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Fruit fly species in Oman were investigated via sampling of fruits from cultivated and wild plants and hanging traps. A total of 13 species of tephritids were identified using morphological and molecular techniques. Three unidentified species could be new to science. Moreover, 2-3 species of braconid parasitoids and one figitid species, mostly associated with fruit fly infested Ziziphus fruits, were collected. A new lure for female fruit flies, consisting of a combination of urea and watermelon seeds, exhibited effectiveness on par with commercial lures such as torula yeast and Ceratrap. In terms of physical barriers, row covers significantly reduced zucchini fruit damage even when applied as a wall around the planting line. An experiment, involving combining growing melon in the greenhouse with a honeybee hive for flower pollination, proved successful in producing a large number of undamaged fruits. In terms of biological control, we managed to set up a system for rearing of major pestiferous fruit fly species and their parasitoids. We currently have two active cultures of Bactrocera zonata and B. dorsalis, and one active culture of Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (DL), a braconid parasitoid imported from Kenya. We hope in the future to produce large numbers of DL wasps for augmentative release in Oman. Fruit fly cultures have served as stock for testing plant extracts as repellents against female B. zonata and B. dorsalis and for testing Beauveria bassiana formulations for control of adults and larvae of B. zonata. Studies of Fruit fly population dynamics and height of flight have shown that yellow sticky traps, set at different heights from 0.5 to 3.5 m, captured significantly more males than females. Additionally, most fruit flies were captured at 2m and lower. The population of male B. dorsalis in ME traps was highest from April to June, and lowest from November to January. Conversely, the population of male B. zonata in ME traps peaked from September to December, and dropped to its lowest levels from April to July. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Various risk factors have been described in the literature that increase the risk of seizures associated with stroke. This study was aimed to determine the occurrence rate of poststroke seizures (PSSs) and the associated risk factors in Arab population., Materials and Methods: Study included all stroke patients aged >18 years with a minimum follow-up of 24 months following stroke to identify seizure occurrence. Patient's hospital records for all admissions and clinic visits were reviewed. Seizures were classified into early PSS if they occur within 1 week of stroke, and late PSS if they occur after 1 week of stroke., Results: Out of 594 patients, 380 were males. Seizure occurrence was higher in anterior circulation infarctions (94.8%, P < 0.05), cortical location (80.5%, P < 0.05), large artery atherosclerosis (63.8%, P < 0.05), lower activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) (P = 0.0007), patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) (P = 0.01), and those who underwent craniotomy (P = 0.001). Nonhigh-density lipoprotein cholesterol was inversely related to PSS (P = 0.01). Higher stroke severity (89%) and confusion (67%) at the time of presentation were independently related to PSS., Conclusions: Eighty-two (13.8%) patients had PSS. Greater stroke severity at presentation with altered sensorium was independent risk factors for the development of PSS. Patients with underlying IHD, lower APTT, and undergoing neurosurgical intervention require vigilant monitoring for PSS., (Copyright © 2024 Copyright: © 2024 Annals of African Medicine.)

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the level of adherence to medication among patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in Oman and assess the related factors., Methods: This cross-sectional questionnaire-based study among patients with IHD attending the outpatient clinic at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman, was performed between January and December 2021., Results: A total of 105 patients (mean age = 49.9 ± 11.1 years, 78.1% male) were recruited. Most of the patients (80%) reported taking the medications by themselves; 77 (73.3%) patients said that over the preceding 2 weeks, they had missed at least 3 doses of their medication. The reasons for missing the medications included forgetting (100%), having to take too many tablets (57%), feeling that the tablets are not effective (48%) and having to take the tablets too often each day (23%). The factors responsible for patients failing to take medications could not be identified., Conclusion: Medication adherence was low among patients with IHD in Oman, with high pill burden being the most common reason for non-adherence. Physicians must bear this in mind when reviewing patients., Competing Interests: CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© Copyright 2024, Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, All Rights Reserved.)

Objectives: We sought to identify subgroups of psychiatric patients in a sample of patients admitted at a tertiary care hospital in Oman who received electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) based on their demographic and clinical outcomes., Methods: We retrospectively collected data from patients who received ECT at Al Massarah Hospital, Muscat, Oman, between January 2015 and December 2019. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical profiles, and psychiatric comorbidities were examined., Results: A total of 179 psychiatric patients received ECT; 96 (53.6%) were females. The average age at diagnosis was 42.5 years. Two-step cluster analysis showed 70 (39.1%) patients in cluster one and 109 (60.9%) patients in cluster two. Patients in cluster one included more (61.4%) females, were older (mean = 55.2 years), married (95.7%), and unemployed (88.6%). They reported they had comorbidities (55.7%) and less frequent ECT use (mean = 8.7) than patients in cluster two. Clusters differences were found on gender ( p = 0.001), age ( p < 0.001), marital status ( p < 0.001), and occupation ( p = 0.001). Significant differences were found for diagnosis ( p < 0.001), comorbid medical conditions ( p < 0.001), and use of ECT sessions ( p = 0.006)., Conclusions: Psychiatric patients receiving ECT are heterogeneous, with different demographic and clinical outcomes. Our study has shown that patients in cluster one are older females, unemployed, with more comorbidities, and depressive disorders, but received fewer ECT sessions. This study provides important information for clinicians to identify strategies to promote the use of ECT on its effectiveness and safety issues for each group., (The OMJ is Published Bimonthly and Copyrighted 2022 by the OMSB.)

Abstract: This cross-sectional study examined the factors associated with depression among people with chronic pain (PwCP) attending specialized pain clinics in Muscat, Oman. Two-hundred eighty-seven participants were recruited for the study, and univariate analyses were used to investigate the difference between individuals who scored above/below the cutoff points for depressive symptoms. A multiple regression analysis was used to detect the independent predictors. Twenty-six percent of participants scored above the cutoff point. Further analysis indicated that unstable family relationships pre-existing depressive symptoms (odds ratio [OR], 2.86; p = 0.044), a family history of depression (OR, 4.75; p = 0.019), severe pain (OR, 4.21; p < 0.006), having fibromyalgia (OR, 28.29; p = 0.005), and lumbago/truck (OR, 2.41; p = 0.039) were independent predictors of depressive symptoms. This study indicates that one in four patients with chronic pain also presents with depressive symptoms. However, the role of culture needs to be taken into consideration when interpreting these findings and when building on these data., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)