MANAGING STUDENTS & EMPLOYEES THROUGH COLLEGE INFORMATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CIMS) – A CASE STUDY: SHINAS COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY (SHCT), OMAN

Purpose: The objectives of the study were to critically analyze the effectiveness of CIMS in completing the registration / academic advising process at Shinas College of Technology and to critically analyze the effective functions of the CIMS to fulfill the role played by the CIMS. Design/methodology/approach: For this research study, Simple random sampling method in selecting the samples of the survey. 180 samples were collected which include the faculty, students and users of the College Information Management System (CIMS) from Shinas College of Technology (ICT). The collected data underwent analysis using the SPSS and the findings were interpreted. Findings: The study reveals that CIMS is characterized by its multiple functions; is user-friendly and flexible. CIMS has met the expectations of most of the users, despite the presence of a few technical problems requiring improvement.Educational Technology Center (ETC) ensures smooth, secure, safe and fast access. CIMS is subject to continuous assessment through periodic follow up by the Educational College Center from any external attacks etc. which is a welcoming feature. Research limitations/Implications: The study suggests that CIMS users should be given training on the updates and necessary training to the CIMS maintenance crew. Social implications: The study suggests thatthere is only a small group of individuals who handles and manages the entire program - installation of CIMS and periodic follow-up etc. and technical expertise is needed at the college level. Originality/Value: No study have ever examined the Information Management System of HEIs in Oman

Precision oncology by point-of-care therapeutic drug monitoring and dosage adjustment of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies: A perspective.

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies is strongly supported yet poorly implemented in daily practice in hospitals. Analytical methods for the quantification of cytotoxic drugs are instead widely presented in the scientific literature, while the use of these therapeutics is expected to keep going for longer. There are two main issues hindering the implementation of TDM: turnaround time, which is incompatible with the dosage profiles of these drugs, and exposure surrogate marker, namely total area under the curve (AUC). Therefore, this perspective article aims to define the adjustment needed from current to efficient TDM practice for cytotoxics, namely point-of-care (POC) TDM. For real-time dose adjustment, which is required for chemotherapies, such POC TDM is only achievable with analytical methods that match the sensitivity and selectivity of current methods, such as chromatography, as well as model-informed precision dosing platforms to assist the oncologist with dose fine-tuning based on quantification results and targeted intervals

Time interval moderates the relationship between psyching-up and actual sprint performance

This study attempted to test whether the strongest effect of psyching-up (PU) strategy on actual sprint performance can be observed when the strategy is used immediately (or almost) before performance compared with when there is a delay between PU and performance. To do so, 16 male sprinters (age, 20.6 ± 1.3 years; body mass, 77.5 ± 7.1 kg; height, 180.8 ± 5.6 cm) were enrolled in a counterbalanced experimental design in which participants were randomly assigned to 10 sessions (2 [Experimental Condition: imagery vs. distraction] × 5 [Time Intervals: no interval, 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, and 5 minutes]). Before performing the experimental tasks, participants rated: (a) the Hooper index, (b) their degree of self-confidence, and (c) after the completion of the experimental test; they rated their perceived effort. Findings showed that the imagery significantly improved sprint performance. Specifically, the imagery enhanced performance on the phase of acceleration (0-10 m) and on the overall sprint (0-30 m) when used immediately before performance and at 1- and 2-minute intervals but not for 3- and 5-minute intervals. These findings support the hypothesis that the potential effect of the PU strategy on performance vanishes over time. The pre-experimental task Hooper and self-efficacy indexes did not change across the 10 experimental sessions, reinforcing the view that the observed performance changes were directly caused by the experimental manipulation and not through any altered status of the athletes (self-efficacy, fatigue/recovery, and stress). The potential mechanisms underlying such a process and practical applications are discussed

Evaluation of Convalescent Plasma for Ebola Virus Disease in Guinea

: In the wake of the recent outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in several African countries, the World Health Organization prioritized the evaluation of treatment with convalescent plasma derived from patients who have recovered from the disease. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma for the treatment of EVD in Guinea. : In this nonrandomized, comparative study, 99 patients of various ages (including pregnant women) with confirmed EVD received two consecutive transfusions of 200 to 250 ml of ABO-compatible convalescent plasma, with each unit of plasma obtained from a separate convalescent donor. The transfusions were initiated on the day of diagnosis or up to 2 days later. The level of neutralizing antibodies against Ebola virus in the plasma was unknown at the time of administration. The control group was 418 patients who had been treated at the same center during the previous 5 months. The primary outcome was the risk of death during the period from 3 to 16 days after diagnosis with adjustments for age and the baseline cycle-threshold value on polymerase-chain-reaction assay; patients who had died before day 3 were excluded. The clinically important difference was defined as an absolute reduction in mortality of 20 percentage points in the convalescent-plasma group as compared with the control group. : A total of 84 patients who were treated with plasma were included in the primary analysis. At baseline, the convalescent-plasma group had slightly higher cycle-threshold values and a shorter duration of symptoms than did the control group, along with a higher frequency of eye redness and difficulty in swallowing. From day 3 to day 16 after diagnosis, the risk of death was 31% in the convalescent-plasma group and 38% in the control group (risk difference, -7 percentage points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -18 to 4). The difference was reduced after adjustment for age and cycle-threshold value (adjusted risk difference, -3 percentage points; 95% CI, -13 to 8). No serious adverse reactions associated with the use of convalescent plasma were observed. : The transfusion of up to 500 ml of convalescent plasma with unknown levels of neutralizing antibodies in 84 patients with confirmed EVD was not associated with a significant improvement in survival. (Funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02342171.).<br/

Perspective of Islamic Self: Rethinking Ibn al-Qayyim’s Three-Heart Model from the Scope of Dynamical Social Psychology

The present article proposes the perspective of Islamic self (PIS), which is guided by three core principles. First, the Islamic self is shaped by the God’s predicament: The life test. Second, the structure of the self and its spiritual virtues represent means to succeed the life test. Third, the complex dynamics of the self can be mathematically formalized into a parsimonious framework. Specifically, the PIS considers the self as a dynamical system characterized by the emergence of self-organized stable and unstable patterns taking the form of positive (“illuminating heart”) or negative (“darkened heart”) dynamics.Scopu

Space-based tools for surveillance of natural resources: thematic mapp

International audienc

Outils de surveillance des ressources naturelles à l’échelle spatiale : cartographie thématique

International audienc

Introduction [Surveillance environnementale et développement]

Séminaire international : Les Systèmes de Surveillance, Outils de Gestion, de Planification et de Mise en Oeuvre Synergique des Conventions Environnementales : Enjeux et Défis au Circum Sahara, 2011/06/01-02, Tunis (Tunisie)International audienc

Electronic properties of the Mg2Si thermoelectric material investigated by linear-response density-functional theory

This paper presents Density-Functional Perturbation Theory (DFPT) calculations on the electronic, vibrational, and electron–phonon (EP) coupling properties of the Mg2Si thermoelectric compound. The DFPT yields very satisfactory results for the electronic and vibrational properties when compared to experiment. Regarding the EP interactions, as far as we know, they have never been reported so far. We show that the EP interactions in Mg2Si mainly involve the silicon atom. This result explains the improvement of the thermoelectric properties of Mg2Si using a solid solution Mg2Si1−xAx, where A is a heavier atom than Si. By guiding the choice of the substitution site, the study of the EP coupling properties could be used in the search of new thermoelectric materials based on solid solutions