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Understanding the molecular mechanism of the cold response is critical to improve horticultural plant cold tolerance. Here, we documented the physiological, transcriptome, proteome, and hormonal dynamics to cold stress in temperate genotype (Tg) and subtropical genotype (Sg) populations of Camellia japonica. Tg C. japonica suffered minimal osmotic and oxidative damage compared to Sg C. japonica under the same cold treatment. Transcriptional and translational differences increased under the cold treatment, indicating that Tg C. japonica was affected by the environment and displayed both conserved and divergent mechanisms. About 60% of the genes responding to cold had similar dynamics in the two populations, but 1,896 transcripts and 455 proteins differentially accumulated in response to the cold between Tg and Sg C. japonica. Co-expression analysis showed that the ribosomal protein and genes related to photosynthesis were upregulated in Tg C. japonica , and tryptophan, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid metabolism were regulated differently between the two populations under cold stress. The divergence of these genes reflected a difference in cold responsiveness. In addition, the decrease in the abscisic acid (ABA)/gibberellic acid (GA) ratio regulated by biosynthetic signal transduction pathway enhanced cold resistance in Tg C. japonica , suggesting that hormones may regulate the difference in cold responsiveness. These results provide a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of cold stress and will improve cold tolerance in horticultural plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese-style bathing (JSB), which involves soaking in hot water up to the shoulders in deep bathtubs for a long time in the evening to night, is unique. Many experimental and epidemiological studies and surveys have shown that JSB improve sleep quality, especially shortens sleep onset latency in winter. In addition, repeated JSB lead the improvement of depressive symptoms. JSB is a simple and low-cost non-pharmacological measure to sleep difficulty in winter and mental disorders, especially for the elderly. On the contrary, drowning, while soaking in a bathtub, is the most common of accidental death at home in Japan. It is estimated that approximately 19,000 Japanese individuals die annually while taking a bath, mostly during winter, and most victims are elderly people. Elderly Japanese people tend to prefer a higher-risk JSB because the temperature inside the house during winter, especially the dressing room/bathroom temperature, is very low. Since the physiological thermal effect of the elderly associated with bathing is relatively lower among the elderly than the young, the elderly prefer to take a long hot bath. This elderly's favorite style of JSB results in larger increased blood pressure in dressing rooms and larger decreased in blood pressure during hot bathing. A sudden drop in blood pressure while immersed in the bathtub leads to fainting and drowning. Furthermore, elderly people are less sensitive to cold air or hot water, therefore, it is difficult to take appropriate measures to prevent large fluctuations in blood pressure. To ensure a safe and comfortable winter bathing, the dressing room/bathroom temperature needs to be maintained at 20 °C or higher, and several degrees higher would be recommended for the elderly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change in the conifer‐dominated boreal forest is expected to lead to warmer but more dynamic winter air temperatures, reducing the depth and duration of snow cover and lowering winter soil temperatures. To gain insight into the mechanisms that have enabled conifers to dominate extreme cold environments, we performed genome‐wide RNA‐Seq analysis from needles and roots of non‐dormant two‐year Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst), and contrasted these response to herbaceous model Arabidopsis We show that the main transcriptional response of Norway spruce needles exposed to cold was delayed relative to Arabidopsis, and this delay was associated with slower development of freezing tolerance. Despite this difference in timing, Norway spruce principally utilizes early response transcription factors (TFs) belonging to the same gene families as Arabidopsis, indicating broad evolutionary conservation of cold response networks. In keeping with their different metabolic and developmental states, needles and root of Norway spruce showed contrasting results. Regulatory network analysis identified both conserved TFs with known roles in cold acclimation (e.g. homologs of ICE1, AKS3, and of the NAC and AP2/ERF superfamilies), but also a root‐specific bHLH101 homolog, providing functional insights into cold stress response strategies in Norway spruce. Summary Statement: Norway spruce shares components with the cold regulon previously described in the herbaceous annual plant model Arabidopsis, but has delayed responses and previously undescribed tissue‐specific regulatory components that contribute to the extreme cold tolerance of this long‐lived, evergreen coniferous species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The existing evidence suggests that pre-existing diabetes may modify the association between heat and hospitalizations for acute myocardial infarction (AMI).Methods: This study included patients who were hospitalized for AMI from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2013 in Brisbane, Australia, and also included those who died within 2 months after discharge. A time-stratified case-crossover design with conditional logistic regression was used to quantify the associations of heat and cold with hospitalizations and post-discharge deaths due to AMI in patients with and without pre-existing diabetes. Stratified analyses were conducted to explore whether age, sex and suburb-level green space and suburb-level socio-economic status modified the temperature-AMI relationship. Heat and cold were defined as the temperature above/below which the odds of hospitalizations/deaths due to AMI started to increase significantly.Results: There were 14 991 hospitalizations for AMI and 1811 died from AMI within 2 months after discharge during the study period. Significant association between heat and hospitalizations for AMI was observed only in those with pre-existing diabetes (odds ratio: 1.19, 95% confidence interval: 1.00-1.41) [heat (26.3°C) vs minimum morbidity temperature (22.2°C)]. Cold was associated with increased odds of hospitalizations for AMI in both diabetes and non-diabetes groups. Significant association between cold and post-discharge deaths from AMI was observed in both diabetes and non-diabetes groups.Conclusions: Individuals with diabetes are more susceptible to hospitalizations due to AMI caused by heat and cold. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectin methylesterase inhibitor (PMEI) inhibits pectin methylesterase (PME) activity at post-translation level, which plays core roles in vegetative and reproductive processes and various stress responses of plants. However, the roles of PMEIs in tea plant are still undiscovered. Herein, a total of 51 CsPMEIs genes were identified from tea plant genome. CsPMEI1 - 4 transcripts were varied in different tea plant tissues and regulated by various treatments, including biotic and abiotic stresses, sugar treatments, cold acclimation and bud dormancy. Overexpression of CsPMEI4 slightly decreased cold tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis associated with lower electrolyte leakage, soluble sugars contents and transcripts of many cold-induced genes as compared to wild type plants. Under long-day and short-day conditions, CsPMEI2 / 4 promoted early flowering phenotypes in transgenic Arabidopsis along with higher expression levels of many flowering-related genes. Moreover, overexpression of CsPMEI2 / 4 decreased PME activity, but increased sugars contents (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) in transgenic Arabidopsis as compared with wild type plants under short-day condition. These results indicate that CsPMEIs are widely involved in tea plant vegetative and reproductive processes, and also in various stress responses. Moreover, CsPMEI4 negatively regulated cold response, meanwhile, CsPMEI2 / 4 promoted early flowering of transgenic Arabidopsis via the autonomous pathway. Collectively, these results open new perspectives on the roles of PMEIs in tea plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study evaluated how single or combinations of weather parameters (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and solar load) affect peak performance during endurance running events and identified which events are most vulnerable to varying weather conditions. Methods : Results for the marathon, 50-km racewalking, 20-km racewalking, and 10,000-, 5000-, and 3000-m steeplechase were obtained from the official Web sites of large competitions. We identified meteorological data from nearby (8.9 +/- 9.3 km) weather stations for 1258 races held between 1936 and 2019 across 42 countries, enabling analysis of 7867 athletes. Results : The wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) across races ranged from -7[degrees]C to 33[degrees]C, with 27% of races taking place in cold/cool, 47% in neutral, 18% in moderate heat, 7% in high heat, and 1% in extreme heat conditions, according to the World Athletics classification. Machine learning decision trees (R 2 = 0.21-0.58) showed that air temperature (importance score = 40%) was the most important weather parameter. However, when used alone, air temperature had lower predictive power (R 2 = 0.04-0.34) than WBGT (R 2 = 0.11-0.47). Conditions of 7.5[degrees]C-15[degrees]C WBGT (or 10[degrees]C-17.5[degrees]C air temperature) increased the likelihood for peak performance. For every degree WBGT outside these optimum conditions, performance declined by 0.3%-0.4%. Conclusion : More than one-quarter of endurance running events were held in moderate, high, or extreme heat, and this number reached one-half when marathons were excluded. All four weather parameters should be evaluated when aiming to mitigate the health and performance implications of exercising at high intensities in a hot environment with athletes adopting heat mitigation strategies when possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Upper-body exercise performed in a cold environment may increase cardiovascular strain, which could be detrimental to patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). This study compared cardiovascular responses of CAD patients during graded upper-body dynamic and static exercise in cold and neutral environments. Methods: 20 patients with stable CAD performed 30 min of progressive dynamic (light, moderate, and heavy rating of perceived exertion) and static (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30% of maximal voluntary contraction) upper body exercise in cold (− 15 °C) and neutral (+ 22 °C) environments. Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and electrocardiographic (ECG) responses were recorded and rate pressure product (RPP) calculated. Results: Dynamic-graded upper-body exercise in the cold increased HR by 2.3–4.8% (p = 0.002–0.040), MAP by 3.9–5.9% (p = 0.038–0.454) and RPP by 18.1–24.4% (p = 0.002–0.020) when compared to the neutral environment. Static graded upper-body exercise in the cold resulted in higher MAP (6.3–9.1%; p = 0.000–0.014), lower HR (4.1–7.2%; p = 0.009–0.033), but unaltered RPP compared to a neutral environment. Heavy dynamic exercise resulted in ST depression that was not related to temperature. Otherwise, ECG was largely unaltered during exercise in either thermal condition. Conclusions: Dynamic- and static-graded upper-body exercise in the cold involves higher cardiovascular strain compared with a neutral environment among patients with stable CAD. However, no marked changes in electric cardiac function were observed. The results support the use of upper-body exercise in the cold in patients with stable CAD. Trial registration: Clinical trial registration NCT02855905 August 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to investigate a hypothesised association between daily mean temperature and the risk of surgery for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). For the period of 1 January 2005 until 31 December 2019, we collected daily data on mean temperatures and date of 2995 operations for ATAAD at 10 Nordic cities included in the Nordic Consortium for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection (NORCAAD) collaboration. Using a two-stage time-series approach, we investigated the association between hot and cold temperatures relative to the optimal temperature and the rate of ATAAD repair in the selected cities. The relative risks (RRs) of cold temperatures (≤−5°C) and hot temperatures (≥21°C) compared to optimal temperature were 1.47 (95% CI: 0.72–2.99) and 1.43 (95% CI: 0.67–3.08), respectively. In line with previous studies, we observed increased risk at cold and hot temperatures. However, the observed associations were not statistically significant, thus only providing weak evidence of an association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide that is involved in the regulation of plant responses to a variety of environmental stresses. Trehalose 6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalose 6-phosphate phosphatase (TPP) are two key enzymes in trehalose synthesis and they are widely distributed in higher plants. At present, TPS family genes have been systematically identified and analyzed in many plant species, but the TPP family genes have been rarely studied. In this study, ten TPS and six TPP genes in cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) were identified at the genomic level. The phylogenetic tree of TPS and TPP family members in cannabis, Arabidopsis, and rice was constructed, and all the genes were divided into three subgroups: Class I, Class II, and Class III. The number of exons and motif types among Class I members was exactly the same, as were Class II members, but the gene structure and motif types of Class III members were slightly different. There were four pairs of CsTPSs and CsTPPs that had gene duplication, indicating that gene duplication events played an important role in the amplification of TPS and TPP families in cannabis. The results of expression analysis under abiotic stresses showed that 68.75 % of CsTPS and CsTPP genes were significantly induced by at least one abiotic stress. Among these genes, the expression of CsTPS1, CsTPS9, and CsTPPA was highest under at least one abiotic stress. These three genes may play a key role in abiotic stress responses. Most of the CsTPS and CsTPP genes that are closely located in the evolutionary tree have the same or similar functions. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that systematically reports the TPS and TPP gene families in cannabis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cauliflower is one of the most important popular vegetables in China. Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea L. var. botrytis) produces glucosinolates, which are secondary metabolites that have anti-cancer properties. The choice of suitable reference genes (RGs) for gene expression studies has a significant effect on experimental outcomes. In this study, we selected 15 candidates as RGs and analyzed them under heat, cold, drought, and salt stresses and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment. The precision of the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction data was assessed using four methods (geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt). The results revealed that EF1-ß and ACT7; ACT1, EF1-ß, and TUB6; TUA2 and EF1-ß; HIS and ACT7; and ACT7 and ACT3 were the most stable combinations of genes for heat stress, cold stress, drought stress, salt stress, and MeJA treatment, respectively. The expression stability of the RGs fluctuated under different experimental conditions. Choosing the optimal RG for the specific experiment is therefore essential. This work provides relevant information for further gene expression studies on cauliflower and other closely related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burns are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Vulnerable people such as children, the frail and elderly, and the socially deprived are at particular risk. Most burns are caused by thermal injury to the skin, but electrical and chemical burns can be very severe. Fortunately, most burns are minor and superficial and can be managed by primary health care professionals. However, major and severe burns require in-hospital management from a team of surgeons and other specialists. Life-threatening conditions such as smoke inhalation airway damage and severe fluid loss should be addressed during the initial resuscitation. Prevention of further thermal damage by cooling is important along with prevention of secondary infection of burn injuries. A wide variety of dressings is available for the management of burns and expert nursing care is vital. Surgical intervention may be urgently required for fasciotomy or escharotomy in cases of compartment syndrome or circumferential burns, respectively. Debridement, skin grafting and reconstructive procedures will be required over the medium or long term for patients with severe or complex burns and should be planned with appropriate multidisciplinary expertize. The functional and psychological impact of major burn injury should not be underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 6-OHDA-lesioned rats demonstrated pain sensitivity to cold temperature and acetone stimuli. • Paw acetone stimulus induced a significant pERK1/2 expression in multiple structures in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats compared with sham. • There was a significant increase in PKCγ and GAD67 in the spinal dorsal horn of lesioned rats. • Ropinirole administration reversed the changes in these markers. Pain is the major non-motor symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). Preclinical studies have mostly investigated mechanical pain by considering the decrease in a nociceptive threshold. Only a few studies have focused on thermal pain in animal models of PD. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess the thermal nociceptive behavior of rats subjected to 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) administration, which constitutes an animal model of PD. Thermal plate investigation demonstrated significant thermal sensitivity to cold temperatures of 10 °C and 15 °C, and not to higher temperatures, in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats when compared with sham. 6-OHDA-lesioned rats also showed cold allodynia as demonstrated by a significant difference in the number of flinches, latency and reaction time to acetone stimulus. Ropinirole administration, a dopamine receptor 2 (D2R) agonist, blocked the acetone-induced cold allodynia in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. In addition, mechanical hypersensitivity and static allodynia, as demonstrated by a significant difference in the vocalization threshold and pain score respectively, were noticed in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. Acetone stimulus induced a significant increase in extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, a pain process molecular marker, in the spinal dorsal horn (SDH), the insular and cingulate cortices in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats when compared to sham. In 6-OHDA-lesioned rats, there was a significant augmentation in the expression of both protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ) and glutamate decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) in the SDH. This highlighted an increase in excitation and a decrease in inhibition in the SDH. Overall, the present study demonstrated a clear cold thermal hypersensitivity, in addition to a mechanical one, in 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting is widely used to increase plant defense responses to various stresses. Grafting-induced cold tolerance is associated with the increase of the antioxidant potential of plants; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that pumpkin rootstocks promote antioxidant enzyme activities and alleviate cold-induced oxidative damage, accompanied by increased abscisic acid (ABA), melatonin, and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) levels in leaves. Increased ABA accumulation in leaves was attributed partly to the increased ABA levels in rootstocks. ABA induced antioxidant enzymes activities and the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA, while inhibition of ABA synthesis blocked the rootstock-induced antioxidant activity and the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA under cold stress. Melatonin and MeJA application also enhanced ABA accumulation in leaves after cold exposure, whereas inhibition of melatonin or MeJA synthesis attenuated the rootstock-induced increase of ABA. Moreover, melatonin and MeJA application alleviated cold-induced oxidative stress, but inhibition of melatonin or MeJA synthesis lowered the rootstock- or ABA-induced antioxidant potential and tolerance to cold. These findings indicate that ABA plays an important role in the grafting-induced cold tolerance by promoting the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA, which in turn, promote ABA accumulation, forming a positive feedback loop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) is one of the important vegetables that is popular for its delicious taste. However, the straw mushroom is sensitive to low temperature, resulting in economic loss during transportation and storage. We obtained a novel straw mushroom strain, named VH3, via ultraviolet mutagenesis. Results: Our study revealed that VH3 exhibited high cold resistance compared to an ordinary straw mushroom cultivar, V23. We found that the electrolyte leakages of VH3 were always significantly lower than that of V23 treated with 4 °C for 0 h, 2 h,4 h, 8 h, 16 h, and 24 h. Before cold treatment (0 h), there were no difference of MDA contents, SOD activities, and CAT activities between VH3 and V23. At the late stage (8 h, 26 h, and 24 h) of cold treatment, the MDA contents of VH3 were lower while both the SOD and CAT activities were higher than those of V23. To investigate the potential mechanisms of VH3 cold resistance, we performed transcriptome sequencing to detect the transcriptome profiling of VH3 and V23 after 0 h and 4 h cold treatment. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that 111 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between V23 (0 h) and VH3 (0 h) (V23–0_vs_VH3–0), consisting 50 up-regulated and 61 down-regulated DEGs. A total of 117 DEGs were obtained between V23 (4 h) and VH3(4 h) (V23–4_vs_VH3–4), containing 94 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated DEGs. Among these DEGs, VVO_00021 and VVO_00017 were up-regulated while VVO_00003, VVO_00004, VVO_00010, and VVO_00030 were down-regulated in V23–0_vs_VH3–0 and VH3–4_vs_V23–4. KEGG and GO analysis revealed that the 6 DEGs were annotated to pathways related to cold stress. Besides, the GA3 content was also decreased in VH3. Conclusions: Collectively, our study first revealed that the increased cold resistance of VH3 might be caused by the expression change of VVO_00003, VVO_00004, VVO_00017, VVO_00021, and VVO_00030, and decreased GA3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 pandemic has been characterized by a pattern of consecutive declines and regrowth in European countries in 2020. After being partially regressed during the summer, the reappearance of the infection during fall 2020 in many temperate countries strongly suggests that temperature and cold may play a role in influencing the infectivity and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. While promoting medicine as an art, Hippocrates interpreted with logical reasoning the occurrence of diseases such as epidemics, as a consequence of environmental factors, in particular climatic variations. During the Renaissance, Sanctorius was one of the first to perform quantitative measurements, and Harvey discovered the circulation of blood by performing experimental procedures in animals. We think that a reasoning mixing various observations, measurements and experiments is fundamental to understand how cold increases infectivity and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. By this review, we provide evidence linking cold, angiotensin-II, vasoconstriction, hypoxia and aerobic glycolysis (the Warburg effect) to explain how cold affects the epidemiology of COVID-19. Also, a low humidity increases virus transmissibility, while a warm atmosphere, a moderate airway humidity, and the production of vasodilator angiotensin 1-7 by ACE2 are less favorable to the virus entry and/or its development. The meteorological and environmental parameters impacting COVID-19 pandemic should be reintegrated into a whole perspective by taking into account the different factors influencing transmissibility, infectivity and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. To understand the modern enigma represented by COVID-19, an interdisciplinary approach is surely essential. • The influence of climate on COVID-19 pandemic is suspected but largely enigmatic. • Cold may increase viral infectivity by paralyzing airway defense barriers. • Angiotensin II-mediated vasoconstriction induced by cold promotes hypoxia in cells. • Hypoxia activates aerobic glycolysis promoting SARS-CoV-2 replication. • This cascade may have favored the spread of COVID-19 in European countries in 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deleterious effect of cold on overall mortality is well-established. We studied associations between the air temperature and the number f ambulance calls for asthma in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan – the second coldest capital in the world. Daily counts of ambulance calls for asthma in Nur-Sultan for the cold seasons (October-March) 2006–2010 were obtained from the Municipal Ambulance Station. Associations between the number of calls and mean and minimum apparent temperatures (average for lags 0–15) were studied using first-order Poisson auto-regression models controlling for wind speed and effects of month, year, weekends and holidays. Altogether, there were 7373 ambulance calls for asthma during the study period. An inverse association between minimum apparent temperature and the number of calls was observed for the age-group 60 years and older. A decrease of the minimum apparent temperature by 1°C was associated with an increase in the number of calls by 1.7% (95% CI: 0.1%-3.3%) across the whole temperature spectrum. No associations in other age groups were found. Our results suggest an inverse association between the average 15-day lag minimum apparent temperature and the number of ambulance calls during the cold season in Nur-Sultan, but this is limited to the oldest age-group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to show the specifics of the formation of cultural landscapes and geo-cultural images of Northern and Arctic cities within the concept of post-urbanism. The ontological and phenomenological category of cold, crucial for understanding of this specificity, has a decisive influence on the formation of both material and expressive (mental) environments and identities of the inhabitants of the Northern cities. Cultural landscapes of cold represent an ambivalent anthropological phenomenon. This phenomenon captures the complex integrity of the unique geo-cultural imagery, spatial representations, and a system of adaptation patterns to low temperatures, and their consequences. The rise and fall of the Northern and Arctic cities, in conjunction with history of development of particular countries and regions, show the fragility of their cultural landscapes, whose representations may reflect the stages of decline, ruining or long-term conservation of residential areas, administrative and industrial buildings, technological and public infrastructure. Geo-cultural images of the Northern and Arctic cities are genetically linked to the increased mobility of their founders and inhabitants. The same Northern city can «produce» many differentiated images of cold, due to its geo-cultural patchiness. The image of cold can be considered as an important component of the symbolic asset of the Northern and Arctic cities, as well as a field of implementation and struggle of various post-colonial practices. Cold as an autonomous ontology and cultural landscape of the Northern city can be a phenomenological basis for the dynamic post-urbanism of the Northern and Arctic territories. The phenomenon of co-spatiality, fundamental for understanding the post-urban trends of social development, acquires a special configuration in the cultural landscapes of the Northern cities, contributing to the enrichment of the semantic space of post-urbanism in general. In the future, geo-cultural and cultural-landscape studies of the Northern and Arctic cities may become some of the most important sources for accelerated development of new ontologies of mobile settlement systems.

Background and purpose: Intravenous (IV) catheterization is one of the common painful procedures in children. This study aimed to investigate the effect of cold and warm vibration on pain caused by IV catheterization in 3- to 6-year-old children using a buzzy device. Materials and methods: A randomized clinical trial was carried out in 108 children in Mashhad Akbar Pediatric Hospital selected via random blocking. They were divided into three groups to receive warm vibration, cold vibration, or vibration only (control group). In this study, a musical vibrating device in a form of bee with either a warm or cold pack was attached for 5 min at approximately 5-10 cm above the intravenous continuous infusion (IVCI) site. In last minute, vibration was applied, then, IV catheterization was done. The Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WBS) was used to rate pain severity. ­Data were analyzed in SPSS V19 at a significance level of 95%. Results: Before the intervention, there were no significant differences in mean pain score between the three groups (P>0.05). Pain score was significantly different during the procedure (P0.05). Conclusion: Both cold and warm vibrations could reduce the pain caused by injection, but cold vibration showed greater effect on reducing pain. Therefore, cold or warm vibrating devices are suggested in management of aggressive painful procedures in children. (Clinical Trials Registry Number: IRCT20181104041553N1)

Abstract Background Few studies have examined cold-related symptoms among cold workplace workers in Thailand. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of cold-related cardiorespiratory, circulatory, and general symptoms and performance degradation among Thai chicken industry workers and identify vulnerable groups. Methods Overall, 422 workers aged from 18 to 57 years at four chicken meat factories in Thailand were interviewed for cold-related symptoms and complaints. The results were expressed in terms of model-based adjusted prevalence and prevalence differences (PDs) in percentage points (pp) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results In total, 76.1% of the respondents reported cold-related respiratory symptoms, 24.6% reported cardiac symptoms, 68.6% reported circulatory symptoms, and 72.1% reported general symptoms. In addition, 82.7% of the respondents reported performance degradation. Cold-related respiratory symptoms increased by PD 29.0 pp. (95% CI 23.4–34.6) from the lowest to the highest educational group, with a similar pattern observed in performance degradation. Forklift drivers and storage and manufacturing workers complained of cold-related respiratory symptoms more than office staff (PD 22.1 pp., 95% CI 12.8–31.3; 12.0 pp., 95% CI 2.4–21.6; and 17.5 pp., 95% CI 11.5–23.6, respectively); they also reported more performance degradation (PD 24.1 pp., 95% CI 17.0–31.2; 19.8 pp., 95% CI 14.1–25.6; and 14.8 pp., 95% CI 8.0–22.6, respectively). Weekly alcohol consumers reported more performance problems owing to cold (PD 18.2 pp., 95% CI 13.9–22.6) than non-consumers of alcohol. Cardiac and circulation symptoms were more common in women than men (PD 10.0 pp., 95% CI 1.1–18.9; and 8.4 pp., 95% CI 0.5–16.4, respectively). The age trend in performance issues was curved, with the highest prevalence among those aged 35–44 years, while the oldest workers (45–57 years) perceived less cold-related symptoms, particularly thirst. Conclusions Cold-related symptoms and performance degradation were found to be common in this industry, with vulnerable groups comprising of highly educated workers, forklift drivers, storage and manufacturing workers, weekly alcohol consumers, aging workers, and women. The results demonstrate a need for further research on the adequacy of protection provided against the cold, particularly given that global warming will increase the contrast between cold workplaces and outdoor heat.

Abstract Purpose The purpose is a comparative study of the cellular reactions in capillary and venous blood in northerners under general hypothermia in a climatic chamber during different photoperiods. The authors examined 108 relatively healthy people (80 women and 28 men aged 21‐ to 50‐years old). Methods The study included determining the hemogram, neutrograms, monocytograms, lymphocytograms, and phagocytic activity neutrophil granulocytes, enzyme immunoassay, flow cytometry, indirect immunoperoxidase, bioluminescence, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and body temperature in the ear canal and on the skin of the rear left side of the right hand of volunteers before the effect of general cooling in the room at an air temperature and after 5 minutes of exposure to cold air. Results It was established that total neutrophil count in venous blood was lower by 8.07% ± 0.41%, monocyte count by 51.32% ± 1.03%, and basophil count by 50.21% ± 1.24% than in capillary blood, but the lymphocyte count was higher by 25.23% ± 0.41% due to smaller forms that are known to be recirculating. After a 5‐minute period in a climatic chamber at −25°C in 27.53% of individuals during a polar night and in 16.51% volunteers during a polar day had elevated levels of neutrophils in the venous blood due to the increase in the levels of tumor necrosis factor‐α in blood and decrease in noradrenaline, adrenaline, and irisin. Conclusion The systematic effect of general cooling, especially during the polar night, leads to a reduction in reserve adaptability with the formation of neutropenia, deficiency of phagocytic defense, and functional insufficiency of T‐lymphocytes.

Abstract Background The majority of stress-sensitive genes responds to cold and high light in the same direction, if plants face the stresses for the first time. As shown recently for a small selection of genes of the core environmental stress response cluster, pre-treatment of Arabidopsis thaliana with a 24 h long 4 °C cold stimulus modifies cold regulation of gene expression for up to a week at 20 °C, although the primary cold effects are reverted within the first 24 h. Such memory-based regulation is called priming. Here, we analyse the effect of 24 h cold priming on cold regulation of gene expression on a transcriptome-wide scale and investigate if and how cold priming affects light regulation of gene expression. Results Cold-priming affected cold and excess light regulation of a small subset of genes. In contrast to the strong gene co-regulation observed upon cold and light stress in non-primed plants, most priming-sensitive genes were regulated in a stressor-specific manner in cold-primed plant. Furthermore, almost as much genes were inversely regulated as co-regulated by a 24 h long 4 °C cold treatment and exposure to heat-filtered high light (800 μmol quanta m− 2 s− 1). Gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that cold priming preferentially supports expression of genes involved in the defence against plant pathogens upon cold triggering. The regulation took place on the cost of the expression of genes involved in growth regulation and transport. On the contrary, cold priming resulted in stronger expression of genes regulating metabolism and development and weaker expression of defence genes in response to high light triggering. qPCR with independently cultivated and treated replicates confirmed the trends observed in the RNASeq guide experiment. Conclusion A 24 h long priming cold stimulus activates a several days lasting stress memory that controls cold and light regulation of gene expression and adjusts growth and defence regulation in a stressor-specific manner.

Low temperature is an important environmental factor that affects plant growth and development. To determine the adaptability of different organs of Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr. to low temperature, the chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence parameters as well as the Chl, malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar, and anthocyanin contents of leaves and stems were measured under low temperature. The results confirmed that the Chl fluorescence parameters and Chl content of the leaves and stems of P. scandens tended to decrease consistently, while the MDA content increased, and the change range of the stems was much lower than that of the leaves. The soluble sugar and anthocyanin contents rapidly increased in the leaves and stems to cope with low temperature. Our results suggest that stems are more tolerant than leaves during winter and may continue to grow during that time, which could provide theoretical guidance for clonal propagation of plants to study stem tolerance in the future.

Abstract Background Low temperatures decrease the capacity for biomass production and lead to growth retardation up to irreversible cellular damage in modern maize cultivars. European flint landraces are an untapped genetic resource for genes and alleles conferring cold tolerance which they acquired during their adaptation to the agroecological conditions in Europe. Results Based on a phenotyping experiment of 276 doubled haploid lines derived from the European flint landrace “Petkuser Ferdinand Rot” diverging for cold tolerance, we selected 21 of these lines for an RNA-seq experiment. The different genotypes showed highly variable transcriptomic responses to cold. We identified 148, 3254 and 563 genes differentially expressed with respect to cold treatment, cold tolerance and growth rate at cold, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) term enrichment demonstrated that the detoxification of reactive oxygen species is associated with cold tolerance, whereas amino acids might play a crucial role as antioxidant precursors and signaling molecules. Conclusion Doubled haploids representing a European maize flint landrace display genotype-specific transcriptome patterns associated with cold response, cold tolerance and seedling growth rate at cold. Identification of cold regulated genes in European flint germplasm, could be a starting point for introgressing such alleles in modern breeding material for maize improvement.

Introduction Garlic is a medicinal and cool season plant, but there is not much information on its level of cold tolerance. Khorasan province is one of the suitable areas for growing garlic. The conventional planting date of garlic in this region takes place between 6 October and 5 December. Available evidences shows that garlic plants have been affected by cold stress due to inappropriate planting date. Some researchers have recommended the use of controlled freezing tests as a suitable approach to assess cold tolerance of plants. In this regard, it is stated that LT50su in wheat had the highest correlation with field survival index when the crown was exposed to cold stress. The present experiment was conducted to study cold tolerance and understanding the most critical growth stages of garlic ecotypes to cold stress under controlled conditions. Materials and Methods This experiment was conducted as a factorial based on completely randomized design with four replications in Agricultural Faculty of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad during 2012. The experimental factors included two levels of planting date (18 September and 21 October), garlic ecotype in four levels (Bojnurd, Torbat-e Heydarieh, Neyshabur and Khaf) and eight levels of freezing temperature (0, -3, -6, -9, -12, -15, -18 and -21°C). Plants that grown in outside conditions and acclimated to cold temperatures were transferred to the thermogradient freezer to apply cold stress. Survival percentage, Lethal Temperature 50% mortality according to the survival percentage (LT50su), plant height, leaf area, reduced leaf area temperature 50 (RLAT50), dry weight and reduced dry matter temperature 50 (RDMT50) were determined at three weeks after applying the stress. Results and Discussion In the first planting date, the survival of Bojnurd and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes decreased 20% and 26% at -15 °C compared with zero temperature, respectively, while two other ecotypes disappeared at this temperature. In the second planting date, Khaf and Bojnurd ecotypes had a good survival at -15 °C while Neyshabur and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes disappeared 60 and 67% at this temperature, respectively. Since the growth stage has an effect on cold acclimation and stress tolerance, this response can be due to difference in the growth stage of plants. However, this reaction was different depending on the ecotypes. With changing planting date from September to October, LT50su decreased 9.6 and 6 °C in Khaf and Neysabur ecotypes, and increased 3.9 and 2 °C in Bojnurd and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes, respectively. In the first planting date with decreasing temperature from zero to -18 °C, the maximum and minimum decrease in height (90 and 27%) were observed in Torbat-e Heydarieh and Bojnurd ecotypes, and Neyshabur and Khaf ecotypes disappeared at this temperature. Also, in the second planting date with decreasing temperature from zero to -15 °C, plant height decreased 47, 52 and 30% in Khaf, Torbat-e Heydarieh and Neyshabur ecotypes, respectively. However, plants height of Bojnurd ecotype decreased only 4% under similar conditions. In the first planting date Bojnurd and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes had the lowest decrease in leaf area (about 3 and 17%, respectively) at 12 °C compared with zero temperature, while Khaf and Neyshabur ecotypes assigned to themselves the highest decrease in leaf area (about 85 and 58%, respectively). Also, in the second planting date leaf area of Bojnurd ecotype decreased 18% at -15 °C compared with zero temperature, while in similar conditions Torbat-e Heydarieh, Khaf and Neyshabur ecotypes had 56, 38 and 58% decrease in leaf area, respectively. The lowest decrease in dry matter percentage was observed in Neyshabur (23%) and Bojnurd (22%) ecotypes in the first and second planting date, respectively, following decreasing temperature to -12 °C. Studies have shown that plants with faster growth before the frost were more sensitive to cold temperatures and as a result, damaged more. So, it seems that increasing growth of Khaf and Neyshabur ecotypes and their progress towards more advanced growth stages reduced cold tolerance of these plants in the first planting date. Conclusions Freezing stress decreased survival percentage and recovery of garlic ecotypes. In the first planting date Bojnurd and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes had a better survival percentage and Khaf and Neyshabur ecotypes had lower survival percentage while in the second planting date Khaf and Neyshabur ecotypes had higher survival percentage than Bojnurd and Torbat-e Heydarieh ecotypes. Also, results of LT50su indicated that Bojnurd and Khaf ecotypes had higher freezing tolerance in the first and second planting date, respectively. Different reactions of garlic ecotypes at various stages of stress may be due to their genetic characteristics and geographic origin. In terms of recovery (height, leaf area and dry weight), the plants of the second planting date had more height and dry matter, as well. Based on the RDMT50 and RLAT50, moreover, Bojnurd ecotype in both planting date and Khaf ecotype in the first planting date were recognized as most tolerant and sensitive ecotypes, respectively.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are important for abiotic stress tolerance in diverse organisms. Within the LEA protein superfamily, group 4 members are characterized by a conserved N-terminal region and a structurally disordered C-terminal region that varies regarding length and amino acid content. Previous in vitro assays have suggested that the conserved N-terminal region shared by group 4 LEA proteins is critical for forming an amphipathic α-helix and protecting enzymatic activities from the adverse effects of desiccation or freezing. However, the cellular roles of the varying C-terminal region remain largely to be characterized. Medicago truncatula contains five subgroup LEA4B proteins encoding loci of which three are tandemly arranged on chromosome 7 due to local gene duplication events. In this study, abiotic stresses and addition of abscisic acid (ABA) induced the transcription of the four LEA4B genes. Escherichia coli cells overexpressing the three tandemly aligned LEA genes indicated significantly increased tolerance to salt, osmotic, heat, and freezing stresses. However, the extent of the protective effects on the survival and growth of bacterial cells differed among the LEA proteins, potentially because of variations in the C-terminal region. This possibility was further supported by the observation that the protective effects of the native truncated MtLEA3140, which only contains a conserved N-terminal region, were inferior to the effects of the full-length mutant version. The results suggest that the structurally flexible C-terminal region of group 4 LEA proteins plays roles in protecting cells from damages caused by various abiotic stresses, and provide clues for elucidating the mechanisms underlying the intracellular functions of these proteins.

Discovering today diversity of extraterrestrial cryogenic objects, as well as the large range of scales and rates of cryogenic processes, undermines the conventional views of cold in the classical terms. The classical approach of natural sciences that study different cryogenic objects and processes separately is giving way to the apprehension of the cold world as a self-evolving complex system, with a great variability of its constituents in the scale of the Universe. In this respect, we discuss the methods and conceptual basis of the terrestrial and extraterrestrial cryology in terms of a new science called cryosophy. Cryosophy studies the role of cold in the origin and evolution of life and heat-mass interactions in the world. It addresses the key features and principles of the evolution of the cryosphere and uses both classical (for simple physical and chemical systems) and synergetic (for complex and living systems) approaches, as well as information logistic methods that generate knowledge about knowledge. Studies of cold date back to the ages of ancient Greek natural philosophy, which flourished between the 7th and 4th centuries BC. Unlike Greek natural philosophy, which pretended to be a universal syncretic science, cryosophy is a kind of integrator, which attracts different fields of knowledge related to the cold world and builds a framework for its ontology. The properties of ice can be summarized in a model of a multi-function system with six main components plotted in the scales of space (ice as a physical system and a natural material), energy (ice as a pysicochemical system and a phase state), and time (ice as a system of information and control). The concept of cryodiversity covers multiple biotic and abiotic complex systems, such as cryophilic bacteria that live in permafrost, atmospheric precipitation, gas hydrates, etc. Cryodiversity also refers to cryogenic effects in the extraterrestrial space, which have been increasingly more widely investigated since the middle of 20th century. The evolution and properties of the cryosphere in different planets or other celestial bodies make part of the basic knowledge indispensable for the future exploration of the Universe.

Understanding the molecular mechanism of the cold response is critical to improve horticultural plant cold tolerance. Here, we documented the physiological, transcriptome, proteome, and hormonal dynamics to cold stress in temperate genotype (Tg) and subtropical genotype (Sg) populations of Camellia japonica. Tg C. japonica suffered minimal osmotic and oxidative damage compared to Sg C. japonica under the same cold treatment. Transcriptional and translational differences increased under the cold treatment, indicating that Tg C. japonica was affected by the environment and displayed both conserved and divergent mechanisms. About 60% of the genes responding to cold had similar dynamics in the two populations, but 1,896 transcripts and 455 proteins differentially accumulated in response to the cold between Tg and Sg C. japonica. Co-expression analysis showed that the ribosomal protein and genes related to photosynthesis were upregulated in Tg C. japonica, and tryptophan, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid metabolism were regulated differently between the two populations under cold stress. The divergence of these genes reflected a difference in cold responsiveness. In addition, the decrease in the abscisic acid (ABA)/gibberellic acid (GA) ratio regulated by biosynthetic signal transduction pathway enhanced cold resistance in Tg C. japonica, suggesting that hormones may regulate the difference in cold responsiveness. These results provide a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of cold stress and will improve cold tolerance in horticultural plants.

Abstract We evaluated the influence of a 32-day camping in Antarctica on physical performance and exercise-induced thermoregulatory responses. In Brazil, before and after the Antarctic camping, the volunteers performed an incremental exercise at temperate conditions and, two days later, an exercise heat stress protocol (45-min running at 60% of maximum aerobic speed, at 31°C and 60% of relative humidity). In Antarctica, core temperature was assessed on a day of fieldwork, and average values higher than 38.5°C were reported. At pre- and post-Antarctica, physiological (whole-body and local sweat rate, number of active sweat glands, sweat gland output, core and skin temperatures) and perceptual (thermal comfort and sensation) variables were measured. The Antarctic camping improved the participants’ performance and induced heat-related adaptations, as evidenced by sweat redistribution (lower in the chest but higher in grouped data from the forehead, forearm, and thigh) and reduced skin temperatures in the forehead and chest during the exercise heat stress protocol. Notwithstanding the acclimatization, the participants did not report differences of the thermal sensation and comfort. In conclusion, staying in an Antarctic camp for 32 days improved physical performance and elicited physiological adaptations to heat due to the physical exertion-induced hyperthermia in the field.

Abiotic stresses triggered by climate change and human activity cause substantial agricultural and environmental problems which hamper plant growth. Plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms in response to abiotic stresses, such as stress perception, epigenetic modification, and regulation of transcription and translation. Over the past decade, a large body of literature has revealed the various regulatory roles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the plant response to abiotic stresses and their irreplaceable functions in environmental adaptation. LncRNAs are recognized as a class of ncRNAs that are longer than 200 nucleotides, influencing a variety of biological processes. In this review, we mainly focused on the recent progress of plant lncRNAs, outlining their features, evolution, and functions of plant lncRNAs in response to drought, low or high temperature, salt, and heavy metal stress. The approaches to characterize the function of lncRNAs and the mechanisms of how they regulate plant responses to abiotic stresses were further reviewed. Moreover, we discuss the accumulating discoveries regarding the biological functions of lncRNAs on plant stress memory as well. The present review provides updated information and directions for us to characterize the potential functions of lncRNAs in abiotic stresses in the future.

Abiotic stress is the focus of research on passion fruit characters because of its damage to the industry. Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) is one of the Transcription factors (TFs) which can act in an anti-abiotic stress role through diverse biological processes. However, no systemic analysis of the passion fruit bHLH (PebHLH) family was reported. In this study, 117 PebHLH members were identified from the genome of passion fruit, related to plant stress resistance and development by prediction of protein interaction. Furthermore, the transcriptome sequencing results showed that the PebHLHs responded to different abiotic stresses. At different ripening stages of passion fruit, the expression level of most PebHLHs in the immature stage (T1) was higher than that in the mature stage (T2 and T3). Eight PebHLHs with differentially expressed under different stress treatments and different ripening stages were selected and verified by qRT-PCR. In this research, the expression of one member, PebHLH56, was induced under cold stress. Further, the promoter of PebHLH56 was fused to β-Galactosidase (GUS) to generate the expression vector that was transformed into Arabidopsis. It showed that PebHLH56 could significantly respond to cold stress. This study provided new insights into the regulatory functions of PebHLH genes during fruit maturity stages and abiotic stress, thereby improving the understanding of the characteristics and evolution of the PebHLH gene family.

Heat- and cold-related mortality risks are highly variable across different geographies, suggesting a differential distribution of vulnerability factors between and within countries, which could partly be driven by urban-to-rural disparities. Identifying these drivers of risk is crucial to characterize local vulnerability and design tailored public health interventions to improve adaptation of populations to climate change. We aimed to assess how heat- and cold-mortality risks change across urban, peri-urban and rural areas in Switzerland and to identify and compare the factors associated with increased vulnerability within and between different area typologies. We estimated the heat- and cold-related mortality association using the case time-series design and distributed lag non-linear models over daily mean temperature and all-cause mortality series between 1990–2017 in each municipality in Switzerland. Then, through multivariate meta-regression, we derived pooled heat and cold-mortality associations by typology (i.e. urban/rural/peri-urban) and assessed potential vulnerability factors among a wealth of demographic, socioeconomic, topographic, climatic, land use and other environmental data. Urban clusters reported larger pooled heat-related mortality risk (at 99th percentile, vs. temperature of minimum mortality (MMT)) (relative risk = 1.17 (95%CI: 1.10; 1.24), vs peri-urban 1.03 (1.00; 1.06), and rural 1.03 (0.99; 1.08)), but similar cold-mortality risk (at 1st percentile, vs. MMT) (1.35 (1.28; 1.43), vs rural 1.28 (1.14; 1.44) and peri-urban 1.39 (1.27–1.53)) clusters. We found different sets of vulnerability factors explaining the differential risk patterns across typologies. In urban clusters, mainly environmental factors (i.e. PM _2.5 ) drove differences in heat-mortality association, while for peri-urban/rural clusters socio-economic variables were also important. For cold, socio-economic variables drove changes in vulnerability across all typologies, while environmental factors and ageing were other important drivers of larger vulnerability in peri-urban/rural clusters, with heterogeneity in the direction of the association. Our findings suggest that urban populations in Switzerland may be more vulnerable to heat, compared to rural locations, and different sets of vulnerability factors may drive these associations in each typology. Thus, future public health adaptation strategies should consider local and more tailored interventions rather than a one-size fits all approach.

Background: Obesity is a life-threatening condition linked to various diseases in all ages. Most common interventions focus on physical activity though there are some drawbacks limiting peoples’ participation in exercise. Swimming targets these limitations offering promising results to people who wish to improve their lifestyle. Objectives: The aim of this review is it to investigate the effects cold water can have on the obese population. This will be done by examining the physiological effects of swimming, understanding if different water temperatures can result in different outcomes and finding any other benefits that come along with swimming exercise. Search Strategy: PubMed, EbscoHost and Google Scholar are used as search engines to find the appropriate papers using the words obese, overweight, swim, aquatics, water immersion. A systematic review summarises the findings of primary research papers. This review is based according to the PICO guidelines and all the selected papers are evaluated using the CASP tool. A meta-synthesis summarises the results of the papers. Results: Results indicated that swimming helps people lose weight while providing additional benefits such as decreasing joint pain in people suffering from osteoarthritis. Furthermore, positive results are seen in anthropometric measures, physiological responses, and body composition. Conclusions: It is concluded that water-based exercise can prove an effective intervention for obese people wishing to lose weight. Results were seen from different protocols and water temperature was difficult to monitor. Future research should use the same exercise design in various water temperatures to fully understand the differences in the results.

The research focuses on a vital issue related to preserving health of workers who perform their working tasks outdoors in regions with cold climate. Our research goal was to examine influence exerted by working conditions and working experience length on prevalence of chronic diseases and other health disorders among workers who performed their working tasks outdoors during a cold season. We accomplished a cross (one-moment) epidemiologic study aimed at assessing adverse impacts exerted by weather and climatic factors on workers who performed their working tasks on open grounds in regions with cold climate. We conducted hygienic assessment of working conditions for 1.647 workers employed at oil-extracting enterprise in Nizhnevartovsk and ana-lyzed results obtained during their regular medical check-ups. We analyzed average number of diseases per 1 worker; it varied from (0.45 ± 0.06) among workers dealing with electrogas welding to (0.27 ± 0.022) among compressor unit operators. Each additional 5 years of working experience resulted in an ascending trend for a number of detected diseases per 1 worker (p = 0.0015). We also revealed that workers who maintained oil-extracting machinery ran the greatest health risks as they had to spend the greatest amount of time outdoors (on average, 27 hours out of 40 hours per 1 working week) during a cold season. Besides, our research showed that exposure to cold potentiated adverse impacts exerted by other occupation factors on workers’ health. Thus, given the same amount of time spent outdoors during a cold season for different occupational groups, welders ran the greatest risks of circulatory system diseases (AR = 2.0), ear and mastoid diseases (AR = 5.0), digestive organs diseases (AR = 2.2) due to the air at their working places being contaminated with welding aerosol. When working tasks are performed outdoors in regions with cold climate, it leads to elevated risks of chronic health disorders that occur due to long-term occupational exposure to uncontrollable meteorological factors and simultaneous air contamination with welding aerosols.

Grafting is widely used to increase plant defense responses to various stresses. Grafting-induced cold tolerance is associated with the increase of the antioxidant potential of plants; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we found that pumpkin rootstocks promote antioxidant enzyme activities and alleviate cold-induced oxidative damage, accompanied by increased abscisic acid (ABA), melatonin, and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) levels in leaves. Increased ABA accumulation in leaves was attributed partly to the increased ABA levels in rootstocks. ABA induced antioxidant enzymes activities and the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA, while inhibition of ABA synthesis blocked the rootstock-induced antioxidant activity and the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA under cold stress. Melatonin and MeJA application also enhanced ABA accumulation in leaves after cold exposure, whereas inhibition of melatonin or MeJA synthesis attenuated the rootstock-induced increase of ABA. Moreover, melatonin and MeJA application alleviated cold-induced oxidative stress, but inhibition of melatonin or MeJA synthesis lowered the rootstock- or ABA-induced antioxidant potential and tolerance to cold. These findings indicate that ABA plays an important role in the grafting-induced cold tolerance by promoting the accumulation of melatonin and MeJA, which in turn, promote ABA accumulation, forming a positive feedback loop.

Pannexin1 (Panx1) ATP channels are important in adipocyte biology, potentially influencing energy storage and expenditure. We compared the metabolic phenotype of young (14 weeks old) and mature (20 weeks old) wild-type (WT) and Panx1 -/- mice exposed or not to cold (6 °C) during 28 days, a condition promoting adipocyte browning. Young Panx1 -/- mice weighed less and exhibited increased fat mass, improved glucose tolerance, and lower insulin sensitivity than WT mice. Their energy expenditure and respiratory exchange ratio (RER) were increased, and their fatty acid oxidation decreased. These metabolic effects were no longer observed in mature Panx1 -/- mice. The exposure of mature mice to cold exacerbated their younger metabolic phenotype. The white adipose tissue (WAT) of cold-exposed Panx1 -/- mice contained more small-sized adipocytes, but, in contrast to WT mice, white adipocytes did not increase their expression of Ucp1 nor of other markers of browning adipocytes. Interestingly, Glut4 expression was already enhanced in the WAT of young Panx1 -/- mice kept at 22 °C as compared to WT mice. Thus, Panx1 deletion exerts overall beneficial metabolic effects in mice that are pre-adapted to chronic cold exposure. Panx1 -/- mice show morphological characteristics of WAT browning, which are exacerbated upon cold exposure, an effect that appears to be associated with Ucp1-independent thermogenesis.

Background: Certain environmental allergen exposures are more common in disadvantaged communities and may contribute to differences in susceptibility to upper respiratory infections (URIs)., Objectives: We examined associations between indoor allergens and: (1) URI; (2) URI + cold symptoms; (3) URI + cold symptoms + pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation (fraction of exhaled nitric oxide ≥20 ppb); and (4) URI + cold symptoms + reduced lung function (percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second of <80%)., Methods: We used data from the Environmental Control as Add-on Therapy for Childhood Asthma (ECATCh) study. Allergen concentrations were measured in air (mouse) and settled dust (mouse, cockroach, dog, and cat). URI was determined by testing nasal mucus for upper respiratory viruses. We evaluated associations between allergen concentrations and URI-associated outcomes accounting for age, sex, study month, season, health insurance, and household size., Results: Ninety participants (92% Black, 92% public insurance) with 192 observations were included; 52 (27%) of observations were positive for URI. A doubling in cockroach allergen concentration increased the odds of a URI with cold symptoms by 18% (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99-1.40), the odds of a URI + cold symptoms + pulmonary eosinophilic inflammation by 31% (OR = 1.31, 95% CI, 1.10-1.57), and the odds of a URI + cold symptoms + reduced lung function by 45% (OR = 1.45, 95% CI, 1.13-1.85). Mouse allergen concentrations were positively associated with all outcomes. Associations were suggestively stronger among children sensitized to pest allergens., Conclusions: Cockroach and mouse, but not dog or cat, allergen exposure may predispose children with asthma to URIs with colds and lower respiratory outcomes., Competing Interests: Disclosure statement Supported by core funds of the Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin (to D.B. and P.J.R.) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (assistance agreement 83615201 to M.C.M.). Research was also supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) (grants K24AI114769, R01ES023447, and R01ES026170 to E.C.M., grant P50ES018176 to M.C.M., grant U01AI125290 to C.A.K., grant K01OD019918 to M.F.D., and grant KL2 TR002646 to D.B.). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH. Disclosure of potential conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: Chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) is a group of long-persisting and challenging to manage diseases, characterized by recurrent wheals and angioedema induced by definite triggers. In this review, we address recent findings on CIndU pathogenesis, diagnosis as well as its treatment, and we discuss novel potential targets that may lead to the development of more effective therapies for CIndU patients., Recent Advances: Meaningful advances in the understanding of its pathogenesis have been reported in the last decades. Novel CIndU-specific patient-reported outcome measures enable a closer and better evaluation of patients. CIndU is a hard-to-treat disease that highly impairs quality of life (QoL) of affected patients. Provocation tests allow to diagnose CIndU subtypes. The only licensed and recommended treatment for CIndU are second generation non-sedating H1-antihistamines, which lack efficacy in many cases. Omalizumab off-label use has been assessed in all types of CIndU with overall good outcomes. Promising emerging therapies currently assessed in chronic spontaneous urticaria are paving the path for novel treatments for CIndU., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Plants possess the remarkable ability to integrate the circadian clock with various signalling pathways, enabling them to quickly detect and react to both external and internal stress signals. However, the interplay between the circadian clock and biological processes in orchestrating responses to environmental stresses remains poorly understood. TOC1, a core component of the plant circadian clock, plays a vital role in maintaining circadian rhythmicity and participating in plant defences. Here, our study reveals a direct interaction between TOC1 and the promoter region of MYB44, a key gene involved in plant defence. TOC1 rhythmically represses MYB44 expression, thereby ensuring elevated MYB44 expression at dawn to help the plant in coping with lowest temperatures during diurnal cycles. Additionally, both TOC1 and MYB44 can be induced by cold stress in an Abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent and independent manner. TOC1 demonstrates a rapid induction in response to lower temperatures compared to ABA treatment, suggesting timely flexible regulation of TOC1-MYB44 regulatory module by the circadian clock in ensuring a proper response to diverse stresses and maintaining a balance between normal physiological processes and energy-consuming stress responses. Our study elucidates the role of TOC1 in effectively modulating expression of MYB44, providing insights into the regulatory network connecting the circadian clock, ABA signalling, and stress-responsive genes., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Bananas are one of the most important cash crops in the tropics and subtropics. Drought and low-temperature stress affect the growth of banana. The DREB (dehydration responsive element binding protein) gene family, as one of the major transcription factor families, plays crucial roles in defense against abiotic stress. Currently, systematic analyses of the banana DREB ( MaDREB ) gene family have not yet been reported. In this study, 103 members of the MaDREB gene family were identified in the banana genome. In addition, transcriptomic analysis results revealed that MaDREBs responded to drought and cold stress. The expression of MaDREB14/22/51 was induced by drought and cold stress; these geneswere selected for further analysis. The qRT-PCR validation results confirmed the transcriptome results. Additionally, transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing MaDREB14/22/51 exhibited enhanced resistance to drought and cold stress by reducing MDA content and increasing PRO and soluble sugar content. This study enhances our understanding of the function of the MaDREB gene family, provides new insights into their regulatory role under abiotic stress, and lays a good foundation for improving drought and cold stress-tolerant banana verities.

Introduction: High altitude regions are characterized by harsh conditions (environmental, rough terrain, natural hazards, and limited hygiene and health care), which all may contribute to the risk of accidents/emergencies when trekking or climbing. Exposure to hypoxia, cold, wind, and solar radiation are typical features of the high altitude environment. Emergencies in these remote areas place high demands on the diagnostic and treatment skills of doctors and first-aiders. The aim of this review is to give insights on providing the best possible care for victims of emergencies at high altitude. Methods: Authors provide clinical recommendations based on their real-world experience, complemented by appropriate recent studies and internationally reputable guidelines. Results and Discussion: This review covers most of the emergencies/health issues that can occur when trekking or during high altitude climbing, that is, high altitude illnesses and hypothermia, freezing cold injuries, accidents, for example, with severe injuries due to falling, cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses, abdominal, musculoskeletal, eye, dental, and skin issues. We give a summary of current recommendations for emergency care and pain relief in case of these various incidents.

Effects of acute thermal exposures on appetite appear hypothetical in reason of very heterogeneous methodologies. The aim of this study was therefore to clearly define the effects of passive 24-h cold (16°C) and heat (32°C) exposures on appetitive responses compared with a thermoneutral condition (24°C). Twenty-three healthy, young and active male participants realised three sessions (from 13.00) in a laboratory conceived like an apartment dressed with the same outfit (Clo = 1). Three meals composed of three or four cold or warm dishes were served ad libitum to assess energy intake (EI). Leeds Food Preference Questionnaires were used before each meal to assess food reward. Subjective appetite was regularly assessed, and levels of appetitive hormones (acylated ghrelin, glucagon-like peptite-1, leptin and peptide YY) were assessed before and after the last meal (lunch). Contrary to the literature, total EI was not modified by cold or heat exposure ( P = 0·120). Accordingly, hunger scores ( P = 0·554) were not altered. Levels of acylated ghrelin and leptin were marginally higher during the 16 ( P = 0·032) and 32°C ( P < 0·023) sessions, respectively. Interestingly, implicit wanting for cold and low-fat foods at 32°C and for warm and high-fat foods at 16°C were increased during the whole exposure ( P < 0·024). Moreover, cold entrées were more consumed at 32°C ( P < 0·062) and warm main dishes more consumed at 16°C ( P < 0·025). Thus, passive cold and hot exposures had limited effects on appetite, and it seems that offering some choice based on food temperature may help individuals to express their specific food preferences and maintain EI.

Background and Objectives : Rotator cuff tendonitis (RCT) is one of the most common shoulder pathologies. It causes pain, limits shoulder joint movements, and impairs function. Despite various treatment methods, there are currently no specific guidelines regarding the most effective intervention for RCT. To the best of our knowledge, no studies have compared the effects of Kinesio taping (KT) and cold therapy (CT) on individuals with RCT. To this end, this study aimed to investigate and compare the short-term effects of KT and CT on pain relief and upper extremity functionality in individuals with RCT. Materials and Methods : One hundred and fourteen individuals were assessed for eligibility. Fifty-two individuals with RCT who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate were randomly allocated into either the KT or the CT group. A standardized home exercise program was given to all the participants. Their pain intensity, upper extremity function, shoulder range of motion (ROM), and grip strength were evaluated initially and after the three days of KT or CT applications. Results : All the assessment values significantly improved in the KT group. In the CT group, only the pain scores (except for the numerical rating scale (NRS) pain score during activity) were significantly improved in the CT group at the end of the third day of application compared to the initial values ( p < 0.05). For all the measurement outcomes, the effects of time × group interactions were statistically significant ( p < 0.05) in favor of the KT group, except for the resting pain ( p = 0.688). Conclusions : The findings suggest that KT and CT could be used as adjunctive modalities to exercise for resting and night pain relief in patients with RCT. KT also had positive effects on the activity pain, function, ROM, and grip strength. The use of KT along with an exercise program could be a more effective therapeutic choice than the use of CT for improving night pain, activity pain, and upper extremity function during the short-term rehabilitation of RCT patients.

The wild strawberry ( Fragaria vesca L.; F. vesca ) represents a resilient and extensively studied model organism. While the AP2/ERF gene family plays a pivotal role in plant development, its exploration within F. vesca remains limited. In this study, we characterized the AP2/ERF gene family in wild strawberries using the recently released genomic data ( F. vesca V6.0). We conducted an analysis of the gene family expansion pattern, we examined gene expression in stem segments and leaves under cold conditions, and we explored its functional attributes. Our investigation revealed that the FvAP2/ERF family comprises 86 genes distributed among four subfamilies: AP2 (17), RAV (6), ERF (62), and Soloist (1). Tandem and segmental duplications significantly contributed to the growth of this gene family. Furthermore, predictive analysis identified several cis-acting elements in the promoter region associated with meristematic tissue expression, hormone regulation, and resistance modulation. Transcriptomic analysis under cold stress unveiled diverse responses among multiple FvAP2 / ERFs in stem segments and leaves. Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) results confirmed elevated expression levels of select genes following the cold treatment. Additionally, overexpression of FvERF23 in Arabidopsis enhanced cold tolerance, resulting in significantly increased fresh weight and root length compared to the wild-type control. These findings lay the foundation for further exploration into the functional roles of FvAP2/ERF genes.

Introduction: Olive cultivation, like other evergreen fruit crops worldwide, is limited by the occurrence of frost episodes in different times of the year, mainly in winter or early spring. Some contradictory results are reported about cultivars' response to frost, which depends on the physiological stage of the tissues (acclimated or not acclimated) when the cold or frost episode occurs. This work aimed to implement a user-friendly and reliable lab method for discerning frost tolerance., Methods: Our methodology considered both detached leaves and potted plantlets. The optimal temperature at which damage differentiated between cultivars was evaluated, as well as the time of exposure to cold and the recovery time for the correct evaluation of the symptoms. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of damage on both young and mature leaves was conducted. To validate the efficacy of the methodology, assessments were conducted on the cultivars 'Arbequina' (tolerant), 'Picual' (moderately tolerant), and 'Frantoio' (susceptible) under acclimated and non-acclimated conditions., Results and Discussion: The results indicated that, when detached leaves were used for frost evaluation, a temperature of -10°C ± 1°C for 30 min and a recovery time at 26°C for 24-48 h after exposure to cold are enough to induce damages on the leaves and discriminate between cultivar susceptibility. Under these conditions, a precise assessment of symptoms can be made, facilitating the categorization of frost tolerance level in various olive cultivars. Notably, no significant differences were observed between young and mature leaves during the evaluation process. On the other hand, the critical temperature to assess damages on potted plantlets was determined to be -7°C ± 1°C. In addition, it was observed that acclimated plants exhibited fewer symptoms compared to non-acclimated ones, with 'Frantoio' being the most affected alongside 'Picual' and 'Arbequina'., Conclusion: The implemented methodology will allow the assessment of frost tolerance in several olive cultivars within a short timeframe, and it is proven to be user-friendly and reliable., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Valverde, Lodolini, Giorgi, Garcia-Lopez and Neri.)

Bell pepper plants are sensitive to environmental changes and are significantly affected by abiotic factors such as UV-B radiation and cold, which reduce their yield and production. Various approaches, including omics data integration, have been employed to understand the mechanisms by which this crop copes with abiotic stress. This study aimed to find metabolic changes in bell pepper stems caused by UV-B radiation and cold by integrating omic data. Proteome and metabolome profiles were generated using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and data integration was performed in the plant metabolic pathway database. The combined stress of UV-B and cold induced the accumulation of proteins related to photosynthesis, mitochondrial electron transport, and a response to a stimulus. Further, the production of flavonoids and their glycosides, as well as affecting carbon metabolism, tetrapyrrole, and scopolamine pathways, were identified. We have made the first metabolic regulatory network map showing how bell pepper stems respond to cold and UV-B stress. We did this by looking at changes in proteins and metabolites that help with respiration, photosynthesis, and the buildup of photoprotective and antioxidant compounds.

Musculoskeletal pain is a major burden in our society. Management of musculoskeletal pain or injuries includes both pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, including heat therapy (HT). HT is a well-established treatment option due to its ability to promote muscle relaxation, enhance blood circulation, and modulate nociceptors with a good safety profile. The main focus of this paper is to review the available literature about HT in knee pathologies (i.e., arthrosis, arthritis, traumatic pathologies in the subacute phase, muscle and tendon pathologies linked to fatigue, muscle tension and distractions) and to provide an expert opinion in case of lack of data., Competing Interests: The author reports teaching/consulting from Angelini Pharma., (© 2024 Rossi.)

Cryotherapy, or the use of low temperatures for medical treatment, has gained interest in dentistry for its potential therapeutic benefits. This review article delves into the rationale, applications, advantages, and limitations of cryotherapy in dentistry, shedding light on its future prospects in the field., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright: © 2024 Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences.)

Wheat represents one of the most important staple food crops worldwide and its genetic improvement is fundamental to meeting the global demand of the growing population. However, the environmental stresses, worsened by climate change, and the increasing deterioration of arable land make it very difficult to fulfil this demand. In light of this, the tolerance of wheat to abiotic stresses has become a key objective of genetic improvement, as an effective strategy to ensure high yields without increasing the cultivated land. Genetic erosion related to modern agriculture, whereby elite, high-yielding wheat varieties are the product of high selection pressure, has reduced the overall genetic diversity, including the allelic diversity of genes that could be advantageous for adaptation to adverse environmental conditions. This makes traditional breeding a less effective or slower approach to generating new stress-tolerant wheat varieties. Either mining for the diversity of not-adapted large germplasm pools, or generating new diversity, are the mainstream approaches to be pursued. The advent of genetic engineering has opened the possibility to create new plant variability and its application has provided a strong complement to traditional breeding. Genetic engineering strategies such as transgenesis and genome editing have then provided the opportunity to improve environmental tolerance traits of agronomic importance in cultivated species. As for wheat, several laboratories worldwide have successfully produced transgenic wheat lines with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stresses, and, more recently, significant improvements in the CRISPR/Cas9 tools available for targeted variations within the wheat genome have been achieved. In light of this, the present review aims to provide successful examples of genetic engineering applications for the improvement of wheat adaptation to drought, salinity and extreme temperatures, which represent the most frequent and most severe events causing the greatest losses in wheat production worldwide.

Non-optimal ambient temperatures are risk factors for myocardial infarction (MI) and urban-rural temperature differences in the context of climate change may have caused and will lead to differential association between temperature and MI. We collected daily mean temperature and daily MI deaths from 1 January 2016 to 31 December 2020 in Anhui Province, China. A distributed lag nonlinear model was performed to estimate the area-specific association of heat and cold (defined as the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile of the daily mean temperature) with MI mortality; the random-effects meta-analysis was then used to pool the effects of cold and heat. We found the risk of MI death due to cold was higher in rural areas [relative risk (RR): 1.13, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02-1.26, lag0) than in urban areas (RR: 0.99, 95% CI: 0.80-1.21, lag0), whereas the risk of MI death associated with heat was higher in urban areas (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.03-1.27, lag0) than in rural areas (RR: 1.04, 95% CI: 0.99-1.10, lag0). Our findings may help to develop targeted protective strategies to reduce the adverse effects of cold and heat on cardiovascular disease., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Early sowing can help summer crops escape drought and can mitigate the impacts of climate change on them. However, it exposes them to cold stress during initial developmental stages, which has both immediate and long-term effects on development and physiology. To understand how early night-chilling stress impacts plant development and yield, we studied the reference sunflower line XRQ under controlled, semi-controlled and field conditions. We performed high-throughput imaging of the whole plant parts and obtained physiological and transcriptomic data from leaves, hypocotyls and roots. We observed morphological reductions in early stages under field and controlled conditions, with a decrease in root development, an increase in reactive oxygen species content in leaves and changes in lipid composition in hypocotyls. A long-term increase in leaf chlorophyll suggests a stress memory mechanism that was supported by transcriptomic induction of histone coding genes. We highlighted DEGs related to cold acclimation such as chaperone, heat shock and late embryogenesis abundant proteins. We identified genes in hypocotyls involved in lipid, cutin, suberin and phenylalanine ammonia lyase biosynthesis and ROS scavenging. This comprehensive study describes new phenotyping methods and candidate genes to understand phenotypic plasticity better in response to chilling and study stress memory in sunflower., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)