Inequalities Among Political Scientists: Race and Gender Relations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

This study examines the division of labor among political scientists during different periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. The article explores the hypothesis that the pandemic increased inequalities, especially by exacerbating the burden of housework and care responsibilities for women. We ground our analysis on the results of two surveys conducted in Brazil: one shortly after the onset of the pandemic in June 2020;and the other, more recently, from March 2022, after the ending of social-distancing measures. Brazil is a relevant case study because it was an epicenter of the virus for many months. This public health crisis occurred while a denialist and authoritarian government was in power. Considering gender and race variables, the data show a transformation of the dynamics of time organization during the period. At the beginning of the pandemic, men-primarily white men-devoted more time to academic work;in 2022, the most substantive difference was one of race. We observed a greater convergence among white people, as opposed to Black people, about household chores, with the latter group more overloaded than the former group. Traditional class and race inequalities concerning the Brazilian population can contribute to the explanation for this. When in-person work returned, white political scientists began to outsource domestic care more than their nonwhite counterparts.

Electrochemical Immunosensors Based on Zinc Oxide Nanorods for Detection of Antibodies Against SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in Convalescent and Vaccinated Individuals

Even after over 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, research on rapid, inexpensive, and accurate tests remains essential for controlling and avoiding the global spread of SARS-CoV-2 across the planet during a potential reappearance in future global waves or regional outbreaks. Assessment of serological responses for COVID-19 can be beneficial for population-level surveillance purposes, supporting the development of novel vaccines and evaluating the efficacy of different immunization programs. This can be especially relevant for broadly used inactivated whole virus vaccines, such as CoronaVac, which produced lower titers of neutralizing antibodies. and showed lower efficacy for specific groups such as the elderly and immunocompromised. We developed an impedimetric biosensor based on the immobilization of SARS-CoV-2 recombinant trimeric spike protein (S protein) on zinc oxide nanorod (ZnONR)-modified fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates for COVID-19 serology testing. Due to electrostatic interactions, the negatively charged S protein was immobilized via physical adsorption. The electrochemical response of the immunosensor was measured at each modification step and characterized by scanning electron microscopy and electrochemical techniques. We successfully evaluated the applicability of the modified ZnONR electrodes using serum samples from COVID-19 convalescent individuals, CoronaVac-vaccinated with or without positive results for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and pre-pandemic samples from healthy volunteers as controls. ELISA for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was performed for comparison, and ELISA for IgG anti-RBDs of seasonal coronavirus (HCoVs) was used to test the specificity of immunosensor detection. No cross-reactivity with HCoVs was detected using the ZnONR immunosensor, and more interestingly, the sensor presented higher sensitivity when compared to negative ELISA results. The results demonstrate that the ZnONRs/spike-modified electrode displayed sensitive results for convalescents and vaccinated samples and shows excellent potential as a tool for the population's assessment and monitoring of seroconversion and seroprevalence.

Anti-racist Cultural Policies and Pandemic Crisis: Strategies to Strengthen the Creative Skills of Black Artists

This paper discusses the pandemic generated by the new coronavirus as a phenomenon related to the contexts of ethnic-social inequalities and systemic crises linked to colonialism. Racial injustices are believed to contribute to the diminishing capacities of black artists to dream, think and act. Therefore, we begin with the question: "What strategies have been designed to encourage black artists to resume their creative skills in the context of the pandemic?". The area of coverage is the state of Paraiba in Brazil. The goal is to share the processes related to the actions of the Forum of Black Artists of Paraiba in the fight for the implementation of anti-racist public policies for the Arts in times of pandemic. Theoretically, the concept of decoloniality is addressed as a collective project capable of generating emancipation through combative attitudes against the continuity of modern colonialism. We discuss the importance of valuing aspects of self-reflection, creative criticism and activism in the processes of resistance to the representations of racism and colonialism. The aim of this discussion is to guarantee the visibility of the importance of black cultural agents, involved in the chain of formation of culture, to become aware of the damage caused by racism and to create conditions for the promotion of racial equity for a more just society.

BRAZIL AND THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19: Strengthening state and municipal powers

This chapter discusses the dual nature of Brazilian federalism and the strengthening of subnational autonomy, as evidenced during the Covid-19 pandemic. On one hand, the crisis highlighted the importance of the federal government in the institutional arrangement of Brazilian federalism, which is highly centralised;on the other, it has provided greater scope for action by state governments, whose political power has gradually diminished over the 30 years since the 1988 Constitution came into being. Municipalities have also played a stronger role based on their local interest. To analyse those aspects, the chapter presents the constitutional design of the Brazilian federation and the public policies in health and disaster management to contain the pandemic, demonstrating that the intergovernmental relations generated by the very nature of federalism were indispensable in enabling Brazil to address the pandemic and so prevent worse outcomes in terms of public health. Additionally, the expanded autonomy of states and municipalities during the pandemic, due to a Supreme Court decision, was fundamental to the struggle against the denialism of the President Jair Bolsonaro, who neglected his federal responsibilities. © 2022 selection and editorial matter, Nico Steytler.

Health conditions of people on the streets during the COVID-19 pandemic in light of Nightingale’s Environmental Theory

Objective: The objective was to analyze the health conditions of people living on the streets, in the COVID-19 scenario, based on the contributions of the Environ-mental Theory. Methods: This is a theoretical-reflexive analysis. Results: Two cate-gories were developed: The dichotomy between living on the street and the Night-ingalian assumptions and;The reality of people living on the street in times of pan-demic by COVID-19. The first category addressed the difference between what is experienced by people on the street and what the Nightingalian assumptions say about health conditions. The second category showed the insertion of these people in the context of prevention measures. Final considerations: It is of fundamental importance to discuss the access to prevention and health promotion strategies by these people and to promote specific actions for the reality in which they live.

Molecular docking identification for the efficacy of natural limonoids against COVID-19 virus main protease

COVID-19 pandemic is the biggest public health problem of the century so far.The main protease (Mpro) is one of the main enzymes studied as a pharmacological target. In this context, the present work aimed to perform a virtual screening of possible inhibitors against the enzyme Mpro, having limonoids as the main object of research as supposed inhibitors. Molecular docking simulations indicated that limonoids have an affinity to complex with M-pro.However, Limonine and Nimoliciol showed nonspecific and low affinity interactions. In conclusion, Limonoids are substances of natural origin that can be used in the study of new pharmacological tools designed to combat and understand COVID-19.

Social Sciences In The Covid-19 Pandemic: Work Routines And Inequalities

The purpose of this text is to analyze the consequences of the covid-19 pandemic in the academic work routines of Social Sciences in Brazil. The study is based on the results of a survey disseminated with the support of professional associations in Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology and International Relations. The article presents the profile of the 1,073 participants and their perceptions about the effects of the crisis on training, teaching and research activities, as well as on the division of tasks in the private sphere. Although most respondents said they felt negative impacts of the pandemic, there are disparities by discipline, gender and race. The data reinforce the importance of discussing productivity evaluation parameters sensitive to inequalities. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.

Medical care of patients with gynecologic cancer during the covid-19 pandemic: experience of a cancer center in Brazil

ObjectivesThe objective is to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the care of gynecologic oncology patients.MethodsThis is a retrospective cohort study of all gynecology oncology new patients treated at Brasilia’s University Hospital - Brazil. We compared to periods: pre-COVID-19 (March 2019 to February 2020) and during COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 to February 2021).ResultsThere was a 53% reduction in patients with gynecological cancer undergoing treatment at our hospital. The total of surgeries performed was 40 pre and 18 during the pandemic period, a reduction in the surgical volume by 55%. The most operated tumor in the pre-pandemic period was cervix and during was an equal number of surgeries for cervix, endometrial and ovarian cancer. Admissions for chemotherapy or radiotherapy also decreased by 52%. A total of 78 patients underwent cancer treatment before and 37 during the pandemic. The most frequently treated tumor is cervical cancer, with 53 cases in the pre and 26 during the pandemic, followed by ovarian cancer with 14 cases before and only two during the same period. The median waiting time between diagnosis and surgery was 4.44 days longer during the pandemic, as well as the median time to start chemo and radiotherapy was also longer during the pandemic period.ConclusionsWe observed a significant decrease in the number of gynecological cancer patients undergoing treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our results will help health professionals to understand the indirect consequences of the pandemic and the role of women’s health care services in minimizing these consequences.

COVID-19: Physiopathology and Targets for Therapeutic Intervention

The pandemic status of COVID-19 was recorded by the World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020. Since then, more than 10 million cases have been confirmed worldwide, with more than 500,000 reported deaths. Throughout this period, efforts by the global scientific community have focused on understanding the disease process and searching on preventive (e.g. vaccines) or therapeutic (e.g. drugs) alternatives of treatment for COVID-19. The present review portrays the historical aspects associated with the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, the etiological agent of COVID-19, describes the pathophysiological aspects of the disease, the viral replication process and discusses the main molecular targets subject to therapeutic intervention, aiming the design, discovery and development of new drugs to treat COVID-19.

Science communication and information in regional development: The observadr/covid-19 project

The purpose of this article is to reflect on scientific communication and dissemination in the context of Regional Development, with particular attention to the digital format and taking into consideration the COVID-19 pandemic. This article presents an excerpt of a survey currently being carried out by the Graduate Program in Regional Development of the University of Santa Cruz Sul. The ObservaDR/Covid-19 research project studies the progress of the pandemic in a region of Rio Grande do Sul and provides data, information and socio-spatial analysis regarding the COVID-19 expansion to public and private administrators and the society in general. Scientific communication and dissemination make up a fundamental portion of this investigation, given the speed of the response that the research aims to give to society through its results. Based on the analysis of the digital communication contents and figures of the ObservaDR/Covid-19 project, we aim to highlight the quality and quantity of the contents being created, emphasizing regional communication focused on transparency, clarity, and presence through the use of digital communication for scientific dissemination. Among the main results, it was evidenced that in the context of the pandemic there is greater consumption of territorialized digital information, especially in places with universities and research centers, something which contributes to the access and sharing of regional scientific information and is an important process to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the regional territories. © 2020, Universidade de Taubate. All rights reserved.

PRECARIETY EXPRESSIONS OF THE WORK IN THE PANDEMIC FRAMEWORK OF COVID-19

The article focuses on the scenario of the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic that has spread rapidly throughout the world and points to a funeral, uncertain and catastrophic horizon for workers, already in a precarious social situation, in the framework of the structural crisis. In the course of decades of destruction imposed by Neoliberalism transmuted into Ultra, which privileges financial accumulation and predatory exploitation of nature and human labour, the possibilities of the reproduction of capital face challenges in the rupture of its own functioning. With one third of the world in isolation, falls in profit rates, an increase in public debt, shrinking consumption and widespread unemployment, capital only finds an immediate outlet in the onslaught on over-exploitation and devaluation of labor, which not only reveals its centrality but also promotes the material conditions of social explosions.

Nursing care for people with chronic diseases and pulmonary infection by coronavirus: An integrative review

Objective: To identify the implications, for Nursing, of pulmonary infections by coronavirus in people with chronic non-communicable diseases and to propose actions for care. Materials and method: A literature review, with a search for primary studies in the Biblioteca Regional Virtual de Saúde, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, National Library of Medicine and Scopus databases, from March 15th to March 30th, 2020, in Portuguese, English, and Spanish, with a quantitative and qualitative approach, in adults with chronic non-communicable diseases with respiratory infection by viruses of the coronavirus family, from 2010 to 2020. Results: A total of 11 articles were analyzed, which made it possible to identify guidelines for Nursing actions at the community and hospital levels and in critical care;among the care actions proposed for people with chronic diseases are education in health, encouragement to control the disease, immunization and lifestyle change, monitoring of suspected and confirmed cases, and use of masks in public environments. Conclusions: The study highlights the role of Nursing at all health care levels and the possibilities for learning and improving care actions through the use of evidence obtained from previous experiences. © 2021, Universidad de La Sabana. All rights reserved.