Evaluation of thermal bioclimate based on observational data and numerical simulations: an application to Greece.

The evaluation of thermal bioclimate can be conducted employing either observational or modeling techniques. The advantage of the numerical modeling approach lies in that it can be applied in areas where there is lack of observational data, providing a detailed insight on the prevailing thermal bioclimatic conditions. However, this approach should be exploited carefully since model simulations can be frequently biased. The aim of this paper is to examine the suitability of a mesoscale atmospheric model in terms of evaluating thermal bioclimate. For this, the numerical weather prediction Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model and the radiation RayMan model are employed for simulating thermal bioclimatic conditions in Greece during a 1-year time period. The physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) is selected as an index for evaluating thermal bioclimate, while synoptic weather station data are exploited for verifying model performance. The results of the present study shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of the numerical modeling approach. Overall, it is shown that model simulations can provide a useful alternative tool for studying thermal bioclimate. Specifically for Greece, the WRF/RayMan modeling system was found to perform adequately well in reproducing the spatial and temporal variations of PET.

Exposure to PM10 as a risk factor for the development of nasal obstruction and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether air pollution is a potential risk factor for airways obstruction. METHODS: A prospective cohort study (11.3 +/- 2.9 years) that took place in two areas (Eordea where concentration of PM10 was high and Grevena, Greece). We used the MRC questionnaire, spirometry, and anterior rhinomanometry at both visits. RESULTS: Initially we examined 3046 subjects. After excluding chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, we re-examined 872 subjects and 168 of them had developed COPD (Grevena: 24.3%, Eordea: 18.5%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the area of residence and thus exposure to air pollution was not a risk factor for the development of COPD (OR: 0.51, 95% CI: 0.18-1.46, P = 0.21). On the other hand, residence in Eordea was strongly related to the development of severe nasal obstruction (OR: 11.47, 95% CI: 6.15-21.40, P < 0.001). Similar results were found after excluding patients with COPD stage I as well as in the subgroup of never smokers. CONCLUSION: Air pollution was associated with severe nasal obstruction but not with COPD development.

Growth of Aeromonas hydrophila in the whey cheeses Myzithra, Anthotyros, and Manouri during storage at 4 and 12 degrees C.

The fresh whey cheeses Myzithra, Anthotyros, and Manouri were inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila strain NTCC 8049 (type strain) or with an A. hydrophila strain isolated from food (food isolate) at levels of 3.0 to 5.0 x 10(2) CFU/g of cheese and stored at 4 or 12 degrees C. Duplicate samples of cheeses were tested for levels of A. hydrophila and pH after up to 29 days of storage. At 4 degrees C, A. hydrophila grew in Myzithra and Anthotyros with a generation time of ca. 19 h, but no growth was observed in Manouri. In Myzithra, average maximum populations of 8.87 log CFU/g (type strain) and 8.79 log CFU/g (food isolate) were recorded after 20 and 22 days of storage at 4 degrees C, respectively. The average maximum populations observed in Anthotyros stored at 4 degrees C were 6.72 log CFU/g (food isolate) and 6.13 log CFU/g (type strain) and were observed after 15 and 16 days of storage, respectively. A. hydrophila grew rapidly and reached high numbers in cheeses stored at 12 degrees C. The average generation times were 3.7 and 3.9 h (Myzithra), 4.1 and 6.1 h (Anthotyros), and 8.0 and 9.2 h (Manouri) for the type strain and the food isolate, respectively. Among the different whey cheese trials, the highest A. hydrophila population recorded (10.13 log CFU/g) was in Myzithra that had been inoculated with the food isolate after 8 days of storage at 12 degrees C. To prevent A. hydrophila growth in whey cheeses, efforts must be focused on preventing postprocessing contamination and temperature abuse during transportation and storage.