Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was identified as a molecule that mediates the cellular entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Several membrane molecules of the host cell must cooperate in this process. While ACE2 serves in a membrane receptor-mediating interaction with the surface spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 located on the virus envelope, enzyme A disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17) regulates ACE2 availability on the membrane and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) facilitates virus-cell membrane fusion. Interestingly, ACE2, ADAM17 and TMPRSS2 show a daily rhythm of expression in at least some mammalian tissue. The circadian system can also modulate COVID-19 progression via circadian control of the immune system (direct, as well as melatonin-mediated) and blood coagulation. Virus/ACE2 interaction causes ACE2 internalization into the cell, which is associated with suppressed activity of ACE2. As a major role of ACE2 is to form vasodilatory angiotensin 1-7 from angiotensin II (Ang II), suppressed ACE2 levels in the lung can contribute to secondary COVID-19 complications caused by up-regulated, pro-inflammatory vasoconstrictor Ang II. This is supported by the positive association of hypertension and negative COVID-19 prognosis although this relationship is dependent on numerous comorbidities. Hypertension treatment with inhibitors of renin-angiotensin system does not negatively influence prognosis of COVID-19 patients. It seems that tissue susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 shows negative correlation to ACE2 expression. However, in lungs of infected patient, a high ACE2 expression is associated with better outcome, compared to low ACE2 expression. Manipulation of soluble ACE2 levels is a promising COVID-19 therapeutic strategy
The intersectional perspective represents, in Czech sociology, an untapped opportunity to examine the interaction between the different lines of inequality in the process of constantly changing social structure. This article aims to enrich current Czech sociological research in two ways. Firstly, it analyses and describes the impacts of the economic crisis on labour market relations in the Czech Republic. Secondly, it applies the intersectional perspective in a quantitative analysis of structural inequalities. In this perspective, we analyse the changing structure of the labour market between 2008 and 2012 at the intersection of gender, class (education), age and parenthood, using statistical indicators. Moreover, we use event-history analysis to capture the risk of job loss in the first phase of the crisis (2008–2010). Our analysis shows that the economic crisis deepened existing inequalities in the labour market, further differentiated female labour market prospects by educational attainment, especially in interaction with parenthood, and also rapidly deteriorated the labour market situation of men with low education, including fathers of small children., Alena Křížková, Lenka Formánková., and Obsahuje seznam literatury