Comportamento dos consumidores durante a pandemia de COVID-19: análise de classes latentes sobre atitudes de enfrentamento e hábitos de compra

COVID-19 transformed the reality of the world by imposing restrictions on the ways of living, working, and consuming. Few studies before June 2020 have addressed their impacts on consumer behavior. This research aimed to verify the existence of heterogeneous groups in attitudes towards the pandemic and their effect on purchasing behavior. The approach was quantitative, with scales tested in the SARS and H1N1 contexts, adapted and validated for the Brazilian context. Structural equation modeling was applied and three segments were identified: “Skeptical” (36.7%), “Concerned” (50.1%), and “Indifferent” (13.22%). The results point to the differentiation of consumers by attitudes in perceived risk, the role of beliefs, and the consequent change in purchasing behavior, with implications for public and business health management.La COVID-19 transformó la realidad mundial al imponer restricciones a las formas de vivir, trabajar y consumir. Pocos estudios anteriores a junio de 2020 han abordado sus impactos en el comportamiento del consumidor. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo verificar la existencia de grupos heterogéneos en las actitudes hacia la pandemia y su efecto en el comportamiento de compra. El enfoque fue cuantitativo, con escalas probadas en los contextos de SARS y H1N1, adaptadas y validadas para el contexto brasileño. Se aplicó el modelado de ecuaciones estructurales y se identificaron tres segmentos: “Escéptico” (36,7%), “Preocupado” (50,1%) e “Indiferente” (13,22%). Los resultados apuntan a una diferenciación de los consumidores por actitudes ante situaciones de riesgo percibido, rol de creencias y el consecuente cambio en el comportamiento de compra, con implicaciones para la gestión de la salud pública y empresarial.A COVID-19 transformou a realidade mundial impondo restrições às formas de viver, trabalhar e consumir. Poucos estudos anteriores a junho de 2020 abordaram seus impactos no comportamento dos consumidores. Esta pesquisa objetivou verificar a existência de grupos heterogêneos nas atitudes frente à pandemia e seu efeito no comportamento de compra. A abordagem foi quantitativa, utilizando escalas testadas nos contextos da SARS e H1N1, adaptadas e validadas para o contexto brasileiro. Aplicou-se a Modelagem de Equações Estruturais. Foram identificados três segmentos: ‘Céticos’ (36,7%), ‘Preocupados’ (50,1%) e ‘Indiferentes’ (13,22%). Os resultados apontam para uma diferenciação dos consumidores pelas atitudes em situações de risco percebido, papel das crenças e a consequente mudança no comportamento de compra, com implicações para o gerenciamento da saúde pública e empresarial

Engenhocas

Engenhoca

Post-harvest quality of fresh-marketed tomatoes as a function of harvest periods

Losses on tomato business chain start at harvest, a two-months period. At the beginning of the harvest, fruits concentrate at the basal part of the plant, then in the middle, and finally at the top, and undergo changes in diameter and maturity indexes as harvest progresses. The aim of this work was to evaluate the impact of handling at three different periods: (I) 15 days, (II) 30 days, and (III) 45 days after the beginning of harvest. Tomatoes were ordinarily grown and harvested in to bamboo baskets, and transferred to plastics boxes. Fruits were classified according to ripening stage and diameter, and evaluated for mechanical damage and external defects caused by harvesting procedures. The time required for the harvest operation was measured; damage to fruits (%) and weight loss (%), caused either in the field and/or during the harvesting process, were taken into consideration and related to the final quality of fruit after storage for 21 days. The same methodology was used all through the production and harvest cycle. The highest % fruit damage occurred during period II, a longer harvest time than the other two periods. Fruits not submitted to handling showed lower weight loss than handled fruits. Fruits harvested in period II and stored for 21 days showed higher losses due to mechanical injury

SARS-CoV-2 uses CD4 to infect T helper lymphocytes

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the agent of a major global outbreak of respiratory tract disease known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infects mainly lungs and may cause several immune-related complications, such as lymphocytopenia and cytokine storm, which are associated with the severity of the disease and predict mortality. The mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 infection may result in immune system dysfunction is still not fully understood. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infects human CD4+ T helper cells, but not CD8+ T cells, and is present in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage T helper cells of severe COVID-19 patients. We demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S) directly binds to the CD4 molecule, which in turn mediates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 in T helper cells. This leads to impaired CD4 T cell function and may cause cell death. SARS-CoV-2-infected T helper cells express higher levels of IL-10, which is associated with viral persistence and disease severity. Thus, CD4-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection of T helper cells may contribute to a poor immune response in COVID-19 patients.</p

SARS-CoV-2 uses CD4 to infect T helper lymphocytes

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the agent of a major global outbreak of respiratory tract disease known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 infects mainly lungs and may cause several immune-related complications, such as lymphocytopenia and cytokine storm, which are associated with the severity of the disease and predict mortality. The mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 infection may result in immune system dysfunction is still not fully understood. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 infects human CD4+ T helper cells, but not CD8+ T cells, and is present in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage T helper cells of severe COVID-19 patients. We demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (S) directly binds to the CD4 molecule, which in turn mediates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 in T helper cells. This leads to impaired CD4 T cell function and may cause cell death. SARS-CoV-2-infected T helper cells express higher levels of IL-10, which is associated with viral persistence and disease severity. Thus, CD4-mediated SARS-CoV-2 infection of T helper cells may contribute to a poor immune response in COVID-19 patients.</p