily temperature has been associated with cardiovascular diseases. However, the hourly association, which may enable a more precise healthcare response, has rarely been explored. This study conducted a time-stratified case-crossover analysis of emergency patients with acute chest pain at the Chest Pain Center (CPC) in Foshan, China from 2018 to 2023. We employed a conditional logistic regression model coupled with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) to evaluate the hourly exposure-lag-response associations with adjustment for potential confounding factors. A total of 17,634 emergency patients with acute chest pain were recorded in this study. We found that cold exposure was significantly associated with the risk of cardiac chest pain (CCP) onset within 0-144 h prior to onset. The odds ratios (ORs) of CCP onset were 1.793 (95% CI: 1.345, 2.390) for cold air temperature (14.7 ℃) and 1.772 (95% CI: 1.353, 2.320) for cold apparent temperature (13.9 ℃), respectively. Non-optimal temperatures exposure, particularly heat, was associated with an elevated risk of non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) onset, with the highest cumulative risk occurring at a lag of 72 h, and the corresponding ORs were 2.368 (95% CI: 1.374, 4.082) for air temperature and 2.107 (95% CI: 1.334, 3.327) for apparent temperature. This study reveals the positive association between hourly temperature and the onset of the acute chest pain. These findings highlight the importance of positive measures, such as enhancing timely temperature alert systems and optimizing medical resource allocation.

The changing climate and rising occurrence of heat events may impact incidence and severity of occupational traumatic injuries. The objective of this research is to characterize the association between daily hospital presentations for work-related traumatic injuries and temperature in Illinois, USA. The Illinois outpatient and inpatient hospital databases were used to identify work-related traumatic injuries treated in Illinois hospitals during the summer months from May to September between 2017 to 2023. National weather service data was used to assess temperature metrics in Illinois. We used generalized linear mixed models to examine the association between daily hospital presentations for work-related traumatic injuries and two temperature related events: (1) extreme heat days and (2) days with increasing temperatures above 76°F(24.4 °C) as workers begin to acclimate to increasing ambient temperatures. Models were stratified by worker demographics, cause and nature of injury. Over the study period there were 95,038 hospital presentations for work-related traumatic injuries.. We observed a significant daily increase in traumatic injuries of 1.52% (95%CI: 0.19%, 2.87%, p < 0.05) during days with sequentially increasing temperatures above 76°F(24.4 °C). Workers aged 16-19 years, Hispanic workers, and workers presenting with open wound injuries and injuries caused by contact with or against objects also showed significant increase in injuries. An increase on extreme heat days in the adjusted models was seen in traumatic brain injuries (22.74%, 95%CI: 2.57, 46.86%, p < 0.05). Results indicate differences in susceptibility to traumatic injuries by demographic characteristics and mechanisms of injury during both periods of acclimatization to heat and extreme heat days.

Current predictions of climate change impacts rely on conservative assumptions about a lack of adaptation, projecting significantly increased heatwave mortality. However, long-term studies have shown a decline in actual heatwave deaths, raising questions about the underlying mechanisms. We combined Eurostat weekly mortality data (baseline extracted via Seasonal-Trend decomposition by Loess and smoothed through Principal Component Analysis dimension reduction and reconstruction) with economic indicators, Copernicus temperature data since 1950, and ENTSO-E electricity demand data. Panel regression analyzed mortality patterns during weeks with daily temperatures exceeding 22 °C for 2000-2022. During the analyzed period, Europe outpaced climate change, with the capacity to tolerate an additional 1 °C rise every 17.9 years [95% CI 15.3-22.7]. Extending the temperature indicators beyond the prior 3 years did not enhance predictive accuracy, suggesting swift adaptations and historical climate lacked any predictive value. Additionally, increasing economic output, likely driven by infrastructural improvements, especially greater affordability of air conditioning, enabled tolerating each additional 1 °C due to a per capita GDP increase of 19.7 thousand euros [95% CI 14.6-30.3]. Consistently, the increase in cooling energy demand was the strongest in eastern Europe. The findings shed light on the mechanisms driving the observed reduction in heatwave mortality despite the warming climate trend, offering a more plausible basis for extrapolation than assuming a lack of adaptation. The model emphasizes the role of long term economic growth and addressing energy poverty.

Currently, there is limited understanding of microbial diversity and safety considerations associated with the use of natural substances in pelotherapy, especially concerning fungal diversity and presence. ITS sequencing was used to assess the fungal diversity in natural peloids (peat and sapropel) used in pelotherapy in Lithuania. Fungal diversity and dominance varied across different types of peloids, primarily determined by the environment from which they were sourced. Fungi from the genera Aspergillus, Fusarium, and Mucorales were identified in peloids sourced from peatland but were absent in sapropel peloids obtained from lakes. These fungi are ubiquitous in peatland, where they play a role in decomposing organic matter, however, they can also act as potential pathogens. The presence of potentially pathogenic fungi should be carefully considered when using peatland-derived peloids in pelotherapy. However, further research is needed to evaluate the role of fungi in the beneficial properties of peloids with different compositions at various stages of preparation and use, as well as to assess potential risks.

The aim of the presented study was to characterize the territory of Poland in terms of the frequency of occurrence of specific values of IAPC (interdiurnal atmospheric pressure changes) and to determine synoptic situations accompanying their particularly high values. The study is based on the daily mean atmospheric pressure data from the years 1966-2022 taking from 48 meteorological stations in Poland. In the presented paper four IAPC categories were used: A < 4.0 hPa (weak sense of change), B 4.1-8.0 (moderate sense of change), C 8.1-12.0 (strong sense of change), and D > 12.1 (very strong sense of change). Taking into account the negative impact on human health and well-being of the IAPC value, and especially its declines (conductive to the increase of suicides, heart and kidney diseases, asthma), the most unfavorable in this respect in Poland is the northern part of the country. The greatest frequency of synoptic situations causing the above-mentioned influence occurs in the cold half of the year, especially in winter. In turn the beneficial impact of the increase in IAPC on human health and well-being in terms of blood oxygenation and reduced suicide mortality caused by IAPC also occurs in the northern Poland. The frequency of synoptic situations felt in this respect is also highest in the cold half of the year.

This study aimed to analyze the shading effect of single trees on human thermal sensation (HTS) during summer. Micrometeorological data were collected and analyzed in both sunny and shaded locations for four tree species-one deciduous broadleaf tree (DBT), two evergreen broadleaf trees (EBT), and one evergreen coniferous tree (ECT) species. The results demonstrated relatively small differences in air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed among the species, with mean values of 0.1-0.5 ℃, 0.5-1.8%, and 0.0-0.7 ms⁻¹, respectively. However, there was a significant difference observed in the mean radiant temperature, with a mean of 18.6 ℃. In terms of the HTS indices (PET and UTCI), the shaded locations exhibited mean reduction rates of 15.4-20.6% in PET, corresponding to a thermal perception reduction effect of 1.0-1.5 levels. The UTCI demonstrated a reduction effect of 9.7-12.5%, equivalent to a heat stress reduction effect of 0.6-0.7 levels. The ECT demonstrated higher mean reduction rates in PET, 1.3% and 3.5% higher than the DBT and EBT, respectively. However, the EBT presented a similar reduction effect on HTS as the ECT due to its high leaf density. Based on these findings, the mean radiant temperature and leaf density were found to be the primary factors influencing the heat reduction effects of single trees during summer. The findings of this study can serve as fundamental data for landscape planting methods that account for thermal environment improvement in the future.

Ambient low temperature is a risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI) worldwide, with limited evidence about the effect of low temperature at different periods of a day. We aimed to characterize the association of MI mortality with daytime and nighttime low temperatures in rural areas. Daily daily temperature data and MI deaths from 2016 to 2020 were obtained for the rural areas of Anhui Province. We first applied the distributed lag nonlinear model to examine the association of MI death risk with daily maximum (daytime) and minimum (nighttime) temperature for each rural area. Then, we used the random-effects meta-analysis to pool the rural-specific effect estimates and subgroups stratified by sex, age, and geographical region. Daytime low temperature and nighttime low temperature were both associated with an increased risk of MI death. On the same day of exposure to daytime low temperature and nighttime low temperature, the risk of MI death respectively increased by 12.6% [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7% ~ 25.8%] and 3.2% (95%CI: 0% ~ 6.6%). Subgroup results showed an increased MI death risk associated with daytime and nighttime low temperatures in the elderly (≥ 65 years) and males. Besides, there was an obvious geographical variation in the lag effects of daytime and nighttime low temperatures on MI mortality. This study provides evidence of different effect of daytime and nighttime low temperature on MI mortality in China. Our findings may have important implications in preventing heart attacks during the day and at night in cold weather.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways presenting high global prevalence. Geoclimatic characteristics, especially relative air humidity, play an important role in its epidemiological profile, despite being still understudied. This study aims to evaluate the influence of individual and environmental geoclimatic factors on the prevalence of asthma in adolescents. A school-based epidemiological survey was carried out in 4569 adolescents (14 to 19 years). Regression models were applied to assess the association between asthma and factors related to the individual level [biological (sex, and age), family (history of asthma in parents, smoking history among parents and maternal level of schooling), behaviours (physical activity level and smoking cigarettes), socioeconomic (water at home and place of residence)]; further a multilevel model considering the socioeconomic and geoclimatic environmental characteristics of the place of residence was applied. The percentage of adolescents who had active asthma was 26.4% (22.9% dry climate vs. 27.9% humid climate). A higher risk of asthma was observed among females, (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.5-2.1), individuals with history of asthma in parents (OR = 1.9, 95%CI = 1.5-2.5), smoking history among parents (mother, OR = 1.4, 95%CI = 1.4-2.0, father, OR = 1.5, 95%CI = 1.2-2.0 and, both, OR = 2.0,95%CI = 1.2-3.3) and, in adolescents who smoke cigarettes more than three days a month (OR = 1.9, 95%CI = 1.2-2.9). The likelihood of reporting asthma is significantly lower in the dry climate region (OR = 0.6, 95%CI = 0.4-0.9). These results will contribute to greater knowledge about asthma and its individual conditions living in dry climate conditions.

To compare the effects of medical mud-pack (MMP) treatments applied at different temperatures on the pain and joint functions of patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Kellgren Lawrence (KL) stage 3 or 4 KOA patients were included and randomized into three groups. Patients in groups 1, 2, and 3 took MMP treatment to both knees at 39 °C, 42 °C, and 45 °C, respectively. The treatment was performed for 12 days (only weekdays) and was 30 min long per day. The same blinded physician evaluated the patients at baseline and at the end of the treatment. The assessments were done before and after the intervention. The primary outcome was to achieve a minimal clinically important improvement (MCII) for KOA (decrease of at least 19 mm (-40.8%) on the VAS for pain, a decrease of 18.3 mm (-39%) on the patient's global assessment (PGA), and/or a decrease of at least 9.1 points (-26%) on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index function subscale (WOMAC-FS). Secondary outcomes were pain (VAS), patient's global assessment (VAS), physician's global assessment (VAS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Patient's health state, Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS). 217 patients were analyzed. Groups 1, 2, and 3 had 68, 81,68 patients, respectively. The MCII measurement revealed that MMP treatment did not show a significant difference between groups 2 and 3 (p > 0.05). Also, it was observed that more patients in groups 2 and 3 reached the MCII compared to group 1 (p < 0.001). For the secondary outcomes, significant improvements were observed within-group evaluations for each of the three groups (p < 0.001). Between groups comparisons, the improvements at the end of the treatment were found to be superior for group 2 and group 3 compared to group 1 (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between groups 2 and 3 for any parameters (p > 0.05). The number of patients who achieved the PASS was statistically lower for group 1 compared to groups 2 and 3 (p < 0.001). We observed significant improvements in all groups after treatment. The main result, as measured by MCII, suggests that MMP treatments at 42-45 °C is more effective than at 39 °C in managing severe KOA patients' pain and functional status. We found no significant difference in pain and joint function improvement between 42 °C and 45 °C after MMP.