Design a protocol to investigate the effects of climate change in vivo

Environ Res. 2022 Sep;212(Pt D):113482. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113482. Epub 2022 May 21.

Abstract

Climate change has a variety of effects on communities and the environment, most of which have been directly addressed, such as floods, droughts, and fires. To date, the impacts of climate change on health in in vivo conditions have not been assessed, and no protocol has been developed in this regard. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to develop a protocol as well as design and build a pilot to deal with climate change in vivo to show the direct effects of climate change on health. For this purpose, twenty specialists, comprising ten experts active in field climate and 10 experts in field medicine and anatomy, have been consulted to design the proposed exposure protocol using the Delphi method. According to the prepared protocol, an exposure pilot was then designed and built, which provides the climatic conditions for animal exposure with a fully automatic HMI-PLC system. The results showed the average 12:12-h day/night temperature, humidity, and circadian cycle for three consecutive ten-year periods selected for exposure of 1-month-old male rats. The duration of the exposure period is four months, which is equivalent to a ten-year climatic period. This study is a framework and a starting point for examining the effects of climate change on in vivo conditions that have not yet been considered.

Keywords: HMI-PLC; Health impacts; In vivo; Protocol; climate Change.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Climate Change*
  • Droughts
  • Fires*
  • Floods
  • Male
  • Rats