Between Genocide and Necropolitics: The Struggle for Life of Indigenous People and Mining in the Amazon Facing the Covid-19 Pandemic

This article presents the analysis of the strategies of indigenous peoples to denou-nce the violation of rights and the threat to the lives of indigenous peoples, particu-larly with the advance and impacts of mi-ning on indigenous lands during the Co-vid-19 pandemic period. Mining in indi-genous lands has already been widely de-bated and denounced due to its social and environmental impacts, among others, and the situation was aggravated during the pandemic caused by the dissemination of the new coronavirus, in addition to the classification of mining activity as an es-sential activity, intensifying conflicts en-vironmental issues in the Amazon. For this discussion, data will be presented from documents, reports, campaigns, pre-pared by representative organizations of indigenous peoples in the defense of life and their territories against the institutio-nal offensive of the government in protec-ting the rights of indigenous peoples in Brazil pointed out in this work as necropo-litics. This analysis will be carried out from the decolonial perspective, unders-tanding that such offensive is located in what has been called necropolitics, which points to the role of native peoples in the capitalist economy and the economic im-portance of mining as a counterpoint to the repertoire triggered by indigenous pe-oples in defense of life and its territories.

What changed between the peak and plateau periods of the first COVID-19 pandemic wave? A multicentric Portuguese cohort study in intensive care

Objective: To analyze and compare COVID-19 patient characteristics, clinical management and outcomes between the peak and plateau periods of the first pandemic wave in Portugal. Methods: This was a multicentric ambispective cohort study including consecutive severe COVID-19 patients between March and August 2020 from 16 Portuguese intensive care units. The peak and plateau periods, respectively, weeks 10 - 16 and 17 - 34, were defined. Results: Five hundred forty-one adult patients with a median age of 65 [57 - 74] years, mostly male (71.2%), were included. There were no significant differences in median age (p = 0.3), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (40 versus 39;p = 0.8), partial arterial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen ratio (139 versus 136;p = 0.6), antibiotic therapy (57% versus 64%;p = 0.2) at admission, or 28-day mortality (24.4% versus 22.8%;p = 0.7) between the peak and plateau periods. During the peak period, patients had fewer comorbidities (1 [0 - 3] versus 2 [0 - 5];p = 0.002) and presented a higher use of vasopressors (47% versus 36%;p < 0.001) and invasive mechanical ventilation (58.1 versus 49.2%;p < 0.001) at admission, prone positioning (45% versus 36%;p = 0.04), and hydroxychloroquine (59% versus 10%;p < 0.001) and lopinavir/ ritonavir (41% versus 10%;p < 0.001) prescriptions. However, a greater use of high-flow nasal cannulas (5% versus 16%, p < 0.001) on admission, remdesivir (0.3% versus 15%;p < 0.001) and corticosteroid (29% versus 52%, p < 0.001) therapy, and a shorter ICU length of stay (12 days versus 8, p < 0.001) were observed during the plateau. Conclusion: There were significant changes in patient comorbidities, intensive care unit therapies and length of stay between the peak and plateau periods of the first COVID-19 wave. © 2023 Associacao de Medicina Intensiva Brasileira - AMIB. All rights reserved.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on suicides in portugal during the emergency state

Introduction The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is well documented. Portugal entered the emergency state on 19th march due to rising numbers of infected patients. The emergency state introduced regulatory measures that restricted people’s movements, applied a curfew, and closed most non-essential spaces and activities, such as shops and religious celebrations. Objectives To evaluate the rates of suicides during the emergency state in Portugal. Methods We obtained the number of probable suicides during 19th march and 2nd may 2020, 2019 and 2018 from SICO/eVM (Real Time Mortality Electronic Surveillance). This system is used for health planning in Portugal and provides provisory data which is updated every 10 minutes. ExcelÒ was used for the statistical analysis. Results During the Emergency State in Portugal there were 57 probable suicides. Comparing to the same period in 2018 and 2019, there were 62 and 70 probable suicides, respectively. Social isolation, anxiety, fear of contagion, chronic stress, and economic difficulties may lead to the development or exacerbation of depressive, anxiety, substance use, and other psychiatric disorders. Literature on suicides due to COVID-19 mention not only fear of infection, but also social isolation and distancing and economic recession as causes for suicide attempts and completions. Conclusions During the emergency state there was not an increase of probable suicides, compared to previous years. The greater vigilance of people’s movements may have deterred many attempts. However, policymakers and health care providers must be alert as the current psychosocial predispose to an increase in suicide rates. Disclosure No significant relationships.

The COVID - 19 pandemic's impact on the behavioral trends in the use of printed book or e-book: a case study in Portugal and Brazil

In a time of serious health crisis worldwide, this study is the extension of a case study already started (in February and March 2020) about the issue, reading behaviors, and preferences between the use of books and e-books. The COVID-19 pandemic came to impose social distancing in the world, closing universities, schools, and other services. The implementation of Internet services has presented itself as a valid response to the change that has so brutally arisen. Naturally, everyone had to adapt to it. In this context, the question about the preferences in using books or e-books is now even more relevant. This paper analyses the impact of COVID-19 in the behavioral trends in the use of scientific information from printed books and e-books in Portugal and Brazil. To this end, a survey was conducted on a user sample from various Portuguese and Brazilian higher education schools and public libraries. The first part focused on the characterization of the respondents, which includes data on gender and qualifications attended. In the second part, we obtained viewpoints about the advantages and disadvantages of each medium, frequency of use, choice of medium according to the purpose of reading, and devices used. The results let us examine the factors that influence and change the behaviors of users concerning their choice. Research such as this is beneficial to support the decision not only in selecting the information resources to be bought or pondering user preferences, but also to define strategies for advocating the use of various media that, rather than competitors, should be complimentary.

A data-driven model for COVID-19 pandemic - Evolution of the attack rate and prognosis for Brazil.

We introduce a compartmental model SEIAHRV (Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Asymptomatic, Hospitalized, Recovered, Vaccinated) with age structure for the spread of the SARAS-CoV virus. In order to model current different vaccines we use compartments for individuals vaccinated with one and two doses without vaccine failure and a compartment for vaccinated individual with vaccine failure. The model allows to consider any number of different vaccines with different efficacies and delays between doses. Contacts among age groups are modeled by a contact matrix and the contagion matrix is obtained from a probability of contagion pc per contact. The model uses known epidemiological parameters and the time dependent probability pc is obtained by fitting the model output to the series of deaths in each locality, and reflects non-pharmaceutical interventions. As a benchmark the output of the model is compared to two good quality serological surveys, and applied to study the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in the main Brazilian cities with a total population of more than one million. We also discuss with some detail the case of the city of Manaus which raised special attention due to a previous report of We also estimate the attack rate, the total proportion of cases (symptomatic and asymptomatic) with respect to the total population, for all Brazilian states since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that the model present here is relevant to assessing present policies not only in Brazil but also in any place where good serological surveys are not available.

The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on suicides in portugal during the emergency state

IntroductionThe mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is well documented. Portugal entered the emergency state on 19th march due to rising numbers of infected patients. The emergency state introduced regulatory measures that restricted people’s movements, applied a curfew, and closed most non-essential spaces and activities, such as shops and religious celebrations.ObjectivesTo evaluate the rates of suicides during the emergency state in Portugal.MethodsWe obtained the number of probable suicides during 19th march and 2nd may 2020, 2019 and 2018 from SICO/eVM (Real Time Mortality Electronic Surveillance). This system is used for health planning in Portugal and provides provisory data which is updated every 10 minutes. ExcelÒ was used for the statistical analysis.ResultsDuring the Emergency State in Portugal there were 57 probable suicides. Comparing to the same period in 2018 and 2019, there were 62 and 70 probable suicides, respectively. Social isolation, anxiety, fear of contagion, chronic stress, and economic difficulties may lead to the development or exacerbation of depressive, anxiety, substance use, and other psychiatric disorders. Literature on suicides due to COVID-19 mention not only fear of infection, but also social isolation and distancing and economic recession as causes for suicide attempts and completions.ConclusionsDuring the emergency state there was not an increase of probable suicides, compared to previous years. The greater vigilance of people’s movements may have deterred many attempts. However, policymakers and health care providers must be alert as the current psychosocial predispose to an increase in suicide rates.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

The Impact of Industry 4.0 Paradigm on the Pharmaceutical Industry in Portugal

Technological evolution has continuously driven the development of industries and consequently of society. The fourth industrial revolution consists in the combination of a set of physical and digital technologies that has been changing systems’ operations within industries. The pharmaceutical industry has a considerable impact on well-being and has been strongly challenged with this new reality, not only by those that are transversal to all industries but also due to the fact that it is a highly regulated sector, which creates additional barriers for industry 4.0 (I4.0) initiative’s implementation. However, it is due to the fact that this revolution provides high growth opportunities to the industry, and consequently for the improvement of population’s quality of life, that this topic has been subject to so much research at a global level. This study’s main purpose is to understand the impact of I4.0 paradigm implementation in the pharmaceutical industry (mainly in the production area), to analyze the technological readiness of Portuguese pharmaceutical companies to implement I4.0 technologies and to understand the role of the I4.0 paradigm to fight the pandemic situation caused by the COVID-19. To achieve this purpose, an exploratory multiple-case study based on semi-structured interviews was conducted in two Portuguese pharmaceutical companies. It is expected that the results of this work lead to recommendations that help the Portuguese pharmaceutical industry to be better prepared to face the challenges that are coming with this revolution. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

THE IMPORTANCE OF DEFENDING THE UNIFIED HEALTH SYSTEM DURING PANDEMICS: RIO GRANDE DO SUL'S EXPERIENCE

In pandemic times, the importance of strengthening social politics and protecting the working class is made evident. At this juncture, there is a highlight in the attacks and advances of the capital, those which seek profit and the maintenance of the economic system in detriment of people's safety. Therefore, this article seeks to cover, from a documentary research, the debate regarding social politics, in special, brazilian social politics, bringing to light matters such as its importance in times of pandemic, and the multiple attempts of dismantling, which bear direct impact in people's health, in a context of privatisation and commodification of healthcare. In special, it shows the reality in Rio Grande do Sul, analyzing the local government decisions and the documents produced by Rio Grande do Sul's State Healthcare Board, regarding COVID-19

Burnout in social work professionals during COVID pandemic

Objective: The study aims to assess the prevalence of burnout in social workers working in Portugal during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Method: Descriptive, quantitative, and cross-sectional study carried out between November 2020 and March 2021, 416 social workers from 20 municipalities in mainland Portugal and the islands participated, answering a brief sociodemographic questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey. Results: Most social workers who participated in the study were represented by women (96.3%). It was found that 54.7% have been working in social work for more than 11 years, and 43.8% were managers / responsible for more than 60 processes. In general, there was no burnout in the participants. Although 82.3% of participants presented results of Personal Accomplishment, it is evident that some participants also presented Emotional Exhaustion (45.1%). Participants who worked overtime and the participants with a greater number of processes presented higher levels of Emotional Exhaustion and Depersonalization. Participants with fewer years of activity in social work were the ones who presented higher levels in the Personal Accomplishment dimension. Conclusions: Participants in this study do not evidence the presence of burnout. However, although the vast majority present results that reveal personal accomplishment, a considerable percentage reveals higher levels of Emotional Exhaustion. Future studies should assess biological patterns, such as cortisol levels.

Working conditions of Nursing professionals in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVE: To trigger a reflection on the current working conditions of Nursing professionals in coping with the Covid-19 pandemic. METHOD: A theoretical-reflective study supported by studies from the Marxist perspective, national and international scientific articles, and official documents from the World Health Organization and the Federal Nursing Council. RESULTS: The daily work of Nursing professionals in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic presents unfavorable working conditions in Brazil and worldwide, with emphasis on the deficit of professionals, overload of activities, low pay, and personal protective equipment, often insufficient and inadequate, conditions that can lead to exhaustion, illness and death. CONCLUSION: This study can contribute to raising discussions about the need for improvements in the working conditions of Nursing professionals, especially in pandemic times and the impact on the health of these professionals.

Divorced Parents’ Perceptions of Child Custody and Contacts During the Pandemic

The pandemic has impacted the ways in which people interact. Which impacts the pandemic might have brought about in regards to child custody and contacts arrangements? Through a thematic analysis, this qualitative and exploratory study investigated how 119 separated parents perceived this impact. Results address the impacts of the pandemic on child custody and contacts arrangements, especially regarding coparental communication. They also outline that the separated parents’ ability to adapt themselves to the pandemic restrictions, and their consequences. This ability was very linked to pre-existing coparental dynamics. Also, this paper discusses how the main impacts (i.e., maintaining contacts and caring for children) seemed to impact mothers more than fathers © 2022, Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa.All Rights Reserved.