ABSTRACT
This paper aims to investigate the role of the digital in facing the social and practical impact of COVID-19 pandemic on particularly fragile and affected realities, Third Sector Organizations (TSO), in a context pervaded by structural and socio-economic weaknesses, the Campania Region in the South of Italy. It analyzes the digital object as: 1. a process - digitization/digitalization and digital transformation;2. a scenario - in which identities, activities and alternative spaces of use or data collection transit and are constructed;3. skills and capabilities - as social capital and value. This re-framing work is intended to be a useful tool for reflecting on the role of digital in research processes, while also offering a contribution in the debate on the Third Sector in contexts of crisis, such as the one generated by the COVID-19 pandemic, that impacts its existence, activity, shape, and perspectives. © This is an open access, peer reviewed article published under the Creative Commons License (CC BY 3.0).
ABSTRACT
Patients (around 40-50%) who were infected by SARS-CoV-2 develop a condition called as long-COVID-19 that lasted longer than the infection. One of the complications of post-COVID-19 (PC) is pulmonary fibrosis. T he purpose of this study was to identify blood biomarkers to predict PC patients undergoing pulmonary fibrosis. We analysed blood samples of healthy, anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated subjects and PC patients, who were stratified according to the severity of the disease and chest computed tomography (CT) scan data that revealed fibrotic or non-fibrotic areas. PC patients had higher levels of the inflammatory C reactive protein (CRP), complement complex C5b-9, LDH, but not IL-6, independently of the severity of the disease and lung fibrotic areas. Interestingly, PC patients who presented signs of lung fibrosis were characterized by higher plasma levels of IL-1alpha, CXCL-10, TGF-beta, but not of IFN-beta, compared to healthy and vaccinated (VAX) subjects. In particular, 19 out of 23 (82.6%) severe PC and 8 out of 29 (27.6%) moderate PC patients presented signs of lung fibrosis, associated to lower levels of IFN-beta but higher IL-1alpha and TGF-beta. Instead, t he levels of IFN-beta were associated to the capability of the patient to respond to the infection without signs of lung fibrosis, implying a beneficial role of this cytokine. In conclusion, we found that higher plasma levels of IL-1alpha and TGF-beta, but not of IFN-beta, could predict an increased relative risk (RR=2.8) of lung fibrosislike changes in PC patients.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: SARS-CoV-2 is a new Coronavirus identified as the cause of Coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19). The epidemic spread in China and beyond its borders, involving 114 countries with more than 5 million dead. On March 11, the WHO declared the spread of SARS-CoV-2 to be a pandemic and encouraged nations to adopt harsh restrictive measures. Therefore, patients more and more often turn to dental offices only for emergencies. Healthcare professionals, including dentists, are at high infectious risk. In fact, the closeness to the oral cavity and nasopharynx and the use of drills or ultrasonic devices that cause aerosol release, make dental professions at high risk of bacterial and viral infections. The way patients are treated has changed. In fact, it should be mandatory to carry out a pre-treatment telephone triage and the use of mouthwashes to reduce bacterial load. In the current pandemic, it is necessary to adopt specific safety protocols that can protect dental operators as well as limit the spread of the virus. The purpose of this review is to present an overview on ways to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 contagion in dentistry by focusing on the immediate situation as well as by looking towards the future. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To reach the review purpose, we selected a series of studies using keywords "COVID-19" OR "SARS-CoV-2" in association with "dentistry" AND "safety protocols" AND "healthcare procedures" AND "individual protection dispositive" AND "air transmission" AND "droplet". We selected papers exclusively in English language, up to 1st January 2022. RESULTS: During future phases of the pandemic, everywhere in the World, it is necessary to impose all dentistry team both a serological screening and the vaccination, as already established for all health staff in Italy. CONCLUSIONS: For own safety, it is an important for the whole dentistry category constantly update the devices and the protocols adopted, as well as monitoring the real infectious threats, which may occur.