The sudden transition to online learning: Teachers' experiences of teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The sudden transition from face-to-face teaching to virtual remote education and the need to implement it during COVID-19 initially posed specific challenges to educational institutions. Identifying and understanding teachers' experiences pave the way for discovering and meeting educational needs. This study explored faculty members' teaching experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The qualitative descriptive design via conventional content analysis was used. It was conducted from January 13, 2020, to May 10, 2022. In-depth interviews (online and in-person) of ten faculty members, three managers, and one staff from Lorestan University of Medical Sciences were conducted. They were purposefully selected with maximum variation. Simultaneously with data collection, analysis was performed using the approach Graneheim and Lundman proposed (2004). Lincoln and Goba's criteria were used to obtain the study's rigor. RESULTS: Six categories emerged from the data: education in the shadow of the crisis, Challenges related to the teaching-learning process, Blurred boundaries between personal and professional lives, Positive consequences of e-learning, Trying to deal with the crisis, And dealing with the crisis. CONCLUSIONS: Initially, teachers faced several challenges in the teaching-learning process and even in their personal life. However, with time, the actions of the teachers and the managers caused an increase in the quality of education. However, planning and foresight are needed in developing countries, including Iran, to appropriately face and optimally manage similar crises and move towards blended learning.

Hippocampal orexin receptors inactivation reduces PTZ induced seizures of male rats.

INTRODUCTION: Orexin has been shown to be involved in a number of physiological and behavioral processes including, feeding and metabolism, reward, nociception, and anxiety. Furthermore, orexin can cause increased neuronal excitability that gives rise to epileptic activity. The distribution of orexin receptor expression in the hippocampus, suggests a possible importance of orexin in the control of seizures in the temporal lobe epilepsy. Therefore, in this study, the effect of hippocampal orexin 1 and 2 receptors on seizure and glutamate and GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) contents was explored. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Orexin 1 receptor (OX1R) antagonist (SB) and OX2R antagonist (TCS) were administrated bilaterally through separate cannulae into both hippocampi. Behavioral convulsions were provoked by intravenous pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) application model. The amount of total hippocampal glutamate and GABA contents was then measured by a biochemical method. RESULTS: SB (50 nmol) infusion reduced seizure stage, duration and decreased glutamate while GABA content was increased. SB (200 nmol) also reduced seizure stage, duration and glutamate content, without change of GABA content. TCS (20 nmol) infusion reduced seizure stage and duration without concomitant change in glutamate and GABA contents. Further, TCS (40 nmol) did neither affect the seizure nor the GABA, while decreased glutamate content. Co-administration of SB (50 nmol) with TCS (40 nmol) and also SB (200 nmol) with TCS (40 nmol) reduced seizure stage, duration and glutamate, but increased GABA content. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that OX1R and OX2R antagonists reduce convulsive intensity, partially through alterations of hippocampal glutamate and GABA contents.