Observer & Busness 5 May 2012 - Oman Daily Observer

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By Veronica Juan THE English Language Centre at Shinas College of Technology held its 4th Annual ELT Workshop under the theme “Achieving Quality in the Classroom.” The one-day event was filled with enthusiasm and activity. The day was inaugurated by an opening address in which Dr Bryan Peppin, the Head of the English Language Centre, welcomed the gathering. The Plenary speaker, Neil McBeath from Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) emphasised the need for teachers to be zealous about their teaching. He explained the need for teachers to treat students as equals and provide them with constructive remarks which will help students move in the right di- rection. The speaker stated that language learning is difficult and teachers have no way of finding out what is going on inside the students’ minds. So, teachers must rejoice on seeing the slightest effort and achievement that students display. “If they prefer to work “smarter than harder” then we can achieve quality in the classroom simply by playing to their existing skills”, Neil McBeath commented. In his presentation, he urged the teachers to offer students “edutainment” which may perhaps improve their general knowledge. He maintained that a teacher with enthusiasm for teaching will 26 SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2012 Omantel Celebrity Cricket bowls Muscat over MUSCAT Club, Wadi al Kabir wore a festive air last weekend, as cricket enthusiasts of diverse Asian nationalities thronged the grounds. The occasion was the Omantel Celebrity Cricket: a first-of-its-kind tournament in Muscat, bringing together local talent and international celebrities to create an event that was as memorable as it was fun. “Cricket is to Asian expatriates what football is to Oman, hence we Shinas College of Technology organises ELT Workshop THE human mind seems to be obsessed with space and travel beyond the confines of our own atmosphere. We’ve learned much about the heavens and logistics of space travel over the past five conceived the Omantel Celebrity Cricket as a tribute to all our expat customers,” declared Haitham al Kharusi, Vice-President Consumer, Omantel. Five top local teams fought it out, backed by lovely celebrities who flew in especially to boost team morale. The Pakistan Panthers were represented by Maria Wasti, the Sri Lankan Lions by Anarkali, the Bangladesh Tigers by Shimla, the South Indian Tuskers by Sandhya and the decades, and students are keen to know more about it. For the past three years, eighth graders from The American International School of Muscat (TAISM) have made it a mission to learn more and North Indian Stallions by Riya Sen. The tournament commenced with a colourful parade of the various teams and their celebrity ambassadors, led by a cheerful school band. The oath of fair play was taken by Kiran Asher, Treasurer Oman Cricket Club in the presence of the Ambassadors of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and senior officials from Omantel. A round-robin schedule ensured that every team had an equal chance to win. The matches continued the they do it by travelling to the Nasa sponsored Space Camp located in Izmir, Turkey. There, they spend 4½ days at the well-established facility and discover much of what it means to be an astronaut. This find ways to expand the prospects of students learning. McBeath also noted, on the other hand, that quality cannot be achieved if teachers have proud or overconfident ideas about teaching. He explained that knowing Arabic is a plus point for a teacher. He said, “Arabic is not a handicap in the year, 32 eighth graders chose to go to Space Camp. In order to go, students need to be academically responsible, as they miss up to four days of classes. All funding for this trip is personal — there are no donors next day, with the crowds swelling by the hour. After a hotly contested finale with Sri Lanka, Pakistan lifted the first ever Omantel Celebrity Cricket Cup, also winning a cash prize of $1,000. The Sri Lankan team won the Runners Up award and a cash prize of $500. The other winners of the night included the South Indian Tuskers who won the Fair Play award, Manjula of Sri Lankan Lions who won Man of the Series, Miraj of Bangladesh Tigers classroom. It is a tool that can be used to foster understanding, and the fact that a teacher has no Arabic, is no justification for banning its use.” Teachers and lecturers from different schools and colleges of Oman participated in the event. The workshop witnessed enthusiastic English language Eighth Grade students from TAISM take flight or sponsors helping to defray costs. The Space Camp houses simulators and replicas of actual space vehicles such as the Challenger and Apollo rockets. During their time there, eighth who won the Kamaal Catch award, Bilal Khan of Pakistan Panthers for the Best Bowler award, Awal Khan of Pakistan Panthers for Maximum Sixes and Jatinder Singh of North Indian Stallions for Best Batsman. The awards were given away by Haitham al Kharusi of Omantel in the presence of Nawabzada Aminullah Khan Raisani, Ambassador of Pakistan. Winners also received Blackberries, Android Smartphones and other valuable prizes from Omantel. lecturers engage in workshops on the chosen theme. Eighteen presenters shared their expertise and perspectives on the different ways to achieve quality — teaching in the classroom. The teachers who attended the interesting and engrossing workshops were enlightened about the theme. The ELT workshop was organised by the Head of the English Language Centre Dr Bryan Peppin, the Head of Section Ali bin Abdullah al Balushi and the staff. The cosponsors of the event were Sohar Aluminium, Vale and Orpic. The significant aim of the workshop was to encourage language teachers to come together to understand and explore new ways to achieve quality in the classroom. graders space walk on the zero-G wall, learn about disorientation in the hamster wheel orbiter, experience a moon walk at 1/6 of their body weight, and complete a specified mission using the command centre and the space module. There are also heat shield experiments, hydroponics, space history talks and team-building challenges. This year, the TAISM students were treated to a spe- Grand Naatia Mushaira huge success Truckoman staff in workshop with Shaikh Khalfan al Esry SHAIKH Khalfan al Esry, an Nimr performance coach and motivational guru, recently met with Truckoman staff at their Nimr facility in the PDO concession area. Chris Fidler, Group General Manager of Truckoman said, “As a primary PDO logistics contractor and committed OPAL member, Truckoman is dedicated to ensuring the satisfaction of our staff. This workshop was specifically geared towards our Omani team”. “As oilfield workers, all of our team are away from their home and families regularly and so it is our responsibility to ensure their welfare. Moreover, such programmes support OPAL’s In-Country Value (ICV) initiative by focusing on the development of national staff. During the workshop there was a valuable exchange of opinions and ideas between Shaikh Khalfan and our team that will no doubt lead to a better working environment for our staff”, Fidler added. cial session with former US astronaut Anna Fisher. Anna presented an inside view to being an astronaut and answered every question you ever wanted to know about life on a spaceship. (Her mission lasted eight days.) Izmir is close to the famous ruins at Ephesus and the students received a history sampler on their last day with a guided tour of the ruins. It was By Hasan Kamoonpuri MEMORABLE Naatia Mushairah 2012 (Poetry A in praise of the Prophet PBUH) was held at Crystal Suites recently. The event was attended by a large number of people including dignitaries. Mian Muhammad Munir, Managing Director of Ittfaq Travel and Tourism which presented the event was the guest of honour. Renowned Pakistani poets Zahid Fakhri, Tariq Sabzwari, Dr Akhtar Hashmi and Asif Mughal paid glowing tributes to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) at the Naatia Mushaira. Aminullah Khan Raisani also recited his poem Dua. Other local poets and speakers included Murawat Ahmed, Mohammed Zakariya Babur, Azra Aleem and Shehzad Ahmed. The seventh edition of Naatia Mushaira, conducted by noted compere Shakeel Bukhari, was a huge success. All the participants received prizes and mementos. Dr Akhtar Hashmi presented his two new Urdu books to the chief guest. The event was attended by a select gathering of poetry lovers who seemed to enjoy the literary evening of the highest order. This year’s Naatia Mushaira attracted the largest visitor turnout in view of the increased interest in such events following the continued wave of Islamic awakening around the world. The key highlight of Naatia Mushaira is the spotlight on the Leader of all messengers of God, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Naat is a form of poetry penned in the praise of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Syed Jameel Zaidi, Chief Co-ordinator of the Mushaira, thanked all the sponsors for making the event a success. as if history came alive as they explored the library, the amphitheatre, and of course, the Roman toilets. In all, students were away for five days but returned with a lifetime of not-to-be-forgotten memories. Imaginations were kindled, hopefully to spark an idea which will take man even further into the heavens. Let the dreams begin! — By Keith Boniface
PEOPLE’S PLATFORM I USED to read the plights of disabled and specially-abled people being published in your newspaper in various columns very often and I appreciate your team for the same. But whatever way we try to give the disabled their due, more often than not they are being violated and we are suffering a lot on account of the same. Many of the shopping malls don’t have the required slope for our wheelchair to go in and out. Most of the companies in the country do not have job reservations for us (I am not forgetting the companies that give priority to the disabled whenever there is a vacancy suitable for them). Added to all these, there are some who constantly occupy disabled’s parking space with no shame at all. Recently, I went to the Wattayah clinic with my wife where I noticed the disabled people’s parking was occupied by a normal person and when I enquired with the person, his answer was rather interesting. He said that the four-wheel drive was hired by the Ministry of Health and he can park it anywhere in the clinic premises. Thanks to him for letting me know that there is a rule like that. — Jamil Abdunnaser Editor: This is a plight experienced by our less abled brothers and sisters on many occasions. As you said, we have carried several write ups on the same and I’m glad Accurate diagnosis essential for treatment of disorders By Dr Frank C Smigura IN the previous three articles published in this section the importance of accurate diagnosis was addressed from different vistas. The message was simple but compelling: To be able to provide the best of care to sick children, or any patient for that matter, one must know, or find out quite accurately which disease is responsible for the patient’s illness. The field of GMD is known to comprise a large number of diverse and complex biochemical disorders. Accurate diagnosis of the disease in question is of fundamental importance simply because all decisions in regards to treatment (or no treatment), prognosis, counseling, etc, are dictated by the nature of a particular disease. To acquire a high level of proficiency in the detection of GMD, solid knowledge of the field along with high degree of awareness are essential. How many GMD are treatable? The general misconception, based on the western model of GMD, is that most GMD are not treatable. It is important to understand that this ascertainment applies to the disorders that occur and are seen in the western countries but the concept is not universally applicable. The argument against it is two fold: First, there is no reason to believe that the spectrum of GMD as seen in the west will occur and will be to say that the Ministry of Social Development has acted upon them. The Royal Oman Police too, is strict against the lawbreakers who take away the rights of the disabled. We hope that the authorities concerned take up this matter with due seriousness. Move to amend pension system welcomed YESTERDAY’S statement by Nabhan al Battashi on the retirement and pension and insurance system in the private sector is highly welcomed. For people like me who have been toiling hard for private companies can heave a sigh of relief as the system will be restructured at par with the other systems in the country. Not everyone can get a job in the public sector and people like me should serve the private companies. I strongly believe that safeguarding their interests and their priorities should be the aim of such initiatives. Let’s all hope that there soon going to be a new law pertaining to the end-of-service benefits of the people in the private sector. — Ali Husain al Namani Editor: It is, indeed, a laudable move to protect the rights of the private sector employees in the Sultanate. It is based on the belief in the importance of the constructive dialogue and to ensure that the relationship between workers, employees and government is based on seen universally in all the other parts of the world, including the Gulf region. The explanation for disparity is quite simple. It stands to reason that the genetic make up of different populations in far apart countries will differ from region to region. The second reason is that when talking about GMD as a whole, not only those that are common in the west, then the percentage of treatable conditions is quite high and with new advancements in the science of genetics, their number is growing. It appears that in the Gulf region and specifically in Oman, the situation in regards to treatment of GMD is quite favourable. Based on my 25 years Omani experience with patients with GMD, I can confirm that first, when compared to the western situation, the spectrum of diseases that occur and are seen in this country is different and secondly, a large percentage of the prevalent diseases are amenable to some sort of treatment. Treatment of GMD — General Principles: How are GMD treated? In general terms, treatment of patients with GMD is not different from treating any other patient. There are however some important differences and to achieve good results, some specific principles governing treatment of GMD must be adhered to. Here are some examples: Specificity of treatment: As a rule, available therapeutic modalities are highly specific for a particular disease and that brings us back to the importance of accurate diagnosis. The treatment can be prescribed, and will be effective only, if based on firmly established diagnosis, usually at biochemical level. This is also very important in situations where therapeutic measures are not available and one has to decide, unequivocally, not to treat the patient. To be effective, treatment must be started early: FOOD CORNER the principle of social partnership, co-operation and stability. Students’ safety — a far cry WITH reference to your article, “Indian School Jibroo Spotlight on Genetic Metabolic Disorders in Oman — Part 6 In most patients with treatable GMD the treatment is effective only if instituted early in the course of the illness. Otherwise, regardless of their effectiveness, therapeutic measures will not do the job and the disease will not be controlled resulting in serious consequences to the child. Duration of the treatment: Once started, it is a common practice to maintain the therapy for an extensive period of time eg years or even for life. Under these circumstances patient’s compliance may be a problem but this can be overcome by appropriate patient and parent education. Assortment of therapeutic modalities used in patients with GMD: 27 LETTERS/HEALTH SATURDAY, MAY 5, 2012 Give the disabled their basic rights accident raises safety questions”, I’d like to jot down a few comments on the same. First of all, most of the teachers in these schools are not well qualified and not paid at par There is a wide assortment of therapeutic measures used for treatment of patients with GMD from nonspecific, supportive treatment to advanced medical and surgical modalities. In the realm of nonspecific remedies, these measures are simple and inexpensive, but when used promptly, they may be life saving. At times, dietary manipulation can be used as a therapeutic tool. Diet supplementation with specific vitamins such as Biotin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Thiamin for vitamin responsive disorders, or with an amino acid such as Arginine are used often. Low protein or so called elimination diet are all very effective in diseases such as Tyrosinemia, Galactosemia, Familial Fructose Booteen (Cream caramel) Ingredients 4 eggs 4 cans liquid milk Sugar for sweetening Saffron + cardamom + rose water Method • Soak saffron and cardamom in rose water • Whip eggs well until whitened. • Gradually add sugar until dissolved. • Add milk, rose water, saffron and cardamom. Stir continuously. • Pour the blend in a heatproof tray. • Heat the oven • Put a tray filled with water Intolerance, and in numerous urea cycle disorders. Carnitine supplementation is curative in otherwise deadly cardiomyopathy, a disease affecting heart muscle. Therapeutics specific for GMD: Medications specific for GMD may take several forms and spans a wide spectrum of pharmaceuticals. At one end there are very simple inexpensive drugs available in the hospital pharmacy such as Sodium Benzoate, Sodium Phenylacetate used in patients with high Ammonia level in blood. Some of these medicines, such as Citric Acid with Sodium Citrate solutions for renal tubular acidosis, are so simple that they can be mixed in the hospital pharmacy. At inside the oven. Place the oven tray inside the tray after water is boiled. • Leave until cooked then take out of the oven. Set it aside until it is cooled. Refrigerate before serving. To know whether Booteen is cooked thrust a fork or a knife into it. It is deemed cooked if it is dry. Booteen (2) Ingredients 4 eggs 2 cups milk ½ cup sugar (if desired) ¼ coffee cup rose water Saffron 1 tsp cardamom powder Method with the other schools. There are housewives who take up teaching as their job just to kill their time and to get free education or a discounted education for their children. The Do you have a word of appreciation for any services you received? Or suggestions for improvement? Observer is giving you an opportunity to rant or rave about anything and everything around you: Please write to: Tel: 24649451, Fax: 24649469; e-mail: observerfeatures@gmail.com the other end of the spectrum there is a group of highly effective, at times costly pharmaceuticals used in the field of GMD. Advanced medical and surgical measures: These measures are complex, demanding wide range of expertise and team approach for their implementation. In spite of their complexities they are assuming important role in the field. Examples are Bone marrow transplantation, liver and kidney transplantation and gene therapy. To illustrate how patients with GMD are treated in practice, I will conclude by presenting one patient with GMD, as he presented at my clinic: Patient #1: A 14-month-old boy was referred because of failure to thrive, intermittent vomiting and occasional seizures. His parents were first cousins. Earlier, he was seen at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, UK and their diagnosis was psychogenic vomiting. Our investigation demonstrated high blood ammonia level after protein meal and the boy turned out to suffer a treatable GMD. The disease is caused by a partial enzyme deficiency and responds to relatively simple medicaments. The boy was prescribed: Low protein diet, Sodium Benzoate and Arginine to be taken orally. His vomiting and seizures stopped within a few days and he started to grow normally. Today he is a healthy 23-year- old, married man. If untreated, this man would most likely have suffered severe mental retardation and intractable seizures. Next week I will discuss the importance of preventive measures for the families of patients with GMD. (The author is a Consultant in Paediatrics with specialization in Genetic and Metabolic Disorders. Email: drfcs44@ gmail.com) • Whip eggs well until whitened. Add milk and sugar as well as other ingredients. Continue whipping. • Pour mixture into a bowl or heatproof mould and put in a tray half filled with boiling water. • Place the tray inside the oven. Leave it until it is well done. Insert a knife into the Booteen. If knife does not cling to the Booteen then it is cooked. — The recipes are taken from the book Al-Azaf, the Omani Cookbook, written by Lamees Abdullah al Taiya and published by Oman Bookshop. same teachers pay less attention to the classes and invite the children to their houses for tuitions at a premium price. Some teachers take booking for their classes six months before the academic year. In such cases, where will these teachers have sincerity and attention to their job in school? Secondly most of the rules set out by the Ministry of Education are flouted by the private transportation agents for reasons unknown. They don’t even employee and attendant in the buses for cutting cost. Thirdly, many school bus drivers are known for their abusive and reckless behaviour towards the children and on the road. God alone can save our tiny tots. Let’s all pray till they come back safe from the schools. — Harikrishnan Editor: As we understand, the issue of the student’s safety has become a topic of contention. Let’s sincerely hope justice is served to those who needed it and the prevailing laws in the country ensure the same. Mockery signs behind vehicles IT’S a good sign of caring on the road if you look at the writing behind most of the vehicles belonging to private companies. “Am I driving safe? If not, please call XXXXXXXX” can certainly make people beware of their duties and responsibilities on road while they are behind the wheels. Recently, I was taken aback by the reckless behaviour of a driver of a similar vehicle while coming back from Muttrah where I work. I somehow managed to grab the number written on the rear of the vehicle and started dialing it after I parked my car at a safe place. When the phone was answered, I started explaining to the person on the other end about my bitter experience with his driver. Surprisingly, he said “Excuse me sir, I’m driving safe; it is you who are not driving safe. I think you should take more lessons on driving”. Surprisingly, I listened the next sentence ‘Yes, I’m the one who just drove in front of you”. — David Editor: It evokes the lighter side in us. But in most cases, the feedback number will be kept with the transport in-charge in big companies. In this case, I presume the company must be a smaller one and probably the supervisor might have kept the phone with the driver. Nevertheless, the companies who place their feedback number behind any vehicle should make sure to keep the phone with the head of the department who has a voice on the driver’s reckless attitude. HEALTHY FOODS By Mini Padikkal Nutrition benefits of berries BERRIES are available in fresh, frozen or dried forms. Different types of berries are available all over the world. Among those some varieties are available in Oman too. They are cranberry, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry and strawberry. Most of these varieties are imported from other countries to Sultanate. Though small in size, berries have big health and nutrition benefits. Research has shown that eating berries has a positive and profound effect on health. Let us have a look into those health benefits: Cranberries Cranberries are nutritious, rich in fibre, vitamin C and phytonutrients, such as flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. In addition they have unique anti-adhesion and antibacterial properties not found in other fruits. The National Institute of Health has done many studies, especially on the role of cranberries in fighting urinary tract infections (UTIs). Cranberry has unique anti-adhesion properties that prevent certain harmful bacteria from sticking to cells in our body. This newer concept of anti-adhesion is not just limited to bacteria causing UTIs but to other potentially harmful bacteria as well, including those responsible for stomach ulcers and gum disease. Cranberries contains flavonoids which are helpful to fight leukaemia, breast, lung and colon cancers. Flavonoids reduce the risk of atherosclerosis, by reducing the levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Cranberry juice has been shown to inhibit the bacteria associated with peptic ulcers, H. pylori. It is a great remedy for diarrhoea too. Blueberries Fresh blueberries have an Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) value of 2400 per 100 gms. They are rich in phytochemicals such as phenolic acid, anthocyanins and ellagic acid, a natural compound that inhibits tumour growth. It is antibacterial and it is good for heart too. Blackberries Blackberries are high in antioxidants. They have the highest antioxidant capacity when compared with other berries. They are also rich in vitamin C and fibre. They contain catechins, such as quercetin, which is an antioxidant that can reduce the risk of heart disease and stops action of histamine for people with allergies. Blackberries contain phytochemicals tannin, flavonoid and cyanidine, which have anti-carcinogenic properties. Raspberries Xylitol, a popular sugar alternative, is made from raspberries. They are good source of fibre, phosphorus and selenium, and an excellent source of Vitamin C. Fresh raspberries, which are high in vitamin C, are used to treat and prevent sinus infections. They are rich in a variety of antioxidants and phytochemicals like ferulic acid and beta-sitosterol that can prevent the growth of premalignant and malignant oral cancer cell growth. They have an important role in reducing blood sugar level and preventing or improving fatty liver conditions. Strawberries Strawberries are rich in phenolics and antioxidants, flavonoids, anthocyanins, ellagic acid, quercetin, catechin and kaempferol. They are rich in folate, potassium and fibre. Strawberries have a role in reducing oestrogendriven cancer as they are rich in ellagic acid, which may function as an oestrogen blocker. Phytochemicals in strawberries are found to control Type 2 Diabetes by reducing blood glucose levels after a starchy meal. They have a powerful antithrombotic effect by promoting anti platelet activity. To get the optimal health benefits of berries eat two to three types of fresh, frozen or dehydrated berries each day. They can add flavour and nutrition to numerous dishes. Incorporate the benefits of berries into your daily diet, as a snack or part of meal. They are great addition to your salads too. So enjoy the benefits! (Note: The writer is a dietician at Atlas star Medical Centre, Al Khuwair, Muscat.
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Observer & Busness 5 May 2012 - Oman Daily Observer

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