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Moving Through The Violence: Yemeni Migrants And The Reconstruction Of Lifeworlds In Cairo, Jonathan Hearn

Theses and Dissertations

This Master’s thesis is based on an ethnographic study, following the lives of a small number of Yemeni people rebuilding their lives in Cairo. Their displacement is the consequence of many factors not least the outbreak of war in 2014. In response to this, I ask: In the midst of ongoing conflict, how do Yemeni migrants go about reconstructing their lifeworlds in Cairo? That is, to ask how are Yemeni migrants in Cairo responding to the violent disruption of their social realities and what sense are they making of the consequences. The reorganisation of social realities disrupted by conflict means …

University Students' Wellbeing: A Case Study Of An International Private University In Egypt, Alia Attia

Theses and Dissertations

Wellbeing is a crucial topic that is gaining increasing attention in higher education and should be taken into careful consideration. This is a qualitative case study, using a phenomenological approach, which explores the phenomenon of student wellbeing in an international private university in Egypt. Data was collected through semi-structured individual interviews with a total of fourteen participants: eight purposefully selected students who have taken part in wellbeing programs, initiatives, or events at the American University in Cairo (AUC), as well as six faculty/staff members, leaders, mentors, or coaches in the field were interviewed. In addition to the interviews, conversations were …

Measurements Of Rate Constant For Electrode Reactions, Lian-Huan Han, Jia-Yao Guo, Miao-Miao Cui

Journal of Electrochemistry

Standard electron-transfer rate constant is one of the intrinsic properties for an electrochemical reaction, which is significant in the study of electrode kinetics. It is a key criterion for one to clarify the mechanism and pathway of a specific electrochemical reaction, and to screening and design the electrocatalysts and battery materials. Herein, we will introduce the measuring methods of rate constant for electrode reactions, including polarization curve, rotating disk electrode, ultramicroelectrode, scanning electrochemical microscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, current step, potential step and cyclic voltammetry, etc., to provide a guide to investigate electrode kinetics for graduate students and researchers in the …

Frequency Of Asthma Exacerbations And Upper Respiratory Tract Infections Among Adults With Asthma According To Vaccination Status: Does The Annual Influenza Vaccine Have A Protective Effect?, Zalkha Al Kharusi, Rahma Al Kalbani, Rahma Al-Hadhrami

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Annual influenza vaccinations are recommended for asthma patients to prevent seasonal influenza and influenza-triggered asthma exacerbations. However, data on the beneficial effect of this vaccine on the frequency of asthma exacerbations are conflicting. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine in terms of reducing the frequency of asthma-related exacerbations and upper respiratory tract infections among adult patients with asthma. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was performed from January to December 2018 in Muscat Governorate, Oman. A total of 466 patients attending 9 randomly selected primary health centres in Muscat Governorate were enrolled in the …

Is High-Flow Nasal Oxygenation A Game Changer In Endobronchial Ultrasound-Guided Transbronchial Needle Aspiration?: A Pilot Study, Parli R. Ravi, Shyam P. Mantha, Asifa A. Mir, Rajini Kausalya, Sami M. Bennji

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) and supraglottic airway device (SAD) techniques in oncological patients undergoing endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA) to evaluate the efficacy of HFNO in them. Methods: This pilot study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos Comprehensive Cancer Care and Research Centre, Muscat, Oman, from May 2022 to March 2023. Patients undergoing EBUS TBNA under moderate sedation were quasi-randomised into the HFNO and SAD groups. The episodes and duration of hypoxia and the lowest level of oxygen saturation were the primary outcomes measured. Results: A total of 24 patients were …

Successful Treatment Of A Case Of Crescentic Glomerulonephritis In A Patient With Primary Peritoneal Carcinoma: A Case Report, Aref Zribi, Amro Nagy, Marwa Al Riyami, Ikram A. Burney

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Crescentic glomerulonephritis has been associated with several solid tumour malignancies. Only a few cases of nephropathy have been reported in association with tubo-ovarian/peritoneal malignancies. We report a 55-year-old female patient who presented to a tertiary care centre, Muscat, Oman, in 2022. She developed combined immune complex-mediated glomerulonephritis and pauci-immune necrotising crescentic vasculitis simultaneously with the diagnosis of tubo-ovarian/peritoneal cancer. The baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 13 mL/min. The patient received two doses of rituximab and three doses of pulse corticosteroids, leading to significant improvement in renal function and the disappearance of her proteinuria. The eGFR improved to >60mL/min; …

Primary Cutaneous Gamma/Delta T-Cell Lymphoma Simulating Lupus Erythematosus Panniculitis: What Do We Know About This Aggressive Mimicker?, Francisco Jd Torre-Gomar, Javier Gimeno-Castillo, Amaia Sagasta-Lacalle, Itziar Arrue-Michelena

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Contemporary Report Of Surgical Outcomes After Single-Stage Total Pancreatectomy: A 10-Year Experience, Nitzan Zohar, Luke Kowal, David Moskal, Francesca Ponzini, George Sun, Ryan J. Lamm, John Williamson, Avinoam Nevler, Harish Lavu, Warren R. Maley, Charles J. Yeo, Wilbur B. Bowne

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Surgeons rarely perform elective total pancreatectomy (TP). Our study seeks to report surgical outcomes in a contemporary series of single-stage (SS) TP patients.

METHODS: Between the years 2013 to 2023 we conducted a retrospective review of 60 consecutive patients who underwent SSTP. Demographics, pathology, treatment-related variables, and survival were recorded and analyzed.

RESULTS: SSTP consisted of 3% (60/1859) of elective pancreas resections conducted. Patient median age was 68 years. Ninety percent of these patients (n = 54) underwent SSTP for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Conversion from a planned partial pancreatectomy to TP occurred intraoperatively in 31 (52%) patients. Fifty-nine …

Paired Single-B-Cell Transcriptomics And Receptor Sequencing Reveal Activation States And Clonal Signatures That Characterize B Cells In Acute Myeloid Leukemia, Shengnan Guo, Gopi S Mohan, Bofei Wang, Tianhao Li, Naval Daver, Yuting Zhao, Patrick K Reville, Dapeng Hao, Hussein A Abbas

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with a dismal prognosis. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) to induce antitumor activity in AML patients has yielded mixed results. Despite the pivotal role of B cells in antitumor immunity, a comprehensive assessment of B lymphocytes within AML's immunological microenvironment along with their interaction with ICB remains rather constrained.

METHODS: We performed an extensive analysis that involved paired single-cell RNA and B-cell receptor (BCR) sequencing on 52 bone marrow aspirate samples. These samples included 6 from healthy bone marrow donors (normal), 24 from newly diagnosed AML patients (NewlyDx), and 22 from 8 relapsed or …

Oxygenation During Endobronchial Ultrasound: Where Do We Stand?, B Jayakrishnan, Hari Kishan Gonuguntla

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Effectiveness Of The Eutectic Mixture Of Local Anaesthetics Cream In The Management Of Arteriovenous Fistula Needle Insertion Pain In Patients Undergoing Haemodialysis, Hamed Al Shahri, Issa Al Salmi, Waleed Al Rajhi, Hamidreza Shemshaki

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of the eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics (EMLA) cream in the management of arteriovenous fistula (AVF) needle insertion pain in adult patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) compared with other alternative interventions. The main search was conducted in November 2020 and updated in December 2021. In the search strategy, keywords and synonyms were used and multiple databases were searched with no date limitation to ensure a comprehensive search that would yield all studies relevant to the review and minimise location bias. A total of 209 studies were found in this search and filtered. After filtering …

A Scoping Review Of The Biological, Socioeconomic And Environmental Determinants Of Overweight And Obesity Among Middle Eastern And Northern African Nationalities, Glenn Ford D Valdez, Muna Ajzoon, Noor Al Zuwameri

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Globally, and particularly in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, overweight and obesity have become serious public health concerns. This scoping review aimed to identify and summarise the available data on the determinants of overweight and obesity among MENA nationalities. Methods: An extensive search of electronic databases, including Google Scholar, PubMed and ProQuest, for articles published from 2007 until 2022 was conducted. A total of 10 articles, of the 333 that were found in the original search, met the inclusion criteria. Data extraction and quality assessment were applied to each of the selected studies. Results: There is …

Factors Affecting The Early Maturation Of Arteriovenous Fistulae Created At A Tertiary Centre In Oman, Sheikha Al Hashmi, Shouq Al Hudar, Edwin Stephen, Dawood Al Riyami, Hanan Al Maawali, Ibrahim Abdelhady, Khalifa Al Wahaibi, Syed Rizvi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the risk factors associated with the failure of arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) maturation. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted from January 2014 to December 2018 in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Patients were followed-up 3 months after surgery, and their electronic medical records were accessed for demographic and clinical data. Univariate analysis was used to determine the risk factors associated with early AVF maturation and multivariant analysis was used to determine the predictive factors for AVF failure. Results: A total of 269 patients were included. Female gender was a significant factor affecting AVF …

Frequency Of Dimethyl Fumarate-Induced Lymphopenia Among Omani Patients With Multiple Sclerosis, Ahmed Jaboob, Abdullah Al Asmi, M Mazharul Islam, Syed Rezvi, Iman Redha, Jaber Al-Khabouri, Ibrahim Al-Zakwani, Ahmed Al-Qassabi, Haifa Al-Abri, Arunodaya R. Gujjar

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) is known to cause lymphopenia when used to treat patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). However, research on DMF therapy in the Arab world, especially in Oman, is scarce. This study aimed to analyse the prevalence of lymphopenia among Omani patients with MS and their reasons for discontinuing DMF therapy. Methods: In this retrospective study, the medical records of Omani patients with MS who were treated using DMF at two tertiary hospitals in Muscat, Oman, from February 2017 to February 2023 were reviewed. Their demographic, clinical and laboratory data were retrieved and analysed. Absolute lymphocyte count values …

A Correlation Of Tumour Budding And Tumour-Stroma Ratio With Clinicopathological Factors In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma, Leena Verma, Kanika Singh, Mukta Pujani, Manjula Jain, Rk Chandoke, Charu Agarwal, Varsha Chauhan, Sujata Raychaudhuri, Avani Jain

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to analyse the association of tumour budding (TB) and tumour-stroma ratio (TSR) with clinicopathological parameters that can be easily viewed on routine haematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides to provide an easy and cost-effective method for prognosticating oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Methods: This study was conducted at the ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Faridabad, India, from July 2022 to October 2022. In patients with histologically diagnosed OSCC, TB and TSR were evaluated via routine H&E-stained sections and correlated with clinicopathological parameters. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-squared test. Results: A total of 50 patients were …

Prevalence, Characteristics And Determinants Of Polypharmacy Among Elderly Patients Attending Primary Healthcare Centres In Bahrain: A Cross-Sectional Study, Mahmood Alawainati, Fatima Habib, Eman Ateya, Eman Dakheel, Muneera Al-Buainain

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence, characteristics and determinants of polypharmacy among elderly patients in Bahrain. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between March and April 2022 in all primary healthcare centres in Bahrain. A simple random sample was obtained. An elderly patient was defined as one aged ≥60 years and polypharmacy was defined as the concomitant use of 5 or more medications, with excessive polypharmacy defined as the concomitant use of 10 or more medications. Results: A total of 977 patients were included, with more than half of them being females (n = 533, 54.55%) and the …

Magnitude And Determinants Of Awareness Regarding Refractive Surgeries Among Saudi Adults, Reem Alhuthail, Dalal Alessa, Amani Abualnaja, Shuruq Alkhalaf, Nadeef Alqahtani, Yara Aldosari, Jood Alnojaidi, Dalal Aldosari, Shahad Alruwaili

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to present the magnitude and determinants of awareness about refractive surgery among the adult Saudi population and recommend knowledge improvement. Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study was conducted between June 2020 and May 2021 across various regions of Saudi Arabia on the adult Saudi population. A total of 11 close-ended questions regarding indication, contraindication, preparation and surgery procedures were asked. The awareness scores were grouped as ‘good’ (≥6) or ‘poor’ (≤5). Demographic and ocular parameters were associated with the outcomes. Results: Of the 6,746 participants, 6,580 (response rate = 97.5%) completed the survey. The participation of younger …

Differential Gene Expression Profiles In Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients From Kurdistan, Iraq, Blnd Ibrahim Mohammed, Bushra K. Amin

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), generally comprising Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), has become a significant global public health concern in the last decade. This study aimed to determine the alternations in the whole genomic expression profile of patients with IBD in this geographic location for the first time, as there are very few articles in the literature addressing this specific aspect of the field. Methods: The study was conducted in Erbil Governorate in the Kurdistan region of Iraq from July 2021 to July 2022. The genome expression profiles of 10 patients with IBD were compared to their …

The Effects Of Different Storage Conditions On Leukocytes In Human Breast Milk, Diah K. Putri, Rahimi Syaidah, Ahmad A. Jusuf

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Breast milk is the best baby food because it contains various nutrients and important factors for the baby's immune system, including leukocytes. This study aimed to determine the effects on morphology, number of cells and breast milk leukocytes count of various ways of storing breast milk based on different temperatures and storage durations. Methods: This study was conducted at the Biochemistry Laboratory, Integrated Laboratory and the Histology Laboratory, Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia from September 2022 to February 2023. Transitional breast milk samples from 7 breastfeeding mothers were utilised in the study. A total of 50 mL was divided into …

Analysis Of Blood Cultures From Major Burns Patients In A Tertiary Care Burn Unit In Oman, Majid T. Albusaidi, Ahmed Al Jabri, Al Anood Al Hadhrami, Mutazz O. Al Khaldi, Moath A. Shummo, Karim M. Haridi, Ahmed Salah El Din, Salim M. Ghawas, Aml E. Saleh, Joe Jacob, Taif Alsafy, Anish T. Elias, Said Al-Busaidi

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to review the blood stream infections of major burn patients in a tertiary care burn unit to determine the most prevalent infecting organisms in order to have a better empirical therapy protocol. Methods: This retrospective study analysed the blood stream infection of 155 major burn (>20% Total Body Surface Area [TBSA]) patients in Khoula Hospital, Muscat, Oman between January 2014 to December 2019. Results: The median age was 33 years and 57.42% of patients were male. The median TBSA was 38%, mortality was 25.16% and 50.9% of patients had positive blood cultures. The expired patients …

Adherence To Medications In Patients With Ischaemic Heart Disease In Oman, Ahmed Al-Maskari, Qasim Al-Maamari, Mariya Al-Abdali, Hajer Al-Shaaibi, Sunil K. Nadar

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the level of adherence to medication among patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Oman and assess the related factors. Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among patients with IHD attending the outpatient clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, was performed between January and December 2021. Results: A total of 105 patients (mean age = 49.9 ± 11.1 years, 78.1% male) were recruited. Most of the patients (80%) reported taking the medications by themselves; 77 (73.3%) patients said that over the preceding 2 weeks, they had missed at least 3 doses of their …

Plate-Assisted Intramedullary Nailing Of Distal Tibia Fractures, Ioannis E. Kougioumtzis, George D. Chloros, Peyman Bakhshayesh

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

The combination of plate and intramedullary nailing has been established as the treatment of proximal tibial fractures. Nevertheless, at the distal end of the tibia, the application of the plate-assisted intramedullary nailing is rarely applied as a therapeutic technique. This technical note demonstrates the use of the reduction plating technique for nail insertion as the management of distal tibia fractures.

The Clinical And Paraclinical Manifestations Of Tuberous Sclerosis In An Omani Female Patient, Salma Al-Kharusi, Sharouq Al-Khatri

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Re: Erythematous Plaque In The Left Axillary Region: A Diagnostic Challenge Where Dermoscopy Can Help, Vitorino M. Dos Santos, Taciana Am Sugai

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Re: Propofol In Triple Trouble Kearns-Sayre Syndrome, Dyggve-Melchior-Clausen Syndrome, And Chromosome-9 Inversion, Sounira Mehri, Sinda Zarrouk, Josef Finsterer

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

No abstract provided.

Joint Time-Frequency Analysis: Taking Charge Penetration Depth And Current Spatial Distribution In The Single Pore As An Example, Nan Wang, Qiu-An Huang, Wei-Heng Li, Yu-Xuan Bai, Jiu-Jun Zhang

Journal of Electrochemistry

In recent years, joint time-frequency analysis has once again become a research hotspot. Supercapacitors have high power density and long service life, however, in order to balance between power density and energy density, two key factors need to be considered: (i) the specific surface area of the porous matrix; (ii) the electrolyte accessibility to the intra-pore space of porous carbon matrix. Electrochemical impedance spectra are extensively used to investigate charge penetration ratio and charge storage mechanism in the porous electrode for capacitance energy storage. Furthermore, similar results could be obtained by different methods such as stable-state analysis in the frequency …

Securing Synchrophasors Using Data Provenance In The Quantum Era, Kashif Javed, Mansoor Ali Khan, Mukhtar Ullah, Muhammad Naveed Aman, Biplab Sikdar

School of Computing: Faculty Publications

Trust in the fidelity of synchrophasor measurements is crucial for the correct operation of modern power grids. While most of the existing research on data provenance focuses on the Internet of Things, there is a significant need for effective malicious data detection in power systems. Current methods either fail to detect malicious data modifications or require certain Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs) to be physically secured. To solve these issues, this paper presents a new protocol to establish data provenance in synchrophasor networks. The proposed protocol is based on Physically Unclonable Functions (PUFs) and harnesses the principles of quantum unreality and …

Influence Of Alkali Metal Cations On The Oxygen Reduction Activity Of Pt5Y And Pt5Gd Alloys, Kun-Ting Song, Alexandra Zagalskaya, Christian M. Schott, Peter M. Schneider, Batyr Garlyyev, Vitaly Alexandrov, Aliaksandr S. Bandarenka

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Electrolyte species can significantly influence the electrocatalytic performance. In this work, we investigate the impact of alkali metal cations on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on active Pt₅Gd and Pt₅Y polycrystalline electrodes. Due to the strain effects, Pt alloys exhibit a higher kinetic current density of ORR than pure Pt electrodes in acidic media. In alkaline solutions, the kinetic current density of ORR for Pt alloys decreases linearly with the decreasing hydration energy in the order of Li⁺ > Na⁺ > K⁺ > Rb⁺ > Cs⁺, whereas Pt shows the opposite trend. To gain …

Corrigendum: Navigating Formula Shortages: Associations Of Parental Perspectives On Transitioning To Alternative Infant Formulas For Cow's Milk Protein Allergy During The 2022 National Formula Shortage, Abigail Fabbrini, Andrew Farrar, Jerry M. Brown, Lea V. Oliveros, Jared Florio, Jesse Beacker, Luke Lamos, Jessica V. Baran, Michael Wilsey

Student Publications

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By Any Means Necessary: How Black Women Academic Deans Sustain In White Spaces, Tiffani Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

This research study explored the strategies six Black women academic deans used to sustain themselves at historically white institutions (HWIs). The theoretical framework used to understand the women’s experiences included Critical Race Feminism (CRF) and Crenshaw’s intersectionality (1989). The purpose of this study was to understand these experiences to advance the conceptual understanding of sustaining in white spaces. This is a qualitative study that used narrative inquiry and provided a space for Black women academic deans to share their experiences. Four themes emerged from the interviews of the academic deans: (a) barriers, (b) unreasonable expectations, (c) self-origination, and (d) support …