ABSTRACT
The irruption of new technologies in teaching in general, and in the second language classroom in particular, has had a great impact on didactic and pedagogical methods in recent years. This has led teachers to have to update and adapt the tools and dynamics with which they work in the classroom. The COVID-19 pandemic has meant a forced transformation without the possibility of choice, which may have been traumatic for some sectors of the world of education. The aim of this article is to contextualise the history of virtual and distance didactics, expose its virtues and shortcomings and analyse two of the areas that, in the Author's opinion, experienced a greater impact in this new scenario: non-verbal communication and the affective dimension. © 2022 Edizioni Ca' Foscari. All Rights Reserved.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Sudden smell loss is a specific early symptom of COVID-19, which, prior to the emergence of Omicron, had estimated prevalence of ~40% to 75%. Chemosensory impairments affect physical and mental health, and dietary behavior. Thus, it is critical to understand the rate and time course of smell recovery. The aim of this cohort study was to characterize smell function and recovery up to 11 months post COVID-19 infection. METHODS: This longitudinal survey of individuals suffering COVID-19-related smell loss assessed disease symptoms and gustatory and olfactory function. Participants (n=12,313) who completed an initial survey (S1) about respiratory symptoms, chemosensory function and COVID-19 diagnosis between April and September 2020, were invited to complete a follow-up survey (S2). Between September 2020 and February 2021, 27.5% participants responded (n=3,386), with 1,468 being diagnosed with COVID-19 and suffering co-occurring smell and taste loss at the beginning of their illness. RESULTS: At follow-up (median time since COVID-19 onset ~200 days), ~60% of women and ~48% of men reported less than 80% of their pre-illness smell ability. Taste typically recovered faster than smell, and taste loss rarely persisted if smell recovered. Prevalence of parosmia and phantosmia was ~10% of participants in S1 and increased substantially in S2: ~47% for parosmia and ~25% for phantosmia. Persistent smell impairment was associated with more symptoms overall, suggesting it may be a key marker of long-COVID illness. The ability to smell during COVID-19 was rated slightly lower by those who did not eventually recover their pre-illness ability to smell at S2. CONCLUSIONS: While smell ability improves for many individuals who lost it during acute COVID-19, the prevalence of parosmia and phantosmia increases substantially over time. Olfactory dysfunction is associated with broader persistent symptoms of COVID-19, and may last for many months following acute COVID-19. Taste loss in the absence of smell loss is rare. Persistent qualitative smell symptoms are emerging as common long-term sequelae; more research into treatment options is strongly warranted given that even conservative estimates suggest millions of individuals may experience parosmia following COVID-19. Healthcare providers worldwide need to be prepared to treat post COVID-19 secondary effects on physical and mental health.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is one of the components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) that mainly degrades angiotensin II to angiotensin-(1-7). ACE2 is predominantly expressed in the kidney and the heart, but it has been evidenced in type 2 alveolar lung cells, where it acts as a receptor for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this context, a controversy arose as to whether the use of RAS blockers could increase ACE2 lung expression and the risk infection by COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effect of an ACE inhibitor (Ramipril) on ACE2 expression in experimental diabetes. METHOD: 12 weeks old diabetic db/db mice (n=7) were given ramipril (8 mg/Kg/day) during 8 weeks or the respective vehicle. db/m (n=7) vehicle-treated non-diabetic mice were included as controls. ACE2 mRNA expression and enzymatic activity were studied in kidney, heart and lung samples of these animals to identify if the diabetic condition or treatment with ramipril modulated ACE2 expression. RESULTS: In vehicle-treated diabetic db/db animals, ACE2 mRNA expression was significantly increased in the kidney (p<0.001) and ramipril treatment reversed this effect (p=0.026). In the heart, ACE2 expression decreased in db/db when compared to db/m littermates (p=0.035) and ramipril had no effect. We found no differences in ACE2 gene expression in the lung. Besides, ACE2 enzymatic activity was increased in the kidney (29%) and also in the lung (16%) of db/db mice when compared to controls. Ramipril treatment decreased ACE2 activity a 19% in the lung and had no effect in the kidney when compared to untreated db/db (see figure). In the heart, ACE2 activity tended to decrease in db/db mice (29%) when compared to db/m and ramipril increased ACE2 activity (18%) but did not exceed the cardiac ACE2 activity of the db/ m. CONCLUSION: ACE2 is increased in the kidney and the lung, and decreased in the heart of diabetic mice. Ramipril treatment restores ACE2 levels. The results suggest that ACE inhibitors do not increase ACE2 expression and the activity decrease exerted in the lung may be protective against COVID-19 infection.
ABSTRACT
In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic of COVID-19, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); epidemic conditions continue in nearly all countries today. Although the symptoms and imaging manifestations of COVID-19 predominantly involve the respiratory system, it is fundamental to know the manifestations of the disease and its possible complications in other organs to help in diagnosis and orient the prognosis. To improve the diagnostic process without increasing the risk of contagion unnecessarily, it is crucial to know when extrathoracic imaging tests are indicated and which tests are best in each situation. This paper aims to provide answers to these questions. To this end, we describe and illustrate the extrathoracic imaging manifestations of COVID-19 in adults as well as the entire spectrum of imaging findings in children.