Articles

Anti-Diabetic Agents in Covid-19, Their Possible Role Beyond Diabetes

Recent reports from various observational investigations revealed and published the outcomes of Non-insulin Anti-diabetic agents. Patients additionally with Type-II Diabetes Mellitus and coronavirus disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS] has become widespread disease in the world since last 3 years. Age, sex, ethnicity, obesity and co-morbidities all apparently enhance the risk of worst consequences. Glucose lowering drugs and anti-viral drug treatment could limit the risk but impose restrictions on their usage which needs to be carefully assessed. This severe acute respiratory syndrome [coronavirus] might be a potentially triggering and worsen the aspect for the diabetic patients that can bring about severe metabolic complications effecting β-cell function leading to hyperglycaemia and diabetic ketoacidosis.

A Survey on the Perceived Impact of the COVID 19 Pandemic on Dental Undergraduate Students in the North Gujarat Region, India

Aim: This study aimed to assess and compare the perceived impact of covid 19 pandemic on dental undergraduate students in the north Gujarat region.

Objective: To assess & compare the percentage difference in impact of covid 19 on dental undergraduate students based on their academic year.

Material and method: This questionnaire study utilized a validated 28 questions survey. The questionnaire distributed to 200 dental undergraduate students. The questions were divided into categories : demographic and academic information, study career, knowledge about covid 19 infection, risk perception and psychological reactions. The survey was administered through online google form and all the responses kept confidential. The impact of covid 19 on students were recorded.

Result: The questionnaire was completed by 160 students (80%). Responses were from all the academic years in which majority of respondents were interns. Most of the students experienced difficulties in clinical training during and post COVID-19 emergency due to lack of patients’ OPD and reduced training hours. For over half of them online teaching could  replace traditional face-to-face lessons. The negative impact on the study career was particularly high by interns. The level of concern of contracting COVID-19 during clinical activities were higher among students. Most of the students showed symptoms related to high to moderate levels of fear and anxiety. Conclusion: The data showed that the students perceived the COVID-19 pandemic as a negative impact on their study career and their future practice with higher impact on interns compared to other years. Most of the students showed  high to moderate levels of fear and anxiety related to effect of pandemic on their study career. This data could help universities to implement communication modalities to reduce students’ fear and anxiety.

Motivation of Tiktok Users

In a world where technology is part of people’s lives and where most people are present on social networks, research is needed to highlight the importance and usefulness of these social networks. Since 2016, a new social network has joined this community: TikTok. Through this approach we aim to identify the reasons why people stormed the social network TikTok. Through an analysis of the literature, we will follow the motivation of people to be present on TikTok and we will determine if the identified reasons are influenced by the coronavirus pandemic. Without a doubt, the pandemic that started at the end of 2019 has changed the lives of many people, from different perspectives. The analyzed perspective in this article is that of the activity on social networks. Through this study, we want to determine if the pandemic was the reason for the growth of the TikTok community in such short time.

Immune Response to SARS-CoV-2 Infection

In December 2019 a new type of coronaviruses appeared in China and named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the disease associated with this virus is called Coronavirus Disease 2019 or COVID-19. Currently, COVID19 is the main global health threat. In this review, we focus in the current knowledge of immune response to SARS-CoV-2. Dysregulation of immune system, such as elevation levels of proinflammatory mediators and their roles in disease progression and pathogenesis as well as imbalance between innate and adaptive immune cells, are discussed in this review.