Higher airborne pollen concentrations correlated with increased SARS-CoV-2 infection rates, as evidenced from 31 countries across the globe

Pollen exposure weakens the immunity against certain seasonal respiratory viruses by diminishing the antiviral interferon response. Here we investigate whether the same applies to the pandemic severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is sensitive to antiviral interferons, if infection waves coincide with high airborne pollen concentrations. Our original hypothesis was that more airborne pollen would lead to increases in infection rates. To examine this, we performed a cross-sectional and longitudinal data analysis on SARS-CoV-2 infection, airborne pollen, and meteorological factors. Our dataset is the most comprehensive, largest possible worldwide from 130 stations, across 31 countries and five continents. To explicitly investigate the effects of social contact, we additionally considered population density of each study area, as well as lockdown effects, in all possible combinations: without any lockdown, with mixed lockdown−no lockdown regime, and under complete lockdown. We found that airborne pollen, sometimes in synergy with humidity and temperature, explained, on average, 44% of the infection rate variability. Infection rates increased after higher pollen concentrations most frequently during the four previous days. Without lockdown, an increase of pollen abundance by 100 pollen/m3 resulted in a 4% average increase of infection rates. Lockdown halved infection rates under similar pollen concentrations. As there can be no preventive measures against airborne pollen exposure, we suggest wide dissemination of pollen−virus coexposure dire effect information to encourage high-risk individuals to wear particle filter masks during high springtime pollen concentrations

Estrogenic activity of tamoxifen on normal mammary parenchyma in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle

Objectives: Tamoxifen, an anti-estrogenic drug used in the adjuvant treatment of breast cancer, deserves more investigation for the determination of its efficacy as a prophylactic agent against breast cancer in high risk women. Thus, the action of tamoxifen on the human mammary gland was studied by measuring the number of lysosomes in normal mammary epithelium during the administration of tamoxifen. Methods: Tamoxifen was administered only during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle to avoid interference with corpus luteum formation. A fragment of breast tissue adjacent to a fibroadenoma was obtained during surgery from 35 premenopausal women aged 15 to 37 years who had been eumenorrheic for at least 6 months; 18 of these patients were treated with tamoxifen and 17 were used as controls. Lysosome counts were performed under the light microscope on slides submitted to the acid phosphatase cytochemical technique and the data were analyzed statistically by the Mann-Whitney test. Results: the fragments from the group treated with tamoxifen showed a significant decrease in lysosome numbers. Conclusions. Tamoxifen administered after ovulation significantly decreases the number of lysosomes in the cells of normal mammary epithelium, demonstrating the antiestrogenic effect of the drug on this target tissue. (C) 1997 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.Universidade Federal de São Paulo,DEPT GYNECOL,ESCOLA PAULISTA MED,São Paulo,BRAZILUniversidade Federal de São Paulo,DEPT GYNECOL,ESCOLA PAULISTA MED,São Paulo,BRAZILWeb of Scienc

Effect of a half dose of tamoxifen on proliferative activity in normal breast tissue

Objectives: To investigate the proliferative activity of the mammary gland epithelium and plasma levels of progesterone, estradiol, prolactin, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) in premenopausal women treated with 10 and 20 mg of tamoxifen (TAM) for 22 days. Patients and methods: A randomized double-blind study was performed with 43 premenopausal women with a diagnosis of fibroadenoma of the breast. the patients were divided into three groups: A (n = 15, placebo); B (n = 15, TAM 10 mg/day) and C (n = 13, TAM 20 mg/day). They started taking an oral dose of TAM or placebo on the very first day of the menstrual cycle. Lumpectomy was performed on the 22nd day of therapy. Normal breast tissue samples were collected during surgery, immediately immersed in 10% buffered formalin, processed for routine histology and immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) detection. Two peripheral blood samples were collected, both on the 22nd day of the menstrual cycle, in order to evaluate the hormone levels. PCNA expressing epithelial cells were quantified by using a digital program Kontron Image System KS-300 in 1000 cells (400 x). Results: the percentage of cells expressing PCNA was significantly higher in the group receiving placebo (group A, 50.3%) when compared to groups receiving TAM 10 or 20 mg/day (group B, 24.1%; and group C, 23.2%, respectively) (P < 0.001). Differences between groups B and C were not significant. Levels of progesterone, estradiol and SHBG were significantly higher in B and C groups compared to group A. Increasing concentrations of FSH (P < 0.0045) and lower levels of prolactin (P < 0.0055) were only found in the group receiving 20 mg/day of TAM (group C). Conclusions: A 22-day TAM therapy, either with 10 or 20 mg/day, significantly reduced the PCNA expression and therefore the proliferative activity of the normal human breast tissue. Increasing levels of estradiol, progesterone and SHBG were associated with TAM therapy at 10 or 20 mg/day. However, a significant change of the level of FSH and prolactin was reached only with a 20-mg/day dose. (C) 1999 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Gynecol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Gynecol, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Influence of stiffness in bolted connections in wooden plane structure of truss type Influência da rigidez de ligações parafusadas em estruturas planas de madeira do tipo treliça

Trusses are structural systems commonly used in projects, being employed mainly in roof structures, present in most rural buildings. The design of trusses, as well as other structural systems, requires the determination of displacements, strains and stresses. However, the project is developed from an ideal model of calculation, considering free rotation between the elements of a connection. This paper presents a computer program for the analysis of bidimensional wooden trusses with connections formed with two screws per node. The formulation is based on the flexibility method, taking into account the influence of the effect of semi-rigid connections formed by two screws. An example of a structure is presented and analyzed by the program developed here, highlighting the importance of behavior analysis on semi-rigid connections.<br>Treliças são sistemas estruturais comumente utilizados em projetos, empregadas principalmente em estruturas de cobertura, presentes na maioria das construções rurais. O dimensionamento de treliças, assim como o de outros sistemas estruturais, requer a determinação dos deslocamentos, esforços, tensões e deformações atuantes em seus elementos constituintes. O cálculo é desenvolvido com base em um modelo ideal, considerando-se o giro livre entre os elementos componentes de uma ligação. Este trabalho objetiva apresentar um programa computacional destinado à análise de treliças planas de madeira com ligações formadas com dois parafusos por nó. A formulação é fundamentada no Método da Flexibilidade, levando-se em consideração a influência do efeito semirrígido das ligações formadas por dois parafusos. Um exemplo de estrutura auxiliar de cobertura é apresentado e analisado pelo programa desenvolvido, evidenciando-se a importância da análise do comportamento semirrígido sobre as ligações