International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

The treatment of type 2 diabetes patients with diabetic neuropathy using pharmacological and non-pharmacological measures remains a current topic. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of comprehensive medical rehabilitation programs that include natural therapeutic factors (carbonated natural mineral water) on pain, gait, and functional status in these patients. Fifty patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and diabetic neuropathy in the lower limbs participated in the study. Half of them (DZ-PT) underwent treatment consisting of physical exercises, physiotherapy, and terrain cure, while the other half (DZ-CMW) received the same treatment plus baths with carbonated natural mineral water. Patients were evaluated using assessment scales for pain Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), the 10-meter walking test (W10m), lower limb muscle strength (FM), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and Neuropathy Disability Score (NDS). The results showed a statistically significant reduction in pain assessed by VAS at the end of the treatment, persisting for three months (p-values < 0.001 between the two groups), with a greater reduction in the DZ-CMW group. Similarly, a significant improvement in gait, evaluated by W10m, was found both at the end of the treatment and at 3 months after its completion, with greater improvement in the DZ-CMW group. In conclusion, patients with type 2 diabetes with diabetic neuropathy can benefit from comprehensive medical rehabilitation programs periodically, including therapeutic natural factors, at balneoclimacteric resorts, alongside medication, dietary regimen, and physical activity.

Phenological shifts in wild-growing plants and wild animal phenophases are well documented at many European sites. Less is known about phenological shifts in agricultural plants and how wild ecosystem phenology interacts with crop phenology. Here, we present long-term phenological observations (1961–2021) from the Czech Republic for wild plants and agricultural crops and how the timing of phenophases differs from each other. The phenology of wild-growing plants was observed at various experimental sites with no agriculture or forestry management within the Czech Hydrometeorological Institute observations. The phenological data of the crops were collected from small experimental plots at the Central Institute for Supervising and Testing in Agriculture. The data clearly show a tendency to shift to earlier times during the observation period. The data also show some asynchrony in phenological shifts. Compared with wild plants, agricultural crops showed more expressive shifts to the start of the season. Phenological trends for crop plants (Triticum aestivum) showed accelerated shifts of 4.1 and 5.1 days per decade at low and middle altitudes, respectively; on the other hand, the average phenological shift for wild plants showed smaller shifts of 2.7 and 2.9 days per decade at low and middle altitudes, respectively. The phenophase ´heading´ of T. aestivum showed the highest correlation with maximum temperatures (r = 0.9), followed by wild species (with r = 0.7–0.8) and two remaining phenophases of T. aestivum jointing and ripening (with r = 0.7 and 0.6). To better understand the impacts of climate on phenological changes, it is optimal to evaluate natural and unaffected plant responses in wild species since the phenology of field crops is most probably influenced not only by climate but also by agricultural management.

Heat stress (HS) is one of the main factors associated with welfare concerns during animal transport. The use of infrared thermography (IRT) for digitally monitoring HS in weaned piglets during transportation in a semi-arid region was investigated in the present study. A total of 60 focal piglets (25 ± 2.3 kg) were evaluated across five journeys of standard pigs-weaned loads in Ceará state, Brazil. Upon arrival at the designated farm, the piglets’ respiratory rate (RR, breaths/min), rectal temperature (RT, °C), and salivary cortisol concentration (SC, ng/mL) were measured. Furthermore, the piglets’ body (BT, °C) and ocular (OT, °C) temperatures were measured using IRT. The load’s thermal assessment was monitored for each journey using Temperature-Humidity Index (THI). The correlation between the variables and the thermal images of BT and OT were evaluated using Pearson’s coefficient analysis and agreement using Bland-Altman diagrams (P < 0.05). The study revealed a strong positive correlation between BT and OT with the piglets’ RT (BT with r = 0.78; OT with r = 0.968) and THI (BT with r = 0.7378; OT with r = 0.8115). Additionally, OT showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.749), while BT showed a moderate correlation (r = 0.691) with the animals’ RR. On the other hand, BT and OT had a low correlation with salivary cortisol. The Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated that the use of IRT exhibited practically no bias (BT = 0.1249 °C and OT = 0.02075 °C) and showed reduced limits of agreement with RT measurements. These results provide evidence that infrared thermography technology can aid technicians and pork transport companies in estimating the physiological condition of heat stress in piglets weaned in a semi-arid region, serving as a mechanism to protect animal welfare.

Accumulating evidence has shown that long-term exposure to particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) causes Th1/Th2 imbalance and increases the risk of allergic asthma (AA) in children. However, the mechanism underlying such effect remains elusive. Here, an AA mouse model was developed by intranasal administration of ovalbumin (OVA) and uncovered that OVA-sensitized mice exhibited pathological damage of lung tissues, mucus production, augmented serum IgE levels, enhanced Th2 cells and associated cytokine levels, and diminished Th1 cells and associated cytokine levels. Meanwhile, OVA induction led to upregulation of SRSF1 in mice. Moreover, shRNA-mediated knockdown of SRSF1 suppressed AA and Th1/Th2 imbalance in OVA-sensitized mice. After PM2.5 exposure, AA and Th1/Th2 imbalance were exacerbated and SRSF1 expression was increased in OVA-sensitized mice. Mechanistic experiments demonstrated that PM2.5-mediated inhibition of ALKBH5 expression augmented SRSF1 m6A modification in human bronchial epithelial cells treated with house dust mite. In this process, the m6A-reading protein YTHDF1 bound to SRSF1 mRNA and increased its stability. Furthermore, ALKBH5 overexpression neutralized PM2.5-aggravated Th1/Th2 imbalance in OVA-sensitized mice. Altogether, PM2.5 fosters Th1/Th2 imbalance in pediatric asthma by increasing SRSF1 m6A methylation through ALKBH5 downregulation.

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a major global health concern as it is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality and economic burden to the health care systems. In Germany, more than 15,000 people die every year from CAP. Climate change is altering weather patterns, and it may influence the probability and severity of CAP. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events necessitate the study of their impact on CAP hospitalizations. In this regard, we examine the influence of absolute values and changes in various meteorological and air quality conditions on the frequency of CAP hospitalizations. We matched weather data to the German CAPNETZ-Cohort of 10,660 CAP patients from 22 healthcare facilities between 2003 and 2017. Our findings show that daily fluctuations in meteorological conditions (maximum temperature, 99th percentile precipitation), apart from relative humidity, are likely to result in triggering CAP hospitalizations than absolute conditions. In contrast, the absolute values of air quality (CO, NO₂, O₃, PM_2.5, SO₂, and total aerosols) are found to exert a greater influence on CAP hospitalizations than changes in air quality. The study outcomes have implications for public health measures, early warning systems, and public awareness, with the aim of mitigating the risk of CAP.

For non-hibernating species within temperate climates, survival during severe winter weather often depends on individuals’ behavioral response and available refugia. Identifying refugia habitat that sustains populations during adverse winter conditions can be difficult and complex. This study provides an example of how modeled, biologically relevant snow and weather information can help identify important relationships between habitat selection and dynamic winter landscapes using greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus, hereafter “sage-grouse”) as a model species. We evaluated whether sage-grouse responded to weather conditions in two ways: through (1) positive selection for refugia habitat to minimize adverse weather exposure, or (2) lowered activity level to minimize thermoregulation and locomotion expense. Our results suggested that sage-grouse respond to winter weather conditions by seeking refugia rather than changing daily activity levels. During periods of lower wind chill temperatures and greater wind speeds, sage-grouse selected areas with sheltered aspects and greater sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) cover. Broadly, sage-grouse selected winter home ranges in sagebrush shrublands characterized by higher wind chill temperatures, greater wind speeds, and greater blizzarding conditions. However, within these home ranges, sage-grouse specifically selected habitats with greater above-snow sagebrush cover, lower wind speeds, and lower blizzarding conditions. Our study underscores the importance of examining habitat selection at narrower temporal scales than entire seasons and demonstrates the value of incorporating targeted weather variables that wholistically synthesize winter conditions. This research allows identification of refugia habitat that sustain populations during winter disproportionate to their spatial extent or frequency of use, facilitating more targeted management and conservation efforts.

The surface color and materials of sidewalk pavements exhibit different albedo characteristics, leading to varied surface urban heat island effects in subtropical regions. To quantify the effect of pavement surface color and material on SUHI, Prefabricated Concrete Structure brick (PCB), Granite brick (GB) and Dutch brick (DB) totaling 14 pavement samples in Hangzhou were placed under unshaded, cloud shaded and tree shaded conditions. CIELAB (International Commission on Illumination L*a*b*) color data, short-wave radiation (incoming and outgoing) and surface temperature were measured. Results showed that L*( lightness) value played a dominant role in the albedo of the pavement surface, and there was a positive correlation in summer and winter. The lower the L* value, the greater the cooling effect of the pavement under cloud and tree shaded conditions. Compared to unshaded condition, tree shade provided the highest cooling benefit of 32.2 °C in summer. Among the 3 types of pavement materials, DB had the lowest average surface temperature in summer and the highest in winter. Therefore, in cities with cold winter and hot summer, it is advised that DB with a high surface L* value be employed. The use of pavement with a low L* value should be accompanied by continuous shading measures to cool the surface temperature. These findings provide a basis for selecting low-energy embodied pavement materials for urban streets and offer important technical support for mitigating the urban heat island effect.

Reduced body size is an ecological response to climate change. Differential responses to heat stress in phenotypically diverse bovine lineages may imply a body size-dependent stress response. Heat-tolerant dwarf Vechur, Kasaragod (Bos taurus indicus), and heat-sensitive crossbred (CB, B. t. indicus x B. t. taurus) cattle were tested physiologically, biochemically, and in terms of cellular protein expression. Thirty adult lactating cows (ten Vechur, Kasaragod, and CBs each) were allowed to graze during the summer. The environmental parameters measured included Ta (ambient temperature), RH (humidity), WS (wind speed), and SR (solar radiation intensity). In addition, the temperature humidity index (THI), heat load index (HLI), and accumulated heat load (AHL) were computed. The panting score (PS) was determined using breath characteristics. Numerous physiological (rectal temperature-RT, respiratory rate-RR and pulse rate-PR), haematological, and biochemical (serum cortisol) heat stress markers were identified and validated. RT, RR and PR were evaluated to determine the linear correlation coefficients and predictors. The correlation coefficients in CB were significantly higher than in Vechur and Kasaragod (p < 0.01). Stepwise regressions showed that in CB, Ta alone was the environmental measure that best described the indicator variables PS, the difference between RT recorded at half-hour intervals (RT_diff, R² = 0.925), and white blood cell count (R² = 0.984). Differences in cellular protein expression were also evident. Under heat stress conditions, linear discriminants based on RT, RR, and PR separated dwarf (Vechur and Kasaragod) and crossbred cattle into various clusters, and significant breed-wise grouping was identified based on haematological parameters in pre-stress and heat stress. The study established the variable heat stress response of phenotypically divergent Bos lineages and relevant heat stress markers and thermal indices for measuring heat stress.