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Hapllophyllum tuberculatum ( H. tuberculatum ) is a folk medicine used traditionally in Oman for the treatment of arthritis, nausea, fever, gastric pains, intestinal worms and malaria. The design of this study is to prepare different polarity extracts of H. tuberculatum and to evaluate antioxidant and cytotoxic activities by using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and brine shrimp lethality (BSL) methods. The coarse leave samples were extracted with methanol by using a Soxhlet method and the obtained methanol extract was defatted and fractionated by different polarity of solvents with increasing polarity to give hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water extracts, respectively. The high antioxidant activity was obtained in the ethyl acetate extract and the lowest was in the methanol extract and the order of activity was ethyl acetate > butanol > water > chloroform > hexane > methanol extract. The cytotoxic activity results showed that the hexane, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts have killed all the shrimp larvae at the concentration of 500 μg/ml. The highest IC 50 was found in the chloroform extract and the lowest IC 50 was found in the butanol extract and the order of activity was chloroform > ethyl acetate > hexane > water > methanol > butanol extract. Significant antioxidant and cytotoxic activities results were found first time of Omani H. tuberculatum species which is traditionally used as folk medicine all over the world, including Oman. Therefore , the highest activity ethyl acetate extract could be used as a natural antioxidant. The present study is the first report on the evaluation of antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of different polarity extracts of Omani H. tuberculatum species .

This paper looks at the academic staff selection practices at the Colleges of Technology in Oman. An inductive reasoning or bottom up approach was used in this research project. The main method of data collection used was semi-structured interviews conducted with selected government officials whose position and experience would enable them to provide useful data on the issues being explore. Some of the main findings of the research was that the interviewers predominantly conducted unstructured interviews and the interviewers had not received any training on how to conduct interviews and carryout the selection process. In addition, the interviewers did not have any standard selection criteria when recruiting academic staff to the college of technology. The research findings will help administrators in Oman to improve the recruitment and selection process of academic Staff.

Background Despite the increasing recognition that medical training tends to coincide with markedly high levels of stress and distress, there is a dearth of validated measures that are capable of gauging the prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical residents in the Arab/Islamic part of the world. Objective The aim of the present study is two-fold. First is to examine the diagnostic validity of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) using an Omani medical resident population in order to establish a cut-off point. Second is to compare gender, age, and residency level among Omani Medical residents who report current depressive symptomatology versus those who report as non-depressed according to PHQ-9 cut-off threshold. Results A total of 132 residents (42 males and 90 females) consented to participate in this study. The cut-off score of 12 on the PHQ-9 revealed a sensitivity of 80.6% and a specificity of 94.0%. The rate of depression, as elicited by PHQ-9, was 11.4%. The role of gender, age, and residency level was not significant in endorsing depression. Conclusion This study indicated that PHQ-9 is a reliable measure among this cross-cultural population. More studies employing robust methodology are needed to confirm this finding.

Corneal ulcers with fornix shortening associated with late stages of cicatrizing trachoma contribute significantly to blindness in many developing countries. We report on the outcome of ocular surface and fornix reconstruction using amnion membrane transplantation.From 2001 to 2005, cryopreserved human amnion membrane without mitomycin C was grafted to 25 eyes of 17 patients with trophic corneal ulcers and symblepharon (cicatrizing trachoma: 19 eyes of 14 patients, Stevens-Johnson syndrome: 4 eyes of 2 patients, alkali burns: 2 eyes of 1 patient) in a controlled case series. Follow-up was done up to 6 months.Fischer's exact probability test.Of 25 eyes, 9 of 19 eyes with trachoma, 3 of 4 eyes with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and 2 of 2 eyes with chemical burns showed complete reepithelialization and stromal recovery after 28-35 days (mean: 31+/-2.3 days). The primary success rate of trachoma eyes was not significantly different from the other indications (p=0.256). At 6 months post-op, 15 of 19 trachoma eyes (79%) compared to 2 of 6 non-trachoma eyes (33.3%) had developed a recurrence of symblephara (p=0.0592), and 13 of 15 eyes (86.6%) with a cicatricial trachoma compared to 1 of 6 with non-trachoma diagnosis experienced a recurrence of corneal vascularization (difference nonsignificant: p=0.1752). Persistent long-term reepithelialization was observed only in 1 of 19 trachoma eyes (5.3%) versus 4 of 6 non-trachoma eyes (66.7%, p=0.005); 3 of 19 trachoma eyes with a recurrence of ulcers had perforated after 6 months.Human amnion membrane without mitomycin C can be used for ocular surface reconstruction in selected patients with cicatrizing trachoma. Its efficacy in the long-term rehabilitation of cicatrizing trachoma seems to be limited due to the progressive scarring.

To determine the risk factors and the influence of complementary/alternative medicines (CAM) for infectious keratitis in a monsoon-free region of the Sultanate of Oman.Retrospective single center cohort study.Demographic data, risk factors, and pathogens.Patients with purulent stromal keratitis admitted from 2001-2004 were evaluated for clinical and microbiological data, CAM use, duration of hospitalization, and outcome of treatment.chi(2)-test, Z-test.A total of 320 patients (326 eyes) out of 7,524 admissions had severe infectious stromal keratitis requiring inpatient treatment. The average age was 35.1+/-2.5 years (range 1.5-63 years), the male:female ratio was 2:3 in the age groupor=13 years and 2:1 in the age groupor=12 years. Unsuccessful treatment by traditional healers prior to presentation was recorded for 203 patients (62.3%). Ocular risk factors included severe trachomatous dry eye conditions, meibomianitis and soft contact lens overwear. Systemic compromising risk factors were diabetes mellitus and medical immunosuppression. A total of 215 patient eyes (66%) had delayed or no healing (therapy drop-outs), and hospitalization (45 days) was significantly prolonged compared to the 111 antibiotic responders (26 days) (p0.001). All eyes of patients with prior CAM had worse vision at admission and after therapy (p0.001), and 97 eyes of patients with uncontrolled diabetes (p0.001) and 68 eyes of patients with immunosuppression (p0.001) had a poor visual outcome (vision0.1). Thirteen eyes perforated. A negative microbiological result correlated with worse final vision (p0.05). All 13 perforated eyes had received prior CAM (p0.001).Trachoma, trauma and contact lens overwear are significant risk factors for infectious keratitis in Oman and correlate with specific age groups. Delay in treatment due to the first-line utilization of CAM showed a significant adverse impact on outcome.

To evaluate the prevalence and predictors of microalbuminuria in type 2 diabetics in Oman.All patients attending an outpatient diabetic clinic at the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital between 2002 and 2003 were enrolled in the study.A total of 261 patients were included in this study. The mean overall age of the cohort was 50+/-13 years, and 57% were male. The proportion of subjects who had microalbuminuria was 27% (n=70; N=261). The logistic regression model indicated that significant predictors for the development of microalbuminuria include HbA(1c), log creatinine, and the presence of hypertension. A one unit increase in HbA(1c) was associated with a 23% increase in the odds of developing microalbuminuria (OR 1.23; 95% CI: 1.10-1.37; p0.001). Additionally, patients that had a one unit increase in log creatinine were 5.72 times more likely to develop microalbuminuria (OR 5.72; 95% CI: 1.86-17.59; p=0.002). Furthermore, patients who were hypertensive were 2.37 times more likely to have microalbuminuria (OR 2.37; 95% CI: 1.11-5.09; p=0.026).The prevalence of microalbuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes in this study was 27%. Significant predictors of microalbuminuria included HbA(1c), creatinine, and the presence of hypertension.

Purpose Retinopathy is the major cause of ocular morbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus. Chronic hyperglycemia spares no organ and can affect the morphology and function of the various corneal layers, compromising its transparency. This study was conducted to associate the status of corneal endothelium to diabetes mellitus (DM) and identify risk factors of compromised corneal endothelium. Methods A total of 220 eyes of randomly selected patients (110 diabetic and 110 nondiabetic) were subjected to detailed slitlamp and fundus evaluation. Corneal endothelial status was evaluated using the Nidek Confoscan 2. Cell density, percentage polymegathism, and pleomorphism were calculated. The findings in diabetic patients were compared to those without disease. The outcome was correlated to diabetic retinopathy (DR). The effects of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, age, gender, type, duration, glycemic control, and grades of DR was also considered. Results The mean corneal endothelial cell density was -175 cells/mm2 (95% CI -317 to -33 cells/mm2) less in eyes of diabetic patients. The number of endothelial cells with polymegathism was significantly greater among eyes of diabetic patients. There were less corneal endothelial cells with pleomorphism in nondiabetic patients. Polymegathism and pleomorphism of corneal endothelial cells seems to be positively associated with DM type II. Cell density was significantly lower in eyes with DR than those without DR. Conclusions Corneal endothelium in diabetic patients seems to be compromised. Evaluation of corneal endothelium should be part of protocol for eye care of diabetic patients.

The focus of this research is on the recruitment and selection (R&S) practices and\ud processes used by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) Colleges of Technology (CTs) in\ud Oman. The recent rapid expansion of these CTs has raised the required numbers of\ud academic staff from 250 in 1984 to 1600 in 2012. Given this major and rapid expansion\ud in the MOM CTs, a number of officials concerned have articulated concerns about the\ud quality of the R&S of academic staff. The main purpose of this study has been to\ud explore the practices and processes used to recruit and select these staff members. The\ud study was guided by a review of relevant literature, through which theories of\ud recruitment and selection were explored, in order to help in investigating the extent to\ud which academic staff recruitment and selection in the MOM CTs corresponded in\ud theory and practice with the good practice reported in the literature. In order to improve\ud the understanding of the R&S process as currently practised in the CTs and of the\ud contemporary experience of this process, the views of the officials concerned in relation\ud to these processes were explored, using a qualitative methodology. Forty-four semistructured\ud interviews were conducted with recruiters and directors in the MOM, with\ud deans, assistant deans, department heads and section heads in the CTs and with the\ud managers of recruitment agencies. The study makes two major findings. First, many of\ud the techniques and processes implemented in the R&S of academic staff in the MOM\ud CTs were found to deviate from those that have been effective elsewhere. The second\ud finding is that of a common feeling amongst the officials concerned that the recruitment\ud agencies which are currently delegated to recruit academic staff for the CTs do not do\ud so to the necessary professional standard. In addition, the study shows that there is a\ud lack of human resource planning in general and related to academic staff in particular in\ud the MOM CTs. The officials concerned were found to have a clear understanding that\ud there was a problem with the quality of the academic staff R&S process and to hold\ud firm views of what should be done in order to achieve the effective recruitment and\ud selection of such staff.