Research makes breakthrough in early breast cancer detection
Led by Dr Mohammed Abdullah Salim al Husaini, Assistant Professor at Arab Open University in Oman, the research used a cooling gel to improve thermal imaging techniques, offering hope for more accurate and non-invasive detection methods.
The research focused on understanding how temperature variations in breast tissue, influenced by factors such as tumour size, depth and blood flow, can aid in detecting breast cancer. By developing a numerical simulation model using COMSOL software, Husaini and his team were able to explore how these factors affect heat distribution in breasts of different sizes.
One of the research's key findings is that smaller or deeper tumours are often difficult to detect due to minimal temperature differences. For example, tumours located deeper within the breast tissue or smaller than 0.5cm are particularly challenging to detect with conventional thermography, with temperature variations between tumour-affected and non-affected areas ranging from only 0.27°C to 2.58°C.
However, the research revealed that applying a situ-cooling gel significantly improves thermal contrast, especially for deeper tumours. In a simulation, a tumor located 10cm deep was detected with a 6°C temperature difference when the cooling gel was applied, a result that was unattainable through thermography alone. Dr Mohammed Abdullah Salim al Husaini, Assistant Professor at Arab Open University in Oman
'This breakthrough could greatly enhance the accuracy of early breast cancer detection,' said Husaini. 'By improving thermal contrast with cooling techniques, we can detect tumours that might otherwise go unnoticed, especially in patients with larger breasts or those with tumours located deep within the tissue.'
Husaini added that while the results are promising, further clinical studies are required to validate the findings. He also emphasised the potential for situ-cooling to be integrated into existing thermography-based detection methods, offering a non-invasive approach to identifying cancer at its earliest stages.
The research, published in Applied Sciences in 2023, involved a team of experts from King Khalid University and International Islamic University Malaysia, and was awarded in the PhD category of the 11th National Research Award organised by Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Europcar Oman & Bahrain Launches Cross-Functional Internship Program, Building on the Success of Oman Internship Fair 2025
Muscat: Europcar Oman & Bahrain is proud to announce the launch of its latest cross-functional internship program, welcoming three outstanding students to its Muscat headquarters for a dynamic two-month professional experience. The interns—Raghad Al Shidhany and Mahdi Mirza from GUtech, and Saleh Al Ghassani from Arab Open University—will rotate across departments such as Sales, Marketing, Leasing, Rentals, Finance, International Pricing, Artificial Intelligence, and Partner Relations. This internship initiative reflects Europcar's commitment to developing young talent and preparing the next generation of Omani leaders through real-world learning and exposure to the fast-evolving mobility industry. Key Features of the Program Include: • A warm onboarding experience with welcome kits and a special leadership lunch on Day 1 • Continuous access to Europcar's Gaming Lounge and Wellness Lounge for a balanced work experience • A final presentation in Week 8, where interns will share their insights and propose innovations across areas such as sales, marketing, customer experience, cost optimization, and AI applications • A celebratory graduation ceremony with certificates, team engagement, and festive activities 'This internship is about real-world learning,' said Nitin Sapre, CEO of Europcar Oman & Bahrain. 'These young talents will gain holistic exposure to the business and contribute actionable ideas to improve operations across multiple verticals.' The internship program builds upon the success of the Oman Internship Fair 2025, a major initiative presented by Europcar and powered by the Oman American Business Center (OABC), in partnership with the Diplomatic Club, and with strategic support from the British Business Forum ( BBF), Indo Gulf Chamber of Commerce(INMECC), and Crowe. The fair engaged over 350 students and 60 companies, resulting in the placement of 85 interns across leading organizations. Participating universities included GUtech, Arab Open University, and Mazan University. • A new dedicated website • Smarter student–company matching algorithms • Expanded partnerships with higher education institutions
Observer
21-05-2025
- Observer
A novel design of microbial desalination
MUSCAT: Winning in the Environmental and Biological Resources field in the Young Researcher's category, 'Desalination and acid-base recovery in a novel design of microbial desalination and chemical recovery cell' by Eng Azhar bint Juma Hamdan al Hinaiyah, Head of Waste Management Section in Environment Authority, was among the winning innovative research projects in the 11th National Research Award, organised by the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation. Discussing the reasons behind the study, Eng Azhar al Hinai mentioned that microbial desalination cell (MDC) is deemed as an environmentally friendly technology for water treatment using organic matters present in wastewater for the desalination process. Microbial desalination and chemical recovery cell (MDCC) is a modified version of MDC that desalinates saline water using wastewater as fuel, generates electricity and concurrently produces value-added products. However, several factors have limited the MDCC performance and its development, eg, pH imbalance, ions accumulation and high internal resistance. Eng Azhar elaborated that MDCCs, so far, are fabricated through modifying the dual-chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) by placing the desalination and recovery chambers between the anodic and cathodic chambers, which not only increases the distance between two electrodes, but also brings different types of membranes between them leading to high internal resistance. Therefore, this research, for the first time, demonstrated a novel design of MDCC, which is a modified version of a single chamber membrane-less MFC, named SMDCC; with the focus of removing barriers between the anode and cathode while upholding desalination and chemical recovery features of MDCC. The study focused on assessment of SMDCC performance in terms of electrolyte pH, acid and base recovery and desalination rate at different salt concentrations and in absence and presence of applied power supply. For the main findings, Eng Azhar stated that this study proposed a new configuration for the microbial desalination and chemical recovery cell. The performance of the system in terms of electrolyte pH, acid and base recoveries and desalination rate were assessed comprehensively. She added that the results showed that the pH of the anode-cathode chamber of SMDCC was stable over the operation due to the absence of membranes between the anode and the cathode. In the case of 10 g/L salts concentration and in the absence of the external power supply, the pH of the HCl production chamber decreased to 3.029 and the pH of the alkali-production chamber increased to 8.96. Furthermore, at high salt concentrations of 35 g/L, the acid and base recovery were enhanced (pH of 2.79 for acid and 9.41 for base pro duction chamber). The chemical recovery rate increased to 1.96 mg/h of acid and 1.48 mg/h for the base when 1.0 V of external voltage was applied. These results demonstrated the proof of concept for simultaneous desalination and chemicals recovery from a sustainable desalination system which is a modified version of single chamber membranelles MFC. Eng Azhar pointed out that further investigations on the ion transport mechanism and detailed comparative analysis between single and dual-chamber modified MDCCs could enlighten more aspects of this new configuration. This particular study, according to Eng Azhar, is contributing to achieve the national goals of the environment and natural resources priority in Oman Vision 2040 as it applies the concept of circular economy and use of renewable source of energy. This research project was published in the journal Sigma-Aldrich, Scopus and Elsevier. The research team consist of Eng Azhar, Dr Abdullah al Mamun, Dr Tahereh Jafary, Eng Halima bint Khalifa Saif al Himaliyah, and Dr Sadik Rahman. In regard to her win, Eng Azhar stated that 'this award has been a moment of immense pride and gratitude, symbolising the culmination of years of effort, perseverance and a passion for discovery. It is a profound honour that symbolises the recognition of hard work, creativity and dedication to advancing knowledge in the environment and natural resources field. It would serve as a reminder of the collaborative efforts and support from mentors, colleagues and teams that contributed to my journey. This is considered a great incentive for me to do more research studies that contribute to development and innovation of solutions to solve challenges in various sectors. It is also considered as evidence of the governmental effort in encouraging researchers and motivating them to publish scientific papers in various scientific journals. To me, it is more than a personal achievement, it is a testament to the power of curiosity and the importance of contributing something meaningful to society and the scientific community; and in shaping a better future for the next generation.'
Muscat Daily
05-05-2025
- Muscat Daily
Omani research links mobile learning with better English skills
Muscat – Mobile-assisted learning techniques significantly improve vocabulary and speaking skills among English language learners, a study conducted in Oman has found. Led by Dr Abdullah bin Humaid Abdullah al Abri of University of Technology and Applied Sciences Nizwa, the research investigated the use of Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL) tools in classrooms. It concluded that students using mobile platforms showed better lexical fluency and oral performance than those taught through conventional methods. 'Teachers reported positive views on the flexibility and effectiveness of MALL tools, highlighting their potential to enhance language teaching practices,' said Abri. The study also found that MALL promoted a more student-centred environment, encouraging participation from learners typically hesitant to speak in class. Qualitative data showed that students were more engaged and motivated when using mobile tools for vocabulary acquisition and speaking practice. Dr Abdullah bin Humaid Abdullah al Abri of University of Technology and Applied Sciences Nizwa The findings were part of a project titled 'Exploring Learning-Oriented Assessment in Enhancing Students' Lexical Fluency through MALL', published in the journal Education and Information Technologies . The research was conducted in collaboration with Dr Fatemeh Ranjbaran Madiseh from Sultan Qaboos University and Dr Mostafa Morady Moghaddam from Shahrood University of Technology in Iran. The project was one of 13 winners at the 11th National Research Award organised by Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, taking top honours in the PhD category under the Education and Human Resources field. 'This recognition inspires me to continue pursuing innovative projects that contribute to language learning and education,' Abri said.
