Factors Facilitating the Implementation of the EFL Student’s Portfolio

The study examines the factors that facilitate the implementation of the student’s portfolio as viewed by EFL students and teachers. Gender differences in the factors were also investigated. To collect the data needed for answering the research questions, two instruments were developed, validated, and checked for reliability. The study sample included 953 students and 258 teachers. The main findings rregarding factors that facilitate the implementation of the student’s portfolio, both teachers and students agreed on the list of the given factors in the research instrument. Teachers considered the availability of materials and resources as the most important factor for better implementation of the student’s portfolio. Students viewed teachers’ support as the most important factor that would lead for better implementation of the student’s portfolio. Moreover, gender differences were reported with regard to the factors for both teachers and students

The relationship of the documentary credit issuer with the goods in Article (377) of the Islamic Banking and Commerce Law.

صدر قانون التجارة العماني في 18 من ذي الحجة سنة 1410ه/11 يوليو 1990م وكان القطاع المصرفي محصورًا في قطاع البنوك التقليدية فنظم القانون معاملاتها التجارية، ثم جاء المرسوم السلطاني رقم 62/2012 بتعديلات في القانون المصرفي تقضي بالترخيص بمزاولة الأعمال المصرفية الإسلامية، وبذلك كان عام 2013م هو العام الذي بدأ فيه العمل بقطاع مصرفي جديد جعل الالتزام بالشريعة الإسلامية أساس أعماله، وبين القطاعين فروقٌ جوهرية في المبادئ والآثار، والتشريعات المنظمة للعمل المصرفي الإسلامي التي هي القانون المصرفي (69/2012)، و(الإطار التنظيمي والرقابي للأعمال المصرفية الإسلامية) الصادر عن البنك المركزي العماني لم يعرضا تنظيمًا للاعتماد المستندي للأعمال المصرفية الإسلامية، ولم يصدر إلى الآن تعديل في قانون التجارة يراعي طبيعة الأعمال التجارية للمصارف الإسلامية مما قد يوقع في إشكالات قانونية، وهذا البحث قام للإجابة عن مدى توافق المادة (377) المنظِّمة للاعتماد المستندي مع طبيعة عمل المصرفية الإسلامية في الاعتماد المستندي غير المغطى كليًا، وخرج البحث بنتائج أهمها تتعارض عبارة (يعتبر عقد الاعتماد المستندي مستقلًا عن العقد الذي فتح الاعتماد بسببه، ويبقى البنك أجنبيًا عن هذا العقد) من المادة (377) مع عمل المصرفية الإسلامية في الاعتمادات المستندية غير المغطاة كليًا سواء أكانت مغطاة جزئيًا أم غير مغطاة. وخرج البحث بتوصية بأحد أمرين مرتبين حسب قوة الإيصاء؛ الأول: إضافة تنظيم قانوني في القوانين أو التعاميم أو اللوائح أو الإرشادات يخص بالبيان والتنظيم الاعتماد المستندي في المصارف الإسلامية بأقسامه الثلاثة المغطى كليًا، والمغطى جزئيًا وغير المغطى. الثاني: إضافة عبارة في المادة (377) من قانون التجارة العماني تقضي بمراعاة طبيعة عمل المصرفية الإسلامية.The Omani Commercial Law was issued on the 18th of Dhu al-Hijjah 1410 AH/11th of July 1990 AD, and the banking sector was limited to the traditional banking sector; thus, the law regulated their commercial transactions. Then, Royal Decree No. 62/2012 amended the banking law requiring licensing to practice Islamic banking business. Thus, in 2013 AD, a new banking sector began operating, with adherence to Islamic Sharia as the basis of its operations, and there are significant differences between the two sectors in terms of principles and effects. The legislation regulating Islamic banking work, which is the Banking Law (69/2012) and (the regulatory and supervisory framework for Islamic banking) issued by the Central Bank of Oman, have not offered a regulation of the documentary credit for Islamic banking business a regulated framework for documentary credits in Islamic banking operations. Until now, there has been no amendment in the Trade Law that consider the nature of business activities for Islamic banks, which may cause legal problems. Therefore, this research aims to answer the extent of compatibility between Article (377), which regulates documentary credits, and the nature of Islamic banking operations in partially covered documentary credits. The research came out with results, the most important of which are: the contradiction between the phrase: "The documentary credit contract is considered independent of the contract that opened the credit, and the bank remains unrelated to this contract" from Article (377) and the practice of Islamic banking in documentary credits that are not fully covered, whether they are partially covered or not. Thus, the research recommends two options: adding a legal regulation in the laws, circulars, regulations, or guidelines that addresses the statement, and regulation of documentary credits in Islamic banks, including its three categories: fully covered, partially covered, and uncovered; adding a phrase in Article (377) of the Omani Commercial Law that requires considering the nature of Islamic banking operations

Screening for Anti-Cancer Compounds in Marine Organisms in Oman

Objectives: Marine organisms are a rich source of bioactive molecules with potential applications in medicine, biotechnology and industry; however, few bioactive compounds have been isolated from organisms inhabiting the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This study aimed to isolate and screen the anti-cancer activity of compounds and extracts from 40 natural products of marine organisms collected from the Gulf of Oman. Methods: This study was carried out between January 2012 and December 2014 at the Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. Fungi, bacteria, sponges, algae, soft corals, tunicates, bryozoans, mangrove tree samples and sea cucumbers were collected from seawater at Marina Bandar Al-Rowdha and Bandar Al-Khayran in Oman. Bacteria and fungi were isolated using a marine broth and organisms were extracted with methanol and ethyl acetate. Compounds were identified from spectroscopic data. The anti-cancer activity of the compounds and extracts was tested in a Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)-7 cell line breast adenocarcinoma model. Results: Eight pure compounds and 32 extracts were investigated. Of these, 22.5% showed strong or medium anti-cancer activity, with malformin A, kuanoniamine D, hymenialdisine and gallic acid showing the greatest activity, as well as the soft coralSarcophyton sp. extract. Treatment of MCF-7 cells at different concentrations of Sarcophyton sp. extracts indicated the induction of concentration-dependent cell death. Ultrastructural analysis highlighted the presence of nuclear fragmentation, membrane protrusion, blebbing and chromatic segregation at the nuclear membrane, which are typical characteristics of cell death by apoptosis induction. Conclusion: Some Omani marine organisms showed high anti-cancer potential. The efficacy, specificity and molecular mechanisms of anti-cancer compounds from Omani marine organisms on various cancer models should be investigated in future in vitro and in vivo studies

Histological and histochemical characterisation of glands associated with the feeding appendages of Argulus foliaceus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Argulus foliaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a member of the branchiuran family Argulidae, a group comprising parasitic “fish lice”. A. foliaceus is distributed worldwide and causes major economic impacts for cultured freshwater fish globally. The work described in this study was undertaken with the objective of identifying, describing and characterising glands associated with feeding in A. foliaceus. From structural and ultrastructural microscopic studies of A. foliaceus, three types of gland were determined to be associated with the pre-oral spine and mouth tube and were suggested to be involved in feeding activities. Two of these glands, the labial glands and the proboscis glands, appeared to secrete their products via the mouth tube and a third, the spinal gland, was connected directly to the pre-oral spine. The current study confirmed that the pre-oral spine delivers active secretions from the spinal gland, which may aid in immunomodulation, while the tubular labial spines and proboscis glands openings within the mouth tube may serve to enhance the feeding process by delivering salivary components to aid pre-digestion and immune-modulate the host. The suggested functions are supported by histological and histochemical staining, coupled with fluorescent lectin-binding assays, which enabled characterisation of the carbohydrate moieties associated with these glandular tissues

Accuracy of Platelet Counting by Optical and Impedance Methods in Patients with Thrombocytopaenia and Microcytosis

Objectives: Obtaining accurate platelet counts in microcytic blood samples is challenging, even with the most reliable automated haematology analysers. The CELL-DYN™ Sapphire (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, Illinois, USA) analyser uses both optical density and electronic impedance methods for platelet counting. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of optical density and electrical impedance methods in determining true platelet counts in thrombocytopaenic samples with microcytosis as defined by low mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of red blood cells. Additionally, the impact of microcytosis on platelet count accuracy was evaluated. Methods: This study was carried out between February and December 2014 at the Haematology Laboratory of the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Muscat, Oman. Blood samples were collected and analysed from 189 patients with thrombocytopaenia and MCV values of <76 femtolitres. Platelet counts were tested using both optical and impedance methods. Stained peripheral blood films for each sample were then reviewed as a reference method to confirm platelet counts. Results: The platelet counts estimated by the impedance method were on average 30% higher than those estimated by the optical method (P <0.001). The estimated intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.52 (95% confidence interval: 0.41–0.62), indicating moderate reliability between the methods. The degree of agreement between methods ranged from -85.5 to 24.3 with an estimated bias of -30, suggesting that these methods generate different platelet results. Conclusion: The impedance method significantly overestimated platelet counts in microcytic and thrombocytopaenic blood samples. Further attention is therefore needed to improve the accuracy of platelet counts, particularly for patients with conditions associated with microcytosis

Photoluminescence and dye adsorption mechanism of dehydrated carbon quantum dots

The role of oxygen-based functional groups in the photoluminescence of dehydrated carbon dots (DC) and the adsorption mechanism of dye molecules onto the surface of DC is investigated. DC was prepared from orange peel for the first time via the chemical dehydration effect of sulfuric and phosphoric acid at 180 C. We compared the emission spectra of DC in different solvents in great detail. The solvatochromism of DC in different solvents is discussed. The role of oxygen-based functional groups in the light emission process is examined. Adsorption of methylene blue (MB) on the surface of DC was studied at different contact times, pH, concentrations, and temperatures. In this work, we used Langmuir and Freundlich adsorption models for the analysis. Sorption kinetic data were found to fit well with the pseudo-second-order model. Our results also showed increased MB adsorption capability with temperature. The results are essential for the application of CQDs, such as wastewater treatment. &nbsp

Impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular testing in the United States versus the rest of the world

Objectives: This study sought to quantify and compare the decline in volumes of cardiovascular procedures between the United States and non-US institutions during the early phase of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the care of many non-COVID-19 illnesses. Reductions in diagnostic cardiovascular testing around the world have led to concerns over the implications of reduced testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Methods: Data were submitted to the INCAPS-COVID (International Atomic Energy Agency Non-Invasive Cardiology Protocols Study of COVID-19), a multinational registry comprising 909 institutions in 108 countries (including 155 facilities in 40 U.S. states), assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volumes of diagnostic cardiovascular procedures. Data were obtained for April 2020 and compared with volumes of baseline procedures from March 2019. We compared laboratory characteristics, practices, and procedure volumes between U.S. and non-U.S. facilities and between U.S. geographic regions and identified factors associated with volume reduction in the United States. Results: Reductions in the volumes of procedures in the United States were similar to those in non-U.S. facilities (68% vs. 63%, respectively; p = 0.237), although U.S. facilities reported greater reductions in invasive coronary angiography (69% vs. 53%, respectively; p < 0.001). Significantly more U.S. facilities reported increased use of telehealth and patient screening measures than non-U.S. facilities, such as temperature checks, symptom screenings, and COVID-19 testing. Reductions in volumes of procedures differed between U.S. regions, with larger declines observed in the Northeast (76%) and Midwest (74%) than in the South (62%) and West (44%). Prevalence of COVID-19, staff redeployments, outpatient centers, and urban centers were associated with greater reductions in volume in U.S. facilities in a multivariable analysis. Conclusions: We observed marked reductions in U.S. cardiovascular testing in the early phase of the pandemic and significant variability between U.S. regions. The association between reductions of volumes and COVID-19 prevalence in the United States highlighted the need for proactive efforts to maintain access to cardiovascular testing in areas most affected by outbreaks of COVID-19 infection

Comparative analysis of four methods for enumeration of platelet counts in thrombocytopenic patients

Background: Even with the most reliable automated blood cell analyzers, obtaining an accurate platelet count in patients with thrombocytopenia is still challenging especially when making decisions for platelet transfusions. The Cell-Dyn Sapphire offers three methods for platelet counting including the optical, impedance, and immunological techniques. Aim: A comparative analysis evaluating the performance of these three methods, along with the manual technique, was performed in thrombocytopenic patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 32 blood samples from patients without a history of chemotherapy and a platelet count <50 ×- 109/l were tested in parallel by four different methods. Results: Compared to other techniques, impedance method provided an overestimation of platelet count (P = 0.0008) and failed to show a result in 15% of cases with low platelet counts (<15 ×- 109/l). Good to excellent correlations and reliability values were evidenced among study methods, but a poor reliability was noticed between the impedance and immunological methods with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.49 (confidence interval: 0.15–0.73; P = 0.003). In the bias analysis, the impedance method showed the highest levels of disagreement with other techniques. Summary/Conclusion: Collectively, these results provide evidence that the optical or immunological technique appear to be superior to the impedance method in estimating low platelet counts with the automated analyzer Cell-Dyn Sapphire. As such, the healthcare staff and the physicians must be aware of this limitation, especially in the presence of severe thrombocytopenia, when a decision of platelet transfusion has to be made

Analyzing Theoretical Approaches and Their Implications to the Development of Distance Learning Courses Research Project at Sultan Qaboos University

Abstract The purpose of this analytical article is to describe the development of Distance Learning For Common Courses Research Project at the Omani Sultan Qaboos University (SQU); analysing literary evidence of the possibility of offering distance learning (DL) courses as a feasible option to the physical classroom learning. Omani educational system is faced with the continuous annual growth in students&apos; number due to the ever-increasing enrollment. This has its implications to the issue of Omani higher education cost-efficiency considering the decrease in state fund. The article brings in the recommendation that Omani educational institutions integrate the use of DL technologies with traditional classroom courses. DL programmes could be targeted to oncampus regular students. Students would enroll in a combination of multimedia based learning courses and traditional lecture based courses. By making use of DL, Omani educational institutions can offer quality education to cope with the growth in enrollment. Courses can be offered in a multimedia and traditional formats, which will help diminish the impact of the facility restrictions. Abstrak Artikel yang analitis ini ialah untuk menperihalkan perkembangan Projek Penyelidikan Pendidikan Jarak Jauh untuk Kursus-kursus Umum di Universiti Sultan Qaboos; menganalisis bukti penulisan dalam kemungkinan menawarkan kursus-kursus pendidikan jarak jauh sebagai suatu pilihan yang dapat dilaksanakan berbanding pengajaran di bilik darjah. Sistem pendidikan Oman kini menghadapi perkembangan berterusan dalam bilangan pelajar berdasarkan pendaftaran yang kian bertambah. Ini memberi suatu implikasi terhadap pertimbangan keberkesanan kos dalan pendidikan tinggi Oman memandangkan dana negeri yang berkurangan. Artkel ini mengutarakan syor agar institus

Screening for Anti-Cancer Compounds in Marine Organisms in Oman

Objectives: Marine organisms are a rich source of bioactive molecules with potential applications in medicine, biotechnology and industry; however, few bioactive compounds have been isolated from organisms inhabiting the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. This study aimed to isolate and screen the anti-cancer activity of compounds and extracts from 40 natural products of marine organisms collected from the Gulf of Oman. Methods: This study was carried out between January 2012 and December 2014 at the Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. Fungi, bacteria, sponges, algae, soft corals, tunicates, bryozoans, mangrove tree samples and sea cucumbers were collected from seawater at Marina Bandar Al-Rowdha and Bandar Al-Khayran in Oman. Bacteria and fungi were isolated using a marine broth and organisms were extracted with methanol and ethyl acetate. Compounds were identified from spectroscopic data. The anti-cancer activity of the compounds and extracts was tested in a Michigan Cancer Foundation (MCF)-7 cell line breast adenocarcinoma model. Results: Eight pure compounds and 32 extracts were investigated. Of these, 22.5% showed strong or medium anti-cancer activity, with malformin A, kuanoniamine D, hymenialdisine and gallic acid showing the greatest activity, as well as the soft coralSarcophyton sp. extract. Treatment of MCF-7 cells at different concentrations of Sarcophyton sp. extracts indicated the induction of concentration-dependent cell death. Ultrastructural analysis highlighted the presence of nuclear fragmentation, membrane protrusion, blebbing and chromatic segregation at the nuclear membrane, which are typical characteristics of cell death by apoptosis induction. Conclusion: Some Omani marine organisms showed high anti-cancer potential. The efficacy, specificity and molecular mechanisms of anti-cancer compounds from Omani marine organisms on various cancer models should be investigated in future in vitro and in vivo studies