Oman's foreign policy : foundations and practice

The object of this dissertation is to record and analyze the foreign policy of the Sultanate of Oman from the early twentieth century until 2004. It challenges the central assumption of the contemporary scholarship on the subject that Muscat's modern foreign policy begins in 1970. It is often presumed that the pre-1970 era does not merit a thorough investigation to understand Muscat's modus operandi today. This study argues that for a comprehensive understanding of Muscat's foreign policy since 1970, the frontier of the historical analysis of Oman's regional and international involvement should be pushed back to the 1930's, when the young Sultan Said assumed power over the country divided by the "Treaty" or the "Agreement" of Sib. Indeed, the thrust of this research lies at once in repudiating the conventional wisdom regarding both the persona of Sultan Said and the customary political/historical narrative of Said's reign. The critical analysis of this period is utilized to rebut the pervasive and largely inaccurate historical narrative of the events prior to 1970, to recount an original interpretation of the period, and to use the narrative as a preamble for subsequent foreign policy directions and initiatives. Furthermore, this dissertation covers the gaps in the literature resulting from the absence of any materials that either record or analyze Muscat's foreign policy from 1996 until 2004. In addition, his study provides new information and a fresh analysis of the international relations of the region, including great power rivalry, especially the competition between the United States and Great Britain, and the attitudes of major regional actors, such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq. The use of a thorough historical inquiry is vital to support the central claim of this dissertation; therefore, a large section of this dissertation is based almost exclusively on archival materials collected from the British Public Records Office, the University of Oxford and the Library of Congress. This project represents the most comprehensive use of archival materials on the subject matter to date.

Geophysical Analysis of a Central Florida Karst Terrain using Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) Derived Surfaces

Airborne LIDAR (Light Detecting and Ranging) is a relatively new technique that rapidly and accurately measures micro-topographic features. This study compares topography derived from LIDAR with subsurface karst structures mapped in 3-dimensions with ground penetrating radar (GPR). Over 500 km of LIDAR data were collected in 1995 by the NASA ATM instrument. The LIDAR data was processed and analyzed to identify closed depressions. A GPR survey was then conducted at a 200 by 600 m site to determine if the target features are associated with buried karst structures. The GPR survey resolved two major depressions in the top of a clay rich layer at ~10m depth. These features are interpreted as buried dolines and are associated spatially with subtle (< 1m) trough-like depressions in the topography resolved from the LIDAR data. This suggests that airborne LIDAR may be a useful tool for indirectly detecting subsurface features associated with sinkhole hazard.

Optimizing the Synthesis of AZN

Azulenyl nitrone (AZN) is a bright green compound that can be used to stain different compounds, including plastics. When these stained plastics are irradiated, as they commonly are in the sterilization of medical devices, AZN changes color from green to red, constituting a permanent change. This would make obsolete the current methods of radioactive labeling and maintain the integrity of medical equipment. Although a method of synthesis is already in place, the aim was to improve the yield significantly and find a more efficient and cost-effective procedure. Last year, the procedure used resulted in 18 to 20% of AZN synthesized at the most favorable conditions. With that in mind, this year modifications were done in the hopes of improving the yield. The solvent was changed to a mixture of isopropanol and triethylamine, a stronger base, and a catalytic amount of N-tertbutyl hydroxylamine hydrochloride was used (around 4 equivalents). The reaction time was also increased to 7 days, rather than 2. After several trials, the samples were run through column chromatography and the average yield was 70%, a much more promising result than that obtained last year. There is still research to be done to improve the technicalities of the procedure, including altering the amounts of N-tertbutyl hydroxylamine hydrochloride to try and obtain similar data with fewer amounts. This portion of the research will be done in the second half of the year. In the meantime, however, a novel and more efficient method of synthesis has been established for the production of AZN that can be potentially commercialized.

Optimizing the Synthesis of AZN

Azulenyl nitrone (AZN) is a bright green compound that can be used to stain different compounds, including plastics. When these stained plastics are irradiated, as they commonly are in the sterilization of medical devices, AZN changes color from green to red, constituting a permanent change. This would make obsolete the current methods of radioactive labeling and maintain the integrity of medical equipment. Although a method of synthesis is already in place, the aim was to improve the yield significantly and find a more efficient and cost-effective procedure. Last year, the procedure used resulted in 18 to 20% of AZN synthesized at the most favorable conditions. With that in mind, this year modifications were done in the hopes of improving the yield. The solvent was changed to a mixture of isopropanol and triethylamine, a stronger base, and a catalytic amount of N-tertbutyl hydroxylamine hydrochloride was used (around 4 equivalents). The reaction time was also increased to 7 days, rather than 2. After several trials, the samples were run through column chromatography and the average yield was 70%, a much more promising result than that obtained last year. There is still research to be done to improve the technicalities of the procedure, including altering the amounts of N-tertbutyl hydroxylamine hydrochloride to try and obtain similar data with fewer amounts. This portion of the research will be done in the second half of the year. In the meantime, however, a novel and more efficient method of synthesis has been established for the production of AZN that can be potentially commercialized.

Global compilation of benthic data sets I

Approaches to quantify the organic carbon accumulation on a global scale generally do not consider the small-scale variability of sedimentary and oceanographic boundary conditions along continental margins. In this study, we present a new approach to regionalize the total organic carbon (TOC) content in surface sediments (<5 cm sediment depth). It is based on a compilation of more than 5500 single measurements from various sources. Global TOC distribution was determined by the application of a combined qualitative and quantitative-geostatistical method. Overall, 33 benthic TOC-based provinces were defined and used to process the global distribution pattern of the TOC content in surface sediments in a 1°x1° grid resolution. Regional dependencies of data points within each single province are expressed by modeled semi-variograms. Measured and estimated TOC values show good correlation, emphasizing the reasonable applicability of the method. The accumulation of organic carbon in marine surface sediments is a key parameter in the control of mineralization processes and the material exchange between the sediment and the ocean water. Our approach will help to improve global budgets of nutrient and carbon cycles.

Vertical profiles of environmental parameters measured from physical, optical and imaging sensors during station TARA_177 of the Tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013

The Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013) sampled the world oceans on board a 36 m long schooner, collecting environmental data and organisms from viruses to planktonic metazoans for later analyses using modern sequencing and state-of-the-art imaging technologies. Tara Oceans Data are particularly suited to study the genetic, morphological and functional diversity of plankton. The present data set includes properties of seawater, particulate matter and dissolved matter from physical, optical and imaging sensors mounted on a vertical sampling system (Rosette) used during the 2009-2013 tara Oceans Expedition. It comprised 2 pairs of conductivity and temperature sensors (SEABIRD components), and a complete set of WEtLabs optical sensors, including chrorophyll and CDOM fluorometers, a 25 cm transmissiometer, and a one-wavelength backscatter meter. In addition, a SATLANTIC ISUS nitrate sensor and a Hydroptic Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP) were mounted on the rosette. In the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Seas (2013), a second oxygen sensor (SBE43) and a four frequency Aquascat acoustic profiler were added. The system was powered on specific Li-Ion batteries and data were self-recorded at 24HZ. Sensors have all been factory calibrated before, during and after the four year program. Oxygen was validated using climatologies (WOA09). Nitrate and Fluorescence data were adjusted with discrete measurements from Niskin bottles mounted on the Rosette, and optical darks were performed monthly on board. A total of 839 quality checked vertical profiles were made during the tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013.

Vertical profiles of environmental parameters measured from physical, optical and imaging sensors during station TARA_135 of the Tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013

The Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013) sampled the world oceans on board a 36 m long schooner, collecting environmental data and organisms from viruses to planktonic metazoans for later analyses using modern sequencing and state-of-the-art imaging technologies. Tara Oceans Data are particularly suited to study the genetic, morphological and functional diversity of plankton. The present data set includes properties of seawater, particulate matter and dissolved matter from physical, optical and imaging sensors mounted on a vertical sampling system (Rosette) used during the 2009-2013 tara Oceans Expedition. It comprised 2 pairs of conductivity and temperature sensors (SEABIRD components), and a complete set of WEtLabs optical sensors, including chrorophyll and CDOM fluorometers, a 25 cm transmissiometer, and a one-wavelength backscatter meter. In addition, a SATLANTIC ISUS nitrate sensor and a Hydroptic Underwater Vision Profiler (UVP) were mounted on the rosette. In the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Seas (2013), a second oxygen sensor (SBE43) and a four frequency Aquascat acoustic profiler were added. The system was powered on specific Li-Ion batteries and data were self-recorded at 24HZ. Sensors have all been factory calibrated before, during and after the four year program. Oxygen was validated using climatologies (WOA09). Nitrate and Fluorescence data were adjusted with discrete measurements from Niskin bottles mounted on the Rosette, and optical darks were performed monthly on board. A total of 839 quality checked vertical profiles were made during the tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013.

Vertical profiles of environmental parameters measured on discrete water samples collected with Niskin bottles at station TARA_152 during the Tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013

The Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013) was a global survey of ocean ecosystems aboard the Sailing Vessel Tara. It carried out extensive measurements of evironmental conditions and collected plankton (viruses, bacteria, protists and metazoans) for later analysis using modern sequencing and state-of-the-art imaging technologies. Tara Oceans Data are particularly suited to study the genetic, morphological and functional diversity of plankton. The present data set includes properties of seawater, particulate matter and dissolved matter that were measured from discrete water samples collected with Niskin bottles during the 2009-2013 Tara Oceans expedition. Properties include pigment concentrations from HPLC analysis (10 depths per vertical profile, 25 pigments per depth), the carbonate system (Surface and 400m; pH (total scale), CO2, pCO2, fCO2, HCO3, CO3, Total alkalinity, Total carbon, OmegaAragonite, OmegaCalcite, and dosage Flags), nutrients (10 depths per vertical profile; NO2, PO4, N02/NO3, SI, quality Flags), DOC, CDOM, and dissolved oxygen isotopes. The Service National d'Analyse des Paramètres Océaniques du CO2, at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, determined CT and AT potentiometrically. More than 200 vertical profiles of these properties were made across the world ocean. DOC, CDOM and dissolved oxygen isotopes are available only for the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Seas (2013).

Vertical profiles of environmental parameters measured on discrete water samples collected with Niskin bottles at station TARA_144 during the Tara Oceans expedition 2009-2013

The Tara Oceans Expedition (2009-2013) was a global survey of ocean ecosystems aboard the Sailing Vessel Tara. It carried out extensive measurements of evironmental conditions and collected plankton (viruses, bacteria, protists and metazoans) for later analysis using modern sequencing and state-of-the-art imaging technologies. Tara Oceans Data are particularly suited to study the genetic, morphological and functional diversity of plankton. The present data set includes properties of seawater, particulate matter and dissolved matter that were measured from discrete water samples collected with Niskin bottles during the 2009-2013 Tara Oceans expedition. Properties include pigment concentrations from HPLC analysis (10 depths per vertical profile, 25 pigments per depth), the carbonate system (Surface and 400m; pH (total scale), CO2, pCO2, fCO2, HCO3, CO3, Total alkalinity, Total carbon, OmegaAragonite, OmegaCalcite, and dosage Flags), nutrients (10 depths per vertical profile; NO2, PO4, N02/NO3, SI, quality Flags), DOC, CDOM, and dissolved oxygen isotopes. The Service National d'Analyse des Paramètres Océaniques du CO2, at the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, determined CT and AT potentiometrically. More than 200 vertical profiles of these properties were made across the world ocean. DOC, CDOM and dissolved oxygen isotopes are available only for the Arctic Ocean and Arctic Seas (2013).

Trajetória de pessoas com AIDS em situação de vulnerabilidade social: à luz da história oral de vida

The epidemic caused by HIV presents a global, dynamic and unstable phenomenon, which depends on the individual and collective human behavior. Efforts to deconstruct the stigmatized image caused by infection of AIDS are still often associated with adoption of socially unacceptable behavior to be a circumscribed the susceptibilities of vulnerable individuals and communities to infection, illness and death by HIV. This study aimed to: narrate the trajectory of life of people with AIDS more vulnerable enrolled in the Municipal Social Assistance Parnamirim / RN. It is a study of qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, taking oral history of life as technical and methodological framework. The colony consisted of 186 people with AIDS. The network was comprised of 13 employees of both sexes, aged between 19 and 62 years old with positive diagnosis and agreed to voluntarily participate. After approval by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (CEP / UFRN), in the opinion No. 719,926 CAAE: 30408114.5.0000.5537 on 6 June 2014 data were collected from August to September 2014. The employees signed the Informed Consent and Informed and letter of assignment. Held transcribing the interviews and later returned to respondents to retest, ie so that they confer what allowed us to carry out transcreation after consecutive readings. The reports were analyzed through Bardin content analysis. Guiding the analysis of the accounts of employees, we find three themes: Prejudice and discrimination in living with AIDS; Reacting to the diagnosis and the accession process to antiretroviral treatment; and religious coping in people with AIDS. It can be concluded in this study, that employees have shown great emotional impact after positive diagnosis for HIV / AIDS, especially with regard to social life, the family ties, work and above all to the prejudice of society. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs was seen as a motivation to regain dreams and plans for a future once uncertain, and even if it is not a cure therapy, provided the employees improved quality of life.

Trajetória de pessoas com AIDS em situação de vulnerabilidade social: à luz da história oral de vida

The epidemic caused by HIV presents a global, dynamic and unstable phenomenon, which depends on the individual and collective human behavior. Efforts to deconstruct the stigmatized image caused by infection of AIDS are still often associated with adoption of socially unacceptable behavior to be a circumscribed the susceptibilities of vulnerable individuals and communities to infection, illness and death by HIV. This study aimed to: narrate the trajectory of life of people with AIDS more vulnerable enrolled in the Municipal Social Assistance Parnamirim / RN. It is a study of qualitative, exploratory and descriptive approach, taking oral history of life as technical and methodological framework. The colony consisted of 186 people with AIDS. The network was comprised of 13 employees of both sexes, aged between 19 and 62 years old with positive diagnosis and agreed to voluntarily participate. After approval by the Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (CEP / UFRN), in the opinion No. 719,926 CAAE: 30408114.5.0000.5537 on 6 June 2014 data were collected from August to September 2014. The employees signed the Informed Consent and Informed and letter of assignment. Held transcribing the interviews and later returned to respondents to retest, ie so that they confer what allowed us to carry out transcreation after consecutive readings. The reports were analyzed through Bardin content analysis. Guiding the analysis of the accounts of employees, we find three themes: Prejudice and discrimination in living with AIDS; Reacting to the diagnosis and the accession process to antiretroviral treatment; and religious coping in people with AIDS. It can be concluded in this study, that employees have shown great emotional impact after positive diagnosis for HIV / AIDS, especially with regard to social life, the family ties, work and above all to the prejudice of society. Treatment with antiretroviral drugs was seen as a motivation to regain dreams and plans for a future once uncertain, and even if it is not a cure therapy, provided the employees improved quality of life.

Concentrations of chemical elements in bottom sediments from the Southeast Pacific

Data from the Appendix to the PhD Thesis of the author.