Covid-19 vaccines in children with cow’s milk and food allergies

The COVID-19 pandemic is the most challenging global health crisis of our times. Vaccination against COVID-19 plays a key role to control the current pandemic situation. The risk of allergic reactions to new COVID-19 vaccines is low. However, there is a debate on the safety in allergic patients following post marketing findings by different agencies. Our aim is to understand from current experiences whether children with cow’s milk or food allergy are at higher risk than a general population for allergic reactions to COVID-19 vaccines. Current data indicate that patients with a history of allergy to cow’s milk or other foods, even if severe, should receive COVID-19 vaccine in a setting with availability of treatments for anaphylactic reactions and under medical supervision. Recipients should be discharged after a protracted observation period of 30 min if no reaction developed

Microclima e produção de videiras 'Niágara rosada' em cultivo orgânico sob cobertura plástica.

O uso de coberturas plásticas sobre vinhedos tem aumentado no Sul do Brasil, visando a atenuar limitações climáticas. Este estudo objetivou quantificar alterações micrometeorológicas causadas por cobertura plástica e seus efeitos no desenvolvimento e na produção de videiras ?Niágara Rosada?, em cultivo orgânico. O estudo foi realizado em Bento Gonçalves-RS, num vinhedo conduzido em sistema latada e submetido a dois ambientes: em céu aberto e coberto por plástico transparente (160μm) em arcos descontínuos. Nos dois ambientes, foram monitoradas radiação fotossinteticamente ativa (RFA) e temperatura do ar. Avaliaram-se fenologia, índice de área foliar (IAF), peso e diâmetro de bagas, teor de sólidos solúveis e acidez total titulável, incidência de doenças fúngicas e rendimento. A cobertura reduziu em um terço a RFA incidente (-34%) e aumentou as temperaturas máximas do ar (+3,1ºC). Ela acelerou o ciclo vegetativo das videiras até a maturação, mas retardou a queda de folhas. A cobertura promoveu incrementos de IAF, duração da área foliar e produção de uvas, de 12,3 para 27,1 t ha-1. Não foi observada incidência de doenças fúngicas no vinhedo coberto. Portanto, a cobertura plástica sobre vinhedos é uma alternativa importante na produção de uvas de mesa no Sul do Brasil, em cultivo orgânico

Consensus statement of the Italian society of pediatric allergy and immunology for the pragmatic management of children and adolescents with allergic or immunological diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has surprised the entire population. The world has had to face an unprecedented pandemic. Only, Spanish flu had similar disastrous consequences. As a result, drastic measures (lockdown) have been adopted worldwide. Healthcare service has been overwhelmed by the extraordinary influx of patients, often requiring high intensity of care. Mortality has been associated with severe comorbidities, including chronic diseases. Patients with frailty were, therefore, the victim of the SARS-COV-2 infection. Allergy and asthma are the most prevalent chronic disorders in children and adolescents, so they need careful attention and, if necessary, an adaptation of their regular treatment plans. Fortunately, at present, young people are less suffering from COVID-19, both as incidence and severity. However, any age, including infancy, could be affected by the pandemic. Based on this background, the Italian Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology has felt it necessary to provide a Consensus Statement. This expert panel consensus document offers a rationale to help guide decision-making in the management of children and adolescents with allergic or immunologic diseases

Sintomas Cardiopulmonares Pós-COVID-19: Preditores e Características de Imagem de Pacientes após a Alta Hospitalar

Resumo Fundamento A maioria da evidência sobre o impacto da síndrome COVID pós-aguda (PACS, do inglês, post-acute COVID-19 syndrome) descreve sintomas individuais sem correlacioná-los com exames de imagens. Objetivos Avaliar sintomas cardiopulmonares, seus preditores e imagens relacionadas em pacientes com COVID-19 após alta hospitalar. Métodos Pacientes consecutivos, que sobreviveram à COVID-19, foram contatados 90 dias após a alta hospitalar. A equipe de desfechos clínicos (cega quanto aos dados durante a internação) elaborou um questionário estruturado avaliando sintomas e estado clínico. Uma análise multivariada foi realizada abordando a evolução da COVID-19, comorbidades, ansiedade, depressão, e estresse pós-traumático durante a internação, e reabilitação cardíaca após a alta. O nível de significância usado nas análises foi de 5%. Resultados Foram incluídos 480 pacientes (idade 59±14 anos, 67,5% do sexo masculino) que receberam alta hospitalar por COVID-19; 22,3% necessitaram de ventilação mecânica. A prevalência de pacientes com sintomas cardiopulmonares relacionados à PACS (dispneia, cansaço/fadiga, tosse e desconforto no peito) foi de 16,3%. Vários parâmetros de tomografia computadorizada do tórax e de ecocardiograma foram similares entre os pacientes com e sem sintomas cardiopulmonares. A análise multivariada mostrou que sintomas cardiopulmonares foram relacionados de maneira independente com sexo feminino (OR 3,023; IC95% 1,319-6,929), trombose venosa profunda durante a internação (OR 13,689; IC95% 1,069-175,304), nível elevado de troponina (OR 1,355; IC95% 1,048-1,751) e de proteína C reativa durante a internação (OR 1,060; IC95% 1,023-1,097) e depressão (OR 6,110; IC95% 2,254-16,558). Conclusão Os sintomas cardiopulmonares relacionados à PACS 90 dias após a alta hospitalar são comuns e multifatoriais. Além dos marcadores trombóticos, inflamatórios e de lesão miocárdica durante a internação, sexo feminino e depressão foram associados independentemente com sintomas cardiopulmonares relacionados à PACS. Esses resultados destacaram a necessidade de uma abordagem multifacetada direcionada a pacientes susceptíveis

Towards the implementation of a BIM-based approach in BIPV sector

Nowadays, the stakeholders of the building process are expected to be involved in the Building Information Modelling (BIM) domain in order to support the digitalization of the construction industry. Considering that the building envelope is today one of the most complex parts of a sustainable building, the “BIM-ization” of its construction process could potentially foster the challenge of a more sustainable built environment. This is particularly relevant for multifunctional systems producing energy such as “solar skins”. Typically, today the building process is highly fragmented so that the information flow is not linear, many information is lost, are missing or need to be re-entered with additional rework and request for information. An integrated and collaborative digital process would reduce efforts, time, repetitive work, risk of mistakes, information losses, etc., transforming an almost “manual” and fragmented work into an interoperable workflow along the value chain. BIM creates efficiency and users will get several benefits. Digitalization of solar building envelopes, since it is a multidisciplinary field, requires dedicated specifications on information modelling/management, process workflows, interoperability aspects and BIM levels to adopt. The paper will present an insight on the adoption of a BIM-based approach to ensure the reduction of process inefficiencies and unforeseen clashes for the implementation of BIPV building skins. Along with a review of the existing framework concerning the definition of a reference process for the PV value-chain, it will focus on the discussion of BIM requirements for solar building envelope systems and in a first definition of the information categories for the main Levels of Development (LOD) of BIPV components. After presenting also a practical example of digitalization for a BIPV customized module, both in terms of geometrical and information modelling, the paper will finally provide basic inputs concerning approaches to support real workflows for higher BIM maturity levels in BIPV sector. The advantages of adopting a digital process and the interoperability levels will be also discussed, in order to provide inputs for the main stakeholders in improving the process efficiency and controlling costs

An Update of Sonic Pulse Velocity Tests on Heritage Buildings: Correlation with Masonry Types

The preservation of the architectural heritage passes through a ‘knowledge process’, based on inspections and diagnostic procedures. In this context, the Sonic Pulse Velocity Test (SPVT) is a viable option among non-destructive tests as it aims at evaluating the quality of masonry walls through the transmission of elastic waves. Wave velocity qualifies the density of the tested material: the more compact it is, the faster the waves propagate, although the acquired data cannot be considered as an estimate of mechanical parameters. In this paper, a database of 286 direct SPVTs is presented; the tests were conducted in the last twelve years on 50 buildings (mainly cultural heritage buildings). The direct configuration was adopted for the tests, thus evaluating the consistency of a wall cross-section. The average sonic velocity was calculated for each test; the results were grouped as a function of the masonry type, as described by the Italian building code, to define a range of velocities which qualify a type. A total of 5 masonry textures were recognized. The data were also grouped according to the building type, to explore the quality of construction, and the geographic area to evaluate a possible correlation between the SPVT results and local building traditions. Finally, for 37 masonry panels, the effectiveness of grout injections was evaluated by defining the velocity improvement after the intervention. At last, to validate the masonry qualification obtained from the SPVTs, a correlation between sonic velocities and the mechanical parameters obtained from flat jack tests carried out on the same sampling area for 51 panels was explored