Browsing by Author "Lima Neto, Francisco Ferreira de"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    COVID-19 in medium-sized municipalities in the 14 health macro-regions of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
    (2021) Paula Júnior, Waldemar de; Nascimento, Renata Cristina Rezende Macedo do; Matiles, R.S.; Lima Neto, Francisco Ferreira de; Leles, Michel C. R.; Guimarães, H. N.; Guimarães, Andrea Grabe
    The present study focused on the scenario of confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the state of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil, from March 2020 to March 2021. We evaluated the evolution of COVID-19 prevalence and death in one municipality from each of the 14 health macro-regions of MG state. Socio-demographic characteristics and variables related to the municipalities were analyzed. The raw dataset used in this study was freely sourced from the website Brasil.io. From the raw dataset, two time series were extracted: the cumulative confirmed cases of COVID-19 and cumulative death counts, and they were compared to the state data using a nowcasting approach. In order to make time series comparisons possible, all data was normalized per 100,000 inhabitants. When analyzing in light of colored wave code interventions initiated in August 2020 in MG, for the majority of the municipalities, there was an absence of clear influence on prevalence and deaths. The national holidays in the first semester of 2020 had a small impact on the COVID-19 prevalence of the municipalities, but the holidays in the second semester of 2020 and beginning of 2021 caused important impacts on COVID-19 prevalence. The low number of ICU beds in some municipalities contributed to the higher number of deaths. The analysis showed here is expected to contribute to the improvement of decision making of the MG government, as it opened a huge possibility to have the total macro-regions and state data analyzed.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    História em quadrinhos como ferramenta para o ensino e aprendizagem sobre o novo coronavírus.
    (2021) Paula Júnior, Waldemar de; Lima Neto, Francisco Ferreira de; Soares, Nathália Zenaide Durães; Fonseca, Vitória Louise Mendes; Nascimento, Renata Cristina Rezende Macedo do; Guimarães, Andrea Grabe
    O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver uma história em quadrinhos, exemplo de metodologia ativa de ensino, relacionando sistema imunológico e o novo coronavírus, para potencializar o processo de ensino-aprendizagem. Possui, ainda, a finalidade de levar o leitor ao aprendizado científico e ao conhecimento de mundo, para que ele reflita em novas perspectivas. Foi elaborada uma história em quadrinhos (HQ) simulando a infecção pelo SARS-CoV-2 em um organismo humano. Foram enumerados os constituintes do sistema imunológico (macrófago, linfócito B, linfócito T citotóxico, linfócito T helper, célula natural killer, célula dendrítica, neutrófilo, eosinófilo, basófilo, IgA, IgG, IgM, citocinas e sistema complemento) capazes de atuar nessa infecção. As respostas imunológicas e os mecanismos de ação dos componentes do sistema imunológico foram relacionados com a infecção provocada pelo novo coronavírus. Foi utilizada uma linguagem acessível a pessoas de todas as idades e diferentes graus de instrução. A HQ produzida pode representar resultado positivo no aprendizado do conteúdo de imunologia associado ao novo coronavírus ou potencializar informações já adquiridas. Para os autores, foram observadas habilidades como iniciativa, trabalho em equipe, além da capacidade de comunicação e de síntese. O presente trabalho pode ser utilizado associado a outras metodologias ativas de aprendizagem e, sobretudo, servir de inspiração para que novas abordagens educacionais sobre o novo coronavírus sejam criadas.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Immune response in acute respiratory syndrome induced by the new coronavirus.
    (2021) Paula Júnior, Waldemar de; Freitas, Carina Silva de; Lima Neto, Francisco Ferreira de; Santana, Nathália Alves; Soares, Nathália Zenaide Durães; Fonseca, Vitória Louise Mendes; Nascimento, Renata Cristina Rezende Macedo do; Guimarães, Andrea Grabe
    Coronaviruses (CoVs) belong to the family Coronaviridae, which are enveloped and have a single-stranded RNA genome. The new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is the seventh known coronavirus that can infect humans and cause serious illness, such as acute respiratory syndrome. The coronaviruses already identified have contributed to the understanding of the clinical manifestations caused by SARS- CoV-2, as well as their associations with the immune system. The aim of the present study was to carry out a narrative review of the literature on the host’s immune response to infection by the new coronavirus. The review contains basic and summarized information on the main mechanisms involved in the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. The characteristics of the infection were considered according to the following: from the initial contact with the host through binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2); the recognition of the pathogen by innate immunity cells; its containment mechanisms, including the production of effector cytokines and chemokines important in the development of the inflammatory process; and the participation of the complement system until the activation of the adaptive immune response. The probable occurrence of a host dysfunctional immune response and the escape mechanisms of the virus were also addressed. Despite numerous studies on the pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, knowledge about the host’s immune response in COVID-19 is not fully understood. The present work established the relationship between the new coronavirus and the immune system, but further studies are needed for all the mechanisms of the process to be elucidated.