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Introduction: Osteoporosis is a significant clinical and public health concern worldwide. Despite the impact of this condition on women's lives, most studies have focused on its clinical manifestations, drug efficacy, and medical treatment. Furthermore, most studies have been conducted in the West. This study aimed to uncover the personal experiences of postmenopausal Omani women living with osteoporosis. Methods: In this interpretive phenomenological study, a purposive sample of 15 postmenopausal Omani women with osteoporosis was recruited from primary and secondary care facilities in Muscat, Oman. Semi‐structured one‐to‐one interviews were conducted via Zoom and telephone because of coronavirus disease 2019 restrictions. The interviews were audio‐recorded, and the Ajjawi and Higgs framework was used to analyse the data thematically. Results: The following key themes were constructed from the interviews: the impact of osteoporosis on religious practices, cultural and social life, and financial status, and the benefits derived from religious and cultural practices and rituals, including Muslim prayer, recitation of Quranic verses, and herbal remedies to cope with osteoporosis‐related pain and suffering. Conclusion: Osteoporosis and fragility fractures have a significant impact on the religious, cultural, and financial lives of postmenopausal Omani women with osteoporosis. Muslim prayers, recitation of Quranic verses, and herbal remedies are coping strategies for pain in this population. Patient or Public Contribution: Postmenopausal Omani women with osteoporosis participated in this study through interviews and contributed their lived experiences. Orthopaedic doctors helped recruit patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The emergence of the COVID‐19 pandemic compelled many academic institutions to resort to distance learning and online education, requiring a higher degree of student self‐direction and motivation to learn. This study explored self‐directed learning (SDL) readiness among nursing students in Oman, their learning styles (LS), and the association of demographic variables and LS with SDL. Methods: The study, which followed a descriptive, cross‐sectional design, surveyed 236 Omani nursing students via an online questionnaire containing two standardized scales: the Self‐Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education and the Learning Style Scales. Results: Nursing students were identified as having a low level of SDL (mean = 149.58). Probation status (β = −0.165; p = 0.021) was negatively associated with SDL. In terms of LS, solitary (β = 0.217; p = 0.001), competitive (β = 0.201; p = 0.005), imaginative (β = 0.19; p = 0.012), and perceptive LS (β = 0.437; p = 0.0) were positively associated with SDL. An analytical LS was negatively associated with SDL (β = −0.155; p = 0.022). Conclusion: Academic probation status and an analytical LS both yielded lower SDL scores. Perceptive, solitary, competitive, or imaginative learners tended to have higher SDL scores. Deliberate planning and strategies are necessary to help probation students cope with academic demands, especially with the advent of intensified digital education. Because no single learning environment can fulfill the needs of every LS, nurse educators must implement SDL‐aimed teaching and learning strategies that appeal to a variety of learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to evaluate the stability of ionized magnesium (iMg) concentrations in refrigerated blood samples over different time intervals and establish iMg reference ranges in a cohort of healthy Omani volunteers aged 18 years and above. It is reported that using the direct ion-selective electrode technique, iMg concentrations were measured. It is noted that the study included 167 volunteers, with a median age of 21 years.

The aim of this study was to explore predictors of health related quality of life (HRQoL) among men and women with type 2 diabetes. This cross-sectional descriptive study consisted of a random sample of 300 adults with type 2 diabetes in a selected public hospital. Euro-QoL and Revised Summary of Diabetes Self-Care Activities scales were used to collect data between January and June 2010. Schooling and ability to manage positively were highly significant predictors of quality of life (QoL) among women as compared to men. Age, prevention of activities of daily living and knowledge/management of diabetes were significant predictors of Health state among women as compared to men. Findings demonstrate that 30.6% (versus 35.7%) of the variance in the total QoL and 14% (versus 23%) of the variance in health state could be explained by personal and clinical characteristics among women and men, respectively. The study underlines the importance for nurse educators to assess HRQoL among men and women and to develop effective self-care management strategies based on personal and clinical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the different aspects of modern Omani Ibāḍism from the 18th to early 20th century. Topics covered include the controversial division of the Khawarij Muslims and Murji'a Muslims, similarities between the Ibāḍism and Ash'arites doctrines, and the creation of the Qur'an according to Ibāḍism studies. It discusses the book "Oman - The Islamic Democratic Tradition" by Dr. Hussein Ghubash.

The article discusses the meaning of being an Ibāḍī. Topics covered include details relating to Omani identity, tribe and geography, the development of the Muscat and Oman concepts, and the core-frontier division of Islam and Ibāḍīsm;. It also discusses intermarriage in the Swahili society, Ibāḍī conversions to Sunnism, and the concept of Nahda.

C- C motif chemokine receptor-5 ( CCR5) is a pro-inflammatory receptor that binds to chemokines and facilitates the entry of the R5 strain of HIV-1. A number of polymorphisms were identified within the promoter and coding regions of the CCR 5 gene, some of which have been found to affect the protein expression and thus receptor function. Although several CCR 5 polymorphisms were shown to vary widely in their distribution among different ethnic populations, there has been no study addressing the potential variants of the CCR 5 gene in the Omani population. The aim of this study was to identify the polymorphic sites that exist within the CCR 5 gene in Omanis. Blood samples were collected from 89 Omani adult individuals, and genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced to identify the polymorphic sites. The distribution of the detected variants was examined and compared with the previously published data. Four new indels were detected of 32 variable positions, −2973A/-, −2894A/-, −2827 TA/- and −2769T/-, and all were located in the 5′ UTR. Furthermore, two new mutations, −2248G/A and +658A/G, were observed for the first time; the −2248G/A was detected in the intron 1 region in one subject and +658A/G in the coding region of the CCR 5 in another subject. In silico analysis showed that the novel variations in the 5′ UTR may have effects on the transcription factor binding sites. Therefore, this study demonstrates the presence of two new SNPs and four novel indels in the CCR 5 gene in the Omani population. Our findings support the wide spectrum of genetic diversity reported within the CCR 5 gene region among different ethnic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]