While obesity is now recognized as a major health concern in Ghana, the major drivers, causal factors, and their spatial variation remain unclear. Nutritional changes and lack of physical activity are frequently blamed but the underlying factors, particularly cultural values and practices, remain understudied. Using hot spot analysis and spatial autocorrelation, this research investigates the spatial patterns of obesity in Ghana and the explanatory factors. We also use focus group discussions to examine the primary cultural factors underlying these patterns. The results show that wealth, high education, and urban residence are the best positive predictors of obesity, while poverty, low education, and rural residence are the best (negative) predictors of obesity. Consequently, improving the socioeconomic status, for example, through higher levels of education and urbanization may increase obesity rates. Furthermore, the cultural preference for fat body as the ideal body size drives individual aspiration for weight gain which can lead to obesity. Thus, reducing obesity rates in Ghana is impossible without addressing the underlying cultural values.

Edamame's (Glycine max L. Merrill) consumption in the US has also been growing due to purported health benefits. Edamame grows well around the US, but few have measured the growth and yield in the mid-Atlantic region. The objective of these studies were to determine the potential yield of edamame, determine how yield components change with planting date and cultivar, and to measure total protein, lipids, antioxidant activity and isoflavone concentrations at harvest.. The five cultivars (BeSweet 292, BeSweet 2015, BeSweet 2001, Midori Giant and Sunrise) used in the cultivar evaluation trial and for nutritional constituents analysis were grown in Painter, Virginia in 2008 and 2009. The cultivar evaluation trial yielded between 5,600 and 8,400 kg per ha. Percent marketable pods ranged from 74.3 and 85.6% in the cultivar evaluation trial. There were significant differences in average seed size across cultivars in both years. Cultivar lipid content followed the same patterns in both years with 2009 having lower overall concentrations than 2008. Protein contents were similar in 2008 and 2009. Both years, "BeSweet 2015" and "BeSweet 2001" had high radical scavenging ability and Midori Giant had the lowest. In 2008, there were no significant differences in the ORAC assay. "BeSweet 292" had significantly more reducing activity in the DPPH assay than Sunrise in 2009. Isoflavones were measured in 2008 and 2009 at harvest and temporally in 2009. Of all isoflavones, Malonyl genistin had the highest concentration. Edamame is a suitable crop for cultivation in Virginia, and is high in nutritional quality. / Master of Science

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39 slides / Planting Guidelines; Container Trees and Shrubs (1998) Plant Selection and Selecting your Plants (2000) Selecting, Planting and Caring for Landscape Trees (DVD and VHS (2003); Originally published: 2006 / This slide set with accompanying notes is intended to educate profesisonals in the nursery and landscape trade and lay people interested in proper horticultural practices related to selecting, planting and staking trees.

Over the last twenty years female entrepreneurs have been increasing in numbers in economies of developing and developed nations across the world. But although female entrepreneurship participation rates have increased worldwide, it appears that economic and socio cultural patterns still prescribe whether a female can become or want to become an entrepreneur in her society. Some reasons are obvious such as lack of employment and opportunities; other are disguised in patriarchal culture that deters female entrepreneurship. Against this backdrop it appears that in less developed countries necessity and informal entrepreneurship are more prevalent than opportunity entrepreneurship. An explanation from economic nature for this phenomenon is perhaps the fact that with less job opportunities available in developing nations, the ‘need’ to become an entrepreneur seems to be the answer for females to make a living by creating their own jobs. At the socio cultural level, the motivation to become an entrepreneur out of need surfaces because of the socio cultural structure of certain nations that hinder females from finding work that brings them independence, self actualization and flexibility for work-life balance. This qualitative exploratory study investigates the phenomenon of female entrepreneurship comparing female entrepreneurship in two contexts: Brazil and the United States. The economic differences on a macro level between these two countries have been well documented and national socio cultural differences have been discussed. But very little has been focused at the individual level of the female entrepreneur per se, that is, how they perceive and experience the economic and the social cultural macro environment with their businesses. This research attempts to fill this gap. This was done by first reviewing the literature and then by analysing the responses from face to face and telephone interviews with 34 female entrepreneurs in Brazil and 26 in the United States. The findings indicated that female entrepreneurs in Brazil and the United States share similarities in motivation for starting the business in terms of pull factors, such as search for financial independence, want to be one’s own boss, need for autonomy, and self actualization. The women from both groups also identified customer satisfaction and recognition from society as key elements for their business success. But business informality was a phenomenon only found among the Brazilian enterprises (the informais) a factor found to be directly related to economic necessity and the scarcity of waged jobs and opportunities. The perception of gender barriers was shared by both groups of entrepreneurs but other factors such as religion and the importance of faith to succeed in business were emphasized only by the Americans. Higher education was perceived by both groups as an instrument to gain recognition from society, but not important to grow their businesses; vocational training was perceived as more important. Networking was perceived as important, but different patterns of networking emerged among the Brazilians and the Americans. Definitions of success also differ among the women independent from their nationality. Some were more inclined to define success in financial terms, others simply define success in terms of flexibility and the ‘got to be in control’ syndrome. This research contributed to an increased understanding of the processes of female entrepreneurship as it related to how economic and socio cultural forces influence these processes. The findings indicated that the female entrepreneurship process becomes a combination of two processes: a person driven process and a response to environment process. Mentoring and coaching programs that assist women finding their path to entrepreneurship along with their own passions should be emphasized by local agencies. Although policy development was not the specific objective of this study, a number of issues have arisen that have implications both for future research and female entrepreneurship policies. For instance, in Brazil, higher taxes and the high cost of starting a business were perceived by the women as barriers to their businesses. It is suggested that Brazilian authorities and legislators continue with their efforts to streamline the business start process by introducing innovative and cost effective ways to formalize a business.

A relevância ambiental da presença de resíduos ligados de herbicidas e seus metabólitos no solo são fundamentais para novas metodologias de aplicação de herbicidas, considerando a transição desses resíduos para culturas seguintes, o seu efeito sobre a biota de sistemas terrestres e aquáticos, seu potencial de transferência para a cadeia alimentar, potencial de contaminação de águas subterrâneas, e seus efeitos em longo prazo sobre a qualidade e fertilidade dos solos. A aplicação de vinhaça para fertirrigação, de palha de cana-de-açúcar e torta de filtro nos canaviais são comumente utilizadas, mas não se sabe se essas práticas provocam a remobilização e mineralização dos resíduos ligados de herbicidas no solo, podendo trazer benefícios pela degradação desses herbicidas pelos micro-organismos do solo, ou afetar a qualidade do solo, lixiviando até os lençóis freáticos. Para tal, objetivou-se com este projeto avaliar, em condições de laboratório, a remobilização e degradação/mineralização dos resíduos ligados de 14C - diuron, 14C - hexazinone, 14C - diuron + hexazinone e 14C - metribuzin em dois solos de cultivo de cana-de-açúcar, onde foram aplicadas quantidades conhecidas destes herbicidas radiomarcados com posterior tratamento de vinhaça, torta de filtro e palha de cana-de-açúcar, além de identificar os metabólitos formados a partir da remobilização. O experimento foi montado em frascos biométricos tipo Bartha coletando-se soluções de NaOH nos tempos de 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 e 70 dias após o início do experimento e realizado a leitura no Espectrômetro de Cintilação Líquida, para determinação da mineralização dos herbicidas. Após 70 dias de incubação, os solos foram extraídos e os extratos foram lidos em Espectrômetro de Cintilação Líquida e concentrados. Realizou-se aplicação nas placas de TLC e leitura em Radio scanner. Após a extração, os solos foram oxidados em Oxidador Biológico e a radioatividade foi determinada por Espectrômetro de Cintilação Líquida. Os metabólitos dos herbicidas foram identificados através da cromatografia líquida de ultra eficiência acoplada a espectrômetro de massa quadrupole time-of-flight. O tempo de análise foi de 9 minutos com coluna Acquity UPLC® BEH C-18 (1,7 ?m, 2,1 mm d.i. x 100 mm) e temperatura de 40 ºC. O metribuzin foi o menos remobilizado, com uma média de 74,98% de produto que permaneceu ligado ao solo e o hexazinone foi o mais remobilizado (evolução do 14CO2 com média de 23,78%) em ambos os solos e tratamentos. Através da avaliação das massas, fórmulas moleculares e características isotópicas, foram identificados o metabólito DCPMU (1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methylurea), originado do diuron, o metabólito B (3-cyclohexyl-6-(methylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-(1H,3H)-dione), originado do hexazinone, e os metabólitos DA (Desamino-metribuzin), DK (Diketo-metribuzin), e DADK (Desamino-diketo-metribuzin), originados do metribuzin / The environmental significance of the presence of bound residues of herbicides and their metabolites in the soil are fundamental to new methods of herbicide application, considering the transition of these residues to following crops, their effect on the biota of terrestrial and aquatic systems, the potential transfer to the food chain, the potential for contamination of groundwater, and their long term effects on the quality and fertility of soils. The application of vinasse for fertigation, straw and filter cake in sugar cane fields is often used, but it is unknown if such practice causes mineralization and remobilization of bound residues of herbicides, which may provide benefits for the degradation of the herbicides by soil microorganisms, or affect the quality of the soil, leaching to groundwater. The aim of this project is to evaluate, under laboratory conditions, the remobilization and degradation/mineralization of bound residues of 14C-diuron, 14C - hexazinone, 14C - diuron + hexazinone e 14C - metribuzin in two soils for growing sugar cane, where were used known quantities of these herbicides radiolabeled with application of treatments vinasse, filter cake and straw and identify the metabolites formed from the remobilization. The experiment was performed in Bartha flasks collecting solutions of NaOH at 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 and 70 days after the beginning of the experiment and conducted the reading on the Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer to determine the mineralization of herbicides. After 70 days of incubation, the soils were extracted and the extracts were read in Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer and concentrated. Application was made on TLC plates and read on Radio scanner. After extraction, the soils were oxidized in Biological Oxidizer and the radioactivity was determined by Liquid Scintillation Spectrometer. The metabolites of the herbicides were identified by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometer. The analysis time was 9 minutes with Acquity UPLC® BEH C-18 column (1.7 ?m, 2.1 mm d.i. x 100 mm) and temperature of 40 ºC. The metribuzin was the least remobilized, with an average of 74.98% of product that remained bound to the soil and the herbicide hexazinone was the most remobilized (14CO2 evolution averaging 23.78%) in both soils and treatments. Through the masses, molecular formulas and isotopic characteristics, were identified the metabolite DCPMU (1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methylurea), belongs to diuron, the metabolite B (3-cyclohexyl-6-(methylamino)-1-methyl-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-(1H,3H)-dione), belongs to hexazinone, and the metabolites DA (Desamino-metribuzin), DK (Diketo-metribuzin), and DADK (Desamino-diketo-metribuzin), belongs to metribuzin

Abstract Research on information system implementations in construction industry, rarely focused on culture. The impact of sub cultures on information system implementation is not reviewed in detail. This research aims at increasing the empirical and theoretical understanding of the key sub cultural practices and their influence on the information system implementation in project based construction companies. This research creates awareness on the sub cultures that impact the individual stages of planning, development, installation, and maintenance of the information system implementation process. Past research on information system implementation in the construction industry was reviewed. Based on this review the sub cultures of senior management staff, project management staff, and the information management staff were identified as crucial for the successful implementation of the information system. A conceptual framework for studying the sub cultural practices present in each stage of the information system implementation was developed. Empirical data was collected in two project based construction companies that implemented an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Collected data was analyzed with the help of the conceptual framework. Results of the empirical analysis identified key cultural practices of senior management staff, project management staff, and the information management staff that were influential in the information system implementation process. Results further identified how each of the stages of planning, development, installation, and maintenance was impacted differently by the sub cultural practices existing in the construction industry. The revised conceptual framework was presented incorporating all the cultural practices that were influential in each of the individual stages of the implementation process. / Tiivistelmä Rakennusteollisuuden tietojärjestelmien käyttöönottoa koskeva tutkimus keskittyy vain harvoin kulttuuriin, eikä aikaisempi tutkimus tarkastele yksityiskohtaisesti alakulttuurien vaikutusta tietojärjestelmien käyttöönottoon. Tutkimuksen tavoitteena on lisätä empiiristä ja teoreettista ymmärrystä keskeisistä kulttuurikäytännöistä ja niiden vaikutuksesta tietojärjestelmien toteutukseen projektipohjaisissa rakennusyrityksissä. Tämä tutkimus luo ymmärrystä alakulttuureista, jotka vaikuttavat tietojärjestelmän käyttöönottoprosessin suunnittelun, kehittämisen, asennuksen ja ylläpidon yksittäisiin vaiheisiin. Tutkimuksessa tarkasteltiin rakennusteollisuuden tietojärjestelmien käyttöönottoon liittyvää aiempaa tutkimusta. Tämän kirjallisuuskatsauksen pohjalta ylimmän johdon, projektijohtajien ja tietohallinnon henkilöstön alakulttuurit tunnistettiin ratkaiseviksi tekijöiksi tietojärjestelmän onnistuneelle käyttöönotolle. Tutkimuksessa kehitettiin käsitteellinen viitekehys, jonka avulla tarkasteltiin tietojärjestelmän käyttöönoton jokaisessa vaiheessa esiintyviä alakulttuureja. Empiirinen aineisto kerättiin kahdesta projektipohjaisesta rakennusyrityksestä, jotka ottivat käyttöön ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning)-tietojärjestelmän. Kerätyt tiedot analysoitiin kehitetyn käsitteellisen kehyksen avulla. Empiirisen analyysin tuloksena tunnistettiin ylemmän johdon henkilöstön, projektijohtajien ja tietojärjestelmän käyttöönottoprosessissa vaikuttavien tietohallintohenkilöiden keskeiset kulttuurikäytännöt. Tutkimuksessa tunnistettiin lisäksi, kuinka jokainen suunnittelu-, kehitys-, asennus- ja kunnossapitovaihe vaikuttivat eri tavoin rakennusteollisuudessa vallitseviin kulttuuritoimiin. Tutkimuksen tuloksena esitetiin uudistettu käsitteellinen kehys sisällyttämällä kaikki kulttuurikäytännöt, jotka vaikuttivat käyttöönottoprosessin eri vaiheessa.

With a triple-bottom-line lens on sustainability, this study examines the effects of culture on companies' economic, social, and environmental sustainability practices. Drawing on institutional theory and project GLOBE, we delineate cultural practices dimensions that consistently predict sustainability practices related to each of the three domains. Based on a sample of 1924 companies in 36 countries and nine cultural clusters, we find that future orientation, gender egalitarianism, uncertainty avoidance, and power distance practices positively, and performance orientation practices negatively, predict corporate sustainability practices. Further, our findings suggest that these effects might vary according to the country vis-à-vis cluster level of analysis.