Application Of Artificial Neural Networks To Predict Wettability And Relative Permeability Of Sandstone Rocks

An Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model based on the back-propagation technique is trained with a number of variables from experimentally established relative permeability curves. The reservoir core input data covers an extensive range of porosities and permeabilities from different sandstone lithologies having diverse wettabilities. The trained model is then tested with only a couple of input variables such as the initial connate water saturation, S,»c and the residual oil saturation. So, . The developed model outputs, or the predictions define the relative permeability end-points and the intersection point to quantify the wettability and the shape of the relative permeability curves. A number of correlations based on empirical models and network models exist to predict the relative permeability curves and the wettability of oil bearing sandstone formations from the initial oil and water. Calculations from the ANN model were then compared with values calculated from other models currently in wide spread use

Influence of Eysenckian Personality Traits in Choice of Specialization by Young Omani Doctors.

Objectives:The role of personality in occupational specialty choices has been explored in many parts of the world. To our knowledge, there is a dearth of such studies in the Arab/Islamic population and Oman is no exception. This study aimed to explore the relationship between personality traits and specialty choice among residents of Oman Medical Specialty Board (OMSB). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among Omani resident physicians working under OMSB. The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire–Revised was employed to quantify personality subtypes (e.g., psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism). Specialties were categorized as surgical, medical, and diagnostics as per standard of North American medical specialties. A total of 255 residents in 17 medical specialties participated in the study (m = 40.4%; f = 59.6%) of 300 eligible subjects giving a response rate of 85.0%. Results: Respondents who had chosen surgical specialties scored significantly higher on the psychoticism subscale than those who had opted for medical and diagnostic specialties. As for individual specialties, orthopedic respondents had statistically significant higher mean scores on psychoticism and neuroticism compared to radiologists and psychiatrists who scored the lowest in the two personality traits, respectively. Conclusions: This study found statistically significant associations between personality traits and choices of specialty by young Omani doctors. We recommend more detailed studies that examine further psychological and cultural variables that are likely to affect the choices of specializations by young Omani professionals in both medical and non-medical fields

Perception of Preparedness for Clinical Work Among New Residents: A Cross-sectional Study from Oman.

Objectives: To evaluate new residents’ perceptions of their own preparedness for clinical practice and examine the associated factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted on August 20−23, 2016. New residents accepted for postgraduate training by Oman Medical Specialty Board were asked to complete the Preparation for Hospital Practice Questionnaire (PHPQ). Data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22. Results: A total of 160 residents were invited to participate in this study. Out of 160, 140 residents participated (87.5%), 70.7% were female and 59.3% were graduates from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). Ninety-nine percent of the graduates were either ‘well prepared’ or ‘fairly well prepared’ for hospital practice. Male residents scored higher in the confidence scale, while residents who did a post-internship general practice placement scored higher in understanding science. Graduates from Oman Medical College felt more prepared compared to graduates from SQU. Conclusions: Most of the new residents were well prepared to clinical work. Factors such as place of undergraduate study, training, and duration of internship significantly influenced the residents’ perception of preparedness. Addressing these factors will enhance residents’ preparedness for clinical work

Burnout Syndrome Among Primary Care Physicians in Oman

Objectives: Medical professionals are exposed to many job stressors everyday, which can lead to psychological disturbances as well as burnout syndrome. We sought to assess the level of burnout among primary care physicians (PCPs) in Oman and explore risk factors for its development. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, analytical study among a random cluster sample of 190 PCP working in Muscat, Oman. Indices of burnout (emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and personal accomplishment (PA)) were noted using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBIHSS). We also used a questionnaire to obtain sociodemographic and job characteristics data. We used a binary logistic regression model and both unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios for statistical analysis. Results: The prevalence of burnout in all three dimensions was 6.3%. High levels of MBI-HSS subscales were reported on EE, DP and PA with 17.8%, 38.2%, and 21.5%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis revealed that working over 40 hours per week was the most important risk factor for burnout among PCPs. Conclusions: A total of 6.3% of PCPs working in urban areas in Oman suffered burnout. Long working hours was strongly associated with high occupational burnout. Solutions to eliminate or decrease the rate of burnout involve institutional changes, primarily respecting weekly working hours, and in more severe cases psychotherapy help is very important

Prevalence and Correlates of Depressive Symptoms among Medical Students: a Crosssectional Single-centre Study

Background: Depressive symptoms are common among medical students. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of depressive symptoms among medical students in Sultan Qaboos University in Oman. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among a random sample selected from 1041 medical students at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) was used to screen for depressive symptoms. A logistic regression model was used to determine risk factors for depressive symptoms. Results: Of 197 medical students selected, 189 (61 men and 128 women) responded. The PHQ-9 results showed that the prevalence of depressive symptoms was 41.3%. In multivariate analysis, female students were more likely than male students to develop depression (adjusted odds ratio = 2.866, p = 0.004). Medical students with a family history of depression were more likely to develop depression than those without a family history of depression (adjusted odds ratio = 4.150, p = 0.014). Conclusion: Depressive symptoms are common among medical students in Sultan Qaboos University. Risk factors for depressive symptoms are female sex and family history of depression

The Burden of Human Parechoviruses on Children in Oman: A retrospective study

Objectives: To study the burden, clinical and laboratory features, and outcome of Human Parechoviruses (HPeVs) infection among children managed at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). Methods: This is a retrospective study of children (< 18 years of age) with molecular proven HPeVinfection managed at SQUH between January 2017 and December 2019. Data was collected from patients’ medical records and analyzed to describe the demographic, clinical and laboratory features, management and outcome. Results: HPeV was detected in 61 patients,  44 (72%) of whom were males. The median age of these patients was 9 months (IQR, 6-15 months). HPeV was detected throughout the year without any significant peaks. The majority of our patients (51; 84%) had co-infection with other viruses. Forty-eight (79%) children with HPeV infection required hospitalization and their median hospital length of stay was 5 days (IQR, 3 - 8 days).  Ex-prematurity (10; 16%) was the most common comorbidity  seen among this group. Fever (41; 67%) and cough (41; 67%) were the most common presenting symptoms among these children.Two-third of children with HPeV infection in this cohort were managed for lower respiratory tract infection and none for meningitis. Gastroenteritis was not common in our study, only 8 children had diarrhoea. All children had a full recovery. Conclusion: HPeVs does not show a clear seasonality in Oman. Most of the children were < 2 years of age and had a viral co-infection. Outcomes of HPeVs were favorable, with no mortalities, but thorough follow-up of neurological outcomes was lacking. Keywords: Children; Parechovirus; Infection; Outcome; Oman

Pleural Fluid Analysis: Standstill or a Work in Progress?

Pleural fluid analysis yields important diagnostic information in pleural effusions in combination with clinical history, examination, and radiology. For more than 30 years, the initial and most pragmatic step in this process is to determine whether the fluid is a transudate or an exudate. Light's criteria remain the most robust in separating the transudate-exudate classification which dictates further investigations or management. Recent studies have led to the evaluation and implementation of a number of additional fluid analyses that may improve the diagnostic utility of this method. This paper discusses the current practice and future direction of pleural fluid analysis in determining the aetiology of a pleural effusion. While this has been performed for a few decades, a number of other pleural characteristics are becoming available suggesting that this diagnostic tool is indeed a work in progress

Soliton-potential interaction in the nonlinear Klein-Gordon model

The interaction of solitons with external potentials in nonlinear Klein-Gordon field theory is investigated using an improved model. The presented model has been constructed with a better approximation for adding the potential to the Lagrangian through the metric of background space-time. The results of the model are compared with another model and the differences are discussed.Comment: 14 pages,8 figure

A GENERALIZED FRAMEWORK FOR CRISP COMMITMENT SCHEMES

Crisp Commitment schemes are very useful building blocks in the design of high-level cryptographic protocols. They are used as a mean of flipping fair coins between two players and others. In this paper an attempt has been made to give a generalized framework for Crisp Commitment schemes is called an Ordinary Crisp Commitment Scheme (OCCS). The Hiding and Binding properties of OCCS are well defined. We also review some the existing of different Crisp Commitment schemes and we show how it is follow our presenting framework

KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE IN ABU DHABI: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING (SEM) APPROACH

The aim of this study is to measure the knowledge management strategies and organizational performance in Abu Dhabi utilizing a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The research method of this research is a solely quantitative method where the total sample size is considered 331 employing simple random sampling. For this research, the structural model exhibited the relationships among the variables. The findings reveal that, knowledge management structure is positively related to knowledge management strategy, same to knowledge management practice is positively related to knowledge management strategy. However, knowledge management structure was found not really positively related to organizational performance. Unexpectedly, knowledge management practice has not also found significant either in terms of positively related to organizational performance. On the other hand, knowledge management strategy is positively related to organizational performance as well as reciprocal relationship found between knowledge management structure and knowledge management practice. This research has contributed to the existing knowledge by providing an empirically validated model which could be used to predict the organizational performance as a whole.  Article visualizations