International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

The aim of this study was evaluating the effect of peloidotherapy, included in the postoperative rehabilitation, on functional outcomes in patients who have undergone surgical treatment for rotator cuff tears (RCTs) and superior labrum anterior-posterior SLAP tears, and to assess the short-term clinical outcomes of the early rehabilitation protocol. The study was prospective, randomized, controlled, and single-blind. Sixty patients were sequentially enrolled and randomly divided into two groups (30 each) using a computer-generated random number table. Assessments were performed by a blinded researcher, and statistical analysis was conducted by a blinded biostatistician. Group 1 received peloidotherapy(44–45 °C), TENS, and exercise, while Group 2 received a hot pack, TENS, and exercise. Patients were evaluated using VAS, SPADI, and goniometer measurements before treatment and after. Intra-group analyses showed significant decreases in pain–activity/rest VAS, and SPADI scores, increases in all shoulder ROM measures. Between groups, flexion, abduction, and adduction differed significantly, while other shoulder movements and pain–activity/rest VAS, and SPADI scores showed no significant differences. Comparison of difference scores showed no significant changes except for adduction, which differed significantly between groups. A significant between-group difference was observed only in the number of patients achieving MCID for disability SPADI. The addition of peloidotherapy to the rehabilitation program after arthroscopic RCTs and SLAP tear repair has been shown to have similar effects to hot pack application. An early rehabilitation protocol using peloidotherapy and physiotherapy may improve upper extremity performance and quality of life by speeding up functional recovery.

Observable climate change has led to an increase in compound heat events, thereby amplifying the economic impacts of labor heat stress and necessitating intervention strategies. Current research lacks high-resolution precision in projecting future heat stress and quantifying adaptation strategies, which is particularly critical for China given its spatial disparities in climate, workforce distribution, and economic development. This study integrates high-resolution CMIP6 climate models, a Wet-bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) algorithm, and localized Exposure-response Functions (ERFs) to project heat-induced labor productivity loss across China under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. It systematically analyzes and quantitatively compares the effectiveness of two adaptation strategies (shading and work schedule adjustments) while estimating direct economic losses in outdoor heavy labor industries. This study precisely identifies the thermal stress hotspots categorized as primary (South China: loss rate > 11%, increment 5–7%), secondary (middle-lower Yangtze River: 7–11% loss, 3–5% increment), and tertiary hotspots (Yangtze River Delta & North China Plain: 6–9% loss, 2–4% increment) based on productivity loss magnitudes. Our findings also reveal that optimal strategies diverge north-south along the 33°N: shading dominates in the south and schedule adjustments in the north due to distinct heat patterns, though future climate trends may reduce the efficacy of time shift adjustments nationwide. Additionally, economic loss estimation reveals surging heat-induced losses in agriculture and construction over two decades (annual growth rates of 11.16% and 20.69%, respectively), with combined strategies potentially reducing direct losses by 65–70% in hotspot provinces. These findings enable province- and industry-specific intervention designs considering regional climate variations and strategy effectiveness.

Plant spring phenology advancements have been broadly observed, but the change in autumn phenology has varied greatly among different regions and species under global warming. Moreover, how plant phenology responds to climate change in grasslands and deserts is not well understood compared with that in forests. Here, we used long-term (2005 ~ 2020) phenological and climatic in situ observation data from six grassland and desert sites in China to analyze temporal trends in the start (SOS) and end (EOS) of the growing season for 27 herbaceous and shrub species and their responses to climatic factors. The results demonstrated that 70% of the species presented an earlier SOS and that 59% of the species presented an earlier EOS, which resulted in a shortened growing season (LOS) for 41% of the species. The LOS trends were driven by EOS trends, which had greater variation (1.2 days yr^− 1) than did the SOS trends (0.5 days yr^− 1). The significant changes in EOS were associated mainly with soil moisture in autumn for shrub species. We should be cautious in using the relationship between EOS and SOS to simulate the EOS in models because their correlation is statistically significant only for a small subset of species. This study highlights a greater variability of autumn phenological changes in grassland and desert ecosystems and reveals the critical contributions of spring daytime temperature and autumn soil moisture to phenological changes. We recommend considering the divergent autumn phenological responses to climate factors, especially soil moisture, among plant life forms and species in terrestrial ecosystem models by improving the model structure and involving species-specific parameters.

Thermal requirements is a tool to predict plant leaf development. This study aimed to estimate the cardinal temperatures and phyllochron for the foliar development of seedlings from four neotropical forest species native to Brazilian biomes. An experiment was conducted using various sowing dates to provide a wide range of temperature regimes, to estimate the base (Tb), optimum (Topt), and maximum (TB) temperature and phyllochron of Handroanthus heptaphyllus, Tabebuia roseoalba, Ceiba speciosa, and Schinus terebinthifolia. The results indicated significant variations in the cardinal temperatures and phyllochron among the four species. The cardinal temperatures for leaf development for H. heptaphyllus, T. roseoalba, C. speciosa, and S. terebinthifolia were, respectively: (i) Tb: 11.3 °C, 10.0 °C, 11.5 °C and 9.8 °C; (ii) TB: 50.3 °C, 53.2 °C, 57.6 °C and 52.6 °C; and (iii) Topt: 24.3 °C, 24.5 °C, 22.7 °C and 24.8 °C. The H. heptaphyllus was more sensitive to extreme temperatures due to higher Tb values and lower TB values. Furthermore, disparities were observed between species and sowing times concerning the determination of the phyllochron, ranging from 88.5 (H. heptaphyllus) to 298.4 (C. speciosa) °C day^− 1, indicating that differences in the early development behavior of these species. These provide important insights into seedlings of neotropical biological and ecological aspects and enhance our understanding of crucial parameters for modelling vegetal development. This study successfully estimates the cardinal temperatures and phyllochron for foliar development of four important forest species native to Brazilian biomes, thereby contributing to the knowledge base of forestry research.

Global temperatures are gradually increasing, and people are facing the risk of thermal injury when exercising in hot outdoor environments, and are especially susceptible to heatstroke when working in high temperature outdoor environments. Currently, most of the existing studies focus on the changes of human physiological parameters during exercise in hot environments, and there are limited studies on post-exercise recovery, and most of the studies on physiological parameters during the post-exercise recovery period have been conducted in indoor environments. In this study, Participants performed different exercise intensities in a hot outdoor environment characterized by a Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) of 31 ± 0.28 ℃—a comprehensive thermal stress index that integrates ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation to quantify heat-related physiological impact on humans. Participants moved at 5 km h⁻¹, 7 km h⁻¹, and 8 km h⁻¹ for moderate, high, and very high exercise. The experiment collected objective physiological parameters (heart rate, core temperature) continuously during the 20-minute pre-exercise rest period, throughout exercise, and 50-minute post-exercise recovery, as well as subjective thermal responses, which were assessed only before exercise initiation and immediately after exercise cessation. Additionally, the Physiological Strain Index (PSI) - a comprehensive metric integrating core temperature and heart rate to quantify human thermal strain on a 0–10 scale – was used to define post-exercise recovery completion (with PSI ≤ 2 as the recovery criterion). The results showed that the recovery time of moderate exercise was smaller than 5 min. In contrast, high-intensity and above exercises necessitate longer recovery periods. There was a strong correlation between core temperature at the conclusion of such exercises and the required recovery time. Based on this relationship, a predictive equation for recovery time was developed using core temperature at the end of exercise, achieving an R² value of 0.83. The results of this paper can provide recommendations for the length of recovery time for operators in high temperature environments, thus protecting the safety of operators.

Coastal regions across Europe face rising sea levels and climate change-related extreme weather conditions such as more frequent and intense heat waves, floods, droughts, and storms. As climate change and rapid urbanization continue to pose significant challenges to the resilience of cities, knowledge from LCZ studies has the potential to generate targeted adaptation strategies that address the unique thermal performance characteristics of different urban areas. A range of physical characteristics, such as the density and type of buildings, the presence of vegetation and the amount of impervious surface, defines local climatic zones. The study focuses on the change in LCZ classification (1 to 10 and A to G) between 2003 and 2023 and its relationship with LST. The most pronounced increase occurred in LCZ3 (compact low-rise), with an expansion of 139 km², equivalent to more than a tenfold (1158%) rise from its 2003 extent. It was found that areas classified as LCZD (low plants) in 2003 were transformed into LCZ9 (sparsely built areas) in 2023. The transformation of vegetated areas into urban areas in the study area demonstrates the striking impact of urbanization over the last 20 years.

Wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is widely used to simulate outdoor environments in indoor experiments. However, the effects of comparable WBGT conditions with and without solar heat load on thermoregulatory responses are unclear. This study investigated thermoregulatory responses in comparable WBGT environments with and without artificial solar heat load (Solar: 800 W∙m^− 2 and No-Solar, respectively) and a condition with the same ambient temperature and relative humidity, but without solar heat (CON) during sedentary rest. Eleven healthy male participants were exposed to ~ 28 °C WBGT under Solar and No-Solar conditions or ~ 25 °C WBGT in CON. Thermoregulatory responses, including rectal temperature and mean skin temperature, forearm and chest sweat rate, and skin blood flow were measured during 60 min of seated rest. Solar exposure significantly increased rectal temperature compared with No-Solar exposure (0.10 ± 0.15 °C vs. 0.01 ± 0.15 °C, p ≤ 0.041), whereas CON had the lowest rectal temperature (− 0.09 ± 0.11 °C, p ≤ 0.041). Similar patterns were observed for mean skin temperature. Forearm and chest sweat rates were significantly higher in Solar than in No-Solar and CON (p ≤ 0.013), and body mass loss was greater in Solar (319 ± 149 g∙h^− 1) than in No-Solar (197 ± 95 g∙h^− 1) and CON (138 ± 68 g∙h^− 1, p ≤ 0.002). These findings suggest that despite comparable WBGT conditions, solar heat exacerbates thermoregulatory strain and hydration demands. Effective solar mitigation strategies and adequate fluid intake are crucial to prevent dehydration and heat-related stress during outdoor activities.

Clinical assessment of parameters that give indications of the health status and fitness of horses are very important in equine practice. The study aimed to compare the resting body temperatures at different anatomical sites and resting pulse rates of athletic and non-athletic horses. Eighteen horses were used for the study, comprising ten athletic and eight non-athletic horses. Measurements of environmental parameters, rectal temperature (RT), body surface temperature (BST) and pulse rate were recorded between 9 and 11 am twice with one week interval at the Ibadan Polo Club, Eleyele, Ibadan, Oyo State. The environmental parameters were slightly above the established thermoneutral zone for horses. The RT (37.7 ± 0.22 ℃) and BST values obtained in the athletic horses were not significantly (P ˃ 0.05) different from the RT (37.6 ± 0.26 ℃) and BST values recorded in the non-athletic horses. The pulse rate recorded in the athletic horses (35.2 ± 4.79 beats/minute) was significantly (P ˂ 0.05) lower than that obtained in the non-athletic horses (39.6 ± 3.44 beats/minute), with a p-value of 0.004. The mean bias differences of the base of the tail temperatures of athletic and non-athletic horses are 0.55 ± 0.35 °C and 0.31 ± 0.41 °C, respectively and were the closest to RT values in both groups. In conclusion, the resting pulse rate obtained in the athletic horses was significantly lower compared with the non-athletic horses, which is a very important indicator of the health status and physical fitness of the horses. The base of the tail temperature, using infrared thermometer is reliable and closest to the core body temperature.

Humid heat extremes are expected to intensify in conjunction with rising global temperatures, leading to prolonged and elevated exposure to hazardous levels of heat stress (HS). Even moderate levels of HS have been observed to trigger a range of health and socioeconomic impacts, underscoring the need for regional climate information. Therefore, we examine the present and future conditions of two different HS indices, wet bulb temperature (WBT) and environmental stress index (ESI), for the first time at such high resolution over northwestern Türkiye using a non-hydrostatic regional climate model, COSMO-CLM. The study is also pioneering in its effort to assess population exposure to these indices at the provincial scale. The findings indicate that the most substantial shifts in the probability density function of both HS indices from the middle of the 21^st century onward are expected to occur in June relative to the reference period. However, WBT intensity with ~ 4 °C increase is projected to undergo the most significant change in September, while ESI has the largest increase in July. According to ESI projections, almost all areas (> 95%) in cities such as Istanbul, Tekirdağ, Edirne and Çanakkale will experience severe HS at least once in July after 2071, while based on WBT projections, the same cities will face similar conditions after 2091. The 2091–2100 period will be subject to the longest exposure duration, the greatest areal expansion, and the highest population exposure levels. Conversely, Kütahya, Bilecik, and Kırklareli are expected to have the least substantial increase in exposure among 12 cities.

The Tibet Autonomous Region, the world’s highest region, faces high tuberculosis (TB) rates, exacerbated by its unique environment and climate. However, the combined impact of air pollution and meteorological factors exposure on the prevalence of TB remains understudied. Daily data on TB cases, air pollutants (PM₁₀, PM_2.5, SO₂, NO₂, O₃, and CO), and meteorological factors (temperature, precipitation, and wind speed) between 2019 and 2023 were collected. Weighted Quantile Sum (WQS) regression and Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) models were employed to assess the combined and individual effects of these environmental factors on TB prevalence. Moreover, gender, occupation, and year-specific distinction were explored using subgroup analysis. A total of 18,347 new TB cases were reported during the study period, with a positive association between environmental factors and the prevalence of TB. The WQS model showed a positive combined effect of environmental factors on daily TB cases (OR:1.58, 95%CI:1.46–1.71), and the weight of precipitation and PM₁₀ were 0.55 and 0.59, respectively. BKMR analysis further confirmed a positive association between overall environmental factors and TB, highlighting precipitation as the most significant independent factor and potential interactions among environmental variables. Subgroup analyses confirmed a consistent positive association between environmental factors and TB cases, with PM₁₀ and precipitation being most influential, precipitation more significant for females, and PM₁₀ dominant among farmers and students. Exposure to air pollution and meteorological factors has a significant impact on the cases of TB. Notably, PM₁₀ and precipitation are identified as primary determinants, with distinct variations observed among females, farmers, and students. Accurate estimates are essential for informing public health interventions, optimizing resource allocation, and developing effective clinical strategies in high-altitude regions.