The Effect of Using WebQuests in the Development of the Skills of Statistical Thinking for the Tenth Grade Students in Oman

The study sought to investigate the effect of WebQuest in the development of the skills of statistical thinking for the tenth grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. To achieve this objective, the study was applied to two groups: one is experimental and the other is control and regulator. The two groups consisted of (30) students from the tenth grade. Both groups sat for test of statistical thinking about the content of the statistical approach of the tenth grade before and after the experiment. The results showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in favor of the experimental group that was using the WebQuest. The study recommended the WebQuest be used in the development of the mathematical thinking skills in general, and statistical thinking, in particular, based on its effectiveness. Training courses and workshops are recommended for those in charge of teaching math statistics

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome Associated with Varicella-Zoster Virus Encephalitis in a Child

Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS) is a triad of peri-auricular pain, ipsilateral facial nerve palsy and vesicular rash around the ear pinna. It is caused by reactivation of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) that lies dormant in the geniculate ganglia. It can be complicated by VZV encephalitis rarely. We report the case of an 8-year-old previously healthy boy who presented to a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman in 2021 with fever, progressive left ear pain, vesicular rash around his ear pinna and left-sided facial nerve palsy. His course was complicated by VZV encephalitis where he was managed with IV acyclovir and IV corticosteroids. He improved significantly and was asymptomatic with a normal neurology examination at the 6-months follow-up. Keywords: Varicella Zoster Virus; Ramsay Hunt Syndrome; Encephalitis; Children

Projected SO(5) Hamiltonian for Cuprates and Its Applications

The projected SO(5) (pSO(5)) Hamiltonian incorporates the quantum spin and superconducting fluctuations of underdoped cuprates in terms of four bosons moving on a coarse grained lattice. A simple mean field approximation can explain some key feautures of the experimental phase diagram: (i) The Mott transition between antiferromagnet and superconductor, (ii) The increase of T_c and superfluid stiffness with hole concentration x and (iii) The increase of antiferromagnetic resonance energy as sqrt{x-x_c} in the superconducting phase. We apply this theory to explain the ``two gaps'' problem found in underdoped cuprate Superconductor-Normal- Superconductor junctions. In particular we explain the sharp subgap Andreev peaks of the differential resistance, as signatures of the antiferromagnetic resonance (the magnon mass gap). A critical test of this theory is proposed. The tunneling charge, as measured by shot noise, should change by increments of Delta Q= 2e at the Andreev peaks, rather than by Delta Q=e as in conventional superconductors.Comment: 3 EPS figure

Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Extract Inhibits Tumorigenicity and Overcomes Cisplatin-Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Cells Through Targeting AMPK Signaling Cascade

OBJECTIVE: Acquired chemoresistance is a major obstacle in the clinical management of ovarian cancer. Therefore, searching for alternative therapeutic modalities is urgently needed. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is a traditional dietary fruit, but its extract also shows potential medicinal values in human diabetes and cancers. Here, we sought to investigate the extract of bitter melon (BME) in antitumorigenic and cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in ovarian cancer cells. METHODS: Three varieties of bitter melon were used to prepare the BME. Ovarian cancer cell lines, human immortalized epithelial ovarian cells (HOSEs), and nude mice were used to evaluate the cell cytotoxicity, cisplatin resistance, and tumor inhibitory effect of BME. The molecular mechanism of BME was examined by Western blotting. RESULTS: Cotreatment with BME and cisplatin markedly attenuated tumor growth in vitro and in vivo in a mouse xenograft model, whereas there was no observable toxicity in HOSEs or in nude mice in vivo. Interestingly, the antitumorigenic effects of BME varied with different varieties of bitter melon, suggesting that the amount of antitumorigenic substances may vary. Studies of the molecular mechanism demonstrated that BME activates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in an AMP-independent but CaMKK (Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase)-dependent manner, exerting anticancer effects through activation of AMPK and suppression of the mTOR/p70S6K and/or the AKT/ERK/FOXM1 (Forkhead Box M1) signaling cascade. CONCLUSION: BME functions as a natural AMPK activator in the inhibition of ovarian cancer cell growth and might be useful as a supplement to improve the efficacy of cisplatin-based chemotherapy in ovarian cancer.published_or_final_versio

Epidemiological, clinical, outcome and antibiotic susceptibility differences between PVL positive and PVL negative Staphylococcus aureus infections in Western Australia: A case control study

Background: Panton Valentine Leukocidin (PVL) has been associated with invasive Staphylococcus aureus soft tissue and pneumonic infections. Methods: From September 2007 to January 2009 at Royal Perth Hospital we tested for the PVL gene in S. aureus isolates from an invasive site, a suspected PVL-related soft tissue infection and all MRSA isolates. We could access medical records for 141 PVL positive (PVL + ve) infections and compared these to a control group comprised of 148 PVL negative (PVL-ve) infections. Results: In the PVL + ve group 62 isolates were MRSA (48 were ST93-MRSA-IV) and 79 isolates were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus, and in the PVL-ve group 56 were MRSA (50 were WA-MRSA strains) and 92 were methicillin-sensitive S. aureus. We found the presence of PVL to be significantly associated with younger age, aboriginality, intravenous drug use, community acquisition, shorter length of hospital stay and lower mortality at 1 year. Overall PVL + ve infections more often required surgical intervention (73.0% versus 44.6%, p < 0.001) and were less often polymicrobial (8.5% versus 41.2%, p < 0.001). PVL + ve isolates were more often susceptible to clindamycin (87.9% versus 73.0%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that PVL + ve infections are associated with a distinct clinical picture, predominantly pyogenic skin and soft tissue infections often requiring surgery, disproportionately affecting patients who are younger, indigenous or with fewer health-care risk factors

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is not a single disease and can be subdivided into at least five different histological subtypes that have different identifiable risk factors, cells of origin, molecular compositions, clinical features and treatments. Ovarian cancer is a global problem, is typically diagnosed at a late stage and has no effective screening strategy. Standard treatments for newly diagnosed cancer consist of cytoreductive surgery and platinum-based chemotherapy. In recurrent cancer, chemotherapy, anti-angiogenic agents and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors are used, and immunological therapies are currently being tested. High-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC) is the most commonly diagnosed form of ovarian cancer and at diagnosis is typically very responsive to platinum-based chemotherapy. However, in addition to the other histologies, HGSCs frequently relapse and become increasingly resistant to chemotherapy. Consequently, understanding the mechanisms underlying platinum resistance and finding ways to overcome them are active areas of study in ovarian cancer. Substantial progress has been made in identifying genes that are associated with a high risk of ovarian cancer (such as BRCA1 and BRCA2), as well as a precursor lesion of HGSC called serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma, which holds promise for identifying individuals at high risk of developing the disease and for developing prevention strategies

A parallel cellular automata Lattice Boltzmann Method for convection-driven solidification

This article presents a novel coupling of numerical techniques that enable three-dimensional convection-driven microstructure simulations to be con- ducted on practical time scales appropriate for small-size components or experiments. On the microstructure side, the cellular automata method is efficient for relatively large-scale simulations, while the lattice Boltzmann method provides one of the fastest transient computational fluid dynamics solvers. Both of these methods have been parallelized and coupled in a single code, allowing resolution of large-scale convection-driven solidification problems. The numerical model is validated against benchmark cases, extended to capture solute plumes in directional solidification and finally used to model alloy solidification of an entire differentially heated cavity capturing both microstructural and meso-/macroscale phenomena

Development of Bioclimatic Design Tool for Oman Using Dry Bulb and Dew Point Temperatures Open Database

Bioclimatic charts are used by engineers and architects in implementing passive cooling systems and architectural optimization with respect to natural air conditioning. Conventionally, the development of these charts is based on the availability of typical meteorological year which requires a record of meteorological data that are rarely available in sufficient amounts. Bioclimatic charts in Oman were developed earlier by the authors for limited locations based on the available typical meteorological years. Using dry bulb and dew point temperatures only, bioclimatic charts are developed for Adam, Buraimi, Ibra, Muscat, Nizwa, Rustaq, Saiq, Salalah, Suhar and Sur. These charts are better representative of bioclimatic trends since their development is mainly based on the relevant parameters, namely dry bulb temperature and dew point