Association of ambient temperature on acute ischemic stroke in Yancheng, China.

BACKGROUND: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a major global public health issue. There is limited research on the relationship between ambient temperature and AIS hospital admissions, and the results are controversial. Our objective is to assess the short-term impact of ambient temperature on the risk of AIS hospital admissions in Yancheng, China. METHODS: We collected data on daily AIS hospital admissions, meteorological factors, and air quality in Yancheng from 2014 to 2019. We used Poisson regression to fit generalized linear models and distributed lag non-linear models to explore the association between ambient temperature and AIS hospital admissions. The effects of these associations were evaluated by stratified analysis by sex and age. RESULTS: From 2014 to 2019, we identified a total of 13,391 AIS hospital admissions. We observed that the influence of extreme cold and heat on admissions for AIS manifests immediately on the day of exposure and continues for a duration of 3-5 days. Compared to the optimal temperature (24.4 °C), the cumulative relative risk under extreme cold temperature (-1.3 °C) conditions with a lag of 0-5 days was 1.88 (95%CI: 1.28, 2.78), and under extreme heat temperature (30.5 °C) conditions with a lag of 0-5 days was 1.48 (95%CI: 1.26, 1.73). CONCLUSIONS: There is a non-linear association between ambient temperature and AIS hospital admission risk in Yancheng, China. Women and older patients are more vulnerable to non-optimal temperatures. Our findings may reveal the potential impact of climate change on the risk of AIS hospital admissions.

Taste Preferences at Different Ambient Temperatures and Associated Changes in Gut Microbiota and Body Weight in Mice.

Taste, dietary choices, and gut microbiota are often analyzed as major factors of metabolic health. Populations living in cold or hot regions have different dietary habits. This study aims to investigate the potential association among ambient temperature, food taste preferences, and cecal microbiota community profiles in mice. By exposing mice to mixed diets containing sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors at low (4 °C) and high (37 °C) ambient temperatures, the taste preferences of mice at both ambient temperatures were in the order of saltiness > sweetness > bitterness > sourness. Exposing mice to sweet, sour, salty, and bitter diets, respectively, revealed that in a low-temperature environment, mice consuming salty (5.00 ± 1.49 g), sweet (4.99 ± 0.35 g), and sour (3.90 ± 0.61 g) diets had significantly higher weight gain compared to those consuming normal feeds (2.34 ± 0.43 g, p < 0.05). Conversely, in a high-temperature environment, no significant changes in body weight were observed among mice consuming different flavored diets (p > 0.05). In a low-temperature environment, mice fed sour and sweet diets showed a significant difference in the gut microbiota composition when compared to those fed a normal diet. A higher abundance of Lachnospiraceae, UBA1819, and Clostridiales was identified as the most significant taxa in the sour group, and a higher abundance of Ruminiclostridium was identified in the sweet group. These differences were associated with microbial pathways involved in carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. A high-temperature environment exhibited only minor effects on the gut microbiota profile. Overall, our findings provide evidence for temperature-modulated responses to the taste, gut microbiota functions, and body weight changes in mice.

HSFA1 heat shock factors integrate warm temperature and heat signals in plants.

Warm temperatures and heat stress trigger distinct plant responses. Recently, Li et al. and Tan et al. identified HSFA1 heat shock transcription factors (HSFs) as central gatekeepers of high-temperature signaling, integrating warm temperature and heat shock responses (HSRs) in arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). HSFA1d stabilizes phytochrome-interacting factor 4 (PIF4) and activates HSFA2, establishing a crosstalk between thermomorphogenesis and thermotolerance.

The impact of ambient temperature and powertrains of SUVs on the environment in Slovakia during the use phase.

This study compares different powertrains of sport utility vehicles (SUVs) with respect to ambient temperature and energy mix in Slovakia using the well-to-wheel (WTW) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method. Battery electric vehicles (BEV), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV), and petrol and diesel vehicles were assessed and compared. The WTW study was conducted in SimaPro software assessing electricity/petrol/diesel production, transport, and use (energy conversion in the vehicle), with impact categories being climate change, particulates, NOx emissions, ionizing radiation, and fossil resource scarcity depending on the season (summer and winter). The results indicate that for Slovak conditions, BEV generally had the lowest environmental impact in both seasons studied. The only exceptions were ionizing radiation, which is clearly caused by the high share of nuclear power in the Slovak energy mix, and NOx emissions, which are caused by the combustion of biomass for electricity generation. The other impact categories were dominated by vehicles with an internal combustion engine. The results of emissions from fuel production are also given for each impact category. The transportation of fuel did not exceed the value of 1% for any impact category or for any powertrain. The conclusions of the study support the global trend in favour of vehicle electrification as an important way to reduce the negative environmental impacts of internal combustion engine vehicles in Slovakia.

Emergency room visits (ERVs) among occupational groups associated with ambient conditions in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE: This population-based study explored emergency room visits (ERVs) from all-causes, circulatory and respiratory diseases among different occupational groups in Taiwan associated with ambient average temperature. METHOD: Daily area-age-sex specific ERVs records were obtained from the Taiwan's Ministry of Health and Welfare from 2009 to 2018. Distributed lag-nonlinear model (DLNM) was used to estimate the exposure-response relationships between daily average temperature and ERVs for all-causes, circulatory and respiratory diseases by occupational groups. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to pool the overall cumulative relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). RESULTS: The exposure-response curves showed ERVs of all-cause and respiratory diseases increased with rising temperature across all occupational groups. These effects were consistently stronger among younger (20-64 years old) and outdoor workers. In contrast, ERVs risk from circulatory diseases increased significantly during cold snaps, with a substantially higher risk for female workers. Interestingly, female workers, regardless of indoor or outdoor work, consistently showed a higher risk of respiratory ERVs during hot weather compared to males. Younger workers (20-64 years old) exhibited a higher risk of ERVs, likely due to job profiles with greater exposure to extreme temperatures. Notably, the highest risk of all-causes ERVs was observed in outdoor male laborers (union members), followed by farmers and private employees, with the lowest risk among indoor workers. Conversely, female indoor workers and female farmers faced the highest risk of respiratory ERVs. Again, female farmers with consistent outdoor exposure had the highest risk of circulatory ERVs during cold conditions. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlighted the complexity of temperature-related health risks associated with different occupational contexts. The population-level insights into vulnerable occupational groups could provide valuable comprehension for policymakers and healthcare practitioners.

The use of time-dynamic patterns of temperature and flexible generalized models to clarify the relations between temperature and semen quality.

BACKGROUND: Sperm quality has decreased over the last decades worldwide. It is affected, among others, by season and heat. This study aimed to address the association between ambient temperature and sperm quality by assessing its shape using flexible multivariate models and identifying distinct time-dynamic patterns of temperature change based on unsupervised analysis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective population-based study has been conducted, including all samples of males attending the Fertility and In-Vitro-Fertilization unit at a single medical center during 2016-2022. Flexible generalized models were fitted to characterize the relations between sperm quality and temperature while accounting for patients characteristics, and to identify temperature levels that correspond with the optimal sperm quality. This information was then used to estimate adjusted slope coefficients at specified time-windows. RESULTS: In total, 4555 sperm samples were provided by 3229 individuals. Sperm concentration, motility and progressive motility were higher by 8 %, 11 % and 16 %, respectively, during the spring versus the fall season. Furthermore, their quality during early spermatogenesis improved with temperature, until a certain optimum around 23 °C-24 °C. Increasing temperature at later developmental stages was associated with lower sperm concentration and higher motility. Sperm concentration and motility were highest following a period of moderate gradual warming. Motility was higher and sperm concentration was lower, following a period with heatwaves or summer. CONCLUSIONS: This study assessed temperature role in sperm production quality by considering both average and time-dynamic temperatures. It identified several temperature change patterns over time and stratified the analysis by them. The differences in the relations across stages of spermatogenesis were addressed. Several mechanisms may explain the associations found, including heat-induced apoptosis of the sperm cells, and destruction of sperm cells DNA integrity by over-production of reactive oxygen species. The gradual global warming necessitates exploration of individual response to outdoor temperature in relations to genetic predisposition, lifestyle, and other health characteristics.

Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) As Hydrogen Storage Materials At Near-Ambient Temperature.

Hydrogen may play a critical role in our efforts to de-carbonize by 2050. However, there remain technical challenges in the storage and transport of hydrogen. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown significant promise for hydrogen storage at cryogenic temperatures. A material that can meet the US department of energy (DOE) ultimate goal of 6.5 wt. % for gravimetric performance and 50 g/L for volumetric storage at near-ambient temperatures would unlock hydrogen as a future fuel source for on-board applications. Metal-organic frameworks typically have low heat of adsorptions (i. e. 4-7 kJ/mol), whereas for storing significant quantities of hydrogen at near-ambient temperatures, 15-25 kJ/mol is likely required. In this review we explore the current methods used (i. e., open-metal sites, alkali dopants and hydrogen spillover) for promoting strong adsorption within MOFs. Further we discuss MOF-based materials with respect to the technical aspects of deliverable capacity, kinetics and stability.

Impact of Sub-Ambient Temperature on Aging Rate and Gas Separation Properties of Polymers of Intrinsic Microporosity.

Aging in polymers of intrinsic microporosity has slowed exploitation due to a decay in performance over time since densification makes them unsuitable for industrial applications. This work aimed to study the impact of the operation and storage temperature on the gas separation properties and aging rates of PIM-1 self-standing films. The permeability, diffusivity, and solubility of the tested membranes were monitored through permeation tests for pure carbon dioxide and nitrogen at a maximum upstream pressure of 1.3 bar for temperatures ranging from -20 °C to 25 °C. This study found significant benefits in the operation of glassy polymeric membranes at low temperatures, resulting in a favourable trade-off in separation performance and a reduction in the aging rate by three orders of magnitude. This brings new opportunities for the industrial application of PIMs in innovative carbon capture processes.

Effect of non-optimal ambient temperature on preterm birth stratified by social positioning in Nepal: A space-time-stratified case-crossover study.

BACKGROUND: The ongoing increase in the mean global temperature due to human induced climate change, indicates that women and infants will have higher exposure to heat events leading to adverse outcomes. The study investigates the effect of non-optimal ambient temperature on the risk of preterm birth stratified by social position in Nepal. METHOD: This is a space-time-stratified case-crossover design, based on hospital-registered perinatal data between 2017 and 2021 (n = 47,807). A daily count of pregnant women residing in seven heat-prone districts was extracted together with their social status (ethnicity), obstetric complication and gestation of birth. The daily count of events was matched with the daily ambient temperature of their residence using the NOAA spatial temperature recording. Ambient temperature exposure was analysed using conditional Poisson regression and distributed lag non-linear models. FINDINGS: In the general population, with exposure to ambient temperature at the 75th centile (28 °C) the cumulative risk of preterm birth over 28 days was 1·29 times higher (RR, 1·29; 95% CI; 1·09, 1·54) than at median temperature (24.1 °C), and even higher among the socially disadvantaged population. Cumulative risk of preterm birth to cold ambient temperature at the 1st centile was high but not significant. Exposure to ambient temperature at the 90th centile (32·5 °C) had the highest cumulative risk of preterm birth for pregnant women from socially disadvantaged populations (RR 1·81; 95% CI; 1·28, 2·55). The delayed effect after exposure to temperatures above the 75th percentile was more prolonged in the disadvantaged than the advantaged social group. CONCLUSION: Although exposure to cold with certain effect on preterm births, heat (increase in ambient temperature) carries a risk of preterm birth in Nepal, and is more profound among socially disadvantaged populations.

[Application of NGO-BP Neural Network in Battery Life Prediction of Portable Medical Devices].

The development of portable medical devices cannot be separated from safe and efficient batteries. Accurately predicting the remaining life of batteries can greatly improve the reliability of batteries, which is of great significance for portable medical devices. This article focuses on the high dependence of the BP neural network algorithm on initial weights and thresholds, as well as its tendency to fall into local minima. The Northern Goshawk Optimization (NGO) algorithm is used to optimize the BP neural network and to test the 18650 lithium battery data under different ambient temperatures (4, 24, 43°C) typical of medical equipment. The experimental results show that the NGO algorithm can significantly improve the prediction accuracy of the BP neural network under various temperature conditions, achieving accurate and effective prediction of the remaining battery life.

Relay Adsorption in Metal-Organic Frameworks for One-Step Helium Purification at Ambient Temperature.

One-step He purification from natural gas represents a crucial solution for addressing the global He shortages. The prevailing method to produce high-grade He involves cryogenic distillation and ultralow temperature adsorption processes, which is highly cost- and energy-intensive. Separating and purifying He at ambient temperature is a great challenge because the fundamental limitation lies in the boiling point, polarizability, and kinetic diameters of CH4/N2/He gases. In this study, we seek to implement a relay adsorption strategy using Ni(ina)2 and MIL-100(Cr) metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) to produce high-purity He from ternary mixtures (CH4, N2, and He) at ambient temperature. The CH4/He selectivity in Ni(ina)2 and N2/He selectivity in MIL-100(Cr) both reach record 15.39 and 128.49, respectively, making the relay adsorption for helium purification highly efficient. The breakthrough experiments show that the two MOFs can sequentially adsorb CH4 and N2 in ternary mixtures, producing He with a purity of up to 99.99% in one step. The remarkable separation performance and stability of these MOFs underscore the industrial potential in purifying He at ambient temperature.

Mechanical properties of low calcium alkali activated binder system under ambient curing conditions.

These days, the construction industry is facing sustainability issues, leading to the selection of greener, low-carbon, alkali-activated materials. This study examines a low calcium alkali activated system composed of three constituents (ceramic brick, metakaolin waste, and phosphogypsum). The AAB compositions consist of the primary precursor, waste ceramic brick, which is increasingly (20-100 wt%) replaced with waste metakaolin. The alkaline solution was made of sodium hydroxide and water; dosage depended on the Na2O/Al2O3 ratio (1.00-1.36). The AAB specimens were inspected by using XRD (X-ray diffraction) and FT-IR (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) methods for the evaluation of mineral composition, accompanied by SEM-EDS (scanning electron microscopy & energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy) for the analysis of the microstructure. The compressive strength after 7, 28 and 90 days, along with water absorption and softening coefficient were determined. Also, mixture calorimetry was established. The results have shown that the initial materials are suitable for producing medium-strength alkali-activated binder under ambient temperature. The maximum compressive strength was reached by using the combination of 80% CBW and 20% MKW (13.9 and 21.2 MPa after 28 and 90 days respectively). The compressive strength development was linked with the formation N-A-S-H gel and faujasite type zeolite. A higher level of geopolymerization in composition with metakaolin waste led to lower compressive strength. Consequently, binding materials with low demand of high final and especially early compressive strength could be produced under ambient temperature curing, making them more sustainable.

Benefits of calorie restriction in mice are mediated via energy imbalance, not absolute energy or protein intake.

Caloric restriction (CR) results in reduced energy and protein intake, raising questions about protein restriction's contribution to CR longevity benefits. We kept ad libitum (AL)-fed male C57BL/6J mice at 27°C (AL27) and pair-fed (PF) mice at 22°C (22(PF27)). The 22(PF27) group was fed to match AL27 while restricted for calories due to cold-induced metabolism. The 22(PF27) mice had significantly lower body weight, lean mass, fat mass, leptin, IGF-1, and TNF-α levels than AL27 mice (p<0.001 for all). Manipulations over ~11 weeks resulted in significant differences in body temperature, physical activity, and expression of key genes linked to hunger in the hypothalamus. Survival was significantly greater in 22(PF27) compared to AL27 overall (p<0.001). CR in the context of equivalent energy and protein intake resulted in hormonal, metabolic, and physiological benefits and extended longevity. Hence, energy imbalance, rather than low energy or protein intake per se, mediates the benefits of CR.

Regional Intraspecific Differences of Thermal Biology in a Marsupial Hibernator.

AbstractDuring periods of torpor, hibernators can reduce metabolic rate (MR) and body temperature (Tb) substantially. However, to avoid physiological dysfunction at low temperatures, they defend Tb at a critical minimum, often between ~0°C and 10°C via an increase in MR. Because thermoregulation during torpor requires extra energy, individuals with lower Tb's and thus minimal MR during torpor should be selected in colder climates. Such inter- and intraspecific variations occur in some placental mammals, but for the evolutionary separate marsupials, available information is scarce. Marsupial eastern pygmy possums (Cercartetus nanus; ~22 g body mass), widely distributed along the Australian southeastern coast including subtropical to alpine areas, were used to test the hypothesis that the defended Tb of torpid individuals is related to the climate of their habitat. Possums were captured from five regions, 1,515 km apart, with midwinter (July) minimum environmental temperatures (min Tenv's) ranging from -3.9°C to 6.6°C. Captive possums in deep torpor were slowly cooled with ambient temperature (Ta), while their MR was measured to determine the minimum torpor metabolic rate (TMR), the Ta at which their MR increased for thermoregulation (min Ta), and the corresponding minimum Tb (min Tb). Partial least squares regression analysis revealed that Ta and Tenv were the strongest explanatory variables for the min Tb. The min Tb and Ta were also correlated with latitude but not elevation of the capture sites. However, the best correlations were observed between the min Tenv and the min Tb and Ta for individuals experiencing min Tenv>0°C; these individuals thermoconformed to min Ta's between -0.8°C and 3.7°C, and their min Tb ranged from 0.5°C to 6.0°C and was 0.5°C-2.6°C below the min Tenv at the capture site. In contrast, individuals experiencing a min Tenv of -3.9°C regulated Tb at 0.6°C±0.2°C or 4.5°C above the Tenv. The minimum TMR of all possums did not differ with Ta and thus did not differ among populations and was 2.6% of the basal MR. These data provide new evidence that thermal variables of marsupials are subject to regional intraspecific variation. It suggests that min Tb is a function of the min Tenv but only above 0°C, perhaps because the Tb-Ta differential for torpid possums in the wild, at a min Tenv of -3.9°C, remains small enough to be compensated by a small increase in MR and does not require the physiological capability for a reduction of Tb below 0°C.

Association between ambient temperature and influenza prevalence: A nationwide time-series analysis in 201 Chinese cities from 2013 to 2018.

BACKGROUND: Temperature affects influenza transmission; however, currently, limited evidence exists about its effect in China at the national and city levels as well as how temperature can be integrated into influenza interventions. METHODS: Meteorological, pollutant, and influenza data from 201 cities in mainland China between 2013 and 2018 were analyzed at both the city and national levels to investigate the relationship between temperature and influenza prevalence. We examined the impact of temperature on the time-varying reproduction number (Rt) using generalized additive quasi-Poisson regression models combined with the distributed lag nonlinear model. Threshold temperatures were determined for seven regions based on the early warning threshold of serious influenza outbreaks, set at Rt = 1.2. A multivariate random-effects meta-analysis was employed to assess region-specific associations. The excess risk (ER) index was defined to investigate the correlation between Rt and temperature, modified based on seasonal and regional characteristics. RESULTS: At the national level and in the central, northern, northwestern, and southern regions, temperature was found to be negatively correlated with relative risk, whereas the shapes of the data curves for the eastern, southwestern, and northeastern regions were not well defined. Low temperatures had an observable effect on influenza prevalence; however, the effects of high temperatures were not obvious. At an Rt of 1.2, the threshold temperatures for reaching a warning for serious influenza outbreaks were - 24.3 °C in the northeastern region, 16.6 °C in the northwestern region, and between 1℃ and 10 °C in other regions. CONCLUSION: The study findings revealed that temperature had a varying effect on influenza transmission trends (Rt) across different regions in China. By identifying region-specific temperature thresholds at Rt = 1.2, more effective early warning systems for influenza outbreaks could be tailored. These findings emphasize the significance of the region-specific adaptation of influenza prevention and control measures.

Will a changing climate affect hatching success in cavity-nesting birds: A case study with Eastern Bluebirds (Sialia sialis)?

A significant body of evidence indicates that climate change is influencing many aspects of avian ecology. Yet, how climate change is affecting, and is expected to influence some aspects of the breeding ecology of cavity-nesting birds remains uncertain. To explore the potential linkage between timing of first clutch, and the influence of ambient temperature on hatching success, we used Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) nest records over a nine-year period from Alabama, USA. We investigated changes to annual clutch initiation dates, as well as variability in hatching success associated with ambient air temperatures during the incubation period. Using a simple linear model, we observed earlier annual egg laying dates over the nine years of this study with a difference of 24 days between earliest egg-laying date of the season. Daily temperature minima increased 2 °C across the nine-year time frame of this study. These data also indicate that Eastern Bluebird hatching success was the highest when mean ambient air temperature during incubation was between 19 °C and 24 °C (78%, as opposed to 69% and 68% above and below this temperature range, respectively). Our findings of increasing maxima, earlier maxima each year, and the lower minima of temperatures within our study area could expand the breadth of temperatures experienced by nesting Eastern Bluebirds possibly exposing them to temperatures outside of what promotes nesting success. These findings with a cavity-nesting bird highlight an optimal range of ambient temperatures associated with highest hatching success, conditions likely to be affected by climate change.

Detrimental effects of scene manipulations on temperature-based time since death estimation.

In forensic casework, time since death (TSD) estimations may play a crucial role to establish chains of events as well as for alibi assessment in homicide cases. Classical TSD estimation relies on reasonably stable ambient temperatures and a correct documentation of ambient and rectal temperatures. This constancy is in some cases disturbed by post-discovery alterations of the crime scene, e.g. opening a window. In order to develop a better understanding of this alteration-based detrimental impact on TSD estimation as well as to identify feasible recommendations for casework, the present pilot study examined ambient temperature effects of different window opening scenarios regarding various time intervals (5 to 360 min) in a furnished 10 m2 apartment during winter. In this context, in addition to the ambient temperature and thus the cooling rate of the room, re-approximation to initial room temperature, potential influences on a nomogram-based time since death estimation using a fictitious case, and the impact of the measurement height above the ground were investigated. Our data indicate a significant reduction of the mean temperature decrease rate after 15 min regardless of the remaining opening time and a correlation with the size of the respective opening surfaces. Re-approximation to initial room temperatures was observed with up to three times longer than the initial opening time. There was no evidence of a substantial advantage of temperature measurements above the level of the corpse (> 0.1 m). The limitations of the study and its applicability for forensic casework are critically reviewed.

Effect of environmental exposome and influenza infection on febrile seizure in children over 22 years: a time series analysis.

Febrile seizures are convulsions predominately occurring in young children. The effects of various exposomes, including influenza infection and external environmental factors, on febrile seizures have not been well-studied. In this study, we elucidated the relationships between ambient temperature, air pollutants, influenza infection, and febrile seizures using 22-year territory-wide hospitalization data in Hong Kong. The aggregated data were matched with the meteorological records and air pollutant concentrations. All-type and type-specific influenza-like illness positive (ILI+) rates were used as proxies for influenza activity. Distributed lag non-linear model in conjunction with the quasi-poisson generalized additive model was used to examine the associations of interest. According to the results, all-type influenza infections were significantly associated with an increased risk of hospital admissions for febrile seizures (cumulative adjusted relative risk [ARR] = 1.59 at 95th percentile vs. 0; 95% CI, 1.51-1.68). The effect of ILI + A/H3N2 on febrile seizure was more pronounced than other type-specific ILI + rates. A low mean ambient temperature was identified as a significant risk factor for febrile seizures (cumulative ARR = 1.50 at 5th percentile vs. median; 95% CI, 1.35-1.66), while the redox-weighted oxidant capacity and sulfur dioxide were not associated with febrile seizures. In conclusion, our study underscores that influenza infections and exposure to cold conditions were related to an increased risk of febrile seizures in children. Thus, we advocate for influenza vaccination before the onset of the cold season for children to mitigate the burden of febrile seizures.

Seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock.

Background: Little is known about the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with CS caused by AMI. Objectives: We investigated the 12-month clinical outcomes in patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) according to season. Methods: A total of 695 patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS was enrolled from 12 centers in South Korea. The study patients were divided into four groups according to season in which the AMI with CS occurred (spring, n = 178 vs. summer, n = 155 vs. autumn, n = 182 vs. winter, n = 180). We compared major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs; the composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, re-hospitalization due to heart failure, and any revascularization) between the four groups. Results: The risk of MACE during the 12 months after CS was similar in the four groups: spring, 68 patients, vs. summer, 69, vs. autumn, 73, vs. winter, 68 (p = 0.587). Multivariate Cox-regression analysis revealed no significant difference in 12-month MACE among groups compared to the spring group after inverse probability of treatment weighting adjustment (summer, HR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.98-1.99, p = 0.062; autumn, HR 1.26, 95 % CI 0.89-1.80, p = 0.193; winter, HR 1.18, 95 % CI 0.83-1.67, p = 0.356). The similarity of MACE between the four groups was consistent across a variety of subgroups. Conclusions: After adjusting for baseline differences, seasonal variation seems not to influence the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients treated with PCI for AMI complicated by CS. Condensed abstract: Data are limited regarding the association between seasonal variation and prognosis in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) caused by AMI. This study divided patients undergoing PCI for AMI complicated by CS into four groups based on the season of occurrence and found no significant differences in 12-month MACE between the groups after adjusting for bias and confounding factors. Multivariate analysis revealed consistent MACE similarity across subgroups. The study suggests that seasonal variation has no impact on the mid-term risk of 12-month MACE in patients with CS caused by AMI, after adjusting for baseline differences. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02985008RESCUE (REtrospective and prospective observational Study to investigate Clinical oUtcomes and Efficacy of left ventricular assist device for Korean patients with cardiogenic shock), NCT02985008, Registered December 5, 2016 - retrospectively and prospectively. Irb information: This study was approved by the institutional review board of Samsung Medical Center (Reference number: 2016-03-130).

Effects of climatic conditions of Al Seeb in Oman on the performance of solar photovoltaic panels.

Human activities and climatic elements, including temperature, humidity, and wind speed, have an impact on natural dust deposition. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of wind speed, relative humidity, and ambient temperature on the performance of soiled photovoltaic panels in Al Seeb, Oman. The study was conducted by exposing the solar PV panels to outdoor sunlight for a duration of two months. Parameters such as solar radiation, voltage, current, solar panel temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, and ambient temperature were collected in a short time interval. It was observed that the dust densities of 20.7 g/m2, 27 g/m2, and 41.3 g/m2 resulted in electrical power reductions of 18 %, 33 %, and 40 % for the panels uncleaned for one week, two weeks, and three weeks, respectively. The effect of daily dust resulted in an energy reduction of 14 %. Moreover, dust deposition decreases when the wind speed increases, resulting in a higher power output and vice versa. The higher the humidity, the stronger the dust's adhesion to the surface, resulting in more deposition and reduced power output. The maximum power output of 82.3 W was achieved at the wind speed of 10 m/s, 34.9 % relative humidity, and ambient temperature of 38.5 °C.