• Bulletin of the Korean Mathematical Society
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• v.58 no.4
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• pp.1003-1019
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• 2021

In this paper, we introduce a class of maximal functions along twisted surfaces in ℝⁿ×ℝ^m of the form {(𝜙(|v|)u, 𝜑(|u|)v) : (u, v) ∈ ℝⁿ×ℝ^m}. We prove L^p bounds when the kernels lie in the space L^q (𝕊^n-1×𝕊^m-1). As a consequence, we establish the L^p boundedness for such class of operators provided that the kernels are in L log L(𝕊^n-1×𝕊^m-1) or in the Block spaces B^0,0_q (𝕊^n-1×𝕊^m-1) (q > 1).

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.341-348
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• 2011

The study of bacterial flagellar swimming motion remains an interesting and challenging research subject in the fields of hydrodynamics and bio-locomotion. This swimming motion is characterized by very low Reynolds numbers, which is unique and time reversible. In particular, the effect of rotation of helical flagella of bacterium on swimming motion requires detailed multi-disciplinary analysis. Clear understanding of such swimming motion will not only be beneficial for biologists but also to engineers interested in developing nanorobots mimicking bacterial swimming. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of a three dimensional single flagellated bacteria has been developed and the fluid flow around the flagellum is investigated. CFD-based modeling studies were conducted to find the variables that affect the forward thrust experienced by the swimming bacterium. It is found that the propulsive force increases with increase in rotational velocity of flagellum and viscosity of surrounding fluid. It is also deduced from the study that the forward force depends on the geometry of helical flagella (directly proportional to square of the helical radius and inversely proportional to pitch).

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.342-346
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• 2001

The physiological changes in sorghum (Sorghum vulgare Pers.) leaves infected with Drechslera sorghicola were investigated through five recognizable stages of disease development. Water-soaked yellowish brown spots developed two days after inoculation, turned brown with yellow halo, enlarged and coalesced at later stages of disease development. Healthy and infected leaves were analyzed for different biochemical constituents. The chlorophyll contents were decreased significantly with the progress of infection. The levels of reducing and total sugars increased while non-reducing sugars decreased to a significant extent with the progress of disease. The concentration of total phenolics, orthodihydroxy phenols, free and glycosidic phenols showed significant changes due to infection, whereas basic and acid phenols showed little or no change with disease development. Levels of phenolic compounds increased four days after inoculation and decrease thereafter, but the concentration was higher at every stage of disease development relative to healthy tissues. Polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase enzyme activities increased to varying degrees at different stages of infection. Analysis of protein fractions showed a significant increase with the progress of disease.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.9
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• pp.811-824
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• 2020

The aim of this study is to explore the effect of injustice perception on work alienation and the mediating role played by the employee's cynicism between injustice perception and work alienation in the healthcare sector in Oman. By utilizing a simple random sampling technique, data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 306 nurses working in private healthcare providing organizations in Oman. The collected data was then analyzed using AMOS program through the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results of study show that the levels of perception of injustice and cynicism of nurses in the private healthcare centers were low, while the work alienation was found to be at moderate level in these healthcare organizations. The findings of the empirical study reveal that injustice perception and employee's cynicism significantly affect work alienation. The impact of injustice perception in creating employee's cynicism was also observed. The hypothesis that the mediating role played by employee's cynicism in injustice perception and work alienation relationship was partially supported. Moreover, injustice perception and cynicism directly affect work alienation, therefore, these hospitals should consider organizational policies and procedures to achieve equality and justice among nursing personnel, and to eliminate the factors that cause cynicism and work alienation.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.11
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• pp.843-851
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• 2020

This study focuses on identifying and prioritizing the broader performance measures for the service supply chains by taking the case of Majan Electricity Company, Sohar, in the Sultanate of Oman. For an examination of the uniformity of ultimate objectives and the priorities therein, two strata of respondents with a total of fourteen respondents were approached for their valuable insights. Suitable structured instruments were personally administered to elicit the insightful and worthy responses. The two multi-criteria decision-making techniques, namely, the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process and the Best-Worst Method were used to reach a meaningful prioritization of the identified and refined broader performance measurement dimensions. The results show that there exists a minor gap between the two respondents' groups in terms of their prioritizations. The major finding points to the difference in terms of the topmost priorities as revealed by the two set of respondents. For one group of respondents, the customer satisfaction matters the most, whereas for the other group, it is the overall profitability that matters the most. This gap against the utopian state assists in concluding that there is a requirement to reorient the employees so as to have a shared and common understanding of the organizational priorities.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.619-628
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• 2021

Enterprise system (ES) reflects a significant IT commitment to achieve corporate goals and satisfy its thrust toward a sustainable competitive advantage. This research investigates the required ES architecture, the value of a well-planned ES, and the human factor capabilities that drive the effective implementation of ES from a management perception. This paper examined the critical factors shaping the business systems' performance, architecture readiness, experts' readiness, and enterprise systems planning. Based on an extensive literature review, the attributes of factors mentioned earlier were identified, classified and then statistically examined using the author's' proposed conceptual structural model. This study employs a quantitative research methodology, with a random sampling technique. This paper has used the data collected from 510 respondents working in service, engineering and health sectors in OMAN. The study model analysis utilized both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, followed by a structural equation modeling using SPSS 25 and EQS6.3 statistical tools. The results unveil a piece of remarkable and robust evidence suggesting that ES planning is the most significant aspect of influencing performance, followed by IT personnel, staff and consumers expertise, and architecture readiness.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.685-691
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• 1998

In the first of two experiments, chemical composition (Ash, CP and CF contents), nutritive value (in vitro organic matter disappearance "lVOMD" and energy content "ME") and nitrogen retention of chopped date fronds (CDF) as affected by chemical treatment (CT) and storage duration (SD) were investigated. The experimental design was a completely randomized block, arranged in a $3{\times}4$ factorial, with 3 (CT) and 4 (SD) as the main factors using 2 replications / treatment. Three chemical treatments, were used : Control (With zero or no chemical treatment); treatment with 4% urea solution (w /w) and treatment with 4% urea + Date syrup extract (DS). The 4 (SD) were: Control (immediately after opening - without any storage or zero time storage); one month storage period; two months storage period and three months storage period. Both (CT) and (SD) had significant effects (p < 0.05) on CP and ash contents of the CDF, however there were no significant effects (p > 0.05) due to (CT) and (SD) on CF and nutritive value. High retention value (> 80%) for nitrogen was reported for the treated CDF, immediately after opening the incubated material (zero SD). However, nitrogen retention decreased with increasing (SD) to 67% after one month (SD) but tended to stay at a fairly constant level of 67% until 3 months of storage. In experiment 2, the feeding value of treated CDF was evaluated in comparison to Rhodes grass hay, using growing goats and sheep. A $4{\times}2$ factorial design was used (Four roughage sources were used : Rhodes grass hay, untreated CDF, urea-treated CDF and CDF treated with urea + DS with sheep and goats as two animal species, using three animals / treatment). Untreated CDF had a similar feeding value to Rhodes grass hay. However treatment of CDF with urea alone or with urea + DS depressed animal performance of both goats and sheep, apparently due to depression of feed intake (appetite). Feeding untreated CDF decreased feeding cost by 29% and cost/kg gain by 23%. CDF showed a good potential as a cheap local roughage and emergency feed for ruminants in the Sultanate.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.5-27
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• 2016

This research aims to explore the acceptance of Moodle as a teaching and learning tool by the faculty of the Department of Information Studies (IS) at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in the Sultanate of Oman. The researchers employed the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to examine the effects of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and facilitating conditions on the behavioural intention of SQU faculty members to employ Moodle in their instruction. Data were collected by the interview method. Results showed the emergence of two faculty groups: one uses Moodle and one does not use Moodle. In group that uses Moodle, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions and behavioural intention are positively related, thereby influencing the faculty members' use behavior. In addition to the aforementioned UTAUT constructs, four additional factors affect Moodle's adoption. These moderators are gender, age, experience and the voluntariness of use, amongst which gender exhibits the least influence on Moodle adoption. That is, male and female faculty generally both use the learning platform. Although some members of the group that does not use Moodle exhibit optimistic performance expectancy for technology, the overall perception in this regard for Moodle is negative. The other UTAUT constructs exert no influence on this group's adoption of the learning platform.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.121-128
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• 2022

Purpose: Abdominal migraine (AM) is a very common functional gastrointestinal disorder in children. This study reports the clinical features and response of AM to prophylactic treatment in children. Methods: This retrospective study was conducted between January 2010 and December 2019 at the Royal Hospital in the Sultanate of Oman. This study included children aged ≤ 13 years with a diagnosis of AM based on the Rome IV criteria for functional diagnoses. Clinical, demographic, and treatment data were collected. Results: Seventy-four children were identified, of which 43 were eligible for inclusion in this study. The median age at the onset of symptoms was 7 years (range, 2-12 years). The most frequent symptoms were headache (81.4%), nausea (79.1%), and vomiting (72.1%). Of the total cohort, 46.5%, 23.3%, and 6.9% received riboflavin, pizotifen, and propranolol monotherapy, respectively. Combination therapy was also used; 16.3% of children received pizotifen and propranolol, 4.7% received riboflavin and pizotifen, and 2.3% received riboflavin and propranolol. Patients treated with propranolol monotherapy showed 100% clinical improvement and those treated with riboflavin or pizotifen monotherapy showed 90% clinical improvement. Response to combination therapy with pizotifen and propranolol was 71.4%, and with riboflavin and pizotifen was 100%. In addition, treatment response was significantly associated with the presence of vomiting (p=0.039). Conclusion: We found a favorable response to various modalities and combination treatments with riboflavin, pizotifen, and propranolol in children with AM. In addition, the presence of vomiting may predict treatment response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.424-431
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short road transportation in an open truck during hot season on live weight shrink, physiological responses, and carcass and meat quality of Omani sheep at 6 and 12 months of age. Thirty-six male sheep, 18 of each age group, were used. Age groups were assigned randomly to transported and not-transported groups. The transported group was transported to the slaughterhouse the day of slaughter in an open truck covering a distance of approximately 100 km. The average temperature during transportation was $37^{\circ}C$. The not-transported group was kept in a lairage of a commercial slaughterhouse with ad libitum feed and water for 48 h prior to slaughter. Blood samples were collected from sheep before loading and prior to slaughter via jugular venipuncture to assess their physiological response to transport in relation to hormonal levels. Animals were weighed just before loading onto a truck and after transport to assess shrinkage. Muscle ultimate pH, expressed juice, cooking loss percentage, WB-shear force value, sarcomere length and colour L*, a*, b* were measured on samples from longissimus dorsi, biceps femoris and semitendinosus muscles collected at 24 h postmortem at $1-3^{\circ}C$. Live weight shrinkage losses were 1.09 and 1.52 kg for 6 and 12 month transported sheep, respectively. The transported sheep had significantly (p<0.05) higher cortisol, adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine concentration levels prior to slaughter at both ages than the not-transported sheep. Transportation significantly influenced meat quality characteristics of three muscles. Muscle ultimate pH and shear force values were significantly higher, while CIE L*, a*, b*, expressed juice and cooking loss were lower in transported than not-transported sheep. Age had a significant effect on meat quality characteristics of Omani sheep. These results indicated that short-term pre-slaughter transport at high ambient temperatures can cause noticeable changes in physiological and muscle metabolism responses in sheep.