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The study focuses on educational policies, focusing on the teaching and learning process in the State of Tocantins, during the Covid-19 pandemic period. This is a research with a bibliographic approach, through the analysis of the pre- and post-pandemic period in education in Tocantins. The objective of the research is to analyze the educational indicators that impact the teaching and learning process and, consequently, the permanence and access to quality education. In view of the analysis, it is possible to affirm that there was an accentuation of educational/social inequality, when observing the data on dropouts/dropouts, age-grade distortion and failure in public schools. Covid-19 is an aggravating factor in the gap in teaching and learning, highlighting the need for post-pandemic actions to mitigate the impacts, especially in the context of public education.
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Microalgae usually called "Spirulina" in the literature and in commercial packages have been studied as potential sources of protein for food and feed supplementation. These microalgae are produced industrially worldwide, being recognized as GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the Food and Drug Administration (USA) and accepted by the European Union for human consumption. Apart from a high protein content and balanced amino acid composition, its biomass contains compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, antiviral and anti-microbial activities. Some of these compounds have been determined to boost the immune system and prevent diseases such as hyperglycemia, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. It has also been suggested that the supplementation with Spirulina biomass and/or its extracts could help immune systems to fight different viral infections, including those by SARS-CoV2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19. This immunity boosting activity has been related to the presence of some polysaccharides, carotenoids, phycobiliproteins, fatty acids and biopeptides in the biomass. In this context, this chapter will address the boosting effect of the immune system by Spirulina exploring its antiviral activity and respective mechanisms. © 2021 Nova Science Publishers, Inc.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Influenza Vaccines , Humans , COVID-19 Vaccines , COVID-19/prevention & control , Health PersonnelABSTRACT
Objective: The principal aim was to analyze the effects of COVID-19 on the household solid waste collected in 22 Brazilian capitals. Methodology: Descriptive approach, including the selection of Brazilian capitals and data analysis of household solid waste (RSD, acronym in Portuguese) by literature review and consultation of institutional platforms in digital media, at the beginning of the pandemic. Relevance: The pandemic required adaptations by local mangers and the establishment of guiding protocols for the prevention of the virus, which triggered emergency adaptations in the daily operations of RSD collection, especially in Brazilian capitals. Results: In the analyzed period, the capitals with the highest number of accumulated cases of COVID-19 were Sao Paulo, Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro. Regarding 22 capitals analyzed, three have COVID-19 contingency plans for solid waste and, 16 of them has showed complementary guidelines for solid waste management. There was a reduction of household solid waste collected in April and May 2020, soon after the virus spread in the country. Contributions: The main contributions were a quantitative description of RSD collected in Brazilian capitals, an identification of procedures adopted in the analyzed period and, a set of preliminary initiatives to improve management in the sector. Conclusions: The pandemic outbreak to COVID-19 generated emergency adaptations in the collection of household solid waste and lack of data disclosure, even after a year of pandemic in Brazilian capitals. In this field, the proposed initiatives have the capacity to mobilize municipalities towards sustainability and resilience in the post-pandemic.
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Since the beginning the pandemic, new procedures has been developing for the protection of urban life and, they may have affected solid waste collection in medium-sized municipalities. The main objective was to analyze the impacts of COVID-19 on the collection of household solid waste, recyclables, and health care services in Araraquara, an inland city of Sao Paulo. Data analysis was performed from January to July 2020 and in the same period in 2019. The municipality has recorded increased cases of the disease throughout the first year of the pandemic, and this situation can have triggered some variability in the collection of solid waste due to some evidences, from adherence to social isolation, behavior of the population, existence of a more restrictive public policy. Most neighborhoods affected by COVID-19 were Centro, Vila Xavier, Jardim Selmi Dei-I, Jardim Iguatemi, and Vale do Sol in the period analyzed. The regular and selective collection were been maintained, according to the municipality's contingency plan. There was a reduction in collection for most of the solid waste studied in this research, especially at the beginning of the pandemic. The collection of household solid waste in Araraquara was, on average, reduced by 8% (0.69 kg/inhab.d) in the pandemic, compared to what was expected by the public manager (0.75 kg/inhab.d). The municipal solid waste rate could be an alternative, among others, to predict high-risk events of society contamination.
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Aim: To deliver a person-centred intervention aiming to achieve significant weight loss and potential remission of type 2 diabetes in a real-world community setting, using a similar model to the DiRECT trial. The programme adapts a holistic multidisciplinary approach with a combination of nutrition, psychology and exercise education support for long-term behaviour change and self-management, as well as enabling system savings. Method: 23 patients (68% BAME, 53% male) with type 2 diabetes participated in the 24-week programme with final visit in December 2020. After initial assessment, participants underwent 12 weeks of total diet replacement (TDR) using 800 kilocalorie daily supplementation, followed by food reintroduction. Culturally sensitive diet and lifestyle support was provided by regular phone calls along with 26 e-learning modules. Results: Mean weight loss after TDR was 13.5 kg (range 5-29 kg) at week 24. 88% of patients at week 24 were not on medication. 81% on diabetic medication at baseline no longer required any diabetic medication;13% were prescribed a lower dose and 6% were still on the same dose. 36% were no longer prescribed any blood pressure medication. Mean HbA1c decreased by 14 mmol/mol at week 24 but was only available for 11 participants due to covid-19 pandemic. There was self-reported improvement in participants' quality of life. Conclusion: The pilot results are in line with findings from DiRECT. System-wide financial benefit was achieved through de-prescribing of diabetes medication. These results are being used to inform and deliver a TDR service as part of NHS England's type 2 diabetes remission programme.
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The development of accurate, reliable, inexpensive and fully recyclable analytical platforms is of utmost relevance to several fields from medical diagnosis to environmental screening. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a compelling detection method with high specificity and sensitivity. In this work, a microwave-assisted synthesis method was used for fast and uniform in situ growth of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) onto nanocellulose (NC) membranes, through a seed-mediated process. The as-prepared membranes were fully optimized and its application as SERS platforms was demonstrated. A direct comparison with other cellulose-based substrates showed the superior characteristics of NC such as high mechanical strength, high surface area and lower porous content. An Enhancement Factor (EF) up to ~106 was obtained using rhodamine 6G (R6G) 10−6 M as probe molecule and a remarkable shelf life of at least 7 months was achieved, with no special storage requirements. Preliminary results on the label-free detection of spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 virus are shown, through direct measurements on the optimized SERS membrane. We believe that this work evidences the effectiveness of in situ seed-mediated microwave-assisted synthesis as a fabrication method, the high stability of AuNPs and the superior characteristics of NC substrates to be used as SERS platforms. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.