Effects Of Extreme Temperatures Research Articles

Impact of ambient temperature on hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in suburban rural villages in northwest China.

Extreme temperature is strongly associated with human health, but few studies are available for the effects of extreme temperatures on respiratory disease (RD) in rural villages in Jiuquan, China over 2018-2019. In this study, we evaluate the effect of daily mean temperature on RD hospitalizations in suburban rural villages. A distribution lag non-linear model was constructed to analyze the relationship between the temperature and the daily risk of RD hospitalizations; and stratified analysis by sex and age group was performed. The effect of daily mean temperature on RD hospitalizations was non-linear and lagging. With a reference 25th percentile of temperature (-1.8 °C), exposure to extremely low temperature (-15.8 °C, 1st percentile), or moderate low temperature (-8.3 °C, 10th percentile) were associated with 1.396 (95% CI: 1.251, 1.558) and 1.216 (95% CI: 1.180, 1.253) increased risks of RD hospitalizations over lag 0-21 days. For RD morbidity, the effects of moderate high temperature (90th percentile of temperature, 22.5 °C) appeared at on the exposed day (lag 0), with the largest hot effect (RR 1.008, 95% CI 1.001, 1.020), while the effects of extremely high temperature (99th percentile of temperature, 27.0 °C) were insignificant. The effect of ambient temperature varied with gender and age. Both cold and high temperatures have more serious influence on males than females. In contrast, the elderly (age ≥ 65) seemed to be more sensitive in extremely low temperature (RR = 3.471; 95% CI, 2.183, 5.518; lag 0-21). The effect of moderate high temperature on the < 65 years group appeared for the first time at lag 0 (RR = 1.012; 95% CI, 1.001, 1.029). Both high temperature and low temperature increased the RD hospitalization risk; the harmful effect and duration of low temperature were greater than that of high temperature; the ≥ 65-year group and male were more sensitive to low temperature.

Identification of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins and Regions in a Non-Model Insect Species Ostrinia nubilalis (Hbn.).

Research in previous decades has shown that intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and regions in proteins (IDRs) are as ubiquitous as highly ordered proteins. Despite this, research on IDPs and IDRs still has many gaps left to fill. Here, we present an approach that combines wet lab methods with bioinformatics tools to identify and analyze intrinsically disordered proteins in a non-model insect species that is cold-hardy. Due to their known resilience to the effects of extreme temperatures, these proteins likely play important roles in this insect’s adaptive mechanisms to sub-zero temperatures. The approach involves IDP enrichment by sample heating and double-digestion of proteins, followed by peptide and protein identification. Next, proteins are bioinformatically analyzed for disorder content, presence of long disordered regions, amino acid composition, and processes they are involved in. Finally, IDP detection is validated with an in-house 2D PAGE. In total, 608 unique proteins were identified, with 39 being mostly disordered, 100 partially disordered, 95 nearly ordered, and 374 ordered. One-third contain at least one long disordered segment. Functional information was available for only 90 proteins with intrinsic disorders out of 312 characterized proteins. Around half of the 90 proteins are cytoskeletal elements or involved in translational processes.

The effect of absolute versus relative temperature on health and the role of social care.

We investigate the effect of extreme temperatures on mortality and emergency hospital admissions, and whether local social care allows to mitigate their adverse effects. We merge monthly administrative data on mortality and hospital discharge from Italian municipalities for the period 2001–2015 with daily data on local weather conditions, and yearly data on disaggregated municipal expenditure. We compare two different measures of temperature shocks, one using the conventional approach based on absolute levels (without accounting for regional heterogeneity) and the other based on deviations from local mean temperatures. The former approach shows noisy evidence of an increase in mortality due to extremely hot days while the latter approach shows a large increase in mortality and hospital admissions for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases due to both cold and hot days. These effects are mostly driven by the oldest age group and partially by young children. Then, we report evidence of a mitigating effect of social expenditure on the impact of extremely hot and cold days on both emergency hospital admission and mortality rates. A back of the envelope calculation suggests that the additional social care expenditure is fully compensated by the benefits arising from the lower impact of temperature shocks.

Excess out-of-hospital cardiac arrests due to ambient temperatures in South Korea from 2008 to 2018

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a notable public health issue with negative outcomes, such as high mortality and aftereffects. Additionally, the adverse effects of extreme temperatures on health have become more important under climate change; however, few studies have investigated the relationship between temperature and OHCA. In this study, we examined the association between temperature and OHCA and its underlying risk factors. We conducted a two-stage time-series analysis using a Poisson regression model with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) and meta-analysis, based on a nationwide dataset from South Korea (2008–2018). We found that 17.4% of excess OHCA was attributed to cold, while 0.9% was attributed to heat. Based on central estimates, excess OHCA attributed to cold were more prominent in the population with hypertension comorbidity (31.0%) than the populations with diabetes (24.3%) and heart disease (17.4%). Excess OHCA attributed to heat were larger in the populations with diabetes (2.7%) and heart disease comorbidity (2.7%) than the population with hypertension (1.2%) based on central estimates. Furthermore, the time-varying excess OHCA attributed to cold have decreased over time, and although those of heat did not show a certain pattern during the study period, there was a weak increasing tendency since 2011. In conclusion, we found that OHCAs were associated with temperature, and cold temperatures showed a greater impact than that of hot temperatures. The effects of cold and hot temperatures on OHCA were more evident in the populations with hypertension, diabetes, and heart diseases, compared to the general population. In addition, the impacts of heat on OHCA increased in recent years, while those of cold temperatures decreased. Our results provide scientific evidence for policymakers to mitigate the OHCA burden attributed to temperature.

Climate change and productivity of northeastern dairy farms

AbstractThis article examines the impact of extreme weather on dairy farm productivity in the northeastern U.S., accounting for the effects of extreme temperatures on dairy cow productivity and on feed production—the predominant feeding system in the region. Using a stochastic frontier production model and 2010–20 dairy farm-level data, we find that although heat stress impacts cow productivity negatively, it increases feed production. No discernable impacts of extreme cold temperatures were found. Additional results indicate the presence of significant labor-augmenting productivity and that larger farms experience larger productivity growth thanks to increasing returns to scale and allocative efficiency.

Relevance of Earth-Bound Extremophiles in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life.

The recent discovery of extrasolar Earth-like planets that orbit in their habitable zone of their system, and the latest clues of the presence of liquid water in the subsurface of Mars and in the subglacial ocean of Jupiter's and Saturn's moons, has reopened debates about habitability and limits of life. Although liquid water, widely accepted as an absolute requirement for terrestrial life, may be present in other bodies of the solar system or elsewhere, physical and chemical conditions, such as temperature, pressure, and salinity, may limit this habitability. However, extremophilic microorganisms found in various extreme terrestrial environments are adapted to thrive in permanently extreme ranges of physicochemical conditions. This review first describes promising environments for life in the Solar System and the microorganisms that inhabit similar environments on the Earth. The effects of extreme temperatures, salt, and hydrostatic pressure conditions on biomolecules will be explained in some detail, and recent advances in understanding biophysical and structural adaptation strategies allowing microorganisms to cope with extreme physicochemical conditions are reviewed to discuss promising environments for life in the Solar System in terms of habitability.

Extreme temperatures and residential electricity consumption: Evidence from Chinese households

We estimate the causal effect of extreme temperatures on household electricity consumption using the China Residential Energy Consumption Survey (CRECS), which contains validated data on electricity consumption from respondents' electricity bills. We find that for each additional day in which the mean temperature exceeds 32 °C, relative to a day in which temperature is in the range 10 °C–16 °C, there is an 8.9% increase in annual electricity consumption. Exploiting rich information on the use of major home appliances which is available in CRECS, we demonstrate that this large effect is due to households using air conditioners more, at both the extensive and intensive margins, to cope with heat stress. Combining our baseline estimates with daily temperature projections from eight recent climate models, we simulate changes in future electricity consumption due to global warming. We find that residential electricity consumption would increase by 9.59–30.09% in the medium term and by 9.77–47.70% in the long term, depending on whether measures are taken to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Effects of Extreme Temperatures on the Risk of Preterm Birth in China: A Population-Based Multi-Center Cohort Study

Effects of Extreme Temperatures on the Risk of Preterm Birth in China: A Population-Based Multi-Center Cohort Study

Differential physiological response to heat and cold stress of tomato plants and its implication on fruit quality

The upcoming climate change presents a great challenge for plant growth and development being extremes temperatures among the major environmental limitations to crop productivity. Understanding the repercussions of these extreme temperatures is of high importance to elaborate future strategies to confront crop damages. Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are one of the most cultivated crops and their fruits are consumed worldwide standing out for their organoleptic characteristics and nutritional value. Tomato plants are sensitive to temperatures below 12 °C and above 32 °C. In this study, Micro-Tom cultivar was used to evaluate the effects of extreme temperatures on the plant of tomato and the fruit productivity and quality from the stressed plants, either exposed to cold (4 °C for three nights per week) or heat (32 °C during the day, seven days per week) treatments. Total productivity and the percentage of ripe fruits per plant were evaluated together with foliar stress markers and the contents of photosynthetic pigments and tocochromanols. Fruit quality was also assessed determining lycopene contents, total soluble solids, total acidity and ascorbate contents. High temperatures altered multiple physiological parameters indicating a moderate stress, particularly decreasing fruit yield. As a response to this stress, plants enhanced their antioxidant contents both at leaf and fruit level. Low temperatures did not negatively affect the physiology of plants with similar yields as compared to controls, suggesting chilling acclimation. Both high and low temperatures, but most particularly the former, increased total soluble solids contents indicating that temperature control may be used as a strategy to modulate fruit quality.

The effect of extreme temperatures on soil organic matter decomposition from Atlantic oak forest ecosystems

SummaryThis work designs a heatwave with a calorimeter to analyze the response of soils from oak forest ecosystems to increasing temperature from 20°C to 60°C and to cooling from 60°C to 20°C. Calorimetry measures the heat rate of the soil organic matter decomposition and the response to increasing and decreasing temperatures directly. It was applied to soil samples representing different soil horizons with organic matter at different degree of decomposition given by their heat of combustion, calculated by differential scanning calorimetry. Results showed temperature-dependent decomposition rates from 20°C to 40°C or 50°C typical for enzymatic activity. From 40°C to 60°C, changes in the rates are less predictable. Data analysis during cooling showed that all samples suffered losses of their enzymatic capacity and that only those with the heat of combustion values close to that of carbohydrates resisted the heat wave.

Impact of Temperature on Physical and Mental Health: Evidence from China

AbstractClimate may significantly affect human society. Few studies have focused on the temperature impact on residents’ health, especially mental health status. This paper uses 98 423 observations in China to study the relationship between temperature and health, based on the China Family Panel Studies survey during 2010–16. We analyze the health effects of extreme hot and cold weather and compare the effects under different social demographic factors including gender, age, and income. We find that temperature and health status exhibit a nonlinear relationship. Women and low-income households are more likely to be impacted by extreme cold, whereas men, the elderly, and high-income households are more sensitive to extreme heat. Our results highlight the potential effects of extreme temperatures on physical and mental health and provide implications for future policy decisions to protect human health under a changing climate.

Extreme temperature, health, and disability: A comparison of health effects between people with and without disabilities

BACKGROUND AND AIM: People with disabilities are at greater risk of being socially and materially deprived, engaging in health-risk behaviors, and having comorbidities than the non-disabled population, which may impose an additional disease burden from extreme temperatures. However, no studies have compared the effects of extreme temperatures in people with and without disabilities. This study aimed to investigate the association of heat waves and cold spells with emergency hospital admissions by the existence of disability and disability types. METHODS: The study subjects are from the Korean National Health Insurance Services –National Sample Cohort. We identified emergency admissions for non-external causes(NEC), cardiovascular(CVD), and respiratory(RES) diseases from people who resided in seven metropolitan cities in 2006-2013. A time-stratified case-crossover analysis using conditional logistic regression was used to investigate the association of heat wave and cold spell with emergency admissions. Heat wave and Cold spell were defined based on the intensity of temperature and duration of the day. The models were adjusted for daily PM10 concentration, relative humidity, and national holidays. We further explored effect modifications by the existence of a disability and disability types (physical, visual, hearing, intellectual disability/disability of brain lesion/mental disorder/kidney dysfunction). RESULTS:The association between heat wave and emergency admissions for NEC was higher in people with disabilities (Odds ratio: 1.37, 95% Confidence Interval: 0.92, 2.04) than people without disabilities (OR: 0.92, 95% CI: 0.76, 1.12), which was consistent when using different heat wave definitions. A similar pattern was observed with respiratory admissions. However, the associations between cold spell and emergency admissions were similar or somewhat lower in people with disabilities than those without disabilities. We also found heterogeneity in the health effects of extreme temperatures among people with disabilities by their disability types. CONCLUSIONS:To promote environmental health equity in an era of climate change, more attention to this unrecognized susceptible population is needed. KEYWORDS: Environmental disparities, Environmental justice, Temperature extremes

Effect of Extreme Temperatures and Driving Conditions on Gaseous Pollutants of a Euro 6d-Temp Gasoline Vehicle

Gaseous emissions of modern Euro 6d vehicles, when tested within real driving emissions (RDE) boundaries, are, in most cases, at low levels. There are concerns, though, about their emission performance when tested at or above the boundaries of ambient and driving conditions requirements of RDE regulations. In this study, a Euro 6d-Temp gasoline direct injection (GDI) vehicle with three-way catalyst and gasoline particulate filter was tested on the road and in a laboratory at temperatures ranging between −30 °C and 50 °C, with cycles simulating urban congested traffic, uphill driving while towing a trailer at 85% of the vehicle’s maximum payload, and dynamic driving. The vehicle respected the Euro 6 emission limits, even though they were not applicable to the specific cycles, which were outside of the RDE environmental and trip boundary conditions. Most of the emissions were produced during cold starts and at low ambient temperatures. Heavy traffic, dynamic driving, and high payload were found to increase emissions depending on the pollutant. Even though this car was one of the lowest emitting cars found in the literature, the proposed future Euro 7 limits will require a further decrease in cold start emissions in order to ensure low emission levels under most ambient and driving conditions, particularly in urban environments. Nevertheless, motorway emissions will also have to be controlled well.

Extreme temperature exposure and acute myocardial infarction: Elevated risk within hours?

Day-to-day change in ambient temperature is associated with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) attacks, but evidence is scarce about the effects of extreme temperatures on the risk of AMI within hours of exposure. This study investigated the hour-level associations between extreme temperatures and AMI occurrence. State-wide data on AMI patients and temperature during winter and summer of 2013–2015 were obtained for Queensland state of Australia. We employed a fixed time-stratified case-crossover analysis to quantify the risk of AMI associated with temperature within 24 h after exposure. Subgroups analyses by age, gender and disease history were also conducted. We observed a very acute effect of cold on men (occurred 9–10 h after exposure), women (19–22 h after exposure), and the elderly (4–20 h after exposure). Cold was associated with elevated AMI risk for men within 9 h (OR = 2.1, 95 % CI: 1.2–3.6), women within 19 h (OR = 2.5, 95 % CI: 1.0–6.0), and the elderly within 4 h (OR: 2.0, 95 % CI: 1.0–4.0). However, elevated risk of AMI associated with heat occurred 15 h later for men (OR: 3.9; 95 % CI: 1.1–13.9) and 23 h later for adults (OR: 4.1, 95 % CI: 1.1–15.4). People never suffered AMI and the elderly with diabetes or hyperlipidaemia were particularly vulnerable to cold. Those that were particularly vulnerable to heat were men never experienced AMI or having hypertension or having hyperlipidaemia as well as women ever suffered AMI. Effects of temperature on AMI risk at sub-daily timescales should be considered to prevent cardiac events.

The effects of extreme temperatures on emergency room visits-a population-based analysis by age, sex, and comorbidity.

This study evaluated the effect of extreme temperatures on events requiring emergency room visits (ERVs) for hypertensive disease, ischemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) for population stratified by sex and age living in Taiwan's metropolitan city from 2000 to 2014. The distributed lag non-linear model was adopted to examine the association between ambient temperature and area-age-sex-disease-specific ERVs for a population aged 40 years and above. The reference temperature was defined by a percentile value to describe the temperature in each city. Area-age-sex-disease-specific relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated in association with extreme high (99th percentile) and low (5th percentile) temperatures. Temperature-related ERV risks varied by area, age, sex, and disease. Patients with CKD tend to have comorbidities with hypertensive disease. All study populations with hypertensive disease have significant risk associations with extreme low temperatures with the highest RR of 2.64 (95% CI: 2.08, 3.36) appearing in New Taipei City. The risk of IHD was significantly associated with extreme high temperature for male subpopulation aged 40-64 years. A less significant association was observed between the risks of cerebrovascular disease with extreme temperature. The risk of CKD was most significantly associated with extreme high temperature especially for a subpopulation aged 40-64 years. All study subpopulations with hypertensive disease have significant risk associations with extreme low temperature. Male subpopulations were more vulnerable to extreme temperatures, especially for those aged 40-64 years.

Association between extreme temperatures and emergency room visits related to mental disorders: A multi-region time-series study in New York, USA

BackgroundThere is growing evidence suggesting that extreme temperatures have an impact on mental disorders. We aimed to explore the effect of extreme temperatures on emergency room (ER) visits for mental health disorders using 2.8 million records from New York State, USA (2009–2016), and to examine potential effect modifications by individuals' age, sex, and race/ethnicity through a stratified analysis to determine if certain populations are more susceptible. MethodTo assess the short-term impact of daily average temperature on ER visits related to mental disorders, we applied a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). The model was adjusted for day of the week, precipitation, as well as long-term and seasonal time trends. We also conducted a meta-analysis to pool the region-specific risk estimates and construct the overall cumulative exposure-response curves for all regions. ResultsWe found positive associations between short-term exposure to extreme heat (27.07 ∘C) and increased ER visits for total mental disorders, as well as substance abuse, mood and anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, and dementia. We did not find any statistically significant difference among any subgroups of the population being more susceptible to extreme heat than any other. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that there is a positive association between short-term exposure to extreme heat and increased ER visits for total mental disorders. This extreme effect was also found across all sub-categories of mental disease, although further research is needed to confirm our finding for specific mental disorders, such as dementia, which accounted for less than 1% of the total mental disorders in this sample.

ADMISSIBILITY DIAGNOSTICS OF USING A FOERSTER PROBE AS PART OF A MAGNETOMETER

We have discussed a diagnostics method to assess the admissibility of using a Foerster probe as part of a magnetometer. The diagnostics is based on the compatibility analysis of the magnetic field (MF) induction (B) conversion by a Foerster probe with the parameters of a specific series of Foerster probe output signal converters (OSC). As a reference source of MF, we have used the Earth’s MF. The analysis uses a Foerster probe magnetometer designed according to the MF compensation method in the Foerster probe core piece. The subject of our analysis is the value of the OSC output signal under normal climatic conditions (NCCs), when the Foerster probe is exposed to extreme temperatures. Following the diagnostics, we have made a YES/NO decision on the admissibility of using a Foerster probe with OSCs of this series. As OSC parameters, that limit the use of a Foerster probe, we have adopted the values of the minimum and maximum codes of a digital-to-analog OSC converter, as allowed by relevant documents. The first two diagnostics stages are carried out with inductions of ±Bcon under NCCs, taking into account the Foerster probe zero offset. In this case, Bcon ˂ Вmax, where Вmax is the Foerster probe’s working range. Two subsequent diagnostics stages are carried out using the calculated and experimental characteristics, taking into account the Foerster probe zero offset under effect of extreme temperatures of different signs. We have demonstrated the temperature error specifics and presented the diagnostics algorithm.

Association between extreme ambient temperatures and general indistinct and work-related road crashes. A nationwide study in Italy

Despite the relevance of road crashes and their impact on social and health care costs, the effects of extreme temperatures on road crashes risk have been scarcely investigated, particularly for those occurring in occupational activities. A nationwide epidemiological study was carried out to estimate the risk of general indistinct and work-related road crashes related with extreme temperatures and to identify crash and occupation parameters mostly involved. Data about road crashes, resulting in death or injury, occurring during years 2013–2015 in Italy, were collected from the National Institute of Statistics, for general indistinct road crashes, and from the compensation claim applications registered by the national workers' compensation authority, for work-related ones. Time series of hourly temperature were derived from the results provided by the meteorological model WRF applied at a national domain with 5 km resolution. To consider the different spatial-temporal characteristics of the two road crashes archives, the association with extreme temperatures was estimated by means of a case-crossover time-stratified approach using conditional logistic regression analysis, and a time-series analysis, using over-dispersed Poisson generalized linear regression model, for general indistinct and work-related datasets respectively. The analyses were controlled for other covariates and confounding variables (including precipitation). Non-linearity and lag effects were considered by using a distributed lag non-linear model. Relative risks were calculated for increment from 75th to 99th percentiles (hot) and from 25 to first percentile (cold) of temperature. Results for general indistinct crashes show a positive association with hot temperature (RR = 1.12, 95 % CI: 1.09–1.16) and a negative one for cold (RR = 0.93, 95 % CI: 0.91−0.96), while for work-related crashes a positive association was found for both hot and cold (RR = 1.06 (95 % CI: 1.01–1.11) and RR = 1.10 (95 % CI: 1.05–1.16). The use of motorcycles, the location of accident (urban vs out of town), presence of crossroads, as well as occupational factors like the use of a vehicle on duty were all found to produce higher risks of road crashes during extreme temperatures. Mitigation and prevention measures are needed to limit social and health care costs.

Effect of extreme temperatures on daily emergency room visits for mental disorders.

Relatively few studies investigated the effects of extreme temperatures (both heat and cold) on mental health (ICD-9: 290-319; ICD-10: F00-F99) and the potential effect modifications by individuals' age, sex, and race. We aimed to explore the effect of extreme temperatures of both heat and cold on the emergency room (ER) visits for mental health disorders, and conducted a stratified analysis to identify possible susceptible population in Erie and Niagara counties, NY, USA. To assess the short-term impacts of daily maximum temperature on ER visits related to mental disorders (2009-2015), we applied a quasi-Poisson generalized linear model combined with a distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM). The model was adjusted for day of the week, precipitation, long-term time trend, and seasonality. We found that there were positive associations between short-term exposure to extreme ambient temperatures and increased ER visits for mental disorders, and the effects can vary by individual factors. We found heat effect (relative risk (RR) = 1.16; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.06-1.27) on exacerbated mental disorders became intense in the study region and subgroup of population (the elderly) being more susceptible to extreme heat than any other age group. For extreme cold, we found that there is a substantial delay effect of 14 days (RR = 1.25; 95% CI = 1.08-1.45), which is particularly burdensome to the age group of 50-64 years old and African-Americans. Our findings suggest that there is a positive association between short-term exposure to extreme ambient temperature (heat and cold) and increased ER visits for mental disorders, and the effects vary as a function of individual factors, such as age and race.

A Transcriptomic Approach to Understanding the Combined Impacts of Supra-Optimal Temperatures and CO2 Revealed Different Responses in the Polyploid Coffea arabica and Its Diploid Progenitor C. canephora.

Understanding the effect of extreme temperatures and elevated air (CO2) is crucial for mitigating the impacts of the coffee industry. In this work, leaf transcriptomic changes were evaluated in the diploid C. canephora and its polyploid C. arabica, grown at 25 °C and at two supra-optimal temperatures (37 °C, 42 °C), under ambient (aCO2) or elevated air CO2 (eCO2). Both species expressed fewer genes as temperature rose, although a high number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were observed, especially at 42 °C. An enrichment analysis revealed that the two species reacted differently to the high temperatures but with an overall up-regulation of the photosynthetic machinery until 37 °C. Although eCO2 helped to release stress, 42 °C had a severe impact on both species. A total of 667 photosynthetic and biochemical related-DEGs were altered with high temperatures and eCO2, which may be used as key probe genes in future studies. This was mostly felt in C. arabica, where genes related to ribulose-bisphosphate carboxylase (RuBisCO) activity, chlorophyll a-b binding, and the reaction centres of photosystems I and II were down-regulated, especially under 42°C, regardless of CO2. Transcriptomic changes showed that both species were strongly affected by the highest temperature, although they can endure higher temperatures (37 °C) than previously assumed.