SQU Journal Publication
Awards 2013
Deanship of Research
Sultan Qaboos University
Contents
Dean’s Statement.................................................................................................................. 3
Preface................................................................................................................................... 4
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences.................................................................. 7
College of Arts and Social Sciences................................................................................. 93
College of Economics and Political Science................................................................... 121
College of Education......................................................................................................... 143
College of Engineering..................................................................................................... 185
College of Law.................................................................................................................... 277
College of Medicine and Health Sciences...................................................................... 283
College of Nursing............................................................................................................. 377
College of Science.............................................................................................................. 397
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital................................................................................. 521
Other SQU Units............................................................................................................... 539
2
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Dean’s Statement
Since its inception, Sultan Qaboos University has vigorously striven to provide all the resources necessary
for establishing a solid infrastructure for scientific research. It has worked diligently to establish a strong
environment capable of advancing quality research output. Furthermore, it has constantly endeavoured
to create new scientific knowledge as a way of ensuring the welfare of human beings.
Scientific research and its output, taking such different forms as publishing, participation in conferences
and patents, help the university to achieve excellence and leadership locally, regionally and internationally.
It also raises the university’s global profile in all fields of knowledge. Aware of this significant role, the
university has focused its efforts on enhancing research productivity and has put in place administrative
and organizational structures to facilitate this. In addition, it has secured supportive funding and has
instituted awards to encourage its researchers to publish their work in reputable local, regional and
international outlets. This important effort, it is believed, will eventually raise the quality of the university’s
research output.
The Deanship of Research is responsible for organizing and supervising all scientific publishing activity
in the university through its Publication and Outreach Department. The Deanship recognizes the
importance of this as being essential for showcasing the quantity and quality of research produced by the
university’s faculty and researchers.
The Deanship also employs its resources to promote and spread a research culture across the wider society,
as being important for broad social development. Hence, ideas and proposals are sought from within and
outside the university. The Deanship has adopted a new strategy which emphasizes the role of scientific
research in decision-making. It has also endeavoured to place the results of research at the service of the
country and its development, an effort which constitutes a response to both the University’s and the
Sultanate’s strategies.
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
3
Preface
Academic publishing is an important academic aspect which is given much attention by universities,
since it is the main instrument of disseminating knowledge to the community. It is also a significant
indicator of their scientific richness and research efforts. The quality and quantity of the University’s
Publications are used to determine its international reputation.
In addition to that, academic publishing energizes the culture of scientific investigation and enhances the
society’s awareness of the importance of research. It also protects the authors’ rights to their publications
and helps avoiding research work to be replicated or re-done.
Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) has always encouraged its academics and researchers to publish books
and research papers in accordance with a system of rules, conditions and awards.
The Deanship of Research has been entrusted with implementing the University’s regulations regarding
publishing books and academic journals. It is in charge of handling the publications of academic staff in
external conferences and highlighting their research efforts in the media to ensure a close link between
the local community and the University researchers, who deliver solutions to various problems facing the
community. The Deanship incessantly encourages academics and researchers to publish their research
work in internationally recognized journals of sciences and humanities.
Due to the importance of academic publishing being an essential factor for measuring the University’s
research output and academic ranking, the University has put in place a publication awards system to
encourage faculty, staff and students to increase publishing in international peer-reviewed journals. This
system of financial incentive has positively influenced research productivity, visibility, impact and quality.
The number of research papers published in 2013, and processed in the first phase, February-April 2014,
and in the second phase, September-October 2014, is promising. There were 511 e-applications approved
and their researchers were rewarded for their papers. Financial awards are granted for publishing in
distinguished international journals, including the University’s periodicals. The international journals
and their ranking are as listed by recognised international database such as SCOPUS (Elsevier) and Web
of Science (Thomson-Reuters). For Humanities Colleges in SQU, the ranking of recognized Arabic
journals is based on expert assessment by both SQU faculty and international scholars in specific fields.
This book provides a summary and statistics of the number of research papers published by the University’s
academics and researchers in 2013 in global, outstanding journals. It is a reference book for researchers
and specialists, both inside and outside the Sultanate, to have access to the University’s research output.
It also seeks to enhance outreach and engagement between such research groups and, thus, contributes
to the development plans in the Sultanate and beyond.
Figure 1 shows that 55.8% of the approved papers appeared in Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science
databases, while 7.2% were published in SQU journals. The College of Science had 117 approved papers,
the highest number among other colleges (see table.1). The College of Law, on the other hand, reported
the lowest number of accepted papers, with two papers only.
4
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Generally, about 76% of the total, approved papers, published in distinguished journals, came from the sciencebased colleges at SQU, compared to 15% for the humanities-based colleges. In addition, 45 papers, come from
other university units including 13 papers from the SQU Hospital.
2.0% 2.2% 7.2% Published in JCR of Web of Science of Journals Published in Scopus Journals 32.9% 55.7% SQU Journals Published in among top 30% of HumaniEes Journals Published in among boFom 70% of HumaniEes Journals Figure 1 : Summary of the papers receiving JPA awards in 2013 for the different journal categories.
Table 1 : Statistics of Journal Publication Awards in 2013
Units
Numbers
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
81
College of Arts & Social Sciences
23
College of Commerce & Political Science
16
College of Education
37
College of Engineering
87
College of Law
2
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
89
College of Nursing
14
College of Science
117
SQU Hospital
13
Other SQU Units
32
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
5
College of Agricultural and
Marine Sciences
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Table 2 shows the number of published journal papers in College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences in 2013. The
college produced 81publications, 54.3% of these publications were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 42% were listed in
Scopus and 3.7% were published in SQU Journals.
Table 2: Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences in 2013.
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
College of Agricultural and Marine
Sciences
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
44
Listed in Scopus
34
SQU Journals
3
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
81
9
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Names
10
Pages
Applicant Names
Pages
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
11
Michel Claereboudt
55
Adil Ali Al Shehi
16
Mohamed Essa Mohamed
Musthafa
56
Adnan Rashid Nasser Al-Azri
17
Mohammad Ali Basunia
63
Albusaidi M. Rashid
18
Mostafa Ibrahim-Ahmed Waly
64
Ali Al-Subhi
19
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan
67
Amanat Ali
20
Mushtaque Ahmed
70
Anvar Kacimov
25
Nejib Guizani
71
Arne Malzahn
27
Omar Salim al-Jabri
75
Eugene H. Johnson
30
Osman Mahgoub Gaafar
76
Fahad al Said
31
Rashid Al-Yahyai
77
Gilha Yoon
32
Said Al Barwani
78
Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya
33
Said Salim Al-Ismaily
80
Isam T. Kadim
37
Sergey Dobretsov
81
Ismail Mohammed Ali Al-Bulushi
41
Sergey Piontkovski
84
Khalid Abdulla Al-hashmi
42
Shekar Bose
87
Manickavasagan
43
Teena Ann Mathew
89
Md. Shafiur Rahman
49
Yasmin ElTahir
90
Michael Deadman
53
Zahra Sulaiman Nasser
Al-Kharousi
91
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Population genetic analysis reveals diversity in Lasiodiplodia species infecting date
palm, citrus, and mango in Oman and the UAE
Journal Title
Plant Disease
Volume/Issue/Pages
97/10/1363-1369
Authors
Al-Sadi, A. M., Al-Wehaibi, A. N., Al-Shariqi, R. M., Al-Hammadi, M. S., Al-Hosni,
I. A., Al-Mahmooli, I. H., and Al-Ghaithi, A. G.
“Lasiodiplodia is a common pathogen causing dieback, gummosis, or root necrosis on the three most important fruit crops in Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE): date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), Citrus
spp., and mango (Mangifera indica). A study was conducted to examine diversity in 64 Lasiodiplodia isolates
infecting date palm (24), Citrus (11), and mango (29) in Oman and the UAE. Identification based on sequences
of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA and EF1α gene showed that date palm isolates belonged to L.
hormozganensis (75% of isolates) and L. theobromae (25%); Citrus isolates belonged to L. hormozganensis
(45%), L. theobromae (45%), and L. iraniensis (10%); and mango isolates belonged to L. theobromae (59%),
L. iraniensis (34%), and L. hormozganensis (7%). Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting of the 64 isolates using four primer pair combinations produced 64 genotypes and 972 polymorphic
alleles. Cluster analysis separated the isolates into four clusters representing the three species. A higher level
of genetic diversity was observed in L. iraniensis (0.3105) compared to L. hormozganensis (0.2503) and L.
theobromae (0.2331) in Oman. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated the existence of low levels of genetic differentiation among date palm populations of L. hormozganensis obtained from Oman and
the UAE (FST = 0.025) and among populations of L. hormozganensis (0.0485) and L. theobromae (0.0703)
from date palm, Citrus, and mango. These findings imply a high rate of movement of L. hormozganensis
and L. theobromae isolates among date palm, Citrus, and mango and between the two countries. Findings
from the pathogenicity test supported the AMOVA analysis and suggested a lack of host specialization in
L. hormozganensis, L. iraniensis, and L. theobromae on date palm, acid lime, and mango. Although this
is the first record of L. hormozganensis and L. iraniensis in Oman, the relatively moderate level of genetic
diversity in the two species compared to L. theobromae suggests that the two species have been in Oman for
a long time but misidentified by morphology and ITS rDNA sequences as L. theobromae. This study is also
the first record of date palm and acid lime as natural hosts for L. hormozganensis and the first record of L.
hormozganensis in the UAE. The diversity in Lasiodiplodia species affecting date palm, Citrus, and mango
in Oman and the UAE should be taken into consideration when planning future management programs for
diseases caused by these pathogens.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
11
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Potential of citrus budlings originating in the Middle East as sources of citrus viroids
Journal Title
Crop Protection
Volume/Issue/Pages
48/1/13-15
Key Words
Exocortis; Acid lime
Authors
S.A. Al-Harthi, A.M. Al-Sadi, A.A. Al-Saady
“A study was conducted to determine the potential of citrus budlings originating in the Middle East as
sources of citrus viroids. A total of 101 citrus budlings belonging to 9 citrus cultivars which originated from
5 countries were collected from commercial nurseries in 2010. A multiplex reverse transcription polymerase
chain reaction (mRT-PCR) was used for detection of CEVd, CBLVd, HSVd, CDVd and CBCVd viroids from
the budlings. Multiplex RT-PCR analysis, followed by sequencing of representative isolates, showed that 29,
28, 54, 68 and 79% of the citrus budlings are positive for CEVd, CBLVd, HSVd, CDVd and CBCVd viroids,
respectively. Viroids were detected in citrus budlings originating in Oman, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordon.
Viroids from Oman were found to share 94–100% nucleotide similarity with viroids from other parts of the
world. Findings from this study provide evidence for circulation of citrus viroids via budlings originating in
the Middle East. Strict quarantine measures and certification programs are required to reduce widespread
distribution of citrus viroids via citrus budlings originating in these countries.”
12
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Etiology, development and reaction of muskmelon to vine decline under arid conditions of Oman
Journal Title
Phytopathologia Mediterranea
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/3/457-465
Key Words
Monosporascus; Pythium; wilt; root rot
Authors
Qais Saif AL-Mawaali, Abdullah Mohammed AL-SADI, Fahad AlJulanda Al-Said
and Michel Leonard Deadman
“Muskmelon vine decline is considered the most important factor limiting muskmelon production in Oman.
This study was conducted to characterize incidence, development, causal agents and response of muskmelon
cultivars to this disease. A survey showed that incidence of the disease ranged from 0 to 15% (mean 5%)
in spring 2011, 1 to 80% (mean 18%) in autumn 2011 and 0 to15% (mean 10%) in spring 2012. Isolations
from 168 affected plants yielded Pythium aphanidermatum (56% of diseased plants sampled), Fusarium spp.
(46%), Monosporascus cannonballus (27%), Rhizoctonia solani (22%) and Macrophomina phaseolina (1%).
In pathogenicity tests, R. solani, M. cannonballus and P. aphanidermatum were found to be pathogenic to
muskmelon. In another experiment over three seasons, M. cannonballus, P. aphanidermatum and R. solani
were consistently isolated from muskmelon plants on a weekly basis from 14 days after sowing until the end
of the season. However, symptom development only began with the onset of fruiting, which suggests that
fruiting stress may be a factor in vine decline disease development. Field assessment of 11 muskmelon cultivars showed that ‘Shahd F1’ was one of the cultivars least susceptible to vine decline and was relatively high
yielding. This is the first record of M. cannonballus as a causal agent of muskmelon vine decline in Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
13
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Phylogenetic and population genetic analysis of ceratocystis radicicola infecting date
palms
Journal Title
Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume/Issue/Pages
95/1/49-57
Key Words
AFLP fingerprinting, genotypic diversity, Phoenix dactylifera.
Authorts
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
“A study was conducted to investigate the genetic diversity of C. radicicola from different regions of Omanand
its relationship to populations of C. radicicola from other parts in the Arabian peninsula and the USA. A
total of 32 C. radicicola isolates from Oman (23), the United Arab Emirates (UAE) (2), Kuwait (1) and the
USA (6) were analysed using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal DNA (ITS
rDNA) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). AFLP analysis of the 32 isolates produced 32
different genotypes and 999 polymorphic alleles (100% polymorphism). The Omani population of C. radicicola was found to be more genetically diverse (H = 0.274) than the USA population (H = 0.186), which may
suggest a longer history of C. radicicola in Oman. UPGMA analysis based on Nei’s genetic distance as well
as phylogenetic analysis based on ITS rDNA sequences separated the USA isolates from those from Oman,
UAE and Kuwait with a very high bootstrap support. This was supported by low to moderate levels of genetic
differentiation between populations of C. radicicola within the Arabian peninsula (FST = -0.0297-0.1341)
as compared with high levels of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.2939- 0.3913) of the population from the
USA. These findings may imply that populations of C. radicicola from the USA and the Arabian peninsula
have been evolving independently for a considerably long period of time as opposite to constant gene flow
between regions in the Arabian peninsula. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed that genetic
variation is more associated with geographical regions (FST = 0.1807, P < 0.0001) than hosts (FST = 0.0307,
P = 0.1681), which may imply the lack of host “cultivar” specialization in C. radicicola.”
14
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Mohammed Al-Sadi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Influence of carbon/nitrogen ratio on pythium aphanidermatum and on pythium-induced damping-off of radish
Journal Title
Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume/Issue/Pages
95/1/181-185
Key Words
Organic matter, organic agriculture, damping-off, Pythium aphanidermatum, soilborne diseases.
Authors
A. Al-Azizi, A.M. Al-Sadi, H. Dietz, F.A. Al-Said and M.L. Deadman
“A study was conducted to investigate the effect of fertilizers with different carbon/nitrogen ratios (no carbon,
NC; low carbon/nitrogen ratio, LC; high carbon/nitrogen ratio, HC) on Pythium aphanidermatum and on
radish damping-off. The ratio of carbon to nitrogen applied in the field was 29, 22 and 0 in 2007 and 22, 17
and 0 in 2008 for HC, LC (as cattle manure) and NC, respectively. Field experiments over two growing seasons
provided evidence for the lowest mortalities due to Pythium-induced radish damping-off to be in soil amended
with LC (P<0.05). Isolations from diseased plants yielded P. aphanidermatum. When radish seedlings were
planted in autoclaved soil artificially infested with P. aphanidermatum, the highest mortalities were observed
in soil amended with HC and NC, while the significantly lowest mortalities were in soil amended with LC.
Change in the inoculum density of P. aphanidermatum over time was not significant between soils treated
with NC, LC and HC (P>0.05), which may imply a lack of evidence for the effect of carbon/nitrogen ratio on
reproduction in P. aphanidermatum.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
15
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Adil Ali Al Shehi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
m026203@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Identification of whitefly (Bemicia tabaci Genn.) biotypes and associated bacterial
symbionts in Oman
Journal Title
Journal of Plant Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2/39-44
Key Words
Bemicia tabaci; Biotype; Oman; Primary symbiont; Secondary symbiont.
Authors
Al-Shehi, A.A., Khan, A.J
“Oman is located on southeast corner of the Arabian Peninsula and the whitefly (Bemicia tabaci Genn) is
a predominant pest responsible for vectoring begomoviruses. Whitefhes were collected during 2011-2012
from various crops grown in different regions of Oman for biotype and secondary symbiont identification.
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification with specific primers was used for B. tabaci biotypes and
secondary symbionts identification. Only biotype B of B. tabaci was identified from whitefly population
collected from various crops in different regions of Oman. All B biotypes were found to be infected with the
secondary symbiont, Hamiltonella. The presence of only biotype B strongly suggests that it is a well-adapted
pest to a variety of crops grown in different geographical regions of Oman.”
16
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Adnan Rashid Nasser Al-Azri
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
adnazri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Mesoscale and nutrient conditions associated with the massive 2008 Cochlodinium
polykrikoides bloom in the sea of Oman/Arabian Gulf
Journal Title
Journal of coastal and estuarine research federation
Volume/Issue/Pages
36/5/1-14
Key Words
Phytoplankton. cochlodinium polyrikoides. Sea of Oman. Noctiluca scintillans.
Harmful algal blooms.
Authors
Adnan R. Al-Azri, Sergey A. Piontkovski, Khalid A. Al-Hashmi, Joaquim I. Goes,
Helga do R. Gomes, Patricia M. Glibert
“Cohlodinium Polyrikoides formed large blooms in the coastal waters of Oman October 2008 through midJanuary 2009, and satellite images from A qua- MODIS and region - wide reports suggest that this bloom
was found throughout the Arabian Gulf and Sea of Oman for more than 10 months. The unusual occurrenc
of this species appears to have supplanted the more regularly occurring bloom species, Noctilua scintillans,
in 2008 - 2009. For the first 2 weeks of the coastal Omani bloom, C. polykrikoides abundance was near
monospecific proportions, with cell densities ranging form 4.6 x 10 to 9 x 10 cells L and very high level of
chlorophy a (78.0 ug L) were also recorded. The regional progression of the bloom likely began with stronger
than normal up welling along the Iranian and northern Omani coasts during the southwest monsoon in late
summer, followed by discharge of unusally plume water along the cost of Oman with the reversal of monsoonal winds in late October. The occurrence and persistence of high densities of C. polykrikoides in Oman
coastal water also significantly influenced by an elevated nutrients, especially NH4, urea, PO4, and organic
nitrogen and phosphorus, were many fold higher than observed in the years prior or since. These findings
suggest that mesoscale features were important in bloom dynamics more regionally, but locally the bloom
was sustained by nutrient enrichment supplemented by its mixotrophic capabilities.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
17
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Albusaidi M. Rashid
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
rashid99@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
A serological study on foot and mouth disease in cattle from the Dhofar Governorate of Oman
Journal Title
Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Research Journal.
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/--/31-35
Key Words
Anilines; coumarin 6-SO2CL; fluorescence detection; high-performance liquid
chromatography (HPLC); pre-column derivatization
Authors
Rashid M. Al-Busaidi, Ahmed Al -Jassasi, and Eugene H. Johnson
“Foot and mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious viral disease that has a significant impact on the
economy and livestock productivity of affected countries. Based on unpublished reports, serotype O has
been incriminated as the sole serotype present in Oman. The present study was conducted in the Dhofar
region of the Sultanate of Oman between August 2003 and March 2004 with the objective of determining the
seroprevalence against FMDV in Dhofari cattle. Sera samples were collected from 395 cattle in 19 different
herds. Sera underwent screening using a Liquid Phase Blocking ELISA to determine the antibody response
to the serotypes O, A, C, Asia 1, Sat1, Sat 2, and Sat 3. The overall seroprevalence of FMd. was 52.1% (n=206).
Of the seropositive animals, 77.7% were positive for type O and 22.3% for type A. There was no significant
variation in seroprevalence among different sex and groups; however, there was a tendency towards a higher
incidence of seropositive in older animals. This study confirmed that FMDV is widespread in the Dhofar
region. Furthermore, it is the first report of serotype A and an animal testing seropositive for O and A in the
Sultanate of Oman.”
18
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ali Al-Subhi
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alsubhia@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Ceratocystis manginecans associated with a serious wilt disease of two native legume trees in Oman and Pakistan
Journal Title
Australasian Plant Pathol.
Volume/Issue/Pages
42/--/179–193
Key Words
Ceratocystis fimbriata. C. acaciivora. Cross inoculation. Fungi. Host jumps. Nonorthologous ITS types
Authors
A. O. Al Adawi, I. Barnes, I. A. Khan, A. M. Al Subhi, A. VA. Al Jahwari, M. L.
Deadman, B. D. Wingfield and M. J. Wingfield
“A serious wilt disease has recently been found on Prosopis cineraria (Ghaf) in Oman and on Dalbergia
sissoo (Shisham) in Pakistan. Disease symptoms on both these native, leguminous hosts include vascular
discolouration and partial or complete wilt of affected trees. A species of Ceratocystis was consistently isolated from symptomatic material. Morphological comparisons and analyses of DNA sequence data of the
ITS, β-tubulin, and EF 1-α gene regions showed that the Ceratocystis isolates obtained from both tree species
represent C. manginecans. This is the same pathogen that is causing the devastating mango sudden decline
disease in Oman and Pakistan. This is also the same pathogen that has been reported causing a wilting disease
on Acacia mangium in Indonesia. Cross inoculation with C. manginecans isolates from P. cineraria, D. sissoo
and mango showed that the fungus can cause disease on all three trees.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
19
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Amanat Ali
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
amanat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Leptinemia among obese Omani adults newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A case - control study
Journal Title
J. Med Sci
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/3/1-7
Key Words
Dietaiy pattern; Leptin; Obesity; Omani adults; Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors
Waly, M.I, Ali, A., Al-Farsi, Y.M., Bhatt, N., Al-Kilani, H., Ouhtit, A., Al-Maskari, M.Y
“Leptinemia is associated with obesity and obesity and hyperinsulinemia are considered as the main etiological
factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among adult subjects. The present case-control study evaluated
the dietaiy pattern and biochemical profile of newly diagnosed T2DM obese Omani adults as compared to
their age, weight and gender matched control subjects. Two hundred Omani adults (100 obese adults newly
diagnosed with T2DM and 100 healthy controls) were included in this study. Dietaiy intake, body mass index
and biochemical measurements for fasting serum glucose, insulin, leptin and blood glycated hemoglobin
levels were evaluated for all study participants. Subjects with T2DM showed significantly (p<0.05) higher daily
intake of total fats, carbohydrates and energy as compared to controls. Leptinemia and hyperinsulinemia were
common among obese diabetic adults as compared to controls. The mean fasting serum levels of glucose and
glycated hemoglobin in obese diabetic subjects were significantly (p<0.05) higher than controls. Serum leptin
level was found to be positively correlated with body mass index, serum insulin level and total energy intake
in all the study subjects. Our results suggest that leptinemia is a risk factor for T2DM in obese Omani adults.”
20
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Amanat Ali
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
amanat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Chemical composition, fatty acids content and glycemic index of two different
types of Omani Halwa
Journal Title
Pakistan Journal of Nutrition
Volume/Issue/Pages
12/8/753-760
Key Words
Fatty acids; Glycemic index; Omani Halwa; Proximate composition
Authors
Ali, A., Al-Zuhaibi, K.M., Waly, M.I., Al-Alawi, A.A., Al-Sabahi, J.N., Sankar, D
“The study evaluated the chemical composition, fatty acids contents and Glycemic Index (Gl) of two different types (white and black) of Omani Halwa. Representative samples of Omani Halwa were collected from
the local market. The proximate composition and energy contents of white and black Halwa did not vary
significantly (p<0.05). The percentage moisture, crude protein, total fat, ash, crude fiber and Nitrogen Free
Extract (NFE) in white and black Halwa were 11.8 and 12.1; 0.28 and 0.44; 13.8 and 12.4; 0.01 and 0.02; 0.15
and 0.05 and 74.0 and 75.0, respectively. The energy values in white and black Halwa were 421.3 and 413.4
kcal/100 g, respectively. No significant (p<0.05) differences were observed in the total fatty acids, Saturated
Fatty Acids (SFA), Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) content
in both types of Omani Halwa. The SFA were present in highest concentration. The proportionate percentages of SFA, MUFA and PUFA in white and black Halwa were 64.57, 65.47, 31.28, 30.79, 4.11 and 3.74%,
respectively. The average Gl and GL values for white and black Halwa also did not vary (p<0.05) and were
54.8 and 52.0 and 14 and 13.4, respectively. Although the glycemic index values of Omani Halwa fall in low
Gl category (<55), it should be consumed with caution because of its high fat, in particular of SFA and high
sugar contents.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
21
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Amanat Ali
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
amanat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Seasonal variability in the chemical composition of ten commonly consumed fish
species from Oman
Journal Title
The journal of Animal & Plant Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/3/805-812
Key Words
Seasonal variability; chemical composition; fatty acids; minerals; fish; Oman
Authors
Ali, A., Al-Abri, E.S., Goddard, J.S., Ahmed, S.I
“Nutritional quality, fatty acids and mineral composition of 10 commonly consumed fish species from Oman
were evaluated. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in the condition factor, flesh percentage
(edible yield), proximate chemical composition, fatty acids and mineral contents of different fish species.
Seasonal variability only affected the moisture, ash, fat and fatty acids but did not affect the crude protein
and minerals. The condition factor and flesh percentage (edible yield) of various fish species ranged from
0.5 to 1.4 and 31.7 to 71.5% respectively. The average moisture, ash, total fat, and crude protein contents in
the fish muscles of various species ranged from 67.0-78.2%, 1.1-1.5%, 0.6-6.2%, 19.1-26.1%, respectively. The
energy values in fish muscles ranged from 86 to 136 kcal/100g of fish flesh. Variable concentrations of twenty
different fatty acids and 16 minerals were identified in these fishes. Commonly consumed fish species from
Oman represent an excellent source of protein, essential fatty acids and minerals.”
22
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Amanat Ali
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
amanat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Evaluation of indigenous Omani legumes for their nutritional quality, phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties
Journal Title
International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/4/333-346
Key Words
Indigenous varieties; Legumes; Oman; Phytochemicals; Proximate composition.
Authors
Ali, A., Al-Saady, N.A., Waly, M.I., Bhatt, N., Al-Subhi, A.M., Khan, A.J.
“Four indigenous Omani legumes (faba bean, cowpeas, chickpeas and lentils), collected from three different
regions of Oman, were evaluated for their proximate composition, phytochemical contents and antioxidant
properties. The proximate composition varied significantly. Regional variability however, did not affect the
proximate composition, except crude protein content of cowpea and chickpea. The average values for moisture,
protein, fat, fibre and ash ranged from 8.5% to 9.6%, 22.5% to 23.9%, 1.1% to 1.8%, 4.5% to 7.6% and 3.1 to
3.5% respectively. Both variety and regional variability affected the phytochemical contents. The average total
phenol contents, tannins, and flavonoids ranged from 15.1 to 131.8 mg GAE/100 g, 13.2 to 100.8 mg CAE/100
g and 1.7 to 19.9 mg CAE/100g respectively, whereas the oxalates and saponins contents ranged from 56.1
to 197.8 and 2, 699.1 to 3, 598.1 mg/100 g respectively. A significant correlation was observed between the
total phenol contents and the reducing power of legumes. +F253.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
23
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Amanat Ali
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
amanat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Dietary and lifestyle factors and Risk of Non-Hodgkin’s lymphopma in Oman
Journal Title
Asian Pacific Journal of Centre Prevention
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/2/841-847
Key Words
Dietary and lifestyle factors; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; Oman; case-control
Authors
Ali, A., Al-Belushi, B.S., Waly, M.I, Al-Moundhri, M., Burney, I.A
“Background: The incidence of various types of cancers including the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) has
increased during the recent years. Diet and lifestyle factors have been reported to play an important role in
the etiology of NHL. However, no such data are available from the Middle Eastern countries, including Oman.
Materials and Methods: Forty-three histologically confirmed cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) diagnosed at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) and the Royal Hospital (RH), Muscat, Oman and
forty-three age and gender matched controls were the subjects of this study. Frequency matching was used
to select the control population. Information on social and demographic data as well as the dietary intake
was collected by personal interviews, using a 117-items semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire.
Results: A non-significant increased risk of NHL was observed with higher body mass index (BMI) (OR=1.20,
95% CI: 0.45, 2.93), whereas a significantly decreased risk of NHL was associated with a higher educational
level (OR=0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.53). A significantly increased risk was observed for higher intake of energy
(OR=2.67, 95% CI: 0.94, 7.57), protein (OR=1.49, 95% CI: 0.54, 4.10) and carbohydrates (OR=5.32, 95% CI:
1.78, 15.86). Higher consumption of daily servings from cereals (OR=3.25, 95% CI: 0.87, 12.09) and meat
groups (OR=1.55, 95% CI: 0.58, 4.15) were also found to be associated with risk of NHL, whereas a significantly reduced risk was associated with higher consumption of vegetables (OR=0.24, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.82).
The consumption of fruits, milk and dairy products however showed no significant association with the risk
of developing NHL.
Conclusion: The results suggest that obesity, high caloric intake, higher consumption of carbohydrate and
protein are associated with increased risk of NHL, whereas a significantly reduced risk was observed with
higher intake of vegetables.”
24
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Anvar Kacimov
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
anvar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Pseudohysteretic double -front hiatus stage soil water parcels supplying a plant-root
continuum: the Green -Ampt- Young model revisited
Journal Title
Hydrological Sciences journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
58/1/237-248
Key Words
Drainage-imbibition; ecohydrology; evapotranspiration; infiltration; root water
uptake; two-front Green-Ampt approximation
Authors
Kasimova R.G, Obnosov Yu.V, Baksht F.B and Kacimov A.R
“A tension-saturated water slug descends through a homogenous soil after a rainfall (irrigation) event and
shrinks due to transpiration by a distributed root-sink and evaporation. The upper (drainage) and lower
(imbibition) sharp fronts of the slug separate it from the superjacent and subjacent vadose zones, where
water is immobile. In the slug, the hydraulic conductivity is constant according to the Green-Ampt model.
The capillary pressures as well as effective porosities on the fronts are given (generally, different) constants
that can be viewed as a kind of hysteresis. A volumetric sink models mild (no desaturation of the slug) soil
water withdrawal by the plant roots. The sink intensity varies with the depth from the soil surface and with
time. Mathematically, the hydraulic head is immediately expressed by double integration of a governing 1-D
flow equation. The pressure and kinematic conditions on the fronts result in a Cauchy problem for a system
of two ODEs, which is solved by computer algebra routines.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
25
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Anvar Kacimov
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
anvar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Optimal shape an anthill dome: Bejan’s constructual law revisited
Journal Title
Ecological Modelling
Volume/Issue/Pages
250/1/384-390
Key Words
Ant nest; Constructal design; Global minimum; Heat transfer; Mathematical modelling; Social insects
Authors
Anvar Kacimov and Yurii Obnosov
“An anthill is modelled as a paraboloid of revolution, whose surface (dome) dissipates heat from the interior
of the nest to the ambient air according to the Robin boundary condition, which involves a constant coefficient, given temperature jump and dome’s area. The total heat loss of the net is one (integral) component
of ants’ colony expenditures of energy. Ants, populating the paraboloid, spend also energy individually, by
hoisting the load from the ground surface to a certain elevation within the paraboloid and by overcoming a
Coulombian resistance, proportional to the trajectory length. In order to count the gross colony expenditures
for these mechanical activities all trajectories are integrated over the volume. Ants are assumed to move along
the shortest straight lines of their regular sorties between the nest and forest. The three-component energy is
mathematically expressed as a closed-form function of only one variable, the paraboloid height-to-width ratio.
The minimum of this function is found by a routine of computer algebra. The proposed model amalgamates
into a single and relatively simple function, tractable by standard calculus, the property of the whole structure (dome area) with labouring of insects-comrades. The ants are sociobiologically analogized with Bejan’s
builders of ancient pyramids and contemporary designers of man-made “dream-houses” or “dream-prisons.”
26
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Arne Malzahn
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
arne@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
High tolerance of microzooplankton to ocean acidification in an Arctic coastal
plankton community
Journal Title
Biogeoscience
Volume/Issue/Pages
10//1471-1481
Key Words
High ph; sea water acidification; phytoplankton growth; marine-phytoplankton;
emiliania-huxleyi; increased pco(2); grazing impact; carbon-dioxide; west greenland; co2 levels
Authors
N. Aberle, K. G. Schulz, A. Stuhr, A. M. Malzahn, A. Ludwig, and U. Riebesell
“Impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on marine biota have been observed in a wide range of marine systems.
We used a mesocosm approach to study the response of a high Arctic coastal microzooplankton community
during the post-bloom period in Kongsfjorden (Svalbard) to direct and indirect effects of high pCO(2)/low
pH. We found almost no direct effects of OA on microzooplankton composition and diversity. Both the
relative shares of ciliates and heterotrophic dinoflagellates as well as the taxonomic composition of microzooplankton remained unaffected by changes in pCO(2)/pH. Although the different pCO(2) treatments affected
food availability and phytoplankton composition, no indirect effects (e. g. on the total carrying capacity
and phenology of microzooplankton) could be observed. Our data point to a high tolerance of this Arctic
microzooplankton community to changes in pCO(2)/pH. Future studies on the impact of OA on plankton
communities should include microzooplankton in order to test whether the observed low sensitivity to OA
is typical for coastal communities where changes in seawater pH occur frequently.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
27
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Arne Malzahn
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
arne@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Goldman revisited: Faster-growing phytoplankton has lower N:P and
lower stoichiometric flexibility
Journal Title
Limnology & Oceanography
Volume/Issue/Pages
85/6/2076-2088
Key Words
Biogeochemical cycle; chemical composition; environmental conditions;
growth rate; meta-analysis; nutrient availability; nutrient cycling; phytoplan.
Authors
Helmut Hillebrand, Georg Steinert, Maarten Boersma, Arne Malzahn,
Cedric Leo Meunier, Christoph Plum, and Robert Ptacnik.
“In their seminal paper, Goldman et al. suggested that phytoplankton close to maximum growth rate attains
a restricted optimal N: P ratio close to the Redfield ratio of molar N: P = 16. Recently, the presence of such
a global attractor for optimal phytoplankton stoichiometry has been questioned in models and empirical
analyses. As the chemical composition of phytoplankton is of major importance for our understanding of
global elemental cycles and biogeochemical transformations, we assembled 55 data sets of phytoplankton
growth rate and biomass N: P ratios in a meta-analysis testing (1) whether phytoplankton N: P converges at
high growth rates, (2) whether N: P ratios scale with growth rate, and (3) whether the optimal N: P ratios
achieved at highest growth rates reflect organism traits or environmental conditions. Across systems and
species, phytoplankton N: P decreased with increasing growth rate and at the same time showed decreasing
variance, i.e., fast-growing phytoplankton is more P rich and has a more confined elemental composition.
Optimal N: P increased with increasing N: P of available nutrients, i.e., with increasing P limitation. Other
differences were rare, except cyanobacteria showed higher optimal N: P than diatoms. Understanding the role
of phytoplankton in biogeochemical transformation requires modelling approaches that are stoichiometrically
flexible to reflect the dynamics of growth and nutrient supply in primary producers.”
28
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Arne Malzahn
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
arne@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Impact of swimming behaviour and nutrient limitation on predator–prey interactions in pelagic microbial food webs
Journal Title
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology
Volume/Issue/Pages
446/1/29-35
Key Words
Ecological stoichiometry; Feeding behaviour; Motility; Oxyrrhis marina; Trophic
interactions
Authors
Cédric Léo Meunier, Karoline Schulz, Maarten Boersma, and Arne Michael
Malzahn
“Heterotrophic dinoflagellates are motile protozoans, important consumers of phytoplankton in aquatic
environments. Motility is a main advantage for predators during grazing activities, but can also serve as defence mechanisms against being grazed. Thus, numerous microalgal species are also motile. We hypothesise
that the nutrient status of an organism affects its swimming speed and especially that nutrient limitation has
a negative impact on cell motility. Such altered motility of both predator and prey should influence feeding
success of grazers. We tested those hypotheses by investigating the impact of nutrient (phosphorus) limitation
on motility of two algal species, Rhodomonas salina and Teleaulax sp., and the heterotrophic dinoflagellate
Oxyrrhis marina and examined how differences in prey swimming speed affect grazing of O. marina. We
show that nutrient limitation had a strong impact, reducing algal swimming speed and escape success and in
turn significantly influencing food uptake of O. marina which was maximal for intermediate prey swimming
speed. We also tested the importance of algal behaviour on O. marina selective feeding and observed that
Teleaulax sp. presented an escape behaviour, which appeared to be an effective defence mechanism against
grazing of O. marina. While this study has focused on the trophic interactions between two algal species and
one dinoflagellate, the impact of nutrient limitation and escape strategy on feeding success of the predator is
likely to be found in the whole range of plankton trophic interactions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
29
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Eugene H. Johnson
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
ejohnson@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
A review of observations made on select parameters of the camel immune system
Journal Title
Agricultural And Marine Sciences journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/1/1-6
Key Words
Camel, immune system, antibodies, leukocytes
Authors
Johnson, E. H.; Al-Habsi, K. R.; Al-Busaidi, R. M.
“Despite the camel’s long historical interaction with man there is only a limited number of studies available
pertaining to the immunobiology of this species. This is unfortunate as the camel has evolved into an animal
capable of not only surviving under extreme environmental conditions but also into one that is relatively
resistant to a great number of infectious diseases. Accordingly, it is of interest to understand the various components operative in the camel immune system, as a potential basis of manipulating the immune response
of other domesticated animals to respond to disease-causing agents in a similarly effective fashion. Recent
research endeavors on the complement and phagocytic system, as well as the unique antibody types found
in camelids that have seen an explosion of interest in recent times have been reviewed and their potential
use as diagnostic tools highlighted.”
30
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Fahad al Said
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
faalsaid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Traditional cultivation of pomegranate in Oman
Journal Title
Acta Horticulturae
Volume/Issue/Pages
Proc.2nd All Africa Horticulture Congress/1007/549-555
Key Words
Agroecology; Ethnobotany; Mountain; Punica granatum; Terraces; Traditional
farming
Authors
F.A. Al Said, R.A. Al-Yahyai, U.L. Opara
“Oman is located on the South-Eastern Arabian peninsula at the crossroads between the continents of Asia
and Africa. Variations in topography and climate allow for the cultivation of several fruit crops, including
temperate crops. At the high altitude of the Al Jabal Al Akhdar mountain range in northern Oman, pomegranate and temperate crops are grown. The inhabitants of the mountain oases follow a traditional system
of cultivating pomegranates in the man-built terraces. Family-owned, small-scale farms are predominant
in these terraces. Changes in climate and the generation gap threaten the continuation of this system of
cultivation. This paper discusses the horticulture of pomegranates in Al Jabal Al Akhdar, Oman, including
traditional planting systems, irrigation, fertilizer application, tree and farm management, and the various
uses of pomegranate fruit. Recording such information is valuable to preserve the traditional knowledge of
small-scale crops such as pomegranates in Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
31
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Gilha Yoon
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
ghyoon@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Omanicotyle heterospina n. gen. et n. comb.(Monogenea: Microcotylidae) from the
gills of Argyrops spinifer (Forsskål) (Teleostei: Sparidae) from the Sea of Oman
Journal Title
Parasites & Vectors
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/170/1-12
Key Words
Bivagina-Tai Monogenea; phylogenetic inference; Japanese anglerfish; lophius-litulon; ribosomal DNA; taschenberg; kingfish; parasite
Authors
Gil Ha Yoon, Sarah Al-Jufaili, Mark A Freeman, James E Bron, Giuseppe Paladini
and Andrew P Shinn
“Background: The Sultanate of Oman’s aquaculture industry is expanding with an on-going assessment of
potential new fish species for culture. The king soldier bream, Argyrops spinifer (Forsskal) (Sparidae), is
one such species that is under consideration. During a routine health assessment of specimens caught in the
Sea of Oman throughout the period November 2009 to March 2011, a number of gill polyopisthocotylean
monogeneans were recovered.
Methods: A subsequent study of the monogeneans using a range of morphology-based approaches indicated
that these were Bivagina heterospina Mamaev et Parukhin, 1974. In the absence of pre-existing molecular
data, an expanded description of this species is provided, including a differential diagnosis with other species
and genera belonging to the subfamily Microcotylinae Monticelli, 1892 with the subsequent movement of
this species to a new genus to accommodate it.
Results: The polyopisthocotyleans collected from the gills of A. spinifer appear to be unique within the family
Microcotylidae Taschenberg, 1879 in that, morphologically, they possess a pair of large, muscular vaginae each
armed with a full crown of 16-18 robust spines and a unique dorsal region of folded tegument, which permits
their discrimination from species of Bivagina Yamaguti, 1963. Sequencing of the SSU rDNA (complete 1968
bp) and LSU rDNA (partial 949 bp) places the specimens collected during this study within the subfamily
Microcotylinae, but the LSU rDNA sequence differs from Bivagina and also from other microcotylid genera.
Morphological features of B. heterospina sensu Mamaev et Parukhin, 1974 and the specimens collected from
the current study are consistent with one another and represent a single species. The vaginal armature of
these worms is unique and differs from all other genera within the Microcotylinae, including Bivagina, and
its movement to Omanicotyle n. gen. to accommodate this species is proposed.
Conclusions: A new genus, Omanicotyle n. gen., is erected to accommodate Omanicotyle [ Bivagina] heterospina n. comb. which represents the first monogenean to be described from Omani marine waters. Given
the pathogenic potential of microcotylids on captive held fish stocks, a full assessment of Omanicotyle heterospina n. gen. et n. comb. is now required before large-scale production commences.”
32
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
hemjay@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Effect of different tillage and residue management practices on growth and yield of
corn cultivation in Thailand
Journal Title
Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/3/86-94
Key Words
Tillage, no-tillage, randomized, emergence, compaction, subsoiler, biomass
Authors
Wlaiwan Sornpoon, H. P. W. Jayasuriya
“The tillage and residue management during soil bed preparation need to be in appropriate manner for sustainable farming practice. The effects of tillage and residue management methods on corn cropping were studied
on loamy soil in Bangrakum district, Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. The effects of five commonly used tillage
methods: subsoiler tillage (ST), three methods of conventional tillage (CT1, CT2 and CT3), no-tillage (NT),
as main factors and two corn residue management methods; burned (R1) and unburned (R2), as sub-factors
were studied in a randomized strip plot configuration. Tillage treatment showed significant effect on physical
and chemical soil properties, plant growth and development, grain yield, total aboveground biomass and
most importantly the weed emergence and density, while the two crop residue management methods did
not show significant differences. The improvement in plant development and grain production was found
to be due to the increased tilled depth and thus the ST was the most effective tillage method for improving
soil physical properties and to increase corn production; corn growth, biomass and grain yield. ST showed
higher total grain yield than CT1, CT2, CT3 and NT approximately 35%, 101%, 88%, 216%, respectively. It
could be concluded that ST as the best and sustainable method of soil management for corn cropping while
having typical weeding and fertilization practices.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
33
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
hemjay@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Mathematical modeling of drying characteristics of chilli in hot air oven and fluidized bed dryers
Journal Title
Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/1/154-166
Key Words
Mathematical modeling, drying kinetics, capsaicin, fluidized bed, regression
Authors
S. D. F. Mihindukulasuriya, H. P. W. Jayasuriya
“The thin layer drying kinetics of chilli is experimentally investigated in hot air oven and fluidized bed dryers.
Experiments were conducted at inlet air temperatures of 45, 50, 55, 60 and 65. The power consumption and
quality parameters (colour and capsaicin content) were measured in each experiment. Thirteen different thin
layer mathematical drying models were compared by using their regression coefficient, chi square value and
RMSE (root mean square error). The Midilli model was found to be the best mathematical model which
could use to satisfactorily predict the moisture ratio of chilli at different drying air temperatures in each type
of dryers used. Surface colour chromaticity parameter a* changed from 32.5 at 45 to 25.8 at 65° temperature
in hot air dryer whereas it was changed from 29.3 at 45 to 23.8 at 65. When temperature increases from 50
to 65, there is a considerable reduction in the colour of chilli in both dryers. Capsaicin concentration was
inversely related with the air temperature and there was a sharp reduction of capsaicin concentration when
increasing the temperature from 60 to 65. The energy consumption was higher in fluidized bed dryer than
the hot air oven dryer when moisture content of chilli reduced from 280% to 9% (d.b) during drying process. The retention time of the fluidized bed dryer in all operating temperatures was nearly three times less
that of hot-air oven dryer due to higher air flow characteristics. Lowest power consumption occurred at 65
temperature setting in both dryers while the fluidized bed dryer consumed nearly 75% more power.”
34
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
hemjay@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Development of a low cost machine vision system for sorting of tomatoes
Journal Title
Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/1/173-180
Key Words
Machine vision, defect detection, rule based approach, neural network, tomato
sorting
Authors
Md. Rokunuzzaman, H. P.W. Jayasuriya
“Sorting of tomatoes has been an issue faced by producers as well as sellers due to the sheer volumes handled and the delicate nature of the fruit. This paper describes the development of a low cost machine vision
system using webcams and image processing algorithms for defect detection and sorting of tomatoes. In the
case of agricultural products, good efforts and appropriate techniques are necessary to distinguish between
defected and good ones when using machine vision for sorting. Tomatoes having two major defects namely
Blossom End Rot (BER) and Cracks could be separated from good tomatoes with calyx. The sorting decision
was based on three features extracted by the image processing algorithms. The colour features were used for
detecting the BER from good tomatoes and shape factor combined with the number of green objects was used
for differentiating the calyxes from crack defects. Two methods, rule based and neural network approaches,
were developed for decision based sorting. A control system was developed with a belt conveyor to transport
the tomatoes and a cylinder pushrod coupled to a solenoid was used to push the defective tomatoes after
determining their defect by the algorithms. The colour image threshold method with shape factor were found
efficient for differentiating good and defective tomatoes. The overall accuracy of defect detection attained
by the rule based approach and the neural network method were 84 and 87.5% respectively. The inspection
speed of 180 tomatoes min-1 was achieved by the algorithms and the prototype developed. Comparison of
the results obtained by the rule based and neural network approaches are also presented in this paper.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
35
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Hemanatha P. W. Jayasuriya
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
hemjay@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Optimal stochastic multi-states first-order Markov chain parameters for synthesizing daily rainfall data using multi-objective differential evolution in Thailand
Journal Title
Meteorological applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
20/2013/20-31
Key Words
Daily weather generator; stochastic model; evolutionary algorithms; Markov chain
model; optimization
Authors
Chakkrapong Taewichit, Peeyush Soni, Vilas M. Salokhe and Hemantha P. W. Jayasuriya
“Stochastic Multi-states First-order Markov Chain (SMFOMC) models have been used to describe occurrence of daily rainfall. This paper describes optimization of SMFOMC parameters through the generation
of synthetic daily rainfall sequences. Three SMFOMC parameters were the number of states (NS), the preserved proportion in the last state (PPL) and the state divider (SD). The multi-objective differential evolution
(MODE) was used to find the Pareto-optimal line (POL) of two conflicting objectives; (1) minimization of
total monthly absolute total relative error (TMATRE), and, (2) minimization of NS. Three probability distributions functions (PDFs) for generating daily rainfall amounts in the last Markov Chain state were compared.
They were: (1) the shifted exponential distribution (SE), (2) the exponential distribution (E), and, (3) the
two-parameter gamma distribution (G-2). The optimal SMFOMC parameters were applied to generate the
daily rainfall sequences of 44 rainfall stations located in five regions of Thailand. Reliability of the optimal
SMFOMC parameters for each PDF was measured by TMATRE and coefficient of determination (R2).
Performance of PDFs was analysed by a ranking method. Results showed that the three PDFs were mostly
found to be fitted well with the synthetic daily rainfall sequences. However, highest error was found in case
of monthly average minimum daily rainfall values. Out of the three PDFs, the SE demonstrated the lowest
performance, while G-2 performed the best.”
36
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Isam T. Kadim
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
isam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Electron microscopic changes in muscle and liver of feed restricted growing lambs.
Journal Title
Onternational Journal of Agriculture and Biology
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/Nil/161-164
Key Words
Electron microscope; Fiber; Lamb; Restriction
Authors
Sami, A., Kadim, I, Abouheif, M.
“Fifteen Najdi male lambs, 30.1±0.3 kg live weight and 3.5 months of age, were used to evaluate the effect of
feed restriction on the muscle fiber diameter, sarcomere length, tissues architecture, glycogen content and
ultra-structure changes in the muscle of Longissimus dorsi and liver. Lambs were randomly allocated to one
of three groups (5 lambs each) throughout 35 days experimental trial. Feeding treatments were ad libitum
(Control, C), 75% (25% feed restriction, 25R) and 60% (40% feed restriction, 40R) of the ad libitum C intake,
respectively. Significant smaller fiber diameter was associated with restricted feeding groups. Control group
liver samples contained more glycogen than either 25R or 40R groups. The main ultra-structural changes
were associated with swollen mitochondria; reduce glycogen granules and lipid concentration in the liver
samples especially in 40R group. Myofibril diameter of the muscle L. dorsi of C group was significantly larger
(13.5 μm) than 25R (12.5 μm) and 40R (11.5 μm) groups. Also, C group had significant longer sarcomere
(2.03 μm) compared to the 25R (1.87 μm) and 40R (1.93 μm) groups.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
37
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Isam T. Kadim
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
isam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Chemical composition of Infraspinatus, Tricps brachii, Longissimus thoraces Biceps
femoris semitendinosus and semimembranosus of Bactrian (Camelus Bactrianus)
camel muscles
Journal Title
Emir.J.Food Agric
Volume/Issue/Pages
25/4/261-266
Key Words
Bactrian camel; Chemical composition; Essential minerals
Authors
Raiymbek, G, Faye, B, Serikbayeva, A, Konuspayeva, G., Kadim, I.T.
“The objective of this study was to determine chemical composition of Infraspinatus, Triceps brachii, Longissimus thoraces, Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus, and Semimembranosus muscles from nine Bactrian carcasses
(2-3 years of age). The left side muscles were collected and kept in a chiller (3-4°C) for 48 hrs then stored
at -20°C. Chemical analyses were carried out to determine moisture, crude protein, fat (ether extract), ash,
essential and non-essential element contents. The Infraspinatus, Triceps brachii, Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus muscles had significantly higher moisture content than Longissimus thoraces
muscle. The range of variation in protein content among the muscles was from 17% (Longissimus thoraces)
to 18.8% (Semitendinosus). The Longissimus thoraces muscle had significantly higher fat content than other
muscles. The Longissimus thoraces muscle had significantly lower phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and
potassium contents than Infraspinatus, Triceps brachii, Biceps femoris, Semitendinosus and Semimembranosus muscles. Small variation in iron, zinc, lead, cadmium, copper, cobalt and magnesium contents were
found among selected muscles. This study indicated that muscle location of the Bactrian camel may have an
effect on its chemical composition.”
38
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Isam T. Kadim
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
isam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Chemical composition, quality and histochemical characteristics of individual
dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) muscles
Journal Title
Meat sciences 93
Volume/Issue/Pages
93/3/564-571
Key Words
Dromedary camel; Muscles; Meat quality; Muscle fiber type
Authors
Kadim, I.T., Al-Karousi, A., Mahgoub, O, Al-Marzooqi, W., Khalaf, S.K, Al-Maqbali, R.S, Al-Sinani, S.S.H., Raiymbek, G
“This study characterized the chemical composition, quality and histological traits of six muscles from 10
dromedary carcasses. There were significant differences in moisture, fat, protein, mineral, saturated and
unsaturated fatty acid contents between muscles. The longissimus thoracis (LT) had the highest cooking
loss (33.5%) and triceps brachii (TB) the lowest (29.2%). The shear force value of semitendinosus (ST),
semimembranosus (SM) and biceps femoris (BF) were significantly higher than infraspinatus (IS), TB and
LT. The LT had significantly higher values for L*, a*, b* than ST. The SM had the lowest MFI (65.3), while
IS had the highest value (75.8). The ST significantly had the highest and lowest proportions of Type I and
Type IIA muscle fibers, respectively than other muscles. This study indicated that composition, quality, and
histochemical parameters varied among camel muscles and the knowledge of this variation allows for better
marketing and processing of camel meat.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
39
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Isam T. Kadim
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
isam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The production of Camel Meat : State of Knowledge current situation and Prospects
Journal Title
INRA Prod Anim
Volume/Issue/Pages
26/3/247-258
Authors
Faye, B., Abdelhadi, O., Raiymbek, G., Kadim, I, Hocquette, J.-F
“Camel meat is a product regularly consumed in arid countries and it is one of the rare products from this
species being subject to a regional export market, even international, if the meat from Australian wild camel
is included although a poorly evaluated part of this market is out of the official sector. The main exporting
countries are located in the Horn of Africa and the Sahelian area whereas the importing countries are the
Gulf States and North Africa. Meat productivity in the camel is rather low although the dressing percentages
approach those of cattle, especially in animals coming from the more intensive production systems. However,
there is a tradition of pastoral fattening having good results. Camel meat is rather close to beef as well in its
total chemical composition as in its gustatory characteristics and nutritive value. However, because of fat
concentration in the hump, camel muscles give relatively low-fat meat and are particularly low in cholesterol,
which can make a good commercial argument.”
40
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ismail Mohammed Ali Al-Bulushi
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
isab@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Effect of frozen storage on the characteristics of a developed and commerial fish
sausages
Journal Title
Journal of food sciences Technologu
Volume/Issue/Pages
50/6/1158-1164
Key Words
Colour; Fish; Frozen storage; Rancidity; Sausages
Authors
Ismail M. Albulushi, Stefan Kasapis, Gary A. Dykes, Humaid Al-Walil, Nejib Guizani and Hamed Al-Oufi
“The effect of frozen storage on the physiochemical, chemical and microbial characteristics of two types of
fish sausages was studied. Fish sausages developed (DFS) with a spice-sugar formulation and commercial fish
sausages (CFS) were stored at -20 C for 3 months. Fresh DFS contained 12.22% lipids and had a 3.53 cfu/g
total bacteria count (TBC) whereas, CFS contained 5.5% lipids and had a 4.81 cfu/g TBC. During storage,
TBC decreased significantly (p < 0.05) in DFS whereas it did not change (p > 0.05) in CFS. A peroxide value
(PV) was not detectable until week four and eight of storage in CFS and DFS, respectively. The salt-soluble
proteins (SSP) level was stable in DFS but in CFS it declined significantly (p < 0.05). Colour values did not
change significantly (p > 0.05) in both sausage types. This study showed that the effect of storage at -20 C on
fish sausages characteristics varied between formulations and depended on the ingredients of fish sausages.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
41
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Khalid Abdulla Al-Hashmi
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
khalid99@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Phytoplankton Community Structure of a Mangrove Habitat in the Arid Environment of Oman: The Dominance of Peridinium quinquecorne
Journal Title
Journal of Fisheries and aquatic science
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/5/595-606
Key Words
Chlorophyll a, coastal up-welling, dinoflagellate, peridinium quinquecorne, conductivity, temperature, depth sensor
Authors
Khalid Al-Hashmi, Adnan Al-Azri, Michel R. Claereboudt, Sergey Piontkovski and
S.N.N. Amin
“Little is known about the physical, biological and chemical oceanographic conditions of Oman’s Avecenia
marina dominated coastal mangrove ecosystem. This study provided information on the phytoplankton community structure and biomass (Chla) and their variability in relation to chemical and physical changes in the
coastal mangrove ecosystem of Bandar Khyran Bay. Monthly assessments of phytoplankton and (chlorophyll
a) accompanied by CTD and nutrient measurements were carried out at one station from January 2001 to
December 2001, Chla were moderately low throughout in all probability due to the high water temperatures,
low nutrient concentrations and high turbidity as well as the absence of diatoms in the phytoplankton community. The contribution of net phytoplankton >20 mu m to total biomass was minimal throughout the study
period except during December where it accounted for 53% of the total biomass. Phytoplankton populations
within the size range of 0.74-<5 mu m accounted for the highest biomass, followed by the size fraction (5-20
mu m). A total of 25 net phytoplankton taxa were identified during the study. The overall composition of
the community did not show any marked seasonal variations. The net plankton was dominated by a single
species of dinoflagellate Peridinium quinquecorne Abe, 1927 throughout the year comprising more the 90%
of the species counts where at times it reached bloom proportions. It has been hypothesized that ability of
this species to thrive under a range of physical and chemical conditions allows it to survive and outcome
most other phytoplankton species including diatoms.”
42
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Detecting surface cracks on dates using colour imaging technique
Journal Title
Food Science and Technology Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/5/795-804
Key Words
Colour imaging; Dates; Image processing; Surface crack
Authors
S. Al-Rahbi, A. Manickavasagan, R. Al-Yahya i, L. Khriji and P. Alahakoon
“Surface or external qualities of fresh and dried fruits are the important factors in determining the consumer
acceptability. An automated and objective method to detect the surface defects on fruits would be highly
beneficial in handling and processing facilities. The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency
of a computer vision system with RGB colour camera to detect the surface cracks on dates. Three grades of
dates (no-crack dates, low-crack dates and high-crack dates) were obtained from two commercial dates processing factories in Oman. After the confirmation of grade standards by a dates-qualityexpert, the samples
were imaged individually using a colour camera (105 dates in each grade). Eleven features were extracted
from each image and used in classification models. Red, hue and value intensities of three grades of dates
were significantly different from each other. In a three classes model, the classification accuracy was 62%, 58%
and 78% for high-crack, low-crack and no-crack dates, respectively using linear discriminant analysis (LDA).
LDA yielded a classification accuracy of 88% and 75% for the dates with-crack and without-crack, respectively
in a two classes model. In pairwise discrimination, the highest classification (96%) was achieved between
high-crack and no-crack dates, and the lowest accuracy (59%) was between low-crack and high-crack dates.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
43
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Conceptual design of a semi automatic on-farm fruit and vegetable washer
Journal Title
Agricultural mechanization in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
Volume/Issue/Pages
44/2/22-25
Key Words
Drying temperature; Foreign materials; Fruit and vegetables; Medium-scale; Optimum Costs; Semi-automatics; Soil particles; Water source.
Authors
Ganeshmoorthy, K., Alagusundaram, K., Govindaraj, M., Manickavasagan, A.
“Cleaning and grading of agricultural products at the farm level improve their marketability. Even simple
washing to remove foreign materials and other adhering soil particles will make a significant impact in price.
Generally farmers in developing countries tend to transport the product immediately after harvest from
farm to market without any postharvest operation. A washer with optimum cost, minimum operational
supervision, portability and suitability for a variety of products would be highly beneficial to the small and
medium scale farmers in developing countries. The objective of this study was to design and develop an on
farm fruit and vegetable washer. A semi-automatic fruit and vegetable washer was designed in Auto CAD
and fabricated with three major units: washing, brushing and drying. The developed unit could be moved
to any place near a water source on the farm. The clearance between the nylon bristle brushes, the drying
temperature and time can be controlled based on the nature of product.”
44
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Rheological properties of rice-blackgram batter while replacing white rice with
brown rice
Journal Title
Food Science and Technology International
Volume/Issue/Pages
(DOI: 10.1177/1082013213483612
Key Words
Brown rice, blackgram, batter, fermentation, rheology
Authors
Annamalai Manickavasagan, Insaaf Mohd Al-Marhubi and Satyanarayan Dev
“Rice-blackgram batter is a raw material for many traditional convenience foods in Asia. Reformulation of
traditional convenience food by replacing white rice with whole rice (brown rice) is a novel method to reduce
the consumption of refined grain and increase the intake of whole grain in our diet. In this study, rheological
properties of rice-blackgram batter was investigated while replacing white rice with brown rice at five levels
(T1--0% replacement (control), T2--25% replacement, T3--50% replacement, T4--75% replacement, and T5-100% replacement). The shear stress versus shear rate plot indicates that the rice-blackgram batter exhibited
non-Newtonian fluid behaviour (shear thinning property) even after 100% replacement of white rice with
brown rice. The rheological characteristics of rice-blackgram batters fitted reasonably well in Cassan (r2 =
0.8521-0.9856) and power law (r2 = 0.8042-0.9823) models. Brown rice replacement at all levels did not affect
the flow behaviour index, yield stress, consistency coefficient, and apparent viscosity of batter at 25 degrees C.
However, at higher temperature, the viscosity was greater for T4 and T5 (no difference between them) than
T1, T2, and T3 (no difference between them) batters. Further research is required to determine the sensory
attributes and acceptability of the cooked products with brown rice-blended batter.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
45
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Dates as a substitute for added sugar in traditional foods-A case study with Idli.
Journal Title
Emirates Journal of Food & Agriculture (EJFA)
Volume/Issue/Pages
25/11/899-906
Key Words
Dates, Nitrification, Total phenols, Sensory, Added sugar
Authors
A. Manickavasagan, T. A. Mathew, Z. H. Al-Attabi and I. M. Al-Zakwani
“Scientific evidences suggest that increased intake of added sugar is one of the major causes for dental caries,
glucose intolerance, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, hypertension and behavioural complications such as hyperactivity in children. In many parts of the world, consumption of added sugar is much
higher than the dietary recommendation from health organizations. Several researchers have used dried fruits
to sweeten the traditional foods as the functionality of the sugar incorporated within the structure of intact
fruits is different than added sugar in human health. Date fruits have also been used in several forms such as
syrups, spread, sugar and flour as a sweetener in food. The objective of this study was to develop acceptable
Idli (traditional Indian breakfast) with chopped dates, date paste and date syrup, and determine their sensory
and chemical properties. Total phenol and vitamin C contents of dates Idli were significantly higher than
control Idli with added sugar. The sensory properties of four Idli products (Idli with date paste, Idli with
date syrup, Idli with chopped dates and control Idli served with white sugar) were evaluated by 40 untrained
panelists. The sweetness and aroma of the Idli with chopped dates got significantly higher scores than other
three Idli products with no difference among them. Similarly the overall acceptability score of the Idli with
chopped dates was higher than other Idli products. Panelists from a regular eaters group gave higher scores
for the overall acceptability of developed Idli products than first time consumers. In all sensory attributes
and consumer types, Idli with dates scored higher preference or at least equal preference with control Idli
and white sugar combination. There are ample opportunities to educate people and create awareness about
preparation and consumption of traditional foods with dates in order to reduce added sugar intake.”
46
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Disinfestation of stored dates using microwave energy
Journal Title
Journal of Stored Products Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
55/55/1-5
Key Words
Dates; Disinfestation; Microwave; Phoenix dactylifera; Tribolium castaneum; Oryzaephilus surinamensis
Authors
A. Manickavasagan, P.M.K. Alahakoon, T.K. Al-Busaidi, S. Al-Adawi a, A.K. Al-Wahaibi, A.A. Al-Raeesi, R. Al-Yahyai, D.S. Jayas
“This study was conducted to determine the mortality of two common insect species in stored dates using a
microwave oven operating at 2450 MHz. Adults of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.), and larvae of T. castaneum (15 days) were used to internally infest stored un-pitted dates and then
subjected to microwave treatment at 180, 300, 600 or 800 W power for 20, 30 or 40 s. Complete mortality was
achieved for adults of both insects and larvae of T. castaneum when the power was 800 W and the exposure
time was 30 or 40 s. Mortality of T. castaneum larvae was also 100% when the power and exposure time were
600 W and 40 s, respectively. The quality attributes of the microwave-treated dates (in which 100% mortality
was achieved) were compared with untreated dates. Instrumental evaluation of texture profiles revealed that
microwave disinfestation did not affect hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness and chewiness.
Microwave disinfestation did not affect the sensory attributes or the surface colour of date fruits. The moisture loss during microwave treatment was between 1.0 and 1.5 percentage points. Further investigations are
required to determine the capability of microwave disinfestation for packed dates and other stored product
insects and life stages.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
47
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Manickavasagan
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
manick@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Edge detection features to evaluate hardness of dates using monochrome images
Journal Title
Food and bioprocess technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1007/s11947-013-1219-0/1-10
Key Words
Dates. Hardness. Sobel. Canny. Roberts
Authors
A. Manickavasagan, H. N. Al-Shekaili & G. Thomas, M. S. Rahman, N. Guizani & D.
S. Jayas
“Date is an important fruit in the regular diets of many peoples in the Arab countries and several other parts
of the world. Hardness is one of the important attributes in determining the quality of dates. Hard dates
are tough, difficult to chew, unsuitable for several product preparation and ultimately fetching low market
price. In general, hard dates have strong curvy and zigzag textured skin. In this study, the efficiency of edge
detection features in classifying dates based on hardness using monochrome images was determined. Date
samples (Fard variety) were obtained from three major dates growing regions in Oman, and classified into
three grades (soft, semi-hard and hard) by a group of trained graders followed with a confirmation by an experienced grader in a commercial dates company. Individual dates were imaged using a monochrome camera
(600 dates per grade; total=1, 800 images). A total of 36 features were extracted (28 in spatial domain and 8
in frequency domain) using edge detection methods. An artificial neural network (ANN) was used to classify
the dates based on hardness. The overall classification accuracies were 75%and 87%while using single ANN
(irrespective of regions) for three-class (soft, semihard and hard) and two-class (soft and hard (semi-hard
and hard together)) models, respectively. While using separate ANN for each region in the three-class model,
the mean classification accuracies were 94 %, 59 % and 84 % for soft, semi-hard and hard dates, respectively.
Similarly, for the two-class ANN model for each region, the accuracies were 95 % and 77 % for soft and hard
dates, respectively. Edge detection features have a great potential in determining several surface qualities of
food and agricultural products, where similar grey or colour values but varying texture are found.”
48
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Md. Shafiur Rahman
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
shafiur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Consumer›s preference mapping and their behaviour with regard to traditional
Halwa using a structured survey questionnaire
Journal Title
Journal of food Products Marketing
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/4/311-328
Key Words
Cluster analysis; consumer preference; eating attitude; food choice; halwa
Authors
Qassim Al-Shamsi, Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, Aminah Abdullah & Michel R.
Claereboudt
“In this study, a structured survey questionnaire was used to determine consumers’ preferences and their
behaviour with regard to Halwa. Five types of consumer groups were identified thorough hierarchical cluster
analysis based on ranked attributes. Colour was ranked within the top three attributes for all the groups.
In general, colour, sweetness, appearance, and solubility were found to be the most important attributes for
selecting the Halwa. Five types of groups were identified based on their preference levels (i.e., intensity) of
attributes. These could be recognized in terms of preferences for Halwa with (1) black with high sweetness,
(2) dark-brown with high-medium sweetness, (3) dark with low-medium sweetness, (4) brown with medium
sweetness, and (5) dark with high-medium sweetness preferred consumers. The consumer segmentations
identified could be used to develop retail marketing strategies and to develop store brands of diversified
Arabian sweets and intermediate moisture fruit snacks, such as dates.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
49
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Md. Shafiur Rahman
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
shafiur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Nabag (Zizyphus spina -christi) extract prevents aberrant crypt foci development
in colons of azoxymethane treated rats by abrogating oxidative stress and inducing
apoptosis
Journal Title
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/9/5031-5035
Key Words
Azoxymethane; Colon cancer; Colonic cells apoptosis; Glutathione; Zizyphus spina-christi
Authors
Guizani N, Waly MI, Singh V, Rahman MS.
“Zizyphus spina-christi (ZSC) fruit is a rich source of bioactive compounds but any medicinal properties in
chemoprevention of colon cancer have hitherto not been studied. The aim of the present study was to examine
in vivo protective effects of ZSC water extract on colon carcinogenesis in azoxymethane (AOM)-treated rats.
Our results showed that ZSC significantly reduced AOM-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci development
and AOM-induced oxidative stress as indicated by restoration of endogenous glutathione depletion and
abrogating the impairment of total antioxidant capacity. Caspase-3 cleavage, which has been considered as
an apoptotic index, was almost undetectable in AOM-treated rats and ZSC exhibited pro-apoptotic effects
evidenced by increased levels of cleaved caspase-3. In the studied model, our findings provide the first in
vivo evidence that ZSC extract could inhibit the early stage of colon carcinogenesis by preventing oxidative
stress and inducing apoptosis.”
50
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Md. Shafiur Rahman
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
shafiur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Chemical composition, water sorption isotherm, and phenolic contents in fresh and
dried pomegranate peels
Journal Title
Drying Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
31/3/257-263
Key Words
Drying; Extraction; Phenolic; Pomegranate
Authors
Amani Salim Al-Rawahi, Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, Nejib Guizani, and Musthafa Mohammad Essa
“Pomegranate peels were dried by freeze drying at 20°C; air and vacuum drying at 40, 60, and 90°C; and sun
drying. The moisture sorption isotherm was measured and modelled using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller
(BET) and Guggenheim-Anderson-De Boer (GAB) models. Two solvents (methanol and ethanol) and water
were used to extract the phenolic compounds in pomegranate fruit peel. Fresh peels contained 5, 990, 4, 530,
and 8, 460 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/100 g dry-peel solids for methanol, ethanol, and water extracts,
respectively. The total phenolic content of ethanol extracts of freeze-dried peels was comparable to that of
fresh peels (4, 900 mg GAE/100 g dry-peel solids), whereas air- and vacuum-dried peels had significantly
lower phenolic contents. Peels air dried at 60°C had the highest phenolic content (2, 320-4, 650 mg/100 g
dry-peel solids) compared to samples air dried at 40 or 90°C (1, 160-4, 480 mg/100 g dry-peel solids), whereas
vacuum-dried peels did not show any trends with temperature. In general, methanol had a higher capacity
for extracting phenolic compounds from dried pomegranate peels than water, and ethanol showed a low
extraction capacity. In all cases, phenolic compounds were significantly lower in ethanol extracts compared
to methanol or water extracts (p < 0.05). In addition, phenolic compounds soluble in water and ethanol were
more sensitive to all drying methods except freeze drying.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
51
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Md. Shafiur Rahman
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
shafiur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Thermal characteristics of a water soluble extract obtained from pomegranate skin:
Developing a state diagram for determining stability
Journal Title
Industrial Crops and Products
Volume/Issue/Pages
48/--/198-204
Key Words
Freezing point; Glass transition; Maximal-freeze-concentration condition; Phenolic
compounds; Stability; Un-freezable water
Authors
Amani Al-Rtawahi, *, Mohammad Shafiur Rahman, Mostafa Waly, Gilles J. Guillemin
“A water-soluble extract of pomegranate peel was prepared and freeze-dried to measure its thermal characteristics as a function of moisture and temperature. Moisture contents of the freeze-dried extracts varied from
0.018 to 0.950g/g sample. A state diagram of the extract was developed by measuring the freezing curve, glass
transition line and ultimate maximal-freeze-concentration conditions. The freezing point decreased with
increasing solids; whereas glass transition decreased as solid levels decreased. The freezing point and glass
transition were modelled using Chen’s model based on the Clausius-Clapeyron equation, and Gordon-Taylor
equation, respectively. The ultimate maximal-freeze-concentration conditions were (Tm’)u equal to -32.2°C
and (Tg”)u equal to -33.4°C, and the characteristic solids content, Xs’ was 0.52g/g sample (i.e. un-freezable
water, Xw’=0.48g/g sample), respectively. Similarly the value of Tg’ (i.e. vertical line passing through (Tm’)u
and crossing the glass transition line) was determined as -76.0°C.”
52
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Michael Deadman
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
mikedead@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The mango sudden decline pathogen, Ceratocystis manginecans, is vectored by
Hypocryphalus mangiferae (Coleoptera: Scolytinae) in Oman
Journal Title
European Journal of Plant Pathology
Volume/Issue/Pages
135/1/243-251
Key Words
Mangifera indica. Ceratocystis fimbriata. Bark beetle. Dispersal. Disease incidence
Authors
A. O. Al Adawi & R. M. Al Jabri & M. L. Deadman &
I. Barnes & B. Wingfield & M. J. Wingfield
“In Oman, the bark beetle Hypocryphalus mangiferae is closely associated with trees affected by mango sudden decline disease caused by Ceratocystis manginecans. Although it has previously been assumed that this
beetle plays a role in the dispersal of the pathogen, this has not been established experimentally. The aim of
this study was to determine whether H. mangiferae vectors C. manginecans from infected to healthy mango
trees. A survey conducted in northern Al Batinah region of Oman revealed that H. mangiferae was closely
associated with mango sudden decline disease symptoms and it was found on trees in the early stages of the
disease. Healthy, 2- year-old mango seedlings were exposed to H. mangiferae collected from diseased mango
trees. Seedlings were infested by the bark beetles and after 6 weeks, typical mango sudden decline disease
symptoms were observed. Ceratocystis manginecans was isolated from the wilted mango seedlings while
uncolonized control seedlings remained healthy. The results show that H. mangiferae vectors C. manginecans
in Oman and is, therefore, an important factor in the epidemiology of this disease.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
53
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Michael Deadman
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
mikedead@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Disposal of pesticide waste from agricultural production in the Al Batinah region of
Northern Oman
Journal Title
Science of the Total Environment
Volume/Issue/Pages
463-464/1/237-242
Key Words
Pesticides; Pesticide disposal; Socio-economic aspects; Safety; Oman
Authors
Said Al Zadjali, Stephen Morse, Jonathan Chenoweth and Mike Deadman
“During the last two decades Oman has experienced rapid economic development but this has been accompanied by environmental problems. Manufacturing and agricultural output have increased substantially but
initially this was not balanced with sufficient environmental management. Although agriculture in Oman is
not usually considered a major component of the economy, government policy has been directed towards
diversification of national income and as a result there has been an increasing emphasis on revenue from agriculture and an enhancement of production via the use of irrigation, machinery and inputs such as pesticides.
In recent years this has been tempered with a range of interventions to encourage more sustainable production.
Certain pesticides have been prohibited; there has been a promotion of organic agriculture and an emphasis
on education and awareness programs for farmers. The last point is of especial relevance given the nature
of the farm labour market in Oman and a reliance on expatriate and often untrained labour. The research,
through a detailed stratified survey, explores the state of knowledge at farm-level regarding the safe disposal
of pesticide waste and what factors could enhance or indeed operate against the spread and implementation
of that knowledge. Members of the recently constituted Farmers Association expressed greater environmental
awareness than their non-member counterparts in that they identified a more diverse range of potential risks
associated with pesticide use and disposed of pesticide waste more in accordance with government policy,
albeit government policy with gaps. Workers on farms belonging to Association members were also more
likely to adhere to government policy in terms of waste disposal. The Farmers Association appears to be an
effective conduit for the diffusion of knowledge about pesticide legislation and general awareness, apparently
usurping the state agricultural extension service.”
54
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Michel Claereboudt
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
michelc@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Quantifying sea urchins covering behaviour by image analysis
Journal Title
Cahiers de Biologie Marine
Volume/Issue/Pages
54/4/587-592
Key Words
Urchin; Covering behaviour; Toxopneustes; Method; Image analysis
Authors
Emily J.S. Claereboudt and Michel Claereboudt
“Many sea urchin species collect debris on their aboral surface, a behaviour collectively described as “covering behaviour”. In the Sultanate of Oman, the flower sea urchin, Toxopneustes pileolus, systematically shows
this behaviour, accumulating pieces of dead coral, pebbles, and fragments of various mollusks shells on its
test. We compared the amount, size distribution, and relative volumetric mass of the covering material in
three T pileolus populations using both underwater image analysis and physical analysis of collected debris.
The underwater photographic method to estimate test cover was a good predictor of the actual amount of
debris on the test (R-2 = 0.85). Toxopneustes pileolus, preferred covering itself with the largest pieces of debris available in the surface sediment, but did not select pieces according to relative density. There were no
significant differences in percentage cover neither among urchins of different diameters nor among urchins
collected in different populations. We discuss these results in relation to various advanced hypothesis on the
function of the covering behaviour.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
55
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Impaired antioxidant status and reduced energy metabolism in autistic children
Journal Title
Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/5/557-565
Key Words
Antioxidants. ATP. Autism. NAD+. Oxidative stress
Authors
M.M. Essa, N. Braidy, M.I. Waly, Y.M. Al-Farsi, M. Al-Sharbati, S. Subash, A.
Amanat, M.A. Al-Shaffaee, and G.J. Guillemin
“Accumulating evidence suggests that oxidative stress induced mechanisms are believed to be associated
with the pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we recruited 19 Omani autistic children with age-matched
controls to analyse their plasma and serum redox status and the levels of ATP, NAD+ and NADH using well
established spectrophotometric assays. A significant decrease was observed in the levels of plasma total antioxidants (TA), reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide and catalase activity in Omani autistic children as
compared to their age-matched controls. In contrary, the level of plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was
significantly increased in autistic children. Reduced serum NAD+ and ATP levels and lower NAD+:NADH
ratio were observedin patients with autism compared to controls. Finally, a significant inverse correlation was
observed between plasma GSH, SOD, catalase activity, and serum NAD+ and ATP levels, and autism severity
using Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) scores. The levels of plasma GSH-Px and serum NADH correlated strongly with autism severity whilst no significant correlation was observed for plasma TA. Our data
suggests that increased vulnerability to oxidative stress in autism may occur as a consequence of alterations
in antioxidant enzymes leading to mitochondrial dysfunction.”
56
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Neuroprotective effects of a variety of Pomegranate Juice extracts (PJE) against
MPTP-induced cytotoxicity and oxidative stress in human primary neurons.
Journal Title
Oxidative medicine and Cellular Longevity
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013:685909. doi: 10.1155/2013/685909/1-12
Key Words
Degenerative disease. Dopaminergic neurons. Environmental toxins. Glutathione
peroxidase. Neuroprotective effects. Parkinson›s disease. Superoxide dismutases.
Therapeutic compounds
Authors
Nady Braidy, Subash Selvaraju, Musthafa Mohamed Essa, Ragini Vaishnav, Samir
Al-Adawi, Abdullah Al-Asmi, Hamed Al-Senawi, Ammar Abd Alrahman Alobaidy,
Ritu Lakhtakia, and Gilles J. Guillemin
“1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is an environmental toxin which selectively induces oxidative damage and mitochondrial and proteasomal dysfunctions to dopaminergic neurons in the
substantia nigra leading to Parkinsonian syndrome in animal models and humans. MPTP is one of the most
widely used in vitro models to investigate the pathophysiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD) and, screen for
novel therapeutic compounds that can slow down or ameliorate this progressive degenerative disease. We
investigated the therapeutic effect of pomegranate juice extracts (PJE), Helow, Malasi, Qusum, and Hamadh
against MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in primary human neurons by examining extracellular LDH activity,
intracellular NAD+ and ATP levels, and endogenous antioxidant levels including lipid peroxidation products,
catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities, and reduced glutathione
(GSH) levels. MPTP induced a reduction in SOD and GPx activities and intracellular NAD+, ATP, and GSH
levels parallel to an increase in extracellular LDH and CAT activities, although lipid peroxidation was not
altered. We report that helow and malasi can ameliorate MPTP-induced neurotoxicity by attenuating the
observed changes in redox function to a greater extent than qusum and hamedh. Selected PJE varieties may
exhibit properties which may be of therapeutic value to slow down age-related degeneration and neurodegeneration in particular.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
57
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Neuroprotective effects of Hesperidin a plant flavanone on rotenone induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in a cellular model for parkinson;s disease
Journal Title
Oxidative Medicine and cellular lingevity
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/102741/1-11
Key Words
Antiapoptotic properties; Glutathione peroxidase; Mitochondrial function; Mitochondrial membrane potential; Neuroblastoma cell lines; Neuroprotective effects;
Reactive oxygen species; Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances
Authors
Kuppusamy Tamilselvam, Nady Braidy, Thamilarasan Manivasagam, Musthafa
Mohamed Essa, Nagarajan Rajendra Prasad, Subburayan Karthikeyan, Arokyasamy
Justin Thenmozhi, Subash Selvaraju, and Gilles J. Guillemin
“Rotenone a widely used pesticide that inhibits mitochondrial complex I has been used to investigate the
pathobiology of PD both in vitro and in vivo. Studies have shown that the neurotoxicity of rotenone may be
related to its ability to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to neuronal apoptosis. The current
study was carried out to investigate the neuroprotective effects of hesperidin, a citrus fruit flavanol, against
rotenone-induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells. We assessed cell death, mitochondrial
membrane potential, ROS generation, ATP levels, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, reduced glutathione
(GSH) levels, and the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)
using well established assays. Apoptosis was determined in normal, rotenone, and hesperidin treated cells,
by measuring the protein expression of cytochrome c (cyt c), caspases 3 and 9, Bax, and Bcl-2 using the
standard western blotting technique. The apoptosis in rotenone-induced SK-N-SH cells was accompanied by
the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, increased ROS generation, the depletion of GSH, enhanced
activities of enzymatic antioxidants, upregulation of Bax, cyt c, and caspases 3 and 9, and downregulation
of Bcl-2, which were attenuated in the presence of hesperidin. Our data suggests that hesperidin exerts its
neuroprotective effect against rotenone due to its antioxidant, maintenance of mitochondrial function, and
antiapoptotic properties in a neuroblastoma cell line.”
58
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Mangiferin attenuates MPTP induced dopaminergic neurodegeneration and improves motor impairment redox balance and Bcl-2 /Bax ex<x>pression in experimental parkinson›s disease mice
Journal Title
Chemico biological interactons
Volume/Issue/Pages
206/2/239-247
Key Words
Anti-apoptosis. Behaviour. Experimental Parkinson›s disease. Mangiferin. Oxidative
stress
Authors
Kavitha M, Nataraj J, Essa MM, Memon MA, Manivasagam T.
“Mangiferin, a polyphenol compound of C-glucoside, is well-known for its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant,
anticancer, antidiabetic and cognitive enhancement properties. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of mangiferin against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of
Parkinson’s disease (PD), which is most popular and widely used to evaluate therapeutic implications of new
protective agents. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally treated with mangiferin (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg body wt.)
for 14 days and from 10th day onwards MPTP (30 mg/kg, i.p.) was injected for last 5 days. MPTP treatment
leads to enhanced oxidative stress, induction of apoptosis (upregulates the expression of Bax, proapoptotic
protein and downregulates the expression of anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2), and loss of dopominergic neurons
which results in motor impairments. Results of our study confirmed that mangiferin prevented MPTP-induced behavioral deficits, oxidative stress, apoptosis, dopaminergic neuronal degeneration and dopamine
depletion. Taken together, we conclude that mangiferin attenuates the dopaminergic neurodegeneration
mainly through its potent antioxidant and antiapoptotic properties.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
59
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Role of NAD Oxidative stress and tryptophan metabolism in Autism spectrum
Disorders
Journal Title
Intr. journal of Tryptophan research
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/1/15-28
Key Words
Antioxidants; Autism; Mitochondrial dysfunction; NAD; Oxidative stress; Tryptophan
Authors
Essa, M.M., Subash, S., Braidy, N., Al-Adawi, S, Lim, C.K., Manivasagam, T., Guillemin, G. J
“Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a pervasive neuro-developmental disorder characterized by impaired
social interaction, reduced/absent verbal and non-verbal communication, and repetitive behaviour during
early childhood. The etiology of this developmental disorder is poorly understood, and no biomarkers have
been identified. Identification of novel biochemical markers related to autism would be advantageous for
earlier clinical diagnosis and intervention. Studies suggest that oxidative stress-induced mechanisms and
reduced antioxidant defense, mitochondrial dysfunction, and impaired energy metabolism (NAD+, NADH,
ATP, pyruvate, and lactate), are major causes of ASD. This review provides renewed insight regarding current
autism research related to oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and altered tryptophan metabolism
in ASD.”
60
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Excitotoxicity in the Pathogenesis of Autism
Journal Title
Neurotox Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/4/393-400
Key Words
Autism. Excitotoxicity. Free radicals. Glutamatergic receptors. Ion channel. Membrane potential. Neurotransmitter
Authors
Essa MM, Braidy N, Vijayan KR, Subash S, Guillemin GJ.
“Autism is a debilitating neurodevelopment disorder characterised by stereotyped interests and behaviours,
and abnormalities in verbal and non-verbal communication. It is a multifactorial disorder resulting from
interactions between genetic, environmental and immunological factors. Excitotoxicity and oxidative stress
are potential mechanisms, which are likely to serve as a converging point to these risk factors. Substantial
evidence suggests that excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and impaired mitochondrial function are the leading
cause of neuronal dysfunction in autistic patients. Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter produced in the CNS, and overactivity of glutamate and its receptors leads to excitotoxicity. The over excitatory
action of glutamate, and the glutamatergic receptors NMDA and AMPA, leads to activation of enzymes that
damage cellular structure, membrane permeability and electrochemical gradients. The role of excitotoxicity
and the mechanism behind its action in autistic subjects is delineated in this review.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
61
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohamed Essa Mohamed Musthafa
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
drmdessa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Therapeutic Attenuation of Neuroinflammation and Apoptosis by Black Tea Theaflavin in Chronic MPTP/Probenecid Model of Parkinson›s Disease
Journal Title
Neurotox Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/2/166-173
Key Words
Apoptosis; Behaviour; MPTP; Neuroinflammation; Parkinson›s disease; Theaflavin
Authors
Annadurai Anandhan, Musthafa Mohamed Essa,
and Thamilarasan Manivasagam
“Neuroinflammation and apoptosis in the dopaminergic neurons of substantia nigra play an important role
in the pathogenesis of experimental and clinical Parkinson’s disease (PD). This study focused on the possible
anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of theaflavin (TF), a black tea polyphenol against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2, 3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced neurotoxicity in mice. C57BL/6 male mice were treated
with 10 doses of MPTP (25 mg/kg, s.c.) and probenecid (250 mg/kg, i.p.) for 3.5 days interval. TF (10 mg/
kg) was administered 1 h prior to the administration of MPTP for 35 days of experimental period. MPTP/p
treatment upregulates the release of interleukin-1beta, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, IL-10, glial fibrillary
acidic protein and Bax, and downregulates anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. Oral treatment of black tea polyphenol TF significantly attenuates MPTP-induced neuroinflammation as well as apoptosis. Behavioral studies
(catalepsy and akinesia) were carried out to confirm these molecular studies. The results demonstrate that TF
mediated its neuroprotection against chronic MPTP-induced toxicity through the involvement of multiple
molecular events. It was concluded that TF may provide a precious therapeutic strategy for the treatment of
progressive neurodegenerative disease such as PD in future. Apoptosis; Behaviour; MPTP; Neuroinflammation; Parkinson’s disease; Theaflavin.”
62
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammad Ali Basunia
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
basunia@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Copmarison of five commonly used thin- layer moisture transfer models in fitting
the re-wetting data of barley
Journal Title
Agric Eng Int: CIGR Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/4/228-235
Key Words
Barley; Re-wetting parameters; Relative humidity; Temperature; Thin-layer
Authors
Basunia, M. A.
“Five commonly cited thin-layer rewetting models, including Page, Diffusion, Approximate form of diffusion,
Exponential, and Polynomial were compared for their abilities to the fit the experimental re-wetting data of
barley based on the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean relative error (MRE) of estimate of the measured and simulated moisture contents. The comparison shows the Page model is the most suitable model
(average, RMSE = 0.176% d.b. and MRE = 0.713% d.b.) followed by the Diffusion model (average RMSE =
0.199% d.b. and MRE = 0.862% d.b) to fit the re-wetting experimental data of barley. The Approximate form
of diffusion, the Exponential and the Polynomial models have less fitting ability then the Page and Diffusion
models for the entire period (> 4 days) of re-wetting of 33 tests at different combinations of temperatures
(5.7- 46.3°C) and relative humidity (48.2%-88.6%). The Page and Diffusion models were found to be the
most suitable equations, to describe the thin-layer re-wetting characteristics of barley over a typically five
day re-wetting. These two models can be used for the simulation of deep-bed re-wetting of barley occurring
during ventilated storage.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
63
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mostafa Ibrahim-Ahmed Waly
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
mostafa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Acute effects of diesel exhaust particles and cisplatin on oxidative stress in cultured
human kidney (HEL 293) Cells and the influence of curcumin thereon
Journal Title
Toxicology in Vitro
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/8/2299-2304
Key Words
Cisplatin; Cultured kidney cells; Curcumin; Diesel exhaust particles; Oxidative stress
Authors
Waly, M.I.a, Ali, B.H.b, Nemmar, A
“Particulate air pollution with particle diameters less than 2.5. μm contribute to respiratory and extra-respiratory morbidity and mortality. We have recently reported the first in vivo experimental evidence that
Diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in the lung aggravated the renal, pulmonary, and systemic effects of cisplatin
(CP)-induced acute renal failure in rats. This in vitro study sought to determine whether and to what extent
does DEP exposure exacerbate the effects of CP-induced oxidative stress in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells, and to examine if these effects could be mitigated/prevented with curcumin (the yellow pigment
isolated from turmeric). Cells viability, cysteine uptake and oxidative stress indices [glutathione (GSH),
total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase; glutathione peroxidase;
superoxide dismutase)] were evaluated in all study groups. DEP aggravated the CP- induced HEK-293 cells
toxicity, as evidenced by decreasing cell viability and by inducing oxidative stress (GSH depletion, TAC
impairment, and antioxidant enzymes inhibition). DEP, but not CP, significantly reduced cysteine uptake.
Curcumin prevented the observed DEP and CP-induced cellular insults. These findings suggest that DEP
augmented the CP-induced toxicity in HEK-293 cells. Curcumin exhibited a strong potential for protection
against DEP and CP-induced cytotoxicity.”
64
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mostafa Ibrahim-Ahmed Waly
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
mostafa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Protective effects of emodin against cisplatin- induced oxidative stress in cultured
human kidney (HEK 293) Cells
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Toxicology
Volume/Issue/Pages
33/6/626-630
Key Words
Antioxidants; Cisplatin; Emodin; Oxidative stress
Authors
Waly, M. I, Ali, B. H, Al-Lawati, I, Nemmar, A
“Emodin (a rhubarb anthraquinone) has strong antioxidant and anticancer actions, and recent studies indicated that it reduces cellular oxidative stress induced by various insults and drugs. Cisplatin is an anticancer
drug that is associated with nephrotoxicity and induces oxidative stress in cultured human kidney (HEK 293)
cells. This study aimed to assess the in-vitro antioxidant properties of the emodin against cisplatin-induced
oxidative stress in HEK 293 cells. Our study revealed that emodin acted as a potent free radical scavenger
and provided nephroprotection against cisplatin-induced oxidative stress. Emodin as low as 0.5μm did not
decrease cell viability and restored the cisplatin-induced glutathione depletion and total antioxidant capacity
in a dose-dependent manner. Emodin augmented the cisplatin-induced inhibition of antioxidant enzymes
(catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, glutathione reductase and superoxide dismutase).
These results suggest that emodin has the potential to be used as an adjunct therapeutic agent in patients
receiving cisplatin treatment.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
65
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mostafa Ibrahim-Ahmed Waly
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
mostafa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Ellagic acid protects against cisplatin -induced nephrotoxicity in rats: a dose-dependent study
Journal Title
Europeab Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
17/3/299-309
Key Words
Cisplatin; Ellagic acid; Nephrotoxicity; Rats
Authors
Al-Kharusi, N., Babiker, H.A., Al-Salam, S., Waly, M.I., Nemmar, A., Al-Lawati, I.,
Yasin, J.f, Beegam, S., Ali, B.H
“Background: The anticancer-drug cisplatin (CP) causes nephrotoxicity through different mechanisms, including generation of free radicals. Ellagic acid (EA) is a polyphenolic antioxidant found in fruits and nuts. AIM:
This study aimed to investigate the ability of different doses of EA to ameliorate CP nephrotoxicity in rats.
Materials and methods: Animals were randomly divided into six groups and treated with saline; CP alone (6
mg/kg); two doses of EA, both alone (10 and 30 mg/kg) or with CP.
Results: Treatment with CP alone reduced body weight, water intake, urine output, and renal total antioxidant
and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations (p < 0.01). In addition, it increased relative kidney weight,
plasma creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentrations (p < 0.01). However, a dose of 30 mg/kg EA
mitigated most of the CP-induced actions, but no effect was seen for the 10 mg/kg dose. Histopathologically,
rats given CP+EA30 showed < 25% necrotic lesions in the renal cortical area compared with <60% in rats
treated with CP alone. Molecular analysis showed that clusterin (Clu) mRNA and protein were expressed in
all treated groups, meanwhile kidney injury molecule-1 (Kim-1) mRNA and protein were only expressed in
the CP and CP+EA treated rats.
Conclusions: EA (30 mg/kg) ameliorated most of the physiological, histological, and biochemical markers of
CP nephrotoxicity. The molecular findings in this work did not completely tally with the conventional method
used. The overexpression of the molecular markers may be related to the EA induced repair mechanism.”
66
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
mumtaz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Morphological characterization of leaves and fruit of jujube (ziziphus mauritiana
lamk.) Germplasm in Faisalabad, Pakistan
Journal Title
Pak. J. Agri. Sci.,
Volume/Issue/Pages
50/2/211-216
Key Words
Leaf and fruit morphology, cultivar characterization, Jujube, ber germplasm, underutilized fruits.
Authors
Razi, MFUD. Anwar, R. Basra, SMA. Khan, MM. Khan, IA.
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
“The genus Ziziphus (Jujube) with more than 100 species of deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world offers sufficient plants genetic resources suitable for
arid and semi arid climates to enhance food security. Some of the species, like Z. mauritiana occur in nearly
every continent and is thought to possess great genetic diversity. The traditional selection and cultivation of
Ziziphus varieties in China and India resulted in better known and more widely researched varieties than
those in other regions. Several local and exotic ber varieties are cultivated for fruit production in Pakistan
with the least research work regarding different aspects including morphological characterization of the
available germplasm resources. In this study, existing gene pool was characterized for physical and morphological diversity to develop a reliable identification key which would lead to characterization, selection and
approval of better germplasm for further cultivation. Eleven commercial varieties (Desi, Selection–13, Gola,
Selection 11, Karnal Local, Gourh, Karela, Umran–9, Mirpuri, Khati Mithi, and Badam) and two unknown
strains (Anonymous–1 and Anonymous–2) of ber were studied for qualitative and quantitative characters.
The quantitative studies included leaf area, petiole length and fruit diameter, weight and volume while,
qualitative studies comprised of leaf shape, apex, base, margins and characteristics of leaf dorsal and ventral
surface. Fruits from the selected strains were also subjected to morphological studies including shape, type
of stem-end and cavity, form of styler-end and skin appearance. Results showed great physico-morphological
diversity suggesting division of all the 13 cultivars into 4 sections.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
67
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
mumtaz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Characterization and assessment of seasonal variation of Citrus tristeza closterovirus (CTV) in citrus in Pakistan
Journal Title
Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment
Volume/Issue/Pages
11/3&4/1063-1068
Key Words
Biological characterization, Citrus tristeza closterovirus, ELISA, mandarin, seasonal
variation, sweet oranges.
Authors
Abbas, M. Mumtaz Khan, M.. Muhammad Mughal, S. Ji, P.
“Mandarin (Citrus reticulata) and sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) trees in three major citrus producing
regions in Punjab, Pakistan, were assessed to detect and characterize Citrus tristeza closterovirus (CTV).
Leaf, twig bark, and stem bark tissues of the trees were tested for the presence of CTV using enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Plant samples showed positive reaction with CTV specific antisera graft-inoculated on different indicator hosts for characterization of CTV biological properties. ELISA test indicated
the presence of CTV in 115 out of 450 citrus trees (25.6%). Biological indexing of virus isolates recovered
from CTV infected trees induced only vein clearing symptoms on acid lime (Citrus aurantifolia), but none
of these isolates produced any symptoms on other indicator hosts. Assessment of seasonal changes in virus
titer showed that it was significantly reduced during the months of June and July in leaf samples. The twig and
stem bark samples collected in December also showed a decrease in virus titer. Analysis of the relationship
between environmental factors and virus titer showed that temperature and the amount of rainfall significantly affected the CTV titer. This study indicated that citrus trees in Punjab, Pakistan, were infected by mild
biotype CTV isolates, and selection of appropriate plant tissues appeared to be important in diagnosing CTV
in citrus groves.”
68
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Muhammad Mumtaz Khan
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
mumtaz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Physio biochemical and genetic changes in stored
Journal Title
International journal of agriculture & biology
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/5/951–956
Key Words
Pisum sativum. Seed ageing. Seed storage. Germination. RAPD. POD. CAT. Amylase. DNA. Vigor
Authors
Khan, MM. Abbas, M. Awan, FS. Shahid, M. Ali, M. Ahmad, S.
“Studies were carried out to evaluate the physiological and biochemical changes in pea seeds (cv. Meteor)
stored at 5±1°C and ambient temperature 25±2°C. RAPD makers were used to identify any genetic dissimilarity in pea seeds stored up to two years under different storage environments. Maximum germination (98.33%)
was recorded in seeds from freshly harvest seeds and minimum was 90% in 2 years old seed stored at 5°C±1.
The decline in vigor was rapid in one year seed stored under ordinary condition compared to other storage
environment. The α- and β-amylase activity was higher in recent harvest seeds compared to stored seeds.
The storage period showed significant effects on alpha- and beta- amylase activity and a decreasing trend was
observed as the storage period prolonged. Similarly, peroxidase and catalase activity was also higher in fresh
seeds in contrast to α- and β-amylase. Genetic analysis (RAPD) showed 2% dissimilarity in genetic profile
amongst the seed lots. However, the seeds stored for longer period regardless the storage environment, have
more genetic damage. The physiological, biochemical and genetic changes could be helpful in understanding
the mechanism of pea seeds deterioration.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
69
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Mushtaque Ahmed
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
ahmedm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Conjunctive use of reclaimed water and groundwater in crop rotations
Journal Title
Agricultural Water Management
Volume/Issue/Pages
116/1/228-234
Key Words
Conjunctive water use; Reclaimed water; Groundwater; Arid; Salinity; Crop rotation, steady-state; irrigation; management
Authors
Saif A. Al Khamisi, S.A. Prathapar, M. Ahmed
“Irrigated agriculture in Oman relies solely on groundwater and Aflaj (Falaj is a canal system, which provides
water for a community of farmers for domestic and agricultural use). With the increasing scarcity of freshwater available to agriculture, the need to use of reclaimed water (RW) from Sewage Treatment Plants (STP)
in agriculture ha S increased. In this study, we explored how RW from an STP can be used directly, without
Aquifer Storage and Recovery, as a source of irrigation water in conjunction with groundwater for agriculture. Average data from Muscat, Oman in the years from 1996 to 2010 was used for calculation of crop water
requirement. Wheat, cowpea and maize were chosen as crops to be grown in rotation through the year. Using
RW irrigation conjunctively with groundwater cropping areas of wheat, cowpea and maize can be increased
by 323, 250 and 318% respectively, against utilization RW only. Of the total irrigation requirement 57.6% was
met with reclaimed water (RW) and 42.4% was met with groundwater (GW). Therefore, it is recommended
that decision makers should consider piping RW to areas where groundwater of good quality is available to
conjunctively use and meet crop water requirements, rather than piping it to areas where groundwater is
saline and unsuitable for irrigation. This will prevent disposal of RW to the sea and minimize stress on fresh
groundwater zones.”
70
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Nejib Guizani
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
guizani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Instrumental Texture Profile Analysis of Date -Tamarind Fruit Leather with Different Types of Hydrocolloids
Journal Title
Food Science Technology Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/4/531-538
Key Words
Texture; fruit-leather; hydrocolloids; cluster analysis; principal component analysis
Authors
Vandita Singh, Nejib Guizani, Ahmed Al-Alawi, Michel Claereboudt, Mohammad
Shafiur Rahman
“Date-tamarind fruit leathers with varied textural characteristics were prepared by drying a paste containing
hydrocolloid (starch, pectin, dextrin or guar gum) and water at 70 degrees C for 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 h. Hardness, cohesiveness, adhesiveness, springiness, brittleness, resilience, gumminess and chewiness of the blank
date-tamarind fruit leather (i.e., without any hydrocolloid) did not show any correlation with the moisture
content ranges (29 - 41 g/100 g sample) used in the present study. Hardness and gumminess increased when
hydrocolloids were added, while cohesiveness, resilience and springiness decreased. With the exception of
dextrin all other hydrocolloids increased chewiness. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) identified 5 principal components (i.e., 5 factors: plasticity, elasticity, hydrocolloids’ concentration, resilience, cohesiveness)
affecting the characteristics of each date-tamarind fruit leather. The cluster analysis identified 4 classes of
the fruit leathers and bi-plot (i.e., including all products and their characteristics), generated through PCA,
recognized these classes as hard-chewy, soft-springy, hard-fragile and soft-resilient leathers.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
71
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Nejib Guizani
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
guizani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA) of date fruits as a function of its physico-chemical properties
Journal Title
Industrial Crops and Products.
Volume/Issue/Pages
50/--/866–873
Key Words
Texture; Sugar; Fiber; Correlation; Principal component analysis; Cluster analysis
Authors
Vandita Singh, Nejib Guizani, Ahmed Al-Alawi, Michel Claereboudt and Mohammad Shafiur Rahman
“Instrumental texture profile analysis (TPA) of nine batches of date flesh with different quality levels was
performed and the parameters were related to its physico-chemical properties (i.e., colour, mass, length, width
of whole date fruit as well as moisture, crude fiber, fructose, glucose, sucrose, and pectin contents). Results of
instrumental TPA showed significant linear correlation of hardness with moisture content, crude fiber and
pectin content (p < 0.05), adhesiveness with colour a, b values (p < 0.05) and L value (p < 0.1), springiness 1
with colour b value (p < 0.1), chewiness 1 with moisture content, length of whole date fruit, crude fiber and
pectin content (p < 0.05), gumminess 1 with pectin (p < 0.05) and crude fiber (p < 0.10), elasticity 1 with
pectin (p < 0.05), crude fiber and with colour b value (p < 0.1), and cohesiveness 1 with mass of whole date
fruit (p < 0.10). Principal component analysis (PCA) identified six groups of variables to differentiate the
dates and cluster analysis was used to group the products based on the TPA attributes and physico-chemical
properties. Dates available in the market can be classified into three different groups namely hard-resilient,
soft-springy and firm-adhesive. The results in this study could be used to explore the main instrumental
textural attributes important for the classification of dates.”
72
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Nejib Guizani
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
guizani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Thermal characteristics, chemical composition and polyphenol contents of date-pits
powder
Journal Title
Journal of Food Engineering.
Volume/Issue/Pages
119: 668-679/--/668–679
Key Words
Date-pits; Total polyphenol; DSC; Melting kinetics; Glass transition; Annealing
Authors
Sithara Suresh, Nejib Guizani, Mohamed Al-Ruzeiki, Ahlam Al-Hadhrami, Halima
Al-Dohani, Issa Al-Kindi, and Mohammad Shafiur Rahman
“Polyphenol contents in date-pits varied from 21-62 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g date-pits when
acetone-water, ethanol-water, methanol-water and water alone were used as solvents for extraction at temperatures 22, 45, and 60 degrees C. The BET and GAB monolayer values of date-pits were estimated as 43
and 4.1 g/100 g dry-solids. The DSC thermogram of freeze-dried date-pits showed an endothermic peak
due to the melting of oil, and a second endothermic peak for solids-melting (i.e. non-fat). The first shift
indicated the glass transition (i.e. T-g) while the second exothermic shift after solids-melting indicated the
interactions of the components in melted solids. The melting peak temperature was decreased due to the
plasticization of solids with water and the melting enthalpy was increased with the increasing water content
due to the formation of more order in the amorphous, semi-crystallites and crystallites parts. The Flory-Huggins modelling of peak temperature estimated the water-solids interaction parameter as 0.0068. The
melting peak temperature increased exponentially with increasing heating rate and the data was fitted with
Mehl-Johnson-Avrami and Kissinger models. Annealing close to the onset of melting indicated that melting
peak temperature increased exponentially with increasing annealing time, while melting enthalpy decreased
with the increasing annealing time.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
73
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Nejib Guizani
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
guizani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Thermal characteristics of Agaricus bisprus mushroom: Freezing point glass transition and maximal-freeze-concentration condition
Journal Title
Int. Food Research Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
20/4/1945-1952
Key Words
Differential scanning calorimetry; Glass transition temperature; Maximal-freeze-concentration condition; Mushroom; Sorption isotherms; Water activity
Authors
Guizani, N., Rahman, M. S., Klibi, M., Al-Rawahi, A. and Bornaz, S.
“The stability of foods strongly depends on the state of water (i.e. water activity) and temperature. Agaricus
bisporus mushroom plays an important role as a nutritional and functional food; however little information
is available on the effect of processing on its stability. This study measures the thermal characteristics and
sorption isotherm of Agaricus bisporus by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isopiestic method,
respectively. Thermograms of samples containing un-freezable water (below moisture content 0. 11 g/g
sample, i.e. wet basis) showed no glass transition which is indicative of the complexity of mushroom texture.
Samples containing freezable water above 0.17 g/g sample exhibited glass transition. The BET monolayer
value was 0.061 g/g dry-solids (i.e. dry basis). Actual maximal-freeze-concentration conditions was found
as Xs’ (characteristic solids content) = 0.782 g/g sample, and Tm’ (characteristic end point of freezing) =
-30oC. The glass transition data and isotherm of A. bisporus containing un-freezable water could be used
to determine stability region of dried mushroom during its storage, whereas Tm’ to determine the stability
for the frozen storage. In addition it could be used in designing drying and freezing processes, respectively.
The stability of foods strongly depends on the state of water (i.e. water activity) and temperature. Agaricus
bisporus mushroom plays an important role as a nutritional and functional food; however little information
is available on the effect of processing on its stability. This study measures the thermal characteristics and
sorption isotherm of Agaricus bisporus by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and isopiestic method,
respectively. Thermograms of samples containing un-freezable water (below moisture content 0. 11 g/g
sample, i.e. wet basis) showed no glass transition which is indicative of the complexity of mushroom texture.
Samples containing freezable water above 0.17 g/g sample exhibited glass transition. The BET monolayer
value was 0.061 g/g dry-solids (i.e. dry basis). Actual maximal-freeze-concentration conditions was found
as Xs’ (characteristic solids content) = 0.782 g/g sample, and Tm’ (characteristic end point of freezing) =
-30oC. The glass transition data and isotherm of A. bisporus containing un-freezable water could be used
to determine stability region of dried mushroom during its storage, whereas Tm’ to determine the stability
for the frozen storage. In addition it could be used in designing drying and freezing processes, respectively.”
74
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Omar Salim al-Jabri
Department
Natural Resource Economics
Contact
omar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Determinants of small-scale fishermens income on Oman’s Batinah Coast
Journal Title
Marine Fisheries Review
Volume/Issue/Pages
72/3/21-32
Authors
Omar Al Jabri, Ray Collins, Ximing Sun, Abdallah Omezzine, and Rakesh Belwal
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
“The small-scale fisheries sector in the Sultanate of Oman is not only an important source of seafood for consumers, but it is also a major social and economic contributor to the Sultanate. Almost
90 percent of Oman’s total marine fishery production is provided by the small-scale fi sheries sector (MAF,
2010). For decades, this sector has been the main supplier of fish for Omani households and exports.The
Batinah Governorates1, North and South, constitute the largest populated region in Oman and are home
to about 28 percent of the national population (MONE, 2010). The Batinah coast comprises the northern
coastal strip along the Gulf of Oman and is considered to be the main agricultural region in Oman (Al-Oufi et al., 2000). The coast runs for a distance of 270 km from “Khatmat al Malaha” in the north to
As-Seeb, in the south. The coastal plain ranges from 15 to 80 km in width.There are eight coastal
Wilayat2 in Batinah, namely, Barka, Masana’a, Suwaiq, Khabora, Saham, Sohar, Liwa, and Shinas
(Fig. 1). Each Wilayat in Oman has a Fisheries Development Centre (FDC) under the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF). The FDC is responsible for agricultural and fi sheries extension
activities in the Wilayat by providing extension services to farmers and fi shermen through extension agents who are trained to communicate with the fi shermen and to advise them.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
75
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Osman Mahgoub Gaafar
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
osmahgob@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Disclosing the origin and diversity of Omani cattle
Journal Title
Animal Genetics
Volume/Issue/Pages
44/3/336-339
Key Words
Admixture; Arabian cattle; genetic diversity; microsatellites; population structure
Authors
Osman Mahgoub, Hamza A. Babiker, I.T. Kadim, Mohammed Al-Kindi, Salwa Hassan, W. Al-Marzooqi, Yasmin E. Eltahir, M. A. Al-Abri, Aisha Al-Khayat, Kareema
R. Al-Sinani, Homoud Hilal Al-Khanjari, Vania Costa, Shanyuan Chen and Albano
Beja-Pereira
“Among all livestock species, cattle have a prominent status as they have contributed greatly to the economy,
nutrition and culture from the beginning of farming societies until the present time. The origins and diversity
of local cattle breeds have been widely assessed. However, there are still some regions for which very little
of their local genetic resources is known. The present work aimed to estimate the genetic diversity and the
origins of Omani cattle. Located in the south-eastern corner of the Arabian Peninsula, close to the Near East,
East Africa and the Indian subcontinent, the Sultanate of Oman occupies a key position, which may enable
understanding cattle dispersal around the Indian Ocean. To disclose the origin of this cattle population, we
used a set of 11 polymorphic microsatellites and 113 samples representing the European, African and Indian
ancestry to compare with cattle from Oman. This study found a very heterogenic population with a markedly
Bos indicus ancestry and with some degree of admixture with Bos taurus of African and Near East origin.”
76
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Rashid Al-Yahyai
Department
Crop Sciences
Contact
alyahyai@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Postharvest responses of Malindi Cavendish banana to various storage conditions
Journal Title
International Journal of Fruit Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/373-388
Key Words
Musa spp., Dwarf Cavendish, ripening, storage, physicochemical properties, vitamin C
Authors
Umezuruike Linus Opara, Rashid Al-Yahyai, Nafla Al-Waili, Fahad Al Said, Majeed
Al-Ani, Annamalai Manickavasagan and Adel Al-Mahdouri
“Malindi’ banana (Musa, ‘Dwarf Cavendish’) was stored at three storage conditions (11–12ºC and 95.5%
RH; 20–22ºC and 82–85% RH; and cyclic cooling and warming to simulate day/night conditions during the
banana harvest season: 28ºC and 50% RH/18ºC and 70% RH). Fruit storage life was 21, 10, and 8 days in the
refrigerated storage, normal room storage, and storage under cyclic day/night conditions, respectively. Fruit
ripening, respiration, and ethyelene production were significantly higher at high temperature storage and
cyclic day/night conditions leading to faster fruit deterioration. Under these storage conditions, the rate of fruit
weight loss, firmness, vitamin C loss, and chlorophyll degradation was also higher compared to refrigeration.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
77
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Said Al Barwani
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
sharthi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Microsatellite DNA marker analysis in brown mussels, perna perna (linnaeus 1758)
from the coastal waters of Oman
Journal Title
Asian journal of Animal and Veterinary advances
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2/317-324
Key Words
Brown mussels; Genetic differences; Genetic distance; Genetic variability; Molecular
markers; Population genetics
Authors
S.M. Al-Barwani, D. Aziz, S.M.N. Amin and A. Arshad
“Thirteen highly polymorphic microsatellite primer pairs developed for Perna uiridis from the gene bank
were tested on 3 populations of Perna perna samples with the aim to adapt a fast, reliable method for preliminary screening and to genetically characterize the wild populations of P. perna in the Oman waters. The
samples were collected from three different locations viz Ras Al-Had, Ras Madrakah and Mirbat. All primers
showed high level of polymorphism for all populations. The mean observed heterozygosity was lower than
the expected heterozygosity across the three populations which means there was a probability of inbreeding
occurred in the populations. Both the chi-square (x2) and likelihood (G2) ratio tests detected significant
differences (p<0.05), which showed deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Cluster analysis revealed
a close genetic relationship of P. perna between all populations and they were clustered according to their
geographical origins into two major groups which include one cluster that grouped the Mirbat and the Ras
Madrakah populations together while the other cluster showed the Ras Al Had domain. The highest genetic
distance (1.2666) was observed between the Mirbat and the Ras Al Had populations while the lowest genetic
distance (0.4746) was recorded between the Mirbat and Ras Madrakah populations. This study demonstrated
that microsatellite markers with thirteen P. viridis primer pairs tested can be applied to genetically characterize
the brown mussel populations in Oman waters.”
78
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Said Al Barwani
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
sharthi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Incidence of Hermaphrodite in Green Mussel Perna viridis along the West Coast of
Peninsular Malaysia
Journal Title
Asian Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2/376-382
Key Words
Hermaphroditism; Histology; Peninsular Malaysia; Perna viridis; Sex ratio
Authors
Said Al Barwani
“Incidences of hermaphroditism in green mussels (Perna uiridis) were determined in four different areas
(Sebatu, Port Dickson, Muar and Johor Bahru) along the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. In Sebatu, 1000
specimens of green mussels were used for the visual determination of sex ratios. The male:female visual ratio
was 1:0.79. Three hundred and seventeen individuals were also sexually identified using histology technique.
Male to female ratio was 1:1.01. Two hermaphrodite specimens were recorded during the months of June
and September, 2004. In Port Dickson, 319 specimens were visually sex-determined, the male: female ratio
was 1.00:0.86. One hundred forty one were also histologically identified. Male: female ratio was 1.00:0.96.
There was no hermaphrodite specimen encountered in this population. For the population of Muar and Johor
Bahru, the entire specimen’s numbers were visually sex-determined first and later confirmed by histological
procedure. The male:female ratio was 0.72:1.00 and 1.00:0.95. No hermaphrodite specimen was found at
either site. The pooled samples from different months showed no significant seasonal deviation in the sex
ratio from a 1:1 ratio (Chi-square test, p>0.05).”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
79
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Said Salim Al-Ismaily
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
esmaily@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Morphed block-crack preferential sedimentation in a reservoir bed: A smart design
and evolution in nature
Journal Title
Hydrological Sciences Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
58/8/1-10
Key Words
Hydropedology; capillary barrier; arid zone; 3D block-fracture composition; evapotranspiration; infiltration
Authors
Said S. Al-Ismaily, Ali K. Al-Maktoumi, Anvar R. Kacimov, Said M. Al-Saqri, Hamad A. Al-Busaidi and Mansour H. Al-Haddabi
“A pedological study of the reservoir bed of Al-Khoud Dam, Oman, revealed an unusual sedimentation pattern which evolved into an intricate composition of silt blocks surrounded by vertical cracks and horizontal
layers filled with a “proppant” sand. The discovered soil morphology reflects the complex topology of water
motion (infiltration–seepage–evaporation) through the sand-filled cracks/layers and blocks during both the
rare flood events and ensuing periods of ponding, and the long, intervening dry periods. These naturally
formed soils demonstrate an ability to preserve a large quantity of water inside the silty blocks at depths of 0.5
to 1.5 m, despite the high temperature and dryness of the topsoil. The hydrological optimality and “smartness”
of these soils is attributed to the unique block-crack system. Natural, lush vegetation was found in adjacent
zones of the reservoir bed, and acted as a footprint of the shallow “fractured perched aquifer.” Planted “ivy”
(Convolvulaceae) in the vertical face of one pedon showed intensive growth without irrigation. Soil moisture
content data confirmed the hydrological immobility of water in the blocks if not depleted by transpiration.
The novel phenomena reported unveil the possible alteration of soil heterogeneity for optimization of the
soil–water system in arid zone soils.”
80
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sergey Dobretsov
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
sergey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Quorum-sensing inhibitory compounds from extremophilic
microorganisms isolated from a hypersaline cyanobacterial mat
Journal Title
J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol
Volume/Issue/Pages
40/1/759-772
Key Words
Quorum-sensing inhibition Antimicrobial, extreme halophiles Diketopiperazines
Cyanobacterialmats Biofouling
Authors
Raeid M. M. Abed, Sergey Dobretsov, Marwan Al-Fori, Sarath P. Gunasekera, Kumar Sudesh, Valerie J. Paul
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
“In this study, extremely halophilic and moderately thermophilic microorganisms from a hypersaline microbial mat were screened for their ability to produce antibacterial, antidiatom, antialgal, and quorum-sensing
(QS) inhibitory compounds. Five bacterial strains belonging to the genera Marinobacter and Halomonas
and one archaeal strain belonging to the genus Haloterrigena were isolated from a microbial mat. The strains
were able to grow at a maximum salinity of 22–25 % and a maximum temperature of 45–60 C. Hexanes, dichloromethane, and butanol extracts from the strains inhibited the growth of at least one out of nine human
pathogens. Only butanol extracts of supernatants of Halomonas sp. SK-1 inhibited growth of the microalga
Dunaliella salina. Most extracts from isolates inhibited QS of the acyl homoserine lactone producer and
reporter Chromobacterium violaceum CV017. Purification of QS inhibitory dichloromethane extracts of
Marinobacter sp. SK-3 resulted in isolation of four related diketopiperazines (DKPs): cyclo (L-Pro-L-Phe),
cyclo(L-Pro-L-Leu), cyclo(L-Pro-L-isoLeu), and cyclo(L-Pro-D-Phe). QS inhibitory properties of these
DKPs were tested using C. violaceumCV017 and Escherichia coli-based QS reporters (pSB401 and pSB1075)
deficient inAHL production. Cyclo(L-Pro-L-Phe) and cyclo(L-Pro-L-iso- Leu) inhibited QS-dependent
production of violacein by C.violaceum CV017. Cyclo(L-Pro-L-Phe), cyclo(L-Pro-L-Leu), and cyclo(L-ProL-isoLeu) reduced QS-dependent luminescence of the reporter E. coli pSB401 induced by 3-oxo-C6- HSL.
Our study demonstrated the ability of halophilic and moderately thermophilic strains from a hypersaline
microbial mat to produce biotechnologically relevant compounds thatcould be used as antifouling agents.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
81
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Sergey Dobretsov
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
sergey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The effect of surface colur on the formation of marine micro and macrofouling
communities
Journal Title
Biofouling
Volume/Issue/Pages
29/6/617-627
Key Words
Bacteria; biofilms; biofouling community; colour; diatoms; pyrosequencing.
Authors
Dobretsov, S. Abed, R.M.M, Voolstra, C.R.
“The effect of substratum colour on the formation of micro- and macro fouling communities was investigated.
Acrylic tiles, painted either black or white were covered with transparent sheets in order to ensure similar
surface properties. All substrata were exposed to biofouling at 1 m depth for 40 d in the Marina Bandar al
Rowdha (Muscat, Sea of Oman). Studies were conducted in 2010 over a time course of 5, 10 and 20 d, and
in 2012 samples were collected at 7, 14 and 21 d. The densities of bacteria on the black and white substrata
were similar with the exception of day 10, when the black substrata had a higher abundance than white
ones. Pyrosequencing via 454 of 16S rRNA genes of bacteria from white and black substrata revealed that
Alphaproteobacteria and Firmicutes were the dominant groups. SIMPER analysis demonstrated that bacterial phylotypes (uncultured Gammaproteobacteria, Actibacter, Gaetbsulicola, Thalassobius and Silicibacter)
and the diatoms (Navicula directa, Navicula sp. and Nitzschia sp.) contributed to the dissimilarities between
communities developed on white and black substrata. At day 20, the highest amount of chlorophyll a was
recorded in biofilms developed on black substrata. SIMPER analysis showed that Folliculina sp., Ulva sp. and
Balanus amphitrite were the major macro fouling species that contributed to the dissimilarities between the
communities formed on white and black substrata. Higher densities of these species were observed on black
tiles. The results emphasise the effect of substratum colour on the formation of micro and macro fouling
communities; substratum colour should to be taken into account in future studies.”
82
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sergey Dobretsov
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
sergey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Mini - Review : Inhibition of biofouling by marine microorganisms
Journal Title
Biofouling
Volume/Issue/Pages
29/4/423-441
Key Words
Antifouling defence; biofilm; biofouling; inhibition; larval settlement; marine microorganism.
Authors
Dobretsov, S, Abed, R.M.M, Teplitski, M
“Any natural or artificial substratum exposed to seawater is quickly fouled by marine microorganisms and later
by macrofouling species. Microfouling organisms on the surface of a substratum form heterogenic biofilms,
which are composed of multiple species of heterotrophic bacteria, cyanobacteria, diatoms, protozoa and
fungi. Biofilms on artificial structures create serious problems for industries worldwide, with effects including
an increase in drag force and metal corrosion as well as a reduction in heat transfer efficiency. Additionally,
microorganisms produce chemical compounds that may induce or inhibit settlement and growth of other
fouling organisms. Since the last review by the first author on inhibition of biofouling by marine microbes
in 2006, significant progress has been made in the field. Several antimicrobial, antialgal and antilarval compounds have been isolated from heterotrophic marine bacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi. Some of these
compounds have multiple bioactivities. Microorganisms are able to disrupt biofilms by inhibition of bacterial
signalling and production of enzymes that degrade bacterial signals and polymers. Epibiotic microorganisms
associated with marine algae and invertebrates have a high antifouling (AF) potential, which can be used to
solve biofouling problems in industry. However, more information about the production of AF compounds
by marine microorganisms in situ and their mechanisms of action needs to be obtained. This review focuses
on the AF activity of marine heterotrophic bacteria, cyanobacteria and fungi and covers publications from
2006 up to the end of 2012.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
83
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Sergey Piontkovski
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
spion@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Seasonal and interannual changes in Epipelagic Ecosystem of the Western Arabian Sea
Journal Title
Int. journal OF Oceans and Oecanography
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/117-130
Key Words
Sea surface temperature; Mesoscale eddies; Arabian Sea; Chlorophyll-a
Authors
S.A.Piontkovski, M.R Claereboudt and S. Al Jufaili
“Remotely sensed and on board historical data were used to analyse monthly fluctuations of sea surface temperature, wind speed, chlorophyll-a concentration and sardine landings in the Sultanate of Oman. No major
differences between summer and winter monsoon values were found for mean chlorophyll-a concentrations,
although the spatial heterogeneity of the field was twice as high during the summer monsoon, due to spatial
variability introduced by numerous mesoscale eddies. The chlorophyll-a, sea surface temperature, and zonal
wind speed all showed significant peaks of variability at periods of 6 months and 1 year- mediated by the
reverse of monsoonal winds. The analysis covering 12 years of data (1997-2009) pointed out that the size
of productive regions (with maximal chlorophyll concentrations) has decreased and a negative correlation
between chlorophyll-a concentration and sea surface temperature was observed along both the western and
eastern parts of the Arabian Sea. The spatially averaged time series of wind speed, sea surface temperature,
and chlorophyll-a were synchronized between both regions. Sardines landings were twice as high during
the winter monsoon compared to the summer monsoon. Overall, the epipelagic ecosystem of the western
Arabian Sea was relatively stable, with minor interannual changes observed during the last few decades but
well pronounced seasonal variability.”
84
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sergey Piontkovski
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
spion@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Zooplankton of Oman coastal waters
Journal Title
Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/1/37-50
Key Words
Copepods, zooplankton, the Arabian Sea.
Authors
Sergey A. Piontkovski, Asila Al-Maawali, Ward Al-Muna Al-Manthri, Khalid
Al-Hashmi, and Elena A. Popova
“Monthly sampling during daytime was carried out in 2007-2011 at Bandar Al-Khyran (23.51oN, 58.72oE)
which is the largest semi-enclosed bay on the southern end of the Sea of Oman with about 4 km2 in surface
area and an average depth of 10 m. Zooplankton were represented by Copepoda (79%), Cladocera (9%),
Oikopleuriddae (7%), Chaetognatha (3%), and Decapoda (~2%) comprising the major part of the total zooplankton abundance. Among copepods, 27 species constituted ~75% of total copepod abundance. Changes
of copepod abundance have not had a pronounced seasonal pattern. Instead, a multiple peak structure in
monthly fluctuations was observed, on the level of genera as well as the abundance of species. Amplitudes
and timing of the copepod peak abundance were markedly different during the studied years.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
85
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Sergey Piontkovski
Department
Marine Science and Fisheries
Contact
spion@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Coastal upwellings and Mesoscale Eddies of the Western Arabian Sea: Some Biological implications
Journal Title
Intr. Journal of Oceans and Oceanography
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/93-115
Key Words
Mesoscale eddies, Arabian Sea, chlorophyll-a.
Authors
S.A.Piontkovski, S. Al Jufaili
“Satellite derived (Sea WIFS, TOPEX/Poseidon, and Jason) chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface heights
sea surface temperature, data on vertical profiles of temperature and salinity from the ARGO drifting floats,
wind speed, the Dipole Mode Index, and historical data on sardine landings were employed to analyse to
physical biological coupling in the western Arabian Sea which is known for its vigorous eddy filed affecting
characteristics of biological productivity. Summer and winter monsoons impose different modes of mesoscale
variability, In summer, the East Arabian Current along with the currents of the Arabian Sea interior generates
a dense field of eddies where as in winter, eddies become less developed and less numerous. Therefore, the
chlorophy II distribution is more heterogeneous spatially and more variable temporally during summer monsoon. Inter-annual changes of eddy field bear footprints of the impact of basin-scale atmospheric anomaly (the
Indian Ocean Dipole). Spatial- temporal characteristics of the eddy field are valuable tools in understanding
seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations of sardine landings contributing ~ 50% to the fishery in the region.”
86
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Shekar Bose
Department
Natural Resource Economics
Contact
sbose@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Accounting the unaccounted: A case of women’s participation in shellfish harvesting
in the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Gender, Technology and Development
Volume/Issue/Pages
17/1/31-53
Key Words
Empowerment; fisheries management; Gender; livelihoods; Oman; property rights
Authors
Bose. S, Al-Kindy, F., Al-Balushi, A. Rajab, M.M
“This exploratory study is aimed at documenting some basic socioeconomic attributes of fisherwomen engaged in shellfish gathering in the southern part of the Sultanate of Oman. The primary data were collected
through face-to-face interviews with participants. The survey results were evaluated from a gender and
development perspective, and plausible policy measures are advocated. It is hoped that the findings of this
exploratory research will generate new insights into the design of testable hypothesis for future research,
with a well-defined focus on the enhancement of the well-being and livelihoods of Omani fisherwomen.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
87
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Shekar Bose
Department
Natural Resource Economics
Contact
sbose@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Fishers’ compliance motivations: A case study of the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Marine policy
Volume/Issue/Pages
37/1/141-148
Key Words
Artisanal fishery; Compliance factors; Fishers› views; Hybrid approach; Oman
Authors
Al-Subhi, K.K.N., Bose, S., Al-Masroori, H.S
“This study identifies factors that are likely to influence compliance motivations as perceived by artisanal
fishers and investigates whether there is any locational difference in relation to fishers’ views of the agreed
factors. A total of 100 face-to-face interviews were conducted involving randomly selected fishers from two
coastal towns of the Al-Batinah Governorate of Oman. A two-stage process was adopted to obtain fishers’
assessment on each compliance factor. For some cases, statistically significant differences in respondents’
level of agreements were noted. The key results from the survey were discussed along with management implications. Based on the findings it is argued that a hybrid approach to enforcement, perhaps, be necessary to
influence fishers’ compliance motivations. Although the assurance of conveying robust statistical inferences
on the subject-matter based on a small sample size would not be practical however, consistent replication
of the present study should help ensuring validity of the results and generating insights into the design of
effective compliance strategies to promote resource stewardship and long-term sustainability.”
88
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Teena Ann Mathew
Department
Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering
Contact
p095715@student.squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Potential of machine vision techniques for detecting fecal and microbial contamination of food products: A review
Journal Title
Food and Bioprocess Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/7/1621–1634
Key Words
Computer vision. Fungal infection.Mycotoxin. NIR hyperspectral imaging. Thermal
imaging. X-ray imaging
Authors
M. Teena, A. Manickavasagan, A. Mothershaw, S. El Hadi, D. S. Jayas
“Consumption of mycotoxin-contaminated agricultural and food products has caused adverse human health
effects for many centuries. Although mycotoxin contamination of agricultural products still occurs, application
of innovative agricultural practices, food processing, and handling techniques has greatly reduced consumer
exposure to mycotoxins. This paper reviews recent developments and potential applications of machine vision
systems in replacing current labor-intensive, time-consuming methods by providing a quick, accurate, and
low-cost alternative for detecting microbial and fecal contaminants in fresh and processed foods. The basic
principles and components of the machine vision system are also discussed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
89
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
Yasmin ElTahir
Department
Animal and Veterinary Sciences
Contact
yasmin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus neutralizing serum antibodies in
dromedary camels: a comparative serological study.
Journal Title
The Lancet
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/10.1016/S1473-3099(13)70164-6/64-6
Authors
Chantal B E M Reusken, Bart L Haagmans, Marcel A Müller Carlos Gutierrez, GertJan Godeke, Benjamin Meyer, Doreen Muth, V Stalin Raj, Laura Smits-De Vries,
Victor M Corman, Jan-Felix Drexler, Saskia L Smits, Yasmin E El Tahir, Rita De
Sousa, Janko van Beek, Norbert Nowotny, Kees van Maanen, Ezequiel Hidalgo-Hermoso, Berend-Jan Bosch, Peter Rottier, Albert Osterhaus, Christian GortázarSchmidt, Christian Drosten, Marion P G Koopmans
“Background: A new betacoronavirus—Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)-has
been identifi ed in patients with severe acute respiratory infection. Although related viruses infect bats,
molecular clock analyses have been unable to identify direct ancestors of MERS-CoV. Anecdotal exposure
histories suggest that patients had been in contact with romedary camels or goats. We investigated possible
animal reservoirs of MERSCoV by assessing specifi c serum antibodies in livestock.”
90
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Zahra Sulaiman Nasser Al-Kharousi
Department
Food Science and Nutrition
Contact
umohaned@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Microbial analysis of cucumbers (Cucumis sativus) produced with tap or treated
waste water
Journal Title
Annals of Applied Biology
Volume/Issue/Pages
163/--/281-287
Key Words
Coliforms; cucumbers; endophytic bacteria; irrigation water; microbial fruit invasion; treated waste water use; water contamination.
Authors
A.S. Mothershaw, Z.A. Kharousi, M. Mumtaz Khan2, Y.A. Al-Mahruki & F.A. Al
Said
“There is increasing evidence for a significant role of fruits and vegetables in infectious diseases in humans.
Their consumption is increasing and environmental factors such as water availability are impacting their
production. In this study, adding fertiliser to tap water (TW) increased the microbial load above that found
in treated waste water (TWW); coliforms were also introduced. Low numbers of Bacillus spp. were recovered
from inside some healthy cucumber fruits. No visible differences were observed between cucumber plants
irrigated with TWW or TW or cucumbers with and without endophytic Bacillus spp. This is noteworthy
when considering the use of TWW for crop irrigation.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
91
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Arts and
Social Sciences
Table 3 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Arts and Social Science in 2013.
No.
College’s/Center’s
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
1
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
5
2
Listed in Scopus
4
SQU Journals
4
4
Listed among top 30% of Humanities
Journals
5
5
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
5
3
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
23
95
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Table 3 shows the number of published journal papers in the College of Arts and Social Sciences in 2013. The college
produced 23 publications, 5 of these publications were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 4 were listed in Scopus and 4
were published in SQU Journals, 5 were listed among the top 30% of Humanities Journals and 5 were listed among the
bottom 70% of Humanities Journals.
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Names
96
Pages
Abdul Gabbar Al-Sharafi
97
Adel Abu Radwan
98
Ali Said Salim Albalushi
99
Ali Saif Al-Aufi
101
Fayez A. Al-Simadi
102
Khalfan Zahran Al Hijji
104
Mohamed Mohamed ELsherbiny
106
Mounir Ben Zid
108
Naeema Hassan
109
Nahed Salem
110
Naifa Eid Saleem
112
Nasser Said AlJhawari
113
Salim Mubarak Hamad Al-Hatrushi
115
Salwa Al-Saeed Abdul Karim Ahmed
116
Tamer Atef
117
Yassine Charabi
118
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdul Gabbar Al-Sharafi
Department
English
Contact
alsharaf@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
The Metonymic Functions of the Verb Fa?ala in the Holy Quran
Journal Title
Journal of Arts and Social Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/4/5-24
Key Words
Metonymy, cohesion, euphemism, representation, referential metonymy, social
stigma, taboo.
Authors
Abdul Gabbar Al-Sharafi
“This study builds on an observation that the verb fa?ala in Arabic, which means ‘do’, is essentially metonymic;
it can refer to any transitive or intransitive verb in the language. This referential function is paradigmatic
in nature and has been mentioned by classical Arab grammarians, hence their choice of this verb as the
template or pattern on which all action verbs are formulated and modulated. The study proceeds from this
basic observation to propose another type of referential function of the verb fa?ala, which is syntagmatic
in nature: the cohesive function. Taking the Holy Qur’an as the corpus for this study, both functions of the
verb are investigated in this study. A statistical analysis is carried out to identify all the occurrences of the
verb fa?ala and its derivatives in the Holy Qur’an within their textual contexts, usually the verse. A textual
analysis of each of these occurrences is, then, carried out to reveal the metonymic function of the verb fa?ala
in all these instances. The study shows that within the general metonymic referential function of the verb
fa?ala two basic sub-functions can be identified. The first is plain reference and the second is euphemistic
reference. The findings of this study show that the plain reference function only accounts for about 37% of the
total occurrences, while the euphemistic reference accounts for about 63% of the total Holy Qur’an corpus.
These findings are significant because no previous study has addressed this textual aspect of the verb fa?ala
in the Holy Qur’an, not even classical and contemporary exegete. This study is also significant to linguistic
and figurative studies of the Holy Qur’an, Holy Qur’an corpus studies and textual and pragmatic analysis of
the Holy Qur’an.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
97
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Adel Abu Radwan
Department
English
Contact
radwan@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Patterns of Sociolinguistic Variation in Arabic
Journal Title
Dialectologia
Volume/Issue/Pages
11/1/1-28
Key Words
Colloquialization; Hybridization; Pluricentricity; Standardization; Variation
Authors
Hassan R. Abdel- Jawad and Adel Abu Radwan
“This paper argues that the linguistic situation in Arabic defies any rigid demarcation and dichotomization;
therefore, it proposes an alternative approach to the analysis of the Arabic linguistic situation - the Variation
Approach. The proposed approach assumes that (a) the probabilistic use of linguistic items correlates with an
index of stylistic, economic, and socio-political variables shared by all members of any Arab speech community, and (b) in dealing with variation in Arabic, it is important to study (1) each individual linguistic variable
and its behaviour as an independent unit within the same linguistic level, and (2) the relationship between
variables across linguistic levels, i.e. the hierarchy and implication of the application, and (3) the variable
sensitivity of the linguistic variables to socio-stylistic contexts and social evaluation within the same community and across communities. In light of the new model, the paper highlights some of the most common
variation patterns that may exist in any given Arab speech community. Finally, it surveys the major factors
that my influence and shape the dominant patterns of variation in the Arab world.”
98
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ali Said Salim Albalushi
Department
Geography
Contact
buloshis@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Illegal dumping in the Town of Almubailah South Al-Seeb Wilayat – Sultanate of
Oman
Journal Title
Journal of Arts and Social Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
1/4/63-78
Key Words
Dumping area, illegal dumping, population growth.
Authors
Ali Said Salim Albalushi
“This study addresses the issue of illegal dumping which is defined as throwing large amounts of material without a permit in areas not authorized by government authorities. These areas are usually on the
sides of roads, public land and private sites and the sites that are not frequently visited by the public. The
town of Almubailah South, in the Governorate of Muscat, was used as a case study because of its highly
urbanized and increasing population growth. The study aims mainly to monitor the waste disposal sites
in locations unauthorized in Almubailah South and draw the attention of the concerned government
authorities in the Sultanate of Oman as well as raise community awareness about seriousness of the
problem. The methodology is based on fieldwork, statistical analysis and remote sensing and GIS techniques employed to track and monitor the problem. The study results show that there are 27 locations in
the study area containing a total volume of waste estimated at 7774.9 cubic meters of waste. The waste
materials were found in heaps ranging from small-size materials accounting for 73% of the total volume
of waste materials, and large-size materials accounting for 42%, and medium-size materials accounting
for 15%. Remnants of building materials occupied the bulk of these waste materials in comparison with
other types of waste and these were found in about 57% of the total sites The study recommends a joint
cooperation between the public and private sectors so as to achieve an effective strategy to eradicate
those landfills. The study also advocates supporting the activities of volunteers in awareness, cleaning
campaigns and rehabilitation of affected sites through allocating part of the tax revenues, municipal
violations revenues and revenues of automobile companies specializing in the sale of garbage trucks.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
99
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
‫‪Geography‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪buloshis@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫مؤرشات املوارد املائية للتنمية املستدامة يف سلطنة عامن‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة دراسات الخليج والجزيرة العربية‬
‫‪39/150/149-187‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫عيل البلويش‬
‫“إن توافر البيانات النوعية والكمية عن املوارد الطبيعية يعترب أساساً للتنمية املستدامة‪ ،‬وبشكل خاص البيانات املتعلقة مبوارد املياه العذبة ومدى توافرها‬
‫واستخداماتها‪ ،‬وقد تزايدت أهمية املؤرشات املائية يف الوقت الراهن نظرا ً لتفاقم مشكلة نقص املياه يف املناطق الجافة وشبه الجافة‪ ،‬وتراجع جودة املياه يف‬
‫العديد من األقاليم الرطبة وشبه الرطبة‪ .‬وتناقش هذه الدراسة املوارد املائية املتاحة يف سلطنة عامن‪ ،‬إضافة إىل الكشف عن مؤرشات التنمية املستدامة يف قطاع‬
‫املوارد املائية وسهولة وصول السكان إىل مصادر املياه ألغراض الرشب واألغراض املنزلية‪ ،‬وأهم التحديات التي تواجه املوارد املائية والجهود الحكومية املبذولة‬
‫للتغلب عىل تلك التحديات‪ .‬وقد اعتمدت الدراسة بشكل رئييس عىل تتبع الدراسات والتقارير الحكومية املتعلقة مبوارد املياه من مختلف مؤسسات الدولة‬
‫املعنية‪ ،‬إضافة إىل إجراء التحليالت اإلحصائية والتمثيل البياين لتلك التحليالت‪ .‬وقد خلصت الدراسة إىل أن السلطنة ستواجه فعلياً أزمة مياه ال ميكن تجاوزها‬
‫إال بجهود مضاعفة تزيد بكثري عىل ما يبذل حالياً؛ األمر الذي يوحي بحدوث عجز مايئ‪ ،‬يتمثل يف انخفاض مناسيب املياه الجوفية‪ ،‬وتردي نوعية املياه وتناقص‬
‫مناسيب العديد من اآلبار واألفالج وتداخل مياه البحر مع مكامن املياه الجوفية الساحلية‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪100‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Ali Said Salim Albalushi‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Ali Saif Al-Aufi
Department
Library and Information Science
Contact
alaufia@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Information literacy in Oman’s higher education: A descriptive - inferential approach
Journal Title
Journal of Librarianship and Information Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
45/4/335-346
Key Words
Big6, higher education, information literacy, Oman, Sultan Qaboos Universit
Authors
Ali Al-Aufi and Hamed Al-Azri
“This study aims to identify the current status of information literacy among the students at Sultan Qaboos
University in their final year through using the Big6 model for solving information problems. The study utilizes self-assessment survey approach, with the questionnaire as a tool for data collection. It surveyed undergraduate students of Sultan Qaboos University, enrolled in their final year for the academic year 2010/2011.
Collected data from 550 valid questionnaires were processed using SPSS. The results indicated high rates of
information literacy skills. Among the Big6 skills synthesis, including the ability of respondents in summarizing, combining and linking, using consistent style of organization, and using a variety of ways to display
information was ranked first, while the skill of location and access scored the lowest. Significant statistical
differences attributed to specialization, gender, English fluency, and computer skills were also indicated at
minor levels. The amount of literature relating to information literacy in the Arab World is comparatively less
than that in the developed countries. No empirical studies that investigate the competencies of information
literacy among university students have previously been conducted in Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
101
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Fayez A. Al-Simadi
Department
Sociology and Social Work
Contact
fsmadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Omani parents beliefs about their competence in dealing with their adolescent childrens behavoiral problems
Journal Title
Journal of Arts and Social Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/1/25-36
Authors
Fayez A. Al-Simadi
“This study examines the effect of some demographic variables such as educational achievement, income,
residence, profession and gender on parents’ beliefs about their competence to deal with their adolescent
children’s behavioral problems. The adolescent behavioral problems investigated in this study include failure
in school, alcoholism and addiction to drugs. A group of 350 parents of adolescent children was randomly
selected from several districts in the Governorate of Muscat in the Sultanate of Oman. The researcher developed a questionnaire to measure the impact of these variables on certain behavioral problems specifically
identified for the study. ANOVA was used to examine the role of socio-demographic variables in explaining
parents’ beliefs about their competence to prevent such problems. Results reveal a positive impact for the
variables : educational achievement, occupation, family income, gender, and place of residence. To investigate the effects of these sociodemographic factors on each of the dimensions of competence, MANOVA was
used. Results show that there is a direct relationship between the variable of level of income and children’s
failure in school, and that the variable of gender and the problem of alcoholism and drug addiction are related. Finally, the variable of place of residence is related to the problems of alcoholism, addiction to drugs
and school failure. These results were discussed in light of findings of similar previous studies and within the
framework of the Omani social lifestyles.”
102
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Fayez A. Al-Simadi
Department
Sociology and Social Work
Contact
fsmadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
University legislations and their suitability to the needs of students with special
needs Arabic version
Journal Title
Journal of Educational Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/1/64-76
Authors
Fawwaz A. Momani, Fayez A. Al-Simadi And Insaf A. Momani
“This study aimed to review the suitability of the laws, regulations, and instructions in force at the University
of Jordan for students with special needs. The study focused primarily on legislations, laws, regulations and
resolutions adopted by the University of Jordan that are related to admission, housing, health insurance,
registration, library, public services, financial support, testing, attendance, academic warning, deferral, extracurricular activities, and technical services support. Descriptive analytical approach was used. Percentages and
frequencies were employed. About 214 articles of the law, regulations and resolutions linked to the university
students were reviewed. The results indicated that the percentage of law articles related to the university legislation concerning the students with special needs has reached 0.93%, and this ratio is considered very low.
Finally, the study recommended the need to review the imbalances in laws, rules, and regulations currently
in force in Jordanian universities as to suit the needs of students with special needs.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
103
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Khalfan Zahran Al Hijji
Department
Library and Information Science
Contact
khijjiz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Theory versus Practice in Cataloging: Students perspective
Journal Title
Cataloging & Classification Quarterly
Volume/Issue/Pages
51/8/929-944
Key Words
Bibliographic control courses; cataloging education; classification; descriptive cataloging; library and information science education; subject cataloging; theory versus
practice in cataloging
Authors
Khalfan Zahran Al Hijji & Omar Sulaiman Fadlallah
“This study investigates theory versus practice in cataloging education in Oman. In-depth interviews were
conducted for data collection. Important findings of the study indicate big variations in the students’ views
on the balance between theory and practice in different cataloging courses. Although the dominant opinions denote a big gap between theoretical and practical aspects of some courses, the practice of others seems
sufficient. Positive practical results emerged for subject analysis and classification as a result of the online
availability of their tools in the university, and there was consistency of teaching methods in the training
process at the libraries.”
104
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Khalfan Zahran Al Hijji‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Library and Information Science‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪khijjiz@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫العزلة اإللكرتونية وتأثريها عىل التحصيل الدرايس والعالقات االجتامعية لطلبة كلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية بجامعة‬
‫السلطان قابوس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة املكتبات و املعلومات العربية‬
‫‪33/4/133-156‬‬
‫خلفان بن زهران الحجي‪ ،‬علياء الرخبي‪ ،‬فاطمة الخرويص‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫“هدفت الدراسة للتعرف عىل مدى تفيش ظاهرة العزلة اإللكرتونية لدى طالب كلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية بجامعة السلطان قابوس ‪ ،‬ومدى تأثريها عىل‬
‫تحصيلهم الدرايس وعالقاتهم االجتامعية‪ .‬اعتمدت الدراسة عىل املنهج الوصفي التحلييل ملا يوفره من بيانات مفصلة للظاهرة ‪ ،‬ولقدرته عىل توفري تفسري واقعي‬
‫للعوامل املرتبطة مبوضوع البحث‪ .‬ومن أهم ما خلصت الية الدراسة أن هناك مؤرشات للعزلة اإللكرتونية لدى طلبة كلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية بجامعة‬
‫السلطان قابوس حيث أن أكرث من نصف أفراد العينة (‪ )% 66‬يجدزن يف اإلنرتنت إثارة أكرث من أي يشء آخر وأن الرتفيه كان الغرض األسايس لـ ‪ % 72‬من زائري‬
‫املواقع اإللكرتونية من أفراد عينة الدراسة‪ .‬ومن جهة أخرى فإن معظم أفراد العينة (‪ )% 91‬يلجأون لتصفح اإلنرتنت إذا واجهتم صعوبة يف دراستهم‪ .‬كام اتضح‬
‫من النتائج أن العزلة اإللكرتونية لها تأثري كبري عىل العالقات االجتامعية للطلبة وذلك بتعويضهم للعالقات االجتامعية الطبيعية بعالقات اجتامعية مبنية عىل‬
‫التعارف اإللكرتوين‪ .‬ومن أبرز النتائج أيضاً أن العزلة اإللكرتونية تأثري نفيس عىل الطلبة‪ ،‬حيث اتضح أن (‪ )% 42‬منهم يهربون إىل اإلنرتنت بدالً من مواجهة‬
‫املشكالت والصعوبات التي تقف أمامهم‪ .‬وأن ثلث أفراد العينة يسيطر اإلنرتنت عىل تفكريهم بدرجة كبرية‪ .‬إضافة إىل أن نسبة كبرية من أفراد العينة عربوا بأن‬
‫اإلنرتنت هو املكان الوحيد الذي يشعرون فية باملتعة‪”.‬‬
‫‪105‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪Sociology and Social Work‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪sherbiny@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫فاعلية العالج املعريف السلويك يف خدمة الفرد يف التخفيف من حده اآلثار السلبية لربنامج (تطبيق) الواتس آب عىل‬
‫العملية التعليمية‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫دراسات يف الخدمة االجتامعية والعلوم االنسانية‬
‫‪35/1/1-66‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫محمد محمد الرشبيني‬
‫“تشهد املجتمعات الحالية تغريات رسيعة ومتالحقة نتيجة للتقدم التكنولوجي وثورة املعلوماتية‪ .‬ويعترب تطبيق الواتس آب (‪ )WhatsApp‬من التطبيقات‬
‫الحديثة التي متثل اإلعالم االجتامعي الناتجة عن ثورة املعلومات‪ .‬ومام الشك فيه أن هذا التطبيق (كغريه من التطبيقات الحديثة) له العديد من التأثريات يف‬
‫حياتنا منها التأثريات السلبية واإليجابية‪ .‬وتنعكس التأثريات السلبية عيل مختلف جوانب حياة األرسة سواء عيل الزوجني أو األبناء‪ .‬وتعترب املجتمعات الخليجية‬
‫من أكرب املستخدمني للهواتف الذكية وبتطبيقاتها املختلفة ويعترب تطبيق الواتس آب (‪ )WhatsApp‬من أكرث التطبيقات املستخدمة فيها خاصة يف سلطنة عامن‬
‫‪ ،‬لذا تهدف الدراسة الحالية إيل التعرف عيل اآلثار السلبية لتطبيق الواتس آب (‪ )WhatsApp‬عيل األرسة سواء عيل األبناء أو الزوجني‪ .‬وتعترب هذه الدراسة‬
‫من الدراسات الوصفية ‪ ،‬وقد استخدم الباحث منهج املسح االجتامعي الشامل عىل جميع طالب شعبة الخدمة االجتامعية (‪ 165‬طالبا) بقسم االجتامع والعمل‬
‫االجتامعي بكلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية –جامعة السلطان قابوس ووالديهم الذين يستخدمون التطبيق و (‪ )224‬وقد استخدم الباحث أداه االستبيان لجمع‬
‫البيانات‪ .‬وقد أشارت النتائج إىل وجود العديد من اآلثار السلبية للتطبيق عىل األرسة مثل تقليل الوقت املنقيض مع األرسة سواء داخل املنزل أو خارجه ‪ ،‬زيادة‬
‫الصمت األرسي‪ ،‬كام أنه يؤثر عىل الناحية التعليمية لألبناء ويؤدى إىل تأخري الصالة‪ ،‬كام يساعد عىل بناء عالقات عاطفية خارج األرسة‪ .‬ويف النهاية (وبناء عىل‬
‫النتائج) قام الباحث بوضع برنامج تدخل مهني سلويك أرسي للتخفيف من اآلثار السلبية للتطبيق‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪106‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Mohamed Mohamed ELsherbiny‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Mohamed Mohamed ELsherbiny‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Sociology and Social Work‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪sherbiny@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫تصور وقايئ مقرتح من منظور املامرسة العامة يف الخدمة االجتامعية لتجنب‬
‫املشكالت االجتامعية املرتتبة عيل استقدام املربيات األجنبيات‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة دراسات يف الخدمة االجتامعية والعلوم اإلنسانية‬
‫‪35/16/6975-7056‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫محمد محمد الرشبيني‬
‫“إن ظاهرة املربيات األجنبيات مل تنشأ عن حاجة حقيقية أو فرضتها رضورة اجتامعية فقط بل أوجدتها ظروف الطفرة االقتصادية التي مرت بها دول الخليج‬
‫وما ترتب عليها من تغيري رسيع يف السلم االجتامعي وانتشار عدوى التقليد وحب الظهور ثم استفحلت هذه الظاهرة بعد خروج املرأة للعمل‪.‬‬
‫وقد أمثرت ظاهرة استخدام املربيات األجنبيات عن بروز الكثري من املشكالت االجتامعية واآلثار السلبية التي انعكست عىل املجتمع واألرسة وعىل األطفال‬
‫والتي منها ظهور قيم مخالفة لقيم املجتمع و ضعف ارتباط األطفال بالوالدين وكذلك ظهور مفردات جديدة يف اللغة وتأثر النمو النفيس واالنفعايل واالجتامعي‬
‫ألفراد األرسة‪.‬‬
‫لذا تهدف الدراسة الحالية اىل التعرف عىل املشكالت االجتامعية املرتتبة عيل استقدام املربيات األجنبيات ثم محاولة وضع تصور وقايئ مقرتح من منظور املامرسة‬
‫العامة للحد من هذه املشكالت‪.‬‬
‫وتعد هذه الدراسة من الدراسات الوصفية ‪ ،‬وقد استخدم الباحث منهج املسح االجتامعي باستخدام عينة عمديه مكونة من ‪ 110‬من أرباب األرس ممن لديهم‬
‫مربية أجنبية يف محافظة مسقط‪ .‬وقد استخدم الباحث عدة أدوات منها املقابلة واملالحظة‪.‬‬
‫وقد توصلت نتائج الدراسة اىل ان من أهم األسباب التي تؤدي لالستقدام هي انخفاض تكاليفها وانخفاض رواتب املربيات‪ .‬أما عن أهم املشكالت تأثريا عىل‬
‫األبناء هي تأثري لغة املربية عيل األبناء كذلك تشبع األطفال بعادات وديانة املربية السيام إذا كانت غري مسلمة‪ ،‬استغالل املربية لوقت األبناء كام تراه أفضل من‬
‫وجهة نظرها‪ ،‬وحب األبناء للمربية أكرث من حبهم ألمهم وقسوة املربية عيل األطفال‪ ،‬أو تعذيبهم‪.‬‬
‫أما أهم تأثريات املربية عيل باقي أفراد األرسة فيتمثل يف إفشاء األرسار ‪ ،‬الخالف عيل بعض سبل تنشئة األبناء وكذلك إتكالية األم عيل املربية بشكل كبري‪ ،‬والرسقة‬
‫والشجار مع الجريان‪ ..‬الخ‪.‬‬
‫وأخريا قام الباحث بوضع تصور وقايئ مقرتح من منظور املامرسة العامة للوقاية من هذه املشكالت‪.‬‬
‫ويف النهاية قدم الباحث تصور للوقاية من آثار السلبية الستقدام املربيات حيث تم مناقشة أهدافه ونوع الوقاية وموعد التنفيذ والقائم بالتنفيذ‪”.‬‬
‫‪107‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Mounir Ben Zid
Department
English
Contact
mounir@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The tsunami of literary study: Toward an E pluribus unum approach to the exploration of literature
Journal Title
Journal of Language and Literature (JLL)
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/1/32-40
Key Words
Literary Analysis; Humanist Criticism; Literary Stylistics; Literary Pragmatics
Authors
Mounir Ben Zid
“It is fashionable at the present time to stress the idea that different scholars all have different modes of analysing literary texts. To some extent, this must be true. We all have different experiences, which may prompt
us to have slightly different ways of exploring a literary text. Yet my own position and mode of studying
literature rejects the assumption that the reader can find a way into the text or achieve a ‘healthy’ interpretation through one single angle of vision or mode of criticism. With the looming demise of literature and
soft ‘tsunami’ of literary study in the era of globalization, the present paper advances the claim that literary
analysis should find its way in a new ‘global’ and interdisciplinary approach where “intrinsic” and “extrinsic”
evidence are contrasted. The overarching premise of the paper is that there is an urgent need for an integration, a ‘Worlding’ or an intermarriage of disparate modes of criticism, making use of various discourses
and tools of analysis borrowed from various schools of thought and disciplines such as ‘Literary Linguistics’
and ‘Humanist Criticism’. The above interdisciplinary model will be applied to Shakespeare’s Sonnet 66 to
examine how an awareness of a global and interdisciplinary mode of analysis is likely to preserve the ‘raison
d’être’ of literature, produce a more ‘accurate’ analysis and achieve a ‘healthier’ interpretation of literary texts
that resist any prescribed or fixed truth.”
108
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Naeema Hassan‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Library and Information Science‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪naima1@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫اشكالية البناء األخالقي يف البيئة االفرتاضية‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫املجلة العربية لألرشيف والتوثيق واملعلومات‬
‫‪17/33-34/107-116‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫نعيمة حسن‬
‫“تعد شبكة االنرتنت مرفقا وأداة وطنية يف كل دولة صغرية وكبرية من دول العامل‪ ،‬وعليه أصبح توفرها وتسهيل االرتباط بها نتيجة حتمية لتزايد الراغبني يف‬
‫الدخول إىل عاملها ولتعدد خدماتها‪ ،‬يبقى هنالك مسألة جوهية تتعلق بطريقة استخدامها‪ .‬فاالستخدام غري املسؤول لهذا املورد الحيوي يشكل تهديدا رهيبا يعيق‬
‫استمرار عملها وانفتاحها املتواصل للمجتمع التقني‪ .‬وليست سلطنة عامن مبعزل عن هذه املشكلة‪ ،‬فلطاملا عانت الشبكة العامنية من انتهاكات وخروقات كثرية‬
‫تحدث يف الغالب إرباكا ملستخدمي الشبكة وبالتايل تؤدي إىل وضع ضوابط كثرية من بينها إغالق املواقع وتحجيم استخدامها‪ ،‬افرتاضا‪ ،‬وتأسيسا عىل هدف شبكة‬
‫االنرتنت يف الوصول للمعلومات وتبادلها والتشارك بها‪ ،‬يعد استخدام شبكة االنرتنت امتيازا يجب أن يتعامل معها عىل هذا النحو من قبل جميع املستخدمني‬
‫لها‪ ,‬وبالتايل فإن السلوكيات املتعمدة غري األخالقية أدناه الميكن قبولها‪:‬‬
‫ االستخدام املتعمد الذي يؤدي إىل تعطيل عمل االنرتنت مثل الفريوسات‬‫ طرح معلومات غري دقيقة وغري صحيحة وغري أخالقي‬‫ تدمري سالمة املعلومات املرتكزة عىل الحاسوب‬‫‪ -‬اخرتاق وتهديد الخصوصة الشخصية للمستخدمني”‬
‫‪109‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪Library and Information Science‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪naheds@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫تصنيف األلعاب اإللكرتونية بني النظرية والتطبيق‪ :‬دراسة مقارنة بني خطتي تصنيف ديوي العرشي وتصنيف مكتبة‬
‫الكونجرس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة مكتبة امللك فهد الوطنية‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫املجلد التاسع عرش‪/‬العدد األول‪388-348/‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫ناهد محمد بسيوين سامل‬
‫“تتبعت الدراسة الحالية تصنيف االلعاب االلكرتونية يف االنتاج الفكري كام ركزت عىل البنية التصنيفية للموضوع من خالل تناولها يف خطط التصنيف املكتبية‬
‫الحديثة متمثلة يف خطة تصنيف ديوي العرشي وخطة تصنيف املكتبة الكونجرس وهدفت الدراسة اىل املقارنة بني كل من الخطني لعرض بنية تصنيف املوضوع‬
‫متمثلة يف مسميايه واالقسام املعرفية التي يتفرع منها ثم تفريعات املوضوع نفسه ومدى نجاح الخطتني يف إدارج رموز تغطي كال من االنتاج الفكري عن‬
‫املوضوع وعرض االلعاب االلكرتونية نفسها يف شكل مجسامت او يف شكل ‪ CD‬ولتحقيق ذلك فقد اتبعت الدراسة املنهج التحلييل املقارن معتمدة عىل خطتي‬
‫تصنيف ديوي العرشي وتصنيف مكتبة الكونجرس يف نسختيهام االصليتني املطبوعة وااللكرتونية‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪110‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Nahed Salem‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Nahed Salem
Department
Library and Information Science
Contact
naheds@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Environmental assessment in manuscripts library and storages of semi-active
record at sultanate of oman
Journal Title
International Journal of Knowledge Management
Volume/Issue/Pages
9/3/65-81
Key Words
Archival collections; Indoor environmental factors; Knowledge management; Manuscripts library; Semi-active records; Storage media
Authors
Nahed Salem, Sabah Abdul-Wahab, Sappurd Ali
“Indoor environmental factors have been associated with deterioration of vital library and archival assets.
The assessment of environmental factors affecting the library and document collections due to their inappropriate levels was the main objective of current study. In order to fulfill this objective the measurements
of indoor environmental parameters were taken in manuscripts library and documents storage buildings of
various Ministries of Sultanate of Oman. The measured values of these parameters were compared with the
permitted values defined in various international standards/guidelines. The results of the study showed that
the observed levels of environmental factors inside these buildings were not within the stipulated limits. The
quality of indoor air at the studied locations was not appropriate for long term protection and preservation
of their precious collections. Hence some preventive measures must be taken to safeguard these documentary assets. Practical implications - The indoor environments of library and archival collection buildings are
very important for the protection and preservation of documentary assets. The study provides very useful
information about the harmful indoor environmental factors and their effects on vital library and archival
collections. This work would definitely help the concerning authorities to take remedial measures to control
the inappropriate levels of these factors.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
111
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
‫‪Library and Information Science‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪naifa@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫أخالقيات طلبة املرحلة الجامعية األوىل بجامعة السلطان قابوس بسلطنة عامن يف التعامل مع اإلنرتنت وتوظيفهم‬
‫اإليجايب لها يف التعليم‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة مكتبة امللك فهد الوطنية‬
‫‪20/1/239-306‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫نايف عيد‬
‫“هدفت الدراسة إىل التعرف عىل االستخدامات التعليمية لإلنرتنت من قبل طلبة املرحلة الجامعية األوىل بجامعة السلطان قابوس بسلطنة عامن‪ ،‬وأوضحت‬
‫الدراسة فائدة استخدام غرف الحوار وبرامج الدردشة يف التعليم‪ ،‬كام ألقت الضوء عىل دور األلعاب التعليمية يف العملية التعليمية‪ .‬وهدفت الدراسة أيضا إىل‬
‫التعرف عىل أخالقيات الطلبة عند التعامل مع اإلنرتنت‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪112‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Naifa Eid Saleem‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Nasser Said AlJhawari‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Archaeology‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪jahwari@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫الرسوم الصخرية يف وادي الجفر بسلطنة عامن‪ :‬الداللة واملعنى‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫أدماتو‬
‫‪27/1/29-48‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫نارصسعيدالجهوري ‪ ،‬عيل التجاين املاحي‬
‫“تتناول هذه الورقة الرسوم الصخرية املكتشفة يف وادي الجفر مبنطقة جعالن بني بوحسن‪ ،‬يف الجزء الرشقي من سلطنة عامن‪ .‬التشخيص األويل لهذه الرسوم‬
‫الصخرية جعلنا نتساءل عن دور البعد الجغرايف للرسومات الصخرية وأهميته‪ ،‬وهل هذا البعد كتوزيع للرسوم‪ ،‬ومواضع مختارة لها يحمل فلسفة وغاية قصدها‬
‫ذلك املجتمع منذ آالف السنني؟ من هنا‪ ،‬تحاول الورقة التعامل مع هذه الرسوم بشكل مغاير عن محاوالت تشخيص سابقة يف العمل األثري‪ ،‬إذ تسعى للنظر‬
‫لهذه الرسوم الصخرية يف إطار اإلقليمية‪ ،‬والدور الذي ميكن أن تلعبه مثل هذه الرسوم يف حياة مجتمع وادي الجفر‪ .‬إن أبرز سامت الرسوم الصخرية يف وادي‬
‫الجفر‪ ،‬وأكرثها تكرارا ً‪ ،‬هي رسوم القدم واليد واإلنسان‪ ،‬والرجل الذي ميتطي الخيل‪ .‬وتبني بعد التشخيص أن الرسوم الصخرية يف هذا الوادي‪ ،‬جاءت لتخدم‬
‫غرضاً يصب يف تحديد الوادي‪ ،‬كإقليم بسطت عليه سيادة سكانه‪ .‬وال بد من أن هنالك حاجة‪ ،‬لتثبيت السيادة عىل هذا اإلقليم وتأكيدها‪ ،‬وإعالن حدوده تحذيرا ً‬
‫وتنبيهاً مللكيته وإعالن خصوصيته‪ .‬وهذا اإلعالن عن حدود اإلقليم‪ ،‬بغية حرص موارده الطبيعية واحتكارها عىل سكان الوادي‪ .‬كام عملت الرسوم الصخرية يف‬
‫الوادي عىل إبراز رمزية القيم اإلنسانية والثقافية ومدلوالتها‪ ،‬وذلك برسم اليد والقدم‪ ،‬ورسوم الرجل ميتطي الحصان عىل امتداد الوادي‪ ،‬وهذا توظيف للفن‬
‫لتحديد الحدود وامللكية والسيادة والهوية‪”.‬‬
‫‪113‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Nasser Said AlJhawari
Department
Archaeology
Contact
jahwari@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The early bronze age funerary archaeological landscape of the western part of
Jaalan region: Results of three seasons of investigation
Journal Title
Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy
Volume/Issue/Pages
24/2/151-173
Key Words
Western part of Ja’alan, Early Bronze Age, funerary landscape, landscape utilisation,
nomadic pastoral groups, marking tribal territory
Authors
Nasser Said AlJhawari
“This paper presents the results of three seasons of investigations in the western part of Ja’alan in the southern
al-Sharqyiah Governorate in the Sultanate of Oman. The results highlight the importance of this part of Ja’alan
during the Early Bronze Age (EBA), particularly the Hafit period and provide us with important information
about the funerary archaeological landscape during this period. The results also reveal important aspects of
landscape utilisation and occupation during this time and add to our knowledge of the cultural and economic
facets of the earliest Bronze Age societies. The distribution of tombs in the landscape suggests that they were
constructed by nomadic or semi-nomadic pastoral groups that shifted from one location to another in search
of grazing for their livestock. The availability and seasonality of natural resources such as water, pasture and
game made it necessary for them to mark their tribal territory with their funerary structures.”
114
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Salim Mubarak Hamad Al-Hatrushi
Department
Geography
Contact
hatrushi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Monitoring of the shoreline change using remote sensing and CIS: A case study of
Al Hawasnah tidal inlet, Al Batinah coast, Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Arab J Geosci
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/5/1479-1484
Key Words
Coastal geomorphology; Coastal erosion; Coastal change detection; Tidal inlets;
Wadi outlet
Authors
Salim Mubarak Hamad Al-Hatrushi
“One of the most effective means of monitoring the cumulative effects of natural processes and human activities on the shoreline is to study the patterns of shoreline change over time. An attempt has been made
to study the shoreline changes along Al Batinah, Sultanate of Oman, at the outlet of Wadi Al Hawasnah.
The previous studies showed that Al Batinah coastline is generally stable except where coastal engineering
structures like harbors, corniches, ports, and recharge dams are present. Remote sensing and GIS techniques
are widely used in the coastal geomorphology because they provide the best sources to study the long-term
shoreline changes. Rapid shoreline changes at the mouth of Wadi Al Hawasnah have been measured using
proxy data derived mainly from satellite images from 2000 to 2005. The mouth of Wadi Al Hawasnah is now
completely blocked after the construction of recharge dam at the upper stream of Wadi Al Hawasnah and Wadi
Bani Umar in 1995. There has been no discharge to the sea after the construction of the dam. Furthermore,
beach profiles of this area show erosion close to the south of the tidal inlet and accretion further south. The
shorelines in the northwest of the tidal inlet remained stable.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
115
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
‫‪Library and Information Science‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪salwaa@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫دور الربمجيات مفتوحة املصدر ىف تحسني جودة املحتوى الرقمى للربامج األكادميية ‪ :‬دراسة تقةميية اتطبيق برنامج‬
‫املودل ىف برنامج قسم دراسات املعلومات بكلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية بجامعة السلطان قابوس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫املجلة العربية لألرشيف والتوثيق واملعلومات ‪:‬مجلة محكمة‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪ \34/33‬السنة السابعة عرش\ ‪192 -118‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫سلوى السعيد عبد الكريم أحمد‬
‫“عىل مدى سنوات قليلة أحدثت تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت ثورة كبرية يف نظم التعليم الجامعي ‪ ،‬كان أبرز آثارها التحول إىل مجتمع رقمي معطياته أفراد مؤهلني‬
‫للتعامل مع البيئة الرقمية و الحكومة اإللكرتونية والتجارة اإللكرتونية وعامل االقتصاد القائم عىل االنرتنت و منظامت العمل اإللكرتونية و املكتبات االفرتاضية ‪ ،‬وقد انعكس‬
‫هذا املناخ عىل بنية التعليم الجامعي ‪ ،‬و ألقى بتبعات املواكبة عىل املؤسسات األكادميية لتأهيل مخرجاتها إىل سوق عمل قائم عىل التطور الرسيع يف تكنولوجيا املعلومات‬
‫و االتصاالت ‪ ،‬و أفادت الجامعات يف بث برامجها األكادميية من تقنيات االتصال فتبنت التعليم عن بعد والتعليم املفتوح والتعليم االلكرتوين (السامرايئ ‪.)2001‬‬
‫وقد أصبح التعليم اإللكرتوين اآلن يف برامج الجامعات رضورة حتمية وليس خيارا اسرتاتيجيا للدخول إىل معطف االعتامد والجودة و االحتامء مبظلتها ‪ ،‬حيث دخل التعليم‬
‫الجامعي منعطفا جديدا معتمدا عىل اإلفادة من اإلنرتنت والربامج التعليمية مفتوحة املصدر التي ساهمت يف خلق كيانات رقمية ومحتوى رقمي علمي مجاين وحر ميكن‬
‫الوصول إليه واإلفادة منه ‪ ،‬وميكن الجامعات من املشاركة يف املحتوى الرقمي والوصول الحر وتكوين اتحادات للمشاركة يف تطوير املصادر التعليمية مفتوحة املصدر‬
‫وإيجاد أمناط جديدة من التعاون واتشاطر بهدف إنتاج و إتاحة املصادر التعليمية ‪ ،‬باإلضافة إىل زيادة الفرص لتحسني جودة التدريس وتطوير محتوى الربامج الدراسية‬
‫(جامل الدين ‪.)2009 ،‬‬
‫وقد أفادت الربامج األكادميية لعلوم املكتبات واملعلومات شأنها شأن الربامج األكادميية بالجامعات من التقدم التكنولوجي يف تصميم وتنفيذ برامجها إلكرتونيا مبا يرثي العملية‬
‫التعليمية ‪ ،‬ويعمل عىل رفع جودة التعليم ومن ثم جودة املخرجات‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪116‬‬
‫‪College of Arts and Social Sciences‬‬
‫‪Salwa Al-Saeed Abdul Karim Ahmed‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Tamer Atef
Department
Tourism
Contact
tamer@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
Paper Title
Welcome Aboard
Journal Title
Faculty of Tourism and Hotels Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/1/16-28
Key Words
Hospitality Industry; orientation; training; mentor
Authors
Tamer Atef and Farida Megahed
“Employees in the hospitality industry are the backbone of a service, so it is important that they are well
prepared, presented and informed. Employees’ orientation or induction is the process by which new staff
members are introduced to their work environment, duties and responsibilities and fellow colleagues. New
employees’ orientation and induction Program is useful for both employees and employers. It should be well
planned and organised. The idea is to inform and educate the new employee about the rules and regulations
of the organisation and his role and duties in his department. Employees’ orientation makes a new employee
feel welcome and committed.
The aim of this study is to propose an integrated hospitality new employees orientation program and a follow-up checklist.
A questionnaire was used to gather data and measure respondents’ perceptions of subject under investigation.
The sample comprised 7 Major five star hotel chains in Egypt. Frequencies and percentages were used for
data description and ranking. Analysis of the collected data confirmed a need for a new employee orientation
program. It also identified specific topics for the program.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
117
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
Yassine Charabi
Department
Geography
Contact
yassine@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Assessment of the impact of the meteorological meso-scale circulation on air quality in arid subtropical region
Journal Title
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment
Volume/Issue/Pages
185/3/2329-2342
Key Words
Air pollution.COSMO model. Land-sea breeze. Northern coast. Lanetary boundary
layer depth. Oman
Authors
Yassine Charabi, Ali Al-Bulooshi & Sultan Al-Yahyai
“In this paper, COSMO numerical weather prediction model is used to simulate land-sea breeze circulation
in the north coast of Oman and to analyse the variability of the PBL depth. Typical summer day 1st August
2009 and winter day 1st January 2009 were simulated and verified by surface observations. The COSMO
model was initialized using the German global model which runs as 40 km resolution and 40 vertical layers.
The simulations show differences in the onset, strength, and inland penetration of the sea breeze. The high
sea-land thermal contrast in the summer season induces earlier onset and progression of the sea breeze with
larger horizontal and vertical extents. The summer and winter inland penetration is simulated around 150 and
65 km, respectively. The PBL depth was defined from the verticals profiles of the turbulence kinetic energy
(TKE). The simulated PBL height varied at 1, 600 m in summer and 700 m in the winter case. These results
are in general in good agreement with the simulations of the National Centers for Environmental Prediction
Global Data Assimilation System (NCEP-GDAS) model. The dispersive ability of the atmosphere was tested
through the vertical mixing coefficient (VMC) generated by NCEP-GDAS simulations. The VMC during the
summer simulated case is approximately four times larger than the respective one during the winter case.
Consequently, during the advection of winter sea breeze, a shallow dome less than 100 m is shaped and forms
an obstacle to the air-pollutant dispersion.”
118
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Yassine Charabi
Department
Geography
Contact
yassine@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Integration of temperature and dust effects in siting large PV power plant in hot
arid area
Journal Title
Renewable Energy
Volume/Issue/Pages
57/2013/635-644
Key Words
Dust; GIS; Land suitability; Multi-criteria; PV Temperature
Authors
Yassine Charabi, Adel Gastli
“Recently, solar PV technologies witnessed a commercial vigor due to their tremendously decreasing prices.
However, these technologies are vulnerable to dust and temperature which can significantly degrade their
efficiency. Taking into account, the effect of dust and temperature during the site assessment for large PV
power plant will reduce their vulnerability and optimize their operation efficiency. Most of the site assessment
for large PV power plants does not take into consideration spatiotemporal variability of dust and temperature
effects due to their measurement complexity. This paper presents an original approach of integration of the
effects of temperature and dust in siting large PV power plant using Fuzzy logic and GIS-based spatial multi-criteria evaluation. Dynamical downscaling approach of the high resolution COSMO Numerical Weather
Prediction model is used to simulate the annual pattern of temperature and the Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD)
derived from Multi-angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer (MISR) is used to retrieve the contamination degree
of the air with mineral aerosol. Land suitability analysis for large PV farms implementation is carried out
for the case study of Oman. Compared to previous results obtained without temperature and AOD, the new
results show that several areas are declassified because of their exposure to high temperature and dust risks. It
is noticed that the highly suitable land areas decreased significantly by 81% after considering the temperature
and dust constraint layers. Different PV technologies are considered and it is found that the Concentrated
Photovoltaics (CPV) technology provides higher potential for implementing large solar plants. In fact, if all
highly suitable land is exploited for CPV farms, it can supply more than 750 times the current total power
supply in Oman estimated at 16.1 TWh in 2010.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
119
College of Arts and Social Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Economics and
Political Science
Table 4 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Economics and Political Science in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
1
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
8
Listed in Scopus
8
College of Economics and Political
Science
2
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
16
123
College of Economics and Political Science
Table 4 provides a summary of the total number of published articles in the College of Economics and Political Sciences for 2013. The number of published articles were 16, half of them were listed in JCR of Web of Science and half were
listed in Scopus.
College of Economics and Political Science
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Names
124
Pages
Almukhtar Saif Al-Abri
125
Azmat Gani
126
Golam Mostafa Khan
130
Gholamreza Amin
131
Iram Fatima Arif Mahmood Ansari
133
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
134
Khamis Hamed Al-Yahyaee
136
Leon Goldsmith
138
Srikrishna Madhumohan Govindaluri
139
Unnikammu Moideenkutty
140
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Almukhtar Saif Al-Abri
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
asalabri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Real exchange rate volatility, terms-of-trade shocks, and financial integration in
primary-commodity exporting economies
Journal Title
Economics Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
120/1/126-129
Key Words
Real exchange rate; International financial integration; Foreign direct investment;
Foreign portfolio investment
Authors
Almukhtar Saif Al-Abri
“Using a panel of 53 primary-commodity exporting countries, we show that greater international financial
integration reduces the impact of terms-of-trade shocks on real exchange rate volatility. This reduction is
larger when we define financial integration as foreign direct investment.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
125
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Azmat Gani
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
azmat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Oman’s trade and opportunities of integration with the Asia economies
Journal Title
Economic modelling
Volume/Issue/Pages
31/3/766-774
Key Words
Oman; Asia; Trade; Integration; Gravity model
Authors
Azmat Gani, Nasser Rashid Al Mawali
“This paper investigates the determinants of trade between Oman and its major Asian trading partners in
order to gauge the impact of the process of trade liberalisation. The empirical findings based on the gravity
model indicate that Oman’s imports from Asia are strongly determined by Asian population, Asian per capita
gross domestic product (GDP), real exchange rates, distance and Oman’s per capita GDP. The results also
provide strong evidence that Oman’s oil exports to Asia are strongly and equally determined by Asia’s and
Oman’s population. Our findings reveal that while distance is not a friction to Oman’s oil exports, it has a
weak regressive effect on non-oil exports. Our results also indicate a negative but statistically insignificant
effect of trade liberalisation on non-oil exports. These findings certainly have policy implications in terms
of Oman–Asia trade relationship and in particular the need for more policy intervention to liberalise the
non-oil exports sector so as to facilitate its wider integration within Asia.”
126
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Azmat Gani
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
azmat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Modeling the effect of the domestic business environment on services trade
Journal Title
Economic modelling
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/5/297-304
Key Words
Business; Services; Trade; Contract enforcement; Income; Internet and legal rights
Authors
Azmat Gani, Michael D. Clemes
“This paper models the effect of the indicators of the domestic business environment on services trade in a
sample of low, middle and high-income OECD countries. The findings reveal that the time required to enforce
a contract is strongly negatively correlated with the growth in services exports in the high-income OECD
countries as well as with the growth in services imports in the middle and high-income OECD countries. A
strong inverse correlation of the time required to register a property with the growth in services imports is
confirmed for the OECD and middle-income countries and the growth in services exports for the low-income
countries. Internet diffusion and the strength of legal rights are strongly positively correlated with services
exports in the OECD countries while the strength of legal rights is also strongly positively correlated with
services imports in the middle and low-income countries. The growth of world income has a strong positive
effect on the growth of services exports in the OECD and middle-income countries while domestic income
growth strongly impacts on the growth in services imports across the three income category of countries.
Finally, tariff is strongly negatively correlated with services exports for the middle-income group of countries.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
127
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Azmat Gani
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
azmat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Indicators of business environment, institutional quality and foreign direct investment in gulf cooperation council countries (GCC)
Journal Title
International review of applied economics
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/4/515-530
Key Words
Foreign direct investment; GCC countries; business environment; institutional
quality; growth; openness
Authors
Azmat Gani, Almukhtar Saif Al-Abri
“This paper empirically investigates the effect of five business environment indicators and four measures of
institutional quality on FDI inflows in GCC countries. The empirical results reveal that the time required to
start a business, the time required to enforce a contract, the time required to register a property and the time
required to resolve insolvency are negatively and statistically significantly correlated with FDI inflows. Our
findings also confirm that political instability and absence of democracy, in fact, encourages FDI inflows. We
conclude that the business environment strongly matters for FDI inflows into the GCC countries.”
128
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Azmat Gani
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
azmat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The effect of trade and institutions on pollution in the Arab countries
Journal Title
Journal of International Trade Law and Policy
Volume/Issue/Pages
12/2/154-168
Key Words
Industrial air pollutants, Industrial water pollutants, Global warming, Arab countries, Trade, Pollution, Income, Regulatory quality
Authors
Azmat Gani
“Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of trade and institutional quality on pollution
in the Arab countries.
Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based in fixed estimation procedure. It utilises cross-country
data for 13 Arab countries into a reduced form equation.
Findings: The empirical findings provide strong evidence that across the Arab countries, trade, industrial
activity and income have a positive effect on pollution. The test of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)
is found to be negative, providing strong support for the EKC hypothesis. The results also provide strong
evidence that regulatory quality has a significant negative effect on pollution.
Originality/value: This paper makes a new contribution on the effect of trade and institutional quality on
emission levels in the Arab countries.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
129
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Golam Mostafa Khan
Department
Management
Contact
gmkhan@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Sidab womens sewing group: An example of social entrepreneurship in the Arabian
Gulf
Journal Title
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/1/47-56
Key Words
Social entrepreneurship; Middle East; women entrepreneurship; poverty alleviation.
Authors
Golam Mostafa Khan
“Social entrepreneurship has become a global movement – a movement with a goal to effect positive social
change. While the term may seem new; ground-breaking the concept is not. Ground-breaking individuals
and revolutionary groups have been addressing social issues for centuries. The title ‘social entrepreneurship’
has been applied to a startling range of organisations and activities from grass-roots campaigns to the ‘social’
actions of multi-national corporations. This paper seeks to present efforts and initiative by a young Omani
entrepreneur who is striving to help alleviate poverty of women from her village. It illustrates her background,
motives and motivation, as well as her leadership and organisational attributes.”
130
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Gholamreza Amin
Department
Operations Management & Business Statistics
Contact
gamin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
An efficient DEA method for ranking woven fabric defects in textile manufacturing
Journal Title
International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
68/1-4/349–354
Authors
Reza G. Saeidi & Gholam R. Amin & Sadigh Raissi & Said Gattoufi
“This paper deals with the problem of ranking woven fabric defects (WFDs) observed in textile manufacturing using a data envelopment analysis (DEA) method. The paper shows that the optimal solutions of DEA
models for decision-making units (DMUs) with multiple inputs can be found without the need of solving the
corresponding models. The paper performs a mean–variance analysis for determining the most important
statistical factors of WFDs in terms of multiple inputs. The paper also ranks the observed WFDs from the
worst preferred using the suggested DEA formulation. The contribution of this study can be explained as
follows. It introduces a new application for DEA method in textile manufacturing for ranking fabric defects.
This is significant in defining rich project in reducing defects through prioritizing of quality specification
of fabric defects by Six Sigma experts. Also, the result of this paper can be obtained using an efficient DEA
method without the need of solving the corresponding DEA models for any sample size of fabric defects.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
131
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Gholamreza Amin
Department
Operations Management & Business Statistics
Contact
gamin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A new DEA model for technology selection in the presence of ordinal data
Journal Title
International Journal of Advanced Manufaturing Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
65/9-12/1567–1572
Key Words
Technology selection. Data envelopment analysis (DEA). Ordinal data. Decision-making units (DMUs)
Authors
Gholam R. Amin & Ali Emrouznejad
“This paper suggests a data envelopment analysis (DEA) model for selecting the most efficient alternative in
advanced manufacturing technology in the presence of both cardinal and ordinal data. The paper explains
the problem of using an iterative method for finding the most efficient alternative and proposes a new DEA
model without the need of solving a series of LPs. A numerical example illustrates the model, and an application in technology selection with multi-inputs/multi-outputs shows the usefulness of the proposed approach.”
132
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Iram Fatima Arif Mahmood Ansari
Department
Accounting
Contact
iram@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The determinants of the CEO successor choice in family firms
Journal Title
Journal of Corporate Finance
Volume/Issue/Pages
In Press
Key Words
Family firms; CEO succession; Corporate governance; Corporate control and ownership
Authors
Iram Fatima Ansari, Marc Goergen, Svetlana Mira
“This paper studies the factors that influence the CEO succession decision in family firms whose incumbent
CEO is a member of the controlling family. The sample includes all such firms from France, Germany and
the UK. We propose a new measure of directors’ independence, which adjusts for various links with the
controlling family. While we find that conventionally defined directors’ independence has no impact on the
CEO succession decision, our corrected measure reduces the likelihood of the successor being another family
member. There is also evidence that firms from France that are cross-listed in the UK or USA are less likely
to appoint another family CEO.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
133
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
Department
Information Systems
Contact
kamlaa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
An empirical investigation linking learners adoption of blended learning to their
intention to full E-learning
Journal Title
Behaviour & Information Technology Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
32/11/1168-1176
Key Words
Learning management system; blended learning; e-learning; full e-learning; determinants of e-learning; learners’ acceptance of LMS
Authors
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
“Learning management system (LMS) is playing a major role in higher academic institutions worldwide. Even
though full e-learning is becoming a feasible strategy for a number of institutions in the world, some institutions, especially those in developing countries, are resisting a full e-learning environment. Consequently,
these academic institutions initially adopt LMS for blended learning to assess their readiness for full e-learning
transformation. There are a number of studies that investigate the determinants of full e-learning, but very
limited studies investigate the link between learners’ perception of blended learning and full e-learning. The
objective of this study was to link learners’ adoption (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness (PU) and
satisfaction) of LMS in blended learning and their personal characteristics (self-efficacy, technology experience and personal innovativeness) to their intention to use full e-learning. Data were collected through a
questionnaire from 512 learners in Oman. The study found that personal innovativeness, PU and satisfaction
of LMS in blended learning are significant to learners’ intention to engage in full e-learning. Thus, learners’
adoption of LMS in blended learning boosts their intention to full e-learning. The results provide useful
insights for practitioners and researchers on full e-learning planning and strategy.”
134
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
Department
Information Systems
Contact
kamlaa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Aligning customer knowledge management tools with business strategy
Journal Title
International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/117-134
Key Words
Customer knowledge management; CKM; customer knowledge technologies; customer knowledge management tools; business strategy alignment.
Authors
Kamla Ali Al-Busaidi
“Customer knowledge management systems have become very strategic systems for firms’ competitive advantage. This study aims to investigate the alignment of customer knowledge management tools with business
strategies. The study significantly shows that customer knowledge transfer and application tools are essential
for organisations regardless of their business strategy. Differentiation organisations, however, significantly
utilise more customer knowledge acquisition and storage tools than others. Specifically, differentiation organisations utilise more non-information technologies tools for customer knowledge acquisition and more
information technologies for customer knowledge storage than cost-leadership organisations. Additionally,
the study revealed that there is no significant difference in the benefit of customer knowledge management
solutions between these organisations.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
135
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Khamis Hamed Al-Yahyaee
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
yahyai@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The effect of a reduction in price discreteness on ex-day stock returns in a unique
environment
Journal Title
Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions & Money
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/C/283-294
Key Words
Dividends Tick size Market microstructure Bid-ask spread Tax effects
Authors
Khamis Hamed Al-Yahyaee
“This paper examines the effect of a reduction in tick size on exdividend day stock price behaviour by taking
advantage of unique data for which there are no taxes on dividends and capital gains and tick size is fixed for
all traded securities. These data allow us to differentiate among competing ex-dividend day hypotheses in
the absence of confounding tax effects present in other markets. We find that ex-day premiums increase and
abnormal returns decrease after the tick size becomes smaller, which is in line with the market microstructure
hypothesis. In contrast, we do not find any significant increase in abnormal volume with a reduction in tick
size. This finding is inconsistent with the pattern that should occur if transaction cost is the dominant factor
that causes the ex-day phenomenon.”
136
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Khamis Hamed Al-Yahyaee
Department
Economics & Finance
Contact
yahyai@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Capital structure and stock returns: evidence from an emerging market with
unique financing arrangements
Journal Title
Applied FInancial Economics
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/14/1197-1203
Key Words
Bank debt; Capital structure dynamics; Issuing activity; Oman; Stock returns
Authors
Khamis H. Al-Yahyaee, Toan M. Pham & Terry S. Walter
“We investigate capital structure dynamics in a unique financing environment where (1) we avoid the complex
tax environments faced by previous studies and where (2) firms rely primarily on bank loans rather than
the public debt market consistent with recent empirical evidence, we find that stock returns are a first-order
determinant of capital structure. Firms show some tendency to rebalance towards their target capital structure. However, the impact of stock returns dominates the effects of rebalancing. We also find that firm’s stock
returns induce some corporate issuing activity, and managers use issuing activity to counteract some of the
mechanistic effects of stock returns.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
137
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Leon Goldsmith
Department
Political Science
Contact
leon@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
God wanted diversity: Alawite pluralist ideals and their integration into Syrian
society 1832-1973
Journal Title
British Journal of Middle Eastern Studies
Volume/Issue/Pages
40/4/392-409
Key Words
Leader; party
Authors
Leon Goldsmith
“The Alawites are often linked to the interests and fate of the Al-Asad regime in Syria, yet a much broader
context needs to be analysed to gain any meaningful impression of this community’s politics. This article
suggests that pluralism and diversity lie at the core of Alawite political preferences and what’s more, according
to Alawite perspectives, this is what God intended. Between 1832 and 1973 Alawites made gradual progress
towards genuine integration into Syrian society, however, the confluence of two factors marked a turning
point in this process: the mobilisation of Alawite asabiyya by the Al-Asad regime and a renewed perception
of Sunni Muslim intolerance. Thereafter a different trajectory was set towards the current crisis in Syria.
The final analysis suggests that the longstanding political aspirations of Alawites are not dissimilar to those
demanded in anti- regime protests that began in Syria in early 2011.”
138
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Srikrishna Madhumohan Govindaluri
Department
Operations Management & Business Statistics
Contact
sgovinda@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Exploring quality of e-Government services in Oman
Journal Title
Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/2/87-100
Key Words
Confirmatory factor analysis; e-Government; Oman; Service quality
Authors
Sujeet Kumar Sharma, Hafedh Al-Shihi, Srikrishna Madhumohan Govindaluri
“Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand the customer perception of service quality with respect
to the e-Government services in Oman and conduct an investigation in order to determine the key factors
that affect the quality of e-Government services in Oman.
Design/methodology/approach: Primary data relating to the variables affecting quality of e-Government
services and demographic profile data are collected using a questionnaire survey. The questionnaire was designed based on literature review and focus groups. Factor analysis method is employed to identify and rank
the important factors affecting service quality. Findings: The study found that the four factors listed in the
descending order of importance, reliability, responsiveness, efficiency, and security are primary determinants
of the quality of e-Government services in Oman.
Practical implications: This research enables government organizations to enhance their understanding of
customer perception of e-Government services. The customer preference information can provide useful
direction to the design, implementation, and management of e-Government services. Social implications:
Improved service quality of e-Government systems can enhance public participation in these systems that
have been established with huge investments. The improved participation can result in increased levels of
efficiency, convenience, public awareness, transparency, engagement, and information for decision-making.
Originality/value: The paper addresses quality of e-Government services for the first time in Oman and in the
gulf region using a carefully designed research study. The paper is of value to researchers in the area of service
quality of e-Government, Government of Oman, and governments in the gulf region and other developing
countries that are involved in designing and managing e-Government service systems.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
139
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
College of Economics and Political Science
Applicant Name
Unnikammu Moideenkutty
Department
Management
Contact
umoideen@gmail.com
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Mail from the director
Journal Title
Journal of International Academy of Case Studies
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/1/85-92
Authors
Unnikammu Moideenkutty, Somnath Ghosh
“Case description: The primary subject matter of this case concerns the attempt by the Director of a business
school to influence his faculty members. The case has a difficulty level of four. The case is designed to be taught
in one class hour and is expected to require about an hour of outside preparation by students. Case Synopsis:
This case describes the response from the faculty to an email from the new director of Indian School of Management (ISM). In the email the director refers to rumours that some of the faculty members are mistreating
students’ and threatens dire consequences. In response, a barrage of emails follows from various members of
the faculty, expressing shock and anger at the tone of the director’s email. As a result, whatever message the
director intended to convey is totally forgotten. The case can be analysed at two levels. At the surface level,
the case is an example of hard downward influence and its consequences. From this perspective the case is
suitable for discussing issues related to power and influence in undergraduate Organizational Behaviour
courses. At a deeper level, the case raises issues about the nature and role of leadership in academic settings
where the leader is considered as ‘first among equals’ rather than a traditional boss. In this sense the case is
suitable for analysing issues of leadership in non-traditional contexts. As such, the case can be used in an advanced Organizational Behaviour course. With the advent of knowledge work, more and more organizations
are beginning to look like academic institutions. The traditional command and control approaches are no
longer appropriate in such contexts. This case provides the context for discussing non-traditional approaches
to leadership more appropriate to such organizations.”
140
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
College of Education
College of Education
Table 5 presents the journal publications in the College Education for 2013. A total number of 37 journal papers were
published in 2013, constituting 7.2% of the total number of papers published at SQU.
Table 5 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Education in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
1
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
7
2
Listed in Scopus
11
SQU Journals
10
4
Listed among top 30% of Humanities
Journals
5
5
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
4
3
College of Education
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
37
145
College of Education
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Education
146
Applicant Names
Pages
Applicant Names
Pages
Abdullah Ambusaidi
147
Maimuna Al-Zedgali
166
Abdullah Musallam Ali Alhashmi
149
Mohammed Hamood Al-Amri
167
Ahmed Hassan Hemdan
Mohamed
150
Mohsin Nassir Al-Salmi
169
Ahmed Yousif Abdelraheem
151
Nasser Al-Rawahi
170
Alaa Mahmoud Sadik
153
Rashid Alfahadi
171
Bassam Al-Radaideh
154
Rashid Saif Almehrizi
172
Hashem Kilani
155
Sabry Mahmoud Abd-El-Fattah
173
Hussain Ali Talib Alkharusi
157
Saif Al-Maamari
175
Ibrahim Amin
160
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
177
Kashef Zayed
162
Wajeha Al-Alani
181
Maher Mohammad Hilal
163
Rashid Sulaiman Al-Fahadi
182
Mahmoud Mohamed Emam
165
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Ambusaidi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
ambusaid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
Paper Title
The relationship between science student teachers’ level of understanding the
ethics of science and their attitudes towards them
Journal Title
College of Education
Applicant Name
‫ جامعة البحرين‬- ‫مجلة العلوم الرتبوية والنفسية‬
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/4/369-391
Key Words
Ethics of science, level of understanding, attitudes, Science Student Teachers.
Authors
Abdullah Ambusaidi & Safiha Al-Hajri
“This study aimed at investigating the relationship between science student teachers’ level of understanding
ethics of science and their attitudes towards them. The sample of the study consisted of (59) science student
teachers enrolled in the College of Education, Sultan Qaboos University in the academic year 2011/2012.
Two research instruments were used in the study to answer the research questions. These are the ethics of
science understanding scale which consisted of (44) items. The second instrument is attitudes towards ethics
of science consisting of (41) items. The validity of both scales was checked by a number of referees. The reliability value of former scale is (0.80), whereas for the latter scale is (0.91). The results showed that the level of
understanding ethics of science among science student teachers is below the accepted educational level. In
addition, there were no significant differences in the level of understanding ethics of science due to gender,
specialization and interaction between the two variables. The results showed that science student teachers
had positive attitudes towards ethics of science in terms of teaching and learning them. The results revealed
that there were no significant differences in student teachers’ attitudes towards ethics of science due to gender,
specialization and interaction between the two variables. Finally, the results showed positive significant correlation between student teachers’ level of understanding ethics of science and their attitudes towards them.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
147
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪ambusaid@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫أثر استخدام دورة التقيص الثنائية عىل كل من التحصيل واالحتفاظ بالتعلم يف مادة العلوم لدى طالبات الصف الثامن‬
‫األسايس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫املجلة الرتبوية‬
‫‪27/106/325-355‬‬
‫عبدالله بن خميس أمبوسعيدي‪ ،‬منى بنت محمد العفيفي‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫“هدفت هذه الدراسة إىل تقيص أثر استخدام دورة التقيص الثنائية عىل كل من التحصيل واالحتفاظ بالتعلم يف مادة العلوم لدى طالبات الصف الثامن األسايس‪.‬‬
‫تكونت عينة الدراسة من (‪ )52‬طالبة من طالبات الصف الثامن يف إحدى مدارس التعليم األسايس مبحافظة مسقط بسلطنة عامن‪ .‬تم تقسيم العينة إىل مجموعتني‪:‬‬
‫تجريبية (ن=‪ )26‬تم تدريسهن باستخدام دورة التقيص الثنائية‪ ،‬وضابطة (ن=‪ )26‬تم تدريسهن بالطريقة السائدة‪ ،‬واستغرقت املعالجة التجريبية حوايل شهرين‬
‫خالل الفصل الدرايس الثاين من العام الدرايس ‪ .2010/2009‬ولإلجابة عن أسئلة الدراسة وفرضياتها تم إعداد دليل املعلم لتدريس املجموعة التجريبية باستخدام‬
‫دورة التقيص الثنائية‪ ،‬واختبار يف التحصيل الدرايس تم تطبيقه مرتني األوىل مبارشة بعد املعالجة للمجموعة التجريبية‪ ،‬والثانية بعد ميض ثالثة أسابيع من انتهاء‬
‫املعالجة‪ ،‬وبلغ معامل الثبات له (‪ .)91 ,0‬أرشت نتائج الدراسة إىل تفوق أداء املجموعة التجريبية التي درست باستخدام دورة التقيص الثنائية عىل املجموعة‬
‫الضابطة التي درست بالطريقة السائدة يف التحصيل الدرايس املبارش‪ ،‬ويف مستويات التذكر والفهم‪ .‬كام أشارت إىل وجوه فروق دالة إحصائيا بني املجموعتني يف‬
‫االحتفاظ بالتعلم يف مستوى التذكر‪ ،‬واالختبار ككل لصالح املجموعة التجريبية‪ .‬ويف ضوء ذلك أوصت الدراسة بعدد من التوصيات منها عقد دورات تدريبية‬
‫وورش عمل ملعلمي العلوم لتعريفهم بإيجابيات دورة التقيص الثنائية‪ ،‬وكيفية تنفيذها داخل غرفة الصف‪ ،‬كام أوصت الدراسة بإجراء دراسة مامثلة للدراسة‬
‫الحالية‪ ،‬وأثرها عىل متغريات تعليمية‪-‬تعلمية أخرى‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪148‬‬
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Abdullah Ambusaidi‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Abdullah Musallam Ali Alhashmi‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪abuanas@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫تقويم برنامج املاجستري يف الرتبية اختصاص املناهج وطرائق تدريس اللغة العربية يف كلية الرتبية بجامعة السلطان‬
‫قابوس من وجهة نظر الخريجني‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة اتحاد الجامعات العربية للرتبية وعلم النفس‬
‫‪11/4/34-68‬‬
‫د‪ .‬عبد الله بن مسلم الهاشمي‪ ,‬د‪.‬سليامن بن يوسف الغتامي‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫“تهدف الدراسة إىل الكشف عن آراء خريجي برنامج ماجستري الرتبية يف اختصاص املناهج وطرائق تدريس اللغة العربية يف كلية الرتبية بجامعة السلطان قابوس‬
‫يف محورين ‪ :‬أولهام ‪ :‬الخطة الدراسية للربنامح من حيث ‪ )1( :‬درجة استفادتهم من املقررات التي درسوها‪ )2( ,‬املقررات التي يقرتحون حذفها أو تعديلها ‪،‬‬
‫و (‪ )3‬املقررات التي يقرتحون إضافتها‪ .‬وثانيهام ‪ :‬درجة تحقق مخرجات الربنامج يف مجاالت املعرفة والفهم واملهارات والقيم واالتجاهات‪ .‬ولتحقيق ذلك أعد‬
‫الباحثان استبياناً مكوناً من محورين وفق أهداف الدراسة ‪ ،‬وزعت بعد التأكد من صدقها وثباتها ‪ ،‬عىل ‪ 27‬من خريجي الربنامج بني عامي ‪1992‬م و ‪2008‬م البالغ‬
‫عددهم الكيل ‪ 56‬خريجاً وخريجة‪ .‬وقد بينت النتائج أن درجة استفادة الخريجني من معظم املقررات مرتفعة عموماً‪ .‬واقرتح الخريجون حذف بعض املقررات‬
‫وتعديل بعضها اآلخر بنسب متفاوتة ‪ ،‬كان أبرزها حذف مقرر” نظريات املناهج وتصميمها وتطويرها “وتعديل مقرري “القراءات الرتبوية باللغة اإلنجليزية “و‬
‫“مناهج اللغة العربية وطرق تدريسها يف التعليم العام” ‪ .‬كام أظهرت النتائج أن الخريجني يرون أن مخرجات الربنامج تحققت بدرجة مرتفعة عموماً‪ .‬ويف ضوء‬
‫ذلك خلصت الدراسة إىل جملة من املقرتحات املتعلقة بتطوير الربنامج ‪ ،‬وإجراء املزيد من الدراسات عنة‪”.‬‬
‫‪149‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
College of Education
Applicant Name
Ahmed Hassan Hemdan Mohamed
Department
Psychology
Contact
amohamed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Gender differences in divergent thinking: Use of the test of creative thinking- drawing production on an Egyptian sample.
Journal Title
Creativity Research Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
25/2/222-227
Authors
Emam Moustafa Sayed, Ahmed Hassan Hemdan Mohamed
“The issue of gender differences in creativity has been a controversial and much-disputed subject for decades. The purpose of this study was to explore gender differences in divergent thinking and the effect of
gender-grade level interaction on divergent thinking. The sample consisted of 901 (367 boys and 534 girls),
from K to 6, who were recruited from 7 coeducational schools in various rural and urban school districts in
southern Egypt. The students’ divergent thinking was assessed using the Test of Creative Thinking-Drawing
Production (TCT-DP), a nonverbal measure of creative potential. The results of the study indicated no gender
differences in divergent thinking, but the grade level effect was statistically significant, as was the interaction
effect between gender and grade level (in 3 of the TCT-DP subscales).”
150
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ahmed Yousif Abdelraheem
Department
Instructional & Learning Technologies
Contact
ahmedyar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals
Paper Title
Using students’ feedback to improve course materials and teaching methods at the
College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences - Bahrain university
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/2/11-36
Key Words
Students’ feedback, teaching methods, teaching evaluation.
Authors
Ahmed Yousif Abdelraheem and Ali S. Al-Musawi
College of Education
Applicant Name
“This paper aims to explore the faculty members’ use of students’ feedback to improve course materials
and teaching methods at the College of Education at Sultan Qaboos University. Triangulation was used by
applying literary evidence, a questionnaire composed of the students’ course survey items, and interviews to
answer the research questions. The survey sample was (72) faculty members for the questionnaire and (7)
of them for the interviews.
Findings: show that all the survey items on course materials and teaching methods are used by faculty members. These items were studied in terms of their relation to academic rank and teaching experience variables.
It was also found that the faculty members review their instructional methods in line with the students’
feedback and that they vary in their approach of revision. In light of these findings, the paper put forward its
conclusions and recommendations.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
151
College of Education
Applicant Name
Ahmed Yousif Abdelraheem
Department
Instructional & Learning Technologies
Contact
ahmedyar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Social networks sites: Usage and effects
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological studies SQU
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/4/549-558
Key Words
Social networks sites, social media, Facebook.
Authors
Ahmed Yousif Abdelraheem
“The aim of this paper is to explore the students’ use of social networks sites (SNSs) and its effects on students’
achievement. A questionnaire using a Liker type scale was distributed to a sample of 120 undergraduate
students who participated in the study. The results show that students use SNSs for social matters more than
for academic purposes. In this regard, there is no significant difference in the use of social network sites between female and male students. Students with smart mobile phones use SNSs more than those with normal
mobiles. Facebook was the most used site. There is no significant difference in students’ use of SNSs due to
students GPA. More than fifty percent of sampled students spent two hours or more per day on SNSs. The
study concludes with some recommendations.”
152
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Alaa Mahmoud Sadik
Department
Instructional & Learning Technologies
Contact
alaasadik@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
The societal acceptance of online degrees in the Arab World: Evidence from two
countries
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/4/572-588
Key Words
Literacy; Oman; parents
Authors
Alaa SadiK
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The purpose of this study was to investigate the societal acceptance of degrees earned wholly online and to
define the factors that affect the perceived value of these degrees in two Arab countries; Egypt and Oman. To
achieve this purpose, a societal acceptance of online distance education degrees questionnaire was developed
and administered online to a sample of 479 participants from different business sectors in Egypt and Oman.
The responses to the rating scales and open-ended questions were organized, analysed, and coded to address
pattern of responses. Quantitative data and open-ended responses showed that the overall perception expressed by respondents was that online distance education was viewed as inferior to traditional education, and
degrees earned online are not similar to ones earned in traditional settings in terms of credibility and quality.
The ANOVA tests were used to analyse the differences among groups of participants and their acceptance of
online degrees. Overall, responses indicated that no significant differences existed among participants. Many
aspects of online degrees, such as interaction between students and the instructor, credibility with employers,
admission regulations, and quality of learning outcomes have been criticized from many perspectives.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
153
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪bassamr@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫منوذج يف تنمية اإلبداع لدى طلبة املرحلتني املتوسطة والثانوية من خالل فنون الحفر والطباعة البارزة‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫املجلة األردنية يف العلوم الرتبوية‬
‫‪9/1/51-63‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫بسام نارص الردايده و محمد بن حمود العامري‬
‫“منوذج يف تنمية اإلبداع لدى طلبة املرحلتني املتوسطة والثانوية من خالل فنون الحفر والطباعة البارزة ‪ :‬ملخص‪ :‬يتناول البحث فنون الحفر والطباعة البارزة‬
‫كونه ا من أهم فروع الفنون البرصية التي تعمل عىل تطوير املهارات الفكرية واإلبداعية لدى الطلب ة‪ ،‬من خالل مامرسة تطبيقاته‪ ،‬واإلستفادة منها يف تطوير‬
‫الجوانب املعرفية واملهارية والوجدانية‪ .‬كام عرض البحث أساسيات ومفاهيم فن الحفر‪ ،‬والفروقات التقنية والجاملية بني الوسائط الطباعية املناسب ة‪ .‬وإعتامدا ً‬
‫عىل ما تختزنه هذه التقنيات من مهارات هامة‪ ،‬فإن البحث يؤكد؛ أنه إذا سنحت الفرصة للطلبة ملامرسة هذا النوع من التطبيقات‪ ،‬فإنها ستؤدي إىل متكني‬
‫وتوجيه الطلبة نحو اإلبداع والتطو ر وتنمية قدراتهم التفكريي ة‪ .‬وبنا ًء عىل ذلك‪ ،‬فان الباحثني يعتقدان بأنه باإلمكان تدريس هذه التطبيقات ضمن مناهج‬
‫الرتبية الفنية مقرتحني مث االً منوذجي ا ً لدرس يف الطباعة لطلبة املراحل املتوسطة والثانوية‪ ،‬حيث تم التخطط له وفقاً للرؤي ة الرتبوية فتناول اسرتاتيجيات‬
‫التخطيط‪ ،‬ومصادر التعلم و طرق التدريس وسري العملية التدريسية والتقويم‪ .‬وللوصول إىل أعىل قدر من فهم التطبيقات ‪ ،‬فقد زود البحث مبصادر وروابط‬
‫رقمي ة تعليمية (الكلامت املفتاحية ‪ ):‬منوذج لتعلّم التفكري اإلبداعي‪ ،‬تربية فنية‪ ،‬معلم تربية فنية‪ ،‬طلبة املرحلتني املتوسطة والثانوية‪ ،‬حفر وطباعة بارزة‪،‬‬
‫لينوليوم وخشب‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪154‬‬
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Bassam Al-Radaideh‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Hashem Kilani
Department
Physical Education
Contact
hakilani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Nutritional practices of athletes in Oman: A descriptive study
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/360–364
Key Words
Athletes; Dietary intake; Nutritional Knowledge; Oman.
Authors
Mostafa I. Waly, Hashem A. Kilani, and Majid S. Al-Busafi
“Objective: Adequate dietary intake is crucial for optimum training and performance of athletes. There is
almost no available information related to dietary practices among Omani athletes, especially during the
competition. This study aimed to assess the nutritional practices (nutritional knowledge, eating habits and
daily nutrients intake) among Omani male handball athletes in Muscat city, Oman.
Methods: This is a cross sectional study including 35 male handball athletes involved in serious training for
no less than three years. Data collection was done through personal interviews using a study questionnaire
which enlisted questions relating to socio- demographic information, anthropometric measurements and
nutritional practices. All the study participants declared no intake of anabolic steroids.
Results: The mean age of the study participants was 27 ± 3 years. Their anthropometric assessment revealed
that their mean height was 166 ± 12 cm, mean weight was 75 ± 10 kg, and body mass index was 27 ± 3.
Nutritional knowledge analysis revealed that 80% had no nutritional supervision by a nutritionist/dietitian.
Their knowledge of nutritional requirements was only 23% correct for total energy intake, 63% for protein
intake, 46% for carbohydrate intake, 11% for fat intake and 83% for water intake. Eating habits indicated
that 55% had <3 meals/day, 51% had lunch as the principal meal, 51% always added extra salt to their food,
28% took protein supplements on a daily basis, and 51% used pre-competition glycogen load diet. However,
none consumed vitamins or mineral supplements. The mean daily caloric intake was 3674 ± 265 kcal/day,
which was roughly comprised of 596 ± 66 g carbohydrates, 147 ± 28 g of protein and 78 ± 20 g of total fat.
Conclusion: Professional nutritional supervision is needed in order to improve the nutritional knowledge
and eating habits of Omani athletes, and therefore improve their athletic performance.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
155
College of Education
Applicant Name
College of Education
Applicant Name
Hashem Kilani
Department
Physical Education
Contact
hakilani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Titlet
Lifestyle habits: Diet, physical activity and sleep duration among Omani adolescents.
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/510-519
Key Words
Adolescent; Oman; Lifestyle; Physical Activity; Dietary Habits; Index, Body Mass;
Sleep; Habits
Authors
Hashem Kilani, Hazzaa Al-Hazzaa, Mostafa I. Waly, Abdulrahman Musaiger
“Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the lifestyle habits—physical activity (PA), eating habits (EH),
and sleep duration (SD)—of Omani adolescents, and to examine gender differences in such variables.
Methods: 802 Omani adolescents (442 females and 360 males), aged 15‒18 years were randomly recruited.
Anthropometric indices, PA level, and EH and SD were evaluated by the Arab Teenage Lifestyle questionnaire.
A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment was also administered.
Results: The results showed that although the study subjects had a sedentary lifestyle (lack of PA, average of 6.7
hours sleep, and consumption of high calorie foods), they maintained a normal body mass (less than 25 Kg/
m2). Males were more than twice as active as females. With respect to EH, there were few gender differences,
except in dairy and meat consumption where 62.5% and 55.5% of males consumed more than 3 servings,
respectively, compared to 18.78 % and 35.2% of females, respectively. In addition, waist/height ratio, height,
reasons for being active, energy drinks, potato consumption, eating sweets, vigorous PA and breakfast EHs
were statistically significant independent predictors for BMI, P <0.05 for both males and females.
Conclusion: This study revealed a high prevalence of sedentary behaviors and a low level of physical activity,
especially among females. Unhealthy dietary habits were also widely found among both genders. There is
an urgent need for more research as well as a national policy promoting active living and healthy eating and
discouraging sedentary behaviour among Omani adolescents.”
156
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hussain Ali Talib Alkharusi
Department
Psychology
Contact
hussein5@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The impact of students perceptions of assessment tasks on self-efficacy and perception of task value a path analysis
Journal Title
Social Behaviour and Personality
Volume/Issue/Pages
41/10/1681-1691
Key Words
Assessment tasks, classroom assessment, students’ perceptions, educational assessment, self-efficacy, task value.
Authors
Hussain Alkharusi, Said Aldhafri, Hilal Alnabhani, and Muna Alkalbani
College of Education
Applicant Name
“Using path analysis, we examined the direct effects of students’ perceptions of assessment tasks on self-efficacy, and the indirect effects through the students’ perception of task value. Data were collected from 2,
137 school students in Oman. Their perceptions in terms of congruence with planned learning, authenticity,
student consultation, transparency, and diversity were measured using Alkharusi’s (2013) Arabic version of
Dorman and Knightley’s (2006) Perceptions of Assessment Tasks Inventory. Task value and self-efficacy were
measured using items from Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, and Mckeachie’s (1993) Motivated Strategies for Learning
Questionnaire. Results showed that congruence with planned learning and authenticity had direct effects on
self-efficacy. Student consultation and diversity affected self-efficacy indirectly via task value. Transparency
had a direct positive effect on self-efficacy. Therefore, students’ perceptions of assessment tasks had both
direct and indirect effects on their self-efficacy and their perception of task value.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
157
College of Education
Applicant Name
Hussain Ali Talib Alkharusi
Department
Psychology
Contact
hussein5@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Modelling the relationship between perceptions of assessment tasks and classroom
assessment environment as a function of gender
Journal Title
The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1007/s40299-013-0090-0
Key Words
Assessment tasks; Assessment environment; Classroom assessment Students’ perceptions; Educational assessment
Authors
Hussain Alkharusi, Said Aldhafri, Hilal Alnabhani, and Muna Alkalbani
“A substantial proportion of the classroom time involves exposing students to a variety of assessment tasks.
As students process these tasks, they develop beliefs about the importance, utility, value, and difficulty of
the tasks. This study aimed at deriving a model describing the multivariate relationship between students’
perceptions of the assessment tasks and classroom assessment environment as a function of gender. Using
a clustering sampling procedure, participants were 411 students selected from the second cycle of the basic
education grades at Muscat public schools in Oman. As defined by McMillan (Educational research: Fundamentals of the consumer, 2012, pp. 176–177), the research design employed in this study was descriptive in
nature that includes correlational and comparative aspects. Results revealed statistically significant gender
differences with respect to the perceptions of the assessment tasks and classroom assessment environment
favouring female students. Also, results showed that for both males and females, a learning-oriented assessment environment tended to be associated with high degrees of congruence with instruction, authenticity,
student consultation, and diversity. However, the relationship between performance-oriented assessment
environment and perceptions of the assessment tasks differed in male and female classrooms. Implications
for instruction and assessment as well as recommendations for future research were discussed.”
158
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hussain Ali Talib Alkharusi
Department
Psychology
Contact
hussein5@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Canonical correlational models of students’ perceptions of assessment tasks, motivational orientations, and learning strategies
Journal Title
International Journal of Instruction
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/1/21-38
Key Words
Classroom Assessment, Motivation, Learning Strategies, Assessment Tasks, Canonical Analysis
Authors
Hussain Alkharusi
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The present study aims at deriving correlational models of students’ perceptions of assessment tasks, motivational orientations, and learning strategies using canonical analyses. Data were collected from 198 Omani
tenth grade students. Results showed that high degrees of authenticity and transparency in assessment were
associated with positive students’ self-efficacy and task value. Also, high degrees of authenticity, transparency, and diversity in assessment were associated with a strong reliance on deep learning strategies; whereas
a high degree of congruence with planned learning and a low degree of authenticity were associated with
more reliance on surface learning strategies. Implications for classroom assessment practice and research
were discussed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
159
College of Education
Applicant Name
Ibrahim Amin
Department
Early Childhood
Contact
ibrahimq@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Role of Omani parents: Fostering emergent literacy skills
Journal Title
International Journal of Primary, Elementary and Early Years Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/13/1-15
Key Words
Literacy; Oman; parents
Authors
Ibrahim A. Al-Qaryouti, and Hashem A. Kilani
“The purpose of this study is to document the significance of four practices employed by parents that contribute to such development. Those practices encompassed the availability of materials, activities at home,
parent attitude and visits to their child’s class. Subjects consisted of 314 male and female parents of kindergarten children in the Sultanate of Oman. The researchers developed a 25-item questionnaire intended to
measure the degree of parent involvement in their children’s development at acceptable levels of validity and
reliability. Results indicated that the role of parents ranged from medium to high on all practice domains
of the tool. There were no significant differences for parents reading and writing practices, education levels,
income levels, gender of children and siblings order. It is suggested that additional investigation in rural areas
and other locales districts with different socially and economical levels should be conducted. In addition,
the role of technology at homes and kindergartens such as child’s learning style, parent’s knowledge of child
development and the availability of related outside resources available to families should be considered.”
160
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim Amin
Department
Early Childhood
Contact
ibrahimq@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Psychometric properties of a newly developed learning difficulties scale in the
Omani society
Journal Title
Electronic Journal of Research in Education Psychology.
Volume/Issue/Pages
11/3/771-786
Key Words
Factor analysis; Learning difficulties; Oman; Psychometric
Authors
Al-Qaryout, I.A., Abu-Hilal, M.M., Alsulaimani, H
College of Education
Applicant Name
“Introduction. Learning difficulties (LD) is a recent construct. It has been agreed that the individual who
suffers from learning difficulty has a disorder in one or more of the basic psychological processes, including
attention, cognition, formation of concepts, memory, problem solving, understanding or reading, speaking or
writing, or computing. Method. This study was designed to test the construct (convergent and discriminate)
validity of this conception of LD with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis
(CFA). Also, responses of normal students were compared to responses of students identified as having
learning difficulty. The sample comprised 410 children from Muscat School Zone, who were rated by their
teachers (30) teachers based on the newly questionnaire. The questionnaire is composed by six domains and
each measures one component of difficulties. These components are difficulties in: perception, attention,
memory, writing, arithmetic and reading. Results. Reliability analysis and factor analysis revealed that the
measure possesses both reliability and factorial validity. Discussion and conclusion. The CFA confirmed the
structure of the measure. ANOVA revealed significant differences between normal and LD children on most
of the LD components, the providing further support to its construct validity.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
161
College of Education
Applicant Name
Kashef Zayed
Department
Physical Education
Contact
kashefz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Research priorities for child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary behaviours: an international perspective using a twin-panel Delphi procedure
Journal Title
International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/1/112
Key Words
Adolescents; Children; Physical activity; Research priorities; Sedentary behaviour
Authors
Lauren Gillis, Grant Tomkinson, Timothy Olds, Carla Moreira, Candice Christie,
Claudio Nigg, Ester Cerin, Esther Van Sluijs, Gareth Stratton, Ian Janssen, Jeremy Dorovolomo, John J Reilly, Jorge Mota, Kashef Zayed, Kent Kawalski, Lars Bo
Andersen, Manuel Carrizosa, Mark Tremblay, Michael Chia, Mike Hamlin, Non
Eleri Thomas, Ralph Maddison, Stuart Biddle, Trish Gorely, Vincent Onywera and
Willem Van Mechelen
“Background: The quantity and quality of studies in child and adolescent physical activity and sedentary
behaviour have rapidly increased, but research directions are often pursued in a reactive and uncoordinated
manner.
Aim: To arrive at an international consensus on research priorities in the area of child and adolescent physical
activity and sedentary behaviour.
Methods: Two independent panels, each consisting of 12 experts, undertook three rounds of a Delphi methodology. The Delphi methodology required experts to anonymously answer questions put forward by the
researchers with feedback provided between each round.
Results: The primary outcome of the study was a ranked set of 29 research priorities that aimed to be applicable
for the next 10 years. The top three ranked priorities were: developing effective and sustainable interventions
to increase children’s physical activity long-term; policy and/or environmental change and their influence on
children’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour; and prospective, longitudinal studies of the independent
effects of physical activity and sedentary behaviour on health. Conclusions: These research priorities can help
to guide decisions on future research directions.”
162
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Maher Mohammad Hilal
Department
Psychology
Contact
mhilal@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Construct Validity of Self-concept in TIMSSs student background questionnaire: a
test of separation and conflation of cognitive and affective dimensions of self-concept among Saudi eighth graders
Journal Title
European Journal of Psychology of Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/4/1201-1220
Key Words
Self-concept. TIMSS. Math and science achievements. Construct validity. SBQ
Authors
Maher M. Abu-Hilal Faisal A. Abdelfattah, Saleh A. Alshumrani, Adel S. Abduljabbar & Herbert W. Marsh
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The aims of this study are to: (a) assess if cognitive self-concept (competence) and affective self-concept in
mathematics and science are different constructs, (b) evaluate the construct validity of self-concept in the
context of conflation and separation, and (c) test if the relationships among cognitive and affective variables
are invariant across gender. The data for this study were obtained from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2007 database. Data about 2, 687 out of 4, 099 eighth grade Saudi students were
subject to various analyses. The variables used in this study were mathematics and science self-concepts, and
mathematics and science subject value as part of the Students Background Questionnaire. The relationships
among constructs were examined with the use of SPSS16 and the structural equation modelling software,
AMOS16. The results demonstrated that subject value and self-concept were different constructs.
Also, the results demonstrated that cognitive and affective self-concepts were independent, but strongly related
constructs, and the structure of the construct was clearer when self-concept was separated into cognitive and
affective components than when it was conflated. The relationships among cognitive, affective, and subject
value in mathematics and science were invariant across gender. However, their relationships with achievement
were not invariant across gender.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
163
College of Education
Applicant Name
Maher Mohammad Hilal
Department
Psychology
Contact
mhilal@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity of TIMSS math and science motivation measures: A comparison of Arab and Anglo-Saxon countries
Journal Title
Journal of Educational Psychology
Volume/Issue/Pages
105/1/108-128
Key Words
Math and science motivation, trends in international mathematics and science
study, math and science gender difference, negative item method effects, cross-cultural measurement invariance
Authors
Herbert W. Marsh, Adel Salah Abduljabbar, Maher M. Abu-Hilal, Alexandre J. S.
Morin, Faisal Abdelfattah, Kim Chau Leung, Man K. Xu, Benjamin Nagengast,
Philip Parker.
“For the international Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS2007) math and science
motivation scales (self-concept, positive affect, and value), we evaluated the psychometric properties (factor
structure, method effects, gender differences, and convergent and discriminant validity) in 4 Arab-speaking
countries (Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Oman, and Egypt) and 4 English-speaking Anglo-Saxon countries (United
States, England, Australia, and Scotland). In this article, we also highlight methodological weaknesses in the
TIMSS approach to these motivation measures. We found reasonable support for within-group invariance
across the math and science domains and between-group invariance across countries for full factor loading
invariance and partial item intercept invariance. However, the factor structure is complicated by strong negative-item method effects and correlated unique characteristics associated with the use of math and science
items with parallel wording. Correlations involving the motivation factors were reasonably similar across
countries, supporting both discriminant and convergent validity in relation to achievement, plans to take more
coursework in math and science, and long-term educational aspirations. However, gender differences largely
favour girls in the Arab countries (with strong single-sex education systems) relative to Anglo countries (and
international norms). The juxtapositions of latent mean differences in achievement and motivation factors
are perplexing; students from Anglo countries had substantially higher achievement than students from Arab
countries but had substantially lower motivation across all 8 math and science factors.”
164
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mahmoud Mohamed Emam
Department
Psychology
Contact
memam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Problem-solving orientation and attributional style as predictors of depressive
symptoms in Egyptian adolescents with visual impairment
Journal Title
British Journal of Visual Impairment
Volume/Issue/Pages
31/2/150-163
Key Words
Attributional style, depression, problem solving, visual impairment
Authors
Mahmoud M Emam
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The association between attributional style (AS), problem-solving orientation (PSO), and gender on depressive symptoms was investigated in Egyptian adolescents with visual impairment (VI).
After being written in Braille, measures of AS, PSO, and depression were administered to 110 adolescents with
VI, ages 12–17 years, from a residential school for pupils with VI. Regression analyses showed that gender,
negative general (NG) attributions, and negative problem-solving orientation (NPSO) were the strongest
predictors of depressive symptoms in adolescents with VI, whereas negative internal (NI) attributions and
avoidant problem-solving orientation (APSO) were weak predictors. The findings are discussed in relation
to different perspectives and models of depression, particularly the stress-diathesis model. The theory that
these cognitive variables are core constituents of a cognitive diathesis model of depression in individuals with
VI is not supported by this study.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
165
College of Education
Applicant Name
Maimuna Al-zedgali
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
maimuna@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
‫فاعلية اسخدام أساليب التغذية الراجعة التصحيحية الفورية عىل الجانب املعريف والتطبيقي ألحكام تالوة القرآن‬
.‫الكريم لدى طالبات الصف العارش األسايس بسلطنة عامن‬
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
329 -305/‫الثالث‬/‫السابع‬
Key Words
Feedback, corrective feedback, application methods corrective feedback.
Authors
Maimuna Al-zedgali, Thureya S. Shabibi
“The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of immediate corrective feedback in classroom discussions on the level of knowing and applying the rules of Quran recitation among tenth grade students. To
achieve this, researchers used two tools: a written test, and a verbal test. After confirming the validity and
reliability of the tools, they were administered to 84 tenth grade female students. The results revealed that the
second experimental group outperformed the first experimental group and the control group in the application
of the rules of Quranic recitation. Also, the two experimental groups outperformed the control group in the
knowledge of rules of Quranic recitation. The study puts forward a number of recommendations. The most
important of which is the need to provide corrective feedback as it is one of classroom practices that provide
the learner with information about the accuracy of her performance, and to modify under-performance or
error. Also, there is a need to use a variety of methods of active corrective feedback in classroom.”
166
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Mohammed Hamood Al-Amri‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪mhalamri@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫الرسوم البيانية ودالالتها األفقية والرأسية كمؤرشات تقييم‪/‬تقويم أداء الطالب املعلم ملهارات تدريس الرتبية الفنية يف‬
‫الرتبية العملية واتجاهاتهم نحو تطبيقاتها بجامعة السلطان قابوس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة كلية اآلداب والعلوم االجتامعية‪ ،‬جامعة السلطان قابوس‬
‫‪4/1/27-62‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫محمد العامري ‪ ،‬يارس محمود فوزي‬
‫“يهدف البحث الحايل إىل تحليل مؤرشات األداء التدرييس يف الرتبية الفنية من خالل بناء أدوات لتقييم وتقويم األداء التدرييس للطالب واملعلم يف الرتبية الفنية‬
‫كأشكال برصية مرتبطة بأسلوب الرسوم البيانية‪ ،‬كام يهدف إىل الكشف عن مدى إسهام تلك األدوات التقوميية املقرتحة يف متابعة مستوى منو مؤرشات األداء‬
‫التدرييس للطلبة املعلمني ورصد اتجاهاتهم نحو استخدام الرسوم البيانية كمؤرشات تقيم‪/‬تقويم مهارات تدريس الرتبية الفنية يف الرتبية العملية‪ .‬تم تطبيق‬
‫الدراسة الحالية عىل (‪ )25‬طالباً وطالبة من طلبة السنة الرابعة بقسم الرتبية الفنية‪-‬جامعة السلطان قابوس‪ -‬للعام األكادميي ‪2011/2010‬م‪ ،‬وقد استخدم‬
‫الباحثان املنهج الوصفي التحلييل واملنهج شبه التجريبي عند بدء التطبيقات امليدانية ألدوات الدراسة‪ .‬أظهرت نتائج البحث إمكانية استخدام الرسوم البيانية‬
‫كأشكال لها دالالت برصية ميكن توظيفها كأدوات لتقييم وتقويم أداء الطالب املعلمني يف مواقف التدريس بالرتبية الفنية امليدانية‪ ،‬كام أظهرت النتائج وجود‬
‫اتجاه موجب لدى عينة الدراسة نحو استخدام الرسوم البيانية يف عملية تقويم أداء الطالب املعلم‪ .‬وخرج البحث بعدد من التوصيات أهمها‪ :‬العمل عىل تطوير‬
‫عمليات التقييم والتقويم يف مجاالت الرتبية الفنية من خالل استحداث أدوات ذات هيئات برصية تتامىش مع طبيعة التخصص‪ ،‬وإجراء املزيد من الدراسات‬
‫املامثلة التي تستخدم الرسوم البيانية يف عملية تقييم‪/‬تقويم املواد الدراسية األخرى‪ ،‬الختبار مدى فائدتها يف تطوير منو أداء الطالب واملعلم يف العملية التعليمية‪”.‬‬
‫‪167‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪mhalamri@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫مدى استخدام تقنية التقويم بواسطة (بورتفوليو الفن) من وجهة نظر معلمي الفنون التشكيلية ما قبل وأثناء الخدمة‬
‫بسلطنة ُعامن‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫املجلة الرتبوية‪ ،‬محلس البحث العلمي جامعة الكويت‬
‫‪27/107/203-244‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫محمد العامري‬
‫“هدفت الدراسة الحالية تقييم استخدام تقنية التقويم بواسطة (بورتفوليو الفن) من وجهة نظر معلمي الفنون التشكيلية ما قبل وأثناء الخدمة بسلطنة عامن‪.‬‬
‫تكونت عينة الدراسة من (‪ )80‬معلام ما قبل الخدمة‪ ،‬و (‪ )443‬معلم أثناء الخدمة اختربوا عشوائيا مبجموع (‪ .)523‬قام الباحث بتصميم استبانة مكونة من‬
‫(‪ )69‬بندا ً موزعة عىل سبعة محاور رئيسية (مفهوم‪ ،‬وأهداف‪ ،‬واستخدامات‪ ،‬ودور املعلم‪ ،‬ومكونات ومعايري العامة‪ ،‬واملعايري الخاصة بتقييم بورتفوليو الفن)‪.‬‬
‫وتم التحقق من صدقها وثباتها‪ .‬ولتحليل النتائج استخدام الباحث املتوسطات الحسابية‪ ،‬واالنحرافات املعيارية‪ ،‬واختبار‬
‫“ت” للعينات املستقلة‪ ،‬وتحليل التباين املتعدد‪ ،‬واختبار شافيه‪ .‬أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن تقديرات استجابات معلمي الفنون التشكيلية ما قبل الخدمة وأثنائها‬
‫الستخدام تقنية التقويم بواسطة “بورتفوليو الفن” جاءت مبستوى (عالياً) يف جميع محاور األداة وقد بلغ املتوسط الحسايب العام (‪ )3.94‬وإنحراف معياري‬
‫قدره (‪ .)0.574‬كام أظهرت الدراسة أن هناك فروق ذات داللة إحصائية عند مستوى داللة (=‪ )0.001‬بني تقديرات معلمي ما قبل الخدمة وأثناء الخدمة فيام‬
‫يتعلق باستخدام هذه التقنية لصالح معلمي ما قبل الخدمة يف جميع محاور الدراسة ويف كل املحاور مجتمعة‪ ،‬وأظهرت النتائج أيضا وجد فروق دالة إحصائيا‬
‫لتقديرات معلمي الفنون التشكيلية يف أثناء الخدمة الستخدام تقنية التقويم بواسطة “ورتفوليو الفن” (‪ )Art Portfolio‬تعزى إىل متغريات‪ :‬الجنس‪ ، ،‬واملؤهل‬
‫العلمي‪ ،‬وسنوات الخربة‪ ،‬وتفاصيل هذه الفروق متضمنة يف هذه الدراسة‪.‬‬
‫وخلصت الدراسة إىل عدد من التوصيات كان أهمها رضورة تدريب معلمي الفنون التشكيلية ما قبل وأثناء الخدمة عىل استخدام تقنية التقويم بواسطة بورتفوليو‬
‫الفن‪ ،‬وإجراء بعض الدراسات التجريبية ملعرفة سلبيات وايجابية هذه التقنية‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪168‬‬
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Mohammed Hamood Al-Amri‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Mohsin Nassir Al-Salmi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
mohsins@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Degree of professionalism in the teacher preparation program at the College of
Education at Sultan Qaboos University as viewed by Islamic education graduates
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/214-225
Key Words
Empowerment, a teacher preparation program, exercise, professional roles, Islamic
education teacher.
Authors
Mohsin Nassir Al-Salmi
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The study aimed at identifying to what degree does the teacher preparation program at the college of education at Sultan Qaboos University enable Islamic education teachers to perform their professional roles as
viewed by the graduates of the program. In order to achieve this aim, a questionnaire was designed consisting of 42 roles and falling under 5 themes. Having checked the instrument for validity and reliability, it was
administered to a sample of 56 graduates of the program. The main findings of the study were: a) the teacher
preparation program of Islamic education in the College of Education enabled the graduates to perform the
professional roles at th moderate level; and there were no statistically significant differences at the level of 0.05
between the means of respondents attributable to the variables of gender and year of graduation in general, as
well as at the level of each of the 5 themes. Some of the recommendations are to reinforce the highly viewed
roles such as the humanitarian roles and the roles in the five themes. It is also recommended to support the
roles that were viewed moderately in the program and to give seminars and workshop to Islamic education
teachers as to perform the professional roles effectively.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
169
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪nrawahi@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫الكفايات التدريسية ملعلمي الرياضة املدرسية بسلطنة عامن وعالقتها بأسباب اختيار مهنة التدريس‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة العلوم الرتبوية والنفسية ‪ -‬البحرين‬
‫‪14/1/514- 538‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫نارص يارس الرواحي‪ ،‬جمعة محمد الهنايئ‬
‫“هدفت هذه الدراسة إىل تحديد درجة امتالك الكفايات التدريسية لدى معلمي ومعلامت الرياضة املدرسية بسلطنة عامن‪ ،‬ومعرفة الفروق اإلحصائية وفقاً‬
‫ملتغريات النوع والخربة التدريسية واملنطقة التعليمية‪ .‬كام هدفت أيضا إىل معرفة العالقة بني درجة امتالك الكفايات التدريسية‪ ،‬وسبب اختيار املعلمني ملهنة‬
‫تدريس الرياضة املدرسية‪ .‬شملت عينة الدراسة (‪ )142‬معلامً و (‪ )168‬معلمة‪ ،‬واستخدم الباحثان االستبانة كأداة لجمع البيانات واملعلومات الالزمة لتحقيق‬
‫أهداف الدراسة‪ ،‬وتوصلت نتائج الدراسة إىل أن درجة امتالك عينة الدراسة للكفايات التدريسية تراوحت بني القليلة واملتوسطة واملرتفعة‪ ،‬وأشارت النتائج‬
‫إىل عدم وجود فروق إحصائية تعزى ملتغريات النوع واملنطقة التعليمية‪ ،‬بينام أظهرت وجود فروق إحصائية طبقاً لنوع الخربة التدريسية‪ .‬كام بينت النتائج‬
‫أن أكرث أسباب اختيار مهنة تدريس الرياضة املدرسية هي حب الرياضة‪ ،‬والحصول عىل مجموع درجات قليلة يف دبلوم التعليم العام‪ ،‬وكذلك حب العمل يف‬
‫املجال التدرييس‪ .‬كام مل تظهر نتائج الدراسة أية عالقة بني درجة امتالك عينة الدراسة للكفايات التدريسية وأسباب اختيارهم ملهنة تدريس الرياضة املدرسية‪”.‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
‫‪170‬‬
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Nasser Al-Rawahi‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
Rashid Alfahadi
Department
Educational Foundation and Administration
Contact
rsh77@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals
Paper Title
A suggested training program to develop trainers performance at ministry of education training centre in Sultanate of Oman based on future training needs
Journal Title
‫املجلة الرتبوية‬
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/109/101-144
Authors
AH ALSobhi, ALFR Sulaiman, B AL Sharei
“This study aims at providing suggestions on how to develop the performance of the trainers in educational
training centre (Minsitry of Education) Sultanate of Oman on request for the future training needs. To gather
the data a questionnaire is developed. It consists of 92 items included in 8 core issues (determining training
needs, the modern ways of training, the development of thinking skills, electronic communication and research skills, designing training programs, training delivery skills, the education of training programs and the
use of computer programs). The validity and the reliability of the questionnaire is secured. The Sample of the
study consists of all training who work in the educational training centre in all the educational Governorates
except AL -Wusta and Musandam. The sample consists of 189 participants. The study results are: There is
training needs for the following items, derermining training needs, modern ways of training, thinking skills
development, electronic communication and searching skills, training evaluation and the use of computers,
As regards to the results of the study, a training porgram is proposed to develop the performance to trainers
in the educational training centers in the Sultanate of Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
171
College of Education
Applicant Name
College of Education
Applicant Name
Rashid Saif Almehrizi
Department
Psychology
Contact
mehrzi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Coefficient alpha and reliability of scale scores
Journal Title
Applied Psychological Measurement
Volume/Issue/Pages
37/6/438-459
Key Words
Coefficient; internal consistency reliability; scale scores; classical test theory,
internal consistency reliability; conditional standard errors; classical test theory;
true-score; models; tests; IRT
Authors
Rashid Saif Almehrizi
“The majority of large-scale assessments develop various score scales that are either linear or non-linear
transformations of raw scores for better interpretations and uses of assessment results. The current formula
for coefficient alpha (; the commonly used reliability coefficient) only provides internal consistency reliability estimates of raw scores. This article presents a general form of and extends its use to estimate internal
consistency reliability for non-linear scale scores (used for relative decisions). The article also examines
this estimator of reliability using different score scales with real data sets of both dichotomously scored and
polytomously scored items. Different score scales show different estimates of reliability. The effects of transformation functions on reliability of different score scales are also explored.”
172
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sabry Mahmoud Abd-El-Fattah
Department
Psychology
Contact
sabryamin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Modelling the causal relationships among test anxiety, working memory, and academic achievement of primary stage students in Oman in the light of the processing efficiency theory
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/238-255
Key Words
Test anxiety, working memory, academic achievement, structural equation modelling analysis, mediation analysis, moderation analysis.
Authors
Sabry Mahmoud Abd-El-Fattah
College of Education
Applicant Name
“This study aimed at investigating the relationships among test anxiety, working memory, and academic
achievement in the light of the processing efficiency theory. The sample of the study included 159 fifth graders
(84 females and 75 males) distributed over three public elementary schools in the Sultanate of Oman. Results
of the mean testing analysis showed that the participants had high levels of worry and emotionality as well as
overall test anxiety (both worry and emotionality). The results of the structural equation modelling analysis
showed that (1) worry and emotionality had negative effects on central executive, phonological loop, and
visuo-spatial sketch pad; (2) emotionality had a negative effect on the visuo-spatial sketch pad, and (3) central
executive, phonological loop, and visuo-spatial sketch pad had positive effects on academic achievement. The
results of the mediation analysis showed that the central executive and the phonological loop mediated the
relationship between worry and academic achievement, and that the central executive, phonological loop,
and visuo-spatial sketch pad mediated the relationship between emotionality and academic achievement. The
results of the moderation analysis showed that gender was not a moderator of the relationships among worry,
emotionality, central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketch pad, and academic achievement.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
173
College of Education
Applicant Name
Sabry Mahmoud Abd-El-Fattah
Department
Psychology
Contact
sabryamin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A cross-cultural examination of the Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form among
Egyptian and Omani adolescents.
Journal Title
Journal of Personality Assessment
Volume/Issue/Pages
95/5/539-548
Key Words
Of-fit indexes; measurement invariance; covariance-structures; model; validation;
offenders; version; BPAQ
Authors
Sabry Mahmoud Abd-El-Fattah
“The psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Aggression Questionnaire-Short Form (AQ-SF)
were examined in 2 samples of Egyptian and Omani adolescents. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed that the 4-factor model had adequate fit to the data of both samples, whereas the unidimensional and
hierarchical models did not. Multigroup CFAs revealed culture invariance for the AQ-SF 4-factor model
when the 2 samples were compared for each gender. The analysis also revealed gender invariance for the
AQ-SF 4-factor model within the Omani sample. However, the analysis showed partial gender invariance
for the AQ-SF 4-factor model within the Egyptian sample. A latent mean analysis showed consistent gender
differences on Physical Aggression in the male direction when males and females were compared across and
within both samples. The AQ-SF correlated positively and significantly with peer nominations but did not
correlate with a measure of social desirability.”
174
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
‫‪College of Education‬‬
‫‪Saif Al-Maamari‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Curriculum & Instruction‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪saifn@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among top 30% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫درجة توافر كفايات تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت لدى معلمي الد ا رسات االجتامعية مبرحلة التعليم ما بعد‬
‫األسايس يف بعض املحافظات العامنية‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة كلية الرتبية‬
‫‪36/34/60-92‬‬
‫سلطنة عامن‪ ،‬كفايات تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت‪ ،‬معلمي الدارسات االجتامعية‪ ،‬التعليم ما بعد األسايس‪.‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Key Words‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫د‪ .‬سيف بن نارص املعمري‪ ,‬أ‪ .‬فهد املرسوري‬
‫“ملخص‪ :‬هدفت هذه الدارسة إىل الكشف عن درجة توافر كفايات تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت لدى معلمي الدارسات االجتامعية مبرحلة التعليم ما بعد‬
‫األسايس يف بعض املحافظات العامنية‪ ،‬باإلضافة إىل معرفة أثر متغريات النوع والتخصص والخربة التدريسية‪ .‬ولتحقيق أهداف الدارسة استخدم الباحثان املنهج‬
‫الوصفي‪ ،‬حيث قام الباحثان بإعداد استبانة مكونة من) ‪( 47‬عبارة موزعة عىل) ‪(4‬محاور هي‪ :‬الكفايات األساسية لتشغيل الحاسوب‪ ،‬وكفايات استخدام مصادر‬
‫الشبكة العاملية)اإلنرتنت(‪ ،‬وكفايات توظيف تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت يف تدريس الدارسات االجتامعية وتقوميها‪ ،‬وبعد التأكد من صدق األداة وثباتها‬
‫تم تطبيقها عىل عينة الدارسة املكونة من) ‪( 142‬معلامً ومعلمة من معلمي مادة الد ا رسات االجتامعية مبدارس التعليم ما بعد األسايس باملحافظات اآلتية‪:‬‬
‫مسقط‪ ،‬شامل الباطنة‪ ،‬جنوب الرشقية‪.‬‬
‫وأظهرت نتائج الدارسة أن درجة توافر كفايات تكنولوجيا املعلومات واالتصاالت لدى معلمي الدارسات االجتامعية بلغت) ‪( 4127‬أي بدرجة متوسطة‪ ،‬كام أظهرت‬
‫النتائج عدم وجود فروق ذات داللة إحصائية عند مستوى الداللة) ‪( 0100 α‬بني الذكور واإلناث وبني = مستويات التخصص يف جميع املحاور‪ .‬كام كشفت النتائج‬
‫عدم وجود فروق ذات داللة إحصائية عند مستوى الداللة) ‪( 0100 α‬بني مستويات الخربة التدريسية يف جميع املحاور‪ = ،‬ما عدا محور “لكفايات األساسية‬
‫لتشغيل الحاسوب” الذي ظهرت به فروق ذات داللة إحصائية لصالح معلمي الفئة) ‪ 2 20‬سنوات(‪ - .‬الكلامت املفتاحية‪ :‬سلطنة عامن‪ ،‬كفايات تكنولوجيا‬
‫املعلومات واالتصاالت‪ ،‬معلمي الدارسات االجتامعية‪ ،‬التعليم ما بعد األسايس‪”.‬‬
‫‪175‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
College of Education
Applicant Name
Saif Al-Maamari
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
saifn@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Citizenship education: The perceptions of social studies Omani student teachers
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/4/446-461
Key Words
Citizenship education, perceptions of citizenship, social studies student teachers,
Sultanate of Oman.
Authors
Saif N. AlMaamari and Ian Menter
“The purpose of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Omani student-teachers of social studies
major about citizenship and citizenship education. Interviews were used to achieve this purpose. Ten students
participated in the study: 5 females and 5 males. Data were analysed qualitatively using analytic induction and
interpretive analytic framework. Qualitative results show a wide range of interesting views on citizenship that
highlighted the influence of the social, cultural and political context in shaping the meaning of citizenship
and citizenship education. The results from interviews can be classified into five categories:
(a) Citizenship is a multi-faceted concept;
(b) Citizenship education is a crucial area in the school curriculum;
(c) Social studies is still the main approach of introducing citizenship education;
(d) Citizenship education is an area which is missing in teacher preparation programs and
(e) Citizenship education is practiced to an extent in practical training programs.”
176
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
sbalush@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The effect of different textual narrations on students explanations at the submicroscopic level in chemistry
Journal Title
Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science & Technology Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
9/1/3-10
Key Words
Chemistry, guided imagery, macroscopic, submicroscopic, textual narration
Authors
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The effect of different textual versions (macroscopic (control), submicroscopic, and guided imagery) of the
explanation of a chemical phenomenon on students’ submicroscopic explanation of a related phenomenon was
examined. The sample included 152 pre-service science teachers. The three textual versions of the explanation
were distributed randomly to the participants. The results revealed that students who received the submicroscopic version and those who received the guided imagery version outperformed students who received
the macroscopic version. These results indicated that students’ use of the submicroscopic understanding
was not spontaneous and they needed to be cued to do so. Also, the submicroscopic mean scores of all three
groups were low, and this might be an indication of a weak ability to: 1) translate between macroscopic and
submicroscopic levels of chemistry, and 2) transfer a submicroscopic understanding of one phenomenon to
another related one.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
177
College of Education
Applicant Name
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
sbalush@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The relationship between learners distrust of scientific models, their spatial ability,
and the vividness of their mental images
Journal Title
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
11/3/707-732
Key Words
Concrete– continuum, credibility levels, distrust of scientific models, imagination,
natural entities, spatial ability, vividness of mental images
Authors
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
“The purpose of the current study was to examine the nature of the relationship between learners’ distrust
of scientific models that represent unseen entities and phenomena, their spatial ability, and the vividness
of their mental images. The sample consisted of 302 tenth grade students in the Sultanate of Oman. Three
measures were used for this study: the Epistemologies about the Credibility of Scientific Models instrument,
the Water Level Task (WLT), and the Vividness of Microscopic Mental Images. It was found that students’
distrust was greater for theoretical and models such as the electron clouds, photons, magnetic lines of force,
DNA, electron transfer, atomic orbits, and alpha rays. The findings also show that there was a statistically
significant negative correlation between students’ distrust of scientific models and their spatial ability, as
indicated by their performance on the WLT. There was a positive relationship between the distrust of scientific models and the vividness of mental images and a weak negative relationship between spatial ability
and the vividness of mental images. Based on the findings, it might be plausible to conclude that as the ion
level for scientific models increases, such as for theoretical models which lack defined structure and known
details, imaginative learners’ difficulty to construct colorful and detailed mental images for natural entities
and phenomena increases. It would also be recommended that learners with vivid mental images should
be provided with and directed to use more spatial techniques such as computerized visualization tools and
mental manipulation of 3D objects.”
178
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
sbalush@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Exploring verbal, visual and schematic learners static and dynamic mental images
of scientific species and processes in relation to their spatial ability
Journal Title
International Journal of Science Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/3/460-489
Key Words
Dynamic images; Static images; Spatial ability; Appearing; disappearing dynamic images; Linear-movement dynamic images; Rotation dynamic images; Verbal
learners; Visual learners; Schematic learners; Learning styles
Authors
Sulaiman M. Al-Balushi & Richard Kevin Coll
College of Education
Applicant Name
“The current study compared different learners’ static and dynamic mental images of unseen scientific species
and processes in relation to their spatial ability. Learners were classified into verbal, visual and schematic.
Dynamic images were classified into: appearing/disappearing, linear-movement, and rotation. Two types of
scientific entities and their related processes were investigated: astronomical and microscopic. The sample
included 79 female students from Grades 9 and 10. For the purpose of the study, three instruments were used.
The Mental Images by Guided Imagery instrument was designed to investigate participants’ visualization of
static and dynamic mental images. The Water-Level Task was adopted to estimate participants’ spatial ability.
The Learning Styles Inventory was used to classify participants into verbal, visual and schematic learners.
The research findings suggest that schematic learners outperformed verbal and visual learners in their spatial ability. They also outperformed them in their vividness of microscopic images; both micro-static and
micro-dynamic images; especially in the case of appearing/disappearing images. The differences were not
significant in the case of astronomical images. The results also indicate that appearing/disappearing images
received the least vividness scores for all three types of learners.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
179
College of Education
Applicant Name
Sulaiman Mohammed Al-Balushi
Department
Curriculum & Instruction
Contact
sbalush@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Ninth graders spatial ability and working memory capacity (WMC) in relation to
their science and mathematics achievement and their gender
Journal Title
Journal of Turkish Science Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/1/12-27
Key Words
Spatial Ability; Water Level Task (WLT); Working Memory Capacity (WMC); Science and Mathematics Achievement; Gender Differences.
Authors
Sulaiman Al-Balushi and Ismail A. Al-Battashi
“The purpose of the current study is to compare high and low achievers in science and mathematics in terms
of their spatial ability and Working Memory Capacity (WMC), and to compare male and female learners’
performance in both these two cognitive abilities and their science and mathematics achievements. The
sample consisted of 102 ninth graders in Oman. To estimate participants’ spatial ability and their WMC, the
Water Level Task (WLT) and the Digit Span Backwards Test (DSBT) were used. The results indicated that
both science and mathematics high achievers significantly outperformed low achievers in terms of spatial
ability and WMC. In addition, females out-performed males in WMC, while males outperformed females in
spatial ability. There were no significant differences between the two genders in terms of their achievement
in science and mathematics.”
180
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Wajeha Al-Alani
Department
Educational Foundation and Administration
Contact
wajeha@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
The quality of student services provided by the deanship of student affairs at Sultan
Qaboos University
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/3/289-304
Key Words
Student services, dean of student affairs, student activities, quality services.
Authors
Wajeha T. Al-Ani, Zahra N. Al-Rasbiya
College of Education
Applicant Name
“This study aimed to investigate the quality of student services provided by the Deanship of Student Affairs
at the Sultan Qaboos University. The study sample consisted of 610 students. Data were collected using a
questionnaire consisting of 59 items distributed in seven areas which are: social services, housing services,
and food services, and counselling and religious guidance services, cultural and artistic services, sports activities, and sustainable training services. The results showed that the highest mean of the responses is in the
counselling and religious guidance 3.79, while the lowest mean is for the area of student food services 2.82.
the Results of (MANOVA) showed that the quality of services provided by the Deanship of Student Affairs
for students for female was a higher level compared with males in the areas of social services, housing services and sustainable training services. As for the results on the year variable, the result of the study revealed
that there are statistically significant differences (α=0.05) related to the field of social services in favour of
the second year students. Also the results showed that there are statistically significant differences related to
students’ points of view in humanities colleges in the areas of social services 3.37, and sustainable training
3.27, while in the area of religious guidance services it is in favour of scientific colleges 3.87. Based on the
results of this study, many recommendations and suggestions were developed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
181
College of Education
Applicant Name
‫راشد سليامن الفهدي‬
Department
Educational Foundation and Administration
Contact
rsh77@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Effectiveness of educational supervision in Sultanate of Oman as perceived by
teachers
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies - Sultan Qaboos University
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/200-213
Key Words
Educational supervision, effectiveness, teachers, Sultanate of Oman.
Authors
‫ نارص هالل الراسبي‬،‫ راشد سيف املحرزي‬،‫ حليس محمد العرميي‬،‫راشد سليامن الفهدي‬
“The study aimed at identifying the effectiveness of educational supervision in public schools in the Sultanate
of Oman. To achieve the aim of the study, a questionnaire was designed. It consisted of 49 items distributed
into five domains. The domains are: enhancement of instructional and learning processes; school’s activities
and media; implementation, assessment, and development of curriculum; assessment of instructional and
learning process; and teachers’ professional development. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire
were examined. The sample of the study consisted of 592 male and female teachers. The results showed that
educational supervision in Oman had high effectiveness on enhancement of instructional and learning processes, school’s activities and media, whereas, it had medium effectiveness on the other three domains. Based
on the results, few recommendations have been suggested.”
182
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
College of Engineering
College of Engineering
Table 6 presents a summary of the total number of published papers in the College of Engineering for the year 2013.
The college published 87 journal papers, 66.7% of these were listed in JCR of Web of Science while 32.2% were listed in
Scopus.
Table 6 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Engineering in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
College of Engineering
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
58
Listed in Scopus
28
SQU Journals
1
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
87
187
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Engineering
College of Engineering
Applicant Names
188
Pages
Applicant Names
Pages
Abdul-Aziz Rashid Al-Hashmi
189
Ibrahim Garbie
249
Abdullah Hamed Al-Badi
192
Jamil Abdo
251
Abdullah M. Al Shabibi
193
Khaled Goher
252
Abdullah Ozer
194
Khalifa Saif Al-Jabri
253
Abdulnasir Hossen
195
Lazhar Khriji
254
Adel M. Al-Ajmi
201
Mahmoud I. Masoud
256
Afaq Ahmad
202
Medhat Hussein Ahmed
258
Afzal Husain
204
Mohamed Ould-Khaoua
259
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
207
Mohammed M. Bait-Suwailam
260
Arif Saeed Malik
216
Nasser Al-Azri
261
Ashish M Gujarathi
217
Nasser Hosseinzadeh
263
Baba El-Yakubu Jibril
218
Omar Al-Abri
265
Chefi Triki
220
Omar Houache
267
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
221
Osama Muhammad Hussain
Rehman
269
Gholamreza Vakili-Nejad
241
Sabah Al-Sulaiman
270
Hassan A. Yousef
242
Talal Al Wahaibi
273
Ibrahim A. Metwally
244
Zahid Qamar, Sayyad
275
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdul-Aziz Rashid Al-Hashmi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
azizra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Flow-induced-microgel adsorption of high-molecular weight polyacrylamides
Journal Title
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
112/1/1-6
Key Words
Polyacrylamide; flow-induced microgel; adsorption; thixotropy; EOR
Authors
A.R.Al-Hashmi, P.F.Luckham, C.A.Grattoni
“Water soluble polymers are widely used in oil and gas reservoirs and usually injected into the reservoir rocks to
alter their flow properties. The rheologies of the polymer solution and their adsorption or interaction with the
porous system are crucial for the success of the injection. This work aims to investigate the formation of residual
polymer multilayers as a result of the flow of aqueous solutions of high-molecular-weight cationic (CPAM) and
non-ionic (PAM) polyacrylamides through single, circular and rectangular capillaries.
Polymer solutions in de-ionized water and weak brine were injected at different flow rates into glass capillaries of
circular and rectangular cross sectional area. The adsorption energy and layer thickness on glass surfaces of these
polymer solutions have been investigated by Al-Hashmi and Luckham (2010) under static conditions using colloidal
force measurements. The apparent viscosity of the polymer in solution on both increasing and decreasing the shear
rate are presented to indicate the thixotropic or anti-thixotropic behaviour of the solution. Also, the viscosity-time
curves are presented to investigate the rheopectic behaviour of the polymer solutions.
The flow CPAM in water solution through the capillaries resulted in very thick residual polymer layers, around 15
times thicker than those measured under static conditions. This solution shows both anti-thixtropic and rheopectic
behaviour, which may be attributed to flow-induced-microgel formations in the bulk of the polymer solution. The
same polymer solution has shown almost instantaneous adsorption from the colloidal force measurements due to
electrostatic attraction of the cationic groups of the polymer to the negative glass surface. Such thick layers are not
formed when CPAM in 0.34 M NaCl is used. Although it has shown strong adsorption on glass, the CPAM in 0.34
M NaCl exhibits neither anti-thixotropic nor rheopectic behaviour. Though it has shown rheopectic behaviour,
the non-ionic polyacrylamide in water solution does not result in significantly thick layers, which might be due
to its weak adsorption on glass.
In the current study, a new mechanism is proposed to attribute the apparent formation of residual multilayer under
the name of flow-induced-microgel adsorption (FIMGA). According to the new mechanism, two criteria have to be
satisfied for polymer multilayer formation: the formation of sizable shear-induced-microgel structures in the bulk
of the solution, and sufficiently high adsorption energy of the polymer to the solid surface. The new understanding
in view of this new mechanism will contribute to more successful applications of polymers in oilfields. It will also
allow faster screening of the chemicals for a specific application which may warrant different characteristics of
flow and adsorption. For example, polymers used in enhanced oil recovery should have high injectivity and low
adsorption. On the other hand, high adsorption and thick residual polymer layers are the key for a successful use
of polymers in water shut-off in oil and gas wells.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
189
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdul-Aziz Rashid Al-Hashmi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
azizra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Rheology and mechanical degradation of high-molecular-weight partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide during flow through capillaries
Journal Title
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
105/1/100-106
Key Words
Polyacrylamide; mechanical degradation; entry point; rheology; capillary
Authors
A.R.AlHashmi, R.S.AlMaamari, I.S.AlShabibi, A.M.Mansoor, A.Zaitoun, and
H.H.AlSharji
“High-molecular-weight partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamides are widely used in enhanced oil recovery.
Mechanical degradation of these polymers as a result of flow through pumps, chokes, valves and at the sand
face has been recently reported to have a negative impact on the application. This study presents capillary
flow measurements of high-molecular-weight hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (degree of hydrolysis=27.8%) in 2
wt% potassium chloride aqueous solvent. Flow was conducted at different flow rates through three different
lengths of 125-μm stainless steel capillaries to investigate the apparent rheology and mechanical degradation.
The apparent rheology was indicated by mobility reduction while the mechanical degradation was measured
by the loss in viscosity of the solution effluent. The entry point contribution in the overall mobility reduction
and degradation was evaluated by extrapolation. In the investigated range of shear rates, the polymer solution generally shows an initial apparent thickening behaviour up to 15, 000 s−1, above which the behaviour
becomes thinning. After the evaluation of the entry point contribution to the overall mobility reduction,
the initial thickening behaviour is found to be due to the coil–stretch transition at the entry point. The flow
in the bulk of the capillaries is found purely thinning in the whole shear rate range investigated. The total
degradation is found to be almost constant, below 20%, up to the shear rate of 15, 000 s−1. The degradation
starts to increase above 15, 000 s−1 due to the effect of shear in the bulk of the capillaries. The entry point
degradation seem to contribute negligibly (below 5%) to the overall degradation up to 100, 000 s−1, above
which it sharply increases its effect on polymer degradation reaching 42% at 850, 000 s−1. We believe that
the results of this study will improve the execution of the polymer enhanced oil recovery by minimizing
polymer mechanical degradation. High shear devices such as pumps, chokes, valves can have a detrimental
effect on the mechanical stability of the polymer and hence should be utilized with caution. Also, more mechanically stable polymers can be utilized. Moreover, in the light of the current study, it is expected that the
elongational flow of polymer at the sand face and the flow of polymer through perforations and/or fractures
can also degrade the polymer, which need to be evaluated.”
190
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdul-Aziz Rashid Al-Hashmi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
azizra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Adsorption of high-molecular-weight EOR polymers on glass surfaces using AFM
and QCM-D
Journal Title
Energy & Fuels
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/5/2437-2444
Authors
A. R. Al-Hashmi, P. F. Luckham, J. Y. Y. Heng, R. S. Al-Maamari, A. Zaitoun, H. H.
Al-Sharji and T. K. Al-Wehaibi
“High-molecular-weight (HMW) polyacrylamide and its derivatives are widely used in oilfield applications
ranging from drilling fluids, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and treatment of oil sand tailings. In these applications the adsorption characteristics of these polymers are essential since it would affect their applicability
and efficiency. In this study, adsorption of three high-molecular-weight polymers (nonionic (NPAM), partially
hydrolyzed (HPAM), and sulfonated (SPAM) polyacrylamides on silica surfaces from 2% KCl) is characterized
using a quartz crystal micro-balance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) and an AFM-based colloidal
probe apparatus. QCM-D measurements show that semiequilibrium for adsorption on silica surfaces is
reached within 3 h. The adsorbed amount and adsorption rate are highest for NPAM and lowest for SPAM.
AFM experiments revealed that after 20 min of incubation in solution, HPAM induced bridging attraction
on approach (i.e., compression). On the other hand, only a weak attraction is observed in the NPAM solution. However, SPAM shows only steric repulsion on approach after 20 min of incubation commencing at
a separation of around 250 nm. Significant adhesion on retraction was observed after 20 min of incubation
in NPAM and HPAM. However, only slight adhesion was observed in SPAM in the same time frame. After
incubation in polymer solutions for 20 h, all polymers induced steric repulsion on approach and the absence
of adhesion on retraction at different separations, indicating full surface coverage and different effective
hydrodynamic layer thickness (EHT). On the basis of the AFM measurements after 20 h of incubation, the
EHT of the adsorbed layers in NPAM, HPAM, and SPAM is 125, 30, and 175 nm, respectively. We believe
that the results in this study will lead to enhanced understanding of the polymers under investigation with
respect to their use in EOR applications. Moreover, this study gives clues on the differences between the
three polymers under consideration with respect to their flocculating power, which is employed in the oil
sand tailings treatments.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
191
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdullah Hamed Al-Badi
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
albadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Pre-feasibility study of stand-alone hybrid energy systems for applications in
eco-houses
Journal Title
International Journal of Sustainable Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/6/48-54
Key Words
Battery; eco-house; fuel cell; hybrid energy system; PV
Authors
Abdullah Hamed Al-Badi
“In light of rising cost of fossil fuels and fears of its depletion, coupled with the increase in energy demand
and the rise in pollution levels, governments worldwide have had to look at alternative energy resources.
Combining renewable energy generation like solar power with superior storage and conversion technology
such as hydrogen storage, fuel cells and batteries offers a potential solution for a stand-alone power system. The
aim of this paper was to assess the techno-economic feasibility of using a hybrid energy system with hydrogen
fuel cell for application in an eco-house that will be built in Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman. Actual
load data for a typical Omani house of a similar size as the eco-house was considered as the stand-alone load
with an average energy consumption of 40 kW/day and 5 kW peak power demand. The National Renewable
Energy Laboratory’s Hybrid Optimisation Model for Electric Renewable software was used as a sizing and
optimisation tool for the system. It was found that the total annual electrical energy production is 42, 255 kW
and the cost of energy for this hybrid system is 0.582 $/kW. During daylight time, when the solar radiation
is high, the photovoltaics (PV) panels supplied most of the load requirements. Moreover, during the evening
time the fuel cell mainly serves the house with the help of the batteries. The proposed system is capable of
providing the required energy to the eco-house during the whole year using only the solar irradiance as the
primary source.”
192
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah M. Al Shabibi
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
ashabibi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Stresses and deformations analysis of a dry friction clutch system
Journal Title
Tribology in Industry
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/2/155-162
Key Words
Dry friction clutch Stresses and deformations Pressure distribution, Full engagement 2D axisymmetric FEM
Authors
O.I. Abdullah, J. Schlattmann and A.M. Al‐Shabibi
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“The friction clutch is considered the essential element in the torque transmission process. In this paper,
the finite element method is used to study the stresses and deformations for clutch system (pressure plate,
clutch disc and flywheel) due to the contact pressure of diaphragm spring and the centrifugal force during
the full engagement of clutch disc (assuming no slipping between contact surfaces). The investigation covers
the effect of the contact stiffness factor FKN on the pressure distribution between contact surfaces, stresses
and deformations. The penalty and Augmented Lagrangian algorithms have been used to obtain the pressure
distribution between contact surfaces. ANSYS13 software has been used to perform the numerical calculation
in this paper.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
193
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdullah Ozer
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
ozer@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Delaying tool chatter in turning with a two-link robotic arm
Journal Title
Journal of Sound and Vibration
Volume/Issue/Pages
332/6/1405-1417
Authors
Abdullah O¨ zer, S. Eren Semercigil R. Prasanth Kumar, Pulas Yowat
“Chatter leaves a rough machined surface, accelerates wear of the cutter and creates unacceptably loud noise
levels. A conventional approach to suppress chatter is to slow the material removal rate. Such an action is
usually successful to avoid chatter, but causes increased production time and cost. Therefore, it is desirable
to maintain a reasonably fast rate of production and employ a chatter control measure. In this research, a
semi-active parameter control technique is investigated numerically during a robotic turning process. Investigations have been performed on a two-link robotic arm model. The control of chatter has been achieved by
varying the joint stiffness in a synchronized mode with the spindle speed. Stability lobe diagrams have been
compared for controlled and uncontrolled cases. Simulation results showed that significant improvements
can be achieved by varying the joint stiffness of robotic structures. The proposed method is stable, effective
and requires no additional hardware to implement at the actuated joints of robots.”
194
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A novel extension of the SB-FFT: Sub-segment inverse fast Fourier transform
(SS-IFFT) with different applications
Journal Title
Journal of computational Methods in Sciences and engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/361-375
Key Words
Fast algorithms, SB-FFT, SS-IFFT, complexity, approximation errors, different wavelets
filters, speech analysis, echo detection, FIR filters design, ECG compression
Authors
Abdulnasir Hossen, and Ulrich Heute
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“In this paper we present a new fast approximate inverse FFT for short-time signal applications. This approach
is derived from the sub-band FFT (SB-FFT) and it is called Sub-Segment IFFT (SS-IFFT). SS-IFFT uses the
idea of decomposing the input signal into two segments (early and late) according to their order of occurrence
in time. An approximation can be done by implementing the IFFT of one of the two-segments according to a
pre-known information about the time-domain characteristics of the signal. Such an approximation leads to
fast computation at the cost of less accuracy. Both the reduction in complexity and the approximation errors
of the new algorithm are investigated in this paper. The SS-IFFT has an adaptive capability like the forward
SB-FFT. The idea of SS-IFFT is extended also to the two dimensional case. The algorithm is also tested by
using different filters other than the Hadamard filters used in the SB-FFT. Different applications of the new
technique are included in speech analysis, echo detection, FIR filter design, and ECG compression.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
195
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Investigation of the high frequency band of heart rate variability: Identification of
pre-eclamptic pregnancy from normal pregnancy in Oman
Journal Title
Asian Biomedicine
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/3/339-346
Key Words
HRV, FFT, LF/HF, pre-eclampsia, soft-decision wavelet-decomposition
Authors
Abdulnasir Hossen, Deepali Jaju, Alaa Barhoum, Vaidyanathan Gowri, Ilham
Hamdi, Mohammed Othman Hassan, Lamya Al-Kharusie
“Background: The spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) shows a decrease in the power of the high
frequency (HF) component in pre-eclamptic pregnancy compared with normal pregnancy; such a decrease
is associated with an increase in the low frequency (LF/HF) ratio of the HRV. The physiological interpretation is that pre-eclamptic pregnancy and normal pregnancy is associated with a facilitation of sympathetic
regulation and an attenuation of parasympathetic influence of HR compared with nonpregnancy.
Objective: We used a spectral analysis of HRV to identify pre-eclamptic pregnancy in Oman.
Methods: Fast Fourier transform (FFT) spectral analysis was used to show whether patients with pre-eclamptic pregnancy have a reduction in the power of the HF band of HRV compared with subjects with normal
pregnancy. The soft-decision wavelet-based technique is then implemented to scan the HF band to find which
part of it is associated with pre-eclampsia. Data was obtained from eight pre-eclamptic pregnant subjects and
nine normal pregnant controls of the same pregnancy duration.
Results: The classical FFT approach to the LF/HF power ratio of HRV is a possible classification factor. The
identification accuracy obtained was 76.47%, while the sensitivity (identification of patients) and the specificity (identification of normal subjects) were found to be 75% and 77.77%, respectively. The soft-decision
wavelet-based technique with five decomposition stages of Coif5 wavelets, finds that B10 and B11 (out of
32 bands) covering the frequency range of (0.1406-0.1563) Hz, and (0.1563-0.1719) Hz, respectively, are the
most dominant parts of the HF band affected by pre-eclampsia. The identification accuracy, sensitivity, and
specificity using this range are found to be 94.11%, 100%, and 88.88%, respectively.
Conclusion: Soft-decision wavelet decomposition is shown to be a successful tool for identification of pre-eclampsia.”
196
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A neural network approach for feature extraction and discrimination between
Parkinsonian tremor and essential tremor
Journal Title
Technology and Health care
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/1/345-356
Key Words
Accelerometry/methods; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Diagnosis, Differential;
Electromyography/methods; Essential Tremor/diagnosis*; Female; Humans; Male;
Middle Aged; Neural Networks (Computer)*; Parkinson Disease/diagnosis*; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity; Wavelet Analysis.
Authors
Abdulnasir Hossen
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Background: Essential tremor (ET) and the tremor in Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the two most common
pathological tremor with a certain overlap in the clinical presentation.
Objective: The main purpose of this work is to use an artificial neural network to select the best features and
to discriminate between the two types of tremors using spectral analysis of tremor time-series recorded by
accelerometry and surface EMG signals.
Methods: The Soft-Decision wavelet-based technique is to be used in this work in order to obtain a 16 bands
approximate spectral representation of both accelerometer and two EMG signals of two sets of data (training
and test). The training set consists of 21 ET subjects and 19 PD subjects while the test set consists of 20 ET
and 20 PD subjects. The data has been recorded for diagnostic purposes in the Department of Neurology of
the University of Kiel, Germany. A neural network of the type feed forward back propagation has been used
to find the frequency bands associated with the different signals that yield better discrimination efficiency
on training data. The same designed network is used to discriminate the test set.
Results: Efficiency result of 87.5% was obtained using two different bands from each of the three signals
under test.
Conclusions: The artificial neural network has been used successfully in both feature extraction and in pattern
matching tasks in a complete classification system.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
197
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Discrimination of Parkinsonian Tremor from essential tremor using statistical
signal characterization of the spectrum of accelemeter signal
Journal Title
Bio-Medical Materials and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/1/513-531
Key Words
FFT spectrum; Parkinson tremor; Statistical signal characterization; accelerometer
signals; discrimination; essential tremor
Authors
A. Hossen, M. Muthuraman, Z. Al-Hakim, J. Raethjen, G. Deuschl and U. Heute
“A new technique for discrimination of Parkinson tremor from essential tremor is presented in this paper.
This technique is based on Statistical Signal Characterization (SSC) of the spectrum of the accelerometer
signal. The data has been recorded for diagnostic purposes in the Department of Neurology of the University of Kiel, Germany. Two sets of data are used. The training set, which consists of 21 essential-tremor (ET)
subjects and 19 Parkinson-disease (PD) subjects, is used to obtain the threshold value of the classification
factor differentiating between the two subjects. The test data set, which consists of 20 ET and 20 PD subjects,
is used to test the technique and evaluate its performance. Three of twelve newly derived SSC parameters
show good discrimination results. Specific results of those three parameters on training data and test data
are shown in detail. A linear combination of the effects of those parameters on the discrimination results is
also included. A total discrimination accuracy of 90% is obtained.”
198
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Identification of sleep stages from heart rate variability using a soft-decision wavelet-based technique
Journal Title
Digital Signal Processing
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/1/218-229
Key Words
Sleep stages; Wavelets; Identification; HRV; RRI; Soft-decision; VLF; LF; HF; PSD
Authors
A. Hossen, H. Özer and U. Heute
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“This work is concerned with a new technique to find identification factors for the different sleep stages based
on a soft-decision wavelet-based estimation of power-spectral density (PSD) contained in the main frequency
bands of Heart Rate Variability (HRV).
A wavelet-based PSD distribution of HRV in different sleep stages is implemented on an epoch basis. Four
sleep stages (S1–S4), “REM sleep” (with “rapid eye movements”), and wakefulness are considered in this work.
The data used, including electro-cardiograms and sleep stage monitoring hypnograms, are provided by the
sleep laboratory of the department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of Christian-Albrechts University Kiel,
Germany. The data, taken from 12 healthy people and containing enough epochs of the above 5 different
sleep stages plus the wake state, is divided into almost equal sets for training and test.
The results show that the PSD of the very-low-frequency (VLF) band and the low-frequency (LF) band are
reduced as sleep stages vary from the wake state to REM sleep and further to light sleep (S1–S2) and deep
sleep (S3–S4). The variation of the PSD in the high-frequency (HF) band is almost the opposite. The ratio of
the VLF/HF PSD is found to be a good identification factor between the different sleep stages, showing better
results than other, commonly used factors such as the LF/HF and VLF/LF PSD ratios.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
199
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Abdulnasir Hossen
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
abhossen@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Classification of sleep apnea using wavelet-based spectral analysis of heart rate
variability
Journal Title
Technology and health care
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/1/291-303
Key Words
Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Female; Fourier Analysis; Heart Failure/diagnosis; Heart
Failure/physiopathology; Heart Rate/physiology*; Humans; Male; Middle Aged;
Polysomnography; Severity of Illness Index; Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted*; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/classification*; Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/diagnosis;
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive/physiopathology; Wavelet Analysis*; Young Adult
Authors
A. Hossen, D. Jaju, B. Al-Ghunaimi, B. Al-Faqeer, T. Al-Yahyai, M.O. Hassan and
M. Al-Abri
“BACKGROUND: Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the cessation of breathing during sleep due to the
collapse of upper airway. Polysomnographic recording is a conventional method for detection of OSA. Although it provides reliable results, it is expensive and cumbersome. Thus, an advanced non-invasive signal
processing based technique is needed.
OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of this work is to predict the severity of sleep apnea using an efficient wavelet-based spectral analysis method of the heart rate variability (HRV) to classify sleep apnea into three different
levels (mild, moderate, and severe) according to its severity and to distinguish them from normal subjects.
METHODS: The standard FFT spectrum analysis method and the soft-decision wavelet-based technique are
to be used in this work in order to rank patients to full polysomnography. Data of 20 normal subjects and
20 patients with mild apnea and 20 patients with moderate apnea and 20 patients of severe apnea are used
in this study. The data is obtained from the sleep laboratory of Sultan Qaboos University hospital in Oman.
Four different classification versions have been used in this work.
RESULTS: Accuracy result of 90% was obtained between severe and normal subjects and 85% between mild
and normal and 75% between severe and moderate and 83.75% between normal and patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The VLF/LF power spectral ratio of the wavelet-based soft-decision analysis of the RRI
data after a high-pass filter resulted in the best accuracy of classification in all versions.”
200
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Adel M. Al-Ajmi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
ajmi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Three dimensional modelling for predicting sand production
Journal Title
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
109/September 2013/348–363
Key Words
Sanding; sand production; Mogi–Coulomb criterion; sanding onset pressure; well path
Authors
Shaima K.Al-Shaaibi, Adel M. Al-Ajmi, and YahyaAl-Wahaibi
“In oil industry, the production of sand particles associated with the reservoir hydrocarbons becomes one
of the most common problems a well may experience during reservoir lifetime. To prevent this problem, oil
companies sometime unnecessarily install sand control equipments without predicting or evaluating sand
potential which in turn increases operating cost and decreases well productivity. Therefore, it is essential to
predict under what production conditions (wellbore flowing pressure or production rate) sanding will occur
and when sand control is needed. This paper presents a new 3D analytical model that can predict sanding
onset from openhole wellbores. The model estimates the critical well-bore pressure below which sand production is expected. Mogi–Coulomb failure criterion in conjunction with linear poroelastic constitutive model
is utilized to develop the model. For vertical well-bore a closed-form solution is achieved. Another sanding
stability model using the classical Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion is developed to point out on the impact
of the intermediate principal stress on sand production prediction. For non-vertical well-bore, a computer
program in Mathcad is utilized to predict sanding onset pressure. Analytical solution is then derived to obtain
the optimal well path where the potential of sand production is minimized. To verify the models, real field
cases from published literature and an Omani oil field have been simulated. The model generated results
that compare well with the actual field observations. The developed model will allow petroleum engineers to
predict sanding onset pressure from open-hole well-bores to come up with the optimal field development plan
and well completion design. It can also be utilized for cased and perforated wells as an approximation tool.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
201
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Afaq Ahmad
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
afaq@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
On properties of PN sequences generated by LFSR – a generalized study and simulation modelling
Journal Title
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/10/5351-5358
Key Words
LFSR, PN Sequence, MATLAB, Autocorrelation, Run Length.
Authors
Afaq Ahmad, Sayyid Samir Al-Busaidi and Mufeed Juma Al-Musharafi
“This paper presents a study and developed simulation models for testing properties of pseudo-noise sequences. A generalized approach is considered while presenting the study of properties of pseudo-noise sequences.
On the other hand Matlab Simulink which a commonly available computing platform is used to develop the
simulation models for testing the properties of pseudo-noise sequences.”
202
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Afaq Ahmad
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
afaq@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Computing and listing of number of possible M-sequence generators of order n
Journal Title
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/10/5359-5369
Key Words
M-Sequence, LFSR, Primitive Polynomial, Prime Factors, Mersenne Numbers,
MATLAB
Authors
A. Ahmad, S. S. Al-Busaidi, A. Al Maashri, M. Awadalla, M. A. K. Rizvi and N. Mohanan
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Design of maximal length sequence (m-sequence) generators of order n has many controlling parameters.
In the design process of the generators it is essential to ensure that the generator characteristic polynomial
corresponds to a primitive polynomial. The complexity of the search problem of primitive polynomials of
order n grows as n increases and hence restricts the listing of all parameters of m-sequence generators of
order n. This paper presents a computational procedure to determine the number of possible generators of
order n. The paper provides a list of all possible m-sequence generators for up to n = 100.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
203
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Afzal Husain
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
afzal19@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Thermal performance analysis and optimization of microjet cooling of high-power
light-emitting diodes
Journal Title
Journal of Thermophysics and Heat Transfer
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/2/235-245
Key Words
Enhanced multi-objective optimization; circular liquid jets; small heat-sources;
correlating equations; system; impingement; arrays; leds; management
Authors
Afzal Husain, Sun-Min Kim, Jun-Hee Kim, and Kwang-Yong Kim
“The present study investigates the thermal and hydraulic performance of the microjet array cooling system
for thermal management of a high-power light-emitting diode array. Three-dimensional numerical analyses
were performed for steady incompressible turbulent flow and conjugate heat transfer through a finite volume
solver. The performances of several microjet array configurations, viz., 1-jet, 4-jet, 9-jet, 13-jet, and 16-jet
arrays, were analysed at two flow rates and top-cavity heights. The design optimization of a 4-jet array cooling system was performed using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. For the optimization, two design
variables, viz., ratio of the nozzle diameter and height of the top cavity and ratio of the height and length of
the top cavity, were selected. The thermal resistance and pressure drop were selected as the objective functions
of the design. The Pareto-optimal solutions were obtained and discussed in view of the thermal resistance
and pressure drop and sensitivity of design variables to objective functions.”
204
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Afzal Husain
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
afzal19@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Performance analysis and design optimization of micro-jet impingement heat sink
Journal Title
Heat and Mass Transfer
Volume/Issue/Pages
49/11/1613-1624
Key Words
Circular liquid jets; multi-objective optimization; correlating equations; thermal
performance; microchannels; exchanger; channel; models; flow; VLSI
Authors
Afzal Husain, Sun-Min Kim & Kwang-Yong Kim
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“This study evaluated a silicon-based micro-jet impingement heat sink for electronic cooling applications.
First, the pressure-drop and thermal characteristics were investigated for steady incompressible and laminar
flow by solving three-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations, and the performance enhancement was carried
out through parametric and optimization studies. Several parallel and staggered micro-jet configurations
consisting of a maximum of 16 jet impingements were tested. The effectiveness of the micro-jet configurations, i.e. inline 2 x 2, 3 x 3 and 4 x 4 jets, and staggered 5-jet and 13-jet arrays with nozzle diameters 50, 76,
and 100 mu m, were analysed at various flow rates for the maximum temperature-rise and pressure-drop
characteristics. A design with a staggered 13-jet array showed the best performance among the various configurations investigated in the present study. The design optimization based on three-dimensional numerical
analysis, surrogate modelling and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm were carried out to understand
the thermal resistance and pumping power correlation of the micro-jet impingement heat sink. Two design
variables, the ratio of height of the channel and nozzle diameter, and the ratio of nozzle diameter and interjet spacing, were chosen for design optimization. The global Pareto-optimal front was achieved for overall
thermal resistance and required pumping power of the heat sink. The Pareto-optimal front revealed existing
correlation between pumping power and thermal resistance of the heat sink. Of the range of Pareto-optimal
designs available, some representative designs were selected and their functional relationships among the
objective functions and design variables were examined to understand the Pareto-optimal sensitivity and
optimal design space. A minimum of 66 A degrees C of maximum-temperature-rise was obtained for a heat
flux of 100 W/cm(2) at a pressure drop of about 24 kPa.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
205
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Afzal Husain
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
afzal19@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Design optimization of manifold microchannel heat sink through evolutionary
algorithm coupled with surrogate model
Journal Title
IEEE Transactions on Component Packaging and Manufacturing Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/4/617-624
Key Words
Electronics cooling; evolutionary algorithm; manifolds; microchannels; multi-objective optimization; numerical simulation, FLOWS
Authors
Afzal Husain and Kwang-Yong Kim
“A liquid flow manifold microchannel heat sink is optimized with the help of 3-D numerical analysis, a surrogate method, and a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm. The performance of the manifold microchannel
heat sink is optimized for the overall thermal resistance and the pumping power required for driving the
coolant. The design variables related to the width of the microchannel, depth of the microchannel, width of
fins, length of the nozzles, and height of the nozzles, which contribute to objective functions, are identified
and optimized for minimum thermal resistance and pumping power. A Latin hypercube sampling method
is used to exploit the design space. The numerical solutions obtained at these design points are utilized to
construct a surrogate model, i.e., response surface approximation. The Navier-Stokes and energy equations
for laminar flow and conjugate heat transfer are solved using a finite-volume solver. A hybrid multi objective
evolutionary algorithm coupled with a surrogate model is applied to find out global Pareto-optimal designs
(PODs). Trade-off analysis is performed in view of the conflicting nature of the two objectives, which yields
PODs with low thermal resistance at various pumping powers. The ratio of the microchannel width to the
microchannel height and that of the nozzle height to the microchannel height are found to be more Pareto-optimal sensitive (sensitive along the Pareto-optimal front) than others. In contrast, the ratio of the fin
width to the microchannel height and that of the nozzle length to the microchannel width are found to be
less Pareto-optimal sensitive than other design variables. The PODs showed lower thermal resistance and
pumping power than the reference designs at various mass flow rates.”
206
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Biochar production from waste rubber-wood-sawdust and its potential use in C
sequestration: Chemical and physical characterization.
Journal Title
Industrial Crops and Products
Volume/Issue/Pages
44/January 2013/18-24
Authors
Wan Azlina Wan Abdul Karim Ghania, Ayaz Mohd, Gabriel da Silva, Robert T.
Bachmann, Yun H. Taufiq-Yap, Umer Rashid, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
“Biochars have received increasing attention because of their potential environmental applications such
as soil amending and atmospheric C sequestration. In this study, biochar was produced from waste rubber-wood-sawdust. The produced biochars were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) gas
porosimetry, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Pyrolysis temperature was shown to have a
strong influence on both thermal and chemical characteristic of biochar samples. The experimental data shows
that the biochar samples can absorb around 5% water by mass (hydrophilic) at lower temperatures (<550
°C), and that lignin is not converted into a hydrophobic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) matrix. At
higher temperatures (>650 °C), biochar samples were thermally stable and became hydrophobic due to the
presence of aromatic compounds. Carbon content (over 85%) increased with increasing temperature, and
showed an inverse effect to the elemental ratios of H/C and O/C. The very low H/C and O/C ratios obtained
for the biochar indicated that carbon in this material is predominantly unsaturated. BET results showed that
the sawdust derived biochars have surface areas between 10 and 200 m2 g−1 and FTIR indicated an aromatic
functional group about 866 cm−1 in most of the samples. The rate of CO2 adsorption on sawdust derived biochar generally increased with increasing temperature from 450 to 650 °C but then decreased with increase in
the production temperature. Derived biochar represents a potential alternative adsorbent for C sequestration.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
207
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Optimization of Cr(III) removal from wastewater using Thespesia populnea particles by response surface methodology
Journal Title
Asian Journal of Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
25/16/9315-9320
Key Words
Thespesia populnea, Wastewater, Biosorption, Optimization, Response surface
methodology.
Authors
Muhammad Irfan, Umer Rashid Muhammad Ibrahim, Zaib Un Nisa, Ala’a H.
Al-Muhtaseb, Shad Ali
“In this study response surface methodology involving central composite design was employed to investigate
the effects of different operating conditions (pH, biomass dose, biomass particle size and agitation time) on the
removal of Cr(III) from wastewater using Thespesia populnea. The significance of the independent variables
and their interactions were tested by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and F-test statistics. Optimization of
the variables for maximum Cr(III) reduction was performed using the quadratic model. The model predicted
maximum reduction capacity of 86 % at the best identified conditions of pH = 2.81, biomass dose concentration of 0.91 g L-1, particle size of 0.250 mm, agitation time of 52 min. The analysis of variance revealed
that the quadratic polynomial proposed model demonstrated good agreement with experimental values. The
results of this study indicate that Thespesia populnea seeds are a viable biosorbent for wastewater treatment.”
208
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation process for ethanol production
from steam-pretreated softwood: Recirculation of condensate streams
Journal Title
Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
225/June 2013/574-579
Key Words
Wastewater; Ethanol; Softwood; Recirculation; Condensate; Saccharification and
fermentation
Authors
Malek Alkasrawi, Ahmad Abu Jrai, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Wastewater from fuel ethanol production plant represents a considerable potential pollutant. Treatment is
an essential operation in the overall conversion of lignocellulosic to ethanol. This significantly reduces the
effluent volume, and reduces the need of fresh water. Present work concerns a simultaneous saccharification
and fermentation (SSF) process for ethanol production from steam-pretreated softwood. Within this process,
the effect of recirculation of the condensate from the evaporation of the stillage stream was investigated. The
condensate employed in this study represents the condensate of four evaporators connected in series, with
each evaporator producing a condensate corresponding to 14% of the process stream after distillation of the
SSF broth. The investigation demonstrated that it was possible to replace 100% of the fresh water used in
the process (except for the steam used in the pretreatment), by recirculation of all the condensate fractions
together, without affecting the ethanol yield and the productivity in SSF. A significant factor was the absence
of lactic acid production, which is sometimes observed when the pretreated material is diluted with fresh
water. The prospect of using condensate to replace fresh water offers an attractive means of reducing the cost
of wastewater management and thereby improving the overall economic feasibility of the process.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
209
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Preparation of hydrophilic polymeric nanolayers attached to solid surfaces via photochemical and ATRP techniques
Journal Title
Journal of Polymer Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
20/124/1-10
Authors
Khalid A. Ibrahim, Ala’a H. AlMuhtaseb, Oswald Prucker, Jürgen Rühe
“Three different hydroxyl functional propylene/10-undecen-1-ol (PP-OH) copolymers were attached photochemically to a photoreactive benzophenone derivative that was bound to SiO2 surfaces via a silane anchor.
As a result of the photochemical reaction, thin layers of the PP-OH polymers were covalently bound to the
surface. The thickness of the layers was a function of the molecular weight of the polymer. Poly(2-hydroxyethymethacrylate) (PHEMA) nanolayers were successfully grafted onto the PP-OH-modified silicon wafers
(PP-OHMSW) via surface-initiated atom-transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in aqueous media at ambient temperature. Kinetic studies revealed an increase in thickness with reaction time, indicating that the
polymerization process has some “living” character. Contact angle measurements showed a reduction in the
water contact angles of the resulting PP-OHMSW-PHEMAs, indicating a more hydrophilic surface tension
state. The coupling of ATRP initiator to the hydroxyl groups on the PP-OH polymers, the surface-initiated
ATRP, and the grafting of PHEMA onto the PP-OHMSW were confirmed by Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FT-IR). The grafted polymeric layers provide a platform for further surface modification
through the functionalization of the hydroxyl groups of the PHEMA polymers.”
210
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Liquid marble granulation using super-hydrophobic powders
Journal Title
Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
228/15 July 2013/984-992
Key Words
Liquid marbles; Super-hydrophobic; Energy analysis; Regime map
Authors
Gavin M. Walker P. McEleney, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb, S.E.J. Bell
“This work analyses the forces involved in liquid marble formation, primarily the surface energy of the powder on the liquid surface and the powder gravitational force, which we have shown to oppose liquid marble
formation. In order to investigate these phenomena, hydrophobic powders possessing both high density
and high contact angle need to be employed. For this purpose, superhydrophobic (SH) particles based on a
copper substrate were prepared by a silver deposition technique of particle sizes 9, 20, 320 and 400 μm having
a contact angle with water approaching 160°. Liquid marbles formed using the SH copper substrate were
compared with polymer powder (e.g., PMMA) based liquid marbles. Initially, the effective surface tension
of the liquid marbles was determined using the maximal height methodology, which indicated that effective
surface tension was a function of powder particle size. It is probable that the phenomena of heavy particles
give rise to lower effective surface tension, is caused by the weight of the particles reducing the puddle height.
Moreover, it was found that in cases with large dense SH powder particles, liquid marble formation was not
possible, as the additional weight of the larger particles, lowered the “puddle” to an extent that marble became unstable and collapsed. Therefore, an analysis of the energies associated with the powder particles was
undertaken to quantify the physical characteristics of powders that form liquid marbles under: (i) static and
(ii) dynamic conditions. In addition, we have correlated this data using a regime map analysis in which we
have plotted a surface energy versus a gravitational energy to provide operating regions within the regime
map of potential liquid marble formation.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
211
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Path lumping kinetic model for aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol
Journal Title
Applied Catalysis A: General
Volume/Issue/Pages
466/September 2013/240-255
Authors
Farid Aiouache, Lisa McAleer, Quan Gan, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb, Mohammad N.
Ahmad
“This work presents a kinetic model for the aqueous phase reforming of sorbitol that uses a lumping scheme of
intermediates and approximates the complex path to gas products via a reforming route and liquid oxygenate
route including hydrodeoxygenation, decarbonylation and dehydrogenation reactions. The model was tested
at temperatures ranging from 473 K to 523 K, using monometallic Ni and bimetallic Ni-Pd catalysts supported
on γ-Al2O3, ZrO2 and CeO2. The model revealed that the relevant competing paths were a function of the
composition of catalyst and the conversion to the carbon gaseous products. Paths of reforming and CO2
methanation were more important than decarbonylation and hydrodeoxygenation at small conversions for
all catalysts whereas the hydrodeoxygenation–decarbonylation towards alkanes release was more competitive
than the reforming at high conversions with Ni/Al2O3 and Ni-Pd catalysts supported on ZrO2 and CeO2
but was still less competitive with Ni-Pd catalyst supported on γ-Al2O3.”
212
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Optimisation of high shear granulation of multicomponent fertiliser using response surface methodology
Journal Title
Powder Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
238/April 2013/142-150
Authors
Chirangano Mangwandi, Ahmad B. Albadarin, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb, Stephen J.
Allen, Gavin M. Walker
“This work describes a novel method of producing multicomponent fertiliser granules using high shear
granulation. The granulation process was optimised using the response surface methodology technique. The
variables used in the optimisation process include granulation time, batch size, impeller speed and binder
concentration. Granulation time, binder concentration and interaction between the batch size and granulation time were found to be the main factors affecting the granule median size. The product yield is mainly
influenced by granulation time and binder concentration. The interaction between the impeller speed and
batch size also have a significant influence on the product yield. Product yield (2–4 mm) of approximately
60% could be obtained with high sphericity and granule strength (> 0.5 MPa). A low product recycle ratio
of about 2:3 can be obtained at the optimised process conditions, compared to typical recycle rations of 6:1
which are obtained in typical fertiliser plants.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
213
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Fermentable sugars recovery from lignocellulosic waste-newspaper by catalytic
hydrolysis
Journal Title
Environmental Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
34/22/3005-3016
Key Words
Lignocellulosic waste, newspaper, fermentable sugars, catalytic hydrolysis, phosphoric acid
Authors
Angela M. Orozco*, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtase, David Rooney, Gavin M. Walker, Farid
Aiouache and Mohammad Ahmad
“The urgent need for alternative renewable energies to supplement petroleum-based fuels and the reduction
of landfill sites for disposal of solid wastes makes it increasingly attractive to produce inexpensive biofuels
from the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste. Therefore, municipal waste in the form of newspaper
was investigated as a potential feedstock for fermentable sugars production. Hydrolysis of newspaper by dilute
phosphoric acid was carried out in autoclave Parr reactor, where reactor temperature and acid concentration
were examined. Xylose concentration reached a maximum value of 14 g/100 g dry mass corresponding to a
yield of 94% at the best identified conditions of 2.5 wt% H3PO4, 135° C, 120 min reaction time, and at 2.5
wt% H3PO4, 150° C, and 60 min reaction time. For glucose, an average yield of 26% was obtained at 2.5 wt%
H3PO4, 200°C, and 30 min. Furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation was clearly affected by
reaction temperature, where the higher the temperature the higher the formation rate. The maximum furfural
formed was an average of 3 g/100 g dry mass, corresponding to a yield of 28%. The kinetic study of the acid
hydrolysis was also carried out using the Saeman and the two-fraction models. It was found for both models
that the kinetic constants (K) depend on the acid concentration and temperature. The degradation of HMF
to levulinic acid is faster than the degradation of furfural to formic acid. Also, the degradation rate is higher
than the formation rate for both inhibitors when degradation is observed.”
214
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
muhtaseb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Hydrolysis characteristics and kinetics of waste hay biomass as a potential energy
crop for fermentable sugars production using autoclave parr reactor system
Journal Title
Industrial Crops and Products
Volume/Issue/Pages
44/January 2013/1-10
Key Words
Hay crop; Lignocellulosic biomass; Bioenergy; Catalytic hydrolysis; Dilute phosphoric acid; Reaction rate constant
Authors
Angela M. Orozco, Ala’a H. Al-Muhtaseb, David Rooneyc, Gavin M. Walkera, Mohammad N.M. Ahmad
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“The use of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste crops has received considerable attention as a sustainable feedstock that can replace fossil fuels for the production of renewable energy. Therefore, municipal
bio-waste in the form of hay was investigated as a potential energy crop for fermentable sugars production.
Hydrolysis of hay by dilute phosphoric acid was carried out in autoclave parr reactor, where reactor temperature (135–200° C) and acid concentration (2.5–10% (w/w)) were examined. Analysis of the decomposition rate
of hemicellulosic biomass was undertaken using HPLC of the reaction products. Xylose production reached
a maximum value of 13.5 g/100 g dry mass corresponding to a yield of 67% at the best identified conditions
of 2.5 wt% H3PO4, 175° C, 10 min reaction time, and at 5 wt% H3PO4, 150° C, and 5 min reaction time. For
glucose, an average yield of 25% was obtained at 5 wt% H3PO4, 175° C and 30 min. Glucose degradation to
HMF was achieved at 10 wt% H3PO4 and 200° C. The maximum yield for produced arabinose was an average
of 3 g/100 g dry mass corresponding to 100% of the total possible arabinose. The kinetic study of the acid
hydrolysis was also carried out using the Saeman and the Two-fraction models. It was found for both models
that the kinetic constants (k) depend on the acid concentration and temperature. For xylose and arabinose it
was found that the rate of formation was more favoured than the rate of degradation. By contrast, for glucose
it was found that glucose degradation was occurring faster than glucose formation. It can be concluded that
dilute phosphoric acid hydrolysis of hay crop is feasible for the production of fermentable sugars which are
essential for bioethanol synthesis.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
215
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Arif Saeed Malik
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
asmalik@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effects of smart grid technologies on capacity and energy savings e A case study of
Oman
Journal Title
Energy
Volume/Issue/Pages
54/1 June 2013/365-371
Key Words
Generation expansion planning; Smart grid technologies; Load management; Demand-side management; Smart grid economics
Authors
Arif S. Malik and Mounir Bouzguenda
“This paper presents a methodology and the results of a study carried out to evaluate the long-term load
management benefits of smart grid in terms of avoided cost of generation, transmission and distribution in
Sultanate of Oman. The avoided transmission and distribution (T&D) capacity cost is calculated indirectly
using the concept of asset distribution in a power system. The savings in transmission and distribution losses
and environmental benefits are also estimated. These benefits are then compared with an estimated cost of
upgrading the grid to make it smarter. The results have shown that the long-term load management benefits
of smart grid could outweigh the cost of upgrading the grid to make it smarter.”
216
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ashish M Gujarathi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
ashishg@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Multi-objective optimization of industrial naphtha cracker for production of ethylene and propylene
Journal Title
Materials and Manufacturing Processes
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/7/803-810
Key Words
Differential evolution; Evolutionary algorithms; Mathematical models; Multi-objective optimization; Naphtha
Authors
Ashish M. Gujarathi, Ali Hussain Motagamwala & B. V. Babu
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Naphtha pyrolysis is one of the important routes for simultaneous production of ethylene and propylene.
With recent increase in demand of both ethylene and propylene, understanding of naphtha pyrolysis becomes
important for producing with increasing yield of these valuable products. Simultaneous maximization of
yield of these two products is mathematically formulated as a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem.
Improved selected scheme is incorporated in the existing multi-objective differential evolution (MODE) algorithm and a new evolutionary algorithm is proposed. Both the evolutionary algorithms [i.e., MODE III and
MODE-III with improved selection scheme (MODE III-ISS)] are used for MOO of industrial naphtha cracker
unit. Two objectives (maximization of ethylene yield and propylene yield) and decision variables [pressure of
the reactor tube (P), temperature of the reactor (T), initial flow rate of naphtha (F-0), and steam to naphtha
ratio (SOR)] are considered for MOO study. MODE III and MODE III-ISS algorithms results are compared
and presented, which clearly shows that the proposed MODE III-ISS algorithm possesses certain advantages
over the MODE III algorithm (such as number of successful selections and percentage convergence with
respect to initial number of population points, the quality of the obtained non-dominated [ND] solutions).”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
217
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Baba El-Yakubu Jibril
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
baba@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Effect of copper loadings on product distribution selectivity in microwave-enhanced degradation of phenol on alumina-supported coppers oxides
Journal Title
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/6/1800-1804
Key Words
Microwavep; Copper oxides; Alumina; Phenol; Wastewater
Authors
B.Y. Jibril, A.Y. Atta, Y.M. Al-Waheibi, T.K. Al-Waheibi
“Alumina-supported copper oxides catalysts were prepared using impregnation method and characterized
using XRD, SEM and BET. Catalytic activities in phenol removal from its aqueous solution (200 ppm) were
studied using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidant under microwave irradiation. Effects of copper loadings,
reaction temperatures (50 and 70 8C) and pH (5 and 9) were studied. The high loading samples (9–14 wt%)
exhibited 97% phenol removal efficiency corresponding to 90% total organic carbon (TOC) value. Lower
loading samples (1 wt%) showed significantly lower phenol removals and inferior catalyst stability. At similar
levels of phenol degradations, there was higher proportion of high molecular weight products or intermediates
on 14 than on 1 wt% copper/Al2O3.”
218
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Baba El-Yakubu Jibril
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
baba@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Partial oxidation of ethane to acetic acid on titania supported MoVNbPd catalyst
Journal Title
Asian Journal of Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
25/14/7979-7985
Key Words
Acetic acid; Ethane; Ethylene; MoVNbPd catalyst; Partial oxidation
Authors
Al-Zeghayer, Y.S., Al-Awadi, A.S., Jibril, B.Y., Soliman, M.A., Al-Mayman.S.
“Partial oxidation of ethane was studied on unsupported and supported Mo-V-Nb oxides. Different grades
of Titania (Crystal-AF4.60, AF7.70 and AF12.5 and Degussa P25) were explored as supports. Samples of the
catalyst were characterized using XRD, SEM and BET surface area. The reaction was carried out at 200-275°
C and 200 psi. At ethane conversion (6 %), unsupported samples exhibited selectivity to ethylene and acetic
acid of 76 and 23 %, while for Degussa P25-supported sample, the values were 54 and 35 %, respectively.
Addition of Pd (0.196 %) led to an increase in selectivity to acetic acid of 75 %.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
219
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Chefi Triki
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
chefi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Solution methods for the periodic petrol station replenishment problem
Journal Title
The Journal of Engineering Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/2/69-77
Key Words
Petrol delivery; periodic constraints; vehicle routing problem.
Authors
C Triki
“In this paper we introduce the Periodic Petrol Station Replenishment Problem (PPSRP) over a T-day planning horizon and we describe four heuristic methods for its solution.
Even though all the proposed heuristics belong to the common partitioning-then-routing paradigm, they differ
in the way of assigning the stations to each day of the horizon. The resulting daily routing problems are then
solved exactly till optimality. Moreover, an improvement procedure is also developed with the aim of ensuring
a better solution quality. Our heuristics are tested and compared on two instances of a real-life test problem
and our computational results show encouraging improvements with respect to a human planning solution.”
220
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Phase equilibria of toluene/heptane with tetrabutylphosphonium bromide based
deep eutectic solvents for the potential use in the separation of aromatics from
naphtha
Journal Title
Journal Chemical Thermodynamics
Volume/Issue/Pages
65/2013/138-149
Authors
Mukhtar A. Kareem, Farouq S. Mjalli, Mohd Ali Hashim, Mohamed K.O. Hadj-Kali, Fatemeh Saadat Ghareh Bagh, Inas M. Alnashef
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“In this work, new solvents are introduced to conduct the task of removing aromatic hydrocarbons from the
feed stream to ethylene cracker. Liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data for ternary systems of toluene and
heptane with two newly introduced deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were estimated experimentally at 40, 50 and
60 °C and atmospheric pressure. The DESs are made from tetrabutylphosphonium bromide as salt and either
ethylene glycol or sulfolane as hydrogen bond donor (HBD). The reliability of the LLE data were ascertained
by applying the Othmer–Tobias and Hand correlations. The non-random two liquid (NRTL) model was used
to correlate the experimental tie-lines and to calculate the phase compositions of the ternary systems. The
results showed a very good agreement between calculated and experimental compositions. Further LLE data
are presented to estimate the improvement of the separation by changing the salt: HBD molar ratio used to
synthesize the DES at 30, 40, 50 and 60 °C. This work illustrates the possibility of applying these two DESs
as solvents for this extraction task.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
221
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Centralized vs decentralized adaptive generalized predictive control of a biodiesel
reactor
Journal Title
Asia-Pacific Journal of Chemical Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2013/137-143
Key Words
Biodiesel; transesterification; recursive least squares; generalized predictive control;
adaptive predictive control
Authors
Yong Kuen Ho, Farouq S. Mjalli and Hak Koon Yeoh
“A second look at biodiesel reactor control using Recursive Least Squares (RLS)-based adaptive Generalized
Predictive Control (GPC) strategy revealed the possibility of a simpler alternative to the previously published
centralized RLS-based GPC controller (CRLS-GPC). New results show that the simpler decentralized RLSbased GPC controller (DRLS-GPC) was on par with the more sophisticated centralized version in terms of
servo and regulatory control, process interactions handling, and the resultant controller moves. Moreover,
the simplified control scheme remained superior to the conventional Proportional–Integral controller. Such
attributes make the DRLS-GPC an attractive compromise between complexity and performance.”
222
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Physicochemical properties of ammonium-based deep eutectic solvents and their
electrochemical evaluation using organometallic reference redox system
Journal Title
Electrochimica Acta
Volume/Issue/Pages
113/2013/205-211
Key Words
Deep eutectic solvents Organometallic reference redox systems Electrochemical
window Stokes–Einstein product Walden plot of DESs
Authors
Bahadori, Mohammed Harun Chakrabartia, Farouq Sabri Mjalli, Inas Muen AlNashef, Ninie Suhana Abdul Manan and Mohd Ali Hashim
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Seven deep eutectic solvents (DESs) containing ammonium based salts are prepared by means of hydrogen
bonding with acid, amine, amide and nitrate based compounds. The major physiochemical-ical properties
of the DESs in terms of density, viscosity, electrical conductivity, molar conductivity and pH are investigated
prior to ascertaining their electrochemical characteristics by means of cyclicvoltammetry and chronoamperometry. Nitrate based DESs exhibit higher conductivities but lower viscosities than other DESs, whereas
the amide based DES displays the widest electrochemical potential window. Diffusion coefficient, D, of two
organometallic redox couples, Fc/Fc+(ferrocene/ferrocenium)and Cc/Cc+(cobaltocene/cobaltocenium) is
found to be of the order of 10−9to 10−8cm2s−1in all stud-ied DESs while the heterogeneous rate constant
for electron transfer across the electrode/DES interfaceis of the order of 10−4cm s−1. The Stokes–Einstein
products of Fc and Cc+in the DESs have also been determined.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
223
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Redox flow battery for energy storage
Journal Title
Arab Journal of Science and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
38/2013/723-739
Key Words
Redox flow battery· Redox couples· All-vanadium· Bromine–polysulphide
Authors
Mohammed Harun Chakrabarti· S. A. Hajimolana. Farouq S. Mjalli· M. Saleem. I.
Mustafa
“The redox flow battery has undergone widespread research since the early 1970s. Several different redox
couples have been investigated and reported in the literature. Only three systems as such have seen some
commercial development, namely the all-vanadium (by VRB-ESS), the bromine–polysulfide (RGN-ESS) and
the zinc–bromine (Powercell) systems. The vanadium–bromine systemmay be an attractive replacement for the
all-vanadium system due to its higher energy density with possible applications as energy storage systems for
electric vehicles. Other redox flow battery systems have faced problems due to slow electrochemical kinetics
of redox couples, membrane fouling, cross-contamination, high costs (mainly due to the membrane as well
as inefficient cell stack design), poor sealing, shunt current losses and low energy capacity (due to the use of
aqueous electrolytes). One of the main factors limiting further development of the redox flow battery so far
is the high costs associated with the ion-exchange membrane. Focussed research in this as well as areas such
as reactor characterization and electrode design is necessary to ensure the widespread commercialization of
the technology. In this paper, various redox flow systems are discussed historically and technically and the
latest developments are compared.”
224
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Cyclic voltammetry of iron (iii) acetylacetonate in quaternary ammonium and
phosphonium based deep eutectic solvents
Journal Title
International Journal of Electrochemical Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2013/9652 - 9676
Key Words
Deep eutectic solvent; Iron (III) acetylacetonate; Cyclic voltammetry; Diffusion
coefficient; Rate constant
Authors
Mohammed Harun Chakrabarti, Nigel P. Brandon, Farouq S. Mjalli, Laleh Bahadori, Inas M. Al Nashef, Mohd. Ali Hashim, M. A. Hussain, Chee Tong John Low,
Vladimir Yufit
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“The electrochemical behaviour of commercially sourced iron (III) acetylacetonate is investigated in six different deep eutectic solvents (DESs) formed by means of hydrogen bonding between ammonium and phosphonium salts with glycerol, ethylene glycol and tri-ethylene glycol. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) is employed to
determine kinetic and mass transport properties of the electrolytes. Diffusion coefficient, D, of the iron salt in
all studied DESs is found to lie between 1.06×10-9 to 1.08×10-8 cm2 s-1 (the salt does not dissolve in a DES
prepared from choline chloride and glycerol while not producing any measurable CV peaks in a couple of
others). The rate constant for electron transfer across the working electrode/DES interface is estimated to lie
between 1.34 × 10-4 and 2.08 × 10-4 cm s-1. From a range of criteria for electrolyte selection (peak potential
separation near 59 mV for a one-electron transfer reaction, high diffusion coefficient and heterogeneous rate
constant) only the ammonium based DESs prepared from choline chloride and ethylene glycol or tri-ethylene
glycol appear to be worthy of further investigation.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
225
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Cyclic voltammetry of metallic acetylacetonate salts in quaternary ammonium and
phosphonium based deep eutectic solvents
Journal Title
Journal of Solution Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
42/12/2329-2341
Key Words
Acetylacetonate Solubility Deep eutectic solvents Electrochemical
Authors
Mohammed F. Chakrabarti, Nigel P. Brandn, Faruq S. Mjalli, Laleh Bahadori,
Inas M. Al Nashef, M. HD. Ali Hashim, M. A. Hussain, Chee T, ng J, hn Low and
Vladimir Yufit
“Seven commercially sourced acetylacetonate salts were investigated in deep eutectic solvents (DESs that
were prepared from ethylene glycol and trifluoroacetamide hydrogen bond donors) by cyclic voltammetry,
to identify electrolytes suitable for future applications in electrochemical energy storage devices. Although
the solubilities are low and on the order of 0.02 mol L-1 for the most soluble salts, some were found to display
encouraging quasi-reversible electrochemical kinetics. For instance, the diffusion coefficients of copper(II)
acetylacetonate and iron(III) acetylacetonate in the trifluoroacetamide based DES are 1.14 9 10-8 and 5.12 9
10-9 cm2 s-1, which yields rate constants of 3.16 9 10-3 and 8.43 9 10-6 cm s-1, respectively. These results are
better than those obtained with the DESs prepared from ethylene glycol. The poor kinetics of the iron(III)
acetylacetonate system was possibly due to the hygroscopic nature of the DESs that resulted in a continuous
build-up of moisture in the system in spite of the maintenance of an inert atmosphere by means of a plastic
glove bag. Further work is thus envisaged in an inert dry box that could lead to H-type glass cell charge/
discharge experiments in the future.”
226
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
An investigation of the reaction between 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate and superoxide ion
Journal Title
Journal of Molecular Liquids
Volume/Issue/Pages
181/2013/44-50
Key Words
Ionic liquid Superoxide ion Imidazolium cation Trifluoromethanesulfonate anion
2-Imidazolone Potassium superoxide
Authors
Maan Hayyan, Farouq S. Mjalli, Mohd Ali Hashim, Inas M. AlNashef
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Superoxide ion (O2, −) generation in ionic liquids (ILs) has been investigated recently using various types
of ILs. Imidazolium based ILs are the most frequently studied ILs. In this work, O2, − was generated and
analysed electrochemically using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques from O2 dissolved
in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate [BMIm][TfO]. Furthermore, O2, − was generated
chemically by potassium superoxide addition into the same IL. UV/Vis spectrophotometry was utilized for
testing the long term stability of the generated O2, − and GC/MS was used to investigate the possible reaction
between the generated O2, − and [BMIm][TfO]. The results showed that O2, − was unstable in this IL. The
GC/MS results confirmed that O2, − has reacted with [BMIm][TfO] producing 1-butyl-3-methyl-2-imidazolone in a high purity and excellent yield. This product and its family are used widely in various applications
and have a very important role in pharmacology and chemotherapy.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
227
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Investigating the electrochemical windows of ionic liquids
Journal Title
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/2013/106-112
Key Words
Ionic liquid Electrochemical window Cyclic voltammetry Cut-off current Glassy
carbon macro-electrode Ag/AgCl electrode
Authors
Maan Hayyan, Farouq S. Mjalli B, Mohd Ali Hashim, Inas M. AlNashef, Tan Xue
Mei
“The structure effect on the electrochemical windows (EWs) was studied using cyclic voltammetry (CV)
in 16 ionic liquids (ILs), consisting of various cations such as piperidinium, pyridinium, pyrrolidinium,
phosphonium, morphotlinium, ammonium, sulfonium and imidazolium, and anions including bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl) imide, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate, dicyanamide, trifluoroacetate and
trifluoromethanesulfonate. It was found that all studied ILs have good EWs to be utilized as electrolytes in
different electrochemical applications pertaining to industry. Furthermore, it was found that the structure
of ILs affected the EW and both the cation and anion have important effect on the reductive and oxidative
limits, respectively. The reductive limits of the studied ILs were found to follow the sequence of [P14, 666]+
> [N112, 1O2]+ > [HMPyrr]+ > [BMPyrr]+ > [EMIm]+ > [MOEMMor]+ [MOPMPip]+ > [S222]+ >
[BMPy]+ [HPy]+ [HPPy]+. The oxidative limits were found to follow the sequence of [TFSI] > [TPTP] >
[TfO] > [DCA] > [TFA].”
228
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The electrochemical behaviour of ferrocene in deep eutectic solvents based on quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts
Journal Title
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/2013/1707-1714
Authors
Laleh Bahadori, Ninie Suhana Abdul Manan, Mohammed Harun Chakrabarti,
Mohd. Ali Hashim, Farouq Sabri Mjalli, Inas Muen AlNashef, Mohd. Azlan Hussain and Chee Tong John Low
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“The electrochemical behaviour of ferrocene (Fc) is investigated in six different deep eutectic solvents (DESs)
formed by means of hydrogen bonding between selected ammonium and phosphonium salts with glycerol
and ethylene glycol. Combinations of cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry are employed to characterise the DESs. The reductive and oxidative potential limits are reported versus the Fc/Fc+ couple. The
diffusion coefficient, D, of ferrocene in all studied DESs is found to lie between 8.49 10 10 and 4.22 10 8 cm2
s 1 (these do not change significantly with concentration). The standard rate constant for heterogeneous
electron transfer across the electrode/DES interface is determined to be between 1.68 10 4 and 5.44 10 4 cm
s 1 using cyclic voltammetry. These results are of the same order of magnitude as those reported for other
ionic liquids in the literature.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
229
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Elimination of all free glycerol and reduction of total glycerol from palm oil-based
biodiesel using non-glycerol based deep eutectic solvents
Journal Title
Separation Science and Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
48/2013/1184-1193
Key Words
Biodiesel; deep eutectic solvents; glycerol; palm oil; purification; transesterification
Authors
Kaveh Shahbaz, Farouq S. Mjalli, Mohd Ali Hashim & Inas M. AlNashef
“Purification of biodiesel prior to utilizing it as an alternative fuel is an essential industrial practice. Low
glycerol content is one of the important pointers needed for passing the EN 14214 and ASTM D6751 international biodiesel standards. In this study, choline chloride (ChCl) as salt and ethylene glycol and 2, 2,
2-Trifluoroacetamide as hydrogen bond donors (HBDs) were employed to synthesize two ammonium saltnon glycerol based Deep Eutectic Solvents (DES).
The physical properties of the synthesized DESs were measured and analysed. These DESs were utilized to
remove all the free glycerol from the palm oil-based biodiesel. The results indicated that all the tested DESs
were able to remove all free glycerol successfully. The Central Composite Design (CCD) of the Response
Surface Methodology (RSM) was used to experiment design and optimization of total glycerol removal using
ethylene glycol-based DESs and 2, 2, 2-Trifluoroacetamide-based DESs. The maximum total glycerol removal
by ethylene glycol-based DESs was obtained at 0.66 ethylene glycol mole fraction and at DES/biodiesel molar
ratio of 3 with removal efficiency of 23.85% as well as by 2, 2, 2- Trifluoroacetamide-based DESs at 0.60 2,
2, 2-Trifluoroacetamide mole fraction and at DES/biodiesel molar ratio of 2.93 with removal efficiency of
29.29%. The reusability of these DESs for removing free glycerol and total glycerol content from palm oilbased biodiesel was also investigated. This study proves that both ammonium salt-non glycerol based DESs
can be successfully employed to remove the glycerol from palm oil-based biodiesel.”
230
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Prediction of refractive index and density of deep eutectic solvents using atomic
contributions
Journal Title
Fluid Phase Equilibria
Volume/Issue/Pages
354/2013/304-311
Key Words
Deep eutectic solvents Prediction Atomic contributions Molar refraction Refractive
index Densitya
Authors
K. Shahbaz, F.S. Ghareh Bagh, F.S. Mjalli, I.M. AlNashef and M.A. Hashimb
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered as potential alternatives for ionic liquids (ILs). The evaluation
of DESs as new generation of solvents for various practical application requires enough knowledgeabout
some main physical, chemical, and thermodynamic properties. In this study, due to lack of data forDESs’
refractive indices, the refractive indices of twenty four DESs based on ammonium and phosphoniumsalts
were measured and predicted using atomic contribution method. The atomic contributions data formolar
refraction proposed by Wildman and Crippen which was developed for neutral compounds wereemployed
to calculate the molar refractions of DESs. Subsequently, the refractive indices of DESs werepredicted using
Lorentz–Lorenz equation through the calculated DESs’ molar refractions and experimen-tal DESs’ densities
values. The absolute relative percentage error (ARPE) value of 0.56% and a regressioncoefficient (R2) value
of 0.9822 both confirmed the highly possible application of the proposed methodfor predicting the refractive
indices. In addition, the effect of DESs’ composition on refractive index ofDESs was investigated and it was
found that the refractive index of the DESs lies between that of the saltand HBD. Moreover, the densities
of DESs were also predicted using Lorentz–Lorenz equation employingthe calculated molar refraction and
values of experimental DESs’ refractive indices. The ARPE of 1.43%shows that this method for prediction of
densities of the synthesized DESs is applicable as well.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
231
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Solubility of sodium chloride in ionic liquids
Journal Title
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
52//2013/11488−11493
Authors
Fatemeh Saadat Ghareh Bagh, Farouq S. Mjalli, Mohd Ali Hashim, Mohamed
Kamel Omar Hadj-Kali, and Inas M. AlNashef
“In this study, the solubility of sodium chloride in 16 imidazolium-, pyrrolidinium-, pyridinium-, and ammoniumbased ionic liquids at different temperatures was measured. The solubility of sodium chloride was
found to increase with temperature in all of the ionic liquids studied. Both cations and anions in the ionic
liquid affected solubility, but anions had more of an effect than cations. The highest measured solubility of
sodium chloride was 8.96 wt % at 125 °C in 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dimethyl phosphate. The nonrandom two-liquid model was used to calculate the solubility of sodium chloride in some ionic liquids. The
experimental and calculated values were in good agreement in many cases.”
232
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Solubility of sodium salts in ammonium-based deep eutectic solutions
Journal Title
Journal of Chemical & Engineering Data
Volume/Issue/Pages
58/2013/2154-2162
Authors
Fatemeh Saadat Ghareh Bagh, Farouq S. Mjalli, Mohd Ali Hashim, Mohamed
Kamel Omar Hadj-Kali, and Inas M. AlNashef
“The solubility of sodium chloride (NaCl), sodium bromide (NaBr), and sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) was
measured in nine ammoniumbased deep eutectic solvents (DESs). The aim of the study is to assess the potential use of these DESs as solvents and electrolytes for the separation of sodium metal from its salts. The
studied DESs were prepared by combining ammonium salts with various hydrogen-bond donors (HBDs)
or metal halides. It was found that the solubility of the sodium salts in DESs increases with temperature in
many cases. The maximum solubility of NaCl achieved was 100 w = 80 in N, N-diethylethanolammonium
chloride:zinc(II) chloride (molar ratio 1:3) at 90 °C. In addition, the solubility of the sodium salts was modelled successfully using the non-random two liquid (NRTL) model.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
233
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Electrical conductivity of ammonium and phosphonium based deep eutectic solvents: Measurements and artificial intelligence-based prediction
Journal Title
Fluid Phase Equilibria
Volume/Issue/Pages
356/356/30-37
Key Words
Energy storage
Authors
F.S. Ghareh Bagh, K. Shahbaz, F.S. Mjalli, I.M. AlNashef and M.A. Hashi
“The evaluation of deep eutectic solvents (DESs) as a new generation of solvents for various practical application requires an insight of the main physical, chemical, and thermodynamic properties. In this study,
the experimental measurements of the electrical conductivity of two classes of DESs based on ammonium
and phosphonium salts at different compositions and temperatures were reported. The results revealed that
electrical conductivity of DESs has temperature-dependency. In addition, molar conductivities of ammonium
and phosphonium salts in DESs were obtained using DESs experimental values of electrical conductivities.
The feasibility of using an artificial neural network (ANN) model to predict the electrical conductivity of
ammonium and phosphonium based DESs at different temperatures and compositions was also examined.
A feed-forward back propagation neural network with 8 hidden neurons was successfully developed and
trained with the measured electrical conductivity data. The results indicated that among the different networks tested, the network with 8 hidden neurons had the best prediction performance and gave the smallest
value of Normalized Mean Square Error (NMSE) (0.0010) and acceptable values of Index of Agreement (IA)
(0.9999) and Regression Coefficient (R2) (0.9988). The comparison of the predicted electrical conductivity
of DESs by the proposed model with those obtained by experiments confirmed the reliability of the ANN
model with an average absolute relative deviation (AARD%) of 4.40%.”
234
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Dynamics and predictive control of gas phase propylene polymerization in fluidized bed reactors
Journal Title
Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/9/1015-1029
Key Words
Model predictive control, fluidized bed reactor, propylene polymerization,
Ziegler-Natta catalyst
Authors
Ahmad Shamiri, Mohamed Azlan Hussain, Farouq Sabri Mjalli, Navid Mostoufi
and Seyed Ahmad Hajimolana
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“A two-phase dynamic model, describing gas phase propylene polymerization in a fluidized bed reactor, was
used to explore the dynamic behaviour and process control of the polypropylene production rate and reactor
temperature. The open loop analysis revealed the non-linear behaviour of the polypropylene fluidized bed
reactor, justifying the use of an advanced control algorithm for efficient control of the process variables. In this
case, a centralized model predictive control (MPC) technique was implemented to control the polypropylene
production rate and reactor temperature by manipulating the catalyst feed rate and cooling water flow rate
respectively. The corresponding MPC controller was able to track changes in the setpoint smoothly for the
reactor temperature and production rate while the setpoint tracking of the conventional proportional-integral
(PI) controller was oscillatory with overshoots and obvious interaction between the reactor temperature and
production rate loops. The MPC was able to produce controller moves which not only were well within the
specified input constraints for both control variables, but also non-aggressive and sufficiently smooth for
practical implementations. Furthermore, the closed loop dynamic simulations indicated that the speed of
rejecting the process disturbances for the MPC controller were also acceptable for both controlled variables.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
235
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Comparative simulation study of gas-phase propylene polymerization in fluidized
bed reactors using aspen polymers and two phase models
Journal Title
Chemical Industry & Chemical Engineering Quarterly
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/1/13-24
Key Words
Polypropylene polymerization, Ziegler-Natta catalyst, Aspen
polymers, mathematical modelling.
Authors
Ahmad Shamiri, M.A. Hussain, F.S. Mjalli, Navid Mostoufi
“A comparative study describing gas-phase propylene polymerization in fluidized-bed reactors using
Ziegler-Natta catalyst is presented. The reactor behaviour was explained using a two-phase model (which is
based on principles of fluidization) as well as simulation using the Aspen Polymers process simulator. The twophase reactor model accounts for the emulsion and bubble phases which contain different portions of catalysts
with the polymerization occurring in both phases. Both models predict production rate, molecular weight,
polydispersity index (PDI) and melt flow index (MFI) of the polymer. We used both models to investigate
the effect of important polymerization parameters, namely catalyst feed rate and hydrogen concentration, on
the product olypropylene properties, such as production rate, molecular weight, PDI and MFI. Both the twophase model and Aspen Polymers simulator showed good agreement in terms of production rate. However,
the models differed in their predictions for weight-average molecular weight, PDI and MFI. Based on these
results, we propose incorporating the missing hydrodynamic effects into Aspen Polymers to provide a more
realistic understanding of the phenomena encountered in fluidized bed reactors for polyolefin production.”
236
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A novel ammonium based eutectic solvent for the treatment of free fatty acid and
synthesis of biodiesel fuel
Journal Title
Industrial Crops and Products
Volume/Issue/Pages
46/2013/392-398
Key Words
Biodiesel Deep eutectic solvent Crude palm oil Esterification N, N-diethylenethanol ammonium chloride Transesterification
Authors
Adeeb Hayyan, Mohd Ali Hashim, Maan Hayyan, Farouq S. Mjalli and Inas M.
AlNashef
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“In this work, low grade crude palm oil (LGCPO) with high free fatty acids (FFA) content is introduced as
a possible biodiesel production feedstock alternative. The pre-treatment of LGCPO was conducted using
ammonium-based deep eutectic solvent which consisted of hydrogen bond donor (i.e. p-toluenesulfonic acid
monohydrate) (PTSA) and salt (i.e. N, N-diethylenethanol ammonium chloride) as a novel recyclable catalyst
(DEAC-DES). The DEAC-DES was used in different dosages to reduce the level of FFA to the acceptable
limit for biodiesel production. The esterification reaction was carried out to evaluate the effect of varying
reaction operating conditions on the reduction of FFA content. The FFA content of LGCPO was reduced
from 9.5% to less than 1% using optimum conditions. Four recycling runs of the DEAC-DES were achieved.
The conversion of PTSA to deep eutectic solvent improved the recyclability of the acid and the physical
properties such as the elimination of acid hygroscopicity. The LGCPO biodiesel fulfilled the international
standards. This study demonstrates a potential route for biodiesel production from abundance LGCPO using
DEAC-DES and an alkaline catalyst.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
237
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A novel phosphonium-based deep eutectic catalyst for biodiesel production from
industrial low grade crude palm oil
Journal Title
Chemical Engineering Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
92/2013/81-88
Key Words
Biodiesel Catalysis Chemical process Deep eutecticsolvents Esterification reaction
Low gradecrudepalmoil
Authors
Adeeb Hayyan, Mohd Ali Hashim, Farouq S. Mjalli, Maan Hayyan and Inas M.
AlNashef
“This study explores the possibility of producing low grade crude palm oil (LGCPO)-based biodiesel using
a two-stage process in which a phosphonium-based deep eutectic solvent (P-DES) and an alkali are used as
catalysts. The pre-treatment of LGCPO was conducted using a P-DES composed of a hydrogen bond donor
(i.e. p-toluenesulfonic acid monohydrate) and a salt (i.e. allyltriphenylphosphonium bromide) as a novel
recyclable catalyst. The P-DES was used in different dosages in the presence of methanol to reduce the level
of free fatty acids (FFA) to the acceptable limit for alkaline transesterification reaction. Batch pre-treatment
of LGCPO was carried out to study the influence of P-DES dosage (from 0.25 to 3.5% wt/wt). The effects
of other operating parameters such as molar ratio, reaction temperature and reaction time on FFA content
reduction, yield of treated LGCPO and FFA to FAME conversion were studied. The P-DES showed high catalytic activity in the pre-treatment of LGCPO. The lab scale investigation proved the viability of esterification
and transesterification of oil using P-DES and alkaline catalysts. The biodiesel produced from LGCPO meets
the international standards (ASTM D6751 and EN 14214). Three to four times recycling runs of P-DES were
achieved without losing its activity. This study introduces a new generation of catalysts for possible batch esterification reaction using P-DES followed by an alkaline transesterification reaction. This study will open a new
field for utilizing this strong acid-based DES catalyst for many chemical reactions and industrial applications.”
238
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Glucose-based deep eutectic solvents: Physical properties
Journal Title
Journal of Molecular Liquids
Volume/Issue/Pages
178/2013/137-141
Key Words
Glucose Monosaccharides Deep eutectic solvents Ionic liquids
Authors
Adeeb Hayyan, Farouq S. Mjalli, Inas M. Al Nashef, Yahya M. Al-Wahaibi, Talal
Al-Wahaibi, Mohd Ali Hashim
“Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are considered nowadays as green ionic liquid (IL) analogues. Despite their
relatively short period of introduction as a special class of ILs, they have been under an increasing emphasis
by the scientific community due to their favourable properties. In the present study, a glucose based DES of
choline chloride (2-hydroxyethyl-trimethylammonium chloride) with the monosaccharide sugar D-glucose
anhydrous was synthesized at different molar ratios. The physical properties of density, viscosity, surface
tension, refractive index, and pH were measured and analysed as function of temperature in the practical
temperature range of 298.15–358.15 K. The analysis of these physical properties revealed that these novel
DESs have the potential to be utilized for several possible industrial applications involving processing and
separation of food constituents, pharmaceutical applications, as well as mediums for chemical reactions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
239
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Farouk Sabri Mjalli
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
farouqsm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Conversion of free fatty acids in low grade crude palm oil to methyl esters for biodiesel production using chromosulfuric acid
Journal Title
Bulgarian Chemical Communications
Volume/Issue/Pages
45/3/394-399
Key Words
Biodiesel, esterification, free fatty acids, chromosulfuric acid.
Authors
A. Hayyan, F.S. Mjalli, M.A. Hashim, M. Hayyan and I.M. AlNashef
“In this study low grade crude palm oil (LGCPO) was proposed as a potential agro-industrial raw material
for biodiesel production. Chromosulfuric acid was used as a new homogenous catalyst in the pre-treatment
process to reduce the free fatty acids (FFA) content in LGCPO to the acceptable level for producing biodiesel
via alkaline transesterification reaction. The results of esterification reaction showed that the FFA of LGCPO
was reduced from 7.0 % to less than 1% using optimum operating conditions. The yield of the final product
after the alkaline transesterification was 85% with 0.14 % FFA content and ester content 97.5% (mol mol−1)
which meets the international standard quality specifications for biodiesel.”
240
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Gholamreza Vakili-Nejad
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
vakili@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Calculation of the Binary Interaction and Nonrandomness Parameters of NRTL,
NRTL1, and NRTL2 Models Using genetic Algorithm for Ternary Ionic Liquid
Systems
Journal Title
Chemical Engineering Communications
Volume/Issue/Pages
200/8/1102-1120
Key Words
Genetic algorithm; Ionic liquid; NRTL; NRTL1; NRTL2; Parameter estimation
Authors
Gholamreza Vakili-Nezhaad, Mostafa Vatani, and Morteza Asghari
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“One of the most important applications of thermodynamics is the accurate prediction of fluid phase equilibria problems related to real chemical engineering processes. Various equations of state as well as activity
coefficient models have been developed for such calculations with many interaction, size, and randomness
parameters, which should be optimized based on powerful and effective computational methods. Leading to
globally optimal values, genetic algorithm (GA) as a powerful and effective tool can be used for prediction of
the interaction parameters of thermodynamic models in complex liquid-liquid equilibrium (LLE) systems.
It requires only lower and upper bounds for the interaction parameters and the necessary initial guesses are
produced automatically. In the present work, based on the GA method, a global optimization procedure is
introduced for calculation of the binary interaction and nonrandomness parameters of NRTL, NRTL1, and
NRTL2 activity coefficient models for 20 ternary aromatic extraction systems containing 16 different ionic
liquids at various temperatures. The values of the parameters along with the root-mean-square deviations
(rmsd) are reported. The results, in terms of rmsd for NRTL, NRTL1, and NRTL2 models, are very satisfactory, with global values of 0.0031, 0.0020, and 0.0053 for 187 tie-lines respectively. The obtained rmsd values
for the NRTL model using the GA method are better than those reported in the literature. The rmsd results
for the three studied models show that NRTL1 can handle the LLE calculations with more accuracy than the
original NRTL and NRTL2 activity coefficient models.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
241
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Hassan A. Yousef
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
hyousef@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Flatness-based adaptive fuzzy output tracking excitation control for power system
generators
Journal Title
Jpurnal of the Franklin Institute
Volume/Issue/Pages
350/8/2334-2353
Authors
Hassan A. Yousef, Mohamed Hamdy, Muhammad Shafiq
“In this paper, a novel approach for the design of an indirect adaptive fuzzy output tracking excitation control
of power system generators is proposed. The method is developed based on the concept of differentially flat
systems through which the non-linear system can be written in canonical form. The flatness-based adaptive
fuzzy control methodology is used to design the excitation control signal of a single machine power system
in order to track a reference trajectory for the generator angle. The considered power system can be written
in the canonical form and the resulting excitation control signal is shown to be non-linear. In case of unknown power system parameters due to abnormalities, the non-linear functions appearing in the control
signal are approximated using adaptive fuzzy systems. Simulation results show that the proposed controller
can enhance the transient stability of the power system under a three-phase to ground fault occurring near
the generator terminals.”
242
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hassan A. Yousef
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
hyousef@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Observer-based Adaptive Fuzzy Control for a Class of Non-linear Time-delay
Systems
Journal Title
International Journal of Automation and Computing
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/4/275-280
Key Words
Observer, adaptive fuzzy control, non-linear systems, time delay, stability.
Authors
Hassan A. Yousef and Mohamed Hamdy
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“An observer-based adaptive fuzzy control is presented for a class of non-linear systems with unknown time
delays. The state observer is ¯rst designed, and then the controller is designed via the adaptive fuzzy control
method based on the observed states. Both the designed observer and controller are independent of time
delays. Using an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, the uncertainty of the unknown time delay
is compensated, and then the fuzzy logic system in Mamdani type is utilized to approximate the unknown
non-linear functions. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the constructed observer-based controller and
the closed-loop system are proved to be asymptotically stable. The designed control law is independent of the
time delays and has a simple form with only one adaptive parameter vector, which is to be updated on-line.
Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the e®ectiveness of the proposed approach.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
243
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ibrahim A. Metwally
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
metwally@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Performance improvement of slow-wave Rogowski coils for high impulse current
measurement
Journal Title
IEEE Sensors Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/2/538-547
Key Words
Impulse-current generator, impulse-current measurement, Rogowski coil, sensitivity, transient analysis.
Authors
Ibrahim A. Metwally, Senior Member, IEEE
“This paper presents the operating principles, design, and performance improvement and limitations of three
slowwave air-core Rogowski coils that enable plateau bandwidths up to 11 MHz and sensitivities of less than
0.25 V/kA to be achieved. The frequency response for these coils is examined to optimize the coil termination resistance in order to achieve the suitable transit time, minimize the droop effect, and achieve desired
bandwidth. In the present design, the coil inductance is increased to compensate for the resulting reduction
in the sensitivity due to the coil termination resistance. Oscillatory and overdamped unidirectional current
waveforms up to 10 kA peak value are generated by using different linear and non-linear loads, and impulse
current generator configurations. These high impulse currents are measured by different methods, namely,
a commercial impulse current transformer (ICT), a commercial Rogowski coil (CRC), and the three newly
designed selfintegrating Rogowski coils. Distortion of the measured current pulses is studied by using the
lumped-element model of Rogowski coil and its termination resistance, and the signal cable and its matching
resistance. The optimal coil termination resistance is obtained under these impulses, and the linearity of all
newly designed self-integrating Rogowski coils’ output voltages are also investigated. Calibration results and
a comparison between ICT, CRC, and the developed three coils for measurements of different high impulse
currents demonstrate that the developed coils can accurately reproduce the actual waveform with a constant
sensitivity over the desired bandwidth.”
244
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim A. Metwally
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
metwally@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Coaxial-cable wound Rogowski coils for measuring large-magnitude short-duration current pulses
Journal Title
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Volume/Issue/Pages
62/1/119-128
Key Words
Coaxial-cable windings, impulse-current generator; (ICG), impulse-current measurement, Rogowski coil, transient; analysis, transient voltage surge suppressors
(TVSSs).
Authors
Ibrahim A. Metwally, Senior Member, IEEE
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“In this paper, the design, calibration, and performance improvement of four self-integrating Rogowski coils
are presented. These coils are wound in single and double layers by a coaxial cable without its polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacket and with air and ferrite cores. Nonuniformities due to the variation of turn density and/or
core deformation are compensated by using a one-turn return loop placed inside the helical winding in the
opposite direction to the pitch advancement. Oscillatory and over-damped unidirectional current waveforms
up to a 7-kA peak value are generated by using different linear and non-linear loads and impulse-current
generator configurations. These large-magnitude short-duration current pulses are measured by different
methods, namely, a commercial impulse-current transformer, a commercial Rogowski coil, and the four
newly designed self-integrating Rogowski coils. The distortion of the measured current pulses is studied by
using the lumped-element model of Rogowski coil and its termination resistance and the signal cable and
its matching resistance. The optimal coil termination resistance is obtained under these impulses, and the
linearity of all newly designed self-integrating Rogowski coils’ output voltages is also investigated.
Results reveal that the magnitudes of measurement errors for the current peak and front and tail times are
very low when using ferrite cores with a low termination resistance. The trend of the results is also explained
in terms of coil termination resistance, transit time, and sensitivity bandwidth.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
245
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ibrahim A. Metwally
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
metwally@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Design of different self-integrating and differentiating Rogowski coils for measuring large-magnitude fast impulse currents
Journal Title
IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
Volume/Issue/Pages
62/8/2303-2313
Key Words
External integrator, frequency analysis, impulsecurrent measurement, Rogowski
coil, transient analysis.
Authors
Ibrahim A. Metwally, Senior Member, IEEE
“This paper presents the design and calibration of seven new Rogowski coils, namely, three air-cored coaxial-cable wound coils (RC1–RC3), one ferrite-cored varnished-wire wound coil (RC4), and three air-cored
varnished-wire-wound coils (RC5–RC7). All coils are wound in a single layer and operated in the self-integrating mode, especially RC1–RC4. RC5–RC7 are mainly operated in the differentiating mode with external
passive integrators. The designed seven coils are calibrated using different impulse currents up to 8.5 kA. These
currents are simultaneously measured by different methods, namely, an impulse current transformer and a
commercial Rogowski coil (ICT and CRC, respectively). Winding pitch advancement errors and magnetic
fields into the plane of the coil are compensated by using a one-turn return loop placed inside the helical
winding in the opposite direction to the pitch advancement for all coils except for RC4. It is found that all
designed coils have a constant sensitivity of 0.2–4.4 V/kA over a certain bandwidth up to few MHz and with
a very low sensitivity phase angle. For the self-integrating coils (RC1–RC3), increasing the number of turns
and/or the former size enhances the coil response. For the differentiating coils with external integrators,
the higher the integrator resistance and/or capacitance, the better the response (less droop effect and time
shift) and the lower the sensitivity. The optimized termination resistance for the self-integrating coils and
the integrator parameters for the differentiating coils enables the currents measured by RC3, RC4, and RC6
to have excellent agreement with those measured by ICT and CRC for different loads and levels without any
droop effect.”
246
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim A. Metwally
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
metwally@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Measurement of currents and floating potential in multilayer sensor due to oil-flow
electrification
Journal Title
Journal of Electrostatics
Volume/Issue/Pages
71/6/1061-1067
Key Words
Electrical double layer; Flow electrification; Streaming current; Floating potential
measurement; Mineral oil; Power transformers
Authors
I.A. Metwally, P. Leblanc, T. Paillat
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“This paper presents floating potential and current measurements due to oil-flow electrification inside a
multilayer sensor incorporated in a closed loop filled with fresh transformer oil. All leakage currents at the
sensor inlet and outlet, the capacitive current and the streaming current are measured. The waveforms of
these currents, floating potential as well as the oil temperature at the sensor inlet are simultaneously recorded
for laminar flow and at controlled operating conditions. The measured floating potentials are compared with
the calculated ones under different oil-flow velocities and good agreement has been found.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
247
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ibrahim A. Metwally
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
metwally@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Factors influencing temperature rise inside underground power cables
Journal Title
Electrical Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
95/4/383-392
Key Words
Power cables · Ampacity · Temperature rise · Critical temperatures · Cyclic conductor temperature · Soil thermal conductivity · Cable system layout · Multilayer soil
Authors
I. A. Metwally, A. H. Al-Badi, A. S. Al Farsi
“This paper presents the factors that influence ampacity and temperature rise of three-phase, single-core
33-and 500-kV XLPE underground cables (UGC) using CYMCAP software. These factors are conductor
cross-sectional area, soil thermal resistivity, cable burial depth, cable separation, sheath bonding, bedding
and backfill heights and thermal conductivities, nearby parallel heat source, formation of dry zone, loss
tangent and segmented conductors. Results reveal that increasing the separation distance between phases
gives higher ampacity, contrary to the burial depth. The rate of conductor temperature reduction due to the
increase in the bedding thermal conductivity is more pronounced than that achieved by increasing backfill
thermal conductivity. Furthermore, increasing the native thermal conductivity and/or the maximum conductor temperature increases the UGC ampacity and consequently increases the induced sheath voltage.
Sheath losses are significant in transmission UGC where the load currents are always high. High conductor
temperature and hence degradation rate is expected for UGC carrying currents of highly fluctuating loads.
UGC must be derated as they age (increasing loss tangent), or when dry zones are formed around them, or
when a nearby parallel heat source. Finally, it is found that the increase in the number of conductor segments
nonlinearly increases the UGC ampacity.”
248
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim Garbie
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
garbie@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
DFMER: Design for manufacturing enterprises reconfiguration considering globalization issues
Journal Title
International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/4/484-516
Key Words
Globalisation issues; Industrial enterprises; Reconfiguration
Authors
Ibrahim H. Garbie
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Currently, researchers are concentrating their attention on design for manufacturing, design for assembly,
design for cost and design for quality; (or design for X, in general), but they do not mention design for manufacturing enterprise reconfiguration (DFMER). The problem addressed in this paper is how to present the
concepts of globalisation to guide manufacturing enterprise analysts and designers with the most effective
issues for analysing reconfigurable levels. These issues include international issues, contemporary issues,
global manufacturing systems, local performance and flexible management. Based on these aspects, the global
reconfigurable level (RL) will be analysed and evaluated by identifying the major reconfiguration elements.
The ultimate goal of this paper is to consider the needs of manufacturing enterprises to be globalised. In this
research, a conceptual framework for a design for reconfiguration will be presented and the results show that
the DFMER should be taken into consideration for the next industrial revolution.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
249
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Ibrahim Garbie
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
garbie@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
DFSME: design for sustainable manufacturing enterprises (An Economic Viewpoint
Journal Title
International Journal of Production Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
51/2/479-503
Key Words
Manufacturing enterprises; sustainability; globalisation issues
Authors
Ibrahim H. Garbie
“Design for sustainable manufacturing enterprise (DFSME) is considered to be a new ideologue regardingsurvival of manufacturing enterprise and it can also be considered as one of the most important solutions todeal
with the existing global financial crisis. The DFSME is a systemic approach that simultaneouslydetermines
the aspects of sustainability and how they can be aggregated taking intoconsideration theglobalisation issues.
The problem addressed in this paper is how to present the concepts of sustainability toguide manufacturing
enterprises analysts and designers with the most effective aspects for analysingsustainability. These aspects
are: international issues; contemporary issues; innovative products; reconfigurablemanufacturing systems;
manufacturing strategies; business models; flexible organisation management;manufacturing strategies and
performance measurements. Based on these aspects, the sustainable model willbe analysed and presented
through covering all aspects of sustainable manufacturing enterprise and thesustainability assessment will
be measured. The ultimate goal of this paper is to consider the needs ofmanufacturing enterprise throughout
most of the world to be sustainable as well as to be globalisedenterprises. This analysis shows that the DFSME
is a very large task and should be taken into consideration asone aspect of the next industrial revolution.”
250
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Jamil Abdo
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
jdabdo@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Clay nanoparticles modified drilling fluids for drilling of deep hydrocarbon wells
Journal Title
Applied Clay Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
86/1/76-82
Key Words
Palygorskite; Montmorillonite; Nanoparticles; Drilling fluids rheology; High pressure and high temperature
Authors
Abdo, J, Haneef, M.D.
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Projections of continued growth in hydrocarbon demand are driving the oil and gas industries to explore
new or under-explored areas that are often challenging. Oman, being an oil reliant country, is also striving
to go deep for exploration of non-conventional and deep lying oil reserves, as most of the existing fields are
approaching maturity. Deep drilling poses a great challenge as the current performance of drilling fluids
deteriorate due to high temperature and pressure (HPHT) conditions faced during extended reach drilling
operations. Keeping in view the decisiveness of drilling fluids’ impact on drilling efficiency, this work presents
an approach to stabilize the drilling fluid rheology in HPHT conditions by making use of nanoparticles.
Abundantly available in Oman, palygorskite (Pal) (natural hydrous clay mineral with fibrous rod-like microstructure) was purified, synthesized, characterized, functionalized, and tested for the first time in nano-form
(10-20nm diameter) for its effectiveness to tailor the rheology of drilling fluids swiftly. The nanoparticles are
able to retain the properties over a wide range of operating temperatures and pressure, thus ensuring efficient operation in versatile formations and operating conditions. After successive laboratory investigations,
an absolute proportion of water, regular montmorillonite (Mt), and Pal nanoparticles provided consistent
results at various temperatures and pressures, i.e., stable drilling fluid rheology at HPHT environment. The
best-recorded results are reported in this paper and the properties focused here are the plastic viscosity, yield
point, gel strength, density, shear thinning, spurt lost, fluid lost, and Lubricity index.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
251
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Khaled Goher
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
kgoher@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Dynamic modelling and stabilization of a new configuration of two-wheeled machines
Journal Title
Robotics and Autonomous Systems
Volume/Issue/Pages
61/5/443–472
Key Words
Lagrangian formulation Modelling Simulation Double inverted pendulum
Authors
A.M. Almeshal, K.M. Goher and M.O. Tokhi
“This paper presents a novel design of two-wheeled vehicles and an associated stabilization approach. The
proposed design provides the vehicle with more flexibility in terms of increased degrees of freedom which
enable the vehicle to enlarge its working space. The additional translational degree of freedom (DOF), offered
by the linear actuator, assists an attached payload to reach different levels of height as and when required.
The model of the system mimics the scenario of the double inverted pendulum on a moving base, with the
added DOF. Lagrangian dynamic formulation is used to derive the system dynamics. Joints frictions based
on the Coulomb friction model are considered so as to retain non-linear characteristics of the system. A PDPID robust control approach is derived for the stabilization of the system. An investigation of the impact of
damping associated with joints on the stability of the system is carried out. Simulation results validating the
model and the control approach are presented and discussed.”
252
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Khalifa Saif Al-Jabri
Department
Civil and Architectural Engineering
Contact
aljabri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Potential use of FCC spent catalyst as partial replacement of cement or sand in
cement mortars
Journal Title
Construction and Building Materials
Volume/Issue/Pages
39/1/77-81
Key Words
Cement mortar; FCC; Sand; Spent catalyst; Strength; Waste recycling
Authors
Khalifa Al-Jabri, Mahad Baawain, Ramzi Taha, Zahran Saif Al-Kamyani, Khalid
Al-Shamsi, Aysser Ishtieh
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“This paper studies the effect of using FCC spent catalyst, produced from local refineries on the compressive
strength of mortars. The main constituents of mortar; sand and cement were partially replaced by different
percentages of spent catalyst. Five levels of sand replacement were used ranging from 5% to 25% by weight
of sand. The same was done for cement but with different proportions from 2% to 10% by weight of cement.
Three water-to-binder ratios were used; 0.50, 0.55 and 0.60 whereas the binder-to-sand ratio was kept constant
at 1:3. The specimens were tested at 7, 14, 28, 56 and 91 days of curing. Encouraging results were achieved
when Sohar Refinery’s spent catalyst was used as sand replacement. The substitution reached up to 20%
without affecting the mortars’ compressive strength. Spent catalysts from both refineries showed negligible
effect on the strength of cement mortars when used as partial substitute of cement. Leachate tests showed
that mixtures prepared using both spent catalysts contained small traces of heavy metals that are far below
the international limits. Hence, no environmental harm should be anticipated from the use of these spent
catalysts in construction.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
253
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Lazhar Khriji
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
lazhar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
An efficient hardware implementation of parallel EBCOT Algorithm for JPEG2000
Journal Title
Journal of Real-Time Image Processing© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
Volume/Issue/Pages
--/--/1-12
Key Words
JPEG 2000 EBCOT algorithm F239Bit-plane coding VHDL FPGA implementation
Authors
Taoufik Saidani, Mohamed Atri, Lazhar Khriji, Rached Tourki
“With the augmentation in multimedia technology, demand for high-speed real-time image compression
systems has also increased. JPEG 2000 still image compression standard is developed to accommodate such
application requirements. Embedded block coding with optimal truncation (EBCOT) is an essential and
computationally very demanding part of the compression process of JPEG 2000 image compression standard.
Various applications, such as satellite imagery, medical imaging, digital cinema, and others, require high speed
and performance EBCOT architecture. In JPEG 2000 standard, the context formation block of EBCOT tier-1
contains high complexity computation and also becomes the bottleneck in this system.
In this paper, we propose a fast and efficient VLSI hardware architecture design of context formation for
EBCOT tier-1. A high-speed parallel bit-plane coding (BPC) hardware architecture for the EBCOT module
in JPEG 2000 is proposed and implemented. Experimental results show that our design outperforms wellknown techniques with respect to the processing time. It can reach 70 % reduction when compared to bit
plane sequential processing.”
254
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Lazhar Khriji
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
lazhar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Reconfigurable architecture of VDF filter for multidimensional data
Journal Title
International Journal of Circuit Theory and Applications, Wiley Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
41/10/1047-1058
Key Words
Directional filter; multidimensional data; HW/SW; reconfigurable architecture
Authors
Ahmed Ben Atitallah, Anis Boudabous, Lazhar Khriji and Nouri Masmoudi
“In this paper, we present a hardware reconfigurable architecture of vector directional filter (VDF) and an
experimental validation based on HW/SW implementation context. An FPGA with a Nios II processor
combines the benefits of a programmable logic component as well as a microprocessor. VDF is very useful
in multidimensional data (such as colour images) for noise removal and details preservation. Comparative
results between simulations of ANSI-C and hardware implementation are given. An estimate method of
non-linear function is presented and serves as an approximation for the appropriate hardware implementation
on FPGA. Finally, to verify the functionality of the implementation, a validation state using FPGA platform
has been performed. This validation demonstrated that our implementation hardware system speeds up the
filtering process as well as preserving a high data quality (image quality).”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
255
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Mahmoud I. Masoud
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
m.masoud@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Generalized theory of mixed pole machines with a general rotor configuration
Journal Title
Alexandria Engineering Journal, AEJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/1/19-33
Key Words
Brushless doubly fed; Double stator; Dual stator; Generalized theory; Mixed pole
machines; Reluctance rotor
Authors
Ayman S. Abdel-khalik, Mahmoud I. Masoud and Mohamed M. Ahmed
“This paper introduces a generalized theory for the operation of mixed pole machines (MPMs). The MPM
has two stator windings, namely the main winding with pole pairs P1 and the control winding with pole pairs
P2. The MPM has shown promise in the field of adjustable speed drives for large machines and in the field
of wind energy electrical generation. The operation of MPM relies on the interaction between the two fields
produced by the two stator windings through the intermediate action of a specially designed rotor (nested-cage or reluctance rotor). The machine theory is described from a physical aspect rather than mathematical
derivations. A simple representation is also presented, from which the machine d-q model can be readily
deduced. The effect of mechanical loading on the relative positions of the machine fields is also presented.”
256
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mahmoud I. Masoud
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
m.masoud@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Improved sensorless operation of CSI based induction motor
Journal Title
IEEE Transaction on power Electronics
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/8/4001-4012
Key Words
Current source inverter; long feeder; medium voltage drives; speed sensor-less
Authors
Ahmed K. Abdelsalam, Member, IEEE, Mahmoud I. Masoud, Member, IEEE, Mostafa S. Hamad, Member, IEEE, and Barry W. Williams
“Various applications, like in underground mines and oil and gas industries, require remote operation of
vector-controlled medium-voltage variable speed drives via a long motor feeder. The use of voltage source
inverters in such cases leads to motor overvoltage and harmonic quality problems. The current source inverter
(CSI) is ideally matched to these applications because of its motor-friendly voltage output. Speed sensorless
operation is mandatory due to the longmotor feeder. Although the model reference adaptive system (MRAS)
is a powerful and proven speed estimation tool, its implementation in long motor feeder drives faces many
challenges. Among them, and addressed in this paper, are inherent dc offset in its stator model, the need for
actual motor voltage and current values, and oscillations in the estimated speed due to errors in the motor
current measurement signals. In this paper, a sensorless CSI vector-controlled drive, suitable for long motor
feeder applications, is studied. Improved speed estimation is achieved by proposing 1) a modified dc-offset
eliminator for an MRAS speed estimation and 2) a compensation technique for motor current’s measurement
errors. Intensive experimental results, for a low-voltage scaled model, along with simulations validate the
effectiveness of the proposed technique.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
257
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Medhat Hussein Ahmed
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
medhatha@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Task mapping and scheduling in wireless sensor networks
Journal Title
IAENG International Journal of Computer Science, 40:4, IJCS_40_4_05
Volume/Issue/Pages
40/5/1-9
Key Words
Wireless sensor networks, task scheduling, clustering, real time applications, task
duplication and migration
Authors
M. H. A. Awadalla
“Collaborative processing among sensors to fulfill given tasks is a promising solution to save significant energy in resource - limited wireless sensor networks. Quality of Service such as lifetime and latency is largely
affected by how tasks are mapped to sensors in a network. Due to the limitations of wireless sensor networks,
existing algorithms cannot be directly used. This paper presents an efficient allocating algorithm that allocates
a set of real-time tasks with dependencies onto a sensor network. The proposed algorithm comprises linear
task clustering algorithm and sensor assignment mechanism based on a task duplication and migration
scheme. It simultaneously schedules the computation tasks and associated communication events of real
time applications. It reduces inter-task communication costs and moderates local communication overhead
incurred due to communication medium contention. Performance is evaluated through experiments with
both randomly generated Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) and real-world applications. Simulated results and
qualitative comparisons with the most related literature, Multi-Hop Task Mapping and Scheduling (MTMS),
Distributed Computing Architecture (DCA), and Energy- Balance Task Allocation (EBTA), demonstrated
that the proposed scheme significantly surpasses the other approaches in terms of deadline missing ratio,
schedule length, and total application energy consumption.”
258
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Ould-Khaoua
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
mok@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Performance comparison of end-to-end and on-the-spot traffic-aware techniques
Journal Title
International Journal of Communication Systems
Volume/Issue/Pages
26/January 2013/13-33
Key Words
Ad hoc; routing; traffic aware; load balancing; wireless networks
Authors
Raad S. Al-Qassas and Mohamed Ould-Khaoua
“Traffic-aware routing protocols have recently received considerable attention. This has been motivated by
the role that it could play in extending the network’s lifetime (or operational time) as it target the reservation
of node’s power and better utilisation of channel bandwidth, which could lead to performance improvement
in terms of important performance metrics including throughput and end-to-end delay. Traffic-aware techniques can be classified into two categories, namely end-to-end and on-the-spot, based on the way of establishing and maintaining routes between any source and destination. Although there has been much work on
both categories, there has been no comparative performance study of the two approaches. To the best of our
knowledge, this is the first work that carries out such a performance comparison. To this end, we have adapted
our traffic-aware technique namely load density to suggest a new ‘on-the-spot’ traffic-aware technique. The
main reason for doing this adaptation is to ensure that the comparison between the two approaches is fair
and realistic. The study will reveal the main performance characteristics of the two approaches under various
traffic and network conditions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
259
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Mohammed M. Bait-Suwailam
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
msuwailem@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Analytical models for predicting the effective permittivity of complementary metamaterial structures
Journal Title
Microwave and Optical Technology Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
55/7/1565–1569
Key Words
Metamaterials; circuit model; negative refractive index;complementary split-ring
resonator
Authors
Bait-Suwailam, M.M., Yousefi, L, Alavikia, B., Ramahi, O.M
“We present an analytical formula to calculate the resultant effective permittivity of a etamaterial medium
composed of unit cells with complementary structures. Complementary metamaterial can be considered to
be the complementary screen of artificial magnetic materials. Based on Babinet’s principle and duality, complementary metamaterial provides a negative effective permittivity in the vicinity of its resonance frequency.
The developed formula is general and predicts the effective permittivity for a specific topology. The derived
model validated by comparison to results obtained using full-wave simulation.”
260
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Nasser Al-Azri
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
nalazri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Development of bioclimatic chart for passive building design
Journal Title
International Journal of Sustainable Energy
Volume/Issue/Pages
32/6/713-723
Key Words
Bioclimatic charts; psychrometric charts; passive cooling; green buildings
Authors
Nasser A. Al-Azri, Yousef H. Zurigat & Nabeel Z. Al-Rawahi
“The selection of building passive thermal design strategies is based heavily on the local climatic conditions.
Identifying the best strategy for a given location can be made using bioclimatic charts. Such charts depend on
the atmospheric pressure and are commonly available at sea level. Moreover, manual usage of these charts is
cumbersome and time-consuming. In thiswork, the development of a bioclimatic chart for Muscat, as a case
study, is described using Givoni’s zones in rigorous detail based on typical meteorological year (TMY) data.
A generic calculation tool that generates the psychrometric chart for any altitude has been developed using
MATLABTM, the procedure described herein, can be imitated on most scripting languages for any location
using its atmospheric pressure and TMY data.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
261
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Nasser Al-Azri
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
nalazri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Selection and assessment of passive cooling techniques for residential buildings in
Oman using a bioclimatic approach
Journal Title
The Journal of Engineering Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
102/2/53-65
Key Words
Passive cooling strategy; Subtropical climate; Temperature; Relative humidity
Authors
N Al-Azri, YH Zurigat and N Al-Rawahi
“Background: Passive cooling system has become an attractive option to design and modify homes to achieve
thermal comfort. The system provides cooling through the use of passive processes, which often use heat flow
paths that do not exist in conventional or bioclimatic buildings.
Methods: Six different cities namely Rockhampton, Brisbane, Mackay, Townsville, Charleville and Mount Isa
in the hot and humid subtropical climatic zone in Queensland, Australia have been considered for this study.
Two main climatic factors such as the temperature and the relative humidity of those cities over a period of
around 50 years have been taken into account in order to select the appropriate passive cooling strategy for
a specific location.
Results: Results show that the passive cooling strategy of natural ventilation would be suitable for Rockhampton,
Brisbane, Mackay and Townsville whereas high thermal mass would be appropriate for Mackay and Townsville.
Conclusion: The procedure of selecting an appropriate passive cooling strategy has been developed for the
residences and buildings in a hot and humid subtropical climate. It would be applicable for all buildings with
internal heat gains of a hot and humid subtropical climate and will encourage the inhabitants to design the
building considering their local climatic conditions.”
262
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Nasser Hosseinzadeh
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
hosseinz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A novel aggregated DFIG wind farm model using mechanical torque compensating
factor
Journal Title
Energy Conversion and management, Elsevier
Volume/Issue/Pages
67/1/265-274
Authors
M.A. Chowdhury, W.X. Shen, N. Hosseinzadeh, H.R. Pota
“A novel aggregated model for wind farms consisting of wind turbines equipped with doubly-fed induction
generators (DFIGs) is proposed in this paper. In the proposed model, a mechanical torque compensating
factor (MTCF) is integrated into a full aggregated wind farm model to deal with the nonlinearity of wind
turbines in the partial load region and to make it behave as closely as possible to a complete model of the
wind farm. The MTCF is initially constructed to approximate a Gaussian function by a fuzzy logic method
and optimized on a trial and error basis to achieve less than 10% discrepancy between the proposed aggregated model and the complete model. Then, a large scale offshore wind farm comprising of 72 DFIG wind
turbines is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed aggregated model. The simulation results show
that the proposed aggregated model approximates active power (Pe) and reactive power (Qe) at the point of
common coupling more accurately than the full aggregated model by 8.7% and 12.5%, respectively, during
normal operation while showing similar level of accuracy during grid disturbance. Computational time of
the proposed aggregated model is slightly higher than that of the full aggregated model but much faster than
the complete model by 90.3% during normal operation and 87% during grid disturbance.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
263
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Nasser Hosseinzadeh
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
hosseinz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Comparative study on fault responses of synchronous generators and wind turbine
generators using transient stability index based on transient energy function
Journal Title
Electrical Power and Energy Systems, Elsevier
Volume/Issue/Pages
51/1/145-152
Key Words
Synchronous generator Squirrel cage induction generator Doubly fed induction
generator Transient energy function Transient stability index
Authors
M.A. Chowdhury, N.Hosseinzadeh, W.X.Shen, H.R.Pota
“Increasing wind power penetration into the grid justifies the requirement of the analysis of wind power
dynamics, especially during transient faults. Quantitative transient stability (TS)assessment is required to
provide deeper insight into the TS problems for speeding up the operational decision making process. This can
be achieved by evaluating transient stability index (TSI)through the asses sment of transient energy function.
This paper carries out the quantitative insight of the impact of different generator tech-nologies on the grid
by comparatively studying the impacts of the fault clearing time, the grid coupling, the inertia constant, the
generator terminal voltage sag and the slip on fault responses with the TSI between synchronous generators
and wind turbine generators, such as squirrel cage induction generators and doubly fed induction generators.”
264
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Omar Al-Abri
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
m053898@student.squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Tube expansion under various down-hole end conditions
Journal Title
The Journal of Engineering Research (TJER)
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/1/25-40
Key Words
Tube expansion, Solid Expandable Tubular (SET) technology, FEA, Casing, Onand Off-Shore
Authors
FJ Sancheza and OS Al-Abri
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Fossil hydrocarbons are indispensables commodities that motorize the global economy, and oil and gas are
two of those conventional fuels that have been extracted and processed for over a century. During last decade,
operators face challenges discovering and developing reservoirs commonly found up to several kilometers
underground, for which advanced technologies are developed through different research programs. In order to
optimize the current processes to drill and construct oil/gas wells, a large number of mechanical technologies
discovered centuries ago by diverse sectors are implemented by well engineers. In petroleum industry, the
ancient tube forming manufacturing process founds an application once well engineers intend to produce
from reservoirs that cannot be reached unless previous and shallower troublesome formations are isolated.
Solid expandable tubular is, for instance, one of those technologies developed to mitigate drilling problems
and optimize the well delivery process. It consists of in-situ expansion of a steel-based tube that is attained by
pushing/pulling a solid mandrel, which permanently enlarge its diameters. This non-linear expansion process is strongly affected by the material properties of the tubular, its geometry, and the pipe/mandrel contact
surface. The anticipated force required to deform long sections of the pipe in an uncontrollable expansion
environment, might jeopardize mechanical properties of the pipe and the well structural integrity.
Scientific-based solutions, that depend on sound theoretical formulation and are validated through experiments, will help to understand possible tubular failure mechanisms during its operational life. This work is
aimed to study the effect of different loading/boundary conditions on mechanical/physical properties of the
pipe after expansion. First, full-scale experiments were conducted to evaluate the geometrical and behavioral
changes. Second, simulation of deformation process was done using finite element method and validated
against experimental results to assess the effects on the post-expansion tubular properties. Finally, the authors
bring a comparison study where in a semi-analytical model is used to predict the force required for expansion.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
265
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Omar Al-Abri
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
m053898@student.squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Structural behaviour of solid expandable tubular undergoes radial expansion process – Analytical, numerical, and experimental approaches
Journal Title
International Journal of Solids and Structures
Volume/Issue/Pages
50/19/2980-2994
Key Words
Expandable; Finite element method; Metal forming; Solid; Steel; Technology;
Thick-wall tube; Tube expansion; Tubular; Well drilling
Authors
Al-Abri, O.S., Pervez, T
“Today’s structures have to meet increasingly rigorous requirements during operation. The economic and
human costs of failure during service impose a great responsibility on organizations and individuals who
develop new products as well as those who select/integrate products in a final engineering design. A crucial
aspect for successful product development and/or inclusion is the careful selection of the best material(s),
derived from an informed awareness of the capabilities and opportunities afforded by all candidate materials,
together with a design that takes full benefit of those competencies. Thick-wall tubular is an example where
all these issues are playing a major role in deciding their industrial applications. Given for their desirable
features of high strength and geometrical shape, they are widely used in aerospace, marine, military, automotive, oil and gas, and many other fields. This paper focuses on developing analytical solution to investigate
the structural response of thick-wall tubulars undergo plastic deformation due to expanding them using a
rigid mandrel of conical shape. Volume incompressible condition together with the Levy-Mises flow rule
were used to develop the equations which relate the expansion ratio of the tubular to the length and thickness
variations. Besides, Tresca’s yield criterion was used to include the plastic behaviour of the tubular material.
Further to this, a numerical model of the tubular expansion process was also developed using the commercial
finite element software ABAQUS. Experiments of tubular expansion have been conducted using a full-scale
test-rig in the Engineering Research Laboratory at Sultan Qaboos University to validate the analytical and
numerical solutions. The developed analytical and numerical models are capable of predicting the stress field
in the expansion zone, the force required for expansion, as well as the length and thickness variations induced
in the tubular due to the expansion process. Comparison between analytical, experimental, and simulation
results showed that a good agreement has been attained for various parameters.”
266
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Omar Houache
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
omarh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Reversed phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography used for the physicochemical and thermodynamic characterization of piceatannol/-cyclodextrin
complex
Journal Title
Journal of Chromatography B
Volume/Issue/Pages
926/1/21-27
Key Words
Piceatannol -Cyclodextrin Mobile phase Solubility Apparent formation constant
Thermodynamic parameters
Authors
Hanane Messiad, Habiba Amira-Guebailia, Omar Houache
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Piceatannol is one of resveratrol derivatives having health promoting potential. However, its low watersolubility and bioavailability could limit its use in both food and pharmaceutical fields. The aim of this work
is the study of piceatannol complexation by -cyclodextrin (-CD) in aqueous media. The complex formed
could improve the bioavailability, the solubility and the stability of piceatannol. The method used was based
on RP-HPLC in which, -CD was added to methanol/water mixtures mobile phases. The apparent formation
constant of piceatannol/-cyclodextrin complex was determined. Within the concentration interval studied
(0–4 mM), whenever the concentration of -CD increased, retention time of piceatannol decreased; indicating
an enhancement of solubility due to the formation of the piceatannol/-CD complex. The formation constants
(KF) of the piceatannol/-CD complex varied significantly with both the methanol concentration in the water–methanol mixture and the temperature.
Moreover, in all the physicochemical conditions tested, the stoichiometry of piceatannol/-CD complex was
1:1. Finally, the thermodynamic parameters were determined: G° = -13.123 kJ mol−1, H° = −33.265 kJ mol−1
and S° = −67.559 J mol−1 K−1.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
267
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Omar Houache
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
omarh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A DFT method for the study of the antioxidant action mechanism of resveratrol
derivatives
Journal Title
Journal of Molecular Modelling
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/6/2285–2298
Authors
Ali Benayahoum, Habiba Amira-Guebailia, Omar Houache
“Quantum-chemical calculations using DFT, have been performed to explain the molecular structure
antioxidant activity relationship of resveratrol (RSV) (1) analogues: 3, 4-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,
4-DHS) (2); 4, 4’-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (4, 4’-DHS) (3); 4-hydroxy-trans-stilbene (4-HS) (4); 3,
5-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3, 5-DHS) (5); 3, 3’-dimethoxy-4, 4’-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3, 3’-DM-4,
4’-DHS) (6); 2, 4-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (2, 4-DHS) (7) and 2, 4, 4’-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene (2, 4,
4’-THS) (8). It was found that all compounds studied were effective antioxidants with the exception of
3, 5-DHS. The high antioxidant activity of both 3, 3’-DM-4, 4’-DHS and 3, 4-DHS may be due to the
abstraction of the two hydrogen atoms of the para and ortho-position hydroxyls respectively, to form
a quinone structure. Our results revealed that the antioxidant pharmacophore of 2, 4-DHS and 2, 4,
4’-THS, exhibiting higher antioxidant activity than resveratrol, is the 2-hydroxystilbene, rather than
4-hydroxystilbene. Experimental observations were satisfactorily explained and commented.”
268
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Osama Muhammad Hussain Rehman
Department
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Contact
p091608@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Performance of 16-state TCM MC-CDMA with Various SUD techniques over
Downlink Wireless Channels
Journal Title
International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems
(IJAACS)
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/2/149-166
Authors
Osama M. Hussain, Imran A. Tasadduq
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“We present a novel combination of 16-state 8-phase shift keying/8-quadrature amplitude modulation (8QAM) trellis coding schemes with multi-carrier code division multiple access (MC-CDMA) and various
single user detection (SUD) techniques. In literature, it is well established that minimum mean square error
(MMSE) is the optimum SUD technique when used with fully loaded uncoded MC-CDMA systems. We
show that for fully loaded systems, 8-QAM trellis-coded MC-CDMA equalised with threshold orthogonality
restoring combining (TORC) outperforms equivalent systems that use MMSE by almost 1.4 dB at a bit error
rate of 10-5. Conversely, it is known that single user loaded uncoded MC-CDMA equalised with maximum
ratio combining provides best performance among all SUD methods. We report that among all possible
combinations of the underlying trellis-coded modulation, MC-CDMA and SUD techniques, TORC equalised
8-QAM trellis-coded MC-CDMA systems provide the best performance as they do for fully loaded systems.
Hence, this combination appears to be a promising candidate for both downlink and uplink channels.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
269
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Sabah Al-Sulaiman
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
sabah1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Simulation of the vapor mixture condensation in the condenser of seawater greenhouse using two models
Journal Title
Desalination
Volume/Issue/Pages
317/--/152-159
Key Words
Condenser Modelling Heat model Mass model Seawater greenhouse Oman
Authors
T. Tahri, M. Douani, S.A. Abdul-Wahab, M. Amoura, A. Bettahar
“The aim of this paper is the development of a mathematical model, based on mass transfer, in order to
compare the simulation results with those obtained by the model developed by Tahri et al. for the analysis
of the seawater greenhouse (SWGH) condenser operating. This last model was depending on heat balance
according to the thermodynamic model of Nusselt for simulating the physical process of condensation of
the humid air in the condenser of SWGH that is located in Muscat, Oman. The present model was a mathematical one that was based on mass balance development in order to improve the description of phenomena
in a humidification dehumidification seawater greenhouse desalination system. The values of the predicted
condensate calculated by the two models were compared with those of the measured values. Using the model
developed in this work, the predicted mass condensate rates calculated by mass model was much closer to
the measured condensate rates than that calculated by the heat model. Furthermore, the effects of relative
humidity, dry bulb temperature, seawater temperature, humid air velocity and solar radiation on condensate
values are also discussed.”
270
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sabah Al-Sulaiman
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
sabah1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Performance evaluation of an inverted absorber solar still integrated with a refrigeration cycle and an inverted absorber solar still
Journal Title
Energy for Sustainable Development
Volume/Issue/Pages
17/6/642-648
Key Words
Inverted absorber solar still Refrigerated inverted absorber solar still Water depth
Oman
Authors
Sabah A. Abdul-Wahab, Yousuf Y. Al-Hatmi
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“The performances of inverted absorber solar still integrated with a refrigeration cycle (RIASS) and an inverted absorber solar still (IASS) were experimentally investigated under identical operational and weather
conditions. It was found that more yield of fresh water was achieved in RIASS as compared to IASS. The
study revealed that the depth of the feed was inversely proportional to the productivity of the IASS. Hence,
the daily production of the IASS was increased by reducing water depth in the basin. However, in the RIASS,
the inverse behaviour was reported. The daily yields from RIASS were 6.4, 10.08 and 9.5 l/day at water depths
4, 6 and 8 cm respectively. The respective daily yields achieved from the IASS were 3.41, 3.24 and 2.92 l/day
that were lower than that of the RIASS. Also in case of RIASS, it was found that the night production was
more as compared to the daytime production.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
271
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Sabah Al-Sulaiman
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
sabah1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Using grouper fish as bio-indicator of Cd, Cu, Pb and V in the vicinity of a single
Buoy Mooring (SBM3) at Mina Al Fahal in the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology
Volume/Issue/Pages
91/6/684–688
Key Words
SBM3 Grouper fish samples Metal contamination Oman
Authors
S. A. Abdul-Wahab, I. S. Al-Husaini, A. Rahmalan
“This paper investigated metal contamination in muscle tissue of the grouper (Epinephelus coioides) in
the vicinity of a single buoy mooring (SBM3) at the Sultanate of Oman. The fish samples were analysed for
cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and vanadium (V). The mean concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb and V
in the fish samples were 0.05 ± 0.004, 0.34 ± 0.013, 0.20 ± 0.018 and 0.03 ± 0.006 mg/kg, respectively. The
results were compared with the corresponding permissible concentration limits according to the Sultanate
of Oman (0.05, 3.28, 0.3 and 1.4 mg/kg for Cd, Cu, Pb and V, respectively) and the European Commission
(0.05 mg/kg for Cd and 0.3 mg/kg for Pb). It was found that none of the overall mean metal concentrations
exceeded the corresponding Omani legislation or European Commission limits. However, the overall mean
concentration of Cd was identical to the maximum permissibl limit of 0.05 mg/kg that has been established
by both Commissions, and the limits were exceeded for mean Cd levels in fish at two of the six sampling
stations at SBM3. In general, this study indicated that the fishes at SBM3 were not highly contaminated with
these metals.”
272
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Talal Al Wahaibi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
alwahaib@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Experimental investigation on the performance of drag reducing polymers through
two pipe diameters in horizontal oil–water flows
Journal Title
Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
50/October 2013/139-146
Key Words
Oil–water flow Flow pattern map Flow pattern transition, Drag reducing polymer
Drag reduction Two pipe diameter
Authors
T. Al-Wahaibi, Y. Al-Wahaibi, A. Al-Ajmi, N. Yusuf, A.R. Al-Hashmi, A.S. Olawale,
I.A. Mohammed
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“In this paper, experiments were conducted to understand the influence of a small change of pipe diameter
in the effectiveness of drag reducing polymer (DRP) in horizontal oil–water flow. Two pipe diameters were
used in this study; 19 and 25.4 mm pipes. The results showed a remarkable influence of pipe diameter on the
polymer efficiency in modifying flow patterns and drag reduction. The results from both pipes showed that
only 10 ppm polymer concentration is needed to achieve the maximum drag reduction for each investigated
condition. The presence of DRP extended the region of stratified and dual continuous flows. However, the
percentage increase in the stratified region is more significant in the 25.4-mm pipe while the extent of the
dual continuous pattern in the 19-mm pipe is larger than that in the 25.4-mm pipe. Regardless of the pipe
diameter, annular flow changed for all the investigated conditions to dual continuous flow. The dispersed
region (water continuous or oil continuous) decreased after introducing DRP but the decrease is larger for
the 19-mm pipe especially for dispersion of oil in water. The results for both pipes revealed that the maximum drag reduction is achieved when the flow is dispersed oil in water; however, higher drag reduction
was obtained in the larger pipe diameter. Drag reductions up to 60% were observed in the 25.4-mm pipe in
comparison with up to 45% achieved in the 19-mm pipe.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
273
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
Talal Al Wahaibi
Department
Petroleum and Chemical Engineering
Contact
alwahaib@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
An evaluation of the performance of derived empirical correlations for predicting
the oil viscosity of light Omani crude
Journal Title
Petroleum & Coal
Volume/Issue/Pages
55/3/234-240
Key Words
Dead oil; saturated; undersaturated; viscosity correlations; Omani crude oil.
Authors
Talal Al-Wahaibi, Farouq S. Mjalli, AbdulAziz Al-Hashmi
“In the past decades, many correlations for predicting the viscosity of crude oil were proposed. A review of
the literature has showed that there is no study aims to investigate the performance of these correlations for
predicting the oil viscosity of light Omani crude. Thirty eight oil viscosity correlations describing various
conditions are evaluated with Omani crude oil viscosity database using statistical analysis. Twelve of these
correlations are for dead oil viscosity, 14 are for saturated oil viscosity and 12 for under saturated oil viscosity. Error estimates for the predicted and measured oil viscosity together with standard deviation for each
correlation are presented. Statistical analysis showed that none of the dead oil viscosity correlations was able
to satisfactorily predict the Omani dead oil viscosity. The dead oil viscosity correlations were modified by
exponentially fitting the viscosity data. For the saturated oil viscosity, the best agreement is obtained with
the correlations of Whitson and Brule and Dindoruk and Christman while the worst agreement is obtained
with the correlations of Labedi) and Almehaideb. For the under-saturated oil viscosity, Standing, Khan et al.
and Kartoatmodjo and Schmidt correlations gave the best agreement with Omani crude oil while Vazquez
and Beggs correlation attained the worst agreement.”
274
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Zahid Qamar, Sayyad
Department
Mechanical and Industrial Engineering
Contact
sayyad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Mechanical and structural behaviour of a swelling elastomer under compressive
loading
Journal Title
Materials and Design
Volume/Issue/Pages
45/March 2013/487-496
Key Words
Swelling elastomer; Compression testing; Bulk testing; Numerical simulation; Mechanical response; Structural behaviour
Authors
Sayyad Zahid Qamar, Maaz Akhtar, Tasneem Pervez, Moosa S.M. Al-Kharusi
College of Engineering
Applicant Name
“Swelling elastomers are a new breed of advanced polymers, and over the last two decades they have found
increasing use in drilling of difficult oil and gas wells, remediation of damaged wells, and rejuvenation of
abandoned wells. It is important to know whether an elastomer type or a certain seal design will function
properly and reliably under a given set of oil or gas well conditions. This paper reports the results of an experimental and numerical study conducted to analyse how compressive and bulk behaviour of an actual oilfield
elastomer changes due to swelling. Tests were carried out on ASTM-standard compression and bulk samples
(discs) before swelling and after different swelling periods. Elastic and bulk modulii were experimentally
determined under different swelling conditions. Shear modulus and Poisson’s ratio were estimated using
derived isotropic relations. Cross-link chain density and number average molecular weight were obtained
using predictive equations of polymer physics. Mechanical testing was also modelled and simulated using the
non-linear finite element package ABAQUS, material model being Ogden hyperelastic model with second
strain energy potential.
Values of elastic and shear modulus dropped by more than 90% in the first few days, and then remained almost
constant during the rest of the 1-month period. Poisson’s ratio, as expected, showed a mirror behaviour of a
sharp increase in the first few days. Bulk modulus exhibited a fluctuating pattern; rapid initial decrease, then
a slightly slower increase, followed by a much slower decrease. Salinity shows some notable effect in the first
5 or 6 days, but has almost no influence in the later days. As swelling progresses, chain density decreases,
much more sharply in the first week and then showing almost a steady-state behaviour. In contrast, crosslink average molecular weight increases with swelling (as expected), but in a slightly fluctuating manner.
Very interestingly, Poisson’s ratio approaches the limiting value of 0.5 within the first 10 days of swelling,
justifying the assumption of incompressibility used in most analytical and numerical models. In general,
simulations results are in good agreement with experimental ones. Results presented here can find utility in
selection of swelling elastomers suitable for a given set of field conditions, in improvement of elastomer-seal
and swell-packer design, and in modelling and simulation of seal performance.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
275
College of Law
The college of Law produced 2 journal articles in 2013 (see Table 7). One paper is listed in Scopus while the other one
is listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals.
Table 7 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Law in 2013
College’s/Center’s
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
1
Listed in Scopus
1
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
1
College of Law
No.
College of Law
2
Total
2
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Law
Applicant Names
Pages
Ali Said Mohamed Al-Issa
280
Amel Abdallah
281
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
279
College of Law
Applicant Name
Ali Said Mohamed Al-Issa
Department
Public Law
Contact
ali2465@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The implications of expanding the instruction time for the English language teaching policy implementation in the Sultanate of Oman: A qualitative study
Journal Title
Critical Inquiry in Language Studies
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/4/311-333
Authors
Ali S.M. Al-Issa
“This study asks questions and elicits answers about the importance of English language teaching (ELT)
instruction time on the national curriculum in the Sultanate of Oman from an ideological perspective. It triangulates data from semi-structured interviews made with different agents involved in the Omani ELT system
and representing different social, cultural, and academic backgrounds, the pertinent literature, the National
English Language Policy/Plan, and other locally produced policy texts. The critical discussion, which aims
at revealing and examining the degree of conflict and harmony, differences and similarities, and agreements
and disagreements embodied in the various statements, has revealed variable ideologies and paradigms about
the instruction time given to ELTon the national curriculum. The findings in this article have their direct
implications for ELT policy in the Sultanate of Oman and other similar contexts where English and other
equally important languages are taught as a foreign/second language.”
280
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
‫‪Amel Abdallah‬‬
‫‪Applicant Name‬‬
‫‪Private Law‬‬
‫‪Department‬‬
‫‪amalka@squ.edu.om‬‬
‫‪Contact‬‬
‫‪Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals‬‬
‫‪Journal Category‬‬
‫‪College of Law‬‬
‫‪/Twords a wider concept of protection for foreign‬نحو مفهوم موسع لحامية االستثامرات االجنبية‬
‫‪investements‬‬
‫‪Paper Title‬‬
‫‪Journal Title‬‬
‫مجلة الحقوق‪ -‬جامعة البحرين‬
‫‪10/1/297-331‬‬
‫‪Volume/Issue/Pages‬‬
‫‪Authors‬‬
‫أمال كامل عبدالله‬
‫“ساعدت قرارات التحكيم الدويل يف إرساء قواعد التزام عام عىل الدولة املضيفة بحامية االستثامرات األجنبية ضد أي خطر يتهددها فيام يعرف بااللتزام بضامن‬
‫الحامية الكاملة واألمن ‪ Full Protection and Security‬والراجح أن التطور التكنولوجي قد أدى التساع مفهوم أمن االستثامرات األجنبية ‪ ،‬خاصة مع ظهور‬
‫اإلرهاب املعلومايت ‪ Cyber terrorism‬وتهديده باملساس بسالمة األصول املعلوماتية لالستثامرات األجنبية فيام عرف باملخاطر املعلوماتية ‪ ،‬أو ‪.cyber Attack‬‬
‫وملواجهة ما يواجه العنرص املعلومايت االستثامرات األجنبية من مخاطر ‪ ،‬ظهر مفهوم جديد ألمن هذه االستثامرات ‪ ،‬هو األمن املعلومايت‪ .‬و ظهر التساؤل عن‬
‫مدى التزام الدولة املضيفة بحامية األصول املعلوماتية للمستثمر األجنبي ضد هذه املخاطر‪ .‬مع مرور العامل العريب عام ‪ 2011‬بعدد من التغريات السياسية والتي‬
‫حاولت فيها بعض الحكومات مواجهة معارضيها من خالل حجب الخدمات اإللكرتونية عن كل أو جزء من إقليم الدولة‪ .‬مام أدى للمساس باألمن املعلومايت‬
‫للكثري من االستثامرات األجنبية يف هذه الدول‪ ..‬يأيت هذا البحث الستعراض التطور الذي شهده مفهوم أمن االستثامرات األجنبية للوصول الستيعاب مفهوم‬
‫األمن املعلومايت‪ .‬مع محاولة للتعرف عىل مضمون وحدود التزام الدولة املضيفة بحامية األصول املعلوماتية لالستثامر األجنبي‪ .‬و ذلك من خالل دراسة ألمثلة‬
‫من بعض الترشيعات العربية و اتفاقيات حامية االستثامر وبعض قرارات التحكيم الدويل‪”.‬‬
‫‪281‬‬
‫‪SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013‬‬
College of Medicine and
Health Sciences
Table 8 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Medicine and Health Sciences in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
College of Medicine and
Health Sciences
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
53
Listed in Scopus
27
SQU Journals
9
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
89
285
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Table 8 presents the referred journal articles produced by the College of Medicine and Health Sciences for 2013. The
college produced 89 journal papers which represent se 22.9 % from the total number of papers published by SQU. Out
of the 89 publications, 53 articles were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 27 were listed in Scopus and 9 articles were
published in SQU Journals.
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Names
286
Pages
Applicant Names
Pages
Allal Ouhtit
287
Muna Ahmed Al Saadoon
330
Anas Alwogud Ahmed Abdelmogheth
291
Mustafa Al Hinai
331
Anuradha Ganesh
292
Nasar Yousef Alwahaibi
333
Arunodaya Ramarao Gujjar
294
Norbert Nowotny
335
Badreldin H. Ali
296
Riad Bayoumi
350
Elias Said
306
Ritu Lakhtakia
353
Fahad AL Zadjali
307
Salam Alkindi
356
Hamza Babiker
308
Samir Hamed Nasser al-Adawi
357
Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
310
Shahina Daar
359
Ibrahim Idris Suliman
312
Sharef Waadallah Sharef
363
Jayakrishnan Balakrishnan Nair
313
SidgiSyed Anwer Hasson
364
Jumana Saleh
315
Siham Al Sinani
366
Ken Masters
317
Sulayma Albarwani
369
Khalid Al Balushi
318
Yahya Mohamed Issa Al-Farsi
371
Khalid Said Salim Al-Thihli
320
Yasser Wali
373
Mohamed A. El-Naggari
321
Yousuf Al Suleimani
374
Mohammed A l Za’abi
323
Zandre Bruwer
375
Mohammed Ali Al Shafaee
328
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Allal Ouhtit
Department
Genetics
Contact
aouhtit@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Impact of nutrition on serum levels of docosahexaenoic acid among Omani children with autism.
Journal Title
Nutrition
Volume/Issue/Pages
29/9/1142-6
Key Words
Autism Diet Docosahexaenoic acid Omani children
Authors
Yahya M. Al-Farsi M.D., Ph.D. a, Mostafa I. Waly M.P.H., Ph.D. B, C, Richard C.
Deth Ph.D., Marwan M. Al-Sharbati M.D., Ph.D., Mohammed Al-Shafaee M.D.,
Omar Al-Farsi M.S., Maha M. Al-Khaduri M.D., Samir Al-Adawi M.D., Ph.D,
Nathaniel W. Hodgson Ph.D., Ishita Gupta M.Sc. g, Allal Ouhtit M.Ph., Ph.D.
“Objectives: Autism is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disorder of early childhood. Dietary supplementation of
the u-3 fatty acid (docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) during prenatal and postnatal life is considered a protective
dietary intervention strategy to minimize the risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To our knowledge,
no relevant studies have been conducted in the Middle East investigating the status of DHA among children
with autism during early childhood. The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels and dietary
intake status of DHA among Omani children recently diagnosed with ASD.
Methods: The present case–control study involved 80 Omani children (<5 y), 40 cases and 40 controls matched
for age and sex. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to assess dietary intake of all
the participants, while serum levels of DHA were measured using highperformance liquid chromatography.
Results: Our results showed that children with ASD had lower dietary consumption of foodstuff containing
DHA, as well as lower serum levels of DHA than controls.
Conclusion: The present finding from Oman supports the view of other studies that there are low serum
levels of DHA among children with ASD.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
287
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Allal Ouhtit
Department
Genetics
Contact
aouhtit@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Low folate and vitamin B12 nourishment is common in Omani children with newly diagnosed autism
Journal Title
Nutrition
Volume/Issue/Pages
29/3/537-41
Authors
Yahya M. Al-Farsi M.D., D.Sc., Mostafa I. Waly M.P.H., Ph.D., Richard C. Deth
Ph.D., Marwan M. Al-Sharbati Ph.D, Mohamed Al-Shafaee M.D., Omar Al-Farsi
M.S, Maha M. Al-Khaduri M.D., Ishita Gupta M.S., Amanat Ali Ph.D. b, Maha
Al-Khalili M.S., Samir Al-Adawi Ph.D. d, Nathaniel W. Hodgson Ph.D. C, Allal
Ouhtit M.Ph., Ph.D
“Objective: Arab populations lack data related to nutritional assessment in children with autism spectrum
disorders (ASDs), especially micronutrient deficiencies such as folate and vitamin B12.
Methods: To assess the dietary and serum folate and vitamin B12 statuses, a hospital-based case–control
study was conducted in 80 Omani children (40 children with ASDs versus 40 controls).
Results: The ASD cases showed significantly lower levels of folate, vitamin B12, and related parameters in
dietary intake and serum levels.
Conclusion: These data showed that Omani children with ASDs exhibit significant deficiencies in folate and
vitamin B12 and call for increasing efforts to ensure sufficient intakes of essential nutrients by children with
ASDs to minimize or reverse any ongoing impact of nutrient deficiencies.”
288
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Allal Ouhtit
Department
Genetics
Contact
aouhtit@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
TGF-β2: A Novel target of CD44-promoted breast cancer invasion
Journal Title
Journal of Cancer
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/7/566–572
Key Words
Hyaluronan, CD44, TGF-β2, CRE/ATF, Tetracycline-inducible, Breast cancer, Metastasis, MCF-7-B5 clone
Authors
Allal Ouhtit, Samineh Madani, Ishita Gupta, Somya Shanmuganathan, Mohamed
E. Abdraboh, Hamad Al-Riyami1, Yahya M Al-Farsi, Madhwa HG Raj
“We have developed a tetracycline (tet)-off regulated expression of CD44s gene in the breast cancer (BC)
cell line MCF-7 (B5 clone) and identified TGF-β2 (Transforming Growth Factor beta- 2; 3 fold induction)
as a potential CD44-downstream transcriptional target by microarray analysis. To further validate this finding, the same RNA samples, used for microarray analysis and their corresponding protein lysates, collected
from the BC cell line MCF-7-B5, were examined for CD44 expression in the presence of HA. Our results
showed that TGF-β2 mRNA levels were significantly elevated following the removal of tetracycline at 18, 24,
and 48 h post-HA stimulation compared to the parental cells. Furthermore, the TGF-β2 precursor protein
increased in a time-dependent pattern upon HA-stimulation and in the absence of tetracycline. More interestingly, inhibition of CD44 gene by RNAi method decreased TGF-β2 expression upon HA-stimulation,
and subsequently inhibited BC cell invasion in vitro. In addition to identifying TGF-β2 as a target for HA/
CD44 signaling, this data suggests that ATF/CREB might be a potential transcription factor linking HA/
CD44 activation to TGF-β2 transcription and additional experiments are required for a better understanding
of the molecular mechanisms underpinning the novel function of the CD44/TGF-β2 signalling pathway in
breast cancer metastasis.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
289
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Allal Ouhtit
Department
Genetics
Contact
aouhtit@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Simultaneous inhibition of cell-cycle, proliferation, survival, metastatic pathways
and induction of apoptosis in breast cancer cells by a phytochemical super-cocktail:
genes that underpin its mode of action.
Journal Title
Journal of Cancer
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/9/703-15
Key Words
Breast cancer; phytochemicals; chemoprevention; microarray; metastasis
Authors
Allal Ouhtit, Rajiv Lochan Gaur, Mohamed Abdraboh, Shubha K. Ireland, Prakash
N Rao, Shailaja G Raj, Hamad Al-Riyami, Somya Shanmuganathan, Ishita Gupta,
Subramanyam N Murthy, Andrew Hollenbach, and Madhwa HG Raj
“Traditional chemotherapy and radiotherapy for cancer treatment face serious challenges such as drug resistance and toxic side effects. Complementary /Alternative medicine is increasingly being practiced worldwide
due to its safety beneficial therapeutic effects. We hypothesized that a super combination (SC) of known
phytochemicals used at bioavailable levels could induce 100% killing of breast cancer (BC) cells without
toxic effects on normal cells and that microarray analysis would identify potential genes for targeted therapy
of BC. Mesenchymal Stems cells (MSC, control) and two BC cell lines were treated with six well established
pro-apoptotic phytochemicals individually and in combination (super cocktail), at bioavailable levels. The
compounds were ineffective individually. In combination, they significantly suppressed BC cell proliferation
(>80%), inhibited migration and invasion, caused cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis resulting in 100%
cell death. However, there were no deleterious effects on MSC cells used as control. Furthermore, the SC
down-regulated the expression of PCNA, Rb, CDK4, BcL-2, SVV, and CD44 (metastasis inducing stem cell
factor) in the BC cell lines. Microarray analysis revealed several differentially expressed key genes (PCNA,
Rb, CDK4, Bcl-2, SVV, P53 and CD44) underpinning SC-promoted BC cell death and motility. Four unique
genes were highly up-regulated (ARC, GADD45B, MYLIP and CDKN1C). This investigation indicates the
potential for development of a highly effective phytochemical combination for breast cancer chemoprevention /chemotherapy. The novel over-expressed genes hold the potential for development as markers to follow
efficacy of therapy.”
290
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Anas Alwogud Ahmed Abdelmogheth
Department
Child Health
Contact
anas@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Plasmapheresis-induced hypercalcaemia
Journal Title
SQUMJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/147-151
Key Words
Plasmapheresis; Hypercalcemia; Guillain-Barré syndrome; Case report; Oman.
Authors
Anas-Alwogud Abdelmogheth, Islam El-Baroudy, Saif Al-Yaaruby
“Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy that can cause total
motor paralysis in severe cases. Reports of hypercalcaemia in patients with GBS are rare. Plasmapheresis, an
extracorporeal blood purification procedure for the removal of large molecular weigh+F378t substances, is
a wellestablished therapy for ventilated GBS patients. Although it has been observed in a few reported cases,
theoretically, hypercalcaemia is not described as a plasmapheresis-related problem unless there is an underlying cause. We present a rare case of an 8-year-old child presenting with headache, diplopia, and squint,
followed by disturbed conscious levels and paralysis. He was treated with both intravenous immunoglobulin
and plasmapheresis, with a favourable outcome. We made a laboratory observation of hypercalcaemia which
was associated with the plasmapheresis therapy without any related underlying cause. This raises the need
for similar observations and the gathering of other possible acceptable explanations.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
291
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Anuradha Ganesh
Department
Ophthalmology
Contact
aganesh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Spontaneously resolving macular cyst in an infant.
Journal Title
Oman Journal of Ophthalmology
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/3/203-205
Key Words
Blood-retinal barrier, developmental, infant, macular cyst, optical coherence tomography, retina, transient
Authors
Anuradha Ganesh, Misha Khalighi, Kristin Hammersmith and Alex V. Levin
“The purpose of this study is to describe transient macular cysts in an infant and correlate their occurrence
with normal development events. A newborn Caucasian girl presented with a protruding corneal mass in
her left eye at birth. She underwent a complete ophthalmic examination. A keratinized staphylomatous
malformation involving the entire cornea and precluding further visualization of the anterior and posterior
segment was observed in the left eye. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of the right
eye performed when the child was approximately 6-week-old had revealed an unexpected finding of macular
cysts involving the inner nuclear and outer retinal layers. Corneal transplant in the left eye was performed
a month later. Ocular examination under anesthesia just prior to surgery revealed normal intraocular pressure, anterior segment and retina in the right eye. SD-OCT was normal in both eyes and showed complete
resolution of the cysts in the right eye. The patient had not been on any medications at that time. Although
clinical retinal examination might be unremarkable, SD-OCT may reveal cystic spaces in the macula. In the
absenceof conditions known to be associated with macular edema, transient macular cysts may arise due to
a developmental incompetence of the blood-retinal barrier or may represent transient spaces created during
normal migration of retinal cells. Further study is warranted to delineate the entity of transient macular cysts
in infancy.”
292
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Anuradha Ganesh
Department
Ophthalmology
Contact
aganesh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Pediatric glaucoma terminology
Journal Title
American Journal of Medical Genetics
Volume/Issue/Pages
161A/12/3205-3215
Key Words
Pediatric glaucoma; classification; terminology; genetics
Authors
Anuradha Ganesh, Dang Tam Mai and Alex V. Levin
“Glaucoma is a term that refers to many different disorders which may be characterized by age of onset,
associated ocular findings, or associated systemic malformations and diseases. Specification of the type of
glaucoma, both clinically, and where applicable, molecularly aids in diagnosis, counselling, treatment, and
prognosis. The objective of this report is to assist geneticists in understanding glaucoma and recognizing the
importance of detailed terminology in clinical genetic diagnosis.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
293
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Arunodaya Ramarao Gujjar
Department
Medicine
Contact
arunoday@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Transcranial doppler ultrasonography in sickle cell disease: A study in Omani
patients
Journal Title
Journal of Pediatric Hematology Oncology
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/1/18–23
Key Words
Transcranial, Doppler, ultrasonography, TCD, Stroke, SCD
Authors
Arunodaya R. Gujjar, MBBS, DM, Mathew Zacharia, MD, W Salam Al-Kindi,
FRCP (I), Z Ranjan William, MD, y Zakiya Al Lamki, FRCP, W Yasser Wali, MRCP,
W Wafa Bashir, FRCP, W Rajeev Jain, MD, Y Abdullah Al-Asmi, FRCP (C), and
Anil Pathare, MD
“Changes on Transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography have been proposed as significant predictors of
cerebrovascular complications in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, consensus with regards to the TCD
criteria to recognize abnormalities in cerebral vasculature is lacking. We studied the TCD characteristics of
cerebral arteries among Omani patients with SCD and correlated them with cerebrovascular events. TCD
was performed through the temporal and suboccipital windows using a 2MHz probe (DWL). Thirty-three
of 59 patients (56%) with SCD had neurological symptoms including stroke—12 (20%) and epilepsy—7.
Fifteen patients (25%) had significant TCD abnormalities including: markedly increased velocities—11 (3
with stroke); turbulent flow—2; and reversal of flow—2. No patient had a time averaged maximum mean
velocity of >200 cm/s in anterior circulation. On applying a modified definition of “abnormal TCD” to anterior
and posterior circulation studies, increased TCD velocities in posterior circulation correlated with history
of stroke (P<0.05). TCD velocities in the 18 adult patients (older than 15 y) were significantly lower than in
children. Logistic regression analysis revealed abnormal TCD in the left posterior cerebral artery to be an
independent predictor of stroke in this cohort (P=0.035).”
294
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Arunodaya Ramarao Gujjar
Department
Medicine
Contact
arunoday@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Full Outline of UnResponsiveness score and Glasgow Coma Scale in medical patients with altered sensorium: Interrater reliability and relation to outcome
Journal Title
Journal of Critical Care
Volume/Issue/Pages
283/316.e1-316.e8
Key Words
Coma; Coma score; Full Outline of Unresponsiveness; FOUR score; Glasgow Coma
Scale; SOFA score
Authors
Arunodaya R. Gujjar MBBS, DM, Poovathru C. Jacob MD, R. Nandhagopal MBBS,
DM, S.S. Ganguly PhD, Ammar Obaidy MD, Abdullah R. Al-Asmi MRCP
“Purpose: Full Outline of UnResponsiveness, or FOUR score (FS), is a recently described scoring system for
evaluation of altered sensorium. This study examined interrater reliability for FS and Glasgow Coma Scale
(GCS) among medical patients with altered mental status and compared outcome predictability of GCS, FS,
and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score.
Patients and Methods: Adult patients with altered mental status due to medical causes were rated by neurology consultants and internal medicine residents on FS and GCS. Interobserver reliability for GCS and FS
was assessed using κ score. Relation with outcomes was explored using univariate and multivariate analyses.
Main Results: Of the 100 patients (age, 62 ± 17 years), 60 had neurologic conditions; 26, metabolic encephalopathy; 9, infections; and 7, others. Thirty-nine patients died at 3 months. κ Scores ranged from 0.71 to 0.85
for GCS and from 0.71 to 0.95 for FS. On multivariate analysis, GCS was predictive of outcome at 3 months;
FS was predictive of mortality. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves suggested equivalent
performance of both scoring systems.
Conclusions: Interrater reliability and outcome predictability for FS were comparable with those for GCS.
This study supports the use of FS for evaluation of altered mental status in the medical wards.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
295
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The effect of curcumin on oxaliplatin and cisplatin
Journal Title
Journal of Medical toxicology
Volume/Issue/Pages
9/1/25-33
Key Words
Cisplatin. Oxaliplatin. Curcumin. Rats.Neurotoxicity
Authors
Mansour S. Al Moundhri, Suhail Al-Salam, Ahmed Al Mahrouqee, S. Beegam &
Badreldin H. Ali
“Cisplatin is commonly used against several solid tumors, and oxaliplatin is an effective cytotoxic drug used
in colorectal cancer. A major clinical issue affecting 10–40 % of patients treated with cisplatin or oxaliplatin is
severe peripheral neuropathy causing sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunction, with symptoms including
cold sensitivity and neuropathic pain. The biochemical basis of the neurotoxicity is uncertain, but is associated
with oxidative stress. Curcumin (a natural phenolic yellow pigment) has strong antioxidant, anticancer, and
anti-inflammatory actions. Here we report the possible protective effect of curcumin on some cisplatin- and
oxaliplatin-induced behavioral, biochemical, and histopathological alterations in rats. Twenty-four hours after
the end of treatments some motor and behavioral tests (motor activity, thermal and mechanical nociception,
and neuromuscular coordination) were conducted, followed by measuring plasma neurotensin platinum
concentration in the sciatic nerve, and studying the histopathology of the sciatic nerve. Oxaliplatin (4 mg/
kg) and cisplatin (2 mg/kg) [each given twice weekly, in a total of nine intraperitoneal injections over 4.5
weeks] significantly increased plasma neurotensin concentration, caused specific damage in the histology of
the sciatic nerve and produced variable effects in the motor and behavioral tests. Oralcurcumin (10 mg/kg,
4 days before the platinum drug, and thereafter, concomitantly with it for 4.5 weeks) reversed the alterations
in the plasma neurotensin and sciatic nerve platinum concentrations, and markedly improved sciatic nerve
histology in the platinum-treated rats. Larger experiments using a wider dose range of oxaliplatin, cisplatin,
and curcumin are required to fully elucidate the possible protective role of curcumin in platinum-induced
neurotoxicity.”
296
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Abrogation of cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity by emodin in rats.
Journal Title
Fundamental and Clinical Pharmacology
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/2/192-200
Key Words
Cisplatin, emodin, nephrotoxicity, rats
Authors
Badreldin H. Ali, Suhail Al-Salam, Isehaq S. Al Husseini, Intisar Al-Lawati, Mostafa
Waly, Javed Yasin, Mohamed Fahim, Abderrahim Nemmar
“Nephrotoxicity of the anticancer drug cisplatin (CP) involves the generation of reactive oxygen species in
renal cortex, and emodin (a rhubarb anthraquinone) has strong antioxidant and anticancer actions. Therefore,
we tested here the possible ameliorative effect of emodin on CP nephrotoxicity in rats. Emodin was given
orally (10 mg/kg/day for nine consecutive days), and on day 4, some of the treated rats were also injected
intraperitoneally with either saline or CP (6 mg/kg). Five days after CP treatment, rats were killed, and
blood and urine samples, and kidneys were collected for the assessment of histopathological renal damage
and apoptosis, and for biochemical estimation of creatinine and urea concentrations in plasma and urine,
several cytosolic antioxidant enzyme activities in kidneys, and urinalyses. CP significantly increased the concentrations of urea and creatinine, and decreased creatinine clearance. It also significantly reduced cortical
glutathione concentration and the activity of superoxide dismutase. CP treatment significantly increased
urine volume and N-acetyl-b-D-glucosaminidase activity and significantly decreased osmolarity and protein
concentrations. Emodin treatment markedly and significantly mitigated all these effects. Sections from saline- and emodin-treated rats showed apparently normal proximal tubules. However, kidneys of CP-treated
rats had a moderate degree of necrosis. This was markedly lessened when CP was given simultaneously with
emodin. The concentration of CP in the cortical tissues was not significantly altered by emodin treatment. The
results suggested that emodin had ameliorated CP nephrotoxicity in rats. Pending further pharmacological
and toxicological studies emodin may be considered a potentially useful nephroprotective agent.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
297
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
New model for adenine-induced chronic renal failure in mice, and the effect of
gum acacia treatment thereon: Comparison with rats
Journal Title
Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods
Volume/Issue/Pages
68/3/384–393
Key Words
Adenine; Animal model; Chronic renal failure; Mice; Rats
Authors
Badreldin H. Ali, Suhail Al-Salam, Mohammed Al Za’abi, Mostafa I. Waly, Aishwarya Ramkumar, Sumyia Beegam, Intisar Al-Lawati, Sirin A. Adham, Abderrahim Nemmar
“Introduction: This study aimed at comparing the effects of feeding mice and rats with adenine to induce
a state of chronic renal failure (CRF), and to assess the effect of treatment with gum acacia (GA) thereon.
Methods: We compared the outcome, in mice, of feeding adenine at three different doses (0.75%, 0.3%, and
0.2%, w/w). Biochemical and histopathological studies were conducted in plasma, urine and renal homogenates from both species.
Results: When mice and rats were fed adenine (0.75%, w/w), all treated rats survived the treatment, but all
treated mice died within 1-2. days. The dosage in mice was reduced to 0.3%, w/w, for 4. weeks, but again
all treated mice died within 3-4. days. A further reduction in the dosage in mice to 0.2%, w/w, for 4. weeks
resulted in no mortality, and produced alterations similar to those observed in rats fed adenine at a dose of
0.75%, w/w, for 4. weeks. Plasma creatinine, urea and urinary protein were significantly increased (P< 0.001)
in adenine-treated mice and rats, and this action was incompletely, but significantly (P< 0.05), reversed by
GA. Adenine significantly (P< 0.001) reduced superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and reduced glutathione
(GSH) concentration in renal homogenates from both species, and these reductions were significantly (P<
0.05) ameliorated by GA.
Discussion: Our data suggest that mice are more sensitive to adenine than rats, and that a dose of adenine of
0.2%, w/w, for 4. weeks in mice is suggested as a model for CRF. In both models, GA (15%, w/v, in the drinking
water for 4. weeks) given concomitantly with adenine ameliorated the severity of CRF to a similar extent.”
298
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effect of gum Arabic on oxidative stress and inflammation in adenine-induced
chronic renal failure in rats.
Journal Title
Plos one
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2/e55242.doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0055242.
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: adenine; C reactive protein; creatinine; glutathione; gum arabic; histone H2AX; interleukin 10; reactive oxygen metabolite; superoxide dismutase; tumor necrosis factor alpha; urea
Authors
Badreldin H. Ali, Isehaq Al-Husseni, Sumyia Beegam, Ahmed Al-Shukaili, Abderrahim Nemmar, Simone Schierling, Nina Queisser, Nicole Schupp
“Inflammation and oxidative stress are known to be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease in
humans, and in chronic renal failure (CRF) in rats. The aim of this work was to study the role of inflammation
and oxidative stress in adenine-induced CRF and the effect thereon of the purported nephroprotective agent
gum Arabic (GA). Rats were divided into four groups and treated for 4 weeks as follows: control, adenine in
feed (0.75%, w/w), GA in drinking water (15%, w/v) and adenine+GA, as before. Urine, blood and kidneys
were collected from the rats at the end of the treatment for analysis of conventional renal function tests (plasma
creatinine and urea concentration). In addition, the concentrations of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α
and the oxidative stress markers glutathione and superoxide dismutase, renal apoptosis, superoxide formation
and DNA double strand break frequency, detected by immunohistochemistry for γ-H2AX, were measured.
Adenine significantly increased the concentrations of urea and creatinine in plasma, significantly decreased
the creatinine clearance and induced significant increases in the concentration of the measured inflammatory
mediators. Further, it caused oxidative stress and DNA damage. Treatment with GA significantly ameliorated
these actions. The mechanism of the reported salutary effect of GA in adenine-induced CRF is associated
with mitigation of the adenine-induced inflammation and generation of free radicals.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
299
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Comparative efficacy of three brands of gum acacia on adenine-induced chronic
renal failure in rats
Journal Title
Physiological Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
62/1/47-56
Key Words
Adenine, Animal model, Chronic kidney disease, Gum acacia, Rats
Authors
B. H. Ali, S. Beegam, I. Al-Lawati, M. I. Waly, M. Al Za’abi, A. Nemmar
“Gum acacia (GA) is used in pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries as an emulsifier and stabilizer,
and in some countries in the traditional treatment of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). We have
previously found that GA ameliorates adenine -induced chronic renal failure (CRF) in rats. Different brands
of GA are commercially available, but their comparative efficacy against adenine-induced CKD is unknown.
Here, we explored the effects of three different brands of GA (Sudanese GA, SupergumTM and GA from
BDH) on some physiological, biochemical, and histological effects of adenine-induced CRF in rats. Adenine
(0.75 %, w/w in feed, four weeks) reduced body weight, and increased urine output. It also induced significant
increases in blood pressure, and in creatinine, urea, several inflammatory cytokines in plasma, and indices
of oxidative stress, and caused histological damage in kidneys. Treatment of rats concomitantly with any of
the three GA brands, significantly, and to a broadly similar extent, mitigated all the signs of CRF. The results
suggested equivalent efficacy of these brands in antagonizing the CRF in this animal model. However, to
enable standardization of different brands between laboratories, the use of the chemically well-characterized
GA preparation (such as SupergumTM) is recommended.”
300
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Influence of experimental type 1 diabetes on the pulmonary effects of
diesel exhaust particles in mice.
Journal Title
Toxicological Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
217/2/170-176
Authors
Abderrahim Nemmar, Suhail Al-salam, Deepa Subramaniyan, Javed
Yasin, Priya Yuvaraju, Sumaya Beegam, Badreldin H. Ali
“Epidemiologically, exposure to particulate air pollution is associated with increases in morbidity and mortality, and diabetics are especially vulnerable to effects of particles. This study was carried out to determine
the respiratory effect of diesel exhaust particles (DEP; 0.4mg/kg) on mice rendered diabetic by the injection
of streptozotocin or vehicle (control). Four weeks following induction of diabetes, the animals were intratracheally instilled (i.t.) with DEP (0.4mg/kg) or saline. 24h later, the measurement of airway reactivity to methacholine in vivo by a forced oscillation technique showed a significant and dose-dependent increase in airway
resistance in non-diabetic mice exposed to DEP versus non-diabetic mice exposed to saline. Similarly, the
airway resistance was significantly increased in diabetic mice exposed to DEP versus diabetic mice exposed
to saline. Nevertheless, there was no difference in the airway resistance between diabetic and non-diabetic
mice after i.t. administration of DEP. Following DEP administration there were neutrophil polymorphs infiltration of pulmonary interalveolar septae and the alveolar spaces with many macrophages containing DEP
in both diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Interestingly, apoptotic cells were only found in the examined lung
sections from diabetic mice exposed to DEP. Total proteins and albumin concentrations in bronchoalveolar
lavage (BAL) fluid, markers for increase of epithelial permeability, were significantly increased in diabetic
mice exposed to DEP compared to saline-treated diabetic and DEP-treated non diabetic mice. Superoxide
dismutase activity and reduced glutathione concentration in BAL were significantly decreased in diabetic
mice exposed to DEP compared to saline-treated diabetic and DEP-treated non diabetic mice. Moreover,
tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) concentrations were significantly increased in diabetic mice exposed to DEP
compared to saline-treated diabetic and DEP-treated non diabetic mice. We conclude that, at the dose and
time point investigated, DEP equally increased airway resistance and caused infiltration of inflammatory cells
in the lung of both diabetic and non-diabetic mice. However, the occurrence of oxidative stress, the presence
lung apoptotic cells and the increase of total proteins, albumin and TNFα in BAL fluid were only seen in
DEP-exposed diabetic mice suggesting an increased respiratory susceptibility to particulate air pollution.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
301
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Cardiovascular effects of nose-only water-pipe smoking exposure in mice.
Journal Title
American journal of Physiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
305/5/H 740-H 746
Key Words
Heart; Inflammation; Nose-only exposure; Oxidative stress; Thrombosis; Water-pipe smoking
Authors
Abderrahim Nemmar, Priya Yuvaraju, Sumaya Beegam, Annie John, Haider Raza,
and Badreldin H. Ali
“Water-pipe smoking (WPS) is a major type of smoking in Middle Eastern countries and is increasing in
popularity in Western countries and is perceived as relatively safe. However, data on the adverse cardiovascular
effects of WPS are scarce. Here, we assessed the cardiovascular effects of nose-only exposure to mainstream
WPS generated by commercially available honey-flavored “moasel” tobacco in BALB/c mice. The duration
of the session was 30 min/day for 1 mo. Control mice were exposed to air. WPS caused a significant increase
of systolic blood pressure (SBP) in vivo (+13 mmHg) and plasma concentrations of IL-6 (+30%) but not that
of TNF-α. Heart concentrations of IL-6 (+184%) and TNF-α (+54%) were significantly increased by WPS.
Concentrations of ROS (+95%) and lipid peroxidation (+27%) were significantly increased, whereas those
of GSH were decreased (-21%). WPS significantly shortened the thrombotic occlusion time in pial arterioles
(-46%) and venules (40%). Plasma von Willebrand factor concentrations were significantly increased (+14%)
by WPS. Erythrocyte numbers (+15%) and hematocrit (+17%) were significantly increased. Blood samples
taken from mice exposed to WPS and exposed to ADP showed significant platelet aggregation compared
with air-exposed mice. WPS caused a significant shortening of activated partial thromboplastin time (-45%)
and prothrombin time (-13%). We conclude that 1-mo nose-only exposure to WPS increased SBP and caused
cardiac inflammation, oxidative stress, and prothrombotic events. Our findings provide plausible elucidation
that WPS is injurious to the cardiovascular system.”
302
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Nose-only water-pipe smoking effects on airway resistance, inflammation, and
oxidative stress in mice.
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Physiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
115/9/1316-1323
Key Words
Airway resistance; Inflammation; Nose-only exposure; Oxidative stress; Water-pipe
smoking
Authors
Abderrahim Nemmar, Haider Raza, Priya Yuvaraju, Sumaya Beegam, Annie John,
Javed Yasin, Rasheed S. Hameed, 3 Ernest Adeghate, and Badreldin H. Ali
“Water-pipe smoking (WPS) is a common practice in the Middle East and is now gaining popularity in Europe
and the United States. However, there is a limited number of studies on the respiratory effects of WPS. More
specifically, the underlying pulmonary pathophysiological mechanisms related to WPS exposure are not understood. Presently, we assessed the respiratory effects of nose-only exposure to mainstream WPS generated
by commercially available honey flavored “moasel” tobacco. The duration of the session was 30 min/day and
5 days/wk for 1 mo. Control mice were exposed to air only. Here, we measured in BALB/c mice the airway
resistance using forced-oscillation technique. Lung inflammation was assessed histopathologically and by
biochemical analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, and oxidative stress was evaluated biochemically
by measuring lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione and several antioxidant enzymes. Pulmonary inflammation assessment showed an increase in neutrophil and lymphocyte numbers. Likewise, airway resistance was
significantly increased in the WPS group compared with controls. Tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin
6 concentrations were significantly increased in BAL fluid. Lipid peroxidation in lung tissue was significantly increased whereas the level and activity of antioxidants including reduced glutathione, glutathione S
transferase, and superoxide dismutase were all significantly decreased following WPS exposure, indicating
the occurrence of oxidative stress. Moreover, carboxyhemoglobin levels were significantly increased in the
WPS group. We conclude that 1-mo nose-only exposure to WPS significantly increased airway resistance,
inflammation, and oxidative stress. Our results provide a mechanistic explanation for the limited clinical
studies that reported the detrimental respiratory effects of WPS.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
303
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Short-term systemic effects of nose-only cigarette smoke exposure in mice: role of
oxidative stress.
Journal Title
Cellular Physiology & Biochemistry.
Volume/Issue/Pages
31/1/15-24
Key Words
Cigarette smoke, Nose-only exposure, short-term exposure, Systolic blood pressure, Thrombosis, Liver enzymes, Oxidative stress
Authors
Abderrahim Nemmar, Haider Raza, Deepa Subramaniyan, Javed Yasin, Annie
John, Badreldin H. Ali, Elsadig E. Kazzam
“Background/Aims: Long–term cigarette smoking (CS) is a major risk factor for respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and is also known to adversely affect other organs. However, data on the systemic effects of
short-term CS exposure (STCSE) are scarce. Presently, using a nose-only exposure system, we evaluated the
systemic effects of STCSE in mice.
Methods: We assessed the effects of CS generated by 9 consecutive cigarettes per day for 4 days in a nose-only
exposure system on cardiovascular, hepatic and renal endpoints evaluated on day 5 in mice. Control mice
were exposed to air only.
Results: CS significantly increased systolic blood pressure and decreased total nitric oxide plasma concentration. Circulating platelets and erythrocyte numbers were also increased. However, STCSE did not significantly
increase thrombosis in pial arterioles and venules. STCSE significantly raised plasma alanine aminotransferase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase activities, but did not affect urea or creatinine concentrations.
Interestingly, while STCSE enhanced the production of reactive oxygen species in heart and kidney and lipid
peroxidation in heart, liver and kidneys, it also enhanced the antioxidant activity of superoxide dismutase,
probably indicating that STCSE causes adaptive reactions to counterbalance the potentially damaging action
of oxygen radicals induced by STCSE.
Conclusion: These results suggest that STCSE causes blood pressure increase, hepatotoxicity and oxidative
stress in the heart, liver and the kidneys. These data provide information on the initial steps leading to the
systemic effects of STCSE, a stage at which the diseases may likely be reversed.”
304
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Badreldin H. Ali
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
akthmali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Impact of experimental type 1 diabetes mellitus on systemic and coagulation vulnerability in mice acutely exposed to diesel exhaust particles.
Journal Title
Part Fibre Toxicol.
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/1/14-
Key Words
Air pollution, Diesel exhaust particles, Streptozotocin, Type 1 diabetes, Thrombosis, Platelet aggregation, Mice
Authors
Abderrahim Nemmar, Deepa Subramaniyan, Javed Yasin and Badreldin H Ali
“Background Epidemiological evidence indicates that diabetic patients have increased susceptibility to adverse cardiovascular outcomes related to acute increases in exposures to particulate air pollution. However,
mechanisms underlying these effects remain unclear.
Methods: To evaluate the possible mechanisms underlying these actions, we assessed the systemic effects of
diesel exhaust particles (DEP) in control mice, and mice with streptozotocin–induced type 1 diabetes. Four
weeks following induction of diabetes, the animals were intratracheally instilled (i.t.) with DEP (0.4 mg/kg)
or saline, and several cardiovascular endpoints were measured 24 h thereafter.
Results: DEP caused leukocytosis and a significant increase in plasma C-reactive protein and 8-isoprostane
concentrations in diabetic mice compared to diabetic mice exposed to saline or non-diabetic mice exposed to
DEP. The arterial PO2 as well as the number of platelets and the thrombotic occlusion time in pial arterioles
assessed in vivo were significantly decreased following the i.t. instillation of DEP in diabetic mice compared
to diabetic mice exposed to saline or non-diabetic mice exposed to DEP. Both alanine aminotransferase and
aspartate transaminase activities, as well as the plasma concentrations of plasminogen activator inhibitor
and von Willebrand factor were significantly increased in DEP-exposed diabetic mice compared to diabetic
mice exposed to saline or DEP-exposed non-diabetic mice. The in vitro addition of DEP (0.25-1 μg/ml) to
untreated mouse blood significantly and dose-dependently induced in vitro platelet aggregation, and these
effects were exacerbated in blood of diabetic mice.
Conclusion: This study has shown that systemic and coagulation events are aggravated by type 1 diabetes in
mice, acutely exposed to DEP and has described the possible mechanisms for these actions that may also be
relevant to the exacerbation of cardiovascular morbidity accompanying particulate air pollution in diabetic
patients”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
305
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Elias Said
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
esaid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Sustained hyperresponsiveness of dendritic cells is associated with spontaneous
resolution of acute hepatitis C
Journal Title
Journal of Virology
Volume/Issue/Pages
87/12/6769-6781
Authors
Sandy Pelletier, Nathalie Bédard, Elias Said, Petronela Ancuta, JulieBruneau, Nglaa
H. Shoukry
“Some studies have reported that dendritic cells (DCs) may be dysfunctional in a subset of patients with
chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. However, the function of DCs during acute HCV infection and
their role in determining infectious outcome remain elusive. Here, we examined the phenotype and function of myeloid DCs (mDCs) and plasmacytoid DCs (pDCs) during acute HCV infection. Three groups of
injection drug users (IDUs) at high risk of HCV infection were studied: an uninfected group, a group with
acute HCV infection with spontaneous resolution, and a group with acute infection with chronic evolution.
We examined the frequency, maturation status, and cytokine production capacity of DCs in response to the
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and TLR7/8 ligands lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and single-stranded RNA (ssRNA),
respectively. Several observations could distinguish HCV-negative IDUs and acute HCV resolvers from patients with acute infection with chronic evolution. First, we observed a decrease in the frequency of mature
CD86(+), programmed death-1 receptor ligand-positive (PDL1(+)), and PDL2(+) pDCs. This phenotype was
associated with the increased sensitivity of pDCs from resolvers and HCV-negative IDUs versus the group
with acute infection with chronic evolution to ssRNA stimulation in vitro. Second, LPS-stimulated mDCs
from resolvers and HCV-negative IDUs produced higher levels of cytokines than mDCs from the group with
acute infection with chronic evolution. Third, mDCs from all patients with acute HCV infection, irrespective
of their outcomes, produced higher levels of cytokines during the early acute phase in response to ssRNA
than mDCs from healthy controls. However, this hyperresponsiveness was sustained only in spontaneous
resolvers. Altogether, our results suggest that the immature pDC phenotype and sustained pDC and mDC
hyperresponsiveness are associated with spontaneous resolution of acute HCV infection.”
306
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Fahad AL Zadjali
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
fahadz@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Association of adiponectin promoter variants with traits and clusters of metabolic
syndrome in Arabs: family-based study.
Journal Title
Gene
Volume/Issue/Pages
527/2/663-9
Key Words
ADIPOQ; Pedigree; Obesity; Measured genotype analysis
Authors
F. Zadjali, S. AL-Yahyaee, M.O. Hassan, S. Albarwani, R.A. Bayoumi
“Plasma levels of adiponectin are decreased in type 2 diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Our aim was to use
a family-based analysis to identify the genetic variants of the adiponectin (ADIPOQ) gene that are associated
with obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and hypertension, among Arabs. We screened 328 Arabs in one
large extended family for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter region of the ADIPOQ
gene. Two common SNPs were detected: rs17300539 and rs266729. Evidences of association between traits
related to the metabolic syndrome and the SNPs were studied by implementing quantitative genetic association
analysis. Results showed that SNP rs266729 was significantly associated with body weight (p-value = 0.001),
waist circumference (p-value = 0.037), BMI (p-value = 0.015) and percentage of total body fat (p-value =
0.003). Up to 4.1% of heritability of obesity traits was explained by the rs266729 locus. Further cross-sectional analysis showed that carriers of the G allele had significantly higher values of waist circumference, BMI
and percentage of total body fat (p-values 0.014, 0.004 and 0.032, respectively). No association was detected
between SNP rs266729 and other clusters of metabolic syndrome or their traits except for HOMA-IR and
fasting plasma insulin levels, p-values 0.035 and 0.004, respectively. In contrast both measured genotype and
cross-sectional analysis failed to detect an association between the SNP rs17300539 with traits and clusters
of metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, we showed family-based evidence of association of SNP rs266729 at
ADIPOQ gene with traits defining obesity in Arab population. This is important for future prediction and
prevention of obesity in population where obesity is in an increasing trend.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
307
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Hamza Babiker
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
hbabiker@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum and distribution of drug resistance
haplotypes in Yemen
Journal Title
Malaria Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/12(1)/244
Key Words
Malaria, Yemen, Arabian Peninsula, Drug resistance, Plasmodium falciparum,
Genetic diversity
Authors
Salama Al-Hamidhi, Mohammed AK Mahdy, Zainab Al-Hashami, Hissa Al-Farsi,
Abdulsalam M Al-mekhlafi, Mohamed A Idris, Albano Beja-Pereira and Hamza A
Babiker
“Background: Despite evident success of malaria control in many sites in the Arabian Peninsula, malaria
remains endemic in a few spots, in Yemen and south-west of Saudi Arabia. In addition to local transmission,
imported malaria sustains an extra source of parasites that can challenge the strengths of local control strategies. This study examined the genetic diversity of Plasmodium falciparum in Yemen and mutations of drug
resistant genes, to elucidate parasite structure and distribution of drug resistance genotypes in the region.
Methods: Five polymorphic loci (MSP-2, Pfg377 and three microsatellites on chromosome 8) not involved in
anti-malarial drug resistance, and four drug resistant genes (pfcrt, pfmdr1, dhfr and dhps) were genotyped
in 108 P. falciparum isolates collected in three sites in Yemen: Dhamar, Hodeidah and Taiz.
Results: High diversity was seen in non-drug genes, pfg377 (He = 0.66), msp-2 (He = 0.80) and three microsatellites on chr 8, 7.7 kb (He = 0.88), 4.3 kb (He = 0.77) and 0.8 kb (He = 0.71). There was a high level of
mixed-genotype infections (57%), with an average 1.8 genotypes per patient. No linkage disequilibrium was
seen between drug resistant genes and the non-drug markers (p < 0.05). Genetic differentiation between
populations was low (most pair-wise FST values <0.03), indicating extensive gene flow between the parasites
in the three sites. There was a high prevalence of mutations in pfmdr1, pfcrt and dhfr; with four mutant
pfmdr1 genotypes (NFCDD[57%], NFSND[21%], YFCDD[13%] and YFSND[8% ]), two mutant pfcrt genotypes (CVIET[89%] and SVMNT[4%]) and one mutant dhfr genotype (ICNI[53.7%]). However, no dhps
mutations were detected.
Conclusion: The high diversity of P. falciparum in Yemen is indicative of a large parasite reservoir, which
represents a challenge to control efforts. The presence of two distinct pfcrt genotype, CVIET and SVMNT,
suggests that chloroquine resistance can possibly be related to a migratory path from Africa and Asia. The
absence of the triple mutant dhfr genotype (IRN) and dhps mutations supports the use of artesunate + sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine as first-line therapy. However, the prevalent pfmdr1 genotype NFSND [21%] has
previously been associated with tolerance/resistance response to artemisinin combination therapy (ACT).
Regular surveys are, therefore, important to monitor spread of pfmdr1 and dhfr mutations and response to
ACT.”
308
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hamza Babiker
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
Hbabiker@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The role of asymptomatic P. falciparum parasitaemia in the evolution of antimalarial drug resistance in areas of seasonal transmission
Journal Title
Drug Resist Updat
Volume/Issue/Pages
16/1-2/1-9
Key Words
Asymptomatic malaria Drug resistance Plasmodium falciparum Evolutionary Seasonal transmission Fitness cost
Authors
Hamza A. Babiker, Amal A.H. Gadalla, Lisa C. Ranford-Cartwright
“In areas with seasonal transmission, proper management of acute malaria cases that arise in the transmission
season can markedly reduce the disease burden. However, asymptomatic carriage of Plasmodium falciparum
sustains a long-lasting reservoir in the transmission-free dry season that seeds cyclical malaria outbreaks.
Clinical trials targeting asymptomatic parasitaemia in the dry season failed to interrupt the malaria epidemics that follow annual rains. These asymptomatic infections tend to c+F288arry multipleclones, capable of
producing gametocytes and infecting Anopheles mosquitoes. Different clones within an infection fluctuate
consistently, indicative of interaction between clones during the long course of asymptomatic carriage. However, the therapy-free environment that prevails in the dry season disadvantages the drug resistant lineages
and favors the wild-type parasites. This review highlights some biological and epidemiological characteristics
of asymptomatic parasitaemia and calls for consideration of polices to diminish parasite exposure to drugs
“therapy-free” and allow natural selection to curb drug resistance in the above setting.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
309
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
azakwani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Cardiovascular risk assessment in diabetes mellitus: Comparison of the general
Framingham risk profile versus the World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension risk prediction charts in Arabs--clinical implications
Journal Title
Angiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
64/5/336-42
Key Words
Oman, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, general Framingham risk profile,
World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension risk prediction chart
Authors
Jawad A. Al-Lawati, Mohammed N. Barakat, Najla A. Al-Lawati, Masoud Y.
Al-Maskari, Medhat K. Elsayed, Dimitri P. Mikhailidis and Ibrahim S. Al-Zakwani
“We estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and its clinical implications among 1 110
Omani patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) using 2 different CVD risk tools: the general Framingham
risk profile (GFRP) and the joint World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/
ISH) risk prediction charts. The GFRP tool identified higher proportion of patients compared with jointWHO/
ISHtool at 10-yearCVDrisk 10%to<20%and at20%to <30%.AtCVDrisk 30%, both assessment tools identified
similar proportions of patients (22% vs 24%; P¼.120). Compared with WHO/ISH charts, the GFRP identified
almost double the number ofmen eligible for aspirin treatment atCVDrisk thresholds of 10% (86% vs 43%).
In women, the proportions were, 66% and 45%, respectively. For statins, the figures were, 60% and 37%, for
men and 28% and 36%, for women. In conclusion, the GFRP overestimates the number of patients eligible
for primary prevention of CVD compared with the jointWHO/ISH method.”
310
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
azakwani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Lymphocyte subsets: reference ranges in an age- and gender-balanced population
of Omani healthy adults
Journal Title
Cytometry A
Volume/Issue/Pages
83/8/739-744
Key Words
Lymphocyte subsets; flow cytometry; reference ranges; Oman; CD31CD41; CD31CD81
Authors
Adhra Al-Mawali, Avinash Daniel Pinto, Raiya Al Busaidi, Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
“Country-specific reference ranges for adult peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets have been established in
a few countries around the world; however, there have been no specific comprehensive studies in the Gulf
Cooperation Council (GCC) and Middle East, which investigated age and gender-specific reference ranges.
Demographic and environmental factors may contribute to variations in these subsets around the world, and
thus there is a great necessity for each country to establish its own reference ranges. Hence, the aim of this
study is to establish lymphocyte subsets reference ranges for Omani healthy adults. Total, age, and gender-specific reference ranges were established using four-color flow cytometry analysis with an extensive panel of
monoclonal antibodies in 50 healthy adult males and females aged between 18 and 57. Reference values were
expressed as median and 95% confidence intervals for T cells—CD31: 76.5 (57–89), CD41: 45 (31–58), CD51:
75 (58–85), CD71: 80 (70–89), CD81: 29.5 (19–43); B cells—CD101: 1 (1–3), CD191: 14 (6–23), CD201: 14
(6–23), and NK cells—CD161: 9 (3–22), CD561: 13 (5–24), CD32/(CD161/CD561): 7 (3–20). In comparison
with other published studies, the lymphocyte subsets reference ranges in healthy Omani adults were similar
to those reported in the rest of the world. These observations have important clinical implications in lymphocyte subset analysis in Oman, especially in the management of immunological disorders. The reference
ranges established by this study can be adopted as a reference for clinical practice decisions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
311
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Ibrahim Idris Suliman
Department
Radiology & Molecular Imaging
Contact
isuliman@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Radiation Measurements for optimisations of chest X-ray examinations of children
in general radiography hospitals
Journal Title
Radiation Protection Dosimetry
Volume/Issue/Pages
156/3/310–314
Authors
Ibrahim I. Suliman, and Sahar O. Elawed
“This study was performed to measure the entrance surface air kerma (ESAK) for optimisation of chest X-ray
examination of children in general radiography hospitals in Khartoum. ESAK was estimated using the X-ray
tube output exposure and patient-specific exposure parameters collected during routine examinations. The
estimated ESAK values per radiography ranged from 17 to 89 mGy, 32 to 161, 67 to 242, 77 to 278; and from
95 to 389 mGy for Newborn, 1, 5, 10 and 15 y children, respectively. Doses are comparable with a previous
study and are somewhat higher than the UK reference dose levels. The study demonstrated the necessity to
follow guidelines for quality radiograph as a key element in the optimisation of X-ray examination of children. Frequent dose measurements are of particular importance for the optimisation of X-ray examination
of children in general radiography hospitals.”
312
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Jayakrishnan Balakrishnan Nair
Department
Medicine
Contact
jayakrsh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Is clinical judgment of asthma control adequate? A prospective survey in a tertiary
hospital pulmonary clinic
Journal Title
SQU Med Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/63-68
Key Words
Asthma control; Asthma management; Physicians; Treatment; Oman.
Authors
Sawsan Baddar, Jayakrishnan B., Omar Al-Rawas, Jojy George, Khalfan Al-Zeedy
“Objectives: Asthma control is often difficult to measure. The aim of this study was to compare physicians’
personal clinical assessments of asthma control with the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA) scoring.
Methods: Physicians in the adult pulmonary clinics of a tertiary hospital in Oman first documented their
subjective judgment of asthma control on 157 consecutive patients. Immediately after that and in the same
proforma, they selected the individual components from the GINA asthma control table as applicable to
each patient.
Results: The same classification of asthma control was achieved by physicians’ clinical judgment and GINA
classification in 106 cases (67.5%). In the other 32.5% (n = 51), the degree of control by clinical judgment
was one level higher than the GINA classification. The agreement was higher for the pulmonologists (72%) as
compared to non-pulmonologists (47%; P = 0.009). Physicians classified 76 patients (48.4%) as well-controlled
by clinical judgment compared to 48 (30.6%) using GINA criteria (P <0.001). Conversely, they classified 34
patients (21.7%) as uncontrolled as compared to 57 (36.3%) by GINA criteria (P <0.001). In the 28 patients
who were clinically judged as well-controlled but, by GINA criteria, were only partially controlled, low peak
expiratory flow rate (PEFR) (46.7%) and limitation of activity (21.4%) were the most frequent parameters
for downgrading the level of control.
Conclusion: Using clinical judgment, physicians overestimated the level of asthma control and underestimated
the uncontrolled disease. Since management decisions are based on the perceived level of control, this could
potentially lead to under-treatment and therefore sub-optimal asthma control.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
313
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Jayakrishnan Balakrishnan Nair
Department
Medicine
Contact
jayakrsh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Severe pulmonary involvement in leptospirosis: Alternate antibiotics and systemic
steroids.
Journal Title
SQU Med Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/2/318-322
Key Words
Leptospirosis; Human ARDS; Steroids; Case report; Oman.
Authors
Jayakrishnan B, Fatma Ben Abid, Abdullah Balkhair, Juma K. Alkaabi, Omar A. AlRawas, Jojy George, Khalfan Al-Zeedy
“Pulmonary complications in leptospirosis, though common, are often unrecognized in a non-endemic area.
We report here a patient with leptospirosis and severe pulmonary involvement who was treated with meropenem (1 g every 8 hours), moxifloxacin (400 mg once daily), and high doses of corticosteroids. Systemic
steroids were continued for 3 months because of persistent pulmonary lesions.”
314
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Jumana Saleh
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
jumana@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Two-hour postload serum glucose levels and maternal blood pressure as independent predictors of birth weight in appropriate for gestational age neonates in healthy
nondiabetic pregnancies
Journal Title
BioMed Research International (Previously Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology)
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/Article ID 757459/7
Key Words
Diabetes-mellitus; fetal-growth; carbohydrate intolerance; childhood obesity; newborn weight; women; tolerance; triglyceride; metabolism; outcomes
Authors
Jumana Saleh, Lovina Machado, and Zahra Razvi
“Introduction: Increased neonatal birth weight (NBW), often associated with diabetic pregnancies, is a recognized indicator of childhood obesity and future metabolic risk. Predictors of NBW in healthy non-diabetic
pregnancies are not yet established. Here, we investigated the association of maternal parameters of healthy
non-diabetic mothers with NBW of their “appropriate-for-gestational age” neonates.
Methods: The study involved 36 healthy mother/infant pairs. Examined parameters included NBW, maternal
age, first and last trimester (BMI), weight gain, fasting serum lipids and glucose, 2-hour postload glucose
levels and blood pressure.
Results: Postload-glucose levels were significantly higher in mothers of heavier neonates. ANOVA results
indicated that 15% increase in postload-glucose levels corresponded to more than 0.5 Kg increase in NBW
in the third tertile. NBW correlated positively with postload glucose levels, and negatively with systolic
blood pressure. Regression analysis showed that the main predictors of NBW were postload-glucose levels
(B = 0.455, P = 0.003), followed by systolic blood pressure (B = -0.447, P = 0.004), together predicting 31.7%
NBW variation.
Conclusion: This study highlights that increased maternal postload sugar levels and blood pressure, within the
normal range, highly predicts NBW of healthy mothers. These findings may provide focus for early dietary
intervention measures to avoid future risks to the mother and baby.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
315
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Jumana Saleh
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
jumana@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Plasma gamma-glutamyltransferase is strongly determined by acylation stimulating protein levels independent of insulin resistance in patients with acute coronary
syndrome
Journal Title
Disease Markers
Volume/Issue/Pages
35 (2013)/3/155-161
Key Words
Fatty liver-disease; human adipose-tissue; beta-cell function; metabolic syndrome;
cardiovascular-disease; risk; adults; enzymes; heart; NAFLD
Authors
Jumana Saleh, Hatem Farhan, Ibtisam Al-Saqri, Bashair Al-Riyami, 1 and Katherine Cianflone
“Background: Steatosis is a manifestation of the metabolic syndrome often associated with release of liver
enzymes and inflammatory adipocytokines linked to cardiovascular risk. Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT)
is one sensitive liver marker recently identified as an independent cardiovascular risk factor. Mechanisms
involved in enhanced hepatic lipogenesis causing steatosis are not yet identified and are usually linked to
insulin resistance (IR). Acylation stimulating protein (ASP), a potent lipogenic factor, was recently shown to
increase in patients with steatosis and was implicated in its pathogenesis. Aim. To investigate the association
of plasma ASP levels with liver and metabolic risk markers in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.
Methods: 28 patients and 30 healthy controls were recruited. Their anthropometrics, lipid profile, liver markers, insulin, and ASP levels were measured.
Results: In the patients, ASP, liver, and metabolic risk markers were markedly higher than in the controls.
ASP strongly predicted GGT levels (B = 0.75, P < 0.0001), followed by triglycerides (B = 0.403, P = 0.017),
together determining 57.6% variation in GGT levels. Insulin and IR correlated with metabolic risk components but not with liver enzymes.
Conclusion: The strong association of ASP with GGT in ACS patients suggests that ASP, independent of IR,
may contribute to a vicious cycle of hepatic lipogenic stimulation and GGT release promoting atherogenesis.”
316
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ken Masters
Department
Medical Education Unit
Contact
kmasters@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Edgar Dales Pyramid of Learning in medical education: A literature review
Journal Title
Medical Teacher
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/11/e1584–e1593
Authors
Masters, K.
“Background: Edgar Dale’s Pyramid of Learning and percentages of retained learning are cited in educational
literature in a range of disciplines. The sources of the Pyramid, however, are misleading.
Aims: To examine the evidence supporting the Pyramid and the extent to which it is cited in medical education literature.
Methods: A review of literature (1946–2012) based on a search utilising Academic Search Complete, CINAHL,
Medline and Google Scholar conducted from September to November 2012.
Results: A total of 43 peer-reviewed medical education journal articles and conference papers were found.
While some researchers had been misled by their sources, other authors’ interpretations of the citations did
not align with the content of those citations, had no such citations, had circular references, or consulted
questionable sources. There was no agreement on the percentages of learning retention, in spite of many
researchers’ citing primary texts.
Discussion and conclusion: The inappropriate citing of the Pyramid and its associated percentages in medical
education literature is widespread and continuous. This citing undermines much of the published work, and
impacts on research-based medical education literature. While the area of learning/teaching strategies and
amount of retention from each is an area for future research, any reference to the Pyramid should be avoided.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
317
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Khalid Al Balushi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
mme51@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Antimicrobial agent prescription patterns for chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in patients with hematological malignancies at Sultan Qaboos University
Hospital, Oman
Journal Title
Journal of Infection and Public health
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/3/216-221
Key Words
Neutropenia; Fever; Malignancy; Chemotherapy; Antimicrobials
Authors
K.A. Al Balushi, * A. Balkhair, B.H. Ali, N. Al Rawas
“Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the antimicrobial prescription patterns of patients with
hematological malignancies who developed febrile neutropenia (FN) at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
(SQUH) in Oman.
Methods: This was a retrospective observational study covering a period of 3 years (January 2007—February
2010). FN episodes were studied in patients with hematological malignancies in three different wards at SQUH.
Results: A total of 176 FN episodes were analysed. Overall, 64% of the 107 patients studied experienced at
least 2 episodes during the analysis period. Approximately, 69% of the febrile neutropenia episodes had severe
neutropenia. The duration of neutropenia was less than 1 week in the majority of the episodes (57%). The
mean duration of treatment was approximately 7 days, with no significant difference between specialties or
different types of malignancies. Only 34 (19%) episodes had positive cultures, and most of these were from
blood samples (30 episodes, 88%). The majority of isolates were gram-negative organisms (63%). The initial
empirical treatment included monotherapy (37%), dual therapy (60%) and triple therapy (3%).
Conclusions: This study demonstrates that there is a large variation in the antimicrobial treatment of FN
episodes in patients with hematological malignancies at SQUH. All chosen drugs were within international
guideline recommendations.”
318
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Khalid Al Balushi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
mme51@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Comparative efficacy of irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide and valsartan/hydrochlorothiazide combination in lowering blood pressure: a retrospective observational
study in Oman.
Journal Title
Medical Principles and Practice
Volume/Issue/Pages
22/3/265-269
Key Words
Irbesartan Valsartan Hypertension Diabetes mellitus Nephropathy
Authors
K.A. Al Balushi, J.Q. Habib, I. Al-Zakwani
“Objective: To compare blood pressure (BP) control in patients receiving irbesartan/hydrochlorothiazide
(HCTZ) and valsartan/HCTZ at a tertiary care university hospital in Oman.
Subjects and Methods: This was a retrospective observational study, where 232 patients’ medical records were
reviewed during a 3-month period, July to September 2010, at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman.
BP readings of the previous 6 months were also retrieved from the electronic medical records. Analyses were
conducted using univariate statistical techniques.
Results: The mean age of the cohort was 58 8 11 years (range: 21–88). Sixty-nine (30%) patients were on the
irbesartan/HCTZ combination (150/12.5 mg) and 163 (70%) were on the valsartan/HCTZ combination. The
patients on the valsartan/HCTZ combination were divided into two subgroups: 117 (72%) received 160/12.5
mg and 46 (28%) 80/12.5 mg. Diabetic patients (43/69, 62%, vs. 61/163, 37%, p ! 0.001) and those with diabetic nephropathy (8/69, 12%, vs. 7/163, 4%, p = 0.039) were prescribed more often irbesartan/HCTZ than
valsartan/HCTZ. In comparison to the valsartan/HCTZ cohort, the irbesartan/HCTZ group was associated
with significant reductions in both systolic BP (SBP; –9 vs. –2 mm Hg; p = 0.021) and diastolic BP (DBP; –5
vs. 0 mm Hg; p = 0.022). BP reductions were noted more in diabetics than nondiabetics with the irbesartan/
HCTZ patients associated with significant reductions in both SBP (–12 vs. 5.1 mm Hg; p ! 0.001) and DBP
(–6.4 vs. 1.9 mm Hg; p = 0.001).
Conclusions: The irbesartan/HCTZ combination was associated with significant reductions in both SBP and
DBP when compared with the valsartan/HCTZ combination. Specifically, the reductions were noted more
in diabetics than nondiabetics.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
319
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Khalid Said Salim Al-Thihli
Department
Genetics
Contact
althihli@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Drug treatment of inborn errors of metabolism: A systematic review
Journal Title
Arch Dis Child
Volume/Issue/Pages
98/6/454-461
Key Words
IEM; Inborn errors of metabolism; dosage; evidence based medicine; treatment
Authors
Majid Alfadhel, Khalid Al-Thihli, Hiba Moubayed, Wafaa Eyaid, Majed Al-Jeraisy
“Background: The treatment of inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) has seen significant advances over the
last decade. Many medicines have been developed and the survival rates of some patients with IEM have
improved. Dosages of drugs used for the treatment of various IEM can be obtained from a range of sources
but tend to vary among these sources. Moreover, the published dosages are not usually supported by the level
of existing evidence, and they are commonly based on personal experience.
Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify key material published in English in relation to the
dosages of medicines used for specific IEM. Textbooks, peer reviewed articles, papers and other journal items
were identified. The PubMed and Embase databases were searched for material published since 1947 and
1974, respectively. The medications found and their respective dosages were graded according to their level
of evidence, using the grading system of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.
Results: 83 medicines used in various IEM were identified. The dosages of 17 medications (21%) had grade
1 level of evidence, 61 (74%) had grade 4, two medications were in level 2 and 3 respectively, and three had
grade 5.
Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to address this matter and the authors
hope that it will serve as a quickly accessible reference for medications used in this important clinical field.”
320
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed A. El-Naggari
Department
Child Health
Contact
mnaggari@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Intravenous immunoglobulin in the treatment of vancomycin-induced toxic epidermal necrolysis
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Med J
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/132-136
Key Words
Intravenous immunoglobulins; Toxic epidermal necrolysis; Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor; Stevens-Johnson syndrome; Case report; Oman.
Authors
Mohamed A. El-Naggari, Hashim Javad, Alexander P. Chacko, Anas A. Abdelmogheth
“Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), an uncommon but potentially life-threatening skin reaction, is frequently
induced by drugs. The mucocutaneous reaction is characterised by bullous detachment of the epidermis and
mucous membranes. We present a 9-month-old male with methylmalonic acidaemia, generalised hypotonia,
and global developmental delay. He presented with a 3-day history of fever, cough, shortness of breath, and
vomiting. Eruption appeared after 5 days of vancomycin treatment. The eruption involved almost 60% of the
total body surface area and both eyes. He was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG),
antibiotics, and appropriate wound management and made a full recovery with negligible sequelae despite
the severity of his disease. Important components of successful treatment include early recognition, intensive
care, prompt withdrawal of the causative agent, early administration of IVIG, appropriate fluid resuscitation,
and control of infection. IVIG might be beneficial in the treatment of TEN; however, controlled studies are
needed to evaluate IVIG compared to other modalities.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
321
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohamed A. El-Naggari
Department
Child Health
Contact
mnaggari@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Semilobar holoprosencephaly with neurogenic hypernatraemia
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Med J
Volume/Issue/Pages
12/3/E463-466
Key Words
Holoprosencephaly; Semilobar Holoprosencephaly; Hypernatremia, neurogenic;
Hypodipsia; Midline; Malformations; Case Report; Oman.
Authors
Hashim Javad, Saif Al-Yarubi, 1 Alexander P. Chacko1 Dilip Sankhla, Amna Al-Futasi, Anas A. Abdelmogheth, Mohamed El-Naggari
“Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is a developmental defect of the embryonic forebrain and midface. It is due to the
non-cleavage of the embryonic forebrain into two cerebral hemispheres and the incomplete development of
the paramedian structures. The overall prevalence is 1.31 per 10, 000 births. The aetiology could be genetic,
environmental, or both. HPE is classified into alobar, semilobar, and lobar subtypes based on the degree of
separation of the cerebral hemispheres. We report two new cases of semilobar HPE with neurogenic hypernatraemia. Lack of thirst and hypodypsia associated with chronic hypernatraemia in patients with HPE
is highly suggestive of neurogenic hypernatraemia. Early identification of neurogenic hypernatraemia is
important as it improves with forced fluid therapy and does not require any medication.”
322
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammed A l Za’abi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
zaabi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Fast HPLC analysis of adenine in human plasma using a new generation C28 column and different extraction methods
Journal Title
Analytical Methods
Volume/Issue/Pages
5/6/1487-1493
Key Words
Concentration ranges; Extraction method; Extraction recovery; Fast HPLC; HPLC
method; Human plasmas; Isocratic elution; Limits of detection; Mobile phase; Plasma samples; Retention factors; Solid phase cartridges
Authors
Mohammed Al Za’abi, Badreldin H. Ali, Afzal Hussain and Imran Ali
“A fast, simple, inexpensive, selective, rugged and reproducible HPLC method based on the use of a new
generation Sunniest RP-Aqua C28 column is described for the analysis of adenine in plasma. Three methods
for the extraction of adenine from human plasma i.e. by acetone, acetonitrile and solid phase cartridges are
reported. The separation was performed via isocratic elution of adenine using water-acetonitrile (90:10, v/v)
as mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 and with detection at 260 nm. The values of retention factor
in standard and plasma samples were 2.53 and 2.60, respectively. The method was validated and found to
be linear at a concentration range of 5-1000 μg mL-1. The limits of detection and quantification were lower
than 0.3 and 0.91 μg mL-1, respectively. The intra- and inter-day precisions (% RSD) were less than 9%. The
accuracy values were between 99.8 and 107.4%. The extraction recoveries ranged from 95-80%.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
323
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohammed A l Za’abi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
zaabi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Utilization pattern of vancomycin in a university teaching hospital in Oman: Comparison with international guidelines
Journal Title
Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
12/1/117-121
Key Words
Drug utilization; infection; therapeutic drug monitoring; vancomycin
Authors
Mohammed Al Za’abi, Samreen Shafiq, Dawood Al Riyami and Badreldin H Ali.
“Purpose: To assess the prescribing and utilization pattern of vancomycin in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Oman.
Methods: A retrospective study that included in-patients at SQUH who had used vancomycin from January
1 2009 to December 31 2009 was conducted to determine the utilization patterns of the drug vis a vis to the
Hospital Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee (HICPAC) guidelines and the North American
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Consensus (NATDMC) recommendations. Information regarding patient
characteristics and vancomycin therapy were obtained from patients’ medical records. Statistical analyses
were performed using descriptive statistics.
Results: Out of 478 prescriptions for 365 patients, 79.1 % were considered inappropriate, based on HICPAC
guidelines. This was mainly due to the continuous use of vancomycin following negative microbiological
cultures for β-lactam-resistant Gram-positive microorganisms. Vancomycin was prescribed mostly for treatment of sepsis (27.1 %), followed by prophylaxis against various clinical conditions (20.8 %). Therapeutic
drug monitoring (TDM) practices at SQUH did not comply with NATDMC recommendations on the use
of trough concentration in the specified range as a guide for monitoring of therapy.
Conclusion: Irrational use of vancomycin was recorded in this study. The need for a restrictive policy and a
revision of the current TDM in the setting are recommended.”
324
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammed A l Za’abi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
zaabi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Utilization patterns of antiepileptic drugs among adult epileptic patients at a tertiary hospital in Oman.
Journal Title
International Journal of Pharmacy Practice
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/2/117-122
Key Words
Antiepileptic drugs; epilepsy; therapeutic drug monitoring; utilization pattern
Authors
Mohammed Al Za’abi, Rowayda Ahmed, Abdullah Al Asmi and Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
“Objectives: To describe utilization patterns of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) among adult epileptic patients at
a tertiary hospital in Oman.
Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from January 2006 to December 2009. The study included all
adult (>18 years) epileptic patients on AEDs and followed up at a neurology clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in Oman. All reported therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) requests for serum AED concentrations were also collected. Institutional ethical approval was sought and obtained. Key findings The study
included a total of 372 patients with a mean age of 34 ± 15 years. Monotherapy AEDs accounted for 53% of
the prescriptions, whereas polytherapy with two or three AED combinations accounted for 27% and 20%
respectively. The most frequently prescribed AED was sodium valproate (27%) followed by carbamazepine
(23%). The commonly prescribed AED combinations were sodium valproate with clonazepam (12%) followed
by sodium valproate with lamotrigine (12%). Evaluation of 574 TDM requests for three AEDs showed that
57% of carbamazepine, 78% of phenytoin and 54% of valproic acid requests were either above or below the
recommended therapeutic threshold. Most of these requests were ordered from the hospital’s emergency
department for suspected insufficient serum concentrations.
Conclusions: Antiepileptic drug monotherapy is still the most frequently employed therapeutic strategy in
adult patients with epilepsy in keeping with the standard therapeutic guidelines. Sodium valproate is commonly used for different types of seizures reflecting its wide spectrum of anticonvulsant potential. Newer
AED utilizations are becoming increasingly popular in our subjects particularly as add-on with other standard
AEDs.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
325
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohammed A l Za’abi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
zaabi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
HPLC-fluorescence method for measurement of the uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate in
plasma.
Journal Title
Journal of Chromatographic Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
51/1/40-43
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: 4 hydroxybenzoic acid ester; acetic acid; acetonitrile; acetonitrile derivative; indican; methyl paraben
Authors
Mohammed Al Za’abi, Badreldin Ali and Mohammed Al Toubi
“A sensitive and reproducible high-performance liquid chromatography- fluorescence method was developed
and validated for quantitative determination of indoxyl sulfate in plasma using methyl paraben as an internal standard. The separation was carried out on an OSD-2 C18 Spherisorb column by isocratic elusion with
sodium acetate buffer (pH 4.5) and acetonitrile (10:90, v/v) as the mobile phase. The method was validated
and found to be linear in the range of 2.5 to 50 μM. The limit of quantification was 2.0 μM. The variations
for intra-day and inter-day precision were less than 10.1%, and the accuracy values were between 93.4 and
102.5%. The extraction recoveries were more than 89%.”
326
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammed A l Za’abi
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
zaabi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Analyses of anticancer drugs by capillary electrophoresis: a review
Journal Title
Biomedical Chromatography
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/10/1296-1311
Key Words
Anticancer drugs; Biological samples; Capillary electrophoresis; Future perspectives
Authors
Imran Alia, Ashanul Haque, Waseem A. Wani, Kishwar Saleem and Mohammed Al
Za’abi
“Capillary electrophoresis is a fast, inexpensive and low detection limit technique for the analysis of anticancer
drugs. It has been used to analyse various anticancer drugs in biological samples, pharmaceutical preparations
and environmental matrices. It has also been used to detect various cancer biomarkers in cancer patients. The
present article describes the state-of-the art of capillary electrophoresis for the analyses of anticancer drugs.
Various drugs discussed belong to several groups such as antimitotic agents, nucleoside analogs, antibiotics,
topoisomerase inhibitors and DNA intercalating agents. In addition, efforts have also been made to discuss
sample preparation, applications of capillary electrophoresis in genomic research, optimization and future
perspectives.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
327
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Mohammed Ali Al Shafaee
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
shafaee@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Diabetes self-management and education of people living with diabetes: A survey
in primary health care in Muscat, Oman
Journal Title
PLoS One
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/2/e57400
Key Words
Disease; prevalence; knowledge; mellitus; outcomes; illness
Authors
James A. Elliott, Nadia Noor Abdulhadi, Abdullah A. Al-Maniri, Mohammed A.
Al-Shafaee, Rolf Wahlstrom
“Background: Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Oman is high and rising, information on how
people were self-managing their disease has been lacking. The objective of this study was therefore to assess
diabetes self-management and education (DSME) among people living with type 2 diabetes in Oman.
Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted in public primary health care centres in Muscat. Diabetes
self-management and education was assessed by asking how patients recognized and responded to hypoand hyperglycaemia, and if they had developed strategies to maintain stable blood glucose levels. Patients’
demographic information, self-treatment behaviours, awareness of potential long-term complications, and
attitudes concerning diabetes management were also recorded. Associations between these factors and diabetes self-management and education were analysed.
Results: In total, 309 patients were surveyed. A quarter (26%, n = 83) were unaware how to recognize hypoglycaemia or respond to it (26%, n = 81). Around half (49%, n = 151), could not recognize hyperglycaemia
and more than half could not respond to it (60%, n = 184). Twelve percent (n = 37) of the patients did not
have any strategies to stabilize their blood glucose levels. Patients with formal education generally had more
diabetes self-management and education than those without (p<0.001), as had patients with longer durations
of diabetes (p<0.01). Self-monitoring of blood glucose was practiced by 38% (n = 117) of the patients, and
insulin was used by 22% (n = 67), of which about one third independently adjusted dosages. Patients were
most often aware of complications concerning loss of vision, renal failure and cardiac problems. Many patients
desired further health education.
Conclusions: Many patients displayed dangerous diabetes self-management and education knowledge gaps.
The findings suggest a need for improving knowledge transfer to people living with diabetes in the Omani
clinical setting.”
328
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammed Ali Al Shafaee
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
shafaee@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Doctors and nurses views on patient care for type2 diabetes: An interview study in
primary health care in Oman
Journal Title
Primary health care research & development
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/3/258-269
Key Words
EMTREE medical terms: adult; article; female; general practitioner; health personnel attitude; human; human relation; male; middle aged; non insulin dependent
diabetes mellitus; nursing staff; Oman; patient compliance; primary health care;
psychological aspect; qualitative research
MeSH: Adult; Attitude of Health Personnel; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female;
General Practitioners; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nursing Staff; Oman; Patient
Compliance; Primary Health Care; Professional-Patient Relations; Qualitative Research Medline is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.
Authors
Nadia M. Noor Abdulhadi, Mohammed Ali Al-Shafaee, Rolf Wahlstrom and Katarina Hjelm
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
“This study aimed at exploring the experiences of primary health-care providers of their encounters with
patients with type 2 diabetes, and their preferences and suggestions for future improvement of diabetes
care. Barriers to good diabetes care could be related to problems from health-care providers’ side, patients’
side or the health-care system of the country. Treatment of patients with type 2 diabetes has become a huge
challenge in Oman, where the prevalence has increased to high levels. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 health-care professionals, 19 doctors and seven nurses, who worked in primary health care
in Oman. Qualitative content analysis was applied. Findings Organizational barriers and barriers related to
patients and health-care providers were identified. These included workload and lack of teamwork approach.
Poor patients’ management adherence and influence of culture on their attitudes towards illness were identified. From the providers’ side, language barriers, providers’ frustration and aggressive attitudes towards the
patients were reflected. Decreasing the workload, availability of competent teams with diabetes specialist
nurses and continuity of care were suggested. Furthermore, changing professional behaviours towards a more
patient-centred approach and need for health education to the patients, especially on self-management, were
addressed. Appropriate training for health-care providers in communication skills with emphasis on self-care
education and individualization of care according to each patient’s needs are important for improvement of
diabetes care in Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
329
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Muna Ahmed Al Saadoon
Department
Child Health
Contact
munasa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Discharge against medical advice among childern in Oman
Journal Title
SQUM
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/534-538
Key Words
Children; Hospitals; Oman; Patient Discharge
Authors
Muna Ahmed Al Saadoon and Khalid Al-Shamousi
“Objectives: Discharge against medical advice (DAMA) is a major problem in healthcare delivery as it can
complicate the health problems from which patients are suffering. The aim of this study was to understand
DAMA among children in a tertiary teaching hospital in Oman and to evaluate the documentation of the
events in the medical records.
Methods: A retrospective survey of the medical records of patients discharged against medical advice over a
two-year interval was performed (2004-2006).
Results: Of the 11, 802 admissions, there were 38 cases of DAMA, giving a prevalence rate of 0.32%. In
39.5% of the cases, the discharge happened within 24 hours of hospital admission. The majority of the cases
were infants (n = 24; 63.25%). The diagnosis at discharge in some cases included life-threatening conditions.
However, in 57.9% of the cases, the reasons for DAMA were neither reported nor documented in the patients’
medical records.
Conclusion: Although the results of this study yielded a low prevalence rate compared to the rates reported
in other studies, the occurrence of DAMA for children in a tertiary hospital is a distressing phenomenon. It
was evident that the documentation of the DAMA process was poor. More studies should be conducted to
understand the details of the problem. Policies should be established and implemented in order to attempt
to reduce DAMA among child patients and to protect them from the consequences of such discharges.”
330
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mustafa Al Hinai
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
mus0031@hotmail.com
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Risky driving behaviour among university students and staff in the
Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Accident Analysis and Prevention
Volume/Issue/Pages
58/1/1-9
Key Words
Driving behaviour; Driving behaviour questionnaire; Errors; Oman; University
staff; University students; Violations
Authors
Hamed Al Reesi, Abdullah Al Maniri, *, Kai Plankermann, Mustafa Al Hinai, Samir
Al Adawi, Jeremy Davey, James Freeman
“Background: There is a well developed literature on research investigating the relationship between various
driving behaviors and road crash involvement. However, this research has predominantly been conducted
in developed economies dominated by western types of cultural environments. To date no research has been
published that has empirically investigated this relationship within the context of the emerging economies
such as Oman.
Objective: The present study aims to investigate driving behaviour as indexed in the driving behaviour questionnaire (DBQ) among a group of Omani university students and staff.
Methods: A convenience non-probability self-selection sampling approach was utilized with Omani university students and staff.
Results: A total of 1003 Omani students (n=632) and staff (n=371) participated in the survey. Factor analysis
of the BDQ revealed four main factors that were errors, speeding violation, lapses and aggressive violation.
In the multivariate logistic backward regression analysis, the following factors were identified as significant
predictors of being involved in causing at least one crash: driving experience, history of offenses and two
DBQ components, i.e., errors and aggressive violation.
Conclusion: This study indicates that errors and aggressive violation of the traffic regulations as well as history
of having traffic offenses are major risk factors for road traffic crashes among the sample. While previous
international research has demonstrated that speeding is a primary cause of crashing, in the current context,
the results indicate that an array of factors is associated with crashes. Further research using more rigorous
methodology is warranted to inform the development of road safety countermeasures in Oman that improves
overall Traffic Safety Culture.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
331
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Mustafa Al Hinai
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
mus0031@hotmail.com
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Effects of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on low birth
weight in Oman infants
Journal Title
SQUM
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/2/386-391
Key Words
Birth weight; Body mass index; Gestational age; Oman; Pregnancy
Authors
Al-Hinai, M., Al-Muqbali, M., Al-Moqbali, A., Gowri, V., Al-Maniri, A
“Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between pre-pregnancy maternal body mass
index (BMI), gestational weight gain and low birth weight (LBW) in babies born to a sample population of
Omani women.
Methods: A case-control study was carried out among deliveries registered between 1st May 2010 and 30th
April 2011 at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman. A case was defined as a woman who delivered a low birth weight baby (<2, 500 g); a control was a woman delivering a baby weighing between 2, 500
and 4, 000 g. A random selection of 150 cases and 300 controls was carried out using the hospital information
system. Maternal, prenatal, and delivery data were extracted from the mothers’ follow-up cards. Bivariate and
multivariate logistic regression analyses were executed to examine the association between pre-pregnancy
maternal BMI and LBW.
Results: The percentage of underweight mothers (BMI <18.5) was higher among the cases compared to the
controls (17.3% versus 6%; P <0.001). The proportion of mothers with less-than-recommended weight gain
was also higher among the cases compared to the controls (57.7% versus 33%; P <0.001). After adjustment
for potential confounders, infants of underweight mothers had more than twice the risk of LBW compared
to those of mothers with normal weight (odds ratio = 2.27; 95% confidence interval 1.09-4.71).
Conclusion: Underweight Omani women as well as women with less-than-recommended gestational weight
gain were at higher risk of delivering LBW babies. Maternal health promotion programmes should be directed
towards improving mothers’ nutrition before and during pregnancies.”
332
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Nasar Yousef Alwahaibi
Department
Pathology
Contact
nasar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Pattern of glomerular diseases in Oman: A study based on light microscopy and
immunofluorescence
Journal Title
Saudi J Kidney Dis Transpl
Volume/Issue/Pages
2/24/387-391
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: biological marker
Authors
Nasar Y Alwahaibi, Badria M Almahrooqi, Samirah A Alrawahi
“Light microscopy and immunofluorescence play an important part in the final diagnosis of renal biopsy.
The aim of this study was to analyse the pattern of various glomerular diseases in Oman. A total of 424 renal
biopsies were retrospectively analysed at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between 1999 and 2010. Focal
and segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), minimal change disease (MCD), membranous glomerulopathy
(MGN) and IgA nephropathy were the most common primary glomerular diseases encountered, accounting
for 21.2%, 17%, 12.3% and 8.3%, respectively, of all cases. Lupus nephritis was the most common secondary
glomerular disease and was the most prevalent among all biopsies, accounting for 30.4% of all biopsies.
Amyloidosis was seen in only two cases. The presence of fluorescein isothiocyanatefibrin in all renal cases
was low when compared with IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C1q markers. In conclusion, based on the findings of
this study, lupus nephritis was the most common of all glomerular diseases and FSGS was the most common
primary glomerular disease. The importance of fluorescein isothiocyanate-fibrin in the diagnosis of renal
biopsy needs to be further investigated.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
333
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Nasar Yousef Alwahaibi
Department
Pathology
Contact
nasar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The prevalence of helicobacter pylori and gastritis in Oman
Journal Title
J Dig Endosc
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/2/29-32
Key Words
Gastritis- Helicobacter pylori - Oman - Prevalence – Chronic active gastritis
Authors
Nasar Y Alwahaibi, Badria M Almahrooqi, Samirah A Alrawahi
“Background and objectives: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) are considered to be the most common human
infectious agents leading to gastritis, ulcer and probably stomach cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate
the prevalence of H. pylori infection and histologic gastritis in Oman using endoscopy biopsy of the stomach.
Methods: A total of 366 stomach biopsies (171 males and 195 females) were histologically analysed at Sultan
Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman, between 2007 and 2010, using haematoxylin and
eosin, Giemsa and Alcian blue /periodic acid-Schiff stains.
Results: Out of 366 cases, 110 (30.1%) were positive for H. pylori infection. Out of 110, 76 cases were associated with active chronic gastritis, 32 cases with chronic gastritis and one case each with gastric carcinoma
and normal histological features. The maximum number of H. pylori organisms was found among young
(26 – 44 years) and middle age (45 – 59 years) groups, 34.5% and 30.9%, respectively. H. pylori was present
in 36.9% females and in 22.2% of males. 40.9% of H. pylori was found in the gastric antrum site, and the
gastric cardia was free of H. pylori.
Conclusion: H. pylori associated active chronic gastritis is the most common form of stomach diseases encountered in this study. In addition, female, young and middle age group and gastric antrum had the highest
frequency of H. pylori organisms.”
334
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Usutu virus, Italy, 1996.
Journal Title
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/2/274-277
Key Words
West-nile-virus; serological evidence; emergence; infection; austria; establishment;
Spain; birds; wild
Authors
Herbert Weissenböck, Tamás Bakonyi, Giacomo Rossi, Paolo Mani, and Norbert
Nowotny
“Retrospective analysis of archived tissue samples from bird deaths in the Tuscany region of Italy in 1996
identified Usutu virus. Partial sequencing confirmed identity with the 2001 Vienna strain and provided evidence for a much earlier introduction of this virus into Europe than previously assumed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
335
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Pathogenesis of West Nile virus lineage 1 and 2 in experimentally infected large
falcons.
Journal Title
Veterinary Microbiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
161/3-4/263-273
Key Words
West Nile virus; Flavivirus; Experimental infection; WNV lineage 1 and 2; Falcons,
New-York; birds; pathology; raptors; strains; Europe; sites
Authors
Ute Ziegler, Joke Angenvoort, Dominik Fischer, Christine Fast, Martin Eiden, Ariel
V. Rodriguez, Sandra Revilla-Fernandez, Norbert Nowotny, Jorge Garcıa de la
Fuente, Michael Lierz, Martin H. Groschup
“West Nile virus (WNV) is a zoonotic flavivirus that is transmitted by blood-suckling mosquitoes with birds
serving as the primary vertebrate reservoir hosts (enzootic cycle). Some bird species like ravens, raptors
and jays are highly susceptible and develop deadly encephalitis while others are infected subclinically only.
Birds of prey are highly susceptible and show substantial mortality rates following infection. To investigate
the WNV pathogenesis in falcons we inoculated twelve large falcons, 6 birds per group, subcutaneously with
viruses belonging to two different lineages (lineage 1 strain NY 99 and lineage 2 strain Austria). Three different
infection doses were utilized: low (approx. 500 TCID50), intermediate (approx. 4 log10 TCID50) and high
(approx. 6 log10 TCID50). Clinical signs were monitored during the course of the experiments lasting 14
and 21 days. All falcons developed viremia for two weeks and shed virus for almost the same period of time.
Using quantitative real-time RT-PCR WNV was detected in blood, in cloacal and oropharyngeal swabs and
following euthanasia and necropsy of the animals in a variety of neuronal and extraneuronal organs. Antibodies to WNV were first time detected by ELISA and neutralization assay after 6 days post infection (dpi).
Pathological findings consistently included splenomegaly, non-suppurative myocarditis, meningoencephalitis
and vasculitis. By immunohistochemistry WNV-antigens were demonstrated intralesionally. These results
impressively illustrate the devastating and possibly deadly effects of WNV infection in falcons, independent
of the genetic lineage and dose of the challenge virus used. Due to the relatively high virus load and long
duration of viremia falcons may also be considered competent WNV amplifying hosts, and thus may play a
role in the transmission cycle of this zoonotic virus.”
336
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Partial genetic characterization of sedlec virus (orthobunyavirus, bunyaviridae).
Journal Title
Infection, Genetics and Evolution
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/Oct/244-249
Key Words
Sedlec virus; Leanyer virus; Simbu group; Orthobunyavirus; Acrocephalus
Authors
Tamás Bakonyi, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Ivo Rudolf, Rebeka Bercic, Norbert Nowotny
and Zdenek Hubálek
“Sedlec virus (SEDV) was isolated from the blood of a reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) in July 1984 in
South Moravia, Czech Republic. In this study first genetic data of SEDV are presented which allow an estimate
on its phylogenetic and taxonomic positioning within the genus Orthobunyavirus. The phylogenetic analysis
of a 369 nt long stretch within the S segment (nucleocapsid protein gene and non-structural S protein gene)
indicates genetic relatedness of SEDV to Leanyer virus and Simbu group viruses, while the phylogenetic tree
based on 1796 nt long sequences of the L segment (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene) demonstrates
genetic relationship of SEDV to two yet unclassified orthobunyaviruses: I612045 virus (isolated in India in
1961) and Oyo virus (isolated in Nigeria in 1964). Considering the genetic distances and the phylogenetic
analyses, SEDV might represent a novel serogroup of the Orthobunyavirus genus.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
337
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Explosive spread of a neuroinvasive lineage 2 West Nile virus in Central Europe,
2008/2009.
Journal Title
Veterinary Microbiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
165/1-2/61-70
Key Words
West Nile virus (WNV); Lineage 2; Explosive spread; Hungary; Austria
Authors
Tamas Bakonyi, Emo ke Ferenczi, Karoly Erdlyi, Orsolya Kutasi,
Tibor Csorgo, Bernhard Seidel, Herbert Weissenbock, Katharina Brugger, Eniko
Ban, Norbert Nowotny
“For the first time outside sub-Saharan Africa, a lineage 2 West Nile virus (WNV) emerged in Hungary in
2004. It caused sporadic cases of encephalitis in goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), other predatory birds, and
in mammals. As a consequence, a surveillance program was initiated in Hungary and in Austria, which included virological, molecular, serological and epidemiological investigations in human beings, birds, horses,
and mosquitoes. The virus strain became endemic to Hungary, however only sporadic cases of infections
were observed between 2004 and 2007. Unexpectedly, explosive spread of the virus was noted in 2008, when
neuroinvasive West Nile disease (WND) was diagnosed all over Hungary in dead goshawks and other birds
of prey (n = 25), in horses (n = 12), and humans (n = 22). At the same time this virus also spread to the
eastern part of Austria, where it was detected in dead wild birds (n = 8). In 2009, recurrent WND outbreaks
were observed in Hungary and Austria, in wild birds, horses, and humans in the same areas. Virus isolates
of both years exhibited closest genetic relationship to the lineage 2 WNV strain which emerged in 2004. As
we know today, the explosive spread of the lineage 2 WNV in 2008 described here remained not restricted
to Hungary and Austria, but this virus dispersed further to the south to various Balkan states and reached
northern Greece, where it caused the devastating neuroinvasive WND outbreak in humans in 2010.”
338
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Low Usutu virus seroprevalence in four zoological gardens in central Europe.
Journal Title
BMC Veterinary Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
9/Aug/153
Key Words
West-nile-virus; August-September 2009; North-American owls; cross-neutralization; serological evidence; infection; austria; emergence; birds; establishment
Authors
Nicola Buchebner, Wolfgang Zenker, Christian Wenker, Hanspeter W Steinmetz,
Endre Sós, Helga Lussy and Norbert Nowotny
“Background: Usutu virus (USUV), a mosquito-borne flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis virus antigenic
group, caused bird die-offs in Austria, Hungary and Switzerland between 2001 and 2009. While the zoological gardens of Vienna and Zurich recorded USUV-associated mortality in different species of birds during
this period, incidences in Budapest were limited to areas outside the zoo, and in the greater Basel area avian
mortality due to USUV infection was not observed at all. The objectives of this investigation were to gain
insight into USUV infection dynamics in captive birds in zoos with varying degrees of virus exposure and
to study differences in susceptibility to USUV of different species of birds.
Results: 372 bird sera were collected between October 2006 and August 2007. The samples were tested in
parallel by hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and 90% plaque reduction neutralization tests (PRNT-90).
8.75%, 5.3% and 6.59% of birds in the zoos of Vienna, Zurich and Basel, respectively, showed USUV-specific
antibodies by PRNT-90. No antibodies to USUV were detected in birds of the Budapest zoo. The order Strigiformes (owls) exhibited the highest USUV-seroprevalence, compared to other orders of birds.
Conclusions: USUV seems not to pose an imminent threat to zoo bird populations in central Europe at the
moment. Depending on a variety of especially environmental factors, however, this may change at any time in
the (near) future, as experienced with West Nile virus (WNV). It is therefore strongly suggested to continue
with combined WNV and USUV surveillance activities in affected areas.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
339
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Molecular characterization of the African orthobunyavirus Ilesha virus
Journal Title
Infection, Genetics and Evolution
Volume/Issue/Pages
20/Dec/124-130
Key Words
Ilesha virus; Orthobunyavirus; Genome characterization; Phylogenetic analysis
Authors
Karin Pachler, Daniel Ruzek and Norbert Nowotny
“Ilesha virus is an arthropod-borne virus belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus of the Bunyaviridae family. Ilesha virus has been isolated from humans in several African countries, mostly in relation with febrile
illness and erythema, though there are reported cases of fatal meningoencephalitis and hemorrhagic fever.
In the present study, we report the complete genomic sequence of all three Ilesha virus segments (S, M, L)
and characterize the open reading frames. The nucleoprotein encoded by segment S contains 59 conserved
orthobunyavirus amino acids putatively critical for protein function. For the polyprotein encoded by segment
M, potential proteolytic cleavage sites and N-glycosylation sites as well as conserved cysteines are described
in reference to other orthobunyaviruses. Within the C terminal glycoprotein Gc a putative fusion peptide
could be localized. In the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase encoded by segment L, all strictly conserved
amino acids within the four conserved regions known to be catalytically active are present.
Phylogenetic analyses conducted for each Ilesha virus genomic segment confirm the classification of Ilesha
virus within the Bunyamwera serogroup of orthobunyaviruses. Ilesha virus segments S and L exhibit highest
genetic conservation with Bunyamwera virus and Ngari virus, with maximum sequence identities of 88% for
segment S and 82% for segment L. However, the M segment was found to be more diverse with a maximum
nucleotide identity of 72% to Bunyamwera serogroup viruses.”
340
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Nyamiviridae: Proposal for a New Family in the Order Mononegavirales
Journal Title
Archives of Virology
Volume/Issue/Pages
158/10/2209-2226
Key Words
Argas-persicargas-arboreus; metagenomic analysis; quaranfil chenuda; nyamanini
viruses; matrix protein; viral world; RNA viruses; arboviruses; ticks; Egypt
Authors
Jens H. Kuhn, Sadia Bekal, Yíngyún Caì, Anna N. Clawson, Leslie L. Domier,
Marieke Herrel, Peter B. Jahrling, Hideki Kondo, Kris N. Lambert, Kathie A.
Mihindukulasuriya, Norbert Nowotny, Sheli R. Radoshitzky, Urs Schneider, Peter
Staeheli, Nobuhiro Suzuki, Robert B. Tesh, David Wang, Lin-Fa Wang and Ralf G.
Dietzgen
“Nyamanini virus (NYMV) and Midway virus (MIDWV) are unclassified tick-borne agents that infect land
birds and seabirds, respectively. The recent molecular characterization of both viruses confirmed their already
known close serological relationship and revealed them to be nonsegmented, single- and negative-stranded RNA viruses that are clearly related to, but quite distinct from, members of the order Mononegavirales
(bornaviruses, filoviruses, paramyxoviruses, and rhabdoviruses). A third agent, soybean cyst nematode virus
1 (SbCNV-1, previously named soybean cyst nematode nyavirus), was recently found to be an additional
member of this new virus group. Here, we review the current knowledge about all three viruses and propose
classifying them as members of a new mononegaviral family, Nyamiviridae.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
341
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Detection of equid herpesviruses 2 and 5 in a herd of 266 Lipizzaners in association
with ocular findings.
Journal Title
Veterinary Microbiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
164/1-2/139-144
Key Words
Horse; Equid herpesviruses; EHV-2; EHV-5; PCR; Sequencing; Ophthalmic findings
Authors
James Oliver Rushton, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Alexander Tichy, Barbara Nell, Norbert
Nowotny
“A herd of Lipizzaners (n = 266) in three locations [Federal stud Piber (Styria), Heldenberg (Lower Austria)
and the Spanish Riding School Vienna (Vienna)] were examined for ocular diseases and tested for herpesviruses (HVs) in PBMCs, nasal- and conjunctival swabs. In 167(62.8%) horses equid herpesvirus-2 (EHV-2)
nucleic acid was identified in at least one of the investigated samples, and 136(51.1%) horses were positive for
equid herpesvirus-5 (EHV-5) nucleic acid in at least one of the samples. One hundred and five (39.5%) of the
horses mentioned above were identified with EHV-2/EHV-5 double infections. The results were correlated
with potential influence factors such as age, gender, location, and housing. Statistical analysis demonstrated a
significantly higher percentage of horses diagnosed with HV infections stabled in one location (Piber); also,
housing in free stalls was associated with a higher rate of HV infections. Horses carrying EHV-2 or EHV-5
nucleic acid were significantly younger than the negative group. Statistical analysis of PCR results and ophthalmic findings did not prove a significant association between any disease pattern and presence of the equid
gammaherpesviruses EHV-2 and EHV-5. The results of this herd survey indicate that horses younger than
eight years of age, housed in free stalls with high population densities have a significantly increased risk for
infection with EHV-2 and EHV-5. However no prediction can be made whether this results in ophthalmic
disease. This is the first ophthalmic-virologic survey of this magnitude in a single horse breed.”
342
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Tick-borne encephalitis virus in horses, Austria, 2011.
Journal Title
Emerging Infectious Diseases
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/4/635-637
Key Words
TBE; strains; dogs
Authors
James O. Rushton, Sylvie Lecollinet, Zdenek Hubálek, Petra Svobodová, Helga
Lussy, and Norbert Nowotny
“An unexpectedly high infection rate (26.1%) of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) was identified in a
herd of 257 horses of the same breed distributed among 3 federal states in Austria. Young age (p<0.001) and
male sex (p = 0.001) were positively associated with infection.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
343
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Clinical course of ophthalmic findings and potential influence factors of herpesvirus infections: 18 month follow-up of a closed herd of lipizzaners.
Journal Title
PLoS One
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/11/e79888
Key Words
Virus type-2 EHV-2; equine; keratoconjunctivitis; prevalence; horses; swabs; DNA
Authors
James O. Rushton, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Alexander Tichy, Norbert Nowotny, Barbara Nell
“Background: To date the influence of herpesviruses on the development of equine ocular diseases has not
been clearly determined.
Objective: The purpose of this study was to illustrate the course of equine ocular findings over a period of 18
months at 6 month intervals, in correlation with the results of herpesvirus detection.
Methods: 266 Lipizzaners in 3 federal states of Austria underwent complete ophthalmologic examination 4
times. Blood samples, nasal-and conjunctival swabs were obtained at the same time and used for the detection
of the equid gammaherpesviruses EHV-2 and EHV-5 using consensus herpesvirus PCR and type-specific
qPCRs. Ophthalmic findings and results of herpesvirus PCRs were recorded and statistically analysed using
one-way ANOVA, and multiple logistic regression analysis to determine the influence of herpesvirus infections and other contributing factors on the presence of ophthalmic findings.
Results: In the first, second, third and fourth examination period 266, 261, 249 and 230 horses were included,
respectively. Ophthalmic findings consistent with herpesvirus infections included conjunctival-and corneal
pathologies. Statistical analysis revealed that the probability of positive herpesvirus PCR results decreased
with progressing age; however the presence of corneal findings increased over time. At the time of each
examination 45.1%, 41.8%, 43.0%, and 57.0% of horses with conjunctival or corneal findings, respectively,
were positive for EHV-2 and/or EHV-5. However, 31.6%, 17.6%, 20.1%, and 13.0% of clinically sound horses
were positive for these herpesviruses at each examination period, too.
Conclusion: Based on the results of our study there is a significant influence of young age on EHV-2 and/or
EHV-5 infection. Corneal pathologies increased over time and with progressing age. Whether the identified
findings were caused by herpesviruses could not be unequivocally determined.”
344
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Prevalence of linear keratopathy in a herd of Lipizzaners over an 18-month period.
Journal Title
Veterinary Record
Volume/Issue/Pages
173/8/192
Key Words
Diseases; Eyes; Horses
Authors
J. O. Rushton, A. Tichy, J. Kolodziejek, N. Nowotny, B. Nell
“The prevalence of linear keratopathy with progressing age in a closed population of a single horse breed
is reported. All Lipizzaners in three federal states in Austria underwent complete ophthalmic examination
four times over a period of 18 months, with six-month intervals. Findings consistent with linear keratopathy
were recorded, and associated with factors such as sex, location, boarding system and level of performance
throughout the study period. Logistic regression was applied to determine the influence of age on ophthalmic
findings. On the first, second, third and fourth examinations, 0.8 per cent, 3.1 per cent, 4.4 per cent and 4.8
per cent (of 266, 261, 249 and 230 horses, respectively) of the study population, were diagnosed with linear
keratopathy. This finding was consistently identified in the same horses, and once identified, no further
progression was noted. Horses with this finding had no history of previous ocular problems or concurrent
ocular abnormalities. Statistical analysis did not reveal any influence of sex, location, boarding, or level of
performance; however the prevalence of linear keratopathy was found to increase with progressive age (P<0.5).
The results of this study indicate that linear keratopathy was not congenital and was nonprogressive in the
Lipizzaner over a period of 18 months.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
345
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Comparison of the neuropathology induced by two west nile virus strains.
Journal Title
PLoS One
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/12/e84473
Key Words
Amino-acid substitution; central-nervous-system; mediterranean basin; central-europe; kunjin strain; cell-death; t-cells; encephalitis; infection; disease
Authors
Emilie Donadieu, Steeve Lowenski, Jean-Luc Servely, Eve Laloy, Thomas Lilin,
Norbert Nowotny, Jennifer Richardson, Stéphan Zientara, Sylvie Lecollinet, Muriel
Coulpier
“Some strains of West Nile virus (WNV) are neuroinvasive and may induce fatal encephalitis/meningitis in a
variety of animal species including humans. Whether, however, there is a strain-specific signature in the brain
is as yet unknown. Here we investigated the neuropathogenesis induced by two phylogenetically distant WNV
strains of lineage 1, WNVIS98 and WNVKUN35 911. While four-week old C57Bl/6J mice were susceptible to
both strains and succumbed rapidly after intraperitoneal inoculation, differences were observed in virulence
and clinical disease. WNVKUN35 911, the less virulent strain as judged by determination of LD50, induced
typical signs of encephalitis. Such signs were not observed in WNVIS98-infected mice, although they died
more rapidly. Histological examination of brain sections also revealed differences, as the level of apoptosis
and inflammation was higher in WNVKUN35 911- than WNVIS98-infected mice. Moreover, staining for
cleaved caspase 3 showed that the two WNV strains induced apoptotic death through different molecular
mechanisms in one particular brain area. Finally, the two strains showed similar tropism in cortex, striatum,
brainstem, and cerebellum but a different one in hippocampus. In summary, our data show that, upon peripheral administration, WNVIS98 and WNVKUN35 911 strains induce partially distinct lesions and tissue
tropism in the brain. They suggest that the virulence of a WNV strain is not necessarily correlated with the
severity of apoptotic and inflammatory lesions in the brain.”
346
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Flaviviruses in Europe: complex circulation patterns and their consequences for the
diagnosis and control of West Nile disease.
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/11/6049-6083
Key Words
Flaviviruses; West Nile virus; antibodies; cross-reactivity; diagnosis; cross-protection; ADE; natural infection; vaccination; vector-borne diseases
Authors
Cécile Beck, Miguel Angel Jimenez-Clavero, Agnès Leblond, Benoît Durand, Norbert Nowotny, Isabelle Leparc-Goffart, Stéphan Zientara, Elsa Jourdain and Sylvie
Lecollinet
“In Europe, many flaviviruses are endemic (West Nile, Usutu, tick-borne encephalitis viruses) or occasionally
imported (dengue, yellow fever viruses). Due to the temporal and geographical co-circulation of flaviviruses
in Europe, flavivirus differentiation by diagnostic tests is crucial in the adaptation of surveillance and control
efforts. Serological diagnosis of flavivirus infections is complicated by the antigenic similarities among the
Flavivirus genus. Indeed, most flavivirus antibodies are directed against the highly immunogenic envelope
protein, which contains both flavivirus cross-reactive and virus-specific epitopes. Serological assay results
should thus be interpreted with care and confirmed by comparative neutralization tests using a panel of viruses known to circulate in Europe. However, antibody cross-reactivity could be advantageous in efforts to
control emerging flaviviruses because it ensures partial cross-protection. In contrast, it might also facilitate
subsequent diseases, through a phenomenon called antibody-dependent enhancement mainly described
for dengue virus infections. Here, we review the serological methods commonly used in WNV diagnosis
and surveillance in Europe. By examining past and current epidemiological situations in different European
countries, we present the challenges involved in interpreting flavivirus serological tests and setting up appropriate surveillance programs; we also address the consequences of flavivirus circulation and vaccination
for host immunity.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
347
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Usutu virus growth in human cell lines: induction of and sensitivity to type I and
III interferons.
Journal Title
Journal of General Virology
Volume/Issue/Pages
94/4/789-795
Key Words
West-nile-virus; endoplasmic-reticulum stress; unfolded protein response; dengue
virus; infection; flavivirus; vitro; coronavirus; austria; evasion
Authors
Carolina Scagnolari, Beniamino Caputo, Simona Trombetti, Giulia Cacciotti, Annalisa Solda, Lucia Spano, Paolo Villari, Alessandra della Torre, Norbert Nowotny,
and Guido Antonelli
“The mechanisms of Usutu virus (USUV) pathogenesis are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to
evaluate the sensitivity of USUV to interferon (IFN) and the capacity of USUV to stimulate IFN production.
Initial experiments were conducted to characterize the susceptibility of human cell lines to USUV infection
and to evaluate the single-growth cycle replication curve of USUV. Results indicate that USUV is able to
infect a variety of human cell lines, completing the replication cycle in Hep-2 and Vero cells within 48 h.
Pre-treatment of cells with types I and III IFNs significantly inhibited the replication of USUV. However, the
inhibitory effects of IFNs were considerably less if IFN was added after viral infection had been initiated.
Also, USUV weakly induced types I and III IFNs.”
348
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Norbert Nowotny
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
nowotny@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Detection of Plasmodium sp.-infested Anopheles hyrcanus (Pallas 1771) (Diptera:
Culicidae) in Austria, 2012.
Journal Title
Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift
Volume/Issue/Pages
125/5-6/139-143
Key Words
Mosquito; First recording; Malaria; Vector; Climate change
Authors
Bernhard Seidel, Katja Silbermayr, Jolanta Kolodziejek, Alexander Indra, Norbert
Nowotny, Franz Allerberger
“On July 15, 2012, adult Anopheles hyrcanus (Pallas 1771) mosquitoes were caught next to a farm barn near
Rust, Burgenland, close to Lake Neusiedl National Park in eastern Austria. Six weeks later, adults of this invasive species were also found in a sheep shelter outside the village of Oggau and another 2 weeks later, in a horse
barn in Morbisch. The morphological typing was confirmed genetically by amplification and sequencing of a
1, 404-bp-long fragment within the 5.8S ribosomal RNA gene, the internal transcribed spacer 2, and the 28S
ribosomal RNA gene. Out of two A. hyrcanus pools analysed, one was found positive for Plasmodium sp. A
460-bp-long sequence within the mitochondrial cytochrome b region revealed 100 % identity to a sequence
of a Plasmodium parasite identified in a New Zealand bellbird (Anthornis melanura). The Austrian finding
sites are close to the Hungarian border. In Hungary, the occurrence of A. hyrcanus was already reported in
1963. A. hyrcanus is considered the most important potential vector of malaria in southern France today. In
Austria, sporadic autochthonous malaria cases could emerge, caused by immigration from malaria-endemic
countries and heavy tourism. However, the broad population coverage of the Austrian health care system
makes the reestablishment of endemic areas for malaria unlikely.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
349
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Riad Bayoumi
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
bayoumi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Tabula rasa or refugia? Using genetic data to assess the peopling of Arabia
Journal Title
Arabian Archaeology and epigraphy
Volume/Issue/Pages
24/1/95-101
Key Words
Arabian demographics; Archaeogenetics; Lactase persistence; Late Palaeolithic;
Mitochondrial DNA; Refugia
Authors
Jeffrey I. Rose, Vektor Cerny and Riad Bayoumi
“This paper provides a broad overview of the current state of archaeogenetic research in Arabia. We summarise recent studies of mitochondrial DNA and lactase persistence allele -13915*G in order to reconstruct
the population histories of modern Arabs. These data, in turn, enable us to assess different scenarios for the
peopling of the Peninsula over the course of the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene. The evidence supports
the posited existence of Arabian refugia, although it is inconclusive which (e.g. Persian Gulf basin, Yemeni
highlands and/or Red Sea basin) was/were responsible for housing ancestral populations during the Last
Glacial Maximum. Synthesising genetic and archaeological data sets, we conclude that a substantial portion
of the present South Arabian gene pool derives from a deeply rooted population that underwent significant
internal growth within Arabia some 12, 000 years ago. At the same time, we interpret the disappearance of
Nejd Leptolithic archaeological sites in southern Arabia around 8000 years ago to represent the termination
of a significant component of the Pleistocene gene pool.”
350
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Riad Bayoumi
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
bayoumi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Protein anticoagulants targeting factor VIIa-tissue factor complex: A comprehensive review
Journal Title
Hematology
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/1/1-7
Key Words
Anticoagulants; Extrinsic tenase complex; Factor VIIa; Snake venom; Tissue factor
Authors
Shah, K., Bayoumi, R., Banerjee, Y.
“Anticoagulants are pivotal for the treatment of debilitating thromboembolic and associated disorders. Current
anticoagulants such as heparin and warfarin are non-specific and have a narrow therapeutic window. These
limitations have provided the impetus to develop new anticoagulant therapies/strategies that target specific
factors in the blood coagulation cascade, ideally those located upstream in the clotting process. Factor VIIa
(FVIIa) presents an attractive target as it, in complex with tissue factor (TF), acts as the prima ballerina for
the formation of blood clot. A comprehensive review delineating the structure-activity relationship of protein/peptide anticoagulants targeting FVIIa or TF-FVIIa complex is absent in the literature. In this article,
we have addressed this deficit by appraising the peptide/protein anticoagulants that target FVIIa/TF-FVIIa
complex. Further, the current status of these anticoagulants, with regard to their performance in different
clinical trials has also been presented. Lastly, the unexplored domains of these unique proteins have also
been highlighted, which will facilitate further translational research in this paradigm, to improve strategies
to counter and treat thromboembolic disorders.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
351
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Riad Bayoumi
Department
Biochemistry
Contact
bayoumi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The Phenotype/The Phenotype/Genotype correlation of lactase persistence among
Omani adults
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/341-344
Key Words
Hydrogen breath test; Lactase Persistence; Lactose Intolerance; Oman; T/C-13910;
T/G-1391
Authors
Al-Abri, A., Bayoumi, R.
“Objective: To examine the correlation of lactase persistence phenotype with genotype in Omani adults.
Methods: Lactase persistence phenotype was tested by hydrogen breath test in 52 Omani Adults using the
Micro H2 analyzer. Results were checked against genotyping using direct DNA sequencing.
Results: Forty one individuals with C/C-13910 and T/T-13915 genotypes had positive breath tests (≥20 ppm);
while eight of nine individuals with T/C-13910 or T/G-13915 genotypes had negative breath tests (<20 ppm)
and two subjects were non-hydrogen producers. The agreement between phenotype and genotype using
Kappa value was very good (0.93).
Conclusion: Genotyping both T/C-13910 and T/G-13915 alleles can be used to assist diagnosis and predict
lactose intolerance in the Omani population.”
352
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ritu Lakhtakia
Department
Pathology
Contact
ritu@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas : A Case Report with Review of the
Diagnostic Dilemmas and Tumor Behaviour
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/6/441-444
Key Words
Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm (SPN); Pancreas;Beta-catenin; E-cadherin.
Authors
Ritu Lakhtakia, Khalifa Al-Wahaibi, Khawaja F. Zahid, Kamran A. Malik, and
Ikram A. Burney
“Solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas is a rare tumor of the pancreas often detected initially on
imaging. Of uncertain histogenesis, it has a low-grade malignant potential with excellent post-surgical curative
rates and rare metastasis. Despite advances in imaging, pseudocysts and other cystic neoplasms feature in
the differential diagnosis. Pathological and/or cytological evaluation remains the gold standard in reaching
a definitive diagnosis.
On morphology alone, other primary pancreatic tumors and metastatic tumors pose a diagnostic challenge.
Recent advances in immunohistochemical characterization have made the histopathologic diagnosis more
specific and, in turn, shed light on the likely histogenesis of this rare tumor. We report a case of solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas that was suspected on radiology and diagnosed intraoperatively on
imprint cytology guiding definitive surgery. The diagnostic dilemmas are reviewed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
353
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Ritu Lakhtakia
Department
Pathology
Contact
ritu@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
The history of diabetes mellitus
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/3/368-370
Authors
Ritu Lakhtakia
“A disease characterised by the ‘too great emptying of urine’ finds its place in antiquity through Egyptian
manuscripts dating back to 1500 B.C.1 Indian physicians called it madhumeha (‘honey urine’) because it
attracted ants. The ancient Indian physician, Sushruta, and the surgeon Charaka (400–500 A.D.) were able
to identify the two types, later to be named Type I and Type II diabetes .2, 3 Recognised for the last three
millennia, recorded history attributes the first complete descriptions in the first century A.D. to Aretaeus the
Cappadocian, who coined the word diabetes (Greek, ‘siphon’) and dramatically stated “… no essential part
of the drink is absorbed by the body while great masses of the flesh are liquefied into urine, .4–6 Avicenna
(980–1037 A.D.), the great Persian physician, in The Canon of Medicine not only referred to abnormal appetite and observed diabetic gangrene but also concocted a mixture of seeds (lupin, fenugreek, zedoary) as
a panacea.7 The term mellitus (Latin, ‘sweet like honey’) was coined by the British Surgeon-General, John
Rollo in 1798, to distinguish this diabetes from the other diabetes (insipidus) in which the urine was tasteless”
354
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ritu Lakhtakia
Department
Pathology
Contact
ritu@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Of animalcula, phthisis and scrofula
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/486-490
Authors
Ritu Lakhtakia
“Tuberculosis (TB) has occupied pride of place throughout the history of disease as a scourge with an unparalleled impact on humankind in terms of morbidity, mortality and economic cost. Until Robert Koch’s
revolutionary elucidation of its aetiology in 1882, 1 this disease inspired awe, social stigma, a variety of
wide-ranging but largely ineffective remedies, and even stimulated artistic fervour in prose, poetry and
paintings. It therefore behooves both current and future physicians to look back, recognise and remember
the multitude of individuals and disciplines that contributed to (and sometimes detracted from) the understanding of this disease, which was famously alluded to by John Bunyan in 1680 as “the Captain of all these
men of death…Consumption”.
This article casts a spotlight on tuberculosis during the pre-Koch era, from its semantics and eponyms, to a
host of individuals (acknowledged or forgotten) who form part of the narrative of this disease as either discoverers or sufferers. These glimpses of past eons, preceding Koch’s landmark discovery of the tubercle bacillus,
offer a deeper insight into the complex interactions between disease, discoveries and societal interpretations.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
355
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Salam Alkindi
Department
Haematology
Contact
sskindi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A stepwise alpha-thalassaemia screening in high prevalence areas
Journal Title
European Journal of Haematology
Volume/Issue/Pages
91/2/164-169
Key Words
GeneScan; HbH; newborn; α-thalassemia
Authors
Salam S. Alkindi, Shoaib AlZadjali, Shahina Daar, Eunice Sindhuvi, YasserWali,
Anil V. Pathare, Suresh Venugopal, Claudine Lapoumeroulie, Alok Srivastava, Rajagopal Krishnamoorthy
“Introduction: Coinheritance of α-thalassemia influences the clinical and hematological phenotypes of
β-hemoglobinopathies (β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease) and when present together in significant frequency within a population, a spectrum of clinical forms is observed. Precise molecular characterization of
α-thalassemia is important in understanding their disease-modifying role in β-hemoglobinopathies and for
diagnostic purposes.
Patients and methods: Because currently used approaches are labor/cost-intensive, time-consuming, error-prone in certain genotype combinations and not applicable for large epidemiological screening, we developed a systematic stepwise strategy to overcome these difficulties. We successfully applied this to characterize
the α-globin gene status in 150 Omani cord blood samples with Hb Barts and 32 patients with HbH disease.
Results: We observed a good correlation between α-globin genotypes and level of Hb Bart’s with the Hb
Bart’s levels significantly higher in both deletional and non-deletional α-globin genotypes. The most common
α-globin genotype in HbH cases was α(TSaudi) α/α(TSaudi) α (n = 16; 50%) followed by -α(3.7) /-(MED) (n
= 10; 31%). This approach detects also the α-globin gene triplication as exemplified by the study of a family
where the β-globin gene defect failed to explain the β-thalassemia intermedia phenotype.
Conclusion: Molecular characterization of α-thalassemia is complex due to high sequence homology between the duplicated α-globin genes and to the existence of a variety of gene rearrangements (small and large
deletions of various sizes) and punctual substitutions (non-deletional alleles). The novelty of our strategy
resides, not in the individual technical steps per se but in the reasoned sequential order of their use taking
into consideration the hematological phenotype as well.”
356
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Samir Hamed Nasser al-Adawi
Department
Behavioural Medicine
Contact
adawi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Clinical and Demographic Profile of Attendees at Baghdads Walk-in Psychiatric
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/365-379
Key Words
Iraq; Referral; Retrospective survey; Socio-demographic; Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders
Authors
Maha S. Younis, Ahmed S. Al-Noaimi, Ziad AJ. Zaidan, Abass F. Al-Rubayie, Yahya
Al-Farsi, Ibrahim Al-Zakwani, and Samir Al-Adawi
“Objective: Few studies have examined clinical and demographic profile of attendees of a walk-in psychiatric
clinic in countries ravaged by wars. The aim of this study is to quantify the characteristics of attendees of an
open walk-in psychiatric clinic in a general hospital in Baghdad and the suburb towns of Iraq in the year 2010.
Methods: As part of a retrospective survey, information on specific variables (socio-demographic background,
clinical characteristics and attendance rate) were sought from medical records in the year 2010 (January to
December).
Results: Despite the shortcomings expected from a country coming out of the ravage of war, the survey included 2, 979 attendees (1, 864 [63%] males and 1, 115 [37%] females) of a walk-in psychiatric clinic who fulfilled
the inclusion criteria. The profile of attendees indicated that a majority of the cohort was self-referred with a
predominance of employed males, aged 19 to 49 years, residing in Baghdad City. Depression and psychosis
were the most common diagnosis given.
Conclusion: The observed patterns are discussed within the available literature relevant to consultation liaison
psychiatry, and specific to situations in Iraq and Arab/Islamic cultural patterning.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
357
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Samir Hamed Nasser al-Adawi
Department
Behavioural Medicine
Contact
adawi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Types and sociodemographic correlates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among people with epilepsy in Oman
Journal Title
Epilepsy & Behaviour
Volume/Issue/Pages
29/2/361–366
Key Words
Arab/Islamic; Complementary and alternative medicine; Oman; People with epilepsy; Tertiary care
Authors
Abdullah Al Asmi, Abdullah Al Maniri, Yahya M. Al-Farsi, David T. Burke, Fatema
M.H. Al Asfoor, Ibrahim Al Busaidi, Mohamed H.A. Al Breiki, Shaon Lahiri d,
Nady Braidy, Musthafa M. Essa, Samir Al-Adawi
“Nonpharmacological treatment strategies that originate from sociocultural teachings and are beyond the
scope of allopathic medicine are commonly used among people with epilepsy (PWE) in many parts of the
world. The present study explored the types and sociodemographic correlates of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use among PWE in Oman among attendees of a neurological unit at a tertiary care
centre. Data on the types of CAM were gathered from telephone interviews. The relevant demographic and
clinical characteristics of the participants were obtained from electronic medical records. Of the total of
101 participants, 73.3% were CAM users. The majority of these participants have not disclosed their CAM
use to their allopathic health-care providers. The most common types of CAM reported were those falling
under the ‘mind-body’ type (incantations and fumigation) and biologically based (herbal concoctions) or
a combination of them. Compared to non-CAM users, a significant and greater proportion of CAM users
attributed the etiology of their illness to nonbiomedical factors such as ‘evil eyes’ (P=0.04). The multivariate
logistic regression model indicated that the use of CAM was highly associated with age of <30years (OR=3.09;
95% CI: 1.10, 5.46), unemployment (OR=2.04; 95% CI: 1.15, 6.39), having basic school education (OR=2.21;
95% CI: 0.83, 5.18), low family income (OR=1.52; 95% CI: 0.91, 2.11), and the presence of hypersalivation
(OR=2.20; 95% CI: 1.01, 4.39). Further studies are needed to harmonize these two healing practices. On the
whole, this study indicates that among attendees of tertiary care utilization, CAM is common among PWE
in Oman. The most utilized type of CAM falls under the umbrella of mind-body practice.”
358
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Shahina Daar
Department
Haematology
Contact
shahina@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Side effects of deferasirox iron chelation in patients with beta thalassemia major or
intermedia
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/2/121-124
Key Words
Chelator; Kidney function; Thalassemia; Toxicity.
Authors
Murtadha Al-Khabori, Sunil Bhandari, Mohammed Al-Huneini, Khalil Al-Farsi,
Vinodh Panjwani, Shahina Daar
“Objectives: Chelating agents remain the mainstay in reducing the iron burden and extending patient survival
in homozygous betathalassemia but adverse and toxic effects may increase with the institution and long term
use of this essential therapy. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of deferasirox (DFX) side effects in
patients with thalassemia major or intermedia.
Methods: A retrospective study of 72 patients (mean age: 20.3±0.9 yrs; 36 male, 36 female) with thalassemia
major or intermedia treated at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Oman, was performed to assess the incidence of side effects related to deferasirox over a mean of 16.7 month follow-up period.
Results: Six patients experienced rashes and 6 had gastro-intestinal upset. DFX was discontinued in 18 patients
for the following reasons: persistent progressive rise(s) in serum creatinine (7 patients; 40% mean serum
creatinine rise from baseline), feeling unwell (2), severe diarrhea (1), pregnancy (1), death unrelated to chelator (2) and rise in serum transaminases (2). Three patients were reverted to desferoxamine and deferiprone
combination therapy as DFX was no longer biochemically effective after 18 months of therapy. There was
no correlation between baseline serum ferritin and serum creatinine or a rise in serum creatinine. Cardiac
MRI T2* did not change with DFX therapy. However, there was an improvement in liver MRI T2* (p=0.013).
Conclusion: Renal side effects related to deferasirox appear to be higher than those reported in published
clinical trials. Further larger studies are required to confirm these findings.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
359
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Shahina Daar
Department
Haematology
Contact
shahina@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Multicenter validation of spin-density projection- assisted R2-MRI for the noninvasive measurement of liver iron concentration
Journal Title
Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1002/mrm.24854
Key Words
Deferasirox; iron overload; b-thalassemia; ESCALATOR; biopsy
Authors
Tim G. St Pierre, Amal El-Beshlawy, Mohsen Elalfy, Abdullah Al Jefri, Kusai Al Zir,
Shahina Daar, Dany Habr, Ulrike Kriemler-Krahn, and Ali Taher
“Purpose: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based techniques for assessing liver iron concentration (LIC)
have been limited by single scanner calibration against biopsy. Here, the calibration of spin-density projection-assisted (SDPA) R2-MRI (FerriScanVR) in iron-overloaded b-thalassemia patients treated with the iron
chelator, deferasirox, for 12 months is validated.
Methods: SDPA R2-MRI measurements and percutaneous needle liver biopsy samples were obtained from
a subgroup of patients (n¼233) from the ESCALATOR trial. Five different makes and models of scanner
were used in the study.
Results: LIC, derived from mean of MRI- and biopsy-derived values, ranged from 0.7 to 50.1mg Fe/g dry
weight. Mean fractional differences between SDPA R2-MRI- and biopsymeasured LIC were not significantly
different from zero. They were also not significantly different from zero when categorized for each of the
Ishak stages of fibrosis and grades of necroinflammation, for subjects aged 3 to <8 versus 8 years, or for each
scanner model. Upper and lower 95% limits of agreement between SDPA R2-MRI and biopsy LIC measurements were 74 and 71%.
Conclusion: The calibration curve appears independent of scanner type, patient age, stage of liver fibrosis,
grade of necroinflammation, and use of deferasirox chelation therapy, confirming the clinical usefulness of
SDPA R2-MRI for monitoring iron overload.”
360
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Shahina Daar
Department
Haematology
Contact
shahina@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
First reported case of compound heterozygosity for Hb A2-Yialousa (HBD: c.82
G>C) and Hb A2-Wrens (HBD: c.295 G>A) in Oman
Journal Title
International Journal of Hematology
Volume/Issue/Pages
98/2/240-242
Key Words
HbA2-Yialousa HbA2-Wrens d-Thalassemia Oman
Authors
Shoaib Al Zadjali, Wafa Bashir, David Gravell, Arwa Z Al Riyami, Yasser Wali &
Shahina Daar
“We report the presence of two different δ-globin gene mutations causing δ+- thalassemia in association
with homozygous (–α3.7–α3.7) genotype for the first time in an Omani child with a low HbA2 of 0.8%.
Direct nucleotide sequencing revealed compound heterozygote mutations in the patient’s δ-globin genes:
HbA2-Yialousa (HBD: c.82G>C) and HbA2-Wrens (HBD: c.295G>A). In Oman, where α and β- thalassemia
and HbS are prevalent, an wareness of the presence of different δ-globin gene mutations is important as complex interactions between these hemoglobinopathies can lead to the misdiagnosis of β-thalassemia carriers.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
361
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Shahina Daar
Department
Haematology
Contact
shahina@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Potential pitfalls in the diagnosis of Hb Handsworth in areas with high prevalence
of HbS
Journal Title
Int J Lab Hematol
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI10.1111/ijlh.12157
Key Words
Hemoglobin, a globin variant, handsworth, HbS.
Authors
S. Al Zadjali, A. Z. Al-riyami, D. Gravell, H. Al haddabi, M. Al Rawahi, K. Al falahi
and S. Daar
“Hb Handsworth is a rare a-globin structural variant caused by a missense mutation either on the a2 or
a1-globin gene (HBA2 or HBA1: c.55G>C, p.Gly18Arg). This variant might be erroneously diagnosed as
HbS unless secondary confirmative tests are carried out. We encountered a child with a prominent peak
eluting in the ‘S’ window on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Sickle solubility test, gel
electrophoresis, and selective direct nucleotide sequencing of a1, a2, and b globin genes were performed
on the patient’s sample. In addition, previous HPLC results on a cord blood sample were retrieved. Sickle
solubility test was negative. Gel electrophoresis revealed a band migrating at the S region with an extra faint
band seen on acid gel electrophoresis. Molecular analysis of a2 globin gene revealed heterozygous state of
Hb Handsworth. Hb Handsworth is a rare variant that can mimic HbS on HPLC. Failure to recognize this
rare variant in regions where HbS is highly prevalent may result in serious misdiagnosis and subsequent
incorrect genetic counselling.”
362
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sharef Waadallah Sharef
Department
Child Health
Contact
drsharef@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Successful treatment of cardiomyopathy due to very long-chain acyl-coa dehydrogenase deficiency: First case report from oman with literature review
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/354-6
Key Words
Fatty acid oxidation defect. Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD)
defieicncy. Cardiomyopathy. Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) based formula
Authors
Sharef, S.W Al Senaidi, K. Joshi S.N.
“Very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency (MIM 201475) is a severe defect of mitochondrial energy production from oxidation of very long-chain fatty acids. This inherited metabolic disorder
often presents in early neonatal period with episodes of symptomatic hypoglycemia usually responding well
to intravenous glucose infusion. These babies are often discharged without establishment of diagnosis but
return back by 2-5 months of age with severe and progressive cardiac failure due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with or without hepatic failure and steatosis. An early diagnosis and treatment with high concentration
medium chain triglyceride (MCT) based feeding formula can be life saving in these patients. Here we report
first ever diagnosed and treated case of VLCAD deficiency from Oman. This infant developed heart failure
with left ventricular dilation, hypertrophy, and pericardial effusion at the age of 6 weeks. Prompt diagnosis
and intervention with MCT based formula resulted in reversal of severe clinical symptoms with significant
improvement of cardiac status. This treatment also ensured normal growth and neurodevelopment. It is
therefore stressed that the disease must be recognized by the Pediatricians and Cardiologists. Since the disease can be identified by Tandem Mass Spectrometry (TMS) therefore, screening should be considered to be
included in expanded newborn screening program.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
363
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
SidgiSyed Anwer Hasson
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
shyahasson@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Evaluation of anti-resistant activity of Auklandia (Saussurea lappa) root against
some human pathogens
Journal Title
Asian Pac J Trop Biomed
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/7//557–562
Authors
Sidgi Syed Anwer Hasson, Mohammed Saeed Al-Balushi, KhazinaAlharthy, JumaZaidAlBusaidi, MunaSulimanAldaihani, Mohammed Shafeeq Othman, Elias
Antony Said, Omar Habal, Talal Abdullah Sallam, Ali Abdullah Aljabri, Mohamed
AhmedIdris
“Objective: The antimicrobial activity of the ethanol extract of the Auklandia (Saussurea lappa)root plant was
investigated to verify its medicinal use in the treatment of microbial infections.
Methods: The antimicrobial activity of the ethanol extract was tested against clinical isolates of some multidrug-resistant bacteria using the agar well diffusion method. Commercial antibiotics were used as positive
reference standards to determine the sensitivity of the clinical isolates.
Results: The extracts showed significant inhibitory activity against clinical isolates of methicillin resistantStaphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Extended Spectrum
Beta-Lactemase, Acinetobacter baumannii. The minimum inhibitory concentration values obtained using
the agar dilution test ranged from 2.0 µg/µL-12.0 µg/µL. In the contrary the water extract showed no activity
at all against the tested isolates. Furthermore, the results obtained by examining anti-resistant activity of the
plant ethanolic extract showed that at higher concentration of the plant extract (12 µg) all tested bacteria
isolates were inhibited with variable inhibition zones similar to those obtained when we applied lower extract
concentration using the well diffusion assay.
Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the crude ethanolic extract of the Auklandia (Saussurea lappa) root
plant has a wide spectrum of activity suggesting that it may be useful in the treatment of infections caused
by the above clinical isolates (human pathogens).”
364
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
SidgiSyed Anwer Hasson
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
shyahasson@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Sero- Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection among asymptomatic healthy
Omani blood donors
Journal Title
Contents lists available at Scienece Direct
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/2/146-149
Key Words
Blood donors; Helicobacter pylori; Oman; Seropositivity; SQU
Authors
Al-Balushi, M.S., Al-Busaidi, J.Z., Al-Daihani, M.S., Shafeeq, M.O., Hasson, S.S
“Objective: To investigate the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection, a cross-sectional epidemiological study, based on the age and gender-specific seroprevalence of H. pylori antibodies in asymptomatic
healthy Omani blood donors attending the SQUH blood bank.
Methods: Analysis of the sera from 133 apparently healthy subjects, based on the serological determination of
the IgM, IgG and IgA antibodies against H. pylori, was carried out using a commercially available kit ELISA
(NovaLisa, NovaTec, Germany). While the presence of H. pylori-specific IgG antibodies is the marker for
a chronic. infection with this pathogen. Therefore, there was no indicator of the time of acquisition of the
infection. However, the H. pylori-specific IgM antibody was a more specific marker for a recently acquired
infection with H. pylori.
Results: Of the 133 subjects, there were 100 (74. %) males and 33 (26. %) females. The age range was 15 to 50
years with a mean of 25.75. ±3.75 years. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection in our study was 69.5.
%. The overall seroprevalence was found to be increased 69. %-86. % with age. Subjects between 15. -20 years
of age showed 71. % seroprevalence, while those between 21. -40 years showed gradual increase (63. %-70. %)
with age and reached up to 87. % in subjects between 41. -50 years of age. A significant inverse association was
found between sex and age groups. This is when each age group was examined individually; a higher positive
percentage of H. pylori antibodies increasing with age was seen in males between 21. -40 years of age group
in comparison to the females of the same age group. Male subjects with age group between 21 to 40 years
were found to have a significant seropositivity compared to the female subjects within the same group. This
may reflect how frequent were the male subjects being exposed to the outer environment and their conduct
than the females in this society like Oman.
Conclusions: The seropositivity of H. pylori is moderately higher between ages of 21 to 30 more than any
other age group.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
365
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Siham Al Sinani
Department
Child Health
Contact
siham@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Prevalence of celiac disease in Omani children with type 1 diabetes mellitus: A
cross sectional study
Journal Title
OMJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/4/260-263
Key Words
Celiac Disease; Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus; Anti-tissue transglutaminase; Oman
Authors
Siham Al-Sinani, Sharef Waadallah Sharef, Saif Al-Yaarubi, Ibrahim Al-Zakwani,
Khalid Al-Naamani, Aisha Al-Hajri, and Said Al-Hasani
“Objective: Published studies on the prevalence of celiac disease in type 1 diabetes mellitus from the Arab
World are scant. We aim to report the prevalence of celiac disease in Omani children with type 1 diabetes
mellitus.
Methods: Children with type 1 diabetes mellitus were prospectively screened for celiac disease, at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman over a period of one year (June 2011 - May 2012). Serum anti tissue
transglutaminase IgA, endomysial IgA antibodies and total IgA were measured for screening of celiac disease.
Children with positive anti-tissue transglutaminase and/or endomysial IgA antibodies underwent endoscopy.
Results: A total of 103 children with type 1 diabetes mellitus were initially included. Ten patients were lost to
follow up. Ninety-three patients aged 2-17 years underwent screening for celiac disease. Sixteen patients had
positive anti-tissue transglutaminase (17%). Fourteen patients underwent endoscopy with duodenal biopsies,
while two were lost to follow-up. Five patients with positive antitissue transglutaminase had intestinal biopsy
proven celiac disease. The prevalence of celiac disease is 5.5% in our cohort of children and adolescents with
type 1 diabetes mellitus.
Conclusions: The prevalence of celiac disease in Omani children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus
is similar to the World’s reported prevalence, but is less than that reported for Middle Eastern Arab children.
To our knowledge, this is the first reported study on the prevalence of celiac disease in Omani children with
type 1 diabetes mellitus.”
366
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Siham Al Sinani
Department
Child Health
Contact
siham@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Infantile systemic hyalinosis: A case report with a novel mutation
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/1/53-58
Key Words
Infantile systemic hyalinosis; Joint contractures; Skinthickness.
Authors
Siham Al Sinani, Fathyia Al Murshedy, Reem Abdwani
“Infantile Systemic Hyalinosis (ISH) (OMIM 236490) is a rare, progressive and fatal autosomal recessive
disorder characterized by multiple subcutaneous skin nodules, gingival hypertrophy, osteopenia, joint contractures, failure to thrive, diarrhea with protein losing enteropathy, and frequent infections. There is diffuse
deposition of hyaline material in the skin, gastrointestinal tract, muscle and endocrine glands. It is caused
by mutations in the ANTXR2 (also known as CMG2) gene, which encodes a transmembranous protein
involved in endothelial development and basement membrane-extracellular matrix assembly. We describe
a child with classical features of ISH presenting in infancy with severe chronic debilitating pain and progressive joint contractures. The diagnosis was confirmed by molecular DNA sequencing of ANTXR2 gene
which revealed a novel homozygous mutation not previously reported; 79 bp deletion of the entire exon 11
(c.867_945del, p.E289DfsX22). Although this is the first reported case of ISH in Oman, we believe that the
disease is under-diagnosed since children affected with this lethal disease pass away early in infancy prior
to establishing a final diagnosis.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
367
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Siham Al Sinani
Department
Child Health
Contact
siham@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Epidemiology and treatment of hepatitis C genotypes 5 and 6
Journal Title
Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume/Issue/Pages
2/1/e8-e12
Key Words
Chronic; Hepatitis C; Genotype
Authors
Khalid Al Naamani Md. FRCPC, Siham Al Sinani Md. FRCPC, Marc Deschênes
Md. FRCPC
“Chronic hepatitis C infection is a major global health problem. The WHO estimates the number of infected
people worldwide to be approximately 170 million. The estimated number of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected
people in Canada is approximately 250, 000, with approximately 5000 Canadians newly infected each year.
Based on the identification of genomic differences, HCV has been classified into six genotypes; genotype
may influence the outcome of antiviral therapy. HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3 are widely distributed throughout
the world and have been the focus of the majority of epidemiological, natural course and treatment studies.
Although HCV genotypes 5 and 6 are prevalent in certain geographical areas, they are studied less extensively.
HCV genotypes 5 and 6 are uncommon in Canada and account for less than 5% of HCV-infected Canadians.
However, immigration and travel can alter the epidemiology of these uncommon genotypes. The present article
reviews and summarizes the available data regarding the epidemiology and treatment of HCV genotypes 5
and 6. Genotype 5 is endemic in the northern part of South Africa while genotype 6 is reported primarily in
Asia. Available data show that 48 weeks of treatment with a combination of pegylated interferon and ribavirin
lead to a higher sustained virological response compared with HCV genotypes 1 and 4. None of the approved
direct-acting antiviral agents is currently recommended for the treatment of HCV genotypes 5 or 6.”
368
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sulayma Albarwani
Department
Physiology
Contact
salbarwani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Lisinopril indifferently improves heart rate variability during day and night periods
in spontaneously hypertensive rats.
Journal Title
Physiological Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
62/3/237-245
Key Words
Heart rate variability, Hypertension, Circadian rhythm, Lisinopril, ACE-inhibitor,
Telemetry, SHR
Authors
S. Albarwani, S. Al-Siyabi and M. O. Tanira
“The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of 10 weeks of lisinopril treatment to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) on day/night variations of blood pressure, heart rate and autonomic cardio-regulation
parameters. Male SHR with surgically implantedradio-telemetry implant that provided direct measurements
of arterial pressure and electrocardiogram wave were used. Animals were allocated to two groups (n=5
each). The first group was treated with lisinopril (20 mg/kg by gavage) daily for 10 weeks (treated group);
whereas the second was gavaged daily with tap water (untreated group). Arterial blood pressure, ECG and
other telemetry parameters were recorded at the start and at the end of 10-week treatment. Collected data
were analysed using specialized software and were statistically tested. In addition to the expected lowering of
blood pressure, spectral analysis of R-R intervals revealed that lisinopril treatment for 10 weeks significantly
caused 2-3 fold increase in heart rate variability (HRV) during both active and inactive periods. However, R-R
interval durations demonstrated variable distribution patterns during those periods. The cause of observed
distribution pattern of R-R intervals during active and inactive periods may be of significance to better understand HRV changes and warrants further investigati.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
369
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Sulayma Albarwani
Department
Physiology
Contact
salbarwani@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Mathematical biomarkers for the autonomic regulation of cardiovascular system
Journal Title
Front Physiol
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/4/279-288
Key Words
Baroreflex; cardiovascular system; fuzzy logic; heart rate variability; linear models;
mathematical modelling; non-linear dynamics
Authors
Luciana A.Campos, ValterL.PereiraJr, Amita Muralikrishna, Sulayma Albarwani,
SusanaBrás and SóniaGouveia
“Heart rate and blood pressure are the most important vital signs in diagnosing disease. Both heart rate and
blood pressure are characterized by a high degree of short term variability from moment to moment, medium
term over the normal day and night as well as in the very long term over months to years. The study of new
mathematical algorithms to evaluate the variability of these cardiovascular parameters has a high potential
in the development of new methods for early detection of cardiovascular disease, to establish differential
diagnosis with possible therapeutic consequences. The autonomic nervous system is a major player in the
general adaptive reaction to stress and disease. The quantitative prediction of the autonomic interactions in
multiple control loops pathways of cardiovascular system is directly applicable to clinical situations. Exploration of new multimodal analytical techniques for the variability of cardiovascular system may detect new
approaches for deterministic parameter identification. A multimodal analysis of cardiovascular signals can
be studied by evaluating their amplitudes, phases, time domain patterns, and sensitivity to imposed stimuli,
i.e., drugs blocking the autonomic system. The causal effects, gains, and dynamic relationships may be studied through dynamical fuzzy logic models, such as the discrete-time model and discrete-event model. We
expect an increase in accuracy of modelling and a better estimation of the heart rate and blood pressure time
series, which could be of benefit for intelligent patient monitoring. We foresee that identifying quantitative
mathematical biomarkers for autonomic nervous system will allow individual therapy adjustments to aim at
the most favorable sympathetic-parasympathetic balance.”
370
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Yahya Mohamed Issa Al-Farsi
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
ymfarsi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Variation in socio-economic burden for caring the children with Autism Spectrum
Disorder in Oman: Caregiver perspectives
Journal Title
Journal of Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Volume/Issue/Pages
(2013) 43:1214–1221/10.1007/s10803-012-1667-9/1214-21
Key Words
Socio-economic burden Autism ASD Caregiver Oman
Authors
Yahya M. Al-Farsi, Mostafa I. Waly, Marwan M. Al-Sharbati, Mohamed Al-Shafaee,
Omar Al-Farsi, Samiya Al-Fahdi, Allal Ouhti, Maha Al-Khaduri, Samir Al-Adawi
“A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate whether caregiver’s variations in socioeconomic status
(SES) has direct bearing on challenges of nurturing children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Oman.
A cadre of caregivers (n = 150) from two types of SES (low-income and middle-high income) were compared
based on four domains: (1) accessing and perception of remedial services, (2) utilization and perception of
psychiatric services, (3) constraints for being a caregiver of children with ASD and (4) financial expenses
of taking care of children with ASD. There is little indication that any particular SES fare well on these domains. Factors to mitigate such predicaments are therefore imperative in order to improve quality of life for
caregivers among children with ASD.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
371
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Yahya Mohamed Issa Al-Farsi
Department
Family Medicine & Public Health (FAMCO)
Contact
ymfarsi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Levels of heavy metals in Children with Autism in Oman
Journal Title
Biological Trace Elements Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
(2013) 151:181–186
Key Words
Autism. Heavy metals. Essential minerals. Hair. Oman. Case–control
Authors
Yahya M. Al-Farsi & Mostafa I. Waly & Marwan M. Al-Sharbati & Mohammed
A. Al-Shafaee & Omar A. Al-Farsi & Maha M. AlKhaduri & Ishita Gupta & Allal
Ouhtit & Samir Al-Adawi & Mona F. Al-Said & Richard C. Deth
“Toxic levels of heavy metals and low levels of essential minerals have been suggested to play a critical role in
the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study documents the levels of heavy metals and
essential minerals in hair samples of children with ASD in Muscat, the urbanized capital of Oman, Muscat. The
study included 27 children with ASD and 27 matched non-ASD controls. Parental interviews were held and
dietary intake questionnaires completed in conjunction with the collection of hair samples. Analysis of heavy
metals and essential minerals was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Chi-square
analysis and nonparametric Fisher’s exact tests were used to assess statistical significance. Children with ASD
had significantly higher levels of all 11 analysed heavy metals in their hair samples (P<0.05), ranging from
150 to 365 % of control levels. ASD children also had significantly higher levels of essential minerals sulfur,
sodium, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and iron, but lower levels of calcium and copper in their hair samples.
This study corroborates data from previous studies in different parts of the world indicating the presence of
elevated levels of heavy metals and selective depletion of essential minerals in the hair of children with ASD.”
372
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Yasser Wali
Department
Child Health
Contact
yawali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Regional consensus opinion for the management of Beta thalassemia major in the
Arabian Gulf area.
Journal Title
Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/1/143-154
Key Words
Anemia; Chelation; Arabian Gulf; Iron chelation therapy; Iron overload; Thalassemia management; Transfusion
Authors
Mohamad H Qari, Yasser Wali, Muneer H Albagshi, Mohammad Alshahrani,
Azzah Alzahrani, Ibrahim A Alhijji, Abdulkareem Almomen, Abdullah Aljefri,
Hussain H Al Saeed, Shaker Abdullah, Ahmad Al Rustumani, Khoutir Mahour and
Shaker A Mousa
“Thalassemia syndrome has diverse clinical presentations and a global spread that has far exceeded the
classical Mediterranean basin where the mutations arose. The mutations that give rise to either alpha or beta
thalassemia are numerous, resulting in a wide spectrum of clinical severity ranging from carrier state to
life-threatening, inherited hemolytic anemia that requires regular blood transfusion. Beta thalassemia major
constitutes a remarkable challenge to health care providers. The complications arising due to the anemia,
transfusional iron overload, as well as other therapy-related complications add to the complexity of this
condition. To produce this consensus opinion manuscript, a PubMed search was performed to gather evidence-based original articles, review articles, as well as published work reflecting the experience of physicians
and scientists in the Arabian Gulf region in an effort to standardize the management protocol.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
373
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
Yousuf Al Suleimani
Department
Pharmacology & Clinical Pharmacy
Contact
yousufm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Mechanisms of vasorelaxation induced by oleoylethanolamide in the rat small
mesenteric artery
Journal Title
European Journal of Pharmacology
Volume/Issue/Pages
702/1-3/1-11
Key Words
Oleoylethanolamide; Vasorelaxation; Cannabinoid receptors; Nitric oxide;
Ca2+-activated K+ channels; Phospholipase C
Authors
Yousuf MAlSuleimani, CRobinHiley
“The actions of the anandamide-like mono-unsaturated fatty acid oleoylethanolamide (OEA) were first linked
to satiety and control of food intake and recently reported to relax resistance vessels. This study characterizes
its vasorelaxant mechanisms. Vasorelaxation to OEA were assessed in third order branches of rat superior
mesenteric artery using a wire myograph. The roles of the endothelium, KCa channels, perivascular sensory nerves, NO, cannabinoid receptors, and the phospholipase C (PLC)/inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) and
RhoA/ROCK signalling pathways, were assessed. OEA caused concentration- and endothelium-dependent
vasorelaxation (pEC50=6.7 +/- 0.1, Rmax=93.1 +/- 2.5%). L-NAME greatly reduced the response (residual
relaxation of only 24.6 +/- 12.8%). Capsaicin and pertussis toxin significantly reduced the vasorelaxation.
Precontraction with KCl abolished the response. TRAM-34 had no effect, but both iberiotoxin and apamin+charybdotoxin markedly shifted the OEA concentration-response curve to the right (similar to 5-fold).
O-1918 but not rimonabant attenuated the vasorelaxation. Both the CBI receptor antagonist, AM251 and the
CB2 receptor antagonist, AM630, given alone or in combination, reduced the response to IDEA. Inhibition
of PLC by U73122, ROCK by Y-27632 and antagonism of inositol trisphosphate (InsP3) receptors by 2-APB
abolished OEA vasorelaxation. OEA vasorelaxation involves an endothelial site of action but not the known
cannabinoid receptors. It involves Ca2+ released from InsP3-sensitive endothelial stores by mechanisms
involving RhoA kinase and phospholipase C. It is likely that the released Ca2+ causes NO generation and
opening of mainly large-conductance K-Ca channels. This study demonstrates a possible novel endothelial
target that might be important in the control of regional blood flow induced by this lipid molecule.”
374
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Zandre Bruwer
Department
Genetics
Contact
zandrebruwer@gmail.com
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Predictive genetic testing in children: Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency
cancer predisposing syndrome
Journal Title
Journal of Genetic Counselling
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013
Key Words
Biallelic mismatch repair. Constitutional mismatch repair deficiency. Ethics. Lynch
syndrome. MLH1. Predictive genetic testing. Surveillance. Testing in minors Introduction
Authors
Zandrè Bruwer, Ursula Algar, Alvera Vorster, Karen Fieggen, Alan Davidson, Paul
Goldberg, Helen Wainwright and Rajkumar Ramesar
“Biallelic germline mutations in mismatch repair genes predispose to constitutional mismatch repair deficiency
syndrome (CMMR-D). The condition is characterized by a broad spectrum of early-onset tumors, including
hematological, brain and bowel and is frequently associated with features of Neurofibromatosis type 1. Few
definitive screening recommendations have been suggested and no published reports have described predictive testing. We report on the first case of predictive testing for CMMR-D following the identification of
two non-consanguineous parents, with the same heterozygous mutation in MLH1: c.1528C > T. The genetic
counselling offered to the family, for their two at-risk daughters, is discussed with a focus on the ethical considerations of testing children for known cancer-causing variants. The challenges that are encountered when
reporting on heterozygosity in a child younger than 18 years (disclosure of carrier status and risk for Lynch
syndrome), when discovered during testing for homozygosity, are addressed. In addition, the identification
of CMMR-D in a three year old, and the recommended clinical surveillance that was proposed for this individual is discussed. Despite predictive testing and presymptomatic screening, the sudden death of the child
with CMMR-D syndrome occurred 6 months after her last surveillance MRI. This report further highlights
the difficulty of developing guidelines, as a result of the rarity of cases and diversity of presentation.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
375
College of Medicine and Health Sciences
Applicant Name
College of Nursing
College of Nursing
Table 9 provides the total number articles produced by the College of Nursing in the year 2013. The number of peer-reviewed journal articles published in 2013 were 14. A total of 3 articles were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 8 in Scopus
and 3 in SQU Journals.
Table 9 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Nursing in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
College of Nursing
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
3
Listed in Scopus
8
SQU Journals
3
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
14
379
College of Nursing
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Nursing
380
Applicant Names
Pages
Esra Al Khasawneh
381
Gerald Amandu Matua
383
Melba Sheila D’souza
385
Raghda Khalid Y. Shukri
387
Rhoda Suubi Muliira
388
Shreedevi Balachandran
392
Vidya Seshan
393
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Esra Al Khasawneh
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
esra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youth
Journal Title
SQU Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/2/232-240
Key Words
HIV knowledge, Youth, Jordan, Middle East
Authors
Esra M. Al-Khasawneh, Leyla Ismayilova, Vidya Seshan, Olimat Hmoud, Nabila
El-Bassel
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“Objectives: Understanding factors associated with the level of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
knowledge acquisition is crucial to inform preventative programmes for young people. This study examines
predictors of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 8, 129 youths aged between 14 and 25 years randomly selected from schools representing each of the 12 governorates of Jordan. A total of 50% of respondents
were female and, on average, 17 years old. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire covering
sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, gender awareness, exposure to and favourable attitudes
toward risky behaviours.
Results: On a 13-item HIV knowledge test, participants answered an average of 7 questions correctly (mean
= 7.21; standard deviation = 2.63). Female respondents from rural areas demonstrated significantly lower
levels of HIV knowledge, while college and university students demonstrated higher levels. HIV knowledge
differed significantly by sources of information, with peer-acquired information associated with more accuracy, while HIV information from parents or health centres was associated with a lower score. Youths with
more egalitarian gender views also demonstrated higher knowledge levels, whereas youths approving of drug
use showed lower levels of HIV knowledge.
Conclusion: HIV education programmes in Jordan should focus on females and youths living in rural areas.
Educational institutions have been shown to be effective in providing accurate information to students, while
parents and health professionals should also be included in HIV prevention programmes in order to reduce
misconceptions and raise the level of HIV knowledge among Jordanian youths.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
381
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Esra Al Khasawneh
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
esra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Using VARK to assess changes in learning preferences of nursing students at a public university in Jordan: Implication for teaching
Journal Title
Nurse Education Today
Volume/Issue/Pages
33/12/1546-1549
Key Words
Jordan; Learning preferences; Nursing students; VARK; teaching
Authors
Esraa AlKhasawneh
“Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe learning styles of nursing students at a public University
in Jordan.
Sample: A descriptive research design was used, a purposive sample of 197 nursing students who were enrolled
in nursing summer courses. These students were at different academic levels.
Results: Almost 55% of students have a multimodal preference, about 60% of multimodal students have the
kinesthetic learning preference (K) associated with visual or read write preference. The rest have one dominant learning preference. Of the 45% students who have one dominant preference: 60% had the kinesthetic
preference as the dominant preference, and 40% had the auditory preference accompanied with another
preference. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed significant difference between students based on their
academic level.
Conclusions: Nursing students have varied learning styles; teachers should accommodate their classes to meet
the learning needs and styles of students. Multimodal learners can be more flexible about how they exchange
information than those with a single preference. However, multimodal learners need to have at least two,
three or four modes involved in learning before they are satisfied. Teachers at nursing program should use
more than one teaching modality to be able to make their students satisfied with their learning experience.”
382
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Gerald Amandu Matua
Department
Fundamentals and Administration
Contact
gamandu@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Using Moodle E-learning Platform to Foster Student Self-Directed Learning:
Experiences with utilization of the software in undergraduate nursing courses in a
Middle Eastern University
Journal Title
Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
93/2013/677-683
Key Words
Moodle; self-directed learning; nursing; innovative teaching.
Authors
Gerald Matua Amandu, Joshua Kanaabi Muliira, Dennis Cayaban Fronda
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“Fostering student interest in self-directed learning (SDL) requires appropriate skills and innovative strategies
by the teacher. However, many teachers find motivating students for SDL a challenging expectation. This paper,
based on literature and authors’ experience discusses how Moodle e-learning platform (MEP) has been used
to successfully promote SDL among undergraduate nursing students at Sultan Qaboos University, College of
Nursing, in Oman. We conclude that MEP enhances students’ pre-class preparation, post-class participation
and overall motivation for learning and that it is a user-friendly and affordable innovative teaching strategy
that can be used to motivate, promote and sustain student interest in SDL.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
383
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Gerald Amandu Matua
Department
Fundamentals and Administration
Contact
gamandu@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Introducing a new cadre into Ugandas health care system: Lessons learnt from the
implementation process
Journal Title
Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
93/2013/670-676
Key Words
Uganda; new cadre; nursing; lessons; program implementation; training.
Authors
Gerald M. Amandu, Leana R Uys, Joseph Mwizerwa, Alex Erejo, Irene A Cheruto,
Margaret Chota
“Uganda introduced Registered Comprehensive Nursing (RCN) and Enrolled Comprehensive Nursing (ECN)
training programs in 1994 and 2003 respectively, to create certificate and diploma level cadre of nurses with
competencies in general nursing, midwifery, public health, psychiatry, paediatrics and management. This
paper is based on an evaluation study undertaken to assess how the programs were implemented including
stakeholders’ perceptions about the graduates. Despite being relevant, the implementation process of both
programs failed to meet acceptable standards. We conclude that introducing a new cadre of nurses without
proper preparation hinders realization of their full potential including their contribution to the healthcare
system.”
384
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Melba Sheila D’souza
Department
Adult Health & Critical
Contact
melba@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Womens well-being and reproductive health in Indian mining communities: need
for empowerment
Journal Title
Reproductive health BMC
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/24/1-12
Key Words
Well-being; Reproductive health status; Gender preference; Domestic violence;
Marital relationship; Qualitative design; Nursing
Authors
Melba Sheila D’Souza, Subrahmanya Nairy Karkada, Ganesha Somayaji and
Ramesh Venkatesaperumal
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“This paper is a qualitative study of women’s well-being and reproductive health status among married women
in mining communities in India. An exploratory qualitative research design was conducted using purposive sampling among 40 selected married women in a rural Indian mining community. Ethical permission
was obtained from Goa University. A semi-structured indepth interview guide was used to gather women’s
experiences and perceptions regarding well-being and reproductive health in 2010. These interviews were
audiotaped, transcribed, verified, coded and then analysed using qualitative content analysis. Early marriage,
increased fertility, less birth intervals, son preference and lack of decision-making regarding reproductive
health choices were found to affect women’s reproductive health. Domestic violence, gender preference,
husbands drinking behaviors, and low spousal communication were common experiences considered by
women as factors leading to poor quality of marital relationship. Four main themes in confronting women’s well-being are poor literacy and mobility, low employment and income generating opportunities, poor
reproductive health choices and preferences and poor quality of martial relationships and communication.
These determinants of physical, psychological and cultural well-being should be an essential part of nursing assessment in the primary care settings for informed actions. Nursing interventions should be directed
towards participatory approach, informed decision making and empowering women towards better health
and well-being in the mining community.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
385
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Melba Sheila D’souza
Department
Adult Health & Critical
Contact
melba@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Factors associated with health-related quailty of life among indian women in mining and agriculture
Journal Title
Health and quality of life outcomes BMC
Volume/Issue/Pages
11/9/1-16
Key Words
SF-36; Health-related quality of life; Well-being; Perceived health; Women’s health;
Coping; Nursing; Mining
Authors
Melba Sheila D’Souza, Subrahmanya Nairy Karkada and Ganesha Somayaji
“Background: Women facing social and economic disadvantage in stressed communities of developing countries are at greater risk due to health problems. This paper investigates the relationships between structural,
health and psychosocial predictors among women in mining and agricultural communities. This paper is a
report of a study of the predictors of the health-related quality of life among Indian women in mining and
agricultural communities.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used. The instruments used are SF-36 Health
Survey and Coping Strategy Checklist. ANOVA, MANOVA and GLM were used in the analysis. The study
was conducted between January-September 2008 with randomly selected women in a mining (145) and an
agricultural community (133) in India.
Results: Women in the agricultural community had significantly increased Physical Health, Mental Health
and SF36 scores compared with those in the mining community. Years of stay, education and employment
were significant predictors among women in the agricultural community. 39% (33%) and 40% (26%) of the
variance in Physical and Mental health respectively among women in agricultural and mining communities
are predicted by the structural, health and psychosocial variables.
Conclusion: Perceived health status should be recognised as an important assessment of Physical and Mental
Health among women in rural stressed communities. Cognitive, emotional and behavioural coping strategies are significant predictors of health related quality of life. Implications. Nurses should use the SF-36 as
a diagnostic tool for assessing health related quality of life among women and discuss coping strategies, so
that these can target women’s adaptive behaviour. This should be an essential part of the nursing process for
facilitating adaptive process for improved health related quality of life.”
386
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Raghda Khalid Y. Shukri
Department
Adult Health & Critical
Contact
raghda@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Attitudes of students at Sultan Qaboos University towards the nursing profession
Journal Title
SQUMJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/539-544
Key Words
Attitudes; Nursing; Oman; Students
Authors
Shukri RK, Bakkar BS, El-Damen MA, Ahmed SM
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the attitudes of Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) students
towards the nursing profession.
Methods: A sample of 377 students (male = 130; female = 247) were selected from different colleges of SQU,
including the College of Nursing. A questionnaire was constructed and validated to assess the attitudes of
SQU students towards the nursing profession.
Results: Findings revealed that both male and female students in all academic years and colleges had positive
attitudes toward the nursing profession. The findings also revealed that gender and academic year created
no significant differences (P <0.05) among the study participants, but that the students’ college affiliation did
have a significant effect on their attitudes. In particular, nursing students had more positive attitudes than
students of other colleges.
Conclusion: Findings indicated that the attitudes of SQU students towards the nursing profession were positive, especially those of the nursing students. This means that serious efforts should be made to continue to
promote the nursing profession and so ensure that it remains positively regarded by all concerned.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
387
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Rhoda Suubi Muliira
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
rhodam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Teaching culturally appropriate therapeutic touch to nursing students in the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Holistic Nursing Practice
Volume/Issue/Pages
27/1/45-48
Key Words
Muslim patients; nursing care; reflection; religion; TT
Authors
Rhoda Suubi Muliira and Joshua k Muliira
“Therapeutic touch (TT) is a valid nursing intervention but some patients feel uncomfortable with it because
of personal beliefs. This commentary presents observations and experiences of the use of TT during care
of Muslim patients in the Sultanate of Oman. There is need to teach nursing students deliberate steps when
considering its use in Muslim patients because they increase acceptability and implementation in a culturally
sensitive manner.”
388
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Rhoda Suubi Muliira
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
rhodam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Sexual health for older women: Implications for nurses and other health care providers
Journal Title
SQUMJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/469-476
Key Words
Aged; Female; Nursing care; Sexual behaviour
Authors
Rhoda Suubi Muliira and Joshua k Muliira
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“This article presents findings from a review of the evidence regarding sexual health for older women from
MEDLINE, SCOPUS and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINHAL) databases. A total
of 10 articles based on primary studies, reporting about the sexuality or sexual health of older women (and
older people), and published between 2002-2012, were deemed suitable. The major themes that emerged from
the available literature suggest that the sexual health of older people is affected by factors such as physical
changes, mental health, changes to their relationship with their husband, chronic ill health and other psychosocial situations. It is concluded that nurses and other healthcare providers have a range of interventions that
can be adopted to promote sexual health among older women. These interventions may focus on improving
the older woman’s sexual health assessment; increasing awareness and knowledge about sexuality in later
life; pharmacological and psychotherapeutic therapies; using alternative techniques to achieve better sexual
functioning; addressing partner and relationship issues, and advocating the importance of sexual health
through media and policy development.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
389
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Rhoda Suubi Muliira
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
rhodam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A review of potential Muslim organ donors perspective on solid organ donation:
Lessons for nurses in clinical practice
Journal Title
Nursing Forum
Volume/Issue/Pages
49/1/59-70
Authors
Rhoda Suubi Muliira and Joshua k Muliira
“A review of potential Muslim organ donors perspective on solid organ donation: Lessons for nurses in
clinical practice.
Background: Transplantation is increasingly being used to treat patients with end-stage organ disease. However, when potential organ donors involved are Muslims, religious beliefs and culture have a strong influence
on clinical decision making and nursing care.
Purpose: To establish basic aspects that nurses working with potential Muslim organ donors need to know
in order to provide culturally sensitive care.
Methods: Studies were retrieved from four databases (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, SCOPUS, Medline, and PubMed).
Results: Findings of available studies show that health education, family involvement, and collaboration with
religious leaders are good strategies for ensuring culturally sensitive care for Muslim patients in this situation.
Conclusion: Nurses need to know that organ donation is compatible with Islam and that religious leaders,
family, sociocultural beliefs, legal requirements, informed decision making process, and Ramadan are important aspects that need to be considered in order to be able to provide culturally senstive care.”
390
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Rhoda Suubi Muliira
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
rhodam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Improving vaginal examinations performed by midwives
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/3/442-449
Key Words
Midwifery; Labour; Midwifery care; Vagina; Vaginal Examination.
Authors
Rhoda S. Muliira, Vidya Seshan, and Shanthi Ramasubramaniam
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“A vaginal examination (VE) is an essential part of midwifery care, and is routinely performed when assessing
the progress of labour. As evidence shows that during labour women may find VEs unpleasant, embarrassing
and sometimes painful, the aim of this article is to review literature on the use of VEs during labour and to
synthesise information from the available literature on how to provide an effective VE. The studies considered were retrieved from three databases (the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature
[CINAHL], SCOPUS and MEDLINE) using the following search terms: “VEs in labour,” “midwives and
use of VEs” and “women experiences of VEs in labour.” The literature reviewed suggests that midwives are
not careful about VEs. Therefore, a concerted effort is needed to pay attention to the frequency of VEs, the
management of pain and distress, information-giving and the preferences of the patient, so that the patient
can feel in control during a VE.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
391
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Shreedevi Balachandran
Department
Adult Health & Critical
Contact
shreedev@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Writing-to-learn attitudes of nursing students at Sulatn Qaboos University
Journal Title
SQUMJ
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/1/113-119
Key Words
Attitude; Education; Learning; Nursing; Oman; Self Efficacy; Students; Writing
Authors
Balachandran S, Venkatesaperumal R, Clara J, Shukri RK
“Objectives: The objectives of this study were to assess the attitude of Omani nursing students towards
writing-to-learn (WTL) and its relationship to demographic variables, self-efficacy and the writing process.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to evaluate attitudes towards WTL by Sultan Qaboos University
nursing students. A convenience sample of 106 students was used and data collected between October 2009
and March 2010. A modified version of the WTL attitude scale developed by Dobie and Poirrier was used to
collect the data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for analysis.
Results: Senior and junior students had more positive attitudes to WTL than mid-level students who tended to
have negative attitudes towards writing. Although 52.8% students had negative attitudes towards the writing
process, the median was higher for attitudes to the writing process compared to the median for self-efficacy.
There was a positive correlation between self-efficacy and writing process scores.
Conclusion: Overall, students had negative attitudes towards WTL. Attitudes are learnt or formed through
previous experiences. The incorporation of WTL strategies into teaching can transform students’ negative
attitudes towards writing into positive ones.”
392
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Vidya Seshan
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
vidya69@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Using a video assisted teaching program to reduce the severity of Urinary incontinence symptoms in women
Journal Title
International Journal of urological Nursing
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/1/33-42
Key Words
Community care; Continent diversion; Education; Patients’ experience; Urinary
incontinence; Women’s health
Authors
Vidya Seshan, Joshua K Muliira, Rajalakshmi Krishnamurthy and Vidhya Sivaram
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
“Urinary incontinence (UI) is still a common chronic health problem affecting physical, psychological and
social well-being of women in developing countries. UI is a challenge to women’s health because of the
number affected and lack of access to affordable care that can cure or relieve associated symptoms especially
in resource limited settings. This study explored the prevalence of UI and assessed effectiveness of a Video
Assisted Teaching Program for Kegel’s Exercises (VATPKE) in reducing severity of UI symptoms among
community dwelling women. A survey was used to obtain data from a sample of 598 community dwelling
Indian women in Coimbatore district in Tamilnadu State. A pre–posttest design was then used to assess effectiveness of the VATPKE in reducing UI symptom severity in affected women. Data were analysed using a
paired samples t-test. Of the 598 women, 202 (34%) reported having some level of UI and most participants
affected were married (78%), less educated (56%), had high BMI (52%) and lower socio-economic status.
Affected women mostly reported the severity level of UI symptoms at pre-intervention as moderate (78%)
or mild (22%).The mean post-intervention UI symptoms severity score (M = 21•72, SD = 3•99) was lower
than pre- intervention (M = 29•91, SD = 5•12) and paired t-test results showed that the difference was highly
statistically significant (p < 0•00). The VATPKE used in this study was effective in reducing the severity of
self-reported UI symptoms in community dwelling Indian women.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
393
College of Nursing
Applicant Name
Vidya Seshan
Department
Maternal & Child Health
Contact
vidya69@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Self reported Urinary incontinence and factors associated with symtom severity in
community dwelling adult women: Implication for women’s health promotion
Journal Title
BMC Women’s Health
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/16/1-8
Key Words
Risk factors, Women, Attitude, Urinary incontinence, Predictors, Prevalence
Authors
Vidya Seshan and Joshua Kanaabi Muliira
“Background: Urinary incontinence (UI) continues to affect millions of women worldwide and those living in
resource poor settings seem to be more affected. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence
of UI and factors associated with UI symptom severity (UISS) among women in a selected district in India.
Methods: A cross-sectional design was used to collect data from a sample of 598 community dwelling women
in the age range of 20 to 60 years. Data was collected using a questionnaire survey of participants who were
found in their homes.
Results: The prevalence of UI was 33.8% and the majority of women had negative attitudes about the condition. For instance most women were in agreement with statements such as: UI cannot be prevented or cured
(98%); women with UI are cursed (97%); women are not supposed to tell anyone about the problem (90%)
and others. Of the 202 women with self-reported UI, the majority reported having moderate UISS (78%) and
others rated the symptoms as mild (22%). The woman’s age at first birth (p<.01) was negatively associated
with UISS, while the number of pregnancies (p<.01) and weight of the largest baby ever delivered (p<.01),
were positively associated with UISS. The weight of the largest baby delivered had the strongest impact on
predicting UISS.
Conclusions: Many community dwelling women are suffering from UI at proportions which warrant significant public health consideration. Therefore public health programs to prevent UI or worsening of symptoms
are required and should emphasize health education, because of the pervasive negative attitudes among affected and unaffected women. The predictors reported here can be used to priotize care for affected women
and to encourage early uptake of health actions and behaviors that promote pelvic floor strengthening in at
risk women who may be reluctant to disclose UI.”
394
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
College of Science
The College of Science published 117 referred journal papers in 2013 (see Table 10). 85 of these publications were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 28 were listed in Scopus and 4 were published in SQU Journals.
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
College of Science
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
85
Listed in Scopus
28
SQU Journals
4
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
College of Science
Table 10 : Number of Published Journal Papers in the College of Science in 2013
117
399
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Science
College of Science
Applicant Names
400
Pages
Applicant Names
Pages
Abdul Razak Al-Sayigh
402
Iftikhar Ahmed
430
Abdulkadir Elshafie
403
Imaddin Al-Omari
431
Abdullahi Umar
405
Issam Ali
432
Azzouz Sellai
406
Jasbir Manhas
433
Bassel Arafeh
407
M. Mazharul Islam
434
Bernhard Pracejus
409
Majid Ali
436
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
410
Maya Al-azri
437
El Sayed Mahmoud Osman
415
Medhat Ahmed Ibrahim Rakha
438
El-Said Ibrahim El-Shafey
417
Mehiddin Al-Baali
440
Elsadig A. Eltayeb
420
Mehmet Koca
442
Emad Khudaish
421
Messaoud Boulbrachene
444
FakhrEldin O. Suliman
422
Michael James Barry
447
Geetha Sanket Joshi
423
Mohamed Ali K. El-Ghali
449
Gerald Wanjala
424
Mohamed Elzain
450
Haider A. J. Al Lawati
425
Mohamed Salah Boudellioua
451
Hisham Mohammed Widatallah
427
Mohammad Mansur Rahman
452
Ibrahim A Eltayeb
429
Mohammad Saeed Khan
454
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Table : List of Applicants from the College of Science
Pages
Pages
Muhammad S. Khan
457
Samir Karaa
493
Muhammad Ziad
459
Sanjiv Kumar Gupta
494
Osama K. Abou-Zied
460
Sankaran Rajendran
495
Osman Abdalla
464
SANKET JANAKRAY JOSHI
496
Pallath Chandran
465
Sayyadul Arafin
497
QAMAR JALIL AHMAD
KHAN
466
Sebti Kerbal
500
Rachid Sbiaa
468
Sivakumar Nallusamy
501
Raeid M.M. Abed
471
Sobhi Jaber Nasir
502
Raid Abdel-Jalil
476
Stefan Veldsman
504
Reginald Victor
477
Taher A. Ba-Omar
505
Rengaraj Selvaraj
479
Tayfour El-Bashir
506
S M Mujibur Rahman
481
Wajdi Michael Zoghaib
507
Saif N Al-Bahry
482
Youcef Baghdadi
511
Salah Al-Khirbash
485
Younis Baqi
513
Saleh Nasser Al Busafi
487
Ziyad Sharawi
514
Salim Hamood Al-Harthi
488
Zuhoor Al-Khanjari
517
Salma Al-Kindy
492
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
College of Science
Applicant Names
Applicant Names
401
College of Science
Applicant Name
Abdul Razak Al-Sayigh
Department
Earth Science
Contact
alsayigh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Neorotalia Omanensis and Operculina Musawaensis from the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Science and Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/2013/41-53
Key Words
Neorotalia omanensis; Operculina musawaensis; Abat Formation; Musawa Formation; Oman.
Authors
Abdul Razak Siddiq Al-Sayigh
“Two new species of larger benthic foraminifera, Neorotalia omanensis n. sp. and Operculina musawaensis n.
sp. are described and illustrated from the eastern Oman Mountains. N. omanensis n. sp. occurs in the Musawa
Formation in association with the planktonic foraminifera Morozovella edgari and Truncarotaloides topilensis
indicating an early to middle Eocene age (P10-P13). Operculina musawaensis n. sp. occurs in the Abat Formation in association with the planktonic foraminifera Acarinina esnaensis and A. soldadensis indicating an
early Eocene age (P6). This is the first known record showing the presence of genus Neorotalia in the Middle
East. Representatives of the larger foraminiferal genus Linderina sp. are also described and illustrated from
the Musawa Formation and compared with the published Linderina species in the surrounding countries.”
402
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdulkadir Elshafie
Department
Biology
Contact
elshafie@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Biological Activities of boswellia sacra extracts on the growth and aflatoxin secretions of two aflatxigenic species v\of Aspergillus species
Journal Title
Food Control
Volume/Issue/Pages
34/0/763-769
Key Words
Aflatoxins Aspergillus flavus A. parasiticus Detoxification Frankincense
Authors
Saifeldin A.F. El-Nagerabi, Abdulkadir E. Elshafie, Suleiman S. AlKhanjari, Saif N.
Al-Bahry and Mohamed R. Elamin
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Aflatoxins are the most serious carcinogenic, hepatotoxic, teratogenic and mutagenic secondary metabolites
which adversely affect human and animal health. This study was designed to evaluate the in vitro inhibitory
effect of different concentrations of Boswellia sacra resin (2.5, 5, 7.5 and 10 g/100 ml), leaf extract (5, 7.5, 10,
12.5 and 15 ml/100 ml), and essential oil (1, 2, 3, and 4 ml/100 ml) on the growth and aflatoxins production
by two species of Aspergilli, namely Aspergillus flavus (SQU21) and Aspergillus parasiticus (CBS921.7). Resin
of B. sacra caused 57.9e92.1% inhibition of aflatoxin secretion by A. flavus and 43.6e95.7% for A. parasiticus.
However, the mycelial dry weights were significantly increased by 20.9 e52.7% for A. flavus, and 8.9e68.5%
for A. parasiticus. The leaf extract of B. sacra apparently enhanced aflatoxins production by 20e50%, and
mycelial dry weight by 25.5e29.1% for A. flavus and A. parasiticus.
The essential oil of B. sacra at different concentrations similarly inhibited the fungal growth and aflatoxins
production by 45.8e83.7% for A. flavus and 41.3e83.5% for A. parasiticus which indicates the antifungal
activity of this oil. None of the B. sacra extracts detoxified pure aqueous aflatoxin B1. We have concluded
that B. sacra resin and essential oil possess biological activity against biochemical synthesis and metabolic
pathway of aflatoxin production of the two Aspergillus species. Therefore, the resin and essential oil of B.
sacra can be recommended as safe plant based bioreservatives to enhance shelf life of food and feed products
with reference to adverse effect of physical and synthetic chemical preservatives and their antimicrobial and
aflatoxins inhibition activity.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
403
College of Science
Applicant Name
Abdulkadir Elshafie
Department
Biology
Contact
elshafie@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
New record of Ganoderma colossum associated with Sclerocarya birrea dieback
Journal Title
Australian plant dis. notes
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/0/85-87
Key Words
Ganoderma colossum. Marula. Sclerocarya birrea
Authors
A. E. Elshafie, S. N. Al-Bahry, S. A. F. El-Nagerabi and K. K. Al-Kindi
“Ganoderma colossum has been associated with devastating diseases and wood decay of different plants
such as Ficus carica, Ciltis laevigata, Pinus hondurensis, Callitris robusta, Eucalyptus citrodora, E. paniculata, E. puncata, and Phoenix canariensis. In 2005–2006, this pathogen was reported for the first time on
Delonix regia, Ficus altissima, and Phoenix dactylifera in Oman. It has been recently been detected on the
base and the upper parts of the trunks of Sclerocarya birrea. Morphological and microscopic examination
of the collected specimens confirmed the identity of this fungus. To our knowledge this is the first report of
G. colossum on S. birrea worldwide.”
404
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullahi Umar
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
aumarh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
On the number of subpermutations with fixed orbit size
Journal Title
ARS combinatoria
Volume/Issue/Pages
109/NA/365-375
Authors
Abdallah Laradji Abdullahi Umar
“Consider an n-set, say Xn = {1; 2; : : :; n}. An expo-nential generating function and recurrence relation for
the number of subpermutations of Xn, whose orbits are of size at most k ≥ 0 are obtained. Similar results for
the number of nilpotent subpermutations of nilpotency index at most k, and exactly k are also given, along
with arithmetic and asypmtotic formulas for these numbers.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
405
College of Science
Applicant Name
College of Science
Applicant Name
Azzouz Sellai
Department
Physics
Contact
asellai@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Deep-level transient spectroscopy of interfacial states in buffer-free p-i-n GaSb/
GaAs devices
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
114/134507/1-7
Key Words
III-V semiconductors; deep level transient spectroscopy; electronic density of
states; energy gap; gallium arsenide; interface states; passivation; semiconductor
devices
Authors
Mohsin Aziz, Philippe Ferrandis, Abdelmadjid Mesli, Riaz Hussain Mari, Jorlandio
Francisco Felix, Azzouz Sellai, Dler Jameel, Noor Al Saqri, Almontaser Khatab,
David Taylor, and Mohamed Henini
“A systematic study was carried out on defect states in Interfacial Misfit (IMF) unpassivated and Tepassivated IMF in p-i-n GaSb/GaAs devices using Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy (DLTS) and Laplace DLTS.
Additionally, Current-Voltage (I–V) measurements were performed, which showed that the turn-on voltage
(Von) of passivated samples is lower than that for unpassivated samples; an effect which can be explained
by the introduction of new defects states near to the interface of GaSb/GaAs, where Te was incorporated to
passivate the IMF. The Capacitance-Voltage (C-V) analysis demonstrates that these new states are the consequence of adding Te at the misfit of GaSb/GaAs. Furthermore, DLTS measurements reveal a distribution
of states including a main midgap energy level, namely the well documented EL2 trap, with some peculiar
behaviour. Most of these levels are related to interface states that are generated by the mismatch between
GaAs and GaSb. Originally, the addition of Te atoms was thought to passivate these interface states. On the
contrary, this paper, which attempts at correlating the current-voltage and capacitance-voltage characteristics
to the DLTS results, shows clearly that Te atoms increase the density of interface states.”
406
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Bassel Arafeh
Department
Computer Science
Contact
arafeh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Bandwidth borrowing-based QoS approach for adaptive call admission control in
multiclass traffic wireless cellular networks
Journal Title
International Journal of Communication Systems
Volume/Issue/Pages
26/July/21
Key Words
Cellular networks; admission control; multimedia traffic; QoS provisioning; bandwidth allocation; bandwidth borrowing, max-min; scheme; reservation; fairness;
policy
Authors
Sharifa Al Khanjari, Bassel Arafeh, Khaled Day and Nasser Alzeidi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“This paper proposes a QoS approach for an adaptive call admission control (CAC) scheme for multiclass
service wireless cellular networks. The QoS of the proposed CAC scheme is achieved through call bandwidth
borrowing and call preemption techniques according to the priorities of the traffic classes, using complete
sharing of the available bandwidth. The CAC scheme maintains QoS in each class to avoid performance
deterioration through mechanisms for call bandwidth degradation, and call bandwidth upgrading based on
min-max and max-min policies for fair resource deallocation and reallocation, respectively. The proposed
adaptive CAC scheme utilizes a measurement-based online monitoring approach of the system performance,
and a prediction model to determine the amount of bandwidth to be borrowed from calls, or the amount of
bandwidth to be returned to calls. The simulation-based performance evaluation of the proposed adaptive
CAC scheme shows the strength and effectiveness of our proposed scheme.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
407
College of Science
Applicant Name
Bassel Arafeh
Department
Computer Science
Contact
arafeh@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Impact of physical and virtual carrier sensing on route discovery mechanism in
noisy MANETs
Journal Title
IEEE Transaction on Consumer Electronics
Volume/Issue/Pages
59/3/6
Key Words
Manets; Route Discovery; Carrier Sensing
Authors
Scott Linfoot, Haitham Y. Adarbah, Bassel Arafeh, and Alistair Duffy
“In cellular consumer devices, one of the limiting factors for efficiency is that of overhead on the network
layer that effects on the performance of the network. A substantial design issue is that, with cellular consumer
devices, the discovery phase of the routing process, when attempting to establish a mobile ad hoc network,
a high demand is placed on the network layer. Hence, a challenge for the designer is to reduce this demand,
thus increasing overall device availability.
Routing algorithms, and hence the performance of the networks are adversely affected by inefficient carrier
sensing methods which can lead to increasing packet loss within the network environment.
In this paper, the effect of physical and virtual carrier sensing on the route discovery mechanism has been
identified and this paper suggests that choosing a suitable carrier sensing threshold in a high density and
noisy mobile ad hoc network yields a better performance than if the default value is used.”
408
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Bernhard Pracejus
Department
Earth Science
Contact
pracejus@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Inorganic and biogenic As-sulfide precipitation at seafloor hydrothermal fields
Journal Title
Marine Geology
Volume/Issue/Pages
242/2013/28-38
Key Words
Fungi; modelling; orpiment; realgar; submarine hydrothermal
Authors
Vesselin M. Dekov, Luca Bindi, Gaëtan Burgaud, Sven Petersen, Dan Asael, Vanessa
Rédou, Yves Fouquet and Bernhard Pracejus
College of Science
Applicant Name
“We investigated As-sulfides (orpiment, As2S3 and realgar, As4S4) from four seafloor hydrothermal fields:
three from back-arc and one from mid-ocean ridge settings. Our studies suggest two different modes of Assulfide precipitation at the seafloor hydrothermal sites: inorganic and biogenic. The Eh–pH modelling shows
that the most stable As-sulfide at low-temperature (T < 100 °C) seafloor hydrothermal conditions is orpiment, whereas realgar appears as a stable As-sulfide phase at T = 25 °C and under a narrow range of Eh–pH
values. Inorganically precipitated realgar forms euhedral crystals whereas the orpiment is mostly colloform.
The biogenic type of orpiment (no realgar of this type was found) represents completely mineralized fungal
hyphae. The proposed scenario of biogenic orpiment formation assumes that crack-dwelling fungal filaments
in the sub-seafloor were killed by an As-rich hydrothermal fluid moving along the same crack network. The
fungal organic matter served as a geochemical trap for hydrothermal As which reacted with S (leached from
the basement or reduced from seawater sulfate) and mineralized the fungal hyphae as As2S3. This process
of fungal orpiment precipitation is a mechanism of bio-sequestration of hydrothermal As and another mode
of soft-tissue fossilization not described so far.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
409
College of Science
Applicant Name
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
krish@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Solutions of a coupled wave equation
Journal Title
University Polytechnica of Bucharest Scientific Bulletin, Series A
Volume/Issue/Pages
75/2/57-68
Key Words
Coupled systems; Coupled wave equations; Mapping method; Nonlinearly coupled;
Parameter constraints; Traveling wave solution Engineering main heading: Wave
equations
Authors
E. V. Krishnan, Ghodrat Ebadi, Anjan Biswas
“This paper obtains the traveling wave solution to a nonlinearly coupled wave equation. Subsequently, the
mapping method and its extended and modi ed versions are also employed to obtain additional solutions
to this equation. Finally, the exponential function method and the G’/G-expansion method are employed
to extract more solutions to this coupled system of equations. The parameter constraints are also given in
order for the solutions to exist.”
410
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
krish@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Topological solitons, cnoidal waves and conservation laws of coupled wave equations
Journal Title
Indian Journal of Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
87/12/1233-1241
Key Words
Travelling wave solutions; Jacobi elliptic functions; Soliton solutions; Korteweg–de
Vries equation; Boussinesq equation
Authors
E V Krishnan, A H Kara, S Kumar3 and A Biswas
College of Science
Applicant Name
“In this paper a few coupled wave equations that arise in the dynamics of two-layered shallow water waves
in ocean shores and beaches have been studied. The mapping method is applied to extract cnoidal waves
and solitary wave solutions to the coupled Korteweg–de Vries (KdV) equation, coupled Boussinesq equation
and the coupled Whitham– Broer–Kaup equation. The ansatz method is also applied to obtain topological
1-solution to the coupled KdV equation with power law nonlinearity. The multiplier method then gives a
few conserved quantities of the coupled KdV equation.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
411
College of Science
Applicant Name
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
krish@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Solitons and other solutions to the generalized Maccari system
Journal Title
Romanian Reports in Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
65/4/1138-1154
Key Words
Solitons, travelling waves, integrability
Authors
Bouthina S. Ahmed, Anjan Biswas, E.V. Krishnan, Sachin Kumar
“The generalized Maccari system is studied in this paper. The governing equation is solved both analytically
and numerically. The travelling wave solution reveals 1-soliton solution. Subsequently, by using the mapping
method and Lie symmetry analysis we also obtain several other solutions that include cnoidal waves and
other doubly periodic functions. The parametric domain restrictions are also identified in this paper. Finally,
some numerical simulations are given.”
412
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
krish@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Solitary waves and conservation laws of Bona-Chen equations
Journal Title
Indian Journal of Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
87/2/169-175
Key Words
Cnoidal waves; Integrability; Solitary waves
Authors
Biswas, A., Krishnan, E.V., Suarez, P., Kara, A.H., Kumar, S.
College of Science
Applicant Name
“This paper obtains the solitary wave solution of the Bona-Chen equation which is a coupled system of
non-linear evolution equation that arises in the study of shallow water waves flow. The ansatz method and
Jacobi elliptic function method are used to obtain the solutions. The conservation law of the equation is
obtained by the multiplier method. Finally, the numerical simulations are also given.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
413
College of Science
Applicant Name
Edamana Vasudevan Krishnan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
krish@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Topological solitons and other solutions to potential Korteweg-de Vries equation
Journal Title
Romanian Reports in Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
65/4/1125-1137
Key Words
Potential Korteweg-de Vries equation, topological soliton solution.
Authors
Anjan Biswas, Sachin Kumar, E. V. Krishnan, Bouthina Ahmed, Andre Strong,
Stephen Johnson, Ahmet Yildirim
“This paper studies the potential Korteweg-de Vries equation. The topological soliton solution is obtained by
the aid of ansatz method. The mapping method reveals a list of solutions that include cnoidal waves, snoidal waves and singular solutions in three limiting cases. The Lie symmetry analysis is carried out to obtain
several other solutions. Finally, a numerical simulation of the topological soliton is also given in this paper.”
414
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
El Sayed Mahmoud Osman
Department
Physics
Contact
osm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Phase diagram and thermodynamic properties of H2
Journal Title
Physical Review E (Phys. Rev. E)
Volume/Issue/Pages
87/1/012122-1-012122-7
Authors
S. M. Osman, I. Ali, and R. N. Singh
“A statistical mechanical-based theory is used to develop the equation of state for the molecular fluid of
H2. We incorporate in this equation the long-range correlations through the double Yukawa potential,
dimerization of the H2 molecule by treating the fluid as a hard convex body fluid, and first-order quantum
correction which is important at low temperatures. We use this to calculate the liquid-vapor equilibrium
of H2, including the temperature and pressure dependence of compressibility factor, entropy, specific heat,
compressibility, and sound velocity.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
415
College of Science
Applicant Name
College of Science
Applicant Name
El Sayed Mahmoud Osman
Department
Physics
Contact
osm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Liquid Gallium-lead mixture phase diagram, surfce tension near the critical mixing
point and prewetting transition
Journal Title
Physical Review E (Phys. Rev. E)
Volume/Issue/Pages
87/6/062103-1-062103-10
Authors
S. M. Osman, B. Grosdidier, I. Ali, and A. Ben Abdellah
“Quite recently, we reported a semianalytical equation of state (EOS) for the Ga-Pb alloy [Phys. Rev. B 78,
024205 (2008)], which was based on the first-order perturbation theory of fluid mixtures, within the simplified
random phase approximation, in conjunction with the Grosdidier et al. model pair potentials for Ga-Ga and
Pb-Pb with a suitable nonadditive pair potential between Ga-Pb unlike pairs. In the present work, we employ
the present EOS to calculate the Ga-Pb phase diagram along the immiscibility gap region. The accuracy of
the EOS is tested by consulting the empirical binodal curve. A statistical-mechanical-based theory for the
surface tension is employed to obtain an analytical expression for the alloy surface tension. We calculated
the surface tension along the bimodal curve and at extreme conditions of temperatures and pressures. The
surface tension exhibits reasonably well the prewetting transition of Pb atoms at the surface of the Ga-rich
liquid alloy and could qualitatively explain the prewetting phenomena occurring in the Ga-rich side of the
phase diagram. The predicted prewetting line and wetting temperature qualitatively agree with the empirical
measurements.”
416
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
El-Said Ibrahim El-Shafey
Department
Chemistry
Contact
elshafey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Removal of Cu2+ and Ag+ from aqueous solution on a chemically-carbonized
sorbent from date palm leaflets
Journal Title
Environmental Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
34/3/395-406
Key Words
Cu2+; Ag+; reduction; sorption; carbon
Authors
El-Said Ibrahim El-Shafey and Salma Muhammed Zahran Al-Kindy
College of Science
Applicant Name
“A chemically-carbonized sorbent was prepared from date palm leaflets by sulphuric acid treatment at 170°
C. Carbonization took place via the dehydration effect of the hot sulphuric acid producing a carbon with
reduction property. Sorption of Cu2+ and Ag+ from aqueous solution was investigated in terms of pH,
contact time, metal concentration and temperature. A peculiar behaviour was found for the sorption of the
two metals on the produced carbon. Sorption of Cu2+ was fast, reaching equilibrium within ~2 h, whilst
Ag+ sorption was slow and required ~60 h to reach equilibrium. Activation energy (Ea) for Cu2+ sorption
was ~16.1 kJ/mol indicating a diffusion-controlled ion exchange process; however, Ea for Ag+ sorption
was 44.3 kJ/mol indicating a chemically controlled process. Equilibrium sorption data were tested for the
Langmuir and Freundlich equations. Sorption capacity appears to be much higher for Ag+ than for Cu2+
with increased uptake, for both metals, when increasing the temperature (25–45° C). Ag+ was reduced to
elemental silver on the sorbent surface and this was confirmed using scanning electron microscopy and x-ray
powder diffraction; however, no reduction processes were involved in Cu2+ sorption. This paper discusses
the sorption mechanism.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
417
College of Science
Applicant Name
El-Said Ibrahim El-Shafey
Department
Chemistry
Contact
elshafey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Sorption of lead and silver from aqueous solution on phosphoric acid dehydrated
carbon
Journal Title
Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
1/4/034-944
Key Words
Sorption Pb2+ Ag+ Dehydrated carbon Phosphoric
Authors
E.I. El-Shafey, A.H.R. Al-Hashmi
“Dehydrated carbon was prepared from date palm leaflets via the chemical treatment with phosphoric acid.
Carbon preparation was investigated by varying the acid concentration at 150 8C and selection criterion was
based on the maximum removal of Pb2+ and Ag+ from aqueous solution. 13 M phosphoric acid was selected
for the preparation of dehydrated carbon referred as DC13 that shows maximum removal for both metals
from aqueous solution. DC13 was tested for the sorption of Pb2+ and Ag+ at different pH, contact time,
metal concentration, temperature and sorbent status (moistened or dry). Maximum sorption was obtained at
initial pH 5.0 for both metals. Equilibrium was reached in 1 h for Pb2+ sorption and 80 h for Ag+ sorption
with higher activation energy for Ag+ sorption (31.9 kJ mol 1) than that for Pb2+ sorption (11.0 kJ mol 1).
Moistened carbon showed better performance than the dry carbon and sorption capacity using the Langmuir
isotherm was 41.5 and 37.9 mg g 1 for Pb2+ sorption and 312.5 and 285.7 mg g 1 for Ag+ sorption on moistened and dry carbons, respectively. Sorption of Pb2+ and Ag+ from a binary mixture showed a decrease in
their uptake. The peculiar behaviour of metal sorption is related to the chemical reduction of Ag+ to Ag0 on
the carbon surface, however, no chemical reduction was involved in Pb2+ sorption.”
418
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
El-Said Ibrahim El-Shafey
Department
Chemistry
Contact
elshafey@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Dehydrated carbon fiber for the recovery of Pd(II) and Pt(II) from chloride aqueous solution
Journal Title
Separation Science and Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
48/12/1820-1829
Key Words
Dehydrated carbon fiber; pd(II); pt(II); reduction; sorption
Authors
E. I. El-Shafey
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Cellulose fiber was separated from date palm leaflets and was carbonized by dehydration using dilute sulfuric
acid at 150 C. Produced dehydrated carbon fiber (DCF) was tested for the sorption of Pd(II) and Pt(II) at
different pH, contact time, metal concentration, and temperature. With the rise in pH, sorption was found
to increase for Pd(II) but decreases for Pt(II). The optimum pH ranges of 1-3 for Pt(II) and 3-3.5 for Pd(II).
Approximate equilibrium was obtained within 50 hr for both metals with sorption data fitting the pseudo
second order model well. Activation energy, Ea, was found to be higher than 40 kJ/mol for the sorption of
both metals, indicating the involvement of chemical processes in metal sorption. The Langmuir isotherm
was found to fit the sorption data more than other isotherms. Thermodynamic parameters were calculated
and showed an involvement of chemical processes in metal sorption with stronger interaction for the carbon
with Pb(II) than with Pt(II). Both of Pd(II) and Pt(II) were reduced to their respective elemental forms on
the surface of the fiber as confirmed by scanning electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
419
College of Science
Applicant Name
Elsadig A. Eltayeb
Department
Biology
Contact
eatayeb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Optimised methods for quantitative analysis of solasodine and its glycoside solamargine by high performance liquid chromatography
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Journal for Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/1/1-10
Key Words
HPLC; Solamargine; Solasodine; Steroidal glycoalkaloids; Aglycone.
Authors
Sana S. Al-Sinani and Elsadig A. Eltayeb
“Improved and simplified HPLC conditions for the determination and quantification of both the steroidal
glycoalkaloid (solamargine) and its aglycone (solasodine) are described. The best isocratic conditions were
developed using a C18 column and methanol in combination with an ammonium dihydrogen phosphate
buffer. The isocratic conditions were shown to be more reproducible, less time consuming and to give sharper
peaks (better separation). The effects of adjusting solvent: buffer ratio, buffer pH and buffer molarity were
evaluated.”
420
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Emad Khudaish
Department
Chemistry
Contact
ejoudi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A solid-state sensor based on tris (2, 2-bipyridyl) ruthenium (II)/Poly(4-aminodiphenylamine) modified electrode: Characterization and applications.
Journal Title
Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical
Volume/Issue/Pages
185/Aug/478-487
Key Words
Electropolymerization; 4-Aminodiphenylamine; Tris(2, 2’-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II);
Heavy metals
Authors
Emad A. Khudaish*, Mohammed M. Al-Hinaai, Salim H. Al-Harthi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“A solid-state sensor based on poly(4-aminodiphenylamine) film deposited at glassy carbon electrode doped
with tris(2, 2-bipyridyl)Ru(II) complex (Padpa/Ru/GCE) was constructed electrochemically. The surface
morphology of the film modified electrode was characterized using electrochemical and surface scanning
techniques. A redox property represented by [Ru(bpy)3]3+/2+ couple immobilized at the Padpa moiety
was characterized using typical voltammetric techniques. The XPS data demonstrated the existence of (N)
bonding responsible for polymer formation while the degree of polymerization is reduced by the presence of
components containing chloride ions, specifically (NH3+Cl−) which is expected to rule the linkage of Padpa
with Ru-complexes. The AFM image reveals a broken and fused Padpa/Ru fiber
structure compared to a relatively uniform Padpa film. Parameters such as electron transfer coefficient, surface
concentration, roughness and energy dissipation were estimated. Primarily, the modified electrode was applied
as an environmental sensor for the simultaneous determination of Zn2+, Cd2+, Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions in water
samples. The detection limits for these metal ions were dropped to 122.5, 21.7, 9.8 and 28.0 ppb, respectively.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
421
College of Science
Applicant Name
FakhrEldin O. Suliman
Department
Chemistry
Contact
fsuliman@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
New spectrofluorimetric method for determination of cephalosporins in pharmaceutical formulations
Journal Title
Luminescence
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/734 - 741
Key Words
8-hydroxy-1, 3, 6-pyrenetrisulfonic acid trisodium salt (HPTS); cephalosporins;
pharmaceutical analysis; spectrofluorimetric analysis
Authors
Shazalia M. Ali Ahmed, Abdalla A. Elbashir, Fakhr Eldin O. Suliman and Hassan Y.
Aboul-Enein
“A simple, accurate, precise spectrofluorimetric method has been proposed for the determination of three
cephalosporins, namely, cefixime (cefi), cephalexine (ceph), and cefotaxime sodium (cefo) in pharmaceutical
formulations. This method is based on a reaction between cephalosporins with 8-hydroxy-1, 3, 6-pyrenetrisulfonic acid trisodium salt (HPTS) in alkaline medium, at pH 12.0 for cefi and 13.0 for ceph and cefo to
give highly fluorescent derivatives extracted with chloroform and subsequent measurements of the formed
fluorescent products at 520, 500 and 510 nm after excitation at 480, 470 and 480 nm for cefi, ceph and cefo
respectively. The optimum experimental conditions have been studied. Beer’s law is obeyed over concentrations of 10-60 ng/mL, 5-35 ng/mL and 10-60 ng/mL for cefi, ceph and cefo, respectively. The detection limits
were 4.20 ng/mL, 2.54 ng/mL and 4.09 ng/mL for cefi, ceph and cefo, respectively, with a linear regression
correlation coefficient of 0.99783, 0.99705 and 0.9978 and recoveries in ranges 96.96-105.77, 96.13-102.55
and 95.45-105.39% for cefi, ceph and cefo, respectively. This method is simple and can be applied for the
determination of cefi, ceph and cefo in pharmaceutical formulations in quality control laboratories.”
422
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Geetha Sanket Joshi
Department
Biology
Contact
geethasj@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Engineering Rhizobial Bioinoculants: A strategy to improve iron nutrition
Journal Title
Scientific World Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/Article ID 315890/15
Authors
S. J. Geetha and Sanket J. Joshi
“Under field conditions, inoculated rhizobial strains are at a survival disadvantage as compared to indigenous strains. In order to out-compete native rhizobia it is not only important to develop strong nodulation
efficiency but also increase their competence in the soil and rhizosphere. Competitive survival of the inoculated strain may be improved by employing strain selection and by genetic engineering of superior nitrogen
fixing strains. Iron sufficiency is an important factor determining the survival and nodulation by rhizobia in
soil. Siderophores, a class of ferric specific ligands that are involved in receptor specific iron transport into
bacteria, constitute an important part of iron acquisition systems in rhizobia and have been shown to play
a role in symbiosis as well as in saprophytic survival. Soils predominantly have iron bound to hydroxamate
siderophores, a pool that is largely unavailable to catecholate-utilizing rhizobia. Outer membrane receptors
for uptake of ferric hydroxamates include FhuA and FegA which are specific for ferrichrome siderophore.
Increase in nodule occupancy and enhanced plant growth of the fegA and fhuA expressing engineered bioinoculants rhizobial strain have been reported. Engineering rhizobia for developing effective bioinoculants
with improved ability to utilize heterologous siderophores could provide them with better iron acquisition
ability and consequently, rhizospheric stability.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
423
College of Science
Applicant Name
College of Science
Applicant Name
Gerald Wanjala
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
gwanjala@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Compressions of maximal dissipative and self-adjoint linear relations and of dilations.
Journal Title
Linear Algebra and its Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
439/3/771-792
Key Words
Hilbert space Krein space Symmetric Self-adjoint Dissipative Maximal dissipative
Linear relation Dilation Compression Reproducing kernel Codimension
Authors
T.Y. Azizov, A. Dijksma, G.Wanjala
“In this paper we generalize results from Stenger (1968) [30], Nudelman (2011) [28] and Azizov and Dijksma
(2012) [7] to maximal dissipative and self-adjoint linear relations and discuss related results for nonnegative self-adjoint extensions of nonnegative symmetric linear relations and self-adjoint dilations of maximal
dissipative linear relations.”
424
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Haider A. J. Al Lawati
Department
Chemistry
Contact
haiderl@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
High-throughput method for the analysis of venlafaxine in pharmaceutical formulations and biological fluids, using a tris(2, 2-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)–peroxydisulphate chemiluminescence system in a two-chip device
Journal Title
Luminescence
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/1/44-49
Key Words
Microfluidics; venlafaxine; chemiluminescence; two-chip device; Tris(2, 2’-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)
Authors
Haider A. J. Al Lawati, Gouri B. Varma and Fakhr Eldin O. Suliman
College of Science
Applicant Name
“A simple, rapid and sensitive chemiluminescent (CL) method for the assay of venlafaxine (VEN) in pharmaceutical formulations and serum samples by a two-chip device is proposed. The method is based on the
reaction of this drug with a tris(2, 2’-bipyridyl) ruthenium(II)– peroxydisulphate CL system. The optimum
chemical conditions for CL emission were investigated.
The calibration graph was linear for the concentration range 0.02–8.0 mg/mL. The detection and quantification
limits were found to be 0.006 and 0.018 mg/mL, respectively, while the relative standard deviation (RSD) was
<2.0%. The present CL procedure was applied to the determination of VEN in pharmaceutical formulations
and serum samples; the recovery levels were in the range 96.5–101.2%. The results suggest that the method
is unaffected by the presence of common formulation excipients found in these samples.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
425
College of Science
Applicant Name
Haider A. J. Al Lawati
Department
Chemistry
Contact
haiderl@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Flow-based analysis using microfluidics– chemiluminescence systems
Journal Title
Luminescence
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/5/618-627
Key Words
Microfluidics; chemiluminescence; electrochemiluminescence
Authors
Haider A. J. Al Lawati
“This review will discuss various approaches and techniques in which analysis using microfluidics–chemiluminescence systems (MF–CL) has been reported. A variety of applications is examined, including environmental, pharmaceutical, biological, food and herbal analysis. Reported uses of CL reagents, sample
introduction techniques, sample pretreatment methods, CL signal enhancement and detection systems are
discussed. A hydrodynamic pumping system is predominately used for these applications. However, several
reports are available in which electro-osmotic (EO) pumping has been implemented. Various sample pretreatment methods have been used, including liquid–liquid extraction, solid-phase extraction and molecularly
imprinted polymers. A wide range of innovative techniques has been reported for CL signal enhancement.
Most of these techniques are based on enhancement of the mixing process in the microfluidics channels,
which leads to enhancement of the CL signal. However, other techniques are also reported, such as mirror
reaction, liquid core wave-guide, on-line pre-derivatization and the use of an opaque white chip with a thin
transparent seal. Photodetectors are the most commonly used detectors; however, other detection systems
have also been used, including integrated electrochemiluminescence (ECL) and organic photodiodes (OPDs).”
426
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hisham Mohammed Widatallah
Department
Physics
Contact
hishammw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Structural, magnetic and 151Eu Mössbauer studies of mechanosynthesized nanocrystalline EuCr1-xFe xO3 particles
Journal Title
Acta Materialia
Volume/Issue/Pages
61/12/4461-4473
Key Words
Nanocrystalline materials; Mo¨ssbauer spectroscopy; Magnetic susceptibility;
Perovskite
Authors
H.M. Widatallah, T.M. Al-Shahumi, Z. Klencsa´r, M. Pekala, A.M. Gismelseed, I.A.
Al-Omari, A.D. Al-Rawas, D. Seifu
College of Science
Applicant Name
“We report on the mechanosynthesis of single-phased EuCr1xFexO3 (x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.9 and 1.0)
nanocrystalline particles (20–50 nm) at temperatures that are significantly lower than those at which the
corresponding bulk materials are conventionally synthesized, and their structural and magnetic characterization. It was found that the average crystallite size decreased, the lattice parameters increased and the unit
cell gets more distorted with increasing x. All samples showed weak ferromagnetism due to spin canting.
Although Curie temperatures increase with increasing x, they are significantly lower than those of the corresponding bulk materials. Simple Curie–Weiss fits for the paramagnetic susceptibilities were found to be more
physically plausible relative to fits where Vleck-type contributions to the paramagnetic susceptibilities due
to Eu3+ ionic sublattices, which are separate from of the Cr3+/Fe3+ ones, were assumed. The non-existence
of such separate Eu3+ and Cr3+/Fe3+ sublattices was further supported by 151Eu Mo¨ssbauer spectra of the
nanoparticles which favour a non-equilibrium cation distribution wherein a considerable amount of Eu3+
and Cr3+/Fe3+ ions exchange their normal dodecahedral and octahedral perovskite-related sites, respectively.
The supertransferred hyperfine magnetic field at the site of the 151Eu nuclei, induced by neighboring Cr3+/
Fe3+ ions, was found to be considerably larger for B-site nuclei than for Asite ones. The antisite behaviour
concluded in this study is consistent with 57Fe Mo¨ssbauer spectral analysis of the nanoparticles that favour
the presence of the majority of the Fe3+ ions at the usual B-sites and minority Fe3+ ions either at the A-sites
or at B-sites with Eu3+/Cr3+ nearest B-site neighbors. The relative site occupancies associated with the cationic site exchange inferred from both the 151Eu and 57Fe Mo¨ssbauer spectra are remarkably consistent.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
427
College of Science
Applicant Name
Hisham Mohammed Widatallah
Department
Physics
Contact
hishammw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Mössbauer and magnetic studies of Mg1+2xSb xFe2-3xO4 spinel ferrites
Journal Title
Materials Chemistry and Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
140/1/97-103
Key Words
Oxides Crystal structure Powder diffraction Mössbauer spectroscopy Magnetic
properties
Authors
H.M. Widatallah, F.A.S. Al-Mamari, N.A.M. Al-Saqri, A.M. Gismelseed a, I.A.
Al-Omari, T.M.H. Al-Shahumi, A.F. Alhaj, A.M. Abo El Ata, M.E. Elzain
“Spinel-related Mg1þ2xSbxFe23xO4 samples (x ¼ 0.0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, and 0.30) prepared using the
conventional double sintering technique were investigated using 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic
measurements. Mössbauer spectra favour a cationic distribution of the form (MgdFe1d) A[Mg1þ2x dSbxFe1þd3x] B O4 among the tetrahedral-A and octahedral-B sites of the spinel structure. The cation distribution
parameter (d) was found to vary with the Sb5þ concentration (x). The Mössbauer hyperfine magnetic fields
at both sites and the Curie temperatures of the ferrites decrease as x increases. This was attributed to gradual
weakening in the magnetic exchange interaction as more Fe3þ ions are substituted by diamagnetic Sb5þ and
Mg2þ ones. The sample with x ¼ 0.30 exhibits short range magnetic order due to cationic clustering and/or
superparamagnetism. The magnetization of all samples was found to be temperature-dependent implying that
d depends on temperature in addition to x. At low temperatures the substituted ferrites (x s 0.0) unexpectedly exhibit higher magnetization values relative to that of the pure ferrite MgFe2O4. This behaviour, while
at variance with the Néel’s model for ferrimagnetism, is explicable in terms of the spin canting mechanism
proposed in the YafeteKittel model.”
428
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ibrahim A Eltayeb
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
ieltayeb@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Model III: Benard convection in the presence of horizontal magnetic field and
rotation
Journal Title
Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors
Volume/Issue/Pages
221/1/38-59
Key Words
Stability Magnetoconvection Boundary layers Viscosity Electrical conductivity
Geodynamo
Authors
I.A. Eltayeb, M.M. Rahman
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Motivated by the need to understand better the roles of viscosity, electrical conductivity of the boundary
and the interaction between all the possible wave motions in a magnetic rotating system, we study the linear
stability of a simple system which can support five wave modes that can be excited in a rotating diffusive fluid
under the influence of a magnetic field and gravity. This is a Benard layer rotating uniformly about a horizontal axis in the presence of a horizontal magnetic field inclined at an angle to the rotation vector, a situation
previously studied succinctly under the name of model III. The stability is governed by seven dimensionless
parameters: (i) the modified Rayleigh number, R, the Elsasser number, K, and the Ekman number, E, which,
respectively, represent the ratios of the buoyancy, Lorentz and viscous forces to the Coriolis force, (ii) q and
pm which represent the ratios of thermal diffusivity and viscosity to magnetic diffusivity, (iii) r denoting
the ratio of electrical conductivity of boundary to that of fluid, and (iv) f which measures the angle between
field and rotation vector. A comprehensive investigation of the properties of these waves is carried out in
the geophysically relevant case of small Ekman numbers, although some exact solutions are presented for
other values of E. The preferred mode of convection is identified for each type of convection and the overall
preferred mode is discussed and regime diagrams for the preference of the different modes are constructed in
the parameter space. It is shown that viscosity plays a crucial role in the identification of the preferred mode
of convection, although it may be very small. The assumption that E 1 naturally leads to the development of
boundary layers, and a rich variety of them is found to exist in the system. The contribution of every boundary layer to the solution is found and the variables of the system strongly affected by the boundary layers
are identified. The boundary layers are found to be affected by the dynamic and electrical properties of the
boundary. Whereas free boundaries can sometimes allow exact solutions, rigid boundaries always develop
boundary layers. The electrical conductivity of the boundary is found to have a quantitative effect on four
modes while it leads to different mainstream solutions in the case of one mode, which can exist for a limited
range of parameters and can take the form of a propagating wave only.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
429
College of Science
Applicant Name
Iftikhar Ahmed
Department
Earth Science
Contact
iftikhar@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Lithofacies attributes, depositional and diagenetic properties of the Permian Gharif
formation form Haushi Huf area, Centeral Oman
Journal Title
Arabian Journal of Geosciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/12/4931- 4945
Key Words
Gharif Formation. Huqf. Permian. Lithofacies. association. Petrography. Oman
Interior Sedimentary Basin
Authors
Iftikhar Ahmed Abbasi, Osman Salad Hersi, Abdulrahman Al-Harthy & Iman
Al-Rashdi
“Over 70 m thick interbedded sandstone, siltstone and claystone of the upper member of the Gharif Formation
are exposed in western Huqf area in Oman Interior Sedimentary Basin. The Gharif Formation, particularly
its upper member hosts major hydrocarbon reservoir in the subsurface of the Oman Interior Sedimentary
Basin. The upper member of the Gharif Formation is comprised of interbedded thick sandstone, siltstone,
carbonaceous clays and intraformational conglomerates. The sandstone lithofacies, on average, constitute
10 m thick multistoreyed sequences, which are composed internally of 2–3 m thick and 100 s of metres
across vertically and laterally amalgamated sandstone bodies. Two major types of sandstones (types 1 and
2) are identified on the basis of their lithofacies association and internal architecture. The type 1 sandstone
constitutes the lower part of the member and is comprised of pebbly to coarse-grained, planar and trough
cross-bedded sandstone, plane bedded sandstone and pebble lags at the base of major sandstone bodies. The
cross-beds are, on average, 30 cm thick exhibiting a dominant paleoflow direction towards NW (280–300°
N). It is interpreted to be deposited by low sinuosity braided streams. The type 2 sandstone constitutes the
upper part of the member and is comprised of medium-grained sandstone, trough to low angle plane bedding
associated with lateral accretion surfaces. It is commonly interbedded with carbonaceous clays. Silicified plant
fragments are commonly distributed in the upper part of the sandstone. Interbedded clays and siltstones
are red, mottled and extensively bioturbated due to root burrows. It is interpreted to be deposited by high
sinuosity meandering streams. In the uppermost part of the section, several dark grey to black carbonaceous
clay/coal beds with plant matter are interbedded with sandstone and red clay indicating development of
swampy conditions during onset of the coastal setting in the uppermost part of the formation. About 30 cm
thick bioclastic sandstone deposited by the marine coastal bars mark transition from the Gharif Formation
to carbonate dominated Khuff Formation.
The sandstone of the Gharif Formation is arkosic in composition. Very small amount of cement and negligible
compaction of constituent grains in sandstone indicates shallow burial before uplift.”
430
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Imaddin Al-Omari
Department
Physics
Contact
ialomari@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Hf doping effect on hard magnetism of nanocrystalline Zr18-xHfxCo82 ribbons
Journal Title
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics
Volume/Issue/Pages
49/7/3394-3397
Key Words
Energy; magnetization; microstructure; nanomaterials; permanent magnets, ALLOYS; PHASE
Authors
Al-Omari, I.A., Zhang, W.Y., Yue, L., Skomski, R., Shield, J.E., Li, X.Z., Sellmyer, D.J
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The effects of substituting Zr by Hf on the structural and the magnetic properties of the nanocrystalline
rapidly solidified Zr18-xHfxCo82 ribbons (x = 0, 2, 4, and 6) have been studied. X-ray diffraction and thermomagnetic measurement results indicated that upon rapid solidification processing four magnetic phases
occur: rhombohedral Zr2Co11, orthorhombic Zr2Co11, hcp Co, and cubic Zr6Co23 phases. Microstructure
analysis results showed the reduction in the percentage of the soft-magnetic phase (Co) compared to the
hard-magnetic phase (Zr2Co11 (rhombohedral)) with the increase in the Hf concentration. All the samples
under investigation have ferromagnetic nature, at 4.2 K and at room temperature. The coercive force (H-c) and
the saturation magnetization (M-s) are found to linearly increases with x (x <= 2), then H-c slightly increases
and M-s slightly decreases with increasing x. The maximum energy product (BH)(max) at room temperature
is found to increases with increasing x reaching a maximum value for x = 4. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy
parameter of these samples are calculated to be K = 1.1 MJ/m(3) and independent of Hf concentration. The
above results indicate that the replacement of Zr by Hf improves the hard-magnetic properties of this class
of rear-earth-free nanocrystalline permanent magnet materials.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
431
College of Science
Applicant Name
Issam Ali
Department
Physics
Contact
issam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Effect of temperature and capsid tail on the packing and ejection of viral DNA
Journal Title
Plos One
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/1/e52958 (6 pages)
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: solvent; virus DNA
EMTREE medical terms: article; DNA ejection; DNA metabolism; DNA packaging;
entropy; hydrodynamics; molecular dynamics; molecular interaction; simulation;
solvent effect; static electricity; statistical analysis; stochastic model; surface charge;
temperature sensitivity; virus capsid; virus capsid tail
MeSH: Capsid; DNA, Viral; Hydrodynamics; Models, Biological; Models, Molecular; Molecular Dynamics Simulation; Polymers; Rotation; Stochastic Processes;
Temperature; Virus Assembly; Virus Internalization
Medline is the source for the MeSH terms of this document.
Species Index: Miridae
Chemicals and CAS Registry Numbers: DNA, Viral; Polymers
Authors
Afaf Al Lawati, Issam Ali, Muataz Al Barwani
“We use a simulation technique based on molecular dynamics and stochastic rotation model to present the
effect of temperature and capsid tail on the packaging and ejection processes of semiflexible polymers. We
consider two types of solvents, a good solvent, where the polymer is neutral and repulsion interactions among
its various sections are favored, and one where the polymer is charged, giving rise to extra electrostatic reaction. For tailless capsids, we find that packing a neutral polymer is slightly slower at higher temperatures
whereas its ejection is slightly slower at lower temperatures. We find the same trend for a charged polymer
but the effect is noticeably larger. At a high enough temperature, we notice that packing a charged polymer
can be stopped. On the other hand, at fixed temperature and regardless whether the polymer is charged,
packing is much easier for a capsid with a tail whereas ejection is much slower. The effect of including the tail
on the dynamics of a charged polymer, in particular, is rather significant: more packing fraction is facilitated
at higher temperatures due to more ordered polymer configuration inside the capsid. In contrast, during
ejection the tail traps the last remaining beads for quite some time before allowing full ejection. We interpret
these results in terms of entropic and electrostatic forces.”
432
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Jasbir Manhas
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
manhas@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Weighted composition operators and dynamical systems on weighted spaces of holomorphic functions on Banach spaces
Journal Title
Annals of Functional Analysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/2/58-71
Key Words
Dynamical system; Multiplication operator.; Weight; Weighted composition operator; Weighted frechet space
Authors
Manhas, J.S
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Let BX and BY be the open unit balls of the Banach Spaces X and Y, respectively. Let V and W be two countable families of weights on BX and BY, respectively. Let HV (BX) (or HV0 (BX)) and HW (BY) (or HW0
(BY)) be the weighted Fréchet spaces of holomorphic functions. In this paper, we investigate the holomorphic mappings φ : BX → BY and Ψ: BX → C which characterize continuous weighted composition operators
between the spaces HV (BX) (or HV0 (BX)) and HW (BY) (or HW0 (BY)) : Also, we obtained a (linear)
dynamical system induced by multiplication operators on these weighted spaces.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
433
College of Science
Applicant Name
M. Mazharul Islam
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mislam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
The pattern of female nuptiality in Oman
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/32-42
Key Words
Consanguinity; Marriage; Nuptial; Oman; Polygyny
Authors
M. Mazharul Islam, Atsu S. Dorvlo, Ahmed M. Al-Qasmi
“Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine Omani patterns of female nuptiality, including the
timing of marriage and determinants of age at a woman’s first marriage.
Methods: The study utilised data from the 2000 Oman National Health Survey. Univariate, bivariate, and
multivariate statistical methods, including logistic regression analysis, were used for data analysis.
Results: One of the most important aspects of the marriage pattern in Oman is the high prevalence of consanguineous marriages, as more than half (52%) of the total marriages in Oman are consanguineous. First cousin
unions are the most common type of consanguineous unions, constituting 39% of all marriages and 75% of
all consanguineous marriages. About 11% of the marriages are polygynous. Early and universal marriage is
still highly prevalent in Oman. Three-quarters (75%) of married women respondents aged 20-44 years were
married by age 20, with their median age at their first wedding being 16 years. However, women’s average
age upon marriage is gradually increasing. The change is especially apparent in more recent marriages or
among younger cohorts of women, and for certain socio-cultural groups. Multivariate analysis identified
female education, age cohort, residential status, region of residence, types of marriage, and employment as
strong predictors of Omani women’s age at marriage.
Conclusion: The growing number of young adults, accompanied by their tendency to delay marriage, may
have serious demographic, social, economic, and political ramifications for Oman, highlighting the need to
understand the new situation of youth, their unique characteristics, and their interests and demands. Culturally
appropriate policies need to be implemented to address the issues and challenges of unmarried young adults.”
434
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
M. Mazharul Islam
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mislam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effects of consanguineous marriage on reproductive behaviour, adverse pregnancy
outcomes and offspring mortality in Oman
Journal Title
Annals of Human Biology
Volume/Issue/Pages
40/3/243–255
Key Words
Consanguinity; First cousin marriage; Foetal loss; Marriage; Oman
Authors
M. Mazharul Islam
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Background: The long tradition of high prevalence of consanguineous marriages in Omani society may have
ramifications for reproductive behaviour and health of offspring.
Aim: To examine the relevance of consanguinity to reproductive behaviour, adverse pregnancy outcome and
offspring mortality in Oman. Subjects and methods: The data analysed came from the 2000 Oman National
Health Survey. Selected indicators that are related to reproductive behaviour, adverse pregnancy outcome
and offspring mortality were considered as explanatory variables. Various statistical methods and tests were
used for data analysis.
Results: Consanguineous marriage was found to be associated with lower age at first birth, higher preference
for larger family size, lower level of husband-wife communication about use of family planning methods and
lower rate of contraceptive use. Although bivariate analysis showed elevated fertility and childhood mortality
among the women with consanguineous marriage, after controlling for relevant socio-demographic factors
in multivariate analysis, fertility, childhood mortality and foetal loss showed no significant association with
consanguinity in Oman.
Conclusion: Consanguinity plays an important role in determining some of the aspects of reproduction and
health of newborns, but did not show any detrimental effects on fertility and offspring mortality. The high
level of consanguinity and its relevance to reproduction in Oman need to be considered in its public health
strategy in a culturally acceptable manner.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
435
College of Science
Applicant Name
Majid Ali
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Some remarks on multiplication and projective modules II
Journal Title
Communications in Algebra
Volume/Issue/Pages
41/1/195-214
Key Words
Locally cyclic projective module; Multiplication module; Ring of endormophisms;
Trace of a module.
Authors
Majid M. Ali
“All rings are commutative with identity and all modules are unital. Let R be a ring and M an R-module. In
our recent work [6] we investigated faithful multiplication modules and the properties they have in common
with projective modules. In this article, we continue our study and investigate faithful multiplication and
locally cyclic projective modules and give several properties for them. If M is either faithful multiplication
or locally cyclic projective then M is locally either zero or isomorphic to R. We show that, if M is a faithful
multiplication module or a locally cyclic projective module, then for every submodule N of M there exists
a unique ideal N TrM such that N = NM. We use this result to show that the structure of submodules of a
faithful multiplication or locally cyclic projective module and their traces are closely related. We also use the
trace of locally cyclic projective modules to study their endomorphisms.”
436
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Maya Al-Azri
Department
Physics
Contact
p008070@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
First principle calculation of the electronic and magnetic properties of Mn implanted
6H-SiC
Journal Title
Eur. Phys. J. B
Volume/Issue/Pages
86/9/1-4
Authors
Maya Al Azri1, Mohamed Elzain, Khalid Bouziane, and Salim Mourad Ch´erif
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The electronic and magnetic properties of 6H-SiC with Mn impurities have been calculated using GGA
formalism. Various configurations of Mn sites were considered. It was found that 6H-SiC doped with Mn
atoms possess a moment for both types of substitution. The Mn atom at Si site possesses larger magnetic
moment than Mn atom at C site. The energy levels appearing in the band gap due to vacancies and due to
Mn impurities are determined and the calculated densities of states (DOSs) are used to analyse the different
value of the magnetic moments for different types of substitution. A model that explains the magnetic moment at Mn site is proposed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
437
College of Science
Applicant Name
Medhat Ahmed Ibrahim Rakha
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
medhat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
On an extension of Kummer’s second theorem
Journal Title
Abstract and Applied Anlysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/128458/6
Authors
Medhat A. Rakha, MohamedM. Awad, and Arjun K. Rathie
“The aim of this paper is to establish an extension of Kummer’s second theorem in the form e −x/222[,
2+d;2a+2, ?] =[−2/16+3/2;] + ((?/? − 1/2)/(? + 1))x01[−;2/16+3/2;] + (cx2/2(2? + 3))01[−;2/16?+5/2;], where
? = (1/(? + 1))(1/2/?)+/?(? + 1), ? ≠ 0, −1, −2, .... For ? = 2we recover Kummer’s second theorem. The result
is derived with the help of Kummer’s second theorem and its contiguous results available in the literature.
As an application, we obtain two general results for the terminating32 (2) series. The results derived in this
paper are simple, interesting, and easily established and may be useful in physics, engineering, and applied
mathematics.”
438
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Medhat Ahmed Ibrahim Rakha
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
medhat@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
On certain hypergeometric identities deducible by using beta integral methods
Journal Title
Advances in Difference Equations
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/341/8
Key Words
Hypergeometric series; Kummer summation theorem; beta integral
Authors
Adel K Ibrahim, Medhat A Rakha and Arjun K Rathie
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The aim of this research paper is to demonstrate how one can obtain eleven new and interesting hypergeometric identities (in the form of a single result) from the old ones by mainly applying the well-known
beta integral method which was used successfully and systematically by Krattenthaler and Rao in their well
known, very interesting research papers. The results are derived with the help of generalization of a quadratic
transformation formula due to Kummer very recently obtained by Kim et al. Several identities, including one
obtained earlier by Krattenthaler and Rao, follow special cases of our main findings. The results established
in this paper are simple, interesting, easily established and may be potentially useful.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
439
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mehiddin Al-Baali
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
albaali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Broydens quasi-Newton methods for a non-linear system of equations and unconstrained optimization: a review and open problems
Journal Title
Optimization Methods & Software
Volume/Issue/Pages
10.1080/10556788.2013.856909/1/18
Key Words
Non-linear algebraic equations; unconstrained optimization; quasi-Newton methods; modified methods; line search technique; ABS methods; finite termination;
optimal conditioning
Authors
Mehiddin Al-Baali, Emilio Spedicato & Francesca Maggioni
“Quasi-Newton methods were introduced by Charles Broyden [A class of methods for solving non-linear
simultaneous equations, Math Comp. 19 (1965), pp. 577–593] as an alternative to Newton’s method for solving
non-linear algebraic systems; in 1970 Broyden [The convergence of a class of double rank minimization algorithms, IMA J Appl Math. 6, part I and II (1970), pp. 76–90, 222–231] extended them to non-linear unconstrained optimization as a generalization of the DFP method which is proposed by Davidon [Variable metric
method for minimization (revised), Technical ReportANL-5990, Argonne National Laboratory, USA, 1959]
and investigated by Fletcher and Powell [A rapidly convergent descent method for minimization, Comput J. 6
(1963), pp. 163–168]. Such methods (in particular, the BFGS (Broyden–Fletcher–Goldfarb–Shanno) method)
are very useful in practice and have been subject to substantial theoretical analysis, albeit some problems are
still open. In this paper we describe properties of these methods as derived by Broyden and then further developed by other researchers, especially with reference to improvement of their computational performance.”
440
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mehiddin Al-Baali
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
albaali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Damped techniques for the limited memory BFGS
Journal Title
J. Optimization Theory and Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1007/s10957-013-0448-8/1/12
Key Words
Damped technique; Large-scale optimization; Line search framework; The limited
memory BFGS method
Authors
Mehiddin Al-Baali, Lucio Grandinetti, Ornella Pisacane
College of Science
Applicant Name
“This paper is aimed to extend a certain damped technique, suitable for the Broyden-Fletcher-Goldfarb-Shanno (BFGS) method, to the limited memory BFGS method in the case of the large-scale unconstrained optimization. It is shown that the proposed technique maintains the global convergence property on uniformly
convex functions for the limited memory BFGS method. Some numerical results are described to illustrate the
important role of the damped technique. Since this technique enforces safely the positive definiteness property
of the BFGS update for any value of the steplength, we also consider only the first Wolfe-Powell condition
on the steplength. Then, as for the backtracking framework, only one gradient evaluation is performed on
each iteration. It is reported that the proposed damped methods work much better than the limited memory
BFGS method in several cases.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
441
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mehmet Koca
Department
Physics
Contact
kocam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Coxeter Groups A4, B4 and D4 for two-qubit systems
Journal Title
Pramana
Volume/Issue/Pages
81/2/247-260
Key Words
Group theory in quantum mechanics; Quantum computation; Quantum information
Authors
Ramazan Koç, M Yakup Haciibrahimog Lu and Mehmet Koca
“The Coxeter-Weyl groups W(A4), W(B4) and W(D 4) have proven very useful for two-qubit systems in
quantum information theory. A simple technique is employed to construct the unitary matrix representations
of the groups, based on quaternionic transformation of the usual reflection matrices. The von Neumann entropy of each reduced density matrix is calculated. It is shown that these unitary matrix representations are
naturally related to various universal quantum gates and they lead to entangled states. Canonical decomposition of generators in terms of fundamental gate representations is given to construct the quantum circuits.”
442
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mehmet Koca
Department
Physics
Contact
kocam@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Quaternionic construction of the W(F4) polytopes with their dual polytopes and
branching under the subgroups W(B4) and W(B3) XW(A1)
Journal Title
International Journal of Geometric Methods in Modern Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
10/5/24
Key Words
4D polytopes; dual polytopes; Coxeter groups; quaternions; W(F4).
Authors
Mehmet Koca, Mudhahir Al-Ajmi and Nazife Ozdes Koca
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Four-dimensional F4 polytopes and their dual polytopes have been constructed as the orbits of the Coxeter–Weyl group W(F4) where the group elements and the vertices of the polytopes are represented by quaternions. Branchings of an arbitrary W(F4) orbit under the Coxeter groups W(B4) and W(B3) × W(A1) have
been presented. The role of group theoretical technique and the use of quaternions have been emphasized.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
443
College of Science
Applicant Name
Messaoud Boulbrachene
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
boulbrac@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Maximum norm analysis for non-linear two-point boundary value problems
Journal Title
Applied Mathematics E-Notes
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/2013/136-140
Authors
Messaoud Boulbracheney, Fatma Al Kharousiz
“In this paper, we propose a new approach for the nite difference approximation on non-uniform mesh
of the non-linear two-point boundary value problem (p(x)u0)0 = f(x; u); a < x < b; u(a) = u(b) = 0. Under
a realistic assumption on the nonlinearity and a C3;1[a; b] regularity of the solution, we show that the
approximation is O(h2) accurate in the maximum norm, making use of the Banach’s …xed point principle.”
444
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Messaoud Boulbrachene
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
boulbrac@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
L^{∞} error estimate of a finite difference approximation method for semilinear
PDEs.
Journal Title
International Journal of Mathematical Analysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/36/1761-1764
Key Words
Semilinear ODE, Finite difference approximation, Banach fixed point principle,
Error estimate
Authors
Messaoud Boulbrachene
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The paper deals with finite difference approximation for a class of semilinear elliptic problems. We establish
optimal L∞ error estimate of the 5-point scheme making use of the Banach’s fixed point principle. Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary 35J91; Secondary 65N06, 65N15.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
445
College of Science
Applicant Name
Messaoud Boulbrachene
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
boulbrac@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
On variational inequalities with vanishing zero term
Journal Title
Journal of Inequalities and Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
438/2013/1-18
Key Words
Variational inequality; Bensoussan-Lions algorithm; finite element; subsolutions;
L∞- error estimate
Authors
Messaoud Boulbrachene
“In this paper, we are concerned with variational inequalities (VIs), where the ‘discount factor’ (i.e., the zero-order term) is set to zero. Especially, we introduce a new method for studying the finite element approximation, based on an algorithm of Bensoussan-Lions type and the concept of subsolutions. MSC: Primary
65N15; secondary 65N30”
446
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Michael James Barry
Department
Biology
Contact
mjbarry@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Metabolic responses of tadpoles to chemical predation cues
Journal Title
Hydrobiologia
Volume/Issue/Pages
700/1/267–276
Key Words
Tadpole Predator Kairomone Respiration rate Physiological costs
Authors
Michael J. Barry, Shruti Syal
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Life-history theory predicts that predatorinduced defences should incur fitness costs. In larval amphibians,
the most frequently reported cost is reduced energy intake due to lower foraging rates; however, recent reports suggest that this trade-off may be uncoupled through morphological and physiological adaptations.
Metabolism is a measure of energy expenditure and plasticity in respiration may potentially offset other
costs of predator-induction. The aim of this study was to measure the indirect effects of dragonfly larvae on
the respiration rate of tadpoles of the Arabian toad (Bufo arabicus) over time and at different predator concentrations. We performed two experiments. In the first experiment (time–response), we exposed tadpoles
either to the indirect presence of odonate larvae or predator-free conditions and measured respiration rates
3, 5, 8, 11, 13, 15, 19 and 26 days after the start of the experiment. In the second experiment (dose–response),
we used three levels of predator chemicals, equivalent to 1 predator per 10, 100 or 1, 000 l plus controls. The
respiration rate of predator-exposed tadpoles varied initially, but was 56.3% of controls after 26 days. In the
dose–response experiment, the respiration rate of all predatorexposed tadpole groups was reduced by between
19.1 and 27.2% after 21 days. The study demonstrates a mechanism by which tadpoles may be able to adjust
their physiology to partially offset the costs of lower energy intake due to predator avoidance.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
447
College of Science
Applicant Name
Michael James Barry
Department
Biology
Contact
mjbarry@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effects of fluoxetine on the swimming and behavioural responses of the Arabian
killifish
Journal Title
Ecotoxicology
Volume/Issue/Pages
22/2/425-432
Authors
Michael J. Barry
“The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor fluoxetine has frequently been detected in surface waters around
the world. Fluoxetine modulates levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates several important
physiological and behavioural processes including fear and anxiety, aggression, locomotion and feeding. In
this study, groups of sub-adult Arabian killifish (Aphanius dispar) were exposed to either 0, 0.03, 0.3 or 3
μg/L fluoxetine hydrochloride for 7 days and their swimming behaviour and social interactions videotaped
in a circular arena. The fish were subsequently exposed to a predator alarm chemical (from dragonfly larvae
fed with A. dispar) and their short-term responses recorded. The video was analysed using the open-sourced
software program Ctrax which objectively quantified swimming and social behaviours. Aggression (chasing
behaviour was significantly reduced at 3.0 μg/L fluoxetine. After the addition of the predator alarm chemicals
fish responded quickly, increasing the percentage of time spent drifting or motionless and reducing average
swimming velocity. Controls and fish exposed to 0.03 or 3 μg/L fluoxetine reduced swimming speed by 20-30
% but returned to pre-exposure velocities within 6 min. Fish exposed to 0.3 μg/L fluoxetine reduced swimming speed by 38 % after addition of the predator alarm and did not return to pre-exposure speeds during
the recording period (19 min). Schooling behaviour was also affected by fluoxetine and predator alarm with
fish exposed to 0.3 μg/L fluoxetine significantly reducing nearest neighbour distance and swimming speed
relative to nearest neighbour the following addition of the predator alarm.”
448
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Ali K. El-Ghali
Department
Earth Science
Contact
melghali@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Distribution of carbonate cements within depositional facies and sequence stratigraphic framework of shoreface and deltaic arenites, Lower Miocene, the Gulf of
Suez rift, Egypt
Journal Title
Marine and Petroleum Geology
Volume/Issue/Pages
45/Aug 2013/267-280
Key Words
Coarse-grained delta; Shoreface; Arenites; Diagenesis; Sequence stratigraphy
Authors
M.A.K. El-Ghali, E. El Khoriby, H. Mansurbeg, S. Morad and N. Ogle
College of Science
Applicant Name
“This study aims to unravel the spatial and temporal distribution of diagenetic alterations of the Mheiherrat
Member, the Rudeis Formation (lower Miocene) of the Gulf of Suez rift, Egypt within depositional facies and
sequence stratigraphy. The Mheiherrat member is represented by shoreface calcarenites and hybrid arenites
(transgressive and high-stand systems tracts; TST and HST; respectively) and deltaic rudites and coarsegrained calcarenites and hybrid arenites (low-stand systems tracts; LST). Petrographic, stable O- and C-isotopes, mineral chemical and geochemical analyses have revealed that the arenites are pervasively cemented
by eogenetic carbonates and, to small extent, by zeolite and pyrite as well as by telogenetic palygorskite. The
shoreface TST and HST calcarenites and hybrid arenites were dominantly cemented by microcrystalline
grain-rimming and inter- and intragranular pore-filling calcite (δ18OV-PDB = −3.6‰ to −0.3‰ and δ13CVPDB = −2.3‰ to −0.7‰) and rhombic dolomite (δ18OV-PDB = −3.9‰ to +0.9‰ and δ13CV-PDB = −2.5‰
to −0.7‰). These cements are interpreted to be formed by marine to brackish waters with δ18OV-SMOW
−1.2‰ to +3.2‰ at temperature of 20–55 °C. The deltaic LST coarse-grained calcarenites and hybrid arenites
were dominantly cemented by coarse-crystalline, inter- and intragranular pore-filling calcite (δ18OV-PDB
−4.4‰ to −2.3% and δ13CV-PDB = −2.8‰ to −1.3‰), which are interpreted to have precipitated from
pore waters with δ18OV-SMOW +3.5‰ to +5.5‰ at temperatures of greater than 55 °C. Such pervasive
cementation by carbonates is attributed to the occurrence of abundant intrabasinal carbonate grains. The
carbonate cement texture is suggested to be controlled by changes in pore-water chemistry owing to transgression and regression events. This case study revealed that better understanding of factors controlling the
extent and textural habits of carbonate cements can be achieved when it is linked with depositional facies
and sequence stratigraphy.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
449
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mohamed Elzain
Department
Physics
Contact
elzain@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Model for Mn in 6H-SiC from first-priciple studies
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
113/17/17C305
Authors
M. Al Azri, M. Elzain, K. Bouziane, S. M. Ch erif, A. Decl emy, and L. Thom
“The electronic and magnetic properties of 6H-SiC with Mn impurities have been calculated using generalized
gradient approximation formalism. Various configurations of Mn sites and Si and C vacancies were considered. It was found that 6H-SiC doped with Mn atoms possess a moment for both types of substitution. The
Mn atom at Si site possesses larger magnetic moment than Mn atom at C site. The energy levels appearing
in the band gap due to vacancies and due to Mn impurities are determined and the calculated densities of
states are used to analyse the different values of the magnetic moments for different types of substitution. A
model that explains the magnetic moment at Mn site is proposed.”
450
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Salah Boudellioua
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
boudell@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Further results on the equivalence to smith form of multivariate polynomial matrices
Journal Title
Control and Cybernetic
Volume/Issue/Pages
42/2/543–551
Key Words
Linear functional systems, multivariate polynomial matrices, unimodular equivalence, smith form, gröbner bases
Authors
Mohamed S. Boudellioua
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Multivariate polynomial matrices arise from the treatment of linear systems of partial differential equations,
delay-differential equations or multidimensional discrete equations. In this paper we generalize some of the
results obtained for the equivalence to the Smith normal form for a class of multivariate polynomial matrices.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
451
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mohammad Mansur Rahman
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mansur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Thermophoretic deposition effect on transient free convection hydromagnetic flow
along an accelerated inclined permeable surface with time-dependent temperature
and concentration
Journal Title
Heat Transfer-Asisn Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
Published online
Key Words
Thermophoresis, free convection, transient solution, mass transfer, inclined surface
Authors
M.S. Alam and M.M. Rahman
“This work investigates the thermophoretic deposition effect on a transient free convection hydromagnetic
flow along an accelerated infinite inclined permeable surface in the presence of heat generation, suction (or
injection), thermal diffusion, and diffusion-thermo taking into account that the surface temperature and
concentration are time dependent. The governing partial differential equations are transformed into a set
of non-linear coupled ordinary differential equations, which are then solved numerically by applying the
shooting method with a sixth-order Runge–Kutta integration scheme. Graphical results for the dimensionless velocity, temperature, concentration distributions as well as wall thermophoretic velocity are reported
and examined for the pertinent parameters showing the interesting aspects of the obtained solutions. The
local skin-friction coefficient, the local Nusselt number, and the local Sherwood number are also computed.
The results show that higher flow rates can be obtained when the temperature and concentration are time
independent. Smaller buoyancy is observed for higher temperature indexes. Wall thermophoretic velocity is
decreased with the increasing values of the Prandtl number, the thermophoretic parameter, as well as heat
generation parameter. The results further show that the presence of thermal diffusion and diffusion-thermo
intensify the shear stress but reduce the rate of heat as well as mass transfer.”
452
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammad Mansur Rahman
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mansur@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Radiative heat transfer in a hydromagnetic nanfluid past a non-linear stretching
surface with convective boundary condition
Journal Title
Meccania
Volume/Issue/Pages
48/3/601-615
Key Words
Nanofluid; Non-linear stretching sheet; Convective boundary condition; Similarity
solution; Hydromagnetic flow; Free convection
Authors
M.M. Rahman, I.A.Eltayeb
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Heat transfer characteristics of a two-dimensional steady hydromagnetic natural convection flow of nanofluids over a non-linear stretching sheet taking into account the effects of radiation and convective boundary condition has been investigated numerically. The model used for the nanofluid incorporates the effects
of Brownian motion and thermophoresis. The local similarity solutions are obtained by using very robust
computer algebra software Maple 13. The results corresponding to the dimensionless temperature profiles
and the reduced Nusselt number, Sherwood number and skin friction coefficient are displayed graphically
for various pertinent parameters. The results show that temperature within the boundary layer is enhanced
with the increase of the Biot number, buoyancy due to nanoparticle concentration, strength of the applied
magnetic field, Brownian motion parameter, and thermophoresis parameter. An opposite trend is observed
for the increase of the buoyancy due to temperature, stretching index, and the radiation parameter. The results
also show that the local rate of heat transfer strongly depends on the non-linear stretching index, radiation
parameter, Biot number, Brownian motion parameter, and thermophoresis parameter.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
453
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mohammad Saeed Khan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mohammad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Presic type extension in cone metric space
Journal Title
International Journal of Mathematical Analysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/136/1795-1802
Key Words
Fixed point, complete cone metric space.
Authors
M. S. Khan and M. Samannipour
“Let (X, d) be a complete cone metric space, k a positive integer and T a mapping ofXK in to X. In this paper
we prove that if T satisfes conditions (1) and (2) below, than there exists a unique x in X such that T (X, X,
……., X) = X. Also, we have investigated under what conditions the mappings T : XK ® X and f : x ® x have a
common fixed point. Our results extend and generalize the results of {3}, {4}, {5}, and {10}.”
454
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohammad Saeed Khan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mohammad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Some coupled common fixed point theorems for a pair of mappings satisfying a
contractive condition of rational type without monotonicity
Journal Title
International Journal of Mathematical Analysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/9-12/433-440
Key Words
Coupled fixed point; Mixed monotone property; Ordered metric spaces
Authors
Sumit Chandok, Mohammad Saeed Khan, K.P.R. Rao
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The purpose of this paper is to establish some coupled coincidence point theorems for a pair of mappings
without mixed monotone property satisfying a contractive condition of rational type in the framework of
partially ordered metric spaces. Also, we present a result on the existence and uniqueness of coupled common fixed points. The results presented in the paper generalize and extend several well-known results in the
literature.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
455
College of Science
Applicant Name
Mohammad Saeed Khan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mohammad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Existence and approximation of solutions for system of generalized mixed variational inequalities
Journal Title
Fixed Point Theory and Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
108/1/15 pp
Key Words
System of generalized mixed variational inequality; fixed point problem; resolvent
operator technique; relaxed cocoercive mapping; maximal monotone operator;
parallel iterative algorithm
Authors
Balwant Singh Thakur, Mohammad Saeed Khan and Shin Min Kang
“The aim of this work is to study a system of generalized mixed variational inequalities, existence and approximation of its solution using the resolvent operator technique. We further propose an algorithm which
converges to its solution and common fixed points of two Lipschitzian mappings. Parallel algorithms are used,
which can be used to simultaneous computation in multiprocessor computers. The results presented in this
work are more general and include many previously known results as special cases.”
456
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Muhammad S. Khan
Department
Chemistry
Contact
msk@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
New multi-ferrocenyl- and multi-ferricenyl- materials via coordination-driven
self-assembly and via charge-driven electro-crystallization
Journal Title
Inorganic Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/1/12012-12022
Key Words
Room-temperature ferroelectricity; quantum cellular-automata; ray crystal-structure; platinum(ii) Di-Ynes; Lewis-base adducts; substituted pyridine; copper(i)
clusters; poly-ynes; structural-characterization; thermochromic-luminescence
Authors
Hakikulla H. Shah, Rayya A. Al-Balushi, Mohammed K. Al-Suti, Muhammad S.
Khan, Christopher H. Woodall, Anna L. Sudlow, Paul R. Raithby, Gabriele Kociok-Kohn, Kieran C. Molloy, and Frank Marken
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Three new tetra-ferrocenylethynylpyridinyl copper complexes, L-4(CuI)(4) (3), L-4(CuBr)(2) (4), and
L-4(CuCl)(2) (5) have been prepared from the reaction of ferrocenyl-ethynylpyridine (L)(2) with copper
halides CuX (with X = I-, Br-, Cl-).The ligand 2 and the complexes 3-5 have been fully characterized by
spectroscopic methods. The structures of 2-4 have been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray crystallography.
2 forms a dimer in the crystalline-state through C-H centre dot centre dot N hydrogen bonds. 4 and 5 are
dimers and 3 a tetramer, in all cases linked through Cu-X centre dot centre dot Cu bridging interactions.
Cyclic voltammetry in dichloroethane showed chemically reversible multiferrocenyl oxidation signals with
evidence for product electrocrystallization. The oxidation products were isolated by electrodeposition onto
a Pt disc electrode and investigated by scanning electron microscopy which confirmed the spontaneous formation of crystalline oxidation products with distinctive morphologies. Energy dispersive X-ray elemental
analysis shows the presence of hexafluorophosphate (counterion) with the P:Fe ratio of 1:1, 0.5:1, and 1:1 for
the electrocrystallized products 3, 4, and 5, respectively, suggesting the formulas [3](4+)(PF6-)(4), [4](2+)
(PF6-)(2), and [5](4+)(PF6-)(4) for the electrocrystallized products.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
457
College of Science
Applicant Name
Muhammad S. Khan
Department
Chemistry
Contact
msk@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Long-range intramolecular electronic communication in bis(ferrocenylethynyl)
complexes incorporating conjugated heterocyclic spacers: Synthesis, crystallography, and electrochemistry
Journal Title
Inorganic Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/1/4898-4908
Key Words
Metal-metal interactions; photoswitchable molecular wire; solar-cells; conducting
polymetallorotaxanes; au(i) complexes; redox chemistry; charge-transfer; polymers; platinum; light
Authors
Hakikulla H. Shah, Rayya A. Al-Balushi, Mohammed K. Al-Suti, Muhammad S.
Khan, Christopher H. Woodall, Kieran C. Molloy, Paul R. Raithby, Thomas P. Robinson, Sara E. C. Dale, and Frank Marken
“A new series of bis(ferrocenylethynyl) complexes, 3-7, and a mono(ferrocenylethynyl) complex, 8, have
been synthesized incorporating conjugated heterocyclic spacer groups, with the ethynyl group facilitating
an effective long-range intramolecular interaction. The complextes were characterized by NMR, IR, and UVvis spectroscopy as well as X-ray crystallography. The redox properties of these complexes were investigated
using cyclic voltamrnetry and spectroelectrochemistry. Although there is a large separation of, similar to 14
angstrom between the two redox centers, Delta E-1/2 values in this series of complexes ranged from 50 to
110 mV. The appearance of intervalance charge-transfer bands in the UV-vis-near-IR region for the monocationic complexes further confirmed effective intramolecular electronic communication. Computational
studies are presented that show the degree of delocalization across the Fc-C C-C C-Fc (Fc = C5H5FeC5H4)
highest occupied molecular orbital.”
458
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Muhammad Ziad
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
mziad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Lie Symmetries of the Ricci and energy-momentum tensors
Journal Title
European Physical Journal Plus
Volume/Issue/Pages
128/144/1-7
Key Words
Plus:matter collineations; space-times; lorentzian manifolds; einsteins equations;
classification
Authors
Hina Khan, Asghar Qadir, K. Saifullah and M. Ziad
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Though the Ricci and energy-momentum tensors have the same algebraic symmetries and appear in a similar
way in the Einstein equations, in that interchanging them and inverting the gravitational coupling leaves the
equations invariant, their differential symmetry Lie algebras are not identical in general. For cylindrically
symmetric static spacetimes their inter-relationship is studied in this paper. Neither set of symmetries is a
subset of the other in general.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
459
College of Science
Applicant Name
Osama K. Abou-Zied
Department
Chemistry
Contact
abouzied@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Binding of hydroxyquinoline probes to human serum albumin: Combining molecular modelling and försters resonance energy transfer spectroscopy to understand
flexible ligand binding
Journal Title
Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume/Issue/Pages
117/4/1062−1074
Key Words
Particle Mesh Ewald; amber force-field; drug-binding; protein-binding; conformational transitions; biomolecular simulations; subdomain-IIA; water model; fatty-acids; dynamics
Authors
Osama K. Abou-Zied, Najla Al-Lawatia, Marcus Elstner, and Thomas B. Steinbrecher
“Human serum albumin (HSA) is the most abundant protein in blood plasma. It has high relevance for the
lipid metabolism, and its ability to bind a large variety of natural and pharmaceutical compounds makes it a
crucial determinant of drug pharmaco-kinetics and -dynamics. The drug binding properties of HSA can be
characterized by spectroscopic analysis of bound probe molecules. We have recently characterized the subdomain IIA binding site of HSA using three hydroxyquinoline derivatives. In this work, we extend our study
by combining data from energy transfer experiments, ligand docking, and long molecular dynamics (MD)
simulations. Multiple possible binding locations are found within the subdomain IIA site, and their solvent
accessibility and interactions with ligands are analysed in detail. Binding pockets appear well hydrated during simulations, with ligands in direct contact to water molecules at all times. Binding free energies in good
agreement to experiment are calculated. The HSA apoprotein is found to exhibit significant conformational
flexibility over 250 ns of simulation time, but individual domains remain structurally stable. Two rotamers of
Trp214 were observed on a time scale longer than 50 ns in the Md. simulations, supporting the experimental
observation of two fluorescence lifetime components. The flexible protein structure and heterogeneous nature
of its binding sites explain the ability of HSA to act as a versatile molecular transporter. The combination of
experimental and computational molecular distance information allows the conclusion that hydroxyquinoline
probes bind in a binding mode similar to the anticoagulant drug warfarin.”
460
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Osama K. Abou-Zied
Department
Chemistry
Contact
abouzied@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Spectroscopy of hydroxyphenyl benzazoles in solution and human serum albumin:
detecting flexibility, specificity and high affinity of the warfarin drug binding site
Journal Title
RSC Advances
Volume/Issue/Pages
3/23/8747–8755
Key Words
Intramolecular proton-transfer; excited-state proton; model base-pair; transient absorption; crystal-structure; ligand-binding; subdomain-IIA; ground-state; 2-(2’-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole; dynamics
Authors
Osama K. Abou-Zied
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The complex photophysics of 2-(2’-hydroxyphenyl) benzoxazole (HBO), 2-(2’-hydroxyphenyl) benzimidazole
(HBI), and 2-(2’-hydroxyphenyl) benzothiazole (HBT) in different media makes them suitable as fluorescent probes to study the nature of binding sites in macromolecular systems. In this work, we investigate the
spectroscopy of the three benzazole derivatives (HBXs) in different solvents and in human serum albumin
(HSA) in order to understand the binding mechanism in subdomain IIA of HSA which has the ability to host
a large variety of natural and pharmaceutical compounds. The three probes are found to specifically bind close
to W214, the sole tryptophan residue in HSA, in a mode similar to that of the binding of the anticoagulant
drug warfarin. The current results show that the structural differences between the three HBX molecules
did not produce any measurable effects when binding with HSA. In particular, the change in planarity of the
molecular backbone, from a perfectly planar and more rigid structure (HBO) to a twisted structure (HBI)
and a flexible structure (HBT) has no effect on the mode of binding. Also, the strength of the intramolecular
hydrogen bonds in HBXs (HBO > HBT > HBI) is shown not to intervene with the ability of HSA to ionize
the ligands via through-space interaction with polar amino acid residues, similar to enzymatic reactions. The
results emphasize the nature of HSA as a versatile and indiscriminate receptor, capable of binding a variety
of ligands by adapting its binding pockets. In this regard, binding of HBXs, and other structurally similar
ligands, in subdomain IIA is best described by the induced-fit model in which considerable flexibility of the
binding site is necessary for molecular recognition. The results also point to the high affinity of the warfarin
binding pocket (within subdomain IIA) for binding versatile molecular structures including several drugs.
This affinity stems from the flexibility of the amino acids forming the binding pocket.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
461
College of Science
Applicant Name
Osama K. Abou-Zied
Department
Chemistry
Contact
abouzied@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effect of NH2 rotation on the fluorescence of 2-aminopurine in solution
Journal Title
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A-Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
261/June/1-6
Key Words
DNA base analogue; 2-Aminopurine; Fluorescence; Lifetime; Hydrogen bond;
Internal rotation
Authors
Osama K. Abou-Zied
“Since the introduction of 2-aminopurine (2AP) in 1969 as a fluorescent analogue of adenine, its intense
fluorescence in aqueous solution and the subsequent reduction of this intensity in DNA has been a powerful
tool for studies of structural changes in DNA. Herein, we show that the unusual intense fluorescence of 2AP
in water is attributed to the formation of a closed complex between one water molecule and 2AP in the excited
state. This configuration restricts the rotation of the 2-NH2 group which subsequently lowers the nonradiative
decay rate. We supported this finding by attaching heavy masses to the amino group, dimethyl (2-(N(Me)
(2))) and diethyl (2-(N(Et)(2))). By examining the fluorescence behaviour in dioxane (an apolar, aprotic
solvent), the lighter NH2 group can rotate in the excited state more freely which enhances the nonradiative
loss of fluorescence. On the other hand, this rotation slows down sharply in the two heavy-group derivatives,
leading to a restoration of the fluorescence intensity and lifetime very close to that of 2AP in water. Depletion
of fluorescence was observed in the 2AP derivatives in water and is attributed to the population of a twisted
intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) state due to the strong electron donating power of the NR2 groups,
an effect that is absent for the parent 2AP.”
462
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Osama K. Abou-Zied
Department
Chemistry
Contact
abouzied@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Evidence of Basic Medium in the Polar Nanochannels of the Inverse Bicontinuous
Cubic Phase of a Guerbet Glycolipid: A Steady-State and Time-Resolved Fluorescence Study
Journal Title
Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Volume/Issue/Pages
117/50/26636−26643
Key Words
Membrane-protein crystallization; human serum-albumin; pyrene fluorescence;
solvation dynamics; proton-transfer; water; systems; binding; surface; probes
Authors
N. Idayu Zahid, Osama K. Abou-Zied, and Rauzah Hashim
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Characteristic structures and properties of nanochannels are thought to play important roles in biological
activity and chemical and physical processes at the interfaces. In this work, we characterized the polar nanochannels of the inverse bicontinuous cubic phase of the 2-hexyl-decyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside/water system,
which has a gyroid Ila3d space group symmetry, by introducing fluorescent probes. The fluorescence signals
of tryptophan (Trp) and two of its ester derivatives (Trp-C-4 and Tip-C-8) show a local basic environment
inside the nanochannels that is equivalent to an aqueous solution of pH >= 10.0. This was confirmed by measuring the fluorescence spectra of aqueous tryptophan in different pH solutions. The basic effect is attributed
to the restricted motion of water in the nanochannels (diameter of 2.3 nm) in which water molecules are
situated very close to the OH groups of the sugar units. The very small channels also force the tryptophan
moiety to be very close to the sugar units and the water molecules in which the local environment is mostly
basic. We characterized the hydrophobic region of the lipid by measuring the fluorescence change of pyrene
upon incorporation in the tail region. A larger hydrophobicity was reflected in the measured small ratio of
the vibronic peak intensities of pyrene (I-1, I-3). This is attributed to the compact interaction of the double
alkyl chains of the lipid with the pyrene molecules. When adding Tip-C-8 to the lipid assembly, there was no
change in the I-1/I-3 ratio nor in the pyrene lifetimes which implies that there is no interaction between the
pyrene and the C-8-chain. This observation indicates that the pyrene molecules are well-shielded inside the
tail region. The measured two lifetime components for each tryptophan and pyrene point to the presence of
a degree of heterogeneity and flexibility in the lipid self-assembly. These properties are crucial for carrying
out different biological functions such as the ability to accommodate various molecular sizes. The current
results suggest the structural importance of very narrow polar nanochannels of the lipidic cubic phase which
may facilitate the transfer of highly polar substances, such as ions, to the cells.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
463
College of Science
Applicant Name
Osman Abdalla
Department
Earth Science
Contact
osman@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Groundwater recharge dams in arid areas as tools for aquifer replenishment and
mitigating seawater intrusion: Example of AlKhod, Oman
Journal Title
Environmental Earth Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
69/6/1951-1962
Key Words
Oma+F293n; Recharge dam Arid areas; Seawater intrusion
Authors
Osman A. E. Abdalla, Abdullah S. Al-Rawahi
“Groundwater depletion and seawater intrusion constitute major challenges along coastal aquifers in arid
areas. This paper assesses the role of groundwater recharge dams constructed to replenish aquifers and fight
seawater intrusion with reference to AlKhod dam, Oman, sited 7 km from the coast on a gravely unconfined
aquifer. Water table rise in piezometers located downstream from the dam shows regular patterns correlating
with magnitude of wadi flow, whereas upstream piezometers show irregular patterns. Controlled release of
water captured by the dam optimizes water percolation and enhances artificial recharge which was estimated in the wet years 1997, 2003 and 2005 as 15, 22 and 27 Mm3, respectively, using water table fluctuation
method. Recharge contributed 40–60 % of the total annual ion. Groundwater salinity increased in the 1980s
and 1990s and the saline/freshwater interface advanced inland, but has receded partially after 1997 (highest rainfall) and completely after 2005 indicated by reduction in electrical conductivity and thickening of
freshwater lens. The recession is attributed to the dam’s induced recharge and reduction of pumping in 2004
following the commissioning of Barka desalination plant. Integrating artificial recharge with groundwater
resources management is therefore an effective measure to replenish aquifers in arid areas and mitigate seawater intrusion along the coasts.”
464
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Pallath Chandran
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
chandran@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A numerical investigation of a buoyancy driven flow in a semi-porous cavity: comparative effects of ramped and isothermal wall conditions
Journal Title
Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics
Volume/Issue/Pages
61/2/103-111
Key Words
Rectangular cavity; Free convection; Brinkman model; Coupled flow; Ramped
boundary condition; Numerical solution.
Authors
Pallath Chandran, Nirmal C. Sacheti, Ashok K. Singh
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Steady two-dimensional natural convection taking place in a rectangular cavity, partially filled with an
isotropic porous material, has been investigated numerically using an ADI method. It is assumed that one
of the vertical walls of the cavity has a ramped temperature distribution. The vorticity-stream function formulation has been used to solve the set of non-linear partial differential equations governing the flows in
the clear region and the adjoining porous region. The effects of Darcy number and Rayleigh number have
been discussed in detail.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
465
College of Science
Applicant Name
Qamar Jalil Ahmad Khan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
qjalil@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Eco-epidemiological models of Salton Sea with infected prey
Journal Title
Journal of Biological Systems
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/1/1350003-1 to 1350003-21
Key Words
Susceptible Tilapia; Infected Tilapia; Pelican; Switching; Stability; Time Delay; Hopf
Bifurcation
Authors
Q. J. A. Khan, E. Balakrishnan, and Azza Hamood Al Harthi
“Two models for the interaction of susceptible and infected Tilapia population with Pelican population are
studied. Here, we considered that Pelican interact with both susceptible and infected Tilapia in proportion to
their abundance. Stability near nonzero equilibria is presented. In the second model, time delay is incorporated in the disease transmission term and Hopf bifurcation is analysed by taking time delay as a bifurcation
parameter. Numerical simulations are performed to support the analytical results.”
466
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Qamar Jalil Ahmad Khan
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
qjalil@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Long term dynamics in a mathematical model of HIV-1 infection with delay in
different variants of the basic drug therapy model
Journal Title
Non-linear Analysis:Real World Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/1/1621-1633
Key Words
HIV-1; CD4(+) T cells; Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte; Reverse transcriptase inhibitor;
Asymptotic stability; Time delay; Cell lysis; Time series solutions
Authors
Priti Kumar Roy, Amar Nath Chatterjee, David Greenhalgh and Qamar J.A. Khan
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Infection with HIV-1, degrading the human immune system and recent advances of drug therapy to arrest HIV-1 infection, has generated considerable research interest in the area. Bonhoeffer et al. (1997) [1],
introduced a population model representing long term dynamics of HIV infection in response to available
drug therapies. We consider a similar type of approximate model incorporating time delay in the process
of infection on the healthy T cells which, in turn, implies inclusion of a similar delay in the process of viral
replication. The model is studied both analytically and numerically. We also include a similar delay in the
killing rate of infected CD4(+) T cells by Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte (CTL) and in the stimulation of CTL and
analyse two resulting models numerically.
The models with no time delay present have two equilibria: one where there is no infection and a non-trivial
equilibrium where the infection can persist. If there is no time delay then the non-trivial equilibrium is locally
asymptotically stable. Both our analytical results (for the first model) and our numerical results (for all three
models) indicate that introduction of a time delay can destabilize the non-trivial equilibrium. The numerical
results indicate that such destabilization occurs at realistic time delays and that there is a threshold time delay
beneath which the equilibrium with infection present is locally asymptotically stable and above which this
equilibrium is unstable and exhibits oscillatory solutions of increasing amplitude.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
467
College of Science
Applicant Name
Rachid Sbiaa
Department
Physics
Contact
rachid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Tuning of perpendicular exchange bias for magnetic memory applications
Journal Title
Physica Status Solidi A
Volume/Issue/Pages
210/2/391-394
Key Words
Exchange bias; magnetic memory; perpendicular magnetic anisotropy
Authors
H. Meng, V. B. Naik, and R. Sbiaa
“Perpendicular exchange bias (PEB) between [Co 0.3 nm/Pd 0.8 nm](5) multilayers and IrMn antiferromagnetic (AFM) layer is studied as functions of thickness of the interface layer and the AFM layer. It is found
that increasing the thickness of a CoFe interface layer up to 2.1 nm could effectively improve the PEB. The
achieved PEB field (H-bias) is more than 500 Oe. On the other hand, the coercivity (H-c) exhibits an opposite
trend as a function of CoFe interface layer thickness, which might promote the integration of PEB structure
with the perpendicular magnetic memory stack. It is also found that PEB is sensitive to the thickness of the
AFM layer. The thickness window is only around 2 nm to achieve the largest H-bias. Moreover, for a very
thin IrMn layer, a ferromagnetic nature is observed at low magnetic fields, which is likely owing to the net
spins at the surface that might have been magnetized by the CoFe interface layer.”
468
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Rachid Sbiaa
Department
Physics
Contact
rachid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Magnetization switching by spin-torque effect in off-aligned structure with perpendicular anisotropy
Journal Title
Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
46/39/395001-1 to 395001-4
Key Words
Giant tunneling magnetoresistance; room-temperature; reversal; multilayers; junctions
Authors
Rachid Sbiaa
College of Science
Applicant Name
“We have studied spin transfer torque (STT) switching in a magnetic tunnel junction with perpendicular
magnetic anisotropy for the reference and free layers using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert formalism. When the
free layer magnetization is off-aligned by a small angle of less than 5 degrees with respect to reference layer
magnetization, a strong improvement of its switching time by about 30% is observed. Furthermore, both a
reduction of the critical switching current and its distribution are obtained. This structure design could solve
some of the major problems faced by the magnetic memory based on STT effect. It is then possible to achieve
high writing speed, with low power and without overwriting on the neighbouring data or bits.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
469
College of Science
Applicant Name
Rachid Sbiaa
Department
Physics
Contact
rachid@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
High speed in spin-torque-based magnetic memory using magnetic magnetic
memory using magnetic
Journal Title
Physica Status Solidi- Rapid Research Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/5/332-335
Key Words
Magnetic random access memory; MRAM; spin torque; magnetization reversal;
magnetic anisotropy
Authors
R. Sbiaa, S. N. Piramanayagam, and T. Liew
“Magnetization switching by a spin-polarized current in perpendicular anisotropy devices with magnetic
nanocontact (NC) is investigated using a micromagnetic formalism. The critical switching current (icr) and
switching time (0) can be reduced when a soft layer is exchange coupled to the NC. The study reveals that
devices with fewer NCs have smaller icr compared to those with a large number. Furthermore, 0 for nanoconstricted devices is almost constant with anisotropy field (Hk), in contrast to devices without NCs that
show an exponential increase with Hk. This suggests that nanoconstricted devices could be used to improve
thermal stability, while reducing icr and 0.”
470
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Raeid M.M. Abed
Department
Biology
Contact
rabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
High rates of denitrification and nitrous oxide emission in arid biological soil
crusts from the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
The ISME Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/3/1862-1875
Key Words
Biological soil crust; nitrogen cycle; denitrification; microsensors; stable isotopes;
quantitative PCR
Authors
Raeid MM Abed, Phyllis Lam, Dirk de Beer and Peter Stief
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Using a combination of process rate determination, microsensor profiling and molecular techniques, we
demonstrated that denitrification, and not anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), is the major nitrogen loss process in biological soil crusts from Oman. Potential denitrification rates were 584±101 and 58±20
lmol Nm 2 h 1 for cyanobacterial and lichen crust, respectively. Complete denitrification to N2 was further
confirmed by an 15NO3 tracer experiment with intact crust pieces that proceeded at rates of 103±19 and 27±8
lmol Nm 2 h 1 for cyanobacterial and lichen crust, respectively. Strikingly, N2O gas was emitted at very high
potential rates of 387±143 and 31±6 lmol Nm 2 h 1 from the cyanobacterial and lichen crust, respectively, with
N2O accounting for 53–66% of the total emission of nitrogenous gases. Microsensor measurements revealed
that N2O was produced in the anoxic layer and thus apparently originated from incomplete denitrification.
Using quantitative PCR, denitrification genes were detected in both the crusts and were expressed either in
comparable (nirS) or slightly higher (narG) numbers in the cyanobacterial crusts. Although 99% of the nirS
sequences in the cyanobacterial crust were affiliated to an uncultured denitrifying bacterium, 94% of these
sequences were most closely affiliated to Paracoccus denitrificans in the lichen crust. Sequences of nosZ gene
formed a distinct cluster that did not branch with known denitrifying bacteria. Our results demonstrate that
nitrogen loss via denitrification is a dominant process in crusts from Oman, which leads to N2O gas emission
and potentially reduces desert soil fertility.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
471
College of Science
Applicant Name
Raeid M.M. Abed
Department
Biology
Contact
rabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Diversity of free-living and lichenized fungal communities in biological soil crusts
of the Sultanate of Oman and their role in improving soil properties
Journal Title
Soil Biology & Biochemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/52/695-705
Key Words
Biological soil crustsFungi LichensPyrosequencingCultivationErosionWater-holding capacity
Authors
Raeid M.M. Abed, Abdullah M. Al-Sadi, Muneera Al-Shehi, Sheikha Al-Hinai,
Michael D. Robinson
“Biological soil crusts of arid and semiarid regions are one of the least explored habitats with respect to the
diversity of their fungal communities and the Arabian deserts, in particular, remains mycologically poorly
investigated. Here, we investigate the diversity of free-living and lichen-forming fungal communities associated with crusts at two locations in Oman, using intensive cultivation and pyrosequencing, and their role
in improving soil stability and hydrology. A total of 226 fungal isolates were recovered and phylogenetic
analysis placed 98% of the isolates within the Ascomycota phylum, most of which belonged to Dothideomycetes class and Pleosporales order. The isolates were phylogenetically affiliated to 101 different species
within 44 different genera with >55% of the total isolates belonging to Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Cochliobolus, Fusarium, Myrothecium, Phoma and Ulocladium. Using pyrosequencing, a total of 26,
998 sequence reads were obtained with Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Chytridiomycota encompassing
>96% of the total sequences. In cyanobacterial crusts, between 67.2 and 70.6% of the total fungal sequences
belonged to the classes Dothideomycetes and Eurotiomycetes with the dominance of yeast-like fungi of the
genera Sarcinomyces and Aureobasidium. On the other hand, the sequences obtained from the lichen crusts
mainly belonged to the classes Lichinomycetes, Lecanoromycetes and Eurotiomycetes. Among the identified
lichens were Placidium lacinulatum, Psora decipiens, Peccania fontqueriana, Stromatella bermudana, Verrucaria chiloensis, Pecania arizonica, Lempholemma polyanthes and Lichinella cribellifera. Although detected
fungi confirmed earlier trends in fungal diversity in other deserts, quite a number of isolates and sequences
representing novel taxa were recovered. The presence of lichen in crusts improved their resistance to erosion
and increased their water holding capacity. We conclude that desert crusts of Oman harbor a large diversity
of fungal communities that varies with crust type and desert ecoregions, and the presence of lichens in these
crusts improves soil characteristics.”
472
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Raeid M.M. Abed
Department
Biology
Contact
rabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Structure and cyanobacterial species composition of microbial mats in an Arabian
Desert Stream
Journal Title
African Journal of Microbiology Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/15/1434-1442
Key Words
Microbial mats, desert stream, cyanobacteria, nutrients, nitrogen fixation.
Authors
Raeid M. M. Abed, Michael J. Barry, Sumaiya Al Kindi and Stjepko Golubic
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Microbial mats are often the dominant benthic biotype in desert streams, however information on such
mats is very scarce. We investigated the gross morphology of microbial mats and their cyanobacterial species
composition in a perennially flowing wadi in Northern Oman, in relation to current flow and other biotic
and abiotic variables. Physical and chemical parameters at the six sites were generally similar with low concentrations of soluble phosphorus and nitrogen; however, flow rates varied greatly with the highest velocity
being 50 cm/s. The mats varied greatly in their gross morphology with the four sites with the highest current
velocities forming low laminated structures attached to cobbles, and the two sites with minimal or no flow
forming complex three-dimensional structures or free floating balls 1 to 3 cm in diameter. The concentration
of chlorophyll a varied between 2.6 (±0.02) and 1.4 (±0.11) mg chlorophyll a g-1 mat fresh weight, with the
highest concentration detected in the free floating balls. Twenty one cyanobacterial morphotypes belonging
to 14 genera (5 unicellular and 9 filamentous) were identified with Calothrix and Leptolyngbya spp. As the
most abundant. Cluster analysis of the cyanobacterial species composition showed that mats could have very
different morphologies despite similar species compositions suggesting a high degree of plasticity of mat
form. We conclude that microbial mats are important elements in Wadi ecosystems and have great variety
of structure and community composition.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
473
College of Science
Applicant Name
Raeid M.M. Abed
Department
Biology
Contact
rabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Resistance of Lophelia pertusa to coverage by sediment and petroleum drill cuttings
Journal Title
Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume/Issue/Pages
74/0/132-140
Key Words
Lophelia pertusaCold-water coral reefSedimentationAnoxiaCold-water coral-derived mucus Drill cuttings
Authors
Elke Allers, Raeid M.M. Abed, Laura M. Wehrmann, Tao Wanga, Ann I. Larsson,
Autun Purser, Dirk de Beer
“In laboratory experiments, the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa was exposed to settling particles. The effects of reef sediment, petroleum drill cuttings and a mix of both, on the development of anoxia at the coral
surface were studied using O2, pH and H2S microsensors and by assessing coral polyp mortality. Due to the
branching morphology of L. pertusa and the release of coral mucus, accumulation rates of settling material on
coral branches were low. Microsensors detected H2S production in only a few samples, and sulfate reduction
rates of natural reef sediment slurries were low (<0.3 nmol S cm 3 d 1). While the exposure to sediment clearly
reduced the coral’s accessibility to oxygen, L. pertusa tolerated both partial low-oxygen and anoxic conditions
without any visible detrimental short-term effect, such as tissue damage or death. However, complete burial
of coral branches for >24 h in reef sediment resulted in suffocation.”
474
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Raeid M.M. Abed
Department
Biology
Contact
rabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis and simplified polymer recovery by a novel
moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from hypersaline microbial mats
Journal Title
Journal of Applied Microbiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
114/114/384-395
Key Words
Halomonas sp., halophilic micro-organisms, oil palm trunk sap, osmotic lysis,
polyhydroxyalkanoate.
Authors
D.-N. Rathi, H.G. Amir, R.M.M. Abed, A. Kosugi, T. Arai, O. Sulaiman, R. Hashim
and K. Sudesh
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Aims: Halophilic micro-organisms have received much interest because of their potential biotechnological
applications, among which is the capability of some strains to synthesize polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA).
Halomonas sp. SK5, which was isolated from hypersaline microbial mats, accumulated intracellular granules
of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] in modified accumulation medium supplemented with 10% (w/v)
salinity and 3% (w/v) glucose. Methods and Results: A cell density of approximately 3 0 g l 1 was attained in
this culture which yielded 48 wt% P(3HB). The bacterial strain was also capable of synthesizing poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HBco- 3HV)] when cofed with relevant precursors. Feeding with
sodium valerate (0 7 mol 1 carbon) at various time intervals within 36 h resulted in 3HV molar fractions
ranging from 6 up to 54 mol%. Oil palm trunk sap (OPTS) and seawater as the carbon source and culture
medium respectively facilitated a significant accumulation of P(3HB). Simplified downstream processing
basedon osmotic lysis in the presence of alkali/detergent for both dry and wetbiomass resulted in approximately 90–100% recovery of polymers with purity as high as 90%. Weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of
the polymers recovered was in the range of 1–2 9 106. Conclusions: Halomonas sp. SK5 was able to synthesize P(3HB) homopolymer as well as P(3HB-co-3HV) copolymer from various carbon sources. Significance
and Impact of the Study: This is the first time a comprehensive study of both production and downstream
processing is reported for Halomonas SPP.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
475
College of Science
Applicant Name
Raid Abdel-Jalil
Department
Chemistry
Contact
jalil@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
In vitro hypoxic cytotoxicity and hypoxic radiosensitization efficacy of the novel
2-nitroimidazole N, N, N-tris[2-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]amine
Journal Title
Strahlenther Onkol
Volume/Issue/Pages
189/3/246–255
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: antineoplastic agent; ethylamine; N, N, N tris(2 (2 nitro 1H
imidazol 1 yl)ethyl)amine; N, N, N-tris(2-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl)amine;
nitroimidazole derivative; radiosensitizing agent; reactive oxygen metabolite
Authors
M. Langenbacher· R.J. Abdel-Jalil · W. Voelter· M. Weinmann· S.M. Huber
“Tumor hypoxia is a major problem in radiation therapy of solid tumors because of the radiosensitizing effect of oxygen. Nitroimidazole-containing compounds are oxygen mimetics accumulating in hypoxic tumor
areas. However, the broad use of 2-nitroimidazoles as a hypoxic radiosensitizer is limited by their partially
low efficacy and/or high neurotoxicity. Here, we characterized the in vitro hypoxic cytotoxicity and hypoxic
radiosensitizing efficacy of N, N, N-tris [2-(2-nitro-1H-imidazol-1-yl)ethyl]amine (PRC) in a hypoxia-sensitive lymphoma and a hypoxia-resistant glioblastoma cell line by colony formation assay and flow cytometry.
PRC exerted high hypoxic cytotoxic and radiosensitizing action on both cell lines at almost absent toxicity
under normoxic conditions. In particular, under hypoxia, but not normoxia, PRC targeted the mitochondria
resulting in oxidative stress, G(2)/M cell cycle arrest, and triggering of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. Our in
vitro findings suggest that PRC might be a promising new 2-nitroimidazole for improving radiation therapy
of hypoxic tumors in vivo.”
476
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Reginald Victor
Department
Biology
Contact
rvictor@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Invasive on invasive – On the feeding ecology of the Ring-necked Parakeet, Psittacula krameri, in Oman (Aves: Psittacidae)
Journal Title
Zoology in the Middle East
Volume/Issue/Pages
59/3/203-206
Key Words
Feeding ecology; Mesquite; Oman; Ring-necked Parakeet
Authors
Reginald Victor & Jayanthi R. Victor
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The Ring-necked Parakeet, Psittacula krameri, an invasive bird species in Oman was found to be feeding on
the immature green pods of another invasive tree species, Prosopis juliflora, commonly known as Mesquite.
This parakeet strips the pods and consumes the soft seeds within. The green pods collected from the base of
trees were a mixture of stripped pods showing various levels of feeding damage and un-stripped pods without
any damage. The percentage of stripped pods was significantly higher than that of un-stripped pods. The
mean percentage number of pods in the five levels of feeding damage (10, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) significantly
differed from each other. The un-stripped and undamaged pods indicate wasteful feeding activity. The comparison of the five levels of feeding damage (10, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) and the undamaged condition (0%) to
the mean number of pods as percentages suggests that wasteful feeding is not a random event; the reasons
for this relationship are discussed.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
477
College of Science
Applicant Name
Reginald Victor
Department
Biology
Contact
rvictor@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
On the use of biotechnology for biodiversity conservation in arid countries with
special reference to Oman
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Studies
Volume/Issue/Pages
70/6/900-908
Key Words
Arid regions; Biodiversity; Bioprospecting; Biotechnology; Conservation
Authors
Reginald Victor
“The paper considers the possible uses of biotechnology for biodiversity conservation in arid countries with
special reference to Oman, wherever appropriate. The application of biotechnology for biodiversity conservation is poorly understood in the arid regions and, therefore, there is a need for strategies to link these two
areas. There are four categories of challenges, (i) Environmental, (ii) Scientific, (ii) Socioeconomic and (iv)
Administrative. Overcoming these challenges and benefiting from the potential of biotechnology to promote
biodiversity conservation should receive serious attention in the arid nations of the developing world.”
478
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Rengaraj Selvaraj
Department
Chemistry
Contact
rengaraj@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Photocatalytic degradation of dyes by CdS microspheres under near UV and blue
LED radiation
Journal Title
Separation and Purification Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
120/120/206-214
Key Words
Cadmium sulfide; Dye; LED; Photocatalysis; Water treatment
Authors
Eveliina Repo, Selvaraj Rengaraj, Susanna Pulkka, Emmanuelle Castangnoli, Sami
Suihkonen, Markku Sopanen and Mika Sillanpää
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Nanostructured CdS microspheres were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and used as photocatalyst in
the degradation of dyes under near UV and blue LED radiation. Nearly complete degradation of methylene
blue, phenol red and methyl red was achieved in 3 h. Catalytic performance of the microspheres remained
unchanged during five recycling steps. Different modification methods were tested to prevent photocorrosion of the CdS particles. Using glucose as protecting agent gave the most promising results. Furthermore,
photocatalysis under LED radiation tested in this study showed quite good energy efficiency, which makes
this method economically appealing.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
479
College of Science
Applicant Name
Rengaraj Selvaraj
Department
Chemistry
Contact
rengaraj@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Electrochemical study of novel nanostructured In2S3 and its effect on oxidative
damage to DNA purine bases
Journal Title
Electrochimica Acta
Volume/Issue/Pages
92/92/124-131
Key Words
Semiconducting nanomaterials; Electrochemical properties; Photocatalyst; DNA
cleavage; Oxidative stress
Authors
A. Ferancova, S. Rengaraj, Y. Kim, S. Vijayalakshmi, J. Labuda, J. Bobacka and M.
Sillanpää
“Novel nanostructured In2S3 was synthesized using a one-step solution growth approach in various indium
nitrate to thioacetamide ratio and in absence of surfactants. Morphology studies showed the flower-like
structure of the nanomaterials obtained. For the electrochemical study, In2S3 nanomaterials were immobilized at the surface of the glassy carbon electrode. Modified glassy carbon electrodes were then characterized by cyclic voltammetry of the three redox systems: [Ru(NH3)(6)](3+)/[Ru(NH3)(6)](2+), [Fe(CN)(6)]
(3-)/[Fe(CN)(6)](4-), and hydroquinone/quinone. The calculated standard electron transfer rate constants
were in agreement with those calculated from electrochemical impedance measurements. Electrochemical
impedance spectra measured at different potential values were used to study semiconducting properties of
In2S3 samples. Analysis showed n-type semiconductor behaviour for all In2S3 samples. The donor density
(similar to 10(-18) cm(-3)) and flat band potential (similar to-0.8V) were in agreement with those reported
for indium contained semiconductors. As the semiconducting and photocatalytic properties are related to
production of the free radicals able to damage DNA, the effect of In2S3 exposed to UV radiation on DNA
bases was studied. In2S3 nanomaterials in the dispersion medium enhanced the production of free radicals
and the oxidation stress and caused significant damage to DNA bases. Our results show that In2S3 nanomaterials exhibit good semiconducting properties and are also efficient photocatalysts.”
480
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
S M Mujibur Rahman
Department
Physics
Contact
mujib@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Spin treatment-based approach for electronic transport in paramagnetic liquid
transition metals
Journal Title
Philosophical Magazine
Volume/Issue/Pages
93/26/3576-3588
Key Words
Resistivity; thermoelectric power; liquid; transition metal; spin alloy; spin state
Authors
B. Grosdidier, A. Ben Abdellah, K. Bouziane, S.M. Mujibur Rahman & J.G. Gasser
College of Science
Applicant Name
“A novel concept is proposed to calculate both the electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power (TEP) of
liquid transition metals (Mn, Fe, Co and Ni) characterized by a paramagnetic state in the liquid phase. By
contrast to a previous work (PRB64, 094202 (2001)), where the resistivity was calculated by treating separately
the interactions between spin up and spin down using the Matthiessen rule, our current approach is based on
two types of muffin tin potentials in the t-matrix, namely spin up and spin down. The resistivity is treated as
the result of the interference of the two kinds of spin states of electrons including a cross-contribution. The
calculated resistivity values agree reasonably well with the available experimental ones for all the metals considered. Moreover, the calculated TEP, as deduced from the slope of resistivity vs. energy, has been found to be
positive for Mn and Fe but negative for Co and Ni. Besides that, this formalism for resistivity calculation may
be generalized to a system that may exist in different atomic states. It is worth mentioning that this concept
is analogous to the one used in the process of neutron scattering on a metal composed of multiple isotopes.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
481
College of Science
Applicant Name
Saif N Al-Bahry
Department
Biology
Contact
snbahry@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Biosurfactant production by Bacillus subtilis B20 using date molasses and its possible application in enhanced oil recovery
Journal Title
International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation
Volume/Issue/Pages
81/1/141–146
Key Words
Biosurfactant Date molasses Surface tension Interfacial tension Enhanced oil
recovery
Authors
S.N. Al-Bahry, Y.M. Al-Wahaibi, A.E. Elshafie, A.S. Al-Bemani, S.J. Joshi, H.S.
Al-Makhmari, H.S. Al-Sulaimani
“This study highlights the use of low-cost agro-industrial raw material e date molasses for fermentative
production of biosurfactants. Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) is the primary crop in Oman, which shares
82% of all fruit crops production in the country. When date molasses was used as the sole carbon and energy
source for biosurfactant production using Bacillus subtilis B20, a product yield of 2.29 0.38 g/l was obtained.
The biosurfactant reduced surface tension and interfacial tension from 60 to 25 mN/m to 27 and 5.02 mN/m
respectively. It also showed significant stability under a wide range of temperatures, pH and salt concentrations. Additional 9.7% oil was recovered through core-flood studies, accessing the potential of biosurfactant
to enhance oil recovery under reservoir conditions. Current studies showed date molasses could be suitable
for use in the production of biosurfactant and it has the potential for use in enhancing oil recovery.”
482
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Saif N Al-Bahry
Department
Biology
Contact
snbahry@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Microbial consortia in Oman oil fields: a possible use in enhanced oil recovery
Journal Title
Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
Volume/Issue/Pages
23/1/106-117
Key Words
Microbial enhanced oil recovery, microbial consortia, culture-dependent and culture-independent techniques, Oman, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
Authors
Al-Bahry, Saif N, Abdulkader E. Elsahfie, Yahya M. Al-Wahaibi, Ali S. Al-Bimani,
Sanket J. Joshi, Ratiba A. Al-Maaini, Wafa J. Al-Alawai, Yuichi Sugai, and Mussalam Al-Mandhari
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR) is one of the most economical and efficient methods for extending
the life of production wells in a declining reservoir. Microbial consortia from Wafra oil wells and Suwaihat
production water, Al-Wusta region, Oman were screened. Microbial consortia in brine samples were identified using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 16S rRNA gene sequences. The detected microbial
consortia of Wafra oil wells were completely different from microbial consortia of Suwaihat formation water.
A total of 33 genera and 58 species were identified in Wafra oil wells and Suwaihat production water. All of
the identified microbial genera were first reported in Oman, with Caminicella sporogenes for the first time
reported from oil fields. Most of the identified microorganisms were found to be anaerobic, thermophilic,
and halophilic, and produced biogases, biosolvants, and biosurfactants as by-products, which may be good
candidates for MEOR.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
483
College of Science
Applicant Name
Saif N Al-Bahry
Department
Biology
Contact
snbahry@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Escherichia coli tetracycline efflux determinants in relation to tetracycline residues
in chicken
Journal Title
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/9/718–722
Key Words
Chicken; Escherichia coli; Antibiotic resistance genes; Tetracycline
Authors
Al-Bahry SN, Al-Mashani BM, Al-Ansari AS, Elshafie AE, Mahmoud IY.
“Objective: To scren for Escherichia coli (E. coli) resistant to tetracycline, followed by identification of tet
efflux genes by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In addition, detection of tetracycline residues in chicken
livers and kidneys were conducted using high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass
spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS).
Methods: Strains of E. coli were isolated from samples of chicken colon and screened for tetracycline resistance. Tetracycline genes conferring resistance (Tc were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Most
of the isolates were resistant to tetracycline (97.9%).
Results: PCR analysis indicated that Tc E. coli R-plasmids contained tet(A), tet(B) and a combination of both
efflux genes. None of the isolates contained other efflux tet genes tet (C, D, E and Y). High performance liquid
chromatography-tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS), a sensitive technique, was used
to detect residues of chlortetracycline (CTC), oxytetracycline (OTC), doxycycline (DC) in chicken livers and
kidneys. The samples containing tetracycline residues were at 0.13-0.65 pg/mu L levels.
Conclusions: Tetracycline and other antibiotics are commonly used in the poultry and meat production industry for prevention of microbial infections. Multiple antibiotic resistant bacteria in Oman have increased
to alarming levels, threatening public health, domestic and may have adverse effect on environment.”
484
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Salah Al-Khirbash
Department
Earth Science
Contact
khirbash@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Rare earth element mobility during laterization of mafic rocks
Journal Title
Arab J Geosci
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1007/s12517-013-1189-6
Key Words
Laterites. Rare earth elements. Oman ophiolite
Authors
Salah Al-Khirbash, Khadija Semhi, Laurent Richard, Sobhi Nasir & Abdulrahman
Al-Harthy
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Eleven samples representing a sequence of progressive alteration through a laterite profile of Upper Cretaceous age developed on a layered gabbro from the Oman ophiolite have been analysed for their rare earth
element (REE) contents. The results provide new insights into the fractionation and vertical movement of
REEs during the laterization of mafic parent rocks. Compared to the fresh parent rock, from the same section
nearly flat chondrite-normalized REE patterns are observed in the saprolite zone, while light REE (LREEs:
La-Nd)-enriched patterns characterize the oxide and clay zones. The altered gabbro shows a depletion in
middle REEs (MREEs: Sm-Ho) compared to its unaltered counterpart. A negative cerium (Ce) anomaly is
observed in the upper part of the altered gabbro, while the lower part appears to be depleted in Ce. The similarity in the LREE enriched fractionation patterns throughout the alteration profile suggests that the REE
fractionation process is independent of the total REE content of the parent rock.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
485
College of Science
Applicant Name
Salah Al-Khirbash
Department
Earth Science
Contact
khirbash@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Lithostratigraphy, deformatiton history, and tectonic
Journal Title
Arab J Geosci
Volume/Issue/Pages
DOI 10.1007/s12517-013-0951-0
Key Words
Rchean–Proterozoic. Lithostratigraphy. Tectonism. Yemen
Authors
Mohamed Th. S. Heikal, Salah A. Al-Khirbash, Adel M. Hassan, Ahmed M.
Al-Kotbah & Khaled M. Al-Selwi
“Basement rocks of presumed Precambrian age, in Yemen Republic (105, 000 km2), are exposed in the
northwestern and southeastern parts of the country. The basement rocks of southern Saudi Arabia and
northern parts of Yemen are almost continuous and similar in the lithostratigraphic succession. In spite of
the presence of such common basic characteristics for each, there are slight differences of local structural
framework and major tectonic events. The structural complexity, great variety of rock units and types, multiintrusive environments, and multiplicity of metamorphic events in the study basement rocks make the main
target of lithostratigraphic analyses, in particular, daunting in the southern Arabian Shield. As reported here,
accepting that the southern shield consists of five terranes and suture zones requires a limitation of such
tectonic modifications. This led to the renaming of certain formations and groups and the revision of the
lithostratigraphic successions for some regions. As a result, new lithostratigraphic relationships and names
as well as tectonic events are proposed. Based on field and space image data, the basement rocks in Yemen
exhibit at least six major phases of deformation (D1 to D6) including intensive brittle and ductile deformations that trend NW–SE and NNE–SSW (in major). Neoarchean rocks are well developed and restricted in
the southeastern exposures (Al Bayda, Al Mahfid, and Al Mukalla terranes), whereas the final Pan-African
cratonization of several rock units is widespread on all terranes, in which the major tectonic events and
deformation history were concentrated during pre-Pan-African and early to late Pan-African orogenies. A
correlation and evolution of the Precambrian rocks in Saudi Arabia and Egypt are taken into consideration.”
486
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Saleh Nasser Al Busafi
Department
Chemistry
Contact
saleh1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Convenient synthesis of a novel flavonoid with extended π-system: Active agent for
UVA protection
Journal Title
Journal of Chemistry
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/Article ID 862395/pages 4
Authors
Saleh Nasser Al Busafi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Flavonoid derivative with extended cinnamic acid moiety was synthesized using Baker-Venkataraman
reaction. The compound shows interesting UV absorption properties which make it a good UVA absorber.
A bathochromic shift of 18 nm was observed when the size of cinnamic acid segment was increased by one
styrylogous extension.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
487
College of Science
Applicant Name
Salim Hamood Al-Harthi
Department
Physics
Contact
salim1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Annealing induced low coercivity, nanocrystalline Co–Fe–Si thin films exhibiting
inverse cosine angular variation
Journal Title
Journal of Magnetismand Magnetic Materials
Volume/Issue/Pages
341/--/165–172
Authors
T.Hysen, SalimAl-Harthi, I.A.Al-Omari, P.Geetha, R.Lisha, R.V.Ramanujan, D.
Sakthikumar and M.R.Anantharaman
“Co–Fe–Si based films exhibit high magnetic moments and are highly sought after for applications like soft
under layers in perpendicular recording media to magneto-electro-mechanical sensor applications. In this
work the effect of annealing on structural, morphological and magnetic properties of Co–Fe–Si thin films
was investigated. Compositional analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and secondary ion mass
spectroscopy revealed a native oxide surface layer consisting of oxides of Co, Fe and Si on the surface. The
morphology of the as deposited films shows mound like structures conforming to the Volmer–Weber growth
model. Nanocrystallisation of amorphous films upon annealing was observed by glancing angle X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The evolution of magnetic properties with annealing is explained
using the Herzer model. Vibrating sample magnetometry measurements carried out at various angles from 0°
to 90° to the applied magnetic field were employed to study the angular variation of coercivity. The angular
variation fits the modified Kondorsky model. Interestingly, the coercivity evolution with annealing deduced
from magneto-optical Kerr effect studies indicates a reverse trend compared to magetisation observed in the
bulk. This can be attributed to a domain wall pinning at native oxide layer on the surface of thin films. The
evolution of surface magnetic properties is correlated with morphology evolution probed using atomic force
microscopy. The morphology as well as the presence of the native oxide layer dictates the surface magnetic
properties and this is corroborated by the apparent difference in the bulk and surface magnetic properties.”
488
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Salim Hamood Al-Harthi
Department
Physics
Contact
salim1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Pattern formation of gold-PVA nanomix spin coated on different substrates
Journal Title
Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects
Volume/Issue/Pages
417/--/73– 82
Key Words
Nanoparticle Surface Self assembly Dewetting Polyvinyl alcohol
Authors
K.P. Revathy, S.H. Al-Harthi, Ashraf T. Al-Hinai, M. Elzain, A.K George, N.V Unnikrishnan, I. Al-Amrid and M.T.Z. Myint
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The patterns arising from the interplay of colloidal gold nanoparticles solutions containing polyvinyl alcohol
spin coated on different substrates have been investigated. High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope
results show chain-like assemblies and direct attachment of spherical shape gold nanoparticles with different
size in the polyvinyl alcohol matrix. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of the C1s peak shows three
different Au-polyvinyl alcohol bands (CH2, C OH and C O) which accounts for the effect of the Au particle
size in the gold-PVA films. Dewetting of indium tin oxide substrates by 6 nm Au nanoparticles/polyvinyl
alcohol colloidal solution induces concentration dependent cellular structures and fingering instability patterns which were duly reproduced using Monte Carlo simulations. Our results ascertain the importance of
nanoparticle size, substrate type, oriantation and surface roughness on the pattern formation. In addition, we
demonstrate that pattern formation on different substrates takes two different routes based on nanoparticle
mobility rate, evoparation chemical potential and nanoparticle density.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
489
College of Science
Applicant Name
Salim Hamood Al-Harthi
Department
Physics
Contact
salim1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Magnetic and topographical modifications of amorphous Co–Fe thin films induced
by high energy Ag7+ ion irradiation
Journal Title
Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research B
Volume/Issue/Pages
310/--/81–86
Key Words
Co–Fe thin films; SHI irradiation; Structural modification; SRIM simulation;
Amorphous structure
Authors
G. Pookat, T. Hysen, S.H. Al-Harthi, I.A. Al-Omari, R. Lisha, D.K. Avasthi and
M.R. Anantharaman
“We have investigated the effects of swift heavy ion irradiation on thermally evaporated 44 nm thick, amorphous Co77Fe23 thin films on silicon substrates using 100 MeV Ag7+ ions fluences of 1 × 1011 ions/cm2, 1
× 1012 ions/cm2, 1 × 1013 ions/cm2, and 3 × 1013 ions/cm2. The structural modifications upon swift heavy
irradiation were investigated using glancing angle X-ray diffraction. The surface morphological evolution of
thin film with irradiation was studied using Atomic Force Microscopy. Power spectral density analysis was
used to correlate the roughness variation with structural modifications investigated using X-ray diffraction.
Magnetic measurements were carried out using vibrating sample magnetometry and the observed variation
in coercivity of the irradiated films is explained on the basis of stress relaxation. Magnetic force microscopy
images are subjected to analysis using the scanning probe image processor software. These results are in
agreement with the results obtained using vibrating sample magnetometry. The magnetic and structural
properties are correlated.”
490
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Salim Hamood Al-Harthi
Department
Physics
Contact
salim1@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Evolution of structural and magnetic properties of Co–Fe based metallic
Journal Title
Surface & Coatings Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
236/--/246–251
Key Words
CoFe based thin films Thermal annealing Nanocrystallization Surface smoothening
Authors
G. Pookat, H. Thomas, S. Thomas, S.H. Al-Harthi, L. Raghavan, I.A. Al-Omari, D.
Sakthikumar, R.V. Ramanujan and M.R. Anantharaman
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Ultra thin films based on CoFe were prepared from a composite target employing thermal evaporation. The
microstructure of the films was modified by thermal annealing. The relationship between microstructure
and magnetic properties of the films was investigated using techniques like glancing angle X-ray diffraction
(GXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). The GXRD
and TEM investigations showed an onset of crystallization of CoFe at around 373 K. The magnetic softness of
the films improved with thermal annealing but at higher annealing temperature it is found to be deteriorating.
Annealing inducedmodification of surfacemorphology of the alloy thin filmswas probed by atomic forcemicroscopy (AFM). Surface smoothening was observed with thermal annealing and the observed magnetic
properties correlate well with surface modifications induced by thermal annealing.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
491
College of Science
Applicant Name
Salma Al-Kindy
Department
Chemistry
Contact
alkindy@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
High-performance liquid chromatography determination of anilines with fluorescent detection and pre-column derivatization
Journal Title
Instrumentation Science & Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
41/1/48–59
Key Words
Anilines; coumarin 6-SO2CL; fluorescence detection; high-performance liquid
chromatography (HPLC); pre-column derivatization
Authors
Salma M. Z. Al-Kindy, Azza Al-Kalbani, Ahmed F. Al-Harasi, FakhrEldin O. Suliman, Haider J. Al-Lawati & Abdalla Al-Hamadi
“A simple, sensitive, and rapid reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) method for
the determination of anilines in water is proposed. The use of 2, 7-diethylamino-2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl-benzothiazole-6-sulfonylchloride (coumarin 6-SO2Cl) as a fluorigenic-labeling reagent was investigated. The
label reacted with aniline within 30min under mild conditions (ambient temperature, pH 9.0) to give sulfonamides that were separated by RP-HPLC employing fluorescence detection with an excitation wavelength
of 470nm and an emission wavelength of 520nm. The optimum conditions for fluorescence, derivatization,
and chromatographic separation were established. The calibration curves were linear for the range 0800 ppb.
The proposed method was applied for the determination of anilines in spiked drinking water samples and
irrigation water samples with recoveries of 90.0103.9% and relative standard deviations of 1.24.7%, respectively. This method showed good accuracy and repeatability that can be used for the quantification of aniline
in real samples.”
492
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Samir Karaa
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
skaraa@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Improved accuracy of linear multistep methods
Journal Title
Applied Mathematics & Information Sciences. An International Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/2/491-496
Key Words
Linear multistep methods; theta-method; optimal method; absolute stability
Authors
Samir Karaa
College of Science
Applicant Name
“We present a technique for improving the accuracy of a given multistep method. We first propose a new
formulation of the theta-method providing a general framework for studying stability and allowing to select
the appropriate values of the parameter theta that increase the order of accuracy. The idea is followed through
to generate optimal linear multistep methods.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
493
College of Science
Applicant Name
Sanjiv Kumar Gupta
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
gupta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The smoothness of convolutions of zonal measures on compact symmetric spaces
Journal Title
J. Math. Anal. Appl.
Volume/Issue/Pages
402/2013/668-678
Key Words
Absolutely continuous; Double coset; Symmetric space; Zonal measure
Authors
Sanjiv K. Gupta, Kathryn E. Hare
“We prove that for every irreducible, compact symmetric space, Gc/K, of rank r, the convolution of any (2r+1)
continuous, K-bi-invariant measures is absolutely continuous with respect to the Haar measure on Gc. We
also prove that the convolution of (r+1) continuous, K-invariant measures on the -1 eigenspace in the Cartan
decomposition of the Lie algebra of Gc is absolutely continuous with respect to Lebesgue measure. These
results are nearly sharp.”
494
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sankaran Rajendran
Department
Earth Science
Contact
rajendra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Detection of hydrothermal mineralized zones associated with Listwaenites rocks in
Central Oman using ASTER data
Journal Title
Ore Geology Reviews
Volume/Issue/Pages
53/--/470–488
Key Words
Listwaenites Hydrothermal mineralized zone ASTER Spectral Angle Mapper Semail Ophiolite Oman
Authors
Sankaran Rajendran, Sobhi Nasir, Timothy M. Kusky, Abduwasit Ghulam, Safwat
Gabr, Mohamed A.K. El-Ghali
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Listwaenites are highly altered ultramafic rocks that are potentially associated with economic mineralization
and research on these is extremely important worldwide. In the present study, the classification of mineralized
listwaenites developed along the serpentinite–amphibolite interface of the Semail Ophiolite, its associated
lithology and the zones of alteration and mineralization in the Fanjah Saddle of the Central Oman Mountains region of the Sultanate of Oman are carried out, using Advanced Space borne Thermal Emission and
Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) satellite data. The developed band ratioing, Principal Component Analysis
(PCA) and the Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) supervised classification and image processing techniques
applied on the ASTER data set have proved their capability for better interpretation and identification of hydrothermally altered rocks and associated mineralization. The hyperspectral tools (Minimum Noise Fraction
(MNF), Pixel Purity Index (PPI) and nD-visualizer) extracted end member spectra and SAM classification
clearly show the occurrence of minerals and their spatial distributions. The promising results are verified and
confirmed in the field by identification of alteration and mineralization such as listwaenites, silicification,
serpentinization and talc alteration and are validated further through laboratory analysis. The confirmation
of the occurrence of base metal mineralization along the serpentinite–amphibolite interface in listwaenites
suggests that detailed investigation in this and other arid regions which have similar geological conditions
may locate mineral deposits. The hyperspectral tools applied on ASTER satellite data show that these can be
used as a powerful tool to explore the list waenites and the potential associated mineralization in other arid
geographical regions worldwide.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
495
College of Science
Applicant Name
Sankaran Rajendran
Department
Earth Science
Contact
rajendra@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
ASTER spectral analysis of ultramafic lamprophyres (carbonatites and aillikites)
within the Batain nappe, northeastern margin of Oman - A proposal developed for
Spectral Absorption
Journal Title
International Journal of Remote sensing
Volume/Issue/Pages
34/8/2763–2795
Key Words
Advanced spaceborne thermal emission and reflection radiometer; Exploration
projects; Image interpretation; Landsat Thematic Mapper; Multispectral satellite
image; Thermal infrared images; Ultramafic lamprophyre; Visible near-infrared
Authors
Sankaran Rajendran and Sobhi Nasir
“We developed a scientific proposal on spectral absorption in remote sensing and a new image-processing
method that is purely based on multispectral satellite image spectra to map ultramafic lamprophyre and carbonatite occurrences. The proposed method provides a simple, yet efficient, tool that will help exploration
geologists. In this proposal, in which the spectral absorption is applicable to all satellite images obtained in
visible, reflected infrared, and thermal infrared spectral wavelength regions, we found that the carbonatites
appear white in colour on a greyscale or RGB thermal infrared image obtained in the thermal infrared wavelength region (3-15 μm) due to molecular emission of thermal energy by such carbonate content, particularly
the wavelength recorded by the sensor and that the variation of absorption in spectral bands of an outcrop
is due to the differences in percentage of carbonate content or the spectral, spatial, radiometric, or temporal
resolution of satellite data or the occurrences of carbonatites to incident energy. The results were confirmed
by studying the spectral absorption characteristics of carbonatites in selected world occurrences including
parts of Batain Nappe, Oman; Fuerteventura (Canary Islands), Spain; Mount Homa, Kenya; Ol Doinyo Lengai,
Tanzania; Mount Weld region, (Laverton), Australia, and Phalaborwa region, South Africa, using Advanced
Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)
satellite data. A subsequent study of visible near-infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) ASTER
spectral bands of Early Cretaceous alkaline ultramafic rocks of Batain Nappe, along the northeastern margin
of Oman to map for the occurrences of carbonatite and aillikite (ultramafic lamprophyres) dikes and plugs,
showed their detection mainly by the diagnostic CO3 absorption (2.31-2.33 μm) in ASTER SWIR band 8.
The results of image interpretations were verified and confirmed in the field and were validated through the
study of laboratory analyses. A few more carbonatite dike occurrences were interpreted directly over the
greyscale image of ASTER bands and true-colour interpretations of a Google Earth image along this margin.
The carbonatites and aillikite occurrences of the area are rich in apatite, iron oxide, phlogopite, and REE-rich
minerals and warrant new exploration projects.”
496
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sanket Janakray Joshi
Department
Biology
Contact
sanket@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Bench-scale production of biosurfactants and their potential in ex-situ MEOR
application
Journal Title
Soil and Sediment Contamination (ISSN: 1532-0383 print /1549-7887 online)
Volume/Issue/Pages
22/6/701-715
Key Words
Dissolved oxygen concentration; Bacillus strains; critical micelle concentration;
surface tension; interfacial tension; microbial enhanced oil recovery
Authors
Sanket J. Joshi & Anjana J. Desai
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The fermentative production of biosurfactants by five Bacillus strains in a bench-scale bioreactor and evaluation of biosurfactant-based enhanced oil recovery using sand pack columns were investigated. Adjusting
the initial dissolved oxygen to 100% saturation, without any further control and with collection of foam and
recycling of biomass, gave higher biosurfactant production. The microorganisms were able to produce biosurfactants, thus reducing the surface tension and interfacial tension to 28 mN/m and 5.80.5 mN/m, respectively,
in less than 10hours. The crude surfactant concentration of 0.081.1g/L, and critical micelle concentration
(CMC) values of 19.439mg/L, corresponding to the biosurfactants produced by the different Bacillus strains,
were observed. The efficiency of crude biosurfactant preparation obtained from Bacillus strains for enhanced
oil recovery, by sand pack column studies, revealed it to vary from 30.2234.19% of the water flood residual
oil saturation. The results are indicative of the potential of the strains for the development of ex-situ, microbial-enhanced, oil recovery processes.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
497
College of Science
Applicant Name
Sayyadul Arafin
Department
Physics
Contact
sayfin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Pressure dependence of melting temperature of iron at the earths core conditions
Journal Title
International Journal of Thermophysics
Volume/Issue/Pages
34/3/395-401
Authors
Sayyadul Arafin, Ram N. Singh, Abraham K. George
“Asemi-empirical relation to compute the pressure dependence of the melting temperature, Tm(P), is derived in terms of the bulk modulus, Grüneisen parameter, and their first derivative with pressure. It is used
to compute Tm(P) for iron for pressures ranging up to 350GPa at conditions relevant to the Earth’s core.
The computed results are in excellent agreement with the values obtained from first principle calculations.”
498
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sayyadul Arafin
Department
Physics
Contact
sayfin@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Melting of metals under pressure
Journal Title
Physica B
Volume/Issue/Pages
419/9/40-44
Key Words
Lindemann’s law; Melting temperature; Debye temperature; Bulk modulus; Grüneisen parameter
Authors
S. Arafin, R.N.Singh, A.K.George
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Lindemann’s formula of melting is extended in terms of bulk modulus and Grüneisen parameter to study
the pressure dependence of melting temperature, Tm(P) of metals. The formalism is applied to study Tm(P)
of noble and transition metals, di-, tri- and tetravalent (Ag, Au, Cu, Mn, Mg, Zn, CD, In, Pb and Al) metals
over a wide range of pressures up to 12 GPa. The computed melting temperatures of the metals under pressure
using our semi-empirical relation is in good agreement with the experimental data.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
499
College of Science
Applicant Name
Sebti Kerbal
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
skerbal@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Nonexistence of global solutions for a nonlocal non-linear hyperbolic system with
linear damping
Journal Title
Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
36/6/621–626
Key Words
Hyperbolic systems; linear damping; nonlocal spatial operator; nonexistence
wave-equation; exponent
Authors
S. Kerbal
“This article concerns the Cauchy problem for the damped non-linear hyperbolic system Eutt+()u+ut=vp,
t>0, xRN, u>0, v>0, Evtt+()v+vt=uq, t>0, xRN, u>0, v>0, u(x, 0)=u0(x), ut(x, 0)=u1(x), xRN, v(x, 0)=v0(x),
vt(x, 0)=v1(x), xRN, where E>0 is a small parameter, 0<1, 0<1, p, q1 satisfying pq>1, and N1 is an integer.
It is proved that if N/2<max((p+1)/(pq1), (q+1)/(pq1)), then every weak solution does not exist globally
whenever the initial data satisfy RN{u0(x)+u1(x)}dx>0 or RN(v0(x)+v1(x))dx>0.”
500
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sivakumar Nallusamy
Department
Biology
Contact
apnsiva@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effect of edaphic factors and seasonal variation on spore density and root colonization of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in sugarcane fields
Journal Title
Annals of Microbiology
Volume/Issue/Pages
63/1/151-160
Key Words
Edaphic factors, seasonal variation, arbuscular, mycorrhizal fungi, sugarcane
Authors
Nallusamy Sivakumar
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Sugarcane fields in 14 different study sites were analysed for the presence of different arbuscular mycorrhizal
fungal (AMF) spores. A total of 23 AMF species representing four genera were identified, among which
Glomus fasciculatum and G. mosseae were the dominant species.
The mean spore density in the root-zone soils of sugar cane plants varied from 119 to 583 per 100 g of soil,
and the mean percentage root colonization varied from 60 to 89%.
A study of the effect of edaphic factors on AM spore density and percentage root colonization revealed a
positive correlation between pH and AMF spore density and root colonization and a negative correlation
between electrical conductivity, nitrogen, and phosphorus. A positive correlation was observed between AMF
spore density and root colonization. Season was also found to play a vital role in determining AMF spore
density and percentage root colonization, with high spore density and root colonization observed during the
summer season and lower spore densities and root colonization during the winter season.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
501
College of Science
Applicant Name
Sobhi Jaber Nasir
Department
Earth Science
Contact
sobhi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Scientific drilling and related research in the Samail ophiolite, Sutlanate of Oman
Journal Title
Scientific Drilling Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
March/15/64-71
Authors
Peter Kelemen, Ali Al Rajhi, Marguerite Godard, Benoit Ildefonse, Jürgen Köpke,
Chris MacLeod, Craig Manning, Katsu Michibayashi, Sobhi Nasir, Everett Shock,
Eiichi Takazawa, and Damon Teagle
“This workshop report describes plans for scientific drilling in the Samail ophiolite in Oman in the context of
past, current, and future research. Long-standing plans to study formation and evolution of the Samail crust
and upper mantle, involving igneous and metamorphic processes at an oceanic spreading centre, have been
augmented by recent interest in ongoing, low temperature processes. These include alteration and weathering,
and the associated sub-surface biosphere supported by chemical potential energy due to disequilibriumbetween mantle peridotite and water near the surface. This interest is motivated in part by the possibility of
geological carbon capture and storage via engineered, accelerated mineral carbonation in Oman.”
502
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sobhi Jaber Nasir
Department
Earth Science
Contact
sobhi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Evolution of a very deeply subducted metasediment from As Sifah, northeastern
coast of Oman
Journal Title
Lithos
Volume/Issue/Pages
156/159/171-185
Key Words
Phengite; Garnet; Ultrahigh pressure metamorphism; Oman; Metasediment; P-T
pseudosection
Authors
Hans-Joachim Massonne, Joachim Opitz, Thomas Theye, Sobhi Nasir
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Near the coastal village of As Sifah, NE Oman, eclogite-facies rocks occur in the Saih Hatat window. We
investigated a metapelite from this area, which is composed of mm-sized garnet and greenish phengite
and minor epidote, blue amphibole, paragonite, albite, quartz, rutile, opaque phases, barite, and carbonate.
Garnet exhibits a chemical zonation with Gro(17)Alm(66)Pyr(6)SPe(11), Gro(22)Alm(72.5)Pyr(5)Spe(0.5),
and Gro(25)Alm(65)Pyr(8)Spe(2) as inner core, mantle and outermost rim compositions. Inner portions
of phengite have Si contents of up to 3.6 per formula unit (pfu), whereas rims are poorer in Si (32-3.4 pfu).
We constructed a P-T pseudosection in the system Na2O-K2O-CaO-FeO-O-2-MnO-MgO-Al2O3-SiO2TiO2-H2O for the bulk-rock composition of the studied metapelite and contoured it by isopleths of various
parameters such as the molar fractions of garnet components. Based on this contouring a P-T path was derived
that starts at ultrahigh-pressure conditions. Garnet began to form at 25 kbar and 490 degrees C. Subsequently,
temperatures increased and pressures decreased to finally reach P-T conditions of 13 kbar and 565 degrees C
at which low-Si phengite, the outermost rim of garnet, Na-amphibole, epidote, quartz, magnetite, and rutile
were in equilibrium. The P-T path is related to events in a subduction channel where the top of subducted
oceanic crust, including the studied metasediments, was involved in an upwards-directed mass flow, resulting
in the release of about 3 wt.% H2O by garnet formation from hydrous minerals such as chlorite and lawsonite.
In order to get hints at the interaction of such hydrous fluids, we have analysed the trace and minor elements
in phengite. The contents of B, Rb, Cs, and Tl (20, 397, 6.7 and 1.7 ppm, respectively) are nearly constant
over the entire Si range of potassic white mica. In contrast, the contents of Ba and Sr increase from 900 and
0.5 to 10500 and 14 ppm, respectively, with decreasing Si content in phengite. We hypothesize that this result
reflects early leaching of mobile elements during subduction and the later approach of the rock to a barite
deposit within a melange ascending in the subduction channel.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
503
College of Science
Applicant Name
Stefan Veldsman
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
veldsman@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Rings of matrices generated by a companion matrix
Journal Title
Acta Mathematica Hungarica
Volume/Issue/Pages
140/1-2/12-33
Authors
Stefan Veldsman
“The regular representation of the quotient of a polynomial ringover the principal ideal determined by h(x) is
the ring of matrices generated by the companion matrix of h(x). Properties of such rings, also called Barnett
matrix rings, will be investigated.”
504
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Taher A. Ba-Omar
Department
Biology
Contact
taher@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Effects of Pesticide Temephos on the Liver of Aphanius dispar (Rüppell 1828) (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae): A Microscopic Study
Journal Title
SQU Journal For Science, 18 (2013) 11-18
Volume/Issue/Pages
18/--/11-18
Key Words
Pesticide; Aphanius dispar; Liver; Temephos; Fish; Ultrastructure; Hepatocytes.
Authors
Taher A. Ba-Omar, Iman Al-Kharusi and Reginald Victor
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The effects of the pesticide temephos, at different concentrations, on the liver of Aphanius dispar, (Rüppell
1828) a cyprinodont fish, have been described. The changes in the liver tissue after exposure to 1 ppm, 5
ppm, 10 ppm and 25 ppm concentrations of temephos have been presented. Light and transmission electron
microscopy showed that the degeneration of the liver cells commenced after exposure to 1 ppm and steadily
progressed to show maximum changes at 25 ppm. Histopathological changes included the dilation of sinusoids, an increase in the number of lipid droplets and cytoplasmic vacuolation, pyknosis of the nuclei and
focal necrosis. These results falsify the claim that temephos is a non-systemic poison.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
505
College of Science
Applicant Name
Tayfour El-Bashir
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
elbashir@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Numerical solution of Stokes flow generated by vortices: part 2, inside an elliptical
cylinder
Journal Title
Acta Mechanica
Volume/Issue/Pages
224/11/2881-2894
Authors
Tayfour El-Bashir
“In this second part paper, the two-dimensional flow inside an elliptical cylinder is studied in the presence of
no-slip boundary conditions. For simplicity, line vortices are assumed to be parallel to the elliptical cylinder
axis, all axes in the same plane. The interior boundary value problem is solved in terms of a stream function.
Numerical solutions for the flow field are obtained by application of the boundary element method. The
streamline patterns are sketched for a number of special cases where the elliptical cylinder is either stationary
or rotating about its own axis. In particular, some interesting flow patterns are observed in the parameter
space which may have potential significance in studies of various flows. We also investigate the change in
streamline topologies as the parameters are varied. Eddies of various sizes and shapes appear depending on
the primary vortices and their locations. The results presented may be relevant for a variety of applications
including vortex mixing. The analytical closed-form expressions for the single vortex inside an elliptical
cylinder and double vortices inside circular a cylinder are found.”
506
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Wajdi Michael Zoghaib
Department
Chemistry
Contact
zoghaibw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Analysis of UV and vibrational spectra (FT-IR and FT-Raman) of hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene based on normal coordinate analysis, MP2 and DFT calculations
Journal Title
Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy
Volume/Issue/Pages
105/105/446-455
Key Words
Hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene (HCCTP) Vibrational assignments Normal coordinate analysis and quantum mechanical calculations
Authors
Wajdi M. Zoghaib, John Husband, Usama A. Soliman, Ibrahim A. Shaaban, Tarek
A. Mohamed
College of Science
Applicant Name
“The Raman (1400–100 cm 1) and infrared (4000–400 cm 1) of solid hexachlorocyclotriphosphazene, P3N3Cl6 (HCCTP) were recorded. The conformational energies were calculated using MP2 and DFT (B3LYP
and B3PW91) methods utilizing a variety of basis sets up to 6-311+G(d). On the basis of D3h symmetry, the
simulated vibrational spectra of P3N3Cl6 from MP2 and DFT methods were in excellent agreement with
those obtained experimentally. Additionally, Frontier Molecular Orbitals and electronic transitions were
predicted using steady state and time dependent DFT(B3LYP)/PCM calcul+F311ations respectively, each
employing the 6-311+G(d, p) optimized structural parameters. The predicted wavelengths were in excellent
agreement with experimental values when CH2Cl2 was used as solvent. The 14N and 31P chemical shifts
were predicted with B3LYP/6-311+G(2d, p) calculations using the GIAO technique with solvent effect modelled using the PCM method. The computed structural parameters of the planar P3N3Cl6 (D3h) agree well
with experimental values from both X-ray and electron diffraction data with slight distortions observed due
to lattice defects in the solid phase. The experimental/computational results favour a slightly distorted D3h
symmetry for the title compound in the gas and solid phases and in solution.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
507
College of Science
Applicant Name
Wajdi Michael Zoghaib
Department
Chemistry
Contact
zoghaibw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Infrared and NMR spectra, tautomerism, vibrational assignment, normal coordinate analysis, and quantum mechanical calculations of 4-amino-5-pyrimidinecarbonitrile.
Journal Title
Spectrochimica Acta Part A: Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy: 2013, 111,
277-289
Volume/Issue/Pages
111/111/277-289
Key Words
4-Aminopyrimidine-5-carbonitrile Infrared NMR and mass spectra Vibrational
assignmentMP2 and DFT calculations
Authors
Mahmoud S. Afifi, Rabei S. Farag, Ibrahim A. Shaaban, Lee D. Wilson, Wajdi M.
Zoghaib, Tarek A. Mohamed
“The infrared (4000–200 cm 1) spectrum for 4-amino-5-pyrimidinecarbonitrile (APC, C5H4N4) was acquired
in the solid phase. In addition, the 1H and 13C NMR spectra of APC were obtained in DMSO-d6 along with
its mass spectrum. Initially, six isomers were hypothesized and then investigated by means of DFT/B3LYP
and MP2(full) quantum mechanical calculations using a 6-31G(d) basis set. Moreover, the 1H and 13C NMR
chemical shifts were predicted using a GIAO approximation at the 6-311+G(d, p) basis set and the B3LYP
method with (and without) solvent effects using PCM method. The correlation coefficients showed good
agreement between the experimental/theoretical chemical shift values of amino tautomers (1 and 2) rather
than the eliminated imino tautomers (3–6), in agreement with the current quantum mechanical calculations.
Structures 3–6 are less stable than the amino tautomers (1 and 2) by about 5206–8673 cm 1 (62.3–103.7 kJ/
mol). The MP2(full)/6-31G(d) computational results favour the amino structure 1 with a pyramidal NH2
moiety and calculated real vibrational frequencies, however.”
508
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Wajdi Michael Zoghaib
Department
Chemistry
Contact
zoghaibw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Synthesis and characterization of bis[n-(4-benzoyloxy) benzylidene{n(n-di/trialkoxy)benzoyl}-hydrazinato]Nickel(II) complexes displaying liquid crystalline
columnar phases
Journal Title
Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals
Volume/Issue/Pages
571/1/9-18
Key Words
Columnar; dendritic growth; discotic; metallomesogen
Authors
M. Nurul Abser, M. Manzurul Karim, Abu Kauser, Rabeya Parvin, M. Elias Molla,
Zenifer Yeasmin, Wajdi Michel Zoghaib, Zainab Al-Rawahi, Carlo Carboni, and
Ghalib Al-Saidi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“A series of materials based on the aroylhydrazinatonickel (II) complex is synthesized and characterized. The
molecule in the materials consist of two 4-benzoyloxy-benzene groups and two benzene rings having two or
three alkoxy chains containing 6, 8, 10, and 12 carbon atoms attached at the azomethine moiety. The synthesis, characterization by NMR and the phase sequence observed by DSC and polarized light microscopy are
presented. Most of the compounds in the series display columnar phases in the temperature range between
100° C and 200° C. The phases observed and their temperature ranges are discussed in terms of the number
and position of attached alkoxy chains.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
509
College of Science
Applicant Name
Wajdi Michael Zoghaib
Department
Chemistry
Contact
zoghaibw@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Tautomerism, Raman, infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectra, vibrational assignments, MP2 and B3LYP calculations of dienol 3, 4-dihydroxypyridine, keto-enol
3-hydroxypyridin-4-one and keto-enol dimmer.
Journal Title
Journal of Molecular Structure, Theochem
Volume/Issue/Pages
1043/1/52-67
Key Words
3, 4-Dihydroxypyridine; 3-Hydroxypyridin-4-one; Tautomerism
Authors
Ibrahim A. Shaaban, Tarek A. Mohamed, Wajdi M. Zoghaib, Lee D. Wilson, Rabie
S. Farag, Mahmoud S. Afifi, Yehia A. Badr
“Raman (3500–100 cm 1) and infrared (4000–200 cm 1) spectra of 3, 4-dihydroxypyridine (3, 4-DHP) have
been recorded in the solid phase. In addition, the UV spectrum (350–190 nm) of 3, 4-DHP was measured
in ethanol solution. Thirteen structures were initially proposed for 3, 4-DHP as a result of keto-enol tautomerism and rotation(s) of hydroxyl group(s) around the CAO bond. The conformational energies have
been calculated with the methods of MP2, MP2(full) and B3LYP/DFT utilizing a variety of basis sets up to
6-311 ++G(d, p). Moreover, TD-DFT/B3LYP/6- 311+G(d, p) computations of dien ol (DHP) and keto-enol
(HPO) tautomers were used to predict the electronic absorption spectra in ethanol solution utilizing a PCM.
The theoretical results were compiled with infrared and Raman spectral data, favoring a mixture of dienol 3,
4-dihyd roxypyridine (structure 2) and keto-enol 3-hydroxypyridin- 4-one (structure 9) in the solid.”
510
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Youcef Baghdadi
Department
Computer Science
Contact
ybaghdadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Document From E-commerce to social commerce: A framework to guide enabling
cloud computing
Journal Title
Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/3/12-38
Key Words
Social commerce, Business model, Framework, Enterprise social interaction manager, Social media, Web 2.0, Cloud computing, SOA
Authors
Youcef Baghdadi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Social commerce is doing commerce in a collaborative and participative way, by using social media, through
an enterprise interactive interface that enables social interactions. Technologies such as Web 2.0, Cloud
Computing and Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) enable social commerce. Yet, a framework for social
commerce, putting Enterprise Social Interactions as central entities, would provide a strong business justification for social commerce design and adoption with these enabling technologies. This work first proposes
a framework for social commerce-oriented business that captures: (a) three main entities: Enterprise social
Interactions, Actors, and Business Processes (and their output: products/services), (b) the relationships
between these entities, and (c) the constraints (if any). Then, it focuses on the conceptualization of the key
entity, Enterprise Social Interactions, to shape the required enterprise interface that promotes openness,
collaboration and participation, which enables the required knowledge emergence and intelligence for the
value (co-)creation. A central component of the enterprise technology architecture, we refer to as Enterprise
Social Interaction Manager (ESIM) realizes the interface. An example shows how the realization of the ESIM
functionalities with Web 2.0, Cloud computing, and SOA enables the different categories of collaborative
B2B integration that underlines and backs social commerce.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
511
College of Science
Applicant Name
Youcef Baghdadi
Department
Computer Science
Contact
ybaghdadi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A comparison framework for service-oriented software engineering approaches:
Issues and solutions
Journal Title
International Journal of Web Information Systems (IJWIS)
Volume/Issue/Pages
9/4/279-316
Key Words
Advanced web applications; Comparison framework; Delivery approaches; E-business
models and architectures; Emerging interoperability standards; Internet quality of service; Methods; Service orientation; Service oriented software engineering; SOA
Authors
Youcef Baghdadi
“Purpose - Many service-oriented software engineering (SOSE) methods from industry and academia claim
their compliance with SOA and SO, but there is a lack of framework to assess the existing methods or to
provide new ones. First, the paper questions: (Q1) to what extent an approach would consider the three
aspect: service, composition, and management to deliver software solutions that are conformed to SO and
SOA principles; (Q2) to what extent an approach would consider the aggregates of a method, including representation techniques, assisting tools, and inspection techniques to assess the delivered solution (service and
composition), in addition to the process; and (Q3) to what extent an approach would consider the alignment
of business and IT through the application of model-driven development by using standards such as model-driven architecture. Then, the paper compares four generic approaches: top-down, bottom-up, green-field,
and meet-in-the-middle, within a framework, to highlight their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, the paper
aims to propose a business-oriented approach that focuses on the value a business can add to its customers,
whereby the value must be specified in a contract to be largely re-used. Design/methodology/approach - This
work develops a framework as an model for SOSE generic methods. Then, it uses the framework as an analytical study to compare the generic methods and come up with research issues and a new method for SOSE.
Findings - A set of guidelines that a SOSE method develops should consider when selecting or developing a
new method. Research limitations/implications - Comparison of existing SOSE methods within the findings
of the proposed framework. The paper has theoretical implications as the open issues provide a research
roadmap towards the realization of SOA in accordance with a maturity model. Practical implications - This
has practical implications as it: provides a better understanding of the approaches, as they are ambiguously
used by the existing methods; and assists developers in deciding an approach having the necessary knowledge
related to its process, strengths and weaknesses. Originality/value - None of the existing comparison framework has raised the level of ion up to generic methods such as top-down, green-filed, meet-in-the-middle
and bottom-up.”
512
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Younis Baqi
Department
Chemistry
Contact
baqi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The vesicular monoamine transporter (Vmat-2) inhibitor tetrabenazine induces
tremulous jaw movements in rodents: Implications for pharmacological models of
Parkinsonian tremor
Journal Title
Neuroscience
Volume/Issue/Pages
250/10 Oct 2013/507–519
Key Words
Adenosine; c-Fos; tremor; Parkinson’s; Huntington’s
Authors
S. J. Podurgiel, E. J. Nunes, S. E. Yohn, J. Barber, A. Thompson, M. Milligan, C. A.
Lee, L. Lopez-Cruz, M. Pardo, O. Valverde, C. Lendent, Y. Baqi, C. E. Muller, M.
Correa, And J. D. Salamone
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Tetrabenazine (TBZ) is a reversible inhibitor of vesicular monoamine storage that is used to treat Huntington’s disease. TBZ preferentially depletes striatal dopamine (DA), and patients being treated with TBZ
often experience parkinsonian side effects. The present studies were conducted to investigate the ability of
TBZ to induce tremulous jaw movements (TJMs), which are a rodent model of parkinsonian tremor, and to
determine if interference with adenosine A(2A) receptor transmission can attenuate TJMs and other motor
effects of TBZ. In rats, TBZ (0.25-2.0 mg/kg) significantly induced TJMs, which primarily occurred in the
3.0-7.5-Hz frequency range. The adenosine A(2A) antagonist MSX-3 (1.25-10.0 mg/kg) significantly attenuated the TJMs induced by 2.0 mg/kg TBZ in rats, and also significantly reduced the display of catalepsy and
locomotor suppression induced by TBZ. In mice, TBZ (2.5-10.0 mg/kg) dose dependently induced TJMs,
and adenosine A(2A) receptor knockout mice showed significantly fewer TJMs compared to wild-type
controls. MSX-3 (2.5-10.0 mg/kg) also significantly reduced TBZ-induced TJMs in CD1 mice. To provide
a cellular marker of these pharmacological conditions, we examined c-Fos expression in the ventrolateral
neostriatum (VLS). TBZ (2.0 mg/kg) significantly increased the number of c-Fos-positive cells in the VLS,
which is indicative of reduced DA D2 receptor transmission, and 10.0 mg/kg MSX-3 significantly attenuated
the TBZ-induced c-Fos expression. These results indicate that TBZ induces tremor as measured by the TJM
model, and that pharmacological antagonism and genetic deletion of adenosine A(2A) receptors are capable,
of attenuating this oral tremor.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
513
College of Science
Applicant Name
Ziyad Sharawi
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
alsha1zm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
A global attractor in in some discrete contest competition models with delay under
the effect of periodic stocking
Journal Title
Abstract and Applied Analysis
Volume/Issue/Pages
2013/ID01649/1-7
Authors
Ziyad AlSharawi
“We consider discrete models of the form x n+1 = x nf (x n-1) + hn where hn is a nonnegative p-periodic
sequence representing stocking in the population, and investigate their dynamics. Under certain conditions
on the recruitment function we give a compact invariant region and use Brouwer fixed point theorem to
prove the existence of a p-periodic solution. Also, we prove the global attractivity of the p-periodic solution
when p = 2. In particular, this study gives theoretical results attesting to the belief that stocking (whether it is
constant or periodic) preserves the global attractivity of the periodic solution in contest competitionmodels
with short delay. Finally, as an illustrative example, we discuss Pielou’s model with periodic stocking.”
514
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ziyad Sharawi
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
alsha1zm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The solution of a recursive sequence arising from a combinatorial problem in botanical epidemiology
Journal Title
Journal of Difference Equations and Applications
Volume/Issue/Pages
19/6/981-993
Key Words
Spread of disease; recurrence relation; binomial coefficients; hypergeometric function
Authors
Z. AlSharawi, A. Burstein, M. Deadman and A. Umar
College of Science
Applicant Name
“One of the central problems in botanical epidemiology is whether disease spreads within crops in a regular
pattern or follows a random process. In this study, we consider a row of n plants in which m are infected. We
then develop a rigorous mathematical approach to investigate the total number of ways to obtain k isolated
individuals among m infected plants. We give a recurrence relation in three parameters that describes the
problem, then we find a closed-form solution, and give two different approaches to tackle the proof. Finally,
we find interesting formulae for the expectation and variance of the random variable that represents the
number of infected and isolated plants.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
515
College of Science
Applicant Name
Ziyad Sharawi
Department
Mathematics & Statistics
Contact
alsha1zm@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
The dynamics of some discrete models with delay under the effect of constant yield
harvesting
Journal Title
Chaos Solitons Fractals
Volume/Issue/Pages
54/Sep/26-38
Authors
Raghib Abu-Saris, Ziyad AlSharawi, Mohamed Ben Haj Rhouma
“In this paper, we study the dynamics of population models of the form xn+1 = xnf (xn 1) under the effect of
constant yield harvesting. Results concerning stability, boundedness, persistence and oscillations of solutions
are given. Also, some regions of persistence and extinction are characterized. Pielous equation was considered
as an example on these models, and a connection with a Lyness type equation has been established at certain
harvesting level, which is used to give an explicit description of a persistent set.”
516
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Zuhoor Al-Khanjari
Department
Computer Science
Contact
zuhoor@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
DBSoft: A toolkit for testing database transactions
Journal Title
Journal of Emerging Technologies in Web Intelligence (JETWI)
Volume/Issue/Pages
5/3/205-212
Key Words
Databases; Metadata; Testing Tools; Transactions; XML
Authors
Zuhoor Al-Khanjari, Youcef Baghdadi, Abdullah Al-Hamdani, and Sara Al-Kindi
College of Science
Applicant Name
“Databases (DBs) are used in all enterprise transactions, which require attention not only to the consistency of
DB, but also to existence, accuracy and correctness of data required by the transactions. While the Atomicity,
Consistency, Isolation, and Durability (ACID) properties of a transaction ensure that DB is consistent after
the execution of each transaction, it is not sure that the transactions retrieve the correct data. Indeed, the
testing phase of the transactions, in the development process, is often ignored. Therefore, there is a need for
testing techniques and tools. This paper proposes an architecture, a design, and an implementation of a tester,
we refer to as DBSoft, to test transactions, in terms of required data they need to access. The architecture of
DBSoft is a layered one. It is made of five components having separate concerns and serving each other: (C1)
a parser to collect information, specifically for the metadata, (C2) an input generator to generate test cases,
(C3) an output generator to implement the test cases, (C4) an output validator to validate test cases, and (C5)
a report generator to generate test reports. DBSoft aims at avoiding cost effective transaction run-time errors.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
517
College of Science
Applicant Name
Zuhoor Al-Khanjari
Department
Computer Science
Contact
zuhoor@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Developing a common personalization framework for the E-application software
system
Journal Title
Journal of Emerging Technologies in Web Intelligence (JETWI)
Volume/Issue/Pages
5/2/188-195
Key Words
Online service and eapplication software system; Personalization; Personalization
framework; Personalization process
Authors
Dr. Zuhoor Al-Khanjari
“E-application represents any online software application including e-governance, e-learning, ecommerce
and other e-applications. Organizations are intended to develop their own style of e-application software.
They consider personalization issues to positively approach their users. To retain users’ trust and loyalty,
organizations develop a robust e-application software system, which might complicate the online processes.
The user of several e-applications could be the same person. Since each organization has its own eapplication,
users might find difficulties in using different types of e-application software systems to complete their online
services, which might be the same service in some cases. How to help the users to reduce the time needed
to accomplish certain service without making their life difficult? How to help the organizations to facilitate
their services through the personalized e-application software systems? How to help new organizations
understand the needs of their users and develop their own customized personalized e-application software
system? Current author argues that this problem could be solved by developing a common template framework for personalized e-application software system? To support this argument, this paper at first addresses
the importance of the personalization concept and presents a framework for personalized e-application
software system. Secondly it discusses the results of the conducted survey to know whether users support
the implementation and usage of a common personalization framework for e-application software systems.
The results of the survey were impressive in supporting the argument. This indicates the necessity for having
a common personalized e-application software system for all parties: organizations, users and developers.”
518
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Sultan Qaboos University
Hospital
Table 11 : Number of Published Journal Papers in Sultan Qaboos University Hospital in 2013
No.
College’s/Center’s
1
2
3
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Sultan Qaboos University
Hospital
9
Listed in Scopus
2
SQU Journals
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
2
13
523
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Table 11 presents a summary of the total number of published papers in SQU Hospital for the year 2013. The hospital
published 13 journal papers, 2 papers were listed in JCR of Web of Science, 9 papers were listed in Scopus and 2 papers
published in SQU Journals.
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Table : List of Applicants from the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Names
524
Pages
Abdullah Said Al-Mujaini
525
Hatem Lutfi Farhan Abdelmahdi
528
Ismail Beshlawi
529
Mariam Mathew
530
Mathew Zachariah
532
Mohamed Ahmed Idris
533
Mohammed Al Abri
534
Reem Abdwani
535
Rose Ngozi Mafiana
536
Shahila Tazneem Sheik
537
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Said Al-Mujaini
Department
Training & continuing Professional Development
Contact
rawan@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Optical coherence tomography: Clinical applications in medical practice
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/2/86-89
Key Words
Biomicroscopy; Interferometry; Optical coherence tomography; disease; prevalence; knowledge; mellitus; outcomes; illness
Authors
Abdullah Al-Mujaini, Upender K. Wali, Sitara Azeem
“Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) is a success story of scientific and technological co-operation between a physicist and a clinician. The concept of cross-sectional imaging revolutionalized the applicability
of OCT in the medical profession. OCT is a noncontact, topographic, biomicroscopic device that provides
high resolution, cross-sectional digital images of live biological tissues in vivo and in real time. OCT is based
on the property of tissues to reflect and backscatter light involving low-coherence interferometry. The spatial
resolution of as little as 3 microns or even less has allowed us to study tissues almost at a cellular level. Overall,
OCT is an invaluable adjunct in the diagnosis and follow up of many diseases of both anterior and posterior
segments of the eye, primarily or secondary to systemic diseases. The digitalization and advanced software
has made it possible to store and retrieve huge patient data for patient services, clinical applications and academic research. OCT has revolutionized the sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis, follow up and response
to treatment in almost all fields of clinical practice involving primary ocular pathologies and secondary
ocular manifestations in systemic diseases like diabetes mellitus, hypertension, vascular and neurological
diseases, thus benefiting non-ophthalmologists as well. Systemically, OCT is proving to be a helpful tool in
substantiating early diagnosis in diseases like multiple sclerosis and drug induced retinopathies by detecting
early changes in morphology of the retinal nerve fiber layer.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
525
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Abdullah Said Al-Mujaini
Department
Training & continuing Professional Development
Contact
rawan@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Ocular genettics: A sub-specialty service for genetic eye diseases
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/1/1-12
Authors
Anuradha Ganesh and Abdullah Al-Mujaini
“Genetic eye disease (GED) is one of the leading causes of blindness and includes disorders affecting all structures of the eye from the anterior to posterior segment, such as albinism, corneal dystrophy, aniridia, primary
glaucoma, pediatric cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, and hereditary optic neuropathy.1 Many
systemic genetic diseases and syndromes such as Marfan syndrome, neurofibromatosis, mitochondrial disorders, and chromosomal abnormality syndromes have significant ocular pathology. Whilst rare individually,
together these disorders are a significant cause of blindness and visual impairment. They are particularly
important in children and confer a significant burden in the working population. It is estimated that each
year around 150 children and 250 adults of working age are newly diagnosed as blind or partially sighted, as
a result of a genetic disorder.2 In Oman, visual disability due to nutritional and communicable eye diseases
has declined and the proportion of blindness due to diseases of posterior segment of the eye (diabetic retinopathy); however, glaucoma and genetic disorders have increased.3 Childhood blindness remains a challenge
with hereditary disorders accounting for severe visual impairment/blindness in a third of all children.”
526
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdullah Said Al-Mujaini
Department
Training & continuing Professional Development
Contact
rawan@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Visual outcome following extra capsular cataract extraction in mature cataracts
Journal Title
Oman Journal of Ophthalmology
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/1/23-26
Key Words
Cataract extraction, pseudo exfoliation syndrome, visual acuity.
Authors
Abdullah Al-Mujaini, Upender K. Wali, Sitara Azeem
“Purpose/Objective: To report the best corrected visual acuity, at the end of one year, in 33 patients (35 eyes),
who underwent extra capsular cataract extraction (ECCE) with posterior chamber intraocular lens implantation (PC-IOL) for mature and hyper mature cataracts, with pseudo exfoliation (PEX). Design: Retrospective,
non-comparative, single-institutional (Sultan Qaboos University Hospital) study. Participants: thirty-three.
Patients with mature and hyper-mature cataracts, with PEX operated upon between January 2007 and December 2008, by one surgeon (AM).
Materials and Methods: Retrospective study of thirty-three patients (35 eyes) with mature and hyper-mature
cataracts, with ocular PEX, evaluating the visual outcome at the end of 12 months following ECCE with
PC-IOL.
Result: Thirty eyes (85.71%) showed improvement in the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ranging from
0.2 to 1.0 Snellen lines. Four eyes (11.43%) had unchanged BCVA from the baseline. There were no intraoperative complications in any patient. One eye (2.86%) that did not improve developed retinal detachment at
three months follow-up, and was referred to the Vireo retinal Unit and follow-up has been lost.
Conclusion: Extra capsular cataract extraction is a safe and effective technique in eyes with mature and
hyper-mature cataracts with PEX.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
527
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Hatem Lutfi Farhan Abdelmahdi
Department
Medicine
Contact
hatemf@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Ncidence and pattern of thyroid dysfunction in patients on chronic amiodarone
therapy: Experience at a tertiary care centre in Oman
Journal Title
Open Cardiovascular Medicine Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/1/122-126
Key Words
Thyroid diseases, amiodarone, hypothyroidism, thyrotoxicosis, hyperthyroidism,
Oman.
Authors
H. Farhan1, A. Albulushi, A. Taqi, A. Al-Hashim, K. Al-Saidi, K. Al-Rasadi, A.
Al-Mazroui and I. Al-Zakwani
“Objective: To determine the incidence and pattern of thyroid dysfunction (TD) in patients on chronic
amiodarone therapy.
Methods: A retrospective study which evaluated 59 patients who had received amiodarone therapy regularly
for at least 12 months from a period of 3 years from October 2007 to October 2010. The patients were followed-up at the cardiac clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
Results: The mean age of the cohort was 63 ± 13 years ranging from 27 to 98 years. Fifty-one percent (n = 30)
of the patients were female. There were 11 (19%) cases of thyroid dysfunction (TD). Seven (12%) patients were
hypothyroid, 3(5%) had hyperthyroidism and 1 (2%) patient had sub-clinical hypothyroidism; no cases of
sub-clinical hyperthyroidism were noted. Female gender and presence of anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies
were significantly associated with amiodarone-induced hypothyroidism (p = 0.001) while age, amiodarone
dose and duration of therapy were not correlated with the development of TD (all p-values > 0.05).
Conclusion: Amiodarone-induced thyroid dysfunction is prevalent. Hypothyroidism was more frequent and
seen more in female patients and those who had positive anti-thyroid peroxidase antibodies. Initial screening
and periodic monitoring of thyroid function is mandatory for all patients on amiodarone therapy.”
528
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Ismail Beshlawi
Department
Child Health
Contact
beshlawi@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Brain is Not Always the Last Fortress; Osteosarcoma With Large Brain Metastasis
Journal Title
Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/2/e91-3
Key Words
Osteosarcoma, brain metastasis, child
Authors
Fatma Rabah, MSc, Nawal Al-Mashaikhi, CABP, Ismail Beshlawi, MS, W
Dipali Bhuyan, MRCPCH, Mohamed Al-Hinai, DCH, Shaikha Al-Balushi, FRCR,
and Nagwa El-Banna, MS
“Summary: Osteosarcomas are the most common malignant primary bone tumors in children and adolescents. Brain metastases of osteosarcoma are very rare and carry a dismal prognosis. We report a case of
chondroblastic osteosarcoma of right humerus presented with right frontal lobe metastasis in a 10-year-old
girl with small pulmonary lesions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
529
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Mariam Mathew
Department
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Contact
mathews@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Asymptomatic ovarian mucinous cystadenoma with a solid mural leiomyoma
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/1/127-131
Key Words
Ovarian tumor; Mucinous cystadenoma; Leiomyoma, mural; Immunohistochemistry; Case report; Oman.
Authors
Mariam Mathew, Hazel Gonsalves, Sinan Al-Azawi, Saparamadu P.A.M
“Mucinous neoplasms of the ovary may have associated benign or malignant mural nodules. A leiomyomatous mural nodule is a rare, benign lesion associated with mucinous tumors of the ovary. We report a case
of a mural leiomyomatous nodule arising in a benign mucinous cystadenoma in a 29-year-old woman who
presented with a large heterogenous abdominal mass. After pre-operative evaluation, exploratory laparotomy
was performed upon suspicion of ovarian malignancy. A pathological examination confirmed the benign
nature of the mural nodule.”
530
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mariam Mathew
Department
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Contact
mathews@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Uterine torsion mimicking supine hypotension syndrome after regional anaesthesia
Journal Title
BMJ Case Reports
Volume/Issue/Pages
Bcr-2013/bcr-2013/010508
Key Words
EMTREE drug terms: anesthetic agent; atropine; metformin
Authors
Silja Arumugham, Mariam Mathew, Sonali Deoskar, Jasvinder Sharma
“A 40-year-old gravida 5 para 2 +2 was admitted at 38 weeks +5 days of gestation for elective caesarean
section in view of unstable lie. After spinal anaesthesia, when the patient was positioned supine for caesarean section, she developed acute onset breathlessness and dizziness. Blood pressure was unrecordable. She
remained symptomatic with hypotension and bradycardia despite lateral tilt and intravenous atropine. On
entering the peritoneal cavity, a congested uterus with torsion in a clockwise direction to almost 180° with
the posterior wall facing anteriorly was noted. Immediate attempt to detort the uterus was successful. The
patient immediately became symptomatically better and the uterine congestion resolved. Uterine incision
was given in the anterior lower segment delivering a healthy baby. High index of suspicion and detorsion of
the uterus avoided the inadvertent incision in the congested posterior uterine wall which could have resulted
in massive postpartum haemorrhage.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
531
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Mathew Zachariah
Department
Child Health
Contact
mathews@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Comparative assessment of deferiprone and deferasirox in thalassemia major patients in the first two decades-single centre experience
Journal Title
Pediatric Hematology and Oncology
Volume/Issue/Pages
30/2/104-112
Key Words
Beta thalassemia major; Deferasirox; Deferiprone; Ferritin; Iron overload
Authors
Mathew Zachariah, Surekha Tony, Wafa Bashir, Abdulhakim Al Rawas, Yasser
Wali, and Anil Pathare
“Iron overload is mainly responsible for the morbidity and mortality in patients with beta thalassemia major (TM). Our aim was to compare treatment outcomes with oral iron chelators, deferiprone (DFP), and
deferasirox (DFX) in the first two decades on therapy. Seventy patients with TM (mean age ± SD, 7.9 ± 4.2;
range 1.5-17 years) attending the pediatric day care unit for regular transfusional support were enrolled in
this cross-sectional cohort study. The patients were treated either with DFP at the dose of 75-100 mg/kg/d
in three divided doses after food or DFX at the dose of 25-40 mg/kg/d as single dose before food. Mean
serum ferritin (±SD) was lower in patients below 10 years (n = 44) at 1283 (±600) ng/mL when compared
with patients ≥10 years (n = 19) at 1546 (±589) ng/mL. There was no significant difference in mean serum
ferritin (±SD) level in patients receiving DFP (1360 ± 589) versus DFX (1260 ± 641) in this cohort, P > 0.05.
67% of the patients had Vitamin D deficiency (<50 umol/L). Our results show comparable efficacy of DFP
and DFX with regards to iron chelation as estimated by serial serum ferritin levels; however, MRI T2* values
were higher in the DFP-treated patients compared to DFX treatment.”
532
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Ahmed Idris
Department
Microbiology & Immunology
Contact
midris@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Genetic diversity, fixation and differentiation of the freshwater snail Biomphalaria
pfeifferi (Gastropoda, Planorbidae) in arid lands
Journal Title
Genetica
Volume/Issue/Pages
141/4-6/171–184
Key Words
Biomphalaria pfeifferi Microsatellites Fixation indices Differentiation index Arid
lands
Authors
Rodrigue Mintsa Nguema, Juliette Langand, Richard Galinier, Mohamed A. Idris,
Mahmoud A. Shaban, Salem Al Yafae, He´le`ne Mone, Gabriel Mouahid
“The freshwater snail Biomphalaria pfeifferi is the main intermediate host of human intestinal Bilharziasis. It
is widely distributed in Africa, Madagascar and middleeastern countries, and its habitat includes wetlands,
and arid to semi-arid areas. Based on analysis of 18 microsatellites, we investigated reference allelic variation
among 30 populations of B. pfeifferi from three drainage basins in Dhofar, Oman (the eastern limit of its
distribution). This is an arid to semi-arid region, with a 9, 000-year history of very low rainfall, but is subject to unpredictable and destructive flash floods. In this context we showed that genetic fixation was very
high compared to genetic differentiation which was moderate and, that, relative to B. pfeifferi populations
from wetlands, the populations in Dhofar show evidence of lower levels of genetic diversity, a higher degree
of genetic fixation, a quasi-absence of migration, and a higher level of genetic drift. Despite the extreme
conditions in the Dhofar habitat of this species, it is able to survive because of its very high self-fertilization
(approaching 100 %) and fecundity rates.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
533
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Mohammed Al Abri
Department
Clinical physiology
Contact
malabri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Validation of the arabic version of the epworth sleepiness scale in Oman
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/454-456/3
Key Words
Sleepiness; Arabic ESS; Bland Altman.
Authors
Mohammed Al-Abri, Ahlam Al-Hamhami, Hamida Al-Nabhani, and Ibrahim
Al-Zakwani
“Objective: The Epworth sleepiness scale is a self-administered eight-item questionnaire that was developed
as a tool to measure subjective sleepiness in adults. The validity of the Epworth sleepiness scale has been
validated and tested in different populations and ethnic groups. However, it has yet to be validated or tested
in an Omani or other Arabic speaking population. Thus, the aim of this study is to test the validity and reproducibility of the Epworth sleepiness scale in an Omani population.
Methods: Subjects were recruited from the general population and were asked to participate in the study. The
study enrolled 97 Omani volunteers and was conducted between May and October 2008. An Arabic version
of the original English questionnaire was used. The study was approved by the Research and Ethics committee
of the institution. Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient along with Bland-Altman plots were used to test
the agreement between the Arabic and English versions of the Epworth sleepiness scale.
Results: The study included a total of 37 males (38%) and 60 females (62%) with age ranging between 18-75
years. Concordance correlation results revealed a substantial concordance (RhoC) of 0.914, but one that does
not approach 1 (95% CI: 0.881, 0.947). This results from both lack of perfect correlation (Pearson’s r=0.914)
and bias (C_b = 1.000). The Bland and Altman’s limits-of-agreement measured at 0.000 (95% CI: -2.684,
2.684), indicating insignificant average departure from agreement between the two versions of the Epworth
sleepiness scale.
Conclusion: The results indicate agreement between the two versions of ESS (English and the Arabic).”
534
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Reem Abdwani
Department
Child Health
Contact
reemabd@hotmail.com
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Geographical Clustering of Juvenile Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in Oman
Journal Title
Oman Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
28/3/199-203
Key Words
SLE; Oman; Lupus; Demography.
Authors
Reem Abdwani, Safiya Al-Abrawi, Sharef Waadallah Sharef, and Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
“Objective: While SLE is found worldwide, there is diversity in clinical presentation of the disease according
to geographical variations. The aim of this study is to describe geographical distributions of childhood onset
SLE within Oman to identify geographical clustering and to compare the demographic, clinical, and immunological characteristics of this cluster against the rest of Oman.
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the hospital charts of 104 consecutive children with childhood onset
SLE who were seen in pediatric rheumatology centers in the Sultanate of Oman over a 15- year period between 1995 and 2010.
Results: Geographical clustering of childhood onset SLE was identified in Sharqiya region, which constituted
41% (n=43) of all cases in Oman. This cohort of patients had characteristic disease features which consisted
of significantly more boys affected with SLE compared to the rest of the country (42% versus 15%; p=0.002).
These children also tended to be younger (10.3 versus 16.5 years;p=0.001), diagnosed at an earlier age (6.4
versus 9.4 years; p<0.001) with a stronger family history of SLE (58% versus 33%; p=0.010). These children
also had increased incidence of mucocutanous changes (81% versus 62%; p=0.036) and decreased hematological abnormalities (30% versus 51%; p=0.036).
Conclusion: We identified geographical clustering of childhood onset SLE to Sharqiya region in Oman which
is associated with unique demographical and clinical features. Whether increased prevalence of disease in
this region is due to geographical, environmental, ethnic or genetic factors is yet to be determined. However,
it is likely to be interplay of known and other unrecognized factors.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
535
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Rose Ngozi Mafiana
Department
Pharmacy
Contact
ngrose@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Epidemiology of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia at a tertiary hospital in Oman
Journal Title
International Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/6/1036-1039
Key Words
Febrile neutropenia Incidence Length of hospital stay Neutropenia Oman
Authors
Maram Abou Saleh, Rose Ngozi Mafiana, Mohammed Al Za’abi, Ragini Vaishnav,
Salam Al Kindi, Ibrahim Al-Zakwani
“Background Little is known about the incidence and burden of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia (CIN)
in Oman or the Arabian Gulf. Objectives To determine the epidemiology of CIN at Sultan Qaboos University
Hospital in Oman. Methods A retrospective observational study of all eligible CIN episodes in adult ([18 years)
patients with solid tumors and hematological malignancies at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH)
from January to December 2010. Analyses were performed using univariate statistics. Results A total of 1,
357 episodes in 159 patients with a mean age of 50 ± 15 years (19–91) were evaluated. Fifty-four percent (n
= 86) of the patients were female. A total of 46 % (73/159) of the patients developed CIN accounting for 15
% (210/1, 357) of all episodes. Twelve percent (25/210) of these CIN episodes were associated with fever in
26 % (19/73) patients. There was significant association between CIN and chemotherapy regimen (P\0.001),
younger age (P\0.001), low hemoglobin (Hb) levels (P\0.001) and advanced cancer stage (P = 0.006). Conclusions This study suggests a high incidence of CIN in SQUH patients which resulted in chemotherapy delays,
longer hospital stays, and inpatient mortality. CIN was significantly correlated with chemotherapy regimen,
younger age, low Hb levels and cancer stage.”
536
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Shahila Tazneem Sheik
Department
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
Contact
shahila@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
Multiple enteric duplication cysts in a twin fetus diagnosis and management
Journal Title
Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
13/4/593-596
Key Words
Congenital Abnormalities; Cysts; Twin Pregnancy; Ultrasonography; Prenatal Diagnosis; Peritoneal Neoplasm; Intestinal Malrotation, Familial; Case Report; Oman.
Authors
Shahila Sheik, Mariam Mathew, Mohamed Abdellatif, Asim Qureshi, Prakash
Mandhan
“Enteric duplication cysts are rare congenital anomalies of the gastrointestinal tract. These can be suspected if
cystic lesions are noted in the fetal abdomen during an antenatal ultrasonogram. The differential diagnoses of
fetal intra-abdominal cystic lesions include fetal omental cysts, fetal mesenteric cysts, meconium pseudocysts
and fetal ovarian cysts. We report an antenatally diagnosed enteric duplication cyst in one of a set of twin
fetuses which was managed successfully.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
537
Sultan Qaboos University Hospital
Applicant Name
Other SQU Units
Table 12 provides the total number of published articles for the other SQU units in the year 2013. In 2013, they published 32 journal articles which represent 6.3% of the total number of the awarded articles.
No.
College’s/Center’s
Other SQU Units
Table 12 : Number of Published Journal Papers in Other SQU Units in 2013
Number of
Papers
Journal Category
1
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
20
2
Listed in Scopus
10
3
SQU Journals
1
4
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
1
Other SQU Units
Total
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
32
541
Table : List of Applicants from the Other SQU Units
Other SQU Units
Applicant Names
542
Pages
Abdelfattah Mohammed
543
B. S. Choudri
544
Hadj Bourdoucen
549
Issa El-Hussain
550
Joydeep Dutta
552
Mohamed Sarrab
567
Mohsen Pornour
570
Said Aldhafri
571
Saleh Al-Busaid
572
Yahya Al-Wahaibi
574
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Abdelfattah Mohammed
Unit
Student Counselling
Contact
ddrabed@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed among bottom 70% of Humanities Journals
Paper Title
The efficacy of two group counselling programs in reducing test anxiety among a
sample of male students at
Journal Title
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
‫مجلة العلوم الرتبوية والنفسية‬
Volume/Issue/Pages
14/3/471-494
Key Words
Testanxiety, group counselling programs based on rational emotive behaviour
therapy, group counselling programs based on relaxation techniques, university
students.
Authors
Abdelfattah M.S Alkhawaja
“This study aimed at developing two group counselling program; one based on the rational - emotive behaviour therapy, and second based on relaxation techniques, and investigating the effectiveness of these programs
in reducing test anxiety among a sample of male students form the college of education at ultan Qaboos
University. The sample of the study consisted of 33 male students. It was randomly divided into three groups
: two experimental groups, & one control group, each consisted of (11) students. The result of (ANCOVA)
Showed significant differences in test anxiety in favour of the two experimental group compared to the control
group (a = 0.05). These differences were also maintained through the follow up test. In addition there are no
significances between the two programs.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
543
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
B. S. Choudri
Unit
Environmental Studies & Research
Contact
bchoudri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Sultan Qaboos University
Journal Title
Water Environment Research (WER)
Volume/Issue/Pages
85/11/2164-2174
Key Words
Riverbank filtration (RBF), bacteria, total coliforms, Escherichia coli, water treatment, India, developing country, monsoon climate.
Authors
P. Cady, T. B. Boving, B. S. Choudri, A. Cording, K. Patil, V. Reddy
“A riverbank filtration (RBF) system was installed in a rural village near the Kali River in southwestern
India to evaluate its performance in attenuating total coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli loads in a monsoon-dominated climate in a developing country. A statistical analysis showed that RBF water was of higher
microbial quality than other water sources in the study area. Based on the geometric mean of the data from
the primary RBF well (MW3), the percent removal compared to the Kali River was 95.1% for total coliforms
and 99.2% for E. coli. The maximum percent removals were 99.8% for total coliforms and 99.96% for E.
coli. Bacteria concentrations were lower during the dry season than during the monsoon season when contaminants apparently infiltrated into the subsurface. The geometric mean of the annual removal efficiency
translates to an approximately 1-log unit removal of E. coli per 26 m (’75 ft) setback distance from the river.
During the 1-year monitoring period, Indian water quality standards for total coliform bacteria were regularly
exceeded, whereas E. coli standards were met for 29% of the dry season but only 7% of the monsoon season.
The consistent problem of attaining local regulatory limits for bacteria show that, at this study site, (1) RBF
needs to be considered a pre-treatment method and, (2) should be combined with conventional disinfection
technology. Finally, although the bacteria data confirms that the setback distance of a RBF well from a river
is an important factor determining the water quality, local conditions, such as influence of flood-irrigation of
nearby rice paddies, presence of freely-roaming cattle and latrines, and outside defecation by residents, must
be considered when establishing a RBF system in a monsoon climate in a developing country water environ.”
544
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
B. S. Choudri
Unit
Environmental Studies & Research
Contact
bchoudri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Climate Change, vulnerability and adaptation experiences of farmers in Al-Suwayq
Wilayat, Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management (IJCCSM)
Volume/Issue/Pages
5/4/445-454
Key Words
Agriculture, Climate change, Adaptation, Farmers, Sultanate of Oman, Vulnerability Paper type Case study
Authors
Bheemanagoud S. Choudri, Ahmed Al-Busaidi and Mushtaque Ahmed
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to give policy makers, professionals and researchers in Sultanate of
Oman and in the region an understanding of the impacts of climate change (CC) related to agriculture and
offer farming communities a basis for developing adaptation strategies. It is important to clearly understand
and realize what is happening at the community level, because farming communities are the most climate
vulnerable groups in this region. The information generated from this study is expected to be used by stakeholders, particularly the Omani Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, to address issues related to CC and
its variability in areas of similar agro-climatic conditions.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
545
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
B. S. Choudri
Unit
Environmental Studies & Research
Contact
bchoudri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Thermal Effects
Journal Title
Water Environment Research (WER)
Volume/Issue/Pages
85/10/1934-1953
Key Words
Thermal effects, hydrodynamic models, water bodies, reactions, thermal tolerance.
Authors
B.S. Choudri and Mahad Baawain
“A review of the literature published in 2012 on topics relating to thermal effects. This review is divided into
the following sections: regulatory aspects, pollution prevention, metal treatment methods, cyanide treatment,
sludge treatment, pollution prevention, and waste minimization.”
546
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
B. S. Choudri
Unit
Environmental Studies & Research
Contact
bchoudri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Power Production Waste
Journal Title
Water Environment Research (WER)
Volume/Issue/Pages
85/10/1567-1580
Key Words
Power production waste, fossil-fuel power plants, nuclear power plants, power
plants and environment
Authors
B.S. Choudri and Mahad Baawain
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“This is a review on literature published in2012 that covered issues related to power production waste that
resulted from fossil fuel and nuclear power plants. The review included methods and techniques used for the
characterization of the produced waste and disposal. This review also included literature investigating the
environmental issues associated with fossil fuel and nulear power plants and produced waste.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
547
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
B. S. Choudri
Unit
Environmental Studies & Research
Contact
bchoudri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Petrochemicals
Journal Title
Water Environment Research (WER)
Volume/Issue/Pages
85/10/1548-1566
Key Words
Petrochemical pollution, heavy metals, wastewater treatment, toxicity, advanced
oxidation processes, biodegradation.
Authors
B.S. Choudri and Mahad Baawain
“This is a review on literature published in 2012 that covered issues related to the occurrence of petrochemicals in the environment as well as methods and techniques used for the detection and chemical analysis of
petroleum mixtures, together with the toxicity and impacts of various forms of petroleum spills. This review
also included literature investigating petrochemicals in water and wastewater and their treatment options
including biodegradation, advanced oxidation and modelling.”
548
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Hadj Bourdoucen
Unit
Communication and Information Research
Contact
hadj@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
A study of fuzzy logic-based controller for diff-serv bandwidth broking
Journal Title
Journal of Computing and Information Technology
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/1/1-11
Key Words
Fuzzy logic controller, Diff-serv, servicelevel agreement, SLA, QoS, bandwidth
broker, code point.
Authors
Hadj Bourdoucen, Fatma Al Azani and Ahmed Al-Naamany
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“Combining transmission of both voice and data on the same network infrastructure was a challenging task
which required an advanced network architecture which needs to be scalable and simple. This resulted in a
new approach for Ethernet systems where Differentiated Service (Diff-Serv) was introduced to respond to
this need and in addition, improve Quality of service (QoS) as a way of providing class of services for different
end users. Therefore, optimizing the use of the network available bandwidth is a primgoal of this work which
is focused on investigating the impact of implementing a fuzzy logic controller of the crucial factors affecting
the performance of the network. These external or internal factors will be controlled by the developed Fuzzy
Logic system that will act as bandwidth broker (BB) to provide each user with his optimal Code Point (CP).
Within the scope of this work, the CP will not only involve packet loss rate as an external factor to check the
network congestion, but in addition, it will consider the internal factors; which are a combination of both
service-level agreement (SLA) and the type of user application used, as external factors as well. The Code
Point will be marked in the transmitted packets, where it will be possible to the router to check it, and will
treat it as per the agreement between the user and the administrator.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
549
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Issa El-Hussain
Unit
Earthquake Monitoring Centre
Contact
elhussain@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Seismic microzonation for Muscat region, Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Nat Hazards
Volume/Issue/Pages
69/3/1919-1950
Key Words
Muscat, Spectral, ratio, Site amplification, Shear wave velocity, Seismic microzonation
Authors
I. El-Hussain, A. Deif, K. Al-Jabri, A. M. E. Mohamed, G. Al-Rawas, M. N. Tokso¨z,
N. Sundararajan, S. El-Hady, S. Al-Hashmi, K. Al-Toubi, M. Al-Saifi, Z. Al-Habsi
“Site characterization was carried out for Muscat region using the ambient noise measurements applying the
horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) technique and using active seismic survey utilizing the multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) of survey data. Microtremors measurements were carried out
at 459 sites using shortperiod sensors. This extensive survey allowed the fundamental resonance frequency
of the soft soil to be mapped and areas prone to site amplification to be identified. The results indicate a
progressive decrease in the fundamental resonance frequencies from the southern and eastern parts, where
the bedrock outcrops, toward the northern coast where a thickness of sedimentary cover is present. Shear
wave velocity (Vs) was evaluated using the 2-D MASW at carefully selected 99 representative sites in Muscat.
These 99 sites were investigated with survey lines of 52 m length. 1-D and interpolated 2-D profiles were
generated up to a depth range 20–40 m. The vertical Vs soundings were used in the SHAKE91 software in
combination with suitable seismic input strong motion records to obtain the soil effect. Most of the study
area has amplification values less than 2.0 for all the considered spectral periods. The estimated fundamental
frequencies obtained using the H/V spectral ratio method and using SHAKE91 are found to be in a relatively
good agreement. Maps of spectral amplification, earthquake characteristics on the ground surface for peak
ground and spectral accelerations at 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 1.0, and 2.0 s, for 475 years return period are produced.
The surface ground motion maps show that the hazard level is moderate with expected PGA in the range
0.059–0.145 g for 475 years return period.”
550
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Issa El-Hussain
Unit
Earthquake Monitoring Centre
Contact
elhussain@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Deterministic seismic hazard assessment for Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Arabian Journal of Geosciences
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/12/4947-4960
Key Words
Oman. Deterministic seismic hazard. Ground motion. Seismotectonic model
Authors
A. Deif, I. El-Hussain, K. Al-Jabri, N. Toksoz, S. El-Hady, S. Al-Hashmi, K. Al-Toubi, Y. Al-Shijbi & M. Al-Saifi
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“The Sultanate of Oman forms the south-eastern part of the Arabian plate, which is surrounded by relatively
high active tectonic zones. Studies of seismic risk assessment in Oman have been an important on-going
socioeconomic concern. Using the results of the seismic hazard assessment to improve building design and
construction is an effective way to reduce the seismic risk. In the current study, seismic hazard assessment
for the Sultanate of Oman is performed through the deterministic approach with particular attention on
the uncertainty analysis applying a recently developed method. The input data set contains a defined seismotectonic model consisting of 26 seismic zones, maximum magnitudes, and 6 alternative ground motion
prediction equations that were used in four different tectonic environments: abduction zone earthquake
(Zagros fold thrust belt), subduction zone earthquakes (Makran subduction zones), normal and strike-slip
transform earthquakes (Owen and Gulf of Aden zones), and stable craton seismicity (Arabian stable craton).
This input data set yielded a total of 76 scenarios at each point of interest. A 10 % probability that any of
the 76 scenarios may exceed the largest median ground acceleration is selected. The deterministic seismic
hazards in terms of PGA, 5 % damped spectral acceleration at 0.1, 0.2, 1.0 and 2.0 s are performed at 254
selected points. The ground motion was calculated at the 50th and 84th percentile levels for selected probability of exceeding the median value. The largest ground motion in the Sultanate of Oman is observed in the
north-eastern part of the country.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
551
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Effective medium theory applied to colloidal solution of gold nanoparticles and
alternating gold-silica multilayer thin film composites
Journal Title
Journal of Chemical Society of Pakistan
Volume/Issue/Pages
35/2/250
Key Words
Maxwell-Garnett, layer-by-layer, gold, silica, nanoparticles
Authors
Zaheer Abbas Khan, Rachana Kumar, Joydeep Dutta
“Optical modelling of multilayer thin films constructed with oppositely charged nanoparticles help us to
understand phenomenon such as surface plasmon resonance, absorbance, transmittance and reflectance. This
work reports the application of Maxwell-Garnett effective medium theory in quasi-static limit to colloidal
suspensions consisting of host material silica and the inclusion material -gold nanoparticles. Layer-by-layer
deposition method was used to self-assemble these nanoparticles to build multilayer composite films. By
varying the number and thickness of the layers and the size and spacing of the metal inclusion, a facilitative
optical design is modelled to build multilayers of nanosized materials targeted for desired applications.”
552
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Modulation of defect-mediated energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles for the
photocatalytic degradation of bilirubin
Journal Title
Beilstein Journal of Nanotechnology
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/1/714
Key Words
Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET); bilirubin; neonatal jaundice; oxygen
vacancy; photocatalysis; phototherapy; zinc oxide nanoparticles
Authors
Tanujjal Bora, Karthik K. Lakshman, Soumik Sarkar, Abhinandan Makhal, Samim
Sardar, Samir K. Pal and Joydeep Dutta
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“In recent years, nanotechnology has gained significant interest for applications in the medical field. In this
regard, a utilization of the ZnO nanoparticles for the efficient degradation of bilirubin (BR) through photocatalysis was explored. BR is a water insoluble byproduct of the heme catabolism that can cause jaundice
when its excretion is impaired. The photocatalytic degradation of BR activated by ZnO nanoparticles through
a non-radiative energy transfer pathway can be influenced by the surface defect-states (mainly the oxygen
vacancies) of the catalyst nanoparticles. These were modulated by applying a simple annealing in an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The mechanism of the energy transfer process between the ZnO nanoparticles and the
BR molecules adsorbed at the surface was studied by using steady-state and picosecond-resolved fluorescence
spectroscopy. A correlation of photocatalytic degradation and time-correlated single photon counting studies
revealed that the defect-engineered ZnO nanoparticles that were obtained through post-annealing treatments
led to an efficient decomposition of BR molecules that was enabled by Förster resonance energy transfer.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
553
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Enhancement of photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange by supported zinc
oxide nanorods/zinc stannate (ZnO/ZTO) on porous substrates
Journal Title
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
52/38/13629
Authors
Supamas Danwittayakul’Mayuree Jaisai, Thammarat Koottatep, and Joydeep Dutta
“Dye wastewater from textile industries is reported to be a major river pollutant. Zinc stannate (ZTO) was
grown directly on zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod-coated polyester fiber membranes and porous ceramic substrates
by a mild hydrothermal method, where the nanorods supplied zinc ions for ZTO growth. Photocatalytic
degradation of a methyl orange aqueous solution under UV-light irradiation was monitored for up to 3 h
duration. The higher photocatalytic activity of ZnO/ZTO catalysts on ceramic substrates was attributed to
the large surface area of the nanocomposites. 50% methyl orange and ~95% methyl orange could be degraded within 1 and 3 h of UV-light irradiation, respectively, by using the porous-ceramic-supported catalysts
(C-ZnO/10ZTO), because of efficient charge separation. Moreover, the formation of ZTO islands on ZnO
nanorods led to an enhancement in the photocatalytic activity in the exposed areas of electron-rich ZnO
nanorods.”
554
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Two step copper impregnated zinc oxide microball synthesis for the reduction of
activation energy of methanol steam reformation
Journal Title
Chemical Engineering Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
223/May/304-308
Key Words
Cu–ZnO microballs Methanol steam reforming Activation energy Hydrogen production
Authors
Supamas Danwittayakul’ Joydeep Dutta
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“Cu/ZnO microball catalysts were prepared by a two-step process, where ZnO nanorods supports were first
grown hydrothermally followed by the impregnation of copper nanoparticles. Catalytic activities for methanol
steam reforming by using Cu/ZnO microball were found to increase with higher copper content. Addition of
urea during the metal impregnation process was found to enhance the methanol steam reforming catalytic
activity attributed to the larger surface area of the catalyst. Activation energies of synthesized catalyst and
CuZnAl commercial catalyst were calculated from the Arrhenius plots of the rate of reaction and were found
to affect hydrogen yield. The lowest activation energy of 4.74 kJ mol−1 was achieved for the optimized catalyst
which was half of the activation energy of commercial catalysts.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
555
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
UVA radiation induced ultrafast electron transfer from a food carcinogen benzo[a]pyrene to organic molecules, biological macromolecules, and inorganic nano
structures
Journal Title
Journal of Physical Chemistry B
Volume/Issue/Pages
117/14/3726
Authors
Soma Banerjee, Soumik Sarkar, Karthik Lakshman, Joydeep Dutta, and Samir
Kumar Pal
“Reactions involving electron transfer (ET) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) play a pivotal role in carcinogenesis and cancer biochemistry. Our present study emphasizes UVA radiation induced ET reaction as one
of the key aspects of a potential carcinogen, benzo[a]pyrene (BP), in the presence of a wide variety of molecules covering organic p-benzoquinone (BQ), biological macromolecules like calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA),
human serum albumin (HSA) protein, and inorganic zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorods (NRs). Steady-state and
picosecond-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy have been used to monitor such ET reactions. Physical consequences of BP association with CT-DNA have been investigated through temperature-dependent circular
dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. The temperature-dependent steady-state, picosecond-resolved fluorescence
lifetime and anisotropy studies reveal the effect of temperature on the perturbation of such ET reactions from
BP to biological macromolecules, highlighting their temperature-dependent association. Furthermore, the
electron-donating property of BP has been corroborated by measuring wavelength-dependent photocurrent
in a BP-anchored ZnO NR-based photodevice, offering new physical insights for the carcinogenic study of BP.”
556
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Role of central metal ions in hematoporphyrin-functionalized titania in solar energy conversion dynamics
Journal Title
Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics
Volume/Issue/Pages
15/42/18562
Authors
Samim Sardar, Soumik Sarkar, Myo Tay Zar Myint, Salim Al-Harthi, Joydeep Dutta
and Samir Kumar Pal
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“In this study, we have investigated the efficacy of electron transfer processes in hematoporphyrin (HP) and
iron hematoporphyrin ((Fe)HP) sensitized titania as potential materials for capturing and storing solar energy.
Steady-state and picosecond-resolved fluorescence studies show the efficient photoinduced electron transfer
processes in hematoporphyrin–TiO2 (HP–TiO2) and Fe(III)-hematoporphyrin–TiO2 (Fe(III)HP–TiO2)
nanohybrids, which reveal the role of central metal ions in electron transfer processes. The bidentate covalent
attachment of HP onto TiO2 particulates is confirmed by FTIR, Raman scattering and X-ray photoelectron
spectroscopy (XPS) studies. The iron oxidation states and the attachment of iron to porphyrin through pyrrole
nitrogen atoms were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and FTIR studies, respectively. We also investigated
the potential application of HP–TiO2 and Fe(III)HP–TiO2 nanohybrids for the photodegradation of a model
organic pollutant methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under wavelength dependent light irradiation.
To further investigate the role of iron oxidation states in electron transfer processes, photocurrent measurements were done by using Fe(III) and Fe(II) ions in porphyrin. This work demonstrates the role of central
metal ions in fundamental electron transfer processes in porphyrin sensitized titania and their implications
for dye-sensitized device performance.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
557
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Development and improvement of carbon nanotube-based ammonia gas sensors
using ink-jet printed interdigitated electrodes
Journal Title
IEEE Transactions on Nanotechnology
Volume/Issue/Pages
12/2/255
Key Words
Ammonia, gas sensor, ink-jet printer, interdigitated silver electrode (IDE), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).
Authors
Pattamon Teerapanich, Myo Tay Zar Myint, Claire M. Joseph, Gabor L. Hornyak,
and Joydeep Dutta, Senior Member, IEEE
“Gas sensors have been widely used in many applications including environmental monitoring, industrial
control, and detection in warfare or for averting security threats. High sensitivity, selectivity, and fast response
time are required for application in real-time monitoring and detection of toxic gases. Single-walled carbon
nanotubes (SWCNTs) provide large specific surface area beneficial for gas adsorption thereby increasing sensor
sensitivity. In this paper, ammonia (NH3) gas sensors based on SWCNTs were developed using interdigitated
silver electrodes printed with nanoparticulate ink on alumina substrates. Simple and inexpensive methods
including shaking and dispersion in appropriate solvents were used to debundle SWCNTs for improving
sensor response. The fabricated sensors showed a maximum response of 27.3% for 500 ppm NH3 at room
temperature. Detection limit of the sensor devices at room temperature were estimated to be 3 PPM.”
558
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Hydrophobic/hydrophilic switching on zinc oxide micro-textured surface
Journal Title
Applied Surface Science
Volume/Issue/Pages
264/1/344
Authors
Myo Tay Zar Myint, Nithin Senthur Kumar, Gabor Louis Hornyak, Joydeep Dutta
“Switchable wettability of zinc oxide (ZnO) microrod coated surfaces was controlled in two different ways:
(1) by physical geometry (surface coverage area SA: the area covered by solid) and (2) by irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light followed by infrared (IR) or furnace heating. In the first approach, the threshold coverage
area for achieving hydrophobic surfaces was found to be <40%, which is in good agreement with predicted
values in the literature leading to a metastable Cassie–Baxter regime. The transformation of hydrophobic to
hydrophilic surfaces was studied by alternating cycles of 3 h exposure to ultraviolet (λpeak ~253 nm) light followed by 1 h of annealing or IR irradiation alone. Three different annealing temperatures (120 °C, 200 °C and
250 °C) were utilized. Results of this work can be applied for designing surfaces with controlled wettability.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
559
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Demonstration of side coupling to cladding modes through zinc oxide nanorods
grown on multimode optical fiber
Journal Title
Optics Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
38/18/3620
Key Words
Coupling efficiency; Coupling scheme; Distributed sensor; Hydrothermal growth;
Multimode optical fibers; Optimum conditions; Scattering property; Zinc oxide
nanorods Engineering controlled terms: Optical fibers; Zinc oxide
Authors
H. Fallah, M. Chaudhari, T. Bora, S. W. Harun, W. S. Mohammed, and J. Dutta
“A novel concept is introduced that utilizes the scattering properties of zinc oxide nanorods to control light
guidance and leakage inside optical fibers coated with nanorods. The effect of the hydrothermal growth conditions of the nanorods on light scattering and coupling to optical fiber are experimentally investigated. At
optimum conditions, 5% of the incident light is side coupled to the cladding modes. This coupling scheme
could be used in different applications such as distributed sensors and light combing. Implementation of the
nanorods on fiber provides low cost and controllable nonlithography-based solutions for free space to fiber
coupling. Higher coupling efficiencies can be achieved with further optimization.”
560
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Optical fiber-based sensor for in situ monitoring of cadmium sulfide thin-film
growth
Journal Title
Optics Letters
Volume/Issue/Pages
38/24/5385
Key Words
CdS films; Fabrication process; Fabry-Perot; In- situ monitoring; In-situ growth;
In-situ measurement; Interferometric techniques; Thioacetamide
Authors
Farzia Karim, Tanujjal Bora, Mayur B. Chaudhari, Khaled Habib, Waleed S. Mohammed and Joydeep Dutta
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“This work presents a scheme for in situ monitoring of thin-film growth. A fiber-optic sensor based on
Fabry-Perot interferometric technique has been established for the first time to monitor in situ growth of
thin films. This was applied for determining thickness of cadmium sulfide (CdS) thin films during growth.
The fabrication process of CdS film was carried out in 30mMcadmiumacetate and thioacetamide solution at
60°C temperature. The estimated thickness determined during the growth was verified by scanning electron
microscopy. This study shows that in situ measurement of the thickness of thin films is feasible by this new
technique, and a close match of the estimated thickness was achieved.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
561
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Rational surface modification of Mn3O4 nanoparticles to induce multiple photoluminescence and room temperature ferromagnetism
Journal Title
Journal of Materials Chemistry C
Volume/Issue/Pages
1/9/1885
Authors
Anupam Giri, Nirmal Goswami, Monalisa Pal, Myo Tay Zar Myint, Salim AlHarthi, Achintya Singh, Barnali Ghosh, Joydeep Dutta and Samir Kumar Pal
“Surface modification can have a significant influence on the materials behaviour at the nanoscale and can
lead to nanostructures with novel properties. Here, we demonstrate the surface modification induced multiple photoluminescence and room temperature ferromagnetic activation of Mn3O4 nanoparticles (NPs).
Employing a systematic variation of the ligands, their functional groups and the structural position of the
functional groups, we have identified the necessary and sufficient structural requirements of the surface
co-ordinating ligands, in order to induce unprecedented optical/magnetic responses from the NPs. Using
a multitude of spectroscopic techniques, we have investigated the mechanism behind the emergence of the
multiple photoluminescence (PL), and it is revealed that the presence of a α-hydroxy carboxylate moiety in
the ligands is necessary to activate the Jahn–Teller (J–T) splitting of Mn3+ ions on the NP surface and the
corresponding d–d transitions along with the ligand-to-metal charge transfer transitions (LMCT, associated with Mn2+/3+–ligand interactions) is the key factor. However, the presence of a carboxylate group on
the surface coordinating ligands is sufficient to activate the room temperature ferromagnetism of the NPs.
Moreover, it has been observed that the ligands that induced the smallest crystal field splitting energy (CFSE)
resulted in the strongest ferromagnetic activation of the NPs. Finally, the functionalized material has been
identified as an efficient catalyst for the photo-degradation of a model cationic organic dye. Apart from the
fundamental scientific interest, these results represent a promising route for the rational design of Mn3O4
NPs adaptable to diverse applications.”
562
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Visible-light-induced directed gold microwires by self-organization of nanoparticles on Aspergillus Niger
Journal Title
Particle and Particle Systems Characterization
Volume/Issue/Pages
30/5/473
Key Words
Self-organization; visible light; colloids; microbial templates; Aspergillus niger
Authors
Aneeqa Sabah’ Prabhat Kumar’ Waleed S. Mohammed’ and Joydeep Dutta
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“A directional point-to-point growth of micro-wires of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) self-organized on Aspergillus niger (A. niger) templates by utilizing positive phototropic fungal response to different spectral
ranges of visible light is reported. A. niger serves as a living template for the self-organization of monosodium
glutamate (MSG) capped gold colloids under controlled nutrient trigger and appropriate light, temperature,
and humidity conditions. The experimental results show that control of these parameters eliminates the
need for any microchannels for the directional growth of microwires. The growth rate of fungal hyphae increases exponentially under light illumination compared to its growth in the dark under similar conditions.
White light is found to be most suitable to trigger the directional growth. Gold microwires of about 1 to 2
μm diameter and length exceeding 1 mm are grown within a week with a maximum divergence of 40–50°
from the light path regardless of the wavelength of the light irradiation. Phototropic response of fungi has
been investigated intensively over the last three decades, but this is the first report on the collective use of
microbial tropism and directed biomimetic self-organization of metallic nanoparticles on living organisms.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
563
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Hydrothermal growth of ZnO hexagonal nanocrystals: Effect of growth conditions
Journal Title
Journal of Nano Research
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/Jan/57
Key Words
Zinc oxide, Hydrothermal, Nanocrystal, Nanoparticle.
Authors
S. Promnimit’ S. Baruah’ U. Lamdub and J. Dutta
“Hexagonal ZnO nanocrystals were synthesized through a hydrothermal route under mild conditions
(growth temperature of 90oC at atmospheric pressure). Pre-synthesized ZnO nanoparticles were used to
serve as nucleation sites for the growth of the nanocrystals. The growth of ZnO nanorods was found to be
surface independent. The dimensions of the hexagonal ZnO nanocrystals were observed to be dependent
on the concentration of the reactants used (sources of Zn2+ and OH- ions), pH of the growth bath and also
on the duration of crystal growth. The average diameter and height of the ZnO nanocrystals was found to be
directly proportional to the concentration of the reactants as well as hydrolysis time. The orientation of the
nanocrystals was found to be dependent upon the seeding method employed. Hexagonal single crystals of
a wide range of dimensions and aspect ratios could be successfully synthesized through a control of growth
parameters.”
564
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Studies on hydrothermally synthesised zinc oxide nanorod arrays for their enhanced visible light photocatalysis
Journal Title
International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management
Volume/Issue/Pages
6/2 Jan/146
Key Words
Hydrothermal synthesis; ZnO nanorods; zinc oxide; photocatalytic activities;
parameters; visible light; solar irradiation; nanotechnology; visible light photocatalysis; nanorod films; methylene blue; hexamine; zinc nitrate; artificial white light.
Authors
Mohammad Abbas Mahmood’ Tanujjal Bora’ Joydeep Dutta
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“Photocatalytic activities of hydrothermally synthesised ZnO nanorod films in synergism with visible light
have been studied. Influence of each of the synthesis parameters, like concentration of precursor solution,
relative concentration of hexamine and zinc nitrate, growth time, growth temperature, pre-growth seeding,
post-growth annealing, concentration and pH of the contaminant suspension, and light source have been
investigated. Appraisal of photocatalytic efficiencies of all the synthesised samples have been done on degradation of aqueous Methylene Blue (MB) solution under artificial/ambient light. Maximum photocatalytic
activities were obtained when ZnO nanorods were synthesised with equimolar concentration of 10 mM
hexamine and zinc nitrate grown for 15 hr at 90°C with post-synthesis annealing at 250°C in air. Solar irradiation was found more effective than artificial white light while the activity increased exponentially with
pH value of the contaminant suspension.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
565
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Joydeep Dutta
Unit
Water Research Centre
Contact
dutta@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Development of integrated microfluidic device for optical flow rate sensing
Journal Title
Journal of Circuits, Systems and Computers
Volume/Issue/Pages
22/9/1340016
Key Words
Integrated optics; optical sensor; micro°uidic devices; °ow sensing.
Authors
Charusluk Viphavakit, Christos Themistos and Michael Komodromos
“The design, fabrication and characterization of an optics based integrated °ow rate sensor is presented
where the light-°uid interaction is maximized by allowing the liquid and light to propagate along the same
direction. The °ow rate sensor consists of a 10 m deep microchannel placed between two waveguides. The
optical waveguides were tapered to ¯t the channel width, to guide light in and out of the microchannel. A
tapering mechanism is proposed to minimize the coupling and propagation losses. The power of the output
signal from the designed device was calculate through simulation and it was compared with the actual output
signal detected by a fast receiver (higher than 1 MHz). The dynamic change of the light intensity when°uid°
ows through the channel can also be recorded by this receiver. This scheme allows for a direct measurement
of the liquid°ow rate with higher interaction length between °uid and light with a dynamic range of up to
0.18. An integrated micro°uidic device with high precision and su±cient coupling between the light source
and the micro°uidic channel is proposed.”
566
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Sarrab
Unit
Communication and information Research
Contact
sarrab@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Runtime verification using policy-based approach to control information flow
Journal Title
International Journal of Security and Networks
Volume/Issue/Pages
8/4/212-230
Key Words
Information flow control; Information flow policy; Runtime monitoring; Runtime
verification; Security policy
Authors
Mohamed Sarrab
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“Computer systems are monitored to check the performance or verified to check the correctness of the
software systems with respect to security properties, such as integrity, availability and confidentiality. The
more sensitive the information such as credit card information, military information or personal medical
information being processed by the software, the more necessary and important to monitor and control the
flow of the sensitive information. Monitoring and controlling untrusted program to ensure the information
confidentiality during runtime in an environment, where confidential information is presented, is difficult
and unnerving. The issue is how to monitor and control the flow of the confidential information at runtime
of untrusted program. In this paper, we present a novel runtime verification approach for monitoring and
controlling information flow that supports user interaction with running program.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
567
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Mohamed Sarrab
Unit
Communication and information Research
Contact
sarrab@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Selection criteria of open source software: First stage for adoption
Journal Title
International Journal of Information Processing and Management
Volume/Issue/Pages
4/4/51-58
Key Words
Closed source software; Free software; Open source software (OSS); Proprietary
software; Quality characteristics; Selection Criteria
Authors
Mohamed Sarrab, Osama M. Hussain Rehman
“Open Source Software (OSS) products started to become popular in the market as an alternative to closed
source software. Companies and organizations are starting to adopt OSS on large scales and several governmental initiatives have encouraged the usage of OSS in the private sectors. The objective of this paper is
to identify all possible OSS characteristics and propose new quality characteristics for selecting OSS in the
adoption process. In general, the adoption of OSS among potential users in public sector agencies is still low
and needs to be encouraged. This paper provides a brief history of OSS and open source’s key programming
languages. It also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of OSS. In order to improve user confidentiality, this
paper identifies all possible OSS characteristics and proposes new internal quality characteristics for selecting
OSS that can be added to each DeLone and McLean information system model dimensions.”
568
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Mohamed Sarrab
Unit
Communication and information Research
Contact
sarrab@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Contextual M-learning system for higher education providers in Oman
Journal Title
World Applied Sciences Journal
Volume/Issue/Pages
22/10/1412-1419
Key Words
Education; Learning management system; M-learning; Mobile learning
Authors
Mohamed Sarrab and Laila Elgamel
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“M-learning is the basis of digital learning where, the effective combination of Information and wireless network technologies, make knowledge available anywhere at any timerealizing the real sense of autonomous,
socialization and lifelong learning. M-learning is a new research area, that has become an emerging tool for
our education system. M-learning can be used to enhance the overall learning experience of our students
and teachers. The students and teachers demand for customized M-learning systems is increasing. However,
many designed M-learning systems failed to meet students and teachers expectations and requirements.
This paper provides general overview and network architecture of M-learning system. This paper discusses
the three layers of M-learning system based network architecture. The paper describes M-service centre as
storage of M-learning services. The paper presents a framework of a contextual mobile learning system taking
intoaccount the learning environment in the sultanate of Oman.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
569
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Mohsen Pornour
Unit
Language Centre
Contact
mohsenpn@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Dictionary use versus teachers instruction of vocabulary: EFL students test performance and perceptions
Journal Title
Journal of Teaching and Education
Volume/Issue/Pages
2/4/415–423
Key Words
Students’ dictionary use, Teacher’s vocabulary instruction, Students’ perceptions.
Authors
Dr. Mohsen Pornour
“This study compared the effects of students’ dictionary use with teacher’s instruction on vocabulary tests
performance and perceptions among Iranian university students. Seventy participants were divided into two
groups, with and without the presence of a teacher. In four consecutive weeks and in four different treatments,
Group A received vocabulary lists and dictionaries for vocabulary meaning, with no teacher’s intervention,
whereas Group B, which received the same vocabulary lists, was taught the words, with no dictionary use
allowed. Each time, the participants were tested on multiple choice vocabulary questions. They also completed a perception questionnaire, and 23 students were interviewed. The results of independent samples t-tests
confirmed that teacher’s vocabulary instruction was significantly more effective than students’ dictionary
use. However, the quantitative data of the perception questionnaire triangulated with the qualitative data
of interview responses indicated that most of the students thought students’ dictionary use and teacher’s
instruction of vocabulary yielded the same results.”
570
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Said Aldhafri
Unit
Student Counselling
Contact
aldhafri@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
SQU Journal
Paper Title
A Comparative Study in Health Habits and Attitudes of Students of Muscat and
Dhofar in the Sultanate of Oman
Journal Title
Journal of Educational and Psychological Studies
Volume/Issue/Pages
7/1/36-52
Key Words
Adolescence, health attitudes and habits, Oman.
Authors
Said Aldhafri & Abdullah Ambusaidi
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“This study examined the possible differences in health attitudes and habits between Omani students from
Muscat school district (north Oman) and students from Dhofar school district (south Oman). The participants
responded to a group of questionnaires that included: health problems, weight satisfaction, attitudes towards
physical activities, health and food habits, and attitudes towards and use of harmful substances. The sample
consisted of 450 randomly selected middle and high school students. Independent t-tests and Chi-squares
were used to answer the study questions. The results showed statistically significant differences in the levels of
health problems, attitudes towards physical activities, frequency of eating fast food and hours of watching TV.
Students from Muscat had more health problems, revealed positive attitudes towards physical activities and
more frequently eat fast food. No differences were found in weight satisfaction in the two school districts.
Student of Dhofar showed higher tendency to use harmful substances than Muscat students did. Evidence
was shown for a moderate consumption of fruit and vegetables among all participants, low consumption
of soft drinks, of walking habits, low levels of physical activities, and few hours of computer use (with no
differences between the two districts in any of these habits).”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
571
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Saleh Al-Busaid
Unit
Language Centre
Contact
asad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
Some reflections on moodle-based learning in the English foundation program at
Sultan Qaboos University
Journal Title
Asian journal of social sciences & humanities
Volume/Issue/Pages
2-3/166-173
Key Words
Sultan Qaboos University, English Foundation Programme, Moodlebased language
learning
Authors
Saleh Al-Busaidi, Victoria Tuzlukova
“Further development of computer and communication technologies and applications has brought from
latency toward almost complete integration an absolutely new paradigm of higher education in the Sultanate
of Oman. This paradigm has given birth to a dynamic and meaningful perspective (Nunan, 1987) of learning
in the environment that allows students’ to enhance their skills and competencies, communicate and work
using a variety of tools (Scully, 2008), platforms and targeted websites. Using the example of the English
Foundation Programme’s Moodle - based courses, which are offered by the Language Centre at Sultan Qaboos
University, the authors emonstrate that learning in a Moodle-based environment - through its flexibility and
facility of access – enables novice students nurture the idea of “knowledge maintenance” and adapt to the
modern academic environment and its fast changing needs especially in the field of general and academic
language acquisition. They also highlight the importance of the content of the Moodle-based courses, which,
according to them, should be interesting, motivating and more consistent with students’ culture and traditions.”
572
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
Saleh Al-Busaid
Unit
Language Centre
Contact
asad@squ.edu.om
Journal Category
Listed in Scopus
Paper Title
The Integration Myth: Reading and Writing
Journal Title
Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities
Volume/Issue/Pages
21/3/1147-1156
Key Words
English language textbook evaluation; Integrating reading and writing skills
Authors
Saleh Al-Busaid
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
“There has recently been an increasingly widespread demand for integrated skills materials among ELT practitioners and institutions. This trend has evolved from the communicative language teaching movement that
emerged in the 1970s. Skill integration has been seen as an effective way to engage learners as it reflects the
natural use of the target language. Integration was first realized in teaching methodology before it started to
influence material writing. However, in many cases, integration has become more like a fashion, with no clear
understanding about how two skills or more can be integrated in one textbook or whether such integration
has made language learning and teaching more effective. This article examines the integration of reading
and writing skills in a number of commercial English language teaching (ELT) materials. It first reviews the
literature on the integration of these two skills, focusing on the underlying principles and sub-skills. It then
reports the findings of an analysis of integration of reading and writing in selected English as a second/foreign
language (ESL/EFL) textbooks. Finally, it offers some guidelines and suggestions for how skill integration
can be handled more effectively.”
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013
573
Other SQU Units
Applicant Name
Yahya Al-Wahaibi
Unit
Oil & Gas Research Centre
Contact
ymn@squ.du.om
Journal Category
Listed in JCR of Web of Science
Paper Title
Fractured carbonate reservoirs sweep efficiency improvement using microbial
biomass
Journal Title
Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering
Volume/Issue/Pages
112/December 2013/178-184
Key Words
Selective plugging; Bacillus licheniformis; core flooding; enhanced oil recovery
Authors
Rayah Al-Hattali, Hanaa Al-Sulaimani, Yahya Al-Wahaibi, SaifAl-Bahry, Abdulkader Elshafie, Ali Al-Bemani, Sanket J. Joshi
“Selective plugging by microbial biomass is one of the proposed mechanisms for improving reservoir sweep
efficiency in fractured reservoirs. In this study, the potential of Bacillus licheniformis strains isolated from
oil contaminated soil from the Sultanate of Oman was tested for their ability to grow in induced fractures in
carbonate rocks and to divert subsequent injection water to the unswept matrix zones.
Three B. licheniformis strains were tested with name codes; B29, B17 and W16. Their growth behaviour
using different nitrogen sources – yeast extract, peptone and urea – was investigated. Glucose, sucrose and
date molasses were tested as carbon sources. Carbon/nitrogen ratios were optimized where it was found that
sucrose was the carbon source that maximized bacterial growth at 2% concentration and yeast extract was
the selected nitrogen source with concentration of 0.1%. The combination of B. licheniformis strain W16 in
a minimal medium containing sucrose was the optimum condition for maximum cell growth within 10–12
h of incubation. Standard Indiana limestone core plugs were used for coreflooding experiments where a fracture was simulated by slicing the cores vertically into two sections using a thin blade. The bacterial cells were
injected into the cores and the ability of the microbes to grow and plug the fracture was examined. Scanning
electron microscopy was used to prove the growth of the microbial cells in the fracture after the experiment.
Core-flooding experiments showed promising results where enhancement of oil recovery was observed after
bacterial injection. A total of 27–30% of the residual oil was produced after 11 h of incubation. This shows
the high potential of using microbial biomass for selective plugging in fractured reservoirs.”
574
SQU Journal Publication Awards 2013