Student’s impression management and self-presentation behaviours via online educational platforms: An archival review

Across global higher education contexts, students and staff are communicating online. Online communication is facilitated by the online disinhibition effect (reduction of nonverbal cues eases communication) and in turn this may make online self-presentation (behaviours used to present a desired version of the self) easier. Students may be utilising online self-presentation techniques to facilitate online communication with staff. We know that online self-presentation techniques can be advantageous, but where inappropriate they may be detrimental to the student-staff relationship. This study explores whether students are using self-presentation techniques when they communicate online with staff via an archival review of both private (e-mail messages) and public (Moodle forum posts) online educational environments. Through a deductive thematic analysis we identify that students are indeed using online self-presentation techniques but that these vary depending on whether the online educational environment is private or public. This is the first study to explore this topic via an archival review and we encourage future research to consider the role of online self-presentation techniques within student-staff communication

Trends of antimicrobial resistance in Escherichia coli isolates from urine cultures of women in Jordan: A 10-year retrospective study

Background: Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common medical condition among women. E.coli is the most common causative organism. Appropriate understanding of the development of antimicrobial resistance over the past helps to establish efficient treatment strategies in the future. The study aims to discover antimicrobial resistance trends exhibited by E.coli strains isolated from women urine cultures over the past 10 years. Methods: A total of 1874 affected urine samples over the years 2009 to 2018 were collectively reviewed and classified according to the response they showed to 24 different antimicrobial disks in the laboratory. Relations between time and resistance evolutionary profiles were calculated. Results: Gentamicin (p value =0.039), Augmentin (p value =0.017), Cefoxitin (p value =0.001), Cefixime (p value =0.026) fulfilled satisfactory figures in terms of average resistance, regression of resistance, speed of resistance evolution, steadiness of performance, side effects, spectrum range and cost with high significance. Conclusion: Drugs that showed satisfactory figures are recommended for future treatment protocols in Jordan. &nbsp

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Students' impression management and self-presentation behaviours via online educational platforms: An archival review

Across global higher education contexts, students and staff are communicating online. Online communication is facilitated by the online disinhibition effect (reduction of nonverbal cues eases communication) and in turn this may make online self-presentation (behaviours used to present a desired version of the self) easier. Students may be utilising online self-presentation techniques to facilitate online communication with staff. We know that online self-presentation techniques can be advantageous, but where inappropriate they may be detrimental to the student-staff relationship. This study explores whether students are using self-presentation techniques when they communicate online with staff via an archival review of both private (e-mail messages) and public (Moodle forum posts) online educational environments. Through a deductive thematic analysis we identify that students are indeed using online self-presentation techniques but that these vary depending on whether the online educational environment is private or public. This is the first study to explore this topic via an archival review and we encourage future research to consider the role of online self-presentation techniques within student-staff communication

Role of Potassium Ions Quantum Tunneling in the Pathophysiology of Phantom Limb Pain

(1) Background: multiple theories were proposed to explain the phenomenon of phantom limb pain (PLP). Nevertheless, the phenomenon is still shrouded in mystery. The aim of this study is to explore the phenomenon from a new perspective, where quantum tunneling of ions, a promising field in medical practice, might play a major role. (2) Methods: investigators designed a quantum mathematical model based on the Schrödinger equation to examine the probability of potassium ions quantum tunneling through closed membrane potassium channels to the inside of phantom axons, leading to the generation of action potential. (3) Results: the model suggests that the probability of action potential induction at a certain region of the membrane of phantom neurons, when a neuron of the stump area is stimulated over 1 mm2 surface area of the membrane available for tunneling is 1.04 × 10−2. Furthermore, upon considering two probabilities of potassium channelopathies, one that decreased the energy of the barrier by 25% and another one by 50%, the tunneling probability became 1.22 × 10−8 and 3.86 × 10−4, respectively. (4) Conclusion: quantum models of potassium ions can provide a reliable theoretical hypothesis to unveil part of the ambiguity behind PLP

The Potential Role of Lithium as an Antiviral Agent against SARS-CoV-2 via Membrane Depolarization: Review and Hypothesis

Studies on potential treatments of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) are important to improve the global situation in the face of the pandemic. This review proposes lithium as a potential drug to treat COVID-19. Our hypothesis states that lithium can suppress NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activity, inhibit cell death, and exhibit immunomodulation via membrane depolarization. Our hypothesis was formulated after finding consistent correlations between these actions and membrane depolarization induced by lithium. Eventually, lithium could serve to mitigate the NLRP3-mediated cytokine storm, which is allegedly reported to be the inciting event of a series of retrogressive events associated with mortality from COVID-19. It could also inhibit cell death and modulate the immune system to attenuate its release, clear the virus from the body, and interrupt the cycle of immune-system dysregulation. Therefore, these effects are presumed to improve the morbidity and mortality of COVID-19 patients. As the numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue to rise exponentially without a clear consensus on potential therapeutic agents, urgent conduction of preclinical and clinical studies to prove the efficacy and safety of lithium is reasonable

Incidental Finding of a Right Ventricular Mass: Fibroma or Thrombosis?

Primary cardiac tumors are very rare and are often confused with other conditions due to clinical presentations or initial imaging. Here, we present a rare case of a 56-year-old male with right ventricular mass incidentally found on imaging. Appropriate testing should be conducted to rule out the possibility of a benign tumor. Asymptomatic patients with co-morbidities can be managed without surgery. More research is needed to devise guidelines for the management of these cases

Sedating Mechanically Ventilated COVID-19 Patients with Volatile Anesthetics: Insights on the Last-Minute Potential Weapons

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread globally with the number of cases exceeding seventy million. Although trials on potential treatments of COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) are promising, the introduction of an effective therapeutic intervention seems elusive. In this review, we explored the potential therapeutic role of volatile anesthetics during mechanical ventilation in the late stages of the disease. COVID-19 is thought to hit the human body via five major mechanisms: direct viral damage, immune overactivation, capillary thrombosis, loss of alveolar capillary membrane integrity, and decreased tissue oxygenation. The overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines will eventually lead to the accumulation of inflammatory cells in the lungs, which will lead to ARDS requiring mechanical ventilation. Respiratory failure resulting from ARDS is thought to be the most common cause of death in COVID-19. The literature suggests that these effects could be directly countered by using volatile anesthetics for sedation. These agents possess multiple properties that affect viral replication, immunity, and coagulation. They also have proven benefits at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Based on the comprehensive understanding of the literature, short-term sedation with volatile anesthetics may be beneficial in severe stages of COVID-19 ARDS and trials to study their effects should be encouraged

Preparedness Plan for the Water Supply Infrastructure during Water Terrorism—A Case Study from Irbid, Jordan

Terrorism is a crucial danger to the world, especially the Middle East. As Jordan is amidst countries with armed conflicts, its natural resources (in particularly, water resources) are vulnerable to terrorist attacks. In this paper, possible biological and chemical weapons that can be used as intimidation, along with their threats, vulnerabilities, and inactivation methods, concerning water treatment processes in the municipality of Irbid, are studied. Irbid is the second largest city in terms of population in Jordan, after the capital city of Amman, and it is the nearest governorate to Syria borders that is considered a war zone. After conducting risk assessment that takes into consideration criticality, threats, and vulnerability, it appears that only one of the eight units, which is the Makhraba pumping station, along with the Bushra water tank, were identified as medium risk. The other units have treatment processes and proper precautions that are able to inactivate or prevent any possible contamination. A response plan should be set by developing a telemetry system with specific sensors that can detect any sudden and unacceptable threats to the water quality and that has the ability to shut down the concerned units automatically

GABA Receptors Can Depolarize the Neuronal Membrane Potential via Quantum Tunneling of Chloride Ions: A Quantum Mathematical Study

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) receptors represent the major inhibitory receptors in the nervous system and their inhibitory effects are mediated by the influx of chloride ions that tends to hyperpolarize the resting membrane potential. However, GABA receptors can depolarize the resting membrane potential and thus can also show excitatory effects in neurons. The major mechanism behind this depolarization is mainly attributed to the accumulation of chloride ions in the intracellular compartment. This accumulation leads to increase in the intracellular chloride concentration and depolarize the Nernst potential of chloride ions. When the membrane potential is relatively hyperpolarized, this will result in a chloride efflux instead of influx trying to reach their depolarized equilibrium potential. Here, we propose different mechanism based on a major consequence of quantum mechanics, which is quantum tunneling. The quantum tunneling model of ions is applied on GABA receptors and their corresponding chloride ions to show how chloride ions can depolarize the resting membrane potential. The quantum model states that intracellular chloride ions have higher quantum tunneling probability than extracellular chloride ions. This is attributed to the discrepancy in the kinetic energy between them. At physiological parameters, the quantum tunneling is negligible to the degree that chloride ions cannot depolarize the membrane potential. Under certain conditions such as early neuronal development, gain-of-function mutations, stroke and trauma that can lower the energy barrier of the closed gate of GABA receptors, the quantum tunneling is enhanced so that the chloride ions can depolarize the resting membrane potential. The major unique feature of the quantum tunneling mechanism is that the net efflux of chloride ions is attained without the need for intracellular accumulation of chloride ions as long as the energy barrier of the gate is reduced but still higher than the kinetic energy of the chloride ion as a condition for quantum tunneling to take place