Articles: coronavirus.
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Int J Environ Res Public Health · Sep 2020
Digital Healthy Diet Literacy and Self-Perceived Eating Behavior Change during COVID-19 Pandemic among Undergraduate Nursing and Medical Students: A Rapid Online Survey.
Assessing healthy diet literacy and eating behaviors is critical for identifying appropriate public health responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. We examined the psychometric properties of digital healthy diet literacy (DDL) and its association with eating behavior changes during the COVID-19 pandemic among nursing and medical students. We conducted a cross-sectional study from 7 April to 31 May 2020 at 10 public universities in Vietnam, in which 7616 undergraduate students aged 19-27 completed an online survey to assess socio-demographics, clinical parameters, health literacy (HL), DDL, and health-related behaviors. ⋯ A 10-index score increment of DDL was associated with 18%, 23%, and 17% increased likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic for the overall sample (OR, 1.18; 95%CI, 1.13, 1.24; p < 0.001), nursing students (OR, 1.23; 95%CI, 1.10, 1.35; p < 0.001), and medical students (OR, 1.17; 95%CI, 1.11, 1.24; p < 0.001), respectively. The DDL scale is a valid and reliable tool for the quick assessment of digital healthy diet literacy. Students with higher DDL scores had a higher likelihood of healthier eating behavior during the pandemic.
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Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a zinc membrane metallopeptidase that plays a key role in regulating vasoactive peptide levels and hence cardiovascular activity through its conversion of angiotensin I (Ang I) to Ang II and its metabolism of bradykinin. The discovery of its homologue, ACE2, 20 years ago has led to intensive comparisons of these two enzymes revealing surprising structural, catalytic and functional distinctions between them. ACE2 plays multiple roles not only as a vasopeptidase but also as a regulator of amino acid transport and serendipitously as a viral receptor, mediating the cellular entry of the coronaviruses causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and, very recently, COVID-19. ⋯ However, it does convert a number of other regulatory peptides in vitro and in vivo. Interest in ACE2 biology and its potential as a possible therapeutic target has surged in recent months as the COVID-19 pandemic rages worldwide. This review highlights the surprising discoveries of ACE2 biology during the last 20 years, its distinctions from classical ACE and the therapeutic opportunities arising from its multiple biological roles.