Depositional facies and platform architecture of microbialite-dominated carbonate reservoirs, Ediacaran–Cambrian Ara Group, Sultanate of Oman

Intrasalt carbonates of the Ediacaran–Cambrian Ara Group constitute a significant reservoir element of the intrasalt “stringer” play in Oman, in which dolomitic carbonates are encased in salt at depths of 3 to 7 km (1.9 to 4.3 mi). These reservoir carbonates have significant microbial influences. Although Ara Group reservoirs are mostly latest Precambrian, the models developed here may be applicable to younger microbially dominated carbonate reservoirs in basins of higher salinity when higher organisms are excluded, in lacustrine settings where calcified invertebrates are not a significant source of carbonate, or after periods of mass extinction before faunal recovery. A broad range of carbonate facies provides the context in which to understand the origin of the microbialite-dominated reservoirs developed across both ramp and rimmed shelf profiles. Major facies associations include carbonate-evaporite transition zone, deep ramp and slope, subtidal microbialites, clastic-textured carbonates, and restricted peritidal carbonates. Microbialites are subdivisible into a number of facies that all have significance in terms of understanding environmental history as well as reservoir properties, and that help in predicting the location of reservoir fairways. Microbially influenced facies include shallow subtidal thrombolites with massive clotted textures and very high initial porosities (>50%), shallow subtidal pustular laminites with cm-scale variability of lamina morphology, deeper subtidal crinkly laminites that show mm-scale variability of lamina morphology, and intertidal tufted laminates that show mm- to cm-scale tufted textures. Other reservoir facies are more conventional grainy carbonates including ripple cross-stratified grainstone–packstone, hummocky cross-stratified grainstone–packstone, flat pebble conglomerate, ooid and intraclast grainstone–packstone, and Cloudina grainstone–packstone. These facies are almost invariably dolomitized and all have moderate to excellent reservoir quality. These facies comprise carbonate platforms, broken up during salt tectonics, that range up to 160 m (525 ft) in thickness and extended laterally, prior to halokinesis, for tens to over 50 km (31 mi). The distribution of reservoir facies follows sequence stratigraphic predictions, with microbialites occurring in every accommodation profile. Late highstand and early transgressive systems tracts favor greater lateral extent of thrombolite build-ups, whereas later transgressive to early highstand system tracts favor greater lateral discontinuity and compartmentalization of buildup reservoir facies. Pustular laminites occur in close association with thrombolite buildups but form laterally extensive sheets in late transgressive to late highstand periods. Crinkly laminites form during late transgressive to early highstand systems tracts and may represent maximum flooding intervals when the flux of carbonate sediment was greatly reduced allowing pelagically derived organics to accumulate

Trading of cloud of things resources

Cloud Computing and Internet of Things (IoT) continue to emerge as revolutionary paradigms to support wide range of real world scenarios. They promise benefits for increasing number of applications, including health, smart cities, smart homes, smart logistics, video surveillance, energy and environmental monitoring. Independent deployments of each technology have issues that can be resolved partially or fully by integrating Cloud and IoT. This integration forms a new paradigm that is called Cloud of Things (CoT)supporting Everything as a Service (XaaS) service model. Despite the issues integration resolves, the integrated services will suffer from issues that Cloud and IoT offerings previously encountered. This includes interoperability, ambiguous SLAs, QoS, elasticity and reliability concerns. This paper argues that commoditising CoT resources will help resolving these issues. This paper aims to; 1) review the state-of-the-art in CoT literature 2) propose a conceptual model for CoT marketplace and its basic trading processes

Projected SO(5) Hamiltonian for Cuprates and Its Applications

The projected SO(5) (pSO(5)) Hamiltonian incorporates the quantum spin and superconducting fluctuations of underdoped cuprates in terms of four bosons moving on a coarse grained lattice. A simple mean field approximation can explain some key feautures of the experimental phase diagram: (i) The Mott transition between antiferromagnet and superconductor, (ii) The increase of T_c and superfluid stiffness with hole concentration x and (iii) The increase of antiferromagnetic resonance energy as sqrt{x-x_c} in the superconducting phase. We apply this theory to explain the ``two gaps'' problem found in underdoped cuprate Superconductor-Normal- Superconductor junctions. In particular we explain the sharp subgap Andreev peaks of the differential resistance, as signatures of the antiferromagnetic resonance (the magnon mass gap). A critical test of this theory is proposed. The tunneling charge, as measured by shot noise, should change by increments of Delta Q= 2e at the Andreev peaks, rather than by Delta Q=e as in conventional superconductors.Comment: 3 EPS figure

Motivational factors, job satisfaction and job stress among Omani medical laboratory scientists

Job satisfaction is a quality indicator that measures the cognitive and behavioral aspects of workers’ attitudes toward their job. A World Health Organization (WHO; 2013) report predicts that a world-wide shortfall of 12.9 million healthcare professionals (nurses, midwives, and doctors) will be faced by 2035. In order to promote the retention of healthcare workforce governments, health authorities and healthcare providers need to work on increasing job satisfaction, a strategy that also will increase the attractiveness of healthcare workplaces and support the recruitment of staff. No previous studies have been reported on Oman in addressing the factors behind job satisfaction among medical laboratory scientists. The lack of research on job satisfaction of this group of health professionals in Oman, together with the personal interest of the researcher, has prompted this study to explore sources of satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the demanding fields of medical laboratories. This research aimed to study the job satisfaction, motivation, and stress of medical laboratory scientists. Content and process theories of job satisfaction and motivation were used to develop the theoretical framework of the study. The study was conducted at eight hospitals in Oman to assess motivational factors, job satisfaction and job stress and the association between these factors. The overall aim of this thesis is to explore factors affecting job satisfaction among medical laboratory scientists. A qualitative approach was used to investigate working conditions, conceptualized as job satisfaction (and dissatisfaction) and job stress among the target group (sub-studies I and II), and followed up by a survey study, based on the results of the qualitative studies, to explore measures of job satisfaction and stress and analyze possible associations between components of satisfaction and job stress (sub-study III). Results showed that the major factors affecting job satisfaction and causing dissatisfaction among medical laboratory professionals were workload, promotion, health and safety, relationships with supervisors, professional status (recognition and appreciation), and the hospital appraisal and job description system. Job stress is the de facto outcome of these dissatisfaction factors, and there is a negative correlation between job satisfaction and job stress. The most important dissatisfaction factors, which are related to stress, were insufficient support for professional development, poor relations with supervisors and coworkers, and heavy workload in the laboratories. Omanis were found to have higher job stress scores than non-Omanis, and younger laboratory personnel were more stressed and dissatisfied than older colleagues. Important differences between the hospital types were observed. At the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, there was less satisfaction at work and, therefore, more stress than at the equivalent Ministry of Health hospitals. The findings of the sub-studies give a picture of what affects job satisfaction, dissatisfaction, motivation, demotivation, and stress among medical laboratory professionals, to be used to design human resource management strategies to deal with problems of dissatisfaction and job stress and thus support the recruitment and retention of this important group of healthcare staff. To provide intrinsic rewards and improving working conditions will be important actions. These insights are useful not only to healthcare managers but also to policymakers, government officials and health authorities

Exploring the Challenges and Opportunities of Emergency Distance Learning for Design Students in UTAS-Nizwa During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Self-isolation and social distancing is recommended by WHO to prevent the spread of COVID-19 By the mid of March many procedures were done to achieve social distancing such as schools shops and malls closure Most Schools shift their mode of teaching from face to face to distance learning The purpose of this paper is to understand the effect of the sudden shift from face to face learning to distance learning to Design Students from University of Technology and Applied Sciences Nizwa It mainly shed light on challenges and opportunities that students faced during their distance studies and how they practiced the SRL To reach a good understanding of this a quantitative questionnaire from three parts was distributed electronically during distance learning The questionnaire covers facilities and physical study atmosphere psychological effect and study performance SRL theory is used to measure students learning control The results showed that students had faced many challenges during their studies such as personal devices software availability a quiet place a positive atmosphere and family responsibilities Moreover the negative psychological effect on Design students affects their courses outcome as well as their grades Overall the level of satisfaction of online learning was low and most students were waiting for the moment to go back to campu