ABSTRACT
This study aimed: 1) to investigate sources of information used by students to learn about COVID-19, 2) to investigate levels of knowledge about COVID-19 and about conditions for the treatment of patients during the COVID-19 lockdown, and 3) to evaluate students' perceptions of safety regarding their return to in-person activities at the School of Dentistry. Dental students answered a questionnaire (29 items; n=371) that explored the aims of the study, based on a Likert scale (Cronbach's alpha, 0.778). Data were tested with the Mann-Whitney U test and Kendall's Tau-c. Dental students received information about COVID-19 from the Mexican Health Ministry as their first source (45.28%). Students had good knowledge about the main characteristics of COVID-19, and 59.3% of students had excellent knowledge about the factors relevant to dental treatment of patients. Half of the students said they felt safe regarding a possible return to in-person activities at the dental school, while the other half did not. Statistically significant differences were noted between the students' scholar year and their level of knowledge (P<0.001) and between their perception of safety (very unsafe, unsafe, safe, and very safe) and scholar year (P=0.000). Dental students had good knowledge about COVID-19 and about the dental care for patients during the lockdown. Half of the dental students felt unsafe about a possible return to in-person school activities.
Los objetivos del estudio fueron 1) investigar que fuentes de información usaron los participantes para conocer sobre la COVID-19, 2) evaluar cuál es el nivel de conocimiento que tienen sobre COVID-19 y la atención a pacientes durante la contingencia, y 3) evaluar la percepción de seguridad sobre el regreso a actividades presenciales en la facultad. Estudio transversal. Se aplicó un cuestionario en línea (29 ítems; n=371) que exploró cada objetivo e incluyó una escala de Likert (Alfa de Cronbach de 0.778). Los datos fueron analizados con las pruebas de U de Mann Whitney y con Tau-c de Kendall. La mayoría de los participantes obtuvieron información sobre la COVID-19 a través de la Secretaría de Salud (45.28%), tuvieron un conocimiento bueno sobre las generalidades de la COVID-19 y el 59.3% tuvo un conocimiento excelente sobre la atención a pacientes. La mitad de los encuestados tuvo una percepción de inseguridad en un posible regreso a actividades en la facultad. Hubo diferencia estadística significativa para la asociación entre año escolar y grado de conocimiento (p<0.001) y entre la percepción en la seguridad en el regreso a actividades (muy inseguro, inseguro, seguro y muy seguro) y el grado escolar (P=0.000). Los participantes tuvieron buen conocimiento sobre las generalidades de la COVID-19 y sobre la atención a pacientes en situación de contingencia. La mitad de los EO sienten inseguridad sobre un posible regreso a actividades.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Adult , Students, Dental , COVID-19 , Knowledge , MexicoABSTRACT
Plasma membrane ionic channels selectively permeate potassium, sodium, calcium, and chloride ions. However, large-pore channels are permeable to ions and small molecules such as ATP and glutamate, among others. Large-pore channels are structures formed by several protein families with little or no evolutionary linkages including connexins (Cxs), pannexins (Panxs), innexin (Inxs), unnexins (Unxs), calcium homeostasis modulator (CALHMs), and Leucine-rich repeat-containing 8 (LRRC8) proteins. Large-pore channels are key players in inflammatory cell response, guiding the activation of inflammasomes, the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), and the release of adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP), which is considered a danger signal. This review summarizes our current understanding of large-pore channels and their contribution to inflammation induced by microorganisms, virulence factors or their toxins.