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Objectives: This study assesses the quality of academic programs in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University from the students' perspective. It examines variations in perceived program quality among the college's scientific departments. Methods: The study employs a descriptive survey approach, utilizing a questionnaire with 48 items across five dimensions to gauge the quality of academic program performance from the perspective of first-stage undergraduate students. A five-point Likert scale measures students' attitudes. The study population comprises all first-stage undergraduate students with a minimum of 75 credited hours across various programs, totaling 761 students for the spring semester of 2020. It consists of 336 students. Results: The overall evaluation of the quality of academic programs in the college, from the students' perspective, was rated as "moderate." It revealed that the quality levels of academic programs in the departments of Media, Arabic Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, and Geography were higher than the remaining departments: History, Information Studies, Tourism, Music, and Musicology. It identified significant differences in response means across all dimensions of academic program quality based on scientific department. No statistically significant differences were found in student responses across quality dimensions when considering the variable of gender. Conclusions: The study suggests implementing targeted programs in scientific departments to maximize the advantages of academic accreditation and improve academic program quality. It also recommends creating effective monitoring programs to address feedback from accreditation bodies and international evaluators, focusing on identifying strengths, weaknesses, and optimal methods for enhancement.

In the global pursuit of sustainability, higher education institutions serve as powerful actors, leveraging their multifaceted contributions to advance the implementation of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study employed a multi-dimensional analysis to evaluate the prioritization of these goals within the institutional framework of Arab universities and identify the key factors that drive their involvement with these goals. The methodology used involved a quantitative approach, utilizing a survey questionnaire to collect data from faculty members representing 30 public universities across the Arab region. The results of the study regarding prioritization analysis reveal that SDG4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) are top priorities across all universities, with prioritization scores exceeding 65.4. Furthermore, the results of the ordinal logistic regression analysis demonstrate that institutional governance and research productivity are significant factors that influence Arab universities' engagement with the SDGs. The findings of this study have important implications for higher education policies, practices, and interventions, aimed at fostering university engagement with the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Although Oman’s National Heritage Protection Law (NHPL) of 1980 explicitly emphasises the importance of recording the country’s archaeological resource, no major attempt has yet been made to quantify it in a truly comprehensive way. And what few attempts have been made to do so in consistent and standard ways have seen attention limited to specific geographical regions and usually with research objectives that did not include recording. With Oman’s accelerating pace of modernization since the 1970s, parts of the nation’s archaeological resource have become exposed to and endangered by both natural and human factors. Some components have been partially destroyed, others increasingly threatened. It is, therefore, beyond dispute that the establishment of a national archaeology record is an urgent need. In response to such a reality, this paper highlights the neglected role of the archaeological records in the practices of both researchers and management. It reviews the present practices of the relevant bodies when compiling, verifying, storing, managing and exploiting information related to the nation’s archaeological resources. The paper also examines existing records in terms of their aims, scope, development, usage, limitations and adequacy. Finally, it suggests ways to enhance current practice and establish a national record of archaeological resources.

Background: According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, there are currently 1.1 billion tobacco smokers worldwide. This study follows the need for change in the increasing trend of lifestyle-related diseases and the lack of extensive studies on the pattern of smoking. Methods: In the current study, an electronic database search was conducted to identify studies that examined the impact of smoking on internal diseases from the beginning of February 2018 to the end of December 2021. After eliminating numerous articles based on their titles and abstracts, 273 articles pertinent to the study's objectives were selected. Due to the inadequacy of the target audience and the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 239 of the remaining articles were eliminated. The 44 remaining articles were examined more closely. Results: Each cigarette produces more than 7,000 chemicals. Many of these substances are toxic, and about 69 of them can cause cancer. For every 15 cigarettes you smoke, a mutation occurs in the body. Mutations are the cause of cancer. Studies have shown a clear relationship between dose and response, with a sharp increase in the risk of arterial disease in heavy smokers. In countries where approximately 30% of the population smokes, 50% of arterial disease can be attributed to smoking. Conclusion: Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lung disease, and leads to an increased risk of lung, throat, stomach, and bladder cancer, and many other cancers. One of the most important organs in the body that can be disrupted by smoking is the heart. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Built heritage in Oman faces many natural and cultural risks. Socio-economic development has negatively affected the built heritage in Bawshar, one of Oman's most developed cities. This study identifies and measures the current and potential risks to built heritage in Bawshar, focusing on vegetation, bulldozing, and urban change-related risks between 2000 and 2017. It also provides baseline data to help heritage managers protect the sites most vulnerable to risks. Satellite imagery and geographic information systems were used to classify change-related risks to built heritage. Risk maps were produced for the built heritage sites under threat over different periods in Bawshar. The results showed that 60%, 28%, and 11% of very high- and high-risk zones faced bulldozing, vegetation, and urban change-related risks, respectively. The methodology adopted in this study can help measure the type and magnitude of risks to built heritage in cities with characteristics similar to those of Bawshar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews legislation relating to the safeguarding and management of Oman's diverse archaeological resource. It focuses on the National Heritage Protection Law (NHPL), other national legislation and regulations, and international conventions signed by the Omani Government. It also discusses the extent to which these existing legislative tools support the management of the nation's archaeological resource and the socio-economic changes that are taking place in the country. The paper also examines whether the legislation in place is apt for purposes of identification, management, conservation, research and for development planning needs. Certain concerns are raised. For example, the NHPL has not been amended since it was issued in 1980 and the issue of archaeology protection is absent from related national laws, especially those covering activities related to the environment, municipalities, mining and tourism. What also emerges is that current legislation has not fully been implemented by the relevant organisations, which consequently has negatively affected Oman's archaeological resource management. Finally, the paper proposes the evaluation of all the legislative tools that govern archaeological practice in Oman. It also urges an updating of the NHPL in accordance with new theoretical and practical changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: There is still controversy over the value of renal angina index (RAI) in predicting acute renal failure (AKI) in children. Therefore, the present study aims to provide evidence by conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis on the value of RAI in this regard., Methods: An extensive search of Medline, Embase, Scopus and Web of Science databases was conducted by the end of January 2020 using words related to RAI and AKI. Two independent reviewers screened and summarized the related studies. Data were analysed using STATA 14.0 statistical program and discriminatory precision of RAI was assessed., Results: Data from 11 studies were included. These studies included data from 3701 children (60.41% boys). There were 752 children with AKI and 2949 non-AKI children. Pooled analysis showed that the area under the ROC curve of RAI in prediction of AKI was 0.88 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.85 to 0.91]. Sensitivity and specificity of this tool in predicting AKI were 0.85% (95% CI: 0.74% to 0.92%) and 0.79% (95% CI: 0.69% to 0.89%), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio of RAI was 20.40 (95% CI: 9.62 to 43.25)., Conclusion: The findings of the present meta-analysis showed that RAI is a reliable tool in predicting AKI in children.