Relationship between blood gases and inflammatory markers with clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with COVID-19

Introduction: SARS - CoV mainly affects the airways and, although most cases of COVID-19 are mild or moderate, up to 30% of patients may have the severe form of the disease and be hospitalized due to the cytokine storm in response to viral infection (Milovanovic, L. et al. BMJ Open. 2021;11(1):e042008). Of these, up to a quarter need an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and in this unit, data on partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and inflammatory markers are collected daily to assess respiratory function and assist in decision making. Aim(s): To analyze how these blood gas and inflammatory data are related to a greater need for invasive support and mortality in the ICU. Method(s): 79 patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit with a mean age of 60 years, of whom 50 required invasive support and 44 died. Result(s): After comparing the groups, it was observed that the need for invasive ventilatory support and death were related to higher values of PaCO2 (p<0.001;p<0.001) and C-Reactive Protein (p=0.004;p=0.006), which did not occur with those with lower PaO2 levels (p=0.339;p=0.580). Furthermore, the inflammatory activity marker CRP correlated significantly and positively with PaCO2 (p=0.007;0.378), which did not happen with PaO2 (p=0.406;-0.121). Conclusion(s): Although the respiratory involvement caused by COVID-19 has hypoxemic characteristics, it is observed that, in critically ill patients, the assessment of CRP and carbon dioxide levels are more decisive for the clinical outcome, having more relevance for patient decisions and evaluations. serious hospitalized with COVID-19.

SARS-COV-2 IN DOGS AND CATS - LITERATURE REVIEW

By the end of 2019, a new coronavirus was identified in China, in patients with severe pneumonia. Since its discovery, the SARS-CoV-2 has quickly spread thoroughout the world. This literature review was conducted to define the role of dogs and cats in the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. The coronavirus belongs to the Coronaviridae family, Betacoronavirus genera, is the causative agent of the human COVID-19 and shows spike glycotproteins which allow the virus to enter in the host cell through the binding the spike protein with the receptors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme type 2. There is no reports that companion animals are a source of infection for human beings, however, evidences show that infected humans can transmit viral particles to the animals in a natural way. Infected animals may show mild and self-limiting clinical signs. Thus, dogs and cats can acquire SARS-CoV-2 from their tutors and may transmit to other animals, but not to humans and that is important the understanding about the susceptibility of dogs and cats due their close contact with human beings.

ONLINE TEACHING AND LEARNING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THE CASE OF PORTUGUESE PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION

All over the world, because of the widespread public health emergency caused by Covid-19, Higher Education Institutions were forced to review their practices and, over a short period of time, had to design strategies, establish regulations, and outline support plans capable of supporting a wider and widely generalized use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning environments. This article presents the results obtained from a national study whose main objective was to understand the changes that have affected the teaching and learning practice in Portuguese Public Higher Education Institutions (PPHEI), from the perspective of students and teachers whose face-to-face teaching activities had to be suspended. The main data collection tool was an online questionnaire, which was answered by 1908 students and 453 teachers between May 4th and June 24th, 2020. The results obtained revealed that the PPHEI provided information, mainly through the institution email, not only about the pandemic, but also about teaching activities. The use of online learning platforms and applications was reinforced. Most of participants showed they had resources and conditions which allowed them to properly work online. © 2021 Fundacion para la Investigacion Social Avanzada. All rights reserved.

Blended-Learning in contexts conditioned by the pandemic: The perceptions of higher education students

Due to the epidemiological situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, many higher education institutions in Portugal were forced to adopt a blended-learning model to make sure that their teaching activities could keep on going from September 2020 onwards. This article describes a study that involved students attending a course unit where both face-to-face and distance learning classes were used during the 1st semester of the 2020/2021 academic year. Following the results obtained from a questionnaire and a focus group, this article presents the students' perspectives on their experience. 81 students responded to the questionnaire and 10 of them took part in the focus group. Results show that the students' equipment was suitable enough for them to attend the classes held at a distance, even though most respondents showed a marked preference for face-to-face classes. As for the communication platforms adopted, Moodle was fundamental to the functioning of that given course unit, and Zoom was deemed appropriate for both theoretical and practical classes. Finally, it is worth noting that the activities suggested were appropriate to develop the competencies and skills set out in the syllabus and that students were capable of successfully developing the tasks they were assigned. © 2021 IEEE.