Abstract not available

This thesis covers years of field work in Malawi, Africa by the author as a Research Agronomist (Tree Nuts) for the Government of Malawi. The thesis is an action research type with core and thesis projects which are closely linked. The client group are large estate managers who control the tree nut industries in Malawi. The political, economic and historical perspectives are different from those commonly faced by Australian agronomists and the isolated location of the work make this a unique study. The thesis includes sections on plantation or estate agriculture, farming systems approaches to research and problem solving, systems concepts in agricultural settings and action research concepts. These provide a framework for the study within the constraints of the government research system and industry expectations. The body of the thesis is a review paper presented to estate managers and co-researchers after one year's work. Relevant outcomes of the study are presented. The discussion draws together the outcomes through reflection on the process and methods used. Advantages and disadvantages are considered and risks, such as the dangers to the researcher of this type of study, are highlighted. / Master of Science (Hons)

Motivation: The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) that includes obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance or non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus, pro-thrombotic state and pro-inflammatory state. The NHANES I11 study showed the prevalence of this syndrome to be 24.0% in men and 23.4% in women in the USA. These figures translate to more than 47 million US residents having the metabolic syndrome. In the THUSA (acronym for Transition and Health in the Urbanization of South Africans) study in South Africa it was found that 12% and 28.4% of men and women, respectively, of the black population of the North West Province had three or more disturbances characterizing this syndrome. Therefore, it is evident that the metabolic syndrome is a health problem not only for developed countries but also for developing countries. As a result, this syndrome has been identified as a target for dietary therapies to reduce the risk of CVD and type 2 diabetes. Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated an inverse association between nut consumption and coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in different population groups. Nut consumption may not only offer protection against heart disease, but also increase longevity. Recently, the benefits of nuts consumption were acknowledged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when they approved a qualified health claim that eating nuts (1.5 ounces/day ≈ 42.8 g/day) may reduce the risk of CHD. In this regard, the most comprehensively studied mechanism involved the favourable lipid lowering effects of nuts. There is, however, a lack of data in the literature regarding the effect of nuts on the metabolic syndrome. Objective: The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of a high walnut diet and a high unsalted cashew nut diet on markers of the metabolic syndrome in humans. In order to provide a foundational body of evidence for the aforementioned, a secondary objective included conducting a systematic review that investigates the effects of nuts on the lipid profile. Methods: The main project consisted of a controlled feeding trial with a parallel, randomized controlled study design on participants having the metabolic syndrome. Sixty-four subjects having this syndrome (29 men, 35 women) with a mean (±SD) age of 45±10 y and who met with the selection criteria were all fed a 3-week run-in control diet. After this period, participants were grouped according to gender and age and then randomized into three groups, namely, those that received a controlled feeding diet including walnuts (20% energy (E), 60-100g/day; protein:carbohydrate:fat=18:42:40%E). or unsalted cashew nuts (20%E 66- 1 15g/day; protein:carbohydrate:fat=l9:44:37%E) or no nuts (protein:carbohydrate:fat=20:47:33%E) for 8 weeks. The participants' physical activity and weight were maintained for the duration of the study. For the systematic review. human intervention trials that investigated the independent effects of nuts on lipid concentrations were included. Medline and Web of Science databases were searched from the start of the database to August 2004 and supplemented by cross-checking reference lists of relevant publications. These papers received a rating based upon the methodology as it appeared in the publication. No formal statistical analysis was performed due to the large differences in study designs of the dietary intervention trials. The main outcome measures for the systematic review, were percentage differences between treatment and control groups for total blood cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triacyglycerols (TG). Results: Regarding the main objective, we found that both the walnut and unsalted cashew nut intervention diets had no significant effect on the lipid profile, serum fructosamine, insulin, insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure and serum uric acid concentrations when compared to the control dict. All three groups experienced highly significant increases in serum insulin concentrations when comparing the baseline to end (P<0.05). In turn, insulin resistance increased while insulin sensitivity decreased in all three groups. Plasma glucose concentrations increased significantly in the cashew nut group compared to the control group (P<0.05). By contrast, serum fructosamine was unchanged in the cashew nut group while the control group had significantly increased concentrations of this short-term marker of glycaemic control. The literature search for the systematic review yielded 41 5 publications. After screening, 23 nut studies were included in the review with most of these studies including heart-healthy diets. The majority of the studies were short (4-6 weeks) with only one study lasting 6 months. The number of subjects in most of the studies was sufficient to study the effects on TC and LDL-C but not for HDL-C and TG. The results of three almond (50-100g/day), two peanut (35-68g/day), one pecan nut (72g/day) and four walnut (40-84g/day) studies showed convincing evidence for a lipid lowering effect of TC between 2-1 6% and LDL-C between 2- 19%, when compared to their control diets. Currently, there are indications from inadequately designed intervention studies that hazelnuts (lg/day/kg body weight) and pistachios (20%E) may have a lipid lowering effect. At this stage the evidence for macadamia nuts is less convincing. Furthermore, it is apparent that the components in nuts further reduce TC and LDL-C concentrations beyond the effects predicted by equations based solely on dietary fatty acid profiles. Conclusions: In the controlled feeding trial, subjects displayed no improvement in the markers of the metabolic syndrome after following a walnut or unsalted cashew nut diet compared to a control diet while maintaining body weight (8 weeks). Finally, we suspect that the dramatic increase in insulin resistance may have masked the protective effects of the walnut and cashew nut diets in our subjects with the metabolic syndrome Further research is warranted before a consensus can be reached. From the systematic review it was concluded that the consumption of ≈50-100g (≈1.5-3.5 servings) of nuts five or more times/week as part of a heart-healthy diet with total fat content (high in mono- and /or polyunsaturated fatty acids) of ≈ 35% of energy may significantly decrease TC and LDL-C in normo- and hyperlipidemic individuals. Recommendations: A similar nut controlled feeding trial with some form of calorie restriction, should be done on participants having the metabolic syndrome. Future research should use randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes and longer duration to investigate the effects of nuts on HDL-C and TG concentrations. Also, studies should investigate the effects on the lipid profile of mixed nuts and those individual nuts not yet considered. In addition, the unique nutrient and non-nutrient composition of nuts requires further research in order to elucidate the possible mechanisms responsible for the LDL-C lowering effect / Thesis (Ph.D. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

Motivation: The metabolic syndrome is characterized by a group of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) that includes obesity, dyslipidemia, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, glucose intolerance or non-insulin dependant diabetes mellitus, pro-thrombotic state and pro-inflammatory state. The NHANES I11 study showed the prevalence of this syndrome to be 24.0% in men and 23.4% in women in the USA. These figures translate to more than 47 million US residents having the metabolic syndrome. In the THUSA (acronym for Transition and Health in the Urbanization of South Africans) study in South Africa it was found that 12% and 28.4% of men and women, respectively, of the black population of the North West Province had three or more disturbances characterizing this syndrome. Therefore, it is evident that the metabolic syndrome is a health problem not only for developed countries but also for developing countries. As a result, this syndrome has been identified as a target for dietary therapies to reduce the risk of CVD and type 2 diabetes. Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated an inverse association between nut consumption and coronary heart disease (CHD) morbidity and mortality in different population groups. Nut consumption may not only offer protection against heart disease, but also increase longevity. Recently, the benefits of nuts consumption were acknowledged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration when they approved a qualified health claim that eating nuts (1.5 ounces/day ≈ 42.8 g/day) may reduce the risk of CHD. In this regard, the most comprehensively studied mechanism involved the favourable lipid lowering effects of nuts. There is, however, a lack of data in the literature regarding the effect of nuts on the metabolic syndrome. Objective: The main objective of this study was to examine the effects of a high walnut diet and a high unsalted cashew nut diet on markers of the metabolic syndrome in humans. In order to provide a foundational body of evidence for the aforementioned, a secondary objective included conducting a systematic review that investigates the effects of nuts on the lipid profile. Methods: The main project consisted of a controlled feeding trial with a parallel, randomized controlled study design on participants having the metabolic syndrome. Sixty-four subjects having this syndrome (29 men, 35 women) with a mean (±SD) age of 45±10 y and who met with the selection criteria were all fed a 3-week run-in control diet. After this period, participants were grouped according to gender and age and then randomized into three groups, namely, those that received a controlled feeding diet including walnuts (20% energy (E), 60-100g/day; protein:carbohydrate:fat=18:42:40%E). or unsalted cashew nuts (20%E 66- 1 15g/day; protein:carbohydrate:fat=l9:44:37%E) or no nuts (protein:carbohydrate:fat=20:47:33%E) for 8 weeks. The participants' physical activity and weight were maintained for the duration of the study. For the systematic review. human intervention trials that investigated the independent effects of nuts on lipid concentrations were included. Medline and Web of Science databases were searched from the start of the database to August 2004 and supplemented by cross-checking reference lists of relevant publications. These papers received a rating based upon the methodology as it appeared in the publication. No formal statistical analysis was performed due to the large differences in study designs of the dietary intervention trials. The main outcome measures for the systematic review, were percentage differences between treatment and control groups for total blood cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triacyglycerols (TG). Results: Regarding the main objective, we found that both the walnut and unsalted cashew nut intervention diets had no significant effect on the lipid profile, serum fructosamine, insulin, insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, serum high sensitivity C-reactive protein, blood pressure and serum uric acid concentrations when compared to the control dict. All three groups experienced highly significant increases in serum insulin concentrations when comparing the baseline to end (P<0.05). In turn, insulin resistance increased while insulin sensitivity decreased in all three groups. Plasma glucose concentrations increased significantly in the cashew nut group compared to the control group (P<0.05). By contrast, serum fructosamine was unchanged in the cashew nut group while the control group had significantly increased concentrations of this short-term marker of glycaemic control. The literature search for the systematic review yielded 41 5 publications. After screening, 23 nut studies were included in the review with most of these studies including heart-healthy diets. The majority of the studies were short (4-6 weeks) with only one study lasting 6 months. The number of subjects in most of the studies was sufficient to study the effects on TC and LDL-C but not for HDL-C and TG. The results of three almond (50-100g/day), two peanut (35-68g/day), one pecan nut (72g/day) and four walnut (40-84g/day) studies showed convincing evidence for a lipid lowering effect of TC between 2-1 6% and LDL-C between 2- 19%, when compared to their control diets. Currently, there are indications from inadequately designed intervention studies that hazelnuts (lg/day/kg body weight) and pistachios (20%E) may have a lipid lowering effect. At this stage the evidence for macadamia nuts is less convincing. Furthermore, it is apparent that the components in nuts further reduce TC and LDL-C concentrations beyond the effects predicted by equations based solely on dietary fatty acid profiles. Conclusions: In the controlled feeding trial, subjects displayed no improvement in the markers of the metabolic syndrome after following a walnut or unsalted cashew nut diet compared to a control diet while maintaining body weight (8 weeks). Finally, we suspect that the dramatic increase in insulin resistance may have masked the protective effects of the walnut and cashew nut diets in our subjects with the metabolic syndrome Further research is warranted before a consensus can be reached. From the systematic review it was concluded that the consumption of ≈50-100g (≈1.5-3.5 servings) of nuts five or more times/week as part of a heart-healthy diet with total fat content (high in mono- and /or polyunsaturated fatty acids) of ≈ 35% of energy may significantly decrease TC and LDL-C in normo- and hyperlipidemic individuals. Recommendations: A similar nut controlled feeding trial with some form of calorie restriction, should be done on participants having the metabolic syndrome. Future research should use randomized controlled studies with larger sample sizes and longer duration to investigate the effects of nuts on HDL-C and TG concentrations. Also, studies should investigate the effects on the lipid profile of mixed nuts and those individual nuts not yet considered. In addition, the unique nutrient and non-nutrient composition of nuts requires further research in order to elucidate the possible mechanisms responsible for the LDL-C lowering effect / Thesis (Ph.D. (Nutrition))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2005.

The motivation behind this study is the lack of specialized analysis regarding internal failure caused by the adiabatic shear hand (ASB) phenomenon in the cold-headed products. Its aim was to present an integrated workability study to improve and assist cold-heading (CH) multistage design procedures to replace the current design rules of thumb, as they are neither effective nor adequate in fulfilling the needs of the new developments in the rapidly expanding CH industry. / To achieve these goals, a comprehensive testing methodology and FE modeling, implemented within ABAQUS/Explicit, were established. This methodology includes an instrumented Drop Weight Compression Test (DWCT) tower equipped with a guided pocket die-set configuration capable of developing internal failure at different stages of ASBs and integrated metallographic inspection techniques. A validated FE model of the DWCT and guided pocket die-set configuration was a valuable tool in establishing the failure criteria and indicating the workability limits. / A detailed experimental and FE study for the ASB stages in the CH process was introduced to uncover the affect of different parameters controlling the failure mechanisms within the ASBs in the CH process. This study investigated the effect of the thermal, geometric and the material flow softening and hardening mechanisms affecting ASB evolution. Moreover, a detailed metallurgical and FE study of the internal ductile and Transformed Adiabatic Shear Band (TASB) failures caused by the ASB phenomenon in DWCT was conducted. / Three ductile failure criteria were introduced to predict the initiation and location of the internal ductile failure in the ASBs. One TASB failure criteria was introduced to predict the phase transformation to undesirable brittle martensite. These failure criteria were employed to establish integrated workability methodologies to indicate the objective workability limits. / Applying these workability methodologies on multistage CH FE models showed that these methodologies are an efficient tool to predict the damage levels and failure initiation locations within the cold-headed bolts. Moreover, these methodologies were successful in optimizing the die designs in order to reduce damage levels.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Gary Peterson, Florida State University, College of Education, Dept. of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Sept. 15, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains v, 64 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Ph.D. thesis contributes to a deep knowledge about the development in farming of the agricultural companies from the agricultural land use intensity point of view. The Ph.D. thesis should also show which factors and connections determine or influence the forming of intensive and extensive agricultural farming in the Czech Republic in the period around the joining process of the Czech Republic to the EU. Achieved results show the reduction of the agricultural produce intensity level in the Czech Republic in the period 1989--2006, which results in reducing of the competitive ability of Czech agriculture in the international comparison. The followed analysis of the land use intensity level by the group of agricultural companies NUTS II Southwest shows a serious variability in the individual year and also in the average of the followed period, whereas the intercompany differentiation of the land use intensity happen. The higher level of land use intensity is absolutely shown in the higher efficiency of the faming results and is also linked to higher production productivity efficiency. The natural conditions and production aims are identified as factors which are not mostly influencing the level of intensity and its variability. The thesis allows us a look in the EU grant support of the corporations with the different level of land use intensity from added value and production productivity point of view. Ph.D. thesis is a part of the Research plan No. 4. "The development tendency of agribusiness, forming of segmented markets within commodity chains and food networks in the process of integration, globalization, and changes of agrarian policy".

The diploma thesis deals with the issues of sustainability of projects financed by the Northeast Regional Operational Programme NUTS II (ROP Northeast). The aim of the thesis is to establish whether the recipients of subsidies of this programme face problems connected with provision of this projects sustainability. The subsequent interim goal, as long as such problems exist, is to propose specific measures that would reduce their incidence. The theoretical part of the thesis deals with the evolution of regional policies in the European area and in the Czech Republic and puts the ROP Northeast into context of these policies and of their application tools. The practical part deals with ROP Northeast, its basic documents, institutional provision, focus and the aims of the programme including the allocation level designated for individual priority axes. Further it pursues the project cycle phases with a detailed analysis of the project sustainability phase and of the data about ROP Northeast implementation. This part is followed by inquiry made with the employees of the territorial inspection department of The Regional Council and with the recipients of the subsidies from the ROP Northeast, processing and analysis of acquired data and a proposal of specific measures resulting from the conclusions of the inquiry with the recipients. Thus the thesis gains its crucial importance, i.e. a possibility of an actual application of the gained knowledge in practice.

The thesis is focused on analysis of the socioeconomic and demographic context of food consumption. The theoretical part of the thesis is devoted to literary review of resources which is focused on regional disparities and food consumption. In the theoretical part are defined the selected socioeconomic and demographic indicators and similarly conceived approaches of food consumption. In the practical part of the thesis is introduced a brief description of selected territorial units, which are divided into clusters by the cluster analysis based on their similarity/dissimilarity in selected indicators. Based on the results of both cluster analyzes it was found that there is a certain context between the selected socioeconomic and demographic indicators and food consumption in households in the analyzed territorial units. Recommendations for improvement in underdeveloped regions are made in the end of the thesis.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:54:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 texto completo.pdf: 263991 bytes, checksum: de47f6648114ae4a6d77cf21ae4b61eb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-23 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The experiment was carried through with the objective to verify the behavior of nursing nuts during 28 days lodged in different types of maternity in the period of the winter. The matrices had been distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments and nine replications, orders of childbirth varying between 1º and 6º. The treatment one understood the conventional maternity with shelter in creep and birth cage; treatment two was conventional maternity with shelter in creep and birth cage with the heating of the floor in the part of the pigs and treatment three alternative maternity, without parturition cage with shelter and access of piglets and sows during a two hours a day to outdoor in the period of the afternoon. The animals were filmed at 7, 14, 21 and 27 days for 24 hours and after weans it, the nuts had remained more in the environment, being filmed by 12 hours. Daily the maximum and minimum temperatures had been inside of the zone of praised thermal comfort for the lactation phase. It did not have a effect (P>0,10) how much to the performance of the nuts, related to the ration consumption, energy digestible, lysine digestible, corporal weight and thickness of lard. Significant differences (P>0,10) for the weight of the pig, profit of weight, weight of litter and the milk production, but they had been found(P&#8804;0,10) for daily consumption of average ration of the litter one in gram per day, in which, the pigs kept in poles had consumed lower amount of ration when compared with the pigs lodged in the conventional maternities . The nuts kept in alternative maternities with access the poles had remained for more time in the feeder (P&#8804;0,10) and had frequented and expended more time in the water through in relation to the matrices lodged in the conventional maternity. The matrices kept in the conventional maternities had limitation in its daily movements, due to presence of protective gratings, what it provoked greater index of stereotypes, proving in this direction, that they had remained in bigger time in other positions (P&#8804;0,10). As much to the 21 as to the 28 days, the biggest value for energy efficiency was verified for the T1, on the other hand, the pigs of the T3 had presented greaters values of profit of weight when compared with the pigs of the T1. It appears that heating the floor of the piglets in the nursery during the winter conventional and alternative maternity paddocks with access to provide better conditions of welfare, both forsows and for piglets. / O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de verificar o comportamento de porcas lactantes durante 28 dias alojadas em diferentes tipos de maternidade no período do inverno. As matrizes foram distribuídas em delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três tratamentos e nove repetições, com ordens de parto variando entre o 1º e o 6º. O tratamento um compreendeu a maternidade convencional com abrigo escamoteador e cela parideira; o tratamento dois foi maternidade convencional com abrigo escamoteador e cela parideira com o aquecimento do piso na parte dos leitões e o tratamento três maternidade alternativa, sem cela parideira e com abrigo escamoteador, com acesso de porcas e leitões a piquetes por duas horas durante todos os dias do experimento no período da tarde. Os animais foram filmados aos 7, 14, 21 e 27 dias por 24 horas, e após o desmame, as porcas permaneceram no ambiente, sendo filmadas por mais 12 horas. As temperaturas máximas e mínimas diárias estiveram dentro da zona de conforto térmico preconizado para a fase de lactação. Não houve efeito (P>0,10) quanto ao desempenho das porcas, relacionados ao consumo de ração, energia digestível, lisina digestível, peso corporal e espessura de toucinho. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas (P>0,10) para o peso do leitão, ganho de peso, peso da leitegada e produção de leite, mas foram encontradas diferenças significativas (P&#8804;0,10) para consumo de ração médio diário da leitegada em gramas por dia, no qual, os leitões mantidos em piquetes consumiram menor quantidade de ração quando comparados aos leitões alojados nas maternidades convencionais. As porcas mantidas em maternidades alternativas com acesso a piquetes permaneceram por mais tempo no comedouro (P&#8804;0,10) e freqüentaram e despenderam mais tempo no bebedouro em relação às matrizes alojadas nas maternidades convencionais. As matrizes mantidas nas maternidades convencionais tiveram limitação dos seus movimentos instintivos diários, devido à presença de grades protetoras. O que provocou maior índice de estereotipias, comprovando neste sentido, que elas permaneceram maior tempo em outras posições (P&#8804;0,10). Tanto aos 21 como aos 28 dias, o maior valor para eficiência energética foi verificado para as matrizes mantidas nas maternidades convencionais, por outro lado, os leitões alojados em piquetes apresentaram maiores valores de ganho de peso quando comparados aos leitões das maternidades convencionais. Conclui-se que o aquecimento do piso dos leitões na maternidade convencional no período do inverno e maternidades alternativas com acesso a piquetes proporcionam melhores condições de bemestar, tanto para porcas como para leitões.