ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are key players on SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. However, it is still unclear whether expression levels of these factors could reflect disease severity. Here, a case–control study was conducted with 213 SARS-CoV-2 positive individuals where cases were defined as COVID-19 patients with respiratory distress requiring oxygen support (N = 38) and controls were those with mild to moderate symptoms of the disease who did not need oxygen therapy along the entire clinical course (N = 175). ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNA levels were evaluated in nasopharyngeal swab samples by RT-qPCR and logistic regression analyzes were applied to estimate associations with respiratory outcomes. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 levels positively correlated with age, which was also strongly associated with respiratory distress. Increased nasopharyngeal ACE2 levels showed a protective effect against this outcome (adjOR = 0.30; 95% CI 0.09–0.91), while TMPRSS2/ACE2 ratio was associated with risk (adjOR = 4.28; 95% CI 1.36–13.48). On stepwise regression, TMPRSS2/ACE2 ratio outperformed ACE2 to model COVID-19 severity. When nasopharyngeal swabs were compared to bronchoalveolar lavages in an independent cohort of COVID-19 patients under mechanical ventilation, similar expression levels of these genes were observed. These data suggest nasopharyngeal TMPRSS2/ACE2 as a promising candidate for further prediction models on COVID-19.

During the first 15 years of the twenty-first century, Brazil’s economic growth and public policies were in the center of the debate on the growing “new middle class.” This new middle class is defined by people’s household income between the upper 10th percentile and the median (Neri, A Nova Classe Média, 2008). Although there has been a consensus about the increase in consumption and the improvement of living conditions for a significant proportion of the population, there is less agreement about the decline in inequality and the change in class distribution. Previous work was directed at challenging the very idea that Brazil had become a middle-class country during the first decade of this century, basically weighting class distribution against income distribution. In this article, we aim to step into the income distribution debate using six income groups as proportions of the median household per-capita income. Our data source is the National Household Sample Survey (PNAD-IBGE/Brazil) in 2001, 2008, and 2015. We analyze groups’ income distribution and characteristics using multinomial logistic models to take into account the effects of socioeconomic variables. We argue that there is significant stability in groups’ income structure during the period, revealing their resistance to inequalities (similar to the findings in the works of Piketty and Souza). We also indicate that the odds of being included in the upper-income categories are quite unequal, considering socioeconomic variables. Finally, we point out that the gains observed from 2001 to 2008 had faded by 2015 when the odds of being included in the upper-income categories were remarkably similar to those of 2001.

Objectives: to unveil the meanings that nurses attribute Information and Communication Technologies for the nursing work process Methods: qualitative research, theoretically and methodologically based on the Complexity Theory and on the Grounded Theory, respectively. Research with 19 participants, being 12 clinical nurses, and 7 resident nurses. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Results: the results revealed the meanings that clinical nurses attribute to Information and Communication Technologies and, thus, the motivations and limitations for the use of these technologies, pointing out possibilities and strategies that impact the nursing work process, based on the interactions promoted by the official and non-official use of these resources. Final Considerations: the meanings that nurses attribute to Information and Communication Technologies are dependent on their ability to successfully employ those technologies and their importance to the work process developed by the professionals.

Objetivo: compreender a complexidade da avaliação e do manejo da dor oncológica crônica da criança hospitalizada. Método: estudo qualitativo baseado na Teoria da Complexidade e na Grounded Theory. Participaram da pesquisa 21 profissionais de saúde. A entrevista semiestruturada e a observação não participante foram usadas para coletar os dados. A análise seguiu as etapas de codificação. Resultado: a avaliação da dor pelos profissionais está embasada no relato do familiar, da criança e na observação do comportamento da mesma. Utilizaram-se escala analógica de cores, escala de faces e escala numérica. A analgesia farmacológica é a prescrição médica e na não farmacológica realizam-se lúdico, conversa, massagem, banho, compressa morna ou fria e promoção de conforto. Conclusão: a avaliação e o manejo da dor oncológica crônica da criança hospitalizada solicitam dos profissionais de saúde preparo técnico e científico para lidar com aspectos objetivos e subjetivos que envolvem esse cuidado

Objective: analyze the social representation of undergraduates from the health area in which were scholars of PET-Saúde of the UFRJ-Macaé Professor Aloísio Teixeira Campus about this program and its contribution to the respective professional training. Method: This is an exploratory, descriptive study, with a qualitative approach. A total of 38 undergraduates participated, and a professional socioeconomic questionnaire and semi-structured interview were used to collect data. To analyze the data, thematic content analysis was used. Results: The results showed that PET-Saúde integrates undergraduates, health professionals and community, seeking the interdisciplinarity and the interrelation of those involved, articulating the scientifi c knowledge with the common sense for the transformation of the health service. Conclusion: The program encourages population's empowerment and the critical, refl exive thinking of undergraduates and professionals about the health-disease process and acts as a source of transformations in the training of health professionals in response to the demands of the Unifi ed Health System (SUS). Descriptors: Health Systems; Health Sciences Students; Primary Health Care; Pet-Saúde; Academic Formation. RESUMO Objetivo: analisar a representação social de graduandos da área da saúde que atuaram como bolsistas do PET-Saúde do Campus UFRJ-Macaé Professor Aloísio Teixeira acerca deste programa e de sua contribuição para as respectivas formações profi ssionais. Método: Estudo exploratório-descritivo, com abordagem qualitativa. Participaram 38 graduandos, sendo utilizados na coleta de dados um questionário socioeconômico profi ssional e a entrevista semiestruturada. Para a análise dos dados, empregou-se a análise de conteúdo temática. Resultados: Os resultados mostraram que o PET-Saúde integra graduandos, profi ssionais de saúde e comunidade, buscando a interdisciplinaridade e a inter-relação dos envolvidos, articulando os saberes científi cos com o senso comum para a transformação do serviço de saúde. Conclusão: O programa estimula o empoderamento da população e o pensamento crítico-refl exivo de graduandos e profi ssionais sobre o processo saúde-doença e atua como fonte de transformações na formação de profi ssionais de saúde diante das demandas do Sistema Único de Saúde. Descritores: Sistemas de Saúde; Estudantes de Ciências da Saúde; Atenção Primária à Saúde; Pet-Saúde; Formação Acadêmica. RESUMEN Objetivo: analizar la representación social de los graduandos del área de la salud que han actuado como becados del PETSaúde do Campus UFRJ-Macaé Professor Aloísio Teixeira sobre este programa y su contribución a las respectivas formaciones profesionales. Método: Estudio exploratorio-descriptivo, con abordaje cualitativo. Participaron 38 graduandos, siendo utilizados en la recolección de datos un cuestionario socioeconómico profesional y la entrevista semiestructurada. Para el análisis de datos, fue utilizada el Análisis de Contenido temático. Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que el PET-Saú...