How can gastronomy impact the social change of a vulnerable population assisted by social programs? The case of Brazilian social gastronomy

Social gastronomy is a topic studied in recent years, mainly due to the continuous emergence of organizations categorized within this concept during the economic crisis and pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus. However, very little research has been done on the team associated with social gastronomy. And in Brazil, this movement has been growing in recent years, highlighting here in this work a social project in partnership with the university in a peripheral neighborhood of one of the largest metropolises in Brazil, Fortaleza. The Federal University of Ceará Social Gastronomy Program (Gastronomia Social UFC), an extension program of the Federal University of Ceará, promotes qualification courses for young people and adults, residents of the city of Fortaleza-CE, especially in the neighborhoods that make up the Grande Bom Jardim (Canindezinho, Bom Jardim, Siqueira, Granja Portugal, and Granja Lisboa), in communities whose population is prone to social risks, since this entire area has a high level of violence and a low HDI. Therefore, the present study aims to analyze the social impacts of the courses offered by the Social Gastronomy Program in People's Garden in 2019. The research was qualitative, quantitative, exploratory, and descriptive, carried out between February and March of 2021 through an electronic form with a sample of 51 students participating in the courses. The results showed that the courses promoted favorable social impacts for the community and provided opportunities to improve the quality of life, skills, and techniques in gastronomy, fulfilling a role commonly expected by the extension of the Federal University of Ceará.

Teachers' Appreciation of Benefits and Shortcomings of Online and Blended Higher STEM Education

This paper is devoted to identifying online teaching strategies appropriate for blended and face-to-face higher STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. The study is inspired by the experience gained during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, which forced many higher education institutions worldwide to shift abruptly to distance education and try many new tools, teaching methods, and strategies. Some of these tools and strategies were abandoned as soon as the lockdown had been lifted and the institutions returned to their regular functioning, but some of them are bound to stay. Certainly, it would be beneficial to include the most valuable of the gained skills and competences in traditional on-campus and blended courses. The study is based on an online questionnaire, addressed to the STEM faculty of the University of Aveiro, Portugal (which is an example of an institution that used to provide face-to-face instruction), whose analysis permits to derive a number of important recommendations. The results are compared with our previous work, where the students' perspectives were analyzed, and similarities and discrepancies in appreciation of the involved parties are highlighted. This work extends the body of knowledge about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on STEM education by examining the challenges and opportunities faced by teachers. The recommendations derived contribute to improving the learning outcomes of online STEM education in many similar institutions.

Enriching Traditional Higher STEM Education with Online Teaching and Learning Practices: Students' Perspective

In this paper, we aim to identify online teaching and learning practices that would be beneficial for blended and traditional on-campus education within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) courses. Our university, as well as the majority of higher education institutions worldwide, has had few to no experience in delivering full online courses before 2020. The teaching process was, however, severely affected and modified by the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing an abrupt and unprepared shift towards online education. In this work, we look at the pandemic as causing a very favorable side effect that forced the university to study, test, apply, and evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of online education and assessment methods. The study is a result of joint efforts from different departments at the University of Aveiro, Portugal, connected to STEM undergraduate and graduate programs and is based on a questionnaire targeted towards students. In total, 167 valid STEM students' answers have been collected and analyzed, both quantitatively and qualitatively. As the result, the best teaching and learning practices are identified and the main difficulties and obstacles experienced by students are detected. Some of the problems are common to many higher education institutions, such as the lack of teacher preparation in delivering quality online synchronous and asynchronous classes, technical limitations (network bandwidth/weak equipment), ineffective communication during synchronous classes, gaps in student skills, and low activity of some students and even teachers. We believe that the presented results would allow for improving future on-campus, distance, and blended learning courses, particularly through avoiding less effective teaching and assessment methods and favoring those techniques that students consider more efficient. This ultimately would lead to a more rewarding teaching/learning experience.

Molecular Mechanisms of Anti-Inflammatory Phytochemicals.

Naturally occurring bioactives, also known as phytochemicals, have been widely recognized and researched owing to their multiple potentialities [...].

Gene Therapy Approach with an Emphasis on Growth Factors: Theoretical and Clinical Outcomes in Neurodegenerative Diseases.

The etiology of many neurological diseases affecting the central nervous system (CNS) is unknown and still needs more effective and specific therapeutic approaches. Gene therapy has a promising future in treating neurodegenerative disorders by correcting the genetic defects or by therapeutic protein delivery and is now an attraction for neurologists to treat brain disorders, like Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, spinocerebellar ataxia, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, stroke, and spinal cord injury. Gene therapy allows the transgene induction, with a unique expression in cells' substrate. This article mainly focuses on the delivering modes of genetic materials in the CNS, which includes viral and non-viral vectors and their application in gene therapy. Despite the many clinical trials conducted so far, data have shown disappointing outcomes. The efforts done to improve outcomes, efficacy, and safety in the identification of targets in various neurological disorders are also discussed here. Adapting gene therapy as a new therapeutic approach for treating neurological disorders seems to be promising, with early detection and delivery of therapy before the neuron is lost, helping a lot the development of new therapeutic options to translate to the clinic.

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Key Emphasis on Melatonin Safety and Therapeutic Efficacy.

Viral infections constitute a tectonic convulsion in the normophysiology of the hosts. The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is not an exception, and therefore the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, like any other invading microbe, enacts a generalized immune response once the virus contacts the body. Melatonin is a systemic dealer that does not overlook any homeostasis disturbance, which consequently brings into play its cooperative triad, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune-stimulant backbone, to stop the infective cycle of SARS-CoV-2 or any other endogenous or exogenous threat. In COVID-19, the corporal propagation of SARS-CoV-2 involves an exacerbated oxidative activity and therefore the overproduction of great amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). The endorsement of melatonin as a possible protective agent against the current pandemic is indirectly supported by its widely demonstrated beneficial role in preclinical and clinical studies of other respiratory diseases. In addition, focusing the therapeutic action on strengthening the host protection responses in critical phases of the infective cycle makes it likely that multi-tasking melatonin will provide multi-protection, maintaining its efficacy against the virus variants that are already emerging and will emerge as long as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate among us.

Rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 in the first year of the pandemic: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health threat and remains a challenge for modern medicine. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of COVID-19 is vital for proper disease and outbreak management. Our review aimed to analyze scientific articles published in the literature addressing the rapid tests available for COVID-19 diagnosis at the first year of the pandemic. METHODS: A systematic review was performed from October 22 to 27, 2020, searching data published in PubMed and Google Scholar databases, using subject headings or keywords related to point of care and rapid test diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. RESULTS: The first survey identified 403 articles, but only 23 met the defined criteria for the systematic analysis. The sensitivity and specificity parameters were assessed in 19 studies, and the data suggested that there was lower sensitivity in the period 1 to 7 days after the emergence of symptoms (∼38%) higher sensitivity at 8 to 14 days (∼90%), and the highest at 15 to 39 days (∼98%). Accuracy was reported in six studies, reporting values above 50%. Only three studies reported a possible cross-reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that the rapid tests used in the first year of the pandemic were tested with a small number of samples and not adequately validated. And the studies that described them were conducted with little scientific rigor.

The genes road: impact of migration on newborn screening and health amid the COVID-19 pandemic in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

Nearly two-thirds of migrants residing in camps in Europe are women and children. Many of these children, being born on the way without essential newborns screening, are at some point admitted to pediatric wards in asylum countries. With hospitals overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases, taking appropriate care of newborns becomes a considerable burden. In this frame, prevention, in the form of adequate newborn screening, emerges as a better and more feasible strategy than healing.

Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients With Lung Cancer: Experience From a Thoracic Oncology Center.

BACKGROUND: Cancer patients appear to be at a higher risk of complications from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Specific data related to lung cancer (LC) patient management, active treatment, and/or recent diagnosis are still very limited. Here, we aimed to investigate the clinical presentation, baseline features, and clinical outcomes of LC patients with COVID-19. METHODS: A retrospective case study was performed at Centro Hospitalar Universitário de São Joao, a tertiary hospital in the North of Portugal. Data from LC patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were collected during the first 10 months of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020-January 2021). RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients with active LC were diagnosed with COVID-19, being adenocarcinoma the most common histological type present (n = 13, 46.4%). Sixteen patients had metastatic stage IV LC (61.5%). Twenty-five patients (89.3%) had relevant comorbidities including hypertension (39.3%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (32.1%). For patients undergoing antineoplastic treatment, the median time from the last chemotherapy administration to COVID-19 diagnosis was of 16 days (interquartile range = 13-41 days). Half of patients were previously on corticosteroid therapy. Twenty patients (71.4%) needed hospitalization, 18 received oxygen therapy (64.3%), 3 (10.7%) of them received high-flow nasal cannula with good tolerability, and 1 (3.6%) needed non-invasive ventilation. Hydroxychloroquine and antibiotics were given to 4 (14.3%) and 12 (42.9%) patients, respectively. Seven patients (25%) died at a median time of 5 days following COVID-19 diagnosis. CONCLUSION: This is one of the first studies reporting the adverse outcomes associated with COVID-19 in LC patients at same time that adds evidence regarding the need to create protocols and guidelines to reduce the infection risk in such patients.

Dairy-Derived and Egg White Proteins in Enhancing Immune System Against COVID-19.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global health challenge, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) triggers a plethora of respiratory disturbances and even multiple organs failure that can be fatal. Nutritional intervention is one of the key components toward to a proper management of COVID-19 patients, especially in those requiring medication, and should thus be considered the first-line treatment. Immuno-modulation and -stimulation are currently being explored in COVID-19 management and are gaining interest by food and pharmaceutical industries. Various dietary combinations, bioactive components, nutrients and fortified foods have been reported to modulate inflammation during disease progression. Dietary combinations of dairy-derived products and eggs are gaining an increasing attention given the huge immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory properties attributed to some of their chemical constituents. Eggs are complex dietary components containing many essential nutrients and bioactive compounds as well as a high-quality proteins. Similarly, yogurts can replenish beneficial bacteria and contains macronutrients capable of stimulating immunity by enhancing cell immunity, reducing oxidative stress, neutralizing inflammation and regulating the intestinal barriers and gut microbiome. Thus, this review highlights the impact of nutritional intervention on COVID-19 management, focusing on the immunomodulatory and inflammatory effects of immune-enhancing nutrients.

The potential role of neopterin in Covid-19: a new perspective.

Neopterin (NPT) is a member of pteridines group, synthesized by macrophages when stimulated by interferon gamma (INF-γ). NPT is regarded as a macrophage stimulation indicator, marker of cellular immune activation and T helper 1 (Th1) type 1 immune response. Here, we aimed to provide a view point on the NPT features and role in Covid-19. Serum NPT level is regarded as an independent prognostic factor for Covid-19 severity, with levels starting to increase from the 3rd day of SARS-CoV-2 infection, being associated with severe dyspnea, longer hospitalization period and complications. Also, early raise of NPT reflects monocytes/macrophages activation before antibody immune response, despite the NPT level may also remain high in Covid-19 patients or at the end of incubation period before the onset of clinical symptoms. On the other hand, NPT attenuates the activity of macrophage foam cells and is linked to endothelial inflammation through inhibition of adhesion molecules and monocytes migration. However, NPT also exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects by suppressing NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasomes. NPT can be viewed as a protective compensatory mechanism to counterpoise hyper-inflammation, oxidative stress, and associated organ damage.

Factors Behind the Higher COVID-19 Risk in Diabetes: A Critical Review.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are public health issues worldwide, and their comorbidities trigger the progress to severe disease and even death in such patients. Globally, DM has affected an estimated 9.3% adults, and as of April 18, 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed 141,727,940 COVID-19 confirmed cases. The virus is spread via droplets, aerosols, and direct touch with others. Numerous predictive factors have been linked to COVID-19 severity, including impaired immune response and increased inflammatory response, among others. Angiotensin receptor blockers and angiotensin converting enzyme 2 have also been identified as playing a boosting role in both susceptibility and severity to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Specifically, in DM patients, both their control and management during this pandemic is herculean as the restriction periods have markedly hampered the maintenance of means to control glycemia, hypertension, and neuroendocrine and kidney diseases. In addition, as a result of the underlyin cardio-metabolic and immunological disorders, DM patients are at a higher risk of developing the severe form of COVID-19 despite other comorbidities, such as hypertension, also potentially boosting the development of higher COVID-19 severity. However, even in non-DM patients, SARS-CoV-2 may also cause transient hyperglycemia through induction of insulin resistance and/or pancreatic ß-cell injury. Therefore, a strict glucose monitoring of DM patients with COVID-19 is mandatory to prevent life-threatening complications.

Naturally Occurring Bioactives as Antivirals: Emphasis on Coronavirus Infection.

The current coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak is a significant threat to human health and the worldwide economy. Coronaviruses cause a variety of diseases, such as pneumonia-like upper respiratory tract illnesses, gastroenteritis, encephalitis, multiple organ failure involving lungs and kidneys which might cause death. Since the pandemic started there have been more than 107 million COVID-19 infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and ∼2.4 million deaths globally. SARS-CoV-2 is easily transmitted from person-to-person and has spread quickly across all continents. With the continued increase in morbidity and mortality caused by COVID-19, and the damage to the global economy, there is an urgent need for effective prevention and treatment strategies. The advent of safe and effective vaccines has been a significant step forward in the battle against COVID-19, however treatment of the symptoms associated with the disease still requires new anti-viral and anti-inflammatory drug therapies. To this end, scientists have been investigating available natural products that may be effective against SARS-CoV-2, with some products showing promise in fighting several viral infections. Since many natural products are dietary components or are prepared as dietary supplements people tend to consider them safer than synthetic drugs. For example, Traditional Chinese Medicines have been effectively utilized to treat SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with promising results. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of COVID-19 therapies and the therapeutic potential of medicinal plant extracts and natural compounds for the treatment of several viral infections, with special emphasis on SARS-CoV-2 infection. Realistic strategies that can be employed for the effective use of bioactive compounds for anti-SARS-CoV-2 research are also provided.

COVID-19 in Relation to Hyperglycemia and Diabetes Mellitus.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), triggered by the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), may lead to extrapulmonary manifestations like diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperglycemia, both predicting a poor prognosis and an increased risk of death. SARS-CoV-2 infects the pancreas through angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), where it is highly expressed compared to other organs, leading to pancreatic damage with subsequent impairment of insulin secretion and development of hyperglycemia even in non-DM patients. Thus, this review aims to provide an overview of the potential link between COVID-19 and hyperglycemia as a risk factor for DM development in relation to DM pharmacotherapy. For that, a systematic search was done in the database of MEDLINE through Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine (CBM), and Wanfang Data. Data obtained underline that SARS-CoV-2 infection in DM patients is more severe and associated with poor clinical outcomes due to preexistence of comorbidities and inflammation disorders. SARS-CoV-2 infection impairs glucose homeostasis and metabolism in DM and non-DM patients due to cytokine storm (CS) development, downregulation of ACE2, and direct injury of pancreatic ß-cells. Therefore, the potent anti-inflammatory effect of diabetic pharmacotherapies such as metformin, pioglitazone, sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2Is), and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) inhibitors may mitigate COVID-19 severity. In addition, some antidiabetic agents and also insulin may reduce SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and severity through the modulation of the ACE2 receptor expression. The findings presented here illustrate that insulin therapy might seem as more appropriate than other anti-DM pharmacotherapies in the management of COVID-19 patients with DM due to low risk of uncontrolled hyperglycemia and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). From these findings, we could not give the final conclusion about the efficacy of diabetic pharmacotherapy in COVID-19; thus, clinical trial and prospective studies are warranted to confirm this finding and concern.

Boldness Personality Traits Are Associated With Reduced Risk Perceptions and Adoption of Protective Behaviors During the First COVID-19 Outbreak.

The containment measures imposed during the first COVID-19 outbreak required economic, social, and behavioral changes to minimize the spread of the coronavirus. Some studies have focused on how personality predicts distinct patterns of adherence to protective measures with psychopathic and antisocial traits predicting reduced engagement in such measures. In this study we extended previous findings by analyzing how boldness, meanness, and disinhibition psychopathic traits relate with both risk perceptions and protective behaviors during the first COVID-19 outbreak. A sample of 194 individuals (24% male) engaged in the survey, were assessed for psychopathic traits with the Triarchic Psychopathy Measure, and completed a COVID-19 survey targeting risk perceptions (spread, risk of becoming infected, state anxiety toward the COVID-19, and perceived risk of specific behaviors) and frequency of protective behaviors (e.g., not engaging in social distancing). Overall results show that boldness predicts reduced estimate of COVID-19 spread, reduced perceived risk of becoming infected, reduced state anxiety toward COVID-19, and reduced frequency of protective behaviors. Exploratory mediation models suggest that risk perceptions are not significant mediators of the association between psychopathic traits and reduced engagement in protective behaviors. Our results unveil that psychopathic traits affect risk perceptions and the propensity to engage in protective measures, emphasizing the need to accommodate these personality features in the public health strategy to control the COVID-19 spread.

Natural Products Modulating Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) as Potential COVID-19 Therapies.

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a potentially fatal multisystemic infection caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, viable therapeutic options that are cost effective, safe and readily available are desired, but lacking. Nevertheless, the pandemic is noticeably of lesser burden in African and Asian regions, where the use of traditional herbs predominates, with such relationship warranting a closer look at ethnomedicine. From a molecular viewpoint, the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the crucial first phase of COVID-19 pathogenesis. Here, we review plants with medicinal properties which may be implicated in mitigation of viral invasion either via direct or indirect modulation of ACE2 activity to ameliorate COVID-19. Selected ethnomedicinal plants containing bioactive compounds which may prevent and mitigate the fusion and entry of the SARS-CoV-2 by modulating ACE2-associated up and downstream events are highlighted. Through further experimentation, these plants could be supported for ethnobotanical use and the phytomedicinal ligands could be potentially developed into single or combined preventive therapeutics for COVID-19. This will benefit researchers actively looking for solutions from plant bioresources and help lessen the burden of COVID-19 across the globe.

Role of leukotriene pathway and montelukast in pulmonary and extrapulmonary manifestations of Covid-19: The enigmatic entity.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the responsible agent for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), has its entry point through interaction with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, highly expressed in lung type II alveolar cells and other tissues, like heart, pancreas, brain, and vascular endothelium. This review aimed to elucidate the potential role of leukotrienes (LTs) in the pathogenesis and clinical presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and to reveal the critical role of LT pathway receptor antagonists and inhibitors in Covid-19 management. A literature search was done in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases to find the potential role of montelukast and other LT inhibitors in the management of pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations triggered by SARS-CoV-2. Data obtained so far underline that pulmonary and extra-pulmonary manifestations in Covid-19 are attributed to a direct effect of SARS-CoV-2 in expressed ACE2 receptors or indirectly through NF-κB dependent induction of a cytokine storm. Montelukast can ameliorate extra-pulmonary manifestations in Covid-19 either directly through blocking of Cys-LTRs in different organs or indirectly through inhibition of the NF-κB signaling pathway.

Pleiotropic Effects of Tetracyclines in the Management of COVID-19: Emerging Perspectives.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Approximately 15% of severe cases require an intensive care unit (ICU) admission and mechanical ventilation due to development of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Tetracyclines (TCs) are a group of bacteriostatic antibiotics, like tetracycline, minocycline, and doxycycline, effective against aerobic and anaerobic bacteria as well as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Based on available evidences, TCs may be effective against coronaviruses and thus useful to treat COVID-19. Thus, this review aims to provide a brief overview on the uses of TCs for COVID-19 management. SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses depend mainly on the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) for their proliferation, cell adhesion, and infiltration. The anti-inflammatory mechanisms of TCs are linked to different pathways. Briefly, TCs inhibit mitochondrial cytochrome c and caspase pathway with improvement of lymphopenia in early COVID-19. Specifically, minocycline is effective in reducing COVID-19-related complications, through attenuation of cytokine storm as apparent by reduction of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Different clinical trials recommend the replacement of azithromycin by minocycline in the management of COVID-19 patients at high risk due to two main reasons: 1) minocycline does not prolong the QT interval and even inhibits ischemia-induced arrhythmia; 2) minocycline displays synergistic effect with chloroquine against SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, the data presented here show that TCs, mainly doxycycline or minocycline, may be potential partners in COVID-19 management, derived pneumonia, and related complications, such as acute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS.