Daily Mean Ambient Temperature Research Articles

Short-term effects of ambient temperature variability on myocardial infarction hospitalizations in Sweden: A nationwide case-crossover study

Abstract Background Climate change threatens human health and general welfare via multiple dimensions. However, the short-term effect of temperature variability, a crucial aspect of climate change, on myocardial infarction (MI) remains largely unexplored. Purpose We aimed to assess the short-term effects of temperature variability on MI hospitalizations within the nationwide SWEDEHEART registry. Methods This population-based nationwide study involved 228,897 MI patients from the SWEDEHEART registry in Sweden from 2005 to 2019. High-resolution (1 km × 1 km) daily mean ambient temperature was estimated using a spatiotemporal machine learning methodology and assigned to patients’ home addresses. Temperature variability was calculated as the difference between the same-day (as the MI event) ambient temperature and the average temperature recorded over the preceding seven days. Specifically, an upward temperature shift represents a rise in the current day’s temperature relative to the seven-day average, while a downward temperature shift indicates a corresponding decrease. A time-stratified case-crossover design incorporating a conditional logistic regression model with distributed lag non-linear model was applied to estimate the association between ambient temperature variability and total MI, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Moreover, we assessed potential effect modification by sex and medication intake. The results were expressed as odds ratio (OR, with their 95% confidence intervals [CIs]) per 1°C increase in temperature variability. Results Our study found that a 1°C increase in upward temperature shift was significantly associated with increased risks for total MI, STEMI, and NSTEMI (OR [95% CI]: 1.010 [1.006-1.015], 1.014 [1.006-1.022], and 1.009 [1.004-1.014], respectively). Furthermore, a 1°C greater in downward temperature shift was significantly associated with decreased risks for total MI and NSTEMI (OR [95% CI]: 0.995 [0.991-0.999], and 0.993 [0.988-0.998], respectively). Moreover, we found that males and patients who were on any heart medication, particularly digitalis, were at a higher risk of MI associated with exposure to higher upward temperature shifts compared to females and their counterparts not taking these medications. Conclusions This nationwide case-crossover study provides novel evidence that short-term exposure to increasing upward temperature shift is associated with an increased risk of MI hospitalization. Our finding highlights the cardiovascular health threats posed by upward temperature shifts, which are anticipated to increase in frequency and intensity due to climate change.

The clutch size, incubation behavior of Reeves's Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) and their responses to ambient temperature and precipitation

Weather conditions play a pivotal role in embryo development and parental incubation costs, potentially impacting the clutch size and incubation behavior of birds. Understanding these effects is crucial for bird conservation. Reeves's Pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii) is a threatened species endemic to China, which is characterized by female-only incubation. However, there is a lack of information regarding the impact of weather conditions on clutch size and incubation behavior in this species. Using satellite tracking, we tracked 27 wild female Reeves's Pheasants from 2020 to 2023 in Hubei Province, China. We explored their clutch size and incubation behavior, as well as their responses to ambient temperature and precipitation. Clutch size averaged 7.75 ± 1.36, had an association with average ambient temperature and average daily precipitation during the egg-laying period, and was potentially linked to female breeding attempts. Throughout the incubation period, females took an average of 0.73 ± 0.46 recesses every 24 h, with an average recess duration of 100.80 ± 73.37 min and an average nest attendance of 92.98 ± 5.27%. They showed a unimodal recess pattern in which nest departures peaked primarily between 13:00 and 16:00. Furthermore, females rarely left nests when daily precipitation was high. Recess duration and nest attendance were influenced by the interaction between daily mean ambient temperature and daily precipitation, as well as day of incubation. Additionally, there was a positive correlation between clutch size and recess duration. These results contribute valuable insights into the life-history features of this endangered species.

Drinking water intake, milk production, and grazing behaviour of alpine dairy goats in response to daytime water restriction on temperate pastures

Certain local breeds of goats have adapted to severe water restriction in arid and semi-arid regions, but little is known about the adaptability of high-producing dairy goats to water restriction while grazing under temperate conditions. The aim of this study was to assess effects of water restriction of lactating Alpine goats during the daytime at pasture (8 h/d) on herd-level drinking water intake and individual milk production and grazing time. Goats remained in the barn between evening and morning milkings, where each animal was offered 600 g of concentrate and 400 g of hay each day, with free access to water. Twenty four goats were used in a crossover design, for two consecutive 14-d periods. The study was conducted in early summer, with a daily mean ambient temperature of 18.2 ± 3.5 °C (range of 13–27 °C over all the study days), a mean temperature-humidity index of 64 ± 4.9 (range of 56–76). Goats had access to a high-quality multispecies pasture with a mean of 216 ± 44 g DM/kg fresh matter. Total drinking water intake averaged 5.57 L/d and did not differ significantly between treatments. Goats with water access at pasture drank a mean of 1.88 L of water per day during the grazing period, but drank 2.24 L less per day in the barn than goats without water access at pasture. Drinking water intake increased by 0.57 L per day for each °C increase in daily mean ambient temperature. Daily milk production, milk composition, body weight, and daily grazing time did not differ between treatments. Only the duration of the first morning meal at pasture differed significantly between treatments. Thus, water restriction for 8 h per day during grazing periods does not seem to influence the variables measured for Alpine dairy goats under temperate conditions.

Association between ambient temperature exposure and pregnancy outcomes in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization in Shanghai, China: a retrospective cohort study.

Does ambient temperature exposure affect outcomes including clinical pregnancy and live birth in women undergoing IVF? Both extreme cold and hot ambient temperatures were significantly associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes of IVF cycles. Heat exposure has been linked to adverse pregnancy outcomes worldwide. However, the effect of ambient temperature on infertile women undergoing IVF treatment is unclear. A retrospective cohort study was conducted from a database of 3452 infertile women who underwent their first fresh or frozen embryo transfer in the Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital from April 2016 to December 2020. Daily mean ambient temperature exposure for each patient was obtained based on their residential address. Temperature-stratified multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate associations between temperature exposure and pregnancy outcomes after controlling for confounders. Vulnerable sub-groups were identified using forest plots. The clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate were 45.7% and 37.1%, respectively. Regarding clinical pregnancy, a higher temperature during cold weather was significantly associated with a higher pregnancy rate in the period about 11 weeks before ovarian stimulation (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.102, 95% CI: 1.012-1.201). Regarding live birth, an increased temperature during cold weather was significantly related to a higher live birth rate in the period after confirmation of clinical pregnancy or biochemical pregnancy, with the aORs of 6.299 (95% CI: 3.949-10.047) or 10.486 (95% CI: 5.609-19.620), respectively. However, a higher temperature during hot weather was negatively associated with the live birth rate in the periods after confirmation of clinical pregnancy or biochemical pregnancy, with the aORs at 0.186 (95% CI: 0.121-0.285) or 0.302 (95% CI: 0.224-0.406), respectively. Moreover, the decline in live birth rates during cold and hot weather was accompanied by increased rates of early miscarriage (P < 0.05). Stratified analyses identified susceptibility characteristics among the participants. Climate monitoring data were used to represent individual temperature exposure levels according to the patient's residential address in the study. We were not able to obtain information of personal outdoor activity and use of indoor air conditioners in this retrospective study, which may affect actual temperature exposure. This study highlights that the ambient temperature exposure should be taken into account during IVF treatment and afterwards. There is a need to be alert to extremes in cold and hot ambient temperatures, especially during the period of follicle development and pregnancy. With this knowledge, clinicians can scientifically determine the timing of IVF treatment and reinforce patients' awareness of self-protection to minimize adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with extreme temperatures. This work was supported by a grant from the Clinical Research Plan of Shanghai Hospital Development Center [SHDC2020CR4080], a grant from the Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality [19411960500], and two grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [81871213, 81671468]. B.W.M. is supported by a NHMRC Investigator grant (GNT1176437). B.W.M. reports consultancy for ObsEva, and research grants from Merck KGaA, Ferring and Guerbet. The other authors have no conflict of interest to declare. N/A.

Temperature-related mortality and associated vulnerabilities: evidence from Scotland using extended time-series datasets

BackgroundAdverse health impacts have been found under extreme temperatures in many parts of the world. The majority of such research to date for the UK has been conducted on populations in England, whilst the impacts of ambient temperature on health outcomes in Scottish populations remain largely unknown.MethodsThis study uses time-series regression analysis with distributed lag non-linear models to characterise acute relationships between daily mean ambient temperature and mortality in Scotland including the four largest cities (Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow) and three regions during 1974–2018. Increases in mortality risk under extreme cold and heat in individual cities and regions were aggregated using multivariate meta-analysis. Cold results are summarised by comparing the relative risk (RR) of death at the 1st percentile of localised temperature distributions compared to the 10th percentile, and heat effects as the RR at the 99th compared to the 90th percentile.ResultsAdverse cold effects were observed in all cities and regions, and heat effects were apparent in all cities and regions except northern Scotland. Aggregate all-cause mortality risk in Scotland was estimated to increase by 10% (95% confidence interval, CI: 7%, 13%) under extreme cold and 4% (CI: 2%, 5%) under extreme heat. People in urban areas experienced higher mortality risk under extreme cold and heat than those in rural regions. The elderly had the highest RR under both extreme cold and heat. Males experienced greater cold effects than females, whereas the reverse was true with heat effects, particularly among the elderly. Those who were unmarried had higher RR than those married under extreme heat, and the effect remained after controlling for age. The younger population living in the most deprived areas experienced higher cold and heat effects than in less deprived areas. Deaths from respiratory diseases were most sensitive to both cold and heat exposures, although mortality risk for cardiovascular diseases was also heightened, particularly in the elderly. Cold effects were lower in the most recent 15 years, which may be linked to policies and actions in preventing the vulnerable population from cold impacts. No temporal trend was found with the heat effect.ConclusionsThis study assesses mortality risk associated with extreme temperatures in Scotland and identifies those groups who would benefit most from targeted actions to reduce cold- and heat-related mortalities.

Effects of ambient temperature on hospital admissions for obstructive nephropathy in Wuhan, China: A time-series analysis

Under the background of global warming, it has been confirmed that heat exposure has a huge impact on human health. The current study aimed to evaluate the effects of daily mean ambient temperature on hospital admissions for obstructive nephropathy (ON) at the population level. A total of 19,494 hospitalization cases for ON in Wuhan, China from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2018 were extracted from a nationwide inpatient database in tertiary hospitals according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)− 10 codes. Daily ambient meteorological and pollution data during the same period were also collected. A quasi-Poisson Generalized Linear Model (GLM) combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) was applied to analyze the lag-exposure-response relationship between daily mean temperature and daily hospital admissions for ON. Results showed that there were significantly positive associations between the daily mean temperature and ON hospital admissions. Relative to the minimum-risk temperature (−3.4 ℃), the risk of hospital admissions for ON at moderate hot temperature (25 ℃, 75th percentile) occurred from lag day 4 and stayed to lag day 12 (cumulative relative risk [RR] was 1.846, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 1.135–3.005, over lag 0–12 days). Moreover, the risk of extreme hot temperature (32 ℃, 99th percentile) appeared immediately and lasted for 8 days (RR = 2.019, 95 % CI: 1.308–3.118, over lag 0–8 days). Subgroup analyses indicated that the middle-aged and elderly (≥45 years) patients might be more susceptible to the negative effects of high temperature, especially at moderate hot conditions. Our findings suggest that temperature may have a significant impact on the acute progression and onset of ON. Higher temperature is associated with increased risks of hospital admissions for ON, which indicates that early interventions should be taken in geographical settings with relatively high temperatures, particularly for the middle-aged and elderly.

Coronavirus seasonality, respiratory infections and weather

BackgroundThe survival of coronaviruses are influenced by weather conditions and seasonal coronaviruses are more common in winter months. We examine the seasonality of respiratory infections in England and Wales and the associations between weather parameters and seasonal coronavirus cases.MethodsRespiratory virus disease data for England and Wales between 1989 and 2019 was extracted from the Second-Generation Surveillance System (SGSS) database used for routine surveillance. Seasonal coronaviruses from 2012 to 2019 were compared to daily average weather parameters for the period before the patient’s specimen date with a range of lag periods.ResultsThe seasonal distribution of 985,524 viral infections in England and Wales (1989–2019) showed coronavirus infections had a similar seasonal distribution to influenza A and bocavirus, with a winter peak between weeks 2 to 8. Ninety percent of infections occurred where the daily mean ambient temperatures were below 10 °C; where daily average global radiation exceeded 500 kJ/m2/h; where sunshine was less than 5 h per day; or where relative humidity was above 80%. Coronavirus infections were significantly more common where daily average global radiation was under 300 kJ/m2/h (OR 4.3; CI 3.9–4.6; p < 0.001); where average relative humidity was over 84% (OR 1.9; CI 3.9–4.6; p < 0.001); where average air temperature was below 10 °C (OR 6.7; CI 6.1–7.3; p < 0.001) or where sunshine was below 4 h (OR 2.4; CI 2.2–2.6; p < 0.001) when compared to the distribution of weather values for the same time period. Seasonal coronavirus infections in children under 3 years old were more frequent at the start of an annual epidemic than at the end, suggesting that the size of the susceptible child population may be important in the annual cycle.ConclusionsThe dynamics of seasonal coronaviruses reflect immunological, weather, social and travel drivers of infection. Evidence from studies on different coronaviruses suggest that low temperature and low radiation/sunlight favour survival. This implies a seasonal increase in SARS-CoV-2 may occur in the UK and countries with a similar climate as a result of an increase in the R0 associated with reduced temperatures and solar radiation. Increased measures to reduce transmission will need to be introduced in winter months for COVID-19.

Ambient temperature and mental health hospitalizations in Bern, Switzerland: A 45-year time-series study.

Psychiatric disorders constitute a major public health concern that are associated with substantial health and socioeconomic burden. Psychiatric patients may be more vulnerable to high temperatures, which under current climate change projections will most likely increase the burden of this public health concern. This study investigated the short-term association between ambient temperature and mental health hospitalizations in Bern, Switzerland. Daily hospitalizations for mental disorders between 1973 and 2017 were collected from the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Bern. Population-weighted daily mean ambient temperatures were derived for the catchment area of the hospital from 2.3-km gridded weather maps. Conditional quasi-Poisson regression with distributed lag linear models were applied to assess the association up to three days after the exposure. Stratified analyses were conducted by age, sex, and subdiagnosis, and by subperiods (1973-1989 and 1990-2017). Additional subanalyses were performed to assess whether larger risks were found during the warm season or were due to heatwaves. The study included a total number of 88,996 hospitalizations. Overall, the hospitalization risk increased linearly by 4.0% (95% CI 2.0%, 7.0%) for every 10°C increase in mean daily temperature. No evidence of a nonlinear association or larger risks during the warm season or heatwaves was found. Similar estimates were found across for all sex and age categories, and larger risks were found for hospitalizations related to developmental disorders (29.0%; 95% CI 9.0%, 54.0%), schizophrenia (10.0%; 95% CI 4.0%, 15.0%), and for the later rather than the earlier period (5.0%; 95% CI 2.0%, 8.0% vs. 2.0%; 95% CI -3.0%, 8.0%). Our findings suggest that increasing temperatures could negatively affect mental status in psychiatric patients. Specific public health policies are urgently needed to protect this vulnerable population from the effects of climate change.

Association between ambient temperature and sex offense: A case-crossover study in seven large US cities, 2007–2017

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Sexual violence is an important global public health concern. Whether it could be affected by temperature rise is attracting increasing attention in the context of climate change. We aimed to evaluate the association between daily mean ambient temperature and sex offenses, and to quantify the fractions of sex offenses that were attributable to temperature. METHODS: We collected daily crime and weather data from seven large US cities (Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Louisville, San Francisco, Tucson, and Virginia Beach). We used a time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression model and distribute lag models to fit the relationship between daily ambient temperature and sex offenses, adjusting for precipitation, relative humidity and public holiday. The overall odds ratio was used to calculate attributable fractions. RESULTS:A total of 90,182 sex offense cases was recorded during 2007-2017 in the seven cities. We found a linear temperature-sex offense association. Every 5°C rise in daily mean temperature was associated with a 4.5% [95% confidence interval (CI): 2.8−6.3%] increase in sex offenses during lag 0-8 days. The associations were only significant for certain sex offenses (sodomy, fondling and rape), and cases happened in certain locations (open space, education, street but not residence). The associations were stronger in hot season and days with high relative humidity, light or moderate precipitation. We estimated that 2.6% (95%CI: 1.7-3.6%) sex offenses were attributable to temperatures above city-specific median temperatures, corresponding to 2,551 cases and a mean annual rate of 2.9/100,000 (95%CI: 1.9-4.0/100,000) during the study period. CONCLUSIONS:Daily ambient temperature was related to a significant proportion of sex offenses in seven US cities, but only for certain types and in certain locations. The association could be modified by season, relative humidity and precipitation. This study highlights the potential rising sexual violence due to temperture rise along with climate change. KEYWORDS: Temperature, Violent crime, Socio-economic factors (non-chemical stressors)

Effects of bamboo leaf extract on the production performance, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen bacterial communities of heat-stressed dairy cows.

ObjectiveAn experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bamboo leaf extract (BLE) on the production performance, rumen fermentation parameters, and rumen bacterial communities of heat-stressed dairy cows.MethodsThe experiment comprised a 14-day adaptation period and a 21-day experimental period and was conducted in a high-temperature and humidity environment (daily mean ambient temperature = 33.5°C±1.3°C; daily mean relative humidity = 64.9%±0.8%, daily mean temperature-humidity index = 86.2±0.4). Twelve Holstein dairy cows were randomly allocated into two groups. A total mixed ration supplemented with BLE at 0 (CON) and 1.3 g/kg dry matter (DM) were fed, respectively. Feed intake and milk yield were recorded daily. Milk samples were collected on 1, 11, and 21 d of the experimental period to analyze milk performance. Rumen fluid samples were collected on 21 d of the experimental period to analyze rumen fermentation parameters and rumen bacterial communities.ResultsCompared with the control group, supplementation of BLE increased milk yield (p<0.01), milk fat yield (p = 0.04), 4% fat-corrected milk (p<0.01) and milk fat content (p<0.01); reduced somatic cell count (p<0.01). No differences in DM intake and milk protein or lactose content were observed between two groups. Supplementation of BLE also increased the rumen total volatile fatty acid (p<0.01), acetate (p<0.01), butyrate (p<0.01), and valerate (p = 0.05) concentrations. However, no significant effects were observed on rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen, propionate, acetate/propionate ratio, isobutyrate, or isovalerate. Furthermore, BLE increased the rumen bacterial abundance and the diversity of the rumen bacterial community. The BLE reduced the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes abundance ratio and increased the abundances of Butyrivibrio_2 (p<0.01) and Ruminococcus_2 (p<0.01).ConclusionThe BLE supplementation at 1.3 g/kg DM could improve production performance and rumen fermentation in dairy cows during heat stress.

Impact of ambient temperature on mental health in Bern, Switzerland: a time-series study

Abstract Background Previous studies suggest that people with mental disorders are more vulnerable to increased ambient temperatures (AT). In Switzerland, neuropsychiatric diseases contribute up to 35.1% of the total burden of disease. This burden could possibly increase in the future under current climate change scenarios, if no appropriate public health measures were implemented. However, there is lack of evidence on the impact of AT on mental health in Switzerland. Objective This study aimed to investigate the short-term association between AT and mental health hospitalizations in Bern, Switzerland. Methods From 1973 to 2010, we collected individual data on daily hospitalizations for mental disorders (71,931) from the University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy in Bern. We used population-weighted daily mean AT for the canton of Bern derived from the 2.2-km gridded weather data provided by MeteoSwiss. We applied conditional Poisson regression with distributed lag linear models to assess the association and to account for delayed effects up to 3 days after the exposure. We conducted stratified analysis and by age, sex and diagnosis. Results The overall risk of hospitalizations increased linearly by 3.0% (95% CI: 0.0%, 6.0%) for every 10C°C-increase in mean daily AT. No differences in risk estimates were found across sex (3.0% in males (95% CI: 0%, 7.0%) and 4.0% in females (95% CI: 0%, 8.0%)) and age groups (≥ 45 years old: 4.0% (95% CI: 0%, 9.0%) and &amp;lt;45 years old: 3.0% (95% CI 0%, 7%)). Larger association estimates were found for schizophrenia (10.0%; 95% CI 4%, 16%), while no association was found for substance abuse (0.0%; 95% CI -7.0%, 6.0%). Conclusions Our preliminary findings suggest that increasing AT are associated with an increased risk in hospitalizations due to mental disorders in Bern. Specific public health policies should be urgently implemented in order to protect this vulnerable population sub-group from the challenges of climate change. Key messages Increased ambient temperatures are associated with an increased risk in hospitalizations due to mental health disorders. Specific health policies should be implement to protect mental health patients from the challenges of climate change.

Air pollution in the week prior to delivery and preterm birth in 24 Canadian cities: a time to event analysis

BackgroundNumerous studies have examined the association between air pollution and preterm birth (< 37 weeks gestation) but findings have been inconsistent. These associations may be more difficult to detect than associations with other adverse birth outcomes because of the different duration of exposure in preterm vs. term births, and the existence of seasonal cycles in incidence of preterm birth.MethodsWe analyzed data pertaining to 1,001,700 singleton births occurring between 1999 and 2008 in 24 Canadian cities where daily air pollution data were available from government monitoring sites. In the first stage, data were analyzed in each city employing Cox proportional hazards models using gestational age in days as the time scale, obtaining city-specific hazard ratios (HRs) with their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) expressed per interquartile range (IQR) of each air pollutant. Effects were examined using distributed lag functions for lags of 0–6 days prior to delivery, as well as cumulative lags from two to six days. We accounted for the potential nonlinear effect of daily mean ambient temperature using a cubic B-spline with three internal knots. In the second stage, we pooled the estimated city-specific hazard ratios using a random effects model.ResultsPooled estimates across 24 cities indicated that an IQR increase in ozone (O3, 13.3 ppb) 0–3 days prior to delivery was associated with a hazard ratio of 1.036 (95% CI 1.005, 1.067) for preterm birth, adjusting for infant sex, maternal age, marital status and country of birth, neighbourhood socioeconomic status (SES) and visible minority, temperature, year and season of birth, and a natural spline function of day of year. There was some evidence of effect modification by gestational age and season. Associations with carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulate matter, and sulphur dioxide were inconsistent.ConclusionsWe observed associations between daily O3 in the week before delivery and preterm birth in an analysis of approximately 1 million births in 24 Canadian cities between 1999 and 2008. Our analysis is one of a limited number which have examined these short term associations employing Cox proportional hazards models to account for the different exposure durations of preterm vs. term births.

A Community-Based Study of the Correlation of Hemorrhagic Stroke Occurrence with Meteorologic Factors

Meteorologic variations may affect hemorrhagic stroke. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the correlation of daily meteorologic factors with increased incidence of hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in a community-based study. In a span of 2years, 735 patients suffering from hypertensive ICH or SAH were enrolled in the study in Fularji District, Heilongjiang Province, China. Daily meteorologic data were obtained from the Bureau of Meteorology of Qiqihar. Daily meteorologic parameters with and without events were compared with hypertensive ICH and SAH, respectively. Logistic regression was used to assess the correlation of meteorologic factors with hypertensive ICH and SAH. Daily mean ambient temperature (AT) was statistically associated with the onset of primary hypertensive ICH (odds ratio [OR], .983; P<.001) and SAH (OR, .984; P=.046). After adjustment with AT variations, the occurrence of primary hypertensive ICH was not only influenced by daily mean AT (P=.0004) but also by the interaction between the mean temperature and its variation (P=.0082). Interestingly, there was no statistical association between meteorologic factors and recurrent hypertensive ICH. The higher incidence of primary hypertensive ICH in the late spring and early autumn was because of the influence of daily mean AT and its variation. When temperature changed, suddenly dropping in the hot weather or rising in the cold weather, the incidence of primary hypertensive ICH was also increased. Conversely, the incidence of SAH increased during days with lower temperature.

Projected heat-related mortality under climate change in the metropolitan area of Skopje.

BackgroundExcessive summer heat is a serious environmental health problem in Skopje, the capital and largest city of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. This paper attempts to forecast the impact of heat on mortality in Skopje in two future periods under climate change and compare it with a historical baseline period.MethodsAfter ascertaining the relationship between daily mean ambient air temperature and daily mortality in Skopje, we modelled the evolution of ambient temperatures in the city under a Representative Concentration Pathway scenario (RCP8.5) and the evolution of the city population in two future time periods: 2026–2045 and 2081–2100, and in a past time period (1986–2005) to serve as baseline for comparison. We then calculated the projected average annual mortality attributable to heat in the absence of adaptation or acclimatization during those time windows, and evaluated the contribution of each source of uncertainty on the final impact.ResultsOur estimates suggest that, compared to the baseline period (1986–2005), heat-related mortality in Skopje would more than double in 2026–2045, and more than quadruple in 2081–2100. When considering the impact in 2081–2100, sampling variability around the heat–mortality relationship and climate model explained 40.3 and 46.6 % of total variability.ConclusionThese results highlight the importance of a long-term perspective in the public health prevention of heat exposure, particularly in the context of a changing climate.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3077-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN THE RISK OF TESTICULAR TORSION AMONG ACUTE SCROTUM AND AMBIENT TEMPERATURE.

(Objectives) Testicular torsion (TT) is a socially and clinically important urological emergency condition because delayed diagnosis and treatment can lead to testicular loss. Although a possible association between TT and low ambient temperature has been argued, the clinical significance of the association has not been fully elucidated. We retrospectively collected acute scrotum cases and investigated the association between the risk of TT among acute scrotums and ambient temperatures on the day of onset. (Patients and methods) We studied 105 consecutive acute scrotum patients with suspected TT who underwent urgent surgical exploration between October 2004 and October 2014. The patients' age, residential area, time and date of onset, laboratory findings, and operative findings were collected from their medical records. Climate data, including daily mean ambient temperature (DMAT), diurnal temperature change (DTC), humidity, and atmospheric pressure at the time of onset, were obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency website. The chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum tests were used to evaluate statistical differences. Logistic regression analysis used to identify significant predictors of TT. (Results) The median age of the patients was 13 years (range, 1-43 years). The affected side was the right/left/bilateral side in 46/58/1 of the patients. Surgical exploration revealed TT in 67 patients. The remaining 38 non-TT patients included 12 with testicular appendage torsions, 12 with epididymal appendage torsions, 9 with epididymitis, 2 with orchitis, 2 with idiopathic hematomas, and 1 with allergic purpura. The median DMATs at the day of onset were 10.8°C (1.8-29.4°C) in the TT patients and 19.4°C (1.9-29.1°C) in the non-TT patients. The incidence of TT among the patients with acute scrotum explored surgically (TT incidence) in days with DMATs <15°C (80%) was significantly higher than that in days with DMATs ≥ 15°C (45%; p<0.001). During days with DMATs ≥15°C, the TT incidence in days with DTCs ≥10°C (62%) was significantly higher than that in days with DTCs <10°C (32%; p=0.037). Multivariate analysis revealed higher age (≥14), low serum C-reactive protein level (<0.5 ng/ml) and low DMAT (<15°C) were significant risk factor for TT in patients with acute scrotum undergoing surgery. (Conclusions) It should be noted that in this study, the onset of acute scrotum during days with low ambient temperatures or large DTCs was associated with a moderate to high possibility of TT.

The effects of air pollution and weather conditions on the incidence of acute myocardial infarction

ObjectiveIn this retrospective study, we investigated the association between air pollution and weather conditions with the incidence of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the city of Kutahya. MethodsA total of 402 patients who were admitted with acute ST segment elevation MI and non–ST segment elevation MI were included in the study in 1 year. Daily maximum, minimum, and mean ambient temperature and mean barometric pressure data were obtained from the Kutahya Meteorology Department. Daily air pollution data were obtained from the Web site of National Air Quality Observation Network (http://www.havaizleme.gov.tr). ResultsIncrease in ambient air temperature in the day of MI and 2days before the day of MI according to their control days was correlated with increase in number of MI cases. When we grouped the patients according to ages as 30-54, 55-65, and >65years, we found that there was a relation between sulfur dioxide (SO2) and the occurrence of AMI for the age group of 30-54 for the same day (D0) (P<.017). The number of AMIs was the lowest in fall season, whereas the number of AMIs was the highest in winter season. ConclusionThere was no statistically significant association between the particulates with diameter b=10μm, SO2 concentrations, air pressure, and the risk of AMI, but there was statistically significant relation between occurrence of MI and SO2 for the patients under age of 55 years. The number of AMIs was the lowest in fall season, whereas the number of AMIs was the highest in winter season.

How to report biogas production when monitoring small-scale digesters in field

The aim of this research was to evaluate the error originated when biogas production from field monitoring digesters, influenced by the diurnal temperature cycle, was normalized to standard conditions for pressure and temperature (273.15 K and 100 kPa) from local conditions. The biogas production data is often reported without indicating if done under local conditions, whether these conditions have been standardized and, if they have actually been standardized, the standard temperature and pressure is not indicated. In this research ambient and biogas temperature, as well as biogas production were monitored with a 30 min frequency during three consecutive days, in three different tubular digesters. Normalization was realized using the high frequency data collected as reference values, and also using daily biogas production with mean daily biogas, ambient and nearby meteorological station temperatures. The outcome of this research shows that normalization of biogas production can be obtained using daily biogas production and the daily mean ambient temperature with an overestimation by no more than 1.5%, in comparison to the normalization achieved by using high frequency data from biogas temperature and production. Using mean daily ambient temperature or mean daily biogas temperature results in the same overestimation, while using mean daily ambient temperature from a nearby airport weather station pushes the overestimation up to 2.7%. So, if ambient temperature and altitude is identified, biogas production reported in local conditions can be normalized.

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SOLAR ENERGY USE FOR POWER SUPPLY IN THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF KYRGYZSTAN

The paper discusses the possibility of solar energy using in the Republic of Kyrgyzstan (RK) for the purpose of electricity distribution. The data sources analysis for the calculation of solar resources was conducted. Due to the scarcity of solar radiation stations on the territory of the RK, international thematic databases containing sufficient information for resource assessment and design were considered. These databases contain the results of long-term ground-based measurements, mathematical modeling and satellite observations. The paper justifies the compliance of a global database with public access NASA SSE to the problem of solar energy resources estimation, and estimates the gross capacity for the territory of the Kyrgyzstan. The authors propose their method of initial evaluation of performance, capital cost and footprint for network photovoltaic plant. The calculations are performed based on monthly averages of daily insolation and the average temperature. To account for the effect of ambient temperature on the output of PV modules, the paper considers two scenarios: the maximum and minimum daily mean ambient temperatures in each month. Evaluate the performance and the cost of electricity are made for plants with a capacity of 5 MW in the case of placing it near the cities of Bishkek and Osh (northern and central part of the RK). At the same time the authors carry out a comparative analysis of the results obtained for several types of silicon photovoltaic modules on the market today: monocrystalline, multicrystalline and the thin film. It is shown that the maximum performance of the network station is provided at an inclination of modules close to the latitude. The temperature dependence of the module characteristics makes the largest contribution to the change in productivity in the summer. The calculations also show that the multicrystalline photovoltaic modules are optimal in terms of price and quality for selected conditions.

Temperature influences the activity patterns of armadillo species in a large neotropical wetland

In this study, we characterized the activity patterns and estimated the activity overlap between two armadillo species (Dasypus novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus) in the Pantanal wetlands of Brazil. We report the effect of daily mean ambient temperature on activity onset and duration of these armadillos. We captured seven yellow armadillos and three nine-banded armadillos and fitted them with very high frequency radios and temperature loggers. By monitoring the temperature of the environment (air temperatures and burrow temperatures), we inferred when the armadillo was active (above ground) or inactive (inside the burrow). Yellow armadillos were active mainly during the daytime and in the beginning of the night, while nine-banded armadillos were active mainly during the night. However, nine-banded armadillos presented a bimodal activity pattern, becoming active for a short period in the middle of the morning and/or afternoon. The proportion of activity overlap was 0.28 between the species, occurring primarily at the beginning of the night. At lower temperatures, yellow armadillos tended to leave their burrows earlier and were active for longer periods. This is probably an adaptation to their physiological constraints and limited thermoregulatory capabilities. Xenarthrans could be used as models to obtain valuable information about how physiology affects mammal behavior.

Ventilation Monitoring of Broiler Houses in California

The ventilation and environmental control parameters of two broiler houses were measured and monitored in California at one site of the National Air Emissions Monitoring Study. This article presents the ventilation measurement results from 15 November 2007 to 13 September 2009, which covered 12 broiler production cycles. The duration of each cycle was about 45 d for raising new chicks to 2.7 kg market-size birds. The two broiler houses had identical structural designs and ventilation, feeding, and litter management practices. Each house contained about 21,000 broilers in each production cycle and was mechanically ventilated with eleven fans, including one 91 cm fan and ten 122 cm fans. All the fans, heaters, and evaporative cooling systems were automatically operated to control the house temperature from 32°C at the beginning to 18°C at the end of each production cycle. The environmental parameters that were monitored included temperature, relative humidity, and static pressure inside the houses, and ambient temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and solar radiation outside the houses. The operational status and rotational speed of all ventilation fans were continuously monitored. The ventilation rate of each house was estimated by calculating the airflow rate through all the fans based on the static pressure difference in the building, fan performance, and operation status. The production cycle average daily mean ventilation rate was correlated with the cycle average daily mean ambient temperature. The ventilation rate for any day within a cycle was influenced primarily by bird age and ambient temperature. The daily ventilation rate ranged from 0.14 to 11.5 m3 h-1 bird-1, and the average rate was 2.8 m3 h-1 bird-1. The minimum and maximum ventilation rates occurred in January and July-August, respectively. Average ventilation volume per broiler during a growth cycle was 2981 m3. Ventilation rate was successfully correlated with chicken age and ambient temperature. Fan usage averaged 21% and ranged from 13% to 61% of total time for this ventilation management scheme.