Background The frequency and intensity of hot weather have increased. In Japan, there have been many studies of the relationship between ambulance transports owing to heat stroke (ATHS) and high air temperature in the summer season. However, there have been very few reports focusing on ATHS in spring. Therefore, we investigated the effect of the maximum air temperature on ATHS not only in summer but also in spring, to help with development of effective measures to prevent heat stroke. Methods We obtained daily ATHS and meteorological data from April to September in 2017 in Tottori Prefecture. We used a time-stratified case-crossover method for data analysis. Results A total 382 cases of ATHS were identified from April to September in 2017 in Tottori. The number of cases was highest in July, followed by August and May. Maximum air temperature was significantly linked to ATHS. The risk of ATHS was increased 1.13 times when maximum air temperature rose by 1°C. In summer, the risk on extremely hot days (maximum air temperature ≥ 35°C) increased by 5.55 times or more compared with that on days below 30 °C (< 30°C). The risk was approximately four times greater on hot days (≥ 30°C and < 35°C) than that on relatively cooler days (< 30°C) during the spring months of April through May. Conclusion Maximum air temperature was significantly linked to ATHS. It is necessary to pay particular attention to heat stroke prevention not only on extremely hot days in summer but also on hot days in the spring.
Single pain and tactile spots on the dorsum of the right hand in man were stimulated by electric pulses and mechanical taps using a needle to . a pain spot and a horse tail bristle to a tactile one. Somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and far field potentials (FFPs) were observed in three volunteers by averaging of 200 or 400 samples of responses recorded from scalp points corresponding to the left and right somatosensory areas (LSA and RSA). For SEP measurements, the difference between responses at LSA and RSA was obtained in order to specify the optimum response at LSA. The patterns of SEPs elicited by mechanical or electrical stimulation to a pain spot were similar to those to a tactile one. The typical SEP to mechanical stimulation consisted of N23, P31, N40, P49, N64, P87, N114 and P147, while thit to electrical stimulation did of N24, P33, N42, P52, N66, P95, N122 and P156. Consequently, mean peak latencies of the later components in SEPs elicited by mechanical stimulation were earlier than those to electrical one. The SEP amplitudes for mechanical stimulation were 1-3 µV and were larger than those to electrical one. By mechanical stimulation FFPs could not be obtained, while by electrical stimulation FFPs in peak latency of approximately 14 msec (P14) were seen. No specific components to sensory modality of pain or tactile sensation were observed either in SEPs or in FFPs.somatosensory evoked potential (SEP); sensory spot; mechanical skin stimulation Several authors (Halliday and Wakefield 1963;Giblin 1964;Bergamini et al. 1966;Larson et al. 1966) have suggested that the early components and some of the late ones of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) elicited by electrical stimulation of mixed peripheral nerves are induced mainly by impulses ascending via the dorsal column-medial lemniscus pathway.On the other hand, Nakanishi et al. (1974) have postulated that the afferent impulses responsible for SEPs to mechanical stimulation travel through the ventrolateral spinothalamic tracts. If so, a question rises whether there are some
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