Effect of severe weather on road traffic injuries：a meta-analysis / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To explore the impact of severe weather on road traffic injuries (RTIs). Methods Relevant literature on the impact of meteorology on the occurrence and resulting casualties of road traffic injuries was searched. Meta-analysis was performed on the included literature using state16.0 software. Results A total of 28 articles were included. The results of meta-analysis showed that heat wave, cloudy day, snowy day, rainy day and other severe weather such as storm had a statistically significant impact on the occurrence of road traffic injuries. Severe weather such as storms had a statistically significant impact on RTIs casualties. Conclusion Heat wave, cloudy day, snowy day, rainy day, storm and other bad weather are independent risk factors for the occurrence of RTIs. Storm is a risk factor for accident casualties. There is not enough evidence to show that low temperature, cold wave and heavy fog are the influencing factors of road traffic accidents.

Effect of meteorological factors on first episode and recurrence of primary spontaneous pneumothorax

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: In this study, we evaluated the clinical characteristics and seasonal distribution of patients with primary spontaneous pneumothorax and examined the relationships between meteorological factors and pneumothorax development overall and in terms of first episode and recurrence. METHODS: The hospital records of 168 pneumothorax patients treated in our clinic between January 2016 and December 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. A cluster was defined as two or more patients with pneumothorax presenting within three consecutive days. Meteorological factors were compared between days with and without pneumothorax patients. This comparison was based on meteorological data from the day of symptom onset (D), the day before symptom onset (D1), and the difference between those days (D-D1). Meteorological data from the index day (D) were also compared between patients with first episode and recurrence of pneumothorax. RESULTS: The study included 149 (88.7%) men and 19 (11.3%) women. The mean age was 25.02±6.97 (range, 17-35; median, 26) years. Of note, 73 (43.4%) patients underwent surgery. The highest number of patients presented in November (n=19, 11.3%). In terms of season, most presentations occurred in autumn. Humidity was significantly lower on recurrence days compared with first episode (p=0.041). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that meteorological factors (i.e., atmospheric pressure, humidity, wind speed, temperature, and precipitation) were not associated with pneumothorax development. By comparing the patients with first episode and recurrence, the humidity was significantly lower in the recurrence group.

Correlation between acute upper respiratory tract infection and meteorological factors in Zigong area in 2016-2021 / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To explore the correlation between acute upper respiratory tract infection and meteorological factors in Zigong area from 2016 to 2021. Methods All acute upper respiratory tract infection cases from the Emergency Department of the First People's Hospital of Zigong City from 2016 to 2021 and meteorological data (including but not limited to temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, sunshine time, wind speed, etc.) during the same period were collected. Cases were screened from emergency electronic data, and medical records that met the criteria were included in this study to analyze the relationship between acute upper respiratory tract infection and meteorological factors. Results A total of 5 608 patients were enrolled in this study, including 3,893 males (69.42%) and 1,715 females (30.58%), with an average age of 50.17±9.81 years. The predisposing factors were climate change in 2331 cases (41.57%), history of chronic respiratory diseases in 1458 cases (26.00%), low immune function in the elderly or young children in 1106 cases (19.72%), vitamin deficiency in 512 cases (9.13%), and others in 201 cases (3.58%). Acute upper respiratory infections in Zigong area occurred all year round. Spring had more respiratory infections than other seasons, and the season with the fewest infections was autumn. Among them, May had the highest number of cases (650 cases), followed by January (592 cases). September had the least number of cases (475 cases), followed by August (480 cases). The daily incidence of upper respiratory tract infection in this area was negatively correlated with daily average temperature, sunshine duration and daily precipitation (rdaily average temperature=-0.635, Pdaily average temperature=0.027; rsunshine duration=-0.678, Psunshine duration=0.015; rday precipitation=-0.691, pday precipitation=0.013), and positively correlated with the daily temperature range and 24 hrs pressure change (rtemperature daily range=0.644, Ptemperature daily range=0.024; r24hrs change pressure=0.579, P24hrs change pressure=0.049). AURI-induced complications were negatively correlated with daily average temperature (rdaily average temperature=-0.718, P daily average temperature=0.009), and positively correlated with daily temperature range (rtemperature daily range=0.651, Ptemperature daily range=0.022). The analysis of multi-factor regression integration showed that the consistency of the test results exceeded 70%, and it exceeded 85% at the same level or adjacent levels. Conclusion From 2016 to 2021, acute upper respiratory tract infection occurs throughout the year in Zigong, with the most in spring and the least in autumn. May and September are the two months with the highest and lowest number of cases, respectively. The number of cases is affected by the average daily temperature, sunshine duration, daily precipitation, daily temperature range and 24hrs variable pressure. The establishment of a respiratory medical weather forecast model by season has a strong forecasting ability for the number of acute upper respiratory infections.

Cielos australes, tormentas sociales y pestilencias: astronomía y meteorología en el debate parlamentario argentino, 1869-1872 / Southern skies, social storms and pestilences: astronomy and meteorology in Argentine parliamentary debates,1869-1872

Resumen Entre 1869 y 1872 se debatieron los proyectos de creación del Observatorio Nacional Argentino y de la Oficina Meteorológica Argentina. Las propuestas de financiamiento de nuevas instituciones nacionales, así como su articulación con las políticas públicas, estaban atravesadas por conflictos propios de la etapa de construcción del Estado. Oponiéndose a los proyectos elevados al Congreso Nacional, algunos sectores argumentaban recursos escasos. El presidente, Domingo Sarmiento, los acusaba de ser aliados de un gobierno anterior, considerado como "bárbaro". No obstante, mostraremos que quienes defendían los proyectos, consideraban también inadmisible un gasto elevado, remarcaban que era poco y lograban su aprobación articulando el discurso con políticas entonces en curso que apuntaban a otras inquietudes como la educación, la inmigración y las epidemias.

Abstract From 1869 to 1872, there was debate about bills to create the Observatorio Nacional Argentino and the Oficina Meteorológica Argentina. The proposed funding for these new national institutions, as well as their connection to public policies, were riven by conflicts inherent to that phase of the construction of the State. Some sectors opposed the bills before the Congreso Nacional, arguing that resources were scarce. President Domingo Sarmiento charged that they were allies of the previous government, which he described as "barbarous." This article shows that the bills' supporters stressed that they were low-cost. They achieved passage of the bills by linking their discourse with contemporary policies aimed at other concerns, such as education, immigration and epidemics.

Estresse por calor na Atenção Primária à Saúde: uma revisão clínica / Heat stress in Primary Health Care: A clinical review / Estrés por calor en la Atención Primaria a la Salud: una revisión clínica

Introdução: A exposição nociva ao calor ganha mais relevância com a progressão do aquecimento global antropogênico e a Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) tem um papel crescente nesse cenário. No Brasil, as ondas de calor entre 2014 e 2015 duraram mais tempo que nos anos prévios, além disso, entre 2000-2015 a associação entre temperatura e hospitalizações variou de acordo com a duração da exposição ao calor. Nesse contexto, o objetivo desta revisão é realizar uma atualização sobre manejo clínico de patologias relacionadas ao calor na APS. Metodologia: Realizou-se a busca na base de dados ACCESSS, que utiliza a pirâmide 5.0 da assistência à saúde baseada em evidências. Foram identificados 103 sumários sintetizados para referência clínica com as palavras "Heat stress", "Heat Stroke", "Heat Wave" e "Heat Exhaustion", mas apenas três entravam no escopo deste estudo. Resultados e Discussão: O estresse pelo calor é uma condição comum, negligenciada e evitável que afeta diversos pacientes, iniciando-se com uma má adaptação ao calor que se não for corrigida pode gerar uma cascata de eventos inflamatórios. O estresse pelo calor é caracterizado por sintomas inespecíficos, como mal-estar, cefaleia e náusea. O tratamento envolve o resfriamento do paciente e monitoramento, garantindo hidratação adequada. A exaustão pelo calor, se não tratada, pode evoluir para insolação, uma doença grave que pode levar ao coma e morte, envolvendo disfunção do sistema nervoso central - necessitando de um tratamento mais agressivo além do resfriamento

Introduction: The nocive exposure to heat gets more attention with anthropogenic global warming, and Primary Health Care (PHC) has a growing role in this scenario. In Brazil heat waves between 2014 and 2015 lasted longer than in previous years. Further, in addition between 2000-2015 the association between temperature and hospitalizations varied according to the duration of heat exposure. Therefore, the aim of this review is to perform an update on clinical management of heat related pathologies in PHC. Methodology: The ACCESSS database was searched using the evidence-based health care pyramid 5.0, where we identified 103 synthesized summaries for clinical reference with words "Heat stress", "Heat Stroke", "Heat Wave" and "Heat Exhaustion", but only three fell within the scope of this study. Results and Discussion: Heat stress is a common, neglected and preventable condition that affects several patients, it starts with a poor adaptation to heat that if it is not adjusted it can generate a cascade of inflammatory events. Heat stress is characterized by nonspecific symptoms such as malaise, headache and nausea. The treatment involves patient monitoring and cooling, ensuring adequate hydration. Heat exhaustion, if untreated, can progress to heatstroke, a serious illness that can lead to coma and death, involving central nervous system dysfunction - requiring more aggressive treatment than cooling.

Introducción: La exposición nociva al calor gana más destaque con la progresión del calentamiento global antropogénico, y la Atención Primaria a la Salud tienen un papiel cresciente en este escenario. En Brasil las olas de calor entre 2014 y 2015 duraron más tiempo que en los años previos, además entre 2000-2015 la asociación entre temperatura y hospitalizaciones ha variado de acuerdo con la duración de la exposición al calor. En este contexto, el objetivo de esta revisión es realizar una actualización sobre manejo clínico de patologías relacionadas al calor en la APS. Metodología: Se realizó la búsqueda en la base de datos ACCESSS, que utiliza la pirámide 5.0 de la asistencia a la salud basada en evidencias. Se han identificado 103 sumarios sintetizados para referencia clínica con las palabras "Heat stress", "Heat Stroke", "Heat Wave" y "Heat Exhaustion", pero sólo tres son considerados en el ámbito de este estudio. Resultados y Discusión: El estrés por el calor es una condición común, descuidada y evitable que afecta a varios pacientes, iniciándose con una mala adaptación al calor que si no se corrige puede generar una cascada de eventos inflamatorios. El estrés por el calor se caracteriza por síntomas inespecíficos, como malestar, cefalea y náuseas. El tratamiento implica el enfriamiento del paciente y el monitoreo, garantizando la hidratación adecuada. El agotamiento por el calor, si no se trata, puede evolucionar hacia la insolación, una enfermedad grave que puede llevar al coma y a la muerte, involucrando disfunción del sistema nervioso central - necesitando un tratamiento más agresivo además del enfriamiento.

Aplicación de métodos multivariados para la caracterización de periodos de sequía meteorológica en Venezuela / Application of multivariate methods for the characterization of meteorological drought periods in Venezuela

El análisis multivariado consiste en determinar si existen maneras más simples de representar un conjunto de datos complejo, además de explorar si las observaciones se concentran en grupos y si existe una interdependencia entre los elementos. Este tipo de técnicas se han utilizado ampliamente para analizar datos climatológicos. Es por ello que el objetivo de esta investigación fue caracterizar la ocurrencia de períodos de sequía por medio de series temporales del Índice Normalizado de Precipitación (SPI) para siete localidades agrícolas de Venezuela, mediante el uso de dos métodos multivariados. A través del SPI, se cuantificaron las condiciones de déficit o exceso de precipitación en las localidades agrícolas con una escala mensual del periodo 1980-2014. Para el análisis, se usó la combinación de dos métodos multivariados: el Análisis de Coordenadas Principales de las matrices de datos usando distancia Euclídea y el Análisis de Conglomerados. En las siete localidades se describieron dos o tres grupos de años de SPI. En el caso de las localidades que resultaron con tres grupos (CENIAP, El Cují y Yaritagua) estos se categorizaron en años húmedos, años intermedios y años con déficit hídrico significativo. En tanto que, en el caso de las localidades que resultaron con dos grupos (Turén, Quíbor, Mucuchíes y Bramón) se clasificaron en años húmedos y años asociados al déficit hídrico. La aplicación de estos métodos multivariados permitió identificar los patrones espaciales mensuales dominantes del SPI sobre las localidades estudiadas, además de estar relacionados con la ocurrencia de sequías locales de gran importancia desde el punto de vista agrícola.

Multivariate analysis consists in determining if there are simpler ways to represent a complex set of data, besides exploring if the observations are concentrated in groups and if there is interdependence between the elements. These types of techniques have been widely used to analyze climatological data. That is why the objective of this research was to characterize the occurrence of drought periods by means of time series of the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI) for seven agricultural locations in Venezuela, by using two multivariate methods. The conditions of deficit or excess of precipitation in the agricultural localities were quantified through the SPI with a monthly scale of the period 1980-2014. The combination of two multivariate methods was used for the analysis: Principal Coordinate Analysis of the data matrices using Euclidean distance and Cluster Analysis. Two or three groups of years of SPI were described in the seven locations. In the case of the locations that resulted with three groups (CENIAP, El Cují and Yaritagua), these were categorized in wet years, intermediate years and years with significant water deficit. Meanwhile, in the case of the locations that resulted with two groups (Turén, Quíbor, Mucuchíes and Bramón), they were classified into wet years and years associated with the water deficit. The application of these multivariate methods made it possible to identify the dominant monthly spatial patterns of the SPI on the studied locations, besides being related to the occurrence of local droughts of great importance from the agricultural point of view.

Determining the correlation between outdoor heatstroke incidence and climate elements in Daegu metropolitan city / 영남의대학술지

BACKGROUND: Heatstroke is one of the most serious heat-related illnesses. However, establishing public policies to prevent heatstroke remains a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the most relevant climate elements and their warning criteria to prevent outdoor heatstroke (OHS).METHODS: We investigated heatstroke patients from five major hospitals in Daegu metropolitan city, Korea, from June 1 to August 31, 2011 to 2016. We also collected the corresponding regional climate data from Korea Meteorological Administration. We analyzed the relationship between the climate elements and OHS occurrence by logistic regression.RESULTS: Of 70 patients who had heatstroke, 45 (64.3%) experienced it while outdoors. Considering all climate elements, only mean heat index (MHI) was related with OHS occurrence (p=0.019). Therefore, the higher the MHI, the higher the risk for OHS (adjusted odds ratio, 1.824; 95% confidence interval, 1.102–3.017). The most suitable cutoff point for MHI by Youden’s index was 30.0°C (sensitivity, 77.4%; specificity, 73.7%).CONCLUSION: Among the climate elements, MHI was significantly associated with OHS occurrence. The optimal MHI cutoff point for OHS prevention was 30.0°C.

Overall Evaluation on Mutual Detoxication Mechanism of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma and Lysimachiae Herba by Correlation Analysis of “Chemical Composition Spectrum-attenuation Spectrum-biological Information Spectrum” / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective: To overall evaluate the mutual detoxication mechanism of Tripterygii Radix et Rhizoma(LGT) compatible with Lysimachiae Herba(JQC) in tumor-bearing state.Method: Twelve differentially characteristic components before and after compatibility were used as chemical composition spectrum,six indicators including serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),creatinine(Cr) and urea nitrogen(BUN),malondialdehyde(MDA) levels in the liver and kidney tissues were used as attenuation spectrum,and twelve biological indicators including glutathione(GSH),glutathione-S-transferase(GST),glutathione peroxidase(GPx),superoxide dismutase(SOD),catalase(CAT) and interleukin(IL)-10 in the liver and kidney were used as the biological information spectrum.Mutual detoxication mechanisms of LGT compatible with JQC in tumor-bearing state were overall evaluated by principal component analysis(PCA),and the contribution of chemical components and biological indicators to mutual detoxication was further evaluated by gray correlation analysis(GCA) of "chemical composition spectrum-attenuation spectrum-biological information spectrum".Result: Compared with the model group,the attenuation spectrum scores Z values of S180(Z1 value) and H22(Z3 value) increased significantly after LGT being used alone(PZ1 value and Z3 value caused by LGT when the ratio of LGT and JQC was 4:1,2:1,1:1,1:2 and 1:4(PZ values(Z1 value and Z3 value) of LGT-JQC in the mass ratios including 4:1,1:1,1:2 and 1:4 was significantly higher than that in the ratio of 2:1(PZ values of the bioinformatics scores in the S180(Z2 value) and H22(Z4 value) tumor-bearing state,these two values were significantly increased after compatibility with JQC.The chemical components contributing the most to the attenuating effect of S180 and H22 in tumor-bearing state were 3# and 10#,respectively.The most important biological indicators were kidney GPx and renal GSH.Conclusion: LGT combined with JQC in the mass ratio of 4:1-1:4 can attenuate LGT-induced subacute toxicity in S180 and H22 tumor-bearing state,and the best ratio of such effect is 2:1.The attenuating effect reflects the thought of "there is no reason why there is no meteorology".The mechanism of attenuating action involves antioxidative damage and anti-inflammatory reaction of the liver and kidney,especially the renal GPx(S180) and renal GSH(H22) as the greatest contribution to the detoxication mechanism.

Correlation between prevalence of marmot plague and meteorological factors in the natural plague foci of Subei County, Gansu Province / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective To analyze the relationship between meteorological variables and the prevalence of marmot plague in the Himalayan marmot foci of Subei County,Gansu Province.Methods The surveillance data (from Gansu Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention) on human plague,the meteorological factors (average rainfall,temperature,relative humidity) data (from China Meteorological Data Sharing Service Network) of the current and preceding (relative to current year as a reference) first,second and third years and meteorological factors data of the current and preceding first,second and third months in Subei of Himalayan marmot foci from 1973 to 2014 were collected.The association of positive rate of plague bacteriological detection and meteorological factors was evaluated by using SAS 9.3 software.The influence of meteorological factors on the epidemic of marmot plague was analyzed by the logistic regression analysis.Results From 1973 to 2014,6 human plague cases with 5 dead cases occurred in Subei County.The positive rate of plague bacteriological detection was positively correlated with the average relative humidity of current year and the average temperature of preceding first year (r =0.366,0.385,P ＜ 0.05),and it was negatively correlated with the average relative humidity of preceding third year (r =-0.304,P ＜ 0.05);the positive rate of plague bacteriological detection was positively correlated with the average rainfall of preceding first month (r =0.212,P ＜ 0.05),and it was negatively correlated with the average relative humidity of preceding second and third months (r =-0.196,-0.201,P ＜ 0.05).The risk factor of animal plague epidemic in marmot foci in Subei County was average temperature of current month [odds ratio (OR) =1.304,95％ confidence intervals (CI):1.195-1.422],and the protective factor was average relative humidity of preceding third month (OR =0.960,95％CI:0.932-0.988).Conclusions The prevalence of marmot plague is closely associated with meteorological factors in the natural plague foci of Subei County of Gansu Province.The temperature not only plays a role in promoting the prevalence of plague,but also has a lagging effect.Therefore,the meteorological factors can be considered as a reference of the plague prevalence in Himalayan marmot plague foci.

Meteorological factors associated with hand, foot and mouth disease in a Central Highlands province in Viet Nam: an ecological study

Background@#Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a public health problem in Viet Nam, and studies have reported seasonal fluctuation in the occurrence of HFMD. This study sought to describe the occurrence of HFMD and its associated meteorological factors in Dak Lak province, Viet Nam. @*Methods@#Monthly data on HFMD cases were collected from all commune health stations in Dak Lak province from 2012 through 2013. An HFMD case was defined as a brief febrile illness accompanied by a typical skin rash with or without mouth ulcers. Average temperature, maximum temperature, minimum temperature, humidity, rainfall, evaporation, sunshine duration and wind speed were recorded monthly at five local meteorological stations throughout Dak Lak.Data were aggregated at the district level, and the association between these meteorological factors and HFMD cases were examined by Poisson regression.@*Results@#In 2012 through 2013, there were 7128 HFMD patients in Dak Lak. The number of HFMD cases increased during the rainy season. An increased risk of HFMD was associated with higher average temperature (risk ratio and 95% confidence interval: 1.06; 1.03–1.08 per 1 °C increase), higher rainfall (1.19; 1.14–1.24 per 200 mm increase) and longer sunshine duration (1.14; 1.07–1.22 per 60 hours increase). The risk of HFMD was inversely associated with wind speed (0.77; 0.73–0.81 per 1 m/s increase).@*Conclusion@#This study suggests that there is a significant association between HFMD occurrence and climate. Temperature, rainfall, wind speed and sunshine duration could be used as meteorological predictors of HFMD occurrence in Viet Nam’s Central Highlands region. Intensified surveillance for HFMD during the rainy season is recommended.

Determinación del comportamiento térmico de un invernadero espacial colombiano mediante dinámica de fluidos computacional / Determination of the thermal behavior of a colombian spatial greenhouse through computational fluid dynamics

RESUMEN En Colombia, la producción de flores se lleva a cabo en invernaderos de diferentes tipos y formas geométricas, pero con la una característica común de usar ventilación natural, para control de clima. En la actualidad, el conocimiento sobre el desempeño climático de estas estructuras es escaso. El objetivo del trabajo consistió en evaluar el comportamiento térmico de un invernadero espacial en condiciones de clima diurno y nocturno. La evaluación realizada, mediante modelado computacional, empleó la dinámica de fluidos computacional (CFD, en idioma inglés), aplicada a un invernadero dedicado a la producción de clavel (Dianthus caryophyllus), bajo las condiciones meteorológicas de la Sabana de Bogotá (Colombia). Este enfoque metodológico permitió obtener los patrones de distribución térmica en el interior del invernadero, encontrando que, para las condiciones meteorológicas evaluadas, el invernadero genera unas condiciones térmicas inadecuadas para el desarrollo del cultivo. La validación del modelo CFD, se realizó comparando los resultados de las simulaciones y las temperaturas registradas en el prototipo real del invernadero, obteniendo un grado de ajuste adecuado entre los valores simulados y medidos.

ABSTRACT In Colombia, flower production takes place in greenhouses of different types and geometric shapes, but with the common feature of using natural ventilation for climate control. At present the knowledge on the climatic performance of these structures is scarce. The aim of this work was to evaluate the thermal behavior of a greenhouse under day and night climate conditions. The evaluation made by computational modeling used the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach applied to a greenhouse dedicated to the production of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) and exposed to the weather conditions of the Sabana de Bogotá (Colombia). This methodological approach allowed us to obtain the thermal distribution patterns inside the greenhouse, finding that for the meteorological conditions evaluated, the greenhouse generates inadequate thermal conditions for the development of the crop. The validation of the CFD model was carried out by comparing the results of the simulations and the temperatures recorded in the real prototype of the greenhouse, obtaining an adequate degree of adjustment between the simulated and measured values.

Lag effect of daily average temperature on the occurrence of urticaria in Lanzhou city / 中华皮肤科杂志

Objective To evaluate effects of daily average temperature on the occurrence of urticaria in Lanzhou city,and to analyze differences in the effects between different populations.Methods Time-series data on daily outpatient visits for urticaria between January 1,2007 and December 31,2013 were collected from the First Hospital of Lanzhou University and Lanzhou University Second Hospital.Daily meteorological data during this peroid were obtained from the Gansu Meteorological Bureau.Distributed lag non-linear models were used to analyze the association between daily average temperature and occurrence of urticaria,and the analysis was stratified by age and gender.Results The association between daily average temperature and daily number of outpatient visits for urticaria was nonlinear.Low temperature had significant lag effects on the daily number of outpatient visits for urticaria,with the maximum relative risk (RR) value (1.014 [95％ CI 1.000-1.023]) observed at 6 ℃ on lag day 18.Stratification analysis demonstrated that the effects of high temperature on the number of outpatient visits for urticaria were apparent on the day of exposure in age groups of 0-18 and 19-64 years,but decreased on the day of exposure in the age group ≥ 65 years.The effects of low temperature,which showed similar trends along with the increment of lag days in all groups,were relatively delayed and occurred 2 to 4 days after exposure.Conclusions Air temperature affects the occurrence of urticaria in Lanzhou city.Low temperature has evident lag effects on the occurrence of urticaria,while high temperature does not have.

Correlations Between the Incidence of National Notifiable Infectious Diseases and Public Open Data, Including Meteorological Factors and Medical Facility Resources / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between the incidence of national notifiable infectious diseases (NNIDs) and meteorological factors, air pollution levels, and hospital resources in Korea. METHODS: We collected and stored 660 000 pieces of publicly available data associated with infectious diseases from public data portals and the Diseases Web Statistics System of Korea. We analyzed correlations between the monthly incidence of these diseases and monthly average temperatures and monthly average relative humidity, as well as vaccination rates, number of hospitals, and number of hospital beds by district in Seoul. RESULTS: Of the 34 NNIDs, malaria showed the most significant correlation with temperature (r=0.949, p<0.01) and concentration of nitrogen dioxide (r=-0.884, p<0.01). We also found a strong correlation between the incidence of NNIDs and the number of hospital beds in 25 districts in Seoul (r=0.606, p<0.01). In particular, Geumcheon-gu was found to have the lowest incidence rate of NNIDs and the highest number of hospital beds per patient. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we conducted a correlational analysis of public data from Korean government portals that can be used as parameters to forecast the spread of outbreaks.

Age and Meteorological Factors in the Occurrence of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Metropolitan City

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between meteorological factors and occurrence of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) according to age. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the records of 735 ICH patients in a metropolitan hospital-based population. Observed and expected numbers of ICH patients were obtained at 5degrees C intervals of ambient temperature and a ratio of observed to expected frequency was then calculated. Changes in ambient temperature from the day before ICH onset day were observed. The Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test was used to test differences in meteorological variables between the onset and non-onset days. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison of meteorological variables across gender and age. RESULTS: ICH was observed more frequently (observed/expected ratio > or = 1) at lower mean, minimum, and maximum ambient temperature (p = 0.0002, 0.0003, and 0.0002, respectively). Significantly lower mean, minimum, and maximum ambient temperature, dew point temperature, wind speed, and atmospheric pressure (p = 0.0003, 0.0005, 0.0001, 0.0013, 0.0431, and 0.0453, respectively) was observed for days on which spontaneous ICH occurred. In the subgroup analysis, the ICH onset day showed significantly lower mean, minimum, and maximum ambient temperature, dew point temperature, relative humidity, and higher atmospheric pressure in the older (> or = 65 years) female group (p = 0.0093, 0.0077, 0.0165, 0.0028, 0.0055, and 0.0205, respectively). CONCLUSION: Occurrence of spontaneous ICH is closely associated with meteorological factors and older females are more susceptible to lower ambient temperature.

Association Between the Daily Temperature Range and Occurrence of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: We have observed, anecdotally, that the incidence of primary spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), as well as spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, varies in accordance with seasonality and meteorological conditions. This retrospective single-hospital-based study aimed to determine the seasonality of sICH and the associations, if any, between the occurrence of sICH and meteorological parameters in Incheon city, which is a northwestern area of South Korea. METHODS: Electronic hospital data on 708 consecutive patients admitted with primary sICH from January 2008 to December 2010 was reviewed. Traumatic and various secondary forms of ICHs were excluded. Average monthly admission numbers of sICH were analyzed, in relation with the local temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and daily temperature range data. The relationships between the daily values of each parameter and daily admission numbers of sICH were investigated using a combination of correlation and time-series analyses. RESULTS: No seasonal trend was observed in sICH-related admissions during the study period. Furthermore, no statistically significant correlation was detected between the daily sICH admission numbers and the meteorological parameters of temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity. The daily temperature range tended to correlate with the number of daily sICH-related admissions (p = 0.097). CONCLUSION: This study represents a comprehensive investigation of the association between various meteorological parameters and occurrence of spontaneous ICH. The results suggest that the daily temperature range may influence the risk of sICH.

Association Between the Daily Temperature Range and Occurrence of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage

OBJECTIVE: We have observed, anecdotally, that the incidence of primary spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (sICH), as well as spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage, varies in accordance with seasonality and meteorological conditions. This retrospective single-hospital-based study aimed to determine the seasonality of sICH and the associations, if any, between the occurrence of sICH and meteorological parameters in Incheon city, which is a northwestern area of South Korea. METHODS: Electronic hospital data on 708 consecutive patients admitted with primary sICH from January 2008 to December 2010 was reviewed. Traumatic and various secondary forms of ICHs were excluded. Average monthly admission numbers of sICH were analyzed, in relation with the local temperature, atmospheric pressure, humidity, and daily temperature range data. The relationships between the daily values of each parameter and daily admission numbers of sICH were investigated using a combination of correlation and time-series analyses. RESULTS: No seasonal trend was observed in sICH-related admissions during the study period. Furthermore, no statistically significant correlation was detected between the daily sICH admission numbers and the meteorological parameters of temperature, atmospheric pressure and humidity. The daily temperature range tended to correlate with the number of daily sICH-related admissions (p = 0.097). CONCLUSION: This study represents a comprehensive investigation of the association between various meteorological parameters and occurrence of spontaneous ICH. The results suggest that the daily temperature range may influence the risk of sICH.

Potenciais impactos da variabilidade climática sobre a morbidade respiratória em crianças, lactentes e adultos / Potential impacts of climate variability on respiratory morbidity in children, infants, and adults

OBJETIVO: Estudar a relação existente entre a o número de internações por doenças do aparelho respiratório em lactentes, crianças e adultos e as variações meteorológicas na cidade de Campo Grande (MS). MÉTODOS Foram utilizados dados diários de internações por doenças respiratórias, precipitação, temperatura do ar, umidade e velocidade dos ventos entre 2004 e 2008. Foram calculados os índices de conforto térmico humano, temperatura efetiva e temperatura efetiva com velocidade do vento com base nas variáveis meteorológicas. Foram realizados modelos lineares generalizados utilizando o modelo múltiplo de regressão de Poisson para predizer as internações por doenças respiratórias. RESULTADOS: Foram observados valores relativamente elevados dos coeficientes de correlação entre as variáveis estudadas e internações por pneumonia em crianças (R² = 68,4%), lactentes (R² = 71,8%) e adultos (R² = 81,8%). CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados aqui apresentados indicam em termos quantitativos o risco para um aumento no número de hospitalizações de crianças, lactentes e adultos de acordo com o aumento ou a diminuição das temperaturas, umidade, precipitação, velocidade dos ventos e índice de conforto térmico na cidade de Campo Grande.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether climate variability influences the number of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in infants, children, and adults in the city of Campo Grande, Brazil. METHODS: We used daily data on admissions for respiratory diseases, precipitation, air temperature, humidity, and wind speed for the 2004-2008 period. We calculated the thermal comfort index, effective temperature, and effective temperature with wind speed (wind-chill or heat index) using the meteorological data obtained. Generalized linear models, with Poisson multiple regression, were used in order to predict hospitalizations for respiratory disease. RESULTS: The variables studied were (collectively) found to show relatively high correlation coefficients in relation to hospital admission for pneumonia in children (R² = 68.4%), infants (R² = 71.8%), and adults (R² = 81.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate a quantitative risk for an increase in the number of hospitalizations of children, infants, and adults, according to the increase or decrease in temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed, and thermal comfort index in the city under study.

Estudo aerobiológico da atmosfera de Caxias do Sul em 2007 / Aerobiology study of the atmosphere of Caxias do Sul in 2007

Objetivos: Identificar e quantificar os tipos polínicos na atmosfera de Caxias do Sul e as oscilações estacionais dos grãos de pólen no ano de 2007. Analisar as correlações entre os parâmetros meteorológicos e as concentrações de pólen atmosférico. Métodos: Para a obtenção dos grãos de pólen, foi utilizado o captador volumétrico de sucção tipo Hirst (modelo Burkard) instalado no alto do Hospital Geral, a uma altura aproximada de 20 metros, local este que não apresentam obstáculos aparentes que possam bloquear a chegada de massa de ar. Resultados: Obtivemos como resultados 14.436 grãos de pólen/m3 coletados no ano de 2007. Foram encontradas concentrações máximas mensais bastante diferenciadas, uma na primavera devida, principalmente, a floração de Euphorbiaceae, Urticaceae, Poaceae, Myrtaceae e Carya e outra no inverno que se deve fundamentalmente a floração de plantas arbóreas como Mimosa scabrella, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Platanus e Melastomataceae. Em relação aos fatores meteorológicos e as concentrações de pólen liberados pelas plantas, podemos dizer que a temperatura e a precipitação são responsáveis diretos das grandes mudanças quantitativas dos grãos pólen. Conclusões: Os meses de maiores picos polínicos foram setembro com 2.525 grãos/m3 de pólen de Mimosa scabrela, totalizando no ano 3.124 grãos/m3, sendo o tipo polínico de maior concentração no ano de 2007, seguido de Urticaceae com uma concentração no mês de outubro de 542 grãos/m3 e totalizando durante o ano 2.052 grãos/m3 e Cupressaceae que totalizou 655 grãos/m3 em julho e no ano 1.075 grãos/m3.

Objectives: To identify and quantify the pollen types in the atmosphere of Caxias do Sul and the seasonal oscillations of pollen grains during the year 2007 and to analyze the correlations between the meteorological parameters and the concentration of atmospheric pollen. Methods: To obtain the pollen grains, we used the suction volumetric sampler, Hirst type (Burkard model), placed on the roof of the Hospital Geral, at about 20m, because it is a place that does not show any obstacles that can block the air mass. Results: We obtained 14,436 pollen grains/m3 collected in the year of 2007. It was found a very differentiated monthly maximum concentration, one in spring, mainly due to the flowering of Euphorbiacea, Urticaceae, Poaceae, Myrtaceae e Carya and other in winter fundamentally due to the flowering of woody plants such as Mimosa scabrella, Cupressaceae, Pinaceae, Platanus and Melastomataceae. About the relations between the meteorological factors and the concentration of pollen released by plants, we can state that the temperature and the precipitation are the main responsible for the great quantitative changes of pollen grains. Conclusions: The month of the highest pollen peak was September with 2,525 grains/m3 of Mimosa scabrela pollen with a total in the year of 3,124 grains/m3, being the pollen type with the highest concentration in the year of 2007, followed by Urticaceae with a concentration in October of 542 grains/m3 and a total of 2,052 grains/m3 during the year and Cupressaceae in July with a total of 655 grains/m3 and in the year a total of 1,075 grains/m3.

A preliminary study on the effects of meteorological factors on intracerebral hemorrhage death using the BP neural network model / 中华流行病学杂志

Objective Using the Back Propagation (BP) Neural Network Model to discover the relationship between meteorological factors and mortality of intracerebral hemorrhage,to provide evidence for developing an intracerebral hemorrhage prevention and control program,in Harbin.Methods Based on the characteristics of BP neural network,a neural network Toolbox of MATLAB 7.0 software was used to build Meteorological data of 2007-2009 with intracerebral hemorrhage mortality to predict the effect of BP neural network model,and to compare with the traditional multivariate linear regression model. Results Datas from the multivariate linear regrcssion indicated that the cerebral hemorrhage death mortality had a negative correlation with maximum temperatureand minimum humidity while having a positive correlation with the average relative humidity and the hours of sunshine.The linear correlation coefficient of intracerebral hemorrhage mortality was 0.7854,with mean absolute percentage (MAPE) as 0.21,mean square error (MSE) as 0.22,mean absolute error(MAE) as 0.19.The accuracy of forecasting was 81.31％ with an average error rate as 0.19.The Fitting results of BP neural network model showed that non-linear correlation coefficient of intracerebral hemorrhage mortality was 0.7967,with MAPE as 0.19,MSE as 0.21,MAE as 0.18.The forecasting accuracy was 82.53％ with the average error rate as 0.17.Conclusion The BP neural network model showed a higher forecasting accuracy when compared to the multiple linear regression model on intraccrebral hemorrhage mortality,using the data of 2010' s.