Thesis (MEngSc)--University of Melbourne, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 182-187)

The purpose of this study was to identify the extent of adoption of microwave ovens by older adults in Blacksburg, Virginia. Level of adoption was defined and determined as a function of 1) frequency of use of the microwave oven in comparison to the range, and 2) complexity of food preparation. Mere ownership was not considered as an indicator of adoption. Focusing on the final stage of Rogers theory of adoption (1962), three levels of adoption were determined: High, medium, and low. A random sample of 75 adults 65 years and older was selected from the listing of retired personnel in the 1997-98 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University faculty and staff directory. Telephone interviews were conducted to collect information regarding current microwave oven usage patterns and decisions for future use and purchase. Relationships between level of adoption, and user characteristics and microwave oven characteristics were statistically tested. Results from the study indicate that 56% of these older adults who own a microwave oven are high adopters; i.e. they used the microwave more than the range and performed high complexity tasks. About 52% reported using the microwave oven more frequently than the range. Nearly all respondents were satisfied with the microwave oven in terms of speed and convenience, while 60% were satisfied with quality of foods cooked in the microwave oven. There was no significant difference in level of adoption with age, gender, health condition, and knowledge of microwave oven use. However, level of adoption was significantly higher among older adults who were "never" married or "previously" married compared to those that were "currently" married. Also, level of adoption was significantly lower among those older adults who had touch controls on their microwave oven compared to those with rotary dials. Other significant results of this study dealt with future use and purchase decisions. About 93% of the respondents indicated a desire to continue using a microwave oven in the future and about 76% indicated that they would purchase one in the future if their current microwave oven "dies." Results from this study have implications for appliance manufacturers who can increase sales by targeting this group, researchers in household equipment who can study adoption of other innovative appliances, and developers of retirement communities who might consider providing a microwave oven for use by residents or provide a space where one can be placed. / Master of Science

Historically, earth ovens have been used to provide direct evidence of ancient plant use through the recovery of charred macrobotanical remains and indirectly by means of experimental archaeology and the ethnographic record. Experiments suggest that direct evidence of ancient starch-rich plant use can be obtained through the recovery of starch granules deposited on fire-cracked-rock (FCR) during cooking episodes even in regions where macrobotanical remains are scarcely preserved. Starch contamination, however, can enter into the archaeological record providing “background noise.” Therefore, this study analyzes the results of the Paluxy Sand Geophyte Project to determine if archaeological starch (starch that is both cultural and ancient in origin) can be differentiated from contamination using FCR recovered from heating elements in well-preserved earth ovens at Fort Hood, Texas. FCR, non-cultural rock control samples (RCS), and air control samples (ACS) were processed and analyzed from 27 earth ovens at 6 sites. Contamination control measures were used, including the use of a clean bench, powder-free latex gloves, washing samples prior to processing, spot sampling, and comparisons between starch granule assemblages recovered from FCR and control samples. Laboratory and field equipment were processed and analyzed for contamination. Only one feature (Feature 4 from 41CV984) yielded starch granules that are unambiguously archaeological in origin, rather than the result of contamination, whereas starch assemblages from the other sites could be archaeological or contamination in origin. Small sample sizes, differential preservation, and/or the cooking of non-starch-rich plants could account for the lack of differences between FCR and RCS samples. Finally, maize (Zea mays) starch granules were recovered from all sample types suggesting that maize starch, most likely from “powder-free” gloves and air-fall is a significant source of starch contamination.

Thesis(M.I.D.)--Auburn University, 2006. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.93-96).

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-29T14:10:16Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 tese_3973_Dissertacao_normas_PPGP_conferida.pdf: 789077 bytes, checksum: d1a724baf56d832806d49935d4d9bf19 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011-08-30 / No momento em que as fronteiras entre o rural e o urbano diminuem cada vez mais e diferentes universos culturais se interpenetram, as dificuldades socioeconomicas dificultam a vida de quem vive da agricultura, emerge a juventude rural como uma população profundamente afetada por estes processos. População esta que, por muito tempo, passou despercebida das pesquisas acadêmicas brasileiras. Tendo como base a Teoria das Identidade SociaL esta pesquisa, portanto, busca conhecer as possíveis diferenças dos processos identitários entre os jovens rurais residentes em um assentamento do Movimento dos Trabalhadores Rurais Sem Terra e os jovens rurais, filhos de pequenos produtores rurais, e residentes no interior de Castelo. Foram entrevistados vinte alunos do Programa ProJovem Campo Saberes da Terra Capixaba, com idade entre quatorze e vinte e cinco anos. Os resultados indicaram que o contato dos jovens rurais com diferentes realidade, e grupos sociais influencia diretamente na formação de suas identidades e de estereótipos. Conclui-se também que muitos são os fatores que contribuem para o anseio de mudança dos jovens do campo para a cidad, como por exemplo, a oportunidade de dar continuidade aos estudos, de ter opções de lazer, de buscar uma vida melhor.

La empresa Industrias Surco S.R.Ltda., tiene más de 20 años de experiencia fabricando equipos gastronómicos para restaurantes, cuentan con una planta de 1 200 m2 en el Parque Industrial de Villa El Salvador en Lima. Industrias Surco, ha patentado en Indecopi, el Horno Pollero Ecológico, además tiene registrada su marca en Estados Unidos, cumpliendo las normativas de fabricación americana. Las estrategias que utilizará la empresa para potenciar sus exportaciones serán: • Equipos para la industria gastronómica con alto valor agregado. • Incrementar la participación en ferias comerciales. • Aprovechar el potencial de demanda del mercado americano y la imagen ganada por la gastronomía peruana, además del consumo de pollo rostizado. • Implementar una campaña promocional para llegar a los clientes en el mercado americano, aprovechando el TLC. • Posicionar a la empresa como un proveedor de clase mundial. Para ello, la empresa participará como visitante en la Feria Hotel Motel and Restaurant Supply Show y luego como expositor en la Feria International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, cumpliendo con los siguientes objetivos: • Incrementar las exportaciones en al menos US$ $28.000 en el 2019. • Obtener como mínimo dos (02) clientes en Estados Unidos en el 2019. • Participación en ferias internacionales en Estados Unidos. Para estos objetivos se obtendrá recursos no reembolsables del Programa de Apoyo a la Internacionalización - PAI. La participación de Industrias Surco en las Ferias en Estados Unidos será el inicio del crecimiento de sus exportaciones y de la consolidación como empresa peruana líder. / Industrias Surco S.R.Ltda., Has more than 20 years of experience manufacturing gastronomic equipment for restaurants, has a plant of 1,200 m2 in the Industrial Park of Villa El Salvador in Lima. Industrias Surco, has patented in Indecopi, the Ecological Pollero Oven, also has its trademark registered in the United States, complying with American manufacturing regulations. The strategies that the company will use to boost its exports will be: • Equipment for the gastronomic industry with high added value. • Increase participation in trade fairs. • Take advantage of the demand potential of the American market and the image gained by Peruvian cuisine, in addition to the consumption of roasted chicken. • Implement a promotional campaign to reach customers in the American market, taking advantage of the FTA. • Position the company as a world class supplier. For this purpose, the company will participate as a visitor at the Hotel Motel and Restaurant Supply Show and then as an exhibitor at the International Restaurant & Foodservice Show of New York, meeting the following objectives: • Increase exports by at least US $ 28,000 in 2019. • Obtain at least two (02) customers in the United States in 2019. • Participation in international fairs in the United States. For these objectives, will be obtained from the Programa de Apoyo a la Internacionalización - PAI, non-reimbursable resources. Industrias Surco's participation in the Fairs in the United States will be the beginning of its export growth and consolidation as a leading Peruvian company. / Tesis

A presente pesquisa, partiu de uma problemática relacionada ao conceito de cadeias operatórias e propôs avaliar a existência de conexões entre os vasilhames e as fontes de matéria prima, além de constatar o emprego de tempero enquanto dado cultural na pasta cerâmica, buscando suporte para obtenção de respostas numa ampla gama de análises arqueométricas. Desenvolvida nos sítios Inhazinha e Rodrigues Furtado, localizados no município de Perdizes no Triângulo Mineiro, a pesquisa evidenciou uma nova zona arqueológica para o sítio Inhazinha, que se caracteriza por um sistema de produção cerâmica composto por três fornos escavados, associado a um horizonte cultural (agricultores ceramistas históricos) até então desconhecido para a região de estudo. Datada em 212±19 anos AP (AMS-CENA-USP/SP), e 190±30 anos AP (C14-BETA/EUA), tal assentamento, se constitui de uma nova ocupação relacionada aos Cayapós Meridionais que viveram na região do Triângulo Mineiro até o final do século XIX. Os vestígios encontrados, revelam não só as características socioculturais do grupo, mas também demonstram processos de \"interação\" decorrentes do inevitável contato com o homem branco. Os resultados obtidos por meio de estudos arqueométricos demonstram que os vasilhames cerâmicos não possuem correlação com as fontes argilosas evidenciadas no entorno de cada um dos sítios arqueológicos. Constatou-se a ocorrência de tempero enquanto dado cultural na cerâmica da Zona 02 do sítio Inhazinha, constituído pela inserção de materiais granulados de formas hexagonais e retangulares, aparentando ossículos de peixe que ao serem analisadas por meio da microscopia eletrônica de varredura - MEV, confirmou se tratar de material orgânico calcinado com alto teor de carbono. / This research started from a problem related to the concept of operational chains and proposed to evaluate the existence of connections between the ancient pottery and the sources of raw materials, apart from finding employment seasoning as cultural data in ceramic slurry, seeking support for obtaining responses in a wide range of archeometric analysis. Developed in Inhazinha and Rodrigues Furtado sites, located in the Perdizes municipality in Minas Triangle, the research showed a new archaeological zone for the site Inhazinha, which is characterized by a ceramic production system consists of three excavated ovens, associated with a cultural horizon (Historic potters farmers) hitherto unknown to the study region. Dated at 212 ± 19 years BP (AMS-CENA-USP/SP), and 190 ± 30 years BP (C14-BETA/USA), such settlement, constitutes a new occupation related to Southern Cayapós who lived in the Triangle Mineiro region until the late nineteenth century. The remains found, reveal not only the sociocultural characteristics of the group, but also demonstrate processes of \"interaction\" resulting from unavoidable contact with the colonizer man. The results obtained by archaeometric studies show that ceramic pottery have no correlation with clay sources highlighted in the vicinity of each of the archaeological sites. It was found the occurrence of temper as cultural data on ceramics Zone 02 Inhazinha site, consisting of the insertion of granular materials of hexagonal and rectangular shapes, looking fish ossicles that when analyzed by scanning electron microscopy - SEM confirmed it is calcined organic material with high carbon content.

The Upper Ovens River catchment is located in the Victorian high plains of Australia. With an absence of major storages or weirs, the flow regime of the Upper Ovens River is close to its natural magnitude and frequency. Water extraction from rivers has the potential to negatively impact on environmental flow requirements and management of extraction is required to maintain flows to the river, especially over the low flow summer periods. The Upper Ovens River has been shown to have a high connectivity between groundwater and surface water, and for effective protection of stream flow, it is proposed that groundwater and surface water are managed conjunctively by a government legislated Water Management Plan. Environmental stream flow objectives have been identified, but no method exists to link these to groundwater objectives. Without this link, water resource managers cannot develop management methods or plans for management of groundwater to achieve surface flow objectives. / Existing data commonly available to water resource managers was analysed to develop a method to link stream flow objectives to groundwater management objectives, and investigate the groundwater-surface water relationship and water cycle in the Upper Ovens catchment. A water balance for a well defined sub-catchment was developed for the period between 1975 and 2005 to investigate the water cycle and magnitude of fluxes between groundwater in the unconsolidated sediments of the valleys and surface water. Darcy’s law and statistical regression analysis of commonly available historic data were used to develop the understanding of the groundwater-river level relationship and produce a method for relating environmental river flow targets to groundwater levels. A set of conjunctive management principles for resource managers was produced based upon the sound scientific understanding of groundwater-surface water interactions. / The mean water balance shows a clear seasonal pattern for movement of water between surface water and groundwater. Groundwater levels have remained steady, with average annual groundwater recharge from rainfall and the river of 9,773 ML nearly equal to average annual discharge of 9,584 ML from the aquifer as baseflow or evaporation in the dry season. Generally extraction of groundwater and surface water (3,200 ML/yr) and fluxes between groundwater and the river (2,626 ML/yr), are only minor components of the water balance (560,000 ML/yr) and do not affect the flow patterns in the Ovens River. However, in years with very low flows over the Summer/Autumn period, extraction from the river can significantly reduce flow in the river. Management of river flow at this time is the focus for water resource managers. / Field measurements and regression relationships showed a rapid rate of flux between groundwater and the river with the time lag (for rises in river level to subsequent rises in groundwater levels) increasing with distance of the aquifer from the river to be 14-20 days at the maximum measured distance of 750 metres from the river. With the narrow width of the unconsolidated sediment aquifer (less than 3000 metres) extraction of groundwater from these aquifers is expected to impact on stream flows within the summer period (90 days). / Regression analysis produced equations for relating Ovens River levels to groundwater levels with a high correlation. These equations can relate stream flow objectives to corresponding groundwater management that can be used by resource managers with a high level of confidence. Groundwater and surface water, in the form of river flows, are intrinsically linked and to protect flows in the Ovens River during times of low flow, groundwater has to be managed in line with surface water. Four principles have been identified for conjunctive management in the Upper Ovens, and resource managers should set management rules based on the following principles: 1) Groundwater and surface water are hydraulically connected, manage as one; 2) Restrict groundwater extraction in line with surface water restrictions; 3) Manage groundwater to minimum groundwater levels; and 4)Manage groundwater in the unconsolidated sediments as one aquifer.

A Solar Radiation Concentrating System for generation of high temperature heat for a solar oven was developed and evaluated at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, Durban - South Africa. The system concentrates direct solar radiation on a small area receiver which absorbs the radiation and converts it into thermal energy that may be stored and used for several applications where food preparation and water pasteurization is the priority. The concentrator, area 2.2 m², is a half satellite communication dish covered with trapezoidal acrylic mirror tiles. The receiver/absorber is a spiral coil of blackened stainless steel pipe. Oil is circulated as heat transfer fluid. To determine the optimal dimension and position of the receiver, two experimental methods were used: (1) The tiles were scanned using a vertical, self adjusting laser beam to get a distribution of reflected radiation across the focal volume. (2) A thin, blackened stainless steel plate was placed at appropriate distances in the focal volume, and temperature distribution scanned using a temperature gun. The latter method proved to be the more useful. Results of the analysis of system performance showed that the system has the capability to produce high temperatures for domestic purposes. The efficiency of the system is about 35 %. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2009.

This thesis reports a study on the effects of size distribution, moisture content and oil addition on bulk density and angle of repose of coal. The experimental work includes four stages. The first stage is to develop reliable experimental techniques. The results confirm that ASTM cubic foot test is reliable for measurement of bulk density and angle of repose if properly operated, although the latter is better measured in a piling process. Stages 2 and 3 are to investigate the effects of size distribution by using -3.55mm% for stage 2 and mean size do.s for stage 3, water content and oil addition on bulk density and angle of repose of coal. For each of them, empirical equations are formulated to predict bulk density and angle of repose. The results indicate that the fraction -3.55mm cutting size in stage 2 does not affect bulk density significantly, while the increase of do.s decreases bulk density to a minimum and then increases. Particle size distribution does not affect angle of repose much. The increase of moisture content decreases bulk density and increases angle of repose significantly. The increase of oil addition increases bulk density while decreases angle of repose significantly. The correlation between bulk density and angle of repose can also be observed: the higher bulk density, the lower angle of repose. There are other variables affecting bulk density and angle of repose. They include oil type, absorption time discharging height and external loading. Their effects on bulk density and angle of repose are quantified in stage 4. The results suggest that, a higher discharging position or larger external loading increase bulk density significantly. Angle of repose decreases when increase the height of discharging position. Diesel oil performed better than waste oil addition in terms of bulk density enhancement. For most of the cases examined, bulk density and angle of repose become stable after ~24 hours oil absorption time.