The effects of petroleum mulches on plant response to herbicides were studied at the Farmington Field Station . The herbicides were applied to the soil preemergent and by incorporation at one-half, normal and double the recommended rates with asphalt overlay. The herbicides and crops used were : Atrazine and Ramrod on sweet corn, PEBC and Diphenamid on tomatoes and EPTC and Trifluralin on snap beans. Germination, overall crop rating, grass and broad leafed weed control and yields were measured. Data recorded from these trials showed that herbicides are as effective under the asphalt when compared to plots with herbicide but no asphalt. Considering all herbicides and conditions, overall crop growth and weed control were not increased or decreased by the asphalt mulch. Germination and yield were not affected by the interaction of herbicides with the asphalt overlay on the three crops.

Assessing FV intake among young children is difficult and can be a time- consuming, resource-intensive, and burdensome. The aim of this study was to create a simple, self-assessment tool to estimate and detect changes in FV consumption among fourth and fifth graders. Such a tool would ease the complications and resources of other diet assessment options that are used to measure FV consumption when implementing school-based nutrition programs.The questionnaire provided a moderately valid estimate of lunchtime FV consumption, but it was inconsistent at detecting small, yet important increases in FV consumption between time points. The ability of the questionnaire to measure total FV consumption was also tested and found to be poor. In addition, having the students record what they ate on a food tracker during meals did not improve performance on the questionnaire.The tool examined in this study could provide a reasonable estimate of average lunchtime FV consumption among fourth and fifth grade children, but could not be used to detect sensitive changes in consumption during a FV intervention study. While it is difficult for children to recall dietary information, it beneficial to continue to explore the development of a self-report questionnaire that can accurately assess total FV intake in children.

Several school-based interventions aimed at increasing fruit and vegetables (FV) intake among children have demonstrated success in short-term interventions. The Fit Game is a school-based intervention aimed at encouraging children to consume increasing amounts of FV during a game, which is a narrative. Just as children are being encouraged to eat FV at school, so is it equally important for them to eat FV at home. Parents strongly influence the amount of FV children consume at home. The aim of this thesis is to examine associations between factors that influence consumption of fruits and vegetables at and away from school among children who are participating in a schoolbased intervention, which has been shown to increase fruit and vegetable consumption at school. Associations between factors of the home environment and FV intake of children at and away from school are also explored. The study population was 37 parent-child pairs who participated in the Fit Game intervention conducted at one elementary school in 2013 (n = 252). This study showed that there was an increase in FV intake of children at school during the period they played the Fit Game; however there was no change in fruit and vegetable intake away from school during that same period of time. In addition, though parents and children’s intake of FV were correlated, parents did not change their FV intake during the period of time their child participated in the Fit Game at school. There was no significance between children’s intake and the factors in the home environment including family meals, FV accessibility and availability as well as parental knowledge. This study used rigorous methods to assess dietary intake. It is, however, important that this study is replicated with a larger sample that is more diverse.

Researchers in the Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Science department and Psychology department sought to improve healthy behaviors in elementary schools such as fruit and vegetable consumption (FV) and daily physical activity (PA). We chose to use a healthy behavior program called the “FIT Game” that has successfully increased FV consumption among elementary-aged children over short periods of time. Our aim was to improve the program by lowering operating costs, adjusting its materials to target PA and see if it could maintain healthy eating improvements over a longer period of time. Our series of research shows encouraging results: short term improvements in healthy eating using the low-cost FIT Game; improvements in PA; and maintained improvements in FV consumption over longer durations. Improving healthy behaviors such as FV consumption and daily PA are important goals that can improve future health. Using the FIT Game intervention represents a low-cost and sustainable way to work toward these goals.

A study of some aspects of essential oil secretion in plants was conducted. The first part of the study involved analysis of the volatile terpenoid content and composition of leaf extracts from a range of Australian native plants by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Secretory structures were studied by several microscopic imaging techniques including conventional bright and dark field optical microscopy, confocal microscopy, and scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy. Three methods were employed for scanning electron microscopy. Sample material was prepared for conventional SEM by chemical fixation and rapid freeze fixation, and fresh material was imaged by environmental SEM. These methods were compared, and the images acquired by environmental SEM were invariably of a superior standard as the biological integrity of the samples was retained throughout, and the samples were free of process-induced artefacts. Several other tests were conducted and results discussed in some detail. In the final part of the study, aspects of essential oil secretion were examined by histochemical methods. The first of these was a new method based on traditional approaches to histochemistry. The monoterpene phenols thymol and carvacrol were located in glandular trichomes of Lamiaceae species by means of a colour-change reaction of the phenols with a nitrosophenol/acid reagent. The second used magnetic resonance imaging by a chemical shift selective method to locate, non invasively, the aromatic monoterpenes thymol and anethole in secretory structures in the fruit of Carum copticum (Apiaceae) and the leaves of Backhousia anisata (Myrtaceae) respectively. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) (Science)

Graduation date: 1997

Many soft food materials, including vegetable shortening, exhibit complex rheological behaviour with properties that resemble those of a solid and a liquid simultaneously. The fundamental parameters used to describe the rheological response of vegetable shortening were obtained from uniaxial compression tests, including monotonic and cyclic compression, as well as creep and stress relaxation tests. The fundamental parameters obtained from the various compression tests were then used in two mechanical models (viscoelastic and elasto-visco-plastic) to predict the compression and conical indentation response of vegetable shortening. The accuracy of the two models was studied with the help of the commercially available finite element analysis software package Abaqus. It was determined that the viscoelastic model was not suitable for the prediction of the rheological response of shortening. On the other hand, the proposed elasto-visco-plastic model predicted with reasonable accuracy the uniaxial compression and indentation experimental response of vegetable shortening. / February 2009

Background: The Georgia Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (GSFMNP) is intended to increase consumption of fruits and vegetables among Georgia’s low-income, older adults. The program provides $20 in vouchers with which participants may purchase Georgia-grown fruits and vegetables at approved farmers’ markets. Similar programs operate in other states, and studies suggest that these programs are successful in increasing fruit and vegetable intake among participants. However, because Georgia’s program operates somewhat differently, offering only a single market event at most locations, it may have different results. The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not produce purchased at GSFMNP events in 2008 contributed to an increase in the fruit and vegetable intakes of the participants and to identify factors that may have influenced those intakes. The study focused on purchase, consumption, preservation, waste, and sharing of fresh fruits and vegetables. Methods: For this qualitative study, a sample of 198 GSFMNP participants was surveyed from ten metro Atlanta senior centers where markets were held in August and September of 2008. Descriptive statistics were produced to summarize purchase behaviors, food utilization behaviors, and attitudes. Analyses of relationships between variables were performed using Pearson chi-square tests. Results: Twenty-seven percent of subjects reported consuming more fruits and vegetables than usual in the week following the farmers’ market event. There was a significant association between a larger than usual purchase amount and increased intake. There was also a significant association between increased intake and sharing purchased items. No significant associations with increased intake were found for variety of items purchased, preserving food, or discarding food. Those who purchased more fresh produce than usual appeared to be more likely to share their food with others but were not more likely to discard food. Ninety-seven percent of subjects said they would participate in the program again. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the majority of GSFMNP participants did not increase their intakes of fruits and vegetables. Sharing, preserving, and discarding food did not appear to be responsible for this outcome. More research is needed to discover what strategies could increase fruit and vegetable intakes among participants of the GSFMNP.

Vegetable oil is one of the most widely available renewable sources of energy that can be used to meet the world’s demands. Many vegetable oils also have the advantage of containing little to no detectable amounts of nitrogen. Recently, research studies have revealed that when two liquids with different vapor pressure values are formed into droplet-like emulsions, a micro-explosion effect can happen under specific environmental conditions. Understanding the micro-explosion phenomena can help increase the efficiency of bio-emulsion combustion as well as reduce pollution levels. Many researchers have conducted experiments to find the optimal condition that induces microexplosion effects. Microexplosion is also associated with the formation of shock waves characteristic of explosions at larger scales. However, little is known about how emulsion composition and droplet size affect the micro-explosion process. Through this research, methanol-in-vegetable oil emulsion has been studied from the microexplosion point of view using custom made electric furnace equipment with a high speed camera system and an acoustic sensor system. The main goal of this study is to understand the effect of emulsion compositions, chamber temperatures, and droplet sizes on the characteristics of microexplosion. First, an n-hexadecane-in-water emulsion was prepared to validate the performance of the custom-made experimental apparatus using previous published data. Methanol-in-canola oil emulsions with different compositions were also prepared and used to compare the micro-explosion phenomena with water as a volatile compound. Microexplosion events of the blended fuels were captured using a high speed camera and an acoustic sensor. The wave signals generated by the microexplosion were analyzed after converting the signals using a Fast Fourier Transform coded in Matlab. One of the major findings of this research work was that higher temperatures and higher concentrations of high vapor pressure fluids such as methanol and water in emulsions causes a high probability of microexplosion event due to the sudden expansion of the emulsified fluid. Also, the effect of size on microexplosion was evident in the greater probability of explosion. Methanol-in-canola oil emulsion with 15 % methanol with droplets size of 200 m placed in a furnace chamber heated to 980 ˚C showed optimal microexplosion behavior based on the formation of fine droplets. Also, smaller droplets produced higher frequencies, which could be used to detect microexplosion without high speed imaging. When large droplets microexploded, lower frequencies were detected in all the blends.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1926. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 32-42) and index.