Impact of climate change on immune responses and barrier defense.

Climate change is not just jeopardizing the health of our planet but is also increasingly affecting our immune health. There is an expanding body of evidence that climate-related exposures such as air pollution, heat, wildfires, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss significantly disrupt the functioning of the human immune system. These exposures manifest in a broad range of stimuli, including antigens, allergens, heat stress, pollutants, microbiota changes, and other toxic substances. Such exposures pose a direct and indirect threat to our body's primary line of defense, the epithelial barrier, affecting its physical integrity and functional efficacy. Furthermore, these climate-related environmental stressors can hyperstimulate the innate immune system and influence adaptive immunity-notably, in terms of developing and preserving immune tolerance. The loss or failure of immune tolerance can instigate a wide spectrum of noncommunicable diseases such as autoimmune conditions, allergy, respiratory illnesses, metabolic diseases, obesity, and others. As new evidence unfolds, there is a need for additional research in climate change and immunology that covers diverse environments in different global settings and uses modern biologic and epidemiologic tools.

Heat wave-induced microbial thermal trait adaptation and its reversal in the Subarctic.

Climate change predictions suggest that arctic and subarctic ecosystems will be particularly affected by rising temperatures and extreme weather events, including severe heat waves. Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors controlling and regulating microbial decomposition in soils; therefore, it is critical to understand its impact on soil microorganisms and their feedback to climate warming. We conducted a warming experiment in a subarctic birch forest in North Sweden to test the effects of summer heat waves on the thermal trait distributions that define the temperature dependences for microbial growth and respiration. We also determined the microbial temperature dependences 10 and 12 months after the heat wave simulation had ended to investigate the persistence of the thermal trait shifts. As a result of warming, the bacterial growth temperature dependence shifted to become warm-adapted, with a similar trend for fungal growth. For respiration, there was no shift in the temperature dependence. The shifts in thermal traits were not accompanied by changes in α- or ß-diversity of the microbial community. Warming increased the fungal-to-bacterial growth ratio by 33% and decreased the microbial carbon use efficiency by 35%, and both these effects were caused by the reduction in moisture the warming treatments caused, while there was no evidence that substrate depletion had altered microbial processes. The warm-shifted bacterial thermal traits were partially restored within one winter but only fully recovered to match ambient conditions after 1 year. To conclude, a summer heat wave in the Subarctic resulted in (i) shifts in microbial thermal trait distributions; (ii) lower microbial process rates caused by decreased moisture, not substrate depletion; and (iii) no detectable link between the microbial thermal trait shifts and community composition changes.

Climate change: Attitudes and concerns of, and learnings from, people with neurological conditions, carers, and health care professionals.

OBJECTIVE: Concern about climate change among the general public is acknowledged by surveys. The health care sector must play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to a changing climate, which will require the support of its stakeholders including those with epilepsy, who may be especially vulnerable. It is important to understand this community's attitudes and concerns about climate change and societal responses. METHODS: A survey was made available to more than 100 000 people among a section of the neurological community (patients, carers, and clinicians), focused on epilepsy. We applied quantitative analysis of Likert scale responses supported by qualitative analyses of free-text questions with crossover analyses to identify consonance and dissonance between the two approaches. RESULTS: A small proportion of potential respondents completed the survey; of 126 respondents, 52 had epilepsy and 56 explicitly declared no illness. The survey indicated concern about the impact of climate change on health within this neurological community focused on epilepsy. More than half of respondents considered climate change to have been bad for their health, rising to 68% in a subgroup with a neurological condition; over 80% expected climate change to harm their health in future. Most (>75%) believed that action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will lead to improved health and well-being. The crossover analysis identified cost and accessibility as significant barriers. SIGNIFICANCE: The high level of concern about climate change impacts and positive attitudes toward policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions provide support for climate action from the epilepsy community. However, if policies are implemented without considering the needs of patients, they risk being exclusionary, worsening inequalities, and further threatening neurological health and well-being.

Victim of changes? Marine macroalgae in a changing world.

BACKGROUND: Marine macroalgae ('seaweeds') are a diverse and globally distributed group of photosynthetic organisms that together generate considerable primary productivity, provide an array of different habitats for other organisms, and contribute many important ecosystem functions and services. As a result of continued anthropogenic stress on marine systems, many macroalgal species and habitats face an uncertain future, risking their vital contribution to global productivity and ecosystem service provision. SCOPE: After briefly considering the remarkable taxonomy and ecological distribution of marine macroalgae, we review how the threats posed by a combination of anthropogenically induced stressors affect seaweed species and communities. From there we highlight five critical avenues for further research to explore (long-term monitoring, use of functional traits, focus on early ontogeny, biotic interactions and impact of marine litter on coastal vegetation). CONCLUSIONS: Although there are considerable parallels with terrestrial vascular plant responses to the many threats posed by anthropogenic stressors, we note that the impacts of some (e.g. habitat loss) are much less keenly felt in the oceans than on land. Nevertheless, and in common with terrestrial plant communities, the impact of climate change will inevitably be the most pernicious threat to the future persistence of seaweed species, communities and service provision. While understanding macroalgal responses to simultaneous environmental stressors is inevitably a complex exercise, our attempt to highlight synergies with terrestrial systems, and provide five future research priorities to elucidate some of the important trends and mechanisms of response, may yet offer some small contribution to this goal.

Long-term effect of extreme temperature on cognitive function of middle-aged and older adults in China.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have explored the association between temperature and cognitive function. However, few studies have examined the effect of extreme temperature on cognitive function. In this study, we aimed to quantify the long-term effect of extreme temperature (e.g., heat waves, cold spells, and hot night excess (HNE)) on cognitive performance in middle-aged and older people in China. METHOD: We investigated 7915 aged >45 years people from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), surveyed in 2011 and 2015. A structured questionnaire was utilized to assess cognitive function, including four dimensions: episodic memory, attention, orientation, and visuo-construction. Hourly ambient temperature from the ERA5-Land datasets were used to calculate variables indicating extreme temperature. We performed difference-in-difference (DID) models to assess the potential causal relationship between extreme temperature and cognitive function. RESULTS: Non-linear analyses suggested that both sustained increases in temperature and excessive variability in temperature increased the risk of cognitive decline. Meanwhile, we observed the extra risk of global cognitive function decline was 2.3% (95% Confidence interval (95% CI): 0.2%, 4.4%) for heat waves (one unit increase) and 5.9% (95% CI: 0.6%, 11.6%) for HNE (one unit increase), while the association for cold spells was insignificant. Two cognitive dimensions, episodic memory and visuo-construction, were sensitive to these two heat-related factors. CONCLUSION: Extreme temperature was inversely related to cognitive performance in middle-aged and older adults, which was substantial for heat waves and HNE particularly. The effect size varied by cognitive dimensions.

Heat wave exposure and increased heat-related hospitalizations in young children in South Korea: A time-series study.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have investigated the association between heat wave exposure increased heat-related hospitalizations in the general population. However, little is known about heat-related morbidity in young children who are more vulnerable than the general population. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between hospitalization for heat-related illness in children and heat wave exposure in South Korea. METHODS: We used the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database, which provides medical records from 2015 to 2019 in South Korea. We defined daily hospitalizations for heat-related illness of children younger than five years during the summer period (June to August). We considered the definition of heat waves considering the absolute temperature and percentile. A total of 12 different heat waves were used. A time-series analysis was used to investigate the association between heat wave exposure and heat-related hospitalization among children younger than five years. We used a two-stage design involving a meta-analysis after modeling by each region. RESULTS: We included 16,879 daily heat-related hospitalizations among children younger than five years. Overall, heat wave exposure within two days was most related for heat-related hospitalizations in young children. The relative risk (RR) due to heat wave exposure within two days (lag2) (12 definitions: 70th to 90th percentile of maximum temperature) ranged from 1.038 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.971, 1.110) to 1.083 (95% CI: 1.036, 1.133). We found that boys were more vulnerable to heat exposure than girls. In addition, we found that urban areas were more vulnerable to heat exposure than rural areas. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, heat wave exposure during summer was found to be associated with an increased risk of hospitalization for heat-related illness among children younger than five years. Our findings suggest the need for summer heat wave management and prevention for children.

Short- and long-term warming events on photosynthetic physiology, growth, and yields of field grown crops.

Global temperatures are rising from increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere associated with anthropogenic activities. Global warming includes a warmer shift in mean temperatures as well as increases in the probability of extreme heating events, termed heat waves. Despite the ability of plants to cope with temporal variations in temperature, global warming is increasingly presenting challenges to agroecosystems. The impact of warming on crop species has direct consequences on food security, therefore understanding impacts and opportunities to adapt crops to global warming necessitates experimentation that allows for modification of growth environments to represent global warming scenarios. Published studies addressing crop responses to warming are extensive, however, in-field studies where growth temperature is manipulated to mimic global warming are limited. Here, we provide an overview of in-field heating techniques employed to understand crop responses to warmer growth environments. We then focus on key results associated with season-long warming, as expected with rising global mean temperatures, and with heat waves, as a consequence of increasing temperature variability and rising global mean temperatures. We then discuss the role of rising temperatures on atmospheric water vapor pressure deficit and potential implications for crop photosynthesis and productivity. Finally, we review strategies by which crop photosynthetic processes might be optimized to adapt crops to the increasing temperatures and frequencies of heat waves. Key findings from this review are that higher temperatures consistently reduce photosynthesis and yields of crops even as atmospheric carbon dioxide increases, yet potential strategies to minimize losses from high-temperature exist.

Exposure to heat wave risks across time and places: Seasonal variations and predictors of feelings of threat across heat wave geographical susceptibility locations.

Vulnerability to heat waves and their negative effects on health vary not only due to individual factors but also due to situational factors, such as time and geography. Hence, we explored seasonal variations and predictors of heat wave feelings of threat across different heat wave geographical susceptibility locations in Portugal. A total of 238 Portuguese residents responded to a web-based longitudinal survey: before the summer, during a heat wave in the summer, during the summer, and after the summer. Geographical location was used as an indicator of risk exposure, operationalized as heat wave occurrence susceptibility (low, moderate, high). Heat wave demands and resources perceptions were assessed to compute an indicator of heat wave feelings of threat. During the heat wave, feelings of threat were higher among participants in high-susceptibility locations, with demands outweighing resources perceptions, suggesting greater distress and coping difficulty. Regression analysis suggested that older participants and female participants living in moderate-high-susceptibility locations had greater difficulty in recovering. Heat wave risk perception and positive affect about heat were identified as the most consistent predictors of heat wave feelings of threat, with risk perception increasing and positive affect decreasing such feelings. Participants with (individual and geographical) vulnerability profiles, who had greater difficulty in coping and recovering from heat waves, could benefit from resource-building/enhancing interventions. In a climatic crisis context, monitoring psychological responses to heat waves (e.g., threat) may enable anticipated action to build resilience before, rather than after, the effects become damaging to physical and psychological health.

Impact of drought on mental and behavioral disorders, contributions of research in a climate change context. A narrative review.

Mental and behavioral disorders are an important public health problem and constitute a priority for the WHO, whose recommendations include the surveillance of their risk factors. On the other hand, drought episodes have been increasing in frequency and severity in Europe since 1980. Therefore, to review the present knowledge about the impact of drought on mental and behavioral disorders, in the present climate change context, and to underline potential research gaps, could be of major interest. Thus, we performed a narrative review using online academic databases with the aim of identifying relevant literature about the impact of drought on mental and behavioral disorders. To the best of our knowledge, no study in Europe quantifies the potential association between drought and mental disorders. A limited number of studies have found significant associations between droughts (with different temporal ranges) and various measures of mental health. However, according to our review, only three of them quantified the association between drought and objective mental health outcomes, such as number of emergencies due to clinically diagnosed mental disorders or suicides. Additionally, few studies used specific indices as a measure of drought; and finally, as far as authors are aware, none of them has analyzed this relationship adjusting for various other potential environmental confounders. Moreover, the eventual association could vary between different geographical areas within the same country. Therefore, national and regional studies would be especially necessary. Thus, there is a need for specific national and regional studies, in Europe and globally, that assess the impact of specific indices of drought (with different temporal ranges) on objective mental health outcomes controlling for potential environmental confounders. Moreover, the quantification of its cost would be necessary for health prioritization, evidence-based policies and strategic health planning.

Vaginal temperature of lactating cows during heat waves or normal summer day and effect of additional daily cooling treatments as heat load mitigation strategy.

The vaginal temperature (VT) of lactating Holstein cows was monitored in not heat wave (NHW) and in heat wave (HW) summer days. Temperature humidity index (THI) was monitored and assigned to four classes of heat load (HL): THI < 68 null; 68 < THI < 74 low; 74 < THI < 80 moderate; and THI > 80 high.Five daily treatments consisting of continuous forced ventilation and sprayed water (1' on follow by 5' off) were assumed as control cooling protocol (CC) and compared with two experimental cooling protocols (EC) applied in the feed bunk and based on the CC plus two additional cooling treatments which lasted a total of 90' (EC90) or 150' (EC150) in the day.Sixty lactating cows were enrolled in two summer trials carried out in NHW or HW. In each trial, 10 cows were cooled by CC, 10 by EC90 and 10 by EC150. Twenty additional cows were monitored in a fall trail to have reference value of THI and VT under thermoneutral conditions (TN). Each trial lasted 72 h, and measurements of VT were carried out by intra-vaginal data loggers.The 33% of observed THI was within the high class of HL during HW, whereas THI never exceeded the upper threshold of moderate or low class of HL in NHW and TN, respectively.Multiparous and high yielding cows were more sensitive to HL, and the increased daily cooling treatments reduced heat load during hot conditions. However, during heat waves a certain degree of hyperthermia occurred even with intensive cooling management based on seven daily treatments.

Assessment of the effects of heat stress on the production of dairy cows by using two comfort thermal indices in Southern Chile.

Heat stress has been recognized as a serious problem in dairy farms around the world due to the increasing heat waves and higher genetic potential of dairy cows. In Chile, milk production is concentrated in the southern regions of the country, where animals graze all year around, consequently being exposed directly to environmental conditions. Nevertheless, there are few studies conducted in Chile that have evaluated at the commercial level the impact of heat stress on milk production. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of summer conditions, across periods, on the milk production of cows at different stages of lactation in a dairy farm located in Southern Chile. Daily meteorological and milk yield records of three summers from a dairy farm were collected to characterize the relationship between two thermal stress indices and milk yield. The thermal comfort indices used were the comprehensive climate index (CCI), and the adjusted temperature humidity index (THIadj). The average values of CCI and THIadj were dependent on the period (P < 0.0001) with maximum CCI of 40.2 °C, 31.7 °C, and 27.5 °C for the 2012-2013, 2015-2016, and 2016-2017 periods, respectively. A similar response was recorded when THIadj was used (85.5, 78.0, and 73.9, respectively). In the 2012-2013 summer, 44.4% of the days presented conditions of heat stress (CCI ≥23), a value that fell to 26.7% in the summer of 2015-2016 and only 5.6% in the 2016-2017. On the opposite, when the THIadj was used, these values were 50%, 48.9%, and 5.6%, respectively. In conclusion, both comfort thermal indices are good tools to determine the risk of thermal stress in dairy cows, with a large variation between the three summer periods but also between indices. Likewise, cows in the early and mid-lactation periods are more affected in terms of milk yield.

Thermal tolerance plasticity and dynamics of thermal tolerance in Eublepharis macularius: Implications for future climate-driven heat stress.

The intensity and duration of heat waves, as well as average global temperatures, are expected to increase due to climate change. Heat waves can cause physiological stress and reduce fitness in animals. Species can reduce overheating risk through phenotypic plasticity, which allows them to raise their thermal tolerance limits over time. This mechanism could be important for ectotherms whose body temperatures are directly influenced by available environmental temperatures. Geckos are a large, diverse group of ectotherms that vary in their thermal habitats and times of daily activity, which could affect how they physiologically adjust to heat waves. Data on thermal physiology are scarce for reptiles, with only one study in geckos. Understanding thermal tolerance and plasticity, and their relationship, is essential for understanding how some species are able to adjust or adapt to changing temperatures. In this study, we estimated thermal tolerance and plasticity, and their interaction, in the crepuscular gecko, Eublepharis macularius, a species that is emerging as a model for reptile biology. After estimating basal thermal tolerance for 28 geckos, thermal tolerance was measured for each individual a second time at several timepoints (3, 6, or 24 h) to determine thermal tolerance plasticity. We found that thermal tolerance plasticity (1) does not depend on the basal thermal tolerance of the organism, (2) was highest after 6 h from initial heat shock, and (3) was negatively influenced by individual body mass. Our findings contribute to the increasing body of work focused on understanding the influence of biological and environmental factors on thermal tolerance plasticity in organisms and provide phenotypic data to further investigate the molecular basis of thermal tolerance plasticity in organisms.

The Role of Ozone as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Heat Waves and Mortality in 15 French Urban Areas.

Heat and tropospheric ozone have acute impacts on rates of premature death. Warm temperatures affect the photochemical processes in ozone formation, suggesting ozone as a mediator of the acute health effect of heat on mortality. We assembled a summertime daily time-series data set of 15 French urban areas during 2000-2015 to decompose the acute total effect of heat waves on mortality into natural direct and indirect effects using a regression-based product method under the potential outcomes framework. For each area, we estimated the effect of heat waves on mortality using a quasi-Poisson model with adjustment for covariates such as lagged nitrogen dioxide concentration, and we modeled ozone with a linear regression of heat waves and the same set of covariates. We pooled estimates across areas using random-effects models. We also provide R software code (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria) with which to reproduce or replicate our analysis. Most areas demonstrated evidence of mediation by ozone, with the pooled relative risks for natural indirect effects being 1.03 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.05), 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.04), and 1.04 (95% CI: 1.00, 1.07) for nonaccidental, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality, respectively. We found evidence of a mediation effect by ozone in the association between heat waves and mortality in France which varied by geographic location and cause of mortality.

Coral adaptive capacity insufficient to halt global transition of coral reefs into net erosion under climate change.

Projecting the effects of climate change on net reef calcium carbonate production is critical to understanding the future impacts on ecosystem function, but prior estimates have not included corals' natural adaptive capacity to such change. Here we estimate how the ability of symbionts to evolve tolerance to heat stress, or for coral hosts to shuffle to favourable symbionts, and their combination, may influence responses to the combined impacts of ocean warming and acidification under three representative concentration pathway (RCP) emissions scenarios (RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). We show that symbiont evolution and shuffling, both individually and when combined, favours persistent positive net reef calcium carbonate production. However, our projections of future net calcium carbonate production (NCCP) under climate change vary both spatially and by RCP. For example, 19%-35% of modelled coral reefs are still projected to have net positive NCCP by 2050 if symbionts can evolve increased thermal tolerance, depending on the RCP. Without symbiont adaptive capacity, the number of coral reefs with positive NCCP drops to 9%-13% by 2050. Accounting for both symbiont evolution and shuffling, we project median positive NCPP of coral reefs will still occur under low greenhouse emissions (RCP2.6) in the Indian Ocean, and even under moderate emissions (RCP4.5) in the Pacific Ocean. However, adaptive capacity will be insufficient to halt the transition of coral reefs globally into erosion by 2050 under severe emissions scenarios (RCP8.5).

How to deal with sleep problems during heatwaves: practical recommendations from the European Insomnia Network.

Heatwaves are occurring more frequently and are known to affect particularly night-time temperatures. We review here literature on how night-time ambient temperature changes affect body temperature and sleep quality. We then discuss how these temperature effects impact particularly vulnerable populations such as older adults, children, pregnant women, and those with psychiatric conditions. Several ways of dealing with sleep problems in the context of heatwaves are then suggested, adapted from elements of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, with more specific advice for vulnerable populations. By better dealing with sleep problems during heatwaves, general health effects of heatwaves may be more limited. However, given the sparse literature, many links addressed in this review on sleep problems affected by temperature changes should be the focus of future research.

Selection of planning unit size in dynamic management strategies to reduce human-wildlife conflict.

Conservation planning traditionally relies upon static reserves; however, there is increasing emphasis on dynamic management (DM) strategies that are flexible in space and time. Due to its novelty, DM lacks best practices to guide design and implementation. We assessed the effect of planning unit size in a DM tool designed to reduce entanglement of protected whales in vertical ropes of surface buoys attached to crab traps in the lucrative U.S. Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) fishery. We conducted a retrospective analysis from 2009 to 2019 with modeled distributions of blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) whales and observed fisheries effort and revenue to evaluate the effect of 7 planning unit sizes on DM tool performance. We measured performance as avoided whale entanglement risk and protected fisheries revenue. Small planning units avoided up to $47 million of revenue loss and reduced entanglement risk by up to 25% compared to the large planning units currently in use by avoiding the incidental closure of areas with low biodiversity value and high fisheries revenue. However, large planning units were less affected by an unprecedented marine heat wave in 2014-2016 and by delays in information on the distributions of whales and the fishery. Our findings suggest that the choice of planning unit size will require decision-makers to navigate multiple socioecological considerations-rather than a one-size-fits-all approach-to separate wildlife from threats under a changing climate.

Selección del tamaño de la unidad de planeación en las estrategias dinámicas de manejo para reducir el conflicto humano-fauna Resumen La planeación de la conservación depende por tradición de las reservas estáticas; sin embargo, cada vez hay más énfasis en estrategias de manejo dinámico (MD) que son flexibles con el tiempo y el espacio. Ya que es novedoso, el MD carece de buenas prácticas que guíen el diseño y la implementación. Analizamos el efecto del tamaño de la unidad de planeación en una herramienta de MD diseñada para reducir el número de ballenas que se enredan en las cuerdas verticales de las boyas amarradas a las trampas para cangrejos de la pesquería lucrativa del cangrejo Dungeness (Metacarcinus magister) en los Estados Unidos. Realizamos un análisis retrospectivo de 2009 a 2019 con modelos de distribución de la ballena azul (Balaenoptera musculus) y la ballena jorobada (Megaptera novaeangliae) y observamos los esfuerzos y ganancias de la pesquería para evaluar el efecto del tamaño de siete unidades de planeación sobre el desempeño de una herramienta de MD. Medimos el desempeño como el riesgo de enredamiento evitado y los ingresos protegidos de la pesquería. Las unidades pequeñas de planeación evitaron hasta $47 millones de ingresos perdidos y redujeron el riesgo de enredamiento hasta en 25% en comparación con las unidades grandes que se usan actualmente al evitar el cierre indirecto de áreas con un valor bajo de biodiversidad e ingresos elevados para la pesquería. Sin embargo, las unidades grandes de planeación estuvieron menos afectadas por una ola de calor marino sin precedentes entre 2014 y 2016 y por los retrasos en la información sobre la distribución de las ballenas y la pesquería. Nuestros hallazgos sugieren que la selección del tamaño de la unidad de planeación requerirá que el órgano decisorio navegue múltiples consideraciones socio-ecológicas-en lugar de un enfoque de un-tamaño-para-todos-para separar a la fauna de las amenazas bajo el clima cambiante.

Analysis of heat stroke and heat exhaustion cases in EudraVigilance pharmacovigilance database.

BACKGROUND: The frequency and intensity of heat waves have increased and will keep increasing. This meteorological phenomenon, which is considered one of the most dangerous, can affect the entire population, but certain populations are at greater risk. Concretely, elderly people are more prompt to suffer from chronic diseases and therefore to be on medication that can interact with the different temperature-regulating systems of the body. So far, there are no published studies that have analyzed pharmacovigilance databases to characterize the association between specific pharmaceuticals and heat-related adverse reactions. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the reported cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, associated with any drug notified to the European pharmacovigilance database (EudraVigilance). METHOD: The Basque Country Pharmacovigilance Unit selected spontaneous reports recorded in EudraVigilance from January 1, 1995, to January 10, 2022. "Heat Stroke" and "Heat Exhaustion" preferred terms were selected. Non-cases, used as controls, were all the other adverse drug reaction reports recorded in EudraVigilance for the same time period. RESULTS: In total, 469 cases were obtained. Mean age: 49.74 ± 8 years, 62.5% were male, and the majority (94.7%) were considered serious by EU criteria. Fifty-one active substances fulfilled the criteria to generate a signal of disproportionate reporting. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of implicated drugs belong to therapeutic groups that are already mentioned in different heat-illness prevention plans. But we also show that drugs aimed to treat multiple sclerosis and several cytokines were also associated with heat-related adverse effects.

Examining the reproductive success of bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana, Phaeophyceae, Laminariales) in climate change conditions.

Climate change is affecting marine ecosystems in many ways, including raising temperatures and leading to ocean acidification. From 2014 to 2016, an extensive marine heat wave extended along the west coast of North America and had devastating effects on numerous species, including bull kelp (Nereocystis luetkeana). Bull kelp is an important foundation species in coastal ecosystems and can be affected by marine heat waves and ocean acidification; however, the impacts have not been investigated on sensitive early life stages. To determine the effects of changing temperatures and carbonate levels on Northern California's bull kelp populations, we collected sporophylls from mature bull kelp individuals in Point Arena, CA. At the Bodega Marine Laboratory, we released spores from field-collected bull kelp, and cultured microscopic gametophytes in a common garden experiment with a fully factorial design crossing modern conditions (11.63 ± 0.54°C and pH 7.93 ± 0.26) with observed extreme climate conditions (15.56 ± 0.83°C and 7.64 ± 0.32 pH). Our results indicated that both increased temperature and decreased pH influenced growth and egg production of bull kelp microscopic stages. Increased temperature resulted in decreased gametophyte survival and offspring production. In contrast, decreased pH had less of an effect but resulted in increased gametophyte survival and offspring production. Additionally, increased temperature significantly impacted reproductive timing by causing female gametophytes to produce offspring earlier than under ambient temperature conditions. Our findings can inform better predictions of the impacts of climate change on coastal ecosystems and provide key insights into environmental dynamics regulating the bull kelp lifecycle.

How heat waves, ozone and sunlight hours affect endocrine and metabolic diseases emergency admissions? A case study in the region of Madrid (Spain).

BACKGROUND: Studies which analyse the joint effect of acoustic or chemical air pollution variables and different meteorological variables on neuroendocrine disease are practically nonexistent. This study therefore sought to analyse the impact of air pollutants and environmental meteorological variables on daily unscheduled admissions due to endocrine and metabolic diseases in the Madrid Region from January 01, 2013 to December 31, 2018. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal, retrospective, ecological study of daily time series analysed by Poisson regression, with emergency neuroendocrine-disease admissions in the Madrid Region as the dependent variable. The independent variables were: mean daily concentrations of PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and O3; acoustic pollution; maximum and minimum daily temperatures; hours of sunlight; relative humidity; wind speed; and air pressure above sea level. Estimators of the statistically significant variables were used to calculate the relative risks (RRs). RESULTS: A statistically significant association was found between the increase in temperatures in heat waves, RR: 1.123 95% CI (1.001-1.018), and the number of emergency admissions, making it the main risk factor. An association between a decrease in sunlight and an increase in hospital admissions, RR: 1.005 95% CI (1.002 1.008), was likewise observed. Similarly, ozone, in the form of mean daily concentrations in excess of 44 µg/m3, had an impact on admissions due to neuroendocrine disease, RR: 1.010 95% CI (1.007-1.035). The breakdown by sex showed that in the case of women, NO2 was also a risk factor, RR: 1.021 95% CI (1.007-1.035). CONCLUSION: The results obtained in this study serve to identify risk factors for this disease, such as extreme temperatures in heat waves, O3 or NO2. The robust association found between the decrease in sunlight and increase in hospital admissions due to neuroendocrine disease serves to spotlight an environmental factor which has received scant attention in public health until now.

Peculiar weather patterns effects on air pollution and COVID-19 spread in Tokyo metropolis.

As a pandemic hotspot in Japan, between March 1, 2020-October 1, 2022, Tokyo metropolis experienced seven COVID-19 waves. Motivated by the high rate of COVID-19 incidence and mortality during the seventh wave, and environmental/health challenges we conducted a time-series analysis to investigate the long-term interaction of air quality and climate variability with viral pandemic in Tokyo. Through daily time series geospatial and observational air pollution/climate data, and COVID-19 incidence and death cases, this study compared the environmental conditions during COVID-19 multiwaves. In spite of five State of Emergency (SOEs) restrictions associated with COVID-19 pandemic, during (2020-2022) period air quality recorded low improvements relative to (2015-2019) average annual values, namely: Aerosol Optical Depth increased by 9.13% in 2020 year, and declined by 6.64% in 2021, and 12.03% in 2022; particulate matter PM2.5 and PM10 decreased during 2020, 2021, and 2022 years by 10.22%, 62.26%, 0.39%, and respectively by 4.42%, 3.95%, 5.76%. For (2021-2022) period the average ratio of PM2.5/PM10 was (0.319 ± 0.1640), showing a higher contribution to aerosol loading of traffic-related coarse particles in comparison with fine particles. The highest rates of the daily recorded COVID-19 incidence and death cases in Tokyo during the seventh COVID-19 wave (1 July 2022-1 October 2022) may be attributed to accumulation near the ground of high levels of air pollutants and viral pathogens due to: 1) peculiar persistent atmospheric anticyclonic circulation with strong positive anomalies of geopotential height at 500 hPa; 2) lower levels of Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) heights; 3) high daily maximum air temperature and land surface temperature due to the prolonged heat waves (HWs) in summer 2022; 4) no imposed restrictions. Such findings can guide public decision-makers to design proper strategies to curb pandemics under persistent stable anticyclonic weather conditions and summer HWs in large metropolitan areas.