This project examines the nature of UK relations with the Omani Sultans, Sultan Said bin Taimur (1932-1970) and his son, Sultan Qaboos (1970- present), in the context of the Dhofar War (1965-1975). The internal and external circumstances of this conflict give valuable insights into Omani independence and sovereignty, thereby addressing the paucity of Omani writing on this conflict (e.g. Al Hamdani, 2010, Al Amri, 2012, Ja'boub, 2010; Muqaibl, 2002). This study utilises a qualitative descriptive analytical methodology to study documents from British, American, Egyptian, and Omani sources, including archival texts from government officials and the revolutionaries. Interviews were also conducted with key military and civilian figures in the Sultanate of Oman and Britain. Examination of the actions undertaken by Sultan Said and Sultan Qaboos in the war highlights a dichotomy between the need to ensure compatibility with British politics at that time and the desire of the Omani leaders to maintain independence in the face of British imperialism. Despite the profound differences between the policies of both Sultans, this study shows that both governments had a developing and negotiable autonomy, rather than existing as a direct colony or an informal colony (see Abdalsatar, 1989, p. 46; Fadel, 1995, p. 212; Halliday, 2008, p. 331; Miles, 1920, pp.222-230; Omar, 2008, pp. 6-7; Owtram, 2004, p. 16;Samah, 2016, p. 273; Sultan & Naqeeb, 2008, p. 26; Wilson, 2012, pp. 331-332). Importantly, the relationship with the British is shown to have been a less important factor in the events and should therefore not be over-stated as informal imperialism. The main political values in the conflict were: (1) the support of tribal leaders; (2) the role of Islam and communism; (3) the unity of the leadership; and (4) the relations between the Sultans and other Gulf leaders. Overall, the relationship between the Omani rulers and the British was one of friendship, cooperation, and exchange of interests, which the Sultans used to maintain the independent needs of Oman.

In processing lobster, approximately 70% of the body weight is discarded as waste. The solid waste consists of shell, viscera and a small amount of meat. Lobster waste is an excellent source of protein (26.6%) crude fat (2.7%) and pigment (98 $ mu$g/g) on a dry weight basis which could be processed into a stable complex known as carotenoprotein. / Procedures for extraction of carotenoprotein from lobster waste have been developed, along with investigation of its distinctive physicochemical properties. The main factors were: demineralization agents (EDTA, HCl or heat) and precipitation agents ((NH$ sb4$)$ sb2$SO$ sb4$ or HCl). Lobster carotenoprotein recovered under different extraction procedures showed significant differences in terms of quantity and quality of the product recovered. However the procedures did not appear to affect the physical properties and amino acid profiles of carotenoprotein. / Optimal recovery involved treatment with EDTA as demineralization agent and precipitation with (NH$ sb4$)$ sb2$SO$ sb4$. Proximate and amino acid analyses indicated the potential of the recovered lyophilized protein as feed ingredient for cultured salmonids.

Lobster waste (including the head and hard carapace, viscera, mandibles and gills) contains approximately 98 $ mu$g/g total astaxanthin, 23% protein, 20% chitin, 34% ash, and 2.2% crude fat on dry weight basis. Carotenoprotein, amounting to 16% of the dry matter was effectively recovered from lobster waste by a trypsin aided process. Air-dried carotenoproteins were enriched in protein by about 108-115%, in crude fat by 540-594% and in carotenoid pigment by about 147-329% as compared with the waste material. Furthermore, the ash and chitin levels in the products were considerably lower than those of the raw material. / Drying characteristics of carotenoprotein was evaluated in a modified air-drier using air temperature (45$ sp circ$C, 55$ sp circ$C or 65$ sp circ$C) and relative humidity (5% and 15%) as main factors. The study indicated that higher temperatures achieved faster drying rates of the product but adversely affected its nutritional composition and/or quality. The proximate compositions of carotenoprotein dried at 45$ sp circ$C and relative humidity of 5% or 15% were comparable with that obtained by freeze drying. / Thus, the process achieved a substantial reduction in the levels of anti-nutrients associated with lobster waste (i.e., ash and chitin) while elevating the levels of carotenoid pigments and essential nutrients such as protein and fat in the recovered product. These characteristics of the tray-dried carotenoprotein suggest that it could be used as an inexpensive source of pigment and protein in diets of cultured salmonid species.

Interviews were conducted with thirty-five Australian and North American women who were fertile, childless and aged between twenty-eight and forty-two. The goal was to investigate how childlessness was experienced and understood by women for whom childbearing was a “live” issue. A key area of concern was whether women described their childlessness as “chosen” and if so, whether that description was a good “fit” with everyday understandings of choice. (For complete abstract open document)

Zugl.: Augsburg, Univ., Diss., 2009

Universiẗat, Diss., 2002--Stuttgart.

No description available.

No description available.

Difficulties in pollen transfer have adversely affected seed production of hybrid onion (Allium cepa L.) in the United States. Six onion cultivars were examined for differential attractiveness to the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Honey bees clearly discriminated between the onion cultivars in both open plots and caged plots. Nectar secretion, nectar sugar concentration, nectar sugar composition, mectar potassium content, and flower phenology were correlated with honey bee visitation. Nectar secretion rates ranged from 0.54 to 0.84 ul per floret per day. Onion cultivars also demonstrated differential flowering potential. The cultivars produced from 176 to 359 flowers per umbel with 32 to 74 umbels per 30 onions. All onion cultivars examinaed contained viscous nectar with sugar concentrations ranging from 51 to 65% of total dissolved solids. Onion nectar was analyzed by gas chromatography to determine qualitative sugar differences among onion cultivars. All cultivars were hexose dominant with an approximately 1:1 fructose:glucose ratio. However, fructose was slightly more abundant than glucose. Sucrose was much less abundant than the hexose sugars. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry revealed little difference in potassium content among the A. cepa cultivars. Nectar potassium levels ranged from 5,300 ppm to 6,900 ppm. Cultivars with higher nectar potassium levels had fewer honey bee visits. Two honey bee bioassays were conducted. The first bioassay simulated the sugar and potassium composition of each onion cultivar. The honey bees selectively foraged on simulated nectars with low potassium and high sugar concentrations. The second bioassay was designed to test honey bee response to "phenolic-rich" solutions. The natural compounds tested were dilutions of salt cedar (Tamarix pentandra Pall.) honey, almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) honey, and aloe (Aloe littoralis L.) nectar. The pure synthetic compounds tested were caffeic acid and genestic acid. Generally, honey bees foraged preferentially on the lower phenolic concentrations, indicating that compounds high in phenolic composition inhibit honey bee foraging. Finally, seed yields of each of the cultivars were compared. Wide variations in yields were correlated with honey bee visitation, sugar composition, potassium levels, and flower phenology.

Shrimp waste samples were extracted with a variety of organic solvents. Each fraction was measured for antioxidant activity by determining the rate of oxidation of β-carotene-linoleic acid in an emulsion system. An ethanol extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Purification of the most active fraction was accomplished by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant activity was not significantly effected by heating at 100°C for 4 hr or 30 days storage at 4°C. Purified antioxidant samples were further analyzed by several spectroscopy methods such as Fourier transformed-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The antioxidant was characterized as an ortho-disubstituted benzene. The content of antioxidant in shrimp waste was estimated to be 1.80 ppm. Antioxidant from shrimp waste was extracted and partially purified by silica gel glass column chromatography. Two species of rockfish (Sebastolobus alascanus, Sebastes ruberriumus) were treated with crude antioxidant solution respectively, while rockfish fillets (Sebastes alutus) were treated with different concentrations of antioxidant solutions from the column chromatography. Higher a* values were found in rockfish samples treated with antioxidants compared to the control without antioxidant during iced storage. Furthermore, rockfish fillets treated with 0.20%, and 0.50% (w/v) antioxidant had lower 2-thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values compared to the control group of rockfish fillets (Sebastes alutus). Crude extract (0.50% w/w), and purified antioxidant (0.10%, 0.20%, and 0.50% w/w) from shrimp waste were applied to sablefish mince and evaluated for their effectiveness to inhibit oxidative and hydrolytic rancidity of mince samples. Treatments with crude extract (0.5%), partially purified antioxidant (0.2%, 0.5%) had a significantly lower TBA, and peroxide value (PV) compared to the control group during refrigerated (4°C) and frozen storage (-20°C). The results from free fatty acid values suggested that antioxidant from shrimp waste had no effect on hydrolytic rancidity in sablefish mince. / Graduation date: 1995