The Values of Sports Activities in SQU from Students' Perspective

تلعب الأنشطة والفعاليات الرياضية بالجامعة دورًا كبيرًا في توعية الطلبة بأهمية ممارسة الرياضة بوصفها جزءًا مهما في حياتهم الجامعية لما تقوم في غرس العديد من القيم السلوكية في نفوسهم، من هنا هدفت الدراسة إلى الكشف عن القيم المضمنة في الأنشطة الرياضية بجامعة السلطأن قابوس، وكذلك للكشف عن الفروق ذات الدلالة الاحصائية بين استجابات أفراد عينة الدراسة بشأن القيم المضمنة في الأنشطة والفعاليات الرياضية بجامعة السلطان قابوس من وجهة نظر الطلبة، التي تعزى إلى متغير الجنس ومكأن السكن، والمرحلة الدراسية، والتخصص. تم استخدام المنهج الوصفي وذلك بجمع البيانات الكيفية باستخدام استمارة المقابلة المفتوحة لعينة من طلبة الجامعة بلغت (119). أظهرت النتائج أن هناك العديد من القيم تتضمنها الأنشطة والفعاليات الرياضية؛ ففي مجال القيم الأخلاقية فقد أظهرت النتائج أن 81.5% جاءت لصالح قيمة الصدق، و64.7% لصالح قيمة الأمانة، أما في مجال القيم الشخصية فأن 43.7% من الإجابات تتضمن قيمة الثقة بالنفس، و35.3% قيمة الشجاعة، أما بالنسبة إلى مجال القيم الاجتماعية فقد حققت قيمة التعاون نسبة 70.6% تليها قيمة الولاء 37%، وفي مجال القيم المعرفية فقد حصلت قيمة الدقة على نسبة 19.3% تليها قيمة العقلأنية 18.5%، أما في مجال القيم الدينية فقد حظيت قيمة الالتزام الديني أعلى نسبة حيث بلغت 22.7% من بين القيم الأخرى في هذا المجال. كما أظهرت نتائج تحليل مربع كاي ( ) وجود فروق ذات دلالة إحصائية (α=0.05) بين استجابات الطلبة لصالح الأناث في قيمة التسامح، وقيمة الثقة بالنفس، كما أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن هناك فروق لصالح الكليات الأنسأنية في مجال القيم الشخصية والمعرفية، وبناء على نتائج الدراسة أوصت الباحثتأن بأهمية تضمين القيم الواردة في نتائج الدراسة في أهداف الأنشطة والفعاليات الرياضية بالجامعة.Sports and games practiced in the university play a vital role in promoting awareness amongst students since sports activities form an inseparable part of students' university life. Sports teach students good values, for they constitute a platform for students to get together, exchange talks, and enjoy the health and vigor of life. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the values inherent in sports activities in Sultan Qaboos University (SQU). It will also explore the statistical differences with regard to values inherent in sports activities in SQU from students' point of view which can be attributed to the variables of sex, place of residence, study year and major. To answer these questions, a descriptive research methodology has been adopted to analyze and interpret sports and games activities related literature. Data has also been collected by using an open interview form, distributed to a sample of 119 SQU students, with the aim to observe the values that sports activities in SQU have. Preliminary findings of the study indicate that there are a number of values and merits of sports and games activities in SQU. With regard to ethical values, the findings show that the value of honesty gains 81.5%, while trust worthy value gains 64.7%. Within the personal values, 43.7% of the respondents indicate that they enjoy self-confidence, while 35.5% goes to the values of bravery. In the social values, the value of cooperation comes at the top with 70.6% followed by 37% to loyalty. Within the values of knowledge, the value of punctuality gains 19.3% followed by 18.5% to the value of reasoning. The highest percentage of 22.7% goes to the values of religion. Finally, ( ) analysis shows that there are (α=0.05) statistical differences among respondents which go to the favor of female students in terms of tolerance within ethical values and self-confidence within the personal values. Findings also indicate that colleges of humanities score higher in terms of personal and knowledge values within students' majors. Therefore, it is recommended that all values incorporated within the findings should be included in the objectives of SQU sports and games activities

Self-Reported Knowledge of Diabetes among High School Students in Al-Amerat and Quriyat, Muscat Governate, Oman

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is emerging as one of the world’s greatest health problems, and its incidence and prevalence are increasing at an alarming rate and globally reaching epidemic proportions. With this increasing incidence, emphasis is now being placed on implementing primary prevention, early detection, and educational prevention programmes. This study was undertaken to estimate the level of knowledge of T2DM among high school students and to explore the factors influencing the knowledge of T2DM. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four secondary schools in two wilayats (districts) of Muscat governate, Oman, namely Al-Amerat and Quriyat. The study was conducted using a validated English questionnaire covering all aspects of T2DM in one-to-one interviews. A scoring system was used to assess the students’ knowledge. Results: Of the 541 students enrolled in the study (45% male and 55% female), only 24% achieved a score of over 10 out of 20. The key areas of poor knowledge were wrong perceptions about diabetic meals (73%), and the possibility of a cure for diabetes (63%). Conclusion: Overall poor knowledge levels about T2DM were found among school students. National efforts and school health-based interventions are highly recommended to increase awareness about diabetes among this age group

Association of Nightly Fasting, Meal Frequency, and Skipping Meals with Metabolic Syndrome among Kuwaiti Adults

Mounting evidence suggests that meal timing and frequency are associated with cardiometabolic health by influencing circadian rhythms. However, the evidence is inconsistent and limited, especially in non-Western cultures. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the association between temporal habits of dietary intake, such as nightly fasting duration and meal frequency, and metabolic syndrome among Kuwaiti adults. A 24-hour recall was used to assess temporal habits of dietary intake. Meal frequency was defined as the number of daily eating episodes. The study included a total of 757 adults aged 20 years and older. The participants\u27 mean age was 37.8 ± 12.3 years. After adjusting for all confounders, higher meal frequency was found to be associated with a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome in adults (OR, 0.43; 95%CI, 0.19-0.96) and a lower prevalence of elevated triglycerides in men only (OR, 0.23; 95%CI, 0.09-0.60). No association was found between nightly fasting and metabolic syndrome, but a longer fasting duration was associated with a lower prevalence of elevated triglycerides (OR, 0.19; 95%CI, 0.06-0.63). The findings suggest that having frequent meals and longer durations of nightly fasting may help decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome and elevated triglycerides

Efficacy of wheat-based biscuits fortified with microcapsules containing ferrous sulfate and potassium iodate or a new hydrogen-reduced elemental iron: a randomised, double-blind, controlled trial in Kuwaiti women

Adverse sensory changes prevent the addition of highly bioavailable ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) to most wheat flours. Poorly absorbable reduced Fe powders are commonly used. Encapsulation of FeSO4 can overcome these sensory changes, but the particle size of commercial compounds is too large to be used by flour mills. The first objective of the study was to measure the efficacy in wheat flour of two newly developed Fe compounds, an H-reduced Fe powder (NutraFine™ RS; North America Höganäs High Alloys LLC, Johnstown, PA, USA) and small particle-sized (40μm) encapsulated FeSO4. As a second objective, the microcapsules were evaluated as a vehicle for iodine fortification. A randomised, double-blind controlled intervention trial was conducted in Kuwaiti women (n 279; aged 18-35 years) with low body Fe stores (serum ferritin (SF) <25μg/l) randomly assigned to one of three groups (20mg Fe as NutraFine™ RS, 10mg Fe as encapsulated FeSO4 and 150μg iodine, or no fortification Fe) who consumed wheat-based biscuits 5d per week. At baseline and 22 weeks, Hb, SF, transferrin receptor, urinary iodine and body Fe stores were measured. Relative to control, mean SF in the encapsulated FeSO4 group increased by 88% (P<0·001) and body Fe stores increased from −0·96 to 2·24mg/kg body weight (P<0·001), while NutraFine™ RS did not significantly increase SF or body Fe stores. The median urinary iodine concentration increased from 140 to 213μg/l (P<0·01). NutraFine™ RS added at double the amount of Fe as FeSO4 was not efficacious in improving Fe status. The newly developed microcapsules were highly efficacious in improving both Fe stores and iodine statu

Eco-friendly Concrete Using Waste Plastic Bottles as Aggregate: A Case Study from Oman

Waste plastic bottles (WPB) (polyethylene terephthalate (PET)) type are used widely for water storage and eventually become environmental burden. This study investigated an innovative application of the WPB to partially replace the fine aggregate in concrete nonstructural element. This research evaluated the effect of plastic content on concrete mechanical and physical properties. The WPBs were ground into < 5 mm in size equal to the fine aggregate size. Therefore, different percentages of WPB were used namely 10, 20 and 30%. The results revealed that 20% of the WPB showed the best results to produce light weight concrete. The compressive strength was reduced by 20% only with 20% of WPB which it declined by 42% with higher WPB content. Moreover, concrete with 20% of WPB content achieved ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of 3 km/s which indicated a satisfactory level of concrete integrity. This indeed clearly indicated that the plastic content should be carefully selected before full applications. This study suggested that each cubic meter of concrete can accommodate around 100 kg of WPB. Indeed, that will reduce the pressure on landfills and the environment by having this innovative application

Evaluation of the Quality of Academic Programs from the Perspective of Students in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University

Objectives: This study assesses the quality of academic programs in the College of Arts and Social Sciences at Sultan Qaboos University from the students' perspective. It examines variations in perceived program quality among the college's scientific departments. Methods: The study employs a descriptive survey approach, utilizing a questionnaire with 48 items across five dimensions to gauge the quality of academic program performance from the perspective of first-stage undergraduate students. A five-point Likert scale measures students' attitudes. The study population comprises all first-stage undergraduate students with a minimum of 75 credited hours across various programs, totaling 761 students for the spring semester of 2020. It consists of 336 students. Results: The overall evaluation of the quality of academic programs in the college, from the students' perspective, was rated as "moderate." It revealed that the quality levels of academic programs in the departments of Media, Arabic Language and Literature, English Language and Literature, and Geography were higher than the remaining departments: History, Information Studies, Tourism, Music, and Musicology. It identified significant differences in response means across all dimensions of academic program quality based on scientific department. No statistically significant differences were found in student responses across quality dimensions when considering the variable of gender. Conclusions: The study suggests implementing targeted programs in scientific departments to maximize the advantages of academic accreditation and improve academic program quality. It also recommends creating effective monitoring programs to address feedback from accreditation bodies and international evaluators, focusing on identifying strengths, weaknesses, and optimal methods for enhancement

Palm Date Fibers: Analysis and Enzymatic Hydrolysis

Waste palm dates were subjected to analysis for composition and enzymatic hydrolysis of their flesh fibers. The fruit contained 32% glucose and 30% fructose, while the water-insoluble fibers of its flesh consisted of 49.9% lignin and 20.9% polysaccharides. Water-insoluble fibers were settled to 55% of its initial volume in 12 h. The presence of skin and flesh colloidal fibers results in high viscosity and clogging problems during industrial processes. The settling velocity of the fibers was improved by enzymatic hydrolysis. Hydrolysis resulted in 84.3% conversion of the cellulosic part of the fibers as well as reducing the settling time to 10 minutes and the final settled volume to 4% of the initial volume. It implies easier separation of the fibers and facilitates fermentation processes in the corresponding industries. Two kinds of high- and low-lignin fibers were identified from the water-insoluble fibers. The high-lignin fibers (75% lignin) settled easily, while the low-lignin fibers (41.4% lignin) formed a slurry suspension which settled very slowly. The hydrophilicity of these low-lignin fibers is the major challenge of the industrial processes

Impact of nonoptimal intakes of saturated, polyunsaturated, and trans fat on global burdens of coronary heart disease

Background: Saturated fat (SFA), ω‐6 (n‐6) polyunsaturated fat (PUFA), and trans fat (TFA) influence risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but attributable CHD mortalities by country, age, sex, and time are unclear. Methods and Results: National intakes of SFA, n‐6 PUFA, and TFA were estimated using a Bayesian hierarchical model based on country‐specific dietary surveys; food availability data; and, for TFA, industry reports on fats/oils and packaged foods. Etiologic effects of dietary fats on CHD mortality were derived from meta‐analyses of prospective cohorts and CHD mortality rates from the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases study. Absolute and proportional attributable CHD mortality were computed using a comparative risk assessment framework. In 2010, nonoptimal intakes of n‐6 PUFA, SFA, and TFA were estimated to result in 711 800 (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 680 700–745 000), 250 900 (95% UI 236 900–265 800), and 537 200 (95% UI 517 600–557 000) CHD deaths per year worldwide, accounting for 10.3% (95% UI 9.9%–10.6%), 3.6%, (95% UI 3.5%–3.6%) and 7.7% (95% UI 7.6%–7.9%) of global CHD mortality. Tropical oil–consuming countries were estimated to have the highest proportional n‐6 PUFA– and SFA‐attributable CHD mortality, whereas Egypt, Pakistan, and Canada were estimated to have the highest proportional TFA‐attributable CHD mortality. From 1990 to 2010 globally, the estimated proportional CHD mortality decreased by 9% for insufficient n‐6 PUFA and by 21% for higher SFA, whereas it increased by 4% for higher TFA, with the latter driven by increases in low‐ and middle‐income countries. Conclusions: Nonoptimal intakes of n‐6 PUFA, TFA, and SFA each contribute to significant estimated CHD mortality, with important heterogeneity across countries that informs nation‐specific clinical, public health, and policy priorities.peer-reviewe

Children’s and adolescents’ rising animal-source food intakes in 1990–2018 were impacted by age, region, parental education and urbanicity

Animal-source foods (ASF) provide nutrition for children and adolescents’ physical and cognitive development. Here, we use data from the Global Dietary Database and Bayesian hierarchical models to quantify global, regional and national ASF intakes between 1990 and 2018 by age group across 185 countries, representing 93% of the world’s child population. Mean ASF intake was 1.9 servings per day, representing 16% of children consuming at least three daily servings. Intake was similar between boys and girls, but higher among urban children with educated parents. Consumption varied by age from 0.6 at <1 year to 2.5 servings per day at 15–19 years. Between 1990 and 2018, mean ASF intake increased by 0.5 servings per week, with increases in all regions except sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, total ASF consumption was highest in Russia, Brazil, Mexico and Turkey, and lowest in Uganda, India, Kenya and Bangladesh. These findings can inform policy to address malnutrition through targeted ASF consumption programmes.publishedVersio