This thesis analyzes the European Union as an international actor in the context of World Trade Organisation. This thesis discusses the interaction between the EU and the WTO from several important dimensions. This thesis also examines different theoretical perspectives about concepts of actors and actorness, the evolution of trade policy of the EU, and the history of world multilateral trade system as well.

This thesis investigates the variability in management practices on coffee and banana farms in an attempt to identify practices that reduce the environmental impact of export crop production. Different banana production systems are studied to determine their level of environmental impact. Insect sampling and bird surveys are used to assess the level of ecological quality on banana farms and their surrounding environments. The first two studies are based on interview methods and focus more on the social aspects of the production system. Paper I identifies how farmers utilize labor and herbicides in weed control practices, and found that small-scale coffee farmers overuse herbicides when their relative use of herbicides to labor to control weed densities is compared to their large-scale counterparts and small-scale organic producers. Paper II attempts to identify variability in management practices for the production of export bananas, but instead finds that there is only one type of export banana production system. However, there are lessons to be learned from organic and banana-coffee intercropping systems of production. Papers III-V use the information gathered in the interview studies of Paper II to give context to the results from analysis of ecological indicators collected from banana farms. Paper III is a comparison of insect community composition on high-input, low-input and organic banana farms. Paper IV is an analysis of aquatic macroinvertebrate in surface water sites upstream and downstream of banana farm canal entry points. Finally, Paper V is a comparison of ecological effects of management practices between Rainforest Alliance certified farms and non-RainforestAlliancecertified farms. Results showed that low-input banana production is not as good as organic production with regards to ecological impact, but it can still make a difference when compared to high-input banana production. Rainforest Alliance certified farms, however, are not low-input systems and the changes that they make in production practices are not enough to influence the quality of the ecological system. These results are encouraging for low-input production systems, but show that standards for Rainforest Alliance certification need to be tougher in order to make an impact on ecological indicators. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 2: Submitted. Paper 3: Submitted. Paper 4: Submitted. Paper 5: Manuscript.

Univ., Magisterarbeit--Quito, 2006.

Zugl.: Trier, Univ., Diss., 2003

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. James P. Jones, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of History. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Jan, 31, 2005). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 133-143). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1965. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 182-187).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-05-17T16:51:18Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2015-08-07. Added 1 bitstream(s) on 2016-05-17T16:54:54Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 000864054.pdf: 1096858 bytes, checksum: e222337b77de895484a9318514a73e35 (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A casca de banana é um resíduo agroindustrial, rica do ponto de vista nutritivo e com potencial para utilização no desenvolvimento de um novo produto. Neste sentido, o objetivo geral deste trabalho foi estudar o efeito da adição da farinha da casca de banana na elaboração de barras de cereais. A metodologia de modelagem de misturas foi utilizada para investigar os efeitos da farinha da casca de banana, flocos de arroz e farinha de aveia na aceitação sensorial e características físicas das barras de cereais; as formulações mais e menos aceitas tiveram seus perfis sensoriais avaliados por meio de análise descritiva; e o armazenamento das barras de cereais foi estudado quanto aos compostos bioativos e propriedades de textura. Proporções equivalentes dos três componentes (farinha de casca de banana, flocos de arroz e farinha da aveia) e a interação binária de farinha de casca de banana e flocos de arroz resultaram em barras de cereais com um grau de aceitação na região de melhor resposta do diagrama triangular. Ainda, a farinha da casca de banana interagiu com flocos de arroz e a farinha de aveia, promovendo mudanças na cor, volume específico e adesividade das barras de cereais. O mapa de preferência externo mostrou que a barra de cereal com 50% de farinha de casca de banana e 50% de flocos de arroz e a barra de cereal com 17% de farinha de casca de banana/66% de flocos de arroz/17% de farinha de aveia foram caracterizadas pela aceitação pela aparência, textura, sabor e aceitação global, bem como maior volume específico, força de ruptura e dureza; a formulação com iguais proporções dos três ingredientes foi caracterizada pela aceitação pelo aroma e baixas intensidades de vermelho, amarelo e croma. A adição da farinha de casca de banana também mudou a intensidade dos termos descritores das barras de cereais, resultando em diferentes perfis sensoriais em relação à barra comercial. Barras com maior... / The banana peel is an agro-industrial residue, rich regarding to nutritive value and with potential to be used in the development of a new product. In this way, the objective of this work was to study the effect of addition of the banana peel flour in production of cereal bars. The mixture modeling methodology was used to investigate the effects of banana peel flour, rice flakes and oat flour on the sensory acceptability and physical characteristics of the cereal bars; the most and least accepted formulations had their sensory profiles evaluated through descriptive analysis; and the storage of the cereal bars was studied regarding to bioactive compounds and texture properties. Equivalent proportions of three components and binary mixtures of banana peel flour and rice flakes resulted in bars with liking degree in the region of higher response in the triangular diagrams. Yet, the interaction between banana peel flour with rice flakes or oat flour promoted changes to the color, specific volume and adhesiveness of the cereal bars. The external preference mapping showed that cereal bar with 50% of banana peel flour and 50% of rice flakes and the cereal bar with 17% of banana peel flour /66% of rice flakes/17% of oat flour were characterized by the acceptability by appearance, texture, flavor and overall acceptability, as well as greater specific volume, force of rupture and hardness; the formulation with equal proportions of the three ingredients was characterized by acceptability by the aroma, and low intensities of red, yellow and chroma. The addition of banana peel flour also changed the intensity of descriptive terms of the cereal bars, resulting in different sensory profiles in relation to the commercial bar. Cereal bars with higher quantities of banana peel flour were characterized by dark color, banana aroma and bitter taste, while cereal bar with lowest quantity of banana peel flour was characterized by amount of rice flakes and ...

My dissertation project explores the ways in which the banana exposes Americans’ interconnected imaginings of exotic food, gender, and race. Since the late nineteenth century, The United Fruit Company’s continuous supply of bananas to US retail markets has veiled the fruit’s production history, and the company’s marketing strategies and campaigns have turned the banana into an American staple food. By the time Josephine Baker and Carmen Miranda were using the banana as part of their stage and screen costumes between the 1920s and the 1940s, this imported fruit had come to represent foreignness, tropicality, and exoticism. Building upon foodways studies and affect studies, which trace how foodstuffs travel and embody memory and affect, I show how romantic imaginings of bananas have drawn attention away from the exploitative nature of a fruit trade that benefits from and reinforces the imbalanced power relationship between the US and Central America. In this project, I analyze the meaning interwoven into three forms of cultural production: banana cookbooks published by the United Fruit Company for middle-class American housewives; McKay’s dissent poetry; and the costumes and exotic transnational stage performances of Baker, Miranda, and also the United Fruit mascot, Miss Chiquita. / 2021-01-11

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Florianópolis, 2010 / Made available in DSpace on 2012-10-25T10:20:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 276167.pdf: 8668613 bytes, checksum: 3bae411187920f0e4eadbc2a39057abb (MD5) / Na medicina popular brasileira, a casca de banana tem um histórico de uso na cura de lesões por queimadura. Compostos antioxidantes têm sido isolados de diferentes fontes naturais e possuem um papel importante na prevenção e cura de doenças, como o câncer por exemplo. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os extratos provenientes da casca de banana (Musa spp.) (EBAQ: extrato bruto aquoso; EBHE: extrato bruto hidroetanólico; ESC: extrato derivado de extração supercrítica) no processo de cicatrização de lesões, considerando seu potencial antioxidante, e quanto a sua atividade antitumoral in vitro e in vivo. Para avaliar o potencial cicatrizante dos extratos, camundongos isogênicos Balb/C (peso 20 ± 2g, n = 6) foram submetidos ao modelo de excisão e foram divididos em grupo controle negativo (CN), que receberam topicamente água durante 3, 6, 9, 12 e 15 dias, grupo controle positivo (CP), que receberam topicamente solução de alantoína (50 mg/kg/dia) durante 3, 6, 9, 12 e 15 dias e grupos tratados topicamente com os EBAQ e EBHE (50 mg/kg/dia), conforme os grupos controle. O potencial cicatrizante e as defesas antioxidantes foram avaliados. Os resultados foram estatisticamente significativos quando comparados com os grupos CN e CP. Os tratamentos com EBAQ e EBHE foram capazes de diminuir o período de epitelização e a cicatrização das lesões se deu em 9 dias, aumentar o teor de hidroxiprolina, diminuir a peroxidação lipídica e o conteúdo de proteína carbonilada nos tecidos cicatriciais, aumentar o teor de glutationa reduzida tendendo ao nível básal, diminuir as atividades das enzimas catalase, glutationa peroxidase e glutationa S-transferase e diminuir a atividade da superóxido dismutase demonstrando uma tendência ao nível basal. O estudo histológico da lesão foi realizado com o emprego do EBAQ para o tratamento das lesões, o qual foi o mais eficaz na análise de atividade cicatrizante, quando comparado ao tratamento com EBHE. Os resultados do estudo histológico da lesão confirmaram o potencial cicatrizante do EBAQ, uma vez que mostraram proliferação de fibroblastos e indução do processo de reepitelização. EBAQ, EBHE e ESC foram analisados em relação a atividade antitumoral in vitro. Apenas o EBAQ apresentou citotoxicidade in vitro contra as células d tumor ascítico de Ehrlich (TAE), com CI50 correspondente a 152,83 mg/mL. O EBHE não apresentou atividade no ensaio de citotoxicidade in vitro e não foi analisado no modelo in vivo para avaliar a atividade antitumoral. O ESC também não apresentou atividade no ensaio de citotoxicidade in vitro contra as células do TAE. Porém, apresentou elevada toxicidade quando aplicado no modelo de excisão em camundongo para avaliação do potencial cicatrizante. Por isso, foi aplicado aos ensaios de atividade antitumoral in vivo. Avaliações morfológicas em camundongos isogênicos Balb/C portadores de TAE (peso de 20 ± 2g, n = 6) mostraram que os animais tratados com o EBAQ e o ESC apresentaram diminuição significativa do peso corporal (~ 67 % e ~ 79 %, respectivamente) e no crescimento do TAE (~ 57 % e ~ 49 %, respectivamente), quando comparados ao grupo CN. EBAQ e ESC foram capazes de aumentar o número de células inviáveis (4 vezes e 2 vezes, respectivamente) e a porcentagem média de sobrevivência dos animais (~ 23 % e ~ 22 %, respectivamente), quando comparados ao grupo CN. Esses achados indicam que os EBQA e EBHE têm potencial cicatrizante que pode estar associado às suas propriedades antioxidantes. Além disso, os resultados dos testes de citotoxicidade in vitro e de atividade antitumoral in vivo são importantes indícios de uma possível aplicação de extratos da casca de Musa spp. casca (EBAQ e ESC) no tratamento do câncer. / In Brazilian popular medicine banana peel has a history of utility in burn healing. Antioxidant compounds have been isolated from different natural sources and play an important role in disease prevention and cure, such as cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate Musa spp. peel extracts (ACE: aquous crude extract; HCE: hydroethanol crude extract; SCE: supercritical extract) in wound healing process, considering its antioxidant potential, and its antitumoral activity in vitro and in vivo. To evaluate wound healing potential, Balb/C mice (weight 20±2g, n=6) were cutaneous by injured and were divided in negative control group (NC), which received topically water during 3, 6 ,9, 12 and 15 days, positive control group (PC), which received topically allantoin solution (50 mg/kg/day) during 3, 6 ,9, 12 and 15 days, and treated groups which, received topically ACE and HCE (50 mg/kg/day), as in the control groups. Results were statistically significant when compared with NC and PC groups. ACE and HCE treatments were able to decrease the epithelization period and healing the lesions in 9 days, to increase the hydroxyproline content, to decrease lipid peroxidation and carbonyl protein contents in healing tissues, to increase reduced gluthatione content with a basal level tendency, to decrease catalase activity, decrease superoxide dismutase activity showing a tendency to basal level and to decrease gluthatione peroxidase and gluthatione S-transferase activities during all treatment period. Lesion histological study was performed with ACE treatment which was the most effective in wound healing evaluation when compared to HCE treatment. The results of lesion histological study confirmed the ACE healing potencial, since it showed fibroblast proliferation and induction of reepithelialization process. ACE, HCE and SCE were analyzed in respect to in vitro antitumoral activity. Only ACE showed in vitro cytotoxicity to Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT) with IC50 corresponding to 152.83 mg/mL. HCE did not show in vitro cytotoxicity to EAT and it was not applied to the in vivo model to evaluate antitumoral activity. SCE did not show in vitro cytotoxicity to EAT, however, it showed high toxicity when applied in wound healing model. Because of this, SCE was applied to in vivo antitumoral assays. Morphological evaluations in EAT-bearing Balb/C mice (weight 20±2g, n=6) showed that animals treated with ACE and SCE presented significant reduction in the body weight (~ 67 % and ~ 79 %, respectively), and in EAT growth (~57 % and 49 %, respectively) when compared to the NC group. ACE and SCE were able to increase the inviable cell number (~ 4 times and ~ 2 times, respectively), the average percentage of survival of animals (~ 23 % and ~22 %, respectively) when compared to the NC group. These findings indicate that ACE andf HCE have a wound healing potential that may be associated to their antioxidant activity. They also indicate that in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo antitumoral activity are important indications of a possible application of extracts of Musa spp. peel (ACE and SCE) in cancer treatment.