International Journal of Biometeorology最新文献

Dynamic shifts in plant phenology significantly influence global carbon cycles, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience. While conventional phenological methods primarily focus on discrete events such as the start or end of growing seasons, they often fail to capture the continuous and interconnected nature of plant growth. In this study, we address these challenges by employing the phase method——dynamic time warping, a novel framework inspired by the concept of phase in physics, to characterize phenological dynamics as a continuous process. Leveraging satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data and model simulated leaf area index (LAI) datasets, we extracted the global phenological phase shifts from 1982 to 2016. Our results revealed well-simulated spring phenological phase advances and subtle autumn phenological phase shifts in mid-to-high latitudes. However, models exhibited limited accuracy in capturing the delayed phases of the growing season in tropical regions and the advanced growing season phases in arid regions. Therefore, these findings provide new insights into vegetation dynamic responses to climate change, underscoring the long-term and global ecological impacts. They also highlight the necessity of integrating phenological phase responses into climate models to enhance predictive accuracy.

This study combines the method of climate analogue regions with a bioclimatic approach. Bioclimate analogue regions were determined for the Rhenish lignite mining area in western Germany, which will face a major structural change in the following decades. These analogue regions currently experience a similar number of days with heat stress compared to the projected future (RCP8.5) at the end of the century in the investigation area. The method is based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) parameters temperature, solar radiation, wind and relative humidity in 3-h temporal resolution while taking day- and night-time values into account. The analogues were calculated for an ensemble of 15 GCM-RCM model combinations from EURO-CORDEX data. The results suggest that analogue regions of the Rhenish lignite mining area are most likely to be found in southern Europe. The highest similarities for the whole ensemble can be found around the Gulf du Lion in southern France. However, some other regions, e.g. around the Black Sea, north of the Balkan Mountains or south of Bordeaux are good fits in some individual model results. While some of these regions are in accordance with previous studies on climate analogue regions, some others were unexpected. The study further shows advantages of using full-coverage instead of punctual data for climate analogue determination, as the results in this study exhibit a high level of spatial detail. For areas facing major structural changes, knowledge of possible climate futures and their present examples can be key aspects for regional planning.

This study evaluated patient satisfaction and expectation levels in individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP), myofascial pain syndrome (MPS), and knee osteoarthritis (KOA) who received mud pack therapy (MPT). It also investigated the relationship between these conditions and pain levels, global assessment results, and side effects. We assessed 250 patients (n = 74 for LBP, n = 75 for MPS, n = 101 for KOA) who underwent twelve sessions of MPT at 43 °C, lasting 30 min each. Patients continued their routine care and completed surveys on satisfaction and expectations, as well as measures of pain (VAS-pain), global assessment (VAS-PGA), and acceptable symptom state (PASS). Satisfaction levels were reported as “satisfied” or “definitely satisfied” by 93.1% to 96% of patients. Expectations were met by 86.7% to 89.2% of patients. Both VAS-pain and VAS-PGA showed statistically significant improvements after treatment (p < 0.001), though there were no differences between groups (p = 0.794 for VAS-pain, p = 0.234 for VAS-PGA). The PASS evaluation showed no significant group differences (p = 0.274). No serious side effects were reported, except for mild, short-term increases in pain. MPT is an effective treatment providing significant pain relief for LBP, MPS, and KOA patients, with high satisfaction and expectation fulfillment among participants.

Balneotherapy has traditionally been associated with skin health and psychological well-being. However, few studies have assessed its effects during extended use in real-world, community-based settings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of repeated balneotherapy on skin barrier function and psychological stress regulation in middle-aged women. A 16-week quasi-experimental trial was conducted in Asan, Republic of Korea, involving 58 community-dwelling women aged 40–64 years. Participants were assigned to either an intervention group (n = 29), which received biweekly 20-minute immersion sessions in naturally mineralized hot spring water, or a control group (n = 29) with no spa exposure. Primary outcomes included corneometry-based skin hydration and transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Secondary outcomes were assessed using the Stress Response Inventory (SRI), salivary cortisol, heart rate variability (HRV), and the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Significant in-group improvements were observed in the intervention group for skin hydration (p < 0.001), TEWL (p < 0.001), and SRI scores (p = 0.043). Between-group comparisons at week 16 showed significant differences for skin hydration, TEWL, SRI, and PGIC (all p < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found for salivary cortisol or HRV. Repeated balneotherapy over 16 weeks improved skin barrier function and reduced psychological stress in middle-aged women. These findings support the feasibility of thermal bathing as a non-pharmacologic, community-based intervention for preventive wellness and highlight the need for larger randomized trials with long-term follow-up.

Indeed, dengue is known as the most widely distributed and rapidly transmitted mosquito-borne infection in the world. Climate change plays a significant role in both the temporal and spatial distribution of vector-borne diseases. The main objective of this investigation was to examine the impact of seasonal factors and the relationship between climate and dengue risk in the vicinity of Lahore, Pakistan, from 2007 to 2018. This study employed the generalized linear model (GLM) approach in combination with negative Poisson and binomial distributions. Hotspot areas were identified using ArcGIS, which may have the potential for a high concentration of reported dengue cases in the Lahore area. Based on the results, it has been confirmed that there was a seasonal fluctuation in the number of dengue cases per month, which correlated with the seasonality of climatic variables. Furthermore, the best-fitting model included average temperature (< 22°C) and precipitation—both lagged by one month and controlled by year. According to this model, each 1°C increase in a month’s average temperature was associated with a 12% decrease in dengue cases, whereas each 10 mm increase in precipitation was associated with a 5% increase in dengue cases in the following month. Many factors, including the climate, contribute to the incidence of dengue cases, yet their role remains incompletely understood. Understanding climate is essential for analyzing epidemic risk and improving protective measures. This study highlights the need to improve dengue surveillance, epidemiology, and community health structure to safeguard and control future dengue outbreaks.

Load-cooling methods are commonly used to mitigate heat stress in piglets during road transport. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pre-transport Load-Cooling Through Showering (LCTS) and associated heat stress in piglets transported by road in semiarid climate. Environmental (e.g., temperature and relative humidity) and physiological (e.g., respiratory rate and salivary cortisol concentration) parameters were recorded during fourteen 68 km commercial piglet transports in Ceará, Brazil, involving 168 piglets (12 per journey). The study revealed increases of 13% in relative humidity and 8.74 kJ/kg in trailer enthalpy values for piglets subjected to the LCTS protocol. Additionally, these piglets exhibited significantly higher salivary cortisol levels and higher respiratory rates. In the experimental conditions of the research, the LCTS protocol. proved to be ineffective and adverse, worsening heat stress rather than alleviating it, and causing unnecessary waste in semiarid regions. Producers in these areas should adopt alternatives such as shaded holding areas, ventilation, or evaporative cooling systems, which promote piglet welfare and sustainable water use.

Global warming has significantly increased the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, posing serious threats to the health of middle-aged and elderly adults. Hypertension is a common chronic disease that is profoundly affected by extreme heat. However, spatial variations in its relationship with heatwave exposure remain insufficiently studied. This study aims to evaluate the impact of heatwaves on hypertension and investigate its spatial heterogeneity. Utilizing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) from the baseline year (2015) to follow-up year (2018), we included 7152 participants aged 45 and older. Average heatwave intensity was employed as the exposure metric. Global logistic regression (GLR) models assessed the association between heatwave exposure and hypertension risk. Geographically weighted logistic regression (GWLR) models were utilized to examine the spatial variations in this relationship. The results show that heatwave exposure increased hypertension risk by 9.7% (odds ratio (OR) = 1.097, 95% CI = 1.016–1.185, P = 0.018). The GWLR models revealed significantly higher hypertension risk in southern China compared to northern regions, with OR values ranging from 1.027 to 1.120. Key risk factors for hypertension include marital status (excluding married/cohabiting, OR: 0.993–1.105), uneducated individuals (OR: 1.083–1.138), overweight/obese individuals (OR: 1.293–1.420), and fasting blood glucose (OR: 1.071–1.114). Conversely, a higher estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is considered to be a protective factor (OR: 0.848–0.987). No significant geographic correlations were found between hypertension risk and gender, residence, smoking, or drinking. This study found a significant spatial heterogeneity association between heatwave exposure and increased hypertension risk among middle-aged and older adults in China. Our findings underscore the need for targeted public health interventions, especially for high-risk populations during heatwaves.

The rapid urbanization of cities has made maintaining thermal comfort increasingly challenging across various climates. This systematic review examines bioclimatic design strategies from January 2000 to February 2025, focusing on their effectiveness in reducing heat stress and improving thermal comfort in urban environments. A bibliometric analysis using R Studio’s Biblioshiny and VOSviewer identified key research themes and significant contributions to the field. The study examined bioclimatic design trends, highlighting innovations that enhance building thermal performance and occupant comfort. It assessed climate change impacts on human health, particularly heat stress in urban areas, and analyzed how bioclimatic design mitigates thermal stress and discomfort. The research also explored the effectiveness of passive design strategies across varying urban climates and identified urban planning measures to improve resilience against heat-related risks. The findings emphasise the need to integrate climate-responsive design with urban planning to create thermally comfortable and resilient cities amid ongoing climate change.

Every year, millions of people travel to altitudes above 2,500 m for work or leisure, risking acute mountain sickness (AMS). The role of fluid retention in AMS development is controversial. This study examines the ability of simple hydration markers, collected within hours of arrival at high-altitude (HA), to predict AMS development. In 32 healthy, AMS susceptible individuals (female: 17; mean age: 38 ± 12 years), body mass (BM) and AMS severity were monitored over 21 h at HA (3,650 m). Fluid intake and toilet visits were recorded. BM changes within 3 and 9 h correlated with AMS severity the next morning (r²=0.168, p = 0.011 and r²=0.235, p = 0.003, respectively). Individuals with and without AMS showed different BM changes within 9 h (+ 1.18 ± 0.99 vs. +0.66 ± 0.65, p = 0.048, Cohens d = 0.62). Excessive early BM increase may indicate later onset of AMS, possibly related to fluid retention.