Synoptic Aspects of Winter Rainfall Variability in Oman
Panorama
Prehypertension Among Prediabetic Omanis
Mind Over Matter
SQU Council Meets
News Update
Gas Hydrates:
Fuel of the Future
Department of Public
Relations and Information
Sultan Qaboos University
Issue 195
View Point
New Avenues
All over the world, tourism has emerged as a major sociological and
economical factor. The turnover figures associated with tourism sector
are indeed tremendous. It will not be an exaggeration to say that tourism
has now become the largest industry in the world. Like numerous
countries across the world, the Sultanate has also recognized the
importance of promoting its economy by boosting tourism in the state.
As a result of the Sultanate’s efforts in terms of achieving economic
diversification, tourism potential in the country has emerged as one of
the major revenue generating resources next to the oil sector.
Khamis Rajab Khamis
Editorial Supervision
Humaid Al Adwani
Editor -in-chief
Younis Al Harrasi
Editor & Translator
M.K. Santhosh
Senior Editor
Anisa Al Jabri
Design & Layout
Rashad Al Wahaibi
Photography
The dynamics of tourism hinges upon an inconvertible human fact-curiosity and wanderlust. He is happiest when travelling and exploring
the new and unfamiliar and even strange places. Man has an affinity
for the undiscovered; he has an insatiable appetite for mountains
and forests, rivers and waterfalls, monuments and ruins, deserts and
windswept grasslands, and new peoples and places. He has now
become the creature of highways, railways and airways. Around this
central human fact is built a worldwide tourism and hospitality industry
that seeks to make the traveller as much at home as is humanly
possible away from one’s own hearth and home.
The world has changed enormously in the past century due to the
dynamics of trade and commerce; in the current century, the world
has started witnessing much more changes in better ways, due to the
evolving age of mass tourism. Tourism Revolution, if it can be termed
such, dominates the behaviours, the perceptions, the activities and
the economics of hundreds of millions of people across the world.
Therefore, it becomes all the more significant for the developing
countries as they are in fact trying to catch up with the rest of the world.
Tourism is one of the very effective ways in which many well endowed
developing nations like Oman can make extra ordinary progress in this
respect.
If tourism is creatively exploited, a great amount of foreign exchange
can flow into the country without having to export anything. It is the most
painless way of enriching the country, materially as well as culturally.
The sole requirement is a well established hospitality industry (the
hospitality of the people of the Sultanate is well known all over the
world) along with infrastructure which can provide the visitor with most
of what he wishes in terms of comfortable stay, palatable and clean
food, efficient transportation, courteous services and first hand and
genuine glimpses of culture and country.
Horizon invites contributions from SQU members of staff and faculty. Contributions in the form of articles, news, travelogues, stories of unique and interesting experiences, encounters, etc., are welcome. Contributions may be edited
for the sake of clarity and length. Please send your contributions to horizon@squ.edu.om preferably, as MSWord attachments. Authors will be suitably credited.
Horizon is published three times a month by the Department of Public Relations and Information,
Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 50, P.C. 123, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman.
Phone: +968 24141045
E-mail: horizon@squ.edu.om
30 June 2010
P2
Fax: +968 24413 391
Website: www.squ.edu.om
SQU Council Meets
News Update
SQU Inks MoU
Sultan Qaboos University signed a Memorandum
of Understanding (MoU) with the International
Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences,
University of Karachi, Pakistan. The MoU calls
for academic and research cooperation and it
was signed on behalf of the two sides by Dr. Ali
bin Saud al Bimani, SQU Vice Chancellor and
Prof. Mohammad Iqbal.
Sultan Qaboos University Council held its fourth meeting for the 2009
– 2010 academic year in which H.E. Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser alBakri, Minister of Manpower, was hosted. The meeting was chaired by
H.E. Dr. Rawiyah bint Saud al-Busaidi, Minster of Higher Education and
Chairperson of the Council. During the meeting, the minister of manpower
shed light on the job market requirements of the private sector, reviewed
Oman 2020 economic vision, and pointed out to the number of nationals
working in the private sector and their distribution according to their
qualifications and skills.
SQU council discussed with the minister of manpower ways of boosting
existing cooperation in relation to fulfilling the job requirements of the
private sector. The final report of the studies and information collection
team was reviewed. The report is related to the project of studying the job
market needs of both public and private sectors. It reflected the mechanism
of team’s work and analysis of studies and information. It also discussed
the difficulties faced by the team, outcomes, and recommendations.
In addition, the council ratified the minutes of the previous meeting held
on 9 March 2010 and approved the graduates number of the mid of
2009/2010 academic year. It also approved the budget of SQU and SQU
Hospital for the financial year 2011. The council also approved the transfer
of the medical laboratories program from the College of Science to the
College of Medicine and Health Science. The council also approved the
new foundation program which will commence in the 2010/2011 academic
year.
The MoU encourages exchange of faculty
member visits to explore horizons of research
cooperation, lecturing, and conducting seminars.
It also promotes exchange of students, academics
holding doctorate and post doctorate degrees.
The two institutions also aspires through the MoU
to foster the exchange of academic publications,
scholarly information and related books.
Prof. Bassam Soussi, UNESCO Chair and
Director of the Sultan Qaboos University Center
of Excellence in Marine Biotechnology, said that
the academic and scientific cooperation between
our university and the International Centre for
Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of
Karachi, is based on firm foundations laid in 2006.
The cooperation started when the International
Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences
participated in the UNESCO workshop and
consultative meeting on marine biotechnology
held at SQU. When also one of the Centre’s
academics visited SQU and joined Prof. Bassam
in his HM strategic research.
SQU Discusses Innovation
In line with strengthening ties of academic
cooperation with South African academic
institutions and exchange of experience,
Sultan Qaboos University recently
organized a seminar on innovation. The
title of the lecture was “Innovation in Public
Universities: A South African Perspective”.
The lecture was delivered by Dr. Dhesigen
Naidoo, Director of Research and
Innovation Support, University of Pretoria.
In his lecture Dr. Naidoo gave insights
into the innovation experience of the
South African universities during which
he discussed a wide range of topics
such as economic and scientific wealth,
innovation constraints, production &
commercialization funding, knowledge
production funding, key balance of
maximising income per contract vs.
competitiveness in Market, etc.
The
seminar was attended by academics from
SQU’s different colleges and centres.
Commenting on the topic of the seminar,
Prof. Reginald Victor, Dean of Research,
said: “innovation and intellectual property
is an area where we are at the very
beginning. This is a very important issue
to us because as a university we are
producing a lot of knowledge but how to
translate this knowledge into practical useful
outcomes and this is where innovation
and intellectual property comes otherwise,
the knowledge remains as knowledge that
cannot be used and is not available to
people in the society.” Prof. Victor added
that the Deanship of Research is trying
to build an area for innovation. He said
that they have established an office for
intellectual property and innovation affairs
that will tackle various issues of intellectual
property and innovation, technology, and
how to bring together third stream funding
from private sector and connect it with the
university.
30 June 2010
P3
Insight
Gas Hydrates:
Fuel of the Future
Dr. Narasimman
Sundararajan, Department
of Earth Sciences, SQU
The most formidable challenge or/and pressing
questions facing mankind today is the security
for future energy resources. The ever increasing
consumption of this resource may deplete the existing
potential in near future. This has accelerated our efforts
in the intensification and extension of exploration and
development for new or alternate sources of energy.
The search is also being extended to the so-called
unconventional supplies such as coal bed methane,
underground coal gasification and gas hydrates. Gas
from the hydrates is truly unconventional because of
its origin, conditions of existence, trapping mechanism
and conceivable production methods. Further, the
enormous global distribution of gas hydrates and
quantum of its availability have attracted several
countries in the world for the exploration and
exploitation of this precious resource.
Gas Hydrates is an ice-like crystalline solids formed
from mixtures of water and natural gas, usually
methane (95%) with other natural gas components
like ethane, propane and carbon dioxide (CO2). They
occur where pressure, temperature, gas saturation,
and local chemical conditions combine to make them
stable. Gas Hydrates occur in the pore spaces of
sediments and therefore can change the stiffness of
sediments. The high concentration of methane in
natural gas hydrates is/could be important both as
an energy resource and as a factor in global climate
change.
Although Sir Humphrey Davy had discovered gas
hydrates or clatharates early in 1810, only since
the 1970s naturally occurring gas hydrate has been
recognized worldwide. The origin of the methane
in a hydrate can be either thermogenic gas or
biogenic gas. It is present in oceanic sediments along
continental margins and in polar continental settings
directly beneath the ocean, and exists where water
depths exceed 300 to 500 meters (depending on
temperature). At high latitudes, it exists in association
with permafrost. More precisely, gas hydrates occur
in two discrete geological situations. (1) Marine shelf
sediments (distributed worldwide) and (2) On-shore
polar regions beneath permafrost. Hydrates occur in
these two types of settings because these are the
settings where the pressure-temperature conditions
are within the hydrate stability field.
Natural gas hydrates are important components of
the shallow geosphere and are of societal concern in
at least three major ways namely resource, hazard
and climate. Two reasons why gas hydrates found
to be attractive as a potential resource are (1) since
the enormous amount of methane that is apparently
sequestered within clathrate structures at shallow
sediment depths within 2000 m of the earth’s
surface and (2) the wide geographical distribution
of gas hydrates. An additional area of interest is
the opportunity for sequestering carbon dioxide as a
subsurface hydrate
At the same time there are some potential hazards are
associated with production of natural gas from hydrate
which include ground subsidence, methane release,
slope instability, and water and sand production.
Initial studies have indicated that these issues can be
mitigated; however, modeling and field validation of
30 June 2010
P4
mitigation strategies are yet to be realized.
Geophysical methods particularly reflection seismic
and gravity play an indispensable role for its spatial
location. Seismic surveys suggest gas hydrate
accumulations are abundant in offshore areas around
the world. Although estimates of the hydrate reserves
and the methane that can be produced from them are
optimistic, recovery of this unconventional resource
presents challenges. It has been identified from
borehole samples and by its characteristic responses
in seismic-reflection profiles and oil-well electric logs.
Estimates on how much energy is stored in gas
hydrates range from 350 years’ supply to 3500 years’
supply based on current energy consumption. That
reflects both the potential as a resource and how little
we really know about the resource. The volume of
gas contained in gas hydrate reservoir depends upon
five parameters: 1) geographic area of the hydrate
stability zone, 2) reservoir rock thickness, 3) effective
porosity, 4) hydrate saturation in sediment pores, 5)
hydrate gas yield factor. An amazing truth about gas
hydrates is its per unit volume of natural gas. One
cubic meter of hydrate disassociates at atmospheric
temperature and pressure to form 164 cubic meter
of natural gas in addition to nearly one cubic meter
of water. According to the updated global reports,
the current estimates are about 10 exagrams (10,000
Gigatons) of methane carbon.
Further, natural gas and energy resource management
is a major challenge in the rapidly changing global
and business environment. The fact that natural gas
hydrates are ice-like crystalline solids transporting
gas in the form of a gas hydrate can prove to be very
useful in the supply chain of natural gas to meet future
energy demand. Thus, major challenges exist in
effectively capturing, storing, transporting and utilizing
form of energy while meeting the world’s diverse
economic, political, and environmental needs.
Exploration for this unconventional gas hydrates is
today where exploration for conventional petroleum
reservoirs was 100 years ago. However, many
countries have evinced a keen interest in the potential
of gas hydrate and some of them have made near
valid assessments that could lead to commercial
development. Probably, Russia is the only country
where the commercial production of gas from gas
hydrates is known over the couple of decades from
Messoyakha gas hydrate field. Significant programs
are currently being carried out in USA, Japan, India,
Canada, South Korea, and China. The vast potential
of India is believed to be in Arabic sea besides Bay
of Bengal and India is to go for test production in the
very near future. South Korea is also planning to go
for commercial production during 2015.
Arabian peninsula is probably equally potential for
this unconventional energy source particularly in the
Arabian Sea offshore of Oman. Model studies have
predicted a large amount of methane hydrate in this
part of Oman. Concerted efforts need to be made to
exploit this precious potential of gas hydrates so
as to be in the race among other nations to ensure
energy security. We should leave oil before oil leaves
us. Therefore, it is utmost important to accelerate
our efforts in the exploration of gas hydrates – the
fuel of future.
Mind Over Matter
Prehypertension
among
Prediabetic
Omanis
A recent study undertaken by researchers in the Department of
Family Medicine & Public Health of the College of Medicine &
Health Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University reveals that the
prevalence of prehypertension and associated cardiovascular risk
in prediabetic Omani adults is 54.1%. The study conducted by Dr.
Shyam Sundar Ganguly, Associate Professor in Epidemiology
and Medical Statistics and other researchers, based on the data
collected in the AMAL study, indicates that males are at higher
risk of developing prehypertension as compared to females. The
individuals with higher body mass index (BMI) have two fold more
risk of developing prehypertension. The study also reveals that
the increased level of oral glucose tolerance (OGT) enhances the
risk of developing prehypertension.
The research article published in the BMC Public Health journal
says that the Sultanate of Oman has been successful in reducing
communicable diseases and increasing life expectancy at birth
to 76 years for females and 71 years for males. Rapid cultural
changes and social advances since 1970 have led to the
manifestation of a wide range of non communicable diseases.
A high prevalence of diabetes (11.6%), obesity (20.5%) ,
hypertension (27%) and metabolic syndrome (21%) exists
in Omani population, particularly in urban dweller and older
individuals. Obesity is recognized as independent risk factor for
hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidaemia (an abnormal
concentration of lipids or lipoproteins in the blood), which are also
know to be independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases
(CVD).
In this study, prehypertension was defined as systolic blood
pressure (SBP) of 120-139 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure
(DBP) of 80-89 mm Hg. Prehypertension is a risk factor for overt
hypertension, and several small scale studies have demonstrated
its association with increased cardiovascular diseases (CVD)
morbidity. Studies have shown that prehypertension doubles the
risk of future CVD events. It has been documented that patients
with diabetes have twice the risk of incidence of myocardial
infarction and stroke as that of the general population. As many
as 80 percent of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus will develop
and possibly die of macro vascular diseases. This represents a
great societal cost with major loss of life expectancy and quality
of life. Recent studies have demonstrated that individuals in
prediabetic state can be identified and diabetes can be delayed
if not prevented.
A recent community based cross sectional study, carried out in a
semi-urban locality in Oman by the AMAL study group, revealed
that 40.9% of the study subjects were prediabetics. In this study,
all non-diabetic Omani adults, residents of the Wilayat of Bidbid
were screened for prediabeties based on impaired fasting
glucose and oral glucose tolerance test. In the preset study,
Dr. Ganguly and team considered a sample of 327 confirmed
prediabetic Omani adults above 18 years of age (142 males and
185 females), for their analysis.
The results prove that the overall prevalence of prehypertension
in prediabetic Oman population is marginally higher in females
(54.6%) in comparison to males (53.5%). The main determinants
of prehypertension are increasing body mass index and blood
sugar levels. The males were at higher risk of developing
prehypertension as compared to females. The individuals with
higher body mass index have two fold more risk of developing
prehypertension. In the study, the body mass index was found
to be significantly higher in females in both prehypertension and
hypertension groups as compared to males. The analysis of the
blood pressure of the study population showed that 54.1% are
prehypertensives and 24.2% were hypertensives. It is found that
the body mass index was the strongest modifiable predictor of
prehypertension and hypertension in females.
The discussion part of the study says that life style measure such
as healthy diet and aerobic exercises modify lipids, reduce blood
pressure and are integral to the management of prediabetes and
obesity. Patients with prehypertension and prediabetes should
initiate life style modifications like weight control, increased
physical activity, alcohol moderation, salt reduction and increased
consumption of fresh fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products.
Physical activities should be at least 150 minutes of moderate
intensity aerobic physical activities or at least 90 minutes of
vigorous exercise per week. The study also suggests that tobacco
cessation intervention programs should be introduced in health
centers and hospitals as a routine because it is a priority of state
of the art diabetic and hypertension care.
The study also addresses the issue of consanguinity among
Omani population from its health point of view. A study carried
out in an urban sample of Omani population found that 26% of
the marriages were with their first cousins. At the national level,
this figure is very high. The first cousin marriage under the age
of 50 years in 1995 was about 54% of the total marriages. This
culture practice may result into increase in both diabetes and
hypertension.
The study was supported by His Majesty’s Strategic Research
Trust Fund from SQU.
30 June 2010
P5
News Round Up
SQU Marks
Environment Day
Vegetable-Fruit Production
and
Postharvest Technology
Sultan Qaboos University organized recently in cooperation with the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs a workshop on biodiversity.
The workshop was organized to mark the World Environment Day
which falls on 5th of June. The workshop was under the auspices of
H.E. Mohammad bin Khamis al-Urimi, Undersecretary of the Ministry
of Environment and Climate Affairs. The function was attended by
H.E. Dr. Ali bin Saud al-Bimani, SQU Vice-chancellor, academics,
specialists, and students.
Dr. Mushtaque Ahmed, Director of the Centre for Environmental
Studies and Research, welcomed the audience in his opening
address and emphasized on the importance of tackling environmental
challenges. Then, Prof. Edward Lefroy delivered the keynote
speech which was titled “Humanity and Biodiversity.” He spoke of
the rapid increase in the number of people around the world and its
environmental consequences. A documentary movie, prepared by the
Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs, on Oman environment
and biodiversity was screened in the event. After that, a number
of titles were discussed in the workshop such as Environmental
Research at Sultan Qaboos University, Oman Biodiversity: MECA’s
Conservation Initiatives and Programs, Rainfall Data Analysis in the
Sultanate of Oman, Environment pollution and Climate Change, etc.
Commenting on the event, H.E. Mohammad bin Khamis al-Urimi
emphasized on the importance of marking this day which calls
for many noble causes such as preservation of biodiversity and
support of ecological systems. He also affirmed that preservation
of biodiversity is one of the mainstays of Oman’s sustainable
development process.
Zanzibar Minister Visits SQU
A workshop entitled “Integrated Approaches to Fruit Production and
Postharvest Management in Arid Climates” was organised by the
Department of Crop Sciences of the College of Agricultural & Marine
Sciences at SQU, under Oman-South Africa Scientific & Technical
Bilateral Cooperation Program and the Strategic Research Project
“Rejuvenating Lime Production in Oman”. The three day workshop,
jointly organised with Stellenbosch University in South Africa, was held
under the patronage of HE Dr. Hilal bin Ali Al Hinai, Secretary General of
The Research Council.
Dr. Rashid Al Yahyaee, Associate Professor in the Crop Sciences
Department and Principal Investigator of the strategic Research
project on lime production, outlined the objectives of the workshop in
the opening session. Thereafter, Prof. Amer bin Ali Al Rawas, SQU
Deputy Vice Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research, gave
an overview of Oman-South Africa bilateral scientific agreement and
research collaboration. He said that the research collaboration between
SQU and South African institutions encompasses six major areas
including renewable energy, water purification and treatment, fisheries
and agriculture and information and communication technologies. The
major partners in South Africa include the universities of Stellenbosch,
Pretoria and Cape Town.
Dr. S. A. Prathapar, the Dean of the College of Agricultural & Marine
Sciences said that improvement of horticulture is of immense importance
to the Sultanate in terms of cutting down import of fruits and vegetables
as much as possible. “Postharvest technology assumes significance as
we need to maintain the quality of both imported and locally grown fruits
and vegetables from harvest until they are served on the dining tables”,
the Dean said. HH Fahad Al Julanda Al-Said, Assistant Professor in the
Department of Crop Sciences and Convenor of the Workshop Organising
Committee gave an overview of different sessions and presentations
incorporated in the workshop.
HE Dr. Ali bin Saud al Bimani, Vice Chancellor of SQU, received
in his office, HE Haroun Suleiman, Minister of Education and
Vocational Training of Zanzibar in the United Republic of Tanzania
and his delegation. During their discussion, Dr. al Bimani and Haroun
Suleiman explored the possibilities of collaboration between SQU
and the higher educational institutions in Zanzibar, including the
State University of Zanzibar.
The minister promised all support of Zanzibar government in
terms of establishing programs in Swahili language at SQU if it is
interested. Both sides examined the scope of exchange of students
and academics between Zanzibar and SQU. Dr. al Bimani said
that he would inquire into the possibility providing scholarships for
Zanzibar students to pursue higher studies at different colleges in
SQU.
They also discussed the deep rooted historical relations between
Oman and Zanzibar. Prof. Amer bin Ali Al Rawas, SQU Deputy Vice
Chancellor for Postgraduate Studies & Research, Dr. Said bin Ali Al
Yahyai, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs & Community
Service and H.H. Sayyida Dr. Mona bint Fahd Al Said, Assistant
Vice Chancellor for External Co-operation also were present in the
occasion.
30 June 2010
P6
A communiqué issued by the workshop organising committee says that
fruits are the major agricultural crops in the Sultanate of Oman. The total
area currently cultivated is 50% of all crops including vegetables and field
and forage crops. Oman has recently sought to enhance agricultural crop
production to meet the increasing demand for food. At the directive of His
Majesty the Sultan, the country is planning to increase the cultivated area
and enhance agricultural practices, such as through the introduction of
modern irrigation systems. However, the country acknowledges the lack
of water resources to make it fully self sufficient in agricultural production.
Thus, most of the fruit crops consumed in the country are imported from
all five continents of the world.
The Scientific & Technical Bilateral Cooperation Programme between
Oman and South Africa, which is aimed at fostering scientific collaboration
between the two countries, has established bilateral research projects
and academic partnerships. Prof. Linus Opara, South African Research
Chair in Postharvest Technology at Stellenbosch University and Co-Chair
of the workshop said that SQU and Stellenbosch University have taken
the lead to make this program a reality with joint student supervision and
continued research collaboration and scientific publication co-authorship.
“This workshop comes as another step toward promoting the scientific
partnership between two prestigious institutions. Participants from
both countries presented and discuss topics of great importance that
encompasses food production and security and measures to enhance
productivity and postharvest management of fruit crops under adverse
environmental conditions”, Prof Opara said.
Panorama
Synoptic Aspects of Winter
Rainfall Variability in Oman
By: Yassine Charabi and Salim Al-Hatrushi
Department of Geography, College of Arts and Social Sciences
The Sultanate of Oman is characterized by
limited resources of freshwater, in combination
with extremely high summer temperatures
and high evaporation rates. During the
last three decades, the country witnessed
spectacular socio-economic developments
which intensified the pressure on the limited
water resources. That calls for a quantitative
assessment of the possible impact of climate
change. As a first step in estimating possible
future changes and their impacts, it is
necessary to carefully determine the current
rainfall variability based on a careful scrutiny
of the atmospheric circulations which form the
main forcing factors for controlling variability.
In the face of water stress and ever-increasing
uncertainty and variability in the global water
cycle, investigation of precipitation variability
is considered to be an effective means for
enhancing water management capabilities.
The climate experiments realized with general
circulation models show that this arid area is
influenced by air masses from four different
directions, the Mediterranean, Central Asia,
the tropical maritime regime of the Indian
Ocean and tropical Africa. These atmospheric
influences largely operate at different times
of the year, bringing a variable degree of
seasonal climate, and hence rainfall, to Oman.
High-resolution instrumental records of Oman
support the existence of complex climatic
patterns. From the intense summer heat of
the Rub al Khali to the moderate climate on
the Hajar mountains, one passes from the
hyperarid (<100mm rainfall) coasts and plains,
through the arid (100-250 mm rainfall) higher
plains and foothills to the semiarid (250-300
mm) mountain slopes and summits of Northern
of Oman.
Oman is characterized by an arid desert climate
with an average annual precipitation of about
100 mm or less. Approximately 46.3% of the
countrywide annual rainfall occurs during the
winter season (December, January, February
and March), when northern Oman is influenced
by the frontal mid-latitude and Mediterranean
depressions called Cyprus lows. Contributions
of spring (April, May) and summer (June, July
and August) rainfall are about 13.6% and
34.4%, respectively, of the annual total. Autumn
Rainfall declines to about 5% of the annual
total. The winter rainfall in Oman is extremely
variable during December, January, February
and March, fluctuating between 22-26N.
In a study titled synoptic aspects of winter
rainfall variability in Oman, the authors of this
article observed relation between winter rainfall
in Oman and the large-scale circulation and
synoptic activity was examined on a monthly
basis. The investigation focuses on wet and
dry spells that occurred during 1984–2007
based on composite analysis. The major factor
that modulates the winter rainfall over Northern
Oman is the East Mediterranean upper trough.
It is found that the wet seasons over Northern
Oman are coupled with distinct Sea Level
Pressure (SLP) and Geopotential High (GPH)
anomaly over Europe and adjacent areas.
While during the wet spells there are mainly
negative SLP and GPH over center of Asia
to the north east of the study area, positive
SLP/ GPH anomalies are found over Western
Europe. This pressure pattern triggers the
moist westerly towards the Arabian Peninsula.
During the dry spells large-scale positive SLP/
GPH anomaly areas prevail over Russia,
negative SLP anomaly is normally found over
Southwestern and Western Europe. This
pattern advects dry and cold northeasterly air
to the study area. The wet winter conditions are
controlled by the negative phase of the North
Atlantic Oscillation. The Negative NAO phase
corresponds to enhanced westerly flow which
brings moisture from the Atlantic Ocean across
the Mediterranean towards Oman.
Consequently, we consider studying influences
of other atmospheric circulation indices on
the Oman climate as a next step of our teleconnection studies, in combination with their
atmospheric patterns. Both local and largescale climate connections to Oman Winter
Rainfall established here show a way for
possible climatic modeling. This issue is the
unique way to understand the non-linearity
and the complexity of climate connections in a
relatively small area such as northern of Oman.
This would lead to better evaluate the signature
of the climate change on winter Oman rainfall.
30 June 2010
P7
Straight Talk
She holds a PhD in Biological
Sciences from the University of
Rhode Island and a B.S. in Nutrition
from Michigan State University.
Prof. Mary Harris visited SQU
recently and delivered a talk on
“Omega 3 DHA in Pregnancy and
Neurocognitive Development”
during a workshop titled “Food
and nutrition in health and disease”
organized by the Food Science
and Nutrition Department of the
College of Agricultural & Marine
Sciences (CAMS). Experts from her
conversation with Horizon:
Horizon: Could you specify your research interests?
Prof. Harris: My research area is omega-3 DHA in pregnancy
and infant cognitive development. I am an evidence analyst
for the American Dietetic Association Evidence Analysis
Library (EAL) project on lipids in cardiovascular disease and
antioxidants and health. I am the author of numerous scientific
journal articles and textbook chapters and is a reviewer for
many nutrition and medical journals. I am also a consultant on
n-3 fatty acids to the National Fisheries Institute and serves on
the Perinatal Nutrition Research Group of the Healthy Mothers
Healthy Babies National Coalition.
Horizon: Could you explain your mission in Oman? Is it
related to some task entrusted by the Ministry of Health?
Prof. Harris: I serve as external reviewer to the Department
of Food Science and Nutrition at CAMS. I am helping the
department to set up an American Dietetic Association
accredited-coordinated undergraduate program in conjunction
with Nutrition section of the Ministry of Health of the Sultanate
of Oman.
Horizon: Your presentation in the food-nutrition-diseases
workshop covered the relationship between infant growth and
neurocognititve development and maternal dietary intake of
Omega 3 DHA. Could you please briefly elaborate this?
Prof. Harris: The long chain omega-3 fatty acid,
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), is a functionally essential
nutrient for optimal neurocognitive development. DHA
incorporation into neural tissue occurs at a rapid rate from
the 28th week of pregnancy throughout the first two years
of life. Conversion of 18 carbon plant sources of omega-3
fatty acids are inadequate to meet these increased needs for
optimal growth and development . Maternal fish intake during
pregnancy and lactation has been associated with improved
cognitive performance in children and randomized controlled
supplemention trials of omega-3 DHA or fish oil during
pregnancy have been shown to improve cognitive performance
in infants and school children. Many health and nutrition
organizations in the United States ,Great Britain and Europe
and the Europeanl Perinatal Lipid (PERILIP) group have
recommended that pregnant and lactating women consume
an additional 200 mg of DHA per day from supplements or two
servings of seafish, including oily fish, per week.
Horizon: How does intake of Omega 3 DHA act in reducing
risk of premature birth in pregnancies? You have done a
number of studies in this regard.
Prof. Harris: DHA supplements (600 mg/day) and nutrition
education to increase consumption of DHA containing foods
by at least 300 mg/day increase gestational length by 4 days.
This is statistically significant and biologically important since
most preterm birth (in the US) is near term birth, or babies that
do not quite make it to 37 weeks of gestation – a considerable
amount of brain development is occurring each day during this
later part of pregnancy so can help to decrease the cognitive
delays associated with preterm birth.
Mary Harris,
PhD, RD, BC-ADM, is a professor and director of the
Dietetics Program at Colorado State University.